Daily Archive : Thursday November 15, 2012
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News
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Gurnee church packs shoe boxes with gifts for kids in need
Lake County families joined in a worldwide effort to bring Christmas cheer to children in need as they packed shoe boxes full of gifts Saturday at Immanuel Church in Gurnee. Visions of children in orphanages, hospitals or disaster areas fueled volunteers. "You have to see the vision of a child not getting a present," said volunteer Yolanda Mackey of Round Lake Beach.
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W. Chicago fire victims moved by donations
Donated furniture lifted the spirits of families living in a West Chicago apartment building that burned Nov. 4. Volunteers from Wheaton Bible Church and other organizations helped the residents, who were left with next to nothing.
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Metra set to raise cost of 10-ride pass
"Again?" was the unenthusiastic reaction of Metra 10-ride pass users upon learning fares could spike by 11 percent on Feb. 1, 2013. Metra's board of directors approved raising the price of 10-ride passes by an 8-2 margin Friday, although that decision is subject to a final vote in December. The hike would follow on the heels of a 30 percent increase in 10-ride passes instituted this February.
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Alderman Sandi Jackson no-show at Chicago council
A day after U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson Jr. failed to show up to the halls of Congress, his wife, Alderman Sandi Jackson, was a no-show to a Chicago City Council meeting.
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Chatty I-PASS transponders could cost $8-$9
Transponders that talk back to let you know if you successfully paid a toll could be coming to Illinois. But there's some technical and financial hurdles to factor in. Typically, transponders cost the Illinois tollway about $8 to $9; feedback transponders could cost about 25 percent more. The board took no action on the issue, but will continue to assess price and technology challenges related to...
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Service set for Big Rock firefighter mauled by own dog
A memorial service will be held Saturday for a Big Rock firefighter who authorities say was mauled and killed by a dog she recently adopted. Coworkers at the Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District said Dawn R. Brown, 44, loved animals and children, and worked in public outreach at the district, giving tours of the station and visiting schools.
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Missouri man arrested in Elgin on sex assault charges
A Missouri man was arrested by Elgin police and is accused of sexually assaulting a 41-year-old woman Tuesday at a Dundee Avenue hotel, authorities said. Mudy Munoz-Salgado, 35, of Eldon, Mo., is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, two counts of aggravated battery and unlawful restraint.
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Man has to be extricated from Elk Grove Village crash
Elk Grove fire officials said a man had to be cut out of the backseat of a car after a three-vehicle crash on northbound 290 south of Devon Avenue.
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Rosebud reopens after roof fire
Structure fire at Rosebud in Naperville
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Lombard hiring assistant village manager to oversee risk management
An assistant village manager is expected to be one of the only significant new expenditures in the village of Lombard's 2013 budget, and officials say the new employee's goal will be to save the village money. Lombard spends about $900,000 a year on insurance claims and liabilities, Village Manager David Hulseberg said, but hiring an assistant village manager to oversee risk management should cut...
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Israel moves troops toward Gaza
Palestinian militants targeted densely populated Tel Aviv in Israel's heartland with rockets for the first time Thursday, part of an unprecedented barrage that threatened to provoke an Israeli ground assault on Gaza. Three Israelis were killed in a separate rocket attack in southern Israel.
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Island Lake man charged with threatening juvenile
A three-month-long investigation culminated in the arrest of a 43-year-old Island Lake man for exchanging explicit material with and threatening a juvenile, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren announced Thursday. The sheriff's office said Douglas J. Carlson, of the 4000 block of Beech Street, is charged with two felonies — one for dealing in harmful material and another for intimidation.
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Huntley agrees to freeze tax levy
It's likely Huntley taxpayers won't see an increase in the village's portion of their tax bill. Citing the economy, the village board gave preliminary consent Thursday to freeze the tax levy at $3.8 million, which means the owner of a $225,000 house will continue to pay about $350. The official vote on the matter is scheduled for Dec. 13; if it goes through, it would mark the third consecutive...
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BP steadily moving beyond Gulf spill disaster
BP's $4.5 billion settlement of federal criminal charges announced Thursday is a record amount, and a significant sum of money. Or, looked at another way, it's less than the $5.5 billion in profit the British oil giant made between June and September of this year.
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Trustee questions spending of township funds over 3-year period
Sugar Grove Police are investigating whether the former Sugar Grove Township supervisor misused township money for personal expenses. The investigation was requested by a township trustee.
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Questions on sex scandal: Top officials testify
Top national security officials trudged to Capitol Hill on Thursday to grapple with fallout from the David Petraeus sex scandal as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asked service chiefs to review ethics training for military officers. He said he was unaware of any other top brass who could turn out to be ensnared in the debacle.
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Analysis: Only ritual talk on fiscal cliff so far
When President Barack Obama greets congressional leaders at the White House on Friday, an elaborate set of postelection rituals will be complete. Yet divided government's ability to attack the nation's economic woes is no clearer now than it has been for months.
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Presidents’ kids talk about White House life
Whether it was to sneak a first kiss or listen to Led Zeppelin, climbing onto the roof of the White House was apparently a common sneak-out practice among presidents' children. These and other memories were shared Thursday, when the children of three presidents discussed life in the White House.
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Remains found in Island Lake ID’d as missing veteran
The skeletal remains of a Gulf War veteran reported missing in Island Lake in 2011 have been found in a swampy area in town, authorities announced Thursday. Kenneth J. Kile Jr., who was described by police as a 43-year-old transient with a history of drug use, was reported missing July 5, 2011, by his roommate.
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Elgin Hispanic Network makes it to 25 years
Back in the 1980s Fabiola Palacios joined a networking group for local professionals that made her wonder where all the Latinos were in Elgin. She became the co-founder of today's Elgin Hispanic Network, which celebrated its 25th anniversary at a luncheon Wednesday.
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Ramirez guilty in murder of wife near Des Plaines
It took jurors less than 40 minutes this afternoon to find Heriberto Ramirez guilty of slaying his wife Alicia on Valentine's Day 2011 as their young daughter sat nearby in the family's Des Plaines area home.
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Fox Valley police reports
Brian Gonzalez, 18, of Elgin, was arrested and later charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana after police were called to a potential burglary just after midnight Monday in the 700 block of Terrace Court, according to police reports. Gonzalez is due in court for the drug offense Dec. 11 in Rolling Meadows, reports said.
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Northwest suburban police blotter
Armed robberies occurred two days apart at a liquor store and a gas station in Des Plaines, with the description of the robber in each case having several similarities and telling the clerk in each case to turn over the money or "I'll shoot you."
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Streamwood police search for missing woman
Streamwood police are asking for the public's help in their search for a woman reported missing earlier this week. Rachel Morris, 20, was last seen at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12 on the 700 block of South Bartlett Road near Shady Oaks Park in Streamwood.
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Rash of car burglaries in Des Plaines
Des Plaines has been struck by a rash of car burglaries in recent days, according to police reports. Burglars entered at least 22 vehicles, some locked, some unlocked, between 8 p.m. Nov. 9 and 8:45 a.m. Nov. 12 and stole money, GPS units, tools, CDs, sunglasses, iPod Charger, purse, iPods, car stereo, army knife, amplifier, speaker box, and a gym bag. Value of the stolen items was estimated at...
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Boy abandoned in DuPage County gets name back
Five years after burying an abandoned boy they never knew, DuPage County authorities finally were able to see a name etched into the gravestone: Atcel Olmedo. Atcel, whose body was found in October 2005 in Naperville Township, was known as DuPage County's Johnny Doe until the DuPage sheriff's office was able to identify the child through a DNA profile.
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Firearm deer season beginning in Illinois
The Illinois firearm deer season begins Friday through Sunday and concludes Nov. 29 through Dec. 2.Hunters harvested more than 98,000 deer during last year’s seven-day hunt. So far this year, about 334,000 permits have been issued.The legal hunting hours for the firearm season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
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Amtrak preparing for busiest travel period of year
Amtrak says it’s gearing up for a busy Thanksgiving holiday. The rail services said Wednesday that Thanksgiving likely will be the busiest travel period of the year, and officials expect trains to sell out for the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday and Sunday after the holiday.
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Lawmakers may cap wage increase for state workers
Illinois lawmakers are considering a measure to cap any wage increases for state employees in contracts negotiations between their unions and the governor’s office.State Rep. John Bradley is sponsoring the measure and said Thursday the state has already made too many financial promises it can’t keep.
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Lawmakers seek medical society nod on doctor fees
Key state lawmakers say they hope the Illinois State Medical Society can reach an agreement on licensing fees with the department that regulates doctors.
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Abboud to seek re-election as Barrington Hills president
Barrington Hills Village President Robert Abboud and Trustee Fritz Gohl will seek re-election in April, while Trustee Harold "Skip" Gianopulos said he's strongly leaning toward running for another term as well. Trustee Elaine Ramesh, the only other village board member whose term is expiring in the spring, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
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Lombard debating funding for Town Centre group
The group that promotes downtown Lombard is being encouraged to plan for its long-term financial future as it requests $50,000 in village funding for 2013. Lombard Town Centre is seeking the money to pay its executive director's salary and payroll taxes as well as expenses related to events such as the Spooktacular Fall Festival. "They've got to come up with either a method of permanently funding...
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Tri-Cities police reports
Mitchell J. Jeczalik, 53, of Sugar Grove, has been charged with one count of felony aggravated battery in a public place and one count of misdemeanor battery, according to police. At about 9:10 p.m. Nov. 5, Jeczalik got into a dispute with a clerk at a restaurant. Jeczalik turned himself in Thursday and is free on $500 bond.
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Wheaton Park District scuttles plans for hotel at Arrowhead
Wheaton Park District commissioners have pulled the plug on a proposal to bring a hotel to Arrowhead Golf Club. Citing a sluggish economy, park commissioners Wednesday followed Executive Director Mike Benard's recommendation to suspend additional research into the project's viability. "We obviously have other pressing things to focus on until such a time that the economy's better and a future...
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St. Charles schools seek property tax increase
The St. Charles school board is asking for 3.74 percent more in property taxes for its operating funds, according to an estimated tax levy it approved Monday.
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Naperville mom indicted in double child slaying
The Naperville woman accused of fatally stabbing her young son and a kindergartner she was baby-sitting was formally indicted Thursday on 10 counts of first-degree murder. Elzbieta Plackowska, 40, also was formally charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty for allegedly stabbing and killing two dogs, a dachshund named Tootsie and a mixed breed named Niki, prosecutors said.
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Six juveniles charged in Maine West soccer hazing
Six juveniles have been petitioned to juvenile court for various offenses related to an alleged hazing incident in September involving the Maine West High School boys soccer team, a Des Plaines police official said Thursday. Maine Township High School District 207 barred several Maine West boys soccer players from playing as a result of the incident. The students also could face school...
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Elgin’s last union group agrees to no raises in 2011
When Elgin City Council members approved labor agreements with its clerical technical and permanent part-time and custodial union employees Wednesday, they were passing contract extensions that already have expired. The two SEIU Local 73 groups, which represent about 115 city employees, were the final union holdouts on the labor agreement that extended their prior contracts through the end of...
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Five charged in $2.7 million pot bust in Kane County
Authorities seized nearly 600 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $2.7 million and arrested five people - including couples from Elburn and Batavia - in connection with a drug operation that authorities believe transported pot to the Chicago area from the Southwest United States, according to state police and court records.
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Woodland hosts author
Woodland Primary School's library will welcome children's book author and illustrator Melissa Iwai and author Denis Markell on Monday, Nov. 19.
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Lake County traffic signals
A Hoffman Estates company is being eyed to help design a timing model for all of the traffic signals in Lake County. Sam Schwartz Engineering is being considered for the job.
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Grayslake Central one-acts
Grayslake Central High School is performing its Senior Directed One-Acts now through Sunday, Nov. 18.
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Toys for Tots drop off
The Vernon Hills Park District's Sullivan and Laschen Community Centers are drop-off sites for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.
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Batavia woman killed in Randall Road crash
A Batavia woman was killed in a head-on crash Wednesday night on Randall Road in Batavia. Two people in another vehicle were injured, one critically, police said. Amy P. Holtorf, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene, in the 1300 block of South Randall Road, south of Mill Creek, according to a news release from Batavia police.
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Four arrested in Hoffman Estates High School bomb hoax
Hoffman Estates police have arrested four teens, two of them juveniles, after determining a bomb threat at Hoffman Estates High School Wednesday morning was a hoax to try to get them out of school for the day. The school was on a soft lockdown for about an hour Wednesday morning after a report of a bomb in the school, according to police.
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Former manager guilty of theft from disabled man at Warrenville group home
The former manager of a Warrenville group home pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing about $7,700 from a developmentally disabled man. Linda Cottrell, 37, could be sentenced to anywhere from probation to three to seven years in prison for financial exploitation of a disabled person.
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Wheaton College brings acclaimed performers for series
The list of past performers of Wheaton College's Artist Series is a roster of the most acclaimed classical musicians. The tradition continues Saturday, Nov. 17, with Grammy-nominated violinist Caroline Goulding joining the Camerata Chicago chamber orchestra at Edman Chapel.
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Obama views Sandy recovery in tour of NYC
President Barack Obama vowed Thursday to stick with New Yorkers still struggling 17 days after Superstorm Sandy "until the rebuilding is complete" after getting an up-close look at devastated neighborhoods rendered unlivable.
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FBI agent in Petraeus scandal was seen as hero
FBI Special Agent Frederick Humphries II played a key role in investigating a terrorist attack aimed at blowing up Los Angeles International Airport just as the year 2000 dawned. Today he finds himself in the middle of the widening scandal that has resulted in CIA Director David Petraeus' resignation.
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Zion man pleads not guilty in Gurnee standoff with police
A Zion man who is charged with breaking into a Gurnee home and shooting at people inside last month pleaded not guilty in Lake County court early Thursday. Kendrick Augillard, 35, of the 4200 block of Barberry Lane, could spend up to 50 years in jail if found guilty of attempted first degree murder or aggravated home invasion, Lake County prosecutors said in court.
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School safety officer pleads not guilty to sexual assault
A security guard at Waukegan High School's Brookside Campus pleaded not guilty in court Thursday to charges he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. Timothy Kinsey, 44, of the 1600 block of 11th Street in Waukegan, was charged Oct. 10 with two counts of criminal sexual assault. If found guilty of the charges, he could spend up to 15 years behind bars, prosecutors said Thursday.
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Symbol of holiday season arrives in Mount Prospect
A classic symbol of the holiday season arrived in Mount Prospect on Thursday as work crews set up a big Christmas tree next to village hall. Mount Prospect will hold a formal tree-lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21 — the day before Thanksgiving — outside village hall, 50 S. Emerson St.
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West Dundee 11-year-old a national triathlete
Justin Lorenz, 11, of West Dundee, became a nationally decorated triathlete thanks to great role models, favorable genes, raw talent and lots of cross-training. This year, Justin, a 6th-grader at Elgin Academy, won the Iron Kids National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa. It's not always easy. "When I won the national championship at 10, I was actually crying when I got to the finish. I was...
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Chicago police kill man armed with hammer
Chicago police officials say officers fatally shot a man who lunged at them with a hammer after they found him stabbing another man.Authorities say officers responding to a disturbance call late Wednesday ordered the man to drop his weapon. Police say that's when he pulled out a hammer and ran toward the officers.
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Provocative anti-Jihad ad appears on Chicago buses
A provocative advertisement equating Muslim radicals fighting Israel with savages is appearing on Chicago buses and angering both Muslim and Jewish groups.The Chicago Transit Authority says it, too, objects to the ads and understands they may be offensive to transit riders. But the CTA says courts have ruled the ad is protected speech under the First Amendment.
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Carpentersville Fire Dept. supports breast cancer patients
A fundraiser that the Carpentersville Fire Department recently held to help breast cancer patients at a pair of local hospitals, raised $1,600. The fire department sold pink T-shirts for several days in October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign was dubbed "Wear Pink."
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Foes want vote on proposed Campton Hills rehab center
A 96-bed drug treatment center proposed for Campton Hills gained a key recommendation from the plan commission last week, but people opposing the facility are not giving up. Opponents of the Kiva Recovery Center want the village board to put the matter to a villagewide vote in April.
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Hampshire’s library asking for items of yore
The days of handling old photographs and archives with care are over for patrons at the Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District in Hampshire. The library recently uploaded three digital albums to Illinois Digital Archives. But district officials need patrons to help build the library's digital collection. As such, the library is holding a digital donation day from 10 a.m. to noon on...
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Santa moves from Enchanted Castle to village hall in Antioch
Santa's Enchanted Castle in Antioch has been a family favorite for the holiday season for 25 years. But with major structural concerns, the old castle is being retired. The village and Antioch Chamber of Commerce are assembling a new tradition to be known as Santa's Enchanted Village at the village hall.
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Widow to donate Owen Co. land for green cemetery
Betty Blaker does not intend to die anytime soon. But when her life on Earth ends, she will be buried on her home place beside her husband Milo, amid the graves of dogs the couple took in over half a century.And they will someday be joined by others. Betty Blaker is donating the couple's 38 acres to Owen County to use as a green burial cemetery, where people can purchase a small plot of ground as...
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Fundraiser set for injured Arlington Heights Marine
When Sgt. Daniel Tsutsumi returned from his second deployment in Iraq in 2006, his family breathed a sigh of relief that their son was safe and was not among the 11 members of his battalion who didn't make it home. But now, Tsutsumi, 27, is fighting an entirely different kind of battle. After a freak accident last summer that left Tsutsumi a quadrapalegic, the Arlington Heights native is...
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Schaumburg photo selected for nationwide calendar
People from all over the Chicago area are beginning to descend on Schaumburg again for the Christmas shopping season, but next September people from all over the country will be seeing a very different side of the village. A photo by village employee Rob Pileckis of Schaumburg's bucolic fountain in Town Square has been chosen for September in the National League of Cities' 2013 calendar.
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DuPage Community Foundation matches donors with nonprofits
Usually, "the gift that keeps on giving" is a tongue-in-cheek description of the jelly-of-the-month club membership Aunt Betty gives you for the holidays. But the phrase is a heartfelt way of life for donors and recipients brought together by the DuPage Community Foundation, which strives to improve the quality of life in DuPage County by giving grants to local not-for-profit groups.
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Baby gorilla born at Chicago zoo is a girl
Lincoln Park Zoo staffers finally got close enough to a western lowland gorilla born there last month to determine the baby is a girl.
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Off-duty officer shoots at burglary suspect
Milwaukee police say an off-duty detective shot at a suspect who was burglarizing his house. The detective arrived home on Milwaukee's south side Monday evening and found a side door to his house was open. The officer took cover and called for help. Police say a suspect looked out the front door and then retreated. A second suspect, armed with a handgun, looked out a side door.
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Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. leaves Mayo Clinic
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. left the Mayo Clinic on Tuesday after his second treatment for bipolar disorder there since he took a leave of absence in June.
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Dawn Patrol: Murder trial continues; deadly mastiff attack
Stabbing murder trial continues after 11-year-old daughter testifed. Plan to disband Winfield Police Department dropped. Every student in Gurnee District 56 to receive an iPad. Carpentersville takes peek at Wal-Mart site plan. Feed My Starving Children opens center in Libertyville. Geneva teachers ratify contract. Bulls beat Suns. NIU wins MAC West.
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Vernon Hills parks to offer $2 million for YMCA building
An intense effort by two government agencies to keep the Central Lake YMCA in Vernon Hills open is in the homestretch with a pending purchase agreement for the facility at 700 Lakeview Parkway nearing completion. Vernon Hills has agreed to lend the Vernon Hills Park District just over $2 million intersest free to buy the building. On Tuesday, the village board and the park district board of...
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Former Des Plaines teacher, counselor was beloved
John Huizinga dedicated his life to guiding teens through their difficult high school years and being a friend whom they could rely on for lifelong support. That's how friends and family members remembered Huizinga, 84, a former history teacher and high school guidance counselor at Maine East and Maine South high schools for 31 years, who died Nov. 8 after struggling with Parkinson's disease.
Sports
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Notre Dame’s Spond thriving after debilitating migraine
Notre Dame linebacker Danny Spond has been a key contributor this season, which he still finds remarkable. The junior from Littleton, Colo., wasn't sure he'd play football again after a debilitating migraine headache left him barely able to move because the left side of his body was numb. Spond has 33 tackles, an interception against Brigham Young and three pass breakups.
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Thursday’s girls basketball scoreboard
Here are the results from Thursday's varsity girls basketball results as reported to the Daily Herald.
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BG wins opener for Kolodziej
Buffalo Grove girls basketball coach Steve Kolodziej didn't have to wait long for his first career win. The Bison rookie coach watched his team open the season with a 55-50 victory over Westinghouse on Thursday night in the Buffalo Grove.
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Lindfors, Naughton help Elk Grove go 2-0
As North Lawndale kept trying to cut into the lead, Elk Grove's girls basketball showed team its composure in the second half. That showed up on the scoreboard, too, as the Grenadiers posted their second win in the Elk Grove-Hoffman Estates tournament. Led by 6-foot-4 sophomore center Amber Lindfors (14 points, 8 rebounds) and 5-8 senior guard Kelly Naughton (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals), Elk Grove pulled away to a 43-32 win on its own floor.
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Two straight wins for Elgin
The Elgin girls basketball team got to do something Thursday night it rarely has done the last several years. Smile. Taking over a tight game in the second quarter, the Maroons pulled away from Alden-Hebron, holding as much as a 24-point lead early in the fourth quarter before coming away with a 55-40 victory in the semifinals of the Elgin Academy Thanksgiving Tournament. Elgin (2-1) will play the winner of tonight's game between Nazareth and Woodlands in the 3:30 p.m. Saturday championship game.
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Vernon Hills handles Lake Forest
Junior forward Lauren Webb led four players in double figures, as Vernon Hills’ girls basketball team improved to 2-0 in its own tournament with a 60-27 win over Lake Forest on Thursday night.Webb finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. Fellow Cougars junior forward Sydney Smith had 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Haley Lieberman (4 steals) and Brie Bahlmann added 13 and 11 points, respectively, for Vernon Hills.Smith sank three 3-pointers and had 11 points in the first quarter in helping the hosts build a 15-2 lead.The Cougars’ DePaul-bound center Meri Bennett-Swanson played only one half due to a school band commitment and was held scoreless.Marian Central 63, Wauconda 40: At Marian Central, the Bulldogs fell behind 23-9 after one quarter and never recovered, despite getting outscored only 23-22 in the middle quarters.Dani Sturm led Wauconda (0-2) with 12 points. Lauren Nee, the Bulldogs’ only returning starter, added 8 points, and Maggie LePage chipped in six.
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Sparkman helps ignite Grayslake Central
This season, Carson Sparkman has to deliver more than a spark, man. The Grayslake Central junior came off the bench last season and contributed on a varsity girls squad that won 26 games and a regional championship. Sparkman started at point guard Thursday night in the Rams' season opener against Libertyville in Buffalo Grove's Bison Classic, and her play provided, well, a spark. She scored Grayslake Central's first basket on a driving layup, after she stole a pass, and she not only started strong but finished equally impressively. Sparkman's 8 second-half points helped the Rams pull away for a 46-36 win, after they led by only two points at halftime.
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Willowbrook shares the wealth in victory against St. Francis
Willowbrook girls basketball coach Terry Harrell said after Thursday night's 64-44 win over St. Francis that he's confident that he puts a balanced offense on the court.The evidence so far backs that up for 2-0 Willowbrook. Against the Spartans (0-1) in the opener of the Warriors' annual Thanksgiving tournament, the victors were led by Olivia Domin's 15 points. Anita Sterling had 14 and Molly Krawczykowski put through 13.
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Cubs pitcher Garza cleared to resume off-season work
The Cubs on Thursday said pitcher Matt Garza underwent a scan on his right elbow and that he's been cleared to resume a normal routine in preparation for spring training. The Cubs also signed veteran catcher Dioner Navarro.
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Cary-Grove knows it can ‘count on Quinn’
Second-year Cary-Grove football coach Brad Seaburg made sure during the off-season he identified the leaders of his team. In an impressive move, Seaburg met with each senior player and his parents at the player's house. "I visited every senior and their mom and dad and asked who are the leaders on this team," he explains. While a variety of different names came up during the conversations, one player was a constant. "In every house, Quinn Baker's name was mentioned," Seaburg says.
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DePaul stunned by Gardner-Webb
Max Landis scored a career-high 20 points and Kevin Hartley added 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Gardner-Webb to a 71-59 upset win over DePaul at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont during action in the first round of the Cancun Challenge on Thursday night.
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No shortage of entertainment taking a spin around the net
Sports information. There's an insatiable thirst for it.
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Boys basketball: Scouting Northwest
Here's a look at the boys basketball teams competing in the Mid-Suburban League plus St. Viator, Leyden, Maine West and Christian Liberty.
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Upstate Eight invites three DVC schools
West Chicago will accept an invitation to join the Upstate Eight Conference for the 2013-14 school year, and fellow DuPage Valley Conference schools Glenbard East and West Aurora are each considering invitations extended Wednesday to join the UEC in 2014-15, school officials said Thursday. "Obviously, for the 2013-14 school year West Chicago is going to come in and balance things out rather nicely for us," said Batavia athletic director Dave Andrews and the president of UEC athletic directors. "They'll give us an even number (of schools) and be able to take Lake Park's spot for us on the schedule."
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Scouting Montini at Joliet Catholic football
A preview of the Class 5A semifinal between Montini and Joliet Catholic.
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Scouting Lake Zurich vs. Glenbard West football
A preview of the Class 7A playoff game between Glenbard West and Lake Zurich.
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Scouting Lincoln-Way East at Benet football
A preview of Saturday's Class 7A playoff game between Benet Academy and Lincoln=Way East.
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Cunningham keys Harper repeat
In just his second season at the helm of the Harper College men's cross country team, Jim Macnider guided the Hawks to the program's second straight NJCAA Division III title Saturday on the campus of SUNY-Delhi. The Hawks placed four runners in the top 20, including individual champion Troy Cunningham. "I'm extremely fortunate to have the coaching staff I have," Cunninham said, referring to Macnider. "(He's) part of the reason I chose to come to Harper."
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Stage is set for senior standouts
And now, finally, the stage is set for the stars of girls swimming. The lights will shine brightly at Evanston Township High School in Friday's state meet preliminaries and Saturday's finals as seniors such as Glenbrook South's Olivia Smoliga, Hersey's Amanda Petro, Buffalo Grove's Veronika Jedyrka and Fremd's Breanna Anderson make a final splash in their high school careers.
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Smith vague about Cutler, but QB likely won’t play
Jay Cutler missed practice Thursday as he continues to recover from a concussion. He has not been ruled out for Monday night's game, but his chances of playing appear to be less than 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, who is also returning from a concussion but practiced on a limited basis Thursday.
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Deng, Noah become Bulls’ go-to guys
The Bulls have proved this week that the fourth quarter isn't everything. They outplayed Boston in the fourth quarter on Monday, but lost the game. Then on Wednesday in Phoenix, the Bulls were terrible down the stretch, but recovered to win 112-106 in overtime, after squandering an 18-point lead.
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Jim Harbaugh has procedure for irregular heartbeat
San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was sent to the hospital Thursday for a "minor procedure" after doctors discovered he had an irregular heartbeat. The team said it anticipates Harbaugh will be back at the 49ers facility Friday, though it's unclear in what capacity. No details about the procedure were given.
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Some perspective on Yahoo fantasy football outage
When Yahoo's fantasy football website went down Sunday, it left many owners in the dark. Some were awfully upset that they couldn't make last-minute changes to their lineups and blamed the website for their loss. John Dietz gives his take on the situation, and puts most of the blame on the owners, not the site.
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Miguel Cabrera, Buster Posey win MVP awards
Detroit's Miguel Cabrera won the American League's Most Valuable Player award on Thursday after becoming baseball's first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, and San Francisco's Buster Posey was voted the National League honor. Cabrera received 22 of 28 first-place votes and 362 points from the AL panel of Baseball Writers' Association of America to easily beat out Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout.
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NIU states its case for Top 25 ranking
Maybe now Northern Illinois will get some respect. Huskies coach Dave Doeren hopes Wednesday's convincing 31-24 win over Toledo, shown nationally on ESPN2, will finally get his 10-1 team ranked in the top 25 polls. The victory gave NIU its third straight Mid-American Conference West title and a spot in the MAC championship game on Nov. 30 in Detroit."I think we should have been ranked last week," Doeren said.
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Bears’ Urlacher, Idonije tackle concussion issues
Because of Jay Cutler's concussion, the topic of head injuries is heating up again. Most players believe it's a necessary evil of the NFL game and part of what they signed up for and a risk they're willing to take. Still others believe there are more serious injury problems that the league should be concerned with.
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Falcons’ Turner believes team can fix holes in run game
Michael Turner says the Atlanta Falcons' rushing attack might not be as bad off as some people think. Coming off their first loss of the season, Turner and the Falcons were punchless in short yardage situations last week at New Orleans. The two-time Pro Bowl running back was held to his least productive day in five seasons with Atlanta, running 13 times for 15 yards.
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Jets owner: ‘I didn’t sign up for 3-6 season’
Woody Johnson expects the New York Jets to turn things around — and fast. A 3-6 start has the owner just as disappointed as the fans, who were expecting a lot more this season from Rex Ryan's team. "The record says what's going on," Johnson said during practice Thursday.
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Eagles move closer toward starting the Foles era
Nick Foles practiced with the first team this week and stuck around for extra film work. He's ready to make his first career NFL start for the Philadelphia Eagles. All he needs now is to officially and publicly be named the starter. The Eagles again practiced another day without injured quarterback Michael Vick.
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Packers’ Williams eager for chance to shut down Johnson
The temptation when playing a receiver as big, strong and scary good as Calvin Johnson is to get aggressive, try to outmuscle him and hope it throws him off his game. Do that, and you may as well ask the Screen Actors Guild for membership because the highlights of Megatron's mega-day will be all over TV for the rest of the week. Maybe the rest of the season.
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Sox to offer Family Sunday ticket package
"Family Sundays" — a new fan experience at U.S. Cellular Field — will be one of the new Chicago White Sox ballpark promotions for families in 2013. The new promotion, which will cover all 13 Sunday home games, will feature seats in Bleacher, Outfield Reserved, Lower Corner and Premium Upper Box sections for $15, Upper Box and Upper Reserved seats will be available for $10, and Upper Corner tickets will be priced at $5.
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Penn State DT Hill motors through injury to power line
Laid back and unassuming, Jordan Hill could easily blend in with the thousands of other students on the Penn State campus on a normal class day. But the senior unmistakably stands out on the football field. Not even a sore left knee can slow down the defensive tackle known for his relentless motor.
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Northwestern signs 2 players to letters of intent
Northwestern says it has signed Jaren Sina and Nathan Taphorn to national letters of intent. Sina is a 6-foot-2 guard from Jefferson Township, N.J. He averaged 20.1 points and 8.4 assists as a prep junior at Gill St. Bernard's.
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Brandon McCarthy healthy, ready for normal offseason
Pitcher Brandon McCarthy is ready for a normal offseason after being medically cleared this week to resume his regular routine, less than three months after being struck in the head by a line drive and undergoing emergency brain surgery. "This last month I have taken the rest part very seriously," McCarthy said by telephone Thursday. "I have a couple little projects I've picked up, I read — I'm actually really good at being lazy."
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No. 2 K-State bears resemblance to ’98 team
The college football landscape has changed dramatically since 1998. One thing that hasn't changed is Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, and that's a good reason why the second-ranked Wildcats look strikingly similar to the team he had in 98. "He was really all about accountability and being consistent and being able to play at your highest potential," said wide receiver Aaron Lockett, who was a freshman on that team.
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Badgers will run, Buckeyes will try to stop them
Forget all the white noise surrounding the Ohio State-Wisconsin showdown on Saturday. If the Badgers can run the ball at will — and the Buckeyes are unable to stop them — it's game, set, match. "Their strength is their run game and their power game and that's what they do best," Ohio State defensive end John Simon said.
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Vernon Hills' Bennett-Swanson breaks new ground
Meri Bennett-Swanson might have started a run on DePaul University T-shirts that one day when she decided to buy a bunch for her BFFs. She might have started another run Wednesday, when the lefty, who can sink running hooks, signed her name on a national letter of intent with DePaul. In a dozen seasons of varsity girls basketball at Vernon Hills, the Cougars had never boasted a Division I player until their 6-foot-2 senior made her commitment to the Blue Devils official in front of family, friends coaches and other staff members in the high school library.
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Scouting St. Charles North
With more freshmen and sophomores (five) on their roster than seniors (four), Colleen Backer's 2012-13 St. Charles North girls basketball team will feature a mixture of the present and future hoping to utilize its team quickness against an experienced group of Upstate Eight Conference River Division foes.
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Scouting St. Charles East
If you are a casual fan looking for a team to follow this winter, you might want to jump on the St. Charles East girls basketball bandwagon?
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Scouting St. Charles North
It's onward and upward for St. Charles North.
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St. Charles E. will be busy at state
Every year, Illinois' girls swimming meet ranks as one of the fastest states in the nation. This year, with the high-tech suits long gone, the state field could be the fastest-ever.
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Girls basketball: Scouting Lake County
Here's what to expect from the girls basketball teams of Lake County this season.
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Boys basketball: Scouting Lake County
Here's a look at the boys basketball teams this winter in Lake County.
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Sweet farewell to hoops for Lakes’ Clark
Direll Clark's first love is basketball, but he reluctantly accepts that this season will be his last go-around in the sport. That's why quitting basketball to concentrate on football this winter never crossed his mind. He also didn't want to miss out. Lakes is coming off its best season in school history. The Eagles went 20-11 last year and advanced to their first-ever sectional championship game.
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Smith having fun with latest challenge at Burlington Central
Mark Smith has coached a lot of basketball in his career. Boys teams. College women's teams. Girls teams. A basketball junkie, Smith is a 1977 graduate of Elk Grove High School, where he played for Ken Grams. He went on to play at Beloit College before embarking on a coaching career that has spanned multiple schools and venues. And now, Smith is embarking on a new challenge as the head varsity girls coach at Burlington Central. He becomes the program's fifth coach in the last six years, taking over for Jenna Real, whose teaching job was downsized after she coached her alma mater to a 13-16 season a year ago.
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Girls basketball/Scouting the Fox Valley
A preview of girls basketball teams in the Fox Valley area.
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All grown up now, three stars ready to shine
Three longtime friends could have a big say in which boys basketball team reigns supreme within the Upstate Eight Conference this season. Not only are talented seniors Lance Whitaker of Bartlett, Kendall Stephens of St. Charles East and Arie Williams of Elgin the dominant players on their respective teams entering the 2012-13 campaign, they rank among the most talented players in the suburbs.
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Boys basketball/Scouting the Fox Valley
Scouting the boys basketball teams of the Fox Valley.
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Scouting Rosary
Change is in the air and youth is king at Rosary.
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Scouting Marmion
Welcome to Basketball Paradise. That's the new Amateur Athletic Union program Marmion boys basketball coach Ryan Paradise has started. It may pay dividends for the Cadets. He believes he's got a bunch of contributors.
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Scouting West Aurora
After more than a half-century in the game, West Aurora boys basketball coach Gordie Kerkman has seen it all. His vast experience and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame credentials makes him uniquely qualified to pare the game, and his players, down to the essence.
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Scouting St. Charles East
The big one-two of St. Charles East's Kendall Stephens and Dom Adduci may just be a big one.
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Scouting Geneva
If there's one thing to count on during the last decade of Illinois winters besides snow and cold, it's 20-win seasons from the Geneva girls basketball program, and then the Vikings doing their best to extend the season as deep into February as possible with some memorable postseason runs.
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Scouting Kaneland
The goals keep coming, and Kaneland keeps checking them off.
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Scouting Kaneland
Kaneland boys basketball coach Brian Johnson enters the season in a different situation than in his prior years with the Knights.
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Scouting Geneva
Geneva boys basketball coach Phil Ralston believes this year's team is further ahead of schedule than any team in a number of years.
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Scouting Batavia
Batavia showed plenty of promise in its first year under Kevin Jensen last season, improving its victory total by 5 for a final record of 13-14. ---- While the season kind of ended with a dud with just 28 points and 3 points in the fourth quarter of a regional semifinal loss to Elk Grove, Batavia has a nucleus in place to push its record well over .500 this winter.
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Scouting Batavia
At Batavia, Jim Nazos has big shoes to fill. He'll be assisted by plenty of players well-versed in Bulldogs basketball.
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Scouting Aurora Central Catholic
As exciting as the 2011-12 season was for Aurora Central Catholic Chargers — 25 wins, a fourth-place finish at the Class 2A state tournament, first Aurora team to make it to state — the team didn't waste any time turning the page to the next chapter.
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Scouting Aurora Central Catholic
From post to perimeter — that seems to be the transition Aurora Central Catholic's boys basketball team is making.
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Scouting Aurora Christian
After a year of near-misses, Aurora Christian enters a new season hoping this is the year it turns the corner to the top of the Suburban Christian Conference Gold Division.
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Scouting Aurora Christian
Considering the entire Aurora Christian boys athletic program it's a nice problem.
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Piccheti and his wheels inspire Lake Park
Lake Park's boys basketball team can take inspiration from Kyle Picchetti. It has before.
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At Benet, basketball season will have to wait
There's something just not normal about Benet football this season, and it goes beyond having a 6-foot-9 offensive lineman. There's no avoiding Sean O'Mara on the football field, and for those familiar with his basketball talents in the post it's a little strange watching this particular left tackle. Not one NFL lineman stands taller than O'Mara, but there he is helping lead the Redwings in a playoff run for the ages.
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Scouting DuPage County girls basketball
Here's a look at the girls basketball teams of DuPage County.
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Scouting DuPage County boys basketball teams
Here's a look at the boys basketball teams of DuPage County.
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Big expectations for Rolling Meadows’ big three
Juniors Alexis Glasgow, Jackie Kemp and Jenny Vliet are each drawing plenty of attention from NCAA Division I schools, making Rolling Meadows a team to watch this winter.
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Girls basketball: Scouting Northwest
Previews of the 2012-13 Mid-Suburban League girls basketball teams plus Leyden, St. Viator, Maine West and Christian Liberty Academy.
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Lake Zurich-Glenbard West game moved to Glenbard South
The IHSA Class 7A semifinal football game between Glenbard West and Lake Zurich High School, scheduled to be played at Glenbard West on Saturday, has been moved to another site because of field conditions.The game will now be played at Glenbard South High School at 1 p.m. Saturday.
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Boys basketball: Top 20 rankings
Here is the preseason Top 20 rankings for boys basketball teams within the Daily Herald circulation range.
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Mike North video: Is Tim Tebow terrible? No!
Mike North fires on the New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and some of the players for calling Tebow terrible. Since when is it okay to fire on a teammate so publicly and why blame Tebow when he has hardly played at all?
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Joakim Noah pulls Bulls to OT victory
The Bulls stepped up to the challenge of the circus trip opener in Phoenix, building an 18-point lead late in the third quarter. It all fell apart during a nightmarish final 15 minutes, but Joakim Noah set things right in overtime and the Bulls escaped with a 112-106 victory.
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NIU wins MAC West title again
Jordan Lynch threw for 407 yards and three touchdowns Wednesday night and Northern Illinois defeated Toledo 31-24 to claim a spot in the Mid-American Conference championship game. “He is certainly a special football player,” Toledo coach Matt Campbell said. “The thing you know in this conference, the best quarterback has a chance to win the MAC championship.”
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Girls basketball/Fox Valley roundup
Every win from here on out will be a bonus for the Elgin girls basketball team.Maggie Powers led a balanced scoring attack with 10 points Wednesday as the Maroons downed Willows Academy 38-35 in the opening round of the Elgin Academy Thanksgiving tournament. It was Elgin’s first win of the season, as many wins as the Maroons had all of last season.“It’s our first win besides Larkin in four years,” said Elgin coach Dr. Nick Bumbales, whose team lost its season opener to Glenbard East on Tuesday. “It was a much better effort tonight. We’re looking to win this tournament.”Sarah Rahmany, Abby Pierre-Louis and Kristine Tayag added 6 points each for Elgin, which will play Alden-Hebron in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. tonight.Westminster Christian 31, Hinckley-Big Rock 25: McKaila Hays erupted for 18 points to lead Westminster to a win at the Somonauk tournament. Claire Speweik had 7 rebounds for the Warriors (2-0), while Hays, Maddie Versluys and Kinsley Donahue each had 5 steals.Cary-Grove 55, Lake Zurich 37: Olivia Jakubicek had 26 points to lead Cary-Grove to a season-opening win at thwe Turkey Thriller.
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Boozer helps Bulls outlast Suns 112-106 in OT
Carlos Boozer had 28 points and 14 rebounds to help the Bulls outlast the Phoenix Suns 112-106 in overtime Wednesday night. Boozer, who scored 31 against Phoenix in the previous meeting last season, was a force at power forward again. He made 11 of 20 shots and had his way inside as the Bulls scored 50 points in the paint.
Business
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Lindenhurst hospital plan gets cheers, jeers
A $131 million plan to build a new hospital in Lindenhurst drew fans and critics to a public hearing Thursday morning. The backers said the proposed facility would improve access to health care services for residents in the northwestern part of Lake County. Opponents said Lake County already has too many consistently empty hospital beds and insisted a new hospital isn't needed.
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Technology available to help navigate your Black Friday rush
Evzdrop, a Chicago-based company has launched a new free iPhone and iPad app by the same name just in time for Black Friday shopping. The app lets shoppers and stores share information or deals in real time. Evzdrop is one of several apps that may come in help shoppers find out if a Black Friday deal is already sold out, where the lines are too long or where the next special is popping up.
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Follett goes outside family to find new CEO
Follett Corp. has named former RR Donnelly executive Mary Lee Schneider to be the River Grove-based company’s new president and CEO.Schneider becomes the first nonfamily member to lead the privately held educational materials company in its 140-year history. She will replace Chuck Follett. who announced his retirement earlier this year, a company spokesman said. With divisions based in Oak Brook, Woodridge and McHenry, Follett is a $2.7 billion company.
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BP to pay largest criminal penalty in U.S. history
A day of reckoning arrived for BP on Thursday as the oil giant agreed to plead guilty to a raft of charges in the deadly Gulf of Mexico spill and pay a record $4.5 billion, including the biggest criminal fine in U.S. history. Three BP employees were also charged, two of them with manslaughter.
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FDA probe: Were deaths linked to energy drink?
Federal health authorities are investigating reports of 13 deaths possibly linked to so-called energy shots and cautioning consumers to talk to their doctors before they take them or other energy drinks.
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Naperville suspends BlackFinn’s late-night liquor license
Downtown Naperville's BlackFinn American Saloon will be forced to close early for three days, and possibly longer, beginning Friday. Mayor George Pradel, acting as the city's liquor commissioner, suspended BlackFinn's late-night liquor permit for seven days beginning Friday. If no additional liquor code violations occur during the first three days, the city will lift the suspension Monday. Pradel also fined the bar $1,000.
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NY’s National Toy Hall of Fame to reveal inductees
Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia outmuscled little green army men for a spot in the National Toy Hall of Fame. "Star Wars" action figures join centuries-old dominoes in the class of 2012, which was announced by the Rochester hall Thursday.
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Stocks close lower after weak retail reports
Stock indexes closed lower Thursday, a third straight decline, after U.S. retailers issued weak forecasts for earnings and more people filed claims for unemployment benefits.
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Bernanke: Banks’ tight standards hurting economy
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that banks' overly tight lending standards may be holding back the U.S. economy by preventing creditworthy borrowers from buying homes.
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GOP-led states start warming up to health care law
From the South to the heartland, cracks are appearing in the once-solid wall of Republican resistance to President Barack Obama's health care law.
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United computer outgage delays thousands worldwide
Thousands of United Airlines passengers around the globe were delayed for hours Thursday after another huge computer outage at the world's largest carrier.The outage lasted for about two hours in the morning, affecting half of all flights on United's main network. It was at least the third major outage for the Chicago-based airline since June. Major delays across the world, especially those early in the morning, can easily ripple throughout an airline's network. United runs about 5,500 flights a day worldwide.
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G.D.S. Express installs Rand McNally system in its trucks
G.D.S. Express Inc. is installing Rand McNally's TNDT 760 in all company trucks, Rand McNally announced.
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Saxbys Coffee chooses UpShot for single-serve product
Saxbys Coffee has selected the Upshot Solution to enter the booming single-serve market.
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First Midwest Bancorp declares 4Q dividend
The board of directors of First Midwest Bancorp Inc., the holding company of First Midwest Bank, declared a quarterly common stock dividend of 1 cent per share, payable Jan. 15, 2013 to shareholders of record on Dec. 14.
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BigMachines names Customer Success Award winners
BigMachines Inc., the global B2B eCommerce leader in cloud-based product configuration, pricing, quoting, and proposal generation, announced the winners of its 2012 Customer Success Awards.
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McDonald’s U.S. president out
McDonald's announced Thursday morning that veteran U.S. president Jan Fields will be replaced. Fields, who has been with the Oak Brook-based foodservice retailer for more than 35 years, will be replaced by Jeff Stratton, global chief restaurant officer. The movement comes just a week after the company reported its first monthly decline in global resaurant sales in nine years. The chain cited lower demand and greater competition for the lower sales.
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Eurozone back in recession in Q3
The 17 countries that use the euro fell back into recession for the first time in three years as the impact of the region's sprawling debt crisis began to be felt in the region's stronger economies. Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said Thursday the eurozone economy contracted by 0.1 percent in the July to September period from the quarter before.
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Oil rise following Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
Oil prices rose slightly Thursday, a day after Israel launched an offensive against Islamic militants in Gaza as analysts downplayed the risk that the fighting poses to energy supplies.
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World stocks fall as talks on US budget deal stall
World stocks slid Thursday as the eurozone fell into recession and hopes faded for a quick agreement among U.S. leaders not to hike taxes and cut government spending — a potential double whammy which could derail the world's biggest economy.
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Amid Vietnam gloom, U.S. company promises riches
The Australian salesman flashed up a slide of a black Rolls Royce and pitched enticingly to a roomful of Vietnamese students facing an uncertain economic future: join me in selling anti-aging products and the car — and much more — could be yours in just a few years.It's a simple formula that has worked well for the company, Nu Skin, which has stormed through Asia over the last two decades, racking up huge profits despite regulatory scrutiny over its marketing practices and the efficacy of the products that it sells.
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Poland is first in Europe to get Dreamliner plane
Poland's national airline LOT welcomed its first Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" into its fleet Thursday, becoming the first European carrier to get the U.S. aircraft maker's newest plane.The plane has been hailed for a state-of-the art design that makes it more fuel efficient and comfortable for passengers than an earlier generation of aircraft, and many in this ex-communist country celebrated its arrival as a symbolic step in the country's speedy economic and technological development.
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Foreclosure starts down on annual basis in October
U.S. homes are entering the foreclosure process at a slower pace than a year ago, and fewer properties are being repossessed by lenders, new data show. Between January and October, 971,533 homes were placed on the path to foreclosure, down 8 percent from the same period last year, foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday.
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New grads can expect modest rise in hiring
Modest good news for college students: An annual survey predicts employers will increase hiring of new 4-year college graduates about 5 percent in the coming year. Demand for graduates with associate’s degrees is expected to increase more sharply — by about 30 percent compared to last year’s survey— while MBA hiring appears headed for an unexpected decline.The 42nd annual survey out Thursday from Michigan State University’s College Employment Research Institute collects responses on hiring plans from more than 2,000 U.S. employers. It paints a mixed picture reflecting an improving economy but also uncertainty over whether Congress and the White House will carry the country off the fiscal cliff in January, potentially sending the economy back into recession. The hiring numbers are certainly better than for students who graduated at the depths of the recession, but overall indicate less aggressive hiring than the last couple of years, which survey director Phil Gardner attributed to the political situation as well as weakness in sectors like defense. The survey was conducted before President Barack Obama won a second term.“Everybody just stopped making decisions to see how this election was going to be play out,” Gardner said. “A lot of people are sitting on the fence.”For 4-year college graduates, the report finds employers are looking most actively for business-related majors but demand is also strong for “all majors” — an indication many employers want critical thinking skills that can be developed in many different courses of study. Demand for engineering, accounting and computer science majors appears somewhat softer than in previous years. As for those with MBAs — master’s level business degrees — Gardner said it appears companies are more willing to fill jobs with bachelor’s-only recipients, who command less salary. That’s unfortunate for a glut of MBA students still coming up through the system.“The top-school MBA grads aren’t going to have a problem,” Gardner said. “It’s all these kids without a lot of professional experience that aren’t at the top-tier programs that will probably struggle to find work that is an `MBA job.”’Alex Mitchell, a Michigan State journalism student scheduled to graduate in December, said he and his fellow students have long since reconciled themselves to a tough slog getting their first job. A string of internships and other pre-professional experiences in colleges is essential, and some students, he said, will have to settle for internships even after they graduate. Personally, he’s realized journalism jobs will be hard to land and is looking for work in public relations. He’s optimistic, but with 15 applications out, is still looking for his first interview. He’d hoped to settle in Michigan or next-door Ohio to be near family but realizes he may have to broaden his horizons.“I may have to reach out across some different states or maybe elsewhere around the country to get that initial position before I get back,” he said. As for the market, “there’s just a lot of people who’ve been out there a little bit longer, out of school longer, and have more experience than myself.” While higher degrees generally translate into higher earnings, there are wide variations across fields of study and careers, and students have to factor debt into the equation if they need to borrow for tuition. According to Georgetown University researchers, roughly 30 percent of associate’s degree recipients earn more than people with bachelor’s degrees. Those with mere certificates in engineering earn roughly 20 percent more than the average generic bachelor’s degree recipient.
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Sandy, careful consumers lower US retail sales
Superstorm Sandy combined with cautious consumers to lower retail sales in October and raise concerns about weaker economic growth and a tepid holiday shopping season. Consumers may also be holding back because of anxiety over big tax increases and spending cuts — known as the "fiscal cliff" — that will take effect in January unless Congress and the White House reach a budget deal by then.
Life & Entertainment
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Northlight’s ‘Odd Couple’ comes up aces
Some things about Northlight Theatre's revival of "The Odd Couple" were never in doubt. First, that Neil Simon's 1965 comedy about a pair of middle-aged, divorced pals sharing a New York City apartment continues to delight. Second, that director BJ Jones' first-rate ensemble possesses the comedic chops to sell this amusingly anachronistic show about a man adrift who finds safe harbor with his polar opposite.
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Action, Stewart revive 'Twilight' saga in 'Breaking Dawn 2'
Director Bill Condon made both Parts 1 and 2 of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" over six months stretching between 2010 and 2011, and the relative inertia of "Part 1" in which Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) gives birth to her half-human, half-vampire daughter, Renesmee, never suggested the over-the-top craziness and riotous absurdity that Condon embraces in this fairy tale final chapter.
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Great cast the saving grace of derivative 'Sister Act'
The Broadway musical version of "Sister Act" may be inconsequential at times, but it's still a feel-good time show. The national tour continues at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University through Sunday, Dec. 2.
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Springsteen, McCartney set for Sandy benefit concert
Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Kanye West will hit the stage at a Superstorm Sandy benefit concert next month at Madison Square Garden in New York City. MSG announced Thursday that Billy Joel, The Who, Alicia Keys and Jon Bon Jovi will also perform at the Dec. 12 show, dubbed "12-12-12."
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‘30 Rock’ heroine Liz Lemon to wed
Liz Lemon is getting married and you're invited. Fans of "30 Rock" might have reasonably assumed that Lemon, the harried TV producer played by Tina Fey, would ride out the series' seventh and final season as a perennial bachelorette unlucky in love. But Fey, who is also the creator and producer of the NBC comedy, clearly thought otherwise.
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Louise Erdrich wins first National Book Award
The National Book Awards honored both longtime writers and new authors, from Louise Erdrich for "The Round House" to Katherine Boo for her debut work, "Beyond the Beautiful Forevers." Erdrich, 58, has been a published and highly regarded author for nearly 30 years but had never won a National Book Award until being cited Wednesday for her story, the second of a planned trilogy, about an Ojibwe boy and his quest to avenge his mother's rape.
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Pajanimals heading to Waukegan
The Jim Henson Company is producing a national tour of "Pajanimals LIVE: Pajama Playdate" based upon the hit TV show of the same name seen on NBC Kids and the preschool channel Sprout. The show comes to the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on Friday, May 3.
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‘Karenina’ stunning visually, but emotionally stilted
Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel "Anna Karenina" is a visual treat, but it doesn't let viewers emotionally connect. The global warming documentary "Chasing Ice" doesn't have much new to say, but it says it in a new way. Plus, Dann interviews Chris Tucker, co-star of the new comic domestic drama "The Silver Linings Playbook."
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‘Silver Linings’ characters damaged and honest
In "Silver Linings Playbook," director David O. ("The Fighter") Russell offers two engaging main characters dealing with mental illness. I never would have suspected that this wacky family film with bubbly optimism and quirky comedy came from Russell. But both movies center around sports and the specific oddities of characters meshing together in complex, almost goofy family relationships.
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Thanksgiving feast never the same twice
Cook of the week France Cevallos grew up in Canada and moved to the United States about 10 years ago living and cooking in Arizona, California and Michigan before moving to Aurora. She embraces the winter holidays and the entertaining opportunities they bring. "I love this time of year. We do celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada; it's the second Monday of October, the same day the U.S. calls Columbus Day. This means that two turkey feasts are quite possible in our household," she said.
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‘Brave’ hits the mark on DVD
Pixar has a history of making quality films that parents and children want to see over and over again. Their latest, "Brave," is a unique and original film, and among the studio's best. It's now out on DVD.
Discuss
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Editorial: Commitment key to education reform
A Daily Herald editorial says the most important feature of a new report on Illinois schools isn't just the metrics it promotes but the need to remain committed to them.
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CEO’s looking out for selves first
A Schaumburg letter to the editor: How should the paying public react to such overt threats to their employees, to such intended domestic abuse that such corporations inflict on its own? An extended boycott should not be out of bounds.
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Too many handouts given to immigrants
A Schaumburg letter to the editor: Maybe it's time for immigration to go back to what it used to be — in order to come here you have to have a job and a sponsor. No more welfare of any kind for immigrants. We have enough Americans in need of our help, and charity should begin at home.
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Election results are frightening
A Long Grove letter to the editor: My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare ... continues.
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Step up and end the lockout, Rocky
A Hoffman Estates letter to the editor: Rocky Wirtz, you rescued the Hawks franchise from old and stubborn ideas. Now is the time for you to step up, as one of the most successful team owners, and be a leader in resolving this counterproductive lockout.
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One Nation, under the Koch brothers
An Elgin letter to the editor: I hope that I am the first to congratulate all those people, both Democrats and Republicans, chosen by the Koch brothers to be handsomely rewarded for pretending to represent the citizens of this great "democracy." May they serve both of their constituents well.
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Time to re-evaluate, rebuild GOP
A Winfield letter to the editor: We as a party have to re-evaluate our strategies and our messaging, and we must find ways to increase our voter pool. These are healthy debates and I am looking forward to being part of those debates and helping to rebuild the Republican Party.
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Rush quote taken out of context
A Big Rock letter to the editor: I think it was John Adams who once said that " ... facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
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Reduced to looking for handouts
A Carol Stream letter to the editor: Obama and his lemmings want us to believe he was re-elected on policies. No, we have been reduced to people looking for handouts, wanting more, but working less, social issues becoming more important than our economy and jobs, and quite frankly, accepting failure as you did in this president.
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A denial of LGBT rights
A Glen Ellyn letter to the editor: In response to the Nov. 3 letter — a Gallup poll estimating the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender population of the U.S. at 3.4 percent could be inaccurate.
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- Maple Park
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- Pingree Grove
- St. Charles
- Sleepy Hollow
- South Elgin
- Sugar Grove
- Wayne
- West Dundee
- Antioch
- Bannockburn
- Barrington
- Barrington Hills
- Buffalo Grove
- Deer Park
- Deerfield
- Diamond Lake
- Fox Lake
- Fox River Grove
- Gages Lake
- Grandwood Park
- Grayslake
- Green Oaks
- Gurnee
- Hainesville
- Hawthorn Woods
- Indian Creek
- Ingleside
- Island Lake
- Kildeer
- Lake Barrington
- Lake Bluff
- Lake Forest
- Lake Villa
- Lake Zurich
- Lakemoor
- Libertyville
- Lincolnshire
- Lindenhurst
- Long Grove
- Mettawa
- Mundelein
- North Barrington
- Old Mill Creek
- Park City
- Port Barrington
- Riverwoods
- Rondout
- Round Lake
- Round Lake Beach
- Round Lake Heights
- Round Lake Park
- Spring Grove
- Third Lake
- Tower Lakes
- Vernon Hills
- Vernon Hills
- Volo
- Wadsworth
- Wauconda
- Waukegan
- Wheeling
