* Suburban Marine dies in Afghan battle

Lance Cpl. James Stack was in the thick of combat in Afghanistan during his first overseas deployment with his U.S. Marine unit, but he never expressed any fears to his family.

Instead, the 20-year-old former Arlington Heights resident wrote about his determination to excel at the tough job he was doing.

* Arlington Hts. Marine dies in Afghanistan

* Plainfield soldier buried with hero’s honors

* Fallen Hoyleton Marine Makes Final Trip Home

The body of Staff Sergeant Jordan Emrick arrived at the MidAmerica airport near St. Louis Thursday afternoon. A Marine honor guard escorted his casket on its return to Illinois.

The 26-year-old was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan last Friday while serving his third deployment. Emrick joined the Marines shortly after graduating from Nashville High School in 2002.

* ‘He always wanted to make peace’ … Friends, family mourn as fallen Marine makes final trip hom

* Downstate bucks trend on home prices in Illinois

* Preckwinkle looking for more cooperation from Stroger

The two met Tuesday for the first time, after what Preckwinkle described as months of “zero” cooperation, but it was of little help. Preckwinkle would only say it was “unfortunate” the session was “very short,” but influential Commissioner John Daley, D-Chicago, was less subtle.

“It lasted eight to 10 minutes — it was not good,” said Daley, who said he had discussed the meeting with Preckwinkle.

So Daley and all his colleagues plan to put Stroger and his top executives under the spotlight at Tuesday’s board meeting, where they will be asked to detail their transition efforts.

* Preckwinkle names transition team

* Alderman seeks creation of ‘office of legislative counsel’

* CTA to look for corporate sponsors for buses, trains

* Kevin Metheny, Jim Laski out at WGN-AM

* ‘Pig Virus’ quarantined: Metheny, Laski driven out from WGN

* County commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman files for bankruptcy

* Buffalo Grove board may reprimand village president over parody

* Election results show a bluer New Trier, local Dem leader says

* Lake County government goes leaner

* Peoria County loan to Keystone being audited

* Rail work moves north of Chatham

* Remnants of Springfield’s Carnegie library unearthed at fairgrounds

* Ciampoli’s election to County Board creates open seat on Collinsville City Council

* Sentencing hearing continues for ex-deputy liquor commissioner in ESL

* Mississippi Lures Bulltetmaker, 1000 Jobs from Downstate

* Pharaoh Newton remains in Saline custody, for now

* Schoenburg: Shimkus as head of energy panel might be interesting