plus 3, Items possibly linked to Darien murders recovered at Ind. IHOP - Chicago Breaking News - Tribune

Items possibly linked to Darien murders recovered at Ind. IHOP - Chicago Breaking News - Tribune
Send-off planned for state soldiers to be deployed to Iraq - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Fielder confirms talks were held on contract - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Midas reports 4Q loss on lower parts, tire sales and restructuring ... - Chicago Tribune

Items possibly linked to Darien murders recovered at Ind. IHOP - Chicago Breaking News - Tribune

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 01:52 PM PST

At 1:15 p.m., Watts said detectives from Darien had arrived to pick up the items.

Watts noted that the IHOP is off Interstate 70, a possible route from Chicago to Florida, where a 23-year-old suspect in the murders was arrested Wednesday.

The suspect, Jacob Nodarse, told Judge Maria Gonzalez earlier today that he would not fight extradition to Illinois, where he is suspected of being involved in the murders of Jeffrey Kramer, 50, owner of a Cicero auto repair and towing company; his wife, Lori, 48, a photo research coordinator for a textbook company; and the couple's 20-year-old son, Michael.

(Read Nodarse's waiver of extradition HERE)

Authorities in Lee County took Nodarse in custody after finding him asleep in a gray van outside his parents' home near Fort Myers. They had been searching for him and his blue BMW coupe in Florida since picking up his cell phone signals along a rural stretch of highway near the Georgia border.

Rick Jessup, spokesman for the Fort Myers office of the U.S. marshal, called Nodarse a "prime suspect" in the murder, but no murder charges have been filed. Nodarse was picked up on a fugitive warrant charging him with obstruction of police.

Investigators are also questioning two other men in connection with the slayings, which occurred about 3 a.m. Tuesday in the home of Jeffrey and Lori Kramer on Kilkenny Drive. Investigators have not spoken publicly about a motive in the killings and have been tight-lipped about many aspects of the crime.

Nodarse's grandmother described him as kind, quiet and mild-mannered, a stark contrast to the bulletin authorities had sent early Wednesday. The alert cautioned officers to be extremely careful when approaching the blue 1994 BMW coupe Nodarse drove to Florida, a car found Wednesday in his parents' garage.

At the time of the alert, authorities noted that the suspect may have been armed with a .40-caliber Glock pistol in a shoulder holster and was "possibly suicidal."

Nodarse was being kept in a "24/7 direct supervision cell" to make sure he doesn't harm himself, according to Lee County Sgt. David Velez. The lights are always on, and an officer can hear and see everything Nodarse says or does, Velez said. He's dressed in a thick "suicide prevention gown" with Velcro connections.

Nodarse will continue to be kept in the cell until Illinois officials pick him up, Velez said. He did not know when that would be

"We'll coordinate with the state of Illinois on when they will pick him up," he said.

Nodarse's mother has worked as a switchboard operator for the Lee County state's attorney's office since 2006, according to Samantha Syoen, communications director for the office.

"I'm her boss. I put her on administrative leave so she can deal with this," Syoen said. "She's cooperating with police."

-- Tribune staff report

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Send-off planned for state soldiers to be deployed to Iraq - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 02:06 PM PST

March 3, 2010 | Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill into law Wednesday that bans BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups for children age 3 and younger, making Wisconsin the third state to do so.

The law, which takes effect in June, prohibits the manufacture and wholesale of those items. It also requires that such bottles and cups be labeled "BPA Free."

Wisconsin's action is the latest in a growing movement to rid children's products of the chemical.

"It seems to me that if there's a question of (safety), the balance we should strike is on protecting our children," Doyle said. "We must continue our proud and progressive tradition of passing laws to keep our citizens safe."

Bans are in place in Minnesota, Connecticut, the city of Chicago and three counties in New York. Last week, Maryland lawmakers passed a similar bill. Bills are pending in Washington, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington, D.C. »Read Full Article(16)

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Fielder confirms talks were held on contract - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 02:42 PM PST

March 3, 2010 | Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill into law Wednesday that bans BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups for children age 3 and younger, making Wisconsin the third state to do so.

The law, which takes effect in June, prohibits the manufacture and wholesale of those items. It also requires that such bottles and cups be labeled "BPA Free."

Wisconsin's action is the latest in a growing movement to rid children's products of the chemical.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Midas reports 4Q loss on lower parts, tire sales and restructuring ... - Chicago Tribune

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 02:21 PM PST

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By Associated Press

4:16 p.m. CST, March 4, 2010

ITASCA, Ill. (AP) — Midas Inc. reported a fourth-quarter loss Thursday, the result of restructuring costs and falling sales of parts and tires at its auto repair shops, but says it has already begun to see improvement this year.

Midas lost $200,000, or 2 cents per share, compared with profit of $2.7 million, or 20 cents per share, a year earlier. Midas reported quarterly revenue of $45.7 million, down from $46.7 million a year ago.

Midas said its $2.9 million in restructuring costs included $1.5 million to redesign its North American stores and study its business in France and $800,000 to close four unprofitable stores.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had forecast earnings of 8 cents per share on revenue of $45.8 million. They typically exclude one-time items like restructuring. Excluding those costs, Midas would have earned 10 cents per share.

Midas shares rose 22 cents, or 2 percent, to $10.02 in afternoon trading.

For the full year, Midas earned $2.6 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with $7.8 million, or 58 cents per share, in 2008. Its revenue was $182.8 million, down 2 percent.

Revenue from the company operates rose $4.3 million to $65.4 million for the year, due in part to an increase in the number of shops.

The company's sales in shops open at least a year, including those run by franchisees, fell 1.5 percent. That comparison is considered a more reliable indicator of a retailer's health because it excludes the effect of opening or closing stores during the year.

Midas also said its 2009 fiscal year was one week shorter than its fiscal 2008.

"Retail sales in 2009 for Midas were challenging," Alan D. Feldman, Midas' chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Feldman said U.S. sales already improved in 2010 despite stormy weather. The company plans to increase sales this year by adding more SpeeDee oil change centers and increasing employee training.