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Daily Archive : Tuesday November 26, 2013

News

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    Umi Grill is new Rolling Meadows restaurant
    Daily Herald report
    The Umi Grill Buffet is a new Rolling Meadows restaurant that celebrated its grand opening Saturday, Nov. 30. The restaurant at 1440 E. Golf Road serves seafood and sushi and also offers food cooked on a hibachi and a steak buffet.

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    Pijus Zemaitis, 9, of Barrington, and Ben Snyderman, of Winnetka, listen to instructions from the bench as former Chicago Blackhawks player Steve Dubinsky leads a hockey clinic Wednesday at Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills.

    Former Blackhawks player Steve Dubinsky holds clinics
    Daily Herald staff report
    Youth hockey players got a chance to learn how to sharpen their skills from a former Chicago Blackhawks player this week at Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills.

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    Mount Prospect trustees have approved spending $590,000 to repaint this water tower on Northwest Highway next year.

    Mt. Prospect rejects low bid after questions raised about firm’s resume
    By Steve Zalusky
    Mount Prospect trustees have rejected the low bid to paint the village’s elevated water tank downtown after an investigation by the village revealed what officials said was a disparity between the experience the bidder claimed and its actual work history. Rejecting the Bill’s Commercial Painting bid of $292,742, the board awarded the contract for $590,000 — 67 percent more money — to L.C. United...

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    Wauconda officials are considering a 120-day moratorium on permitting medical-marijuana facilities in the village. The delay would give Wauconda leaders time to establish regulations for such businesses.

    Wauconda may delay rules for medical marijuana businesses
    By Russell Lissau
    Entrepreneurs looking to open medical marijuana growing centers or dispensaries in Wauconda may have to wait at least until at least May. The delay is being weighed because a state group studying the issue hasn’t yet published administrative guidelines for marijuana operations. “We’re not reinventing the wheel,” village attorney Rudy Magna said.

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    Daily Herald Cook of the Year Dan Rich and Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain watch as children at the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin reach for cookies Tuesday in the kitchen at the club’s Dundee Avenue facility. Rich donated all his prizes, including a tabletop grill, to the organization which hopes to expand the kitchen so it can provide hot meals to the children.

    Cook of the Year makes big donation in Elgin
    By Deborah Pankey Daily Herald Food Editor
    Cook of the Week Challenge winner Dan Rich makes good on a promise he made at the beginning of the home cook competition and donates his suite of prizes to the Elgin Boys and Girls Club. Rich is Elgin's superintendent of public works and has worked with the Boys and Girls Club for several years.

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    180 days in jail for Kane County court contempt case
    By Harry Hitzeman
    A Carpentersville man whom authorities say clogged up the Kane County judicial system with a flurry of frivolous legal filings was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in jail. Robert Sperlazzo, 63, was convicted in August of contempt of court. "You did everything you could on paper to damage and obstruct the system,” said Carroll County Judge Val Gunnarsson, who was brought in to hear the case because...

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    Thanksgiving shopping? Not in states that ban it
    Associated Press
    PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Shoppers won’t be lining up for Thanksgiving Day deals at stores in Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts. They can’t.

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    E. Dundee will likely keep levy flat for third consecutive year
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    East Dundee officials will likely keep the property tax levy flat for the third year in a row, in hopes of eventually reducing it by nearly $10,000 once officials know its equalized assessed valuation. “We don’t count on property tax that much in our village, it’s not a big number to us,” Village President Lael Miller said.

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    Seneca I. Davis

    Waukegan man arrested for armed robbery, battery
    By Sara Hooker
    A team of law enforcement agencies picked up a Waukegan man Tuesday who was wanted for multiple charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery.

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    Hoffman Estates considers new alert system for fire department
    By Jessica Cilella
    Hoffman Estates firefighters may soon be benefiting from an improved alerting system and new mobile computers for five fire department vehicles. While meeting as the public health and safety committee Monday, the Hoffman Estates village board reviewed a request to waive bidding and purchase $206,200 in new fire station alerting equipment for each of the village’s four fire stations.

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    Glen Ellyn approves 2.7 percent property tax increase
    By Joshua Welge
    Glen Ellyn homeowners next spring will see an average 2.7 percent increase in the village and library portion of their property tax bills. With Village President Alex Demos casting the deciding vote, the village board voted 4-3 this week to adopt the 2013 tax levy that will be collected next year.

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    Will Huntley hire taxi service for Rutland riders?
    By Lenore T. Adkins
    While Grafton Township officials are still on track to eliminate bus service for Rutland Township’s senior and disabled riders Saturday, they are hopeful Huntley leaders pick up the slack. At the same time, Huntley’s youngest trustee has made a proposal to keep the service going for a year.

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    Jeffrey Talley, 50, of Geneva, was last seen around 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at Remington Boulevard and Veterans Parkway in Bolingbrook after being released from Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital.

    Police seek public’s help finding missing Geneva man
    Daily Herald report
    Geneva police need help from the public in locating a missing man who was last seen being leaving a Bolingbrook hospital. Jeffrey Talley, 50, of Geneva, hasn’t been seen since 6 p.m. Nov. 10.

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    It’s a busy holiday traveling season with 1.9 million expected to head through O’Hare and Midway international airports.

    Millions hit the road — and skies — this holiday
    By Marni Pyke
    More than 1.9 million travelers will travel through O'Hare and Midway International airports over the Thanksgiving holiday. But if this were a contest, the Illinois tollway would win with 10 million vehicles expected to hit the road.

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    Smarty Pants uses his balloon motorcycle to jump a balloon bicycle Tuesday during “The Smarty Pants Big Balloon Show” at the Geneva Public Library.

    Geneva library place to be this week
    By Rick West
    Books, a warm place to read, and programs like "The Smarty Pants Big Balloon Show" at the Geneva Public Library kept many kids entertained this week while on Thanksgiving break.

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    The trial is set to begin in March for the man accused of murdering Laura Engelhardt, center, and her father, Alan Engelhardt, top left, in their Hoffman Estates home in April 2009. Shelly Engelhardt, top right, was wounded and her mother Marlene Gacek was killed.

    Trial date set for Hoffman Estates triple murder suspect
    By Jamie Sotonoff
    Almost four years after a triple murder in Hoffman Estates, it appears as if suspect D’Andre Howard will finally go on trial.In court Tuesday, a final hearing for any pre-trial motions was set for Jan. 22, and a trial date was set for March 18 at the Cook County courthouse in Rolling Meadows.

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    Barrington, fire district still negotiating aid deal
    By Eric Peterson
    With barely a month to go before their Jan. 1 separation, the Barrington Fire Department and Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District continue to negotiate an automatic-aid agreement somewhat maintaining their longtime cooperation. Barrington Village President Karen Darch made public the village’s latest proposal at Monday night’s village board meeting, but fire district officials said...

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    Algonquin man pleads guilty in child porn case
    Daily Herald report
    A 38-year-old Algonquin man has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. John Carlson faces a maximum 10 years in prison at his May 2014 sentencing.

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    Home healthcare worker pleads not guilty to Elk Grove theft
    By Jamie Sotonoff
    A home health care worker accused of stealing jewelry from an Elk Grove Village home pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

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    Michael J. Graft Builder has proposed a 58-unit apartment complex on the 2.5 acres of its former Barrington headquarters on Northwest Highway, just west of Makray Memorial Golf Club. Village officials have expressed concern about the number of units as well as the proposal for residential development on a commercially zoned site.

    Apartments proposed near Barrington golf club
    By Eric Peterson
    A Barrington-based custom home developer has asked for village officials’ opinion of a preliminary plan to replace the company’s former office building next to Makray Memorial Golf Club with a 58-unit apartment complex. The complex being suggested by Michael J. Graft Builder would consist of one- and two-bedroom units and have enough on-site parking for 150 vehicles, according to village staff.

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    Tri-Cities police reports
    Susan E. Secor, 25, of St. Charles, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol at 2:35 a.m. Saturday at State Street and Willow Lane, according to a police report.

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    Stevenson High School seniors win awards
    Daily Herald Report
    Three Stevenson High School seniors won awards in the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater’s annual Creative Writing Festival and Competition last week. According to Stevenson, Christine Ha won second place in the Children’s Literature division; Joey Lozada took third place in the category of Tales of Terror and Mystery; and Joanne Jun earned an honorable mention in Multimedia with a short...

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    Fox Valley police reports
    Huriel Avila, 19, of Elgin, Monday was charged with aggravated feeling and eluding of a police officer and driving without a valid driver’s license, according to court records.

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    Lottery set for Lake County ballot placement
    Daily Herald Report
    A lottery to determine ballot position for Lake County candidates who filed simultaneously for the March primary will be held Dec. 9, the county clerk’s office announced. Ballot order is determined by filing time, and 20 candidates in a variety of races were in line when the clerk’s office opened at 8:30 a.m. Monday for the start of filing. Some of them were running in the same races, so a...

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    Up to 30 Haitian migrants die after boat capsizes
    Associated Press
    MIAMI — A sailboat passing through the southern Bahamas islands with more than 100 Haitian migrants on board capsized, killing up to 30 people and leaving the rest clinging to the foundering vessel for hours, authorities said Tuesday.

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    Computer screens display a map showing the outline of China’s new air defense zone in the East China on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, in Beijing Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013. Beijing on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013 issued a map of the zone - which includes a cluster of islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by China - and a set of rules that say all aircraft entering the area must notify Chinese authorities and are subject to emergency military measures if they do not identify themselves or obey Beijing’s orders. Chinese characters in red in the center of the map at left reads: “Air Defense Identification Zone in East China Sea.”

    U.S. bombers fly over China air defense zone
    Associated Press
    WASHINGTON — Two U.S. B-52 bombers flew over disputed islands in the East China Sea during a training mission Tuesday, defying new territorial claims laid out by Beijing over the weekend, according to several U.S. officials.

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    Village of Algonquin public works employee Matthew Seveska, dressed in a leftover Santa coat and hat, and Mike Schaffter put up wreaths Tuesday morning throughout the downtown area. They’re decorating 18 light poles total with wreaths, garland and bows.

    Light poles adorned with wreaths, garland, bows
    By Rick West
    Village workers put up wreaths in downtown Algonquin Tuesday.

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    DuPage approves $100,000 for heroin education
    By Robert Sanchez
    In response to a staggering number of heroin-related deaths this year, DuPage County officials are stepping up efforts to raise awareness about the drug’s dangers. DuPage County Board members did their part Tuesday by approving a $434.8 million county budget for the 2014 fiscal year that sets aside $100,000 for a public education campaign targeted at heroin prevention.

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    Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther, center, helps load up a police vehicle with turkeys on Tuesday for delivery to local families in need. This is the 13th year the Mundelein Police Department and Elly’s Pancake House teamed up to provide Thanksgiving meals to needy families in the community.

    Mundelein police, restaurant help 42 families in need
    Daily Herald report
    The Mundelein Police Department partnered with Elly’s Pancake House and Fremont Township on Tuesday to provide Thanksgiving meals to 42 families in the community. Elly’s donated 76 turkeys which were delivered Tuesday morning from the police department to the families in need. The Mundelein After School Coalition and the Fremont Township girl scouts provided side dishes.

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    This Oct. 15, 2012, file photo, shows a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner, in Concord, N.H. In homes across the country on Thanksgiving Day, tables will be set to accommodate everyone from vegans and vegetarians to those trying to eat like a caveman. Increasingly complicated Thanksgiving feasts reflect the growing ranks of Americans who are paying closer attention to the food they put in their bodies.

    Thanksgiving includes gluten-free pies and all
    Associated Press
    NEW YORK — Three different types of stuffing will be offered on Stacy Fox’s table this Thanksgiving: traditional, gluten-free and vegan.There will be steak for people who don’t like turkey. No eggs will be used in the latkes, or Jewish potato pancakes. And the sweet potato pie will be topped with vegan marshmallows she buys at a health food store.

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    Passengers settle in on a Megabus headed to St. Louis, and Memphis, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, in Chicago. Millions of Americans are hurtling along the nation’s jumble of transportation arteries for Thanksgiving, and more of them are discovering that a bus, of all things, is the cheapest, comfiest and coolest way to stay Zen during the nation’s largest annual human migration.

    New breed of buses draws Thanksgiving travelers
    Associated Press
    CHICAGO — As millions of Americans hurtle through the jumble of transportation arteries for Thanksgiving, many are discovering that bus travel may be the cheapest, comfiest and even coolest way to stay Zen during the nation’s largest annual migration.

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    Glen Ellyn to raise ambulance fees
    By Joshua Welge
    Glen Ellyn is preparing to raise ambulance fees for nonresidents and to charge for some emergency calls it previously handled for free. Trustees this week unanimously approved three changes to the fee structure to take effect June 15, 2014, with an eye toward offsetting rising costs.

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    A Christmas tree decorated by volunteers from Honor Flight Chicago, exhibited in Col. Robert McCormick’s bedroom, is one of seven such trees on display through the end of December at the McCormick Museum in Wheaton’s Cantigny Park. All the themed trees were decorated by nonprofit groups.

    Community Trees exhibit opens at Cantigny’s McCormick Museum
    By Mark Black
    Christmas trees decorated by seven nonprofit groups from DuPage and Kane counties will grace the always palatial rooms of the Robert R. McCormick Museum through Dec. 29 at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. All seven groups participating in the Community Trees display, which opened Tuesday, have missions consistent with the McCormick Foundation’s goals of helping veterans, children and animals, organizers...

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    Pope Francis attends an audience with healthcare workers, in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013.

    Pope issues mission statement for papacy
    Associated Press
    VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis denounced the global financial system that excludes the poor as he issued the mission statement for his papacy on Tuesday, saying he wants the Catholic Church to get its hands dirty as it seeks to bring solace and mercy to society’s outcasts.

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    This Sept. 2, 2010, satellite image provided by TerraServer.com and DigitalGlobe shows a portion of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including the secret facility known as Penny Lane, upper middle in white. In the early years after 9/11, the CIA turned a handful of prisoners at the secret facility into double agents and released them. Current and former U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that the program helped kill terrorists. The program was carried out in the secret facility, built a few hundred yards from the administrative offices of the prison in Guantanamo Bay, bottom of image. The eight small cottages were hidden behind a ridge covered in thick scrub and cactus.

    AP report: CIA trained Gitmo detainees to be double agents
    By Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo
    WASHINGTON — A few hundred yards from the administrative offices of the Guantanamo Bay prison, hidden behind a ridge covered in thick scrub and cactus, sits a closely held secret.A dirt road winds its way to a clearing where eight small cottages sit in two rows of four. They have long been abandoned. The special detachment of Marines that once provided security is gone.

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    Man injured in Elgin fire Monday
    By Lee Filas
    A 40-year-old man was injured Monday night in a house fire on the 1600 block of Sheffield Drive in Elgin, authorities said.

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    Hanover Park man charged in Glendale Heights stabbing
    By Justin Kmitch
    A Hanover Park man is in custody following a weekend altercation in Glendale Heights in which he was charged with stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend and lacerating the man’s kidney, authorities said. Steven Boyd, 23, of the 500 block of Edison Circle, was charged with aggravated battery and is being held in DuPage County jail on $250,000 bond.

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    Jonathan Villasana

    Vernon Hills man claims police entrapped him into hiring hitman
    By Lee Filas
    A Vernon Hills man accused of hiring who he thought was a hitman to kill the mother of a woman he injured is asking for the charges against him to be dropped because he claims he was entrapped by police. Jonathan Villasana, 24, of the 0-100 block of Timber Lane, remains in Lake County jail on $1 million bond while facing charges of solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire.

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    Traveling through intersections in the road work zone along Route 59 in Naperville and Aurora, such as this one at I-88 south of Ferry Road, should temporarily get a bit easier as construction crews take the Thanksgiving weekend off. Two lanes are expected to be open in both directions between Ferry Road and Aurora Avenue/New York Street by Wednesday evening.

    Route 59 construction taking break Thanksgiving weekend
    By Marie Wilson
    Lane closures and construction work are expected to take a holiday over Thanksgiving weekend on the 3.5-mile Route 59 widening project in Naperville and Aurora. Barricades will be removed and two lanes should be open in each direction between Ferry Road and Aurora Avenue/New York Street by Wednesday evening, said Bill Novack, Naperville’s director of transportation, engineering and...

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    Volunteering brings joy to our hearts, as well as others
    By Annettee Budzban
    As the holiday season approaches, it’s good to take time and pray and ask God how you can be used to volunteer your services, says columnist Annettee Budzban.

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    Visitors can be dazzled by nearly 50 lighted elements — floats, cars, motorcycles — at the St. Charles Holiday Homecoming Electric Christmas Parade Saturday, Nov. 30.

    St. Charles ready to light up the season on Saturday, Nov. 30
    By Jack MacDonald
    Holiday parades have been happening in St. Charles for more than 30 years. This weekend, the city will again light up with the Holiday Homecoming and Electric Christmas Parade.

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    E. Dundee bakery sends goodies to troops serving overseas
    By Gerard Dziuba
    Operation Sweettooth is still under way. This year, the program may not have received the press it has in the past, but cookies and Rice Krispie treats are still being sent to Fox Valley natives who are serving in the U.S. military.

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    Robert Holguin is a senior criminal investigator at the Jeanine Nicarico Children’s Advocacy Center in Wheaton. He has been investigating crimes against children for 21 years.

    DuPage investigator protects our ‘most precious’ assets
    By Josh Stockinger
    Robert Holguin doesn't like what he sees at work every day but takes pride in the fact that it's his job to protect children. Holguin is one of 11 criminal investigators at the Jeanine Nicarico Children's Advocacy Center in Wheaton, which receives some 400 to 500 reports of child abuse in DuPage County each year.

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    Hanover Park Police Department earns national accreditation
    Submitted by the Hanover Park Police Department
    The Hanover Park Police Department on Nov. 16 was formally awarded its fourth reaccreditation certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA accreditation means that a law enforcement agency has continually demonstrated excellence in its policies, procedures and practices.

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    Palatine Legion, AT&T team up so sailors can call home on Thanksgiving
    Daily Herald report
    Palatine American Legion Post 690 and AT&T are teaming up this week to allow sailors visiting the post for a Thanksgiving feast to call their loved ones back home. Sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago attending the post’s Thanksgiving meal on Thursday will be provided smartphones by AT&T so they will have a chance to connect with family and friends on the holiday.

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    Matt Flamm seeking Palatine Township committeeman post
    Daily Herald report
    Matt Flamm, a former state representative candidate and organizer for President Barack Obama’s campaigns, will seek a Palatine Township Democratic Committeeman seat in next year’s election, he announced this week. Flamm filed his nominating papers Monday with the Cook County Clerk. He is running to succeed incumbent Committeeman Sue Walton, who is not seeking re-election.

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    This image contained in the report shows a scene outside the entrance to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., after the shooting Dec. 14, 2012.

    Prosecutors: Newtown gunman’s motive still unknown
    Associated Press
    A yearlong investigation into the Newtown school shooting has provided disturbing insights into the gunman who killed his mother and then massacred 26 other people, but it still has not provided a motive. Their report offered a chilling portrait of the 20-year-old killer as a loner who was obsessed with violence and bound by ritualistic behavior. But they were unable to answer the question...

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    Justices to look at claims over Bush-era protest
    Associated Press
    The Supreme Court has agreed to consider dismissing free-speech claims against two Secret Service agents for their role in a 2004 protest in Oregon against President George W. Bush.

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    The Supreme Court has agreed to referee another dispute over President Barack Obama’s health care law, whether businesses can use religious objections to escape a requirement to cover birth control for employees. The court will consider two cases. One involves Hobby Lobby Inc.

    Court to take up health law dispute over birth control
    Associated Press
    The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to referee another dispute over President Barack Obama’s health care law, whether businesses can use religious objections to escape a requirement to cover birth control for employees.

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    People gather around a huge sinkhole in the village of Sanica, Bosnia. Only weeks ago, the spot was a pond full of fish and floating green algae, lined with old willow and plum trees, and a grass field where cattle used to peacefully graze.

    Bosnians panic as sinkhole swallows village pond
    Associated Press
    Just outside the rustic village in Bosnia-Herzegovina, children used to fish in a tranquil pond bobbing with green algae and lined with willow trees, as cattle grazed nearby. Now there is a gigantic moonlike crater where the pond used to be. It’s like something from a science fiction movie: a sinkhole swallowed the water, the fish and even nearby trees.

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    Atkinson Road extension is now open south of Route 120 in Grayslake to connect with Route 137.

    Atkinson Road extension in Grayslake opens nearly two decades after being proposed
    By Mick Zawislak
    A plan raised nearly 20 years ago to ease congestion in Grayslake has been completed with the extension of Atkinson Road from Route 120 south to Route 137. The $9.1 million project is the first of three planned for the area. “It goes way back,” recalled Pat Carey, a Lake County Board member who was mayor when the project was conceived. “Anything we can do to keep people off (Route 120) is a good...

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    Northwest suburbs in 60 seconds
    By Freida Gad
    A 41-year-old Schaumburg man was arrested charged with theft after a supervisor at Staples, 160 N. Barrington Road, Schaumburg, discovered $100 missing from the safe. According to a police report, the employee admitted taking five $20 bills on Oct. 16.

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    Police: 7 wounded in shootings near Oakland park
    Associated Press
    Seven men were wounded, two critically, when gunfire erupted on an Oakland street and continued for several blocks, police said.

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    U.S. pleads for release of ex-FBI from Iran
    Associated Press
    The White House is making a public plea for Iran to return a retired FBI agent missing for six years. Robert Levinson disappeared during a business trip to Iran’s Kish Island in March 2007. The United States believes the private investigator and father of seven was abducted and has been detained in Iran.

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    Works of Robert Klunk featured at Adler series
    Daily Herald report
    The David Adler Music and Arts Center exhibition series presents Kaleidoscope, works by Robert Klunk from Dec. 5 to 21. Guests can meet the artist at a free public opening reception with wine and refreshments from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at the center, 1700 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville.

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    Long-anticipated charges against adults implicated in the aftermath of a 16-year-old girl’s rape offer the community a chance to begin healing after the case that was dogged by allegations of a cover-up, according to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “This community is rectifying the problem. This community is taking charge. This community is fixing things. This community is holding people accountable,” Attorney General Mike DeWine said. “That’s what this grand jury did.”

    Ohio AG: New rape-case charges can help community
    Associated Press
    Long-anticipated charges against adults implicated in the aftermath of a 16-year-old girl’s rape offer the community a chance to begin healing after the case that was dogged by allegations of a cover-up, according to Ohio’s attorney general. “This community is rectifying the problem. This community is taking charge. This community is fixing things. This community is holding people accountable,”...

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    Boxes of Norlevo emergency contraceptive. HRA Pharma head will warn women following the publication of results of a study of levonorgestrel. The French contraceptive maker said Tuesday its morning-after pill is ineffective when taken by women who weigh more than 176 pounds.

    Drugmaker warns on morning-after pill effectiveness in larger women
    Associated Press
    A French contraceptive maker said Tuesday its morning-after pill is ineffective when taken by women who weigh more than 176 pounds. The decision by HRA Pharma follows a publication of results of a study of levonorgestrel, one of the active ingredients in its Norlevo emergency contraceptive. A dose of HRA’s drug contains 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel, identical to that found in Plan B One-Step, sold in...

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    Coconut farmer Mario Duma, left, tries to rebuild his house in Tanuan, Leyte, central Philippines.

    Typhoon ruined both traditional, high-tech livelihoods
    Associated Press
    As Typhoon Haiyan tore across the eastern Philippines, coconut plantations older than the fathers of the men who tend them were smashed like matchsticks and call centers that field customer service gripes from around the world fell silent. The storm that killed thousands also wrecked livelihoods in the worst hit region, a blow that will ripple long after the disaster fades from attention.

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    A Thai Buddhist monk blows a whistle during a rally outside Interior Ministry in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013. Protesters forced the closure of several government ministries Tuesday and vowed to take control of state offices nationwide in a bid to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, escalating the biggest challenge she has faced since taking office.

    Thai protesters call for nationwide uprising
    Associated Press
    Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra fought a two-front political war Tuesday, fending off attacks during a parliamentary no-confidence debate while protesters besieged and occupied several ministries in their attempt to topple her from power.

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    French President Francois Hollande, right, and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reviews the troops during a military ceremony, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, at the Invalides in Paris. France will send 1,000 troops to Central African Republic under an expected U.N.-backed mission to keep growing chaos at bay.

    France sends 1,000 troops to Central African Republic
    France will send 1,000 troops to Central African Republic under an expected U.N.-backed mission to keep growing chaos at bay, the defense minister said Tuesday — boosting the French military presence in Africa for the second time this year.

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    Jack Shales of Elgin, 83, has been volunteering for the United Way of Elgin for 60 years.

    Lifetime director of United Way has volunteered for 60 years
    By Elena Ferrarin
    Jack Shales of Elgin says people are brought into this world to help others. “You always have time to help other people,” he said. The 83-year-old Shales should know — he’s getting ready to celebrate his 60th as a volunteer for the United Way of Elgin, which he’s served as an employee campaign manager, then as a board member and now as a lifetime director.

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    Amanda Knox, left, and Raffaele Sollecito, stand outside the rented house where 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher was found dead in 2007. The state’s prosecutor is arguing his case that an appeals court should reinstate the guilty verdict against U.S. exchange student Amanda Knox for the grisly 2007 murder of her roommate.

    Prosecutor demands guilty verdict for Knox
    Associated Press
    An Italian prosecutor has demanded that an appeals court find Amanda Knox guilty for the 2007 murder of her British roommate and sentence her to 26 years for the murder and another four for slander.

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    Former Iranian hostage C. Cortlandt Barnes, one of 52 Americans who were held for 444 days during the Iranian Hostage Crisis during the Carter Administration, disagrees with the current nuclear treaty deal with Iran. “This will be a historical mistake,” he said about the agreement.

    Former hostages react to Iran’s nuclear deal
    Associated Press
    A nuclear deal between the U.S., Iran and other world powers has been described as a trust-building step after decades of animosity that hopefully will lead to a more comprehensive deal down the road. But for many of the 66 Americans who were held hostage for 444 days at the start of the Iranian revolution, trusting the regime in Tehran feels like a mistake.

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    Secretary of State John Kerry waves before getting into his motorcade vehicle as he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, as he returns from London. While in London Kerry had meetings with Libyan’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and British Foreign Secretary William Hague. Prior to London, Kerry was in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Iran nuclear talks.

    Marathon Iran nuke talks, asterisk and ‘Danny Boy’
    By DEB RIECHMANN
    Way past midnight at an upscale Swiss hotel, negotiations hit the nitty-gritty on a breakthrough deal about Iran’s nuclear program. There was a flurry of calls with the White House, pizza and talk about a tiny, but critical, asterisk in what became the final agreement. Throughout it all, a band was crooning Irish folk tunes that seemed to grow louder as the tedious negotiations continued into the...

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    Sens. Mark Kirk and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., are crafting legislation to reinstate the full force of Iran sanctions and impose new ones if Tehran doesn’t make good on its pledge to roll back its nuclear program, brushing aside the Obama administration’s fears about upending its diplomatic momentum.

    Kirk calls for new sanctions in case Iran cheats
    Associated Press
    Sens. Mark Kirk and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., are crafting legislation to reinstate the full force of sanctions and impose new ones if Iran doesn’t make good on its pledge to roll back its nuclear program, brushing aside the Obama administration’s fears about upending its diplomatic momentum. They hope to have the bill ready for other lawmakers to consider when the Senate returns Dec. 9 from its...

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    Towboat sinks in river in Iowa, releasing oil
    Associated Press
    A towboat sank Monday in the Mississippi River near the Quad Cities-area community of LeClaire, releasing oil into the water and prompting a response from several agencies who were trying to determine how much fluid leaked, the Coast Guard said.

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    Faisal Almuohen, left, and Abduliz Almuohen play in the frozen Swann Memorial Fountain at Logan Circle, Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, in Philadelphia.

    Storm threatens holiday travel in east
    Associated Press
    Snow and ice are forecast for the northeast of the country as a deadly storm that started on the West Coast last week gathers steam Tuesday and powers toward the East in time for Thanksgiving. The National Weather Service warned that the storm would almost certainly upset holiday travel plans for those hoping to visit loved ones in the mid-Atlantic and northeast.

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    Dawn Patrol: Bartlett teacher returns; more time for bank robber
    By Sara Hooker and Lee Filas
    Bank robber Maday gets 30 more years. Bartlett teacher put on leave, returns. Former Lake County basketball standout gets 3 years prison. Waukegan public housing authority named in bed bug suit. Naperville criminal activity down. Batavia preps for state game. Bears defense continues to struggle.

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    Fox River & Countryside fire district planning tax levy hike
    By James Fuller
    Fox River and Countryside Fire/Rescue District residents are facing a property tax increase next year.

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    Missing Lisle man now the subject of homicide investigation
    By Josh Stockinger
    Authorities have opened a homicide investigation into the death of a 37-year-old Lisle man who was missing for six years before his skeletal remains were found in March, prosecutors confirmed Monday. DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said an autopsy determined Scott Arcaro died of a gunshot wound to the head.

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    A TIF district that kept property taxes from the Chicago Premium Outlet Mall in Aurora from going to Batavia schools is expiring. Now school district residents say they should see their tax bills drop.

    Aurora outlet mall taxes should lower ours, Batavia school district residents say
    By Susan Sarkauskas
    Batavia school officials are asking for 12.9 percent more in operating property taxes, to get all they can in the year the Aurora outlet mall is put on their books as new construction. But some district residents say keep taxes the same, shifting some of the burden off them and on to the mall. “It’s (the mall taxes) pure money, straight and simple. It’s icing on the cake,”...

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    The village of Glen Ellyn next month plans to open a 45-space commuter parking lot downtown.

    Glen Ellyn making downtown parking changes
    By Joshua Welge
    Glen Ellyn officials are taking measures heading into the holiday season to address perceptions about a lack of downtown parking. The village next month plans to open a 45-space commuter parking lot near the intersection of Duane Street and Glenwood Avenue. “The changes address the need,” police Chief Phil Norton said.

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    The village of Barrington is offering reimbursement to residents who had to pay for overhead sewers after the flooding problems of 2013.

    Barrington reimbursing up to $10,000 in sewer-backup fixes
    By Eric Peterson
    Barrington trustees Monday approved a reimbursement program offering up to $10,000 to homeowners who dealt with a sanitary sewer backup during either of two major rain storms in 2013. The money is to be used to cover some of the cost of retrofitting older houses with overhead sewers — systems that largely keep newer homes free of such problems, Barrington Public Works Director Mark Werksman...

Sports

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    Mentoring working well in Glenbard West victory
    By Bill Stone
    Guard Corey Davis remembers not too long ago being a sophomore on the Glenbard West varsity boys basketball team.

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    From left are Tom Glavine in 2008, Greg Maddux in 2008, and Frank Thomas in 1994 file photos. Glavine, Maddux and Thomas will appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time when it is mailed to writers next month.

    White Sox' Thomas among new faces on Hall of Fame ballot
    By Scot Gregor
    Frank Thomas, the greatest hitter in White Sox history and one of the best of all-time, is officially on the Hall of Fame ballot. Thomas is expected to gain enshrinement into Cooperstown when the final vote is announced on Jan. 8.

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    Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch carries the ball past two Western Michigan defenders during the first half Tuesday night in DeKalb.

    NIU routs Broncos, completes perfect regular season
    Assoicated Press
    Jordan Lynch broke his single-game rushing record for quarterbacks with 321 yards and No. 18 Northern Illinois completed its first unbeaten regular season in 50 years with a 33-14 victory over Western Michigan on Tuesday night. "Jordan Lynch is the best player in college football and that's no disrespect to anyone else" said Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, who starred at Kaneland High School and Northern Illinois, before taking over the Broncos.

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    Tuesday’s wrestling scoreboard
    Here are the varsity boys wrestling results from Tuesday as reported to the Daily Herald.

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    Tuesday’s girls basketball scoreboard
    Here are the results from Tuesday's varsity girls basketball results as reported to the Daily Herald.

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    Tuesday’s boys basketball scoreboard
    Here are the results from Tuesday's varsity boys basketball results as reported to the Daily Herald.

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    Antioch goes to 4-0; Stevenson rolls
    Daily Herald report
    For the first time in 20 years, Antioch’s girls basketball team has started its season at 4-0 after defeating Resurrection 51-45 Tuesday night.

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    Warren’s Eric Gillespie drives to the hoop during the Blue Devils’ loss to Uplift on Tuesday at Mundelein.

    LZ steps up; Uplift tops Warren
    Daily Herald report
    Lake Zurich’s boys basketball team is off to a good start. Mike Travlos scored 26 points Tuesday night, as the Bears defeated West Chicago 73-62 to improve to 2-0. Will McClaughry added 12 points, while Brad Kruse and Corey Helgeson added 9 apiece. Lake Zurich led 23-11 after one quarter, was up 31-30 at the half and 52-46 after three quarters.

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    Stevenson tops Elgin as Izzo scouts Brunson
    By Howard Schlossberg
    Stevenson is going to have its hands full this season - and that’s just with staying focused. The Class 4A state basketball runners-up have a highly recruited guard, junior Jalen Brunson, and a team full of talent, depth, height and athleticism. Elgin respects that, but wasn’t intimidated by it and gave the Patriots all they wanted Tuesday night in a second-round Bison Classic game at Buffalo Grove with Michigan State coach Tom Izzo on hand to watch Pats standout guard Jalen Brunson.

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    Melendez leads Elk Grove win
    Daily Herald report
    Joell Melendez canned three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points to help Elk Grove to its first win of the season with a 72-59 decision over Proviso West in tournament play at Fenton on Tuesday.

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    Bulls game day
    Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Wednesday 6:30 p.m.TV/radio: Comcast SportsNet/ ESPN 1000-AMAt a glance: The Bulls are 0-4 so far on the circus road trip. Now the scene shifts East to Auburn Hills, Mich., where the Pistons (6-8) have been trying to blend some new players together against a tough early schedule. Detroit veteran Rodney Stuckey is the top scorer with 15.9 ppg off the bench. Among the newcomers, PG Brandon Jennings is at 15.7 points and 8.4 assists, while SF Josh Smith is averaging 14.2 points. The Pistons’ strength might be inside, with PF Greg Monroe and C Andre Drummond. As a team, Detroit is shooting 29.8 percent from 3-point range. The last time the Bulls were at the Palace (April 7), the Pistons snapped an 18-game losing streak in the series.Next: Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena, 6:30 p.m. Saturday — Mike McGraw

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    Rolling Meadows improves to 4-0
    Daily Herald report
    The Rolling Meadows girls basketball improved to 4-0 in the Lake Zurich Turkey Thriller with a 58-30 victory over Mid-Suburban East rival Elk Grove on Tuesday night at Lake Zurich High School. Senior guard Jackie Kemph scored a game-high 19 points while classmates Jenny Vliet (15) and Alexis Glasgow (12) also made it into double figures for the Mustangs.

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    Mundelein’s J.T Michalski, left, Lakes’ Devyn Cedzidlo scramble for a loose ball Tuesday at Mundelein.

    Williams, Mundelein get past Lakes
    By Joe Aguilar
    Mundelein guard Nate Williams emerged from his team’s locker room with the game ball late Tuesday night. Sophomore coach Fidel Garcia had handed it to him. “He said, ‘Here, Willie. You take this,’ ” Williams said, smiling. Williams then delivered the ball to Mundelein head coach Corey Knigge, but the senior guard might have earned it with his performance in the Mustangs’ 77-69 win over Lakes on Day 2 action of Mundelein’s Thanksgiving tournament. Williams scored a career-high 28 points and was one of five Mustangs in double figures, as they earned their first victory under Knigge.

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    Fast start propels Westminster past Harvest
    By Jerry Fitzpatrick
    An excellent first half by the Westminster Christian boys basketball team staked the Warriors to a large enough lead to withstand a determined second-half run by Harvest Christian Academy in a 63-47 victory at the Seventh Annual Warrior Thanksgiving Classic Tuesday.

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    Defense-first Grayslake Central stops Maine S.
    By Rusty Silber
    Defense means a great deal to Grayslake Central’s girls basketball team. The Rams would like to keep their opponents under 40 in each game this season. Grayslake Central followed its game plan to a “D” and earned a 46-35 victory over host Maine South in the Bison Classic on Tuesday night in Park Ridge.

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    Boys basketball/Fox Valley roundup
    Daily Herald report
    Matt McClure scored 20 points, including 3 3-pointers Tuesday night as the South Elgin boys basketball team defeated Mather 80-76, earning its second win in as many nights for new coach Matt Petersen.

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    West Aurora handles DeKalb
    By Kevin McGavin
    Liz Skaggs uttered a frequently used basketball cliché Tuesday night in Aurora. “We know that free throws win games,” the West Aurora senior forward said after the Blackhawks converted 10 consecutive fourth-quarter free-throw attempts against visiting DeKalb. In turning back their longtime former Upstate Eight Conference rival at the WarHawk Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament, the Blackhawks’ 45-34 victory was their third in succession to the infant girls season.

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    St. Charles North’s Alec Goetz guards Plainfield East’s Aaron Jordan Tuesday in St. Charles.

    St. Charles North surprises Plainfield East
    By John Lemon
    St. Charles North came into its season opener Tuesday with a chip on its shoulder — and this year the North Stars have some mighty big shoulders. With Division I football players Garrett Johnson and Chase Gianacakos back out for basketball for the first time in two years, the North Stars flexed their muscle to go with their shooters and skilled players in an impressive 58-54 win over Plainfield East at St. Charles East’s 55th annual Ron Johnson Thanksgiving Tournament.

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    Burlington Central claims tournament title
    By John Radtke
    The end result achieved the desired goal, but the path to it could have been smoother.That’s the message Burlington Central girls basketball coach Mark Smith delivered to his team Tuesday night after the Rockets climbed out of more holes than a groundhog in April to eventually come away with a 58-52 win over Machesney Park Harlem in the championship game of the Central Thanksgiving Tournament.

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    Fremd following winning plan
    By Greg Swiderski
    Fremd’s boys basketball team has a plan for this season. “We are focused as a team,” said Fremd guard Riley Glassmann. “We are going to prepare for each team one at a time, and play them one at a time.” The Vikings came out with aggressive defense and some hot shooting in scattering the host Fenton Bison 68-20 in the second round of 28th annual Chuck Mitchell Tournament on Tuesday night.

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    Leyden gets going with 1-point win at Meadows
    By Mike Garofola
    Before a big opening-night crowd, visiting Leyden spoiled the night for Rolling Meadows and retiring wresting head coach Dave Froehlich with a thrilling 34-33 victory in a nonconference dual on the Mustangs’ home mats. Froehlich, who is in his 36th year at the helm (and was a state medalist at Leyden), will be stepping down from his spot as head coach as well as athletic director when the current school year comes to an end.

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    King stuns Geneva in final seconds
    By Jeff Smith
    Geneva led King for 31 minutes and 52 seconds of Tuesday’s second-round clash at the West Chicago Wildcat Turkey Classic. Unfortunately for the Vikings, King was ahead for the last eight seconds. Jaguars guard Zion Morgan stripped the ball from a Geneva ballhandler, then found Delon Statam with a long pass downcourt that Statam converted into a breakaway layup with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter. The basket pushed King in front 68-66, and the Jaguars held on for victory when Geneva’s ensuing 3-point attempt and follow-up tip-in both rimmed out as time expired.

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    Kirchoff helps Barrington close out Buffalo Grove
    By John Leusch
    When the game was on the line, Angie Kirchoff was on her game. The senior guard helped Barrington’s girls basketball team put away its third straight victory in the Bison Classic on Tuesday night at Maine South High School in Park Ridge. Kirchoff made 2 free throws for a 48-47 lead with 1:24 left. After the teams exchanged turnovers, she rebounded her teammate’s missed layup with her own layup for a 50-47 advantage. With 7.5 seconds left, Kirchoff added 2 more free throws for a 5-point lead and the Fillies held on for a 52-49 victory in the third round of the six-team round-robin tourney.

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    Baylor Griffin of Naperville North goes for a rebound during the Neuqua Valley at Naperville North boys basketball game Wednesday.

    Naperville North spreads the floor, gets win
    By D.J. Wanberg
    The Naperville North boys basketball team managed just 8 points during the second quarter of Tuesday night’s game against Neuqua Valley in the Hoops for Healing Tournament at Naperville North. The Wildcats (1-1) led 22-21 at halftime, and something had to change if the Huskies wanted a shot at this game. It did. With the help of three 3-point baskets during the third quarter, Naperville North (1-1) improved its offensive lot, leading 36-32 after 24 minutes and going on to win 54-48.

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    Downers Grove North stymies Geneva
    By Craig Brueske
    If defense wins championships, Downers Grove North’s girls basketball team could be on to something big this season. Led by 6-foot-2 junior center Peyton Winters and 6-1 sophomore guard Jaida Travascio-Green, the Trojans (4-0) turned in a stingy defensive performance during their 48-37 victory over Geneva (2-1) at the Glenbard East/Rachel Bach Tournament Tuesday night in Lombard.

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    Larkin notches win over Cary-Grove
    By Cameron LaFerle
    Larkin’s boys basketball team dominated early and held on late to secure a 55-43 victory over Cary-Grove on Tuesday at the Hoops for Healing tournament at Woodstock. Surging ahead to a 17-point halftime lead, the Royals (2-0) used a tenacious defensive effort to keep the Trojans’ offense looking for more, forcing over 10 turnovers in the first half and holding the Trojans to just 42 percent from the field.

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    Burlington Central’s Jacob Schutta sinks a shot over a block by Dundee-Crown’s Kiwaun Seals (10) and Nick Munson in the third quarter on Tuesday at Sycamore.

    Burlington Central dunks Dundee-Crown
    By Allen Oshinski
    They may have to start calling him Dunkin’ Ozburn. Burlington Central’s big man, Duncan Ozburn, had 18 points, including a fourth-quarter slam, and 7 blocked shots to lead the Rockets past Dundee-Crown, 64-55, at the Leland G. Strombom boys basketball tournament in Sycamore Tuesday night.

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    Highland Park edges Prospect in OT
    By Larry Weindruch
    There aren’t many plays drawn up to go the length of the court, down a point, with 7.1 seconds on the clock, and counting. But that’s exactly what Highland Park did. The Giants (1-0) rebounded a missed free throw and moved the ball upcourt quickly. Guard David Sachs took a pass as time wound down and drained a basket from just inside the 3-point arc with 1 second on the clock to give the Giants a season-opening 54-53 overtime victory over Prospect in the Joe Majkowski Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament in St. Viator’s Cahill Gym Tuesday.

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    Montini Catholic quarterback Alexander Wills looks to the end zone against Joliet Catholic.

    Montini QB Wills finishing strong
    By Dave Oberhelman
    Montini quarterback Alex Wills, with one state championship under his belt and another beckoning on the horizon, admitted his high school football career has had its ups and downs. As he and the rest of the Broncos did last year, the goal is to finish on another high.

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    Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com Benet Girls Coach Peter Paul works the floor.

    Benet’s Paul earns 600th win
    By Stan Goff
    Regardless of the outcome, history was going to be made Tuesday night and one coach would leave with a milestone victory. While Denise Sarna’s Bartlett Hawks made a nice run in the third quarter to keep alive hope of Sarna reaching the 300-win mark, it was Benet and coach Peter Paul that came up big in the end in third-round action at the Tip-Off Tournament at Naperville Central. The Redwings (4-0) weathered Bartlett’s 12-4 run to open the third quarter by countering with a 23-7 close and a 71-49 victory to give Paul the 600th victory in his illustrious career at the Lisle school.

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    Rolling Meadows’ Matt Dolan, left, and Pat Kramp, right, leap for a rebound against Deerfield’s Jack Gurvey during Tuesday’s game in Palatine.

    Deerfield finds the range, sinks Rolling Meadows
    By Dick Quagliano
    Deerfield rained 3-pointers on Rolling Meadows to spoil the Mustangs’ season opener Tuesday at the Ed Molitor Thanksgiving Classic at Palatine. Deerfield nailed 5 three-pointers in the fourth quarter and also forced 6 turnovers in the period to rally past Rolling Meadows 60-53.

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    UIC overwhelemed by Louisiana Tech 103-78
    Assoicated Press
    Raheem Appleby had 26 points in just 19 minutes Tuesday night to lead Louisiana Tech over Illinois-Chicago 103-78 in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase.

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    Notre Dame forward Taya Reimer, left, and DePaul guard Megan Podkowa battle for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame won 92-76. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)

    No. 5 Notre Dame beats No. 25 DePaul 92-76
    Associated Press
    Natalie Achonwa scored 17 points and Kayla McBride had 16 to help No. 5 Notre Dame beat No. 25 DePaul 92-76 on Tuesday night for its second victory over a ranked opponent this season.

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    Texas' Jonathan Holmes (10) gets past DePaul's Tommy Hamilton IV (2) to put up a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

    Ridley leads Texas to 77-59 victory over DePaul
    Assoicated Press
    Cameron Ridley had 19 points and nine rebounds, Isaiah Taylor added 14 points and Texas bounced back from its first loss of the season to rout DePaul 77-59 on Tuesday night in the consolation game of the CBE Classic.

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    Bulls guard Derrick Rose should now understand that the next game is promised to no athlete.

    Maybe Derrick Rose shouldn’t wait to play next time
    By Mike Imrem
    Derrick Rose's latest injury is one reason critics insisted late last season that he should have come back from his previous injury as soon as doctors cleared him. Just as the next breath isn't promised to anyone, the next game isn't promised to any athlete.

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    Blackhawks game day
    Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome, 9 p.m. WednesdayTV: Channel 9Radio: WGN-AM 720The skinny: Hawks rookie goalie Antti Raanta will make his first NHL start. Defenseman Johnny Oduya didn’t practice Tuesday after blocking a shot in Monday’s 5-1 win at Edmonton and is questionable. With winger Marian Hossa returning after being in Chicago attending to his ill wife, Jeremy Morin was returned to Rockford.Next: Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center, 7:30 p.m. Friday— Tim Sassone

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    Quarterback Josh McCown will have so much more to work with Sunday than he did in his first start for the Bears, which also was at Minnesota almost two years ago.

    Much has changed since McCown’s first start as a Bear
    By Bob LeGere
    Josh McCown's first win as a starting quarterback for the Bears was less than two years ago. But almost everything has changed for the 34-year-old veteran and for the Bears since that 17-13 victory on New Year's Day, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minnesota, the site for Sunday's game. It will be the Bears' final trip to the Vikings' dome, which is scheduled for demolition after the season.

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    Boomers announce 2 player signings
    By Daily Herald News Services
    The Schaumburg Boomers have signed infielder Jordan Dean, a member of their 2013 championship club, and added Ryan Normoyle, another infielder, to their 2014 roster.

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    In a cash deal, the Cubs acquired catcher George Kottaras, a left-handed hitter, from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.

    Cubs acquire backup catcher Kottaras
    Daily Herald News Services
    The Chicago Cubs acquired backup catcher George Kottaras from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in exchange for cash. Kottaras, 30, started 29 games for the Royals last season. While the left-handed hitter batted just .180 (18-for-100) with 4 doubles, 5 home runs and 12 RBI, he also drew 24 walks and posted a .349 on-base percentage.

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    Diesel, NIU’s mascot, retiring after 9 years
    Associated Press
    Northern Illinois’ blue-eyed husky mascot is retiring after spending nine years on the sidelines. The high-fiving canine is a furry fixture at Huskies games along with his owner, Tom Bonnevier. The school’s athletics director, Sean Frazier, says in a statement that Diesel “has become the face of Huskie football.”

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    Bulls guard Derrick Rose, shown here during the second half of Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, is out for the season. Rose had surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.

    Looks like Bulls are stuck with Rose now
    By Mike North
    What type of player will Bulls point guard Derrick Rose be after cartilage surgery on his right knee ended his season? It's quite possible that he'll never be the same, as Mike North explains in today's column.

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    St. Charles East’s Katelyn Claussner, right, tries to get past Schaumburg’s Jada Blackwell Monday’s basketball game in Schaumburg.

    Images: Daily Herald prep photos of the week
    The Daily Herald Prep Photos of the Week gallery includes the best high school sports images by our photographers featuring football playoffs, girls state swimming and girls basketball.

Business

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    Consumer confidence falls to 7-month low
    Associated PRess
    WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers’ confidence in the economy fell in November to the lowest level in seven months, dragged down by greater concerns about hiring and pay in the coming months.The Conference Board said Tuesday that its index of consumer confidence dropped to 70.4 from 72.4 in October. The October reading was higher than initially reported, but still well below the 80.2 reading in September. November’s drop comes after the 16-day partial government shutdown caused confidence to plunge in October. The declines in both months were driven by falling expectations for hiring and the economy over the next six months. Some economists also attributed the weakening confidence to Americans’ frustrations and worries about the implementation of the Obama administration’s health care reform. “Disgust with politicians and government policy is what’s holding back expectations,” said Ted Wieseman, an economist at Morgan Stanley. Less optimism among Americans could slow the holiday shopping season and weigh on economic growth. Consumer spending drives 70 percent of economic activity.But spending patterns don’t always closely follow measures of confidence. Americans sometimes shop more even when they say they are less optimistic. That’s what happened last month. Despite a sharp fall in confidence in October, consumers spent 0.4 percent more at retail stores and restaurants than in September.Strong auto sales accounted for about half the gain. Restaurants also reported a healthy increase in spending. Americans also spent more on furniture, electronics and clothing. There were some signs of caution: sales at grocery stores were flat and department stores reported only slightly higher sales.Wieseman said the report included some good news: Consumers’ assessment of the current job market improved a bit, which bodes well for November’s jobs report, to be released next week. Steady hiring could boost confidence in the coming months, Wieseman added, particularly if the government’s health care web site is fixed and as memories of the shutdown fade. Employers added an average of 202,000 jobs from August through October, up from just 146,000 in the previous three months.And lower gas prices have put more money in consumers’ pockets. Prices fell for nine straight weeks to the lowest level in nearly two years before moving up slightly in the past two week. The average price for a gallon of gas nationwide Monday was $3.28.Economic growth is expected to slow in the current October-December quarter, partly because consumer spending growth is likely to be moderate. The economy expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the July-September quarter, but most economists expect it will slow to about a 2 percent rate or lower in the fourth quarter.

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    Dow, S&P 500 nudge higher; Nasdaq ends above 4,000
    Associated Press
    NEW YORK — Upbeat news from the housing industry and luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. nudged the stock market higher Tuesday.Investors also got another market milestone when the Nasdaq composite closed above the 4,000-point mark for the first time in 13 years.The event follows two other round-number moments last week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed above 1,800 for the first time, and the Dow Jones industrial average finished above 16,000. On Tuesday, homebuilder shares were among the top gainers in the broader stock market. They rose after the Commerce Department reported that approvals for housing permits rose in October at the fastest pace in five years. Those applications indicate that builders expect heightened demand. Most of the growth in the report came from apartment permits, not homes, but investors felt the data was positive. “It’s going to translate into job creation once those permits turn into actual construction,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist with Prudential Financial. Shares of PulteGroup, Toll Brothers and Lennar Corp. all rose 3 percent or more.The Nasdaq closed up 23.18 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,017.75. The last time the Nasdaq closed above the 4,000-point level was Sept. 6, 2000.The other two major stock indexes inched higher. The Dow rose less than a point to 16,072.80. The S&P 500 index also rose less than a point, to 1,802.75.Tiffany & Co. rose the most in the S&P 500 index. The jewelry chain jumped $7.03, or 9 percent, to $88.02, after it reported strong third-quarter earnings. The company also raised its full-year forecast.Stock and bond markets are closed Thursday in observance of Thanksgiving. On Friday, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will close early. Investors continue to pay close attention to any details from retailers, with the approach of Black Friday, the busy shopping day that follows Thanksgiving. Due to the lateness of Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is a week shorter than usual and that could affect the amount of shopping people do. An increasing number of retailers are opening up on Thanksgiving to draw in customers.Holiday shopping can account for as much as 40 percent of the retail industry’s annual sales. The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects an increase of 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion in holiday sales this yearAlready, many retailers have trimmed profit forecasts for the year, citing Americans’ hesitation to spend a lot of money. Barnes & Noble shares fell 98 cents, or 6 percent, to $15.45 after the bookseller’s fiscal second-quarter sales fell short of Wall Street expectations.In other company news, men’s clothing store Jos. A. Bank rose $5.69, or 11 percent, to $56.29 after rival Men’s Wearhouse offered to buy the company for $1.5 billion. Men’s Wearhouse rose $3.53, or 8 percent, to $50.60.

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    A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks past a Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. store in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013. Men’s Wearhouse Inc., which less than two weeks ago let a takeover bid from Jos. A. Bank Clothiers expire without entering discussions, today offered to buy its smaller rival for about $1.54 billion.

    Men’s Wearhouse now in pursuit of Jos. A. Bank
    Associated Press
    NEW YORK — Never say never. Just when it looked like a potential combination of Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank was dead in the water, the script has been flipped.Now it’s Men’s Wearhouse that is offering approximately $1.54 billion for its rival. Less than two weeks ago, Jos. A. Bank dropped a $2.3 billion bid for its competitor. A combination could create a menswear powerhouse of more than 1,700 outlets.The announcement that Men’s Wearhouse was interested in a possible deal came as a bit of a surprise on Tuesday. The retailer had received an unsolicited offer of $48 per share from Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. in September. But it rejected that bid in October, calling it “opportunistic” and inadequate.” Jos. A. Bank was still in the hunt back then though, saying it would be open to raising its offer if allowed to assess whether an increased bid was justified. But Men’s Wearhouse wouldn’t give the Hampstead, Md., company access to nonpublic information, and Jos. A. Bank dropped its bid on Nov. 15.While Men’s Wearhouse publicly scoffed at Jos. A. Bank’s offer, the proposal clearly gave it some food for thought. Lead director Bill Sechrest said in a statement Tuesday that the Houston company’s board decided to review its strategic options after Jos. A. Bank’s buyout bid went public. In addition, Men’s Wearhouse faced pressure from its biggest shareholder, Eminence Capital LLC. On Wednesday Eminence urged Men’s Wearhouse to talk with Jos. A. Bank. The hedge fund argued that a combination of the two businesses would create value and increase the growth potential of Men’s Wearhouse. Eminence owns 9.8 percent of Men’s Wearhouse’s stock.Men’s Wearhouse Inc. appears to have now come around to Eminence’s view, with Sechrest stating that the potential acquisition of Jos. A. Bank at $55 per share has “strategic logic” and could benefit its shareholders, workers and customers. The per share offer is a 9 percent premium to Jos. A. Bank’s $50.32 Monday closing price.Jos. A. Bank said Tuesday that its board will evaluate the offer and respond “in due course.”The decision by Men’s Wearhouse to go from an acquisition target to the bidder is known in the investment world as the Pac-Man defense. The phrase comes from the famous video game, in which Pac-Man was able to go from being hunted by ghosts to turning around and gobbling them up once he swallowed a power pellet. Men’s Wearhouse said Tuesday that it is familiar with being the bidder, with prior acquisitions including Joseph Abboud, After Hours and Moores. The company said it wouldn’t rebrand Jos. A. Bank or remodel any stores if a deal goes through. Jos. A. Bank sells men’s tailored and casual clothing, sportswear and footwear. While it targets a more established male professional, it’s known for generous promotions like buying one suit or sport coat and getting three for free. Men’s Wearhouse sells men’s sportswear and suits through its namesake chain of stores, as well as Moores and the K&G retail chain. Recently, the company has been going after younger shoppers with suits featuring slimmer silhouettes. The company anticipates the transaction for Jos. A. Bank, which it plans to finance with cash and debt financing, would substantially add to its earnings in the first year following the closing. It said the deal would still allow it to keep a quarterly dividend of 18 cents per share.Shares of Men’s Wearhouse rose $3.84, or 8.2 percent, to $50.91 in afternoon trading. Jos. A. Bank’s stock jumped $5.49, or 10.8 percent, to $56.08.

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    This August 2012 file photo released by GoldieBlox, Inc., shows the toy items from “GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine,” photographed in San Francisco. The toyës main character is a female engineer named Goldie, and is designed to spark an interest by girls in science and engineering. The Oakland, Calif.-based toy company that is a finalist for a Super Bowl ad contest is suing the Beastie Boys over an online video spoof of the group’s song, “Girls.” Goldieblox says it is suing the popular hip hop group in response to threats of copyright infringement from the group.

    Toy company sues Beastie Boys over parody
    Associated Press
    SAN FRANCISCO — A Northern California toy company is fighting for its right to parody a popular Beastie Boys song.Oakland-based GoldieBlox filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking permission to continue using a spoof of the rap song “Girls.” The song was on the trio’s first album, “Licensed to Ill,” released in 1986. It sings of the desire for girls to “do the dishes ... to do the laundry ... to clean up my room.”The company’s marketing video spoofing the song depicts young girls singing about building spaceships and coding software. The video has gone viral in recent weeks, and some 8 million people have viewed it on YouTube. The spoof is attempting to sell the company’s GoldieBlox engineering toys aimed at girls.The company said it filed the lawsuit last week after the Beastie Boys threatened their own legal action for copyright infringement.“GoldieBlox created its parody video specifically to comment on the Beastie Boys song, and to further the company’s goal to break down gender stereotypes and to encourage young girls to engage in activities that challenge their intellect, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math,” the company’s lawsuit stated.On Monday, the two surviving band members — Adam Horovitz and Michael Diamond — said in an “open letter” that they support the company’s message of empowering girls. But they have a blanket ban on using their songs in advertisements. “As creative as it is, make no mistake, your video is an advertisement that is designed to sell a product, and long ago, we made a conscious decision not to permit our music and/or name to be used in product ads,” the band members said through their publicist. “When we tried to simply ask how and why our song ‘Girls’ had been used in your ad without our permission, YOU sued US.”GoldieBlox is one of four companies named as finalists in a competition held by software maker Intuit to pay millions for a Super Bowl advertisement for the winner. The company’s “Girls” video is not part of the competition.

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    Cheap Motorola smartphone available in U.S. early
    Associated Press
    Libertyville, but soon to be Chicago-based Motorola will start selling a cheap smartphone in the U.S. more than a month ahead of schedule. The company says it was able to produce the Moto G phones faster than expected. The U.S. launch was initially planned for January. But it is going on sale Tuesday.

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    Diageo employees donate $40,000 to United Way
    Plainfield-based Diageo North America’s Plainfield employees recently presented United Way of Will County with a donation of more than 40,000. Employees raised the money in one month, holding a variety of events and activities throughout October, including a silent auction, bake sales, a barbecue and raffle.

  •  

    Sears denies reports of sales plans for Sears Canada
    Hoffman Estates-based Sears Holdings Corp. denied published reports that the company intends to sell its Sears Canada division. The company, in a statement, said the news story published in the New York Post contained false claims that Sears CEO Edward Lampert “is interviewing or otherwise is in talks with investment bankers about Sears Holdings’ interest in Sears Canada.” Similarly, the company said the claim that Lampert is conducting a ‘beauty contest’ also is false.

  •  
    Consumer Reports projects more than half the population plans to skip the much heralded and equally maligned Black Friday shopping this year.

    Stores, shoppers prepare for Black Friday
    Wire reports
    It’s a jungle out there, holiday-shopping wise. Or maybe a desert. Indiana is taking a military approach to Black Friday, urging retailers to take steps to ensure workers and customers remain out of harms way. It may be unnecessary, however, Consumer Reports projects more than half the population plans to skip the much heralded and equally maligne. Black Friday shopping this year.

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    Nuclear waste burial debate produces odd alliances
    Ordinarily, a proposal to bury radioactive waste in a scenic area that relies on tourism would inspire “not in my backyard” protests from local residents — and relief in places that were spared. But conventional wisdom has been turned on its head in the Canadian province of Ontario, where a publicly owned power company wants to entomb waste from its nuclear plants 2,230 feet below the surface and less than a mile from Lake Huron.

  •  

    GE eyes fix for engine icing on 787s, 747
    General Electric said on Monday that it is close to a solution for engines that are losing power for a few seconds after ingesting ice chunks as big as a half-gallon. The problem came to light over the weekend after Japan Airlines said it will stop using its new Boeing Co. 787s on some routes.

  •  
    Lisa Madigan

    Safe shopping guide features recalled products
    Associated Press
    Attorney General Lisa Madigan is releasing her annual holiday “Safe Shopping Guide” which highlights recalled toys and other items that pose a hazard to families. The 2013 edition of the guide features photos and descriptions of nearly 100 children’s products recalled in the last year.

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    South Carolina college plans new center to support Boeing plant
    Trident Technical College plans a new aeronautical training center in North Charleston.The proposed $79 million center is designed to support the aeronautics industry in the area. Chicago-based Boeing has a plant in North Charleston that builds the 787 Dreamliner jets. The college center would train workers for Boeing and its suppliers.

Life & Entertainment

  •  
    Dinner at Brazil Express includes piranha prime sirloin and other cuts of meat.

    Family-run Brazil Express a steakhouse worth seeking out
    By Carolyn Walkup
    While you might have a tricky time finding Brazil Express in its Roselle Road strip-mall location, if you're really hungry for some excellent protein, served in a lovely white tablecloth atmosphere, this Schaumburg restaurant is well-worth your time. And don't forget about the bountiful salad bar, which contains an array of cold salads and hot soups and stews, and the housemade desserts.

  •  
    CBS has ordered “60 Minutes” correspondent Lara Logan and her producer to take a leave of absence following a critical internal review of their handling in the show’s October story on the Benghazi raid.

    CBS: Lara Logan, producer ordered to take leave
    Associated Press
    CBS ordered “60 Minutes” correspondent Lara Logan and her producer to take a leave of absence Tuesday following a critical internal review of their handling of the show’s October story on the Benghazi raid, based on a report on a supposed witness whose story can’t be verified. The review, by CBS News executive Al Ortiz and obtained by The Associated Press, said the “60 Minutes” team should have done a better job vetting the story that featured a security contractor who said he was at the U.S. mission in Libya the night it was attacked last year.

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    MSNBC and Alec Baldwin say they are ending the actor’s talk show, which was suspended for two weeks after the actor used an anti-gay slur against a photographer in a New York City street.

    Alec Baldwin’s show ending on MSNBC
    Associated Press
    MSNBC and Alec Baldwin say they are ending the actor’s talk show, which was suspended for two weeks after the actor used an anti-gay slur against a photographer in a New York City street.

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    Bruno Mars’ “Count on Me” is part of a collection of 39 hits for “Songs of the Philippines,” available on iTunes Monday to raise money for disaster relief efforts in the Philippines.

    Stars donate songs for Philippines relief album
    Associated Press
    Dozens of top stars have donated songs to an album aimed at raising funds for disaster relief in the Philippines. Songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Beyoncé, U2 and Bruno Mars are among the 39 donated to “Songs for the Philippines,” available for purchase Monday at iTunes and for streaming on iTunes Radio.

  •  
    Don’t let Thanksgiving appetizers take up valueable oven space. Cookbook author Mark Bittman suggests topping your toasts cannellini beans pureed with olive oil, lemon and fresh rosemary or goat cheese and candied nuts.

    Save time, oven space with a no-cook Thanksgiving
    By Michele Kayal
    Every Thanksgiving presents the same challenge — how to juggle the turkey and the stuffing and the pie and all those sides in just one oven. Turns out this one’s easier to solve than finding a tablemate for your obnoxious Uncle Hal. The answer? Elegant, no-cook dishes sprinkled throughout the meal.

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    Journalist Paul Salopek walks across the Afar desert of Ethiopia as part of his planned seven-year global trek from Africa to Tierra del Fuego. At one point, the reporter walked alongside his camels for days in Ethiopia without seeing glass or bricks or any other signs of modern humanity.

    1 year down: American walking from Africa to Chile
    By Jason Straziuso, Associated Press
    In Paul Salopek’s first year of his trek across the globe, the reporter walked alongside his camels for days in Ethiopia without seeing glass or bricks or any other signs of modern humanity, ate a hamburger on a U.S. military base and was shadowed by minders in the Saudi desert. He has only 20,000 miles to go. Salopek is walking from Ethiopia to Chile, a seven-year journey that aims to reproduce man’s global migration. Beauty and difficulty filled his first year, which is now nearly complete. In his second he will skirt the violence of Syria but will cross Iraq and Afghanistan.

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    Dining events: Specials abound at Wheeling restaurants
    By Sara Hooker
    Enjoy special offers, gourmet dining experiences and even free samples through Dec. 15 during Wheeling’s annual “Dine Around the Town” promotion. Participating restaurants include Benihana, Bob Chinn’s, Buca di Beppo, Cooper’s Hawk, Nibbles Play Cafe, Saranello, Superdawg and Lynfred Winery.

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    Jason Statham, left, chews the scenery while James Franco and Winona Ryder admire his emotional range in the by-the-numbers thriller "Homefront."

    Franco's creepy Gator aids botched action thriller
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    In the tough action thriller “Homefront,” James Franco plays a bad-ol' boy with the wonderfully rank, white trashy name Gator Bodine (rhymes with “bovine”). He narrows his eyes into snakelike slits and you can see the squeaky wheels turning. Too bad Franco's performance gets buried under an avalanche of clichés and blurry fight scenes so poorly edited that we can't tell what's happening.

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    Princess Anna (Kristen Bell) and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) chat with Olaf the snowman (Josh Gad) in Walt Disney’s animated tribute to sisterhood, “Frozen.”

    ‘Frozen’ covers familiar Disney terrain with added surprises
    By Dann Gire Daily Herald Film Critic
    The musical “Frozen” may not rank as a great Walt Disney animated classic, but it still packs breathtaking scenes, welcome moments of visual and verbal hilarity, plus the most endearing cinematic tribute to sisterhood since “A League of Their Own.” “Frozen” — not to be confused with the 2010 stranded ski lift horror film — comes from the director of Disney’s 1999 animated release “Tarzan.”

  •  
    Second-grader Rozie Aronov, 7, holds up a menurkey, a paper-and-paint mashup of a menorah and turkey, she created at Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Mich. The recent class project reflects one way for Jews in the United States to deal with a rare quirk of the calendar that overlaps Thanksgiving with the start of Hanukkah. The last time it happened was 1888 and the next time is 79,043 years from now — by one estimate that ís widely repeated in Jewish circles.

    Thanksgiving-Hanukkah overlap spurs thanks, angst
    By Jeff Karoub
    When life gives you Hanukkah on Thanksgiving, make a menurkey. Or a turkel. That’s what students at suburban Detroit’s Hillel Day School are doing — creating paper-and-paint mashups of menorahs and turkeys, and the birds combined with dreidels. The recent class projects at the Farmington Hills school illustrate one way U.S. Jews are dealing with a rare quirk of the calendar on Thursday that overlaps Thanksgiving with the start of Hanukkah.

  •  
    A woman walks her dog past a vintage Santa Claus holiday window display at Lord & Taylor department store in New York. Forget window shopping, some of Manhattan’s biggest and most storied retailers say their elaborate seasonal window displays are a gift to passers-by.

    NYC stores trim their windows as gifts to the city
    By Samantha Critchell, Associated Press
    Forget window shopping, some of Manhattan’s biggest and most storied retailers say their elaborate seasonal window displays are a gift to passers-by. Reimagining every major holiday covered in a slick coating of ice, re-creating cozy Christmas-morning scenes and paying homage to a local legend can be a yearlong labor of love. “Every store has their own style,” says David Hoey, senior director of visual presentation at Bergdorf Goodman. “We try to pick a theme that will lend itself for us to go to town. We all do.”

  •  
    Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones have teamed up for an Everly Brothers tribute, “Foreverly,” released this week.

    Harmonic convergence: Armstrong, Jones team up
    By Chris Talbott
    Billie Joe Armstrong has a future in sales if the music thing doesn’t work out. Just ask Norah Jones, who had every intention of turning down an interesting but odd pitch from the Green Day frontman because of tour exhaustion when she got on the phone with him. Twenty minutes later, she’d agreed to an unlikely partnership that produced “Foreverly,” a loving re-creation of an all-but-forgotten Everly Brothers album out this week that is one of the year’s more left-field releases.

  •  
    Elton John performs at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Saturday, Nov. 30.

    Best bets: Elton John lights up the piano at Allstate
    By Scott C. Morgan
    See why composer/pop star Elton John has awards from Grammy, Oscar and Tony when he performs Saturday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Plus, Taylor Williamson does standup at The Improv Comedy Showcase in Schaumburg and singer/songwriter Michael Bolton croons at the Arcada in St. Charles on Sunday.

Discuss

  •  
    Local police departments across the country have amassed digital records of vehicles with a license plate using automated scanners. (AP Photo)

    Editorial: Crime-fighting tool needs safeguards
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    A crime fighting tool being implemented in Mundelein and possibly other suburbs is clearly useful but needs careful monitoring to protect privacy and civil rights, a Daily Herald editorial says.

  •  

    Fix the website and the ACA succeeds
    By Gene Lyons
    Columnist Gene Lyons: Bad news for CLNN, the Chicken Little News Network — that is, just about all of them lately: In states which have set up their own Affordable Care Act marketplaces, enrollment is proceeding apace. Indeed, media melodrama about “Obama’s Katrina” and similar formulations appears paradoxically to have reminded people that dependable health insurance is at last available to them and their families.

  •  

    C.S. Lewis: Rescuing desire
    By Michael Gerson
    Columnist Michael Gerson: This is the achievement of writer C.S. Lewis: to restore the dignity of our desires, which leave us homeless in this world and lead us home.

  •  

    Meatless Thanksgiving would be cruelty free
    A Glenview letter to the editor: Thanksgiving is a monumental day to express our thanks. It’s distastefully referred to as “Turkey Day,” and millions of hapless turkeys are slaughtered to commemorate this holiday feast.

  •  

    Embrace the spirit of gratitude every day
    A Hoffman Estates letter to the editor: Those of us who believe in a good and loving God have a definite focus for our gratitude. Yet anyone can feel grateful to — as well as for — family, friends and perhaps even “good fortune” itself. Yes, let’s especially commemorate our gratitude on Thanksgiving Day.

  •  

    Mr. President, your plan is a disaster
    A Mount Prospect letter to the editor: Now the president wants insurance companies to reinstate the substandard plans. Surely he must realize the cost to do so. The president wants to be able to say, “I did not cancel your plans, the insurance companies did.”

  •  

    Exorbitant health care costs at root of problem
    A Palatine letter to the editor: While the fortunates with employer-provided health care options are reeling over the changes in expense and coverage, the rest of the world rushes to prejudge Obamacare. What is missing from the examination of health care in America is the expense at its core.

  •  

    It’s a good time to donate to WDSRA
    A Huntley letter to the editor: This is the time of year when everyone is thinking of friends, family, and holiday celebrations. I hope that in the spirit of giving, you will also consider making a charitable contribution this holiday season.

  •  

    The dogs just won’t eat Obamacare
    A Campton Hills letter to the editor: As I watch the final stages of the Obamacare rollout I am reminded of an old story.A dog food company rolled out a new brand. After three months, sales were abysmal.

  •  

    Who gave president power to change law?
    A Lake in the Hills letter to the edtior: After reading the article “What Obama’s changes mean to health care law,” I have a question. By what authority can a president change a law?

  •  

    (No heading)
    Aside from reading the news each day in the Daily Herald one of the most entertaining things about the newspaper is reading the comments from the dyed-in-the-wool Obama supporters who apparently have no clue what the real world is like.Reader Jerry Loftis’ comments “ Is Tea Party motto: ‘Do As I say’? in the Nov. 15 paper, are a classic example of what brings me amazement each morning from low information voters.He says “ The Tea Party accuses President Obama of being a socialist, yet they have no issue in taking 80 percent of the cost of their local roads from federal monies, tax breaks on their medical insurance (??) , Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid payments for themselves and their families.”He further states that he thinks that if “if they would pay back all the monies they have taken out of these federal, socialists programs, our national debt would drop drastically.”Really? He wrote that?The reality is: current federal tax on gas is 18.4 cents per gallon and local state tax is 62.8 cents per gallon, which is $16 per fill up in taxes on my car. That is my share for using the roads AND I use the toll road system to get to and from work so I do pay the tolls too. So much for Mr. Loftis’ understanding the issue of local roads. This is not socialism. It’s the reason we have those taxes.As far as his comments regarding Social Security and Medicare, WE PAY for Social Security and Medicare. It is NOT socialism. I PAY thousands of dollars out of my paycheck every year for these programs and so does my employer! These programs are not an entitlement, we pay for them. If the government did not raid the money in those programs, they would be doing wonderful.We had the best health care system in the world but it needed some small changes. Which the Republicans and the Tea Party wanted to make but were not allowed to make by the Democrats. The Democrats and the president wanted to “fundamentally change this country” and they did! Unfortunately, not in a good way as evidenced by the near total collapse of Obamacare that is in the news every day.Remember then speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s comments: “We need to pass Obama care in order to see what is in it”. ?Well, The Democrats passed it and now everyone can see what is in it. A total disaster and we all will pay for it, including Mr. Loftis.Elections have consequences, and a loser, even if he wins, will have consequences felt by everyone.Steve Gillis Wheaton

  •  

    (No heading)
    On the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Americans will reflect on the tragic events in Dallas and the impact it had on our country. We will never know how our history may have enfolded if he had lived and if he had been re-elected to a second term.What we do know is that he left us with a message on which we should all reflect particularly as we look at the current and future role of government in our lives. In his inaugural address on that cold day in 1961 he said “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This was not a call to the “greatest generation.” They did their part whether fighting against those who would deny life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to millions or supporting the war effort through hard work and real sacrifice. This message was directed to the next generation to whom “the torch has been passed.”Whenever there is a retrospective on JFK’s brief tenure as our president, his challenge to future generations is highlighted. As I look at the direction of our country in the past several years I wonder, does his message still resonate with most Americans?David CarrellCampton Hills

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