Friday, May 17, 2013
Northlight's comedy-drama takes us on a masterfully acted, well written tale of two people who have experienced loss but are finding the courage to open their hearts again. It features Rhea Perlman and Francis Guinan.
When life and love have punched you in the heart and left you sprawled on the sidewalk, is it really possible to pick yourself up and expose your tender feelings again to the possibility of new love? Though it's cloaked in comedy, that's the central question in Northlight Theatre's Stella & Lou. This beautifully-constructed play, in which playwright Bruce Graham tempers his musings on loneliness and courage with quick-witted comedy based on human vanities, is a marvel in itself. With Rhea Perlman, formerly of the TV show Cheers, bringing out Stella's warmth, wise-cracking and down-to-earth compassion, and Steppenwolf Theater Company veteran Francis Guinan exploring the nuances of Lou's reticence to leave the past behind, it's clear 10 …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
It's been a long week. You need a pick-me-up.
Friday's here. Thank goodness. One more day of work, and that's it. Here's a little inspiration to get you through to Saturday. For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors, neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us. But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys. Not surprisingly, the stories have generated dozens of comments on Patch and on Facebook: "Great story..." "Thanks for sharing..." "So wonderfully inspiring..." And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. And feel better about your tough week. Pit Bull …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Jolie announced Tuesday she underwent a double mastectomy to prevent her chances of breast cancer. Her likelihood of developing the cancer was at 87 percent. Tell us what you think about Jolie's decision and announcement in the comments section.
Actress and director Angelina Jolie announced today in a New York Times op-ed piece that she recently underwent a double mastectomy to cut her chances of developing breast cancer. Jolie wrote she decided to receive genetic testing since she was at a higher risk of breast cancer — her mother fought the disease for almost a decade before dying at age 56 — and because she wanted to make sure she would be there for her children, according to her New York Times column. Jolie said she carries a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which raised her risk of developing breast cancer to 87 percent, according to the Associated Press. After having the double mastectomy, her chances of developing breast cancer dropped to five percent, according to the Associated …
Saturday, April 13, 2013
State legislature may consider whether to move to a graduated income tax rate, meaning those who earn more would pay more.
Did the tax man take a big bite out of your wallet this month? With tax season almost behind us, let's take a look at an issue before the state legislature — should Illinois switch from a flat income tax rate to a graduated rate? The last year Illinoisans escaped paying income tax to the state was 1969. Just seven states still collect no income tax. Thirty-four states use the graduated income tax system, while eight others join Illinois in imposing one rate on all. Our friends at Reboot Illinois put together a graphic look at various aspects of the flat tax vs. graduated tax debate, excerpted here on Patch. Check out the full graphic at RebootIllinois.com. Want to know more? This article is posted throughout the Chicago-area Patch network…
Monday, April 1, 2013
A letter to the editor from Penny Randel, Michael Schyman and Paul Zima, the Northbrook Caucus backed candidates for the Park Board.
The following letter was submitted by Penny Randel, Michael Schyman and Paul Zima, the Northbrook Caucus backed candidates for the Park Board. Two of us were able to attend the Northbrook Park District Spring Bunny Trail on Saturday. How wonderful it was to see so many people in attendance and enjoying this community event. It was a great reminder of the benefits the Northbrook Park District provides the residents. While the Northbrook Patch has not sought any input from the Caucus endorsed candidates for Northbrook Park District Commissioner, we would like to submit the following statement on our positions. We are a demographically diverse group of individuals who bring different skill sets, points of view and experiences to the board. We…
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Watch a brief video rundown of recent action in Springfield that could have an impact on your tax bill and money for local schools.
What's happening in Springfield now regarding the state pension crisis will have a long-term impact on your tax bills and the money the state government can afford to send to local schools. Teachers and bus drivers in the suburbs are getting layoff notices and schools are closing in the city of Chicago as the governor projects a cut of $300 million from the state education budget. This week, the Illinois House passed a bill that would trim cost-of-living payments for public retirees. The House previously passed a bill that raises the state employee retirement age incrementally. It's unlikely those measures will pass the Senate, leaving the pension crisis unresolved. Our friends at Reboot Illinois, a non-partisan news and advocacy website…
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A Northbrook Patch reader shares her thoughts on Marks and endorses current village president Sandy Frum.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Is it time to squash the Styrofoam?
In addition to bans on trans fats, smoking in public places and jumbo sodas, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to enact a city-wide ban on plastic-foam food packaging used in takeout boxes, cups and trays, reports Patch. The ban would affect restaurants, bodegas and public schools, if passed. There is no such ban in the City of Chicago, though the measure was proposed and failed a few years ago. Several environmental and activist groups, like No Foam Chicago, are still pushing for it. Mayor Bloomberg made the case for New York in his final State of the City address on Thursday. In his speech, the mayor compared the dangers of such packaging materials to lead paint and warned of its environmental impact, reported Yahoo! News. "…
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Patch asks Northbrook residents to weigh in on President Obama's State of the Union address. Tell us in the comment section below.
President Barack Obama gave his fourth State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 12. "There is much progress to report," he began. "Together we have cleared away the rubble of crisis." President Obama spoke of bi-partisan tax reform that includes lowering the tax rates on American businesses. He urged Congress to pass a budget that "replaces reckless cuts with smart savings." He also spoke of job creation, proposing a "fix-it first" program to repair our nation's infrastructure, including 70,000 "structurally deficit bridges." The President called for the minimum wage to be increased to $9 an hour because "no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty." He also encouraged Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act because …
Monday, February 11, 2013
A forum on preventing football head injuries hosted by State Rep. Carole Sente will be held at Vernon Hills High School on Monday, Feb. 25.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recently approved new rules for the 2013 football season in an effort to minimize player injuries related to helmets coming off during games. As a follow-up to last year’s rules change requiring players to sit out one play if their helmet comes off while the ball is live, the NFHS Football Rules Committee approved three additional rules that are extensions of that change. “Player safety has been and will continue to be the top priority for members of the NFHS Football Rules Committee,” said Brad Garrett, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association. “These rules changes regarding helmet-less players …
Jennifer Wilson
6:40 am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Junefox, I agree/disagree. I think she went public because A) it was inevitable that the world would speculate on her boobs and B) I genuinely think she wants to bring awareness of BRCA testing to the public and possibly shame insurance companies into paying for it. Ms Jolie doesn't have the luxury we have of taking our privacy for granted as hers is regularly violated. For a decision like this, … more ›