State: Illinois

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Like a grilled bratwurst and a satisfying brew, beer historian Bob Skilnik's latest book, "Beer & Food: An American History" (Jefferson Press, ISBN: 0977808610) is the perfect complement to A&E's recent television airing of "The American Brew." From the quirky brews of the colonial era, the food rationing of world wars and the devastation of National Prohibition.

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. -- Alma Lasers announced earlier today that it has resolved an ongoing patent litigation with Palomar Medical Technologies that involves certain U.S. hair removal patents. Palomar has an exclusive license for these patents, owned by the General Hospital Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- ReachMD, an innovative healthcare communications company, announced today that the ReachMD channel for medical professionals is now available on XM, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 7.6 million subscribers; it is the healthcare industry's first satellite radio channel to provide the latest information and news to medical professionals 24/7.

ADDISON, Ill. -- Former Olympic trainer and fitness innovator John Abdo to be inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in Chicago on March 18. Abdo will join an impressive list of inductees including Jack LaLanne and Joe Weider.

ST. CHARLES, Ill. -- Chicago-based property tax consulting firm Advantax(R) announced today the opening of their new South Central region office in Houston. David LeVan, President of Advantax, said that "The new office will provide a location to better serve Advantax clients based in Houston, the south central region and around the country."

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. -- ProSoft Technology Group (Downers Grove, IL) and CyberWorld Solutions (Naperville, IL) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement, under which the companies will be combined as ProSoft Cyberworld Group.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- ZedZone.com is out of its beta phase and now offers online users the ability to easily create or participate in community or group websites. To join, users fill out a brief form. They can then create a "CommZone," a group website that is loaded with world-class functionality.

WHEATON, Ill. -- The residential and commercial storage and organization industry has a new advocate. The Association of Closet and Storage Professionals is the new voice of this booming segment of the cabinet trades. Supported nationally, the ACSP is dedicated to creating industry standards, certification, and building consumer awareness of the professional standards of the field.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- According to Solay Wellness Inc., natural salt is not just for healthy flavor. Boasting 84 minerals, unrefined, crystallized, natural salt delivers an array of health benefits, with users finding relief from respiratory ailments, improvements in skin condition, increased energy levels, pain relief, stress relief and more.

ST. CHARLES, Ill. -- David LeVan, President of Advantax(R) Group, LLC, announced today the results of its 2006 year end customer performance survey. The anonymous, third party survey examines performance areas such as honesty and ethics, responsiveness, accuracy and reliability, and industry knowledge, all areas identified as important to property tax customers.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- The LJR Group today announced publication of a revised edition of the book "Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective" (ISBN: 1-4120-6498-8, www.ourunclesam.com). Written by Cooke's great-nephew Erik Greene, Our Uncle Sam not only emphasizes Cooke's accomplishments in music history, but gives the reader an inside look on the childhood influences that drove him to excel.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- In a city that still takes boastful pride in its beery connection to gangster Al Capone, author Bob Skilnik says Big Al's brewing legacy is more baloney than brewing history. In his recently released book, BEER: A History of Brewing in Chicago ($24.95, Hardcover, 416 pages, Barricade Books, ISBN 1569803129), the beer historian argues that the real brains behind the beer that flowed through Chicago's streets was Capone's mentor, Johnny Torrio.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- HotGigs(R) Inc. (BOOTH E) announced HotGigs Jobs2Web(TM), a revolutionary job marketing tool that uses search engine optimization to drive Internet-based jobseekers to corporate career Websites. The launch, announced at the Human Resource Executive's 9th Annual HR Technology Conference & Exhibition, formally releases a product that's been successful in beta and pre-release.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- singlemamahood.com, a new blog and toolkit, launches with a "Free Advice" service for single mothers -- moms who are unmarried, divorced, widowed or separated. The singlemamahood(TM) mission is "reducing drama for the single mama."

CHICAGO, Ill. -- at a time when recession seems imminent and the future is looking bleak for many thousands of Illinois homeowners, Scott Tucker, the outspoken 'consumer advocate', is bucking the downward and damaging trend and leading the revolution against 'predatory lenders' from his website FromDebtToSavings.com, fighting the corner of consumers penalized by unfair and discriminatory lenders.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- While libraries are filled with scores of books about Chicago's colorful history, few acknowledge the political, social, and economic impact of the city's once powerful brewing industry. When the Haas & Sulzer Brewery opened its doors in 1833, the town's population of only 200 managed to guzzle down its first year's output of 600 barrels in record time. Chicago was on its way to becoming the beer-drinking town that it is today, says Bob Skilnik, author of the just-released BEER: A History of Brewing in Chicago (Barricade Books, ISBN 1569803129).