Ava's portfolio

What's next for Joe Faris?

2008-10-08T06:26:00.001-05:00

Joe Faris may be off Bravo's Project Runway," but the Troy native is still making his mark in New York's fashion industry. He's working in the Big Apple but regularly travels home to visit family.

5 Qualities to Look for in Retirement Homes

2008-07-08T06:08:00.013-05:00

This was written as a Web-exclusive package for Better-mag.com, which included an article, two sidebars, audio visual clips, an extensive checklist and an informational table. Better-mag.com is not a live Web site but demonstrated as an interactive pdf.

By Ava T. and Jaya J.

Looking for retirement homes for your parent but don't know where to start? You're not alone. You want the best for your aging parents and luckily the North Shore has an abundance of retirement homes to choose from. But where to start? First, remember to keep in mind your parents' needs--medical care, safety and happiness--rather than getting swept up in fancy amenities such as game rooms or swimming pools.

"There are a million things that people don't look for," says Debra Miller, a geriatric care consultant in Highland Park. "Of course, when you walk through the first time, aesthetically, you use your five senses."

To read the entire article, e-mail Ava at avasjournal@gmail.com

Sidebar 1: How to approach the topic of retirement homes

If you've realized your parent would probably benefit from the social atmosphere and general care retirement homes, congratulations, you've won half the batter. The second half is telling your parent to look at them and convincing he or she that it is to their benefit. It's a difficult position for both the adult child and parents, says Debra Miller a Professional Geriatric Care Manager in Highland Park. Suddenly the adult child, who is used to being a child, has to become an adult in the situation, and all the parent can see when faced with the decision is a black road ahead of them, says Miller.

To read the entire article, e-mail Ava at avasjournal@gmail.com.

Auto Motives: Trends in Parking at Multifamily Properties

2008-07-08T05:56:00.004-05:00

Property managers employ innovative ways to maximize multifamily parking.

When residents drive into the parking garage at Camden Grand Parc Apartments in Washington D.C., all they have to do is pull onto an automatic platform and park. Then, using an electronic card, they activate a parking lift that lowers their car underground. Once residents are ready to leave, they just swipe their electronic card at the garage entrance, and the car is delivered to the ground level automatically.

Instead of having to circle a block multiple times or to stake out a parking garage to fine an open spot, residents at the 105-unit Camden Grand Parc are taking advantage of this 24-hour automatic system. Besides taking the frustration out of the daily pursuit of available parking, another key benefit is the privacy and security the system affords residents, says Carmen Klein, assistant manager for the apartments. For instance, resident can avoid having a stranger drive their car or needing to walk through a dim parking garage at night.

To read the entire article, go to Mutlifamily Executive Magazine.

Treks on the Beach

2008-07-08T05:18:00.007-05:00

Tired of the same North Shore surf and sand? Hop in the car and in five hours or less, find yourself shore side for some summer sun. Here are our picks for the most bikini-worthy beaches and lakes.

Sail Away

Carlyle Lake: 5 hours from the North Shore, 284 miles South

The manmade lake was host to the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival Sailing Competition and is a must for the mariner in the family. "Carlyle Lake is known as the premiere sailing lake in the Midwest because we don't have coves and it's a wide open body of water," says Jackie Taylor, Carlyle Lake park ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

To read the entire department piece, get a copy of Better magazine. Better was published in July 2008 by the Spring 2008 Medill Publishing Project students.

THIS PHOTO IS USED WITH PERMISSION OF CARLYLE LAKE.

Democratic lawmakers insist they'll beef up Consumer Product Safety Commission

2008-07-08T04:39:00.006-05:00

While urging parents to be vigilant in their holiday shopping, Illinois Democratic members of Congress said they'll press ahead with efforts to improve the safety of children's toys by strengthening the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

The CPSC has called for millions of units of some the most popular toys on the market to be pulled from store shelves, including Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora the Exploreres, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Curious George, Elmo and others. Lead paint and loose magnets are the main reason for recall. Most of they toys are made in China.

To read the entire article, go to www.lipinski.house.gov.

Housing mess impacts Wintrust's third quarter earnings

2008-07-07T08:48:00.001-05:00

Wintrust Financial Corp., a Lake Forest, Ill-based bank company specializing in traditional community banking and wealth management services, posted weak third quarter earnings, pulled down by the housing and mortgage markets.

The company announced Monday that it earned $9.9 million, or 40 cents per diluted common share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, a decrease of 36 percent from $14.9 million, or 56 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2006.

To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

Morningstar posts 47 percent third-quarter profit gain

2008-07-07T08:41:00.000-05:00

Morningstar Inc., a Chicago-based global investment research firm, posted strong third quarter earnings due to acquisition-led growth in international operations and gains in institutional products.

The stock fell $3.32, or 4 percent, to $71.10, on general weakness in financial shares Thursday.

To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

Catalog Comeback: Retailers turn to catalog to boost online sales

2008-07-07T08:26:00.000-05:00

From circling popular items to folding over page corners, ways to mark favorite holiday items in catalogs haven't changed.

But as ordering methods have evolved from mail-in order forms to phone calls and e-commerce, retailers are again turning to the glossy books as part of multichannel marketing campaigns that include elaborate store windows, direct mail, television commercial and interactive Web sites where customers can customers can contribute content.

To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

Geneva offers All Cap Growth Fund

2008-07-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

Geneva Investment Management of Chicago LLC has started its first mutual fund vehicle, the Geneva Advisors All Cap Growth Fund.

This particular fund allows investors the opportunity to invest in common stocks of U.S. growth companies without regard to capitalization. Retail and institutional class shares are available to investors.

To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

West Nile Virus

2008-07-05T10:09:00.003-05:00

Broadcast for the Northwestern News Network.

The hot days of summer are upon us and mosquitoes are everywhere. The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District and Illinois State Health officials are recommending that people protect themselves from getting bitten by mosquitoes. Several human West Niles Virus cases have been confirmed in the state this summer. Here's Ava with more of this story.

Soft Sheen founders Ed and Bettiann Gardner honored by young entrepreneurs

2008-07-05T01:04:00.001-05:00

Ed Gardner, now 82 years old, may have sold Soft Sheen Products Inc. in 1998, but he still looks for its ethnic hair care products on store shelves.

His wife Bettiann, 78, cofounder of the Chicago business in 1964, does not.

The made a rare public appearance of Friday at McCormick Place to accept a lifetime achievement award at the 8th annual Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization ceremony. To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

Weekly jobless benefit claims fall

2008-07-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

Initial jobless claims fells as expected in the last week of November, but there was a bump in the four-week average of new claims. Economists disagreed about the significance of the numbers, released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Claims for jobless benefits decreased by 15,000 to 338,000 after adjustment for the week ended Dec. 1. The Wall Street estimate was 17,000.

To read the entire article, go Medill Reports-Chicago.

Mayor hails new U.S.-Chinese company as boon to city

2008-07-05T00:48:00.000-05:00

Former Senator Adlai E. Stevenson III and Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, announced Tuesday the formation of HuaMei Capital Company Inc., describing it as the U.S.-Chinese financial services joint venture.

Based in Chicago and Beijing, HuaMei will offer mid-sized American and Chinese firms cross-border mergers and acquisitions services as well as asset management advisory services.

To read the entire article, go to Medill Reports-Chicago.

Commercial Printer grows through Minority Ownership

2008-07-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

Creative Printing Services Inc. in Des Plaines has found success by targeting Fortune 500 companies striving to do more business with minority companies.

Creative Printing became the nations largest African-American-owned commercial printing company in January 2005 when Haves McNeal, 54, acquired a 51 percent interest, according to McNeal and his lender, LaSalle Bank.

To read the full article go to Daily Herald.

Municipal Insurance on brink

2008-07-05T00:30:00.000-05:00

Municipal Insurance Co. of America, located at 85 W. Algonquin Road in Arlington Heights, said it will be forced to liquidate after receiving notice from the Illinois Insurance regulator of a $4.1 million "impairment" in its required surplus as of June 30.

Municipal Insurance specializes in group health insurance and has few employees.

Read the entire article at Daily Herald.