SAN FRANCISCO—Donald Tosti was sentenced Feb. 2, 2012, to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution for possessing child pornography, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Tosti was convicted on Sept. 14, 2011, on two charges of possessing child pornography. During the trial, evidence showed that Tosti was found to possess child pornography after taking his computer to CompUSA for repair. A search of Tosti’s home and office revealed a large collection of child pornography, including depictions of the rape of very young children. In sentencing Tosti, United States District Court Judge Jeffrey S. White emphasized the size of his collection and the graphic and extreme nature of the child pornography images as aggravating factors in imposing his sentence.

Tosti, 76, of San Rafael, Calif., was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 6, 2009, with one count of possession of child pornography. A second charge was added by the grand jury on Nov. 24, 2010, based on additional child pornography found after Tosti’s arrest.

The sentence was handed down by Judge White following a bench trial on two counts in violation of Title 18, United States Code, section 2252(a)(4)(B). Judge White also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $50,000 in restitution to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The defendant is scheduled to begin serving the sentence on April 2, 2011.

Owen Martikan is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case with the assistance of Rosario Calderon. The prosecution is the result of a four-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the San Rafael Police Department.

Further Information:

Case #: CR 09-0973 JSW

A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

Marin Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Possession of Child Pornography | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — On November 17, millions of Americans will mark the American Cancer Society’s 36th annual Great American Smokeout by giving up smoking for the day, and maybe for good. Because smoking can trigger asthma symptoms in children, quitting is an important first step toward protecting kids’ health. BeSmartBeWell.com tells parents the steps they can take on the Great American Smokeout, and every day of the year, to lower the risk for childhood asthma.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/mnr/childhoodasthma/50826/

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20111109/MM02598LOGO )

“Parents can work to prevent asthma by doing things in the home. First is to make sure nobody is smoking in the household,” says Dr. Judith Palfrey, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and one of the experts featured on BeSmartBeWell.com.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger asthma symptoms in children who previously did not have symptoms and worsen asthma symptoms in children who have asthma. Eliminating triggers like secondhand smoke is the key to managing childhood asthma and reducing the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. At BeSmartBeWell.com, parents can watch Trinity’s story to see how her mom made their home more asthma-safe.

Dangerous exposure

About 7 million U.S. kids and teens have asthma – making it the most common chronic condition in children. When children breathe in allergens like cigarette smoke, their airways become irritated and then tighten. Children with asthma then begin to cough, wheeze and have difficulty breathing. Without treatment, asthma attacks can quickly turn serious and even deadly.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, almost 60 percent of U.S. children aged 3 to 11 years–almost 22 million kids–are exposed to secondhand smoke. Children’s lungs are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke because they breathe more rapidly than adults, taking in more secondhand smoke. More than 40 percent of children who go to the emergency room for asthma live with smokers.

Where can I learn more?

BeSmartBeWell.com/Childhood-Asthma is a website that provides practical information to help parents understand and manage this serious chronic condition. Produced by the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer in collaboration with medical experts and national health organizations, BeSmartBeWell.com features:

• Life stories of real kids and teens living with asthma
• Practical videos with expert, medical advice
• Reputable resources and links for more information
• Latest childhood asthma health news
• Health quizzes

At the site, visitors can also register for the monthly Spotlight Newsletter and News Alerts for in-depth articles and breaking news on childhood asthma and other health topics important to parents.

About Be Smart. Be Well.

BeSmartBeWell.com is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Divisions of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: editor@besmartbewell.com, 312.653.BSBW (2729)

SOURCE BeSmartBeWell.com

Butt Out. Prevent Childhood Asthma Triggers. | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The North Park University Chamber Soloists will perform in a series of five Chicago multimedia concert events Nov. 1-6 that honor the memories of more than 260 Chicago children who have died as a result of violence in the past three years.

Known as “Urban Dolorosa” (The Sorrowing City), the project involves a memorial pilgrimage to various locations throughout the city. Urban Dolorosa asks all city residents “to notice our dead and dying children, and to work together for peace by joining this memorial pilgrimage and committing to end youth violence in our city,” according to a news release. A significant ecumenical and multicultural group of Chicago religious leaders, artists and community leaders organized the pilgrimage and concerts.

“I think this is the noblest charitable project I’ve ever done,” said David Yonan, who directs the Chamber Soloists for the North Park University School of Music. “This particular project is something which I fully endorse and fully support.”

Yonan learned of the opportunity from one of the project’s organizers, the Rev. Susan Johnson, senior minister, Hyde Park Union Church, Chicago. Yonan presented the idea to University leaders who enthusiastically supported the Chamber Soloists’ involvement. The students have held at least 15 practices to prepare for the memorial concerts.

The eight-member North Park University Chamber Soloists and others will perform a 50-minute classical requiem written by Father Vaughn Fayle, OFM, Chicago, a South African composer, with lyrics by Susan Johnson. The North Park soloists will also perform a prelude, “Summa,” at each concert, written by Estonian classical composer and Oscar winner, Arvo Part.” Student violinists from Columbia College will perform with the North Park ensemble, Yonan said.

Dates and locations of the Chicago Urban Dolorosa memorial events are:

• Nov. 1, 7 p.m., The Faith Community of Saint Sabina, 1210 W. 78th Place
• Nov. 2, 5:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St.
• Nov. 3, 7 p.m., New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, 4301 W. Washington St.
• Nov. 4, 7 p.m., Holy Cross/IHM Parish, 46th St. & Hermitage Ave.
• Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m., Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave.

More information is available at http://www.northpark.edu/News/Current-News/North-Park-University-Ensemble-to-Perform-in-Urban-Dolorosa-Remembrance on the North Park University website.

SOURCE North Park University

http://www.northpark.edu

North Park University Ensemble to Perform in ‘Urban Dolorosa’ Remembrance | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

ALBUQUERQUE—This afternoon in federal court, Albuquerque resident Edward Christy, 58, entered a guilty plea to a two-count information charging him with (1) coercion and enticement of a minor to travel in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity, and (2) possession of child pornography. Under the plea agreement, Christy will be sentenced to a nine-year term of imprisonment. Christy will have to serve a term of supervised release of not less than five years and not more than life after he completes his prison sentence. He also will be required to register as a sex offender. Christy has been in federal custody since his arrest on June 1, 2010, and he remains detained pending sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.

According to court records, Christy was arrested at his Albuquerque residence on state charges on November 9, 2009, after he was found with an underage female (the child) from California who had been reported as missing by her parents. Christy was indicted on federal charges on May 26, 2010, and a superseding indictment was filed on April 26, 2011.

In his plea agreement, Christy admitted that, between October 1, 2009 and November 9, 2009, he induced the child, whom he knew to be 16 years old, to travel from California to New Mexico to engage in sexual activity during sexually explicit conversations with the child. Christy acknowledged transporting the child from her home in Westminister, California to Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 8, 2009, without the permission of her parents. He also admitted having sexual intercourse with the child.

According to the plea agreement, Christy also admitted that, when law enforcement officers executed a search of his residence on November 9, 2009, they seized computers and computer-related media which contained numerous images of child pornography. Christy acknowledged that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children determined that the child pornography found on his computers and computer-related media included 133 videos of 27 children who have been identified as child pornography victims and have been rescued.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charlyn E. Rees and Holland S. Kastrin, and was investigated by the Bernalillo County’s Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the FBI Regional Computer Forensic Lab in New Mexico, the District Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial District of the State of New Mexico, the Westminister Police Department, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case also was brought as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force’s (ICAC Task Force) mission to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 61 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the NMAGO. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

Edward Christy Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography Offenses | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

INDIANAPOLIS—United States Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett announced today that Jimmy Lee Cook, 42, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was sentenced to 160 months of imprisonment for receiving child pornography involving a young Indiana girl. This followed an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Indiana and Virginia, the Kokomo Police Department, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

During a guilty plea and sentencing hearing today, Cook admitted that in 2010, between January and July, he used a computer to receive through the Internet child pornography videos of a young girl in Indiana engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Cook used Internet chat rooms to entice the victim to engage in the conduct.

The investigation began when the Kokomo Police Department received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip, which resulted from information provided by a video-sharing website, led to the identification of the Indiana victim. The Kokomo Police Department then jointly worked the investigation with the FBI in Indiana, along with help from its state and local law enforcement partners in the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Working with Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children and the FBI both here and in Virginia, the investigators executed a federal search warrant at Cook’s tent in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was homeless and living in the parking lot of a church, and had been using open wireless connections at local restaurants and a library. Cook was arrested without incident at that time.

During the search of Cook’s tent, the investigators found numerous images and videos of child pornography, many of which involved very young minors. Lt. Donald Whitehead of Kokomo Police Department, who is also a task force officer with the FBI, obtained a confession from Cook following the search. Cook admitted that he knew one of the minor victims was a young girl living in Indiana and he admitted to enticing her to produce the videos.

In explaining the sentence, U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson stated that a high sentence was appropriate to deter others from engaging in such conduct and to protect the public from future crimes by Cook. The court emphasized that the criminal conduct involved repeated communications with a preteen girl and the encouragement of the sexual exploitation.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. DeBrota, who prosecuted the case for the government, Cook was sentenced to 160 months of imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release for the remainder of his life. He was ordered to forfeit all of his computer equipment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Hogsett Announces Sentencing of Virginia Man for Receiving Child Pornography Involving Indiana Minor | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

INDIANAPOLIS—Joseph H. Hogsett, United States Attorney, announced today that Thomas E. Barron, 49, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced to 114 months in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for transporting and possessing child pornography. This follows an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Brownsburg Police Department, and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

During a hearing yesterday, Barron admitted that on June 7, 2010, he used a computer to transport child pornography images of actual minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from his residence in Jeffersonville to other persons through the Internet. Barron’s collection of child pornography included more than 76,000 images and videos of very young children engaged in explicit sex acts.

The investigation began when undercover special agents of the FBI in New Jersey found that Barron was distributing child pornography to other persons through the Internet. The recipients of the child pornography were a group of his online friends. The FBI in New Jersey referred the case to the FBI in Indiana, who began an investigation with help from its state and local law enforcement partners in the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

A federal search warrant was executed at Barron’s residence in September, 2010, and he was arrested without incident at that time. Since his arrest, he has been in the custody of the United States Marshal. Before his arrest, Barron was working as a nurse in a Louisville Hospital.

During this search of Barron’s residence, the investigators found thousands of images and videos of child pornography on Barron’s home computer, including many images involving very young minors and sadistic abuse. Barron admitted that he used his computer to distribute this material to numerous persons throughout the United States and abroad. Barron did not charge other persons for the child pornography he provided to them. His apparent motive was to increase the size of his personal collection of child pornography by trading material with other collectors.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. DeBrota, who prosecuted the case for the government, Barron was sentenced to 114 months of imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release for the remainder of his life.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Hogsett Announces Sentence for Jeffersonville Child Pornographer | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The conviction stems from a report made to the Michigan State Police that Battice had sexually assaulted two minors in the Manistee area. Battice was arrested for criminal sexual conduct, and a search warrant was executed at his residence. Agents located evidence of child pornography production on Battice’s seized computer and digital media. On November 23, 2010, Battice was named in a four-count indictment which charged two counts of production of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. On January 27, 2011, Battice pled guilty to one count of production of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who presided over the sentencing, expressed his intention to impose a sentence that protects the community and sends a message of deterrence to others.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation and to teach children how to protect themselves. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at the following website: www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Michigan State Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru. After being sentenced, Battice was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service for transportation to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Manistee County Man Gets 24 Years for Producing Child Pornography | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WILLOWBROOK, Ill., March 21, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — More than half of children with autism spectrum disorders are overweight, at risk for diabetes or cardiovascular disease, have bone and joint problems or suffer from depression.  These alarming statistics were the impetus for a new book on exercise-related activities for children with autism, written by nationally recognized fitness expert Suzanne M. Gray.  The book is being released in conjunction with World Autism Day on April 2.

As one of America’s leading fitness professionals for children with autism, Gray understands how these exercises work in improving motor skills and muscle tone, eliminating self-destructive and self-stimulating behaviors and enhancing socialization skills in children with autism.  The book, entitled, 101 Games and Activities for Youth with Autism, is published by Healthy Learning and is now available online at www.Right-Fit.com and www.healthylearning.com.  

The fitness activities and games in this book are based on the author’s innovative “Raise the Bar” program, which received Club Industry Magazine’s “Best Children’s Fitness Program for 2010.”

“The book outlines specific exercises that parents can do with their children every day,” says Gray.  ”A regular fun routine that also mimics play is essential to improve the muscular imbalances and compensations, deficient motor skills, poor posture and other fitness pitfalls common in youth with autism.  These exercises will help increase independence, happiness and self-esteem.”

ABOUT SUZANNE M. GRAY

Suzanne M. Gray is CEO and founder of Right Fit Right Fit Sports Fitness Wellness, Willowbrook, IL, an all-inclusive, fitness and health company providing personal training, sports performance and wellness programs to youth and adults. She has spent more than 30 years developing fitness programs for people with and without special needs. Her programs have been implemented by community centers, schools, universities, and park districts across the country.

Prior to her design for the “Raise the Bar” program, Suzanne first created “One Magnificent Workout for Kids.” This model youth fitness program was awarded Illinois top elementary school youth fitness program and was personally visited by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.  The “Magnificent Workout Team,” comprised of select students from the Academy, travelled throughout the country.  

SOURCE Suzanne M. Gray

http://www.Right-Fit.com
http://www.healthylearning.com

Fitness Activities for Children With Autism Outlined in New Book | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 16, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is making it possible for 1500 more Illinois children of prisoners to have a specially trained Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor. A $4.5 million three-year HHS grant is enabling the Big Brothers Big Sisters Illinois State Association to provide consistent, enduring, success-focused mentoring services to the children, their custodial parent or guardians, and their volunteer mentors.

“Our organizational framework is in place to begin serving these kids immediately,” said Barbara Cempura, president of the statewide mentoring association.  ”This grant will allow us to more than double the 675 mentees currently enrolled in our Mentoring Children of Prisoners programs.  Studies find when served by Big Brothers Big Sisters, these kids and others who face serious adversity have a greater chance than their peers for having positive relationship interactions and breaking cycles of crime, poverty and school underperformance too often linked to youths in their circumstances.”

The Illinois Department of Corrections estimates 35,525 of the state’s children have at least one parent behind bars.  According to the director and founder of the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents, more than half the children in the juvenile justice system have had a parent in prison.  

Big Brothers Big Sisters launched its Mentoring Children of Prisoners or “Amachi” program in 2001, in partnership with Public/Private Ventures, the Program on Religion, Research & Urban Civil Society, and the University of Pennsylvania.  Amachi is a West African word that means, “Who knows but what God has brought us through this child.”

Under the HHS grant, 14 of Illinois‘ 16 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will get mentee and volunteer referrals through relationships with Angel Tree Ministries, the state Department of Children and Family Services, schools, the mentoring network’s African American fraternity partners, and other community groups and businesses.  

The first-of- its- kind grant to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Illinois State Association requires the organization to raise matching dollars as its agencies enroll and serve 500 new mentoring matches during each of the three funding years.  The state association will administer the grant from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties will be responsible for financial administration.  This will centralize funds distribution and the management and tracking of data reported by agencies, such as frequency and type of match activities; mentees’ progress in and out of school; staff support services delivered; volunteer training, and family support required.  The participating Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies are strategically located to serve more than 80 percent of the counties in the state from the large urban areas of Chicago and Belleville to Peoria, Rockford, and rural areas like Carbondale, Olney and Charleston.  The Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies that will deliver services under the grant include:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois (Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Greene, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Randolph , St. Clair & Washington counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jackson & Perry Counties
• Mid-Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters (Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Moultrie & Shelby counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago (DuPage, Cook, Southern Kane & Lake counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will & Grundy Counties (also serves Kankakee & Iroquois counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Kane and Kendall Counties
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermilion County
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois (Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Livingston, Macon, McLean & Piatt counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois (Adams, Brown, Cass, Morgan & Schuyler counties)
• Heart of Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters (Fulton, Knox, Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell & Woodford counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rock River Valley (Boone and Winnebago counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of The Illinois Capital Region (Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery & Sangamon counties)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Richland County

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families or households where a parent is incarcerated. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”).

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a system of ongoing evaluation and support that is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that “Littles” will perform better in school and avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Headquartered in Philadelphia with a network of nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 250,000 children. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate, or volunteer at bbbsillinois.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters

http://www.bbbsillinois.org

Federal Grant to Give 1500 Illinois Prisoners’ Kids Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentors | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Pink, real name Alecia Moore, and Hart, a motocross racer, tied the knot in 2006, but separated two years later. In February, she confirmed to Oprah Winfrey that the two were back together.

The Us source says, “Pink was determined to make the relationship solid. Now she’s really happy, and she’s excited she got pregnant so fast! She’ll be a brilliant mother.”

No official word yet from Pink, 31, or Hart, 35, but there may be a couple hints to her big news on the singer’s Twitter. On Nov. 6, she wrote, “My dogs are barkin’. And NOT the canine kind …” and then a day later, she was “Thinkin about hibernating for winter.”

Originally reported by PopEater.com. Read the original article here.

Report: Pink and Carey Hart Are Having a Baby | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 3, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Kmart is helping bring smiles to thousands of children this holiday season through its continued support of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Thanks and Giving campaign.

For the fifth consecutive year, Kmart is encouraging its customers to “give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not,” by providing the opportunity to make donations to St. Jude in store and online.

All donations help St. Jude save the lives of children battling cancer and other catastrophic illnesses in communities across the country and around the world.

“The holiday season is a special time when we are reminded of how fortunate we are to have our health,” said Mark Snyder, chief marketing officer for Kmart. “Supporting the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign each year is something that is so important to our organization and we are lucky to have such loyal customers and associates that share that same sentiment. It is our goal to raise even more money this year so we can bring healthy and happy smiles to children across the country this holiday season.”

St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world. Cameron, a five-year-old who suffers from sickle cell disease, was referred to St. Jude for treatment and now comes back for bi-annual check-ups at the hospital.

“Knowing that they St. Jude are always researching a cure for Cameron and other kids like him puts a love in my heart for St. Jude,” said Erika, Cameron’s mother. “My dream for him is to live a long and healthy life, and with St. Jude, I think that’s possible. I really do.”

Americans have the opportunity to donate to St. Jude now through Jan. 1 at Kmart stores nationwide and online at www.stjude.org/tgkmart. The iconic St. Jude Thanks and Giving magnifying glass will appear in all Kmart stores as a beacon of solidarity and a reminder to donate.

Earlier this year, St. Jude recognized Kmart as the “Corporate Partner of the Year” for its commitment to helping children live longer and healthier lives. Over the past four years, Kmart – with the help of its associates and customers – has raised nearly $17 million, making the retailer the leading fundraiser for the Thanks and Giving campaign.

“The tremendous support Kmart and its customers have brought to our patients and their families over the years is remarkable,” said John Remington, senior vice president of Corporate Alliances, ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “We couldn’t be more excited to recognize Kmart as our Partner of the Year. Giving Kmart this recognition is just a small way of showing our gratitude and appreciation for their continuous support to the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Every contribution they garner from their customers helps to bring so much hope to so many children facing catastrophic illnesses.”

In 2009, Kmart raised more $6.9 million – more than any other partner in a single year – for the Thanks and Giving campaign. Moreover, the retailer continues to raise the bar, encouraging others to donate and help make the holiday season brighter for the children of St. Jude.

“Our support for this program extends beyond the walls of our stores,” said Snyder. “In fact, many of our associates’ children have become involved in fundraising efforts, as they realize what it means to help children just like them.”

To donate or find out more information, visit www.kmart.com or www.stjude.org

About Kmart

Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, County Living and Route 66. For more information visit the company’s website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation Web site at www.searsholdings.com.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital in the 2010-11 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on www.facebook.com/stjude and www.twitter.com/stjude.

About Thanks and Giving

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® Thanks and Giving® campaign is an unprecedented union of celebrities, media, retail and corporate partners that asks consumers to “Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not.” Thanks and Giving was created in 2004 by Marlo Thomas and her siblings Terre and Tony Thomas, children of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas. Funds raised by the campaign support the lifesaving work of St. Jude—to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. In the months of November and December, consumers nationwide are asked to shop with companies that display the Thanks and Giving magnifying glass and add a donation at the register or purchase specialty items that benefit St. Jude; donate online at www.stjude.org, where a complete list of fundraising partners is available; or call 1-800-4STJUDE.

SOURCE Kmart

http://www.kmart.com
http://www.stjude.org

Kmart Encourages Shoppers to Spread the Holiday Spirit and Donate to the St. Jude Thanks and Giving® Campaign | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

It’s come to be a semi-annual tradition: the “Jessica Simpson Is Pregnant!” reports. This time, it’s via the National Enquirer, which quotes a “friend” that says Simpson and boyfriend Eric Johnson are so “crazy in love” that “they’ve decided to make a baby.”

But a member of Simpson’s inner circle tells PopEater that the singer-actress is most certainly not expecting.

Another source tells us that “for years, people have been saying she’s pregnant” so this is nothing new. As always, the pregnancy reports are being fueled by two different happenings in her life: a blissful relationship and fluctuating weight.

These days, the 30-year-old Simpson doesn’t hesitate to gush about Johnson whenever asked.

“He definitely makes me very happy,” she told USA Today last week. “He brings out a lot of light in me and makes me very comfortable being who I am. It’s nice to be with somebody who praises you for the right reasons.”

In the same interview, she daydreamed about having kids in the not-too-distant future. “I am from the South, so I’ve definitely dreamed of being married my whole life and having children, so hopefully that’s in my future.”

As for her weight, Simpson was spotted on Tuesday at Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference wearing black form-hugging pants and long shirt. While her figure is certainly in voluptuous-mode, it is no different than it has been several times throughout her career.

Originally reported by PopEater.com. Read the original article here.

Is Jessica Simpson Pregnant? Not So Much | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

TOKYO – Nintendo sank to a first-half loss, its first in seven years, as a rising yen and long-delayed release of its 3-D gaming machine set the scene for a weak full-year result.

Kyoto-based Nintendo Co., which makes Pokemon and Super Mario video games, said Thursday it posted a 2.01 billion yen ($24.7 million) loss for the six months through September. First-half sales dropped nearly 34 percent to 363.2 billion yen ($4.46 billion).

Nintendo last month shocked the gaming world by announcing its much awaited 3DS, a handheld packed with glasses-free 3-D technology, wouldn’t be ready for the year-end shopping season when Nintendo rakes in about two-thirds of its earnings.

It will be released in February in Japan — missing Christmas and then January, a key sales month because of the New Year’s gifts Japanese children get. Releases for Europe and the U.S. will follow in March.

The half-year loss is the first for the maker of the Wii home console and DS handheld since 2003.

Nintendo did not break down quarterly numbers. It posted a 69.5 billion yen profit for April-September 2009.

Nintendo spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa said the yen’s strength against the dollar, which reduces earnings brought back to Japan, drove down first-half sales by 28.1 billion yen ($345 million).

Because of 3DS delay, Nintendo last month slashed its full-year earnings forecast to 90 billion yen ($1 billion) profit from 200 billion yen ($2.4 billion) profit. That would represent a 61 percent plunge in profit from the previous year.

It is expecting full year sales to drop 23.3 percent year-on-year to 1.1 trillion yen ($13.5 billion).

Nintendo had promised the 3DS for sometime before April next year, and so the announcement is not technically a delay. But its forecasts had assumed the machine would go on sale sooner.

Yuta Sakurai, analyst with Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo, remained upbeat about 3DS, praising its 3-D feature, smooth Internet accessibility and solid game software lineup including developers outside Nintendo.

“There were no surprises in today’s results,” he said. “The losses from currency are in a way just on paper.”

Sales in April-September of the Nintendo DS handheld, the Wii and game software were all down.

Global DS sales declined 42 percent to 6.69 million units, while those for the Wii, which has a wandlike remote controller, fell 13.5 percent to 4.97 million.

Lower hardware sales also dragged down game software sales for the period, Nintendo said, despite the Japan success of new Pokemon games and “Wii Party” centering around tailor-made avatars. “Super Mario Galaxy 2″ was a hit, selling 5.1 million worldwide.

Nintendo has now sold a cumulative 135.6 million DS machines, and 75.9 million Wii machines.

Nintendo is expecting to sell 23.5 million DS machines and 17.5 million Wii consoles in the fiscal year ending March 2011.

Like other major Japanese exporters, Nintendo has been slammed by the plunging dollar. It said the hammering was expected to continue in the coming months.

Nintendo said the dollar had averaged 88.90 yen in April-September last year, but had dropped to 83.82 yen during the latest six months. It expects the dollar to average 85 yen for the full fiscal year.

By area, Nintendo sales were down across the board, including the U.S., Japan and Europe.

It is common for sales of even hit machines like the Wii, which went on sale in 2006, to trail off after the novelty wears off, and manufacturers have to keep introducing new machines to woo game fans.

Nintendo’s Wii will face similar offerings from rivals this Christmas with Sony Corp. introducing a baton-like wireless remote controller called PlayStation Move for its PlayStation 3 console. Microsoft Corp. is introducing the Kinect controller for its Xbox 360.

Nintendo shares inched down 0.7 percent to 21,290 yen. Earnings were announced after trading closed in Tokyo.

Nintendo sinks into the red for first half (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO (AP) — In the midst of an economic downturn, Illinois children were slightly more likely to be covered by health insurance in 2009 than the year before, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau figures.

The numbers suggest government safety net programs, including former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s “All Kids” expansion of coverage, are helping some children when parents lose benefits along with jobs.

The census data released Tuesday show the percentage of Illinois children with health insurance grew between 2008 and 2009, from about 94 percent to about 95 percent.

Macon County had the highest rate of uninsured children of the 23 largest counties in Illinois. The 2009 census data show nearly 14 percent of Macon County children were uninsured that year.

Among Macon County residents of all ages, about 15 percent were uninsured, the census data show, making it one of the highest county rates of uninsurance in the state, along with Cook and Kankakee counties. The overall rate of uninsurance in Illinois was 13.3 percent in 2009.

“We very much live paycheck to paycheck,” said school bus driver Kim Bennett, 49, of Decatur in Macon County. “By the time we pay for everything, there isn’t enough money left to get insurance.”

The loss of manufacturing jobs in Macon County left many families without health coverage, said Barbara Dunn, executive director of the Community Health Improvement Center in Decatur. The county’s high uninsurance rate for children will spur her health centers to be more aggressive in urging parents to cover their kids, she said.

“We are going to push them harder,” Dunn said. “We’re going to ask, why are they uninsured?”

Illinois was the first state to promise health insurance to all children. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s expansion of insurance to illegal immigrant children and children whose family income is too high for traditional government insurance cost $70 million last year.

The children added under “All Kids” – about 94,500 children in 2009 – aren’t eligible for federal funds, so the program’s cost falls on state taxpayers.

The new census data show other states with child insurance rates as high or higher than Illinois. Massachusetts, the model for the new national health law, did the best with 98.5 percent of children insured.

Others with high rates of insurance for kids in 2009 were Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

In Illinois, depending on family income, parents can pay from zero to $300 per child per month for coverage under All Kids. A family of four making $72,000 a year can pay $140 a month for two or more children, or $70 a month for one child.

Some parents don’t insure their children because they don’t want to pay the premiums, said Dunn, who runs several safety net health clinics in central Illinois. Others neglect to do the paperwork or are embarrassed to sign up for a government program, she said.

At about 5 percent, Illinois’ rate of uninsured children is far better than the national rate of 9 percent uninsured children in 2009.

“Illinois is proud to be among the top states in covering children, and is thrilled that the new data shows that 95 percent of all Illinois’ children have health insurance of some kind,” said Illinois Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos.

The figures come from the American Community Survey, which is sent to about 3 million households each year. The survey started asking about health coverage in 2008.

Nationally, the number of people covered by private health insurance fell from 201.0 million to 194.5 million from 2008 to 2009, according to the Census Bureau. The number covered by government programs climbed from 87.4 million to 93.2 million.

Census: Child health coverage rises in Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

St. Louis Ronald McDonald House Continues Legacy of Helping Families with Critically-Ill Children

OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 27 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — McDonald’s Corporation celebrates with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) the opening of the world’s 300th Ronald McDonald House this week in St. Louis on the campus of St. John’s Mercy Medical Center. Hundreds of families each year will now be able to refresh, relax and support each other at the House while their children are receiving life-saving treatment for conditions such as cancer, heart disease and birth defects.

(Photo:  http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20100927/CG71915)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100927/CG71915)

A dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held at the 300th Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010 at 11 a.m. Central.

“At today’s opening of the world’s 300th House, we are proud to honor all of the families who have found strength over the years while fighting for their children’s recovery,” said Jim Skinner, McDonald’s chief executive officer. “Ronald McDonald House Charities is the heart and soul of McDonald’s, and our support of this charity is one of the most rewarding things we do.”

The seeds were sown for this 300th Ronald McDonald House 36 years ago in Philadelphia.  The daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill underwent years of intense medical treatments, and out of that hardship grew the idea to create a “home away from home” near a hospital where families could stay together during difficult times.

The generous McDonald’s Owner/Operators in Philadelphia rallied together with the Company to raise funds to build the very first Ronald McDonald House.  That powerful idea has been repeated 300 times in communities around the world and here in St. Louis.  

“When our very first Ronald McDonald House was built in 1974, no one could have imagined that one day, we might open another – let alone 300 of them,” said Marty Coyne, RMHC president & CEO.  ”The new House in St. Louis is a testament to the commitment and support of the local Chapter, deep relationships with the medical community and the generous support of the staff, volunteers, and individual and corporate donors.  Just like the 299 Houses before it, this House will ensure families have more than a place to stay, but also a place to find strength – emotionally, physically, and spiritually – as they focus on healing their children.”

Ronald McDonald Houses welcome nearly 7,200 families every single night, saving them approximately $250 million a year in hotel costs alone.  The Houses provide comfortable beds, warm meals, hot showers, and families who share similar challenges of having seriously-ill children.

This new $4.5 million Ronald McDonald House is the third in Metro St. Louis and will serve approximately 700 families annually.  It was made possible by lead gifts from St. John’s Mercy, the St. Louis McDonald’s Co-Op and other generous contributors. The project is contracted by Kadean Construction, designed by Gray Design Group, and financed through UMB.

RMHC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and McDonald’s is its largest corporate donor. Portions of the annual operating costs for Ronald McDonald Houses are funded by McDonald’s and owner/operators of local McDonald’s restaurants. The remainder of annual operating income comes from the generosity of individual and corporate donors. 

For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities, please call (630) 623-7048 or visit www.rmhc.org.

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 locations serving 60 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. To learn more about the company, please visit www.aboutmcdonalds.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aboutmcdonalds) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/aboutmcdonalds).

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 53 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children’s programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, www.rmhc.org or follow us on Twitter (@RMHC) and Facebook (Facebook.com/RMHC Global).

Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House, RMHC, and McDonald’s are all trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE McDonald’s Corporation

http://www.mcdonalds.com

McDonald’s Celebrates Opening of World’s 300th Ronald McDonald House | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Artistic program designed to include children within the autism spectrum

Starting on Sept. 17 and running through Dec. 2, Chicago Public Library will present 24 ScribbleMonster musical programs at six branch library locations for families of all ages.

ScribbleMonster can be heard nationally on children’s radio and their latest release was named one of the Top 5 Kids & Family Albums of the Year by National Public Radio.

Their “draw outside the lines” approach to music for the family has earned the band raves from parents and Parenting Magazine alike.

ScribbleMonster songs such as A Monster Goes Rrraargh! , Chocolate Milk, Candy for Breakfast, The Song of LIFE have all proven huge hits on Sirius/XM Radio, sung by Chicago’s kids and parents alike.  The band’s compilation album, Arts for Autism – A Spectrum of Special Song, was the winner of the 2003 Children’s Music Web Awards for Best Compilation for Preschoolers.

Created by Jim Dague (aka Scribble Jim), this children’s book and music series introduces children to the joy of creating. The ScribbleMonster approach to music and other activities centers on what children can do, rather than focusing on what they can’t.

Their philosophy is “all kids are creative equal” and that children learn by having fun and by expressing themselves through the arts: fine art, dance, the written word, music and singing.  By stimulating creative expression in a non-restrictive format that encourages each child’s own unique creative participation, ScribbleMonster’s open-ended approach to music validates each child’s efforts and builds upon their success in developmentally appropriate ways.

Come sing, think, play, dance and get creative with ScribbleMonster!

Please call the library location for registration information regarding this family program for all ages.

The Chicago Public Library continues to encourage lifelong learning by welcoming all people and offering equal access to information, entertainment and knowledge through materials, programs and cutting-edge technology.

The Chicago Public Library is comprised of the Harold Washington Library Center, two regional libraries and more than 70 neighborhood branches.

All locations provide free access to a rich collection of books, DVDs, audio books and music; the Internet and WiFi; sophisticated research databases, many of which can be accessed from a home or office computer; newspapers and magazines; and continue to serve as cultural centers, presenting the highest quality author discussions, exhibits and programs for children, teens and adults.

The Harold Washington Library Center, Carter G. Woodson Regional Library and Conrad Sulzer Regional Library are open 7 days a week, the branch libraries are open 6 days a week and patrons can access all of the Library’s collections online 24 hours a day.  For more information, please visit the website at chicagopubliclibrary.org or call (312) 747-4050.

Chicago Public Library hosts children’s musicians “ScribbleMonster” in a series of 24 concerts this fall | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO – August 20, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed the Illinois Safe Children Act into law. The new law protects children in Illinois from being forced into the sex trade and gives law enforcement additional tools to fight the human-trafficking groups that exploit them. It also stops the criminal prosecution of victimized children and ensures they receive the necessary protective services.

“For too long, exploited children have been treated as criminals, while the adults who stole their innocence go free,” said Governor Quinn. “Illinois does not tolerate exploitation of our children. Today, we give important new tools to aid law enforcement in this fight and help our victimized children to heal.”

The Illinois Safe Children Act makes Illinois one of the first states to pass comprehensive legislation to address the human trafficking of children under the age of 18. The new law ensures that innocent children who are lured or coerced into prostitution will now be immune from criminal prosecution and will be placed in the child protection system instead of the criminal justice system.

Victims under the age of 18 will now be presumed abused or neglected and can be placed in a secure setting until a proper placement is found. Law enforcement must now report an allegation of human trafficking of a child to the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), which must conduct an investigation within 24 hours.

Illinois’ laws regarding the sexual exploitation of children will now recognize that anyone under the age of 18 is a child victim, conforming to federal law and state’s human-trafficking laws. The act removes references to “juvenile prostitutes” in Illinois’ criminal code, recognizing that children have no capacity to consent to their own commercial sexual exploitation and are victims of a serious sexual offense.

The new law allows the same legal tools used to fight groups selling drugs to be used against groups who traffic children. It supports investigations of these organized crime rings by adding the offenses of human trafficking and juvenile pimping to the list of offenses subject to court-ordered interceptions (wire taps). Additionally, it allows officer-safety recordings to protect undercover officers during dangerous sex-trafficking investigations.

The act allows law enforcement to impound any vehicle used for a variety of human-trafficking and prostitution-related crimes, creating a funding mechanism to support victim services and police operations. The act also limits the defense argument of pimps or traffickers who say that they “believed” that a prostituted child was at least 18 years old.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez was instrumental to passage of the legislation and her office has led the charge in efforts to proactively address the issue by forming a specialized Human Trafficking Initiative and creating partnerships with social service providers to offer services for children who fall prey to sex trafficking.

“Many people consider the sex trafficking of children to be an international issue and not a problem that impacts us here right in our own communities, but that is not the case at all,” Alvarez said. “The Illinois Safe Children Act is landmark legislation that will provide police and prosecutors with the tools that we need to aggressively tackle this crime. This new law will also put Illinois at the forefront of states who have enacted new laws to protect children from the horrors of sex trafficking.”

In addition to the new law, DCFS is currently establishing an allegation of Human Trafficking of a Child in child protection investigations. Law enforcement officers and mandated reporters of abuse and neglect will be required to report to the DCFS Child Abuse Hotline whenever they have reason to suspect that a minor has been exploited by traffickers, and DCFS will investigate the allegation and provide protective, supportive and therapeutic services to these child victims.

House Bill 6462 was sponsored by Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) and Rep. Will Burns (D-Chicago) and takes effect immediately.

Governor Quinn Signs Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation – Illinois Safe Children Act Helps Law Enforcement Stop Sex Traffickers; Ends Criminal Prosecution of Innocent Child Victims | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Even after kids move out, Mom’s favoritism still matters. When Mom repeatedly singles out one adult child more than another, whether for praise or a slap on the wrist, she’s unwittingly contributing to her offspring’s depression, research announced last week suggests.

“Perceived favoritism from one’s mother still matters to a
child’s psychological well-being, even if they have been living for years outside the parental home and have started families of their own,” said study researcher Karl Pillemer, a Cornell University gerontologist. “It doesn’t matter whether you are the chosen child or not, the perception of unequal treatment has damaging effects for all siblings.”

Even Mom’s favorites take a hit.

“Interestingly, being the favorite child has some serious drawbacks, research has found,” Pillemer told LiveScience. “The favored child can feel guilty, and he or she can experience negative relationships with the other siblings, who may be resentful. With older parents, favored children may be expected to provide more care and assistance for the parent, leading to stress.”

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As for which children become Mom’s favorites, Pillemer are still figuring this out. “Parents tend to prefer oldest or youngest (as opposed to middle) children, and they gravitate toward those children who are more similar to them in
personal characteristics and values,” Pillemer said.

Mom’s favorites
The results are based on interviews conducted between August 2001 and January 2003 with 275 Boston-area mothers in their 60s and 70s, who had at least two living adult children. Researchers also surveyed the 671 offspring, whose average age was 43. Pillemer and colleague J. Jill Suitor of Purdue University detailed their results in the April issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

To gauge favoritism, the researchers asked the moms three questions: To which child in your family do you feel the most emotional closeness? If you became ill or disabled and needed help on a day-to-day basis, which child in your family would be most likely to help you? With which child do you have the most disagreements or arguments?

The majority of moms differentiated: 70 percent of mothers named a child they felt closest to; 79 percent named a child as the most likely caregiver; and 73 percent named a child she had the most arguments and disagreements with.

The adult children were more likely to believe their mom had a favorite child than was actually the case. Just 15 percent of children said there was no favoritism, but 30 percent of moms reported the same.

Perception of favoritism had more impact on well-being than actual favoritism. Depression scores were higher for adult children who believed their mom was closest to a particular child in the family. Adult children who reported their mothers had greater conflict with a particular sibling also reported
higher depression.

Mom’s favoritism stings, even for adults | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Edward Mate, 78, of the 14500 block of Edbrook Avenue in Riverdale, was arrested Thursday morning at his home. He is charged with one count of aggravated child pornography, according to a release from the Cook County Sheriff’s office.

Mate appeared for a bond hearing Thursday afternoon at the Markham courthouse and was ordered held on $100,000 bond, the release said.

The investigation began in April when Yahoo.com contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who then contacted Cook County authorities. Detectives traced the online activity to Mate’s IP address, the release said.

When police initially visited Mate’s home, he admitted to using some of the same email addresses and chat rooms associated with the pictures that prompted the Yahoo investigation. His wife also said only her husband used their computer, the release said.

Mate, who runs a small business at home, later admitted he kept child pornography under several files on his computers and transferred them to floppy disks and CDs. He labeled them “K” for kids, “KK” for pre-teens and “KKK” for small children and infants, the release said.

Two desktop computers, a laptop, an external hard drive, several floppy disks and CDs seized from Mate’s home were seized and turned over to the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory in Chicago. Investigators called the thousands of images of child pornography –hundreds of which involved violent sexual acts performed on babies– among the most disturbing they have ever recovered, the release said.

Mate said he uses a much-younger stranger’s photo to talk on online chat rooms about bi-sexuality, homosexuality and incest and to trade child pornography pictures on Yahoo and other Web sites. Mate said he has been collecting the images for 20 years, the release said.

Mate also said he purchased another computer after the initial seizure in April to continue receiving violent images of children, the release said.

Mate currently remains in custody of a medical division of the Cook County Jail, the release said. He will appear for a preliminary hearing at the Markham courthouse on June 17.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

1,000 images of child porn recovered, man charged | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Children with autism literally see shadows differently from their counterparts, a new study reveals.

While people can look at the shadow of an object and often figure out what the object is, shadows interfere with how autistic children recognize objects.

These new findings shed light on the sensory abnormalities that accompany and possibly even help cause autism, researchers added.

Growing body of researchAutism is thought primarily to impact how people function socially. However, a growing body of evidence suggests the senses are also affected in autism. For instance, past studies revealed people with autism are better at recognizing details and finding hidden figures within a larger picture, but are deficient at perceiving more complex stimuli — for instance, grainy pictures. Investigators have wondered if these anomalies might even cause some of the behavioral symptoms associated with autism.

One idea behind why these sensory differences exist is that autism results in a kind of noisiness in the way the brain perceives the world, making little details pop out more while masking the big picture. As such, investigating how autistic people deal with shadows might be interesting, scientists in Italy reasoned. Shadows can normally help people figure out the presence, number, relative position and identity of objects in a scene, but they also can obscure other details, functioning somewhat like noise does when it comes to perceiving sounds.

The researchers showed 20 high-functioning children with autism and 20 typical children computerized versions of familiar objects with recognizable shapes, such as apples, bananas, forks or knives. During these experiments, the presence, shape and position of the shadows the objects cast were systematically manipulated — for instance, a vase might cast the expected shadow, the shadow of a cone, or no shadow at all.

The children were asked to say when they recognized the object. When shadows matched the objects, children without autism were faster at figuring out what objects were, taking roughly 310 milliseconds on average compared with 340 milliseconds if shadows did not match objects and roughly 330 milliseconds if no shadows were present.

However, in autistic children, the presence of shadows — either matching or not matching the objects — interfered with recognition, making them take a little less than 350 milliseconds on average to do either. Instead, they reacted faster when there were no shadows present, recognizing objects in roughly 310 milliseconds. A possible explanation is that in autism, shadows go from being simple features worth a glance to extra details they hyper-focus on, potentially eating up their attention.

Very specific rules During the course of the experiments, the children sometimes required snacks, and the researchers learned that autistic children typically have specific rules regarding food that should not be violated.

“For instance, in one case the child started screaming despite us giving him his preferred snack,” said researcher Umberto Castiello, a neuropsychologist at the University of Padua in Italy. “We got very worried and asked the parents to enter the room. They entered and very calmly they said, ‘Ah, OK, the snacks are not all of the same color!’ For another case, same thing, same sequence of facts — the parents entered the room and said, ‘Ah, OK, you did not present the snacks in a particular order.’ Then, same thing with another child, and the parents said, ‘Of course, the foods touch each other on the plate.’”

The findings regarding the shadows suggest that when one wants to teach children with autism, one might want to provide rooms with multiple light sources that minimize shadows, reducing distractions, Castiello said.

When it comes to better understanding the disorder, “we might be prompted to investigate the neural pathways connecting the object recognition systems with those systems devoted to the planning and organization of overt behavior, and how such pathways might be impaired in the autistic population,” he added.

The scientists detailed their findings online in May in the journal PLoS ONE.

Shadows may distract autistic children | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.