The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s Office of Community Assistance recently announced that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will begin accepting applications for winter heating assistance for seniors and people with disabilities beginning October 1, 2017. LIHEAP is a state and federally funded energy assistance program for low-income families, in…
News from the Research Desk - Page 12 of 16
In the Shadow of the Moon
On August 21, 2017 an event rich in history and scientific allure will occur--a solar eclipse. In Mount Prospect at 1:19 PM the moon will cover 86.5 % of the sun. To witness a total eclipse, one would have to travel over 200 miles south to the Carbondale, Illinois area. The Adler Planetarium is making…
Weiss Ratings Medigap Report
Our newest web resource is Financial Rating Series Online, "powered by Weiss Ratings and Grey House Publishing." Apart from bank, credit unions, and stock ratings, probably the most exciting aspect is the Weiss Ratings Medigap Report. "Build Your Own Customized Medicare Supplement Insurance Planner," is how they subtitle it. These reports are available for people age 65 and…
Leasing vs. Buying a New Car
Will you be needing a new car in the near future? Have you wondered what the advantages are to leasing a new car? Consumer Reports just published an article comparing and contrasting both approaches as well as a specific example that compares the financing details between buying and leasing a 2017 Honda Accord. There are pros…
EWG’s Guide to Sunscreens
Now that the days are at their longest and the sun's rays are the most direct, proper use of effective sunscreen is essential and insures that summer fun in the sun does not cause skin damage. To select the most protective products as well as the least harmful, consult the Environmental Working Group's annual Guide…
New States Added to WWII Draft Registration Cards!
Fold3 has added new U.S. states to its collection of WWII Draft Registration Cards! The collection (via the National Archives) now also includes Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, West Virginia, Utah, Alaska, Wyoming, and Virginia. The cards in this collection are registration cards for the draft and do not necessarily indicate that the individual served in the…
Fake News Resources
What is Fake News? "Fake news is made-up stuff, masterfully manipulated to look like credible journalistic reports that are easily spread online to large audiences willing to believe the fictions and spread the word."-- PolitiFact Fake news is a type of completely made up and deliberately spread story, manipulated to resemble credible journalism and to…
Tales Told by Found Photographs
The stories of our families are told through many forms of documents. Family photographs, however, are unique because they have visually captured moments in time that now only live as memories. A discarded photograph album lead a writer in New York to the story of black families that lived in the Crown Heights neighborhood of…
The History of Santa Claus
The holiday season is full of traditional events and practices, many of which revolve around the figure of Santa Claus. But who is this figure? What is his history? That story goes back to 280 CE in Myra, an area now in modern Turkey, where Saint Nicholas lived and worked as a bishop. After his…
Local Charities
Looking to donate to a deserving cause this holiday season? Here are some local options to consider this season: Adopt-A- Pet Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care Illinois Fire Safety Alliance The Kid's Pantry at Christian Life Church - Takes donations of children's clothing (infant through junior sizes, as well as maternity clothing) Mount Prospect Toys for…
