Patch Flash: State Ban of Cell Phone Use While Driving "Inevitable" Says Senator

One influential Illinois legislator said Tuesday that a statewide ban on the use of cell phones by individuals driving, whether they are hands-free or not, "might be inevitable." State Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) said "there's no question it's a distraction from driving." Cullerton's comments echo the concerns of the National Transportation Safety Board which, last month, recommended that states move to ban both hands-free and hand-held cell phone use while driving.

Dec. 30. The Highland Park police were called to a home on Winona Road with a report of an armed home invasion. The residents told the police that two male offenders forcibly entered their home, firing a gun in the process. The residents were forcibly restrained and suffered minor injuries during the event. The offenders took jewelry and other valuables before fleeing the home. The victims' son was able to loosen his restraints and called the police.

. Police said as many as 30 14- to 17-year-olds were found drinking booze at a New Year's Eve house party where two parents tried to cover for them. The pair, who told the cops they were supervising a party for their teenage daughter, were arrested. Kimberly and William Opferman were arrested and each charged with one count of unlawfully allowing a minor to become intoxicated.

A homeless Arlington Heights woman who tweeted her experiences was not only able to find support and housing through the social networking site, but has inspired other homeless people to share their stories through social media. AnnMarie Walsh, 41, became homeless more than five years ago after losing her job and going through a divorce. She spent the next few years sleeping in an Arlington Heights, Ill. alley -- and using the internet at a suburban library to share her story.

When Chicago filmmaker Benjamin Gonzales set out to create a film telling the story of his friend ArLynn Presser's ambitious goal to meet all of her 325 Facebook friends over the course of one year, he wasn't aiming to create a documentary about anxiety. But, Gonzales soon found, the gravity of Presser's journey simply wouldn't resonate without explaining how the 51-year-old Glen Ellyn woman, who has struggled with agoraphobia and anxiety for much of her life, decided to set a different course in the New Year's resolution she made on December 31, 2010.