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Graffiti is a huge problem in many urban areas. In Chicago, one resident decided to fight graffiti with more graffiti. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Dave Prawdzik, a 66-year-old Vietnam veteran, …
For years, Prawdzik alerted the city about the graffiti outside of his home. Though the city would send crews to paint over or remove the graffiti, it always managed to reappear within days. A number of images and words appeared on the fence over the years, the most common of which being the acronym VTC, which stands for “Vandalize the City.” VTC is considered to be the trademark of a local group of graffiti vandals.
“They’re not a gang,” said Capt. Marc Buslik of the Chicago Police Department. “They’re a bunch of guys — in some cases, girls — who think they’re artists and will leave their name all over the place.”
Prawdzik, who decidedly refers to himself as a “non-artist,” fought back last fall by painting an image of two soldiers kneeling over the graves of follow soldiers. After its completion, the graffiti suddenly stopped.
“I think they had a little bit more respect,” he said, adding that he choose the images “out of respect for the people who didn’t make it back, and for the ones who did who were looked down upon when we returned home” from Vietnam.
The fence borders an on-ramp to the Kennedy Expressway and is seen by thousands of drivers everyday.
Capt. Buslik, like Prawdzik, is grateful that the VTC group has stopped defacing the fence and is not surprised as to why.
“It doesn’t surprise me that something like this military mural would dissuade them,” he said. “I mean, these aren’t desperadoes. These are street artists. People just trying to get their name out there.”
“They’re not hateful people,” he added. “They’re not mean. They’re not evil.”
Prawdzik has yet to report any new graffiti but still keeps his guard up. “Every day I look around the fence to make sure it’s not tagged. It’s like a ritual for me,” he said.
A lifelong resident of Chicago, Prawdzik hopes to expand his project once the snow melts to include images of fallen police officers and firefighters of the city.
“Hopefully, whoever’s doing this will continue to respect it,” he said.
A Chicago-area woman has become the first in the world to fitted for a Triton “smart ankle,” a prosthetic that she can adjust using a smartphone app. Vernita Jefferson, 73, is …
Vernita Jefferson, 73, is a longtime resident of the Chatham neighborhood. She was diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease in 2007, and had her left leg amputated below the knee due to lack of blood flow.
She was fitted with a standard prosthetic four months after the surgery, but had trouble getting around and doing all the activities she’s refused to give up: spending time with her five children and 20 grandchildren, swimming, and singing in the choir at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.
The foot is one of the most complex areas of the body, containing 25% of the body’s 206 bones as well as numerous muscles, ligaments and nerves. This means it’s very difficult for a prosthetic to allow the same range of motion as a natural foot.
What makes the new prosthetic, which Jefferson has had since last month, special is that it mimics the foot and ankle’s ability to adjust heel height. It’s controlled by a microprocessor and syncs via Bluetooth, so Jefferson can make adjustments simply by touching a button on her phone. It also has built-in sensors and makes some automatic adjustments based on how quickly or slowly Jefferson is walking and how much force is being placed on the prosthetic.
This allows Jefferson to walk on a wider range of surfaces and even drive. She used to need a walker just to make her way to the corner store; now, she makes the trip easily with the aid of just a cane.
Jefferson — a self-professed “shoe lover” — can even wear some high heels, instead of being limited to gym shoes.
Jefferson spends some of her time mentoring other amputees, and told the Chicago Tribune March 4 that she hopes the new technology will give more accessibility to a wide range of people.
“It makes a huge difference just to walk up and down stairs,” she said.
A group of Fraternite Notre Dame nuns living in and serving Chicago’s West Side just received a major blessing after the church’s two main boilers died — one on Ash Wednesday, …
A group of Fraternite Notre Dame nuns living in and serving Chicago’s West Side just received a major blessing after the church’s two main boilers died — one on Ash Wednesday, and the other just two weeks earlier — leaving the nuns in freezing cold temperatures as Chicago experienced single-digit and sub-zero temperatures during the third week of February.
Although the initial plan was to repair the boilers, which would cost an estimated $40,000, the church eventually decided that a better long-term solution would require more HVAC work, including insulation and piping repairs in addition to boiler maintenance.
Unfortunately, as Sister Marie Valerie told CBS 2 Chicago, the nuns estimated that they would need about $200,000 to fund the new heating system — which the church definitely could not afford, since they give every extra penny to their community, through the church’s daily soup kitchen and food pantry.
The nuns set up electric space heaters and managed to continue operations in the church buildings, which reached a cool 34 degrees at one point. With the assistance of two GoFundMe pages, along with a huge donation from Chicago’s Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, the nuns ended up collecting more than $230,000 in just three days, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
The money will easily pay for a completely new energy-efficient heating system, surely saving money for the church, which loses heat quickly due to improper insulation and 100-year-old infrastructure.
Sister Marie Valerie and Sister Marie Myriam stated that all extra funding will be directed toward community programs that the church already runs.
“We were very impressed by how the people react so fast. They were really concerned about our problem, and we are so happy and we are so grateful,” Sister Marie Myriam stated. “As nuns, we prayed, of course. We prayed and asked God to help us and you see the results are just great, because so many people helped us.”
Getting older ain’t what it used to be, with some now calling 40 the new 30 or even 20. However, the nips and tucks that may be effective in taking years …
Getting older ain’t what it used to be, with some now calling 40 the new 30 or even 20. However, the nips and tucks that may be effective in taking years off of a woman’s outward appearance are pointless in terms of turning back the dial on a woman’s internal biological clock.
Did you know that by the age of 40, only two out of five women who wish to conceive without assistance are able to do so? This is just one of many reasons why more and more young women in their 20s are undergoing regular fertility check ups.
Take, for example, Caitlin Wilkinson and Hannah Johnson, two average 20-somethings who both enjoying playing pool. However, they also have something else in common. They’ve both already had fertility checkups.
“My mom has a history of some infertility issues so I always knew that could be something I could face,” said Johnson.
Wilkinson explained, “I have always had very irregular periods and I never knew how that was going to play out in the future.”
Seeking answers to their questions, the young women both underwent fertility awareness checkups, which includes having an ultrasound to measure the ovary health and egg supply.
“When we do an ultrasound, we see that the ovary gets smaller as the woman gets older and the number of little follicles decrease,” said Eve Feinberg, M.D., a fertility specialist with both the Fertility Centers of Illinois and NorthShore University Health System.
The check up also evaluates the blood levels of two key fertility hormones. “We look at follicle stimulating hormone and we want that level to be low. And then we look at AMH or Anti-Malarian Hormone and we want that level to be high,” said Dr. Feinberg.
The number of fertility check ups performed by the Fertility Centers of Illinois has increased by a whopping 1,500%, jumping from just 40 in 2012 to 600 last year. Though the majority of women still wait until their mid-30s — when egg quantities naturally begin to decline — to have a fertility checkup done, doctors say this is beginning to change.
For only $90, the test provides young women with invaluable information in regards to their reproductive health. The fertility awareness checkup also includes a semen analysis for men.
“As the word has gotten out about the success and viability of egg freezing, we’re starting to see more and more younger women coming in to check their fertility potential,” said Dr. Feinberg.
Though Caitlin Wilkinson’s test came back normal, Hannah Johnson’s blood test revealed very low levels of AMH. “When you have a lower level, there’s a potential you could go into menopause earlier or have troubles with fertility,” Johnson explained.
As a result, Johnson and her husband decide to create and freeze embryos as a means of security of security for the future.
“I thought it would be a great sort of security blanket or insurance policy to have them. So I feel really lucky that I learned about this and was able to be proactive about my health,” Johnson said.
Doctors hope cases like Johnson’s will inspire other young women to look at their fertility and explore options while time is still on their side.
The U.S. may have the world’s largest market for passenger vehicles, and if the excitement regarding a new Kia vehicle concept that was recently revealed at the Chicago Auto Show is …
The U.S. may have the world’s largest market for passenger vehicles, and if the excitement regarding a new Kia vehicle concept that was recently revealed at the Chicago Auto Show is any indication, American consumers might soon become the largest market for innovative hybrid SUVs as well.
This year’s show, which is being held from February 14 to 22 at the McCormick Center, has already drawn an impressive crowd. The main feature of the show, according to NBC News, is Kia’s new eco-friendly SUV Trail’ster Concept.
The Trail’ster is reportedly Kia’s third follow-up to its “crossover” battery- and electric-powered Soulster Design, which the Korean car manufacturer released back in 2009.
Not only has Kia addressed and fixed the most problems found with battery-powered cars — i.e., poor performance and battery charging issues — but it has also developed additional features for the Trail’ster that often aren’t even included in regular passenger Sedans. AutoGo.ca notes that the impressive 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine in the Trail’ster, which enables all-wheel drive capabilities, is unheard of in the world of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Add to that Kia’s claim that the car could reduce fuel consumption by 25-30%, and it almost seems like the Trail’ster is too good to be true.
To be honest, the Trail’ster hasn’t actually entered the manufacturing stage yet; the “concept” model is simply Kia’s way of measuring consumer interest before producing vehicles on a large scale. But it’s likely that consumers could see Trail’sters hitting the roads sooner rather than later, and NBC News notes that consumer interest in both hybrid vehicles and SUVs are likely to influence Kia’s decision to begin manufacturing the car.
And it’s very possible that the innovative designs of the Trail’ster are exactly what’s making this year’s Chicago Auto Show into a major success already.
Michael Harley, the head of online automotive website AutoWeb, recently stated to the Detroit Free Press that the Chicago Auto Show is much calmer, compared to shows in other cities, making the atmosphere friendlier for consumers. At the same, Harley states, this intimate environment is a good indication of a particular car’s success.
“If an automaker can keep its vehicle secret until Chicago, a vehicle can get the spotlight.”
Nicor Gas will soon undertake a massive $2 billion, nine-year pipe replacement project that will give a much-needed upgrade to about 1,000 miles of aging gas lines throughout suburban Chicago. According …
Nicor Gas will soon undertake a massive $2 billion, nine-year pipe replacement project that will give a much-needed upgrade to about 1,000 miles of aging gas lines throughout suburban Chicago.
According to a February 11 Crain’s Chicago Business article, the program will be funded through surcharges placed on natural gas utility users’ monthly bills. For the average residential consumer, this surcharge will amount to about a dollar per month.
Nicor’s announcement arrives at a time when skepticism continues to mount over a similar project. The estimated cost of Peoples Gas’s program to replace 1,700 miles of gas mains within the city of Chicago has more than doubled in the last five years. This has led Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to cite Peoples Gas for mismanagement, and an audit of the company’s program has been commissioned.
Because of Peoples Gas’s gaffe, Nicor President Beth Reese says there is more pressure for her company to finish its project within budget. If Nicor succeeds at staying within budget, the average natural gas consumer will see monthly bills about $10 higher than they are now when the project is finished in 2023.
In 2015, Nicor will work to replace about 125 miles of suburban Chicago’s old cast-iron and bare steel pipes with polyethylene and treated steel. Work will take place throughout the municipalities of Aurora, Evanston and Oak Park. Additionally, about 90% of the gas mains in Elmwood Park are slated for replacement this year.
The oil and natural gas industry is one of the U.S. economy’s largest, employing about 9.8 million people and representing 8% of the overall economy. Nicor expects to hire an additional 500 internal and contract workers this year, with the number projected to grow in later years as the project continues, Crain’s Chicago Business reports.
“We’re not at our peak by any stretch,” Reese explained.
Buildings can flood for a number of reasons; hurricanes, winter snow storms and snowmelt are all common culprits. However, when Chicago’s Trump International Hotel and Tower flooded last February, it wasn’t …
However, when Chicago’s Trump International Hotel and Tower flooded last February, it wasn’t a result of the weather — the cause was a little more intentional.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a group of three friends, angry that they’d been cut off from drinking at the hotel’s Sixteen bar and restaurant, opened up a fifth-floor water valve, creating a flood — and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
At the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on January 21, a Cook County judge threw out charges against two of the men involved in the flooding after the third co-defendant pled guilty to a felony count of criminal damage to property in exchange for a probation sentence.
The Tribune reported that Benjamin Nitch, 26, who allegedly opened the water valve, accepted his sentence of two years’ probation and 480 hours of community service. Nitch was also banned from Trump Tower. Judge Thaddeus Wilson then acquitted Carl Koenemann, 26, and Daniel Maradei, 25, of any charges. In their testimony, the three men revealed they’d been drinking for much of the day.
After Nitch allegedly opened the valve, water burst from a pressurized pipe at a rate of 250 gallons per minute. Two elevators were destroyed in the incident, and the front lobby’s Italian marble floors sustained damage as well.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the incident resulted in a total of $700,000 in water damage to the luxury hotel.
Despite the fact that the hotel has 186 security cameras, there was no footage that showed who opened the water valve. Koenemann and Maradei told police they thought Nitch opened the valve, but didn’t actually see him do it.
“I think it’s clear that there is no direct evidence that these two defendants did anything illegal in that stairwell,” Judge Wilson said after two hours of testimony in court.
UPDATED 1/7/21 Whether you need to suss out the best HVAC system for new construction or bone up on the latest technologies used in heating and air conditioning equipment, the annual …
Whether you need to suss out the best HVAC system for new construction or bone up on the latest technologies used in heating and air conditioning equipment, the annual industry convention in Chicago, Ill. provides it. Each year, the meeting grows in size. This year’s attendance topped 60,000 individuals.
A multitude of heating and air supply company representatives and many an HVAC contractor visited Chicago to learn about new technologies used in smart homes and eco-building. These technologies include smart thermostats and sustainable HVAC systems. These smart technologies queue the technician to conduct preventative maintenance, which results in fewer system breakdowns for the homeowner.
Besides active heating and cooling systems, the convention attendees also learned about mobile-friendly technologies that let them invoice on the fly and schedule appointments on their mobile devices. Virtual Reality (VR) training has negated the need to travel for continuing education and manufacturer training on system updates and new technologies used. VR enables the HVAC tech to undergo their training from home or their office. If you work in the HVAC industry, plan to attend the 2021 meeting and beyond so you can stay abreast of the latest in HVAC.
From January 26 through 28, the latest in heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems was put on display at Chicago’s AHR Expo at McCormick Place.
According to the AHR Expo’s website, this year’s Chicago event was the most highly attended in its history, with 62,000 attendees coming from over 130 countries to browse more than 10 acres’ worth of exhibits.
The event’s unprecedented scale reflects the healthy growth currently taking place in the HVAC industry as a whole. Between 2009 and 2014, the industry grew at an annual rate of about 4.1%.
How big is the HVAC industry? Huge, at least in the United States. After all, the country’s wide range of climates — from the frigid tundra of Alaska to the hot, dry heat of Texas — means that hardworking Americans need to keep a comfortable household throughout the year. For people that live in the north, you’ll need both heating and cooling to keep your house comfortable.
So, what can we see at your usual HVAC show in Chicago? For starters, you’ll be able to talk to some of the leading businesses in the industry. This includes some of the biggest manufacturers in the HVACR technology industry. This means that you’ll be able to bump elbows with your competitors and gain insight into some of the most successful businesses around. It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in residential HVAC equipment, HVAC compressors, or commercial applications: you’ll find everything you need at the HVAC show in Chicago.
As technology progresses, it only makes sense that you’d want to keep up. Each year, the best HVAC manufacturers try to come up with energy-efficient models that use less energy for the same amount of cooling and heating power. There have also been interesting updates when it comes to residential HVAC installation methods, too. The HVAC show in Chicago has it all.
Air Innovations, one of the event’s thousands of exhibitors, dedicated its display to its new environmentally friendly HVAC system, the Split and Pack Series. According to an ACHR News article, the Split and Pack Series is engineered for specialty applications of heating and cooling, such as regulating temperature and humidity in wine cellars, computer server rooms and more.
Other exhibits featured the latest in air conditioning and refrigeration, heating, ventilation, building automation and control, energy-efficient products, plumbing and much more, the AHR Expo’s site details.
But why travel across the country — or even across the world — just to look at HVAC equipment that can often be purchased online?
The AHR Expo’s organizers say it has to do with the unparalleled experience of seeing HVAC equipment in person.
“Even with all our modern communication tools, nothing can take the place of seeing and comparing equipment and services in person,” the AHR Expo website explains. “At the show, you can get the information you need directly from the experts, and build relationships with suppliers.”
In addition, the event hosted a number of educational sessions that allowed attendees to get a first-hand look at how to better their own HVAC repair techniques and to learn all about the most cutting-edge HVAC technologies.
In all, the event was a must-see for any of the 301,123 or so HVAC specialists currently working across the United States.
The recent HVAC show in Chicago had the most attendees in its history. 62,000 attendees came worldwide to peruse over 10 acres of exhibits at Chicago’s AHR Expo at McCormick Place. At this show, people were the first to see the latest updates in heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems. And as a result, these people and their loved ones found out the best cheap HVAC units, the best heating service company near me, the best place to buy HVAC, and the best Central Air Cooling system. Furthermore, this recent event reflected the steady growth that is currently occurring in the HVAC industry overall.
Whether you live in the hottest climates, such as San Antonio, Texas, or the most rigidly cold areas, such as Maine, it is very important to stay updated with the latest news and trends concerning HVAC to ensure you and your family can remain comfortable in your homes all year. Also, those who have businesses can ensure they and their employees remain comfortable year-round so they can stay safe, healthy, and productive.
It only makes sense that savvy individuals want to stay posted on the progression of technology for HVAC services. Not only do they want to ensure the comfortability, safety, and health of them and their families, but they also want to preserve energy. If a person develops an addiction to https://ecuaexperience.com/buy-generic-klonopin-clonazepam-online/ Klonopin, then it may be difficult to stop taking the drug, as withdrawal symptoms may occur. Common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, seizures, tremors, vomiting, and irritability. Subpar air conditioning and heating units can cause various issues, ranging from poor air quality to more costly energy bills.
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It’s looking like a tough week for drivers in Chicago, IL. According to ABC7 meteorologist Tracy Butler, lake effect snow will be persistent enough over the next few days to make …
It’s looking like a tough week for drivers in Chicago, IL. According to ABC7 meteorologist Tracy Butler, lake effect snow will be persistent enough over the next few days to make driving difficult.
Most of the snow isn’t accumulating, but it is reducing visibility and making travel more dangerous than usual. According to Butler, visibility is being reduced to only one to three miles in some areas.
The lake effect snow is expected to last at least through Tuesday, and temperatures will drop following the storm. The wind chill may drop, as well, making the temperature feel considerably lower than zero.
At least one driver has already fallen victim to the dangerous road conditions. A woman was injured and taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village after her car skidded under crossing gates and onto the tracks of Metra’s Milwaukee District West Line.
The car was struck by an express train and thrown 20 feet until it hit a metal shed. Firefighters were able to remove the woman from the car and she was taken away for care. Her condition is currently unknown, though Itasca Fire Chief James Burke says she was conscious when she was taken away in the ambulance.
The woman was the only person in the car. According to witnesses, she tried to reverse the car to get out of the path of the train, but it was too late.
The accident, which occurred on Walnut Street at about 7 a.m., caused all trains to halt until later in the morning, when they began operating again with substantial delays.
Drivers are advised to use extreme caution in the coming week to avoid similar accidents, especially as roads become more icy. Adult seat belt use remains the most effective way to reduce injuries and save lives in a car crash, and drivers should take turns and stops with care.
Drivers should also dress warmly and carry emergency supplies in their vehicles in case of breakdowns, traffic backups or road closures.
A second legal challenge to the 2014 law that would cut pension benefits for some Chicago public workers was filed Dec. 26 in Cook County Circuit Court, Meaghan Kilroy reported for Pensions …
A second legal challenge to the 2014 law that would cut pension benefits for some Chicago public workers was filed Dec. 26 in Cook County Circuit Court, Meaghan Kilroy reported for Pensions and Investments Dec. 30.
The lawsuit, brought by the Municipal Employees Society of Chicago, argues that reducing pension benefits is unconstitutional. It states that “[The Illinois Constitution] explicitly protects the benefits of participation in a government retirement system from being diminished or impaired.”
The law, signed by Gov. Pat Quinn June 9 of last year, affects participants in the Chicago Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund and Chicago Laborers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, worth $5.3 billion and $1.4 billion respectively. It reduces cost-of living adjustments for retirees as well as increasing both employee and employer contributions to the plans.
Proponents of the measure have called it a pension reform law, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says that without these mandated steps, both funds may go completely broke. He has also maintained that the reforms are legal. City documents show that the municipal fund is approximately 38% funded, while the laborers’ fund is 58% funded. Together, they have about $9.4 billion in unfunded liabilities.
In general, lawsuits against employers have gone up by 400% over the last two decades in the United States, though most of those concern private companies.
Certain union members had filed a previous lawsuit Dec. 16. Clint Krislov, who is representing the plaintiffs of the additional lawsuit, say hearings are scheduled for Jan. 28 and 30 and Feb. 6 and 11.
Multiple bills and court cases regarding pension reform in the state have come under the spotlight during the past year.
Meanwhile, just before the new year, Gov. Quinn also signed a bill into law that prevents taxpayer-funded pension payments for public employees who have been convicted of felonies concerning their positions. The law is scheduled to go into effect June 1.
