Daily Archive : Tuesday July 31, 2012

News

  •  

    A look at Northwest suburban National Night Out events
    National Night Out events are planned mainly for Tuesday, Aug. 7, throughout the Northwest suburbs. Here's a look at what's happening in participating towns, including some events occurring on other days.

  •  

    Lawsuit: Dog invaded West Dundee home, attacked woman, cat
    By Harry Hitzeman
    A West Dundee woman has sued her neighbors, saying their dog ran into her home last summer, attacked her cat and bit her on the arms and legs. Judy Horton seeks damages of more than $50,000 from Victoria and Terry Schuler for the July 1 attack, which Horton's attorney says hospitalized her for four days and injured her cat.

  •  
    Daisy, a 3-year-old bichon frise-poodle mix, was killed by a pit bull on Sunday in Villa Park.

    Pit bull kills small dog in Villa Park, owner cited
    By Robert Sanchez
    A Villa Park man has been ticketed after his pit bull attacked and killed a 10-pound bichon frise-poodle mix. He has apologized and offered to buy a new dog, but the owner says, "If he wants to do something for me, he should get rid of his dog, because now I'm afraid for the kids in our neighborhood."

  •  
    Arlington Heights Memorial Library held a five-hour boot camp in which four filmmakers gave teens advice on directing, storyboarding, sound effects and camera work so they could make films for the Teen Film Fest being held this Sunday at the Metropolis.

    Film fest just one way Arlington Hts. library targets teens
    By David Conway
    A film festival of original movies shown at a theater for the arts seems like a natural fit. That same film festival being put on by a public library might be a bit of a curveball. It’s the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, though, that will be presenting its sixth annual Teen Film Fest on Sunday, Aug. 5. This year, for the first time, the library is not hosting the event, holding it...

  •  

    Dog saved from Elk Grove Village house fire
    By Paul Biasco
    A family dog was rescued from an Elk Grove Village home during a Tuesday afternoon fire, officials said. No one was injured during the fire in the 800 block of E. Higgins Road, but the home was left uninhabitable.

  •  

    Gas company wants to raise rates
    Associated Press
    Residents of Chicago and the North suburbs may see higher gas bills. The parent company of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas filed for rate hikes Tuesday. The plan by Chicago-based Integrys could mean an extra $4 a month to the average residential North Shore bill and $6.50 a month for Peoples Gas customers.

  •  

    Timeline in Drew Peterson case
    Associated Press
    A brief synopsis of what has happened in the Drew Peterson case.

  •  
    Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow told jurors that Peterson, 58, killed his third wife, Kathleen Savio, 40, in 2004 and made it look like an accident.

    Attorneys offer dueling explanations for Savio's death
    Associated Press
    The murder trial of former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson began Tuesday with dueling explanations of his third wife's death, clashes over evidence and a teary witness describing how she screamed when she discovered her friend's body.

  •  

    Pingree Grove boy critically injured in 'car surfing' accident
    By Elena Ferrarin
    A 13-year-old boy from Pingree Grove was in critical condition after his older brother ran him over by mistake Monday night in a "car surfing" accident, authorities said. The 16-year-old boy drove a household member's car while his younger brother lay on top of the hood, officials said. The driver braked sharply, which caused his younger brother to slide off the hood and hit his head on the...

  •  
    Jonathan Perea, 4, of Elgin waits behind a tape line to share his dream playground plans with everyone at Huff Elementary School in Elgin on Tuesday. Discover Financial Services, United Way of Elgin, the City of Elgin and KaBoom! hosted a design day for kids to express what they would like most in a playground which will replace an old wooden one at Wright Avenue Park.

    Kids get say in new park for Elgin’s southeast side
    By Tara García Mathewson
    Miriam Machuca, 12, brainstormed ideas for the perfect playground Tuesday during a design day for a planned project at Wright Avenue park. She squeezed a tire swing, a tall slide, a seesaw, benches, monkey bars, a maze, a soccer field and a basketball court onto her sheet of paper. By the end of September, at least some of her ideas will be a reality, transforming the park across the street from...

  •  

    Elgin man killed by train returning from fishing trip
    By Tara García Mathewson
    The Elgin resident struck and killed by a train Monday night was apparently returning from a fishing trip, according to Metra officials. Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said Jose Medrano, 45, was following a second man across the tracks near Kimball Street in Elgin. The second man told police he saw the train approaching and told Medrano to hurry. By that point it was too late. Medrano was pronounced...

  •  
    Bonnie Kunkel

    Kunkel drops out of November Kane Co. Board race
    By James Fuller
    Later in the campaign season than perhaps Democrats would've liked, Kane County Board Member Bonnie Kunkel, of Aurora, has decided to not seek another term.

  •  

    Kane County Board won't back McConnaughay raises in lawsuit
    By James Fuller
    The last time Kane County Board members met to discuss the pending lawsuit regarding employee pay raises, Chairman Karen McConnaughay told them she was getting her own lawyer, and board members were on their own. On Tuesday, board members sent McConnaughay a right-back-atcha reply.

  •  

    Dist. 203, 204 offering choice for families at struggling schools
    By Justin Kmitch
    Two of Illinois' largest and best-performing school systems are joining many other districts across the state this fall in offering families the choice to leave schools struggling to meet federal standards. Naperville Unit District 203 alerted families at Mill Street Elementary School earlier this week that they will be allowed to transfer to other district schools. Indian Prairie Unit District...

  •  
    This photo from Jan. 25, 2011, shows part of a cache of seized weapons displayed at a news conference in Phoenix that was part of a Phoenix-based gun-trafficking investigation called “Fast and Furious,” in which agents allowed hundreds of guns into the hands of straw purchasers in hopes of making a bigger case.

    Justice Dept. says Fast and Furious report is distorted
    Associated Press
    The Justice Department said Tuesday that Republican lawmakers are engaging in distortions by asserting that Operation Fast and Furious arose from a strategy created by the Obama administration.

  •  
    Ambrosio Medrano

    Former Chicago alderman pleads not guilty
    Associated Press
    A not guilty plea has been entered by a former Chicago alderman under federal indictment on corruption charges. A 10-count indictment accuses former Alderman Ambrosio Medrano of trying to accept kickbacks in schemes that included selling bandages to public hospitals.

  •  
    Dennis DeYoung performs during the Elk Grove Mid Summer Classics concert series on the Village Green Tuesday.

    Images: Dennis DeYoung in Elk Grove
    Elk Grove Village's Mid Summer Classics concert series wrapped up Tuesday with a performance on the Village Green featuring Dennis DeYoung: "The Music of Styx."

  •  
    Gov. Pat Quinn used his amendatory veto power Tuesday to gut a bill related to ammunition sales and add language prohibiting the manufacture, delivery, sale and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and attachments.

    Quinn proposes state assault weapons ban
    Associated Press
    Illinois could ban assault weapons under a plan proposed Tuesday by Gov. Pat Quinn, but any gun control regulation would have to clear major hurdles even with a renewed nationwide debate. The Chicago Democrat used his amendatory veto power to gut a bill related to ammunition sales and add language prohibiting the manufacture, delivery, sale and possession of semi-automatic assault weapons and...

  •  
    U.S. gymnasts, left to right, Jordyn Wieber, Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, Kyla Ross raise their hands on the podium during the medal ceremony during the Artistic Gymnastic women’s team final at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in London. Team U.S. won the gold.

    Images from the 2012 Summer Olympics on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
    Athletes from the United States competed in water polo, gymnastics, platform diving and many other sports at the 2012 London Olympics Tuesday July 31st.

  •  
    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announces to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday that he and GOP House Speaker John Boehner have reached an agreement to keep the government running on autopilot for six months when the current budget year ends Sept. 30.

    Reid, Boehner announce stopgap spending pact
    Associated Press
    The top Republican and Democrat on Capitol Hill have announced an agreement to keep the government running on autopilot for six months when the current budget year ends on Sept. 30.

  •  
    Antonio “Tony” Borcia

    District 70 offers counseling following death of student
    By Mick Zawislak
    Libertyville District 70 will have psychologists and social workers available Wedneday and Thursday to help students and parents deal with the death of Butterfield School student Antonio "Tony" Borcia, 10, who was killed Saturday after he fell from an inner tube on Petite Lake.

  •  
    Incumbent Sam Hill, left, said Monday he will not seek another term in the spring 2013 election, leaving Zac Ploppert as the only candidate so far for Geneva’s First Ward.

    Hill prepared to call it a career on Geneva council
    By Harry Hitzeman
    It appears Geneva's First Ward will have a new alderman next spring as Sam Hill, who has held the post for 12 years, said Monday night he will not seek another term. Zac Ploppert has declared his candidacy and others are rumored to run.

  •  
    Mike Bartholomew

    Des Plaines hires new law firm; new police chief to be named soon
    By Madhu Krishnamurthy
    Des Plaines has hired a new law firm to serve as its general counsel after City Attorney Dave Wiltse announced his retirement at the end of this month. And a new police chief will be named by mid-August, the city manager said Tuesday.

  •  
    Hank Clemmensen

    Palatine Rural fire chief testifies before Congressional subcommittee
    By Kimberly Pohl
    The job duties of local fire chiefs typically don't include trips to Washington, D.C., to testify before Congressional subcommittees, but that's exactly what Inverness-based Palatine Rural Fire Protection District Chief Hank Clemmensen has been up to. More trips are sure to come as his one-year term as president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs starts Saturday.

  •  
    An American Airlines passenger uses the TSA’s Pre-Check screening station at O’Hare’s Terminal 3 in March.

    Easy security expands for some frequent fliers
    By Marni Pyke
    Delta fliers - keep those shoes on. Or at least some of you. The feds keep expanding a streamlined security check-in process at O'Hare for frequent travelers who qualify.

  •  

    Chicago woman charged in death of 1-year-old girl
    Associated Press
    A Chicago woman is being held without bond after being charged with murder in the death of a 1-year-old girl. Keisha Jones was charged in the death of Iyonna Davis, who suffered several head injuries after the woman beat her over the weekend, prosecutors said.

  •  

    Feds want money back from Lake County YMCA
    Associated Press
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seeking the return of nearly $1 million in Head Start funds from the Lake County Family YMCA. The department's inspector general issued a report Monday concluding the YMCA didn't maintain adequate financial reports to meet the program's standards.

  •  

    Cook County boosts recycling of demolished building material
    Associated Press
    Cook County officials say they are stepping up their efforts to collect and reuse materials from demolished buildings. In a news release, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said an ordinance passed recently by the county's board of commissioners will reduce the amount of material being dumped in the county's landfill.

  •  

    Lottery company falls short of promise, still breaks record
    Associated Press
    The Illinois Lottery's private manager fell nearly $100 million short of the profits it promised to deliver the state in its first year of operation. Northstar Lottery Group pledged to reap $825 million in profits when it took over lottery management in July 2011 and later lowered its estimate to $770 million.

  •  

    State officials to discuss Illiana Expressway with public
    Associated Press
    Indiana and Illinois officials are holding hearings to gather public input on three proposed routes for the Illiana Expressway that would link interstates 65 and 55.

  •  

    Rush to be in federal nurse-training program
    Associated Press
    Chicago's Rush University Medical Center is among five hospitals chosen to participate in a new training program for advanced practice registered nurses. The hospitals will receive payments of up to $200 million over four years to work with nursing schools to train advanced practice nurses. The funding is tied to the number of additional nurses they train.

  •  

    Head of Chicago office to retire from FBI
    Associated Press
    The head of the FBI office in Chicago is retiring and going to work for the Walt Disney Co. Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Grant announced his retirement on Monday. It takes effect Sept. 3 after a 29-year career with the FBI.

  •  

    What you need to know about the Drew Peterson case
    Associated Press
    Here's a guide to some key questions in the case of former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson, on trial for first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

  •  

    Strip mine plan rejected on environmental grounds
    Associated Press
    Illinois rejected an application for a permit for a strip coal mine that opponents claimed would have threatened the water supply of a tiny village named Banner and various animals in a nearby wildlife area. "Banner could have lost its wells and water if the coal mine had happened," Mayor Ken Fuller said. "I was really scared. My town could have died."

  •  

    Geneva council members might be allowed to hold liquor licenses
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    Geneva officials are inclined to let liquor license holders run for city office. They are considering changing city law to match the state's law on the matter. "I don't understand why we are separating out this one category of people from the political life of our country," said Alderman Chuck Brown.

  •  

    Hoffman Estates man sentenced to 9 years for cocaine
    By Jessica Cilella
    Malatios Jabbour, 36, of the 1800 block of Huntingon Boulevard in Hoffman Estates has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the manufacturing and delivery of cocaine, authorities said. He was arrested on Dec. 22, 2010, by Hoffman Estates police.

  •  

    Free senior food market in Schaumburg
    Daily Herald report
    The Senior Program at the Schaumburg Barn has teamed up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the food bank that serves Cook County, to start a free food market for seniors age 60 and over. The Older Adult Market is a choice-style food pantry that will distribute fresh fruits, vegetables and other basic food items to older adults in the community and their households.

  •  

    Road rage attack in Arlington Hts. does $1,000 damage
    By Freida Gad
    A male motorist's car was attacked twice in a road rage incident, Arlington Heights police reported. The victim, driving a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, passed a van on I-90 about 1:20 p.m. July 27 Friday, then left the tollway at Arlington Heights Road and drove to the intersection of Meijer Drive and Algonquin Road, where his vehicle was attacked. Damage was estimated at $1,000.

  •  

    Des Plaines road closure for cancer prevention walk coming
    Daily Herald report
    Des Plaines police will close Central Road on Friday, Aug. 10 for the Susan G. Komen 3Day Cancer Walk to Fight Breast Cancer to ensure the safety of its several hundred participants. Central Road will be closed from River Road east to East River Road from noon to 7 p.m. Motorists are advised to follow signage and detour routes.

  •  
    Frank Mendez

    Man charged with public indecency in Arlington Heights
    By Melissa Silverberg
    Arlington Heights police are warning residents to be aware of their surroundings after charing a man with public indecency on Tuesday morning. Frank Mendez, 47, of Rolling Meadows, was arrested on Thomas Avenue near Highland Avenue on Tuesday morning on a misdemeanor count of public indecency, said Arlington Heights Cmdr. Mike Hernandez.

  •  

    Vandals tag 12 buildings in Des Plaines
    By Freida Gad
    Vandals spray painted graffiti on 12 commercial buildings in Des Plaines, doing an estimated $2,900 damage, police said.The buildings on the 1200 and 1400 blocks of South Lee Street, 1200 block of East Algonquin Road, and 1400, 1600, 1700 and 1800 blocks of East Oakton Street, were tagged overnight last Friday.

  •  

    Wauconda Park District hosts “Park Chats”
    Daily Herald report
    The Wauconda Park District Board of Commissioners will launch a new program called "Park Chats" on Thursday, Aug. 2 to give residents an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas on the district in an informal setting.

  •  

    Houseguest charged with theft of two Rolexes
    By Eric Peterson
    A 19-year-old Hoffman Estates man has been charged with the theft of his and hers Rolex watches from a South Barrington home where he was a guest on Independence Day. Naim Abu-Maizer of 5190 Shotkoski Drive in Hoffman Estates was charged with one count of theft on July 27.

  •  

    Wauconda Pet Parade set for Thursday
    Daily Herald report
    Wauconda will host its second annual "Back to Drool" pet parade on Thursday, August 2, starting at 5:30 p.m.

  •  

    Northwest suburban police blotter
    By Freida Gad
    Vandals hurled bricks that shattered the front windshield of five cars between 6:30 and 11:25 p.m. July 26, doing an estimated $1,800 damage. The vehicles included a 1994 Chevrolet Beretta on the 1400 block of East Everett Avenue, 2001 Toyota Camry on the 2000 block of Sunset Drive, 2003 Nissan Altima on the 1000 block of South East Grant Drive, 2005 Dodge Neon on the 1700 block of Chestnut...

  •  
    Olivia M. Albarran

    Four accused of manhole cover thefts in Hampshire
    By Harry Hitzeman
    Four people face felony charges alleging they stole four manhole covers from a Hampshire subvision last week. Police arrested Hamshire residents Olivia M. Albarron, 18, and Ryan Sanders, 20, along with Gilberts residents Justin Liss, 18, and David Schaeffer, 17.

  •  

    Hundreds volunteer to build Dist. 2 playground
    By Elisabeth Mistretta
    To prepare for the merger of their two Bensenville schools, hundreds of students and parents from Mohawk and W.A. Johnson Elementary will volunteer this weekend to build a new playground. The playground will be built Saturday by more than 200 volunteers from Bensenville District 2 and Foresters Life Insurance Company, which is underwriting the majority of the cost for the roughly $100,000 park.

  •  
    A new police station is part of Lakemoor’s efforts to “professionalize” the town in hopes of making it more attractive to new businesses. The village’s economic development commission meets Wednesday to discuss ways of marketing the community to outside businesses and other interests.

    Lakemoor stepping up its effort to “professionalize” town
    By Lee Filas
    Lakemoor officials this week will discuss way to improve the town's image through marketing and beautifying efforts. The village's economic development committee will host a meeting Wednesday to discuss the possibilities.

  •  

    Fox Valley police report
    Two robbers approached a woman on the 1300 block of Todd Farm Drive in Elgin, grabbed her neck and demanded her car keys July 24, according to police reports. The victim dropped her bags and ran to her home, reports said. She told police she saw the robbers take her bags and drive away in her Chevy Impala, reports said. The suspects were described as two black men, one wore a white shirt and a...

  •  

    Naperville acknowledges open meetings violation but disputes other findings
    By Justin Kmitch
    Naperville officials Tuesday acknowledged the city's electoral board technically violated the Open Meetings Act in January but said they "respectfully disagree" with other aspects of a report filed by the Illinois attorney general's office. The attorney general's July 23 report found the electoral board violated the state's Open Meetings Act three times during January's deliberations regarding a...

  •  

    Woman driving with kids in car pleads guilty to DUI
    By Barbara Vitello
    An Arlington Heights woman who pizza restaurant employees believed to be intoxicated when she drove from their restaurant with two children in her car, pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and driving on a suspended or revoked license Monday in Rolling Meadows. Jennifer L. Dean, 31, was sentenced to three years in prison in exchange for her plea.

  •  
    During a demonstration at last year's North Aurora Days' Emergency Vehicle Show, North Aurora firefighters work to extricate the driver of a vehicle that was smashed by a truck.

    Sirens Parade at 7 p.m. Friday, Emergency Vehicle Show 10 a.m. Saturday
    By Hailey Czarnecki
    The Emergency Vehicle Show and parade will give audiences a wide-eyed experience as they can see different service vehicles from every era. The event will also host crash simulations and demonstrations. Dave Weaver has organized the Chicagoland Emergency Vehicle Show since it started in North Aurora. The most popular cars are the old police cars, Weaver said. “The 1970 Mopars were the big...

  •  
    Island Lake Trustee Laurie Rabattini

    Rabattini won’t run for a second term on Island Lake board
    By Russell Lissau
    Citing health problems that have dogged her since 2009, controversial Island Lake Trustee Laurie Rabattini says she won't seek re-election in 2013.

  •  
    A Proposition 8 supporter smiles after the California State Supreme Court in 2009 upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. However, the law has since been ruled unconstitutional by a federal court. This week, backers of the ban asked the Supreme Court to hear the case.

    Gay marriage ban backers seek Supreme Court review
    Associated Press
    Backers of California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to overrule a federal appeals court that struck down the measure as unconstitutional.

  •  
    San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro has been chosen to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 4, the convention’s opening night. This marks a first for Hispanics.

    Dems pick first Hispanic for convention keynote
    Associated Press
    Marking a first for Hispanics, the Democratic party has chosen the mayor of San Antonio to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

  •  
    DAILY HERALD FILE PHOTO Whitney Dumke, 4, of Plainfield plays under a colorful parachute as part of Bartlett’s celebration of National Night Out last year.

    Northwest suburbs host variety of National Night Out events
    By Jessica Cilella
    National Night Out events are planned for Tuesday, Aug. 7, throughout the suburbs, with Bartlett turning the crime prevention event into a three-day celebration. Bartlett police Sgt. Geoff Pretkelis said the event strengthens police and citizen relationships. "We're really privileged here that we have strong participation in the community," he said.

  •  

    Live music in downtown Libertyville Aug. 3
    Daily Herald report
    The Out to Lunch live music lunch series in Cook Park, Milwaukee Avenue and Church Street in downtown Libertyville, continues Friday, Aug. 3 with the music of Sagebrush. Visitors can bring a blanket or lawn chair for a midday break for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  •  

    Vandals damage eight Arlington Hts. vehicles with BB gun
    By Freida Gad
    Vandals used a BB gun to damage eight vehicles in Arlington Heights between 1 and 7 a.m. Sunday, police said. They smashed windows on a 2004 Honda Pilot and a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta on the 2300 and 2400 blocks of North Verde Drive, on a 2008 Chrysler Aspen on the 2300 block of North Kennicott, on a 2007 Kia Rondo on the 1200 block of North Kennicott and on a 2011 Toyota 4Runner on the 1300 block...

  •  
    Round Lake Beach Police officer Gilbert Rivera hands out stickers to kids at an earlier Round Lake Beach Police National Night Out celebration. This year’s event will take place Aug. 7.

    Lake County communities planning National Night Out
    By Taylor Goldenstein
    Ten Lake County communities are among the more than 100 towns in Illinois taking part in the 29th annual National Night Out this month. Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out is an effort to unite police and community members against crime and drugs. It has grown from traditional small celebrations and front porch vigils to full-blown festivals in some towns.

  •  
    Candace Parker

    When to watch for suburban Olympians today
    Daily Herald Report
    Where to watch suburban Olympians today and how they competed Monday.

  •  

    Students kayak along Lake Superior as part of Shedd Aquarium program
    By Susan Dibble
    Emily Mandel of Lisle and Melissa Whowell of Arlington Heights spent a week kayacking through the Apostle Islands this summer as part of the Shedd Aquarium's High School Lake Ecology program.

  •  

    Northwest suburban police blotter
    By Freida Gad
    Two male teens threw plastic water bottles that exploded as they drove away. The teens were seen getting out of a dark blue car at Carousel Park, 1901 E. Suffield, Arlington Heights, between 2:45 and 3 p.m. July 28 and tossing the bottles into the park. There was no report of damage.

  •  

    District 7 hopes to expand teacher home-visit program
    By Elisabeth Mistretta
    Officials in Wood Dale Elementary District 7 will continue a rare educational program that allows teachers to visit each student at home if their parents agree. Superintendent John Corbett said this develops relationships that improve academic performance. "This allows them to make recommendations that will help with their study habits," he said.

  •  

    State fines Lake Zurich District 95 because of elementary school asbestos management plan
    By Jennifer Earl
    Lake Zurich School District 95 is challenging $18,000 worth of violations cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The violations involve May Whitney Elementary School's asbestos management plan. Spokeswoman Jean Malek said the district is assessing the situation and requested a prehearing conference.

  •  
    Nearly all of the $100 million Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his allies have spent on TV ads in general election battleground states has been aimed at a single audience: swing voters who say they like President Obama personally but are disappointed in his job performance. To reach those voters, Republicans have adopted a political soft sell: coax them to consider Romney without criticizing the choice they made four years ago.

    Republican ads woo disillusioned Obama voters
    Associated Press
    NEW YORK — One Republican campaign ad describes the “buyer’s remorse” some voters feel about President Barack Obama. Another ad features a woman saying she had supported Obama because “he spoke so beautifully,” but he’s failed to deliver on his promises. Still another ad woos Obama supporters with a direct but gentle prod: “It’s OK to make a change.”

  •  

    Iran bank chief calls sanctions akin to ‘war’
    Associated Press
    TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s central bank chief says tightening of Western sanctions is equal to a “military war” that requires new tactics to overcome economic pressures on Tehran.The official IRNA news agency quotes Mahmoud Bahmani as saying that sanctions are “no less than a military war” and that Iran must respond with its own economic countermeasures.

  •  

    Humanitarian problems grow in Syria’s besieged Aleppo
    Associated Press
    BEIRUT — Humanitarian conditions have grown even more dire in the besieged Syria city of Aleppo with activists reporting on Tuesday dwindling stocks of food and cooking gas and only intermittent electricity supplies as droves of residents flee 11 days of intense clashes between rebels and regime forces.

  •  
    Police block off the area around the castle in Oslo, Norway after U.S. Embassy security staff found a suspicious object beneath a nearby automobile outside the American Embassy Tuesday July 31, 2012. Norwegian police said the embassy and the surrounding area, including the royal palace, were cleared of people in the heart of Norway’s capital, and that a bomb squad with sniffer dogs was dispatched there.

    Bomb scare closes U.S. Embassy in Norway
    Associated Press
    OSLO, Norway — The U.S. Embassy and an area of central Oslo were evacuated on Tuesday when a fake explosive device was mistakenly left beneath a vehicle trying to enter the compound, police said.

  •  

    Panetta arrives in Cairo for talks with president
    Associated Press
    CAIRO — U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is seeking assurances from Egypt’s new Islamist government that the country will remain a military partner at a time of political tumult in the Middle East and growing worry about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

  •  
    Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at the University of Warsaw Library in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

    Romney praises Polish spirit, creativity in Warsaw
    Associated Press
    WARSAW, Poland — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said Tuesday that Poland’s economy is a model of small government and free enterprise that other nations should emulate, an unspoken criticism of President Barack Obama’s policies in the wake of the worst recession in decades.

  •  
    As the United States trumpets its success in persuading Pakistan to end its seven-month blockade of supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan, another group privately cheers its good fortune: the Taliban. One of the Afghan war’s great ironies is that both NATO and the Taliban rely on the convoys to fuel their operations a recipe for seemingly endless conflict.

    Taliban happy Pakistan reopened NATO supply line
    Associated Press
    KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — As the United States trumpeted its success in persuading Pakistan to end its seven-month blockade of supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan, another group privately cheered its good fortune: the Taliban.One of the Afghan war’s great ironies is that both NATO and the Taliban rely on the convoys to fuel their operations — a recipe for seemingly endless conflict.

  •  

    Romney denies criticizing Palestinian culture
    Associated Press
    WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney says he wasn’t criticizing Palestinian culture at a fundraiser in Jerusalem on Monday.Palestinian officials accused the Republican presidential candidate of racism for suggesting that culture helps explain the economic disparity between Israelis and Palestinians

  •  
    Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes has been released from jail after being arrested on suspicion of threatening a police officer who stopped him for a traffic warrant. Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Paul Ford says Barnes posted $51,000 bail and was released shortly before 11:30 p.m. Monday, July 30, 2012, some three hours after his arrest.

    Lakers’ Barnes out of jail after warrant arrest
    Associated Press
    LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes has been released from jail after being arrested on suspicion of threatening a police officer who stopped him for a traffic warrant.Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Paul Ford says Barnes posted $51,000 bail and was released shortly before 11:30 p.m. Monday, some three hours after his arrest.

  •  
    Dr. Khalid Sami speaks to the assembled guests at the 2011 iftar at Masjid-Al-Huda in Schaumburg.

    Local clergy, neighbors invited to annual iftar in Schaumburg
    By Clara Bush
    For the 10th year, the Masjid-al-Huda mosque in Schaumburg will welcome clergy and others to a mid-Ramadan iftar Aug. 9, pulling people of different faiths together to get to know one another, and become more comfortable with Islam. "We want to let them know who we are, so we can build bridges," said Dr. Khalid Abdus Sami, an elder at the mosque.

  •  
    Art Sheridan, 52, of Swansea, is seen at the track at Shiloh Middle School in Shiloh, Ill.

    Running keeps brothers close
    Associated Press
    Runner Art Sheridan's sole racing ambition is to beat his brother, Alan. "Once he started running in `98 or `99, it became each of our goals — not to lose to the other," said Art, 52, of Swansea. "It doesn't matter if I come in second to last, as long as he comes in last." picked it up again in 1997.

  •  

    WWII veteran attacked on Chicago street
    Associated Press
    Family members say a World War II veteran is recovering after being beaten and robbed on a Chicago street during his weekly walk to a corner store to buy lottery tickets.

  •  

    Runners find missing man’s body near Pontiac
    Associated Press
    Pontiac are investigating the death of a 30-year-old man whose body was found in a park after he left home to walk his dog and didn't return.

  •  

    90-year-old man Wisconsin charged in death of bicyclist
    Associated Press
    A 90-year-old man is facing two felony charges in the death of a bicyclist in Eau Claire County.

  •  

    Chicago police: 2 boys had Molotov cocktails
    Associated Press
    Police in Chicago are questioning two young boys who were caught with homemade explosives on the city's North Side.

  •  

    Dawn Patrol: Complaints against Gurnee ex-chief; Chihuahua killed
    By Paul Biasco and Lee Filas
    Former Gurnee chief investigated for harassment before retirement. Cubs trade Soto, Johnson, Maholm. Glendale Heights man accused of killing girlfriend's dog. Naperville officials violated Open Meetings Act during smart meter discussions. Elgin man struck and killed by train.

  •  

    ‘Circle of Friends’ author Binchy dies at 72
    Associated Press
    Bestselling author Maeve Binchy, who was known for her depictions of small-town Irish life, has died in Dublin after a brief illness, according to Irish media reports. She was 72 years old.

  •  

    District 26 OKs hire of new registered nurse
    By Larissa Chinwah
    Cary ELementary District 26 approved the hiring of one full time registered nurse for the 2012-2013 school year. effectively reversing a trend ofthe past few years. The district has cut about 2 1/2 positions in the last three years.

  •  

    Geneva likely to ban video gambling
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    Geneva aldermen don't want video gambling in town. In an informal vote Monday, nine voted to ban gambling, and only one supported it. "Do we really want Geneva to be a place that turns to this kind of behavior for income?" Alderman Craig Maladra said.

Sports

  •  

    Tickets available for Ryder Cup Gala
    By Mike Spellman
    Weren't fortunate enough to get a ticket for the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club?You weren't alone.But if you're still interested in seeing both teams in person, along with the band Chicago and even U.S. team ambassador Justin Timberlake, then the 39th Ryder Cup Gala — and all its red carpet glitziness — is your next best chance.

  •  

    Top competition playing in Western Amateur
    By Len Ziehm
    Four of the world's top six amateurs will be battling for the title in the 110th Western Amateur at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park this week. Among them is Patrick Rodgers, who won the Western Golf Association's Junior tournament in 2011. "The Western Am and the U.S. Amateur are the two biggest in amateur golf. This is when we want to be peaking," said Rodgers, coming off a dazzling freshman year at Stanford.

  •  
    There was panic in the streets a few days ago when the Cubs hadn't done much leading up to the deadline, but as it turns out Theo Epstein managed to move several players of absolutely no use to the Cubs and in return collected a good prospect and several decent young players.

    Epstein changing Cubs culture one player at a time
    By Barry Rozner
    Good riddance, Ryan Dempster. Welcome, Theo Epstein, to the culture of Cubs baseball. For too long, players like Dempster have been comfortable here, happy to stay and lose, protected by management, fans and media pals, rather than accepting opportunities to move along and win elsewhere.

  •  
    White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski hits a single against Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Nick Blackburn Tuesday during the second inning.

    Pierzynski homers in 9th as White Sox top Twins
    Associated Press
    A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and the Chicago White Sox held on to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 Tuesday night. After Alex Rios singled off Jeff Gray (5-1), Pierzynski hit a 0-2 pitch into the right field bleachers for his second homer in as many nights. Matt Thornton (3-6) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the win.

  •  
    Tampa Bay Rays pitcher James Shields hugs catcher Jose Lobaton after pitching a three-hit shutout Tuesday night in Oakland.

    Shields goes distance in Rays’ 8-0 win
    Associated Press
    James Shields pitched a three-hitter for his seventh career shutout, giving Tampa Bay's taxed bullpen a much-needed rest in an 8-0 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

  •  
    Diamondbacks rookie Wade Miley allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked one in a road victory Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    Miley silences Dodgers in D-Backs’ 8-2 win
    Associated Press
    Paul Goldschmidt homered in the first inning for the second straight game, Miguel Montero added a three-run shot and rookie Wade Miley pitched eight dominant innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks in an 8-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

  •  
    Philadelphia starting pitcher Cliff Lee allowed five hits and one walk and struck out seven in Tuesday’s win in Washington.

    Lee stays with Phillies, beats Nationals 8-0
    Associated Press
    Cliff Lee threw seven innings and scored on Jimmy Rollins' inside-the-park home run to lead the Phillies to an 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

  •  
    Mariners shortstop Brendan Ryan forces out Toronto’s Yunel Escobar at second base in the fifth inning Tuesday in Seattle.

    Mariners top Blue Jays 7-2 for sixth straight win
    Associated Press
    Dustin Ackley drove in three runs and Jason Vargas pitched seven strong innings to lead the Seattle Mariners to their sixth consecutive victory, 7-2 over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

  •  
    Boston’s Carl Crawford hits an RBI single off Detroit’s Justin Verlander in the fourth inning Tuesday at Fenway Park.

    Red Sox defeat Tigers 4-1 in rain-shortened game
    Associated Press
    Clayton Mortensen pitched 2 2-3 shutout innings after Josh Beckett left with back spasms, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1 in a game halted by rain in the top of the sixth inning Tuesday night.

  •  
    Baltimore’s Chris Davis hits a grand slam during the second inning Tuesday in New York.

    Davis hits slam for Orioles in win over Yankees
    Associated Press
    Chris Davis could only watch, helpless, as the New York Yankees teed off on Orioles starter Chris Tillman for five runs in the first inning. In the top of the second, though, Baltimore's designated hitter did something about it.

  •  
    Braves center fielder Michael Bourn comes up with a diving catch on the fly ball hit by the Marlins’ Bryan Petersen during the seventh inning Tuesday in Atlanta.

    Braves win 7th straight
    Associated Press
    Kris Medlen had a successful return to the rotation, Brian McCann homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 7-1 on Tuesday night for their seventh straight win.

  •  
    Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas and first baseman Eric Hosmer celebrate Tuesday’s home win against the Cleveland Indians.

    Royals down Indians, snap losing streak
    Associated Press
    Jarrod Dyson and Alex Gordon each had three hits and Alcides Escobar drove in three runs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 8-3 Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

  •  
    Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver on Tuesday became just the eighth AL pitcher since 1921 to win at least six games without a loss in July.

    Pujols, Weaver guide Angels to victory over Rangers
    Associated Press
    Albert Pujols homered twice to help Jered Weaver win his eighth consecutive start, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 6-2.

  •  
    Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum delivers against the New York Mets during the seventh inning Tuesday in San Francisco.

    Lincecum leads Giants past Mets 4-1 to end skid
    Associated Press
    Tim Lincecum struck out seven in seven innings and the San Francisco Giants took advantage of a two-run error by shortstop Ruben Tejada to beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Tuesday night and snap a season-long five-game losing streak.

  •  
    The Brewers’ Aramis Ramirez watches his three-run home run leave the park against the Houston Astros during the third inning Tuesday in Milwaukee.

    Brewers pound Astros 10-1
    Associated Press
    Aramis Ramirez had three hits and four RBIs, including his 13th homer of the season, and Corey Hart hit his 20th homer to lead the Brewers' hit parade against the hapless Houston Astros on Tuesday.

  •  
    The Reds’ Todd Frazier tags San Diego’s John Baker out on a rundown to complete a double play in the fifth inning Tuesday in Cincinnati.

    Reds edge Padres 7-6
    Associated Press
    Ryan Ludwick drove in four runs with a homer and a single, and a hobbled Brandon Phillips hit a tiebreaking solo shot in the seventh inning that got the Reds back to winning. They blew a six-run lead before pulling it out.

  •  
    The Cardinals’ Matt Holliday bats in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Rockies in Denver.

    Holliday’s 4 RBIs lead Cardinals past Rockies
    Associated Press
    Matt Holliday homered, doubled and drove in four runs, and Kyle Lohse persevered through an erratic outing to win his fifth consecutive decision and lift St. Louis over the Colorado Rockies 11-6 on Tuesday night.

  •  
    Ryan Dempster was traded Tuesday, and it wasn't to the Dodgers or the Braves. The Texas Rangers moved in and acquired the veteran right-hander just a few minutes before the trade deadline.

    Cubs finally deal Dempster ... to Rangers
    By Bruce Miles
    Peace and harmony reigned at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. In fact, it was so peaceful and harmonious that Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer invited pitcher Ryan Dempster into the team offices while Hoyer was in the process of trading him. “As long as he had a TV, he was good to go,” Hoyer said. “You go back to the relationship, I don't think that would have happened if there was any kind of animosity.”

  •  
    New Chicago Fire striker Sherjill Macdonald is still working himself into game shape.

    Fernandez, McDonald working their way into Fire picture
    By Orrin Schwarz
    The Chicago Fire went to work Tuesday trying to prepare its two newest players --Alvaro Fernandez and Sherjill MacDonald -- to help the team for the stretch run of the season.

  •  

    Garza prepares for another kind of delivery
    By Bruce Miles
    The Cubs were not able to trade pitcher Matt Garza before Tuesday's nonwaiver deadline, in part because of his right triceps injury. The team said it might not be until next Tuesday at San Diego before Garza starts again. When he does, it will be part of a revamped Cubs rotation after the trades of Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm.

  •  
    Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano reacts Tuesday after striking out for the final out in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 5-0 win.

    Cubs nearly no-hit by Pirates’ Burnett
    By Caitlin Swieca
    Cubs fans at Wrigley Field got their first look at the post-trade deadline Cubs on Tuesday, and it wasn’t pretty.The Cubs’ offense was shut down by A.J. Burnett, who allowed his only hit of the night to pinch hitter Adrian Cardenas with two outs in the eighth inning. The Pirates defeated the Cubs 5-0. The Cubs’ extended their MLB-best streak of avoiding being no-hit to 7,441 games. The Cubs haven’t had it happen since Sandy Koufax did it in 1965.Cardenas said he had spent the game on the bench, studying the pitcher. “I had faced him before,” Cardenas said. “I was able to get that hit, and it was great, but it was very short-lived because we lost. To break up the no-hitter here at our place, that’s something you don’t want to be a part of.”Although the Cubs lost four veterans to trades over the previous 24 hours, Cubs manager Dale Sveum wouldn’t attribute the flat offense to a post-trade deadline slump. “I think it’s just a case of Burnett’s had a heck of a year,” Sveum said. “A couple balls, without the wind, might’ve been home runs. But he pitched a heck of a game. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit for having tremendous command of the curveball.”Pirates manager Clint Hurdle had similar praise for Burnett.“He was just so efficient, pinpoint command,” Hurdle said. “He pitched the left-handers so extremely well tonight. That’s one of the best games I’ve seen pitched, ever.”Casey Coleman, who was tabbed to start after the Cubs dealt Ryan Dempster to the Texas Rangers shortly before the 3 p.m. trade deadline, surrendered a grand slam to Pirates second baseman Neil Walker in the first inning. It was all the offense the Pirates needed. “It was a long day waiting for the deadline to see what would happen, but at the same time, I was ready to go,” Coleman said. “I knew there was a really good chance he was getting traded. The first inning, two infield hits, and then I kind of lost my concentration. That one bad pitch pretty much summed it up.”Cardenas, Coleman and catcher Welington Castillo were called up from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday to replace the traded Reed Johnson, Paul Maholm and Geovany Soto. The Cubs will call up one more pitcher today to take Dempster’s roster spot as the rebuilding Cubs continue to get younger. Second baseman Darwin Barney left the game after being hit by a pitch in the back of his helmet in the eighth inning, but said he felt fine afterward.The Cubs and Pirates face off in a rubber match at 1:20 p.m. today. Travis Wood will take the mound for the Cubs.

  •  

    Freedom eludes Boomers
    Special to the Daily Herald
    The Schaumburg Boomers fell behind early and could not recover in a 7-1 defeat to the Florence Freedom in the opener of a road series Tuesday in Florence, Ky.

  •  

    Snappers rough up Zimmer, Cougars
    Special to the Daily Herald
    It was a rough second appearance for first-round draft pick Kyle Zimmer, who allowed 6 second-inning runs as the Kane County Cougars were beaten by the host Beloit Snappers 9-4 Tuesday. After Zimmer (0-2) walked the bases loaded in the first inning, then allowed five singles and a homer in the second inning.

  •  
    White Sox starting pitcher John Danks will have exploratory surgery Monday on his ailing shoulder.

    White Sox’ John Danks done for season
    By Scot Gregor
    Out since late May with a strained left shoulder, White Sox starting pitcher John Danks kept trying to make it back to the rotation but never made it past the pain. The comeback try is over ... Danks is scheduled to have season-ending exploratory surgery on the shoulder Monday.

  •  

    Doeren, Huskies ready for round two at Soldier Field
    By Chad Thornburg
    After losing 49-7 to Wisconsin at Soldier Field last season, the Huskies hope to make the Chicago Bears' home their own when they take on Iowa in the Sep. 1 season-opener.

  •  

    Northbrook, Wheaton take aim in state tournament
    By Marty Maciaszek
    Experience and talent raised the expectations for Northbrook and Wheaton during this American Legion baseball season. Both programs have been able to deliver on those expectations by reaching the state tournament, which starts today and runs through Saturday in downstate Mattoon. Northbrook (42-8) won the Cook County title for the first time in 21 years and Wheaton (29-10) won the Second Division crown for the second time in three seasons. They are part of a strong six-team field in the double-elimination tournament at Grimes Field. Northbrook faces Fifth Division champion Fairview Heights (29-9) at noon, Wheaton plays Fourth Division champ Danville (27-12) at 3:30 p.m. and Third Division champion Moline (39-6) meets Mattoon (21-19) at 7 p.m.

  •  
    Bears quarterback Jay Cutler likes having the option to audible at the line. “I think it makes everyone’s jobs a little bit easier because we can put ourselves in a good play,” the quarterback said. “If we’ve got something bad and the defense is going to take it over, then we can go ahead and audible and get out of it and get into something that hopefully we can execute.”

    Tice stressing communication with Cutler, skill players
    By Bob LeGere
    The lasting impression of the Jay Cutler-Mike Martz relationship is of the quarterback caught on camera late in the 2011 season, shouting into his headphone something to the effect of: “Tell Mike I said to (buzz) off.” Except he didn’t say, “buzz.” Cutler probably won’t have similar snap sessions with Mike Tice, Martz’s successor as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. "We want to know what he likes,” Tice said, regarding play-calling.

  •  

    Jennings has a better day against Marshall
    By Bob LeGere
    BOURBONNAIS — Like every other defensive back, 5-foot-8, 185-pound cornerback Tim Jennings has, at times, struggled to contain 6-foot-4, 230-pound wide receiver Brandon Marshall.But Jennings had an excellent practice Tuesday, picking off a pass in 7-on-7 and breaking up 2 other passes in 11-on-11 team work, including 1 in the two-minute drill. All three plays came against Marshall.“He’s not the tallest corner in the league, but he plays big,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He plays tall, he’s tough, and he’s got good hands. As a cornerback, it’s going to come down to a 1-on-1 situation, eventually, where you have to make the play.“Tim having a chance to go against Brandon Marshall, Devin (Hester), Alshon Jeffery, all those guys, is making him better, and he made some plays (Tuesday).”Comfort zone:It’s too soon to say that 2009 seventh-round draft pick Lance Louis is entrenched at right guard, but it would be an upset if he’s not lined up there on Sept. 9 in the season opener against the Colts.That’s where Louis opened the 2011 season. But a sprained right ankle in the opener knocked him out of the starting lineup until Game 5.The following week he was moved to right tackle when it became obvious Frank Omiyale was a poor option as the replacement for injured Gabe Carimi. Now Carimi’s back at tackle and Louis is back at guard, which is the natural order of things.“My size (6-feet-3, 320 pounds) suits me better as a guard,” Louis said. “I’m not as (tall) as the tackles in the league, so I’m in a good place right now.”The move inside probably precludes Louis from reviving his days as a tight end in his first two seasons at San Diego State. But he’s the first to admit that he’s outgrown the pass-catching role.“Those days are all the way over, man,” he said.Ground and pound:While there has been talk of tight end Kellen Davis having a bigger role as a receiver in this year’s offense, there are no such expectations for backup tight end Matt Spaeth, who caught just 7 passes last seasons for 50 yards.But that doesn’t mean the 6-foot-7, 260-pound Spaeth doesn’t have a role, even in a more explosive passing offense.“We’re still going to run the ball,” said Spaeth, who has just 43 career receptions and 7 touchdowns in five seasons. “We’re going to be pretty balanced, but we’re still going to run the ball pretty well.”Humble beginning:New defensive tackle Brian Price had a rough first practice Tuesday, as expected, considering he’s about a week behind everyone else.Price, working in with the second team, got steamrollered in back-to-back goal-line run plays in team scrimmage, and he was stonewalled by Edwin Williams twice in 1-on-1 pass-rush drills.“It’s going to take awhile,” coach Lovie Smith said. “We wanted to get Brian into the mix to just let him see how it feels to be a Chicago Bear practicing. Hopefully make progress from here.”Chopper, two-hopper:Quarterback Jay Cutler spent too much practice time Tuesday afternoon looking like an infielder taking ground balls. Several shotgun snaps from normally reliable center Roberto Garza came in low.“A couple of balls on the ground from Roberto,” offensive coordinator Mike Tice said, “which is odd for him.” By any other name:Quarterback Jay Cutler was asked his thoughts on wide receiver Brandon Marshall referring to quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates as a “1940s country man,” an apparent reference to Bates’ love of the outdoors. “I don’t think that Brandon knows what that is,” Cutler laughed.

  •  
    U.S. gymnasts, left to right, Jordyn Wieber, Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, Kyla Ross raise their hands on the podium Tuesday during the medal ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. They won the gold.

    US women win 1st Olympic gymnastics title since 1996
    Associated Press
    One by one, the Americans thundered down the runway, soared high above the vault and slammed into the mat. Boom! Boom! Boom! When the fireworks were over, so was everybody else's chance for the gold medal. The Americans lived up to their considerable hype and then some Tuesday night, routing silver medalist Russia and everybody else on their way to their first Olympic title in women's gymnastics since 1996.

  •  
    Nate Robinson, shown here playing with Boston, officially signed a one-year deal worth $1.1 million on Tuesday.

    Robinson may adjust the volume of Bulls locker room
    By Mike McGraw
    The Bulls officially signed veteran point guard Nate Robinson on Tuesday. The three-time slam dunk champ is one of the smallest players in team history at 5-9, but he usually brings the noise to a team's locker room.

  •  
    The Cubs traded starter Ryan Dempster to the Texas Rangers.

    Cubs ace Ryan Dempster traded to Rangers
    Associated Press
    The Texas Rangers have obtained Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, a move to fortify their rotation for the stretch run. Dempster, who had power to block deals, had refused to approve a trade to Atlanta last week. The 35-year-old right-hander was 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 16 games for the Cubs and can become a free agent after the season. Teams had until 3 p.m. CDT to complete trades without waivers. From now until the end of the season, clubs have a chance to claim players before they are dealt.

  •  
    Conor Dwyer swims in the men's 200-meter freestyle preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Tuesday, June 26, 2012, in Omaha, Neb.

    Winnetka's Dwyer helps Michael Phelps make history
    Associated Press
    Michael Phelps swam into history with his 19th Olympic medal, and this one was a more appropriate color. With a lot of help from his friends, Phelps took down the last major record that wasn't his alone, swimming the anchor leg for the United States in a gold medal-winning performance of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay Tuesday night. About an hour earlier, Phelps took one of the most frustrating defeats of his brilliant career, making a shocking blunder at the finish and settling for silver in his signature event, the 200 butterfly.

  •  
    In this combination of two photos, South Africa’s Chad le Clos, left, reacts as he wins gold, and the United States’ Michael Phelps, reacts Tuesday after winning silver in the men’s 200-meter butterfly swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park.

    Phelps finishes second again for 18th career medal
    Associated Press
    Michael Phelps flipped away his cap in disgust, having blown the race with a blunder at the end.He hardly looked like the swimmer who had just equaled the record for most Olympic medals.Phelps won his 18th career medal Tuesday night, but it was only a silver. Having led the entire way in the 200-meter butterfly, he tried to glide to the wall after his final stroke and was out-touched by Chad le Clos of South Africa.

  •  
    The United States’ Donald Suxho celebrates hit team’s victory over Germany Tuesday in a men’s preliminary volleyball match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

    US sweeps Germany in Olympic men’s prelims
    Associated Press
    Clay Stanley scored 16 points and the U.S. men's volleyball team improved to 2-0 in preliminary pool play at the London Olympics with a three-set victory over Germany on Tuesday. Matt Anderson added 15 points in the 25-23, 25-16, 25-20 win for the defending Olympic champions. The Germans were led by Georg Grozer with 12.

  •  

    Phillies send Victorino to Dodgers
    Associated Press
    The Phillies traded two-time All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for relief pitcher Josh Lindblom and minor league pitcher Ethan Martin. Philadelphia also gets a player to be named or cash for the 31-year-old Victorino, who can become a free agent after the season.

  •  
    Spectators sits behind rows of empty seats during a men’s volleyball preliminary match between Tunisia and Serbia at the 2012 Summer Olympics Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in London.

    2.1 million attend first 3 days of London Olympics
    Associated Press
    Facing criticism for swathes of empty seats at venues, Olympic organizers said Tuesday that 2.1 million people attended events in the first three full days of competition. They said 86 percent of ticketholders showed up Saturday, 92 percent Sunday and 88 percent Monday. The empty seats have been blamed mostly on officials from sports' governing bodies and national Olympic committees that don't use their tickets in prime areas.

  •  
    Abigail McArdle and Cosma 20. “You’re a team,” McArdle says of her and the horse. “You have this special bond.”

    Barrington rider and her horse working to make a future Games
    By Eileen O. Daday
    Abigail McArdle of Barrington Hills will be watching the first equestrian events in the Olympics on Friday from an insider's perspective. She just won a gold medal at the North American Junior and Young Rider Show Jumping Championships and had six wins at the Spruce Meadows Tournament. "I have high hopes to be in the Olympics some day," McCardle says, "but I need to get a lot more experience before I can think about that."

  •  
    United States' gold medalist Matthew Grevers waves American flags as he walks at the Aquatics Centre in London after a medal ceremony for the men's 100-meter backstroke swimming final.

    Matt Grevers' former coaches say they saw gold coming
    By Paul Biasco
    Lake Forest High and Northwestern graduate Matt Grevers of Lake Forest set an Olympic record to win the men's 100-meter backstroke at the London Olympics on Monday, and his former coaches are not surprised. "Matt and I had a long talk about this when he was a sophomore (at Northwestern), about being able to be the best backstroker in the world," said Bob Groseth, Northwestern's former head coach.

  •  
    Vincent Hancock of the United States has won the gold medal in the men's skeet competition at the London Olympics, his second straight.

    Hancock wins 2nd straight men's skeet gold medal
    Associated Press
    Vincent Hancock of the United States has won the gold medal in the men's skeet competition at the London Olympics, his second straight. It gives the U.S. a skeet sweep, after Kimberly Rhode won the women's competition earlier this week.

  •  
    Geovany Soto

    Cubs deal Soto, Maholm, Johnson
    By Bruce Miles
    Here's the kind of day it was around Wrigley Field on Monday: Ryan Dempster talked before the Cubs' 14-4 victory over the Pirates about possibly being traded. By the time the game was over, three players were traded, none of them Dempster. Well after 11 p.m., Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer addressed reporters. “I think we’ve been really clear all along that we’re not contending right now, and we need to take assets that are shorter term and turn them into longer-term assets,” Hoyer said.

  •  
    The addition of third baseman Kevin Youkilis was a big move by general manager Kenny Williams to bolster the White Sox’ chances of winning the AL Central.

    A real deal, a scapegoat and a fall guy
    By Mike North
    It's clear to Mike North that Kenny Williams is confident the White Sox will win their division and go to the playoffs. But there's no reason to have such faith with the Jets or the Red Sox.

  •  
    Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Michael McKenry watches as Anthony Rizzo follows through on a 3-run home run during the Cubs’ victory Monday night.

    Rizzo, Barney, Castro spearhead 14-4 Cubs victory
    By Bruce Miles
    Cubs batters went wild against Pirates left-hander Erik Bedard, and Justin Germano picked up a victory in a spot start Tuesday night. On a night when players hugged each other in the dugout to say good-bye, there were still some celebratory hugs and handshakes on a big offensive night as the Cubs crushed the Pirates 14-4 at Wrigley Field.

  •  
    Jack Milas

    Rolling Meadows’ Milas chooses Ball State
    By Marty Maciaszek
    Jack Milas is about to begin a busy senior year in which he plans to play football, basketball and baseball for Rolling Meadows. So, one of the state's most prolific quarterbacks took care of one potential time-consuming obstacle by making a verbal commitment last week to play Division I college football at Ball State.

Business

  •  
    Google is buying a company that specializes in social media marketing as it intensifies competition with Facebook for ad dollars and attention.

    Google adds social tools for businesses
    Bloomberg
    Google Inc., owner of the world’s largest Internet search engine, said it is acquiring Wildfire Interactive Inc., a startup that helps companies market their wares via social media.Google will pay about $250 million plus performance incentives for Wildfire, according to two people familiar with the matter.Companies such as Salesforce.com Inc. have been buying startups that specialize in social-media marketing, seeking to capture a bigger slice of advertising budgets devoted to reaching consumers who interact over the Web. Google has stepped up its efforts in social with Google+, a service it started last year that competes directly with Facebook Inc., owner of the biggest social network.“It’s a platform for brands to manage their pages, apps, tweets, videos, sponsorships, ads, promotions and more, all in one place,” Mountain View, California-based Google said in a blog posting today about Wildfire. “The ultimate goal is better and fresher content, and more meaningful interactions.”Meanwhile, Facebook’s stock is at another all-time low.The stock has been falling since Facebook released quarterly earnings Thursday for the first time as a public company. Investors were disappointed despite second-quarter results meeting Wall Street expectations, with revenue one-third higher than last year.The stock lost $1.44, or 6.2 percent, to close Tuesday at $21.71. It is 43 percent below its initial public offering price of $38. Shares briefly hit $21.61 during the day. The previous low was $22.28, on Friday.Facebook began trading publicly in mid-May following one of the most anticipated stock offerings in history. But since then, investors have been concerned about its ability to keep increasing revenue and make money from its growing mobile audience. Many analysts hold positive long-term views.Wildfire, with investors such as Summit Partners and fbFund — whose capital comes from Founders Fund and Accel Partners — has customers such as PepsiCo Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. Wildfire’s services can help clients boost interest on Facebook and other social sites, including Twitter Inc. and Google+.“Over time the combination of Wildfire and Google can lead to a better platform for managing all digital media marketing,” the company said on its website. “Wildfire will operate as usual, and there will be no changes to our service and support for our customers.”Salesforce said on June 4 that it would pay $745 million for Buddy Media Inc., which helps companies create social-media campaigns. Earlier this month, Oracle Corp., the world’s largest maker of database software, said it is buying Involver Inc., the third acquisition in two months aimed at helping customers use social-media tools.Google shares rose less than 1 percent to $632.97 at the close in New York. The stock has declined 2 percent this year.The price of Google’s Wildfire acquisition was reported earlier by Advertising Age.

  •  
    A stranded Indian train passenger rests inside a railway coach as he waits for the train service to resume following a power outage in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, July 31, 2012. India’s energy crisis cascaded over half the country Tuesday when three of its regional grids collapsed, leaving 620 million people without government-supplied electricity for several hours in, by far, the world’s biggest-ever blackout.

    Electricity grids fail across India in world’s biggest blackout
    Associated Press
    Electric crematoria were snuffed out with bodies inside, New Delhi's Metro shut down and hundreds of coal miners were trapped underground after three Indian electric grids collapsed in a cascade Tuesday, cutting power to 620 million people in the world's biggest blackout.

  •  
    General Motors may be out of bankruptcy, but its ad campaign continues to languish. “Chevy Runs Deep,” never generated a buzz, and now GM has forced out its star marketing chief.

    GM’s ads aren’t getting the job done
    Associated Press
    General Motors' ads just aren't getting the job done. Ever since the company left bankruptcy three years ago, the ads haven't boosted sales much. The company's biggest campaign, "Chevy Runs Deep," has failed to generate buzz.

  •  
    Gluten-free bread is packaged at the Pure Knead bakery in Decatur, Ga. A decade ago, virtually no one in the United States seemed to have a problem eating gluten in bread and other foods. Now, millions do.

    Is your problem gluten? Or faddish eating?
    Associated Press
    ATLANTA — It sounds like an unfolding epidemic: A decade ago, virtually no one in the U.S. seemed to have a problem eating gluten in bread and other foods. Now, millions do.Gluten-free products are flying off grocery shelves, and restaurants are boasting of meals with no gluten. Celebrities on TV talk shows chat about the digestive discomfort they blame on the wheat protein they now shun. Some churches even offer gluten-free Communion wafers.“I don’t know whether there’s more people getting this or that more people are noticing” they have a problem, said the Rev. Richard Allen, pastor at Mamaroneck United Methodist Church, north of New York City.Or is it just another food fad?Faddishness is a big part of it. Americans will spend an estimated $7 billion this year on foods labeled gluten-free, according to the market research firm Mintel. But the best estimates are that more than half the consumers buying these products — perhaps way more than half — don’t have any clear-cut reaction to gluten.They buy gluten-free because they think it will help them lose weight, or because they seem to feel better, or because they mistakenly believe they are sensitive to gluten.“We have a lot of self-diagnosing going on out there,” said Melissa Abbott, who tracks the gluten-free market for the Hartman Group, a Seattle-area market research organization.Fads aside, research suggests more people are truly getting sick from the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley, but the reasons aren’t clear.In the most serious cases, gluten triggers celiac disease. The condition causes abdominal pain, bloating and intermittent diarrhea. Those with the ailment don’t absorb nutrients well and can suffer weight loss, fatigue, rashes and other problems.It was once considered extremely rare in the U.S. But about 20 years ago, a few scientists began exploring why celiac disease was less common here than in Europe and other countries. They concluded that it wasn’t less common here; it was just under-diagnosed.More recently, a research team led by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Joseph Murray looked at blood samples taken from Americans in the 1950s and compared them with samples taken from people today, and determined it wasn’t just better diagnosis driving up the numbers. Celiac disease actually was increasing. Indeed, the research confirms estimates that about 1 percent of U.S. adults have it today, making it four times more common now than it was 50 years ago, Murray and his colleagues reported Tuesday in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.That translates to nearly 2 million Americans with celiac disease.Celiac disease is different from an allergy to wheat, which affects a much smaller number of people, mostly children who outgrow it.Scientists suggest that there may be more celiac disease today because people eat more processed wheat products like pastas and baked goods than in decades past, and those items use types of wheat that have a higher gluten content. Gluten helps dough rise and gives baked goods structure and texture.Or it could be due to changes made to wheat, Murray said.In the 1950s, scientists began cross-breeding wheat to make hardier, shorter and better-growing plants. It was the basis of the Green Revolution that boosted wheat harvests worldwide. Norman Borlaug, the U.S. plant scientist behind many of the innovations, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.But the gluten in wheat may have somehow become even more troublesome for many people, Murray said.That also may have contributed to what is now called “gluten sensitivity.”Doctors recently developed a definition for gluten sensitivity, but it’s an ambiguous one. It’s a label for people who suffer bloating and other celiac symptoms and seem to be helped by avoiding gluten, but don’t actually have celiac disease. Celiac disease is diagnosed with blood testing, genetic testing, or biopsies of the small intestine.

  •  
    Chairman Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve appear to be moving toward announcing some new step to try to energize the troubled U.S. economy this week. That has Wall Street playing a wait-and-see game.

    Stocks slip ahead of crucial Fed, ECB meetings
    Associated Press
    Stocks ended slightly lower Tuesday as investors held back ahead of three critical events this week: policy meetings at both the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank and a closely watched report on jobs in the U.S.

  •  
    Synergy CEO Rod Sowders, left, poses with Wauconda Mayor Mark Knigge by a street that was renamed by the village to welcome the new Synergy Flavors Inc. The company is moving into a 145,000-square-foot facility later this week.

    Synergy Flavors Inc. moves into new Wauconda location
    By Jennifer Earl
    Synergy Flavors, a global firm which specializes in yeast extracts, flavorings, and vanilla, will expand in a new 145,000-square-foot facility less than a mile away from its current location in Wauconda. Mayor Mark Knigge, who recently toured the facility with CEO Rod Sowders, said the new facility will add new energy to the area. “We added a lot of positions, and a big part of it is development,” Synergy CEO Rod Sowders said.

  •  
    Apple CEO Steve Jobs, seen 2010, holds an iPhone at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Two tech titans are squaring off in federal court this weeky in a closely watched trial over control of the worldwide smart phone and computer tablet markets.

    Apple claims Samsung copied iPhone technology
    Associated Press
    An attorney for Apple told a jury Tuesday that rival Samsung faced two options to compete in the booming cellphone market after Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to critical acclaim in 2007: Innovate or copy.

  •  
    Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will announce his running mate over an iPhone and Android application “before the press and just about everyone else (except maybe Ann)” knows, his campaign said Tuesday.

    Romney to announce VP pick by smartphone app
    Associated Press
    Want to be among the first to know who Mitt Romney picks for a running mate? There's an app for that.

  •  
    The Fisher Nut business at 906 S. Northwest Hwy. in Barrington is expected to be sold and converted to an Ace Hardware store this fall.

    Ace Hardware to open in Barrington
    By Eric Peterson
    An Ace Hardware store is expected to open in Barrington in November, fulfilling a long-running demand in a village which has been without a hardware store for years. As happened with a long-hoped-for Irish pub a few years ago, it's a local resident who's stepped forward to address the demand.

  •  
    More than 15 million fans are following and participating in the Olympic experience via Twitter and other social media platforms, not to mention a good proportion of the 10,800 athletes.

    Olympics awash in Twitter, for better or worse
    Associated Press
    It's amazing how much trouble can be stirred up in 140 characters or less. But also how much intimacy, excitement, global scope and, yes, general zaniness. For better and for worse, the 2012 Olympics are being shaped, shaken and indisputably changed by a social media revolution that four years ago in Beijing was in its toddlerhood.

  •  

    Home prices rose in all major U.S. cities in May
    Associated Press
    Home prices rose in May from April in every city tracked by a leading index, a sign that increasing sales and tight inventories are supporting a modest housing recovery.

  •  

    U.S. consumer spending flat, income up 0.5 pct.
    Associated Press
    Americans spent no more in June than they did in May, even though their income grew at the fastest pace in three months. The lack of growth in spending follows a decline in the previous month, suggesting consumers are staying cautious with their money as they economy weakens.

  •  
    UBS AG posted second-quarter net profits of 425 million Swiss francs (US$434.16 million) Tuesday, July 31, 2012, a sharp plunge from the 1.02 billion Swiss francs (US$1.2 billion) it posted in the comparable period a year ago. Hit by lower trading revenue and fewer commissions and client fees, Switzerland’s largest bank said the 58 percent net profit drop reflects “challenging conditions marked by increased volatility and greater client caution.”

    UBS hit by Facebook IPO loss
    Associated Press
    GENEVA — Shares in UBS plunged after the Swiss banking giant posted a worse-than-expected 58 percent fall in second-quarter profits Tuesday due to losses from the Facebook stock listing and a downturn at its investment banking division.Switzerland’s largest bank said the drop in profit to 425 million francs ($434.16 million) from 1.02 billion Swiss francs ($1.2 billion) a year earlier reflects “challenging conditions marked by increased volatility and greater client caution.”The Zurich-based bank missed analysts’ estimates for more than 1 billion francs in profit, and its shares fell 6.5 percent to 10.22 francs ($10.44).UBS AG incurred a 349 million francs loss due to problems executing electronic trades on the day of Facebook’s listing on the Nasdaq exchange in May. That pushed the investment banking unit to a pretax loss of 130 million francs for the second quarter.Because of those technical errors, which gave UBS more shares than its clients ordered, the bank said it will take unspecified legal action against Nasdaq to recoup the losses.“We will take appropriate legal action against Nasdaq to address its gross mishandling of the offering and its substantial failures to perform its duties,” the bank said.Chief Executive Sergio P. Ermotti, who is cutting the investment bank’s size by more than half, told investors in a statement that going forward UBS will focus more on wealth management to comply with the need for greater capital cushions. He said the bank would continue to focus on “prudent liquidity management, further reducing risk-weighted assets and delivering the best possible service to our clients.”The bank said it had surpassed requirements to increase its capital cushion and prudently cut costs that should lead to better results by the end of 2013. UBS said it plans to boost capital by 15.3 billion francs this year to comply with the urgings of the Swiss central bank.It also said it was continuing to reduce its exposure to risky assets by 45 billion francs in the second quarter, following recent scandals such as a $2 billion loss attributed to a former London trader accused of fraud. The bank now plans to reduce its exposure to 270 billion francs of such assets by 2013.UBS is cutting about 3,500 jobs, and had 63,520 staff at the end of June.Its outlook remained cautious, however, because of Europe’s sovereign debt crisis and the gloomy world economic outlook, even as it expressed confidence that it would continue to attract net new assets.“Failure to make progress on these key issues, accentuated by the reduction in market activity levels typically seen in the third quarter, would make further improvements in prevailing market conditions unlikely,” UBS said in a statement.

  •  
    U.S. consumer confidence rose in July after four months of declines. A better outlook on short-term hiring and lower gas prices offset lingering worries about the economy and poor income growth.

    U.S. consumers more confident in the economy in July
    Associated Press
    U.S. consumer confidence rose in July after four months of declines. A better outlook on short-term hiring and lower gas prices offset lingering worries about the economy and poor income growth. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index increased to 65.9, from 62.7 in June. That's the highest reading since April and better than the reading of 62 that economists had forecast.

  •  
    India’s Supreme Court has allowed the Exxon Valdez, the oil tanker involved in one of the worst U.S. oil spills, to be dismantled in western Gujarat state. The court ruled Monday, July 30, 2012, that the ship could anchor near Alang, the hub of India’s shipbreaking industry. The ship, now known as the Oriental Nicety, entered Indian waters in May.

    India lets in Exxon Valdez if toxic disposal paid
    Associated Press
    NEW DELHI — India’s Supreme Court has allowed the Exxon Valdez, which caused one of the worst U.S. oil spills, to be dismantled in the country but required the owner to pay for disposal of any toxic materials found on the ship.The 26-year-old ship, now known as the Oriental Nicety, entered Indian waters in May to be broken down for valuable parts. But it was denied permission to anchor near Alang, the hub of India’s shipbreaking industry, while the court examined an environmental activist’s petition that said the vessel contained toxic substances.Priya Blue Industries will abide by the ruling on the disposal of contaminated material, said Sanjay Mehta, director of the ship dismantling company based in Gujarat state.Activist Gopal Krishna, who had petitioned the court, said he felt let down by Monday’s decision.“It’s disappointing that the toxic-laden vessel has been given entry into Indian waters. The ship poses a grave environmental threat because a variety of hazardous materials are on board,” Krishna said.The court said Gujarat maritime authorities had certified that the ship did not contain any hazardous substances. On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez tanker dashed against rocks and split open in Alaska’s ecologically sensitive Prince William Sound. Millions of gallons of crude oil spilled, coating the shoreline, killing hundreds of thousands of birds, causing incalculable environmental damage and demolishing the area’s fishing industry. Its ownership and name have been changed repeatedly in an apparent effort to keep using the ship while distancing it from the disaster. It was converted to an ore carrier a decade ago and suffered more damage in a collision in the South China Sea in 2010.The current owner is Best Oasis, a Hong Kong-based subsidiary of Priya Blue that buys old ships solely to dismantle them, reuse salvageable material and discard the rest.India has one of the world’s largest industries for dismantling ships. However, environment activists say shipbreaking companies do not follow sufficient precautions, exposing workers and the environment to toxic materials.

  •  

    Christmas tree growers lose seedlings to drought
    Associated Press
    The drought has killed many of the newly-planted Christmas trees in southern Wisconsin. Growers say they'll have to plant twice as many next year to make up for the loss. Caledonia Tree Farm owner Russell Kook near Merrimac says most of the 4,500 seedlings he planted this year have died. Kook says other growers he's talked to are experiencing the same losses.

  •  

    Ind. port workers unloading giant crane for BP
    Associated Press
    Workers at the Port of Indiana on Lake Michigan are busy unloading an enormous crane that will help BP PLC complete the company's $3.8 billion expansion of its Whiting refinery.

  •  
    The U.S.’s richest retirees are spurning Florida’s sun in favor of Seattle’s rain .

    Richest retirees settle for Seattle rain as Florida ranks second
    Bloomberg News
    The U.S.'s richest retirees are spurning Florida's sun in favor of Seattle's rain and the company of Steve Ballmer.Hunts Point, Washington, a Seattle suburb with more than 150 days of rain a year and about 400 residents including the Microsoft Corp. chief executive officer, had an average household retirement income of $200,431 in 2010. That puts the peninsula town at No. 1 in a Bloomberg Rankings list of 37 places with the wealthiest older residents.

  •  
    Chicago is forecasting its smallest budget gap since 2009, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the city is in a stronger financial position after making “tough but necessary choices.”

    Chicago sees smallest budget gap in four years after job cuts
    Bloomberg News
    Chicago is forecasting its smallest budget gap since 2009, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the city is in a stronger financial position after making "tough but necessary choices."The projection for the third-largest U.S. city, contained in an annual financial analysis, forecasts a 2013 deficit of $369 million, roughly half of what it was a year earlier. Emanuel cut $410 million from the current-year budget of $6.3 billion through personnel reductions, health-care cost savings and closing six mental-health clinics and three police stations.

  •  
    Aetna Inc.’s second-quarter net income tumbled almost 15 percent compared to last year when slower-than-expected growth in health care use helped earnings.

    Health insurer Aetna’s 2Q profit falls 15 percent
    Associated Press
    Aetna Inc.'s second-quarter net income tumbled almost 15 percent compared to last year when slower-than-expected growth in health care use helped earnings. The health insurer's latest results still beat analyst expectations, and it raised its 2012 earnings forecast.

  •  

    Ailing nuke plant may restart by 2013
    Associated Press
    The operator of California's troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant told state regulators the damaged reactors may restart by the end of the year, according to documents obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

  •  

    BP posts Q2 loss as output, oil prices fall
    Associated Press
    Oil company BP has reported a loss of $1.4 billion pounds for the second quarter on the back of lower prices for oil and gas as well as reduced output.BP reported Tuesday that its net loss compared to a net profit of $5.7 billion a year earlier. Revenue was down 9 percent at $95 billion. The company also made an additional provision of $847 million for the Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster and cleanup, taking the total provision to just over $38 billion.

  •  

    Oil trades near week high on stimulus outlook, Mideast unrest
    Bloomberg News
    Oil traded near the highest level in a week in New York on speculation U.S. and European policy makers will act to boost growth and concern that unrest in the Middle East may spread and disrupt supplies.

  •  
    A woman walks by Honda Motor Co.’s vehicles on display in front of the Japanese automaker’s headquarters in Tokyo Tuesday.

    Honda’s profit quadruples on disaster recovery
    Associated Press
    Honda's quarterly profit quadrupled to $1.7 billion as the Japanese automaker bounced back from last year's natural disasters with more vehicles sold across all key regions except for Europe. Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co., which makes the Fit subcompact, Odyssey minivan and Asimo walking robot, said Tuesday its April-June quarter sales surged 42 percent to $31.2 billion.

  •  

    Eurozone unemployment at record high in June
    Associated Press
    The number of people unemployed across the 17 countries that use the euro hit a record high in June, official figures showed Tuesday, in a stark reminder that Europe's debt crisis has ramifications beyond the financial markets.

  •  
    An investor looks at a stock price monitor at a private securities company in Shanghai, China, Tuesday.

    Markets remain hopeful of euro debt crisis plan
    Associated Press
    Markets were firm on Tuesday as investors remained confident European policymakers will back powerful new measures to battle the continent's debt crisis.However, the scale of the advance in stock markets witnessed since last Thursday has eased considerably this week amid nagging doubts over Europe's longer-term ability to solve its financial and economic problems.

  •  
    The Federal Reserve appears to be moving toward announcing some new step to try to energize the troubled U.S. economy. The question is whether it will do so after its policy meeting this week. Probably not, many economists say.

    Fed could be moving to more bond buying
    Associated Press
    The Federal Reserve appears to be moving toward announcing some new step to try to energize the troubled U.S. economy. The question is whether it will do so after its policy meeting this week.Probably not, many economists say.The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.5 percent from April through June, less than the 2 percent rate in the first quarter. But many analysts say the economy hasn't slowed enough to compel the Fed to announce further help immediately.

  •  
    Every dawn in the early spring of 2011, Matthew Kluger peered out his window, wondering when federal agents would knock at his door.

    How Wall Street lawyer turned eluded FBI 17 years
    Bloomberg News
    Every dawn in the early spring of 2011, Matthew Kluger peered out his window, wondering when federal agents would knock at his door. Kluger, a mergers-and- acquisitions lawyer, says he worried that authorities were closing in on him as the source of illegal tips in a three-man insider-trading ring that had eluded detection for 17 years.

Life & Entertainment

  •  
    New Orleans police say an arrest warrant has been issued on a municipal battery charge for actor Cuba Gooding Jr. after an incident Tuesday at a New Orleans bar.

    Cuba Gooding Jr. sought on warrant in New Orleans
    Associated Press
    New Orleans police say an arrest warrant has been issued for actor Cuba Gooding Jr. after an incident at a Bourbon Street bar. Police said in a news release that a bartender told officers that Gooding was there at 3 a.m. Tuesday when he became upset with other patrons who started asking him to take photographs with them.

  •  
    Garlicky grilled kale served with a burger and fresh tomatoes makes a perfect summer meal.

    A new way with kale for summer
    By J.M. Hirsch
    When I created this recipe, I was aiming for something akin to a saute. What I got was so much better.When you saute kale, it acts like spinach. That is, it wilts, releases a lot moisture and becomes very tender. Prepared this way, it’s delicious in stir-fries, tossed with pasta or seasoned and used as a bed for roasted or grilled meats.But on a recent way-too-hot day, the idea of standing at the stove just didn’t appeal. And since I already had the grill going, I figured I could get the same effect if I seasoned the kale, dumped it on a baking sheet and set it over the grill for a few minutes.Except that the intense heat of the grill never gave the kale a chance to wilt. In just minutes, the greens went from fresh to toasted and lightly crisped. It also happened to be delicious and paired particularly well with the sausages I also was grilling that evening.And you don’t need to like the seasoning blend I created to use this technique. Flavor the kale however you see fit (some red pepper flakes would be a fine addition). But however you season the kale, watch it carefully. Every grill heats differently, and kale is so delicate it can go from perfect to perfectly burnt rather quickly.One note about grilling with a baking sheet. The intense heat of the grill is likely to warp inexpensive baking sheets. If you don’t have a heavy duty baking sheet, I suggest using a disposable foil one, which most grocers sell in a variety of sizes.Ÿ Follow Associated Press Food Editor to great eats on Twitter @JM—Hirsch.

  •  

    Good wine: Getting to know riesling — a delicious undertaking
    By Mary Ross
    A lot of fun with wine involves mix-and-matching wine with food. Recently, I made a great match of Indonesian-style beef curry with a spicy, red — a Cabernet Franc. Then I paired the curry with riesling and it was also delicious. It got me reminiscing about my most delicious wine and food combinations and why Germany's star grape pairs so well with food.

  •  
    Rapper Snoop Dogg is changing his name to Snoop Lion.

    Snoop Dogg becomes Snoop Lion, readies reggae CD
    Associated Press
    Snoop Dogg says he was "born again" during a visit to Jamaica in January, is changing his name to Snoop Lion and is ready to make music that his "kids and grandparents can listen to."

  •  
    Rick Ross’ “God Forgives, I Don’t”

    Rick Ross is top-notch on ‘God Forgives’
    Associated Press
    Throughout his career, Rick Ross has declared himself a "bawse." On his latest album, "God Forgives, I Don't," the Miami rapper continues to live up to his catchphrase, proving he's one of the top bosses not just in hip-hop, but in music period.

  •  
    “The Secret World” throws players into a mythical virtual earth populated with haunted houses, secret societies, vampire cults and zombie invasions.

    'Secret World' — a thinking person's MMO
    Associated Press
    With "The Secret World," developer Funcom has a created a mythical virtual Earth populated with haunted houses, secret societies, vampire cults and zombie invasions that feels completely distinct from other titles in the genre. Plus "The Secret World" has abandoned a typical class structure in favor of abilities determined by weapons such as shotguns, swords, assault rifles and magical books.

  •  
    A judge granted Sheryl Crow a temporary restraining order against Phillip Gordon Sparks on Tuesday in response to online rants and a threat he made publicly to “just shoot” the Grammy winner.

    Sheryl Crow granted temporary restraining order
    Associated Press
    A judge has granted Sheryl Crow a temporary restraining order against a man who is accused of threatening to shoot the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. The order requires Phillip Gordon Sparks, 45, to stay 100 yards away and not attempt to contact Crow, her family or any of her workers.

  •  
    Fred Willard said his recent lewd conduct arrest at an adult movie theater was “embarrassing as hell” but insisted he did nothing wrong.

    ABC pulls Fred Willard improv show after arrest
    Associated Press
    Fred Willard's improv series is a wipeout with ABC. The network is pulling the last two original episodes of "Trust Us With Your Life," a move that comes two weeks after Willard's lewd conduct arrest at an adult movie theater. Reruns of ABC's "Wipeout" will replace the Tuesday show hosted by Willard.

  •  
    Toby Keith had his gall bladder removed recently and was forced to reschedule his Aug. 2 show at Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wis. That concert date has been rescheduled to Aug. 30.

    Toby Keith postpones concert date after surgery
    Associated Press
    Surgery has briefly sidelined country star Toby Keith. Keith has had his gallbladder removed and was forced to reschedule his show Thursday at Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wis. That concert date has been rescheduled to Aug. 30.

  •  
    Rihanna received five nominations for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.

    Rihanna, Drake score 5 Video Music Award nods
    Associated Press
    The MTV Video Music Award nominations are out, and Rihanna and Drake are leading the pack with five nominations each. Last year's big winner Katy Perry isn't far behind, with four nominations.

  •  
    Tony Award-nominee Cathy Rigby (“Peter Pan”) will appear in a special Broadway in Chicago Concert season preview at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago on Monday, Aug. 6.

    Best bets: Broadway in Chicago Concert hosts Lauper, Rigby
    By Scott Morgan
    Catch a season preview Broadway in Chicago Concert featuring former Olympic athlete and actress Cathy Rigby ("Peter Pan") and pop star and composer Cyndi Lauper ("Kinky Boots") and more at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago. Other weekend highlights include Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias in concert at the United Center and Demi Lovato making her Ravinia debut.

  •  
    “A Thousand Miles Left Behind” by Gloriana

    A step forward, a step back for Gloriana
    Associated Press
    Nashville trio Gloriana, rebounding from the departure of fourth member Cheyenne Kimball, manage to make their sparkling musical arrangements and sweet harmonies come across more engagingly than ever on their second album, "A Thousand Miles Left Behind."

  •  
    Naperville native Matt Mullins, a five-time world martial arts champion, now stars in movies, TV shows, videos, commercials and games.

    Naperville man makes 'Karate Kid' dreams a reality
    By Jamie Sotonoff and Dann Gire
    At 13, Matt Mullins started martial arts training at John Sharkey's Karate School in Naperville. At 14, he became an instructor. At 16, he became a world karate titleholder in Dublin, Ireland. Now, the 31-year-old Mullins is working on a film in China. "I've had an opportunity to do things that lots of people don't get a chance to do," he said.

  •  
    “The Sandcastle Girls” by Chris Bohjalian

    Bohjalian does it again with 'Sandcastle Girls'
    Associated Press
    It takes a talented novelist to combine fully ripened characters, an engrossing storyline, exquisite prose and set it against a horrific historical backdrop — in this case, the Armenian genocide — and completely enchant readers. The prolific and captivating Chris Bohjalian has done it all — again — with his 15th book, "The Sandcastle Girls."

  •  

    Baked Brown Rice and Peach Custard
    Baked Brown Rice and Peach Custard

  •  
    Cook of the Week Lynn Dugan of Glen Ellyn with stuffed baked zucchini.

    Stuffed Zucchini Baked Italian Style with Ground Beef and Fresh Herbs
    Stuffed Zucchini Baked Italian Style with Ground Beef and Fresh Herbs

  •  
    Lynn Dugan strives to feed her family healthy meals, and her baked zucchini is in the rotation.

    Cook of the Week: Dietitian strives for healthy family meals
    By Abby Scalf
    Lynn Dugan prides herself as a registered dietitian, guiding people toward nutritious meals and leading them to healthier, active lifestyles. Yet this Glen Ellyn mom has her own challenge: finding the time to feed her own busy family. "I know how hard it is to feed active kids a healthy diet," she said. "If I have trouble with my own family, I can't imagine how other people would struggle in their own kitchens."

Discuss

  •  

    Editorial: The separation of business, politics
    Daily Herald Editorial Board
    Chicago and suburban officials should not be inserting themselves in an official way in the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A and its owners' views on same-sex marriage, a Daily Herald editorial says.

  •  

    Editorial: The separation of business, politics
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    Chicago and suburban officials should not be inserting themselves in an official way in the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A and its owners' views on same-sex marriage, a Daily Herald editorial says.

  •  

    Urge tollway officials to extend Route 53
    A Buffalo Grove letter to the editor: Our northern region should not be second fiddle to areas to the south that already have seen the I-355 extension become a reality.

  •  

    Firefighters’ work no less than heroic
    A Buffalo Grove letter to the editor: While shopping in Vernon Hills, I received a phone call from my next door neighbor. "Where are you? Come home now. Our homes are about to go up in flames!"

  •  

    Persuade Washington to work for us
    A Huntley letter to the editor: We are all sick of a Washington that is not working in our best interest, in fact a Washington that chooses not to work but to just attack the other side.

  •  

    Time to re-evaluate Second Amendment
    A Geneva letter to the editor: Due to the exploitation of the Second Amendment, people outside of our military and law enforcement now have access to weapons of mass destruction, including tear gas and assault rifles.It is time for everyone to take time to re-evaluate their beliefs and understand things need to change.

  •  

    Stop LINK cards in high-end stores
    A Carpentersville letter to the editor: Just wondering if anybody else is aware that the LINK card can be used at high-end grocery stores? And now, they are interacting with farmer's markets. To me, this is outrageous. I for one work for a living. My income does not allow me to shop at the high-end food chain, or farmer's markets.

  •  

    Sick and tired of infomercials
    An Elgin letter to the editor: How can TV networks get away with all these massive commercials and infomercials. People are sick of paying a lot of money to watch all this junk. We pay for these fat cat corporations putting all these ads on.

  •  

    Leadership principle: Self gain at any price
    A Glen Ellyn letter to the editor: Leaders of our financial and governmental institutions appear to seek whatever way possible to avoid action and absolve themselves of responsibility. Their primary guiding principle of leadership appears to be self-gain at any price.

  •  

    Obama clueless on building business
    A Carol Stream letter to the editor: Well, we knew Obama never ran a business or had to make a payroll, but now we know he is clueless on how to build a business. In a recent speech, Obama states "If you've got a business, you didn't build that, somebody else made that happen."

«Jun

Jul 2012

Aug»
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 1 2 3 4