Welcome to gamershire.com

This morning's cloudy, wet weather is expected to persist into Sunday, dampening this weekend's pre-St. Patrick's Day festivities, although the chance of rain will go down as the weekend wears on, forecasters predict.

Today will be the cooler, more rain-soaked day, with temperatures in the mid-40s and winds of 15 to 25 m.p.h. and gusts of 40 m.p.h., according to the National Weather Service. The chance of rain in the Chicago area is 70 percent today, but the downtown Chicago forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of showers. Rain will moderate in the afternoon, says Tom Skilling, chief meteorologist for WGN-TV and the Tribune.

The fog dominating the lakefront early today should lift somewhat as the day warms up, although local areas could still see dense fog until later in the morning.

Tonight's temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s. Sunday will remain cloudy, with a 20 percent chance of light showers and slightly warmer weather, with highs in the upp...

A man, described as in his 30s, was shot multiple times late Friday night while sitting in his vehicle in Chicago's Morgan Park neighborhood.

Preliminary information said the man was sitting in the 11500 block of South Hale Avenue about 11:45 p.m. when an unknown suspect opened fire from a passing vehicle, said police.

The man suffered several gunshot wounds and was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, said police.

Police are investigating.

-- Deanese Williams-Harris

The St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off at noon and will end at 3 p.m. Some downtown streets will be closed.  

The starting point is at the intersection of Balbo and Columbus drives and the parade ends at Madison and Columbus. Roosevelt Road to Randolph Street will be closed to traffic from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The dyeing of the Chicago River will begin at 10:45 a.m. and can be viewed from the East Side of the Michigan Avenue bridge, the West side of the Columbus Drive bridge or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive

-- Staff report

A taxi driver was seriously injured this morning when he stepped out of his passenger van and was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 90 near O'Hare International Airport.

Shortly after 5 a.m., Illinois State Police responded to a call of a person hit in the eastbound lanes of I-90 near the airport.

Preliminary reports said the man stepped out of his taxi to possibly change a tire, but that has not been confirmed. The man was hit by a Jeep SUV and thrown approximately 40 feet from his vehicle into a steep ditch, according to police.

Emergency crews used rope and a stretcher to haul the man from the ditch because of slippery and muddy conditions, said police. The man, who complained of shortness of breath and numbness in his back, was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, said police.

The taxi, which was sideswiped by the Jeep, sustained moderate damage to the left rear side. A wo...

A 53-year-old woman died this morning following a 2-vehicle crash on Chicago's North Side.

Officers and paramedics responded to the crash about 12:49 a.m. in the 1200 block of North Elston Avenue, said police.

The victim was found unresponsive. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead, said police.

The circumstances leading up to the crash were not immedicately available, said police.

The Police Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating.

-- Deanese Williams-Harris

The scene of an extra-alarm fire in Maywood overnight (Carlos Javier Ortiz / for the Chicago Tribune)

An extra-alarm fire at 20 N. 5th Avenue in Maywood caused extensive damage to a 3-story building housing a thrift shop, dance studio and at least one apartment.

About 50 firefighters from Maywood and surrounding suburban departments responded to the blaze around 11:30 p.m. Friday night in downtown Maywood. According to Chief John Cadagin, a portion of the second floor of the building collapsed into the first floor, hampering firefighting efforts.  

Shortly after midnight, the fire had escalated to a 3-alarm response, according to a Maywood fire department representative.

No injuries were reported in the blaze. 

The fire, which Cad...

A man, described as in his 40s, was shot Friday night during a robbery attempt in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.

About 10 p.m., officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 7000 block of South Laflin Street, said Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro. When police arrived a man was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen, said Alfaro. An unknown suspect tried to rob the man, said police.

The victim was taken to Stroger Hospital and listed in "stable" condition. 

Police are investigating.

-- Deanese Williams-Harris

Firefighters from several area departments responded to a report of a small fire in a hangar at the Chicago/Aurora Municipal Airport Friday night.

Initial reports said a small blaze started about 6:30 p.m., with no injuries and no planes involved, according to the Sugar Grove Fire Department, one of the departments that responded to the scene.

However, late Friday night a spokesman at the Sugar Grove department said the initial reports were incorrect and no fire was found at the location.

The spokesman would not provide details.

-- Staff report