Fittest loser

Daily Archive : Thursday November 7, 2013

News

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    Pat Shepard of Batavia shows off her award winning Pecan Pie at the Daily Herald competition at Novak & Parker appliance store in Mount Prospect.

    Daily Herald Baking Challenge contestants advance
    Daily Herald Staff Report
    Ten winners emerged Thursday night at the Daily Herald's Home Baking Challenge. Those winning recipes will go up against recipes collected from across the country at America's Baking and Sweets Show in Schaumburg Nov. 15 to 17.

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    Darlene Sobczyk of East Dundee loads a client’s cart with more canned goods last Friday at FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville. “It is pretty scary for us,” said Mary Graziano, president of the FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville, of the recent reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “It is going to affect us horribly.”

    Food stamp cuts may increase need at food pantries
    By Gerard Dziuba
    On Nov. 1, the first shoe dropped when Congress reduced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which helps feed millions of unemployed or underpaid Americans. The second one will hit the floor in the coming weeks when volunteers who provide food for those families are greeted with longer lines at their food pantry and soup kitchen doors.

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    Former St. Charles Mayor Fred Norris shares a laugh after being greeted by Bob and Diana MacNeille of St. Charles after Norris was honored with the William D. Barth Award — given by TriCity Family Services — last month in Geneva. A few days after the ceremony, Norris was hospitalized with a heart condition but now is back home and feeling good.

    1857 Geneva house being coverted into restaurant
    By Dave Heun
    Nancy Luyten and family are taking an 1857 Geneva house and turning it into a restaurant, Patten House Restaurant and Bar, at Campbell and Second streets. They hope to open in about three months. “We just think this is going to be the perfect venue,” Nancy Luyten said.

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    The secretive Le Conte’s, the smallest sparrow to live in or visit our area, is challenging to observe and photograph. Clear views of one are rare.

    Searching for special sparrows
    By Jeff Reiter
    Sparrows, it seems are everywhere, so you wouldn't think they're the kind of species a birder would go hunting for. But our Jeff Reiter says there's great variety among sparrows that make them worth the chase. "Appreciating the variety and subtle beauty of sparrows is the mark of a true birder," Reiter writes."We want to attract them, observe them and identify them. And we make special trips to...

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    Huntley Mayor Charles Sass and other local and state dignitaries wave checkered flags as the first vehicles roll through the westbound entrance ramp to the Jane Addams Tollway Friday in Huntley.

    Interchange a collaboration that officials hope will create jobs
    By Marni Pyke
    After years of anticipation, the Illinois tollway opened a full interchange at Route 47 and the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90). Up until now, the interchange has just served drivers going to and from Chicago.

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    Ellen Correll

    Grayslake 46 researching whether referendum is needed
    By Bob Susnjara
    Grayslake Elementary District 46 board members have agreed in-depth research is needed on whether voter permission should be sought to pay for air conditioning two schools and other potential needs. Officials said they won't be pursuing any initiatives for the March ballot.

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    Streamwood VFW hosting concert Saturday in Hanover Park
    By Jessica Cilella
    Residents of the Streamwood and Hanover Park area will have a chance Saturday to meet veterans and enjoy live music from the 60s during VFW 5151’s annual Veterans Day event. The event, which has a theme this year of “Drive-In Diner Music,” runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Hanover Park Community Center, 1919 Walnut Ave. in Hanover Park. The cost is $10 per person or $15 per couple.

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    Classroom redesign part of Dist. 214 capital projects plan
    By Melissa Silverberg
    The school board at Northwest Suburban High School District 214 on Thursday approved its capital improvement plan for the 2014-15 school year including about $7.3 million worth of renovations and upgrades.

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    People who serve the Latino community were honored at the Daily Herald Reflejos Reflecting Excellence Awards event at Harper College on Thursday.

    Reflejos awards honor those who serve Latinos
    By Matt Arado
    Dozens of people, organizations and goverments on Thursday were handed Reflecting Excellence Awards by Reflejos, the Daily Herald's publication for suburban Latinos. Among the winners at the second annual awards celebration was Nayeli Manzano, a senior at Bartlett High School who was chosen as the student recipient for her efforts to reform immigration laws.

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    President Barack Obama waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. In an NBC interview aired Thursday, Obama apologized for problems with the health insurance website and for his promise that Americans content with their current insurance policies could keep them.

    Obama: ‘I’m sorry’ Americans are losing insurance
    Associated Press
    Seeking to calm a growing furor, President Barack Obama said Thursday he’s sorry Americans are losing health insurance plans he repeatedly said they could keep under his signature health care law. But the president stopped short of apologizing for making those promises in the first place.

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    Aurora man hurt in hit-and-run crash
    By Christopher Placek
    A 57-year-old Aurora man was injured Thursday night in a hit and run crash, police said. The man was crossing Broadway Street about 6:20 p.m. from the area of the Aurora Transportation Center, just north of Pierce Street, when he was struck by a southbound car, according to the Aurora Police Department.

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    Steve and Jody Knack of Aurora carry a piece of The Moving Wall Thursday as it’s installed at the campus of West Aurora High School. This section contains the name of Jody’s brother, Gary L. Holian, who was killed on Aug. 12, 1971, in Vietnam.

    Moving Wall rumbles into Aurora with touching tributes
    By Justin Kmitch
    The Moving Wall arrived in Aurora Thursday morning and will be on display through Veterans Day. The three-fifths replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., is expected to attract thousands of visitors as part of a moving tribute.

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    Rubber ducks are on display during the National Toy Hall of Fame ceremony in Rochester, N.Y., Thursday.

    Chess, rubber duck inducted into Toy Hall of Fame
    Associated Press
    The rubber duck squeaked out a win for a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame, joining the ancient game of chess in the 2013 class inducted Thursday.

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    The Russian rocket carries Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and U.S. astronaut Rick Mastracchio who will deliver an Olympic torch to space as part of the ongoing Olympic torch relay. The torch will be brought back along with the station's current crew.

    Olympic torch blasts into space for 1st spacewalk
    Associated Press
    A Russian rocket soared into the cosmos Thursday carrying the Sochi Olympic torch and three astronauts to the International Space Station ahead of the first-ever spacewalk for the symbol of peace.

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    A 93-year-old Arlington Heights woman, her caregiver, and the caregiver’s daughter, were killed Wednesday in a house fire.

    Two victims of Arlington Hts. house fire were Russian immigrants
    By Eric Peterson and Jessica Cilella
    Two of three women who died overnight Wednesday in a blazing Arlington Heights house fire were Russian immigrants, one who worked as a caregiver for the home’s 93-year-old owner, and the other the caregiver’s 40-year-old daughter who wanted to be a nurse. Reached Thursday night at the Wheeling home of Svitlana Kandelis, her husband, Aleksandr Kandelis, said his wife had been in the United States...

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    Sen. Tom Harkin, right, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, stands with Sen. Susan Collins earlier this week, just after the Senate cleared a major hurdle and agreed to proceed to debate a bill that would prohibit workplace discrimination against gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

    Senate OKs gay rights bill banning discrimination
    Associated Press
    Reflecting Americans’ increasing acceptance of gays, the Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would bar workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Gay rights advocates hailed the bipartisan, 64-32 vote as a historic step although it could prove short-lived.

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    U-46 board expected to approve tax levy increase
    By Madhu Krishnamurthy
    The Elgin Area School District U-46 school board at its December meeting is expected to approve the 2013 tax levy incorporating a 1.7 percent increase from the previous year’s property tax extension for existing homeowners.

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    An investigator from the NTSB takes photographs of wreckage the day after a Sept. 25 plane crash in Bolingbrook.

    NTSB releases preliminary report on Bolingbrook plane crash
    Associated Press and ABC 7 Chicago
    The National Transportation Safety Board says a small plane that crashed in September killing two people touched down multiple times on a Bolingbrook runway as it tried to land. The preliminary report released this week by investigators says surveillance video shows the single-engine plane trying to land at Clow Airport in Bolingbrook.

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    In this photo from Oct. 31, Kenyan women protest after a teenager was allegedly gang-raped in Nairobi and the alleged attackers were let go after police made them cut the grass around the station.

    Teen’s rape galvanizes support in Kenya
    Associated Press
    A wave of outrage has grown in Kenya since word has spread that a 16-year-old girl was gang raped and thrown into a pit latrine in this western Kenyan town, with the alleged attackers told to cut grass at a police post, and then let go.

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    Crystal Lake South High School installed new bleachers this summer, and some residents who live on Amberwood Drive see the stands looming over their backyards, and have sued the district.

    Decision next month in Crystal Lake S. bleacher suit
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    Attorneys on Thursday presented a McHenry County judge with arguments over whether Crystal Lake High School District 155 broke any laws when it expanded its bleachers at Crystal Lake South High School. State's Attorney Louis Bianchi, his wife and another resident sued the district, saying the expansion hurt their property values and the district did not divulge the true scope of the plans.

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    Jose Camacho

    Former Hanover Park man guilty in 2001 drowning
    By Barbara Vitello
    Jurors deliberated about 90 minutes Thursday afternoon before convicting Jose Camacho of the 2001 murder of a 28-year-old Hanover Park man.

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    Sharon Catich of North Aurora attaches yellow name tags Thursday to honor veterans at the Healing Field of Honor at West Aurora High School.

    Aurora’s Healing Field brings ‘long overdue’ honor
    By Joshua Welge
    Darlene Gillette fought back tears Thursday as she pondered the veterans recognized by Aurora’s Healing Field of Honor. Men like Darlene’s husband of 45 years, Charles Gillette, a veteran of the Marine Corps who served in Vietnam. “Especially for the Vietnam veterans, when they came back, there was nothing,” the Aurora woman said. “It’s long overdue. They deserve just as much recognition as...

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    Anthony Potochney

    Aurora man charged with punching two at restaurant
    By Christopher Placek
    A 22-year-old Aurora man was charged Thursday with aggravated battery after authorities say he punched a man and employee at a restaurant last month. Anthony Potochney, of the 200 block of Keck Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony aggravated battery to an elderly person and misdemeanor battery.

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    Terrence Roberts

    Little Rock Nine speaker coming to Oakton
    By Christopher Placek
    Terrence Roberts, a member of the Little Rock Nine, will share his account on the front lines of the civil rights battle during an event Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines. "I wasn’t even born yet,” said Krissie Harris, Oakton’s student life coordinator, who is organizing the speaker event. “I think it’s going to give them (students) a historical perspective. And it ties...

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    Swiss professors Francois Bochud, left, and Patrice Mangin, present a forensics report concerning the late President Yasser Arafat. The scientists concluded that Arafat ingested lethal radioactive polonium before his death nine years ago, and it could not have been by accident.

    Arafat’s mysterious death becomes a whodunit
    Associated Press
    Yasser Arafat’s mysterious 2004 death turned into a whodunit Thursday after Swiss scientists who examined his remains said the Palestinian leader was probably poisoned with radioactive polonium. Yet hard proof remains elusive, and nine years on, tracking down anyone who might have slipped minuscule amounts of the lethal substance into Arafat’s food or drink could be difficult.

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    EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, right, walks next to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, left, before the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva Switzerland.

    Iran: nuclear plan ‘backed’ by 6 world powers
    Associated Press
    Iran and six world powers faced a tough task at the negotiating table Thursday: moving from broad discussions about a nuclear deal to specific steps limiting Tehran’s ability to make atomic weapons in exchange for relief from sanctions that are crippling the Iranian economy.

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    Malala Yousafzai addresses students and faculty at Harvard University. A militant commander and an intelligence official say the Pakistani Taliban have chosen the man who planned the attack on teenage activist Malala Yousafzai as the group’s new leader.

    Malala plotter chosen as Pakistani Taliban leader
    Associated Press
    The ruthless commander behind the attack on teenage activist Malala Yousafzai as well as a series of bombings and beheadings was chosen Thursday as the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, nearly a week after a U.S. drone strike killed the previous chief.

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    Elgin plans to crack down on parking scofflaws
    By Elena Ferrarin
    If you have three or more unpaid parking tickets in Elgin, your vehicle could soon be impounded. More than 494 individuals fall into this category, owing the city more than $118,000 in unpaid fines. That’s part of more than $1.1 million in unpaid parking tickets, according to information from Elgin police.

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    Schaumburg Whole Foods hosting ‘Give Back Day’ Nov. 13
    Daily Herald staff report
    The Whole Foods Market at 750 N. Martingale Road in Schaumburg is hosting a 5 percent “Give Back Day” event on Tuesday, Nov. 13, to benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County. Five percent of sales made during the store’s hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. will be donated directly to the Children’s Advocacy Center.

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    $5 million Arlington Heights road project completed
    Daily Herald report
    The road improvement project at Northwest Highway and the Arthur and Davis intersection in Arlington Heights is complete with the area reopening to traffic this week.

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    Arlington Heights man faces sex abuse charge
    By Barbara Vitello Legal Affairs Writer
    A Cook County judge set bond at $50,000 Thursday for Orlando Monte, 46, of Arlington Heights, who authorities say sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl over an 18-month period.

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    Tom Cullerton

    Lawmakers leave town with no Office Depot deal
    By Mike Riopell
    Supporters of giving the new Office Depot Inc. tax breaks to use the former OfficeMax headquarters in Naperville rather than offices in Florida hope lawmakers return to Springfield in the coming weeks to push the plan forward. Lawmakers left the Capitol Thursday without legislation to offer the company $53 million over 15 years.

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    Gov. Quinn to sign gay marriage bill Nov. 20
    Associated Press
    Gov. Pat Quinn says he’s planning to sign same-sex marriage legislation on Nov. 20 in Chicago.The governor announced Thursday that he will sign the bill at the University of Illinois at Chicago in a 3:30 p.m. ceremony. The Legislature passed the measure Tuesday.

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    Mundelein’s NorthStar Pickle Co. will move into a 14,000-square-foot building on Donata Court in an industrial area east of Midlothian Road in Lake Zurich. The business has received Lake Zurich village board approval for a special-use permit.

    Pickle plant moving from Mundelein to Lake Zurich
    By Bob Susnjara
    A pickle manufacturer has gained final approval to move into Lake Zurich from Mundelein.

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    The Great Lakes Color Guard retires the colors during the College of Lake County’s annual Veterans Day ceremony Thursday in Grayslake.

    College of Lake County honors those who served
    By Mick Zawislak
    The College of Lake County hosted its annual Veterans Day program on Thursday as one of rembrance and appreciation. "I came here to honor my comrades who can’t be here,” said Craig Emery, an Army vet and CLC student who was among about 35 spectators at the hourlong program in an auditorium on the Grayslake campus.

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    Will Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill reprise their roles in “Star Wars: Episode VII”? If so, Luke and Co. will be back on the big screen Dec. 18, 2015.

    New ‘Star Wars’ film coming in Dec. 2015
    Associated Press
    For the first time in the franchise’s history, a “Star Wars” film won’t be released in the summer. Walt Disney Studios announced Thursday that “Star Wars: Episode VII” will open in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015. The original 1977 film helped set the precedent of the summer blockbuster. But this latest installation in George Lucas’ space opera will be a...

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    Mundelein man charged in hit-and-run crash
    Daily Herald Report
    A Mundelein man was arrested about 12:15 p.m. Sunday after Lincolnshire police stopped his damaged car and found he had been involved in a hit-and-run crash, authorities said.

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    Traveling Chassidim to perform in Buffalo Grove
    Submitted by Suburban Alliance for Jewish Education
    The Traveling Chassidim are coming to Buffalo Grove for their second annual Saturday night “Havdalah” service 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at Ivy Hall Elementary School, 1072 Ivy Hall Lane. The special “Havdalah” service will feature live music, lively dancing and an after Shabbat buffet for the whole family.

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    The city of Naperville is beginning to plan for expansion of the central parking facility on Chicago Avenue just east of Washington Street in downtown Naperville. Reconstruction could begin in about two years after a new parking deck opens at the Water Street District.

    Naperville to expand Chicago Avenue parking deck
    By Marie Wilson
    Naperville officials are beginning to plan for expansion of the public parking deck on Chicago Avenue as the city anticipates demand for an additional 600 to 850 spaces in the next five years. Rebuilding the 553-space deck could begin in about two years once a new parking deck to be built at the Water Street District brings 400 additional spaces to the downtown area. “There is a unique window of...

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    Some debris from Japan’s 2011 tsunami has washed ashore on the U.S. Pacific coast, seen here. But reports that an island of debris remains on the ocean may be incorrect, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

    NOAA: No giant floating island of tsunami debris
    Associated Press
    Federal officials say there is no island of debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami floating toward the United States. Some media reports have warned of a Texas-sized island of wreckage, based on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map of tsunami debris.

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    Lake Park west campus evacuated
    By Josh Stockinger
    Lake Park High School’s west campus in Roselle was evacuated Thursday because of a bomb threat, according to a message on the school website. Students were moved to the adjacent Clauss Recreation Center and later taken home by bus while police secured the high school building at 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.

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    Family and friends gather outside Laird Funeral Home in Elgin Thursday following the service for South Elgin Village President Jim Hansen.

    Hansen remembered as patient, practical leader in South Elgin
    By Elena Ferrarin
    Jim Hansen loved three things: His family, his friends and the village of South Elgin. His commitment to South Elgin, which he led for 12 years as village president, was such that all that mattered to him was the village’s success, not his own, Village Administrator Larry Jones said Thursday during Hansen’s funeral service at Laird Funeral Home in Elgin.

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    David Magana-Corza

    McHenry man pleads not guilty to drug charges
    By Lee Filas
    A McHenry man chiarged with drug possession after being pulled over for littering pleaded not guilty in Lake County court Thursday. David Magana-Corza was charged after cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was found in his vehicle during a traffic stop on Oct. 1.

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    Aaron Thurmond

    Plea deal reached in Lake County sex trafficking case
    By Lee Filas
    A Chicago man initially charged with indentured servitude for forcing his girlfriend into prostitution, pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking in humans in Lake County court Thursday. Aaron Thurmond was sentenced to four years in the department of corrections following the plea in front of Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti.

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    In this 2010 photo, Coachella Valley High School’s mascot, “Arab,” gives the thumbs up during a game in Thermal, Calif. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is calling on the Southern California high school to get rid of its longstanding mascot that it deems offensive.

    Calif. high school asked to abandon Arab mascot
    Associated Press
    Attend a Coachella Valley High School football game, and you will find a snarling, black-bearded mascot wearing a headscarf urging fans to root for the team. The mascot in this Southern California desert town east of Palm Springs that has existed for nearly a century has now drawn the ire of an anti-discrimination group that deems the caricature offensive and stereotypical.

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    Juventino Guzman

    Elgin man faces prison for ‘slip and fall’ insurance fraud
    By Harry Hitzeman Legal Affairs Writer
    A 51-year-old Elgin man pleaded guilty to aggravated insurance fraud and forgery and faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced Dec. 20. Juventino Guzman was accused of filing bogus "slip and fall" insurance claims against businesses in Elgin and Carpentersville and collecting more than $200,000.

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    Jeremy Betancourt,

    Teen charged in fatal street racing crash remains free on bond
    By Lee Filas
    An Antioch teen accused of being on drugs when he crashed his car during an illegal street race was told he is allowed to remain free on bond following a hearing in Lake County court early Thursday. However, Jeremy Betancourt, 17, was warned by Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti that if he does one thing wrong while out on bond, he would be placed back in Lake County jail while he awaits trial.

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    Alexes Garcia makes cinnamon rolls using apple sauce instead of trans fats. The FDA planned to announce Thursday it will require the food industry to gradually phase out all trans fats, saying they are a threat to people’s health.

    FDA to ban artery-clogging trans fats
    Associated Press
    Heart-clogging trans fats have been slowly disappearing from grocery aisles and restaurant menus in the last decade. Now, the Food and Drug Administration is finishing the job. The FDA announced Thursday it will require the food industry to gradually g they are a threat to people’s health.

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    Edward Hospital emergency room physician Dr. Michael Hartmann will have these supplies and more on hand Sunday while serving as medical director for the inaugural Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon and Half Marathon.

    Naperville marathon medical staff looks to ‘create the healthy’
    By Marie Wilson
    As a runner who has completed one marathon and three Ironman triathlons, Michael Hartmann has the resume to be a competitor in the Inaugural Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon on Sunday. But as an emergency room physician with nine years experience at Edward Hospital, race organizers thought Dr. Hartmann’s resume suited him for another position: marathon medical director. “I was actually going...

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    North Central leading partnership against gender-based violence
    By Marie Wilson
    Fueled by $274,600 in federal Department of Justice grant funds, North Central College, Naperville police, Edward Hospital, Wheaton-based Family Shelter Service and the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Patterson and McDaniel Family Center in Glendale Heights are educating students and the public about preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. “We really wanted to...

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    Army veteran Don Kriel of Hawthorn Woods visits with third graders Nathaniel Stall, right and Jackson Maclay.

    Veterans breakfast with Lake Zurich students
    Daily Herald report
    Sarah Adams Elementary School in Lake Zurich held its 12th annual Veteran’s Day breakfast Thursday morning. The students performed a musical salute to past and present members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

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    Today’s fourth- and eighth-graders are doing better than their predecessors in math and reading, but even with record scores, it’s too early to celebrate. The vast majority of the students still are not demonstrating solid academic performance in either subject, according to the 2013 Nation’s Report Card, which was released Thursday.

    U.S. report card: Scores up, but not all news good
    Associated Press
    Today’s fourth- and eighth-graders are doing better than their predecessors in math and reading, but even with record scores, it’s too early to celebrate. The vast majority of the students still are not demonstrating solid academic performance in either subject, according to the 2013 Nation’s Report Card, which was released Thursday.

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    Jason Carter, the grandson of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, has decided to run for governor of Georgia next year.

    Carter says he’s proud of grandson in Ga. gov. run
    Associated Press
    Former President Jimmy Carter says he’s excited and proud that his grandson, Jason, has decided to run for governor of Georgia next year.

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    Q&A on polonium: Swiss say Arafat was poisoned
    Associated Press
    Scientists at Switzerland’s Institute of Radiation Physics said Thursday they’ve found evidence that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was deliberately poisoned with polonium though they don’t know if it ultimately killed him. Here are some facts about polonium.

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    Moscow to host talks of Syrian regime, opposition
    Associated Press
    Russia says it’s trying to broker talks in Moscow between the Syrian government and the opposition.

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    From left, Tower Lakes Village President Kathleen Leitner and Cuba Township Supervisor David Nelson receive the 2013 Donald P. Klein award from Barrington Area Council of Governments Chairwoman and South Barrington Village President Paula McCombie.

    Tower Lakes, Cuba Township win BACOG award
    By Eric Peterson
    The village of Tower Lakes and Cuba Township were the joint recipients of the Barrington Area Council of Government’s 2013 Donald P. Klein award for their purchase and preservation of Barclay’s Woods. Tower Lakes Village President Kathleen Leitner and Cuba Township Supervisor David Nelson were presented with the award at the BACOG member dinner Nov. 1.

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    Wauconda police Sgt. John Combs and his canine partner, Maxx. Maxx is retiring in May. A new police dog, a German shepherd named Varro, will begin next week.

    Wauconda’s award-winning police dog, Maxx, to retire in May
    By Russell Lissau
    The Wauconda Police Department’s award-winning dog, Maxx, will retire in 2014 after nearly a decade of service. Fortunately for the village, a new dog already is training to replace him.

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    The Latin sign on the door translates as “Here lies a good man,” but it marked the temporary resting place of Lou Bolchazy, an eccentric publisher who retreated to this room every afternoon for a quick nap.

    'The Epic of Lou Bolchazy' a classic tale of vision, zest, fun
    By Burt Constable
    Even if you only consider the literature, art, music, religion, culture and history made a millennium before the Renaissance, eccentric publisher Lou Bolchazy of Lake Barrington still qualifies as a true Renaissance man. Bolchazy was so passionate about bringing the ancient Romans and Greeks to our modern world that he started his own publishing company.

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    FBI wants hacker who helped catch cheating lovers
    Associated Press
    It’s not just the federal government intercepting your communications. It could be a nosy relative or jealous partner. Among five individuals added this week to the FBI’s list of most wanted cybercriminals is a former San Diego college student who developed an $89 program dubbed “Loverspy” and “Email PI.”

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    Fire: Neighbors recall women who liked kids’ Halloween costumes
    Working near an open window on the overnight shift at the Arlington Heights police station Wednesday morning, officer John Bzdusek and Sgt. Joe Pinnello smelled something burning.They called the fire department. Firefighters followed the smell to a home five blocks away that was fully engulfed in flames.

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    Math is all about creativity, says James Tao, a senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. James, 17, of Hoffman Estates, is the most advanced geometry student that math teacher Michael Keyton has taught in 48 years, 12 of them at the prestigious Aurora school.

    Hoffman Estates math whiz finds creativity in problem solving
    By Elena Ferrarin
    If you look past numbers and computations and distill math to its essence, it's all about creativity, 17-year-old James Tao says. "When I think of math, when I think of coming up with a proof where there wasn't a proof before, I really put this in the same category as starting with a blank canvas and producing a painting, starting with a blank score and producing a music piece."

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    The Holiday Grand Illumination will dazzle with more than 300,000 holiday lights during a Hometown Holidays kickoff event at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, in downtown Naperville. Usually held around Thanksgiving, the ceremony was moved up about three weeks to precede Sunday’s inaugural Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon.

    Downtown Naperville lighting up early for marathon, holidays
    By Marie Wilson
    If Nov. 8 seems a bit soon to be lighting up downtown Naperville for the winter season, there’s good reason. Actually, 26.2 miles worth of good reason. The Holiday Grand Illumination at 6 p.m. Friday was moved to precede the inaugural Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon on Sunday, said Katie Wood, executive director of Downtown Naperville Alliance.“Typically, we wouldn’t have gone that early, but...

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    Dawn Patrol: 3 die in Arlington Hts. fire; new Cubs manager
    By Sara Hooker and Lee Filas
    Three women die in Arlington Heights fire. Mom files bullying suit against St. Charles D303. Sex assault charge added to Mundelein kidnapping. 911 dispatcher disciplined in Arlington Heights car sinking. Warner Bros. wants its cut in suburban Polar Express rides. Cubs set to hire Renteria. Marshall talks NFL bullying.

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    Tom Horvath displays the gear bag each registered runner will receive during an October meeting of volunteers for the Edward Hospital Marathon and Half Marathon.

    A 'world-class experience' for runners at Naperville marathon
    By Marie Wilson
    Organizers say volunteers are vital to the Inaugural Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon and Half Marathon, which begins at 7 a.m. Sunday at Porter Avenue and Loomis Street on the North Central College campus. “What I want to do is create a world-class experience for the runners,” said Volunteer Coordinator Althea Wasilewski, who is donating her own time to the cause. “

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    The reception area of the Lakeview Fitness Center in Vernon Hills has been reconfigured for better security. A grand reopening of the former Central Lake YMCA is scheduled for Saturday.

    Old Vernon Hills YMCA to show new look Saturday
    By Mick Zawislak
    About this time last year, discussions about the imminent demise of the YMCA in Vernon Hills were fast and furious after the organization, citing substantial deficits, announced it would close the facility. The village stepped in with a $2 million low interest loan to the Vernon Hills Park District to acquire the property and building. “We all knew it was the right thing to do to keep the...

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    Bob Pearson of Hampshire was seriously injured in a car accident late last month and remains in the hospital. Several groups in Hampshire are planning fundraisers for Pearson, who was the Daily Herald’s Fittest Loser winner in 2011.

    Hampshire coming together to support man in need
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    The Hampshire community has risen up to support a fellow resident who is known for dropping whatever he’s doing to help people. Bob Pearson, winner of the Daily Herald’s 2011 Fittest Loser contest, was involved in a serious automobile accident Oct. 26 and remains in the neuro-intensive care unit at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in Rockford.

Sports

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    Football Focus: Week 11 Preview
    In this installment of Football Focus, Joe Aguilar visits Warren to discuss their playoff game with Barrington coming up on Saturday night.

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    Lance Armstrong in the documentary film “The Armstrong Lie.”

    The rough road to ‘Armstrong Lie’
    Associated Press
    When Alex Gibney set out to make a movie about cyclist Lance Armstrong’s 2009 Tour de France comeback, the documentarian admits he bought into the hype: The man who’d cheated death was coming back to reign supreme — and clean.“All of us fans wanted to believe,” said Gibney, who directed this summer’s well-received documentary “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks.” “You want to root for people. That is what sports are all about.”

  •  

    Jazz give Bulls a good chance to turn it around
    By Mike McGraw
    The Bulls worked hard at practice, after an ugly finish against Indiana dropped their record to 1-3. Winless Utah visits Friday, so there’s an opportunity for things to get better quickly.

  •  

    Ponder, Peterson help Vikings rally to beat Skins
    By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer
    The Minnesota Vikings needed most of the game to figure out how to stop Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. They finally walked off their home field a winner, too.

  •  
    Rick Renteria, left, smiles as he celebrates a win by Team Mexico over the United States with Adrian Gonzalez (23) in the World Baseball Classic. Renteria is now the manager of the Cubs and expects his team to compete right away.

    Renteria: We’re going to compete and win
    By Bruce Miles
    New Cubs manager Rick Renteria said he's not concerned about the club's recent losing history. During his introductory conference call with reporters on Thursday, he exuded extreme positivity despite the challenges ahead.

  •  

    Thursday’s girls volleyball scoreboard
    High school varsity results from Thursday's girls volleyball matches, as reported to the Daily Herald.

  •  

    Wheaton in final form in CCIW
    By Kyle Thele
    The men’s and women’s Wheaton College soccer teams started the year in similar places and now with just one conference game left the two teams have continued to mirror each other. Both Thunder teams will compete Saturday for the the CCIW Tournament championship against Carthage College.

  •  
    Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com Lake Zurich players Kristen Walding, right, and Natalie Corrigan hug as they celebrate with teammates after winning the Class 4A volleyball sectional final at Conant High School Thursday and defeating Stevenson High School.

    Lake Zurich nets sectional triumph
    By Joe Aguilar
    Resilient and athletic even in season-ending defeat, Khaila Donaldson bounced to her feet immediately after a kill by Lake Zurich’s Mallory Parsons flattened Stevenson’s star and ended Thursday night’s Class 4A Conant sectional final. “It was a great swing by her,” Donaldson said after No. 1 Lake Zurich outlasted the third-seeded Patriots 25-23, 25-22 in Hoffman Estates. “It was a missed block by us. That was happening throughout the match. It just so happened that (Parson’s kill) was the game point. It was just another error that we made.”

  •  
    MacKenzie Watterson of Glenbard South tries to tap one past Symone Speech and Amy Schembari of Oak Park River Forest in the Class 4A Morton volleyball sectional, Thursday.

    Oak Park blocks Glenbard South
    By Joe Cosentino
    Glenbard South hoped to make history with its first sectional win, but it wasn’t to be as the Raiders fell to a very strong Oak Park-River Forest team 25-15, 25-23 at the Class 4A Morton sectional on Thursday in Berwyn.

  •  
    Geneva’s Courtney Caruso (13, right) hugs Hanah Lanasa as teammate Megan Cameron (14) runs to join them after they beat St. Charles North during Thursday’s sectional final in Geneva.

    Geneva wins 1st sectional title
    By John Lemon
    Given how hard it has been for Geneva’s girls volleyball program to snare that elusive sectional title, it’s fitting how the Vikings finally did it rallying past St. Charles North Thursday night in the Class 4A Geneva sectional championship game. After dropping the first set and being five points away from defeat in the second, the Vikings stormed back, sending their home fans into a court-rushing frenzy with a wild 21-25, 25-22, 25-22 victory and the first sectional championship in school history.

  •  

    Crystal Lake South breezes past Warren
    By Jerry Fitzpatrick
    To best simulate the potent swings they would see from Crystal Lake South in Thursday’s Class 4A Belvidere North sectional title match, the Warren girls volleyball team practiced on Wednesday against a few of that program’s coaches. However, not even a scout team of adults could prepare the Blue Devils for the relentless barrage they faced from CL South’s grown-up attack, led by outside hitter Carly Nolan. The junior finished with 13 kills to lead the Gators to a 25-14, 25-20 victory over Warren and into the Elite Eight.

  •  
    Frank Yallop, the head coach and director of soccer for the Chicago Fire, plans to hire two or three assistant coaches over the next few weeks.

    Fire’s new head coach getting settled in
    By Orrin Schwarz
    New Fire coach Frank Yallop wasn’t ready to break any big news Thursday.He’s only been on the job a week, so when asked if the club might make a splash by signing a designated player this off-season, Yallop had to pass. He's spending the time now getting to know players and staff members.

  •  
    White Sox’s Paul Konerko hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game on Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, in Chicago.

    Three things to watch for with White Sox
    By Scot Gregor
    As the rumor mill gets rolling, White Sox beat writer Scot Gregor looks at the Paul Konerko situation and potential changes at catcher and second base.

  •  
    Caroline Wolf of Benet reacts to the big win during the Benet vs. Naperville North at Class Plainfield South girls volleyball sectional final Thursday.

    Benet defense dispatches Naperville North
    By Mike Krizman
    Benet did all it could to keep the Naperville North attack attempts off the floor, and the defensive effort paid off. The Redwings totaled 35 digs, including a game-high 12 from Caroline Wolf, leading to a 25-21, 25-13 victory over Naperville North to win the Plainfield South girls volleyball sectional title Thursday evening. “We work on it a lot and you hope that it comes through in big matches,” Benet coach Brad Baker said of his team’s defense. “We understand the importance of first contact and controlling the ball. If you can stop people from scoring and you’re able to score points on your own, it’s a huge advantage.”

  •  

    Marian Central eliminates Burlington Central in 3
    By John Radtke
    Volleyball, possibly more so than any sport, is a momentum game, especially when the teams facing each other are of fairly equal ability. Thursday night on Rocket Hill in Burlington, Marian Central proved just how important momentum really is. The Hurricanes, after winning a nip-and-tuck Game 1, let host Burlington Central grab the momentum and Game 2, but then came back and dominated Game 3 to deal the Rockets a 25-21, 18-25, 25-15 loss in the championship game of the Class 3A BC sectional.

  •  
    Barrington’s Wyatt Trautwein delivers last spring in the Mid-Suburban League title game against Rolling Meadows.

    Fedro, Trautwein happy to bond with Bradley
    By Marty Maciaszek
    Traveling paved the way to bonding for Wyatt Trautwein and Jordan Fedro. Their paths had crossed when Fedro pitched for Prospect against Trautwein’s Barrington team in a Mid-Suburban League baseball game last spring. But they didn’t really know each other until they ended up on the same summer travel team in the Top Tier program, which ended up leading to a shared collegiate future at Bradley.

  •  
    Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com ¬ Playoffs - Round Three- Marian Central at Montini football playoff game

    A rivalry that doesn’t get enough recognition
    By Kevin Schmit
    When it comes to top football rivalries, how come there isn’t more mention of Montini and Marian Central Catholic?

  •  
    Rolling Meadows quarterback Bobby Suchecki delivers a pass during the Mustangs’ victory at Grayslake North last weekend.

    Late run suits Suchecki, Rolling Meadows
    By Dick Quagliano
    Bobby Suchecki has been building for this moment his whole life. Now the 17-year-old has Rolling Meadows poised to break through in the Class 6A playoffs when the Mustangs host Batavia in a second-round Class 6A playoff matchup at 6 p.m. Saturday. “We are really looking forward to this,” Suchecki said. “It is what we have worked for all season.”

  •  
    Palatine’s Cassidy McPherson, here excelling in the girls track state meet, is among three key seniors central to the Pirates’ state trophy hopes.

    Palatine hopes to continue dealing downstate
    By Michael Eaken
    It was business as usual for Palatine girls cross country team this season. The Pirates secured their 14th Mid-Suburban League title, 22nd regional title, and 17th sectional title. This weekend, the Pirates will be looking to continue their roll as they take aim at a 14th state trophy for the program. Palatine enters Saturday’s Class 3A state race at Detweiller Park in Peoria with high expectations. With seniors Liz Cox, Cassidy McPherson and Jessica Lincoln at the controls, the Pirates seem to be in good position.

  •  
    Lauren Rouse

    Rouse’s roundball regimen leads her to Olivet Nazarene
    By Joe Aguilar
    A hunger to succeed has helped Mundelein senior Lauren Rouse land a future in basketball at Olivet Nazarene University.

  •  
    Coachella Valley High School’s mascot, “Arab,” gives the thumbs during a game against Yucca Valley, in Thermal, Calif. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is calling on the Southern California high school to get rid of its long-standing mascot that it deems offensive. The mascot has been around since the 1920s and was chosen to recognize the area’s reliance on date farming, traditionally a Middle Eastern crop.

    California high school asked to abandon ‘Arab’ mascot
    Associated Press
    Go to a high-school football game in the Southern California desert, and you may be surprised to see belly dancers performing at halftime. Fans who come out to root for the prep team known as the Coachella Valley Arabs will find a snarling, black-bearded mascot wearing a headscarf egging them on. The mascot in this town east of Palm Springs that has existed for nearly a century has now drawn the ire of an anti-discrimination group that deems the caricature offensive and stereotypical.

  •  
    Sean Payton has been back on the sideline calling plays for half a season now, and the record-setting offense he designed hasn’t quite lived up to its usual standards. While the Saints’ offense remains the envy of most of the NFL, the team has struggled running the ball — and that has emboldened opponents to dial up more exotic blitzes.

    Saints offense struggles to meet lofty standards
    Associated Press
    Sean Payton has been back on the sideline calling plays for half a season now, and the record-setting offense he designed hasn’t quite lived up to its usual standards.The Saints’ offense remains the envy of most of the NFL, ranking seventh in total yards and scoring. Drew Brees is on pace for a third straight 5,000-yard, 40-touchdown season, and ranks third in the NFL in passing. Still, the Saints have struggled running the ball, and that has emboldened opponents to dial up more exotic blitzes, producing more sacks and hits on New Orleans’ franchise quarterback.

  •  

    Ailing head coach visits with Texans
    Associated Press
    Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak was back with his team, if only for a short visit.He dropped in on the team at the end of practice Thursday, four days after he collapsed at a game with a mini-stroke. Kubiak was not made available to the media, but interim head coach Wade Phillips shared what Kubiak said to the team.

  •  

    Bulls feeling powerless in the paint
    By Mike McGraw
    Of the many negative numbers from Wednesday’s loss at Indiana, the worst might have been the Bulls scoring just 14 points in the paint. They’re low for points in the paint last season was 22 against San Antonio.

  •  

    Girls cross country / State meet scouting, Northwest
    By Michael Eaken
    Here's a look at the girls cross country state meet from the perspective of teams in the Mid-Suburban League and St. Viator.

  •  
    A strong cast of Mid-Suburban League runners including, from left, Fremd’s Harry Winter, Barrington’s Konrad Eiring and Jake Herb, Hoffman Estates’ Billy Thomas and Conant’s Zach Dale compete during the MSL meet.

    Boys cross country / State meet scouting, Northwest
    By Michael Eaken
    Here's a look at the boys cross country state meet from the perspective of teams in the Mid-Suburban League plus St. Viator.

  •  
    Rolling Meadows wide receiver Matt Campbell runs with the ball against Grayslake North in a Class 6A state playoff opener at Grayslake North last Friday. Meadows won the game 49-20 and will host Batavia in a second-round game at 6 p.m. Saturday.

    Football/Second-round pairings, dates and times
    Daily Herald report
    Here are the second-round pairings for the IHSA state football playoffs, with dates and times.

  •  

    IC Catholic Prep has no problem in final
    By Allen Oshinski
    Thursday’s sectional championship match was almost anticlimactic for IC Catholic Prep.

  •  
    Harvest Christian Academy’s girls volleyball team comes together after beating St. Francis de Sales in two games in the sectional final in Elgin Thursday.

    Three-straight sectional titles for Harvest Christian
    By Brian Schaumburg
    The celebration Thursday night was quite subdued. Despite winning its third consecutive sectional championship, the Harvest Christian girls volleyball wasn’t holding the plaque it wants. The Lions dominated St. Francis de Sales, 25-7, 25-8, on their home floor in the Class 1A Harvest Christian sectional title match.

  •  
    Devin Strickland of Waubonsie is on the run during the Naperville North at Waubonsie Valley football playoff opener Saturday.

    Scouting this weekend’s DuPage County football games
    Previews of second-round IHSA football playoff games for the DuPage Valley coverage area

  •  
    Notre Dame’s Troy Niklas started his college career at linebacker but switched to tight end last season.

    Notre Dame’s Niklas is intimidating tight end
    Associated Press
    Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas is an intimidating figure at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds and a physique so impressive former teammate Manti Te’o nicknamed him “Hercules.” Off the field, though, the mere mention of Niklas’ name brings a smile to teammates’ faces because of his offbeat character.

  •  
    Winnipeg’s Evander Kane and the Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews jostle for position during the Hawks’ victory Wednesday. Toews, with the help of Yanic Perreault, is winning 57.5 percent of his faceoffs this season.

    Hawks getting better at faceoffs, thanks to Perreault
    The Blackhawks are serious about becoming a better team on faceoffs this season. Hawks coach Joel Quenneville hired Yanic Perreault, one of the best faceoff men ever during his 13-year NHL career, to work with the likes of centers Marcus Kruger, Andrew Shaw and Brandon Pirri on getting better at winning draws, and the results are starting to show.

  •  

    Game video: Naperville Central vs. Homewood-Flossmoor
    Naperville Central takes on Homewood-Flossmoor Friday night in Class 8A football playoff action. Follow the game here with video from High School Cube, then come back later for the replay and highlights.

  •  
    St. Charles North's Kat Stutesman became the first female to make the Upstate Eight's all-conference football team.

    St. Charles North's Stutesman makes UEC history
    By Dave Oberhelman
    The Upstate Eight Conference football all-conference honors recently were released. And here's the kicker. St. Charles North senior Kat Stutesman made the River Division team as a kicking specialist, the first female football selection in the UEC and possibly in the state. When North Stars coach Rob Pomazak told his team who received UEC recognition, no one was more surprised than Stutesman.

  •  
    Warren running back Max Sorby has helped balance the Blue Devils’ prolific offense.

    Courteously, Sorby helps out Warren’s playoff run
    By Patricia Babcock McGraw
    Yessir, running back Max Sorby has given balance to Warren's pass-happy offense.

  •  

    Football playoffs, Round 2: Scouting Lake County
    By Patricia Babcock McGraw
    Here's a look at Round 2 of the high school football playoffs from the perspective of Stevenson, Warren and Lake Zurich.

  •  
    Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, left, is expected to start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Josh McCown (12), led the Bears to a win against Green Bay on Monday.

    Rehab success: Cutler cleared to play
    By Bob LeGere
    Bears quarterback Jay Cutler returned to practice Thursday, and has been cleared by the Bears medical team to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Cutler, who suffered a torn groin muscle on Oct. 20 and was expected to be out 4-6 weeks, undertook an extensive rehabilitation regimen to accelerate his return.

  •  

    Scouting Round 2, Northwest
    By Dick Quagliano
    Here's a look at the second-round playoff matchups from the perspective of Barrington, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Conant.

  •  
    The Cubs hired Rick Renteria as their new manager. Renteria received a three-year contract.

    Cubs hire Rick Renteria as new manager
    Associated Press
    The Cubs have made it official and hired Rick Renteria as their new manager. The Cubs said Renteria was given a three-year contract, with club options for 2017 and 2018. Terms were not disclosed.

  •  

    Boys soccer / Scouting Class 3A
    By Mike Garofola
    Here's a look at the Class 3A boys soccer state tournament from the perspective of Wheeling, which is making its first final four appearance.

  •  
    Josh McCown (12) talks to Jay Cutler during the first half of the Bears’ victory over Green Bay on Monday. Cutler hopes to play Sunday against the Lions, but doctors must clear him to play. “There is no gray area in this decision,” said Bears coach Marc Trestman.

    Doctors hold key to whether or not Cutler can play
    By Bob LeGere
    The Bears haven't ruled injured No. 1 quarterback Jay Cutler out for Sunday's NFC North showdown with the Lions, but the exceptional play of backup Josh McCown allows coach Marc Trestman the luxury of erring on the side of caution. “Part of that determination will be by working him out and making sure he can move suddenly and redirect himself and stride and run full out,” Trestman said.

  •  

    Mike North Video: White Sox dismal future
    The White Sox organization doesn’t seem to have a clue how to make improvements to this team. Retaining Robin Ventura as a manager is just another sign they don’t want to open their pocketbooks to improve the team for the fans.

  •  

    Game video: Lake Zurich vs. Stevenson volleyball
    Lake Zurich takes on Stevenson in sectional championship volleyball action Thursday night. Follow the game here with video from High School Cube, then come back later for the replay and highlights.

  •  

    Game video: Naperville North vs. Benet volleyball
    Naperville North takes on Benet in sectional championship volleyball action Thursday night. Follow the game here with video from High School Cube, then come back later for the replay and highlights.

Business

  •  
    A man walks his dogs past the New York Stock Exchange prior to the Twitter IPO, Thursday in New York.

    Dazzling Twitter debut sends stock soaring 73 pct
    Associated Press
    Shares of Twitter went on sale to the public for the first time Thursday, instantly leaping more than 70 percent above their offering price in a dazzling debut that exceeded even Wall Street’s lofty hopes. By the closing bell, the social network that reinvented global communication in 140-character bursts was valued at $31 billion.

  •  
    The lounger area at Stella's, a new bar with video gambling that opened in Hoffman Estates Thursday.

    Stella's video gambling bar opens first location in Hoffman Estates
    By Jessica Cilella
    Stella's, a new bar that offers beer and wine, a menu of small plates and video gambling, opened the first of several approved locations in the Chicago area Thursday. Located at 1171 Barrington Road in the Hoffman Village Shopping Center, near Golf and Barrington Roads, the Hoffman Estates Stella's will be open to its full hours on Saturday.

  •  
    Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, left, and Mike Gupta, center, chief financial officer of Twitter, talk with specialist Glenn Carell during Twitter’s IPO, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday. U.S. stocks fell, dragging the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to its biggest loss in two months, as speculation the Federal Reserve may scale back stimulus amid faster-than-estimated economic growth overshadowed a move by the European Central Bank to cut a key interest rate.

    Stocks sink on Fed worries, but Twitter surges
    Associated Press
    Twitter popped, but the rest of the market dropped. Twitter wowed investors with a 73 percent surge on its first day of trading Thursday. The broader market, however, had its worst day since August as traders worried that the Federal Reserve could cut back on its economic stimulus.

  •  
    Shovels in the ground mark the spot, after a groundbreaking ceremony for the new $40 million addition to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

    Lutheran General begins $40 million expansion
    Daily Herald report
    Advocate Lutheran General Hospital broke ground Thursday on an 18-month, $40 million project to expand the Emergency Room, Level 1 Trauma Center and the Surgery Department. Hospital officials say the construction is in response to an increase in the volume of patients, as well as the complexity of care they require.

  •  
    Critics of the new health care law are claiming some labor unions could get a break from fees imposed on everyone covered by health insurance. The Obama administration’s plan to exempt “certain self-insured, self-administered plans” from paying fees in 2015 and 2016 is not sitting well with Republicans.

    Critics: Unions could get break from health care fees
    Associated Press
    Critics of the new health care law are claiming some labor unions could get a break from fees imposed on everyone covered by health insurance. The Obama administration’s plan to exempt “certain self-insured, self-administered plans” from paying fees in 2015 and 2016 is not sitting well with Republicans, who say the move smacks of favoritism for a powerful White House ally. Labor officials say many unions won’t be affected.

  •  
    The corner of Hale and Illinois streets sits on the outer edge of a four-square-block area Wheaton officials have designated as prime for both residential and retail redevelopment.

    Wheaton prepares to dig into 20-year downtown plan
    By Justin Kmitch
    Wheaton’s downtown has the space and infrastructure to accommodate growth, but a new report to be accepted by city officials Monday says work needs to be done to make the city a destination for both retailers and residents in the decades to come. Among the key improvements that planners believe will bolster downtown are the creation of “festival streets” along Liberty, Hale and Karlskoga; creation of a central park; upgrades to the popular French Market; and redevelopment of Main Street from Roosevelt Road north to the railroad tracks.

  •  
    Chick-fil-A is coming to Vernon Hills with an opening day set on Nov. 14.

    Chick-fil-A set to open in Vernon Hills
    Daily Herald Staff Report
    Chick-fil-A restaurant is set to open Nov. 14 in Vernon Hills.The new eatery is expected to bring nearly 80 new jobs and the chance for 100 adults to win free Chick-fil-A meals for a year as the chain reaches the 10th anniversary of its signature grand opening celebration on the day of the opening.

  •  
    The cheapest “best bet” was the Graco Connext backless seat

    Most booster seats do well in new safety rankings
    Associated Press
    More than half of child booster seats that went on sale this year earned a top rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The institute, which is funded by insurers, ranked 31 new models. Nineteen earned the top rating of “best bet,” which means they correctly position a 4- to 8-year-old child to use the regular shoulder and lap belts in almost any car.

  •  
    CCU launched a new app for credit union members called eXpressShot that works with mobile devices to make deposits in real time. This is the iOS version.

    Credit union offers new app for real-time direct deposits
    By Anna Marie Kukec
    Waukegan-based Consumers Credit Union has launched a new app called eXpressShot, a free mobile service that allows members a chance to use their smart devices to do mobile deposits in real time. The app, eXpressShot, offers members the ability to deposit checks using their device on a secure system from anywhere.

  •  
    A worker fixes the display of Oreo cookies at a market in Palo Alto, Calif.

    Oreo maker Mondelez sees cookie troubles in China
    Associated Press
    Deerfield-based Oreo maker Mondelez is struggling to boost cookie sales in China. The global snack food company on Wednesday reported a higher quarterly profit and raised its earnings outlook for the year, citing plans to improve productivity in its operations. But Mondelez, which also owns Cadbury chocolates, Ritz crackers and Trident gum, trimmed its full-year sales expectations, in part because of its disappointing cookie sales in China.

  •  
    Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens

    Siemens to buy back $5.4 billion in stock
    Associated Press
    German industrial conglomerate Siemens said Thursday its profit dropped in the fourth quarter, but its shares rose after it announced it would buy back $5.4 billion in stock and predicted improved profits. Siemens AG shares were up 3.6 percent to 96.11 euros ($129.44) in midday Frankfurt trading to be one of the top performers on the DAX index.

  •  
    Wendy’s says its third-quarter loss narrowed as more customers snapped up offerings at its restaurants including its new Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger.

    Wendy’s adjusted 3Q net income beats Street
    Associated Press
    Wendy’s says its third-quarter loss narrowed as more customers snapped up offerings at its restaurants including its new Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger. Results beat expectations and the company raised its guidance. The company, based in Dublin, Ohio, says sales rose 3.2 percent at restaurants open at least a year, a key retail metric.

  •  
    In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, fully assembled and ready to use bikes sit at the Divvy roll-out facility in Chicago.

    Chicago bike-sharing system to be biggest in U.S.
    Associated Press
    The city of Chicago says its bicycle-sharing program is poised to become the biggest in North America next year thanks to a $3 million federal grant that will allow it to expand. Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the funding Wednesday and said it would allow the city to install 75 more sidewalk docking stations full of the bright blue bikes.

  •  
    Gilbert R. Boucher III | Daily Herald file photo Costco’s sales at stores open at least a year rose 3 percent in October, beating Wall Street’s expectations.

    Costco Oct. key revenue metric beats Street’s view
    Associated Press
    Costco’s sales at stores open at least a year rose 3 percent in October, beating Wall Street’s expectations. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters predicted a 2.6 percent increase for the wholesale club operator. This figure is a key gauge of a retailer’s health because it excludes results from locations recently opened or closed.

  •  
    Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

    Chicago mayor defends police, fire overtime costs
    Associated Press
    Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is defending the approximately $136 million being spent this year to pay overtime to police and fire department personnel. Emanuel told the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board the overtime is not designed to be a cost-saving management strategy.

  •  
    A covered vehicle sits in part of the new paint shop at Chrysler’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich.

    U.S. economic growth likely slowed in third quarter
    Associated Press
    U.S. economic growth is likely languishing in the second half of 2013, held back by federal policies and a slowdown in hiring that has kept consumers from stepping up spending. Economists are hopeful that the impact from Washington may soon ease, clearing the way for stronger growth next year.

  •  
    Fannie Mae headquarters in Washington.

    Fannie Mae posts 7th straight profit in 3Q
    Associated Press
    Mortgage giant Fannie Mae earned $8.7 billion in the July through September period, its seventh straight profitable quarter. The government-controlled company will have nearly repaid in full its taxpayer bailout of five years ago, after paying its third-quarter dividend.

  •  

    European Central Bank surprises markets with rate cut
    Associated Press
    The European Central Bank has startled investors with a surprise cut in its benchmark interest rate. The bank lowered the benchmark refinancing rate to a record low 0.25 percent from 0.5 percent at a meeting of its 23-member governing council in Frankfurt.

  •  

    State panel raises Illinois revenue forecast $369 million
    Associated Press
    Illinois is on track to bring in an extra $369 million in revenue for the current fiscal year, according to the General Assembly’s budget forecasters. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported Tuesday that the state’s extra money includes another $200 million from sales tax income and an additional $72 million from court settlements.

  •  
    Travis Schepker, a biology intern, holds an Asian carp pulled from the Illinois River near Havana, Ill. Scientists are monitoring native fish populations for signs of damage from Asian carp.

    Great Lakes senators urge quick action on carp
    Associated Press
    All 16 U.S. senators from Great Lakes states sent a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, urging quick action to stop the movement of Asian carp. The senators want fast action to stop the invasive fish from swimming up the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal into the lakes.

  •  
    A model of Pablo Picasso’s famed Chicago sculpture named “Tete.” The late Spanish artist created the piece between 1962 and 1964.

    Model of Chicago’s Picasso doesn’t sell at auction
    Associated Press
    Christie’s auction house in New York says Pablo Picasso’s model of his famed downtown Chicago sculpture did not sell at auction after bids failed to meet a minimum reserve. Authorities had hoped the piece would fetch between $25 million and $35 million when it went on the auction block Monday in New York.

  •  
    United Airlines is allowing passengers to use portable electronic devices throughout domestic flights.

    United allowing wider use of electronic devices
    Associated Press
    United Airlines is allowing passengers to use portable electronic devices throughout domestic flights. The move by United, the world’s biggest airline, matches new policies at Delta, JetBlue and American.

Life & Entertainment

  •  
    In "Dallas Buyers Club," the daring Matthew McConaughey plays true-life character Ron Woodroof, who turned his search for an AIDS cure into a capitalistic enterprise.

    McConaughey's performance hits gold standard in 'Buyers Club'
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    "Dallas Buyers Club” attracts the entire political spectrum. For the right, it's an inspiring tale of transforming calamity into an entrepreneurial opportunity. For the left, it's a tender story of a homophobe who begins to see one mass of hurting humanity instead of “others” defined by sexual preferences. What's not to love about a movie that Rush Limbaugh and Rachel Maddow can both enjoy?

  •  
    Judi Dench resurrected her James Bond character M in a video released Thursday as part of the Weinstein Co.’s appeal to the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating of Dench’s latest film, “Philomena.”

    Judi Dench brings Bond character M back from dead
    Associated Press
    The head of the Secret Intelligence Service, where James Bond works, has returned from the dead. Played by Judi Dench, M was killed off in the most recent Bond adventure, “Skyfall.” But Dench resurrected the character in a video released Thursday as part of the Weinstein Co.’s appeal to the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating of Dench’s latest starring vehicle, “Philomena.”

  •  
    Not everyone finds Jimmy Kimmel’s annual Halloween prank funny.

    Kimmel prank brings tears to eyes of kids
    By David Bauder, Associated Press
    Jimmy Kimmel brought tears to the eyes of many children recently. But they weren’t tears of joy. ABC’s late-night host conducted what’s becoming an annual prank during the past week, encouraging parents to tell their children they had eaten all of their Halloween candy, film the response and upload the video so he could show it on his TV show and on YouTube. Predictably, many of the fooled children were quite upset. “Pranking your own children is not harmless fun, but is cruel and potentially damaging,” said Mark Barnett, a professor and graduate program coordinator at Kansas State University’s department of psychological sciences.

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    Christopher Gorham plays a globe-trotting CIA agent on USA Network’s “Covert Affairs.”

    ‘Covert Affairs’ star on directing, globe-trotting
    By Nicole Evatt, Associated Press
    Christopher Gorham plays a globe-trotting CIA agent on USA Network’s “Covert Affairs,” and he’s starting to feel like one in real life. “We are the ones who actually pack up and go to the cities and shoot and the cities really become a character in the episodes,” Gorham said in a recent interview. “Covert Affairs” follows the on-again, off-again relationship between young CIA agent Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) and Gorham’s blind tech operative, Auggie Anderson. Gorham takes his second turn in the director’s chair on Thursday’s episode.

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    “Magic Hour” is the latest release by Luscious Jackson

    Luscious Jackson party on in return
    Associated Press
    Listening to Luscious Jackson’s four records from the ’90s is like a night out hitting the clubs in New York City: a rock riff here, reggae grooves there, some sugary pop and plenty of low end. All in all, a good time, and plenty eclectic. After a 14-year hiatus for child-rearing and other pursuits, the band (now a trio) is back with “Magic Hour,” and it feels like they never left the party.

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    Eddie (George MacKay) and Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) struggle to survive a nuclear attack on London in the drama "How I Live Now."

    Post-apocalyptic drama ‘How I Live Now’ slogs along
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    Dann Gire reviews “How I Live Now,” in which Saoirse Ronan’s piercing, intelligent blue eyes don’t make up for Kevin Macdonald’s mostly inert post-apocalyptic drama.

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    Film notes: Catlow’s cheap shows, ‘Oz’ and Dann & Raymond
    By Dann Gire
    Dann provides his weekly dose of film notes including the Catlow showing two Chicago-made movies on the cheap. Plus, Dann & Raymond’s Movie Club presents “Licensed to Thrill! The 007 Explosion” on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library.

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    Pip (Jeremy Irvine) attempts to renew his relationship with Estella (Holliday Grainger) in Mike Newell's remake of "Great Expectations."

    Newell’s ‘Expectations’ actually turns out ‘Great’
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    Mike Newell’s remake of “Great Expectations” starring three veterans of the “Harry Potter” films, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes, while not as good as the definitive 1946 adaptation, does do Charles Dickens justice.

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    “Night Time, My Time” is Sky Ferreria’s debut album.

    Sky Ferreira turns focus onto her music
    Associated Press
    There has been plenty of talk about Sky Ferreira for quite some time now, despite the 21-year-old only having released two EPs over the last three years. That may have to do with the buzz she built following the release of “Everything is Embarrassing,” one of 2012’s top tracks. Her debut album should give people something else to focus on. “Night Time, My Time” opens with “Boys,” arguably the best track on the record.

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    Shirley Smith, capital improvement program coordinator for the city of Irving, Texas, and building inspector Lawrence Crow talk in the garage at the Ruth Paine House Museum in Irving. The museum in the small, two-bedroom home that once belonged to Ruth Paine, who had befriended Lee Harvey Oswald’s wife, Marina, and let her live there with her two daughters, opened Wednesday. In the background is a projection of an actor portraying Lee Harvey Oswald using a technique called Pepper’s Ghost.

    House where Oswald stayed opens to visitors
    By Jamie Stengle
    Baby bottles sit on the kitchen counter in this small two-bedroom home in the Dallas suburb of Irving, just as they would have on Nov. 22, 1963. Also the same: the rolled-up blanket where Lee Harvey Oswald had stored his rifle among the stacked boxes in the garage. The home that once belonged to Ruth Paine, the woman who befriended Oswald’s wife and let her live there with her two young daughters, has been restored and opened Wednesday as a museum.

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    Co-owner and wine manager Sebastian Zutant offers orange wine at the Red Hen in Washington, D.C. “These wines were built for food,” he says.

    Beyond red and white: Orange wines drawing interest
    By Dave McIntyre
    Remember when you would ask which wines a restaurant offered and the waiter would reply, “Red, white and pink”? Nowadays, your options might include an unexpected color. Orange wines are a small drop in the ocean of wine, but they have become a significant niche.

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    Eileen Benner’s Atlantic City home in the process of being elevated after it suffered severe flood damage during last year’s Superstorm Sandy in New Jersey.

    Raise the house, lower the flood risk
    By Carole Feldman, Associated Press
    Eileen Benner says elevating her home in Atlantic City, N.J., was a “no-brainer” after it suffered extensive flood damage during Superstorm Sandy. “I would tell anybody who has the money available to go ahead and do it,” she says. John Paynter’s Long Beach Island, N.J., vacation home now stands 13 feet higher than it did before the storm a year ago. He, too, says he’s glad he did it, though the process itself was nerve-wracking.

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    The God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) hammers the competition in "Thor: The Dark World," the sequel to 2011's "Thor."

    'Thor' sequel's effects spectacular but short on character connections
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    If all you demand from a Marvel Comics superhero movie are spectacular action sequences pushed to the brink of tedium, a generically impersonal cast of characters, some welcome humor shoehorned into the final stretch, a naked Stellan Skarsgard, post-credits teasers, and a cameo by Stan Lee, go forth to “Thor: The Dark World,” watch long and prosper. Even if the characters don't quite connect.

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    Taylor Swift accepts the Pinnacle award Looking on at right is presenter George Strait.

    Images: CMA Awards
    Images of the 47th Annual Country Music Awards on Wednesday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood presided over the evening, returning as hosts for the sixth consecutive year. George Strait won entertainer of the year.

Discuss

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    Editorial: The slow, difficult task of historic change
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    A Daily Herald editorial celebrates passage of gay marriage legislation in Illinois as a victory for human dignity.

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    ‘Affordable’ care depends on the size of your subsidy
    By Byron York
    Columnist Byron York: What does the word “affordable” in the Affordable Care Act mean? Many people might assume it means Obamacare will make health coverage less expensive. That’s certainly the impression President Obama gave when he promised his national health care scheme would “cut the average family’s premium by about $2,500 per year.”

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    Amid chaos, listen to the songs of hope
    By Donna Brazile
    Columnist Donna Brazile: Of course there are problems with Obamacare’s rollout. All beginnings are difficult. But there are governors — governors like Republican John Kasich of Ohio and Democrat Steve Beshear of Kentucky — who recognize that health care can’t wait.

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    Writers ignore Obamacare benefits
    A Libertyville letter to the editor: I strongly disagree with Gene Kalley’s argument regarding the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Kalley argues that it will destroy the middle class, and it most certainly will not.

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    Clinton would win solely on ‘rock star status’
    An Arlington Heights letter to the editor: Sadly, Hillary will probably be our next president in spite of her obvious ineptness because she is the top dog in rock star status of the Democratic Party. Oh, well. She can’t be worse than Obama. Or can she?

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    Meat lover begs to differ with letter
    A Des Plaines letter to the editor:In reference to the Oct. 31 letter, “Shivering in fright over meat industry,” I eat beef. I grew up on a central Illinois farm that had 200 Angus cows. They were treated well.

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    Health care law was destined to cost us more
    An Arlington Heights letter to the editor: In 2009, I wrote a letter that appeared on this page regarding the problems the Affordable Care Act would bring to the middle class. When those of us who cared to really look at this proposal warned of the inevitable rise in costs and the fact that there is no way you would be able to stay on the plans you like, we were called partisan bomb throwers.

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    Can you help Glen Ellyn firefighters?
    A Glen Ellyn leter to the editor: As a Glen Ellyn resident, I’ve donated annually to the volunteer fire department. I noticed a recent article that in 2012 donation requests were mailed to 11,400 residents and 6,000 business locations; returns totaled 2,780 residents and only 67 business locations.

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    Who really gets health care act?
    A Wood Dale letter to the editor: It seems just about every item I read and see on TV is about someone getting less for more in their health insurance. What happened to the “affordable” part of the act?

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    JFK, followed by list of ineptitude
    An Elgin letter to the editor: JFK’s assassination led to LBJ’s expansion of the Vietnam quagmire, Nixon’s Watergate/resignation, Ford’s pardon of the crook, Carter’s Oil Shock/ineffectiveness, Reagan’s illegal Iran-Contra arms deal/death of 280 Marines in Lebanon/trickle-down economics ...

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    Youth should lead Obamacare revolt
    A Carol Stream letter to the editor: So now we have all seen what chaos this administration has wreaked on millions of Americans. This small group of radical liberals who have control of the country have shown complete disregard for the health, wealth and welfare of millions of people including children by setting up this chaotic and poorly run and operated Obamacare.

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