Daily Archive : Wednesday September 28, 2011
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News
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Antioch Township man convicted of theft from mother
A perennial Lake County political candidate is facing up to 15 years in prison after being convicted Wednesday of stealing thousands of dollars from his elderly mother. In a negotiation with prosecutors, Steven Skinner, 51, admitted there was enough evidence to convict him of felony theft during a hearing before Lake County Circuit Judge Fred Foreman.
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Did state Sen. Schmidt use clout on domestic disturbance police call?
State Sen. Suzi Schmidt mentioned being a former Lake County Board chairman and her “connections” on a December call asking a 911 dispatcher to ignore her husband if he summoned help, according to a recording released Wednesday. Moreover, the Republican senator alluded to politics again Monday when speaking to Lake County sheriff's deputies who were called to the couple's home by her...
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Lutheran General receives grant for children’s cancer clinic
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge Tuesday received a $100,000 grant to help fund its Children’s Cancer Survivorship Clinic. State Rep. David Harris spoke about how the hospital's survivorship program helped his son, who is a cancer survivor and a U.S. Army captain serving in Afghanistan.
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SNL’s Molly Shannon visits Naperville students to read from her first book
Actress Molly Shannon, who first came to fame on "Saturday Night Live," was in Naperville Wednesday reading from her first children's book. “It’s definitely not easy. It was a challenge,” Shannon said. “I’d love to (write more books) but I’m not even thinking about that right now."
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Bank robber strikes again in Carol Stream
Police are looking for a man who robbed two Carol Stream banks in the past 10 days, including one Wednesday afternoon.
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DCFS investigating death of 3-month-old Hoffman Estates girl
The Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the death of a 3-month-old Hoffman Estates girl who was found unresponsive in her home early Wednesday morning.
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Antioch abuse suspect now charged with possessing child porn
Two days after posting bail on charges that he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl, an Antioch man has been charged with possession of child pornography and is back behind bars, according to police.
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What's hot in the suburbs this weekend
From a rash of fall festivals featuring scarecrows, straw mazes and pumpkin patches, to beer festivals and a football weekend at McGonigal's Pub, there's lots happening in the suburbs this weekend.
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Cantigny re-enactment offers slice of Civil War life
A Warrenville resident will lead his Civil War troops to battle and encampent at First Division Museum at Cantigny this weekend. “It's a snapshot of what life was like for the Civil War soldier,” says Jesse Martinez. “My main goal is to educate the public as to what happened, what life was like and keep the memory of those who served to preserve our country back then and kept...
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Schmidt's statement
State Sen. Suzi Schmidt mentioned being a former Lake County Board chairman and her “connections” on a December call asking a 911 dispatcher to ignore her husband if he summoned help, according to a recording released Wednesday. Moreover, the Republican senator alluded to politics again Monday when speaking to Lake County sheriff's deputies who were called to the couple's home by her...
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Telecommunicators for Northwest Dispatch threaten strike
Telecommunicators for the Northwest Central Dispatch System, which controls emergency communications for much of northwest Cook County, have indicated that they plan to strike over contract negotiations.
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Palatine library closing Freeman Road branch, opening new location
Trustees for the Palatine Public Library District voted Wednesday to permanently close the Freeman Road Branch Library on October 22 and open a new library branch at the Hoffman Estates Park District's Willow Recreation Center in early November.
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Autopsy unable to tell if insect stings caused man's death
An autopsy was inconclusive Wednesday on whether insect stings killed Roselle resident Bruce Madiar, 62, who was trying to clear an insect nest from his property on Monday night.
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Man found guilty of killing Chicago police officer
The jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday before finding 22-year-old Shawn Gaston guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old officer Alejandro “Alex” Valadez.
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Two toddlers killed in house fire identified
Two children are dead following a house fire in South suburban Hickory Hills. The victims were identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office as 3-year-old Raed Saleh and 4-year-old Ayob Saleeh.
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Trustee: Island Lake preschool staff taking pay cuts to keep program alive
Employees at Island Lake’s village-owned preschool will have their pay temporarily slashed 25 percent in a money-saving move prompted by decreased enrollment, officials confirmed this week. The proposed one-year cut, which still needs formal village board approval, applies to six Creative Playtime staff members, including Director Sharon Hyde, said Trustee Shannon Fox, leader of the village...
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May announces she will not seek 6th legislative term
State Rep. Karen May has announced she will not see re-election to the position she has held for the previous decade. The Highland Park Democrat did not give a reason for not seeking re-election, but said she looks forward to actively representing the 58th district during the remainder of her term.
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Round Lake Park woman gets prison for stealing from disabled man
A Round Lake Park woman was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday for stealing more than $3,000 from a disabled man who had hired her for home care assistance. Angelique Edwards, 36, of the 500 block of Grandview Drive, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft on Aug. 22 and was facing a maximum of five years behind bars.
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Give feedback about Oakton’s nursing program
The public will have a chance to provide feedback on Oakton Community College’s nursing program during a site visit by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5.
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Man hospitalzed from fall off gas-powered skateboard
A 25-year-old Crystal Lake man was hospitalized Wednesday after falling off a motorized skateboard and hitting his head, according to police.
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Feds: Man planned to blow up Pentagon
A Massachusetts man was arrested Wednesday and accused of plotting an assault on the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol using remote-controlled aircraft armed with explosives the latest of several terrorism cases to spring from federal sting operations.
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Warrenville vet checks out some really big patients
Heck, it was easier than trying to examine some ill-tempered cats, Dr. Aaron Vigil noted. The Warrenville veterinarian gave a tuberculosis test to three elephants from the traveling Kelly Miller Circus. Piece of cake. And once the testing was finished, the session in the Warrenville Fire Protection District parking lot along Batavia Road turned into a small community event.
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Elgin task force recommends no new taxes
At its final meeting, the Elgin's Budget and Financial Planning Task Force recommended focusing on cutting costs based on service levels, compensation and benefits before implementing any new taxes. Elgin does not tax electricity, natural gas, real estate transfers, food and beverages or gasoline, like some communities do. It also doesn't charge a fee for vehicle licenses or refuse disposal.
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Paper fuels Bensenville recycling plant fire
A fire inside a Bensenville paper recycling plant Wednesday afternoon spread to an area of the building containing large bundles of paper, fire officials said.By the time firefighters arrived at the PRI Group facility at 600 Thomas Drive about 2:30 p.m., the fire had been burning for a while, said Bensenville Fire Protection District Chief Michael Spain.
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Reebok to pay over toning shoe claims
Reebok will pay $25 million in customer refunds to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission that it falsely advertised that its “toning” shoes could measurably strengthen the muscles in the legs, thighs and buttocks.
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Shutdown looms at Batavia’s pioneering Fermilab
This is a time of transition for Fermilab in Batavia. On Friday, physicists will shut down the facility’s accelerator, a once-unrivaled atom smasher that has been eclipsed by the Large Hadron Collider buried beneath the border of France and Switzerland.
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Guilty plea in Carpentersville birthday party slaying
Jacqueline Loyola, 20, of Carpentersville, pleads guilty to second-degree murder in the spring 2010 death of a 20-year-old Aurora woman who was an uninvited guest at Loyola's birthday party. Loyola will be sentenced on Dec. 22 and could get anywhere from probation to 15 years in prison.
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Durbin pushes Obama jobs plan in Aurora
Sen. Dick Durbin appeared in Aurora Wednesday partly to hear the woes of human service agencies who've experienced federal funding cuts and partly to be a cheerleader for President Barack Obama's jobs plan. Durbin said 14 million Americans must get back to work before deficit reduction can be tackled. There is no balanced budget without more Americans contributing to the economy, Durbin said.
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Dist. 204 to start new evaluation process now
For the first time, detailed state-mandated criteria will be used to evaluate Indian Prairie Unit District 204 teachers. While Illinois school districts must put the evaluation system in place by September 2012 as part of the state Performance Evaluation Reform Act, District 204 teachers and school board members agreed to put the changes in place this year.
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Notre Dame president protests birth control inclusion
President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul should be changed so that religious school’s such as the University of Notre Dame aren’t required to go against their beliefs and provide birth control to students and employees, the school president says.
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Right Nation postpones November conference
With an eye on drawing more attendees closer to the 2012 election, Right Nation, a conservative conference that drew roughly 6,000 to Hoffman Estates last year, is postponing a second conference originally scheduled for Nov. 3-5.
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U of I finds more problems with law school data
An ongoing investigation into the use of inflated grades and entrance-exam scores in University of Illinois law school marketing material found inaccurate data was posted online for the four most recent classes, university officials said Wednesday.
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Which confession to believe in West Chicago shooting?
After two men were shot in West Chicago last summer, two gang members confessed separately to pulling the trigger. Now, a DuPage County jury must decide which one to believe. Prosecutors opened their case against Christopher Einecker on Wednesday by telling jurors they will hear him confess in a recorded phone conversation.
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Glenbard seeking help with superintendent search
Glenbard High School District 87 board members will choose from two firms to help conduct a nationwide search for a new superintendent.
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Concession money stolen at Barrington homecoming game
A Johnsburg woman faces a felony theft charge alleging she stole more than $300 cash from the concession stand during Barrington High School’s homecoming football game Saturday afternoon. Police said Ann L. O’Connell, 48, of the 3200 block of Chellington Drive, posed as a parent volunteer to access the stand.
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Jurors in Cellini trial to fill out questionnaires
A federal judge in Chicago says potential jurors in the last major trial stemming from investigations of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration will start filling out questionnaires Friday. Judge James Zagel told attorneys at a pretrial hearing Wednesday that the actual selection of jurors will begin Monday as businessman William Cellini’s trial officially gets under way.
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Police reports
Mario A. Prado, 19, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, appeared in bond court Wednesday on felony charges of possession of a firearm by a street gang member, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card and possession of a firearm while younger than 21 with a prior misdemeanor, according to court documents. Prado...
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Gandhi birthday celebration in Hanover Park
The Ghandi Peace Mission of Schaumburg is hosting a celebration of Mahatma Gandhi's 143rd birthday on Sunday, Oct. 2 at Lions Park in Hanover Park.
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Children’s story springs to life as Skippyjon Jones musical in Naperville
Skippyjon Jones loves to pretend. He may be a kitten, but in his mind’s eye, he’s a chihuahua in Mexico fighting off banditos. This weekend, the make-believe starts in Naperville as a national touring company brings the star of best-selling children's books to the stage. “It’s the most bizarre, quirky story you can imagine,” said Kevin Del Aguila, the musical’s...
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Cops: Men robbed St. Charles gas station of synthetic pot
Two men in their early 20s have been charged after police say they stole a case of synthetic marijuana and herbal smoking products from a St. Charles gas station late Tuesday night.
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Indian Trails Library names new director
The Indian Trails Public Library District appointed David Seleb its new director this week. Seleb, who currently leads the Winnetka-Northfield Library District, will begin work Nov. 1.
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Dist. 204 in black, but challenges await
Indian Prairie District 204 is in the black as the state of Illinois nearly has caught up on its payments owed to the school district from last year. But the district will be facing some tough decisions in the coming years as revenues aren't expected to increase, but the cost of educating kids is.
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Free health fair
The Mundelein Park & Recreation District is hosting a free community health fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Regent Center, a block west of Midlothian Road at Crystal Street, Mundelein.
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Grayslake FedEx opens
FedEx Ground will debut its new facility in Grayslake on Thursday morning. The facility is at 1260 Rowena Road, a new street off Route 83 north of Peterson Road.
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MHS Orchesis to perform
Mundelein High School’s Orchesis dance club will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at the school, 1350 W. Hawley St., Mundelein.
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Teacher loves science so much she wants to sleep with it
Growing up in Palatine with an interest in science, Katie Duff made good on her goal of being a science teacher. Now she's trying to become a science teacher who lives at the Museum of Science and Industry. Duff is one of six finalists in the Museum of Science and Industry's popular “Month at the Museum” competition.
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Simon sings praises of ECC Summer Bridge Program
The nationally recognized mock trial team from Elgin Community College got two thumbs-up Wednesday from Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, as did students from the college’s welding program. But it was a summer course that prepares recent high school graduates for college-level math and reading courses that piqued the Simon’s interest during a campus visit.
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Police reports
Edward C. Rizzi, 49, of Naperville, was charged with trespassing at Sunday in the 44W0-99 block of Route 64 near Maple Park, according to a sheriff’s report. Rizzi is accused of entering a fenced area without permission to retrieve some items that were his.
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Palatine state rep. returns office savings to treasury
State Rep. Tom Morrison already turned down the opportunity to join the General Assembly’s lucrative pension system. Now the Palatine Republican plans to return more than $7,000 to the state treasury in surplus district office funds. “I have a responsibility to my constituents to not spend money just because it’s been budgeted,” Morrison said.
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Driver in Hanover Park bus crash remains hospitalized
Only the driver of the car that crashed into an 18-seat shuttle bus in Hanover Park Tuesday afternoon, causing it to flip over, remains hospitalized, police said Wednesday. The man is being treated at Central DuPage Hospital for undisclosed injuries, though they’re not considered life-threatening.
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Last chance to vote for Des Plaines hero dog
Nearly a million votes have been cast in a contest to determine who will be the nation's 2011 Hero Dog Award recipient. Among the eight finalists is Zurich, a service dog from Des Plaines. The public voting period ends Friday so get your votes in.
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Aurora begins charging $50 arrest processing fee
The price of getting arrested in Aurora just went up $50. The city council Tuesday night unanimously approved a $50 administrative fee to be charged to anyone processed by Aurora police after turning themselves in on a warrant or being arrested for a criminal offense or city ordinance violation.
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Sentencing delayed in Elgin car-ramming murder case
Sentencing for Timera Branch, a Streamwood mom convicted of first-degree murder for using her car to smash and kill her son's teenage rival in fall 2009 in Elgin, is delayed until Nov. 9 because of a potential pyschiatric issue. She faces up to 60 years in prison.
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Three-day stocks rally ends
A three-day winning streak in the stock market came to an end Wednesday as investors worried about Europe’s ability to contain its debt crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 180 points.
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Cantaloupe illnesses and deaths expected to rise
Federal health officials said Wednesday more illnesses and possibly more deaths may be linked to an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe in coming weeks. The outbreak has already claimed 16 lives nationwide.
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Chicago named most ‘mustache-friendly’
Chicago may be known as the Second City, but when it comes to mustaches, the Windy City is No. 1. The American Mustache Institute on Wednesday proclaimed Chicago the most “mustache-friendly” city in America. For the honor, Chicago will host the institute’s annual `Stache Bash charitable benefit on Oct. 28.
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Judge: Let jailed cartel lieutenant outdoors
A federal judge has ordered prison authorities to let a drug-cartel lieutenant jailed in Chicago outside for exercise. At a Wednesday hearing, Judge Ruben Castillo heeded defense complaints that Vicente Zambada hasn’t been allowed onto a rooftop recreation area or gotten any fresh air since his extradition from Mexico a year and a half ago.
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Criminal immigrant arrests include 87 in Illinois
Officials say 87 of the nearly 3,000 criminal immigrants rounded up nationally for deportation over the last week were arrested in Illinois — including a fugitive who was convicted nearly 30 years ago on drug charges.
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Emanuel announces early education rating system
The city of Chicago plans a rating system for early childhood programs that are city-funded. It’s supposed to start in July 2012, and parents can use it when deciding on programs for their very young children.
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Chicago man gets life for Lansing motel murder
A Chicago man already serving a 105-year prison sentence for a Minooka carjacking also has received a life sentence for killing a man during a Lansing motel robbery. Cook County prosecutors say 28-year-old Lawrence Coffee pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and armed robbery in the April death of 55-year-old Regan Lytle of Kentucky.
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State regulators to issue hair braiding licenses
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will issue the licenses to both new and existing hair braiders. New braiders will be able to get the license with 300 hours of classroom and practical experience.
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Report: Planned prison closure could spur crowding
Gov. Pat Quinn’s plans to shutter a central Illinois prison means 1,500 inmates would be housed in prison gyms at 11 other lockups across the state, forcing those sites to bulk up staffing under the “evident possibility” of crowding-related lawsuits, the Illinois Department of Corrections says.
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Local authors visit Rolling Meadows H.S.
Two authors, Anne Calcagno and Tony Romano, were the toast of Rolling Meadows High School recently, when they came to talk with students about their latest books. Students were required to read one of the books over the summer.
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Carnival to benefit Wheaton parks program that helps those in need
A brand new festival will bring people to the Danada area in Wheaton as the park district looks to bolster its scholarship program, which provides money and recreation opportunities to families in need.
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Schaumburg cutting costs of police management
Schaumburg trustees Tuesday approved the gradual restructuring of the village's police department, intended to flatten its management hierarchy and ultimately save about $300,000 per year. “We're going to keep the same number of officers and same number of investigators we've always had,” Schaumburg Police Chief Brian Howerton said. “This action allows us to keep the same level...
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Hoffman Estates park board swears in new commissioner
Ron Evans was sworn in as the new Hoffman Estates Park District Board commissioner Tuesday, replacing Craig Bernacki, who resigned last month. He was the only applicant for the position. He has served as a community representative for the park district's recreation committee in the past.
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Saake running for Illinois House seat
Republican Winfield businessman Gary Saake announced a campaign for Illinois House Wednesday, setting up a GOP primary battle against hopefuls, Laura Pollastrini and Jeanne Ives.
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Lincolnshire garbage service to cost less for homeowners
Residential garbage service will cost less in Lincolnshire starting in December, under a deal approved this week by the village board. Homeowners also will be issued standardized rolling carts in any of three sizes. That will simplify garbage collection for Waste Management, the company that has an exclusive contract for residential garbage removal in town, Mayor Brett Blomberg said.
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Faulty wiring cancels classes at Naperville North
Students were evacuated from Naperville North High School Wednesday morning after an electrical malfunction caused a brief power outage. Classes were cancelled for the day but are expected to resume Thursday.
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E. coli scare prompts ground beef recall
Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. is recalling about 131,300 pounds of ground beef because a family in Ohio fell ill after eating meat produced by the company that was contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday.
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Apple to introduce new iPhone Oct. 4
Apple will introduce a new version of the iPhone at an Oct. 4 event, the first upgrade of its best-selling product since Steve Jobs resigned as chief executive officer.
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Daredevil Washington Monument inspection starts
Engineers harnessed to ropes began a daredevil exterior inspection of the Washington Monument on Wednesday that will include them rappelling down the obelisk to look for damage from last month’s earthquake.
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Bensenville Heritage Day mixes fall fun, history
Fall fun officially starts in Bensenville on Saturday during Heritage Days at Fischer Farm. The Bensenville Park District’s annual seasonal festival will feature pumpkins, rides, a petting zoo and more.
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Annual Octoberfest returns Saturday in Fox Lake
Fox Lake area residents are invited to listen to some German music, down a pint of ale, and enjoy the coming of Halloween during the village-sponsored Octoberfest celebration on Saturday. The annual Octoberfest celebration kicks off at the village’s Lakefront Park, 71 Nippersink Drive, at noon, Deputy Village Clerk Carol Ward said.
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Former East Aurora teacher charged with sexual exploitation
A 32-year-old West Dundee woman who formerly taught at East Aurora High School was charged with sexual exploitation of a child and turned herself in to Aurora police.
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Geneva considers more sidewalk signs downtown
Geneva's downtown merchants who use those small sandwich-board signs to advertise their deals may soon not be breaking city law. The city council has unofficially decided they can live with what some people see as clutter, to help business.
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Longtime Daily Herald travel columnist wrote for ‘regular folks’
Madelyn Merwin had a distinguished career in journalism, breaking the glass ceiling both in print and broadcast. Longtime Daily Herald subscribers remember her best for her regular travel column, which ran for more than 20 years in the Sunday edition. It took readers as far away as the Galapagos Islands or just across the state border to Spring Green, Wis. Merwin died Monday at her home in...
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District 62 holding open house for new learning center
Des Plaines Elementary District 62 parents and community members are invited to an open house for the new Early Learning Center addition at Forest Elementary School. The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at the center, which opened Aug. 29 to more than 400 students.
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Testimony resumes in trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor
LOS ANGELES — Testimony has resumed in the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor with a concert promoter telling jurors that the singer appeared strong during one of his final rehearsals.
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CLC board meets ‘Men of Vision’
About a dozen young men in dark suits, white shirts and red ties were as impressive for what they do as how they looked when College of Lake County board members were briefed about their club Tuesday night.CLC psychology Professor Eric Rogers led the presentation about the Men of Vision organization. Men of Vision is a local chapter of the nationwide Student African American Brotherhood.
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Suburban Catholic schools win Blue Ribbon awards
Four suburban Catholic schools have been named among this year's top performing schools in the country. St. Emily School in Mount Prospect, Queen of the Rosary School in Elk Grove Village and both Mary Seat of Wisdom and St. Paul of the Cross schools in Park Ridge will be among 304 public and private schools that will receive Blue Ribbon School Awards from the U.S. Department of Education at a...
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Algonquin plans to lower tax levy 1.1 percent
Algonquin board members unanimously recommended setting the 2011 tax levy at about $5.5 million, or a 1.1 percent decrease compared to last year. They'll vote to approve it next Tuesday.
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Lombard District 44 conducting boundary checks
Lombard Elementary District 44 is conducting boundary checks to ensure students attending its schools actually belong there. Officials say the crackdown is necessary to ensure taxpayers aren't funding classes for youngsters who shouldn't be in the district's schools.
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No regional superintendent on the horizon for McHenry County
Between the lack of pay and the long list of requirements, the search for a new regional superintendent of schools in McHenry County is going nowhere, officials said. The post has been vacant since June.
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Amazon unveils $199 Kindle Fire tablet
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Wednesday showed off the Kindle Fire, a $199 tablet computer, challenging Apple’s iPad by extending its Kindle brand into the world of full-color, multipurpose devices. It’s about half the size of the iPad and will go on sale Nov. 15. Bezos also took the opportunity to show off a new line of Kindle e-readers with black-and-white screens and lower prices.
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Wheaton Kiwanis pitching $1.9M ‘sensory' playground
The Wheaton Kiwanis Club plans to partner with the park district and other agencies to build a "sensory" playground for children with special needs.
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E. coli scare prompts Tyson to recall ground beef
EMPORIA, Kan. — Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. is recalling about 131,300 pounds of ground beef that might be contaminated with E. coli.The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that it became aware of the problem when Ohio health authorities reported that a family in Butler County had become ill with E. coli. Ground beef in the family’s home tested positive for the bacteria.
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Milwaukee neurosurgeon charged with conspiracy, tax fraud
MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee area neurosurgeon is facing additional federal charges that accuse him of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
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Probe: Wis. clerk likely violated law in election
MADISON, Wis. — Investigators say a county clerk likely violated the law when she failed to report thousands of votes in this past spring’s state Supreme Court election, but her conduct wasn’t criminal.
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Wisconsin suspends dog adoptions after discovering virus
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Humane Society has temporarily suspended dog adoptions after discovering a puppy has a potentially deadly virus. Dog adoptions at the Milwaukee and Ozaukee locations are affected.
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Kenosha man convicted in '09 custard stand killing
Jurors have convicted a Kenosha man in the only trial to emerge from a fatal robbery at a custard stand two years ago.
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Walker says he didn't know about aide's immunity
Gov. Scott Walker says he didn't know his chief spokesman had been granted immunity from prosecution in an ongoing secret investigation until after it was first reported last week.
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Cash-strapped Hammond to close two remaining library branches
HAMMOND, Ind. — A northern Indiana city is closing its two remaining library branches to deal with a more than $800,000 cash shortfall.More than 70 people packed a community room at Hammond’s main library Tuesday to plead with the Hammond Public Library Board to keep the two branches open, saying children and adults use the branches’ computers, books and programs.
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Lawmaker says Indiana stage collapse victims should get more money
INDIANAPOLIS — State representative Ed DeLaney wants state lawmakers to consider increasing the amount paid to victims of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse. DeLaney tells WTHR that the $5 million liability cap the state has in place is “too little” for the seven people who died and dozens who were injured last month in the stage collapse.
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Indiana police seize California woman’s medical marijuana
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis airport police say they’ll destroy medical marijuana seized from a breast-cancer patient from California who was boarding a flight.
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Hoffman Estates to demolish old police station to make way for Audi dealership
The Hoffman Estates Village Board reached a deal last week to sell its former police station to the owners of Schaumburg Audi. The board also agreed to demolish the building, signing an agreement with a Des Plaines firm to do the work.
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Cheesehead obscured on Wis. anti-cheese billboard
ST. FRANCIS, Wis. — A physicians’ group that paid for an anti-cheese billboard along a Wisconsin highway says the image of a foam cheesehead has been obscured after the product’s manufacturer threatened legal action.
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Wis. Supreme Court to discuss recusal proposals
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss proposed new rules about when to recuse themselves from cases.The discussion Wednesday afternoon is intended to improve the public’s trust and confidence in the state high court. The court’s reputation has taken a beating of late. The most prominent event was an altercation between two justices this summer.
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Another fatal ATV accident in Rusk Co
CHETEK, Wis. — Another person has died in an all-terrain vehicle accident in Rusk County. A 47-year-old man was pronounced dead Monday afternoon near Potato Lake, east of Chetek. The sheriff’s department says the man was clearing brush when his ATV tipped over and rolled on top of him. A family member discovered the accident.
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Wis. court upholds records lawsuit dismissal
MADISON, Wis. — A state appeals court has affirmed a judge’s decision to toss out a Madison newspaper’s lawsuit claiming former Gov. Jim Doyle’s office improperly delayed the release of public records.
Sports
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Martz has confidence in Bears' running game
The Bears have had a lot of problem areas offensively the past two weeks, but they'll have a chance to improve them this week against the Carolina Panthers. Mike Martz's crew is No. 31 in rushing yards per game, No. 28 in first downs per game, No. 30 in sacks allowed per passing attempt and No. 29 in third-down efficiency.
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Rays clinch AL wild card with stunning rally
Down by nine games in early September, down by seven runs on the final day of the season. And yet somehow, these Tampa Bay Rays made it to the playoffs. Evan Longoria capped a startling comeback by hitting his second home run of the game, hooking a drive barely inside the left-field foul pole in the 12th inning Wednesday night and giving the Rays the AL wild-card spot with an 8-7 win over the New York Yankees.
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4 more years for Hawk in Sox’ booth
White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson is back in the TV booth for four more years after agreeing to a contract extension before Wednesday's final game of the season.
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Cards win, earn NL wild card when Braves lose
HOUSTON — Tony La Russa clicked photos with his cell phone as the St. Louis Cardinals danced, yelled and doused each other with beer and champagne in a celebration none of them envisioned less than a month ago.Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals completed one of baseball’s greatest comebacks on Wednesday night, clinching the NL wild card with an 8-0 win over Houston and a later loss by Atlanta.The Cardinals got their playoff spot when the Braves fell to Philadelphia 4-3 in 13 innings.St. Louis trailed Atlanta by 10½ games on Aug. 25, then won 23 of the last 31 games to finish its improbable charge. The Braves fueled the Cardinals’ surge by losing 18 of their last 27.“We came from so far back,” La Russa said. “It’s nice to be part of history because the club deserved it. We were great for four months, and we had a little bad period. We really came charging back. Adversity was something that we embraced.”The Cardinals will open the postseason on Saturday at NL East champion Philadelphia. In the other NL playoff matchup, Arizona visits Milwaukee.“We’re just glad we have a chance to play in October,” Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols said.St. Louis made quick work of the punchless Astros, then rushed back into the clubhouse to watch the end of the Atlanta game. With the Braves two outs from defeat, a clubhouse attendant wheeled in a dolly stocked with cardboard boxes of beer.And when Freddie Freeman rolled into a season-ending double play, the party began. The Cardinals passed out black caps with “2011 MLB Playoffs” emblazoned on top and black T-shirts with NL wild-card logos.Within minutes, the floor of the clubhouse was littered with bottle caps and corks.“It’s a great feeling to be able to come from so far down,” former Astro Lance Berkman said. “We felt like we had a run like this in us, and we executed it just in the nick of time. And here we are.”Carpenter (11-9) pitched like an ace, striking out 11 and allowing two hits in his 15th career complete-game shutout. The Cardinals poured onto the field after Carpenter fielded J.D. Martinez’s weak grounder for the final out.“It was exciting, there’s no doubt about it,” Carpenter said. “The way these guys have played the past month-and-a-half has been amazing, every single night grinding, playing their butts off, not giving up.“We continued to give ourselves an opportunity and now we are here.”The Braves and Cardinals entered Wednesday’s regular-season finales with 89-72 records.Atlanta’s game started an hour earlier, but the Cardinals virtually took away any hope for a Houston victory in the first inning, jumping to a 5-0 lead against Brett Myers (7-14).Pujols and Berkman drove in runs with singles, and David Freese doubled to left-center before Myers even recorded an out. Berkman scored when Skip Schumaker’s hard grounder ricocheted off Myers’ glove for an infield hit, and Freese came home on Nick Punto’s single to right.“I’m glad that we contributed early in the game,” Pujols said, “and Carpenter obviously took them out and took care of business.”Carpenter had struggled at Minute Maid Park lately, going 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA in his last five starts here, but he was in total command from the start Wednesday, striking out five of the first nine hitters. He also had an RBI single in the third to drive in Freese, who reached base when right fielder Brian Bogusevic dropped his fly ball for an error.Freese led off the fifth with a double to right center, the Cardinals’ 10th hit of the game. Myers, 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA in his last five starts, hadn’t allowed more than nine hits in a start since Aug. 6.Freese scored on Schumaker’s groundout to shortstop Clint Barmes for a 7-0 lead, equaling the most runs given up by Myers in 33 starts this season. Wilton Lopez replaced Myers for the start of the sixth.“I really wanted to win,” Myers said. “I really wanted to go out there and put them out. It didn’t work out.”
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Braves complete colossal collapse, lose to Phils
ATLANTA — With the season on the line, the Atlanta Braves couldn’t get the final three outs.Now, they’ll have the whole winter to ponder an unprecedented collapse.Braves closer Craig Kimbrel surrendered the tying run in the ninth, and Hunter Pence came through with a two-out, run-scoring single in the 13th to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 4-3 victory that ended Atlanta’s season Wednesday night without a trip to the playoffs that looked like a certainty just a few weeks ago.“It was tough to be so close and then have the feeling like it was falling out of your hands,” Kimbrel said. “And that’s the feeling I have now.”The game ended more than an hour after St. Louis routed Houston 8-0 to claim at least a share of the wild card. The Cardinals earned it outright when David Herndon earned his first career save by getting Freddie Freeman to hit into a season-ending double play.This one might hurt as bad as all those postseason losses in the 1990s and early 2000s.The Braves were 10½ games ahead of St. Louis before play on Aug. 26. They were still up by 8½ games on the morning of Sept. 6. Instead of popping champagne for a second straight trip to the playoffs, they became the first team in major league history to squander a lead of at least eight games for a playoff spot in September.They had some company when Boston did the same in the AL, but that was of little consolation in Atlanta.The Braves had this one. And they blew it, losing five straight to end the regular season and going 9-18 in the final month.Riding a strong showing by starter Tim Hudson and a two-run homer by Dan Uggla, Atlanta went to the ninth with a 3-2 lead and its record-setting rookie closer on the mound.But the hard-throwing Kimbrel couldn’t get the three outs needed for his 47th save and a trip to St. Louis for a one-game playoff Thursday night. He was all over the place, walking three, and Chase Utley’s sacrifice fly tied it. The stocky right-hander couldn’t even finish the inning, giving way to Kris Medlen.“My mind was rushing,” Kimbrel said. “Things started moving too fast. My head started moving too fast. My brain. I didn’t put it together. It was just too late. ... When you walk guys, nothing good ever happens.”Medlen had pitched only one game in the big leagues all year after coming back from Tommy John surgery, but he got the third out in the ninth and breezed through the 10th as well. Unheralded Anthony Varvaro and Cristhian Martinez also pitched scoreless innings, but the Braves’ punchless offense just couldn’t produce another run in time.Atlanta scored only seven runs in its last five games.In the 13th, Scott Linebrink (4-4) got himself in trouble with a one-out walk to Brian Schneider, a .176 hitter. Jimmy Rollins flied out to center, but Utley grounded a 3-2 pitch into right field to keep the inning going. Pence followed with a blooper to right off the fists, the weakly hit ball barely making it to the outfield grass.But it was in just the right spot. Uggla slid out to get it but had no play anywhere. Schneider raced in with the go-ahead run.“Liney made a great pitch,” Uggla said. “Hunter just fought it off and it landed in no man’s land. I couldn’t make a play on it. Just one of those things. It kind of describes the whole September.”Chipper Jones started the 13th by striking out, but Uggla gave the Braves a glimmer of hope by drawing a walk off Herndon. What was left of the raucous crowd of more than 45,000 pleaded for Freeman to come through, but all he could do was hit a grounder to first baseman John Mayberry, who started the 3-6-3 double play that ended the Braves’ season.Uggla struggled to get up at second base. Freeman knelt down the right-field line, looking as though he couldn’t believe the collapse was complete.Justin De Fratus (1-0) earned his first career win with a scoreless 12th.
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Red Sox fall out of playoffs, lose to Orioles 4-3
BALTIMORE — The Boston Red Sox completed their September collapse in horrific and historic fashion, falling out of the playoff chase by allowing two ninth-inning runs in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.The Red Sox held a nine-game lead in the AL wild-card race after Sept. 3, but a 7-19 swoon left them tied with Tampa Bay entering the final day of the regular season.Only minutes after this game ended, the Rays completed their comeback from a 7-0 deficit with an 8-7 win over the New York Yankees in 12 innings.Even if Tampa Bay lost, the Red Sox faced the prospect of a quick turnaround following a long night at Camden Yards that included a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes in the middle of the seventh inning.When the rain came, Tampa Bay trailed 7-0. By the time play resumed, the Rays and Yankees were tied at 7 heading into the 10th inning.The Orioles won the game in the ninth against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon (4-1), who struck out the first two batters before giving up a double to Chris Davis. Nolan Reimold followed with a double to score pinch-runner Kyle Hudson, and Robert Andino completed the comeback with a single to left that Carl Crawford couldn’t glove.Boston became the first team to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine games for a playoff spot entering September, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Jim Johnson (6-5) worked the ninth for Baltimore.Dustin Pedroia homered for the Red Sox, who went through the entire month of September without winning consecutive games.Pitching on three days’ rest, Jon Lester limited the last-place Orioles to two runs and four hits over six gritty innings. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Red Sox from absorbing one final blow.Boston had several chances to pad a 3-2 lead it took in the fifth inning but was never able to complete the task.After Pedroia hit a solo homer off Alfredo Simon in the fifth, the Orioles got the potential tying run to third base in the bottom half and in the sixth before Lester worked out of trouble.In the seventh, Boston’s David Ortiz was thrown out trying to stretch a single, and with two outs rookie catcher Ryan Lavanway bounced into a fielder’s choice. Lavanway, who homered twice in an 8-7 win Tuesday, went 0 for 5 and stranded nine runners.The Red Sox blew another chance to increase the lead in the eighth when Marco Scutaro took off from first base on a double by Crawford. But Scutaro stutter-stepped before getting to third and was out at the plate.In the ninth, Lavanway grounded into a double play with one out and the bases loaded. It was the third time he came to the plate following an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez.The Red Sox went up 1-0 in the third when Mike Aviles walked, took second on a single by Jacoby Ellsbury and scored on a single by Pedroia. Ellsbury’s single extended his hitting streak against Baltimore to 36 games, dating to April 2009.J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the bottom half, only minutes after the scoreboard showed the Yankees increasing their lead over Tampa Bay to 5-0. Hardy’s 30th homer followed a leadoff walk to Davis.Boston pulled even in the fourth when Scutaro doubled, advanced on a groundout and scored on a balk.NOTES: Boston activated RHP Clay Buchholz (back strain) from the 60-day DL and placed 3B Kevin Youkilis (back strain) on the 60-day DL. ... Hardy’s homer gave Baltimore two players with 30 (Mark Reynolds 37) for the first time since 1996, when Brady Anderson had 50 and Rafael Palmeiro hit 39. ... Lester’s performance lowered the ERA of Boston’s starters this month to 7.08. ... Baltimore RF Nick Markakis left after eight innings with a bruised pelvis.
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Wednesday’s girls volleyball scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's girls volleyball matches, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s girls tennis scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's girls tennis meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s girls swimming scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's girls swimming meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s girls golf scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's girls golf meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s girls cross country scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's girls cross country meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s boys soccer scoreboard
High school varsity results of Wednesday's boys soccer matches, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s boys golf scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's boys golf meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Wednesday’s boys cross country scoreboard
High school varsity results from Wednesday's boys cross country meets, as reported to the Daily Herald.
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Kane’s sparkling return marred by hit
He began his first shift by breaking up a pass in his own zone and ended it with a shot on goal. On his second shift, he produced an electrifying end-to-end rush in which he split a pair of Red Wings like they were standing still and then split two more with a perfect pass to Marian Hossa, who nearly scored. Welcome back, Patrick Kane.
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‘No anxiety' for Cubs' Quade
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts arrived at Petco Park Wednesday to address his team Wednesday, the final day of the season. There was no definite word on the search for a GM or the fate of manager Mike Quade and his coaches. Quade said he had no anxiety.
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Ricketts can see quick turnaround for Cubs
A quick turnaround from this year's losing season is not out of the question, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said Wednesday as he visited the team on the final day of the season.
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Invasive carp: The dinner guest nobody wants to invite
The invasive carp species of Illinois may technically be fit for eating, but that doesn't mean they're going to be a popular dinner guest any time soon.
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Time to fall into a different rhythm
The signs of the changing season are all around us, and in fishing, that means slip sinkers and minnows for solid smallouth bass action at Geneva Lake.
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Illinois-Northwestern rivalry turns into war of words
As No. 24 Illinois and Northwestern prepare to resume unpleasantries, neither side appears to be too thrilled with the words coming out of the other's camp. You know, just like an in-state rivalry is supposed to be stoked.
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Padres beat Cubs; Castro leads NL with 207 hits
Will Venable hit his first career grand slam and Nick Hundley hit a three-run shot to lift the normally punchless San Diego Padres to a 9-2, season-ending victory over the Cubs.
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Barrington withstands Fremd’s improved effort
Barrington’s girls swimming and diving team had taken some of the fun out of its rivalry with Fremd thanks to an 84-point victory over the Vikings last season. But a much improved Fremd group showed Wednesday this rivalry is alive and well again. Visiting Barrington prevailed 105-81 thanks mainly to a decisive team edge in the sprint freestyles. Senior Erika Elliott won the 50 and 100 freestyles, her sister Danielle won the 200 free and was second in the 100, and the sisters Elliott both legs on Barrington’s winnning 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
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Pappa’s hat trick gives Fire just 2nd road win of season
Marco Pappa scored 3 goals to lift the Chicago Fire to a rare road victory with a 3-0 defeat of Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night. A record setting crowd of 20,762 at Rio Tinto Stadium watched as Pappa brought the Fire (7-8-15) only its second road win of the season. The loss spoiled the return of midfielder Javier Morales, who entered the match as a sub in the 60th minute.
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Winning streak(s) continue for Palatine
Palatine’s boys cross country team may yet have a few concerns, but the past two weeks the Pirates have looked pretty flawless. Palatine continued to impress on Wednesday in winning a pair of Mid-Suburban West duals on the Macnider Cross Country Course at Hoover Park in Schaumburg. Palatine defeated host Schaumburg 21-36, and also beat Hoffman Estates 15-48. Those wins clinched the MSL West division title for the Pirates. Schaumburg defeated Hoffman 17-43. Palatine won its 10th MSL West title with its 60th and 61st consecutive dual meet victories. “Our goal all year has been to execute what we do in the race,” said Palatine coach Chris Quick. “And run our best race. That’s the only thing we can control. It was perfect tonight.”Senior Peter Tomkiewicz (16:16) and senior Anthony Gregorio (16:16) set the pace for the Pirates on a muddy course, taking first and second.Senior Marcus Garcia (16:44), senior Tim Meincke (16:47) and senior Tim Johnson (16:54) added to the Pirates’ victory by taking fifth, sixth and seventh place. “It’s always something in the back of our mind,” said Gregorio of the Pirates’ impressive streaks. “We wanted to keep it going.” “It was all about executing today,” said Tomkiewicz, who combined with Gregorio to push the early pace. “And that’s what we did.” Meincke rebounded from a subpar performance at the Palatine Invite to put a charge into Palatine’s attack. “When we get him at his best we’ll be tough to beat,” said Quick of Meincke’s performance. Palatine has come up big the past two weekends in winning the Peoria Notre Dame Invite and the Palatine Invite. Now the Pirates can start to focus on what they hope to be a very rewarding postseason. “It’s cool to have success in the regular season,” said Gregorio. “We got to know what we do best. Now it’s putting in the work the next few weeks to get ready for the postseason.” Senior Tyler Anderson (16:31) and junior Evan Prizy (16:35) took third and fourth to lead Schaumburg.“We just wanted to get out there and push from the beginning,” said Anderson, who along with Prizy helped Palatine’s front duo. “We’re excited for the postseason, and we definitely think we can do well.” Junior Juan Barajas (16:57) and senior Pat Sweich (17:11) added eighth and 11th place, with senior Brian Flight (17:27) taking 13th place for Schaumburg. Sophomore Billy Thomas (17:03) took ninth place for Hoffman Estates.
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Bledsoe, Shields, Cowher among candidates
CANTON, Ohio — Retired coaches Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells and Marty Schottenheimer are among the modern-era candidates for the 2012 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Cowher is eligible for the first time, as are players Keyshawn Johnson, Tiki Barber, Drew Bledsoe, Stephen Davis, Rod Smith, Will Shields, Troy Vincent and Mike Vanderjagt.Parcells and Schottenheimer previously were eligible under different requirements.In 2008, the Hall of Fame made it mandatory for coaches, like players, to be retired five consecutive seasons. Before that, coaches were eligible immediately upon retirement, allowing Parcells to be a nominee in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and Schottenheimer in 2000. This is their first year of eligibility under the new provision.Altogether, 103 men are eligible; voting will take place in February the day before the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. From the original list of nominees, the selection committee will choose 25 semifinalists in November. That group of semifinalists will be further reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists and announced in early January.The final list of candidates also will include two senior nominees: former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jack Butler and former Detroit Lions guard Dick Stanfel.Between four and seven enshrinees will be announced on Feb. 4, and will be inducted in August.
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Palatine meets Hoffman Estates’ challenge
Palatine’s girls cross country team got a severe test from Hoffman Estates on Thursday at its Mid-Suburban League West triangular. And the Pirates passed that test. Barely. Palatine edged Hoffman Estates 28-29 and also defeated Schaumburg 20-37 in taking the MSL West division title on Macnider Cross Country Course at Hoover Park.
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Boys soccer/Fox Valley roundup
Hampshire's offense exploded Wednesday in a 13-0 boys soccer win over Crystal Lake Central.
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Triton tops Harper in OT again
Triton College beat Harper College in overtime for the second time this year in men's soccer.
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Harper steers toward Cardinal Classic
Harper's men's cross country team had technical difficulties on the way to Minnesota last weekend but is hoping for an uneventful trip to North Central College in Naperville this weekend.
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Bad break for Ziolkowski, Wauconda
Wauconda’s tough-luck football season got a little tougher — and painful — last Friday night. Senior wide receiver Jake Ziolkowski suffered a broken wrist in the second half of the Bulldogs’ 28-12 loss to Antioch and will be lost for the rest of the season. Ziolkowski had caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Branden Rowe in the second quarter. “He is out until baseball season,” Wauconda coach Dave Mills said. “The broken wrist will take eight weeks to heal. We now just need to get the kid on a college team so he can keep playing.”
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Girls volleyball / Lake County roundup
Round Lake’s girls volleyball team picked up a win Wednesday night, defeating Lake Forest Academy 25-22, 25-19.Dominique Gonzales slammed 5 kills for the Panther, and Izzy Rodriguez added four, while also serving 9 of 9 and totaling 16 digs. Sara Plasencia served 2 aces and also had 22 digs.Palatine d. Lake Zurich: Amanda Orchard pounded 9 kills in the Bears’ 25-22, 18-25, 26-24 nonconference loss.Lake Zurich (14-6) also received 4 kills from Amelia Leng, 3 aces and 2 kills from Natalie Gora and 24 assists from Kristen Walding (86 of 86).Ali Summers of the Bears was 17-of-17 serving with an ace, and Shannon McPeek was 14 of 14 with an ace. Layne Self contributed 3 kills.
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Grayslake Central wins third straight
Boys soccerGrayslake Central 2, Wauconda 0: Eder Lopez and Ryan Fontana scored in the first half for the Rams, who won their third in a row.Asa Goldsmith and Caleb Munk had assists, while Steven Anderson made 3 saves in earning the shutout.Wauconda fell to 3-11-1.
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Boys golf/Scouting the ESCC tournament
Red-hot St. Viator looks to win its seventh East Suburban Catholic title in the last 11 years in the conference tournament Thursday in Plainfield.
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Girls golf/Scouting the ESCC tournament
A preview of the East Suburban Catholic Conference girls golf tournament
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Cooney, Prospect wrap up MSL Cup appearance
Bill Cooney can’t stop scoring, Prospect’s boys soccer team can’t stop winning — and now the Knights can count on an appearance in the MSL Cup next month. On Wednesday afternoon the Knights (13-0-2, 7-0-1) beat visiting Conant 2-0 on a soggy pitch in Mt. Prospect to advance into the championship match for the third time in program history.
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Naperville North tunes up with DVC triumph
Naperville North, third in state last fall, has been a machine in the league the past three years. Naperville North entered the DuPage Valley Conference boys golf tournament with 27 consecutive dual-meet wins and had to completely implode not to win its third consecutive crown. Wheaton Warrenville South and Naperville Central made a game of it Wednesdday at Bartlett Hills, and a mere two shots separated the three traditional powers. In the end, though, Naperville North, behind three players in the 70s, won the title with a 310 total; Ohio State-bound WW South senior Tee-K Kelly was the meet medalist with a 72 to anchor the Tigers' 312 total, which was one better than the Redhawks' four counting scores.
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Ippolito extends Neuqua Valley’s DE tradition at NIU
Neuqua Valley senior defensive end Michael Ippolito delivered his verbal commitment to Northern Illinois University on Sept. 22. He follows past Neuqua football stars Alan Smith and Anthony Antonacci, another defensive end, to the Huskies. “I think it’s a great decision for Mike,” said Neuqua Valley coach Bryan Wells. “He’s certainly deserving of it. Surely he’s glad to have the recruiting process over. Northern seems to be really excited about him.”
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Read ‘Game On’ — and avoid game over
The book "Game On" by Tom Farrey is worth any parent's time and provides important insights into why athletes leave sports in droves starting in their early teens.
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Dundee-Crown’s Sanchez beats the odds
If you were to attend a Dundee-Crown High School girls swimming event, you’d never know that freshman Samantha Sanchez has spent the last three years battling leukemia. But Sanchez has battled leukemia into remission and is competing in the pool this season for the Chargers.
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Huskers’ secondary bulks up for No. 7 Badgers
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini believes bigger is better in the secondary against seventh-ranked Wisconsin.The No. 8 Cornhuskers made changes at three of the four positions last week, hoping it will help shut down the Badgers’ receivers Saturday night.They include 6-foot-3, 220-pound star Nick Toon, who matched his career high with seven catches for a career-best 155 yards and two touchdowns against South Dakota last week. Jared Abbrederis, at 6-foot-2 and 180, has 15 catches for 233 yards and 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end Jacob Pedersen has 11 for 175 yards.“These coaches aren’t scared to switch it up,” Huskers free safety Austin Cassidy said. “If something’s not working, or something’s not working as well as they want it to, they’re going to be willing to switch it up at any time.”And they did.Corey Cooper is the Huskers’ new right cornerback, a position he has never played. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, he is an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier than the guy he replaced, Andrew Green.At left cornerback, 5-foot-10, 205-pound Alfonzo Dennard, who missed the first three games because of injury, replaced 5-foot-11, 185-pound Ciante Evans in a move that was expected.Daimion Stafford, at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, started last week’s game at nickel back for the first time. His spot at strong safety was filled by the 6-foot-2, 210-pound P.J. Smith.The Huskers were 80th in pass efficiency defense after the first three games, giving up 233 yards a game and six touchdown passes. Green was beaten repeatedly, and Evans played extremely soft coverage.Pelini wants his defensive backs to challenge receivers.“You put Dennard and Coop and Daimion out there together, that’s a pretty physical defensive backfield,” he said. “That’s what we lack at times is aggression — getting on bodies and getting hands on people.”Cooper, a redshirt freshman, appeared on special teams and as a backup safety in the first three games. His coaches like his size and speed, thought he could be a sound cover man, and moved him to cornerback on Sept. 19.His initiation in the 38-14 win at Wyoming didn’t go smoothly. He had trouble handling the 7,220-foot elevation and got sick to his stomach in the first quarter. He gave up a 48-yard touchdown to Mazi Ogbonna, who beat him on a slant in the second quarter.“I just wanted to play a perfect game,” Cooper said. “I know it’s not possible. I just wanted to make the coaches right by putting me out there.”Stafford made three tackles and broke up two passes against the Cowboys.Pelini said Cooper and Stafford adjusted well, for the most part.“When the mistakes happened in the game and they were corrected on the sideline, the next time that route combination or run came up, they had made the correction, and that’s good to see,” Pelini said. “We wouldn’t have tried to make those moves and gone so fast with it if those guys didn’t have good instincts.”Dennard, the most experienced player in the secondary, played three quarters against Wyoming and made four tackles.“He came off the field healthy, and I think he is really confident,” coach Bo Pelini said. “It was his first time out there and I thought technique-wise he needs to get cleaned up and get back into who he is.”Wisconsin’s balanced offense presents a huge challenge.Montee Ball and James White are averaging 90 and 76 yards a game, respectively, after each went over 900 yards last season. Russell Wilson is second nationally in pass efficiency and is an explosive runner.“Any time you have a great running game, if you have a quarterback who is as good as he is, they force you to defend the run and put a lot of pressure on your defensive backs,” Carl Pelini said. “You need them in run support but at the same time they have to be disciplined in their keys and cover their guys.”
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Kill returns to Minnesota practice
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota coach Jerry Kill has returned to practice, three days after checking into the Mayo Clinic to seek treatment for his seizures. Kill says he plans to be on the sideline Saturday when the Golden Gophers play at No. 19 Michigan. Kill had a seizure at the end of a loss to New Mexico State on Sept. 10. Kill returned to coach the next two games, a win over Miami (Ohio) and a loss to North Dakota State. He says that he has suffered multiple seizures in the last few weeks, including one on Sunday that put him back in the hospital. But he insists that the condition is not life-threatening and that he will continue to coach while dealing with it.
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Blue Jays rally in 9th, beat spinning White Sox
Some White Sox players cleaned out their belongings and scurried out the clubhouse door, hoping to catch flights home. Others took care of business around their lockers and traded goodbyes and handshakes. Whatever last-minute chores remained Wednesday, Chicago's disappointing season — one that seemed to spin out of control at the end — was finally over.
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Ozzie era begins for Marlins
Fresh off a divorce from the White Sox, Ozzie Guillen has been reunited with the Florida Marlins and owner Jeffrey Loria.
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New Payton biography riles his biggest fans
A new biography about the late Walter Payton describes the Chicago Bears legend’s addiction to pain killers as well as his infidelities and bouts of depression after his NFL career ended, and many of his fans are coming to his defense.
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NBA lockout heads to key stretch this weekend
NEW YORK — NBA owners and players will meet Friday and perhaps through the weekend, with Commissioner David Stern warning there are “enormous consequences at play” as the sides try to preserve an on-time start to the season.Talks ended after two days Wednesday so negotiators could return home before summoning their respective bargaining committees to New York for the most important stretch of the lockout. They are prepared to meet through the weekend if progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement is being made.“I think it points more toward the calendar than actually being able to measure progress,” said players’ association president Derek Fisher of the Lakers. “It points to the realities that we face with our calendar and that if we can’t find a way to get some common ground really, really soon, then the time of starting the regular season at its scheduled date is going to be in jeopardy big-time.”With the Nov. 1 season opener a little more than a month away, Stern said there would be “a lot of risk” to not having an agreement by the end of this week. But both sides said there hasn’t been enough progress to put them on the verge of a deal.Training camps have already been postponed and 43 games scheduled for the first week of the preseason have been canceled. The league has said it will make decisions about the remainder of exhibition play as warranted, but the real games are what’s at stake this weekend.And maybe not just the ones at the start of the season.“All I’d say to that is that there are enormous consequences at play here on the basis of the weekend,” Stern said. “Either we’ll make very good progress, and we know what that would mean — we know how good that would be, without putting dates to it — or we won’t make any progress and then it won’t be a question of just starting the season on time, there will be a lot at risk because of the absence of progress.”Fisher said the players’ executive committee could be joined by other star players who would be invited if their schedules allowed. The owners’ labor relations committee consists of 11 members, but Fisher said there could be about 15 owners present.“I can’t say that common ground is evident, but our desire to try to get there I think is there,” Fisher said. “We still have a great deal of issues to work through, so there won’t be any magic that will happen this weekend to just make those things go away, but we have to put the time in.”
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Eagles QB Vick partakes in walkthrough
PHILADELPHIA — A badly bruised hand isn’t going to keep Michael Vick off the field.Vick practiced Wednesday and said there’s a “100 percent” chance he starts when the Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) host San Francisco (2-1) on Sunday.The star quarterback was initially diagnosed with a broken, non-throwing hand after getting hurt in a 29-16 loss to the New York Giants three days ago. But tests on Monday revealed he had a contusion on his right hand.“Even if it was broke, I think I would have probably padded it up and went back out there,” Vick said after a morning walk-through. “You got to take precaution, but this is what I love to do.”Vick hasn’t finished two of Philadelphia’s three games — both losses. He suffered a concussion in a 35-31 loss at Atlanta on Sept. 18.“I just want to be there for my teammates and hold myself accountable for my responsibilities and what I have to do as a quarterback,” he said. “So regardless of what I have to go through, I just want to be there.”Though still early, Vick and the Eagles find themselves in last place in the NFC East, as the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys are all 2-1.
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Peyton Manning takes on new role in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Manning has gone from being Indy’s most valuable player to the team’s most valuable adviser.The quarterback who continually made all those improbable comebacks again finds himself trying to bail out the Colts, this time from the sideline.It’s an unusual place for the guy who has been a fixture behind center.“He’s a resource for us, and he’s a guy that’s been around this system for a long time,” coach Jim Caldwell said Monday. “It’s what I identify as, ‘intellectual property,’ and I don’t think that you’re very smart if you don’t use it.”Yes, Manning is still adapting to his new place in the Colts hierarchy.After opening his NFL career with 227 consecutive starts including the playoffs, Manning has now missed three straight games since having neck surgery to repair a damaged nerve. The Sept. 8 surgery was the third on his neck in 19 months, and nobody knows when he’ll return to action.Doctors say it will take at least two months for Manning’s spinal fusion to heal properly and even longer to get back into playing shape — a timetable that could keep him out for the rest of the season, especially if the Colts (0-3) keep losing.But that doesn’t mean Manning has been out of sight or out of mind at the team complex.Last week, Manning briskly walked laps around the Colts’ practice fields. He’s been involved in team meetings and Sunday night, he showed up in the coaches’ booth. He could be there again Monday night, if the doctors allow him to travel.Team officials want Manning involved.“He will do what he does all the time. He will attend the quarterback meetings, take his own notes, make his own suggestions,” Colts vice chairman Bill Polian said on his weekly radio show Monday night. “The only difference is that the quarterback in the game will have a very loud voice in the background.”It’s been a calming presence for Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter.Collins, a 17-year veteran, is still trying to get acclimated to the Colts’ offense, the no-huddle calls and his new receivers. Painter is in his third season as a backup to Manning but has thrown only 39 passes in the regular season and could make his first NFL start at Tampa Bay if Collins can’t go. Collins has been dealing with a sore throwing shoulder and a possible concussion.On Tuesday, Indy re-signed veteran Dan Orlovsky, but he has yet to play in a regular season game with the Colts.Manning will now advise all three.“Prior to that (touchdown drive) it was just communication,” Painter said of Manning’s influence during Sunday night’s loss to Pittsburgh. “After that drive, (we talked) a little bit. I wasn’t in there too long so I didn’t talk to him a ton. There was constant communication throughout the whole game.”All of the quarterbacks appreciate the help, though they and everyone else realizes it still comes down to execution.“Peyton, he’s not here, he’s not playing and guys have to play with who’s on the field,” said center Jeff Saturday, one of Manning’s closest friends.But league rules are part of the reason Manning was occasionally muzzled Sunday.Coaches upstairs, Polian said, are prohibited from speaking directly to the quarterback through the helmet radio, though they can speak with the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks on the sideline.Otherwise, Manning can provide all the advice he, the coaches or his teammates are willing to accept.“Those are the rules and they would apply to Peyton on game day,” Polian said. “But as long as he’s under contract he can play any role that he wishes.”The Colts intend to keep Manning on the active roster as long as possible.While it’s likely Manning won’t throw a pass this season, the Colts are hoping he’ll return to practice in December. That would give them a chance to see if Manning has regained full strength in his throwing arm.But until then, Peyton’s place will be playing the role of special adviser.
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Detroit’s dynamic duo: QB Stafford, WR Johnson
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson says he and quarterback Matthew Stafford have subtle ways of communicating without words and he’s not going to share how it works.Even if he did, teams would still have trouble against Detroit’s dynamic duo.The Lions are 3-0 for the first time since 1980 in part because Johnson and Stafford have been sensational.Johnson is the first NFL player to catch two touchdown passes in each of the first three games of a season. Stafford has thrown for three other scores headed into Sunday’s game at Dallas.Stafford has played just 16 games since being taken No. 1 overall in 2009. Johnson has also been nagged by injuries since Matt Millen drafted him No. 2 overall in 2007. They are both rolling now.
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Williams’ production, pay raise not adding up
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers’ running back DeAngelo Williams hasn’t put up the numbers befitting a player making $8.6 million a year.Carolina gave Williams a huge five-year contract worth $43 million, including $21 million guaranteed, in July figuring he could spearhead the team’s running game. But through three games that hasn’t happened, not even close.Williams has just 61 yards on 27 carries and is third on the team in rushing behind rookie quarterback Cam Newton and backup running back Jonathan Stewart. He’s not even sniffed the end zone.Williams has started all three games this season for Carolina and Coach Ron Rivera says Williams start against Chicago on Sunday. Rivera says when Williams has run the ball the holes simply haven’t been there.
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Gailey instilling confidence to resurgent Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — One of Chan Gailey’s first acts after taking over as the Buffalo Bills coach was to take down the TV sets in the weight room in a bid to inspire a business-first focus.His second task was far less cosmetic and much more daunting in attempting to turnaround what had been a losing culture in Buffalo. Nineteen games into Gailey’s tenure, the Bills are showing signs of responding. Veteran linebacker Chris Kelsay is among numerous players crediting the coach for the sudden transformation in seeing how the Bills have gone from hoping to win, to expecting to win.Kelsay says the team’s confidence has “blossomed” in getting off to a 3-0 start. Gailey says the players deserve the credit. Buffalo plays at Cincinnati (1-2) on Sunday.
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Walker resigns as White Sox hitting coach
Greg Walker had to do a lot of soul searching last winter before finally deciding to return for his ninth full season as White Sox hitting coach. Before the Sox closed the 2011 season Wednesday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays, Walker resigned his position.
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Williams plans on moving fast: Is Alomar his guy?
General manager Kenny Williams is moving quickly on replacing Ozzie Guillen as manager, and Sandy Alomar Jr. has emerged as the leading candidate.
Business
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LG unveils new Buffalo Grove center
LG Electronics USA, which has its Midwest headquarters in Lincolnshire, opened its research-and-development center in Buffalo Grove today, paving the way for more high-tech appliances for your home. The $6.5 million, 30,770-square-foot facility will house about 40 workers — with room for growth over the next 18 months.
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Cuba legalizes general purchase and sale of cars
HAVANA — Cuba legalized the sale and purchase of automobiles for all citizens on Wednesday, another major step in the communist run island’s economic transformation and one that the public has been clamoring for during decades.The government announced the move in April, but sales have been on hold until the measure was published into law in the Official Gazette.Under the law, which takes effect Oct. 1, buyers and sellers must each pay a 4 percent tax, and buyers must make a sworn declaration that the money used for the purchase was obtained legally.Unrestricted sales had previously been limited to cars built before the 1959 revolution, one of the reasons Cuba’s streets are about the only place on the planet one routinely finds a multitude of finned American classics from the 1950s such as Chevrolets Bel Airs and Chrysler Imperials, all in various states of disrepair.Doctors, athletes, artists and others sent abroad on official business were allowed to bring cars back or purchase a boxy, Russian-made Lada or Moscovich from the state. Some senior workers were given company cars, though gas usage is strictly monitored to make sure they are only driven for work reasons.The new law will allow the sale of cars from all models and years, and it legalizes ownership of more than one car, although tax rates go up slightly.“It is a very positive step,” said Rolando Perez, a Havana resident who was standing in line to get a license to go into business for himself. “They should have done it a long time ago.”The purchase of new cars will be easier than in the past, but still extremely limited. Buyers will have to go to a small number of state-owned dealerships and demonstrate they made the money to buy the car through salary earned in an approved field, as opposed to from remittances sent from relatives abroad.That would seem to limit such purchases to the same doctors, athletes and others who had been eligible to import cars following official travel abroad.The 40-page Gazette also says that Cubans who leave the island for good can transfer ownership of their car to a relative or sell it outright. Previously, the state could seize the automobiles of those who emigrated.While most car sales have been illegal without government permission since the early 1960s, used automobiles have been widely traded in a booming black market for years. Buyers would hand over large amounts of cash under what amounted to handshake agreements, with title not changing hands.Many cars are generations removed from the original titleholder, meaning ownership will have to be untangled once the new regulations take effect.Because they could be legally traded among Cubans, old cars can fetch prices many times what their value would be off the island, often thousands more than modern cars. Several people involved in such trades told The Associated Press they did not expect prices to be greatly affected by the new law until the government starts to import new cars for wider distribution, and it was not clear when or if that will happen since few Cubans will be able to qualify.Most islanders make just $20 a month, although doctors and others serving abroad can make much more. Most of it is saved for them in state-managed bank accounts they get access to once they complete their missions. A small number of successful new business owners may also be able to parlay their profits into a new set of wheels, though it was not clear whether they would qualify to purchase new cars.Cuban President Raul Castro has instituted a series of free-market reforms designed to rescue the island from economic ruin. Cuba has legalized some private enterprise, and allowed citizens to rent out rooms and hire employees.The government has also announced it plans to legalize the sale and purchase of real estate by the end of 2011.
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First Boeing 787 lands in Japan
The first Boeing 787 landed Wednesday in Tokyo where launch customer All Nippon Airways will prepare the long-delayed aircraft for its inaugural commercial flight. The plane took off from Everett, Wash., Tuesday morning to cheering workers after a three-year delay in bringing the new wide-body jetliner to market.
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Record coffee crop drives prices down
Farmers from Vietnam to Brazil will supply a record robusta crop in the marketing year that begins next month, extending a slump in coffee futures that spurred Kraft Foods Inc. and J.M. Smucker Co. to cut prices.
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Hrinak Named to Lead Boeing in Brazi
The Boeing Company named Donna Hrinak as president of Boeing Brazil, effective October 14. Hrinak’s appointment further expands Boeing’s presence in Brazil and strengthens the company’s engagement with customers, industry and government stakeholders.
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Charter Fitness to hire 200 employees over next 12 months
Charter Fitness plans to fill 200 new positions over the next 12 months. The jobs are created as a result of 38 Cardinal Fitness locations in Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana and downstate Illinois converting to Charter Fitness.
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VASCO partners with Option to develop Cloudkey
VASCO Data Security International has partnered with Belgium-based Option to codevelop and market Cloudkey, a mobile security solution that provides simple and secure access to cloud applications and data.
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Cantaloupe outbreak is deadliest in a decade
Health officials say as many as 16 people have died from possible listeria illnesses traced to Colorado cantaloupes, the deadliest food outbreak in more than a decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that 72 illnesses, including 13 deaths, are linked to the tainted fruit. State and local officials say they are investigating three additional deaths that may be connected. The death toll released by the CDC Tuesday — including newly confirmed deaths in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas — surpassed the number of deaths linked to an outbreak of salmonella in peanuts almost three years ago. Nine people died in that outbreak. The CDC said Tuesday that they have confirmed two deaths in Texas and one death each in in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Last week the CDC reported two deaths in Colorado, four deaths in New Mexico, one in Oklahoma and one in Maryland. New Mexico officials said Tuesday they are investigating a fifth death, while health authorities in Kansas and Wyoming said they too are investigating additional deaths possibly linked to the tainted fruit. Listeria is more deadly than well-known pathogens like salmonella and E. coli, though those outbreaks generally cause many more illnesses. Twenty-one people died in an outbreak of listeria poisoning in 1998 traced to contaminated hot dogs and possibly deli meats made by Bil Mar Foods, a subsidiary of Sara Lee Corp. Another large listeria outbreak in 1985 killed 52 people and was linked to Mexican-style soft cheese.Listeria generally only sickens the elderly, pregnant women and others with compromised immune systems. The CDC said the median age of those sickened is 78 and that one in five who contract the disease can die.Dr. Robert Tauxe of the CDC says the number of illnesses and deaths will probably grow in coming weeks because the symptoms of listeria don’t always show up right away. It can take four weeks or more for a person to fall ill after eating food contaminated with listeria.“That long incubation period is a real problem,” Tauxe said. “People who ate a contaminated food two weeks ago or even a week ago could still be falling sick weeks later.”CDC reported the 72 illnesses and deaths in 18 states. Cases of listeria were reported in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The most illnesses were reported in Colorado, which has seen 15 sickened. Fourteen illnesses were reported in Texas, 10 in New Mexico and eight in Oklahoma. The outbreak has been traced to Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., which recalled the tainted cantaloupes earlier this month. The Food and Drug Administration said state health officials had found listeria in cantaloupes taken from grocery stores in the state and from a victim’s home that were grown at Jensen Farms. Matching strains of the disease were found on equipment and cantaloupe samples at Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colo. FDA, which investigates the cause of foodborne outbreaks, has not released any additional details on how the contamination may have happened. The agency says its investigation is ongoing. The Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes from Jensen Farms were shipped from July 29 through Sept. 10 to Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.The recalled cantaloupe may be labeled “Colorado Grown,” `’Distributed by Frontera Produce,” `’Jensenfarms.com” or “Sweet Rocky Fords.” Not all of the recalled cantaloupes are labeled with a sticker, the FDA said.
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Finnish lawmakers OK boosting euro bailout fund
HELSINKI — The Finnish Parliament has approved expanding the eurozone’s bailout fund’s powers and increasing Finland’s share to (euro) 14 billion ($19 billion).Lawmakers voted 103-66 in favor of the government motion with 31 absent or abstaining.Tuesday’s approval was expected as the six-party government has a majority in the 200-member Parliament, with 126 seats.Finland is part of the 17-nation eurozone and its approval is required on bailouts and other help for cash-strapped eurozone members. Under the new law, the bailout fund will be able to buy government bonds and lend money to a country before it is in a full-blown crisis.
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Stock futures rise ahead of durable goods report
NEW YORK — Stock futures are rising, signaling another day of gains on Wall Street. Investors will assess fresh U.S. economic data and closely watch developments in Europe. The government is expected to report Wednesday that factory orders for long-lasting manufactured goods fell in August after rising in July. Manufacturing has been one of the strongest parts of the economy since the recession ended. Investors also remain focused on Europe. Stocks have soared this week on hopes that the region is moving closer to resolving its debt crisis.About 90 minutes before the opening, Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 64 points, or 0.6 percent, at 11,184. Standard & Poor’s 500 futures are up 7, or 0.6 percent, at 1,176. Nasdaq 100 futures are up 11, or 0.5 percent, at 2,265.
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Judge allows only part of suit against Mets owners
NEW YORK — A federal judge tossed out most of the claims brought against the owners of the New York Mets by a trustee recovering money for victims of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, saying the owners could be liable for up to nearly $300 million if they were “willfully blind” to the fraud.U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff’s decision Tuesday cleared away some of the legal clouds that had been hanging over the team since court-appointed trustee Irving Picard brought a lawsuit seeking $1 billion from Mets owner Fred Wilpon and his associates.Lawyers for the Mets’ owners repeatedly have denied Picard’s claim that they and their partners should have known roughly $300 million they collected from Madoff represented phony profits. The trustee had sought a $700 million penalty as well.Rakoff dismissed nine of 11 counts, limiting Picard’s claims to those alleging actual fraud. He said Picard can seek to recover up to $295 million in profits that were paid out to the Mets’ owners during the multi-decade fraud by proving they were “willfully blind” to the fraud.Otherwise, the judge said, Picard’s claim would be limited to $83.3 million, the fictitious profits accumulated by the Mets’ owners in the two years before the fraud was revealed.A March 5 trial date has been set to decide the case, and Rakoff asked the sides to appear in his court Wednesday.Rakoff was skeptical Picard could prove the Mets’ owners met the standard for the larger amount.“But why would defendants willfully blind themselves to the fact that they had invested in a fraudulent enterprise?” he wrote in an 18-page decision. He said Picard claimed “it was because they felt they could realize substantial short-term profits while protecting themselves against the long-term risk.”He said Picard “while less than overwhelming in this regard, pleads sufficient allegations to survive a motion to dismiss so far as this claim of willful blindness is concerned.”Madoff revealed his fraud to federal investigators in December 2008 and pleaded guilty to charges several months later that resulted in a 150-year prison sentence, which he is serving in Butner, N.C.In a statement, Picard spokeswoman Amanda Remus said Picard and his lawyers were reviewing the decision.“Prior to a thorough evaluation of the ruling, we have no comment,” she said.Lawyers for the Mets did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Picard has filed more than 1,000 lawsuits seeking to recover billions of dollars lost by investors in Madoff’s fraud. Picard has argued that investors such as the Mets’ owners owe large sums of money to other investors because they withdrew enough that they came out hundreds of millions of dollars ahead of their original investment.Lawyers for Mets executives have called Picard’s lawsuit “a fiction.” They insisted the defendants had no idea Madoff was not investing their money as he said he was.According to court papers, the Mets executives used Madoff accounts in much the same manner as they might have used traditional bank accounts, depositing excess cash for short-term investment before withdrawing it for use in operating their businesses. The lawyers said the Mets would deposit cash received from Mets season ticket sales during the offseason with Madoff to maximize returns until the funds were needed a few months later to meet expenses.The Mets’ finances have become a distraction for the team this year. The club’s cash-strapped owners announced in May that they had agreed to sell a minority share of the team to hedge fund manager David Einhorn for $200 million. But the deal fell through Sept. 1, and the Mets said they would seek to sell shares of up to $20 million to family members and other potential investors without risking the possibility of losing a controlling interest in the team.
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Congress dodges one crisis, now on to the next
WASHINGTON One crisis averted, on to the next. The day after Congress managed to avert a government shutdown — again — Republicans and Democrats stared ahead Tuesday at major fights over spending that underscore a deep divide that’s sure to define the fast-approaching national elections.Monday night, lawmakers had postponed their dispute over whether billions for disaster aid must be paid for with cuts elsewhere in the budget, finessing a pact to keep the government operating.But tea party-driven Republicans are still insisting on significant spending cuts this fall, with some arguing that a hard-fought congressional agreement this summer to fund the government at $1.043 trillion in 2012 was too generous. Democrats, many of whom complained of too many concessions and reductions in this year’s showdowns, are furiously trying to protect government programs. The next skirmish will be over how and where to spend the new year’s budget, with a Nov. 18 deadline for that legislation. But the next really big deal is the special 12-member bipartisan supercommittee and whether it can come up with a plan to slash $1.5 trillion over 10 years by Nov. 23 — the day before Thanksgiving. These fights will unfold against the backdrop of a feeble economy that President Barack Obama is desperate to jump-start as he pushes for a second term, and an exasperated electorate that looks at Washington and dislikes what it sees.“The heat will be on, the heat from the American people,” said former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson, who believes Americans struggling economically will be asking, “Why stretch us out like this?”Lawmakers also will be under pressure from political factions demanding that they stand firm for party beliefs.“You have to support getting control of excessive spending and debt,” said Sal Russo, a longtime Republican operative and founder of the Tea Party Express, a well-funded wing of the populist movement. “Are you helping to solve the problem or making it worse?”Shortly after Senate votes on Monday, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., thanked party leaders “for helping the Democratic Party find the backbone it needed to fight and win this debate.”The disaster aid dispute that threatened to partially shut down the government this weekend was resolved relatively quickly after a standoff between Democrats and Republicans. The fight, however, was an unpleasant reminder to most Americans of the last-minute maneuvering in April to avert a shutdown and the August showdown over raising the nation’s borrowing authority that left financial markets unnerved. This time, Democrats had spent weeks demanding additional disaster aid in response to hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters that had battered Americans from Vermont to Missouri. Republicans had said the additional aid had to be offset by cuts in energy-related programs that Democrats favored. The Federal Emergency Management Agency had warned that its accounts would be out of money early this week.A solution to keep the government operating seemed uncertain last week. Then word from the Obama administration that FEMA wasn’t in as dire financial straits as many feared proved to be the answer.On Saturday, the administration told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that FEMA could last until Thursday with the money it had. Specifically, an unknown contractor had come in under budget, freeing some $40 million, said Democratic and Republican congressional aides.On Sunday morning, Reid reached out to House Speaker John Boehner’s staff, informed them of the more promising financial outlook for FEMA and proposed two bare-bones emergency spending bills, one to keep the government operating for a week and another until Nov. 18. Boehner’s office contacted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell with the latest developments and proposal.
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Shutdown averted, but deep differences linger
It's the third time this year a government budget crisis has been averted just in the nick of time. And the public seems plain fed up with the nonstop partisanship that led to the nerve-racking close calls.
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EU division fears cap stock market gains
A two-day rally driven by hopes that Europe had a plan to contain Greece's debt crisis and shore up the continent's other struggling countries ended Wednesday amid reports of divisions among leaders.
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AP Enterprise: UK tabloid paid spies for scoops
No one suspected the secretary. Efficient, well-dressed and well-liked, Sue Harris was at the heart of the Sunday People, the smallest of Britain's weekly tabloids.
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Groupon newest deal to reward customer loyalty
Chicago-based Groupon has come up with another way for bargain hunters to save money as the online coupon distributor prepares to raise money from wary investors.
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Oil falls below $84 in Asia ahead of U.S. data
Oil prices fell below $84 a barrel Wednesday in Asia ahead of U.S. economic data this week that will provide clues about the future strength of demand for crude.
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GM workers expected to approve new union contract
Factory workers at General Motors are likely to approve a new four-year contract with the company.
Life & Entertainment
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Smoked Polish Sausage and Sweet Potato Egg Noodles — Halushki Style with Grilled Plum, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Salad
Red Wine Vinegar, Polish sausage, plums and sweet potatoes
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Music notes: Montrose Room hosts Bob Mould for two nights
Punk icon Bob Mould makes two stops in Rosemont Friday and Saturday to perform songs from throughout his career and to read from his newly published autobiography, "See a Little Light: The Trial of Rage and Melody." Mould is a great performer and speaker, so these promise to be special outings from one of the most important figures in rock in the last 30 years.
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Weekend picks: Enrique Iglesias' Euphoria Tour stops at Allstate
Move and groove when Latin singer Enrique Iglesias headlines the Euphoria Tour, which also features Pitbull and Prince Royce, on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Or, if you feel like enjoying the fall weather this weekend, head to the 19th Annual Long Grove Apple Festival or Naper Settlement's Oktoberfest. The options are endless!
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Creamy Cabbage Slaw
Creamy Cabbage Slaw
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Decoding poultry labels
Ever wonder what a chicken package label that reads “No Retained Water” means? Been befuddled by trying to figure out the difference between “No Antibiotics Added” and “Raised Without Antibiotics”? Confused by a poultry label that reads: “All Natural — Minimally Processed”? Labels like those confuse me too, so I decided to do some research at the food labeling source the: US Department of Agriculture.
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Hot dogs, Cracker Jack and Cabernet
Maybe there’s no crying in baseball, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good wine. As the World Series approaches, fans of the grape and the great American pastime have more choices than ever with a number of wines, including some high-end vintages, on tap to wash down those hot dogs and Cracker Jack.
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Network TV featuring fewer gay characters
The number of gay and bisexual characters on scripted broadcast network TV has dipped slightly this season to 19 out of nearly 650 roles, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
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Can’t find a mate? Problem may not just be your job
Security guard says when the topic of money comes up, women shun him because he doesn't make enough to provide for them. But Carolyn believes there's more to the story.
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Eden Sher is the girl in ‘The Middle'
“The Middle,” the ABC series that kicks off the network's Wednesday comedy block that includes the Emmy-winning “Modern Family,” portrays a modern family, too. And while hilarity ensues, The Hecks don't live in a mansion. This family is in a financial and physical mess. But one of the main sources of laughter comes from the bumbling, stumbling middle child, Sue, portrayed by 19-year-old Eden Sher.
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Airline: ‘L-Word' star removed for excessive kiss
A lesbian actress who starred in “The L-Word” says she kissed a girl and got escorted off of a Southwest Airlines flight for doing it. Leisha Hailey took to Twitter on Monday to call for a boycott of the carrier after a flight attendant told them other passengers had complained after witnessing the affection.
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Late Summer Evening Pizza
Late Summer Evening Pizza by Bob Conidi
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Cuban Tuna with Yellow Rice, Mustard-Butter Biscuits and Mango-Avocado Salad
1 jar (24 ounces) Old Havana Foods Sofrito4 teaspoons herbes de Provence 1 package (8 ounces) yellow rice2 cans (5 ounces each) light tuna with olive oil, drained 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons dried parsley ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Biscuits1 tube (8-count) refrigerated biscuits3 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Grated Romano cheese Salad1 shallot, finely chopped 1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into ¾-inch chunks 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into ¾-inch chunks 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) 1 tablespoon dry white wine or dry vermouth ⅛ teaspoon salt Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sofrito and herbes de Provence in a medium sauce pot. Warm on low heat. Make yellow rice according to package directions.In a medium bowl combine tuna with capers, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons dried parsley and panko and mix until well combined. Form mixture into small balls, about ¾-inch diameter.Heat olive oil in medium skillet and cook balls until lightly browned. Add to sauce. Stir gently. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper.Add Dijon mustard to melted butter and stir. Cut biscuits in half, brush butter/mustard mixture over biscuits and sprinkle grated cheese over them. Bake 15 minutes.Serve tuna and sauce over yellow rice with two biscuits on the plate.For the salad: Combine shallot, mango and avocado in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together sugar, parsley, lime juice, wine and salt; pour over mango mixture and serve alongside tuna and biscuits. Serves four.Judy Monaco, Glendale Heights
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Fish & Fruity Cuban Sofrito Gnocchi with Tuna Meatballs and Mango Sauce
Fish & Fruity Cuban Sofrito Gnocchi with Tuna Meatballs and Mango Sauce: Antonio De Pau
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Cook of the Week Challenge: cooks explain thinking behind recipes
Four cooks are vying for the last two spots in Round 2 of the Cook of the Week Challenge. Bob Conidi of Itasca and Penny Kazmier of South Barrington explain how they turned red wine vinegar, Polish sausage, sweet potato and plums into a meal. Likewise, Judy Monaco of Glendale Heights and Antonio De Pau of Palatine tell us how they came up with their recipes in the sofrito challenge
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Best bets: Writer's love lost in opera
The Lyric Opera of Chicago launches its 2011-12 season with Jacques Offenbach's “The Tales of Hoffmann,” all about a lovelorn writer who repeatedly strikes out with love. Also Yo-Yo Ma brings his cello to North Central College, while Enrique Iglesias brings a swoon to the Allstate Arena.
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No debating quality of Jim Lehrer’s book
Presidential debates are subject to as much Monday morning quarterbacking as, well, a big-time football game. Who better to provide a thoughtful and revealing examination of these uniquely American electoral exercises than Jim Lehrer, a man who has moderated 11 of them? He does exactly that in “Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, From Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain.”
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Burgers, local brews the draws at Hoffman Estates' Assembly
Open since 1978, The Assembly American Bar & Café in Hoffman Estates is a classic neighborhood hangout, serving up raved-about burgers. Even if you're not hungry, the menu of locally brewed beers should be a draw. The family that owned the now-shuttered Taylor Brewing Company in Lombard bought The Assembly in 1995, and it's the only place around to get their excellent beers.
Discuss
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The unfinished legacy of Ozzie Guillen
In assessing the legacy of Ozzie Guillen, a Daily Herald editorial wonders why he gave up on the statue.
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Lovable King Perry asserts his conservatism
Columnist Richard Cohen: A touch of sympathy swells within me when I see Rick Perry on some debate platform, squinting hard to explain to a conservative audience how, on occasion, he has let his feelings get the better of him.
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Something’s fishy about regulations in Arizona
Columnist George Will: Certificate of necessity laws began with early 20th-century progressives who, like their ideological descendants today, thought that resources should be allocated not by markets but by clever, disinterested experts — themselves.
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OCD in our midst, often unrecognized
In an average elementary school there are likely five children suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In a medium to large high school, there are typically 20 students battling OCD. In a workplace of 500, there would be about five employees who have OCD, most likely hiding their symptoms from their colleagues.
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What else is one to think?
In reference to “Don’t Blame Religion for Terrorism," Sept. 24, if a terrorist is a Muslim and he cries Allahu Akhbar before committing a terrorist act, what else is one to think?
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Teachers union or education problem?
On Sept. 14, I attended a community forum that the Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89 held on its finances. The presentation the district made at this forum, of course, showed that an operating tax increase was necessary. Most of the alternatives were described as “program cuts.”
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What about the CL South kicker?
Letter to the Editor: How could you write a column about high school football kickers and not mention Brad Walovitch of Crystal Lake South? Kicking a 51-yarder with six seconds left in a tie game to win it deserves at least a mention in the column.
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Lauzen might make sense of tax snafu
Letter to the Editor:The assessment process in Rutland Township in Kane County continues to be a joke. The reason is the wrong people in the wrong position, starting with Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, who appointed Mark Armstrong supervisor of assessments, to Treasurer David Rickert and last, Janet Siers, the Rutland Township assessor.
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Hopsital argument holds no water
Letter to the Editor: We have to live with the grievous mistake of approving the transfer of Sherman Hospital to the west edge of Elgin and the overcapacity this causes. This translates to higher costs for all of us. Adding another hospital a short distance away in Huntley would compound this error.
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Stop the pettiness in Congress
Have our representatives and senators become so self-focused that they have lost sight of the bigger picture — the welfare of our country as a whole? We are not Democratic states and Republican states; we are supposed to be the United States of America. I think it’s way past time our Congress started acting like it.
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Fairness needed in tax codes
Let’s eliminate all the complication and unfairness, and replace with a corporate pay a flat tax of 25 percent, which is probably more than they collectively pay now.
Sep 2011
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