Daily Archive : Friday July 15, 2011

News

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    From left, Chris McNicholas, David Finlay and Tom Verhey sail the Jing Bang.

    Suburban sailors test their mettle in Mackinac race
    By Marco Santana and Marie Wilson
    Boaters from Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Naperville and Wheaton have thrown their captain's hats into the Mackinac race ring, ready with stories of surviving it in years past. “Every year you always have something crazy happen,” Jack Amedio said.

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    Roselle man killed by train
    By Christopher Placek
    A 45-year-old Roselle man was struck and killed by a train Wednesday night — only a block from the nursing and rehab facility where he lived, authorities said Friday.

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    A gas main on the north side of Algonquin Road west of New Wilke Road had ruptured around 1:30 p.m. Friday.

    Gas line ruptured in Arlington Heights
    By Christopher Placek
    A contractor hit and ruptured a 4-inch gas line while working in a parkway in Arlington Heights Friday afternoon, officials said.

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    Members of the Trampoline and Tumbling team from Ultimate Gymnastics of Gurnee are celebrating success after the recent AAU State meet, held in Chatham. Back row, from left: Holly Merlock, Amanda Stautz, Lucy Tarcha, Karis Kovacs and Gina Bernardini; front row: Shannon McDermott and Paul Coleman. All will be traveling to New Orleans to compete in the Junior Olympics at the end of July.

    Gurnee gymnasts achieve success
    Submitted by Jane Feely
    The Trampoline and Tumbling Team from Ultimate Gymnastics of Gurnee is bringing its successful season to a close with a number of athletes gearing up to compete at the National level.

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    Young gardeners in the Waukegan Public Library’s “Digging in the Dirt” Family Gardening Club. The club meets weekly throughout the summer.

    Family Garden Club enjoys “Digging in the Dirt”
    Submitted by Waukegan Public Library
    Children are learning the ins and outs of planting their own herbs and vegetables as part of the Waukegan Public Library’s “Digging in the Dirt” Family Gardening Club.

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    District 96 Country Meadows fifth-grader Daniel Hwang demonstrates the catapult he made to trade at the Country Meadows Trade Fair.

    Students develop trade skills
    District 96 Country Meadows 5th graders eagerly anticipate Trade Fair–the culminating event of the Colonial Life social studies unit.

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    Arlington Heights High School 1956 reunion committee members, from left: Jane Bray Lussow, Bill Lussow, Bob Levine, Kim Gieseke Homeyer, Nancy Schwennesen Boge and Pat Konchar Zenner.

    Arlington High Class of ‘56 plans reunion
    Submitted by Bob Levine
    The Arlington Heights High School class of 1956 reunion committee met for a dinner meeting at “Clementi’s” on Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights.

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    The Rev. John P. Smyth, from left, Standing Tall Charitable Foundation; Des Plaines Rivers Casino general manager Bill Keena, representing Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, LLC, Neil Bluhm, Greg Carlin and Clairvest Group, Inc.; and Des Plaines Mayor Martin J. Moylan in the mayor’s office as a check for $15,000 is presented to Father Smyth.

    Midwest Gaming presents check to Standing Tall Foundation
    Submitted by city of Des Plaines
    Des Plaines Rivers Casino general manager Bill Keena, representing Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, LLC, Neil Bluhm, Greg Carlin, and Clairvest Group, Inc., presented a check for $15,000 to Reverend John P. Smyth, of the Reverend John P. Smyth Standing Tall Charitable Foundation, in Des Plaines Mayor Martin J. Moylan’s office last week.

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    Oldest U.S. ferry to be closed
    Associated Press
    A round of budget cuts in Connecticut is forcing the nation’s oldest operating ferry to close.

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    Deb Seyller

    Kane's Seyller won't seek re-election
    By James Fuller
    Embattled Kane County Circuit Court Clerk Deb Seyller announced Friday she won't seek re-election. Seyller is still engaged in a costly legal battle with the Kane County Board over her office's budget.

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    Curious spectators gather Friday around Seward Johnson's 26-foot-tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe, in her most famous wind-blown pose, on Michigan Ave.

    Sculpture of Marilyn enjoying breeze unveiled
    Associated Press
    As dozens of people watched Friday, a 26-foot-tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in her famous pose from the "The Seven Year Itch" was unveiled on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. In the movie, a draft catches Monroe's dress as she passes over a subway grate.

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    People fill out forms to be considered as a contestant for “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” The show held auditions Friday at Arlington Park.

    Would-be Millionaires audition at Arlington Park
    Daily Herald staff report
    Chicago-area TV-show contestants must have plenty to offer, judging from the number of auditions here lately. On Friday, it was “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” which drew a crowd to Arlington Park.

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    Metra riders could face fare hikes or train cutbacks as the agency figures out how to make ends meet.

    Metra eyes ticket price hikes, train cutbacks
    By Marni Pyke
    Enjoy your current Metra fares and schedules while you can — fewer trains and ticket price hikes appear possible in the near future. Metra administrators outlined some grim scenarios Friday in order to help the agency balance its budget.

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    Curious spectators gather around Seward Johnson’s 26-foot-tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe, in her most famous windblown pose, on Michigan Ave. in Chicago.

    Images: Marilyn Monroe on Michigan Avenue
    A 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe was unveiled today in Chicago at Pioneer Court on Michigan Avenue. The statue, created by New Jersey artist Seward Johnson, will be in Chicago until the spring of 2012.

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    Mount Prospect girl hospitalized after being hit by van
    By Christopher Placek
    A 13-year-old Mount Prospect girl sustained multiple injuries after she was hit by a delivery van on Northwest Highway Friday afternoon, authorities said.

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    John M. Jefferson

    Elgin police: Man stole from blind, 95-year-old woman
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    An Elgin man who lived near a 95-year-old blind woman apparently helped himself to roughly $50,000 of her hard-earned cash, police said Friday.

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    Joshua Mannella

    Mother, son sex offenders charged with moving too close to daycare
    By Harry Hitzeman
    A mother and her son, who are both child sex offenders, are arrested for moving less than 500 feet from a daycare center in St. Charles, police said Friday.

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    George H. Smith

    St. Charles man gets 30 months for 2010 crash
    By Harry Hitzeman
    George Smith, 81, of St. Charles, is sentenced to 30 months in prison for reckless driving. He pleaded guilty to an August 2010 crash in Geneva that he caused while trying to kill himself that severely injured another man.

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    Foreclosure puts Hoffman Estates branch library’s future in doubt
    By Kimberly Pohl
    Palatine library officials are scrambling for information and solutions after learning this week that the building that houses its Freeman Road Branch has been foreclosed. The library’s lease on the building expires at the end of August.

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    Police reports
    Daily Herald staff report
    Cardell C. Johnson, 31, of the 800 block of Monroe Avenue, faces several charges in connection with an aggravated assault on a police officer that occurred early Tuesday morning, police said.

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    Police reports
    Daily Herald staff report
    An Apple laptop computer and two wristwatches were stolen out of a house in the 200 block of North Batavia Avenue between 5:35 a.m. an 7:04 p.m. Thursday, police said. The burglar broke a rear window to gain access.

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    These two quilts are just a small sample of the many that will be on display this weekend at the “Threads From Past to Present” quilt show in Batavia. At left is “Heroes of Freedom” by Linda Braden of Alabama, dedicated to all those who have served in the Navy. At right is “Vietnam — The Last POW,” by Anne Marie Bailey of Colorado. It is a visual account of Harley H. Hall, a Naval aviator who flew with Bailey’s husband during the Vietnam War.

    Batavia quilt show features patriotic quilts
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    The annual Quilt and Textile Show in Batavia has a patriotic theme this year, honoring the 100th anniversary of Naval aviation and the 10th anniversary of a terrorist attack on the United States.

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    Lirim Luzaj

    DuPage drug trafficker faces 30 year sentence
    By Elisabeth Mistretta
    A man who prosecutors say belongs to a marijuana ring with ties to California and Michigan was convicted on drug trafficking charges Wednesday in DuPage County court in Wheaton.

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    Carol Sente

    Sente to run for re-election
    By Mike Riopell
    Rep. Carol Sente, a Vernon Hills Democrat serving her first full term in the Illinois House, said Friday that she plans to run for re-election in 2012.

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    Oil rags blamed for fire that damages Mount Prospect home
    Daily Herald report
    A fire early Friday morning that caused about $150,000 damage to a Mount Prospect home was caused by the spontaneous combustion of oil soaked rags, authorities said.

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    Probation for naked intruder facing drug charge
    By Barbara Vitello
    A Cook County judge sentenced a Mount Prospect man to 24 months probation in exchange for his guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance. A Mount prospect homeowner found a naked John J. Cagney, 40, in his home during the early morning hours on two days last May. The court also ordered Cagney to submit to drug and alcohol evaluation and perform community service.

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    McHenry board to get refresher on Open Meetings Act
    By Larissa Chinwah
    At Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting, members of the McHenry County Board will be given a refresher course on the Open Meetings Act. Some board members had issues with some board members meeting to discuss and draft new versions of the redistricting map.

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    Car show at Grand Dominion
    Daily Herald report
    Grand Dominion by Del Webb is hosting its 4th Annual “Crusin’ with the Classics” Car Show and Summerfest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 17. Festivities include a DJ playing Oldies tunes, the popular live band Daddy O’s, 50/50 raffle, food and ice cream vendors, a bouncy house, pony rides, and more. The classic car exhibit is open to the public and attendance is free. There is a $10 per...

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    Island Lake delays budget vote
    Daily Herald report
    The Island Lake village board on Thursday delayed voting on the budget for the 2012 fiscal year, which began June 1. Trustee Shannon Fox recommended the delay, which was approved unanimously, because the trustees had not received final copies of the spending plan. One recent version called for $8.1 million in expenditures and about $6.3 million in anticipated revenue in the new fiscal year. A...

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    Wauconda community service
    Daily Herald report:
    The village of Wauconda will accept nominations for the 2011 Mayor’s Community Service Awards until Aug. 1. The award recognizes youths and adults, organizations and businesses that have had a significant, positive impact on the community. Recognizing volunteers sets a standard for community service, encourages a commitment to civic participation and inspires others. Forms can be submitted online...

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    Scenes like this along Naperville Road at Butterfield Road in Wheaton likely will worsen for four weeks after IDOT officials close another option for motorists in the construction zone. Herrick Road will close Monday and will stay closed until about Aug. 15.

    Butterfield construction headaches to increase
    By Marco Santana
    Headaches will increase as the Butterfield Road widening project forces an adjacent road to close in Wheaton.

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    Police probe apparent Willowbrook murder-suicide
    By Marco Santana
    DuPage County sheriff's deputies are investigating an apparent murder-suicide in an unincorporated area near Willowbrook.

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    Jeffrey Jewitt

    Des Plaines sex offender charged again
    Daily Herald report
    Elmwood Park police this week arrested a registered sex offender from Des Plaines on charges connecting him to two attempts earlier this month to lure a 12-year-old boy into a car.

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    Chuck Lencioni of Geneva was the marshal of the 2010 Swedish Days parade, shortly before his death. The Geneva Fire Department, where he was a paid-on-call firefighter, is dedicating a memorial to him July 16.

    Geneva Fire Dept. to dedicate memorial to Chuck Lencioni
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    The Geneva Fire Department will dedicate a memorial Saturday to Lt. Chuck Lencioni, a longtime paid-on-call firefighter who died of cancer last year.

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    The Habitat for Humanity house at 355 Moseley St. in Elgin is worked on Friday by a team of women interns from Zurich in Schaumburg. Some of them have volunteered for a Habitat project before, while for many it was their first time. This home is mainly being refurbished by women crews, and the materials being used were donated by women-owned local companies.

    Women get it done on Elgin Habitat program
    By Laura Stoecker
    Wearing safety glasses and gloves, and at times yielding crowbars, nine young women volunteered their Friday to work on the Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley house at 355 Moseley St. in Elgin.

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    Brian Mace, 13, of Grayslake tends to his rain garden planted outside the Grayslake Public Library during its official opening recently. Mace completed the project as part of his seventh-grade service learning project at Prairie Crossing Charter School. The garden features six varieties of plants that benefit from rain water runoff.

    Middle school student designs library rain garden
    By Danielle Gensburg
    After learning about the ways in which plants can provide cleaner water to the environment, a Prairie Crossing Charter School student decided to put his knowledge to good use.

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    New Illinois law could make driver education courses more expensive
    SPRINGFIELD — The cost of driver education could be on the way up in Illinois.A new law gives school districts permission to charge up to $250 in fees for driver education courses. Until now, the fees have been limited to $50.Districts will have to hold public hearings before the fees can be increased. They’re also required to skip the fee for students who can’t afford it.

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    Liberal group threatens to pull Obama support
    A liberal group upset over potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security has delivered pledges to President Barack Obama’s Chicago campaign headquarters threatening to pull their support.

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    Future of U. of Ill. aviation program up in the air
    Associated Press
    CHAMPAIGN — The head of the University of Illinois’ Urbana-Champaign campus says school trustees will vote next week on whether to close the school’s aviation program.Interim Chancellor Robert Easter oversees the campus. He tells WILL radio that trustees will vote at their meeting next Thursday in Chicago. The vote isn’t yet on the agenda for the meeting.

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    Illinois courthouse wedding leads to arrest
    DECATUR — Something came between a central Illinois couple as they waited to marry — a court order forbidding the groom from contact with the bride.The (Decatur) Herald & Review reports that 23-year-old Billy Rutherford was arrested Wednesday for allegedly violating the terms of his bail as he and his fiancée waited outside a Macon County courtroom to get married.

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    Emanuel announces up to 625 layoffs
    Associated Press
    Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he’s going to lay off up to 625 city workers, a move he says will save $10 million to $12 million for the rest of this year.Emanuel says he gave the city’s unions until Friday to come up with proposals to avoid the cuts, and they haven’t produced any.

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    Ill. budget cuts reduce seniors’ drug benefits
    Associated Press
    SPRINGFIELD — About 20 percent of seniors and people with disabilities who get state-sponsored prescription drug coverage will lose it because of cuts in the Illinois state budget.

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    Mount Prospect cites four liquor sting
    Daily Herald report
    Mount Prospect police cited three adults for selling or providing alcohol to minors, along with a teenager for receiving it, during compliance checks Thursday at eight local businesses that hold village liquor licenses.

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    Hampshire Township man killed in rollover crash
    By Lee Filas
    A Hampshire Township man was killed in a rollover accident in Burlington Township Friday. Scott Row, 31, rolled over in his white Ford Pickup, according to police.

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    Round Lake Beach man denies drive-by shooting charges
    By Tony Gordon
    A Round Lake Beach man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from a drive-by shooting that wounded one man.

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    Allen Murvine

    Ex-candidate named to Island Lake commission
    By Russell Lissau
    Former Island Lake trustee candidate Allen Murvine has been appointed to a seat on the village’s liquor commission.

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    ComEd on track to restore power everywhere by midnight
    By Lee Filas
    ComEd officials said they remain on track to have power restored throughout the system by midnight Friday.

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    Cook County sheriff's police found these weapons inside a house in Glenview where marijuana was being grown.

    Pot, guns found in Glenview house during eviction
    Daily Herald report
    A Glenview man was operating a marijuana grow house from his rental home, where guns and children also were present, the Cook County sheriff's office announced Friday. Officers were executing an eviction order when they discovered the grow house, police said.

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    Ray Sikula reaches out to touch the bull's nose during the bull riding competition at the 48th-Annual IPRA Rodeo.

    Behind the Scenes with rodeo clown Ray Sikula
    Ray Sikula of Crystal Lake is working his dream job as a rodeo clown in Wauconda. Sikula has been a rodeo clown for 27 years, risking his safety to protect others. Our photographer went behind the scenes with Sikula.

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    Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, left, and his wife, Patti, arrive at the federal courthouse for a hearing in Chicago, Friday.

    Blagojevich says he understands he could lose home
    Associated Press
    Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has told a federal judge he understands he could lose his home if he violates the conditions of his bond.Blagojevich's appearance Friday was his first time in court since a jury convicted him of multiple corruption counts last month.

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    Libyans during Friday prayers, in the rebel-held Benghazi.

    U.S. formally recognizes Libya rebels
    Associated Press
    The United States and other nations on Friday formally recognized Libya’s main opposition group as the country’s legitimate government until a new interim authority is formed.

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    This image was photographed during a July 12 spacewalk,

    Astronauts fix second failed computer on shuttle
    Associated Press
    The pilots on NASA’s last space shuttle flight fixed another one of their main computers Friday after it failed and set off an alarm that shattered their sleep.

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    A mid-1800s Canadian schooner, Queen of the Lakes, drifts into port. Undersea explorers have discovered the 19th-century, three-masted Canadian schooner that sank with a cargo of coal in Lake Ontario in 1906.

    Wreck of Canadian schooner found in Lake Ontario
    Associated Press
    After 105 years, the three masts of the Queen of the Lakes still stand erect — all the more remarkable because the 19th-century Canadian schooner has sat in the dark depths of Lake Ontario since it wrecked in 1906.

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    Police: Idaho hostage released, suspect arrested
    Associated Press
    Police say a suspect is in custody and a hostage has been released unharmed and after a three-hour standoff at a Twin Falls hotel that left one officer with a gunshot to the leg.

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    Wally Preissing, second from left, pictured with his family, from left, son, Jack, 21, wife, Theresa, and daughter, Eva, 19. Family members are hosting a benefit Saturday in Arlington Heights for Preissing, who’s battling emphysema and needs a lung transplant.

    Arlington Heights family host benefit for ill sibling
    Bu Eileen O. Daday
    Members of a longtime Arlington Heights family are hosting a fundraiser Saturday to help a sibling in desperate need of a lung transplant.

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    Once completed later in the year, the new Gilman Trail overpass at Galena Boulevard will bring added safety and convenience for trail users, according to Fox Valley Park District officials.

    New Gilman Trail overpass will bridge the safety gap
    By Jeff Long
    Very soon, users of the Gilman Trail won’t have to stop, look left and look right to avoid vehicles whisking past where the trail crosses busy Galena Boulevard.

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    Anthony Garner

    Mount Prospect man charged with selling crack to police
    Daily Herald report
    Mount Prospect police arrested a 30-year-old man this week on allegations he sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer.

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    “Confusion,” an oil painting by Edward Manning of Geneva, is one of 17 student-created artworks purchased by Waubonsee Community College for the spring semester. The works are displayed throughout the college’s campuses.

    Waubonsee Community College purchases student art
    During the spring 2011 semester, Waubonsee Community College purchased 17 pieces of student-created artwork to display around its campuses.

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    Chairman of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago Joseph Luby, from left, and Fran Luby of Barrington and Honorary Chairs Mary and Ralph Gesualdo of Lake Forest attend Catholic Charities’ “The Art of Caring” benefit.

    Your news Catholic Charities holds benefit gala
    More than 200 guests assembled at Knollwood Club for the 22nd annual benefit, "The Art of Caring," a gala that supports Catholic Charities services in Lake County.

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    Palatine-based nonprofit organization SuperSibs, which supports siblings of pediatric cancer patients, is seeking votes for a $50,000 grant through the Pepsi Refresh Project.

    Palatine nonprofit SuperSibs needs votes for $50,000 grant
    By Kimberly Pohl
    Palatine-based nonprofit organization SuperSibs! needs more votes to have a shot at a $50,000 grant from Pepsi’s Refresh Project. The money would allow the group’s art exhibit, “Word: the Sibling Journey,” to tour additional communities in the Chicago area.

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    Libertyville District 70 Superintendent Guy Schumacher recently showed a First Choice phone book with student artwork to the school board.

    District 70 artwork featured in phone book
    By Robin Kollman
    Libertyville Elementary District 70 student artwork will once again appear in the next First Choice phone book.

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    Janice Borla, left, a member of the jazz faculty at North Central College in Naperville, will perform in a series of concerts and instruct vocal jazz classes as part of the 23rd annual “Hot Jazz — 6 Cool Nites” event. The series begins at 7:30 p.m. today and continues Sunday through Friday, July 18-22.

    Jazz series brings cool nights to Naperville
    By Megan Bannister
    The 23rd annual Hot Jazz - 6 Cool Nights concert series features five shows by professional performers and a finale of students in the Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp.

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    Soccer can now be practiced and played on artificial turf at the newly refurbished Nike Sports Complex on Mill Street just south of Diehl Road in Naperville.

    Naperville’s Nike Park ready for unveiling
    By Marie Wilson
    Almost everything will be new at Nike Sports Complex in Naperville as it reopens Saturday morning. A lighted synthetic turf field, lighted courts for basketball, tennis and volleyball, walking paths and a new playground are among the park's updated amenities.

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    Northwest suburban police blotter
    By Freida Gad
    Burglars broke into five cars at a townhouse complex in Wheeling between 9 p.m. July 12 and 6 a.m. July 13. Details on that crime and many others are in the blotter report.

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    New location, same fun, at Fox Lake Fireman’s Festival
    By Lee Filas
    The annual Fox Lake Volunteer Fireman’s Festival is moving to a new location, but officials promise it will feature the same fun as in previous years.

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    Visitors to the Blackberry Polo Club on Bliss Road in Batavia this Sunday, July 17, can watch a polo match, dress up in costume and tailgate. The event is a fundraiser for Oswego Playhouse and Batavia MainStreet’s Shakespeare on Clark.

    Batavia polo event benefits local theater groups
    By Samantha Kiesel
    Polo is not necessarily a sport everyone can play because it requires a large component, a horse. But everyone can be a spectator on Sunday, July 17, when the Blackberry Polo Club elebrates its 25th season in the Fox Valley areawith a benefit open to the public.

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    Dancers from Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl perform during last year’s Fiesta in Arlington Park.

    Arlington Park hosts Latino festival for its 10th year
    Submitted by Jerry Campagna, president of MST Latino Inc.
    The 2011 Fiesta in the Park is Sunday, July 17, at Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights. The annual fiesta is a Latino celebration, with music, food, dancing, horse racing and a special autograph session with Latino jockeys.

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    Rolling Meadows duck race on July 16
    Courtesy of the city of Rolling Meadows
    A $500 cash prize awaits the winner of the fourth annual Duck Race, Saturday, July 16 in Rolling Meadows. The event raises funds to support environmental preservation efforts throughout the city.

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    Meet Peter Max in Schaumburg on July 30
    Submitted by the Peter Max Studio
    Artist Peter Max will be at the Wentworth Gallery inside Woodfield Shopping Center, Schaumburg on Saturday, July 30 to meet fans of his work.

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    Golf outing raises $29,000 for Dist. 54
    By Eric Peterson
    The Schaumburg Township Elementary School Foundation’s 14th annual golf outing raised $29,000 last month for District 54 schools. The 24-year-old charitable foundation funds programs for District 54 students which are not covered by school budgets or tax dollars.

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    Horse group honors Arlington chairman
    By Deborah Donovan
    Richard L. Duchossois is best known as chairman of Arlington Park, but his generosity toward horses is winning him recognition from a group that advocates on their behalf. Equine Advocates will give Duchossois the Ellen & Herbert Moelis Equine Savior Award for Philanthropy.

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    New class at Elgin leadership academy set
    Submitted by Elgin Area Chamber
    The Elgin Area Leadership Academy, a program of the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, is now accepting nominations and applications for its new class beginning September.

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    Buffalo Grove arranges food waste disposal
    Daily Herald report
    Buffalo Grove has collaborated with Waste Management to provide a special garbage service to all Buffalo Grove residents today, Friday, July 15, for residents who have lost perishable food due to spoilage and as a result of the recent power outage. Residents wishing to take advantage of this garbage service should place their food refuse in a closed bag and drop it off at the Public Service...

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    Woodland Educational Foundation golf fundraiser
    By Jennifer Tempest Bova
    Golfers can have some fun while helping provide extras to students and staff at Gurnee-based Woodland Elementary District 50.

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    Literacy Connection recognizes volunteers, learners
    The Literacy Connection awarded learners and volunteers for their accomplishments at its annual recognition dinner and program on June 6 at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.

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    Benjamin Menich

    Beth Judea Sisterhood elects new officers
    Sisterhood of Beth Judea in Long Grove elect new officers.

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    Being engaged is hard, but there’s hope
    By Ken Potts
    What makes being engaged so tough? A couple are perfectly happy and starry-eyed in love — the epitome of compatibility. Then CRASH! They wipe out in the final turn just a few hundred yards from the checkered flag (OK, not the best analogy, but you get the idea).

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    Quin Gable, 19, of West Chicago throws her hands up in triumph after making a catch and putting someone out during a practice for the “Hammertime” dodgeball team at Christ Community Church in St. Charles Friday. They're preparing for this weekend's annual championship tournament of the National Amateur Dodgeball Association.

    Adults battle it out at dodgeball tourney in Schaumburg
    By Zuzanna Skwiot
    Dodgeball, once just a staple of school gym classes and playgrounds, has grown to include national associations and societies organizing regular matches and tournaments pitting teams of all ages. One of those tourneys starts Friday in Schaumburg.

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    Laura Curtis

    Conflict of interest questions arise with Kane County board
    By James Fuller
    A new legal ruling will keep a North Aurora trustee from reaping the benefits of a second taxpayer-funded job that Kane County Board members can get.

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    The Trackside OTB and Salerno-Pincente Ristorante open Monday on North Avenue in Villa Park.

    Off-track betting parlor opening in Villa Park
    By Anna Madrzyk
    After four years of delays and setbacks. the new Salerno-Pincente Ristorante and Trackside OTB opens JMonday in Villa Park. The ribbon cutting is today.

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    Owners of the new Salerno-Pincente restaurant, Andrew Salerno, left, and Frank Pincente, right, which will open Saturday in Villa Park on North Avenue.

    A Villa Park homecoming for Salerno’s restaurant
    By Anna Madrzyk
    After four years of delays and setbacks. the new Salerno-Pincente Ristorante and Trackside OTB opens July 18 in Villa Park. The ribbon cutting is Friday.

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    Prairie Ridge soccer standout Amy LePeilbet (11) plays during a match against Crystal Lake South in 1999. LePeilbet, of Crystal Lake, is now a defender on the U.S. Women's Soccer Team.

    Suburban native on top of soccer world
    By Larissa Chinwah
    Representing the United States national soccer team was never something Amy LePeilbet outwardly declared as her goal while growing up in Crystal Lake. She was too humble and too unpretentious to make those statements, those who know her say. But it's not surprising that LePeilbet is now on a U.S. squad that's vying for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

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    E. Dundee gives heath center $73,000 for $183,000 renovation
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    The East Dundee village board this week agreed to give 7 Hills Healthcare Center the $73,000 incentive it needs to complete a $183,000 renovation project at its future office on 455 E. Main St.

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    Generators can be dangerous if not used properly as one Round Lake Park household found late Monday when seven individuals were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide fumes.

    Generators 101: Experts give their tips
    By Kimberly Pohl
    Generators can prove extremely helpful during power outages, but they can be dangerous. Here are some tips on what type of generator is best for your needs and how to avoid potential safety hazards.

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    Collection agency targets parking ticket scofflaws in Island Lake
    By Russell Lissau
    A collection agency will pursue scofflaws who haven’t paid fines on long-overdue parking tickets written in Island Lake.

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    The Emergency Operations Center inside the ComEd command post in Joliet. Some dispatchers’ computer screens allow them to keep tabs on crews on trucks with a global positioning system. When a crew completes a job, the dispatcher can pinpoint the closest location for the next assignment.

    Going inside ComEd’s nerve center during this week’s emergency
    By Bob Susnjara
    Tucked in a stealthy building near a Joliet cornfield is ComEd's emergency command post. Although some of the facility is decidedly high-tech, some old-school methods have been used as well in the power-restoration process.

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    I captured the image of baby birds in a nest, hungry and waiting to be fed.

    Images: Photo contest finalists
    Each week you submit your favorite photo. We pick the best of the bunch and select 12 finlaists. Here are the finalists for the week of July 11th.

Sports

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    Goler goes deep to lift Bandits
    Daily Herald report
    Alisa Goler connected on a 3-run shot to center field in the top of the eighth to give the Chicago Bandits a 3-0 win over the Akron Racers on Friday at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. Goler’s home run was her sixth on the year and bumped her RBI total to 20.

  •  
    Carlos Quentin singles in the seventh inning Friday to drive in Paul Konerko against the Detroit Tigers.

    White Sox rout Verlander, Tigers 8-2
    Associated Press
    Gavin Floyd allowed six hits into the eighth inning, outpitching Justin Verlander and leading the White Sox to an 8-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. Carlos Quentin had three hits and three RBIs for the White Sox.

  •  
    Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook , Patrick Kane, and Marian Hossa watch a video during the opening ceremonies of the fourth annual Blackhawks Convention at the Hilton Chicago on Friday night.

    Images: Blackhawks Fan Convention
    The 2011 Blackhawks Fan Convention kicked off at the Hilton on Friday in Chicago.

  •  
    Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull, seated, chats with Patrick Kane about injuries Friday during the Blackhawks fan convention. Kane is sporting a cast on his left wrist and will undergo surgery to repair a scaphoid fracture.

    Blackhawks' Kane to undergo surgery on left wrist
    By Tim Sassone
    Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman wasn't sweating the news Friday that star winger Patrick Kane needs left wrist surgery less than two months before the start of training camp.

  •  
    The Blackhawks signed restricted free agent Michael Frolik to a three-year, $7 million deal.

    Hawks find a way for Frolik, but can't for Campoli
    By Tim Sassone
    On the same day the Blackhawks signed restricted free agent forward Michael Frolik to a three-year, $7 million contract, they said goodbye to defenseman Chris Campoli. General manager Stan Bowman said Friday he ended negotiations with Campoli.

  •  
    Kosuke Fukudome runs to first base after hitting a single against the Florida Marlins in the third inning on Friday.

    Marshall plan saves Cubs, but Marmol’s in limbo
    By Bruce Miles
    Cubs manager Mike Quade put closer Carlos Marmol back on the mound in a save situation Friday. The Cubs got a 2-1 victory over the Florida Marlins. Marmol didn't last long enough for the save, and he will have to work his way back into the full-time closer's role.

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    Few believe more bad girls is a good idea
    By Patricia Babcock McGraw
    Women's watch readers chime in with responses to the question: Would women's professional sports benefit from having more edgier, brasher athletes?

  •  

    Fire scouting report
    By Orrin Schwarz
    Scouting the Chicago Fire vs. the Portland Timbers.

  •  
    Argentine midfielder Sebastian Grazzini met his new Fire teammates Friday morning.

    Grazzini flies into town but remains grounded
    By Orrin Schwarz
    Sebastian Grazzini, who will wear the No. 10 jersey for the Fire, arrived in Chicago on Friday. He said through a team translator he does not expect to play in Saturday’s home match against the expansion Portland Timbers (7:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet) but hopes to fit in with his new team quickly.

  •  
    Ryan Dempster happily delivered 8 innings of scoreless, 4-hit ball on Friday against the Florida Marlins.

    Dominant Dempster delivers
    By Bruce Miles
    There were no incidents Friday as Cubs starting pitcher worked 8 strong innings in a 2-1 victory over the Marlins. In his previous start, Dempster argued with manager Mike Quade about coming out of the game. Not Friday.

  •  
    Ryan Dempster allowed 4 hits in 8 innings of work Friday afternoon. The Cubs won 2-1.

    Dempster leads Cubs over Marlins, 2-1
    Associated Press
    Ryan Dempster pitched four-hit ball over eight scoreless innings, and the Chicago Cubs overcame another shaky performance by Carlos Marmol to beat Florida 2-1, snapping the Marlins' season-high, six-game winning streak on Friday.

  •  
    Thank you, U.S. Women's soccer team, for breaking up a really boring summer of sports with your semi-final win in the Women's Soccer World Cup in Germany.

    One long, not-so-hot summer and then ... thanks U.S. soccer team
    By Mike Spellman
    There have been very few bright spots in our summer of discontent, a summer full of nothing but lockout talk and middling-to-awful baseball. So how refreshing is it to have a team pop out of nowhere to give us something to smile about?

  •  
    DeMaurice Smith, foreground center, executive director of the National Football League Players' Association, arrives for labor talks in New York, Friday.

    AP sources: NFL players, owners making progress
    Associated Press
    Significant progress on a major sticking point in the NFL labor impasse — soaring rookie salaries — during marathon talks Thursday raised hopes that a tentative agreement in principle could perhaps come within 24 hours, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.

  •  

    NFL receiver takes shots at NASCAR champ Johnson
    Associated Press
    LOUDON, N.H. — Jimmie Johnson has a pair of titles he’s especially proud to have linked to his name. NASCAR champion. AP Male Athlete of the Year.Yes, that’s right. The five-time champion driver is an athlete, too.Johnson was swept into a brief Twitter feud this week because of his inclusion as a nominee for male athlete of the year at the ESPY Awards. Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate posted on his account, @ShowtimeTate, “Jimmy johnson up for best athlete???? Um nooo .. Driving a car does not show athleticism.”He continued to tweak Johnson, angering NASCAR fans. Tate later posted, “12th man get these rednecks off me.”Johnson mostly laughed off the barbs Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and invited Tate to the track to learn more about NASCAR.

  •  
    United States head coach Pia Sundhage, left, high fives midfielder Heather O’Reilly Friday during a training session in preparation for the final match against Japan during the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany.

    U.S. Women feel more pressure with more attention?
    Associated Press
    FRANKFURT, Germany — A week ago, there were so few people following the U.S. women’s team they could hold their daily media sessions around a small table in their hotel lobby.Now they need an entire ballroom.The frenzy of attention surrounding the Americans ahead of Sunday’s final against Japan is something they’ve never experienced before, and it has the potential to fire them up — or heap even more pressure on what is already the biggest game of their careers. But the Americans insist they won’t let this newfound stardom detract from their initial goal: Winning the World Cup for a third time.Abby Wambach says the teams wants these last few days to mean something, and the only way that will happen is with a victory.

  •  
    Stage winner Thor Hushovd of Norway celebrates on the podium of the 13th stage of the Tour de France cycling race Friday.

    Hushovd wins Tour stage; Voeckler keeps lead
    Associated Press
    LOURDES, France — Norway’s Thor Hushovd won the 13th stage of the Tour de France and France’s Thomas Voeckler kept the yellow jersey Friday on a ride through the Pyrenees that ended in the home of one of the most famous Catholic shrines.Jeremy Roy nearly captured a Tour stage for the first time with his attack at the foot of the huge climb to Col d’Aubisque. But the Frenchman couldn’t hold off Hushovd and David Moncoutie, who overtook Roy near the line and finished second.“I really didn’t think I would win this stage,” said Hushovd, who was also part of the Garmin-Cervelo team that won the team time trial early in the race. “I did things right tactically.”Voeckler was part of the main pack that lagged nearly nine minutes behind Hushovd. He held the overall lead for another day heading into a mammoth climbing stage. Defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain and two-time runners-up Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans, did not chase as they conserved energy for Saturday.“I was pretty tired from yesterday and tomorrow’s a big day,” Evans said. “There’ll be fireworks, don’t worry.”None of the main rivals took any time off each other, and there was no repeat of Thursday’s attacks in which a weary Contador lost 13 seconds to Schleck and Evans.Frank Schleck is second overall — 17 seconds ahead of Evans, 28 seconds ahead of younger brother Andy and 2:11 clear of Contador. Contador has been nursing a sore right knee after hitting it twice in separate crashes.“I don’t feel any pressure,” Frank Schleck said. “I’m convinced that I’m not going to have any regrets tomorrow.”Hushovd, a two-time winner of the Tour’s green jersey for best sprinter, won the 95-mile stage in 3 hours, 47 minutes, 36 seconds. He is more used to dashing to the finish line than grinding uphill, but he has worked hard on his climbing ability to become a more complete rider.“It’s the best stage I’ve ever won on the Tour de France,” said Hushovd, who has nine individual stage victories and two more from team time trials. “To win on my own is even more special. It’s very emotional for me.”Having done his hard work climbing, Roy played it safe descending the 26 miles to the finish. He had a nervous moment when a fan brushed him with a flag, causing him to swerve. But he still seemed set for victory until Hushovd — a world champion rated among the best in downhills — started attacking on the descent.“It’s true that I descend very well,” Hushovd said. “I knew I had to. It was super.”Hushovd had caught Moncoutie with about 15 miles remaining, and they took turns trying to close the gap on Roy, who led by 70 seconds with 12 miles to go. That was cut to 18 seconds with six miles remaining, and Hushovd caught him with a mile left.Roy’s previous best on the Tour had been a second-place stage finish in 2008.“The disappointment is too big. It will be hard to take in,” Roy said. “It’s too hard for me. Only victory counts.”Hushovd sympathized, but not too much.“It’s a shame for Roy — he is young, he rode a very good stage,” Hushovd said. “But I really wanted to win, too.”Hushovd had worn the yellow jersey earlier in the race after team time trial in the second stage. Voeckler has worn it since taking it from him on the crash-marred ninth stage. Voeckler was quick to praise Hushovd, who has also won stages on the Giro d’Italia and Spanish Vuelta.“Thor is the best climber among the sprinters,” Voeckler said. “I’m not surprised by his performance.”Hushovd is surprising even himself with his climbing.“I gave it all during the first week. I suffered yesterday but today I had stamina,” he said. “I lost weight (this season), that’s true. And I’m working differently. I’m riding a lot of climbs at training.”Germany’s Andreas Kloeden, struggling with a stiff back and sore elbow, quit the race, reducing the battered RadioShack team to five riders.

  •  
    Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke reacts Friday after putting on the 18th green during the second day of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George’s golf course Sandwich, England.

    Clarke surges up leaderboard with another 68
    Associated Press
    SANDWICH, England — A player from Northern Ireland charged up the leaderboard at the British Open.Just not the one you might expect.Darren Clarke shot his second straight 2-under 68 on Friday, taking a lead role heading to the weekend and showing his younger countrymen a thing or two at Royal St. George’s.Once the face of Northern Ireland golf, the 42-year-old Clarke became an afterthought when first Graeme McDowell, then Rory McIlroy claimed major championships. Maybe it’s time for the old guy to get his title, too.“It would mean an awful lot,” Clarke said. “But obviously, this is only after two rounds. There’s an awful long way to go yet.”Clarke rolled in a 90-footer for eagle at the seventh and closed his round with a birdie at the tough 18th, sending him to the clubhouse tied for the top spot with Lucas Glover at 4 under 136.Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, followed an opening 66 with a solid 70 on a warm, sunny day on the English seaside.“I didn’t hole as many putts as I did yesterday,” the bearded Glover said. “But I’m happy to grind out even par.”The U.S. has gone five straight majors without a title — its longest drought of the modern Grand Slam era. Glover shrugged off the slump; besides, he could be in line to snap another streak.“They told me no one has won the Open championship with a beard since the 1890s,” he said.Also in contention from the other side of the Atlantic: Chad Campbell, who shot 68 and was one shot back at 3-under 137; Dustin Johnson (68) and old-timers Davis Love III (68) and Tom Lehman (67), all at 138; and, yes, even Phil Mickelson, who came to England trying to forget his Open record.Lefty has only one top-10 finish in 17 previous appearances. Despite missing several short putts over the first two days, a 69 made him a factor at 139.“It’s fun to be in contention heading to the weekend of the British Open,” he said.McIlroy won’t run away with this championship as he did last month at the U.S. Open, but the 22-year-old wasn’t complaining about his position. Playing in the afternoon, after the wind picked up, he shot an impressive 69 and was at 140 overall.He saved his best for last, pulling out a par after plugging his approach in a pot bunker in front of the green. McIlroy somehow knocked it on the green and sank a 12-foot putt, pumping his fist as he walked toward the cup.All four current major champions were headed to the weekend, but not the top-ranked player in the world. England’s Luke Donald closed with four straight bogeys for a 75.PGA champion Martin Kaymer (67) was at 137, with Masters winner Charl Schwartzel (68) another stroke back. Defending British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (70) also was safely above the cut line at 142.The forecast was much worse for the final two rounds, with both wind and rain expected.Bring it on, said Mickelson.“One of the things I’m looking forward to is actually the bad weather,” he said. “I hope it comes in.”Bjorn, playing in the same group as Dyson, was in danger of falling completely out of the mix when he bogeyed three straight holes at the start of his round. But the 40-year-old Dane pulled himself together, playing 1 under the rest of the way for a 72 that left him one stroke off the lead heading to the weekend.“It wasn’t the prettiest of days golfwise, but I’ll take where I stand in the championship,” Bjorn said.So will Miguel Angel Jimenez, also at 137 after shooting 71.There was plenty of experience on the leaderboard with 40-somethings Clarke, Jimenez, Bjorn and Love, plus the 52-year-old Lehman, who won the Open 15 years ago.“The round just kind of flowed,” Lehman said. “I hit it solidly, made a few nice putts, drove the ball extremely well, so I feel like I wasn’t really pressured all day long. It was a good day.”

Business

  •  
    Barbie dolls on the shelf at Woodbury Mountain Toys in Montpelier, Vt.

    Mattel 2nd-quarter net income jumps 56 percent
    Associated Press
    Strong sales of Barbie and toys tied into Disney/Pixar's "Cars 2" helped Mattel's second-quarter net income rise 56 percent, the largest U.S. toy maker said Friday.

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    Les Hinton, Chief Executive Officer of Dow Jones & Co., in his New York office.

    Wall Street Journal publisher resigns
    Associated Press
    Rupert Murdoch accepted the resignations of The Wall Street Journal's publisher and the chief of his British operations on Friday as the once-defiant media mogul struggled to control an escalating phone hacking scandal.

  •  
    President Barack Obama walks away from the podium after a press conference Friday in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House.

    Obama: Chance for ‘something big’ to calm economy
    Associated Press
    President Barack Obama on Friday challenged Congress to compromise and “do something big” to reduce long-term deficits.

  •  
    World stock markets sputtered Friday as investors weighed positive economic indicators against a new warning on U.S. debt.

    Stocks narrowly miss having worst week in a year
    Associated Press
    A late rally Friday prevented the stock market from having its worst week in nearly a year.Investors seemed to largely ignore the ongoing debate in Washington over raising the country's borrowing limit. Troubling questions over Europe's financial health and manufacturing in the U.S. weighed down stock prices for much of the day, overwhelming a very strong earnings report from Google Inc.Google jumped nearly 13 percent, the most of any stock in the Standard and Poor's 500 index, after the company said its revenue hit a record last quarter. Google's earnings pushed tech stocks in the S&P index broadly higher. Microsoft Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc. each gained 1 percent.Worries about Europe and weak factory output in the U.S. have kept traders' expectations and stock prices relatively low since early this spring, said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist Schaeffer's Investment Research. If corporate earnings remain strong and Europe stabilizes, he said, stocks might rally in the second half of the year. That happened last year, after fears about Europe held the stock market back all summer."With all the talk about European debt and the U.S. issues, the fact that earnings are coming in pretty strong is a good sign," Detrick said. "Once those issues work their way through the system, long-term growth is going to come from earnings."Most investors believe a deal to raise the country's debt ceiling will be reached before the Aug. 2 deadline. Standard & Poor's said Thursday there is a 50 percent chance it will downgrade the government's triple-A rating within three months because of the impasse. Moody's made a similar warning on Wednesday. Even so, there has been little visible progress in negotiations between President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans.The Standard and Poor's 500 stock index finished with a gain of 7.27, or 0.6 percent, to 1,316.14. Most of the gains came in the last hour of trading.The Dow Jones industrial average added 42.61, or 0.3 percent, to 12,479.73. The Nasdaq composite rose 27.13, or 1 percent, to 2,789.80.The late gains Friday trimmed the S&P 500's weekly losses to 2.1 percent. Had the index closed where it was at 2:30pm it would have been down 2.6 percent for the week, making it the worst week for the widely used market measure since last August.The S&P 500 has only had two up days out of the last six as Italy appeared to be the next European country headed for a fiscal calamity. Those concerns ebbed Friday after Italy passed new austerity measures and Europe's banking authority said only eight banks out of 90 failed the latest round of "stress" tests designed to measure how they would stand up under severe financial strains.Energy stocks rose 2.4 percent after Australian natural-resource giant BHP Billiton Ltd. said it would buy Petrohawk Energy Corp. for $12.1 billion, feeding speculation about which company might be the next takeover target. BHP was attracted to the long-term value of Petrohawk's U.S. natural gas reserves. Chesapeake Energy Corp., Cabot Oil & Gas Corp and Pioneer Natural Resources Co. each rose 10 percent. Natural gas prices rose 3.7 percent.Mattel Inc. rose nearly 2 percent after the company said its income jumped 56 percent in the second quarter, helped by strong demand for Barbie and "Cars 2" toys. Clorox Co. jumped 9 percent after billionaire investor Carl Icahn offered to take the company private in a deal that values the household products company at $10.2 billion. Icahn offered 12 percent more for shares than they were worth at Thursday's close.Bank of America closed at $10 after briefly dipping below that mark for the first time since May 2009. The company, which is expected to report Tuesday that it lost money in its most recent quarter.Three stocks rose for every two that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was slightly higher than average at 4 billion shares.

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    UN shipping agency adopts new rules on emissions
    Associated Press
    LONDON — The U.N. agency regulating international shipping decided Friday that the global merchant marine, which ferries most of the world’s trade, must meet energy efficiency standards and cut carbon pollution.The decision by a powerful committee of the International Maritime Organization attacks a growing source of greenhouse gases and is the first measure on climate change to apply equally to countries regardless of whether they are from the industrial or developing world.About 50,000 cargo ships carry 90 per cent of world trade, and most ships are powered by heavily polluting oil known as bunker fuels. The IMO says shipping was responsible for 2.7 percent of global carbon emissions in 2007, but that would double or even triple by mid-century if no action is taken.Concluding a weeklong meeting, the IMO’s Environment Protection Committee resolved that all ships built in the future must reduce pollution from today’s average, according to an efficiency index for ships of varying sizes and types.The new regulations say it will be up to the ship builders to decide how they would meet the new standards.“As long as the required energy-efficiency level is attained, ship designers and builders would be free to use the most cost-efficient solutions for the ship to comply with the regulations,” the resolution said.But in a concession to developing countries, it deferred the measure for at least four years after it takes effect, probably next year or 2013.In a further step to win support, it included a provision to promote the transfer of clean ship building technology to developing countries.The committee also approved a new mechanism to monitor fleet performance to ensure compliance.The IMO has 169 members, but fewer than half were eligible to vote on the pollution measures, which were adopted by 48-5 with several abstentions.“This is a very positive and important first step for a truly global, binding measure to reduce CO2 emissions,” Connie Hedegaard, the European commissioner on climate action, said from Brussels.The European Commission said the new standards would apply to about 70 percent of all emissions from new ships.Some environmentalists were lukewarm about the accord. The vote was “bittersweet,” said Jacqueline Savitz, of the nonprofit Oceana. “There will be no change to existing ships, which are currently pumping a billion tonnes of CO2 each year,” she said, and it will take another dozen years before the agreement delivers benefits with new ships. Mark Lutes, who observed the proceedings for the Worldwide Fund for Nature, or WWF, said industrial countries and most developing countries favored the measures, but a hoped-for consensus proved elusive with objections from major countries like Brazil, China and India.Small island states that lend their flags to merchant ships also were reluctant, since one way toward greater efficiency is to build larger ships that could prove too big for their port facilities.“This is the first globally applied rule that the international community has come up with that regulates greenhouse gas emissions,” said Lutes. But some countries were concerned that the universal application of the shipping rules undermined a cardinal principle of climate change negotiations that assigns greater responsibility to the wealthy countries whose industries created the global warming problem in the first place.Under the new rules, ships contracted in the first five years after 2015 would have to improve fuel efficiency by 10 percent, and the standard would be tightened every subsequent five years. By 2030, a 30 percent reduction rate would be set for most types of ships, based on the average of those built between 1999 to 2009.

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    Icahn makes $10.2B offer for Clorox
    Associated Press
    NEW YORK — Activist investor Carl Icahn made an unusual offer to buy Clorox Co. this week, presenting himself almost as a disinterested bidder and encouraging the company to try to find a better offer.The billionaire hedge fund manager sent a letter to Clorox CEO Don Knauss on Thursday offering to pay $76.50 per share in cash, according to a regulatory filing Friday. That’s a 12 percent premium to Thursday’s closing price. Clorox shares leapt Friday on the news. However, Icahn seemed more interested in drumming up another buyer, such as Procter & Gamble Co. or Colgate-Palmolive Co., than actually buying Clorox himself.In his letter to Knauss, Icahn said that his firm wore “two hats” both as a potential buyer of Clorox and as its biggest shareholder. He said shareholders would benefit the most if Clorox were sold to another consumer products company that could take advantage of “significant inherent synergies.” He suggested that Procter & Gamble, Colgate and Kimberly-Clark Corp., which are headquartered in the U.S., might be interested. So might Unilever PLC, Reckitt Benckiser and Henkel AG, he said. He expressed confidence that Clorox would find “numerous superior bids” if it shopped itself around.If no other bidders stepped forward, Icahn wrote, then “our fellow stockholders” should have the opportunity to vote on the Icahn bid. Icahn became Clorox’s biggest shareholder in December, spending nearly $800 million to buy a 9.4 percent stake. He has already made money on the investment: Shares have risen more than 8 percent since he made his investment, not including Friday’s gains. Clorox was formed 98 years ago in Oakland, Calif., by five entrepreneurs selling what became the company’s namesake bleach. The company, which now is also the maker of Burt’s Bees lip balm, Glad trash bags, Brita water filters and an eclectic mix of other household products, said its board would review the offer “in due course” and couldn’t comment until then. Spokesman Dan Staublin said the board is “committed to acting in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.” Despite its stock performance, Clorox has faced challenges, with year-over-year revenue declining for the past three quarters. Of 14 analysts surveyed by FactSet, only two listed it as a buy. Like its peers, Clorox is facing higher prices for materials it needs to make and transport its products, and it also has to persuade customers to keep buying as they get squeezed by higher gas and grocery prices. Icahn is known for buying and shaking up struggling companies, with mixed success. His other holdings at the end of the first quarter included the drug maker Biogen Idec Inc., movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., Motorola Solutions Inc. and power producer Dynegy Inc., according to a May 16 regulatory filing. Icahn valued his offer at $12.6 billion. That includes paying about $8.9 billion for the shares he doesn’t own, and putting up the shares he does own, which are valued at nearly $1 billion. He would also take on Clorox’s debt. Icahn told Clorox that if it accepts the deal by July 29 and then he fails to close it, he will pay Clorox $100 million for its “time and effort.” He also said he would not ask for a breakup fee if Clorox sold itself to another bidder. Citigroup Inc. analyst Wendy Nicholson said Icahn appears to be offering a fair price. She and Weeden & Co. analyst Javier Escalante said they thought it unlikely that any other consumer products companies would want to buy Clorox. It is already a well-run company, so it’s not clear what a new management team could do, they said. Knauss, the CEO since fall 2006 and a veteran of the Coca-Cola Co., has increased net income to about $603 million during last fiscal year, up from $443 million for the year ended June 30, 2006.

  •  

    EU calls emergency summit on Greece
    Associated Press
    BRUSSELS — The leaders of the 17 eurozone countries will hold a special summit next week in an attempt to forge a deal on a second bailout for Greece, the EU president announced Friday night.President Herman Van Rompuy called the meeting after disagreement over the contribution of banks and other private investors to a second rescue package rocked markets for much of the week.Fears that Greece’s private creditors may have to take losses as part of the deal dragged the big economies of Spain and Italy into the debt crisis, which has so far been confined to small states like Greece, Ireland and Portugal.Leaders of the struggling countries have pushed their eurozone counterparts to come up with a solution quickly, while Germany, the biggest European contributor to the rescue packages dragged its feet. Germany argued that Greece is financed until the end of September and that there was no need to rush into a deal.Greece needs an extra (euro) 115 billion ($162.68 billion) to keep it afloat until mid-2014, according to the European Commission — on top of a (euro) 110 billion bailout it was granted last May. About (euro) 30 billion of that is supposed to come from assets sales by the Greek government and the eurozone is pushing for Greece’s private creditors, which have so far been spared, to come up with about the same amount.The final rescue bill for the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund may, however, be higher than then remaining (euro) 55 billion, because the currency union is also working on an overhaul of its main bailout fund that could prove costly.On the table are additional loans to Greece to buy back its bonds, which are currently trading far below market value. Such a buyback could help cut Greece’s overall debt, some 160 percent of economic output. Banks and investment funds may also be encouraged to give Greece more time to repay its debt, an initiative that may be sweetened by collateral deals that ensure repayment even if Greece defaults.Leaders are also expected cut the interest rates and extend loan maturities on existing bailout loans, which could help make the debt of struggling countries more sustainable.

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    Regulators shut 2 small Georgia banks
    Associated Press
    WASHINGTON — Regulators have shut down two small banks in Georgia, lifting to 53 the number of U.S. bank failures this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Friday seized High Trust Bank in Stockbridge and One Georgia Bank in Atlanta.High Trust had about $192.5 million in assets and $189.5 million in deposits. One Georgia had about $186.3 million in assets and $162.1 million in deposits.Ameris Bank, based in Moultrie, Ga., agreed to assume all of the deposits from the two banks and to buy essentially all of their assets.The failures are expected to cost the deposit insurance fund $110.4 million, combined.High Trust Bank had two branches, and One Georgia Bank had one branch.

  •  

    Belgian newspapers: Google blocking us on searches
    Associated Press
    BRUSSELS — Google blocked several Belgian newspapers from its search listings Friday in what the papers alleged was retaliation by the internet giant over a court case dealing with copyright infringement. Google said an order issued in the case had prevented it from allowing the newspapers’ web sites to show up in searches.The dispute began in 2006, when Copiepresse, representing several Belgian newspapers, sued Google, saying it had no right to post links to their newspaper articles on Google News without payment or permission.Google lost the case in a lower court, and that decision was upheld this MayOne of the papers, La Capitale, said on its web site Friday that Google was “boycotting” it.But Google spokesman William Echikson said the company had no choice but to block the papers from its searches. He added that the court decision applied not only to Google News but also to Google index, and the company faced considerable fines if it allowed the newspaper’s websites to appear in search results.“In keeping with the recent court decision, we are removing Copiepresse’s material from our index,” Echikson said in an e-mailed statement. “We regret having to do so, but we remain open to working in collaboration with Copiepresse members in the future.“Were we to keep the material in the index, we would potentially face fines of 25,000 euros ($35,359) per infringement. We would be happy to re-include Copiepresse if they would indicate their desire to appear in Google Search and waive the potential penalties,” he said.However, an excerpt from the court decision that Echikson included in an e-mail did not appear to ban newspaper web site addresses from appearing in search results.It said the court “orders Google to remove from its Google.be and Google.com sites, and in particular, cached links visible on Google Web and the Google News service, all articles, photographs and graphics of daily newspapers published in French and German by Belgian publishers . . . subject to a (euro) 25,000.00 fine per day.”An article Friday on the web site of one of the newspapers, La Libre, took issue with Google’s interpretation.“It is necessary to distinguish the Google search engine from the Google news service,” the article said. “The news editors do not oppose having their content referenced by the Google search engine, they refuse on the other hand for their informational content to be included in Google News,” the article said.Google searches by The Associated Press late Friday confirmed that the websites of that various newspapers involved did not appear in search results, as they have in the past.

  •  

    Delta may drop flying in 24 small cities
    Associated Press
    MINNEAPOLIS — Delta Air Lines is shrinking its flying to small cities in the nation’s midsection, saying it can’t make money on flights that are sometimes completely empty.On Friday, Delta said it would adjust flying in 24 cities, many of which are not served by any other airline. There’s a risk they could lose air service altogether, although some of the routes are likely to be taken over by regional airlines. And Delta said it will ask for a federal subsidy to keep some of the flights.The affected flights connect Delta’s hubs to small cities in rural Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Most of the affected flights are on Delta’s 34-seat Saab turboprops, which it is phasing out by the end of this year. Higher fuel prices have made it difficult to operate small planes profitably, because the fuel bill is divided among a small number of passengers. Even the next-larger option, the 50-seat regional jets flown by Delta and other airlines, is often unprofitable for the same reason. Delta is retiring many of those planes, too.Delta said it is losing $14 million a year on the flights included in Friday’s announcement. Their occupancy averaged just 52 percent, compared to a system-wide average of 83 percent last year. The average occupancy out of Thief River Falls, Minn., was just 12 percent, Delta said. The flight from Greenville, Miss., runs just 27.6 percent full. Some flights have been completely empty, it said.Flights in 16 of the cities on Delta’s list are subsidized by the federal Extended Air Service program. The Transportation Department solicits bids from airlines to see how much money it would take to get them to serve a particular city. Delta said it is looking for regional haulers, including Great Lakes Aviation, to take over those routes. Great Lakes operates 19-seat planes, a size that might operate profitably where a larger plane couldn’t. A Great Lakes spokeswoman declined to comment on the possibility of taking over the Delta routes.The Transportation Department can make an airline keep serving a city even after its subsidy contract runs out, spokesman Bill Mosley said.It’s theoretically possible that no airlines would bid to serve a city. “It’s very rare,” Mosely said. “We would rebid if that were the case.”The city of Bemidji in northwestern Minnesota doesn’t currently get a subsidy, but Delta says it wants one to keep flying there. Right now one of Delta’s regional feeder partners operates three 50-seat regional jets per day between Bemidji and Delta’s hub in Minneapolis, a 4½ hour drive away.Bemidji illustrates why airlines have historically sought out travelers in small cities. Such flights attract more than their share of business travelers, who tend to pay more. And if their flight starts on Delta, they’ll generally stick with Delta all the way to Chicago or New York.“So they’re paying for a bigger ticket somewhere else,” said Harold M. Van Leeuwen Jr., the manager of the Bemidji airport. “Bemidji has been a good location for them.”Occupancy on the Bemidji flights was 59 percent last year. Van Leeuwen said he expects that either Delta or some other airline will continue to serve the city.Also on Friday, House Transportation Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., added a provision to a must-pass bill to keep the Federal Aviation Administration in business that includes eliminating subsidized air service to 13 small cities.The bill would end subsidies for 10 cities that are 90 miles or less from a medium or large hub airport: Athens, Ga.; Morgantown, W.V.; Jamestown, N.Y.; Bradford, Pa.; Hagerstown, Md.; Jonesboro, Ark.; Johnstown, Pa.; Franklin-Oil City, Pa.; Lancaster, Pa. and Jackson, Tenn.It also caps subsidies at $1,000 per passenger, effectively eliminating three more cities: Ely, Nev. ($3,720 per passenger), Alamogordo-Holloman AFB, N.M., ($1,563), and Glendive, Mont. ($1,358).

  •  

    Corbett drilling panel recommends fee on industry
    Associated Press
    HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Tom Corbett’s advisory panel on the rapidly growing Marcellus Shale drilling industry supports making the companies help the government pay for the damage drilling has on roads, the environment and more.The 30-member Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission voted Friday to recommend a fee, but only after environmental advocates successfully pushed to include restoring public lands and resources.Business representatives and advocates for counties and municipalities had tried initially to limit the extent of the recommendation to repairing the industry’s proven impact in drilling areas.The recommendation does not suggest how much companies should pay, or who would impose the fee.Corbett barred the panel from recommending a tax, which he opposes, although every other major drilling state imposes one.

  •  
    Bang & Olufsen designed the new Surround Sound System that will appear in the dashboard of new BMWs coming in October.

    Arlington Hts.' Bang & Olufsen teams with BMW
    Anna Marie Kukec
    Arlington Heights-based Bang & Olufsen is rolling out a new Surround Sound System for BMWs in October. In addition Sprint debuts Motorola Mobility's new Photon phone.

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    DOT: No more hidden airline fees
    Associated Press
    The Department of Transportation is proposing that airlines tell the public exactly how much they’re making on extra fees.

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    ‘Harry Potter’ has record $43.5 million in midnight showings
    Bloomberg News
    “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” scored a record $43.5 million in midnight and early morning ticket sales in North America, giving the Warner Bros. film a shot at a new weekend high.

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    Furloughed United pilots Offered positions at Continental
    PRNewswire
    United Continental Holdings said Friday it will offer between 100 to 200 positions to furloughed United pilots to fly aircraft for its Continental. The positions will meet the needs currently anticipated for the combined company's operation in 2012, the company said in a press release.

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    Manufacturing flat in June because of weak autos
    Associated Press
    WASHINGTON — U.S. auto factories produced fewer goods in June than the previous month, and overall factory production was flat. It marked the third straight month of weak manufacturing output.

  •  
    Convenience story owner Floyd Bisson, lowers the price of regular gas at the pumps in front of his store in Phippsburg, Maine.

    Consumers paid more for autos and clothes in June
    Associated Press
    Consumer prices fell last month for the first time in a year because of a steep drop in gas costs. But Americans paid more for autos, clothes and hotel stays, driving prices outside of volatile food and energy costs up.

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    Aircell changes company name, focus
    PRNewswire
    Itasca-based Aircell has officially changed its name to Gogo, and the company has done a complete makeover on its brand. A provider of in-air connectivity, the new look and feel augments the company's focus on helping its airline partners offer an experience and product that customers love, company officials said in a press release.

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    Northfield-based Kraft Foods , the top U.S. seller of branded cheese, has passed some of its increased costs to consumers.

    Soaring Asian pizza appetite costs Northfield's Kraft foods
    Bloomberg News
    Asia's growing appetite for pizza and cheeseburgers means the U.S. is exporting the most cheese ever, boosting costs for Kraft Foods Inc.

  •  
    Groupon.com's Chicago-based home page.

    Groupon's coupon expiration examined in Connecticut
    Bloomberg News
    Chicago-based Groupon Inc.'s practice of selling group-discount coupons with expiration dates is being reviewed by Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen for possible state law violations.

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    Icahn Enterprises makes $10.2B bid for Clorox
    Associated Press
    Activist investor Carl Icahn is offering to take Clorox private in a deal that values the consumer products maker at about $10.2 billion.

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    U.S. stock futures point to higher open
    Associated Press
    U.S. stock futures are rising ahead of government reports on consumer prices and factory output.Encouraging economic news, along with Mattel's strong earnings report Friday, might carry markets to their first daily gains this week.The government plans to report on consumer prices in June. Economists expect modest increases in the cost of other goods were more than offset by falling food and energy prices. The report is due at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.The Fed reports 45 minutes later on factory output in June. Analysts expect a modest increase after two weak months.Ahead of the opening bell, Dow futures are up 20 points, or 0.2 percent, at 12,402. S&P 500 futures are up 2, or 0.2 percent, at 1,309. Nasdaq 100 futures are up 8, or 0.3 percent, at 2,342.

  •  

    Oil above $95 after Bernanke stimulus comments
    Associated Press
    Oil prices hovered above $95 a barrel on Friday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said another round of monetary stimulus was not imminent and Standard & Poor's warned it may cut the U.S. debt rating.

Life & Entertainment

  •  

    Theater events: 'West Side Story' opens Tuesday
    By Barbara Vitello
    The national tour of “West Side Story” comes to the Cadillac Palace Theatre for a brief run Starting Tuesday, July 19. David Saint re-creates Arthur Laurents’ direction while Joey McKneely reproduces Jerome Robbins’ original cutting-edge choreography for the revival of this classic interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet.”

  •  
    “Butterfield 8” is among the films in a new DVD collection showcasing Elizabeth Taylor.

    TCM brings film classics to DVD
    By Jeff Tuckman
    “Butterfield 8” is among the films in a new DVD collection showcasing Elizabeth Taylor. Others highlight classic literary adaptations and the films of Burt Lancaster.

  •  
    “Adrenaline” by Jeff Abbott

    ‘Adrenaline’ will get reader’s pulse racing
    The Associated Press
    Jeff Abbott delivers “Adrenaline,” a thriller that will get even the most jaded reader’s pulse racing.

  •  
    Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony announced Friday they are breaking up.

    Lopez, Anthony call it quits
    Associated Press
    With three failed marriages between them, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony finally seemed to find true love together when they married seven years ago. They had twin children, went on tour together, did a movie together and even planned a music-based reality show they were working on together.

  •  
    George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com Volunteer Alex Fosburgh, 11, of Arlington Heights picks weeds out of the new produce garden plot, cultivated by the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association, in Frontier Park in Arlington Heights. The produce is donated to the Wheeling Township Food Pantry.

    Community garden helps provide for food pantry
    By Eileen O. Daday
    A historic neighborhood association near downtown Arlington Heights has taken on a new project this summer: a victory garden, with the goal of raising fresh produce to contribute to the Wheeling Township Food Pantry.

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    Car club calendar
    Daily Herald listing of area car shows, cruise nights and car club meetings.

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    Kanga, Roo, Owl, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Rabbit must depend on Piglet to rescue them.

    ‘Pooh' still a honey of a tale
    By Dann Gire
    Walt Disney updates its familiar tale of Pooh Bear and Christopher Robin without resorting to 3-D or popular computer animation style. Designed for very young audiences, and older ones who want to relive their past adventures in the 100 Acre Woods.

  •  

    Super Handyman: Reclaim the outdoors this summer with these pest-control tips
    Al & Kelly Carrell
    Summer living goes outdoors in most parts of the country. Flowers are in bloom and the sun is shining and your hammock is waiting for you. Of course, so are the bugs! Here are some of our favorite tips for ridding your backyard of pests.

  •  

    Q101 signs off with style
    Daily Herald Staff Report
    Longtime Chicago alternative radio station 101.1-FM, Q101, went out rocking Thursday. It is expected to switch to an all-news format this morning, following its purchase last month by Merlin Media.

  •  
    Harrison Ford, left, and Daniel Craig in "Cowboys & Aliens." which will be showcased at this years Comic-Con

    Comic-Con is both fan festival and marketing mecca
    Associated Press
    Perhaps the only ones more excited than the 130,000 fans getting ready for next week's Comic-Con are the Hollywood studios and networks hoping to capture their attention.

  •  

    Swimsuit do’s and don’ts
    Metro Creative
    A swimsuit is one of the smallest pieces of apparel a person owns. Its revealing nature makes it essential for wearers to make smart choices in bathing suit purchases. There are certain things that swimmers and sun worshippers should keep in mind when selecting a swimsuit.

  •  
    Buy the highest-quality swimsuit you can afford. The better material will mean the suit will last longer.

    Swimsuit
    By Holly E. Thomas
    Quality is key — look for durable fabrics and figure-flattering, timeless styles of swim suits.

  •  

    Parents should be on guard against water dangers
    Infant Swimming Resource
    With summer heating up, trips to the pool or lake are more common, so it is important that parents use their most important defense against drowning — supervision. Be the C.E.O. of your child — Constant Eyes On! Be aware of the unique distractions that occur at pool parties with multiple families in attendance, as well as a beach, public pool or lake atmosphere. Heat, noise, people-watching, sun glare and the monotony of a young child’s repetitive play on the pool steps or in the sand can create an environment for that split-second moment when your child goes under.

  •  
    The NBC series "Friday Night Lights," starring Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler, concludes its five-season run on Friday.

    'Friday Night Lights' cast exits with full hearts
    The Associated Press
    On Friday, the small-town Texas drama "Friday Night Lights" will end its five-season run as one of the finest, most humanistic shows on television. Though never a ratings success, the show gradually found a fervent following.

  •  
    WGN-TV reporter Ana Belaval shows off her stand up comedy chops as part of "The Chicago Comedy Tour" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.

    Weekend picks: Local TV personalities try stand-up
    Scott Morgan and Laura Stewart
    Comedian Mike Toomey headlines “The Chicago Comedy Tour,” which also features WGN-TV personalities Ana Belaval and Pat Tomasulo showing off their stand-up comedy chops tonight at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.

  •  
    The Sports Core, a prairie-style community center in South Elgin’s Thornwood neighborhood, is a hub of activity.

    Neighborhood profile: Thornwood, South Elgin
    By Sherry Giewald
    Thornwood neighborhood

  •  

    About Real Estate: Scamsters find a new way to rip off troubled homeowners
    By David Myers
    Q. My husband and I are in foreclosure. We recently received a letter from a law firm asking if we would like to join a class-action lawsuit against the bank that would guarantee to immediately stop all of the foreclosures that the lender has begun against borrowers like us, plus wipe out our entire mortgage debt. The upfront fee to join the lawsuit would be $3,500. Are these types of offers legitimate?

  •  

    Home inspector: Is agent liable for inspector’s mistakes?
    By Barry Stone
    Q. As a new Realtor, I’m concerned about liabiity for undisclosed property defects. This was discussed often in my real estate classes, and we were advised to make sure that every deal has a home inspection. But what if the home inspector doesn’t do a good job? If major defects are missed by the inspector, am I liable for nondisclosure?

  •  

    The nation’s housing: Seeking to break a deep freeze
    By Ken Harney
    WASHINGTON -- Picture this nightmare financial scenario: You’ve taken out a $150,000 home-equity credit line to remodel your house, you’ve already pulled out thousands to pay contractors and owe thousands more, when suddenly you get a curt letter from the bank.

  •  
    “Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood and Invented Modern Horror” by Jason Zinoman

    ‘Shock Value’ exhumes source of modern horror film
    The Associated Press
    Rack up another dubious achievement for the 1960s. That’s the decade when scary movies went from hoary to gory. As author Jason Zinoman explains in his enjoyable book, “Shock Value,” no one was taking the genre seriously.

  •  
    Former Wyoming beauty queen Joyce McKinney is the subject of Errol Morris' new documentary "Tabloid."

    Dann in reel life: New doc examines 1978 sex scandal
    By Dann Gire
    Dann reviews the Errol Morris doc "Tabloid" and responds to being "too tough" on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

Discuss

  •  

    More safety for troubled teens a must, now
    Daily Herald Editorial Board
    Nearly two years after a 16-year-old boy committed suicide at a youth prison in St. Charles, state officials still have not replaced the dangerous beds that make harming oneself possible. A Daily Herald editorial calls on state officials and legislators to move critical safety improvements to the top of their to-do list.

  •  

    Refusal to budge does nation no favors
    By Eugene Robinson
    The most hopeful sign is that some Republicans, at least, understand that their refusal to give an inch, even as Democrats show a willingness to compromise, means the GOP will be blamed if Social Security checks don’t go out on time.

  •  

    Now is the time to call Obama’s bluff
    By Charles Krauthammer
    As part of the pose as the forward-looking grown-up rising above all the others who play politics, Obama insists upon a long-term deal. And what is Obama’s definition of long-term? Surprise: An agreement that gets him past Nov. 6, 2012.

  •  

    Inspector general has eye on ethics
    The Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor produced 223 investigative reports during the 2011 fiscal year; each was submitted to the EEC. Certain OEIG investigative reports resulted in state employee suspensions, terminations or resignations.

  •  

    Townships are more cost-effective
    The Daily Herald recently advocated the abolishment of township government in DuPage County and the state. While this position may be popular given the fiscal crisis facing the state, and resonates with smaller-government advocates like myself, it ignores some relevant facts about the level of service.The nine DuPage townships are responsible for road repair, snow plowing, and are mandated to administer General Assistance and Emergency Assistance for all areas of the township — including municipalities. Despite the economic crisis, every DuPage Township operates with balanced budgets and no deficits. Additionally, the Milton Township Highway Department returns half of its levy to its municipalities. Since these roads still have to be maintained at a cost, does the Herald seriously believe any other governmental body could deliver these services so efficiently, and at the minimal cost to the taxpayers as the townships do? The Herald advocates transferring the obligations of a cost-efficient, well-managed, taxpayer-responsive entity the townships represent, to surrounding communities. Municipalities are experiencing dramatic losses in revenues, resulting in program cuts, service reductions and, in some cases, higher taxes. This consolidation has no chance of saving the taxpayers any money or reducing government. Additional staff would be required at the municipal level to provide the same services already cost-effectively delivered by the townships. I firmly believe in a smaller, less-intrusive government that is more responsive to the taxpayers. What I cannot support is abolishing exactly that model of a smaller, efficient government the DuPage townships deliver. C.E. Levan Winfield (Milton Township)

  •  

    Sad increase to Hawks’ prices
    I was shocked to not only find out that the cost of my Blackhawks season ticket plan has increased but increased by just under 15 percent.

  •  

    Let’s get facts on concealed carry
    In a recent article regarding concealed carry, Gov. Quinn was quoted as saying that he didn’t agree that it was measure for public safety and indicated he thought it was “the opposite.” I for one prefer that my elected representatives govern by facts rather than personal opinion.

  •  

    Tax system unfair to individual payers
    We know that General Electric made $5 billion in profit and paid no taxes. You can see that your grandmother/mother paid more in taxes than G.E. Does that seem fair?

  •  

    A thank-you sent from across globe
    I am a private ESL instructor in the Northwest suburbs and recently received this impressive and heartfelt note from a student’s father who was visiting Chicago from Japan.

  •  

    Don’t blame the passenger jets
    Since the tiny article mentioned on the opinion page of the July 9 Daily Herald titled, “A Different Climate Change,” I have to remark on this study by the journal Science. These scientists blame the major airports and their jets for the climate change we have been experiencing. I challenge whoever reads this article to look up contrails and chemtrails and surf the web for the information provided on the various sites. Don’t blame passenger jets. Look a little deeper.

  •  

    Progressive taxes would lessen pain
    Reasonable progressives do not want confiscatory tax rates, like the 90 percent-plus tax rates on millionaires, during the Eisenhower years, which only worked back then because there were so many loopholes that such rates were rarely actually collected. But those who have achieved the most, blessed by our system, should be able to share in the sacrifices by paying a bit more so we can get the budget under control, with minimum actual pain.

  •  

    Sears murder case cold after 10 years
    Is there anyone who noticed that June was a milestone in the cold case file of the coldblooded murder of Hampshire Police Officer Greg Sears? That case is now a decade old. With the then-chief investigator becoming chief of police, I’m sure the investigation will be ongoing. Then again, I could be wrong. What’s done is done. Greg Sears deserves better.

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