wgn news @ 9 35 year veteran of chicago fire department a hero many times over fire commissioner robert hoff leaving his post immediately. top story around the country tonight during the replacement shows and why he is leaving not clear tracking details for us >> we do know he is stepping down we do not know why. was it personal? more to this? hoping to find out more tomorrow. you have seen this gentlemen on television and many robert hoff times fire the face of chicago fire department no longer overseeing this after year and a half on the job. appointed by mayor daley june 2010 robert hoff as you mentioned a third generation firefighter his father also of firefighter who died in the line of duty yester day marked 50 years since his death. robert hoff has been with department 35 years well liked by the rank-and-file today told me they were shocked to hear this afternoon of his departure. >> i did not expect this not today. preparing for the meeting tonight when i heard. it was a budget issue. nothing to do with g8 and nato summits because the type of person who likes to get his hands dirty a

and it where it began robert hoff resigned today chicago fire commissioner at the firehouse 30 year career. more on the resignation and replacement. >> good evening incoming superintendent difficult problems of chicago fire department tough economic times new chief forced to find new ways to save money and that will certainly be a big challenge for jose santiago. >> last time and a fire together old senior chiefs lot of sheets were in trouble. >> very good relationship thank you >> filled with emotion newly appointed chief says goodbye to firefighting legend highly decorated robert hoff it will apply to during the course of 30 years with the department are run like efforts 1984 landing him in a hospital burn unit >> made it to where i am and proud by the grace of god and i can say one thing about fire service you can be a chief but what makes you a good commissioner or chief the people who work under you. >> stepping away 50 years to the day almost firefighter that perished in the line of duty left his mark on firefighting family >> many others would have run from that legacy bob along wit

interviewed this afternoon >> no doubt up with the job have worked with commissioner robert hoff pourires together some good * bad * >> 56 year old deputy fire commissioner jose santiago recent appointment bittersweet sense excited well qualified with a job at the same time sad soon-to-be predecessor robert hoff is leaving >> very tight family and went a family member leaves you hate to see them go jose santiago comes from humble beginnings in humboldt park he and three sisters raised by single mother who made short he stayed away from the danks that plagued the neighborhood the amount of love my mother had for me kept me out of them always came home knew my mother would be their streets were rough and tough >> born in chicago age of 17 joint marine court serving in vietnam with the fall of saigon in 1975 and 1979 became chicago firefighter continue to assert record in the reserve decorated officer served again operation desert storm his unit proudly flying to chicago flag given personally by mayor daley >> so many different jobs in the marine corps great tools taken with me helping m

. >> robert hoff said the agency conducted their own study to determine the impact of removing hybridsm the hov lane. >> nothing can be traced that caused significant increase in congestion. >> he has? >> uh-huh. >> would you revisit it? >> we'll see. we will have to run it through the traffic operations department. >> they did and claimed data they collected shows traffic patterns evaporate changed since hybrids left the carpool lane and they are not willing to take another look. we did obtain this e-mail from a caltrans engineer who draws similarities between the data and the report. he said there is none. >> i have been told by one or two anonymous sources it is easy to expel the hybrid. >> for costs money. >> money and time to monitor the situation. >> it's easier to say okay, we will have a longer commute for everyone. are. >> so it seems. >> all of these laws are teor for example, the current stickers end in 2015. cal trans it doesn't want to set up new systems and create new signs to explain to people for something that lasts just three years. >> stewart cohen is with a nonprofi

retiring commissioner robert hoff past leadership to someone he called a brother tunney francisco is live with the story >>there were questions as to whether the fire commissioner was resigning over differences with the mayor but he cited more time he needed with the family ... >>he has a long distinguished career 35 years of service and to awards for bravery for rescuing people from burning buildings ... jose santiago replaces him as a 32 year veteran of the department he is currently deputy fire commissioner the mayor approached him four weeks ago when the current commissioner resigned ... >>by the grace of god i made it to where am i am proud i can say one thing about the fire service you can be a chief but what makes you a good one is all of the people that work under you ... >>i'm looking for new and more efficient ways to manage this department i will continue to ensure that this office reflects the diversity of ideas and backgrounds of this great city of chicago >>rahm emanuel said that he settled on one santiago ... he is also the former head of emergency services for chicago

the former chicago fire commissioner robert hoff has a new job less than two weeks after he resignede department. he is now the deputy chief in west suburban carol stream. the carol stream fire protection district also covers parts of bloomingdale winfield, and glendale high surf he said he wanted to spend more time with his family ... he has also gone on record opposing mayor emanuel's plan to reduce the number firefighters assigned to each truck. >>chicagos churches are suddenly being confronted with a major unexpected expense and that is installing water meters mayor rahm emanuel is cutting off free water for churches and nonprofit groups while the water perk will be phased out over the next three years 400 churches and thousands of nonprofit organizations are having to purchase water meters churches that ignore the city's order to get meters may lose their status as charitable organizations chicago is naming a street in honor of comedian bernie mac it's in the englewood.neighborhood ... where he grew up that is where we find robert jordan who joins us live >>it's bernie mac stree

roberts? >> way to read, steven. way to read. humor had it that these two had just gotten engaged and then went to the zoo for a little frolicking with the animals. but the hoffd "people" magazine that they are not, in fact, engaged. but this was just a little outing down under. but it does look like they have fun. >> i bet you that kangaroo right there had the inside scoop. probably does. are they, aren't they. >> probably wrote it down and stuck it in his pocket. >> beth always gets to say this to you guys. but today we're taking over. go to rightthisminute.com. yeah, rightthisminute.com. lots and lots of great videos, 24/7. rightthisminute.com. take that, beth troutman! ♪ >>> and it's a cult favorite. see how the viral campaign to save coopertown is spreading all the way to the super bowl. >> it's a show that's really relatable. i think knitting is cool. >> everybody's favorite frisbee trick shot master, brodie smith. we've seen him a million times. he's back again with a new video, this time taking his talents to treasure island, florida. and as you can imagine, he and his buddies are getting creative. cool how they start this video. >> just a frisbee lyi