Latest news with #Nadel
Chicago Tribune
12 hours ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
EPA holds hearing on fate of contaminated Waukegan site
Citing concerns of asbestos-contaminated material surfacing adjacent to the infamous Johns Manville site due to a freeze and thaw cycle, the EPA held a public meeting in Waukegan on Wednesday sharing proposals to best monitor and clean the 1-acre area. A few dozen residents and local officials gathered at Waukegan City Hall for the presentation by David Nadel, remedial project manager with the EPA. A public comment period on the proposed plan will run until June 27. The Johns Manville site, about 350 acres sitting along Lake Michigan, was once home to a manufacturing facility that contaminated the area with asbestos. Johns-Manville ceased operations on the site in 1998, according to the EPA, and its former manufacturing buildings were demolished in 2000 and 2001. Today, it's one of five Superfund sites in Waukegan, areas that the federal government recognizes as especially hazardous and manages cleanup efforts. The area discussed on Wednesday is a relatively small, roughly 1-acre section that is within the Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, known as Operable Unit 6, or OU6. Representatives of the EPA emphasized during the meeting that the areas in question are not readily accessible to residents, and area neighborhoods are not at risk of exposure. Material contaminated with asbestos was discovered and removed from a road in OU6 in 1998, but more fragments were found the following year. The freeze and thaw cycle of the area was causing the contaminated material to come to the surface, Nadel said. This is especially dangerous because weathering can cause the asbestos to become more 'friable,' he said, meaning it can be more easily broken down and spread. Two potential action plans were presented. The first, estimated to cost $554,000, consisted of 'periodic manual removal' of asbestos contamination and disposal at an approved facility. This would also include visual monitoring, maintaining existing access restrictions, land-use control and maintaining existing fencing at the property line. However, that option doesn't 'provide adequate warning to authorized users or trespassers' of the hazards, according to Nadel, and lacks measures to evaluate effectiveness beyond visual monitoring. The second proposed plan, which is estimated to cost $967,000, would expand on the previous plan, including enhanced monitoring, additional access control and new signage, among various other efforts. The EPA considered the second the 'most effective remedy in the long term.' Residents shared comments and concerns during the meeting. One, pointing to the area's sizable Spanish-speaking community, asked if there would be translations of communications offered going forward. An EPA representative responded positively to the recommendation during the meeting. OU6 is subject to controlled burns, and residents discussed what risks those could pose for the area. While Nadel said they had found asbestos air contamination increased during burns, it remained under what is considered the safe limit. Some were concerned about the future of the site, noting the decades of work already done and questioning when the site will be safe. Lake County Board member Mary Ross-Cunningham, whose district includes the site and who attended the meeting, said she hoped it would one day be determined to be clean sooner rather than later. 'That'll be a big hit for Waukegan residents,' Ross-Cunningham said. She voiced her support for the cleanup proposal and praised the EPA for its continuing work to monitor and clean the site.
Business Wire
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Universal Hospitality Solutions (UHS) Appointed to Manage Crowne Plaza® Dallas Downtown
DALLAS & SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Universal Hospitality Solutions (UHS) today announced that the company is managing Crowne Plaza® Dallas Downtown by IHG. Under the management assignment, UHS is responsible for operating the 291-key, high-rise Crowne Plaza to better meet the needs of the modern traveler. UHS is a hotel development and management company that operates several hotels, representing well-known hotel brands in the United States and international locations. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company provides complete lifecycle services for hotel owners and investors to maximize their hospitality industry-related returns. Outstanding service is the cornerstone of helping guests make the most of their journeys. Share 'We appreciate the trust and confidence in our management team's track record for achieving impressive operational and financial results,' said Scott Nadel, CEO of Universal Hospitality Solutions. 'As an experienced hotel development and management company, UHS is committed to delivering on the high expectations of our associates, guests and hotel ownership.' Downtown Dallas Fixture Located at 1015 Elm Street, Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown is a short walk to Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas and over 50 restaurants. The property is near several major employers, local attractions, West End district, American Airlines Center, and Uptown. The hotel is convenient to downtown Dallas public transportation and is approximately seven miles from Dallas Love Field (DAL) and 19 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). With an inviting environment of beauty in balance, Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown inspires connection and collaboration that improve the well-being of business and leisure guests. A sampling of hotel amenities includes: Well-appointed guest rooms/suites with amazing views of downtown Dallas, contemporary décor, 55' television, mini refrigerator, desk and ergonomic chair, eco-friendly Apotheke toiletries, and free Wi-Fi access. Onsite dining options including Thrive Restaurant for breakfast and dinner featuring a refreshed menu with a global twist, including vegetarian options and kids' menu; Thrive Round Bar; and room service. Fully equipped fitness center, open 24/7. Conference center with 30,000 square feet of flexible event space; dedicated Crowne Meetings Director; versatile spaces, including combined 11,273 square feet to accommodate a reception of 1,677 guests; onsite catering; and comprehensive multimedia and audio-visual support. Business center, open 24/7. Ninth-floor rooftop pool with panoramic views of downtown Dallas skyline. Onsite self-service laundry. Onsite parking garage and valet service. Immediate Improvements According to Nadel, UHS is currently implementing several property updates at Crowne Plaza Downtown Dallas, such as: Refreshing menu offerings to appeal to travelers from around the world, including Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta, Chimichurri Filet, Tuscan Chicken Flatbread, and Vegetarian Omelet. Upgrading bedding in the hotel's 291 guest rooms/suites. Recarpeting all guest floor corridors in a calming shade of blue complemented by earthy tones of tan and beige. Converting the hotel's onsite snack bar/deli to The MarketPlace, a convenient, 24/7 spot for purchasing snacks and sundries. Culture Cornerstone According to Nadel, outstanding service is the cornerstone of helping guests make the most of their journeys. Nadel said, 'Our associates are at the core of our successful hotel operations leading to repeat guest stays. If we properly take care of our associates and provide them with training and meaningful opportunities for growth and well-being, they will take care of our guests.' For more information about joining the team at Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown, please contact UHS. Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown is an active community partner by: Supporting local businesses, including nearby restaurants, artisans and tour operators. Hiring locally and offering training with an emphasis on underrepresented groups. Volunteering time and resources to impactful causes, such as community cleanup days, charity events, school and foodbank donations, and youth sports team sponsorships. Collaborating with local environmental groups to reduce waste and to source supplies locally. Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown participates in IHG One Rewards loyalty program, providing hotel rewards and exclusive member offers. For more information about Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown or to make a reservation, visit the hotel's website or call (214) 742-5678. For sales and events, please contact UHS. About Universal Hospitality Solutions Scottsdale, Arizona-based Universal Hospitality Solutions provides complete lifecycle services for hotel owners and investors to maximize their hospitality industry-related returns. With over 40 years combined experience developing and managing hotels, UHS' partners have the deep insight into market conditions, construction, forecasting, sales and marketing, operations, staffing, management, hotel brands, and other areas necessary to maximize the revenue and profitability for any hotel project at any phase in its lifecycle. For hotel owners or operators looking to take their business to the next level through strategic partnerships, please contact UHS. As one of the world's largest premium hotel brands with locations in city, airport, resort and suburban destinations, Crowne Plaza is perfectly placed to meet the needs of today's guest, whether they are traveling for business, leisure, or a blend of both. For more information, visit and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
Los Angeles Times
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Crumb' does not shy away from the cartoonist's faults — just as he wanted
In his new biography of Robert Crumb, Dan Nadel writes that his subject agreed to participate in the project under one condition: 'that I be honest about his faults, look closely at his compulsions, and examine the racially and sexually charged aspects of his work.' Crumb, graphically honest in his work as a surrealistic, libidinous underground comix pioneer, expected the same from his chronicler. And Nadel complied. Which doesn't mean 'Crumb: A Cartoonist's Life,' is a hatchet job. Far from it: Nadel, a museum curator and comics expert, expresses palpable admiration for Crumb, and sympathy for a peripatetic upbringing that could quietly be as macabre as anything he drew. He diligently tracks Crumb's artistic progress, from collaborating with his brother, Charles, on adolescent comics in the spirit of childhood heroes such as Disney's Carl Barks and 'Little Lulu' creator John Stanley; to cranking out greeting cards for the Cleveland-based American Greetings; and to following the LSD muse into an unfettered purging of subconscious chaos. Nadel draws a vivid portrait of not just Crumb but the Bay Area-based underground comix explosion of the late '60s and early '70s. 'Crumb' is rich in cultural context, the kind of biography that opens up an entire scene and movement. And when it comes time to explore Crumb's problematic depictions of women (rape fantasies became a running motif in underground comix, and in Crumb's work) and Black people (Crumb liberally deployed Sambo stereotypes), Nadel neither excuses the artist nor issues simple condemnation. A product of a very white, very misogynist postwar American culture (and family), Crumb often indulged in the same stereotypes he grew up with — and rendered them with grotesque vitality. Take Angelfood McSpade, 'Robert's racist fantasy of a large, muscular, and naïve Black woman seemingly made of inflated rubber.' Nadel describes her as 'a stand-in for every white vision of Black women (think of the Rolling Stones' 'Brown Sugar' and the marketing of Tina Turner as 'primal') and ultimately, for Robert, a capacious symbol of everything white American culture does to Black people.' Of Crumb's more generalized racist depictions, Nadel writes: 'Essentially it's both racist and excoriating. Robert indicts himself, the reader, and the entire culture. He can't help but tempt fate in order to prove a point. No happy endings or pat lessons in Crumb Land.' Nor happy beginnings. Crumb was born in 1943 in Philadelphia to Chuck and Bea, one of five children in a family rife with mental illness. The Crumbs moved often, which only heightened Robert's self-identification as a misfit. He and Charles, the eldest Crumb sibling, retreated into the world of comics, where they showed remarkable talent and ambition, churning out sophisticated animal narratives in the '50s. Nadel sets the cultural stage: 'Elvis Presley was on the air, Allen Ginsberg was diagnosing the country, and the 'sick' comedy of Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Jonathan Winters, and Stan Freberg was rising.' Perhaps most pertinent, Mad was on the magazine rack. As Nadel writes, 'According to 'Mad,' everything was absurd, [messed] up, and on the brink of destruction, just like the Crumb household.' The magazine was a lifeline to Robert, as it was to countless other '50s misfits. It helped foster a growing sense that everything about adult life was a lie, a theme that Nadel deftly weaves through the book. Crumb escaped to Cleveland, where he met his future wife, Dana Morgan, and in 1967 they decamped for San Francisco, where the marriage descended into open-ended craziness and his dazzling talent converged with and, in some respects, came to define the counterculture. But even here he saw himself as an outsider. 'He wasn't interested in hippies anyhow,' Nadel writes. 'Of greater interest was the sudden demand for his work.' He drew the cover art for 'Cheap Thrills,' the 1968 album by Big Brother and the Holding Company — Janis Joplin was a neighbor — created the seminal underground comix series 'Zap Comix' and worked on other projects at a maniacal pace. He conjured the sardonic guru Mr. Natural, a tiny sex fiend called the Snoid and other sweaty, anxious creatures, human and otherwise. He was so innovative that his work created a rippling, existential crisis among his peers. 'I realized I needed to change my goals in the world,' Art Spiegelman, who only went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for 'Maus' (still the only graphic novel to receive that honor), is quoted as saying in the book. 'I decided I was going to become a Buddha because comics were going to be fine without me.' Crumb became famous, and while he liked the money and acclaim, he never got comfortable with it. A consummate exile, he moved to France with his second wife, artist Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and their daughter, Sophie, in 1991. Aline died in 2022. Generously illustrated with work from throughout Crumb's career, 'Crumb' is an artist biography that astutely connects the work to the life story without forcing or simplifying anything. It works as cultural history and criticism; you won't find a sharper analysis of the underground comix movement. Nadel honors the complexity of his subject, even, perhaps particularly, when it gets ugly. Vognar is a freelance culture writer.
Boston Globe
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
R. Crumb helped invent modern comics, but we haven't known much about his life … until now
Robert found sanctuary from this raging domestic mess in comic books, though he rejected superheroes. Who was Superman, really, if not another brawny bully like Crumb's alcoholic uncles? Instead, he was drawn to the animal adventures of Walt Disney's animation empire, especially Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics penned by a former Disney 'story man' named Carl Banks, whose richly detailed work, '[imbued] with psychological and emotional depth,' suited Crumb's desire for a meticulously rendered private universe. Young Robert began furiously drawing, inking, and writing his own comics with Charles. A few years later, Crumb hightailed it to Cleveland for a key apprenticeship making birthday cards for American Greetings. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Crumb felt the pull of the nascent counterculture well before he became a reluctant counter-cultural figure, taking his first acid trip with his first wife, Dana, in 1965, a mammoth 600-microgram dose that changed his life. 'When I took LSD I realized I was trying to be smart all the time,' he tells Nadel. 'And LSD made me realize that doesn't matter at all. If you trust your instincts … it's all right there.' Acid introduced Crumb's subconscious to the hermetic world of his art, a liminal space, writes Nadel, 'that ushered in ideas whose real meanings were a mystery even to him.' Crumb in 1966 would create his familiar gallery of comic book avatars — Eggs Ackley, Flakey Foont, and Mr. Natural, his first 'Keep on Truckin'' high-stepper. The comics were brazenly perverse and sharply satirical, stories of sexual fetishism and urban depravity next to gently savage attacks on religion and the nuclear family. The die was cast: Crumb was an outsider raging against the mindless conformity of postwar America, Salinger with a Rapidograph pencil. Advertisement Nadel pegs this as the moment when Crumb's id took charge, ushering in a new era of highly idiosyncratic personal and social exploration in comic art. In 1967 Crumb was settled in San Francisco, just in time for the Summer of Love and a psychedelic renaissance. Zap Comix, Crumb's first comic to get wide national distribution, was a watershed moment in adult comics. Grounding his work in what Nadel calls 'surreal happenstance … semipolitical essayistic comics, or visual poetry,' Crumb became the leading voice in an alternative comics movement that also included Gilbert Shelton, Victor Mososco, and S. Clay Wilson. Advertisement With Crumb's success came an ambivalent entry into the mainstream of American consumer culture, the very thing he had savaged in his comics. The perennially poor Crumb took on a few commissions, most notably the album art for Big Brother and the Holding Company's 'Cheap Thrills,' thus finding his work landing in the bedrooms of suburban teenagers everywhere. Mr. Natural became the first meme of its time, appearing without his consent on posters, T-shirts, and lunchboxes. Crumb sued every one of Mr. Natural's bootleggers. The idea of selling out was anathema, especially if it meant compromising a worldview that was taking on a darker, more disturbing cast. 'Snatch,' a 1968 comic book collaboration with Wilson, was an opportunity for Crumb to work through his complicated feelings toward women, a preoccupation which became a leitmotif for Crumb's career. Yet even as he insisted that stories like 'Don't Touch Me!' and 'The Adventures of Dick Nose' were pornographic satires, it's hard to find the humor in them. Understandably, this is the place where many Crumb fans get off the bus, as it becomes difficult to square the lacerating satirist with the coarse misogynist. Nadel, to his credit, doesn't make excuses for Crumb, calling this work 'the ugliest vision of white male heterosexuality' while allowing that Crumb's sexual frankness was a form of self-laceration: 'He was ruining the wet dream with grotesque nightmares.' Crumb is a complex guy, in short, and Nadel understands that genius and virtue are often incompatible, especially with an individual as tortured as his subject. There is a lot of ugliness from Crumb here, including parental neglect and serial philandering, but there is also his abiding love and deep respect for his second wife, comic book artist Aline Kominsky, which held for nearly 50 years until her death in 2022. Nadel tells their story movingly, with empathy and affection. Advertisement Having hounded the reclusive Crumb for years to get his approval and cooperation, Nadel, a curator-at-large for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, was amply rewarded with unlimited access to Crumb's personal archive: thousands of pages of diaries, letters, and sketchbooks, as well as a timeline of Crumb's life from 1943 to 2005. This material, as well as Nadel's interviews with Crumb, gives his biography the kind of granular texture and thematic heft that Crumb's life and work deserves. CRUMB: A CARTOONIST'S LIFE By Dan Nadel Scribner, 480 pages, $35 Marc Weingarten is the author of ' .'
