The Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual depicted below. She is believed responsible for the January 5, 2012 armed robbery of the Charter One Bank branch, 2854 W. Cermak, Chicago, IL, and the attempted robbery of a Fifth Third Bank branch, 2710 N. Narragansett, IL, also on January 5, 2012.

The individual is further described as follows:

Race/Sex: Hispanic/Female
Age: 20-25
Hair: Black or brown
Height: 5’2” to 5’3”
Clothing: Winter jacket, winter hat, and eyeglasses

Anyone with information is asked to call the Chicago FBI office at (312) 421-6700, or your local FBI office or law enforcement agency.

The Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of FBI special agents, detectives from the Chicago Police Department, and investigators from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

Additional information about this and other unsolved Chicago area bank robberies is available online at the Bandit Tracker Chicago website, www.bandittrackerchicago.com.

Seeking Information on Unknown Serial Bank Robber | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Photo: Laura Milkert

“I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.” ~Henry David Thoreau

This winter, staff from The Field Museum and Shirley Heinze Land Trust partnered to host a Winter Tree Identification Workshop at the Barker House and Woods in Michigan City, Indiana.

From American beech to white oak, ECCo’s Winter Tree ID Workshop Teaches Volunteers the Basics | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

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HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Feb. 18, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — With flu season at its peak and the possibility of cases occurring as late as May this year, Kmart is offering $15 flu shots, while supplies last, beginning Feb. 20, 2011 to customers who have yet to be vaccinated. Those who purchase a flu vaccination and are members of the Shop Your Way Rewards(1) program will also earn 15,000 points, which represent a $15 value.

While flu shots are often associated with the fall and winter seasons, influenza is unpredictable and can occur as late as May, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)(2). In fact, the CDC indicates that the extent of the geographic spread of influenza has been increasing throughout the season and in recent February updates, has been reported as widespread in 37 states(3). The CDC recommends that anyone six months or older, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions, get a flu shot.

“As Kmart Pharmacy gears up to provide customers with additional influenza immunizations, we want to remind people that the virus is easily transferable, and the best and easiest way to prevent the flu is by getting an annual vaccination,” said Robb Ayshford, divisional vice president, pharmacy administration for Kmart. “For those seeking more information about influenza, our staff of knowledgeable on-site Kmart Pharmacists is also available to answer flu or other health-related questions on how to help combat illness as the season progresses.”

The flu virus is most commonly transferred through sneezing or coughing, but a person can also become infected by coming into contact with a surface that has the flu virus on it and then touching his or her mouth or nose. This year’s vaccine will protect against 2009 H1N1, two other influenza viruses (an H3N2 virus and an influenza B virus) and will also be administered for free to those covered by Medicare Part B.

The flu shots are available at more than 500 convenient Kmart Pharmacy locations and are administered by trained practitioners. Kmart pharmacists are also available to answer any questions customers may have about the flu vaccine and how flu might affect their families. To learn more about hours of operation or to find the nearest location, call 1-800-822-8345 or visit www.Kmart.com/pharmacy.

About Shop Your Way Rewards(SM)

In addition to the special flu vaccination offer, the Shop Your Way Rewards program has also incorporated new improvements since its introduction, so loyal customers can earn more rewards in even more ways and formats. Now, members can earn 10 points for every $1 spent on qualifying goods and services across Sears, Kmart, Lands’ End, mygofer and the great indoors—in store and online. And points can be redeemed on almost every purchase, from a new winter jacket at Lands’ End, to a car repair at a Sears Auto Center, to home goods at Kmart and more. Plus, by providing your email address, you can earn bonus points of 2X, 3X, 5X, 10X and more. For more information about Shop Your Way Rewards, visit www.shopyourwayrewards.com.

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, Country Living, Route 66 and Smart Sense. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

(1) Members earn Points on Qualifying Purchases. Subject to full program terms available at shopyourwayrewards.com. Offers are available only to Shop Your Way Rewards Members with valid email addresses or mobile phone numbers in their Member Profiles. It may take up to 7 days for points to appear on your account. Qualifying Purchases exclude sales taxes and other fees. To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must maintain a valid email address in your account and remain opted-in to receiving promotional emails from Sears Holdings and its affiliates.

(2) Center for Disease Control and Prevention – http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm

(3) Center for Disease Control and Prevention – http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#whomap

SOURCE Kmart

http://www.kmart.com

Kmart® Makes Flu Shots More Affordable at Peak of Flu Season | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

• DFSS coordinates the operation of daytime Warming Centers beginning with six Community Service Centers located across the city. Centers are open Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays 9 am to 5 pm and Wednesdays 11 am to 7 pm.  The centers are open December 1 through March 1, or when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. DFSS works closely with the Chicago Police Chicago, Park District and Chicago Public Library to ensure there are plenty of places people can go to find relief from cold temperatures.
• The Garfield Community Center, located at 10 S. Kedzie Av., is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to connect people to supportive services during extreme weather, including shelter and emergency housing.
• The City urges Chicagoans to check on relatives, friends and neighbors during periods of extreme weather. Senior citizens and those with health problems are most at risk. If you are concerned about someone and unable to make contact with them, call 311. DFSS will send an outreach team to conduct a well-being check and arrange for necessary assistance.
• DFSS will provide transportation for anyone who needs to get to a daytime Warming Center or overnight shelter. Residents should call 311 to request transportation.
• DFSS expands outreach to homeless people during the cold winter months. As dangerous weather conditions persist, additional outreach teams are put on duty. These teams approach homeless people living outdoors and encourage them to take advantage of available overnight shelters and other services.  More than 4,000 beds are available in 60 shelters across the city.
• The Department’s Senior Services Area Agency on Aging works aggressively to proactively provide information to Chicago’s seniors during periods of extreme weather, and typically work to begin notifying seniors about prevention measures before the weather reaches emergency conditions.
• To support OEMC’s outreach to seniors via NotifyChicago and reverse 911 calls, the Senior Services Area Agency on Aging makes phone calls to a list of 2,000self-selected seniors to inform them of impending weather and inquire about their well-being.  The City also utilizes its Meals on Wheels drivers to check on the recipients of 8,000 home-delivered meals.

• Share the Warmth

• ComEd Care

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

City Services Available To Help Chicagoans Get Through Winter Weather, Mayor Daley Says | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Chicago is one of the world’s great travel destinations for families during the winter months, with great restaurants, museums and theater and all kinds of free and affordable events open to everyone, Mayor Richard M. Daley said today.

“Today I want to remind the people of Chicago, of Illinois and the entire Midwest region that there is no better winter travel destination for them than the one that’s in their own back yard,” Daley said at a news conference with hospitality industry officials held at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Av.

The Mayor said that travel and tourism are critical to carrying out the City’s strategy of growing the local economy for years to come.

“If travel and tourism aren’t healthy, it costs us jobs, revenue and other economic activity,” he said.

The Mayor outlined a number of events and activities taking place in Chicago in the winter months:

• Winter Wonderfest begins tomorrow at Navy Pier and runs until January 2.

• The holiday tradition of caroling at the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park will be renewed the next three Friday nights (December 3, 10, 17) at 6 p.m. Hear and sing-along with some of the City’s best choral groups.

• Children’s choirs from all across the City will be singing in the City Hall lobby Wednesdays through Fridays from Noon to 1 p.m. until December 17.

• The City’s annual Sports Festival will be held at McCormick Place December 18 and 19 with activities and competitions for thousands of young people.
• The City’s downtown farmstand continues to operate at 66 East Randolph, offering edible products all produced within 250 miles of Chicago.

• The zoo lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo are on now through January 2.

• Sunday December 5 there is a free “Dance-Along Nutcracker” presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

• The Goodman Theater’s “A Christmas Carol” is on stage now through New Year’s Eve and the Joffrey Ballet’s production of the “Nutcracker” is at the Auditorium Theater December 10 through 26.

• Once again, the hospitality industry is offering great holiday hotel packages at many locations, including the City’s newest hotel, the J.W. Marriott at LaSalle and Adams.

• As winter goes on, the annual “Snow Days” festival will be held at Navy Pier January 28-30. It features a snow sculpting competition, dog sled races and many activities for kids.

• The Winter Dance Festival sponsored by American Express takes place in Millennium Park every weekend in February with ice skating lessons, late night ice dance parties and the rare opportunity to enjoy open dancing and dance lessons behind the glass doors on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage.

• Starting January 1, “skate in the sky” at the world’s highest ice rink at the John Hancock Observatory.

• And the 4th annual Chicago Restaurant Week will take place from February 18^th to 27^th, with more than 200 restaurants offering special menus with special prices.

• February is African-American History Month and a great time to visit the DuSable Museum of African American History on the South Side.

The City’s tourism website – www.explorechicago.org — has a complete list of the many events that will take place in Chicago during winter and much other information that will help people plan their activities in our city.

“When we attract visitors to Chicago – and when Chicagoans explore the City — we help create jobs for hard-working people and keep our hospitality industry and all our local business community strong,” Daley said.

“So to the millions of people who live nearby, I want to say: Chicago has it all. Take advantage of what we have to offer.”

Mayor Daley Says Chicago Is A Great Family Destination During The Winter Months | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Dec. 7, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — With Thanksgiving behind us and seasonal festivities just around the corner, consumers are in the mood to celebrate. As a result, latest research from leading market consumer Mintel finds that restaurant chains are responding to consumer demand by spicing up their menus with fall and winter offerings. In 2009, food and beverage menu items featuring familiar fall ingredients and flavors, such as pumpkin, squash, apple, cinnamon, caramel and hazelnut increased by 13% from the summer to fall season.

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20100413/MINTELLOGO-a)

“It’s not uncommon for restaurant operators to update their menus to reflect fresh ingredients of each season,” notes Kathy Hayden, foodservice analyst at Mintel. “The falling temperatures signal to restaurant-goers that it’s time for a change to their palettes. Words like ‘harvest’ and ‘spiced’ are other menu cues that convey fall and winter flavors.”

Pumpkin is an especially popular fall ingredient, as its incidence on menus increased by a staggering 161% from summer to fall in 2009. During the same timeframe, squash dishes increased by 150% and menu items flavored with cinnamon and hazelnut increased by nearly 5%, respectively.  

Cider also shows seasonal increases. Warm cider drinks have appeared in many of the major coffee chains, Tim Hortons has cider donuts and cider vinaigrettes bring autumnal touches to salads.

Some of the latest seasonal limited-time-offers showing up on menus this year are: Culver’s eggnog shake, Denny’s gingerbread french toast, Panera Bread’s mint crinkle cookie and Sonic’s holiday spiced sugar cookie blast.

“Last month, Mintel Menu Insights released its 2011 food and menu trends, but the seasonality trend remains constant,” adds Kathy Hayden. “For restaurants, seasonal dishes are a natural way to draw interest, but the challenge is not to simply add items to the menu, but to add items that resonate with your current customers and have enough seasonal interest to draw potential guests.”

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For more than 38 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering exclusive data and analysis that directly impacts client success. With offices in Chicago, New York, London, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com. Follow Mintel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mintelnews

SOURCE Mintel

http://www.mintel.com

Seasonal Flavors Spice Up Restaurant Menus | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

It may not be full-blown Chicago winter yet, but the cold weather has already arrived. If you are fighting the urge to begin hibernating, perhaps a tasty, seasonal cocktail will pull you out of the cave.

Many restaurants and bars around the city have added special winter drinks to their menus, and we rounded up some of the options. Check them out–and let us know if we missed any!

Originally reported by Huffington Post Chicago. Read the original story here.

PHOTOS: Warm Up With Some Great Seasonal Cocktails | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Cutting-Edge TopGolf Facility Stays Open Year-Round with Heated Hitting Bays as Chicagoland Golf Courses Shutter for Winter; Hosts First-Ever Black Friday Prize Day

Wood Dale, Ill. (Nov. 15, 2010) – Typically, when the temperatures drop and the snow blankets the greens, Chicagoland golfers hibernate, swings go rusty, and clubs get banished to the basement. No more.

The seasons are quickly changing, but TopGolf, the entertainment complex that combines innovative technology and traditional golf, stays open year-round and boasts 50 heated hitting bays to keep players warm and comfortable while they play, dine and hang-out with friends, family and co-workers.

“Whether you’re a serious player or are simply looking for something new and fun, we’ve got the best place to work on your swing or hang out with friends and family during the holiday season.” said TopGolf Chicago General Manager Brett Hintz.

“From $1 Mondays, when players can get unlimited $1 mini sandwiches [beef, meatball, burgers, dogs and pork] all day and night to our $12 Bottomless Bucket of Balls, to special events and promotions like our Black Ball-Black Friday prize day on the day after Thanksgiving, our goal is to keep it exciting every day, every week.”

On the day after Thanksgiving, TopGolf—which is located just 5 minutes from Woodfield Mall—will host its first-ever Black Friday party.  Players will receive black golf balls at random which they can redeem for instant prizes as well as a grand prize EA Sports PGA Tour arcade game valued at $3000.

“We think this is a much better way to spend the day compared to standing in line at the mall to buy a microwave at 50%-off.  Golf. Guys. Beer.  Free stuff.  What else could you possibly want?” said Hintz.

Throughout the season small groups can reserve bays by calling in advance, and groups of over 200 can book the facility’s VIP Executive Suite that features flat-panel TVs, a private bar, fireplace, private hitting bays and customized catering options.

As demand for private events has continued to escalate, the company has plans to once again up its game by the addition of a new lounge and event space.  “We’re always asking our customers what they want to see here,” said Susan Murphy, director of marketing for the company.

“How can we make their experience even better? We’ve had an overwhelming demand for more private event space for corporate events, birthday parties and bachelor parties, and we just haven’t had enough room. That will change with the addition of a new players’ lounge.”

The company is still in the planning and development phase of the transformation, but space currently housing the Pro Shop will be remodeled into an exclusive suite and lounge.

As a result, current Pro Shop merchandise—all balls, clubs, and bags—will soon be offered for sale to TopGolf patrons at a significantly discounted rate. For sale updates and information, go to TopGolf’s

About TopGolf

TopGolf is an innovative entertainment facility that uses computer microchips embedded in regulation golf balls to create an interactive game for both the hard-core and first-time golfers.

The state-of-the-art software includes several computer-assisted golf games in which players get points by hitting targets.  The TopGolf entertainment complex, open year round, includes a restaurant, bar, miniature golf course, custom club fittings and professional lessons.

For more information on TopGolf, please visit TopGolf.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ben Pavlovic, 312-961-3919
ben@agencythreesixty.com

Dakota Shultz, 312-371-4104
dakota@agencythreesixty.com

As Winter Approaches, Dynamic Golf Facility Takes to the Tee | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Oct. 25 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — For many people, winter can be a worrisome season.  It means stocking up on products that help remove dangerous ice and snow.  With all the ice melting and snow removal products out there, consumers can be confused by unfamiliar brands and products with claims that may seem to be too good to be true.  Morton Salt, the brand consumers have trusted and welcomed into their homes for more than 100 years, has developed a full line of specialty ice melt blends and salt-free ice melt products to help make your winter season more manageable and less stressful.  From fast-acting to extreme temperature ice control, Morton offers an ice melt specially designed for your specific needs.

Morton® Safe-T-Pet™, the company’s newest melter developed with veterinarians, is for those consumers specifically looking to provide a safer winter environment for their pets.  ”The winter months can be a very dangerous and uncomfortable period for pets,” says Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, veterinarian and board-certified toxicologist.  ”It’s important to protect your pet by using safer winter products.  Morton® Safe-T-Pet™ is made with an organic compound used for vegetation, making it less irritating to animals than salt-based ice melters.”

The full Morton® Ice Melt line is segmented across distinct consumer needs:

• Morton® Safe-T-Pet™: Salt-free, chloride free, and non-toxic ice melter which is safer to use around pets than rock salt.
• Morton® Safe-T-Salt® Rock Salt: America’s #1 selling brand of rock salt melts to 5 degrees Fahrenheit and offers ice control at an economical price.
• Morton® Safe-T-Plus®: Formulated to be gentler on concrete surfaces and plants than rock salt, this ice melter can also reduce corrosion by 14 percent compared to plain salt.
• Morton® Action Melt® Blend:  A blend of salt and calcium chloride, this ice melter melts faster and longer in sub-zero temperatures than rock salt.  
• Morton® Safe-T-Power® Calcium Chloride:  Salt-free calcium chloride pellets provide ice control in extreme temperatures, melting down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Many consumers are unsure of what’s in ice melt products or which product is best for their specific need,” says Niles Hysell, Morton’s Director of Ice Melt Product Management.  ”Morton has been trusted for more than 100 years, and we’re committed to maintaining that trust, which is why we make it easy for consumers to understand what they are purchasing by clearly stating the product benefits and performance expectations on the packaging.”    

How to Choose an Ice Melter

It’s important for consumers to understand that not all ice melters are created equal and choosing the wrong one can lead to disappointment as products do not live up to the safety and melting claims they make.  Furthermore, these products can also damage sidewalks, driveways, pets’ paws and vegetation during the ice melting process.  

Some other ice melters on the market mislead consumers regarding how well the product melts and how safe the product is.  For example, when testing was conducted by Michigan Technological University Keweenah Snow Research Center, the Safe Paw™ ice melt product did not melt snow and ice at sub-zero temperatures as claimed.  Other brands claim to be pet-safe but actually contain chlorides which can be harmful to pets digestive systems if ingested and which can be painful or irritating to pets’ paws.

While there is no regulation in the ice melting industry to verify product claims, Morton is leading the way by using third party testing to assure consumers that the ice melting performance claims for Morton’s ice melter products are accurate.  

Morton provides a quick guide to purchasing ice melters:

• Keep Pets, Surfaces, and Kids safe – For families with pets and kids looking for a melter made with organic compounds, try Morton® Safe-T-Pet™ which is made of urea, a non-toxic ingredient that is non-irritating and less corrosive than other ice melting products.
• New sidewalk, no ice melt – Ice melters can be harmful to poor quality concrete or new concrete less than a year old, and may cause future cracks or other damage because all deicers increase the number of freeze-thaw cycles that can stress the concrete.  Morton® Safe-T-Plus® can help reduce the harmful effects of ice on concrete surfaces, but all sidewalks and driveways are susceptible to deicer damage and should be promptly cleared following ice break-up to reduce the risk of damage.  So if your concrete surface is less than a year old, it’s best to use a good, old fashioned shovel or snow blower to clear the ice and snow.  
• Plan ahead – the best time to purchase and use ice melt is before the snow starts falling and ice starts to form.  Pay attention to the weather and be sure to stock up with enough ice melt to cover surfaces before the first snowfall.  Most stores start stocking their shelves with ice melt in late October/early November.  Consumers can find coupons for Morton ice melters on www.mortonmelters.com.

For more information about Morton Salt, Inc. and Morton ice melter products, visit www.mortonmelters.com.

About Morton Salt, Inc., a K+S Group Company

Morton Salt, Inc., a Chicago-based company continuing a Morton Salt business dating back to 1848, is North America‘s authority on salt and a leading producer of salt for grocery, water softening, ice control, agricultural, and industrial uses.  Morton introduced the nation to the Morton Umbrella Girl and the now-famous slogan, “When It Rains It Pours” in 1914. Since that time, Morton Salt products have graced the shelves of more homes throughout the country than any other brand of salt.

SOURCE Morton Salt, Inc.

http://www.mortonmelters.com

Morton Helps Take the Worry Out of Winter for Every Consumer | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SOCHI, Russia – International Olympic Committee officials say they are satisfied with Russia’s progress in building venues and infrastructure for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

The IOC coordination commission is wrapping up a three-day visit to the Black Sea resort, with the opening ceremony now a little over three years away.

Commission chairman Jean-Claude Killy told reporters Thursday that the work done so far reconfirms his conviction that “Russia and Sochi will host the 2014 Olympics at a very high level.”

Russia’s ability to finish the work on time has been a concern from the beginning because virtually all of the venues are being built from scratch.

IOC satisfied with Russia’s progress on 2014 Games (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SINGAPORE – The International Olympic Committee says up to 17 countries have expressed interest in hosting future Youth Olympics, including the United States and others from Africa and Latin America.

The inaugural youth winter games will be held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012 and the summer games in Nanjing, China in 2014. Lillehammer, Norway, which hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics, is the only city that has expressed an interest in hosting the 2016 winter games, and has until November to submit a formal bid, the IOC said.

The IOC’s Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said Saturday that an African and Latin American country as well as “some cities in the United States” have expressed interest in hosting the event in 2018 and beyond, but would not name them.

“We have had discussions with the USOC (U.S. Olympic Committee) and some cities in the U.S. who have the idea for the winter or summer games,” Felli said. “One day, they would like to come with a bid.”

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the IOC is emphasizing the use of existing facilities to make the youth event more attractive to cities with smaller budgets.

“It gives them a chance to participate, to take part in the whole Olympic ideal,” Adams said. “That is why there is interest from cities which would probably never have thought of getting involved and could never see themselves as serious contenders for staging an Olympic event.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge praised the Singapore games as it reached the halfway point of the 12-day event. Education programs, including talks with elite athletes, have been popular with the youngsters. Fans have taken to the new sports like 3-on-3 basketball.

“So far everything is going smoothly and we’ve been very pleased with the organization, the competition and the non-sport activities,” Rogge said in a statement. “While it is impossible to provide a full assessment of the games until after they’re over, so far we are very satisfied.”

American athletes had their best day of the games Saturday, winning two golds, a silver and a bronze.

China leads the games with 20 golds and 33 medals overall. Russia is second with 15 golds and 32 overall, while South Korea has seven golds.

Tang Yi of China has been the star of the games so far. The 17-year-old has won six of her country’s 11 swimming golds.

The IOC said the popularity of the games is reaching well beyond Singapore. The Youth Olympics’ YouTube channel, part of a broad social media campaign, has had 2.8 million hits. That’s higher than the traffic for the 2010 Vancouver Games. The Youth Olympics has 3,500 followers on Twitter and a popular Facebook page.

Organizers from Innsbruck, who plan to host the 2012 winter Youth Olympic with 1,050 athletes from 70 countries, said the Singapore games have given them confidence.

“It’s taken some pressure off us because now we know it can work,” said Peter Bayer, chief executive of Innsbruck 2012.

Felli said the IOC had concerns that many venues this week were far from full — despite all tickets having been sold.

“You have some sessions where people are coming in the morning and watching for a while and then leaving and they don’t come for the afternoon and evening session. That is something of a disappointment,” Felli said. “But it was much fuller last night than the beginning of the week, so they are working on that to bring more people in.”

In other events, Odane Skeen of Jamaica ran 10.42 seconds to win the boys’ 100 gold Saturday, beating Masaki Nashimoto of Japan and David Bolarinwa of Britain. Josephine Omaka of Nigeria won the girls’ 100 gold ahead of Myasia Jacobs of the United States and Fany Chalas of the Dominican Republic.

Ekaterina Bleskina of Russia beat out Michelle Jenneke of Australia to win the gold in the 100-meter hurdles while Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic took gold in the 400 meters, ahead of Ruan Greyling of South Africa.

In archery, Ibrahim Sabry of Egypt took gold in junior individual category, easily defeating Rick Van Den Oever of the Netherlands. Medals are also scheduled to be handed out in artistic gymnastics, athletics, diving, judo, modern pentathlon and tennis.

The inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore involves 3,600 athletes ages 14 to 18 from 204 national Olympic committees competing in 26 sports.

___

CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM Writer Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.

IOC: Many countries interested in youth games (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Newly Formed Mega-Resort Now Offers 15,000 Acres of 4-Season Recreation

HARDYSTON, N.J., May 28 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Crystal Springs Resort announced today the purchase of Mountain Creek, the New York Metro area’s closest and best-known winter resort.  This acquisition creates the region’s largest and most comprehensive four-season resort destination.  Spanning five miles through four townships (Vernon, Hardyston, Hamburg, Franklin), the combined resorts fill the historic Vernon Valley region with 15,000 acres of world-class, year-round amenities including award-winning golf courses, spas, hotels, a globally-renowned 80,000 bottle wine cellar, ski and snowboard venues, a waterpark, and mountain bike park.

Mountain Creek has been under the ownership of Canadian-based, Intrawest ULC for the past 12 years, during which time the resort invested significant capital installing five new lifts and ongoing snowmaking upgrades including at the time, the largest single installation in North America.   In the non-winter seasons, the resort is home to the Mountain Creek Waterpark and the world-renowned Diablo Freeride Mountain Bike Park.  The principal owners of Crystal Springs were the original builders of the existing waterpark.

Crystal Springs President Andrew Mulvihill enthused, “This newly formed mega-resort is unparalleled given the breadth, uniqueness and quality of its combined offerings to residents, day visitors and overnight guests.  From this platform, we have major expansion plans to create a first-class tourist destination on par with New England and the Carolinas, but with convenient proximity to the New York Metro area.”

Mulvihill continued, “This transaction represents the acquisition of a financially healthy and vibrant resort entity, which together, vaults us to the lead position of Northeast travel destinations. Understand that there has been a joint half billion-dollar investment undertaken by both resorts in the past few years. While other resorts are seeing declining revenues, we have enjoyed strong increases in attendance and occupancy.  Furthermore, on the residential side, the majority of Resort residential developments have slowed or shut down, yet Crystal Springs Builders is currently constructing a 300 home neighborhood. The beginning of the month saw a 1,000 guest grand opening of its new single family model home.”

While still preliminary, Crystal Springs’ plans include a rainforest-themed indoor water park hotel, a base area village with entertainment, dining and retail, as well as a “main street” with venues such as artisan food makers, a winery, brew pub, cheese maker, ice creamery, bakery, chocolatier, and more.  Also contemplated are several internationally branded resort hotels.  On the recreational menu are other mountain outdoor play elements such as mountain luge, zip lines, and lift-accessed water slides as well as a renewed focus on festivals and entertainment.

Today Mountain Creek and Crystal Springs are abuzz as they prepare to welcome the world-class US Open of Mountain Biking this weekend, the opening of the Mountain Creek Waterpark next weekend, and the second annual NJ Beer & Food Festival this summer.

About Crystal Springs Resort

Crystal Springs Resort, located in Vernon and Hardyston, New Jersey, is an upscale four-season leisure and residential resort, including the newly opened Grand Cascades Lodge and sister property Minerals Hotel. Crystal Springs Resort combines luxury accommodations, natural mountain beauty, and a wide array amenities including: seven renowned golf courses; four-star Restaurant Latour; Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine cellar (more than 78,000 bottles to date); two full-service spas ranked in the top 30 spas in America; the state-of-the-art Minerals Sports Club; multiple indoor and outdoor pools, including the distinctive Biosphere Pool Complex with an underground aquarium, tropical foliage and free form nature pools; and a plethora of sophisticated venues for meetings, weddings and catered events. More information: www.crystalgolfresort.com.

About Mountain Creek

Mountain Creek is the NY/NJ Metro area’s closest ski resort located in Vernon, NJ just 47 miles from New York City.  It features 170 acres of trails with 100% snowmaking and night lighting, open 7 days and nights a week.  Mountain Creek is nationally recognized for new skier and snowboarding teaching programs, and for its leadership in the development of terrain parks.  Mountain Creek includes one of only a handful of all-mountain terrain parks in the country.  In the summer months Mountain Creek is home to internationally-renowned Diablo Freeride DH Mountain Bike Park, and the unique 70-acre Mountain Creek Waterpark.  More information: www.mountaincreek.com.  

SOURCE Crystal Springs Resort

http://www.crystalgolfresort.com

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LONDON – Olympic officials, acting on a tip-off from the World Anti-Doping Agency, are retesting some doping samples from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin to check for use of the blood-boosting drug CERA.

Four years after the games, WADA said Monday it received “new information” about possible misuse of CERA in Turin before the endurance-enhancing substance was put on the market.

WADA said it relayed the information to the International Olympic Committee, which decided to “conduct further analysis of a number of samples” collected in Turin.

“This analysis is ongoing,” WADA president John Fahey said following the agency’s executive committee and foundation board meetings in Montreal.

The IOC stores Olympic doping samples for eight years so they can be analyzed retroactively once new testing methods become available. Any drug cheats caught in the retests can be disqualified and stripped of their medals and results.

“An athlete who thinks he or she has got through a major event with some success through doping should continue to look over their shoulder because over the next years there is this capacity to reanalyze samples that have been stored,” Fahey said in a conference call. “We’re now seeing reanalysis of samples by the IOC from an event over four years ago.”

The IOC had no immediate comment.

Last year, five athletes were caught when the IOC retested samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics for CERA, an advanced version of EPO. Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain was stripped of his gold medal in the 1,500 meters.

Fahey said WADA received information about CERA use in Turin earlier this year and passed it on immediately to the IOC. He declined to say where the tip-off came from or elaborate on the evidence provided.

“WADA receives almost on a daily basis information from various sources,” Fahey said. “All of it is taken seriously and examined properly. We simply pass that information on to the appropriate body. We will continue to keep our sources confidential, otherwise our intelligence is destroyed.”

There was one positive test during the Turin Games, with Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva stripped of a silver medal after testing positive for a banned stimulant.

In addition, Italian police raided the lodgings of the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team outside Turin, seizing blood-doping equipment. No Austrian athletes tested positive at the time, but six were later banned by the IOC for involvement in the scandal.

In other developments at the WADA meetings, the executive committee approved the use of non-WADA accredited laboratories for conducting blood tests to support the agency’s biological passport program.

WADA currently has 35 accredited labs, but says it needs forensic and clinical labs to help with blood analysis in parts of the world where there are no certified labs. That would eliminate the need for costly transport of samples between regions.

The biological passport program involves monitoring an athlete’s blood profile over time to check for any changes that could indicate evidence of doping.

WADA also discussed the continuing review of the contentious “whereabouts” rule, which requires athletes to provide advance notice of their location so they can be found for out-of-competition testing.

WADA president John Fahey said the principle of the rule has overwhelming support but there is “still some misunderstanding from a number of anti-doping organizations as to the purpose of the whereabouts requirements.”

Fahey said there was a need for “user friendly guidelines” to help sports federations and anti-doping bodies enforce the rule.

WADA also reviewed its cooperation with Interpol, saying more governments need to enact laws to crack down on the supply and trafficking of doping substances.

IOC retesting Turin 2006 samples for CERA (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

HELSINKI – Global sports equipment maker Amer Sports Corp., whose brands include Atomic, Salomon and Wilson, on Thursday reported a first-quarter profit helped by a snowy winter that pushed overall sales up 5 percent.

Net profit in January through March was euro300,000 ($400,000), compared to a net loss of euro11 million a year earlier, the company said. Revenue in the period was euro372.6 million, up from euro355 million.

The company’s share price closed down 6 percent at euro8.47 ($11.23) on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Amer, which described 2009 as the worst year in a decade, said markets were improving as economies emerged from a global economic downturn.

“We are in a good position to benefit from the expected market recovery, and we expect the favorable development in our profitability to continue during the remainder of the year,” said Pekka Paalanne, executive vice president.

The Helsinki-based company had “executed well our key priorities. Gross profit percentage was up by more than two points and profitability increased in all segments,” Paalanne said. “At the same time, operating expenses were kept under tight control and we made further gains in managing the working capital.”

The biggest increase in sales — of 13 percent — was in winter sports equipment, to euro42 million in the period.

“Good snow conditions at the end of the 2009-2010 winter season had a positive effect in all key markets,” Amer said. “While sales in all product categories were up, cross-country skiing grew fastest especially in central and northern Europe.”

Footwear, apparel and sports instrument sections also improved, and the cycling segment showed growth of 9 percent in the period to euro29 million, compared to a weak quarter in 2009, Amer said.

The company warned that difficult market conditions continued in fitness equipment where “financing remained tight and fitness clubs continued to be cautious about opening new facilities.”

Amer repeated its aim “to drive profitable growth” as it expects “the sporting goods market to recover moderately” this year.

“However, in light of the unpredictable market conditions, Amer Sports continues to focus on improving its profitability through improved gross profit and tight cost control,” the company said.

Formerly Finland’s largest cigarette maker, Amer sold its tobacco operations in 2004 to focus on fitness and sports equipment. It has divested noncore assets and bought several sports equipment makers, including California-based Fitness Products International and Sparks, Nevada-based ATEC, a leading maker of baseball and softball pitching machines.

In December, Amer announced the dismissal of CEO Roger Talermo, who had headed the company since 2006. He was replaced on April 1 by Heikki Takala, a former commercial director at the Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co.

Based in Helsinki, Amer Sports employs some 6,400 people — up from 6,300 a year earlier.

____

On the Net:

Amer: http://www.amersports.com

Amer Sports in Q1 net profit as sales grow (AP) | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald’s Corp. said Monday that sales at restaurants open at least a year climbed 4.8 percent in February on strong overseas growth and a small rise in U.S. sales.

The 4.8 percent increase comes on the heels of January’s 2.6 percent rise and is a welcome return to gains after two straight months of declines in the key sales figure during November and December.

McDonald’s domestic performance also improved, edging up 0.6 percent after a 0.7 percent decline in January.

Results were driven in the U.S. by strong demand for the chain’s breakfast dollar menu, McCafe drinks and a Chicken McNugget promotion centered around the Winter Olympics.

Results in Europe rose 5.4 percent, while Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa’s performance climbed 10.5 percent. McDonald’s, based in Oak Brook, Ill., reported strong performances in France, the U.K., Japan, China and Australia.

Sales at restaurants open at least a year are a key indicator of performance because they measure growth at existing locations rather than newly opened ones.

Systemwide sales, which includes sales at restaurants run by the company and franchisees, increased 11.2 percent in February.

In January, McDonald’s said that its fourth-quarter profit climbed, helped by its dollar menu. But yearly sales dropped for the first time in at least a quarter century.

Still, McDonald’s did considerably better than nearly all its fast-food competitors, who have been slashing prices – at the expense of profits – to get customers in the door as the economy slowly heads toward recovery.

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He’s been around fast cars pretty much all his life, but Jason Cox vividly remembers his first competition at age 8.

“It was in the winter. We raced in a swine barn in Columbus, Ohio, at the fairgrounds,” says Cox, now a senior at Warren Township High School.

The timing wasn’t random.

“The reason he started in the wintertime is because his dad raced in the summer,” jokes Tim Cox, the more experienced of the Park City family racing duo.

As the elder Cox recalls, Jason lapped the competition – an early indication of the talent and success he later would enjoy as a racer of very fast cars.

As a driver in the Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series, held at various tracks in Indiana, Jason Cox is continuing a family racing tradition that has no apparent end in sight.

“My dad was a flag man, a starter, at Waukegan Speedway when I was a little kid,” explained Tim Cox, who won the 2009 HOSS championship.

“I grew up weekends going with him and Jason did the same thing. We didn’t force him into it (but) when he started doing the Quarter Midgets we knew we were in trouble.”

It’s hard to equate the polite, soft-spoken senior with the frantic pace and ever-present potential for danger that comes with navigating 800-horsepower vehicles on short oval tracks at speeds up to 140 mph.

“There’s a lot of kids who don’t know I do it,” he said. “I don’t like talking about myself.”

From May through October, friends more or less stop calling. They know Jason will either be working on his car or driving it.

“It takes up my whole life,” he said recently at the family home. One corner of the small family room is crammed with trophies big and small. In an attached heated garage, he and his dad continue to work on rebuilding the frame and engine of his dad’s Sprint car.

“We do everything ourselves,” says Tim Cox.

“You don’t have to trust someone else’s work,” adds Jason.

Father and son are multiple award-winners and occasional opponents on the track. They race Sprint cars, powerful machines capable of speeds up to 140 mph.

Built to navigate short oval or circular tracks, the most obvious feature of the Sprint cars are the wings that provide downward thrust to stabilize the cars and allow drivers to take turns at high speed.

The knowledge of the sport isn’t limited to the two admitted gear heads.

“They’re a one piece car,” says Cheryl Cox, who has been with her son and husband every step of the way, including most weekends in the summer.

“They have big wheels on the back – they look like a big dune buggy.”

In this area, Sprint car racing is a popular attraction at Wilmot Speedway, a dirt track just north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border, where Jason was Rookie of the Year in 2008. He wanted to test his skills on asphalt in the Hoosier series but had a hurdle to pass before getting in his car.

To compete in the HOSS series as a 14 year old, Jason had to go through a special process called “emancipation” because he was under normal age.

Basically, he was being asked by a legal authority whether he was of sound mind and knew what he was getting into.

“I left the room and a judge talked to him,” says Tim Cox.

The family recognizes the danger.

“It’s always something in the back of your mind,” says Jason, who has suffered a concussion in a crash but has not been seriously injured.

The last two years, he has taken welding and fabrication classes at Warren’s tech campus at the College of Lake County. One week during Cox’s junior year, Alan Thomas, the campus coordinator for Warren, noticed Jason had come in on crutches.

“I found out he was racing cars. The car flipped, five, six, seven times,” Thomas said. “I didn’t realize those cars went so fast.”

Cox raced the Hoosier series full-time last year but his season was cut short in June when he broke his collar bone. That wasn’t on the track but driving a four-wheeler as he was “just being a kid,” Cox explained.

There are purses but at best, the family drivers hope to break even on expenses. This season begins in May and father and son will compete in the Hoosier Outlaw Super Sprints series, with Tim gunning for Rookie of the Year.

They already have spend long hours working on their cars. Tim Cox drives a car owned by someone else. Jason has his own car, which is in a family friend’s garage in Milwaukee.

“They build it,” says Cheryl Cox. “They both do all the work on it themselves. They’re quite handy.”

Jason says his dream would be to race for a living, but for now it’s more of a hobby. Getting to higher levels, such as NASCAR, requires financial backing.

“It’s not that he doesn’t have the talent. The biggest thing is having sponsors behind you,” according to Tim Cox.

His son also has another attribute that should serve him well behind the wheel.

“Someone told me he’s not afraid to go fast,” says Tim Cox. “It’s easy to get someone to slow down but hard to get someone to go fast.”

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

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Exercise-induced asthma is surprisingly common among people who work out in cold climates, whether they’re jogging around the neighborhood or gunning for gold in Vancouver.

This week, for example, Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen won the bronze medal in the women’s 10-kilometer race, even though she uses asthma medication. In fact, half of cross-country skiers and one-quarter of aspiring winter Olympians in general have exercise-induced asthma, according to a 2000 study of 170 athletes conducted by the United States Olympic Committee.

“Any [exercise] outdoors on a mountaintop is a culprit, but just jogging in Central Park will do it as well,” says Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist with Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City.

Exercise-induced asthma doesn’t have to slow you down, however. With the right medications and precautions, exercise-induced asthma won’t keep you from your daily workout, or even from competing at an elite level.

How cold and exercise cause asthma

Wheezing, chest tightness, and the other symptoms of exercise-induced asthma generally begin several minutes after you begin working out. For some people, the symptoms start soon after they finish exercising.

Although athletes who compete in warm-weather sports may suffer from exercise-induced asthma as well, mixing exercise and cold, dry air is especially problematic. For many people with regular asthma, in fact, just stepping outside in frigid temperatures is enough to cause symptoms.

• Health.com: Star athletes with asthma

“Both cold air and exercise in and of themselves can trigger asthma symptoms, but doing them together is more likely to trigger an exacerbation,” says Dr. Thomas M. Leath, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

When the air is dry — as it often is in cold climates during the winter — your lungs can become even more irritated, Horovitz adds. “The evaporative loss and cooling of the airways triggers the process of bronchial constriction,” he says.

“One sport you don’t see exercise-induced asthma in so much is swimming. The humidity at water level is such that there isn’t as much evaporation as in running or winter sports.” (Chlorine, however, can trigger asthma symptoms, Horovitz notes.)

• Health.com: Chlorine triggers my asthma, but I’m still a triathlete

The combination of cold air and exercise is “a double whammy,” says Dr. Steve N. Georas, the director of pulmonary and critical care medicine and the director of the Mary Parkes Center for Asthma, Allergy and Pulmonary Care at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in New York.

The bronchospasms that characterize exercise-induced asthma refer to a contraction (or spasm) of lung airways. Experts aren’t certain what’s behind this phenomenon.

One theory is that the increased blood flow caused by exertion forces the blood vessels in the airways to expand, leading to constriction of the airways, Georas says. Another theory holds that cold air activates certain inflammatory cells in the airways.

“Asthma [is] as an inflammatory disease where, for some reason, the body’s immune response has sent out an alarm about something going wrong in the lungs,” says Georas.

“Once that alarm has been set off, there’s airway inflammation.”

• Health.com: Try this game: Asthma word search

How to fight it

The first-line treatment for exercise-induced asthma is a bronchodilator. Usually delivered via rescue inhalers, these drugs (such as albuterol) fight symptoms by relaxing the muscles that line the airways in the lungs.

The most commonly used bronchodilators, a class of drug known as beta2-agonists, are prohibited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Because beta2-agonists can promote muscle growth, athletes with asthma must prove they have the disorder and must receive permission to medicate themselves; otherwise, they run the risk of being disqualified from the Games.

“The IOC has really cracked down on this,” says Georas. “A few years ago, a lot of people declared themselves asthmatic, which was thought to be a way to get inhaled steroids.”

• Health.com: 7 Surprising triggers of lung trouble

Fortunately, if you don’t need the IOC to sign off on your medications, preventing and treating exercise-induced asthma is pretty straightforward. The best treatment will depend on how often you experience exercise-induced asthma, and whether you can predict when it will occur.

If you experience asthma symptoms every time you exercise in cold weather, you may want to use a bronchodilator 10 to 15 minutes before exercising to prevent an attack, Horovitz recommends.

If your asthma isn’t predictable, keep an inhaler handy while you exercise instead of using it beforehand. “There are patients in whom it’s intermittent. Sometimes they can exercise, sometimes they can’t,” says Georas. “If you feel chest tightness coming on, have your inhaler on you.”

• Health.com: 10 Best big cities for people with asthma

In addition to medication, there are other precautions athletes can take. Warming up for a few minutes before hitting full exercise mode, breathing through your nose (to warm and humidify the air before it hits your airways), and wearing a scarf or face mask around your mouth can all prevent symptoms, says Leath.

Masks that contain inserts known as heat exchangers have also been shown to fight exercise-induced asthma in cold weather.

These treatments are effective enough that exercise-induced asthma rarely keeps people from the winter sports they enjoy. Leath has heard many patients complain of cold air making their asthma worse, but he hasn’t seen any asthma exacerbations so severe that they prevent winter activity.

“The whole goal of asthma therapy with each patient is to allow them to conduct their daily activities unfettered,” says Georas.

• Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com

Read the original article from CNN Health.

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Students in the United School District have been out eight days.

The district serves rural Monmouth, Yorkwood and Alexis, all about 50 miles northwest of Peoria.

District bookkeeper Kris Repp can’t recall a year in the past two decades with that many snow days.

The district builds five snow days into its schedule. It plans to seek a state waiver to cover two days and go to school on an optional holiday to cover the last one.

Abingdon, Bushnell-Prairie City and Spoon River Valley school districts also have had more than five snow days off.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

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A winter weather advisory that was expected to be in effect until noon is about to be canceled by the National Weather Service.

The system, which blew through Sunday and into this morning, dumped between 3 and 4 inches across the Chicago area, meteorologists said.

Andy Boxell, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said 3.2 inches hit the ground overnight at O’Hare International Airport. He said DuPage, Kane and western Cook counties had slightly more than that amount, and that Lake and eastern Cook counties had slightly less.

However, he said, this latest snowfall was a wet and slushy snow and rain mix that is heavier than normal snow.

“The accumulation amounts were not as high as we expected,” Boxell said. “But, it’s a wet, heavy snow that causes problems.”

Due to the weather, Metra has a couple of delays on their train lines. Train 330, scheduled to depart Kenosha at 7:51 a.m. and arrive Chicago at 9:15 a.m. on the Union Pacific North Line, is delayed departing Kenosha. Also, train 15 on the Union Pacific West Line, scheduled to arrive Elburn at 7:50 a.m., is operating 15 minutes behind schedule.

O’Hare and Midway are experiencing no flight delays or cancellations, the Chicago Department of Aviation said this morning. However, people should check their airline Web sites in case of a delay.

ComEd officials said 3,600 people experienced power loss during the height of the winter storm Sunday night, with about 3,400 in Chicago.

ComEd spokesman Jeff Burdick added about 800 customers lost power during the peak times in Lake County and northwest suburban Cook County.

Among those losing power was the Daily Herald Printing Center in Schaumburg, where an electrical problem caused by an outage due to the winter storm created a delay in printing the paper Sunday night.

That outage will result in a delivery delay Monday morning. Officials said deliveries will be made throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Storm drops 3-4 inches of wet, slushy snow across area | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The system, which blew through Sunday and into this morning, dumped between 3 and 4 inches across the Chicago area, meteorologists said.

Andy Boxell, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said 3.2 inches hit the ground overnight at O’Hare International Airport.

He said DuPage, Kane and western Cook counties had slightly more than that amount, and that Lake and eastern Cook counties had slightly less.

However, he said, this latest snowfall was a wet and slushy snow and rain mix that is heavier than normal snow.

“The accumulation amounts were not as high as we expected,” Boxell said. “But, it’s a wet, heavy snow that causes problems.”

Due to the weather, Metra has a couple of delays on their train lines. Train 330, scheduled to depart Kenosha at 7:51 a.m. and arrive Chicago at 9:15 a.m. on the Union Pacific North Line, is delayed departing Kenosha. Also, train 15 on the Union Pacific West Line, scheduled to arrive Elburn at 7:50 a.m., is operating 15 minutes behind schedule.

O’Hare and Midway are experiencing no flight delays or cancellations, the Chicago Department of Aviation said this morning. However, people should check their airline Web sites in case of a delay.

ComEd officials said 3,600 people experienced power loss during the height of the winter storm Sunday night, with about 3,400 in Chicago.

ComEd spokesman Jeff Burdick added about 800 customers lost power during the peak times in Lake County and northwest suburban Cook County.

Among those losing power was the Daily Herald Printing Center in Schaumburg, where an electrical problem caused by an outage due to the winter storm created a delay in printing the paper Sunday night.

That outage will result in a delivery delay Monday morning. Officials said deliveries will be made throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

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