His plan is to launch an indoor bazaar in the long-vacant Purina Mills coupon-redemption center. Shahpari bought the empty 73,000-square-foot building for $1.2 million in 2005.

The bazaar would be unique to the St. Louis region – a one-of-a-kind destination providing a weekend home to scores of vendors catering to dozens of ethnic communities, he said. It would also house a bank, a nail salon, a karate studio, and a food court, as well provide a venue for many types of music.

Shahpari has been trying to realize this vision for nearly a year, but has so far hit a wall based on a fact of geography: The warehouse sits under the glidepath of airplanes landing at nearby Scott Air Force Base.

As a result, Scott officials have objected to Shahpari’s bazaar plans. Their reason: Air Force rules ban businesses that attract large numbers of people from being located near air base runways. Such enterprises pose too great a hazard to public safety in the event of an airplane crash, according to the Air Force’s Joint Land Use Study regulations, or JLUS.

Eager to stay on the right side of Scott – the region’s biggest employer with a nearly $2 billion impact on the local economy – Mascoutah officials have so far denied Shahpari the permits he needs for opening his bazaar.

Even so, Shahpari said he doesn’t understand the rationale for Mascoutah’s refusal to allow him to open his bazaar in the building, the bank mortgage for which is costing him $20,000 per month.

“Why are they enforcing such a stupid thing on me, a small guy in the middle of nowhere?” Shahpari said. “And I’m only going to be operating this during the weekend. … I have been trying to work with them any possible way I can.”

Shahpari expects to get a chance to plead his case later this month before two separate bodies: The Mascoutah Planning Commission, and the newly formed Regional Advisory Board, an entity consisting of representatives from Mascoutah, Shiloh, O’Fallon and Lebanon. Also attending in an ex-officio capacity are representatives from Scott and St. Clair County.

Shahpari’s petition will be the first case taken up by the advisory board, which was formed to avert the crossed wires that led Mascoutah leaders in 2005 to allow the Caseyville Rifle and Pistol Club to move to a site in Mascoutah near the glidepath of Scott aircraft.

The Mascoutah City Council gave its OK to the gun club’s relocation despite objections from the Air Force and St. Clair County. Since 2007, the county – citing public safety concerns – and gun club leaders have been embroiled in a legal battle that has cost both sides nearly $750,000 in legal fees and spawned multiple lawsuits and appeals.

Elliot Liebson, Mascoutah’s economic development director, said the point of the board is to “get another level of review. To give another opportunity for Mr. Shahpari in making his case. And that’s the long and the short of it.”

What rankles Shahpari about his problems with Mascoutah is the fact that Adam Hill, the village economic development director in 2004, had approached him about buying the warehouse. Hill had pledged his support in finding tenants for Shahpari, he said.

“He told me they would help me find a tenant because they do not want to see this white elephant sit vacant,” said Shahpari, an Iranian immigrant who ran a successful car parts business in St. Louis.

Hill, who has since left the city of Mascoutah, could not be reached for comment.

Published reports indicate that Hill is an executive with Praxis Development LLC, a firm owned by a California developer.

That same developer five years ago had induced the Caseyville gun club to move to Mascoutah to make way for a 600-home development in Caseyville. That project has so far stalled with no houses yet built.

Liebson promised that Shahpari’s case will be reviewed thoroughly before the City Council makes a decision.

“And what we will do after their review is look at all aspects of the situation and than make a decision,” he said.

For his part, Shahpari wondered whether Mascoutah leaders will give a fair hearing.

“They are so scared of Scott Air Force Base, I am afraid I will be ‘dozed,” he said. “I’m not here to pick a fight with anybody. I just want to create jobs.”

Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Planned ethnic bazaar near air base hits snag | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) — John Regan never forgets a friend, or an injustice.

When he was a boy in the 1920s walking along the railroad tracks in Decatur on his way to what was then Roosevelt Junior High School, he got to know and like a black student named James Parsons, who used the same shortcut.

Their friendship endured through Decatur High School and playing in the high school band together. The pals would go off on band trips, and Regan remembers how they once had some free time in Springfield and went to watch a show in a theater.

“We were sitting up in the balcony when an usher came right over to Parsons and got him out of there because he wasn’t allowed to sit there because of his skin color,” he recalled.

Sitting now in his Decatur home with a rescued stray cat he simply calls “Cat,” Regan is casting his mind back 80 years. Yet he never forgot the look on his friend’s face when that usher came to get him. “He was subdued, although he didn’t get angry or anything,” he said. “But you just knew he felt humiliated.”

It was a time when students in the same class couldn’t eat lunch at the same place if their skin was the wrong shade. The incessant slaps and slights of racism, even in the more liberal North, left mental scar tissue that, combined with two young men of exceptional intelligence, turned into a determination to make a difference.

Regan delights in pointing out that the late Parsons, who went on to teach music, also became a lawyer. He was the first African-American judge named to the U.S. District Court with life tenure, the appointment made by President Kennedy in 1961, and he presided for more than 30 years.

Regan, meanwhile, also trained as a lawyer and set up shop in Decatur. There was a break while he went off to serve in World War II, and when he came back, he decided that part of making a land fit for heroes was offering his services to the NAACP. “They gave me a retainer,” recalls Regan. “$10 a month.”

With that rich reward, he wielded the law like a sword to smite injustices ranging from the refusal of service at a hamburger joint to cases of wrongful mass arrests targeting blacks. In fight after fight, he wound up making officialdom think twice before trampling the rights of others.

Later, as times changed, the NAACP decided it wanted its own lawyers, and Regan bowed out gracefully and concentrated on his private practice, developing a particular expertise in the complicated world of income taxes, one of his many specialties.

He retired in 1987 after a career that had spanned half a century. Then, with some free time, he was able to turn his legal mind to an all-consuming passion: genealogy. He’s hunted his own ancestry back to its European heritage and, along the way, compiled dozens and dozens of books of old Central Illinois newspaper clippings and pictures, the products of hours spent staring at library microfiche records.

He hands out copies of the books he crafts to public libraries and especially the Decatur Genealogical Society. They have 182 copies of tomes he has made, along with more than 100 other books of historical and genealogical interest that he has bought and donated. At 99 years old, Regan has only slowed down recently after falling and breaking his arm on one of his frequent trips through the snow to the Decatur Public Library.

“I always like to do something useful with my time,” he said.

His desire to probe the past also extends to contemporary history, and the Genealogical Society collection includes many picture books he has compiled with shots he’s taken himself. Decatur shops, businesses, the people who run them and residents in the neighborhood where he lives all are fair game for the Regan version of living history.

“He even followed the mailman around on his route and took pictures of him going places,” said Cheri Hunter, the genealogical society librarian. “The thing about contemporary history is that we tend to forget about it until somebody says, `Oh, remember such and such that was over there? Why didn’t we take a picture of that?’ But John remembers and understands. We’ve given him a life membership in recognition of all the work he’s done.”

But Regan doesn’t just record and chart history; he also makes it, and earns plenty of new friends along the way, too. His ancestral roots have intertwined with little towns such as Kenney in DeWitt County, and Regan believes part of honoring the past is to extend a helping hand to the present. In the case of Kenney, it’s hard to know where to begin in listing his largesse.

“He’s been helping us for probably the last two or three years and spent well over $40,000,” said Virginia Abshire, a former member of the village board and tireless Kenney booster.

Kenney improvements funded by the generous arm of the law include a village sound system that plays music broadcast from atop the local Heritage Building community center. “The system chimes three times a day, kind of like a clock, and plays all kinds of tunes,” says Abshire, 83. “I don’t understand how it works, but it’s great.”

Regan has funded landscaping improvements in the village park, a chairlift for the disabled in the community center and benches for the park and downtown area. He buys flowers for the yards of everybody in town all 400 of them and also pays for birdfeeders and birdseed for anybody in Kenney who wants to set one up.

“He also bought $50 birdbaths for everybody who wants one,” adds Abshire, who keeps remembering new things the lawyer has done and says it’s a struggle to recall them all. It’s just pleasing to see so many good things happening here,” said Abshire. “Kenney is a small town but with a lot of nice people in it.”

All ably assisted by that other nice person who lives in Decatur and has a courageous, giving heart that has carried him through almost a century of local history. “I just like to help,” Regan says. “And have some fun.”

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

At 99, retired attorney still has full life | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Sangamon County Medical Society officials hope Springfield’s medical community turns out in force for a Statehouse rally to protest a growing backlog of unpaid bills for care of state workers and retirees.

“Our goal is to create wide awareness of the problem,” Dr. Lawrence Smith, president of the medical society, said Tuesday. “This is a vital service of state government.”

The society plans to organize a “legislative awareness day” sometime in April, he said, adding that he hopes the Illinois State Medical Society will be involved.

Because of the state’s budget crunch, doctors and other health-care providers who care for people covered by state-funded health plans are waiting six to nine months to be paid.

Medical providers in the Springfield area are affected more than those in other parts of the state because of the concentration of state employees in the capital city, Smith said.

The delays have caused cash-flow problems at medical offices, resulting in delays in both hiring and equipment purchases, according to Isabel Manker, the medical society’s executive director.

There haven’t been any reports, at least not yet, of layoffs connected with the payment delays or of doctors requiring up-front payments from patients insured through state plans.

But Smith fears the delays eventually will affect patients’ access to health care and have a ripple effect on vendors that serve local health-care providers.

There are more than 600 doctors in Sangamon County and thousands of other people work in the local health-care industry, he said.

Anders Lindall, spokesman for Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said, “AFSCME and our members share the frustration of doctors who are not being paid due to the state’s broken budget. … If only they could write a prescription for the tax reform Illinois needs to fund basic services and pay the bills.”

State medical society president Dr. James Milam said in a written statement that the society supports the concept of a “physician day” in Springfield.

He said the society is troubled by the payment delays and communicated that concern in a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn.

The delays put future patient care in “extreme jeopardy,” he said, adding that he hopes Quinn addresses the issue in the governor’s scheduled March 10 budget address.

The state’s payment delays are longest for the 161,200 people covered through self-insured plans funded by the state — about 46 percent of all those covered.

There’s a backlog of $317.6 million in unpaid bills for those plans, according to Stacey Solano, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Before the delays became a big problem last summer, most bills from doctors and hospitals serving state workers were paid within a month or two.

Ironically, the federal government’s economic stimulus program has helped the state eliminate most payment delays for the care of low-income patients in the state’s Medicaid program. Payment delays used to be common in that program.

Dean Olsen can be reached at 788-1543.

Insured by state

A total of 348,100 state employees, retirees and dependents are insured by state government health plans. Some of those people live in Illinois and in other states, but an estimated 70,000 of them live in Sangamon County and adjacent counties.

Bill backlogs

Springfield Clinic, where 10 percent to 20 percent of all patients are covered by the state’s plans, is waiting on $15 million in payments from the state, said Mark Kuhn, the clinic’s chief administrative officer.

“I think everyone in Sangamon County at least is impacted by this issue,” he said. “Everyone is concerned.”

St. John’s Hospital is owed $11.3 million for serving state workers, retirees and dependents, with $6.3 million of that representing bills 90 days old or older, spokesman Brian Reardon said.

Memorial Medical Center is owed about $10 million, spokesman Michael Leathers said.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, with 227 doctors, is waiting on $6.4 million in payments from state-funded plans. About half of the bills are more than 60 days old, SIU spokeswoman Nancy Zimmers said.

Because of tight finances at state-funded institutions, the medical school’s dean, Dr. J. Kevin Dorsey, decided SIU wouldn’t pay the $153,000 bill for SIU doctors’ 2010 membership dues with the state medical society and local medical societies in Sangamon, Macon, Adams and Jackson counties.

“Like everybody else, we’re looking at all discretionary spending,” Zimmers said. “We have been dramatically cutting back on all expenditures to help with cash flow.”

Dorsey’s decision eliminated about one-third of the Sangamon County Medical Society’s funding, but operations of the society, which employs two people, will continue and layoffs aren’t expected, Smith said. About 15 percent of SIU’s doctors are paying Sangamon County Medical Society dues — about $285 each — out of their own pockets, Manker said.

Read the original article from The State Journal-Register.

Medical society planning rally to protest state payment delays | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Hundreds of people showed up for the wake Sunday, including one person who was arrested for trying to bring a video camera into the visitation.

Police say that person was not a member of the media. At the family’s request, the media is keeping a respectful distance as the funeral mass gets underway.

A steady stream of mourners started funneling into St Rita’s chapel an hour and a half before the funeral began for 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau.

Due to the wave of media attention, police remained on hand in case crowd control became an issue.

While the family kept quiet in their moment of grief, some of the mourners stopped to talk on their way into the service.

“It’s a very, very sad thing,” said family friend Michael VanWagner. “She’s gonna be missed by hundreds of people. It’s a horrible thing.”

“She was a great lady,” said family friend Casmier Bobak. “Looks like she knew what she was doing. It’s a very sad tragedy.”

Many of them take comfort in the fact that she was able to achieve her dream of training whales.

“She just loved it,” said VanWagner. “You could see it on her face every day. She loved what she did.”

“It’s pretty evident from everybody you talk to that she died doing exactly what she loved doing,” said Ald. Michael Zalewski. “I think it’s important that everyone comes out and remembers that. She was very happy in her profession.”

Brancheau was killed Wednesday when Tilikum the killer whale grabbed her by her ponytail and pulled her under water.

Friends from her hometown in Northwest Indiana were on hand Monday, along with friends from the city’s South Side.

Her nephew is currently a student at St. Rita High School.

“Her brother is very involved with the labor movement here in Chicago. He’s the president of Local 1092,” said Ald. Zalewski. “She has strong ties to the Chicagoland area.”

Brancheau reportedly had that long ponytail that the whale grabbed onto because she was growing out her hair to donate it to “Locks of Love” for cancer patients.

Even more evidence of her character, she was planning to leave for Haiti in a couple weeks with a charity group she was involved with to help victims of the recent earthquake.

After the funeral mass, burial will take place at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Funeral For Whale Trainer Killed By Orca | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Palatine Public Library District joined libraries across the state on Wednesday, Feb. 10, to participate in “Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Illinois Libraries” to show how important academic, public, school and special libraries and library systems are to residents throughout the state of Illinois.

On Feb. 10, Palatine Library staff collected patron comments, photographs, and statistics to chronicle a typical day in the library. These numbers will be added to those of other libraries across Illinois to show how libraries provide invaluable services to Illinois citizens.

Palatine Public Library District Director Susan Strunk said, “Libraries are more important than ever to our communities, and library use is at record levels. We want all the citizens of Illinois, and particularly our Illinois lawmakers, to see what a typical day is like for an Illinois library. Lawmakers have reduced state funding that is vital to help libraries maintain current programs, collections and services. We hope this ‘snapshot’ makes the point to lawmakers that their constituents, our patrons, rely on us for critical services.”

Please visit www.palatinelibrary.org to view comments and pictures from “Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Illinois Libraries” at the Palatine Library.

“Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Illinois Libraries” is a project of the Illinois Library Association. For more information, contact your local library or visit: www.ila.org.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Palatine Library participates in ‘Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Illinois Libraries’ | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHAMPAIGN – Officials are still “cautiously optimistic” about the fate of their $31 million Big Broadband proposal after a federal agency announced its first Illinois award on Friday.

Gov. Pat Quinn was in Sycamore on Friday afternoon to announce that the federal government would release nearly $12 million to develop a high-speed Internet network there. Meanwhile, Champaign-Urbana officials were still wondering whether the governor would have an opportunity to make a similar trip to Champaign.

“It means that we’re still going to continue working on a Round Two application for infrastructure,” said Mike Smeltzer, director of networking for Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services at the University of Illinois.

The proposal would link 137 community-oriented buildings and a percentage of low-income, “underserved” homes to a high-speed network.

But when that decision will come is still a mystery.

“You’ll have to ask the federal government,” said Champaign information techonologies director Fred Halenar.

State and federal deadlines have come and gone, and a local broadband committee already is working on an application for the second and last round of awards before it knows the fate of its first-round application.

Friday’s announcement in Sycamore followed a windfall of awards on Thursday, when Indiana and Wisconsin preceded Illinois as the Midwestern winners. Other federal grants went to projects in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, among others.

Smeltzer said he “would assume they’re going to be hooking up all the small communities in DeKalb County,” whereas the local proposal focuses on connecting only Champaign-Urbana neighborhoods with a possibility for expansion in the future.

“That’s good for (DeKalb County), but it doesn’t necessarily decrease our chances,” Smeltzer said.

The U.S. Department of Commerce on Thursday alone committed $357 million of the available $7.2 billion to fund 10 high-speed Internet projects in eight states, according to a press release.

In Illinois, there are still dozens of pending applications and plenty of uncommitted money, Smeltzer said. He added that he expects five or six Illinois proposals will receive federal funds.

“I’m still hopeful and optimistic that this will turn out the way we want it to,” Smeltzer said.

Questions still loom about the practicality of the local broadband proposal, which would require local contributions of nearly $1 million from both Champaign and the UI. Urbana would be on the hook for about $555,000.

Whether or not the agencies – facing tight budgets themselves – can stomach the upfront contributions and the yearly maintenance costs has some Champaign City Council members worried.

The council likely will take a preliminary vote in March on whether they would be willing to accept the federal grant if it were awarded to Champaign-Urbana. They hope to pose their questions to Doug Dawson, a Maryland expert who audited the local broadband proposal, when he is present at a council meeting.

C-U hopes for Big Broadband grant still alive despite 1st award elsewhere | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Members of an Indiana House committee debating a bill on the proposed Illiana Expressway traveled to Northwest Indiana on Thursday to hear public testimony about the project.

Labor leaders, area construction and ironworkers and concerned residents shared their views on the proposed highway with the House Roads and Transportation Committee in a packed auditorium at Crown Point High School in Crown Point, Ind.

Senate Bill 382 authorizes, but does not require, a public-private partnership to build the Illiana Expressway as a toll road. The plan calls for the Illiana to be a 25- to 30-mile stretch connecting Interstate 65 in Indiana with Interstate 57 in Illinois.

A companion bill in the Illinois General Assembly calls for a public-private partnership to take the Illiana as far west as Interstate 55, said John Swanson, executive director of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.

Under such a partnership, a private developer would work with the state to build the tollway, and the developer would recoup its investment through tolls. The highway would revert back to the state when the developer’s lease expired.

In all, about 10 miles of the Illiana would be in Indiana, according to Rep. Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City, Ind.), who took over sponsorship of the bill from Speaker of the House Pat Bauer.

“Part of the reason for this bill is not just about putting people back to work, but to give hope years down the road for there to be enough good-paying jobs in Northwest Indiana and for the region to continue to develop,” Pelath said.

A preliminary start date for construction of the Illiana would be 2017.

“I’m tired of sitting in that parking lot that they call the Borman (I-80-94),” Sharon Patterson, of Lowell, Ind., said. “It takes forever to get to Chicago. On I-65 as soon as you hit Ridge Road, you are sitting there. Everyone keeps saying ‘not in my back yard,’ but I’m saying, ‘yes, put it in my back yard.’ ”

Ed Linden, of Lowell, told the committee that he’d like to see a road built near I-80/94.

“This road isn’t going to help Indiana,” Linden said of the Illiana. “It’s going to help Illinois. I believe it’s going to kill our airport in Gary. I don’t see a big hurry to get this bill passed. I would like to see research on a northern route next to I-80/94 where it should be.”

John Sorensen, an official of the local chapter of the International Union of Operating Engineers, said the Illiana would bring jobs.

“We need jobs,” Sorensen said. “There are a lot of people out there that aren’t employed. We have the opportunity to make the Illiana a reality for 50 to 100 years. The Illiana has been talked about. Anyone who has traveled I-80/94 knows that it’s needed.”

Dawn Straughen, of West Creek Township, Ind., opposed the Illiana because one of its potential routes would would go through her home.

“I don’t want to lose my home,” Straughen said. “I agree we do need jobs, but I wouldn’t want to have a job at the expense of someone losing their home.”

Committee holds hearing on Illiana Expressway | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Spend this wintry Saturday strolling around downtown Libertyville for MainStreet Libertyville’s 4th Annual “Let’s Wine About Winter” event. Inside the village’s many shops and restaurants you will discover a variety of local talented artists while sipping wine or tasting delicious refreshments. A $10 etched commemorative wine glass will be your “ticket” to this fun event, which can be purchased at any one of the participating stores on that day. No advance reservations are required.

MainStreet’s Executive Director Pam Hume tells us what you need to know about “Let’s Wine About Winter.”

Q. What happens at this event?

A. This is a wine-tasting event sponsored by MainStreet Libertyville held in participating downtown stores and restaurants. People are able to walk from store to store tasting a variety of wines and refreshments. A printed map is provided. Also indicated on the map will be the local artist who will be featured at the stores.

Q. How long has this event been in existence? How has it changed, and what is new this year?

A. This is the fourth year for this event. Each year more people hear about it and the crowds get bigger and bigger! In fact, this year we have two buses coming with women’s groups and had calls from many of the suburbs from Wisconsin to Chicago. People hire a sitter and it becomes a fun destination for couples, neighbors and friends. This year we will also have our monthlong Snowmen on Parade in downtown Libertyville event going on at the same time. Twelve snowmen that were created by local civic groups and schools will be displayed in front of various stores in the downtown.

Anyone can vote for their favorite “Frosty.” The winning design group will receive $500. Ballot boxes are available in the stores.

Q. What’s the highlight of the event?

A. I think the highlight of this event is how the downtown is buzzing with activity. People are in a festive mood chatting with store owners, artists and friends and enjoying themselves.

This is an adult (21 years and older) event. People can shake off “cabin fever” and spend a wintry afternoon strolling in the downtown where 22 participating retail shops and restaurants will be serving wine and other delicious refreshments. As you are “shopping and sipping” talented local artists will be found in many of the stores displaying their handmade jewelry, paintings and other unique art forms. There will even be an animal rescue group at one of the stores with potential adoptees.

Q. What kinds of food and beverages will be for sale?

A. The only cost is $10 for which you receive an etched commemorative wine glass to be used as your “ticket” throughout the stores for this event. It can be purchased at any one of the participating shops or restaurants.

Q. Tell us about the volunteers and organizers who pull this together.

A. The impetus really comes from the participating downtown business owners, who are genuinely excited about this event. Cathy Kraemer from Cathy’s Garden Gate is an enthusiastic participant. “I LOVE the event because everyone that comes to it on a dreary winter day is here to have a good time,” she said.

Q. Is there anything else we should know?

A. We are hoping that people will come downtown and make a day of it by either having lunch before or dinner after the event at one of our many restaurants. Parking is easy at the covered parking garage (4 hours free) located in the downtown. For your convenience, take the metra train, which has a station in the heart of the downtown.

If you go

What: MainStreet Libertyville’s 4th Annual Let’s Wine About Winter

When: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20

Where: Various downtown shops. Maps available at participating businesses.

Cost: $10 for the etched wine glass, which can be bought at any participating store or restaurant. The proceeds from the sales of the wine glasses go to MainStreet Libertyville, a downtown economic revitalization organization whose mission is to enhance the community identity and heritage, to foster a center of activity and to ensure economic stability in the downtown.

More info: For more information call the MainStreet Libertyville office (847) 680-0336 or visit our Web site at mainstreetlibertyville.org.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Winter wine event in Libertyville | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

KABUL, Afghanistan – For the U.S. Marines, including Justin Blancas of Mount Prospect, who are deployed to the battlefields of southern Afghanistan, life is fragile and thoughts focus on the day they see their families again. But something about this war is different.

They are now conducting an offensive on Marjah, one of the Taliban’s big urban strongholds in the southern province of Helmand, but progress is slow with the militants preferring fight to flight.

The Marines will soon be joined by tens of thousands more soldiers, the lion’s share of the 30,000-strong troop surge promised by President Barack Obama in December to try to turn around the grinding Afghan war.

Until then, the Marines are on their own. A foot patrol for one platoon of Marines one day ends with a dash under a hail of bullets across a heavily-mined poppy field.

The soldiers have been pinned down in a muddy mound, the thorny weeds cutting through skin. They recover soon enough, however, maneuvering away from the Taliban’s crosshairs and driving them away with heavy machine-gun fire.

“I pray in the morning and at night, hoping that someone up there is looking after me,” says Blancas, a 23-year-old lance corporal serving with the Marines 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment Alpha Company’s 2nd Platoon.

“I have already made my peace with God because this war is different; it’s not conventional.

“These Taliban have learned their lesson. They adapt as fast as we do, but we are bound by our strict rules. They are not,” he says, panting after a 100-yard dash for cover behind an abandoned mud house. “It can be a death run like this every day.”

The U.S. and NATO troop surge will the push the foreign force to 150,000 this year, but Afghan and Western officials are also talking about a political solution to end the Taliban-led insurgency as its enters its ninth year.

To force the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table, however, U.S. military officials have said there needs to be greater success on the battlefield – and this is where the Marines come in.

Yet the challenges on the ground are immense. Fields are littered with improvised explosive devices responsible for most of the deaths of foreign troops in Afghanistan, which hit a record 520 fatalities last year. The area is also filled with opium poppy, which bankrolls the Taliban movement.

The Marines’ mission is to show U.S. strength, assist in installing government control in Helmand province and let the local population know they have arrived.

But Taliban militants harass the villagers at night, warning them of trouble if they help U.S. troops.

Under the cover of darkness, they also plant IEDs in fields the Marines have to cross.

Blancas, a father of a toddler, has armed himself with his assault rifle, two rosaries and prayer cards stuffed in his pockets. It all comes down to one simple thing, he says.

“We do what we have to do, but I plan to be out of the corps soon and be Daddy. I just have to stay alive till then.”

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Local Marine in Afghanistan ‘I just have to stay alive’ | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SEATTLE — Rescuers struggled against bad weather Tuesday to reach a climber who fell 1,500 feet into the dormant crater of Mount St. Helens, but they faced uncertain prospects after observers in helicopters reported seeing no movement by the man.

Two attempts to reach climber Joseph Bohlig, 52, of Kelso by helicopter were turned back Monday by winds and fading daylight.

“There was no movement of the head, no attempt to signal,” said Lt. Brooks Crawford, the pilot of a Coast Guard helicopter. He said the man’s torso was covered with snow, with his arms, legs and head sticking out.

The National Weather Service said the overnight temperature on the mountain likely dropped to the upper 20s.

A helicopter from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station was dispatched Tuesday despite lingering clouds and winds on the mountain. Avalanche danger prevented a ground rescue attempt.

Bohlig had been standing on the rim of the crater with a climbing partner when a snow overhang gave way and he fell into the volcano, Skamania County Undersheriff David Cox said.

Other climbers called 911. Bohlig’s climbing partner made it safely down the mountain.

Bohlig was alive and blowing a rescue whistle soon after the fall. He had climbed the volcano 68 times before Monday’s accident, Cox said.

The operation was still considered a rescue mission and not yet an effort to recover a body.

Richard Bohlig, the climber’s 84-year-old father, waited for updates at his Kelso home, saying it was the only thing he could do.

He said his son is an avid mountaineer who has climbed peaks in many countries, but Mount St. Helens was his home mountain.

“He used to go up even before the eruption as a child, play in the snow and that,” Richard Bohlig said. “I don’t know why he liked it, but he does. … I guess it’s a challenge for him. He likes to take people up to St. Helens.”

Richard Bohlig said his son was climbing with an old friend Monday.

North Country Emergency Medical Services Chief Tom McDowell said two rescuers in a private helicopter were unable to land close to Bohlig on Monday. The Coast Guard helicopter also reported no signs of life.

Crawford said Bohlig fell into an area between the slope of the crater wall and a magma dome on the crater floor.

The pilot said he had to leave the mountain because his helicopter didn’t have enough power to hover at that altitude in those conditions.

The volcano about 100 miles south of Seattle exploded in a massive eruption in 1980 but has been quiet in recent years.

The U.S. Forest Service said the climbing route provides views of the crater, lava dome and eruption area. Most climbers can complete the round trip in seven to 12 hours.

The trail reaches an elevation of 8,365 feet. Climbers are advised to stay well back from the rim due to its instability.

McDowell, who has been with the local emergency agency for 39 years, said the only other time a person fell from the rim was in 2008 when a snow cornice gave way under a snowmobiler. He was rescued by a helicopter and suffered a knee injury.

About 13,000 people climb the mountain each year, mostly in the summer months.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Rescuers struggle to reach man in Mount St. Helens | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

He raised a family in town. He started a local business. He spent 20 years on the local park district board and coached youth sports.

“He adopted Mundelein as his hometown,” said one of his sons, Libertyville police Lt. Chris Hein. “He was very proud of the town.”

Mr. Hein, 71, died Tuesday at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville after suffering a heart attack at home, his son said.

Mr. Hein was born and raised in Hurley, Wis., and graduated from Hurley High School.

He and his family moved to Wheeling and then to Mundelein in 1966.

His brother, Bill, is a former Wheeling mayor.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Mr. Hein worked as a machinist and a mechanic and eventually opened BC Auto Parts in downtown Mundelein.

Mr. Hein served on the Mundelein Park and Recreation District board from 1977 to 1997. he also was a member of the Mundelein-Libertyville Rotary Club, and coached junior football and Little League baseball.

Contributing to the community was very important to Mr. Hein, his son said.

“He got a lot of satisfaction meeting people he influenced or had impacted when they were kids in youth sports,” Chris Hein said.

Mr. Hein also loved golf and was particularly proud of the park district’s development of the Steeple Chase Golf Club, which opened in 1993.

“He golfed every week,” said veteran park board member Ernest Shymanik, a longtime friend who served with Mr. Hein on the panel. “He always tried to get better.”

After selling the family business to Lee Auto Parts, Hein worked various jobs until he retired about six years ago, Chris Hein recalled. He remained busy in retirement, however, playing golf and working as a ranger at Steeple Chase.

“It was his way to be part of Steeple Chase,” Chris Hein explained.

Mr. Hein also cared for his wife, Juanita, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. They had four children and seven grandchildren, and he loved attending his grandkids’ football games and wrestling matches, Chris Hein said.

“He was very proud of his grandchildren,” Chris Hein said. “They were so important to him.”

The way he took care of his family should be Mr. Hein’s legacy, his son said.

Visitation is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Kristan Funeral Home, 219 W. Maple Ave., Mundelein. A service will begin at 5 p.m. Sunday at Kristan.

Hein’s survivors include: his wife; his mother; four children; and seven grandchildren.

Instead of flowers, memorials can be sent to the American Heart Association, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, Ill., 60674.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Ex-Mundelein park board member dies at 71 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

When she used to work downtown years ago, it aggravated her asthma and sometimes force her to use her inhaler.

When she moved to Florida for a time, she felt much better.

Now, even as a resident of semi-rural Plainfield, she notices the effects of air pollution, and uses her inhaler more often.

“It’s one reason we don’t live in the city,” said Evoy, a mother of three. “You wouldn’t think you’d have to worry about breathing there.”

A recent report out suggests there is reason for worry. Downtown Chicago has the highest peak levels of nitrogen dioxide in the country, and is the only site in violation of new stricter guidelines against the irritant, which inflames asthma and other lung conditions.

That news raised the question of how bad is the Chicago area’s overall air quality, 40 years after the Clean Air Act as we know it was created.

Several recent rankings may make sensitive readers choke:

Forbes magazine recently rated the Chicago metropolitan area as having the second-worst air quality of any big city in the nation, based on a federal 2007 report on the number of days with unhealthy air.

The Chicago area also ranked the third-most toxic, with more facilities releasing toxic chemicals than anywhere else.

One recent EPA analysis found Cook County was the worst in the country in terms of the relative potential health risk from industrial air pollution alone, excluding motor vehicles.

According to the American Lung Association, analyzing EPA statistics, the Chicago metro area is the ninth-most polluted city for short-term particle pollution, which causes early death, stroke, heart attacks and emergency room visits.

Though suburban air quality is generally better, the suburbs aren’t immune.

The lung association gave an “F” grade last year for ozone pollution in Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.

Cook also got an F for particle pollution, while the collar counties got C’s.

And anyone who lives near a busy highway, whether in the city or the suburbs, faces higher risks for heart attack, allergies, and infant death.

That’s in part why the EPA is setting new tighter standards and monitoring for highway pollution.

Getting better

The new report that Cook County had the worst nitrogen dioxide in the country should be tempered by the fact that only one monitor, in downtown Chicago near the Circle expressway interchange and Union Station, registered an unhealthy reading.

Six other monitors in the county, including those in Northbrook and Schiller Park, showed nowhere near that level.

Overall, the Environmental Protection Agency points out the air here is better than some other cities by several measures, and has been getting steadily better.

Chicago does much better in annual measurements of fine particles and ozone than other cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, New York and the East Coast, said Laurel Kroack, air bureau chief at the Illinois EPA.

Annual emissions of ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxides, particulates, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organize material have all been curtailed drastically since 1981, to roughly one-third to one-quarter of previous levels.

In 2008, the last year for which there are certified statistics, there were no days when air quality in Illinois was considered unhealthy.

And many preliminary measurements of local air pollution were down in 2009, partly because it was a cool, wet year.

Those who fight for clean air, like Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs for the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, says there is no good single measure of overall air quality.

But, he says, the transportation hub of the country has serious air quality issues.

“Chicago needs to do more,” he said, “to clean up the air we’re all breathing.”

A history of pollution

A century ago, Chicago was known nationally for its foul, sooty air, thanks to coal, slaughterhouses, and manufacturing, but became a leader in regulating cleaner air, according to the Chicago Historical Society.

Still, air quality didn’t improve significantly until people started burning less coal after World War II. By 1967, the federal government still ranked Chicago’s air as second worst in the nation, behind only New York City.

The closing of numerous steel plants helped reduce industrial pollution, but as manufacturing left the city, it sprang up increasingly in the suburbs.

Today, the number one cause of air pollution is traffic.

Clearing the air

Cleaner burning gas and engines, most recently for new diesel engines, have improved the situation. But old diesel trucks and buses still don’t face the emission controls passenger cars do, and continue to belch black smoke filled with particles that can cause heart attacks and strokes.

So clean air advocates are focusing on ways to clean up diesel.

One easy way to cut down is to stop idling. Hybrid vehicles do this by switching off their combustion engines when stopped.

Diesel trucks and buses often sit and idle for extended periods, sometimes hours at a time, out of concern they may be hard to restart in cold weather.

For most newer engines, that old wives’ tale no longer applies, Urbaszewski said.

Last year, the state of Illinois passed a law to ban idling for more than 10 minutes. Chicago shortened that to three minutes.

Clean air advocates believe the laws are having a positive effect, but did not know if it’s being enforced with any tickets.

At the same time, the American Lung Association is also trying to cut down on diesel emissions by working with commercial fleets to install exhaust filters and other pollution control devices on trucks and buses.

The retrofits cost $2,500 to $13,000 per vehicle, but federal stimulus funds pay for 70 to 100 percent of the cost, association CEO Harold Wimmer said.

He’s worked with Pace, the suburban bus system, Black Horse Carriers in Carol Stream, ComEd, Durham School Services in Downers Grove, and Olson Transportation Inc. in Gurnee.

The Lung Association also advocates for E-85 fuel, which is 85 percent ethanol, now available for mixed-fuel vehicles at 35 gas stations in the Chicago area.

If the Chicago area continues to violate new standards for ozone and nitrogen dioxide in future years, officials may consider fixes like car pool lanes, traffic restrictions at peak travel times, and cleaner-burning fuels.

On a personal level, people can try to protect their lungs by checking the EPA’s daily air quality reports at airnow.org.

If pollution levels are unhealthy, experts say, stay indoors and limit outdoor exercise. And avoid any unnecessary travel where you’ll be most exposed and contributing to the bad air.

And to cut down on your local carbon footprint, of course, taking public transportation, walking, biking, conserving energy and not burning yard waste all help clear the air.

If that’s not enough incentive, Green Pays on Green Days, at cleantheair.org, offers prizes to those who pledge to do something environmentally friendly.

Susan Adams of Crystal Lake planted native landscape in her yard last year, reducing the need to water and mow, and won a drawing for a Toyota Prius hybrid.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Traffic area’s biggest contributor to air pollution | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CouponMap.com is now offering website owners the ability to display local coupons on their own sites via the CouponMap widget.

The first site of its kind to offer this feature, CouponMap is empowering bloggers to spread the word to their readers on how to quickly and easily save money.

Users can customize a widget that suits their needs by simply setting the map’s dimensions and setting the map area. Adding the widget is as easy as cutting and pasting the code on their site.

“CouponMap is a great way to save money on everyday items and services,” said Scott Kluth, Founder and President of CouponMap.com.

“Our coupons are refreshed every day to ensure the most up-to-date savings for you and your visitors.”

The CouponMap widget can be found here: couponmap.com/widget.

CouponMap has more than 104,000 coupons on the site that can be redeemed online or printed and used in-store.

People relocating to new cities can use CouponMap.com to find great deals on restaurants, car services, and beauty salons, among many others.

The site is also useful for travelers looking for deals in cities they are visiting.

ABOUT COUPONMAP.COM

CouponMap.com allows users to search by zip code, address or landmark to view a map highlighting local merchants offering coupons in their neighborhoods.

For more information, please visit couponmap.com.

CouponMap.com Launches New Features | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Local emergency operations centers (EOCs) are critical to effective response during disasters, and applications are now available for a federal program that provides grants to help local emergency management agencies build new EOCs or make needed renovations to existing facilities.

Officials from the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are encouraging local emergency managers throughout Illinois to submit an application for the funding.

“I strongly encourage every local emergency management agency in Illinois to consider applying for a grant through this program,” said IEMA Director Andrew Velasquez III, who also serves as the state’s Homeland Security Adviser.

“A well-designed, fully-functional local EOC is essential not only for local emergencies, but also for large-scale disasters that require coordination between local, state and federal responders.”

Velasquez said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that more than $10 million in competitive EOC grants will be available nationwide in 2010.

The EOC grants can be used for design, construction and renovation costs, as well as expenses related to  hardening of the structure to resist natural and man-made hazards and the hardening of systems to better resist damage and contamination from natural and man-made events.

Information about the grants, including the application, is available on the ITTF Web site at ready.illinois.gov/ittf/grants.

Grant applications must be submitted to the ITTF by Jan. 15, 2010.

The state will review the applications and forward them to FEMA by Feb. 12, 2010.  Awards will be made on or before Sept. 30, 2010.

Over the past two years, four Illinois EOC projects have received grants for EOC construction or renovations, including LaSalle, Madison and Winnebago counties and Skokie.

State Urges Local Emergency Management Agencies to Apply for Federal Grants | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

United States Army Veteran Honored for Commitment to Fellow Veterans and Community

The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) today named Glasford resident and U.S. Army Veteran Robert J. Kaufman as the State of Illinois’ December 2009 “Veteran of the Month” for his unwavering dedication to the state’s military heroes and for service to local community.

The “Veteran of the Month” award is a distinction that is given monthly to military Veterans who give back to their community and continue to serve other Veterans.

IDVA Director Dan Grant presented Kaufman with the prestigious award this morning during a ceremony at Glasford Baptist Church, 209 E. 5th St., Glasford.

“Robert Kaufman is a tireless public servant and a true friend to Illinois Veterans,” IDVA Director Grant said.

“He distinguished himself through service to the United States Army, and continues to serve Veterans and youth in Peoria County and statewide through the American Legion.”

Kaufman served in the United States Army from 1962-1964, and was a Reservist from 1964-1968.

He is a member and past commander of American Legion Post 35 in Glasford, and is also a member of the Post’s Honor Guard.

Kaufman has been very active on behalf of youth in Peoria County. From 1988 to 2009, Kaufman obtained funding for 130 young men to attend Boys State on behalf of American Legion Post 35.

He was a Cub Scout leader for 35 years, and twice received the District Award from W. Boyce Council.  In 2007, Kaufman received the Family Award from the local Masonic Lodge.

Kaufman is also a member of the 40&8 Club, and served two terms as its Chef de Gare. He is retired from Keystone Steel & Wire in Bartonville, and has also served as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army.

Kaufman, a lifelong member of St. Peter Lutheran in Glasford, is married and has two children and 3 grandchildren.

About the Veteran of the Month Award

The “Veteran of the Month” award highlights the work of community activists who are also military Veterans.

Each month the Department recognizes a different person or group that contributes to the betterment of communities across the state of Illinois.

To nominate a “Veteran of the Month,” please visit IDVA’s Web site at veterans.illinois.gov or call IDVA at (312) 814-5538 to obtain a list of guidelines and a nomination form.

Veterans’ Affairs Names Glasford Resident as State of Illinois’ December 2009 “Veteran of the Month” | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

With the precision of an Olympic ice skater and the grace of a prima ballerina, brightly colored kites will glide and pirouette through the skies over the West Meadow behind Evening Island at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The Kite Society of Wisconsin & Illinois and Gift of Wings help organize the event. Hours are from 11am to 4pm both days.

Working as a team, fliers demonstrate precision and ballet routines, performing choreography for between three to six pilots and their kites. Sport kites are maneuverable on more than one string, and are typically flown in one of two competition disciplines: ballet or precision. Ballet is judged on choreography and execution, and is set to music. Precision relies on compulsory maneuvers and freestyle, and is not set to music. Both disciplines can be practiced using two different types of kites. Dual-line kites are flown on two lines and are designed to turn only left or right, or fly straight ahead. Quad-line kites are flown on four lines, and can fly forward, backward or sideways.

Guests are encouraged to fly their own kites at the event site at special intervals throughout the day. Twenty-five lucky children, ages 12 and under, participate in the “Kids Mad Dash” at 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Kids can preregister at the Gift of Wings tent. With the help of Kite Society members, kids assemble kites, and then run and launch them at the same time. The one who gets his or her kite the highest in 60 seconds wins a prize. Children also can create their own paper kites from 11am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. Materials are provided.

The kite-flying demonstrations are free and occur weather permitting. Visitors can take the free shuttle out to the West Meadow and catch a ride back to the Visitor Center. Lunch, beverages and Edy’s Grand Ice Cream will be available for purchase at the event site. Gift of Wings, Milwaukee, WI, will be on-site selling kites and windsocks.

The Chicago Fire Kite Team has been competing and demonstrating team sport kite ballet and precision since 1986, and is the longest-running competitive sport kite team in the United States. The Chicago Fire Kite Team has been invited to kite festivals around the world. The team has flown in front of friendly crowds in England, France, Japan, Canada, and the United States. They have flown demonstrations for as many as 60,000 spectators at once. For information on the team, to fly a virtual kite or to learn more about the sport, visit www.chicagofirekiteteam.com.

The Kite Festival is sponsored by Edy’s Grand Ice Cream. Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Chicago Botanic Garden Trolley will operate between the Garden and the Glencoe Metra station during event hours. Roundtrip tickets are $2; Garden members and children 5 and under ride free. For more information about any of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s programs and events, call 847-835-5440, or visit chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Watch Precision Kite Flying, Bring Your Own or Make a Kite at Chicago Botanic Garden This Weekend | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Salvation Army will be disturbing the supplies to schools in the Chicagoland area.

Stop by any participating Cardinal Fitness location and ask a manager for details! For a list of participating locations, visit cardinalfitness.com.

About Cardinal Fitness

As one of the fastest growing health clubs in the Midwest, Cardinal Fitness has over forty participating locations in several states. Cardinal Fitness is committed to promoting health and fitness in its local communities, and makes it easy for busy families to incorporate health and fitness into their everyday lives. A supervised kids room is available at most locations for kids 6 months to 12 years old. Cardinal Fitness is known for its affordable month-to-month memberships with no long-term contracts, state-of-the-art equipment, and variety of amenities. Locations feature personal training, free equipment instruction, cardio and strength equipment, free weights, and tanning (where available).

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division is one of the largest providers of social services in the State of Illinois, assisting clients in the Greater Chicago area, Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana. Among the services and programs provided by the Metropolitan Division are feeding programs for homeless people, children, and seniors; emergency housing for families and individuals; disaster service relief; youth programs; and early childhood development services.

For more information about The Salvation Army, or to donate, please visit salarmychicago.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jennifer Fleisia, 312-962-0548
JB Chicago
Jennifer@jbchicago.com

Emilie McClughen, 708-873-0022
Cardinal Fitness
emcclughen@cardinalfitness.com

Cardinal Fitness Teams Up with the Salvation Army for the 1st Annual Chicago School Supply Drive | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The decision to cancel Joan D’Arc followed its initial limited engagement at Linz 2009 European Capital of Culture. Despite a previous workshop and extended rehearsal period at the Goodman, this highly-complex world-premiere adaptation of Friedrich Schiller’s Die Jungfrau Von Orléans (The Maid of Orléans) needed additional time for artistic development prior to the show’s scheduled Chicago opening in September. The Goodman has no immediate plans to reschedule this production.

Stoop Stories comes to Chicago direct from its premiere at Washington, D.C.’s Studio Theatre this spring, where critics called it a “triumph” (Washington City Paper) and a “breathtaking” and “spellbinding” performance (DC Theatre Scene). Pulitzer Prize Finalist Dael Orlandersmith transforms with mesmerizing ease into an astounding range of characters, from an elderly Polish Holocaust survivor to a poetic young junkie to a teenage Puerto Rican punk to a washed-up rock ‘n’ roll star.

An electrifying journey through the streets of Harlem, Orlandersmith performs a powerful, sizzling, fierce symphony of the diverse voices that make up her neighborhood. The New Yorker has described Dael’s work as “…passionate and full of insight” and The Washington Post noted, “One cup of Orlandersmith is worth a gallon of what most other monologists serve up.”

Playwright, poet and actress Dael Orlandersmith is counted among the country’s most powerful artistic voices, one of the first to transition from a spoken word artist to a nationally produced playwright. She is best known for her play Yellowman which was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and she received an OBIE Award for Beauty’s Daughter. Her other works include Monster, The Gimmick and My Red Hand, My Black Hand. As an actor, she has performed many of her own works, as well as in productions of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, A Raisin in the Sun and Song for My Sisters, and can also be seen in Hal Hartley’s film Amateur.

About the Goodman Theatre Company

Named the country’s Best Regional Theatre by Time magazine (2003), Goodman Theatre is a leader in the American theater, internationally recognized for its artists, productions and educational programs since its founding in 1925. Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer’s forward-thinking leadership has earned the Goodman unparalleled artistic distinction, garnered hundreds of awards—including the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre (1992) and Pulitzer Prizes for Ruined by Lynn Nottage and Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet—and moved dozens of plays from Chicago to stages in New York and abroad.

Central to its commitment to the reinvestigation of classics and development of new plays and artists is the Goodman’s Artistic Collective, including Brian Dennehy, Frank Galati, Henry Godinez, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor and Mary Zimmerman. The largest not-for-profit theater in Chicago, the Goodman moved in 2000 into a brand new state-of-the-art complex which houses two principal theaters: the 856-seat Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre and the 400-seat flexible Owen Bruner Goodman Theatre. Board Chairman is Shawn M. Donnelley and Karen Pigott is president of the Women’s Board. American Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Goodman Theatre.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Carly Leviton, 312-443-5151
Press@GoodmanTheatre.org

Goodman Theatre Company Schedules Dael Orlandersmith’s “Stoop Stories” in Place of “Joan D’Arc” Sept. 11 – Oct. 11 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.