Daily Archive : Sunday December 30, 2012

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News

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  Understanding group homes
  By Kimberly Pohl
  You'd be hard-pressed to pick out many of the hundreds of nondescript group homes throughout the Chicago suburbs. But the uproar — from neighbors concerned about their property values and who will be living next door or from municipal officials who cite a number of nuisance and life safety issues — has kept some homes from opening, despite having federal law on their side. And there...
  

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  Little City group home a flurry of activity
  By Kimberly Pohl
  Afternoons at one of Little City's group homes in Palatine are often a flury of activity as the eight male residents, all with varying degrees of developmental and intellectual disabilities, share stories, go over goals and set the table for dinner. "We don't want to do everything for them," Director of Residential Operations Regina Brown-White says. "We want to enhance them to be better...
  

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  Democratic officials: Fiscal 'cliff' deal reached
  Associated Press
  Racing the clock, the White House reached a New Year’s Eve accord with Senate Republicans late Monday to neutralize across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts in government programs due to take effect at midnight, according to administration and Senate Democratic officials.
  

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  Liberal arts colleges forced to evolve with market
  Associated Press
  Today's increasingly career-focused students mostly aren't buying the idea a liberal arts education is good value, and many small liberal arts colleges are struggling. The survivors are shedding their liberal arts identity, if not the label.
  

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  Deal reached for stopping spike in milk prices
  Associated Press
  The top leaders in both parties on the House and Senate Agriculture committees have agreed to a one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill that expired in October, a move that could head off a possible doubling of milk prices next month.
  

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  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hospitalized with blood clot
  Associated Press
  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is under observation at a New York hospital after being treated for a blood clot stemming from the concussion she sustained earlier this month.
  

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  ‘The Hobbit’ is No. 1; Bond hits $1 billion
  Associated Press
  “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” continues to rule them all at the box office, staying on top for a third-straight week and capping a record-setting $10.8 billion year in moviegoing. It’s now made $222.7 million domestically alone. The smash-hit James Bond adventure “Skyfall” has now made $1 billion internationally to become the most successful film yet in the 50-year franchise, Sony Pictures...
  

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  Images: The Week in Pictures
  This edition of The Week in Pictures features New Year's Eve parties for kids, a yule log hunt, sledders and random Santa Claus appearances.
  

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  Fire damages Naperville home
  By Sara Hooker
  A fire Sunday afternoon displaced a Naperville family after causing an estimated $275,000 in damage to their home. The Naperville Fire Department responded to a call at about 2:45 p.m. to a home in the 400 block of Douglas Avenue, where they could see thick smoke and fire coming from the third story. Occupants of the home were able to escape uninjured, and firefighters were able to bring the...
  

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  Hit-and-run driver strikes squad car
  By Sara Hooker
  The driver of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run Sunday afternoon returned to the scene and struck a second vehicle - an Arlington Heights squad car. Police responded to a call at about 1:30 p.m. at Mitsuwa Marketplace, 100 E. Algonquin Road, of a crash in which the vehicle left the scene of the accident. While police officers were investigating the crash, the driver who left the scene returned...
  

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  In gun debate, two sides speak different languages
  Associated Press
  This divide has existed for decades, separating America into hostile camps of conservative vs. liberal, rural vs. urban. As the nation responds to the massacre of 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Conn., the gulf has rarely felt wider than now.
  

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  Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013
  Associated Press
  Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama pledged to put his “full weight” behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence.
  

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  Hunting the elusive yule log in Lisle
  By Matt Arado
  More than 100 hunters scoured the Morton Arboretum in Lisle on Sunday in search of the hidden yule log, part of a 35-year holiday-season tradition at the arboretum.
  

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  Lake Zurich to use $522,000 from CN on noise wall
  By Bob Susnjara
  Lake Zurich will construct a noise wall to protect some homeowners, using more than $500,000 received from Canadian National Railway through a 2010 legal settlement. CN provided nearly $2 million to Lake Zurich for safety upgrades, noise reduction and other measures deemed necessary because of an expected increase in freight trains the company runs through the village.
  

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  Mt. Prospect families celebrate New Year’s Eve-Eve
  By Steve Zalusky
  There are ample opportunities for adults to celebrate the coming of the new year, but events for entire families — and especially young children — are relatively few and far between. The Mount Prospect Downtown Merchants Association provided just such an opportunity with its New Year’s Eve-Eve celebration Sunday. The event, held at the Bristol Court Banquets, offered fun for family members of all...
  

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  Villa Park community center closes for repairs
  Daily Herald report
  The Iowa Community Center in Villa Park will be closed Jan. 2 and 3 while repairs are made to the building's boiler.
  

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  Water availability topic of Mundelein meeting
  Daily Herald report
  An overview of current and future water availability will be the topic from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Jan. 8 at the monthly meeting of the Lake-to-Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones and the Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein.
  

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  Hoffman Estates crash injures one, closes Roselle Road
  By Steve Zalusky
  The southbound lanes of Roselle Road near Illinois Boulevard in Hoffman Estates were temporarily closed Sunday morning while authorities investigated a two-vehicle crash that sent one person to a hospital for treatment.
  

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  Illinois dragging its feet on huge pension problem
  By Sara burnett
  Illinois, a state with a reputation for political wheeling and dealing, backroom handshakes and 11th-hour bargains, is dragging its feet on the one deal needed to solve its biggest crisis in a generation. Lawmakers will convene again the first week in January in hopes of fixing the nation’s worst case of underfunding state employees’ pensions, a problem approaching $100 billion and mounting by...
  

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  Crystal Lake man arrested after armed standoff
  Daily Herald report
  A 45-year-old Crystal Lake man who police say barricaded himself inside a home Saturday while armed with a gun and threatening violence was behind bars Sunday facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.
  

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  Some illegal immigrants fear applying for licenses
  Associated Press
  When Illinois' top political leaders touted a proposal to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, it was painted as public safety measure and had the backing of immigrant rights advocates, who deemed it a positive step in the fight for immigration reform. But the idea has run into some resistance among illegal immigrants themselves.
  

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  Violence, gangs scar Chicago community in 2012
  Associated Press
  In an empty lot on a corner of West 79th Street, a wooden cross stands tall in the winter night. Painted in red is a plea: "STOP SHOOTING." Gang violence isn't new, but it became a major theme in the Chicago narrative this year.
  

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  Hastert: 'You get things done by finding compromise'
  By Kerry Lester Political Editor
  Packing up his government office, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Plano reflects on his past and future, and the state of the Republican party. "Whether a union is marriage or not a marriage, we get down in this minuscule debate all the time, and we end up pushing away the people who can make contributions to the party," Hastert said.
  

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  New Year’s resolutions our pets love
  By Ellaine Kiriluk
  The Buddy Beat's Ellaine Kiriluk shares some of her pets favorite New Year's resolutions with readers. Most of them have to do with spending more time with their owners.
  

Sports

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  Out of their hands, so Bears out of playoffs
  By Bob LeGere
  The Bears did their part Sunday with a 26-24 victory at Detroit. Unfortunately for them, the Green Bay Packers didn't do theirs later in the afternoon and were upset by the Minnesota Vikings 37-34, leaving coach Lovie Smith's crew without an invitation to the postseason party. “We just needed to take care of what we could control, and that was winning the game," Smith said.
  

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  Will Bears’ GM consider fans’ discontent?
  By Mike Imrem
  OK, Mr. Emery, it's on you now: Are you going to fire Lovie Smith or essentially spit in the faces of Bears fans? Smith will calculate for you that the Bears were in the playoffs one of the past three seasons. He’ll also attempt to con you into believing that the victory over the Lions already establishes the Bears’ record at 1-0 for the 2013 season.
  

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  Bulls coach plans to preserve veteran Hamilton
  By Mike McGraw
  Marco Belinelli led the Bulls with 17 points in Saturday’s 87-77 win over Washington and he should continue to play heavy minutes, even with Richard Hamilton back from a foot injury. “The big thing is managing Rip’s minutes so he can remain healthy,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s what I’m really concerned about.”
  

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  Bulls tipoff
  Charlotte Bobcats at the United Center, 2 p.m.TV: WGNRadio: ESPN AM-1000Update: The Bobcats were a surprising 7-5 on Nov. 24 but have since lost 18 in a row, which is especially bad considering they finished last season on a 23-game losing skid. Second-year guard Kemba Walker is the top scorer at 18.1 ppg, followed by PG Ramon Sessions at 14.2 ppg and SG Gerald Henderson at 13.6. Former Bulls guard Ben Gordon, traded from Detroit during the summer, is averaging 12.8 points.Next: Orlando Magic on at the Amway Center, 6 p.m. Wednesday — Mike McGraw
  

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  Bears, Lovie run out of luck
  By Barry Rozner
  Bears GM Phil Emery certainly didn’t sound Sunday like a man ready to fire his head coach. Was he just saying the right things, or are Bears fans stuck with Lovie Smith another year?
  

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  Wilson leads Seattle past St. Louis 20-13
  Associated Press
  SEATTLE — Russell Wilson tied Peyton Manning’s record for most touchdown passes by a rookie with 26, and his 1-yard TD run with 1:39 left gave Seattle a 20-13 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday and an 8-0 home mark for the Seahawks. Seattle (11-5) entered the day with hopes of still winning the NFC West and getting a home playoff game, but those dreams were dashed when San Francisco beat Arizona 27-13 to clinch the division. Seattle will be the No. 5 seed in the NFC and face the NFC East champion — either Washington or Dallas — in the opening round next weekend. Seattle finished as the only unbeaten team at home in the NFL. St. Louis’ defensive effort didn’t make it easy for Seattle. The Rams (7-8-1) sacked Wilson six times, but couldn’t do enough offensively to finish with their first winning record since 2003.
  

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  Chargers beat Raiders in Turner’s expected finale
  Associated Press
  SAN DIEGO — Micheal Spurlock returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and San Diego beat the Oakland Raiders 24-21 on a wet, gloomy Sunday in what’s expected to be Norv Turner’s final game as Chargers coach.Turner and general manager A.J. Smith are expected to be fired because the Chargers (7-9) missed the playoffs for the third straight season. The Raiders finished 4-12.If Turner does get fired, he’ll finish 56-40 in six seasons with San Diego, but just 24-24 the past three seasons.Spurlock became the first Chargers player to have a kickoff and punt return for touchdowns in consecutive weeks. He returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown a week earlier in a victory against the New York Jets.San Diego linebacker Takeo Spikes and Oakland running back Mike Goodson were ejected following a skirmish in the second quarter.
  

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  Vikings edge Packers in must-win game
  Associated Press
  MINNEAPOLIS — Adrian Peterson came within 9 yards of Eric Dickerson’s rushing record on Sunday, finishing with 199 yards and powering the Minnesota Vikings into the playoffs, 37-34 over Green Bay.That forced a rematch with the Packers next weekend in a wild-card game.Peterson rushed for 36 yards on the last drive, plenty for rookie Blair Walsh’s 29-yard field goal as time expired to put the Vikings (10-6) in the postseason. The Packers (11-5) fell to the NFC’s No. 3 seed.Aaron Rodgers completed 28 of 40 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns and no turnovers, connecting with Jordy Nelson from 2 yards to tie the game with 2:54 remaining. But Christian Ponder threw for three scores, including one to Peterson.
  

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  Bears' season ends despite win
  Associated Press
  The Bears held on against Detroit before their playoff hopes faded away for good. Lovie Smith's Bears needed a win over the Lions and a loss by Minnesota on Sunday to make the postseason. The Bears took care of their end, beating Detroit 26-24, but the Vikings edged the Packers 37-34 to earn a wild card. Chicago (10-6) became only the second team since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams to miss out after a 7-1 start, according to STATS, LLC. The other was Washington in 1996.
  

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  Wolves rally for 3-2 win
  Special to the Daily Herald
  The Chicago Wolves surrendered goals on Abbotsford’s first 2 shots Sunday but turned things around for a 3-2 victory at the Allstate Arena that snapped a three-game winless streak.
  

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  Marshall’s peers finally step up for Bears
  By Bob LeGere
  On a day when record-setting wide receiver Brandon Marshall did not play anywhere near as well as he had most of the season, the Bears’ offense got some huge contributions from other receivers. Earl Bennett re-emerged at the most opportune time with a career day after having caught just 2 passes in the past four games, two of which he missed with a concussion. Rookie Alshon Jeffery had 4 catches for 76 yards, including a 55-yard grab on the opening possession. It was his most receiving yards since opening day and the most catches since Week 3.
  

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  Images: Bears vs. Lions
  In their final regular season game of the year, the Chicago Bears faced the Detroit Lions on Sunday, December 30th, in Detroit. The Bears defeated the Lions 26-24 to keep their playoff hopes alive.
  

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  Spiller leads Bills to season-ending win over Jets
  Associated Press
  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — C.J. Spiller scored on a 66-yard catch and run in helping the under-achieving Buffalo Bills end their season with a 28-9 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.Safety Bryan Scott also returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown for the Bills (6-10), who snapped a three-game skid. Both AFC East rivals had already been eliminated from playoff contention.Despite the win, the Bills could only manage to match last year’s record, and they still finished last in the division for a fifth straight season. That’s led to questions about coach Chan Gailey’s job security.Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez turned over the ball twice in making what could be his final start for New York (6-10), which closed its season with three consecutive losses amid all sort of turmoil.
  

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  Eli throws 5 TDs, but Giants miss playoffs
  Associated Press
  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning threw a career-high five touchdown passes and the New York Giants won 42-7 over Philadelphia on Sunday in what might have been Andy Reid’s final game as the Eagles’ coach.The Giants (9-7) needed to beat the Eagles (4-12), have Chicago and Minnesota lose and have Dallas either lose or tie against Washington to advance to the postseason. The Bears dashed those hopes with an early Sunday win over Detroit.The defending Super Bowl champions did their part against Michael Vick and their NFC East rivals. The Giants put themselves in a tough spot to reach the playoffs, losing five of seven prior to Sunday, including two games by a combined 67-14 margin to playoff-bound Atlanta and Baltimore.
  

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  Steelers avoid a losing season with win over Cleveland
  Associated Press
  PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger threw three short touchdown passes, and the Pittsburgh Steelers avoided their first losing season in nearly a decade with a 24-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.Antonio Brown, Leonard Pope and Plaxico Burress scored for the Steelers (8-8), who mustered enough energy to end a disappointing season on a positive note. Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense forced four turnovers as the Steelers won for just the second time in the last six weeks, a slide that knocked them out of the playoffs for the first time since 2009.Cleveland’s third-string quarterback, Thaddeus Lewis, passed for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first NFL start. But the Browns (5-11) dropped their third straight in what is likely coach Pat Shurmur’s final game on the sideline.
  

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  Bengals beat Ravens 23-17
  Associated Press
  CINCINNATI — Carlos Dunlap returned an interception 14 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter Sunday, sending the Cincinnati Bengals to a 23-17 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in a game that didn’t much matter to either playoff-bound team.The Ravens (10-6) had already clinched their second straight AFC North title, putting them in line to host a game next weekend.The Bengals (10-6) were locked into the sixth seed as the final wild-card team. The only question was who they would play in the opening round, and that wouldn’t be answered until games were completed later in the day.So, they went into preseason mode on a 26-degree afternoon with a wind chill of 16.The Ravens let quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice play only two series. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green sat out the second half.
  

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  Titans rout Jaguars 38-20
  Associated Press
  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee became the first team in NFL history with two players scoring twice on returns in a game as the Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 38-20 Sunday in their season finale. Darius Reynaud scored on two punt returns and rookie linebacker Zach Brown returned two interceptions for touchdowns.The Titans (6-10) finished by winning two of their final three games, which may be enough for owner Bud Adams to keep coach Mike Munchak with two years left on his contract. Reynaud became the first player in franchise history to return two punts for TDs on a day the Titans also set a franchise mark for most points allowed in a season with 465.The Jaguars (2-14) wrapped up their worst season with their 12th loss in 13 games. Now owner Shad Khan has to decide whether to fire general manager Gene Smith and possibly first-year coach Mike Mularkey.
  

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  Pagano returns as Indianapolis beats Texans 28-16
  Associated Press
  INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts made Chuck Pagano a winner in his return to the sideline.Andrew Luck threw for two touchdowns and Deji Karim swung the game with a 101-yard kickoff return in the third quarter, giving the Colts a 28-16 victory over Houston. It was Pagano’s first game back as coach since starting treatment for leukemia Sept. 26.Indianapolis (11-5) heads into the playoffs as the No. 5 seed and on a roll.Slumping Houston (12-4) won’t know its playoff seed until later Sunday. The Texans lost three of their last four games, and J.J. Watt failed to break Michael Strahan’s single-season sacks record.The game swung on two big plays: Karim’s kickoff return, which wiped out a 16-14 Houston lead, and Luck’s 70-yard TD pass to T.Y. Hilton.
  

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  Falcons fall flat against Bucs
  Associated Press
  ATLANTA — The Falcons couldn’t follow through with their plan to gain momentum for the playoffs as Josh Freeman threw a touchdown pass to Mike Williams, Doug Martin ran for 141 yards and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Atlanta 22-17 on Sunday.The Falcons (13-3) had little to play for as they already have home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs. Coach Mike Smith said he wanted to “finish the regular season the right way,” and he stayed with his starters through the game.The danger to Smith’s strategy was losing a top starter to an injury. Defensive end John Abraham, Atlanta’s best pass rusher, left with an apparent left ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Abraham couldn’t put his weight on the ankle as he was helped off the field.Starting cornerback Dunta Robinson suffered a head injury in the first quarter and did not return.
  

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  Girls basketball/Top 20
  Montini (18-1) beats Rolling Meadows (16-1) to reclaim the top spot in Daily Herald's Top 20 rankings. Vernon Hills (17-0) moves up to No. 4.
  

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  Bears have serious coach, QB questions
  By Barry Rozner
  No NFL coach can succeed without a quarterback, no quarterback without a coach, and no franchise without both. It's not a mystery in most NFL cities.
  

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  Carmel loses — and wins — at Warren
  By Joe Aguilar
  Warren’s Blue Devil Classic didn’t end the way Carmel Catholic senior center Kayla Quinn would have preferred, but it wasn’t all bad. Heck, Quinn couldn’t help but smile when studying the all-tournament trophies that she and teammate Claire Ogrinc received. “They’re girls,” Quinn said with wide eyes of the bronze-colored basketball players, which featured long hair, on the trophies. “Normally they’re boys.” This was good, too, for Carmel: Despite Wheeling winning 40-36 in Saturday night’s tournament finale, the Corsairs won the championship. Carmel (11-5 overall) and Palatine both went 4-1 in the tourney, but the Corsairs were declared the champion based on their 45-36 over Palatine on Wednesday. Wheeling (8-12), Warren and Grayslake Central all went 3-2 in the tourney.
  

Business

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  Will retailers rebound after weak holiday season?
  Associated Press
  As signs emerge that holiday sales this year grew at the weakest pace since 2008, investors are dumping retail stocks. Analysts are crowing about the missing “consumer engine” without which the economy may stagnate.
  

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  Ford expects to sell 2.2 million autos in 2012
  Associated Press
  DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford says it expects to sell 2.2 million vehicles this year, with the Ford Focus compact car being its most popular model.The Dearborn, Mich., company says it is the second year in a row it will sell more than 2 million cars. It sold 737,856 Ford Focuses through September. The Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback and F-series trucks were other popular models, with Ford selling 560,061 Fiestas and 576,339 F-Series vehicles through September.Ford Motor Co.’s EcoBoost engines, which save energy, are on track to be sold in 520,000 cars by year-end since their launch in 2009. A new 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine will be available in 2013 in new Fiesta cars in the U.S.
  

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  Champagne losing its fizz in Europe after tough year
  Associated Press
  Europeans are finding fewer reasons to pop open a bottle of Champagne as another year of economic troubles and high unemployment saps the region's appetite for the finer things. But while the latest industry figures show that sales might be on the wane in Europe, other markets, particularly Japan and the United States, are developing a taste for a glass of bubbly.
  

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  Colleges help students scrub online footprints
  Associated Press
  Before Samantha Grossman graduated from Syracuse University last spring, the school provided her with a tool that allowed her to put her best Web foot forward. Now when people Google her, they go straight to a positive image that she credits with helping her land a digital advertising job in New York. "I wanted to make sure people would find the actual me and not these other people," she said.
  

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  8 tips to stay fit without breaking the bank
  Associated Press
  The start of a new year inspires many of us to commit to get fit and live healthier. Such an undertaking requires steeling one's resolve to eat right and exercise. What isn't required is emptying out one's wallet just to break a sweat and shed a few pounds. But if you feel you need to enlist a personal trainer, here are eight tips on how to tackle your New Year's fitness resolutions without straining your finances.
  

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  5 issues small business owners will face in 2013
  Associated Press
  In 2013, small business owners will contend with many of the same issues that made it hard to run their companies over the last 12 months. They're also heading into the new year with a lot of uncertainty. "Uncertainty is the bane of every small business," says Scott Shane, a professor of entrepreneurship at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland.
  

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  Delays litter long road to vehicle rearview rules
  Associated Press
  In the private hell of a mother's grief, the sounds come back to Judy Neiman. The SUV door slamming. The slight bump as she backed up in the bank parking lot. The emergency room doctor's sobs as he said her 9-year-old daughter Sydnee, who previously had survived four open heart surgeries, would not make it this time. "They have to do something, because I've read about it happening to other people. I read about it and I said, I would die if it happens to me,'" Neiman says. "Then it did happen to me."
  

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  North Korea's caste system faces power of wealth
  Associated Press
  For more than a half-century, a mysterious caste system has shadowed the life of every North Korean. It can decide whether they will live in the gated compounds of the minuscule elite, or in mountain villages where farmers hack at rocky soil with handmade tools. It can help determine what hospital will take them if they fall sick, whether they go to college and, very often, whom they will marry.
  

Life & Entertainment

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  Ryan Seacrest: ‘Rockin’ in another year on ABC
  By Frazier Moore
  Yes, Ryan Seacrest has a New Year’s resolution for 2013: improve his skill at dancing. “There’s a Significant Other in my life who’s very good at it,” he notes. That would be professional dancer Julianne Hough, a two-time champ on “Dancing with the Stars” in whose proximity “I feel the pressure to be as good as she is.” So add dancing lessons to the long list of projects that keep Seacrest famously fast on his feet.
  

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  Home sales up for third straight month
  Bloomberg News
  Pending home sales rose for the third month in November, a sign of the housing recovery's resilience in the face of fiscal threats facing the U.S.
  

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  Sunday picks: Under the Streetlamp pops into Genesee
  By Scott Morgan and Laura Stewart
  Welcome in the New Year by reflecting on pop hits from the 1950s and '60s when Under the Streetlamp performs Sunday at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. Dress warmly for The 35th Annual Hunt for the Yule Log Sunday at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Don't miss the final performances of the season for The Rockettes at the Akoo in Rosemont. Or take a spin on the outdoor skating rink at The Park at Rosemont today.
  

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  Annoying flies hatch from slime in drainpipes
  By Henri de Marne
  Q. My daughter is plagued by moth flies. She lives in a 1957 two-story house. In her laundry room, moth flies have taken over. She has a drain there. Do you have an idea where they are coming from or what to do?
  

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  Royal Dux figurines were once hot, now not
  By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson
  Q. Would you have an idea of the value of this Royal Dux Bohemia centerpiece, No. 647? It stands 16 inches tall and 15-by-10 inches at the base. As far as I can discover, there are not flaws. Any information would be helpful.
  

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  Shelling and sun on Florida's Sanibel Island
  By Karen Schwartz
  Visit the beaches on this Gulf Coast barrier island and you're likely to see people doing the Sanibel Stoop. That's the term for the bent-at-the-waist posture used to collect seashells on Sanibel Island, which bills itself as one of the best shelling locations in the world. The island also offers 15 miles of beach, 22 miles of bike paths, and the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the country.
  

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  DVD previews
  The Washington Post
  New DVD releases coming out Jan. 1 include "Cosmopolis" starring Robert Pattinson and "The Trouble with Bliss" with Michael C. Hall.
  

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  Readers give out their tried-and-tested advice
  By Carolyn Hax
  Many, many years ago, when I asked whether I had to turn in a problem set, my math teacher said to me: "The only thing you have to do in this world is die."
  

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  Tenant claims penalty for minor cat damage is unfair
  By Robert Griswold
  Q. I am a renter who recently vacated a rental property, and I have an issue with the owner over a pet security deposit. When I moved in, the landlord required both a security deposit and a pet deposit.
  

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  Jimmy Kimmel ready to take on Leno, Letterman
  The Washington Post
  NBC late-night host Jay Leno is just like Jason in the "Friday the 13th" movie franchise, Jimmy Kimmel -- Leno's soon-to-be time-slot-competitor -- told reporters recently. "He seems to pop up just when you think he's dead -- he comes alive, and he's got a hatchet," the star of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" said on the call, which was supposed to be about the historic move of his show to the plum earlier time slot, where he'll swim with the big fish, Leno and CBS's David Letterman, starting Jan. 8.
  

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  On the road: Swoop in for Bald Eagle Days
  By Jacky Runice
  Each year from mid-December through February, thousands of bald eagles migrate south to spend winter along the Mississippi River and the wooded bluffs that serve as an excellent habitat for roosting. Bald Eagle Days at the Quad Cities Expo Center claims to be the largest event in the Midwest dedicated to the American Eagle.
  

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  High or dry? Staying sober for New Year’s Eve
  Associated Press
  Whether in recovery or not interested for other reasons, the holidays often mean an excess of booze and drugs. Occasional drinkers fail to moderate and addiction programs around the country note upticks in patient loads soon after the new year, high season for relapsers and those seeking treatment for the first time. "Alcohol is often center stage at holiday parties," said Amara Durham, a spokeswoman for a treatment facility in Princeton, Texas. "Many people think they need alcohol to enjoy social occasions such as holiday celebrations."
  

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  Help at hand when elderly relative’s health fails
  Associated Press
  Marnie Schwartz was in California, a lawyer raising two toddlers. She was in no position to move across the country to care for her mother, who was living alone in New York and whose health was beginning to decline. Schwartz's dilemma was similar to that faced by more and more Americans as the population spreads out, people live longer and giving up a job is out of the question. Those needs have fostered a niche that a variety of enterprises have been filling in recent years.
  

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  From ‘Homeland’ to ‘Honey Boo Boo,’ a look back at 2012 TV
  By Frazier Moore
  As with every year, TV in 2012 was a mix of the ridiculous and the sublime. It's not easy to narrow down a Top 10 anything for TV. Still, once this year's thousands of hours are assessed, 10 notable achievements emerge, for better or worse.
  

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  Julie Andrews returns for New Year’s music
  By Jay Bobbin
  Her elegant and cultured image, has made Julie Andrews, the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy winner, a natural to succeed the late Walter Cronkite as host of PBS' traditional "Great Performances" broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic's holiday concert, and she'll fill that role for the fourth time when "From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2013" airs Tuesday, Jan. 1.
  

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  Car maintenance is also smart finances
  By Doug McAllister
  One thing of which we can be sure is 2013 will be a more expensive year for most of us. I have talked about the advantages of good auto maintenance before but in these challenging economic times it is worth bringing up again.
  

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  Standby generators are a smart investment for a home
  By Ed Del Grande
  Q. Like many homeowners in the Northeast, we were affected by the recent storm. While we were lucky and did not get a direct hit, we did lose power for a couple of days. This is the second year in a row we lost power due to a storm and I have decided that I do need to purchase a generator.
  

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  Gold decor is golden once again
  By Alice Oglethorpe
  Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold. That adage now applies to one of the hottest trends in interior design.
  

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  Editorial: Pension crisis: The particular abuse of the taxpaper
  The Daily Herald Editorial Board
  In this installment of Pensions: Time for Reform, the Daily Herald Editorial Board argues that whatever reform is enacted should place a priority on protecting taxpayers.
  

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  Disdain all around
  By George F. Will
  Columnist George Will: While accusing the Supreme Court's conservative justices of "disdain for democracy," Pamela S. Karlan proves herself talented at dispensing disdain. The Stanford law professor is, however, less talented at her chosen task of presenting a coherent understanding of judicial review.
  

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  Print’s longtime passing
  By Kathleen Parker
  Columnist Kathleen Parker: I have forced myself to think of the last print edition of Newsweek magazine as a transition rather than yet more evidence of The Death of Print.
  

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  Reduce guns for the common good
  A Mount Prospect letter to the editor: True sportsmen have nothing to fear. If someone wants a pistol for personal safety they are free to have one, but remember the vast majority of people killed by guns in the home are family members, not intruders.
  

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  Let’s not get too reactionary on guns
  A Rolling Meadows letter to the editor: First, immediately pass laws banning the possession of any type of gun, except by military or police. Second, just on the slight chance that the shooter was emotionally unstable, every person over age 13 must undergo a psychiatric evaluation as soon as possible, and at least once a year thereafter.
  

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  FISH grateful for generous donations
  A Downers Grove letter to the editor: The volunteers of the Downers Grove FISH Pantry wish to thank the many people who have donated so generously this Christmas season. In the true spirit of giving, we have received food, clothing, and monetary donations from many local businesses, church groups, school groups, grocery stores and social groups; and the generosity keeps growing.
  

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  Cameras only add to courtroom stress
  A West Chicago letter to the editor: A person on trial for a crime, whether guilty or innocent, is under great emotional stress. Adding access to media coverage with video and still cameras can do nothing but add significantly to that stress. And until the trial is over, one does not know whether or not this is adding to the tribulations of an innocent person, particularly for those of us who are naturally shy.