Authorities have identified the pilot of the cargo jet that crashed earlier this week in a forest preserve near Wheeling as Steven Ellis, 38, of Pontiac, Michigan. The identity of the co-pilot is pending a fingerprint check. [Tribune] more ›

Authorities continue to investigate yesterday's crash of a cargo jet in Wheeling that killed the pilot and the co-pilot, trying to gather as much evidence from the scene before tonight's winter storm rolls in. The jet, owned by Royal Air Charter of Waterford, Michigan, had departed from suburban Detroit and was on its approach to Chicago Executive Airport when it went down in a forest preserve almost two miles south of the airport (the plane's final destination was to be Atlanta). Authorities have not yet identified the two people who died in the crash; the bodies are in the Des Plaines River and the river's current prevented their recovery. While the NTSB continues its investigation, Robert Mark, a pilot who landed at the airport shortly after the crash, told the Tribune he believes the jet experienced a classic stall. more ›

• While no longer the state's top DUI locale as they were in 2006, Naperville was still No. 2 in 2008.
• A Wisconsin appeals court ruled last week that police in the state can attach GPS devices to cars for the purposes of tracking without a search warrant.
• Next up in furlough days: the Chicago Park Distrtict.

• Hundreds of protesters rallied downtown today along with others across the country as part of a tax day "Tea Party" against excessive government spending. Chicagoisto Kevin was there, and will have coverage/photos tomorrow.
• Looks like the city is having a hard time finding any patsies to switch from a monthly flat fee for water service over to city water meters -- the Sun-Times reports that "only a trickle" (ha, get it?) of homeowners have signed up. A Water Management spokesman acknowledged that residents have the perception that if meters are installed, their water bills will go up. Shocking!
• Since we already used up our allotment of "Bo knows" references today, we'll skip the obvious and just say that Bo "I-Can't-Decide-On-One-Sport" Jackson has founded a bank in south suburban Burr Ridge. Well, he certainly can't make the banking system any worse.

An early morning standoff in Wheeling ended without shots being fired or bystanders being hurt, but there was only one problem: the suspect got away. It started at 12:43 this morning when a police officer spotted a man with a handgun in the Colonial Townhomes parking lot. The unidentified man took shelter in a townhouse and police set up a perimeter and closed roads. Several people, including a few children, were still in the townhouse when the man entered, but exited without incident. A .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found at the scene, but no other details have been released. [S-T] more ›

But [Village Manager Mark] Rooney and [director of economic development for Wheeling James] Lang said the village never intended to stop anyone cooking for their church or any other religious organization. more ›