Sarge's weather

After a night of rolling thunderstorms, a cold front will move into the Chicago area today that could drop temperatures to the 50s along the lake this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

The severe weather that brought flash flood warnings and hail up to an inch-and-a-half big will move out this morning, and storms developing in western Illinois will likely pass south of Chicago, National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Ratzer said.

“Most of the really heavy weather has ended,” he said. “A severe thunderstorm watch for the immediate area ended and the one in south Chicago was cancelled. . .There’s still some light to moderate rain moving across the area right now but that should be moving out and it’s generally lighter than what we had in the evening hours.”

The weather service also canceled or let expire flash flood warnings that covered the north and south portions of the Chicago area, Ratzer said.

Police across the region didn't report much flooding to the National Weather Service, Ratzer said.

Police closed three blocks of McCormick Boulevard from 6900 North to Touhy Avenue in Lincolnwood because of flooding.

The road sits between a shopping center and a park next to the North Shore Channel, a branch of the Chicago River.

10 Shootings in Chcago by Gang member's and drug dealers

When is the Illinois State's Attorney going to do her job and charge these animals as DOMESTIC TERRORIST UNDER THE PATRIOT ACT 2001. Do your Job Anita

Ten people were shot Thursday afternoon and night and another person was cut by shattering glass as he fled gunfire, police said.

Two of the shooting victims died - they were killed on the 9000 block of South Racine Avenue about 5:05 p.m., police said.

A 19-year-old man was shot by someone who approached him on a bicycle about 10:57 p.m. in the 100 block of West 103rd Place, police said. He was shot in the leg and is in good condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center, police said.

Five people were shot on the 6300 block of South Wolcott Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood about 10:45 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Two 16-year-old girls were among the five shot. One is in serious condition at Mount Sinai Hospital – she was shot in the thigh and groin area. The other teen suffered a graze wound to her arm. A 19-year-old man was shot in the back and is in serious condition at Stroger Hospital. Two 21-year-old men are in good condition at St. Bernard Hospital – one was shot in the finger and the other was shot in the leg.

The wounds aren't life threatening, a Chicago Fire Department said.

All five were on a porch when a "known offender" approached on foot and started shooting, police said. The shooting may be gang related, they added.

About 10:15 p.m., a 19-year-old man was cut by glass as he ran from the sound of gunfire on the 6300 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue.

Also Thursday, two people were shot on the west side. A 21-year-old man was shot in the foot on the 3600 block of West Thomas Street in the Humboldt Park neighborhood about 7:45 p.m.

Police said a family member drove him to Norwegian American Hospital, where he was treated for his wound and released. Police said he was uncooperative.

About noon, a 30-year-old man was shot in the legs and hands in the 100 block of South Francisco Street in the East Garfield Park neighborhood and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital by a family member.

Details surrounding that shooting weren't available.

15 year old Wildebeast escapes from police custody

A 15-year-old boy arrested on a juvenile warrant Thursday night escaped from police custody.

He was being held at the 11th District police station, at the intersection of Harrison Street and Kedzie Avenue on the West Side, when he escaped.

He was not being held in the district's lockup at the time of his escape, police said.

It's not clear what prompted his arrest.

Sox are in 1st Place at the start of the season

At the start of a  season the Sox are in first place.

While the Cubs are in 1st plast to never see a series Hahahahaha CUBS SUCK

Sarge's Sports

American League
EAST	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
Tampa Bay	17	8	.680	-	11-1	6-7	114	103	+11	Won 4	9-1	64.1
Baltimore	16	9	.640	1	8-4	8-5	108	85	+23	Won 2	8-2	39.2
Toronto	14	11	.560	3	8-7	6-4	124	108	+16	Won 2	5-5	36.8
NY Yankees	13	11	.542	3.5	7-6	6-5	121	114	+7	Lost 2	5-5	52.9
Boston	11	13	.458	5.5	4-7	7-6	132	133	-1	Lost 2	7-3	30.6
CENTRAL	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
Cleveland	12	10	.545	-	4-7	8-3	98	101	-3	Won 1	5-5	26.9
Chicago Sox	12	12	.500	1	5-8	7-4	95	90	+5	Lost 1	4-6	37.1
Detroit	12	12	.500	1	7-8	5-4	105	110	-5	Lost 1	3-7	54.7
Kansas City	7	16	.304	5.5	0-10	7-6	89	113	-24	Won 1	4-6	12.5
Minnesota	6	18	.250	7	3-8	3-10	87	137	-50	Lost 3	1-9	1.7
WEST	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
Texas	17	8	.680	-	8-5	9-3	136	87	+49	Lost 2	5-5	92.9
Oakland	13	13	.500	4.5	6-7	7-6	82	97	-15	Won 2	6-4	14.0
Seattle	11	15	.423	6.5	3-6	8-9	99	111	-12	Lost 5	4-6	6.9
LA Angels	10	15	.400	7	7-6	3-9	93	94	-1	Won 3	4-6	29.6
National League
EAST	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
Washington	15	9	.625	-	9-3	6-6	80	68	+12	Won 1	5-5	47.4
Atlanta	15	10	.600	.5	8-4	7-6	133	112	+21	Won 1	5-5	50.6
NY Mets	13	12	.520	2.5	8-5	5-7	95	125	-30	Lost 3	5-5	10.4
Philadelphia	12	13	.480	3.5	5-5	7-8	93	95	-2	Lost 1	5-5	48.4
Miami	10	14	.417	5	6-5	4-9	78	90	-12	Won 2	3-7	8.5
CENTRAL	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
St. Louis	16	8	.667	-	8-3	8-5	135	70	+65	Won 2	6-4	89.5
Cincinnati	11	12	.478	4.5	7-6	4-6	88	93	-5	Lost 1	6-4	26.3
Milwaukee	11	14	.440	5.5	6-6	5-8	102	129	-27	Lost 2	4-6	17.8
Houston	11	14	.440	5.5	7-5	4-9	118	104	+14	Won 3	6-4	19.3
Pittsburgh	10	14	.417	6	5-4	5-10	68	88	-20	Lost 2	4-6	5.4
Chicago Cubs	9	15	.375	7	5-8	4-7	85	104	-19	Won 1	6-4	9.3
WEST	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10	POFF
LA Dodgers	17	8	.680	-	10-2	7-6	103	93	+10	Lost 1	5-5	61.9
Arizona	13	12	.520	4	6-7	7-5	113	108	+5	Lost 1	6-4	46.7
San Francisco	12	12	.500	4.5	6-5	6-7	93	91	+2	Lost 2	5-5	29.2
Colorado	12	12	.500	4.5	8-7	4-5	127	124	+3	Won 1	5-5	18.9
San Diego	9	17	.346	8.5	7-10	2-7	82	99	-17	Won 2	5-5	10.5

Sarge's thought of the day

Wednesday May 2 2012 Top Story

Pam Zekman, an investigative reporter with WBBM Channel 2, snuck up to visible CPD foot patrol Officer Joe Pagan at the Merchandise Mart, while on his beat and doing his assigned job as the Kinzie and Wells foot patrol officer. Zekman had a microphone and camera man, demanding answers from Pagan, "What are you doing in the Merchandise Mart?..."

On Pagan's foot beat, the low crime rate is partially attributed to his charismatic personality. Every day, he meets and talks with people on his beat. Also contributing is Pagan's zero tolerance for loitering, which is frequently tied to pickpockets and purse snatching.

On his beat at Kinzie and Wells, Pagan knows the merchants, the daily riders on the CTA brown line, the every-day Chicagoans, patrons, and employees on his beat. Most of them know Joe as well.

Chicago needs more police officers on the job and officers like Joe Pagan. As a foot patrol officer, Pagan has beat integrity, is proactive every day, and knows the people on his beat.

The Willis (Sears) tower and the John Hancock do not allow the public to walk through as the Merchandise Mart does, and there isn't a CTA stop in those buildings either. As part of a beat patrol, I am 50-50 with respect to whether a CPD foot patrol officer should be assigned to the Merchandise Mart because of its unique function as a quasi-public building. I am 100% opposed to a jealous 018th district officer fueling a story and setting up a fine fellow officer.

Proactive foot patrol officer Pagan at Kinzie and Wells represents the CPD with stellar performance.

Top quality Chicago Police officers like Pagan should not be tainted by the City's record high murder rate. As a self made, non politically connected beat foot patrol officer, Pagan was assigned to a low crime, high profile, Kinzie-Wells beat, which includes a quasi-public building with no metal detectors upon entry - - the Merchandise Mart. This post makes a juicy story.

The City of Chicago needs more police officers on the job. Certainly, the CPD needs to weed out the jealous rat in the 018th District that dropped a dime on Joe working his beat at the Merchandise Mart. In the long run, the rat will tarnish their own FOP officers.

If the Chicago Police Department had more foresight 20 years ago and less politics, and employed more vigilant police officers like Joe Pagan rather than connected bureaucrats, maybe there wouldn't be as much violent crime or murders in Chicago today.

Outside of the job, Joe Pagan is a family man with high family values, and spends numerous hours volunteering and leading in his neighborhood - a strong collaboration with his character and accountability for 14 years on the job. His performance has earned him high profile posts.

My mission for 20 plus years has been top quality public education and strong neighborhoods in Chicago. Joe Pagan has taken a lead with this mission and has been the Chairmen for Latino outreach for Logan Square Concerned Citizens.

Larry Ligas

Community Reformer and Chairman, Logan Square Concerned Citizens

cell (312) xxx-xxxx
reply to: LarryLigas@LarryLigas.com

NATO Protesters Won't Be Sent to Joliet Prison

Joliet, Ill. - The Illinois Department of Corrections says it won't reopen the Joliet prison to house protesters arrested during this month's NATO summit.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart floated that idea in recent days as he prepares for the possibility of a large number of arrests. Thousands of anti-war and other demonstrators are expected to descend on the city during the May 20-21 summit. Dart's office has noted that Cook County jail space is already severely limited.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday that the state prison authority has decided not to reopen the shuttered facility in Joliet.
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Stacey Solano tells the Sun-Times that the former Joliet Correctional Center is "not an option." She didn't explain why.