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LOCAL NEWS ____________________________ 3 AROUND CHICAGO: ENTERTAINMENT CRUISES __ 4 TRAVEL: NAPA VALLEY ___________________ 10 DINING WITH MS. X _____________________ 14 CHEF PROFILE: GREGORY ELLIOTT __________ 19 NUGGETS ______________________________ 29 CHEF PROFILE: TIM KERKER ______________ 33 NATIONAL NEWS ________________________ 40 CARY MILLER __________________________ 39 DIRECTORY OF SERVICES _________________ 41
The Impact of a $10.10 Minimum Wage on Jobs and Taxpayer Costs in Illinois In an economic analysis by Dr. David Macpherson of Trinity University, he uses Census Bureau data to estimate the impact on Illinois’ labor market and budget from raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. He also provides separate results for the city of Chicago at $10.10 and $15. Dr. Macpherson’s employment estimates follow the methodology used by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in its report earlier this year estimating the impact of a $10.10 minimum wage nationwide, which in turn relied on 60 different empirical studies to formulate its estimates. Statewide, he finds that over 16,000 jobs would be lost at the $10.10 wage level—with 9,200 of those jobs being held by wom-
en. In Chicago proper, approximately 2,000 jobs would be lost from a $10.10 minimum wage and over 20,000 jobs would be lost from a $15 minimum wage. The cost to taxpayers would also be significant: There are approximately 48,000 state and local employees whose wages would be affected by the $10.10 increase in Illinois, for a combined cost to taxpayers of over $79 million annually. Raising wages is an admirable goal, notes Dr. Macpherson, but the evidence suggests that accomplishing this goal with a blunt wage mandate could do more harm than good. The study was released in July, 2014 by the Illinois Restaurant Association and the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association.
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The Meaning of LYFE: Multiple Menus Evanston’s LYFE Kitchen, 1603 Orrinigton Ave., may have had customers doing a double, and triple take. Is LYFE Kitchen a vegan eatery? Is it a gluten-free establishment? Does it offer food for all preferences and is it family-friendly? All of the above. LYFE Kitchen offers multiple menus for a wide variety of palettes and pleasures. With two locations –the other at 413 N Clark in Chicago– they offer clean, upscale dining in an allergen-free environment. They are careful to point out that due to the handcrafted nature of their menu, the exclusion of glutens, nuts or other allergens may not be absolute, but with a stellar selection of tastes and temptations from flatbreads to burgers to soups, salads and salmon, there is a guaranteed favorite-in-themaking for everyone. Plans for a third location in Streeterville are under way as well as more locations planned throughout the Chicago area.
Above: The spectacular Chicago skyline is the perfect setting for a cruise on Lake Michigan. The Mystic Blue is just one of the venues we mention in Around Chicago: Entertainment Cruises on page 4.
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