Daily Archive : Tuesday September 13, 2011
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News
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Mundelein High celebrating 50 years
Mundelein High School's colors are red and gray, but students, staffers and alumni will be in a golden frame of mind this weekend as the school celebrates its 50th anniversary. A slew of activities, most free to attend, are set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A parade, homecoming football games, a rededication ceremony and an evening bash are among the planned festivities.
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Latest downtown plan divides Mundelein trustees
Demolition plans that are key to a proposed downtown development are progressing in Mundelein. The village board on Monday agreed to seek bids to raze of the former Sigma Services building, 225 E. Hawley St. The board purchased the 10-acre site in 2010 for about $7 million.
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Aurora bans synthetic marijuana drug sale, use
Aurora's city council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night that prohibits “any product containing a synthetic cannabinoid, stimulant or psychedelic/hallucinogen” and derivatives of those products from being sold, offered for sale, possessed or used.
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Images: Minnesota wildfire
A rapidly expanding wildfire in Minnesota's north woods spread a plume of smoke across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, with haze smudging the sky as far away as Chicago and Milwaukee, where the Brewers closed their stadium roof before a night game.
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U.S. hopes for quick release of hikers
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States is hopeful for the quick release of two remaining detained American hikers in Iran, after Iran's president pledged to pardon them.
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Tool belt unlocked HGTV career for Wood Dale native
People follow her around Home Depot. Strangers approach her with cabinet handles or paint samples, asking her opinion on which would look best in a bathroom or kitchen. But the No. 1 thing people ask HGTV designer and Wood Dale native Monica Pedersen when they see her out in the suburbs is: “How do I get on the shows?”
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Geneva's Act One Salon closing Saturday
Another victim of the economy: Geneva's Act One Salon is closing its doors on Saturday, columnist Dave Heun says.
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Todd Beamer's father: Use “Let's roll” for positive action
Todd Beamer's father told Wheaton Academy students Tuesday that the school deserves credit for some of his son's value system and that they should use Todd's now-famous phrase, “Let's roll,” as a call to positive action in life. David Beamer and his wife, Peggy, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the school for the 1987 graduate who helped seize control of United Flight 93 from...
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Elgin gang member tied to two shootings, police say
An Elgin man with an extensive criminal history has been linked to two gang-related shootings in April and May, according to Elgin police. Police arrested 19-year-old Karl F. Bonilla, of the 400 block of Lowrie Court in Elgin, on May 26 for a traffic violation, later tying him to the shooting cases for which he was charged Friday, police said.
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Abandoned building gutted by fire in Island Lake
The cause of a fire that destroyed an abandoned building that housed old equipment at Route 176 and Darrell Road in Island Lake is still under investigation, authorities said late Tuesday night.
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Smoke from Minnesota wildfires blankets suburbs
Authorities say the pall of smoke blanketing the suburbs today comes from a massive wildfire in northeastern Minnesota. At least one county agency is recommending that children, elderly residents and those with breathing problems remain indoors until the smoke clears.
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DuPage budget: 3rd straight year of spending cuts
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin on Tuesday unveiled a proposed $434.7 million budget that reduces county spending for the third consecutive year. The balanced budget proposal for the 2012 fiscal year is $10.3 million less than the current spending plan and calls for no property tax increase while providing “essential services” for residents.
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Kane Co., circuit clerk settlement might cost taxpayers $10 million
Details of the Kane County Board’s settlement with Circuit Court Clerk Deb Seyller finally came out Tuesday. The agreement, authored with the cooperation of Chief Judge F. Keith Brown, could bind the county to a technology upgrade for the court system that’s already been estimated to cost at least $10 million.
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West Chicago man blames accomplice for lawyer’s 2009 murder
A West Chicago man on trial for the murder of his former attorney sought to pin blame Tuesday on an accomplice who helped him rob the 82-year-old victim of more than 40 guns. "Terry Bratcher is not an innocent man, but he did not kill Carl Kuhn," his attorney said.
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Bears QB Hanie gives kids exercise tips in Palatine
Chicago Bears backup quarterback Caleb Hanie led a group of 100 kids ages 6 to 14 in a 90-minute clinic on nutrition and staying active Tuesday at the Midtown Athletic Club in Palatine.
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Man dies after North Chicago shooting
A man in his late 20s or early 30s died after a shooting Tuesday morning in North Chicago, authorities said.
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Performers bring 'edutainment' to parents in Lombard
Education combined with entertainment Tuesday in a Lombard banquet hall, but unlike most “edutainment” audiences, the crowd was made up of parents, not kids. “A lot of the people that are coming have never seen these performers,” said Lloyd Bachrach, founder of Premier Showcase. “It gives them an idea of what their stage presence is.”
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Obama promotes jobs plan in Ohio
Imploring Congress to follow his lead, President Barack Obama on Tuesday lobbied lawmakers to adopt his nearly $450 billion jobs plan, promising it would help workers in the construction industry and rebuild schools in crumbling condition. Said Obama: "My question to Congress is, what on earth are we waiting for?"
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Superintendent search heats up in Hawthorn District 73
The search for a superintendent in Hawthorn Elementary District 73 is gathering momentum. Focus groups are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday for parents, teachers, staff and others as part of the process to find a replacement for Superintendent Sue Zook, who is retiring June 30, 2012.
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Wheaton to hire broker to sell vacant lots
Wheaton City Council will hire a professional broker to sell two vacant lots on Main Street.
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Lake Villa woman charged in fatal Ingleside motorcycle crash
A woman whose vehicle struck and killed a motorcyclist two weeks ago in Ingleside is charged with being under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, officials said. Rebecca R. Wells, 33, of the 25000 of W. Arcade Drive in Lake Villa, has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs that caused a death, and an additional two counts of driving under the...
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Explosion at Rosati’s in Palatine burns employee
An employee of Rosati’s Pizza in Palatine suffered second-degree burns on 40 percent of her body Tuesday afternoon after an oven-related explosion at the restaurant, authorities said.
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Dentist accused in I-88 fatal has Huntington's, attorney says
A Naperville dentist accused of reckless homicide in a crash on I-88 that killed two people has Huntington's disease, which may have contributed to the accident, his attorney said after a court appearance today. William A. Howe, 43, is charged with causing the deaths of Sher Ali Shalwani, 75, and Farzana Ali, 38, both of Elmhurst, in the Aug. 6 crash near Lisle.
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Des Plaines man pleads guilty to ‘staggering’ thefts
A Des Plaines man who was convicted last year of bilking a former business associate out of $250,000 and who pleaded guilty to writing bad checks totalling about $11,000 to a Schaumburg steakhouse pleaded guilty to more thefts on Tuesday. Alit Khan, 27, also known as Taha Mahmoud, was sentenced to three years in prison in exchange for his guilty pleas to theft and financial exploitation of the...
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New fishing piers coming to Sterling Lake
New fishing piers and other amenities will be added to Sterling Lake near Wadsworth, under a contract approved by the Lake County Forest Preserve District board Tuesday. The 86-acre lake is nestled within the Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve. The main entrance is on Route 173, east of Route 41.
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Pollastrini will run for Illinois House
Carol Stream government relations manager Laura Pollastrini will run as a Republican for the Illinois House in 2012, she announced Tuesday.
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New Illinois birth certificate rules start Nov. 15
Adults who were surrendered or adopted soon will be able to request their original Illinois birth certificate. Starting Nov. 15 those born after Jan. 1, 1946, in Illinois can see their original, non-certified birth certificate. Those versions typically will include birth parents’ names, ages and places of birth. The change comes under the amended Illinois Adoption Act.
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District 300 schedule change would add time and teachers
A proposal to reorganize high school schedules will cost Community Unit District 300 between $425,000 and $769,000 starting in the 2012-2013 school year. The costs are for the additional 7.5 to 13.5 full-time teachers that will need to be hired under the plan.
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Highland Park man gets prison for molesting girl
A Highland Park man was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday for molesting a young girl at least 11 years ago. Benito Cruz, 55, pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse during a hearing before Lake County Circuit Judge John Phillips.
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Images: Fashion Week in New York
What's "in" and what's "out"? Check out scenes from Fashion Week in New York to find out. Celebrities line the runways to see the latest trends.
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Police reports
Elgin
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Palos Park teen held without bond in parents’ murders
Blood splattered the walls, ceiling and floor in the bedroom where a suburban Chicago couple were found dead after their son called 911. The teen told police he'd been home asleep, heard nothing during the brutal beating and awoke to the gruesome scene.
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Buffalo Grove, ComEd plan second meeting over outages
Buffalo Grove officials will meet later this month with ComEd representatives to discuss some of the issues that emerged in the wake of the summer’s power outages. The announcement comes as a subcommittee of the Northwest Municipal Conference dealing with the recent outages prepares to unveil its recommendations.
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Buffalo Grove could revoke license for spa after prostitution arrests
Buffalo Grove officials could strip a village massage parlor of its operating license next week in response to the July arrest of one of its employees on a prostitution charge.Village President Jeffrey Braiman, who will conduct the hearing, said Monday it is the third time since 2006 that a worker at GQ Spa, 1105 Weiland Road, has been charged with prostitution.
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Park Ridge hosts job fair Thursday
More than 50 companies with hundreds of job openings in manufacturing, technology, retail and other fields will take part in a job fair Thursday in Park Ridge. The fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Park Ridge Community Center, 1515 W. Touhy Ave.
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Public invited to Long Grove fire training
Long Grove residents and neighbors are invited the watch the village’s fire department in action Saturday as they burn down a dilapidated home as part of a valuable training activity.
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Reward increased in year-old Naperville robbery
A Naperville businessman is offering up to a $50,000 reward in addition to a $1,000 Crime Stoppers reward for information leading to the arrest of and recovery of funds from an armed robbery that happened outside his business on Sept. 13, 2010. Basim Esmail, owner of Extra Value Liquors, 1550 N. Route 59 was robbed at gunpoint as he walked to his vehicle in the parking lot.
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SECA applications being accepted in Naperville
Naperville is now accepting applications for the 2012-2013 Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) Fund grant program. SECA grant applications may be submitted for the upcoming fiscal year, May 1, 2012, through April 30, 2013. Applications and program requirements are available on the city’s website. Applications must be completed and submitted online by 5 p.m. Nov. 1.
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DuPage senior volunteer wanted
The Agency on Aging of Northeastern Illinois is seeking a DuPage County resident or person employed in DuPage County to represent the county on its Advisory Council. The position is for the remainder of an unexpired term, and the appointee may then serve a full three-year term.
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Curbs on youngest drivers may have bad side effect
Strong driver’s license laws have led to fewer fatal crashes among 16-year-olds but with a disturbing side effect — more fatal accidents among 18-year-olds, a nationwide study found. Many states require young drivers to get extensive experience, including driving with an adult, before getting a full license. But in most states those laws only apply to those younger than 18. The new study suggests...
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Quinn adds new wrinkle to gambling expansion
Gov. Pat Quinn is airing another concern about gambling expansion that would add a new Chicago casino and four others in the state. Quinn has repeatedly harped about insufficient regulation in the bill and on Tuesday he said he was worried it could shortchange education funding.
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Chicago chocolate bar: 12,000 pounds, 21 feet long
Chicago-based World’s Finest Chocolate on Tuesday made a chocolate bar that weighs 12,000 pounds and measures 3 feet high and 21 feet long. The big bar is actually meant to be an example of “portion distortion” for schoolchildren.
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Amtrak resuming full Chicago-to-Calif. service
Amtrak will resume its full service between Chicago and California later this week now track damage from flooding and a derailment in Nebraska has been repaired. The railroad said Tuesday that it will restart eastbound service on Thursday when train 6 departs Emeryville, Calif. The westbound service will restart on Friday when train 5 leaves Chicago.
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Field Museum chief to retire in 2012
Chicago’s Field Museum has hired an executive search firm to help find a replacement for John McCarter who plans to retire as the institution’s president next year.
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Kane County to hold ‘No Refusal’ Halloween weekend
Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon announces his office, in conjunction with police, will hold a "No Refusal" weekend Oct. 28 and 29, the Friday and Saturday before Halloween. McMahon cites a spike in alcohol-related deaths as the main reason for the timing of the second "No Refusal" weekend since he was appointed in late 2010.
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Taxes too tall a hurdle for gymnastic academy’s move to Palatine
A few weeks after announcing plans to vault into the former Brunswick bowling alley building in Palatine, Wheeling’s American Academy of Gymnastics says it won’t be pulling up stakes after all. The gym’s owner said they’ve learned that property taxes on the building are well above what they can afford and so they’re staying put.
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$975,000 settles Lombard woman’s wrongful death suit
Jane Heflin of Lombard will receive a $975,000 settlement for a wrongful death lawsuit she filed against a Chicago property management company after the 2008 death of her son, a Cook County judge ruled. Heflin’s son, Sean Heflin, was 24 on July 1, 2007, when he fell from a second-story porch at his girlfriend’s apartment at 1909 N. Bissell St. in Chicago, according to a news release from the...
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Stocks push ahead for second day
General Electric Co. and other industrial companies pushed stocks higher after another choppy session Tuesday, the second day of gains in a row. It was the first back-to-back gain since the last week of August and only the third time the market has closed higher this month.
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Roadwork redo on Geraldine Lane in Wauconda Township
Work began Tuesday to redo what some Wauconda Township residents recently described as a shoddy dead-end street with sunken and cracked pavement near Port Barrington. At a meeting in mid-August, some Geraldine Lane residents complained to the township board about the poor condition of their street a little more than a year after it was resurfaced.
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Tri-Cities police reports
A Tiffany bracelet and ring, along with a Michael Kors watch, a total value of about $725, were stolen between 2:30 p.m. Aug. 28 and 10 a.m. Aug. 30 from a home for a sale in the 9W800 block of Fabyan Parkway near Geneva, according to a sheriff’s report.
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New U-46 tardy policy focuses on changing behaviors
A change in the way Elgin Area School District U-46 approaches tardiness and absenteeism is changing the culture in the hallways of the district's five high schools.
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Mother Rudd ghosts
The Warren Township Historical Society will host its next general meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, where members will hear from Tony Olszewski of the McHenry County Paranormal Research Group.
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Mundelein fire station open house
The Mundelein Fire Department will hold an open house at its main station, 1000 N. Midlothian Road, on Sept. 25.
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Property tax forum
A property tax information meeting for residents of Avon and Warren townships will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 at the lower level auditorium (Building C) at the College of Lake County.
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Penny candy in Grayslake
Old-fashioned penny candy will be avaiable at the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum on Friday and Saturday. It conicides with Grayslake Central High School's homecoming.
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Lake County rangers get new contract
The Lake County Forest Preserve District board on Tuesday unanimously approved a new contract with the union representing its 10 ranger police officers.
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Lombard-area mosque wins approval
DuPage County Board members on Tuesday approved Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs’ request to build a roughly 43,000-square-foot mosque near Lombard. “We are very happy, obviously,” said Talha Ali, president of the group.
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ComEd greeted with doubt in Wheeling
More than 50 Wheeling residents came to a village meeting with a ComEd rep to ask for fixes to what they said is an unacceptable situation. “I want to be heard; I want to call attention to what has been overlooked for decades,” said Ginger Fulara, a Valley Stream Drive resident. People were disappointed with the rep's answers. "You're giving us a lot of BS here,” said Trustee...
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New sculpture exhibit takes off at O’Hare
Chicago Department of Aviation and Greek government administrators dedicated the “The Runners,” a 16-foot sculpture, today. The artwork depicts five runners from ancient times to the present day.The sculpture, by Dr. Theodoros Papagiannis, was donated by the Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and was installed along the I-190 embankment leading to International...
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W. Dundee's Clearwater Theater closed over liquor license
West Dundee officials have shut down a popular concert venue for failing to hold a state liquor license for more than a year, an official said Monday. The Clearwater Theater, situated in the heard of West Dundee's downtown, had been operating without a liquor license since March 2010, but continued to sell alcohol anyway, Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said.
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Hanover Park holds recycling event Sept. 17
The village of Hanover Park will hold its annual recycling event, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at the municipal complex, 2121 Lake St. Nonresidents are welcome.
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Des Plaines balks at fire truck purchase
The Des Plaines City Council recently tabled a decision on spending $250,000 to purchase a fire truck. Fire Chief Alan Wax presented a proposal at a recent city council meeting to apply for a roughly $1 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to purchase an aerial ladder truck. The grant would require the city to provide 20 percent matching funds, or an estimated $250,000.
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St. Peter Barn Sale returns to Kane fairgrounds
“Park the car, have breakfast, shop, take a break for lunch, and shop some more," says St. Peter Barn Sale Co-Chairman Ron Volk. "The sale is so large that it takes several hours to visit all of the various departments.” The St. Peter Barn Sale returns to the Kane County Fairgrounds to host one gigantic sale weekend from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18.
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Jimmy's Place in Arlington Hts. closed over taxes
Jimmy's Place, at 640 W. Northwest Hwy. in Arlington Heights, has been serving hot dogs to high school kids and others for 50 years. But today the restaurant is closed, apparently the victim of unpaid taxes. A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Revenue said closing a business is a last resort, and the amount due would not be released publicly.
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Hoffman Estates to host Platzkonzert Germanfest
The village of Hoffman Estates Arts Commission is proud to bring back its Oktoberfest-themed, open-air event, Platzkonzert Germanfest, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17.
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Prospect Heights Dollars for Scholars awards money
Prospect Heights Dollars for Scholars held its 2011 scholarship reception July 22 at Signature Flight Support Hangar 19 in Wheeling. The two-hour catered gathering focused on the accomplishments of this year’s scholarship recipients.
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Students invited to enter NSDAR essay contest
The Twenty-First Star Chapter of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is looking for students to compete in this year’s annual American History Essay Contest. This year's theme is The War of 1812.
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Naperville ceramic artist draws on mix of inspiration
Laurie Pollpeter Eskenazi tells people to imagine a quilt with the mishmash of patterns, fabrics, colors, textures and different stitches. Now imagine that same collection of crazy on ceramic pieces. “That’s really what I’m trying to achieve in the work that I do,” the Naperville artist said. “I use a lot of different textures and colors without really worrying about how it turns out."
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Festival offers glimpse into Lisle’s past
For the last 27 years, Lisle Depot Days has shown there’s nothing wrong with getting a history lesson with your festival fun. The annual celebration of Lisle’s town history returns this weekend with a long list of activities, attractions and pioneer craft demonstrations. “It’s not your typical festival,” said Mike Toohey, superintendent of recreation for the Lisle Park District.
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Villa Park event helps veterans cut through red tape
Military veterans experiencing problems cutting through red tape to receive their benefits can get a helping hand Saturday, Sept. 17, during a day-long event sponsored by the Welcome Home Veterans Committee. "They've fought enough," organizer Jeanne Beyer says. "They shouldn't have to fight their way through red tape."
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Des Plaines Fall Fest opens Friday
Fall Fest 2011, a three-day, family-friendly festival and marketplace is back for a third year Sept. 16-18, bigger and better than ever. The fest, hosted by the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce, the Des Plaines History Center, and the Des Plaines Park District takes place at Lake Park, 2200 Lee St. Hours are 6-11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16; noon-11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.
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Riverwalk Fine Art Fair blends familiar styles with a few surprises
The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair on Saturday and Sunday in Naperville represents a harmony of returning work and new faces among the 140 artists. “A lot of artists keep progressing and produce new work in different styles,” said Debbie Venezia, executive director of the Naperville Art League. “And it’s always fun to see new artists.”
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Elgin Short Film Festival an international event
The Elgin Short Film Festival has technically reached the ranks of an international event. One of the submissions came all the way from Russia. The third annual event will start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. A red carpet arrival will give attendees the feel of a big-name film fest and will be followed by the screening of the six finalists...
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Chicago man accused of threatening to bomb SIU
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A Chicago man is accused of threatening to bomb Southern Illinois University's flagship Carbondale campus and kill 4,000 students and staff.WSIU Radio reports that a federal grand jury has indicted 23-year-old Maurice Wiggins on a felony charge of making a bomb threat.
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Emanuel scales back Daley's security team
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is scaling back the security detail for retired Mayor Richard Daley.Emanuel says cutting Daley's detail from six police officers to three will save taxpayers money.He says the three officers will work on patrol when they aren't needed for Daley and his wife, who live near downtown.
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Freshman congressman moves outside district
SHERWOOD, Wis. — First-term U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble has moved out of the Wisconsin congressional district he represents.
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UW-Madison chancellor writes against fetal ban
MADISON, Wis. — The interim chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has sent a letter to Wisconsin lawmakers urging them to oppose a bill that would ban the use of fetal tissue in research.
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Ind. faces 20-plus claims over fair stage collapse
INDIANAPOLIS — The state is facing more than 20 potential lawsuits one month after the deadly outdoor stage collapse during the Indiana State Fair. An attorney general’s office spokesman says that through Monday the office had received 21 tort claims stemming from the Aug. 13 collapse. A tort claim is a legal notice that must be filed before the state can be sued.
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Indiana judge: Unopposed candidates can be on ballot
RICHMOND, Ind. — An eastern Indiana judge has ruled that unopposed candidates can appear on a city’s election ballot despite a new state law omitting them from it.
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Ohio River bridge closing prompts ramp widening
NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Construction work is being done to widen some highway ramps in southern Indiana to help improve traffic flow after the emergency closure of a bridge over the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky.
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Indiana judge: Unopposed candidates can be on ballot
RICHMOND, Ind. — An eastern Indiana judge has ruled that unopposed candidates can appear on a city’s election ballot despite a new state law omitting them from it.A Wayne County judge granted an injunction Monday in a lawsuit filed by both major political parties, two unopposed candidates for Richmond elected offices and two voters, The Palladium-Item reported.
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Wind turbine company moving into Evansville plant
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A Dutch company that designs and makes wind turbine blades will open its first U.S. facility at a former refrigerator plant in Evansville that Whirlpool Corp. closed last year, company and local officials said Tuesday.
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Indiana Amish discuss road safety after cart crash
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — Amish leaders agree that more must be done to teach their community’s youth about road safety following a crash in northern Indiana that killed two girls riding in a horse-drawn cart, according to a state senator.
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Train strikes vehicle, delaying Amtrak service
NEPONSET, Ill. — Amtrak service was delayed after a train struck a vehicle in the north-central Illinois community of Neponset.Authorities in Bureau County say Burlington Northern Santa Fe reported an Amtrak train had struck a vehicle Tuesday morning and requested an ambulance.
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Inmate appeals denial of new trial in 1991 killing
BLOOMINGTON — Lawyers for a man convicted of murder in a 1991 central Illinois killing have appealed a judge’s decision denying him a new trial. The attorneys say a key piece of their argument will come from a former Bloomington police officer now in prison.
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Trial delayed for man accused of punching toddler
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The trial has been delayed for a southwestern Illinois man accused of beating his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter so severely that doctors worried she would need a feeding tube the rest of her life.
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Teachers at 6th Chicago school OK longer day
CHICAGO — Teachers at a sixth Chicago school have voted to lengthen their school day in exchange for cash from the district. The Chicago Tribune reports that teachers at Disney II Magnet Elementary School on Tuesday approved a waiver to add 90 minutes of instructional time to its day. The change starts in January.
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Changing Wis. presidential primary up for vote
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s presidential primary would move from late February to the first Tuesday in April under a bill to be voted on by the state Assembly.The measure before the Assembly on Tuesday has already passed the Senate and is part of a move by the national Democratic and Republican parties to avoid front-loading state primaries.
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Group says UW-Madison admissions favor minorities
MADISON, Wis. — Black and Hispanic applicants were more likely to be accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison even though they had lower average test scores than white and Asian applicants, according to an analysis by a conservative group.
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Obama’s jobs plan complicates debt panel task
Members of a special House-Senate deficit-cutting “supercommittee” urged their colleagues Tuesday to go beyond the panel’s minimum spending-cut target of $1.2 trillion over the coming decade, but the price tag on President Barack Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan is complicating the panel’s work.
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Greece, Europe struggle to contain debt crisis
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought Tuesday to calm market fears that Greece is heading for a chaotic default as Europe struggles to contain a crippling financial crisis.
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Federal deficit totaled $1.23 trillion through August
The federal budget deficit reached $1.23 trillion in August. The third straight $1 trillion-plus deficit adds pressure on Congress and the White House to reach agreement on a long-term plan to trim government spending.
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U.S. airlines collect fewer bag fees
U.S. airlines collected slightly fewer baggage fees in the in the first three months of the year despite an uptick in travelers.
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Gurnee police chief forced to retire after complaints
Gurnee Police Chief Robert Jones' 17-year tenure ended Monday night with the announcement of the village's contract settlement with him. Jones had been on administrative leave with pay since mid-July after complaints against him had been filed from both male and female employees in the department. “Absolutely wish him the best of luck,” Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said.
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Manny Ramirez out of jail after battery charge
Former World Series MVP Manny Ramirez was released from jail Tuesday after authorities arrested him for allegedly slapping his wife during a dispute at their South Florida home.
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Census: US poverty rate swells to nearly 1 in 6
The ranks of the nation's poor swelled to nearly 1 in 6 people last year, reaching a new high as long-term unemployment woes left millions of Americans struggling and out of work. The number of uninsured edged up to 49.9 million, the biggest in over two decades.
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NTSB: Trucker on phone at time of fatal Kentucky crash
An Alabama truck driver was using his cell phone during a 2010 truck crash that killed 11 people in Kentucky, federal officials said Tuesday.
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Clinton: Kabul attackers will be dealt with
The Obama administration declared Tuesday it wouldn't allow the brazen assault on the U.S. Embassy and other buildings in Kabul to deter the American mission in Afghanistan, warning the attackers that they would be relentlessly pursued.
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TSA officers arrested on drug charges in Conn.
The Dutch government says it will amend a law that prevents transgender people from registering their new gender on official documents until they have had sex change surgery and been sterilized.
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Bus-train crash kills 7, injures 162 in Argentina
A train slammed into a bus trying to beat it across the railroad tracks during rush hour in the Argentine capital Tuesday, ramming the vehicle into a platform and then striking another locomotive head-on. At least seven people were killed and more than 160 injured, authorities said.
Sports
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Blackhawks’ Keith key to long playoff run
Duncan Keith had the season of a lifetime and then a season to forget. Something in between is all the Blackhawks need from him in 2011-12.
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Quade lets Dempster close in on goal
Cubs manager Mike Quade did all he could to get Ryan Dempster a win Tuesday night. Quade stuck with Dempster long enough for Dempster to run up his pitch count to its highest number in a decade. In the end, it didn't matter because Cubs hitters did almost nothing with Cincinnati Reds starter Mike Leake, who was the one to come away with the victory as the Reds beat the Cubs 2-1.
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Webb Simpson in position for big payday
Meet James Frederick Webb Simpson, the current FedExCup points leader, whose quest for the $10 million grand prize continues this week at the BMW Championship at Cog Hill.
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Tuesday’s girls volleyball scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's girls volleyball matches, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s girls tennis scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's girls tennis meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s girls swimming scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tusday's girls swimming meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s girls golf scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's girls golf meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s girls cross country scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's girls cross country meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s boys soccer scoreboard
High school varsity results of Tuesday's boys soccer matches, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s boys golf scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's boys golf meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Tuesday’s boys cross country scoreboard
High school varsity results from Tuesday's boys cross country meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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White Sox need to get more fans in seats
The pressing question is whether Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen will be back with the White Sox next season. Regardless, the White Sox never will be all they can be until they figure out how to attract substantially larger number of fans to baseball games in Comiskey Park.
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Streelman's PGA career on rise despite missing BMW
The PGA Tour's BMW Championship will be heavy on Illinois talent when it tees off Thursday at Cog Hill in Lemont. World No. 1 Luke Donald is fourth in the FedEx Cup point standings, with Steve Stricker eighth, Mark Wilson 17th and D.A. Points 49th. Donald went to Northwestern and Stricker and Points to Illinois. Wilson lives in Elmhurst.
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Sox’ Guillen looks to future, wondering
Ozzie Guillen opened up on a number of topics Tuesday. The White Sox' manager talked about the disappointing season and said he is prepared to either come back in 2012 or be fired. We are just more than two weeks away from the Sox’ official off-season, and it promises to be interesting. Does chairman Jerry Reinsdorf still like Ozzie? Does Jerry like general manager Kenny Williams? Does Jerry like one better than the other?
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New faces give Blackhawks new optimism
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman's off-season game plan was simple: Keep most of the team's core intact while adding the right pieces to make it a much tougher club for opponents to play against. Did Bowman add the right pieces? That question will begin to be answered on Friday when the Hawks report to training camp at the United Center.
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Schaumburg converts just in time
A roundup of boys soccer matches from the Northwest suburbs.
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Rueth call his shot as Reed makes his read
Stevenson's Reed Aren shot a winning 35 at The Arboretum Club in leading the Patriots past Libertyville on Tuesday. For more reasons than one, the junior's score was not surprising.
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Rolling Meadows rallies past Prospect
Rolling Meadows (4-7, 2-1) recovered for a 19-25, 25-13, 26-24 triumph in the Mid-Suburban East battle over host Prospect.
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Illini must pay attention to Arizona State's stud linebacker
Illinois welcomes one of the nation's most polarizing and popular players to Memorial Stadium on Saturday: Arizona State middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict. The Sun Devils middle linebacker owns a Butkus-esque reputation for destructive hits, which is one reason Lindy's and Blue Ribbon anointed him as the preseason national defensive player of the year.
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Kelly says 0-2 Irish are not that bad
Notre Dame will try to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2007 by patching up the potholes in its defense and trying to reduce all those mistakes when the Irish have the football. With No. 15 Michigan State coming to town Saturday, the Irish also want to reverse a trend of losing close games in the final moments — a pattern so far in coach Brian Kelly's second season in South Bend.
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Flynn doubles up for Naperville Central
Pat Flynn scored twice in Naperville Central's 2-1 DuPage Valley Conference victory at Wheaton Warrenville South.
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Naperville North hands West Chicago first defeat
Corinne Gajcak served 7 straight points, rallying Naperville North to a 20-25, 25-16, 25-22 win over previously unbeaten West Chicago on Tuesday in Naperville.
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York drops Lyons Twp.
A roundup of Tuesday's volleyball action around DuPage County.
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Undefeated Cary-Grove (16-0) tops Jacobs
Playing against the best tends to rev a competitor’s engine higher than normal. Facing Cary-Grove, the 2009 Class 4A state champion and 2010 state runner-up, the Jacobs girls volleyball team rode a wave of adrenaline to a 4-point lead midway through Tuesday’s first game, but the Trojans righted themselves and eventually rode away with the victory, 25-20, 25-13.
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Girls volleyball/Fox Valley roundup
Sydney Doby (4 blocks) led the offensive attack with 11 kills while Katelyn Floyd added 10 assists as the Harvest Christian Academy girls volleyball team defeated Berean Baptisi 25-16, 25-16 Tuesday night.Shayna Manusos recorded 7 aces and Jade Martinez anchored the back row with 10 digs.Grayslake North d. Hampshire, 31-29, 25-15: The Whip-Purs put up a battle with Grayslake North, but fell in 2 games on the road. Erin Foss led the Whips with 6 kills.Metea Valley d. Bartlett, 25-21, 25-23: The Hawks (7-10, 0-2) suffered a tough Upstate Eight Conference loss on the road. Katie Hrbacek and Lexie Mason (10 digs) recorded 5 and 4 kills, respectively, while Tori Burke added 12 assists.Huntley d. Dundee-Crown, 25-17, 25-11: The Red Raiders (10-0, 3-0) remained undefeated as they handled the Chargers in this Fox Valley Conference match. Jaina Jackson pounded out 20 kills while Emily Mcran added 19 assists for the Red Raiders. Amy Dion led the defensive efforts with 8 digs. The Chargers (3-7, 0-3) were led by Sam Pagano with 2 kills.Crystal Lake South d. McHenry, 21-25, 25-18, 25-15: After falling in Game 1, the Gators (5-5, 1-2) mounted a comeback to earn their first Fox Valley Conference victory of the year. Nicole Slimka and Carly Nolan paced the offense with 5 kills each while Nikki Papados added 4 aces. Katie Meyers turned in a stellar defensive performance as she recorded 26 digs.St. Charles North d. Streamwood, 25-10, 25-15: The Sabres were unable to find their groove as they fell in 2 straight to St. Charles North in this Upstate Eight Conference match. Maria Ranahan led the Sabres with 3 kills while also adding 2 digs. Liz Simonelli paced the defense with 8 digs.Waubonsie Valley d. South Elgin, 25-13, 25-23: The Storm (3-4-1, 1-1) fell in straight sets as they were defeated by the Warriors at home in this Upstate Eight Conference matchup. Rachel Murray recorded 9 digs to lead the defensive effort while Bri Reum (6 kills) and Maggie Jakaitis (8 assists) paced the offense.Latin School of Chicago d. Elgin Academy, 25-18, 25-14: Bridget Keslinke (8 kills, 7 digs) and Angie Martinez (4 kills, 13 assists) led the Hilltoppers (2-4), but they fell in straight sets on the road.
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Batavia dominates St. Charles N.
Batavia’s girls tennis team rolled to its 12th win in a row Tuesday afternoon, defending its home courts with a decisive 6-1 thumping of St. Charles North.
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Verlander leads Tigers past White Sox 5-0
Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings to earn his major league-best 23rd win and the Detroit Tigers blanked the Chicago White Sox 5-0 on Tuesday night for their 11th consecutive victory.Verlander (23-5) allowed six hits, struck out six and walked two while becoming the first Tiger since Hal Newhouser in 1946 to win 11 consecutive starts and the AL’s first 23-game winner since Barry Zito in 2002.Victor Martinez hit a three-run homer for AL Central-leading Detroit, buoyed by its longest winning streak since September 1968. Miguel Cabrera had two doubles, walked twice and scored two runs.Gavin Floyd (12-11) gave up four runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings, falling to 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 17 career starts against Detroit.Brent Morel doubled and walked twice for Chicago. Alex Rios had three singles.Detroit has won five straight against the White Sox and reduced its magic number to win the Central to four over Cleveland. The Tigers have outscored Chicago 54-15 during the streak.Cabrera doubled and scored in the second, and the Tigers added three more in the sixth. With one out and a runner on third, Cabrera was intentionally walked before Martinez sent a 3-2 pitch over the Detroit bullpen in right.Floyd walked the next two batters and threw a wild pitch before being pulled after 98 pitches.For the second straight start, Verlander allowed a number of baserunners early in the game to drive up his pitch count, but settled down to pitch through the seventh. He has gone at least six innings and thrown at least 104 pitches in each of his 32 starts this season.Verlander improved to 11-0 with a 2.51 ERA since his last loss on July 15 in Chicago, his only defeat in 15 decisions against AL Central opponents this season.The 6-foot-5 right-hander, a front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, worked out of jams in three of the first four innings. He got Dayan Viciedo on an around-the-horn double play with runners on the corners and one out in the first, then got Gordon Beckham to fly out with two on to end the second.Verlander also struck out Beckham looking with a curveball with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth.The White Sox were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position in the game, dropping to 5 for 45 in those situations over their last five games.The Tigers have won 21 of their last 25 games.NOTES: The annual Roberto Clemente Award nominees were announced on Tuesday. Verlander and Chicago’s Juan Pierre were among the entrants for the award, which recognizes players for positive contributions both on and off the field. ... The Tigers and White Sox wrap up their series on Wednesday afternoon, with Detroit’s Brad Penny facing Dylan Axelrod. The 25-year-old Axelrod will be making his second big league appearance and first start.
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Bears GM Angelo's draft history not all bad
As much criticism as Bears general manager Jerry Angelo gets for his early-round foul-ups in the draft, he rarely gets credit for his later-round picks who are again playing prominent roles. And Smith, too, comes in for an inordinate amount of criticism anytime the Bears don't make the playoffs or lose two games in a row. So, here's a dose of reality. Since 2005, the Bears' combined record is 59-38.
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Hurcombe joins parade of Stevenson D-I linemen
Before Eastern Michigan University’s scheduled home football game against Howard on a stormy Saturday in Ypsilanti, Mich., recently, Stevenson offensive tackle Jake Hurcombe gave EMU offensive line coach Kurt Anderson a verbal commitment to continue his football career with the Mid-American Conference school.
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Boys soccer/Fox Valley roundup
Nick Lorusso scored the go-ahead goal in the 35th minute while Brad Cleveland found the back of the net twice to lead the Jacobs boys soccer team (6-3) to a 3-1 nonconference victory over Woodstock Tuesday. Harvest Christian Academy 7, Berean Baptist 2: The Lions cruised to an easy victory as they defeated Berean Baptist on the road. Andrew Hempel recorded a hat trick while Connor Kearns (2 goals), Zach Harbaugh, and Chris Desouza all added goals. Patrick McGuire and Luke Agase recorded 3 saves each for the Lions.Grayslake Central 1, Huntley 0: The Red Raiders (5-2-2, 3-1) suffered a tough 1-0 loss on the road in this Fox Valley Conference matchup. Austen Emery turned away 3 shots on goal for Huntley. Westminster Christian 2, Rockford Christian 0: Josh Beachler netted both goals and Nick Gnan added an assist to push the Warriors (5-1-1, 1-0) to a 2-0 Northeastern Athletic Conference victory. Sam Carani preserved the shutout with 11 saves in goal.Dundee-Crown 2, Hampshire 0: Tony Meza notched a goal in each half to lead the Chargers to a Fox Valley Conference victory. Bryan Contreras recorded 10 saves in goal for the Whip-Purs while Christian Martinez turned away 8 shots on goal to preserve the shutout.South Elgin 1, Lake Park 0: Jared Scheiler turned away 6 shots on goal, including a penalty kick to lead the Storm (3-2, 1-2-1) to their first Upstate Eight Conference victory of the season. Phil Saccameno scored the game-winner off an assist from Danny Fry.Aurora Central Catholic 3, St. Edward 0: The Green Wave (2-6-1, 1-2) were unable to find the back of the net as they were defeated by Aurora Central in Suburban Christian Conference action. Matt Hesch recorded 5 saves in goal.Cary-Grove 8, Crystal Lake Central 0: The Trojans (6-1) surged out to an early 5-0 halftime lead and never looked back as they earned a road victory. Drew Conner recorded a hat trick while Aidan McCarthy (2 goals), Kevin Wilde, Zack Solarte, and Dylan McDonough also added goals. Tom Breen recorded 1 save in goal.Larkin 3, St. Charles North 3: The Royals (5-3-2, 0-0-1) fell behind 3-1 before coming back to tie the score at 3 within the last 15 minutes of this Upstate Eight Conference game. Tony Escamilla recorded 2 goals for the Royals while Tony Hernandez scored 1 goal and added an assist. Santiago Guerrero turned away 7 shots on goal.East Aurora 5, Bartlett 2: Anthony DiNuzzo and Ramiro Arroyo each scored for the Hawks (3-3-1, 0-1-1), but they fell to the Tomcats in Upstate Eight Conference action. Cristian Alva and Salvador Arellano recorded 7 and 4 saves, respectively.
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St. Francis rallies past Rosary
St. Francis overcame a 20-13 deficit in Game 1 on its way to a hard-fought 25-22, 23-25, 25-22 girls volleyball victory at Rosary Tuesday night.
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Nothing in net for Conant, Barrington
Barrington and Conant played 100 minutes but neither team could find the net in their Mid-Suburban West scoreless soccer draw.
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Blackhawks will be without Sharp to open camp
Having Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane healthy and on the ice for opening night Oct. 7 in Dallas is all that should matter to the Blackhawks.
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Dempster pitches well in Cubs' loss
Cubs manager Mike Quade talked about possibly juggling the pitching rotation to help Ryan Dempster reach 200 innings for the fourth consecutive season. Dempster then went out Tuesday night against Cincinnati and took a big step toward that goal. He threw a season-high 128 pitches over seven gritty innings, but was outdueled by Mike Leake in a 2-1 loss to the Reds.
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Wheaton Academy downs St. Francis
Gareth Flynn scored twice to lead Wheaton Academy past St. Francis 3-1.
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Larkin dumps Elgin again
Elgin girls volleyball coach Scott Stewart thought his team had one of its best blocking matches of the season Tuesday. Larkin coach Marcin Dybka saw how effectively the Maroons were defending at the net and made his team have a simple adjustment. He advised his team to tip the ball over the block instead of hitting through it. The strategy worked as the Royals rallied past Elgin for the second time this season, winning 22-25, 25-17, 25-18.
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Freshman scores hat trick for Neuqua Valley
Freshman striker Ryan Ross scored a hat trick in the second half to lead Neuqua Valley past sister school Metea Valley 3-1.
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Filling those Big Ten schedules a balancing act
Fans are not the only ones who can't wait for those marquee early-season games, like Ohio State's trip to Miami this weekend. “As a player, man, you love ‘em,” said Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell, a former Buckeyes player. “You believe you're invincible, and that's what sometimes makes you good.”Miami has been stricken by scandal, but winning at Coral Gables isn't expected to be easy for Ohio State. So isn't this a risk, no matter the recruiting benefits that might come with a little exposure in talent-rich Florida?“You want to be able to test your team,” Fickell said. “Some people get too caught up in, `Well, you know we've got to be smart before you get into your conference because if we lose a game we can't get in the BCS.' I don't think you can think about it that way.”Said Illinois coach Ron Zook, whose team hosts 22nd-ranked Arizona State this Saturday: “This is why you come to the Big Ten, to play in these kind of games.”Satisfying ticket buyers, attracting recruits and toughening up players for the conference-game grind requires a balancing act by coaches and administrators.They must schedule a minimum number of home games to keep ticket, concession and parking revenue up. They have to consider the importance of overall records for bowl bids. There's an aspect of goodwill, too, with helping smaller area schools who relish playing on a bigger stage and need Big Ten money to balance their budgets.Ohio State paid Akron $850,000 to lose 42-0 in the season opener in Columbus, and the Buckeyes are giving Colorado $1.4 million to come to the `Shoe on Sept. 24.This is how the matrix begins to fit together: Playing in Columbus is a thrill for the Ohio-born players on Akron's roster. It's greater exposure for the program. For the Buckeyes, it's a guaranteed home game and, usually, a sure win.Akron's athletics department must generate about 25 percent of its own revenue, according to athletic director Tom Wistrcill, so taking home close to $1 million for playing one tough nonconference game is a no-brainer.“We've got to go play these money games,” Wistrcill said. “That's life at a mid-major.”Michigan will start next season against Alabama in Texas at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Wolverines still have two open dates to fill in 2012. They're already playing Air Force and traveling to Notre Dame.“We've always played an aggressive schedule where I've been,” Wolverines coach Brady Hoke said.Nebraska coach Bo Pelini espoused the same philosophy.“My view is to challenge your team to get ready for conference play, but obviously you can't play four top-10 teams every year,” Pelini said. “But I do think you want to put a product out there on the field and schedule games that are good for your fans. ... You can't always get what you want.”Just ask Minnesota coach Jerry Kill.He inherited a 2011 schedule with a season-opening trip to USC. The Gophers played well and lost 19-17, but during the week of the game he frankly said it wasn't his preference to play the Trojans on the road, despite the exposure and experience gained by the young Gophers.“There's an art when you turn a program around. We have large plans for what I think it's going to take to turn the program around. Part of that is scheduling,” Kill said.Kill had a seizure on the sideline last week near the end of Minnesota's game against New Mexico State, a scary scene that overshadowed a rather ugly loss for the Gophers. Not only were they beaten at home by a team from a non-BCS conference that hasn't been to a bowl game since 1960, they paid $800,000 to do it.
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Vikings home opener will be shown on local TV
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have extended their Metrodome sellout streak to 137 straight games.Chief marketing officer Steve LaCroix said Tuesday less than 1,000 tickets remained for the home opener Sunday against Tampa Bay, meaning the game will be televised locally.The Vikings haven’t had a TV blackout of a home game since the final game of the 1997 regular season. Though they’ve had help from corporate sponsors to avoid blackouts for certain games, they’ve reached virtual sellouts of every preseason, regular season and playoff game at the Dome since then.LaCroix said less than 4,000 tickets were left for the Sept. 25 game against Detroit. Sellouts must be reached 72 hours before kickoff to ensure local TV coverage by NFL rule, though extensions are often granted.
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Browns sign ex-Bears punter Maynard
CLEVELAND — Just over a month since losing punter Reggie Hodges to a season-ending injury, the Cleveland Browns are already on his second replacement.One game, three punters.The Browns signed 14-year veteran punter Brad Maynard on Tuesday and placed Richmond McGee on injured reserve, two days after he injured his back during pregame warm-ups before his NFL debut.Maynard spent the past 10 seasons with the Chicago Bears, the last three working with Browns first-year special teams coach Chris Tabor. The 37-year-old Maynard was released by the Bears in July and spent the exhibition season with Houston before the Texans waived him on Sept. 3.The Browns were in an emergency situation after McGee herniated a disk in his back while kicking before Sunday’s season opener against Cincinnati.McGee’s agent David Canter said the 28-year-old’s back was so bad during the game that he kicked without some feeling in his legs. McGee had a major role in the Browns’ 27-17 loss, averaging just 36 yards on eight punts. He shanked his first punt 20 yards, later had kicks of 28 and 30 and was booed by Browns fans.McGee said nothing about his back injury after the game, and neither did Browns coach Pat Shurmur. On Monday, Shurmur indicated the Browns were “evaluating” McGee’s position but didn’t mention any injury. It’s not clear if McGee told the Browns he was hurt before or during the opener.The Browns were forced to sign McGee in August after Hodges, one of the AFC’s best punters last season, tore his Achilles during practice.Canter said McGee “felt a twinge” while he was warming up on the field Sunday but decided to play.“He told me it got to the point during the game where he couldn’t even feel his legs,” Canter said. “I knew something was wrong, either he was hurt or he had forgotten how to kick. I felt bad for him because the fans were on him badly, so I called him after the game and he told me what happened.”Canter said McGee does not need surgery, but will seek a second opinion.Maynard brings the Browns experience as a punter and he’s also a dependable holder for Phil Dawson on extra points and field-goal attempts.Maynard, drafted by the New York Giants in 1997, has averaged 41.9 yards per punt in his career. However his 40.1-yard average on 83 punts last season ranked him 32nd in the league, and his net average of 35.2 was 29th overall.Maynard has appeared in 223 career regular season games. In 2008, he led the league with 40 punts inside the 20-yard line.Notes: The Browns announced they will induct former linebacker Vince Costello (1957-66) and center Tom DeLeone (1974-84) into the team’s Legends club. Costello and DeLeone will be honored during a halftime of the Sept. 25 home game against Miami. The team created the Legends program in 2001 to honor former players annually who have made a major impact on the organization. Costello was on Cleveland’s 1964 title team. DeLeone was selected to two Pro Bowls and blocked for six 1,000-yard rushers.
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Cowboys buying into Garrett’s optimistic approach
IRVING, Texas — Connecting the dots between Tony Romo’s late-game flubs, a letdown by the defense, a breakdown on special teams and the excruciating, last-minute loss to the Jets, the Dallas Cowboys could’ve come away from their opener thinking, “Here we go again.”Fans sure did.Jason Garrett doesn’t see it that way.In the locker room right after the game, he told players they played hard and well, and that if they keep playing that way, good things will happen. He said the same thing to reporters a few minutes later, then again on Monday, after he’d watched the loss to the New York Jets again in slow motion.And you know what? His players believe him.“It’s not, `Here we go again.’ It’s, `Get in there and watch the film,”’ linebacker Keith Brooking said. “This is a new season. We have a lot of football to be played. The only thing that creeps into my head is let’s go watch this film, let’s learn from our mistakes and let’s get out there Wednesday and get better from it.”Tight end Jason Witten echoed that, saying, “We let that one slip. We’ll be better because of it.”The Cowboys refuse to be dragged down by a single loss or the shame of becoming the first Dallas team to let a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead turn into a loss. Most of all, they refuse to link their 1-7 start last year to being 0-1 this year.There are various reasons why they insist things will be different, why this self-inflicted opening loss won’t have the same snowball effect as last year’s self-inflicted opening loss in Washington. Near the top of that list is Garrett and his sunny-side-up approach.“We feed off of our head man and his message,” Brooking said. “His message to us (after the game) was pretty simple. He was proud of our effort and the way we fought. He wouldn’t trade any of us for anybody out there on the streets or on any other team. ... There’s not a guy in here that wasn’t out there last night just fighting and biting and scratching and bleeding and giving it up for the team. That’s going to take you a long way in the end.”Bill Parcells was harder on his teams after they won than he was when they lost, figuring they would beat themselves up enough. Maybe Garrett is following that sort of script in his own way, which means harping on the same things he’s harped on since he took over — the process of playing winning football.Garrett praised his team for “playing with passion, emotion and enthusiasm,” which he often calls “line one” of the job description. He noted the guys who played hurt and those who filled in, both of which were extensive lists. He talked about the atmosphere and the caliber of the foe, a Jets team that’s been a win away from the Super Bowl each of the last two seasons.Sure, he eventually got around to acknowledging the mistakes, saying “we didn’t handle the things that teams that win ball games do and do well.” But his overall evaluation was quite positive.“The approach was right. The preparation was right,” he said. “We didn’t handle the situations as well as we needed to, and we lost as a result of that. Hopefully, it can be a great learning situation for our whole football team and we’ll move forward.”Whether the Cowboys learn from their mistakes will be the ultimate proof of whether Garrett’s way is working. Their next chance to find out is Sunday at San Francisco.Team owner Jerry Jones also downplayed the negative and pumped up the positive on his radio show Tuesday, especially on the subject of Romo’s performance.“This may draw a little criticism, but I thought Tony played one of the best games I’ve ever seen him play,” Jones said. “You can make a big case that the way he played for three quarters was how we got there at the end and looked like for sure we were going to get the win. But he played outstanding.”
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NFL’s 2011 rookie class off to a fine start
DENVER — So, maybe that long lockout didn’t hurt the rookies after all — aside from the big hits they took to their wallets.With the league’s new salary structure redistributing the mega-millions to vested veterans instead of first-year players, and encouraging the 2011 draft class to prove its worth, a slew of rookies distinguished themselves on the NFL’s opening weekend. The stellar debuts included those by Green Bay receiver/returner Randall Cobb, Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin, Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and cornerback/punt returner Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals.None was more impressive — or seemed more improbable — than the performance of Carolina’s Cam Newton, who broke the NFL record for most yards passing by a rookie in his pro debut.The Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn was the first overall draft pick, but questions about his accuracy carried through the preseason, when he completed barely 40 percent of his passes and looked as lost as any rookie who missed more than four months of workouts due to the league’s labor dispute.Now, the questions have turned from whether he’ll be a good NFL quarterback to just how good he’ll be after breaking the previous record of 346 yards set by Hall of Famer Otto Graham in 1950.Newton ignited a Carolina offense that finished last in the NFL in total offense, passing yards and scoring last season by throwing for 422 yards, the fifth-highest opening day total in NFL history (it was the fourth-highest for 24 hours before being surpassed Monday night by Tom Brady).“He did everything everybody didn’t expect him to do,” said Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who caught TD throws of 77 and 26 yards from Newton. “He was on point. He made some great runs, some great reads and some fantastic throws.”Newton may have made a believer out of some of his critics, but his teammates have always been in his corner.“He’s had the world on his shoulders for a year now and I think he’s sort of getting used to it,” Pro Bowl left tackle Jordan Gross said. “It was a tough game. He got hit a lot and there was a lot of crowd noise. He had incredible composure against all odds. He was as advertised.”Of course, the rookie in that game who came out a winner wasn’t Newton but Peterson, who returned a punt 89 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and added five tackles in Arizona’s 28-21 win.Newton, whose bid for a game-tying drive in the final minute fell a yard short, makes his home debut Sunday against the defending champion Packers, who were sparked by their own remarkable rookie in Week 1.Randall Cobb, a second-round draft pick out of Kentucky, caught a touchdown pass and tied an NFL record for longest kickoff return in history with a 108-yarder in the Packers’ 42-34 win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.The opening weekend came to a close Monday night in Denver, where former Texas A&M pass-rusher Von Miller, who was selected one spot behind Newton in the draft, forced a fumble on his first snap as a pro. Scooping it up was safety and fellow rookie Rahim Moore, a second-round selection from UCLA.They were two of the Broncos’ record four rookies to start on opening day, a 23-20 loss to Oakland.Other rookies made immediate impacts that didn’t show up in fantasy football stats, at least not directly.New England’s first-round draft pick, left tackle Nate Solder, started for an injured Sebastian Vollmer and Brady didn’t miss a beat, shaking off a rare turnover to throw for a team record 517 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker in the Patriots’ 38-24 win at Miami. Solder helped the Patriots prove the exception to the notion that the offensive line and secondary would be the groups most affected by the lack of OTAs because they need the most synergy.
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Belichick sees problems in opening 38-24 win
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The most productive offensive game in the New England Patriots’ 52-year history drew the same old analysis from coach Bill Belichick.Some good, some bad.Belichick found some room for improvement after Tom Brady threw for a career-best 517 yards and the offense piled up a franchise-record 622 in Monday night’s 38-24 season-opening win over the Miami Dolphins.“We had the ball on the 1-yard line ready to score a touchdown and we end up getting knocked out of field goal range and couldn’t get a field goal before the half,” Belichick said Tuesday.He didn’t like the ending of the game either.“We really weren’t able to close out the game at the end of the game with a couple of first downs that we could have made,” he said. “The good thing was, offensively, whenever Miami scored or started to change the momentum of the game a little bit, our offense was able to come back and drive the ball and score points and change that momentum around, so that was great.”With Brady operating out of the no-huddle for much of the game, the Dolphins couldn’t always make the substitutions they wanted or set up their defense the way they would have liked.“It’s great that we could take advantage of it, but those opportunities won’t always be there,” Belichick said. “I’m sure as teams get more experienced with their communication and get further into the season, you’ll see less and less of that.“We’re just trying to keep ironing out all the little details and that’s really across the board. It’s offense, defense, special teams. There are always things on every play, even good plays, that a lot of times aren’t done quite properly and had the (opposing) defense or the offense been in (a) different play or done things a little bit differently, then we would have had a problem.”The Dolphins, though, didn’t cause enough problems for the Patriots.Brady threw four touchdown passes. Two went to Wes Welker, including a 99-yarder in which he ran most of the way. Tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez scored the other two.But Brady knows a hurry-up offense can cause problems for the team using it.“It’s a fine line between putting pressure on a defense and playing out of control,” he said. “I thought at times we did both and you never really want to play out of control on offense. It was a good pace at times, but other times they adjusted to it. We’ve also got to find ways to execute better.”Perhaps the costliest play on offense for the Patriots came when center Dan Koppen hurt his left ankle when Brady sneaked ahead for a first down late in the first half. He was driven off the field on a cart and Dan Connolly replaced him for the rest of the game.Koppen, who returned to the Patriots sideline in the second half on crutches, is expected to miss a substantial amount of time.“Dan’s a guy that obviously has played a lot of football for us at a very important position. So, that’s not something that’s an easy thing to adjust to,” offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said. “I’m very confident in Dan (Connolly) and what he’s going to be able to do for us.”Belichick gave no update on Koppen’s injury. But the team is checking available offensive linemen not on the active roster.“We evaluate our roster and all our options every week, especially early in the season when there are more options available,” Belichick said. “With each succeeding week, options start to diminish. The players that are available, that number decreases, and so forth. Every week, we’re looking at the players on our practice squad, we’re looking at other players.”The Patriots play their home opener Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, who beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-17 on Sunday after trailing 17-7 at halftime. Perhaps more important, though? San Diego’s defense seems stronger than Miami’s.“They’re an aggressive defense,” O’Brien said. “They’ve got a lot of good players at every position.”
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Elgin, Batavia battle to 1-1 tie
The Batavia boys soccer team knew it had its work cut out for it trying to preserve its unbeaten record against host Elgin at Memorial Field Tuesday. The Bulldogs got out without a loss but just barely after playing to a 1-1 tie in Upstate Eight River action.
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Impact player: Lopez, Warren top Stevenson
Alexis Lopez tried but could not get out of harm’s way on Tuesday afternoon. Collectively, however, Warren’s boys soccer team found a way to avoid trouble, as the Blue Devils earned 3-0 victory over host Stevenson in a North Suburban Lake Division match at the Vernon Hills Soccer Complex.
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Kill’s coaches don’t expect him to miss any games
MINNEAPOLIS — Jerry Kill and the rest of Minnesota’s new coaching staff did their best in the offseason, trying to prepare the Gophers players for the possibility of what happened last weekend at TCF Bank Stadium.Still, no amount of talk could brace them for actually seeing their leader down on the sidelines, shaking violently in the throes of a seizure in the closing seconds of a loss to New Mexico State. The assistants who have been with Kill for more than a decade had been through this before and knew that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.For those who were playing just their second game under Kill, it was an experience that shook them to the core, and one they have to try to put out of their minds as they get set for Saturday’s game against Miami of Ohio.“Even though this isn’t new to us, it’s new to them,” said offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover, who has coached with Kill for 12 years. “We need to be understanding of that. It’s a shock to the system to see something like that come about.”Kill remained in a hospital for precautionary reasons on Tuesday, but two of his closest confidantes said they expect him to be on the sideline this weekend.Limegrover and defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys took over for Kill at his weekly media briefing. They’ve each been with him for at least a dozen years, so they’ve seen him go through this before. Kill twice had seizures on game day while coaching at Southern Illinois, so they knew how to deal with it.The players were still coming to grips with it.“You just don’t know how to prepare for that,” center Ryan Wynn said on Tuesday. “It was very shocking and I hope I don’t ever have to witness that again, from him or anyone else.”The episode had coaches around the country watching with concern, knowing full well the toll that their demanding profession can exact on the body.“Absolutely it did hit home with me and my family,” said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, who missed two games last season after suffering a minor heart attack following a victory over Notre Dame. “My immediate reaction was to pause and say some prayers for coach Kill and his family.“What people need to understand I think is that coaches are just like everybody else in this world, and there are going to be times when things happen to all of us. Sometimes people think these things don’t happen to people in the public eye, but they do.”Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has been a friend for years and was watching the game at home when he saw Kill go down.“Since I’ve known coach Kill for a long time, I was well aware of his history,” Bielema said. “My place was quiet. I had a few people over to watch the game. It was spooky. I said some prayers, and my thoughts went out.”Even though he has only played two games for Kill, Wynn is already all too familiar with his coaching style. On game day, Kill is a red-faced ball of energy, hollering at officials, encouraging his players and stomping up and down the sidelines at a furious pace.Team physician Pat Smith said a combination of stress, dehydration and the warm temperatures all may have contributed to the seizure. He said doctors were looking at adjusting his medication and giving him more fluids during the game to prevent it from happening again.Calming the coach down may be another matter.“That’s the tough thing about Coach Kill, it’s his passion that makes him a great coach,” Wynn said. “So I feel that if he came in there more calmed down like he was on a muscle relaxant out there, it wouldn’t be the same coach. I just hope he and the doctors have figured out something to help him prepare for his game demeanor.”Claeys has spoken to Kill several times and visited him in the hospital, and he said the coach is already raring to go again.
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Ohio State, Miami know what each is going through
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — When they met to decide the national championship nearly a decade ago, Miami and Ohio State were ranked No. 1 and No. 2.If a poll measured weight of NCAA scandals, the same numbers might apply today.Free tattoos on one side, free food on the other, that’s how it all started. Memorabilia sales in Columbus, cover charges in Coral Gables. Things that seemed relatively unimportant at the time to those involved now hang like a dark cloud over the Buckeyes and Hurricanes.On Saturday night, the teams will hit each other.Sometime soon, the NCAA will likely hit them both.Welcome to what may as well be called the Ineligi-bowl.“It does kind of take away from it,” Miami quarterback Jacory Harris said. “That’s all you see, the suspensions here, the suspensions there and it kind of takes away from the actual game and the players and the fans and basically the history of this game. There’s a lot of other things that are involved in this game rather than suspensions. You’ve got (2002) when they beat us and last year they beat us. There’s a lot of things we want to go out ... and play for.”Nobody’s talking about resurrected memories of that still-hotly debated Miami-Ohio State national championship game this week and the infamous penalty flag that the Hurricanes say robbed them of what should have been their sixth title, or the sloppy game the Buckeyes won relatively easily at home last season.Instead, all the buzz over Saturday’s game in Miami is about players who are ineligible now, and the penalties likely forthcoming from the NCAA. In this era of scandal — eight major football programs have gotten into hot water in the last 18 months or so — Ohio State and Miami may be getting the most attention.Yet both sides insist they don’t want it to dampen this game.“Our young guys, they’ve been through this time and time again,” Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell said Tuesday. “There’s always going to be distractions here in Columbus, Ohio, just like in Miami of Florida. Whether it’s off the field stuff, it’s stuff in this locker room, whether it’s stuff in their personal life, it’s handling those things that is what really ends up defining your team.”Harris is one of five Miami players returning from one-game suspensions this weekend after they were found to have taken extra benefits from former booster Nevin Shapiro, a convicted and now imprisoned Ponzi scheme architect. Harris said last week that he made mistakes, but offered no specifics other than saying the rules were broken three years ago.Three other Miami players will remain sidelined until next month for more serious violations, also involving Shapiro, all during their recruiting periods. Shapiro has said he gave 72 Miami players and recruits money and gifts over an eight-year span, and the university and the NCAA are combining on a widespread investigation of the athletic department’s actions, policies and compliance practices.“It’s two completely different situations,” Ohio State defensive back Tyler Moeller said, when asked to compare the scandals that hit the Hurricanes and Buckeyes. “Both things are wrong. Rules are rules, no matter if one’s worse than the other, you’re still breaking a rule.”Ohio State will have four players sitting out the game with the Hurricanes on Saturday because of NCAA-ordered suspensions, including three who started a year ago and a key backup. The four are in the midst of five-game bans for trading memorabilia for cash and tattoos — deals that forced the resignation of coach Jim Tressel and months of scrutiny around the entire athletic program since. Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor also is gone, with his five-game college ban essentially following him to the NFL and the Oakland Raiders.
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’Little Giants’ still a big memory for Michigan St
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Aaron Bates remembers taking the snap, standing up and bouncing lightly on his feet.The Michigan State holder figured Notre Dame would be caught off guard, but with the fake field goal actually in progress and the defense reacting, he needed to stay calm. The man he was supposed to throw to was caught up at the line of scrimmage, so Bates took a few steps to his right.“The old quarterback instincts — you kind of move where the space is,” said Bates, who played quarterback in high school before becoming a valuable punter for the Spartans. “Just kind of react. Don’t even think about it.”Bates found an open man that night last September and completed one of college football’s most dramatic passes of the season. Charlie Gantt’s 29-yard touchdown catch in overtime gave the Spartans a 34-31 victory over Notre Dame, and the play — called “Little Giants” — was a much-needed boost for a Michigan State program struggling to get over the hump.The 15th-ranked Spartans play at Notre Dame on Saturday in a much-anticipated rematch.“Had it not won the football game, it would be a bad big play, I guess,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “Because of the circumstances in the game, all the circumstances after the game, the whole thing, it probably took on a little bit more of a meaning.”Dantonio had a mild heart attack after the game, but he eventually came back to lead Michigan State to a share of the Big Ten title. It was quite an improvement for the Spartans, who went 6-7 the previous season and weren’t viewed as much of a threat nationally before facing Notre Dame last year.The Spartans trailed 31-28 in overtime that night and faced fourth-and-14 when they lined up for what would have been a 46-yard field goal. The kick was no gimme, so Dantonio called for a fake.“Obviously, we were all-in at that point. Thankfully, it worked out for us,” linebacker Max Bullough said. “It gives a lot of confidence. It shows that Coach D has a lot of confidence in us as players.”The fake didn’t go exactly as planned. First, Michigan State let the play clock run down — so low the Big East released a statement the next day, just to confirm that officials handled the play correctly when they didn’t call a delay of game penalty.Then, Michigan State’s Le’Veon Bell — who was supposed to be the primary target — had to fight his way through traffic at the line. As Bates began his impromptu rollout, Bell fell head over heels while trying to shake loose — but two Notre Dame players went down next to him, enabling Gantt to run free into the secondary.“I knew the fake was available, and I knew it was something that Coach Dantonio was interested in calling,” said quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had come off the field after Michigan State’s overtime drive stalled. “But I didn’t know what the fake looked like, didn’t know anything about it. I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to that part of the game — let them handle that.“I trusted Aaron, because I know Aaron well and I trust him with the ball in his hands.”It turned out to be a simple throw for Bates and a miserable ending for the Irish.“I think the down and distance was a bit of a surprise. We know in that situation, regardless of it, we had to defend it better,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. “But no, I thought it was a great call. It worked.”In the immediate aftermath, Dantonio’s health scare overshadowed the play, but Michigan State was able to build on the win. The Spartans started 8-0 en route to an 11-2 season, and “Little Giants” is the moment everyone seems to remember.“I guess I’ve seen it enough times now,” said Bates, who is a graduate student at Michigan State and has no football eligibility left. “It doesn’t quite get me as pumped up as it did.”Dantonio has sought to downplay the memorable play. Beating Notre Dame (0-2) again won’t be easy.
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Rebuilding Hawkeyes looking for answers
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Though Iowa figured to be tested by Iowa State last week, most thought the Hawkeyes would be far enough along to beat a team fresh off a 1-point win over an FCS opponent. They weren’t. Iowa’s deficiencies were on full display during Saturday’s heartbreaking triple-overtime loss in Ames, and the Hawkeyes won’t have much time to get those hot spots fixed. Iowa (1-1) hosts Pittsburgh (2-0), one of the favorites for the Big East title, on Saturday. “If we’re not learning, if we’re moving forward, then it’s shame on us,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We need to be a much better football team in a lot of areas on Saturday if we’re going to, first of all, have a chance to win this game and secondly, to get where we’re trying to get.” The Hawkeyes defense, which is still breaking in six new starters, had no answer for Cyclones quarterback Steele Jantz, who threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns without getting picked off. Though Jantz finished with just 42 yards rushing on 16 carries, he was only sacked once and consistently used his feet to keep plays alive against a defensive line that couldn’t catch him. Iowa State gained 473 yards, converted 13 of 20 chances on third down, punted just twice and won despite losing three fumbles and missing two field goals. The Cyclones closed the game with four straight TD drives, when even one stop by the Hawkeyes would have probably clinched a win. “There’s not much fun about losing. There’s not much fun about leaving the door open. When you do that, typically you lose,” Ferentz said. Before the season started, Ferentz pointed out that Iowa’s special teams looked as though they’d improved from a year ago. Instead, Iowa State gained 159 yards on five Iowa kickoffs, and the Hawkeyes let Shontrelle Johnson return the kickoff to Iowa State’s 41-yard line after Marcus Coker’s 1-yard TD run put Iowa ahead 24-17 with 5:50 left. Just over four minutes later, the Cyclones were back in the end zone to force overtime. “I’m concerned about our kickoff team right now, mainly because we’ve been riding a roller coaster it seems like forever,” Ferentz said. “With the work that we have to do defensively, to think that we can let somebody start with the ball on the 40, 45, 50 (yard line) or the other side of the 50 week in and week out, that’s just not very realistic.” Though Iowa’s offense sputtered at times against the Cyclones, it appears to be ahead of a defense ranked 116th in the nation in stopping opponents on third down. James Vandenberg was an efficient 16-of-28 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Vandenberg missed on a few passes to top target Marvin McNutt and saw his receivers drop a few more, but junior Keenan Davis and redshirt freshman Kevonte Martin Manley each had touchdown receptions. “There’s things all along the way, from the first quarter to the third quarter, that we could have done that maybe would have changed that. But it came down to them making the plays and us coming up just a little bit short.” Running back Marcus Coker had his third fumble in two games, but he bounced back from a miserable opener with 140 yards rushing on 35 carries. Iowa clearly didn’t have faith in giving the ball to anyone but Coker after promising freshman Mika’il McCall went down with a broken ankle on Sept. 3. But Ferentz knows that reserves Jason White or freshman Damon Bullock — back at running back after a brief stint at receiver — are going to have to spell Coker soon. “It’s just one of those things where we’re going to have to jump in the water a little bit,” Ferentz said. The good news for Iowa is that Pitt isn’t coming off a great week either. The Panthers struggled to get past Maine 35-29 at home last week. The FCS Black Bears threw for 334 yards and had Pitt fans booing their own team at times.
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Leyden picks Hamann as new coach
Rob Hamann, a 1995 Leyden graduate and former basketball and baseball star, has been chosen to take over the school's baseball program. Hamann replaces Gary Wolf, who stepped down last month after 23 years.
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5 pros to watch at the BMW Championship
Mike Spellman takes a closer look at five PGA Tour pros to watch closely this week at the BMW Championship at Cog Hill's famed Dub's Dread course.
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Fire scouting report
Chivas del Guadalajara at Chicago FireWhen: 8 p.m. at Toyota ParkTV: noneScouting Chivas: Forwards Omar Arellano and Alberto Medina and defenders Jonny Magallon and Hector Reynoso highlight the roster for this friendly.Scouting the Fire: The momentum from its two-game MLS winning streak gone, the Fire hopes to regain some pride against a strong Mexican side.Next: Chivas USA, 3 p.m. Saturday at Toyota Park
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NBA owners, players begin negotiations again
NEW YORK — NBA owners and players are meeting again Tuesday, this time with their full bargaining committees as the negotiations to end the league’s lockout reach an important stage.With less than three weeks until training camps would open, the sides know progress must be made soon to avoid having to make cancellations later this month. Both have said there is still time to reach a new labor deal that would keep the 2011-12 calendar intact.After three meetings in the last two weeks between small groups, the owners’ labor relations committee and the union’s executive committee rejoined the talks for the first time since late June, before the work stoppage began on July 1.Players expressed frustration then that owners were still sticking to points from their original proposal of early 2010. That included pay cuts and shorter contracts for the players, along with changes to the current salary cap system.The process has been more cordial since, even if not significantly more productive, sparking hopes that the sides are more willing to compromise now. But players’ association president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said last week that they couldn’t go much further without bringing the large groups, who would help leadership know how to proceed.“To think about where we were July 1 to now in terms of just the process itself, not what’s being discussed and what type of deal it will end up being, just the process itself, we’ve put in a lot of time,” he said last week. “And we’re going to try to continue that process and see if we can get a fair deal done as soon as possible.”Players and owners could meet again Wednesday in New York, and the sides will update their memberships on the state of the negotiations Thursday. Owners are scheduled to meet in Dallas, while the union is headed to Las Vegas to talk to players taking part in the Impact Academy basketball league.During the 1998 lockout that reduced the season to 50 games, training camps that were scheduled to open Oct. 5 were postponed on Sept. 24. Camps would open Oct. 3 this year.
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Notre Dame TE Ragone gone for season with injury
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame tight end Mike Ragone will undergo surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and miss the rest of the season.The school disclosed the news Tuesday.Ragone, known mostly for his blocking ability, was hurt in Saturday night’s 35-31 loss to Michigan. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior has one catch for 10 yards this season and 11 for his career for 109 yards.
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Sports Reunion: Payton not slowing down
After spending the last 14 years running the ball everywhere from Arlington Heights to Miami to Amsterdam to Montreal to Hoffman Estates, Jarrett Payton stopped running this year. “It was weird to give up,” Payton said. “But there’s more to life than playing football.” And the 30-year-old Barrington native has started running harder than ever to keep up with all of his keening interests.
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Payton calls Miami situation ‘sad’
Jarrett Payton was in the middle of his University of Miami football career when multi-millionaire booster Nevin Shapiro allegedly began his one-man crime spree against the NCAA rulebook. In Yahoo! Sports’ exposition of Shapiro’s efforts, it listed 65 current and former Hurricanes who received illegal benefits. Not only did Payton’s name not appear on that list, the 1999 St. Viator graduate didn’t know any teammates who did anything to get on that list. “I think it’s a lot of allegations,” Payton said.
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Daily Herald prep photos of the week
The Daily Herald Prep Photos of the Week gallery includes the best high school sports images by our photographers featuring football, soccer, tennis, cross country and volleyball.
Business
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Schaumburg business leaders talk about volunteerism
Volunteers, like corporate America, are forced to do “more with less.” Christine Smith, chief operating officer of HandsOn Suburban Chicago, told business men and women attending Tuesday’s Good Morning Schaumburg breakfast. She urged them to use their skills to help others.
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Medco Honors APAC Customer Services with award
APAC Customer Services, Inc. a leading provider of global customer care services and back office solutions, has been awarded Medco’s prestigious Vendor Appreciation Award for the second year running.
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Textura relocates data center to Oak Brook
Textura Corporation, the leading provider of collaboration solutions for the construction industry, has relocated its primary data center to Latisys-Chicago in Oak Brook.
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VeloCom deploys Tellabs SmartCore 9100 series
VeloCom, a mobile service provider in Buenos Aires, Argentina, selected the Tellabs SmartCore 9100 series to support its WiMAX wireless network.
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Sikich LLP names Paschal senior manager
Sikich LLP said Carla Paschal, CPA, has joined the firm as senior manager in the Rockford office.
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Greater O’Hare Association to change name
The Greater O'Hare Association will change its name to GOA Regional Business Association, or GOA for short, effective Wednesday.
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H&R Block won’t offer refund-backed loans in 2012
H&R Block Inc. says it won’t offer refund-anticipation loans during the 2012 tax season because its client base is growing and the appeal of high-cost loans is shrinking.
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International oil prices fall as demand eases
Drivers and businesses will use a little less fuel than previously thought this year, and that hurt international crude prices on Monday.
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1 dead, 4 hurt in French nuclear explosion
A nuclear waste site in southern France had an explosion Monday that killed one person, seriously burned another and slightly injured three others, France's nuclear safety body said.
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Caterpillar named to Dow Jones sustainability indexes
Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for the eleventh straight year, recognized as one of the sustainability leaders in the Industrial Engineering sector.
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World markets open higher after US rally
markets opened higher Tuesday following Monday’s late rally on Wall Street.In early trading, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 0.5 percent at 8,582.15. Australia’s S&P/ASX200 index was up 1.4 percent to 4,094.10. New Zealand’s benchmark NZX 50 was up 0.2 percent to 3,270.74.The Dow Jones Industrial index ended Monday up nearly 69 points, or 0.6 percent, at 11,061 after a late afternoon rally pushed the stock market higher.The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.6 percent to close at 11,061.12, with all of the gains coming in the last 10 minutes of trading.Traders said a combination of technical factors and reports that China was buying Italian government bonds triggered the late spurt of buying.The S&P 500 index rose 0.7 percent to close at 1,162.27. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 1.1 percent to 2,495.09.Markets in Europe and Asia plunged Monday as investors worried that Greece could be edging closer to default.Greece is being kept solvent by a (euro) 110 billion ($150 billion) international rescue loan package, while an agreement in July to double the bailout size has yet to be implemented. The cash lifeline, without which the country would go broke in a few weeks, is conditional on Athens meeting its ambitious savings targets.
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Italy confirms China talks amid bond help reports
ROME — Italy confirmed reports Tuesday that the treasury minister has met with China’s sovereign wealth fund amid speculation that Rome is looking to persuade Beijing to buy its bonds or invest in its companies.The news sent the Milan stock market higher on the open, following market tensions across Europe on Monday. But the rebound was short-lived, and by mid-morning, stocks across Europe, including Milan, were down. Bond prices likewise received little support from the news.A spokesman for Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti confirmed the meeting with the chairman of China Investment Corp., Lou Jiwei, but declined further comment.The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times said the meeting took place last week in Rome, without citing sources. Reports said the meeting also included officials of China’s foreign currency regulator and the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, an Italian government investment vehicle.The European Central Bank has bought Italian bonds in the open market to keep their yields — a indication of the rates at which the country would be able to borrow — down. In return, the Italian government has pushed austerity measures that seek to slash spending by more than (euro) 54 billion ($70 billion) over three years. Lawmakers are expected to pass the measures this week.Later Tuesday, Italy holds an auction to sell up to (euro) 7 billion ($9.5 billion) of bonds.
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Best Buy 2nd quarter net income drops
MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy Co. says its fiscal second-quarter net income fell 30 percent as consumers hit the pause button on buying electronics while fears about the global economy persist.The results fell short of Wall Street expectations.The electronic retailer says net income fell to $177 million, or 47 cents per share, for the three months ended Aug. 27. That compares to $254 million or 60 cents per share last year. Analysts expected earnings of 52 cents per share.Revenue edged up nearly 1 percent to $11.35 billion. But analysts expected $11.47 billion.Revenue in stores open at least one year fell 2.8 percent during the quarter. But the company says sales of tablet computers, appliances and e-book readers outperformed other categories. TV and video game sales were weaker.
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Greece, Europe struggle to contain debt crisis
ATHENS, Greece — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday sought to calm market fears that Greece is heading for a chaotic default on its debts as Europe struggles to contain a crippling financial crisis.Her comments come a day after her deputy raised the possibility of a Greek default, and ahead of a teleconference a Greek official said she will have Wednesday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. “I think we will do Greece the greatest favor by not speculating much, but instead encouraging Greece to implement the commitments it has made,” Merkel said on rbb-Inforadio.Fears of an imminent Greek default have pushed interest rates on the country’s 10-year government bonds up further Tuesday to a new record of over 24 percent, even though Merkel sounded a note of optimism regarding Greece’s chances of getting the next batch of bailout cash from the so-called troika — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.Representatives from the three organizations are due back in Athens this week.“Everything that I hear from Greece is that the Greek government has hopefully understood the signs of the time and is now doing the things that are on the daily agenda,” Merkel said. “The fact that the troika is returning means that Greece has started doing some things that need to be done.”Merkel also warned of the perils of an “uncontrolled” Greek bankruptcy.“I have said ‘if the euro fails, Europe fails’ — that that applies here and therefore everyone should very carefully weigh their words,” she said. “What we don’t need is unrest in the finance markets — the uncertainties are already big enough.”Merkel suggested that even an orderly default could not come any time soon, noting there was not even a mechanism currently in place for a eurozone nation to default. The future permanent European Stability Mechanism — the eurozone’s planned bailout fund — will come into force in 2013.Greece is relying on international rescue loans to remain solvent. But lagging efforts to tame a bloated budget deficit and enforce reforms are now threatening that lifeline, which is conditional on fiscal progress.Papandreou met Tuesday with his finance chief, Evangelos Venizelos and two senior bankers, ahead of the teleconference with Merkel and Sarkozy and a forthcoming eurogroup meeting on Sept. 16, a Greek official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. Greece is trying to convince international creditors that it deserves to get the next, sixth tranche of money due from a bailout fund and Venizelos is to speak Tuesday evening with German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. A Greek official said the two will resume a 25-minute telephone conversation initiated by Venizelos the previous day.Government spokesman Elias Mossialos said late Monday that Greece will get the bailout money.“We will get the sixth tranche,” Mossialos told Alpha TV. “It will be disbursed in October,” he said, adding that Greece currently has enough cash to last it until the end of October.The latest bout of jitters in the markets have been partly stoked by comments from Vice-Chancellor Philipp Roesler Monday that there should be “no bans on thinking” in how to resolve the euro crisis. By raising the specter of an “orderly insolvency,” Roesler’s comments reinforced concerns that Greece will end up defaulting.Despite over 20 months of austerity and two international bailouts each worth about (euro) 110 billion ($150 billion) — although the second faces considerable implementation delays — Greece’s finances remain in a parlous state.
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Late rally pushes stocks higher
A late afternoon rally pushed the stock market higher for only the second day this month. Major indexes spent most of Monday lower as investors worried that Greece could be edging closer to default.
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AP sources: Govt to expand E. coli tests in meat
For years government officials have tested meat for only one strain of E. coli. Now they will test for seven, a move that will hasten recalls of infected meat.
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James Murdoch faces second grilling in Parliament
James Murdoch will be recalled for a second grilling before Britain's Parliament, a senior lawmaker investigating the tabloid phone hacking scandal said Tuesday..
Life & Entertainment
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Book shows another side to Jackie Kennedy
It's a side of Jacqueline Kennedy only friends and family knew. Funny and inquisitive, canny and cutting. In “Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy,” released Wednesday, the former first lady was not yet the jet-setting celebrity of the late 1960s or the literary editor of the 1970s and 1980s. She was in her mid-30s, recently widowed, but dry-eyed and determined to set down her thoughts for history.
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Quinn tours Chicago’s Superman movie set
No state wants deadly viruses, gangsters and comic book villains roaming its cities and towns. But Illinois has welcomed them all, and the state touted the local benefits of the film industry on Tuesday as filming of the new Superman movie was wrapping up. “Having a big movie like `Man of Steel’ being made here in the state of Illinois is really a shot in the arm for our economy, and we want to keep it going,” Quinn said.
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Concert film gets upclose with Neil Young
Neil Young's latest concert film is so up close and personal it leaves the audience viewing the rocker through his own spit. “Neil Young Journeys” premiered Monday night at the Toronto International Film Festival. The camera was so close that it caught a glob of the singer's spittle, creating a blotch on the lens that gives the footage a bit of a psychedelic tinge.
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Get friendly with chef Williams at Mon Ami Gabi
Following the career of chef Bruce Williams is like name-dropping from a list of culinary Who's Who. Granted, his beginning was humble, starting as a dishwasher at Chicago's Sherman House. Two years later, at the Little Corporal restaurant, he knew that he wanted to be on the other end of the kitchen and moved up from apprentice to line cook.
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Lucci not leaving ‘All My Children' quietly
Erica Kane wouldn't leave quietly if she felt she'd been wronged. Neither is Susan Lucci as “All My Children” nears its end on ABC. Lucci has memorably portrayed Kane on the drama, which airs its last episode on Sept. 23. In a newly published epilogue to her memoir, Lucci sharply criticized her ABC bosses for axing “All My Children,” saying the decision to cancel the show was motivated by greed.
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Sophisticated accents abound at Algonquin's Montarra
Montarra Grill has had a series of chefs since the Algonquin restaurant opened seven years ago. The fine dining spot recently welcomed Troy Graves, who gained extensive kitchen experience in several high-profile Chicago restaurants (Eve, Tallulah and Meritage) and has added his own interpretations to the menu.
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Quick eggs and slow dinner
Microwave eggs for a quick protein-packed breakfast even when mornings are hectic; how to slow down for dinner and enjoy a budget-friendly home-cooked meal; and meet Food Network Star David Schneider at the National Hellenic Museum.
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Former SNL star Nora Dunn tries on stage role
Former “Saturday Night Live” star and native Chicagoan Nora Dunn is relishing her chance to appear in Nora and Delia Ephron's 2009 off-Broadway hit “Love, Loss, and What I Wore.” “I think women will relate to this personally because it's really about the experience of what we wear,” Dunn said. A national tour of the show starts performances Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago.
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Angola's Leila Lopes crowned Miss Universe
Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes wants to help her native Angola further escape a history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combating HIV around the globe. Speaking early Tuesday shortly after taking the crown, the 25-year-old Lopes said that “as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people.”
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Glitches bog down otherwise intriguing ‘Dead Island'
With zombie exhaustion already set in, I've been dreading the new video game “Dead Island,” in which zombies take over a South Seas resort. Much to my surprise, Polish developer Techland has brought some fresh ideas to the genre. It's hardly a dream vacation, but “Dead Island” is more intriguing than the typical slash-and-run gorefest.
Discuss
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Walsh’s act part of the problem in D.C.
Congressman Joe Walsh dissed the president last week by not attending a joint session of Congress. A Daily Herald editorial says we're offended by that show of disrespect and even more so by the message it sends: Walsh is not listening and is not open to compromise. And that means he's part of the problem in Washington, not the solution.
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In praise of wider security perimeter
Columnist Michael Gerson: Following initial failures in Iraq, critics argued that the Bush Doctrine was “in shambles.” Foreign policy “realists,” skeptical of pre-emption and democratic idealism, dismissed the five years following 9/11 as a brief, neoconservative interregnum. Yet, a decade beyond 9/11, the Bush Doctrine has been adopted by the Obama administration and vindicated by events.
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GOP puts election ahead of consensus
Columnist Susan Estrich: “Jobs Plan Tanks,” screamed the Drudge Report the morning after the president’s much anticipated jobs speech. The headline linked to reports of the drops on the various stock markets, which are based, it appears, as much on global uncertainty as they are on the support, or lack thereof, of the president’s plan. But does it matter?
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Who’s looking out for Warrenville citizens?
Three years ago this month property owners along the West Branch of the DuPage River upstream of Fawell Dam experienced horrific flooding. Since then I’ve battled with Warrenville as well as DuPage County to remove the dam. No government official will consider this alternative. Why? I’m told Naperville residents have a legal right to its protection.
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More cheap shots against tea party
The tea party movement is getting a share of cheap shots. One was recently published in your Sept. 6 edition, indicating that parading members of the Naperville Tea Party were using the Naperville Labor Day (Last Fling) Parade to oppose abortion rights.
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Wildlife center deserves praise
A Glenview letter to the editor: The professionals, staff and volunteers that humanely work to rehabilitate wildlife species at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center merit commendation and laudation.
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Why doesn’t state befriend business?
A Barrington Hills letter to the editor: Darn, while we led the nation in lost jobs in July, we were only No. 49 in worst-run states. California beat us, but with the governor and legislature we have, I am confident we will be last soon.
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Fielders want talks with Zion
An open letter to Lake County Fielders fans: Much has been said and written about the Fielders this past season, and our differences with the City of Zion's public officials. We feel that it's time to be open and transparent about those differences, and where we should go from here.
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Gas/oil prices just don’t jibe
Letter to the Editor: I would like to know why gas prices are increasing instead of decreasing. Recently, on St. Charles’ east side, gas went from $3.79 a gallon to $3.95 while oil slightly dipped in price.
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Never understood purpose of townships
Letter to the Editor: Having read all about the salaries of our township supervisors, I am still highly confused about the purpose of townships. They are definitely entities that have not one purpose other than to cost taxpayers even higher taxes.
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Fair Tax will fix host of financial ills
Letter to the Editor: The Fair Tax recognizes that consumers pay all taxes and that the only thing a company can do is pass the tax through to consumers in the prices of its products. American products will be exported tax-free and imports will be subject to the same federal tax as our own products. Our $1.5 trillion trade deficit will disappear.
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With God’s help we can handle our trials
Who recently hasn’t been touched negatively? But what do they say: “When one door closes, another opens.” We are a resilient people. A nation of doers. A melting pot endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. A society searching for answers.
Sep 2011
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