Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 2-2

123456 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 CHICAGO METRO ARTS REVIEWS NEWS HEALTH Hazel Crest South Suburban Hospital will offer free blood screenings from 10 a.m. to noon in the hospital lobby, 17800 S. Kedzie Ave. For more information, call 708-799-8000. RECREATION Chicago The Men of Leisure club will meet for lunch at noon in the Beverly Woods restaurant, 11532 S.

Western Ave. A member will give a presentation, and the cost for dinner is $10. The club, formed in the Beverly area more than 30 years ago, is recruiting new members. For more information, call Dan Donegan at 773-375-5560. Chicago Ridge Cleanup: Hints to Make Autumn Chores a will be presented at 7 p.m.

in the public library, 10400 S. Oxford Ave. To reserve a seat, call 708-423-7753. The public library will offer a drop-in craft session for children ages 3 to 5 accompanied by an adult and children age 6 and up from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the library, 10400 S.

Oxford Ave. For more information, call 708-423-7753. Frankfort The Tuesdays with Friends book group will discuss by Sandra Cisneros at 1p.m. in the library, 21119 S. Pfeiffer Rd.

For more information, call 815-469-2423. Homewood The travel video New will be shown at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the public library, 17917 Dixie Highway. For more information, call 708-798-0121.

New Lenox The New Lenox Park District offers drop-in basketball for players age 17 and older from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays in Lincoln-Way Central Fieldhouse, 1801E. Lincoln Highway. The cost is $3 per night. For more information, call 815-4853584.

Oak Forest The Friends of the Acorn Public Library needs used books, videos, CDs and tapes for its fundraiser to be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 4 in the library, 15624 Central Ave. For more information, call 708-5350027.

Palos Heights The Palos Heights Public book group will discuss Rich Park of by Jim Kokoris at 7 p.m. in the library, 12501S. 71st Ave. For more information, call 708-3716004. SENIORS Joliet The Senior Services Center of Will County will hold a seminar and book signing with Dr.

Richard Zalar, author of is from 10 a.m. to noon in the center, 251N. Center St. Zalar will talk about his battle with disease. To register, call 815-723-9713.

MISCELLANEOUS Mokena Mokena United Methodist Church is holding registration for its Parenting That class to be held from 7 to 8 p.m. every other Thursday from Sept. 25 through Dec. 4 in the church, 10901 LaPorte Rd. The cost is a free-will offering, and child care is available.

To register, call 708-479-1110. If you have news, announcements or information about events in the south and southwest suburbs, please contact us: Chicago Tribune, 18450 Crossing Drive, Suite Tinley Park, IL 60477; phone: 708-342-5600; fax: 708-342-2790; e-mail: southwest- EVENTS METRO By John Cook Tribune staff reporter CNN, which has struggled for years with executive shakeups while Fox News Channel has overtaken it in ratings, announced Monday that Teya Ryan has been replaced as executive vice president and general manager of national news. Princell Hair, who oversees news operations for station group and is a former news director at WMAQ-Ch. 5 and former producer at WBBM- Ch. 2, is replacement.

departure has been expected for months, ever since former Time managing editor Walter Isaacson stepped down as chairman and CEO of CNN in January. Isaacson and Ryan were behind the decision to hire Connie Chung, whose tabloid- style show was seen as an embarrassment for CNN. Jim Walton, who replaced Isaacson, canceled the show in March. Hair has a controversial history in Chicago. He was the news director of Channel 5 in 1997, when general manager Lyle Banks and news vice president Joel Cheatwood hired Jer- ry Springer as a news commentator for the 10 p.m.

newscast. The inclusion of Springer, hostof a trash-talk daytime show, in a local newscast was seen by many as a crass grab for ratings. Anchors Carol Marin and Ron Magers resigned in protest, and ratings for the late news declined by 20 percent. Hair declined to comment on his role in the Springer incident, citing a non-disclosure agreement he signed when he left NBC. only thing I can really say on that is that it was in the works long before I got there, and it was presented to me as a fait accompli he said.

Asked whether he agreed with the decision to hire Springer, he said, really get into that because legally bound not to get into Several observers in Chicago were surprised by the CNN announcement. Hair, who is 36 and has held nine jobs, is seen by many who worked with him in Chicago as an acolyte of Cheatwood, who is known in the local television business as an advocate of sensational, ratings- driven newscasts. CNN has long prided itself on solid, no-nonsense reporting. Cheatwood hired Hair as a producer at Miami station WSVN in 1991, as news director at Channel 5 in 1997, and at Viacom in 2001, when Cheatwood held the job there that Hair occupied until today. Hair is his own said Bill Fine, general manager of WBAL, the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, where Hair was hired as news director after leaving Channel 5.

has worked a number of jobs in a number of different markets, and obviously had (After the Springer episode, Cheatwood was named to a corporate position with NBC.) Hair said his first job at CNN would be to get more people to watch the station for longer periods of time. sampling is he said, referring to people who check in to CNN for news updates. just need to keep them In naming Hair, CNN also announced that Eason Jordan, the chief of news-gathering, will take on a different set of responsibilities as CNN replaces general manager New boss was Ch. 5 aide during Springer saga By Greg Kot Tribune rock critic Billy Corgan pulled the plug Monday on Zwan, his first post- Smashing Pumpkins band, and said he will immediately begin a solo career. band going to reach its full capability spiritually and Corgan said.

see the commitment necessary. I was reliving the and not getting on that train to hell Zwan released one studio album, Star of the last January, but it quickly sank off the Billboard chart, performing far below high expectations set when the quintet opened its tour with five high-energy, sold- out concerts at Metro. Corgan had also hired Elliot Roberts, Neil longtime manager, to shepherd the career. But cracks began to develop in the facade last June, when Zwan abruptly canceled its European summer tour dates, citing Bassist Paz Lenchantin later announced her departure and joined another Zwan member, David Pajo, in his group Papa M. played a vital role, and now Corgan said.

that sense of family, no point in putting everyone through Guitarist Matt Sweeney and ex-Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlinwere also members of Zwan. He said he continues to have a strong relationship with Chamberlin and is leaving the door open to future collaborations. A solo career will now be his main focus. A book of his poetry will be published next year, and he is completing a group of acoustic folk songs about Chicago that he hopes to release as an EP-length, six-song CD next year. Corgan is scheduled to give a multimedia poetry performance Wednesday at the Art Institute of Chicago to open the Poetry Center of 31st Annual Reading Series.

He said he also plans to playsolo shows around town in coming months. Tribune file photo Billy Corgan will fly solo after announcing the end of Zwan. debut album also is its swan song ple could come to worship, celebrate the High Holidays and hold community gatherings, Helen Bloch said. purpose of doing that is to provide space where groups can come together to help revitalize the Jewish community in Rogers Komessar said. When some of the volunteers heard about the fire, they initially thought it was a hate crime, but Elmer said that is not likely because there was only one point of origin and there was no gas used.

Although it has suffered a significant setback, the congregation will continue with plans to renovate because the synagogue is important to the community, Helen Bloch said. to traditional Judaism, on the Sabbath one cannot ride in a car, one cannot spend money, so traditional Jews need a synagogue in their she said. need a synagogue they can walk to in their By Sufiya Abdur-Rahman Tribune staff reporter Investigators determined that arson was the cause of a fire in an East Rogers Park synagogue that volunteers had recently begun to renovate, officials said Monday. The fire was intentionally set around 4 p.m. Sunday in the study of Congregation Beth Sholomof Rogers Park, 1233 W.

Pratt said bomb and arson Sgt. Roger Elmer. A homeless man might have been sleeping there and lit a fire to keep warm, Elmer said. Investigators are looking for the man and other possible suspects, he said. burst out into tears yesterday Iwas so said Lynne Bloch, president of the board of directors.

when you see the light at the end of the hall, boom, this had to The board and a group called Friends of Beth Sholom formed in March to clean up and renovate the synagogue that had not been used since 1999. In July, a group of 20 to 30 volunteers began meeting Sundays to work on the synagogue, one of the last remaining in the neighborhood, Lynne Bloch said. were about 10 or 11(synagogues) several years ago. At one point the neighborhood she said. now Jews are coming into the neighborhood.

no other syn- agogue for So far, the volunteers had been able to get rid of mold in the 1940s era synagogue and set aside valuables including religious books, decorative furniture and memorabilia, Bloch said. But they had stored it all in the study, where the fire was set. Besides fire and smoke damage, Bloch said, there is water damage to the roof and holes in the doors and stained-glass windows where firefighters had to break through to put out the blaze. caused that much more damage to the building that now needs to be said Nancy Komessar, a member of Friends of Beth Sholom. going to be alot more expense now in just se- curing the building.

going to set us back even more because that involves more The group had been paying for all the work on the building out of its own pocket but now says it needs help from the community to keep going. we get the roof repaired, we use the said Helen Bloch, a Beth Sholom board member and daughter. The synagogue has two sanctuaries, one that fits 100 people that will cost about $15,000 to roof and another that fits 800 people that will cost $30,000 to roof, she said. Once the synagogue was complete it was supposed to be used as amulti-purpose center where peo- Arson seen as cause of North Side temple fire Tribune photo by M. Osorio An arson fire Sunday afternoon caused extensive damage to the study at Congregation Beth Sholomof Rogers Park.

The building was being renovated by volunteers. Volunteer efforts toward renovation must start anew when you see the light at the end of the hall, boom, this had to Bloch, president of Congregation Beth Sholomof Rogers board By Ken Special to the Tribune Joliet officials will lobby in Washington Tuesday against allowing the owners of the Evergreen Terrace housing complex to continue running it because of recurring problems, but residents fear being displaced. Burnham Management of Chicago wants approval from federal officials to participate in a Department of Housing and Urban Development program called to which would let it restructure debt and upgrade the facility. The company could then operate the 356-unit complex on west side for another 30 years. City officials oppose the request, citing a litany of complaints about Evergreen, including crime, 200 false fire alarms per year and 529 code violations in an inspection last month.

City Manager John Mezera told the City Council on Monday that he and Councilmen Tim Brophy and Warren Dorris will tell HUD Secretary Mel Martinez of problems the complex has had for almost all of the 30 years it has been open. believe some people in the federal government who dispense the money realize how bad it Mezera said. But about 50 residents of the complex attended the meeting, and the two who addressed the council said they were concerned about the future of their home. am not going to be homeless again because of said Georgina Herron, a resident for 10 months. been told that the city would like this to be a parking Mezera told Herron that told you that is a bold-faced After Mayor Arthur Schultz asked how many people in the audience had been told Joliet wanted to close the property, about 20 people raised their hands.

guarantee you that you will not be put out in the he said, drawing applause. Rep. Jerry Weller whose district includes Joliet, lobbied for the meeting between city officials and Martinez, Weller spokesman Ben Fallon said, after talks between Joliet and Evergreen Terrace owners broke down. support the spirit of what the city is trying to Fallon said. obviously have severe concerns about the impact of Evergreen Terrace on the local U.S.

Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R- Ill.) also is scheduled to take part in the meeting with Martinez. Fitzgerald agrees with the City of Joliet and Joliet community leaders that HUD should not renew its subsidies for Evergreen spokesman Dan Curry said. Staff reporter Karen Mellen contributed to this report. Joliet officials take complaints about housing site to HUD But Evergreen Terrace residents fear losing homes By Liam Ford Tribune staff reporter Following an outcry fromChi- cago residents over recent big increases in property tax assessments, Lt.

Gov.Pat Quinn and 10 Cook County commissioners on Monday voiced their support for a proposed taxpayer-advocacy board for Cook County. Under an ordinance proposed by Commissioner Forrest Claypool, the county would authorize creation of an independent Taxpayer Action Board, modeled on the Citizens Utility Board that Quinn helped found. The taxpayer board, which would be funded through contributions and whose members would be elected by mail-in ballot, would act as a financial watchdog. Membership would be solicited through inserts in county tax bills. It would not have any author- ity to block increases in tax bills but would act to lobby for changes in the tax system that could reduce bills, Quinn and Claypool said.

think people think the property tax system is out of said Claypoolat anews conference. Severalcounty commissionersat the news conference mentioned the large number of people who have been callingto complain about hikes in assessments. Claypool said he has secured commitments to support the measure from every member of the County Board. Having a large taxpayer advocacy group be a great to hold public officials ac- countableand keep track of how local taxing bodies spend and raise their money, said Barb Head, president of the Tax Reform Action Coalition, a private tax-advocacy group. But Laurence Msall, presi- dent of the Civic Federation, said he sees no need for another government-sponsored tax advocacy group.

believe that the power to address rising property taxes is well within the authority of all of those elected Msall said of the county commissioners. Property tax watchdog plan gains 10 Cook favor Comments, questions and suggestions about articles in this section are welcome. Write: Phil Jurik, bureau chief 18450 Crossing Drive, Suite A Tinley Park, IL 60477 Call: 708-342-5600 Fax: 708-342-2790 Or e-mail: How to contact us Associated Press NEW YORK Stephen King have the literary reputation of Philip Roth or Arthur Miller, but now all three authors have something in common: an honorary National Book Award for lifetime achievement. writer, master of the horror story and e- book receiving this medal for Distinguished Contributions to American Letters. The prize, worth $10,000, was announced Monday by the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization that sponsors the awards.

National Book Award to Stephen King for work.