CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin today tried to build support and counter criticism of a proposal to sell a prison in rural northwestern Illinois to the federal government to house Guantanamo Bay detainees and other inmates. ...more

November 15, 2009

Crib makers have proposed a ban on drop-side cribs because of concerns over infant deaths, injuries and a series of recalls in the past year or so. ...more

March 18, 2009

SEATTLE - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which has chronicled the news of the city since logs slid down its steep streets to the harbor and miners caroused in its bars before heading north to Alaska's gold fields, will print its final edition Tuesday. ...more

March 16, 2009

With newspaper advertising dollars shrinking in this withering economy and longtime subscribers fleeing for online news sources, The Whirlwind pulled the plug on its paper product this month. ...more

March 10, 2009

Just a few weeks ago, Michelle Obama was the fashion industry's darling for bringing much-needed style to the White House; even drawing comparisons to Jackie Kennedy for her wardrobe choices. Now, Obama has fallen out of favor with fashion critics because she has been (gasp) showing her arms. ...more

March 8, 2009

About 200 family members and mourners have gathered at the funeral of radio legend Paul Harvey in Chicago. ...more

March 7, 2009

The United Food Bank of Plant City raised about $6,000 in a silent auction Saturday during a benefit dinner at Hillsborough Community College's Trinkle Center. Celebrity chef Jon Ashton entertained the audience of about 250 people with a cooking demonstration as culinary students from Simmons Career Center and Plant City High School prepared and served a three-course meal under the direction of chef Ken Melton. (Full disclosure: I was emcee, meaning they raised six grand despite my performance.) Ashton raised more than $4,000 on his own by promising to cook a private dinner for 12. ...more

February 15, 2009

A collection of briefs about dining and cooking. ...more

February 11, 2009

Type "aspartame" or "sucralose" into a search engine and you're bound to hit links tying the artificial sweeteners to some malady. Never mind that the Food and Drug Administration says they are safe. ...more

February 7, 2009

A sweet potato is not related to the potato. Nor is it related to a yam. It is its own, delicious thing and deserves widespread admiration beyond token holiday meals. ...more

January 10, 2009