Daily Archive : Thursday July 10, 2014
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News
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Lee DeWyze rocks Lake in the Hills’ Ribfest
The smell of barbecue and hickory smoke hung in the air as large crowds filtered into Sunset Park on Friday to kick off the weekend at Lake in the Hills’ Rockin’ Ribfest.
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COD moving ahead with learning center project
The College of DuPage will move forward with the planned construction of a Teaching and Learning Center, despite the loss of a $20 million construction grant from the state, spokesman Joseph Moore said. The board of trustees already had committed $30 million for construction of the center, which will provide more classroom space on the school’s Glen Ellyn campus.
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Police investigating infant’s death in Prospect Heights await autopsy
An autopsy is scheduled this morning on the body of a 1-month-old girl found dead Thursday inside a Prospect Heights condo, authorities said. Police are awaiting the autopsy’s results from the Cook County medical examiner’s office as they continue to investigate the infant’s death.
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Car missing for 20 years found in Advocate Good Shepherd pond
Construction crews at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital came across an unusual discovery when they were draining a pond this week: a long-lost hospital public safety vehicle, officials said Thursday. The vehicle had been missing for almost 20 years, until crews came upon it Wednesday morning at the bottom of the 13-foot pond in front of the hospital.
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DuPage panel keeps two Democrats on the ballot, removes a third
The name of state representative hopeful Marian Tomlinson shouldn’t appear on the November ballot because the DuPage Democratic Party failed to comply with the state election code when it slated her, a county electoral board has ruled. But the panel also concluded on Thursday night that Democratic leaders followed the rules when they appointed Robert Peickert to run for DuPage County Board...
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2 Arlington Heights kids hurt in boating accident
TOWN OF MANITOWISH WATERS, Wis. — A boating accident in northern Wisconsin has sent two children from Arlington Heights to the hospital.The Vilas County sheriff’s office says the accident was reported around 2:20 p.m. Thursday on Little Star Lake in the Town of Manitowish Waters.
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West Chicago man acquitted of sexual assault
A 12-member DuPage County jury needed less than an hour Thursday evening to find Jose Ramirez-Alcantar not guilty of criminal sexual assault of a 42-year-old Aurora woman at his West Chicago home after a night of drinking at a Aurora bar in 2013. “The police jumped to the wrong conclusion. My client is innocent and that bore out today," his defense attorney said.
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Windmill City fest opens in Batavia
The annual Windmill City Festival kicked off its four-day run Thursday evening along Batavia’s Riverwalk. The event continues through Sunday with daily live music, a carnival, 5K run, pet parade and more.
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Obama offers U.S. help negotiating Israel cease-fire
President Barack Obama offered the help of the United States on Thursday in negotiating a cease-fire to end escalating violence between Israel and Hamas, as world leaders warned of an urgent need to avoid another Israeli-Palestinian war that could engulf the fragile region.
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Federal judge orders IRS to explain lost emails
A federal judge ordered the IRS Thursday to explain under oath how it lost a trove of emails to and from a central figure in the agency’s tea party controversy. U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan gave the tax agency a month to submit the explanation in writing. Sullivan said he is also appointing a federal magistrate to see if lost emails can be obtained from other sources.
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Faster deportations? A possible border crisis deal
Outlines of a possible compromise that would more quickly deport minors arriving from Central America emerged Thursday as part of President Barack Obama’s $3.7 billion emergency request to address the immigration crisis on the nation’s southern border. Republicans demanded speedier deportations, which the White House initially had supported but left out of its proposal after...
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14,000 draft notices sent to men born in 1800s
It just seems that way after the Selective Service System mistakenly sent notices to more than 14,000 Pennsylvania men born between 1893 and 1897, ordering them to register for the nation’s military draft and warning that failure to do so is “punishable by a fine and imprisonment.”
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Prostitute in Google exec case linked to 2nd death
Two months before police say a high-priced prostitute calmly left a Google executive dying from a heroin overdose on his yacht, the woman panicked on the phone with a 911 dispatcher as her boyfriend lay on the floor of their home in the throes of a fatal overdose. Police said Thursday they are re-examining the death of Dean Riopelle, 53, the owner of a popular Atlanta music venue. Riopelle had...
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Elgin police chief to meet residents over west-side burglaries
A rash of home and vehicle burglaries in two subdivisions in Elgin’s west side prompted residents to ask the police chief to take part in a community meeting. Seven home burglaries and four burglaries to vehicles were reported the evening of July 3 into the early morning hours of July 4 in the Valley Creek and Country Knolls subdivisions, Elgin Police Comdr. Ana Lalley said.
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McIlvaine again at odds with city over 1975 project
Only months after inking an agreement to wrap up a 1975 home addition project, Cliff McIlvaine is once again butting heads with St. Charles officials, who say little work has been done and predict the matter will end up in court again. McIlvaine recently was granted permission to keep a boom truck on his property to trim trees and his attorney says he's working as fast as he can.
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Tollway warns of email scam targeting I-PASS users
Hey, I-PASS customers, watch out for phony emails. The Illinois tollway is warning customers to disregard messages from the "E-ZPass Collection Agency" that allege people have missed tolls; it is a scam. “The tollway is monitoring the situation closely," officials said.
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No ‘stand down’ order in Benghazi
The testimony of nine military officers undermines contentions by Republican lawmakers that a “stand-down order” held back military assets that could have saved the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans killed at a diplomatic outpost and CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya.
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Farnham attorney requests time for possible plea negotiation
Attorneys for former state Rep. Keith Farnham on Thursday asked a federal judge for more time to pursue possible plea negotiations with federal prosecutors. Farnham, 66, was charged with child pornography in May after authorities found images on his state-owned computer.
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Eileen Ford, founder of Ford Model Agency, dies
Modeling agency founder Eileen Ford, who shaped a generation’s standards of beauty as she built an empire and launched the careers of Candice Bergen, Lauren Hutton, Christie Brinkley and countless others, has died. She was 92 and died Wednesday of complications from a brain tumor and osteoporosis.
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Heads up, World Cup teams: The robots are coming
When robots first started playing soccer, it was a challenge for them just to see the ball. And to stay upright. But the machines participating in this month’s international RoboCup tournament are making passes and scoring points. Their ultimate goal? To beat the human World Cup champs within the next 35 years.
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Elgin wants gentler Route 20 curve; Pingree Grove to discuss
The sharp curve along Route 20 at Reinking Road in Elgin may be no more if the city of Elgin and a Geneva-based developer have their way — but funding for the project is a big question mark. The plan is estimated to cost $4 million to $4.5 million.
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Palatine, ex-councilman continue legal fight
A yearslong legal dispute pitting the village of Palatine against former village Councilman Warren Kostka is still working its way through the court system.
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Cooperation cited in key Lake County regional trail link
An underpass beneath Milwaukee Avenue near Libertyville allowed for the connection of a Libertyville Township trail with the Lake County Forest Preserve District's Millennium Trail. The Lake County Forest Preserve District, Conserve Lake County, Illinois Department of Transportation, Lake County Division of Transportation and Libertyville Township cooperated on the project.
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Washington Street in Round Lake to reopen
The Lake County Division of Transportation will reopen Washington Street to through traffic from Cedar Lake Road to Hainesville Road in Round Lake, the week of July 21, officials said in a news release.
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Energy assistance available:
Low Income Home Energy Assistance applications for summer will be taken until July 23 at the Fremont Township office, 22385 W. Route 60.
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CLC golf fundraiser results:
The College of Lake County Foundation’s annual Joan Legat Memorial Golf Outing, held June 9 at the Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan, raised more than $30,000 for the scholarship fund, according to Karen Schmidt, the Foundation’s executive director.
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Chase employees in Elgin pack 30,000 meals for area families
Roughly 250 Chase Bank employees spent Thursday afternoon at Chase’s Elgin call center packing 30,000 meals for local families in need. The meals go to the Food for Greater Elgin food pantry serving Elgin and surrounding areas. “The need is great,” Chase spokeswoman Christine Holevas said. “In the suburbs, this is the biggest drive (for Chase).”
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Third RR track coming to Geneva, as funding is announced
The addition of the third track on the Union Pacific railroad line through Geneva is on track for construction in 2016, as the railway company and the Illinois Department of Transportation have announced funding for it is in place.
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Mt. Prospect library welcomes new member to board of trustees
Sylvia Fulk has joined the Mount Prospect Public Library Board of Trustees, and she will hold that seat until the election in the spring of 2015. Fulk replaces Barbara Burns, who resigend from the board in January after moving out of the village.
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Fox Valley police reports
Aidan A. Gleason, 19, of South Elgin, was charged with driving under the influence and disobeying a traffic control device at 4:10 a.m. Tuesday after a traffic stop at Bowes and Randall roads near Elgin, according to a sheriff’s report.
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Tri-Cities police reports
Aidan A. Gleason, 19, of South Elgin, was charged with driving under the influence and disobeying a traffic control device at 4:10 a.m. Tuesday after a traffic stop at Bowes and Randall roads near Elgin, according to a sheriff’s report.
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Des Plaines ‘Curb Appeal’ contest finalists announced
Finalists have been announced in Des Plaines Mayor Matt Bogusz’s inaugural Curb Appeal Challenge, a community beautification contest aimed at recognizing residents who take pride in their homes. “What I learned most in this process is there’s a great deal of residents who take a great deal of pride in their community,” Bogusz said.
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Waukegan man pleads not guilty in deaths of wife, disabled daughter
A Waukegan man accused of killing his wife and disabled daughter pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of murder in Lake County court Thursday. Anthony Marcus, 53, faces life in prison if found guilty at trial.
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Buffalo Grove cutting down close to 40 trees daily due to borer
Buffalo Grove is stepping up its efforts to remove dead or dying ash trees infested with the emerald ash border, cutting down as many as 40 a day this summer. “Originally we were doing spot removals, but with the infestation at this point now, we don’t have a choice but to do area-wide removals,” said Village Manager Dane Bragg.
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Police: man tore another man’s ear during fight
A Scranton, Pennsylvania man is scheduled to appear in court July 25 after authorities say he tore part of another man’s ear and left him with a concussion during an altercation late last month at a Schaumburg business.
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Auto dealer sentenced for defrauding Aurora bank
A Downers Grove man who operated a car dealership in Chicago has been sentenced to six months of home confinement for defrauding an Aurora bank out of nearly $350,000 from a federally insured loan program. Tariq Khan, 38, also must perform community service and serve five years probation for failing to pay back a loan awarded as part of the U.S. government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.
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O.A.R., Smash Mouth to perform at Naperville's Last Fling
Last Fling in Naperville marks the unofficial conclusion of summer with music, games, family entertainment and celebrity appearances during a four-day festival Aug. 29 through Sept. 1. Organizers have announced main stage performers for the festival's first two nights featuring headliners O.A.R. and ARRA.
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Divisions appear among Ukraine’s eastern rebels
Deep strains emerged Thursday in the ranks of Ukraine’s pro-Russia insurgents, as dozens of militiamen turned in their weapons in disgust at Russian inaction and bickering broke out between rebel factions. In the past two weeks, Ukrainian government troops have halved the amount of territory held by the rebels and grow better equipped and more confident by the day.
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Libertyville gets extension to decide on Brainerd exit strategy
Libertyville will get another 30 days to decide whether to pay back rent or a portion of asbestos abatement and demolition costs for the Brainerd building and Jackson Gym. The buildings, owned by Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128, are expected to be torn down this fall.
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Naperville trainer proposes ‘outdoor fitness center’
Wooden fitness stations that suggest exercises for stretching, balance and upper body strength could be coming to a park in Naperville, but not to the Riverwalk. “I don’t know if it’s the best fit for the Riverwalk, especially on this main section where we have a lot of a people. It’s more of a congregational space” people use to go for a stroll, said Jeff Havel,...
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Chicago man sentenced for Wood Dale armed robberies
A Chicago man was sentenced to prison Thursday after pleading guilty to robbing two Wood Dale tobacco shops. Michael Wilson, 19, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery and was sentenced to two concurrent sentences of 8½ years in prison, one for each robbery.
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Judge rules charges in Highland Park huffing case are constitutional
A Lake County judge ruled Thursday it was constitutional for prosecutors to charge a Highland Park woman with aggravated driving under the influence in a fatal crash, even though the chemical compound she ingested is not on the state’s list of intoxicating substances. A sentencing date for Carly Rousso, 20, of Highland Park, will be set July 14.
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Sharing a meal is a special time for family and friends
How often do you sit down to a meal with loved ones? Gathering together for mealtime conversation can cause our relationships to mend and flourish.
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Extra storage for approved Rosemont restaurants
Two storage areas will be constructed in the Rosemont entertainment district’s parking garage to accommodate two restaurant tenants.The village board this week approved proposals for $103,564 with Rosemont Masonry Corp. to build the spaces for Adobe Gilas and the soon-to-be-open Sugar Factory.
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Carpentersville finance director leaving for DeKalb
Another top Carpentersville department head is leaving to pursue other professional opportunities. Village Finance Director Catherine Haley has resigned to take up a similar post in the city of DeKalb, Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said Wednesday. Haley’s last day is July 25. “Her short tenure was very transformative for the finance department,” Rooney said.
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Buffalo Grove police promote six
Recent promotions in the Buffalo Grove Police Department are having a trickle-down effect within the ranks. Several promoted police officers were sworn in Monday night: New lieutenants Scott Eisenmenger, Anthony Gallagher and Tom Nugent; and new sergeants Paul Jamil, Dean Schulz and Tara Anderson.
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Pedestrian bridge, flood control part of Mt. Prospect capital plan
Mount Prospect could spend as much as $64.2 million over the next five years on capital projects including a pedestrian bridge over Northwest Highway, flood control measures and new bathrooms in the police station. Officials discussed the village’s plans for capital improvements for 2015-19 this week at a joint meeting of the village board and its finance commission. The updating of the...
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Germany youth band to give free concert in Batavia
The GHO Symphonic Band of Heide, Germany, will give a free concert for the community at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 14, at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, 950 Hart Road, Batavia.
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Competition, music part of 51st annual rodeo
Staged by the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce, the 51st IPRA Championship Wauconda Rodeo rodeo will be held at the Golden Oaks Rodeo Grounds, which is on Rand Road at Case Road. In addition to riding and roping competitions, live music, mechanical-bull riding and kids activities are planned.
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District 200 grateful for community's Engage200 participation
Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 board members expressed immense gratitude for the community's input and participation in the district's six-month community engagement process, which concluded with a report Wednesday. “The value of this process is not this binder,” he said, pointing to a packet of information. “It's the participation of our community, the increased level of...
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Land owner relents; last gap in Des Plaines River Trail to be closed
Decades of persistence are about to pay off for the Lake County Forest Preserve District and those who use and enjoy the Des Plaines River Trail, as a pending agreement will close the last gap in the 31-mile trail. "I'm absolutely thrilled beyond belief," said forest Commissioner Carol Calabresa. "I just think it's a historic and momentous occasion."
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Future of Mt. Prospect 'triangle' still an open question
The question of what to do with the “small triangle” area in downtown Mount Prospect may be rekindled once the village and local business owner Tod Curtis finalize a settlement of their six-year legal battle. The dispute was sparked by the village's efforts to redevelop the triangle area back in 2008.
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Use preventive measures to protect your dog from ticks
Take measures to protect your pets from ticks.
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Long-vacant Bartlett land targeted for 43 houses
A housing developer hopes to build 43 single-family homes on long-vacant land in Bartlett. But some trustees take issue with the proposed layout on the narrow property. "(W)e're trying to squeeze 10 pounds of feathers into a five-pound sack," Trustee T.L. Arends said.
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Batavia native, engineer mentors girls in robotics camp
In 2002, Denise Karabowicz was the only girl on the Rotolo Middle School’s Lego Building Club. Eleven years later, she’s running the show, along with her dad, Ron. “I know what the robotics program did for me when I was in middle school,” she said.
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AP: Disabled often banned from voting
At a time when election officials are struggling to convince more Americans to vote, advocates for the disabled say thousands of people with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and other intellectual or developmental disabilities have been systematically denied that basic right in the nation’s largest county.
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Commanders suggest second group in Benghazi attacks
Well-trained attackers executed the deadly dawn assault on a CIA complex in Benghazi, Libya, suggesting different perpetrators from those who penetrated the U.S. diplomatic mission the previous night, according to newly revealed testimony from top military commanders.
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Man gets 10 months in prison for benefits theft
An East St. Louis man has been ordered to spend 10 months in federal prison for stealing more than $25,000 in unemployment compensation.
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Will County running out of space to kept records
Record keepers in Will County are running out of storage space. The director of Will County’s records management department tells The Herald-News in Joliet his staff already maintains more than 10,000 boxes of records. And Mike Thompson says that doesn’t include other documents, like court reporters’ records.
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Canine study uses computer games
In a research lab at Illinois Wesleyan University, Cleo nose — er, knows — the score. One moist touch of this side of the computer screen with her snout, and the 10-year-old Australian Shepherd mix will ring the bell that awards her with some delish chicken-and-lamb jerky treats.
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Peoria trying to land Asian carp processing plant
Officials in the Peoria area say they’re trying to attract an Asian carp processing plant to central Illinois.Peoria County economic development official John Hamman says they want to build the plant so fishermen don’t have to take the invasive fish to another location for processing.
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Illinois blood donor reaches 20-gallon milestone
A 59-year-old Illinois man has reached his goal of donating 20 gallons of blood — and he’s not stopping there. David Myers tells the Mattoon Journal-Gazette his next target is 25 gallons. He estimates he’ll hit that goal when he’s in his mid-60s if he keeps pace by donating as often as allowed, once every eight weeks.
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Chicago forestry crews trimming more trees in 2014
The city of Chicago is announcing plans to trim 15,000 more trees this year than in 2013.7 Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Streets and Sanitation made the announcement this week.
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Northern Indiana plant to close, ending 120 jobs
A northern Indiana metal casting factory is about to close after 80 years, costing the jobs of some 120 workers.Allegheny Technologies Inc. had planned to shutter the ATI Casting Service plant in LaPorte by the end of June after unsuccessfully trying to sell it.
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Relics from investigated collection on display
A central Indiana museum is displaying numerous Native American relics belonging to a man from whom the FBI seized many artifacts this spring. The display at Shelbyville’s Grover Museum includes arrowheads, pottery and tools on loan from Don Miller.
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Former guard accused of sex misconduct with inmate
A southwestern Illinois woman is accused of sexual misconduct with a male inmate while she worked at a substance abuse treatment lockup. The Belleville News-Democrat reports that 33-year-old Victoria Castillo Wilken of Belleville is charged with five counts of custodial sexual misconduct and one count of official misconduct.
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Part of U.S. Capitol closed after asbestos incident
House Republican leaders said Thursday they are delaying the start of business due to an accident involving asbestos. A hazardous material response team was on site following an incident that began sometime around 2:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., Capitol Police said.
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Rosemont waterfall at Higgins and River getting upgrades
Fear not, brides and grooms. Rosemont is only upgrading its waterfall at Higgins and River roads, not demolishing it. The pretty little spot at the Des Plaines River has been a favorite backdrop for wedding party photos for about 20 years.
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Aug. 1 deadline for claims in computer settlement
Illinois officials say consumers have until Aug. 1 to claim money they may have overpaid for computerized equipment containing DRAM, a type of electronic memory chip.
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East Dundee to redevelop village hall, former firehouse
The lights are off at 115 Third St., the old East Dundee firehouse, and now it is up to village officials to decide how they will reconfigure the 63-year old building, so it can house their police department.
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Dawn Patrol: Killer gets 3 life sentences; Charges against ex-Bull
Howard gets 3 life sentences, plus 60 years. Documents detail allegations against ex-Bull. Barrington Hills teen pleads guilty in fatal DUI. Gurnee man accused of having child porn. Aurora man guilty of burglarizing ex-girlfriend’s home. Melo expected to spurn Bulls.
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Elk Grove church is a lifesaver to local caregivers
When he took a good look at the demographics in and around Elk Grove Village, the Rev. Stefan Potuznik of Christus Victor Lutheran Church noticed how quickly the community was aging. His church's response was to create A Caring Place, a drop off center where caregivers could leave their loved ones in a safe and social setting for a few hours a week.
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No decision yet on new Arlington Hts. apartment tower
The Arlington Heights plan commission voted to continue discussion of a proposed seven-story apartment tower for the downtown to a later meeting when commissioners had too many unanswered questions, such as about parking, affordable housing and retail space. "The parking issue is the main concern," one neighbor said.
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Elgin first-responders honored for making organ donation possible
Members of the Elgin fire and police departments were recognized for their efforts in reviving a woman who went into cardiac arrest in May. Janet Sosa, 59, never regained consciousness and died a few days later in the hospital; her family decided to take her off life support and donate her organs, which in turn helped save other lives, said Elgin Police Det. Heather Robinson, chair of the police...
Sports
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Cubs get OK to move forward with Wrigley Field makeover
Wrigley Field took a step in the direction of every major league ballpark in the country when a city commission unanimously approved the Cubs' massive renovation project that includes a Jumbotron and six other electronic signs. The city's landmarks commission, which must sign off on such plans because Wrigley is so well known, agreed to a renovation project that is dramatically bigger than one approved last year.
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Boomers fall 5-4
The Schaumburg Boomers dropped a 5-4 decision to the host River City Rascals on a walk-off Thursday night.
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Thibodeau keeping Bulls on Anthony's radar
The Bulls are still in the running for Knicks free agent Carmelo Anthony. While some reports predicted Anthony would stay in New York, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has played a role in keeping Anthony interested in Chicago. Of course, nine days have passed since Anthony visited Chicago, so there's no telling how or when this will play out. The NBA world continues to wait for decisions from both Anthony and LeBron James.
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Despite rabbit delay, Cougars hang on for win
It wasn’t the prettiest win, but the Cougars were able to hang on to a 9-5 victory over the River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park on Thursday night.
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White Sox waste chances in 4-3 loss to Red Sox
Mike Carp’s pinch-hit single in the 10th inning gave the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win Thursday for their second straight walk-off victory over the White Sox.
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Brazil’s Neymar thankful he’s not in a wheelchair now
Neymar became emotional when talking Thursday about the injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, saying that if the knee to his back had been slightly more to one side he “could be in a wheelchair” right now.The Brazil striker cried as he recalled the injury, saying “God blessed” him and prevented a more serious injury. Neymar had to stop talking for several seconds, lowering his head and putting a hand in front of his eyes.
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Big day of racing ahead at Arlington
Arlington International Racecourse is hosting its second annual Food Truck Festival in The Park on Saturday. But fans also hungry for racing will have no problem filling their appetites with four Grade III stakes events to be run as part of Arlington Million Preview Day. The stakes parade, all on the turf course, includes the 1¼-miles $200,000 Arlington Handicap, $150,000 1½-miles Stars and Stripes, the $200,000 1-3/16ths-miles American Derby and the $200,000 1-3/16ths-miles Modesty Handicap.
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Butler’s home run sparks Bandits to 2-1
Kristen Butler’s hot hitting streak continued Thursday as her first-inning, 2-run homer turned out to be the game winner for the host Bandits, who taking the opener of the series against the Pennsylvania Rebellion 2-1.
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Sale, Rizzo get final All-Star Game spots
Chicago, a city with a reputation for voting early and often, helped White Sox ace Chris Sale and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo earn spots for the 13th annual All-Star Game through the MLB.com Final Vote contest.
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Sensing rivals, calm Nibali defends Tour lead
Vincenzo Nibali is growing comfortable in his yellow jersey. He’s not taking the Tour de France lead for granted, though.Despite the stunning departure of reigning champion Chris Froome in a crash the day before, the Italian says he’s “afraid” of two-time champ Alberto Contador, and senses other contenders are looking for opportunities to strip him of cycling’s most coveted jersey.
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Cubs snap streak with 6-4, 12-inning win over Reds
Arismendy Alcantara needed just one day to get the feel of the big leagues. After going 0-for-4 in his major league debut on Wednesday, the highly regarded Cubs prospect had four hits and scored the tying and winning runs as Chicago snapped a six-game losing streak with a 6-4, 12-inning win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. Today, I felt more comfortable," said Alcantara, who had a double, triple and stolen base before learning after the game that his stay with the Cubs would be extended.
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Cardinals All-Star catcher Molina out 8-12 weeks
St. Louis Cardinals All-Star catcher Yadier Molina will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and could miss the rest of the season.The team estimated Molina could be sidelined eight to 12 weeks. He’s hoping to make it back in seven or eight weeks.
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Phelps a bit miffed that he’s not going faster
ATHENS, Ga. — Michael Phelps figured he would be swimming faster by now.His coach believes he’s right on schedule.Phelps will get a final tuneup before the national championships when he competes in a special meet at the University of Georgia, featuring Ryan Lochte and some of the world’s top swimmers. Beginning Friday, Phelps will swim three events in three days, another important step in showing how fit he is since coming out of retirement. Coach Bob Bowman says he’s pleased with Phelps’ progress and sees no reason why he can’t eventually come close to some of the times he put up in the prime of his career. But Phelps is a bit miffed that he’s not going faster, only now realizing how difficult it is to return from a long layoff.
Business
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Beanie Babies creator defends probation sentence
Lawyers for the billionaire creator of Beanie Babies say a federal judge didn't let him off too easily by giving him probation and no prison time for hiding at least $25 million from U.S. tax authorities in Swiss banks. In a 57-page filing Thursday with the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Ty Warner denies the judge in Chicago sent a message that there's a different standard for the wealthy.
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Online, mobile ER registration streamline process
Lake Forest Hospital's emergency room has launched an online check-in system for patients with nonlife-threatening illnesses. Beginning July 1, patients were able to complete online forms to start the check-in process and let ER staff know when to expect them. The online check-in started at its related Northwestern Grayslake Emergency Center last summer, said spokeswoman Kelly Klopp.
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Agriculture industry seeks to create right to farm
In the nation’s agricultural heartland, farming is more than a multibillion-dollar industry that feeds the world. It could be on track to become a right, written into law alongside the freedom of speech and religion. Some powerful agriculture interests want to declare farming a right at the state level as part of a wider campaign to fortify the ag industry against crusades by animal-welfare activists and opponents of genetically modified crops.
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European banking scare sends stocks lower
Stocks fell Thursday as worries about the soundness of a European bank spooked U.S. investors, prompting them to sell stocks and snap up less risky assets like gold and governments bonds. Fears emerged overnight about the financial stability of Espirito Santo International, a holding company that is the largest shareholder in a group of firms, including the parent of Portugal’s largest bank, Banco Espirito Santo.
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Hollywood ‘Godzilla’ finally stomps home to Japan
Tokyo is rolling out the red carpet for Hollywood’s “Godzilla” remake although the nation that gave birth to the fire-breathing monster is seeing the latest movie after it opened everywhere else. “Godzilla,” opening in the U.S. May 16, has grossed more than $488 million globally. But trepidation remains about its reception in Japan because of the intense loyalty fans feel toward the original. The film opens in Japan on July 25.
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U.S. wholesalers slow restocking as sales weaken
U.S. wholesale stockpiles rose in May at the weakest pace in five months as companies kept their supplies in line with slower sales. Wholesale stockpiles grew 0.5 percent in May, the Commerce Department said Thursday, down from a 1 percent surge in April. Big gains in inventories of autos, lumber and metals drove the latest increase.
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U.S. unemployment aid applications fall to 304,000
ewer people sought U.S. unemployment benefits last week, driving down the level of applications to nearly the lowest in seven years.Weekly applications for unemployment aid dropped 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 304,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s not far from a reading of 298,000 two months ago, which was the lowest since 2007, before the Great Recession began.
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Average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate rises to 4.15 pctAverage U.S. 30-year mortgage rate rises to 4.15 pct
Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages edged up slightly this week, remaining near historically low levels. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the nationwide average rate for a 30-year loan rose to 4.15 percent from 4.12 percent last week. The average for the 15-year mortgage increased to 3.24 percent from 3.22 percent.
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North Dakota pipeline spill cleanup may take weeks
Company and tribal officials say a pipeline on North Dakota’s Fort Berthold Indian reservation has leaked 1 million gallons of saltwater, with some of the fluid finding its way to a bay that leads to a lake that provides drinking water for the reservation. Cleanup continued there Thursday and Miranda Jones, vice president of environmental safety and regulatory at Houston-based Crestwood Midstream Services Inc., said it was expected to last for weeks.
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Report: Chinese hackers hit US personnel networks
Chinese hackers broke into the computer networks of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management earlier this year with the intention of accessing the files of tens of thousands of federal employees who had applied for top-secret security clearances, according to The New York Times.
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More ‘headline-grabbing’ corporate deals expected
More “headline-grabbing” acquisitions are likely over the coming year as businesses take advantage of a period of improving economic growth and cheap financing. That’s the conclusion of business consulting firm EY, which says the value of takeover deals announced in the first half of 2014 struck its highest level since the end of the boom years in 2007.
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Boeing seals $56B Emirates Airline order
Boeing has finalized a $56 billion agreement to build 150 777X aircraft for Dubai’s Emirates Airline. The order’s value is based on list prices, which can vary greatly after negotiations.
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Boeing raises forecast for new airplane demand
Chicago-based Boeing is raising its long-term forecast for new airplane demand by more than 4 percent and it’s still the Asia-Pacific region that is driving most of the growth.Boeing expects orders of 36,770 new airplanes over the next 20 years, with total list prices valued at an estimated $5.2 trillion.
Life & Entertainment
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‘Game of Thrones’ earns a leading 19 Emmy nods
The fantasy saga “Game of Thrones,” defying the Emmy Awards’ grudging respect for genre fare, emerged as the leader in the nominations announced Thursday with 19 bids, including best drama series. The meth kingpin drama “Breaking Bad” was next in line with 16 bids for its final season, including best drama and best actor nod for star Bryan Cranston.
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Parents feel relief as children benefit from inclusion services
Dawn Martini of Wheaton has peace of mind now that she discovered inclusion services for her son Joey, 8 years old, living with general anxiety. Inclusion services, offered through Special Recreation Associations, help those with special needs participate in any regular park district program.
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Superior 'Apes' sequel a bold, bleak look at violence
Every 3-D scene in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” screams epic. Actually, more than epic. EPIC. A fiery sequence set in a hellish San Francisco conjures up a burning Atlanta from “Gone With the Wind.” An ape army invasion recalls the fantastically realistic ground warfare from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It's that impressive, Dann Gire says.
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Emmy Award nominations in major categories
Nominees in major categories for the 2014 Emmy Awards announced Thursday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
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Get them back: Where are Robin Thicke’s fans?
Robin Thicke may be pleading to get his wife back, but he needs to work on getting his fans back, too. The crooner’s new album, “Paula,” sold only 24,000 units in its debut week in the United States. That’s a far cry from the “Blurred Lines” album, which sold 177,000 units when it debuted last July.
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Traveling helps shape world view, spark curiosity
When I was 10 years old, my mother and I were inside our hotel in Hawaii before we went on a cruise through the islands. Outside, there was a huge commotion going on that sounded like a parade to me. It was actually a march in support of Hawaii’s independence. Witnessing that demonstration started a lifelong passion for understanding different peoples, their cultures and their struggles.
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Visitors wait 5 hours for Harry Potter ride
You might need a magic wand to get on the new Harry Potter ride at Universal Orlando Resort. For a second day in a row, visitors waited up to five hours to get on the ride, "Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts," located in the new Diagon Alley section of Universal Studios. On Tuesday, the first day Diagon Alley was open to the public, visitors waited for as long as seven hours. A sign at the entrance to the 3-D ride at midday Wednesday said the wait would be 300 minutes.
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Move over Mom: Twisted Trail Mix a hit with high-energy kids
Summer timemeans travel time for many families. Whether the family is jumping into the van for a multi-state tour or climbing on a bike for a tour of the local forest preserve, you're going to need a snack to keep you going. Jerome Gabriel's Twisted Trail Mix will be your new go-to snack.
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Twisted Trail Mix
Jerome Gabriel's nut- and Twizzler-studded Twisted Trail Mix will be your new go-to to-go snack.
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World’s largest folk art market opens in Santa Fe
Santa Fe’s famed summer market season opens this weekend with the International Folk Market, the world’s largest folk art market and one dedicated to helping artisans from impoverished nations start their own businesses. And as the popular market celebrates its 11th anniversary, it is drawing more than just tourists and locals. “We’ve had many fashion experts shop the market, visionary designers from Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Anthropologie, and Coach among them,” said market founder Judith Espinar.
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Right at home: Tips for living in a small space
For many young people, a first apartment might be a cramped studio or just a bedroom in a shared living arrangement. Juggling that room’s living, dining and sleeping spaces requires creativity. Take Meg Volk, a New York-based producer and photographer who at 22 is a seasoned veteran of the tiny-home trenches: She’s on her third, under-300-square-foot studio apartment. Find vertical space; think small and light; and when in doubt, do without, she advises.
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Wauconda remembers 'The Blues Brothers' shot in town 35 years ago
A mission from God brought Dan Akyroyd and John Belushi to Wauconda in July 1979. Thirty-five years later, locals who were there remember "The Blues Brothers" coming to town. “The village was crazy busy,” said Wauconda resident Jayne Stuckmann, who was 20 at the time.
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‘Welcome to Sweden’ turns immigrant life into comedy
Seated at a dinner table surrounded by his girlfriend’s relatives on his first day in Sweden, Greg Poehler couldn’t help thinking that his experience in culture shock might make a good television show or movie someday. Flash-forward 14 years and that instinct proved true. The couple married, moved to Stockholm six years after that initial visit and have three children. Amy Poehler’s younger brother, 39, is now the writer, producer and star of NBC’s summer comedy “Welcome to Sweden,” premiering at 8 p.m. Thursday.
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Weaver, ‘Alien’ cast reprising roles in new game
Sigourney Weaver and the cast of “Alien” are virtually returning to the starship Nostromo. The actress who portrayed unflappable officer Ellen Ripley in the “Alien” film franchise is reprising her role in “Alien: Isolation,” an upcoming video game set after the events of the original 1979 film. Weaver, who recorded new dialogue for the game, says she picked up right where she left off as tough-as-nails Ripley in filmmaker Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror masterpiece.
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Reel life: Fests celebrate horror, 70 mm. films
Dann reports that AMC is replacing old theater seats with cushy recliners across the county. No suburban theaters are currently getting upgrades, but film fans can check them out next year when new AMC theaters open in Vernon Hills. Dann also shares other film happenings in the city and suburbs.
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Waukegan’s Clockwise Theatre announces new season
Subscription tickets are now on sale for Clockwise Theatre's 2014-15 season in Waukegan. Clockwise, a Waukegan-based company devoted to presenting works by and about Midwesterners, recently announced an expanded four-play season.
Discuss
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Editorial: Suburbs deserve fair distribution of tax
The distribution of a little-known state tax is unfair to suburban governments that have grown significantly since the late 1970s and should be changed, a Daily Herald editorial says.
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We’re always finding new ways for people who want to talk
Columnist Jim Slusher: Back in the olden days when George Carlin was alive and people used email, Carlin had a joke I thought timely and profound. It went something like this: “I’ve finally discovered what email is for. It’s for people who don’t want to talk to each other.”
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The divided states of Obama
Columnist Michael Gerson: The headline — “Poll: Obama Worst President Since World War II” — was both provocative and misleading. The Quinnipiac survey did, indeed, place President Obama at the top of the worst since FDR. But this was largely a measure of partisan concentration. Republicans were united in their unfavorable historical judgment of Obama. Democrats divided their votes (and would insist, I’d imagine, that they have more options to choose from).
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Getting candy not point of July 4 parade
A Palatine letter to the editor: We have attended Palatine’s Fourth of July Hometown Parade for many years, and we are saddened to see what it has become. An Independence Day parade should be a patriotic event celebrating the anniversary of our Declaration of Independence while paying tribute to our servicemen and veterans along with police and firefighters. Instead, it has become a candy throwing orgy
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Towns can be inclusive on prayer
A Mundelein letter to the editor: The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Town of Greece v. Galloway should trouble anyone who values religious liberty.
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Immigration spending on kids excessive
A Mount Prospect letter to the editor: So President Obama wants $3.7 billion to address the immigration crisis! With $3.7 billion the president can build all the children homes in their own country where they can live like kings for the rest of their lives.
Jul 2014
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