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[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tracy Swartz"
] | 2016-08-31T02:49:05 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fct-americas-got-talent-laura-bretan-musicaity-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c6419e/turbine/ct-americas-got-talent-laura-bretan-musicaity-20160830 | en | null | Northbrook teen, Southwest Side choir compete to get in 'AGT' finals | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Northbrook teen Laura Bretan is used to being the showstopper for "America's Got Talent."
The 14-year-old opera singer closed out the NBC competition again on Tuesday's live episode in the hopes of advancing to the Season 11 finals. The judges gave Bretan a standing ovation after she sang "Pie Jesu."
"If you're not in the finals, something has gone seriously, seriously wrong with that," said judge Simon Cowell, who called Bretan's performance her best of the competition, which has been airing since May.
Before Bretan began singing Tuesday, she gave a nod to her grandfather. She told the Tribune her grandfather died earlier this year before she won "Romania's Got Talent."
"I did 'Romania's Got Talent' for my grandfather because he wanted to see me personally on that show," Bretan told the Tribune. Now she's focused on winning the American version.
She's not the only local act vying for the $1 million prize. The judges gave mixed reviews of Musicality's cover of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way."
Members of the group, which is based at Curie Metropolitan High School in the Archer Heights neighborhood, channeled their struggle against stereotypes in Tuesday's performance.
But the judges seemed to have higher expectations for their singing abilities.
"I have to say, for me tonight, that just felt like a well-rehearsed school performance," judge Melanie Brown said.
Judge Howie Mandel called the 17-member choir inspirational, while judge Heidi Klum said the group's singing made her want to "snuggle up in Simon (Cowell's) chest hair."
For his part, Cowell noted the group's improvement.
"You've come a long way from when we first saw you," Cowell said.
Musicality director Michael Gibson told the Tribune last month that "America's Got Talent" casting directors reached out to him to audition for the competition, and he's glad he did.
He said his "inbox has literally exploded" with potential gigs for the 8-year-old choir, which has been a place for some students to escape their troubles.
"(The group) has always kind of been a second family for the students," Gibson said.
Eleven acts competed on Tuesday's episode. The five acts that will advance to the finals are scheduled to be revealed 8 p.m. Wednesday. More semifinalists are slated to compete next week.
Fans can vote for the acts via the "America's Got Talent" app, NBC.com, the show's Facebook page, Google and by phone until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Aspiring entertainers can audition for the next season of "America's Got Talent" Nov. 12 at McCormick Place.
RELATED STORIES:
Did Chicago-area singers advance to 'America's Got Talent' semifinals?
Simon Cowell says 'America's Got Talent' was made for Northbrook teen
Chicago-area teen singers seeking votes on 'America's Got Talent'
Southwest Side teens sing through their pain on 'America's Got Talent'
Check out the latest movie reviews from Michael Phillips and the Chicago Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-americas-got-talent-laura-bretan-musicaity-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7cb05bc332ad422b3f2b406fe3632b124558303fd8808bbaa6725f6ce4c95c3f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-28T22:48:20 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-us-national-parks-misbehavior-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c32914/turbine/ct-us-national-parks-misbehavior-20160828 | en | null | Visitor misbehavior abounds at U.S. parks: records | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Tourist John Gleason crept through the grass, four small children close behind, inching toward a bull elk with antlers like small trees at the edge of a meadow in Yellowstone National Park.
"They're going to give me a heart attack," said Gleason's mother-in-law, Barbara Henry, as the group came within about a dozen yards of the massive animal.
The elk's ears then pricked up, and it eyed the children and Washington state man before leaping up a hillside. Other tourists — likewise ignoring rules to keep 25 yards from wildlife — picked up the pursuit, snapping pictures as they pressed forward and forced the animal into headlong retreat.
Record visitor numbers at the nation's first national park have transformed its annual summer rush into a sometimes dangerous frenzy, with selfie-taking tourists routinely breaking park rules and getting too close to Yellowstone's storied elk herds, grizzly bears, wolves and bison.
National Parks Misbehaving Tourists Matthew Brown / AP In this Aug. 3, 2016 photo, tourists take photos of elk outside Yellowstone National Park's Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Elk frequent the grass outside the hotel, where park administrators say visitors routinely violate park rules that require them to stay a minimum 25 yards from the animals. In this Aug. 3, 2016 photo, tourists take photos of elk outside Yellowstone National Park's Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Elk frequent the grass outside the hotel, where park administrators say visitors routinely violate park rules that require them to stay a minimum 25 yards from the animals. (Matthew Brown / AP) (Matthew Brown / AP)
Law enforcement records obtained by The Associated Press suggest such problems are on the rise at the park, offering a stark illustration of the pressures facing some of America's most treasured lands as the National Park Service marks its 100th anniversary.
From Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Canyon of Arizona, major parks are grappling with illegal camping, vandalism, theft of resources, wildlife harassment and other visitor misbehavior, according to the records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In July alone, law enforcement rangers handled more than 11,000 incidents at the 10 most visited national parks.
In Yellowstone, rangers are recording more wildlife violations, more people treading on sensitive thermal areas and more camping in off-limit areas. The rule-breaking puts visitors in harm's way and can damage resources and displace wildlife, officials said.
National Parks Misbehaving Tourists Matthew Brown / AP In this Aug. 3, 2016 photo, a large bison blocks traffic in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park as tourists take photos of the animal. In this Aug. 3, 2016 photo, a large bison blocks traffic in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park as tourists take photos of the animal. (Matthew Brown / AP) (Matthew Brown / AP)
Often the incidents go unaddressed, such as when Gleason and the children approached the bull elk with no park personnel around. Gleason said he was "maybe" too close but felt comfortable in the situation as an experienced hunter who's spent lots of time outdoors.
These transgressions add to rangers' growing workload that includes traffic violations, searches for missing hikers and pets running off-leash in parks intended to be refuges of untrammeled nature
"It's more like going to a carnival . If you look at the cumulative impacts, the trends are not good," said Susan Clark, a Yale University professor of wildlife ecology who has been conducting research in the Yellowstone area for 48 years. "The basic question is, 'What is the appropriate relationship with humans and nature?' We as a society have not been clear about what that ought to be, and so it's really, really messy and nasty."
Recent events at Yellowstone grabbed national headlines:
— A Canadian tourist who put a bison calf in his SUV hoping to save it, ending with wildlife workers euthanizing the animal when they could not reunite it with its herd.
— Three visitors from Asia cited on separate occasions for illegally collecting water from the park's thermal features.
— A Washington state man killed after leaving a designated boardwalk and falling into a near-boiling hot spring.
The flouting of park rules stems from disbelief among visitors that they will get hurt, said Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk. "I can't tell you how many times I have to talk to people and say, 'Step back. There's a dangerous animal,' and they look at me like I have three heads," he said.
Inconsistent record keeping, including a recent switch to a new criminal offenses reporting system, makes it difficult to identify trends that apply uniformly across the major parks.
But the records reviewed by the AP reveal the scope of visitor misbehavior is huge. In Yellowstone, administrators and outside observers including Clark say the park's problems have become more acute. That threatens its mission to manage its lands and wildlife "unimpaired" for future generations.
Beyond incidents that lead to citations are many more that result in warnings. More than 52,000 warnings were issued in 2015, up almost 20 percent from the year before.
Washington state resident Lisa Morrow's son was among the children Gleason led toward the elk. Despite safety advisories — and numerous examples of visitors getting gored by bison, mauled by bears and chased by elk — Morrow declared herself unafraid of the park's wildlife. She said she was eager to see a grizzly up close.
"I want to see one right there," Morrow said, pointing to a spot just feet away. "I'd throw it a cookie."
The top 10 parks by visitation collectively hosted almost 44 million people last year, according to National Park Service figures. That's a 26 percent increase from a decade earlier, or more than 9.1 million new visitors combined at Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the other national parks on the list.
Yellowstone boasts the most large, dangerous carnivores among those parks, but each has its risks. In Rocky Mountain National Park, it's elk that become more aggressive during mating season. In Yosemite, it's towering waterfalls where visitors insist on swimming near the edge. In the Grand Canyon, it's squirrels habituated to humans and sometimes quick to bite an outstretched hand.
Wenk said the rise in popularity of social media complicates keeping visitors safe.
"You take a picture of yourself standing 10 feet in front of a bison, and all of a sudden a few hundred people see it, and it's reposted — at the same time we're telling everybody wildlife is dangerous," Wenk said. "They get incongruous messages and then it happens. They get too close, and the bison charges."
Asssociated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-us-national-parks-misbehavior-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/dd1dff7b8c9b01f00f30b1e9983f0d9cd10d27c206bfecea26fc8093c05fc36b.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Steve Rosenbloom"
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:54 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Frosenblog%2Fct-jason-heyward-jorge-soler-cubs-rosenbloom-20160830-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c58d3d/turbine/ct-jason-heyward-jorge-soler-cubs-rosenbloom-20160830 | en | null | Working the Jason Heyward-Jorge Soler choice in the Cubs lineup | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | If we’re looking at everything through the prism of the playoffs, and we are, then Jorge Soler’s ability to do what he did in the bottom of the ninth Monday night in launching that game-tying bomb makes you wonder about possibly platooning Jason Heyward, $184 million contract or no.
Both outfielders were in the starting lineup against Pirates rookie left-hander Steven Brault, but Addison Russell wasn’t. He’ll be in the lineup in October, you betcha, and Javier Baez will be at second, not short. And Ben Zobrist has to start, likely in the outfield, and now there are too many outfielders in this particular discussion, and we’re back to how the Heyward-Soler choice works in Joe Maddon's Rubik's Cube. Or Rubik's Cubs, I should say.
Heyward’s on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .635 this season is more than 100 points worse than his career average despite 11 hits in 33 at-bats since his four-day vacation in Colorado. Soler’s .779 OPS this season is not only higher than his own career average but also Heyward’s.
Heyward has just six home runs in 438 at-bats. Soler has 10 in just 187.
In the field, however, Heyward is the best right fielder in the league. Soler, not so much. Not so much anywhere in the outfield.
Cubs pitchers likely would prefer Heyward in the lineup because of his glove. Same goes for opposing pitchers, I’m guessing, but because of his bat.
Perhaps Maddon will go with handedness. Perhaps by the line-drive rate of that day’s Cubs starter. Perhaps something else, knowing Maddon.
Whatever, it’s something to do while whipping together your Cubs Clinch Date Pool.
Here’s what Cubs opponents are facing: Walking Kris Bryant to pitch to Anthony Rizzo, walking one MVP candidate to pitch to another. The Pirates got away with it in the 10th inning, but the second MVP candidate gained his revenge when he drove in the tying run in the 13th.
With Starling Marte on third, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli came to the plate with one out and tapped an 0-and-2 pitch back to the mound. Jake Arrieta caught Marte off third and threw to Bryant to begin a rundown play on which Arrieta eventually tagged out Marte at home. For those of you scoring at home, that play went 1-5-2-6-1. As pointed out on Twitter by Cubs radio engineer and master of all knowledge Dave Miska, 15261 also is a Pittsburgh-area zip code.
What’s the record for the number of times a player has been thrown out at home in extra innings trying to score the potential walkoff run in one game? Just in case Baez wins a onesie or something.
So now Maddon knows it takes 13 innings to get the Miguel Montero-Jeff Locke matchup.
As if Jason Hammel’s weekend couldn’t turn worse, Maddon was talking about a six-man rotation.
Only two shopping days left, but James Shields is pitching well enough to get traded. For six innings, anyway.
The Bears lost cornerback Tracy Porter to concussion protocol in the Saturday’s practice game against the Chiefs. The concussive hit was administered by Bears safety Harold Jones-Quartey. That is so Bears secondary.
I think Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is brilliant, but unless he can scheme to blitz with 12 players, his secondary is going to bleed out.
The Dodgers put selfish, uncoachable Yasiel Puig on waivers. Still time for the Browns to pick him up.
What’s up, Ronny Cedeno? | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/ct-jason-heyward-jorge-soler-cubs-rosenbloom-20160830-column.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3a02244186a214165872905d8bcbfc1a30eb356ba3a09201eeb1cee501aad927.json |
[
"Tribune News Service",
"James Briggs"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:22 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fct-itt-tech-sanctions-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c06285/turbine/ct-itt-tech-sanctions-20160826 | en | null | ITT Tech faces sanctions that could put it out of business within weeks | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The federal government has issued what analysts are calling a death sentence for ITT Technical Institute, while offering assurances that the for-profit college chain's students will be taken care of.
The Education Department on Thursday handed down a series of devastating restrictions that could put Carmel, Ind.-based ITT Educational Services Inc. out of business within weeks. The government banned ITT from enrolling new students who depend on federal aid, the source of most of the company's revenue, and required it to warn current students that its accreditation is in jeopardy.
Even more onerous, though, is a requirement that ITT must increase its reserves from $94.4 million to $247.3 million, or 40 percent of federal student aid the company received in 2015. ITT has been ordered to provide a letter of credit for the beefed-up surety, which is meant to support students in case the company closes, within 30 days.
The Education Department's announcement sent shares of ITT plummeting 35 percent to $1.40. The actions come amid a federal crackdown on for-profit colleges that already has caused Corinthian Colleges to close last year and Brown Mackie College to close all but four locations.
ITT offers on-campus and online classes in business, nursing and health sciences, electronics and information technology. It has 137 campuses across 39 states. ITT last year generated $850 million in revenue, about $580 million of which came from federal student loans.
Education Department Secretary John B. King Jr. called the moves against ITT necessary to protect students and taxpayers.
“Looking at all of the risk factors, it’s clear that we need increased financial protection and that it simply would not be responsible or in the best interest of students to allow ITT to continue enrolling new students who rely on federal student aid funds," King said.
ITT did not respond to requests for comment.
The company's chances for survival have been considered slim for several months as the Obama administration targeted for-profit colleges. At least 19 state attorneys general are investigating ITT over its marketing, recruiting and job placement numbers. ITT also is facing action from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Critics argue ITT is financially unstable after years of offering controversial third-party loans that performed poorly as students struggled to find jobs. Still, the extent of the Obama administration's punishment surprised even insiders who have been following the company. A Credit Suisse note issued Thursday called it "an action with very little precedent."
King in a conference call with reporters said the government will ensure existing students “don’t shoulder the burden of the school’s bad behavior." Existing ITT students can continue to apply for federal loans under the Title IV program. ITT had more than 40,000 students as of June 30.
If ITT closes before students complete their programs, those students "will likely be eligible to discharge federal loans," Under Secretary Ted Mitchell said. Students who enrolled with ITT but have not yet started class will not be able to use federal student loans, according to a blog post on the Education Department's website.
King deflected a question about whether his department intends to put ITT out of business.
"We're taking the steps necessary here to protect taxpayers and students," King said. "Institutions do sometimes close, and the department has in place procedures for managing school closure."
Alexander Paris, an analyst for Barrington Research Associates Inc. who follows ITT, called King's remarks disingenuous. Paris noted that ITT in July reported having $78 million on hand, making it extremely unlikely that the company can borrow enough money to meet the Education Department's new threshold for reserves.
"Not allowing any new students under Title IV in and of itself could be a death sentence," Paris said. "You have to always be bringing in new students because you have those who drop out for one reason or another and those who graduate.
"The thing that is certain to bankrupt this company is this increased demand for 40 percent surety. Taking the dollar amount from $94 million to $250 million within 30 days, I don't see how it's remotely possible they could come up with that much money in that short of time."
King declined to say whether he thought ITT could meet the Education Department's demand, saying, "our action is based on what we think is necessary to protect taxpayers and students." The Education Department has banned ITT from offering raises or severance packages to company executives without approval, which suggests the government expects ITT to close in the near future.
Paris called the government's actions an overreach.
"Just speaking as a private citizen, it's just shocking what the federal government can do to a private-sector, taxpaying corporate citizen without giving them due process," Paris said. "This is a load of allegations from various different agencies. It's a load of lawsuits by state's attorneys general. But nothing's been proven. Obviously, these actions will have the effect, in my opinion, of putting the company out of business without allowing for due process."
ITT's enrollment was rapidly declining even before the latest restrictions. In the three-month period ending June 30, ITT enrolled 9,846 new students, an 18.3 percent decline from a year earlier. ITT in July said it expected new student enrollment to fall 45 to 60 percent in the second half of the year. Now, virtually all enrollment is likely to cease.
Ben Miller, the senior director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, said the Education Department's timing likely saved many new students from starting classes at colleges that eventually would close anyway. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-itt-tech-sanctions-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b524b15a8998f917e0fc79dfb6dd4081b9abfe438f12a18ede9001fb77146ac3.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T02:48:46 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-mississippi-nuns-slain-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4dc5a/turbine/ct-mississippi-nuns-slain-20160829 | en | null | 2 slain nuns in Mississippi remembered for helping the needy | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hundreds of people filled a cathedral in Mississippi's capital city on Monday to remember two nuns who spent decades helping the needy and were found stabbed to death last week in their home in one of the poorest counties of the state.
Bail was denied during the initial court appearance for the man charged with two counts of capital murder in the slayings of Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill, both 68. Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, Mississippi, was also charged with one count of burglary and one count of grand larceny. He was not represented by an attorney during his appearance Monday afternoon in Durant city court. City Judge Jim Arnold said the state will appoint an attorney for Sanders.
Capital murder is punishable by execution or life in prison; the sisters' religious orders have issued a joint statement against the death penalty.
"We are going to consider the heinous nature of the crime and their wishes," District Attorney Akillie Malone-Oliver said Monday, referring to the families of the sisters and their religious orders.
Sanders confessed to the killings but gave no reason, said Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, who was briefed by Durant police and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials who took part in Sanders' interrogation. Sanders had been living about 15 miles east of the sisters' Durant home. He has been held at an undisclosed jail since his arrest late Friday.
Sander's wife attended the hearing and broke down afterward when addressing the family and friends of the nuns.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to y'all. I'm so sorry ... I'm so sorry. I can't take this. Oh my God," Marie Sanders said.
Sister Margaret Held (left), Sister Paula Merrill Michael O'Loughlin/School Sisters of St. Francis and Sisters of Charity of Nazareth via AP This 2015 photo provided by the School Sisters of St. Francis shows Sister Margaret Held (left). This undated photo provided by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth shows Sister Paula Merrill (right). This 2015 photo provided by the School Sisters of St. Francis shows Sister Margaret Held (left). This undated photo provided by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth shows Sister Paula Merrill (right). (Michael O'Loughlin/School Sisters of St. Francis and Sisters of Charity of Nazareth via AP) (Michael O'Loughlin/School Sisters of St. Francis and Sisters of Charity of Nazareth via AP)
Merrill and Held worked as nurse practitioners at Lexington Medical Clinic, about 10 miles west of Durant, where they often treated poor and uninsured patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions. Their bodies were found in their home after they failed to show up at work Thursday.
The clinic in Lexington and the nuns' home in Durant are in Holmes County, population 18,000. With 44 percent of its residents living in poverty, Holmes is the seventh-poorest county in America, according to the Census Bureau. The killings shocked people in the small communities where the women committed their lives to helping the poor.
Bishop Joseph Kopacz and more than 20 priests from the Diocese of Jackson celebrated a memorial Mass on Monday at the small but ornate Cathedral of St. Peter in downtown Jackson, about an hour's drive south of Durant. The front pews were filled by family members and sisters from Held's and Merrill's religious orders, the Kentucky-based Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the School Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee.
The Rev. Greg Plata, who ministers at the church in Lexington, Mississippi, where Held and Merrill led Bible study, praised them for their lives of service. Plata also noted the joint statement against the death penalty released Sunday by the sisters' orders.
"Justice for a heinous crime demands punishment, but it does not demand revenge," Plata said.
On Sunday, more than 300 people attended a service at the church in Lexington.
Warren Strain, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety which includes the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, said the organization would neither confirm nor deny that Sanders confessed.
Records from the Iowa Department of Corrections show Sanders was in prison from June 2004 to February 2011 on a conviction of second-degree robbery. Records show he also was in prison in Iowa from August 1999 to August 2002 on a conviction of theft, and from April to October 1996 for two counts of third-offense drunken driving.
Sanders was on probation after a prison term for a felony drunken-driving conviction in Mississippi last year, said Grace Simmons Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He was also convicted of armed robbery in Holmes County, sentenced in 1986 and served six years.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-mississippi-nuns-slain-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/0f7403c5883fc7388447665b9d27a0b4b459a05d94b50090181846c8c16571c8.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:37 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-miners-deputy-minister-bolivia-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bfc71c/turbine/ct-miners-deputy-minister-bolivia-20160826 | en | null | Striking miners kill deputy minister in Bolivia: official | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Striking miners in Bolivia kidnapped and beat to death the country's deputy interior minister after he traveled to the area to mediate in the bitter conflict over mining laws, officials said.
Government Minister Carlos Romero called it a "cowardly and brutal killing" and asked that the body of deputy minister Rodolfo Illanes be turned over to authorities.
Illanes, whose formal title is vice minister of the interior regime, was "savagely beaten" to death by the striking miners, Defense Minister Reymi Ferreira told Red Uno television, his voice breaking.
Earlier, Romero had said that Illanes had been kidnapped and possibly tortured, but wasn't able to confirm reports that he had been killed by the striking informal miners, who are demanding the right to associate with private companies, among other issues.
The fatal beating follows the killings of two protesters in clashes with police, deaths that likely escalated tensions in the strike.
Bolivia miners protest Juan Karita / AP Independent miners clash with the police as they run from clouds of tear gas during protests in Panduro, Bolivia, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. Independent miners clash with the police as they run from clouds of tear gas during protests in Panduro, Bolivia, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (Juan Karita / AP) (Juan Karita / AP)
Illanes had gone to Panduro, 80 miles south of the La Paz, to open a dialogue with the striking miners, who have blockaded a highway there since Monday. Thousands of passengers and vehicles are stranded on roads blocked by the strikers.
Officials say he was taken hostage by the miners on Thursday morning. At midday, Illanes said on his Twitter account: "My health is fine, my family can be calm." There are reports that he had heart problems.
Bolivia's informal or artisan miners number about 100,000 and work in self-managed cooperatives. They want to be able to associate with private companies, which is prohibited. The government argues that if they associate with multinational companies they would cease to be cooperatives.
The National Federation of Mining Cooperatives of Bolivia, once strong allies of President Evo Morales, went on an indefinite protest after negotiations over the mining legislation failed.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-miners-deputy-minister-bolivia-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/82841e8252cc7278db2948db98c1692717e4ef719bd8977e155e2442110ca0bd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-31T00:48:53 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-gameday-cubs-pirates-spt-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c60dbb/turbine/ct-gameday-cubs-pirates-spt-0831-20160830 | en | null | Cubs' Javier Baez to bat leadoff against Pirates | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Following Monday night's 13-inning victory, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is allowing his players to arrive later than usual for Tuesday night's game against Pittsburgh.
Javier Baez will bat leadoff and Matt Szczur will play center field in place of Dexter Fowler.
Second baseman Ben Zobrist also will get a rest.
Miguel Montero will catch Kyle Hendricks.
Here's the Cubs' lineup:
Baez 2b
Bryant 3b
Rizzo 1b
Soler LF
Heyward RF
Russell SS
Montero C
Szczur CF
Hendricks P | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-pirates-spt-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/54fdcbb2fe77a651f098bfcbcd1fbdcc9b259e87f0952eeca0c1ce25433d3ea6.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ruth Ann Krause"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:52 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-day-murder-trial-3-st-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bfb177/turbine/ct-ptb-day-murder-trial-3-st-0826-20160825 | en | null | Experts offer differing opinions on firearm examination in Hammond murder trial | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | While an Indiana State Police forensic scientist identified a handgun found in possession of a man on trial in a Hammond homicide as the weapon used in the killing, a defense expert trashed the firearms identification process as scientifically unreliable.
The vastly different views on the firearms examination were presented to Lake Superior Court jurors in the trial of Stephen Michael Day, 41, of Burnham, Ill., who has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge filed in the June 27, 2012, death of Thomas Thompson, 54, of Hammond.
Melissa Oberg, a forensic firearms examiner with the Indiana State Police lab in Indianapolis, explained the process she used to identify a bullet recovered during the autopsy of Thompson to a handgun that Day had in his possession when he was stopped by Burnham police on Nov. 2, 2012. Oberg's finding was reviewed by a peer in the laboratory.
Deputy prosecutor Eric Randall showed Oberg photos that compared the bullet that killed Thompson to bullets that were test-fired from the .357 Magnum revolver.
While he was in the Cook County Sheriff's Department lockup in Markham., Ill., Day told Hammond police Detective Sgt. James Lietz and Capt. Ezequiel Hinojosa he'd stolen the gun from a man who was going to shoot him with it the night of the traffic stop.
On those photographs, Oberg identified for jurors the marks made by the barrel of the handgun that matched in side-by-side photos of the bullets.
Defense expert William Tobin, a retired supervisory special agent with the FBI lab's metallurgy division, was shown the same photos by defense attorney John Maksimovich. Tobin said he had no idea whether the marks that Oberg pointed out were indicative that the bullets were fired from the long-barreled handgun.
Tobin said part of the problem with firearms identification is a "fallacy of presumption" that the surfaces on the bullets are unique. He also challenged the process as 100 percent subjective and said that results can't be repeated or reproduced in firearms examinations.
"Is there any science to back up her opinion?" Maksimovich asked.
"No," Tobin responded.
During cross-examination by Randall, Tobin said he had no idea how much he was being paid for his evaluation, but said his hourly rate was $295. "I probably have $65,000 in billable hours," he said, adding that he typically charges $5,000 to $10,000 for work he does for defense attorneys.
Tobin acknowledged he never examined the firearm itself or the bullet recovered during the autopsy.
Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments in the courtroom of Judge Samuel Cappas and begin deliberations on Friday.
Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-day-murder-trial-3-st-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/0eb53fdf13a35b0a4fbeb6c46ff03e80dcbe23f295de8b8f7ebf0dfe81322e51.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-28T00:48:09 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-clinton-intelligence-briefing-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c21985/turbine/ct-clinton-intelligence-briefing-20160827 | en | null | Trump warns of 'war' on farmers in Iowa; Clinton receives first intelligence briefing | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Donald Trump warned Saturday of a "war on the American farmer," telling a crowd in Iowa that rival Hillary Clinton "wants to shut down family farms" and implement anti-agriculture policies.
Trump's speech at the annual "Roast and Ride" fundraiser for Republican Sen. Joni Ernst came just hours after Clinton received her first national security briefing as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Trump skipped the 42-mile motorcycle ride that preceded the event in a state where polls show a tight contest, a rare bright spot for Trump amid a sea of challenging battleground states. Joining him on stage were top Iowa Republicans — among them Ernst, Gov. Terry Branstad, Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Steve King — in a rare show of support for a candidate who has struggled to unite his party.
In a hat tip to Iowa's agriculture industry, Trump renewed his commitment to continuing a requirement that all gasoline sold contain an ethanol-based additive, an issue important to corn growers. He also promised to cut taxes on family farms, which he called the "backbone" of the country.
"Hillary Clinton wants to shut down family farms just like she wants to shut down the mines and the steelworkers," he said in front of a wall of straw bales at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "She will do this not only through radical regulation, but also by raising taxes on family farms - and all businesses - to rates as high as nearly 50 percent."
Clinton's campaign website touts a plan to increase funding to support farmers and ranchers in local food markets and regional food systems, saying she'll create a "focused safety net to help family farms get through challenging times." It also says she plans to target federal resources in commodity payment, crop insurance, and disaster assistance programs to support family operations.
Hillary Clinton Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
Clinton met Saturday for more than two hours with intelligence officials at the FBI office in White Plains, New York, for her first overview of the major threats facing the nation around the globe since becoming the Democratic nominee. Trump received his briefing earlier this month, a customary move for major party nominees but one that has been the subject of a political tussle during the campaign.
Branstad, in an interview with The Associated Press prior to the speech, said he felt that Trump could score points against Clinton by focusing on agricultural issues. Branstad, whose son runs Trump's campaign in the state, said he also hopes Trump would launch campaign ads there and that he sees the race as "about even."
"I don't like that but, hopefully, that's going to change," Branstad said.
Speaking to an overwhelmingly white crowd, he again pledged that as president he would help African-Americans living in cities with high crime and low employment. He offered no specifics for how he would achieve that goal. He also continued to criticize Clinton for branding young criminals as "super-predators" in comments more than 20 years ago.
"Remember that? 'Super-predators,'" he said. "And they were very, very insulted. But now people have forgotten." Clinton's primary opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, had criticized her for the remark, and she has since apologized for it.
Amid his ongoing appeal to black voters, Trump drew an online backlash Saturday for a tweet he sent in response to the shooting death of NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin, who was gunned down near the Chicago school where she had planned to register her children.
"Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!" Trump tweeted. He later sent a second tweet offering his "condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family."
Campaigning in Florida, Clinton running mate Tim Kaine said, "We just ought to be extending our sympathy to the family," and added, "That's the only reaction that's appropriate right now."
Trump also previewed his immigration plans at the Iowa event, saying that he was developing an "exit-entry tracking system to ensure those who overstay their visas, that they're quickly removed." The proposal echoed the language of Trump's former primary rival, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is now advising him.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-clinton-intelligence-briefing-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7ea5b5d64ebe4d1b259cadf560b2690159e7586eb6a1447add4dca3b36e28235.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-28T14:48:24 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-turkey-syria-rebels-kurds-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c2d309/turbine/ct-turkey-syria-rebels-kurds-20160828 | en | null | Turkish-backed rebels seize villages in Syria; 35 killed in airstrikes | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Turkey-backed Syrian rebels seized a number of villages and towns from Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria on Sunday amid Turkish airstrikes and shelling that killed at least 35 people, mostly civilians, according to rebels and a monitoring group.
Turkey sent tanks across the border to help Syrian rebels drive the Islamic State group out of the frontier town of Jarablus last week in a dramatic escalation of its involvement in the Syrian civil war.
The operation, labeled Euphrates Shield, is also aimed at pushing back U.S.-allied Kurdish forces. The fighting pits a NATO ally against a U.S.-backed proxy that is the most effective ground forces battling IS in Syria.
Turkish officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
A Turkish soldier was killed by a Kurdish rocket attack late Saturday, the first such fatality in the offensive, now in its fifth day.
Various factions of the Turkey-backed Syrian rebels said Sunday they have seized at least four villages and one town from Kurdish-led forces south of Jarablus. One of the villages to change hands was Amarneh, where clashes had been fiercest. Rebels posted pictures from inside the village.
Ankara is deeply suspicious of the Syrian Kurdish militia that dominates the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces, viewing it as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in southeastern Turkey. Turkish leaders have vowed to drive both IS and the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, away from the border.
The SDF crossed the Euphrates River and drove IS out of Manbij, a key supply hub just south of Jarablus, earlier this month. Both Turkey and the United States have ordered the YPG to withdraw to the east bank of the river. YPG leaders say they have, but their units play an advisory role to the SDF and it is not clear if any of their forces remain west of the Euphrates.
Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting IS, but the airstrikes that began Saturday marked the first time it has targeted Kurdish-led forces in Syria.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bombing killed at least 20 civilians and four Kurdish-led fighters in Beir Khoussa, a village about 9 miles south of Jarablus, and another 15 in a village to the west.
ANHA, the news agency of the Kurdish semi-autonomous areas, said Beir Khoussa has "reportedly lost all its residents."
SDF spokesman Shervan Darwish said the airstrikes and shelling started overnight and continued Sunday along the front line, killing many civilians in Beir Khoussa and nearby areas. He said the bombing also targeted Amarneh village. He said 50 Turkish tanks were taking part in the offensive.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that 20 civilians were killed and 50 wounded in Turkish artillery shelling and airstrikes, calling it Turkish "encroachment" on Syrian sovereignty under the pretext of fighting IS. Turkey is a leading backer of the rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad.
An Associated Press reporter in the Turkish border town of Karkamis spotted at least three Turkish jets flying into Syria amid heavy Turkish shelling from inside Syrian territory Sunday morning.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-syria-rebels-kurds-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/976a06fcaa9f1858fc35554214b0e17f628efd2161c4ec7bfb2dd9eb38e42fd8.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:50 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-trump-clinton-racism-claims-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf52b1/turbine/ct-trump-clinton-racism-claims-20160825 | en | null | Clinton says Trump will 'make America hate again' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hillary Clinton said Thursday that Donald Trump has unleashed the "radical fringe" within the Republican Party, including anti-Semites and white supremacists, dubbing the billionaire businessman's campaign as one that will "make America hate again."
Trump rejected Clinton's allegations, defending his hard-line approach to immigration while trying to make the case to minority voters that Democrats have abandoned them.
The ping-pong accusations come as the two candidates vie for minorities and any undecided voters with less than three months until Election Day. Weeks before the first early voting, Trump faces the urgent task of revamping his image to win over those skeptical of his candidacy.
In a tweet shortly after Clinton wrapped up her speech in the swing state of Nevada, Trump said she "is pandering to the worst instincts in our society. She should be ashamed of herself!"
Clinton is eager to capitalize on Trump's slipping poll numbers, particularly among moderate Republican women turned off by his controversial campaign. "Don't be fooled" by Trumps efforts to rebrand, she told voters at a speech in Reno, saying the country faced a "moment of reckoning."
"He's taking hate groups mainstream and helping a radical fringe take over one of America's two major political parties," she said.
Trump tried to get ahead of the Democratic nominee, addressing a crowd in Manchester, New Hampshire just minutes before Clinton.
"Hillary Clinton is going to try to accuse this campaign, and the millions of decent Americans who support this campaign, of being racists," Trump predicted.
"To Hillary Clinton, and to her donors and advisers, pushing her to spread her smears and her lies about decent people, I have three words," he said. "I want you to hear these words, and remember these words: Shame on you."
Trump tried to turn the tables on Clinton, suggesting she was trying to distract from questions swirling around donations to The Clinton Foundation and her use of her private email servers.
"She lies, she smears, she paints decent Americans as racists," said Trump, who then defended some of the core — and to some people, divisive — ideas of his candidacy.
Clinton did not address any of the accusations about her family foundation in her remarks. Instead, she offered a strident denouncement of Trump's campaign, charging him with fostering hate and pushing discriminatory policies, like his proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.
Her speech focused on the so-called alt-right movement, which is often associated with efforts on the far right to preserve "white identity," oppose multiculturalism and defend "Western values." Discussions about the alt-right movement became the subject of a Twitter war Thursday, with people on both sides of the debate tweeting under the hashtag #altrightmeans.
"#altrightmeans we don't want to kill you we just want you to go away," tweeted one person.
"#altrightmeans white supremacy. That's all Alt Right is. Another code word for white supremacy. Nothing more nothing less," another tweet said.
Donald Trump, Ben Carson Gerald Herbert / AP Former Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson during Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's roundtable meeting with the Republican Leadership Initiative in his offices at Trump Tower in New York, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. Former Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson during Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's roundtable meeting with the Republican Leadership Initiative in his offices at Trump Tower in New York, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (Gerald Herbert / AP) (Gerald Herbert / AP)
Clinton's campaign also released an online video that compiles footage of prominent white supremacist leaders praising Trump, who has been criticized for failing to immediately denounce the support he's garnered from white nationalists and supremacists, including former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke.
Trump, who also met Thursday in New York with members of a new Republican Party initiative meant to train young — and largely minority — volunteers, has been working to win over blacks and Latinos in light of his past inflammatory comments and has been claiming that the Democrats have taken minority voters' support for granted. At rallies over the past week, the Republican presidential nominee cast Democratic policies as harmful to communities of color, and in Mississippi on Wednesday he went so far as to label Clinton "a bigot."
"They've been very disrespectful, as far as I'm concerned, to the African-American population in this country," Trump said.
Many black leaders and voters have dismissed Trump's message — delivered to predominantly white rally audiences — as condescending and intended more to reassure undecided white voters that he's not racist, than to actually help minority communities.
Cornell William Brooks, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, told C-SPAN's "Newsmakers" Thursday that Trump has not reached out to the organization for any reason. He added that Trump refused the group's invitation to speak at its convention.
"We're going to make it clear: You don't get to the White House unless you travel through the doors of the NAACP," Brooks said. "More importantly, you don't get to the White House without addressing the nation's civil rights agenda."
Before the meeting in New York, several protesters unfurled a banner over a railing in the lobby of Trump Tower that read, "Trump = Always Racist." They were quickly escorted out by security as they railed against Trump for "trying to pander to black and Latino leaders."
"Nothing will change," they yelled.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-clinton-racism-claims-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5fa009fd7812d5683cef5e479bd30408d7742ed18ee3c552ba174fe6da8180f6.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-26T22:51:15 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fcrime%2Fct-ptb-hammond-robberies-st-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0bbfd/turbine/ct-ptb-hammond-robberies-st-0827-20160826 | en | null | Illinois man charged in Hammond restaurant robberies | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A Dolton, Ill., man has been charged with six felonies for a series of armed robberies committed between December and March at various Hammond fast-food restaurants.
A worker with the Subway Restaurant at 4538 Calumet Ave. told Hammond Police that she recognized Jamal Marco White, 26, as the man involved in three separate armed robberies by his eyes, according to a probable cause affidavit outlining the charges. Each time, White wore the same black hoodie with a dark colored mask covering the lower half of his face, and carried a gun, which he pointed at the worker on his third time there, the affidavit said.
He faces five counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted armed robbery.
White went on to rob the Subway at 7518 Calumet Ave., the Dunkin Donuts at 4614 Calumet Ave. and the Dunkin Donuts at 7306 Calumet Ave., the affidavit said.
In May, a Hammond detective received a call from an Oak Park, Ill., detective who advised that White had been arrested for a series of robberies there and was cooperating with police, according to the affidavit. When Hammond detectives entered an interview room with White, White said, "Subway?" at which point the Hammond detectives read him his rights, the document said.
White said in each of the robberies, he wore either a medical mask or winter mask and carried a black BB gun that looked like a .40 millimeter semi-automatic handgun, the court document said.
White also said he didn't remember robbing the Dunkin Donuts shops, according to the affidavit.
Hammond Police spokesman Lt. Richard Hoyda said White remains in custody in Cook County, Ill. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/crime/ct-ptb-hammond-robberies-st-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/af68b6afaacbde78c48da503837e5edf88a6d5c27da2692f435235c79857d780.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Amy Lavalley"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:19 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-valparaiso-women-business-st-0828-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf5ad7/turbine/ct-ptb-valparaiso-women-business-st-0828-20160825 | en | null | Top Northwest Indiana businesswomen offer tips for success | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Ten area businesswomen with backgrounds from farming to investing recently shared some tips for success.
The women, some of whom took on dramatic career shifts, talked of perseverance and passion for what they do.
"Treat your clients and customers with compassion. That's why we're successful today," said bankruptcy attorney Stacey Whitten, who practices law with her husband, Dan, in Portage. While lawyers often get a bad rap, she added, "I'm fortunate. I get to help people."
Around 100 people attended last week's program, "10 Timeless Tips from Top Businesswomen," at Urschel Pavilion and sponsored by the Valpo Chamber of Commerce and the Service Core of Retired Executives, or SCORE, a division of the state's Small Business Administration.
The chamber wanted to do a program for women in business because so many women own businesses in Valparaiso, said Kurt Gillins, member services director. Pairing with SCORE was natural since the group meets in chamber offices.
Real estate agent Dawn Collins offered tips for business and life.
"My philosophy in all things is move ahead," she said, adding that includes embracing change. "'Move ahead' is not just my catch phrase. It's a way of life."
Listening to and understanding the needs of clients or cutomers is very important, Collins said.
"It is only in helping others move ahead that we can truly succeed ourselves," she said.
Amanda Snider, owner of Homenclature, a Valparaiso home furnishing store, was educated in biology and genetics, but decided in 2008 to go into business for herself.
"I don't take 'no' for an answer," she said, adding her husband resisted at first, but is now working full-time at the store.
From her store's location in an old warehouse, to the wares she sells, Snider said she offers a memorable shopping experience and exemplary customer service, both critical for getting people talking about her store.
"Make yourself unique," she said. "Set yourself apart from what everyone else is doing."
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-valparaiso-women-business-st-0828-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/aa78bd133fe9fca7c94de94a16847d9a8fcf74d2df1c04d0160a9906de5057a9.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-26T14:50:32 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-car-bomb-attack-in-turkey-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c032fd/turbine/ct-car-bomb-attack-in-turkey-20160826 | en | null | Suicide truck bomb attack in Turkey kills 11 police; 78 wounded | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Kurdish militants on Friday attacked a police checkpoint in southeast Turkey with an explosives-laden truck, killing at least 11 police officers and wounding 78 other people, officials and the state-run news agency said.
The attack struck the checkpoint 50 yards from a main police station near the town of Cizre, in the mainly-Kurdish Sirnak province that borders Syria, the Anadolu Agency reported.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which was the latest in a string of bombings targeting police or military vehicles and facilities. Authorities have blamed the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, for those attacks.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed the death toll, saying it was a suicide attack carried out with an explosives-laden truck. He vowed to "destroy the terrorists."
"No terrorist organization can take the Turkish Republic hostage," he told reporters in Istanbul. "We will give these scoundrels every response they deserve."
Television footage showed black smoke rising from the mangled truck. The three-story police station was gutted from the powerful explosion.
According to Sirnak governor's office, three of the wounded were civilians. The Health Ministry sent 12 ambulances and two helicopters to the site.
Violence between the PKK and the security forces resumed last year, after the collapse of a fragile two-year peace process between the government and the militant group. Hundreds of security force members, militants and even civilians have been killed since.
Bombed police headquarters AP Emergency services attend the scene of a suicide truck bombing that has been blamed on Kurdish militants, state media said. Emergency services attend the scene of a suicide truck bombing that has been blamed on Kurdish militants, state media said. (AP) (AP)
Turkey has also seen a rise of deadly attacks that have been blamed on Islamic State militants, including a suicide bombing at a Kurdish wedding in southeast Turkey last week that killed 54 people and an attack on Istanbul's main airport in June that killed 44 people.
Turkey sent tanks across the Syrian border this week to help Syrian rebels retake a key IS-held town.
Since hostilities with the PKK resumed last summer, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to the Anadolu Agency. Human rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also been killed.
The PKK is considered a terror organization by Turkey and its allies.
The attacks on police come as the country is still reeling from a violent coup attempt on July 15 that killed at least 270 people. The government has blamed the failed coup on the supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has embarked on a sweeping crackdown on his followers.
Bombed police headquarters AFP/Getty Images A destroyed police headquarters in Cizre, southeastern Turkey, after a suicide truck bombing that has been blamed on Kurdish militants, state media said. A destroyed police headquarters in Cizre, southeastern Turkey, after a suicide truck bombing that has been blamed on Kurdish militants, state media said. (AFP/Getty Images) (AFP/Getty Images)
On Thursday, Kurdish rebels opened fire at security forces protecting a convoy carrying Turkey's main opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the northeast, killing a soldier and wounding two others, officials said.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-car-bomb-attack-in-turkey-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/795c46805a659766fb2105fb7d5f631480baabf014509420a06fe7135d8ca4fe.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Irv Leavitt"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:04 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fnorthbrook%2Fnews%2Fct-nbs-kindergarten-tl-0825-20160823-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bca713/turbine/ct-nbs-kindergarten-tl-0825-20160823 | en | null | Northbrook District 28 joins full-day kindergarten club | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Kindergarten went full time in Northbrook this week.
Elementary School District 28 began extended-day kindergarten Tuesday, becoming the last, and biggest, of the five school districts serving Northbrook to start teaching its younger children all day.
The district is going big in its move. It's spending more money to get the job done than districts 27 and 30 did, a Northbrook Star analysis showed earlier this year, largely by employing aides in all 1kindergarten rooms, something the district does in its higher grades, too.
The last week before school started, the district had two visits by Colorado consultant Sue Kempton, author of two books on kindergarten, to help the district use the extra time to teach "purposeful play" in the less-rigorous afternoon time, assistant superintendent Kathy Horvath said. Her input also helped drive curriculum choices, Horvath said.
The district has to walk the same tightrope as other Illinois public school districts offering full-day kindergarten, because parents have to be allowed to opt their kindergarten children out of a full-day at school, and still provide significant educational opportunities to kids who only come in the mornings. About four of every five districts have full-day kindergarten, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Of about 175 kindergarten students enrolled for the new term, District 28 spokeswoman Terry Ryan said four students signed up for half day at Greenbriar School, two for half day at Westmoor School, and none at Meadowbrook School. At least some of those parents holding back were doing so because they felt their kids weren't ready to be in school from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Horvath said.
So play becomes learning in afternoons. Children will have the uniforms and gear, for instance, to play at being "community helpers" like medical staffers, down to cardboard X-ray machines, "and be able to learn about what really happens in a doctor's day," Horvath said. "So much learning, not so much sitting."
Last year, kindergarten classes piloted such play-school concepts, including fairy tales, kindergarten teacher Alissa Baque said. The kids assigned themselves a wide variety of roles, and even fashioned scripts for their own tales, she said. Now, there's extra equipment, such as hollow wooden blocks to build castles, thrones and signs, to show the way in other youthful fantasies. They can be used to build barns on the farm and rooms in the hospital.
Reading is part of afternoon play, Horvath said. Regularly, kids will be able to get books of their own choosing to share with others in supervised reading times.
Local school leaders have repeatedly said that socialization skills gained by students in extended-day kindergartens seem long-lasting, but dedicational gains are not significantly different, over the long term, from those who only went to half-day programs. But differences can be apparent, spokeswoman Ryan said, as kids leave kindergarten.
She previously worked at Bensenville Elementary District 2 and Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89, and said both districts had to "adjust up" at the first-grade level to accommodate more skillful kindergartners.
ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @IrvLeavitt | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/northbrook/news/ct-nbs-kindergarten-tl-0825-20160823-story.html | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/6f4903e3cb7b57331c867b754328413c105ecfceb6783d1a40e1d8ec8220d3c1.json |
[
"Jennifer Jacobs",
"C"
] | 2016-08-28T18:48:22 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-blm-ernst-523c9a28-6d3b-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c31eb5/turbine/sns-wp-blm-ernst-523c9a28-6d3b-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828 | en | null | Sen. Joni Ernst tries to rise with Donald Trump by her side | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | After a week in which few Republicans rushed to his defense as Hillary Clinton painted him as a flat-out racist who does not represent the party's traditions, Donald Trump got a boost on Saturday from Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa.
The Republican presidential nominee appeared at Ernst's "Roast and Ride," which in its second year is already one of the highest-profile events for Iowa Republicans, who have been mostly united in their support for Trump.
Attending the fundraiser, rally and barbecue in Des Moines, Trump enjoyed a rare moment of Republican unity led by one of the party's rising stars as Ernst cements her status in the state that holds the first-in-the-nation presidential nominating contest. "You're very lucky," he told Iowa Republicans about Ernst. While Trump may have been the main attraction, it was clear whose house he was in. Every Iowa politician who spoke at the event praised the senator -- from ultraconservative U.S. Rep. Steve King to Gov. Terry Branstad.
"She's doing a great job for us ... She's taking D.C. by storm and she's making them squeal," said Branstad, the longest serving governor in U.S. history.
Saturday's event had all the trappings of a presidential campaign rally - for Ernst. Eager supporters had enlarged cardboard cut-outs of the letters J-O-N-I and I-O-W-A. Ahead of the event, Ernst called for both campaigns to show some restraint in what promises to be a nasty run-up to an election between two candidates freighted down with high negative ratings.
"There have been a lot of barbs thrown at each other," Ernst told reporters in Iowa. "They need to take this into a civil discourse and we're not seeing that right now. I don't like it when campaigns go that in direction."
As her party struggles to deal with Trump's deficit in the national polling average -- currently at 6 percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics -- Ernst, a first-term senator, is doing all she can "to fill leadership roles with Republicans," she told Bloomberg Politics.
For now, that means supporting the nominee, as she did on Saturday. But her name is often mentioned as a potential presidential contender if Trump loses to Clinton in November.
She "would be part of a small subset of talented Republican women who the party might look toward to challenge the nation's first female president," said Iowa Republican insider David Oman. In her Roast-and-Ride comments, Ernst lauded Trump but spent more time attacking Clinton -- a tantalizing preview of a theoretical 2020 match-up.
Ernst, 46, says she has no White House ambitions, but she's acting like someone who's ready to look like a candidate once the 2016 race is over.
She's campaigned for fellow Senate Republicans Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire, John McCain in Arizona and Rob Portman in Ohio. She's taken the lead in raising money for them as vice chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. At the Republican convention in July, she received a prime-time speaking slot -- at least until earlier speakers overran their allotted time. She regularly speaks at prominent conservative events, and is signed up for the Koch network summit over Labor Day weekend.
When Ernst articulates her goals, however, she ignores any presidential possibilities.
"The way you should operate every day is to strive for excellence. Every single day. And then the future will shake out," said Ernst, the first female combat veteran in the Senate, who represents a party whose platform doesn't support women in combat.
"She truly is not thinking about or considering a White House run," said Ernst's spokeswoman, Brook Hougesen. "I can't stress that enough."
But that doesn't stop the speculation. Ernst is already a one-name household brand for conservative activists like the ones who went to Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's consolation rally during the Cleveland convention. Cruz backers there lamented his loss, but said they were ready to look to the future - and Ernst is on their radar.
"She's all-American. Awesome," said U.S. Rep. David Livingston of Arizona."Strong conservative," said his wife, Tracy Livingston, a teacher.
Robert McCutcheon, 18, of Phoenix, said he met Ernst when she was in the state stumping for McCain in February and immediately liked her. "She takes the time to hear people's stories," he said.
"I know there are a lot of people in Arkansas that love her. She was in a hog commercial, right?" said Vicky Arellanes, a Republican from the state, referring to Ernst's infamous 2014 campaign ad that equated her skills at hog castration with budget cutting. Comedian Stephen Colbert likes to razz her about it, saying once "I'm pulling for Joni Ernst whole hog, or whatever's left."
Ernst emerged from a five-way Republican primary in 2014 and went on to beat Bill Braley, then a Democratic congressman, to claim the Senate seat previously held by Democrat Tom Harkin, who chose not to run for a sixth term. Almost immediately, her political talent was apparent to influential members of the party. For example, at an exclusive donor event in Washington recently, the room was already occupied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other party heavyweights when Ernst arrived. Everything stopped, one donor told Bloomberg, as attendees turned their attention to her. And when she had to leave early, she caused a scene because everyone wanted to hug her or shake her hand.
But ask Republicans nationally and in Iowa if Ernst is already presidential material, and some express doubts. Future cabinet member? Yes, they say. Nominee? Not so much.
"Yes, she has the talent. Her military experience gives her the chops to be president," said former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, one of five candidates who ran against Trump that ended up speaking at his convention. "But she's young. She has plenty of election cycles ahead of her."
The words "not ready" aren't heard as often about Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, 39, another Senate freshman with a military background, whose office is across the hall from Ernst's. "Joni's one of the very fine emerging leaders in the party," Cotton told Bloomberg. "I feel very lucky to have been elected in the same year. We met very early on in our campaigns, went through the same experiences."
Some strategists say privately that Ernst was overly cautious in her first year in the Senate, often declining to co-sponsor or co-sign legislation. But she's starting to do that more this year. The Conservative Review website, which assigns lawmakers a "Liberty Score" that measures their adherence to conservative principles, puts Ernst solidly in the top half of the 54 Republicans now in the 100-member Senate. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-ernst-523c9a28-6d3b-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/45a93a22e02409914519fd6774beed7d3fc162a3f80b745b67ee3e5726031cd0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Denys Bucksten"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:40 | null | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fvernon-hills%2Fnews%2Fct-vhr-summer-celebration-tl-0721-20160718-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-578d3f0a/turbine/ct-vhr-summer-celebration-tl-0721-20160718 | en | null | Music and tradition big draws at Vernon Hills Summer Celebration | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Smash Mouth pulled in thousands of spectators to a Saturday night concert on the main stage of the Vernon Hills Summer Celebration.
A Facebook poll conducted by organizers after last year's festival said the band was a clear choice to play the event, according to the village's website.
The Southern California band is known for such hits as "All Star," "I'm A Believer" and "Walkin' On The Sun."
Joe Comella, of Libertyville, had not seen the band live before Saturday night, but was quick to recite Smash Mouth's most popular songs.
"This is just a great night to get out – it's not too hot – and see this band," he said.
Mild, dry weather Saturday drew long lines at the food vendor booths in Century Park. Ice cream, jumbo corn dogs, alligator on a stick and the perennial carnival favorite funnel cakes were among the offerings.
Vernon Hills American Legion Post 1247 drew an enthusiastic, overflow crowd for bingo beneath the park's pavilion.
Post Commander Jim Flood, who runs the event with his wife and past commander John Taylor, said bingo draws loyal followers each year.
"We see a lot of players who are kind of addicted to bingo," he said. "There have been some years where we didn't raise enough money to make it worthwhile, but we ran it anyway because we figured the people enjoyed it."
Flood said by playing a variety of game styles, they aim to make as many winners as possible.
"(It) gives them a chance to make a few bucks on a winner and the post makes a few bucks to spend on the charities of American Legion," Flood said.
Dave Scanlon, a former area resident now living in Wheeling, said he and his family continue to attend because of the food, events and activities.
Denys Bucksten is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/vernon-hills/news/ct-vhr-summer-celebration-tl-0721-20160718-story.html | en | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a1aa7997a1203f756b080c384200827c75833e771eb7a0f3e1c5550d6f0014ec.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Dan Hinkel",
"Jeff Coen"
] | 2016-08-26T20:48:03 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-chicago-police-shooting-paul-oneal-met-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0a2f4/turbine/ct-chicago-police-shooting-paul-oneal-met-20160826 | en | null | Suit accuses Chicago police of rule violations in Paul O'Neal shooting | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Lawyers for the family of a teen shot to death by Chicago police last month have expanded their lawsuit to accuse police of violating departmental policies on shooting at civilians.
The amended suit, meanwhile, marks the first time the officers' names have been cited in a public record.
The lawsuit was first filed days after police shot 18-year-old Paul O'Neal to death July 28 after he struck two police SUVs in a reportedly stolen Jaguar on the South Side. Superintendent Eddie Johnson promptly stripped three officers of their police powers, saying they violated departmental policy during the incident that was captured on video by police dashboard and body cameras.
On Thursday, lawyers for O'Neal's family expanded the lawsuit to allege, among other things, that Officers Michael Coughlin Jr. and Jose Torres violated policy by shooting at the Jaguar as it sped away. Departmental policy bars shooting at a car when it is the only threat to police or bystanders.
The suit also accused Jose Diaz, the officer who fired the apparent fatal shot after a foot chase, of firing without justification. Diaz's body camera was not on when he fired, but it was turned on afterward and it captured him saying he didn't know if O'Neal was armed, a statement the suit references.
O'Neal, who was unarmed, died of a gunshot to the back.
The Tribune last week analyzed Independent Police Review Authority and Police Department records and identified Coughlin and Diaz in a story, but Torres' identification in the lawsuit marks his first public linking to the O'Neal shooting.
None of the officers could be reached, and a department spokesman declined to comment.
The videos show the faces and name tags of the officers, but both IPRA and the Police Department have refused requests from the media to confirm the officers' identities, citing potential dangers to officers. The Police Department has pointed to a warning it gave officers telling them that gang members had discussed hurting police, but the department has not cited any threat specific to the officers involved in O'Neal's shooting.
The refusal to quickly release the officers' full names impeded the media and public from promptly and fully scrutinizing the service histories of the officers.
Torres was born in 1981 and joined the department in March 2013, according to city records. He is one of five officers with the same name at the department, state records show, though he is younger and less experienced than the other officers with the same name.
City records indicate Torres had not previously fired at a civilian while on duty. He has been the subject of one prior citizen complaint, according to records that do not spell out the details of that allegation
Torres shot the least of the three officers, firing only once at the Jaguar as it sped off, according to city records and video. Coughlin shot nine times at the Jaguar, while Diaz fired five shots in the backyard, according to city records and video and audio footage.
Coughlin was recorded after the incident saying he fired at the Jaguar because he thought it almost hit Torres.
Diaz's body camera recorded him saying he believed someone may have been firing on officers from the speeding Jaguar, when, in fact, the shots came from colleagues firing at the Jaguar. In records the department released, Diaz said he thought O'Neal was grabbing for his waistband before he was fatally shot in the backyard, implying the officer thought the teen might have been reaching for a gun.
Torres is heard to say little on the recordings.
The fatal shooting of the unarmed African-American teen represents an early challenge to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's ability to deliver on reforms he has promised to bring to policing in Chicago. He pledged those reforms in the wake of the release of video of another high-profile shooting of a black teenager — the shooting of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. Van Dyke is charged with murder, and he has pleaded not guilty.
The U.S Justice Department is continuing to investigate whether Chicago police have systematically violated citizens' rights, and Emanuel has promised a series of reforms to policing and oversight designed to blunt the impact of the federal authorities' findings.
Chicago Tribune's Jennifer Smith Richards contributed.
dhinkel@chicagotribune.com
jcoen@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @dhinkel
Twitter @JeffCoen | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-police-shooting-paul-oneal-met-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b19dd271ed5a737670bdc3d20390cf273428236af55619fae1b7aa7977e8ab47.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Jim Masters"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:12 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-munster-centennial-update-st-0829-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf6290/turbine/ct-ptb-munster-centennial-update-st-0829-20160825 | en | null | Golf course upgrades paying off in Munster | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The greens are playing about 50 percent faster, bunkers are being removed and the restaurant is more casual at the Centennial Park Golf Course in Munster.
The season-long effort to transform the course — and operations throughout the park built on the former site of the Munster Landfill — is the work of Billy Casper Golf, which the town hired to manage the facility in hopes of generating more revenue.
Any Munster Parks & Recreation Department employees who were working at Centennial Park became employees of Billy Casper Golf if they applied and were hired.
The company retained Matt Meneghetti as Centennial's head golf professional and he said he's excited about all of the improvements.
"What stands out to me are the quicker greens and shorter rough," he said. "A lot of golfers have noticed the changes, including cutting down on the fescue (grass)."
Some 10 of 47 bunkers on the nine-hole course are being removed and the remaining ones are being improved.
Ken Vespa of Lansing said he plays the course four to five times a week, and that it's in beautiful shape. He does wish some of the plant growth around the parking lot near the Centennial Park Clubhouse could be trimmed..
"There's been a big improvement since Billy Casper took it over," he said.
Noticeable changes Jim Masters / Post-Tribune Visitors enjoy the improvements to Centennial Park. Visitors enjoy the improvements to Centennial Park. (Jim Masters / Post-Tribune) (Jim Masters / Post-Tribune)
Town Council President John Reed, R-1st, noted changes to The View Restaurant located inside the clubhouse. It is a bit less formal, allowing people to order at a window rather than wait for a server.
"Now, a golfer can come in and order a hot dog or something and get back out on the course," Reed said. "We have new menu items now that our new chef designed."
Billy Casper Golf receives $8,000 a month from a performance-based contract, Reed said. The town placed $117,000 in a joint account to be used as startup capital. The course had been running a deficit, which Billy Casper projects will drop to approximately $32,000 by the fifth year of the contract in 2020.
The town, which has kicked in $200,000 a year for operations, last year saw revenue of about $1.1 million against expenses of about $1.3 million.
Besides revenue from golf, the restaurant, concessions, banquets and other events, the course sells methane — produced from gases mined from the buried landfill. In 2015, methane revenues sold to NIPSCOtotaled $689,851. Also, the facility runs on methane.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-munster-centennial-update-st-0829-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e861d6efb1de9a959e7fee1d8a75c3cd621436bb2e3274c2fc3de7918dac683b.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"George Houde"
] | 2016-08-29T12:48:42 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-father-son-killed-palatine-marco-lopez-met-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c42b8d/turbine/ct-father-son-killed-palatine-marco-lopez-met-20160829 | en | null | Trial set to begin for teen accused of killing boy, father in Palatine | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Jury selection is due to begin Monday morning in the double-murder trial of Marco Lopez, who was 17 when authorities said he shot and killed a father and son in Palatine.
Luis Reynoso, 15, and his father Segundo Reynoso, 38, were found dead in their Palatine apartment in March 2014.
Authorities said Lopez, now 19, was also living in Palatine at the time and had told his roommate he needed to take care of something. He removed a revolver from his belongings, left and then appeared panicked when he returned and no longer had the weapon in his possession, prosecutors have said.
Known by the nickname "Monster," Lopez had several juvenile cases pending against him at time, officials said. They have also said they suspect the shooting was gang-related and that the younger victim had gang ties, though his father did not.
Luis Reynoso had attended previously attended an alternative school in Palatine-based Township High School District 211 but was not enrolled at the time, district officials have said.
Lopez has been held without bond since his arrest shortly after the killings.
George Houde is a freelance reporter. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-father-son-killed-palatine-marco-lopez-met-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/faf31e8561abeb83db8f780df23bb76055761b857f8497c481f4fea2cabd7acb.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Kirsten Onsgard"
] | 2016-08-26T13:15:38 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fct-mgc-village-board-meeting-tl-0818-20160811-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Morton Grove adds to road bridge project; fire chief retires after 31 years | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Morton Grove Village Board recently approved additional repairs to the only bridge maintained by the village after initial costs for the project came under budget.
The Beckwith Road Bridge, which crosses the north branch of the Chicago River, will undergo replacement work to its expansion joints, which allow the bridge to withstand extreme temperatures, and concrete slab after state inspectors last year determined the work was needed.
"Bridges get beat up really easily, and we want to make sure they are safe," trustee John Pietron said.
Village officials earmarked $120,000 for the project and approved initial construction costs last month. But the project ended up being $40,000 under budget, leaving additional funds for repairs that village officials would have needed to do in the future, said Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski.
"We said, 'OK, with this money, what can we get done now if we patch this beam now it won't sprawl next winter,'" he said. "Let's be as proactive as we can and as cost-effective as we can."
The second part of the project that trustees approved Aug. 8 will focus on repairing deteriorated concrete slabs that connect the bridge with the road.
While these repairs are necessary, the Beckwith Road Bridge still is safe for residents, Czerwinski said.
Assistant Director of Public Works Joe Dahm said construction should be finished before winter. Lane closures on the bridge also are likely, he said.
Fire chief retires
Morton Grove Fire Chief Thomas Friel stepped down Aug. 11 after 31 years with the department. The village board honored him Aug. 8 by proclaiming Aug. 11 as "Chief Tom Friel Day."
"I can honestly say for the eight years that I have been here, you have been my mentor, and I'm sure there are many men and women out there that feel the same way," said trustee Bill Grear, who acted as president pro-temp in Mayor Dan DiMaria's absence Aug. 8.
Friel joined the Morton Grove Fire Department in 1985, working his way up the ranks before being appointed fire chief in 2004. He served under four mayors and for a time, he served as acting village administrator.
Though Friel lives in St. Charles, Grier said he considers Morton Grove to be his "second home."
The village has opened an internal search for his replacement. Three district chiefs for the village will be acting as interim fire chief on a rotating basis until a replacement is hired, Czerwinski said
Lot subdivisions
Village board members also approved Aug. 8 one lot subdivision and pushed back another to the Plan Commission. Both lots had been awaiting approval for a few months.
The Plan Commission again will review the subdivision of a lot in the 9100 block of Menard Avenue once it receives a plat survey and zoning analysis for the existing development on one of the newly proposed lots.
Under the proposal, the existing lot would be bisected into one lot that would comply with minimum-lot dimensions and another that would be five feet too small in width than the village's standard sized lot.
At a previous Plan Commission meeting June 22, residents expressed concerns that the smaller lot would not be able to accommodate a new building. During an initial village board review June 27, trustee John Thill expressed similar concerns about the substandard size of the lot.
Village board members did approve a separate lot subdivision in the 7900 block of Foster Avenue. The two new lots created by the subdivision would be standard size, according to village officials.
Kirsten Onsgard is a freelancer. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-village-board-meeting-tl-0818-20160811-story.html | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/ea753fcd04249d87e2c15659741a04a4bba032a7b3cecabd43f8777a1e2833fd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Karie Angell Luc"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:45 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-talking-farm-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bc6b72/turbine/ct-skr-talking-farm-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | Giving back: ServiceMaster volunteers pitch in at The Talking Farm | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | For the third year, ServiceMaster employees took part in a We Serve Day program, in which employees perform hours of volunteer work. On Friday, a group of employees visited The Talking Farm in Skokie.
At The Talking Farm, the ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons team assisted the Howard Street Farm by building garden planter boxes for The Talking Farm's Linda Kruhmin Demonstration Garden. Produce from the two planters will help to provide food for schools and food pantries.
"We are all about local," said Nasutsa Mabwa, president of ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons.
More than 1,000 ServiceMaster employees spent that Friday volunteering across the country. In Skokie, volunteers assembled planters measuring an estimated 30 feet long by 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. A $2,500 grant by ServiceMaster national helped to fund most of the materials.
"This is the corporate way of giving back," said Mabwa, who was joined in the effort by her husband, Sam Simon, and their children Pasha Simon, 7, and Farrah Simon, 4.
"This is certainly an organization that we feel that we can get behind," said Sam Simon, ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons director of operations. "The work that The Talking Farm does in support of gardening and sustainability by working with children and seniors is something that ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons enjoys doing."
Giving back: ServiceMaster volunteers pitch in at The Talking Farm Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press Sam Simon, right, of Evanston and of ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons, volunteers by cutting wood on Aug. 19 in Skokie at The Talking Farm. At left is Jose Sagastume. Sam Simon, right, of Evanston and of ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons, volunteers by cutting wood on Aug. 19 in Skokie at The Talking Farm. At left is Jose Sagastume. (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press) (Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer Press)
"I like gardening," said Pasha Simon, who prefers raised planters that aren't circular, which he feels best accommodate gardeners of all ages and abilities. "Wood is better because it lasts longer and is more durable instead of planting in tires. If you're in a wheelchair, you can go right up to the box and start planting."
The wood planters installed should last up to a decade, said Matt Ryan of Evanston, farm operations manager at The Talking Farm.
The Talking Farm grows produce using crop rotation, mulching, natural biocides and non-petroleum-based fertilizers, according to its website. Classes are offered. Produce from the farm is available to local restaurants, farmers' markets, schools, food pantries and other recipients. For information, visit www.thetalkingfarm.org.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance photographer and reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-talking-farm-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/6f0f7c08cf4644578ef3c399377dff5e38f8d2512ff336355cf24b8a11179abd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Irv Leavitt"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:45 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fnorthbrook%2Fnews%2Fct-nbs-six-cars-stolen-tl-0818-20160812-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57ae4411/turbine/ct-nbs-six-cars-stolen-tl-0818-20160812 | en | null | Northbrook police: Six cars stolen this month | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Northbrook police report four more cars were reported stolen in three days time on the heels of two cars stolen earlier in the month.
Among the stolen is a 2016 Jaguar XJ that had been parked Aug. 8 in a driveway in the 400 block of Lee Road. Police said it had been left unlocked, with keys inside, so a dealership could pick it up and repair it. But it was gone when the dealer arrived at 9:30 a.m. the next morning.
A 2013 Lincoln that had been left in the 4300 block of Phyllis Drive was stolen the same night, according to Northbrook police reports. Police say they aren't sure whether that car was locked or not.
On the morning of the 10th, a 2015 Audi Q3 was stolen from a driveway in the 200 block of Summerfield Road. Another car on that Summerfield block, left unlocked, was found with papers from the console scattered around the car, but nothing was taken. A car parked in the 1700 block of Happ Road was found in a similar condition.
And on Aug. 11, a resident of the first block of Bridlewood Court reported that her 2008 Mercedes SL600 convertible was missing from her driveway.
Two cars had been stolen the night of Aug. 2. A 2014 Porsche Cayenne, left unlocked in a driveway in the 600 block of Driftwood Lane, and a 2013 Volkswagen, left unlocked, with keys inside, in a driveway on the 300 block of Sunset Court, are both gone.
Northbrook police Cmdr. Mike O'Malley said Aug. 9 that he suspects that a small number of crews are stealing cars all over the area. He said that many of the crimes are preventable, because few locked cars are being stolen.
He said keys had often been left in the cars for mechanics or valet services. Northbrook police chief Chuck Wernick asked residents Aug. 9 to lock their cars and pocket their keys, a request he's made several times before.
Northbrook officials pleaded again Friday, as they reported more car thefts, that people lock their garages and cars.
Officer Roger Scott said that it's hard to convince some Northbrook residents that they need to lock up their houses and cars.
"They think it's Mayberry," he said.
"Northbrook is a very safe place, but it's not free of crime," Village President Sandy Frum. "They think they're in La-La Land," she said of people who don't lock up their valuables.
"People in this community tend not to believe there is crime here, or that there is significant crime," Jerry Zachar, a psychologist/social worker who directs the department of social services for Deerfield police, said Aug. 11.
"They see the community as what they want to believe it is, as opposed to what it is."
ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @IrvLeavitt | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/northbrook/news/ct-nbs-six-cars-stolen-tl-0818-20160812-story.html | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9487c4d7f6c59cb83c4c00324b31036440f1fa7cbd7a6c7e63e3fa0d8828a61e.json |
[
"Jennifer A. Dlouhy",
"C"
] | 2016-08-28T20:48:21 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fsns-wp-blm-libertarian-7012de14-6d49-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c3461b/turbine/sns-wp-blm-libertarian-7012de14-6d49-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828 | en | null | US election so nuts I just might win, Libertarian Johnson says | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Libertarian Gary Johnson's plan for capturing the White House hinges on voters following through on polls suggesting they dislike the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees more than in any election year in history.
"You know how crazy this election cycle is?" Johnson told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." "I might be the next president."
First, Johnson, the former Republican governor of New Mexico, has to be allowed into the nationally televised debates that for now are set to feature only Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Johnson conceded it's "game over" if he doesn't secure a place on the podium.
To get there, the Commission on Presidential Debates requires candidates to secure 15 percent support in five national polls. According to Real Clear Politics' average of recent polls, Johnson is at 8.1 percent, though he noted he has climbed to 10 percent in five polls identified by the commission and is hitting 16 percent in five states.
The debates begin Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in New York.
Americans want to see Johnson get the chance to take on Clinton and Trump, in far greater numbers than those who say they'd vote for him. In the latest Quinnipiac University poll, 62 percent of respondents said Johnson should be included in the debates.
Johnson says his goal is to win the presidency outright, but there's another path to the presidency for a third-party candidate. If neither of the mainstream candidates secure a majority -- 270 -- of electoral votes, the decision would be punted to the House of Representatives.
Johnson and his running mate, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, depart from libertarian principles in some respects to the dismay of party purists. They have tried to marry the party's philosophies of limited government and individual freedom with the fiscal conservatism espoused by Republicans and social views embraced by Democrats.
Johnson wants to replace the corporate and income taxes with a national sales tax, arguing that such a levy with a "prebate" sent to households on a monthly basis would "create tens of millions of jobs"
He proposes removing marijuana from the Drug Enforcement Agency's list of controlled substances, arguing that it is safer than other illegal drugs and even alcohol. Johnson previously was the chief executive officer of Cannabis Sativa Inc., a medical marijuana company. Ultimately, he said, the issue would be left to the states.
Johnson said he and Weld are "really skeptical about intervening militarily to achieve regime change that I think has resulted in a less-safe world." He supports the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, putting him at odds with both Trump and Clinton, who have vowed to negotiate better deals.
Where Trump's evolving position on immigration still has him building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, Johnson says it should be easier for foreigners to enter the U.S. on work visas after clearing background checks. "These are hard-working individuals who are taking jobs that U.S. citizens don't want," he said.
Polarization in Congress is sure to be even worse if either Trump or Clinton is elected, Johnson says. "Our pitch is the third alternative, which is a couple of Libertarians in the middle hiring a bipartisan administration, everybody Libertarian-leaning," he said. "I think you can make a case that that third scenario might work." | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/sns-wp-blm-libertarian-7012de14-6d49-11e6-9705-23e51a2f424d-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/ec26773b05c833a92125eae2b66a6111bc73a82ccc018dbaf907e981596adef0.json |
[
"Foreign Policy",
"Yascha Mounk",
"C"
] | 2016-08-29T22:48:47 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-burkini-comment-42576174-6df9-11e6-8533-6b0b0ded0253-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | West can have burkinis or democracy, but not both | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Some stories are both provincial comedies and national tragedies, insignificant on the face of it and yet of much deeper importance than meets the eye. The strange fall and rise of the French burkini is one such story.
After the terrible attack in Nice, when an Islamist terrorist guided his truck down the Boulevard des Anglais, murdering scores of innocents on their way home from a fireworks display on the city's stunning beach, local politicians wanted to be seen as doing something, anything. But since it's pretty difficult for the mayor of a small town to make much of a contribution in the fight against the Islamic State, Lionnel Luca, the mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet, turned to a symbolic solution. Since a Muslim had killed people near a beach, he sought to address the grave problem of Muslims and beaches. And since he who seeks shall find, Luca came up with the brilliant solution of banning women from wearing burkinis - essentially, wetsuits that allow women to swim without exposing their hair - on his city's beaches. That'll show 'em.
Fourteen towns quickly followed suit, and local police forces all over France bravely set out to fulfill their duty. When policemen in Nice spotted a woman wearing a headscarf on the beach, they duly fined her 38 Euros. According to media reports, bystanders approved, shouting "go home!", and treating the cops to a round of applause.
It wasn't just the local beach bums who applauded the burkini ban. Right-wingers like former President Nicolas Sarkozy and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the xenophobic Front National party, also endorsed it. Manuel Valls, the center-left prime minister, grandiloquently proclaimed that the French Republic had to defend itself against such "provocations." A clear majority of the population agreed. According to Ifop, a respected French pollster, only 6 percent of French people are in favor of allowing the burkini to be worn on public beaches, while a walloping 64 percent support the ban. (The remaining 30 percent are indifferent.)
In a sense, this sorry spectacle is unsurprising. After three major terrorist attacks in eighteen months, hatred of Muslims has become palpable in many aspects of French life. Le Pen, whose hostile stance toward Muslim immigrants forms the core of her political appeal, is more popular than ever. As in so many other countries in Western Europe, North America, and beyond, rising popular anger has even been pushing politicians who were once moderate towards increasingly illiberal policies.
In France, this rising anger has entered an unholy alliance with the country's deeply restrictive understanding of secularism. In the United States or Germany, the separation of church and state invokes the liberal principle that the state is not allowed to impose religious views on its citizens. In other words, a secular political order is supposed to protect ordinary people from religious coercion, whether by the state or by private individuals, even as it gives them ample space to heed their ethical or religious principles in their own lives. French secularism, by contrast, has long had a more militant commitment to keeping most forms of religion out of the public sphere. Any attempt at conspicuous religiosity in public, on this view, is a full-frontal attack on the cherished value of laîcité - what Valls would call a "provocation."
Since it is very much in the eye of the beholder what is or is not conspicuous, this principle has always restricted the freedom of French Muslims more than it has that of French Christians. In the country's imagination, a nun in traditional dress is simply going about her day, whereas a woman going for a walk in a headscarf is conspicuously colonizing public space in the name of Islam. In the last years, the slippery slogan of laîcité has thus stood at the center of big debates about any number of imagined provocations: Should girls be allowed to wear the veil in schools? (No.) Should full-face coverings be allowed in public? (No.) Is it acceptable for schools canteens in immigrant-heavy neighborhood to serve halal meat? (No again).
But even by the strange standards of France's illiberal conception of secularism, the burkini ban was extreme. As Aheda Zanetti, the garment's inventor, pointed out in a recent op-ed, she had aimed to "give women freedom, not to take it away." Inspired by a niece who wanted to play netball without the obstruction of an unwieldy headscarf, she designed the garment to enable women who cover their hair to be more comfortable while doing sports or swimming. And as the critics of the burkini ban quickly pointed out, seeing the burkini as a call to arms by jihadists is ridiculous given that the least tolerant forms of Islam, like the one that's the ruling ideology of Saudi Arabia, don't permit women to swim on public beaches at all, even under cover of a terrorist-sympathizing burkini.
When France banned school girls from wearing the veil, it could at least invoke the fact that some of them covered their hair due to pressure from their families. When the country banned the burqa (a step that Germany is now considering emulating), it could at least point to the fact that it could conceivably pose a security risk. No such thin veneer of liberal neutrality was available for the burkini ban. The illiberal venom that lurked behind many of the previous restrictions on France's Muslims was finally out in the open.
That helps to explain why the Conseil d'Etat, France's highest court - which is usually much more circumspect about interfering in the political process than America's Supreme Court - struck down the burkini ban in the clearest terms. The municipal ordinances, it ruled, "seriously and clearly breach fundamental freedoms."
In the short-run, this is a cause for celebration. The burkini ban was discriminatory, counterproductive, and needlessly cruel. The court's judgment makes French laws more humane, more consistent, and more liberal.
And yet, the judgment reveals a much wider tension that will shape Western societies long after we have forgotten all about the burkini. Because of a mix of economic anxiety, growing fears about terrorism, and an unwillingness to accept ethnic and religious minorities as true equals, illiberal passions are growing more intense in many democracies. The widespread French support for the burkini is only the latest in a string of similar findings: Across Europe and America, majorities favor real restrictions on the religious liberties of unpopular minorities, and are increasingly open to discriminatory immigration policies. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-burkini-comment-42576174-6df9-11e6-8533-6b0b0ded0253-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2bc5d20b224eeb802d0e3c5efcb10c53f6005c64e40708cd46ac165d6362a2e0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Deanese Williams-Harris"
] | 2016-08-27T20:48:12 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-chicago-shooting-violence-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1d420/turbine/ct-chicago-shooting-violence-20160827 | en | null | Boy, 17, among 3 wounded in South Side shooting | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A 17-year-old boy was among three people who were wounded early Saturday afternoon in a shooting in the Park Manor neighborhood on the South Side.
According to preliminary reports, about 12:15 p.m., three people were shot in the 7100 block of South Rhodes Avenue, said Officer Bari Lemmon, a Chicago police spokeswoman.
An argument broke out between the three victims and two other men, and one of the men pulled out a weapon and began firing, Lemmon said.
A boy, 17, was shot in the thigh, and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in good condition. A 19-year-old man suffered a wound to the head, and was taken in critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The third victim, a 34-year-old man, drove himself to Provident Hospital of Cook County with a gunshot wound to the neck. His condition was stabilized, police said.
No one was in custody, and police were investigating. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-shooting-violence-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d2feac1ad34d96fbd69f3b15107d8634875fae276571011a1506a73f501ddd07.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Amanda Marrazzo"
] | 2016-08-26T13:17:58 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fct-overdose-homicide-texts-guilty-met-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57be21a6/turbine/ct-overdose-homicide-texts-guilty-met-20160824 | en | null | Man who supplied heroin to woman who died guilty of drug-induced homicide | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A former Crystal Lake man pleaded guilty Wednesday to drug-induced homicide stemming from the overdose death of a young mother from McHenry.
Herman Trigg, 32, of Palatine, admitted to providing the heroin that authorities suspect caused the death of 29-year-old Melissa Carroll, the mother of two young children, in April 2015.
Trigg was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison, but in exchange for his plea, charges of possession and delivery of marijuana and heroin were dropped.
Trigg was arrested shortly after McHenry County detectives pretended to be Carroll in a series of text messages with him. The texts were sent from Carroll's phone two days after she was found dead, but Trigg did not know she had died and, in response to the texts, showed up at her home to sell her drugs, authorities alleged.
When Trigg arrived, he was confronted by police, who searched his car and found heroin and marijuana, authorities said.
Police said Trigg admitted he had sold Carroll $100 of heroin two days before she was found dead in her bathroom.
Trigg's lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Grant Tucker, had tried unsuccessfully to get the charges against Trigg dismissed, saying detectives were out of bounds when they posed as the dead woman in text messages to entrap him.
Tucker asserted investigators violated Trigg's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure because police did not get a warrant to look through the woman's cellphone or use it to text Trigg.
Assistant State's Attorney Randi Freese responded in a court filing that police did not need a warrant because the cellphone account was in the name of Carroll's mother's boyfriend, who gave police permission to use it in the investigation.
Freese also said Trigg lacked a "legitimate expectation of privacy" when it came to text messages stored on someone else's phone. She maintained that police might have needed a search warrant to look through Trigg's phone, but not to see text messages he sent to someone else's phone.
The case was the first of its kind to be argued in Illinois, according to legal experts and the judge who ruled against the court filing.
Outside of court Wednesday, Tucker said that had the case gone to trial in September as scheduled, he would have argued that it is difficult to determine whether Carroll died as a result of taking the drugs that Trigg allegedly supplied her.
"There is no real way to know if the drugs exchanged that day were the drugs that killed her," Tucker said.
Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted.
He also said that Trigg's involvement in Carroll's death was directly tied to his own struggles with substance abuse.
Trigg could have faced up to 30 years in prison if he had gone to trial and been convicted. Trigg will receive credit for time served and is required to serve 75 percent of his sentence.
Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-overdose-homicide-texts-guilty-met-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b830b1f5f636e417d2358768119bca5fc4164b065866ca23d1e5da86304c6901.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"David Sharos"
] | 2016-08-28T00:48:08 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fnaperville-sun%2Fct-nvs-fort-hill-center-opens-st-0828-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1fa0a/turbine/ct-nvs-fort-hill-center-opens-st-0828-20160827 | en | null | New Naperville recreation center is 'all about fitness' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Naperville Park District officially opened its doors to the Fort Hill Activity Center Saturday, calling it the most ambitious project in its history that includes nearly 80,000 square feet of space, more than a dozen activity areas, and a price tag of approximately $24 million.
Residents Deepa Chittal and her husband, Jay, were looking forward to Saturday's grand opening.
"I've already bought a membership because it's all about fitness for me," said Deepa Chittal, of Naperville. "I enjoy a group exercise program and I've belonged to the YMCA for a long time, but now I've found a new home."
"I usually let my wife check things out first, so I'm going to wait and see what she says," Jay Chittal said. "That's usually how we do things – I let her go first. She's the guinea pig."
Saturday's open house, which was part of the park district's 50th anniversary celebration included use of the children's indoor playground, visitors walking the indoor track, and shooting some baskets on the main gym floor. The café offered samples from its menu, and community sponsors provided other refreshments as well as giveaways and some raffle prizes.
"This will allow us to offer workshops for parents while kids can use the space here," said McBroom, president of Kids Matter. "This facility gives us a wider net to help parents build confidence and a sense of well-being."
McBroom said the new facility "offers an opportunity for non-profits to partner with the Park District and help kids and parents."
Naperville resident Carl Skrabacz, a member of the Senior Task Force Advocate group, said the Fort Hill facility will allow seniors to mix things up a little.
"We have a lot of seniors doing things at the Reuben Center, but they aren't involved with a lot of other age groups," Skrabacz said. "It's important seniors see others than their own peer group – we need to mix it up a little."
Naperville Park District Executive director Ray McGury was clearly glad this day had finally come and his message was simple.
"I want to thank this community and the taxpayers for supporting this, because without them – we don't do this," McGury said. "A few years ago, there were people using the word 'sell' in regards to this. We didn't sell anything. I told the truth regarding our needs, and at the end of the day, there was not a huge outcry about what we wanted to do – there was little, if any.
"The facts were people wanted indoor space, and I can't thank the community enough for this," McGury added. "When I greeted the first official visitors that came through the door here the other day and saw the smiles on their face – that was enough."
Board president Rich Janor said he and other board members "were hopeful and confident the facility would become a hub for fitness and recreation" for many years to come.
"Hopefully this will serve us at least another 50 years, since that's what architects typically say is the longevity of a building like this," Janor said. "The most satisfying thing about this becoming a reality will be to see it fully utilized with residents and members. A building is just a building until you see it full to capacity and operating on all cylinders."
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-fort-hill-center-opens-st-0828-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/35846fd6425eb7eb54715e8d191c955e1fcf347352fada331af3d9961879e45f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Paul Skrbina"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:18 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrests-spt-0825-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57be3eb8/turbine/ct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrests-spt-0825-20160824 | en | null | Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on players' arrests: Embarrassed, 'mad as hell' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly said his emotions darted from disappointment to embarrassment to being "mad as hell" after he learned six of his players were arrested last weekend in two separate incidents.
A few hours after indefinitely suspended senior cornerback Devin Butler pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two felony charges — resisting law enforcement and battery of an officer — Kelly said a timetable for determining Butler's permanent status with the program "will be expedited given the current circumstances."
Butler appeared in St. Joseph County Superior Court after being formally charged Tuesday with allegedly tackling and hitting police Officer Aaron Knepper during an altercation early Saturday outside a South Bend bar. If convicted, Butler could face up to 2 1/2 years in prison.
Kelly, who dismissed senior safety Max Redfield from the team Sunday, said the other four players arrested — sophomore linebacker Te'von Coney, sophomore running back Dexter Williams, redshirt freshman cornerback Ashton White and freshman wide receiver Kevin Stepherson — would be available to play in the season opener Sept. 4 at Texas unless the university's office of community standards decides otherwise.
Redfield, Coney, Williams, White and Stepherson were arrested Friday night in Fulton County, Ind., after a traffic stop and face preliminary charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Redfield, Williams and Stepherson each face an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of a gun without a license.
Kelly called each player's case separate and said the team has daily conversations about expectations. Entering his seventh season as Notre Dame coach, Kelly said deciding how to discipline each one is a process with which he has become familiar.
"It's a question that, unfortunately, I'm equipped to answer," Kelly said. "You have to be prepared as a college coach to deal with poor decisions. ... You have to be fair, but you also have to be quick in making decisions."
The decision to kick Redfield off the team had a lot to do with his past indiscretions, Kelly said, including being sent home from the Fiesta Bowl last season for violating team rules.
Butler's fate has yet to be announced, but as Kelly hinted, it probably will be soon. Butler broke his left foot in June for the second time in six months and wasn't expected to be available to play until October.
Butler was released from jail Saturday on a $1,000 cash bond. He declined to comment to reporters as he left the courthouse Wednesday. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 1.
Wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. — named a team captain Wednesday with offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, linebacker James Onwualu and defensive end Isaac Rochell — said he, too, was disappointed and embarrassed about the weekend's events.
"I knew I had to make sure this team was going to continue in the right direction and not let this be the identity of this team," Hunter said. "We've got to play with the guys who are here.
"It's definitely a tough loss with the guys who are gone. But you have to move forward. It's the next man in."
Knepper and Officer Luke Pickard were leaving the Linebacker Lounge early Saturday after another call when they witnessed an altercation between two women, according to an affidavit. Before the officers could interject, they said, Butler approached them and began cursing, and they saw Butler "forcibly shove" a woman by her head and body.
The officers allege in the affidavit that Butler then pushed Knepper and "tackled" him to the ground, where Butler hit Knepper multiple times before police used a Taser to detain him. Knepper was treated at a hospital for minor elbow, wrist, neck, back and arm injuries, the report said.
Knepper has been named in three civil lawsuits alleging misconduct in the last four years, including two in 2012.
On Aug. 5, a jury ordered the city of South Bend to pay $1 in civil damages to the family of a 17-year-old boy after Knepper and two other officers, Michael Stuk and Eric Mentz, were found guilty of unconstitutional conduct. The lawsuit said the officers entered the family's home in July 2012 without a warrant and punched and Tasered the boy in a case of mistaken identity.
A month after that incident, Knepper was suspended for two days without pay when a convenience store clerk accused him and the same officers of prodding the clerk to swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon while they took video. The clerk later filed a civil suit against the officers.
Knepper was cleared of criminal wrongdoing in 2014 after a man accused him of slamming him to the ground and punching him. The man, who was sentenced to house arrest after pleading guilty to resisting law enforcement, also filed a civil case against Knepper.
pskrbina@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ChiTribSkrbina | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrests-spt-0825-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e812212adf4de516f8981b444f296597cc84cc4025f67a82583347190cdeb51e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:13 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-lincolnwood-dog-attack-tl-0804-20160801-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Lincolnwood resident fined after dog attacked neighbor | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A dog owner has been fined after an administrative hearing officer this week found him liable for failing to secure his dog before it broke free and attacked a next-door-neighbor who said she's been living in fear of the dog for years.
Lincolnwood resident Michael Mester was cited for three local ordinance violations after the July 9 incident that reportedly left his neighbor, Janit Shamuel, with a scratches on her arm and a gash on her thigh.
A police report said the dog broke out of a backyard enclosure and attacked Shamuel as she crossed through an alley near the 7200 block of Crawford Avenue on her way home from a manicure appointment.
Paramedics arrived and treated her for the lacerations, which were photographed and shown to an administrative hearing officer at a July 26 court hearing, where Mester was found liable for the dog bite and having a dog-at-large.
Hearing officer David Eterno dismissed a third citation for not having a dog license, crediting Mester for renewing his dog's registration with the village, approximately two weeks after the prior license had expired at the end of June. He was also fined $240 and placed on probation for a year.
The two families did not speak to each other during the hearing.
Elias Shamuel said his wife has been living in fear of the dog for at least the past five years when the dog became part of the Mester family.
The Shamuels claim the village has done little to protect their family from the dog, who jumps up and barks whenever Janit goes outside, both families said.
"This is something that is always on our minds now, every time we leave the house, Elias said. "You can't see it coming — you're just minding your own business when it suddenly comes up to the fence and jumps at you."
Several complaints about the dog filed by the family went unanswered by the Lincolnwood Police Department in recent months, Elias Shamuel said, but Lincolnwood Police Chief Bob LaMantia said the department had only recorded one complaint.
The village's community service officer visited the Mesters' property on three occasions in response to that complaint, LaMantia said, but found no evidence of a dangerous dog, according to police.
"He checked for any dog violations and didn't see anything wrong when he visited the residence," LaMantia said. "The village gets complaints all the time but it doesn't mean there's always a violation."
The families have been at odds over the dog since she was brought home in 2009, Mester said.
Knowing Janit is afraid of the canine, he said he tried to be a good neighbor by adding an extra two-feet to the height of his fence and monitoring the dog while she spends time in the backyard.
After the attack, Mester said he went a step further by voluntarily installing a child-proof lock on the door to ensure Dash doesn't escape again. He also said he took the dog to be evaluated by a behavioral specialist for animals.
If the dog has another incident during the year of probation, the hearing officer will consider classifying her as a dangerous dog — one level below the "vicious" designation, a label given to some dogs that bite people or other animals, according to the village ordinance.
"For some reason, when she sees Janit she jumps up at the fence and barks at her," Mester said, adding that the dog is friendly around his two children and guests who visit his home. "We're trying to make peace the best way we can, and we've taken the necessary steps to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Natalie Hayes is a freelancer. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-lincolnwood-dog-attack-tl-0804-20160801-story.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a0f8dfef7d5485a1ce6d70a0a2089b7ee83f65b427f5b02ce05973249fa0b5f9.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Hannah Leone"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:33 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Faurora-beacon-news%2Fnews%2Fct-abn-meth-lab-false-alarm-st-0825-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf9fb9/turbine/ct-abn-meth-lab-false-alarm-st-0825-20160825 | en | null | 'Putrefied organic substance' causes meth lab false alarm in Aurora | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Don't cry over spilled milk, they say.
But if it smells suspicious, make sure it's not a mobile meth lab.
At a tow yard in the 400 block of Northeast Industrial Drive Thursday afternoon, Aurora police investigated what turned out to be "putrefied organic substance," police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said via email.
Fire and police responded to the area after a truck involved in a crash had been towed to the yard leaking a liquid with a strong odor. On-scene Police Commander Michael Doerzaph said a narcotics specialist was called in to investigate. .
Property owner Jim Torres stood leaning back against a red car, his arms folded in front of him, taking it all in while an assortment of fire and police vehicles sat nearby.
Torres runs Tony's towing, which transports a lot of vehicles for police, he said. He had been on the lot earlier this morning, and his son brought in the white pickup truck during the afternoon.
"Other than that, nobody's been in the lot today," Torres said. "They had to quarantine the property because it could be hazardous."
Passersby were asked to stand a distance from the property where the truck was under investigation, in case anything dangerous got into the air.
A little after 4:20, Doerzaph announced the verdict.
It was not meth.
It did not appear to be illegal.
It was a few gallons of putrified organic substance, possibly milk, Doerzaph said.
Milk, however, is speculation, Ferrelli said.
In any case, it was in a cooler-type container in the back of the truck, which was "pretty smashed," Doerzaph said.
hleone@tribpub.com
Twitter @hannahmleone | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-meth-lab-false-alarm-st-0825-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f7c790907ebe2e919c9f68ff2656f36bd3fb4a3388b2e05edef124212be219b5.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Pioneer Press"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:13 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-skokie-art-in-the-park-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bb5e10/turbine/ct-skr-skokie-art-in-the-park-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | Kids create their mini-masterpieces at Art in the Park | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | What better place for kids to create art than in a venue surrounded by art itself?
That was the thinking behind the annual Art in the Park sponsored every year by the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park. Each year, the latest edition being Sunday, the park pitches a large tent and invites families with children ages 4 to 12 to create their mini masterpieces.
Sunday was a cooler Art in the Park than usual considering the event is always held in late August. However, skies were clear as many children there donned light jackets and rolled up their sleeves before getting to work.
The Sculpture Park provided the art supplies for the children — as it always does — while docents, volunteers and others were on hand to provide a hand.
This was the seventh annual Art in the Park, organizers say, and it has become a staple popular event at the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-skokie-art-in-the-park-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/34d7ff9fa620bd4a90389bc69b19949dd43d3d41ef615e2744e6771d71e62751.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:18 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-culvers-vote-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Lincolnwood officials reverse decade-old ban on drive-thrus along Touhy Avenue | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Fast food drive-thrus could open along a section of Touhy Avenue following a months-long debate that pitted residents from a condo building against some Lincolnwood Village Board members, who recently backed a measure to ease restrictions on businesses with drive-thru lanes.
An informal proposal to build a Culver's restaurant near Lincoln and Touhy earlier this year sparked a debate that ended Aug. 16, when the Lincolnwood Village Board decided on a 4-3 vote to lift a longtime prohibition on fast food restaurants with drive-thru lanes along Touhy's commercial corridor.
The decision means restaurant operators, dry cleaners, banks and pharmacies — businesses that commonly have drive-thru access — will be able to apply for a special-use permit through the village.
While a Culver's operator, who has proposed a 4,000-square-foot location for the 4400 block of Touhy Avenue, has yet to file a permit application to open on the site, the lift of the drive-thru ban paves the way for Culver's and other businesses to open in the area, explained village attorney Steven Elrod.
"If and when an application for a Culver's or any other drive-thru is submitted to the village, it will have to go through the special use process," Elrod said. "That includes public notice of a public hearing before the Plan Commission and a recommendation to the Village Board."
Two other sites along Touhy Avenue are also being eyed by developers for potential drive-thrus, according to Trustee Jesal Patel.
Residents of Barclay Place, a condo building adjacent to the parcel of land on the southeast corner of West Touhy and North Kilbourn avenues, where Culver's would open, came out in throngs to oppose the proposal at the July 19 Village Board meeting.
Residents' claims that the area should be preserved for residential use were later rejected by both the Plan Commission and later the Lincolnwood Village Board. None of those residents turned out for the Aug. 16 meeting, where trustees approved a final ordinance to lift the ban.
"Anyone who buys a residential unit adjacent to a commercially-zoned property should understand the property will not always remain as it was when the resident purchased the unit," said Jim Persino, chair of the Economic Development Commission, who spoke at the board meeting. "As a village, we must look at these concepts with the greater good of the community in mind, and not just the impact on the adjacent residential (properties)."
Trustee Larry Elster, who voted against the measure Aug. 16, explained the ban on drive-thrus initially was put into place more than a decade ago to prevent excess traffic congestion along what is considered as one of the busiest intersections in Lincolnwood.
"I think it's premature to put this into an ordinance when nothing has really changed since we drafted the first ordinance," Elster said. "When we voted on this 10 years ago we said this is such a congested area that it's not appropriate (for a drive-thru)."
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-culvers-vote-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d972ed2f4555108f7afd4de1032d0af385886771d7b1edc345d2de031c58ccf2.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Heidi Stevens"
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:49 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fstevens%2Fct-huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-sexting-balancing-0830-20160830-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c58699/turbine/ct-huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-sexting-balancing-0830-20160830 | en | null | Anthony Weiner sexting casts doubt on his own judgment - not on Clinton's | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | People whose judgment is called into question by Anthony Weiner's sexting:
Anthony Weiner.
Anyone who participates in sexting with Anthony Weiner.
People whose judgment is not called into question by Anthony Weiner's sexting:
Huma Abedin.
Hillary Clinton.
"It's just another example of Hillary Clinton's bad judgment," Donald Trump said Monday.
RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR
No. A guy texting photos of his crotch as his toddler son sleeps next to him is an example of the crotch-texting guy's bad judgment. It's not an example of his wife's boss's bad judgment.
What about that wife, though? She's leaving now, but she stayed before! He did this twice and she stayed! Surely we can judge her ...
I'd rather not.
First, it's impossible to know the daily negotiations and dynamics and emotions in another person's marriage. Sure, they're public figures. Sure, there's a documentary about them. But do we know them? We don't. Do we know what they privately agreed upon? What sort of verbal contract they struck? What sort of promises and hopes they expressed? We don't.
Second, judging the spouse of every lawmaker brought down by a sex scandal would be incredibly time-consuming.
Who is Anthony Weiner? Watch a timeline of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's history of sexting and sending racy photos to women while married to Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Watch a timeline of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's history of sexting and sending racy photos to women while married to Clinton aide Huma Abedin. See more videos
Take Nebraska state Sen. Bill Kintner, who's deciding whether to resign this week after exchanging sexually explicit messages with a woman and pleasuring himself via Skype using his state-issued laptop. (Kintner went to the police after the woman attempted to extort money from him.) His wife is staying to pray with him about the scandal, according to Kintner.
Or Jud McMillin, an Indiana state representative and staunch backer of the Defense of Marriage Act who resigned last fall after a sexually explicit video was sent from his phone to people on his contacts list. His wife stayed.
Or Eliot Spitzer, who resigned his position as New York governor after taking part in a prostitution ring. His wife, Silda, stayed for close to six years before quietly filing for divorce.
I could go on, but you see my point. There are a lot of wronged spouses out there.
Why do they stay? I truly don't know, but I will say this: There are 100 different ways to betray your partner, and infidelity is just one. Deciding (and honoring) your own personal threshold for holding on to a relationship is powerful. Deciding someone else's? Petty.
We can claim that Abedin — and Clinton and every other spouse who sticks through a sex scandal — exacerbate the problem: They're enablers. They're weak — or worse, they're calculating.
But in so doing, we're the ones deflecting the blame.
Weiner has, time and again, exhibited horrendously bad judgment. For his own sake and, more important, for his son's, I hope he learns some healthy boundaries.
Meanwhile, I hope the rest of us can lay off his soon-to-be-ex-wife. And her boss.
hstevens@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @heidistevens13
RELATED STORIES:
Huma Abedin, a top Clinton aide, is leaving husband Anthony Weiner amid new sexting scandal
'Weiner' review: Documentary tracks congressman's 2nd sexting downfall
Naked Trump statues mocking his anatomy? Do better
Caption Tour a two-story penthouse in Aqua Tower, on the market for $5.95M Aqua Tower, 225 N. Columbus Dr., No. 8004. Two-floor penthouse on the market for $5.95M Aqua Tower, 225 N. Columbus Dr., No. 8004. Two-floor penthouse on the market for $5.95M Caption Tour a two-story penthouse in Aqua Tower, on the market for $5.95M Aqua Tower, 225 N. Columbus Dr., No. 8004. Two-floor penthouse on the market for $5.95M Aqua Tower, 225 N. Columbus Dr., No. 8004. Two-floor penthouse on the market for $5.95M Caption A look at Jackson Park's Wooded Island, The Garden of the Phoenix A look at Jackson Park's Wooded Island, The Garden of the Phoenix. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) A look at Jackson Park's Wooded Island, The Garden of the Phoenix. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Caption One Step Summer Camp for children with cancer At One Step Summer Camp, children with cancer are given a chance to experience a week or two of fun with other kids facing similar challenges. Read the full story. At One Step Summer Camp, children with cancer are given a chance to experience a week or two of fun with other kids facing similar challenges. Read the full story. Caption Feral cats keeping the rats away Some Chicago residents have discovered the benefits of taking in feral cats to quell the rat problem that plagues their homes and yards. April 8, 2016. (Alexis Myers / Chicago Tribune) Some Chicago residents have discovered the benefits of taking in feral cats to quell the rat problem that plagues their homes and yards. April 8, 2016. (Alexis Myers / Chicago Tribune) Caption Paul McGee shows how to make The Normans cocktail with single malt scotch Paul McGee offers variations of the normans cocktail for the perfect January drink. This variations main base is single malt scotch. (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune) Paul McGee offers variations of the normans cocktail for the perfect January drink. This variations main base is single malt scotch. (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune)
Aug. 26 is National Dog Day, a time to celebrate humans' best friend. Here are the top dog breeds, according to the American Kennel Club. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-sexting-balancing-0830-20160830-column.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b070acef2b56bcf39b1eb0d3cf12f4fbb73578f296f7d81a0159981818a72d1e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-29T22:48:58 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fct-live-stream-wgn-html-htmlstory.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4ab0a/turbine/ct-live-stream-wgn-html | en | null | Live Q&A: Tribune investigative reporter David Kidwell on Chicago's red light camera scandal | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | David Kidwell, whose reporting first revealed the corruption behind Chicago's red light cameras, hosts a live question-and-answer session.
Click on the image to start the stream | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-live-stream-wgn-html-htmlstory.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3ae1c79e7bf54846a1f07942b61aab19d48ac6179f6b905868c2ed6d013a4825.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tony Baranek"
] | 2016-08-31T04:48:53 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fdaily-southtown%2Fsports%2Fct-sta-girls-volleyball-mother-mcauley-sandburg-st-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c63ac0/turbine/ct-sta-girls-volleyball-mother-mcauley-sandburg-st-0831-20160830 | en | null | Mixan it up: Moira Mixan comes through as Mother McAuley edges Sandburg | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | It had pouting session written all over it before the season when Mother McAuley junior Moira Mixan was told that a sophomore would play ahead of her as the varsity setter.
But it didn't happen.
"I just decided to keep working hard and take whatever was handed to me," Mixan said.
She earned a role as a right-side hitter — and is definitely making the most of it.
Mixan was a key contributor when it counted the most in Tuesday's 25-22, 25-22 victory over Sandburg.
Indeed, the going was tough, with McAuley trailing 20-18 in Game 2 when Mixan blasted a spike through the heart of the Eagles' defense. She later contributed an ace serve and totaled six digs.
Notre Dame recruit Charley Niego contributed 12 kills and seven digs for the Mighty Macs (3-0). Katie O'Connell had seven kills and eight digs, Nancy Kane added 21 assists and Emma Reilly had eight digss.
Sandburg (4-2) was led by Anna Jonynas (11 kills), Abbie Stefanon (6 kills) and Maureen Imrie (25 assists).
McAuley is making a habit of roaring back from deficits. The Mighty Macs trailed 19-15 in Game 1 and by as much as 19-14 in Game 2.
"You have to be mentally prepared and just work your butt off," Mixan said. "It's tradition with us. You get stuff up when it matters, and when your teammates aren't doing so hot, you have go in and work hard and push for them."
Mixan had two older cousins who played at McAuley, "and a lot of friends," she said. "I used to play softball, basketball and soccer, but in high school it's just been volleyball. I loved it the most.
"Playing (right-side hitter) is really fun. It's the same defensive spot (as setter), which is good. And hitting is a lot of fun. Plus, I get to see the other side of what Nancy (Kane) gets to do every day."
McAuley coach Jen DeJarld, meanwhile, isn't letting her setting skills get rusty.
"Moira is training as a setter," she said. "She may not be as seasoned as some of our setters, but she is a competitor and makes things happen. And she's not afraid."
The other comeback kid for the Mighty Macs was Niego.
Over their final four points in Game 1, Niego landed four kills. Two were rockets and two were tips.
"I think it's just the desire to win and put every ball I can down," Niego said. "Every time I hit I want the ball to go down. I'm not trying to just play the ball, I want every swing to be the (best)."
At no point in Tuesday's match did McAuley get comfortably ahead. The main reason was the big swing of Jonynas, a senior who was a force when she was in the front row. The 5-9 outside hitter was the Eagles' kill leader in 2015 with 280.
"My senior year, I'm so excited for it," Jonynas said. "The team is a little bit different since last year's seniors (graduated). That just mean that I — all of our seniors — have to step it up even more."
abaranek@tribpub.com
Twitter @tbaranek | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/sports/ct-sta-girls-volleyball-mother-mcauley-sandburg-st-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2e65c32b5f7ea7d41728b138a49d138e7e5a4c4494793c9748c43dc2c5329c8b.json |
[
"Ben Brody",
"C"
] | 2016-08-29T06:48:23 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-blm-campaign-debates-d9c60dcc-6d94-11e6-993f-73c693a89820-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Both sides agree: Trump a wild card in presidential debates | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Two presidential campaigns that have been busy slinging mud at each other for much of the last week agree on one thing: Republican Donald Trump will continue to shoot from the hip when the candidates meet on a debate stage.
The first of three proposed debates between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton is almost a month away, on Sept. 26. It promises to be one of the signature moments in the long campaign for the Oval Office.
"He's an unconventional candidate, and he's not going to prepare the way Hillary does, which is, you know, lock her in a room and cram her head with all these binders," Kellyanne Conway, Trump's campaign manager, said on "Fox News Sunday."
"The authentic Donald Trump, who's been taking his case directly to the voters, is the one that you will see on the debate stage with Hillary Clinton, and I think they're nervous over in the Clinton camp," Conway said.
Conway wouldn't say if Trump would definitely hold mock debates and if so, who would stand in for Clinton. NBC News reported that former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and conservative commentator Laura Ingraham were doing debate preparation with Trump.
David Plouffe, a Clinton supporter and former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, agreed with the assessment of the Trump's strength ahead of the first contest, to be held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
"It is going to be difficult, because you are going to have to prepare for many different Trumps," Plouffe, who has been in touch with the Clinton campaign, said on NBC's "Meet the Press." The candidate who shows up on debate night could be "modest" or "off-the-rails," he said.
"We have a psychopath running for president," Plouffe said. "I mean, he meets the clinical definition." When challenged by NBC moderator Chuck Todd, Plouffe listed among Trump's traits "the grandiose notion of self-worth, pathological lying, lack of empathy and remorse."
Plouffe was responding to a question about who would play Trump in Clinton's debate prep -- a question the campaign is said to be having trouble resolving because of Trump's hard-edged style and tactical fluidity. Even one of the Democrat's own campaign spokesmen suggested on Saturday that Trump's beguiling nature could help him.
"For all his lack of substance, Trump's showmanship, as ex-TV star, makes him a formidable debate foe," the spokesman, Brian Fallon, wrote on Twitter. "He thrashed his rivals in GOP debates."
For all the insults and and denigration of a political campaign, complimenting one's opponent before a debate has become something of a standard practice.
Candidates' performances are often judged on the perception that they exceeded or fell short of expectations, so self-deprecation can be wise messaging. The campaigns for both Obama and Mitt Romney heaped praise on their respective rivals in 2012, and Romney, who was often parodied as awkward and gaffe-prone by comparison to an oratorically gifted president, saw a polling bump from a strong debate.
Trump's running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that he was "cracking the books" in anticipation of meeting with Clinton's running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, for the vice presidential debate.
That contest is scheduled for for Oct. 4, according to the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. Assuming the candidates agree to participate, two more presidential debates would follow, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 19.
Still hoping to qualify for the debates is Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, the former Republican governor of New Mexico, who needs to secure 15 percent support in five national polls and is currently showing an average of 8.1 percent.
--With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-campaign-debates-d9c60dcc-6d94-11e6-993f-73c693a89820-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/972886fcbeb6bcd22bd11e87d0542b274a142d31d848ed210884fedbc0ccb85e.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-27T06:48:10 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-marijuana-plants-oregon-state-fair-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0cd92/turbine/ct-marijuana-plants-oregon-state-fair-20160826 | en | null | Oregon State Fair generates buzz with first legal pot display in U.S. | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Living marijuana plants went on display Friday at the Oregon State Fair, with organizers saying it's the first state fair in the nation to allow cannabis for public viewing.
The state voted to legalize recreational marijuana in late 2014. Here are a few things to know about legal pot in Oregon and the display at the fair:
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
The Oregon State Fair allowed a display about marijuana — but without any living plants — last year at the fair and it generated no complaints, so this year the organization took the next step and agreed to let marijuana growers display live plants on fair grounds.
The Oregon Cannabis Business Council, which is sponsoring the display, says it's the first time living pot plants have been open for public viewing at any state fair nationwide.
The council is renting space in a state fair exhibit hall for its tent and selected nine plants for the display at an industry event two weeks ago.
Jay Engers Gillian Flaccus / AP Fairgoer Jay Engers of Paso Robles, Calif., looks at marijuana plants at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, Ore., during the first day of an exhibit of living pot plants. Oregon voters legalized recreational marijuana in late 2014 and the state is the first in the nation to allow live marijuana plants at the state fair. Engers drove with his wife from California to see the marijuana exhibit. Fairgoer Jay Engers of Paso Robles, Calif., looks at marijuana plants at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, Ore., during the first day of an exhibit of living pot plants. Oregon voters legalized recreational marijuana in late 2014 and the state is the first in the nation to allow live marijuana plants at the state fair. Engers drove with his wife from California to see the marijuana exhibit. (Gillian Flaccus / AP) (Gillian Flaccus / AP)
WILL FAIRGOERS GET HIGH?
No. While the tent holding the display smells strongly of weed, fair authorities are only allowing immature plants — that is, pot plants without flowers.
Marijuana leaves are much less potent then the flowers, or buds, and it's not yet legal to transport flowering plants within the state anyway.
Donald Morse, director of the Oregon Cannabis Business Council, said his group hopes to get permission to display flowering pot plants next year, but the details aren't finalized.
Billy Jean Clay, Roxanne Hunt Gillian Flaccus / AP Billy Jean Clay, left and Roxanne Hunt, of Silverton, Ore., look at marijuana plants at the Oregon State Fair during the first day of an exhibit of living pot plants. Oregon voters legalized recreational marijuana in late 2014 and the state is the first in the nation to allow live marijuana plants at the state fair. Billy Jean Clay, left and Roxanne Hunt, of Silverton, Ore., look at marijuana plants at the Oregon State Fair during the first day of an exhibit of living pot plants. Oregon voters legalized recreational marijuana in late 2014 and the state is the first in the nation to allow live marijuana plants at the state fair. (Gillian Flaccus / AP) (Gillian Flaccus / AP)
CAN ANYONE SEE THE PLANTS?
No. The exhibit is in a translucent tent and both the entrance and exit are monitored.
Anyone entering must present identification proving they are age 21 and over.
AREN'T STATE FAIRS FOR GIANT PUMPKINS, PIGS AND APPLE PIE?
The way people think about marijuana in Oregon is changing and recreational grow sites are recognized under state law as farm crops.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is in the process of licensing recreational marijuana in much the same way it already controls the sale and use of alcohol.
Oregon State Fair spokesman Dan Cox says the fair must adapt to changing cultural and societal values and allowing the display is one part of that shift.
A CASH CROP
Oregonians voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2014 and the state allowed the sale of marijuana "edibles," such as pot-infused candies and confections, earlier this year.
This week, the state said it had processed $25.5 million in taxes on recreational marijuana since January 2016.
Anticipated state revenue from recreational marijuana through June 2017 was recently quadrupled by Oregon's Legislative Revenue Office, from $8.4 million to $35 million.
BUT IT'S ILLEGAL, RIGHT?
Recreational marijuana is still illegal in 46 states and is banned by the federal government.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-marijuana-plants-oregon-state-fair-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d31c3dd6c6fd0a03058695721185a7be4bfce02ae8e5e8d7b9702016545bf08d.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:24 | null | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flibertyville%2Fnews%2Fct-lbr-bridge-point-overnight-request-tl-0721-20160718-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-578d071a/turbine/ct-lbr-bridge-point-overnight-request-tl-0721-20160718 | en | null | Libertyville upholds overnight trucking ban at new depot | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Homeowners and village trustees appear determined to prevent overnight trucking at a Libertyville warehouse after discussing a variance request from a potential tenant of the recently built complex.
Bridge Point 94, located at 851 and 901 E. Park Ave., was finished last year and includes one 185,000-square-foot structure and a second 220,000-square-foot building with numerous trucking docks. The project was heavily contested in 2013 by nearby residents who worried about disruptive lights, noise and traffic.
Led by Dale Sherman, who owns a house on nearby Meadow Lane, residents attended a July 12 Village Board meeting where a telecommunications company called Ice Mobility was supposed to explain its request for lifting the overnight trucking ban.
Village documents say Ice Mobility was interested in renting space from Bridge Point 94.
Mayor Terry Weppler said the company withdrew its request a day before the meeting, and that he immediately notified those residents.
"My neighbors and I chose to still show up tonight because quite honestly we didn't quite trust the petitioners and the way their course of dealing has gone so far," Sherman said. "We feel like we're entitled to repose. This issue has been raised before."
Tensions resurfaced last summer when parent company Bridge Development Partners asked Libertyville to waive the ban on overnight deliveries. The company said it was struggling to attract tenants and the extra hours were vital to one prospective renter.
That request was withdrawn at the last moment but trustees still voted against the application in hopes of enforcing a one-year ban on making another request.
Sherman on July 12 said he wanted Libertyville to do the same thing and unanimously reject the request because it was still formally on the agenda. Trustees did just that, voting 6-0 against a special permit allowing overnight trucking for Ice Mobility.
"I question whether Bridge Development is truly work with us in good faith on this matter," Village Trustee Rich Moras said. "I find this to be very unprofessional and I am very disappointed in their behavior."
Moras also mentioned prior meetings that were postponed and not resumed leading up to an anticlimactic July 12 decision.
Mark Houser, senior director of development and management for Bridge Development Partners, was not at the July 12 meeting, but in a later interview he said his company is not at odds with the limited hours.
"I can understand how everyone feels, but we're not trying to mislead anyone," Houser said. "We've been pretty straightforward with everyone."
Houser said Ice Mobility made the recent request and Bridge Point 94 was listed on the application because it holds the zoning permit. He said it was the telecommunications company that wanted to revisit the topic.
"Certainly anyone who wants to go into the building has the right to apply for a variance. The village then has the right to say no," Houser said. "We tell our prospects what the situation is and that there are no deliveries allowed between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., and they can go tell their story if they want."
Ice Mobility reported having only five shipments arrive at their Vernon Hills campus after 9 p.m. in all of 2015, according to meeting minutes from Libertyville's March 28 zoning hearing, where the zoning board voted 6-1 against the permit.
"Those trucks were running late; their docks normally close earlier in the day. I think Ice Mobility likes having a backup plan," Houser said.
Ultimately, Houser said Ice Mobility has chosen to go elsewhere and he is not pressing the issue with Libertyville. He said several other prospective tenants, including online retailer Amazon, have decided against leasing space due to the overnight restriction.
"We would have had both buildings full if we didn't have the trucking restriction, we know that," Houser said. "We're still getting some interest and activity, which is good. There's demand for the space."
About 260,000 square feet — or over half of the more than 400,000-square-foot complex — is still vacant, Houser said. Ice Mobility, according to its application, would have leased 118,000 square feet and brought 225 employees.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/news/ct-lbr-bridge-point-overnight-request-tl-0721-20160718-story.html | en | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2cb94178341eb5f5326f3604badc3972e07c7d376f75d4c64271cf40c3634cf1.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-31T00:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Fct-chris-brown-police-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5e6a7/turbine/ct-chris-brown-police-20160830 | en | null | Chris Brown arrested on suspicion of assault with deadly weapon, L.A. police say | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Singer Chris Brown came out of his Los Angeles home peacefully Tuesday after an hourslong standoff with police who responded to a woman's call for help.
Los Angeles police said the singer was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Police Lt. Chris Ramirez said several people were escorted from the residence after a search warrant was served.
Police said the woman who made the call for help about 3 a.m. was not inside the hilltop estate in the San Fernando Valley. Ramirez did not identify the woman or elaborate on the assistance she needed. He did not know if she was injured.
Brown's attorney Mark Geragos arrived at the home shortly before the warrant was served.
Earlier, Brown posted several videos to social media declaring his innocence. The singer has been in repeated legal trouble since his felony conviction in the 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
"I don't care. Y'all gonna stop playing with me like I'm the villain out here, like I'm going crazy," he said in one Instagram video Tuesday, waving a cigarette and looking at the camera. "When you get the warrant or whatever you need to do, you're going to walk right up in here and you're going to see nothing. You idiots."
An aerial view of Chris Brown’s Tarzana home. KTLA An aerial view of Chris Brown’s Tarzana home. An aerial view of Chris Brown’s Tarzana home. (KTLA)
Calls and emails seeking comments from Geragos and other representatives were not returned Tuesday.
After several missteps, Brown completed his probation last year in the case involving Rihanna.
In 2013, Brown struck a man outside a Washington, D.C., hotel and was charged with misdemeanor assault. The singer was ordered into rehab but was dismissed from the facility for violating its rules.
He spent 2½ months in custody, with U.S. marshals shuttling him between Los Angeles and the nation's capital for court hearings.
In another incident while in treatment, Brown was accused of throwing a brick at his mother's car following a counseling session. It came after Brown had completed court-ordered anger management classes.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-chris-brown-police-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fa3502ab118efb3f0876b43a6f19af92e0d963d39dc8dd224b89d37f3a4e4104.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Irv Leavitt"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:09 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fnorthbrook%2Fnews%2Fct-nbs-car-in-shop-tl-0825-20160823-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bcbbbb/turbine/ct-nbs-car-in-shop-tl-0825-20160823 | en | null | Manager walks away from Northbrook beauty salon door just before car hits | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | When Jane Kaboff closed the door of the Northbrook beauty salon she manages Friday morning, a car opened it again.
Kaboff's phone had rung, and she walked through the door and turned left, trailed by her daughter Dana Hurley, 17. She turned her back, and a car driven by a Lincolnshire customer jumped the sidewalk curb and hit the door they had just walked through, smashing it.
"I was on the phone for about 10 seconds before the car came through," she said. "Myself, or my daughter, we could have been maimed. My hands were shaking when I called 911."
Everything ended well, as no one was hurt, according to Kaboff and Northbrook police. Carmela's Hair Studio had a plywood door bolted onto the frame to replace the smashed one, and was back in business in about 45 minutes, said owner Carmela Defrenza, who had rushed over from her nearby house within minutes.
The only other damage to the structure were a few brick segments smashed off a corner, when the car otherwise neatly inserted itself between a protruding wall of the building and a tree.
"Poor thing, she was all shaken up," said Defrenza.
The driver, 83, was taken to a hospital for a checkup, but she was back at the store for her weekly blow-dry Saturday afternoon, Defrenza said.
Defrenza said she was not surprised that, despite her noisy entrance of the day before, the customer would have made sure her hair was taken care of promptly.
"Are you kidding? That's the first thing they think about," she said.
She said the lady told her that she "stopped, and that all of a sudden, it just accelerated."
The driver was not ticketed, police spokesman Dan Petka said, because the entire incident took place on private property. He said that responding officers have the option of contacting the Illinois Secretary of State's Office for a retest after an accident involving an elderly driver, but he didn't know if such a request has been made.
One beauty operator had been in the shop when the car hit the door, and she remained there until a tow truck hauled the car away, Kaboff said.
Carmela's Hair Studio Irv Leavitt / Pioneer Press Northbrook beauty salon owner Carmela Defrenza, left, and manager Jane Kaboff are all smiles in the new "barn door" of Carmela's Hair Studio. Northbrook beauty salon owner Carmela Defrenza, left, and manager Jane Kaboff are all smiles in the new "barn door" of Carmela's Hair Studio. (Irv Leavitt / Pioneer Press) (Irv Leavitt / Pioneer Press)
"I don't understand why the stores in this building don't have a separate exit," Defrenza said.
She said all six storefronts in the outlot building have no back doors.
"If the car had caught fire, I don't know how she would have gotten out," Kaboff said. "Well, the Fire Department did get here very quickly."
Tom Poupard, head of the village of Northbrook's Building Department, said that if the car had caught fire, firefighters would certainly have broken out the store's rear windows, though that situation is not ideal.
"I actually asked a similar question after I got back (from inspecting the scene) because the poor lady was stuck in there," Poupard, said.
But he said he quickly refreshed himself on International Building Code basics not everyone is aware of: In a hair salon or a restaurant, if there are 49 or fewer occupants, you only need one way in or one way out.
"We always recommend more than that" for new buildings," he said.
It's not easy to raise local entry standards and force retrofitting, he said, because some buildings, especially offices in multistory structures, are hard to alter. And if local laws were changed, the outlot building would be "grandfathered" as compliant on code that existed when it was built.
He said years ago, a fire inspector had explained the situation to him bluntly.
"Unfortunately, to put it in macabre terms, if you have 49 or less … the International Building Code deems that to be an acceptable level of loss," Poupard said.
ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @IrvLeavitt | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/northbrook/news/ct-nbs-car-in-shop-tl-0825-20160823-story.html | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a4c288800a14f7cdf4ad7b9e0b33e3b5afc150e6364112f45a2be9176b45580b.json |
[
"Tribune Content Agency",
"Nancy Black"
] | 2016-08-27T12:48:05 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fsns-201607191600--tms--hscopebctnzz-a20160827-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | LINDA C. BLACK HOROSCOPES for 8/27/16 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Today's Birthday (08/27/16). Abundance and prosperity flower this year and next. Keep saving. Invest in home, family and real estate. Renovate to adapt to domestic changes. Step into leadership this autumn, leading to changes in a collaboration. Retrospection and review next spring serve to water a budding romantic relationship. Share your love.
To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Home changes require attention. Partnership gets the job done. Hitch your wagon to a star. Work together and share fabulous results. Include elegant, simple touches. Less is more.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Write about your thoughts and feelings. Words flow onto paper, but misunderstandings could spark in conversation. Avoid gossip. Learn what's needed. Edit and cut. Polish your presentation.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -- There's money available, if you can keep in action despite chaos or confusion. Keep the big picture in mind. Count the zeroes carefully. A rounding error could get costly.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You're especially sensitive. Take some "me" time. Linger in a tender moment. Write in your journal, and pamper yourself with hot water and fragrant lotion. Dream up an inspiring future.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Find a quiet spot to contemplate your plans. Complete projects so you can prepare what's next. Share compassion with someone who's going through changes. Loving rituals soothe.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Group projects come together. Play excellent music. Stay mindful of the neighbors; keep it down to a dull roar. Call if you'll be late. Enjoy each other.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Follow an interesting opportunity. Avoid sharp words or emotional outbursts. Smile around the cameras (or tape them). The impossible seems accessible. Don't take things personally. Let bygones be bygones.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Try new flavors. Meditation and prayer are useful, especially when pessimism creeps in. Whittle down to core, elemental pieces. Get help building your dream by inspiring others.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Review and revise shared financial strategies. Make sure you have enough saved for upcoming expenses. A sibling's crazy idea could work. Utilize shared resources and skill sets. Cooperate.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Work with a partner to magnify your range. Wise investments gain value. Determine who does what and set deadlines. Leave nothing to chance. Grease the wheels. Quietly make inroads.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- There's plenty to do. Don't sweat the small stuff. Take charge, and keep focus. Reschedule what you can. You may change your mind about what you want. Decide later.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 6 -- A controversial point arises in your love story. Reaffirm what you're committed to and change agreements if necessary. This renewal benefits everyone. Enjoy fun activities with your family.
(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black's legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today's Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)
(c)2016 bY NANCY BLACK. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sns-201607191600--tms--hscopebctnzz-a20160827-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/013ff7de4d2313d28476c51e20cf891a37d4f683c054e9cf5b4c9903ceaacdfe.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Christin Nance Lazerus"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:13 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-health-insurance-rates-st-0825-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf3d5b/turbine/ct-ptb-health-insurance-rates-st-0825-20160825 | en | null | Fewer choices, higher prices concerns as ACA enrollment period looms | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Affordable Care Act enrollment period doesn't begin until November, but the recent departure of several health insurance providers from federal and state marketplaces is raising concerns of fewer choices and higher premiums.
But federal officials emphasized that consumers will still have affordable coverage options during a Wednesday conference call. Even if insurance premiums increase by 25 percent, 60 percent of Indiana consumers would be able to purchase coverage for less than $75 per month, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Headline rate increases do not reflect what consumers actually pay," said Kathryn Martin, Acting Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. "Our study shows that, even in a scenario where all plans saw double-digit rate increases, the vast majority of consumers would continue to have affordable options."
According to the Indiana insurance rate filings, consumers will likely see an average premium increase of 8-9 percent. Indiana will have four marketplace insurers in 2017 — Anthem Insurance, CareSource Indiana Inc., Celtic and MDwise Markeplace Inc. — down from seven from 2016.
During the call, Martin said that premium tax credits — which 85 percent of marketplace consumers receive — rise alongside rate increases to maintain affordability and stability in the market.
Part of the reason insurance will be more expensive in 2017 is due to the phasing out of the temporary reinsurance provision in the Affordable Care Act. The provision, which only extends through 2016, protected insurers against premium increases on the individual insurance market by offsetting the expenses of people who require more expensive health care services. The funds came from all health insurance issuers.
"These are one-time upward pressures on the insurance market," said Dr. Mandy Cohen, COO of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "As the program goes away, prices need to go up to cover costs."
A July analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that costs for the most common plans are increasing faster in 2017 than in previous years in 16 cities. The cost of the second-lowest silver plan will increase by about 9 percent, compared to 2 percent in 2016. Fewer insurers will likely participate in 2017, according to data from 17 marketplaces.
On Tuesday, Physicians Health Plans of Northern Indiana announced that it is exiting Indiana's marketplace, which is part of the federal healthcare.gov website, and its individual product line in 2017. PHP said that individual plans are only a small part of its business, but it said that medical expenses are outstripping the money it receives from customer premiums. In 2016, for every dollar in premiums, medical expenses were $1.20. The number was expected to rise to $1.36 in 2017, which could have led to "millions of dollars in losses."
PHP's move will force more than 6,000 customers to find different coverage. In 2016, PHP offered coverage in Jasper, Newton and LaPorte counties, but not Lake or Porter counties.
cnance@post-trib.com | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-health-insurance-rates-st-0825-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/6cd5c3f8c07c83624d93cea0c79a63f7822b32f45f6ca369a8d808003bc0b448.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Clifford Ward"
] | 2016-08-29T20:48:51 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Faurora-beacon-news%2Fnews%2Fct-aurora-nurse-murder-hearing-0830-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c486a5/turbine/ct-aurora-nurse-murder-hearing-0830-20160829 | en | null | Judge: Man accused of strangling nurse could get life sentence if guilty | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | An Aurora man facing trial next month in the strangling of his former girlfriend with her scarf is eligible for an extended prison term — up to a life sentence — should he be found guilty of first-degree murder, a DuPage County judge ruled Monday.
Judge George Bakalis rejected a motion filed on behalf of Jose Loera, 38, who is scheduled to stand trial in September in the alleged murder of Heather Jacobi, a DuPage County Jail nurse. Prosecutors have previously said that should Loera be found guilty of first-degree murder, they would ask for a longer-than-usual sentence because they say her slaying was exceptionally brutal, indicative of wanton cruelty and committed in a cold, calculating manner.
His defense attorneys have said that prosecutors failed to adequately specify how Loera's actions met the standard that would make him eligible for a longer sentence. But the judge ruled Monday that prosecutors had supplied enough information to allow the defense to prepare its case.
Authorities allege that Loera strangled Jacobi, 32, on the night of March 28, 2014, in her Aurora home. The couple had dated periodically over the previous two years. After allegedly killing Jacobi, Loera used the nurse's stethoscope to check for signs of life, authorities say.
The normal sentencing range for first-degree murder is 20 to 40 years in prison. Should a jury — or a judge in a bench trial — find that the murder also met the "wanton cruelty" language in the Illinois statutes, the guilty party faces a sentence of 60 years to life.
Loera's attorneys, in court filings, say they will argue that his actions amounted to second-degree murder, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, or the lesser felony of involuntary manslaughter.
The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 20.
Jacobi, a mother of three, had taken out an order of protection against Loera. He was on probation for a domestic incident involving Jacobi and had just received court permission to legally contact her.
On the night of the slaying, Loera had appeared at Jacobi's house and then became enraged when she began receiving text messages from another man, authorities said. After strangling Jacobi, Loera then went home and took an overdose of pills, but police found him after a family member requested a well-being check.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-aurora-nurse-murder-hearing-0830-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/8bde30f205c714d0ae19dfbefd738ece88f4c02253279d6745a52976e093968d.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:46 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flibertyville%2Fcrime%2Fct-lbr-gas-station-armed-robbery-tl-0901-20160823-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bd05e8/turbine/ct-lbr-gas-station-armed-robbery-tl-0901-20160823 | en | null | Man with handgun robs Libertyville gas station | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A masked man wielding a handgun robbed a gas station in Libertyville over the weekend, according to police.
The incident occurred at 1:11 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Truenorth Shell gas station at Route 45 and Peterson Road, according to a news release.
Footage shows a black man between 30 and 40 years old with dark moles or freckles underneath his eyes wearing a dark-colored ski mask, an orange long-sleeve shirt and black pants, police say.
The man did not harm the gas station clerk and escaped with an unknown amount of cash and several cartons of cigarettes, police said.
Police say the man fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Libertyville police department at (847) 362-8310.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/crime/ct-lbr-gas-station-armed-robbery-tl-0901-20160823-story.html | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4273696e48a1584b05ea2329c2bcd2197dc0c7ddf0770afdcf280f9023a8b87f.json |
[
"Tribune Content Agency",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-31T14:49:09 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fct-stranger-things-renewed-for-season-2-20160831-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c6d370/turbine/ct-stranger-things-renewed-for-season-2-20160831 | en | null | 'Stranger Things' renewed for second season at Netflix | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | In a not-so-strange turn of events, Netflix has renewed breakout hit "Stranger Things" for a second season, Variety has learned.
Season 2 will debut in 2017 and will consist of 9 episodes, in comparison to the first season that spanned 8 episodes.
The news comes hardly as a surprise, as the supernatural drama has become arguably the buzziest series of the summer. Insiders tell Variety that work on the second season has already been underway for quite some time.
The Duffer Brothers will return as writers for the second season and will executive produce with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen once again. 21 Laps Entertainment produces "Stranger Things."
"Stranger Things" stars Winona Ryder in her first major TV role. In the first season, she starred alongside David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Finn Wolfhard, Natalia Dyer, Cara Buono, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, Millie Brown, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Chrest, Joe Keery, Rob Morgan, Ross Partridge, Shannon Purser, John Paul Reynolds, Mark Steger and Chris Sullivan. No casting has been confirmed for upcoming season.
The '80s-set thriller follows the disappearance of a young boy and a telekinetic girl who helps his friends with their search, while the boy's older brother and the town police chief start their own investigations.
Earlier this summer, "Stranger Things" creators Matt and Ross Duffer talked about a second season in an interview with Variety, teasing what they have up their sleeves for the next episodes of the show.
MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR
Before the renewal was announced, the Duffer brothers also spoke at the Television Critics Association press tour, telling reporters that there's more to the story and they hope they get to tell it. "We want it to feel like a big movie," Matt said. "But there's a bigger mythology, and there's a lot of dangling threads at the end. We could explore it if Netflix wanted to continue."
Ross added, "It's about giving enough so the audience feels satisfied."
Well, now with Season 2 coming along, it appears the audience will be on their way to satisfaction.
Variety
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Check out the latest movie reviews from Michael Phillips and the Chicago Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-stranger-things-renewed-for-season-2-20160831-story.html | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/45e3b50a43e04dd473b8d157860af0c7d069a4061e5bb29bbe22eaa4d210fb1c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"David Kidwell"
] | 2016-08-29T00:48:27 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fwatchdog%2Fredlight%2Fct-red-light-cameras-john-bills-sentencing-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c37491/turbine/ct-red-light-cameras-john-bills-sentencing-20160828 | en | null | Key figure in red-light cameras scandal faces sentencing Monday | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | With his sentencing scheduled for Monday morning, the central figure in a massive corruption scheme that brought traffic cameras to Chicago remains adamant about taking his silence with him to federal prison for what could be as long as two decades.
John Bills, 55, who rose through City Hall as part of the political patronage army of longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan, faces between 10 and 30 years in prison for taking up to $2 million in cash bribes and gifts in exchange for helping grow the city's $600 million red-light camera program into the largest in the nation.
The scheme was first exposed by the Chicago Tribune in 2012.
How many years Bills spends behind bars will be decided by U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall, who presided at the trial early this year. A federal jury convicted him on all 20 counts, including bribery, conspiracy, extortion and fraud after deliberating for only five hours.
Bill's attorney, Nishay Sanan, portrayed his client as a fall guy but provided scant evidence at trial as he tried to spread blame for the conspiracy on a phalanx of well-connected lobbyists and Bills' elected bosses, including such political luminaries as Madigan himself and former Mayor Richard Daley.
But even as Sanan publicly argued before jurors that Madigan and Daley were really to blame, Bills was still quietly standing firm in his refusal to cooperate with federal prosecutors looking to expand their investigation.
U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon's office has repeatedly asked Bills to finger other potential conspirators in exchange for leniency, according to Sanan, who said the most recent request came soon after Bills' conviction in January.
"It has always been his contention that he has no evidence to offer them," Sanan said.
In its sentencing memorandum, the prosecution team — led by Fardon himself — suggested Bills deserved to go to prison for 20 to 30 years based on the massive amount of the bribes, his lack of remorse, violation of public trust and leadership role in the decadelong conspiracy.
"To this day, defendant refuses to acknowledge his culpability, instead continuing to deflect and heave blame on others despite the mountain of evidence introduced at trial against him," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Storino. "Chicago has a long, sad history with public corruption. Bills now stands tall in a long line of greedy officials who have carved that tragic history."
Listen: Audio from John Bills trial John Bills, accused of taking bribes at City Hall, discusses a red light camera expansion with Aaron Rosenberg from Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. Published Jan. 19, 2016. (U.S. attorney’s office) John Bills, accused of taking bribes at City Hall, discusses a red light camera expansion with Aaron Rosenberg from Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. Published Jan. 19, 2016. (U.S. attorney’s office) See more videos
Sanan is seeking a sentence of three to four years in prison for Bills. In court papers, he argued that Bills was never a leader of the conspiracy and that the size of the scheme should be limited only to the value of those payments and gifts Bills acknowledges accepting, about $42,900, not the more than $2 million in bribes.
Court officials have calculated Bills' sentencing range under federal guidelines at between 17 1/2 and 22 years.
During the two-week trial, jurors heard evidence about how Bills rose through the ranks at City Hall as a top Madigan precinct captain and political operative, eventually becoming the No. 2 manager in the Chicago Department of Transportation during then-Mayor Daley's administration.
According to testimony, Bills began scheming almost immediately after he was handed the responsibility of overseeing the red-light camera pilot project, hatching a plot to steer traffic camera contracts to Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., an Arizona-based firm.
Bills manipulated the process to ensure Redflex won the contract, orchestrated votes and met with Daley and Madigan in his efforts to promote the company's agenda. He coached the company's executives before their meetings with other city officials and advised them about which lobbyists to hire, what politicians to court and to whom to make political contributions.
In return, Redflex showered Bills with more than $560,000 in cash bribes, including up to $2,000 for each of the 384 red-light cameras installed under his watch. The company also lavished hundreds of thousands of dollars more in gifts — includinga car, a condominium, lavish hotel stays and vacations.
All the while, Bills was working to expand the program to include speed and school bus cameras, all in an effort to sweeten his own deal, according to testimony at the trial.
When Bills retired from the city in 2011, he went to work in Chicago for a Redflex consultant, Greg Goldner, a former campaign manager to both Daley and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. According to testimony, Redflex was paying Goldner to keep Bills on the payroll.
The decadelong conspiracy began to crumble in 2012 when the Tribune began publishing reports about Bills' cozy relationship with Redflex. The scandal that followed has now prompted four criminal convictions, a half-dozen lawsuits, ongoing criminal investigations of Redflex practices throughout the U.S. and in Australia, the headquarters of its parent company, Redflex Holdings.
Karen Finley, the former Redflex chief executive officer, pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and testified for the government at Bills' trial. She is set to be sentenced in November. Martin O'Malley, a former Chicago consultant for Redflex who testified that he acted as Bills' bagman, is set to be sentenced next month.
Redflex stock, once traded on the Australian exchange for more than $3 per share, was listed at 26 cents last week. The company, once an industry leader in automated camera enforcement, has all but abandoned its red-light camera business in the U.S. and dismissed much of its workforce.
Meanwhile, the Emanuel administration is trying to restore public trust in a corrupt program beset by questions over its unfair enforcement practices, mismanagement, failed oversight and dubious safety claims. Emanuel has appointed a team of experts — led by officials at the Northwestern University Transportation Center — to investigate the program and offer reforms.
As part of its four-year investigation, the Tribune found tens of thousands of tickets being issued unfairly under the program, as well as many cameras likely causing more accidents than they are preventing.
Scientists from Texas A&M University, using data collected by the Tribune, found that up to 40 percent of the cameras Bills was bribed to install are making intersections more dangerous. While the cameras were responsible for a 22 percent increase in rear-end accidents involving injuries, the corresponding reduction in T-bone crashes at those intersections is negligible, the study found.
Yet the Emanuel administration has refused to remove most of those cameras, undermining its long-standing contention that the cameras were more about safety than revenue.
dkidwell@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @DavidKidwell1 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/redlight/ct-red-light-cameras-john-bills-sentencing-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/0214d0ad1ff382b7dc50f072920331f0a07b14fef1a3f136458775f09a9584b5.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-29T12:48:40 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbreaking%2Fct-mr-fuji-dead-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4177f/turbine/ct-mr-fuji-dead-20160829 | en | null | Mr. Fuji of pro wrestling fame dies at 82 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | World Wrestling Entertainment says the former star wrestler and manager Harry Fujiwara, better known as Mr. Fuji, has died at age 82. An obituary posted on WWE's website Sunday said Fujiwara died that morning. The obituary doesn't say where he died or list a cause of death. The WWE hasn't responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Fujiwara starred as a tag team champion in the ring before shifting into a bad guy manager role in the 1980s. "Magnificent" Don Muraco, Yokozuna and George "The Animal" Steele were among those he managed. He was known for his trademark tactic of throwing salt into the eyes of opponents.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-mr-fuji-dead-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7ed65ea42b76b3e751570b8eb244d56c298cd56bf3c15ed5ca5a16422283c271.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Angelica Lavito"
] | 2016-08-28T10:51:45 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flake-county-news-sun%2Fnews%2Fct-lns-chain-o-lakes-clean-water-st-0824-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1aabe/turbine/ct-lns-chain-o-lakes-clean-water-st-0824-20160826 | en | null | Algae blooms create foul odor along Fox River | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Algae had grown so thick on Lake Catherine this summer that Marilyn Belleau felt like she could walk on water. She was afraid to swim in it, and her husband could not even fish in it without his line getting stuck.
In Aurora and Elgin, calls poured in from residents complaining of the foul taste and smell of their drinking water. The cause? A chemical released by decaying algae.
The problem started in Antioch's Lake Catherine and traveled down the Fox River about 40 miles to Elgin and then another 30 miles to Aurora. The problem affected hundreds of thousands of people, but finding a solution was the responsibility of the Fox Waterway Agency.
Antioch, Elgin and Aurora residents were frustrated because of the algae this summer. The Fox Waterway Agency wishes it could help combat the issue, but it does not have the money, Fox Waterway Agency Executive Director Joe Keller said.
Until the agency's capabilities grow, it cannot help lower the amount of algae in the waterway, leaving homeowners and water treatment plants to deal with it themselves, Keller said.
"Essentially when you give less to something, essentially the quality is going to be less," Keller said. "And now the symptoms of what we're seeing today is essentially as a result, in my eyes, of putting less resources and sending zero monies back to the system."
Algae blooms occur because of a number of conditions, according to Mike Adam, a senior biologist with the Lake County Health Department. One condition in the Chain O'Lakes is the abundance of phosphorus and nitrogen stored in sediment under the water.
The nutrients enter the water through urban runoff and erosion of farm fields in Wisconsin then flow downstream. Phosphorus and nitrogen are naturally abundant in productive soil, according to Tom Slawski, president of Southeast Fox River Partnership and chief biologist of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's Natural Resources Planning and Management Division. The two nutrients help plants — including algae — grow.
"The challenge is, when you're cultivating it, like when you're putting in a new lawn, you till it all up and have a rainfall event, then the sewers in the urban area are running black with sediment," Slawski said. "So a failed lawn can load just as much phosphorous load, if not more, than a farm field. Or just equally as much. Maybe it's not 40 acres, it's just a third of an acre. That's a challenge."
When the nutrient-rich sediment is not dredged from the waterway, it stays in the system. An EPA study found 40 percent of phosphorus in the Upper Fox/Chain O'Lakes system comes from internal loading, or the depositing of a chemical in sediments over time that causes the sediments to become a source.
The Fox Waterway Agency dredges as much sediment as it can each year, but money limits how much sediment the agency can remove, Keller said. What remains in the water can act as fertilizer for algae.
Enjoying the water
John Vrchota has lived on Lake Catherine since 1998 and said he has been visiting the lake since 1968. He remembers when it was crystal clear and had a sandy bottom.
He said it got "a little worse" over the past 30 years, but in his opinion this year was the worst. The algae stretched about 200 feet onto the shoreline to the point where some of his neighbors could not put their boats or jet skis in the water. When the algae started to decay, it turned brown and emitted a "terrible smell," he said.
"It was not a pleasant thing," Vrchota said.
He was upset, and so were other residents. They were also nervous the material could be toxic. Belleau called the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to test the algae.
The agency ruled the algae safe, and Adam echoed that ruling. Still, Vrchota and Belleau were upset. The algae was safe, but they did not want to swim or let their families swim in water that was more green than blue.
"If it's getting worse, something has to be done to make it better," Belleau said. "It affects our life, and I'm so sad. We have a lake house for our family, and when our family doesn't want to come because they can't use the water, then, you know, that's not what it's about."
Drinking the water
The staff at the Aurora water treatment plant had no idea the problem was coming. They constantly monitor the river water, and typical indicators of an algae bloom did not show any reason for concern, according to Dave Schumacher, superintendent of water production.
As calls flooded in, Schumacher realized how serious the situation was. The water was perfectly safe to drink, but the taste and odor did not match customers' standards.
The city typically uses a mix of 60 percent river water and 40 percent well water. For the first time since the plant opened in 1992, the city stopped inflow of river water altogether and relied solely on well water between June 20 and July 13, Schumacher said..
"We did what we could." Schumacher said. "It had never been done, but we felt it was necessary."
Elgin had not seen a taste and odor outbreak like this since 1996. The city usually relies almost entirely on river water, and its wells do not supply enough water to rely solely on them during an event like this, according to Elgin Water Director Kyla Jacobsen.
The water treatment plant was able to blend about 50 percent of well water into the river water in addition to adding more carbon to improve the taste and odor throughout the 26 day outbreak, Jacobsen said. And though the water was not particularly enjoyable, Jacobsen stressed that it was perfectly safe to drink.
"These taste and odor compounds, while they're not particularly favorable, they are an aesthetic issue not a water quality issue," Jacobsen said.
Schumacher said phosphorus and nitrogen, the nutrients that contribute to algae growth, are filtered out in the cities' treatment plants. They have extensive operations to transform river water into clean, safe drinking water.
In Aurora, the river water and well water enter through two different tanks and are combined at the beginning of the treatment process. The water passes through claricone reactors, where the lime softening process occurs, and chlorine added, he said. Solids fall to the bottom of the container and are removed as clean water rises. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-chain-o-lakes-clean-water-st-0824-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a647c8433b487759a603c3ba3434d821718f0da5364dc6eecc2986afe12cd2c9.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:06 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmundelein%2Fnews%2Fct-mun-loch-lomond-road-accident-tl-0825-20160817-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b498b9/turbine/ct-mun-loch-lomond-road-accident-tl-0825-20160817 | en | null | Worker injured after roadwork equipment tips into ditch near Mundelein's Loch Lomond | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A portion of road in Mundelein's Loch Lomond subdivision was shut down after a piece of construction equipment toppled over into a ditch injuring a construction worker and spilling fuel early Wednesday morning.
Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said the machine's operator escaped and was walking around before first responders arrived. The man was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, Guenther said.
Crews were in a large ditch next to the lake and using a drill to complete work under the roadway, according to Guenther. He said the crane attached to a front loader was lifting the drill out of the ditch so it could be refueled, but a weight imbalance caused both machines to tumble into the ditch.
Mundelein accident Joe Shuman / Pioneer Press Mundelein emergency responders on the scene of an early morning construction accident on an embankment at Lomond Drive. Mundelein emergency responders on the scene of an early morning construction accident on an embankment at Lomond Drive. (Joe Shuman / Pioneer Press)
The crane was upside down when first responders arrived and about a tank of gasoline spilled into the ground, Guenther said. A private company was contracted to lift the equipment out of the ditch and remove the affected soil, Guenther said.
The roadwork and accident were located between two houses, but Guenther said there was no risk of damage to the structures.
Village Administrator John Lobaito confirmed the roadwork is part of Mundelein's annual assortment of street repair projects.
Construction accident Joe Shuman / Pioneer Press Mundelein emergency responders on the scene of an early morning construction accident on an embankment at Lomond Drive Mundelein emergency responders on the scene of an early morning construction accident on an embankment at Lomond Drive (Joe Shuman / Pioneer Press)
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/mundelein/news/ct-mun-loch-lomond-road-accident-tl-0825-20160817-story.html | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a1f646af1e000b1d565155aeef6b3ebd37dfa0886c1c5079a00bed4e7f0a7a05.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Erin Gallagher"
] | 2016-08-28T02:48:25 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fdaily-southtown%2Fnews%2Fct-sta-sandridge-school-demolished-st-0829-20160826-8-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0d381/turbine/ct-sta-sandridge-school-demolished-st-0829-20160826-8 | en | null | Tinley Park elementary school to be demolished this fall | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A Tinley Park vacant elementary school is expected to be demolished this fall, school officials said.
Sandidge School, built in 1964 and but vacant since 2010, will be razed and the property will be used as green space until the school board determines how to use it, said Jeff Stawick, superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 146.
"Sandidge is out-dated," he said. "It's not designed for 21st century learning."
Before the building at 16600 66th Ave. is demolished, an asbestos abatement is to be completed by Sept. 9, the school district statement said.
Many of the items that were left in the school were removed to other district buildings, and the murals were photographed and documented, it said.
Smaller classrooms and narrow hallways were among the reasons the building would need extensive renovation to be adequate for students, Stawick said.
Because the building is vacant, it is better to take it down than to let it rot, he said.
Students who previously would have attended Sandidge, now attend Fulton School, 6601 W. 171st St. in Tinley Park, which was recently renovated to a "modern, state-of-the-art, green" building, he said.
"It's just a much better learning facility for kids," Stawick said.
While Stawick said no decisions have been made concerning the use of the property, the school board intends to expand kindergarten from half- to full-day by 2018, which would require twice as much space for that grade.
"That may or may not include using the Sandidge land," Stawick said.
The school district has 2,400 students in four elementary schools and one middle school from Tinley Park, Orland Park, and Oak Forest.
Though Sandidge will soon be gone, district officials said it will not be forgotten.
"Sandidge School has a really proud history," Stawick said. "We need to make sure we honor that."
"The school was named for long-time District 146 teacher Helen B. Sandidge," according to a district statement. "She began teaching in the district in 1917 and continued until her retirement in 1965. Mrs. Sandidge ended up teaching generations of families."
Phil Pursley, of the Tinley Park Historical Society, remembers Sandidge, who taught him to read.
"She took extra time to sit down with me one-on-one to help," Pursley said in the district statement.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-sandridge-school-demolished-st-0829-20160826-8-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/042ea60dea33659705e91fa9e4aea44f4cc13b6a95612ab9301f0f2cf3460dbf.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Sara Burrows"
] | 2016-08-27T06:46:08 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flake-zurich%2Flifestyles%2Fct-bcr-trend-modelwin-tl-0826-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Long Grove's Maggie Krebs wins Mario Make Me a Model | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | "It means the world to me!"
That was how Maggie Krebs of Long Grove felt minutes after hearing herself declared the winner of the 2016 Mario, Make Me a Model competition.
A Stevenson High School alum, Krebs is a junior majoring in psychology with minors in 2D media studies, and another in management from the Farmer School of Business of Miami University in Ohio.
Krebs, floating in a diaphonous gown of royal blue, seemed as if she'd never stop smiling on her trek down the catwalk and glowing for photographer
Mario Tricoci, founder of the competition and of Mario Tricoci Hair Salons & Day Spas, announced Krebs as the winner. Minutes before, he acknowledged the qualities of the group of finalists and encouraged them to further their careers.
"The opportunity is yours," he said. "From this day on, it's up to you."
The other semi-finalists were Lauren Hough of Barrington, Trevor Cielenski of Lockport, Stephanie Turzinski of Winfield, and Jordan Jones of Aurora.
The group was groomed and drilled for the Aug. 26 fashion show, where they walked among professional models, by beauty experts at Mario Tricoci Hair Salons & Day Spas, the runway training faculty of Factor Women or Chosen Model Management, and workouts supervised by personal trainers at Fitness Formula Clubs.
All five will be considered for modeling contracts with Factor | Chosen..
For the first time, this year "Mario, Make Me a Model" presented a Fan Favorite award. The winner was Stephanie Turzinski of Winfield. The award honors the memory of Mario Tricoci's 2015 winner, Kaylyn Pryor of Evanston, by recognizing her selfless support of others and joyous approach to life with a special award. Kaylyn's family was on hand to watch the presentation. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-zurich/lifestyles/ct-bcr-trend-modelwin-tl-0826-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/40e69d237c186974af0214e22e190f66fbc65aeb4f6fd0a71350514eecc866e4.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Juan Perez Jr."
] | 2016-08-30T16:49:01 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-troy-laraviere-resign-cps-met-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5a9a0/turbine/ct-troy-laraviere-resign-cps-met-20160830 | en | null | Ex-CPS principal resigns to head labor group after protesting ouster | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The controversial former principal of a Lakeview school has announced his resignation, months after winning election to lead an administrators' labor group.
Troy LaRaviere, in a lengthy rebuke Tuesday to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, acknowledged he already needed to leave his post at Blaine Elementary after accepting the presidency of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association.
In April, Chicago Public Schools prompted a social media uproar and condemnation from then-Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders when it abruptly ousted LaRaviere from his post as principal.
LaRaviere was elected to lead the administrators group in May, though he was still working through an administrative process to contest his removal from Blaine.
"When CPS officials removed me as the principal at Blaine, I was already planning to relinquish my post to assume the office of president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association," LaRaviere wrote on his website. "However, after being chosen by my colleagues to serve as CPAA president I decided to fight the removal on principle, and to use the administrative hearing process to demonstrate the charges against me are baseless."
Now, LaRaviere said he ended a hearing process he described as a "kangaroo court" — partly because Blaine could not hire a permanent replacement until LaRaviere's case was resolved.
Chicago Public Schools did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The former principal has cultivated a following — and more than a few critics — with his outspoken blog and regular public appearances as a voice of dissent in the district.
His political involvement included a role with Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia's failed bid to oust Emanuel.
At times, LaRaviere himself has sounded like a potential candidate for public office. His role in a campaign ad for Sanders was being investigated by the CPS inspector general as a possible violation of the district's policies on political activity.
LaRaviere excoriated Emanuel in a 30-second commercial that debuted in March, saying Chicago has "endured a corrupt political system."
LaRaviere said CPS' efforts to terminate his employment were politically motivated because he sought to lead the principals group.
jjperez@chicagotribune.com | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-troy-laraviere-resign-cps-met-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/70f5f0631fed6c76e3483eac811b7d976f2e791e1c014cf734b8e47aa6171fa0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-31T12:49:01 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-donald-trump-mexico-president-meeting-20160831-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c6b402/turbine/ct-donald-trump-mexico-president-meeting-20160831 | en | null | Trump to meet with Mexico's president ahead of immigration speech | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Donald Trump will be taking his first foreign trip as the Republican presidential nominee on Wednesday, making a quick and unexpected visit to Mexico, a nation he derided as the home of rapists and criminals as he launched his campaign.
The meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who earlier this year compared the billionaire candidate to Hitler, comes hours before Trump is set to deliver a highly-anticipated immigration speech. It's a defining issue for Trump, but one on which he has appeared to waiver.
After saying during his primary campaign he would expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally with a "deportation force," Trump has suggested recently he might be open to "softening" his stance as he tries to win over more moderate general election voters.
In meetings recently with Hispanic supporters, Trump had suggested he could be open to allowing some people living in the country illegally to stay. After one such roundtable this month, his new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said Trump's stance on using a deportation force to expel people was "to be determined."
In the days since, Trump and his staff have broadcast varied and conflicting messages — though on Wednesday Conway appeared to make clear that Trump had decided against allowing immigrants in the U.S. illegally to stay.
"(T)he point that Mr. Trump has made again and again is that you don't get amnesty and you don't get legalization since you broke the law to be here in the first place. But then he also respects it's a complex issue," Conway said in an interview with MSNBC. She added that Trump's plan would be "the toughest on illegal immigration than anyone's ever been and he means it, he's meant it from day one."
But on the eve of the speech, Trump's campaign added a new wrinkle with news that he would be paying a surprise visit to Mexico City in the hours before the speech.
Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday night to say he looks "very much forward" to meeting with Pena Nieto. The Mexican leader's office confirmed the meeting with its own tweet, saying the two men would meet privately.
Pena Nieto has been sharply critical of Trump's original immigration policy, particularly the Republican's plan to build a wall along the length of the southern border and his insistence that Mexico would pay for it. In a March interview, Pena Nieto said that "there is no scenario" under which Mexico would do so and compared Trump's language to that of dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Former Mexican Presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon have also alluded to Hitler in describing the GOP nominee.
Pena Nieto cast a different tone late Tuesday, writing on Twitter of the visit, "I believe in dialogue to promote Mexico's interests in the world and, principally, to protect Mexicans wherever they are."
While Trump's visit came as a surprise, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a close Trump adviser, has been among those pushing Trump to make the trip, according to a person familiar with their conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss them publicly. Christie made his own successful trip to Mexico City in September 2014 and has a warm relationship with the Mexican president.
Last week, Pena Nieto extended invitations to visit Mexico to both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, who met with him in Mexico in 2014. The Washington Post first reported Tuesday that Trump was considering making the trip to Mexico.
Trump has spent much of his campaign railing against the U.S.'s trade imbalance with Mexico and other countries and promising that, if he's elected president, he will punish companies that try to move jobs overseas. During his announcement speech, Trump accused Mexico of sending its rapists and criminals across the border, and vowed to build a giant wall to stop them, along with the flow of illegal drugs.
Trump's short stop in Mexico would mark his second visit to a foreign country during his campaign. Earlier this summer, Trump traveled to Scotland to attend the re-opening of one of his golf resorts, but notably didn't meet with any U.K. political leaders while there.
The Republican has faced a torrent of criticism from Clinton, a former secretary of state, about his preparedness to lead on the world stage. Several Republican foreign policy experts have also warned that Trump is unprepared for the numerous international issues that land on a president's desk.
Clinton's campaign has urged voters to not "be fooled" by what it calls Trump's attempts to disguise his immigration policies.
"What ultimately matters is what Donald Trump says to voters in Arizona, not Mexico, and whether he remains committed to the splitting up of families and deportation of millions," said Clinton campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-donald-trump-mexico-president-meeting-20160831-story.html | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/260c6b588ee6a06ecf77dd308fd58f35ad34663cf4206b29206d0f89ceccb7c2.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Paul Skrbina"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:57 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fct-devin-butler-arrest-notre-dame-spt-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf5260/turbine/ct-devin-butler-arrest-notre-dame-spt-0826-20160825 | en | null | Report: Witnesses dispute police account of Devin Butler arrest | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Two women who said they were eyewitnesses when suspended Notre Dame senior cornerback Devin Butler was arrested early Saturday dispute police reports that said Butler resisted arrest and hit and tackled an officer, according to the South Bend Tribune.
Butler's girlfriend, Haleigh Bailey, told the newspaper Butler "was abused and wrongly arrested" and that he neither tackled nor hit police officer Aaron Knepper during an altercation outside a South Bend, Ind., bar.
Butler broke his left foot for the second time in six months in June. He was suspended indefinitely Sunday, three days before he pleaded not guilty to two felonies — resisting law enforcement and battery of an officer.
If convicted, Butler faces up to 2 1/2 years in prison. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 1.
Another woman, Selina Bell, the fiancee of Irish receiver and captain Torii Hunter Jr., told the newspaper that Butler did not tackle Knepper and said he wasn't capable because of his foot injury.
According to an affidavit, Knepper used a Taser to subdue Butler after Butler "grabbed onto Officer Knepper's duty belt and physically ripped it off of him."
Knepper has been named in civil lawsuits alleging misconduct three times since 2012.
Butler was one of six Notre Dame players arrested in two separate incidents last weekend. Senior safety Max Redfield was dismissed from the team Sunday after he and four other players were arrested Friday night in Fulton County, Ind., following a traffic stop.
All five of those players — including sophomore linebacker Te'von Coney, sophomore running back Dexter Williams, redshirt freshman cornerback Ashton White and freshman receiver Kevin Stepherson — face preliminary misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana. Redfield, Williams and Stepherson also face an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of a gun without a license.
Coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday that unless the university decides otherwise, Coney, Williams, White and Stepherson will be available to play in the season opener Sept. 4 at Texas. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-devin-butler-arrest-notre-dame-spt-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4f94e074bf1b744f5a04a61f30bba89a09896a12027450f55a0a3ad1b465a3b5.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Juan Perez Jr."
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-chicago-teachers-strike-vote-0830-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c58fda/turbine/ct-chicago-teachers-strike-vote-0830-20160830 | en | null | Chicago Teachers Union plans another vote on authorizing strike | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Chicago Teachers Union officials plan to have their membership take another strike authorization vote as teachers start a second school year without a contract.
The union's full membership in December overwhelmingly authorized its leaders to call a strike if negotiations failed to replace a contract that expired in June 2015. State law requires that at least 75 percent of the union's total membership authorize leaders to call a strike.
In March, the CTU's governing body approved a one-day walkout that wound up shutting down schools April 1. The district has challenged the legality of that walkout.
CTU officials now apparently feel that another strike authorization vote is needed to clear the way to a possible walkout over the contract. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-teachers-strike-vote-0830-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a20ad8ac856d1b7732d920ee24c1b5d1cf4b23d273f54001506ecab61e36a141.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Karie Angell Luc"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:04 | null | 2016-07-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-lincolnwood-fest-tl-0728-20160728-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57925bac/turbine/ct-lwr-lincolnwood-fest-tl-0728-20160728 | en | null | Despite weather concerns, Lincolnwood Fest draws another crowd | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Opening night of Lincolnwood Fest at Proesel Park in Lincolnwood drew a large crowd on July 21 before rides and the beer garden were halted at 8:25 p.m. due to threatening rain and dropped temperatures.
Dust on the baseball field along Lincoln Avenue billowed in a large red cloud as a cool front swept across festival grounds. People hurried home or to their cars. Others lingered, enjoying Mother Nature's drama.
Vendors were prepared to shut the walls of their booths but for more than three hours, the fest was up after its launch at 5 p.m.
"I am very pleased with tonight's turnout despite the incredible heat," said Damien Kardaras an accountant and festival committee chair.
"I'm glad everyone is staying hydrated even if it's beer and you're of age," Kardaras said with a laugh.
More than 50 volunteers work to make Lincolnwood Fest possible, he said.
"I really want to thank all of the people who helped, including the police, fire, public works, the village and park district," Kardaras said. "We could not absolutely do this without their help and support."
New for July 2016 at American carnival venues is "Pokemon Go," the free smartphone game. Festival patrons playing the game in Proesel Park seeking a Pokestop, some players finding multiple Pokemon to catch near the fest's concession area.
"We are a pokestop," Kardaras said with a smile. "We have seen some kids walking and playing 'Pokemon Go.'"
"Hopefully, they won't walk into a wall," he said.
Eyes were wide and up on the Ferris wheel where families bonded over a view of Lincolnwood stretching to blurred skylines of Chicago. Tips of buildings could be seen at sunset despite the haze.
Mike Prest of Chicago, a 1980 Libertyville High School graduate who grew up in Libertyville, rode the Ferris Wheel with his son Jimmy Prest, 9.
Mike Prest took his first Ferris wheel ride in Libertyville when he was a youth, he said.
"It's great I get to be with him," Jimmy's dad said.
View the schedule, times and Lincolnwood Fest amenities through July 24 at www.lincolnwoodfest.com. Proesel Park is located at 6900 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincolnwood.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance photographer and reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-lincolnwood-fest-tl-0728-20160728-story.html | en | 2016-07-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/dcb1eb05350458294969dc83aafb2ae46712df20ce34fabdf205835527b87074.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Hal Dardick"
] | 2016-08-29T22:48:46 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-0830-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4b752/turbine/ct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-0830-20160829 | en | null | Aldermen to Emanuel: Not so fast on police reform vote | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Several Chicago aldermen on Monday offered a "not so fast" message to Mayor Rahm Emanuel as he pushes for a Sept. 14 vote on an overhaul of the complex system that investigates alleged police misconduct.
A group of aldermen got a peek at Emanuel's proposal to replace the Independent Police Review Authority and create a new Police Department inspector general at the second briefing session with top mayoral aides in five days. The City Council members were told the mayor plans to unveil the ordinance Tuesday and press for a vote two weeks later at the next council meeting.
Some aldermen credited the administration with trying to reform the police accountability system beyond just a name change from IPRA to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA. And they also said they understood why the mayor wants to move fast, given that IPRA Chief Administrator Sharon Fairley last week said she's losing staff and the ability to keep up with cases because of her agency's uncertain future.
But mayoral critics and allies on the council also let Corporation Counsel Stephen Patton and Emanuel legislative aides know they want to slow the effort.
"We told them a committee meeting on (Sept.) 13th and a council vote on the 14th would not be appropriate — we are looking for some more time for public review," said Ald. John Arena, 45th, a mayoral critic. "This affects every corner of the city. We owe it to the citizens and the officers so people can get some level of understanding."
Ald. Joe Moore, a mayoral ally, echoed the sentiment. "I think it's important that the community feels that we're not rushing into this before it has a say on the actual ordinance," said Moore, 49th. "People need time to digest it."
As the administration puts the final touches on an ordinance, Emanuel spokesman Adam Collins said the latest briefing was aimed at getting aldermanic feedback. He noted a series of public hearings on the issue in recent months and added that "with all the input we have received we expect to have a final ordinance to share in the very near future."
The overhaul effort by a mayor known for his impatience comes about nine months after the forced release of a dashboard-camera video showing the fatal shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald by a white police officer. The footage set off protests, calls for major reform and a study of the Police Department by a task force the mayor appointed. There's also a U.S. Department of Justice civil rights investigation that's likely to end with demands for reform.
In addition to the name change for the police oversight agency, aldermen who viewed the ordinance before Emanuel aides collected the copies said there were many substantive changes beyond those they were told about last week. Among them:
•The new Police Department watchdog would be hired by the city inspector general with approval of the City Council. The mayor appoints the city inspector general, also with council approval.
•When COPA makes a recommendation of discipline or firing in a case, the police superintendent would have 90 days to respond. Currently, the superintendent can let recommendations wither on the vine.
•COPA itself would have deadlines, with reports required six months after an investigation is opened and another one six months later. Some IPRA cases have gone unreported for years, the Tribune has reported.
•In addition to probing police shootings, COPA would investigate the use of Tasers. And it would have authority to look into not just alleged physical coercion of witnesses, but also psychological coercion.
•The agency also could not hire former Chicago cops or Cook County prosecutors unless it has been five years since they left those jobs.
One point not yet certain: the precise minimum annual funding COPA would get. Accountability experts say that element is crucial so that aldermen and the mayor can't slash the agency's authority by cutting its budget.
Also not clear: the details for creating a civilian oversight board that would play a key role in hiring COPA's chief.
Even so, Arena's fellow Progressive Caucus members expressed qualified optimism. Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, chairman of the Black Caucus, said Emanuel appeared to be "headed in the right direction."
But Ald. Ricardo Munoz, who chairs a subcommittee on police accountability, said the picture won't be complete until the civilian oversight board is drawn up. The 22nd Ward alderman called that the third key part of the effort after creating the new investigative agency and establishing the new cop watchdog.
"It's never going to be complete until we get that third component in there and talk about the community input," Munoz said.
hdardick@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ReporterHal | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-0830-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4ecb75edf98047e7addca8a3bfb1e499c0377a2ad35098ca91fdb439cd978262.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Jason Meisner"
] | 2016-08-31T00:48:56 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-celebrity-photos-hacking-chicago-suspect-met-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c6228a/turbine/ct-celebrity-photos-hacking-chicago-suspect-met-20160830 | en | null | Son of retired Chicago cop to plead guilty in celebrity nude photo hack | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence broke down at a meeting with federal agents in September 2014 about nude photos of her that had been splashed on the internet as part of a shocking computer hack known as "Celebgate."
"She became very distraught and I had to stop the interview at one point because of her emotional reaction to the information being discussed," an FBI agent wrote in a court filing about the meeting with Lawrence in Los Angeles. "(She) stated she was having an anxiety attack, and was visibly shaken."
Now, two years after Celebgate rocked Hollywood, a Southwest Side man is scheduled to appear in a federal courtroom in Chicago next week to formally plead guilty to his role in the scandal, court records show.
Edward Majerczyk, 28, a self-described computer nerd and son of a retired Chicago police officer, was charged in federal court in Los Angeles last month with one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, records show.
Majerczyk has already signed a 20-page plea agreement calling for his case to be transferred to Chicago, where prosecutors have agreed to seek a nine-month prison sentence, court records show. An arraignment was set for Sept. 8 when Majerczyk's plea is expected to be formally entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Weisman.
Majerczyk was accused of using a phishing scheme to illegally gain access to more than 300 Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts from November 2013 to August 2014, including at least 30 celebrities in the Los Angeles area.
According to a draft of his plea agreement, Majerczyk's scheme worked this way: First, he sent e-mails to victims that appeared to be from security accounts of internet service providers seeking the victims' user names and passwords. For those who provided that private information, he then illegally accessed their email accounts and obtained "personal information including sensitive and private photographs and videos," authorities said.
Majerczyk was not accused of selling the material or posting any of it online himself. The investigation into who leaked the sensitive information is still ongoing, Thom Mrozek, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, told the Tribune on Tuesday.
In all, as many as 100 celebrities were targeted as part of Celebgate, including Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Upton and her boyfriend, Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander. Many had embarrassing and intimate photos posted on web sites such as Reddit.com and 4chan.org.
In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2014, Lawrence called the breach of her privacy a "sex crime."
"I was just so afraid. I didn't know how this would affect my career," Lawrence told the magazine. "Just because I'm a public figure, just because I'm an actress, does not mean that I asked for this. It does not mean that it comes with the territory."
Majercyzk has no criminal history and was given credit by prosecutors for accepting responsibility for his crime, according to his plea agreement. His mother retired from her job as a Chicago police officer in 2012 after 30 years on the force, according to a City Council resolution saluting her career.
Previously, Majerczyk had lived in Orland Park and attended Moraine Valley Community College part time, records show. In social media posts, he has described himself as an avid "indoorsman" and "functionally nerdy."
Majerczyk's attorney, Thomas Needham, did not return numerous calls seeking comment.
According to an FBI search warrant affidavit filed in Chicago, Lawrence discovered on Aug. 31, 2014, that numerous photos that she'd taken with her iPhone – including several nude images -- had been posted on the internet. In an interview the next day, Lawrence told agents she had shot the images over a two- to four-year period and sent them only to her then-boyfriend. She said she "recalls deleting the photos after they were sent," the affidavit said.
Lawrence said that three weeks before the photos surfaced she'd noticed her Apple iTunes password was not working and that other internet services were "acting up," according to the affidavit. A short time later, she received a message on her phone purporting to be from Apple security notifying her that her account had been logged into from Russia and she needed to confirm it was her or change her password immediately. She forwarded the email to her assistant.
The day after interviewing Lawrence about the hack, agents talked to Verlander, who said he had taken many of the nude photos of Upton and never shared them with anyone before they were leaked online. Prior to the leak, Verlander had also received a security message that was nearly identical to the one received by Lawrence, according to the affidavit.
Federal authorities were able to trace the IP addresses of several computers used in the Celebgate hack to a nondescript apartment building in Chicago in the 6400 block of South Narragansett Avenue, where Majerczyk lived with his mother, according to court records
The affidavit stated that Majerczyk had either accessed or attempted to hack 22 email accounts from his computer, including several "high-profile actresses in the entertainment industry." Computer records also showed that an Apple iPad registered to Majerczyk's address was used to set up one of the phishing accounts later emailed to some of the celebrities, according to the affidavit.
Records show agents raided Majerczyk's apartment just a few blocks from Midway Airport on Oct. 15, 2014, seizing several desktop and laptop computers, a Macbook, and numerous thumb drives and external hard drives. Another Celebgate-related search warrant was executed the same day at a home in the 4600 block of South Washtenaw Avenue, but no charges related to that raid appear to have been filed.
In May, Ryan Collins, 36, of Lancaster, Penn., pleaded guilty to a similar phishing scheme to hack celebrity accounts that were later linked to Celebgate, but authorities believe he was working independently of Majerczyk. Collins is awaiting sentencing, court records show.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @jmetr22b | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-celebrity-photos-hacking-chicago-suspect-met-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/8f7c72895930f1f62975921b3083d1c850cc105a7da21688886c86f5da52eeac.json |
[
"Tribune Content Agency",
"Sonia Saraiya"
] | 2016-08-29T16:48:46 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fct-the-night-of-finale-recap-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4448e/turbine/ct-the-night-of-finale-recap-20160829 | en | null | 'The Night Of' finale: A satisfyingly ambiguous end (for everyone but the cat) | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | [The following has spoilers for "The Night Of," including last night's finale. Do not read if you haven't seen the episode.]
It is testament to the skill behind "The Night Of" that the miniseries answered its most pressing concern in the last seconds of the finale: the cat. "The Night Of" was frequently a funny drama, and its closing shot -- which revealed with deliberately slow cheekiness that Stone (John Turturro) went back to the pound and re-re-adopted the cat -- went for a laugh that also felt like an affirmation of hope.
It was still hard to stomach "The Call Of The Wild"'s ambiguity, even though that was the promise that "The Night Of" right from the get-go. As I wrote when I initially reviewed the series, the miniseries was a beautiful structure built over a void of nothingness -- a two-hour period without memory, and the people trying to make a case for their own version of events. "The Night Of" has been a masterful snapshot of what the justice system tries to do -- which is to eliminate ambiguity in favor of a particular narrative -- and how much damage that pursuit can entail. There is a sense in which "The Night Of" was a 10-hour attempt to make a space for ambiguity -- to cultivate doubt, no matter what you went in believing. It's an incredible mission, all the more so for having accomplished it.
The problem is that this mission towards the gray occurred in the guise of a whodunit -- a great way to draw the viewer in, but also the type of format that implies finding out, at some point, who done it. "The Night Of" leaves us with no further indication of what really happened to Andrea Cornish (Sofia Black D'Elia) or whether or not Naz (Riz Ahmed) is really innocent. It chooses ambiguity, and as a result, it sacrifices the nice sense of closure that a mystery story usually provides. The bad guy, if there is one, is just the unknown: it's the unknown that Stone points to, when he asks the jury to extend Naz reasonable doubt; it's the unknown that Naz invokes, when D.A. Helen Weiss (Jeannie Berlin) expertly wedges him into a rhetorical corner so he has to admit that he can't remember what happened that night. In an imperfect world that isn't written by a detective novelist, it's doubt that is the real bogeyman.
As captivating as this profound expression of faith and courage in a confusing and mysterious world is, the finale exposed where "The Night Of" struggled to keep up. Chief among them is Chandra (Amara Karan)'s character, who as a courtroom lawyer was absolutely brilliant and as in-prison counsel, absolutely heinous. It was difficult to believe that Chandra could be so clear and precise in the courtroom and then unable to see reason enough to turn down Naz when he asked her to smuggle crack cocaine into prison for him. And though plausibility isn't all that matters in a story, Chandra's actions ultimately were less about her as a character than they were about how Naz and Freddy (Michael Kenneth Williams) could manipulate her to their advantage. She was cast as a kind of lesson, for both the audience and the characters, for what not to do as a defense lawyer.
MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR
But that leads to one of "The Night Of"'s other problems, which is that it's not totally clear what's so great about John "No Fee Till You're Free" Stone. The idea that Stone's eczema is emblematic of a more visceral struggle to accept the world he lives in -- literally, thin skin -- is fascinating, but not quite enough. You could argue that Stone's worth, as evidenced in the final scene, is in believing even the craziest stories for a $250 flat rate. You could also argue that Stone's ability to believe Naz and accept the peculiarities of the case stem from the fact that unlike Chandra, he saw the scared kid in the holding cell on the very night in question. Chandra might have been swayed by what Riker's Island turned Naz into, but Stone saw what Naz once was. And though that's a nice idea, the fact of the matter is that the rest of the miniseries endeavors to prove that neither version of Naz is the whole story. So aside from Turturro being the lead detective in a New York City investigation that feels like a "Law And Order" spinoff we're desperate to see more of, Stone's centrality to the plot is a little confusing by the time the show decides to end with him.
And that leads to one of the show's meta-issues, which is that "The Night Of" was tuned into some political issues with careful attention and seemingly checked out of others. While the understanding of the Muslim immigrant experience, for example, was given a great deal of consideration, the show felt checked out entirely of the gender politics of another dead girl, or the racial implications of almost every suspect being a man of color. The two heroes were Turturro's Stone and Bill Camp's Box, with their vague and portentous monosyllabic names. They were great heroes, but it made for a setup that, from a few paces back, looked awkward.
To its credit, the mini was so specific and subtle that it managed to avoid a lot of the pitfalls that this ignorance can create for other shows, but at the end of this story, it's difficult to know how to take some of its final touches -- like Naz's rejection of his mother, Chandra's disappearance from the narrative (and the profession of the law), or Helen's sudden about-face on Naz's guilt. The show's decision to pull back from telling us what really happened meant that it also held back from framing what was happening to the characters involved. Naz's arc in particular is an entirely different commentary on the justice system if he's innocent versus if he's guilty.
This restraint is one of the great strengths of the show, even though it's ultimately also frustrating. "The Night Of" sends us searching after details, puzzling over shifts in character and discrepancies in power dynamics. It asks us to interpret all of its facts as elements in a narrative that could go at least two different ways, and sometimes even more. It allows both the New York Post and Nancy Grace into the narrative, with their capslock and bombast. We gain and lose trust in Naz's story, just as our respect for Stone waxes and wanes. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-the-night-of-finale-recap-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e9f08cb4a4f23ab339b6c67d04fd382d7ca55a9d4795f59f8a884bfe82c587b8.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Lee V. Gaines"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:47 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-walkfor-life-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bbb5fb/turbine/ct-skr-walkfor-life-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | Walk for Life: Team helps woman raise funds to fight ALS in honor of late husband | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | September will mark Lisa Hanley's fifth year walking in the Les Turner ALS Foundation Walk for Life fundraiser and the third since her husband, Pat Hanley, passed away from the disease.
The annual event is a reminder of what Hanley has lost because of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. On the other hand, she said "it is also a reminder of how people can come together for a really good cause."
This year's walk will take place Sept. 18 at Soldier Field and will follow a 2-mile route along Chicago's lakefront. More than 7,000 people are expected to participate, and the fundraiser is considered one of the largest ALS gatherings nationwide, according to a press release from the Skokie-based Les Turner ALS Foundation — an organization that funds research, clinical care and support services for people with ALS in the Chicago region.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a neuromuscular disease of the nervous system that weakens muscles and, over time, prevents a person form walking, speaking, eating and eventually breathing, though their cognitive abilities generally remain intact.
The ALS Walk For Life has generated $11 million toward research, patient care and education about the disease over the course of 14 years.
Hanley is the captain of the fundraising team dubbed "Pat's Warriors," named after her late husband. She said the team has raised more than $50,000 since she began participating in the event in 2012.
Pat Hanley, who worked for a decade as corporation counsel for the village of Skokie, was diagnosed with ALS in March 2012 and died in November 2013 at age 58. Hanley said she and her husband were introduced to the Les Turner Foundation following his diagnosis. It was a scary and uncertain time for the couple, but Hanley said the foundation provided them with a thorough understanding of the disease, support and a community familiar with what they were going through.
Like the ALS ice bucket challenge — a viral internet campaign that raised millions for the ALS Association — the Walk For Life event is both a means to generate funds with the hope of eradicating the disease and also a tool to bring awareness to the plight of those affected, Hanley said.
"I do think awareness is a huge part of being able to find a cure," she said.
The Pat's Warriors team numbered roughly 70 people during their first year participating in the event, Hanley said. In recent years, that number has dropped to about 35, but friends and family who may not make it out to the event have still generously donated to the cause, she said.
Andrea Pauls Backman, executive director for the Les Turner Foundation, described Hanley as a "true friend" to the organization, in an emailed statement.
"She knows the joy of paying it forward to others who are diagnosed with ALS every day, and, for that, we are truly grateful," Backman wrote.
Years after her husband's passing, Hanley said the organization is something she will be a part of and advocate on behalf of for the rest of her life. She said she will continue to fundraise and build awareness for the disease until a cure is found.
To learn more about the ALS Walk for Life event and to register to participate, visit: www.ALSwalkforlife.org.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Jennifer Johnson contributed to this report. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-walkfor-life-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fc8471ebd76be0af75bfd5ef9a0f25edb0a5c2bc77670549a8200c201e28517e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Yadira Sanchez Olson"
] | 2016-08-28T18:48:19 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flake-county-news-sun%2Fnews%2Fct-lns-waukegan-sheridan-revitalization-st-0829-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c32db0/turbine/ct-lns-waukegan-sheridan-revitalization-st-0829-20160828 | en | null | Officials present plan to redevelop Waukegan's South Side | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A proposed multi-million dollar renovation project for South Sheridan Road in Waukegan will include an area for social and health service organizations, officials said.
The redevelopment plans were announced last week at Shiloh Baptist Church after a six-month study by Indianapolis-based Development Concepts Inc.
Development Concepts President Mike Higbee joined Waukegan Mayor Wayne Motley and other city officials Thursday to present the South Sheridan Revitalization Plan to the public. The plan includes four major initiatives: neighborhood revitalization, economic development, housing and an "Opportunity Hub."
Higbee said the 8,000- to 10,000-square-feet Opportunity Hub would be a central location for organizations that provide social, health and job placement services. He said the area will give "a new sense of vitality and hope."
Officials said the Opportunity Hub would be one of the initial ventures in the 10 to 20 year project, which also includes realigning streets to make a pedestrian connection to the lakefront, officials said.
According to the study, 37 percent of the 8,000 residents along that stretch of Sheridan Road are under the age of 20. The neighborhood has also transitioned economically, with much of the housing going from ownership to rental units between 2000 and 2013.
"It's fair to say the young population doesn't have all the services and opportunities that can help them get ahead," Higbee said.
Affordable housing and a commercial area would encourage locally-owned businesses to grow and would help the area transition into "a neighborhood of choice," Higbee said.
"We want this to be a place for opportunity," he said.
Ald. Ann Taylor, 9th, had previously expressed reservations for any development that would mean gentrification and push residents out of their homes.
On Thursday, Ezell Robins, who runs Waukegan's Community Development Block Grant program, said residents don't have to worry about losing their neighborhood.
Robins said rehabbing homes and rental complexes would mean "people who already reside in this area would just live in better conditions."
Higbee said the project would be financed by grants, partnerships with organizations and TIF funds. Motley added the area is eligible for about $8 million in TIF funds.
Ald. Sam Cunningham, 1st, called the concept "one of the best we've had in years," but also expressed concerns about the execution of the lengthy undertaking.
"This community, better known as the South Side of Waukegan, has been promised a change so many times that the belief factor is suspect," Cunningham said. "Transparency will be significant to the vision."
Cunningham said he is pleased the plan listened to residents, business owners and faith leaders.
"I'm proud of the way the project has been handled so far," Cunningham said.
Sandra Petroshius, a Grayslake resident who grew up near Sheridan Road, said she's excited about the plan.
"Waukegan is on a good path," said Petroshius, who is board president of The Bradbury Carnegie Center.
A final draft of the South Sheridan Revitalization Plan is expected to be submitted to the city before October.
Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-waukegan-sheridan-revitalization-st-0829-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/32e7afb7f173752a9c8163521de288ea1d0382c5a758ed1631123c8107b8b500.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Joseph Hernandez"
] | 2016-08-26T18:51:02 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fdining%2Frestaurants%2Fct-maple-ash-secret-pasta-eat-this-food-0831-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c07705/turbine/ct-maple-ash-secret-pasta-eat-this-food-0831-20160826 | en | null | Eat This: Ask for the 'pasta back,' a secret menu item at Maple & Ash | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Gold Coast's most irreverent steakhouse, Maple & Ash, is always full of surprises.
Take the seafood tower, that dramatic monolith of steakhouse culture. With his usual playful exuberance, chef Danny Grant turns the classic tower on its head by trading ice for fire, cooking a range of frutti di mare (clams, oysters, scallops, lobster and the like) over the restaurant's coal-fired hearth, instead of serving them raw. When the bounty (available in "pro," "baller" or "choose-your-own-adventure" servings) arrives tableside, an aromatic bath of garlic-heavy brown butter and chili oil hits you with a heady steam cloud, inviting ravenous revelry.
But wait. The seafood towers have been on the menu since the restaurant opened last year, you say. Here's the secret: Ask for the "pasta back," a new off-menu upgrade for those in the know. After you've devoured enough of the shellfish to clear out a little space, a server arrives at your table and unceremoniously dumps hand-rolled, perfectly al dente conchigliette pasta into the buttery broth, where it soaks up all the potent, briny flavor the seafood left behind.
For $10 per person, it's like getting a whole new dish. It's also a welcome affront to bread — after all, who wants a boring stack of slices when you can have pasta drowned in butter sauce?
That's a rhetorical question.
Maple & Ash, 8 W. Maple St., 312-944-8888, www.mapleandash.com
jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @joeybear85
Caption Rick Bayless shows us how he makes the striped bass at Lena Brava Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Caption Anthony Bourdain: 'I love the food in Chicago, high and low' Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune) Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago's best beers for summer sipping. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/restaurants/ct-maple-ash-secret-pasta-eat-this-food-0831-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/baf6d46d0cccd6f32b2311c9473a7dc05cb070c3c68bd02ea27b506dba17b54d.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-31T04:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-cubs-vs-pirates-photos-spt-20160830-photogallery.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c64448/turbine/ct-cubs-vs-pirates-photos-spt-20160830 | en | null | Cubs 3, Pirates 0 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Cubs 3, Pirates 0
Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell tosses the ball to second baseman Javier Baez to complete a force out in the fifth inning. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-vs-pirates-photos-spt-20160830-photogallery.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fe62b90bb6185020106a22144755a013ca20360f742d6ea546e4382997e0efc8.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mike Helfgot"
] | 2016-08-30T02:48:49 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fhighschool%2Fct-spt-0830-prep-fb-top-20-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4cda8/turbine/ct-spt-0830-prep-fb-top-20-20160829 | en | null | Preps plus: Mike Helfgot's Week 2 Tribune Top 20 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The top six spots remain the same in the Tribune Top 20, with top two teams Loyola and Lincoln-Way East cruising to interstate wins. Brother Rice made the biggest jump among previously ranked teams, going from No. 12 to 7 on the strength of its convincing 31-7 win against then-No. 13 Marist on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Prairie Ridge, Oak Park and Nazareth each moved up four spots, while Maine South went from unranked to No. 13 based on its 44-13 rout of previous No. 10 Montini. Fenwick, Huntley and Libertyville also entered the rankings, while Phillips hung on at No. 20 as the only team in the Top 20 that lost its opener.
1. Loyola 1-0 (1)
Won 36-7 at Milwaukee Marquette.
Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 Maine South (1-0), 1:30 p.m.
2. Lincoln-Way East 1-0 (2)
Won 49-12 at South Bend (Ind.) Adams.
Next: Friday vs. Belleville West (0-1) at Ill. Wesleyan, 7 p.m.
3. Glenbard North 1-0 (3)
Won 35-6 at Naperville Central.
Next: Friday vs. No. 8 Waubonsie Valley (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
4. Glenbard West 1-0 (4)
Won 17-7 at Bolingbrook.
Next: Friday at Hinsdale South (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
5. Mount Carmel 1-0 (5)
Won 49-7 vs. Taft at Soldier Field.
Next: Friday at Gary West Side (0-2), 7 p.m.
6. Homewood-Flossmoor 1-0 (6)
Won 56-6 vs. Downers Grove South.
Next: Friday vs. Hammond, Ind. (0-2), 8 p.m.
7. Brother Rice 1-0 (12)
Won 31-7 vs. Marist at Soldier Field.
Next: Friday vs. No. 16 Crete-Monee (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
8. Waubonsie Valley 1-0 (8)
Won 16-8 at Lake Park.
Next: Friday at No. 3 Glenbard North (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
9. Neuqua Valley 1-0 (9)
Won 35-7 vs. Metea Valley.
Next: Friday vs. Naperville Central (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
10. Palatine 1-0 (11)
Won 28-20 at Stevenson.
Next: Friday vs. Elk Grove (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
11. Prairie Ridge 1-0 (15)
Won 26-14 at Cary-Grove.
Next: Friday vs. No. 18 Huntley (1-0), 7 p.m.
12. Oak Park 1-0 (16)
Won 21-14 vs. Simeon.
Next: Friday at Addison Trail (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
13. Maine South 1-0 (NR)
Won 44-13 vs. Montini.
Next: Saturday at No. 1 Loyola (1-0), 1:30 p.m.
14. Nazareth 1-0 (18)
Won vs. Dunbar 56-12.
Next: Friday vs. Leo (1-0), 7 p.m.
15. Fenwick 1-0 (NR)
Won 34-26 vs. Phillips.
Next: Friday vs. Bowen (0-1), 7 p.m.
16. Crete-Monee 1-0 (19)
Won 42-7 vs. T.F. South.
Next: Friday at No. 7 Brother Rice (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
17. Batavia 1-0 (20)
Won 34-24 at Belleville West.
Next: Friday at No. 19 Libertyville (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
18. Huntley 1-0 (NR)
Won 35-0 vs. Jacobs.
Next: Friday at No. 11 Prairie Ridge, 7 p.m.
19. Libertyville 1-0 (NR)
Won 29-0 at Elk Grove.
Next: Friday vs. No. 17 Batavia, 7:30 p.m.
20. Phillips 0-1 (7)
Lost 34-26 at Fenwick.
Next: Friday vs. Richards (0-1), 7:15 p.m.
On the verge: Bolingbrook 0-1, Cary-Grove 0-1, Hinsdale Central 1-0, Montini 0-1, St. Charles North 1-0. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool/ct-spt-0830-prep-fb-top-20-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/505e4b621d1ccc19872d2f4341437298d66a47c2c6723204097ac3526731a3d6.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-26T20:47:56 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-maine-governor-paul-lepage-obscene-voicemail-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c09c9a/turbine/ct-maine-governor-paul-lepage-obscene-voicemail-20160826 | en | null | Maine governor leaves obscene voicemail for lawmaker, later suggests gun duel | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Republican Gov. Paul LePage unleashed an obscene tirade on a Democratic legislator, leaving him a voicemail message that said "I am after you" and telling reporters he wished it were 1825 so he could challenge the lawmaker to a duel and point a gun between his eyes.
The governor later apologized to "the people of Maine" but not to the legislator.
LePage said in the Thursday voicemail that he wanted to talk with Rep. Drew Gattine of Westbrook about the legislator calling him a racist. Gattine has denied calling LePage a racist.
"I want you to prove that I'm a racist," LePage said, adding that he had spent his life helping black people and calling Gattine a vulgar name related to oral sex. "I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you."
LePage, who's white, was accused of making racially insensitive comments Wednesday at a town hall in North Berwick, where he said photos he's collected in a binder of drug dealers arrested in the state showed that 90 percent of them "are black and Hispanic people from Waterbury, Connecticut; the Bronx; and Brooklyn." He displayed the binder at a Friday news conference.
The governor issued a public apology to "the people of Maine" on Friday for the vulgarity but said he was right to defend himself against Gattine because he considers being called a racist worse than any insult.
House and Senate Democrats and the Maine Democratic Party on Friday questioned LePage's capacity to lead. LePage said he would not resign unless several of his political opponents, including Gattine, did as well.
Drew Gattine Joel Page / AP Maine Democratic state Rep. Drew Gattine, on Jan. 14, 2014. Maine Democratic state Rep. Drew Gattine, on Jan. 14, 2014. (Joel Page / AP) (Joel Page / AP)
Assistant House Democratic Leader Sara Gideon called for a "political intervention" from members of both parties to either ensure that the governor "gets the help that he needs" or that he's removed from office.
Gattine said Friday that the governor left him another voicemail Friday morning, asking him to debate him at a town hall meeting next week. Gattine said the governor didn't apologize.
After leaving the voicemail on Thursday, LePage invited reporters to the governor's mansion, where he said he wished he and Gattine could face off in a duel.
"When a snot-nosed little guy from Westbrook calls me a racist, now I'd like him to come up here because, tell you right now, I wish it were 1825," LePage said, according to the Portland Press Herald. "And we would have a duel, that's how angry I am, and I would not put my gun in the air, I guarantee you, I would not be (Alexander) Hamilton. I would point it right between his eyes because he is a snot-nosed little runt and he has not done a damn thing since he's been in this Legislature to help move the state forward."
Police in Westbrook said Friday that they had received a citizen complaint about the voicemail. A police official said the complaint came from someone who didn't live in the city. It's unclear if there will be an investigation. Gattine said he didn't plan to file a police report.
Gattine has clashed with the governor on how to address welfare reform, drug addiction and eligibility for developmental disabilities programs.
Gattine said he wasn't concerned about his safety, but he called the voicemail a distraction and the latest of LePage's personal vendettas against lawmakers. Gattine shared the voicemail's audio with the Press Herald.
"The fact is he sits around fantasizing about having duels with legislators or obsessing over the race of people who are arrested for crimes," Gattine said.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said in a statement that it's "embarrassing" that LePage is contributing to the "steady loss of civility in politics." Michael Thibodeau, the Republican president of the Maine Senate, also rebuked LePage, saying it "damages our public institutions when inappropriate comments come from either party."
LePage, in his second and final term as governor, has a history of drawing attention for his blunt remarks. In January, Paul LePage said drug dealers with names like "D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty" are getting Maine's white girls pregnant. He later apologized, saying he meant to say "Maine women" and not "white women."
LePage has compared his style to that of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, whom he supports, though he recently said Trump was his third choice for president after Chris Christie and Jeb Bush.
"I was Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular, so I think I should support him since we're one of the same cloth," he told a radio show host in February.
LePage this week called the father of a dead Muslim U.S. Army captain a "con artist" for criticizing Trump. LePage's daughter Lauren has been hired by Trump and vice presidential candidate Mike Pence to work as the state's coalitions director.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-maine-governor-paul-lepage-obscene-voicemail-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c423b558c21675daf688f900de0bc535ba67bc64d64d67fb3e73776350e5cf27.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:09 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-village-board-briefs-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Lincolnwood board briefs: Road closures set for Turkey Trot race | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The following items were discussed and/or action was taken at the Lincolnwood Village Board meeting on Aug. 16.
Police to replace in-car cameras
The Lincolnwood Police Department will purchase $30,800 worth of recording equipment to replace older equipment in eight squad cars.
Village board members approved the police department's request to buy the cameras from L-3 Mobile Vision Inc., a New Jersey company that supplies technology to law enforcement agencies.
The village's general fund will cover $9,600 of the purchase. The remaining cost will be paid with police DUI funds, according to the village.
Lincolnwood approves parking restrictions
Village board members approved requests from Advanced Plastics Corporation, 3725 W. Lunt Ave., and Chicago Chesed Fund, 7045 N. Ridgeway Ave., for restricted parking zones on the streets in front of their buildings. Both businesses said "no parking" areas were needed to make room for trailer trucks entering and exiting the properties.
The board concurred with a July 28 recommendation from the Traffic Commission to restrict parking at all times on a portion of the east and west sides of the 7000 block of Ridgeway Avenue.
Facility to get wireless upgrade
An outdated wireless connection that linked Lincolnwood's water pumping facility to other village departments will be replaced this year with a $107,816 fiber optic computer network.
While all other village departments, including village hall, police and fire departments, already use the fiber optic connections the public works department's water facility still was using the wireless configuration, according to the village.
Public Works officials said multiple outages and periods of unreliable service during the past decade prompted the request for the upgraded wireless system.
Utility Dynamics in suburban Oswego was awarded the contract for the project.
Road closures planned ahead of Turkey Trot race
The Village Board approved the closure of a portion of Lincoln Avenue on Nov. 20 for the Turkey Trot race.
Thousands of runners and walkers will take to the streets for the annual 5K or 10K between 7 and 11 a.m. on race day. The section of Lincoln Avenue that will be closed during the four hours is between Kostner and Pratt avenues, according to the village.
During the closure, drivers will be re-routed through a single traffic lane that will be open on the east side of Lincoln Avenue.
The Turkey Trout will follow the same route that has been used in previous years, according to the village.
Event planned for Village Hall's 25th anniversary
The Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation Department will host a party Sept. 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the village's municipal campus — the two buildings that house village hall, and the police and fire departments
Located on the east side of Proesel Park, village hall was dedicated in November of 1991, according to the village. The "prairie-style" design of the building was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and was designed to blend into the nearby scenery.
All residents and friends of Lincolnwood are encouraged to participate in the event, which will feature a performance from the Lincolnwood Youth Orchestra. A variety of food will also be available for purchase from food trucks.
More information is available at the parks and recreation department. Reach the department at 847-677-9740.
Next board meeting scheduled
The next Lincolnwood Village Board meeting will be held on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 6900 N. Lincoln Ave.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-village-board-briefs-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e0dfc98e89f53fa3130a77775d4f64262a732b6518659765fe0c23dd2886af41.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rich Campbell",
"Brad Biggs"
] | 2016-08-28T18:48:21 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fbears%2Fct-bears-roster-cuts-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c31c17/turbine/ct-bears-roster-cuts-20160828 | en | null | Bears roster cuts underway ahead of Tuesday deadline | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Bears began their first round of roster cuts Sunday morning ahead of Tuesday's 3 p.m. deadline limiting teams to 75 active players.
Veteran fullback Darrel Young was released, and offensive lineman Martin Wallace was waived, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
Two other fairly obvious moves could get the Bears closer to the 75-man limit: they could place center Hroniss Grasu (torn ACL, right knee) and quarterback Connor Shaw (broken leg) on injured reserve.
In releasing Young, the Bears have indicated their preference for first-year fullback Paul Lasike, who spent part of last season on the practice squad. Lasike improved his blocking and understanding of the playbook during camp, and he has demonstrated the ability to catch the ball and play special teams.
Check back here for more updates as news becomes available. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-bears-roster-cuts-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/68e35d17e90316900ecc96c10834345782def67701d7e94ed8de41a2badc8f64.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-31T12:48:59 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-japan-typhoon-lionrock-20160831-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c6bf59/turbine/ct-japan-typhoon-lionrock-20160831 | en | null | Typhoon Lionrock slams Japan, killing at least 11, many of them elderly | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Heavy rain from Typhoon Lionrock flooded towns across Japan's north and left at least 11 people dead, most of them elderly residents at a nursing home who could not escape rising floodwaters, officials said Wednesday.
The home in the town of Iwaizumi, which only had the ground floor, included people suffering from dementia who were in their 80s and 90s. Police discovered nine bodies there Wednesday while checking another facility in the inundated neighborhood.
As floodwaters rapidly rose Tuesday night, all 85 elderly residents and staff at a three-story facility next door were rescued uninjured after evacuating to the top floor, said Iwate prefectural official Reiko Ouchi.
A caretaker at that facility notified the town office about their evacuation to the third floor, noting that the nine residents next door were stuck, NHK TV reported.
Typhoon Lionrock Yomiuri Shimbun / EPA Rescue operations continue at the Ran Ran elderly nursing home following floods due to heavy rains generated by Typhoon Lionrock in Iwaizumi, Japan, on Aug. 31, 2016. Rescue operations continue at the Ran Ran elderly nursing home following floods due to heavy rains generated by Typhoon Lionrock in Iwaizumi, Japan, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Yomiuri Shimbun / EPA) (Yomiuri Shimbun / EPA)
Ouchi said officials are looking into if and how town officials responded to the call. An evacuation order was not issued.
Hiroaki Sato, a senior official at the company that runs the nursing homes, said floodwater poured into the compound in a matter of 10 minutes, making it impossible for the nine elderly residents to escape. The water was at chest-high Tuesday evening.
Despite earlier warnings of the approaching typhoon, only one of the eight staff was on overnight duty, Sato told Kyodo News, adding that a telephone line was cut off due to flooding and she could not reach police or firefighters.
"An overnight staff attended the residents, but in the end they all died, including one in (her) arms," Sato told nationally televised NHK news. "I'm so sorry we could not help any of the nine residents," he said, as he bowed deeply in apology, his teary voice trembling.
The identity of the victims and other details, including the whereabouts of their caretakers, were not immediately known, said Takehiro Hayashijiri, a prefecture disaster management division.
Typhoon Lionrock Tokachi Mainichi Newspaper / AFP/Getty Images A railroad crossing is washed away Aug. 31, 2016, from flooding in the town of Shintoku, Japan, after Typhoon Lionrock struck. A railroad crossing is washed away Aug. 31, 2016, from flooding in the town of Shintoku, Japan, after Typhoon Lionrock struck. (Tokachi Mainichi Newspaper / AFP/Getty Images) (Tokachi Mainichi Newspaper / AFP/Getty Images)
Authorities found two more bodies in Iwate — one in the same town and the second in another town of Kuji, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Footage on NHK showed the nursing home partially buried in mud, surrounded by debris apparently washed down in the swollen river. A car by the home was turned upside down.
At another nursing home, a rescue helicopter was perched atop a flat roof, airlifting residents, each wrapped in a blanket and carried by their helpers.
"We're making a government-wide effort to assess the extent of damage," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. The government sent troops to help in the rescue and cleanup effort.
Farther north, on the island of Hokkaido, at least two rivers broke through their banks. The disaster management agency said at least one person went missing in a car that went down with a bridge torn away by the flood.
Authorities in the town of Minamifurano reported hundreds of people trapped in houses and shelters by flooding from the Sorachi river, the agency said. Hundreds of others were also trapped in buildings and isolated in several towns in Iwate.
Typhoon Lionrock made landfall Tuesday evening near the city of Ofunato, 310 miles northeast of Tokyo on the Pacific coast and crossed the main island of Honshu before heading out to the Sea of Japan.
It was the first time a typhoon has made landfall in the northern region since 1951, when the Japan Meteorological Agency started keeping records.
The scene of large parts of northern Japan covered with muddy water was a shocking reminder of the major tsunami that struck the same region five years ago.
Iwate prefecture, the hardest-hit by the typhoon, is one of the areas still rebuilding from the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake, which left more than 18,000 people dead along Japan's northeastern coast.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-japan-typhoon-lionrock-20160831-story.html | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a428fbc6a34253a33487f5d2ea21f351d7fe953301828729dfb3940252faa4ea.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-29T12:48:38 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmusic%2Fct-bruce-springsteen-at-united-center-20160829-photogallery.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c41768/turbine/ct-bruce-springsteen-at-united-center-20160829 | en | null | Photos: Bruce Springsteen at United Center | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt
Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune
Left, Bruce Springsteen and right, Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band, performing at the United Center in Chicago, on Sunday Aug. 28, 2016. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-bruce-springsteen-at-united-center-20160829-photogallery.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/984e63b12f828647bc321c6038df13831d196024893b1c359569ca1e427e4f04.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:10 | null | 2016-07-14T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmundelein%2Fnews%2Fct-mun-washington-school-construction-update-tl-0721-20160714-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-5787ee24/turbine/ct-mun-washington-school-construction-update-tl-0721-20160714 | en | null | Mundelein's Washington School hits construction snag, still on track | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Construction crews suffered a setback when the ground under Washington School proved not to be as stable as expected, but district officials say the project is still on schedule to be completed by the end of this month.
With growing enrollment and several special education students already being sent elsewhere, Mundelein School District 75 earlier this year approved a plan to build a new western wing of the school by merging nine temporary classroom trailers instead of spending more than $3 million for traditional construction.
Construction began immediately after school ended in May.
"Though it looks like a fixer-upper now, our sweat equity will turn this into an attractive, safe and highly-functional new wing," said Robert Tropple, director of facilities for District 75.
Plans involved building a concrete foundation that the trailers would be welded to after their wheels were removed.
That process required drilling 80 holes about five feet into the ground, Tropple said. However, he said the shallowest area needed over seven feet, while the western portions of the foundation needed to go 25 feet deep before hitting sturdy soil.
"I think this may have been a swamp or marshy area at some point," said Andy Henrikson, District 75 superintendent.
The Board of Education approved about $300,000 for the trailers and then additional money for the instillation, interior modifications, furnishings and the construction of a brick-enclosed corridor leading to the current school building.
Henrikson said the overall cost was originally estimated at $680,000, but it is now projected at slightly over $800,000 after the additional drilling.
"We had to take on that extra expense, but we're still getting this done at a major cost savings," Henrikson said.
He added that contractors told the district it would cost about $333 per square foot to build a traditional addition, while the trailer option will end up costing about $84 per square foot.
The trailers can last up to 15 years, Henrikson said. Meanwhile, he said they were fused together to look like one building with brick trim that will be built along the outside perimeter to hide and protect the foundation. Interior walls have also been removed to create a corridor down the middle dividing the classrooms.
"On the inside, it will look and feel like very other part of the school," Henrikson said.
Furthermore, Henrikson said District 75 is saving considerable money by having members of the building and grounds department do some of the foundation digging, renovations and construction of the new walkway between the buildings.
For example, maintenance employee Tim Meister said he had 15 years of experience as a residential carpenter and 15 years as a commercial carpenter before getting hired by at District 75.
"I wouldn't want parents to worry that we skimped on quality to save a buck," Meister said.
Henrikson said carpet installation and some ceiling work was expected to start around July 20 with teachers moving into a mostly completed new wing by July 28 and an open house during the second week of August.
"I think our neighbors got a little wide-eyed when we first drove trailer after trailer onto the site," Henrikson said. "We did track some mud onto the local roads and were a little noisy at one point, so I'm very grateful for their patience and understanding. I think that nervousness is gone now that the project is looking more like the renderings we showed everyone."
District 75 held a March 10 public forum on the project and did not receive negative feedback.
Toward the end of last year, a school committee decided that six second grade classes would go into the new eight-room "west wing," Henrikson said. The two remaining rooms will be multipurpose rooms for meetings or group activities, he continued.
As some of those second grade classes relocate, Henrikson said it will make room for new special education classes. Fifteen special education students were sent to other schools last year because of the space problem, and Henrikson said District 75 will save $250,000 per year by not paying those other schools.
"The Board's decision to add space to Washington is a win-win," Henrikson said. "We now have room for all of our students and tuition savings over the next three years will pay for the addition without any need to raise taxes."
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/mundelein/news/ct-mun-washington-school-construction-update-tl-0721-20160714-story.html | en | 2016-07-14T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f957165fe2ed447c2a103f092ddf4b4711c5a617798cf152abea26dcf262bae4.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-30T00:48:46 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2Fct-nykea-aldridge-dwyane-wade-chicago-crime-edit-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4c3b8/turbine/ct-nykea-aldridge-dwyane-wade-chicago-crime-edit-20160829 | en | null | On the street where you live - do you fear gun violence? | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | On the street where you live, is there any daily activity or chore that places you at risk of being shot by a passing villain? Pushing a stroller. Watching the kids play on the front porch. Being a child. These are the unremarkable acts of American life that, in some Chicago neighborhoods, put some Americans in jeopardy.
Nykea Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four, had her infant daughter in a stroller Friday afternoon on South Calumet Avenue, near her home in the Parkway Gardens apartment complex. She had just walked to a nearby school to enroll her children. It was 3:30 p.m.
Nearby, two armed brothers apparently were on the prowl. According to authorities, Darwin Sorrells, 26, had a weapon in his waistband. Derren Sorrells, 22, trailed behind with a silver handgun in his right hand. Both are convicted felons. Darwin Sorrells got out of prison in February after serving three years on charges related to guns and a stolen vehicle. Derren Sorrells was released from prison Aug. 12 after serving four years for possessing a stolen vehicle and violating the terms of his electronic monitoring. He wasn't wearing an ankle bracelet Friday because he should have been looking for work.
There is no logic to their alleged crime, just cold indifference: Police say the pair didn't like the look of a man who had driven to the neighborhood to drop off several women. So they chased after him up Calumet Avenue. And fired at least four shots. None hit the driver. All struck Nykea Aldridge. The brothers have been charged with murder.
Aldridge's death will be remembered partly because of the reason it became a national news story: She is a cousin of new Chicago Bulls guard and South Side native Dwyane Wade. For her family, especially her children, Nykea's loss will be marked and mourned forever.
For the rest of us, she becomes a statistic of gun violence out of control. As of Monday afternoon, there had been 2,816 shooting victims in Chicago this year, nearly the total for all of last year, according to a Chicago Tribune running tally. The Chicago Police Department reports a total of 459 homicide in 2016 as of Monday, again nearly matching the full total from last year. This past weekend's toll: 67 shooting victims, 11 dead.
Much of Chicago's gun violence is gang-related. There is conflict, a shooting, retaliation, none of it well-considered (then again, how could it be so?). Chicagoans can only shake their heads at the pointlessness. But each act of violence also spirals outward, devastating families and communities in countless ways, because no one should have to live in fear of the spray of gunfire.
One recent Sunday evening, 8-year-old Jamia Barnes was playing on a front lawn on the West Side when she felt a sting on her arm. Tribune reporters pieced together the tale: Jamia had been with family attending a vigil for Malik Causey, 14, a friend of her brother's, who'd been shot in the head and killed at 4 a.m. that morning. Last summer, Jamia's 11- and 19-year-old brothers were shot not far away while working on a dirt bike. Seven years ago, an aunt was shot dead in an apparent drive-by. On this particular Sunday, a man argued with a woman and started shooting, hitting Jamia. "I was hollering for my mommy," she said. A family friend took Jamia to the hospital. The friend, Ashake Banks, buried her own 7-year-old daughter in 2012 — she'd been caught in a gang shooting.
Dwyane Wade on Chicago's police, gun violence Newly minted Chicago Bull and Robbins, Ill., native Dwyane Wade participated in an ESPN town hall on athletes, social responsibility and gun violence held at a South Side YMCA on Aug. 25, 2016, a day before his 32-year-old cousin was shot and killed in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood, also on Chicago's South Side. Read more about the killing of Nykea Aldridge here. Newly minted Chicago Bull and Robbins, Ill., native Dwyane Wade participated in an ESPN town hall on athletes, social responsibility and gun violence held at a South Side YMCA on Aug. 25, 2016, a day before his 32-year-old cousin was shot and killed in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood, also on Chicago's South Side. Read more about the killing of Nykea Aldridge here. See more videos
More recent incidents: Africa Bass, 23, shot and killed after running an errand the night before her son's fifth birthday. Mike Lucas, 61, killed on a porch in front of his 3-year-old great-nephew. Arshell Dennis, 19, home from college and visiting a friend. Tavon Tanner, 10, playing on his porch. All unremarkable moments, interrupted by violence. "It's just hard for me right now," Nykea Aldridge's sister told the Tribune, "because we were supposed to grow old together."
Do you have to fear the random loss of your life on the street where you live? What must that be like, day upon day, year upon year? | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-nykea-aldridge-dwyane-wade-chicago-crime-edit-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c927497b7f64e1aa4abac3d6b1574c89776b4c80dfc1502ae14313e244d7ed8c.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:10 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-runner-reunited-with-gobi-dog-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c05dbf/turbine/ct-runner-reunited-with-gobi-dog-20160826 | en | null | Ultra-marathon runner reunited with stray dog from Gobi race | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | An ultra-marathon runner has been reunited with the stray dog that accompanied him through part of a grueling desert race in China and then went missing.
Dion Leonard says the stray befriended him as he took part in the 155-mile Gobi March race, part of the 4 Deserts race series. The dog followed him for much of the race. He vowed to take the dog, named Gobi, home to the U.K.
Leonard, an Australian who lives in Scotland, says the dog was in quarantine in China before traveling to the U.K. when she disappeared. Having learned that she ran away, he returned to China to find Gobi, using the power of social media to track her down.
Leonard told the BBC that "she was so excited to see me."
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-runner-reunited-with-gobi-dog-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/62803ae9371f620e0a6184fa457fd3be16e09c07d6080cc66cce5afbc2fe38d7.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune Wire Reports"
] | 2016-08-29T14:48:38 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-three-found-dead-newton-county-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c43741/turbine/ct-three-found-dead-newton-county-20160829 | en | null | Coroner: 3 found dead from trauma in northern Indiana home | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A northern Indiana coroner says three people found dead in a Newton County home were victims of homicide.
Newton County Coroner Scott McCord said Monday morning that police found two men and one woman dead about 8 p.m. Sunday in the community of Sumava Resorts. He says all were victims of trauma and there is “no suicide associated with this.” The Newton County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to an email seeking information.
McCord said an officer responding to a report of a man bleeding found a 20-year-old man dead in the home. Scott said the officer found two more people dead, a 23-year-old man and a woman in her 30s, in an adjacent bedroom.
McCord said autopsies are scheduled Tuesday morning on the three victims.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-three-found-dead-newton-county-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/53cfa80ed56408983587e4ee54c98e9ebfc0955c4e35169b71e75a6a925ee98c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Chris Kuc"
] | 2016-08-30T06:48:42 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-jake-arrieta-14-pitch-at-bat-spt-0830-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c51ea2/turbine/ct-jake-arrieta-14-pitch-at-bat-spt-0830-20160829 | en | null | Cubs rally twice for 13-inning win after Jake Arrieta gets knocked around | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Jake Arrieta had the Wrigley Field crowd on its feet and roaring in approval for a strikeout — his own.
The right-hander worked a 14-pitch at-bat against Pirates starter Steven Brault — including eight consecutive foul balls — to draw the applause during the Cubs' 8-7 come-from-behind victory in 13 innings.
Those cheers turned to groans after Arrieta was knocked around, but Miguel Montero sent the crowd of 38,951 home happy after driving in the winning run that snapped a modest two-game skid.
After the Pirates had taken a 7-6 lead in the top of the 13th against Rob Zastryzny (1-0), Anthony Rizzo tied it again with an RBI single two batters before Montero's single improved the Cubs to 83-47.
Arrieta was cruising in the sixth before yielding a three-run home run to Gregory Polanco, then gave up two more runs in the seventh before the Cubs offense bailed him out.
Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer in the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-5, and Jorge Soler tied it with a solo homer in the ninth.
Arrieta, who got no decision, allowed six runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon on Monday's win Cubs manager Joe Maddon breaks down Monday's 13-inning victory. (Chris Kuc/Chicago Tribune) Cubs manager Joe Maddon breaks down Monday's 13-inning victory. (Chris Kuc/Chicago Tribune) See more videos
Health beat: President Theo Epstein put an end to any speculation that Kyle Schwarber might return from a serious knee injury this season.
"No," Epstein said when asked if there was any scenario in which Schwarber would return. "He can't play this year."
Meanwhile, the pitching staff is slowly getting healthier. Starter John Lackey, out since Aug. 15 with a shoulder strain, threw a side session Monday and is expected to have another soon before returning to the rotation.
"He's doing well," manager Joe Maddon said. "I'm not hearing any setbacks or complaints on his part or the trainers' part. Everything is in pretty good shape it looks like."
According to Epstein, relievers Pedro Strop (right knee surgery) and Hector Rondon (strained triceps) are "both progressing really well. They're both on schedule."
Coming soon: Maddon is looking forward to Thursday, when the roster can expand, providing more depth at his disposal.
"The guys who are going to come up will get some playing time, and the guys coming up will be good," Maddon said. "Whoever we're going to bring up right now, they're going to be pertinent people who are going to be able to help us win."
Epstein said infielder Tommy La Stella, who is playing for Triple-A Iowa after first refusing to report following a demotion, is expected to join the Cubs "real soon."
Pelicans brief: The Cubs signed a four-year extension with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to remain their advanced Class A affiliate through 2020. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jake-arrieta-14-pitch-at-bat-spt-0830-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/875ef51caa3820c1f9bc45c12f1c74fbf04c68a96e9519fb16f3d556b869f9fa.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-28T20:48:17 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fchi-baby-animal-photos-photogallery.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c33e4f/turbine/chi-baby-animal-photos | en | null | Baby animals - Chicago Tribune | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Black rhinoceros
Marcel Kusch / EPA
A baby rhino with its mother Nane is seen in an outdoor enclosure at the zoo in Krefeld, Germany, on Aug. 23, 2016. The black rhino baby was born during the night of Aug. 21-22. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/chi-baby-animal-photos-photogallery.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e18622d3d3c133a7c79e3dbe1b9826cece4184ef08886634dca6fd2e94d480cc.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Joe Davidson"
] | 2016-08-26T18:50:49 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-justice-department-private-prisons-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0732a/turbine/ct-justice-department-private-prisons-20160826 | en | null | Will states follow DOJ's private prison move? Some are ahead of the feds | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Uncle Sam is an influential guy. When he speaks, states listen.
If history is a guide, the Justice Department's decision to phase out private prisons could have an impact well beyond federal Bureau of Prison facilities. Already, some states are ahead of the federal government in closing for-profit correctional locations. The move by the Justice Department could encourage more of that.
"The federal prison system is traditionally seen, by other state prison systems, as the gold standard, as embodying best practices, as an example to follow," said David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project. "The fact that the federal prison system is ending its use of private prisons could encourage other some states to follow suit. . . . I think it's likely that some will follow the federal example."
Nicole D. Porter, advocacy director of the Sentencing Project, which, like the ACLU, opposes private prisons, provided these examples of states moving away from private facilities:
- Colorado officials announced plans in June to close the private Kit Carson Correctional Center.
- Mississippi officials said they will close the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility.
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D, announced that the District of Columbia would resume operation of the Correctional Treatment Facility when a contract with Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) expires next year.
- Kentucky announced the closing of its last of three facilities in 2013. In June, however, the state said it was considering reopening two private facilities because of overcrowding.
- Texas closed two private prisons in 2013.
- Idaho said in February it would no longer send prisoners to a private facility in Colorado.
Despite setbacks from policies such as these, CCA is looking to "new, innovative opportunities we've been exploring in recent years," said Jonathan Burns, a company spokesman. "We've also greatly expanded our residential re-entry offerings, which help inmates prepare to successfully return to their communities. In fact, this spring we won a re-bid of a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) contract for these critical services. It's important to note that the DOJ announcement relates only to BOP correctional facilities, which make up seven percent of our business."
While the impact on states of the Justice Department's private prison decision remains to be seen, the federal government's strong influence on prison policy was demonstrated with the 1994 crime bill. It contributed to a prolonged period of mass incarceration at the federal and state levels and increased use of for-profit facilities.
"The crime bill was most relevant to the states in the funding incentives it provided for harsh sentencing and prison construction," said Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project. "Out of the $9 billion in funding for prison construction $4 billion was allocated for states that adopted (or already had) 'truth in sentencing' policies requiring that violent offenders (and sometimes others) be required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. A subsequent report by the GAO (Government Accountability Office) concluded that the availability of funding was either a 'partial' factor or a 'key' factor in more than half the states that adopted such policies. Most of these states still maintain these policies today, contributing to higher rates of incarceration, long after the federal prison funding has dried out."
Whatever influence the Justice Department's policy might have on the states, so far a sister agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has indicated no plans to change its use of private facilities for detainees held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., urged this week.
ICE spokeswoman Jennifer D. Elzea said the agency uses federal, state and local facilities "to meet the agency's detention needs while achieving the highest possible cost savings for the taxpayer."
Although the Justice Department's announcement did not come with a financial incentive for states to follow its lead on private prisons, state officials face similar issues. That includes falling prison populations. Furthermore, the notion of having a profit motive influence the incarceration of individuals and their care, particularly health care, is an anathema to private prison foes. Private facilities are not "always inferior to publicly-run institutions," as Mauer noted, but making money off incarceration is not a factor when a government agency is the operator.
Opponents argue that for-profit facilities at the state level also share the same type of problems that Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates outlined in her memo to the Bureau of Prisons last week: "Private prisons served an important role during a difficult period, but time has shown that they compare poorly to our own Bureau facilities. They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs, and resources; they do not save substantially on costs; and as noted in a recent report by the Department's Office of lnspector General, they do not maintain the same level of safety and security. The rehabilitative services that the Bureau provides, such as educational programs and job training, have proved difficult to replicate and outsource -- and these services are essential to reducing recidivism and improving public safety."
Yates's comments "absolutely" apply to state and local private facilities, Fathi said: "They are run by the same private prison companies as the federal private prisons . . . and the business model is the same: cut costs wherever possible to maximize profits." | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-justice-department-private-prisons-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/063447a48effe15d5e31747549d97384f7b5c1c6d06a2f4f121bb91c55cd2170.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Peter Nickeas",
"Dawn Rhodes"
] | 2016-08-29T20:48:44 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-police-questioning-person-of-interest-in-south-loop-homicide-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c47388/turbine/ct-police-questioning-person-of-interest-in-south-loop-homicide-20160829 | en | null | Police questioning 'person of interest' in South Loop homicide | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Police are questioning someone in connection with the shooting death of a 45-year-old man in a South Loop alley Sunday morning.
The man, whose identity has not yet been released by the Cook County medical examiner's office, was shot in the 1800 block of South Michigan Avenue about 10 a.m. Sunday.
Witnesses told police they heard an argument before the gunfire. It's not clear how the person of interest came to be in police custody.
Residents who said they lived in the surrounding buildings congregated across the street Sunday morning sharing what little information they could glean from the police.
One man, who declined to give his name but said he lives in a building adjacent to the alley, said new security cameras were installed facing the alley about six months ago. He said there had been some break-ins of garages facing the alley, which were caught on video, but the old cameras did not have high enough resolution to help police conclusively identify the offenders.
The man also said the building's security company was preparing to help police review the surveillance video with the hope that the shooting also was captured.
Check back for more information. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-police-questioning-person-of-interest-in-south-loop-homicide-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/edc23509988cc9728cfeb998361245f4c5468e8a1a2c1b29639ded08188250ee.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Joseph Hernandez"
] | 2016-08-26T22:48:01 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fdining%2Fct-patti-labelle-new-five-desserts-walmart-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0ad1d/turbine/ct-patti-labelle-new-five-desserts-walmart-20160826 | en | null | Patti LaBelle unveils new cobblers, cakes for Walmart -- how do they taste? | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | 'Shout out to Patti LaBelle, honey!”
And with that auspicious beginning, James Wright Chanel’s YouTube love letter to Patti LaBelle’s branded sweet potato pie went viral — to the tune of 5 million views and counting. Put another way, the video was so popular that the pie (sold exclusively at Walmart) was flying off the shelves at the rate of one pie per second for 72 hours.
Hoping that lightning strikes twice — or, y’know, 5 million times — Walmart today announced the release of its latest partnership with LaBelle in the form of the Patti’s Good Life brand of pies and desserts. The line features peach, berry and apple cobblers (each $6.98), an apple pecan cake ($9.98) and a sweet potato loaf ($4.48), all available nationwide, starting next week, except the loaf, which is only available in select stores.
Here at the Tribune, we got a first taste of everything except the loaf in our test kitchen. Will these inspire more viral videos? Check out our tasting notes below.
Patti Labelle's cobblers Walmart Patti’s Good Life cobblers for Walmart include berry (a mix of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and boysenberries, aka bumbleberry; see our recipe for bumbleberry pie!), apple and peach. Patti’s Good Life cobblers for Walmart include berry (a mix of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and boysenberries, aka bumbleberry; see our recipe for bumbleberry pie!), apple and peach. (Walmart) (Walmart)
Patti’s Good Life Peach Cobbler: Each of the cobblers (all clocking in at just under 2 pounds) list the named fruit on the ingredients list, followed by sugar (not today, corn syrup!). If an attached press release is to be believed, 6.4 million pounds of peaches go into the Patti’s Good Life line; this pie is loaded. A top crust is covered in cinnamon, which is aromatic but actually distracts from the cobbler’s sweetness. Too much cinnamon on the interior turned the tasters off. Not a strong showing on this round.
Patti’s Good Life Berry Cobbler: Stuffed with raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and boysenberries, the (bumble)berry cobbler was a favorite for the tasting team. The right balance of sweet to tart, the jewel-toned filling was surprisingly set and not just a puddle of goo — the bottom crust was enjoyably crisp and buttery even as we freed the cobbler from its aluminum pan prison. Plus side? The cobblers are not sold frozen, so they don’t need to be heated to be enjoyed, but heating them through does offer a bit of that “fresh baked” sensation.
Patti’s Good Life Apple Cobbler: The texture on the apple cobbler was spot on. Made with Fuji apples, the filling was toothsome yet soft, with a nicer, more balanced mixture of cinnamon and sugar than the peach. The apples have retained a bit of their tartness, which is nice with the pastry crust.
Patti’s Good Life Apple Pecan Cake Walmart We liked the cake itself but not the frosting. We liked the cake itself but not the frosting. (Walmart) (Walmart)
Patti’s Good Life Apple Pecan Cake: Our team was turned off by the near-impenetrable helmet of buttercream icing and too-rich caramel goo. The cake itself — a Southern-style layer cake of Fuji apples and Georgia pecans — is tasty and would make a good accompaniment to coffee or tea. Just get past the overly rich, heavy-handed application of icing first.
Overall, these treats — in particular, the apple and berry cobblers — offer good value and flavor. Not sure if I’d break out into song over these, but I’ll admit that they have their high notes.
jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @joeybear85
Caption Rick Bayless shows us how he makes the striped bass at Lena Brava Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Caption Anthony Bourdain: 'I love the food in Chicago, high and low' Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune) Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago's best beers for summer sipping. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-patti-labelle-new-five-desserts-walmart-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3c1c93f1fa21e27d8178cab24cdcd904f973e4ad0b19b4e9e15021730f663600.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-27T08:47:57 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-kris-bryant-on-cubs-win-over-dodgers-20160826-premiumvideo.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1358c/turbine/ct-kris-bryant-on-cubs-win-over-dodgers-20160826 | en | null | Kris Bryant on 'MVP' chants: 'To experience it in real life is pretty cool' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Kris Bryant on 'MVP' chants: 'To experience it in real life is pretty cool'
Kris Bryant, who hit the game-winning home run in the 10th inning, discusses the Cubs' 6-4 victory over the Dodgers on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-on-cubs-win-over-dodgers-20160826-premiumvideo.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/ed228edabf7c924bfd46bd1487b4f925a07fc8b7bce4e75665863ab36f00f457.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Steve Sadin"
] | 2016-08-27T16:48:05 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fdeerfield%2Fnews%2Fct-dfr-water-tower-rescue-tl-0901-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1b0be/turbine/ct-dfr-water-tower-rescue-tl-0901-20160827 | en | null | 3 Northbrook juveniles rescued after climbing Deerfield water tower | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Firefighters rescued three juveniles from the top of the Deerfield water tower near the Kates Road Bridge Friday night after the group climbed the tower and was unable to get down.
No one was injured in the rescue that saw members of the Deerfield Bannockburn Fire Protection District ascend the tower, according to a police news release.
Deerfield police were on routine patrol when they saw the three Northbrook minors on the top of the approximately 140-foot tower and called the fire department to assist, said Deputy Fire Chief Ray Larson.
"They climbed to the top of the tower and were too afraid to get down," Larson said. "We were able to make voice contact with them and phone contact and determined they were not hurt."
The rescuers were part of the department's technical rescue team trained to deal with high angle rope rescues, confined spaces, trench collapses and building or structural collapses, Larson said.
"They assessed the situation and rigged up," Larson said. "The ascended the tower, rescued the three and lowered them to safety."
Firefighters Jeff Kates and Bill Pauly from the Deerfield Bannockburn district and another firefighter from Prospect Heights participated in the rescue.
Deerfield police declined to release any further information about the incident.
Water tower rescue Deerfield Bannockburn FPD Deerfield Bannockburn Fire Protection District Firefighter Jeff Kates help save a person who climbed to the top of the Deerfield water tower. Deerfield Bannockburn Fire Protection District Firefighter Jeff Kates help save a person who climbed to the top of the Deerfield water tower. (Deerfield Bannockburn FPD) (Deerfield Bannockburn FPD)
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/deerfield/news/ct-dfr-water-tower-rescue-tl-0901-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/47270387d6a09f3ce3ab5741a1afddb8355f712d1612550850c306b7ea43c6c9.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-27T20:48:09 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fsoccer%2Fct-soccer-seattle-reign-hope-solo-spt-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1e300/turbine/ct-soccer-seattle-reign-hope-solo-spt-20160827 | en | null | Hope Solo takes indefinite leave from Seattle Reign | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hope Solo has taken an indefinite leave from the Seattle Reign of the National Women's Soccer League, less than a week after being suspended for six months by the U.S. national team for disparaging remarks about Sweden.
The move was announced Saturday by the Reign, saying that the Olympic goaltender has been granted personal leave. The team did not say how long Solo would be away.
It's been a rough time for the record-breaking goalie. On Wednesday, she was suspended after calling the Swedes "cowards" for their defensive style of play after the U.S. lost the Aug. 12 match on penalty kicks.
Solo was previously suspended for 30 days early in 2015 for her conduct, and won't be eligible for selection to the national team until February.
Meanwhile, the Reign made their announcement hours before Saturday night's match against the Portland Thorns. Seattle signed goalkeeper Andi Tostanoski to replace Solo.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/ct-soccer-seattle-reign-hope-solo-spt-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/665fe87919f2d06cc1a5d409a2f8b6d4d01e90d06055fb332b09187863ddee6a.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Denys Bucksten"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:33 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmundelein%2Fnews%2Fct-mun-maker-space-open-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bc61e7/turbine/ct-mun-maker-space-open-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | District 75 debuts Makerspace to promote STEM learning | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Parents and children poured into the newly created Innovation Station in Mundelein on Saturday where they learned to program robots, work a sewing machine, do leatherwork and create LED designs.
Some arrived early for the scheduled three-hour session and many lingered well past closing, eyes glued on computer screens, finishing up sewing and leather projects and building geometric models. The children were mostly middle schoolers, but many younger children also attended, with parents taking an active role in the process.
The District 75 Educational Foundation created the space from a 1,000 square foot storage room at 470 N. Lake St. in the Mundelein business district.
The foundation, with help from the village and a relationship with Makerspace of Mundelein, hopes to get children involved in STEM-based activities at an earlier age.
Some high school students joined adult volunteers mentoring the children in various activities.
Randall Roman, working with his daughter Miriam, 11, watched as she patiently built a structure from uncooked spaghetti and mini-marshmallows. As the structure rose higher off the carpeted floor, Randall admitted, "We got carried away with the triangles."
Tony Cho, a mentor at the learning center and a STEM teacher at Mechanics Grove School, said that with some guidance kids are able to catch on fairly quickly to the technical concepts.
"I did programming with them and their ability to problem solve is one of the things I've seen with these kids," Cho said.
Fred Goldman, a STEM coach at Sandburg Middle School in Mundelein, said the movement is "all part of one plan, the idea being to get younger kids to learn it and grow with it, so the whole community benefits from it."
Goldman noted that the old-world, hands-on activities like soldering and sewing were big hits on Saturday.
"The sewing was sold out all day for boys and girls," he said.
At least 20 minutes after the scheduled closing time, several children were reluctant to leave the Lake Street facility. One boy called out to District 75 Superintendent Andy Henrikson, "Will this be open every weekend?"
"No," replied Henrikson, "But we will do it again."
Denys Bucksten is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/mundelein/news/ct-mun-maker-space-open-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2e65b4a1082fdc85ab25ed875ae8d50af1fd079cbe89ca8aed5f431cf32707ff.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Manya Brachear Pashman"
] | 2016-08-30T12:52:12 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-muslim-voter-registration-met-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c2e547/turbine/ct-muslim-voter-registration-met-20160828 | en | null | Campaign rhetoric against Muslims spurs mosques to get out the vote | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | When Imam Nazim Mangera arrived at Chicago's Muslim Community Center in December, he immediately encountered a feeling of deja vu.
In his last months as leader of a Vancouver mosque, Mangera had helped mobilize Canadian Muslims to cast their vote in a heated race for prime minister — a contest between a liberal candidate who went out of his way to show respect for Muslims' religious rights and a conservative incumbent who had pushed to ban from Canadian citizenship ceremonies the face veil worn by some Muslim women.
Mangera arrived on Chicago's Northwest Side shortly after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed that the government bar some foreign Muslims from entering the country, monitor mosques and kill the loved ones of radical Islamic terrorists.
In the U.S. on a visa from Canada and unable to vote, Mangera has done the only thing he can do to make sure Muslim voices are heard: preach.
"Every vote counts," said Mangera, who occasionally incorporates "get out the vote" messages into his Friday sermons. "When we take part in the political process, politicians, even if they don't benefit us, at least at a minimum, won't harm us."
For decades, Muslim leaders have urged the faithful to go to the polls on Election Day to perform their American civic duty. But a surge of anti-Islam rhetoric in this year's election cycle has fueled additional efforts by area mosques to boost voter turnout. In addition to community leaders setting up voter registration tables in lobbies and booking buses to take people to the polls, imams in their weekly sermons are urging congregants to cast their ballots. Though they don't tell the faithful how to vote, many say the choice is clear.
"They see the danger is in front of their own houses," Mangera said. "It's unfortunate that we have these negative aspects in life to encourage people (to vote)."
According to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a think tank that focuses on the American Muslim community, the number of Muslims registered to vote lags behind other faith traditions as well as the general population. Only 60 percent of American Muslims are registered to vote, compared with at least 86 percent of Jews, 95 percent of Catholics and 94 percent of Protestants, a recent study showed. And 14 percent of Muslims who are eligible to vote for the next president say they won't — the largest of any faith group.
Getting Muslims to the polls historically has been a challenge, said Dr. Zaher Sahloul, a longtime Muslim leader who came to Chicago from Syria nearly 30 years ago. While mosques generally try to be engaged in the community, he said, convincing immigrants or first-generation Americans that their votes matter in a national election can take time.
"You overcome it by understanding what it means to be American and by understanding the Constitution and understanding how democracy works," Sahloul said. "Don't forget many Muslim immigrants come from countries that have dictatorships — whether Pakistan, Egypt or Syria — and in these countries participating in civic life is not something everyone does."
Islamic scholars in non-Western countries also have been known to discourage voting as "haram," or forbidden, Sahloul said, which is wrong.
"If you are a good Muslim, you should participate in civic life," he said. "It's haram if you don't vote."
Mangera said Islamic scripture encourages civic responsibility such as voting and seeking elected office. During a recent sermon, he shared a story from the Quran about how the Prophet Joseph sought a position safeguarding the nation's treasury to protect it from abuse.
"I don't know any scholar in any major Western country that discourages voting," Mangera said. Scholars in non-Western countries may "say positive things about the dictator or king because if they push for democracy in those countries they might be harmed in one way or another."
Akhter Sadiq, 65, of Morton Grove, coordinator of interfaith outreach at the Muslim Community Center, said he's pleased that imams are embracing the voting initiative. So far, mosque volunteers have registered nearly 100 members to vote in the fall election at tables set up after Friday prayers and during family festivals.
"The mosque is the center for just about anything," said Sadiq, who oversaw a registration booth during a food and fun fair at the Muslim Education Center in Morton Grove on Sunday. "You talk about your daily lives. You talk about morality. You talk about praying to God. You pray about how to be a good neighbor, how to be a good spouse, how to be a good kid and everything else, including the politics."
In Canada, Mangera said the clergy's involvement paid off. According to the group Canadian Muslim Vote, nearly 79 percent of the eligible Muslim population voted in the 2015 prime minister race, up from less than 45 percent in previous federal elections. Canadian voters unseated incumbent Stephen Harper and elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Liberal Party candidates most Muslims supported.
Imams point out that encouraging Muslims to vote doesn't necessarily mean they will vote against Trump. At the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park, Sheikh Hisham Al Qaisi said some members have said they welcome Trump's straight talk and his plan to ferret out unfit members of their community.
Mangera has found that many members of his mosque support the social views of the Republican Party and, in the past, have voted accordingly. Regardless, Islam teaches everyone to vote with the same general values.
"There's always encouragement in Islam to promote righteousness, goodness and fairness and justice in the countries in which we live," Mangera said.
"Being apathetic and not taking part won't resolve any issues that come up in the future," he added. "Not voting is a type of vote."
mbrachear@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @TribSeeker | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-muslim-voter-registration-met-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9127905271fecae3f880247f6b1f2382ffdcf39d6d091d49fc9cabeb8cd35c86.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Kirsten Onsgard"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:47 | null | 2016-06-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fnews%2Fct-mgc-morton-grove-development-ordinance-0707-20160628-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-5772ba79/turbine/ct-mgc-morton-grove-development-ordinance-0707-20160628 | en | null | Morton Grove mulls amendment to residential development ordinance | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A proposed ordinance amendment brought forth at Morton Grove's Village Board meeting Monday would allow for higher density residential developments in areas that support multi-family homes.
The current village ordinance permits only one structure per residential lot. The proposed amendment would allow for several and expedite the process of approving multi-family developments, according to Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich.
"We're seeing a lot more interest and desire from developers in not only Morton Grove, but in the surrounding communities, for cluster developments or town home developments that have multiple principal structures on a lot," Radzevich said.
Evanston, Niles, Park Ridge and Glenview already have provisions in their codes allowing for these developments, she said. She also said several developers have contacted her expressing interest in creating multi-building developments.
The amendment would affect two districts near the Metra line south of Dempster Avenue already zoned for higher density developments. In the district closest to the rail line, the amendment would allow for several structures on lots larger than one acre, as long as they comply with existing requirements.
"It would streamline the development process, and it also gives a signal to everyone that that's where we want our higher density development," Radzevich said. "It focuses the type of development to where we want to see it."
Village Trustee John Thill expressed concern about the proposed amendment, and another proposal that would approve a lot located in the 9100 block of Menard Avenue. to be divided in two, resulting in one lot considered substandard by existing code.
According to Radzevich, the lot's owner initially believed that subdivision to be compliant, but was later told it was too small to be bisected and required Plan Commission approval.
If approved, the lot would only be approved for subdivision, and development would require additional approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals, she said. The Plan Commission recommended approval.
"Where do we set the line on 'this is the narrowest piece of property you can build on?'" Thill asked. "We have got to draw that line somewhere."
"Having attended planning meetings, there are very few variances that are being denied," he said.
The substandard lot seeking approval would be 45 feet in width, less than the 50 foot width required by current code.
Radzevich said that the Zoning Board does not hear cases that it does not believe should go forward.
"This may sound silly, but there's a new trend in having tiny little houses—are we protected from that?" Trustee Janine Witko said.
Radzevich said that though the village currently follows international building codes addressing minimum requirements for certain areas, current trends toward smaller living areas could be something the village would need to address in the future.
"We have to draw a line in how narrow we want these lots to become," Thill said. "Because in Chicago, you can reach out the window and touch your neighbor. I wouldn't want to see Morton Grove continue down that path."
The board is expected to vote on the proposal at its July 11 meeting.
Kirsten Onsgard is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/news/ct-mgc-morton-grove-development-ordinance-0707-20160628-story.html | en | 2016-06-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a6c8f872e6fc97d74560ebf30656b4886de94d5656f9bd59cf265e2309ba606f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-29T20:51:37 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-auto-dealership-tl-0901-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c499e9/turbine/ct-lwr-auto-dealership-tl-0901-20160829 | en | null | Lincolnwood officials uncertain about car dealership at former Kow Kow restaurant | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | After at least five potential deals to sell the former Kow Kow restaurant property at Cicero and Pratt avenues have fallen through, the family that owns the property says they are talking with a car dealership about the property.
Wendy Ling, whose family retired and closed Kow Kow in May 2015, recently asked Lincolnwood officials to weigh in on whether it would consider allowing Grossinger Auto Group, which already operates two other auto sales lots in the village, on Lincoln Avenue and McCormick Boulevard.
Since the Kow Kow Restaurant closed following almost 30 years of business at the southeast corner of the busy intersection, the family have been unable to find a buyer wanting to open a new restaurant at the lot, the family has said.
"There's still hope it could be reused as a restaurant," Ling said. "But I'm hesitant to talk about anything until it's final because we're on deal number five, six or seven by now and nothing has worked out."
If the site is sold to the dealership, the shuttered restaurant would be razed, according to Ling who during the Aug. 16 Committee of the Whole meeting, told village trustees she was in discussions to sell the property to the auto group.
"We'd prefer if a restaurant would come in because it would be great for the neighborhood, but the desirability and the reality of having a restaurant there is diminishing because of all the development going into Touhy," Ling said. "I've gone to every restaurant operator I know of and said, 'I have a lot for you,' and they all say they're not interested."
At least two residential developers have shown interest in the site in the past, according to Ling's attorney Craig Krandel, who said five potential deals have fallen through since the site was put on the market.
"We're looking forward to getting it out of Wendy's family's name," Krandel said. "Having it used profitably will be good for everyone."
Real estate developer Gary Levitas, of Northfield Group, presented plans in 2015 for a 24-unit condo building that would have been built on the Kow Kow restaurant site. But the proposal never gained momentum with village officials, who have focused on redeveloping vacant properties for commercial uses that will bring in tax revenue.
Auto dealerships are one of the largest generators of sales and property tax in the village, according to trustee Jesal Patel, who said multiple restaurants have shown interest in the village's higher-traffic arterial roadways, particularly along Touhy Avenue.
"There's a lot of interest in Touhy, and there aren't enough sites to satisfy the demand," he said.
Opening a new dealership to add to the three that already exist in Lincolnwood didn't sit well with trustee Jennifer Spino.
"I respect the tax dollars it brings in, but I think the residents of Lincolnwood probably could benefit more from some other type of use," Spino said.
Because Cicero Avenue doesn't get as much motorist exposure as Touhy does, a new restaurant that doesn't already have a solid customer base would have trouble surviving, Ling said.
Her family operated Kow from a building on Devon Avenue before moving to Cicero Avenue in 1987.
"Although a restaurant use has worked for the site in the past, it may not be the best spot for the future," Ling said.
Trustees said they wanted more time to consider the effect a dealership would have on the neighborhood, which is bordered by single-family homes to the east and a townhome development to the south.
"A dealership could take away from the residential nature of that area," trustee Larry Elster said. "I hear from a lot of people that it would be nice to have a restaurant over there, but no one's come forward."
Before an auto lot would be able to open, the Lincolnwood Village Board would have to issue a special use permit for the lot to be redeveloped as a dealership. Neighbors would also have a chance to weigh in during a public hearing.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-auto-dealership-tl-0901-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/dee28a5ddfe9a8ac4e2d0f5c389ac8ca38604031eb0e6d49f0db927aa04a8749.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ryan Haskell"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:49 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fsports%2Fct-ptb-girls-volleyball-kankakee-valley-lowell-st-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bfab88/turbine/ct-ptb-girls-volleyball-kankakee-valley-lowell-st-0826-20160825 | en | null | Red-hot Red Devils: strong starts fuel Lowell past Kankakee Valley | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Getting off to a good start is never a bad thing.
Lowell proved that with sizzling starts in two of its three games Thursday night, sweeping Kankakee Valley 25-11, 25-22, 25-17 in the teams' Northwest Crossroads Conference opener.
But Lowell coach Dana Radtke hopes the win helps propel the Red Devils to something next Tuesday they haven't done in five years and that's beat Munster, the four-time defending NCC champs.
The Mustangs haven't lost in conference action since back-to-back losses to Lowell and Andrean in 2011. Munster has managed 57 straight wins.
Radtke believes experienced seniors Jordin Page, Meagan Fitzgerald, Alexandria Collins and Joselyne Bobos are ready to lead Lowell back to the days when sectional titles and conference championships were the norm.
"With these four seniors, it's definitely possible," Radtke said. "We're playing strong, our serve receive is looking good.
"But we'll get a whole difference challenge from Munster. Our seniors had good net play (Thursday). We'll have a good match if we can keep that up."
Page led the Red Devils (7-1, 1-0) with 13 kills. Collins had 19 assists. Fitzgerald had four kills, four aces and four solo blocks. Bobos added three aces. Haley Penman contributed 11 assists.
"We talked to them about focusing on the first five points when we got out there," Radtke said of her team's good starts. "We wanted to start off clean."
With the score tied 3-3 in Game 3, Page rolled off nine points — including four of her team-high six aces — to put Lowell in a great position.
That was disappointing to KV coach Greg Welch, who watched his Kougars (2-6, 0-1) battle hard in Game 2.
Welch said KV has all the ability in the world, but lacks the passion needed to succeed right now.
"We need to work on the intensity and the emotion and bringing that to every match," he said. "That's the big thing right now. We've got seven seniors and were sectional champs last year and want to go further this year."
Last season, the Kougars won the school's first sectional title in 11 years by knocking off Griffith.
Ryan Haskell is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-girls-volleyball-kankakee-valley-lowell-st-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b9c2bde975b20f563d6064df2c85a7f0614e4cd7eccae02248bb0dd6fbee0c44.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Duaa Eldeib"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:41 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-transgender-student-lawsuit-texas-ruling-met-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57be18ae/turbine/ct-transgender-student-lawsuit-texas-ruling-met-20160824 | en | null | Local schools take note of Texas transgender ruling | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A northwest suburban high school district that is being sued for providing locker-room access to a transgender student is reviewing whether a ruling in an out-of-state case might have any impact on the local controversy.
Other school officials across Illinois are also seeking clarity on what the latest court action might mean for their districts.
A federal judge in Texas issued an injunction Sunday to temporarily block transgender students from being able to use the school bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor wrote that his injunction should apply nationwide, not just in the 13 states that brought the legal challenge to President Barack Obama's directive granting transgender students access to facilities that matches their gender identity.
Palatine-based Township High School District 211 has emerged as a test case in the national battle over privacy and transgender rights. The district late last year granted a transgender student use of the girls' locker room after a protracted and contentious dispute with the U.S. Department of Education. School officials had previously granted transgender students access to the bathrooms of their choice.
Then in May, a group of students and parents sued the district and federal authorities, arguing the agreement trampled other students' privacy rights.
"The district has reviewed the recent order for injunction issued by a district judge in Texas and will weigh it in relation to the anticipated ruling in the ongoing federal lawsuit brought against the district," District 211 spokesman Tom Petersen said in an email.
Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which is representing the transgender student in the District 211 case, said he does not believe the ruling should apply locally.
"All that the injunction does is it says they cannot use the (federal) guidance going forward to compel any school district to grant bathroom or locker-room use," he said. "None of that will affect either the agreement that District 211 made back in December with the federal government or ... in any meaningful way the litigation, which has been ongoing for months."
Yohnka added that Illinois' Human Rights Act, which added gender identity as a protected class in 2006, provides transgender students an added layer of legal protection and is not affected by the order.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the parents and students suing District 211, welcomed the Texas ruling. Attorney Matt Sharp said he was reviewing the decision to ascertain "the positive impact this order has" for the District 211 case, as well as on cases the religious legal advocacy group is litigating in North Carolina and Ohio.
"The Obama administration cannot unilaterally disregard and redefine federal law to accomplish its political agenda of forcing girls to share locker rooms and showers with boys," Sharp said.
Citing Title IX, the federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools, the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice in May issued guidance to school districts on the treatment and inclusion of transgender students.
With federal guidance at odds with some court decisions, a number of school districts have reached out to the Illinois Association of School Boards, said Ben Schwarm, deputy executive director.
"I think right now there isn't complete clarity on this because it's been so fluid," Schwarm said. "It changes week to week or month to month sometimes. I don't know if there is that bright line right now. What we're saying is every district should be working on that culture within their school buildings for all students so there's acceptance and fairness."
Schwarm said he doesn't think Sunday's ruling will trigger a universal change in Illinois — at least not for now.
As for those districts who are looking for advice on fashioning a general transgender policy for their students, Schwarm recommends that school officials lean heavily on their local school attorneys.
"The bottom line is you have to call your district's legal counsel," he said.
The Chicago-based law firm Franczek Radelet represents close to 100 school districts, including District 211, said attorney Jennifer Smith, who said she could not speak to the pending case in District 211.
"There are many schools that have transgender students that don't have issues and are trying to be proactive," Smith said. "We tell them to work with families. Just like other students, needs are not the same for every transgender student, and it's important to really understand what the child needs to be supported in the school."
Sunday's ruling appears to be one more in a long list of opinions on the still-evolving issue, Smith said.
"I think everyone understands that this isn't the last word on it," she said.
Given the sensitive nature of the cases, courts appear loath to make quick decisions. The families suing District 211 had hoped a judge would halt the transgender student from using the facilities of their gender identity while the lawsuit made it way though court, but a federal judge last week held off on issuing a ruling.
As the U.S. Supreme Court contemplates whether to hear the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student in Virginia, the high court ruled earlier this month that the school board can temporarily block Grimm from using the boys' bathroom.
deldeib@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @deldeib | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-transgender-student-lawsuit-texas-ruling-met-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/1d7c833068a8e95e8b2924d8e75b1ff03c5b8e6d2eb73004386bcf9804f40f1e.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Des Bieler"
] | 2016-08-30T16:49:02 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fct-nfl-coaches-colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c589c6/turbine/ct-nfl-coaches-colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-20160830 | en | null | What NFL coaches are saying about the Colin Kaepernick controversy | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Is it any surprise that, amid all the hullabaloo over Colin Kaepernick's refusal to stand during the national anthem and his subsequent comments, Bill Belichick didn't have much to say about it? "Not here to talk about political commentary, ideology and all that," the notoriously taciturn Patriots coach said Monday (via CSN New England).
However, with the 49ers' quarterback's stance turning into a national issue debated well beyond the sports world, just about every NFL coach has been asked about it recently, and most were willing to offer an opinion. Naturally, San Francisco's own Chip Kelly was immediately pressed for comment, and he said on Saturday (via the San Jose Mercury News), "We recognize his right to do that. It's not my right to tell him not to do something. That's his right as a citizen."
In contrast to Kelly, two head coaches averred that they would be "disappointed" if one of their players sat down while "The Star-Spangled Banner" was being performed. "The way we operate for the national anthem, we consider it a small gesture to those who served and sacrificed their lives for our country and for us to play and coach in this great game," Ben McAdoo of the Giants said (via NJ.com). "Part of that is the freedom of speech and we certainly respect that. We talked to our guys about keeping empathy in mind when they do lead and they do use this league as a platform. I'd be disappointed if one our guys chose not to stand. It's their choice. It's not mandatory, but we feel it's important."
"I would be disappointed if any of our players didn't stand up for the national anthem, personally," the Buccaneers' Dirk Koetter said (via Pewter Report). "I look at that as a salute to the people who have paved the way for us. But at the same time it is a free country and I think freedom of speech is something we all believe in, and freedom of expression. That's an individual's choice. That's a fine line there. I would personally be disappointed, but I think that would be hard to enforce that rule."
Several coaches implied that it was their respective teams' policies to have players stand for the anthem. "[We have a] ton of respect for what goes on for our country with [military personnel]," the Redskins' Jay Gruden said. "For three minutes, for us to take our helmet off and stand up and give respect is how we treat it here with the Washington Redskins."
"I think that's an opportunity right there just to show respect, and I think that's why when you see our team, every one of us are on that line and that's kind of our way of giving thanks," the Bills' Rex Ryan, said. He added, "Anytime I talk to my team about that, if there's personal beliefs or whatever that keep you from doing it, I understand. But at the same time, you know, you've got to look at the gifts that we have, the opportunity that we have to play a great game is through the men and women that serve our country."
According to Jack Del Rio of the Raiders (via CSN Bay Area), "Our organization believes that you should pay respect to the flag. Save those individual decisions to express yourself for an individual form. That's how we feel."
He added, "The best way to look it is that, in America, we as individuals all have freedoms. That's one of the things that makes our country great. We may not always like or appreciate that someone is expressing themselves. For us, it's more about recognizing that you're part of an organization and you're representing it."
Del Rio also made his feelings known on social media, re-tweeting a Raiders player's post of an American flag, with the word "Respect," and adding his own sentiments.
The Rams' Jeff Fisher had already made his feelings clear in a recent episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks," which is chronicling his team's training camp. "This is important to me," Fisher was shown telling his players. "It's a respect thing, okay? It's a self-respect thing. It's a respect for your teammates. It's a respect for this game. It's a respect for this country . . . It's an opportunity to realize how lucky you are and what you're doing."
On Monday, Fisher claimed (via ESPN) that he would be "very, very surprised" if a Los Angeles player emulated Kaepernick. "I think our respect for the national anthem has been very, very well-documented, and we're going to continue to have respect for the national anthem," Fisher, in his fifth season with the Rams and his 22nd overall as an NFL head coach, said. "I'm not being critical of 'Kap,' he has every right to do that, but we have an organizational philosophy that has been in place for a long time with respect to the anthem."
Other NFL head coaches said that they preferred for their players to stand for the anthem - with some making it clear that they strongly preferred that to be the case - but that they respected a decision to do otherwise or at least the freedom to make that choice. Here is a sampling of those comments. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/ct-nfl-coaches-colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c09df4b1d517212482feb721ac1173fec53cc95f0469579e9b1b6e622a506134.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Elvia Malagon",
"Peter Nickeas"
] | 2016-08-29T18:49:09 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-1-person-wounded-in-south-shore-shooting-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c46404/turbine/ct-1-person-wounded-in-south-shore-shooting-20160829 | en | null | 3 wounded in South Side shootings | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Three people were wounded in daytime shootings Monday on the city's South Side, according to police.
The most recent shooting, about noon, left two people wounded in the 5600 block of South Morgan Street. They were both taken to Stroger Hospital but additional details about the shooting weren't immediately available.
A 21-year-old was wounded Monday morning in a shooting in the city's South Shore neighborhood, police said.The shooting happened at 10:26 a.m. in the 7800 block of South Essex Avenue, said Officer Laura Amezaga, a spokeswoman for Chicago police. The man was shot in the left leg, Amezaga said.
Someone stepped from a gray car and fired toward the man before fleeing, police said. No one was in custody. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-1-person-wounded-in-south-shore-shooting-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7ac60fb0c19b49be67fb9d027e10cdcb11bf87469470831a47b36c6dd541f34b.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Amy Lavalley"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:47 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-porter-animal-shelter-st-0825-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf716b/turbine/ct-ptb-porter-animal-shelter-st-0825-20160825 | en | null | Construction prep starts on new Porter County animal shelter | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | While an official groundbreaking for the new Porter County animal shelter may have been postponed last week because of weather, that hasn't stopped work at the site.
A construction trailer arrived at the site earlier this week, and Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, said Thursday that erosion fencing was going up and workers will likely start digging a retention pond Monday.
The new shelter, on county-owned land at 3554 Indiana 49 between the Porter County sheriff's department and the Expo Center, is expected to open its doors June 1.
"We started a week or so late, but they plan to be ahead before the foundation gets in," she said, adding that the erosion fencing and retention pond are necessary before the shelter, being built by Larson-Danielson Construction Co. of LaPorte, gets a building permit.
The new 15,000-square-foot facility will replace the one at 2056 Heavilin Road. County officials have long said the current building is outdated and too small for the number of animals it handles.
The estimated cost of the shelter is $3.25 million, with $2.25 million coming out of the proceeds from the 2007 sale of the county hospital. Another $1 million for the project is coming from private donor Jacki Stutzman, Blaney's aunt.
A groundbreaking scheduled for Aug. 19 with county and shelter officials was postponed because of weather and wet conditions, and it has been rescheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 9.
Work at the site is moving forward, however.
"We are not slowing the project down for a photo op," Blaney said. "Everything is in place. There is no indication of other delays."
Officials are meeting weekly to discuss color options and other details, Blaney said, adding the only thing that could slow the project down now is the weather.
"It's exciting. It's going to be a beautiful building, and the animals are going to be so much happier," she said, adding a community room for cats, dividers between the dogs' cages and other measures will cut down on the amount of stress for the animals and keep them healthier as well. "Everything is rolling along."
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-porter-animal-shelter-st-0825-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5f4a92d0f9379432217104c3f68ec67492fd413e6529beea1ce1bd64354c4487.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Josh Noel"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:07 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fdining%2Fdrink%2Fct-bourbon-county-infected-beers-tasting-food-0831-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c072af/turbine/ct-bourbon-county-infected-beers-tasting-food-0831-20160826 | en | null | 4 Bourbon County beers are infected, but are they bad? We take a taste | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Call it "off flavors."
Call it "infected."
Call it "flavors that are not consistent with our expectation of how these beers should taste" — which is how Goose Island Beer Co. put it.
No matter the language, there's a lot of funky Bourbon County beer out there.
For those who have been asleep under a light-beer rock, here's the back story: Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, Goose Island releases its family of Bourbon County beers to a line of beer drinkers (and collectors and traders) that runs hundreds deep. Those beers, a collection of imperial stouts and one barleywine, are some of the most heralded and sought after in the world.
However, in 2015, four of the six Bourbon County releases developed unexpected sourness due to a sneaky bacteria strain called Lactobacillus acetotolerans. Goose Island offered refunds for those four beers: all bottles of Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout and Bourbon County Brand Barleywine, and bottles of Bourbon County Brand Stout and Proprietor's Bourbon County Brand Stout with specific time stamps.
Goose Island has been fairly proactive in making things right with customers, offering refunds for those beers through the mail, phone and online. It even threw in T-shirts.
However, the brewery didn't demand that bottles be returned, which gets back to the initial point: there's a lot of funky Bourbon County beer out there.
And that led to a question: What does it taste like? Some beers get an addition of lactobacillus precisely for the sour character it imparts. Could it be that the Bourbon County beers have actually fared well, despite the "flavors that are not consistent with our expectation of how these beers should taste"? With the 2016 releases expected to be announced soon, it seemed like a good time to try them.
That's when I reached out to Jon Larson.
Jon, who is 33 and lives in Logan Square, is a prolific Tweeter and even more prolific beer collector. He claims 67 bottles of various Bourbon County beers dating to 2009. After Goose Island announced its second round of refunds, in mid-July, Jon tweeted a photo that showed all the infected Bourbon County beer in his cellar. It was a lot. So much that he's received $362 in refunds from Goose Island.
I asked Jon if he would join me in a tasting of each infected beer, and drink with an open mind. Though the beers wouldn't taste as they should, we wondered: Was there any value to them? Answering that question would be our agenda.
On a Monday afternoon, Jon came downtown with all four beers, and we popped them open. Here were our conclusions, in the order we drank them:
Bourbon County Brand Stout
The original Bourbon County beer, first brewed at Goose Island's Clybourn Avenue brewpub in the 1990s, is the beer with the largest footprint and greatest production. Nine bottling dates — Oct. 9, Oct. 12, Oct. 21, Oct. 22, Oct. 23, Oct. 26, Oct. 30, Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 — were recalled, though the brewery hasn't said how much of the total production was tainted.
The bottle Jon brought in, dated Oct. 22, immediately smelled off but certainly not bad. Goose has released a couple of Bourbon County stouts with berries added, and that's how this bottle smelled: like a chocolate covered raspberry. So far, so good.
The beer carried that berry-chocolate motif upfront — quite nice! — but then faded away, replaced by an oddly dry and musty finish.
Jon pointed out that the vanilla aspect of the beer, which is one of its most essential characteristics, was completely lost. What remained was a tart, dry and fruity imperial stout that hid its 14.3 percent alcohol quite well due to the dryness. Simply pouring this beer down the drain would be a waste. A better bet might be blending it at home with a readily available bourbon barrel-aged stout, like New Holland's Dragon's Milk, to shave off the musty edges.
If you have a bottle of this, get it cold and drink it soon. There's still value here.
Proprietor's
"It's not great, but I don't hate this either," Jon said.
Agreed. And it was my favorite of the four.
The original version of Proprietor's in 2015 was a bit of a sweet mess. While this bottle was clearly off from what was intended, it was off in an interesting sort of way: grapey, with a tart sweetness replacing a cloying sweetness. Maple, which was a key ingredient in the original recipe, is completely gone, and Jon and I wondered if the bacteria (which lactobacillus is, don't forget) ate those sugars. What's left is an odd amalgamation of peppery-tart sweetness.
Neither of us needed more than a few ounces, but believe it: The infected Proprietor's, which was bottled Sept. 18, is worth tasting.
Coffee Stout
After a long whiff, I wondered whether this bottle might not be infected after all. It smelled a touch peppery, but the nose was thick and heavy with all sorts of wonderful sensations.
"It smells like leather and coffee," Jon said. "Like wet leather. And tobacco."
Yes!
And then we sipped.
No!
"It tastes terrible," Jon said.
It was so bad that it's difficult to come up with clever words to explain what filled our glasses. But I'll try. It's like metallic pepper spent a year at the bottom of a garbage can in a sweaty gym sock and ... well, just don't drink it. However, a full bottle of Bourbon County Coffee makes for an outstanding paperweight.
Barleywine
Without the big, roasty body of a stout, the effect of lactobacillus might be clearest in this English-style barleywine.
Tartness.
It was a factor in all four beers but was particularly pronounced in a beer that should be anything but tart. When done well — as the 2013 and 2014 releases of Bourbon County Barleywine were — an English-style barleywine should be a long, sweet and decadent ride, especially after aging in a bourbon barrel.
This version actually started OK on the palate, as though it might come off as a well-executed sour beer. But then it lurched into a few unfortunate directions: astringent, and something like a burnt rubber band.
"This might be the first sour barleywine," Jon said.
Hopefully, it's also the last.
The most interesting thing about drinking this beer was wrestling with whether it or the Coffee was worse. After long, careful deliberation, I settled on the Coffee. And then I drank some water.
jbnoel@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @joshbnoel
Caption Rick Bayless shows us how he makes the striped bass at Lena Brava Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Rick Bayless shows how the striped bass at new restaurant Lena Brava is made. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) Caption Anthony Bourdain: 'I love the food in Chicago, high and low' Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune) Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain visited Chicago Dec. 1 to speak at an event for single malt Scotch whiskey The Balvenie, as part of a new partnership with the brand. Here, he talks to the Tribune about his favorite Chicago bars and restaurants, if he'd ever open something here, and how "any opportunity to come to Chicago is a good one." (Roger Morales/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago's best beers for summer sipping. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/drink/ct-bourbon-county-infected-beers-tasting-food-0831-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5ba17b1fc6f0dbeedb79e224198484e3acb1433d90a6aad4dadad6a8f50dbe91.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-29T04:48:25 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-cubs-jon-lester-longs-for-longer-outings-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c399b3/turbine/ct-cubs-jon-lester-longs-for-longer-outings-20160828 | en | null | Cubs' Jon Lester longs for longer outings | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Jon Lester threw six scoreless innings Sunday but felt a sense of emptiness.
That’s because he was lifted for a pinch-hitter because of the Chicago Cubs’ need for offense that didn’t surface at key moments in a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I would have liked to have the seventh inning,” Lester said after allowing three singles and striking out six. “When you don’t go seven, it’s not a full outing.”
Lester recognized his spot was coming up in the seventh and that he was likely to get lifted despite throwing 98 pitches. Lester was allowed to start the seventh in his last start Monday at San Diego when he threw 100 pitches before he was pulled.
Meanwhile, Lester, who won two World Series titles with the Red Sox in 2007 and 2013, downplayed the significance of the series with the Dodgers.
“It’s always nice to play in front of big crowds,” Lester said. “Everyone here has been in playoff situations now. We don’t have to prep for anything anymore. These are situations guys are used to.”
Lester also scoffed at any suggestion the Dodgers may be overlooked.
“They’re in first place,” Lester said. “I don’t see why they’re overlooked.
“Being a part of West Coast baseball for a couple months, I think really everything on the West coast gets overlooked with the time difference and a lot other factors going on.
“They’re a good team. They were a good team in June (when they lost three of four to the Cubs). They play solid baseball, so any time you’re in first place above the Giants in this division, you’re doing something very good.” | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-jon-lester-longs-for-longer-outings-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e0b4391092ce1115551a07d5c7ae574e94f8c8023659e794bc85db4b632c97f8.json |
[
"Tribune Content Agency",
"Nancy Black"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:38 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fsns-201607191600--tms--hscopebctnzz-a20160826-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | LINDA C. BLACK HOROSCOPES for 8/26/16 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Today's Birthday (08/26/16). Making money comes easier over the next two years. Invest for your family's future. Disciplined efforts at home pay off. Step into the spotlight this autumn. One door closes as another opens in a partnership. Adopt a new view next spring, leading to flowering romance. Support each other.
To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Stick close to home today and tomorrow. Harmony requires effort; don't rely on others now. Forgive misunderstandings. Get into household projects. Discard extreme ideas and compromise for peace.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Write your story over the next two days. Allow extra time for unexpected distractions. Study and practice your craft. New methods slow you down, at first. Business interferes with romance.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Don't gamble with the rent money. More income is possible today and tomorrow. Stick to your budget and profit. Postpone expansion. Unforeseen expenses could arise. Set aside funds.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Take time for yourself today and tomorrow. Don't provoke jealousies; enjoy private indulgences. Someone who wants quick action may disturb your tranquility. Help them see the big picture. Schedule peace.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Retire into your cave today and tomorrow. It's not a good time to gamble. False hopes shatter. Sensitivities abound. There could be disappointment. Talk is cheap. Slow for reflection.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Friends are a big help today and tomorrow. Release a preconception. Avoid traffic and expense. Reconsider a favorite belief. Misunderstandings are likely. Keep your patience and humor.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Plan for two days in the spotlight. Don't get cocky or caustic; others can get triggered, wasting time and goodwill. Avoid confrontation or controversy. Postpone travel. Don't flash your money around.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- The next two days are good for expanding your territory. Enjoy an adventurous phase. Postpone meetings and proceed with caution. Conditions are unsettled. Practice restraint. Stay in communication.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- A lack of funds threatens your plans today and tomorrow. Handle finances. Restraint serves you well. There's a possible conflict with a loved one. Show patience and compassion.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Today and tomorrow favor negotiations and compromise. You don't need to control every step of the process. A partner may do things differently. Stay objective, prioritize family and adapt.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 6 -- Take it easy today and tomorrow, despite your busy schedule. Balance activity and stimulation with peaceful moments. It's not a good time to discuss relationship issues. Don't rock the boat.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 5 -- Focus on what's best for your heart today and tomorrow. Confrontation sparks without kindling. Listen more than you speak. Ignore gossip and trash talk. Acknowledge participation. Give appreciation. Relax.
(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black's legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today's Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)
(c)2016 bY NANCY BLACK. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sns-201607191600--tms--hscopebctnzz-a20160826-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/76000da2ae8800a5439fb08cf4d4396b1d98c2c564448e22ffe066135e04ad8e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Lee V. Gaines"
] | 2016-08-26T13:16:04 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fct-mgc-electrical-aggregation-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bc6194/turbine/ct-mgc-electrical-aggregation-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | As rates increase, Morton Grove drops electricity program voters approved in 2012 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Morton Grove is pulling the plug on its electricity aggregation program next month.
The move means the village, which started an electricity aggregation program after voters approved a referendum in 2012, now will switch back to ComEd for certain electricity service after cutting ties with the company and switching to an aggregate supplier for its program.
Illinois law allows municipalities to negotiate for the purchase of electricity for its residents and small businesses via an aggregation program.
Before the local referendum that established the program was approved, ComED electricity rates were significantly higher than what the village could get for residents via aggregation, said village administrator Ralph Czerwinski.
After the village instituted its aggregation program, residents and other eligible subscribers saw a combined savings of over $1.8 million a year, which translates to nearly $250 a household in Morton Grove, he said
Now, however, the rates offered by ComEd "are the same or less than what we can buy from aggregation companies," Czerwinski said.
"There is no reason to continue this," he said. "We are opting to make a smart move for our residents to not use aggregation because the rate was found to be higher."
The most recent ComEd rates are cheaper per kilowatt hour than what the village can get on the aggregate market, Czerwinski said.
Residents affected by the switch should receive a notice this month from ComEd informing them that their service will be switched to the state's largest electricity supplier in September. No action is required on the part of the residents, Czerwinski said.
The Village of Lincolnwood made a similar switch two years ago, according to a press release from the municipality. According to the release, Lincolnwood was one of the first Chicago area suburbs to institute an aggregation program in 2010 and were able to achieve a savings of 30 percent over the rates offered by ComEd.
In September 2014, Lincolnwood officials also switched back to ComEd because the company provided the lowest rate offered, according to the release.
It's likely Niles also could follow suit and switch back to ComEd, once the village's contract with IDT Energy runs out at the end of May 2017, said village manager Steve Vinezeano.
Niles voters approved a referendum allowing the village to solicit bids from electricity suppliers on behalf of residents and small business in April 2013.
The village inked a two-year contract with IDT Energy in April 2015. The company offered a fixed-rate lower than what ComEd was charging at the time, according to village documents.
"We don't plan on renewing it because there's no more value left in it," Vinezeano said of the village's aggregation program.
He said the village will switch back to ComEd next June "unless something happens between then and now" that would make the aggregate alternative a more financially appealing choice. He said the village will embark on a campaign to make residents aware of the change when it happens.
Residents can opt of the program any time and switch back to ComEd or another supplier with no penalties, Vinezeano said.
Residents always have the option to select a supplier of their choice, but Vinezeano said they should be aware of "shady" companies who may encourage them to sign on to long-term contracts for their electricity supply. He said some of these solicitors will offer contracts containing baked in fees, variable rates and penalties.
A Morton Grove press release also warns residents to "beware of door-to-door solicitors, or direct calls or direct mail pieces regarding electric supply."
Morton Grove residents with questions about the suspension of the aggregate program are encouraged to call the municipality's electric aggregate consultant, Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative, at 1-800-727-3820.
Lee Gaines is a freelancer reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-electrical-aggregation-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/8a00568cc35afa431b65d615fda4db6ea1ead63d3e0919df676aefa280405e2f.json |
[
"Craig Giammona",
"Ed Hammond",
"C"
] | 2016-08-30T20:49:10 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-blm-hershey-e7319062-6eca-11e6-993f-73c693a89820-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Hershey's failed deal renews image as a company not for sale | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The latest failed acquisition of Hershey Co. has renewed the chocolate maker's reputation as a company that can't be bought.
After Mondelez International abandoned merger discussions on Monday, Hershey shares suffered their worst decline in almost 14 years and left investors with a familiar taste. For years, Hershey has been the subject of takeover speculation. And for years, deal talks have sputtered and died.
The most recent rejection came after Mondelez proposed sweetening its offer to $115 a share, according to a person familiar with the situation. That was 18 percent higher than the stock's price before deal talks were disclosed in June, but Hershey wanted to start the discussions at $125, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations were private. Turmoil at the Hershey Trust, the nonprofit organization that controls the company, also hampered merger talks.
Hershey, already struggling with shifting consumer tastes and an ill-fated expansion into China, may now have also scared away future suitors.
"We do not believe another bidder is likely to emerge for Hershey," Chris Growe, an analyst at Stifel Financial Corp., said in a report. "We believe Mondelez's challenge in pursuing Hershey will likely dissuade other buyers from attempting a transaction."
Mondelez's initial $107-a-share offer in cash and stock would have valued Hershey at about $23 billion. Hershey's board said on June 30 that it unanimously rejected that bid. Talks continued, but Mondelez said on Monday that it saw "no actionable path forward toward an agreement."
The announcement sent Hershey shares down as low as $98.75 in New York, a 12 percent plunge that erased much of their recent rally. The stock had climbed 25 percent this year through Monday's close, with most of that gain coming when news of Mondelez's approach became public.
Ending the pursuit of Hershey brought some relief to Mondelez investors, who may have been concerned about a takeover battle. Shares of the Deerfield-based company rose as much as 4.8 percent to $44.09 in New York.
Mondelez Chief Executive Officer Irene Rosenfeld, who saw the deal as a chance to create the world's largest candy company, lamented that the two sides couldn't reach an agreement.
"Combining our two iconic American companies would create an industry leader with global scale in snacking and confectionery," she said in Monday's statement. "While we are disappointed in this outcome, we remain disciplined in our approach to creating value, including through acquisitions."
The merger would have given Mondelez a bigger share of the domestic market — a weak spot for the maker of Oreos and Triscuits. Hershey generated almost 90 percent of its revenue in North America last year, with the majority of that coming from selling chocolate in the U.S. Mondelez, meanwhile, has suffered from currency fluctuations and slowing overseas economies.
"The strategic fit with Mondelez was pretty compelling," Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Ken Shea said. "Not a lot of other companies can do that kind of combination."
Hershey owns the Cadbury license in the U.S., while Mondelez sells the candy in the rest of the world. Unifying that brand was considered part of the rationale for the merger.
But when Hershey snubbed the $107-a-share bid in June, it said that the offer "provided no basis for further discussion between Mondelez and the company." Though Mondelez was willing to raise the price by $8 a share, Hershey demanded at least $125, said the person with knowledge of the matter. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on the negotiations.
Then there's the Hershey Trust. The $12 billion charity organization is in flux, with many of its directors headed for the exits. Hershey didn't want to even consider a transaction with Mondelez until the charity's board is reconstituted next year, another person familiar with the situation said.
The trust, which runs Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co., controls about 81 percent of the chocolate company's voting shares. It also operates the Milton Hershey School, which educates underprivileged children. After facing accusations of lavish spending in recent years, the charity reached a deal in July with the Pennsylvania attorney general to reform its management practices. That agreement called for three board members to retire by the end of the year, with two more stepping down by end of 2017.
The trust has scuttled takeovers in the past. Nestle and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. both made offers to buy the company in 2002 before being rebuffed. The trust also has stood between Hershey and a deal with Cadbury, which was ultimately acquired by Kraft Foods.
Another wrinkle: The Pennsylvania attorney general has the right to review a deal to acquire Hershey. That's because the trust is legally obligated to continue financing the Milton Hershey School. Because the organization is supported by profits from the chocolate company, the state can try to stop a sale if it determines that school funding is threatened.
To entice Hershey and its stakeholders, Mondelez offered some unusual concessions with its bid. The suitor pledged to keep the combined company in Hershey, Penn., and retain the Hershey name, according to the Journal. With the trust's recent upheaval, Mondelez may have felt like it picked the right time to pounce. It wasn't.
Mondelez "misread the situation," Pablo Zuanic, an analyst at Susquehanna International Group, said in a report. "In hindsight to us, it looks poorly planned." | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-hershey-e7319062-6eca-11e6-993f-73c693a89820-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5e0bfbe74db08709aa1533bb0efb6e72d1745740102f2818a8e6f24d17cdbb88.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-29T02:48:28 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-cubs-ben-zobrist-on-late-throw-20160828-premiumvideo.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c3885c/turbine/ct-cubs-ben-zobrist-on-late-throw-20160828 | en | null | Cubs' Ben Zobrist on late throw: 'The responsibility falls on me' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Cubs' Ben Zobrist on late throw: 'The responsibility falls on me'
Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist claims responsibility for Javier Baez's late throw to second base during Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Dodgers on Aug. 28, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-ben-zobrist-on-late-throw-20160828-premiumvideo.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/12f58848a339032585e278325562e73ad5c76e980695088f94881c4d78b4b3b3.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Paul Skrbina"
] | 2016-08-30T20:49:16 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrested-players-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5cfe3/turbine/ct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrested-players-20160830 | en | null | Brian Kelly: Notre Dame planning as if 4 players arrested will be available for opener | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | If left up to Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, four of the six Notre Dame players arrested in separate incidents the weekend of Aug. 19 will be available to play Sunday in the season opener at Texas.
Linebacker Te’von Coney, running back Dexter Williams, cornerback Ashton White and receiver Kevin Stepherson were formally charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana Monday in Fulton County. Coney and Stepherson pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday.
Safety Max Redfield was kicked off the team Aug. 21 and entered not guilty pleas Tuesday to misdemeanor charges of possession of a handgun without a license and possession of marijuana.
The five were arrested following a traffic stop on the night of Aug. 19.
“It was the handgun that was the game-changer,” Kelly said of the decision to dismiss Redfield from the team. “That changed the whole situation.”
When asked why the other four players charged with marijuana possession weren’t suspended, Kelly said he has never handed down such punishment for a first offense under such circumstances. He also said the school’s office of community standards still could levy punishment, including suspension, against any or all of the players arrested.
Kelly called the school’s drug-testing policy “very rigorous” and said the first offense for such behavior should be something from which to learn. He also said the four players arrested on the marijuana charges will be subject to random drug testing.
“There needs to be an educational component in that end,” Kelly said, adding that it won’t be punitive if the players learn from their mistake.
Kelly said there is no timetable for when the office of community standards might issue any punishment, if it does at all.
Cornerback Devin Butler remains indefinitely suspended pending two felony charges stemming from his arrest early the morning of Aug. 20, during which Butler was charged with resisting law enforcement and battery of an officer.
Police allege Butler tackled and punched a police officer during an altercation outside a South Bend, Ind., bar. He pleaded not guilty to both charges last week.
Butler broke his left foot for the second time in six months in June. He isn’t expected to be ready to play until October. Two women who said they witnessed Butler’s arrest disputed the police’s account.
Last week, Kelly said he was disappointed, embarrassed and “mad as hell” upon hearing of the arrests.
pskrbina@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ChiTribSkrbina | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-brian-kelly-notre-dame-arrested-players-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9aebdadcc00149ce7c498cb98ed0d49563cb003998b4efe477c5fde1f3e96474.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Pat Lenhoff"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:50 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmundelein%2Fnews%2Fct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0825-20160819-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b733a5/turbine/ct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0825-20160819 | en | null | Lenhoff: New school year starts with some new ideas | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Schools have opened their doors for another year of academic rigor and as the new year gets underway, there are some interesting things to ponder. So, with a nod to singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran (unless the copyright infringement lawsuit against him holds up in court), let's do some thinking out loud.
We begin with the unveiling of Mundelein High School's new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) wing, which opened to great fanfare when school began Aug. 9. Photos show an enticing, college-like facility, which was a goal for the design and construction team. Both students and teachers seemed enthusiastic about everything the three-story building addition offers.
As a decorating and design junkie myself, I feel that the ambience of buildings and residences play a larger role in our lives than simply showcasing whether we like blue or yellow. Our surroundings can inspire, or depress. They can invite hospitality warmly, or silently warn "hands off." The same is true for commercial buildings, including schools, and I think MHS hit a home run with this addition. It looks great and so far the high school community feels it works great. That's a superb way to start.
Over at Hawthorn District 73, the issue of overcrowding has once again popped up, as it has been off and on ever since my young family moved here in 1979. There are quite a few more school buildings now than there were in those early days. The historic original building, once located at Aspen Drive and Route 60, is long gone, leaving only its amazing WPA murals behind, discovered as the building's use was winding down.
With all those newer buildings, crowding has not been as big of an issue, but this year the district sanctioned two portable classroom units. They continue to monitor the enrollment flux and consider possible options for continued overcrowding. As we've discussed here before, this often tricky assessment involves anticipation and planning for the future without overextending toward something that is not guaranteed to happen. Like most things, moderation is likely the key.
Or, you could consider doing what Crain's Chicago Business reported last summer, a recent phenomenon termed "unschooled." It's like being home schooled but with no schedule, no routine, no exams and no set curriculum. I think it's what Alice Cooper probably had in mind when he wrote his famous song, "School's Out For Summer."
According to the report, hundreds of families in the Chicago area are unschooled, instead following a "curiosity-led learning" program, which some proponents say is a superior learning method for the small percentage of students who are "having their wings clipped at school".
Instead, unschoolers learn from following cooking recipes if that's their interest, or playing instruments they choose for as long as they choose. It's definitely an alternative learning vehicle and prompted a letter to the editor that began: "I want to thank Crain's for giving me my biggest laugh of the month!"
Obviously not yet a mainstream education model, but likely one many children would love.
Pat Lenhoff is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.
viewfromvh@yahoo.com | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/mundelein/news/ct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0825-20160819-story.html | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/bad29440f30c228319fcaf68db427689f034db4e9ea9a4769af265a282317e12.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ruth Ann Krause"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:51 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fcrime%2Fct-ptb-jeri-woods-delay-st-0826-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c00d50/turbine/ct-ptb-jeri-woods-delay-st-0826-20160826 | en | null | Plea agreement delays murder trial | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The trial for a woman charged along with six others in the killings of teenaged brothers last year has been postponed.
Jeri Woods' attorney, Jamise Perkins, told Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell that a recent development – the agreement of Woods' stepson, David Johnson V, 20, to cooperate with prosecutors against his co-defendants – was part of the reason she was seeking to postpone the trial. It had been set to begin Sept. 26, but has been reset to start Jan. 30.
Perkins said that while she was aware that Johnson had intended to submit a plea agreement and outline what his testimony would be in a proffer letter, there also is the issue of discovery.
"To say that it's voluminous is putting it mildly," Perkins said of the number of documents, statements and surveillance videos that have been turned over by prosecutors.
"There's also one other proffer that has been taken, but I don't know if it's been reduced to writing," Perkins said. "My client is anxious to have her day in court. She is adamant in her innocence of these charges."
Responding to a question by the judge, Robert Persin, a trial supervisor in the prosecutor's office, said there was another proffer and it was possible another co-defendant would submit a plea agreement.
Last week, Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping, punishable by three to 16 years in prison. Attorneys will argue an appropriate sentence.
Woods, Johnson, and five others have been charged with murder, murder in perpetration of kidnapping and kidnapping in the June 26, 2015, killings of Arreon Lackey, 18, and his brother, Antonio Lackey, 16, of Gary.
Woods is identified in court records as the shooter.
Also charged are Kiontay Cason, 22; Aarion Greenwood, 19; Michelle Hughes, 27; David Johnson IV, 38, and his father, David Johnson III, 63. They have pleaded not guilty.
Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/crime/ct-ptb-jeri-woods-delay-st-0826-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2d708ea8b868eeec2d41e970cafc0b96a218d66bf67040f12aaad4826a7452bd.json |
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