Fittest loser

Daily Archive : Sunday January 19, 2014

News

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    A worker steps lightly on the roof of the old dome at Centre Court Athletic Club in Hanover Park as they take it down to make way for a new dome.

    Images: The Week in Pictures
    This edition of The Week in Pictures features several indoor events for children to keep them out of the cold, an outdoor winter golf event, and a girl scout cookie sale warmup.

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    Audience members watch and record the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program at the Hemmens Auditorium in Elgin on Sunday. The event celebrated King's legacy through words, song, prayer and dance.

    Elgin celebrates King's legacy, progress toward his dream
    By Steve Zalusky
    Elgin showed its commitment to the dream of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday — in words, song, prayer and dance. By Mayor David Kaptain's admission, that commitment may not always have been there. “When I became a councilman almost 10 years ago, diversity was not something that was a pleasant subject in Elgin,” he said.

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    Below-zero wind chills expected this week
    By Jessica Cilella
    While it won’t be as bad as the polar vortex that hit the area earlier this month, the suburbs will experience a second blast of extremely cold temperatures this week, according to the National Weather Service. “It’s the return of some pretty cold air, especially on Tuesday and really lasting through the heart of the week,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Matt...

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    Man shot, killed in armed robbery at Bensenville store
    Daily Herald staff report
    A man is dead after being shot during an armed robbery at a Bensenville tobacco store Saturday afternoon, according to a news release. Officers responded to a report of a possible armed robbery around 6 p.m. at Sam’s Tobacco and Food Mart at 235 W. Irving Park Road, police said. Upon arrival, police found a 36-year-old clerk shot on the ground in front of the business.

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    Arcada Theatre owner Ron Onesti kicks off a tribute Sunday to longtime organist Jim Shaffer, who died in November at age 78. Onesti said he had little respect for the organ as an instrument until he met Shaffer.

    Fitting tribute to Arcada mainstay, organist Shaffer
    By Steve Zalusky
    The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles hosted “Jim Shaffer Day" in tribute to its longtime organist. Shaffer, who died in late November at age 78, was a longtime volunteer who played the theater’s historic pipe organ before each show.

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    House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers on Sunday condemned former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden as a “thief” and said he may have had help from Russia.

    NSA program defenders question Snowden’s motives
    Washington Post
    The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Sunday condemned former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden as a “thief” and said he may have had help from Russia.

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    Batkid, Miles Scott, 5, is greeted as he arrives at City Hall in San Francisco Nov. 15, 2013, the day the Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area granted his wish to be Batkid for a day.

    Philanthropists pay bills for SF ‘Batkid’ fantasy
    Associated Press
    The city of San Francisco is being rescued from paying the cost of staging the “Batkid” fantasy that captured the nation’s imagination. Philanthropists John and Marcia Goldman are picking up the city’s $105,000 tab.

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    Daily Herald food editor Deborah Pankey and Cook of the Week Challenge winner Dan Rich, of Elgin, prepared a Super Bowl snack spread using common pantry during an event hosted Sunday at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva. Rich scored a touchdown with his sweet and sour meatballs.

    Tuna, potatoes, tomatoes turned into Super Bowl snacks at food bank benefit
    Daily Herald report
    Could you pull together a Super Bowl snack spread with just the ingredients already in your pantry? That was the challenge put to Daily Herald Food Editor Deborah Pankey and Cook of the Week Challenge winner Dan Rich by folks at the Northern Illinois Food Bank Sunday afternoon.

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    A plan to demolish the Raymond Judd mansion in St. Charles and put townhouses up was informally rejected by city leaders based on the concept plan discussed. The plan calls for 13 attached townhouses on the site of the 6th Avenue mansion.

    Plan to demolish St. Charles mansion no sure thing
    By James Fuller
    A plan to demolish the historic Raymond Judd House in St. Charles and put townhouses up in its place was shot down in the early stages this week. St. Charles aldermen said the house should be preserved.

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    Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer claims the Christie administration withheld millions of dollars in recovery grants because she refused to sign off on a politically connected development. MSNBC first reported her comments Saturday.

    N.J. mayor: Sandy aid ultimatum came from Christie
    Associated Press
    The Democratic mayor of a town severely flooded by Superstorm Sandy said Sunday that she was told an ultimatum tying recovery funds to her support for a prime real estate project came directly from GOP Gov. Chris Christie, a claim a Christie spokesman called “categorically false.”

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    A police officer guards a main entrance to the Volgograd railway station hit by an explosion, in Volgograd, Russia, Dec. 29, 2013. More then a dozen people were killed and scores were wounded, heightening concern about terrorism ahead of February’s Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

    Russian Islamic video threatens Sochi Olympics
    Associated Press
    An Islamic militant group in Russia’s North Caucasus claimed responsibility Sunday for twin suicide bombings in the southern city of Volgograd last month and posted a video threatening to strike the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. There had been no previous claim of responsibility for the bombings, which killed 34 people and heightened security fears before next month’s Winter Games.

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    A sign cheering on U.S. Olympian Megan Bozek bung outside a fundraising event she attended Saturday in her hometown of Buffalo Grove. Bozek is a defenseman on the U.S. women’s hockey team.

    Fans, friends flock to greet Buffalo Grove Olympian
    By Ross Forman
    U.S Olympian Megan Bozek was the guest of honor at a meet-and-greet fundraiser Saturday in her hometown of Buffalo Grove. Bozek, a defenseman on the U.S. women's hockey team, signed autographs and posed for hundreds of photos.

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    Professional contractors and amateur renovators traveled to the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake this weekend for the Home Building and Remodeling Expo. The event featured demonstrations and presentations at more than 100 booths.

    Pro, amateurs check out latest in home improvement at Grayslake expo
    Daily Herald report
    Professional homebuilders and weekend warriors traveled to the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake on Sunday to learn about the latest in renovation at the Home Building and Remodeling Expo.

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    Ice carver Joseph Gagnepain of St. Charles works on a reindeer Sunday during Addison’s annual WinterFEST at Community Park. The event featured winter-themed events like snow golf and marshmallow roasting, as well as indoor activities like an obstacle course and bounce house.

    Addison Park District festival celebrates winter
    Daily Herald report
    During a month where it seems we’ve had two kinds of weather: cold and snowy and colder and snowier, Addison Park District officials couldn’t have picked a better time for their annual WinterFEST celebration.

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    Kim Noe of Palatine waits in line to audition Sunday for the NBC television signing competition “The Voice” at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Hundreds of aspiring singers from across the suburbs traveled to Rosemont over the weekend to try out for the show.

    Suburban singers among those trying to become the next ‘Voice’
    By Matt Arado
    Hundreds of aspiring singers from all over the Midwest attended the open-call auditions for “The Voice” this weekend in Rosemont. A lucky few will be asked to perform again this coming week in Chicago — the first step toward actually making it to the program.

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    MHS breast cancer fundraiser
    Daily Herald report
    The Mundelein High School varsity and junior varsity girls basketball teams will raise funds for breast cancer at their Friday, Jan. 24, games against Crystal Lake South.

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    Lake Villa Township seeks grant
    Daily Herald report
    Lake Villa Township trustees recently approved a resolution seeking a state grant of $160,000 to help pay for an extension of a multiuse trail from Oakland Elementary School through Lakes Community High School to Gelden Road.

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    Comedy hypnotist to perform at Grayslake North
    Daily Herald report
    Grayslake North High School hosts a performance by certified hypnotherapist and comedy hypnotist Cheryl Shagena on Thursday, Jan. 23, to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a news release stated.

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    Learn about local conservation in Lake County
    Daily Herald report
    You can learn about the Lake County Forest Preserve District’s latest wildlife conservation efforts Jan. 23 at the Lake County Discovery Museum near Wauconda.

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    Kane prosecutor supports expansion of recorded police questioning
    By Harry Hitzeman
    Lawyers like to say that physical evidence doesn’t lie. And neither does the video camera. Mandatory video recording of suspect interviews will expand to a host of other serious crimes thanks to a new state law. Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon supports the change.

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    Jovi Tomaneng, left, and John Stilp, center, of Naperville discuss wedding plans with their pastor, the Rev. Mark Winters at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Naperville.

    Same-sex couples prepare for religious wedding ceremonies
    Many same-sex couples undoubtedly will go to their local county courthouse and tie the knot in front of a judge once Illinois' same-sex marriage law takes effect June 1. But others will opt for a religious ceremony. Policies on that vary from church to church. “Religion has always been in our lives as a couple,” said John Stilp, who, with his partner, is planning an August wedding at...

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    This is the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr, Iran. Ahead of the start of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, an official in the Islamic Republic has called limiting uranium enrichment and diluting its stockpile the countryís “most important commitments.”

    Iran prepares for start of landmark nuclear deal
    Ahead of the start of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, an official in the Islamic Republic called limiting uranium enrichment and diluting its stockpile the country’s “most important commitments,” state radio reported Sunday.

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    A girl takes pictures at a “Sherlock”-themed cafe in Shanghai, China. “Sherlock has become a global phenomenon, but nowhere more than in China, where fans’ devotion is so intense that the BBC says this was the first country outside Britain where the new season was shown.

    China falls in love with Sherlock Holmes
    Associated Press
    “Sherlock” has become a global phenomenon, but nowhere more than in China, where fans’ devotion is so intense that the BBC says it was the first country outside Britain where the new season was shown.

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    Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a translation during an interview to Russian and foreign media at the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, which will host Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 7, 2014. In the interview, Putin equated gays with pedophiles and spoke of the need for Russia to “cleanse” itself of homosexuality as part of efforts to increase the birth rate.

    Russian President Putin links gays to pedophiles
    Associated Press
    Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered new assurances to gay athletes and fans attending the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics next month. Yet he defended Russia’s anti-gay law by equating gays with pedophiles and said Russia needs to “cleanse” itself of homosexuality if it wants to increase its birth rate.

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    Mourners pray over the coffin of a man killed in a bomb attack during a funeral in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday. Violence across Iraq, including a series of car bombings and fighting between militants and government troops over control of the country’s contested Anbar province, killed dozens Saturday, officials said.

    Iraq announces offensive against al-Qaida
    Associated Press
    Iraqi government forces and allied tribal militias launched an all-out offensive Sunday to push al-Qaida militants from a provincial capital, an assault that killed or wounded some 20 police officers and government-allied tribesmen, officials said.

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    Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said President Obama’s plan to require a special judge’s advance approval before intelligence agencies can examine someone’s data, won’t work.

    Lawmakers say Obama surveillance idea won’t work
    Associated Press
    Obama, under pressure to calm the controversy over government spying, said Friday he wants bulk phone data stored outside the government to reduce the risk that the records will be abused. The president said he will require a special judge's advance approval before intelligence agencies can examine someone's data and will force analysts to keep their searches closer to suspected terrorists or...

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    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is facing a new allegation: his administration withheld millions of dollars in Hurricane Sandy recovery grants because the mayor of Hoboken, N.J., refused to sign off on a politically connected development.

    Giuliani: N.J. governor faces ‘partisan witch hunt’
    Associated Press
    Former New York Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani says Democrats are engaged in a partisan pile-on as New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie faces a traffic jam scandal that’s testing his administration and threatening his political future.

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    Egyptian protesters wave their hands and chant anti-police and military slogans during a march towards the Egyptian Cabinet last month to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the 2011 Cabinet clashes, on Kasr el-Nile bridge in Cairo. While last week’s constitutional referendum approved the draft charter, the low turnout - less than 39 percent - has put on display the country’s enduring divisions six months after the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and nearly three years after autocrat Hosni Mubarak was overthrown.

    Egypt: Former official under fire for U.S. comments
    Associated Press
    A former Egyptian lawmaker who threatened on a popular TV show that Americans would be “slaughtered in their homes” if an attempt is made on the life of the country’s military chief recanted on Sunday, saying his comments were misconstrued.

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    Firefighter Jeff Newby sprays water as he battles the Colby Fire on Friday near Azusa, Calif.

    L.A.-area fire wanes; dangerous conditions remain
    Associated Press
    Firefighters said Sunday they continued their steady progress in surrounding a wildfire near Los Angeles that destroyed several homes. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the fire was 78 percent contained, with full containment expected Wednesday.

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    President Barack Obama said he doesn’t think marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol, “in terms of its impact on the individual consumer.”

    Obama: Pot is not more dangerous than alcohol
    Associated Press
    President Barack Obama said he doesn’t think marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol, “in terms of its impact on the individual consumer.” “As has been well documented, I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life. I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol,”...

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    A protester stands in front of riot police in central Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday. Hundreds of protesters on clashed with riot police in the center of the Ukrainian capital, after the passage of harsh anti-protest legislation last week seen as part of attempts to quash anti-government demonstrations.

    Ukraine protests turn into fiery street battles
    Associated Press
    Anti-government protests in Ukraine’s capital escalated into fiery street battles with police Sunday as thousands of demonstrators hurled rocks and firebombs to set police vehicles ablaze. Dozens of officers and protesters were injured.

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    Hinsdale school remains closed while mold tests continue
    By Steve Zalusky
    Hinsdale Middle School will remain closed Tuesday and Wednesday to allow additional time to clean the school and perform mold testing in the wake of water damage that occurred last week, Hinsdale School District 181 announced over the weekend. Possible mold was discovered last week, and ensuing tests confirmed low concentrations of mold spores on Saturday.

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    For most of his life, this salute by retired Navy Cmdr. Robert E. Griffith would have been in violation of the U.S. Flag Code because the seasonal Florida resident from Arlington Heights isn't in uniform. Hoping to make a statement at this year's Super Bowl, Griffith is trying to publicize a recent change in the code that allows all veterans and military members the right to salute the flag, even while wearing civilian clothes.

    Arlington Hts. man fights for military salute at Super Bowl
    By Burt Constable
    Calling himself "a one-man army," retired Navy Cmdr. Robert E. Griffith of Arlington Heights works tirelessly on his dream for this year's Super Bowl: to get all military veterans to salute the flag during the national anthem. “Most people are unaware" of a change in the flag code allowing such a salute, he said, speaking to the ability of this one event to change that.

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    GOP gubernatorial candidates, from left, state Sen. Bill Brady, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, Bruce Rauner and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford met last week in a candidate forum in Mount Prospect.

    GOP candidates debate what qualities make best governor
    By Mike Riopell Political Editor
    With his focus on term limits and “union bosses” in Springfield, Winnetka businessman Bruce Rauner has tried to make his Republican primary campaign for governor a referendum on often-maligned state government. But his opponents, state Sen, Bill Brady of Bloomington, state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford of Chenoa, are trying to counter with their...

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    Quality of parents’ relationship affects kids
    By Ken Potts
    The most important discoveries of the marriage-and-family branch of therapy have been about how much children are influenced by the state of their parents' marriages, our Ken Potts says. "Of course, problems are a normal part of being married," he says. "Such problems have a negative impact on our children, however, when we fail to resolve them constructively."

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    Maria Goldstein, co-founder of the NorthWest Families March for Life, speaks to hundreds who came out for the second annual march Saturday along Northwest Highway in Palatine.

    Group rallies against abortion in Palatine
    By Elena Ferrarin
    As the snow flakes came down thick and heavy, hundreds of participants in an anti-abortion rally in Palatine held signs, cheered on speakers, prayed and sang as the occasional car honked in approval. The 2nd annual NorthWest Families March for Life was co-sponsored by Northwest Families for Life, a group co-founded by sisters Maria Goldstein and Laura Vandercar. “What we seek to do is unite...

Sports

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    Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch breaks away from the San Francisco 49ers’ Tramaine Brock for a touch-down run during the second half of the NFL football NFC Championship game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014, in Seattle.

    Seahawks rally to earn Super Bowl berth
    Associated Press
    SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks are bringing their game-changing defense — and the 12th Man — to the Big Apple for the Super Bowl.Seattle’s top-ranked defense forced three fourth-quarter turnovers, and Russell Wilson threw a 35-yard touchdown pass on fourth down for the winning points in a 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC title Sunday.Seattle will meet Denver (15-3) for the NFL title in two weeks in the New Jersey Meadowlands. It’s the first trip to the big game for the Seahawks (15-3) since they lost to Pittsburgh after the 2005 season. The conference champs had the best records in the league this year, the first time the top seeds have gotten to the Super Bowl since the 2010 game.Moments after Richard Sherman tipped Colin Kaepernick’s pass to teammate Malcolm Smith for the clinching interception, the All-Pro cornerback jumped into the stands behind the end zone, saluting the Seahawks’ raucous fans. With 12th Man flags waving everywhere, and “New York, New York” blaring over the loudspeakers, CenturyLink Field rocked like never before.“That’s as sweet as it gets,” Sherman said.“This is really special,” added coach Pete Carroll, who has turned around the Seahawks in four seasons in charge. “It would really be a mistake to not remember the connection and the relationship between this football team and the 12th Man and these fans. It’s unbelievable.”San Francisco (14-5) led 17-13 when Wilson, given a free play as Aldon Smith jumped offside, hurled the ball to Jermaine Kearse, who made a leaping catch in the end zone.Steven Hauschka then kicked his third field goal, and Smith intercepted in the end zone on the 49ers’ final possession.“This feels even sweeter, with the amazing support we have had from the 12th Man,” team owner Paul Allen said, comparing this Super Bowl trip to the previous one.Until Seattle’s top-ranked defense forced a fumble and had two picks in the final period, the game was marked by big offensive plays in the second half. That was somewhat shocking considering the strength of both teams’ defenses. And those plays came rapidly.Marshawn Lynch, in full Beast Mode, ran over a teammate and then outsped the 49ers to the corner of the end zone for a 40-yard TD, making it 10-10. Kaepernick then was responsible for consecutive 22-yard gains, hitting Michael Crabtree, then rushing to the Seattle 28. His fumble on the next play was recovered by center Jonathan Goodwin, who even lumbered for 2 yards.Anquan Boldin outleapt All-Pro safety Thomas on the next play for a 26-yard touchdown.Then, Doug Baldwin, who played for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, stepped up — and through San Francisco’s coverage, on a scintillating 69-yard kickoff return that made the stadium shake for the first time all day.That set up Hauschka’s 40-yard field goal. And a frantic finish.Seattle took its first lead on Wilson’s throw to Kearse with 13:44 left, and CenturyLink rocked again.The place went silent soon after when Niners All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman sustained an ugly left knee injury midway and was carted off. Bowman, who was having a huge game, had forced a fumble at the San Francisco 1, but Lynch recovered.The Seahawks had gotten their first turnover moments earlier when Cliff Avril stripped Kaepernick and Michael Bennett recovered. But Lynch and Wilson botched a handoff on fourth down on the play after Bowman’s injury.It took only two plays for Kam Chancellor to haul in Kaepernick’s underthrow to Boldin, and Hauschka’s 47-yarder ended the scoring.But not the excitement. Kaepernick, who rushed for 130 yards, got San Francisco to the Seattle 18 with his arm. But his pass for Crabtree was brilliantly tipped by Sherman to Smith.“We knew it would come down to us in the back end to win this thing,” Sherman said.

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    Goalie Corey Crawford and the Blackhawks celebrate after their 3-2 victory in a shootout against the Bruins on Sunday at the United Center.

    Blackhawks continue to deliver all the right answers
    By Mike Imrem
    The Blackhawks must have been good taking mid-term exams in school because they keep coming up with the right answers. Several of the latest came in Sunday's shootuout victory over the Bruins.

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    Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane scores against Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask during the shootout of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. The Blackhawks won 3-2.

    Kane breaks shootout slump as Hawks beat Bruins
    By Tim Sassone
    For Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks, shootouts have been mostly forgettable this season. But Kane and the Hawks had a shootout to remember on Sunday with Kane scoring the winning goal, snapping his 0-for-9 slump. The result was a Hawks’ 3-2 win over Boston at the United Center in the first meeting between the two teams since the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. The win gave the Hawks a sweep of their key weekend games against Anaheim and Boston.

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    Kane strives to be more like Penguins’ Crosby
    By Tim Sassone
    Patrick Kane snapped one drought Sunday by scoring in the shootout in the Blackhawks’ 3-2 victory over Boston, it was his 10th game without a goal. He had been 0-for-9 in shootouts. Finding that consistency like Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby has is what Kane wants.

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    There are many reasons lately for why Bulls center Joakim Noah has been charged up. The Bulls have won 10 of their last 14 games, and Noah is the biggest reason for that.

    Noah at the center of it all for Bulls
    By Mike McGraw
    Bulls center Joakim Noah has grabbed double-figure rebounds in 12 consecutive games, the longest streak of his career. He's also an improved passer, so it's worth asking: Is this the best Noah has played in his seven-year NBA career?

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    Bulls game day
    Bulls stories, notes, photos and graphics

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    Anthony Rizzo bonds with fans at the Cubs convention.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous, convention doesn’t disappoint
    By Bruce Miles
    The Cubs convention has come and gone. This past weekend's confab had all the usual earmarks: It was the revival meeting of the year for Cubs fans. Daily Herald Cubs writer Bruce Miles reviews some of the highlights and some of the lowlights and oddities of the weekend.

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    Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning passes the ball during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL playoff football game against the New England Patriots in Denver, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014.

    Manning leads Broncos to Super Bowl
    Associated Press
    DENVER — Peyton Manning had an answer for everyone. What’s new?For Tom Brady. For the New England defense. For anyone who thought he couldn’t win the big one. Manning is taking the Denver Broncos on a trip to New York for the Super Bowl after another of his impeccably crafted victories this time, a 26-16 win over the Patriots on Sunday in the AFC title game. Less than three years after being unable to throw a football because of his surgically ravaged neck and nerve endings, Manning will get a chance for his second ring. He’ll try to become the first quarterback to win one with two different teams, at the Meadowlands on Feb. 2 against Seattle or San Francisco, who play later Sunday for the NFC championship.After taking the final knee, Manning stuffed the football in his helmet and ran to the 30-yard line to shake hands with Brady. The Indy-turned-Denver quarterback improved to 5-10 lifetime against New England’s QB but 2-1 in AFC title games. It was far from a fireworks show in this, the 15th installment of the NFL’s two best quarterbacks of their generation. But Manning, who finished 32 for 43 for 400 yards and two short touchdown passes, set up four field goals by Matt Prater and put his stamp on this one with a pair of long, meticulous and mistake-free touchdown drives in which nothing came cheap.Manning geared down the no-huddle, hurry-up offense that helped him set records for touchdown passes and yardage this season and made the Broncos the highest-scoring team in history. The result: A pair of scoring drives that lasted a few seconds over seven minutes; they were the two longest, time-wise, of the season for the Broncos (15-3). Manning capped the second with a 3-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas — who got inside the overmatched Alfonzo Dennard and left his feet to make the catch — for a 20-3 lead midway through the third quarter. From there, it was catch-up time for Brady and the Pats, and they are not built for that.A team that averaged more than 200 yards on the ground the last three weeks didn’t have much quick-strike capability. Brady, who threw for most of his 277 yards in comeback mode, actually led the Patriots to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. But they were a pair of time-consuming, 80-yard drives. The second cut the deficit to 26-16 with 3:07 left, but the Broncos stopped Shane Vereen on the 2-point conversion and the celebration was on in Denver.The trip to New York, where it figures to be at least a tad cooler than Sunday’s 63-degree reading at kickoff, will come 15 years after John Elway rode off into the sunset with his second straight Super Bowl victory.The Broncos have had one close call since — when they lost at home to Pittsburgh in the 2005 title game — but what it really took was Elway’s return to the franchise in 2011. He slammed the door on the Tim Tebow experiment and signed Manning to a contract, knowing there were risks involved in bringing to town a thirtysomething quarterback coming off multiple operations to resurrect his career.Even without Von Miller on the field, Elway put enough pieces in place around Manning to contend for a championship. And Manning knows how to make the most of them. This game started getting out of hand at about the same time Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib went out with a knee injury. Nobody else could cover Thomas and Manning, who finds mismatches even under the toughest of circumstances, found this one quickly. Thomas finished with seven catches for 134 yards, including receptions of 26 and 27 yards that set up a field goal for a 13-3 lead before the half. Denver got the ball back to start the third quarter — working the plan to perfection after winning the coin toss and deferring the choice and Manning hit Thomas for 15 and 4 yards as part of the 80-yard, 7:08 touchdown drive that gave Denver the 17-point lead.

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    Ana Ivanovic of Serbia celebrates her win over Serena Williams of the U.S. during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia.

    Big upset: Williams goes down in Australian Open
    Associated Press
    Serena Williams’ long winning streak has come to an end in an upset 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Williams hadn’t lost a match since August, one of only four defeats in 2013, and came into the fourth round with 25 straight wins. It was her 70th match at Melbourne Park, a record in the Open era, and she set the mark for most match wins ever at the Australian Open with her third-round victory.

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    Elgin takes 4 titles at Kaneland
    Daily Herald report
    The Elgin wrestling team brought home four championships from the Margaret Flott Memorial Tournament at Kaneland on Saturday. Zach McCullough (120 pounds), Devin Syavong (160), Issac Schennum (195) and Abel Barraza (220) all won titles for the Maroons.

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    D300’s Reinbrecht wins 2 events at SCE
    By Darryl Mellema
    In many ways, St. Charles East’s College Events Meet comes at the perfect time every year for the boys swimming co-op involving Dundee-Crown, Jacobs and Hampshire. Moving away from its Christmas vacation training and with still a month before the postseason, coach Rick Andresen’s team gets an opportunity to see how it fares in a meet where distances involve all the usual high school races and 200-yard races that are twice the usual high school distance in each stroke, and also a 1,000 freestyle event.

Business

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    A small boat takes in a line of rope from a cargo ship while entering to the Pedro Miguel locks at the Panama Canal near Panama City. The current canal expansion project would double its capacity.

    Panama Canal work not likely to be halted Monday
    Associated Press
    The Spanish-led consortium hired to handle the biggest part of the Panama Canal expansion said Sunday it does not foresee halting work Monday, but added that it’s an option if there is no resolution to a financial dispute.

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    Tourists in masks use mobile phone cameras to snap shots of themselves during a heavily polluted day on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Thursday. Beijing’s skyscrapers receded into a dense gray smog Thursday as the capital saw the season’s first wave of extremely dangerous pollution, with the concentration of toxic small particles registering more than two dozen times the level considered safe.

    Beijing, Shanghai to step up pollution battle
    Bloomberg
    China’s capital city and the nation’s financial hub are stepping up measures to curb pollution as the meteorological agency warned of hazardous smog levels for a fourth day.

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    ASSOCIATED PRESS Passengers maneuver through one of the cramped hallways at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Often ranked in customer satisfaction surveys as the worst airport in America, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state is taking control of an ambitious $3.6 billion construction project at LaGuardia that calls for an entirely new Central Terminal Building.

    Dingy LaGuardia Airport undergoing $3.6 billion makeover
    Associated Press
    Dark, dingy, cramped and sad. These are some of the ways travelers describe LaGuardia Airport, a bustling hub often ranked in customer satisfaction surveys as the worst in America. But that’s about to change.

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    Vehicles connected to the Web herald a new era, when cars will allow drivers seamless access to their business and social networks. The cars open the possibility for new forms of entertainment, information and safety for consumers, and new revenue streams for automakers, mobile carriers, app makers and online information companies.

    Silicon Valley, Detroit team up to spur U.S. innovation
    Bloomberg News
    About a decade ago, the computer business seemed to be everything the auto industry was not: fast-growing, cutting-edge and cool. But since the recession, the two industries have been converging at an ever-increasing pace, creating business opportunities and jobs as well as a burst of badly needed innovation. Analysts say the combined effort is helping to usher in a period of prosperity for the once-troubled auto industry.

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    Infectious or not, constant coughers should do what they can to curtail the consternation they cause colleagues -- including lozenges, soothing drinks, medical care and telecommuting.

    Work Advice: Surviving the coughy-klatch
    By Karla L. Miller
    The inbox has coughed up several letters on the same topic: How to deal with sick co-workers spreading germs everywhere.

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    Career Coach: The power of using a name
    By Joyce E.A. Russell
    “A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” - Dale Carnegie. Recently, I was in several situations where I was once again reminded of the power of using someone's name when interacting with them.

  •  
    Expectations of credit access among U.S. consumers improved in recent months even as their predictions for inflation held steady, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

    U.S. consumer expectations of credit improve, New York Fed says
    Bloomberg News
    Expectations of credit access among U.S. consumers improved in recent months even as their predictions for inflation held steady, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

  •  
    Data from the National Association of Realtors show that, on average, married couples accounted for 61.6 percent all homebuyers from 2001 to 2011. By comparison, unmarried couples made up an average 7.5 percent.

    Key considerations for unwed couples buying a home
    Associated Press
    Married couples represent the majority of homebuyers, but more couples are teaming up to buy a home before they get hitched. If they ever do. Here are some tips unwed couples should follow when they commit to buying a home.

  •  
    This undated image provided by Ford shows the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car. At the January 2014 International CES gadget show, Ford plans to unveil the solar-powered vehicle that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid. The U.S. auto maker says that by using solar power instead of an electric plug, a typical owner will reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by four metric tons.

    Alternative energy powered cars on a roll
    Associated Press
    While autonomous driving is a major theme at the International CES gadget show, cars that use futuristic sources of energy are potentially much closer on the horizon. Ford Motor Co. showed off a prototype solar hybrid car called the C-MAX Solar Energi, which has a gas engine along with rooftop solar panels.

  •  
    Alan Hoyle, of Lincolnton, N.C., stands outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15. The bill once again bans the use of federal funding to perform most abortions; bans local and federal funding for abortions in the District of Columbia. The latest spending bill once again bans the use of federal funding to perform most abortions.

    Key elements in $1.1 trillion spending bill
    By Ed O'Keefe, The Washington Post
    Congressional negotiators released the details of a massive $1.1 trillion spending bill that would fund federal agencies through the rest of the fiscal year and end the lingering threat of another government shutdown. So, what's in it? Pay raises, pay freezes, light bulb restrictions and military spending, to name a few.

  •  

    Baum on Money: In La-La land with consumer inflation forecasts
    By Caroline Baum
    During the financial crisis, the Fed practically begged banks to borrow at the window. Yet according to the New York Fed’s Liberty Street blog, banks ignored those pleas, choosing to pay higher interest rates instead. Some stigmas are hard to erase.

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    Baum on Money: Defining bubbles and the value of income equality
    By Caroline Baum
    The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Zweig has some sage advice when it comes to asset bubbles. It probably isn’t a bubble when everyone worries that it is.

  •  

    Baum on Money: Marginal thinking from Fed, false fiscal choices
    By Caroline Baum
    Hot money topics this week include the Fed talking about declining marginal efficacy, fiscal discipline, the war on poverty and a kale boon.

  •  
    “Mood Wings,” a butterfly-shaped set of wires attached to a sensor and worn on a wristband, beat at different rates depending on the wearer’s stress level.

    Feeling mad? New devices can sense your mood and tell — or even text — others
    By Arthur Allen, The Washington Post
    Researchers are developing tech devices that can detect and help us cope with our sometimes hidden emotions. While these gadgets are prototypes that probably won’t go beyond the novelty stage, they represent the kind of machines that, by helping people become more tuned in to their emotions, could allow them to be more self-aware and develop strategies to improve their lives.

  •  
    Expect small business groups to lobby for tax cuts in 2014.

    Small business agenda stretches past minimum wage
    By Joyce M. Rosenberg, Associated Press
    Minimum wage may be getting most of the headlines, but other issues that affect small businesses will be debated when state legislatures convene around the country this year. Tax cuts will be high on many agendas as will various kinds of leave.A look at some of the issues lawmakers are expected to take up in 2014.

Life & Entertainment

  •  

    NBC will do live remake of ‘Peter Pan’
    Associated Press
    Following up on the success of “The Sound of Music” last month, NBC said Sunday that it will broadcast a live version of “Peter Pan” in December. It will be produced by the same team, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, that made “The Sound of Music” with Carrie Underwood.

  •  
    Jay Leno, host of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” will end his 22-year run as host the first week of February. His successor Jimmy Fallon will be one of his last guests and Billy Crystal, who was Leno’s first guest, will fill the last guest slot on Feb. 6.

    Fallon and Crystal among Leno’s final guests
    Associated Press
    Jay Leno will close out his 22-year run as host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” with a nod to the future and to the past. His heir apparent, Jimmy Fallon, will kick off Leno’s final week with a guest appearance on Feb. 3. Fallon is taking over the gig after hosting NBC’s “Late Night” since 2009. Leno’s final night, on Feb. 6, will feature Billy Crystal, who was Leno’s first guest in May 1992.

  •  
    Jane Lynch returns as host for the second season of “Hollywood Game Night” on NBC.

    Jane Lynch returns to host ‘Hollywood Game Night’
    Associated Press
    Jane Lynch’s hosting duties on “Hollywood Game Night” are an extension of the bashes she tosses at home. The “Glee” star says she likes creating and hosting a space for her friends to have fun. “When I have a party, I usually spend it in the kitchen cleaning up and making sure people have a good time,” she said Sunday. “This job is perfect for that skill-set.”

  •  
    This image released by Universal Pictures shows Ice Cube, left, and Kevin Hart in a scene from “Ride Along.” “Ride Along” rolled into the top spot at the weekend box office beating out “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” and “Devil’s Due.”

    ‘Ride Along’ rolls into No. 1 spot at box office
    Associated Press
    “Ride Along” arrived in first place at the weekend box office. The Universal buddy cop comedy featuring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube debuted with $41.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The strong opening for “Ride Along” marks the biggest debut for a film released during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend and puts it on track to top the $40.1 million record set by the 2008 monster movie “Cloverfield” for the biggest opening of January.

  •  
    A new exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln museum in Springfield includes this office set used in the 2012 film “Lincoln.”

    History meets Hollywood in new 'Lincoln' exhibit
    By Mike Riopell
    In being a reasonably accurate portrayal of genuine artifacts from the time, props from the film “Lincoln” have become artifacts of sorts themselves, now on display in a museum. Starting Jan. 17, a historic train station across the street from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield will house a set, costumes and props from the 2012 film.

  •  
    Billy Bob Thornton arrives at the Fox All-Star Party on Monday at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, Calif.

    Billy Bob Thornton says TV’s a haven for actors
    Associated Press
    Billy Bob Thornton says actors who want to work on sophisticated projects are finding them in television and not film. He’s proving the point with a starring role in the upcoming FX series “Fargo,” inspired by the 1996 Joel and Ethan Coen movie.

  •  
    Amalia Reigosa, hugs her sister Jaynet goodbye at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, before her trip to Milan, Itlay. Reigosa was one of the first Cubans to take advantage of a travel reform that went into effect a year ago this week, when the government scrapped an exit visa requirement that for five decades had made it difficult for most islanders to go abroad.

    Cuban travel in record numbers a year into reform
    Associated Press
    Last February, Amalia Reigosa Blanco experienced for the first time the rush of an airplane taking off. She browsed the clothing shops of Italy’s fashion capital. And then she came home. “I hope I can go on vacation again,” said the 19-year-old language student. Reigosa was one of the first Cubans to take advantage of a travel reform that went into effect a year ago this week.

  •  

    Friends at odds over expected privacy level
    By Carolyn Hax
    Q. Recently I was diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage (but will still require surgery and other treatment). I have told only a very few people. One was a friend of over 20 years, who then told an acquaintance, someone I never would have told.

  •  
    A quality desk is one of the best places to start when designing a home office. Anthropologie’s Silvered Writing Desk has a worn-in glamour and would look especially good against whitewashed brick walls.

    Don’t settle for a ho-hum home office
    By Lindsey M. Roberts, Special To The Washington Post
    Homeowners who go to Lauren Liess, an interior designer and blogger in Great Falls, Va., often have a priority list for decorating that starts with the kitchen and ends with the bedrooms. But Liess says home offices — or desktop spaces in kitchens or bedroom niches — also offer great opportunities to accessorize well and add personality to a home.

  •  
    Visitors explore the Champions Gallery at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J. The Liberty Science Center is one of a number of things for Super Bowl fans to do in New Jersey while in town for the championship game.

    N.J. offers Super Bowl visitors a diverse palette
    By David Porter
    Generations of punch lines notwithstanding, northern New Jersey is more than just shopping malls, refineries and turnpike traffic — though you can certainly find those without looking too hard. The truth is that the counties that lie within 15 miles of downtown Manhattan are home to a richly diverse population and contain something for everyone, from high art to ignominious history and everything in between.

  •  
    Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash’s first collection of new compositions in seven years, her new album, “The River & The Thread,” is inspired by trips south.

    Trip south inspires singer Rosanne Cash
    By David Bauder, Associated Press
    John Hiatt once commanded us in song to “Drive South.” Rosanne Cash took him up on it. Cash’s first collection of new compositions in seven years is inspired by trips south — by car, in her mind and into her own family history. “There’s never any highway when you’re looking for the past,” she sings as a mission statement in the opening minutes of her album, “The River & The Thread.”

  •  
    Matt Damon, left, and George Clooney star in “The Monuments Men,” which is set to be released in February.

    10 things to look for in 2014 at the movies
    By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
    Hollywood may be hoping for a little less drama in 2014. How will 2014 unfold? The plot, at least, will be unchanged. However much some would like to see a new rhythm to Hollywood's seasonal cycle, the year will move to the familiar pattern of sketchy spring releases, summer superhero blockbusters and fall awards-contenders. Here are 10 things to look for at the movies in 2014.

  •  
    Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” starring Mariska Hargitay, is in its 15th season. It airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on NBC.

    A new novel from Dick Wolf joins his TV empire
    By Frazier Moore
    Hours before last week’s premiere of his new series, “Chicago P.D.,” Dick Wolf acknowledged he was nervous. Actually, “terrified” was the word he used. This from a TV impresario whose credits include the hydra-headed “Law & Order” franchise and whose shows have been a prime-time mainstay every season for a quarter-century — a feat likely unmatched by any other producer. To add to his resume, he just published the new book “The Execution,” too.

  •  

    Wall-hung kitchen sink doesn’t offer storage space
    By Ed Del Grande
    Q. I’m looking for a wall-hung kitchen sink and so far I’m having no luck finding serious information. Most people I’ve spoken with don’t understand what I want and move on to show me more standard kitchen sinks.

  •  

    Metal garage doors weigh less than wood
    By Henri de Marne
    Q. I am going to replace two 9-by-7-foot single garage doors in our 35-year-old raised ranch in the spring. I am being told that metal doors are not available in black; is that true? Also, I seem to remember in one of your columns that some of the door opener companies were having trouble with doors opening by themselves in cold weather.

  •  
    The Lake County Folk Club presents a concert by folk artist Michael Peter Smith Sunday.

    Sunday picks: Michael Peter Smith brings folk to Gurnee
    By Scott C. Morgan and Laura Milbrath Stewart
    Folk artist Michael Peter Smith plays Gurnee's In-Laws Restaurant, joined by singer and guitarist Brett Johnson. Bobby Lee from "MadTV" plays Saturday and Sunday night gigs at Schaumburg's Improv Comedy Showcase. Jon Heder signs autographs and presents screenings of his cult film "Napoleon Dynamite" at Hollywood Blvd. Cinemas.

Discuss

  •  

    Editorial: Tying state budgets to audit results
    The Daily Herald Editorial Board
    A Daily Herald editorial encourages the General Assembly to develop a system of incentives and penalties that would strengthen the impact of the audits conducted by the state auditor general.

  •  

    Leave pot-smoking decision to each adult
    By Kathleen Parker
    Columnist Kathleen Parker: Yes, I toked, too. This doesn’t mean anyone else should, and I haven’t in decades, but our debate might have more value if more of us were forthcoming.

  •  

    Coverage of the cold warmed the heart
    A Barrington letter to the editor: Your coverage of the recent Ice Age arrival to the Northwest suburban area was excellent! While staying toasty indoors, I was happy to read, not experience, being outdoors in subzero cold, scraping snow, watching for black ice while driving or being stalled at O’Hare, on an expressway or a Metra commuter train.

  •  

    Just how much did that Hawaii vacation cost?
    An Arlington Heights letter to the editor: When campaigning President Obama said the hallmark of his administration would be to have an unprecedented level of openness and transparency. Therefore, the White House should be willing to report to the American taxpayer the number of aircraft, ground equipment and personnel that were moved to Hawaii and housed there in order to support the presidential family on their recent extensive Kailua vacation.

  •  

    Our nation is secular, and rightly so
    A Prospect Heights letter to the editor: I must reply to the letter you printed from Delores Hauserman accusing the president of wanting to “put God and Christmas out of our lives.” Of course, she was unable to mention one instance in which he has tried to do so, but her dislike of him is obviously so great that she feels no need to have facts to back up her feelings.

  •  

    Graduated tax about honor and fairness
    An Elgin letter to the editor: I disagree with your “Our View” editorial in the Jan. 5 issue of the Daily Herald where you state your opposition to the graduated tax stating that it is “about the money.”

  •  

    Hard to figure how companies pay
    A Wheaton letter to the editor: How is it that many bigger companies can afford to pay their high-level executives with obscenely large compensation packages — while they are paying little or no corporate income taxes and reporting record-high profits — but claim they can’t afford to pay their lower-level workers $10-plus an hour?

  •  

    Gun range bad idea for Bloomingdale
    A Bloomngdale letter to the editor: Julian Perez wants to build a shooting range in the empty Abbott building on Circle just north of Lake Street in Bloomingdale. To do this he has to get approval on several code variances in a building that has many in place already.

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