Latest news with #Palatine
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Cook County man robbed hotel at gunpoint in 2024, police say
The Brief Marco Vazquez, 28, is charged in connection with a December 2024 armed robbery in Buffalo Grove. Police say Vazquez demanded cash at gunpoint at an Extended Stay America hotel. He was arrested and appeared in court earlier this week. COOK COUNTY - A Palatine man has been arrested and charged in connection with a 2024 armed robbery at a hotel in Buffalo Grove, police announced on Friday. What we know Marco Vazquez, 28, was taken into custody without incident on Wednesday. He is accused of robbing the Extended Stay America hotel at 1525 Busch Parkway on Dec. 21, 2024. According to the Buffalo Grove police, Vazquez jumped over the front desk counter and demanded money while showing a handgun. He is now charged with one count of armed robbery, a Class X felony, and one count of aggravated robbery, a Class 1 felony. What's next Vazquez had his first court appearance Thursday at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan. Further details weren't shared. The Source The information in this article was provided by the Buffalo Grove Police Department.
Chicago Tribune
03-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Brandon Marano rallies Mundelein like no other. As a hitter, catcher and emotional leader, ‘he anchors us.'
The moment wasn't too big for Mundelein senior catcher Brandon Marano, not by a long shot. The bases were loaded when Marano faced Palatine senior left-hander Toby Peterson, a Kentucky recruit, in the first inning of the Class 4A Palatine Regional championship game on Saturday. 'Walking up to the plate felt very surreal,' Marano said. 'I did my normal routine, took a deep breath and knew to be ready. It was the first pitch, and I saw that it was middle-middle. I didn't swing as hard as I could and was just thinking to get the bat on the ball and it'll go.' In fact, it went all the way to the fence in right-center field for a bases-clearing double. Marano's hit was the first salvo in what became an eight-run inning in Mundelein's 8-4 win. 'As I was rounding first and heading for second, I picked up coach at third and looked back at the fans and saw them going crazy,' Marano said. 'I knew it would get all three in. 'After all the hard work and effort I've put in over the last 12 years, it came down to that moment, making everyone happy and knowing that I did that. I did it for more than just me.' The Mustangs (24-10-2) have been the beneficiaries of the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Marano's good deeds all season as he has developed into a steady offensive force, most often hitting fifth in the lineup, and helped guide a deep, talented pitching staff. 'Pitchers have confidence in his ability to smother pitches in the dirt, and he still keeps improving on the communication side in being able to help navigate the staff through games,' Mundelein coach Randy Lerner said. On Saturday, Marano's defensive prowess accounted for three outs on the base paths. He threw out one runner at second base on a steal attempt, did the same after blocking a ball in the dirt that trickled a few feet away, and back-picked a runner who got caught in no man's land between first and second. 'My hit catalyzed the energy we had, but I had one of my best defensive games too,' Marano said. Heading into a Stevenson Sectional semifinal matchup against North Suburban Conference rival Lake Zurich on Wednesday, Marano is hitting .347 with a .445 on-base percentage and a team-best 32 RBIs. The double against Palatine was his 14th of the season, and he also has a triple and two home runs. Marano had a similar batting average last season but far fewer at-bats. He took hold of the starting job in the second half of the season, a positive step that left him wanting much more. 'One big difference from last spring to now is that I felt like I had to prove myself,' Marano said. 'At the end of the day, I wasn't where I wanted to be. I still had to get my extra work in at the gym, and I still had to get extra swings in. 'All of the time, energy and emotion I put into the game is paying off.' Emotion is a big part of Marano's contributions to the Mustangs, not only in how he works with pitchers but also in how he makes sure everyone in the dugout is invested. 'He's kind of our glue guy,' Mundelein senior pitcher Joey Kafka said. 'Even my parents will say that things are completely different when he's not around. He anchors us down as a team.' Emotion came into play in a different way during Mundelein's game against crosstown rival Carmel on May 1. Marano went through his typical game-day routine, going home during a free period to grab his baseball gear. On this day, he was met by his parents, who were sitting on the couch waiting for him. They told him their 12-year-old dog, Wrigley, had to be put to sleep. When Marano returned to school, he learned he would catch for only part of the game. So as he went to the plate with the bases loaded and the Mustangs trailing 5-1 in the fourth inning, he knew it would likely be his last at-bat. 'The first pitch was a curve that he hung, and I hit it over the left-center field fence,' Marano said. 'I think it was the first home run I had hit since I was like 12. 'When I stepped on home, I leaped into Baris Brua's arms and hugged him. I let all the emotion out.' The Mustangs rallied to win 10-6. Not every game has been so noteworthy, but Marano's work with Mundelein's pitchers behind the scenes has had a significant impact on them. 'He didn't start the whole year last year, and I think he took that personally,' Kafka said. 'He's pretty much caught all of us since we were like 8, and he worked his tail off this offseason, catching all of our bullpens twice a week. He recognizes when our pitches are a little off, and he's the first one to tell us.' Marano, who will attend Tennessee, won't play college baseball. He may join a club team but knows it won't be the same as what he has experienced at Mundelein. His constant companion through it all has been his catching equipment. 'I wouldn't be the player I am today without catching,' Marano said. 'If you do something good at catcher, everyone sees it, and it can work against you, too, if you do something wrong. But I love that about the position. 'I'm putting everything I have into the game right now.'
The Guardian
08-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Italy fines seven firms £17m for price fixing of tickets for Rome's Colosseum
An Italian ticketing company and six tour operators have been fined almost €20m (£17m) over illegal practices that made it difficult for regular visitors to access Rome's Colosseum at the standard cost, including using software bots to hoard tickets and sell them at higher prices. Italy's antitrust authority, AGCM, said the hoarding practice made it 'essentially impossible' to buy tickets for the Roman amphitheatre online. The Colosseum is among the most popular landmarks in the world. More than 12 million people visited it in 2024. AGCM said it had fined CoopCulture, which managed official ticket sales for the site between 1997 and 2024, €7m for 'knowingly contributing to the substantial and prolonged unavailability' of standard-priced tickets. 'On the one hand, CoopCulture failed to take adequate steps to counter automated ticket hoarding,' it said in a statement. 'On the other, it kept a sizeable share of tickets for bundled sales tied to its own educational tours, which generated considerable profits.' This meant customers were forced to turn to tour operators and online platforms which resold tickets at higher tickets, bundling them with additional services such as guided tours, pickups from hotels and priority access. The remainder of the fine was handed out to six tours operators based in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland, which scooped up tickets in bulk using software bots and other tools, contributing to their rapid disappearance from CoopCulture's website. AGCM said: 'By doing so, the operators benefited from the constant unavailability of tickets, which left consumers seeking access to the Colosseum with no choice but to purchase them through these channels – often at much higher prices due to the bundling with additional services offered either directly or via other operators.' The authority did not say how much people ended up paying for entrance to the Colosseum as a result of the illegal practices. The website for the monument, which is operated by Italy's culture ministry, lists the basic ticket price for adults at €18. That gives tourists 20 minutes to explore the amphitheatre's main floor. A 'full experience' ticket costs €24 and gives visitors access to the wider Colosseum archaeological park, including the ruins of the Roman forum, imperial forums and Palatine hill. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion A visitor cap was imposed in 2019, limiting numbers to 3,000 at any given time. Among those visiting on Tuesday afternoon will be King Charles and Queen Camilla, who are on a four-day state visit to Italy.
CBS News
14-02-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Mike Tauchman is on a mission after switching from Cubs to White Sox
GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBS) -- The White Sox have mostly overhauled their roster after that brutal 2024 season, with probably quite a few players fans won't know too well. But there is at least one fan who'll be playing on the South Side who is very familiar to Chicago baseball fans — from the other side of town. Mike Tauchman has changed his stripes from Cubbie blue to South Side black. The Palatine native's rebirth with the White Sox was spurred by staying close to home with a newborn at home. "You know, we have a great support system at home. You know, all our parents are still close, and my sister and my wife's sisters all live in the Chicago area. So just kind of having that community, especially with the little one — they've been great so far," Tauchman said. "Baseball season is crazy, so sometimes you need an extra set of hands, and having somebody right down the road really helps. Among the handful of 30-somethings on a young Sox roster, the 34-year-old Tauchman welcomes being the old man in the clubhouse. "I was a young player once, and you know, this is my 11th spring training — getting a little bit older," he said. "The opportunity to give a helpful piece of advice or let somebody vent or download something, you know, I had so many great role models in that way, and obviously, I love this game — and I'm looking forward to interacting with some of those guys. Without risking getting him into trouble, Tauchman was asked what team he rooted for growing up in Chicago. "I mean honestly, it's a little bit of a cop out, but probably both. I was just such a huge baseball fan growing up," he said, "and my mom is from the South Side, so she's always been more of a Sox fan. Sox games were on at night when you were a kid. Dad would get home from work, and that's what would be on at night before we went to bed." Tauchman said once he was a little older and had a driver's license, he drove out to Wrigley Field to see Cubs games. But the first game he ever went to was a White Sox game. Now, his mission is to raise White Sox fans' expectations by playing good baseball. "The Cubs have great fans, and the White Sox have great fans too. I've always said in this city it feels like if you're a White Sox fan, you chose to be a White Sox fan — and you live and die with that team," Tauchman said. "An extremely passionate fan bases, you know, and they deserve some quality baseball this year — and we're going to try and give it to them." Tauchman says since it's early in camp, he isn't too concerned about his on-field role with the team. But the lefty does expect to get a decent number of at-bats either, platooning in right field or at DH.
