A 70-year-old Downers Grove-area man is accused of shooting out the window of a car as a motorist who claimed to be stranded tried to flee, Darien police said Wednesday.

Brookfield Zoo today announced the birth of an aardvark at the zoo, the first born there in a decade.

Methamphetamine lab seizures rose nationally again in 2011, further evidence the powerfully addictive and dangerous drug is maintaining a tight grip on the nation's heartland, according to an Associated Press survey of the nation's top meth-producing states.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn today delivered a bad news budget speech, calling for prison closures, layoffs and cutbacks to health care for the poor.

Oak Park has expanded its Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District boundaries, adding 444 homes to an area once declared one of America’s 10 great neighborhoods.

DUI charges have been filed against a woman who drove her car the wrong way on the Kennedy Expressway early this morning and collided with another car, seriously injuring her and the other driver.

A party held by two teenagers while their parents were out of town brought about 25 teens to their home in McHenry County—and resulted in $20,000 in cash and about 100 prescription narcotic pills disappearing from the home, police said.

Hundreds of community activists and parents gathered at Chicago Public Schools headquarters this morning to pressure the school board to reject a reform package that includes closing or overhauling 17 struggling schools.

Wisconsin voters are about evenly split in their opinions of Republican Gov. Scott Walker, as an ongoing investigation into several of his former aides and associates appears to be muting a sense of guarded optimism over certain aspects of the state economy, according to poll results released Wednesday. The Marquette University poll also hints at a challenge for Wisconsin Democrats, who have mounted an effort to recall Walker but who don't appear to have a solid candidate ready to challenge him. Walker's approval and disapproval ratings both stood at 47 percent, down from a 51 percent approval rating that the same pollsters found last month. The current poll surveyed 716 Wisconsin residents who are registered to vote or said they plan to register. It was conducted from Thursday through Sunday, and had an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. There were signs that voters are optimistic about the state's financial outlook. For example, when asked whether they think Wisconsin is a good place to start a business, 72 percent said yes. And in response to a question evaluating legislation passed last year that reduced regulation and offered incentives for businesses to stay or relocate here, 34 percent said the effort added jobs, while 16 percent said caused a decrease in jobs. However, voters have also been paying attention to a grand-jury investigation into several people who were close to Walker when he was the Milwaukee County executive. The investigation has led to criminal charges against five people, and while Walker hasn't been charged with wrongdoing, he has hired two attorneys and said he will meet with the district attorney leading the investigation. Of the 72 percent of respondents who said they were aware of the investigation, 52 percent said they think it's "really something serious," whereas 40 percent said it's "just more politics." Walker is being targeted by recall efforts, but it's not clear who could seriously challenge him. For each of five Democrats who have either said they would run against him or have been mentioned as possible challengers, at least 40 percent of respondents said they hadn't heard enough about them to have an opinion. The poll does bode well for President Barack Obama's chances in Wisconsin, giving him double-digit leads over each of his four Republican rivals. The respondents, 652 of whom said they were "very likely" to vote, gave the president a 51 percent to 40 percent lead over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum; a 53 percent to 38 percent lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney; a 52 percent to 36 percent lead over Texas Rep. Ron Paul; and a 56 percent to 33 percent lead over former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The poll also showed Santorum to be the early favorite to win Wisconsin's April 3 Republican primary. Among those who said they plan to vote in the primary, 34 percent backed Santorum while 18 percent backed Romney. Paul was backed by 17 percent of the respondents, while 12 percent supported Gingrich. Another 17 percent said they're undecided. In Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race, the poll found that former Gov. Tommy Thompson appeared to be the Republican candidate with the best chance of beating Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin. Respondents favored Thompson over her, 48 percent to 42 percent. However, Baldwin polled better than former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, 44 percent to 40 percent, and she was ahead of Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, 45 percent to 37 percent. One problem for Neumann, Fitzgerald and Baldwin is name recognition. About half of respondents said they hadn't heard enough about any of the three.

A Chicago area man is taking legal action against his former employer for allegedly firing him as a sales associate because he was called to serve on a federal jury.

A Blue Island man is scheduled to appear in court today on DUI charges after his SUV struck and killed a man unloading a beer truck in Chicago's Morgan Park neighborhood Monday.

A 26-year-old schizophrenic man walked away from his home on the 4300 block of West Shakespeare Avenue on Tuesday and hasn’t been seen since, according to police.

A 25-year-old man was shot three times after an argument in the Gresham neighborhood Tuesday night, according to police.

How does President Obama thank his former chiefs of staff for serving in that grueling position? On Wednesday, Obama will give them both another task -- getting him reelected.

A 21-year-old South Side man was charged with shooting a Chicago police officer in the South Shore neighborhood on Sunday.

A 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at gunpoint Tuesday morning in the West Englewood neighborhood and police are looking for the attacker.

Ida Grant always feared the outbursts of violence from her two autistic grandsons would leave a family member injured.

Consultant suggests a look at financing and long-term viability of event

The DuPage County Board should examine the long-term viability of its county fair and how distribution of state funding for the event is handled, a consultant has recommended.

Larger Prairie-style structure could be renovated, sold, while smaller might be donated to preservation group

A Schaumburg-based developer who had initially intended to demolish two Prairie-style homes in Wilmette, one of which preservationists say has a direct tie to Frank Lloyd Wright, said he is rethinking his plans.

A woman who allegedly tried to walk out of a Naperville pet store with a puppy under her coat has been charged with felony retail theft, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office.