Teacher Accused of Choking Student Just 'Joking': Patch PM

Community Rallies for High School Spanish Teacher
Accused of Battering Child

Online petition that seeks to have charges dropped against Carrie Benito reaches nearly 2,000 signatures. “‘Señora’ Benito has been a creative and enthusiastic Spanish teacher at DHS for more than 20 years,” wrote Rebecca Crystal of Chicago, who drafted the Change.org petition. “To have her career and reputation be tarnished because of such an accusation is absurd.”
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6th-Grade Teacher Investigated for Watching Porn in Class

• A student at Haven Middle School in Evanston says the substitute was acting suspicious and a classmate saw what he was watching.

Military Veteran Mom of Six Reported Missing

• Family says Brenda Jackson, 31, has not been seen since the late evening hours of Jan. 3.

‘Sexual’ Remark to Teen Girl Led Brother to Bash in Neighbor’s Skull: Prosecutor

• The Joliet man’s “skull was caved in,” a prosecutor said.

Watch Firefighters Pluck Dog from Icy Pond

• VIDEO: Rottweiler fell through ice after running away from people trying to catch her.

Trial Soon for Hooker Accused of Stabbing Beloved Teacher to Death

• Accused of murdering Al Filan in Orland Park, Alisha Walker will claim self defense.

Customer Gets Spitting Mad Over Cost of McDonald’s Hamburger

• Cops say drive-thru customer didn’t like the 2-burgers-for-$2 deal, so she entered the restaurant and spit in the manager’s face.

Shared 6,100 Times on Facebook

The Brown’s Chicken Massacre: 23 Years Later

• One of Chicagoland’s most horrific crimes committed 23 years ago in Palatine.

Also Worth a Look Today

• Baby in Breech Position Delivered on Way to Hospital
• Powerball Jackpot Grows to World-Record $1.4 Billion for Jan. 13 Drawing
• Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber in Downers Grove
• Charity Receives Truckload of Mattel Toys from Anonymous Donor
• Palatine Woman Took Several Shots at Holiday Party Before Causing Fatal Crash: Authorities

Patch PM shares a few of the day’s must-read items from our Chicago network. The Patch community platform serves more than six dozen villages and cities in the Chicago region.

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