"Chicago Tribune" Reader

"Chicago Tribune" Reader

6.0 magnitude quake hits near Costa Rica capital

Posted: 13 May 2011 04:51 PM PDT

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 hit Costa Rica on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

House and Senate trade competing spending plans

Posted: 13 May 2011 04:59 PM PDT

Medicare could run out of money sooner than predicted

Posted: 13 May 2011 04:06 PM PDT

Medicare's largest trust fund would run out of money in 2024 without action to shore it up, the government predicts.

Highlighting the financial peril confronting Medicare, the federal government predicted Friday that the program's largest trust fund would run out of money in 2024, five years earlier than projected last year.

Daley leaves City Hall for last time

Posted: 13 May 2011 03:34 PM PDT

Mayor Richard M. Daley walked out of City Hall this afternoon for the final time. Daley had tears in his eyes as he and his family slowly walked through the lobby, pausing to hug people and wave.

Man recounts lake rescue by wife >> Video

Posted: 13 May 2011 11:41 AM PDT

With four IVs still taped to his right arm to bring his body temperature back to normal, Peter Kovats smiled as he sat next to his wife just days after she led a lake rescue for him and his two boating buddies.

Libyan TV carries audio of Gaddafi taunting NATO

Posted: 13 May 2011 02:34 PM PDT

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libyan state television carried brief audio remarks it said were by leader Muammar Gaddafi on Friday in which he taunted NATO as a cowardly crusader and said he was in a place they could not reach.

Autopsy inconclusive in sportscaster Hawks' death

Posted: 13 May 2011 11:33 AM PDT

The cause of NBC5 Chicago sportscaster Daryl Hawks' death remained unknown after an autopsy conducted today by the Fulton County medical examiner's office in Atlanta.

Flood warnings after DeKalb funnel cloud

Posted: 13 May 2011 12:50 PM PDT

A severe thunderstorm expired for central DeKalb County until 2:45 p.m., but DeKalb and parts of nearby counties were under flash flood warnings until this evening after officials in DeKalb spotted a funnel cloud there, according to the National Weather Service.

Court: Chicago must hire 111 black firefighters

Posted: 13 May 2011 01:15 PM PDT

A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the Chicago Fire Department must hire 111 African Americans who passed a firefighters entrance exam 16 years ago and pay millions of dollars to thousands more who took and passed the same test.

Ill. GOP tries to slow down Dems remapping

Posted: 13 May 2011 10:18 AM PDT

Local water official: Cleaning Chicago River waste of money

Posted: 13 May 2011 10:05 AM PDT

Responding to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency demand that the Chicago River be safe enough for swimming, local officials said it would waste taxpayer money and increase the risk of drowning.

New CPS chief gets to work Tuesday

Posted: 13 May 2011 10:10 AM PDT

Incoming Chicago schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard will report to work at CPS headquarters on Tuesday.

Pornography found in bin Laden hideout

Posted: 13 May 2011 09:20 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A stash of pornography was found in the hideout of Osama bin Laden by the U.S. commandos who killed him, current and former U.S. officials said Friday.

Michaels: About 100 debit cards used in security breach

Posted: 13 May 2011 09:58 AM PDT

Michaels Stores said Friday that while its debit card terminals were compromised in 20 states, fewer than 100 customer debit cards were reported as used in fraudulent transactions.

2 cultural office officials resign

Posted: 13 May 2011 08:47 AM PDT

Two top officials in Mayor Richard M. Daley's cultural offices have resigned, in the wake of the incoming administration of mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel.

Report: Medicare to exhaust funds sooner than expected

Posted: 13 May 2011 10:11 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two of the government's most popular programs for the elderly, Medicare and Social Security, will run out of money sooner than thought earlier as a slow-growing economy saps revenues, a report Friday said.

Metra trains to have 'quiet cars'

Posted: 13 May 2011 08:22 AM PDT

Metra will start running "quiet cars" on all 11 of its train lines starting June 6 after the successful trial period on the Rock Island District line, Metra said today.

Pentagon: U.S. has questioned bin Laden widows

Posted: 13 May 2011 08:28 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department says the U.S. government has questioned three of Osama bin Laden's widows in Pakistan.

Driver had dozens of traffic violations

Posted: 13 May 2011 03:28 PM PDT

A truck made an illegal left turn and drove around crossing gates before slamming into a Metra train in Mount Prospect this morning, officials say. The driver, who was killed, had more than 50 traffic violations, including a DUI, since 1986. >> Photos

Metra train hits truck, driver killed

Posted: 13 May 2011 07:44 AM PDT

A Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line train collided with a semi-tractor trailer truck in Mount Prospect this morning, killing the truck driver and causing the front train car to derail, officials said.