S. suburb seeks mini 'Sox Park'

Though not many get a chance to play in a major league ballpark, kids in the south suburbs may have the fun of playing in a pared-down version of one being proposed by the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District.

The district's board recently gave the green light to seek architectural drawings for "Little White Sox Park" in Patriots Park in Homewood.

The proposed park would be a replica of U.S. Cellular Field -- on a much smaller scale, said Doug Boehm, the park district's superintendent for recreation.

"It'd be about 120 feet to center, like other youth league fields," said Boehm, who visited U.S. Cellular Field this winter with Keith Jones, the park district's …

SHAKE YOUR TAILFEATHERS

Zine, Sugar City Artist Collective buffalosugarcity.org

I do not want to meet the Sugar City Artist Collective. I am afraid they would eat me. Shake Your Tailfeathers is a joyful name for a collection of poems that have depression, sadism, dementia or esoteric angst as their theme. The cartoons …

National Basketball Association

Detroit 91, Orlando 72

New Orleans 101, San Antonio 82

Sunday, May 4

L.A. Lakers 109, Utah 98

Monday, May 5

Detroit 100, Orlando 93

New Orleans 102, San Antonio 84

Tuesday, May 6

Boston 76, Cleveland 72

Wednesday, May 7

Orlando 111, Detroit 86

L.A. Lakers 120, Utah 110

Thursday, May 8

Boston 89, Cleveland 73

San Antonio 110, New Orleans 99

Friday, May 9

Utah 104, L.A. Lakers 99

Saturday, May 10

Detroit 90, Orlando 89

Cleveland 108, Boston 84

Sunday, May 11

…

Lobbying group fined for McCormick bid scheme Politically connected Ronan Potts also must forfeit $67,000

A politically connected lobbying firm run by a former statelawmaker was hit with a $350,000 fine Tuesday and ordered toimmediately forfeit another $67,000 after admitting to a bid-riggingscheme involving McCormick Place convention center.

Ronan Potts L.L.C. is run by former state representative Al Ronanand John Potts. Neither is charged in any wrongdoing.

The firm -- a contributor to political campaigns including $12,900of cash and in-kind contributions to Gov. Blagojevich, pleaded guiltyin September to taking part in a scheme to rig a consulting contractawarded in 2001 to oversee an $800 million expansion at McCormickPlace.

Employee cooperating

Federal …

Daley Supports Scaling Back School Busing

Mayor Daley expressed support Tuesday for proposals that theChicago Board of Education modify the federal court order governingschool desegregation on the ground that busing is wasted on a systemnow 56 percent black and 30 percent Hispanic.

Daley said school systems all over the country are getting "backto the basics of community schools," and busing kids across town forthe purpose of integration runs contrary to that goal.

Possible efforts to modify the federal court order governingschool desegregation were discussed last week by School Board VicePresident Juan Cruz. Testifying at a City Council EducationCommittee hearing on school vouchers, Cruz said the board …

Railroads reach tentative deal with largest union

WASHINGTON (AP) — The major U.S. freight railroads have reached a tentative five-year deal with their largest union, which represents 38,000 workers.

The deal between the railroads' National Carriers' Conference Committee and the United Transportation Union, whose members include brakemen and conductors, was announced Monday. The UTU represents roughly one-third of all rail workers.

The NCCC represents BNSF, CSX Transportation, …

Iraq's top cleric says aides not to join campaigns

Iraq's top Shiite cleric on Saturday ordered his representatives across the country not to campaign for any blocs or candidates contesting the March 7 parliamentary elections, a move designed to assert the Iranian-born cleric's neutrality.

An official at the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said the cleric, who is highly revered by Iraq's Shiite majority, also decided not to receive any politicians till after the vote.

The official's comments coincided with a visit by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to Najaf, the holy Shiite city where al-Sistani is based. However, the official said the Shiite prime minister did not request a meeting with the …