dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--121 turn out to donate blood in memory of Arlington Heights girl

The family of Emily Holum is drawn together by strong ties of blood -- in more ways than one .
Each year , family members and friends contribute time and blood to the Emily Holum Memorial Blood Drive .
On Sunday , at the 14th annual drive , held in the gym at Our Lady of the Wayside School in Arlington Heights , their efforts were rewarded with the highest turnout in the event 's history , Robin Holum , Emily 's mother , said the goal this year was to draw 114 donors , in honor of Emily 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day .
Robin and Emily 's father , Tom Holum , were ecstatic when the final tally showed 121 donors .
Emily died of acute myeloid leukemia at age 6 in 2007 , But her memory was very much alive at Sunday 's event .
The Holums wore buttons with Emily 's picture .
Tom 's button showed Emily before she became sick , her blonde hair topped by a neat bow .
For the Arlington Heights couple , the event is a way of giving back to the many donors who helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have no idea how many units she actually went through , '' Tom Holum said .
`` Wherever we were at , and we were at three different hospitals , we never knew who donated .
There is no way we could ever thank those people .
They gave us Emmy for another two years .
We feel like this is helping those people that helped us . ''
Robin remembers a girl who brightened the spirits of other children , including another patient she comforted with a remote control tarantula she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` She loved to help people .
So this is one way that she can give back , '' she said .
Among those attending the event were Emily 's sisters , Caroline , a student at Rolling Meadows High School , and Nicole , who recently graduated from DePaul University .
In 2006 , Caroline donated her bone marrow to her older sister for one of her two transplants .
`` It 's heartwarming , '' said Robin 's sister , Beth Chamberlain .
`` It 's amazing that so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same people have come out year after year . ''

121 turn out to donate blood in memory of Arlington Heights girl
The family of Emily Holum is drawn together by strong ties of blood -- in more ways than one.
Each year, family members and friends contribute time and blood to the Emily Holum Memorial Blood Drive.
On Sunday, at the 14th annual drive, held in the gym at Our Lady of the Wayside School in Arlington Heights, their efforts were rewarded with the highest turnout in the event's history,
Robin Holum, Emily's mother, said the goal this year was to draw 114 donors, in honor of Emily's birthday, which falls on Valentine's Day.
Robin and Emily's father, Tom Holum, were ecstatic when the final tally showed 121 donors.
Emily died of acute myeloid leukemia at age 6 in 2007, But her memory was very much alive at Sunday's event. The Holums wore buttons with Emily's picture. Tom's button showed Emily before she became sick, her blonde hair topped by a neat bow.
For the Arlington Heights couple, the event is a way of giving back to the many blood donors who helped prolong their daughter's life.
"We have no idea how many units she actually went through," Tom Holum said. "Wherever we were at, and we were at three different hospitals, we never knew who donated. There is no way we could ever thank those people. They gave us Emmy for another two years. We feel like this is helping those people that helped us."
Robin remembers a girl who brightened the spirits of other children, including another patient she comforted with a remote control tarantula she received from her grandmother as a gift.
"She loved to help people. So this is one way that she can give back," she said.
Among those attending the event were Emily's sisters: Caroline, a student at Rolling Meadows High School, and Nicole, who recently graduated from DePaul University.
In 2006, Caroline donated her bone marrow to her older sister for one of her two transplants.
Robin's sister, Beth Chamberlain, called the annual event heartwarming.
"It's amazing that so many people come out every year. The same people have come out year after year," she said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Rosemont travel show the place to plan new adventures

Imagine having the whole world just minutes away , a new country around every corner .
If you 've ever @ @ @ @ @ and Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont , you know @ @ @ @ @ .
Thousands of eager travelers Saturday and Sunday visited booths , listened to travel experts @ @ @ @ @ Steves ( he 's a lot taller than he looks on TV ) , and @ @ @ @ @

Rosemont travel show the place to plan new adventures
Rick Steves, travel show host and author, addresses the audience at the 16th annual Chicago Travel and Adventure Show in Rosemont. Steves is always a crowd favorite. Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Gita Mawarsih of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, left, and A.A. Sayang Wills of Columbus, Indiana, welcome potential travelers to their booth Sunday at the 16th annual Chicago Travel and Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Dromedary camels Eli, left, and Farley visit with their handler, Shayne Rigden of Racine, Wisconsin, before the travel show opened Sunday in Rosemont. Karie Angell Luc/or the Daily Herald
Imagine having the whole world just minutes away, a new country around every corner.
If you've ever been to the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, you know just what that's like.
Thousands of eager travelers Saturday and Sunday visited booths, listened to travel experts, including show staple Rick Steves (he's a lot taller than he looks on TV), and planned their next adventure.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Crowds wowed by sled hockey teams in Lake Forest

`` The Sleds Are Coming '' is more than a competition .
It 's a way to show off a @ @ @ @ @ in the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association 's sled hockey programs .
For 10 years @ @ @ @ @ in conjunction with Lake Forest College , puts on a show of five-on-five sled hockey @ @ @ @ @ charge at the college 's field house .
And these athletes are amazing to watch @ @ @ @ @ was the runner-up in the national championship in 2018 and won it all in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ competitive team won the 2015 national championship .
For more information on GLASA and the @ @ @ @ @ promotes , visit www.glasa.org/ .

Crowds wowed by sled hockey teams in Lake Forest
No. 28 Brannon Duffin, left, of Grayslake congratulates No. 8. Charlie Paul of Deerfield on the GLASA Falcons' Black team win Sunday at Lake Forest College. Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
"The Sleds Are Coming" is more than a competition. It's a way to show off a bit for those who participate in the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association's sled hockey programs.
For 10 years now, the association, in conjunction with Lake Forest College, puts on a show of five-on-five sled hockey for the public at no charge at the college's field house.
And these athletes are amazing to watch.
The adult competitive team was the runner-up in the national championship in 2018 and won it all in 2017 and 2013. The youth competitive team won the 2015 national championship.
For more information on GLASA and the variety of adaptive sports it promotes, visit www.glasa.org/.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Winfield closing in on deal with hospital for Town Center redevelopment

After months of frustration , Winfield officials say they hope to reach an agreement with Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital on a long-sought downtown redevelopment project .
`` There will be a deal , '' Village President Erik Spande said .
`` There will be a major redevelopment in Winfield 's Town Center in cooperation with Central DuPage Hospital . ''
Spande 's comment came after village trustees spent nearly two hours Thursday reviewing issues in the ongoing negotiations with CDH .
In November 2018 , Winfield and CDH appeared to agree on a proposal to transform part of Town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a medical and commercial district .
To the west of the 392-bed hospital , a parking deck would alleviate parking problems at CDH .
Plans also called for the village hall to be torn down and moved to free space for more development near the Metra station .
But the negotiations broke down in January 2019 when CDH , which is tax-exempt , told the village it wanted to remove a large portion of the development from the tax rolls after a period of time .
Winfield leaders said hospital officials previously agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking deck subject to property taxes .
When talks resumed last June , sticking points remained , including Northwestern Medicine 's desire to remove properties from the tax rolls in 20 years .
Spande says Thursday 's discussion was significant because trustees were able to reach consensus on all the issues .
`` We have a unified position , '' he said .
`` They ( Northwestern Medicine officials ) wanted an answer .
Now we can give them a response . ''
For example , the board has accepted Northwestern Medicine 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax rolls for 20 years .
On Friday , Northwestern Medicine released a statement saying it is `` pleased '' to hear the positive feedback and `` looks forward to receiving a response from the village to our proposal . ''
The village board also discussed permit fees , options for a new village hall , and moving an existing business .
One of the biggest issues is what will happen to a yearly $ 900,000 grant CDH is paying Winfield to compensate it for the services it provides the tax-exempt institution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
Northwestern Medicine is proposing to extend it until the first phase of the Town Center development is finished , which is expected to be in 2022 .
Northwestern Medicine then wants to reimburse the village for services it provides , including road maintenance , police and administrative costs .
But it wants the grant amount to be based on a data-driven methodology that identifies the actual cost of the services .
Trustees on Thursday rejected the `` pay-as-you-go '' idea because the village wants to receive a set amount for budgeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to ask for the grant to continue at $ 900,000 a year , with annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index .
Instead , the village will ask CDH for at least $ 685,000 a year , including $ 170,000 annually to help pay for economic development .
Spande said a minimum amount `` gives us some comfort that we 're not going to have a gaping hole '' in the village 's budget .
At the end of the discussion , Trustee Dennis Hogan said the board accomplished more in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe , in the last year . ''
Trustee Carl Sorgatz said he 's pleased the board reached consensus on the overall proposal .
`` We can move forward now with Northwestern Medicine in a cooperative manner , which offers a lot more promise in the future , '' Sorgatz said .
`` It 's going to get development moving in Town Center . ''

Winfield closing in on deal with hospital for Town Center redevelopment
Winfield officials are hopeful a deal will be reached with Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital to pursue a major redevelopment that would change the face of the village's Town Center to the south of the hospital. Courtesy of the village of Winfield
After months of frustration, Winfield officials say they hope to reach an agreement with Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital on a long-sought downtown redevelopment project.
"There will be a deal," Village President Erik Spande said. "There will be a major redevelopment in Winfield's Town Center in cooperation with Central DuPage Hospital."
Spande's comment came after village trustees spent nearly two hours Thursday reviewing issues in the ongoing negotiations with CDH.
In November 2018, Winfield and CDH appeared to agree on a proposal to transform part of Town Center south of the hospital campus into a medical and commercial district. To the west of the 392-bed hospital, a parking deck would alleviate parking problems at CDH.
Plans also called for the village hall to be torn down and moved to free space for more development near the Metra station.
But the negotiations broke down in January 2019 when CDH, which is tax-exempt, told the village it wanted to remove a large portion of the development from the tax rolls after a period of time. Winfield leaders said hospital officials previously agreed to have all off-campus construction and the parking deck subject to property taxes.
When talks resumed last June, sticking points remained, including Northwestern Medicine's desire to remove properties from the tax rolls in 20 years.
Spande says Thursday's discussion was significant because trustees were able to reach consensus on all the issues.
"We have a unified position," he said. "They (Northwestern Medicine officials) wanted an answer. Now we can give them a response."
For example, the board has accepted Northwestern Medicine's offer to keep new development on the tax rolls for 20 years.
On Friday, Northwestern Medicine released a statement saying it is "pleased" to hear the positive feedback and "looks forward to receiving a response from the village to our proposal."
The village board also discussed permit fees, options for a new village hall, and moving an existing business.
One of the biggest issues is what will happen to a yearly $900,000 grant CDH is paying Winfield to compensate it for the services it provides the tax-exempt institution.
The grant is set to expire in 2021. Northwestern Medicine is proposing to extend it until the first phase of the Town Center development is finished, which is expected to be in 2022.
Northwestern Medicine then wants to reimburse the village for services it provides, including road maintenance, police and administrative costs. But it wants the grant amount to be based on a data-driven methodology that identifies the actual cost of the services.
Trustees on Thursday rejected the "pay-as-you-go" idea because the village wants to receive a set amount for budgeting purposes. But the board also decided not to ask for the grant to continue at $900,000 a year, with annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index.
Instead, the village will ask CDH for at least $685,000 a year, including $170,000 annually to help pay for economic development.
Spande said a minimum amount "gives us some comfort that we're not going to have a gaping hole" in the village's budget.
At the end of the discussion, Trustee Dennis Hogan said the board accomplished more in one night "than we have, maybe, in the last year."
Trustee Carl Sorgatz said he's pleased the board reached consensus on the overall proposal.
"We can move forward now with Northwestern Medicine in a cooperative manner, which offers a lot more promise in the future," Sorgatz said. "It's going to get development moving in Town Center."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Smollett case at the forefront in Cook County state's attorney races

Nearly a year after Cook County State 's Attorney Kim Foxx dismissed with little explanation the disorderly conduct charges against former `` Empire '' actor Jussie Smollett , who police say staged a racist and homophobic attack and lied about it , the case remains a hot topic in advance of the March 17 primary .
Both Foxx 's Democratic primary challengers and Republicans seeking to replace her have voiced disapproval over the handling of the case , which remains under investigation by a special prosecutor , former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb .
Foxx defended her actions during a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Appearing with her were her Democratic opponents -- attorney Bill Conway , attorney and former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna More .
At the same time , Foxx acknowledged her office `` should have been more transparent about its review and handling '' of Smollett 's case .
`` I own that we did not meet our own level of transparency that we should have had in this case , '' said Foxx , who would not comment further , saying it was inappropriate to do so while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Foxx for the dismissal of charges he called `` the Jussie Smollett special , '' which he said was not offered to a client of his , a 22-year-old Hoffman Estates woman who also was charged with making a false police report .
Smollett ended up forfeiting his $ 10,000 bond and completing a community service assignment in exchange for the dropped charges .
`` The only difference between them : He is a politically connected celebrity and my client is an hourly wage earner , '' Conway said .
Foxx accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he could use ( her ) in a campaign ad . ''
`` That is wildly false , '' said Conway , who has released an ad with Clark in it but said he read her story and offered his legal services because he thought she was being treated unfairly .
`` She was very happy to tell her story to everybody about the unequal treatment she got , '' he said of the ad .
More said there should have been more answers in the Smollett case .
`` When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better deliver , '' she said .
`` All of a sudden we were being stonewalled with our questions and we had to appoint a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of this . ''
Not pursuing charges in the case creates a sense of lawlessness that is unacceptable , More said , adding , `` We 're not holding people accountable . ''
Fioretti decried the `` quietness '' he said surrounded the case .
`` If it was n't for reporters in the courthouse , nobody would have known about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
He focused on Foxx 's saying she had recused herself from the case and handed it over to another attorney in her office .
`` If you 're going to recuse yourself , you 're out of it and so is the whole office , '' said Fioretti , who criticized Foxx for reportedly accepting a call from a relative of Smollet in the initial stages of the case .
Republican candidates , including former Cook County Judge Patrick O'Brien and former prosecutor Christopher Pfannkuche , also weighed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the primary for the chance to run against the Democratic victor in November .
Pfannkuche said Foxx 's lack of experience caused her to mishandle the case and damage the office 's reputation .
Calling her actions a `` national disgrace , '' he suggested the fallout could damage legitimate victims of a hate crime , who he said `` may not come forward for fear of being labeled the next Jussie Smollett . ''
O'Brien criticized what he called Foxx 's lack of judgment , saying her response `` shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from . ''
People often question charging decisions , he said .
A chief prosecutor can withstand those queries if he or she demonstrates the decision `` was based on the facts in evidence , '' he said .
`` Once you 've shown you lack integrity , every decision you make that is questionable becomes a decision the community can not respect . ''

Smollett case at the forefront in Cook County state's attorney races
Chicago police say actor Jussie Smollett staged a racist and homophobic attack last year and lied about it. The case remains a hot topic in the March 17 primary races for Cook County state's attorney. Associated Press/May 20, 2016
Nearly a year after Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx dismissed with little explanation the disorderly conduct charges against former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, who police say staged a racist and homophobic attack and lied about it, the case remains a hot topic in advance of the March 17 primary.
Both Foxx's Democratic primary challengers and Republicans seeking to replace her have voiced disapproval over the handling of the case, which remains under investigation by a special prosecutor, former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb.
Foxx defended her actions during a meeting with the Daily Herald Editorial Board. Appearing with her were her Democratic opponents -- attorney Bill Conway, attorney and former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna More. At the same time, Foxx acknowledged her office "should have been more transparent about its review and handling" of Smollett's case.
"I own that we did not meet our own level of transparency that we should have had in this case," said Foxx, who would not comment further, saying it was inappropriate to do so while the case remains under review.
Conway criticized Foxx for the dismissal of charges he called "the Jussie Smollett special," which he said was not offered to a client of his, a 22-year-old Hoffman Estates woman who also was charged with making a false police report.
Smollett ended up forfeiting his $10,000 bond and completing a community service assignment in exchange for the dropped charges.
"The only difference between them: He is a politically connected celebrity and my client is an hourly wage earner," Conway said.
Foxx accused Conway of seeking out Clark "so that he could use (her) in a campaign ad."
"That is wildly false," said Conway, who has released an ad with Clark in it but said he read her story and offered his legal services because he thought she was being treated unfairly.
"She was very happy to tell her story to everybody about the unequal treatment she got," he said of the ad.
More said there should have been more answers in the Smollett case.
"When you run on a platform of transparency you better deliver," she said.
"All of a sudden we were being stonewalled with our questions and we had to appoint a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of this."
Not pursuing charges in the case creates a sense of lawlessness that is unacceptable, More said, adding, "We're not holding people accountable."
Fioretti decried the "quietness" he said surrounded the case.
"If it wasn't for reporters in the courthouse, nobody would have known about this until days or weeks later," he said.
He focused on Foxx's saying she had recused herself from the case and handed it over to another attorney in her office.
"If you're going to recuse yourself, you're out of it and so is the whole office," said Fioretti, who criticized Foxx for reportedly accepting a call from a relative of Smollet in the initial stages of the case.
Republican candidates, including former Cook County Judge Patrick O'Brien and former prosecutor Christopher Pfannkuche, also weighed in on the case. They will compete in the primary for the chance to run against the Democratic victor in November.
Pfannkuche said Foxx's lack of experience caused her to mishandle the case and damage the office's reputation. Calling her actions a "national disgrace," he suggested the fallout could damage legitimate victims of a hate crime, who he said "may not come forward for fear of being labeled the next Jussie Smollett."
O'Brien criticized what he called Foxx's lack of judgment, saying her response "shows a lack of integrity you can never recover from."
People often question charging decisions, he said. A chief prosecutor can withstand those queries if he or she demonstrates the decision "was based on the facts in evidence," he said.
"Once you've shown you lack integrity, every decision you make that is questionable becomes a decision the community cannot respect."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Tollway director has hired 9 fellow Chicago Housing Authority alums

The tally of former Chicago Housing Authority employees in positions paying $ 85,000 to $ 195,000 at the Illinois tollway is growing , and that concerns some lawmakers given the top tollway executive also is a CHA alumnus .
Tollway leaders dismissed questions of nepotism when asked about nine ex-CHA staffers who were hired from August through December and are paid more than $ 1.3 million collectively , state records show .
Executive Director Jose Alvarez , the former CHA chief operating officer , joined the tollway in April .
`` Taken together , all nine of these employees have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different organizations in human resources , talent recruitment , procurement and compliance , '' tollway spokesman Dan Rozek said .
Some lawmakers on a commission tasked with ethics reform are dubious .
`` It 's unusual .
It 's not good business practices for government , '' Republican state Rep. Grant Wehrli of Naperville said .
The new tollway team members `` understand and agree with my leadership style .
I trust them to do the right thing for the tollway , '' Alvarez told the Daily Herald Dec. 5 for a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Herald subsequently learned the total now is nine .
Six of the employees work in the procurement department , which Alvarez said he is revamping and improving .
The agency is consolidating procurement duties and has created a `` new comprehensive contract compliance department to ensure the tollway and everyone we do business with is meeting the highest ethical standards , '' Rozek said in a statement .
In 2019 , the General Assembly ousted the former tollway board after the Daily Herald reported about cronyism in contracts and hiring at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacements and called for a new era of transparency at the agency .
`` Getting all these employees from the Chicago Housing Authority is starting to get really strange , '' said Republican state Rep. David McSweeney of Barrington Hills , adding that , in his opinion , `` the CHA is not regarded as a highly efficient entity . ''
Democratic state Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines , a tollway reform advocate , said , `` I find this information troubling .
I am interested in getting a full and complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees worked at the CHA for three months before moving to the tollway , but he previously was a colleague of the tollway 's new chief administrative officer , Kimberly Ross , at City Colleges of Chicago .
The tollway is bringing in `` individuals with a breadth of experience from diverse backgrounds who will ensure the tollway earns the trust of those we serve , '' Rozek said .
In addition , the agency 's new compliance division will allow the agency to keep better tabs on contracts and replaces consultants who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those services , he said .
Democratic state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin and Republican Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods also are on the ethics commission , called the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform .
`` In general , I believe that having full-time employees who are subject to state ethics laws is better than having people on contract , '' Castro said .
`` It increases transparency and accountability . ''
`` I understand the need to hire people you trust , but I hope that Mr. Alvarez will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees in the future , '' Castro added .
McConchie called the situation `` quite concerning , especially after the governor stated in his state of the State address last week that the old patronage system 'needs to die ... finally and completely . '
'' `` The tollway 's effort to consolidate operations is laudable , '' McConchie said , `` but transparency and accountability must be at the forefront given the tollway 's checkered past . ''
Leslie Murray of Prospect Heights wants to kick the tires of SUVs such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Infinity mid-size SUV '' at the Chicago Auto Show , which runs through Feb. 17 .
`` This may be the year that I will have to bite the bullet and purchase a new car , '' Murray wrote .
`` The car I am currently driving is a 1999 Ford Expedition with 150,000 miles on it .
That is not a typo -- my car legally can purchase a can of beer with how old it is !
The car has been great , but I do not want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am constantly having to make repairs on it . ''
Metra Union Pacific West passengers should be prepared for delays through Feb. 23 as the railroad fixes some of its bridges .
Metra workers will be repairing a bridge over the Des Plaines River between Maywood and River Forest , which could slow trains by up to 10 minutes .

Tollway director has hired 9 Chicago Housing Authority alums. That concerns some lawmakers.
A posse of Chicago Housing Authority former employees has been recruited to the Illinois tollway, which is led by former CHA chief operating officer Jose Alvarez. Daily Herald File Photo
The tally of former Chicago Housing Authority employees in positions paying $85,000 to $195,000 at the Illinois tollway is growing, and that concerns some lawmakers given the top tollway executive also is a CHA alumnus.
Tollway leaders dismissed questions of nepotism when asked about nine ex-CHA staffers who were hired from August through December and are paid more than $1.3 million collectively, state records show. Executive Director Jose Alvarez, the former CHA chief operating officer, joined the tollway in April.
"Taken together, all nine of these employees have decades of experience at a number of different organizations in human resources, talent recruitment, procurement and compliance," tollway spokesman Dan Rozek said.
Some lawmakers on a commission tasked with ethics reform are dubious.
"It's unusual. It's not good business practices for government," Republican state Rep. Grant Wehrli of Naperville said.
The new tollway team members "understand and agree with my leadership style. I trust them to do the right thing for the tollway," Alvarez told the Daily Herald Dec. 5 for a story about five ex-colleagues he recruited.
The Daily Herald subsequently learned the total now is nine.
Six of the employees work in the procurement department, which Alvarez said he is revamping and improving.
The agency is consolidating procurement duties and has created a "new comprehensive contract compliance department to ensure the tollway and everyone we do business with is meeting the highest ethical standards," Rozek said in a statement.
In 2019, the General Assembly ousted the former tollway board after the Daily Herald reported about cronyism in contracts and hiring at the agency. Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed replacements and called for a new era of transparency at the agency.
"Getting all these employees from the Chicago Housing Authority is starting to get really strange," said Republican state Rep. David McSweeney of Barrington Hills, adding that, in his opinion, "the CHA is not regarded as a highly efficient entity."
Democratic state Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines, a tollway reform advocate, said, "I find this information troubling. I am interested in getting a full and complete explanation."
One of the nine employees worked at the CHA for three months before moving to the tollway, but he previously was a colleague of the tollway's new chief administrative officer, Kimberly Ross, at City Colleges of Chicago.
The tollway is bringing in "individuals with a breadth of experience from diverse backgrounds who will ensure the tollway earns the trust of those we serve," Rozek said.
In addition, the agency's new compliance division will allow the agency to keep better tabs on contracts and replaces consultants who were paid $1 million to perform those services, he said.
Democratic state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin and Republican Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods also are on the ethics commission, called the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform.
"In general, I believe that having full-time employees who are subject to state ethics laws is better than having people on contract," Castro said. "It increases transparency and accountability."
"I understand the need to hire people you trust, but I hope that Mr. Alvarez will cast a wider net when looking for employees in the future," Castro added.
McConchie called the situation "quite concerning, especially after the governor stated in his state of the State address last week that the old patronage system 'needs to die ... finally and completely.'"
"The tollway's effort to consolidate operations is laudable," McConchie said, "but transparency and accountability must be at the forefront given the tollway's checkered past."
Your voice
Leslie Murray of Prospect Heights wants to kick the tires of SUVs such as the "Ford Explorer, Lexus 350 and the Infinity mid-size SUV" at the Chicago Auto Show, which runs through Feb. 17.
"This may be the year that I will have to bite the bullet and purchase a new car," Murray wrote. "The car I am currently driving is a 1999 Ford Expedition with 150,000 miles on it. That is not a typo -- my car legally can purchase a can of beer with how old it is! The car has been great, but I do not want to end up in a position where I am constantly having to make repairs on it."
Commuter pain, bridge gain
Metra Union Pacific West passengers should be prepared for delays through Feb. 23 as the railroad fixes some of its bridges.
Metra workers will be repairing a bridge over the Des Plaines River between Maywood and River Forest, which could slow trains by up to 10 minutes.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--East Dundee panel wants to keep pot dispensaries away from downtown

An East Dundee advisory panel has recommended that all recreational marijuana operations be kept out of the downtown district , saying the use would be more appropriate in certain areas on the east side of town .
The planning and zoning commission voted 8-1 Wednesday to move forward with a proposed `` overlay '' zoning district east of Route 25 where cannabis dispensaries , cultivation centers and other related businesses would be allowed as a special use .
The panel 's discussion came on the heels of a public hearing Wednesday , during which several representatives from the Immanuel Lutheran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be kept at least 1,500 feet away from their property at Van Buren and Main streets .
Other community members backed the request for a buffer between sensitive uses and marijuana businesses , which they suggested be prohibited from the downtown entirely .
`` I 'm concerned that the addition of a retail store designed for the sale of cannabis near our school will challenge the safety of our children , '' Immanuel Principal Sue Domeier said .
`` No amount of tax revenue or income is worth the risk . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to properties east of , but not facing , Route 25 .
Within that area , dispensaries would be permitted on parcels zoned as a service business or limited manufacturing use .
Cultivation centers would be restricted to the manufacturing areas .
That part of town contains various industrial properties and commercial shopping centers , including the shuttered Walmart and Dominick 's stores .
If ultimately adopted by the village board , those parameters would exceed the 1,500-foot buffer requested by Immanuel Lutheran .
The panel 's recommendation is more restrictive than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ village trustees , a majority of whom were OK with allowing dispensaries in the downtown and community business districts .
Some said they 'd prefer to keep zoning parameters flexible to remain competitive with other communities .
But most planning and zoning commission members said they took issue with having a marijuana shop downtown , where family-friendly events are held , parking is limited and foot traffic is abundant .
`` There are too many things going on , too many residents down there enjoying and participating , '' Commissioner Sue Holliman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all disrupted with the long lines of a dispensary . ''
Chairman John Brewer cast the lone `` no '' vote , saying he feels the overlay district is too restrictive to be adopted by the village board .
He suggested the commission simply add a condition to the board 's initial proposal requiring dispensaries to be 1,500 feet from a school or church .
The proposed ordinance also includes a requirement of at least one parking spot per 150 square feet of floor area , with a minimum of 20 spaces , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marijuana operations would be considered special uses , meaning applicants would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis .
The village board will consider the panel 's recommendation , along with some additional business regulations outside the zoning process , during an upcoming meeting .

East Dundee panel wants to keep pot dispensaries away from downtown
The East Dundee planning and zoning commission has recommended a set of parameters that would keep adult-use marijuana dispensaries out of the downtown. Instead, the panel proposed creating an "overlay" zoning district that would allow cannabis shops and cultivation centers on the east side of town. Associated Press
An East Dundee advisory panel has recommended that all recreational marijuana operations be kept out of the downtown district, saying the use would be more appropriate in certain areas on the east side of town.
The planning and zoning commission voted 8-1 Wednesday to move forward with a proposed "overlay" zoning district east of Route 25 where cannabis dispensaries, cultivation centers and other related businesses would be allowed as a special use.
The panel's discussion came on the heels of a public hearing Wednesday, during which several representatives from the Immanuel Lutheran Church and School asked that marijuana shops be kept at least 1,500 feet away from their property at Van Buren and Main streets.
Other community members backed the request for a buffer between sensitive uses and marijuana businesses, which they suggested be prohibited from the downtown entirely.
"I'm concerned that the addition of a retail store designed for the sale of cannabis near our school will challenge the safety of our children," Immanuel Principal Sue Domeier said. "No amount of tax revenue or income is worth the risk."
The proposed overlay district would limit cannabis operations to properties east of, but not facing, Route 25. Within that area, dispensaries would be permitted on parcels zoned as a service business or limited manufacturing use. Cultivation centers would be restricted to the manufacturing areas.
That part of town contains various industrial properties and commercial shopping centers, including the shuttered Walmart and Dominick's stores.
If ultimately adopted by the village board, those parameters would exceed the 1,500-foot buffer requested by Immanuel Lutheran.
The panel's recommendation is more restrictive than a set of regulations proposed in December by village trustees, a majority of whom were OK with allowing dispensaries in the downtown and community business districts. Some said they'd prefer to keep zoning parameters flexible to remain competitive with other communities.
But most planning and zoning commission members said they took issue with having a marijuana shop downtown, where family-friendly events are held, parking is limited and foot traffic is abundant.
"There are too many things going on, too many residents down there enjoying and participating," Commissioner Sue Holliman said. "We don't want it all disrupted with the long lines of a dispensary."
Chairman John Brewer cast the lone "no" vote, saying he feels the overlay district is too restrictive to be adopted by the village board. He suggested the commission simply add a condition to the board's initial proposal requiring dispensaries to be 1,500 feet from a school or church.
The proposed ordinance also includes a requirement of at least one parking spot per 150 square feet of floor area, with a minimum of 20 spaces, designated specifically for the establishment.
All marijuana operations would be considered special uses, meaning applicants would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The village board will consider the panel's recommendation, along with some additional business regulations outside the zoning process, during an upcoming meeting.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Don't bet on plan to renovate Wauconda village hall

A proposal to renovate Wauconda 's village hall to make room for the community development staff likely wo n't move forward .
The building , at 101 N. Main St. , simply does n't have enough space for that kind of consolidation , officials said after studying the proposal .
`` It is a tight squeeze , '' Village Administrator Kevin Timony said .
Located at 109 W. Bangs St. , around the corner from village hall , the community development department oversees all building construction in Wauconda .
Its three full-time employees and one part-timer -- along with contracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complies with building and zoning codes .
If you need a building permit , want to talk with a village representative about zoning issues or have a question about redeveloping property in town , this is the department to visit .
The roughly 5,000-square-foot , 1970s-era village hall contains offices for the mayor , village administrator , village clerk and some village employees , as well as a boardroom and a smaller conference room .
Moving the community development department to village hall would allow someone to ask questions , get paperwork and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than shuttling between neighboring buildings .
`` The goal is to streamline customer service and staffing efficiency by having community development and village hall services all handled from one facility , '' Timony said .
Architects with Kluber Inc. -- a firm with offices in Chicago , Batavia and Bloomington -- were hired to come up with two interior renovation designs .
The renovation , if completed , could have cost $ 604,000 to $ 833,000 , depending on materials and other factors , Timony said .
Wauconda 's village services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The consensus among officials is that village hall is n't large enough to handle the extra bodies .
`` Even with the renovations ... we would still be very tight on space , '' said Trustee Adam Schlick , who leads the committee .
Additionally , the renovation plans that were drafted were based on current staffing levels .
If the village staff needs to grow in the future , the building would n't have space for the extra workers , Schlick said .
The architects were paid $ 15,000 for developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessment report .
Schlick was grateful for their efforts .
`` They did the best with the parameters we gave them and gave us a realistic concept and cost outlook , '' he said .
Although the plan 's future is n't promising , Timony is n't quite ready to throw it on the trash pile .
Additional discussion is expected in March or April after committee members have had time to digest the material , he said .

Don't bet on plan to renovate Wauconda village hall
A proposal to renovate Wauconda's village hall to make room for the community development staff likely won't move forward.
The building, at 101 N. Main St., simply doesn't have enough space for that kind of consolidation, officials said after studying the proposal.
"It is a tight squeeze," Village Administrator Kevin Timony said.
Located at 109 W. Bangs St., around the corner from village hall, the community development department oversees all building construction in Wauconda. Its three full-time employees and one part-timer -- along with contracted plumbing and electrical inspectors -- ensure work complies with building and zoning codes.
If you need a building permit, want to talk with a village representative about zoning issues or have a question about redeveloping property in town, this is the department to visit.
The roughly 5,000-square-foot, 1970s-era village hall contains offices for the mayor, village administrator, village clerk and some village employees, as well as a boardroom and a smaller conference room.
Moving the community development department to village hall would allow someone to ask questions, get paperwork and pay for permits all in one place, rather than shuttling between neighboring buildings.
"The goal is to streamline customer service and staffing efficiency by having community development and village hall services all handled from one facility," Timony said.
Architects with Kluber Inc. -- a firm with offices in Chicago, Batavia and Bloomington -- were hired to come up with two interior renovation designs. The renovation, if completed, could have cost $604,000 to $833,000, depending on materials and other factors, Timony said.
Wauconda's village services committee reviewed Kluber's concepts last week. The consensus among officials is that village hall isn't large enough to handle the extra bodies.
"Even with the renovations ... we would still be very tight on space," said Trustee Adam Schlick, who leads the committee.
Additionally, the renovation plans that were drafted were based on current staffing levels. If the village staff needs to grow in the future, the building wouldn't have space for the extra workers, Schlick said.
The architects were paid $15,000 for developing the plans and for a related space assessment report. Schlick was grateful for their efforts.
"They did the best with the parameters we gave them and gave us a realistic concept and cost outlook," he said.
Although the plan's future isn't promising, Timony isn't quite ready to throw it on the trash pile. Additional discussion is expected in March or April after committee members have had time to digest the material, he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--'Parasite' makes Oscar history with Best Picture win

LOS ANGELES -- `` Parasite '' is the first non-English language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards .
Bong Joon Ho 's masterfully devious class satire took Hollywood 's top prize at the Oscars on Sunday night , along with awards for best director , best international film and best screenplay .
In a year dominated by period epics -- `` 1917 , '' `` Once Upon a Time In Hollywood , '' `` The Irishman '' -- the film academy instead went overseas , to South Korea , to reward a contemporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Parasite . ''
True to its name , `` Parasite '' got under the skin of Oscar voters , attaching itself to the American awards season and , ultimately , to history .
The win was a watershed moment for the Academy Awards , which has long been content to relegate international films to their own category .
Multiple standing ovations greeted Bong 's several wins .
`` I am ready to drink tonight , '' Bong said , prompting roars from the crowd .
Unexpectedly called up again for best director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly Martin Scorsese , and concluded : `` Now I 'm ready to drink until tomorrow . ''
The win for `` Parasite '' -- which had echoes of the surprise victory of `` Moonlight '' over `` La La Land '' three years ago -- came in a year in which many criticized the lack of diversity in the nominees and the absence of female filmmakers .
But the triumph for `` Parasite '' enabled Hollywood to flip the script , and signal a different kind of progress .
In doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history-making event , again denying Netflix its first best-picture win despite two contenders in `` The Irishman '' and `` Marriage Story , '' and a big-spending awards campaign blitz .
All of the acting winners -- Brad Pitt ( `` Once Upon a Time in Hollywood '' ) , Renee Zellweger ( `` Judy '' ) , Joaquin Phoenix ( `` Joker '' ) and Laura Dern ( `` Marriage Story '' ) -- went as expected .
Few categories were more certain coming into Sunday 's Oscars than best supporting actor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all awards season .
While Pitt ( who in 2014 shared in the best picture win for `` 12 Years a Slave , '' as was a producer ) has regaled audiences with one-liners in the run-up to the Oscars , he began his comments on a political note .
`` They told me I have 45 seconds to speak , which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week , '' Pitt said , alluding to the impeachment hearings .
`` I 'm thinking maybe Quentin does a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the honor had given him reason to reflect on his fairy-tale journey in the film industry , going back to when he moved to Los Angeles from Missouri .
`` Once upon a time in Hollywood , '' said Pitt .
`` Ai n't that the truth . ''
Most of the early awards went according to forecasts , including Dern winning for her performance as a divorce attorney in Noah Baumbach 's `` Marriage Story . ''
Accepting her first Oscar , Dern thanked her in-attendance parents , `` my legends , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the 87th time , no women were nominated for best director this year , a subject that was woven into the entire ceremony -- and even into some attendees ' clothing .
Natalie Portman wore a cape lined with the names of female filmmakers who were n't nominated for best director , including Lulu Wang ( `` The Farewell '' ) , Greta Gerwig ( `` Little Women '' ) and Mati Diop ( `` Atlantics '' ) .
Coming on a rare rainy day in Los Angeles , the ceremony was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Eminem 's performance of `` Lose Yourself , '' were unexpected ( and drew a wane response from Martin Scorsese ) .
All of the song nominees performed , including Elton John who won with his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin for their `` Rocketman '' tune .
The hostless ceremony opened on a note of inclusion , with Janelle Monae performing `` A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood '' and her own song , `` Come Alive , '' with an assist from Billy Porter .
`` I 'm so proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ queer artist telling stories , '' Monae said .
`` Happy Black History Month . ''
Two former Oscar hosts , Chris Rock and Steve Martin , provided the opening monologue .
`` An incredible demotion , '' Martin called it .
There were more milestones .
In winning best adapted screenplay for his Nazi satire `` Jojo Rabbit , '' the New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi became the first indigenous director ever to win an Oscar .
He dedicated the award to `` all the indigenous kids in the world who want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories . ''
`` We are the original storytellers , '' Waititi said .
`` Joker '' composer Hildur Gudnadottir became only the third woman to ever win best original score .
`` To the girls , to the women , to the mothers , to the daughters who hear the music opening within , please speak up , '' said Gudnadottir .
`` We need to hear your voices . ''
Awards were spread around to all of the best-picture nominees , with the lone exception being Martin Scorsese 's 10-time nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' acclaimed for its technical virtuosity , took awards for Roger Deakins ' cinematography , visual effects and sound mixing .
The car racing throwback `` Ford v Ferrari '' was also honored for its craft , winning both editing and sound editing .
Gerwig 's Louisa May Alcott adaptation `` Little Women '' won for Jacqueline Durran 's costume design .
`` Once Upon a Time in Hollywood '' won for Barbara Ling 's production design .
Netflix came in with a leading 24 nominations .
Along with the win for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` American Factory '' won best documentary .
The film is the first release from Barack and Michelle Obama 's Higher Ground Productions .
No studio has spent more heavily this awards season than Netflix , which is seeking its first best picture win after coming up just shy last year with `` Roma . ''
Pixar extended its domination of the best animated film category , winning for `` Toy Story 4 . ''
It 's the 10th Pixar film to win the award and second `` Toy Story '' film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010 installment .
It was an early award for the Walt Disney Co. which despite last year amassing a record $ 13 billion in worldwide box office and owning the network the Oscars are broadcast on , played a minor role in the ceremony .
The bulk of its awards came from 20th Century Fox ( `` Ford v Ferrari '' ) and Fox Searchlight ( `` Jojo Rabbit '' ) , both of which the company took control of after its $ 71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show live , hoped a widely watched field of nominees -- including the $ 1 billion-grossing `` Joker , '' up for a leading 11 awards -- will help viewership .
Last year 's show garnered 29.6 million viewers , a 12 % uptick .
In a year of streaming upheaval throughout the industry , this year 's Oscar favorites were largely movies released widely in theaters .
They also predominantly featured male characters and came from male directors .
After a year in which women made significant gains behind the camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best director .
The acting categories are also the least diverse since the fallout of # OscarsSoWhite pushed the academy to remake its membership .
Cynthia Erivo ( `` Harriet '' ) is the only actor of color nominated .
Those results , which have been a topic in speeches through awards season , stand in contrast to research that suggests the most popular movies star more people of color than ever before .

'Parasite' makes Oscar history with Best Picture win
Bong Joon Ho, right, reacts as he is presented with the award for best picture for "Parasite" from presenter Jane Fonda at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Looking on from left are Kang-Ho Song and Kwak Sin Ae. Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- "Parasite" is the first non-English language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards.
Bong Joon Ho's masterfully devious class satire took Hollywood's top prize at the Oscars on Sunday night, along with awards for best director, best international film and best screenplay. In a year dominated by period epics -- "1917," "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood," "The Irishman" -- the film academy instead went overseas, to South Korea, to reward a contemporary and unsettling portrait of social inequality in "Parasite."
True to its name, "Parasite" got under the skin of Oscar voters, attaching itself to the American awards season and, ultimately, to history. The win was a watershed moment for the Academy Awards, which has long been content to relegate international films to their own category.
Multiple standing ovations greeted Bong's several wins. "I am ready to drink tonight," Bong said, prompting roars from the crowd. Unexpectedly called up again for best director, Bong saluted his fellow nominees, particularly Martin Scorsese, and concluded: "Now I'm ready to drink until tomorrow."
The win for "Parasite" -- which had echoes of the surprise victory of "Moonlight" over "La La Land" three years ago -- came in a year in which many criticized the lack of diversity in the nominees and the absence of female filmmakers. But the triumph for "Parasite" enabled Hollywood to flip the script, and signal a different kind of progress.
In doing so, the film academy turned away another history-making event, again denying Netflix its first best-picture win despite two contenders in "The Irishman" and "Marriage Story," and a big-spending awards campaign blitz.
All of the acting winners -- Brad Pitt ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"), Renee Zellweger ("Judy"), Joaquin Phoenix ("Joker") and Laura Dern ("Marriage Story") -- went as expected.
Few categories were more certain coming into Sunday's Oscars than best supporting actor, which Pitt has had locked down all awards season. While Pitt (who in 2014 shared in the best picture win for "12 Years a Slave," as was a producer) has regaled audiences with one-liners in the run-up to the Oscars, he began his comments on a political note.
"They told me I have 45 seconds to speak, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week," Pitt said, alluding to the impeachment hearings. "I'm thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it."
Pitt said the honor had given him reason to reflect on his fairy-tale journey in the film industry, going back to when he moved to Los Angeles from Missouri. "Once upon a time in Hollywood," said Pitt. "Ain't that the truth."
Most of the early awards went according to forecasts, including Dern winning for her performance as a divorce attorney in Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story." Accepting her first Oscar, Dern thanked her in-attendance parents, "my legends, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern."
For the 87th time, no women were nominated for best director this year, a subject that was woven into the entire ceremony -- and even into some attendees' clothing. Natalie Portman wore a cape lined with the names of female filmmakers who weren't nominated for best director, including Lulu Wang ("The Farewell"), Greta Gerwig ("Little Women") and Mati Diop ("Atlantics").
Coming on a rare rainy day in Los Angeles, the ceremony was soggy and song-heavy. Some performances, like Eminem's performance of "Lose Yourself," were unexpected (and drew a wane response from Martin Scorsese). All of the song nominees performed, including Elton John who won with his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin for their "Rocketman" tune.
The hostless ceremony opened on a note of inclusion, with Janelle Monae performing "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" and her own song, "Come Alive," with an assist from Billy Porter. "I'm so proud to be standing here as a black queer artist telling stories," Monae said. "Happy Black History Month."
Two former Oscar hosts, Chris Rock and Steve Martin, provided the opening monologue. "An incredible demotion," Martin called it.
There were more milestones. In winning best adapted screenplay for his Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit," the New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi became the first indigenous director ever to win an Oscar. He dedicated the award to "all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art, dance and write stories."
"We are the original storytellers," Waititi said.
"Joker" composer Hildur Gudnadottir became only the third woman to ever win best original score. "To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters who hear the music opening within, please speak up," said Gudnadottir. "We need to hear your voices."
Awards were spread around to all of the best-picture nominees, with the lone exception being Martin Scorsese's 10-time nominee "The Irishman."
"1917," acclaimed for its technical virtuosity, took awards for Roger Deakins' cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing. The car racing throwback "Ford v Ferrari" was also honored for its craft, winning both editing and sound editing. Gerwig's Louisa May Alcott adaptation "Little Women" won for Jacqueline Durran's costume design. "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" won for Barbara Ling's production design.
Netflix came in with a leading 24 nominations. Along with the win for "Marriage Story," the streamer's "American Factory" won best documentary. The film is the first release from Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions. No studio has spent more heavily this awards season than Netflix, which is seeking its first best picture win after coming up just shy last year with "Roma."
Pixar extended its domination of the best animated film category, winning for "Toy Story 4." It's the 10th Pixar film to win the award and second "Toy Story" film to do so, following the previous 2010 installment.
It was an early award for the Walt Disney Co. which despite last year amassing a record $13 billion in worldwide box office and owning the network the Oscars are broadcast on, played a minor role in the ceremony. The bulk of its awards came from 20th Century Fox ("Ford v Ferrari") and Fox Searchlight ("Jojo Rabbit"), both of which the company took control of after its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox last year.
Disney's ABC, which is broadcasting the show live, hoped a widely watched field of nominees -- including the $1 billion-grossing "Joker," up for a leading 11 awards -- will help viewership. Last year's show garnered 29.6 million viewers, a 12% uptick.
In a year of streaming upheaval throughout the industry, this year's Oscar favorites were largely movies released widely in theaters. They also predominantly featured male characters and came from male directors.
After a year in which women made significant gains behind the camera, no female directors were nominated for best director. The acting categories are also the least diverse since the fallout of #OscarsSoWhite pushed the academy to remake its membership. Cynthia Erivo ("Harriet") is the only actor of color nominated. Those results, which have been a topic in speeches through awards season, stand in contrast to research that suggests the most popular movies star more people of color than ever before.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Antioch man, dog saved after falling through ice on Fox Lake

An Antioch man and his dog were rescued after they fell through the ice Sunday afternoon on Fox Lake .
@ @ @ @ @ into the frigid water about 3:10 p.m. as he tried to save his dog , @ @ @ @ @ the ice and fallen through about 100 to 150 feet from the shoreline .
Residents @ @ @ @ @ dog from the water just as emergency responders arrived .
The man was taken to @ @ @ @ @ was not showing any severe symptoms of hypothermia , Antioch Battalion Chief Joe Dushane said @

Antioch man, dog saved after falling through ice on Fox Lake
An Antioch man and his dog were rescued after they fell through the ice Sunday afternoon on Fox Lake.
Neighbors say the man plunge into the frigid water about 3:10 p.m. as he tried to save his dog, who had run out onto the ice and fallen through about 100 to 150 feet from the shoreline.
Residents pulled the man and his dog from the water just as emergency responders arrived.
The man was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center and was not showing any severe symptoms of hypothermia, Antioch Battalion Chief Joe Dushane said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Images from the 92nd Academy Awards

Images from the 92nd Academy Awards

Dominic Tuohy , from left , Guillaume Rocheron , and Greg Butler , winners of the award for best visual @ @ @ @ @ , pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday , Feb. 9 , @ @ @ @ @ Theatre in Los Angeles .
( Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP )

Brad Pitt accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Space station delivery from Virginia nixed at last minute

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. -- Northrop Grumman delayed a space station delivery from Virginia on Sunday because of trouble with @ @ @ @ @ came within two to three minutes of launching a cargo ship from Wallops Island to @ @ @ @ @ NASA .
With rain and clouds in the forecast this week , the launch was @ @ @ @ @ The capsule atop Northrop Grumman 's Antares rocket holds 4 tons of supplies , including @ @ @ @ @ three space station residents .
The astronauts were monitoring the countdown , but the live @ @ @ @ @ they did not learn about the delay until Mission Control radioed the news a half-hour @ @ @ @ @ under contract with NASA to deliver station supplies .
Its next shipment is in March @ @ @ @ @ and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute 's Department of Science @ @ @ @ @ solely responsible for all content .

Space station delivery from Virginia nixed at last minute
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Northrop Grumman delayed a space station delivery from Virginia on Sunday because of trouble with ground equipment.
The company came within two to three minutes of launching a cargo ship from Wallops Island to the International Space Station for NASA. With rain and clouds in the forecast this week, the launch was bumped to at least Thursday..
The capsule atop Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket holds 4 tons of supplies, including cheese and candy for the three space station residents. The astronauts were monitoring the countdown, but the live video feed cut off and they did not learn about the delay until Mission Control radioed the news a half-hour later.
SpaceX also is under contract with NASA to deliver station supplies. Its next shipment is in March.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Ionescu leads No. 3 Oregon women to runaway victory

EUGENE , Ore. -- Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 points to lead five Oregon players in double figures , and the third-ranked Ducks cruised to a 79-48 victory over No .
19 Arizona State on Sunday .
Oregon ( 22-2 , 11-1 Pac-12 ) earned its 10th straight victory .
Erin Boley and Jaz Shelley each had 14 points and four 3-pointers .
Satou Sabally scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds .
Ionescu was 6 of 9 from the field and had five assists and five rebounds .
Ja'Tavia Tapley and Eboni Walker each had eight points for the Sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who beat the Ducks 72-66 on Jan. 10 .
SYRACUSE , N.Y. -- Kiara Lewis scored 24 points , and Syracuse shut down Louisville for the victory .
Syracuse ( 12-11 , 6-6 Atlantic Coast Conference ) , which beat Boston College on Thursday night , gave coach Quentin Hillsman his 300th career win .
Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi had 12 points for the Orange , and Emily Engstler finished with eight points and nine rebounds .
Louisville ( 21-3 10-2 ) was coming off a 67-59 home loss to No .
17 Florida State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 34.4 % against the Seminoles , and had similar trouble against the Orange .
Jazmine Jones led Louisville with 15 points .
Dana Evans had 13 points on 4-of-17 shooting .
STANFORD , Calif. -- Lexie Hull had 14 points and six rebounds , leading Stanford to the runaway victory .
The Cardinal ( 21-3 , 10-2 Pac-12 ) earned their 10th straight victory against Southern California ( 12-11 , 4-8 ) and improved to 63-20 all-time against the Trojans .
Alissa Pili scored 12 points for USC , which lost for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three straight .
The Cardinal opened with a 13-0 run on their way to a 25-3 lead late in the first quarter .
NO .
8 MISSISSIPPI STATE 69 , NO .
16 TEXAS A & M 57 STARKVILLE , Miss .
-- Myah Taylor scored each of her 16 points in the final 12 minutes to help Mississippi State rally for the win .
Taylor also had six assists , three steals and zero turnovers to lead the charge for the struggling Bulldogs ( 22-3 , 10-1 SEC ) .
Rickea Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi State .
Jessika Carter scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting .
The Aggies ( 18-5 , 6-4 ) played their sixth consecutive game without preseason SEC Player of the Year Chennedy Carter , who has been dealing with an injury .
N'dea Jones had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Texas A & M .
Kayla Wells also scored 16 .
CORVALLIS , Ore. -- Aari McDonald scored 22 points , and Arizona got a close win on the road .
The Wildcats ( 19-4 , 8-4 Pac-12 ) snapped an 11-game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 7-5 ) dating to the 2011-12 season .
Arizona never trailed in overtime , and the key shot was a 3-pointer from Sam Thomas with 1:16 left that extended its lead to 61-56 .
Mikayla Pivec led the Beavers with 15 points and 12 rebounds .
BERKELEY , Calif. -- Michaela Onyenwere hit a go-ahead jumper in the paint with 25.7 seconds left and scored seven of her 22 points in overtime , helping UCLA complete an impressive Bay Area sweep .
Jaelyn Brown 's 3-pointer for California tied it with 1:37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of the arc before CJ West grabbed another timely rebound for the Golden Bears .
But Cal could n't capitalize and a jump ball went UCLA 's way with 17.6 seconds left .
Coming off a victory Friday night at No .
6 Stanford , UCLA ( 21-2 , 10-2 Pac-12 ) won its third straight since a loss at Arizona on Jan. 31 .
Leilani McIntosh had 11 points , seven rebounds and six assists for Cal ( 9-14 , 1-11 ) .
COLLEGE PARK , Md .
-- Kaila Charles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading Maryland to its ninth straight victory .
Stephanie Jones and Ashley Owusu added 14 points apiece for the Terps ( 20-4 , 11-2 Big Ten ) .
Owusu also had nine assists .
SOUTH ORANGE , N.J. -- Chante Stonewall scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds , powering DePaul to the victory .
Stonewall scored 24 points in the first half , helping the Blue Demons to a 50-40 lead at the break .
DePaul ( 22-3 , 12-1 Big East ) had five players score in double figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Deja Church had 13 .
Mya Jackson scored 19 points for Seton Hall ( 15-9 , 8-5 ) , and Shadeen Samuels had 18 .
The Pirates yielded 16 offensive rebounds , helping the Blue Demons to a 16-1 advantage in second-chance points .
Arkansas ( 19-5 , 7-4 Southeastern Conference ) reached the century mark for the third time this season .
The Razorbacks are 1-3 against teams in the AP Top 25 .
Tolefree went 5 for 10 from 3-point range .
Chelsea Dungee added 24 points on 8-of-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gillespie scored 22 points for Florida State , and Morgan Jones put up her first career double-double .
Gillespie was 9-of-18 shooting and had eight rebounds .
Jones had 11 points and 11 boards .
The Seminoles ( 20-4 , 9-4 Atlantic Coast Conference ) , who were coming off a win at No .
5 Louisville , reached 20 wins for eighth straight season .
Jocelyn Willoughby scored 19 points for the Cavaliers ( 10-14 , 5-8 ) .
Shemera Williams finished with 12 .
LINCOLN , Neb .
-- Grace Berger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jaelynn Penn hit two key free throws to send Indiana to the road win .
Penn led the Hoosiers ( 19-6 , 9-4 Big Ten ) with 14 points .
Berger had nine points and 15 rebounds .
Indiana led 41-23 at halftime .
But it went 1 for 16 from the field in the fourth quarter .
Kate Cain scored 12 points and blocked five shots for Nebraska ( 15-9 , 5-8 ) , which lost its fourth straight .
WEST LAFAYETTE , Ind .
-- Monika Czinano scored 20 points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away for the road win .
Makenzie Meyer and Kathleen Doyle had 22 points apiece for the Hawkeyes ( 20-4 , 11-2 Big Ten ) , who set up a showdown at No .
13 Maryland on Thursday with the league lead on the line .
Amanda Ollinger had 12 rebounds .
GRAND FORKS , N.D. -- Ciara Duffy scored 17 points , and South Dakota rolled to its 11th consecutive win .
Taylor Frederick had 15 points for the Coyotes ( 22-2 , 11-0 Summit League ) .
Chloe Lamb finished with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fighting Hawks ( 14-10 , 5-6 ) in eight straight meetings .
DES MOINES , Iowa -- Brice Calip had 23 points and eight assists , and Missouri State earned its sixth straight victory .
Calip went 7 for 11 from the field and 8 for 10 at the line .
Elle Ruffridge scored 14 points for the Lady Bears ( 20-3 , 10-1 Missouri Valley ) , and Alexa Willard had 11 points .
Sara Rhine scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs ( 16-7 , 8-3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a row .
Becca Hittner had 23 points .

Ionescu leads No. 3 Oregon women to runaway victory
EUGENE, Ore. -- Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 points to lead five Oregon players in double figures, and the third-ranked Ducks cruised to a 79-48 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday.
Oregon (22-2, 11-1 Pac-12) earned its 10th straight victory. Erin Boley and Jaz Shelley each had 14 points and four 3-pointers. Satou Sabally scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Ionescu was 6 of 9 from the field and had five assists and five rebounds.
Ja'Tavia Tapley and Eboni Walker each had eight points for the Sun Devils (16-8, 6-6), who beat the Ducks 72-66 on Jan. 10.
SYRACUSE 59, NO. 5 LOUISVILLE 51
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Kiara Lewis scored 24 points, and Syracuse shut down Louisville for the victory.
Syracuse (12-11, 6-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), which beat Boston College on Thursday night, gave coach Quentin Hillsman his 300th career win.
Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi had 12 points for the Orange, and Emily Engstler finished with eight points and nine rebounds.
Louisville (21-3 10-2) was coming off a 67-59 home loss to No. 17 Florida State on Thursday night. The Cardinals shot 34.4% against the Seminoles, and had similar trouble against the Orange.
Jazmine Jones led Louisville with 15 points. Dana Evans had 13 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
NO. 6 STANFORD 79, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 59
STANFORD, Calif. -- Lexie Hull had 14 points and six rebounds, leading Stanford to the runaway victory.
The Cardinal (21-3, 10-2 Pac-12) earned their 10th straight victory against Southern California (12-11, 4-8) and improved to 63-20 all-time against the Trojans.
Alissa Pili scored 12 points for USC, which lost for the third time in four games after winning three straight.
The Cardinal opened with a 13-0 run on their way to a 25-3 lead late in the first quarter.
NO. 8 MISSISSIPPI STATE 69, NO. 16 TEXAS A&M 57
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Myah Taylor scored each of her 16 points in the final 12 minutes to help Mississippi State rally for the win.
Taylor also had six assists, three steals and zero turnovers to lead the charge for the struggling Bulldogs (22-3, 10-1 SEC).
Rickea Jackson had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Mississippi State. Jessika Carter scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
The Aggies (18-5, 6-4) played their sixth consecutive game without preseason SEC Player of the Year Chennedy Carter, who has been dealing with an injury.
N'dea Jones had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Texas A&M. Kayla Wells also scored 16.
NO. 12 ARIZONA 65, NO. 9 OREGON STATE 58, OT
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Aari McDonald scored 22 points, and Arizona got a close win on the road.
The Wildcats (19-4, 8-4 Pac-12) snapped an 11-game losing streak against Oregon State (18-5, 7-5) dating to the 2011-12 season.
Arizona never trailed in overtime, and the key shot was a 3-pointer from Sam Thomas with 1:16 left that extended its lead to 61-56.
Mikayla Pivec led the Beavers with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Dominque McBryde scored 19 points for the Wildcats.
NO. 10 UCLA 74, CALIFORNIA 70, OT
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Michaela Onyenwere hit a go-ahead jumper in the paint with 25.7 seconds left and scored seven of her 22 points in overtime, helping UCLA complete an impressive Bay Area sweep.
Jaelyn Brown's 3-pointer for California tied it with 1:37 left and Charisma Osborne missed from the top of the arc before CJ West grabbed another timely rebound for the Golden Bears. But Cal couldn't capitalize and a jump ball went UCLA's way with 17.6 seconds left.
Coming off a victory Friday night at No. 6 Stanford, UCLA (21-2, 10-2 Pac-12) won its third straight since a loss at Arizona on Jan. 31.
Leilani McIntosh had 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Cal (9-14, 1-11).
NO. 13 MARYLAND 79, RUTGERS 50
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Kaila Charles had 16 points and eight rebounds, leading Maryland to its ninth straight victory.
Stephanie Jones and Ashley Owusu added 14 points apiece for the Terps (20-4, 11-2 Big Ten). Owusu also had nine assists.
Maryland reached 20 wins for the 17th straight season.
Arella Guirantes led Rutgers (17-6, 7-5) with 15 points. Tekia Mack had 13.
NO. 14 DEPAUL 86, SETON HALL 76
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -- Chante Stonewall scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, powering DePaul to the victory.
Stonewall scored 24 points in the first half, helping the Blue Demons to a 50-40 lead at the break.
DePaul (22-3, 12-1 Big East) had five players score in double figures. Sonya Morris finished with 14 points, and Deja Church had 13.
Mya Jackson scored 19 points for Seton Hall (15-9, 8-5), and Shadeen Samuels had 18.
The Pirates yielded 16 offensive rebounds, helping the Blue Demons to a 16-1 advantage in second-chance points.
NO. 25 ARKANSAS 103, NO. 15 KENTUCKY 85
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Alexis Tolefree scored 30 points, helping Arkansas outlast Kentucky.
Arkansas (19-5, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) reached the century mark for the third time this season. The Razorbacks are 1-3 against teams in the AP Top 25.
Tolefree went 5 for 10 from 3-point range. Chelsea Dungee added 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
Chasity Patterson led Kentucky (18-5, 7-4) with 32 points. Rhyne Howard finished with 20.
NO. 17 FLORIDA STATE 63, VIRGINIA 55
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Kiah Gillespie scored 22 points for Florida State, and Morgan Jones put up her first career double-double.
Gillespie was 9-of-18 shooting and had eight rebounds. Jones had 11 points and 11 boards.
The Seminoles (20-4, 9-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who were coming off a win at No. 5 Louisville, reached 20 wins for eighth straight season.
Jocelyn Willoughby scored 19 points for the Cavaliers (10-14, 5-8). Shemera Williams finished with 12.
NO. 18 INDIANA 57, NEBRASKA 53
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Grace Berger made a layup with 30 seconds left and Jaelynn Penn hit two key free throws to send Indiana to the road win.
Penn led the Hoosiers (19-6, 9-4 Big Ten) with 14 points. Berger had nine points and 15 rebounds.
Indiana led 41-23 at halftime. But it went 1 for 16 from the field in the fourth quarter.
Kate Cain scored 12 points and blocked five shots for Nebraska (15-9, 5-8), which lost its fourth straight.
NO. 20 IOWA 83, PURDUE 71
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Monika Czinano scored 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting, and Iowa pulled away for the road win.
Makenzie Meyer and Kathleen Doyle had 22 points apiece for the Hawkeyes (20-4, 11-2 Big Ten), who set up a showdown at No. 13 Maryland on Thursday with the league lead on the line. Amanda Ollinger had 12 rebounds.
Kayanna Traylor led the Boilermakers (15-10, 6-7) with a career-high 21 points. Fatou Diagne grabbed 14 rebounds.
NO. 22 SOUTH DAKOTA 93, NORTH DAKOTA 46
GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Ciara Duffy scored 17 points, and South Dakota rolled to its 11th consecutive win.
Taylor Frederick had 15 points for the Coyotes (22-2, 11-0 Summit League). Chloe Lamb finished with 14.
The Coyotes have defeated the Fighting Hawks (14-10, 5-6) in eight straight meetings.
Megan Zander led North Dakota with eight points.
NO. 24 MISSOURI STATE 89, DRAKE 83
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Brice Calip had 23 points and eight assists, and Missouri State earned its sixth straight victory.
Calip went 7 for 11 from the field and 8 for 10 at the line. Elle Ruffridge scored 14 points for the Lady Bears (20-3, 10-1 Missouri Valley), and Alexa Willard had 11 points.
Sara Rhine scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs (16-7, 8-3), who had won three in a row. Becca Hittner had 23 points.
___
More AP women's basketball: https://apnews.com/Womenscollegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-10--Contract to renovate historic Adlai E. Stevenson home delayed as bids exceed budget

Action on a contract to renovate the exterior of the Adlai E. Stevenson Historic Home near Mettawa has been delayed as its owner , the Lake County Forest Preserve District , looks for ways to help defray the cost .
The district has set aside $ 550,000 in its capital budget to remove and replace the wood siding and all the windows , among other work , at the home off St. Mary 's Road south of Route 60 on the east side of the Des Plaines River .
The full board had been expected to vote on a contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is $ 597,838 and its finance committee last week tabled the matter until March 7 .
The forest district staff was directed `` to try to find grant money and try to find folks to take over the property , '' said committee Chair Terry Wilke .
Finding an entity to do that is `` highly unlikely '' Wilke acknowledged but a check of available grant opportunities to help offset renovation costs is worth the effort .
`` It was n't because of anything to do with the need for repairs , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public affairs and development said of the tabled bid .
The delay also will allow time to include the Stevenson house in a review of all forest board facilities , he added .
That was last done in 2015 with buildings categorized as to if , how long or under what circumstances they would be kept .
Stevenson , a former Illinois governor and U.N. ambassador , was the Democratic Party nominee for U.S. president in 1952 and 1956 .
He was a revered statesman who crafted many speeches , articles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy at his rural retreat known as `` The Farm . ''
Stevenson died in 1965 and the house and property was sold to a family friend in 1969 .
The estate was donated to the forest preserve district in 1974 .
The house is open for scheduled programs and tours .
The Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy , which has a license agreement with the forest preserve district , holds events there .
Exhibits and public restrooms are available in a barn and attached building near the house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October for self-guided tours but is not included in the planned exterior renovations .
The house was designed by Chicago architects Perkins , Wheeler and Will and built in 1938 in a modern style that featured clean lines .
The last major restoration of the home 's exterior was done in 2004-05 and the condition has deteriorated and last year , plans and specifications for renovations were prepared .
In addition to replacing the siding and windows , work includes removal and replacement of the flat roof sections ; replacing damaged exterior and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , repairing the concrete wall and stair leading to the basement .
The work is intended to last 25 years and make the building watertight .
Action 1 Construction Inc. , of Chicago submitted the lowest bid at $ 425,000 .
But it was considered nonresponsive because the bid did not comply with insurance and bond requirements and district staff recommended it be rejected .
The next lowest bid is $ 597,838 from Workmasters Inc. , of Des Plaines .
The Stevenson estate is a designated Illinois Historic Site and listed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2014 .

Contract to renovate historic Adlai E. Stevenson home delayed as bids exceed budget
The Adlai E. Stevenson Historic Home near Mettawa was donated to the Lake County Forest Preserve District in 1974. The exterior was last renovated in 2004-2005 and needs work, forest officials say. Daily Herald file photo, 2009
Action on a contract to renovate the exterior of the Adlai E. Stevenson Historic Home near Mettawa has been delayed as its owner, the Lake County Forest Preserve District, looks for ways to help defray the cost.
The district has set aside $550,000 in its capital budget to remove and replace the wood siding and all the windows, among other work, at the home off St. Mary's Road south of Route 60 on the east side of the Des Plaines River.
The full board had been expected to vote on a contract Tuesday. But the lowest responsible bid is $597,838 and its finance committee last week tabled the matter until March 7.
The forest district staff was directed "to try to find grant money and try to find folks to take over the property," said committee Chair Terry Wilke.
Finding an entity to do that is "highly unlikely" Wilke acknowledged but a check of available grant opportunities to help offset renovation costs is worth the effort.
"It wasn't because of anything to do with the need for repairs," Katherine Hamilton-Smith, the district's director of public affairs and development said of the tabled bid.
The delay also will allow time to include the Stevenson house in a review of all forest board facilities, he added. That was last done in 2015 with buildings categorized as to if, how long or under what circumstances they would be kept.
Stevenson, a former Illinois governor and U.N. ambassador, was the Democratic Party nominee for U.S. president in 1952 and 1956. He was a revered statesman who crafted many speeches, articles and books and met with dignitaries including Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy at his rural retreat known as "The Farm."
Stevenson died in 1965 and the house and property was sold to a family friend in 1969. The estate was donated to the forest preserve district in 1974.
The house is open for scheduled programs and tours. The Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy, which has a license agreement with the forest preserve district, holds events there.
Exhibits and public restrooms are available in a barn and attached building near the house. That's open from April to October for self-guided tours but is not included in the planned exterior renovations.
The house was designed by Chicago architects Perkins, Wheeler and Will and built in 1938 in a modern style that featured clean lines. The last major restoration of the home's exterior was done in 2004-05 and the condition has deteriorated and last year, plans and specifications for renovations were prepared.
In addition to replacing the siding and windows, work includes removal and replacement of the flat roof sections; replacing damaged exterior and interior plaster ceilings; tuckpointing chimneys; and, repairing the concrete wall and stair leading to the basement.
The work is intended to last 25 years and make the building watertight.
Action 1 Construction Inc., of Chicago submitted the lowest bid at $425,000. But it was considered nonresponsive because the bid did not comply with insurance and bond requirements and district staff recommended it be rejected. The next lowest bid is $597,838 from Workmasters Inc., of Des Plaines.
The Stevenson estate is a designated Illinois Historic Site and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2014.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-10--How the Academy's push for diversity enabled 'Parasite' to make Oscar history

I am delighted -- and bowled over  -- that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agrees with me that Bong Joon Ho 's South Korean political drama `` Parasite '' is the best-written , best-directed , best motion picture of 2019 .
But I , like most Academy Awards prognosticators , did n't predict that `` Parasite '' would win Oscars for Best Picture , Best Screenplay and Best Director .
( The Oscar for Best International Feature was an easy call . )
After Academy voters last year roundly rejected Alfonso Cuarón 's universally hailed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as best picture ( in favor of the conventional `` Green Book '' ) , things looked bleak for any foreign language film to win both the International Feature and Best Picture Oscars .
`` Parasite '' did it , and wrote a long-overdue page in the Academy 's history books .
Even Bong Joon Ho did n't think that would happen , not until he picked up the Best Director trophy and said , through an interpreter , `` After winning the International Feature , I thought I was done for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year and Sunday that pushed Oscar voters outside of their traditional mindset ?
Let 's look at the numbers .
Ever since the # OscarsSoWhite protests over the conspicuous lack of nonwhite nominees a few years ago , the Academy has promised to diversify its ranks .
In 2019 , the Academy invited 842 filmmakers to join .
Reportedly , 50 percent were female , 29 percent were nonwhite .
In announcing those additions , the Hollywood Reporter noted that , as of '19 , 32 percent of Academy members were female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latter percentage is up from just 8 percent four years earlier .
Could the new members have been enough to shake up the Academy 's long-held practice to make the International Feature Oscar the best that any foreign-language movie could hope for ?
Which should not take anything away from `` Parasite '' earning each of its four Oscars .
Bong 's surprise-filled film topped my Best 10 list for 2019 , and has deservedly picked up top awards from many writers and critics organizations .
So , the 92nd Academy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show that , just like `` Parasite , '' saved its biggest surprises for the very end .
Meanwhile on an upbeat musical note , Hildur Guðnadóttir broke the male-dominated original score category for her music to `` Joker . ''
Natalie Portman donned a Dior cape embroidered with the names of women who directed 2019 movies , but did n't receive Oscar nominations for their works .
Spike Lee paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant by wearing a purple and gold suit with the number 24 stitched onto the lapels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ belonged to Olivia Colman announcing the Best Actor recipient .
She told us that her Best Actress win a year ago ( for `` The Favourite '' ) turned into `` the best night of my husband 's life ! ''
Then she said to the audience , `` I hope you 're having as good a time as he did ! ''
To be honest , I do n't think we did .
But the `` Parasite '' crew might think differently .

How the Academy's push for diversity enabled 'Parasite' to make Oscar history
Bong Joon Ho accepts the award for best International Feature Film for "Parasite," from South Korea, at the Oscars on Sunday. The film also won Best Picture, among other awards. Associated Press
Bong Joon Ho holds the Oscars won Sunday for his film "Parasite." Associated Press
Bong Joon Ho, right, reacts as he is presented with the award for Best Picture for "Parasite" from presenter Jane Fonda at the Oscars Sunday. Associated Press
I am delighted -- and bowled over -- that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agrees with me that Bong Joon Ho's South Korean political drama "Parasite" is the best-written, best-directed, best motion picture of 2019.
But I, like most Academy Awards prognosticators, didn't predict that "Parasite" would win Oscars for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director. (The Oscar for Best International Feature was an easy call.)
After Academy voters last year roundly rejected Alfonso Cuarón's universally hailed, autobiographically inspired Mexican drama "Roma" as best picture (in favor of the conventional "Green Book"), things looked bleak for any foreign language film to win both the International Feature and Best Picture Oscars.
"Parasite" did it, and wrote a long-overdue page in the Academy's history books.
Even Bong Joon Ho didn't think that would happen, not until he picked up the Best Director trophy and said, through an interpreter, "After winning the International Feature, I thought I was done for the day!"
Not quite.
So what happened between last year and Sunday that pushed Oscar voters outside of their traditional mindset?
Let's look at the numbers.
Ever since the #OscarsSoWhite protests over the conspicuous lack of nonwhite nominees a few years ago, the Academy has promised to diversify its ranks.
In 2019, the Academy invited 842 filmmakers to join. Reportedly, 50 percent were female, 29 percent were nonwhite.
In announcing those additions, the Hollywood Reporter noted that, as of '19, 32 percent of Academy members were female and 16 percent were people of color. The latter percentage is up from just 8 percent four years earlier.
Could the new members have been enough to shake up the Academy's long-held practice to make the International Feature Oscar the best that any foreign-language movie could hope for?
Apparently, they did.
Which should not take anything away from "Parasite" earning each of its four Oscars. Bong's surprise-filled film topped my Best 10 list for 2019, and has deservedly picked up top awards from many writers and critics organizations.
So, the 92nd Academy Awards started off as a predictably routine show that, just like "Parasite," saved its biggest surprises for the very end.
Meanwhile on an upbeat musical note, Hildur Guðnadóttir broke the male-dominated original score category for her music to "Joker."
Natalie Portman donned a Dior cape embroidered with the names of women who directed 2019 movies, but didn't receive Oscar nominations for their works.
Spike Lee paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant by wearing a purple and gold suit with the number 24 stitched onto the lapels.
The best nonacceptance speech of the night belonged to Olivia Colman announcing the Best Actor recipient.
She told us that her Best Actress win a year ago (for "The Favourite") turned into "the best night of my husband's life!"
Then she said to the audience, "I hope you're having as good a time as he did!"
To be honest, I don't think we did.
But the "Parasite" crew might think differently.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-10--O'Hare still the nation's busiest airport; 737 Max grounding drags down Midway's numbers

After a year on top of the busiest U.S. airport pinnacle , O'Hare shows no signs of losing its status .
However , Midway International Airport 's numbers dipped , related partly to the grounding of Boeing 's 737 Max airplane .
In 2019 , there were 232,084 flights at Midway compared to 243,322 in 2018 , a 4.6 % decline .
At O'Hare , `` we 're reaping benefits of new runways and gates , which are allowing airlines to boost service , '' DePaul University transportation professor Joseph Schwieterman said .
`` Getting these projects done was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
O'Hare hosted 903,747 flights in 2018 , which was the first time it had surpassed 900,000 since 2007 .
It also stayed ahead of rival Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport , which held the crown from 2015 through 2017 .
O'Hare connects passengers to small cities as well as top international destinations , Chicago Department of Aviation spokesman Matt McGrath pointed out .
O'Hare 's No .
1 status `` is also a vote of confidence from our airline partners , who are continuing to invest and grow in Chicago , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of shifting the airfield to a parallel runway system , which nears completion this year , and O'Hare 21 , a revamping that includes a new global terminal , concourses and gates , he added .
Schwieterman said `` the latest numbers show that both American and United Airlines remain committed to keeping O'Hare major global hubs .
We should n't take that for granted -- no other airport has two mega-hubs operating side-by-side .
He added , `` the most impressive aspect of O'Hare 's dominance is that Atlanta has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounding of the 737 Max '' as other airports .
Delta 's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson , and the carrier `` does n't use the Max . ''
McGrath said the decrease in Midway flights is `` very much connected to the grounding of the Max , and changes to Southwest Airlines ' schedule that resulted . ''

O'Hare still the nation's busiest airport; 737 Max grounding drags down Midway's numbers
O'Hare International Airport was the busiest in the nation for flights in 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration reports. Daily Herald File Photo
After a year on top of the busiest U.S. airport pinnacle, O'Hare shows no signs of losing its status.
O'Hare International Airport handled 919,704 flights in 2019, a 1.8% climb from 2018.
However, Midway International Airport's numbers dipped, related partly to the grounding of Boeing's 737 Max airplane. In 2019, there were 232,084 flights at Midway compared to 243,322 in 2018, a 4.6% decline.
At O'Hare, "we're reaping benefits of new runways and gates, which are allowing airlines to boost service," DePaul University transportation professor Joseph Schwieterman said. "Getting these projects done wasn't easy, but they are paying dividends."
O'Hare hosted 903,747 flights in 2018, which was the first time it had surpassed 900,000 since 2007.
It also stayed ahead of rival Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which held the crown from 2015 through 2017.
O'Hare connects passengers to small cities as well as top international destinations, Chicago Department of Aviation spokesman Matt McGrath pointed out.
O'Hare's No. 1 status "is also a vote of confidence from our airline partners, who are continuing to invest and grow in Chicago," McGrath said. That is happening as a result of shifting the airfield to a parallel runway system, which nears completion this year, and O'Hare 21, a revamping that includes a new global terminal, concourses and gates, he added.
Schwieterman said "the latest numbers show that both American and United Airlines remain committed to keeping O'Hare major global hubs. We shouldn't take that for granted -- no other airport has two mega-hubs operating side-by-side.
He added, "the most impressive aspect of O'Hare's dominance is that Atlanta hasn't been affected as much by the grounding of the 737 Max" as other airports. Delta's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson, and the carrier "doesn't use the Max."
McGrath said the decrease in Midway flights is "very much connected to the grounding of the Max, and changes to Southwest Airlines' schedule that resulted."