| Leaps of faith drive ever-expanding 'burbs
Shopping malls and office buildings also will rise. Roads will be built and congestion will follow.
"In an ideal world," Alysia said, "I would want it to stay like this -- nobody around -- but I know it's not going to. It's going to be crowded out here. Someday, it'll be like downtown Aurora."
Farmland dwindles
Bob Farley knew it was coming. When he looked back east from the 1,400 acres in southern Kane County where his family has grown corn and soybeans and raised cattle for half a century, there, looming on the horizon, was an unrelenting land rush with suburban pioneers transforming fields and forests into malls and curving streets where houses grew.
"Back in the '70s," he said, taking a break from loading a tractor-trailer with corn, "the east side of Aurora blew up [with development], so we thought it could happen here.
One-in-Five Employers Plan to Hire Seasonal Help This Holiday Season ...
CHICAGO, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Short on cash for this year's holiday shopping list? One-in-five employers (22 percent) said they are planning to hire seasonal help for the holidays. Among those who are hiring seasonal employees, 21 percent are increasing wages compared to last year with 41 percent offering $10 or more per hour. Those who are interested in seasonal positions should not sit idle. Eighteen percent of companies hiring for seasonal help said they would take applications through September. Twenty-nine percent planned to accept applications through October, while 31 percent will accept applications in November and 15 percent in December. When it comes to the industries that are hiring for the holidays, retail invariably leads the pack with 62 percent of retail employers stating they will hire seasonal staff in the fourth quarter.
Scottish history included in Higher exam
In 2005, the situation was described as a "national disgrace" by Professor Tom Devine, the nation's foremost contemporary historian, who said Scotland was the only country in Europe with a national history that was not compulsory in school. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) was also lobbied by the Scottish Association of Teachers of History (Sath) who called for a review of the course. Following the review in May this year, which overwhelmingly backed change, the SQA has decided to introduce a revised Higher paper in the 2010-11 school year which will feature a compulsory section on Scottish history. Although the content is still under consideration, topics could include the 1286-1329 Wars of Independence, migration and Scotland's role in the Empire and the Act of Union.
Liberty Media reports mixed 3rd quarter; Starz shines, QVC slumps
Liberty Media Corp. said today its third-quarter revenue climbed, although a solid performance by the Starz cable TV channel was offset by lower sales in the QVC home-shopping network. The diversified media holding company, founded by cable pioneer John Malone, was expected to release full consolidated financial statements later today. Liberty, based in suburban Englewood, has divided its assets into two groups, Liberty Interactive Group, which includes QVC and other e-commerce businesses, and Liberty Capital Group, which consists of Starz Entertainment LLC. Each has its own tracking stock. Liberty said its interactive group reported a 10 percent drop in operating income to $231 million from $257 million last year. Revenue edged up to $1.69 billion from $1.65 billion.
Manor project takes shape
Once the properties were secured, they were razed, and an agreement was signed to sell the collective property to a commercial developer. Critics railed against the city's use of eminent domain to acquire about a dozen properties. In addition, some tenants and property owners fought to stay in their homes. In the end, the project moved forward. Work began at a hurried pace in the spring with the demolition of 49 World War II-era homes and more modern duplexes. By the middle of the summer, the site was cleared to make room for a 220,000-square-foot shopping complex. Minnesota-based Robert Muir Co. was expected to take over the 23.7-acre site in September. However, company officials say difficulties bringing the properties' abstracts up to date delayed the sale. The developer has until mid-January to take possession of the property under its agreement with the city.
Pat McKee: High School Q&A
Question: Now that New Albany has knocked off Marion and Evansville Reitz, do you consider the Bulldogs a serious contender to win the 4A title? (Chris from New Albany)
Answer: When I saw New Albany in the Hall of Fame Classic, it played very well and appeared to have the talent to be a state-title contender. I haven't seen all the top teams, so it's difficult to say for sure, but it appears the Bulldogs are one of the top contenders.
On the other hand, the Bulldogs aren't the kind of team that might overwhelm opponents like some previous champions have done. They will have to play well consistently and have good games against their best opponents if they are to get all the way through the tournament path.
Of course, the same could be said for a number of teams.
Outer Banks
Just off the North Carolina coast, the chain of barrier islands stretches more than 90 miles. And for inhabitants and visitors in the 15 towns along the Outer Banks, the beaches rank among the nation's best.
With quiet bays to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Outer Banks offers panoramic water views everywhere you look.
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Clouds of doubt over Black Friday
Early sales may have deflated some enthusiasm for the traditional post-Thanksgiving bargains this year, weakening shoppers' tolerance for long lines, clogged parking lots and early-morning crowds.
Concerns about a sputtering economy drove several major retailers to offer steep discounts earlier than ever this year. Now they're bracing to see if shoppers will come out in full force tomorrow after experiencing weeks of deals that in years past were exclusively reserved for Black Friday.
"I don't expect to see the crazy knock-the-door-down crowds as usual," said Marshall Cohen, chief economist of the NPD Group, a consumer research firm. "Where you had 500 people at 5 a.m. last year, this year you'll see 200."
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