The trials and tribulations of banking for the poor

The trials and tribulations of banking for the poor

I have a friend who is handicapped slightly physically and slightly mentally. She's a good person but she has to have someone serve as her "Designated Payee" for her disability payments.

So they asked me to help.

She set up her own account at TCF Bank on Archer Avenue. It's close to where she lives and uses an ATM card to access funds. That makes life a little bit easier for her to buy food and other necessities each month.

As the Designated Payee, I have to receive the checks, put them in an account set up for her benefit and then manage the funds each month so she doesn't give the money away or lose the money. She's done that before.

One time I took her to Jewel to buy groceries. We were at the cashier's register and she was with the basket of bagged food as I was busy paying for it. When I looked over, Is aw that she was giving food from her basket that we just purchased to another homeless man. She was helping him shove the food into his coat jacket.

I asked her, "What are you doing with your food?"

She turned to me and said, "Ray, he doesn't have any money and he needs food."

I told her, "You don't have any money and you need food."

The handicapped, homeless, the poor and the disabled are always very generous, but I had to make the point what she has, she needs.

That's why it's good to have a designated payee.

To make life easier, I figured in this world of computer technology, I would set up an account at TCF Bank and then connect it online to her bank account to help expedite the movement of money. For the poor and disabled, getting their money and disability checks efficiently makes their lives more comfortable and easier.

When they have no money, they just don't eat. I've seen her where she looked malnourished and scrawny. I'd go get her some chicken sandwiches from White Castles or Wendys -- these fast food restaurants are not the most nourishable places, but you just don't have much choice. Good restaurants are just too expensive and they take forever to make food. She already eats all the time at Subway.

So, I went to TCF Bank and opened an account to have her Social Security Disability checks deposited there under the Designated Payee name given to me by the Government.

Seemed simple. I could have the checks automatically deposited in the account, now that it is set up, and then go online when she needs money and transfer funds so she can get food if she runs out of money before I can see her.

They told me I could connect the new accounts to her accounts, once everything was set up.

It sounded great in theory. TCF Bank boosts that it gives you free checking. I set up a checking account and a savings account for her deposits.

The next day, I went online to transfer funds. Of course, it didn't work. I waited a few days and tried it again. Again, it wouldn't work.

Turns out I can't connect the accounts I set up with her accounts, unless I give her access. That defeats the purpose of a designated payee. She would just take out all the money and give it to people she thinks are needier than her, and she would starve to death.

Then i discovered the most disturbing part of banking at TCF Bank.

The employees are all courteous and good people. So nice. Believe me. This isn't about them. But their system sucks. TCF Bank requires an 18 day hold on all deposits into the Savings Account.

Now you tell me!

So for the past 18 days, I have been paying her rent and her food bills from my pocket because once we deposited the Disability check into the new account, we couldn't touch it for 18 days. We did it on the 5th, so the bank said I probably have to wait until Sept. 23 to access the funds.

They'd let me take a little.

Thanks BUT NO THANKS TCF Bank.

That's NOT a solution It's NOT helpful.

I was at the bank and saw all these poor people bringing in cans of coins they were processing through the coin counters int he lobby and wondered how much the bank must charge to convert their pennies, nickels and dimes into dollar bills. It made me feel sad.

I drove to Harris Bank and within a few minutes, set up a new account so the disability checks can be deposited automatically when they are issued on the 3rd of each month.

Guess what? Harris bank said the money would be accessible ON THE SAME DAY it is deposited. And they gave me a free overdraft policy to cover any overdrafts.

Last month she over drafted a check for $2 and had to pay a $37 fee to TCF Bank. Yikes! That's why I have to help her. And then she told me each time she withdraws money using her ATM card, she has to pay a fee, too.

That's what needy people need. They need it right away. There is no 401 K savings, or stock market investments or long term CDs with high interest rates for them. They don't have any money. They need to be able to use what little they have to cover their expenses and put food in their mouths.

The past month has been insufferable as I wait for the disability money to become available so she can use it to cover her expenses. It's been so frustrating, I had to share this experience.

I'm not mad at TCF Bank. But clearly, they really don't understand the people they service, especially those who live on accounts measured in pennies, nickels and dimes.

Later this week, I will be able to start depositing money into her account, to manage it so she spends it properly and doesn't feel at one moment like she has so much she can give it away to other needy people. I divide it by each week of the month so she will only have that portion she needs after her rent is paid. (The rent payment check for last month bounced because TCF Bank said the money wasn't available yet.)

Understanding the people you serve is important.

But I think society needs to do more and start thinking about the people out there who are poor and on limited, fixed incomes. They should have to pay $37 when they overdraw their account by a few dollars. That's immoral.

We need to help the poor. Banks should give them free accounts and make the money available immediately, not make them wait weeks.

And they should eliminate fees for ATMs on designated accounts belonging to the poor and indigent.

It just seems like the right thing to do.

-- RAY HANANIA

Bill Daley explains his decision to withdraw from Governor's race

Bill Daley explains his decision to withdraw from Governor's race

Dear Friend --

This morning I spoke to the media and announced that I will no longer be a candidate for Governor.  I did so with a heavy heart.

We all know that Illinois faces many difficult challenges and that it will take the next Governor a while to dig Illinois out of the hole it's in.

I've lost sleep thinking about whether, at age 65, this what I want to do with my life.

Because of that, I felt the voters of Illinois deserve someone as their Governor who will commit not just to a tough campaign, but to the more difficult job of governing.

As I've surveyed both the rigors of the campaign and the enormity of the challenge of fixing Illinois' problems, I concluded that I can't commit to what the voters need.

I didn't get into this campaign with any illusions.  I knew it would be tough.

But, I also believe I could have won because I have a vision for our state that takes us from the bottom to the top.  I felt we built a great team and had bold visions for where we wanted to take the state.

As part of a family that has public service in its blood, I've always been motivated to serve.  I've been honored to serve our nation and two of our Presidents in leadership positions, and I've also been given the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels in the business world.

However, those responsibilities also taught me that if I was to serve you as your Governor, I needed to give it 110%.  At this stage in my life, I couldn't make that commitment to you.  Throughout my life, I have looked forward to serving as an elected official, but I discovered, it isn't to be.

To those who have supported my campaign so far, I want to say thank you.  I've been touched by your support -- whether it's through a commitment to volunteer, give me advice or financial support, or stand with me to bring change to Illinois.

I thank you.

Bill

P.S. If you made a financial contribution to the campaign, we will be returning your contribution as swiftly as possible as we perform a final audit and reconciliation of our records.

PREMIUM DELI BRAND DIETZ & WATSON CALLS ON CHICAGOANS TO HELP FEED NEEDY FAMILIES

PREMIUM DELI BRAND DIETZ & WATSON CALLS ON CHICAGOANS TO HELP FEED NEEDY FAMILIES

Through Partnership with Jewel-Osco, Philadelphia-based Brand of Premium Meats & Cheeses will Donate a Half Pound for every Pound Sold

PHILADELPHIA – Dietz & Watson, a family owned and operated business, wants to introduce itself to the market the best way it knows how, by feeding people. From Wednesday, August 14 through Friday, September 13, when you buy 1 lb. of their premium deli meats or cheeses at Jewel Osco stores, they’ll donate ½ lb. to Northern Illinois Food Bank. Just like that.

With a goal of donating 20,000 lbs., Dietz & Watson wants to make an impact in Chicagoland very quickly.

“We believe in good food and good people.” says Ruth ‘Momma Dietz’ Eni, company chairman. “We’re not a faceless corporation writing a check and walking away. We’re a family company. We believe in deeper bonds. So we’re partnering with Jewel Osco and Northern Illinois Food Bank to help.”

Visit a local Jewel-Osco supermarket, and you will see a new selection of premium roast beef, turkey breast, chicken breast, Italian and other traditional deli meats adorning the deli case. They’re here straight from a national deli stronghold - Philadelphia’s own Dietz & Watson, whose mission is to bring truly delicious, healthy and premium meats & cheeses to Chicagoans.

Ask for a sample slice at the deli counter, and you will taste what separates them from other deli meats. A four-generation family owned & operated company, Dietz & Watson has remained true to an unwavering dedication to using only the best ingredients.

“I learned a lot from my father, but one thing always stood out,” said Momma Dietz. “He always said ‘If it’s not good enough for my family, it’s not good enough for anyone,’ so we have always run the business with that philosophy. The food has to be amazingly delicious and healthy.”

Along with the influx of European immigrants to America in the early part of the 20th century came founder Gottlieb Dietz, a German sausage craftsman. Little did he know, he was to build a Philadelphia icon; one that his daughter and the fourth generation of his family still runs today.

What started as a small neighborhood company now manufactures more than 450 items in their Philly headquarters, employing more than 1,000.

The company was a pioneer in the category, introducing their healthy Gourmet Lite line back in 1979 – before “healthy eating” was de rigeur. Today, these lower sodium, low fat deli items are flagships, meeting the National Salt Reduction Initiative’s standards that many food companies are still catching up to (D&W has met them since the ‘70s).

“If it didn’t taste great, we probably would never have made our Healthier Lifestyle line,” says Louis Eni, CEO and grandson of the founder. “When my grandfather talked about quality, the key was in the ingredients, so to this day, none of our products use fillers, MSG, or artificial flavors, and the meats are hand-trimmed, hand-prepared, and hand-seasoned.”

They continually develop new, bold flavors in deli; items like Santa Fe Turkey Breast, Buffalo Chicken Breast and Bacon Lovers’ Turkey Breast wrapped with strips of real bacon. Their latest item is a Chicken Parmigiana deli meat - one of the most unique deli items ever.

Dietz & Watson also remains one of the best-selling hot dog brands on the East Coast, preparing traditional skinless franks, New York Style natural casing franks and dozens of others. Their delicacies are sold in all 50 states, in delis, restaurants and supermarkets.

So whether you call it a hoagie, sub, or hero; whether it’s hot dogs or franks—and whether you’re a foodie or counting calories, Dietz & Watson’s old-world values and surprising new flavors will be a welcome sight in Chicagoland.

About Dietz & Watson—Dietz & Watson was founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, a talented young German sausage maker. His primary goal was to produce the most flavorful, highest-quality deli meats in the marketplace to please even the most discriminating palate. His old-world recipes and commitment to “quality above all” demanded nothing less than the freshest lean beef, ham, pork, turkey breast and chicken breast enhanced with fresh, all-natural spices and seasonings.  Dietz & Watson never uses artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders or MSG.  Today, from their headquarters in Philadelphia, the third generation of the family—aided by Gottlieb Dietz’s daughter, Ruth Dietz Eni (Chairman)—continues Dietz’s dedication and commitment in preparing Premium Deli Meats and Artisan Cheeses. They are the grandchildren of company founder Gottlieb Dietz – Louis Eni (President and CEO), Chris Eni (COO) and Cindy Eni Yingling (CFO).  Learn more about the company at www.DietzandWatson.com.

About Jewel-Osco—Established in 1899, Jewel-Osco, owned by New Albertsons, Inc., is working to become the favorite food and drug retailer in every market it serves throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond. The company operates 176 stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, and employs approximately 30,000 associates while continuing to grow. Find more company information at JewelOsco.com and follow their social channels at Facebook.com/JewelOsco, Twitter.com/JewelOsco, and YouTube.com/JewelOsco.

About Northern Illinois Food Bank—For 30 years, Northern Illinois Food Bank has led the northern Illinois community in solving hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. Since 1983, food manufacturers, local groceries, corporations, foundations, and individuals have come together to donate food and funds, and evaluate and repack food for distribution to 700 network partners serving more than 60,000 hungry neighbors each week across 13 counties. That commitment provided 42 million meals last year to those in need.  Find out how you can Volunteer – Donate – Get Involved at www.SolveHungerToday.org or follow us on Facebook.

-30-

The METRA Train Wreck -- taxpayers deserve a clean slate

The METRA Train Wreck -- taxpayers deserve a clean slate 

Last week, four Cook County commissioners called for the remaining members of the METRA Board to resign from office. With the resignation of Brad O'Halloran as METRA's Chairman, and the nearly $1 million gold parachute given to its former CEO Alex Clifford, who has been on a political vendetta to punish his critics, METRA is a train wreck.

The four Cook County Commissioners making the call are Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman, Gregg Goslin, Timothy O. Schneider and Peter N. Silvestri. They have sponsored a resolution requesting the remaining three Metra board members representing Cook County to immediately resign from the METRA Board. Those board members who should resign are the three remaining suburban Cook County METRA Board members: Don De Graff, Arlene Mulder and William Widmer III.

With METRA tasked with running one of the largest metropolitan rail systems in the country the commissioners made it clear that the ongoing controversy and public anger over Clifford's bailout package requires a clean slate to regain the confidence of the public.

The resolution calls for the three Cook County METRA board members to continue to serve at the pleasure of the Cook County Suburban Caucus until suitable replacements are selected. This timeframe will allow for a quorum to be maintained and ensure that Metra’s day to day operations continue to run uninterrupted.

“The replacement of the present METRA directors will be a transparent and deliberate process in which we will seek the highest quality candidates that will complement one another and bring a variety of skills to the board of this large public business,” said Commissioner Goslin. Five of 11 METRA Board members have resigned since the Clifford controversy exploded, including former chair O’Halloran and board member Larry Huggins. There are only three left,

The commissioners cited the public’s suspicion and skepticism as more allegations surface which makes it nearly impossible for the remaining METRA board members to continue in their positions with any public confidence. The recent report by the RTA Board highlighted the commissioners’ deep concern when it revealed that the METRA Board failed to consider the Employment Practices Liability insurance which would’ve provided coverage if a lawsuit was filed by former METRA CEO Alex Clifford.

Commissioner Schneider stated, “After careful thought and investigation, this resolution provides accountability while ensuring that day to day operations at METRA are left undisturbed. We can now begin to rebuild the leadership structure at METRA and regain the public’s confidence in their commuter rail system.” Commissioner Silvestri added, “The facts are in from the RTA and the State. It’s time to move forward with a new board.”

The resolution also urges the METRA Board to take no substantive action regarding the hiring of a new CEO or appointment of a Board Chairperson until all remaining METRA board members have been replaced and a new full eleven-person METRA Board has been seated.

“I agree with my fellow commissioners that a clean start is needed to restore the public’s confidence in METRA. I would hope we can have an entirely new METRA Board in place by the start of 2014,” stated Commissioner Gorman.

CLIFFORD TAINTED SCANDAL GROWS

A day didn't pass after the four commissioners urged the resignations that a new explosive scandal emerged, disclosed by CRAINS Chicago Business reporter Greg Hinz, who disclosed that Clifford had been given proprietary information in an email from another board member, Jack Schaffer, who has been the most vocal critic of alleged impropriety on the METRA Board. Now, he is the focus of one of the worst scandals.

According to the media reports, Schaffer acknowledged that he sent Clifford an email with a confidential memo from METRA's attorneys about three weeks before Clifford wrote a scathing memo alleging that two other board members engaged in political back-scratching. The Clifford accusations led to him receiving an $871,000 separation agreement. Five board members have since resigned in protest, and two ethics investigations have begun.

METRA has never done a good job of fulfilling its mandate to provide transportation services to the suburban region. It has been choked with controversy going back to when Phil Pagano committed suicide in 2010. Until then, no one suspected Pagano or anyone of doing anything wrong at METRA. They just shrugged their shoulders that the transportation agency was terrible at providing transportation. Turns out that Pagano was giving himself bonuses without resigning. But when his practices came under investigation, he committed suicide, driving the METRA agency into a rock slide of trouble.

Given all this history, Gorman's call for a fresh start at METRA takes on new urgency.

The tragedy is that O'Halloran walked into a hornet's nest of garbage, believing wrongly that the train wreck could be averted. He was wrong. Rather than suffer through the continued attacks -- most of them politically motivated -- he decided to step down.

Clifford, on the other hand, wants to come back. That would be the worst thing METRA could do. Maybe they should try to get the taxpayers money back and closely examine the details of Schaffer's conduct. Critics charge that by giving Clifford inside information, he was able to leverage that to get the massive buyout. Schaffer should resign immediately, too.

- END

“Tom Jones” rocks 94 West at dinner concert

“Tom Jones” rocks 94 West at dinner concert

Celebrity impersonator and Tom Jones look-a-like John Truncali rocked the audience at a dinner concert at 94 West Steak & Seafood Restaurant Thursday, inspiring patrons to sing-a-long to popular tunes that also included the Temptations, Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond.

The performance is a part of a summer series of concerts hosted by 94 West to celebrate the restaurants 10 years anniversary this year.

“We’re happy to have so many great friends and patrons who love to come to our restaurants and enjoy great steak and seafood,” said owner-operator Maria Sord.

“And nothing makes for a great dinner evening than to listen to a professional entertainer sign some of the greatest songs many of us have heard over the years.”

The Orland Park restaurant, 94 West Steak & Seafood, is located at 15410 S. 94^th Avenue. It’s open every night until 10 pm, with a special popular brunch every Sunday from 10:30 am until 3:30 am.

“People come from all over for the food and the entertainment,” Sord said proudly. “We especially love John Truncali because his repertoire of music includes some of the greatest rock, soul and blues songs. The audiences love him and so do we here at 94 West.”

Truncali’s smooth voice captures the heart and soul of the songs. Even while enjoyignt heir meals, customers were clapping along and singing the words to “My Girl” by the Temptations, Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea,” and of course an array of Tom Jones songs.

A dead ringer for Tom Jones, Truncali has worked as a performing Lead Vocalist, Band Leader, Arranger and Guitarist as well as Radio Studio Announcer and Personality, Commercial Voice-over and Jingle Artist and Actor in Chicago.

In addition to the many impressions featured in his shows, John’s own singing voice has been described as an exciting blend of Tom Jones and Engelbert. Show reviewers have named him “The Italian Tom Jones” and 
“The One Man Legends Show”.

His vocal impressions mix with comedy and humor, and his evening bill includes songs from Tom Jones, Elvis, Engelbert, 
Neil Diamond, The Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.), Ray Charles, Andrea Bocelli, 
Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Frankie Valli, Joe Cocker, and many more, interacting with The Godfather (Marlon Brando), Jackie Mason, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former President Clinton, 
Rodney Dangerfield, Sylvester Stallone just to name a few. New impressions are added daily.

You can read more on Truncali at his web site at www.JohnTruncali.com.

Sord said that Truncali’s appearance will be followed by many other entertainers and artists including the popular rock & roll band Legacy, appearing at 94 West Steak & Seafood on July 19 and 26, and August 16 and 30 on the outdoor patio next to the restaurant’s spectacular waterfall array each night beginning at 7:30 pm.

On August 8, 94 West hosts a tribute to Elvis with entertainer renown Bob West, and the Jazz Standandars Frank & Tim.

Maria’s in-laws owned the Candlelight Restaurant which was located at 55^th and Spaulding on Chicago’s Southwest Side. It was opened in 1957. The Candlelight was famous for its Green Noodles.

“I learned from my mother, Mary, and father, John, that the key to a great restaurant is to serve great tasting great quality food as if you were cooking for your own family,” said Bryan Sord. “That’s what they did and that’s what we do here at 94 West.”

Sord said that they opened 94 West as a tribute to the culinary talents of his parents, who have both since passed away.

For more information on 94 West Steak & Seafood and on its entertainment schedule, visit them online at www.94WestRestaurant.com and find them on Facebook.

end

Dave and Busters just got unfun; in Contrast Harrahs for Adults is a blast!

Dave and Busters just got unfun: in Contrast Harrahs for Adults is a blast!

My son loves Dave and Busters in Orland Park. Dave and Busters is a kids hangout formed by two guys who loved to eat an delay video games, the promos claim.

But the reality is Dave and Busters is just another business and their goal is to make profits. Just this past week, Dave and Busters jacked up the costs of its prizes.

You see, parents purchase credits on a Dave and Busters credit card and the kids use the credits to play games. SOme games are just for fun. Others are for coupons in the form of tickets. When you collected a certain number of tickets, you could cash them in for prizes.

For example, my son is a big baseball fan. Dave and Busters offers autographed baseballs and autographed baseball cards. The baseballs were 7,500 coupons and the cards were 1,000. Recently, though, greed pushed the prices up to 9,000 coupons for the baseballs and 1,500 for the cards.

It may not seem much but the difference between 7,500 and 9,000 tickets is about $35 in game play. Yes, my son enjoys it. Dave and Busters is basically teaching him how to be a degenerate gambler. Or is that me allowing him to be taught?

The Coin Push machine at Dave and Busters

The tickets you get when you win. You turn them in as they accumulate and they get credited on your credit card. Each ticket is now worth 2 instead of just 1.

Alison and I went to Harrah's casino this past weekend. We don't go often and we still had cards that were issued in 2000. We split $500 and each played and we played all night. I was willing to loss the $500 as long as we could play all night and have fun. It's the cost of doing fun. We actually came out a head and left with $980.

AT the first slot machine we played, I had no idea what was happening and I won $2,000. You don't get silver dollars any more as most of you know. You get a little paper coupon. My rule is simple. I don't cash in the coupons. I cash them out and pocket them and play whatever cash I have. At the end of the night, I played $420 but left with coupons totaling $980.

One of the big attractions at the casino is the buffet. Harrah's has the Paula Deen Kitchen, although I think they are dumping her after she admitted -- stupidly -- to being a racist and using the "N-Word." The N-Word should never be used. And if you have ever used it and are going to acknowledge, then you should also admit it is stupid. But she made it sound like it was an everyday thing. These days, the queen of southern food and recipes is imploding as everyone is dropping her like a hot potato.

Harrah's buffet was pretty good.

But I can't say the same about the restaurant at Dave and Busters. The food really sucked. ANd it was expensive.

I understand at Harrahs and other casinos, the games have become complicated. For example, the penny and nickel slots really soak up more money than the $1 slots. You may only play a Penny in the Penny slot but to win anything, you have to play 75 pennies at a shot. You might as well go to the $1 slots, play $3 and win 10 times more if you hit the jackpot, or, more likely,t he mini-jackpots that players often hit just enough to keep them at the one-armed bandits.

With the price of the tickets going up at Dave and Busters, my son has lost interest in going there. He recognizes that they're just greedy. And sometimes, that's all it takes to get him out of a bad habit, because that is exactly what Dave and Busters really is, a bad habit.

If you are going to play to win tickets, the best games are the SPin the Wheel. It takes 10 credits from you for each play, about 50 cents. You can easily win 60, 90 or 200 tickets on a spin, although sometimes you might just get 10 tickets. But you can easily win 1,000 tickets, which is the jackpot on the spin. Aaron did that several times.

There are other games like the coin push game where you drop a coin into the slot and it lands on a slide that pushes other coins over an edge that lands on another shelf and that pushes more coins over the edge. Each coin over the edge wins something like  9 tickets. (I'm not taking notes there so I'm just estimating. Could be slightly more or slightly less. But you get the point.)

If you play smart, you can easily accumulate 7,500 tickets in 2 hours of play and $60 worth of credits. Dave and Busters gives you a credit card and you slide the card to play the credits and buy credits that are automatically added to your card. The card remembers the total number of tickets. Dave and Busters uses a weight system to determine how many tickets you have. You bring them up in a clump and put them in a plastic bucket and the machine weighs it and tells you that you have 1,500 tickets for example. Aaron and I counted the other night and we claimed we had 3,240 tickets but the bucket which was packed, said we only had 3,150. That was a difference of 90 tickets. But who is going to sit there and count out each ticket -- which now is worth 2 instead of just one. Less paper.

I don't trust Dave and Busters anymore. And when you don't trust someone, you loss the excitement and the fun.

Dave and Busters used to be exciting and fun. But Aaron and I are looking for a new place to spend our money. SOmeplace where we feel a little more comfortable in the area of trust and fairness.

9,000 tickets for a baseball. No way.

Trust them to weigh the tickets accurately, not so confident.

As for the food, it's just not worth eating any more.

Photos from Harrah's Casino. You definitely want to go back to Harrah's. The place is clean. We had fun winning, and losing but winning for a long time. It was well worth it. And the food at the Harrah's buffet was phenomenal, only $13 per person, and we got a discount on our Rewards Card for playing slots.

This happens a lot.

My favorite game is the Wheel of Fortune but the game doesn't play fair. You should be able to spin the wheel when the "Spin" icon pos up in each column but the slot machines only allows you to spin the wheel when they line up in a straight line or an up, down and up zig-zag. (Above is down, up and up which they say is not a winner. That sucks. Fix that machine!)

Read the instructions on the same machine. Seems a little misleading to me. But even staying away from the Wheel of Fortune Machine, we still had a lot of great fun at Harrah's in Joliet.

I TRUST HARRAH'S TO BE FAIR>

-- Ray Hanania

"Steady and vibrant" 94 West Steak & Seafood in Orland Park Celebrates 10 years

"Steady and vibrant" 94 West Steak & Seafood in Orland Park Celebrates 10 years

94 West Steak & Seafood Restaurant celebrates 10th Anniversary

Owner says restaurant is "steady and vibrant"

  

Orland Park, Il -- Brian Sord is celebrating the 10^th Anniversary of his popular steak and seafood restaurant, 94 West, predicting the next 10 years will be even better.

Raised in a restaurant family, Sord opened 94 West Steak & Seafood in 2003 at 15410 S. 94^th Avenue in Orland Park at a time when everyone said the economy would make it a real challenge.

But Sord said he used what he learned working side-by-side with his parents, and combined it with one of the best gourmet chefs in the Midwest to create a restaurant that prides itself on serving the best tasting prime steaks and seafood anywhere.

“My parents owned the Candlelight Restaurant which was located at 55^th and Spaulding on Chicago’s Southwest Side and was opened in 1957,” recalls Sord, who notes that the Candlelight was famous for its Green Noodles.

“I learned from my mother, Mary, and father, John, that the key to a great restaurant is to serve great tasting great quality food as if you were cooking for your own family. That’s what they did and that’s what we do here at 94 West.”

Sord said that he opened 94 West as a tribute to the culinary talents of his parents, who have both since passed away.

“In addition to serving only the best, I also learned that a restaurant was not just about serving the best food. It was also about how you served the public. You respected them. You treated them like they are a part of the family. You make them feel like they are special and to me, they all are,” Sord said.

Sord said that during his nearly 50 years in the restaurant business at his parents’ side and now with his wife operating 94 West Steak & Seafood, he always took his business responsibilities seriously.

“That’s why I was so disturbed when it was wrongly reported a number of weeks back that I was having financial and mortgage problems at 94 West. It has nothing to do with 94 West. We don’t have any business or property issues there.  It was a financial issue involving another property in Will County and Marquette Bank. The bank didn’t want to renew the mortgage on that commercial property. That caused all kinds of rumors and stories about the restaurant 94 west,” said Sord, noting the issues are in the process of being worked out.

“People are asking me if I am closing my restaurants and the answer is no. We are not closing. I expect 94 West to do even better during the next 10 years.”

Sord’s restaurants have been recognized as among the very best by several regional news media.

“When people come to 94 West, they expect and they get the best quality steak and seafood anywhere. Our Sunday brunch is a phenomenal success because of the assortment of food and the quality,” Sord said of the brunch which runs every Sunday from 10 am until 3 pm.

“My wife, Maria, and I understand the concerns that might be out there but the rumors are not true. What is true is that 94 West is the best steak and seafood restaurant in Chicagoland. No one even comes close and the people who say that are our customers. We’re so grateful for their support and I promise that this next decade will be even better than the first.”

Sord says 94 West continues to host and book banquets and private parties, and he stresses bookings remain “steady and vibrant."

For more information on 94 West, visit their website at www.94WestRestaurant.com.