Daily Archive : Sunday January 27, 2013

News

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    Roselle’s mayoral candidates are sparring over the proper vision for downtown development.

    Roselle mayor candidates have sights on downtown development
    By Josh Stockinger
    Longtime Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski is defending her record against two election challengers who say the city's approach to downtown development lacks vision. Candidates James Banks and Jim Schelling told the Daily Herald Editorial Board they would work to unite residents and involve them in setting a path for growth.

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    George Verber, left, says hello to his old coach, Gaston Freeman, at Freeman’s 80th birthday party in 2002. Verber died last week after a four-year battle with leukemia.

    Maine West, South lose hall of fame coach, teacher
    By Eileen O. Daday
    George Verber hated to lose. His intensity as a longtime teacher and coach at Maine South and Maine West was infamous, but the coach finally lost a battle with leukemia he couldn't win. "He was one in a million," said Dave Scott, who took over the basketball program from Verber at Maine West in 1990.

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    Illinois Senator Richard Durbin is among senators endorsing the plan.

    Immigration deal includes path to citizenship for 11 million here
    Associated Press
    A bipartisan group of leading senators has reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws. The deal, which is to be announced at a news conference Monday afternoon, covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. Although thorny...

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    Gov. Pat Quinn

    Quinn signs bill giving undocumented immigrants access to licenses
    By Tara García Mathewson
    Ivan Cuevas of Elgin said he's looking forward to the day he can get on the road and drive to work with no fear of being caught without a license. Thanks to Governor Pat Quinn's signature on a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses, Cuevas soon will breathe easy on his commute. Quinn signed the bill into law Sunday, turning Illinois into the fourth and most populous state...

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    7 dead, 6 wounded in Chicago weekend violence
    Associated Press
    Chicago authorities say seven people were killed and six wounded in gun violence in one day.Among those killed Saturday was a 34-year-old man whose mother had already lost her three other children to shootings. Police say Ronnie Chambers, who was his mother's youngest child, was shot in the head while sitting in a car.

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    Lawmakers return to the Capitol Wednesday, and suburban officials will be at the forefront in dealing with the state's money woes.

    Springfield session begins with full plate of money woes
    By Mike Riopell and Doug T. Graham mriopell@dailyherald.com
    When lawmakers return to Springfield this week, suburban officials will be among the leaders on a handful of tough issues. The underlying challenge will once again be the state's troubled finances. "I expect this year to be even tougher than last year." said state Rep. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat and chairman of a House budget committee.

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    An Illinois Department of Transportation truck dumps salt along Elmhurst Road in Wheeling Sunday as an ice storm hit the area causing difficult driving conditions. Several flight delays were reported at O’Hare International Airport because of the weather.

    Ice turns to thunderstorm as temperatures rise
    Daily Herald report
    A Sunday afternoon of sleet and freezing rain turned to a January thunderstorm as temperatures around the Chicago area continued to warm up Sunday night and Monday morning. Illinois State Police said Monday morning there had been no serious injuries from any of the more than a dozen accidents they had responded to Sunday night.

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    Six-year-old Makayla Bowles, of Zion, holds a flag as she watches the President Barack Obama Inauguration event Monday at the Holiday Inn - Gurnee Convention Center. Several large-screen televisions were in place for people to watch the inauguration sponsored by the Black Chamber of Commerce of Lake County.

    Images: The Week in Pictures
    This edition of The Week in Pictures features more weather photos as people live with freezing temperatures, Martin Luther King Jr. programs, and a couple of Husky dogs.

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    Firefighters work Sunday to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Officials say the fire broke out at the club while a band was performing.

    Deadly smoke, lone blocked exit: 230 die in Brazil
    Associated Press
    Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

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    Mason Beckemeire, 5 of Naperville meets David Newell, “Mr. McFeely” the Speedy Delivery man from the children’s TV show “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” and X the owl at the DuPage Children’s Museum during a kick off a sweater drive, Sunday.

    ‘Speedy Delivery!’ at Naperville museum from ‘Mister Roger’s Neighborhood’
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    Remember Mr. McFeely, the Speedy Delivery man from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood?" He visited Naperville Sunday to mark the end of an exhibit inspired by the show, and the start of a charity sweater collection drive at the DuPage Children's Museum.

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    A man stands next to flowers on slabs of the Holocaust Memorial to commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime at the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Berlin Sunday. The International Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp on Jan. 27, 1945.

    Holocaust victims mourned at Auschwitz and beyond
    Associated Press
    Holocaust survivors, politicians, religious leaders and others marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday with solemn prayers and the now oft-repeated warnings to never let such horrors happen again.

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    Egyptian protesters clash with police in Port Said, Egypt, Sunday. Violence erupted briefly when some in the crowd fired guns and police responded with volleys of tear gas, witnesses said.

    Egypt declares state of emergency in 3 provinces
    Associated Press
    Egypt's president declared a state of emergency and curfew in three Suez Canal provinces hit hardest by a weekend wave of unrest that left more than 50 dead, using tactics of the ousted regime to get a grip on discontent over his Islamist policies and the slow pace of change.

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    Hundreds of people take icy Lake Michigan plunge
    Associated Press
    Several hundred people in Chicago have taken a leap into an icy Lake Michigan.It might have been 20 degrees outside, but the annual Polar Bear Plunge was for a good cause.WBBM radio reported that the money raised will go to help the family of a sick child and a marathon runner who was struck by a car.

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    Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi praised the fascist regime of dictator Benito Mussolini on Sunday as he attended a ceremony to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

    Berlusconi defends Mussolini for backing Hitler
    Associated Press
    Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi praised Benito Mussolini for "having done good" despite the Fascist dictator's anti-Jewish laws, immediately sparking expressions of outrage as Europe on Sunday held Holocaust remembrances.

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    Matthew Polz, of Calgary, Alberta, and Casey Larson and Kevin Bickner, both of the Norge Ski Club, perform a rare triple jump Sunday at the 108th Annual International Ski Jumping Tournament in Fox River Grove.

    Weather doesn’t deter ‘hardy’ ski jumping fans
    Tara García Mathewson
    The 108th annual International Ski Jumping Tournament at Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove was scheduled to take place rain or shine. On Sunday, snow and sleet were added to that list as hundreds of spectators braved wintry weather for the twice-per-year competition. "I knew the weather was not going to scare off this crowd," said Guy Larson, coordinator for the Nordic combined programs at Norgi...

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    The Aurora Public Library has received a $10.8 million state grant that will be applied toward the cost of building a new downtown facility shown in this rendering.

    Aurora gets $10.8 million grant to fund new library
    By Amy Roth
    The Aurora Public Library has been awarded a $10.8 million state grant that will be applied toward the $28 million cost of building a new downtown library.

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    “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” continues through Feb. 17 at Wheaton Drama’s Playhouse 111.

    Director solves mysteries of ‘Sherlock’ production
    By Jo-Ann Ledger
    It's no mystery why Annie-Walker Bright ended up directing "Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure" at Wheaton Drama's Playhouse 111. Walker-Bright says she's always attracted by comedies — especially farces — and "The Final Adventure" was the perfect choice.

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    U.S. Army soldiers, from left, 1st Sgt. Marcia McGee, Spc. Vanessa Davila, Spc. Heidi Olson and Maj. Sheila Medeiros talk to reporters Thursday at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., about the decision announced by defense leaders Thursday to open a quarter-million combat and other military positions to service members regardless of gender.

    Allowing women into combat could reopen draft debate
    Washington Post
    The Pentagon's decision to allow women to join combat units is expected to reopen a legal debate the Supreme Court settled in 1981: Should women have to register with the government so it knows where to find them in the event of a new draft?

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    ASSOCIATED PRESS Sen. Richard Durbin said Senate lawmakers “are committed to a comprehensive approach to finally, in this country, have an immigration law we can live with.”

    Lawmakers see immigration overhaul this year
    Associated Press
    Republican and Democratic lawmakers were cautiously optimistic Sunday that a long-sought overhaul of the nation's immigration system that includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country will clear Congress this year, the result of changes in the political landscape shown in November's election.

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    The suburban beat-boxing duo known as iLLest Vocals, pictured here during last year’s “Suburban Chicago’s Got Talent” competition, auditioned Sunday for a chance at the national program, “America’s Got Talent.” The group won the suburban contest.

    Suburbanites audition for ‘America’s Got Talent’
    By Matt Arado
    They charmed the suburbs; now they're focusing on the rest of America. The two members of the beat-boxing musical group known as iLLest Vocals were among the many hopefuls who auditioned in Chicago over the weekend for a chance to perform in the upcoming season of NBC's "America's Got Talent."

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    Sen. Dianne Feinstein has introduced legislation on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices.

    Leading Democrat: Gun control faces uphill climb
    Associated Press
    Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who's leading the push to restore an assault weapon ban, acknowledged Sunday the effort faces tough odds to pass Congress and she blamed the nation's largest gun-rights group. Feinstein on Thursday introduced a bill that would prohibit 157 specific weapons and ammunition magazines that have more than 10 rounds.

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    Matthew Smith of the Norge Ski club launches himself off the ramp during the 108th annual Norge International Ski Jumping Tournament Saturday/Sunday at the Norge Ski Club, in Fox River Grove. The junior competition and junior national championship qualifier K70 was Saturday. The K70 U.S. Cup Five Hills Tournament and the Long-Standing Competition is Sunday.

    Images: 108th Annual Norge Ski Jumping
    Images from the 108th annual Norge International Ski Jumping Tournament Saturday/Sunday at the Norge Ski Club, in Fox River Grove. The junior competition and junior national championship qualifier K70 was Saturday. The K70 U.S. Cup Five Hills Tournament and the Long-Standing Competition was Sunday.

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    Fox Lake Hills water meeting
    Daily Herald report
    A public information open house meeting on the drinking water supply for the Fox Lake Hills water system is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Thompson Elementary School, 515 Thompson Lane, Lake Villa.

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    Open house on Quentin Road plan
    Daily Herald report
    An open house regarding Quentin Road from Route 12 to Route 22 in Kildeer and Lake Zurich is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Lake Zurich High School, 300 Church St., Lake Zurich.

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    Penwille Chen, 10, of Woodridge performs Shaolin Kung Fu on Sunday during North Central College’s 17th annual International Festival in the Naperville college’s Merner Field House Naperville.

    Annual International Festival showcases cultures in Naperville
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    People danced, made samurai helmets out of newspaper and learned about Naperville-area foreign-exchange programs at the 17th annual "Around the Corner, Around the World" International Festival Sunday at North Central College. The event drew dozens of participants and wowed spectators like Mayor George Pradel and Congressman Bill Foster.

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    More kudos for North Aurora police officer
    By Harry Hitzeman
    Congratulations to Mark Shillair, who was named the North Aurora Police Officer of the Year for 2012 by the village's Lion's Club. Shillair is credited with saving a 33-year-old man who threatened to jump off an overpass and into oncoming traffic on Interstate 88 after a domestic dispute.

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    Grandwood Park preschool
    Daily Herald report
    Grandwood Park Park District hosts a preschool open house/registration on Sunday, Feb. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the park district community center at 36630 N. Hutchins Road, Gurnee.

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    Dist. 128 board meets Tuesday
    Daily Herald report
    The Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board will hold a rare Tuesday meeting this week.

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    This handgun has ben configured with transducers to its handle that can detect the grasp of an authorized user.

    Push for futuristic guns builds on embattled past
    Associated Press
    It sounds, at first, like a bold, next-generation solution: personalizing guns with technology that keeps them from firing if they ever get into the wrong hands. But when the White House called for pushing ahead with such new technology as part of President Obama's plan to cut gun violence, the administration did not mention the concept's embattled past.

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    A new restaurant will be opening soon in the space previously occupied by Mike & Miguel’s on Anderson Boulevard in Geneva.

    Restaurant shuffle in the Tri-Cities
    By Dave Heun
    When a restaurant closes in the Tri-Cities, I almost get tired of hearing my familiar reaction — "Gee, I kind of liked that place." Well, "kind of liking" a place hasn't done a lot of good for restaurants during the economic climate of the past five years. Let's hope the restaurant that replaces Mike & MIguel's in Geneva does a booming business.

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    Left to right, Matthew Hudak, Terrance O’Brien and John Cichy

    After Schaumburg cop arrests, how can integrity be guaranteed
    By Eric Peterson
    Police officers exist from a recognition that people don't always obey the law. But who bears the responsibility of ensuring that officers working undercover, don't cross the line between acting like a criminal and becoming one? The arrest of three undercover Schaumburg officers is raising that question. "I personally think this is an aberration for them," DEA Special Agent Jack Riiley said of...

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    Crews earlier this month demolished a building on the future site of a Ronald McDonald House that will be constructed across the street from Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.

    Ronald McDonald House coming to Winfield
    By Robert Sanchez
    The first Ronald McDonald House in the western suburbs will open in 2015 across from Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, providing a "home away from home" for families of hospitalized children. It will provide low-cost and often free temporary housing for families who travel great distances to get treatment for seriously ill or injured children. "It is a phenomenal service that's going to be...

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    Pizza 4 Patriots founder Mark Evans of Elk Grove Village checks out a pizza last summer before the shipment heads to troops in the Middle East for the Fourth of July.

    Elk Grove teen’s idea blossoms into pizza for 488,000 troops
    By Burt Constable
    In 2008, retired Air Force Sgt. Mark Evans of Elk Grove Village wanted to ship pizzas to the soldiers fighting in the Middle East. An effort that started with a goal of 300 pizzas has shipped more than 122,000 pizzas to troops overseas."God has made me a pizza delivery man," Evans says.

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    Eric Guenther

    Mundelein’s new police chief ready for ‘big responsibility’
    By Russell Lissau
    When Mundelein Police Chief Raymond J. Rose steps down Jan. 31 after 20 years, Deputy Chief Eric Guenther will become the town's next top cop."It's a big responsibility," Guenther says. While some initiatives, such as community-oriented policing will continue, Guenther said the department will have to be innovated and continue to look for ways to improve.

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    ‘Finders keepers’ for Grafton Twp. food pantry?
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    A Huntley neighborhood leader accuses Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore of playing a cruel version of "finders keepers," when it comes to more than $1,000 that was mistakenly donated to the township food pantry. But Moore says she needs written documentation before she can make a refund.

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    Bad times can make a marriage stronger
    By Ken Potts
    It's easy for marriages to survive the good times, our Ken Potts says, but much more difficult when the going gets rough. That's the time, he says, when we need to pull closer together.

Sports

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    Sheldon Brookbank joins teammates as they mob Nick Leddy after Leddy’s winning overtime goal against the Red Wings on Sunday at the United Center.

    Hawks keep historic streak alive with win over Detroit
    By Tim Sassone
    Nick Leddy’s goal at 2:45 of OT was set up nicely by Viktor Stalberg’s dash up the ice, giving the Blackhawks the win over Detroit and their best start ever. “It’s unbelievable. I heard that stat before the game and it’s just unbelievable,” Leddy said.

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    Jimmy Butler’s performance as a starter over a five-game stretch was eye-opening enough that Bulls fans should figure he’ll be in the team’s long-term plans.

    Butler’s play will make it easier to part with Boozer, Deng
    By Mike McGraw
    Jimmy Butler’s temporary run as the Bulls’ starting small forward will come to an end soon, with Luol Deng likely to return from a right hamstring strain on Monday against Charlotte. But Butler as the full-time starter could be a more distant destiny. His presence in the lineup served as a reminder of the unsettled future of the Bulls’ roster.

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    Bears cornerback Tim Jennings, right, of the NFC closes in on Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels of the AFC in the third quarter of Sunday’s Pro Bowl in Honolulu.

    Big surprise: All offense in Pro Bowl
    Associated Press
    Sack-happy defensive end J.J. Watt went out for a couple of passes as a wide receiver, retiring center Jeff Saturday snapped to two Mannings on opposite teams and the NFC blew past the AFC 62-35 in a Pro Bowl that could be the league’s last.

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    Burlington Central sophomore pitcher Angie Morrow has accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Wisconsin.

    Burlington Central’s Morrow commits to Wisconsin
    By John Radtke
    Burlington Central sophomore pitcher Angie Morrow first went to a University of Wisconsin softball camp when she was in eighth grade, the same year Yvette Healy left Loyola University in Chicago to become the Badgers’ head coach. Morrow continued to attend Wisconsin camps and form a relationship with Healy and her staff and in the process, the 5-foot-10 righthander hatched a dream to one day play college softball at Goodman Diamond in Madison. This weekend, that dream became a reality when Morrow accepted a scholarship offer from Wisconsin.

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    Blackhawks sure don’t miss Nicklas Lidstrom
    By Tim Sassone
    The Red Wings are still adjusting to life after Nicklas Lidstrom, the future Hall of Fame defenseman who retired after last season. “We’re trying to be a work in progress and get better each game and help our defense be better,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said prior to Sunday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Blackhawks. “We’re going to miss Nick. He’s a generational type player, a first ballot Hall of Famer, I think. He’s the greatest d-man since I’ve been in the league for sure. You don’t replace those people.” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville won’t miss game-planning for Lidstrom.

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    Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith, left, is congratulated by goalie Corey Crawford in Sunday’s first period after Keith scored against the Detroit Red Wings.

    Blackhawks go 6-0 for the first time
    Associated Press
    Nick Leddy scored 2:45 into overtime and the Blackhawks improved to 6-0 — the best start in franchise history — with a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night at United Center.After taking a cross-ice pass from Viktor Stalberg, Leddy fired from the left circle and beat Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard with a shot that slipped just under his glove.Detroit’s Johan Franzen connected early in the third to tie the game at 1 and set up overtime. Duncan Keith scored a power-play goal in the first period for Chicago, and Corey Crawford finished with 29 saves in his fifth start in six games. Howard, who has started all of Detroit’s games so far, made 25 saves.The Blackhawks started 5-0 in 1971-72 — Hall of Famer Bobby Hull’s final season in Chicago — and matched it on Saturday night with a 3-2 win in Columbus.

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    White Sox assistant hitting coach and former player Harold Baines, left, and pitcher Addison Reed show off the 1983 throwback uniforms the Sox will wear at Sunday home games in 2013.

    ‘83 Sox flashback: ‘We really had a lot of fun’
    Along with manager Tony LaRussa, players from the 1983 "Winning Ugly" team were honored at SoxFest over the weekend. Tom Paciorek played for the '83 White Sox before heading to the TV booth, and he remembered the good - and bad - from the season.

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    Michigan’s Nik Stauskas (11) drives to the basket against Illinois’ Tracy Abrams (13) during the second half of their NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Champaign, Ill. Michigan won 74-60.

    Michigan could be No. 1 after win over Illini
    Associated Press
    Trey Burke scored 19 points and No. 2 Michigan never trailed after the opening minutes of a 74-60 win Sunday over Illinois that could push the Wolverines to No. 1 in the nation for the first time since the 1992-93 season. Duke's lopsided loss to Miami earlier in the week opened the door for a new No. 1 when the AP poll comes out Monday — and Michigan put itself in position to take the top spot.

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    Fans get excited when they see players like the Bulls’ Marco Belinelli make a game-winning shot, but they stay with stories like those about Manti Te’o and Lance Armstrong much longer, writes Mike Imrem.

    These days, off-field action far more compelling
    By Mike Imrem
    Joakim Noah and Patrick Kane made remarkable plays that were fun to see last week, but not even those were as compelling as the latest adventures of Lance Armstrong and Manti Te'o.

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    Indiana’s Cody Zeller reacts after taking a charging foul late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Michigan State Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in Bloomington, Ind. Indiana defeated Michigan State 75-70.

    No. 7 Hoosiers hold off No. 13 Spartans
    Associated Press
    Gary Harris got a chance to show his home-state team what it missed out on Sunday. He made five 3-pointers, defended hard and did enough little things to put Michigan State in position to win, thought this one may go down as one that got away.

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    Gracie Gold of Elk Grove Village won the senior ladies free skate program at the U.S. figure skating championships, allowing her to finish second overall.

    Elk Grove Village skater finishes second at nationals
    Associated Press
    While Ashley Wagner became the first woman since Michelle Kwan in 2005 to win back-to-back titles in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, up-and-comer Gracie Gold of Elk Grove Village soared to a second-place finish with the second-highest score ever in the competition. And Des Plaines native Agnes Zawadzki, who started the evening in second place, held on for third after a fall.

Business

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    Gar prices in Los Angeles topped all others over the last two weeks, averaging $3.71 a gallon. The lowest price was in Albuquerque, N.M., where customers paid an average of $2.88 a gallon.

    Gas prices show little change over 2 weeks
    Associated Press
    The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline is up two cents over the past two weeks.

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    Participants leave the Congress Center the last day of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Saturday.

    Fragile economy, other global woes dominated Davos
    Associated Press
    The fragile state of the world economy, coupled with the relentless turmoil in Syria and the rocky fallout from the Arab Spring, dominated discussions during this year's annual gathering of the global elite at Davos, leaving many participants uneasy about what lies ahead as they left for home Sunday.

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    Business developer Robert Schultz is a Boston-area startup business consultant who got his MBA in 2008, when the economy was tanking. Yet he was able to find coverage when he graduated and hang on to his insurance through job changes since.

    Consumer alert: new health care markets on the way
    Associated Press
    Buying your own health insurance will never be the same. This fall, new insurance markets called exchanges will open in each state, marking the long-awaited and much-debated debut of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The goal is quality coverage for millions of uninsured people in the United States.

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    The burnt blue casing that contained a total of eight battery cells from the Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner that caught fire at Logan International Airport in Boston on Jan. 7 is seen on a cart at the National Transportation Safety Baord laboratory in Washington.

    Boeing 787 flying only 3 weeks before battery fire
    Associated Press
    Federal investigators say the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that experienced a battery fire earlier this month was delivered to Japan Airlines less than three weeks before the fire. The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday in an update of its investigation of the incident that the airliner was delivered on Dec. 20.

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    CEO and President Mike Faith of Headsets.com checks his inventory in his offices in San Francisco. Headsets.com, might have to hire two staffers to handle the administrative work if what’s called remote tax collection becomes law, Faith said. The company has operations in California and Tennessee, but sells to all 50 states. Currently, federal law only requires the company to collect tax in those two states.

    Small business uneasy about tax collection bills
    Associated Press
    Small business owners may be closer to losing an advantage they've enjoyed during the e-commerce boom — being exempt from collecting sales tax in states where they're not located. And they're worried they will have to spend more money in the process. Washington lawmakers currently have several bills in the works that would force companies to collect the tax. Businesses are split over the issue.

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    Career coach: tips for baby boomers wanting change
    Some baby boomers feel, given their age, there may not be hope for them in today's marketplace. That would be a grim outlook for the 78 million boomers. But rest assured, there is hope — and many resources — for older workers.

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    Work advice: Skills matter more than degrees
    By Karla L. Miller
    Karla L. Miller writes an advice column on navigating the modern workplace. Each week she will answer one or two questions from readers. This week, a reader who fears that a lack of a specific degree might cost her a job she already has.

Life & Entertainment

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    Jessica Chastain, a nominee for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for “Zero Dark Thirty,” arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.

    Images: SAG awards arrivals
    The stars of the big and small screen get glammed up Sunday night for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

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    For fans of "Cougar Town" this photo is extra special as Busy Phillips' character Laurie is kind of obsessed with Taye Diggs. And here they are. Presenting together.

    Images: SAG awards
    The Screen Actors Guild Awards may not have provided a lot of surprises, but they did have Hollywood's hottest stars rubbing elbows.

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    Boundaries, not BMI, important to her health
    By Carolyn Hax
    Q. I am a 30-year-old woman with a BMI of 24.9, the top of the "healthy" range. I believe I am attractive and healthy and I am consistently told by friends, boyfriends, and other family members that I am beautiful. Sure I wouldn't mind losing a couple of pounds, like most other women in this country, but I like myself the way I am.

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    Ben Affleck accepts the award for outstanding cast in a motion picture for “Argo” at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday Jan. 27, 2013.

    'Argo,' Lawrence, Day-Lewis win at SAG
    Associated Press
    The CIA thriller “Argo” continues to steamroll through awards season, winning the top honor for overall cast performance at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. SAG's lead-acting honors Sunday went to Jennifer Lawrence won for her role as a troubled widow in a shaky new relationship in the lost-souls romance “Silver Linings Playbook” and Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War epic “Lincoln.”

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    This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Jeremy Renner as Hansel and Gemma Arterton as Gretel in a scene from “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.” The film brought in $19 million in its first weekend of release to capture the top spot at the box office.

    ‘Hansel & Gretel’ nabs $19 million, No. 1 at box office
    Associated Press
    “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” cooked up $19 million in its opening weekend. Paramount’s R-rated action film update on the classic fairytale topped the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Hansel & Gretel” features Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as grown-up renditions of the title characters battling witches with crossbows.

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    This book cover image released by Dutton shows “May I Be Happy,” by Cyndi Lee.

    Yoga expert opens up about body insecurities in new book
    Associated Press
    Yoga students are often motivated and even inspired by watching teachers twist their strong bodies into pretzeled poses. In her new memoir, "May I Be Happy," yoga guru Cyndi Lee may surprise yogis as she pulls back the curtain to share deep-seated insecurities about her body.

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    Peter Trachtenberg’s “Another Insane Devotion” is a cat memoir.

    ‘Insane Devotion’ a heavy meowmoir
    By Troy Patterson, Slate
    Peter Trachtenberg's "Another Insane Devotion" is a discursive essay on personal growth, a public exercise in private exorcism, and a collection of notes toward a philosophy of love. . The book inspired many thoughts in me, foremost that I need to clean the litter box. "Another Insane Devotion" is a cat memoir.

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    When it comes to selecting colleges, it’s best to narrow the list down to a handful, or even a top three, before it’s time to send in the applications.

    10 tips for getting into college
    By Josh Stockinger
    There've been enough comedies made about getting into college to know it can be a head-spinning affair. So what's a college-minded student to do? For the best advice, the Daily Herald interviewed admissions professionals from around the suburbs, across the state and beyond.

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    Amanda Seyfried from the film “Lovelace” poses for a portrait during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival at the Fender Music Lodge in Park City, Utah.

    Seyfried delves into dark material in ‘Lovelace’
    Associated Press
    It took a French revolution to pull Amanda Seyfried away from her role as 70s porn star Linda Lovelace. Seyfried delved deep into her character in the biopic "Lovelace," which premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival. The 27-year-old actress says she was only able to shed the dark role by playing Cosette in the Oscar-nominated "Les Miserables."

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    Rob Liefeld’s “Glory,” “Prophet” and “The Infinite.” Illustrates COMICS (category e), by David Weigel (c) 2013, Slate.

    X-Force creator finds passion in Extreme Comics
    By David Weigel, Slate
    In the early 1990s, before he quit Marvel Comics, X-Force creator Rob Liefeld was inventing new characters the way Doritos invents extreme flavors. Nearly every issue introduced a new hero (Cable) or villain (Stryfe, Cable's clone) or five (the Mutant Liberation Front). In 1992, when he joined a big-talent exodus from the company. "I had notebooks of characters and concepts. Every artist waits for their moment where they can do exactly what I did; I ran with it."

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    Ice skate indoors on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Observatory.

    On the road: Sky-high skating
    By Jacky Runice
    While it may not be the city's tallest building, the John Hancock Building and Observatory can certainly brag about having the world's highest ice skating rink. Also, the historic town of Woodstock is ready and waiting for its annual Groundhog Days celebration with a Shake Off the Winter Blues Dinner Dance, the Awakening of the Groundhog ceremony and "Groundhog Day" movie trivia.

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    The hair may be shorter, but actor William H. Macy’s character hasn’t changed in the Showtime television series “Shameless.”

    Macy proud of his role in ‘Shameless’
    By Frazier Moore
    On "Shameless," William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a boozy, shiftless grifter whose brood of six mix-and-match offspring (do any of them share the same mother?) care for one another and, by necessity, him. And he loves every minute of it.

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    Agriculture and a few of the more than 2,200 Pagodas found in Bagan, Myanmar.

    Myanmar begins to open its doors to the world
    Associated Press
    The rising sun streaked a light blanket of fog with pink and yellow. Suddenly, pagodas popped out from the mist, some grand and intricate, others squat and modest, some crumbling, others glinting with gold — a carousel of Buddhist temples. If not for a monolithic red brick silo in the middle of this scene, you could almost imagine yourself in the 11th century, when the ancient city of Bagan was home to the first kingdom of Burma.

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    It’s best to vent bathroom fans downward
    By Henri de Marne
    Q. I have paid close attention to your recommendations for venting bathroom exhaust fans. I have a 40-year-old brick ranch home with a hip roof (thus no gables to vent through) in the cold Chicago suburbs. I don't, however, believe that I have read your advice for my situation.

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    This counter top Elgin National coffee grinder is similar to the one in today’s question.

    Can Elgin National coffee grinder brew up profits?
    By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson
    Q. I have a coffee grinder — it is an Elgin National and is 25 inches tall. It will not grind coffee — it just falls through. I have had it for 70 years and my father-in-law had it before that. What is its history and value?

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    Actress, Jodie Foster is famous for the strong screen persona and versatile talent she’s displayed over her 47 years as an actress.

    5 of Jodie Foster’s greatest performances
    By Christy Lemire
    Jodie Foster had everyone talking when she took the unusual step of revealing she's a lesbian on the Golden Globes stage. This hadn't exactly been a secret, given that she has two sons with her former partner. But the two-time Oscar winner has been notoriously protective of her privacy, which made the rambling and emotional speech such a riveting aberration. But this is also a good opportunity to talk about what made Foster famous in the first place: the strong screen persona and versatile talent she's displayed over her 47 years as an actress.

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    Nearly all oil is replaced when changed
    By Doug McAllister
    Q. My question is about engine oil capacity. The owner's manual states when changing the oil and filter it takes 7.7 quarts. I had my first oil change done by my Ford dealer. They replaced the filter and six quarts of oil.

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    ‘Artist edition’ fixtures dress up bathrooms, kitchens
    By Ed Del Grande
    Q. I recently read online that "artist edition" plumbing fixtures are becoming a popular choice in new bathrooms. I'm a little confused. What exactly is an "artist edition" plumbing fixture?

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    First lady Michelle Obama smiles as she walks to the West Front of the Capitol in Washington for President Barack Obama’s ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

    Michelle Obama has bangs — let the analyzing begin
    Associated Press
    Before we start rambling on obsessively about Michelle Obama's bangs, let's be clear: The president started it. It was he, after all, who called the new hairdo, unveiled just a few days before the historic occasion of his second inauguration, "the most significant event of this weekend." And he hasn't stopped there. Last Tuesday night, he introduced his wife at the Staff Inaugural Ball: "And the First Lady of the United States, bangs and all ..."

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    How to transfer property from parent to child
    By Tom Resnick
    Q. My mother is in a nursing home and doesn't have long to live, although mentally she is fine. Her only asset is her house. To avoid probate, someone told her to create a living trust and to put the property in the trust. That way, when she passes, the property will transfer to whoever she specifies in the trust.

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    New for 2013 from Anthony Tesselaar Plants is Pink Splash. Bright, bi-colored hot pink and pale pink petals with blooms 2 to 2½ inches in diameter. Height is 23 to 31 inches, width is 40 inches when mature.

    Catalogs, websites offer the stuff of your garden dreams
    By Laura Stoecker
    As the cold winds blow outside, now is an ideal time to get cozy with a warm blanket on the couch to design and choose color palettes for this year's garden. Bold, intense colors pop from catalog pages, natives continue to rise in popularity and after the dry summer of 2012, many will be looking for heat- and drought-resistant plants.

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    Designer Brian Patrick Flynn turned a disorganized catchall room into a colorful, creative space. Flynn uses bold color as a backdrop, then unites the disparate pieces with touches of the same accent color.

    Create an organization hub at home
    By Melissa Rayworth
    Getting a family organized requires more than a few well-chosen New Year's resolutions. Increasingly, homeowners are carving out a physical space — anything from a single kitchen cabinet to an entire spare room — that can function as a family information center and workstation.

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    The Baby Doll Ladies will perform in the Zulu krewe parade on Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Baby doll groups of women in skimpy or short, ruffled dresses started with one group of African-American prostitutes wanting to one-up another on Mardi Gras 1912, but spread within decades to respectable black neighborhoods.

    Mardi Gras welcomes back ‘baby dolls’ tradition
    Associated Press
    The "baby dolls," an on-again, off-again Mardi Gras tradition of New Orleans' African-American community, are on again. The troupes of women strutting and prancing in bonnets, garters, and skimpy or short, ruffled dresses on Fat Tuesday also are being spotlighted in a new book and museum exhibit that trace their history and modern rebirth.

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    Visitors can interact with Sea World penguins in one of many activities at the 2013 Travel & Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

    Sunday picks: Pal around with penguins at Travel & Adventure Show
    By Scott Morgan and Laura Stewart
    Feel free to interact with Sea World penguins and sled dogs or scuba dive in a 15,000 gallon scuba tank at the 2013 Travel & Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Head down to the John Hancock Building and Observatory to skate on the world's highest ice skating rink at the 94th floor observatory. Plus, Drury Lane Theatre revives “Sunset Boulevard” starting this weekend.

Discuss

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    Editorial: Sports, the disabled and equal opportunity
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    A Daily Herald editorial voices support for the concept of sports opportunities for students with disabilities -- but adds that the concept needs to be implemented in a reasonable, affordable and sure fashion.

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    Some suggestions for improving Congress
    By Lee Hamilton
    Guest columnist Lee Hamilton: People don't go to Washington because they want to accomplish nothing. Rather, they get caught in a destructive cycle whose dynamics are often shaped by political forces out of their control

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    Gun control, followed by genocides
    An Elgin letter to the editor: Background checks, no problem. Gun registration is a big problem. Every genocide in modern history has started with a gun registration, followed by confiscation, followed by genocide.

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    Clear your sidewalks; it’s common courtesy
    A Rolling Meadows letter to the editor: Many people like myself work out during the winter by walking or running, or continue to exercise their four-legged family members throughout the season.

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    Legislators must move on pensions now
    A Barrington Hills letter to the editor: Let's put the most recent bipartisan bill with no cost-shift on the floor as the base bill. Let's have an open rule that would allow a reasonable amount of amendments to be voted on.

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    Gay marriage would threaten our survival
    A Palatine letter to the editor: God gave the human race the great privilege of procreation. In order for our human race to keep our population at a number to maintain our civilization, a male and female need to cooperate in marriage to maintain this family. There is no life that results from a sexual relationship of two men and two woman.

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    GOP: More specifics on spending cuts
    An Elgin letter to the editor: The Republicans' brand is spending cuts. Cutting spending has appeal in the abstract, but has no appeal in the detail. All spending items benefit somebody, and therefore all spending items have a constituency somewhere among the electorate.

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    Elect those who’ll stand up to NRA
    A Wheaton letter to the editor: The new NRA ad, which focuses on President and Mrs. Obama's daughters, is indecent and disgusting. The president's family, and especially his children, should never be used in radical and threatening ways.

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    GOP did cutting that led to Benghazi
    A Naperville letter to the editor: Secretary of State Clinton was grilled by Republicans for the failure of the State Department to supply adequate security at the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. For Republicans to blame the Obama administration is the height of utter hypocrisy.

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    Local elections teem with ballot challenges
    By Jim Davis
    It's a common occurrence during the local election season: Trying to knock candidates off the ballot. Whether it's nitpicking or holding potential office holders to exacting standards is a matter of debate, says Jim Davis, news director for the DuPage and Fox Valley editions.

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