"Chicago Tribune" Reader

"Chicago Tribune" Reader

Obama to present budget proposal he sees as a middle ground

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 05:10 PM PST

The president is up against a more conservative Congress, with Republicans demanding deep cuts. He is calling for a five-year spending freeze as well as cuts to social programs and agricultural subsidies.

President Obama unveils his 2012 budget blueprint Monday in the midst of a Republican uprising in the House that underscores the strength of the new class of conservative lawmakers and accentuates the obstacles faced by the White House.

Northwest Side blaze injures couple

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 05:22 PM PST

A man was critically injured and his wife suffered serious burns this afternoon from a fire that  broke out in the basement of an Albany Park building where they lived, fire officials said.

Man found dead in the snow on South Side

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 02:34 PM PST

A man was found shot dead in the snow Friday night in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side, police said.

Thousands protest in Algeria, defying government warnings

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 12:26 PM PST

Heavily outnumbered by riot police, thousands of Algerians defied government warnings and dodged barricades to rally in their capital Saturday, demanding democratic reforms a day after mass protests toppled Egypt's autocratic ruler.

Reports: Former Metra boss mismanaged agency

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 01:24 PM PST

Former boss used authority to 'circumvent controls'

Two reports issued Friday by consultants hired by Metra in the wake of the Phil Pagano scandal criticize several past management actions at the commuter rail agency and place blame for many of those problems on its longtime executive director.

Egypt's upheaval a cause for local celebration

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 04:54 PM PST

A day after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, Egyptians in Chicago traded their earlier protests outside the Egyptian consulate for chants of joy.

McHenry teen dies in Wis. snowmobile accident

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 01:45 PM PST

A 17-year-old girl from northwest suburban McHenry County was killed Friday in a snowmobile accident in central Wisconsin, officials said today.

Pet rescue owner charged with cruelty

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 10:16 AM PST

The owner of a Tinley Park animal rescue has been charged with neglect after more than 100 animals, many malnourished, were found at the rescue site, according to Cook County Sheriff's Police.

Chicago long a hub of online coupons, discount deals

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 10:33 AM PST

Pool of tech workers, Midwestern sensibility get credit for market strength

Forget "Chicagoland." Call it "Couponland."

Oregon man dies after ER staff tells police to call 911 for help

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 01:10 PM PST

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A hospital in Oregon has come under withering criticism over a patient who died in the emergency room parking garage just 100 feet from the entrance.

Chico, Braun in bid to stop Emanuel

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 07:27 AM PST

Front-runner's North Shore upbringing, standing with Black Caucus highlighted

Gery Chico is pushing a class warfare message. Carol Moseley Braun is trying to win back African-Americans. Each is trying to do well enough to force a runoff with Rahm Emanuel.

A grandmother's gift: Life

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 09:22 PM PST

Her daughter had tried for years to have a baby

Almost 39 weeks ago, Kristine Casey set out on an unusual journey to help her daughter. Casey's goal was achieved late Wednesday when she gave birth to her own grandson at age 61. Casey's daughter, Sara Connell, had been trying for years to have a baby. Sarah and her husband, Bill Connell, are the biological parents of the child.

Barrington man charged in $105 million Ponzi scheme

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 03:47 PM PST

Daniel Spitzer promised his investors a good deal: low risk and sizeable returns if they agreed to put their money into a fund he told them he invested primarily in foreign currency trading, authorities announced today.

Pushed by tea party, Republicans deepen cuts

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 09:42 PM PST

Hundreds of federal programs would be cut in a $61-billion savings package compiled by House Republicans. Defense and veterans' programs would be exempt.

House Republicans called for cuts in hundreds of government programs Friday night in a $61-billion savings package they toughened at the demand of "tea party"-backed conservatives.

'Do Not Track' Web privacy bill introduced in House

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 06:09 PM PST

The bill would allow the Federal Trade Commission to force online advertisers to respect the wishes of users who do not want to be tracked for marketing purposes.

A privacy bill introduced in Congress on Friday raised the possibility that Internet users will be able to prevent advertisers from tracking what they do online.

School meeting on YouTube sparks tiff

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 06:41 PM PST

District 65 claims racially tinged clip from board meeting violates copyright rules

An Evanston dad posted a video on YouTube showing a heated exchange between Evanston-Skokie School District 65 board members, sparking a debate over copyright infringement. After YouTube took the video down, the father posted several more snippets.

Ex-Sox exec pleads guilty in kickback scheme

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 06:29 PM PST

2 former scouts still face fraud charges

A former Chicago White Sox executive pleaded guilty Friday to pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from impoverished Latin American prospects hoping to make it in Major League Baseball.

Blue Island teen dies after root canal >> Video

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 07:17 PM PST

Experts say it's too early to know whether procedure is to blame

In the days after Christopher Schutzius, 17. underwent root canal surgery, there were moments when he seemed invigorated and fine, and others when he complained of feeling achy and tired, his foster family in Blue Island said.

Pawlenty, Romney bash Obama at CPAC

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 06:15 PM PST

But Rep. Ron Paul of Texas gets the loudest response on the second day of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

On a seeming collision course toward the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney spoke to cheering crowds Friday at the second day of a gathering of the nation's conservatives, blasting President Obama for what they said was his failure to lead on national security and the economy.