Saturday, May 25, 2013
In less than a week, all Chicago-area Patch sites will have a brand new design and a whole new way to connect.
We have some exciting news to share about Patch: we’re getting a whole new look! It’s coming next week and it’s going to make Patch easier to use, and a better place to connect and share. The best part? You’ll be able to see it all on your mobile phone! Here’s what you need to know: Our site is being rebuilt from the ground up. The news will look better and be easier to comment on. And, you’ll find more local voices to keep you in the loop with the latest know-how and opinion. We’re adding Boards to make it easier for you to connect with each other, debate an issue, or announce your garage sale, graduation, or find a lost pet. More to say? It will be easier to start your own blog, too. You’ll soon be able to start your own blog anytime…
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The babies are due this summer and fall. Look through the photo gallery of the expectant moms, including the most incredible ultrasound picture you'll ever see.
Just a little more than a week after Mother’s Day, the Brookfield Zoo announced Monday it has three new moms-to-be. Dolphins Allie, Tapeko and Spree are expected to give birth during the summer and fall, according to a zoo release. “Allie, Tapeko, and Spree are all healthy and their pregnancies are progressing well,” said Jennifer Langan, associate veterinarian for the Chicago Zoological Society. Allie, 26, and Tapeko, 31, are experienced mothers, having raised five babies between them, including Tapeko’s two daughters, Noelani, 9, and Allison, 7, who also live at the zoo. This will be the first baby for Spree, 10, who is at the zoo from Minnesota as part of the Bottlenose Dolphin Breeding Consortium. The cooperative focuses on building a …
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Some people are destined to draw more attention than others, apparently.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Patch readers had a lot to say last month when asked what they thought of a new store policy in which baggers were obliged to follow customers and their carts out to their vehicles whether they wanted help or not.
If you've avoided shopping at Jewel-Osco for fear of being awkwardly trailed to your car by an employee, you're not alone, but there is good news. The once mandatory policy created by Jewel's new owners, Cerberus Capital Management LP, has been repealed. A statement on the store's website says the cart-to-car service will still be offered to customers, but it will no longer be forced upon them. Parts of our customer service philosophy are things that every grocery store should do, like ensuring the stores are clean, the shelves are well stocked, and asking if you need help finding an item. Now, we’ve expanded our service to include taking your groceries out to your car. And, if you don’t want or need help, that’s fine too. Many customers …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
It's been a long week. You need a pick-me-up.
Friday's here. Thank goodness. One more day of work, and that's it. Here's a little inspiration to get you through to Saturday. For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors, neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us. But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys. Not surprisingly, the stories have generated dozens of comments on Patch and on Facebook: "Great story..." "Thanks for sharing..." "So wonderfully inspiring..." And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. And feel better about your tough week. Pit Bull …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Jolie announced Tuesday she underwent a double mastectomy to prevent her chances of breast cancer. Her likelihood of developing the cancer was at 87 percent. Tell us what you think about Jolie's decision and announcement in the comments section.
Actress and director Angelina Jolie announced today in a New York Times op-ed piece that she recently underwent a double mastectomy to cut her chances of developing breast cancer. Jolie wrote she decided to take a blood test since she was at a higher risk of breast cancer — her mother fought the disease for almost a decade before dying at age 56 — and because she wanted to make sure she would be there for her children, according to her New York Times column. Jolie said she carries a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which raised her risk of developing breast cancer to 87 percent, according to the Associated Press. After having the double mastectomy, her chances of developing breast cancer dropped to five percent, according to the Associated Press. …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
April showers brought flood of problems to an already troubled state.
Sunday Comic.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Even someone who knows little about sports can appreciate the Bulls’ playoff efforts.
I am not avid sports fan. I am not a sports writer. I am not fully educated about any type of sport. The beauty of sports, though, is you can still get caught up in the excitement of watching a sporting event _ especially if it’s any Chicago team _ and appreciate the dramatic stories behind the sport. Remember the Chicago Bulls string of World Championships in the early 1990s? Of course you do. I was in college back then and coming home from school in May to watch a Bulls game became an annual tradition. When they won, it just started the summer off with a cherry on top. I haven’t followed the Bulls or basketball much since then. I do know about the Lebron James saga and why no one in Ohio likes him. I know a bit about Joakim Noah, whose…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Fire officials tell the Northwest Herald that most of the homes had cedar shake roofs, which can be more combustible.
While a blaze that damaged five homes on Carrington Drive in Crystal Lake last week remains under investigation, fire officials told the Northwest Herald most of the homes had cedar shake roofs, which have shingles that can be combustible, that burned. The home where the fire originated at 3217 Carrington Drive on May 1 was destroyed by the blaze and one of the homes the blaze spread to at 3222 Carrington Drive was uninhabitable. Three other homes were damaged by the fire. While cedar shake shingles are good for running water off a roof, a few years in the sun can mean the shingles "are more at risk for burning easily," Crystal Lake Deputy Chief Paul DeRaedt told the Northwest Herald. The shingles can be treated to prevent fires, DeRaedt…
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Where's a superhero when we really need one?
Just Sayin
8:56 am on Saturday, May 25, 2013
Procrustes F. ...good works for such the early hour! more ›