Today's Top Plays

Handicapper Darryl Schwartz offers his top local and intertrackselections

PHILADELPHIA: 6th race WEEKEND CALLER (PP 8) Sharp bullet work ontap for his second start; cuts back to a sprint after finishing adistant fourth last out; he needed that race and with a run under hisbelt he will be a lot sharper; my long-shot pick; Lopez rides forMartin. 7th race GOLDEN OAK (PP 3) His turf form overall has beengood; if he can get a contested early pace in front of him, he iscapable of producing a great late run; all his turf wins come at theexpense of lesser, but he is racing well; might be overlooked; Perezrides for George.

SARATOGA: 5th race JIMMY THE GOV (PP 7) He …

KOREA HOUSE

It took me about 45 seconds to fall in love Korea House. The aroma of sizzling meat, red pepper and sesame burst through the door onto the cold street, and a woman who actually looked like she might be Korean smiled over a dish she was cooking tableside. I seated myself at a spot for two and examined the settings-fresh linen, spindly silver chopsticks and a wide spoon. No fork, no cheater sticks and none of that terrifying plum sauce that looks like it comes out of a soap dispenser. Amen.

To attune my palate to the untried flavors of Korea, I went for the appetizer sampler of green tea rice cakes, pa-jon (green onion pancakes), bin-dea-ddok (mung bean pancakes), kimchee mandu …

CDC links 401 illnesses to 2007 pot pie recall

Federal investigators raised to 401 the number of cases of salmonella linked to the Banquet pot pies recalled last year by ConAgra Foods Inc.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its final report this week on the fall 2007 outbreak and recall.

The 401 cases of salmonella were reported in 41 states, the CDC said. No deaths were reported but nearly one-third of whose who fell ill had to be hospitalized.

…

Jobs fair targets welfare recipients // More than 100 interviewed

Bernadette Humprey hasn't worked for nearly a year and untilthis past week her prospects of finally getting off the publicwelfare rolls appeared bleak.

Thanks to a Project Chance Jobs Fair for welfare recipients,however, Humprey now believes her days on public aid are numbered.

Humphrey said her growing disillusionment with job hunting"turned to joy" after two "promising" interviews at the jobs fair,sponsored by the Illinois Public Aid Department at the agency'soffice at 841 W. 119th.

Humprey, mother of a 6-year-old girl, said she didn't think thejobs fair would "end up being anything" and was surprised at itsoutcome.

"I have a followup …

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of rain. Mid-50s low.

Thursday

A 60 percent chance of rain. Highs around 70.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with scattered …

Latest 'Call of Duty' game breaks sales record

NEW YORK (AP) — By the third time around, it really shouldn't be a surprise. The latest "Call of Duty" video game set a first-day sales record this week, generating $400 million in sales in its first 24 hours in stores. That breaks the record its predecessor set this time last year.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" is the third game in the military shooter series to set such a record. Last year, "Call of Duty: Black Ops" raked in $360 million in its first 24 hours on sale. "Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2," sold 4.7 million copies in its first 24 hours to reap $310 million

The latest installment of the …

Texas Southern defeats Alcorn State 30-20

LORMAN, Miss. (AP) — Marquis Jackson had his second sack of the game, forcing a fumble to prevent a potential game-winning touchdown late in Texas Southern's 30-20 win over Alcorn State on Saturday.

The Tigers (3-3, 3-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) led 23-20 when the Braves (3-2, 2-1) were driving in Texas Southern territory.

Alcorn State's Brandon Bridge went to pass on fourth-and-16 from the Tigers' 35 when Jackson tallied his …