Sunday, May 20, 2012
Illinois lawmakers are again looking to expand gambling options in Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers are considering plans to add more casinos as the state continues to grapple with budget woes. The latest proposals would place casinos in Danville, Rockford and Waukegan. Another proposal would allow for slot machines to be operated at race tracks like Arlington Park, the Alton Daily News reported. The bills are sponsored by Terry Link (D-Waukegan) in the Senate and Lou Lang (D-Skokie) in the House. Gov. Pat Quinn has called the legislation to, once again, expand gambling in Illinois "a distraction." Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing for a Chicago casino. A Chicago casino is something that officials in the city long have sought. As far back at 1993, Mayor Daley proposed an $800 …
Not interested in NATO protesters? There's another fight taking place this weekend.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The decision of whether to open gifts at a kid's birthday party isn't always easy.
Birthday parties mean birthday presents which brings up the question, “Do you open the gifts at the party or not?” When I ask people this question I get some adamant "Yes" and "No" answers, but quite a few Moms I talk to, especially new Moms, aren’t quite sure what to do. My vague answer is, “It depends.” There are quite a few things you need to consider regarding your child’s birthday party and the answer may not be the same every year. First and foremost you need to do what is right for your child. Does he or she want to open gifts or just keep playing with friends? You also need to consider what you can handle as the party hostess. Sometimes it is hard to gauge how much time it will take. But, don’t let anyone tell you how it should …
Sunday, May 13, 2012
President Barack Obama said that he supported gay marriage this week, while Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Gay marriage came to the forefront of the 2012 presidential campaign this week. President Barack Obama said on ABC's Good Morning America that he personally supported gay marriage. "You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently," Obama said in the interview with ABC. Obama's support for gay marriage came one day after North Carolina passed an amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, the Huffington Post Reported. Republican …
Obama makes a statement in support of gay marriage.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A Mother's Day reminder of the joys of motherhood
Mother's Day is this Sunday, just in case you were too busy being a Mother to notice. It got me thinking about how sometimes I'm so busy, tired, and stressed that I don't stop to appreciate why being a Mom is worth it. Some days it's easier to focus on the negatives and I ask myself why did I go through all of the pain, nausea, sleepless nights, insecurity, and the extra 10 pounds that won’t go away? So, I wrote a post on Why Being a Mom is Worth It that I wanted to share. But more importantly, I'd love to hear from you. Why Do You Love Being a Mom? Please comment below and let's create a great list of why Motherhood is amazing. The reminder is a nice gift to ourselves. I want to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. I hope your day is …
Want to spotlight that very special lady? Add a photo of you and your mama here and share what makes her so amazing with Patch readers (hint: send her the url and you'll get brownie points).
With Mother's Day quickly approaching – it's this Sunday, May 13 – how are you planning to celebrate your mom? While flowers or brunch might be nice, what's better than telling the world what she means to you? Add a photo of you and your mom to this gallery and share why you’ve got the "World’s Greatest Mom" in the accompanying caption. Or, dads, ask your kids what their mom means to them and share their answers, along with a photo of the family. We'll be featuring new photos throughout the week. Happy Mother's Day from Patch!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Who has the best coffee in McHenry County? Let us know in our comments' section.
Patch.com editors tend to spend a fair amount of time working from coffee shops. And this week, we are looking to area Patch readers to tell us, which coffee house do you think is the best in McHenry County? Maybe this coffee shop has a great atmosphere for sitting and enjoying your cup of joe. Or perhaps this business serves up your favorite latte. Or, in your opinion, brews the best coffee in the county. Whatever the case, you can vote for your favorite coffee shop by commenting below. We will take comments in this article through Tuesday, May 15. Voting will stop at 5 p.m. We will select the top finalists — the coffee shop with the most comments — and place them in our finalists' poll. That poll will post on all McHenry County Patch…
Monday, May 7, 2012
What was the best, or worst, advice your parents ever gave you?
Keep your elbows off the table, say thank you, don't talk back and put your dishes in the sink. Parents ingrain these simple things in your head at an early age and, hopefully, they stick. But parents can also give some great, and sometimes bad, advice. My dad always told me that anyone with a tattoo probably had some kind of problem and you should probably not trust them. I now have a tattoo and have learned that some of the most trustworthy people I've ever come across have tattoos. My mom was a little more realistic. She always wanted me to try hard, keep quiet and have fun. I think I've done quite well with two out of these three—I just can't keep myself quiet when I feel something needs to be said. So, in recognition of Mothers Day…
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Chicago is considering a tax on soda as a way to raise revenue and combat obesity.
Chicago held hearings this week on whether to tax soda to fight obesity. Alderman George Cardenas proposed a tax of 15 to 35 cents on sugary drinks. Cardenas proposed the tax as a way to fight child obesity rates. The tax also would raise about $129 million in revenue. Childhood obesity in the U.S. has more than tripled in the last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC states that in 2008, a third of U.S. children were overweight or obese. The percentage of children 6 to 11 defined as obese rose from 7 percent in 1980 to almost 20 percent in 2008. “We know that taxing at the right level can reduce consumption of sugary drinks and that reducing consumption will help reduce the prevalence of obesity,” Fox Chicago …
Craig Apelbaum
10:25 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Yes. Chicago, Illinois should have casinos because it brings money into ytheir economy. more ›