EDUCATION SOUGHT FOR HATE OFFENDERS

ILLINOIS SENATE PASSES SILVERSTEIN'S BILL 1708

SPECIAL TO THE CHICAGO JEWISH STAR

An Illinois Senate bill that would require those convicted of religious hate crimes to enroll in an educational course to prevent …

French market authority approves long-delayed GDF-Suez merger

French stock market authorities have given final approval to a long-delayed merger between Gaz de France and Suez, the companies said Monday.

The deal _ which would create one of Europe's biggest energy companies _ next goes to shareholders of GDF and Suez, who vote separately July 16 on the merger terms.

If approved, the merger would take effect with a combined stock market listing on July 22, the Paris-based companies said in a joint statement. The new company would be called GDF Suez.

"All prerequisites to the shareholder vote on the two companies' merger have now been fulfilled," the statement said.

The merger idea was …

Dreaded bighead carp found in Rock River The 'bad, bad fish' is known to hurt habitat

ROCKFORD, Ill. -- An Asian bighead carp -- an invasive speciesthat can compete with native fish and hurt habitat -- has been caughtin the Rock River, according to the Illinois Department of NaturalResources.

Dan Sallee, a DNR spokesman, said Monday it is the first time thespecies has been found in the waterway before it feeds into theMississippi River. The 285-mile Rock River begins in several lakes insoutheastern Wisconsin and flows south into the Mississippi Riverbelow Rock Island.

"I don't want to see new water contaminated with this bad, badfish," Sallee told the Rockford Register Star.

A fisherman caught the carp on …

Business people teach Rotarians a few tricks

The terms "service club" and "business practices" were not always synonymous.

However, in response to the changing world of work and volunteers' time, the Rotary Club of Harrisburg changed its standard operating procedures about two years ago to devise and follow a common business practice.

Past President Marcia Breinich and rotarians Bob Hanson and Joe Sutliff introduced the strategic planning process as a way to update the club's operations.

"We took a proven business tool, the strategic plan, and applied it to our service club," says rotarian Bob Saline. "The results are making us proud."

President Janice Black said, "Since we went through the strategic …

Zurich makes progress on football stadium project

ZURICH (AP) — Zurich has moved closer to getting the new football stadium that was originally promised for the 2008 European Championship.

The canton (state) of Zurich says it will invest 8 million Swiss francs ($8.5 million) in a 19,000-capacity venue to be shared by city rivals FC Zurich and Grasshoppers.

The 150 million Swiss francs ($160 million) project on the site of …

Canadian man gets 12 months for Oasis attack

A Canadian man who attacked Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher on a Toronto concert stage has been sentenced to 12 months house arrest.

Daniel Sullivan ran on stage and pushed Gallagher from behind during the Virgin Music Festival in September 2008.

Gallagher suffered three broken ribs and Oasis was forced to cancel later concerts in Paris and New York.

The conditional house arrest …

FBI clerk began her work in Hoover era; Worker saluted for five decades with bureau here

When Paula Hilton started with the FBI, Dwight D. Eisenhower waspresident, J. Edgar Hoover was the agency's director and her annualsalary was a whopping $2,960.

Five decades later, Hilton, 69, is still doing clerical work forthe Chicago's FBI office.

On Monday, she was recognized for her 50 years of service -- thelongest ever in Chicago. She's believed to be the second longest-serving worker nationally still employed with the FBI and the fourthlongest ever, Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said.

ON DUTY FOR '68 CONVENTION

"It was really a great experience," she said. "I think you haveto like what you're doing. It's important you like who …