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[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Joseph Hernandez"
] | 2016-08-26T18:50:53 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fdining%2Fdrink%2Fct-agua-fresca-recipe-where-to-drink-chicago-bars-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c07597/turbine/ct-agua-fresca-recipe-where-to-drink-chicago-bars | en | null | Agua fresca, refreshing and easy to make at home, takes off in Chicago | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | 'Agua fresca.” Even saying it conjures visions of sandy vistas, straw hats blocking out tropical sun, and technicolor Collins glasses sweating beads of condensation.
The name is translated as “fresh water,” but the drink is so much more than simple H20. The basic formula: Use water as your base and add pureed fruit, sugar and a hit of citrus. It's a forgiving recipe and always a refreshing one.
Typical aguas frescas feature melon, a no-brainer for its high water content and sweetness. But where’s the fun in typical? Below, find a couple of more exciting recipes — still easy to make and also easily upgraded with a nip or two of booze, if you’re feeling it.
And if you'd rather leave the mixing to the pros, you're in luck. Chicago bartenders are all over the agua fresca this summer, making interesting takes with celery, lemongrass and more. Scroll down for a full list of where to drink.
Pineapple, grapefruit and cilantro agua fresca
Inspired by pineapple as a substitute for melon, I created this bright and tropical agua fresca, and it's now one of my favorites to make — it's sweet but not too sugary, the pineapple balanced by herbaceous cilantro and zingy grapefruit. Add 2 ounces of your favorite tequila blanca to your glass to net yourself a spritely Paloma-like cocktail.
Makes: 1 quart (about 4 drinks)
1 whole pineapple, cored and sliced into chunks
Leaves from 5 stalks of cilantro (about ½ cup)
Juice of one grapefruit
4 cups water
Agave nectar, to taste
In a blender, combine all ingredients except agave and pulse until well-blended. With a fine mesh strainer (or strainer lined with cheese cloth), strain mixture into a pitcher or punch bowl. (Blending and straining can be done in two batches.) While I find the juice pleasantly balanced in sweetness, taste the agua fresca, and add agave if you want it a little sweeter. Pour over ice.
Cucumber-celery agua fresca
Cucumber and celery also boast high water content, making them ideal candidates for agua fresca. This recipe, created by The Vig beverage director Kim Hrejsa, can easily morph into an alcoholic punch for a party. Hrejsa suggests adding 12 ounces of gin and 8 ounces of elderflower liqueur to each batch: “You’ll thank me!” 527 N. Wells St., 312-982-2186, www.thevigchicago.com
Makes: 1 quart (about 4 drinks)
½ pound cucumber, peel on
½ pound celery
½ cup agave
1 cup packed mint leaves
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 cups water
Add all ingredients to blender; blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher or punch bowl, pushing down on mix to extract every last bit of liquid. Add ice and stir.
Agua fresca around town
These Chicago spots play with the straightforward agua fresca formula to develop some must-try versions.
Watermelon Basil Daisy at Wyler Road This Logan Square sandwich spot and bar has brought back its popular Watermelon Basil Daisy, available on draft until mid-September. Watermelon, lime and mint are mixed with high-quailty Pierre Ferrand dry orange curacao and tequila. It's a low-key drink for low-key weekends. 3581 W. Belden Ave., 773-661-0675, www.wylerroad.com
Ruxbin celery agua fresca Ximena Larkin Flowers and lemon cucumber from Ruxbin's rooftop garden add bright floral aromas to this herbaceous reimagining of the agua fresca. Flowers and lemon cucumber from Ruxbin's rooftop garden add bright floral aromas to this herbaceous reimagining of the agua fresca. (Ximena Larkin) (Ximena Larkin)
Celery Citrus Agua Fresca at Ruxbin Sourcing ingredients from its rooftop garden, Ruxbin bartenders improvise agua fresca based on what’s fresh that day. It always starts with celery and a blend of lemon and limes; from there, rooftop-grown herbs and flowers add aromatic notes to a nonalcoholic, slightly vegetal sipper that evokes the height of the season. Because Ruxbin is BYO, adding a splash of something-something wouldn’t be uncalled for. 851 N. Ashland Ave., 312-624-8509, www.ruxbinchicago.com
The Last Hoorah at CH Distillery After collaborating over the summer at Green City Market BBQ, Nomad Food Company and CH Distillery came together on this agua fresca to mark the end of the season — Nomad developed the recipe, and CH put it on the menu. The drink features white nectarine puree as the fresh base, while CH’s Key Gin (made with Key limes, white pepper and lavender) and lemongrass contribute citrusy zing. Honey from Ellis Farm rounds things out with its soft sweetness. 564 W. Randolph St., 312-707-8780, www.chdistillery.com
Melon Farm Cocktail at JW Marriott Chef Michael Reich’s end-of-summer menu takes advantage of the season’s fleeting flavors, and this cocktail is no exception. Two of summer’s iconic fruits (watermelon and peach) make their way into this refreshing sipper, which sees watermelon and lemon juices shaken with Lillet Rose, Tanqueray 10 and a soft peach liqueur. 151 W. Adams St., 312-660-8200
Daily aguas frescas at Cruz Blanca Rick Bayless’s West Loop taco temple offers rotating selections of agua fresca, with recent flavors including the Jamaica (a blend of hibiscus tea and lemongrass), cucumber-lime-mint and yellow watermelon-lemon. Wanna live a little? Turn your fresca into a shandy with one of Cruz Blanca’s house-brewed beers, like the Smoke Alley, the taqueria’s signature dry-hopped, smoke wheat ale. 904 W. Randolph St., 312-733-1975, www.rickbayless.com
Summer Breeze Cooler at Nosh and Booze At this West Loop pop-up, beverage director Jon Ruiz’s drink list is rife with low-key cocktails meant for whiling away an afternoon over snacks and good conversation. The Summer Breeze Cooler, as easygoing as its name implies, is a straightforward mix of cucumber water and Broker's gin, with lime, mint and lemon adding some lift. 838 W. Randolph St., 312-733-6090, www.noshingaround.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/drink/ct-agua-fresca-recipe-where-to-drink-chicago-bars-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e4670888efb84da445edcc17aa8cba15058ddaabe52df8b58d9fca7862535c74.json |
[
"Tribune Content Agency",
"Nancy Black"
] | 2016-08-31T12:48:58 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fsns-201607191600--tms--hscopebctnzz-a20160831-20160831-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 8/31/16 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Today's Birthday (08/31/16). Begin a profitable two-year phase. Renovate your space to adapt to domestic changes. Disciplined actions get results. Personal growth and development this autumn comes before partnership changes. Consider the past and make future plans next spring, leading to the transformation of a romantic relationship. Prioritize 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 6 -- The pace quickens. Take on more work over the next two days. Sort through feelings as they arise. You can solve the puzzle. Someone brings home a surprise.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- The next two days are reserved for fun. Romance blossoms, if encouraged. Forgive miscommunications and tardiness. Unexpected good news pre-empts the programming. Imaginative tactics get attention.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Fix up your place today and tomorrow. Your home and family require more attention. Set long-range goals. Show extra patience for someone who is stuck. Keep your objective in mind.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Your focus is on communications today and tomorrow. With Mercury's recent retrograde, it could seem like your messages get restricted or blocked. Give it extra time. Study the situation.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Keep the pedal to the metal and cash flows in today and tomorrow. You're planning changes for the better. Start your shopping list. Make a surprising connection.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Stand up for a cause dear to your heart. Personal motivation flourishes over the next two days. Rally others to join. You're sensitive to what's missing.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Reflect on the road ahead and already traveled over the next two days. Schedule actions for later. Make plans and revise strategies now. Find practical, cost-effective solutions.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Enjoy meetings and events. Group projects go well today and tomorrow. Friends help out. Someone has a stroke of genius, although part may get lost in translation.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Work takes priority for the next few days. An opportunity could benefit your career. Practice makes perfect. Do your best job and share the results. It's gaining attention.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Explore your neighborhood over the next few days. Investigate and research an area of academic interest. Taste new flavors and discover hidden jewels in your own backyard.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Changes necessitate budget revisions today and tomorrow. Get into a planning phase over the next few weeks. Be a strategist, rather than impulsive. Join forces with another for funding.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Travel plans may need to be tweaked. You and a partner can stir things up over the next couple of days. A familiar face is a welcome surprise.
(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-a20160831-20160831-story.html | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d019843b4409d57dc7233cb25086be2c01e8598d7713e645228405fb4ff2d7bd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:51 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fvernon-hills%2Fnews%2Fct-vhr-jewish-chabad-of-vernon-hills-tl-0804-20160801-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-579fa47c/turbine/ct-vhr-jewish-chabad-of-vernon-hills-tl-0804-20160801 | en | null | Vernon Hills Chabad reaches milestone with new home | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Rabbi Shimon Susskind said Chabad-Lubavitch, a Jewish organization based in Brooklyn, N.Y., sent him to Vernon Hills to create a sense of community among Jews of all levels of faith.
Six years later, Susskind's Chabad Jewish Center of Vernon Hills has grown enough to rent its first building. Village documents show the Chabad will rent 8,000 square feet in the former J.L. Oil office buildings at 204 Route 45.
Village trustees on July 19 reviewed notes from an earlier zoning hearing and are set to formally approved a permit during their Aug. 9 board meeting. Documents show the building is short four parking spaces, but Mayor Roger Byrne told Susskind to use the village hall parking lot if needed.
Previously, Susskind said the group met either at his house or a nearby Montessori's basement when it was available, and for larger gatherings he'd rent from the Doubletree by Hilton in Mundelein.
"We are an outreach organization that reaches out to Jews unconditionally, which means even if they're affiliated elsewhere or not affiliated at all, our doors are still open," Susskind said. "It's not membership based, it's program based. We focus on being all inclusive and nonjudgmental. My goal is to help people with Judaism in whatever way they want."
Vernon Hills was chosen because a lot of people were already going to Chabads in Gurnee and Northbrook, Susskind said. Furthermore, he said early research showed Vernon Hills is home to a sizable Jewish population.
A handful of the Chabad's members toured the Vernon Hills building on July 26, reminiscing on their time and contributions to the organization.
Aside from having a large prayer room, Susskind said several of the building's rooms will be used for weekend Hebrew school and adult education sessions on weekday evenings.
Susskind said 68 children participated in Hebrew school last year, which involves children age five to 13. He said more than 33 teens were involved in the C-Teen club that meets once a month.
"Our adult classes involve contemporary topics in connection to Judaism," Susskind said. "My goal is to make Judaism relevant. The Torah was written over three-and-a-half thousand years ago, and we're still trying to live by it. As a rabbi I try to show how the Torah and its lessons apply in 2016."
Adults sometimes lose touch after their children complete a bar or bat mitzvah, Susskind said. The weekday classes will help some reconnect with their roots while others can explore deeper, he said.
Daniel Turney of Libertyville said those lessons have influenced him greatly.
"All the questions that were never answered where I belonged before, for 25-plus years at a conservative synagogue, have been answered or addressed here," Turney said.
The ability to share those lessons and relate to others is a big appeal to Ross and Andrea Haim, who lived in Vernon Hills until recently moving to Kildeer.
"We have a meal together after each service," Ross Haim said. "That's where we can all chat and mingle, and build a sense of commonality and community, which you wouldn't get from just sitting next to someone at a service."
Teri Goldberg of Buffalo Grove said she likes how that sense of community extends beyond the gatherings.
"The rabbi and his wife are much more accessible than those in other temples," Goldberg said. "Maybe it's because those places are bigger or their goals are different, I don't know, but Rabbi Susskind and his wife have been to all of our houses and that's helped my family to become much closer to this group and our own faith."
Focusing on faith is sometimes difficult in today's climate, Turney said.
"Some places say you can't go to the high holidays unless you've paid your dues," Turney said. "Here, the high holidays are what's important, not money. We give because we want to support it, not because we have to."
Susskind confirmed the lack of a fee structure, saying money can push people away. He said people pay what they can or donate certain skills, like some members who have carpentry skills and are helping to renovate the new building instead of hiring a contractor.
Ultimately, Susskind said people are what matter. Although he does a lot of networking to offer his services, Susskind said there is no pressure and no competition.
"There are plenty of Jews to go around. I am not looking to take anyone from their temple or talk negatively about a temple," Susskind said. "I even have board members from neighboring temples that comes to some of my classes. We are what people need us to be."
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/vernon-hills/news/ct-vhr-jewish-chabad-of-vernon-hills-tl-0804-20160801-story.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/db0ca5fd939fbb61cdd77821ff646c7798667e60b5e974953dd10b8f50694040.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Hal Dardick",
"Bill Ruthhart",
"John Byrne"
] | 2016-08-31T00:49:00 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-met-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c60cd7/turbine/ct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-met-0831-20160830 | en | null | Emanuel releases blueprint for Police Department oversight | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday released his long-in-the-works blueprint to replace the agency that probes police misconduct and to create an inspector general with the power to investigate the Police Department.
He's pushing to get the proposal passed through the City Council in two weeks, as the U.S. Justice Department continues its civil rights investigation into the Chicago Police Department's use of force following the emergence of the Laquan McDonald police shooting controversy last November.
The mayor's overhaul of police oversight calls for disbanding the much-maligned Independent Police Review Authority and replacing it with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability — or COPA. Unlike its predecessor, the new agency would have more power to investigate alleged police misconduct.
In addition, Emanuel wants to beef up Police Department oversight with the new post of police inspector general — a position that would be selected by and report to the city inspector general, who is appointed by the mayor. Details of Emanuel plan have trickled out for weeks, but the late Tuesday afternoon posting of the drafted ordinance made his office's work on the matter official.
And while Emanuel has pushed for the City Council to pass the measure at its Sept. 14 meeting, he indicated Tuesday that he may be willing to acquiesce to calls from some aldermen who have indicated they more time to weigh the issue before a final vote.
"We have had a long but good process to get to this product, and I think it's fair to say even people who are not normally complimentary of my work acknowledge that the product is good, a good foundation, their voices have been heard," Emanuel said Tuesday after an event to mark the opening of a new CTA bus station near Union Station. "I do not want to do anything that would violate that trust."
The mayor's latest plan is part of his ongoing effort to revamp the city's police accountability system, which fell under a harsh national spotlight after a Cook County judge ordered Emanuel to release a police video that showed the fatal shooting of black teen McDonald as he walked away from officers while holding a knife. Officer Jason Van Dyke wasn't charged with murder for shooting the teenager 16 times until hours before Emanuel released the video, leading to widespread accusations of a City Hall coverup, weeks of street protests and calls for the mayor's resignation.
Both the new oversight agency and Police Department watchdog were recommendations made by the Police Accountability Task Force Emanuel appointed to come up with reforms in the wake of the McDonald shooting video release. But the proposal Emanuel revealed Tuesday does not include another key element recommended by his task force: the establishment of a citizen board that would select the person who will run the police oversight agency.
That citizen board is critical to establishing more trust between cops and the communities they serve, say police accountability advocates who have pushed for far more input on the makeup of that board and who will appoint the members. Aldermen briefed by Emanuel's aides said the mayor has delayed action on that piece of the plan, citing the demand of critics for more public input.
Emanuel would not answer specific questions Tuesday about the proposed community police oversight board — including whether the mayor's office would get to appoint a majority of the members — except to say work will continue.
"You're way ahead," Emanuel said. "A lot of people thought that was too big of an issue and wanted to have hearings later. So we decided as it relates to the inspector general and the independent civilian body as it relates to investigations, should move forward. And that doesn't mean we don't continue to work on the other issue."
As for COPA, Emanuel and aldermen have conveyed a sense or urgency in setting up the new agency, given that some of IPRA's current staff has been departing because of the city's uncertain future on police oversight. IPRA Chief Administrator Sharon Fairley told aldermen last week that her agency could have trouble keeping up with cases because of those departures.
Emanuel appointed Fairley to run IPRA after he fired her predecessor in the wake of the McDonald controversy and amid outrage that the agency had drawn no conclusions on the case despite having more than a year to investigate it. Fairley likely would serve as head of COPA — at least until the new citizen board is put in place, aldermen have said.
In pushing for approval of his plan next month, Emanuel said he is trying to balance the concerns of the community and aldermen about ample time for review against the eroding staffing situation at IPRA.
"I want to be conscious of that equity against the equity that both the community, the public as a whole, and the police officers and the staff over at the accountability offices have certainty about their future, because they are losing staff who are not sure about that future," Emanuel said. "And those are the people you're going to rely on to do the investigations."
Still, Emanuel made it clear that he's willing to back off his September timeline in the name of building trust with skeptics.
"If people need more time, I'm not going to let the process destroy the product. Not 'destroy,' but somehow hamper," Emanuel said. "There's been a lot that's gone into this. If people need a few more weeks to look at it so they feel comfortable, they feel like they've discussed it with their constituents, that's not going to be a stumbling block."
Under the mayor's plan, COPA would not only investigate shootings by cops, but also use of Tasers. And the agency's authority to probe misconduct would be expanded to include alleged Fourth Amendment violations, such as illegal searches and seizures, and alleged psychological coercion and intimidation of witnesses and suspects — all of which now fall under the purview of the Police Department's bureau of internal affairs and not the civilian-run agency.
Other proposed changes include:
*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 six months later. Some IPRA cases have gone unreported for years, the Tribune has reported.
*The agency also could not hire former Chicago cops or Cook County prosecutors unless it has been five years since they left those jobs. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-police-accountability-met-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e037d3edec003b837ae1a40ff0442e17ab6557a735d04a7f6332e8f1d80b203a.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Sarah Freishtat"
] | 2016-08-30T20:49:23 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Faurora-beacon-news%2Fcrime%2Fct-abn-school-bus-arrest-st-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5ec4f/turbine/ct-abn-school-bus-arrest-st-0831-20160830 | en | null | Montgomery 12-year-old charged with stealing bus from church, driving to Naperville | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A 12-year-old Montgomery boy has been accused of stealing a school bus from an Oswego church and driving it into Naperville.
The boy, whose identity has not been made public because he is a minor, was charged as a juvenile with theft of a motor vehicle, according to a report from the Kendall County Sheriff's Office.
According to deputies, the bus – which Naperville police said was a full-sized, blue and white school bus – was taken from Valley Baptist Church in Oswego Thursday.
Naperville police stopped the bus near 95th Street and Book Road around 6 p.m. Thursday, Naperville Police Cmdr. Jason Arres said. Police had received a complaint and had been on the lookout for the bus, he said.
The boy was released to his parents, according to Kendall County deputies.
sfreishtat@tribpub.com
Twitter @srfreish | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/crime/ct-abn-school-bus-arrest-st-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e89324b619648d270a89a82c52d51e08102fa371244783540c5688fd154fa0c6.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Karie Angell Luc"
] | 2016-08-29T16:51:54 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fct-mgc-d67-5k-tl-0901-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c464a6/turbine/ct-mgc-d67-5k-tl-0901-20160829 | en | null | First-ever 'D67 Dash' supports Golf School District 67 students | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Approximately 165 people participated in the first-ever "D67 Dash," a 5K event for runners and walkers hosted Aug. 28 by the Golf School District 67 Foundation at Frank Hren Discovery Park in Morton Grove.
"I like helping our school because it will give the school more money to buy equipment to help make our school better," said Molly Mehr, 10, a fifth grader at Golf Middle School.
Shortly before the 5K began around 9 a.m. behind Golf Middle School in Morton Grove, the Sunday wether reached the middle 70s with humidity for the runners and walkers.
Approximately 20 volunteers assisted participants throughout the event. The first-ever event was dependent on volunteers to make it a success, said District 67 Superintendent Beth Flores, who lives in nearby Lincolnwood.
"It really takes a village," Flores said. "We had a lot of great volunteers who made this happen."
Volunteers Jen Mehr, of Niles, and Noel Sucherman, of Morton Grove, helped map out the 5K course before the event started. Mehr is a parent in the district, and Sucherman works as a teacher assistant at Hynes Elementary in Morton Grove.
"We walked it to make sure the distance was safe and scenic," Mehr said.
The amount raised during the event was estimated at $4,500, ending just shy of the $5,000 fundraising goal. All proceeds benefit District 67 students, said foundation president Caitlin Reichert.
Funds will be used for teachers' wish-list items, such as technological equipment, library books and faculty foundation grants, organizers said.
D67 Dash Karie Angell Luc / Karie Angell Luc Abby Mehr, left, 13, of Niles; Noel Sucherman, of Morton Grove; Jen Mehr, of Niles; and Molly Mehr, 10, of Niles, all organize the check-in table before the first "D67 Dash" at Frank Hren Discovery Park in Morton Grove. Abby Mehr, left, 13, of Niles; Noel Sucherman, of Morton Grove; Jen Mehr, of Niles; and Molly Mehr, 10, of Niles, all organize the check-in table before the first "D67 Dash" at Frank Hren Discovery Park in Morton Grove. (Karie Angell Luc / Karie Angell Luc) (Karie Angell Luc / Karie Angell Luc)
Inflatables and activity tables also were included for participants after the 5K course.
"This was a huge success," said Reichert, a 2009 Niles North High School graduate. "We started (planning) last May, and this is a huge way to help students' overall well being."
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance photographer and reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-d67-5k-tl-0901-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/08509e20c73ee9278920f9517acee897dafbade98a0f8d4be310c77a16d1d016.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ronnie Wachter"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:30 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fbuffalo-grove%2Fnews%2Fct-bgc-honor-flight-tl-0818-20160815-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b9bc37/turbine/ct-bgc-honor-flight-tl-0818-20160815 | en | null | Wedding anniversary, family reunion coincide with Honor Flight for Long Grove man | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A lot of crowds have been clamoring to see Francis Wolowic in the past few days.
Last week, his five sons and five daughters, plus their own children, came back to Long Grove to help him and his wife, Lorraine, celebrate their 65th anniversary. And on Sunday, the man friends know as Frank took part in the welcome-home ceremony at the end of an Honor Flight for veterans of the Korean War, to and from the memorials in Washington, D.C.
"That was one of the most wonderful things," Wolowic said of the brief tour. "They treated us like royalty. A lot of shaking hands."
Wolowic, now 87, said he joined the Army in 1949 at age 18, and fought in Korea for a little more than 11 months. He retired from the military in 1951, he said.
On Saturday and Sunday, Wolowic and 20 other veterans of Korea flew from Milwaukee to the nation's capitol and back on a trip made possible by Lake County Honor Flight. After returning Sunday afternoon, the group held a celebration at Naval Station Great Lakes.
Honor Flight volunteer Maggie Powell served as Wolowic's guardian for the trip. She joined the group in 2010, and has since been part of trips by bus and plane.
"My family has a strong history of being in the military," Powell said, adding that volunteering for Honor Flight was a way for her to take part in that.
When Wolowic came back from the war, his first order of business was to marry Lorraine. They moved to Long Grove in 1953, and he built their ranch home in the Towner subdivision.
When they ended up with 10 children, Wolowic ended up making a few additions.
"It was a little crowded at times," he said with a chuckle.
He said he worked as the general foreman of machining at Frank G. Hough Co. in Libertyville, where his crews built front-end loaders. He was 47 when International Harvester Co. bought Hough.
Wolowic went to work for Vernon Township after that, and he retired at 60.
rwachter@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/buffalo-grove/news/ct-bgc-honor-flight-tl-0818-20160815-story.html | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/47c8a42f359cecda34eb3035670d41c9d415cf4c4330bb7fa0aaf22e6e2dc47e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-29T04:48:23 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-report-cubs-dodgers-spt-0829-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c3a2fa/turbine/ct-report-cubs-dodgers-spt-0829-20160828 | en | null | Lack of communication costs Cubs in loss to Dodgers | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | After two eighth-inning miscues Sunday led to the Cubs' second consecutive loss to the Dodgers, some players were sweating profusely in their onesie outfits before departing Dodger Stadium.
With a 14-game lead in the National League Central, the Cubs aren't in jeopardy of losing a playoff spot or feeling despondent after finishing their road trip with five wins in nine games.
But there are a few things they need to shore up following a 1-0 loss that overshadowed exceptional pitching by Jon Lester and resurgent hitting by Jason Heyward.
A throwing error by reliever Trevor Cahill and a miscommunication between third baseman Javier Baez and second baseman Ben Zobrist allowed the winning run to score.
"Any time you're upset with a winning trip, then you're really losing sight," manager Joe Maddon said. "I'm pleased with everything we did. They were tough losses, but I promise you we'll show up (Monday night). And even for our team picture."
The Cubs can afford to take a peek at how some of their relievers — such as Justin Grimm and Carl Edwards Jr. — perform in key spots with the luxury of a large lead.
There is a balance between repairing a few small cracks and competing against playoff-caliber teams, which will continue during the Cubs' seven-game homestand against the Pirates and Giants.
Photos from the game at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016.
That was evident in the eighth, particularly when Baez didn't realize Zobrist was positioned in a defensive shift on the grass in shallow right field with slow-footed Adrian Gonzalez at the plate with the bases loaded and two out.
Gonzalez hit a grounder to the left of Baez, who fielded and threw to second, where Zobrist arrived just too late to get the force play on Corey Seager. The miscue enabled Andrew Toles to score the winning run.
"I completely forget about who was running down the line," Baez said. "We weren't holding at first base with the bases loaded. (Seager) has a huge lead. But at the moment I was going back with the ground ball, and I saw Zo going full speed to the bag, so I decided to go to second and (Seager) beat the throw."
Said Zobrist: "I feel like the responsibility falls on me, being the veteran. I need to communicate where I'm at ahead of time, and I didn't do it."
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) 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) See more videos
Baez is in the midst of a 1-for-17 slump and didn't run to first on a pop to third that he thought was foul, according to Maddon.
"He's got a lot of support here," Maddon said. "He'll be fine."
The Dodgers' rotation is expected to be enhanced immensely by the return of ace Clayton Kershaw next month. Maddon praised their well-worked but effective bullpen.
"For right now, they're been utilized a lot. I don't know how that's going to hold up. But they're good. I've been there before with the 2002 Angels, who relied on their bullpen to win the whole thing.
"They got that kind of group. That's why they were able to beat us those two games."
mgonzales@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MDGonzales | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-report-cubs-dodgers-spt-0829-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/53dd81672c57d3b7923b6cfe30ae961bc5c93e45c1ca6af40c130c2e3ee80b3f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:57 | null | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-pokemon-go-tl-0811-20160808-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57a8e0f9/turbine/ct-lwr-pokemon-go-tl-0811-20160808 | en | null | Lincolnwood library, businesses try to capitalize on Pokemon Go trend | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The cultural phenomenon that is Pokemon Go has caught on in Lincolnwood, where gamers can head to the mall, the park or public library to satisfy their desire to conquer the world of Pokemon.
The trend, which is a mobile game that challenges players to collect "PokeBalls" and travel to public places to find Pokemon, works by inserting animated creatures into a player's geographical location. The game turns a player's surroundings into a fantasy world using real-time location data and smartphone cameras.
The game has delighted 13-year-old Sameer Kajani, who frequents a "PokeStop" — a place where digital Pokemon and Pokeballs can be found — at Lincolnwood Public Library when he goes out hunting for points.
With an armful of books in tow on one recent Thursday afternoon, the Lincoln Hall student admitted to visiting the library a lot more often this summer since he started playing the game.
"This is the 'PokeStop' closest to my house, so I come here a lot to play," Kajani said. "Since it's interactive, it's much better than regular video games where you sit around on the couch all day."
As a registered "PokeStop," the library has embraced the Pokemon trend by offering plenty of Pokemon-themed books, games, and movies for checkout to cater to the stream of adoring gamers who wander in search of PokeBalls throughout the week.
Youth and Teen Services Librarian Emily Fardoux reorganized a section of the library to appeal to gamers with a special Pokemon-only section of materials available to be checked out. She also made bookmarks that relate to the game.
She and other library staffers have heard from visitors who have said they haven't been to the library in years until they were drawn back in by Pokemon Go. Those customers have since renewed library cards and checked out numerous materials because they were reminded of what the library can offer them, Fardoux said.
"The bookmarks and book suggestions have been a hit — as have the little 'PokeBalls' we have taped around the library marking different spots Pokemon have been caught," she said.
Across town at Lincolnwood Town Center, Pokemon gamers typically head to the upper level Kohl's wing of the mall, where players can find and catch Pokemon near the main entrance of the department store.
The mall's marketing manager, Genelle Iocca, said the mall hasn't yet attracted a huge number of Pokemon gamers. But some retailers have started selling Pokemon Go merchandise to cater to the few fans that trickle in daily, she said.
"It's not huge here to the point where it's become crazy with people walking around bumping into each other, but we see groups of people coming in here to play it daily," Iocca said.
Because the game promotes at least a moderate level of exercise by encouraging players to keep moving, Iocca said the game falls in line with Lincolnwood Town Center's policy to promote physical activity. The mall usually opens two hours before shops do, so people have a place to walk indoors.
"We welcome people who want to come in and walk anytime," Iocca said. "I'd imagine if the game stays popular we'll get more players coming in when the weather gets cold."
Because Pokemon Go is known to drain phone batteries, gamers who head to Lincolnwood Town Center can enjoy the perk of free smartphone chargers, located on the lower level near the center of the mall.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-pokemon-go-tl-0811-20160808-story.html | en | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/97ed1cfdf1ad73c300517b8b2dae8ebf0a9a1a7ea2a85970ac6b0afe772a2d86.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Nara Schoenberg"
] | 2016-08-29T14:48:35 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fsc-zoo-animals-eat-natural-family-0906-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c43bc9/turbine/sc-zoo-animals-eat-natural-family-0906-20160825 | en | null | Brookfield Zoo animals could be eating your tree trimmings | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Have giraffes snacked on the branches of your humble neighborhood mulberry trees? Have black rhinos chewed on their twigs and colobus monkeys plucked their leaves?
If you live in the Chicago area, the answer might well be yes.
On a recent Tuesday morning, giraffes at Brookfield Zoo gingerly approached 12-foot tree limbs, wrapped their tongues around fresh green leaves and guided them into their mouths. A black rhino named Layla chewed on whole branches, her powerful molars cracking wood and grinding leaves. The Nigerian dwarf goats got so excited when they spotted a keeper approaching with their tree limb that they tried to climb straight up a 10-foot wooden gate.
RELATED: TRENDING LIFE & STYLE NEWS THIS HOUR
All of those leafy delicacies came from Chicago-area yards and roadsides, where ComEd trims trees to protect its power lines. Most of the trimmings are ground into mulch, but, for the past six years, Com Ed has been delivering the freshest and sweetest cuttings to Brookfield Zoo.
"This came completely out of the blue," ComEd manager of vegetation management Emily Kramer said of the program, which was proposed by the zoo.
"When we first heard about it, it was like, 'What? What do you want us to do? And can we do it?' And we figured out we can. It was surprising, and it's been a great thing to be able to do."
Brookfield approached ComEd as part of a broader effort to provide animals with diets that more closely resemble what they would eat in the wild. That means deer and goat carcasses for carnivores, sometimes suspended on zip lines, so the animals can give chase. It means fruits and vegetables with less sugar and more fiber for herbivores, and it means trimmings from local willow, mulberry, honey locust and maple trees for animals including gorillas, camels and tapirs.
Tree branches trimmed to protect Chicago-area power lines are donated to the Brookfield Zoo, where they feed animals including giraffes, monkeys and gorillas
The zoo wanted the ComEd branches because they're the closest thing possible to what some herbivores would eat in the wild, said Jennifer Watts, director of nutrition for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo
ComEd has delivered about 53 tons of branches and foliage since the program began in 2011.
"We've seen changes in behavior in terms of (the animals') activity levels; they're more engaged, and they're doing natural behaviors that they normally wouldn't be able to do like manipulating the branches," Watts said.
"The gorillas and orangutans will peel the bark off the branches and eat the bark. One of the great things we've seen — especially for our rhinos — is improved dental health."
The tree trimmings come from within a 25-mile radius of the zoo. ComEd provides the trimmings for free, supporting what Smithsonian National Zoological Park senior nutritionist Mike Maslanka said is probably one of the larger branch-feeding programs in the nation. Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo feeds its animals tree trimmings from the zoo grounds and from an on-campus garden growing mulberry, willow and aspen.
The processed animal feeds that many zoos embraced in the 1990s met a real need, zoo nutritionists say. Before that, some improvised whole-food diets led to problems such as calcium deficiencies in carnivores that were eating slabs of meat with the bones removed.
But the processed feeds had their drawbacks. Some animals developed dental problems and digestive issues, and many missed out on the exercise and enrichment of, say, gathering leaves or tearing apart a carcass.
Now, in an effort to achieve the best of both worlds, zoos are adding whole, unprocessed foods in nutrition-conscious ways.
"We are seeing an increase" in that approach, said Maslanka. "Several big zoos have kicked it into high gear in the last few years."
On a hot morning at Brookfield, senior zookeeper Dara Kelly dragged branches the size of small trees across the giraffes' enclosure and hoisted them into elevated stands so the giraffes could have a more natural eating experience.
"They plow through (the leaves) within an hour or two," Kelly said, branch in hand. "It's a lot of work, but they really love it, so here we go."
The giraffes approached the branches warily, ate a few bites, then dug into their feast, ripping off a dozen leaves at a time.
Fifteen minutes later, a black rhino named Layla took a whole branch into her mouth, slobbering liberally. A black rhino can chew through a branch that's half an inch thick, Watts said. "They have really big molars."
While an orangutan named Kekasih used her long, slender fingers to gently guide the leaves to her mouth, her mother, Sophia, took a more active approach. She swung on a branch strung up for naturalistic eating, caught another branch and swung back, looking her keepers right in the eye as if to say, "What are you going to do about it?"
For her next trick, Sophia tore down the branches and hurled them one by one into the moat.
Called upon to comment, associate curator of primates Craig Demitros said, "That's Sophia. She has a complex personality; we'll put it that way."
The Nigerian dwarf goats were lazing about in the hot sun, accepting pats from eager children, when they suddenly raised their heads and trotted energetically toward a back gate marked "staff only."
"Where are the goats going?" a little boy cried.
The gate opened, and senior zookeeper Joe Gusic emerged, holding a 15-foot mulberry branch upright so that the leaves extended high above his head in a fountain of foliage. Thirty goats swarmed around his legs, bleating excitedly, as they followed him to the quiet corner where he set down his treasure.
Within 20 minutes, a third of the leafy branches were stripped bare, and the goats had set to work on the bark.
"There won't be a single leaf left by the end of the day," Gusic said.
nschoenberg@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @nschoenberg
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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/sc-zoo-animals-eat-natural-family-0906-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d543c6a5dc911e38bc18a4297d0d5882610b5e4a0b264635930ec7c696e2bfac.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Lee V. Gaines"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:51 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-bike-safetyfair-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Skokie's Community Bicycle Safety Fair aims to attract cyclists of all ages | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Skokie's Public Safety Commission is reinventing an annual cycling tradition in the hopes of attracting bicyclists of all ages to the new event, according to the village's director of marketing and communications, Ann Tennes.
The Community Bicycle Safety Fair — formerly known as the Bicycle Rodeo — is slated to take place Aug. 28 during the village's Backlot Bash weekend. It will be held 10 a.m. to noon in the north parking lot at Oakton Community College, 7701 N. Lincoln Ave., adjacent to the new Skokie Valley Trail.
The event, which is sponsored by Skokie's Public Safety Commission, will include bike safety demonstrations by members of the village's police department, bike registration and simple bicycle maintenance instruction from representatives of Al's Cycle Shop. Attendees can also enter to win drawings for $50 gift certificates to the Lincoln Avenue business.
Tennes said the event was previously hosted at the Oakton Community Center and primarily drew small children. She said the commission opted to reinvent the annual tradition with the goal of encouraging cyclists of all ages to attend and to encourage participants to bike the 1 1/2-year-old, multi-use Skokie Valley Trail, which runs from Howard Street north to Dempster Street. Attendees are also urged to take part in the village's Backlot Bash celebration.
"The purpose of the event is to promote cycling and bicycle safety, and the shift is to encourage people to utilize the Skokie Valley trail and to appeal to cyclists of all ages," Tennes said.
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-bike-safetyfair-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b92f9fb8551800798f48761d0135b75bf1ec7010be240a3e664cde1ebd4f531f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Grace Wong"
] | 2016-08-31T00:48:58 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-venetian-night-boat-parade-canceled-met-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c61cde/turbine/ct-venetian-night-boat-parade-canceled-met-20160830 | en | null | Venetian Night boat parade canceled, fireworks still planned | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | This year's Venetian Night boat parade has been canceled because of a lack of participants but a fireworks show will still be held, according to a Navy Pier official.
The fireworks display has been renamed "Fall for Fireworks," and the event is planned for Sept. 10, Navy Pier officials said Tuesday.
The Venetian Night boat parade, started by the Chicago Yachting Association more than 50 years ago and partnered with Navy Pier since 2013, was an aquatic parade with decorated boats.
Jon Kaplan, Navy Pier spokesman, said in previous years, the parade had been held in June or July. But this year, plans for the parade were pushed back to September because of centennial events. Kaplan suspected that because of this change, fewer people signed up, and the minimum participation of 20 boats was not met. Officials said they may resume the parade next year if there's more interest.
"I think September is a little more of a challenge for some of the boat owners to do because some of them are seasonal and some of them leave and put their boats in dry dock, so it's just harder to do," Kaplan said. "Any other summer we would have probably done it in July, but this has been the busiest and most important year in the Pier's history and there were just so many things going on that we couldn't fit it in."
Venetian Night boat parade Chicago Tribune King Neptune was part of the Venetian Night festivities in Chicago in 1971. The boat parade has been canceled this year because organizers couldn't round up enough participants. King Neptune was part of the Venetian Night festivities in Chicago in 1971. The boat parade has been canceled this year because organizers couldn't round up enough participants. (Chicago Tribune)
Other kinds of entertainment at Navy Pier are being planned to accompany the fireworks display, Kaplan said.
"We want to explore ways of perhaps doing something next year and working with the yacht club again," Kaplan said. "This year unfortunately, there won't be a parade, but we're trying to have a great fireworks show and a nice evening nonetheless, and we hope that people come and enjoy that."
The event has been canceled before because of weather, Kaplan said. In 2009, the event, sponsored by the city of Chicago at the time, was canceled as a result of cost-cutting measures, the Tribune reported.
From watching "Star Wars" under the stars to Kids Fringe Festival to a Taste of Polinia, there are plenty of family things to do before the kids go back to school.
Jerry Thomas, president of the Chicago Maritime Museum, said he was shocked about the decision to cancel this year's event, calling it an "end of an era."
"It's one of the things that got people down to the lakefront," he said. "I'll put my oar in and say this is a bad thing, canceling it. I think that's very sad."
The Chicago Yachting Association could not be immediately reached for comment.
gwong@chicagotribune.com Twitter @GraceWong630 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-venetian-night-boat-parade-canceled-met-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/413606ba4ad5dc59d5fae961316287bc952f85b16360171bdd9b0462e99a1730.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Carrie Napoleon"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:03 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-lake-911-new-director-st-0825-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf6507/turbine/ct-ptb-lake-911-new-director-st-0825-20160825 | en | null | New 911 director has training plan for Lake dispatchers | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Lake County's new E911 director said he understands dispatchers and the agencies they serve are having some issues with the system and he plans to aggressively take steps to address those problems.
Mark Swiderski Jr., addressed the Lake County Public Safety Communications Commission Thursday for the first time. His official start date is Sept. 6.
"I live in the community. I have a vested interested to make sure it works," Swiderski said.
Swiderski, of Crown Point, said he is preparing a strategic plan for addressing concerns and increasing training and will present it to the board once it is complete. The plan will include a timeline for completion of his goals.
He is working with the department's Geographic Information Services coordinator and Lake County Surveyor Bill Emerson's office to identify addresses that do not come up properly when a 911 call comes in. Emerson, who attended the meeting, said he has been working with the department since it came online to identify address discrepancies and will continue to do so.
Swiderski said he also plans to work with Spillman Technologies, which provides software used by center, to address issues with slow calls. He said the Indiana Data and Communications System, the E911 center and Spillman should all interface without issues.
"We are going to review the training process," Swiderski said.
He said he plans to have the county's center join the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International and implement training so all dispatchers have at least basic telecommunications certificate. The certification requires an additional 40 hours of training.
Lingering problems with VHF communication among firefighters and emergency responders, particularly in north Lake County and along the state line remains an issue, Lake County Commissioner Mike Repay, D-3rd, said. Repay, the board's chairman, said he plans to personally talk to Motorola Solutions.
The company had promised its system would provide better VHF radio communication than previously existed, including the ability to communicate inside buildings. To date, first responders still are having difficulty receiving communications via radio outdoors as well as indoors.
"We need to ask why they didn't provide us with what they were supposed to provide us with," Repay said.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-lake-911-new-director-st-0825-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e3c6563e580cd40abeb6c359c9a149882a26b30bc0d5a6125638ccd69eb4e769.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-29T20:48:47 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fct-gene-wilder-dead-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c48e28/turbine/ct-gene-wilder-dead-20160829 | en | null | Actor Gene Wilder, star of 'Willy Wonka,' dies at 83 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in "The Producers" and the deranged animator of "Young Frankenstein," has died. He was 83.
Wilder's nephew said Monday that the actor and writer died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement that Wilder was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, but kept the condition private so as not to disappoint fans.
"He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world," Walker-Pearlman said.
Wilder started his acting career on the stage, but millions knew him from his work in the movies, especially his collaborations with Mel Brooks on "The Producers," ''Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein." The last film — with Wilder playing a California-born descendant of the mad scientist, insisting that his name is pronounced "Frahn-ken-SHTEEN" — was co-written by Brooks and Wilder.
"One of the truly great talents of our time," Mel Brooks tweeted. "He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship."
With his unkempt hair and big, buggy eyes, Wilder was a master at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only a madman such as Brooks could devise, whether reviving a monster in "Young Frankenstein" or bilking Broadway in "The Producers." Brooks would call him "God's perfect prey, the victim in all of us."
But he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozy gunslinger in "Blazing Saddles" or the charming candy man in the children's favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." His craziest role: the therapist having an affair with a sheep in Woody Allen's "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex."
Gene Wilder - The Waco Kid Gene Wilder used to be called "The Waco Kid." (Clip from Mel Brooks' 1974 film "Blazing Saddles.") Gene Wilder used to be called "The Waco Kid." (Clip from Mel Brooks' 1974 film "Blazing Saddles.") See more videos
He was close friends with Richard Pryor and their contrasting personas — Wilder uptight, Pryor loose — were ideal for comedy. They co-starred in four films: "Silver Streak," ''Stir Crazy," ''See No Evil, Hear No Evil" and "Another You." And they created several memorable scenes, particularly when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to "act black" as they tried to avoid police in "Silver Streak."
In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in Brooks' "The Producers." He played the introverted Leo Bloom, an accountant who discovers the liberating joys of greed and corruption as he and Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) conceive a Broadway flop titled "Springtime For Hitler" and plan to flee with the money raised for the show's production.
Matthew Broderick played Wilder's role in the 2001 Broadway stage revival of the show.
Though they collaborated on film, Wilder and Brooks met through the theater. Wilder was in a play with Brooks' then-future wife, Anne Bancroft, who introduced the pair backstage in 1963.
Wilder, a Milwaukee native, was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1935. His father was a Russian emigre, his mother was of Polish descent. When he was 6, Wilder's mother suffered a heart attack that left her a semi-invalid. He soon began improvising comedy skits to entertain her, the first indication of his future career.
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He started taking acting classes at age 12 and continued performing and taking lesson through college. In 1961, Wilder became a member of Lee Strasberg's prestigious Actor's Studio in Manhattan.
That same year, he made both his off-Broadway and Broadway debuts. He won the Clarence Derwent Award, given to promising newcomers, for the Broadway work in Graham Greene's comedy "The Complaisant Lover."
He used his new name, Gene Wilder, for the off-Broadway and Broadway roles. He lifted the first name from the character Eugene Gant in Thomas Wolfe's "Look Back, Homeward Angel," while the last name was clipped from playwright Thornton Wilder. A key break came when he co-starred with Bancroft in Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage," and met Brooks, her future husband. "I was having trouble with one little section of the play, and he gave me tips on how to act. He said, 'That's a song and dance. He's proselytizing about communism. Just skip over it, sing and dance over it, and get on to the good stuff.' And he was right," Wilder later explained.
Gene Wilder sings "Pure Imagination" Gene Wilder sings "Pure Imagination" from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971) Gene Wilder sings "Pure Imagination" from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971) See more videos
Before starring in "The Producers," he had a small role as the hostage of gangsters in the 1967 classic "Bonnie and Clyde." He peaked in the mid-1970s with the twin Brooks hits "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein."
He went on to write several screenplays and direct several films. In 1982, while making the generally forgettable "Hanky-Panky," he fell in love with co-star Gilda Radner. They were married in 1984, and co-starred in two Wilder-penned films: "The Lady in Red" and "Haunted Honeymoon."
After Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder spent much of his time after promoting cancer research. He opened a support facility for cancer patients called "Gilda's Place." In 1991, he testified before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.
Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991.
Associated Press
MORE ON GENE WILDER:
Mel Brooks calls Gene Wilder a 'great talent,' other celebs react to his death | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-gene-wilder-dead-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/aaebad19c319e580cf9a9d41e9834fc396a231585067018a198307307e71cb38.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Cindy Boren"
] | 2016-08-30T16:49:03 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fsoccer%2Fct-hope-solo-reaction-to-soccer-suspension-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5a10b/turbine/ct-hope-solo-reaction-to-soccer-suspension-20160830 | en | null | Hope Solo's reaction to soccer suspension: '17 ... years and it's over!' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hope Solo reacted the way any elite athlete would to news she had been suspended for six months and her contract terminated by the U.S. Soccer Federation in the wake of calling the Swedish team "a bunch of cowards" after the U.S. women's national team was eliminated from the Rio Olympics.
She cursed. She hugged her husband. She broke down.
This being Solo, the moment on Aug. 24 when she learned the news was recorded by Fullscreen, a company that is making a documentary called "Keeping Score."
"Six-month suspension. No pay. Terminated contract. Effective immediately," Solo said in a hotel conference room as she hugged her husband, former NFL player Jerramy Stevens. "Terminated contract! Not just a suspension!"
Solo was in a room next to where Jill Ellis, the national women's team coach, and Dan Flynn of U.S. Soccer had told her of her suspension/termination.
Stevens asks, "How can they do both?" and she replies, "It's both. Seventeen f---- years and it's over!"
Fullscreen promises to have more footage from the moment in the full episode.
Over the weekend, Solo's pro team, the Seattle Reign, announced that the goalie had been "granted a personal leave" and did not indicate when she might return.
A spokesperson for Solo has not responded to a request for a comment on the Fullscreen clip. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/ct-hope-solo-reaction-to-soccer-suspension-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a4ca641e754def4293c62e21c0e032434e098cc9956ce88c19a92d33fb142cff.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Leonor Vivanco"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:44 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fct-chicago-teacher-rap-video-met-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57be077b/turbine/ct-chicago-teacher-rap-video-met-20160824 | en | null | Teacher welcomes 4th-graders back to school with rap video | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Give the new teacher an A for effort.
Dwayne Reed, who said he is "more excited than nervous" about starting Thursday as a fourth-grade student teacher for the fall semester at Stenson Elementary School in Skokie, made a three-minute rap video to welcome his 24 students and introduce himself.
So long, printed newsletter. Hello, fun music video.
"I didn't want it to be boring and super old school," said Reed, 25. "I wanted to get them jazzed about coming to fourth grade."
In the video, he sings a catchy chorus, "Welcome to the fourth grade. So happy to meet you. Can't wait till I see you. We're gonna have a good time."
He raps about himself as well. "Hello I'm your teacher. My name's Mr. Reed and it's very nice to meet ya. I'm from Chicago. I love eating pizza. I dress to impress but I still rock sneakers. It's my first year of teaching so it's all really exciting. I've got some ideas and I'd really like to try them like making songs to remember what you hear. We'll be learning so much by the end of year," he says in the video, which he filmed at the school with the help of a producer and director.
He posted the video to YouTube and Facebook last weekend and sent links to the parents to show students. The video had nearly 190,000 views on YouTube Wednesday afternoon.
"What I would want to come across is that the person that is going to be leading you this semester is so pumped about serving you," said Reed, who will be paired with another teacher in the classroom. "We can have fun and we can joke and we can be hardworking as well."
Before filming the video, Reed asked the school principal for permission.
"We loved the idea, so we encouraged him," said Sue O'Neil, who has been principal at Stenson for 22 years. "Of course, we had no idea it would take off like this. When we saw it, it was uplifting and creative, and it's a great way to connect with the kids and get them excited about school," she said.
O'Neil said she liked the creative approach Reed took to capture the attention of his students. The staff watched the video Tuesday and applauded, she said.
On Wednesday he got to meet his students and their parents for the first time at a meet-and-greet. "They're the sweetest things," Reed said of his students. "This is like what I've been made to do in life and now I'm finally getting a shot at it."
After he completes his student teaching, he will receive his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Eastern Illinois University. Originally from Chicago Heights, Reed now lives in Skokie.
When he was younger, Reed was indifferent about school.
"I didn't like it and I didn't hate it. I just kind of showed up and I knew it was something I had to do," he said.
But he wants a different experience for his students.
"I want my students to know somebody loves you and is pulling for you. ... I want you to enjoy being in the room as much as I enjoy being with you," he said.
Outside of the classroom, Reed records music for fun with his friends. This video — his first — wasn't without controversy. Reed said the song has a melody he sang often but didn't know how it originated. After seeing the video, his friend said it sounded familiar. Reed said he later realized the tune sounded similar to Michael Jackson's song "Will You Be There." "It was no attempt to copy, steal and riff or anything," he said.
He's not selling the "Welcome to the 4th Grade" song and instead is making it available to download for free.
So how would he grade himself on this project?
A solid B, he said. Next time, he wants to include school staff, students and their families.
lvivanco@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @lvivanco | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-teacher-rap-video-met-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9ca9d53384f54e860effe337c4494aa71fdcee24db830a9897f53e6d34ba98f3.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Jim Newton"
] | 2016-08-26T16:48:57 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flake-county-news-sun%2Fcrime%2Fct-lns-north-chicago-rap-murder-st-0826-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c062a7/turbine/ct-lns-north-chicago-rap-murder-st-0826-20160826 | en | null | Attorneys look to toss statements made to police following rap video slaying | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Anthony Sosa was making a rap video outside a North Chicago apartment complex when he was gunned down last September, authorities said.
Now the lawyer representing the man charged with the murder, 18-year-old Jeremy Maxwell, is asking a judge to throw out statements made to police.
Sosa, 23, of Waukegan, was fatally shot in the head about 4:15 p.m. Sept. 12, 2015, outside the Hervey Village apartments in the 1400 block of Hervey Avenue, according to police and prosecutors. Another man participating in the project was wounded.
Maxwell was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Because his indictment included charges that he personally fired the shot that killed Sosa, he faces a mandatory sentencing range of 45 years to life in prison if convicted at trial, according to prosecutors.
On Thursday, Assistant State's Attorney Robert Money said Maxwell has since been charged with aggravated battery after alleged altercations with corrections officers in Lake County Jail.
Maxwell is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 28, but it is unclear how the request to dismiss the statements made to police will affect the trial date.
Attempts to reach defense attorney Evan Atwood were unsuccessful.
Police and prosecutors have not released a motive for the shooting.
A witness who lives in the apartment complex where the shooting occurred said there was a crowd of men on the street "shooting what looked like a rap video."
He said he heard multiple gunshots outside of his apartment, and that he then saw a man lying on the street with a gunshot wound to the head.
Prosecutors said video from surveillance cameras at the complex captured the shooting, and Maxwell was arrested several days later.
Maxwell's next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 6.
jrnewton@tribpub.com
Twitter @jimnewton5 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/crime/ct-lns-north-chicago-rap-murder-st-0826-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a9c79f776e2bb8006e70770a4c4e38bc84247f4964a3adc4b0b116c0fc777e47.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Pearson"
] | 2016-08-30T22:48:58 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-donald-trump-illinois-fundraiser-met-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5f317/turbine/ct-donald-trump-illinois-fundraiser-met-0831-20160830 | en | null | Trump to appear next month at suburban Chicago fundraiser | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will appear at a big-dollar luncheon fundraiser Sept. 12 in Bolingbrook.
A copy of the fundraiser invitation shows tickets for the event at the Bolingbrook Golf Club ranging from $1,000 per person to $250,000 per couple. The top tickets include "prime seating" a "photo opportunity" and a place at a special "VIP roundtable" even prior to the luncheon, which is co-hosted by the southwest suburb's mayor, Roger Claar.
The event will start at 11:30 a.m. with the special roundtable, followed by a noon luncheon, according to the invitation. Among other hosts are Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Chicago businessman Ronald Gidwitz, who is a finance chair of the Trump Victory effort.
Proceeds go to Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee that benefits the presidential campaign, the RNC, and 11 state Republican Party operations. Illinois is not among them.
The Bolingbrook event comes after Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, last week canceled a scheduled Chicago fundraising dinner for the Republican presidential ticket and the RNC.
rap30@aol.com
Twitter @rap30 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-donald-trump-illinois-fundraiser-met-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d4990e82f601f8fa3a4a2c5c885c1f24c269de94c50235771891b7ebe70f85ef.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Bill Ruthhart"
] | 2016-08-27T12:48:04 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-rahm-emanuel-fleet-and-facility-management-met-0828-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0b3ec/turbine/ct-rahm-emanuel-fleet-and-facility-management-met-0828-20160827 | en | null | Emanuel to move maintenance garage to Englewood, sell Goose Island site | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to sell a prime piece of property near Goose Island to try to spur development in an economically depressed South Side neighborhood by relocating the city's largest maintenance garage to Englewood.
Under the plan, the Chicago Department of Fleet and Facility Management's headquarters would move from an 18-acre site along the North Branch of the Chicago River on Throop Street to a similarly-sized parcel that served as the old Kennedy-King College campus at Marquette Road and South Wentworth Avenue.
The riverside parcel would be sold to a developer, who not only would redevelop the current garage site, but would be required to build the new maintenance headquarters on the South Side, according to the mayor's office.
For Emanuel, the move fits into a broader strategy of trying to leverage valuable real estate assets to create economic development in some of the city's struggling neighborhoods. It also comes at a time when the mayor is working to rebuild his standing among African-American voters after his handling of the Laquan McDonald police shooting controversy.
Taking a step to spur development on long-dormant parcels in predominantly black neighborhoods gives Emanuel tangible progress he could point to in communities that have become increasingly skeptical of his tenure as mayor and many of which have seen spikes in shootings and homicides this year.
The Emanuel administration didn't offer an estimate of how much the city expects to fetch for the Goose Island site, which is in an area where developers have been anxious to build residential, retail and high-tech space. But the mayor's office did say the new fleet facility for Englewood would cost between $25 million and $30 million to build.
Mayoral spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier said the city soon would move to hire a broker to market the sale of the site. She said the city does not have a specific use or developer in mind, but called it "a prime piece of real estate."
The site has about 1,200 feet of frontage along the river, and any future development would have to include public river access, Breymaier said. The move to sell the parcel comes as City Hall re-evaluates its master planning for the long industrial corridor wedged between the river and Kennedy Expressway — including the likely redevelopment of the old A. Finkl & Sons steel mill, a 28-acre site just north of the current city garage.
We looked for a community that would benefit having us as an anchor. We're relocating 200 jobs and those guys and gals need to eat, go to the bank and go to the dry cleaner. — Fleet and Facility Management Commissioner David Reynolds
Emanuel has made other efforts to use prime real estate to drive development in depressed areas. Earlier this year, the mayor announced a new policy that places a fee on high-density developments in the Loop and earmarks the proceeds for projects in neighborhoods that have struggled to attract investments.
Englewood fits that description. For years, the predominantly black neighborhood centered on Marquette Road east of the Dan Ryan Expressway has suffered from a lack of economic development and frequent fits of violent crime. Emanuel has made the area a priority, spending special taxing district dollars to attract the construction of a Whole Foods and a shopping center near 63rd and Halsted streets.
In a statement, Emanuel said moving the city's largest maintenance garage to Englewood would "foster continued economic development on the South Side while improving the city's operations."
In an interview, Fleet and Facility Management Commissioner David Reynolds said the current garage near Goose Island is a massive and obsolete facility that costs the city more than $1 million per year to heat and cool. He said the department doesn't fully utilize the space, some of which is used for storage, and the tall ceiling heights and an awkward design make the space inefficient.
The place was not built to be a garage, but a steel facility that dates to at least the 1930s, Reynolds said. The city moved its main garage there in the early 1990s after the previous one was demolished to make way for a parking lot at the new Comiskey Park.
At the garage, workers maintain Fire Department engines and ladders and repair some of the city's snowplows, tow trucks and garbage trucks. The new shop, Reynolds said, would be modern, purpose-built, more efficient and a good neighbor for Englewood. He noted how The Hideout, a longtime West Town dive bar near the current garage, long has appreciated the stability of city workers coming in for a beer.
"We looked for a community that would benefit having us as an anchor," said Reynolds, who noted the other criteria were that the site be big enough, near an expressway and owned by the city. "We're relocating 200 jobs and those guys and gals need to eat, go to the bank and go to the dry cleaner."
Asked whether he expected apprehension from employees who will be going to work in what traditionally has been a more dangerous neighborhood, Reynolds responded, "I'm sure there will be concerns expressed. People don't like change."
But, he said, the city has other garages, including one on the West Side, that "could be perceived as a dangerous location, and we manage."
"As a city, it's our job to provide services in a consistent and comprehensive manner. That means pick a site based on your ability to deliver a service," Reynolds said. "So, yeah, it's in Englewood, but maybe — probably — it will help dispel some rumors about Englewood. We believe it will be a very positive thing for that neighborhood."
bruthhart@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BillRuthhart | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-fleet-and-facility-management-met-0828-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f088ea13ac4e137ea5868f01b7dae7c6bd2a3f83524b433a93e51ccc63712521.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Erik Larson"
] | 2016-08-30T20:49:17 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-trump-university-fraud-lawsuit-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5dd52/turbine/ct-trump-university-fraud-lawsuit-20160830 | en | null | Trump loses latest bid to derail university fraud lawsuit | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Donald J. Trump and his now-defunct real-estate university lost another legal attempt to block former students from suing as a group in a California case accusing the Republican presidential candidate of fraud.
Trump University is accused of cheating students by persuading them to pay tens of thousands of dollars for real-estate seminars that turned out to be "infomercials" for buying more classes. The former students also claim workshops were led by instructors who hadn't been "hand-picked" by Trump as promised.
U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego on Monday rejected Trump's argument that one of the lead plaintiffs in the case, Sonny Low, wasn't actually concerned with whether Trump University was an accredited institution. One of the key claims in the class-action suit is that the students had relied on their belief that the school was accredited when they paid to attend.
The former students from California, New York and Florida seek compensation under consumer-fraud and elder-abuse laws. The case has dogged Trump as he battles Democrat Hillary Clinton ahead of the Nov. 8 general election, while Curiel's Mexican heritage earlier prompted Trump to say that negative rulings in the case were retribution for his pledge to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Curiel has scheduled a trial in the case for Nov. 28.
Curiel said the billionaire's lawyers were relying on a "selective interpretation" of Low's deposition, in which the former student said that accreditation "was not even a consideration for me," according to the ruling. "I went there because it was Trump University, that he created."
The judge pointed to other portions of the deposition that suggested the former student believed Trump University was legitimate due to its association with Trump, regardless of whether it was accredited. "Besides being a multi-billionaire in real estate, he set up Trump University, which I would presume that he took all the steps necessary to set up a proper institution that he could call a university, with his name next to it," Low said in the deposition.
Trump's lawyer in the case, Daniel Petrocelli, didn't immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment on the ruling.
Trump University's lawyers have argued that sales pitches touting "secrets" and "hand-picked instructors" are mere "puffery" common to advertising, and that they can't be used to argue there was fraud. Trump also believed the students were receiving a high-quality education, the defense has said, while arguing there was no intent to defraud anyone.
Trump is also asking Curiel to undo class-action status in a second Trump University class action in San Diego in which the Republican presidential nominee is accused of racketeering. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-university-fraud-lawsuit-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9148421fc4ecd882ac40012935d7b3c1dcd7db0d9dad46d16708ba7e69adbbcd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:24 | null | 2016-07-07T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmundelein%2Fnews%2Fct-mun-fourth-of-july-fireworks-injuries-tl-0714-20160707-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-577f167a/turbine/ct-mun-fourth-of-july-fireworks-injuries-tl-0714-20160707 | en | null | 4th of July fireworks send 2 Mundelein men to the hospital | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Mundelein officials say two men were hospitalized with injuries to their hands after separate accidents involving fireworks on the Fourth of July.
"For several years we had not had any injuries like this that I can recall, and then to get two in one night literally a half hour or hour apart, that's pretty rare and unfortunate," Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said.
First was a call to Oakdale Avenue, located just off of Route 45 near Diamond Lake. Around 7:30 p.m. a 54-year-old man underestimated how fast a fireworks fuse would burn and the item exploded in the man's hand, according to Mundelein Deputy Fire Chief Ben Yoder.
He was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center where his pointer and middle fingers were partially amputated, Yoder said.
Then at 8:27 p.m., crews were sent to a home along Brighton Drive, located near Hawley and Route 60/83, where an 18-year-old man was building a homemade mortar when the explosives ignited, Yoder said.
"In both instances, our guys only spent nine minutes at the scene," Yoder said. "In other words, the injuries were so severe that they arrived and were heading to the hospital nine minutes later."
The 18-year-old man suffered severe burns and a large wound between his thumb and index finger, according to Yoder. He said the last he checked, hospital officials were focusing on the burns and had not yet assessed whether or not fingers would need to be amputated.
"Some of us have been here for a while and none of us could remember any other time when we had two injuries like this in one day," Yoder said. "We're glad these folks chose to call 911 and get professional help. We did a lot of work on them while en route to Condell."
Guenther said both instances involved holiday parties, but he's not sure if alcohol was involved. The only fireworks-related ticket issued during the whole weekend was on July 1, he said.
"Every year we advertise the severity of fireworks, what's legal, what's not, and what is probably the best way to act on the Fourth of July," Guenther said. "These things do happen from time to time and the outcomes are very serious."
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/mundelein/news/ct-mun-fourth-of-july-fireworks-injuries-tl-0714-20160707-story.html | en | 2016-07-07T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9c2c5838f9027f37941df36b4c1e1201ab4b71e891cb437ee0dc9cce25b1258c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:57 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flibertyville%2Fnews%2Fct-lbr-libertyville-sports-complex-property-for-sale-tl-0818-20160815-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Libertyville looks to sell golf assets at sports complex | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | More than 31 acres of land around the Libertyville Sports Complex will soon be up for sale.
Village trustees went into executive session Aug. 9 to discuss the value of property they intend the sell. Mayor Terry Weppler later confirmed Libertyville's intent to sell the 25.7-acre Golf Learning Center and 5.8-acre Family Entertainment Center, which is operating as a miniature golf course.
"We had it on the market in the past and we tried an auction a few years ago without success," Weppler said. "We've been keeping an eye out and we feel like the building market has improved quite a bit."
Weppler said the programs don't generate enough revenue and have not improved much in recent years while off the market.
The property was recently appraised and the village is deliberating on what prices are reasonable, according to Weppler. He said the board will soon interview realtors to represent the village.
Trustees who sit on the Parks and Recreation Committee have already openly talked about the possible sale while reviewing a proposed hockey rink relocation .
Libertyville has already received interest, but Weppler said the developers were "low balling" the village.
"Any sale, to me, should be used to pay down the bonds," Weppler said.
Libertyville issued $4.5 million in bonds to buy the 48-acre site and spent another $20 million to build the Libertyville Sports Complex, according to news reports from the time.
The village budget shows Libertyville is paying $900,000 per year toward those bonds, and in April village trustees earmarked $2.5 million for early repayment of those loans in December 2018.
This comes after Libertyville sold its six-acre Bolander Park along Winchester Road. The offices and a few classes were relocated into the Libertyville Sports Complex and construction of a 56-unit townhouse subdivision is now underway.
Furthermore, members of the parks committee on Aug. 2 were not enthusiastic about restoring the nine-hole golf course at Riverside Park after seeing the nearly $475,000 price tag.
Connie Kowal, director of parks and recreation, said the Family Entertainment Center was leased to a miniature golf company in May 2012 and is more commonly known as Aloha Falls. He said an extension was signed through October 2017.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/news/ct-lbr-libertyville-sports-complex-property-for-sale-tl-0818-20160815-story.html | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/94a8890bcf3df15f71aff77b94c06441e3db2fd4c0288f5308edeca97d832c61.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Karie Angell Luc"
] | 2016-08-26T13:15:50 | null | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fct-mgc-pie-baking-contest-tl-0721-20160718-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-578d2b44/turbine/ct-mgc-pie-baking-contest-tl-0721-20160718 | en | null | Proceeds from Morton Grove Pie Baking Contest go to Niles Township Food Pantry | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | "Bluebarb," a combination of blueberry and rhubarb, wowed the three judges of the Sixth Annual Pie Baking Contest at the Morton Grove Farmers Market on Saturday.
"It's fabulous, well worth staying up all night!" said first place finisher Laura Frisch of Morton Grove, who won a ribbon and $50 in market bucks.
Seven pies were judged on qualifications like appearance and taste. Judges sought flavorful tastes of the season and taut (not runny) fillings.
"It's a blast," said pie contest coordinator Maria Toth, a Morton Grove resident of 24 years. "I love to bake, I love sweets!"
The judges were Mahesh Sharma, Alissa McGowan and Debbie Manno, all of Morton Grove.
Sharma owns Tava Indian restaurant in Morton Grove. McGowan is a chef and manager at Whole Foods Market in Northbrook. Manno is a MB Bank branch manager and Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce secretary and director.
"You want it to look inviting," Manno said.
"We're looking for a more natural taste, nothing processed," Sharma said.
"A flaky crust," McGowan said, of a requirement.
Each contestant brought two identical pies, one for presentation and the other for judges' tasting and for offering the rest to market patrons for donations. Whole pies were sold for $15 and slices of pie were $2. All pie proceeds benefited the Niles Township Food Pantry.
"It just brings people out of the woodwork to showcase their talents," said Elaine Monterola of Morton Grove, Morton Grove market manager.
The second place winner was Cory Block of Niles for the Peach Habanero pie. Third place went to Catherine Colombo of Chicago for her Ginger Berry Almond Crumble.
"It's a great community event," Toth said.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-pie-baking-contest-tl-0721-20160718-story.html | en | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7e4e9822da05faf03394e7bd9d3234522d31d246722e66d68b103301cdb1f45a.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Amy Lavalley"
] | 2016-08-26T22:51:16 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-porter-county-school-filings-st-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | School board candidates meet filing deadline in Porter County | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The filing period to declare candidacy for some school boards in Porter County ended Friday.
The Portage Township, Metropolitan District of Boone Township, and East Porter County school boards have races in the upcoming November election.
In Portage Township, Chad A. Bogue, Ron Necco Jr., and Wilma Vazquez are seeking one at large seat. In District 3, Jessica Bailey, Lisa R. Kettwig, and Frances Vega are competing for that post.
In Boone Township, four candidates are running for two at large seats on the board. They are Thomas G. Fry, David J. Molchan, John (Jeff) Nilsen, and Howard L. O'Connor.
For East Porter County, Jill M. Bibler is the single candidate for an at large seat. In Morgan Township, Steven D. Lesko and Mark Savage will face one another. In Pleasant Township, Karen Higbie and Shelly Spagna are running against one another. Franklin Dessuit Sr. is the sole candidate for the Washington Township seat.
For the Duneland School Board, John R. Marshall is the only candidate for an at large seat, and Kristin S. Kroeger is running for Jackson Township.
In Porter Township, no candidate filed for the at large seat, and Natalie J. Wargo filed for District 2.
In Union Township, Robert Gilliana filed for District 1 and Robert Lewis Tichy Jr. filed for District 3.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-porter-county-school-filings-st-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f27c5b6782fd9fe44dd18b320f5eda186620df14eaf61e19ec3e059b80f51178.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Chris Kuc"
] | 2016-08-28T16:48:20 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fbears%2Fct-bears-robbie-gould-spt-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c301ac/turbine/ct-bears-robbie-gould-spt-20160828 | en | null | Bears kicker Robbie Gould working on 'finding that rhythm' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Like pretty much everything else about the Bears’ effort against the Chiefs on Saturday, kicker Robbie Gould was ready to forget about his missed field goal that negated a rare scoring opportunity.
The veteran sailed a 48-yard attempt wide left at Soldier Field early in the third quarter of the Chiefs’ 23-7 romp over the Bears in the third exhibition game of the season.
“I just rushed it a little bit,” said Gould, who is entering his 12th season as the Bears’ kicker. “It’s about timing. It’s a part of finding that rhythm — that’s what preseason is for.”
Gould said he continues to get on the same page with long snappers Patrick Scales and Aaron Brewer as well as holder Pat O’Donnell.
“These guys are great,” Gould said. “Both snappers are doing really, really well. O’Donnell is a great holder and it’s just a matter of finding that tempo.”
As far as team’s effort against the Chiefs, Gould said the Bears “always have stuff you have to build on” prior to the season opener Sept. 11 against the Titans.
“Obviously, you want to come out and play well, especially in front of your home crowd, but the good thing is there are things that we can do and correct to get ready for Cleveland (on Thursday) and then for Houston,” Gould added.
ckuc@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ChrisKuc | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-bears-robbie-gould-spt-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/94c2f46f834dc085b3d3b6e2ea5544f800c808d996c29b3a51a65f8bfed62dfd.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-29T10:48:23 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-belgium-explosion-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | No injuries reported in latest blast in Belgium | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | An explosion has rocked Belgium's criminology institute in the capital Brussels, but there were no injuries reported, local media said.
State broadcaster RTBF reported Monday that a car forced its way into the site "before exploding a bomb" about 2 a.m. (0000 GMT). No source for the information was given.
RTBF says no one was injured but that damage at the site is significant.
Police have deployed in force and sealed off the area.
The institute assists and advises Belgium's justice authorities in carrying out their inquiries.
Belgium has been on high alert since a March 22 attack on the Brussels airport and subway killed 32 people.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-belgium-explosion-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9979cf89cbd3f0df5e1d84b239a17b1cfd03ec865bc1f4a5ccd5c781c662846b.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T06:48:48 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-north-carolina-tropical-weather-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5023a/turbine/ct-north-carolina-tropical-weather-20160829 | en | null | North Carolina warily watching 2 tropical weather systems | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Beachgoers, boat captains and business owners on North Carolina's Outer Banks warily eyed a potent tropical weather system Monday that could rain out one of the last busy weeks of the summer.
The first system was expected by forecasters to become a tropical storm before brushing the North Carolina coast Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and high winds to barrier islands popular for serene beaches.
Another tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northern Florida as a tropical storm later in the week and possibly head toward the Atlantic coast, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. They cautioned that the storm's exact path remained uncertain days in advance.
Coastal Dare County in North Carolina could face winds of up to 45 mph with higher gusts and heavy rain that could flood low-lying areas from through Wednesday, according to an emergency management news release. To the south, Carteret County officials also warned of flooding and advised residents to monitor forecasts.
A tropical storm warning was issued for areas of the coast from Cape Lookout to the Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks.
"I would advise everybody to take a look at the weather," Dare County emergency management director Drew Pearson said when asked whether visitors should keep their travel plans. "They need to make those decisions based on what they see in the weather forecast."
Tourists sought to take the approaching storm in stride.
Visitor Katherine Vega, 45, of Springhill, Tennessee, said she could handle a day indoors during her vacation. By Monday afternoon, she had already fled the Atlantic's swelling waves and strengthening currents off Hatteras Island in Buxton.
"We were just knee-deep, and there were a few times where we had to run out because it kept sucking us in," she said, adding she'd watch movies with her husband until the storm blows through.
"We came from Tennessee," she said with a shrug. "There are tornado threats over there."
As of Monday night, the first depression was about 125 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras with top sustained winds of 35 mph and moving to the northwest. It was expected to become a tropical storm by Tuesday but not grow stronger than that, said National Weather Service meteorologist Shane Kearns in eastern North Carolina.
"Anything is possible, but we're not really seeing any kind of significant strengthening for the storm," he said in an interview.
The second depression was about 240 miles west of Key West, Florida, with maximum winds of 35 mph. It was moving west, but forecasters expect it could curve back to the northeast in the coming days. Authorities at some locations in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area of Florida were hauling out sandbags Monday to offer residents amid predictions of heavy rains.
On North Carolina's Outer Banks, business owner Jennifer Scarborough said her biggest concern was that the first storm could saturate the area before another blow by the second storm.
"The second storm is the one I'm more worried about," she said. "I'm definitely keeping an eye on it and planning accordingly. ... If we have a lot of rain in a short amount of time that could be a problem. "
Roads along the thin barrier islands are prone to flooding and damage from erosion, including the two-lane N.C. Highway 12 that is the area's main north-south artery.
"N.C. 12, our lifeline on Hatteras Island, even in a winter storm has some challenges," Pearson said.
Scarborough, who manages Hatteras Harbor Marina and owns the Harbor Deli next door, said she's receiving concerned calls from customers and that some captains are canceling fishing trips for Tuesday and Wednesday. With Labor Day approaching, the week represents one of the last busy stretches of summer for the area.
"It's definitely making people think twice about coming here," she said.
In the central Pacific, Hurricane Madeline strengthened Monday into a Category 3 storm about 630 miles (1,015 kilometers) east of Hilo, Hawaii. Top sustained winds reached 115 mph (185 kph) as Madeline moved west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph). A hurricane watch was posted for Hawaii County and those in the main Hawaiian Islands were urged to monitor the storm's progress.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Lester became a powerful Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) while churning west at 14 mph (22 kph) about 1,375 miles (2,210 kilometers) west of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. It posed no immediate threat to land.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-north-carolina-tropical-weather-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fd032aaec8fda62b6db86484caf1724893aa146682535493f46fe0e4a755d46c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Chris Kuc"
] | 2016-08-30T04:48:42 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-theo-epstein-playoffs-cubs-pirates-spt-0830-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4e8fb/turbine/ct-theo-epstein-playoffs-cubs-pirates-spt-0830-20160829 | en | null | Despite Cubs' success, Theo Epstein isn't taking anything for granted | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A steady drizzle fell while Cubs players gathered in center field for the annual team picture at Wrigley Field.
Inside the dugout, meanwhile, President Theo Epstein displayed a sunny demeanor thanks to a team that had the best record in baseball and a 14-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central entering Monday night's game against the Pirates.
"I feel great about the team," Epstein said. "We really trust their talent and their character. The regular season usually turns into a meritocracy, and thus far it's been nice to see them rise to the top. Now we have to finish strong."
At 82-47 before ace Jake Arrieta took the mound against the Pirates and September looming, it's almost a fait accompli that the Cubs will reach the postseason.
But if any executive knows about not looking too far ahead, it's Epstein. He was quick to point out 2011, when his Red Sox dropped 18 of their final 24 games to blow a nine-game lead they held on Sept. 3 and miss the postseason.
"Once you go through a year in which you have a double-digit lead right before Labor Day and screw it up and don't even get into October, you don't take anything for granted," Epstein said. "I guess the only good thing to come out of September 2011 for me is I'll never look too far ahead.
Photos from the game on Aug. 29, 2016, at Wrigley Field.
"We're still trying to win each game and each series. You have to have a broad perspective and understand what might lie ahead, but you have to go earn it. Our team's approach from the very beginning is not to accept some of the praise that has come our way (and) to try to earn it through our play. That's definitely true in September."
Manager Joe Maddon took the same tack, saying he concentrates on the game at hand and isn't thinking playoffs.
"Believe me, I don't get any much further along than this day," Maddon said. "I might plan days off looking at the schedule down the road for guys ... but I don't look any further than today. When that moment comes that you need to expand it a little bit ... I will."
With everything that has happened this season — Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo blossoming into MVP candidates, Addison Russell emerging as an offensive and defensive double threat, a pitching staff that is arguably the best in baseball and enough feel-good moments to keep the Wrigley faithful in a perpetual state of delirium — Epstein was asked if the season can be considered a success even if the Cubs don't win their first World Series title since 1908.
"The goal is to win a World Series, and as an organization if you put yourself in a position to do it, you want to do it," Epstein said. "So that's the ultimate barometer of whether it's a successful season or not.
"But for the 29 teams that don't, it doesn't eliminate all the accomplishments and all the progress and everything else that happens. It depends if you are a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty guy, but realistically you don't back away from that and say, 'Yeah, we're happy if we don't win the World Series.'
"As (John) Lackey would say, that's the big-boy prize and that's why we're all here. If you're lucky enough to get into October, what you play ... for is to win the whole thing."
ckuc@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ChrisKuc | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-theo-epstein-playoffs-cubs-pirates-spt-0830-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4d88de022ae2c7940a00ffc352198961ccca18f57622aeffe1aec87b5f4b9763.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Michael Osipoff"
] | 2016-08-27T04:51:17 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fsports%2Fct-ptb-football-portage-lowell-st-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Josh Gonzalez kicks 40-yard field goal with 38.2 second left to lift Portage | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Timing was running out, but it was the perfect time for Josh Gonzalez.
The Portage senior kicked a 40-yard field goal with 38.2 seconds left Friday night as the Indians topped Lowell 28-27.
Ethan Igras provided a spark for Lowell as the sophomore linebacker blocked a punt that set up the go-ahead touchdown and had an interception return for a TD.
But after Portage forced a Lowell punt — a short one near midfield — Gonzalez made the go-ahead kick late in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Maceo's 3-yard keeper gave Portage a 12-6 lead with 3:13 left in the first half, and it appeared the Indians (1-1) would take that advantage into halftime.
But Igras blocked a punt for the Red Devils (0-2) with 46.8 seconds left, giving them possession at the Portage 40. Lowell turned that special teams play into a 28-yard TD pass from Dayton Hornickel to Jordan Jusevitch with 13.7 seconds left. Nathan Gard's extra point gave the Red Devils a 13-12 edge.
Igras added a 37-yard interception return for a TD with 8:29 left in the third, reading a screen pass and taking it the distance. That pick-six gave the Red Devils a 20-12 lead.
Trevor Espravnik ran for two TDs for Lowell, including a 60-yarder after Portage had drawn to 20-18. Laron Parker's 65-yard fumble return for a TD reduced the Indians' deficit to two points with 4:06 left in the third quarter, but they were stopped on the 2-point conversion run.
Portage also returned an interception for a TD, with Jeremy Torres going 25 yards for the game's first points with 2:44 left in the first quarter.
With its offense struggling, Lowell awoke early in the second quarter to tie the score. Jaeger Gill had an 85-yard TD called back because of a penalty, with the Red Devils getting the ball at the Indians' 40. Tyler Wildman followed with a 35-yard run, and Espravnik added a 5-yard score with 11:04 left in the half.
Maceo added his second TD with 4:43 left in the game, a 7-yarder to draw the Indians to 27-25. He had 121 yards rushing.
Portage was without first-year coach Darren Rodriguez. As Culver Community's coach last season, he was ejected in a sectional-opening loss to North Miami, resulting in a one-game suspension.
Defensive coordinator Terry Chestovich led the Indians against Lowell.
mosipoff@post-trib.com
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-football-portage-lowell-st-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d2d868871b53cf25a63f490ff7e7b4e887432c22c22028a5dd6ff3ff4631ac26.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T12:48:06 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fclassified%2Frealestate%2Fdreamhomes%2Fct-contemporary-farmhouse-in-winnetka-295m-20160825-photogallery.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf38c4/turbine/ct-contemporary-farmhouse-in-winnetka-295m-20160825 | en | null | Contemporary farmhouse in Winnetka: $2.95M | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | 855 Gordon Terrace in Winnetka: $2,949,000
Listed on June 23, 2016
This home is situated on a coveted wooded lot in Winnetka and designed to reflect America’s growing agricultural influence. The home's interiors, porches, terraces and gardens are open and embrace a clean, minimalistic aesthetic. Rooms include a kitchen, family room, wet bar, theater and six bedrooms.
Agent: April Callahan of The Hudson Company, 847-971-7273 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/dreamhomes/ct-contemporary-farmhouse-in-winnetka-295m-20160825-photogallery.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/2b0bd7c5e4ffb0d76124f3931c37c5c981d6e7d444e66784b03d02c9f9e8d230.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Ann Friedman"
] | 2016-08-29T22:48:48 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Fcommentary%2Fct-women-drink-sexism-patriarchy-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c49208/turbine/ct-women-drink-sexism-patriarchy-20160829 | en | null | Did I get drunk last night because of the patriarchy? | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | This morning I woke up with a hangover softly pulsing in my left temple.
I took a quick inventory: Last night I went from happy-hour drinks with a former colleague (two glasses of rosé — or was it three?), then to dinner with a friend (another glass of rosé), then to a nightcap with another friend (a beer).
I don't make a habit of bar-crawling on weekday nights the way I did when I was in my 20s and working in D.C. Now I live in Los Angeles, where I'm a freelancer whose meetings mostly take place over coffee and whose friends are more likely to suggest we go for a hike than a cocktail. And so when I do end up having more than a single glass of wine with dinner, I don't beat myself up about it.
But this morning was different. When I felt the twinge of a hangover, I immediately thought of an essay that I — and, judging by Facebook and Twitter, almost every woman I know — read recently. In it, writer Kristi Coulter makes a deft and passionate argument that modern women drink to excess to escape the realities of living in a still-too-sexist world. “I see that booze is the oil in our motors, the thing that keeps us purring when we should be making other kinds of noise,” writes Coulter, who is now sober.
Coulter describes blowing off steam after serving on a sexist panel at work by drinking a half-dozen Manhattans and eating some expensive tapas with her female friends. She calls out women she knows for inserting alcohol into every social scenario, from a morning walk through the farmers market to a trip to the waxing salon. “Maybe all that wine is an Instagram filter for our own lives, so we don't see how sallow and cracked they've become,” she writes.
Her essay is getting a lot of attention because it's incredibly well-written and because it does what all compelling trend stories do: It helps us notice something that is ubiquitous in our lives and draws some firm conclusions about the deeper significance. Naturally, Coulter's firm conclusion — that women drink to cope with the pressures of living in a sexist society — has attracted some critics. In Slate, Nora Caplan-Bricker counters that “many men also spend their free time floating away from their problems on a river of booze. They don't strike me as participants in an unrelated phenomenon.” We are all depleted by the demands of our lives, she writes. In other words, blame capitalism, perhaps, but not the patriarchy.
I don't think Coulter is entirely wrong. But it's also impossible to prove that she's right. Like most women who call themselves feminists, I know that living in a sexist world shapes my life and choices. It's probably why I feel “cleaner” with shaved legs and like to wear bright lipstick. In one specific instance, I'm pretty sure it's why I was denied a promotion. In most cases, though, when it comes to decisions I make, it's difficult to separate what is and isn't related to the patriarchy. Do I feel more powerful with short hair because of the patriarchy? Do I pick my cuticles when I get nervous because of the patriarchy? Do I have a distant relationship with my mom because of the patriarchy? Did I get drunk last night because of the patriarchy? Who knows.
Women are also shaped by the culture we consume, which muddies the waters even more. Think Olivia Pope, the “Scandal” protagonist who self-medicates with red wine. (And always while wearing a white sweater, sitting on a white couch, never spilling a drop. It's a perfect visual metaphor for Olivia's need to be perfect in order to counter the twin demons of sexism and racism.) And Coulter mentions the women of “Sex and the City,” whose “let's get cosmos” attitude is ancient pop culture history by this point. Women have a lot of models for booze as both a coping mechanism and a bonding tool. Are these shows merely reflecting real women's propensity to drink to cope with patriarchy? Or, in drinking so much, are real women reflecting what we've seen so often in movies and on TV? I don't know.
What I do know is that I don't share Coulter's experience of having my female friends insist that all social interactions be lubricated with alcohol — again, I live in Los Angeles, where there are always at least a few drivers in the group who aren't drinking. But she did make me sit up and take note of the way wine is coded as part of bonding among women of my socioeconomic status. On the podcast I co-host with my friend Aminatou Sow, we are often drinking wine as we record. Some episodes even feature the “glug, glug” noise of us refilling our glasses. In our online store, we sell a portable wine tumbler branded with our podcast logo. We also discuss the patriarchy a lot. I'd never considered that the two things might be related.
Even if they are, I'm not sure that's such a terrible thing. Perhaps it's because I've never had a drug or alcohol problem, but for me, drinking with other women isn't just coping or complacency. It's often about plotting. Sometimes, a few glasses of wine with friends is what helps me connect my outrage with a plan of action. Under the influence of alcohol, I've decided to dump a dude who wasn't treating me right, committed to revamping my career and, honestly, had a lot of fun. Perhaps some women who drink together are victims of groupthink and ignoring their problems. But I associate it with forming deep bonds. And maybe alcohol keeps some women silent. For others — myself included — it can embolden us to say what we were too afraid to say when we were sober. Drinking together does not always mean screeching and splashing in the shallow end of the hotel pool.
Maybe patriarchy does drive us to drink, just as patriarchy drives us to shave our legs and wear bright lipstick. Or maybe it doesn't, and we get drunk for the same reasons that men do. Either way, I'm less concerned about what draws women together over a bottle of wine, and more interested in what we do once we get there. Coulter writes, “Work is hard and there's still no good way to be a girl and I don't know what to do with my life and I have to actually deal with all of that.”
I have a good idea about where to start. Let's plot a revolution together. I'll bring the wine — but don't worry, you don't need to drink if that's not your thing.
Washington Post
Ann Friedman is a freelance writer and columnist for NYmag.com. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-women-drink-sexism-patriarchy-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/358c76a9d40d04287ec757786b3b4478504be3f6b38cde4bd1ab804656dda798.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Peter Holley"
] | 2016-08-28T18:48:20 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-new-jersey-man-beats-2-year-old-to-death-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c31b13/turbine/ct-new-jersey-man-beats-2-year-old-to-death-20160828 | en | null | Prosecutor: Man told 2-year-old to 'put up his hands' and fight before beating him to death | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The fight began with a mother and her boyfriend arguing over groceries.
At some point, prosecutors in Camden County, New Jersey, say, the woman's 2-year-old boy became upset that 24-year-old Zachary Tricoche had pushed his mother and began to cry, according to the Courier-Post.
That's when Tricoche attacked, prosecutors say, punching the 29-pound boy so hard that the toddler was launched into a wall, Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah said at a court hearing last week, according to NJ.com.
Then, Shah said, Tricoche instructed the 36-inch-tall toddler to "put his hands up," meaning "that he should form a boxing stance to fight this full-grown man," NJ.com reported.
At that point, Tricoche hit the boy again, "causing J.B. to again strike his head on a wall and rendering him unconscious," Shah said, according to the Courier-Post.
Both punches struck the boy - identified as Jamil Baskerville Jr. - in his torso, according to CBS affiliate WFMY.
The child's mother called 911 around 11:30 p.m. Saturday and said her toddler was unconscious, the station reported.
Citing a probable-cause statement, the Courier-Post reported the desperate rush to save the child's life:
"'My boyfriend is, like, trying to get him to wake up,' said the mother, who became distraught as the 911 call continued.
"She mentioned bruising to the boy's chest, saying, 'It's turning color,' but did not refer to any alleged assault.
"'He has vomit coming out his nose and mouth,' the mother told the 911 dispatcher, who had already dispatched emergency responders. "Can you please hurry up?"
"Tricoche, who lived at the home, took the phone at one point to receive directions on administering CPR to the child."
About 30 minutes after that phone call - after the boy had been transported to Cooper University Hospital - he was pronounced dead, WFMY reported.
A medical examiner would later determine that the child's liver has been crushed by the blows, leading him to bleed to death internally, WFMY reported. The station reported that "the official cause of death is blunt force trauma and the manner of death is homicide."
Tricoche, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, is facing murder charges, according to the New York Post. He was arraigned in Camden County Superior Court on Tuesday and remains in Camden County jail on a $1 million cash bail, the paper reported.
"Tricoche only spoke in court to say that he understood the charges, to tell the judge how to pronounce his last name, and to say that he had a public defender," NJ.com reported, noting that he did not name the lawyer and appeared alone at the hearing.
Shah said Tricoche has a lengthy criminal history that includes a juvenile conviction for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and several adult convictions, NJ.com reported. In 2011, the outlet reported, he was convicted of distributing drugs in a school zone, which led him to serve a three-year prison term. In 2014, Tricoche was convicted of loitering to obtain a controlled substance, NJ.com reported.
At Tricoche's arraignment, Gerome DeShields, the child's grandfather, told reporters that there was no excuse for a man to attack a child, according to the Courier-Post.
"You're less of a man to sit there and put your hands on any type of child, no matter what age it is," DeShields said. "He was 2 years old. There should be no reason you should want to hit him."
The Washington Post | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-new-jersey-man-beats-2-year-old-to-death-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5ef52f3ef16db381f397e8b6edeaa2931f0ac115228d2ff4e7a84f735ada948c.json |
[
"Foreign Policy",
"Elias Groll",
"C"
] | 2016-08-26T22:47:55 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-uae-comment-d926b342-6b9d-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | The UAE spends big on Israeli spyware to listen in on a dissident | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | When a government seeks to rein in a political opponent by listening in on his calls, reading his text messages, and spying on his meetings, how do they go about doing so? In the case of the United Arab Emirates and pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor, they sent him a short text message.
"New secrets about torture of Emiratis in state prisons," the Aug. 10 and 11 SMS messages to Mansoor read. The texts included a link, and had Mansoor clicked it, his phone would have turned into a powerful surveillance tool for an entity that researchers believe is the Emirati government. Pegasus, the software used against Mansoor, allows its operator to record phone calls and intercept text messages, including those made or sent on nominally encrypted apps such as Viber and WhatsApp. It can mine contact books and read emails. The software can also track its subject's movements and even remotely turn on the phone's camera and microphone.
The cyber-offensive against Mansoor was detailed in a new report by Citizen Lab, a research outfit based at the University of Toronto that has extensively chronicled foreign governments' use of hacking for surveillance. The report shows the spies targeted Mansoor's iPhone using so-called zero-day vulnerabilities, flaws that Apple had been unaware of. Citizen Lab alerted the company to the flaw earlier this month; the Cupertino, California-based tech giant issued a patch on Thursday, about 10 days after being alerted, an unusually quick response.
Mansoor may have been one of the most high-profile people targeted with Pegasus, but he won't be the last. As technology like Pegasus comes into wider use and governments become more aware of just how powerful a surveillance tool a smartphone can be, other dissidents, human rights activists, and journalists could come under similar attack. "These dissidents or high-value targets [give] us all a taste of the future," said Bill Marczak, one of the report's authors and a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab.
Thursday's report cannot definitively prove that the UAE government targeted Mansoor for surveillance, but the researchers assembled a strong, if circumstantial, case pointing squarely at the Emiratis. Among other things, they found links between the use of Pegasus and an earlier hacking campaign, dubbed Stealth Falcon, linked to the Emiratis. The UAE's embassy in Washington did not return calls and emails seeking comment on the report.
The NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance vendor, said in a statement that its "mission is to make the world a safer place by providing authorized governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime." It said the company has no knowledge of specific cases in which its technology has been used, and that its "products may only be used for the prevention and investigation of crimes."
Mansoor is a prominent and internationally recognized human rights activist. He has been awarded the Martin Ennals Award, given out by the foreign ministries of an array of European countries and sometimes called the Nobel Prize of human rights. He was one of the so-called UAE Five arrested and imprisoned in 2011 amid the Arab Spring for insulting the UAE's royal family. Mansoor's crime was signing a pro-democracy petition.
This is the third time Mansoor has been targeted by sophisticated malware written by a private intelligence firm. In 2011, he was attacked with a program developed by FinFisher, a company based in Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2012, he was targeted with surveillance software written by Hacking Team, an Italian firm that was hacked last year by cyber-vandals who leaked its internal emails onto the internet. Researchers have tied previous attempts to use sophisticated malware to monitor Mansoor to the Emirati government.
It is unclear how much money the UAE purportedly paid to the shadowy Israeli firm that created Pegasus, the NSO Group, but Marczak said it was likely that the firm's contract with the Gulf nation was in the range of $10 million to $15 million. The size of that contract, he added, would depend on how many targets the UAE would have hired NSO to surveil.
NSO reportedly sells its surveillance tools to governments around the world, and the UAE appears to be one of its biggest clients, judging by the company's use of Emirati domains. Citizen Lab also documented the use of Pegasus in countries like Mexico, where it was used to target a Mexican journalist.
The Pegasus software utilized a chain of three zero days in Apple's mobile operating system to turn iPhones into highly capable, multifunction surveillance tools. It effectively enables the kind of intrusive, round-the-clock snooping that in the past would have required a huge team of operatives and massive resources. Foreign intelligence services once needed to install microphones in the walls to snoop on their subjects' private conversations at home. Now, operatives from countries like the UAE - and, potentially, more authoritarian regimes like Russia and China - can just hack a phone.
"The cost of monitoring people is no longer the cost of following people around and wiring bugs into your apartment, like the Stasi did in the 1980s," said John Scott-Railton of Citizen Lab, another senior researcher at Citizen Lab and co-author of the report on Mansoor's targeting.
Zero-day vulnerabilities are highly rare and can fetch six figures from companies that traffic in such information. Last year, a company called Zerodium issued a $1 million bounty for an iPhone flaw such as the one utilized in the Pegasus software. The bounty was claimed within weeks, an indication of how large payouts for tools to hack into encrypted products such as Apple's devices is attracting high-end programmer talent.
Though the software used to target Mansoor was written in Israel, NSO is owned by an American private equity firm, Francisco Partners Management LLC. After purchasing NSO for a reported $110 million in 2014, Francisco Partners was reportedly exploring a sale last year that would have valued the company at around $1 billion. To stay under the radar, NSO has repeatedly changed its name.
The spread of Pegasus reflects the cat-and-mouse game taking place between governments determined to steal personal data and companies determined to safeguard it. That was the fundamental divide earlier this year when Apple and the FBI waged a highly publicized war over the encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the terrorists in December's shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California. The FBI got a court order demanding that Apple undermine the phone's security features, but Apple pushed back. In the end, the FBI reportedly paid private hackers more than $1 million to break into that device. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-uae-comment-d926b342-6b9d-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c3c4b7d59f6b2567e308a3d27ca3cecf50daf4405f827f425324d53f1963553e.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-28T12:48:15 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-indonesia-church-attack-suicide-bomb-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c2cb19/turbine/ct-indonesia-church-attack-suicide-bomb-20160828 | en | null | Would-be Indonesia church attacker's bomb fails to explode, police say | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A would-be suicide bomber's explosives failed to detonate in a packed church in western Indonesia during Sunday Mass, and he injured a priest with an axe before being restrained, police said.
The 18-year-old assailant left a bench and ran toward the priest at the altar, but a bomb in his backpack only burned without exploding, said national police spokesman Maj. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar.
Before he was restrained by members of the congregation, the man managed to take an axe from the backpack and attacked the Rev. Albert Pandiangan, causing a slight injury to the 60-year-old priest's hand, Amar said.
Failed bombing at Indonesia church EPA Indonesian mobile brigade police officers stand guard after an attempted suicide bombing by an unidentified man at St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, Indonesia, on Aug. 28, 2016. Indonesian mobile brigade police officers stand guard after an attempted suicide bombing by an unidentified man at St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, Indonesia, on Aug. 28, 2016. (EPA) (EPA)
The motive for the attack at the Roman Catholic St. Yoseph Church in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, was not clear, but the perpetrator carried a symbol indicating support for Islamic State.
Police were interrogating the man, who told them he was not working alone, Amar said, without providing details.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on militant networks since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-indonesia-church-attack-suicide-bomb-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5043147a10ac5f8e6d9637345cbf008826a67d300e6bf65d107a5268acec231d.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Lee V. Gaines"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:41 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fcrime%2Fct-mgc-call-scam-tl-0825-20160818-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b67aba/turbine/ct-mgc-call-scam-tl-0825-20160818 | en | null | Scam targets Morton Grove businesses | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry is warning its members of a scam targeting local businesses.
A chamber member reported being contacted by a company offering them a chance to support a Golf School District 67 fundraiser, as well as promoting their business on a T-shirt that the school would either sell or give away, chamber representatives wrote recently in its newsletter.
The business reported being asked to contribute $450 to the fundraiser, according to the newsletter. When contacted by MGCCI Director Mark Matz, officials at the local school said they didn't know of any such fundraiser being planned, Matz wrote in an email.
When asked about the issue Wednesday, Morton Grove Police Cmdr. Paul Yaras told Pioneer Press he hadn't yet heard of the scam.
"Nobody told us about that one," he said. "I haven't seen anything like that in years."
Yaras advised businesses and residents to do their due diligence when contacted by unsolicited companies asking for money.
"If they're suspicious, reach out to the local organization and find out if they are indeed raising money," he said.
Red flags of a possible scam include door-to-door or telephone solicitors who cannot provide any details about the organization or cause the money is going to.
Yaras said MGCCI did the right thing by contacting the District 67 school named by the company trying to collect money from chamber businesses.
"That is the best way to catch a scam," he said.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelancer reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/crime/ct-mgc-call-scam-tl-0825-20160818-story.html | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3726da58fc3db50cdc0b11e6e91b3f75484a5ed20faf1402d38b920eb75aa03c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Nick Swedberg"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:16 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fdaily-southtown%2Fcrime%2Fct-sta-flossmoor-shooting-st-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf2a12/turbine/ct-sta-flossmoor-shooting-st-0826-20160825 | en | null | Man, 20, dies after Flossmoor shooting | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A 20-year-old man shot Tuesday in Flossmoor has died, according to police.
No suspects are in custody in connection with the shooting, said Deputy Chief Tod Kamleiter of the Flossmoor Police Department.
"We don't believe it to be a random act," he said.
The victim was identified as Damarcus Roberts of Flossmoor, according to police.
Roberts was found shot inside a home in the 3900 block of 189th Street, according to police. Officers responded to a report of the shooting about 10:50 p.m., and provided first aid to Roberts until the Flossmoor Fire Department arrived.
Roberts was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died Wednesday morning, police said.
Investigators believe Roberts was shot outside the home, and that those involved in the shooting immediately fled the scene, police said.
The South Suburban Major Crime Task Force is investigating, along with detectives from the Flossmoor Police Department.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/crime/ct-sta-flossmoor-shooting-st-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/66812f8db91e76fd44847759e2ed7e2126b6515c2c2b3edcee61991d528669e1.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Chicago Tribune Staff"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:45 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-indiana-fatal-crash-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c01e9a/turbine/ct-indiana-fatal-crash-20160826 | en | null | 1 dead after Indiana highway crash | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A person was killed in a crash on Interstate 80/94 in Indiana early Friday, Indiana State Police said.
The crash occurred at about 1:30 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the highway near Cline Avenue. Two cars and a semi truck were involved, and the semi rolled over.
One person, whose age and gender were not immediately available, was pronounced dead after the crash.
Information was not immediately available about the circumstances of the collision or whether anyone else was injured.
WGN-TV contributed. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-indiana-fatal-crash-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a6f802d841b7ccb43b588feca7919fe952df34ef0a2f190a5d496af8903a2e35.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mary Wisniewski"
] | 2016-08-29T12:48:33 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fcolumnists%2Fct-cta-ventra-getting-around-20160827-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c3c0ac/turbine/ct-cta-ventra-getting-around-20160827 | en | null | Social service agencies, homeless feel pinch of Ventra 1-day pass surcharge | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | After a night at an Englewood shelter for homeless youth, James Ivory used to be handed two CTA single-ride passes — one to go to school or look for work, the other to return to the shelter in the evening.
But after the CTA started the Ventra system, a 50-cent surcharge was tacked on to single-ride passes, and cash-strapped Unity Parenting and Counseling, which runs the Ujima Village Shelter, could give clients only one pass each.
Now the homeless get back anyway they can — walking miles across gang boundaries, jumping turnstiles or begging strangers to use their Ventra cards for a free ride, said A.Anne Holcomb, supportive services supervisor for Unity.
"We'd wait for someone to come off the train and ask, 'Can you put me on?'" said Ivory, 26, who has since left the shelter and has a job. He said asking strangers for free rides hurt his pride, and he saw a friend arrested for it.
After a bumpy transition that eliminated the old magnetic-stripe card system in July 2014, the CTA touts Ventra, run by Cubic Transportation Systems, as a success, with 4 million accounts. CTA says Ventra cuts waste, saves time at turnstiles through tap-on technology, and allows customers to add value to their cards online, at vending machines, at retail locations or by phone.
But for social service agencies that give away CTA passes to the poor to use for traveling to job interviews or doctor visits, Ventra is cumbersome and costly, and has cut into the number of rides they can offer. The CTA said it has been working to address these concerns, but social service providers say they keep running into delays and misunderstanding.
"Adding the extra 50 cents on seems like they're trying to stop people from helping people," Ivory said.
Demand for change
Last week, the Chicago Jobs Council, an employment advocacy group, sent a letter to CTA President Dorval Carter and the CTA board. The letter, signed by more than 40 social service providers and policy advocates, including StreetWise, The Night Ministry and the Active Transportation Alliance, wants three improvements to the Ventra system.
The letter asks the CTA to waive the 50-cent surcharge for paper passes for social service providers; facilitate online bulk purchases of Ventra tickets to replace the current, antiquated paper order system; and implement high-capacity vending machines for Ventra purchases. All of these changes would save money and administrative work for agencies already hit hard by state and federal budget cuts, providers say.
Social service agencies are a big transit client — the Jobs Council estimates that services that help the homeless and unemployed in Cook County spend $1.5 million a month on Ventra.
Most agencies that help the poor prefer to use single-ride or, to a lesser extent, multiday paper passes for transient populations rather than Ventra "hard cards," because they are easier to distribute and keep track of.
But the surcharges on the passes cost agencies at least $280,000 a year — which is a lot for services already operating on thin margins, according to the Jobs Council, which published a report about Ventra in May.
"I've got a guy sitting at my front desk right now who needs a bus pass for a new job, and we can't afford to buy it," said Charles Hardwick, manager of the Howard Area Community Center, which provides employment resources.
Waiving the surcharge for passes is not an option — it covers the production and administrative costs of the limited-use tickets, said CTA spokesman Brian Steele. Former CTA President Forrest Claypool, now head of Chicago Public Schools, had predicted the cards would be used mostly be tourists.
The CTA recommends that agencies use rechargeable Ventra cards instead of paper passes to get the most transit value for the money, Steele said. But social service providers say buying the plastic cards at $5 each can be risky.
To convert the $5 cost of the card to transit value, the cards must be registered with Ventra. Many social service clients cannot register the cards for themselves, because they lack addresses, phone numbers and email. If the cards are registered to the agencies, clients can run up negative balances — one agency got stuck with $500 in debt on just 25 cards, said Eric Halvorson, policy and communications director for the Jobs Council.
Social service recipients also lose the cards or walk off with them, providers say.
"With the population I'm serving, there is a challenge to do their due diligence with everything in life," Hardwick said. "That's why we call them clients."
Bulk purchase woes
Agencies also complain of the CTA's system for buying fare cards in bulk, which requires a check or money order and a handwritten order form. The CTA said most orders take 10 to 14 days, but some providers reported waiting two months, the Jobs Council said. Providers say they run the risk of passes expiring before they can be used, so many instead choose to buy the passes at "L" station vending machines.
"It's a nightmare," said Unity Parenting's Holcomb. She can spend as much as three to six tedious hours a week standing at vending machines, buying hundreds of cards in sets of eight.
Because the machines limit purchases to 64 cards on one credit card, she has to use different cards, including her own. "Good thing I have good credit," she said, laughing.
The CTA has offered some solutions, such as allowing service agencies to act as retailers and keep a bunch of blank Ventra cards to register and hand out to clients as needed and replenish funds when requested. About two dozen agencies do this, according to CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase. Bulk ticket orders make up about 1.5 percent of the CTA's Ventra sales, Chase said.
The agency also plans to streamline the bulk ordering process by the end of the year and enable providers to use credit cards to make orders, which they can then track online, Chase said.
She said about two dozen social service agencies act as a Ventra retailer, providing cards to their clients and replenishing funds on those cards for them when requested. Halvorson said keeping a stock of Ventra cards works for some agencies that have small groups of regular clients, but it does not work for others with more transient populations.
As for CTA's offer to streamline the ordering process, Halvorson said providers have been hearing this promise since they first started talking with the CTA about Ventra in October 2013. First that was supposed to happen in early 2014, then late 2014 and now 2016.
"They've continued to push the timeline back," Halvorson said. "I hope it's true this time." | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-cta-ventra-getting-around-20160827-column.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e5643da09e220418aaabd4882e40e2f548ba29ca958e72b106948edc2c77f812.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:49:59 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fclassified%2Frealestate%2Fdreamhomes%2Fct-englishstyle-winnetka-home-with-pool-14m-20160825-photogallery.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf317e/turbine/ct-englishstyle-winnetka-home-with-pool-14m-20160825 | en | null | English-style Winnetka home with pool: $1.4M | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | 240 Forest St. in Winnetka: $1,399,000
Listed on Aug. 22, 2016
Property features fresh décor and grandly-scaled, open rooms with fine finishes. Newly conceived designer kitchen, family room, newer baths, high ceilings and architectural details. Master suite with fireplace and attached garage. Private outdoor space with pool, patio, wide sweeping lawn and gardens.
Agent: Paige Dooley of The Hudson Company, 847-609-0963 | http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/dreamhomes/ct-englishstyle-winnetka-home-with-pool-14m-20160825-photogallery.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d8b23a619c84a9891b8aae85a463aaf84a414d094da58374805b73113f196ec0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Karen Caffarini"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:17 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-merrillville-budget-talks-st-0829-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf732f/turbine/ct-ptb-merrillville-budget-talks-st-0829-20160825 | en | null | Merrillville needs to trim budget proposal | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | As Merrillville looks for ways to take about $500,000 out of its 2017 proposed budget, cuts in employee raises or benefits and the contribution to the South Shore extension were raised as possibilites before a town council committee.
The council's financial adviser, Jim Bennett, advised members of the budget and finance committee to cut the proposal from more than $10 million to around $9.5 million before submitting it to the state. He pointed out that the state ordered the town's 2016 budget of $10 million to be reduced by $1.2 million.
Also hurting the financial picture, he said, are several factors: the town will reach its cap for the first time this year, tax appeals are being filed by big box stores, and exempt debt will no longer be exempt in 2020.
"I'm not trying to scare you. I'm giving you something to think about," Bennett said. "There are solutions. None will be easy."
Bennett said the tax appeals scare him the most. The stores, such as Meijer's, Lowe's and Costco, are appealing their tax assessments, some over several years.
If successful, towns would not only lose future money from decreased assessed values, but would have to pay the stores the difference between taxes paid and what it's determined they should have paid, plus interest.
Town Attorney John Bushemi saidt the Lake County auditor has assured the council that he would allow repayments to those stores to be stretched over five years,
Bennett suggested council members looking for cuts start with those Town Manager Bruce Spires just made from the 2016 budget.
Spires said he knew there would be extra funds available in the insurance line item and in Motor Vehicle Highway funds that could be cut. Police Chief Joseph Petruch slashed $225,000 from his budget and parks director Jan Orlich reduced her budget by $90,000.
Clerk-treasurer Eugene Guernsey asked if the town could cut its promised contribution to the South Shore extension and Councilwoman Margaret Uzelac, D-4th, questioned if the town would give raises.
Councilman Shawn Pettit, D-6th, chair of the budget and finance committee, said both areas would be considered.
"Raises have not been determined. What we pay for the South Shore extension could be curtailed. We need to look at everything," Pettit said.
"If we give raises, we may have to reduce the health insurance plan," he said.
First, he said, he wants to see how much Spires could cut from the 2017 budget, using the 2016 reductions.
Pettit set the next budget and finance meeting for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6 and asked that all council members attend. He said there would be a public hearing on the tentative budget at the Sept. 13 council meeting, with possible adoption at the Sept. 27 meeting.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-merrillville-budget-talks-st-0829-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c221299ce54c190fcd34224c80ef700581c917caa108f162554b76d6777b0673.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Matthew Perrone"
] | 2016-08-26T16:48:54 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fhealth%2Fct-fda-expands-zika-screening-to-all-us-blood-centers-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c06ba1/turbine/ct-fda-expands-zika-screening-to-all-us-blood-centers-20160826 | en | null | FDA: All U.S. blood donations should get Zika screening | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The Food and Drug Administration wants all U.S. blood centers to start screening for Zika, a major expansion intended to protect the nation's blood supply from the mosquito-borne virus.
Friday's advisory means all U.S. states and territories will need to begin testing blood donations for Zika. Previously, the FDA had limited the requirement to Puerto Rico and two Florida counties.
"There is still much uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of Zika virus transmission," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's biologic products center, in an agency release. "At this time, the recommendation for testing the entire blood supply will help ensure that safe blood is available for all individuals who might need transfusion."
Blood collection sites already test donations for HIV, hepatitis, West Nile virus and other blood-borne viruses.
FDA officials said Zika testing is already underway in Puerto Rico and parts of Florida, where "it has shown to be beneficial in identifying donations infected with Zika virus."
The FDA has authorized use of two experimental blood-screening tests for Zika, one made by Roche and another from Hologic Inc. Several testing sites are already voluntarily using the technology, including blood centers in Texas. The cost of adding Zika testing to the blood screening process is less than $10, according to officials at South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.
Since February, U.S. blood centers have been turning away people who have recently traveled to areas with Zika outbreaks, under a previous FDA directive.
Zika is spread primarily by mosquito bites, as well as sex. There have been cases of Zika transmission through blood transfusion in Brazil.
The FDA works with other federal agencies to set standards for screening, testing and handling blood donations.
Last month, blood centers in Miami and Fort Lauderdale had to halt donations until they could begin screening each unit of blood. The order followed now-confirmed reports of local Zika transmission in the Miami area — the first in the continental U.S.
Puerto Rico suspended blood donations and imported blood products in March until the island began screening its blood.
Friday's announcement follows recent pressure from members of Congress urging the FDA to expand Zika screening.
"We must implement widespread universal screening now to prevent any further contamination of the blood supply before it occurs and to pre-empt a widespread shortfall in the blood supply," stated Reps. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Patrick Murphy, D-Fla. and a half-dozen other House members, in a letter to the FDA earlier this month.
The Zika virus causes only a mild illness in most people, but scientists have confirmed that infection during pregnancy can lead to severe brain-related birth defects.
The tropical mosquito that spreads Zika and other viruses is found in the southern U.S. While health officials have predicted that mosquitoes in the continental U.S. would begin spreading Zika this summer, they also have said they expect only isolated clusters of infections and not widespread outbreaks. So far, there have been about 40 cases of homegrown Zika in Florida.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-fda-expands-zika-screening-to-all-us-blood-centers-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/77decfcb614d6dcedd04f9649f66926c7e5f60cb82e19ecc14f97e2515a07dc3.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:31 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fvernon-hills%2Fnews%2Fct-vhr-port-clinton-bridge-repair-tl-0804-20160801-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-579fbbe9/turbine/ct-vhr-port-clinton-bridge-repair-tl-0804-20160801 | en | null | Port Clinton Road in Vernon Hills to reopen before Stevenson H.S. starts | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Port Clinton Road, a popular route for high school students and adult commuters, is temporarily closed for bridge repairs.
Vernon Hills and Lincolnshire have co-owned the bridge since 1998, according to a Vernon Hills village memo, and its most recent inspection showed significant wear. A low bid of $74,199 was received on July 15 and Vernon Hills trustees on July 19 agreed to pay their half.
"The primary goal is to have the work completed before Stevenson High School starts. They're the main traffic generator in that area," said Dave Brown, Vernon Hills director of public works.
Stevenson's academic calendar shows four separate orientation days for each grade level during the week of Aug. 8 followed by the first full day of school on Aug. 15. Brown said the project aims for the bridge to be ready by Aug. 11.
Detours are currently being guided along Route 45 and Buffalo Grove Road, Brown said. The small bridge crosses over a higher portion of the Indian Creek.
These repairs were expected, according to Brown. He said the work includes using jackhammers to demolish and remove areas of concrete that tested as structurally weak, followed by pouring new concrete.
Crews decided against leaving one lane open with temporary stoplights allowing each directions of traffic to take turns.
"It's not good to have the bridge flexing while you're trying to install concrete," Brown said. "You want to make sure the newly poured concrete bonds well with the decking below, and having cars traveling on the bridge would be counter productive."
The "expansion joints" on each end are also being replaced. Brown said expansion joints allow the bridge to expanded and contrast in the varying temperatures over the year without the concrete splitting.
"It's comparable to the bottom material on a house's garage door," Brown said.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/vernon-hills/news/ct-vhr-port-clinton-bridge-repair-tl-0804-20160801-story.html | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3949aa1aed79a4a26186d88dbde6862e704694b75365e76f0a8397d78845bcf6.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Philip Rucker",
"Robert Costa",
"Anne Gearan"
] | 2016-08-28T04:48:10 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-debate-prep-clinton-vs-trump-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c25b03/turbine/ct-debate-prep-clinton-vs-trump-20160827 | en | null | Inside debate prep: Clinton's careful case vs. Trump's unpredictability | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hillary Clinton is methodically preparing for the presidential debates as a veteran lawyer would approach her biggest trial. She pores over briefing books thick with policy arcana and opposition research. She internalizes tips from the most seasoned debate coaches in her party. And she rehearses, over and over again, to perfect the pacing and substance of her presentation.
Donald Trump is taking a different approach. He summons his informal band of counselors - including former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, talk-radio host Laura Ingraham and ousted Fox News Channel chairman Roger Ailes - to his New Jersey golf course for Sunday chats. Over bacon cheeseburgers, hot dogs and glasses of Coca-Cola, they test out zingers and chew over ways to refine the Republican nominee's pitch.
Trump's aides have put together briefing books, not that the candidate is devoting much time to reading them. Trump is not holding any mock debates, proudly boasting that a performer with his talents does not need that sort of prepping. Should Trump submit to traditional rehearsals, some associates are talking about casting Ingraham, an adversarial chronicler of Clinton scandals, to play the Democratic nominee.
"Donald Trump is the unpredictable X-factor and Hillary Clinton is the scripted statist," said Kellyanne Conway, Trump's new campaign manager, in an interview. "I fully understand why Team Clinton feels the need to drown her in briefing books and Hollywood consulting."
Amid a combative period of campaigning, during which each has flung ferocious accusations, Clinton and Trump are also taking time to warm up for their biggest showdowns. The first of three presidential debates, on Sept. 26, promises to be one of the highest-rated television events of the year, the first opportunity for voters to evaluate the candidates side by side and one of the last moments for either to alter the trajectory of the race.
Clinton's advisers are confident the debates will showcase her experience, judgment, gravitas and command of policy.
"She feels like it is a proving ground, that this is a job interview," Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said. "I think she will approach the debate with a great deal of seriousness and a sense of purpose, and also keenly aware that Donald Trump is capable of anything."
The forum brings considerable challenges. Clinton must not only parry what her campaign expects will be a stream of insults and innuendo from Trump, but she also must overcome the perception among many voters that she is not trustworthy.
"People think that they have to land zingers and pivot and attack - and that's true, but ultimately, you want your viewers to come away with a gut feeling that I like this person," said former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, who co-chairs Clinton's transition committee.
For Trump, who trails Clinton in nearly all national and battleground-state polls, the debates represent perhaps his best opportunity to change perceptions.
The outsider candidate needs to convince voters that he is up for the job. Known for an unpredictable and, at times, erratic temperament, Trump must prove that he can be a steady commander in chief, with an understanding of the issues. And after more than a year of making damaging comments about women and minorities, he will try to use the big debate stage to show that he would be an inclusive president.
"You're going to see a very natural and normal guy - someone who is comfortable with who he is, not someone who's highly scripted or nervous," Giuliani said. "The real risk is when a guy tries to be something other than what he is."
The first debate, at Hofstra University just outside New York City, will be rife with personal drama. Clinton and Trump are two of the most prominent personalities in a city filled with them. They once had a chummy rapport - Clinton and former president Bill Clinton famously attended Trump's 2005 wedding to Melania - but they have spent the summer scolding each other in increasingly incendiary language.
During the Republican primaries, Trump bragged about taking on Clinton and has eagerly anticipated debating her since even before entering the race, according to his associates.
"Not only does he want 100 million viewers, he wants to be a showstopper at the Roman Colosseum, the main event at WrestleMania," said Sam Nunberg, a former adviser who helped the billionaire chart his White House run. "He's going to love this, eat it up and take her on. For Hillary to go in and think she'll be professional and wonky, or give a long lecture, that'll play against her."
Political campaigns often play the expectations game, and Clinton's aides are trying to raise the bar for Trump. They insist that his years on reality television and his pugnacity and agility in the Republican primary debates make him a fearsome adversary.
"We are fully expecting to have our hands full," Fallon said. "It was his television personality that carried the day and made him a success at the [primary] debates. What normally would make for low expectations in terms of a lack of substance and not sort of exuding that commander-in-chief demeanor has actually been turned on its head."
The debates are run by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which long ago picked the dates and locations: The second is Oct. 9 at Washington University in St. Louis, and the third is Oct. 19 at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. The commission also hosts one vice-presidential debate, Oct. 4 at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-debate-prep-clinton-vs-trump-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/1d156dee25f3286c46be37cf9a1c7ae68505b001db63431f7788266052626461.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Kimberly Fornek"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:10 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fburr-ridge%2Fcrime%2Fct-dbr-pizza-delivery-robbery-tl-0901-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bee4a4/turbine/ct-dbr-pizza-delivery-robbery-tl-0901-20160825 | en | null | Pizza delivery employee robbed at gunpoint near Willowbrook | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Deputies are looking for two men who robbed a pizza delivery person Wednesday afternoon, the DuPage County Sheriff's Office reported.
Two men wearing black hooded sweatshirts and black bandanas across their faces robbed a person delivering pizzas near Honeysuckle Rose and Lilac lanes in an unincorporated area near Willowbrook at about 2:30 p.m. Aug. 24, the sheriff's office reported.
The men had a handgun and demanded money, sheriff's officials said.
The delivery man told the police he gave cash, his phone and keys to the men, who then ran away.
Anyone who has any information about this incident is asked to call the DuPage County Sheriff's Office at 630-407-2400.
The Willowbrook police issued a warning Thursday that this is a trrend of food delivery robberies in the area, including Westmont, Woodridge, Oakbrook Terrace and Lake Hinsdale Terrace.
The alert states a caller orders food for delivery to an apartment complex without a specific number, giving only a first name or simple name with the instruction to call on arrival. When the call is made, one to four people approach the delivery person.
In most cases the offenders are black males ages 16 to 20, but in once case a woman was involved, police said.
One person usually asks if the delivery person has change for $100. If the deliver person takes out the cash, offenders grab it and run, police said. On one occasion, the delivery person was punched and the offenders left with the food. ,
kfornek@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @kfdoings | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/burr-ridge/crime/ct-dbr-pizza-delivery-robbery-tl-0901-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3f185cfb91cd6b8ad51fd2c93a04ba93af0518e683edfdba67492890b3c328f0.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:52 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-gary-johnson-milwaukee-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c594e2/turbine/ct-gary-johnson-milwaukee-20160830 | en | null | Libertarian Gary Johnson to campaign in Milwaukee on Thursday | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson will be making his first campaign stop in Wisconsin this week.
Johnson is slated to hold a campaign rally Thursday night in Milwaukee.
Third party candidates are getting more attention this cycle as Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton both struggle with low favorability numbers both in Wisconsin and nationally.
The latest Marquette University Law School poll released earlier this month showed Johnson with 10 percent support among registered voters and 9 percent among likely voters. Clinton led among registered voters with 42 percent, followed by Trump at 33 percent. And among likely voters Clinton got 47 percent compared with 34 percent for Trump.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gary-johnson-milwaukee-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/76549196b8eb4c85467c71ff5d4db7d5802484cf35deec276050e5de857a7832.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Graydon Megan"
] | 2016-08-27T00:48:03 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fobituaries%2Fct-john-carroll-obit-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0d167/turbine/ct-john-carroll-obit-0827-20160826 | en | null | John Carroll, former publisher of Chicago magazine, dies | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | John Carroll was publisher of Chicago magazine for 12 years before taking the same role at CS, the Chicago-area magazine of Modern Luxury, where he continued to build on his appreciation of the finest Chicago has to offer and the people who do the offering.
"If you're the publisher of a city magazine, you're kind of like 'prince of the city,' " said Stephen Kong, who founded Modern Luxury with his brother Michael and recruited Carroll. "It's really a local business job and you're selling local businesses and it's all about the relationships."
And Carroll knew "a ton of people," Kong said.
Carroll also had a gift for helping other people build those kinds of relationships.
"He really brought great mentorship," Kong continued. "He could build a team like nobody else."
Carroll, 59, took his own life Wednesday at his summer home in Michiana Shores, Ind., according to his brother Tim. The longtime Chicago resident had been diagnosed late last year with frontotemporal lobe dementia, a terminal disease, his brother said.
Carroll was born in Chicago and grew up in the Long Beach and Michigan City area. After graduating from what was then Elston High School there, he went to Purdue University, where he got a degree in hotel and restaurant management.
Photo gallery: Newsmakers and celebrities with Chicago ties who died in 2016.
He soon moved to Chicago, where he went to work for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
"He was a terrific kid and he had a tremendous amount of enthusiasm," said Lettuce founder and Chairman Rich Melman of Carroll's early days in Chicago. "He was easy to coach, wanted to learn — just a sweet, hardworking kid who loved the business."
Melman said he regularly ran into Carroll years later around Chicago.
"He'd see me and say, 'I still use some of that stuff I learned at Lettuce,' " Melman said.
From Lettuce, Carroll moved into the magazine business in the late 1980s with city magazines in Washington, D.C., his brother said. "He wanted to get into media and ran into an opportunity in sales (there)," Tim Carroll said.
With his sales skills honed, Carroll moved back to Chicago in the early 1990s to join Chicago magazine as ad director. He later became publisher of the magazine, the position he held when he left Chicago in early 2004 to join the Kongs at Modern Luxury, the publisher of a number of city and special interest magazines.
Photo gallery: Newsmakers and celebrities who died in 2016.
A unit of the Chicago Tribune, which by then owned Chicago, sued Carroll, claiming he left with confidential information. Carroll said at the time he had done nothing wrong and questioned the Tribune's suing over his leaving for a much smaller publication. A lawyer involved in the case said he believed the matter had been resolved under confidential terms.
"He brought so many different things," Kong said of Carroll's contributions to Modern Luxury. "He brought a professional magazine publishing rigor to the business."
That included a disciplined approach to sales, along with a lot of contacts in the industry. Kong said it was Carroll's industry relationships that led to the acquisition of San Francisco magazine by Modern Luxury.
"John was a big personality," his brother said. "He came in a room and had the ability to make everybody feel good. He just had a magic about him."
Carroll is also survived by his wife, Victoria Priola; a daughter, Megan Kulick; a son, Matt Carroll; his parents, John and Jeanette Carroll; four sisters Ann Zavala, Mary Tunnicliff, Julie Sill and Colleen Witt another brother, Howard; and a granddaughter.
A previous marriage ended in divorce.
Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Notre Dame Catholic Church, 1001 Moore Road, Michigan City, Ind.
Graydon Megan is a freelance writer. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-john-carroll-obit-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/aca4fc2fd6845bae08d1d0f6faecea3b2bf333d5f1f6b56973ad2ae9a6c16afc.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"News-Sun Staff"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:40 | null | 2016-07-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flake-county-news-sun%2Fnews%2Fct-lns-lake-county-apple-arrests-0726-20160725-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-5796a7cc/turbine/ct-lns-lake-county-apple-arrests-0726-20160725 | en | null | Officials: 6 from N.Y. attempted fraud to get goods at Lake County Apple store | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Six people from New York state have been charged in "an organized criminal enterprise" during which fraudulent transactions allegedly were attempted at an Apple store in Deer Park, according to Lake County authorities.
The sheriff's office obtained information last week that the enterprise was attempting to make fraudulent purchases at various Apple stores in the Chicago area, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Further investigation revealed the suspects were using stolen identities and stolen credit card numbers of victims throughout the country to make the purchases, police said.
Christopher Covelli, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said the suspects would fly into O'Hare International Airport, rent a car and go to Apple stores to attempt to make purchases.
Detectives and highway patrol deputies from the sheriff's office began conducting increased patrols and surveillance at the Deer Park Apple store after an Apple store in Schaumburg was targeted, Covelli said.
Between Wednesday and Sunday, six people allegedly tried to commit fraud at the store. The six were arrested and charged. Authorities successfully recovered over $10,000 worth of stolen Apple products from the alleged suspects.
According to police, those arrested and charged were Nicole E. Cannon, 21; Gisselle Diaz, 41; Corbett Ortiz, 26; Quintin Ortiz, 18; Melinda Aquino, 21; and Frank Aulet, 20.
All were charged with multiple felonies and were being held in the County Jail. Corbett Ortiz and Quintin Ortiz were being held without bail, according to the news release.
"It's not common we have out-of-state individuals in a scheme like this traveling from other states," Covelli said.
Twitter @NewsSun | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-lake-county-apple-arrests-0726-20160725-story.html | en | 2016-07-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/a90cf012188bb712b4da10bca3a0dca2e72c433a49253a8ddef4bec1afeff15e.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Aaron Blake"
] | 2016-08-28T22:48:18 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fpolitics%2Fct-trump-catholics-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c35528/turbine/ct-trump-catholics-20160828 | en | null | Donald Trump has a massive Catholic problem | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Much has been made of Donald Trump's problems with a few voting groups - female voters, blacks and Hispanics, and young voters, in particular. And, to be sure, they are all problems.
But relatively speaking, his biggest problem actually appears to be with a different group: Catholics.
Yes, the man who once feuded with the pope (how soon we forget that actually happened) is cratering among Catholics.
Back in 2012, GOP nominee Mitt Romney lost the Catholic vote by just 2 points, 50 percent to 48 percent. And the GOP has actually won the Catholic vote as recently as 2004 and in 5 of the last 10 presidential elections.
But Trump trails among Catholics by a huge margin. A new poll from the Public Religion Research Institute released this week shows him down 23 points, 55-32.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released earlier this month painted an even worse picture for Trump's Catholic support. He was down by 27 points, 61-34.
If you compare the difference between Romney's margin among Catholics in 2012 and Trump's margin among Catholics this year, the 25-point difference is tied for the biggest shift of any demographic group in the Post-ABC poll.
(The only group that matches that 25-point shift is white, college-educated women. Romney won them by 6 points; Trump trails by 19.)
Trump's deficits among non-whites and young voters, by contrast, are similar to where Romney and Republicans have been in recent years. The Post-ABC poll, in fact, showed Hillary Clinton failing to match Obama's margin among non-whites - though not in a statistically meaningful way - while her margin among young voters ages 18-to-29 was three points better.
These are groups, in other words, that Republicans don't expect to do well with. And they still don't.
But Catholics have long been a swing vote in presidential elections, and right now they're swinging hard for Clinton.
It's also hard to overstate just how significant Trump's poor performance among Catholics is. That's because they comprise about one-quarter of voters in the United States (25 percent in 2012 exit polls) and are about as big a voting bloc as non-whites (28 percent) and independents (29 percent).
While we often look at how Trump is doing worse than Romney among Hispanics, we're really talking about the difference between Trump taking 45 percent of the vote and 46 percent - or maybe 49.5 percent or 50.5 percent. That's because Hispanics are only about 10 percent of the electorate, and the GOP's share of that vote is likely to be between 20 and 35 percent or so.
When talking about Catholics, though, Trump is basically adding 5 to 7 percentage points to Clinton's overall margin. If 25 percent of the electorate is Catholic, Clinton is currently taking 14 to 15 points worth of that chunk, while Trump is taking 8 or 8.5 points. And this is a group, again, that is usually close to tied.
The reasons for Trump's struggles among this group are open to interpretation. Perhaps Pope Francis' criticism of Trump and Trump's surprisingly confrontational response have turned off Catholics to Trump's candidacy.
"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," the pope said in February when asked about Trump's border wall.
As the Religion News Services' John Gehring recently posited, it could also have something to do with Trump's immigration policies:
"Part of Catholics' DNA is an appreciation for how Irish and other immigrants toiled and thrived in the shadow of a suspicious, fiercely anti-Catholic culture dominated by white Anglo-Saxon Protestants.
"When Trump calls for a religious test for Muslims entering the country; questions the faith of Hillary Clinton, President Obama and Mitt Romney; and demonizes undocumented immigrants as 'rapists,' it's a reminder of the ugly nativism that Catholics once faced.
"While this contemporary strain of old xenophobia is particularly felt by Latinos who increasingly are the face of the Catholic Church in the United States, many white Catholics surely take pride in family stories of grandparents and great-grandparents who were strangers in a new land. Trump has dug himself a deep hole he is unlikely to climb out of with these voters."
But whatever the cause, Trump's struggles among Catholics remains one of the really undersold story lines of the 2016 election. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-catholics-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/96f2e56796289f37c994d09d5c6901a62630e9f07486d270b9affa2fde10ebae.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-26T20:48:06 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fct-naperville-police-video-ruling-met-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57be0562/turbine/ct-naperville-police-video-ruling-met-20160824 | en | null | Naperville cops release video in case of Lisle protester | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Video released Thursday shows a Naperville officer pulling around a circle drive past two men, one of whom holds a protest sign as he stands on the sidewalk.
A DuPage County judge on Wednesday ordered the release of a dashcam video which is at the heart of a Lisle man's allegations that a Naperville officer tried to run him over as he protested outside the police station last year.
Donald L. Pritchard alleged the officer tried to strike him Nov. 2, 2015, as he stood in front of police headquarters at 1350 Aurora Ave. and protested alleged police mistreatment of minorities.
Donald Pritchard DuPage County Sheriff's Office Donald Pritchard Donald Pritchard (DuPage County Sheriff's Office)
Authorities said they investigated the complaint and, after reviewing the video evidence from the officer's squad car, found the allegations to be false. Pritchard subsequently was charged with felony disorderly conduct on allegations he filed a false police report about the incident.
In court, Pritchard sought a protective order barring the release of the video, as well as other evidence, arguing its dissemination could prejudice an impartial jury and impede his right to a fair trial.
A 48-second dashcam video shows the squad car driving past the front of the police station so the officer can pick up a passenger who parks in a stall near the entrance. As the officer approaches the circle drive, the video indicates the officer applied the brakes turning left into the circle, as he neared the men. He then turns right to leave the circle and stop where his passenger had pulled his vehicle into a stall.
Although the audio is also running, the officer does not say anything.
The issue of releasing the video arose from a Freedom of Information Act request made Feb. 9 by the Daily Herald. The Naperville Police Department rejected the request the next day. Police later released some redacted records but still refused to turn over the video.
In a nonbinding opinion, the Illinois attorney general earlier this month ruled in favor of the suburban daily newspaper's request regarding the dashcam video.
On Wednesday, DuPage Circuit Judge George Bakalis ordered the release of the main video depicting the driveway outside the police station and Pritchard's booking mug shot.
The judge, however, allowed for a protective order barring dissemination of other video evidence inside the station's lobby and all police reports, including the defendant's written statements and those concerning the department's internal affairs investigation.
Pritchard, 50, of the 500 block of Maple Avenue in Lisle, has pleaded not guilty. He has become something of a fixture in downtown Naperville and other prominent locations in the city. He carries a large, black-and-white, hand-lettered sign that charges police Chief Robert W. Marshall and the department's rank-and-file officers with being racists.
He is due back in court Sept. 8. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-naperville-police-video-ruling-met-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c2afdfac02f8cf7bb87b6d181791bb29b07f96fb30ae265a76e896ab9caf199e.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-28T14:48:21 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-syrian-refugees-united-states-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c2f65b/turbine/ct-syrian-refugees-united-states-20160828 | en | null | 10,000th Syrian refugee reaches U.S. on Monday in resettlement program | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The U.S. will reach its target this week of taking in 10,000 Syrian war refugees in a year-old resettlement program, the U.S. ambassador to Jordan said Sunday, after meeting families headed to California and Virginia.
The resettlement program has emerged as an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign, with Republican nominee Donald Trump alleging displaced Syrians pose a potential security threat.
Alice Wells, the U.S. ambassador to Jordan, said Sunday that keeping Americans safe and taking in some of the world's most vulnerable people are not mutually exclusive.
"Refugees are the most thoroughly screened category of travelers to the United States, and Syrian refugees are subject to even greater scrutiny," she said.
Wells said the target of resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. in the 2016 fiscal year will be reached Monday, as several hundred Syrians depart from Jordan over 24 hours.
The Jouriyeh family, which attended Sunday's short ceremony, is headed to San Diego, California.
Nadim Fawzi Jouriyeh, 49, a former construction worker from the war-ravaged Syrian city of Homs, said he feels "fear and joy, fear of the unknown and our new lives, but great joy for our children's lives and future."
Jouriyeh, who suffers from heart problems, will be traveling with his wife, Rajaa, 42, and their four children. Their oldest son, 14-year-old Mohammed, said he is eager to sign up for school in San Diego and hopes to study medicine one day.
The resettlement program focuses on the most vulnerable refugees, including those who were subjected to violence or torture or are sick.
Close to 5 million Syrians have fled civil war since 2011. Most struggle to survive in tough conditions in neighboring countries, including Jordan, which hosts close to 660,000 Syrian refugees.
Only a small percentage of Syrian refugees have been resettled to third countries. Instead, donor countries are trying to invest more in job creation and education for refugees in regional host countries to encourage them to stay there instead of moving onward, including to Europe.
Wells said the U.S. has taken in more refugees from around the world over the years than all other nations combined.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-syrian-refugees-united-states-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/c8a65bdcd1053b23e2a32dfea0aaa1a32389e127bfb9a05c3ae1577cdbc6eeab.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Michael Osipoff"
] | 2016-08-28T00:51:34 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fsports%2Fct-ptb-baseball-railcats-st-0828-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Former Miami Marlins prospect Kris Goodman now good to go for Railcats | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | When Kris Goodman was released by the Miami Marlins in mid-August, he suspected his season was over.
He contacted several major league organizations, understanding landing a job was a long shot.
The only call he received was from RailCats manager Greg Tagert. They spoke Wednesday to gauge the mutual interest.
On Friday, Goodman drove seven hours from his home in Minnesota to the Steel Yard, signing on the final day American Association teams could add players to their rosters.
On Saturday night, the 23-year-old was in the RailCats' lineup, leading off and playing left field.
"I thought it was going to be tough to get back into it in 2016 with 20 games left for whatever team," Goodman said. "But I was pretty fortunate I was able to get that call."
The RailCats entered the second game of their series against Kansas City in first place in the Central Division by a half-game. They had won nine of their last 10, including three straight.
Goodman, who had been playing with the Class A Greensboro Grasshoppers before his release, already was embracing the postseason push.
"It's a lot of fun," he said. "(Friday night) just being in the dugout with the guys and seeing how energized they were, it's just a good atmosphere to come into."
The RailCats hope Goodman provides versatility and depth, especially with Portage graduate Tony Cheky continuing to deal with bone chips in his elbow.
After getting drafted out of Iowa in the 32nd round in 2015, Goodman hit .223 in two seasons with three teams in the Marlins organization.
But he came highly recommended by former RailCats pitching coach Brendan Sagara, now the Greensboro pitching coach, and Goodman played with now-injured outfielder Cameron Newell.
"His numbers are not reflective hopefully of the type of performer he might be for us," Tagert said. "But he had all the other attributes, with experience and still being a young player."
Tagert views Goodman primarily as a left fielder and third baseman.
"He was open to accept any role we wanted," Tagert said. "At this time of the year, if you can add somebody in a role that can be beneficial to the club, continue with the versatility we love, and he's also somebody who will fit in well from a personality standpoint."
Goodman has played every infield and outfield spot in his professional career. He grew up as an outfielder, played shortstop in high school and was recruited at that position. He wound up playing mostly as an outfielder for the Hawkeyes, before shifting to third as a senior and getting drafted at that spot.
His "natural" position?
"Whatever I am that day," Goodman said. "My bag's packed with just gloves, really.
"Even if you move around in the lineup or to different positions, the game stays the same."
Goodman ended his four-year career at Iowa ranked seventh in games played with 194. He hit .262 with three homers, 26 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as a senior before playing rookie ball with the Marlins. He also played for the Class A Batavia Muckdogs this season.
"It was up and down," Goodman said. "I had some success this season. I felt like I was getting better every day. Different organizations have different plans for ballplayers, and mine wasn't working for the Marlins. But it doesn't necessarily mean your career is over.
"(Tagert's) call was pretty much the only one I got. But it only takes one."
mosipoff@post-trib.com
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-baseball-railcats-st-0828-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/cf1fef22240074b9b0db05b9448bfb445f5808f1c04fbabb1acd60eeb01600ac.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Alexandra Chachkevitch"
] | 2016-08-31T04:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-chicago-violence-shootings-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c65ff7/turbine/ct-chicago-violence-shootings-20160830 | en | null | At least 7 hurt in shootings on South, West sides | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | At least seven people, including a 14-year-old boy, have been wounded during shootings on the South and West sides Tuesday, police said.
Most recently, about 8:05 p.m. the 14-year-old boy was in the 600 block of West 61st Place in the Englewood neighborhood when he was accidentally shot in the lower left leg, said Officer Veejay Zala, a Chicago police spokesman.
The boy was walking outside with a friend, who took out a gun to show him. The gun accidentally discharged, striking the boy in the leg. The boy was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, where he was listed in good condition, Zala said.
About 8 p.m., a 25-year-old man was critically hurt in a shooting in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side, Zala said.
The man was standing on a corner in the 4400 block of South Marshfield Avenue when he heard gunshots and realized he was struck in the stomach. He managed to get to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, Zala said.
About 7:45 p.m., an 18-year-old man was standing on a corner in the 5700 block of South Bishop Street, also in Englewood, when an occupant of a passing vehicle fired shots hitting him in the right leg, said Officer Michelle Tannehill, a spokeswoman for the Chicago police. He was taken to Stroger Hospital where in good condition.
About 7:10 p.m., a 16-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man were wounded in a shooting in the 1200 block of South Lawndale Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side, Zala said.
The teen was shot in the knee, and the man was hit in the buttocks. Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were listed in good conditions, Zala said.
At 4:55 p.m., a 25-year-old man was riding a bicycle in the 4200 block of South Champlain Avenue in the Bronzeville neighborhood when a light-colored van drove past him and someone inside it opened fire, hitting the man twice in the left leg, said Tannehill.
The 25-year-old was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was in good condition, said Tannehill.
At approximately 4:50 p.m. a 19-year-old man was walking in 4700 block of South Prairie Avenue in Bronzeville when he heard shots and felt pain, said Tannehill.
He suffered gunshot wounds to the left forearm and buttocks and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where his condition stabilized, Tannehill said.
The last time someone had been shot before the Prairie incident was about 17 hours prior, at 11:55 p.m. Monday in the 2900 block of West Walnut Street, according to Tannehill. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-violence-shootings-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f1fb8cbba634e2bcd49f2d111a42a2f0235fc4ea4c2149b97f0251ff01a4fee5.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mike Isaacs"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:10 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-animal-shelter-for-skokie-tl-0818-20160812-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57ae3bd0/turbine/ct-skr-animal-shelter-for-skokie-tl-0818-20160812 | en | null | Animal shelter seeks village relief to move near downtown Skokie | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Community Animal Rescue Effort — an animal shelter also known as C.A.R.E. — is looking to move near the heart of downtown Skokie, but not everyone is happy about the idea.
The Skokie Plan Commission recently recommended a series of measures, which are necessary if C.A.R.E. is to occupy property on the 4900 block of Main Street and 8300 block of Niles Center Road.
The property contains three lots and includes two adjoining buildings and two surface parking lots, according to village planners.
Despite the panel's recommendations for the animal shelter, its future in Skokie appears less than certain. The Plan Commission's support came with a list of conditions recommended by the village's planning department, and representatives of C.A.R.E said they do not agree with all of them.
The matter now rests in the hands of the Skokie Village Board, which will have final say at an upcoming meeting, according to village planners.
Ben Schueler of Evanston, representing the organization, called C.A.R.E. "a grass-roots, all-volunteer, not-for-profit charity with a mission to serve Skokie and the surrounding communities by fostering and supporting healthy and positive relationships between people and companion animals."
Schueler said C.A.R.E. is active in raising funds to provide for the needs of homeless animals and adopting them into safe homes. "This work on behalf of our community leads us to the future, which is our search for a place to call home," he said.
C.A.R.E. had both detractors and supporters at the Plan Commission meeting earlier this month.
Several residents who live near the property listed concerns ranging from the property being taken off the tax rolls to a potential decline in their property values to potential burdens of having multiple shelter animals in a residential neighborhood near a bike and pedestrian path.
Margaret Poet said she has lived near the site on the 4800 block of Elm Street for 48 years.
"I am opposed to putting in this particular structure — the animal shelter," she said, adding that there are six animal shelters within six miles of this location.
"I am concerned that this is going to be a tax-exempt entity," she said. "I think it's very important in the village of Skokie that we consider economic development — that we look for a business entity, an entity that will generate tax revenue for the village."
Others vouched for the nonprofit as a compassionate and caring organization. Rob Paddor, owner of Evanston Subaru in Skokie, said the property has been on the market for several years and now there is a chance to finally develop it.
"They're a wonderful organization," Paddor said. "I realize I'm not a neighbor there, but I know ... it's a high-class operation, and I know that some of the fear that these local citizens have would be addressed."
Measures associated with the project and recommended by the Plan Commission include a site plan, a special-use permit for the animal shelter, another for an outside exercise area for the animals, a parking plan and a zoning chapter amendment that would address regulations about animal shelters so this one could potentially be allowed.
Plan Commission member Scott Berman voted against most of these measures, the only commissioner not to support the project.
"As a businessman, we support many animal shelters throughout Cook and Lake County areas," Berman said. "To my knowledge, all of these shelters that we do support strongly are in nonresidential neighborhoods. There is not one shelter that I know of ... that sits adjacent to or across the street from townhouse residences. It's a totally inappropriate spot for an animal shelter."
Supporters of the shelter countered by saying that measures would be put in place to protect the neighborhood and those using the path. Plans call for an eight-foot fence that would separate the path from the outside animal exercise area, they said.
In working with C.A.R.E., Skokie planners said they initially rejected two other properties on Oakton Street and Monticello Avenue for the project before agreeing to support this location. But planners said there are complications with the site that need to be addressed. The village owns portions of the property on a separate lot north of Main Street that would be used for parking, they said.
The village wants C.A.R.E. to construct a parking lot north of Main, but a C.A.R.E representative called the condition "a serious financial burden." Another issue concerns relocating utilities on the site.
"To be honest, I'm not sure how we're going to be able to pull this off," the representative said about these conditions.
Skokie Planning Supervisor Steve Marciani said without the village's parking plan, C.A.R.E. would be short required parking spaces and have to pay even more in a "parking contribution" under village code.
The condition requiring relocation of utilities is "a standard condition," he said. "We want those utilities down. It's a condition that they're buying with the property."
How these issues play out now will be a matter between C.A.R.E. and the Village Board, planners said.
According to C.A.R.E., the shelter began 29 years ago with a handful of volunteers, but has never had a permanent home. It worked with the city of Evanston and partnered in running the Evanston Animal Shelter, according to the Evanston Review.
The Evanston Review reported that the city, however, severed ties with the group over the latter's philosophy regarding euthanasia. Complaints, some coming from C.A.R.E. volunteers themselves, maintained the group's rate of euthanasia was too high, a charge C.A.R.E. leaders strongly denied.
misaacs@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @SKReview_Mike | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-animal-shelter-for-skokie-tl-0818-20160812-story.html | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/73766f39c76f90c2c3c32d0ac50afdb4259873e1ba987114a8a1040dfd0cc2b5.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T04:48:39 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fct-colleges-notre-dame-arrests-spt-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4f2fc/turbine/ct-colleges-notre-dame-arrests-spt-20160829 | en | null | Formal charges filed against 5 Notre Dame players | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Four Notre Dame football players and another kicked off the team arrested during a traffic stop have been formally charged.
The South Bend Tribune reports running back Dexter Williams, linebacker Te'von Coney, wide receiver Kevin Stepherson, and cornerback Ashton White were charged Monday with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana. Safety Max Redfield, who has since been dismissed from the team, was charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and carrying a handgun without a license.
An initial hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Stepherson and Williams were initially also accused of possession of a handgun without a license when arrested Aug. 19. State police said the car was stopped because it was traveling 73 mph in a 60 mph zone and had an improper taillight.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-colleges-notre-dame-arrests-spt-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fa97232d962da27d0a55e72d109239785cf8c5cdc2c62ba3c58ba0aa3ed82b83.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mike Isaacs"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:43 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-atm-drive-through-tl-0901-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf6652/turbine/ct-skr-atm-drive-through-tl-0901-20160825 | en | null | Bank ATM drive-thru added to plans for Touhy Town Center | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Developers of a new Skokie shopping center currently under construction on the 5500 block of Touhy Avenue were recently back before the Skokie Plan Commission to add a bank ATM drive-thru to the project.
Although Community Development Director Peter Peyer called the change to the site plan — approved by the commission last year — "minor," it still requires approval of three new measures, officials said.
The Skokie Plan Commission Aug. 18 recommended all three — modifying the site plan, a special-use permit to allow for the drive-thru and subdividing the property. The Skokie Village Board will have a final vote at an upcoming board meeting.
"We are supportive of all three of the cases," Peyer told the commission. "We've met with (the developer) many times and went over the site plan."
The shopping center, to be called Touhy Town Center, sits to the north of the larger Village Crossing shopping center near Touhy Avenue and Linder Avenue and will include a drive-thru Panera cafe and a drive-thru Goodwill thrift store, according to the developer, Skokie Industrial & Office Centre LLC, which owns the property.
Although the new bank that will operate the drive-thru has not yet been named, the developer has announced several tenants for the shopping center including the Panera and Goodwill.
The Panera Cafe will not be like other Paneras, according to Barry Missner of the Missner Group, general contractor for the project. Occupying more than 4,000 square feet, it will be one of the few drive-thru Paneras in the area, although this is a trend Panera is starting to pursue more often, he has said.
Missner also previously called the Panera design "fancy" and unlike any other to date except for a Panera built in Seattle.
The Goodwill store will be the largest retailer on the site and occupy 20,800 square feet, he said.
Missner at the recent Plan Commission meeting also mentioned a Mod Pizza for the shopping center. Mod Pizza began in 2008 in Seattle and has expanded into a chain across the country, according to the company.
The Touhy Town Center property previously was occupied by two buildings that were part of a small office and light industrial park.
The conversion is in keeping with recent changes along Touhy Avenue — at least in Skokie — from light industrial or office uses to commercial and retail uses. In recent years, the east end of Skokie, once an area of light industry, has seen the creation of two new shopping centers with commercial additions, such as a Marianos and Wal-Mart coming to the area.
The developer said adding an ATM drive-thru to the Touhy Town Center project will not alter the original vision for the site.
"The proposed ATM drive-thru facility has been designed to provide more than sufficient stacking capability and is compatible with existing traffic patterns in the development, including the proposed drive-thru facilities for Panera and Goodwill," according to Skokie Industrial & Office Centre, LLC.
Other features associated with the project will remain as originally planned, the developer said. The project also includes an outdoor seating area between the buildings.
misaacs@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @SKReview_Mike | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-atm-drive-through-tl-0901-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/586960316e85cb5b62931b7e896f24fdb057eeb3e9cefa98ac511b68fee59fdd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Michelle L. Quinn"
] | 2016-08-27T00:51:08 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-jackson-event-gary-st-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0d62e/turbine/ct-ptb-jackson-event-gary-st-0827-20160826 | en | null | Jackson tribute brings inspiration to stage | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | There are many people on this planet who could be -- and are -- Michael Jackson impersonators, but they aren't C.J. Williams.
If Williams had his way, he'd have taken the stage during the Gary Community School Corp.'s 7th Annual Michael Jackson Tribute performance Friday descending from the sky onto the stage on Roosevelt Academy's football field on a jet pack. The idea was shot down by organizers, however, over safety issues.
Still, if you're going to do M.J., one needs to stand out, he said.
Costumed in a black and gold suit adorned with mirrors and silver moon boots for that extra touch, Williams, of Gary, accomplished his objective and then some.
"It's all about his character," said Williams, who's impersonated the Gary native and megastar for 10 years. "When you're impersonating an icon such as Michael, you have to be true to the character, but I put my twist to it, because anyone can dress like him."
But the jet pack?
"Michael left this world on a jet pack, so I wanted to come in on one," he said. "But I want to give back to the world just like Michael did."
Billed as an event to not only celebrate the singer, but as a kick-off for students to get fired up for the new school year, Dorothy Roberson, of Chicago, can relate to finding inspiration. A Tina Tuner impersonator who sang a rousing rendition of "Rollin' on the River" for the late-afternoon audience, Roberson was going through a rough divorce seven years ago when she went to see Turner at the United Center.
Michael Jackson impersonator CJ Williams Jim Karczewski / Chicago Tribune Michael Jackson impersonator CJ Williams talks to host Dinah Biggs of WLTH, Gary. Michael Jackson impersonator CJ Williams talks to host Dinah Biggs of WLTH, Gary. (Jim Karczewski / Chicago Tribune)
She couldn't get through the lobby without people stopping her for pictures because they thought she was either the real Tina, or at least an uncanny impersonator. The gospel singer found her calling that night.
"I was going through the same thing that she did. I was divorced at 50 with nothing," Roberson said. "I started learning her songs and before you know it, I was fine. My goal now is to get over to Switzerland and meet the real Tina."
A group of five 12- and 13-year-old girls said they were inspired by the performances. One said she wants to be a dance teacher while another wants her own dance team and one of the 13-year-olds wants to sing.
The girls attend the tribute each year and see themselves taking the stage one day, they said, but school comes first.
"I need to get my education," one said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-jackson-event-gary-st-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4bb6eee38fafd1670a6fd7d0874212f63552ab5d7db2bb5b463be2cf4ae764f7.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-31T06:48:48 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fct-teddy-bridgewater-vikings-injury-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5de53/turbine/ct-teddy-bridgewater-vikings-injury-20160830 | en | null | Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater will miss season with knee injury | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is expected to miss at least the next season while recovering from a dislocated left knee and torn anterior cruciate ligament after a freak practice injury on Tuesday.
Bridgewater was taken by ambulance to a hospital after crumpling to the turf during practice, and the team announced hours later that his knee also had "other structural damage" that will need to be repaired in a surgery that will be scheduled in the coming days. But the team did say he had no nerve or arterial damage and it expects a full recovery after a "significant" rehabilitation.
"Teddy has already displayed the attitude needed to overcome this injury and attack his rehab," said Eric Sugarman, the director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer for the Vikings.
Bridgewater suffered a non-contact knee injury while dropping back to pass, and it was so jolting that coach Mike Zimmer immediately ended practice. Players were visibly distraught as they left the field, some hurling expletives into the air and others kneeling in prayer for one of the team's most popular players. Moments later, a siren-blaring ambulance rushed to team headquarters to get the quarterback to the hospital.
It was a somber scene for a shaken franchise, one that reported to training camp with designs on a Super Bowl run.
"Sometimes the worst things happen to the best (people)," Vikings receiver Jarius Wright tweeted. "God has a plan."
About 2½ hours after the injury, Zimmer tried to straddle the line between expressing concern for a beloved teammate and keeping the rest of his team from losing focus and confidence.
Zimmer addressed the team in full and was clearly upset for Bridgewater, a player he quickly bonded with after he was drafted in the first round in 2014. But he also tried to steer the team's focus back to the field as the players prepare for their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night and the season opener at Tennessee on Sept. 11.
"I'm not going to let this team feel sorry for itself," Zimmer said before the full details of his injury were known. "We're going to grieve today and be upset about it. It's more about our feelings for Teddy and him as a person and getting better than it is about anything else. Teddy's a great kid and he'll be back as soon as he possibly can if it is real bad. But we're going to keep fighting."
Zimmer said he spoke to Bridgewater's mother several times to keep her updated, had some phone conversations with mentor Bill Parcells and even talked "in spirit" to his father Bill, an ex-coach who died last summer, about how to best handle the situation.
"We're not going to stick our heads in the sand, we're not going to tuck our (tail between) our legs," Zimmer said. "We're not looking for excuses. We're going to go out and fight like we always do."
There is little behind Bridgewater on the depth chart. Shaun Hill is the primary backup, but he's 36 years old and has played only sparingly over the last five years. Taylor Heinicke, last year's No. 3 quarterback, has been out all preseason with an injury, and undrafted rookie Joel Stave has struggled mightily at times during practices.
Hill started eight games for the Rams in 2014, throwing eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Other than that, he has thrown a total of 23 passes dating back to 2010.
"I have confidence in Shaun," Zimmer said. "I think he's played great this preseason. He's been in 2-minute drills. He's done a phenomenal job."
The Vikings were counting on Bridgewater to take some major steps forward after a promising start to his career. He helped lead the Vikings to the NFC North championship last season as more of a game manager, but Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner had said they expected him to be much more of a playmaker in 2016.
Bridgewater missed the second preseason game with a sore shoulder, but was sharp Sunday against San Diego. He went 12 for 16 for 161 yards and a touchdown in two quarters of work.
"We're not going to stick our heads in the sand. We're going to figure out a way," Zimmer said. "Everybody can count us out if they want, but I think that'd be the wrong thing to do."
Zimmer said he has already had preliminary discussions with general manager Rick Spielman about adding another quarterback if necessary, but the injury likely puts even more emphasis on Adrian Peterson and the running game.
The determined coach rattled off the names of 10 players that would be key to the team's success in 2016, driving home his point that "this isn't a one-man deal."
"I can go down the line," Zimmer said, "and I'll take them with me into an alley anywhere."
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/ct-teddy-bridgewater-vikings-injury-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e0dee7a5dc326408c3c55db1f9e40eca71b045b0937cd960af9c5d77c709d837.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Gina J. Grillo"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:05 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-bodymind-spirit-tl-0825-20160822-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bbb512/turbine/ct-skr-bodymind-spirit-tl-0825-20160822 | en | null | Body, mind, spirit: Skokie expo explores issues | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | For those who have perplexed over new age questions — such as what is the color of my aura, what are the healing properties of sage, or how to identify a spirit guide — last weekend's Body Mind Spirit Expo, at the North Shore Center for The Performing Arts, sought to offer some answers.
More than 1,000 attendees gathered to delve into these and other mysteries of the body-mind-sprit connection.
The BMS Expo, with more than 100 exhibitors and 72 presentations, provided a range of ideas and products, (representing ancient traditions to new age technologies), that support conscious holistic living in the areas of natural health, personal growth, metaphysics and psychics.
Expo exhibitor Daniel Johnson, who makes original handcrafted drums and flutes, traveled from Saegertown, Pa.
"There has been a recent shift in consciousness, and people are becoming more open to find ways to release their intentions," he said. "This expo offers a spectrum of alternative ideas for those searching for meditation healing and guidance in our chaotic world."
Body, mind, spirit: Skokie expo explores issues Gina J. Grillo / Pioneer Press A look at the Body Mind Spirit Expo at the North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie. A look at the Body Mind Spirit Expo at the North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie. (Gina J. Grillo / Pioneer Press)
Programs included explorations in astrology, dream recall, natural paths and yoga and demonstrations on aromatherapy, healing crystals, tarot readings, massage and aura photography.
Visitors could also select from an array of speaker presentations given by authors, psychics, mediums and healers scheduled on both days. These included author Blake D. Bauer, with his presentation "Love, Heal & Empower Yourself with Qi Gong," and Ehryck "Soul Man" Gilmore, author of "Why Am I Stuck" and "Law of Attraction 101."
There also were other featured presentations by locally based speakers — Tami Gilbert (of Highland Park), author of "Courage to Persevere" and interior designer Cary Weldy (of Morton Grove), with "Empower Your Divine Feminine Energy: Secrets to Prosperity, Abundant Health and Peace."
"This event brings people and ideas from all over the world to Skokie," Gilbert said. "It allows them to see, learn, and buy things they would only have access to while traveling."
Gina J. Grillo is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-bodymind-spirit-tl-0825-20160822-story.html | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5e4d9a141b4d40253eb76cf2aa214f70880d30a6cff02c5711f0b1e1f7fb5f7b.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T00:48:45 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-turkey-kurds-syria-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4bb57/turbine/ct-turkey-kurds-syria-20160829 | en | null | U.S. urges halt to Turkish, Kurdish clashes in northern Syria | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The U.S. on Monday urged Turkish troops and Kurdish forces in northern Syria to halt their fighting, saying it hinders efforts to defeat the Islamic State group. But Turkey's president vowed to press ahead with the military operation until the IS and Kurdish Syrian fighters no longer pose a security threat to Ankara.
It was the first U.S. criticism of its NATO ally since it launched a U.S.-backed incursion into northern Syria to help Syrian rebels seize the town of Jarablus from the Islamic State group. They have been clashing with Kurdish Syrian forces around the town to try to halt their advance.
The battle now pits Turkey against the Kurdish-led force known as the Syria Democratic Forces— a U.S.-backed proxy that is the most effective ground force battling IS militants in Syria's 5-year-old civil war. It puts Washington in the difficult spot of having to choose between two allies, and it is likely to divert resources from the fight against IS.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Washington has asked Turkey to "stay focused" on the fight against the Islamic State and not to engage with the SDF.
"We've called on both sides not to fight one another, not to fight each other," Carter said.
He told reporters at the Pentagon that Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to his Turkish counterpart Sunday. Carter added that he intends to discuss the issue next week in Europe with Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik.
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the clashes were of "deep concern," adding that they were not coordinated with U.S. forces, "and we do not support them."
"Uncoordinated operations and maneuvers only provide room for ISIL to find sanctuary and continue planning attacks against Turkey, the SDF, the United States, and our partners around the world," the statement said.
Turkish officials responded by insisting that Kurdish forces "immediately" withdraw east of the Euphrates River or face more attacks by Turkish forces.
"No one has the right to tell Turkey to 'fight this terror organization but don't fight that terror organization,'" said Omer Celik, a Turkish cabinet minister.
Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper, in an online edition, quoted Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus as responding to the Pentagon by saying the U.S. should keep to its promise and use its influence to press its Kurdish allies to withdraw to the east.
The sharp rhetoric — and the continued fighting — reflects the complicated and conflicting interests at stake in northern Syria after Turkish tanks rolled across the border Aug. 24 with the dual aim of containing the IS group and Kurdish forces.
The U.S. has supported Turkey in its demand that the SDF withdraw east of the Euphrates, which cuts into Jarablus. The goal is to clear the region south of Jarablus of Kurdish forces, thus keeping them from linking with other Kurdish-controlled areas in Afrin in Syria's northwestern corner.
Turkey pressed ahead with its offensive, seemingly bent on creating a de facto "safe zone" free of IS and the Kurds near its border. The Turkish military said Turkey-backed Syrian rebels — a mix of various Islamist rebel factions — have cleared 10 more villages of "terrorist entities" and now control of an area totaling some 400 square kilometers (about 150 square miles) south and west of Jarablus.
In an emailed statement, Turkish military officials said Syrian opposition forces were continuing their operations to clear IS-controlled areas.
Syrian opposition groups, meanwhile, reported that Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have captured more towns and villages as part of the operation named "Euphrates Shield," now in its sixth day.
Cook said the U.S. doesn't support reported Turkish airstrikes and artillery shelling of U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters — or Kurdish attacks on Turkish troops — in areas where IS fighters no longer operate.
In another sign of brewing discord, Cook said the Kurdish pullback to the east side of the Euphrates has "largely occurred."
At the White House, Ben Rhodes, President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser, expressed concern that further action by Turkish troops against the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces "would complicate efforts to have that united front against ISIL that we want," using another acronym for the Islamic State group.
Rhodes said that while the U.S. supported Turkey's efforts to clear IS fighters from Jarablus and secure its border, it would oppose Turkish efforts to move south and engage in activities against the SDF. He also said the U.S. has communicated to the SDF that they should not engage in military activity against Turkish forces.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish operations will continue "until terror organizations such as Daesh, the PKK and its Syrian arm, the YPG, cease to be threats for our citizens."
Daesh is the Arabic name for the Islamic State group; the PKK is the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has waged a 30-year insurgency in Turkey; and the YPG is the main Syrian Kurdish force known as the People's Protection Units.
Earlier this month, the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces crossed the Euphrates and drove IS militants out of Manbij, a key supply hub south of Jarablus, following a costly 10-week campaign.
"The SDF have proven to be a reliable and capable force, and our support for the SDF in its fight against ISIL is ongoing and will continue to do so," Cook said, using another acronym to refer to the Islamic State group. "They have fought hard and sacrificed to try and rid Syria of this hateful group."
The Jarablus Military Council, which is part of the SDF, said its fighters will withdraw to areas south of the Sajour River, a tributary of the Euphrates. The Sajour is north of Manbij.
"We declare the withdrawal of our forces to south, to the Sajour River, to preserve the lives of civilians and so that they (Turks and their allies) don't have any justification to continue shelling civilians," the council said.
The move is unlikely to be accepted by Turkey, since Ankara wants the rebels to withdraw completely east of the Euphrates. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-kurds-syria-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/14856dfef3b22daca415fbe373a6758acbc78e06b07db27533f255e57b435349.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-27T00:48:00 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-gameday-cubs-dodgers-spt-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0c20d/turbine/ct-gameday-cubs-dodgers-spt-0827-20160826 | en | null | Cubs' Jorge Soler in left field, Miguel Montero at catcher vs. Dodgers | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Jorge Soler will start in left field while Miguel Montero gets a chance to lift his .197 batting average Friday night when the Cubs face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Beatles Night at Dodger Stadium.
Montero is 6-for-14 lifetime against Dodgers starter Bud Norris.
Dexter Fowler is 5-for-9 against Norris, but Anthony Rizzo is hitless in 10 career at-bats against Norris.
The Cubs are hoping left-hander Mike Montgomery will be able to take advantage of the Dodgers' vulnerability.
Montgomery threw 4 1/3 hitless innings in his last start before allowing a home run to Nick Hundley in a win at Colorado on Saturday. The Dodgers are batting .222 with a .300 on-base percentage against left-handers, compared to a .261 batting average and .328 on-base percentage against right-handed pitchers.
Here's the Cubs' lineup:
Fowler cf
Bryant 3b
Rizzo 1b
Zobrist 2b
Russell ss
Heyward rf
Soler lf
Montero c
Montgomery p | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-dodgers-spt-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d0df09c07383e30d00c939673da95cc4bfa923b795f9806a041d87b8f31f2f0f.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-27T10:48:03 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-joe-maddon-cubs-dodgers-20160826-premiumvideo.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c139db/turbine/ct-joe-maddon-cubs-dodgers-20160826 | en | null | Joe Maddon on Cubs' 10-inning victory over Dodgers: 'It's a team win' | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Joe Maddon on Cubs' 10-inning victory over Dodgers: 'It's a team win'
Cubs manager Joe Maddon calls Friday's 10-inning victory over the Dodgers a "team win" on Aug. 26, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-cubs-dodgers-20160826-premiumvideo.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4ca2264f865faff5f4460c26997713d7878a7d121ea775b0ab74b4e24da29745.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"George Houde"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:14 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Felgin-courier-news%2Fnews%2Fct-elgin-imam-sex-abuse-plea-met-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf50f2/turbine/ct-elgin-imam-sex-abuse-plea-met-20160825 | en | null | Elgin Muslim leader admits sex abuse of minor and woman, gets probation | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A suburban Islamic leader accused of molesting an underage girl and a female employee pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon and was sentenced to 24 months probation.
Mohammed Abdullah Saleem, 77, who founded the Institute for Islamic Education in Elgin, must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In addition, he is forbidden to be in the presence of females of any age, except relatives, without another adult female present. He also cannot be within 500 feet of any school — including the one he founded 27 years ago, except to worship at its affiliated mosque.
"Mr. Saleem thought it would be in the best interest of the Islamic community to accept the plea agreement and avoid a trial," his lawyer, Donna Rotunno, said following the hearing.
Saleem was accused of repeatedly fondling a young woman who worked for him at the school, as well as a student who was a minor at the time, in some cases while forcing them sit on his lap. Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Jaclyn Lantz said the student was 14 when Saleem began to abuse her in 2001. The following year, the girl reported the abuse to a school official, "but nothing happened," Lantz said.
No one at the school could be reached for comment Thursday.
The arrest of the conservative scholar on sex abuse charges was especially shocking given Saleem's stature in his community made up largely of Islamic immigrants from India and Pakistan. He is said to espouse a code of separation between genders and discourages even hand-shaking. The institute, which provides boarding to some students, runs separate programs for girls and boys.
At the hearing Thursday, Lantz reiterated the allegations against Saleem and explaining how his inappropriate conduct toward both his victims escalated over time.
Beginning in late 2013, Lantz said, Saleem began to request to his office manager that she not wear her veil, and then began removing it himself. Lantz said Saleem repeatedly locked the door in his office while the woman was there and touched her breasts and buttocks, tried to massage her ankles and tried to force her to massage his ankles, despite her resistance. In April 2014, the imam forced the woman to sit on his lap. After she was able to free herself, the woman noticed a spot on her pants that was later found to match Saleem's DNA profile, Lantz said.
After that, the woman quit her job and alerted a family member to what had happened. The imam told her he would not touch her again if she returned to work, but the woman refused and moved out of state, Lantz said.
The younger victim, now an adult, went to authorities about Saleem's past abuse of her after learning he was being investigated for the later allegations.
The prosecutor said Saleem touched the younger victim's genitals outside of her clothes and fondled her breasts dozens of times between 2001 and 2003, until she too moved out of state.
Judge James Karahalios had earlier ruled that, had Saleem gone to trial, he would have allowed testimony from two other women who also claimed the imam groped them. Four women have also filed a civil suit claiming sex abuse by the imam. In some cases the claims date back decades.
Lantz said both victims chose not to attend the plea hearing but were satisfied that the imam took responsibility for his actions. She said they were not seeking orders of protection against him.
The elderly, white-bearded imam had appeared to be close to accepting a plea bargain in recent days, and had made two earlier court appearances this week as lawyers negotiated in private in the judge's chambers. On Tuesday, Karahalios gave Saleem until Sept. 2 to accept the proposed plea deal.
Saleem, in a wheelchair and in religious garb, did not speak during the hearing except to tell the judge, "I plead guilty" and to acknowledge that he understood what he was pleading to, which was two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. After the hearing, he was taken for his first appointment with a probation officer in Cook County court's Rolling Meadows branch.
Afsar Ali, a Muslim who attended the hearing but is not affiliated with the institute's mosque, said he was "happy for the victims and hope this will provide some sort of closure for them."
Ali said the women set a good example in the Muslim community by coming forward with their allegations.
"I wish our community was more open to talking about this so that if our children are violated in any way, they can come forward without fear," he said.
George Houde is a freelance reporter. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-elgin-imam-sex-abuse-plea-met-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/cc975c02c80b8745ac8f0a3912020571fc33208019f272451dc9302f4bf25bce.json |
[
"Blue Sky",
"Hayley Tsukayama"
] | 2016-08-29T22:48:51 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbluesky%2Ftechnology%2Fct-new-iphones-apple-event-wp-bsi-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c494f8/turbine/ct-new-iphones-apple-event-wp-bsi-20160829 | en | null | New iPhones are coming: Here's what to expect from Apple's event next week | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Apple confirmed Monday that it will have a press event on Sept. 7 — at which it is expected to introduce a new iPhone and the next version of the Apple Watch.
While Apple never says what it's planning before it announces new products, this is the time of year for a new iPhone and there have been plenty of reports indicating what's expected for the next smartphone. The main rumor is that the company is going to break with its normal upgrade rhythm this year. In the past, Apple's alternated between offering major updates for the iPhone and smaller, more incremental updates. According to that schedule, Apple should be offering a significant update to the iPhone this year, and call it the "iPhone 7."
But reports from analysts and other Apple watchers indicate that Apple's actually not going to offer that much of an overhaul to its phones, but will instead likely introduce two phones that look an awful lot like its current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. A bigger change to the device is actually now expected next year, in 2017.
Apple is expected to give the guts of the phone its typical overhaul, with faster chips, a better camera and maybe a larger battery, according to multiple reports, including one from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The larger version of the iPhone, which will probably be called the iPhone 7 Plus if Apple sticks with its conventions, may have two cameras on the back of the phone.
Despite not being a "major" upgrade on the scale of years past, Apple is expected to make at least one big change: many reports have said that Apple will do away with its headphone jack. Instead, reports have said, the company is expected to use the space now occupied by the headphone jack for a second speaker. Headphones for the iPhone may instead work with the Lightning port on the bottom of the phone, which is currently only used for charging and data transfer.
That would make the standard headphones that users have had for years completely useless with a new iPhone. Since the rumor first broke, there's been lots of pushback from those who say it's not a consumer-friendly move. That includes Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who told the Australian Financial Review last week that Apple shouldn't ditch the headphone jack unless it also improves the sound quality over Bluetooth wireless headphones.
Overall, Apple's iPhone sales in 2016 haven't been as strong as they were last year, and that's worried many investors who know that the majority of Apple's money comes from iPhone sales. If the reports are true, Apple is unlikely to get a sales bump on the scale that it normally does when releasing a overhauled iPhone. For example, those still using the iPhone 6 (or older) may find themselves unwilling to pay for more incremental updates, and may hold out for another year until the next model.
Then again, Apple is nothing if not surprising — so hopeful phone buyers shouldn't go into mourning just yet. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/technology/ct-new-iphones-apple-event-wp-bsi-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b4489a847957fabaad6b2998582221ef46e074cc00d6fd185e1570b14235cd73.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Monique Garcia"
] | 2016-08-27T02:48:12 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-bruce-rauner-veto-disabled-care-wage-hike-met-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0c5f3/turbine/ct-bruce-rauner-veto-disabled-care-wage-hike-met-0827-20160826 | en | null | Rauner vetoes $15/hour wage for caregivers of developmentally disabled | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday used his veto powers on several bills aimed at increasing help for the state's most vulnerable, rejecting measures that would increase wages for workers who care for people with developmental disabilities and expand a child-care program for low-income families.
The Republican governor said his opposition to the proposals lawmakers sent him is simple: There just isn't enough money to go around. It's the same argument he's used to block efforts to fund social service groups during the budget impasse. The moves also further fueled the anger of labor groups and providers who contend they've been repeatedly targeted by Rauner and forced to bear the brunt of the state's financial troubles.
At issue is legislation pushed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that would raise the minimum wage for so-called direct support personnel to $15 an hour. Those workers help the developmentally disabilities disabled with daily tasks ranging from cooking and cleaning to taking medication.
Providers say their average hourly wage is about $9.35, which they said has led to a severe staffing shortage that's forced some group homes to close and leave many families without the help they need. Two days earlier, Rauner himself acknowledged the "documented critical and growing shortage of direct support professionals throughout the United States" in a proclamation declaring that a week in September would honor support workers.
Art Dykstra, CEO of Trinity Services, a nonprofit that provides care for people with disabilities, said the state's "service system is crumbling.
"We are getting to the point where we will have to ask families to consider taking their loved ones home on weekends because we can't adequately staff the houses," he said in a statement.
In his veto message, Rauner said the pay hike would cost the state an additional $330 million a year, adding that the bill provides no way to cover the added expense. Rauner said the proposed pay increase was "significantly above" the national average, which he put at $10.71.
"We should first acknowledge the difficult and important work of these professionals, who assist persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in residential and day programs," Rauner said. "Many of these professionals have not had a wage increase in years. I am open to finding a responsible way to increase wages for these professionals, but unfortunately this bill is not the answer."
Rauner also vetoed a bill that would have expanded eligibility requirements for low-income families to receive child-care assistance. The measure was designed to provide access for thousands of poor families struggling to juggle work and school or providing care for their children. The move came after Rauner toughened eligibility last year, cutting services for many families.
"I'm disappointed that the governor chose to turn his back on parents working to give their children a better life," said sponsoring state Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood.
Rauner said such a large expansion could ultimately threaten the child-care program altogether, saying without funding to go along with it, parents may be asked to pay higher copays, or see long waitlists.
"None of which would best serve the interests of the children that this legislation is intended to support," Rauner said in his veto message. "The state of Illinois can no longer make spending promises that exceed available revenues."
Meanwhile, Rauner used his amendatory veto power to rewrite legislation that would have required the state to give those who do business with state government 30 days written notice if their contract was being suspended or reduced, and 120 days written notice if those changes were due to a "lack of appropriations." That's the technical term for what has happened to many groups who were on the hook to provide services for the state, but were not paid because of the budget impasse.
Rauner said that time frame is too long and should be reduced, adding that it should only apply to social service providers who do things like care for the elderly and disabled, not all companies that contract with the state.
mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @moniquegarcia | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-veto-disabled-care-wage-hike-met-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/422dc885c00d80b351ed8b82cc0d127a5705c28fb8a10ee2fedc4bfb3e7bc778.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:22 | null | 2016-07-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flibertyville%2Fnews%2Fct-lbr-rockland-camp-invention-stem-tl-0728-20160725-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-5796480b/turbine/ct-lbr-rockland-camp-invention-stem-tl-0728-20160725 | en | null | Dist. 70 program aims to create the next generation of engineers | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | When students first entered Emma Robillard's class they didn't know what a VCR was, but they eventually used parts from that VCR to invent something new.
The activity was one of several stations that students rotated through each day during the week-long Camp Invention at Rockland School, part of Libertyville School District 70.
Each of the stations focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), as well as history and the arts.
For Abby Neff, a Copeland Manor School third grader, helping others was important. She disassembled the VCR remote control and used pieces to build a pet robot.
"It's for people who are allergic to animals, like how I'm allergic to cats," Neff said.
A round battery taken from the remote was encased in clay, which then held two thin pieces of metal that were attached to small lights that became eyes. A spare pipe cleaner provided by Robillard became the soft fur on Neff's creature.
Neff was one of more than 100 first through six grade students who participated in the camp, according to camp director Jenae DeRue. The program is part of an educational nonprofit that leases lesson plans to schools throughout the country.
"The objective is to get kids thinking outside the box and to use their imagination," DeRue said. "We're hoping to make little engineers."
Another station involved making small crickets and then attaching miniature solar panels with small motors. Students later had to create bridges and other structures to help their newly mobile crickets travel across terrain.
Other stations involved writing computer code to make motors and lights work and creating an environmentally-friendly community.
Nicholas Zizzo, a fourth grader at Half Day School in Lincolnshire, and his team decided to build onto a large tree located next to a water fall. They said bamboo would be used to divert water into several places, for recreational waterslide purposes, for a system of drinking water and for a waste removal system.
A pulley system lifted people and cargo to the various structures along the various heights of the tree. The team also built an obstacle course in their forest for further recreation.
"Everything we do has consequences and the materials we use have to come from somewhere," DeRue said. "Students are challenged to think about their impact in the world and how to be sustainable."
On the final day, July 22, all of the projects were taken to the school gymnasium for display during a parent visiting session.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/news/ct-lbr-rockland-camp-invention-stem-tl-0728-20160725-story.html | en | 2016-07-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f52a3211e7772a6a22582319c0642d263dc67becd1c59e6d8f8241ef04a66732.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Robert Channick"
] | 2016-08-26T20:48:04 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fct-subsys-opioid-lawsuit-0826-biz-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf6bba/turbine/ct-subsys-opioid-lawsuit-0826-biz-20160825 | en | null | Drugmaker pushed opioid cancer drug on patients with neck pain: state lawsuit | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has sued an Arizona drug company for allegedly pushing its powerful opioid painkiller, Subsys, beyond its intended use on cancer patients.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court, claims Insys Therapeutics deceptively marketed and sold Subsys — a spray form of the prescription opioid drug fentanyl — to physicians treating patients for conditions such as neck and back pain.
"This drug company's desire for increased profits led it to disregard patients' health and push addictive opioids for non-FDA approved purposes," Madigan said in a news release. "It's this type of reprehensible and illegal conduct that feeds the dangerous opioid epidemic and is another low for the pharmaceutical industry."
The consumer fraud lawsuit follows an investigation by the state into allegations that Insys was marketing Subsys broadly for chronic pain in noncancer patients, despite the lack of Food and Drug Administration approval for such use.
An Insys spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Subsys, a fine mist sprayed under the tongue, was approved by the FDA in 2012 to treat "breakthrough" pain in cancer patients. Since late 2014, it has been the most prescribed transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl, with a 48 percent market share, according to the company's website.
The lawsuit claims Insys directed its sales and marketing efforts in Illinois to "high-volume opioid prescribers" who are not oncologists, including one Chicago doctor responsible for 58 percent of Subsys prescriptions in Illinois over three years. Insys sold nearly $12 million of Subsys prescriptions in Illinois between April 2012 and March 2015, the lawsuit said.
Dr. Paul Madison, an anesthesiologist and former owner of the Watertower Surgicenter on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, was identified in the lawsuit as the top prescriber of Subsys in Illinois, with 95 percent of the prescriptions unrelated to cancer pain.
"I've done nothing wrong," Madison said Thursday. "It was a really outstanding medication. We just used it for people who had severe pain."
While the sale of prescription drugs for "off-label" use is not prohibited, the drugmaker may not promote such use, according to a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office.
Madigan's investigation revealed that Insys not only touted the sale of Subsys for off-label use, but encouraged doctors to increase the dosages of the drug to be more "effective," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also claims Insys paid top Subsys prescribers "sham" speaking fees to promote the drug at events, almost all of which took place at upscale Chicago restaurants. Madison received a total of $84,400 in Subsys speaking fees, appearing at 46 events from November 2012 to June 2015, according to the lawsuit, a figure he confirmed.
"I would have done it without getting a stipend," Madison said. "We're just trying to teach each other — that's how we learn. It's a great medication."
Madison was indicted in 2012 on federal charges of allegedly submitting nearly $3.6 million in false medical bills for insurance reimbursement. The criminal case is pending in Chicago federal court, a spokesman in the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago said.
Madison declined to comment on the federal case, and his attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Madison, who operates pain clinics in Riverside and Michigan City, Ind., no longer prescribes Subsys regularly, citing the expense, the difficulty getting insurers to cover it for noncancer use and "all the controversy" over its use.
In August 2015, the Oregon attorney general reached a $1.1 million settlement with Insys to resolve similar allegations that Subsys was marketed for off-label uses such as noncancer neck and back pain.
The Illinois lawsuit asks the court to stop Insys from doing business in Illinois if the company doesn't reform its practices, and seeks civil penalties and "further equitable relief."
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @RobertChannick | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-subsys-opioid-lawsuit-0826-biz-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3cf352b65c91d81ec5c72ce397494d081e8a4cdc26b350dfde86c19b3c040162.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:42 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-series-cubs-dodgers-spt-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bfafec/turbine/ct-series-cubs-dodgers-spt-0826-20160825 | en | null | Series preview: Cubs at Dodgers | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | All games on WSCR-AM 670.
Season series: Cubs 3-1.
Friday: 9:10 p.m., ABC-7.
LH Mike Montgomery (1-1, 2.77) vs. RH Bud Norris (6-10, 4.69).
Saturday: 3:05 p.m., WGN-9.
RH Jason Hammel (13-6, 3.07) vs. TBA.
Sunday: 3:10 p.m., CSN.
LH Jon Lester (14-4, 2.81) vs. TBA.
Storylines: The Cubs have won 22 of their last 27 and are a season-high 36 games above .500. The Dodgers were a season-high 16 games above .500 entering play Thursday.
Trending: Kris Bryant is batting .484 during his seven-game hitting streak. Adrian Gonzalez is batting .412 with seven doubles, six homers and 22 RBI during his 17-game hitting streak. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-series-cubs-dodgers-spt-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9db3607bc1ddd95a7ffe585f9e228216b9c71b7fb2d6144805a026908ce1f231.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Ellen Nakashima"
] | 2016-08-30T02:48:51 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-state-election-hack-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c48152/turbine/ct-state-election-hack-20160829 | en | null | Russian hackers targeted Arizona election system | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Hackers targeted voter registration systems in Illinois and Arizona, and the FBI alerted Arizona officials in June that Russians were behind the assault on the election system in that state.
The bureau described the threat as "credible" and significant, "an eight on a scale of one to 10," Matt Roberts, a spokesman for Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan (R), said Monday. As a result, Reagan shut down the state's voter registration system for nearly a week.
It turned out that the hackers had not compromised the state system or even any county system. They had, however, stolen the user name and password of a single elections official in Gila County.
Roberts said FBI investigators did not specify whether the hackers were criminals or employed by the Russian government. Bureau officials on Monday declined to comment.
The Arizona incident is the latest indication of Russian interest in U.S. elections and party operations, and follows the discovery of a high-profile penetration into Democratic National Committee computers. That hack produced embarrassing emails that led to the resignation of DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and sowed dissension on the eve of Hillary Clinton's nomination as the party's presidential candidate.
The Russian campaign is also sparking intense anxiety about the security of this year's elections. Earlier this month, the FBI warned state officials to be on the lookout for intrusions into their elections systems. The "flash" alert, which was first reported by Yahoo News, said investigators had detected attempts to penetrate election systems in several states and listed Internet protocol addresses and other technical fingerprints associated with the hacks.
In addition to Arizona, Illinois officials discovered an intrusion into their elections system in July. Although the hackers did not alter any data, the intrusion marks the first successful compromise of a state voter-registration database, federal officials said.
"This was a highly sophisticated attack most likely from a foreign (international) entity," said Kyle Thomas, director of voting and registration systems for the Illinois State Board of Elections, in a message that was sent to all election authorities in the state.
The Illinois hackers were able to retrieve voter records, but the number accessed was "a fairly small percentage of the total," said Ken Menzel, general counsel for the Illinois elections board.
State officials alerted the FBI, he said, and the Department of Homeland Security also was involved. The intrusion in Illinois led to a week-long shutdown of the voter registration system.
The FBI has told Illinois officials that it is looking at foreign government agencies and criminal hackers as potential culprits, Menzel said.
At least two other states are looking into possible breaches, officials said. Meanwhile, states across the nation are scrambling to ensure that their systems are secure.
Until now, countries such as Russia and China have shown little interest in voting systems in the United States. But experts said that if a foreign government gained the ability to tamper with voter data - for instance by deleting registration records - such a hack could cast doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. elections.
"I'm less concerned about the attackers getting access to and downloading the information. I'm more concerned about the information being altered, modified or deleted. That's where the real potential is for any sort of meddling in the election,"said Brian Kalkin, vice president of operations for the Center for Internet Security, which operates the MS-ISAC, a multistate information-sharing center that helps government agencies combat cyberthreats and works closely with federal law enforcement.
James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence, has told Congress that manipulation or deletion of data is the next big cyberthreat - "the next push on the envelope."
Tom Hicks, chairman of the federal Election Assistance Commission, an agency set up by Congress after the 2000 Florida recount to maintain election integrity, said he is confident that states have sufficient safeguards in place to ward off attempts to manipulate data.
For example, if a voter's name were deleted and did not show up on the precinct list, the individual could still cast a provisional ballot, Hicks said. Once the voter's status was confirmed, the ballot would be counted.
Hicks also said the actual systems used to cast votes "are not hooked up to the Internet" and so "there's not going to be any manipulation of data." However, more than 30 states have some provisions for online voting, primarily for voters living overseas or serving in the military.
This spring, a DHS official cautioned that online voting is not yet secure.
"We believe that online voting, especially online voting in large scale, introduces great risk into the election system by threatening voters' expectations of confidentiality, accountability and security of their votes and provides an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the voting results," said Neil Jenkins, an official in the department's Office of Cybersecurity and Communications.
Private-sector researchers are also concerned about potential meddling by Russians in the U.S. elections system. Rich Barger, chief information officer at ThreatConnect, said that several of the IP addresses listed in the FBI alert trace back to a website-hosting service called King Servers that offers Russia-based technical support. Barger also said that one of the methods used was similar to a tactic employed in other intrusions suspected of being carried out by the Russian government, including one this month on the World Anti-Doping Agency.
"The very fact that [someone] has rattled the doorknobs, the very fact that the state election commissions are in the cross hairs, gives grounds to the average American voter to wonder: Can they really trust the results?" Barger said.
Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson held a conference call with state elections officials, offering his assistance in protecting against cyberattacks.
Johnson said that DHS was "not aware of any specific or credible cybersecurity threats relating to the upcoming general election systems," according to a readout of the call.
It was not clear whether he was aware at the time of the FBI's investigations in Arizona and Illinois. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-state-election-hack-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7545918ba39eead681d7314736b0f62c1763105d68a1e04245d4d035809c06e0.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T12:48:52 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Flifestyles%2Fpets%2Fct-dog-brain-understand-intonation-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c57264/turbine/ct-dog-brain-understand-intonation-20160830 | en | null | Good boy! Dogs know what you're saying, study suggests | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Scientists have found evidence to support what many dog owners have long believed: man's best friend really does understand some of what we're saying.
Researchers in Hungary scanned the brains of dogs as they were listening to their trainer speaking to determine which parts of the brain they were using.
They found that dogs processed words with the left hemisphere, while intonation was processed with the right hemisphere — just like humans.
What's more, the dogs only registered that they were being praised if the words and intonation were positive; meaningless words spoken in an encouraging voice, or meaningful words in a neutral tone, didn't have the same effect.
"Dog brains care about both what we say and how we say it," said lead researcher Attila Andics, a neuroscientist at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest. "Praise can work as a reward only if both word meaning and intonation match."
Andics said the findings suggest that the mental ability to process language evolved earlier than previously believed and that what sets humans apart from other species is the invention of words.
"The neural capacities to process words that were thought by many to be uniquely human are actually shared with other species," he said. "This suggests that the big change that made humans able to start using words was not a big change in neural capacity."
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.
While other species probably also have the mental ability to understand language like dogs do, their lack of interest in human speech makes it difficult to test, said Andics.
Dogs, on the other hand, have socialized with humans for thousands of years, meaning they are more attentive to what people say to them and how.
The study was published in the journal Science.
Andics also noted that all of the dogs were awake, unrestrained and happy during the tests. "They participated voluntarily," he said.
Associated Press | http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/pets/ct-dog-brain-understand-intonation-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/8fd5147803964ea2d62c554d4d7117429729616fec950c828319d1c54504150c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Brian Cox"
] | 2016-08-26T13:25:01 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fskokie%2Fnews%2Fct-skr-district-219-ap-classes-tl-0818-2-20160815-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b1efdb/turbine/ct-skr-district-219-ap-classes-tl-0818-2-20160815 | en | null | More students taking AP courses at District 219 | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | An increasing number of students at Niles North and Niles West high schools are taking advanced placement courses to ready themselves for college, but School District 219 still has work to do to get more juniors and sophomores involved, officials said.
"The last few years, we have significantly increased our numbers of students taking AP courses as well as AP exams," Anne Roloff, district 219 assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, told the Niles Township School District 219 Board during its Aug. 9 meeting.
"The exciting piece of this is that our scores have either remained about the same or have increased," she said. "It's a real testament to our staff, the hard-working teachers that we have."
According to the district, AP courses are college-level courses taught in high school, which follow a rigorous curriculum.
Roloff said that approximately 26 percent of the district's students take an AP exam, an increase from 14 percent in 2011-12. She also said the "AP world history course" is of special note. She explained that that course is offered to freshmen, and she said that of the 96 freshmen enrolled in the course, 93 took the AP exam and 88 percent eceived a passing grade.
Of all AP exams taken in the district in 2016, 82 percent of students received a passing score, which is well above the national rate of 57 percent and the state rate of 66 percent, Roloff said.
"We're just really pleased with what we're seeing," she said.
All students in the district are strongly encouraged to take AP courses because students who are exposed to AP curriculum are more likely to be college ready and perform higher on the ACT, SAT, and other state testing, district officials said. They also said that the district's enrollments in AP courses has increased significantly over the past several years, while scores have remained high.
"We know they will be successful in college if they are successful on AP course work," Roloff said. "Most colleges and universities accept some form of AP course work as some form of credit."
Board member Linda Lampert said she has been talking to parents who said that if the district is encouraging every student to take at least one AP course, the district should consider paying the $92 students are charged for the exam.
"I though that was very interesting," Lampert said. "It is something I think we need to start discussing."
Roloff also said the district has work to do because only about one-quarter of the student population takes AP courses or exams. She said that seniors tend to take the AP courses and exams and that the district must look at ways to get juniors and sophomores at the two high schools more involved.
"That number in my mind is too low," she said. "I'd like to see that number closer to 40 or 50 percent."
Brian Cox is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/news/ct-skr-district-219-ap-classes-tl-0818-2-20160815-story.html | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/d0acab5f3fddfe04ff8ab0f3532cefe0ae6d6faceba057c857984f876419693c.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-28T14:48:30 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-bryant-barry-bonds-bits-cubs-spt-0828-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c24234/turbine/ct-bryant-barry-bonds-bits-cubs-spt-0828-20160827 | en | null | Kris Bryant's Friday bash revives Barry Bonds memories for Dave Martinez | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Kris Bryant's dramatic two-home run performance in Friday night's 6-4 victory stirred pleasant memories for Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez who recalled a similar effort on a Friday night 23 years ago at Dodger Stadium.
That night all-time home run leader Barry Bonds slugged two homers and drove in seven runs to rally the Giants from a 4-0 deficit to an 8-7 victory that kept their playoff hopes alive.
"It's funny," Martinez said. "We're trying to scrap a run here and there, and then next thing you know, (Bryant) hits the home run and puts us back in the game (in the eighth inning). And then he comes up and gets us the lead (in the 10th).
"Those at-bats are incredible for a young kid. To have that kind of focus, know what's at stake. He feels no pressure. He loves it, and it's good."
Left-hander Mike Montgomery, who escaped with no decision in his Friday start, has marveled over Bryant's talents since joining the Cubs five weeks ago in a trade from the Mariners.
"He has been unbelievable, most valuable player caliber," Montgomery said. "You saw and heard about him. He has a different gear, and his swing is so good. There are not many holes. And, as a pitcher, it's hard to attack him.
'It's pretty cool having him on your team."
Bryant, who took over the National League home run lead with 35 entering play Saturday, extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the first of Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Dodgers.
Rotation roundup: Montgomery will make his next start Wednesday against the Pirates as John Lackey, who will throw a bullpen session Monday at Wrigley Field, is still recovering from shoulder soreness.
For Montgomery, this is an opportunity to overcome the command issues that put him under duress in each of the five innings he pitched.
"It was that bend but don't break mentality," Montgomery said. "Keep it close. There's room for improvement."
Manager Joe Maddon was encouraged that Montgomery worked out of a jam in the fifth when he struck out Josh Reddick and Chase Utley.
Montgomery was sporting a wrap on his right calf Saturday after getting hit there by a Reddick line drive. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-bryant-barry-bonds-bits-cubs-spt-0828-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3ea12a107dcb9d8fe0e61022a8dcae12919f6c9fb5df4b38951b5c16b0f4d6c9.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Editorial Board"
] | 2016-08-29T14:48:37 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2Fct-gary-johnson-debate-clinton-trump-edit-0830-md-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c42e63/turbine/ct-gary-johnson-debate-clinton-trump-edit-0830-md-20160829 | en | null | Clearing a debate path for Gary Johnson | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Are voters warming to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? They are not. A look at a national poll from Quinnipiac University provides a snapshot of the race and the dour narrative fueling it: A majority of voters don't like either candidate. Respondents think Clinton is smart (87 percent) and has the right experience to be president (71 percent), but she's dishonest (66 percent). And Trump? He's not level-headed (71 percent) and lacks appropriate experience (65 percent).
In other words, one's seen as dishonest, the other's a hothead. Negatives like those make one wonder if Americans would consider supporting an alternative candidate. Quinnipiac asked that question and found that yes, 37 percent would consider voting for a third-party candidate, even though they know little about the Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson or the Green Party's Jill Stein.
The best opportunity to begin hearing from one of those alternative candidates would be on Sept. 26, the first presidential debate. With Johnson ahead of Stein (he runs as high as 10 or 11 percent in some polls, compared with Stein's 3 or 4 percent), Quinnipiac asked if he should be included in the presidential debates: 62 percent, nearly two-thirds of respondents, said yes, Johnson should participate.
So, a recap of voter sentiment: With Clinton and Trump competing in a race that looks too much like an ugly baby contest, a lot of Americans would like the chance to take a closer look at Gary Johnson in particular.
What they would find is an outsider candidate, but not a political extremist. In some ways he's a more centrist voice than either the Republican or the Democrat in the field: A former two-term Republican governor from New Mexico, Johnson is liberal on social issues and conservative on money issues. Running with another Republican former governor, William Weld of Massachusetts, Johnson's positions (in support of immigration reform and a balanced budget, for example) make him look a little like that endangered species, the moderate Republican. American voters would benefit from hearing his views.
Caption Gary Johnson and Bill Weld explain why they're running as Libertarians Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and vice presidential candidate Bill Weld explain why they're running as Libertarians on July 19, 2016, in a meeting with the Tribune Editorial Board. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and vice presidential candidate Bill Weld explain why they're running as Libertarians on July 19, 2016, in a meeting with the Tribune Editorial Board. Caption Gary Johnson and Bill Weld on race relations Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and vice presidential candidate Bill Weld explain why the United States is struggling to heal its racial divide, on July 19, 2016, in a meeting with the Tribune Editorial Board. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and vice presidential candidate Bill Weld explain why the United States is struggling to heal its racial divide, on July 19, 2016, in a meeting with the Tribune Editorial Board.
The hurdle in Johnson's way is the terms set by the private, nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. The group says that to participate a candidate will need to hit an average 15 percent support level in five national polls before late September. Johnson is at 10 percent in a secondary question contained in the Quinnipiac poll results. But if pollsters acknowledged voter dissatisfaction and began treating the 2016 election as a real three-way race, it seems certain the Libertarian Party candidate would get past the 15 percent mark right away, even as a still-relative-unknown.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, pollster Ron Faucheux sees another path to opening up the race. He proposes adopting a tiered system that would include in the first debate all third party candidates with at least 3 percent support. Then he'd raise the threshold to 15 percent for the two remaining debates. That would give Americans an opportunity to hear from the alternative parties on Sept. 26, and would give those candidates a shot at winning broader support from a hungry electorate.
While Faucheux appears willing to allow both Johnson and Stein to debate, Johnson has the most likely route to becoming more than a fringe candidate — which is why we've focused on his chances. He has said he hopes to pick off enough electoral votes to keep either Clinton or Trump from getting the necessary 270. That would move the race to the House of Representatives, where Johnson could be the compromise winner. But with the major-party candidates so reprehensible to so many voters, Johnson said on "Fox News Sunday" that his objective is to win outright. That's a stretch, but still:
If the Republicans were willing to hear from 10 candidates at the first primary debate last summer (with seven more appearing at a prior forum), then let's respect the wishes of a dissatisfied electorate and open up the first general election debate to Johnson. Once on that stage, it will be on him to make his mark.
Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-gary-johnson-debate-clinton-trump-edit-0830-md-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/5cb663a82368da185ccfa10ac27564295a99d343142b76caaea6126f79eb6e32.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Pat Disabato"
] | 2016-08-27T04:47:59 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fdaily-southtown%2Fsports%2Fct-sta-football-lemont-richards-st-0828-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c10cc6/turbine/ct-sta-football-lemont-richards-st-0828-20160826 | en | null | Lemont connects on a pair of passing touchdowns to slip past Richards | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | With his arms and right leg, Lemont senior Steve Fleming made crucial contributions Friday against Richards.
Fleming's 55-yard punt in the fourth quarter pinned the Bulldogs deep in their own end and led to an Indians' score.
The 6-foot-0, 195-pound punter/receiver later added a touchdown reception to lift Lemont to a 13-7 win over the host Bulldogs.
"I was thinking I needed to pin them deep," Fleming said. "I was hoping that would give our defense a chance to get a big stop and lead to our offense getting good field position."
That's precisely what happened. Richards (0-1) was forced to punt late in the third quarter from its own 9-yard line and the game scoreless.
The Indians took over from the Bulldog 36 and needed four plays to reach pay dirt. Quarterback Spencer Nagel (11-for-16, 122 yards) found receiver Logan Christopherson with a 10-yard TD pass and 6-0 lead with 10:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. The point-after kick was blocked.
It was the first catch of the night by the 6-foot-6 Christopherson, a Missouri recruit.
"It felt awesome," Christopherson said. "The first catch of the season for a touchdown and we won."
Lemont (1-0) took advantage of a botched Richards punt to extend its lead to 13-0. The Indians, again, had great field position, setting up at the Bulldog 17.
Faced with a third-and-8 from the Richards 14, Fleming made a fine catch of a Nagel pass in the left corner of the end zone to make it 13-0 with 8:30 to go.
Fleming had a good feeling he was going to be open on the play.
"I saw man coverage and I said, 'I got this,'" Fleming said. "That route is usually open."
The Bulldogs were able to get one touchdown back with 4:31 left. Fullback Anthony Quinn (13 carries, 47 yards) busted in from 3 yards out and Andrew Calderon added the PAT to cut the deficit to 13-6.
Richards had a chance to win the game, setting up at its own 35 with 2:37 remaining.
But a halfback option pass on the first play of the series was intercepted by Lemont's Brendan Cunningham.
The Indians then ran out the clock.
"We made too many mistakes and they took advantage," Richards coach Tony Sheehan said.
Lemont's defense held the Bulldog offense to 198 yards. Quite impressive, considering the Indias defense was without three injured starters in linebackers Austin Schaffert and Cade Campos and lineman Jordan Brown.
Senior linebacker Frankie Letizia pointed out the Indians were motivated from last season's 28-24 loss to the Bulldogs.
"We wanted revenge from last year," Letizia said. "The defense performed well. We had to keep stepping up."
pdisabato@tribpub.com
Twitter @disabato | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/sports/ct-sta-football-lemont-richards-st-0828-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/89dab21b9799fd49189c7fb95084a9a1cca1d7aff827a5017955cca11573c832.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Lena H. Sun"
] | 2016-08-31T00:48:54 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-zika-funding-cdc-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c61d97/turbine/ct-zika-funding-cdc-20160830 | en | null | CDC will run out of money to fight Zika in U.S. next month | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The federal agency leading the public health response to the Zika threat in the United States will run out of funding to combat the mosquito-borne virus by late September, its director said Monday.
"The cupboard is bare," said Tom Frieden, who heads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Basically, we're out of money, and we need Congress to act to allow us to respond effectively."
Of the $222 million that the CDC allocated for domestic Zika response this year, about $200 million has been committed, Frieden said during a media roundtable in Washington. "The rest will be gone by the end of September."
The timing further raises the threat for high-risk states along the Gulf Coast, particularly if Congress again fails to act on the Obama administration's emergency funding request when lawmakers return to Washington next month.
"We're in peak mosquito season" - which typically lasts through October in the United States - and if transmission starts occurring more broadly, CDC "might not have the resources" to respond and send teams to support local and state officials, Frieden said.
The CDC has already issued unprecedented travel advisories for two areas in Florida where mosquitoes are actively spreading the virus: a one-square-mile section of Miami's Wynwood neighborhood and a 1.5-square-mile zone in Miami Beach. Pregnant women are urged to stay out of both areas because of the danger Zika poses to a fetus.
The signs and symptoms of Zika The signs and symptoms of the Zika virus. The signs and symptoms of the Zika virus. See more videos
Negotiations in Congress over a $1.9 billion Zika spending package fell apart in late June. Federal health officials have shifted money from elsewhere in the Department of Health and Human Services to fund the domestic response. That includes $38 million from fighting Ebola, $44 million from general public health emergency funds and, most recently, $81 million from programs at the National Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
The money has gone to help states track the virus, provide assistance about birth defects caused by Zika and increase mosquito-control efforts. Within CDC itself, officials also have pulled resources from programs on immunization, disease infection and HIV outreach, including prevention treatment for people at risk of getting HIV, Frieden said.
Researchers continue to detail ever-graver consequences for babies born to mothers infected with Zika. A report from Brazil, published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, described a newborn in Sao Paolo who had Zika virus in his blood for more than two months. While the baby had no obvious illness or visible birth defects at birth or when doctors examined him at about eight weeks, by six months he had developed severe Zika-related brain damage.
The first trimester of pregnancy is thought to be when Zika infection poses the greatest risk. In this case, however, the baby's mother was infected late in her second trimester.
At the same time, the virus continues to spread to the rest of the world. The latest outbreak is in Singapore, a Southeast Asia travel hub, which typically has 500 full-time inspectors working to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can breed. The fact that Zika is spreading there, with at least 82 cases now confirmed, shows how "it's going to be really tough" for other places to control, he said.
During the coming weeks in the United States, Frieden expects there will be more cases of infants born with Zika-related neurological problems. As of mid-August, 17 babies infected in utero had been diagnosed with microcephaly, a condition defined by an abnormally small head and often serious brain damage.
In hard-hit Puerto Rico, the CDC estimates that 6,000 to 10,000 pregnant women will become infected during this mosquito season and that at least 100 to 270 infants will be born with microcephaly.
Without additional funding, Frieden said, the CDC won't be able to undertake key projects to better understand and control the virus, including Zika's long-term impact on infants and diagnostics to identify if a person has been previously infected.
In Puerto Rico, the agency also won't be able to help the island establish its own vector control program. Without one, the island has not been able to conduct effective surveillance, mosquito control or public engagement, even though Puerto Rico is experiencing a Zika epidemic and has had a history of other vector-borne diseases.
Frieden said the few additional cases that have surfaced in other parts of South Florida are considered single cases that don't represent a greater spread of the virus.
The travel advisories will be lifted after 45 days with no new cases from local transmission - the equivalent of three mosquito incubation periods. The Wynwood area is about halfway through that period, he said, but Miami Beach is still experiencing new cases. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-zika-funding-cdc-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/561719c56bbf0ab770c24829f42afd662039f69eb340fb2856290b916ff50533.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Mark Gonzales"
] | 2016-08-28T04:48:11 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2Fcubs%2Fct-curious-moves-cubs-dodgers-spt-0828-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c24a1e/turbine/ct-curious-moves-cubs-dodgers-spt-0828-20160827 | en | null | Eyebrow-raising moves early in 3-2 loss show Cubs pulling out all stops | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Jason Hammel was furious.
Manager Joe Maddon was philosophical.
And rookie Rob Zastryzny was grateful.
At least the Cubs can say they're not content with a healthy lead in the National League Central after a series of curious moves Saturday in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers. The setback snapped a four-game winning streak and ended their run of scoring at least three runs at 24 games.
The Cubs (82-46) missed a chance to apply an early knockout of 20-year-old rookie left-hander Julio Urias. But it was Maddon's decision to make a pitching change after only 21/3 innings that irked Hammel.
The move worked to the unintentional benefit of Zastryzny as he earned the chances for more meaningful situations after pitching 32/3 scoreless innings in relief.
After the game, the visitors clubhouse opened seven minutes past the normal 10-minute cooling off period because Maddon explained his reasons for the early hook to an irate Hammel. As he was being removed from the game, Hammel put his hands on his hips and stood behind the mound before Maddon arrived.
"He didn't like what I told him, but I had to tell him," Maddon said.
Joe Maddon on Jason Hammel: 'I just didn't see the game straightening out' Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses Ben Zobrist's sacrifice bunt and his decision to remove Jason Hammel in the third inning during the team's 3-2 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses Ben Zobrist's sacrifice bunt and his decision to remove Jason Hammel in the third inning during the team's 3-2 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) See more videos
His reason was the predominantly left-handed hitting Dodgers lineup had hit several balls hard off Hammel that led to three runs on five hits in only 39 pitches. Maddon was concerned the game could get away from the Cubs quickly if a change wasn't made.
"I'm not going to make up an excuse," he said of going to the left-handed Zastryzny.
Hammel repeatedly declined to share details of his postgame talk with Maddon. But he defended himself, maintaining the only balls hit hard were Corey Seager's home run in the first and Andrew Toles' double leading off the third.
"Other than that, I felt their hits found a hole," Hammel said.
Hammel has allowed 13 runs on 15 hits in 52/3 innings in his last two starts, but he didn't view the evidence as a negative trend.
"I didn't even pitch today in my mind," Hammel said. "I barely threw 40 pitches, which is a side day for me."
Hammel (13-7) isn't in danger of losing his spot in the rotation, but Zastryzny may receive more chances — especially in relief against teams with stacked left-handed lineups.
Cubs' Jason Hammel on being pulled in third inning at Dodgers Cubs starting pitcher Jason Hammel reacts to being pulled from the game in the third inning against the Dodgers on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) Cubs starting pitcher Jason Hammel reacts to being pulled from the game in the third inning against the Dodgers on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune) See more videos
"He gives you something more to think about," Maddon said.
Zastryzny, 24, is eager for any work after his third scoreless outing since being promoted from Triple-A Iowa.
"If that's as a bullpen guy, if that's in the playoffs, if that's as a starter, I'll do what it takes," Zastryzny said.
Pitching wasn't the only area deserving of analysis for the Cubs. Maddon said he had Ben Zobrist bunt for a hit after the first three batters reached base against Urias to open the game.
Zobrist ended up being credited with a sacrifice bunt that scored Dexter Fowler, but Addison Russell and Jorge Soler struck out to complete a 31-pitch first, and Urias managed to last six innings.
Maddon's reasoning for signaling for Zobrist to bunt for a hit was that Zobrist could be vulnerable to grounding into a double play and that Russell has been one of the Cubs' best run producers.
"I thought it was a nice move," Maddon said. "I thought we'd at least get one (run) out of that. If we got two, we'll take it."
mgonzales@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @MDGonzales | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-curious-moves-cubs-dodgers-spt-0828-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/243f531a6236a787ea500fa950fa9c62236546c1fe9597dc8579563ce7677206.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Brad Biggs"
] | 2016-08-28T02:48:30 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsports%2Fcolumnists%2Fct-biggs-bears-spt-0828-20160827-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c2305f/turbine/ct-biggs-bears-spt-0828-20160827 | en | null | If Bears' play in practice games is any sign, look out when it's for real | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | If you were judging preseason and training camp by the piss and vinegar the Bears displayed in joint practices with the Patriots, things would be pretty upbeat.
If you're considering everything else from the first practice in Bourbonnais to now after a lifeless 23-7 exhibition loss to the Chiefs, there's reason to be concerned they're heading aimlessly down a path to nowhere.
The Bears avoided being shut out at Soldier Field for the second time this preseason when Connor Shaw came off the bench to relieve backup quarterback Brian Hoyer and tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Meredith. That's a good thing because before this year, in the illustrious history of the NFL's cornerstone franchise, the Bears were shut out only 10 times in preseason, with goose eggs coming against teams like the College All-Stars, Texas All-Stars and Milwaukee Badgers.
Sadly, Shaw left minutes later with a gruesome left leg injury, ending any hope he had of unseating Hoyer as the No. 2.
"A little bit like our first game (22-0 loss to Broncos Aug. 11), except we were seven points better," coach John Fox said. "Obviously, not as good as we would have liked."
Yes, the Bears were missing right guard Kyle Long and tight end Zach Miller, important pieces to the offense. But they were abysmal in the first half against a Chiefs defense that lacked Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and Eric Berry, arguably Kansas City's three best players on that side of the ball. Yes, teams want to keep it vanilla in the preseason and not show too much but when your basic plays aren't working, where's the reason for optimism? Two first downs, 18 net yards and zero points was enough to bring out the boo birds among the 48,377 in attendance as Jay Cutler was sacked and fumbled on the final play before halftime.
The Bears were loud in three practices with the Patriots. They were boisterous. They talked a bunch of trash. They weren't going to be pushed around by New England, which has reached the playoffs seven consecutive years. They made a point and left Foxborough, Mass., believing they were better off for the experience.
But before and since there have been a rash of injuries and the offense has been dreadful. They call it preseason for a reason but if you're going to refer to it as glorified practice then keep in mind there is an old adage that you play like you practice.
The talent is far superior to what the Bears had in 2004 when Terry Shea's offense was a joke. Shea, of course, was trying to run Mike Martz's Rams offense and it was a disaster. Dowell Loggains is trying to run "our system," which is what Fox has called the offense the team wants to build on after last year's coordinator Adam Gase departed for the Dolphins. Shea certainly had more coaching experience at the time and there's no questioning Loggains has better skill position players. But it looks like the Bears are in need of more than just a little fine tuning.
Former Titans running back Chris Johnson, who ran for 2,006 yards back in 2009, wasn't out of Tennessee long in 2014 when he labeled Loggains "predictable" as a play caller.
"A lot of the plays when the offensive coordinator was calling them, they were predictable," Johnson told ESPN. "Everybody could tell what was coming."
It's much too early to tell if that is a criticism of Loggains that will be applied here. If Fox sticks to the plan he used a year ago, the starters will not play Thursday at Cleveland in the exhibition finale. That means there are six practices and two walk-throughs between now and the Sept. 11 opener at Houston.
"It's preseason three," left tackle Charles Leno said. "We have some detail things to work on. We know what we have to do. We execute better and we will take care of it."
Cutler missed throws. Alshon Jeffery dropped a throw that would have gone for a big gain. Kevin White ran a bad route and has been largely invisible in preseason. The line didn't pass or run block particularly well. The hope is the return of players who have been missing, and you can add wide receiver Eddie Royal to that list, will provide a boost.
"We're going to kind of have guys in flux coming into the lineup that we've been without," Cutler said. "It's going to help us, make us a little more dynamic and give us a little more explosion. We just have to keep working. The alternative is to say that we're not going to be very good, and that's not going to work for us."
Preseason results don't matter but when you struggle executing, that's an issue that can carry over when wins and losses count.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs | http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-biggs-bears-spt-0828-20160827-column.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/0529a93fe5ccf030e82889d7bd1b42e4ec9e12b53337f85fe09608a8bda33ae6.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Joe Mahr"
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-harvey-school-board-member-sex-assault-met-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c58043/turbine/ct-harvey-school-board-member-sex-assault-met-20160829 | en | null | Harvey school board member charged with sexual assault | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A Harvey school board member and longtime city employee has been arrested on allegations he sexually assaulted a woman in the south suburb's City Hall on Friday.
Tyrone Rogers, 59, of Harvey, was charged Monday with one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, the Cook County sheriff's office said.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said a 49-year-old woman had gone to City Hall to meet with Rogers about 1 p.m. Friday to discuss a city issue on behalf of a friend. The woman alleged that "Rogers took her into an office inside the municipal center, locked the door and sexually assaulted her," Ansari said in an emailed statement.
The woman reported the allegation about 7:15 p.m. Friday, and Rogers was taken into custody Saturday night, Ansari said. He is set to appear for a bond hearing Tuesday at the Markham courthouse.
Rogers, director of commuter parking for the suburb, was placed on unpaid leave with no access to city equipment or property, said Harvey spokesman Sean Howard. He said the city administration was "deeply disturbed" by the allegations and would consider additional employment actions upon learning more details at the bond hearing.
Rogers could not be reached Monday.
Rogers drew specific attention in a lawsuit filed against him and other School District 152 board members last year by then-Superintendent, Denean Adams. She said Rogers told her she was "itching for an ass kicking" because she was pushing a forensic audit of what she felt was questionable spending in the district. Her lawsuit alleged Rogers and other board members forced her out of the district as "part of a custom of cronyism and public corruption." The lawsuit is pending.
Rogers' wife, Janet, also a board member, was convicted of theft and state benefits fraud in 2004 over false information on her son's college financial aid application, prompting her to step down. She rejoined the school board, and was allowed to stay despite her criminal past, after she was pardoned by Gov. Pat Quinn.
Chicago Tribune's Steve Schmadeke contributed.
jmahr@chicagotribune.com | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-harvey-school-board-member-sex-assault-met-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/9ab4cff83961c72c5a2361cea7326cad33556628c99f3c9eaf1f0bfbad4adc73.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Chicago Tribune Staff"
] | 2016-08-30T00:48:51 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fct-gene-wilder-condescending-wonka-meme-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c4a831/turbine/ct-gene-wilder-condescending-wonka-meme-20160829 | en | null | 'Condescending Wonka' meme a hilarious part of Gene Wilder's legacy | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Comedic actor Gene Wilder delighted generations of kids and adults as the oddball titular character in 1971's "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
While the Academy-Award nominee, who died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications from Alzheimer's disease, will be remembered for his turn as the off-kilter, top-hatted chocolate mogul, an internet meme bearing Wilder's image may serve as his lasting legacy.
The "condescending Wonka" meme pairs a few patronizing lines with an image of Wilder in full Willy Wonka regalia taken straight from a scene in the movie where the children are introduced to the Everlasting Gobstopper.
Wilder's grin is the perfect foil for a takedown of society's significant and superfIcial ills.
Below is a selection of some of the funniest "condescending Wonka" memes floating around online. A quick scroll may momentarily alleviate the sting of Wilder's passing.
MORE ON GENE WILDER:
Actor Gene Wilder, star of 'Willy Wonka,' dies at 83
Mel Brooks calls Gene Wilder a 'great talent,' other celebs react to his death
Check out the latest movie reviews from Michael Phillips and the Chicago Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-gene-wilder-condescending-wonka-meme-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4b86805216a6080638fad4df5fa17170e83aa5792defc0acf4a8f4f203305c6a.json |
[
"Associated Press",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-27T20:48:06 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-orlando-victims-charity-scams-waste-20160827-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c1e683/turbine/ct-orlando-victims-charity-scams-waste-20160827 | en | null | Scams and waste loom as charity millions donated after Orlando | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The more than 430 fundraisers posted on the GoFundMe website after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando have exposed weaknesses inherent in these popular do-it-yourself charity campaigns: waste, questionable intentions and little oversight.
The fundraisers — an average of more than four for each of the 49 killed and 53 wounded — include travelers asking for cash, a practitioner of ancient healing, a personal safety instructor who sells quick loaders for assault rifles, and even convicted identity impostors.
"There was a deluge," said Holly Salmons, president of the Better Business Bureau for Central Florida. "It was almost impossible for us or anyone else to be able to vet."
The crowdfunding sites operate outside traditional charitable circles and often beyond the reach of government regulation. Appeals can be created in minutes by almost anyone and shared around the world.
The officially sanctioned Equality Florida campaign raised more than $7 million via GoFundMe, but another $1.3 million went to smaller appeals — mostly set up by people with little or no charity experience.
The Associated Press examined 30 campaigns chosen from throughout the lengthy list produced by a GoFundMe search for "Orlando shootings." Within a month of the June 12 shootings, they had raised more than $265,000.
Half said donations would be used for legitimate-sounding purposes: to cover funeral, medical and other costs. Some campaign organizers were relatives of the dead or wounded. A high school basketball coach raised $15,297 for the family of Akyra Murray, a star player who had just graduated before dying in the attack.
But most campaigns lacked key details, such as exactly what the donations would cover or even who was asking for them. Only nine of the 30 organizers agreed to interviews.
One man wanted money for travel costs to Orlando to shoot independent news video. He hadn't raised anything two months later. Another organizer raised just $25 for travel money to hold a community healing ceremony inspired by ancient shamanic rituals. She dropped that plan in favor of sending painted rocks with an inspiring word of support.
Jackson Yauck of Victoria, British Columbia, put up a lighthearted appeal to let the highest donor burn a pair of skimpy gold-colored shorts he wore to gay-pride events. He had created the appeal on Jan. 1 on behalf of other charities and when he tried to switch it to benefit the Orlando victims, GoFundMe froze his account for at least a week, he said. He agreed to transfer the donations to Equality Florida, and GoFundMe let the appeal go forward.
Yauck said he knew all but one of his 11 donors personally and didn't feel a need to tell them of the switch. "It was just for fun. If you look at the bigger picture, we raised $600 off a pair of underwear," he said.
Nightclub Shooting Charities AP A GoFundMe page for the "Hope For Orlando" fundraiser was set up by Guardini Bellefleur. A GoFundMe page for the "Hope For Orlando" fundraiser was set up by Guardini Bellefleur. (AP) (AP)
Several businesses asked for contributions. One appeal raised $1,375 from 14 donors within two months to keep open a hair salon run by partners killed in the attack. A counseling center raised $150 to subsidize services to victims but closed its campaign when it found grant money elsewhere. GoFundMe helps make refunds when contributions go unused.
Weapons-accessory dealer Craig Berberich, of Bradenton, Florida, proposed holding public classes on personal safety. He posted a link to his business at the bottom of his appeal. He said he "wasn't trying to promote my business." Then he added: "I hope we didn't give the impression that we were a charity."
He said he was shutting down his appeal. It remained online over a month later — but with only $100 in donations. Among his store products: a high-speed loader for assault weapons.
Efe Atalay, of Clermond, Florida, raised $1,145 from 81 donors to buy security wands for nightclub entrances, but didn't say which clubs and spoke vaguely of lobbying politicians to require such security measures. He didn't respond to emails sent to his GoFundMe address.
Florida charities law generally requires no filings by crowdfunding campaigns meant for particular victims or their families or in support of other established charities. That accounts for the vast majority of appeals. Other states apply a patchwork of laws.
Yet, crowdfunding campaigns can distribute aid more quickly than large bureaucratic funds. And they have less overhead than traditional charities, with only 8 percent of donations on GoFundMe going to the website and credit card fees.
Bobby Whithorne, a GoFundMe spokesman, said the website's staffers were vetting the Orlando campaigns before releasing funds, and only a small fraction of a percent of past appeals involved outright fraud.
GoFundMe froze funds from entertainment company manager David Luchsinger's campaign when donations piled up quickly. Luchsinger said he was asked for more details of his plans to replace the ruined equipment of one of his deejays who was working at the club during the attack. Luchsinger set an initial goal of $5,000, and raised $8,742 in one month.
Asked about the website's vetting process, he replied, "Was it so strenuous that you couldn't fake it? No, you could definitely fake it."
Despite his good intentions, things got mixed up. He didn't realize someone else had launched a GoFundMe appeal for his deejay, who got his name removed from the second appeal. Two companies eventually replaced the equipment for free, so the deejay kept some of the donations to replace his lost salary and shared the rest with other club deejays, Luchsinger said.
Several big funds have joined forces in an official centralized campaign that raised more than $23 million, including the $7 million from Equality Florida's GoFundMe campaign.
The donations to the central fund are generally tax-deductible, since they go to registered charities. Donations to a crowdfunding site are typically not tax-deductible, unless the organizer is a tax-exempt charity.
The bigger charities — unlike many crowdfunding campaigns — give timetables for distributing aid, and detail recipients and how decisions are made. Ken Feinberg, administrator for the centralized fund, has already held two town hall meetings with survivors and family members of the victims.
In one crowdfunding campaign, friends Guardini Bellefleur and Demetrice Naulings asked for $25,000 to set up a vaguely defined foundation in memory of Eddie Justice, a friend of Naulings killed in the shootings. They said the money would pay for Justice's funeral and victim counseling.
Six people donated $253.
Wilhemina Justice said no one consulted her about the appeal in her son's name or made arrangements to give her proceeds. "To me, it's fraud," she said. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-orlando-victims-charity-scams-waste-20160827-story.html | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/f725300c8e89161f106af1da3a9777e810db3c5ddf3d357a4523c861f154a540.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Kirsten Onsgard"
] | 2016-08-26T13:16:05 | null | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fmorton-grove%2Fct-mgc-morton-grove-animal-hospital-tl-0721-20160718-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-578d2b72/turbine/ct-mgc-morton-grove-animal-hospital-tl-0721-20160718 | en | null | Morton Grove Animal Hospital breaks ground on redevelopment | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Many doctors dream of owning their own practice. For Dr. Kathryn Bertoglio-Harris and her husband Dr. Brian Harris, that dream was first recognized in 2008 when they purchased Morton Grove Animal Hospital.
But because it was built in 1957, the space has long been in need of an upgrade, something Dr. Bertoglio-Harris said she realized even when she first began working at the animal hospital straight from college 16 years ago.
Wednesday, ground broke on their new dream: a more spacious and modernized 6,040-square-foot structure that will replace its old counterpart at 9128 Waukegan Road. The new facility will have expanded parking, additional treatment rooms and outdoor space, and is due to be completed by July 2017.
The new facility has been a long time coming. While the Village Board approved the project Aug. 10, 2015, Dr. Bertoglio-Harris said that the it was something she and her husband had in mind since purchasing the facility from its previous owner. They said they had been in talks with village officials for months prior to being granted approval last year.
Currently, it has one "very small" waiting room, two exam rooms and a small parking lot in front.
"When it gets busy, we don't have enough room outside. Here, with animals, it sometimes gets crowded and we have to shift animals to the back so there aren't fights," she said.
The new, $1.9 million L-shaped facility will include five exam rooms, a "much larger" waiting room and a 12-space parking lot, in addition to a technology upgrade and better "traffic flow" with separated wings, she said.
In a press release, Mayor Dan DiMaria said the project was also "yet another key redevelopment project along our Waukegan Road commercial corridor."
Though the entire building will eventually be demolished, a two-step construction process will allow the hospital to remain open during construction. A new section will first be added adjacent to the current structure, Dr. Bertoglio-Harris said, which she anticipates will be completed by the end of the year or early January 2017. The hospital will then move into this newer section to allow for the removal of the current building.
She said construction could result in some minor interruptions, but should not prevent them from serving customers.
"There will be rough times, but at the very least we will be here to see sick animals, even if we limit our schedule," she said. They will be posting to their Facebook page and sending a newsletter to customers to share any scheduling or parking updates, she said.
Hiring additional staff will come eventually, she said. The practice's tight-knit, "family" atmosphere means that it is important to find employees who are in it for the "long-haul" and that their customers have become attached to its current staff, Dr. Bertoglio-Harris said.
"(Customers') animals are like children," head technician Paul Biederer, who has worked at Morton Grove Animal Hospital for more than 15 years. "When you say it's 'hey, we're just like family,' even if we didn't choose it, other people chose it for us."
The clients, Dr. Harris said, are just as excited as they are.
"It's going to have a feel that we've always wanted," Dr. Bertoglio-Harris said. "We've struggled to make the cinder blocks feel warm and homey. We're not going to have to do that anymore."
Kirsten Onsgard is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-morton-grove-animal-hospital-tl-0721-20160718-story.html | en | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/0de76af416cf5a27091a1a13200e23b1a1be34fee96ae0ead8021ca43a48f54d.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:25 | null | 2016-07-21T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-senior-housing-development-tl-0721-20160721-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-5791c06c/turbine/ct-lwr-senior-housing-development-tl-0721-20160721 | en | null | Proposed Lincolnwood assisted living facility gets pushback from Village Board | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A dementia care facility's proposal to build an $18 million assisted living center along a busy stretch of Cicero Avenue was met with resistance from the Lincolnwood Trustees, who said the high-visibility property could be better served by a commercial use.
Before voting unanimously in support of a separate measure for a moratorium on other non-sales tax producing uses coming to the village, the Lincolnwood Village Board on Tuesday asked Olympia, Wash.-based RJ Development—the parent company of a chain of memory care facilities—to rework its preliminary plans for an 80-bed memory care facility at 7373 N. Cicero Ave.
The board cited several reasons for informally rejecting developer Jeff Yates' plans for the facility, most notably his intention to turn a property described by village staff as a viable commercial space into a residential use, which wouldn't generate sales tax dollars.
"The concern is the proliferation of (non-commercial) uses on major arterial corridors, as we're seeing a lot of demand for warehouses and public storage facilities," village manager Tim Wiberg said. "We have the advantage of having major arterial streets in this town, and we want a fair amount of that space to be used for commercial enterprise."
Trustees said the 2.83-acre site—which has only been on the market for four months since property owner Louis Puig closed his longtime publishing company and put the land up for sale—should have a chance to be advertised to commercial developers.
Puig, who appeared alongside several executives representing RJ Development at the July 19 Committee of the Whole meeting, said he's ready to sell the land to Yates, however.
"This is the best I can do. I don't want to sell half (of the property)," Puig said, adding that the few commercial developers he spoke with weren't interested in the site.
RJ Development has four other senior care facilities under construction in the Chicago area, according to Yates, including in Arlington Heights, Bloomingdale, Glen Ellyn and Northbrook.
The proposal for the Lincolnwood facility shows a 71,800 square-foot, three-story building being erected on the western portion of the property that spans an area fronting Cicero Avenue to the west and a vacant right-of-way area that fronts Lincoln Avenue to the east. The parcel is now occupied by a warehouse that since the 1960's' housed Publications International, Ltd., according to the village.
Puig, who closed his business in March, said he planned to divide the property into two separate parcels, selling two-acres to RJ Development and putting the back portion of the parcel up for sale.
Yates told Trustees he planned to demolish the warehouse on the property and start construction on the memory care facility next summer, but the Board had reservations about whether his plans to use only the western part of the land would leave the eastern half undesirable to potential commercial developers.
In a memo from village staff, it was noted that the most attractive part of the property is the western portion, as it fronts directly on Cicero Avenue while the eastern portion is separated from Lincoln Avenue by property occupied by high-tension power lines.
"It's an awesome piece of commercial property but it hasn't been marketed at all for commercial," Trustee Craig Klatzco said, "and I have concerns about the back side."
Because the property is zoned for office use, a senior housing facility would need special use permission from the village.
Yates agreed to come back to the Village Board with more comprehensive plan that would encompass the entire property.
Representatives of Hyatt Place Hotel in April presented plans to the village to build a new location on the 7200 block of Cicero, across the street from where the memory care facility would be built. If the developers move forward, the plan would next be reviewed by the Plan Commission.
Just last year, the village approved a 383-room senior living facility, including a memory care unit, being constructed by Dallas-based real estate developer South Bay Partners on the 4300 block of Pratt Avenue.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-senior-housing-development-tl-0721-20160721-story.html | en | 2016-07-21T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/16d4b5013e6e227057848fce6496cc01028c667b179e3ea70ca84b2e6eca5e15.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Alexandra Chachkevitch"
] | 2016-08-29T04:48:31 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-6-hurt-in-pileup-on-eisenhower-expressway-20160828-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c3b1d7/turbine/ct-6-hurt-in-pileup-on-eisenhower-expressway-20160828 | en | null | 6 hurt in pileup on Eisenhower Expressway | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Six people were hurt after a pileup on the Eisenhower Expressway on the West Side of the city Sunday evening.
Between four and five cars collided around 8:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 290 near Ashland Avenue, according to Illinois State Police.
Two people were taken in fair condition to Stroger Hospital, and two people were taken in fair condition to University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital. One person was taken in fair condition and another person was taken in good condition to Rush University Medical Center, according to Chicago Fire Department media officials. One person refused medical attention at the scene.
No one was seriously injured, according to Illinois State Police.
No other information was available about the accident. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-6-hurt-in-pileup-on-eisenhower-expressway-20160828-story.html | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/753d3931ebc49b071237552f5efda49a0039bdea43cbfde495d7379c94c9dfa0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Tribune News Services"
] | 2016-08-30T12:49:02 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fct-islamic-state-mass-graves-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c57094/turbine/ct-islamic-state-mass-graves-20160830 | en | null | 72 mass graves contain thousands massacred by Islamic State, AP finds | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Surrounded by smoke and flames, the sound of gunshots echoing around him, the young man crouched in the creek for hours, listening to the men in his family die.
On the other side of the mountain, another survivor peered through binoculars as the handcuffed men of neighboring villages were shot and then buried by a waiting bulldozer. For six days he watched as the extremists filled one grave after another with his friends and relatives.
Between them, the two scenes of horror on Sinjar mountain contain six burial sites and the bodies of more than 100 people, just a small fraction of the mass graves Islamic State extremists have scattered across Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State mass graves Maya Alleruzzo / AP Arkan Qassim, center, stands May 19, 2016, at the site where he witnessed the killing dozens of Yazidi men including two sons of Rasho Qassim, right, in August 2014 in Hardan, northern Iraq. Arkan Qassim, center, stands May 19, 2016, at the site where he witnessed the killing dozens of Yazidi men including two sons of Rasho Qassim, right, in August 2014 in Hardan, northern Iraq. (Maya Alleruzzo / AP) (Maya Alleruzzo / AP)
In exclusive interviews, photos and research, The Associated Press has documented and mapped 72 of the mass graves, the most comprehensive survey so far, with many more expected to be uncovered as the Islamic State group's territory shrinks. In Syria, AP has obtained locations for 17 mass graves, including one with the bodies of hundreds of members of a single tribe all but exterminated when IS extremists took over their region. For at least 16 of the Iraqi graves, most in territory too dangerous to excavate, officials do not even guess the number of dead. In others, the estimates are based on memories of traumatized survivors, Islamic State propaganda and what can be gleaned from a cursory look at the earth. Still, even the known victims buried are staggering — from 5,200 to more than 15,000.
Sinjar mountain is dotted with mass graves, some in territory clawed back from IS after the group's onslaught against the Yazidi minority in August 2014; others in the deadly no man's land that has yet to be secured.
The bodies of Talal Murat's father, uncles and cousins lie beneath the rubble of the family farm, awaiting a time when it is safe for surviving relatives to return to the place where the men were gunned down. On Sinjar's other flank, Rasho Qassim drives daily past the graves holding the bodies of his two sons. The road is in territory long since seized back, but the five sites are untouched, roped off and awaiting the money or the political will for excavation, as the evidence they contain is scoured away by the wind and baked by the sun.
Islamic State mass graves AP This image released by the the Mass Graves Directorate of the Kurdish Regional Government shows a human skull in a mass grave containing Yazidis killed by Islamic State militants in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq in May, 2015. This image released by the the Mass Graves Directorate of the Kurdish Regional Government shows a human skull in a mass grave containing Yazidis killed by Islamic State militants in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq in May, 2015. (AP) (AP)
"We want to take them out of here. There are only bones left. But they said 'No, they have to stay there, a committee will come and exhume them later,'" said Qassim, standing at the edge of the flimsy fence surrounding one site, where his two sons are buried. "It has been two years but nobody has come."
IS made no attempt to hide its atrocities. In fact it boasted of them. But proving what United Nations officials and others have described as an ongoing genocide — and prosecuting those behind it — will be complicated as the graves deteriorate.
"We see clear evidence of the intent to destroy the Yazidi people," said Naomi Kikoler, who recently visited the region for the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. "There's been virtually no effort to systematically document the crimes perpetrated, to preserve the evidence, and to ensure that mass graves are identified and protected."
Then there are the graves still out of reach. The Islamic State group's atrocities extend well outside the Yazidi region in northern Iraq.
Islamic State mass graves Khalid Mohammed / AP An Iraqi man prays April 3, 2015, for his slain relative at the site of a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of Iraqi soldiers killed by Islamic State group militants when they overran Camp Speicher military base in Tikrit, Iraq, in June 2014. An Iraqi man prays April 3, 2015, for his slain relative at the site of a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of Iraqi soldiers killed by Islamic State group militants when they overran Camp Speicher military base in Tikrit, Iraq, in June 2014. (Khalid Mohammed / AP) (Khalid Mohammed / AP)
Satellites offer the clearest look at massacres such as the one at Badoush Prison in June 2014 that left 600 male inmates dead. A patch of scraped earth and tire tracks show the likely killing site, according to exclusive photos obtained by the imagery intelligence firm AllSource Analysis.
Of the 72 mass graves documented by AP, the smallest contains three bodies; the largest is believed to hold thousands, but no one knows for sure.
All they could do was watch the slaughter
On the northern flank of Sinjar mountain, five grave sites ring a desert crossroads. It is here that the young men of Hardan village are buried, under thistles and piles of cracked earth. They were killed in the bloody IS offensive of August 2014.
Through his binoculars, Arkan Qassem watched it all. His village, Gurmiz, is just up the slope from Hardan, giving a clear view over the plain below. When the jihadis swept over the area, everyone in Gurmiz fled up the mountaintop for refuge. Then Arkan and nine other men returned to their village with light weapons to try to defend their homes.
Instead, all they could do was watch the slaughter below. Arkan witnessed the militants set up checkpoints, preventing residents from leaving. Women and children were taken away.
Islamic State mass graves AP An Iraqi security forces forensic team works April 19, 2016, at the site of a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of Iraqi civilians, security forces and members of their families, including women and children, killed by Islamic State group militants at the stadium area in Ramadi, Iraq. An Iraqi security forces forensic team works April 19, 2016, at the site of a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of Iraqi civilians, security forces and members of their families, including women and children, killed by Islamic State group militants at the stadium area in Ramadi, Iraq. (AP) (AP)
Then the killings began. The first night, Arkan saw the militants line up a group of handcuffed men in the headlights of a bulldozer at an intersection, less than a half mile down the slope from Gurmiz. They gunned the men down, then the bulldozer plowed the earth over their bodies.
Over six days, Arkan and his comrades watched helplessly as the fighters brought out three more groups of men — several dozen each, usually with hands bound — to the crossroads and killed them. He didn't always see what they did with the bodies. One time, he saw them lighting a bonfire, but he couldn't see why.
Finally, the jihadis brought in artillery and prepared to make an assault on Gurmiz. Arkan and his comrades fled up the mountain to where their families had taken refuge.
Now, since IS fighters were driven out of the area, the 32-year-old has returned to his home. But he's haunted by the site. As documented by the aid group Yazda, which has mapped the Sinjar sites, the graves are in a rough pentagon flanking the crossroads, largely unprotected. Around one of them is a mesh fence and a wind-battered sign. As Arkan spoke at the site, a shepherd herded his flock nearby.
Islamic State mass graves Maya Alleruzzo / AP Sirwan Jalal, Director of Mass Graves for the Kurdish Regional Government, points to an image of the site of a mass grave during an interview with the Associated Press in Irbil, northern Iraq, on May 17, 2016. Sirwan Jalal, Director of Mass Graves for the Kurdish Regional Government, points to an image of the site of a mass grave during an interview with the Associated Press in Irbil, northern Iraq, on May 17, 2016. (Maya Alleruzzo / AP) (Maya Alleruzzo / AP)
"I have lots of people I know there. Mostly friends and neighbors," he said. "It's very difficult to look at them every day."
'This body is wearing my father's clothes'
As IS fighters swarmed into the Sinjar area in early August 2014, Talal fled his town along with his father, mother, four sisters and younger brother. They and dozens of other men, women and children from his extended clan converged on an uncle's farm outside the town of Tel Azer. They prayed it was remote enough to escape the killings that were already engulfing so many Yazidis.
It wasn't.
The jihadis fired at the house from a distance. Then they rolled up in their vehicles and shot one man in the head as they stood in the yard. They surrounded the farmhouse, ordered everyone outside and demanded the impossible: Convert. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-islamic-state-mass-graves-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/09bce49d58ac8ea500eb812669dcbdf8c5e2383e88b92665b58db75f621161c5.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Pat Lenhoff"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:29 | null | 2016-07-08T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fvernon-hills%2Fnews%2Fct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0714-20160708-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57825b96/turbine/ct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0714-20160708 | en | null | Lenhoff: Little libraries and loose ends | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | It's hot. We're exhausted from the recently concluded holiday festivities. Road construction and traffic jams make us want to hunker down in the cool indoors and take a rest from summer's daily challenges.
That's why today we revisit our occasional discussion of light topics and small matters called Loose Ends.
First up is a delightful little community idea. Or, to be more specific, a "Little Free Library". Perhaps you've read about the effort in Mundelein where cute wooden boxes are located around town, filled with books of all kinds. Everyone and anyone is welcome to take a book or give a book.
The idea being that sharing books is a wonderful way to recycle, reconnect and spend some quiet time, no matter the season. The little library concept began in Wisconsin and has blossomed into a network of over 40,000 little free libraries worldwide, according to the movement's organizers.
It sure would be great if those adorable wooden schoolhouse boxes began to proliferate all around our towns. Let's keep the ball (or should I say books) rolling. Go to littlefreelibrary.org for more information.
Next up is an event in Libertyville that I mark on my calendar every year, but we always seem to end up having a time conflict. It's the annual Open House at the David Adler Center, 1700 N. Milwaukee Ave., featuring tours of the historical home, art exhibits, music and several child-oriented artistic opportunities. There will even be an "instrument petting zoo." It took me a minute to catch the humor in that cleverly-titled event.
It's being held this year on Saturday, August 20, from 2 - 5 p.m. There is no admission fee and families are welcome. I'm booking my grandchildren, all of whom have musical tendencies, for that date and this year we'll get up there to enjoy exploring all the artistic options offered at the Adler Center. Go to adlercenter.org for more information.
And finally today, a shout out of appreciation to Vernon Hills officials for holding Loyola University to its commitment of improving the historic Cuneo Mansion & Gardens and planning to reopen it to the public as soon as possible.
I have not only toured the mansion on multiple occasions, but was also fortunate to host our daughter's senior voice recital in the exquisite parlor (where "My Best Friend's Wedding" was later shot). We were also granted permission to use the magnificent golden grand piano as accompaniment. The mansion is one place very special not only in my heart, but to the community as a whole as well.
This landmark gem is meant to be viewed and appreciated by the public. It's great to hear that Vernon Hills village officials agree and are taking steps to assure that will be the case again soon.
Send over your own Loose Ends to viewfromvh@yahoo.com.
Pat Lenhoff is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/vernon-hills/news/ct-vhr-lenhoff-column-tl-0714-20160708-story.html | en | 2016-07-08T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/28661caa150ed8945beb1d6ab38070620d84776ba09a1a429b67d2cccf97855e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Lauren Zumbach"
] | 2016-08-30T20:49:06 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fct-amazon-monee-warehouse-0831-biz-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c5e014/turbine/ct-amazon-monee-warehouse-0831-biz-20160830 | en | null | Amazon planning 4th Will County warehouse | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A month after announcing a new e-commerce fulfillment center in Romeoville, Amazon is planning yet another facility in Monee.
The 850,000-square-foot warehouse, currently under construction, will be Amazon's fourth in Will County.
"Hundreds and hundreds" of employees at the warehouse will prepare small items such as books, electronics and consumer goods for shipment, Amazon said in a news release Monday.
"We place our fulfillment centers close to customers to provide the fastest possible delivery times, and the growth in Illinois is directly tied to our increasing customer demand," Akash Chauhan, vice president of Amazon's North America Operations, said in the news release.
The fulfillment center, built to suit Amazon, is expected to be ready for operation in the second half of 2017, said John Greuling, CEO and president of the Will County Center for Economic Development.
Amazon announced plans for its first Illinois warehouse last summer, a 500,000-square-foot facility employing 1,500 people in Joliet. Earlier this year, it said it would build a second, larger Joliet facility in addition to the Romeoville warehouse.
Amazon will receive a tax break from the state, as it did on both prior projects in Joliet, but negotiations are still ongoing, said Kyle Ann Sebastian, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Preparing for shipping Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune Gaudelia Montes bubble-wraps and boxes an order at the Amazon warehouse in Kenosha, Wis. Gaudelia Montes bubble-wraps and boxes an order at the Amazon warehouse in Kenosha, Wis. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Amazon will be able to credit employee withholding taxes against its corporate income tax bill for up to a decade if the state determines it has met the tax credit program's requirements. Sebastian declined to share the estimated value of the credit because the agreement hasn't been finalized.
The e-commerce company did not get tax breaks tied to the Romeoville facility and has not received any at the local level, Greuling said.
Will County's highway network and proximity to Chicago make it appealing for logistics companies, and the Monee site, closer to Interstate 57 than Interstate 80 and Interstate 55, where its other Illinois warehouses are located, could attract employees from new areas, Greuling said.
"It's very exciting to think that Amazon could soon be employing thousands and thousands of full-time employees in the area. We look forward to the Monee site opening," Will County Executive Larry Walsh said in a statement provided by Amazon.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @laurenzumbach | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-amazon-monee-warehouse-0831-biz-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/bbe47982345452b1d18af4d7f0482d9de1ad5ba8395cb05c5e38ff665e7fe65e.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Marwa Eltagouri"
] | 2016-08-31T02:49:12 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbreaking%2Fct-woman-sets-herself-on-fire-in-congressmans-office-met-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c63f14/turbine/ct-woman-sets-herself-on-fire-in-congressmans-office-met-20160830 | en | null | Woman sets self on fire in Rep. Danny Davis' West Side office | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A 43-year-old woman walked into the lobby of U.S. Rep. Danny Davis' West Side office Tuesday afternoon, drank from a bottle of hand sanitizer, poured the sanitizer over herself and set herself on fire with a lighter, according to Davis and police.
"We really don't know why; we never got to that point," Davis said.
He said the woman spoke briefly with staff before picking up the bottle of hand sanitizer.
"Often times people sign a register or a book with their name and address but she never got to that point," Davis said. "We don't know her and we don't know exactly what she may have been coming for."
The woman entered the office at 2746 W. Madison St. shortly after 3 p.m. After she set herself on fire, staff responded with a fire extinguisher, but the woman ran through a doorway while still on fire, according to a release from Davis' office.
The woman was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition with burns, said Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago police spokeswoman who provided the woman's age but gave no further identification. Her condition has since stabilized, she said.
Davis did not witness the incident but said he hopes the woman has a quick recovery.
"We just got a call from the hospital indicating she is stabilized and undergoing treatment, and they say it's going to take a while. A long time, perhaps, but hopefully she's going to be OK," he said.
Davis said the office location is easily accessible to "lots of different kinds of people, all the time." He used the incident to make the case for the shortage of mental health services available to residents.
"This is a big issue for us because we have people like her who don't necessarily set themselves on fire, but are obviously experiencing mental health challenges," he said. "And we get them almost daily."
meltagouri@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @marwaeltagouri | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-woman-sets-herself-on-fire-in-congressmans-office-met-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/ba2917ddf6254b3d20f118a78eddd4bcc8f47f66bb5a822e1363699669a66847.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rob Manker"
] | 2016-08-30T22:48:57 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fnaperville-sun%2Fnews%2Fct-nvs-manker-column-st-0831-20160830-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c604fd/turbine/ct-nvs-manker-column-st-0831-20160830 | en | null | Manker: Cubs' late-night victory a joy to behold, but messes with bedtime | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | The return to school for students in Districts 203 and 204 also means a return to routines, to eating dinner at a regular hour and — try as we might — a return to earlier bedtimes.
And the Chicago Cubs' likely return to the postseason in this potentially historic season promises to wreak havoc on all of it.
This was clear Monday night as my daughter and I watched the Cubs play Pittsburgh deep into the night at Wrigley Field. What was a 6-3 deficit to the Pirates to start the 8th inning became a narrowed 6-5 margin going to the 9th, a 6-6 tie after 9 and eventually an 8-7 Cubs win in 13 innings. All thanks to more of the same late-inning heroics for which this team has become known.
Unfortunately, we weren't there for the fantastic finish, what with my daughter's 5th-grade school day starting a scant eight hours from when the game finally ended. As exciting as this Cubs team is, and as much as we both had a feeling they would eventually win that game, we had to listen to the final three innings on the car ride home.
Much to the disappointment of my 10-year-old daughter, the only other true Cubs fan in our family of five, besides me. She knows who almost all the regular players are, who's a rookie and who's been around a while. She takes note when new players join the roster ("Who's he?") and when other players leave (she still misses Starlin Castro, "He has such a cute baby face.").
So when I first told my daughter that we would be leaving after the 9th inning regardless of the score, she pleaded to stay. OK, we'd watch the 10th inning and leave no later than 11 p.m., her mother and I decided via text. That would allow the girl to be in bed by midnight. She'd still have to be up again less than seven hours later for school, but that would be enough sleep to go on, for one night anyway.
When the Cubs failed to win the game in the bottom of the 10th, victims of a close play at the plate that had the game's outcome hinging on a video review, off we went. We walked to where we'd parked and listened to the game on my phone until we could tune in on the car radio. Win or lose, this was going to be a late night whether we saw, heard or otherwise witnessed the end of that game.
Such will likely be the case for many Naperville lads and lassies this fall, as the Cubs embark on what will hopefully be a deep run not only into October, but perhaps even into November — the World Series could potentially end as late as Nov. 2 this year. Brrrrr.
That will leave many parents at the same crossroads we were at Monday night — stay, and let your child run on fumes or perhaps even go into school late the next day; or leave, and have them miss the outcome that everyone will be talking about at school the next day. Either way, apologies to the fine educators who have to deal with the aftermath.
Of course, we could hope for a return to more day games in the postseason, letting school-age kids watch their favorite team play in daylight hours like it used to be rather than staying up to the wee hours. But given surefire ratings success of a Cubs World Series, don't hold your breath.
Yeah, yeah. I know, it's just a game. Tell that to the generations of folks whose time on this earth has passed without seeing the Cubs win a World Series, and for some of them, not even play in one!
Sure, the decision is far easier on a regular-season game in August, no matter how thrilling the outcome. But you don't have to think much further back than the Blackhawks' recent postseason runs to know how difficult these things can be. Those double- and triple-overtime games have had young Hawks fans getting to bed well after midnight in some cases, even later if attending the games in person.
As we listened to the last three innings on the car ride back to Naperville Monday night, I wasn't sure what would come first — midnight, the end of the game or our arrival at home. As that day's final few minutes ticked away and turned to the next, I saw my daughter nodding off in the back seat, startling herself awake when she heard yelling or cheering on the radio. Each occasion brought the same exclamation, "Did they win?" Not yet, I told her.
By the time we pulled into our driveway, the Cubs had the potential winning run at third in the bottom of the 13th. We got inside just in time to see replays of pinch hitter Miguel Montero's game-winning single. We laughed about missing the end of the game in person, almost making it home in time to see it on TV and how glad we were that they'd won, regardless. My daughter then got to bed, somewhere around 12:30 a.m.
I'd made her promise to get up in the morning with no fuss, and she later obliged, even on what turned out to be about six hours of sleep, well less than the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended nine to 12 hours for children ages 6 to 12, like her. But, hey, this was a one-time thing.
Ah, who am I kidding? No it wasn't.
Rob Manker is a freelance writer who lives and parents in Naperville.
RobManker@gmail.com
Twitter @RobManker | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-manker-column-st-0831-20160830-story.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7a0d24dabb4e60cadd9445ba24715d90eaf7c9d0056a1613a4a61b46139a93bd.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Phil Rosenthal"
] | 2016-08-27T02:48:09 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fcolumnists%2Fct-rosenthal-white-sox-guaranteed-rate-isfa-0828-biz-20160826-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0d395/turbine/ct-rosenthal-white-sox-guaranteed-rate-isfa-0828-biz-20160826 | en | null | White Sox deal to rename Cell is prelude to Guaranteed Rate of obsolescence | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Let's apply a little 20/20 foresight to the late 2020s.
In the runup to 2029 and the end of the Chicago White Sox's current lease, people probably will be inured to calling the team's publicly funded home Guaranteed Rate Field.
They may barely notice the concessions affecting that lease's final years that the state agency that built and manages the stadium proudly claimed from the Sox in exchange for approving the new renaming rights deal.
The focus by then will have shifted away from the current home of the White Sox to zero in on the next home of the White Sox.
Specifically, there's the question of who's going to pay for it, how and where.
A lot will change in the next dozen years. But, in a way, this little dance between the White Sox and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority over the ballpark — until Nov. 1 officially still be U.S. Cellular Field — is the first move in a chess game that will get really interesting in a dozen years or so.
ISFA was created in the late 1980s when the White Sox threatened to move to Florida if a publicly funded stadium wasn't built to replace the original Comiskey Park, the team's home from 1910 to 1990.
The arrangement with the Sox is the sort of sweetheart deal held up as an example by those who question the value and propriety of using public money to build palaces for the fans and wealthy owners of pro sports teams.
Not only is the economic benefit sometimes hard to discern, the drive of franchises to exploit innovations to monetize the facilities has spurred a costly cycle of renovations and outright replacements far quicker than stadia of previous generations.
The Atlanta Braves are abandoning Turner Field at the end of this, their 20th season there. The Texas Rangers say 2020 will be their last at Globe Life Park, opened in 1994.
We still don't have a hard accounting of how much national mortgage lender Guaranteed Rate will pay to replace U.S. Cellular as naming sponsor for the ballpark known as new Comiskey Park when it opened in 1991.
But one easily overlooked factor in that original 2003 naming-rights deal, which meant the ballpark was to be named for the wireless carrier through 2025, is that it was the catalyst in extending the original 20-year White Sox lease with ISFA to 2029 (with a team option to extend it a year).
The Guaranteed Rate deal takes U.S. Cellular, which stopped serving customers in the Chicago area three years ago, off the hook. It also spares the White Sox from having to find yet another naming sponsor for the final years of the team's lease.
Once the naming-rights payments the White Sox had coming from U.S. Cellular are paid off by Guaranteed Rate, the incremental naming rights revenue from the new agreement goes to ISFA.
"ISFA is extremely pleased that the new agreement with Guaranteed Rate will generate revenue, up to $6.4 million, for the facility," Manny Sanchez, chairman of ISFA, said in the announcement of the deal.
Taxpayer-backed ISFA has a very expensive clause in its White Sox deal. It's required to foot the bill to improve, replace or install any ballpark feature not on par with three-quarters of Major League Baseball's venues.
Just this year, ISFA had to spend about $7.3 million on new video boards because enough other teams had better video boards than the White Sox. It doesn't take much to see how the building boom of new stadiums will prove increasingly expensive as a result.
"As part of ISFA's approval process, the White Sox agreed that they will not require certain major renovations during the last three years of the current management agreement," Sanchez said. "This is just the latest example of ISFA deploying innovative strategies to protect Illinois taxpayers."
OK. Good. But flashing forward to those late years of the White Sox deal to play at Guaranteed Rate Field, it's easy to see why the ballclub wouldn't care so much about upgrades.
The team will be eyeing something much bigger and much better. That's when deals are cut.
We don't know who will own the team then. We don't know the future financial shape of Chicago, Illinois and those of us who live and work here. But we know the debate over what comes next and who foots the bill will be in full swing.
The ballpark at 35th Street and Shields Avenue will be called a fixer-upper, a money pit. Call this a prelude to that.
philrosenthal@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @phil_rosenthal | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ct-rosenthal-white-sox-guaranteed-rate-isfa-0828-biz-20160826-column.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/ef0ce011e0eb76a3d3ec9e268f7eb5092fc6ac5cb49ef987c7162c59669d24b4.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Editorial Board"
] | 2016-08-26T16:49:29 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2Fct-epipen-price-allergy-reaction-hillary-shkreli-mylan-edit-0827-jm-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf7445/turbine/ct-epipen-price-allergy-reaction-hillary-shkreli-mylan-edit-0827-jm-20160825 | en | null | Beware the company you keep: EpiPens and pharma bro Martin Shkreli | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | In 2015, the so-called pharma bro Martin Shkreli vaulted to the top of America's Most Despised list. How? By crowing about how his company hiked the price of a vital drug by more than 5,000 percent.
Cue the lightning bolts — congressional inquiries, media scrutiny and a pitchfork brigade of customers who demanded a rollback of the price hike.
Long story short: Shkreli was busted on unrelated securities fraud charges and lost his job.
You would think, having watched Shkreli's tumble, that CEOs across America would steer clear of such controversy. After all, what company seeks to become an internet meme for greed? Or the first item that pops up in a Google search on price-gouging?
Enter drugmaker Mylan and its blockbuster EpiPen. Every parent with a child who has allergies knows about the pen. It's a spring-loaded syringelike device that delivers a dose of epinephrine to quell breathing problems, swelling and other severe allergic reactions. Parents stash them everywhere — in kids' backpacks, in desks, at home, in the car. Adults do the same because if you have an allergic reaction, seconds count. The pens come in packs of two and must be replaced every year.
Nine years ago, when Mylan acquired the EpiPen, a two-dose package cost around $94. Today, the average cost has spiked to more than $600. That price hits people without insurance or those with high deductibles hardest.
Democrats and Republicans in Congress demand Mylan cut the price. An internet petition to Congress, called "Stop the EpiPen Price Gouging," has gathered more than 121,000 signatures, and the tally is rising fast.
On Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called the EpiPen price hike "outrageous."
On Thursday, Mylan said it would boost programs that help patients pay for the EpiPen but would not reduce the price.
Stay tuned for Capitol Hill hearings and investigations.
Mylan, welcome to Shkreli-Land.
Among the defenders of Mylan's pricing is ... you guessed it: Martin Shkreli.
"Mylan is the good guy," Shkreli told CBS News. "They had one product where they finally started making a little bit of money and everyone is going crazy over it."
We don't begrudge Mylan its profits. And no, we can't say if the price of the EpiPens is too high. That's for the market to decide.
What we do know is that when Shkreli spiked the price of his company's drug, Daraprim, competitors emerged to offer similar drugs at lower prices. The same could happen here. That's the way the market works. It may already be working:
In Illinois, emergency medical workers will soon be allowed to use epinephrine injected via syringe rather than EpiPen. The new law takes effect Jan. 1. If the price of EpiPen continues to rise, we'd expect to see more of that, and more pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to clear competitors' devices for sale.
Meanwhile, Mylan is free to charge whatever the market will bear. It makes an excellent product that can save lives. That's extremely valuable.
But so is a company's reputation. And its customers' good will. Because the market reward and punishes according to those attributes too.
Bottom line: Companies that care what the world and their customers think of them don't relish being mentioned in the same breath as Martin Shkreli.
Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-epipen-price-allergy-reaction-hillary-shkreli-mylan-edit-0827-jm-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/078d4c16a1fc21f97dfaf6f48cb5aa6da62f0ba71ca0aaadedd6a48e6b169d30.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Kimberly Fornek"
] | 2016-08-29T20:48:48 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fhinsdale%2Fnews%2Fct-dhd-hinsdale-white-sox-name-tl-0901-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c49158/turbine/ct-dhd-hinsdale-white-sox-name-tl-0901-20160829 | en | null | White Sox ballpark's new name continues Hinsdale connection | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | While Chicago White Sox fans debate the new name for their team's ballpark, Guaranteed Rate Field, the company that bought the naming rights to the former Comiskey Park and U.S. Cellular Field continues a Hinsdale connection to the South Side team.
The founder of Guaranteed Rate, Victor Ciardelli, lives in Hinsdale, as did the colorful Bill Veeck, who was an owner of the White Sox for two different stretches, and has a park named after him in Hinsdale. Relatives of White Sox founder, Charles A. Comiskey, lived in Hinsdale and some family members still do, such as Patricia R. "Patti" Bellock, the state representative of the 47th District.
"I think my great-grandfather would be shocked," said Bellock, who is the great-granddaughter of Charles A. Comiskey.
After Charles A. Comiskey died, his son ran the team, Bellock said. When he died, his wife, Grace Comiskey, took over the team.
"My mother quit college to help her run the team," Bellock said.
When Grace Comiskey died, she left the controlling interest to Bellock's mother, Dorothy Comiskey Rigney, who had married a White Sox pitcher, John Rigney, Bellock's father.
"They all would be shocked," Bellock said.
She is not terribly upset about the name change. The biggest shock, she said, was when the ballpark's original name, Comiskey Park, was dropped for U.S Cellular Field.
But her family talked to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf then about preserving the Comiskey name's connection to the team.
The team had a statue of Charles Comiskey made and erected in the center field stands and gave the family smaller versions of the statue for their homes, Bellock said.
"They couldn't have been nicer," she said. "The names of the family are out there."
Bellock said Guaranteed Rate Field is somewhat unusual, but she realizes the naming rights provide needed revenue for the team.
"It will help keep the White Sox in Chicago. Nowadays, it's so expensive to keep a professional team in a city . . . just with private funding," said Bellock, on her way to a White Sox game last week.
She does not know if all Sox fans will be as understanding.
"It's been a rough year for White Sox fans," Bellock said, what with reports earlier this summer that Sox might trade their pitching ace Chris Sale, and the team starting the season in first place in their division and settling into fifth place late in August.
Bellock said she appreciated hearing some fans interviewed on the radio say that regardless of the name put up on the ballpark, they will still call it Comiskey Park.
Victor Ciardelli did not return calls asking for comments.
kfornek@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @kfdoings | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/hinsdale/news/ct-dhd-hinsdale-white-sox-name-tl-0901-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b9f3acd49cdbad02245d1e5c6ee084d10ac9546e73bd8738681f95ff78fa7ece.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ruth Ann Krause"
] | 2016-08-26T22:51:11 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-blount-death-appeal-st-0827-20160826-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c0b7c7/turbine/ct-ptb-blount-death-appeal-st-0827-20160826 | en | null | Attorneys for Gary man charged in killing of cop challenge death penalty law | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | A second challenge to the constitutionality of Indiana's death penalty law has been filed in the case of a man charged with killing a Gary police officer.
Carl Blount's defense team filed a motion Friday that is identical to one filed by attorneys representing serial killing suspect Darren Vann. The motion asks Lake Superior Judge Samuel Cappas to declare Indiana's death penalty statute unconstitutional and to dismiss the state's death penalty request. A hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 7.
In the filing, Blount's defense team of Richard Wolter, Robert Varga and Thomas Vanes argue that the state's death penalty statute is unconstitutional because it violates a defendant's rights to a fair trial, to the due process requirement of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and to a jury determination of the facts and law.
Under current Indiana law, a 12-person jury may unanimously recommend the death penalty when they find that prosecutors have proven beyond a reasonable doubt at least one aggravating circumstance and that the aggravating circumstance outweighs any mitigation presented by the defense. Under that framework, the state does not have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstance outweighs mitigating circumstances, the filing said. The judge must follow the jury's recommendation and sentence accordingly.
However, if jurors determine the state has proven one aggravating factor but can't unanimously determine whether the aggravator outweighs the mitigating factors, the court must sentence the defendant to a term of years, to life without parole or to death. The provision in state law that allows a jury to sentence a defendant to death based on proof that is less than beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravator outweighs any mitigating factors violates the Fifth, Sixth and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the filing states.
The motion notes that both death penalty cases are before Cappas. Blount's team suggested that it would promote judicial efficiency for the two defendants to have a consolidated hearing and argument on the issues outlined in the filing.
Blount, 28, has pleaded not guilty in the July 6, 2014, shooting of Gary police Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield, 47, who was found shot multiple times in his police car at 26th Avenue and Van Buren Place.
Vann, 46, has pleaded not guilty in the 2014 killings of Afrikka Hardy, 19, of Chicago; Anith Jones, 35, of Merrillville; Sonya Billingsley, 53, of Gary; Tanya Gatlin, 27, of Highland; Teaira Batey, 28, of Gary; Tracy Martin, 41, of Gary; and Kristine Williams, 36, of Gary.
Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-blount-death-appeal-st-0827-20160826-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/17f7be67a8bb0a86a6d0a970d503896980d2b679fb38b6df46cd86c75ac21551.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Michael Phillips"
] | 2016-08-30T14:48:53 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fct-gene-wilder-appreciation-michael-phillips-20160830-column.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c57312/turbine/ct-gene-wilder-appreciation-michael-phillips-20160830 | en | null | Gene Wilder, master of slow-build comic hysteria | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Gene Wilder, who died Sunday at 83, came into this world with the name Jerome Silberman of Milwaukee, Wis., “where the cheese comes from,” as his undertaker character in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde” put it.
He made his big-screen debut in that landmark film. And he became his generation's greatest comic hysteric, without peer in the art of sly escalation and perfectly pitched freak-outs. Nobody in the movies was better at hitting the panic button, and never the same way twice, never at the obvious, joke-killing moment.
His finest hour, I think, on screen came in the 1974 Mel Brooks film “Young Frankenstein,” which Wilder co-wrote. This was the role he’d been waiting for: a leading man who killed a dozen different ways, surrounded by a dozen wonderful co-stars.
Gene Wilder dies at 83 Wilder, a two-time Oscar nominee and comedy star, has passed away at age 83. Wilder, a two-time Oscar nominee and comedy star, has passed away at age 83. See more videos
In tribute to Wilder, take a look at two scenes from “Young Frankenstein.” They’re not the funniest scenes in the picture, or even my favorites; my favorite is probably the single-take wonder when Madeline Kahn arrives at the castle, and Marty Feldman attacks her fox fur, and Wilder emits a wondrous mouthful of gibberish by way of interrupting Teri Garr before she spills too much regarding their time together in the laboratory. (At one point you can see Wilder desperately trying to hide his laughter and stay in character; he was famous for cracking up on set.)
But in the two scenes here, we see Wilder as the master builder of incremental comic hysteria. First is a game of charades under extreme duress, with Peter Boyle as the monster. The second clip is the Abby Normal bit, in which Wilder reassures Feldman: “I will NOT be angry.” Nobody could play angry so funny.
“Young Frankenstein” airs on Turner Classic Movies at 11 p.m. next Friday. (I have the pleasure of guest-hosting on TCM in September.) It’s part of the TCM star of the month tribute to Gene Hackman, but the movie, indelibly, is Wilder’s.
What is there to say, really, when someone so uniquely good takes his final bow? “Thanks for the laughs” doesn’t begin to cover it. Still: Thanks for the laughs.
mjphillips@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @phillipstribune
MORE ON GENE WILDER:
Actor Gene Wilder, star of Mel Brooks movies and 'Willy Wonka,' dies at 83
Mel Brooks calls Gene Wilder a 'great talent,' other celebs react to his death
'Condescending Wonka' meme a hilarious part of Gene Wilder's legacy
Check out the latest movie reviews from Michael Phillips and the Chicago Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-gene-wilder-appreciation-michael-phillips-20160830-column.html | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/3d5f1517cdaa783b9d3f4edefcc4de527507caf565f4ee92efa66a605ec0fb4a.json |
[
"Associated Press"
] | 2016-08-29T16:48:50 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fsns-bc-financial-markets-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | Bank stocks lead morning gains on Wall Street | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Banks and other financial companies are leading stocks higher in morning trading on Wall Street Monday as investors hope for higher interest rates. The market is coming off three days of losses. Herbalife rose after activist investor Carl Icahn, the company's largest shareholder, said he has increased his stake.
KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average rose 107 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,502 as of 11:18 a.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 10 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,179. The Nasdaq edged up 11 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,230.
FED EFFECT: The dollar was trading higher against other major currencies after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told a conference last week that the case for raising interest rates was strengthening given improvements in the U.S. economy. The prospect of higher rates sent the dollar higher against the Japanese yen and the euro.
"While the rate hike has not yet happened, markets have already begun to move and shift with the assumption of a hike," said Margaret Yang Yan, market analyst at CMC Markets Singapore.
RATE RELIEF: Banks rose more than the rest of the market as traders anticipated that interest rates could move higher in the coming months. Banks have been hurt by historically low interest rates, which makes lending less profitable. Wells Fargo, the nation's largest mortgage lender, rose 95 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $49.46 and Bank of America rose 17 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $15.96.
STILL A BELIEVER: Herbalife added $1.39, or 2.2 percent, to $61.84 after Icahn said late Friday he had bought an additional 2.3 million shares in the supplements and weight-loss products company, and that he never gave an order to sell his $1 billion stake. A Wall Street Journal report earlier Friday said that the investment bank Jefferies had been looking for buyers for Icahn's position.
OVERSEAS: France's CAC 40 lost 0.3 percent and Germany's DAX fell 0.4 percent. The London Stock Exchange was closed for a summer bank holiday. Earlier in Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 2.3 percent South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.4 percent.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 87 cents to $46.76 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price oil internationally, lost 90 cents to $49.25 a barrel.
BONDS, CURRENCIES: U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.60 percent from 1.63 percent. The dollar rose to 102.30 yen from 101.86 yen late Friday. The euro fell to $1.1170 from $1.1183.
___
AP Business Writer Yuri Kageyama contributed to this story from Tokyo.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-bc-financial-markets-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/e518e1e3dd91319d28fe991fff268b5d50ac67233188713fef128e11a4bfbcce.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Kambic"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:18 | null | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flibertyville%2Fcrime%2Fct-lbr-ordinance-fighting-curfew-truancy-tl-0721-20160718-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-578d3121/turbine/ct-lbr-ordinance-fighting-curfew-truancy-tl-0721-20160718 | en | null | Libertyville enacts fighting fines, updates curfew | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Libertyville has updated its disorderly conduct ordinance to include a fine of up to $500 for people who get into fights.
The change came as part of three "house keeping" efforts suggested by Police Chief Clint Herdegen. The other two changes involve lining up Libertyville's truancy and curfew ordinances with state laws.
Libertyville's Village Board unanimously approved all three revisions during a July 12 meeting. Herdegen told trustees that Libertyville is not riddled with fights, but when they do occur his officers can't press charges without a victim filing a complaint.
"It frequently results in us showing up on the scene and perhaps breaking up the fight, then trying to figure out what happened and both parties say, 'I don't want to get involved (with police),'" Herdegen said. "So in essence, there's no victim and no offender."
The ordinance says a fight is defined as "any form of physical combat, not predetermined as a sporting event," and the fine can range between $15 and $500.
Herdegen said people must be held accountable for violence and disturbing the peace. He said the risk of a fine should encourage cooperation.
"If there were a self-defense issue, then the person who was defending himself would sign a complaint against the other person," Herdegen said. "As long as I have someone willing to sign a complaint, then nothing changes."
The curfew ordinance was changed to lower the age restriction.
A village memo says Illinois law, and most neighboring communities, prohibits individuals under the age of 17 from being unsupervised outside of their homes between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, as well as between 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Libertyville's prior ordinance set the age at anyone under 18. It now mirrors state law.
"Our officers have been frustrated by our ordinance being different," Herdegen said. "As you can imagine, we have 17-year-old kids coming from Vernon Hills or Gurnee or Mundelein and they're in violation of curfew here but they don't even know it."
One other change was made to the curfew ordinance. Officers are no longer required to give a warning on the first offense. Herdegen said officers will still give warnings after talking with parents in most instances, but now they have discretion on not being lenient.
"There are certain scenarios where maybe the minor is belligerent and a warning is not appropriate," Herdegen said. "Or perhaps we don't have cooperation from the parents or the minor or both."
The ordinance in both versions makes it illegal for parents to condone breaking curfew.
The truancy ordinance was changed in the same way, by also removing the warning for first time violators. Herdegen said it's similar to the curfew changes, where officers will likely still give warnings unless they believe the incident merits a fine.
Otherwise, the other revisions involved adding appropriate reasons why students can be out of school. Herdegen said the new exemptions are already part of the Illinois School Code and Libertyville is adapting to avoid confusion.
This will not be the last set of revisions to police-related ordinances. Herdegen said he's working with the village attorney to update the ordinances relating to panhandling and door-to-door commercial soliciting.
rkambic@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @Rick_Kambic | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/crime/ct-lbr-ordinance-fighting-curfew-truancy-tl-0721-20160718-story.html | en | 2016-07-18T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/218ed4fb857042c53d05a0c702cd3cfc2d970d192572771f03e9e8ce6639837e.json |
[
"Washington Post",
"Jonnelle Marte"
] | 2016-08-29T14:48:34 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fct-airline-prices-20160829-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57c43ae8/turbine/ct-airline-prices-20160829 | en | null | As summer fades, airline prices are poised to slide before the holiday season | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | We're entering that sleepy period at the end of the summer, but if you still haven't booked your dream trip, there's good news: Flying is about to get much cheaper.
Airfares tend to drop every year late in the summer, and they usually stay low through the fall until people start to book their holiday trips, travel analysts say. For example, the average cost for a domestic round-trip flight dropped to $232 in July from about $250 in June, according to the airfare tracker app Hopper. Average fares fell more in August and are projected to keep sliding to $213 in October before ticking back up for the holidays.
"If you're not tied into the school schedule and you find a getaway for September, it could be much cheaper than what you would find in July or August," said Patrick Surry, chief data scientist for Hopper.
Demand for flights tends to fall off in the late summer as families hunker down to prepare for the start of the school year, Surry said. Travel tends to stay slow until the holidays, so airlines often discount flights during that period to help fill any empty seats. "You can often find some great deals," Surry said.
Before you dive into your flight search, it's worth noting that your chances of finding a steal for your holiday trip are slim. Airlines still hike prices for those popular travel dates, Surry said.
Plus, it may pay to put off booking those trips. Last year, the best fares for holiday travel were typically found six weeks to a month before the holiday, said Randi Wolfson, spokeswoman for Skyscanner, a travel search-engine website.
For instance, the greatest potential for savings on Thanksgiving flights was during the week of Halloween, according to Skyscanner. Flights booked then for Thanksgiving were 7.7 percent cheaper than the average flight cost throughout the rest of the year.
Christmas flights were most affordable in the week of Thanksgiving.
Of course, there's no promise that the patterns seen last year will play out in exactly the same way this year, Wolfson said. So the smart thing to do may be to start researching those flights now, both Surry and Wolfson said.
Set up alerts so that you can get an email or text if prices drop, they said. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-airline-prices-20160829-story.html | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/93f4c75d35da874196824a6fb46b1502aeba85a788dc231108ed7980ae0a8ebe.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Rick Pearson"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:43 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpolitics%2Fct-illinois-supreme-court-independent-map-ruling-met-0826-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf7826/turbine/ct-illinois-supreme-court-independent-map-ruling-met-0826-20160825 | en | null | Sharply divided Illinois Supreme Court keeps redistricting question off fall ballot | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Sharply divided along party lines, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday blocked from the fall ballot a proposal that would have asked voters whether to change the state constitution to take much of the politics out of the redrawing of state legislative boundaries.
A 4-3 Democratic majority agreed with a Cook County judge's ruling last month that the petition-driven Independent Map amendment proposal did not fit the narrow legal window for citizen initiatives to change the 1970 Illinois Constitution.
The ruling was a win for Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, who opposed the referendum, suggesting it would hurt protections on ensuring minority representation in the General Assembly.
The speaker has maintained his hold at the Capitol for more than three decades in part because he's had the power to draw the maps. Additionally, a longtime Madigan ally was the lead attorney for the People's Map, a group of prominent racial and ethnic minority businessmen that challenged the proposal.
It's also a loss for Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who threw his support behind the map proposal this year when it appeared the initiative process could gain better traction than his own failed effort to get lawmakers to authorize such a ballot question. A new map-drawing process has been among a half-dozen legislative proposals Rauner has sought as conditions for breaking the budget stalemate in Springfield.
"Today's court decision to deny Illinoisans the right to vote on a redistricting referendum does nothing to stem the outflow or change people's views of how the system is rigged and corrupt," Rauner said in a statement.
"When the General Assembly reconvenes this fall, they should put political reform — term limits and independent redistricting — at the top of the legislative agenda so that incumbents aren't locked into power and democracy is restored through competitive general elections," he said.
The state Supreme Court ruling came just one day before the Illinois State Board of Elections is to certify what appears on the Nov. 8 ballot. The Independent Maps group said it's weighing whether to ask the high court for a rehearing.
"Drafters of the Illinois Constitution would not recognize the interpretation made by the Supreme Court majority," said Dennis FitzSimons, the group's chairman and chairman of the McCormick Foundation board. "According to the majority, voters cannot propose sensible changes to the legislative article that would make a meaningful difference in the way legislative district boundaries are drawn."
More than 563,000 Illinois voters signed petitions to put the Independent Map amendment on the ballot in a multimillion-dollar drive backed by two dozen businesses, consumer groups and public interest organizations.
The complicated proposal called for a multistep process in which an 11-member board, including representatives of the four legislative leaders, would be charged with drawing new boundaries for Illinois' 118 House and 59 Senate seats after the once-a-decade federal census. Seven votes would be needed for approval of a new map, including at least two members from each political party and three independents.
The Independent Maps group had argued that the state Supreme Court's failure to reverse Cook County Judge Diane Larsen's ruling "would eviscerate the constitutional right conferred on the people of Illinois by the 1970 Constitution to bypass self-interested legislators and directly propose needed reforms."
But in writing for the Supreme Court majority on Thursday, Justice Thomas Kilbride said that while redistricting is an issue that could meet the constitutional test of affecting both the "structure and procedure" of the legislature as required of a citizen-driven amendment, the plan offered by the Independent Maps groups went beyond the scope of dealing only with changing the legislative branch of the constitution.
Specifically, the court's majority cited a provision that would have had the auditor general review applicants for a panel that would ultimately determine the commissioners assigned to draw new legislative maps.
"As presently constituted, (the legislative article of the constitution) does not mention the 'subject' of the auditor general's office or its duties, even in passing," Kilbride wrote. "Moreover, the additional duties the ballot initiative imposes on the auditor general creates changes that (do not affect) the actual structure or makeup of the legislature itself."
Kilbride added that the high court's "role is solely to determine whether the proposal comports with the strict limitations set out in" the legislative article for citizen initiatives — not whether adding new duties to the auditor general's office, which is covered in another section of the constitution, were unduly burdensome.
Kilbride said the ruling "is not intended to reflect in any way on the viability of other possible redistricting reform initiatives."
"Indeed, the scheme proffered … is not the only model of redistricting reform that could be imagined," he wrote.
"The constitutional right of the citizens of this state to alter the legislative article by ballot initiative is not tied to any particular plan, and we trust that the constitutional confines … are sufficiently broad to encompass more than one potential redistricting scheme," he wrote.
But the three Republican justices on the court each wrote separate dissenting opinions, including a stinging rejection of the majority view by Justice Robert Thomas.
Thomas said the majority's action should "include a bright orange warning sticker for readers to paste over" the citizen-initiative section of the constitution that reads "Out of Service."
"Today, just as a critical election board deadline is about to expire, four members of our court have delivered, as a fait accompli, nothing less than the nullification of a critical component of the Illinois Constitution of 1970," Thomas wrote.
"The majority has irrevocably severed a vital lifeline created by the drafters for the express purpose of enabling later generations of Illinoisans to use their sovereign authority as a check against self-interest by the legislature," he wrote.
Under the state constitution, lawmakers get to draw up a new map that is subject to approval of the governor. That's what happened after the 2010 census, when the Democrat-controlled legislature drew a map signed by then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.
If lawmakers are unable to put together a map that could be signed into law, an eight-member panel of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans is charged with drawing the new boundaries. If they fail, a tie-breaking panel member is chosen in a random drawing. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-supreme-court-independent-map-ruling-met-0826-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/4a27f12653ca7f47bbdf71d340510a92e2db82b11115e3db920eb1e0b3a7eac0.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ronnie Wachter"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:05 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fbuffalo-grove%2Fnews%2Fct-bgc-long-grove-apartments-tl-0818-20160815-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57b26567/turbine/ct-bgc-long-grove-apartments-tl-0818-20160815 | en | null | Long Grove shuts down developers' idea for apartments | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Two developers who thought they had found the right location for their next project hit a dead end after the Long Grove Village Board dismissed their proposal at its first appearance.
Market Properties Group Inc. was interested in converting the building that used to be the headquarters of CF Industries Inc. into luxury apartments for young families and empty-nesters. They came to Village Hall on Aug. 9 hoping to take the first step in that process.
But trustees, after hearing from about five angry neighbors and citing their own concerns about the concept's viability, voted Market Properties down.
"I don't think it fits our comprehensive plan or the character of our community," said Village President Angie Underwood.
After the session, Market Properties principal Noah Gottlieb needed only one word to describe the outcome.
"Disappointed," Gottlieb said.
He and development manager Scott Grost had hoped to convert the two-story vacant building into 70 three- and four-bedroom apartments. Empty land surrounds that building, and the pair said they intended to construct a four-story building with 270 one- and two-bedroom units on one of those spaces.
A handful of neighbors came to the meeting to express concerns and opposition to the project. Janet Healy expressed concerns over recent college graduates bringing a party atmosphere to the area.
No apartments for Long Grove Ronnie Wachter / Pioneer Press After hearing a proposal to turn this building – the former headquarters of CF Industries, Inc. – into apartments, the Long Grove Village Board rejected the proposal. After hearing a proposal to turn this building – the former headquarters of CF Industries, Inc. – into apartments, the Long Grove Village Board rejected the proposal. (Ronnie Wachter / Pioneer Press)
"They could all be throwing beer bottles out there and cups," she said.
Michelle Stevens said her family had recently moved to Long Grove from a dense, urban area in China, and forecast that Market Properties would turn the area into a similarly dense neighborhood.
"We're going to be right back there, and it's what we moved away from," she said. "What about our home values?"
During the meeting, Gottlieb doubted that his renters would make a garbage dump or a shanty town out of Long Grove. He said upscale but mortgage-wary Millennials would pay $2,000 for a one-bedroom and $5,000 for four.
"There is no conceived situation in which the potential tenant in our building will be the undesirables you're envisioning," he said.
He and Grost requested the first move in the process — a referral from the Village Board to the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. The trustees killed the project by unanimously voting against the referral.
They cited the fact that Long Grove does not presently have any apartment buildings, the high contrast between the multi-acre homes in the area and the heavy population Market Properties hoped to attract, as well as the fact that they are in the process of rewriting their own comprehensive plan.
Trustee Bill Jacob pointed out Long Grove has never charged a property tax, which means Village Hall would take in no new revenue for all the residents it would have to plan for.
"We don't get any benefit out of it, yet we're probably going to have to provide services," he said. "If it were in my backyard, I'd probably be going crazy."
Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/buffalo-grove/news/ct-bgc-long-grove-apartments-tl-0818-20160815-story.html | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/b8612e4e3e2705b0c9e7ace17d1e5d5d387cd37a96a565b634ea5d973a0957f4.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Natalie Hayes"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:05 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Flincolnwood%2Fnews%2Fct-lwr-armed-robbery-tl-0811-20160804-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57a3c656/turbine/ct-lwr-armed-robbery-tl-0811-20160804 | en | null | Lincolnwood police looking for two suspects in armed robbery | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Police are searching for two men who robbed a Lincolnwood jewelry store at gunpoint July 29 at a busy intersection during Friday afternoon rush hour.
Two masked offenders entered Baladna Jewelry on the 4300 block of Touhy Avenue shortly before 6 p.m., and made off with $100,000 in gold and jewelry after they threatened the owner and his wife with a black semi-automatic handgun, according to Lincolnwood Police Detective Eric Gronlund.
Security footage from inside the store shows one man wearing a white mask and the other wearing all black. The footage showed one of them pointing a gun toward the two employees, ordering them to get on the floor, while the other man emptied a safe containing cash and gold into a bag, Gronlund said.
Police did not know whether the men, who fled through the store's back door, left in a vehicle or on foot. The offenders, who police identified as male based on the sound of their voices recorded by the security camera, were in the store for less than three minutes,
Because the men were wearing gloves, police said they were unable to identify their races. Both were described as between 5 feet and 10 inches tall, and 6-feet tall, with slender builds. They were last seen walking northbound on Lowell Avenue immediately after the robbery.
Gronlund said the robbers committed a brazen act, striking a store in a busy strip mall during broad daylight where they risked being seen by the many commuters who use Touhy to access the nearby Edens Expressway.
"We're hoping that someone driving by may have seen something," Gronlund said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lincolnwood Police Department at 847-673-2167.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-armed-robbery-tl-0811-20160804-story.html | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/fb56d06afe07f6e873618be3cc2c253afaf222dcf56fe976db0dc9689e4d277c.json |
[
"David Tweed",
"Nick Wadhams",
"C"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:49 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fsns-wp-blm-us-china-34c7abde-6abd-11e6-91cb-ecb5418830e9-20160825-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-56f02a81/turbine/chi-default-open-graph-ct-logo/1200/1200x650 | en | null | U.S. troubles over Trump and TPP risk emboldening China in Asia | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter warned a few months back that China risked a "great wall of self-isolation" for its actions in the disputed South China Sea. That hasn't deterred Xi Jinping.
Beijing is boosting its military presence in the area unabated, in the face of stepped-up U.S. patrols and a recent arbitration court ruling that invalidated its claims to most of the waterway. After decades of U.S. dominance in the western Pacific, Xi's behavior presents an increasingly urgent dilemma for America on how to slow China's military and economic expansionism.
The risk now is that troubles afflicting a signature Obama-backed trade deal embolden China to see how much further it can push the world's biggest economy. Regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election in November, the mood among a vocal number of American voters is one of isolationism after more than a decade fighting wars thousands of miles away and amid concern about preserving U.S. jobs.
That domestic climate is threatening the U.S. ratification process for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact that would cover 40 percent of world commerce and does not include China. Republican Party nominee Donald Trump says the TPP will cost U.S. jobs and Democrat Hillary Clinton has reversed her earlier support for it.
"Right at the heart of China's conduct in the East China Sea and the South China Sea over the last few years has been a conviction that the U.S. doesn't have the resolve to push back hard against China's prodding," said Hugh White, a professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University in Canberra and author of "The China Choice." If TPP fails, "it will encourage them to think that America is not willing to pay the costs and risks required to push back against it and that will encourage China to test it."
Trump has raised the prospect of cutting military assistance to allies like Japan and South Korea and starting a trade war with China. Whether he would or could make good on that is unclear -- the checks and balances of Congress might reign him in. But he has found a strong populist rump in the electorate for his views. While Clinton would probably seek to preserve ties with the region, she would need to manage the political noise at home.
Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. embarked on a military and economic rebalance to Asia, with the policy articulated by then-Secretary of State Clinton in 2011. Aimed at assuring Asia of America's commitment to the region, China has painted it as a bid to contain it. The policy has had two main pillars -- a military buildup in the western Pacific, and U.S. advocacy for the TPP.
While the arbitration court's July ruling in favor of the Philippines' challenge to China's South China Sea claims was a diplomatic setback for Xi, it hasn't stopped China from militarizing reclaimed reefs, according to Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative photographs that show reinforced hangers that seem designed to house jet fighters. It has also flown bombers over the disputed waters, announced joint naval exercises with Russia and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has called for preparation for a "people's war at sea."
"China's expansionist claims in the South China Sea, reiterated in its angry rebuff of the recent arbitral decision, make it clear that the U.S. faces a crucial test of its reliability in Southeast Asia," according to a recent article co-authored by Patrick Cronin, director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. "The president should offer assurances to allies and partners that coercive moves that undermine the historic legal ruling risk a confrontation with the U.S."
China is also seeking to displace U.S. economic influence amid questions over whether the second plank of the rebalance, the TPP, will get through the U.S. Congress. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke on his recent visit to Washington of the need for TPP to be ratified: "For America's friends and partners, ratifying the TPP is a litmus test of your credibility and seriousness of purpose."
"Failure to pass TPP will have an impact," said Catherine A. Novelli, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. "China is actively working in Asia and has strong relationships with its neighbors and we expect this will continue. TPP provides balance in the region and sets a very high bar for transparent rules and open and fair trade."
China isn't a member of the TPP, which is being sold as a kind of super trade deal that would not only slash tariffs on goods and services among its 12 members, but would establish shared standards in areas like labor and the environment. Participants include the U.S., Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
Obama has vowed to keep pushing the TPP during the lame-duck session of Congress that follows the election. His efforts to get the deal ratified received recent support from a group of senior former Republican officials who, exasperated by Trump, said they'd back Clinton's presidential bid and that they hoped she'd reconsider her TPP position. "Failure to approve it would cede to China the role of defining regional trade rules," they wrote in an open letter.
Beijing has established the $100 billion Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank to complement its "One Belt One Road" initiative of building ports and transport links across Asia to Europe. Xi has touted investment and trade in the region to offset concerns about China's military ambitions, and pushed an alternate Asia trade pact to the TPP.
Still, while China may be able to make short-term capital of any TPP collapse, strategists in Beijing fret any advantage may be frittered away.
"It might make China more complacent," said Shi Yinhong, director of the Center on American Studies at Renmin University in Beijing and a foreign policy adviser to the State Council. "China would be under less external pressure to push through economic structural reform and the motivation to improve the relations with its neighbors would be somehow diminished."
On the U.S. side, foreign policy experts argue a TPP failure won't entirely undo the work of the Obama administration, citing a new defense pact with the Philippines, a reinvigorated alliance with Japan and greater participation in groupings like the East Asia Summit, which Obama will attend in Laos next month. China's long-reach naval capacity is still dwarfed by the U.S., with a single aircraft carrier to its name.
"There is a broad consensus that the United States needs to invest more in Asia and that's both because of the economic realities as well as concerns about China's rise and what it means for the region," said Michael Fuchs, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2013 to 2016 and now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-us-china-34c7abde-6abd-11e6-91cb-ecb5418830e9-20160825-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/7082ff3f5aacd94c9c5b52ee32484669370e11c4739896be39d2ee5fd0cb53da.json |
[
"Chicago Tribune",
"Ruth Ann Krause"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:15 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fsuburbs%2Fpost-tribune%2Fnews%2Fct-ptb-triplett-sentencing-st-0825-20160824-story.html.json | http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bf1827/turbine/ct-ptb-triplett-sentencing-st-0825-20160824 | en | null | Mothers grieve at man's drunken driving sentencing | null | null | www.chicagotribune.com | Her voice dripping with anger, the mother of one of the men killed in a drunken driving crash two years ago described how the crime had affected her.
"My son was a 25-year-old college student who worked nights at Ultra (Foods) putting himself through school. I lost my child. I'll never be a grandmother," Beverly Bove Timmons said. "I hope he comes out of the jail in the same way he left my child, in a box."
Two months ago, Clarence Triplett, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent of .15 percent or higher, in the deaths of Dominique Timmons, 25, and Devin Hunter, 22.
Under terms of the plea agreement accepted Wednesday by Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell, Triplett was sentenced to 18 years in the Indiana Department of Correction -- nine years on each count. He could be released in 2029.
Triplett, of East Chicago, admitted he caused a crash on Aug. 10, 2014, with a 2002 Ford Focus on Cline Avenue near the Michigan Street exit in Hammond. Moments before the crash, Triplett was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer at about 80 mph in a 55 mph zone. He struck the rear of the Focus, which was parked on the shoulder of Cline Avenue with its hazard flashers on, and killed Timmons.
Hunter died about two months later from his injuries.
Hunter's mother, Emiko Robinson Hunter, described her son, the third of five children, as an extraordinary young man who was spontaneous, kind to everyone, ambitious and caring.
"It is because of him that Devin is no longer with us," she said of Triplett's decision to drink and drive. She said her son was unable to speak, talk or move, and was barely recognizable as he lingered for weeks after the crash.
"I want you to know I have found forgiveness in my heart, but I will never forget the pain you caused," Hunter said. "I want you to never forget the names Devin and Dominique."
Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. | http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-triplett-sentencing-st-0825-20160824-story.html | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.chicagotribune.com/47813c823b12f1c917281ae59eb8d70da17eba549de10f1170d43add594b44a7.json |
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