dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--'It's hard to find the words even now': Jack O'Callahan reflects as Miracle on Ice turns 40

Jack O'Callahan has escaped the misery of Chicago , with its weather , corruption and taxes only a memory now .
But he ca n't escape his legacy .
Having moved to Northeast Florida last year , you would think the 1980 Olympic hockey hero would be a little more difficult to pick out of a crowd in a football-crazed area like Jacksonville .
Yet even in Florida when people hear his name , they know what it means .
Less than two weeks from the 40th anniversary of Team USA 's shocking upset of the Soviets in Lake Placid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minds of Americans who will celebrate what is always considered among the greatest sporting events ever .
The Blackhawks will be hosting the former Chicago defenseman on Feb. 19 to mark the anniversary during a game against the Rangers , before Team USA members embark on a weekend in Vegas , where the Golden Knights will honor nearly the entire squad on Feb. 22 , the very date in 1980 that they took down the best hockey team in the world .
`` I 'm really looking forward to seeing the guys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be a huge weekend , golf and parties , and then the Knights game will be a pretty big deal . ''
As far as O'Callahan can remember , the entire 20-man roster has been together only once since they went to the White House to meet President Carter shortly after the Olympics .
`` With all the reunions and everything else , the only time I know of that all 20 of us were in the same room was for Herbie , '' said O'Callahan of coach Herb Brooks ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lit the torch in Salt Lake City ( in 2002 ) , we had 19 because Mike Ramsey could n't get there .
`` He was an assistant coach with Minnesota and he tried to get there .
They put him on a private plane , but it was n't long after Sept. 11 and they had the air space shut down and he could n't get in . ''
Defenseman Bob Suter died of a heart attack in 2014 , and Mark Pavelich is in a secure treatment facility , found mentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felony assault charges his friends and family believe are linked to CTE .
`` We 've had 19 a few times and 18 a few times , '' O'Callahan said .
`` Now , unfortunately , it 's 18 . ''
The 62-year-old O'Callahan is still working in asset management and travels frequently , and rarely does a day go by that someone does n't bring up the game against the Soviets .
`` It 's something very special to the people who lived through it , '' O'Callahan said .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people because that first 20 years or so , it 's not like the NHL really embraced it or promoted it .
`` So 10 years go by and you get a few phone calls .
You get to 20 years and then Salt Lake and ... '' Then in 2004 the movie `` Miracle '' came out , which gave the generations that followed an opportunity to embrace an enduring and emotional story .
Said O'Callahan , `` It 's taken on a whole different trajectory . ''
Still , 40 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to people ?
`` I do n't know the answer , '' O'Callahan said .
`` What else do people talk about 40 years later and know where they were and exactly what they were doing ?
`` Usually , it 's some terrible event that happened to them or to the country , like Sept. 11 , some painful , life-altering moment seared into your brain .
`` But this is a positive thing .
It 's a great sports story that people do n't want to forget . ''
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' O'Callahan laughed .
`` They recognize the name .
It 's not like I walk around with my gold medal around my neck . ''
No , that 's in a safe-deposit box .
`` It 's been a lot of fun .
For us , it was just a great time in our life , '' said O'Callahan , who was 22 years old at the Olympics and a recent graduate of Boston University .
`` We were just blue-collar kids .
Our parents and grandparents all lived through wars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the children of those generations .
`` We knew things were bad .
If we woke up and someone told us to get to a bomb shelter , it would n't have been a surprise .
That was the Cold War .
That was the time we lived in .
`` It was a rough time in this country , but we did n't find out until later how the games we were winning had taken over the country .
It was awesome . ''
The U.S. victory over the Soviets was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Soviets had -- at the time -- the best team ever assembled .
They were professionals dressed up as amateurs , their only job to practice and play hockey .
Nothing but all-stars and Hall of Famers , a group that played together for years on the national team , winning the previous four gold medals and the next three that followed the 1980 Games .
They were so good , in fact , that after destroying Team USA in an exhibition game in New York the week before the Olympics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these college boys when they met again in Lake Placid , perhaps playing a part in the greatest upset in sports history .
It was a cultural touchstone , a much-needed one in America at the time .
The U.S.S.R. had invaded Afghanistan , there was the hostage crisis in Iran , gas lines at home and the Cold War was at its peak .
And now this surprising group of college kids , a team that had zero chance to beat the Soviets , was offering a depressed country a chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crazy , '' O'Callahan says as he searches his mind .
`` It 's hard to find the words even now .
`` You try to put yourself back there and remember the feelings , what it was like , what you thought before the game , after the game .
`` Just grateful to have been a part of something that 's a good thing , a happy thing for people .
When someone cries as they 're talking about it , you remember it 's sacred to them and you treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what makes it so great is the odds were overwhelmingly against us .
No one believed we had a chance except for us .
`` The Russians were so good .
So were the Fins , the Swedes , the Czechs .
Those were some of the best teams in the world .
Who were we ?
A bunch of guys tossed together .
Crazy . ''
Do you believe in miracles ?
After that game , we all did .

'It's hard to find the words even now': Jack O'Callahan reflects as Miracle on Ice turns 40
The U.S. hockey team pounces on goalie Jim Craig after a 4-3 victory against the Soviets in the 1980 Olympics, as a flag waves from the partisan Lake Placid, New York, crowd. Associated Press/Feb. 22, 1980
Jack O'Callahan has escaped the misery of Chicago, with its weather, corruption and taxes only a memory now.
But he can't escape his legacy.
Having moved to Northeast Florida last year, you would think the 1980 Olympic hockey hero would be a little more difficult to pick out of a crowd in a football-crazed area like Jacksonville.
Yet even in Florida when people hear his name, they know what it means.
Miracle.
Less than two weeks from the 40th anniversary of Team USA's shocking upset of the Soviets in Lake Placid, it is once again on the minds of Americans who will celebrate what is always considered among the greatest sporting events ever.
The Blackhawks will be hosting the former Chicago defenseman on Feb. 19 to mark the anniversary during a game against the Rangers, before Team USA members embark on a weekend in Vegas, where the Golden Knights will honor nearly the entire squad on Feb. 22, the very date in 1980 that they took down the best hockey team in the world.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing the guys," O'Callahan said. "It's going to be a huge weekend, golf and parties, and then the Knights game will be a pretty big deal."
As far as O'Callahan can remember, the entire 20-man roster has been together only once since they went to the White House to meet President Carter shortly after the Olympics.
"With all the reunions and everything else, the only time I know of that all 20 of us were in the same room was for Herbie," said O'Callahan of coach Herb Brooks' funeral in 2003. "When we lit the torch in Salt Lake City (in 2002), we had 19 because Mike Ramsey couldn't get there.
"He was an assistant coach with Minnesota and he tried to get there. They put him on a private plane, but it wasn't long after Sept. 11 and they had the air space shut down and he couldn't get in."
Defenseman Bob Suter died of a heart attack in 2014, and Mark Pavelich is in a secure treatment facility, found mentally ill and incapable of standing trial on felony assault charges his friends and family believe are linked to CTE.
"We've had 19 a few times and 18 a few times," O'Callahan said. "Now, unfortunately, it's 18."
The 62-year-old O'Callahan is still working in asset management and travels frequently, and rarely does a day go by that someone doesn't bring up the game against the Soviets.
"It's something very special to the people who lived through it," O'Callahan said. "It tells you how much it matters to people because that first 20 years or so, it's not like the NHL really embraced it or promoted it.
"So 10 years go by and you get a few phone calls. You get to 20 years and then Salt Lake and ..."
Then in 2004 the movie "Miracle" came out, which gave the generations that followed an opportunity to embrace an enduring and emotional story.
Said O'Callahan, "It's taken on a whole different trajectory."
Still, 40 years later a hockey game means that much to people?
"I don't know the answer," O'Callahan said. "What else do people talk about 40 years later and know where they were and exactly what they were doing?
"Usually, it's some terrible event that happened to them or to the country, like Sept. 11, some painful, life-altering moment seared into your brain.
"But this is a positive thing. It's a great sports story that people don't want to forget."
Even in Jacksonville.
"It's not exactly a hockey community," O'Callahan laughed. "They recognize the name. It's not like I walk around with my gold medal around my neck."
No, that's in a safe-deposit box.
"It's been a lot of fun. For us, it was just a great time in our life," said O'Callahan, who was 22 years old at the Olympics and a recent graduate of Boston University. "We were just blue-collar kids. Our parents and grandparents all lived through wars, served in wars, and we were the children of those generations.
"We knew things were bad. If we woke up and someone told us to get to a bomb shelter, it wouldn't have been a surprise. That was the Cold War. That was the time we lived in.
"It was a rough time in this country, but we didn't find out until later how the games we were winning had taken over the country. It was awesome."
The U.S. victory over the Soviets was the equivalent of Northwestern beating the '85 Bears.
The Soviets had -- at the time -- the best team ever assembled. They were professionals dressed up as amateurs, their only job to practice and play hockey.
Nothing but all-stars and Hall of Famers, a group that played together for years on the national team, winning the previous four gold medals and the next three that followed the 1980 Games.
They were so good, in fact, that after destroying Team USA in an exhibition game in New York the week before the Olympics, the Soviets did not take seriously these college boys when they met again in Lake Placid, perhaps playing a part in the greatest upset in sports history.
It was a cultural touchstone, a much-needed one in America at the time.
The U.S.S.R. had invaded Afghanistan, there was the hostage crisis in Iran, gas lines at home and the Cold War was at its peak.
And now this surprising group of college kids, a team that had zero chance to beat the Soviets, was offering a depressed country a chance to feel good for a night.
"Crazy," O'Callahan says as he searches his mind. "It's hard to find the words even now.
"You try to put yourself back there and remember the feelings, what it was like, what you thought before the game, after the game.
"Just grateful to have been a part of something that's a good thing, a happy thing for people. When someone cries as they're talking about it, you remember it's sacred to them and you treat that moment with dignity.
"Part of what makes it so great is the odds were overwhelmingly against us. No one believed we had a chance except for us.
"The Russians were so good. So were the Fins, the Swedes, the Czechs. Those were some of the best teams in the world. Who were we? A bunch of guys tossed together. Crazy."
Do you believe in miracles? After that game, we all did.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--'It was part of our social life': Residents, ex-employees remember Pheasant Run's heyday

There was a time when Pheasant Run represented St. Charles ' future as a premier entertainment destination .
Built in 1963 on what was once a dairy farm , the resort was the envy of all other Fox Valley communities in its heyday , former Mayor Fred Norris recalls .
It was a setting for lavish dates and upscale banquets and performances by notable entertainers .
And it continued expanding in size and scope as founder Edward McArdle brought his vision for the property to life .
For decades , the resort at 4051 E. Main St. flourished , drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It put St. Charles on the map with its golf course and convention center .
It stood out with the nation 's first indoor/outdoor swimming pool and a two-block replica of New Orleans ' Bourbon Street .
`` The synergy we got off Pheasant Run was next to phenomenal , '' Norris said .
`` It was part of our social life .
It was part of our economic well-being .
It was part of the vitality of the community . ''
Now its future is in doubt .
The iconic property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with bids starting at $ 2 million , according to its listing on the Ten-X Commercial real estate website .
The site has been for sale since November , shortly after the management announced plans to restructure operations and lay off 75 % of its staff .
The 42 remaining employees were notified last month their jobs also are in jeopardy .
What will become of the 18.3-acre site remains to be seen , but St. Charles officials have expressed a desire to partner with the new ownership to help revive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impending sale does n't come as a shock .
The resort has faced financial turmoil in the past , falling into foreclosure in 2011 and later being purchased by an investment group .
Still , anyone who has been to Pheasant Run has a story to tell , regardless of where it falls in the resort 's 57-year history .
Before the property at Route 64 and Kautz Road was a resort , it was a showcase dairy farm owned by renowned St. Charles resident Col. Edward Baker .
It also was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now 98 , who has been dubbed the city 's walking history book .
His family moved from its Crane Road farm to what was then called Airport Farm , where Peterson started working for Baker in the 1930s .
He learned about welding and mechanics .
He helped run and repair equipment .
At the request of local doctors , Baker frequently sent Peterson to deliver dozens of fresh eggs to the hospital .
On the other side of town , Peterson 's father took care of Baker 's beloved racehorse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Hotel Baker .
After Baker died in 1959 , McArdle bought the nearly 180-acre Airport Farm with the intention of building a steakhouse and hotel , according to St. Charles History Museum records .
The original Baker barn was converted into McArdle 's new restaurant and remains on the grounds today .
The area has since been developed -- a little too much too quickly , if you ask Peterson -- but it remains the same close-knit community .
`` Everything started small and started locally , '' Peterson said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew with St. Charles people . ''
Pheasant Run was only a few miles from her house , but St. Charles native Maureen Lewis always felt like she was `` getting away from it all '' as she 'd drive to her volunteer hostess job at the resort 's dinner theater .
Surrounded by farmland in 1965 , the property offered an experience unlike anything else in the Western suburbs .
Lewis remembers strolling down the bustling Bourbon Street with her now-husband , Phil , before their high school prom .
She recalls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live music venue in town and a row of boutique shops .
On nights and weekends , Lewis and other high school girls would dress up to greet and seat guests at the dinner theater .
They were n't paid , she said , but they did get to watch the shows and snack on bread for free .
`` It was pretty swank -- that was the word we used back in the day , '' she said .
`` There was no place like that to go to without going into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community involvement grew , Lewis attended and organized events at Pheasant Run , including the four-day America in Bloom symposium last year .
But one of her fondest memories is from about 10 years ago , when she took her six young grandkids to spend the night .
School was canceled because of cold weather , so they spent the day swimming in the pool and packing into one hotel room .
`` It had a lot to offer , '' Lewis said .
`` I 'm hopeful someone will come and want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Run Resort in St. Charles has been for sale since November and is going up for auction this week .
The Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles has been for sale since November and is going up for auction this week .
Susan Keys The thrill of riding in a golf cart through the property as a young girl is a feeling Susan Keys will never forget .
An employee of the resort from the very start , her father , Pete Mirkes , had a hand in every aspect of the grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
He and McArdle maintained a close bond , a loyalty that dated to when the pair cleared the land that would eventually become the golf course .
With their mother working as a nurse nights and weekends , Keys and her two siblings got to tag along whenever Mirkes was called to check grass seed , fix broken irrigation , turn on pumps or address storm damage .
And sometimes , she said , it was just to take a ride on the golf cart .
From riding snowmobiles in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops in high school , Keys ' childhood memories of Pheasant Run are plentiful .
She was hired in 1994 to work with her dad , handling office duties , filing paperwork and running for supplies .
It was common for the resort to employ generations of family members , Keys said , noting her brother and sister also worked there .
Staff members and supervisors supported one another , `` pulled together as a team and made what could seem impossible , possible . ''
`` There has n't been and never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` I am forever grateful and honored to have been a part of it . ''
In the years before Pheasant Run was sold in 2014 , Edward McArdle remained a visible presence .
He and his wife , Marian , lived in a beautiful apartment at the end of the golf wing , former employee Terry Robinson said , and he would frequently walk through the grounds with his pet dog , stopping to crack a joke and engage in conversation with guests .
`` He just loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort , '' Robinson said .
`` He was a really unique human . ''
Some of her co-workers were intimidated by McArdle , but he took a liking to Robinson , who spent about 20 years working for the family at Pheasant Run and in its corporate office .
Before McArdle died , his son and the company 's CEO , David McArdle , asked Robinson to help oversee his parents ' care and move them out of their Pheasant Run apartment .
She considered the responsibility an honor .
Robinson was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pheasant Run was taken over by new ownership -- a sad time for the McArdles and the employees .
Business had noticeably dwindled , and it was becoming more difficult to maintain the aging property , she said , but she always was proud to work there .
`` They treated us like family and empowered us to do what we could to keep the guests happy , '' Robinson said .
`` I have nothing but fond memories . ''

'It was part of our social life': Residents, ex-employees remember Pheasant Run's heyday
Fine dining and dinner theater are part of the long tradition of Pheasant Run. Courtesy of Pheasant Run
Before the property at Route 64 and Kautz Road was developed into the Pheasant Run Resort, it was a showcase dairy farm owned by Col. Edward Baker. The historic barn and silo remain incorporated into the property today. Courtesy of the St. Charles History Museum
Pheasant Run owner Edward McArdle incorporated a historic barn into plans for the St. Charles resort. Courtesy of the St. Charles History Museum
Cobblestones and street lamps add to the ambience of the iconic two-block replica of New Orleans' Bourbon Street constructed as part of the Pheasant Run Resort. Daily Herald file photo
Live entertainment -- including cabaret dancing along a replica of New Orleans' Bourbon Street -- has been a key attraction for guests at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. Courtesy of Pheasant Run
There was a time when Pheasant Run represented St. Charles' future as a premier entertainment destination.
Built in 1963 on what was once a dairy farm, the resort was the envy of all other Fox Valley communities in its heyday, former Mayor Fred Norris recalls.
It was a setting for lavish dates and upscale banquets and performances by notable entertainers. And it continued expanding in size and scope as founder Edward McArdle brought his vision for the property to life.
For decades, the resort at 4051 E. Main St. flourished, drawing community members, business professionals and vacationers. It put St. Charles on the map with its golf course and convention center. It stood out with the nation's first indoor/outdoor swimming pool and a two-block replica of New Orleans' Bourbon Street.
"The synergy we got off Pheasant Run was next to phenomenal," Norris said. "It was part of our social life. It was part of our economic well-being. It was part of the vitality of the community."
Now its future is in doubt.
The iconic property goes up for auction Monday through Wednesday, with bids starting at $2 million, according to its listing on the Ten-X Commercial real estate website.
The site has been for sale since November, shortly after the management announced plans to restructure operations and lay off 75% of its staff. The 42 remaining employees were notified last month their jobs also are in jeopardy.
The Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles has expanded over time, adding a theater, a convention center, a hotel tower and various other amenities since it opened in 1963. But the white barn and silo were original to the property, which was once a dairy farm. - Daily Herald file photo
What will become of the 18.3-acre site remains to be seen, but St. Charles officials have expressed a desire to partner with the new ownership to help revive the city's eastern gateway.
News of the impending sale doesn't come as a shock. The resort has faced financial turmoil in the past, falling into foreclosure in 2011 and later being purchased by an investment group.
Still, anyone who has been to Pheasant Run has a story to tell, regardless of where it falls in the resort's 57-year history.
Melvin Peterson
Before the property at Route 64 and Kautz Road was a resort, it was a showcase dairy farm owned by renowned St. Charles resident Col. Edward Baker.
It also was home to lifelong resident Melvin Peterson, now 98, who has been dubbed the city's walking history book.
- RICK WEST | Staff Photographer Before St. Charles resident Melvin Peterson founded the Wasco Blacksmith Shop, where he is pictured here as an 89-year-old, he worked for Col. Edward Baker at a showcase dairy farm that was later developed into Pheasant Run.
His family moved from its Crane Road farm to what was then called Airport Farm, where Peterson started working for Baker in the 1930s.
He learned about welding and mechanics. He helped run and repair equipment. At the request of local doctors, Baker frequently sent Peterson to deliver dozens of fresh eggs to the hospital.
On the other side of town, Peterson's father took care of Baker's beloved racehorse, Greyhound, and worked as the gardener at Hotel Baker.
Roy Peterson, George Bricher, Leonard Heisten, Ben Heisten and James Foley Sr. check out a new dairy barn and milking machines at Airport Farm, which was later developed into the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. - Courtesy of the St. Charles History Museum
After Baker died in 1959, McArdle bought the nearly 180-acre Airport Farm with the intention of building a steakhouse and hotel, according to St. Charles History Museum records. The original Baker barn was converted into McArdle's new restaurant and remains on the grounds today.
The area has since been developed -- a little too much too quickly, if you ask Peterson -- but it remains the same close-knit community.
"Everything started small and started locally," Peterson said. "And then it grew, but it grew with St. Charles people."
Maureen Lewis
Pheasant Run was only a few miles from her house, but St. Charles native Maureen Lewis always felt like she was "getting away from it all" as she'd drive to her volunteer hostess job at the resort's dinner theater.
A nearly 180-acre dairy farm east of St. Charles was later developed into the Pheasant Run Resort. - Courtesy of the St. Charles History Museum
Surrounded by farmland in 1965, the property offered an experience unlike anything else in the Western suburbs.
Lewis remembers strolling down the bustling Bourbon Street with her now-husband, Phil, before their high school prom. She recalls her parents' excitement to have a live music venue in town and a row of boutique shops.
On nights and weekends, Lewis and other high school girls would dress up to greet and seat guests at the dinner theater. They weren't paid, she said, but they did get to watch the shows and snack on bread for free.
Maureen Lewis
"It was pretty swank -- that was the word we used back in the day," she said. "There was no place like that to go to without going into (Chicago)."
As her community involvement grew, Lewis attended and organized events at Pheasant Run, including the four-day America in Bloom symposium last year.
But one of her fondest memories is from about 10 years ago, when she took her six young grandkids to spend the night. School was canceled because of cold weather, so they spent the day swimming in the pool and packing into one hotel room.
"It had a lot to offer," Lewis said. "I'm hopeful someone will come and want to revive it."
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer The Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles has been for sale since November and is going up for auction this week.
The thrill of riding in a golf cart through the property as a young girl is a feeling Susan Keys will never forget.
An employee of the resort from the very start, her father, Pete Mirkes, had a hand in every aspect of the grounds and hotel for 50 years, she said. He and McArdle maintained a close bond, a loyalty that dated to when the pair cleared the land that would eventually become the golf course.
With their mother working as a nurse nights and weekends, Keys and her two siblings got to tag along whenever Mirkes was called to check grass seed, fix broken irrigation, turn on pumps or address storm damage.
And sometimes, she said, it was just to take a ride on the golf cart.
From riding snowmobiles in the winter to working at the Bourbon Street shops in high school, Keys' childhood memories of Pheasant Run are plentiful. She was hired in 1994 to work with her dad, handling office duties, filing paperwork and running for supplies.
It was common for the resort to employ generations of family members, Keys said, noting her brother and sister also worked there. Staff members and supervisors supported one another, "pulled together as a team and made what could seem impossible, possible."
"There hasn't been and never will be any place like it," she said. "I am forever grateful and honored to have been a part of it."
Terry Robinson
In the years before Pheasant Run was sold in 2014, Edward McArdle remained a visible presence.
Pheasant Run founder Edward McArdle was a visible presence around the St. Charles resort, former employee Terry Robinson says. - Courtesy of Terry Robinson
He and his wife, Marian, lived in a beautiful apartment at the end of the golf wing, former employee Terry Robinson said, and he would frequently walk through the grounds with his pet dog, stopping to crack a joke and engage in conversation with guests.
"He just loved to see people having fun at his resort," Robinson said. "He was a really unique human."
Some of her co-workers were intimidated by McArdle, but he took a liking to Robinson, who spent about 20 years working for the family at Pheasant Run and in its corporate office.
Before McArdle died, his son and the company's CEO, David McArdle, asked Robinson to help oversee his parents' care and move them out of their Pheasant Run apartment. She considered the responsibility an honor.
Terry Robinson has fond memories of working for the McArdle family when they owned and operated St. Charles' Pheasant Run Resort. - Courtesy of Terry Robinson
Robinson was still working for the corporate office when Pheasant Run was taken over by new ownership -- a sad time for the McArdles and the employees. Business had noticeably dwindled, and it was becoming more difficult to maintain the aging property, she said, but she always was proud to work there.
"They treated us like family and empowered us to do what we could to keep the guests happy," Robinson said. "I have nothing but fond memories."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--How suburban schools did in IHSA Competitive Cheerleading state finals

High school cheerleading teams from around Illinois took to the mat this weekend to compete for a state title .
@ @ @ @ @ suburban teams that placed in the Top 10 in their divisions .
For a full @ @ @ @ @ IHSA.org .

How suburban schools did in IHSA Competitive Cheerleading state finals
This article has been updated to correctly report that Jacobs High School finished 6th in the large team division of the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading state finals.
High school cheerleading teams from around Illinois took to the mat this weekend to compete for a state title. Here is a list of suburban teams that placed in the Top 10 in their divisions. For a full list of results, visit IHSA.org.
Small Team: St. Edward, Elgin, 3rd; Timothy Christian, Elmhurst, 10th.
Medium Team: Antioch, 1st; Hampshire, 4th; Grayslake North, 6th; Johnsburg, 8th; Vernon Hills, 9th.
Large Team: Stevenson, 2nd; Yorkville, 5th; Jacobs, 6th; Huntley, 10th.
Coed Team: South Elgin, 1st; Buffalo Grove, 4th; Conant, 6th; Mundelein, 8th; Fremd, 9th; Niles North, 10th.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-07--How a stuntman from Wheaton worked on three of the year's Oscar nominees

Hollywood stuntman ( and former Wheaton and Park Ridge resident ) Joe Bucaro was on a vintage Triumph 650 motorcycle burning doughnuts into the parking lot at L.A. 's iconic Tommy 's Hamburgers .
`` The camera was on a dolly track and it was coming up slowly to me as I was doing doughnuts with smoke flying everywhere ! ''
Bucaro said .
`` He said , 'Get it ?
The D is silent , like in 'Django . '
Djonuts ! ''
Bucaro could n't wait to see the stunt when Tarantino 's `` Once Upon a Time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 Oscar nominations at Sunday night 's awards ceremony -- hit the silver screen .
`` My whole , great , prideful moment -- my nice little fun gag for a Tarantino movie -- did n't make the cut , '' Bucaro said , not bothering to mask his disappointment .
`` Maybe I 'll be in a behind-the-scenes DVD moment . ''
We 'll find out if Tarantino 's movie will win any of its Oscar nominations , including best picture , director , supporting actor and original screenplay .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say he worked on three Oscar-nominated features this year .
He played the driver for Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly ( Charlize Theron ) in `` Bombshell , '' up for best actress , supporting actress and hair/makeup .
Bucaro plays one of the guys on Christian Bale 's pit crew in `` Ford v Ferrari , '' up for four Oscars , including best picture .
And though his part in `` Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood '' was cut , Bucaro still gets a credit -- and enjoyed working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work on these Oscar-nominated films because it 's refreshing filmmaking , '' Bucaro said .
`` I 'm kind of sick of the prequels , sequels , remakes and comic book films .
I work on a lot of Marvel projects and I 'll never see them .
I 'm too desensitized to all the fighting and CGI action . ''
Bucaro , 55 , lived in Park Ridge for 13 years before moving to Wheaton and graduating from Wheaton Central High School .
He now lives in St. Augustine Beach , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They met when they worked at Universal Studios , where she got stabbed to death 12 times a day in an Alfred Hitchcock tribute show .
`` When I got into stunts , '' Bucaro said , `` I wanted to learn it all -- cars , motorcycles , horses , high-falls , fighting , fire-burns , air rams and ratchets .
And when you are that guy , you 're more of an asset to the stunt coordinator and you 'll work a hell of a lot more . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost all other Hollywood stuntmen .
Stephen Follows ' Film Data and Education blog tallied up the stats from 4,000 movies released between 1997 and 2016 , and proclaimed Bucaro to be Hollywood 's third most credited stuntman .
At a time when a lot of stunt guys think about retiring , Bucaro is going gangbusters .
`` I continue to do everything , but at just a little slower step , '' he confessed .
`` I live on a lot of ice and Advil . ''
So , no plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stunts when the calls stop coming in , '' he said .
`` If you 're getting calls and you 're still in the game , you are going to work until you ca n't do it anymore . ''
Bucaro said he worries about the new kids on the Hollywood block .
`` Right now there 's a lot of fight scenes in films .
These young kids are unbelievable at their craft in performing and designing fight scenes , but for many that 's all they do .
No horses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or moving when you 're on fire . ''
Despite that a good chunk of movie and TV production has abandoned L.A. to take advantage of tax breaks in Louisiana , Georgia and New Mexico , Bucaro thinks Chicago still qualifies as `` a great city '' for the film industry .
`` They have a great stunt talent pool of veterans , '' he said .
`` Many other states have to pull in L.A. talent .
We do n't have to do that in Chicago .
We have all the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff . ''
Plus , the city has legendary Rick Lefevour , 64 , whom Bucaro calls `` the Godfather of Chicago stunt performers . ''
Meanwhile , Bucaro continues to rack up the credits .
In Ukraine last fall , he shot `` Fast and Furious 9 '' scheduled for release May 22 .
`` There will be some good stuff in that film ! ''
he promised .
In Margot Robbie 's comic book thriller `` Birds of Prey ( and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn ) , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boss Carlos Rossi .
`` I take an arrow in the throat , '' he said .
`` I 'm living the boyhood dream ! ''
• `` Oscars : Live on the Red Carpet '' will air at 5:30 p.m. , followed by the awards show at 7 p.m. Sunday , Feb. 9 , on ABC

How a stuntman from Wheaton worked on three of the year's Oscar nominees
Joe Bucaro, who grew up in Park Ridge and Wheaton, did stunts for three of this year's Oscar-nominated films.
Quentin Tarantino loved it.
Hollywood stuntman (and former Wheaton and Park Ridge resident) Joe Bucaro was on a vintage Triumph 650 motorcycle burning doughnuts into the parking lot at L.A.'s iconic Tommy's Hamburgers.
"The camera was on a dolly track and it was coming up slowly to me as I was doing doughnuts with smoke flying everywhere!" Bucaro said.
Tarantino gave him a nickname: "Djonuts."
"He said, 'Get it? The D is silent, like in 'Django.' Djonuts!"
Bucaro couldn't wait to see the stunt when Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" -- up for 10 Oscar nominations at Sunday night's awards ceremony -- hit the silver screen.
"My whole, great, prideful moment -- my nice little fun gag for a Tarantino movie -- didn't make the cut," Bucaro said, not bothering to mask his disappointment.
"Maybe I'll be in a behind-the-scenes DVD moment."
We'll find out if Tarantino's movie will win any of its Oscar nominations, including best picture, director, supporting actor and original screenplay. Meanwhile, Bucaro stands to win bragging rights to say he worked on three Oscar-nominated features this year.
He played the driver for Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) in "Bombshell," up for best actress, supporting actress and hair/makeup.
Bucaro plays one of the guys on Christian Bale's pit crew in "Ford v Ferrari," up for four Oscars, including best picture.
And though his part in "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" was cut, Bucaro still gets a credit -- and enjoyed working with Tarantino.
"I'm proud to work on these Oscar-nominated films because it's refreshing filmmaking," Bucaro said. "I'm kind of sick of the prequels, sequels, remakes and comic book films. I work on a lot of Marvel projects and I'll never see them. I'm too desensitized to all the fighting and CGI action."
Bucaro, 55, lived in Park Ridge for 13 years before moving to Wheaton and graduating from Wheaton Central High School.
He now lives in St. Augustine Beach, Florida, with his wife, Lisa. They met when they worked at Universal Studios, where she got stabbed to death 12 times a day in an Alfred Hitchcock tribute show.
"When I got into stunts," Bucaro said, "I wanted to learn it all -- cars, motorcycles, horses, high-falls, fighting, fire-burns, air rams and ratchets. And when you are that guy, you're more of an asset to the stunt coordinator and you'll work a hell of a lot more."
And he has worked a lot more than almost all other Hollywood stuntmen.
Stephen Follows' Film Data and Education blog tallied up the stats from 4,000 movies released between 1997 and 2016, and proclaimed Bucaro to be Hollywood's third most credited stuntman.
At a time when a lot of stunt guys think about retiring, Bucaro is going gangbusters.
"I continue to do everything, but at just a little slower step," he confessed. "I live on a lot of ice and Advil."
So, no plans to retire soon?
"You retire from stunts when the calls stop coming in," he said. "If you're getting calls and you're still in the game, you are going to work until you can't do it anymore."
Bucaro said he worries about the new kids on the Hollywood block.
"Right now there's a lot of fight scenes in films. These young kids are unbelievable at their craft in performing and designing fight scenes, but for many that's all they do. No horses, no cars, motorcycles, high-falls, or moving when you're on fire."
Despite that a good chunk of movie and TV production has abandoned L.A. to take advantage of tax breaks in Louisiana, Georgia and New Mexico, Bucaro thinks Chicago still qualifies as "a great city" for the film industry.
"They have a great stunt talent pool of veterans," he said. "Many other states have to pull in L.A. talent. We don't have to do that in Chicago. We have all the resources to pull off all of the good stuff."
Plus, the city has legendary Rick Lefevour, 64, whom Bucaro calls "the Godfather of Chicago stunt performers."
Meanwhile, Bucaro continues to rack up the credits.
In Ukraine last fall, he shot "Fast and Furious 9" scheduled for release May 22. "There will be some good stuff in that film!" he promised.
In Margot Robbie's comic book thriller "Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)," which opened Friday, Bucaro plays mob boss Carlos Rossi.
"I take an arrow in the throat," he said. "I'm living the boyhood dream!"
• • •
The 92nd Academy Awards
• "Oscars: Live on the Red Carpet" will air at 5:30 p.m., followed by the awards show at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, on ABC
• E! begins its red carpet coverage at noon Sunday, Feb. 9


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--Harper quashes coronavirus rumors

Harper quashes coronavirus rumors

Harper College officials say they have looked into a recent report that a student might have been exposed to the coronavirus and confirmed that the student was not infected .
On Thursday , Harper President Avis Proctor notified students and employees of the Palatine college that officials had looked into the report but that there were no confirmed cases .
Then on Saturday , the college 's website posted : `` This student was not infected and at no time posed a risk to campus . ''
The website goes on to say there are no confirmed cases of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Harper , however , continues to follow the issue and is following the guidance of the Illinois Department of Public Health .
`` To help keep our campus community safe , we can educate ourselves about coronavirus and take preventive actions that prevent the spread of respiratory viruses , influenza and other illnesses , '' the website reads .
Those actions , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include : • Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds .
• Avoiding touching your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands .
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick .
• Staying home when you are sick .
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue , then throwing the tissue in the trash .
In addition , the Harper website has a form for anyone with questions or concerns to submit them to college staff .

Harper quashes coronavirus rumors
Harper College officials say they have looked into a recent report that a student might have been exposed to the coronavirus and confirmed that the student was not infected.
On Thursday, Harper President Avis Proctor notified students and employees that there were no confirmed cases. Then, on Saturday, the Palatine college's website posted: "This student was not infected and at no time posed a risk to campus."
Harper said it continues to follow the guidance of health agencies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home when you are sick.
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue away.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
In addition, the Harper website has a form to submit questions or concerns to the college staff.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--Facts Matter: Pelosi didn't break a law by ripping up copy of Trump's speech

As President Donald Trump completed his State of the Union address Tuesday , Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi , who was seated behind the president , ripped up a copy of the speech .
Afterward , Charlie Kirk , a Wheeling High School graduate and founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA , took to Twitter to claim Pelosi , by ripping up the speech , had violated a statute that is `` punishable by up to three years in prison . ''
But Pelosi did n't violate any laws , because she destroyed a copy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to PolitiFact.com .
`` Her copy of the State of the Union address is not a government record or government property at all .
It is personal property , '' City University of New York School of Law professor Douglas Cox told PolitiFact .
The statute Kirk cited concerns the concealment , removal or mutilation of government records that are `` filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States , or in any public office , or with any judicial or public officer of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As for speech copies handed out to members of Congress , `` They can keep them private , they can destroy them , or they can rip them up , '' Cox said .
The Food and Drug Administration is warning against ingesting chlorine dioxide to ward off this recent strain of coronavirus from China , according to The Associated Press .
The suggestion to drink chlorine dioxide or similar products with names such as Miracle Mineral Solution to eliminate the virus has been making the rounds on social media , the AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus , and we urge people to talk to their health care provider about treatment options , as well as follow advice from other federal agencies about how to prevent the spread of this illness , '' the FDA told the AP .
The FDA has been warning against drinking chlorine dioxide , a bleaching agent used for water treatment , since 2010 , the AP said .
Previously , a false claim on social media said the chemical is a miracle cure for autism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were delayed more than a day due to problems with an app used during the first 2020 primary election .
The delay gave social media users a chance to present a variety of false conspiracy theories about the app , according to The Associated Press .
Three executives at Shadow Inc. , the organization that created the mobile app for the Democratic Party to report election results , previously worked for Hillary Clinton 's 2016 presidential campaign , the AP said .
That fueled false claims that Clinton and her former campaign manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the app .
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg , who eventually emerged as the leader out of the Iowa caucuses , was also the subject of false claims , the AP said .
Although his campaign had paid Shadow Inc. for text messaging software , claims that Buttigieg 's campaign had developed the app or orchestrated a scam to delay the results are false .
Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , is known as Mayor Pete .
On Tuesday , the hashtag # MayorCheat was trending on Twitter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the AP said .
An article published last year claimed the population of dolphins living in Lake Michigan is increasing .
`` The Freshwater Bottlenose Dolphin is making a comeback in the Great Lakes , '' according to a story on the Snickersee website .
`` The species was listed as endangered in the 1960s as a result of over fishing .
Sightings of the rare dolphins are on the rise , and scientists say that the population is nearing 2,000 dolphins . ''
But the article is a joke , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` entertaining '' stories , according to Snopes.com .
The article included a fake photo showing two dolphins jumping out of the water near Navy Pier .
The photo had been altered to include the dolphins , Snopes said .
Satire about whales in the Great Lakes began in 1985 when the first Great Lakes Whale Watch was organized , Snopes said .
The intention was not to spot whales but rather to increase awareness about the plight of sea mammals .
The Minnesota Sea Grant , a program at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Superior , said , `` There are no whales , no dolphins or sharks , and no squid in the Great Lakes . ''
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News .
Contact him at boboswald33 @ gmail.com .

Facts Matter: Pelosi didn't break a law by ripping up copy of Trump's speech
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tears her copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., last week. Vice President Mike Pence is at left. Associated Press
As President Donald Trump completed his State of the Union address Tuesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who was seated behind the president, ripped up a copy of the speech.
Afterward, Charlie Kirk, a Wheeling High School graduate and founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, took to Twitter to claim Pelosi, by ripping up the speech, had violated a statute that is "punishable by up to three years in prison."
But Pelosi didn't violate any laws, because she destroyed a copy of the speech and not an official document, according to PolitiFact.com.
"Her copy of the State of the Union address is not a government record or government property at all. It is personal property," City University of New York School of Law professor Douglas Cox told PolitiFact.
The statute Kirk cited concerns the concealment, removal or mutilation of government records that are "filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States," PolitiFact said.
As for speech copies handed out to members of Congress, "They can keep them private, they can destroy them, or they can rip them up," Cox said.
Chlorine no cure for coronavirus
The Food and Drug Administration is warning against ingesting chlorine dioxide to ward off this recent strain of coronavirus from China, according to The Associated Press.
The suggestion to drink chlorine dioxide or similar products with names such as Miracle Mineral Solution to eliminate the virus has been making the rounds on social media, the AP said.
"We understand people are concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus, and we urge people to talk to their health care provider about treatment options, as well as follow advice from other federal agencies about how to prevent the spread of this illness," the FDA told the AP.
The FDA has been warning against drinking chlorine dioxide, a bleaching agent used for water treatment, since 2010, the AP said. Previously, a false claim on social media said the chemical is a miracle cure for autism.
Iowa caucus delay fuels conspiracy theories
Results from the Iowa caucuses last week were delayed more than a day due to problems with an app used during the first 2020 primary election.
The delay gave social media users a chance to present a variety of false conspiracy theories about the app, according to The Associated Press.
Three executives at Shadow Inc., the organization that created the mobile app for the Democratic Party to report election results, previously worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, the AP said. That fueled false claims that Clinton and her former campaign manager Robby Mook had a part in developing the app.
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who eventually emerged as the leader out of the Iowa caucuses, was also the subject of false claims, the AP said. Although his campaign had paid Shadow Inc. for text messaging software, claims that Buttigieg's campaign had developed the app or orchestrated a scam to delay the results are false.
Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is known as Mayor Pete. On Tuesday, the hashtag #MayorCheat was trending on Twitter and had been used more than 120,000 times, the AP said.
No dolphins in Lake Michigan
An article published last year claimed the population of dolphins living in Lake Michigan is increasing.
"The Freshwater Bottlenose Dolphin is making a comeback in the Great Lakes," according to a story on the Snickersee website. "The species was listed as endangered in the 1960s as a result of over fishing. Sightings of the rare dolphins are on the rise, and scientists say that the population is nearing 2,000 dolphins."
But the article is a joke, and Snickersee is a satirical website that publishes "entertaining" stories, according to Snopes.com. The article included a fake photo showing two dolphins jumping out of the water near Navy Pier. The photo had been altered to include the dolphins, Snopes said.
Satire about whales in the Great Lakes began in 1985 when the first Great Lakes Whale Watch was organized, Snopes said. The intention was not to spot whales but rather to increase awareness about the plight of sea mammals.
The Minnesota Sea Grant, a program at the University of Minnesota, when asked about whales in Lake Superior, said, "There are no whales, no dolphins or sharks, and no squid in the Great Lakes."
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--Crystal Lake teen earns congressional medal for community service

It 's why the senior at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake wants to become a doctor and spends much of her available time volunteering in her community .
`` I love talking to any person that I come into contact with , '' said Ermina , 17 , of Crystal Lake .
`` That 's the thing I love about volunteering . ''
Her affinity for helping others earned the Crystal Lake resident a Congressional Award Silver Medal .
Ermina is among 36 Illinois high school students to receive a Congressional Award Medal ( bronze , silver and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a very gratifying experience , '' Ermina said of receiving the award from U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood in January .
The Congressional Award -- established in 1979 by Congress -- recognizes the initiative , service and achievement of youths .
The program affords young students the opportunity to set and achieve personally challenging goals .
It helps them gain leadership skills and embody citizenship and service to others .
To qualify for the silver medal , Ermina performed 200 hours of community service volunteering at Mercy Hospital in Woodstock and Northwest Community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an administrative assistant at Mercy and as a chairside assistant helping with patient-doctor communications with Northwest Community 's mobile dental clinic for low-income families in Arlington Heights , Elk Grove Village and Wheeling Township .
In addition to learning the importance of organization , communication and other skills needed as a medical professional , Ermina said it was fulfilling to make an impact on someone 's life .
`` Serving humanity and helping others '' also is part of her Islamic and family values , said Ermina , the daughter of first-generation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They 've served to be an inspiration for sure , not only for my chosen career choice but also as people because they 've shown me the importance of hard work and passion , '' Ermina said .
As president of Prairie Ridge 's National Honor Society chapter , Ermina has helped organize various community outreach efforts , such as refugee assistance , a blood drive supporting local hospitals and blood banks , and toy and clothing drives .
She is an ambassador for Crystal Lake High School District 155 's GEMS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Science ) program helping sixth- through eighth-graders from feeder schools explore science , technology , engineering and math careers .
She also is an avid volunteer for the Islamic Center of McHenry County in Crystal Lake , where she helps out during weekend events .
`` I want to be able to make an impact to as many people 's lives as I can , '' Ermina said .
`` Being a doctor encaptures that social aspect that I 'm looking for , but also my love for science and STEM fields .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to join a premed program and major in neuroscience .
• Do you know any Suburban Heroes ?
Share your story at heroes @ dailyherald.com .

Crystal Lake teen earns congressional medal for community service
Ermina Hassan, of Crystal Lake, recently received the Congressional Award Silver Medal from U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood for her volunteer work. Courtesy of Lauren Underwood
Ermina Hassan, a senior at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake, recently received the Congressional Award for her volunteer work from U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood. Ermina is with her parents, Afsheen Ommar, left, and Syed Hassan, right, and younger brother, Saihaan Hassan, 8. Courtesy of Lauren Underwood
Ermina Hassan, a senior at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake, receives the Congressional Award from U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood. Ermina earned the Silver Medal for her volunteer work at Mercy Hospital in Woodstock and Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. Courtesy of Ermina Hassan
Ermina Hassan has a passion for helping people.
It's why the senior at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake wants to become a doctor and spends much of her available time volunteering in her community.
"I love talking to any person that I come into contact with," said Ermina, 17, of Crystal Lake. "That's the thing I love about volunteering."
Her affinity for helping others earned the Crystal Lake resident a Congressional Award Silver Medal. Ermina is among 36 Illinois high school students to receive a Congressional Award Medal (bronze, silver and gold) in 2019.
"It was a very gratifying experience," Ermina said of receiving the award from U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood in January.
The Congressional Award -- established in 1979 by Congress -- recognizes the initiative, service and achievement of youths. The program affords young students the opportunity to set and achieve personally challenging goals. It helps them gain leadership skills and embody citizenship and service to others.
To qualify for the silver medal, Ermina performed 200 hours of community service volunteering at Mercy Hospital in Woodstock and Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
She served as an administrative assistant at Mercy and as a chairside assistant helping with patient-doctor communications with Northwest Community's mobile dental clinic for low-income families in Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village and Wheeling Township.
In addition to learning the importance of organization, communication and other skills needed as a medical professional, Ermina said it was fulfilling to make an impact on someone's life.
"Serving humanity and helping others" also is part of her Islamic and family values, said Ermina, the daughter of first-generation Pakistani Muslim immigrants who are doctors.
"They've served to be an inspiration for sure, not only for my chosen career choice but also as people because they've shown me the importance of hard work and passion," Ermina said.
As president of Prairie Ridge's National Honor Society chapter, Ermina has helped organize various community outreach efforts, such as refugee assistance, a blood drive supporting local hospitals and blood banks, and toy and clothing drives.
She is an ambassador for Crystal Lake High School District 155's GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math and Science) program helping sixth- through eighth-graders from feeder schools explore science, technology, engineering and math careers.
She also is an avid volunteer for the Islamic Center of McHenry County in Crystal Lake, where she helps out during weekend events.
"I want to be able to make an impact to as many people's lives as I can," Ermina said. "Being a doctor encaptures that social aspect that I'm looking for, but also my love for science and STEM fields."
After graduating in May, Ermina plans to join a premed program and major in neuroscience.
• Do you know any Suburban Heroes? Share your story at heroes@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--Constable: From 'Family Guy' to 'The Diamond Dude'

Throughout his career as a voice-over actor on TV shows including `` Family Guy , '' Bobby Kesselman has provided the sounds of Peter Griffin falling down the stairs , Stewie kicked into a wall and Quagmire getting hit with a ceiling fan .
With Valentine 's Day arriving Friday , Kesselman is showing his softer side in his new business venture .
As The Diamond Dude , Kesselman is helping engaged couples pick out a diamond , buy wedding rings , get financing , order dresses and tuxes , find a venue , order a cake , hire a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done , and plan for a life together forever .
The idea came to him in 2018 when a friend getting married in Naperville needed some advice .
`` Do you have a diamond dude ? ''
the friend asked Kesselman .
`` We started talking about dudes buying engagement rings , and the biggest problem is they do n't know what they 're doing , '' remembers Kesselman , who realized the need for someone to help and starting learning all he could .
Now the 46-year-old voice actor is that dude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services at thediamonddude.com but says customers receive a 10 % discount on the purchase of a ring that can save far more than that .
The moment from deciding to get engaged until the wedding `` is usually the most stressful time of that couple 's life , '' Kesselman says .
`` We try to make it a one-stop shop . ''
Ignorance can be dangerous , says Austin Keller , a 25-year-old sales associate at C.D .
Peacock , inside Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg .
He 's seen peers buy diamonds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks like a piece of road salt , '' he says .
Knowing a woman 's ring size is a must .
`` Not shoe size .
That does n't work , '' he says .
Getting couples to work together is best .
`` It should be an experience , '' Keller says .
`` Enjoy every moment of it . ''
That philosophy is at the heart of The Diamond Dude , which has a partnership with C.D .
Peacock and a variety of wedding services , Kesselman says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Men want to be part of it . ''
An Evanston native whose life in Los Angeles involves a lot of networking , Kesselman has built connections to local businesses involved in the wedding business .
`` He 's creating this hub , '' says Yufei Xing , manager of the C.D .
Peacock jewelry story at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg .
`` In today 's world , everything is about education . ''
But too much information can be confusing , says Kesselman .
That 's why The Diamond Dude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows how great it is when stress suddenly is relieved -- he felt it when his Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016 .
Now , he works to take the pressure off his clients in the same way .
`` Being The Diamond Dude instead of being The Diamond Man gives me a little more leeway with my personality , '' said Kesselman , who sometimes will use his voice impersonations , such as those of presidents Obama , Reagan , Clinton and Trump , to make the ring-shopping and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help make it easier for guys to get the dream ring for their girlfriend or fiancee , all the better , '' Kesselman says .
`` It 's really , really satisfying to see someone walk out happy . ''
His ability to mimic came to light when he was a boy who could perform one of the most iconic laughs in cartoon history .
`` The most fun I had as a kid was always doing Woody Woodpecker , '' he says , launching into that cartoon character 's signature laugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Stop watching TV and do your homework . '
And I 'm like , 'No , there 's something here .
There 's something here . '
'' After graduating from DePaul University in 1996 , Kesselman went to Los Angeles .
He worked in sports for television stations and landed a spot in a commercial for flavored water .
But his big break came in 2004 , when he auditioned for `` Family Guy '' to provide a variety of voices .
`` My talent is really specific , '' Kesselman says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds and single words than he is with monologues .
`` I was lucky a lot of my voices were close to Seth MacFarlane . ''
The creator of `` Family Guy , '' MacFarlane also hired Kesselman to do voices on `` American Dad ! ''
and `` The Cleveland Show . ''
`` It 's very satisfying , '' Kesselman says of his transition from cartoon voices to wedding planner .
`` As much as I love being on 'Family Guy , ' helping people understand what they 're doing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I 've done behind the microphone . ''

Constable: From 'Family Guy' to 'The Diamond Dude'
Throughout his career as a voice-over actor on TV shows including "Family Guy," Bobby Kesselman has provided the sounds of Peter Griffin falling down the stairs, Stewie kicked into a wall and Quagmire getting hit with a ceiling fan.
With Valentine's Day arriving Friday, Kesselman is showing his softer side in his new business venture. As The Diamond Dude, Kesselman is helping engaged couples pick out a diamond, buy wedding rings, get financing, order dresses and tuxes, find a venue, order a cake, hire a photographer, get their hair and makeup done, and plan for a life together forever.
The idea came to him in 2018 when a friend getting married in Naperville needed some advice. "Do you have a diamond dude?" the friend asked Kesselman.
"We started talking about dudes buying engagement rings, and the biggest problem is they don't know what they're doing," remembers Kesselman, who realized the need for someone to help and starting learning all he could.
Now the 46-year-old voice actor is that dude. He charges $49 for his services at thediamonddude.com but says customers receive a 10% discount on the purchase of a ring that can save far more than that.
The moment from deciding to get engaged until the wedding "is usually the most stressful time of that couple's life," Kesselman says. "We try to make it a one-stop shop."
Ignorance can be dangerous, says Austin Keller, a 25-year-old sales associate at C.D. Peacock, inside Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. He's seen peers buy diamonds on the internet, "and it looks like a piece of road salt," he says. Knowing a woman's ring size is a must. "Not shoe size. That doesn't work," he says. Getting couples to work together is best.
"It should be an experience," Keller says. "Enjoy every moment of it."
That philosophy is at the heart of The Diamond Dude, which has a partnership with C.D. Peacock and a variety of wedding services, Kesselman says.
"Weddings create happiness," Kesselman says. "Men want to be part of it."
An Evanston native whose life in Los Angeles involves a lot of networking, Kesselman has built connections to local businesses involved in the wedding business.
"He's creating this hub," says Yufei Xing, manager of the C.D. Peacock jewelry story at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. "In today's world, everything is about education."
But too much information can be confusing, says Kesselman. That's why The Diamond Dude suggests a handful of options.
Kesselman knows how great it is when stress suddenly is relieved -- he felt it when his Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016. Now, he works to take the pressure off his clients in the same way.
"Being The Diamond Dude instead of being The Diamond Man gives me a little more leeway with my personality," said Kesselman, who sometimes will use his voice impersonations, such as those of presidents Obama, Reagan, Clinton and Trump, to make the ring-shopping and wedding-planning experiences fun.
"If they can help make it easier for guys to get the dream ring for their girlfriend or fiancee, all the better," Kesselman says. "It's really, really satisfying to see someone walk out happy."
His ability to mimic came to light when he was a boy who could perform one of the most iconic laughs in cartoon history. "The most fun I had as a kid was always doing Woody Woodpecker," he says, launching into that cartoon character's signature laugh. "My parents were like, 'Stop watching TV and do your homework.' And I'm like, 'No, there's something here. There's something here.'"
After graduating from DePaul University in 1996, Kesselman went to Los Angeles. He worked in sports for television stations and landed a spot in a commercial for flavored water. But his big break came in 2004, when he auditioned for "Family Guy" to provide a variety of voices.
"My talent is really specific," Kesselman says, explaining how he's better with sounds and single words than he is with monologues. "I was lucky a lot of my voices were close to Seth MacFarlane."
The creator of "Family Guy," MacFarlane also hired Kesselman to do voices on "American Dad!" and "The Cleveland Show."
"It's very satisfying," Kesselman says of his transition from cartoon voices to wedding planner. "As much as I love being on 'Family Guy,' helping people understand what they're doing with this is 10 times more gratifying than what I've done behind the microphone."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--What's in the water? Mount Prospect firefighters had 16 children, 2 grandchildren in 2019

The Mount Prospect Fire Department is looking forward to some loud and rambunctious Christmas parties after 16 of its members welcomed babies -- and two more became grandfathers for the first time -- all in 2019 .
Deputy Chief John Dolan , not himself one of the new dads or grandpas , said the open houses and holiday gatherings the department hosts for its members and their families will be one of the highlights of the unprecedented baby boom .
`` We look forward to future department events and watching them all grow up together , '' Dolan said about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month to 13 months old .
`` With any luck , we 'll have a few second-generation firefighters among them . ''
The aging of the baby boomer generation is part of the explanation for this newest boom in firefighter children .
The department has seen its share of retirements in recent years and also has hired to expand its ranks .
`` We have a lot of new firemen , '' Dolan said .
`` And with a lot of young firemen come a lot of young families . ''
The Murphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Murphy , 34 , has been with the department for nearly 10 years and welcomed his first child , Gavin , more than three years ago .
During last year 's baby boom , Murphy 's wife , Alyssa Ali , gave birth to their second son , Griffin , on April 15 .
The birth came just hours after one of Murphy 's co-workers , firefighter/paramedic Ryan Lawler , welcomed daughter Emma to his family , also on April 15 .
The news of baby after baby posted to the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails became a trend as last year progressed .
The first of the 2019 boom was Audrey , born to the family of Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Loomis on Jan. 3 .
And the last , sneaking in on Dec. 31 , was little Levi , joining the family of firefighter/paramedic Ben Johnson .
After Audrey , there was a two-month gap until Gianna was born March 18 to the family of firefighter/paramedic Nic Schlenbecker .
Then the next day came Samantha , joining the family of firefighter/paramedic Joe Vena .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the years , but never to this extent , '' Dolan said .
`` A big year in the past would have been four or five babies . ''
But this year , they just kept on coming -- some of them to newly minted dads and others to parenting pros like Murphy with one or more kids already in the fold .
The dads were able to share stories of how their wives were feeling throughout pregnancy , how ready they felt to have a baby , and later , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's absolutely phenomenal because you get to share all the experiences with each other , '' Murphy said .
`` You hear all the ups and downs , you get all the questions that we bounce off each other . ''
All told , the department family expanded by 12 boys and six girls , including grandbabies Colton in the family of Lt. Ron Redlin and Andrew in the family of Lt. Rich Christensen .
The department celebrated with a photo of 14 of the 16 dads and both of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the firehouse and posted to Facebook on Friday .
It had 673 likes , loves or `` wow '' reactions , along with 95 shares and 63 comments by Saturday afternoon .
A couple of the comments asked `` What 's in the water ? ''
Working the odd hours of a firefighter -- 24 on , 48 off -- now comes in handy for many of the fathers , who are stay-at-home dads when they 're not on shift , Dolan said .
Murphy is one of them , caring for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife works as director of marketing for Arlington International Racecourse .
But when he has committee meetings on his days off , he 'll bring the kids in with him for some well-behaved firehouse fun .
`` They really do love it , '' Murphy said .
`` It 's a really kid-friendly environment here . ''
Firefighters can see tragic or disturbing situations on the job , Murphy said , so it has been fun to have so many squirmy infants as `` a constant reminder of upcoming excitement . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Those firehouse Christmas parties when everyone gets together .
`` It 's going to be an explosion of kids , '' Murphy said .

What's in the water? Mount Prospect firefighters had 16 children, 2 grandchildren in 2019
The tower ladder was the only apparatus large enough to be the backdrop for the Mount Prospect Fire Department's 2019 new-family-addition photo, which shows 14 of the 16 firefighters whose wives had babies last year and two others who became grandfathers for the first time, with their little ones, of course. Pictured left to right are:• First time grandfather Lt. Rich Christensen and Andrew• Assistant Chief Bryan Loomis and Audrey• Firefighter/Paramedic Nic Schlenbecker and Gianna• Firefighter/Paramedic Joe Vena and Samantha• Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan Lawler and Emma• Firefighter/Paramedic Seth McCrory and Grady• Firefighter/Paramedic Nick Gudmunson and Henry• Firefighter/Paramedic Aharon Losoff and Adira• Firefighter/Paramedic Phil Ellenbecker and Colton• Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Dahl and Rowan• Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Rady and Bennett• Firefighter/Paramedic Tom Hamann and Taylor• Firefighter/Paramedic Jon Schram and Charlie• Firefighter/Paramedic John Marlowe and Logan• Firefighter/Paramedic Ben Johnson and Levi• First time grandfather Lt. Ron Redlin and ColtonNot shown are firefighter/paramedic Mike Murphy and baby Griffin and firefighter/paramedic Kevin Fiedler and baby Connor. Courtesy of Stephanie Marie Photography
The Mount Prospect Fire Department is looking forward to some loud and rambunctious Christmas parties after 16 of its members welcomed babies -- and two more became grandfathers for the first time -- all in 2019.
Deputy Chief John Dolan, not himself one of the new dads or grandpas, said the open houses and holiday gatherings the department hosts for its members and their families will be one of the highlights of the unprecedented baby boom.
"We look forward to future department events and watching them all grow up together," Dolan said about the little ones, now about 1 month to 13 months old. "With any luck, we'll have a few second-generation firefighters among them."
The aging of the baby boomer generation is part of the explanation for this newest boom in firefighter children. The department has seen its share of retirements in recent years and also has hired to expand its ranks.
"We have a lot of new firemen," Dolan said. "And with a lot of young firemen come a lot of young families."
The Murphy family is one of them. Firefighter/paramedic Mike Murphy, 34, has been with the department for nearly 10 years and welcomed his first child, Gavin, more than three years ago.
During last year's baby boom, Murphy's wife, Alyssa Ali, gave birth to their second son, Griffin, on April 15. The birth came just hours after one of Murphy's co-workers, firefighter/paramedic Ryan Lawler, welcomed daughter Emma to his family, also on April 15.
The news of baby after baby posted to the department's bulletin board and sent around in emails became a trend as last year progressed.
The first of the 2019 boom was Audrey, born to the family of Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Loomis on Jan. 3. And the last, sneaking in on Dec. 31, was little Levi, joining the family of firefighter/paramedic Ben Johnson.
After Audrey, there was a two-month gap until Gianna was born March 18 to the family of firefighter/paramedic Nic Schlenbecker. Then the next day came Samantha, joining the family of firefighter/paramedic Joe Vena.
"We've had a fair amount of births through the years, but never to this extent," Dolan said. "A big year in the past would have been four or five babies."
But this year, they just kept on coming -- some of them to newly minted dads and others to parenting pros like Murphy with one or more kids already in the fold. The dads were able to share stories of how their wives were feeling throughout pregnancy, how ready they felt to have a baby, and later, how to get their babies to sleep.
"It's absolutely phenomenal because you get to share all the experiences with each other," Murphy said. "You hear all the ups and downs, you get all the questions that we bounce off each other."
All told, the department family expanded by 12 boys and six girls, including grandbabies Colton in the family of Lt. Ron Redlin and Andrew in the family of Lt. Rich Christensen.
The department celebrated with a photo of 14 of the 16 dads and both of the grandpas with their little ones taken at the firehouse and posted to Facebook on Friday. It had 673 likes, loves or "wow" reactions, along with 95 shares and 63 comments by Saturday afternoon. A couple of the comments asked "What's in the water?"
Working the odd hours of a firefighter -- 24 on, 48 off -- now comes in handy for many of the fathers, who are stay-at-home dads when they're not on shift, Dolan said.
Murphy is one of them, caring for his boys in Trout Valley near Cary while his wife works as director of marketing for Arlington International Racecourse. But when he has committee meetings on his days off, he'll bring the kids in with him for some well-behaved firehouse fun.
"They really do love it," Murphy said. "It's a really kid-friendly environment here."
Firefighters can see tragic or disturbing situations on the job, Murphy said, so it has been fun to have so many squirmy infants as "a constant reminder of upcoming excitement."
What's high on the excitement list? Those firehouse Christmas parties when everyone gets together.
"It's going to be an explosion of kids," Murphy said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--Algonquin woman rescued from house fire dies

A woman rescued Thursday afternoon from a burning home in Algonquin has died , according to authorities .
Crews from the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded to a house fire about 3 p.m. Thursday on Alice Lane .
Algonquin police on Saturday confirmed they are investigating the death of the woman , identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as 59-year-old Barbara Yerkes , who lived there .
A report from the medical examiner 's office lists Yerkes as having died at 9:03 a.m. Friday at Loyola University Medical Center .
Yerkes lived alone in the home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire started , according to Ryan Markham , deputy chief of operations for Algonquin police .
Firefighters responding to the ranch-style home encountered heavy fire in the front of the house .
They found a woman , who appeared to be in her 50s or 60s , in the rear of the home .
She was taken to Northwestern Huntley Hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later transported by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center .
Markham said a police investigation is standard in any death that is n't obviously from natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators typically attend the autopsy , which is expected to be Sunday or Monday , he added .
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District , Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and Algonquin police .
As of Saturday morning , there is nothing overtly suspicious regarding the fire and foul play is not suspected , Markham said .

Algonquin woman rescued from house fire dies
A woman rescued Thursday afternoon from a burning home in Algonquin has died, according to authorities.
Crews from the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded to a house fire about 3 p.m. Thursday on Alice Lane.
Algonquin police on Saturday confirmed they are investigating the death of the woman, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as 59-year-old Barbara Yerkes, who lived there. A report from the medical examiner's office lists Yerkes as having died at 9:03 a.m. Friday at Loyola University Medical Center.
Yerkes lived alone in the home and was the only person present when the fire started, according to Ryan Markham, deputy chief of operations for Algonquin police.
Firefighters responding to the ranch-style home encountered heavy fire in the front of the house. They found a woman, who appeared to be in her 50s or 60s, in the rear of the home. She was taken to Northwestern Huntley Hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later transported by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center.
Markham said a police investigation is standard in any death that isn't obviously from natural causes. As part of that, investigators typically attend the autopsy, which is expected to be Sunday or Monday, he added.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and Algonquin police.
As of Saturday morning, there is nothing overtly suspicious regarding the fire and foul play is not suspected, Markham said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-08--Grammar Moses: Where did I put that modifier?

I sometimes enjoy testing the limits of my car stereo after a long day of telling other people what to do .
In the morning , however , I need calm .
Were it not for the obvious safety hazard , I might burn a soothing sandalwood and myrrh candle on the dashboard to accompany the dulcet voice of Mary Dixon delivering me the news on National Public Radio .
My peace was interrupted last week , however , when during a story an interviewee said , `` Everyone is not computer-literate . ''
I 'm sure if the big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , their peace would have been similarly interrupted .
To say `` everyone is not computer-literate '' is a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to anyone who studied computer science or anyone younger than , say , 13 .
I assume what the interviewee meant to convey was `` Not everyone is computer-literate . ''
I am evidence of not everyone being computer-literate .
I ca n't even figure out how to find my wife 's trove of family photos on the disk drive to which I downloaded them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order of words .
Here is another troublesome example : `` I saw a brightly painted fire hydrant on the way to the Super Bowl . ''
Most fire hydrants I 've encountered are decidedly stationary .
So to see one making its way to the Super Bowl would be quite something , especially if it were painted in the red and gold of the Kansas City Chiefs .
A better way to write it would be : `` While on the way to the Super Bowl , I saw a brightly painted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` The teacher served brownies to the kindergartners on flowered napkins . ''
What were the students doing on flowered napkins ?
Is this a new nap time tradition ?
The goal is to modify the brownies , not the kindergartners .
A better way to write it : `` The teacher served the kindergartners brownies on flowered napkins . ''
Constant reader Stan Zegel sent me a rather jarring headline from a British newspaper : `` Mother who gave birth to 'one in a million ' identical twin sisters with Down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them six times . ''
I 'm likely not the first person to notice the propensity of UK headline writers to engage in hyperbole .
It must be all of the competition on the newsstands there .
In this case , though , I 'm guessing the shock value was wholly unintended .
I 'll try to be uncharacteristically sensitive here : Anyone knows that when it comes to abortion , once is enough .
By definition .
You can not abort the same pregnancy six times .
The better headline would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 'one in a million ' identical twin sisters with Down syndrome reveals she was advised six times to abort them . ''
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald .
Write him at jbaumann @ dailyherald.com .
Put Grammar Moses in the subject line .
You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim .

Grammar Moses: Where did I put that modifier?
I sometimes enjoy testing the limits of my car stereo after a long day of telling other people what to do.
In the morning, however, I need calm. Were it not for the obvious safety hazard, I might burn a soothing sandalwood and myrrh candle on the dashboard to accompany the dulcet voice of Mary Dixon delivering me the news on National Public Radio.
My peace was interrupted last week, however, when during a story an interviewee said, "Everyone is not computer-literate."
I'm sure if the big brains in our IT department had heard that, their peace would have been similarly interrupted.
To say "everyone is not computer-literate" is a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to anyone who studied computer science or anyone younger than, say, 13.
I assume what the interviewee meant to convey was "Not everyone is computer-literate."
See the difference?
I am evidence of not everyone being computer-literate. I can't even figure out how to find my wife's trove of family photos on the disk drive to which I downloaded them.
Here lies the importance of the order of words.
Here is another troublesome example: "I saw a brightly painted fire hydrant on the way to the Super Bowl."
Most fire hydrants I've encountered are decidedly stationary. So to see one making its way to the Super Bowl would be quite something, especially if it were painted in the red and gold of the Kansas City Chiefs.
A better way to write it would be: "While on the way to the Super Bowl, I saw a brightly painted fire hydrant."
Here's another: "The teacher served brownies to the kindergartners on flowered napkins."
What were the students doing on flowered napkins? Is this a new nap time tradition?
The goal is to modify the brownies, not the kindergartners.
A better way to write it: "The teacher served the kindergartners brownies on flowered napkins."
6 times?
Constant reader Stan Zegel sent me a rather jarring headline from a British newspaper: "Mother who gave birth to 'one in a million' identical twin sisters with Down syndrome reveals she was advised to abort them six times."
I'm likely not the first person to notice the propensity of UK headline writers to engage in hyperbole. It must be all of the competition on the newsstands there.
In this case, though, I'm guessing the shock value was wholly unintended.
I'll try to be uncharacteristically sensitive here: Anyone knows that when it comes to abortion, once is enough. By definition. You cannot abort the same pregnancy six times.
The better headline would have been: "Mother who gave birth to 'one in a million' identical twin sisters with Down syndrome reveals she was advised six times to abort them."
Write carefully!
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-09--No. 8 Mississippi State women rally past No. 16 Texas A&M

STARKVILLE , Miss .
-- Myah Taylor scored each of her 16 points in the final 12 minutes to help No .
8 Mississippi State rally for a 69-57 victory over No .
16 Texas A & M on Sunday .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
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 .
SOUTH ORANGE , N.J. -- Chante Stonewall scored a career-high 29 points and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
TALLAHASSEE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
WEST LAFAYETTE , Ind .
-- Monika Czinano scored 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

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