From The Chicago Sun-Times | A federal appeals court has ruled that retail giant Wal-Mart was within its rights to fire a Joliet store employee who told a lesbian co-worker that she would go to hell because God does not accept gays, and that the dismissal was not religious discrimination.
Jobless rates fall in more than 75% of metro areas
Unemployment rates are falling in most metro areas across the country, suggesting that recent nationwide gains in hiring are widespread and not limited to a few healthy regions. Get the full story »
Groupon launches deals for home, garden
Crain’s Chicago Business | To broaden its reach, Groupon has launched targeted daily deals with the first in the home and garden category. The category specific deals last more than a day, a departure for the coupon site.
Airbus moves up launch date of revamped A320
Airbus plans to bring forward by six months the entry into service of its revamped A320 jetliner, seen as key to battling Boeing and fending off emerging rivals in the largest aircraft segment. Get the full story »
April 6 at 12:58 p.m.
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Filed under: Autos, Internet, Technology, Telecommunications, Wireless Toyota, Microsoft team up on in-car digital services
Microsoft Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled a plan Wednesday to work together on bringing Internet-connected services to Toyota’s cars. Get the full story »
Beck to leave program, not Fox, network says
Glenn Beck speaking at the "Right Nation" rally at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, Sept. 18, 2010. (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune)
From Tower Ticker | Glenn Beck is going to “transition off of his daily program” by the end of the year but remain in business with Fox News Channel, the network said today.
The top-rated cable news channel announced it has a deal with Beck’s production company, Mercury Radio Arts, to develop and produce various TV projects for FNC as well as other platforms, including Fox News’ digital properties.
Nightlife deals site Poggled gets $5.6M to grow
Poggled, a Chicago startup that provides deals on nightlife and bars, has raised $5.6 million in a round of funding that will let the company expand into new markets and build additional features for its mobile applications. Get the full story »
PrepMe app lets teachers tailor courses to students
Tech Crunch | PrepMe, the Chicago-based online test prep company, has introduced Coursification, a Web-based application that allows teachers to tailor lessons to each student based on his performance and learning schedule. It will compete with similar platforms such as Blackboard, Instructure and Moodle.
Scandinavian airline SAS to inspect Boeing jets
Scandinavian airline group SAS AB will perform inspections on four of its Boeing jets after a similar plane belonging to Southwest Airlines Co. sprung a hole in the roof during a flight. Get the full story »
Turn your house into a billboard, get free mortgage
A digital mockup of Adzookie's painting plan. (Adzooki)
Startup advertising firm Adzookie has latched on to a high-profile way to publicize itself: by turning homes into massive billboards. In exchange, Adzookie says it will pay the house owner’s mortgage every month for as long as the home stays painted.
Adzookie launched the offer on its website Tuesday — and by late afternoon, the company had already received more than 1,000 applications, according to Adzookie CEO Romeo Mendoza. One even came from a church. Get the full story »
Harris Bank curbs free checking
Harris, the Chicago market’s third-biggest bank, is making it tougher for depositors to qualify for free checking.
Following in the footsteps of market share leaders Chase and Bank of America, Harris has become the latest bank to make consumers jump through more hoops if they want to keep free checking. Until recently, the U.S. unit of Canada’s BMO Financial had a free checking account with no monthly fees and no minimum balance or direct-deposit requirements. Get the full story »
Free CaramelCrisp popcorn at Garrett today
A tub of Garrett's caramel popcorn. (Garrett)
Chicago’s iconic Garrett Popcorn is giving away free snack-sized bags of its CaramelCrisp from 11 a.m, until 2 p.m. at all of its stores today, in a promotion celebrating National Caramel Popcorn Day.
Garrett’s will donate $1 to Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund. Through the end of today, Garrett is also donating $2 from every popcorn tin sold to Save the Children.
Former Bear Tait lists Mettawa house for $1.5M
Former Bears offensive tackle John Tait, left, in 2006. (Tribune file)
ELITE STREET | By Bob Goldsborough | Former Chicago Bears offensive tackle John Tait has listed his 15-room stucco French Manor-style mansion in Mettawa for $1.499 million. Tait, 36, played with the Bears from 2004 until 2008. He retired in February 2009.
Tait paid $1.645 million in 2004 for the four-bedroom, 5,465-square-foot home in Mettawa. Built in 2003, the house has four full baths, two half baths, three fireplaces, 10-foot ceilings, quarter-sawn hardwood floors, millwork and a finished lower level with a second kitchen. The house sits on a 1.62-acre parcel adjoining a conservancy. Get the full story »
Gas prices up 20% in 2011, 41 cents from high
U.S. gas prices have risen for 15 days straight days and are now within 41 cents of the all-time high of $4.114 a gallon, reached in July 2008.
The average price of unleaded jumped 2.2 cents overnight to $3.707 a gallon, according to motorist group AAA. In the past three weeks alone, prices have jumped 4 percent. Year to date, gas prices are up a whopping 20 percent. And it’s not even summer driving season yet, when prices tend to peak for the year. Get the full story »
