Daily Archive : Sunday January 13, 2013

News

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    Lin Shook, of Perceptual Motion Dance Company, leads children in some interactive activities during a performance Sunday at the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville.

    DuPage museum puts machines in children's hands
    By Matt Arado
    The DuPage Children's Museum offers visitors a glimpse inside the manufacturing world in its exhibit, "How People Make Things," which features hands-on tools and machines to cut, mold and more. The exhibit runs through the end of January.

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    Newtown High School Counselor Deidre Croce holds Isaiah, a 9-week-old puppy in training, Jan. 2 while surrounded by other comfort dogs sent by Addison-based Lutheran Church Charities.

    Local dogs a comfort to Sandy Hook students
    By Eileen O. Daday
    George Schiestel of Arlington Heights was one of six local comfort dog handlers and seven golden retrievers to travel to the scene of last month's deadly shooting for the reopening of school after the holidays. “We were the only outside organization allowed inside the buildings,” says Schiestel, part of the K9 Comfort Dogs Ministry, developed by Lutheran Church Charities in Addison.

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    Daniel Biss

    Will lawmakers keep momentum on pension reform?
    By Mike Riopell State Government Writer
    Some top Democrats say that the missed deadline Wednesday to approve vast cuts to teachers' and state workers' retirement plans doesn't have to mean they start from scratch. The state's financial problems will keep the pressure on legislators to agree on a solution to the funding shortage.

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    Ill. companies sign letter advocating gay marriage
    Associated Press
    A group of high-profile business leaders say legalizing gay marriage in Illinois will help create a more competitive and thriving business climate. The group publicly released a letter Sunday that'll be sent to lawmakers this week. It says allowing same sex couples to marry would generate between $39 million and $72 million in revenues for Illinois businesses.

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    Ben Jones rides Bar Code during the Professional Bull Riders Chicago Invitational Sunday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Riders from around the world competed in the arena by riding 2,000-pound bulls.

    World's best bull riders compete in Rosemont
    By Steve Zalusky
    The struggle lasts only seconds, but to the cowboys riding the bulls, it must seem like an eternity. A cheering crowd watched 35 of the world's best bull riders compete Sunday during the Professional Bull Riders Chicago Invitational at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The riders took turns riding 2,000-pound bucking bulls for eight seconds while holding a rope wrapped around the bull's...

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    Naperville City Council members rejected the most recent rendition of a proposed Water Street development in the city's downtown. They're now waiting for Thursday's public unveiling of the developer's fourth and final attempt.

    Naperville developer mum on latest Water Street plans
    By Justin Kmitch
    After three failed attempts, Marquette Companies is preparing to return to the Naperville City Council next month with yet another plan for a proposed Water Street Development that could change the face of one of the region's most successful downtowns. The Naperville-based developers say they've reworked their proposal for a large-scale project that would include a hotel, restaurant, retail...

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    The One Step Camp for kids with cancer revived her spirit and helped save her life when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at age 13, says Colleen McGrath. Now 27 and diagnosed with colon cancer, the Bartlett native says she loves her job with Children's Oncology Services, the charity that runs the camp and other programs for kids with cancer.

    Bartlett native's cancer motivates her life, her work
    By Burt Constable
    As a teenager who watched both her parents die of cancer, Bartlett native Colleen McGrath managed to defeat the pancreatic cancer that hit her at age 13. Now 27 and dedicating her life to helping other kids cope with cancer, McGrath is once again battling her old nemesis after being diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer.

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    Ammunition and semiautomatic weapons went fast at the Kane County Sportsman’s Show at the Kane County Fairgrounds Sunday, which also featured antique rifles, like those pictured here.

    Fear drives sales at Kane County gun show
    By Tara García Mathewson
    Don Moran, president of the Illinois State Rifle Association, was at Sunday’s Kane County Sportsman's show, noting how little ammunition was left even at 11 a.m., hours before the event wrapped up. Moran said gun sales on any type of semi-automatic firearm are up, whether it’s a handgun or a rifle, and the corresponding ammunition is selling quickly as the nation prepares for possible...

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    Kreger's Central Food, a family-run meat and deli business on the 600 block of Ellsworth in Naperville, closed after 120 years.

    Family-owned Naperville business closes after 120 years
    By Matt Arado
    Kreger's Central Foods, a family-run business that started serving Naperville residents in 1893, closed its doors for good over the weekend. Bill Kreger, the fourth-generation owner, said closing the store was not an easy decision to make. "It's time for me to do something new," he said.

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    ASSOCIATED PRESS Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that the Republican Party needs to “take a very hard look at itself and understand that the country has changed” demographically, and that if the party doesn’t change, “they’re going to be in trouble.”

    Colin Powell says GOP having `an identity problem’
    From Daily Herald wire services
    Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says his own Republican Party is having “an identity problem.” The former Joints Chief of Staff chairman who twice endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that in recent years there’s been “a significant shift to the right,” and that’s produced two losing presidential campaigns.

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    “American Idol” contestant Sanjaya Malakar, pictured here performing in 2007, was among the dozens of contestants targeted by VoteForTheWorst.com. The suburban-based website announced it will be shutting down following this season of Idol in June.

    ‘American Idol’-mocking website to shut down
    By Jamie Sotonoff
    For the past nine years, West suburban resident Dave Della Terza has mocked “American Idol” contestants on his popular but maligned website,VoteForTheWorst.com. On Sunday night, Della Terza announced plans to shut down “VFTW” in June, at the end of this season of American Idol.

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    This image provided by General Motors shows the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. General Motors unveiled the revamped Corvette, the first new version of the iconic sports car in nine years, Sunday in Detroit.

    GM shows off stylish new Corvette
    Associated Press
    General Motors unveiled a revamped Corvette in Detroit on Sunday, the first new version of the iconic sports car in nine years.The 2014 model, so new that it shares only two parts with the current model, has dramatic new styling that picks up cues from the 1963 Sting Ray and newer Corvettes.

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    People carry posters of Russian President Vladimir Putin with the words reading “For Russia without Herod!” during a protest rally in Moscow Sunday. The reference to Herod refers to the biblical ruler who murdered members of his own family and initiated the killing of infants in Bethlehem during the time of Jesus.

    Thousands march to protest Russia’s adoption ban
    Associated Press
    Thousands of people marched through Moscow on Sunday to protest Russia’s new law banning Americans from adopting Russian children, a far bigger number than expected in a sign that outrage over the ban has breathed some life into the dispirited anti-Kremlin opposition movement.

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    President Barack Obama gives his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Jan. 20, 2009. His second inauguration promises the pageantry of the first, but on a smaller scale.

    Questions and answers about upcoming inauguration
    Associated Press
    With his wife and two daughters at his side, President Barack Obama will raise his right hand and place his left on two stacked Bibles as he takes the oath of office for another four-year term. His second inauguration promises the pageantry of the first, but on a smaller scale than 2009.

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    Aaron Swartz, a co-founder of Reddit, hanged himself Friday in New York City. In 2011, he was charged with stealing millions of scientific journals from a computer archive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in an attempt to make them freely available. He had pleaded not guilty, and his federal trial was to begin next month.

    Web activist’s family blames prosecutors for death
    Associated Press
    The family of Aaron Swartz, a computer programmer, entrepreneur and activist who died last week, blamed his suicide on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. prosecutors who accused him of crimes including wire and computer fraud. Swartz, 26, who grew up in Highland Park, Ill., died from suicide by hanging, according to the New York Medical Examiner’s Office.

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    Grayslake Dist. 46 gets kudos for attendance
    Daily Herald report
    Grayslake Elementary District 46 recently received kudos for outstanding student attendance from the Lake County Regional Office of Education.

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    Woodland Middle School performance
    Daily Herald report
    The Woodland Middle School Drama Club presents “Headin’ for the Hills” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25 and at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at the school’s cafeteria, 7000 Washington St., Gurnee.

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    Grandwood Park water open house
    Daily Herald report
    The Lake County public works department has scheduled a public open house on the drinking water supply for the Grandwood Park water system from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Grandwood Park Park District community center, 36630 N. Hutchins Road, Gurnee.

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    Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook
    Daily Herald report
    The Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Friday announced that it has gone live on Facebook. On Friday, a Criminal Investigation Division photo album asking for tips identifying subjects of interest for several burglaries in Lake County was posted.

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    Attorneys help Geneva first responders prepare for the worst
    By Harry Hitzeman
    An organization that helps first responders such as police officers and firefighters prepare living wills and estate planning hopes to hold another event this year in the Kane County area. About 50 to 60 attorneys volunteered their time recently in Geneva as part of the Wills for Heroes Foundation to provide police officers and firefighters with free legal services to prepare living wills and...

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    Hanover Park police launching Facebook page, smartphone app
    By Jessica Cilella
    The Hanover Park police department is launching a Facebook page and smartphone app today as part of a new program aimed at enhancing communication between police and residents through technology.

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    An Egyptian kisses an image of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, woven on a carpet that was brought in by Mubarak supporters, as they celebrate an appeal granted by a court, in Cairo on Sunday.

    Egyptian appeals court orders Mubarak retrial
    Associated Press
    A Cairo appeals court on Sunday overturned Hosni Mubarak’s life sentence and ordered a retrial of the former Egyptian president for failing to prevent the killing of hundreds of protesters during the 2011 uprising that toppled his regime.

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    ASSOCIATED PRESS NRA president David Keene said in an interview Sunday he does not believe an assault weapons ban can get through Congress.

    NRA says Congress will not pass weapons ban
    Associated Press
    The powerful gun lobby is gauging enough support in Congress to block a law that would ban assault weapons, despite promises from the White House and senior lawmakers to make such a measure a reality.

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    Icy conditions lead to 11-car pileup in Schaumburg
    By Steve Zalusky
    Six separate crashes add up to an 11-car pileup on the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway late Saturday night.

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    Daniela Kapusta, 17, recently was featured in Vogue Italia, left. She says she spent much of her first three years at St. Charles East in the depths of depression, a product of bullying. Now she is on the board of Hope Club, a suicide prevention club.

    St. Charles student living modeling dream
    By James Fuller
    Daniela Kapusta spent the past three years at St. Charles East High School in the depths of depression, a product of frequent bullying by her female classmates. Stripped of her self-confidence, she was probably the last person anyone would picture as the showstopper at a fashion show. But a lucky break spawned a career as a model with a face you can find on the Vogue Italia website.

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    From left, Des Plaines Police Cmdr. Randy Akin, Deputy Chief Nick Treantafeles, officers Michael Kelly and Michael Oppegard, Deputy Chief Michael Kozak and Cmdr. Louis Wittmer are pictured here during a Jan. 7 presentation of the Award of Valor to Kelly and Oppegard at the monthly city council meeting.

    Des Plaines officers receive medal of valor
    By Madhu Krishnamurthy
    The Des Plaines city council this week awarded medals of valor to city police officers Michael Kelly and Michael Oppegard for their courageous actions during a drug bust last May.

Sports

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    There is nothing wrong with Bears general manager Phil Emery taking his time to find a new head coach. In fact, it’s to the team’s benefit in many ways that he is.

    Bears’ GM should be right, not rushed
    By Barry Rozner
    Bears GM Phil Emery has been criticized for taking too much time and interviewing too many coaching candidates. But what’s the hurry? Emery should be right, not rushed.

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    Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was a vocal critic of the NHL during the lengthy lockout. On Sunday, Toews said, “All that is behind us now. I would rather talk about hockey and the great things that are going to happen this season.”

    McDonough: We are going to have to earn our way back
    By Tim Sassone
    Blackhawks president and CEO John McDonough promised fans Sunday that the organization would do whatever it could to make it up to those still bitter about the NHL lockout.

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    Dave Bolland found himself centering the second line with Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp when Blackhawks camp opened Sunday.

    Blackhawks start camp with Bolland centering second line
    By Tim Sassone
    When the Blackhawks took the ice Sunday for their first day of camp with Dave Bolland centering the second line for Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp, it was important news.

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    Northwestern players react as they watch teammates play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa in Evanston, Ill., on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. Iowa won 70-50.

    Wildcats lose by 20 at home
    Associated Press
    EVANSTON — Aaron White led a balanced attack with 17 points as Iowa broke a 3-game Big Ten losing streak with a 70-50 victory over Northwestern on Sunday afternoon.Josh Oglesby had 14 points, and Melsahn Basabe added 10 for the Hawkeyes (12-5, 1-3), also broke a five-game losing streak against Northwestern.Dave Sobolewski had 14 points, and Tre Demps added 10 for the Wildcats (10-7, 1-3) in front of 6,805 fans at Welsh-Ryan Arena.Iowa opened a 25-15 lead by halftime behind Roy Devyn Marble’s eight points and steadily increased its lead through the second half.The Wildcats travel to Illinois on Thursday and host Indiana next Sunday. Iowa entertains Wisconsin on Saturday, then hits the road for games at Ohio State and Penn State.Northwestern missed seven straight shots through a 7 minute, 6 second span and shot 5 of 24 (20.8 percent) for the first half. Sobolewski broke the drought with a fast break layup with 2:27 left, leaving the Wildcats trailing 19-13.Iowa also struggled from the field in the half, shooting just 10 of 28 (35.7 percent).It was the second fewest first-half points by Northwestern this season. The Wildcats’ previous low was 14 on Jan. 6 at Minnesota.The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to six early in the second half on back-to-back buckets by Hearn and Soboleski. But Iowa replied with Mike Gesell’s driving layup followed by a dunk and three-point play by White in a 21 second span for a 32-20 lead.Iowa’s lead hit 17 points at 41-27 on Josh Oglesby’s baseline 3-pointer with 12:34 left in regulation. By the 8:38 mark, the Hawkeye advantage hit 20 at 57-37 on Eric May’s 3-pointer.Northwestern never got closer than 19 points the rest of the way.After a difficult first half shooting, the Wildcats improved to 10 of 27 (37 percent) in the second half and ended 15 of 51 (29.4 percent) for the game. The Hawkeyes were 29 of 62 (46.0 percent) and outrebounded Northwestern 43-33.Iowa was coming off a stretch of three losses against ranked teams. The Hawkeyes dropped decisions to No. 5 Indiana, at No. 2 Michigan and to No. 18 Michigan State.Marble, Iowa’s scoring leader, was back in the starting lineup after suffering an ankle sprain last week and scored all of his eight points in the first half. He missed last Thursday’s 62-59 road loss to the Spartans.Also Sunday, Northwestern announced a three-year broadcast rights extension for football and basketball with WGN-AM, its radio home for the past 17 years. The new deal will carry both sports on the station through the 2015-16 seasons.

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    New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, talks with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt following their AFC divisional playoff NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. The Patriots defeated the Texans 41-28.

    Patriots eliminate Texans 41-28
    Associated Press
    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady idolized Joe Montana as a kid in the Bay Area. Now, he’s surpassed his hero for postseason wins.Brady got his 17th, the most for any quarterback, in New England’s 41-28 AFC divisional victory over Houston on Sunday. If Brady can lead the Patriots past Baltimore in next weekend’s conference title game, then win the Super Bowl, he’ll equal the 49ers’ Hall of Famer for NFL championships.Brady has guided the Patriots to five Super Bowls, winning the first three; Montana was 4 for 4 in the big game, playing for Brady’s hometown team.“I grew up a 49ers fans,” Brady said. “Joe Montana and Steve Young ... those guys are in another class.”Next up is Baltimore, which stunned top-seeded Denver in double overtime Saturday, and lost 23-20 at Gillette Stadium last January in the last step before the Super Bowl. But the Ravens beat the Patriots in Week 3 this season at Baltimore.Seldom-used Shane Vereen scored three times, twice on pinpoint throws from Brady, as New England (13-4) beat Houston (13-5) for the second time in a month. Brady was missing some key helpers, but got the usual outstanding performance from Wes Welker, his favorite target the last six years. The AFC’s top receiver with 118 catches this season, Welker looked like he might reach that total against Houston’s befuddled defense. He caught six in the first half for 120 yards, including a 47-yarder, and wound up with eight for 131. And the AFC East champion Patriots got more than anyone could have predicted from third-string running back Vereen, who scored their first two TDs on a 1-yard run and an 8-yard pass. He capped his biggest pro performance with an over-the-shoulder 33-yard catch early in the fourth period.It was Brady’s 41st postseason TD pass, behind only Brett Favre (44) and, you guessed it, Montana (45).That boost from Vereen offset the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski (arm) and RB Danny Woodhead (thumb) in the first quarter.New England’s defense helped put away the Texans. Rob Ninkovich’s leaping third-quarter interception stopped a drive, and six plays later, Brady hit Brandon Lloyd for a 6-yard score. Although the Texans got two fourth-quarter TDs on passes by Matt Schaub, their season ended with four defeats in their last six games. That slump cost the AFC South champions the top seed in the playoffs, forcing a trip to New England after they beat Cincinnati in the wild-card round.The Texans couldn’t measure up.Unlike their 42-14 loss here a month ago, the Texans didn’t fold early. J.J. Watt, their dominating defensive end, bothered Brady, and when they fell behind 17-3, they had the fortitude to climb back.Arian Foster did all the work after Danieal Manning’s second big kickoff return, this one a 35-yarder that had 15 yards tacked on when kicker Stephen Gostkowski brought down Manning with a horse-collar tackle. The Pro Bowl runner covered all 47 yards on a five-play drive and his 1-yard run — he barely squeezed into the end zone — made it 17-10.Houston forced a three-and-out, and a short punt gave the Texans another shot just before halftime. They got close enough for Shayne Graham to kick a 55-yard field goal as the half ended.But the Patriots pulled away in the third quarter for coach Bill Belichick’s 17th postseason win, third behind Tom Landry (20) and Don Shula (19). Needing a quick jolt after being blown out by the Patriots on Dec. 10, the Texans got it on the opening kickoff from Manning. He took the ball 6 yards in his end zone and never hesitated in returning it. He broke free at the Houston 30 and wasn’t run down until reaching the New England 12.That spark didn’t even last one play, though, and Houston wound up with Graham’s 27-yard field goal 63 seconds in.

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    Hawks will be on the road ... again and again and again
    By Tim Sassone
    By the time the Blackhawks return home from Nashville on Feb. 10, having completed a stretch of playing 10 of their first 12 games on the road, who knows where they will sit in the Western Conference standings. “The schedule will be interesting,” coach Joel Quenneville said.

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    Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant is congratulated by teammates after making the game-winning field goal during the second half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 30-28.

    Seahawks claw back, but Falcons soar to victory
    Associated Press
    ATLANTA — Matt Bryant kicked a 49-yard field goal with 8 seconds left and the Atlanta Falcons bounced back after blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, defeating Russell Wilson and the gutty Seattle Seahawks 30-28 in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday.The Falcons (14-3) appeared ready to allow the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL playoff history when Marshawn Lynch scored on a 2-yard run with 31 seconds left. But Matt Ryan completed two long passes after the kickoff, setting up Bryant’s winning kick and sending the Falcons to the NFC championship game for only the third time in franchise history. They will host the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday. Wilson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it wasn’t enough for the Seahawks (12-6). The rookie finished with 385 yards passing and did all he could to lead the Seahawks back from a 27-7 deficit entering the fourth quarter. When Lynch powered over in the final minute, a play set up by Wilson’s brilliant scramble, Seattle celebrated like it would be moving on.Not so fast.Ryan, who had struggled in his first three playoff appearances, had just enough time to rally the Falcons. He hooked up with Harry Douglas on a 29-yard pass in front of the Falcons bench, and coach Mike Smith quickly signaled a timeout. Then, Ryan went down the middle to his favorite target, tight end Tony Gonzalez, a Hall of Famer-to-be playing what could’ve been his final game. Gonzalez hauled in the 19-yard throw, and Smith called his final timeout with 13 seconds remaining. Instead of risking another play and having the clock run out, he sent Bryant in for the field goal try. The Seahawks called time just before the ball was snapped, and Bryant’s kick sailed right of the upright. That turned out to be nothing more than practice. The next one was right down the middle, giving the Falcons a stunning victory.Wilson’s last throw, a desperation heave into the end zone, was intercepted by Falcons receiver Julio Jones.

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    Girls basketball/Top 20
    Montini and Rolling Meadows held onto the 1-2 spots and Neuqua Valley jumped to No. 3 in this week's Daily Herald Top 20 girls basketball rankings.

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    Wolves beat the Heat
    By Daily Herald News Services
    Goaltender Matt Climie turned away 30 shots to lead the Chicago Wolves to a 1-0 victory over theAbbotsford Heat on Saturday night at Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

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    Blackhawks open camp Sunday
    By Tim Sassone
    It's official: The Blackhawks' 48-game schedule will kick off next Saturday at Los Angeles against the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings.

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    Suns forward Luis Scola passes the ball around Bulls center Joakim Noah during Saturday night’s Bulls loss.

    Another home dud for Bulls
    The United Center has become the spot to break long losing streaks. Charlotte snapped an 18-game skid on Dec. 31, then Phoenix waltzed into the building Saturday, playing its fourth game in five nights, and trounced the Bulls 97-81.

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    Bulls’ celebratory gestures draw attention
    By Mike McGraw
    While the Bulls rolled to another big victory in New York on Friday, a couple of celebratory gestures made news. Joakim Noah did a move that was thought to be retired, while Nate Robinson caught flak from the Knicks' Steve Novak.

Business

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    House Speaker John Boehner, left, and President Barack Obama will play principal roles in the upcoming discussions over the deficit ceiling.

    Hitting the debt limit: What bills would be paid?
    Associated Press
    The federal government could run out of cash to pay all its bills in full as early as Feb. 15, according to one authoritative estimate, and congressional Republicans want significant spending cuts in exchange for raising the borrowing limit. President Barack Obama, forced to negotiate an increase in 2011, has pledged not to negotiate again. So, what's going to happen?

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    SCORE explains LinkedIn profiles in Buffalo Grove
    Daily Herald report
    SCORE is presenting a program on LinkedIn’s New Updated Personal Profile in conjunction with the Buffalo Grove Chamber of Commerce and Buffalo Grove Bank & Trust 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 at Continental Restaurant, 788 S. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove.

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    Justin Bredeau, of Las Vegas, tries out a Sony 3-D personal viewer at the Consumer Electronics Show, Friday in Las Vegas. The viewer simulates watching a 150-inch screen from 12 feet away.

    4 gadgets that defined Vegas electronics show
    Associated Press
    The world’s largest gadget show wrapped up on Friday, and the organizers said it was the biggest ever, beating last year’s record in terms of the floor space companies purchased to display their wares. What was it that drew more than 3,500 companies and 150,000 people to Las Vegas for this mega-event? Here are four gadgets that exemplified the top trends at this year’s International CES.

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    A Japan Airlines 787, from which fuel spilled at Boston’s Logan International Airport last Tuesday, sits on the tarmac at Narita Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, Sunday. Narita airport officials said JAL reported a 100-liter fuel leak from a filler on the 787 during inspection following recent spate of problems.

    Japan Airlines reports new fuel leak in Boeing 787
    Associated Press
    Japan Airlines has reported a fuel leak in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for the second time in a week amid a U.S. safety review of the aircraft. Narita International Airport outside of Tokyo says JAL reported a 100-liter fuel leak in a 787 during an inspection Sunday.

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    The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps rose 6.68 cents a gallon in the past three weeks to $3.32 as a rally in crude prices led refiners to boost costs for fuel marketers, according to Lundberg Survey Inc.

    Gas prices surge 7 cents after months of decline
    Associated Press
    After months of dropping, gas prices are back on the upswing. The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has surged seven cents in the last three weeks.

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    Matthew Marcus works at his desk in the basement of Kansas City Startup Village in Kansas City, Kan.. Marcus started the Village which houses several startup companies and takes advantage of the high speed internet.

    Google’s ultrafast Internet draws startups to KC
    Associated Press
    Inside a small bungalow on the street separating Kansas City, Kan., from its sister city in Missouri, a small group of entrepreneurs are working on their ideas for the next high-tech startup, tapping Google Inc.’s new superfast Internet connection that has turned the neighborhood into an unlikely settlement dubbed the “Silicon Prairie.”

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    The nearly independent city, Paseo Cayala, sits on the edge of Guatemala City. Eventually, the Cayala Management Group hopes to expand the project into “Cayala City,” spreading across an area a little larger than New York's Central Park.

    Guatemala builds private city to escape crime
    Associated Press
    Guatemalan developers are building a nearly independent city for the wealthy on the outskirts of a capital marred by crime and snarled by traffic. At its heart is the 34-acre Paseo Cayala, with apartments, parks, high-end boutiques, church, nightclubs, and restaurants, all within a ring of white stucco walls. “Cayala creates a world for those who can afford it. Cayala sells an illusion that everything is OK, but it is not open to all people,” architect Carlos Mendizabal said.

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    Guests stand outside the new Spaceport America hangar in Upham, N.M. Spaceport America officials are urging legislators to limit potential lawsuits from wealthy outer space tourists who take off from New Mexico, saying such a bill is crucial to the future of the project.

    Spaceport wants protections from tourist lawsuits
    Associated Press
    Spaceport America officials are urging legislators to limit potential lawsuits from wealthy outer space tourists who take off from New Mexico, saying such a bill is crucial to the future of the project. Legal experts, however, say there is no way to know whether the so-called informed consent laws will offer any protection to spacecraft operators and suppliers in the event something goes wrong.

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    Estelle Borrell, 24, visits a job fair in Paris. Borrell knew she wanted to work in law since she was a teenager, when she interned at a court in Versailles, France. “The lawyers in their black robes, they were like gods to me,” said the 24-year-old Parisian. Borrell studied law at Vienna University, where she dreamed of putting her passion into practice at an international organization. She got a shock when she began working at a Vienna law firm.

    Class of 2012: Diploma dilemma for Europe grads
    Associated Press
    Estelle Borrell knew she wanted to work in law since she was a teenager, when she interned at a court in Versailles, France. “The lawyers in their black robes, they were like gods to me,” said the 24-year-old Parisian. She got a shock when she began working at a Vienna law firm. “I knew how to resolve cases on paper, but when I got into the law firm it was really ridiculous,” Borrell said.

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    Christine Perkett, of Marshfield, Mass., who runs a public relations firm from her home, sits on her front porch. The recession and its aftermath made many small businesses reluctant to give raises. The raises at Perkett's public relations firm are about 2 percent lower than they were before the recession.

    Small businesses basing pay more on performance
    Associated Press
    Raises are no longer a sure thing at Warner Communications — staffers at the public relations firm who were virtually assured of an annual salary bump before the recession have to work a lot harder to get an increase. “Everyone needs to make a difference. It was always said, but never enforced until right now,” says Carin Warner, owner of the company based in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.

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    Some $1.7 billion of the $110 billion gift cards bought in 2012 will go unused, according to estimates from research company CEB TowerGroup.

    6 ways to put those unwanted gift cards to use
    Associated Press
    Gift cards are easily forgotten. All too often they're placed in drawers or stuffed into wallets, never to be seen again. Some $1.7 billion of the $110 billion gift cards bought in 2012 will go unused, according to estimates from research company CEB TowerGroup. Here are six ways to put a gift card to use:

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    Bond investors: Heed warnings about rise in rates
    Associated Press
    Warnings about rising interest rates have become louder in 2013, partly due to a spike in rates during the first couple weeks of the year. Consider this one: The prospect of higher rates “is looming ever-closer” says Art Steinmetz, chief investment officer at OppenheimerFunds, who describes a rate increase as “a dust storm that we’re going to run into one of these days.”

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    Set goals, not resolutions, for the new year
    By Robert M. Sheehan Jr., Special to The Washington Post
    If it’s time for you to set those once-a-year resolutions that you know will fade by March, then this article is not for you. But if you are ready to make a long-term commitment to achieving higher levels of performance and having more satisfaction in life, then consider getting serious about goal-setting.

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    Hawaiian Airlines will begin taking delivery of 16 new Airbus A321neo aircraft starting in 2017.

    Hawaiian Airlines plans to buy 16 new Airbus planes
    Associated Press
    Hawaiian Airlines plans to buy more than a dozen new Airbus planes to help it meet demand for travel between the West Coast and the islands.

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    Volkswagens are displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

    Auto show offers more than visual experience
    By Dee-Ann Durbin\Associated Press
    Detroit is one of 65 shows that will be held in the U.S. this year, from a tiny one in Toledo to New York and Chicago gatherings that attract more than 1 million visitors each year. Detroit has been holding an auto show almost continuously since the early 1900s, when local dealers lined up a handful of cars alongside fishing and hunting gear.

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    Customers drink coffee on Trieu Viet Vuong Street in Hanoi, Vietnam. Starbucks will enter Vietnam in early February with a cafe in Ho Chi Minh City. But the Seattle-based company faces a unique market in Vietnam, where French-inspired coffee culture reigns supreme; two homegrown chains have established presences; and family-run sidewalk cafes are as ubiquitous as noodle shops.

    Starbucks enters entrenched Vietnam coffee market
    Associated Press
    Starbucks will open its first cafe in Vietnam early next month in Ho Chi Minh City as part of its strategy to expand across Asia, and plans to add more shops throughout the country. But the Seattle-based company faces a unique scenario in Vietnam, where French-inspired coffee culture reigns supreme, two homegrown chains have established presences and family-run sidewalk cafes are as ubiquitous as noodle shops.

Life & Entertainment

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    The cast of "Girls" celebrate backstage with Lena Dunham after her win for best actress in a comedy series

    Images: Inside the Golden Globes
    The stars came out in full force for the Golden Globes on Sunday night. Take a look at the winners and see what you might have missed backstage.

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    Show hosts Tina Fey, left, and Amy Poehler arrive at the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday Jan. 13, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

    Images: Golden Globes arrivals
    Stars from film and television were heating up the red carpet under sunny skies but crisp temperatures Sunday for the Golden Globes ceremony.

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    Ben Affleck won the Golden Globe for best director and his film, “Argo,” was named the year's best dramatic film Sunday at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills. Affleck will not be in contention for the directing Oscar next month.

    'Argo,' Affleck anointed by Golden Globes
    Associated Press
    The Iran hostage thriller “Argo” was a surprise best-drama winner at Sunday's Golden Globes, beating out the Civil War epic “Lincoln,” which had emerged as an awards-season favorite. “Argo” also claimed the directing prize for Ben Affleck, a prize that normally bodes well for an Academy Award win except he missed out on an Oscar nomination this time.

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    Actress Claire Danes arrives at the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday Jan. 13, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

    Vintage vibe on the red carpet at Globes
    Associated Press
    The Golden Globes boasted some red-hot arrivals to kick off the Hollywood awards season even as the fashion chatter among top movie and TV stars was largely about an unusually chilly night.

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    Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis engaged to marry
    Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are getting married. A spokeswoman for Wilde confirmed Saturday that the couple is engaged. This will be the second wedding for both actors.

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    This undated publicity photo released by Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. shows Jessica Chastain, as Maya, a member of the elite team of spies and military operatives stationed in a covert base overseas, who secretly devoted themselves to finding Osama Bin Laden in Columbia Pictures’ new thriller, “Zero Dark Thirty,” directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The film made $24 million in its first week of release and captured the No. 1 spot at the box office.

    ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ captures No. 1 at box office
    By DERRIK J. LANG
    Sony Pictures’ controversial Osama bin Laden raid drama “Zero Dark Thirty” nabbed first place with $24 million in its first weekend in wide release, according to studio estimates Sunday.

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    Ed Harris stars as John McCain and Julianne Moore as 2008 running mate Sarah Palin in HBO’s “Game Change,” now on DVD.

    ‘Game Change,’ ‘Smash’ out on DVD
    By Jeff Tuckman
    HBO's "Game Change," now on DVD," depicts the behind-the-scenes drama of the 2008 McCain campaign and the decision to tap Sarah Palin as his running mate. Julianne Moore shines as the former Alaska governor.

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    Pope Benedict XVI delivers his speech during an audience with foreign ambassadors to the Holy See, at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.

    It's 'cash only' now for tourists at the Vatican
    Associated Press
    It's "cash only" now for tourists at the Vatican wanting to pay for museum tickets, souvenirs and other services after Italy's central bank decided to block electronic payments, including credit cards, at the tiny city-state.

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    This Jan. 20, 2009, file photo shows the crowd on the National Mall in Washington for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama. Four years and one re-election after Obama became America’s first black president, some of the thrill is gone. Yes, the inauguration of a U.S. president is still a big deal.

    Second time with Obama not as thrilling as before
    Associated Press
    Four years and one re-election after Obama became America's first black president, some of the thrill is gone. Yes, the inauguration of a U.S. president is still a big deal. But the ceremony that Washington will stage in a few weeks won't be the heady, historic affair it was in 2009, when nearly 2 million people flocked to the National Mall to see Obama take the oath of office. This time, District of Columbia officials expect between 600,000 and 800,000 people.

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    This undated photo provided by the Hotel Jerome shows the Aspen Crud, served in the hotel’s J-Bar in Aspen, Colo. The drink was first served clandestinely during Prohibition when bourbon was added to milkshakes, but today’s version is served hot, with bourbon added to vanilla tea, cinnamon syrup and cream. It’s one of a number of specialty drinks offered for the après ski crowd at resort areas around the West.

    Resorts spruce up cocktail menus for apres ski
    Associated Press
    After a long day on the slopes, nothing quite eases the aches and pains like a good drink. For Brian Sbrocco, the perfect end to a recent day of skiing was a beer float.Yes, a beer float. "It's not quite the root beer float I grew up on," Sbrocco said. "It's one of the concoctions that you wouldn't normally do; you wouldn't combine beer and ice cream but it blended it beautifully."

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    The 2013 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Built Ford Tough Series stops at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 12-13.

    Sunday picks: Battle of the bull riders at Allstate
    By Scott Morgan and Laura Stewart
    See the top bull riders in the world compete to ride the country's fiercest bucking bulls during the 2013 PBR Built Ford Tough Series at the Allstate Arena. Celebrate the season with indoor crafts, outdoor tours and more as part of Volo Bog's family-friendly Winterfest. And Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles revives the mystery drama "Deathtrap," about a man who goes to extraordinary lengths to stay on top.

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    The Spanish built the Castillo de San Marcos, an imposing fort constructed of the stone coquina between 1672 and 1696 in St. Augustine, Fla. This year Florida is marking the 500th Anniversary since the explorer Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in April 1513.

    Florida celebrates its Spanish heritage in 2013
    Associated Press
    When Juan Ponce de Leon searched for riches in Florida, he unknowingly helped turn the Sunshine State into the first travel destination in the United States. In April 1513, the Spanish monarchy contracted the explorer to find another island off of Cuba that was rumored to have great riches. Instead he landed in Florida and named it "La Florida." Five centuries later, the state is celebrating its Spanish heritage with a series of events throughout 2013.

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    A family-friendly rendition of “Moby Dick” with giant puppets will be presented at the Storefront Theater in Chicago.

    On the road: ‘Moby Dick’ gets puppet treatment
    By Jacky Runice
    Audiences can get a behind-the-scenes look at how theater productions come together when Blair Thomas and Company present excerpts from "Moby Dick" through a family-friendly puppet play. Also, Bald Eagle Watching Days in Sauk Prairie, Wis., celebrates its 26th year with seminars, exhibits and shows.

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    Cold weather freezes up cruise control
    By Doug McAllister
    Q. I have been using the cruise control on my 2006 Grand Marquis on a regular basis. It works just fine except when temperatures get below about 40 degrees. Then I need to wait until the car warms up before it can be made to activate.

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    Sean McQueen pours visitors a sample of the first batch of bourbon distilled last fall at Mississippi River Distilling Co.

    Quad Cities gets in the spirit with micobreweries, distillery
    By Katherine Rodeghier
    Whatever the weather, you can spend a pleasant few hours visiting the Quad Cities’ only distillery and its handful of microbreweries scattered along both sides of the Mississippi River. Map out your own beer and spirits tour — leaving the driving to someone else, of course — and you’ll not only sip some quality products, you’ll feast on some fine pub food.

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    Garrett Marsh, 12, airboardes down the slope near Snowmass Village, Colo. Visitors to winter recreation destinations enjoy activities like airboarding, snowkiting and skijoring as alternatives to more traditional snow sports such as skiing or snowboarding.

    New winter sports to experience on snowy terrain
    By Karen Schwartz
    Forget the traditional winter activities like skiing, skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, tobogganing, sleigh riding, dog-sledding and more. How about bumber cars on ice or winter tubing airboards? It’s part of a trend to provide visitors to ski resorts and other snowy destinations with a wider variety of choices.

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    Lenders sometimes seek deficiencies after a short sale
    By Tom Resnick
    Q. I am selling my house on a short sale. My bank is telling me they will agree to the short sale but I will still be responsible for any money still owed the bank after the sale, unless we can make a deal.

  •  
    Mexican tile on stair risers make for an artistic project.

    Three projects that will take your staircase up a notch
    By Alice Oglethorpe
    Just because staircases are functional and constantly getting stepped on doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a little interior design attention, too. These three projects prove that stairs can be both practical and pretty. If there’s a project that doesn’t need a lot of time or know-how, it’s this one: With a few swipes of a paintbrush, plain balusters can be transformed with an ombré paint job.

Discuss

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    Editorial: Let’s work together on school pension issue
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    A Daily Herald editorial asks for civility even in the most important debates of our times: Some of the most contentious issues we face demand collaboration and an appreciation that each side has concerns that are legitimate.

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    Meet the new boss, same as the old boss
    A Deerfield letter to the editor: The newly sworn-in members of the Illinois legislature (with the exception of those facing criminal charges) are the taxpayers’ next best hope for integrity in government.

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    Asking for the impossible?
    A Lake Bluff letter to the editor: All were shocked and horrified at the massacre of schoolchildren in Connecticut. There are things which can be done to mitigate future events of this sort. However, vilifying law-abiding gun owners is not among them.

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    Abortion also is a tragedy
    An Ingleside letter to the editor: In the ten minutes it took a mass murderer to leave his car, break into a school full of children and kill 20 of them, in those ten minutes, over 20 legal abortions took place in the United States.

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    Wife took wedding vows to heart
    A Elk Grove Village letter to the editor: My sister and her husband took their vows in 1962. They had two sons and a typical marriage until 1981 when her husband was paralyzed in a diving accident.

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    Tragedy can bring country together
    A Des Plaines letter to the editor: Bringing people of different origins together in trying times such as this will help alleviate some of the pain. I pray to God Almighty to protect mankind from these unthinkable massacres.

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    Armed guards at schools no solution
    A Des Plaines letter to the editor: An armed crazy going into a school, knowing there is a guard there, would find another maneuver to accomplish his act. Armed guards at every school is no answer.

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    Government cares more for gun owners
    A Warrenville letter to the editor: We are all upset about what happened in New Haven, Conn. And to think it could happen even in our small town of Warrenville is very upsetting to all of us. We pray, light candles and remember those families. But one year from now will anything change?

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    Bad mix: Pensions and government
    A Lombard letter to the editor: How did we allow a socialist concept like pension funds creep into our lives? Teachers especially were stupid and naive to give a government entity 9.4 percent of their salary to save for their retirement, for 35 to 40 years.

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    Name calling shows no valid arguments
    A Wheaton letter to the editor: I am writing in response to a Dec. 18 letter. 1. Name calling is proof of having no rational arguments. 2. Obama is not a socialist or a communist. The proof is that he has done nothing socialistic in his administration. Strengthening the EPA is not stealing our freedom. Regulating pollution by power plants is not socialism.

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