Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 1-1

123456 50 City Elsewhere FINAL CHICAGOLAND CHICAGOTRIBUNE By Alex Rodriguez and James Janega Tribune staff reporters NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq U.S. troops began a drive into western sections of the rebel- held city of Fallujah on Sunday night, securing a hospital and major bridges in what appeared to be the initial phase of an all- out assault to retake the city and crush the insurgency that has controlled it since April. The push into Fallujah began hours after Prime Minister Ayad Allawi imposed a 60-day state of emergency in most of the country Sunday to confront a fresh wave of bombings and ambushes sweeping Iraq. Insurgents, facing a decisive battle in Fallujah, where they are severely outgunned and out- manned, have engineered a torrent of attacks across central and western Iraq in the past two days, killing at least 54 people and wounding scores more. The emergency declaration sets the stage for the establishment of curfews and other martial-law measures aimed at reining in the violence.

Air strikes, pounding from artillery positions and heavy gunfire accompanied the push into the city, carried out by Marines, U.S. Army troops and Iraqi commandos. However, late Sunday there was no public indication that Allawi had given the go- ahead for the long-awaited major offensive to begin. U.S. troops blocked all traffic in and out of the city by Sunday evening.

Lateran Iraqi commando brigade teamed with U.S. forces stormed a hospital. U.S. soldiers also secured key bridges, including one where an Iraqi mob in March strung up the charred bodies of American contractors. U.S.

pushes into Fallujah Assault on insurgent-held city begins after Allawi declares emergency PLEASE SEE IRAQ BACK PAGE U.S. officers say Iraqis will play key role. BACKPAGE By Jennifer Skalka Tribune staff reporter As a victorious Bush administration looks to push favored policies such as faith-based initiatives, a new health-insurance plan becomes available in Illinois for federal workers wanting coverage that meshes with their religious beliefs. The enrollment period for the plan, which has sparked debate in the health-care community about the appropriate divide between church and state, opens Monday for federal employees in 27 Downstate counties. Those federal workers will have the option to enroll in an insurance plan that does not cover contraceptives, fertility treatment or abortions.

It is the first such plan in the nation offered to federal workers, and it will be aimed at Catholics. Proponents of the plan, which offers low-cost, high-deductible coverage, say it provides a revolutionary choice in health care, allowing subscribers to select coverage that is in sync with their faith. Opponents see it as a move to extend religious influence and values to a new arena. They are criticizing the administration for supporting a program that limits reproductive health care. inappropriate for federal dollars to subsidize a plan that is blatantly designed to foster one point of said Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

is just another part of the Bush attacks on access to Medical plan gives Catholics an option Federal insurance cover abortion PLEASE SEE INSURANCE, PAGE14 BUSINESS SEC. 4OBITUARIES SEC. 2 P. 5-7 CLASSIFIED SEC. 6SPORTS SEC.

3 EDITORIALS SEC. 1 P. 18TEMPO SEC. 5 METROSEC. 2WEATHER SEC.

2 BACK NATION SEC. 1 P. 8WORLD SEC. 1 P. 3 Weather: Partly sunny; high 46, low 27 SPORTS Bears rally past Giants; Krenzel hobbled R.W.

McQuarters (21) congratulates Ian Scott on recovering a fumble in a win over New York in which QB hurt his ribs. Tribune photo by Jim Prisching By Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporter Twenty-five years after a feisty opponent and a succession of monstrous snowstorms helped cost Mayor Michael Bilandic his job, the irony leaps off the page from an internal Bilandic strategy plan for the 1979 mayoral campaign. cannot expect the media to ignore your opponent even if it is only Jane it says in what turned out to be one of the biggest understatements in Chicago political history. Byrne, of course, scored a stunning upset in the Democratic primary and went on to be elected the first female mayor. The unsigned composed by a Bilandic aide before the big snows one of thousands of documents, letters, personal notes and other material in a new collection that tracks the career of the late alderman, mayor and Illinois Supreme Court justice.

The papers, donated by Bi- family and maintained by the University of Illinois at Richard J. Daley Library, shed new light on one of the few people in city history who served in top spots in all three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. But among the most fascinating are those that give behind-the-scenes glimpses of his three years in the office, leading up to the fateful snowstorms of the winter of 1978-79 when up- wardof 90 inches fell, more Archives reveal that mayor who succeeded Daley see Jane Tribune file photo On Dec. 31, 1978, Mayor Michael Bilandic (right) gets an update on snow removal along LaSalle Street. Problems with snow were blamed for defeat in the 1979 primary.

Bilandic documents drip with blizzard of irony PLEASE SEE BILANDIC, PAGE16 By M. Daniel Gibbard Tribune staff reporter A string of recent coyote attacks on dogs underscores an unnerving reality: A skittish animal once considered rare in the Chicago area has settled in and made itself at home. In Mundelein, there have been at least half a dozen attacks on dogs, most of them fatal, in the last several weeks, and police have warned residents not to leave pets and children unattended. At least one fatal dog mauling also occurred in Schaumburg. Quick to point out that a coyote attack against a person has never been reported in Illinois in modern times, researchers sure why there is increased contact between urban coyotes and humans and their pets.

One thing is certain: Around Chicago, they are everywhere, even if their after-hours lifestyle makes them unnoticed by most people. out there chasing Coyotes find that city life can suit them PLEASE SEE COYOTES, PAGE2 By Russell Working Tribune staff reporter Arwad Atiya sells plastic- tipped cigars, lottery tickets and potato chips from a market at an Austin neighborhood corner where litter drifts on the sidewalks and the windows are shattered in a church across the street. The economy has worsened since the Clinton years, said Atiya, who, like 55 percent of Il- linois residents, voted for Sen. John Kerry in last presidential election. But he said he surprised to find the state out of step with the American majority that elected President Bush.

has it worse than other Atiya said. Chica- go, a lot of factories closed, a lot of people lost their unemployment rate was 6 percent in September, lower than previous months but above the national rate of 5.4 percent that month, according to U.S. Commerce Department figures. Many Democrats in blue that supported been agonizing Illinois a blue island in red sea Tradition, economy helped keep state Democratic Nov. 2 PLEASE SEE POLITICS, PAGE15 INSIDE HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN Get into the spirit Kick off the holiday season with a gift to the less fortunate.

COUPON IN METRO, PAGE 4 By Richard A. Oppel Jr. New York Times News Service FALLUJAH, Iraq The apparent first step in the assault on Fallujah took place Sunday night as U.S. Special Forces and Iraqi troops burst into Fallujah General Hospital and seized it within the hour. At 10 p.m., Iraqi troops clam- bered off 7-ton trucks, sprinting with U.S.

troops around the side of the main hospital building and entering to bewildered looks from patients and employees. Ear-splitting bangs rang out as troops used a gunlike tool called a which uses the force from firing a blank cartridge to thrust forward a chisel to break heavy door locks. Iraqi troops eagerly kicked the doors in, some not waiting for the locks to break. Patients and hospital employees were rushed out of rooms by armed soldiers and ordered to sit or lie on the floor while troops bound their hands behind their backs. In less than an hour, the com- pound was secure.

Most of the hands were free, and the Iraqis were sitting along the hallways in the main building. Physicians were back to attending to the most seriously ill, watched by Iraqi and U.S. troops. There were broken doors and New York Times photo by Shawn Baldwin An Iraqi commando prepares to break through a locked door at Fallujah General Hospital as detainees watch Sunday. BATTLE OF FALLUJAH Iraqi troops help seize hospital PLEASE SEE HOSPITAL BACK PAGE Talk shows look to Obama on Democrats, GOP.

METRO.