Metro & Tri-state Meeks: Boycott is on Helping others realize 'Hispanic American Dream' Can Drew get fair trial in Will County? Phelps is coming to Chicago Park District faces up to 300 job cuts Winnetka families celebrate new city school Suspected 'Time Bandit' held without bail City plumbing inspector convicted of taking bribe Edwards hikes speaking fee Obama draws parallels to Martin Luther King Jr. Haircuts on hold as history unfolds at Obama's barbershop Daley's kin's firm could profit on museum move Cold case trail leads to Hollywood Squad car involved in West Side crash

STNG Video View more local videos Chicago 24/7 Crime City plumbing inspector convicted of taking bribe Can Drew get fair trial in Will County? Cold case trail leads to Hollywood 2 in military accused of taking bribes for contracts Dad forgives son for wife's murder $300K bond for alleged Lincoln Park shooter Two charged after reported hostage situation Education Meeks: Boycott is on Winnetka families celebrate new city school

Sports It's first things worst as Bears' starters underwhelm Hoping to find some improvement and maybe a little momentum after a poor effort the week before, the Bears instead found reason for alarm 10 days away from having to face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Put a Sox in it, boo birds Chris De Luca: Line them up on the baseline, one by one: Orlando Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko, Jim Thome and Alexei Ramirez. At some point this season, each has been the target of boos from White Sox fans, who can't shake the too-fresh memories of a 90-loss season in 2007.

A most valuable display It's not just the pennant races that appear to be kicking off this week at Wrigley Field. It also might be the National League MVP race. And as the last two NL MVPs stood watching on the Wrigley Field infield Thursday night, Cubs cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez might have christened the launches of both.

Lifestyles Free months at gym shapes up into real problem Dear Fixer: In March, my friend Holly and I decided to join a gym. We had a coupon for a free month at Bally Total Fitness and decided to take advantage of it. When we got to the gym, we listened to a sales pitch and decided to sign up for a membership. We were promised a) We would get one month for free; b) after the second paid month, we could cancel our membership with no penalty.

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Entertainment Chicago native Bonnie Hunt launches talk show Bill Zwecker: Local native Bonnie Hunt's legion of fans better hope her new talk show is a success. Because if it is, ''I'm bringing it back to Chicago,'' said the actress and comedian, calling from Los Angeles. And we're not talking about taping a few shows here -- as Hunt's mentor David Letterman and Jay Leno and even Ellen DeGeneres have done.

Weekend The Mix: Cool things to do Chicago Jazz Festival marks 30 years Five nights of free culture make Blockbuster Week in the park Books Exclusive excerpt from Falsani's latest book '100 Things' co-author Dave Freeman dies in L.A. Have badge, will dazzle Classical Dinnerstein at unconventional best in recital Stage Sign of the times Strange bedfellows mesh DeFaria breathing easier in new stage role Galleries

Business Kmart may be casualty of Sears' dismal profits After Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday a worse-than-expected 62 percent drop in fiscal second-quarter earnings, experts predicted Kmart's extinction and wondered how much longer the retailer will take to hire a CEO. The Hoffman Estates-based retailer cut its full-year earnings forecast because the weak economy is keeping shoppers away from Sears and Kmart stores. Net income in the quarter ended Aug. 2 stood at $65 million, or 50 cents a share, vs. $173 million, or $1.15 a share, a year ago.

Sears' 2Q profit drops 62 percent
Socking it away, in freezers Chicago radio stations shuffle lineup The (Burger) King lives Markets down with declining incomes