Curling: A sport where the beer is always cold
By Erin Barney Mike Rane, a 50-year-old lawyer, kneeled on a long sheet of bumpy ice and shoved a 40-pound granite stone toward a red-and-blue target 114 feet away. Two teammates used brooms to sweep a path for the rock, a fourth monitored its trajectory, and all four yelled at each other to sweep harder […]
Consumers grow more confident, despite financial-market swings
By Lucia Maffei Consumer confidence in the U.S. improved moderately in January, a business group reported Tuesday, as Americans shook off a falling stock market and showed cautious optimism in business conditions. The non-profit New York-based Conference Board said that its monthly Consumer Confidence Index rose to 98.1 from 96.3 in December. That was above […]
Lawmakers and activists push for home service security (video)
By Brooke Rayford In bid to make home services more secure for seniors and the disabled, State Rep. Greg Harris, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and others announced their support for a proposed law. House Bill 4351 was originally created when Governor Rauner proposed a state budget that would cut aid for disabled and senior citizens […]
Politicians and donors support women’s rights at Planned Parenthood fundraiser
By Enrica Nicoli Aldini It’s been a rough year for Planned Parenthood. Not only have Republicans in Congress repeatedly tried to pass bills to suspend federal funding to the reproductive health services organization, but a Planned Parenthood clinic was also the object of a gunman attack in Colorado Springs, Colo. last November. However, the mood […]
A beautiful stock: Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.
By Poroma Pant Enjoying a significant rise in its stock price in a quivering market, ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. attributes its winning numbers to an ingenious six-part strategy. The beauty of the earnings and overall performance of the Bolingbrook-based chain has enabled it to capture the hearts of analysts. Commencing this year with a […]
CME Group Inc. holding strong to steady
By Steven Porter Locked in heated competition for dominance in the futures exchange marketplace, CME Group Inc. is poised to stand its ground. Sixteen of the 18 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg recommend buying or holding onto CME stock, eight saying buy. Morningstar Equity Research published a report last fall expecting CME to enjoy an increase […]
Divvy expansion to bring 75 new stations and nearly 1,000 bikes to 10 more locations
By Jenny G. Zhang In the next major expansion of Divvy, Chicago’s popular bike sharing program will extend to the south and west sides, as well as two suburbs, with the addition of 75 new bike stations and nearly 1,000 bikes in summer 2016, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced recently. Plans include 40 stations in the […]
U.S. house prices continue to rise
By Katie Murar Housing prices, fueled by lower interest rates and a strengthening economy, continued to rise in November, two reports released Tuesday show. The November 2015 S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index for 20 cities, released by S&P Dow Jones Indices, show that home prices continued their rise across the country over the last 12 months. […]
Prominent Chicago resident runs for President of Sierra Leone and is charged with bigamy
By Bian Elkhatib and Meggie Morris Almost 5,000 miles away from his home in Chicago, Sierra Leonean Alie Kabba awaits trial in Freetown. He is charged with bigamy, but his supporters say the contrived charge is because he is running for President of his homeland. Since arriving in the U.S. from Sierra Leone in 1991, Kabba […]
Evangelical Christians hold summit on refugee crisis
By Jay Bouchard While an unprecedented number of migrants seek refuge across the globe, evangelical leaders and activists are seeking to trigger a bold Christian response to the refugee crisis. “Will we be remembered for taking care of those in one of the greatest crises to ever happen, or will we be remembered for living […]