SaxInTheCity's Blog

If you're considering buying a pre-need burial plan for yourself, your spouse, your parents, etc., this is a story you NEED to watch.  Thinking about death, and preparing for it, is difficult enough; make sure you entrust your money and your good-byes with a funeral home in good standing.

This story (aired 6/17) is a follow-up to a report we originally aired in May; the first story is archived in my blog if you'd like to watch that one as well.

Times are tough--we all know it. From gas prices to mortgage foreclosures.

Have things gotten so bad for you financially that you've decided to try and sell some of your most precious family heirlooms, keepsakes, collectibles, etc....just to make ends meet?

Well, these Chicago-area folks have and it's breaking their hearts....(this story aired on 5/11/08).

...could be about to change! The company most often entrusted with determining credit ratings is altering the way it does business--and that could mean good news OR bad news, depending on the way you're conducting yourself financially. Check it out! (This story aired on 6/6/08). Oh, and in the interest of full disclosure--special thanks to my pal Matt Krol who agreed to be interviewed for this report at the last minute when I couldn't find anyone else willing or interested in being grilled by me about THEIR credit!

Got an e-mail about this kid in southwest suburban Steger who supposedly hadn't missed a SINGLE day of school for 12 straight years--from first grade to high school graduation. His teacher thought he deserved some recognition, saying that hardly anyone seemed to appeciate this singular achievement!

I thought that alone merited a story, but then I learned his older brother had a perfect attendance record as well--1st through 12th. And get this--his younger brother (only in the fourth grade but STILL!) hasn't yet missed a day either!

How could this BE?!?!?!?

Well, watch and see for yourself...bottom line: every kid in the Chicago-area needs a mom like the one these boys have! Maybe if they did, there wouldn't be so many kids in trouble....

This is a follow-up report to the one we first put together on the sticky subject of Chicago vehicle stickers and parking permits. It seems the city clerk, Miguel del Valle, is determined to make the annual process of obtaining these necessities far easier than they've ever been before. Here's what I wrote in my blog LAST MAY:

========================================

One of the many great things about being a reporter is that you can look into situations that personally annoy you. And then you can share your findings with hundreds of thousands of people (if you work at FOX News Chicago)!

For years I've found the city sticker/permit parking renewal process to be a mindboggling, inconvenient, unbearable and just plain archaic system.

I just don't understand why:

a) there are only three places in the ENTIRE city that sell BOTH stickers and permits

b) if renewing by mail, you have to wait to get a city sticker BEFORE you can get your permit

c) you can only buy the sticker on-line, but not the permit

CRAZY!

SO, I called up City Clerk Miguel Del Valle and arranged an interview. And guess what! Del Valle (who just took office earlier this year) agrees with me! 

(You can watch the previous story I did on the subject if you go to my blog entries archived in June 2007--see the link above in the upper right hand corner to get there.)

==============================

OK, so that was then and this is NOW (watch the story below--it aired on 5/23/08): 

Although the national unemployment rate actually dropped slightly in April to five percent, in northern illinois it's 5.5. percent. Almost every day we hear about lay-offs affecting some other company or business. In this report (aired 5/15/08), some of Chicago's newly jobless show us how they stay strong.

Below are more than ten minutes of raw and unaired footage from my interviews about job hunting with Julie Bartimus, Vice President of the UIC Alumni Career Center, and Bill Potter, Vice President of betterresumes.com and Harvard Oak Enterprises,Inc.

This story aired on 5/5/08. We may be planning a follow-up so if you have any information you would like to bring forward, please contact me ASAP. Thanks, Mark. 

Thank the heavens I'm not single any more.

Because of the fact I've been off the market for several years now, I'll hopefully never have the need for a "Safe Sex Passport" (story aired on 5/4/08).

Don't get me wrong, I think the idea of this "passport" is clever and well-intentioned. You get an STD test and your results can then be easily shared (via the passport) with potential partners to assure them (or warn them) of your status. (For more details, watch the story below!)

There's a few bugs that need to be worked out with the concept (for example, couldn't someone who's disease-free just "loan" their passport to their herpes-infected roommate when he's out on the town, hitting on ladies?).

But in this day and age of some 15-million STD transmissions every year in the U.S., anything that promotes and protects sexual health is much needed.

For more info:

www.safesexpasport.com

www.tstd.org

www.cityofchicago.org/health

I think the creator of this concept (former Chicagoan Brian Kurth) is/was on to something ingenious (not suprising since he went to my alma mater--UW Madison--and we were in the same fraternity--Delta Upsilon!).

So many people are in dead-end jobs or facing a pink slip because of the recession (we ARE in a recession, right?) and have no idea how to get themselves out from under the storm clouds.

Sure, you can go to school and seek out a new direction but some careers necessitate more hands-on experience. And, let's face it, sometimes a good education takes a back seat to real-life know-how. (Broadcast journalism is an excellent case in point...)

Anyway, the idea of taking a "vocation vacation" struck me as the perfect way to really get a feel, in a short amount of time, for something one has always dreamed of doing but never knew exactly how to approach. Sure, it's all a bit pricey (details in the story), but the best things in life definitely AREN'T always free, no matter what the ol' cliche claims.

For more info, go to www.vocationvacations.com or call 866-888-6329. 

I've never been particularly sympathetic to motorists who get hit by trains--wait, let me clairify!

I'm talking about the drivers who insist on trying to beat the train, even after seeing the blinking red warning lights and hearing the loud "ding ding" of the crossing bells. I'm especially talking about the misguided folks who decide to drive AROUND the protective gates as--or after--they come down. What's up with THAT?

With that said, however, did you know that about a third of all public railroad crossings in Illinois and Indiana have NO warning lights, bells, gates, etc. They are completely UNGUARDED, other than a sign or two ahead of the tracks as motorists approach. Many urban dwellers might find this hard to believe...

It's up to the driver in these predominantly rural locations to yield the right-of-way at every crossing. But with NO warnings, sometimes they don't stop in time, or hear the train coming, or see the train coming...

There's been an attempt to eliminate many of these so-called "passive" crossings over the last few years, or improve them with warnings. Some crossings have even benefited from reconstruction that essentially removed vehicular traffic from the path of the trains by building bridges or underpasses for the trains to then cross over/under roads instead. 

But government leaders estimate it would cost upwards of $50 million dollars to protect every single public crossing in Illinois alone with gates and bells and lights--and most say there simply isn't the money.

And some say there isn't the need.

But is that true?

How much money is a single life truly worth?

Watch this story of Sheryl Bechard, her husband Steve, and their daughter Kacie...and decide for yourself.

This post has been edited by an administrator

We all know they're there, we all know we can't escape them, but WHERE exactly are they most prevalent? And what exactly ARE "they" anyway? In search of Chicago's "germiest" places....

This story originally aired in March 2008.

This post has been edited by an administrator

God only knows why ANYONE would want to  buy, hang, display, show off, etc. alleged "artwork" by John Wayne Gacy in their home, garage, shed, basement, outhouse, etc....but it's a free country, right?

This story originally aired in March 2008.

Our parents, our grandparents.

As they get older, the time comes to plan for the inevitable.

Yet, how prepared are you to organize a funeral for a loved one?

Who do you call? Who do you trust?

Times of sorrow and grief can become even more painful if we’re not careful.

“Funeral Fraud” originally aired April 7th, 2008.

Tips on making your funeral and burial pre-arrangements:

-Before you visit a funeral home, call the State Comptroller’s consumer hotline at 1-877-203-3401.  They can tell you if a funeral home is in good standing and if it’s properly licensed to sell pre-arrangements.

-The State Comptroller’s website offers a list of frequently asked questions regarding Illinois cemeteries, funeral homes, and crematories as well as information on filing a complaint against a cemetery or funeral home.

-You can also print brochures outlining your legal rights and responsibilities when purchasing pre-need services. Log onto http://www.ioc.state.il.us. At the top, click on “departments.” Under “departments”, click “cemetery care”.

-Check to make sure your funeral director’s business license is in good standing with the State Department of Professional Regulation. Log onto http://www.idfpr.com/ and click on “license lookup.”

-When meeting a funeral director, take someone with you who you believe will be able to take responsibility for your final arrangements after your death.

-Always read the contract.

-Ask for documentation and proof that your money has been deposited into a life insurance policy or a third party trust.

-Check on your arrangements yearly.

-If you feel a funeral home or director is operating dishonestly or if you feel you’ve become a victim, call 311 or the Better Business Bureau (http://chicago.bbb.org/) and report the problem.

The latest gallup poll shows three out of four Americans predict tougher economic times ahead, and they're cutting back on expenses. In this story, aired on 3/19/08, we show you how you and your family can possibly save money at the grocery store, by switching from your favorite name brand foods to generic products. However, the question remains whether you'll have to sacrifice quality or flavor while you're at it.

Below are the ten items we tested with the Johnson family. an asterisk (*) indicates their preference.

Potato Chips

Jewel (5 ounces) $1.45

*Lay's (12 ounces) $3.49

Fruit Punch (all two-liter bottles)

Jewel $1.00

*Safeway (Dominick's) $1.49 (Johnson ladies liked this)

*Hawaiian Punch $1.78 (Johnson guys liked this)

Apple Sauce

Jewel (24.5 ounces) $1.79

*Mott's (23 ounces) $2.19

Saltine Crackers (15 ounce boxes)

*Jewel $2.15

Nabisco Premium $3.25

Hot Cocoa

Safeway (Dominick's) $1.50

*Jewel $2.00

Swiss Miss $2.99

Peanut Butter

Skippy (16.3 ounces) $3.29

*Jewel (18 ounces) $3.60

Marshmallows

*Jewel (10.5 ounces) $1.29

Kraft (10.5 ounces) $1.55

Safeway (Dominick's) (16 ounces) $2.04

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

Jewel (16 ounces) $2.20

*Campbell's (18 ounces) $2.95

Pickles (16 ounces jars)

Safeway (Dominick's) $2.00

*Vlasic $3.29

Cereal

Jewel Crisp Crunch Berry $3.60

*Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries $4.75

Could you live on only $21 dollars for food for an entire week? I doubt I could. I spend that much--easily--on ONE MEAL!!!! So, it definitely surprised (no, SHOCKED) me to learn that your average person who must rely on food stamps to eat receives just $21 a week (the actual amount varies, depending on each person's income, number of family members, etc.)

We wanted to find out just how hard it is to stretch 21 bucks over seven days and so we decided to call around to (who else?) some Chicago aldermen to see if any of them would give it a shot. I mean, after all, many of their constituents in our fair (and sometimes unfair) city endure on $21, so we figured this would be a good way for them to see for themselves, better understand their situation, and then (hopefully) help out these citizens through their governance.

I  believe we called about a dozen alderpersons--and only ONE of them agreed to submit to this experiment.

Alderman Leslie Hairston is to be commended. (She joins Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who previously agreed to this $21 challenge earlier this year, during a similar congressional attempt to better understand the food stamp situation). My hat's off to them both for taking the plunge.

And my heart goes out to those who struggle with the $21 diet week in and week out. In this land of plenty, it's extraordinarily troubling to see how little some people--some Chicagoans--actually have to eat, to live, to survive.

This is a longer version of the story we aired on 2/28/08.

There is more money earmarked for food stamps in the pending national farm bill in Washington D.C. The proposal would increase the number of people eligible for benefits, and raise their montly allowance, in some cases nearly doubling the money. However, even if Congress passes the bill, President Bush has promised a veto, if it means raising taxes. See the article below for the latest on this bill, as of March 14, 2008.

Congress extends farm bill; Bush will sign
Mar. 14--Congress has extended the current  farm bill for another month as it continues talks to craft an acceptable bill.

Lawmakers and the White House have not been able to agree on how to pay for the five-year, $286 billion legislation passed by both chambers last year. The Bush administration has threatened to veto both versions of the bill, saying it is too expensive.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said there has been progress in negotiations with Senate and House members on a new farm bill and that he was confident it could be resolved in a few more weeks.

The negotiators are seeking an agreement on $10 billion in new funding.

"Where does the money come from" is the critical question, he said, adding that the administration has objected to its funding proposals so far.

The House and Senate pushed the expiration of current farm law, signed by Presdiendt Bush in 2002, from March 15 to April 18. The law originally expired Sept. 30 and has been repeatedly extended.

Members were hoping to have agreement on the legislation before Congress heads home for a two-week recess at the end of this week, but progress has been slow.

Bush, in a statement released Thursday, said he will sign the extension. But he also warned that Congress will need to come up with a new bill by April 18 or he will call for a one-year extension of the existing farm bill.

"While long-term extension of current law is not the desired outcome, I believe the government has a responsibility to provide America's farmers and ranchers with a timely and predictable farm program -- not multiple short-term extensions of current law," Bush said. "Without a predictable policy, agriculture producers will be unable to make sound business decisions with respect to this year's crop." Bush said he is "eager" to sign a bill that provides a safety net for farmers, includes significant farm program reforms similar to the administration's farm bill proposal, and does not include tax increases.

An amendment to allow a hard cap of $250,000 on the amount of farm payments an individual can receive passed the Senate Budget Committee on March 6. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the amendment with Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.

"The farm bills that passed the House and Senate have loopholes that make the farm payment system worse than what we operate under now. So, despite the fact that we're in the middle of conference negotiations, I'm looking for ways to address the problems that weren't taken care of," Grassley said. "The majority of the Senate gave its support to payment limits during the farm bill, so it seems only right to keep pushing for passage." The amendment would save $641 million over five years and $1.401 billion over 10 years. The amendment also specifies that the savings be applied to nutrition.