HARVEY, Ill.

, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Atkore International announced that it will hold an investor conference call on December 16, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time to report its results for the fiscal year 2011 that ended September 30, 2011. The Company will release its results on December 15, 2011 after the close of markets. The call is open to all interested parties via an audio conference with dial-in information available through the Company’s website at www.atkore.com.  A replay of the conference call will be available through December 26, 2011 on the Atkore website.

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111004/CG80459LOGO)

About Atkore International
Atkore International Inc. is a global manufacturer of galvanized steel tubes and pipes, electrical conduit, armored wire and cable, metal framing systems and building components; serving a wide range of construction, electrical, fire and security, mechanical and automotive applications. With 3,100 employees and 23 manufacturing and distribution facilities worldwide, Atkore supplies global customers with innovative solutions and quality products. To learn more, please visit www.atkore.com.

SOURCE Atkore International

http://www.atkore.com

Dr. John McInerney of Chicago, IL has been ranked among the top physicians in the nation based on patient reviews.

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – A select few physicians were honored with the prestigious 2011 Patients’ Choice Award, and this year they include Dr. John McInerney.

(Photo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111209/DC20289)

Only doctors who have received top scores by their patients and pass other quality measures are awarded the Patients’ Choice Award. In fact, of the nation’s 720,000 active physicians, just 5 percent were accorded this honor in 2011.

Every month, millions of patients across the U.S. access websites, like Vitals (http://www.vitals.com), to share feedback about their experiences with their doctors. Patients rate various components of the care they receive, such as the accuracy of their diagnosis, the amount of time they spent with the doctor, and the doctor’s bedside manner and follow-up care. Patients’ Choice ranks the top reviewed physicians and looks at other quality measures to compile its yearly list.

Dr. John McInerney commented on the recognition: “This is quite an honor for me. I am very pleased to have been selected and grateful to my patients who went out of their way to rate me and give me positive reviews.”

For more information on this Patients’ Choice Award winner, please visit Dr. John McInerney’s profile on PatientsChoice.org.

Following the publication of Dr. John McInerney‘s selection for the Patients’ Choice Award, American Registry seconded the honor and added Dr. McInerney to The Registry™ of Business Excellence. An exclusive recognition plaque has been designed to commemorate the honor. The doctor’s custom wall plaque is shown here.

For more information on Dr. John McInerney, located in Chicago, IL please call 708-923-1919.

This press release was written by American Registry, LLC with approval by and/or contributions from Dr. McInerney and was distributed by PR Newswire, a subsidiary of United Business Media.

Patients’ Choice provides in depth information on doctors in your area who have been recognized and awarded for outstanding patient care and expertise. The Patients’ Choice Award is the honor roll of physicians who have received the highest ratings by their patients.

American Registry, LLC, recognizes excellence in top businesses and professionals. The Registry™ includes over 2 million significant business and professional recognitions. For more information, search The Registry at http://www.americanregistry.com.

Contact Info:
Dr. John McInerney
Phone: 708-923-1919
Email Address: macs4548@gmail.com

SOURCE American Registry

http://www.americanregistry.com

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The board of directors of Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share—an increase over the quarterly dividend of 5 cents per share the company has paid since it began dividend payments in the first quarter of 2011. The dividend is payable Jan. 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 13, 2012. While subsequent dividends will be subject to board approval, the company expects to pay additional dividends on the following schedule:

Morningstar’s board also has approved an increase to the $100 million share repurchase program it announced in October 2010. The board approval authorizes the company to repurchase up to an additional $200 million in shares of the company’s outstanding common stock. The company said it may repurchase shares from time to time at prevailing market prices on the open market or in private transactions in amounts that management deems appropriate, and has repurchased a total of 792,526 shares for $44.1 million as of Nov. 30, 2011.

About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on approximately 330,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 5 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its registered investment advisor subsidiaries and has more than $167 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Sept. 30, 2011. The company has operations in 26 countries.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on our current expectations about future events or future financial performance. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, and often contain words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue.” These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the events we discuss not to occur or to differ significantly from what we expect. For us, these risks and uncertainties include, among others, general industry conditions and competition, including ongoing economic weakness and uncertainty; the effect of market volatility on revenue from asset-based fees; damage to our reputation resulting from claims made about possible conflicts of interest; liability for any losses that result from an actual or claimed breach of our fiduciary duties; the increasing concentration of data and development work carried out at our offshore facilities in China and India; failing to differentiate our products and continuously create innovative, proprietary research tools; failing to successfully integrate acquisitions; challenges faced by our non-U.S. operations; and a prolonged outage of our database and network facilities. A more complete description of these risks and uncertainties can be found in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. If any of these risks and uncertainties materialize, our actual future results may vary significantly from what we expect. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

©2011 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MORN-C

Media Contact:
Margaret Kirch Cohen, 312-696-6383 or margaret.cohen@morningstar.com

SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.

http://www.morningstar.com

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — RedSky Technologies, the leader in E911 solutions, today announced the completion of Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) interoperability tests with its RedSky Horizon(SM) Legacy Network Gateway (LNG), the company’s ‘on-ramp to NG9-1-1 networks.’

This latest round of tests was conducted at the fourth National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Industry Collaboration Event (ICE) held recently at the AT&T Center for Learning in Irving, TX. The event focused on emergency call routing based on the LoST hierarchy. This is the core function called for in the new i3 standards to assure reliable and predictable emergency call routing and location validation regardless of media type or device used to place a 9-1-1 call.

The ICE 4 event was part of a program that allows vendors to test the interoperability of their products. These events bring together vendors in an open, supportive, and collaborative environment that fosters a spirit of technical cooperation. The goal of these NG9-1-1 Industry Collaboration Events (NG9-1-1 ICE) is to support all vendors in achieving fully interoperable systems.

“RedSky continues to be actively involved with the NENA i3 standards development process and these Industry Collaborative Events are designed to ensure that NG9-1-1 network components such as our RedSky Horizon(SM) Legacy Network Gateway meet the requirements of our country’s emergency communications networks,” said Jerry Eisner, ENP, group director-Public Safety at RedSky. “RedSky is committed to working with NENA and the rest of the industry on vendor system interoperability and bringing these new NG9-1-1 standards to the market.”

The new RedSky Horizon(SM) LNG provides the on-ramp to NG9-1-1 networks for legacy 9-1-1 calls made on the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The RedSky Horizon(SM) LNG can accept a 9-1-1 call over SS7 or CAMA trunks and translate the call into SIP-based signals that can be routed over an NG9-1-1 network to the appropriate PSAP. The RedSky Horizon(SM) LNG also can convert 9-1-1 calls from a NG9-1-1 network to legacy SS7 or CAMA,  making it possible for legacy PSAP equipment to connect to a NG9-1-1 network and enabling a cost-effective transition to NG9-1-1. The RedSky Horizon(SM) LNG is part of RedSky’s end-to-end NG9-1-1 solution for public entities such as states and counties and private entities like universities, industrial campuses and military bases that answer their own 9-1-1 calls.

Participation in the testing is an important benchmark for NG9-1-1 and E911 solutions vendors. NENA has specifically encouraged government organizations and their consultants to add questions related to participation in the event to any RFI or RFP they develop.

For more information on RedSky NG9-1-1 and E911 solutions, visit www.redskyE911.com.

About RedSky
RedSky is the leading provider of on-premise and cloud-based E911 solutions with more customers, more technology, and more experience than any other provider. More than a million workers, students, guests and visitors rely on RedSky for E911 protection. RedSky leverages legacy standards as well as the new National Emergency Number Association (NENA) i3 standards for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) to help organizations provide effective 9-1-1 emergency response, comply with state E911 regulations and meet business requirements for safety, risk management and efficiency. For more information, visit www.redskyE911.com.

SOURCE RedSky Technologies, Inc.

http://www.redskyE911.com

- Executive leadership team announced

- NYSE ticker symbol changing to GAS

- Company added to S&P 500 Index

ATLANTA, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – AGL Resources (NYSE: AGL) today announced it has completed its merger with Nicor Inc., creating the nation’s largest natural gas-only distribution company based on customer count. With an enterprise value of $9.5 billion, the company will serve about 4.5 million utility customers in seven states. AGL Resources also announced that Standard & Poor’s will add AGL Resources’ common stock to the S&P 500 Index after the close of trading on Monday, December 12, replacing Nicor Inc.  And effective Friday, December 16, the combined company will assume Nicor’s ticker symbol – GAS – in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

“Today marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for AGL Resources,” said John W. Somerhalder II, chairman, president and chief executive officer, AGL Resources. “We have successfully brought together two prominent companies in the natural gas industry with complementary businesses to create a company of considerable scale that is uniquely positioned for growth.”

“We are very pleased to have received approval for the merger and appreciate the important role the Illinois Commerce Commission played in the review process over this past year. Nicor Gas customers will continue to receive outstanding service, now backed by AGL Resources’ 150-year history of safe, efficient and reliable natural gas delivery.”

“It’s also important to acknowledge the action by the Georgia Public Service Commission in making this transaction possible,” continued Somerhalder. “Its ruling in 2010 that adopted an innovative merger savings policy provided clarity about the treatment of such a transaction and allowed us to confidently pursue an opportunity with the potential to deliver long-term benefits to all of our customers as well as create shareholder value.”

The transaction also combines the non-regulated businesses of the two companies, creating a retail segment with more than one million customers and a top 10 wholesale gas marketer that delivers an average of 4.7 Bcf of natural gas per day. The company also is expected to provide 31 Bcf of storage capacity in 2012, with potential to expand as market conditions warrant.

AGL Resources, expected to become a Fortune 500 company for 2012, will remain headquartered in Atlanta, Ga, as will Atlanta Gas Light. The company’s newly expanded natural gas distribution headquarters will be located in Naperville, Ill, as will the headquarters for Nicor Gas.

Executive leadership team named

AGL Resources today announced the senior leaders of the combined company. Reporting to John Somerhalder, CEO, are: Andrew W. Evans as executive vice president and chief financial officer;  Hank Linginfelter as executive vice president, distribution operations; Melanie M. Platt as executive vice president, chief people officer and president, AGL Resources Foundation; Paul R. Shlanta as executive vice president, general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer; and Peter Tumminello as executive vice president, wholesale services and president, Sequent Energy Management.

Additionally, the company announced the following key business unit leaders:

Ralph Cleveland will serve as executive vice president and president of Nicor Gas, overseeing utility operations in Illinois where the company serves 2.2 million customers. Cleveland will be based in Naperville, Ill.

Steve Lindsey will serve as senior vice president of Southern operations and  president of Atlanta Gas Light, Florida City Gas and Chattanooga Gas. Lindsey will be responsible for utility operations throughout the company’s service territory in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Combined, these three utilities serve 1.7 million customers. Lindsey will be based in Atlanta, Ga.

Jodi Gidley remains the senior vice president of Mid-Atlantic operations and president of Virginia Natural Gas, Elizabethtown Gas and Elkton Gas. Gidley will manage utility operations in Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland, where the company serves 555,000 customers. Gidley is based in Virginia Beach, Va.

Cleveland, Lindsey and Gidley all will report to Hank Linginfelter.

Michael Braswell will serve as president of retail energy. Braswell will direct the company’s efforts related to the marketing of natural gas to end use customers, and will be based in Atlanta, Ga.

Beth Reese will serve as senior vice president and president of retail services. Reese will oversee the company’s efforts related to the marketing of energy related home services and solutions, and will be based in Naperville, Ill.

Mike Pellicci remains the president of Tropical Shipping, leading the Florida-based containerized cargo carrier which serves customers in the Caribbean and Bahamas. Pellicci is based in Palm Beach, Fl.

Bryan Seas remains as senior vice president and chief accounting officer. Seas will have enterprise-wide responsibility for accounting functions and risk control. Seas is based in Atlanta.

Steve Cittadine will serve as president, Storage and Fuels. Cittadine will oversee the development of the company’s storage and fuels businesses. He will be based in Lisle, Ill.

Braswell, Reese, Pellicci and Seas will report to Andrew Evans, and Cittadine will report to Peter Tumminello.

The Board of Directors of AGL Resources also elected the following former Nicor Inc. directors to the AGL Resources Board of Directors, effective as of today: Norman R. Bobins, Brenda J. Gaines, Armando J. Olivera and John Rau.

These directors were recommended by Nicor to join the twelve existing representatives on the company’s board, as announced on August 2.

Financial overview

Stockholders of the former Nicor received $21.20 in cash and 0.8382 shares of AGL Resources common stock, for a total of $54.43 based on the closing price for AGL Resources common stock, on December 8, 2011.

As previously announced, the transaction, excluding merger-related costs, is anticipated to be neutral to AGL Resources’ earnings per share (EPS) in 2012 and accretive thereafter. The transaction is anticipated to enhance EPS growth as well as free cash flow. Combined company EPS guidance will be provided on the company’s fourth quarter and year-end earnings conference call.

Advisors

Goldman, Sachs & Co acted as the exclusive financial advisor and Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP acted as legal counsel to AGL Resources. J.P. Morgan acted as the exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as the legal counsel for Nicor, with Sidley Austin LLP serving as legal counsel for Nicor’s Board of Directors.

About AGL Resources

AGL Resources (NYSE: AGL) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services, midstream operations and cargo shipping. As the nation’s largest natural gas-only distributor based on customer count, AGL Resources serves approximately 4.5 million utility customers through its regulated distribution subsidiaries in seven states. The company also serves more than one million retail customers through its SouthStar Energy Services joint venture and Nicor National, which market natural gas and related home services. Other non-utility businesses include asset management for natural gas wholesale customers through Sequent Energy Management, ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities, and ownership of Tropical Shipping, one of the largest containerized cargo carriers serving the Bahamas and Caribbean region. AGL Resources is a member of the S&P 500 Index. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.

Forward Looking Statements

To the extent any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, “forward-looking statements”).

These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the expected benefits of the merger such as the Company’s growth potential; the potential to deliver long-term benefits to our customers and create shareholder value; the expectation that the transaction will be neutral to the Company’s earnings per share in 2012 and accretive thereafter; and anticipated enhancement to earnings per share growth and free cash flow. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “continue”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, “may”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “target”, “potential” and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Although certain of these statements set out herein are indicated above, all of the statements in this release that contain forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements. Although AGL Resources believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, factors and assumptions regarding the items outlined above. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things, the following: the possibility that the anticipated benefits and synergies from the merger cannot be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs or difficulties related to the integration of AGL Resources and Nicor operations will be greater than expected; the ability of the combined company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers or other business partners; the impact of legislative, regulatory, competitive and technological changes; the risk that the credit ratings of the combined company may be different from what the companies expect; and other risk factors relating to the energy industry, as detailed from time to time in AGL Resources’ reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Additional information about these factors and about the material factors or assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found in the body of this release, as well as under Item 1.A. in AGL Resources’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year December 31, 2010. AGL Resources cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to AGL Resources, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the transaction or other matters attributable to AGL Resources or any other person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements referenced above. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this presentation. AGL Resources does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE AGL Resources

http://www.aglresources.com

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Trade Representative continued its efforts to ensure European Union compliance with last June’s WTO ruling regarding illegal subsidies to Airbus.

“Boeing is disappointed that EADS/Airbus and European governments have failed to comply with the WTO’s landmark ruling against launch aid and other forms of illegal government subsidies that Airbus has received for more than 40 years. Boeing strongly supports all the efforts by the U.S. Trade Representative to seek full compliance with the removal of all the illegal government subsidies to Airbus — particularly market-distorting launch aid, the most pernicious form of subsidy Airbus was found to have received. There can be no compliance with the WTO’s ruling that ignores any non-commercial launch aid that Airbus is currently receiving for the A350. Despite the very clear WTO ruling, EADS/Airbus and European governments have failed to remove outstanding subsidies. This illegal subsidization of Airbus products – plane after plane – is unsustainable and must stop now.”

Contact: Tim Neale, 703-465-3220

SOURCE Boeing

http://www.boeing.com

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The board of directors of Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today declared a quarterly common dividend of 48 cents per share.

This marks the 352nd consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid by Abbott since 1924.  The cash dividend is payable Feb. 15, 2012, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 13, 2012.

Abbott has increased its dividend payout for 39 consecutive years and is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have annually increased their dividend for 25 consecutive years.

About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.  The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott’s news releases and other information are available on the company’s Web site at www.abbott.com.

SOURCE Abbott

http://www.abbott.com

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ –Pavlov Media announces it has finished the design, manufacturing and field-testing of its Remote Kontrol system.  The Remote Kontrol system is an Internet-connected, 96 port infrared remote controller that allows video operators like cable companies, apartment building owners, hotels, hospitals and others to manage the video on their system.

The Remote Kontrol allows the operator to control each receiver in the headend system as if that person were standing in front of it with a remote control.  Pavlov Media designed the equipment in Champaign, Illinois and it is made in the United States.

“If you’ve ever gone into a hotel and found a channel not working on your television and contacted the front desk and are told it can’t be resolved until the next day, then you understand the usefulness of this product,” said Mark Scifres, CEO of Pavlov Media.

Cable operators will be able to remote-connect via the Internet and fix the problem without a costly truck roll.  Remote Kontrol produces higher user satisfaction because lost channels are fixed in seconds rather than days.

About Pavlov Media:  Founded in 1994 and Headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, Pavlov is one of the nation’s largest private providers of broadband services (Video, Data and Voice) to multi-family real estate owners. In addition, the company, through its citywide and regional networks, offers commercial grade services in several of its larger markets.  Pavlov operates in 70 markets throughout the country.  For more information about Pavlov Media’s Remote Kontrol visit www.headend-remote.com or call 1-877-551-6273.  For more information about Pavlov Media, visit www.pavlovmedia.com or call 1-888-4PAVLOV.

SOURCE Pavlov Media

http://www.pavlovmedia.com

LAKE FOREST, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Green Courte Partners, LLC, a private equity investment firm targeting niche real estate sectors, announced today the acquisition of The Parking Spot, one of the nation’s leading owner/operators of near-airport parking properties. The Company operates 17 high-quality parking properties (16 owned and one long-term leased), containing over 32,000 parking spaces, which serve 12 major airports including Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX).  In addition, The Parking Spot manages another 24 parking facilities, containing over 35,000 parking spaces, serving an additional 12 major airports around the country.

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111209/CG20263LOGO)

Penny Pritzker, the Chairman of The Parking Spot prior to its sale, said, “Since 1998, when Marty Nesbitt first presented me with his business plan for The Parking Spot, we endeavored to build the best ‘near-airport’ parking owner/operator in the country and succeeded. We transformed what was once a humdrum routine – parking your car near the airport – into a branded, unique experience. With the sale to Green Courte, I look forward to watching The Parking Spot’s continued development as one of the nation’s most innovative parking owner/operators.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Randy Rowe, Chairman of Green Courte, stated, “We are extremely pleased that our third fund, Green Courte Real Estate Partners III, LLC and its affiliates, has completed the acquisition of The Parking Spot. Penny and Marty’s clarity of vision has given the company a dynamic operating platform.  Partnering with management, we plan to expand The Parking Spot’s highly-differentiated, customer-oriented parking services to additional markets around the country, filling in new markets with a combination of owned and leased properties as well as managed operations in smaller markets.”

About Green Courte Partners, LLC

Green Courte Partners, LLC is a Chicago-based private equity real estate investment firm targeting niche real estate sectors, including parking assets and land-lease communities. The firm combines focused investment strategies with a disciplined approach to transaction execution and asset management. Green Courte’s goal is to invest in high quality assets that will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns over a long-term holding period. For additional information, please visit www.GreenCourtePartners.com.

About The Parking Spot

The Parking Spot is the nation’s largest near-airport parking operator, providing parking and shuttle service at airports around the country in distinctive spotted shuttles. The Parking Spot Network includes Parking Spot branded facilities at Atlanta Hartsfield, Austin Bergstrom, Dallas Fort Worth, Dallas Love Field, Denver International, Houston Hobby, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Pittsburgh and Lambert-St. Louis. It also includes the AviStar, FastTrack and SkyPark (Newark) brands at Atlanta Hartsfield, Chicago O’Hare, Houston Hobby, New York LaGuardia, New York JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Oakland and Oklahoma City Will Rogers. More information is available at www.TheParkingSpot.com.

SOURCE Green Courte Partners, LLC

http://www.greencourtepartners.com
http://www.theparkingspot.com

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – It’s the season for making a list and checking it twice, but a holiday to-do list isn’t the only one you should be working on before the year ends.  Be your own Santa and write up a list of money moves you can make now that will be a gift to yourself come tax time.  Take a look at these year-end tax tips from the Illinois CPA Society to see what works best for your financial situation.

Make Charitable Donations – You can deduct donations on your 2011 return if you itemize your tax return. Keep good records. Monetary gifts, the value of materials or food donations, and even the out of pocket expenses you incur while volunteering, such as gas and travel costs, can all be deducted. You can also deduct the fair value of any clothing or household items in good condition that you donate. If you are donating inherited items or furniture, an appraisal may be helpful to determine value. With any donations, make sure to get receipts for documentation.

Consider Energy Saving Home Improvements – If you were planning on replacing that old furnace anyway, you could save up to $150 with a qualified energy efficient unit if you do it by the end of the year. Insulation, new windows and doors, solar heaters and other items are also covered under The Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit and the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit.  Details can be found at www.IRS.gov.

Pay Bills Early – Paying certain bills in 2011 will allow you to write off a deduction earlier. For example, if you pay your January 2012 mortgage bill on or before December 31, you may deduct an extra month of interest in 2011.

Contribute to Your Retirement Plans – A contribution to your 401(k) plan is pre-tax money excluded from your income so it lowers your tax bill.  It’s a good idea to contribute as much as possible to reduce the taxes you pay and to stay ahead of any possible tax reforms that may limit future contributions. For 2011, you can contribute up to $16,500 to a 401(k) plan (or $22,000 if you 50 or older).

Look Into Expiring Tax Breaks – There are several tax breaks that expire at the end of 2011 and you want to be sure you’ve made the related expense within the calendar year. These include the classroom expense deduction which allows teachers to deduct up to $250 for books, supplies and other related expenses, and a tuition deduction where up to $4,000 in tuition can be deducted. Amounts paid in 2011 for classes starting in early 2012 can qualify for a deduction on your 2011 tax return. These breaks may be reinstated, but it’s best to act now.

Working with a CPA throughout the year will keep you well-prepared to get the best return on your taxes.  If you’re looking for a CPA to help you file your 2011 state and federal tax returns, use the Find a CPA directory which can be found on the Illinois CPA Society site’s homepage, www.icpas.org.

About the Illinois CPA Society
The Illinois CPA Society, founded in 1903, is the fourth largest state CPA Society in the nation, with more than 24,000 members. It is the premier professional organization that represents CPAs in Illinois. During its over 100 years of existence, the Society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession, and has been a leader in educating the public on financial issues.

SOURCE Illinois CPA Society

http://www.icpas.org

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – The Administration Building at Exelon City Solar, the nation’s largest urban solar power plant, has been recognized with Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. 

(Photo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111209/PH19533 )

Located on the northern edge of the City Solar site, the building is used as office and conference space and contains displays that educate visitors about the power plant and Exelon 2020, which is Exelon’s industry-leading plan to reduce, offset or displace the company’s carbon footprint by more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. Several features, including natural lighting for more than 95% of the interior space, a rooftop garden that can be used to observe the 41-acre solar field and the use of nearly 25% of construction materials that contain recycled content, have allowed the building to receive Silver New Construction LEED-certification.

“We’re truly proud of what we’ve accomplished with the construction of Exelon City Solar,” said Sonny Garg, president of Exelon Power.  “The LEED-certification of the Administration Building takes the commitment we’ve made with City Solar one step further.”

Exelon City Solar, a 10-megawatt solar power plant, is located on a brownfield in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago.  Its 32,292 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate enough clean, reliable electricity to power up to 1,500 homes per year.  Since the site was completed in 2010, it has hosted tours for local students, community groups and industry organizations to educate them about solar energy. 

Exelon Solar is a division of Exelon Power, which owns and operates Exelon’s renewable, hydroelectric and fossil power plants.  Exelon Power’s Visitor Center at Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Md. and Renewable Energy Education Center in Fairless Hills, Pa. are also LEED-certified. 

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities with more than $18 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry’s largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 490,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

SOURCE Exelon Generation Company, LLC

http://www.exeloncorp.com

Much to be Done in Illinois: Solutions Identified but Response Inadequate

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Poverty, worse in Illinois today than during the recession, grew from pre-to post-recession by 16 percent, according to the 2011 Report on Illinois Poverty released today. In fact, poverty is at its highest point in decades. Visit www.heartlandalliance.org/research to download the report and access county-level data.

Post recession has seen no gains for struggling families. In the report, the Social IMPACT Research Center at Heartland Alliance documents hardship across a variety of indicators including income, employment, housing and assets. Together these indicators document the conditions faced by struggling families across Illinois.

Nearly 1 in 3 Illinoisans are now considered poor or low-income. Continuing the disturbing trend of the past decade, median household income has steadily declined in Illinois; it is currently $52,972, down 3.4 percent from the recession and 6.9 percent from before the recession. For families at the bottom of the income spectrum, having limited resources results in families having to balance their budgets through short term trade-offs with long-term consequences such as deferring needed medical care or dipping into retirement savings. Byron Dickens, a Chicago resident, illustrates the pressure of trying to make ends meet on a low income: “Working 40 hours a week in a minimum wage job I don’t earn enough to cover my housing, food, transportation, and all my medical expenses. And I don’t even have a family.”

Employment trends are particularly bleak. Unemployment in Illinois skyrocketed 82.3 percent during the recession, and since then unemployment has held steady around 10 percent. The average length of time Illinois workers are unemployed has nearly doubled since 2007, with unemployed workers spending an average of nearly 37 weeks unemployed in 2010. It is going to be a long uphill climb to renewed economic vitality: Illinois must add 528,844 new jobs to fill its job gap (number of jobs lost during the recession and the number of jobs needed for new entrants to the workforce).

These conditions of declining incomes and rising poverty and unemployment are ripe for growth in homelessness. Housing costs have long eaten up large portions of family budgets and now families have even less income to devote to housing. The number of people, 241,093, living doubled up increased by 15 percent from 2008 to 2009, and 1 out of every 4 households in Illinois is now considered to be severely rent burdened with housing costs comprising more than half their income. “These living arrangements are unsustainable in the long run and are the last step before homelessness for many,” according to Amy Rynell, Director of the Social IMPACT Research Center.

These conditions have also led to a considerable erosion of assets and mounting debts, increasing the economic vulnerability of families across Illinois for many years to come. In 2011, the average debt of Illinoisans increased 37 percent over 2003 to $13,416, and the average amount of student loan debt among graduating seniors from 4-year Illinois colleges is $23,885. Low credit scores are also on the rise, which can greatly limit prime borrowing opportunities for car loans, credit cards, and home loans: since 2007, the rate of Illinois consumers with credit scores below 620 has increased 22 percent.

Without government assistance, nearly twice as many people nationally would have experienced poverty. Unfortunately, not all of Illinois’ safety net assistance programs responded quickly and effectively to growing hardship. And even the most responsive programs have not grown commensurate with need.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) continues to respond to growing need: the number of households receiving assistance has steadily grown as incomes have declined, growing 64 percent from before the recession to the post-recession period, with 874,109 households now receiving assistance.

The Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable federal income tax credit, has steadily reached more households in Illinois, growing almost 10 percent from pre- to post-recession. Over one million Illinois tax filers now receive the EITC.

The response of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which provides cash assistance to very low-income families with children, was undetectable during the recession. There was essentially no increase in the caseload from the year before the recession to the recession period. Since the recession ended, however, the caseload has grown 64 percent to 46,694 families.

The Unemployment Insurance program was by far the most responsive during the recession, growing over 75 percent. Since then, however, while unemployment has stayed at the same level, the number of recipients has plummeted almost 30 percent.

“Personal, social, and economic costs of low family incomes are far too great, compromising Illinois’ economic strength, human capital, and future well-being,” said Sid Mohn, President of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights. “State policies and investments need to support an economy that works for everyone, promote work that pays a living wage, ensure that all have access to a quality education, and that families are able to access adequate income supports to help make ends meet.”

VISIT www.heartlandalliance.org/research TO DOWNLOAD THE REPORT AND OBTAIN DATA ON EACH OF ILLINOIS’ 102 COUNTIES.

The Social IMPACT Research Center (IMPACT), the research arm of Heartland Alliance, provides dynamic research and analysis on today’s most pressing social issues and solutions to inform and equip those working toward a just global society. Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights believes that all of us deserve the opportunity to improve our lives. Each year, we help ensure this opportunity for more than one million people around the world who are homeless, living in poverty, or seeking safety. Our policy efforts strengthen communities; our comprehensive services empower those we serve to rebuild and transform their lives.
For more information: 312.870.4949 | research@heartlandalliance.org | www.heartlandalliance.org/research

SOURCE Social IMPACT Research Center

http://www.heartlandalliance.org/research

WOOD DALE, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – AAR (NYSE: AIR) today announced that it will release financial results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2012, ended November 30, 2011, after the market closes on Thursday, December 15, 2011.

On Friday, December 16, 2011, at 7:30 a.m. CST, AAR will hold a conference call to discuss the results. The conference call can be accessed by calling 866-219-5829 from inside the U.S. or 703-639-1123 from outside the U.S.

A replay of the conference call will also be available by calling 888-266-2081 from inside the U.S. or 703-925-2533 from outside the U.S. (access code 1560961). The replay will be available from 11:30 a.m. CST on December 16, 2011, until 11:59 p.m. CST on December 23, 2011.

AAR is a leading provider of products and value-added services to the worldwide aerospace and government and defense industries. With facilities and sales locations around the world, AAR uses its close-to-the-customer business model to serve customers through four operating segments: Aviation Supply Chain; Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul; Structures and Systems; and Government and Defense Services. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.

                                        AAR – Named One of The Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes.

This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled “Risk Factors”, included in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2011. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described.  These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company’s control.  The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE AAR

http://www.aarcorp.com

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – On a night when college football’s brightest stars were celebrated for their performance on the field, Northwestern State University senior linebacker Yaser Elqutub was announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain, a community service award determined by college football fan voters for the work Elqutub is doing off the field.

Elqutub is the second Team Captain recognized in the 20-year history of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college football.  He was presented his trophy during The Home Depot College Football Awards, televised on ESPN on Dec. 8. 

“As a student-athlete committed to making a difference in people’s lives, Yaser Elqutub represents what the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® is all about,” said Mark LaNeve, Allstate executive vice president, marketing & sales operations. “Through his volunteer efforts, Yaser has become a true ambassador for the sport of college football and Allstate congratulates him on being named 2011 Team Captain.”

A former walk-on player from Katy, Texas, Elqutub has been involved with a number of community organizations during his time at Northwestern State.  The senior has mentored troubled youth through the Families in Need of Services program and planned a series of events on campus to benefit Samaritan’s Feet, an international organization that provides shoes and feet washings for children in third world countries.

An applicant to attend medical school after graduation, Elqutub has also volunteered in the medical field to gain experience while also helping others.  To spread the word and encourage fans to vote on ESPN.com, supporters of the Demons’ linebacker started a Twitter campaign under the handle @Vote4Yaser.

For his excellence in the classroom, including a 3.85 grade point average, Elqutub was also selected as a 2011 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

Elqutub and his fellow Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community event prior to the 2011 Allstate® Sugar Bowl.  The players will conduct a football clinic for area youth through the YMCA of Greater New Orleans. For the fourth consecutive season, the Good Works Team® will also be honored at halftime of the Allstate® Sugar Bowl, which will be televised nationally on ESPN on Jan. 3, 2012.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® consists of two 11-member teams, one that includes players competing in the NCAA® Football Bowl Subdivision and the other a combined team representing the NCAA® Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.  A program record 132 players were nominated for the 2011 award by sports information directors on behalf of their teams.  From the nominations, a special selection committee, including former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and current college football broadcasters, named the 22 members of the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.

To learn more about this year’s team members and their selfless acts of kindness, fans can visit ESPN.com and search “Good Works.”

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer known for its “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.                                                            

About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® were established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field.  AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate partnered to present the award starting with the 2008 season.

Since 1992, the Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with 54 selections to the Good Works Teams®, followed by the Big 12 with 40 selections and the Atlantic Coast Conference with 29 selections. With Aron White’s selection this year, Georgia moves into first place with 13 honorees to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The Bulldogs are followed by Nebraska and St. Thomas (Minn.) with 12 honorees each. Super Bowl XLII and XLI champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning were members of the 2002 and 1997 Good Works Teams, respectively.

About AFCA

The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession” and to “provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.”

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company

http://www.allstate.com

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill., Dec. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – Porte Brown LLC (http://www.portebrown.com), a Chicago-area accounting firm, announced today they have received the highest rating possible following a rigorous, independent peer review of their Financial Statement Audit and Review practices.

The reviewers concluded that the firm’s system of quality control for the accounting and auditing practice in effect for the year ended 2010 has been suitably designed and complied with to provide reasonable assurance of performing and reporting in conformity with applicable professional standards in all material respects.

Porte Brown participates in the Peer Review Program, a practice-monitoring program approved by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the national professional organization of CPAs. A firm participating in the Peer Review Program must have an independent review of its accounting and auditing practice every three years.

“Quality control is at the heart of the Peer Review process,” says Russell Wilson, Porte Brown Auditing Partner. “It’s an acknowledgement of the people who make up this organization and an endorsement of their professionalism. It confirms they understand both the practices for delivering quality services and the methods to apply them rigorously.”

“This independent peer review is yet another assurance we can provide Porte Brown clients,” says Bruce Jones, Porte Brown Managing Partner. “It’s essential that our clients remain confident and comfortable knowing their accounting, audit, and financial statement review engagements are performed diligently and accurately. It also lets prospective clients know our people and our methods meet the most stringent professional requirements in the industry.”

For more information, or to schedule a consultation with a Porte Brown representative, please contact Pam Metzger at 1‐847‐956‐1040 or visit http://www.portebrown.com.

About Porte Brown

Porte Brown is a mid-sized full service accounting and technology solutions firm offering tax planning and preparation, accounting and auditing, employee benefits administration, business valuations, estate planning, accounting software, computer network support, and complete technology solutions. Since 1946, Porte Brown has earned the trust of its clients by paying close attention to their clients’ financial affairs. The key to their success lies in continual client communication and a level of personalized service rarely provided by other firms. Porte Brown serves clients throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Visit us online at http://www.portebrown.com for more information.

Contact:
Pam Metzger
Porte Brown LLC
(847) 956-1040
pmetzger@portebrown.com

SOURCE Porte Brown LLC

http://www.portebrown.com

Bank of America extends maximum donation to another $500,000 as Feeding America reaches milestone

CHICAGO, Dec. 8, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — A two for one match offer by Bank of America has helped raise more than 6 million meals for Feeding America’s Give A Meal campaign less than a month after launching.  

The unprecedented success of the program was bolstered by a generous match from Bank of America and its customers. This week the bank announced that they were increasing their support and pledged an additional $500,000 through Bank of America’s Gift for Opportunity™ fund in matching dollars to the campaign for a potential total match of $1 million.

“Without the generous support of Bank of America and all of our partners we wouldn’t have been able to reach six million meals donated so quickly,” said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. “It really shows that collectively we can make sure that our friends, neighbors and co-workers won’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from this holiday season.”

As the campaign’s signature partner, Bank of America will contribute $2 for every $1 donated via feedingamerica.org/BankofAmerica or bankofamerica.com/give, now up to a total match of $1 million in order to make three times the difference in the fight against hunger.  This is in addition to a $1 million contribution to Feeding America.

“With nearly 49 million Americans struggling with hunger, we couldn’t be happier with the overwhelming response the Gift for Opportunity fund has received to date,” said Kerry Sullivan, President, Bank of America Charitable Foundation.  “We continue to be amazed and grateful for the generosity of individuals during these challenging times and we’re pleased to extend our corporate match to make three times the difference to help feed those at risk of hunger.”

The Give A Meal campaign is also being supported by a number of celebrity and corporate partners.

Emmy Award winning talk show host Rachael Ray, celebrity Chef Mario Batali, host of ABC’s The Chew, Australian chef and television star Curtis Stone, rock sensations Benji and Joel Madden, Entertainment Tonight correspondent Samantha Harris, Grammy Award winning singer Monica, Food Network star Ellie Krieger, chef and TV host Sara Gore, TV food critic and host Katie Lee, Extra Virgin husband and wife hosts actress Debi Mazar and chef Gabriele Corcos, and the platinum selling band OneRepublic have all lent their name to the effort.

Along with Bank of America, a number of other corporate partners have agreed to team up with Feeding America to fight hunger this holiday season. Corporate leaders such as Dillard’s, HMSHost, HoneyBaked Ham, and Winn-Dixie have all also joined the Give a Meal effort and are partnering with their customers to donate meals this holiday season.

A running counter will be displayed on the Give a Meal webpage to tally the number of meals that have been donated during the campaign.

About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

Contact(s):

Shannon Traeger
FeedingAmerica America
312.641.6422                                       
straeger@feedingamerica.org                  

SOURCE Feeding America

http://www.feedingamerica.org

EVANSTON, Ill., Dec. 8, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The 1998 murder conviction of a Chicago man who to date has served 13 years in prison is called into question in an in-depth article by Northwestern University students published today (Dec. 8) on the Medill Innocence Project Web site at www.medillinnocenceproject.org. A behind-the-scenes video, two interactive graphics—a crime-scene map and a breakdown of discrepancies in the witnesses’ accounts–-and thousands of pages of public documents also are posted.

During the recently ended 10-week academic term, seven Medill undergraduates tracked down witnesses who never testified at the trial of Ariel Gomez. Gomez is accused of a fatal drive-by shooting that took place June 13, 1997, the night the Chicago Bulls clinched its fifth championship. The victim, Concepcion Diaz, was 32; Gomez was 17.

The Dec. 8 article is the culmination of an investigative journalism class taught by Professor Alec Klein, a best-selling author and former Washington Post award-winning investigative reporter who now directs the Medill Innocence Project.

The undergraduates based their reporting on interviews with eyewitnesses; experts in gangs, ballistics and forensic pathology; a prison official; Gomez and his family; attorneys; seven Freedom of Information Act requests; and court, police and medical records.

Among their findings:

• Police tried to pressure at least two witnesses into identifying Gomez as Diaz’s murderer, the witnesses said. A third witness said police tried to coerce her into identifying Gomez as the killer, according to internal memos by law students who worked with an attorney who once represented Gomez. None of these eyewitnesses were called to testify at the first-degree murder trial. 
• Gomez claims one of the lead detectives beat a false confession out of him. That same detective has been accused of manipulating witnesses and coercing confessions in dozens of cases, according to court records.
• Prosecutors at trial argued that Gomez was the only person with a gun the night of the crime. However, the Medill students interviewed witnesses who said at least two gangs were present, and gang experts said it was highly unlikely that Gomez’s was the only gun at the scene. While Gomez has always admitted to firing into the sky, the bullet recovered from Diaz’s body did not match Gomez’s gun, and no witness identified him as the shooter who killed Diaz.
• Over the years, three judges have expressed strong reservations about Gomez’s conviction, including a federal judge who called it a “manifest injustice” that he remains incarcerated. A childhood friend of Gomez’s who drove the car from which Gomez said he shot into the sky was originally convicted as an accomplice to first-degree murder. The judge in the driver’s case, however, determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Gomez of murder, so the charges against the driver were reduced and the driver was promptly released. 

The student reporters — Katie Chen, Kim Dahan, Natalie Krebs, Olivia LaVecchia, Lorraine Ma, Fenit Nirappil and Lianna Trubowitz — also are the subjects of a video, “The Story Behind the Story,” posted on the Medill Innocence Project’s Web site. The multimedia piece by Trubowitz and Medill Innocence Project staffer Alison Flowers provides an inside look as students test fire guns, examine the crime scene and visit Gomez in prison as part of their investigation.

The students’ in-depth investigative article is part of the Medill Innocence Project’s new direction since Professor Klein became its director last spring. Newly hired Medill Innocence Project research associate Flowers and Sergio Serritella, a licensed private detective who assists the investigative journalism class, also contributed to the students’ investigation.

For more information, contact Medill Professor Alec Klein, director of the Medill Innocence Project, at (847) 467-4476 or by e-mail at alec-klein@northwestern.edu.

NORTHWESTERN NEWS: http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/

SOURCE Medill Northwestern University

http://www.medillinnocenceproject.org
http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter

BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement of Chicago, IL, has been honored with a recognition by District Administration in its selection of “Top 100 Products.

CHICAGO, Dec. 8, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Announcing a special recognition appearing in the November, 2011 issue of District Administration published by Professional Media Group, LLC. BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement was selected for the following honor:

“Top 100 Products”

(Photo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111208/DC19591)

A spokesperson from BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement commented on the recognition: “This is quite an honor for us. The fact that District Administration included BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement in its selection of “Top 100 Products,” signals that our constant efforts towards business excellence are paying off. We are proud to be included in this recognition.”

About BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement: a short profile by and about the honoree:

BrainWare SAFARI is the most comprehensive,integrated (built like the brain works), interactively engaging neuroscience/ cognitive development tool in the world. The company has incorporated proven clinical techniques developed over 30 years of best clinical practices.It is a hybrid SaaS platform that can be adapted into a broad suite of products for different age groups, interest and abilities. Our technology represents a disruptive innovation in education, teaching and learning addressing the capacity to learn and think rather than content and traditional subject matter.

Following the publication of BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement‘s selection for District Administration‘s Top 100 Products list, American Registry seconded the honor and added BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement to the “Registry of Business Excellence™”. An exclusive recognition plaque, shown here, has been designed to commemorate this honor.

For more information on BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement, located in Chicago, IL please call 312-239-2677, or visit www.MyBrainWare.com.

This press release was written by American Registry, LLC with contributions from BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement on behalf of BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement and was distributed by PR Newswire, a subsidiary of United Business Media.

American Registry, LLC, recognizes excellence in top businesses and professionals. The Registry™ includes over 2 million significant business and professional recognitions, including all those included in District Administration‘s Top 100 Products list. For more information, search The Registry at http://www.americanregistry.com.

Contact Info:
BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement
Phone: 312-239-2677
Email Address: BHill@LearningEnhancement.com

SOURCE BrainWare SAFARI/Learning Enhancement