dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-16--Where the sidewalk ends might be far from your Metra station, study finds

So you 've found that suburban dream home : four bedrooms , a big lot , granite countertops and -- ta-da -- `` walk to Metra , '' the advertisement says .
Better walk the walk before signing the mortgage , because you could be dodging traffic on local roads , not sauntering safely to your train .
A recent Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning study reveals sidewalks are lacking near Metra stops in numerous suburbs .
Out of 242 stations , 30 sites have no sidewalks on 40 % or more of the roads near the Metra station .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on roads include : unincorporated La Fox in Kane County , with 100 % ; Medinah , with 83 % ; Fox Lake , with 77 % ; Winfield , with 61 % ; and Rosemont , with 58 % , the agency found .
Absent sidewalks are inconvenient and hazardous , and counterproductively nudge commuters into driving to the train when they could walk instead , agency planners said .
But the agency wants to offer a helping hand , not point a finger .
`` Making sure people feel safe walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimal and basic thing we can start with , '' associate policy analyst Stephanie Levine said .
The agency is partnering with the Active Transportation Alliance to advise towns on solutions and funding .
`` We 're eager to work with communities and support their efforts to fill sidewalk gaps near bus stops and train stations , '' transportation alliance spokesman Kyle Whitehead said .
Fox Lake recognizes the sidewalk disconnect and is on it , Village Manager Anne Marrin said .
The village is poised to transform the area around the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Improvements including redevelopment , landscaping , a bike trail , crosswalks and sidewalks will begin in 2021 .
`` We want it to be safe and accessible , '' Marrin said .
Metra station locations range from busy village centers to rural areas , so planners are n't trying to prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution .
And that 's good for Winfield , where officials pick their sidewalk battles .
Winfield 's rustic appeal includes older sections of the town with grassy swales and no sidewalks .
It 's picturesque but was problematic for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Curtis Barrett said .
Leaders prioritized a `` Safe Routes to School '' sidewalk project , and `` we have largely completed that network , '' he said .
So far , there 's been no big push from residents for sidewalks near the Metra station , Barrett said .
One of the biggest obstacles to installing sidewalks is cost .
Active Transportation Alliance experts estimate it costs $ 35 per linear foot to replace a sidewalk .
State Sen. Pat McGuire is sponsoring a bill to eliminate the 20 % match the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to chip in for bike paths and sidewalks on state roads .
The policy hurts low-income communities near busy roads like Route 53 , the Joliet Democrat said .
Senate Bill 3183 debuts at a Transportation Committee meeting this week .
Interested in diving into the data ?
Go to cmap.com .
Got a comment on sidewalks ?
Email mpyke @ dailyherald.com .
What other Metra stops are sidewalk-challenged ?
Buffalo Grove , Round Lake , Wood Dale and the Arlington Park stops lack sidewalks on 40 % or more of roads within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's a robust bike path system leading to the Arlington Park station and pedestrian features were enhanced recently , Arlington Heights Planning and Community Development Director Charles Perkins said .
However , the station is surrounded by three towns -- Arlington Heights , Palatine and Rolling Meadows -- with some older neighborhoods sans sidewalks .
On the CTA , sites with the least amount of sidewalks near train stations are the Blue Line 's Rosemont and Cumberland stops , the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning reports .
You should know Want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coat onto the plane ?
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport has a solution for folks headed for warmer climes , offering a coat check service available before security in the concession mall .
The service is available seven days a week for $ 2 a day .
The maximum cost is $ 10 .
It 's February , and that means about 30 gigantic concrete beams will be traveling from Wisconsin to the Mile Long Bridge construction site on the Tri-State Tollway .
Delivery of the beams , which stretch 218 feet , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekdays .
The Illinois portion of the route extends east from Wisconsin on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway , south on I-290 , south on the Veterans Memorial Tollway , north on I-55 to Route 45 and from there to the construction site near Willow Springs .

Where the sidewalk ends might be far from your Metra station, study finds
So you've found that suburban dream home: four bedrooms, a big lot, granite countertops and -- ta-da -- "walk to Metra," the advertisement says.
Better walk the walk before signing the mortgage, because you could be dodging traffic on local roads, not sauntering safely to your train.
A recent Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning study reveals sidewalks are lacking near Metra stops in numerous suburbs.
Out of 242 stations, 30 sites have no sidewalks on 40% or more of the roads near the Metra station.
Locations with high percentages of missing sidewalks on roads include: unincorporated La Fox in Kane County, with 100%; Medinah, with 83%; Fox Lake, with 77%; Winfield, with 61%; and Rosemont, with 58%, the agency found.
Absent sidewalks are inconvenient and hazardous, and counterproductively nudge commuters into driving to the train when they could walk instead, agency planners said.
But the agency wants to offer a helping hand, not point a finger.
"Making sure people feel safe walking to the train station is a really minimal and basic thing we can start with," associate policy analyst Stephanie Levine said.
The agency is partnering with the Active Transportation Alliance to advise towns on solutions and funding.
"We're eager to work with communities and support their efforts to fill sidewalk gaps near bus stops and train stations," transportation alliance spokesman Kyle Whitehead said.
Fox Lake recognizes the sidewalk disconnect and is on it, Village Manager Anne Marrin said.
The village is poised to transform the area around the town's well-used Milwaukee District North station.
Improvements including redevelopment, landscaping, a bike trail, crosswalks and sidewalks will begin in 2021. "We want it to be safe and accessible," Marrin said.
Metra station locations range from busy village centers to rural areas, so planners aren't trying to prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution.
And that's good for Winfield, where officials pick their sidewalk battles.
Winfield's rustic appeal includes older sections of the town with grassy swales and no sidewalks. It's picturesque but was problematic for kids walking to school, Village Manager Curtis Barrett said.
Leaders prioritized a "Safe Routes to School" sidewalk project, and "we have largely completed that network," he said. So far, there's been no big push from residents for sidewalks near the Metra station, Barrett said.
One of the biggest obstacles to installing sidewalks is cost. Active Transportation Alliance experts estimate it costs $35 per linear foot to replace a sidewalk.
State Sen. Pat McGuire is sponsoring a bill to eliminate the 20% match the Illinois Department of Transportation requires local governments to chip in for bike paths and sidewalks on state roads.
The policy hurts low-income communities near busy roads like Route 53, the Joliet Democrat said. Senate Bill 3183 debuts at a Transportation Committee meeting this week.
Interested in diving into the data? Go to cmap.com. Got a comment on sidewalks? Email mpyke@dailyherald.com.
One more thing
What other Metra stops are sidewalk-challenged? Buffalo Grove, Round Lake, Wood Dale and the Arlington Park stops lack sidewalks on 40% or more of roads within half a mile of the station.
There's a robust bike path system leading to the Arlington Park station and pedestrian features were enhanced recently, Arlington Heights Planning and Community Development Director Charles Perkins said. However, the station is surrounded by three towns -- Arlington Heights, Palatine and Rolling Meadows -- with some older neighborhoods sans sidewalks.
On the CTA, sites with the least amount of sidewalks near train stations are the Blue Line's Rosemont and Cumberland stops, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning reports.
You should know
Want to get away but hate schlepping your winter coat onto the plane? Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport has a solution for folks headed for warmer climes, offering a coat check service available before security in the concession mall. The service is available seven days a week for $2 a day. The maximum cost is $10.
Beam me up
It's February, and that means about 30 gigantic concrete beams will be traveling from Wisconsin to the Mile Long Bridge construction site on the Tri-State Tollway. Delivery of the beams, which stretch 218 feet, will occur from 4:30 a.m. to noon on weekdays. The Illinois portion of the route extends east from Wisconsin on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, south on I-290, south on the Veterans Memorial Tollway, north on I-55 to Route 45 and from there to the construction site near Willow Springs.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-16--With former police station empty, St. Charles looking at 'catalyst sites' for downtown

St. Charles officials are working to redefine their vision for the downtown area north of Main Street as the city prepares to solicit proposals for its former police headquarters .
The now-vacant station at 211 N. Riverside Ave. offers a prime redevelopment opportunity along the Fox River , prompting city leaders to begin identifying other possible `` catalyst sites '' nearby , said Russell Colby , assistant community and economic development director .
Hoping to provide a framework for future land-use decisions , the city council is considering a set of proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan adopted in 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core downtown from Main Street north to the railroad trestle , encompassing the riverfront and adjacent blocks between Second Avenue and Fourth Street .
That project area includes the former police station and surrounding parking lots , which are considered `` some of the best opportunities for redevelopment along the river within downtown , '' according to the proposed comprehensive plan updates presented to the planning and development committee last week .
Staff members are expected to draft a request for proposals for the city-owned site within the next couple of months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission indicates a mix of uses would be appropriate for the property , including first-floor commercial or retail space and upper-level hotel or residential units .
The proposed comprehensive plan amendment states that any public parking removed as a result of the redevelopment would have to be replaced as part of the project .
That did n't alleviate the concerns of some aldermen , who fear building on the lots behind city hall would lead to a parking shortage in an area where the demand already is high .
Alderman Ron Silkaitis said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved farther from the municipal buildings and made less convenient for downtown patrons .
`` I do n't think we 've done enough to study the parking situation , '' Silkaitis said .
`` Unless that 's addressed here , I ca n't support this amendment . ''
But Alderman David Pietryla was among those who said it 's too early to start setting specific parking requirements .
Should a development project be brought forward , those details and other logistics would be addressed during the city 's approval process .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pietryla said .
`` We do n't want to limit too much upfront . ''
Because St. Charles owns the police station and most of the surrounding properties , city officials will have a say in how the area is developed , Colby said .
Issuing a request for proposals will allow developers to submit ideas , which would be evaluated by the city .
The comprehensive plan is intended to represent the city 's long-range vision for that area , Community and Economic Development Director Rita Tungare said .
The concepts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in stone .
In addition to developing the police station site , the proposed plan amendment for the east side of the river calls for maintaining at least 60 feet of open space along the shoreline , widening the walking path and creating interconnectivity among local trails .
A parcel east of Riverside Avenue could be conducive for a parking structure or residential uses , Colby said .
On the west side , open space would be the most suitable land use for parcels along the river and State Street Creek , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office space are appropriate for most other properties , Colby said .
If the opportunity for redevelopment arises , he said , the plan commission suggested setting the buildings back from the property line and `` focusing on the specific block frontages '' in certain areas .
Businesses could benefit from having wider sidewalks and a more functional streetscape area .
A public hearing will be held before the city council votes on adopting the comprehensive plan amendment at an upcoming meeting .

With former police station empty, St. Charles looking at 'catalyst sites' for downtown
St. Charles officials are working to redefine their vision for the downtown area north of Main Street as the city prepares to solicit proposals for its former police headquarters.
The now-vacant station at 211 N. Riverside Ave. offers a prime redevelopment opportunity along the Fox River, prompting city leaders to begin identifying other possible "catalyst sites" nearby, said Russell Colby, assistant community and economic development director.
Hoping to provide a framework for future land-use decisions, the city council is considering a set of proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan adopted in 2013. The changes would focus on the core downtown from Main Street north to the railroad trestle, encompassing the riverfront and adjacent blocks between Second Avenue and Fourth Street.
That project area includes the former police station and surrounding parking lots, which are considered "some of the best opportunities for redevelopment along the river within downtown," according to the proposed comprehensive plan updates presented to the planning and development committee last week.
Staff members are expected to draft a request for proposals for the city-owned site within the next couple of months.
A recommendation from the city's plan commission indicates a mix of uses would be appropriate for the property, including first-floor commercial or retail space and upper-level hotel or residential units. The proposed comprehensive plan amendment states that any public parking removed as a result of the redevelopment would have to be replaced as part of the project.
That didn't alleviate the concerns of some aldermen, who fear building on the lots behind city hall would lead to a parking shortage in an area where the demand already is high. Alderman Ron Silkaitis said he doesn't want to see parking moved farther from the municipal buildings and made less convenient for downtown patrons.
"I don't think we've done enough to study the parking situation," Silkaitis said. "Unless that's addressed here, I can't support this amendment."
But Alderman David Pietryla was among those who said it's too early to start setting specific parking requirements. Should a development project be brought forward, those details and other logistics would be addressed during the city's approval process.
"We're getting into the weeds now," Pietryla said. "We don't want to limit too much upfront."
Because St. Charles owns the police station and most of the surrounding properties, city officials will have a say in how the area is developed, Colby said. Issuing a request for proposals will allow developers to submit ideas, which would be evaluated by the city.
The comprehensive plan is intended to represent the city's long-range vision for that area, Community and Economic Development Director Rita Tungare said. The concepts outlined in that document aren't set in stone.
In addition to developing the police station site, the proposed plan amendment for the east side of the river calls for maintaining at least 60 feet of open space along the shoreline, widening the walking path and creating interconnectivity among local trails. A parcel east of Riverside Avenue could be conducive for a parking structure or residential uses, Colby said.
On the west side, open space would be the most suitable land use for parcels along the river and State Street Creek, while mixed-use buildings with residential, commercial and office space are appropriate for most other properties, Colby said.
If the opportunity for redevelopment arises, he said, the plan commission suggested setting the buildings back from the property line and "focusing on the specific block frontages" in certain areas. Businesses could benefit from having wider sidewalks and a more functional streetscape area.
A public hearing will be held before the city council votes on adopting the comprehensive plan amendment at an upcoming meeting.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-16--Aurora's Commitment2Community aims to help returning veterans build new bonds

Soldiers returning home from the battlefield can carry unseen scars , and Commitment2Community , a new Aurora-based nonprofit , is trying to help by forming a strong community of young veterans .
Heather Kuziel , 41 , of Aurora founded the group in 2018 as a way to provide support and therapeutic recreation for veterans , their loved ones and those currently serving .
Kuziel is not a veteran .
She had dreamed of joining the Air Force , but could n't for medical reasons .
Though she grew up in the Aurora area , she spent most of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a recreational therapist in a group home .
While there , she would organize activities between the foster kids and local veterans .
`` Youth in the foster system can feel lost , '' Kuziel said .
`` The kids felt they had a mentor and someone to look up to . ''
She started Commitment2Community soon after she and her 9-year-old son moved back to the area .
The group 's main program is called # 22vets , a reference to the number of military veterans who die by suicide per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizes monthly therapeutic recreation events to help foster a sense of community among younger veterans .
During war , brotherhoods often form among troops .
But once they return home , Kuziel said , they can lose that bond .
`` So we help them form a new brotherhood here in the community , '' Kuziel said .
Last month , the group met at Barbell 4:13 Gym in North Aurora , which is owned by a veteran , Dave Keilman .
At the event , veterans were treated to a free workout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Greg Zilioli , an Aurora resident who teaches woodworking skills to veterans through A Call to Shoulders .
The program aims to teach veterans new skills that could even help them start their own businesses .
The next event will be at Beans Greens Proteins , an Aurora health food restaurant owned by Andrew Schoenwetter , a veteran and a member of the Commitment2Community board .
The group will gather for free food , games and fun .
The veterans will also box up donated items , including snacks and toiletries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those interested in learning more about the group can go to hkcommitment2commu.wixsite.com/mysite .

Aurora's Commitment2Community aims to help returning veterans build new bonds
Commitment2Community founder Heather Kuziel started the group in 2018 as a way to connect veterans recently returning from war. Courtesy of Commitment2Community
Soldiers returning home from the battlefield can carry unseen scars, and Commitment2Community, a new Aurora-based nonprofit, is trying to help by forming a strong community of young veterans.
Heather Kuziel, 41, of Aurora founded the group in 2018 as a way to provide support and therapeutic recreation for veterans, their loved ones and those currently serving.
Kuziel is not a veteran. She had dreamed of joining the Air Force, but couldn't for medical reasons.
Though she grew up in the Aurora area, she spent most of her adult life in Florida where she worked as a recreational therapist in a group home. While there, she would organize activities between the foster kids and local veterans.
"Youth in the foster system can feel lost," Kuziel said. "The kids felt they had a mentor and someone to look up to."
She started Commitment2Community soon after she and her 9-year-old son moved back to the area.
The group's main program is called #22vets, a reference to the number of military veterans who die by suicide per day, on average. The group organizes monthly therapeutic recreation events to help foster a sense of community among younger veterans.
During war, brotherhoods often form among troops. But once they return home, Kuziel said, they can lose that bond.
"So we help them form a new brotherhood here in the community," Kuziel said.
Last month, the group met at Barbell 4:13 Gym in North Aurora, which is owned by a veteran, Dave Keilman. At the event, veterans were treated to a free workout and pizza.
Another recent gathering was with Greg Zilioli, an Aurora resident who teaches woodworking skills to veterans through A Call to Shoulders. The program aims to teach veterans new skills that could even help them start their own businesses.
The next event will be at Beans Greens Proteins, an Aurora health food restaurant owned by Andrew Schoenwetter, a veteran and a member of the Commitment2Community board. The group will gather for free food, games and fun. The veterans will also box up donated items, including snacks and toiletries, to ship to soldiers serving overseas.
Those interested in learning more about the group can go to hkcommitment2commu.wixsite.com/mysite.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-16--Warehouse developer backs out of Elk Grove Township plan

A developer 's plan to build a warehouse next to houses in Elk Grove Township is dead after a lawsuit filed by a group of residents and businesses was settled .
Logistics Property Co. had proposed building the $ 27.4 million , 210,400-square-foot trucking warehouse on an 11.5-acre site north of Landmeier Road and east of Roppolo Avenue .
The company got 23 homeowners in the unincorporated Roppolo subdivision to agree to sell their houses to make way for the project , which also earned the endorsement of the Elk Grove Village board for subsequent rezoning and annexation in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August by homeowners and businesses north and west of where the warehouse would be built , was dismissed after a settlement agreement was reached in December .
`` They backed out , '' said Dawn Jablonski , president of the Community Council of Roppolo and Richard , the neighborhood group that brought the lawsuit .
`` They did n't wan na challenge us in court . ''
Logistics officials confirmed they are no longer pursuing the project but declined to answer questions about the apparent change of heart .
`` We 're no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Aaron Martell , the company 's executive vice president , said in a statement .
The village 's previous approvals for the project are now moot .
`` It was set to go , but because of the potential protracted litigation , our understanding is the developer did not want to go down that path , '' Mayor Craig Johnson said .
Jablonski believes her community group 's strongest legal argument was a 1957 land covenant that says only single-family houses can be built within the Roppolo subdivision , which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses bordering it in Elk Grove Village The suit stipulated that five of the 23 houses Logistics had under contract were bound by that covenant .
Logistics officials previously said they did n't view the covenant as `` valid , enforceable , or relevant . ''
The lawsuit also pointed to an easement that gives property owners access along Richard Lane to and from Landmeier Road .
A portion of Richard Lane , a private road , would have been eliminated if the warehouse were built .
One of the businesses that uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 750 Richard Lane , which was named as a plaintiff in the suit along with Jablonski and neighbor Heather Maldonado .
According to state records , AGG is controlled by developer Mario Gullo , who is engaged in a separate annexation lawsuit with Elk Grove Village .
Gullo , head of George Gullo Development Corp. , filed suit against the village a year ago to block a forcible annexation of unincorporated properties he owns along Higgins Avenue .
Johnson has publicly accused Gullo of being behind a series of anonymous robocalls and campaign-style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 term limits referendum that could remove the longtime mayor from office .
Gullo has denied the charges .

Warehouse developer backs out of Elk Grove Township plan
A sketch shows the light industrial building that was proposed for the southern portion of the Roppolo subdivision in unincorporated Elk Grove Township. But the developer withdrew after nearby residents and businesses filed suit. Courtesy of Logistics Property Co.
A developer's plan to build a warehouse next to houses in Elk Grove Township is dead after a lawsuit filed by a group of residents and businesses was settled.
Logistics Property Co. had proposed building the $27.4 million, 210,400-square-foot trucking warehouse on an 11.5-acre site north of Landmeier Road and east of Roppolo Avenue.
The company got 23 homeowners in the unincorporated Roppolo subdivision to agree to sell their houses to make way for the project, which also earned the endorsement of the Elk Grove Village board for subsequent rezoning and annexation in September.
But the suit, brought in August by homeowners and businesses north and west of where the warehouse would be built, was dismissed after a settlement agreement was reached in December.
"They backed out," said Dawn Jablonski, president of the Community Council of Roppolo and Richard, the neighborhood group that brought the lawsuit. "They didn't wanna challenge us in court."
Logistics officials confirmed they are no longer pursuing the project but declined to answer questions about the apparent change of heart.
"We're no longer involved in the Roppolo Assemblage," Aaron Martell, the company's executive vice president, said in a statement.
The village's previous approvals for the project are now moot.
"It was set to go, but because of the potential protracted litigation, our understanding is the developer did not want to go down that path," Mayor Craig Johnson said.
Jablonski believes her community group's strongest legal argument was a 1957 land covenant that says only single-family houses can be built within the Roppolo subdivision, which has been left unscathed amid growing commercial and industrial uses bordering it in Elk Grove Village The suit stipulated that five of the 23 houses Logistics had under contract were bound by that covenant.
Logistics officials previously said they didn't view the covenant as "valid, enforceable, or relevant."
The lawsuit also pointed to an easement that gives property owners access along Richard Lane to and from Landmeier Road.
A portion of Richard Lane, a private road, would have been eliminated if the warehouse were built.
One of the businesses that uses that road is AGG Properties LLC, 750 Richard Lane, which was named as a plaintiff in the suit along with Jablonski and neighbor Heather Maldonado. According to state records, AGG is controlled by developer Mario Gullo, who is engaged in a separate annexation lawsuit with Elk Grove Village.
Gullo, head of George Gullo Development Corp., filed suit against the village a year ago to block a forcible annexation of unincorporated properties he owns along Higgins Avenue.
Johnson has publicly accused Gullo of being behind a series of anonymous robocalls and campaign-style mailers that have come amid a March 17 term limits referendum that could remove the longtime mayor from office. Gullo has denied the charges.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-16--Bartlett home left uninhabitable after fire

A Bartlett home has been left uninhabitable after a fire Sunday morning .
The Bartlett Fire Protection District responded to @ @ @ @ @ Drive just after 11:30 a.m. and quickly worked to control the blaze from outside the @ @ @ @ @ declared under control at 11:57 a.m. One firefighter suffered minor injuries during the response and @ @ @ @ @ the incident .
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Bartlett Fire @ @

Bartlett home left uninhabitable after fire
A Bartlett home has been left uninhabitable after a fire Sunday morning. Courtesy of Bartlett Fire Protection District
A Bartlett home has been left uninhabitable after a fire Sunday morning.
The Bartlett Fire Protection District responded to the 100 block of Prescott Drive just after 11:30 a.m. and quickly worked to control the blaze from outside the house. The fire was declared under control at 11:57 a.m.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries during the response and no civilians were injured in the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Bartlett Fire District.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Naperville to decide: Is new Costco worth $5.5 million incentive?

Naperville City Council members are set to discuss whether replacing a longtime big-box vacancy with a new Costco is worth $ 5.5 million in sales tax incentives .
The council could offer a rebate to entice the warehouse grocer and retailer to open its second store in town during a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the municipal center at 400 S. Eagle St. Costco has told city officials it needs $ 5.5 million to profitably operate a store at the site of a vacant former Kmart on East Ogden Avenue .
`` Without the incentive , Costco will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Bill Novack , director of transportation , engineering and development , wrote in a memo .
The city has worked for at least the past five years to fill the vacancy left by Kmart , which closed in April 2013 , Novack said in the memo .
Officials set a goal under one of the city 's four major initiatives to `` actively seek to fill vacant spaces at Ogden Mall , Iroquois Mall and the northwest corner of Ogden Avenue and Naper Boulevard . ''
Costco wants to locate a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naperville warehouse on Route 59 near 75th Street has become too busy for its own good , Novack 's memo said .
`` Costco reports that when demand is too high in a single location , some customers choose to visit the store less frequently due to crowding or visit other stores in other communities , '' the memo said .
So city staff members have devised a way to get Costco the $ 5.5 million it needs to build a new store on East Ogden -- in an area of northeast Naperville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has looked for sites for the past five years .
The incentive plan would give back 75 % of the city 's portion of the state-imposed sales tax and 75 % of the city 's own home-rule sales tax on all purchases made at the new Costco .
It is projected to pay out the $ 5.5 million within five years of the store 's opening , Novack 's memo said , based on expected sales tax receipts starting at $ 1.25 million in the first year and growing to $ 1.73 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expire when $ 5.5 million is paid back to Costco or when 15 years passes -- whichever comes first .
It would not rebate any of the motor fuel tax from the gas station Costco plans to build .
The incentive also is projected to keep the amount of sales taxes the city receives from both Costco locations at or above the amount it draws from one Costco store now , Novack said in the memo .
The offer of $ 5.5 million would be the fifth-largest tax incentive the city has granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from $ 1.4 million to Main Street Promenade to $ 10 million to Marriott Chicago Naperville .
In each case , Novack said in the memo , the city has been `` strategic in its limited use of economic development incentives , setting a goal and using incentives to achieve that goal . ''
In the potential Costco deal , the wholesaler would buy the western 18.5 acres of the Ogden Mall site and would tear down much of the strip mall , including the space rented by the popular Classic Cinemas Ogden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Classic Cinemas and owner of Ogden 6 , said his business would be forced to move or close if the deal goes through .
The city and the Naperville Development Partnership are helping Johnson consider potential alternate sites .
An online petition to save the theater in place has drawn 20,707 signatures since it was established by two Ogden 6 employees Feb. 3 .

Is new Costco worth $5.5 million incentive? Naperville has decision to make.
Naperville City Council members are set to discuss whether replacing a longtime big-box vacancy with a new Costco is worth $5.5 million in sales tax incentives.
The council could offer a rebate to entice the warehouse grocer and retailer to open its second store in town during a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the municipal center at 400 S. Eagle St.
Costco has told city officials it needs $5.5 million to profitably operate a store at the site of a vacant former Kmart on East Ogden Avenue.
"Without the incentive, Costco will not proceed with a store at this location," Bill Novack, director of transportation, engineering and development, wrote in a memo.
The city has worked for at least the past five years to fill the vacancy left by Kmart, which closed in April 2013, Novack said in the memo. Officials set a goal under one of the city's four major initiatives to "actively seek to fill vacant spaces at Ogden Mall, Iroquois Mall and the northwest corner of Ogden Avenue and Naper Boulevard."
Costco wants to locate a store at Ogden Mall because its other Naperville warehouse on Route 59 near 75th Street has become too busy for its own good, Novack's memo said.
"Costco reports that when demand is too high in a single location, some customers choose to visit the store less frequently due to crowding or visit other stores in other communities," the memo said.
So city staff members have devised a way to get Costco the $5.5 million it needs to build a new store on East Ogden -- in an area of northeast Naperville, Lisle or Warrenville where the company has looked for sites for the past five years.
The incentive plan would give back 75% of the city's portion of the state-imposed sales tax and 75% of the city's own home-rule sales tax on all purchases made at the new Costco. It is projected to pay out the $5.5 million within five years of the store's opening, Novack's memo said, based on expected sales tax receipts starting at $1.25 million in the first year and growing to $1.73 million in the fifth.
The deal would expire when $5.5 million is paid back to Costco or when 15 years passes -- whichever comes first. It would not rebate any of the motor fuel tax from the gas station Costco plans to build.
The incentive also is projected to keep the amount of sales taxes the city receives from both Costco locations at or above the amount it draws from one Costco store now, Novack said in the memo.
The offer of $5.5 million would be the fifth-largest tax incentive the city has granted since 2008, with other incentives ranging from $1.4 million to Main Street Promenade to $10 million to Marriott Chicago Naperville.
In each case, Novack said in the memo, the city has been "strategic in its limited use of economic development incentives, setting a goal and using incentives to achieve that goal."
In the potential Costco deal, the wholesaler would buy the western 18.5 acres of the Ogden Mall site and would tear down much of the strip mall, including the space rented by the popular Classic Cinemas Ogden 6 Theatres.
Chris Johnson, CEO of Classic Cinemas and owner of Ogden 6, said his business would be forced to move or close if the deal goes through. The city and the Naperville Development Partnership are helping Johnson consider potential alternate sites.
An online petition to save the theater in place has drawn 20,707 signatures since it was established by two Ogden 6 employees Feb. 3.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Feder: Cubs TV broadcasts get additional home on Hulu

There 's still no deal with Comcast Xfinity , but Marquee Sports Network has signed an agreement with the streaming service Hulu to carry the new television home of the Cubs , according to Robert Feder .
`` We are thrilled to partner with Hulu and add them to our growing list of over 30 affiliates who will carry the network , '' Marquee GM Mike McCarthy said in a statement .
The addition of Hulu + Live TV provides an alternative to cable cord cutters , according to Broadcasting and Cable .
Starting Saturday , the joint venture of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin airing all preseason and regular season games .
Additional programming is expected to include `` The Sports Reporters , '' a weekly roundtable reminiscent of `` The Sports Writers on TV , '' and a monthly talk show hosted by Ryan Dempster .
On the move : Gordon Wittenmyer , Chicago Cubs beat writer for the Sun-Times since 2007 , is leaving to join NBC Sports Chicago .
Starting in early March , he 'll become the new Cubs Insider for the regional sports network .
With a week to go before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun-Times posted an opening Friday for Wittenmyer 's position .
He 's expected to continue as a contributor to Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM .
Before joining the Sun-Times , the University of Washington graduate worked for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Seattle Times .
Onward , upward : Chicago Tribune baseball writer Paul Sullivan , one of a dwindling number of sports columnists left at the newspaper , has been designated as its `` In the Wake of the News '' columnist .
The title most recently was held by David Haugh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Sullivan joins a list of Chicago 's great journalists in becoming the 18th sports columnist to hold the distinguished title in the newspaper 's 172-year history , '' said a note to readers Sunday .
Sullivan , a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia , joined the Tribune in 1981 .
He 's president of the Baseball Writers Association of America .

Feder: Cubs TV broadcasts get additional home on Hulu
There's still no deal with Comcast Xfinity, but Marquee Sports Network has signed an agreement with the streaming service Hulu to carry the new television home of the Cubs, according to Robert Feder.
"We are thrilled to partner with Hulu and add them to our growing list of over 30 affiliates who will carry the network," Marquee GM Mike McCarthy said in a statement.
The addition of Hulu + Live TV provides an alternative to cable cord cutters, according to Broadcasting and Cable.
Starting Saturday, the joint venture of the Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group will begin airing all preseason and regular season games. Additional programming is expected to include "The Sports Reporters," a weekly roundtable reminiscent of "The Sports Writers on TV," and a monthly talk show hosted by Ryan Dempster.
On the move:
Gordon Wittenmyer, Chicago Cubs beat writer for the Sun-Times since 2007, is leaving to join NBC Sports Chicago. Starting in early March, he'll become the new Cubs Insider for the regional sports network. With a week to go before the start of spring training, the Sun-Times posted an opening Friday for Wittenmyer's position. He's expected to continue as a contributor to Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. Before joining the Sun-Times, the University of Washington graduate worked for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Seattle Times.
Onward, upward:
Chicago Tribune baseball writer Paul Sullivan, one of a dwindling number of sports columnists left at the newspaper, has been designated as its "In the Wake of the News" columnist. The title most recently was held by David Haugh, whose freelance position was eliminated last month. "Sullivan joins a list of Chicago's great journalists in becoming the 18th sports columnist to hold the distinguished title in the newspaper's 172-year history," said a note to readers Sunday. Sullivan, a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia, joined the Tribune in 1981. He's president of the Baseball Writers Association of America.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Popcorn and a chardonnay? Glen Ellyn movie theater considers selling alcohol

Glen Ellyn moviegoers could find themselves asking a tricky question : What wine pairs best with popcorn or a box of Sno-Caps ?
An iconic movie house in downtown Glen Ellyn is looking to sell alcohol to try to better compete with nearby theaters that boast extensive cocktail menus .
The village would have to create a new type of liquor license to allow the Glen Art Theatre to sell craft beer and wine from its concession stand .
`` It 's pretty much standard , '' owner Eric White said .
`` I do n't think you can open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sell liquor . ''
White has not yet formally applied for such a liquor license , but he plans to gauge support from village trustees during a workshop meeting Tuesday night .
He also wants to know what restrictions the board would place on alcohol sales at the Glen .
`` This is more an exploration than anything along those lines , '' White said Monday .
A wine and beer selection would help bring the 1920s-era landmark into the age of in-theater dining .
The Glen transitioned to digital projection in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the few independently-owned downtown theaters in the suburbs .
Indie films and foreign language films often appear on the Glen 's retro theater marquee .
The four-screen theater now draws about 55,000 visitors each year , according to a village board memo .
White said patrons have long requested alcohol .
He said he regularly has to pick up liquor bottles from moviegoers who sneak in drinks to screenings .
Glen Ellyn business owners must pay a $ 500 application fee when they initially apply for their license .
The village has proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquor license that could be created for the Glen Art Theatre .
A 1.5 % food and beverage tax enacted by the village last March also would apply to alcohol sales at the theater .
Trustees will discuss a liquor license for the Glen during Tuesday 's meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Room 301 of the Glen Ellyn Civic Center .

Popcorn and a chardonnay? Glen Ellyn movie theater considers selling alcohol
Glen Ellyn moviegoers could find themselves asking a tricky question: What wine pairs best with popcorn or a box of Sno-Caps?
An iconic movie house in downtown Glen Ellyn is looking to sell alcohol to try to better compete with nearby theaters that boast extensive cocktail menus.
The village would have to create a new type of liquor license to allow the Glen Art Theatre to sell craft beer and wine from its concession stand.
"It's pretty much standard," owner Eric White said. "I don't think you can open a movie theater now and not try to sell liquor."
White has not yet formally applied for such a liquor license, but he plans to gauge support from village trustees during a workshop meeting Tuesday night. He also wants to know what restrictions the board would place on alcohol sales at the Glen.
"This is more an exploration than anything along those lines," White said Monday.
A wine and beer selection would help bring the 1920s-era landmark into the age of in-theater dining. The Glen transitioned to digital projection in 2013, but it remains one of the few independently-owned downtown theaters in the suburbs. Indie films and foreign language films often appear on the Glen's retro theater marquee.
The four-screen theater now draws about 55,000 visitors each year, according to a village board memo.
White said patrons have long requested alcohol. He said he regularly has to pick up liquor bottles from moviegoers who sneak in drinks to screenings.
Glen Ellyn business owners must pay a $500 application fee when they initially apply for their license. The village has proposed a $500 annual fee for the liquor license that could be created for the Glen Art Theatre.
A 1.5% food and beverage tax enacted by the village last March also would apply to alcohol sales at the theater.
Trustees will discuss a liquor license for the Glen during Tuesday's meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Room 301 of the Glen Ellyn Civic Center.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Buffalo Grove considering new TIF district to spark growth in Lake-Cook corridor

Buffalo Grove 's Lake-Cook Road corridor has been the subject of much discussion among residents , planners , developers , officials and local politicians , but all the talk has yet to translate into results for a thoroughfare bookended by two moribund shopping centers .
That picture could change dramatically with the creation of a Lake-Cook Road tax increment financing district , a move village officials hope will spur private investment in the corridor .
Tonight , the village board will consider an ordinance authorizing consultant SB Friedman to complete a final TIF feasibility study for the corridor , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McHenry , Old Checker and Lake-Cook roads .
The final report from Friedman , which played a significant role in the creation of Mount Prospect 's Prospect and Main TIF district , is the necessary first step in the creation of the TIF district .
Its results will determine whether the village meets state requirements .
A TIF district works by freezing the amount of property taxes local governments receive for 23 years .
As taxes rise with development in the area , those increases are funneled to a village fund to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School , park and library districts that would not directly benefit from that development often oppose TIF districts .
But Village President Beverly Sussman said the village already has reached out to other local governments about the proposal .
`` So far they have been positive about it , '' she said .
One area of focus for TIF district funding would be Town Center , which is one of two struggling shopping centers on either end of the corridor .
The other is Chase Plaza .
Sussman said that since she ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one constant complaint she has received has been about Town Center .
`` If we can do something about the Town Center with the help of a TIF , then I think we have to think about it very seriously and consider all the advantages that would be there for having a TIF , '' she said .
`` This is nowhere near anything that looks like 'And we 're going to be voting in two weeks , ' '' he said .
The board meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Buffalo Grove considering new TIF district to spark growth in Lake-Cook corridor
After years of study and planning for the future of the 472-acre Lake-Cook Road corridor, Buffalo Grove officials are taking steps toward creating a Tax Increment Financing district they believe could spark redevelopment. Courtesy of Village of Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove's Lake-Cook Corridor plan envisions new retail, entertainment and other commercial developments in the 472-acrea area. Officials this week will consider steps toward creating a Tax Increment Financing district they believe could spark that redevelopment. Courtesy of Village of Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove's Lake-Cook Road corridor has been the subject of much discussion among residents, planners, developers, officials and local politicians, but all the talk has yet to translate into results for a thoroughfare bookended by two moribund shopping centers.
That picture could change dramatically with the creation of a Lake-Cook Road tax increment financing district, a move village officials hope will spur private investment in the corridor.
Tonight, the village board will consider an ordinance authorizing consultant SB Friedman to complete a final TIF feasibility study for the corridor, a 472-acre area bordered by Arlington Heights, McHenry, Old Checker and Lake-Cook roads.
The final report from Friedman, which played a significant role in the creation of Mount Prospect's Prospect and Main TIF district, is the necessary first step in the creation of the TIF district. Its results will determine whether the village meets state requirements.
A TIF district works by freezing the amount of property taxes local governments receive for 23 years. As taxes rise with development in the area, those increases are funneled to a village fund to pay for public improvements within the district.
School, park and library districts that would not directly benefit from that development often oppose TIF districts. But Village President Beverly Sussman said the village already has reached out to other local governments about the proposal.
"So far they have been positive about it," she said.
One area of focus for TIF district funding would be Town Center, which is one of two struggling shopping centers on either end of the corridor. The other is Chase Plaza.
Sussman said that since she ran for elected office 11 years ago, the one constant complaint she has received has been about Town Center.
"If we can do something about the Town Center with the help of a TIF, then I think we have to think about it very seriously and consider all the advantages that would be there for having a TIF," she said.
Trustee David Weidenfeld said tonight's discussions are preliminary.
"This is nowhere near anything that looks like 'And we're going to be voting in two weeks,'" he said.
The board meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. today at village hall, 50 Raupp Blvd.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Pritzker plans $147 million boost for DCFS

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker 's second-year budget will include a $ 147 million increase in funding for DCFS to boost @ @ @ @ @ investigations .
The Democratic governor also plans to increase the agency 's head count to @ @ @ @ @ the 2,758 employed in 2018 .
That 's intended to reduce caseloads for overwhelmed investigators @ @ @ @ @ a hotline set up to receive calls about cases of child abuse and neglect .
@ @ @ @ @ children who had been in contact with the Department of Children and Family Services last @ @ @ @ @ inspector general 's report released in January .
Pritzker will give his budget speech in @ @ @ @

Pritzker plans $147 million boost for DCFS
Gov. J.B. Pritzker will deliver his second-year budget address Wednesday in Springfield. Associated Press file photo
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's second-year budget will include a $147 million increase in funding for DCFS to boost staffing and increase support for investigations.
The Democratic governor also plans to increase the agency's head count to 3,056 employees, up from the 2,758 employed in 2018. That's intended to reduce caseloads for overwhelmed investigators and to boost staffing at a hotline set up to receive calls about cases of child abuse and neglect.
There were 123 deaths of children who had been in contact with the Department of Children and Family Services last year, according to an inspector general's report released in January.
Pritzker will give his budget speech in Springfield on Wednesday.
For the full story, visit chicago.suntimes.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Presentation offers ideas on how to turn conversation away from flooding at Palatine Hills

Financial incentives for large bookings and creating private club-quality greens are seen as ways for Palatine Hills Golf Course to boost its image in an effort to combat perceptions it 's often a flood-prone , unplayable layout .
In 2019 , heavy rain led to flooded conditions on eight occasions at the 18-hole Palatine Park District-owned facility , according to an annual golf course report .
The final four holes are particularly vulnerable to flooding .
`` Golfers do hesitate to book rounds or outings to Palatine because of a fear of flooding or lasting effects from previous rain on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the course 's head golf professional .
Palatine Hills lost three outings due to rain or the course 's closure in 2019 .
Five other outings attracted fewer than half the number of anticipated golfers , with poor course conditions from rain or inclement weather the cited reasons .
Forty-five outings brought 930 golfers to Palatine Hills last year .
One potential financial incentive to encourage group bookings would be to offer a future half-price outing in case of a washout , Hotchkin said during a presentation to the park board last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said while Palatine Hills typically receives compliments for its playing conditions in online customer reviews , flooding also is mentioned .
`` It is affecting us and , unfortunately , that word is out there and you ca n't take it back , '' said Helms , a Palatine village councilman .
Helms said another idea to boost the course 's image is to take the greens to private club standards .
Unlike the weather , he said , that 's something Palatine Hills can control .
`` They 're probably the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We can start pushing it a little bit , so that 's what we 're going to do .
We 're going to start to increase the speed on the greens .
And I think that 's going to be fun for all golfers and put a fun buzz out there , 'Hey , go play Palatine Hills Golf Course , the greens are second to none . '
'' Open since 1968 , Palatine Hills was created from farmland , park district Executive Director Mike Clark said .
The final four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development , he said , and serving the overall community by taking on stormwater and protecting property near the course .
`` So , I always try to remind people that that land , even though it 's a golf course and it floods , it is doing the purpose that it 's meant to do and it 's not flooding people 's basements , '' Clark said .
Clark added that park officials last year determined expenses would outweigh potential financial benefits of spending at least $ 1 million to widen a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the course 's east side .
Despite fewer rounds in 2019 , Palatine Hills ' $ 641,503 in total greens fees slightly topped the $ 638,548 from 2018 , according to the annual report .
Last year 's $ 11,197 in revenue from The Hills three-hole , short-game area was 10 % above 2018 's total .

Presentation offers ideas on how to turn conversation away from flooding at Palatine Hills
Financial incentives for large bookings and creating private club-quality greens are seen as ways for Palatine Hills Golf Course to boost its image in an effort to combat perceptions it's often a flood-prone, unplayable layout.
In 2019, heavy rain led to flooded conditions on eight occasions at the 18-hole Palatine Park District-owned facility, according to an annual golf course report. The final four holes are particularly vulnerable to flooding.
"Golfers do hesitate to book rounds or outings to Palatine because of a fear of flooding or lasting effects from previous rain on course conditions," said Dan Hotchkin, the course's head golf professional.
Palatine Hills lost three outings due to rain or the course's closure in 2019. Five other outings attracted fewer than half the number of anticipated golfers, with poor course conditions from rain or inclement weather the cited reasons.
Forty-five outings brought 930 golfers to Palatine Hills last year. One potential financial incentive to encourage group bookings would be to offer a future half-price outing in case of a washout, Hotchkin said during a presentation to the park board last week.
Golf course Superintendent Brad Helms said while Palatine Hills typically receives compliments for its playing conditions in online customer reviews, flooding also is mentioned.
"It is affecting us and, unfortunately, that word is out there and you can't take it back," said Helms, a Palatine village councilman.
Helms said another idea to boost the course's image is to take the greens to private club standards. Unlike the weather, he said, that's something Palatine Hills can control.
"They're probably the best greens around," he said. "We can start pushing it a little bit, so that's what we're going to do. We're going to start to increase the speed on the greens. And I think that's going to be fun for all golfers and put a fun buzz out there, 'Hey, go play Palatine Hills Golf Course, the greens are second to none.'"
Open since 1968, Palatine Hills was created from farmland, park district Executive Director Mike Clark said. The final four holes are in a floodplain unsuitable for development, he said, and serving the overall community by taking on stormwater and protecting property near the course.
"So, I always try to remind people that that land, even though it's a golf course and it floods, it is doing the purpose that it's meant to do and it's not flooding people's basements," Clark said.
Clark added that park officials last year determined expenses would outweigh potential financial benefits of spending at least $1 million to widen a culvert for stormwater collection under Smith Street on the course's east side.
Despite fewer rounds in 2019, Palatine Hills' $641,503 in total greens fees slightly topped the $638,548 from 2018, according to the annual report. Last year's $11,197 in revenue from The Hills three-hole, short-game area was 10% above 2018's total.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--American cruise passengers quarantined at US military bases

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE , Calif. -- More than 300 American cruise ship passengers , including 14 who tested positive for coronavirus , were being quarantined at military bases in California and Texas on Monday after arriving from Japan on charter flights overnight .
One plane carrying cruise passengers touched down at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California just before midnight Sunday , while another arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas early Monday .
The passengers will remain at the bases for two weeks .
Japan 's Defense Minister Taro Kono tweeted earlier that Japanese troops helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Yokohama port to Tokyo 's Haneda airport .
About 380 Americans were on the cruise ship .
The U.S. said it arranged for the evacuation because people on the Diamond Princess were at a high risk of exposure to the new virus that 's been spreading in Asia .
For the departing Americans , the evacuation cuts short a 14-day quarantine that began aboard the cruise ship Feb. 5 .
The State Department announced later that 14 of the evacuees received confirmation they had the virus but were allowed to board the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They were being kept isolated from other passengers on the flight , the U.S. State and Health and Human Services said in a joint statement .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health , said Sunday that an infected person who shows minimal symptoms could still pass the virus to someone else .
It 's unclear which base the 14 who tested positive for the virus went to .
Officials said the evacuees who arrived at Travis Air Force Base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the more than 200 other Americans who were already being quarantined on the base , in a hotel .
Those people have been at the base since early February , when they arrived on flights from China .
No Travis airmen will have contact with the passengers , officials said .
Now that they 're in the U.S. , the cruise ship passengers must go through another 14 days of quarantine at the military facilities -- meaning they will have been under quarantine for a total of nearly four weeks .
Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were planning similar flights of passengers .
Other governments , including Canada and Hong Kong , also will require the passengers to undergo a second 14-day quarantine .
Japan on Monday announced another 99 infections on the Diamond Princess , raising the ship 's total number of cases to 454 .
Overall , Japan has 419 confirmed cases of the virus , including one death .
The United States has confirmed 15 cases within the country .
Separately , one U.S. citizen died in China .
Americans Cheryl and Paul Molesky , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted to trade one coronavirus quarantine for another , leaving the cruise ship to fly back to the U.S. Cheryl Molesky said the rising number of patients on the ship factored into the decision .
`` We are glad to be going home , '' Cheryl Molesky earlier told NHK TV in Japan .
`` It 's just a little bit disappointing that we 'll have to go through quarantine again , and we will probably not be as comfortable as the Diamond Princess , possibly . ''
She sent The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boarding the plane with other Americans .
`` Well , we 're exhausted , but we 're on the plane and that 's a good feeling .
Pretty miserable wearing these masks though , and everybody had to go to the bathroom on the bus , '' she said .
Some American passengers said they would pass up the opportunity to fly to the United States because of the additional quarantine .
There also was worry about being on a long flight with other passengers who may be infected or in an incubation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthew Smith , said in a tweet Sunday that he saw a passenger with no face mask talking at close quarters with another passenger .
He said he and his wife scurried away .
`` If there are secondary infections on board , this is why , '' he said .
`` And you wanted me to get on a bus with her ? ''
He said the American health officials who visited their room was apparently surprised that the couple had decided to stay , and wished them luck .
`` Thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith said he told them .
This story has been corrected to show the first flight landed in California at 11:30 p.m. Sunday , not 2:30 a.m. Monday .
Associated Press journalists Mari Yamaguchi , Yuri Kageyama and Emily Wang in Tokyo contributed to this report .
Read more about the coronavirus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak

American cruise passengers quarantined at US military bases
In this Friday, Feb 7, 2020 photo, people arrive from Wuhan, China, aboard a chartered Boeing 747 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. U.S. officials on Thursday, Feb. 13, announced the country's 15th confirmed case of the new coronavirus -- an evacuee from China who had been transported on this flight and was under quarantine in Texas. The patient is now in isolation at a hospital and was reported in stable condition. (Billy Calzada/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
In this Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 photo, a passenger is helped off a chartered 747 that arrived from Wuhan, China at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in Texas. U.S. officials on Thursday, Feb. 13, announced the country's 15th confirmed case of the new coronavirus -- an evacuee from China who had been transported on this flight and was under quarantine in Texas. The patient is now in isolation at a hospital and was reported in stable condition. (Billy Calzada/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
In this Friday, Feb 7, 2020 photo, people arrive from Wuhan, China, aboard a chartered Boeing 747 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. U.S. officials on Thursday, Feb. 13, announced the country's 15th confirmed case of the new coronavirus -- an evacuee from China who had been transported on this flight and was under quarantine in Texas. The patient is now in isolation at a hospital and was reported in stable condition. (Billy Calzada/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, wait for the takeoff of a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, board a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
An airplane chartered by the U.S. government takes off at Haneda airport in Tokyo with U.S. passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama, Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. The cruise ship was carrying nearly 3,500 passengers and crew members under quarantine. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, board a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, Paul Molesky, right, and Cheryl Molesky, who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, film selfie video aboard a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, board a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
A group of ambulances from the Solano EMS Cooperative stage at the visitor center at Travis Air Force Base, adjacent to Fairfield, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020. A group of Americans cut short a 14-day quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama, near Tokyo, to be whisked back to America. But they will have to spend another quarantine period at U.S. military facilities including Travis to make sure they don't have the new virus that's been sweeping across Asia.
A bus carrying U.S. passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo, before the passengers board a Kalitta airplane chartered by the U.S. government Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. The cruise ship was carrying nearly 3,500 passengers and crew members under quarantine. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP)
A charter flight transporting passengers from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship moves behind military airplanes after it arrived at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020.
A group of ambulances from the Solano EMS Cooperative stage at the visitor center at Travis Air Force Base, adjacent to Fairfield, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020. A group of Americans cut short a 14-day quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama, near Tokyo, to be whisked back to America. But they will have to spend another quarantine period at U.S. military facilities including Travis to make sure they don't have the new virus that's been sweeping across Asia.
Buses carrying U.S. passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, seen in background, leaves Yokohama port, near Tokyo, early Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. The cruise ship was carrying nearly 3,500 passengers and crew members under quarantine. (Jun Hirata/Kyodo News via AP)
In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess and officials wait for the takeoff of a Kalitta Air airplane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP)
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- More than 300 American cruise ship passengers, including 14 who tested positive for coronavirus, were being quarantined at military bases in California and Texas on Monday after arriving from Japan on charter flights overnight.
One plane carrying cruise passengers touched down at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California just before midnight Sunday, while another arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas early Monday. The passengers will remain at the bases for two weeks.
Japan's Defense Minister Taro Kono tweeted earlier that Japanese troops helped transport 340 U.S. passengers on 14 buses from Yokohama port to Tokyo's Haneda airport. About 380 Americans were on the cruise ship.
The U.S. said it arranged for the evacuation because people on the Diamond Princess were at a high risk of exposure to the new virus that's been spreading in Asia. For the departing Americans, the evacuation cuts short a 14-day quarantine that began aboard the cruise ship Feb. 5.
The State Department announced later that 14 of the evacuees received confirmation they had the virus but were allowed to board the flight because they had no symptoms. They were being kept isolated from other passengers on the flight, the U.S. State and Health and Human Services said in a joint statement.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said Sunday that an infected person who shows minimal symptoms could still pass the virus to someone else.
It's unclear which base the 14 who tested positive for the virus went to.
Officials said the evacuees who arrived at Travis Air Force Base will be housed at a different location from the more than 200 other Americans who were already being quarantined on the base, in a hotel. Those people have been at the base since early February, when they arrived on flights from China.
No Travis airmen will have contact with the passengers, officials said.
Now that they're in the U.S., the cruise ship passengers must go through another 14 days of quarantine at the military facilities -- meaning they will have been under quarantine for a total of nearly four weeks.
Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Italy were planning similar flights of passengers. Other governments, including Canada and Hong Kong, also will require the passengers to undergo a second 14-day quarantine.
Japan on Monday announced another 99 infections on the Diamond Princess, raising the ship's total number of cases to 454. Overall, Japan has 419 confirmed cases of the virus, including one death. The United States has confirmed 15 cases within the country. Separately, one U.S. citizen died in China.
Americans Cheryl and Paul Molesky, a couple from Syracuse, New York, opted to trade one coronavirus quarantine for another, leaving the cruise ship to fly back to the U.S. Cheryl Molesky said the rising number of patients on the ship factored into the decision.
"We are glad to be going home," Cheryl Molesky earlier told NHK TV in Japan. "It's just a little bit disappointing that we'll have to go through quarantine again, and we will probably not be as comfortable as the Diamond Princess, possibly."
She sent The Associated Press a video of her and her husband boarding the plane with other Americans.
"Well, we're exhausted, but we're on the plane and that's a good feeling. Pretty miserable wearing these masks though, and everybody had to go to the bathroom on the bus," she said.
Some American passengers said they would pass up the opportunity to fly to the United States because of the additional quarantine. There also was worry about being on a long flight with other passengers who may be infected or in an incubation period.
One of the Americans, Matthew Smith, said in a tweet Sunday that he saw a passenger with no face mask talking at close quarters with another passenger. He said he and his wife scurried away.
"If there are secondary infections on board, this is why," he said. "And you wanted me to get on a bus with her?"
He said the American health officials who visited their room was apparently surprised that the couple had decided to stay, and wished them luck.
"Thanks, but we're fine," Smith said he told them.
This story has been corrected to show the first flight landed in California at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, not 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Associated Press journalists Mari Yamaguchi, Yuri Kageyama and Emily Wang in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Read more about the coronavirus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Long-delayed Hoffman Estates bike path expected this year

Three local governments are determined this year to finally build a long-delayed east-west bike trail link along Shoe Factory Road from Route 59 west to the Canadian National railroad tracks in Hoffman Estates .
But plans to build a north-south connection under the I-90 tollway bridge to the same endpoint -- and develop a bike route through the Prairie Stone Business Park on the north side -- remain stalled by CN 's reluctance to allow use of the needed right of way along its tracks .
The village of Hoffman Estates , Hoffman Estates Park District and Cook County Forest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month to get the 0.7-milelong Shoe Factory Road connection built during the 2020 construction season .
That leg , which would pave an existing dirt trail , is seen as an important component in keeping bicyclists and pedestrians safely off a particularly busy stretch of Shoe Factory Road , Hoffman Estates Transportation & Engineering Director Mike Hankey said .
Cyclists coming from the east could continue uninterrupted another eight or nine miles west to Elgin , he added .
CN officials have been citing safety concerns for not allowing use of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though planners of the proposed north-south bike trail connection expect some distance and a physical barrier between the path and railroad , Hankey said .
The reason for finally putting those negotiations on the back burner was the time pressure to get the Shoe Factory Road component done before federal funding -- first offered in 2013 through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant -- potentially expires , he said .
The federal government is funding about 70 % of the total $ 470,000 project , with the three local governments dividing the remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engineering , Hankey said .
The forest preserve is handling half that share -- $ 72,213 -- while the village and park district are paying 25 % each , about $ 36,106 .
It remains a priority to get bicyclists and pedestrians safely across the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway , and phase I engineering is planned for this year to design a trail along Beverly Road to the west , Hankey said .
If the process were to continue without interruption , such a trail might be built as early as 2022 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there would still be a benefit of a connection along the CN tracks if permission to use the right of way were given .
But under those circumstances , the decision to proceed would n't be his or even the village 's alone , he said .

Long-delayed Hoffman Estates bike path expected this year
Plans are moving forward this year to pave a stretch of off-road bike trail along Shoe Factory Road east from the Canadian National railroad tracks in Hoffman Estates to Route 59. A related proposal for a north-south connection paving the dirt trail along the tracks is being put on hold. Daily Herald file photo, 2016
Three local governments are determined this year to finally build a long-delayed east-west bike trail link along Shoe Factory Road from Route 59 west to the Canadian National railroad tracks in Hoffman Estates.
But plans to build a north-south connection under the I-90 tollway bridge to the same endpoint -- and develop a bike route through the Prairie Stone Business Park on the north side -- remain stalled by CN's reluctance to allow use of the needed right of way along its tracks.
The village of Hoffman Estates, Hoffman Estates Park District and Cook County Forest Preserve District are signing an intergovernmental agreement this month to get the 0.7-milelong Shoe Factory Road connection built during the 2020 construction season.
That leg, which would pave an existing dirt trail, is seen as an important component in keeping bicyclists and pedestrians safely off a particularly busy stretch of Shoe Factory Road, Hoffman Estates Transportation & Engineering Director Mike Hankey said.
Cyclists coming from the east could continue uninterrupted another eight or nine miles west to Elgin, he added.
CN officials have been citing safety concerns for not allowing use of the right of way along their tracks, though planners of the proposed north-south bike trail connection expect some distance and a physical barrier between the path and railroad, Hankey said.
The reason for finally putting those negotiations on the back burner was the time pressure to get the Shoe Factory Road component done before federal funding -- first offered in 2013 through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant -- potentially expires, he said.
The federal government is funding about 70% of the total $470,000 project, with the three local governments dividing the remaining cost of phase I and phase II engineering, Hankey said.
The forest preserve is handling half that share -- $72,213 -- while the village and park district are paying 25% each, about $36,106.
It remains a priority to get bicyclists and pedestrians safely across the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, and phase I engineering is planned for this year to design a trail along Beverly Road to the west, Hankey said. If the process were to continue without interruption, such a trail might be built as early as 2022.
Even if it is, Hankey said there would still be a benefit of a connection along the CN tracks if permission to use the right of way were given. But under those circumstances, the decision to proceed wouldn't be his or even the village's alone, he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Mike Trout rips cheating Astros, calls for bigger punishment

TEMPE , Ariz. ( AP ) -- Mike Trout thinks the Houston Astros should pay more dearly for their cheating ways .
The Los Angeles Angels ' three-time AL MVP ripped the Astros and questioned the discipline handed out by Major League Baseball on Monday after he reported to spring training .
`` It 's sad for baseball , '' Trout said .
`` It 's tough .
They cheated .
I do n't agree with the punishments , the players not getting anything .
It was a player-driven thing .
It sucks , too , because guys ' careers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people lost jobs .
It was tough .
`` Me going up to the plate knowing what was coming ?
It would be fun up there .
A lot of guys lost respect for some of the guys . ''
Trout did n't make a suggestion for what the Astros players ' punishment should have been , but the scandal obviously touched a nerve in the Halos ' brilliant center fielder , who has spent his entire career playing against Houston in the AL West .
`` Obviously the GM got fired and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of punishments for Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch .
`` But the players getting nothing , that 's definitely not right , for sure . ''
`` I think everybody wants it to be a clean , level playing field , '' Trout added .
`` I did n't know it was n't until this stuff came out , and then you realize when we played at them at ( Houston ) or whatever , they were hitting a lot of balls .
They 've got a lot of great players over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something different . ''
Anthony Rendon also reported to his new team Monday , but the Angels ' new $ 245 million third baseman was more circumspect in his thoughts on the Astros , his hometown team .
Rendon 's Washington Nationals beat Houston in the World Series last year .
`` Even when I watched their games over the previous years , it was suspicious , '' Rendon said .
`` It looked weird .
They were ( sitting ) on balls that were very tough pitches , and just the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They 're all talented players .
I love those guys over there , especially what they 've done in my city of Houston to help us out .
But it definitely raises a lot of question marks , watching those games . ''

Mike Trout rips cheating Astros, calls for bigger punishment
FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2019, file photo, Washington Nationals' Anthony Rendon celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Juan Soto during the sixth inning in Game 5 of the baseball team's National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Angels paired Rendon, the best hitter on the free agent market, and Mike Trout, their three-time AL MVP, this winter at the heart of a lineup stocked with an array of tested veterans and promising youngsters.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Mike Trout thinks the Houston Astros should pay more dearly for their cheating ways.
The Los Angeles Angels' three-time AL MVP ripped the Astros and questioned the discipline handed out by Major League Baseball on Monday after he reported to spring training.
"It's sad for baseball," Trout said. "It's tough. They cheated. I don't agree with the punishments, the players not getting anything. It was a player-driven thing. It sucks, too, because guys' careers have been affected. A lot of people lost jobs. It was tough.
"Me going up to the plate knowing what was coming? It would be fun up there. A lot of guys lost respect for some of the guys."
Trout didn't make a suggestion for what the Astros players' punishment should have been, but the scandal obviously touched a nerve in the Halos' brilliant center fielder, who has spent his entire career playing against Houston in the AL West.
"Obviously the GM got fired and Hinch got fired," Trout said of punishments for Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch. "But the players getting nothing, that's definitely not right, for sure."
"I think everybody wants it to be a clean, level playing field," Trout added. "I didn't know it wasn't until this stuff came out, and then you realize when we played at them at (Houston) or whatever, they were hitting a lot of balls. They've got a lot of great players over there for sure, but it was something different."
Anthony Rendon also reported to his new team Monday, but the Angels' new $245 million third baseman was more circumspect in his thoughts on the Astros, his hometown team. Rendon's Washington Nationals beat Houston in the World Series last year.
"Even when I watched their games over the previous years, it was suspicious," Rendon said. "It looked weird. They were (sitting) on balls that were very tough pitches, and just the way that they were playing the game. They're all talented players. I love those guys over there, especially what they've done in my city of Houston to help us out. But it definitely raises a lot of question marks, watching those games."
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/APSports


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Rozner: Filled with stars, but the house that MJ built feels empty

So many stars , so little time .
The NBA 's best arrived in Chicago , put on a show and in less than 48 hours they were gone .
Sunday night was grand , the fans enthralled , the game a spectacle , the tributes to Kobe Bryant warm and the donations to local charities crucial .
As for the rest of it , including the All-Star Game itself , well , it was mostly a reminder of how dreadful the local NBA product has been and continues to be .
If you were around these parts in 1988 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- then you most certainly remember the celebration that was the All-Star Game that year .
It was n't just that Michael Jordan won the dunk contest in front of the home fans , or that he followed it up with 40 points and MVP honors in a winning effort for the East in his fourth all-star nod in four years in the NBA .
It was the hope .
Jordan provided Chicago hope and a belief that there was a future on the West Side .
The Bulls took a step in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then 1989 brought The Shot against the Cavs and a six-game loss to Detroit in the conference finals .
The next year , the Bulls took the Pistons seven games .
Steps .
Each year they took steps .
Until 1991 , when they swept the two-time , defending champion Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals and took down Magic Johnson and the Lakers for the Bulls ' first title .
There was no guarantee in 1988 that any of it would happen , but the Bulls were building toward something and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All Time took the stage at home , the brightest among all the stars , on his way to winning the 1988 NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards .
There was a lot to look forward to as Jordan and the Pips began gaining momentum .
That run in the '90s of six titles in eight years was the greatest decade by a franchise in the history of the city , a memory that remains strong in and out of Chicago , a reason for countless hours and endless nights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joyous moment for my community , for myself and my friends , '' LeBron James said Saturday of Jordan returning to basketball in 1995 .
`` Just having the greatest basketball player ever coming back playing the game , I needed the inspiration growing up in the inner city .
`` It 's kind of like I lost a superhero when he retired , someone that I needed to help me , even though he did n't know it .
The basketball world , and everyone who loved him , was ecstatic when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Mike and those boys did in the 90s ... to do it at that time , they had so many different obstacles to overcome .
But to retire and come back and three-peat again , it was an unbelievable run . ''
Today , it also serves as a reminder of how awful the state of basketball is in Chicago , where the Bulls have won a total of five playoff series since Jordan left 22 years ago .
It was a grinding thought while attending All-Star Weekend and especially Sunday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure , but an event that would have meant so much more if the Bulls had a roster being taken seriously by the rest of the league .
They were shut out as James , Giannis Antetokounmpo , Anthony Davis , James Harden , Kawhi Leonard and so many huge names took over the House That Michael Built and put on a show , Bulls fans left wondering just what there is to celebrate .
Or when they might have even a little something to look forward to .
A city so rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , like Davis , Isiah Thomas , Mark Aguirre , Derrick Rose , Dwyane Wade , Terry Cummings , George Mikan , Mo Cheeks , Michael Finley , Juwan Howard , Eddie Johnson , Antoine Walker , Johnny Kerr , Doc Rivers and Quinn Buckner , to name only some of a long list of Chicago greats .
Many of them were at the game and featured on the big screen before the pregame introductions , cheered and honored by the hometown fans .
But Chicago had not before and never will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave us .
Not in any sport .
Not at any time .
And now , what are the Bulls ?
Worse than terrible , they are irrelevant .
Most Bulls fans , or those who used to be , have traveled beyond anger .
They have given up entirely , though it did n't stop some from chanting `` Fire GarPax '' during a national TV broadcast .
Longtime boss John Paxson says they `` do n't know what they have yet '' on the current roster , but everyone else seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach , a collection of underachieving talent that ca n't play together and an organization in disarray .
Perhaps one of the reasons the Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline was because Paxson has been told he 's on the way out -- or further upstairs .
Regardless , it 's a mess and any search for progress is debilitating .
So yeah , the 69th NBA All-Star Game in Chicago was a reason to celebrate basketball .
It just was n't a reason to celebrate Chicago 's current NBA version of @ @

Rozner: Filled with stars, but the house that MJ built feels empty
The start of the 69th NBA All-Star Game Sunday, Feb. 16 at the United Center in Chicago. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer
So many stars, so little time.
The NBA's best arrived in Chicago, put on a show and in less than 48 hours they were gone.
Sunday night was grand, the fans enthralled, the game a spectacle, the tributes to Kobe Bryant warm and the donations to local charities crucial.
As for the rest of it, including the All-Star Game itself, well, it was mostly a reminder of how dreadful the local NBA product has been and continues to be.
If you were around these parts in 1988 -- or maybe even at Chicago Stadium -- then you most certainly remember the celebration that was the All-Star Game that year.
It wasn't just that Michael Jordan won the dunk contest in front of the home fans, or that he followed it up with 40 points and MVP honors in a winning effort for the East in his fourth all-star nod in four years in the NBA.
It was the hope.
Jordan provided Chicago hope and a belief that there was a future on the West Side.
The Bulls took a step in '88 with a playoff series win. Then 1989 brought The Shot against the Cavs and a six-game loss to Detroit in the conference finals. The next year, the Bulls took the Pistons seven games.
Steps. Each year they took steps. Until 1991, when they swept the two-time, defending champion Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals and took down Magic Johnson and the Lakers for the Bulls' first title.
There was no guarantee in 1988 that any of it would happen, but the Bulls were building toward something and that feeling was palpable as the Greatest Of All Time took the stage at home, the brightest among all the stars, on his way to winning the 1988 NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
There was a lot to look forward to as Jordan and the Pips began gaining momentum.
That run in the '90s of six titles in eight years was the greatest decade by a franchise in the history of the city, a memory that remains strong in and out of Chicago, a reason for countless hours and endless nights on YouTube.
"It was a joyous moment for my community, for myself and my friends," LeBron James said Saturday of Jordan returning to basketball in 1995. "Just having the greatest basketball player ever coming back playing the game, I needed the inspiration growing up in the inner city.
"It's kind of like I lost a superhero when he retired, someone that I needed to help me, even though he didn't know it. The basketball world, and everyone who loved him, was ecstatic when he came back.
"To see what Mike and those boys did in the 90s ... to do it at that time, they had so many different obstacles to overcome. But to retire and come back and three-peat again, it was an unbelievable run."
Today, it also serves as a reminder of how awful the state of basketball is in Chicago, where the Bulls have won a total of five playoff series since Jordan left 22 years ago.
It was a grinding thought while attending All-Star Weekend and especially Sunday night at the United Center.
Entertaining, sure, but an event that would have meant so much more if the Bulls had a roster being taken seriously by the rest of the league.
They were shut out as James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and so many huge names took over the House That Michael Built and put on a show, Bulls fans left wondering just what there is to celebrate.
Or when they might have even a little something to look forward to.
A city so rich in tradition remembers fondly those who began here, like Davis, Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Terry Cummings, George Mikan, Mo Cheeks, Michael Finley, Juwan Howard, Eddie Johnson, Antoine Walker, Johnny Kerr, Doc Rivers and Quinn Buckner, to name only some of a long list of Chicago greats.
Many of them were at the game and featured on the big screen before the pregame introductions, cheered and honored by the hometown fans.
But Chicago had not before and never will again witness a championship run like Jordan gave us. Not in any sport. Not at any time.
And now, what are the Bulls? Worse than terrible, they are irrelevant.
Most Bulls fans, or those who used to be, have traveled beyond anger. They have given up entirely, though it didn't stop some from chanting "Fire GarPax" during a national TV broadcast.
Longtime boss John Paxson says they "don't know what they have yet" on the current roster, but everyone else seems to.
They have a bumbling head coach, a collection of underachieving talent that can't play together and an organization in disarray.
Perhaps one of the reasons the Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline was because Paxson has been told he's on the way out -- or further upstairs.
Regardless, it's a mess and any search for progress is debilitating.
So yeah, the 69th NBA All-Star Game in Chicago was a reason to celebrate basketball.
It just wasn't a reason to celebrate Chicago's current NBA version of basketball.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Vernon Hills park changes aim to reduce flooding in Gregg's Landing

The Vernon Hills Park District is updating Beaver Creek Park , a nearly 1-acre property in the Gregg 's Landing subdivision which has had problems with dying trees and flooding .
The park district already has cleared the park at 2087 Beaver Creek Drive of invasive plant species like buckthorn , honeysuckle , box elder and cottonwood trees .
The next steps in the project , expected to cost about $ 20,000 , are to plant new trees , add a wooden sign , install flower beds around the sides of the park and stabilize the creek banks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm sewer pipe behind some of the homes in the area .
Park District Commissioner Cindy Kessler lives next to the park .
Previously , she said , the drainage pipe ended on the east side of her property , and water would overflow the creek banks and go into her yard .
Flooding was a major concern .
`` I think it 's going to turn out very nice once it 's all done , '' she said .
`` It 'll be different , but it 'll be very pretty .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are no plans to add large structures like gazebos .
`` A bench might be the biggest thing out there , '' he said .
The park is a designated flood plain , and the creek that runs through it flows into Lake Charles .
Kim said the park district wants to prevent more sediment from getting into the creek and flowing downstream .
At a public meeting Thursday , park district officials reassured residents that they will be adding 15 to 20 trees to replace what they 've removed -- perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Illinois and readily available at nurseries .
`` My biggest thing was I wanted to know how tall the trees would be , because the trees previously were really tall , '' resident Bernadette Buntin said .
Some residents criticized the park 's appearance since trees were removed , saying they 've lost a sense of privacy .
Park District Executive Director Jeff Fougerousse said renderings displayed at the meeting do not represent `` the final footprint '' of what will go into the park , but officials will work closely with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creek Park is not the only Vernon Hills park to experience issues with flooding .
Of the 24 parks in the district , almost half are flood plains .
The creek will always have water flowing through it , from Libertyville toward Lake Charles , Fougerousse said .
But the district can add grasses , hedges and flowering plants to try to combat erosion .
Officials said they have to wait for the soil to dry out before they can finish the rest of the changes to the park .
They estimate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May or early June .
`` You 'll be pleasantly surprised once the village gets done with it , '' Fougerousse said .

Vernon Hills park changes aim to reduce flooding in Gregg's Landing
The Vernon Hills Park District plans to spend about $20,000 upgrading Beaver Creek Park in the Gregg's Landing subdivision. Officials say the changes should help reduce flooding concerns for the park's neighbors. Courtesy of Vernon Hills Park District
A rendering shows some of the planned changes to Beaver Creek Park in Vernon Hills' Gregg's Landing subdivision. Officials say the changes should help reduce flooding concerns for the park's neighbors. Courtesy of Vernon Hills Park District
The Vernon Hills Park District is updating Beaver Creek Park, a nearly 1-acre property in the Gregg's Landing subdivision which has had problems with dying trees and flooding.
The park district already has cleared the park at 2087 Beaver Creek Drive of invasive plant species like buckthorn, honeysuckle, box elder and cottonwood trees. The next steps in the project, expected to cost about $20,000, are to plant new trees, add a wooden sign, install flower beds around the sides of the park and stabilize the creek banks.
The village of Vernon Hills also extended the storm sewer pipe behind some of the homes in the area.
Park District Commissioner Cindy Kessler lives next to the park. Previously, she said, the drainage pipe ended on the east side of her property, and water would overflow the creek banks and go into her yard. Flooding was a major concern.
"I think it's going to turn out very nice once it's all done," she said. "It'll be different, but it'll be very pretty."
Superintendent of Parks James Kim said there are no plans to add large structures like gazebos.
"A bench might be the biggest thing out there," he said.
The park is a designated flood plain, and the creek that runs through it flows into Lake Charles. Kim said the park district wants to prevent more sediment from getting into the creek and flowing downstream.
At a public meeting Thursday, park district officials reassured residents that they will be adding 15 to 20 trees to replace what they've removed -- perhaps swamp oaks, a quick-growing species native to Illinois and readily available at nurseries.
"My biggest thing was I wanted to know how tall the trees would be, because the trees previously were really tall," resident Bernadette Buntin said.
Some residents criticized the park's appearance since trees were removed, saying they've lost a sense of privacy.
Park District Executive Director Jeff Fougerousse said renderings displayed at the meeting do not represent "the final footprint" of what will go into the park, but officials will work closely with the village on the plans.
Beaver Creek Park is not the only Vernon Hills park to experience issues with flooding. Of the 24 parks in the district, almost half are flood plains. The creek will always have water flowing through it, from Libertyville toward Lake Charles, Fougerousse said. But the district can add grasses, hedges and flowering plants to try to combat erosion.
Officials said they have to wait for the soil to dry out before they can finish the rest of the changes to the park. They estimate the work will take until the end of May or early June.
"You'll be pleasantly surprised once the village gets done with it," Fougerousse said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-17--Jeff Bezos says he's committing $10 billion to fight climate change

( Bloomberg ) -- Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos is starting the Bezos Earth Fund to help counter the effects @ @ @ @ @ said he 's starting with $ 10 billion and will begin to issue grants this @ @ @ @ @ going to take collective action from big companies , small companies , nation states , @ @ @ @ @ '' he said in a post on Instagram .
`` We can save Earth .
@ @ @ @ @ criticized for the environmental costs of the conveniences it provides -- especially with quick shipping @ @ @ @ @ wasteful packaging .

Jeff Bezos says he's committing $10 billion to fight climate change
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos is starting the Bezos Earth Fund to help counter the effects of climate change.
Bezos said he's starting with $10 billion and will begin to issue grants this summer. "It's going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organizations and individuals," he said in a post on Instagram. "We can save Earth."
Amazon has been recently criticized for the environmental costs of the conveniences it provides -- especially with quick shipping and what advocates say is wasteful packaging.