Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Blinded by Nazis, guided by a dog

Max Edelman, a sprightly gentleman with a potent laugh, huge social network and vast array of interests, surges through life. At 86, he figures he's got too much to do to slow down. Blind for decades, he receives a little help from Tobin, a placid black Lab.

Like each of the thousands of service dogs, Tobin has been bred and trained to help keep his owner safe and independent. And like the thousands of people who are paired without charge with a dog, Edelman has undergone training to make the most of the union.

Click here to read more about this story.

Holy Name Cathedral reopens Friday

"Holy Name Cathedral will reopen its doors on Friday for confessions, weddings and worship after a fire erupted Feb. 4 in the cathedral's attic, forcing the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to close for repairs.

Parishioners who attend the first mass on Saturday will have a hard time knowing which parts of the church sustained damage, said the Rev. Dan Mayall, pastor of Holy Name. In fact, he believes the cathedral looks better than before."

Click here for more on the parish celebration.

Details on Cash for Clunkers

"Driving around in a clunker and ready to move up? Doing so could help the environment and save you up to $4500. Sounds too good to be true? Nope. While there are some caveats and other qualifying restrictions, Congress has rolled out the Cash for Clunkers programs with $1 billion in funding for new car purchases when you trade in your gas guzzling clunker."

Read more details here.