Whose theater? // Control of Auditorium now up to judge

Closing arguments were presented Wednesday afternoon in CookCounty Circuit Court in a bitterly fought case that will determinethe future relationship between Roosevelt University and theAuditorium Theatre Council, the body that has operated, restored andraised funds for the Auditorium Theatre since 1960.

The arguments before Judge Aaron Jaffe came at the end of anoften-acrimonious 10-week trial. At issue is who controls theAuditorium Theatre, a Chicago cultural landmark that is owned byRoosevelt, and who has principal access to its assets. The assetsinclude funds raised for the restoration and operation of the theaterthrough the Auditorium Theatre Council, as well as …

Kodak gets 2013 deadline to reorganize

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Eastman Kodak Co. has obtained a bankruptcy judge's approval to borrow an initial $650 million from Citigroup Inc. to keep operations running while it peddles a trove of digital-imaging patents.

The ailing photography pioneer filed for bankruptcy protection on Thursday, and is required under the financing terms to produce a reorganization plan by Feb. 15, 2013.

U.S. …

LeBron leads free-agent crop ready to change NBA

The NBA's free agency period has opened, with LeBron James leading perhaps the deepest group of players to ever hit the open market.

Teams could begin making their pitches at 0400 GMT Thursday, and some were getting started quickly.

Atlanta's Joe Johnson was expecting early visits in Los Angeles from the Hawks and New York Knicks, with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting that the Hawks were prepared to offer the All-Star shooting guard a maximum salary contract.

Things get interesting later Thursday, when the New Jersey Nets and Knicks are scheduled for visits to Ohio to meet with James, the two-time MVP who heads the class.

It …

THE WEB-SAVVY DIRECTOR

Do you have an hour or two before this month's board meeting? Go surfing. On the Web, that is.

We've done this before, but the Web is constantly changing, and with it the value of various banking websites. These are the sites that the Web-savvy director should bookmark for general reference, or for a quick update when you need information related to your duties as a director:

www.fdic.gov

This is my first stop for current information on the state of the industry. Broken down into categories-bankers, consumers, analysts, and investors-this is the site that can keep you up on industry news, statistics, and regulatory changes, and it should be the starting point for …

Tamil rebels want to continue 2002 cease-fire after Sri Lankan government withdraws

Separatist Tamil Tigers rebels said Thursday they want to continue a 2002 cease-fire with the Sri Lankan government, a week after Colombo officially withdrew from the truce.

"We are shocked and disappointed that the government of Sri Lanka has unilaterally abrogated the cease-fire agreement signed in 2002," B. Nadesan, the group's political head, said in a statement _ the first public reaction to the government's decision.

The Tigers were "ready to implement every clause" of the Norway-brokered truce and respect it "100 percent," he said.

The rebel group is banned in United States, India, European Union and Canada as …

Clinton hasn't looked into Knox case in Italy

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she hasn't yet looked into the case of the American college student in Italy who was found guilty of murdering her British roommate.

Amanda Knox of Seattle has been sentenced to 26 years in prison after a yearlong trial. Knox's family insists she's innocent and is a victim of character assassination. They plan to appeal.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, has said she plans to bring her own concerns _ including whether "anti-Americanism" tainted the trial _ to Clinton.

Clinton says she's been tied up with Afghanistan policy and hasn't examined the case. Clinton says she'll meet with anyone who has concerns about the case. She also says she hasn't expressed any concerns to the Italian government.

Clinton spoke on ABC television's "This Week."

Quick cash solutions carry risks

Are you getting desperate for money for the holidays? Thinking about taking out a payday loan, borrowing money at a pawn shop or renting to own?

Don't, say financial counseling experts.

"When we're desperate, we often resort to solutions that actually increase the problem," said Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (nfcc.org).

Stiff fees accompany payday loans, rent-to-own arrangements, and money borrowed at pawn shops when you put up collateral.

The credit-counseling foundation offers financial advice toll-free, (800) 388-2227, and in Spanish, (800) 682-9832.