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Jul 15, 2007 8:11 pm US/Central
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Catch Up On News With The Weekend Wrap-Up
WEB EXTRA:
CBS 2 Web Producer Darcel Rockett, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(CBS)
Here are some headlines from the news in the Chicago area over the weekend.
•
$2 Million Bail For Mom Accused of Killing Child•
Mayor Daley Tours Rio's Pan Am Game Facilities •
Boaters Shove Off For Race To Mackinac•
Driver Due In Court For Crash That Killed Cop•
Dems Compete For Party Nomination in Chicago•
State Treasurer Announces Rebates For Hybrids•
Thousands Of Cyclists Ride To Raise Cash For Parks$2 Million Bail For Mom Accused of Killing Child
A Woodridge mother is charged with first-degree murder for killing her daughter. The charge against 23-year-old Christina Beltran was announced Saturday. Neighbors suspected something was wrong at the home before the child died.
Prosecutors say five-year-old Evelyn Beltran was severely beaten for several weeks in a Woodridge apartment.
"Words cannot express the horror this poor child must have gone through," DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett said. "She was defenseless against her own mother and unable to seek help. Her suffering ended only when she died."
Authorities say her injuries include blunt force trauma to the head and a rupture to her intestines. It's a horrendous crime -- not only because it claimed the life of an innocent girl, but also apparently because her mother was trying to hide her actions from her family.
Byron Austin remembers seeing Beltran taking her girl out of the house wraped in a blanket.
"We didn't know the kid had died or anything, but we just knew it was a problem," he said. "You know, it was strange she had her covered up in a blanket or something when she came out anyway because it was hot."
More on this storyMayor Daley Tours Rio's Pan Am Game Facilities 
Mayor Daley and the Chicago 2016 Olympics comittee went to Rio de Janiero this weekend to see how one of its competitors puts on an international sporting competition. While there, the group toured facilities for the Pan Am Games to see how it stacked up against Chicago's plans.
2016 Olympics CEO Pat Ryan said his group was most impressed by the athletes landscaped village. It will be turned into residential housing after the Pan Ams, just as Chicago plans to do with its athletes village after the 2016 Olympics.
The main concerns about Rio's bid for 2016 -- and its ability to stage the Pan Ams -- have been traffic issues, technical woes and violence.
Ryan said the Brazilians have done well in moving the crowds around, and that security is a major topic for any such event, no matter where it is held. He also compared Rio to Chicago in one key aspect.
"Because Rio has not held a major event like this in a long time, just as Chicago has not in terms of a multifaceted event, they have to prove they are capable of delivering," Ryan said. "This [Pan Am Games] is half the size of the Olympics, and it reinforces what we have heard about the importance of logistics and seeing what a multifaceted enterprise this is. You are really in the service business, providing services to the Olympic family, the media, hundreds of thousands of spectators. It's all about the experience and it's important that the athletes be able to perform at the highest level."
More on this story Boaters Shove Off For Race To Mackinac
The 99th annual Race to Mackinac got underway Saturday from the Lake Michigan shore off downtown Chicago.
The Race to Mackinac, or the "Mac" for short, is billed as the longest annual freshwater sailing race in the world. It's a trip of 333 miles, or 289.4 nautical miles.
Since the race is an amateur event, no prize money is awarded. But the winners do get a plaque, a flag, and of course, bragging rights for the next year.
Every year sailors from around the country and the world come to Chicago for the "Mac." Among the participants this year were some younger boaters who seized the time to learn what sailing is all about. This year, more than 300 boats are competing and many crews say they're in it to win it.
More on this storyDriver Due In Court For Crash That Killed Cop
A 22-year-old man was due in bond court Sunday afternoon, charged with drunk driving and reckless homicide in the death of an off-duty Chicago police officer.
Officer Wayne Smith, 34, was killed Friday night when he was riding his motorcycle while off-duty. He was traveling south on Ashland Avenue at 31st Street at about 11:20 p.m. Friday when a Ford Explorer going in the opposite direction tried to turn left and struck Smith's motorcycle.
The driver of the SUV tried to flee the scene on foot, but was arrested when he apparently pretended to be part of the crowd at the scene. Saturday night, Cook County prosecutors approved several felony and misdemeanor charges against the driver, Manuel Puga of the 3700 block of West 77th Place.
Puga was charged with felony reckless homicide and aggravated DUI and misdemeanor DUI, driving with an open container of alcohol, driving without a license, driving without insurance and drug possession, according to police.
Smith's wife, Toria Rivers-Smith said Smith was out buying a birthday gift for their daughter, Brille, who turned four on Saturday.
More on this storyDems Compete For Party Nomination in Chicago
The top Democrats competing for the party nomination in 2008 were in Chicago Sunday taking part in a forum and taking shots at each other. The toughest verbal jab was aimed at Hillary Clinton, by a candidate who once served her husband's White House administration.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson was ambassador to the United Nations for President Bill Clinton. He called former First Lady Hillary Clinton a "very distinguished candidate" at a forum for five Democrats hosted by trial lawyers. But Richardson slammed the New York senator for having said in the past that America is safer because of things George Bush did after Sept. 11.
"I do disagree with Sen. Clinton," said Richardson. "I don't believe America's safer today. And there's an intelligence report that confirms that, that says since 9/11 Al Qaeda has regrouped, gotten stronger. I don't believe President Bush has made this country safer."
While Sen. Clinton did not respond to Richardson directly, she ripped the Bush Administration in the toughest terms.
"The repair that will have to be done for the damage that the president and vice-president have done literally from one end of the globe to another will be very difficult," said Hillary Clinton. "But we can do this. We can start by bringing our troops home from Iraq."
All five Democratic presidential candidates at the forum, including Barack Obama, John Richards and Joseph Biden, vowed to end the war in Iraq. Clinton cautioned that it can't be done overnight.
More on this storyState Treasurer Announces Rebates For Hybrids
State officials hope a new $2 million program announced Sunday will encourage use of fuel-efficient vehicles by giving hybrid car owners a $1,000 rebate.
"Hybrid cars use less gas, but they cost more upfront," Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias said in a statement. "This will help them recoup their investment faster while they save money at the pump."
The state created the so-called Green Rewards program by partnering with local banks and credit unions throughout Illinois. About 2,000 car buyers will be able to receive one rebate per vehicle, but Giannoulias said he would consider expanding the program if there's more demand for the rebates.
Hybrids can get up as much as 60 miles to the gallon, while producing dramatically less pollutants and greenhouse gasses. The cars can cost $1,200 to $10,000 more than their traditional-fuel counterparts.
Giannoulias, a first-term treasurer, will travel the state in his own Ford Escape hybrid to promote the initiative.
Thousands Of Cyclists Ride To Raise Cash For Parks
Thousands of bikers took part in the annual "Late Ride" in Chicago Sunday morning.
Nearly 10,000 enthusiastic riders gathered at Buckingham Fountain just before dawn to gather for a sunrise breakfast, following an all-night ride to raise money for Friends of the Parks.
The "Late Ride" takes cyclists on a 25-mile journey through Chicago's downtown and North Side neighborhoods, and along the lakefront.
The annual "Late Ride" is Chicago's biggest charity bicycle ride. Proceeds from the event benefit "Friends of the Parks", an organization dedicated to improving and protecting Chicago's parks and forest preserves in Cook County.
Major goals for "Friends of the Parks" this year include developing new playgrounds in Chatham and Little Village, creating a plan to develop new south lakefront parks, expanding their environmental education program, and launching a tree-planting initiative.
More on this story
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