Sunday Comic: All Eyes On the Tea Party Graduate

Some people are destined to draw more attention than others, apparently.

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Jewel Repeals Mandatory Cart-to-Car Service

Patch readers had a lot to say last month when asked what they thought of a new store policy in which baggers were obliged to follow customers and their carts out to their vehicles whether they wanted help or not.

If you've avoided shopping at Jewel-Osco for fear of being awkwardly trailed to your car by an employee, you're not alone, but there is good news. The once mandatory policy created by Jewel's new owners, Cerberus Capital Management LP, has been repealed. A statement on the store's website says the cart-to-car service will still be offered to customers, but it will no longer be forced upon them. Parts of our customer service philosophy are things that every grocery store should do, like ensuring the stores are clean, the shelves are well stocked, and asking if you need help finding an item. Now, we’ve expanded our service to include taking your groceries out to your car. And, if you don’t want or need help, that’s fine too. Many customers …

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Tough Week? Here's Some Inspiration to Get You to the Weekend

It's been a long week. You need a pick-me-up.

Friday's here. Thank goodness. One more day of work, and that's it. Here's a little inspiration to get you through to Saturday.  For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors, neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us.  But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys. Not surprisingly, the stories have generated dozens of comments on Patch and on Facebook: "Great story..." "Thanks for sharing..." "So wonderfully inspiring..."  And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. And feel better about your tough week. Pit Bull …

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Wi-Fi on Metra Trains: Pricey, but Worth It?

Why doesn’t Metra have wireless internet on its trains yet? Mostly because it would be enormously expensive and a technological challenge, too. But should they?

Should Metra get Wi-Fi? Even if it’s expensive and hard to implement and maintain?  The commuter-rail network is considering the possibility, the Chicago Tribune and other news agencies report, but price and technology continue to be two major barriers, despite that a DePaul University report shows 48 percent of Metra riders use personal electronic devices during their commutes.  According to the paper, it could cost over $70 million to install wireless internet on all 11 Metra lines over five years—though some of that could perhaps be recouped by paid plans or sponsorships—and there’s a fear that the technology might quickly become obsolete or go unused by customers who prefer other connectivity, like smart-phone hotspots or air-cards. "(…

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Walter White

9:44 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013

Metra ought to stay out of the phone business, and focus on the train business.   more ›

Angelina Jolie Undergoes Preventative Double Mastectomy

Jolie announced Tuesday she underwent a double mastectomy to prevent her chances of breast cancer. Her likelihood of developing the cancer was at 87 percent. Tell us what you think about Jolie's decision and announcement in the comments section.

Actress and director Angelina Jolie announced today in a New York Times op-ed piece that she recently underwent a double mastectomy to cut her chances of developing breast cancer. Jolie wrote she decided to receive genetic testing since she was at a higher risk of breast cancer — her mother fought the disease for almost a decade before dying at age 56 — and because she wanted to make sure she would be there for her children, according to her New York Times column.  Jolie said she carries a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which raised her risk of developing breast cancer to 87 percent, according to the Associated Press. After having the double mastectomy, her chances of developing breast cancer dropped to five percent, according to the Associated …

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Ziva Green-Kredow

2:17 am on Friday, May 17, 2013

As a BRCA1 mutation carrier and FORCE sister, I thank you, Heather, for all you do for our high-risk population. BRAVO to A.J.   more ›

Sunday Comics

Sunday Comic: Obama Labels Illinois a 'Disaster'

April showers brought flood of problems to an already troubled state.

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Sunday Comic: Can Iron Man Obama Rescue the Country?

Where's a superhero when we really need one?

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Sunday Comics

Sunday Comic: Check Out the George W. Bush Presidential Library

A trip to the newly unveiled Presidential Center in Dallas could leave a visitor in shock and awe.

Comments on this post are now closed. All you have to do is read a few to know why. Sweet fancy Moses.

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Sunday Comic: Paying Tribute to Boston's Finest

The Boston area showed its strength in the wake of the marathon bombings, and in turn it strengthened the nation's resolve to defeat those who seek to do us harm.

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Grumpy Old Man

12:04 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2013

Butch, to your last, not all republicans are log cabin republicans. The ones that aren't are not hypocrites. The ones that are I haven't seen on the forefront of the anti gay movement lately. In any event, the only log cabin I ever really supported was log cabin syrup which went well on the pancakes and french toast I used to enjoy before I noticed the sugar content. Us old geezers have to watch …   more ›