Niles 12-26-13

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NEWS 2014 new laws

SPORTS Locals ready for holiday tournaments PAGE 11

ONLINE More news at buglenewspapers.com

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Our Community, Our News

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cook county

DECEMBER 26, 2013

Vol. 58 No. 12

trAnsportAtion

Pace won’t switch to Ventra until next year Since Sept. 9 Pace riders have had access to the new contactless payment system By Alex V. Hernandez Staff Reporter STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX V. HERNANDEZ STAFF REPORTER A Cook County judge said he would issue a ruling on criminal charges against a former Maine West High School varsity soccer coach on Jan. 8. Judge Jeffery Warnick told the court that he would like more time to review the charges against former coach Michael Divincenzo, 37, of Elk Grove Village. Warnick was expected to issue a ruling Dec. 19, but instead told the court he would be taking a few weeks to consider the arguments by Divincenzo’s lawyers for a not guilty verdict. Warnick also requested that the prosecution and the defense hand over detailed legal briefs on the charges

PHOTO BY ALEX V. HERNANDEZ/STAFF REPORTER

Michael Divincenzo, 37, of Elk Grove Village, leaving the courthouse around 5:47 p.m. Dec. 17. He initially attempted to wait out the media in the parking lot by staying in the courtroom’s cafeteria.

Pace officials said the suburban bus service would continue to accept cash transfers and 10-Ride Plus tickets into the next year. Originally the full implementation of Ventra across Chicagoland was set for Dec. 15. But after a slew of glitches with the payment system, CTA President Forrest Claypool announced a new opened-ended deadline at a Nov. 5 press conference. Since Sept. 9 Pace riders have had access to the new c o n t a c t l e s s w w w. p a c e b u s . c o m / v e n t r a p a y m e n t system. And according to Pace, only about 30 percent their ridership is using currently using Ventra. Additionally the Pace website says, “as of July 1, 2014, transfer cards will no longer be issued to customers paying with cash.” What this means is cash-paying riders on Pace will no longer be able to get transfers. However Ventra cards will continue to offer 25-cent transfers and free local transfers for riders using the transit value on their Ventra

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PHOTO COURTESY DES PLAINES PD

Mug shot of Divincenzo before the trial resumes next month. Thomas Breen, one of the defense attorneys for Divincenzo, called the judge’s decision “unusual” but offered no further comment on the

matter. Before Warnick’s announcement, Divincenzo’s defense attorneys argued that prosecutors had failed to prove their case and requested that the judge dismiss the criminal charges.

“This is a serious case,” said Warnick. “I [want to] be better informed before making a ruling on this.”

see ‘coAch’ on pAge 6

See VENTRA, page 2


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