Coronavirus forces furlough of Ameristar Casino employees

So the great shit show that is The Buffet at Ameristar Casino is still closed, and they used to do the Friday night or whatever for 30 bucks. Jumpin Catfish has Thursdays all you can eat for 50. Anyone else know of any other place around town where I can get crackin?

If you are reporting about a casino, could you please try to include the following:

• Name of the casino
• Where it's located
• What time of day and is it a weekday or weekend?
• Max odds
• Field pays
• Side bets available (Repeater, ATS, Firebet)
• Are there dividers or how many are shooting per side

The more information we have, the better off we will be.
We all know that tables can change rapidly. I saw a table go from 25 to 15 to 100 at the Flamingo in the course of a few hours. I'll try to keep the mins what is reported the most and add other information in the comments like "found this table at $5 on graveyard shift" so people konw that isn't the norm
These tables can be a pain to maintain, so please provide as much information as possible. An informed roller is a beter roller.

OtherNV Casnio	WeekDay Min	WeekNight Min	WeekendMin	WeeknightMin	MaxOdds	Field Pay	Sidebet	Dividers/Per Side	Last Update	Comments
Wind Creek (Wetumpka, AL)	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	4 to a table	7/31
Sycuan (San Diego, CA)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Barona (So Cal)	10	15	10	10-15	5X	2 Dub 3 Trip	Fire/Sharpshooter	2 per side	10/2	dealers managing bets for players. ($10 at times) - Digital table . $10, double the field with Hot Shooter Bet.
Harrahs (So Cal)	15-25	15-25	15-50	15-50	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	7/31
Ameristar (Black Hawk, CO)	10	10	15	15	10X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/12	Colorado law, max bet $100
Golden Gates (Black Hawk, CO)	10	10	10	10	20X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/12	Colorado law, max bet $100
Monarch (Black Hawk, CO)	10	10	15	15	10X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/12	Colorado law, max bet $100
Saratoga (Black Hawk, CO)	10	10	10	10	20X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/12	Colorado law, max bet $100
The Lodge (Black Hawk, CO)	10	10	10	10	10X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/12	Colorado law, max bet $100
Foxwoods (CT)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	4/side	8/22
Mohegan (CT)	15-25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Harrington (DE)	15	15-25	25	25	10X	Unknown	Firebet	2/side	10/1
Rivers (Chicago, IL)	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/2
Blue Chip (Michigan City, IN)	5	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	ATS	Unknown		5 minimum prop bets, 5 min ATS bet.
Caesars Southern IN	10	15	15	25	Unknown	ATS & Fire	Unknown	Unknown	11/15
French Lick Resort (French Lick, IN)	15	15	25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/5	Tables open at 11am and close at 3AM.
Harrah's Hooiser Park (Anderson, IN)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Hollywood Larenceburg (Larenceburg, IN)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Sharp/Lucky Shooter	Unknown	Unknown	4/side	11/15
Indiana Grand (IN)	10	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No
Hollywood casino Lawrenceburg (IN)	10-15	10 -15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Rivers (Chcago, IL)	10	15
Belle (Baton Rogue, LA)	5	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	one half sized table sometimes they open the big one. $5 small table and $10 big late at night
Hollywood (Baton Rogue, LA)	5	10	Unknown	15		Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	7/24
L’auberge (Baton Rogue,LA)	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	8/2
L’auberge (Lake Charles,LA)	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	8/2
El Dorado (Shreveport, LA)	10	10	10	10	100X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/17
Horseshoe (Shreveport, LA) 15	15	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/17
Margaritaville (Shreveport, LA) 15	15	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/17
Sams Town (Shreveport, LA)	10	10	10	10	20X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/10
Ocean Downs (MD)	10	15		Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/17
Maryland Live (MD)	25	50	50	100	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes, 4 per side	9/6	Electronic craps 15 min
MGM @ National Harbor	50-100	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes		No bubble craps or low roller options.
Firekeepers (Battle Creek, MI)	10	15+	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	8/17	$3 Bubble Craps.
Four Winds Casino (New Buffalo, MI)	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown		Digital craps table 5$ min
Gun Lake (Wayland, MI)	10	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	No
MGM Grand Detroit (Detroit, MI)	15	25	unknown	unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes
Turtle Creek (Traverse City, MI)	5	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Soaring Eagle (Mt Pleasant, MI)	10	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes, 5 per side
Hollywood Casino, Maryland Heights (St Louis) MO	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	4 per side
River City (St. Louis, MS)	20	20	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown 4 players per side		You have to have at least a $20 bet for every throw to "hold your spot"
Beau Rivage (Biloxi, MS)	25	25	25	25	unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/18	3 tables
Boomtown (Biloxi, MS)	10	10	Unknown	15	10X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/10	1 table
Hard Rock (Biloxi, MS)	25	25	25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Updated 9/4
IP (Biloxi, MS)	25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Scarlett Pearl (Biloxi, MS)	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No
The Palace Biloxi, MS)	10	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Golden Spike (Tunica, MS)	10	15	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/27
Horseshoe (Tunica, MS)	10	15	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/27
Treasure Bay (Biloxi, MS)	10	10	10	10	10X	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/10
Harrah’s Cherokee & Murphy	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	Unknown
Harrahs River Valley (Murphy, NC)	25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Ballys (AC, NJ)	10	15	10	10-25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes	9/22
Caesars (AC, NJ)	15	15	Unknown	15-25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	7/29
Harrahs (AC, NJ)	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	7/29
Hard Rock (AC, NJ	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	7/29
Resorts (AC, NJ)	15	25	Unknown	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes	7/29
Ocean (AC, NJ)	10	15	10	15-25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes, 4 per side	9/4
Buffalo Creek (NY)	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Seneca Niagra (NY)	10	15	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	No	8/22
Jack/Harrah's (Cincinnati, OH)	25	25	25	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Cocktaw (Durant, OK)	10	Unknown	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/22
Winstar World Casino (Thackerville, OK)	5	5	Unknown	Unknown	3x/4x/5x	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/10
Hollywood (Columbus, OH)	10-15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Hollywood (Grantville, PA)	15	25	Unknown Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Harrah's Philly (PA)	Unknown	Unknown	15	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/10
Meadows (PA)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	9/4
Mohegan Sun (PA)	Unknown	Unknown	25-50	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	8/3
Rivers Casino Philly (Philadelphia, PA)	Unknown	15-25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Double field	Unknown	Unknown	10/9
Seneca Allegheny (PA)	5	5	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	9/4
Windcreek (PA)	10	10	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Mount airy (Scotrun, PA)	10	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	10/2
Valley Forge (PA)	Unknown	10	25	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	9/12
Parx (Bensalem, PA)	15	25	15	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Yes, 3 per side	8/22
Mardi Gras (Nitro, WV)	Unknown	Unknown	15	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	7/28	Usually open on weekends

Part 1. It's getting buried so I figured we would make a new one.
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Well i don't even know where to begin, let me just say we were a middle class family for the most part. We weren't rich but we had a nice apartment for a family of 4. My mom left my dad when i was about 8 or 9. My brother stayed at the apartment with my Dad, and i went with my Mom. I lived with her and her boyfriend till i was about 10, my mom and her boyfriend got avicted from their new apartment due to not paying rent. Then it happened a second time, and her and her boyfriend couldn't provide a stable home for me, so i moved back in with my Dad and my brother. Everything was great during my 3 years of middle school. I had a normal life!
My dad was a single parent, and he worked graveyard hours. He paid rent, he was never behind or late on rent. Rent was something I never had to question about. My 8th grade year, my dad got laid off his job at Mission foods. They were getting a new implant, Taco Bell or something so they laid a lot of people off. He took a break from work of course, i mean who wouldn't?? The thing is, he never went and looked for a job after that. He was gone a lot, dressed up in his black leather jacket, and when he wore that leather jacket that's how we would know where he was headed. Ameristar Casino, Horseshoe, or Harrahs. Well i thought everything was fine at the time, I had no clue of what really was going on. I didn't think anything of it.
I guess we ended up going to court for the aviction notice and all that. My dad likes to procrastinate. He didn't have no other place set up to go, and we didn't even get to finish putting the furniture and stuff in the garage. Two days before we had to officially be out, My dad went to jail. Their was this lady that he was friends with and she said that he had hit her, when i know he never did because he's not abusive what so ever. He was with my mom for 26 years and their was no domestic violence with them. The police had my mom come to stay with me and my brother, but she was homeless too, and her boyfriend had got sent to federal prison. My brother was 18 so he had his own car.
The next day their are people in our apartment telling us we have to go. Half of everything is still inside, but somebody eventually moved it to our garage. My mom and i had to take my dads car and we had no where to go so we were sitting in very hot weather. And thats where it all began. That is the day my life changed forever. Nothings been normal since. It was the beginning of June. While my dad was in jail i stayed with my friend, and then went to colorado to my aunts to visit. When i came back he was out of jail, and we still didn't have a new apartment like i expected. It was my first year going into highschool, so i lived with another one of my friends that went to my school.
I stayed with her for about 5 months, but we would never wake up for school. We would skip, show up late, not show up at all. We would smoke weed and hang out with friends (i was already smoking back in 8th grade) and go for late night drives. When i look back now, i never really was so concerned as to where my dad was staying at, he always stopped by to see me. But i then had to leave this girls house, and you won't believe where i started staying next. Me my dad and my brother lived with the lady that had put my dad in jail for a couple months. My school was right across the street, but i still missed days. I was still smoking weed and drinking with friends.
My dad still hadn't got a new job. him and (i'm just gonna reference her as D) argued probably almost every day. Well one night when i was out walking around with friends, we walked to buckeys and theirs this girl i meet. She was cool, and she wanted us all to come over to what was known as the " trap house " everybody knew that house. We went over there, that girl told me she had xanax. I told her i would take one, but i get into her bedroom and she looks at me and says "Meth" . I definitely said no to that, but i stayed in her room because i didn't want to seem sketch. 3 adults come in this room and that girl had a big glass bong. It was passed around, and the person who i didn't know sitting next to me passed it to me, i didn't want to sketch them out so i grabbed it. i was gonna give it back to that girl... but i guess i didn't. I tried it. I tried crystal meth.
i didn't smoke meth for probably a month after that. I had a boyfriend and i didn't want him to ever find out. He cheated on me and immediately got with this girl who was new to our school. My friend T, his girlfriend broke up with him too so we became best friends. Well i ended up messaging that girl asking if me and him could come over. We went over there, and i smoked again. I continuously went over there probably 3 times a week and got high. I stopped going to school completely, and D got avicted from her apartment too. My brother was gone for good after that, he left on his own and never really spoke to my dad.
I ended up living at the trap house. I started staying there because my other homegirl that i've known since 6th grade-that was her house. So, the girl that i was smoking meth with E, she was friends with my friends mom. She brought me in once and i guess we all smoked. Since then i was always sneaking in to my friends moms room to smoke dope. I would be up for days. I've been heavy set my whole life so i went from 160 lbs to 130 lbs. I was never sober, i never wanted to eat because i wanted to lose weight. That was the only time i was actually happy with my body. All the teenagers would smoke weed and drink, i would switch back and fourth to go and hang with the adults in my friends moms room to smoke and then come back out and hang with everybody else. Nobody knew what i was doing.. but eventually everybody found out, and looked at me different. My school, the whole school found out. Mind you.. i was 14 years old, hanging with adults. Yeah i know, that's something i definitely shouldn't have been doing but it happened and i can't go back and change it now.
A couple days before my birthday my bag of clothes, the only clothes i had on me, and i'm talking like a big black trash bag full of decent clothes, gets stolen from me. That same day, my auntie calls me to tell me that my dad spent storage money at the casino. Everything my dads collected in a lifetime, got auctioned off. Mine and my brothers too. Thankfully, the lady who had bought everything that we knew was home gave us me and my brothers baby pictures, birth certificates, and all that kind of stuff. Soon the school year is about halfway over, it's april and my birthday is coming up. I met this guy on my birthday through my other homeboy, and my friend wanted to kick me out of her house because she was mean like that.. so i ended up staying with that guy Ace. He lived in a familiar neighborhood where i'm from so if anything happened i felt safe to leave if i needed to. He smoked meth too, and that's when i was really on meth every day. Me and him ended up being a relationship, until i missed a court date and had a warrant out for my arrest. This is May now. I soon get arrested from his house and stay in DCYC for 22 days.
My mom had finally got her own little place at the time, a one bedroom studio. I stay with her on ankle monitor.. and i didn't want to, i was strung out. During the end of july i cut off my ankle monitor and run with Ace. That didn't last long, i got locked up and didn't get released until september 14th. i was in a shelter group home for a month. I got back out on ankle monitor and completed my probation.
Not long after i got my ankle monitor off, D put my dad back in jail, lying saying he pushed her and she fell. She did break her wrist, but my dad never pushed her. My dad was in jail for 9 months, he didn't get out till last June. When he got out my mom got avicted from her studio, so then again we had no where to go. Also, i forgot to mention Ace went to jail, then prison for an 8 hour high speed chase, August 10th. I end up staying at Aces house with his mom. Then my mom and dad eventually start to stay there too, because we're all homeless. My dad paid his mom 100$ for rent, we had the basement. We stayed at his house for 6 months. Can you believe that?
My dad didn't save any money to try and get his own place. While we were there he spent paychecks on paychecks at the casino. I almost every paycheck he got except two or 3 the whole time we were there , straight gone! Ace got released for two days out of jail and i made sure i was gone from his house, because i was waiting for him since i was 15. I still haven't seen him and i turn 17 in April, he's currently still in prison. I had found someone else, and when we left Aces, i had to stay with J. I stayed with J for a couple months... and one day my dad FINALLY got a place!
You could only imagine how happy i was. I hate being away from my parents. I'm so close to my mom and dad, i probably tell them things most teenagers wouldn't tell there parents. We moved into a two bedroom duplex just recently, about 3 months ago. The first place, that we have had of our own since i was 14. It's crazy. It was big, and cheap as hell! Only $565 a month . The kictchen was big and it came with a washer and dryer.
Here's the sad part, it's already gone. We're getting avicted from this new place, and we have to be out April 1st. My dads been late on rent, and i guess he didn't pay nothing the last two months or something... i don't know. He blames my mom for us getting avicted. My dad had a job, and he lost it from missing 3 days in a row being at the casino not long ago. My dad then received $5,267 in taxes. He spent about $200 on me for some clothes because i'm so fat now that i've been sober, nothing ever fits me anymore. He bought me a samung smart tv, flat screen. The nicest TV i've ever owned in my whole life. He told me he paid the landlord. He promised he wouldn't blow his taxes. He's promised me that he's not going to blow any more money at the casino. They have all been broken promises. He spent that tax money he got, at the casino. And then, i come home from school and my TV is gone.
I don't know why he did that. He wants a place of his own, it took him 3 years to finally sign a lease and get a place. It was perfect. But now it's all gone. He doesn't have a job, and he doesn't have a car. My mom and him argue REALLY bad every day, and she is the one with the car so she won't let him take it because he would always sneak out and take her car to get to the casino. He's always telling me, "Dont worry, Dad will figure it out he always does, doesn't he?" and he smiles at me, trying to reassure me that he will figure it out. But the thing is.. he hasn't. It breaks my heart, because i didnt get to live the normal life of a 14 year old. I'm almost old enough to really start doing things on my own.. and i'm not ready for that yet when i should be. I'm still torn, i am not recovered at all. I don't want to be away from my mom and dad again. My mom wasn't in my life for 5 years, i eventually realized she was also addicted to meth and her boyfriend kind of.. dragged her down down deep. When i got older i had understood that my mom slept on benches outside and in tents and in cars during winter, having to carry bags on her shoulder to get some place. And i had absolutely no clue what my mom has went through, and that also still breaks me. And My dad had a little problem with it too, he would get high and be at the casino all night.
I just want my parents to finish raising me, i'm not ready to let go just yet. We're going to be homeless ... again . And i'm going to have to stay with my boyfriend, again. I was reading yesterday about gambling addictions, the effects from it all, and my dad needs help. He needs professional help. It is to the extreme right now. I've got so much stress on my mind, and often times i find myself really thinking about all of this, all of what i have explained in this text here. The good thing is that i've been going to school and i've been sober, and i'm not going to resort to drugs again. But i just don't know where my dads gonna go, or how this is going to plan out. Although i've usually been surpressing my feelings, I feel a deep sadness when I really dive back into reality of how things STILL are. My dad blew his last $400 check from his job and BLEW all the money away friday night!!
I hope somebody reads this, and maybe can relate or give me advice. I know this was a bit long. I feel temporarily better. I still have hope in my Dad and that we will all get through this.
If you have any questions about a parent who has a gambling addiction, please feel free to ask any questions.
--March 24 2019 --
-T

A new tournament in the Heartland Poker Tour concluded this week and this time it was the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles in St. Charles, Missouri that acted as a gracious host. The land-based casino has attracted a great deal of poker fans, including some that usually participate exclusively in online tournaments. Unibet Poker members found it worthwhile to spend some time away from the virtual tables and sit down at real ones. They bring a wealth of experience from playing over the Internet and it is not surprising that some of them made it to the final table. Among those who brought a healthy stack to this late stage of the competition was Matt Culberson from St. Louis. 393 players pay the buy-in of $1650 for the main event, but only nine of them were still alive when the final table began. Matt was trailing chip leader Matt Cannella by plenty of chips, but he closed the gap separating him by the time the heads-up began. No deal was made and the winner took home almost $130,000, while the runners-up had to settle for less than $80,000. These are the final table results at the Heartland Poker Tour event: 1 Matt Culberson Lake St. Louis, MO $129,1472 Michael Ross Chicago, IL $78,3503 Jeffrey Brin Olathe, KS $52,4664 Ron Amos Quincy, IL $36,5925 Matt Cannella O'Fallon, IL $27,4446 Reginald Roberts Springfield, MO $21,5257 Joshua Turner St. Louis, MO $18,1888 Carl Masters Clarksville, TN $15,0679 Matthew Mueller Columbia, IL $12,915 There were dozens of tournaments scheduled throughout the year by the HPT and while most of them concluded some time ago, the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower is scheduled for November in Las Vegas. Below you can see the complete schedule of all Heartland Poker Tour events in 2014: Heartland Poker Tour Stratosphere Las Vegas, NV USAHeartland Poker Tour Ameristar Casino Vicksburg, MSHeartland Poker Tour Club One CasinoHeartland Poker Tour Daytona Beach Kennel ClubHeartland Poker Tour Thunder Valley Casino ResortHeartland Poker Tour Golden Gates CasinoHeartland Poker Tour Commerce CasinoHeartland Poker Tour Agua Caliente CasinoHeartland Poker Tour Ameristar Casino - East ChicagoHeartland Poker Tour Soaring Eagle Casino
from
via Casinoreviews

Sunday:
Wheeling High School student's artwork to be on display in U.S. Capitol for one year (Daily Herald)
Elgin computer programmer gets break, becomes Neil Diamond tribute artist in Las Vegas (Daily Herald)
DuPage spends about twice what other collar counties do on courthouse security because they use sworn sheriff's officers, whereas others use lower-paid security officers (Daily Herald)
Growth at Gary Chicago International Airport offers hope for city hurt by economic downturn (Chicago Tribune)
Activists protest outside Zion gun store located on Sheridan Road (Chicago Tribune/Lake County Sun-News)
Morton Arboretum leader, drumming up support for Arbor Day, talks about how important trees are to urbanized areas (WBBM AM 780)
Ex-boyfriend charged in murder of Merrillville woman, he and his current girlfriend charged with felony fraud for using dead woman's food-assistance benefits and selling her car (CBS 2)
Three-car accident at Arlington Heights Road and Euclid Avenue sends two people to hospital (Daily Herald)
Ground broken for Pepper Road Pathway in Lake Barrington (Daily Herald)
Race at McHenry County College brings out superheroes to benefit variety of charities (Daily Herald)
Bishop of Diocese of Gary says St. Mary of the Lake Church, once threatened with closure, to remain open (Chicago Tribune/Post-Tribune)
DuPage, Will coroners: Naperville fentanyl death forebodes potentially 'catastrophic' year (Chicago Tribune/Naperville Sun)
Monday:
Bartlett Village Board approves $53.6 million budget (Daily Herald)
Opinions split over effectiveness of slate of candidates elected to Long Grove Village Board (Daily Herald)
Indian Prairie Unit School District 204, whose three high schools have won 16 Grammy Awards, places a focus on the arts; other suburban districts have won awards since 1999 (Daily Herald)
Elgin, Barrington students aim to log 5 million minutes of physical activity in the classroom (Daily Herald)
Communities work to replace trees lost in battle with emerald ash borer (Chicago Tribune)
Palatine-based Community Consolidated School District 15 approves 10-year teachers contract (Chicago Tribune)
Drunken driver from Chicago also arrested for punching, spitting on Riverside officer (Chicago Sun-Times)
Suburban Cook County still seeing depressed house prices; Blue Island home prices down an average of 47.2 percent since housing bubble burst (Crain's Chicago Business)
Will County holds community summit about the threat heroin poses (WBBM AM 780)
Gary man released from jail after DNA evidence clears him of 1989 rape (CBS 2)
Two people sent to hospital after vehicle they were in crashed into a wall outside Libertyville Starbucks (Daily Herald)
Handful of visitors turn out for wreath-laying in honor of 45 people killed in 1946 train crash in Naperville (Daily Herald)
A first for Illinois Supreme Court: Hearing oral arguments at a school, Benedictine University in Lisle, on May 19 (Daily Herald)
Naperville woman's defense team to claim insanity in murder of son, another child (Chicago Tribune/Naperville Sun)
Alleged sex-abuse victim sues Hastert, claiming breech of contract for failing to pay in full $3.5 million promised to keep deal quiet (Chicago Tribune)
Developer plans new hotel near former Purple Hotel property in Lincolnwood while another developer struggles with finances to redevelop land (Chicago Tribune/Lincolnwood Review)
Woodstock police trying to determine who put a weeks-old puppy in a pillow case, taped it shut, then abandoned it near a busy road (Chicago Tribune)
Two men shot at Aurora gas station; police suspect shooting was gang-related (Chicago Tribune/Aurora Beacon-News)
Stone Park man shot to death in Melrose Park; case under investigation (Chicago Tribune)
Elmhurst fifth-grader recognized for saving young sister from drowning (Chicago Tribune)
Two Round Lake teens arrested for allegedly burglarizing neighbor's house, taking jewelry, alcohol and tobacco products (Chicago Tribune/Lake County Sun-News)
Shorewood man charged in late-night motorcycle accident that killed pedestrian, another biker on Illinois Route 59 (Chicago Sun-Times)
Sauk Village treasurer charged with embezzling money from village's police pension fund by issuing fraudulent checks to himself (Chicago Sun-Times)
Police investigate two separate drive-by shootings at same house in Plainfield (CBS 2)
Crete native on his way to NFL draft visits elementary school which he attended (WGN TV)
Tuesday:
Geneva School District 304 schedules forum for May 3 to discuss objections to proposed TIF district (Daily Herald)
Mundelein Village Board OKs one-year extension to firefighters' contract, $54.9 million budget (Daily Herald)
Lightning strike damages Vernon Hills townhouse building, displaces four families (Daily Herald)
Yorkville man killed in two-truck crash on I-88 near Naperville during evening rush hour (Daily Herald)
Man killed when his car is struck while stopped unexpectedly on Illinois Route 173 outside Van Patten Forest Preserve near Zion (Daily Herald)
Task force recommends Glen Ellyn Elementary School District 41 build permanent addition to Hadley Junior High (Daily Herald)
Police seek man who robbed Oswego convenience store at gunpoint on Saturday (Chicago Sun-Times)
Illinois, Indiana reach deal that will fund revamped environmental study for controversial Illiana Expressway (Crain's Chicago Business)
Oak Park police issue warning after attempted child abduction at Fox Park (ABC 7)
Two men posing as utility workers steal jewelry from Palatine home (Daily Herald)
Naperville City Council approves 39-unit apartment building near 5th Avenue Metra station (Daily Herald)
Vernon Hills-based Hawthorn Elementary District 73 formulating facilities plan as enrollment continues to grow (Daily Herald)
DuPage County Board considering raises for board members, some countywide elected officials (Daily Herald)
Board chairman announces plans to consolidate DuPage Election Commission, DuPage County Clerk's Office (Daily Herald)
Roselle man sentenced to 2 months in jail, 2 years of probation for head-butting Metra conductor (Daily Herald)
Evanston Township High School District 65 commits to change how system treats minorities (Chicago Tribune)
[Debate over whether two aldermen were in Harvey City Council meeting leaves officials wondering whether they passed ordinance giving city ability to collect property taxes](www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-harvey-levy-fight-met-20160426-story.html) (Chicago Tribune)
Owner of Evanston's Dave's Italian Kitchen close to signing lease to open new restaurant in town (Chicago Tribune/Evanston Review)
Federal Reserve Chairman speaks at Northwestern University; says reforms following Great Recession are improving things, but doesn't address whether they will prevent future financial crises (Chicago Tribune)
Teacher from Joliet elementary school competes on 'Jeopardy!' (Chicago Tribune)
I-55 crash near Bolingbrook claims life of Coal City man (Chicago Sun-Times)
Hebron man dead after his car crashes into tree (Chicago Sun-Times)
Cook County jury awards $22.7 million to widow of man killed by allegedly drugged driver on I-294 near Roosevelt Road four years ago (Chicago Sun-Times)
Springfield man, a convicted murderer, arrested for failing to register his address following tip that he was staying at PADS facilities in Kendall County (Chicago Sun-Times)
Driver, passenger taken to hospital after car they were in hit a pole, a building in Oak Lawn (Chicago Sun-Times)
DuPage County acknowledges its roll in African-American history, notably Graue Mill's participation in the Underground Railroad (WBBM AM 780)
Neighbor charged in stabbing deaths of two people in Lyons assisted-living facility, following argument over allegedly property taken by one of the victims (ABC 7)
Wednesday:
Harvard announces the sale of former Motorola plant (Chicago Tribune)
Forest View woman charged with intentionally crashing her car into ex-boyfriend's in Riverside in order to make him talk to her (Chicago Sun-Times)
FBI: West Chicago bank robbed at gunpoint (Chicago Sun-Times)
Gary teen charged with battery after hitting mother during argument (Chicago Sun-Times)
Event planner proposes banquet hall for former Cubby Bear North sports bar in Lincolnshire (Daily Herald)
Rolling Meadows City Council rejects rezoning, meaning mosque can't move to proposed location (Daily Herald)
Woodland Elementary School District 50 board fires lunch monitor accused of shoving student to floor (Daily Herald)
Some legislators wary of governor's proposal to allow private company to build lanes on Stevenson Expressway (I-55) between I-355 and I-90/94 interchanges (Crain's Chicago Business)
Three Chicago-area Congressmen pen letter to city of Chicago urging the reopening of a diagonal runway at O'Hare Airport; state Senator, leader of O'Hare watchdog group say the letter is a first step to addressing Wood Dale residents' concerns (WBBM AM 780)
Customers turn out to support owner of Schaumburg hobby store, where a burglar stole $5,000 worth of merchandise (NBC 5)
Overturned semi blocks northbound lanes of Indiana State Road 49 near Chesterton, causing backup on I-94 (ABC 7)
Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert sentenced to 15 months in prison for violating bank laws; judge calls him a 'serial child molester' for actions that led to hush-money case (Chicago Tribune)
Former Wheaton College president passes away at 89 from complications of lung cancer (Chicago Tribune)
U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton touts need for American manufacturing jobs during visit to Munster Steel plant (Chicago Tribune/Post-Tribune)
DuPage County treasurer says property owners can expect 2.52 percent increase in taxes (Daily Herald)
Metra hires architect to start on remodel of Libertyville station (Daily Herald)
New liquor-license category will allow three Aurora restaurants to reduce late-night kitchen operations while still selling alcohol (Daily Herald)
Algonquin's Founders' Days festival (July 28-31) to return to Towne Park downtown, after three years at a neighborhood park (Daily Herald)
Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police names Batavia detective Most Outstanding Officer of the Year (Daily Herald)
Arlington Heights man charged with residential burglary, unlawful videotaping after installing a video camera in neighbors' apartment (Daily Herald)
Deadline for Miss, Junior Miss and Little Miss Libertyville pageants is May 12 (Daily Herald)
Carpentersville man reels in estimated 50-inch muskie on Fox River below the Algonquin dam (WBBM AM 780)
Calumet Park man shot in chest, dies at the corner of 125th and South Paulina in Calumet City (Chicago Sun-Times)
Ex-Addison, ex-Elk Grove Village police officer, now living in Ohio, charged with wife's shooting death (Chicago Sun-Times)
LaSalle County man wanted in Kendall County for disorderly conduct, retail theft, failure to appear in court arrested in San Diego, Calif. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Johnsburg couple's plan to renew their vows in Las Vegas hits turbulence; calling a purported Spirit Airlines representative, not the carrier itself, and rebooking flight costs them $840 (NBC 5)
Thursday:
Hampshire resident opens specialty grocery store in East Dundee (Daily Herald)
Tensions between Rolling Meadows police officers, former chief appear to be behind his earlier-than-planned retirement (Daily Herald)
Students from Youth Leadership Academy urge Elgin to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day (Daily Herald)
Evanston, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian team up to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day on the city's calendar (Chicago Tribune/Evanston Review)
Richton Park couple to appear on Spike TV's 'Life or Debt' show on Sunday (Chicago Tribune)
State administrative appeals judge finds that former College of DuPage controller didn't engage in misconduct or intentionally violate school policy (Chicago Tribune)
Police: Evanston Township High School student brought unloaded semi-automatic gun to school (Chicago Tribune)
Elgin man arrested for robbing a person at knifepoint in Elgin, using stolen credit card (Chicago Sun-Times)
Cicero minister sentenced to 5 years in prison for bilking federal program for child care out of $900,000 (Chicago Sun-Times)
Lake Bluff-based Abbott Labs acquires St. Jude Medical Inc. for $25 million (Crain's Chicago Business)
Sons of Union Veterans to install markers on Civil War graves in Oswego cemetery; dedication scheduled for May 7 (WBBM AM 780)
Man found dead inside bathroom at North Riverside Kohl's store (WGN TV)
Learn how to create an edible forest garden on May 7 at Resiliency Institute in Naperville (Daily Herald)
Glen Ellyn Village Board approves bringing back Intelligentsia Cup cycling race (Daily Herald)
Round Lake church volunteer sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual abuse of teen boy (Daily Herald)
Disbarred Naperville attorney given nearly 5-year sentence, has to pay $240,000 for her part in mortgage scheme that cost lenders, homeowners $725,000 (Daily Herald)
Former Cubs, Sox players — including Ozzie Guillen — to participate in charity softball game on Sept. 10 at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg (Daily Herald)
Man sent to prison for 20 years after abusing boys at Mooseheart School fighting state's attempt to have him committed indefinitely as sexually dangerous person (Daily Herald)
Allegations made of Evanston Township High School staff stealing from students' lockers; video surfaces online (Chicago Tribune/Evanston Review)
Body found down embankment at Cline and 5th avenues in Gary ID'd as that of uncle of murdered Burbank man; uncle was shot to death (Chicago Tribune/Post-Tribune)
Lincoln-Way High School District 210 releases capital-projects list, enumerating $4.65 million in work that needs to be done (Chicago Tribune/Daily Southtown)
Naperville residents demand changing name of 'Hassert Boulevard,' mistaking street's appellation for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert; Bolingbrook posts explanation on its website differentiating names (Chicago Tribune/Naperville Sun)
Crystal Lake man arrested for providing morphine pills to woman who died of an overdose in March (Chicago Sun-Times)
Woman reports attempted kidnapping after man helped change a car tire in the parking lot at Home Depot on Randall Road in South Elgin (Chicago Sun-Times)
Judge approves sale of Ameristar Casino in East Chicago to trust, which will lease the building back to owner's subsidiary (Times of Northwest Indiana)
Rest of litter related to puppy found inside taped-up pillow case turned over to Gilberts animal-rescue center (WBBM AM 780)
Wood Dale Bank and Trust robbed (CBS 2)
Driver, two students from Homer Glen school bus taken to hospital following accident in which a car pulled out in front of the bus in Lockport; driver, passenger in car also hospitalized (CBS 2)
Illinois attorney general calls to eliminate statute of limitations on felony sexual assaults and sex crimes against children (NBC 5)
Major construction projects in Indiana include Interstate 94 from Illinois to Michigan; state police plan extra patrols for work zones and won't issue warnings (WGN TV)
Friday:
Police/fire pensions eat into Mount Prospect's budget surplus, prompting the village to examine proposed tax increase (Daily Herald)
Glenbard High School District 87, Glen Ellyn police investigate threat made against Glenbard West on social media, despite it being declared 'unfounded' (Daily Herald)
West Chicago Community High School basketball player a finalist for U.S. Army and Pro Football Hall of Fame's award of excellence (Daily Herald)
Des Plaines Elementary School District 62 expecting loss of 250 students over the next eight years, then enrollment expected to stabilize (Daily Herald)
18-year-old Naperville man already facing charges of battery and misuse of a weapon now accused of sexual abuse of a teenage girl (Chicago Tribune/Naperville Sun)
Two youth-home workers in Lake Villa indicted in 'choke-hold' death of boy (Chicago Tribune/Lake County News-Sun)
Zion man charged with robbing Northbrook store at knifepoint while he was wearing women's clothing (Chicago Sun-Times)
Switching delays cause delays on four Metra lines on Friday morning (Chicago Sun-Times)
Arlington Heights Elementary School District 25 begins planning for Thomas Middle School addition (Daily Herald)
Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit and Sponge to appear on stage at Naperville's Last Fling as part of Summerland Tour (Daily Herald)
Village sets up Go Gurnee campaign to encourage residents to walk 30 minutes a day during May (Daily Herald)
Zion police arrest four people for beating a man and two women, shooting a woman in Wadsworth (Daily Herald)
Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 policy group recommends against creating written regarding transgender students' bathroom acesss (Daily Herald)
Coombs Road bridge north of Elgin to remain closed as result of 'age-related damage' (Daily Herald)
Lake County state's attorney says no charges will be filed against Zion police officer in shooting of mentally-ill man (Chicago Tribune/Lake County News-Sun)
Former Wheaton College student pleas guilty to secretly videotaping three coeds in college-owned apartment (Chicago Tribune)
Man robs Ben Franklin Bank branch in Arlington Heights (Chicago Sun-Times)
La Crosse, Ind., man dies after being shot in Chicago Heights (Chicago Sun-Times)
Yorkville man charged with stealing credit cards from Plano YMCA locker last year (Chicago Sun-Times)
Saturday:
Cook County clerk to let stand disputed Harvey vote on property-tax ordinance (Chicago Tribune)
Arlington International Racecourse, Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association reach deal, just days before facility set to reopen for season (Chicago Tribune/Arlington Heights Post)
Former Barrington High School football player, college student from Elgin cast on MTV matchmaking series (Chicago Tribune)
Operator of Downers Grove charity charged with falsely reporting that a woman did community service, accepted $300 in exchange (Chicago Sun-Times)
Preservationist questions Lake County Forest Preserve District's plan to move Discovery Museum from Wauconda to Libertyville (Daily Herald)
Ivy Hill Elementary School in Arlington Heights celebrates 50th anniversary (Daily Herald)
GrubHub has expanded service to Evanston, Northbrook, Park Ridge and Skokie; plans to add Naperville and Schaumburg in coming week (Crain's Chicago Business)
1,216-student Calumet City School District 155 paying superintendent $413,219 annually (CBS 2)
Elderly driver makes turn, crashes into a bakery and a salon in Bridgeview, then drives off; he later turned himself into police (CBS 2)
Former Roman Catholic priest who once served in Naperville found guilty of sexual abuse of students while he taught at a Michigan high school (Chicago Tribune/Naperville Sun)
Former Bear Desmond Clark claims Vernon Hills school has 'racist culture' (Chicago Tribune/Lake County News-Sun)
Couple from unincorporated Homer Township (Will County) dead in apparent murder-suicide (Chicago Tribune/Daily Southtown)
Huntley police searching for man who held up a 7-Eleven with a handgun (Daily Herald)
Elgin teen facing felony residential burglary charge for entering a house by tearing open a window screen (Daily Herald)
Des Plaines man struck, killed by semi truck after getting out of his car, which had been involved in a multi-vehicle crash (Daily Herald)
Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department rescues ducklings from storm drain (Daily Herald)

There's a TD;LR at the end.
So while I was visiting family in Missouri for Christmas we had a "girls day" where we went bra shopping in St.Louis (and finished up the day by stopping in at the Ameristar casino and playing slots. If you go there I highly recommend eating at their sports bar and ordering the ruben potato skins). We visited three great stores and I'd definitely recommend any one of them, and since they're so close to each other (especially claire de lune and Sugar Magnolia which are literally 15 minutes away from eachother) you really should visit all 3!! Unfortunately because my family lives a few hours outside of st.Louis we didn't really have a ton of time to spend so we skipped getting fitted at all of the locations, but I know for certain that Claire de Lune has an employee that subscribes to ABTF and that Sugar Magnolia doesn't add inches to the band size.
Our first stop was Ann's Bra Shop in Wentzville. I didn't know much about this store before visiting except for the fact that my grandmother (who doesn't wear bras that fit) said it was great and their billboards made it seem like they were geared more towards masectomy stuff and swimsiuts, so I wasn't getting my hopes up and was expecting lots of granny bras. Fortunately, it was WAY better than what I was expecting. There did seem to be a lot of "nude" white and black bras but there was definitely a good selection of colorful bras too. At this store I spent the majority of the time helping my mom, who not only has a beast shape that is extremely difficult to fit, but also HATES bra shopping, so I didn't get to look around as much as I would have liked, but I did notice that they had a very impressive size range. They had 28 bands and up to 46 at least, but I'm 99% certain they also had band sizes in the 50s, I just wasn't really looking for them. When I was helping my mom I think I saw some K cups (this was in the 34/36 band size range). It's a very large store, probably the biggest lingerie/bra shop I've ever seen, including places like Victorias secret. It was very open and bright, and everything they had was on display, not hidden in the back or in drawers. I think half of the store might have been dedicated to swimsuits, even now that it's the middle of winter, but I didn't get a chance to look through that half of the store so I'm not sure if it really was all swimsuits or what types/brands they carry. They have discount racks with some really great deals too, I ended up with a Cleo Marcie in red for $30. The staff was very friendly and while I didn't talk to them much myself they had a conversation with my aunt about how mainstream stores use incorrect measuring methods to get more people into their bras. Ann's Bra Shop also has other locations in chesterfield, Missouri and o'Fallon, Illinois. Website: http://www.brashop.com/default.aspx
Our second stop was claire de lune. This store was more focused on luxury/sexy items, though they did have a selection of basic bras in drawers next to the fitting rooms. The selection was much smaller than at the other two stores, but they sill had a wide range of sizes, I know my mom tried on a 34J there. They had some 28 bands but there wasn't really much near my cup size, they had more for me to try on in 30 bands. Now, while I did like claire de lune a lot, it was still 5x better than any lingerie stores close to me, there were two major things that I didn't like about this store. The first was that they keep their moulded cup bras folded in half with one cup folded into the other. I know some people choose to store their bras this way and that's their decision, but it ruins the integrity of the cups, giving it wrinkles and shortening it's lifespan. A store should not do that to its products, I will NOT buy a bra that has already been damaged before I've even worn it (especially for the prices they are asking). The other major problem was that the owner thinks the double lettered cup sizes in UK brands are half-sizes, so she doesn't carry them. This was really, really frustrating for me because while I can sometimes wear an F cup in 30 bands I usually need a FF, and because we found a bra for my mom that was actually really close to fitting, but the 34J was slightly too big and the 34H slightly too small. I would have loved to have had her try it on in an HH but she was tired of trying on bras and settled for the H even though it gave her quadboob because it was the closest she had gotten to having a bra that fit in over a year (my mom and I live on opposite ends of the US, if I was closer to her she'd have better bras but as it is I get one day a year to help her shop). I'd still recommend stopping by the store, they've got some beautiful stuff, the owner was friendly, and one of her employees (who unfortunately wasn't there when I visited) is an ABTF member. I'm hoping she will change her boss's mind about the double letter cups and folding the moulded bras inside out and that I'll have an even better experience next year when I get to visit again. They also have a location in Kansas City, website: http://www.clairdelunekc.com
Our third stop was sugar magnolia, and it was by far my favorite. The store is teeny-tiny but she has a crazy number of bras in the back, with sizes 28-50 AA-N. She offered to let me look through the back room myself but I just had her bring me everything she had in my size range. I must have tried on at least 20 different bras in the 28-30 F-G range, I was in HEAVEN. I've never ever had so many different bras to choose from in my size range before, and the owner apologized saying she was low on stock and usually had MORE. They had some basic bras but the store focused more on the colorful fun options. Most, if not all, of what I tried on were either curvy Kate or Freya. I also liked the shop more than the other two because it felt more fun and youthful, as a 21 (almost 22) year old I felt really comfortable there. It was cozy and cute and the owner was really cool. I bought a really beautiful silk eye mask (I was sharing a room w/my little sister who needs a really bright night light to sleep still, it was the best idea EVER) and a curvy Kate love struck plunge. Website: http://www.sugar-magnolia.com
TL;DR: Ann's Bra Shop has a great selection and very large size range, bright and open store with all the bras displayed on racks so you can get them yourself, I'd go there for every day stuff. Claire de Lune also has a large size range but smaller selection, they think double letters are half sizes so they don't carry them. They have some very beautiful bras though, I'd go there for luxury/sexy lingerie. Sugar Magnolia has the most impressive selection of bras I've ever seen in my life, and I'd go there for fun/youthful bras. Eat the ruben potato skins at the Ameristar sports bar.

LEBANON, Tenn., Friday, July 20, 2001 - Greg Ray returned to his usual strong qualifying form, edging Indy Racing Northern Light Series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. to win the MBNA Pole for the Harrah's Indy 200 with a lap of 199.922 mph July 20 at Nashville Superspeedway.
It was the fourth MBNA Pole of the season for Ray in the No. 2 Johns Manville/Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone and the 13th of his Indy Racing career, extending his series record. He qualified an uncharacteristic 10th at the last Indy Racing event, the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 on July 8 at Kansas Speedway. Ray has 22 front-row starts during his Indy Racing career.
Ray was one of five drivers to break the 200-mph barrier in the final practice this afternoon on the 1.33-mile concrete oval, but light rain that delayed the start of qualifying by 40 minutes changed conditions.
"The track didn't have quite the same grip," Ray said. "The air's a little muggier. We never got to top gear. We had a pretty good lap there at the end, but we could never get up to top gear.
"We thought we could do exactly what we did in practice if not a little better. The rain definitely changed things for us."
Hornish was second at 199.750 in the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone, tying his career-best starting spot. Hornish led the afternoon practice at 201.037.
The Harrah's Indy 200 starts at 7 p.m. (CDT) Saturday. The race is sold out and will be televised live on ESPN.
Mark Dismore qualified third at 199.239 in the No. 28T Delphi Automotive Systems/Bryant Heating & Cooling Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Billy Boat was a season-best fourth at 199.175 in the No. 98T CURB Records Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. In fact, it was Boat's best start since winning the pole in July 1999 at Atlanta.
Eddie Cheever Jr. rounded out the top five at 199.100 in the #51 Cheever Indy Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone.
Defending series champion Buddy Lazier was sixth at 198.681 in the No. 91 Tae-Bo/Coors Light/Delta Faucet Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Lazier is second in the Northern Light Cup standings, 60 points behind Hornish.
Qualifying produced a tight field, as 14 drivers were within a half second of Ray.
Full race video
DETROIT--Michigan International Speedway, which has played host to two of the three closest finishes in Champ Car history during the past two years, will be primed for another this weekend as the FedEx Championship Series returns for the Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota (1:30 p.m. ET, live, ABC-TV).
The two-mile oval located in the Irish Hills of southeast Michigan has hosted some storied Champ Car events of late, beginning with Tony Kanaan's 0.032-second victory over Juan Montoya in 1999, which stands as the second-closest finish in Champ Car history. Kanaan had inherited the lead two turns from the checkered flag when Max Papis of Team Rahal, who had led a race-high 143 laps, ran out of fuel.
Montoya was again a principal in last year's FedEx Championship Series event at Michigan, as he and Michael Andretti waged a dazzling wheel-to-wheel duel over the final 20 laps before Montoya nudged ahead for a 0.040-second victory at the checkered flag. The race featured a whopping 52 lead changes at the start/finish line--third in CART history--and an unofficial 162 on the race track overall, and Montoya's margin of victory stands as the third-closest in Champ Car history.
As the series prepares for its final visit to Michigan, Andretti (Motorola Honda/Reynard) arrives looking to reverse last year's outcome. He claimed his record-41st CART victory in spectacular last-to-first fashion on the streets of Toronto last week, a triumph that moved him from sixth into second place in the FedEx Championship Series championship. With 73 points, Andretti trails championship leader Kenny Brack (84 points) of Team Rahal by 11 as the season approaches its midway point.
Andretti is a two-time winner at Michigan Speedway (1987, '89) and has led 705 laps in 20 career starts at the venue. He is one of four former Michigan winners in the field this weekend, and the only one among the top five contenders for the FedEx Championship Series championship.
Brack (Shell Ford-Cosworth/Lola) has built his championship lead on a pair of victories at Japan and Milwaukee--the first two of his FedEx Championship Series career--and a consistent record of finish that has seen him score championship points in seven of nine completed events this season. He leads the series in points scored on ovals, with 59, and has also collected 330 of his series-leading 359 laps led on oval circuits.
Brack qualified 10th and finished 22nd due to contact in his inaugural appearance at Michigan International Speedway as a rookie last year.
Andretti's victory at Toronto extended a run that has seen him finish among the top eight drivers in four of his past five starts, including a podium result of second at Milwaukee. Of the other three former Michigan winners in this year's field, two are currently driving for Mo Nunn Racing: Kanaan (Hollywood Honda/Reynard), whose 1999 Michigan victory came as a member of McDonald's Championship Racing; and Alex Zanardi (Pioneer Honda/Reynard), who won at Michigan in 1997 en route to his first of two consecutive FedEx Championship Series championships for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.
The other former Michigan winner in this weekend's field is Jimmy Vasser (Patrick Racing Toyota/Reynard) of Patrick Racing, who won The Inaugural U.S. 500 in 1996.
The weekend's entry list also includes one driver who already has a 500-mile victory to his credit this season, reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Honda/Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske. Castroneves stands third to Brack and Andretti in the FedEx Championship Series championship, with 70 points.
Rounding out the top five drivers in the championship chase are Dario Franchitti (KOOL Honda/Reynard) of Team KOOL Green, fourth with 65 points, and defending FedEx Championship Series champion Gil de Ferran (Marlboro Honda/Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske, fifth with 58. Franchitti recorded a podium finish of third to Montoya and Andretti at Michigan last year, while de Ferran was runner-up to his Marlboro Team Penske teammate Castroneves at this year's Indianapolis 500 in May.
All FedEx Championship Series entries ride on Firestone Tires, the Official Tire of CART.
The Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota is Round 11 of 21 in the 2001 FedEx Championship Series. The series visits seven countries and four continents during the season and climaxes with the season-ending Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota on Sunday, Nov. 4, at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Thanks to a partnership between Marlboro, Toyota, CART and California Speedway, the winner of the season finale will collect $1 million, one of the richest paydays in all of motorsports. An additional $1 million, as well as the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup, will be awarded to the driver who wins the FedEx Championship Series championship.
Following the Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota, the FedEx Championship Series completes a run of six events in seven weeks with Round 12, the Target Grand Prix Presented by Energizer, July 27-29 at Chicago Motor Speedway in Cicero, Ill.
WHO'S HOT
• Michael Andretti (Motorola Honda/Reynard) of Team Motorola has finished eighth or better in four of his past five FedEx Championship Series starts, dating to a runner-up finish at Milwaukee and including a victory last weekend at Toronto. The run also includes finishes of fourth at Detroit and eighth at Portland, and has moved Andretti into second place in the FedEx Championship Series championship with 73 points, 11 behind championship leader Kenny Brack (Shell Ford-Cosworth/Lola) of Team Rahal, who leads with 84 points. Andretti's victory last Sunday was the 41st of his career, tops on CART's all-time list and gave him at least one win in 14 different seasons--also a CART record--including the past eight in a row.
• FedEx Championship Series championship leader Kenny Brack of Team Rahal has scored championship points in six of his past seven starts, dating to a runner-up result at Nazareth and including back-to-back victories at Japan and Milwaukee, the first of his FedEx Championship Series career. He also finished ninth at Detroit, 11th at Portland and sixth at Cleveland and enters this weekend's Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota as the FedEx Championship Series championship leader, with 84 points. Brack has also qualified third or better in six of 10 qualifying performances this season, with poles at Mexico, Texas and Milwaukee and outside poles at Long Beach and Nazareth.
• Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart Toyota/Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing finished 12th at Toronto to extend a run that has seen him score championship points in six of his past seven starts, dating to a fifth-place finish at Nazareth. He also finished fourth at Japan, fifth at Detroit, third at Portland and 11th at Cleveland. Fittipaldi has improved from 22nd when the run began to ninth in the FedEx Championship Series championship, with 49 points.
• Max Papis (Miller Lite Ford-Cosworth/Lola) of Team Rahal owns points-paying finishes in five of his past six FedEx Championship Series starts, including a victory from the pole at Portland. The run also includes finishes of sixth at Japan, eighth at Milwaukee and Toronto and 11th at Detroit. He stands 11th in the FedEx Championship Series championship, with 43 points.
• Roberto Moreno (Visteon Toyota/Reynard) of Patrick Racing has collected championship points with seven of his past eight FedEx Championship Series finishes, including podium results of second at Detroit and third at Portland. The run also includes finishes of eighth at Cleveland, 10th at Japan, 11th at Long Beach and Toronto and 12th at Nazareth. Moreno stands 12th in the FedEx Championship Series championship with 43 points.
• Mauricio Gugelmin (Nextel PacWest Toyota/Reynard) of the PacWest Racing Group has scored championship points in five of his past six FedEx Championship Series starts. He comes to this weekend's Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota off a season-best finish of seventh at Toronto last weekend. Gugelmin's current run also includes finishes of 10th at Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland and 12th at Japan. He also owns a pole position at Cleveland, his first since establishing a world closed-course speed record of 240.941 miles per hour in the 1997 season finale at California Speedway. Gugelmin stands 20th in the FedEx Championship Series championship, with 17 points.
• Alex Tagliani (Player's/Indeck Ford-Cosworth/Reynard) of Player's Forsythe Racing finished second to Michael Andretti at Toronto, the best result of his two-year FedEx Championship Series career. He has scored championship points in three of four of his past five FedEx Championship Series starts, dating to a 12th-place effort at Milwaukee and including finishes of 12th at Portland and ninth at Cleveland.
Full race video (240p)
Playlist of full race in 15 chunks (480p)
Entry, spotter's guide, practice, qualifying and race results
Articles, notes and press releases
What the hell is this?
In the long off-season we're rewatching the 2001 CART and IRL seasons, in chronological order. This is round 11 of the CART series and round 9 of the IRL, and you can discuss the races below. Enjoy!

Clash Of The Team Titans To Resume At Kansas Speedway
KANSAS CITY, Kan., Monday, July 2, 2001 - The battle for the 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series championship is beginning to have a sense of déjà vu.
Defending champion Buddy Lazier has driven his No. 91 Tae-Bo/Coors Light/Delta Faucet Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone to victory in the last two races to pull into second place in the Northern Light Cup standings with 219 points, 50 behind leader Sam Hornish Jr. in the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.
It's looking more and more like a battle for supremacy between Lazier's Hemelgarn Racing and Hornish's Panther Racing. Last year, Lazier held off Panther's Scott Goodyear by 18 points to win the series championship.
This dramatic showdown between two of the top teams in Indy Racing will continue in new surroundings, as the Indy Racing Northern Light Series comes to the new Kansas Speedway for the first time for the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 at noon (CDT) on July 8. The atmosphere will be charged, for two reasons.
First, the race is sold out, as more than 75,000 fans will fill the stands around the state-of-the-art, 1.5-mile oval to see wheel-to-wheel racing at speeds faster than 210 mph.
Second, the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 is the fourth race in five weeks, the busiest span in series history. Teams and drivers know this is a crucial stretch on the road to the Northern Light Cup. And not surprisingly, the hottest drivers during the last five weeks have been Lazier and Hornish.
Lazier, from Vail, Colo., has two victories and a fourth-place finish in the last three races, helping him climb from seventh to second in the point standings. He will try to become just the second driver in series history to win three consecutive races at this event. Kenny Brack won three straight en route to the series title in 1998.
"This team is really picking up a lot of momentum as the dog days of the championship and of the summer roll in," Lazier said after winning June 30 at Richmond, Va. "We just keep picking up momentum."
It also doesn't hurt that many drivers who have tested at Kansas Speedway compare it to the 1.5-mile oval at Kentucky Speedway. Lazier won the inaugural Indy Racing event last August at Kentucky.
Hornish, from Defiance, Ohio, has finished second in both of the races won by Lazier and added a third-place finish in his last three races. He opened the season - his first with Panther Racing - with two consecutive victories to take the points lead and has never relinquished it. His 50-point margin over Lazier amounts to nearly a one-race lead, as a driver can score a maximum of 52 points at an event.
Still, Hornish knows that someone must stop Lazier and Hemelgarn Racing, who appear to be entering the same summer groove that helped them record five top-seven finishes in the last six races of 2000 to win the championship.
"Somebody other than Buddy's got to win," Hornish said after finishing second to Lazier at Richmond. "He's getting too close there."
Hornish should get plenty of help in stopping Lazier. There are plenty of other drivers and teams capable of the task, starting with a member of Lazier's family.
Jaques Lazier, Buddy's younger brother, won the MBNA Pole at Richmond in his first race with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Jaques Lazier could be a threat for his first career victory at Kansas in the No. 99 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Racing Special Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.
The Galles Racing duo of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. and rookie Didier Andre also could contend for the win. The team produced its best effort of the season at Richmond as Unser and Andre finished third and fourth, respectively, in the No. 3 Galles Racing Starz SuperPak G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone and the No. 32 Galles Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone.
While Galles Racing is based in Albuquerque, N.M., the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 will be a sort of homecoming for the team. Team owner Rick Galles, his wife, and two of their children graduated from the University of Kansas in nearby Lawrence.
Scott Sharp and Robbie Buhl also are prime contenders for victory at Kansas. Both have shown consistent form lately.
Sharp has finished first, eighth and fifth in his last three starts, respectively, in the No. 8 Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone and is third in the Northern Light Cup standings with 201 points.
Buhl has finished third and ninth in his last two respective starts in the Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force/Infiniti/Firestone.
Sarah Fisher is another driver to watch at Kansas. She qualified a career-best second at Richmond and finished third last August at Kentucky, a 1.5-mile oval with banking in the turns nearly identical to Kansas Speedway.
KANSAS CITY, Kan., Saturday, July 7, 2001 - On one of the most torrid days in Indy Racing League history, Scott Sharp won the MBNA Pole for the Ameristar Casino Indy 200 on July 7 with a lap of 25.3128 seconds, 216.175 mph.
It was the second pole of the season for Sharp in the No. 8 Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Sharp also started from the pole this year at the Indianapolis 500.
Eddie Cheever Jr., leader of the first three practices of the event, was second at 25.3234, 216.085 in the #51 Cheever Indy Racing Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone. It was the second closest qualifying margin by time in Indy Racing League history.
"I was surprised we ran as fast as we did," Sharp said. "I felt that Eddie and his package had a mile and hour on us. We weren't sure where the balance would be. We guessed perfect."
Said Cheever: "The Infiniti engine is strong, and we had a good balance. We were a little bit slower than we thought we were going to be. We hit the rev limiter going into Turn 2, which might have cost us a little bit."
Eliseo Salazar was third at 215.197 in the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing/Harrah's Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone, with Robbie Buhl fourth at 214.951 in the No. 24 Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force/Infiniti/Firestone.
Every driver was forced to cope with an air temperature that reached 100 degrees at the start of qualifying and a track temperature of 143 degrees.
The 200-lap, 300-mile race - the first for the Indy Racing Northern Light Series on the new 1.5-mile oval - starts at 1 p.m. (EDT) July 8 and is televised live on ABC.
"There are very few Boy Scouts in the first 10 cars, so you can expect an exciting race," Cheever said. "I can guarantee you that there will be an argument after the race."
1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Cheever was fastest Friday at 216.973 and tops in practice this morning at 216.627, appearing to be headed for his first career pole and the first Indy Racing League pole for an Infiniti-powered car.
But Sharp's team, led by chief mechanic Robert Perez, made adjustments before qualifying to generate more speed after turning a fast lap of 215.476 during practice this morning. The moves worked.
Sharp, the 10th driver to make a qualifying attempt, served notice immediately that he would be fast. Sharp's first lap on the clock was 215.496 - nearly 3 mph faster than the provisional pole - and he gained even more speed on his second and final lap.
Indy Racing Northern Light Series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. was fifth at 213.226. Defending series champion Buddy Lazier, winner of the last two races, was 12th at 212.008 in the No. 91 Tae-Bo/Coors Light/Delta Faucet Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone.
Full race video
What the hell is this?
In the long off-season we're rewatching the 2001 CART and IRL seasons, in chronological order. This is round 8 of the IRL, and you can discuss the race below. Enjoy!

I have in-laws from Philly that straggle out here from time to time and I've become a bit of a tour guide in that time. If you're staying overnight and have a little coin in your pocket you can get a lot done in a couple days out here. There's fine dining, comedy clubs, dance clubs and night life. There's two of everything I can think of out here and they're usually right next to each other so getting to and from them isn't much trouble. Do any or all of the following. This would be the best way to spend two days and a night here without spending all day in the car if you ask me.
Lets say you get into town Saturday mid day. First, head down to Historic Old Westport and have lunch and coffee. Westport is a place best enjoyed in daylight in my opinion so save your night life for stuff to come later on my list here. It's a nice place to spend an afternoon. Try McCoys Public House for lunch and enjoy a reasonably priced meal and a micro brew beer. Don't let West Port suck you in too much because there's more to do.
When the sun goes down head over the hill from Westport to the Plaza. They just turned the lights on this week and it's worth a look. They have horse carriage rides for like $40 and I'm sure your girl will enjoy that. There's fine dining and shopping in the area but it's hardly the cheapest place to do any of that. Definitely the nicest, but not the cheapest for food/drinks/lodging. This might be a better place for ice cream and another cup of coffee and a carriage ride and then head out. If you don't mind paying about $150 for both of you for a full dinner then I like Houstons. Have the prime rib and let her try the fish. Very nice place.
After dinner hit the Power and Light district for a little night life. It's worth the cab ride a few miles north, but all these areas are very close together. They have a huge heated out door area with dancing and a huge projection screen playing whatever big game ect. is on. Every bar theme imaginable is represented somewhere in this multi leveled, conveniently designed, modern strip of bars, clubs, and restaurants. This place is everything from a huge indoooutdoor night club, country bars, sports bars, dance club, and my favorite is the local jazz/blues music. If you're done with the crowd go get a martini at a piano bar like Howl at the Moon. KC actually has a great Jazz scene and you can see some pretty authentic stuff down town if you try.
Call it a night and book a room at a Casino. 10 miles North of the Plaza area is Ameristar Casino. Try your luck for a few hours on the tables and slots and get a reasonably priced hotel room with plenty built in if you're not done with the restaurant/babeedance/music yet. Book early and you wont' have trouble getting a room for $100 or so.
Game day will be eaten up by the game of course. I would recommend you don't sleep on this too much and get going early. Arrowhead is only about 10 miles South of Ameristar but you need to get BBQ first. Odds are as an out of towner you're not going out there with tailgating equipment like portable grills ect so stop at Gates BBQ in Independence (there are multiple locations but this is close to your hotel on 10440 East 40 Highway Independence, MO 64055) They open at 10:00 or so and pick up a slab of ribs and a couple pounds of some spicy sausage or brisket or both for sandwiches and some beans and potato salad. Get your red on and just bring a folding table and a couple of chairs and a football to toss around the parking lot and tune your radio to 101.1 FM for pre-game. About noon should be the gate opening for a 3:25 kick off game and you'll want to be well on your way there by then because traffic gets clogged quick. If you really want to have a good time tailgating just bring a case of beer and start handing out to passer byes who are out for a good time themselves. Don't be shy, you will be welcome with any of them. Head to your seats with an hour to kill so you can tour the stadium a bit. Stop for your beer and popcorn before you get to your seats because the walk around vendors are kind of rare out there as compared to most stadiums. The game is going to take care of itself and should take up most of your afternoon/evening. After the game have a walk about the stadium and enjoy some of the displays in there as well. Traffic out of the stadium is worse than traffic in so 30 minutes spent touring Arrowhead is better spent then 30 minutes trying to get out of the parking lot.
If you're not just done for the day at this point and don't need to be on a plane or whatever, 10 miles west of the stadium is the Crown Center area. Warm up after the game over burgers and sodas at Fritz's Rail Road restaurant where food comes by model train to your table and then go ice skating and visit the mayors Christmas tree after sun down. Shop/eat/drink/music ect. That's about the best 20-30 hours I could dream up for a KC winter and nothing is more then about 15 miles from the last thing so you're not driving all day. Enjoy.