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Daily Archive : Monday July 15, 2013

News

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    We only come this way once
    By Ken Potts
    We've all know the feeling of wondering, "What have I done," our Ken Potts says. Sometimes we're questioning simple, everyday decisions. Othertimes, we're shaken by doubts about life-changing choices. Today, Potts explores getting back on the right path in life.

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    Finding a balance between being submissive and aggressive
    By Ken Potts
    Being assertive means claiming and exercising no more — and no less — power than is rightfully ours in any given situation, our Ken Potts says. "Now, that’s not only difficult to say, it is also difficult to do," he said. "It involves figuring out what we are really responsible for, what we ought to do, and then doing it."

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    Aggressive people claim too much power
    By Ken Potts
    Aggressive people may seem strong and assertive, but our Ken Potts says they're driven by fear. And, he says, they rarely hold on to the "achievements" they've reached through aggression.

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    ‘Submissive’ one end of power spectrum
    By Ken Potts
    You probably know a selfless spouse, parent, employee, volunteer -- someone willing to tackle any job even if it consumes every moment of would-be "me time." But if he or she seems a little sad in the midst of all that good work, our Ken Potts says you might be dealing with a submissive -- and potentially destructive -- personality.

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    Avoid sounding like adults in “Charlie Brown”
    By Ken Potts
    One morning while rushing his son to get ready for the day, our Ken Potts realized he sounded a lot like the droning trumpet that stands in for adult voices in the animated Charlie Brown specials. "If those tones sounded so negative to me, how were my words sounding to my son?" Potts asks.

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    Fox Valley police reports
    Alexander J. Young, 19, was arrested on charges of theft at a retail store about 7:45 p.m. July 19, according to a police report. Young, whom police reported as homeless, was taken into custody Saturday for stealing three bottles of wine from a Walgreens on the 1700 block of Larkin Avenue, police said.

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    At just 14, Thessalonika Arzu-Embry will be graduating Chicago State University in August with a bachelor's degree in psychology. A resident of the Great Lakes Naval Base, Thessalonika plans to continue her studies in a graduate program before opening a clinic with her mother.

    Great Lakes resident about to get her bachelor's degree at 14
    By Conor Morris
    Thessalonika Arzu-Embry is up at 5 in the morning most weekdays to go to school. Unlike most 14-year-olds, however, Thessalonika isn't off to the local high school. She's going to Chicago State University, where she's putting the final touches on her bachelor's degree in psychology. “My college experience is a traditional college experience for me — it is just that I have completed it...

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    Sue Foley, co-owner of POSH Services, adds the finishing touches to a vignette at Garden #1 in preparation for the 13th annual Barrington Country Garden & Antique Faire. The event last month drew more than 850 visitors.

    Barrington Country Garden & Antique Faire drew hundreds
    By Cindy Seibert
    A rainy forecast didn’t wash away the Barrington Country Garden & Antique Faire this year, as hundreds of people attended the 13th annual edition of the faire, held June 21-22 at three Barrington Hills estates. The event raises money for the charity Hands of Hope.

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    Dr. Yvette Johnson-Walker, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, responds to the age-old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

    Age-old chicken vs. egg question has differing opinions
    By Hope Babowice
    "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" asked sixth-graders from Maureen Petricca's class at Nerge Elementary School in Roselle. Philosphers and scientists all have different opinions.

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    Berglund Construction of Chicago is making emergency repairs to the two tall chimneys at the Martin Mitchell Mansion on the grounds of Naper Settlement in Naperville. The chimneys were found to be in need of immediate fixes during a building assessment in May.

    Naper Settlement ‘cornerstone’ to get emergency repairs
    By Marie Wilson
    Naper Settlement is making emergency repairs this summer on one historic building to keep it safe and standing, while preparing to demolish another structure recently damaged by fire.

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    This Dec. 9, 2008, Department of Justice file booking photo shows Rod Blagojevich following his arrest in Chicago.

    Blagojevich appeals ex-governor's convictions, sentence
    Associated Press
    Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich filed an appeal just before a midnight deadline Monday that challenges the imprisoned former Illinois governor’s corruption conviction and 14-year prison term, including on grounds the trial judge allegedly committed a litany of errors.

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    Barrington told it should lay off 20 firefighters
    By Eric Peterson
    In one epic evening, the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District hired former New Lenox, Ill., Fire Chief Jeff Swanson as its interim administrator Monday while village of Barrington officials heard a consultant's recommendation to reduce their own fire department by 20 firefighters when both agencies separate their services on Jan. 1.

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    Hoffman Estates Park District improves transparency on website
    By Jessica Cilella
    The Hoffman Estates Park District has added a new link on its website sending users directly to a page dedicated to Freedom of Information Act and transparency information. Executive Director Dean Bostrom said the district created the link following a July 10 Daily Herald story regarding the transparency of suburban governments.

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    Johnny Borizov appears in DuPage County court Monday. DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin sentenced the 31-year-old former Willow Springs man to three life terms for masterminding the March 2010 murders of three members of a Darien family.

    Victim's mom wishes Borizov 'was the one in the grave'
    By Josh Stockinger
    Judy Pokorny has just one regret about the man who had her son's family killed serving life in prison. “I wish he was the one in the grave,” she said Monday. Pokorny fought back tears after a DuPage County judge sentenced Johnny Borizov to three consecutive life terms for masterminding the March 2010 murders of her son, Jeffrey Kramer, her daughter-in-law, Lori Kramer, and the...

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    Businesses on Industrial Lane will see heightened enforcement for street parking and building appearance.

    Wheeling hopes renewed TIF revives industrial area near airport
    By Mackenzie Dye
    Wheeling will try to bring more business to Industrial Lane on the village’s southeast side by restarting the tax increment financing district first put in place in 2008. The Southeast TIF, as it is called, has lost $10 million in equalized assessed value (EAV) in the last five years, and the TIF itself is in danger of going into deficit by 2014, officials said.

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    Chad Coe

    West Dundee church in ‘difficult time’ after sex charges against youth director
    By Harry Hitzeman Legal Affairs Writer
    The senior pastor at a West Dundee church, where a youth group director is accused of having sex with a minor, said the congregation isn't jumping to any conclusions. Chad Coe, 31, of Elgin, is on paid administrative leave while his case is pending. Coe's attorney said his client, who has spent the last six years at the First Congregational Church of Dundee, maintains his innocence.

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    A protester confronts a Los Angles police officer Monday during a demonstration in reaction to the acquittal of neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.

    Zimmerman protesters raid store, stop freeway in California
    By Raquel Maria Dillon
    Protesters ran through Los Angeles streets stopping traffic, breaking windows and, at one point, raiding a Wal-Mart store, and a major freeway was blocked in the San Francisco Bay Area in the third night of protests in California over George Zimmerman’s Florida acquittal in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. In Los Angeles, several hundred mostly peaceful protesters gathered Monday night...

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    $4.7 million state payment boosts Dist. 204 budget
    By Marie Wilson
    Budget discussions at the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 board meeting Monday night centered on a pleasant surprise: an extra payment from the state. The district received a fifth quarterly payment this year, bringing in an extra $4.7 million that can be applied toward spending in the 2014 budget. “That’s great news and that brings the state of Illinois back on track in terms of what they owe...

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    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, center, walks to closed-door meeting in the Old Senate Chamber for a showdown over presidential nominees that have been blocked by a GOP filibuster, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday.

    Filibuster fight: Senators scrapping over nominees
    Associated Press
    A showdown looming, Republicans and Democrats struggled without success Monday night in marathon, closed-door talks to resolve the fate of several of President Barack Obama’s stalled appointees, a dispute that threatened what little bipartisan cooperation remains in the Senate.

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    Lake Zurich approves drainage study for area whacked by June flood
    By Bob Susnjara
    Lake Zurich village trustees have authorized a study on drainage in an area near Quentin Road hard-hit by flooding last month.

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    George Zimmerman, right, is congratulated by his defense team after being found not guilty during Zimmerman’s trial in Seminole Circuit Court in Sanford, Fla. on Saturday.

    Juror: Zimmerman had right to defend himself
    Associated Press
    A juror in the George Zimmerman trial said Monday that the actions of the neighborhood watch volunteer and Trayvon Martin both led to the teenager’s fatal shooting last year, but that Zimmerman didn’t actually break the law.

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    Johnny Borizov appears in court at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton, Ill., on Monday, July 15, 2013, during a defense motion for a new trial. The motion was denied, setting the stage for his sentencing hearing today. He was convicted on May 14, 2013, of masterminding the 2010 murders of three members of the Kramer family in their Darien home and faces a mandatory life sentence.

    Images: Borizov sentencing hearing for Darien murders
    Johnny Borizov was sentenced Monday to three life terms for arranging the murders of three members of his ex-girlfriend's Darien family, plus another 30 years for soliciting a friend to carry out the killings. DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin allowed courtroom photography of all witnesses testifying at the sentencing hearing, including the former girlfriend, Angela Kramer, and her grandmother,...

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    Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Monday she will not run for governor.

    How Lisa Madigan’s decision affects Illinois’ political landscape
    Associated Press
    Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan ended months of speculation over her political future Monday with the surprise announcement that she won’t challenge Gov. Pat Quinn in 2014, saying she would never run for governor while her father is speaker of the Illinois House. Madigan, who has raised millions of dollars but remained coy about her plans, said she had contemplated a run out of...

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    Jack Pickup

    Former teacher at Des Plaines school pleads guilty to harassing student
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    A former Des Plaines middle school teacher pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor harassment. He had been accused of felony sexual exploitation of a minor, and grooming.

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    Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale on Monday formally announced his candidacy for Illinois governor in 2014, joining fellow Republicans state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, state Sen. Bill Brady and venture capitalist Bruce Rauner.

    Dillard adds suburban face to GOP race for governor
    By Jake Griffin and Mike Riopell
    State Sen. Kirk Dillard has no suburban competition so far in the 2014 GOP race for Illinois governor, and he hopes it stays that way. Though the Hinsdale Republican touted himself as a man of the state at his gubernatorial campaign kickoff Monday, he noted the thing that hindered his bid in 2010 is not in his way now. “This time we don’t have five people from DuPage (County) running,” Dillard...

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    The Arlington Heights Park District announced this weekend that it will make a few interim changes at Lake Arlington in light of the recent death of a pedestrian who was struck by a bicyclist last month.

    Dawn Patrol: Changes at Lake Arlington; ‘fake’ letter was part of class
    By Melissa Silverberg
    Changes planned at Lake Arlington path following death; school principal from Itasca faces DUI charge; “fake” Stevenson letter offering extra credit for cash was part of history course; Gurnee firefighters rescue man from burning home

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    In this 2012 file photo, “Glee” star Cory Monteith attends the 2012 Do Something awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Monteith, 31, was found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver on Saturday.

    Weekend in Review: Changes to trail after death; 'Glee' star dies
    What you may have missed over the weekend: Villa Park teen rides to raise money for rare disorder; it could be time for Metra board do over; stay safe on mixed use trails; changes to Lake Arlington trail after pedestrian's death; 'fake' letter offering extra credit for money part of Stevenson class; Gurnee firefighters rescue man from burning building; crowds jam Food Truck Festival; 'Glee' star...

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    Collective Soul coming to Naperville’s Last Fling
    Daily Herald report
    Collective Soul, a platinum-selling rock band from Atlanta, will perform as the headliner Sunday, Sept. 1, at the foot of Rotary Hill during the Naperville Jaycees Last Fling celebration in downtown Naperville.

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    This undated photo provided by the Woessner family shows Nathan Woessner. The doctor who helped treat the 6-year-old Illinois boy who was buried for hours in a sand dune said Monday he’s responsive and expected to make a full neurological recovery.

    All involved agree, sand dune rescue ‘a miracle’
    Associated Press
    A 6-year-old Illinois boy who was buried in 11 feet of sand for hours at a northern Indiana dune is expected to make a full neurological recovery, though he may have ongoing lung problems, a doctor who treated him said Monday.

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    Hungry festival patrons chow down at the Northwest Fourth Fest in Hoffman Estates on Friday, July 5. While final numbers are still being calculated, organizers believe this year’s even topped last year’s inaugural fest in both revenues and attendance.

    Officials: Northwest Fourth-Fest showed great improvement
    By Jessica Cilella
    Organizers say there were a lot of improvements at this year’s Northwest Fourth Fest, but perhaps the most impressive were the claps and cheers heard when the 32-minute fireworks show concluded. Although figures were not immediately available, organizers are confident that revenues from the five-day festival in Hoffman Estates increased substantially from last year.

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    Arlington Heights asks for input on 5-year capital plan
    Submitted by Village of Arlington Heights
    Residents are encouraged to provide input on future construction projects they would like to see as part of the village’s 5-year Capital Improvement Program. The village will soon be working on its 5-year plan, and residents’ suggestions will be reviewed as part of the planning process.

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    Youth jobs opportunities in Grayslake
    Daily Herald report
    The Grayslake Park District has been awarded an Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant for the Illinois Youth Recreation Corps program.

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    Andre De Shields’ King Louie, left center, entertains young Mowgli (Akash Chopra) and brings down the house with his raucous rendition of the classic “I Wanna Be Like You” in Goodman Theatre’s production of “The Jungle Book,” directed and adapted by Tony Award-winner Mary Zimmerman.

    Goodman extends enchanting ‘Jungle Book’
    By Barbara Vitello
    Goodman Theatre announced a final extension of its hit production of "The Jungle Book," director Mary Zimmerman's world premiere stage musical adapted from Rudyard Kiplings 19th century stories and the 1967 Disney animated film.

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    World record tied in Libertyville
    Daily Herald report
    Griz, a Belgian Malinois, tied the world record in extreme vertical with a jump of 8-foot, 4-inches last weekend at Libertyville’s Dog Days of Summer, a four-day festival featuring the National DockDog regional competition.

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    Daily Herald File Photo Learn more about Ventra at upcoming hearings.

    Learn all about new Ventra fares on Pace
    By Marni Pyke
    Learn more about Pace and the CTA's new fare system in a series of forums across the suburbs. First up is at 11 a.m. today in Arlington Heights at Pace headquarters.

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    Lake County Sheriff announces promotions
    Daily Herald report
    The Lake County sheriff’s office announced several key promotions Monday. Deputy chief John Byrne and Dave Wathen both have been promoted to chief. Additionally, Lt. Ted Uchiek has been named a deputy chief.

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    Fox Valley police reports
    Jordan N. Copack, 19, of Crystal Lake, was charged with battery at 11:53 p.m. July 6 at Blackjack’s, 7N657 Route 25 near Elgin, according to a sheriff’s report. Copack, a dancer at the gentleman’s club, was suspected of being drunk while working and is accused of hitting and kicking an employee who asked her to leave.

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    Tri-Cities police reports
    Jordan N. Copack, 19, of Crystal Lake, was charged with battery at 11:53 p.m. July 6 at Blackjack’s, 7N657 Route 25 near Elgin, according to a sheriff’s report.

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    McHenry County fugitive arrested in Florida
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    One of McHenry County's Top 10 Most Wanted has been found, and arrested, in Florida, Sheriff Keith Nygren announced Monday. Cecil T. Barnes is also wanted in Kane County to face charges of selling cocaine near a school in Carpentersville.

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    Brad Schneider

    Schneider’s fundraising behind Dold’s in second quarter
    By Mike Riopell
    U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, a Deerfield Democrat, reported raising nearly $385,000 in the second quarter of the year toward his first re-election bid for Congress. His opponent, Republican Bob Dold of Kenilworth, raised $546,000 over the same period.

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    Eugene Pritchard

    Funeral set for former Condell Medical Center president Eugene Pritchard
    By Russell Lissau
    A former president of what is now Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville has died. Eugene Pritchard was 80. He died Thursday, July 11, at the Autumn Leaves assisted living facility in Vernon Hills. Officials said he helped lay the foundation for the regional medical center Condell is today.

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    DuPage United pushes for manufacturing boost
    Daily Herald report
    Nearly 150 representatives from DuPage religious institutions, schools, nonprofit agencies and businesses are expected to come together Tuesday to encourage elected leaders to “make the county work again,” organizers from DuPage United said Monday.

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    Sea levels increase 2 meters for each degree of global warming
    Bloomberg
    Sea levels may rise by more than 2 meters (6.6 feet) for each degree Celsius of global warming the planet experiences over the next 2,000 years, according to a study by researchers in five nations. “Continuous sea-level rise is something we cannot avoid unless global temperatures go down,” Anders Levermann, the lead author of the study, said.

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    Frank Bart

    Wauconda board to consider $15.4 million budget; Bart still wants to reduce spending
    By Russell Lissau
    Wauconda officials anticipate spending $15.4 million during the next year, but Mayor Frank Bart on Monday said he hopes to reduce expenses by $1 million. Trustees are expected to vote Tuesday on the budget for the 2014 fiscal year, which began May 1 and runs through April 30, 2014.

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    Kerry set to return to roiling Middle East
    Associated Press
    Kerry departs Washington on Monday evening for Jordan where he will see Arab League officials to discuss developments in Egypt since the military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. They are also expected to discuss the crisis in Syria as President Bashar Assad’s regime appears to have gained the upper hand. The trip is Kerry’s sixth to the region as secretary of state and most of his previous...

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    Naperville fire remains under investigation
    Daily Herald report
    Naperville firefighters are investigating the cause of a Sunday night fire at a duplex that caused about $10,000 damage but no injuries, authorities said Monday.

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    A firefighter sticks his head out of a hole in the roof of a building on the 100 block of Grand Lake Boulevard Monday as West Chicago crews extinguished a fire at a home-based insurance company.

    No serious injuries in West Chicago fire
    By Sean Hammond
    There were no serious injuries but one West Chicago firefighter was treated for heat-related symptoms Monday as crews battled a blaze at a home-based insurance company on the 100 block of Grand Lake Boulevard, authorities said.

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    In this Thursday, April 12, 2012 file photo, Beatrice Munyenyezi leaves the federal court in Concord, N.H. A federal judge Monday, July 15, 2013, sentenced her to 10 years in prison after she was convicted of lying about her role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide to come to the US and eventually obtain citizenship.

    NH woman gets 10 years in Rwanda fraud case
    Associated Press
    A New Hampshire woman who lied about her role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison. Beatrice Munyenyezi, 43, was convicted in February of entering the United States and securing citizenship by lying about her role as a commander of one of the notorious roadblocks where Tutsis were singled out for slaughter.

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    Kyle Morgan

    Man pleads guilty but mentally ill in 2009 Woodstock murder
    By Harry Hitzeman Legal Affairs Writer
    A 28-year-old Woodstock man has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the 2009 stabbing death of a homeless man. Kyle Morgan faces between 20 and 36 years in prison when sentenced Oct. 17. Morgan was set to go on trial Monday but changed his mind and pleaded guilty Friday before McHenry County Judge Michael Feetterer.

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    A worker collects shopping carts in the parking lot at Wal-Mart, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Bristol, Pa. The bitter standoff between Wal-Mart and officials in Washington, D.C., over the city’s effort to impose a higher minimum wage on big-box retailers is fueling a wider debate about how far cities should go in trying to raise pay for low-wage workers.

    Wal-Mart faceoff with DC fuels minimum wage debate
    Associated Press
    Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, is fuming about a “living wage” bill approved by the D.C. City Council that has an unusual twist — it would apply only to certain large retailers, forcing them to pay employees at least $12.50 an hour. The measure is being cheered by unions and worker advocates who have long complained about Wal-Mart’s wages and working conditions. Opponents say it...

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    Dan Kotowski

    Kotowski wants to ban guns in places of worship
    By Mike Riopell
    Legislation approved by lawmakers last week restricts carrying a concealed weapon in parks, schools, casinos and amusement parks, among other places, but churches aren’t exempt. State Sen. Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat, says he’ll try to change that the next time lawmakers meet. “‘Peace be with you’ is now ‘piece be with you?’” Kotowski tweeted last week.

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    Doug Truax

    Downers Grove Republican to take on Durbin
    By Mike Riopell
    A Downers Grove man and West Point graduate is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. Doug Truax, 43, says he’s tired of failed leadership and wants to take the seat currently held by Democrat Dick Durbin.

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    Throughout July, cardboard cutouts of the Founding Fathers and Uncle Sam will grace store windows at Algonquin Commons. If you take a photo of one and post it to the shopping center’s Facebook page, you will be entered to win a gift certificate to the mall.

    Earn gift cards by having your photo taken with Founding Fathers
    By Amy E. Williams
    In this patriotic month, you can find some of our country’s Founding Fathers peeking out of the windows at the stores and restaurants in Algonquin Commons.

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    Ex-party chief jailed for 90 years in Bangladesh
    Associated Press
    A 91-year-old former chief of an Islamic party in Bangladesh was sentenced to 90 years in jail on Monday for crimes against humanity during the country’s 1971 independence war, angering supporters who said the trial was politically motivated and opponents who said he should be executed. “Our wait for last 42 years has gone in vain. It’s extremely frustrating,” said Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, the...

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    The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District, which owns this fire station next to Barrington Hills village hall, is expected to make major decisions Monday regarding the end of its contract with the Barrington Fire Department.

    Major decisions ahead for Barrington-area fire services
    By Eric Peterson
    Monday will be a major milestone in the history of how fire protection and paramedic services are provided in the Barrington area. For Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District trustees, it may be the day of their most significant meeting ever.

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    In this June 19, 2013 photo, Cuban Hugo Morejon, a trombonist in the contemporary salsa group, Los Van Van, poses for a photo in his automotive repair shop, Van Van Garage, in Havana. Armed with money and name recognition, Cuban athletes and artists who have long enjoyed a far more luxurious lifestyle than their compatriots on the Caribbean island, are embracing the new world of private enterprise.

    Cuban athletes and artists get in on capitalism
    Associated Press
    HAVANA — Cuban track and field legend Javier Sotomayor has launched a sports bar named for the height of his world record high jump. An Olympic volleyball champion has opened a swanky new Italian restaurant, and salsa star Hugo Morejon has a first-rate automotive repair shop.

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    Lizanda Van Rooyen of Alpine Amusement Co. plays air guitar at the Antioch Taste of Summer fest.

    Antioch’s annual Taste of Summer runs Thursday through Sunday
    Antioch Chamber of Commerce Submission
    The Antioch Taste of Summer takes place from July 18 through July 21 in downtown Antioch. It features food and music from a variety of bands.

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    CLC child care open to the community
    College of Lake County submission
    The College of Lake County’s two nationally accredited children’s learning centers are now open to the community. CLC offers part-time and full-time care from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at its centers located on the Grayslake campus and at the Lakeshore Campus in downtown Waukegan.

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    In this April 30, 2013, file photo, defendant George Zimmerman is sworn in for testimony in Seminole circuit court, in Sanford, Fla., during a pre-trial hearing. The jury cleared Zimmerman of all charges on Saturday, July 13, 2013.

    AG calls Martin killing an ‘unnecessary shooting’
    Associated Press
    Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday the killing of Trayvon Martin was a “tragic, unnecessary shooting.” “Independent of the legal determination that will be made, I believe that this tragedy provides yet another opportunity for our nation to speak honestly about the complicated and emotionally charged issues that this case has raised,” Holder said.

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    Gay marriage bill clears Britain’s House of Lords
    Associated Press
    Britain’s gay marriage bill has cleared its last major hurdle, passing through the House of Lords and prompting celebrations from campaigners outside Parliament. The Lords agreed to send it back to the House of Commons, where lawmakers will review government amendments before it becomes law. That is expected to go without a hitch, as the House of Commons earlier passed the bill 390 to 148.

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    American diplomat: US not backing a side in Egypt
    Associated Press
    A senior U.S. diplomat has dismissed accusations Washington backs any one side in Egypt, saying the administration supports a balanced and inclusive democratic process. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is making the highest level visit to Egypt by an American official since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was overthrown by the military on July 3 following days of mass protests.

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    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks at the center for American Progress Action Fund in Washington, Monday, July 15, 2013. Reid spoke about ending the current gridlock in the Senate that according to him is harming the nation’s ability to address key challenges.

    Reid: GOP can avoid rules change if they confirm 7
    Associated Press
    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Republicans can avoid a change in Senate filibuster rules only if they confirm seven presidential appointees they’ve been blocking. He again threatened to change Senate rules to allow simple-majority votes for presidential nominees other than judges, calling such a move, “a minor change, no big deal.” He added that it would be the easiest way to avoid such...

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    Associated Press A cut out picture of Trayvon Martin is held aloft by marchers on Times Square Sunday, July 14, 2013, in New York, as they gathered for a protest against the acquittal of volunteer neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman in the 2012 killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. Demonstrators upset with the verdict protested mostly peacefully in Florida, Milwaukee, Washington, Atlanta and other cities Sunday.

    Zimmerman trial protesters aim to keep up momentum
    Associated Press
    Thousands of demonstrators from across the country protested George Zimmerman's acquittal, and organizers say they’ll try to maintain the momentum with vigils next weekend. Rand Powdrill, 41, of San Leandro, Calif., said he marched in San Francisco with about 400 others to “protest the execution of an innocent black teenager.” “If our voices can’t be heard, then this is just going to keep going...

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    A 5,000-square-foot nature center is the main element of a $5.5 million plan for improvements at Knoch Knolls park in south Naperville. The center will be built to the highest level of green building standards with solar panels and a partial green roof.

    Naperville's Knoch Knolls gets eco-friendly upgrade
    By Marie Wilson
    A groundbreaking Wednesday launches construction on a 5,000-square-foot nature center at Knoch Knolls park to be built not far from the confluence of the east and west branches of the DuPage River. “It's really a hub for community members to visit the site and to learn more about nature,” said Eric Shutes, the park district's director of planning.

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    Journalist: Edward Snowden has ‘blueprints’ to NSA
    Associated Press
    Edward Snowden has highly sensitive documents on how the National Security Agency is structured and operates that could harm the U.S. government, but has insisted that they not be made public, a journalist close to the NSA leaker said. He said the “literally thousands of documents” taken by Snowden constitute “basically the instruction manual for how the NSA is built.” Snowden emerged from weeks...

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    UConn professor faces sexual misconduct probe
    Associated Press
    A University of Connecticut music professor is under investigation by police amid decades-old allegations of sexual misconduct and child molestation. UConn officials announced the investigations of 66-year-old Robert Miller on Monday. He hasn’t been charged with any crime.

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    U.S. Air Force combat aircraft, Thunderbirds no longer grounded
    Associated Press
    The U.S. Air Force said many of its combat air forces would start flying again on Monday after being grounded since April because of budget cuts. Officials at Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia said planes in the U.S., Europe and the Pacific would become airborne again starting Monday. The popular Thunderbirds demonstration team will also start flying again.

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    Cardinal Francis George

    Cardinal George to speak in Wheaton
    Daily Herald report
    Cardinal Francis George will be the guest speaker at the 28th annual Wheaton Leadership Prayer Breakfast at 7 a.m. Sept. 6 at the Wyndham Lisle Hotel, 3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle.

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    Xiaohong Li of Naperville volunteers as a parent mentor for Project HELP after receiving mentorship herself from the nonprofit in 2007. Project HELP offers one-on-one mentoring and is one of several charities that strive to end child abuse and domestic violence and receive funding from Naperville Exchange Club Ribfest proceeds.

    Ribfest funding supports Naperville-based parent mentoring program
    By Marie Wilson
    Project HELP, which runs a parent mentoring program and parent education classes, is one of several Naperville-area nonprofits heavily supported by Ribfest, the Naperville Exchange Club's annual fundraiser to fight child abuse. “For us as Project HELP, the safe and healthy development of a child is our top priority,” Executive Director Regina Rogers said. “We’re building and strengthening...

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    Conservative Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is certain to face a barrage of questions in a news conference following a newspaper publication of alleged text message exchanges between him and a now jailed former party treasurer that have prompted opposition demands for the premier to resign.

    Heat on Spain PM over alleged phone texts
    Associated Press
    Spain’s ruling Popular Party battled to defend the government Monday, a day after opposition parties called for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to resign following newspaper publication of alleged text messages between him and a former party treasurer being investigated for running a slush-fund system. “The Popular Party has nothing to fear, our books are clean,” said Carlos Floriano, the party’s...

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    The Costa Concordia cruise ship lies on its side in the Tuscan Island of Isola del Giglio, Monday, July 15. Salvage crews are working against time to right and remove the shipwrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship, which is steadily compressing down on itself from sheer weight onto its granite seabed perch off the Tuscan island of Giglio.

    Salvage crews rush for 1 chance to move Concordia
    Associated Press
    Salvage crews are working against time to right and remove the shipwrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship, which is steadily being crushed under its own weight on its granite seabed off the Tuscan island of Giglio.

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    Congregation Sulam Yaakov’s rabbi Alfredo Borodowski is charged with impersonating a police officer by flashing a badge and ordering fellow motorists to pull over in the suburbs north of New York City.

    N.Y. rabbi accused of trying to pull over motorists
    Associated Press
    Some drivers in the suburbs north of New York City were startled when they saw a man waving his arms, honking his horn and flashing a silver badge in a frantic effort to get them to pull over in traffic. Even more surprising was who was suspected of doing it: a respected rabbi. Rabbi Alfredo Borodowski has been arrested in one case and is being investigated in at least two more in which...

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    Kane County plans $61 million in road projects
    By James Fuller
    Widening of Route 25, continued work on the Anderson Road overpass and the Interstate 90/Route 47 interchange, and Longmeadow Parkway engineering are the major projects on the Kane County Department of Transportation's to-do list for 2014. It will work with a budget that is larger than the county's general fund at $82 million.

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    Man arrested outside John Kerry’s house in Mass.
    Associated Press
    Authorities have arrested a man for having an open container of alcohol while he was parked near Secretary of State John Kerry’s home on Boston’s Beacon Hill. State Department security officers called in Boston police Sunday afternoon after a man was seen parked in a no-parking zone taking photographs of Kerry’s Louisburg Square house.

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    U.K. man jailed 2 years for terrorism offenses
    Associated Press
    A British judge has sentenced a post office worker to two years in jail for terrorism offenses, including having guides on how to make a bomb. Mohammed Benares was convicted of three counts of possessing information useful for preparing an act of terrorism.

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    Syrian soldiers cheer after battling with rebels during a tour for journalists organized by the Syrian Information Ministry in the Damascus suburb of Jobar, Syria, Sunday. Government troops fired tank shells and artillery in heavy clashes between Syrian forces and rebels Sunday on the edge of Damascus, where the military has been pushing its offensive to retake key districts that have been in opposition hands for months.

    Syrian regime attacks on villages in north kill 29
    Associated Press
    Syrian government troops pounded rebel-held villages around the northern city of Idlib with rockets, artillery and airstrikes, killing at least 29 people including six children, activists said Monday. Having seized the momentum in recent months in Syria’s civil war, President Bashar Assad’s forces are on the offensive against the rebels on several fronts, including in Idlib province along the...

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    Fire damages 5 buildings in downtown Prophetsville
    Associated Press
    Northwestern Illinois officials say an overnight fire damaged at least five buildings in the small Whitehouse County community of Prophetstown. Dispatcher Karen Stuart says Monday that the blaze began in a downtown restaurant around 2 a.m. and spread to at least five nearby buildings.

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    Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a news conference, in Tehran, Iran. Rouhani on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June’s election, saying it has mismanaged the country’s economy.

    Iran’s president-elect criticizes outgoing leader
    Associated Press
    Iran’s president-elect on Monday leveled his first criticism of the outgoing administration since June’s election, saying it has mismanaged the country’s economy. Several newspapers quoted Hasan Rouhani as saying his team of experts see the government’s economic assessments as sugar-coated, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as having left much work to be done. “We asked current officials about...

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    Earlier this year, Egyptian and Syrian protesters, with a Syrian revolutionary flag, protest against Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to Egypt for the 12th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation at the Iranian diplomatic representation office in Cairo, Egypt. Once welcomed with open arms in Egypt, Syrians have increasingly found themselves the targets of hate speech and intimidation in the country since the military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi on July 3.

    Syrian refugees in Egypt swept up in turmoil
    Associated Press
    Once welcomed with open arms in Egypt, many of the tens of thousands of Syrians who took refuge here from the civil war at home have now found themselves targets of hate speech and intimidation. Their dramatic change in fortune is one of the unexpected consequences of the Egyptian military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, whose Islamist-dominated government offered them favorable conditions.

  •  
    When the courts have to figure compensation for people aboard Asiana Flight 214, which crashed July 6 at the San Francisco International Airport, the potential payouts will probably be vastly different for Americans and passengers from other countries. A pact is likely to close U.S. courts to many foreigners and force them to pursue their claims in Asia and elsewhere, where lawsuits are rarer, harder to win.

    Courts will treat Asiana passengers differently
    Associated Press
    When the courts have to figure compensation for people aboard Asiana Airlines Flight 214, the potential payouts will probably be vastly different for Americans and passengers from other countries, even if they were seated side by side as the jetliner crash-landed. An international treaty governs compensation to passengers harmed by international air travel — from damaged luggage to crippling...

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    Officials say Bill Warner, 44, who died Sunday at an annual speed trial event in northern Maine, lost control and crashed while trying to top 300 mph. Race Director Tim Kelly says Warner was clocked at 285 mph before he lost control.

    Fla. motorcycle racer dies after hitting 285 mph
    Associated Press
    A motorcycle racer trying to top 300 mph died Sunday after losing control and zooming off a runway at a former air base in northern Maine. Bill Warner, 44, of Wimauma, Fla., was clocked at 285 mph before he lost control, but it was unclear how fast the motorcycle was traveling when it veered off the paved runway and crashed, said Tim Kelly, race director the Loring Timing Association, which...

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    Oakland police officers work to extinguish a fire during a protest after George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the 2012 shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin early Sunday in Oakland, Calif. Protesters angered by the acquittal held largely peaceful demonstrations in three California cities, but broke windows and started small street fires Oakland, police said.

    Zimmerman acquittal stirs protest in Calif. cities
    Associated Press
    Protesters in Los Angeles and Oakland blocked traffic and clashed with police in a day of protests in California against the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Several people were arrested in Los Angeles. Los Angeles police said they began making arrests early Monday morning after about 80 protesters gathered in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard and an unlawful...

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    Largest Illinois ash tree being treated for disease
    Associated Press
    CLINTON, Ill. — The largest ash tree in Illinois is being treated to protect it from the invasive emerald ash borer.The tree is in the central Illinois community of Clinton. It’s a towering 90 feet tall and almost 7 feet in diameter. It’s thought to be more than 150 years old, which means it would have been alive at the time of Abraham Lincoln.

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    Taste of Chicago attendance increases this year
    Associated Press
    Organizers say attendance was up about 25 percent at this year’s Taste of Chicago food and entertainment festival.The five-day event drew 1.5 million people to downtown Chicago’s Grant Park before ending on Sunday. That’s up from 1.2 million people last year.City officials haven’t yet said how much revenue the event brought in. But participating restaurants say crowds were hungry.

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    No bond for Chicago grandmother in 8-year-old’s death
    Associated Press
    A 51-year-old Chicago woman is being held without bond for the strangulation and beating death of her 8-year-old granddaughter.Helen Ford is charged with first-degree murder for the death of Gizzell Ford, whose body was found Friday in a home on the city’s West Side.

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    Canton church celebrates 180 years
    Associated Press
    CANTON, Ill. — A church in west-central Illinois that’s survived fires and a tornado is celebrating a big birthday with special events later this year. The First Baptist Church of Canton is 180 years old.

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    Ke’sha Scrivner, left, kisses her daughter as they pose for a photograph after picking up her daughter Ka’Lani Scrivner, 1, from day care, Tuesday, July 9, 2013, in Washington. Once on welfare, Scrivner worked her way off by studying early childhood education and landing a full-time job for the District of Columbiaís education superintendent. She sees education as the path to a better life for herself and all five of her children, pushing them to finish high school and continue with college or a trade school.

    Demographic change amplifying racial inequities
    By Suzanne Gamboa
    A wave of immigration, the aging of non-Hispanic white women beyond child-bearing years and a new baby boom are diminishing the proportion of children who are white. Already, half of U.S. children younger than 1 are Hispanic, black, Asian, Native American or of mixed races. Experts say a shift in demographics will only amplify racial inequities.

  •  
    Jesse Frampton, 16, of Winnebago rinses Liberty, a 3-year-old Angus cow after checking in at the Kane County Fair. The fair opens Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

    Tigers, bull riding and pig races? Must be the Kane County Fair
    By Jennifer Tranmer
    When Larry Breon of Batavia was growing up, he went to the Kane County Fair to show off his family’s cattle as part of the 4-H exhibition. “It was something you looked forward to all summer,” he said. “We weren’t in town a lot, so this was our big chance for getting around other kids.”

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    Ride enthusiasts enjoy the “Predator” during the Vernon Hills Summer Celebration.

    Blues Traveler headlines the festival on Saturday
    By Mick Zawislak
    Blues Traveler is the headliner for Vernon Hills' popular Summer Celebration festival, which runs from July 18 to 21 at Century Park. Organizers say the festival is one of the largest in the area, second only to the Lake County Fair.

  •  
    Michael Madigan

    Do RTA ties to Madigan pose conflict of interest over Metra audit?
    By Marni Pyke
    As an oversight board, RTA leaders say it's their job to scrutinize the much-maligned separation agreement Metra offered ex-CEO Alex Clifford that's led to allegations Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan exerted political pressure at the commuter rail agency. But given that Madigan's son-in-law Jordan Matyas is second-in-command at the RTA, some wonder how independent the audit will be.

Sports

  •  
    Los Angeles Dodgers young phenom Yasiel Puig not a part of Tuesday night’s All-Star Game? That’s just one of many issues about the Midsummer Classic, says Mike Imrem.

    All-Star Game is far from must-see TV these days
    By Mike Imrem
    The All-Star Game isn't the must-see TV event it used to be on the baseball calendar. Now there are as many reasons not to watch tonight as there are reasons to watch.

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    Cubs manager Dale Sveum, here congratulating closer Kevin Gregg after a victory over the Cardinals, has had to deal with a bullpen issue through most of the season’s first half.

    Cubs still have much work to do in second half
    By Bruce Miles
    While the Cubs have improved over last year, a record of 42-51 at the all-star break hardly screams "success." There has been just too much bad to outweigh the good, and Daily Herald Cubs writer Bruce Miles takes a look at how the scales tip.

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    Cougars rally for 7-4 win
    Special to the Daily Herald
    The visiting Kane County Cougars scored 5 runs in the top of seventh inning to earn a 7-4, come-from-behind victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Monday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

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    American League slugger Yoenis Cespedes of the Oakland Athletics hits his ninth home run in Monday’s third round to win the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby at Citi Field in New York.

    Oakland’s Cespedes wins Home Run Derby
    By Mike Fitzpatrick
    The Home Run Derby champion didn’t even make the All-Star team. Yoenis Cespedes won baseball’s power-hitting competition with a dazzling display Monday night, becoming the first player left out of the All-Star game to take home the crown. The Oakland Athletics slugger beat Bryce Harper 9-8 in the final round at reconfigured Citi Field, hitting the decisive drive with five swings to spare.

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    White Sox manager Robin Ventura, here helping shortstop Alexei Ramirez off the field during a game last week, has seen his team limp to a 37-55 record, the franchise’s worst mark at the all-star break since 1989.

    White Sox say it best when it comes to first-half woes
    By Scot Gregor
    Wondering why the White Sox are 37-55 at the all-star break, their worst record since 1989? Beat writer Scot Gregor lets the Sox explain the good, and mostly bad, from the first half of the season.

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    The Chicago Slaughter gathers to take in a pregame meeting with offensive coordinator Pat Pistorio before a game at the Sears Centre in May. Pistorio has been named head coach at South Elgin High School.

    Pistorio brings prolific passing background to South Elgin
    Daily Herald report
    Pat Pistorio has been named football head coach at South Elgin, where he replaces veteran coach Dale Schabert. A native of Elgin, Pistorio been with the Chicago Slaughter indoor football franchise since it started in 2007 and has excelled at developing the passing game wherever he has coached.

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    Rolling Meadows’ Ashley Montanez shoots against Montini in tournament play last season in Lombard.

    Meadows’ Montanez makes college commitment
    Daily Herald report
    Ashley Montanez, an instrumental inside player for Rolling Meadows Class 4A state runner-up girls basketball team this past winter, has made a verbal committment to play at the University of Indianapolis. Montanez has her senior year to play at Meadows before she heads to the Division II program directed by Constantin Popa.

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    MLB to announce new policy on discrimination against gays
    By MICHAEL GORMLEY
    ALBANY, N.Y. — Major League Baseball says it will bolster its policies against harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation, according to a new agreement provided to The Associated Press on Monday.The league is scheduled to announce its new policy during All-Star Game festivities on Tuesday with the players’ union and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who helped draft the agreement.Under the new policy, the league will create a workplace code of conduct and distribute it to every major league and minor league player, provide new training sessions and create a centralized complaint system to report any harassment and discrimination.The announcement follows Schneiderman’s agreement this year with the National Football League to strengthen its policies. Some NFL prospects complained about questions they said where posed to them during the evaluation and hiring system called the NFL combine. The case prompted a look at harassment and discrimination policies in other sports.Few professional athletes are openly gay, and gay rights groups have blamed the policies and atmosphere in sports for forcing gay athletes to hide their sexual orientations.Schneiderman, a Democrat, called the new policy actions a “clear stand against discrimination.”“Our national pastime is showing national leadership in the fight to promote equal justice for all,” he said.Major League Baseball already has an anti-discrimination policy, but the new one specifically will prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said baseball won’t allow any discrimination.“We welcome all individuals regardless of sexual orientation into our ballparks, along with those of different races, religions, genders and national origins,” Selig stated. “Both on the field and away from it, Major League Baseball has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation.”The Major League Baseball Players Association said it supports the policy so that players can pursue their careers regardless of their sexual orientations.“MLBPA embraces diversity and supports a workplace environment that welcomes all regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation,” said the union’s executive director, Michael Weiner.

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    Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer throws Saturday during the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Detroit.

    Mets’ Harvey, Tigers’ Scherzer to start All-Star game
    Associated Press
    Mets ace Matt Harvey will start Tuesday night’s All-Star game on his home mound at New York’s Citi Field, and the Detroit Tigers’ Max Scherzer will open for the American League. Harvey will be the first pitcher from the host team to start an All-Star game since Houston’s Roger Clemens in 2004 and just the 11th overall.

  •  
    Derrick Rose said in an interview in Spain that he is back to 100 percent and he plans to play in the Bulls’ preseason opener.

    Rose says he’s 100 percent, will play in preseason opener
    By Mike McGraw
    Derrick Rose says his health is back to 100 percent and he plans to play in the Bulls’ preseason opener this fall, in case anyone thought he might consider sitting out another season. Rose was interviewed in Madrid on the final stop of a European promotional tour. “I should be able to play in the first game of season,” Rose said. “I know I’m anxious right now to play. My health is everything right now, it’s 100 percent. But right now, the first game ... I will definitely be playing it.”

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    Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper collides with Miami Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis at home plate Saturday during the fourth inning in Miami. Harper scored on a sacrifice fly by Jayson Werth.

    All-Star game features plenty of young phenoms
    Associated Press
    The next generation of baseball stars has arrived — straight from the senior prom, it seems — and these guys are changing the complexion of the grand ol’ game. Derek Jeter is 39 and injured, left off the All-Star team for the first time in eight years. Matt Harvey is 24 and merciless, with a polished array of breaking pitches to complement 98 mph heat. “There’s definitely a different breed of ballplayer coming out,” Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

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    Mike North video: Epstein Working the Phones
    The Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein, plans on skipping the All Star game. Mike North thinks it's a better move to attend the game because the event is like a convention where major trades could materialize more quickly than just over the phone.

Business

  •  
    FC Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez from Chile, right, vies for the ball with Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso, left, during a match in Madrid, Spain, in January 2012. Forbes said Monday that Real Madrid is the most valuable sports team in the world.

    Real Madrid tops Forbes' most valuable teams list
    Associated Press
    Real Madrid tops Forbes' list of 50 most valuable sports teams, with Manchester United and Barcelona holding the next two spots. Forbes says Real Madrid is worth $3.3 billion. The Spanish power moved up a spot from No. 2 last year.

  •  
    The Carol Stream village board has approved an economic incentive agreement with developers of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Farms Market, who say the agreement is necessary to bring their proposed 70,000-square-foot grocery store to the corner of North Avenue and Schmale Road.

    Carol Stream approves incentives for Caputo’s
    By Christopher Placek
    Developers of a Carol Stream grocery store are due to receive $3.5 million in economic incentives that village officials credit with helping bring the store to town. The village board voted 5-0 Monday to approve a redevelopment agreement with developers of a new Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Farms Market store, which is expected to open at the southwest corner of North Avenue and Schmale Road by 2014.

  •  
    CEO Marissa Mayer has played a key role in turning around Yahoo.

    Magnetic CEO, Alibaba jackpot rejuvenate Yahoo
    Associated Press
    Not much had been going right for Yahoo until it lured Marissa Mayer away from Google to become its CEO last summer. The move is shaping up as the best thing to happen to Yahoo since 2005 when it invested $1 billion in what was then a little-known Internet company in China, Alibaba.

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    Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia said media company heir Michael Scripps stole $3.6 million from his family and spent the money on cars, jewelry and women, including strippers and porn stars.

    Scripps heir gets 9 years for swindling mom, uncle
    Associated Press
    Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia said Michael Scripps spent the money on cars, jewelry and women, including strippers and porn stars. A defense lawyer argued Monday that Scripps, 36, has since married and built a productive life and credited the turnaround to his estrangement from his family in 2006.

  •  
    On Monday, Hostess Brands officially revived Twinkies, the iconic snack cake, following a seven-month hiatus after the original company decided to liquidate under bankruptcy.

    Twinkies might be smaller than people recall
    Associated Press
    Twinkies are back, but they may be a bit smaller than you remember. The new owners of Hostess have leaner operating costs now that they’re no longer using unionized workers. It turns out the spongy yellow cakes may also be a little smaller than the last Twinkies people remember eating. The new boxes hitting shelves list the cakes as having 270 calories and a weight of 77 grams for two cakes, or 135 calories and 38.5 grams for one cake.

  •  
    U.S. stocks rose, giving the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index its longest winning streak since January, as better-than-estimated earnings at Citigroup Inc. overshadowed a disappointing retail sales report.

    Stocks edge higher, extending a hot start to July
    Associated Press
    Boeing helped the stock market edge higher Monday, extending a scorching start to July. The plane maker’s stock was one of the standouts as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose for an eighth straight day, its longest streak of gains since January.

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    Woodfield H&M reopens Thursday
    Daily Herald report
    H&M, Hennes & Mauritz, one of the world’s largest fashion retailers, will hold the grand reopening of its Woodfield Mall store at 10 a.m. Thursday. The 27,000-square-foot store, first opened at Woodfield in 2003, recently underwent a three-month renovation and now features a new interior, fixtures and facade.

  •  
    DAILY HERALD North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories announced Monday it would pay a combined $560 million to acquire two privately-held companies focused on coronary implants and laser-assisted eye surgery.

    Abbott will pay $560M to acquire 2 med tech firms
    Associated Press
    North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories announced Monday it would pay a combined $560 million to acquire two privately-held companies focused on coronary implants and laser-assisted eye surgery.

  •  

    Broadwind Energy gets $87M in new tower orders
    Associated Press
    Cicero-based alternative energy company Broadwind Energy Inc. has received $87 million in new tower orders from an unnamed U.S. wind turbine maker as the domestic wind energy industry continues to recover.

  •  

    MB Financial buying Taylor Capital for $680M
    Associated Press
    MB Financial is buying Taylor Capital for about $680 million in a deal to increase its middle market commercial banking presence in the Chicago area. Taylor Capital has nine branches, while MB Financial has 85 Chicago-area branches.

  •  
    Women shop at a fashion boutique having a sale at a shopping mall in Beijing, China, Monday. China’s leaders face new pressure to stimulate a slowing economy after growth fell to its lowest since 1991, hurt by weak trade and efforts to cool a credit boom.

    China’s economic growth slows more as trade slumps
    Associated Press
    China’s leaders face new pressure to stimulate a slowing economy after growth fell to its lowest since 1991, hurt by weak trade and efforts to cool a credit boom. The world’s second-largest economy expanded 7.5 percent over a year earlier in the three months ending in June, down from the previous quarter’s 7.7 percent, data showed Monday.

  •  
    The Commerce Department said Monday that retail sales rose 0.4 percent in June from May, after a 0.5 percent increase the previous month.

    U.S. retail sales rise 0.4 percent in June on autos
    Associated Press
    Americans spent more at retail businesses in June, buying more cars, furniture and clothes. The gain shows consumers continue to drive economic growth. The Commerce Department said Monday that retail sales rose 0.4 percent in June from May, after a 0.5 percent increase the previous month.

  •  
    Citigroup turned in a strong first quarter, but the sentiment from the bank Monday was more cautious than celebratory.

    Citi reports higher profit, revenue; shares rise
    Associated Press
    Citigroup is reporting earnings that beat Wall Street’s expectations for the second quarter. Profit for the March-to-June period was $3.9 billion after excluding an accounting gain, the bank reported Monday. That’s up 26 percent from a year ago. The profit amounted to $1.25 per share, beating the $1.18 per share predicted by analysts polled by FactSet.

  •  

    U.S. probes C-Class Mercedes for lighting problems
    Associated Press
    U.S. safety regulators are investigating about 218,000 Mercedes C-Class luxury cars because the rear lights can fail and even catch fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the probe affects cars from the 2008 and 2009 model years. The agency says it has 21 reports of the brake lights or turn signals lights dimming or failing to light.

  •  
    Fabrice Tourre, a former Goldman Sachs trader faces a civil trial in New York on Monday to determine if he cheated investors in a package of mortgage-based securities in 2007. The charges against him were filed three years ago by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Ex-Goldman Sachs trader faces New York SEC civil trial
    Associated Press
    A judge presiding over the civil trial of former Goldman Sachs trader Fabrice Tourre, accused him of misleading investors about the true prospects of their bet on a package of mortgage-based securities, has summed up the charges against him with a fairytale, saying it’s as if he’s accused of handing Little Red Riding Hood an invitation to grandmother’s house while concealing the fact the invitation was written by the Big Bad Wolf.

  •  
    Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn with the Datsun Go Monday during its global launch in New Delhi, India. Nissan has introduced the first new Datsun model in more than three decades in the Indian capital. The company hopes bringing back the brand that built its U.S. business will fuel growth in emerging markets with a new generation of car buyers. The re-imagined Datsun — a five-seat hatchback — will go on sale in India next year for about $6,670.

    Nissan relaunches Datsun in India after 30 years
    Associated Press
    Nissan launched a new Datsun in India on Monday, three decades after shelving the brand that helped win Western acceptance of Japanese autos. The company hopes that bringing back the brand that built its U.S. business will fuel growth in emerging markets with a new generation of car buyers. The reimagined Datsun — a five-seat hatchback — will go on sale in India next year for about $6,670.

  •  
    A group of men look at the wreckage of Asiana Flight 214, which crashed on July 6, at San Francisco International Airport. siana announced Monday that it will sue a San Francisco TV station that it said damaged the airline’s reputation by using bogus and racially offensive names for four pilots on a plane that crashed earlier this month in San Francisco.

    Asiana to sue San Francisco TV station over names
    Associated Press
    Asiana announced Monday that it will sue a San Francisco TV station that it said damaged the airline’s reputation by using bogus and racially offensive names for four pilots on a plane that crashed earlier this month in San Francisco. An anchor for KTVU-TV read the names on the air Friday and then apologized after a break. KTVU-TV did not immediately reply to emails sent by The Associated Press seeking comment.

  •  
    Gina Crater-Lilja

    Libertyville entrepreneur puts fashion on wheels
    By Anna Marie Kukec Daily Herald Business Writer
    When a friend gave Gina Crater-Lilja a sweater as a gift, she asked where the friend bought it. Off a truck, the woman said. That’s hardly the answer Crater-Lilja expected. But she loved the sweater and looked into a growing trend on the West Coast that offers fashion stores on wheels. That’s where Crater-Lilja got the idea to create Fashion in Motion in Lake County a couple of months ago.

  •  

    Businesses can use time to get health care right
    By Jim Kendall
    The extra 12 months that businesses with 50 or more full-time workers gained earlier this month before having to meet Affordable Care Act health insurance requirements may be important to get their coverage and reporting right.

Life & Entertainment

  •  
    With no obvious cause of death for “Glee” star Cory Monteith, the British Columbia Coroners Service says it will do further testing to determine how the 31-year-old died.

    More tests needed for cause of Monteith’s death
    Associated Press
    The cause of “Glee” actor Cory Monteith’s death remained unclear Monday, and authorities in Canada said it could take several days before toxicology test results are in. Vancouver police Sgt. Randy Fincham said there’s nothing to indicate the death was due to illicit drug use. Monteith, 31, was found dead in his Vancouver, British Columbia, hotel room on Saturday, according to police, who have ruled out foul play.

  •  
    Stevie Wonder will participate in the second Global Citizen Festival on Sept. 28, 2013, in New York’s Central Park with Kings of Leon, John Mayer and Alicia Keys.

    Wonder, Kings, Keys, Mayer headline Global Fest
    Associated Press
    Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Alicia Keys and John Mayer have volunteered their time to attend the second Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park, and organizers hope you will, too. Tickets are again free for the Sept. 28 event, but must be earned through acts meant to help end extreme poverty around the world.

  •  
    The lawn remains the centerpiece in this yard, but was greatly downsized and shaped by a landscaped perimeter consisting of furniture, statuary and a variety of perennials, in Langley, Wash. Less mowing, less watering and fewer chemicals was the result. It attracts more wildlife, too.

    Going beyond grass for yard
    Associated Press
    Grass isn’t always the best ground covers for a yard: It’s thirsty at a time when water is becoming scarce; it attracts fewer pollinators; it requires expensive chemicals to maintain, and it must be disposed of if you bag as you mow. That’s why many property owners are downsizing their lawns or simply eliminating turf grass in exchange for something more functional and less demanding.

  •  
    A grill turns nachos from a humdrum snack into a specatular meal.

    Moving nachos out of the microwave, onto the grill
    By J.M. Hirsch
    As Associated Press Food Editor J.M. Hirsch learned there's more than one way to make nachos. "I was blown away by the difference between nuking my nachos and baking them in the oven," he writes. "And that says nothing of the wonderful browning of the cheese no microwave ever could achieve. ... And it didn't occur to me until this summer that I could take my nacho evolution even further by moving them out of the oven and onto ... the grill."

  •  
    Grilled corn and grilled steak sit atop corn chips that get covered with cheese and finished on, what else, the grill.

    Corn and Steak Grilled Nachos
    Grilled Nachos

  •  
    Emily Kraus, one of Dave Matthews’ fans pulled over to give a stranded cyclist a ride and realized the hitchhiker was none other than Matthews. His bike had broken down Saturday before a show in Hershey, Pa.

    Dave Matthews fans give him a lift to his show
    Associated Press
    Dave Matthews may jet to performances around the world, but that doesn’t mean his bicycle never breaks down. That’s what happened before the singer’s show in Hershey on Saturday when one of his fans pulled over to give a stranded cyclist a ride and realized the hitchhiker was none other than Matthews, who didn’t have a cellphone on him. Emily Kraus said that she and her boyfriend helped Matthews stow his bicycle on their bike rack and he got in their car for the rest of the ride.

  •  
    Comedian, actress, and author Jenny McCarthy was named Monday to join the panel of the ABC weekday talk show “The View.”

    Jenny McCarthy to join ‘The View’ as co-host
    Associated Press
    Welcome Jenny McCarthy as the next co-host to join “The View.” The actress and former Playboy playmate was named Monday to join the panel of the ABC weekday talk show. Barbara Walters, who created “The View” in 1997 and has since served as a co-host, made the widely expected announcement on the air. “We love her because she’s fun, she’s uninhibited and she’s opinionated enough to help us begin the latest chapter in ‘The View’ history,” Walters said.

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    Beyonce called for a moment of silence for Trayvon Martin during a concert just hours after George Zimmerman was found not guilty by a Florida jury on Saturday. After asking the crowd to be silent a moment, she sang the chorus of “I Will Always Love You,” a song written by country music star Dolly Parton and brought to a global audience by the late Whitney Houston.

    Beyonce holds moment of silence for Trayvon Martin
    Associated Press
    Beyonce called in a concert for a moment of silence for Trayvon Martin, rapper Young Jeezy released a song in Martin’s memory and Russell Simmons called for peace after George Zimmerman was acquitted by a Florida jury in the death of the teenager. There was a wide range of reactions by celebrities after jurors cleared Zimmerman late Saturday of all charges in the 2012 shooting death of the unarmed 17-year-old Martin.

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    Jinneh Dyson didn't seeking counseling for her severe depression until she was at college. The treatment ended up having a huge impact on her life.

    Blacks feeling less stigmatized in seeking mental health treatment
    By Tara Bahrampour
    Many people, regardless of race, have a hard time talking about mental illness. But for many African Americans, the topic has carried particularly negative connotations — to the point where it's easier to talk about drug or alcohol addiction than depression or anxiety. In 2008, whites received mental health treatment or counseling at nearly twice the rate of blacks, and whites received prescription medication for mental health-related issues at more than twice the rate of blacks. However, African Americans' acceptance of therapy has been rising over the past decade, providers say, particularly among the young and those with more education and in those urban areas with large black populations.

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    A brown bear walks behind the Brooks Falls viewing area in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska. It’s expensive and difficult to reach the park about 250 miles west of Anchorage, and explore.org has again set up high-definition webcams to livestream the daily activities of the bears at the park.

    Famed Katmai brown bears ready for season 2
    Associated Press
    Stars snarling at each other, mate swapping, dominant males posturing and establishing their territory. It’s not quite “Jersey Shore,” but these are among the highlights of the second season of an Internet reality show coming your way this week. The stars are the brown bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve in remote Alaska. Eight web cams, an increase of five from last year, have been set up at various parts of the park to livestream the daily life and drama of the park’s famed bears. Social aspects also have been enhanced, with live web chats planned with rangers and scientists, and a new photo sharing feature.

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    A handwritten card is placed among flowers at a small memorial to Canadian actor Cory Monteith outside the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday. Monteith’s body was found in a room at the hotel Saturday.

    ‘Glee’ convention becomes memorial for Monteith
    Associated Press
    What was supposed to be a weekend celebration of the musical TV series “Glee” turned into an impromptu memorial of song and dance for Cory Monteith after news of the “Glee” co-star’s death rocked a “Glee” fan convention in England. The hundreds of “gleeks,” as they’re known — joined a chorus of thousands worldwide who took to social media with similar expressions about Monteith’s passing.

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    Lil Wayne was one of two rap artists who recently lost major endorsements after protests forced high profile corporations to drop the rap star.

    Could rap lyrics modify because of stars’ mishaps?
    Associated Press
    Since it began, rap has found ways to offend. Whether for political content, sexual imagery, misogyny, violence or coarse humor, rappers have found themselves having to defend their words on a regular basis, no matter how innocuous — or extreme. Those defenses have typically been defiant. So it was a bit startling when both Lil Wayne and Rick Ross — under intense fire over rhymes deemed offensive — gave mea culpas for their words amid threats of boycotts and a loss of major endorsements.

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    Tina Reese leads a word game for residents at a nursing home in Lancaster, Pa. If you're lucky enough to live into your 90s, how well will your brain hold up? You may have an edge over people who've reached that age already, a new study hints.

    Brainpower in the very old may be improving
    By Malcolm Ritter
    If you're lucky enough to live into your 90s, how well will your brain hold up? You may have an edge over people who got there ahead of you, a new study hints. Researchers found that on tests of mental abilities, a group of 95-year-old Danes scored better than a group of Danes born 10 years earlier, who had been tested when they were about the same age.

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    In breast cancer treatment, study backs less surgery
    By David Templeton
    In treating breast cancer, a less invasive technique of removing and testing lymph nodes close to the tumor has proved to be as effective as the traditional method of removing dozens of lymph nodes under the arm, according to a new study.

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    Kris Jenner’s new talk show “Kris” will air for six weeks starting July 15 on selected Fox-owned stations.

    Kris Jenner lives talk show ‘dream’ this summer
    Associated Press
    The driven matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is taking center stage with her own talk show, and Kris Jenner said she’s ready for the spotlight. “I’m definitely living my dream,” Jenner said of Monday’s launch of “Kris,” a daily talk show getting a summer test run on Fox stations in a handful of major U.S. TV markets.

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    Torn meniscus doesn’t always require treatment
    By Dr. Anthony Komaroff
    I’m 72 years old. I’ve had left knee pain on and off for several months. My doctor sent me for an MRI of both knees. It showed “mild to moderate osteoarthritis” in both knees and a torn meniscus in my right knee, which feels fine. Do I need to do anything about the torn meniscus in my “good” knee?

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    If you were doing Pilates before you became pregnant, there’s a new pregnancy Pilates workout video you might want to try.

    Your health: Pilates and pregnancy
    Learn about doing pilates safely when you are pregnant, and how to keep too much salt out of your diet.

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    Playing outdoors may lower risk of nearsightedness in kids
    By David Templeton
    Children have long been encouraged to go outdoors to play — to improve their mood, get exercise and break the hypnotic spell of cellphones, television and video games. But now there’s another important reason — it may help them avoid vision problems. Two studies published recently in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, say that time spent outdoors blunts the chances of children developing nearsightedness (myopia) and slows its progress in those with myopia.

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    Nurse Kate Martin takes a moment out of her schedule to do some breathing and stretching exercises inside the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C.

    Hospitals turn to therapy to curb staff burnout
    By Janice Lynch Schuster
    Finding ways to help nurses relax, reflect, refocus or re-energize is critical in helping them to prevent or overcome burnout, according to researchers and nurse managers. “Nurses are particularly at risk for becoming overwhelmed and depleted,” says Cynda Hylton Rushton, a professor in the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University. They “provide direct, 24/7 care, and they often must confront the limits of what medicine can do for people. Nurses can begin to feel helpless or have a sense that they are not actually helping. They can begin to question what they are doing and how they are benefiting others.”

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    Actor Jon Hamm will be hosting the upcoming ESPY Awards.

    Jon Hamm taking plunge into sports world as ESPYs host
    Associated Press
    Jon Hamm is going from a presenter to host of the ESPY Awards, a natural segue for the former three-sport prep athlete who is unabashed in his love for his hometown St. Louis Cardinals. Hamm called himself a “pretty good” high school player, but is quick to note he was never a threat to make it in the professional ranks. That’s why the 42-year-old actor best known as Don Draper on AMC’s “Mad Men” wants to keep the focus on the athletes when he hosts the annual show honoring the year’s best sports moments. It airs live on ESPN on July 17 from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

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    Taiwanese singer Jay Chou, has directed his second movie called “The Rooftop.”

    Jay Chou unafraid to spend money on ‘Rooftop’
    Associated Press
    Jay Chou wasn’t afraid to spend money to make his new film, “The Rooftop,” into a work of art. Nor is the Taiwanese superstar afraid of addressing criticism of his acting, something for which he has been berated ever since 2007’s “Secret.” In his second directorial effort, he says he’s more open now and acting has become more natural for him.

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    Americans living longer, but still lag global peers
    By Patricia Sullivan
    Life expectancy in the United States is going up, but chronic disabilities, including many caused by bad food choices, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity and alcohol abuse, account for a larger portion of health issues in the United States compared with its economic peers around the world, according to a new study by a global collaboration of scientists. Since 1990, many childhood diseases are less prevalent, and there has been a dramatic reduction in sudden infant death syndrome, according to the study.

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    Fish oil in diet may affect depression symptoms
    By Dr. Patrick Massey
    How much fish oil in the diet is needed to reduce the symptoms of major depression? In a recent medical study, increasing dietary consumption of docosahexanoic acid significantly improved symptoms of major depression. In addition, the quantity of DHA in the cell membranes of red blood cells correlated strongly with reduction in depression symptoms.

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    Mike Ross (Patrick J Adams) faces new professional and personal challenges when "Suits" returns to USA Network Tuesday, July 16.

    Patrick J. Adams feeling comfortable in ‘Suits’ role
    By Kate O’Hare
    Evidently, the USA Network legal melodrama “Suits,” which launches its third season on Tuesday, July 16, is successful. But perhaps the person most amused by all of this is the mother of star Patrick J. Adams, who plays legal associate (if not exactly a lawyer) Mike Ross.

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    More than 100 enthusiasts parked their rides at the Chevrolet Nomad Association’s 25th annual convention in Itasca last week.

    Charm of Chevy Nomad evident at convention
    By Matthew Avery
    Chevrolet dazzled the public when it launched its sporty Nomad station wagon in 1955. The two-door forwent value as its steep price rang up higher than any other Chevy model, including a Corvette, but there was no denying the wagon’s uniqueness or charm.

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    SH13F189HOMESTYLE July 1, 2013 -- Folks are feeling bolder and taking bigger risks in decorating. As they do, red is shooting up the popularity charts. (SHNS photo courtesy Nell Hill's) (Newscom TagID: shnsphotos147005.jpg) [Photo via Newscom]

    Have you red the latest?
    By Mary Carol Garrity
    Packed full of energy and excitement, the color red is sneaking back into vogue in interior design. For years, people shied away from this arresting color, opting instead for safe, soothing grays, tans and creams. But now folks are feeling bolder and taking bigger risks in their decorating.

Discuss

  •  
    Ellen Goodman

    A conversation we all need to have
    By Ellen Goodman
    Columnist Ellen Goodman: It sometimes seems as if everyone has a story to tell of a good death or a hard death. And the difference often hinged on whether the people they loved had expressed their wishes and, in turn, had those wishes respected.

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    Veterans should march behind police
    Letter to the editor: Gordon Stanley of Schaumburg says the veterans in the Hoffman Estates parade shouldhave been marching directly behind the police and fire units.

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    Proud of BG board and zoning board
    Letter to the editor: Frank Sears is impressed with the tough questioning and good decision-making by the Buffalo Grove zoning board and the village board, in denying Rogan's Shoes the elevated roof height the business requested.

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    Eric Drive site ideal for housing project
    Letter to the editor: Brian Peters of Palatine says the site selected for the Catherine Alice Gardens project is ideal for that use, saying there is plenty of industrial land available in the village.

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    Fabulous fireworks marred by parking
    Letter to the editor: Donna Miller says her family thoroughly enjoyed the fireworks at Arlinton Park on July 4th, but wishes the track would find a way to get a big crowd out of the parking lot faster.

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    Bravo to Palatine plan commission
    Letter to the editor: Ken Doruff of Palatine applauds the Palatine plan commission for its recommendation to approve Catherine Alice Gardens, and urges the village council to do the same.

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    Supportive housing should be relocated
    Letter to the editor: John Di Pasquale, chairman of the Eric Drive Industrial Council in Palatine, says there are other, existing apartment buildings in Palatine that would be a better fit for supportive housing.

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    Gardens: A good idea at bad location
    Letter to the editor: Dr. Richard Butterly applauds the idea behind Catherine Alice Gardens, but says land designated for business and industry should be left for entrepreneurs, and not encroached on by residential.

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    Memorial Day story touched his heart
    Letter to the editor: Ronald Dopp appreciated our Memorial Day story that evoked memories of his service in Korea.

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    Supportive housing gives a hand up
    Letter to the editor: "As the parent of a young man living with mental illness for many years, I can attest these individuals are good neighbors, and desire to be helpful, productive members of the community," writes May Joy Klos, in support of Catherine Alice Garden.

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    Don’t dismantle this top fire department
    Letter to the editor: Retired assistant fire chief Lenn Grant says Barrington's ability to respond to emergencies will be diminished if the fire departments break up. "The current Barrington trustees and mayor are on the verge of dismantling one of the best fire departments that has ever been assembled," he writes.

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    Thanking those who support NAMI work
    Letter to the ediror: Gertrude Rodig and the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness that the residents and businesses of Arlington Heights, for their support.

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    Park district should try sharing facilities
    Letter to the editor: Greg Larson of Arlington Hts. wishes the park district could find more ways to share facilities with the local schools, so that money could be redirected from new gyms to other priorities.

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    Seek the truth in immigration debate
    A letter to the editor: I am always amazed by claims that these illegal immigrants are taking away good American jobs. Just what immigrants holding these jobs are you going to rush down to replace?

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    Learn the safe way to ride a bicycle
    A Bartlett letter to the editor: It sounds as though crowding is the beginning of the problem on this Arlington Heights trail. It is popular for people of many abilities. But when a trail is too crowded, we need to expand our our comfort zone.

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    It’s time to send in the replacements
    An Arlington Heights letter to the editor: [No Paragraph Style]Newsx BTO body copyWe have a president who has tried his best for 4˝ years. We have career politicians in both houses of Congress who have done their best for too many years. We don’t need people who try their best when their best is not good enough.

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    Praise to governor for getting tough
    An Elk Grove Village letter to the editor: I applaud the governor for vetoing the pay of lawmakers (including himself) until they come up with a solution to the pension problem. In other words, lawmakers, do your job or don’t get paid. What a novel idea. It remains to be seen whether or not he can legally do that.

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    Nuclear power vital to our economy
    A letter to the editor: It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure out that a diverse, reliable supply of electricity will create a cost-competitive supply that our economy needs to thrive. If our economy was the top of a stool, the four legs that would keep it from wobbling would be nuclear, cleaner coal, natural gas and renewable energy — with additional support through efficiency and conservation activities.

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    Illinois pensions too good to be true
    A Pingree Grove letter to the editor:

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    Torres illogical on U-46 grade scale
    A Carpentersville letter to the editor: In light of Elgin Area School District U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres’ recent announcement to drop the 50 percent-100 percent scale, it is of crucial importance for everyone to understand that the two grading scales are mathematically equivalent and grades will be equally as inflated under the 0-5 scale. Dropping one scale, but still enforcing the other and calling it “a compromise” is insulting to the intelligence of all stakeholders.

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    Create flood of business in Wheaton
    create a flood of sales

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    Parade could have honored vets better
    Letter to the editor: Teresa Geib writes that the Hoffman Estates July 4th parade should have put its veterans in a more respectful place in the marching order.

  •  

    A conversation we all need to have
    By Ellen Goodman
    Columnist Ellen Goodman: It sometimes seems as if everyone has a story to tell of a good death or a hard death. And the difference often hinged on whether the people they loved had expressed their wishes and, in turn, had those wishes respected.

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