St. Charles Sun

PREP SPORTS SITE
Keep up with your local teams

The winter prep sports season is heating up. The Sun-Times News Group�s High School Sports Web site provides the most up-to-date news and scores from around the area. The site features a page for all of our local high schools, blogs and a recruiting section featuring profiles of the top football prospects in the area. Stop by daily for comprehensive high school sports coverage.

SEARCH CHICAGO - HOMES
Check out that contractor

When business is slow, some contractors will bid on jobs for which they have less experience. Other problems can pop up, too, so be sure to check credentials thoroughly

• Remodel: Contractor bids
• Kay: Nice advice
• Garden: Recycle tree
• Decor: Are you done?
• Renting: Retiree/landlords
• Style: It rocks
• Find: School report cards

FEATURED COLUMNISTS

NEWS

Denise Crosby
Joani Foster
Paul Sullivan
Jeffrey Ward

News

• Police want to talk with woman in confrontation at Planned Parenthood
• Cardamone's mother pleads not guilty to forging documents
• Wolff is second candidate for mayor of Batavia
• Interim president gets top job at Provena Mercy
• State late; Kaneland may borrow
• East-West game is on the air, and the Internet
• Real estate tycoon found dead at wildlife refuge
• A star is ... 'Unborn'
• A perfect fit for New Year's resolutions
• Colleges offer more help when parents out of work
• New year task: File for student aid
• Beacon partners with job-search firm
• Practice helps teens do better down the road
• Each Monday, a fresh start to quit smoking

Something to talk about »

Cardamone's mother pleads not guilty to forging documents

Michael Cardamone's mother and a former worker at the family's Aurora gym created bogus records in an effort to help Cardamone rebut charges he fondled seven young gymnastics students, DuPage County authorities contended Monday.

Sports

U46 squads seize chances to compete

Gymnastics: The South Elgin/Bartlett/Streamwood co-op gymnastics team failed to defend its title at the 25th annual Larkin Invitational on Saturday, but junior Emily Potts earned two fifth-place medals.

Rediscovering the Blackhawks

Blackhawks commentary: My parents had an old stereo, one with a record player on the top. It was a favorite of mine growing up, as it also had two tape decks and all kinds of sliding knobs to mess with the bass and treble. Later on, they hooked a CD player to it and it lasted about a decade longer than it should have.

Geneva toes line (a lot) in bizarre victory

Boys basketball commentary: A strange thing happened to the Geneva boys basketball team Dec. 23 on the way to its third straight win in pool play at the 81st Chuck Dayton Holiday Tournament. Free throw practice broke out.

Sports Highlights

• U46 squads seize chances to compete
• Rediscovering the Blackhawks
• Geneva toes line (a lot) in bizarre victory
• Monken leaving SC East for Metea
• SC North lets one get away
• Top-seeded South Elgin falls again

YourSeason.com Highlights

Monday's girls basketball roundup Young shows Meteors who's No. 1 Smith's super half carries Leo by Friars Sophomore duo lifts Simeon past Robeson Huge test for Young, T.F. North A year to remember Wrapping up the holidays

Lifestyles

'A man in sand'

In his most recent blog posts, Steve Panella shows a series of self-portraits in which his eyes were closed. His head is illuminated and his face looks peacefully at rest. The images are eerily foreboding, and they are his last. The 34-year-old artist died Nov. 29 from multiple, self-inflicted stab wounds.

• Talk with the animals? Of course we can
• Visitors learn how pioneers celebrated Christmas
• Rehab for man's best friend

Business

2009 is ideal time to take new financial approach

Terry Savage: It's a new year and a new beginning. So you're entitled to take a new approach to your investments and personal finances. Here are my 2009 Terry's Tips to start the year out right. Change is certain -- Just when you thought you had the markets figured out, things changed. A year ago, you knew it was smart to buy the dips because the market always rebounded higher.
• Have a personal finance question? Ask Terry Savage
• Blog: The Savage Truth

• Dec. auto sales plummet
• McDonald's shares proved appetizing to investors in '08
• Teen tycoons
• Digital TV subsidy program running out of money
• Chrysler gets paid

Entertainment

A look at 2009's video game hits

Most video gamers spend the early part of the year catching up on software they couldn't get around to during the holiday glut. Maybe you've been meaning to check out "Fallout 3" or "Fable II," or dig in and finish up that "LittleBigPlanet" level you've been working on.

• The weather outside is delightful ...
• Tim Mooney performs 'Moli��re Than Thou'

YourSeason.com

St. Charles Sun
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