"Chicago Tribune" Reader

"Chicago Tribune" Reader

Florida woman who rode manatee arrested

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 04:23 PM PST

A Florida woman who was caught on camera two months ago riding a manatee has been arrested Saturday on a charge of violating the state's Manatee Sanctuary Act.

Lawmakers face lengthy list of issues on lame-duck agenda

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 04:12 PM PST

Pension crisis, gambling expansion, gay marriage among issues that could be addressed — but votes may wait until 2013

State lawmakers convening Tuesday face issues from burgeoning pension debt to same-sex marriage, but it remains uncertain whether departing legislators will provide the votes to pass the most controversial measures.

Violence, economic unrest as Egypt's political foes dig in their heels

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 04:38 PM PST

Egyptian protesters gather in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. President Mohammed Morsi edicts, which were announced on Thursday, place him above oversight of any kind, including that of the courts. The move has thrown Egypt's already troubled transition to democracy into further turmoil, sparking angry protests across the country to demand the decrees be immediately rescinded. The banner in Arabic, top center, reads, "members of the Muslim Brotherhood are not allowed." (AP Photo/Ahmed Gomaa)Supporters and opponents of Egypt's president on Sunday grew more entrenched in their potentially destabilizing battle over the Islamist leader's move to assume near absolute powers, with neither side appearing willing to back down as the stock market plunged amid the fresh turmoil.

Durbin: Medicare, Medicaid fair game in fiscal cliff talks

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 09:43 AM PST

Sen. Dick Durbin: Medicare, Medicaid Fair Game in Talks to Avoid Fiscal CliffSen. Dick Durbin said today that his Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate should be willing to address entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid in deficit reduction negotiations. "From my side of the table, bring entitlement reform into the conversation," Durbin said on "This...

Apple seeks to add more products to Samsung patent lawsuit

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 03:45 PM PST

File photo of Apple's iPhone and Samsung Galaxy Note displayed at a shop in Tokyo(Reuters) - Apple Inc has asked a federal court to add six more products to its patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co, including the Samsung Galaxy Note II, in the latest in move in an ongoing legal war between the two companies. The case is one of two patent infringement lawsuits pending in the U.S. District Court in San Jose by Apple against Samsung. An earlier lawsuit by Apple that related to different patents resulted in a $1.05 billion jury verdict against Samsung on August 24. ...

Affleck: U.S. can do 'huge amount' to help resolve Congo crisis

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:13 AM PST

Ben Affleck: U.S. Can Do 'Huge Amount' to Help Resolve Conflict in CongoActor Ben Affleck - founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative - told George Stephanopoulos this morning on "This Week" that the United States can do "a huge amount" to help resolve the violent conflict in war-torn Congo that flared up as rebels seized control of the eastern city of Goma last week.

Utility worker pierced pipe before dramatic Mass. gas blast

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 02:17 PM PST

Utility worker pierced pipe before Mass. gas blastA natural gas explosion that injured 18 people and damaged 42 buildings in Springfield's entertainment district was blamed Sunday on a utility worker who accidentally punctured a high-pressure pipeline ...

At least 112 killed in fire at Bangladesh garment factory

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 02:07 PM PST

112 killed in fire at Bangladesh garment factoryFire raced through a garment factory that supplies major retailers in the West, killing at least 112 people, many of whom were trapped by the flames because the eight-story building lacked emergency exits, ...

Within 2 years of national title, Auburn fires football coach

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 02:55 PM PST

Auburn coach Gene Chizik watches the game near the end of a 49-0 loss to Alabama during the second half of a NCAA college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)Gene Chizik led Auburn to perhaps the greatest season in the program's history, and two years later to maybe its worst.

DUI driver with 3 kids in car almost hits cops, police say

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:58 AM PST

A Chicago woman was drunk when she skidded her SUV to a stop on the Borman Expressway late Saturday to avoid hitting police and fire vehicles, then drove onto and off the side of a tow truck, police said today.

Pfleger points police to suspect in fatal stabbing

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 02:35 PM PST

Authorities have charged a 32-year-old Chicago resident with fatally stabbing a man who reportedly intervened to protect a woman during a dispute Wednesday evening on the South Side.

‘Kill List’ rule book may be coming soon to the White House

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:05 AM PST

Iran Tried to Shoot Down a U.S. Drone and MissedThe White House "kill list"--a regularly updated chart showing the world's most wanted terrorists used by President Barack Obama during kill or capture debates--may soon be getting a rule book to go with it. According to the New York Times, the administration--faced with the possibility that President Obama might lose the 2012 election to Mitt [...]

Official: Gas company worker caused Mass. blast

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 10:50 AM PST

Inspectors stand in debris, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, at the site of a gas explosion that leveled a strip club in Springfield, Mass., on Friday evening. Investigators were trying to figure out what caused the blast where the multistory brick building housing Scores Gentleman's Club once stood. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)The state fire marshal say a gas company worker responding to reports of a gas leak in western Massachusetts punctured a pipe that led to a massive explosion that injured 18 people.

Feds: Teacher test-taking fraud went on for 15 years

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 08:48 AM PST

In this photo taken Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, Neal Kingston, director of the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation at the University of Kansas, talks about testing fraud in his Lawrence, Kan., office. Authorities say a Tennessee man made a business of helping current and aspiring teachers cheat on certification tests.

Man arrested after causing Santa stir with kids

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 10:10 AM PST

Man Arrested After Telling Kids Santa Isn't RealA real-life Grinch was arrested after he spoiled the holiday cheer at a parade, telling children that Santa isn't real. The unidentified 24-year-old man, who had his hair gelled to look as though devil horns were protruding from his head, was arrested by police in...

Natural gas drillers target US truck, bus market

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 12:12 PM PST

In this Nov. 19, 2012 photo, Waste Management driver Alan Sadler fills his truck with CNG gas at the company's filling station in Washington, Pa. Years from now, motorists needing a fill-up might see natural gas pumps sharing space at the neighborhood filling station with ones dispensing gasoline and diesel. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)If the trash truck or bus rolling down your street seems a little quieter these days, you're not imagining things. It's probably running on natural gas.

Casey Anthony detectives overlooked Google search

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 01:11 PM PST

Attorney: Casey Anthony rejected early plea dealThe Florida sheriff's office that investigated Caylee Anthony's death confirmed Sunday that it overlooked a computer search for suffocation methods made from the little girl's home on the day she was last seen alive.

Bears get back on track by beating Vikings

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 04:56 PM PST

Cutler, defense back in fine form, but 5 starters go down with injuries

The Chicago Bears regained their swagger and halted their two-game losing streak by thumping the Minnesota Vikings 28-10 in a critical NFC North matchup at Soldier Field.

Driver faces DUI charge in head-on crash on Addams Tollway

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 09:58 AM PST

A head-on collision on Interstate 90 in the northwest suburbs sent three people to the hospital this morning, but their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Black Friday sales slip as shoppers opt for Thursday ‘doorbusters’

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 08:55 AM PST

Thanksgiving steals sales from Black FridayBlack Friday, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, saw more foot traffic than ever before, according to estimates. But it appears so-called "doorbuster" deals offered the day before dinged sales. According to ShopperTrak, which tracks retail foot traffic, there were more than 307 million store visits on Friday, up 3.5 percent. But Black [...]