Chicago -
By Hayes Holderness/The Conversation
Halloween shoppers have many delicious decisions to make before trick-or-treaters show up at their doors. And in many states, those choices will change how much tax they pay.
In Illinois, for example, locals pay a higher state sales tax rate – 6.25% versus 1% – on Reese’s, gummi worms and Hershey’s milk chocolate bars than on Twix, Twizzlers and Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme bars.
Posted on October 25, 2019
By Lauren Weber/Kaiser Health News
MILWAUKEE – Dr. Lynn D’Andrea knew something was amiss when three teenagers with similar mysterious, dangerous lung injuries came into the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin one after another, gasping for air.
As the only pulmonologist on duty that Fourth of July holiday week, D’Andrea noticed those alarming cases followed on the heels of another teen who had a non-infectious condition with matching symptoms.
“‘We need to be thinking about something else,'” she told Dr. Michael Meyer, medical director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, as he later recounted.
That “thinking about something else” led to the discovery of nearly 1,500 probable vaping-related injury cases in 24 states, a U.S. territory and Canada. At least 33 people have died. While the exact cause of the illness remains unclear, President Donald Trump is considering a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, and Walmart has taken them off its shelves altogether.
Posted on October 23, 2019
Another Beachwood Special Report
“A new proposed ordinance before the Chicago City Council would rename a stretch of Lake Shore Drive in honor of the man who is regarded by many historians as the first non-Indigenous settler of the city of Chicago,” NBC Chicago reports.
“The ordinance, introduced by 17th Ward Ald. David Moore and co-sponsored by several other Chicago City Council members, would rename the iconic roadway after Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, who arrived in Chicago in 1790 and was likely the first permanent non-Native American settler of the area.”
Hey, we love us some Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, but we have some other ideas.
Posted on October 22, 2019
Our very own Scott Buckner, who has contributed many memorable works to this site including his TV correspondency and his Riding The Dog series, has taken up watercoloring. That’s right, watercoloring. And guess what? He’s pretty good at it!
Let’s take a look at some samples of his landscapes. These, and the rest of his collection, are available for purchase at his Etsy shop.
Posted on October 21, 2019
By The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for raw non-intact beef products derived from imported beef from Ontario, Canada that has been recalled by Ryding-Regency Meat Packers because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is conducting a food safety investigation and determined that certain products produced by the company may be contaminated. While Canada is the recalling authority, FSIS is amplifying the recall through this public health alert.
Posted on October 17, 2019
By The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
Kenosha Beef International, a Columbus, Ohio establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of seasoned beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal shavings, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Monday.
The seasoned beef items were produced on various dates from Sept. 20, 2019 to Oct. 4, 2019. The following products are subject to recall:
Posted on October 15, 2019
‘Supermoto Hooligans Really Threw It Down This Time’
“Chicago hosts a costume ride every year to raise money and show off costumes for the upcoming Halloween Festivities called Doomsday! Stunt riders from all over the US come to ride!” says YouTuber brian_636.
This year’s Doomsday ride was held on September 23, and we’re just catching up with it.
“Back at it again for another awesome doomsday” says Juicebox Donnie. “Midwest supermoto hooligans really threw it down this time, much love to everyone that showed up and showed out! stuff was CRAZY.”
Posted on October 11, 2019
By Lindsay Grace/The Conversation
Video games are often blamed for unemployment, violence and addiction – including by partisan politicians raising moral concerns. It might feel like something new, a sidecar to technology. But fears about the effects of recreational games on society as a whole are centuries old. History shows a cycle of apprehension and acceptance about games that is very like events of modern times.
One of the earliest known written descriptions of games, for example, comes from the Dialogues of the Buddha, which dates back to the fifth century B.C. and purports to record the actual words of the Buddha himself. In them, he is reported to say that “some recluses . . . while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to games and recreations; that is to say . . . games on boards with eight or with 10, rows of squares.”
Posted on October 10, 2019
By The Illinois Department of Agriculture
The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently wrapped up its Industry Dairy Tour, which highlighted the state’s dairy industry to foreign market buyers.
Twenty-two farmers and agribusiness owners from Mexico, Guatemala and Thailand took part in the three-day tour, making stops in Highland, Greenville, Champaign, Mansfield and Naperville before the final stop in Chicago.
The dairy tour takes place every other year and gives foreign buyers a chance to purchase embryos, semen, cattle and other Illinois dairy products.
Posted on October 9, 2019
