When Weather.com isn't Good Enough
When the weather forecast is too vague, institutions from the city to universities are calling on private meteorologists to take some of the uncertainty out of the day.
When the weather forecast is too vague, institutions from the city to universities are calling on private meteorologists to take some of the uncertainty out of the day.
A new study shows Illinois kids are in a Top 10 list that no one's bragging about. One in three Illinois children is overweight or obese, and Illinois ranks 10th in the country for percentage of children ages 10-17 who are too heavy.
"The housing bubble caused a migration bubble and it has burst." In non-sound byte language: Depressed housing prices in California and Florida mean fewer people are moving out there. Consequently, established cities are making population gains. We gained 21,000 people last year.
Remember that 1968 riot police reunion? Well, it happened, and here's a little summary of it.
Does Chicago pay too much to move bodies to the morgue? Ald. Edward M. Burke says yep, and wants to hold hearings about the contractor, which the city pays $915 to transport each body. In good old Dayton, OH, the company's hometown, it's a measly $75 per body.
The thought of year-round school is enough to make any elementary school student pound his or her head on their locker in anguish. So if you hear repeated banging coming from the vicinity of Herzl Elementary School in North Lawndale, you'll know why.
The world of infomercials (or, shows you find yourself watching at 2 AM) will never be the same: Pitchman Billy Mays, who brought OxiClean into our lives, died this morning at age 50.
Unemployment is hitting Chicago hard, with a seasonally unadjusted jobless rate for the metro area of 10.7 percent. That's the highest level since August 1983.
The FBI arrested a New Jersey blogger for writing that three Chicago-based federal judges "deserve to be killed," then posting their photographs, phone numbers and a map of their courthouse on his blog. He was upset that the judges recently upheld the handgun ban in Chicago and Oak Park.
Anthony Abbate, the Chicago cop caught in the infamous barmaid beating videotape, has been sentenced to two years probation for the incident.
Twenty-one million dollars is the most a jury has ever awarded in Chicago for a wrongful conviction. Juan Johnson's is just the latest acquittal tied to alleged police misconduct. If what the city lawyers say is true however, there is a lot more than meets the eye.
A Hudson News store at O'Hare used a blinder (a black plastic square usually reserved for porn mag covers) to obscure the "racy" cover of the latest GQ. No, it's not the ingenue du jour cupping her breasts and crotch. It's Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Brüno. Uh, hubba-hubba?
A former North Chicago "Police Officer of the Year" was just released from jail after pistol-whipping Waukegan's police chief. The reporter also wants you to know that the former Police Officer of the Year's "telephone number is unlisted."
David Hernandez, the figure at the center of the Webio internet radio scandal that we told you about earlier, has been found in downstate Normal after an alleged suicide attempt.
The usual collection of semi-talented, questionably-talented and what-the-heck-are-they-doing-here talented braved the early morning rain to audition for American Idol at the United Center.
Two area 26-year-olds had a most unusual wedding thanks to dual diagnoses of swine flu.
If you are interested in a first-person account of the May bus police chase, the Sun-Times has the story from the bus monitor who was unwillingly along for the ride.
All the lovely rain we've been having means that conditions are ripe for mosquito reproduction. Those that carry West Nile love stagnant water, which means that the on-hold Spire has gone from being world's largest building, to possibly being the world's largest breeding ground for the suckers.
Think Barack Obama is the only president with Illinois connections who is now historically linked to a fly? Think again. (At least this other guy didn't have PETA breathing down his neck.)
After a recent spate of thefts at local cemeteries, police are warning mourners to watch their valuables while attending funerals, or while visiting graves over Father's Day.
Iranian-Americans will be holding a rally in support of Iranian election protesters. Meet in Federal Plaza at 4:30pm. Windy Citizen will be live-blogging with photos and commentary.
A Starbucks at O'Hare Airport was closed by city health inspectors because of a fly infestation (musca domestica is the Latin name for the common housefly, which we're sure you knew already).
This month, Chicago-area home vacancy rates jumped more than one percentage point to 3.8%. Of course, that's nothing compared to Englewood, which tops the list with a 16.1% vacancy rate.
No one ever said a Chicago police officer's job was easy, but did you know that in addition to dealing with thugs, crooks and assorted ne'er-do-wells, they also have to supply their own uniforms? Medill Reports has the story.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright is back in the news, this time for telling a reporter "the Jews" aren't letting him near President Obama. He tried to clarify the remark by saying he was referring to Zionists, not David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel.
Risking some sort of disruption in the time-space continuum, the star of Second City's Rod Blagojevich, Superstar and the REAL Blago will appear on stage together this Saturday at a performance of the show at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. Wonder if the real Blago tried to sell his part in the show?
Chicago Housing Authority residents and market-rate condo owners are going at it at another mixed-income development. This time, it's Westhaven Park Tower. Please note the Tower's website is set up as an "informative resource for both our neighborhood and our local community," yet it's mainly password protected.
The plight of the pizza deliveryman in Evanston who was beaten and had his car hijacked and wrecked has touched many readers of the Chicago Tribune, who saw the story in today's paper. Here's the website if you wish to donate.
While her own polling says she has a good chance of winning, Rep. Jan Shakowsky (D-Ill.) says she'll stay out of the race for the "golden" Senate seat now occupied by one Roland Burris. Check out the full announcement in Mechanics.
The city's parking meter uproar and recent epic fails turned ugly today when 50 coin-fed parking meters on the North side were filled with goo and sprayed with silver paint. Is laughing bad?
... and her husband turned her in.
Iconic international football (soccer) franchise Manchester United has tabbed Chicago-based insurance company Aon as their new principal sponsor. Let's hope there's no curse associated with the honor, considering the fate that befell their old sponsor, a little company called AIG.
Jessica Herum, a tour guide for Chicago's First Lady boat tours, is being hailed as a hero for helping control a fire that broke out when a propane tank exploded at Cyrano's Cafe this morning. [via]
Apparently Evanston has a problem with illicit scrap metal collectors lurking in the alleys, ready to strike. The article makes itself an interesting semiotic study through the fine use of terms for the scrappers ranging from "junk metal pirates" to "alley entrepreneurs."
Anthony Abbate has been found guilty of aggravated battery. Hopefully, there are no 125-pound women in prison waiting to pounce on him. That would be just awful.
The city's Inspector General says we could have gotten almost ONE BILLION DOLLARS MORE in the now infamous parking meter deal had ol' Ritchie not rammed the contract through. Oops. UPDATE: More details and a link to a PDF of the report in Chicagoland and our own Mechanics.
We told you previously about the website run by the feds in Chicago that lists the unusual nicknames given to local bank robber. Add another SUV-influenced name to that list.
With news of important Defender-related archives in the news lately, it seems particularly relevant to mention Mapping the Stacks, a "guide to Black Chicago's hidden archives."
The last 24 hours were particularly bad for violence in the city.
The nifty bike valet at Millennium Park is in jeopardy of closing this summer due to chief underwriter Chase Bank's "refocusing on business matters."
Just not the good kind. Crain's reports that unemployment in Chicago was 10.6% in April.
That is, for drug abuse in arrests. A White House Office of National Drug Control Policy report found 87% of arrested men tested positive for illegal drug use in Chicago.
In possibly weirdest news story of the day, a school bus driver was shot by police after a chase that included ramming cars.
Good old Southwest Airlines, home of the cheap flights from Midway, now plans to sell tickets for family pets. Starting June 17, passengers can bring up to five pets on a flight in a carry-on case to fit under the seat. Yes, 5 pets. Good for pet lovers, doom for those trying to sleep off a hangover.
Even though she lost on "menhir," Aishwarya Eshwar Pastapur of downstate Chatham finished third in the finals of last night's Scripps National Spelling Bee.
US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced an indictment against 29th Ward Ald. Ike Carothers this afternoon. Listen to the press conference here, download the indictment here (PDF), and keep an eye on our politics section, Mechanics, for further news and analysis.
Retired Chicago investment banker Louis Susman has been nominated as ambassador to Britain. A top fundraiser for Obama's presidential campaign and other Democratic campaigns, Susman is now poised for what's considered a pretty sweet appointment.
Not really. Due to a rash of parking meter payboxes not working, Police have been instructed not to issue parking tickets in the loop today.
Wondering where to protest the California Supreme Court's decision to uphold Proposition 8?
A rare stamp that disappeared in 1967 reappeared three years ago when a couple brought it to the Norwood Park shop Stamp King. The stamp, which is a 90-cent Abraham Lincoln stamp from 1869, is now on the auction block and could fetch $300,000.
Disney is putting the finishing touches on Obama's animatronic figure for their Hall of the Presidents. Like W. and Clinton before him, the president provided a few choice words for the figure to speak.
The Sun-Times is working on an enlightening set of articles following nearly 200 units in University Village that were set aside for families who needed assistance to purchase a home. The paper finds 67% were sold to young, single buyers, including some who already owned multiple properties -- and that's just the beginning.
The last 24-hour post office in the country is located near Harrison and Canal. But in June, the location will reduce their hours, closing at midnight. The Postal Service says they don't have enough customers to justify the expense of 24-hour service. Simply must mail that special letter at 3am? The location (and many others) still offer automated kiosks in the lobby at all hours.
In today's vomit-inducing news, both Blagojeviches will be included in an upcoming season of "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here." Sure, Rod is prohibited from leaving the state and joining his wife in the Costa Rican jungle. But that won't stop him from a "surprise" involvement. Yay?
Chicago is the first city to be honored by the National Building Museum for being green. Museum officials praised Mayor Daley, the city's efforts to retrofit municipal buildings for energy efficiency and the city's goals for reducing greenhouse emissions.
For the second time in as many months a cab has crashed into the front doors of Petterino's restaurant at Dearborn and Randolph. Man, the food must be REALLY good there.
After years of rumors to the effect, the iconic Kiddieland Amusement Park in Melrose Park (8400 W. North Ave) will be closing its doors after this season, barring some last-minute reprieve.
GazeboNews has an interesting, if depressing, article about an elderly couple who committed suicide in Fort Sheridan Cemetery last Thursday.
Drew Peterson has pleaded not guilty to murdering his third wife during his arraignment this morning. As if we expected him to do anything different.
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will take to the stage appearing as the Ghost from Hamlet as part of a Shakespeare and the Law conference in Hyde Park.
If you're a fan of the "erotic services" section of Craigslist, you have until May 15 to enjoy it. The site will be shutting the section down that day and creating a new, human-monitored "adult" section at some point in the future, according to an agreement reached with several state attorneys including Illinois' Lisa Madigan.
President Obama could name University of Chicago law professor Diane Wood to the Supreme Court.
Jailed journalist Roxana Saberi has been released by the Iranian government, after her sentence was reduced on appeal.
The AP is reporting 421 cases of Swine Flu in the state and 187 in Chicago alone.
Senator Durbin is lobbying with Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill to get a high speed rail line from Chicago to St. Louis.
Rev. Michael Pfleger's upside-down flag and the 36 children killed in Chicago this year are increasingly getting national attention.
Riverside police pulled seven rounds out of a house. Why is it news? The house is next door to that of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, and the police think he was the target.
Drew Peterson has been arrested by state police for former wife Kathleen Savio's 2004 death.
Looking to buy in the city? If you don't make at least $73,000, you're probably screwed. Oh, and rents are up too. This and other pleasant news form the Center for Housing Policy.
Something to think about during that ride up to your downtown office: There's a chance that elevator you're in hasn't been inspected in, oh, about eight years.
"Anderson Cooper 360" will be exploring the dramatic rise in the number of CPS student deaths on CNN tonight (Wednesday) at 9pm. The show also re-airs at midnight.
Chinese nationals were arrested here and in Seattle on suspicion of running an international honey smuggling ring.
The 15-year-old who started a CPD poo-storm earlier this year when he successfully impersonated a cop is in hot water a second time -- he was arrested Friday for stealing a car from a South Side dealership after pretending to be an interested buyer.
James Tyree, CEO of Mesirow Financial Inc. is thinking about buying the Chicago Sun-Times. Tyree has subscribed to the Sun-Times for years and currently reads it online.
Beginning in June, Chicago-area households can expect a "significant" decrease in their ComEd electric bills, reports Crain's.
Poor journalist/film critic Ray Pride was beaten up a month ago after a Greek film festival, by nationalists who thought he was an "anarchist infiltrator." He provides the details on his blog and elsewhere. The more squeamish may want to avoid the photos Pride took of his bloodied post-attack clothing.
Chi-Town Daily News Staff Writer Alex Parker reports that there are 16 cases of Swine Flu in Chicago and 41 in the state according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Illinois Department of Health is stockpiling about four hundred thousand regimens of Tamiflu and two hundred thousand of Relenza according to the Chi-Town Daily News.
Did you know Chicago had rattlesnakes? I didn't. Nice to know they've been rounded up--and for their own good.
The Center for Neighborhood Technology (creators of I-Go car sharing and other great stuff) and the Chicago Community Loan Fund were among the nine non-profits awarded MacArthur Foundation grants today.
A Rogers Park elementary school is closed for at least the next two days as officials survey parents and try to curtail the spread of germs between students. One student at the school has been noted by City Public Health officials as a probable case of swine flu.
The MacArthur Foundation's 2009 Award for Creative & Effective Nonprofits includes the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology, who will use their grant to "expand its research capacities, reach a wider national audience, and build its operating reserve."
Estera Bulbucan, a Des Plaines woman, stole an ambulance in Park Ridge and then used it to do donuts in Millennium Park. She was arrested.
One of the approximately 60 WWII era aircraft remaining in Lake Michigan has been recovered for inclusion in a New Orleans museum. The plane crashed on Nov. 24, 1944 while attempting to land on an aircraft carrier during a training mission.
When imagining the scourge of Naperville, you probably don't envision it as public urination.
Mayor Daley and Sen. Durbin will be giving the details.
Mayor Daley has named this Thursday Talk Like Shakespeare Day, in honor of the Bard's 445th birthday.
When farm-implements heir Brooks McCormick passed away, he donated his 8,000sq ft condo in the name of his wife, Hope, to four local organizations and the World Wildlife Fund. They may each receive $1 million from the sale.
I imagine if I were hiking to the North Pole, I'd stay motivated by thinking about tasty food I'd have when I got home, too.
The Huffington Post's Michael Moreci discusses the privatization of Chicago, from parking meters to Midway, and why he thinks Daley's "city-wide garage sale" tactics only offer a short-term fix.
Thirteen Chicago police officers were arrested for DUI last year. CPD Superintendent Jody Weis says drunken cops "aren't systemic."
About 2,000 people attended the Teabag event in Chicago according to Nate Silver's estimates.
Eight Midwestern states have united to reinvigorate plans for the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative as a way to increase their odds at getting federal funding. If the plan succeeds, you know who will be in the center.
The Obamas made $2.7 million last year, which is down from the $4.2 million they made in 2007. Most of the money they earned in 2008 came from the profits of President Obama's two books.
On the heels of a major newsroom layoff at the Chicago Tribune, Tribune Company CEO Sam Zell acknowledged purchasing the company was a mistake. If you want to hear it from the horse's mouth, check out Bloomberg TV News.
If you haven't filed your taxes yet, well, good luck. Neighborhood post offices won't be staying open late, but the Main Post Office at 433 W. Harrison will accept your mail to the IRS until midnight tonight.
Remember the CPD/CPS TXT2TIP [pdf] program? Yeah, no one else did either. The program received 70 text messages since September 10, 2008, and, um, "some were hoaxes." Given its tremendous success, Huberman is reviving the program.
Speaking of the Trib, the paper is adding to the scores it has laid off in the last few months by cutting 20% of its newsroom staff.
A 26-year-old pediatric resident physician at Children's Memorial Hospital may have unwittingly exposed hundreds of patients and coworkers to tuberculosis.
The CTA is using $49 million of its stimulus money to buy 58 articulated buses (you know, the ones that look like accordions).
The Trib visited RedSpeed Illinois and Redflex Traffic Systems to get the inside scoop on red light cameras and how the companies who operate them interact with the city.
After successfully robbing a Dunkin' Donuts of $167 on Tuesday, the culprit returned on Wednesday to apologize and return the cash. He was arrested wearing the same clothes later that day.
Seriously, do people still fall for this? It's certainly not the first time. It's not even the second.
Smokers, you might be feeling the heat. Not only did the Federal government raise cigarette taxes by 62 cents a pack today, but the state is also considering increasing their tax by 50 cents a pack this year and 50 cents a pack next year.
That's Illinois's unemployment rate, the highest since 1992. Who wants to bet we make double digits soon?
The Chicago Sun-Times has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Here's a letter from the Sun-Times' Chairman and CEO Jeremy Halbreich.
Nate Silver, political Cassandra of our time, and founder of FiveThirtyEight, is moving from Chicago to New York. Well, we still have The Bean right?
A tough economy just got a little tougher for workers at the Chicago Ford plant at 12600 S. Torrance Ave. Slow sales have forced the company to shut the facility down for three weeks, laying off some 1,400 workers.
The South Side Irish Parade planning committee announced this morning that it "is not planning to stage a parade in its present form in March of 2010." The decision reflects the strain having 300,000+ people attend the parade -- and the public drunkenness, multiple arrests and fights that come with it. Alternative events are in the works.
State Street is blocked from Wacker Drive to Illinois Street after a man in his 50's jumped to his death from the 28th floor of the Marina City tower.
In yet another cost-cutting move, the Trib and L.A. Times are consolidating their foreign news services and will run them out of the L.A. office.
Unfortunately it's not a good curve. Progress Illinois has a nice graph illustrating Illinois's unemployment rate, which has recently risen above the national average.
It's bad enough when people commit identity theft, but when cars get in on it... Chicago was one of three locations targeted in a major "car cloning" ring bust. Car cloning is when one car assumes the identity of another. Unfortunately, it's not as cool and sci-fi as it sounds.
Tomorrow at 10 a.m., the remaining residents of the Diplomat Hotel will be forced to vacate the premises, leaving many of them homeless. Earlier this month, residents were given a three-week deadline to find new accomodations, due to a long list of serious code violations by the building's owner.
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center will be opening in Skokie on April 19. You may request tickets to the public grand opening ceremony or get a sneak peek by purchasing tickets for the Inaugural Gala on April 2.
After being briefly closed by the Chicago Department Of Public Health, the Heartland Cafe reopened last night. Heartland owner Katy Hogan felt the inspection was fair, and gave the building an opportunity for an overdue renovation.
While the Sun-Times is getting more expensive, Time Out Chicago is getting cheaper. The price will drop about a dollar ($1.99 instead of $2.99), effective immediately. TOC's editor-in-chief says it's meant to attract readers.
The Sun-Times will cost 75 cents per single copy retail starting March 30th.
Chicagoland's Kendall County was the fourth fastest growing county in the U.S. according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Ivan, one of two cocker spaniel puppies adopted at PAWS Chicago by Oprah Winfrey, has died from parvovirus.
One Chicago resident who likely didn't weather our harsh winter well — the urban rat.
Governor Quinn is considering responding to the state budget crisis by raising individual income taxes from 3 to 4.5 percent, while increasing personal exemptions.
They talked about painting it silver, but this story isn't a flash in the pan. The Sears Tower's getting a new tenant at the end of the summer, and a new name. London-based Willis Group is moving nearly 500 employees to the iconic tower in the Loop, and as a reward, Crain's is reporting the building will soon be called The Willis Tower. [hat tip to Sarah]
The NY Times' newest feature on immigration has maps and data about the rate and composition of immigration since 1890. The information is national in scope, but there's plenty of local detail, like this school composition data.
As times get tougher for print publications, I'm sure we'll be hearing more stories about aggressive advertising campaigns like this one.
A week after Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart sued CraigsList to stop allowing "erotic services" ads on its site, CL reports that its listings of that type are down 90 percent. We already knew they were lower than elsewhere in the country.
The New York Times writes about the Museum of Funeral Customs down in Springfield, which finds itself on the verge of death due to lack of funding. Too bad -- it seems like a logical road trip destination starting from the International Museum of Surgical Sciences here in Chicago.
The Sun-Times is on the shortlist of newspapers that Time has predicted will either fold or go digital in the near future. Sun-Times tweets that they "don't buy it."
Chicago Carless blogger Mike Doyle lives in Marina City, and started tweeting just now as a cooking fire broke out in the east tower. According to Mike, it seems that the staff at the tower could not locate the key to the elevators, and the fire department had to hoof their equipment up the stairs. Hopefully, since this seems to have been a small fire, there were no injuries or major damage. [Update: We've learned from Marina City Online that it was actually a false automatic alarm.]
Wednesday Journal Inc. is closing its Chicago Journal West Town and selling off two other papers.
Jim Scherr, the CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, resigned today.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is planning to sue CraigsList for running ads for prostitution.
That's how much the U of C's Crime Lab estimates gun violence costs Chicago every year.
You know who's doing alright in the cage? Conrad Black that's who. According to the Associated Press via Crain's, "Convicted former media mogul Conrad Black says his first year in prison has been surprisingly pleasant and he is using his time in jail to teach, write and expand his social circle." Here's to hoping he doesn't like it so much that when he gets out he plans to mess up another newspaper... that is if there are any left by then.
Thanks to a $6 million Homeland Security grant, the city of Chicago has integrated the 911 emergency response center with video feeds from the city's cameras, as well as those from 20 private institutions. An additional 17 organizations are expected to sign on shortly.
Remember the call for a Chicago Tea Party? Well, the idea's originator, Rick Santelli, is distancing himself from the ramifications of the statement.
There's an extra-alarm fire at 1040 W. Hollywood. Blogger Craig Gernhardt is on the scene, posting live updates on The Broken Heart of Rogers Park.
Borders still hasn't made any progress subleasing its four troubled stores, but it is planning to close its Magnificent Mile location at the beginning of next year.
The New York Times via Pro Publica has a beautiful map of the proposed high speed rail corridors and the best part is that Chicago, as has been rumored, seems to be a central hub for the super fast trains. Check the map out here.
It's getting harder to get a good Chicago-area education. At Northwestern University, tuition is on the rise.
You can bet that no photos are accompanying the 24 tickets this Orland Park man has received. Thirteen of them were from the same officer, written three at a time, for violations in locations as improbable as can be, on a car he no longer owns.
There was a local winner at the Oscars on Sunday, in a way.
Following emergency room organizational changes, the U of C Hospitals have been accused of coming "dangerously close" to deflecting uninsured and otherwise cost-intensive patients to other hospitals by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Developing Story: The CTA has pulled 90 articulated buses from this evening's rush hour commute after a structural crack was discovered. Right now, there's nothing some affected route information posted to the bus status page at the CTA's site. UPDATE: the Trib reports more than 200 buses will be affected immediately.
Look out, Lake Michigan! CNBC's Rick Santelli got some traders riled up today as he began calling for a Boston-style tea party in July...in Chicago. The reason? Protesting the newly-signed economic stimulus package.
Over the weekend, Chicago Cop Watch posted video of a police officer using force to remove an apparently drunk rider from a CTA bus, questioning the officer's use of force in an non-emergency situation. Today, the Tribune reports that the CPD is investigating the incident.
Table Fifty-Two has been swamped with reservation requests since word leaked about the Obamas' Valentine's Day dinner there. As of Monday afternoon, Saturdays were booked through the end of March. I wonder if they'd have the same effect at any restaurant they visited...
Pedestrian deaths rose from 49 in 2007 to 56 in 2008. Prevention funding is also up, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
Compare and contrast: The possibly overreaching changes to Facebook's terms of service, and the sweet simplicity of the current "25 things" meme.
At the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference here in Chicago over the weekend, cosmologist Paul Davies of Arizona State University says that alien life, in one form or another, does indeed exist and may already be living here on Earth! (I thought that guy at 7-11 looked a little weird.)
We know what some of you think about the Olympic bid, but most public critiques haven't spent much time on the architecture. Blair Kamin starts the discussion with a serious critique.
This week's Reader feature investigates the financial troubles threatening the eviction of Loren Billings, the 89-year-old widow who lives in and runs the Museum of Holography.
Chicagoan Virginia Call, whose family claimed she was 115 and records indicate was about 111, has died. She was also Chicago's oldest registered voter, supporting Barack Obama after a 20-year registration lapse.
Yesterday, Daley presented his wish list for the Chicago region from the economic stimulus package, including $50 million for O'Hare, $40 million for street construction and an unspecified sum for education and other purposes.
You have to wonder, how often is the hitman you try to hire not a cop?
Chicago BioMedicine (which includes the The University of Chicago Medical Center) announced a major reorganization with 450 layoffs -- 5% of its workforce.
The popular Bleeding Heart Bakery on Belmont Ave. was shuttered this week by the Chicago Dept. of Health for code violations. Eep. UPDATE: The bakery put out a statement about the closure.
65,000 gallons of waste oil spilled near the Caterpillar plant southwest of the city, contaminating the Des Plaines River.
Help is difficult to find for illegal immigrants in need of health care, unemployment or other services. And the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's deportation policies mean asking for help from the wrong person might send them back to a country they no longer know.
Tribune Co. is set to cut even more jobs. One wonders how many jobs they've got left...
Now we KNOW the economy is in a nose dive: Even Blue Man Group isn't immune to layoffs. They've also cut back on PVC pipes and marshmallows (OK, not really sure about those last two).
The full extent of Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme still isn't known, but there are more than two dozen victims in Chicagoland alone, the Tribune reports. Here's the official list of all victims.
After years of only presenting newspaper scans online, the Hyde Park Herald is slowly digitizing and sharing its publications -- back to 1888.
Holsten, the firm currently developing Uptown's embattled Wilson Yard project, has expanded its subpoenas to include two neighborhood organizations: Buena Park Neighbors and the Uptown Neighborhood Council, according to the Chicago Journal. (The real estate firm has already targeted two area blogs.)
Authorities have executed search warrants on James Lewis, who served time for extortion in the 1980s killings.
Fire broke out this morning in the attic of Holy Name Cathedral.
Chicago's expected to get a couple inches of lake effect snow tonight. Be glad we're on this side of the lake, though: northwest Indiana is predicted to get up to 18 inches.
Never expected to see a sex toy delivery service to get front-page treatment on the Trib's website, complete with (mostly SFW) video.
Lynn Sweet reports that Tammy Duckworth is expected to be named an assistant secretary in the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday morning.
Feel like the mail takes far too long to get where it's going these days (especially if that place is Chicago)? Just imagine if it only came five times a week.
If the Gov is indeed ousted today, the Illinois Tollway will almost immediately shroud all those signs proclaiming Rod's awesomeness (like this one). Then they'll take them down.
Newly-installed Chicago Public Schools chief (and former CTA chief) Ron Huberman was booed today by a crowd of parents, teachers and community officials upset about plans to close and reorganize 22 schools.
Examiner.com has some fun at the expense of HGTV and "Best of" lists with the network's proclamation of the Gold Coast as Chicago's dreamiest neighborhood.
While it may be par for the course in Washington, D.C., a school closing because of "some ice" is a bit of a shock to President Obama who says the city apparently needs some "Chicago toughness."
High schooler Jonathan Wong is selling views of the Obamas' Hyde Park home from his bedroom -- for $10 a look.
A 14-year old boy was arrested for impersonating a police officer yesterday, after he'd already been out on patrol with another officer.
As Fix WIlson Yard forges ahead in its efforts to challenge the city's handling of the Wilson Yard TIF, The Huffington Post examines the history of the project, the positions of Uptown Alderman Helen Shiller and developer Holsten Chicago, and the tangled web of TIFs in Chicago.
OK, how about some news that's NOT about the goings-on in Washington, D.C.? WaMu is set to close 57 Chicago-area bank branches. On second thought, that probably does have a lot to do with Washington, D.C.
The hedge fund Davidson Kempner Capital Management LLC is replacing all but one member of the Sun-Times' board of directors. FYI, if you're looking for more information about the direction the board might take, the fund's website isn't particularly helpful.
In a story to thaw some of the hearts frozen in the wake of recent Illinois political news, a bill sponsored by a state rep and senator aims to crack down on puppy mills. They couldn't have trotted out a cuter mascot to make their point.
Chicago-based ticket-brokering site FirstDIBZ.com says got caught up in a Super Bowl ticket scam, in which "hackers" allegedly posted sales of tickets they didn't own.
One of Oprah Winfrey's exes claims in a tell-all book that they smoked crack together. The fact that he told his story exclusively to the Enquirer should probably not surprise you. The Chicago Celebrity Examiner says, so what?
It was like something out of a movie--literally. A kid in Hammond, Indiana got a mouthful of pain Tuesday night when he was dared to lick a streetlight pole, and his tongue stuck to it. Said a police officer at the scene, "You'd think everybody in the country had seen A Christmas Story by now."
Southbound Metra riders, be warned, your trip home will be slow. An Amtrak train derailed near Union Station this afternoon, cutting off three Metra lines.
After 10 years on Saturday Night Live, comedian Tim Meadows rolls back into the city where he got his start and, after films and sitcoms, returns to live comedy.
The police stopped a Metra train in Lisle, searching car to car for a reported guy with a gun -- who turned out to be a Secret Service agent on his way to work. Q101's Sherman and Tingle talked live with a station colleague who happened to be on the train.
Perhaps it's one of those Jerry-Lewis-is-big-in-France deals, but for some reason the CTA Bus Tracker is popular in Norway, receiving 15,000-plus hit from that country, more than any other country outside of the U.S. *Incidentally, the headline translates to "Was that a 22 or a 36?", a pretty popular phrase among CTA users.
And you thought it was the relentless winter weather, skyrocketing cost-of-living and hit-or-miss public transportation that was putting you on edge here in Chicago. Nope. Turns out we're the third most caffeinated city in America. Step away from the Coca-Cola...
Looks like Burris is going to be a Senator after all.
Brace yourselves! We're in for some serious winter weather starting later tonight and extending throughout the day tomorrow. There's a blizzard watch, the more serious blizzard warning, some winter weather advisories, wind chill advisories and all sorts of hoopajoop.
What's in a name? A lot of you're trying to run a successful Loop hair salon and you have the misfortune if your business has the same name as one of the most despised men in the world. But switch a few letters around and you're on the cutting edge again. (Previously.)
Being imprisoned isn't hampering Conrad Black's ability to blog. See for yourself, and admire the lack of prison references in his bio.
Over the weekend, two synagogues and one Jewish school suffered broken windows and anti-Israel messages.
I know putting an end to wild bat petting will cramp your style, but you should stop for now; a rabid bat was discovered in Lincoln Square.
Five people were shot outside Dunbar High School after a basketball game Friday night.
Via Crain's, the Illinois House voted to impeach Blagojevich 114-1. I don't know how much clearer you can get than that.
Remember when the Marina City Condo Association decided to ban photos of the iconic buildings without their permission? That was just the beginning of the crazy -- and it's gotten worse over the years, Chicago Journal reports. Dig deeper at the watchdog/online newspaper Marina City Online.
The Trib appears to be responding to some complaints about its redesign and is heading in a refined direction.
Daley reversed his position on limited plowing and resumed full-blown plowing and de-icing throughout the city. He must have been reading Fuel.
Power to the southbound tracks on the CTA's Blue Line downtown has been shut off after a woman was struck and badly injured by a subway train at 8:15 this morning. Blue Line customers are being advised to use alternate service into the Loop.
Following a federal appeals court decision, it looks like 330 more red light cameras are on our way.
A fugitive leader of Chicago's Latin Kings gang was captured in Mexico.
Barack Obama and Roland Burris are both leaving Chicago and headed for D.C. One may be back a lot sooner than the other.
With all of the talk about the Chicago school's problems regarding the recent financial crisis, Raghuram Rajan wants people to know the U of C was also leading the warnings.
If Chicago's weather in 2008 seemed a little unusual, you weren't wrong.
CTA raised their rates, parking meters are more expensive, and someone has already been shot. I would stay home today if I were you.
The increasingly relevant Lt. Quinn announced the 2008 Environmental Hero Awards featuring more than a handful of Chicagoans.
Ah, there's nothing more exciting than an academic smackdown, like the one between U of C economist and Freakonomics author Steven Levitt and Northwestern Northeastern criminologist James Alan Fox on the subject of black teen murder rates. Levitt criticized Fox for "ominous reports he produced about juvenile homicide...in the 1990s." Oh, snap!
A Blue Man Group actor and a suburban assistant principal were arrested for having sex in Lincoln Park near Montrose Harbor last night. That will not end well. UPDATE: Blue Man Group issued a statement saying that the man arrested has never been a member of the cast.
Our city's freaky up-and-down weather has one bone-jarring side effect: potholes. As of Monday there were more than 1,100 dotting the city landscape and threatening to bust axles. The city says it's on it and you can file a claim for any damages. Incidentially, if you're driving east past the Heart 'O' Chicago motel, don't let that shallow looking puddle on the right side of the road fool you. Trust me.
Breathalyzer installation: $80. Monthly equipment and monitoring fees: $110. Taking a cab and avoiding the whole mess: Priceless. Illinois is gearing up for a whole new type of crackdown on first-time DUI offenders in the new year, hoping that inconvenience, cost and embarrassment will be enough to dissuade potential drunk drivers. [via]
First snow hit the city, then ice, then fog...and now, today's temperatures will be in the mid-60s, along with flooding dangers due to rain and melting remnants of the past two weeks, which has already closed part of the Dan Ryan and streets near the Des Plaines and Du Page rivers. Check traffic before you get on the roads.
You weren't the only one who was having trouble negotiating their way around town over all that ice. A few other people did their share of slippin' and slidin' too.
"[B]lacks in Chicago are the most isolated racial group in the nation's 20 largest cities, according to a Tribune analysis of 2008 population estimates. To truly integrate Chicago, 84 percent of the black or white population would need to change neighborhoods."
With Monday night's slaying, there have been 500 murders in Chicago this year.
Hope you're not headed out of town today -- the weather has snarled pretty much every mode of transportation: planes, trains and automobiles. Even ice skates.
A man flew 125 feet off of the Dan Ryan this morning when his car struck a wall and "ejected" him. The Stroger Hospital spokesman reported that his injuries are not life-threatening.
Usually it takes four years in office for it to happen, but grey hair has already been spotted sprouting on Barack Obama's head. Judge for yourself here (from a 2007 photo) and here (on the cover of Rolling Stone from this year).
... that is, since cops caught the guy videotaping a women's restroom.
The Cook County Sheriff's latest sting to arrest those with outstanding warrants involved a "sweepstakes" called Shoptastic Solutions. When people attempted to collect their prizes, they were arrested.
Drew Peterson's announcement that he is engaged is not true, and is actually a publicity stunt meant to embarrass a woman who denied his advances, says the boyfriend of Romeoville waitress Christina Raines, who has denied that she and Peterson are romantically involved. Peterson contends that Raines' boyfriend is lying. Maybe they can work this issue out on Springer.
Wanna be an alderman? The city of North Chicago has two seats on their city council that apparently nobody wants.
Like zombies from a George Romero movie, the good people at Wal-Mart keep coming back. They're going to try one more time to open their second store in Chicago.
First they sold off the parking meters, now City Council is weighing a proposal for a "congestion reduction fee" on parking spaces downtown. Proceeds would theoretically go to the CTA for service improvements.
Yes, we live in a world in which we can have "a typical pet-hoarding situation."
The Chicago Archdiocese has agreed to pay $1.4 million to a man who claimed he was sexually abused by a priest twenty years ago.
Just so you know, the Ghostbusters don't exist.
The latest twist in the Blagojevich saga and it's a strange one: a former mob lawyer says the governor was formerly a bookie with ties to the mob. (A tip of the hat for the tip to the Reader).
The father of Drew Peterson's reported fiancee Christina Raines has spoken to the press about his future son-in-law.
That's right: the Streets of Woodfield mall is a major distribution points for crack and cocaine. Even better? One of the arrestees allegedly sold crack at his son's football games.
It's not surprising given the current economic conditions, but still troubling: the Salvation Army is facing financial trouble due to a big drop in donations.
Drew Peterson is engaged to a 23-year-old woman who will be his fifth wife. According to the S-T, "Peterson said he does not believe his marital status should prevent him from becoming engaged. 'I was married to Kathleen when I was engaged to Stacy,' he said." The heart wants what it wants, people.
Someone talked concrete with Blago ...and now they're talking to the Feds.
Well before bleeps and Blagos the national lens was focused on the story within a story of local NBC reporter Amy Jacobson's supposed impropriety. Now Chicago Mag has a feature article which details the scandal and Jacobson's pending lawsuit. Meanwhile, Lisa Stebic's disappearance remains a mystery.
As expected, the Illinois House led by Speaker Michael Madigan has begun the move to impeach Gov. Blagojevich. Madigan says he's been reviewing grounds for impeaching Blago for "about a year."
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has begun the process to declare Governor Blagojevich unfit to serve.
The NY Times is playing around with a new format on its website wherein one can read articles by the Times, as well as numerous other online and print sources, including some from the Tribune company.
Don't let her (alleged) potty mouth fool you. Patti Blagojevich's family insists she's a sweet kid.
Two Chicagoans were amongst the 23 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal, second only to the Medal of Freedom in civilian recognition. One person honored you may know: Gary Sinise, for his work helping both Iraqi children and children of military members serving there. The second is Rev. John Foley, founder of a high school network that focuses on the "nation's most vulnerable youth."
OK, enough about the governor. What about the man who brought him down? The New York Times has the lowdown on Chicago's new "Eliot Ness," U.S. attorney Pat Fitzgerald.
She's known for her "scoops," but Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed may be part of one now, this one involving Gov. Blagojevich. Gawker alleges that Sneed was the gov's "go-to reporter" for planting fake stories designed to extort money in exchange for passing off Obama's vacant Senate seat.
The AP and Bloomberg are reporting that Bank of America has agreed to offer Republic Windows & Doors additional credit to pay its workers, now in their fifth day of sit-in. Of course, it won't matter if Republic doesn't take the offer.
WGN is reporting that federal authorities have taken Gov. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris into custody. UPDATE: the US Attorney's office will hold a press conference at 11am today(live streaming footage here) to discuss the federal corruption charges leveraged against the Governor, which apparently stemmed from the search for a senate replacement for President-Elect Obama. The Trib , NYT and the S-T also have coverage. The Smoking Gun has the criminal complaint document on their site.
Interesting development in the Republic Windows & Doors story: its owners may have already started a new company. (More updates in Mechanics.)
Though the presidential election has long since been decided, two of the most controversial figures from that historic campaign are still hanging around like zombies and popping up in the news: Chicagoans' Bill Ayers and Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
The WSJ reports that the Tribune Company has hired financial consultants Lazard to guide them through the process of filing for bankruptcy protection. The Trib itself says that they're exploring their options and that decisions have yet to be made.
Republic Windows and Doors had their credit line closed by Bank of America, so they closed their doors on Friday and laid off their employees with no notice, severance or benefits. The workers joined forces and took over the factory. They plan to stay there until they get paid. UPDATE: Photos from the factory on Sunday. UPDATE II: Read more about this in Mechanics.
Chicago radio legend (yeah, it's pretty safe to call him that) Steve Dahl signed off on his WJMK morning show. Dahl has been a fixture on the fickle Chicago radio scene for more than 30 years.
Oprah Winfrey is number 1 on The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 list for 2008. No doubt her recent appearance on "30 Rock" helped her nab the spot. This ranking is an improvement over her 2007 standing, when she came in at sixth place.
The CTA unveiled new hybrid buses today that plug into an electrical outlet at night and run on battery power for most of the day. The move is estimated to save the CTA almost $7 million annually in maintenance, labor and fuel costs by retiring aging buses.
Working together as "Fix Wilson Yard," more than 2,000 residents of the Uptown neighborhood filed suit (PDF) against the City of Chicago today, challenging numerous abuses in the creation, planning, implementation and funding of the Wilson Yard Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District and the corresponding Wilson Yard Redevelopment Plan. Sure, we're happy Target is on board, but where's our movie theater?
Tired of dodging the city tow trucks thanks to that fistful of parking tickets you've collected? The Department of Revenue is giving you a break.
The Trib has story on Chicago connections to the recent tragedy in Mumbai. Update: At least one Chicagoan was killed in the attacks.
"I've got some cayenne pepper and a leaf blower. What could go wrong?"
A friend and fellow Cubs fan joked to me the other day he was re-thinking his vote because he's tired of seeing Obama in Sox gear on the national news. Yesterday, the President-Elect's press team miffed at least one reporter by nonchalantly invoking the rivalry.
Believe it or not, you can get gas in Chicago for less than $2 a gallon. Not in a nearby suburb, not across the Skyway in Indiana, but actually within the city limits, specifically at a BP and Mobil station at 76th Street near the Dan Ryan Expressway.
So what were you doing when you heard the news? The Chicago Reporter wants to know your reaction when you first heard that Barack Obama had won the election as part of their upcoming "50 Days/50 Voices" project. Video, audio and essays are all welcome.
Election night wasn't only a bad night for Republicans; some Austin residents are suing over police actions.
Getting on the Obama bus to Washington might be tough -- more than 200,000 resumes have been submitted on Change.gov so far. You might have better luck on the state level.
A 22-year veteran Chicago cop could lose his job over a $1 bag of trail mix.
The Chicago Reporter reports that the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund, created just two years ago, could be on the chopping block along with several other important health initiatives due to the state's budget shortfalls.
Crime novelist and lawyer Laura Caldwell was mugged while jogging in Lincoln Park last week. Her latest novel, coming out soon, just happens to feature a nearly identical scene, set in Old Town.
Bump J was arrested downstate on an outstanding warrant when stopped for a traffic violation. Here's a song of his that was produced by Kanye; you may recognize it from a McDonald's commercial. Oops.
Business Week just named Mt. Prospect the best community in the nation for raising children. Des Plaines and Palatine were runners-up. Rankings were created from towns with a population over 50,000 and a median household income between $40,000-$100,000.
The Diplomat Hotel, an SRO in Lakeview known best for its neon sign visible from the CTA, may be shut down if its owner continues to block fire inspectors from checking on code compliance.
A local woman's story of domestic violence calls into question some of the legal issues surrounding abusers, victims, and their children.
Time Magazine gives us the 411 on Barack Obama's right-hand woman, Valerie Jarrett, aka "big sister."
If Chicago ever becomes a high-speed rail stop, we've already got the station for it. Or at least the design for the station.
Evanston police report that a 90-year-old woman has been living in a house with three deceased siblings, one of whom probably died in the early '80s.
The old main post office maybe finally be getting a new life as an office and condo development, according to the Sun-Times. The plan also calls for reducing the middle section that rests over the Eisenhower Expressway. To be fair, the building hasn't been totally useless over the years, appearing in two very popular movies recently.
Tribune critics list the Chicago-connected bands/performers they'd like to see at the Barack Obama inauguration balls, ranging from the Staple Singers to Obama favorite, Wilco.
See, things are already changing after Barack Obama's election victory: Mayor Daley wants to give parking ticket scofflaws a break on unpaid tickets issued before 2007. The amnesty period would run from Dec. 1 to Feb. 14.
The OTHER big story on Election Night? Apparently it's Michelle Obama's dress. The Sun-Times and others from around the world weigh in on her duds.
If you'd like to see different ways Obama splashed across frontpages in newspapers today, check out Daily Kos' roundup, or go country-by-country at the Newseum.
Well, SOMEBODY'S making money in this lousy economy: The firm that installed and maintains the red light traffic cameras just scored a cool $32 million payday from the city.
A day before her grandson has a chance to make history, Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandmother, has died in Honolulu. Obama credits her with being one of the major inspirations in his life.
The city's Northside College Prep high school once again nabbed the top spot in a survey of area schools. But the news wasn't all good: Chicago schools also claimed 42 of the 50 lowest scoring spots on the list as well.
Recent problems with the construction of The Chicago Spire and selling out Trump Tower is leading some to speculate that Chicago is losing its "skyscraper swagger."
Meant to vote early but just haven't gotten around to it? You've got until 5 p.m. this evening. Get a move on (not to be confused with Move On).
To head off another "Great Egg War" this Halloween, an Evanston and Chicago alderman are asking area merchants to stop selling eggs to youths until after the holiday.
...or rather the othe way around as this one pooch demonstrated. We knew the city was popular tourist destination, but...
After 61 years of the Terrills writing the Just Dogs column for the Daily Herald, it was retired yesterday. Originally started by Dave Terrill in 1947, his wife Alice officially picked it up when he passed away in 1982. By the way, at 91, she's retiring to travel and represent the Lions Club.
The mother of the "person of interest" in the Hudson family slayings says her son was "no way" involved in the tragic shootings. She spoke to CNN's Nancy Grace last night.
Actually, MillerCoors time, the mash-up of two of the biggest brewers in the country. The company has tabbed downtown Chicago as the site of its new headquarters.
Rick Beard, the director of Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, was fired by the governor today after he was recently arrested for shoplifting a $40 DVD box set of the fourth season of "House" at a local Target store. Beard's job earned a $150K annual salary.
The days may be numbered for Hyde Park's Village Center shopping district. Plans for a 150-unit condo are underway and just needs the city's John Hancock on the deal. One of the area's blogging watchdogs, Hyde Park Progress, wrote about the future of the site a while back.
Remember the teenage train engineer? Guess how he was caught: putting pictures on myspace.
UPDATE: The body of a young boy found shot on the West Side has been positively identified as that of Julian King, nephew of Oscar-winning actress and Chicago native Jennifer Hudson.
According to AP reports, Chicago police have found the body of a boy on the city's West Side and have towed a white SUV from the scene. Police have not IDd the victim. Julian King, the seven-year-old nephew of Chicago native and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has been missing for several days and police issue an Amber Alert for the and were looking for a white Chevy Suburban.
The mother and brother of Oscar-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson were fatally shot in their south side home earlier this afternoon. An Amber Alert has been issued for Hudson's missing seven year-old nephew Julian King, who was likely taken by the suspected murderer.
Some Metra riders recently had a surprise guest engineer: a teenager.
Even with a smaller population than New York City and Los Angeles, Chicago leads them both in murders so far this year. A Chicago Police Department rep says cops tied down with paperwork may be partly to blame.
Bring some quarters along with that sunscreen when you go to the beach next year. The Chicago Park District will charge for all 4,000 parking spots along Lake Michigan, specifically $1 an hour. In addition, they won't open beaches until 11 a.m. to cut down on lifeguard expenses.
It seems antithetical to a zoo's mission to preserve and protect wildlife, but the Lincoln Park Zoo is only saving some of the inhabitants of the South Pond; non-native species like Koi and goldfish will be destroyed as the zoo restores the pond to an Illinois freshwater habitat.
Mayor Daley has apparently pulled the plug on plans for a high school serving gay and lesbian students.
I'm sure it's not a surprise to anyone, but it's official: despite claims Millennium Park would be maintained with private funds, the public is picking up the tab.
The CPS has received a major donation to create a biotech education program for junior high/high schools to the tune of $5 million over five years. The program, sponsored by Baxter International, includes the creation of a Biotechnology Center of Excellence and two new Ren2010 schools. And not a moment too soon as local math scores reach Third World-levels.
A recent study demonstrates that the death rate from breast cancer in Chicago is 116 percent higher for African-American women than white women, twice the national average. What's worse: in 1980, the rate was identical.
Popular Wicker Park eatery Earwax Café, 1561 N. Milwaukee Ave., was ordered to close after Chicago Department of Public Health inspectors found rat feces in a basement storage area, holes in walls that allowed insects and rodents to come in and a poorly maintained outside garbage container, the Tribune reports.
That commercial John McCain's people produced linking Barack Obama with "corrupt" Chicago politics? It's ruffling the feathers of some local politicians...and not who you might think.
How popular is Barack Obama? Even his suit is getting more attention than John McCain (OK, sorta...).
The number of Cook County residents chosing to vote early for this year's election has hit record numbers. If you think you want to jump the gun yourself, you have until October 30.
Need refreshing on John Burge and the Police Torture scandal? Read up on the U of C's Chicago Police Torture Archive and Human Rights Watch's overview.
The controversial case of former CPD Commander Jon Burge may have reached a conclusion. He was arrested this morning in connection with more than two decades of torture charges. The Chicago Reader has a long history of covering Burge's alleged activities as well as other police torture cases.
It's been a couple of days since Chicago made a ranking. This time they rank 8th in the first Global Cities Index put out by Foreign Policy magazine.
Construction shortcuts on the new brown line stations result in splintering wood in the platforms and rust on canopies and railings. Expect things to look uglier as winter sets in.
Bowing to pressure from politicians and donors while citing "safety reasons," the University of Nebraska rescinds a months-old speaking invitation for Bill Ayers.
Giving a twist to its longstanding history of backing Republicans for president, the Tribune announced its endorsement of Democrat Barack Obama. This is the first time the paper has endorsed a Democrat for president. In 1872, it backed Horace Greely who ran as an independent but later was endorsed by the Dems.
As a South Sider, one of the fascinating outcomes of the election season has been the increase in attention this side of the city is getting. The Washington Post chips in with a four page profile of Hyde Park. [Thanks, Spencer!]
Sorry, that's the punchline to a bad lawyer joke. But the reality is that two Chicago law firms have laid off a significant number of their staff, a result of the current economic crunch.
Just four games into the season, the Blackhawks have canned coach Denis Savard, ironically after the team notched it's first win of the year. Jeremy Piniak has the details over in Tailgate.
If the stock market dive hasn't eaten up all of your cash, you might consider a stay at the Peninsula Chicago. The luxury hotel was just named the top hotel in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler.
Authorities are still searching for the cause of a helicopter crash that occured overnight in Aurora. The copter, carrying a one-year-old girl, was headed for Children's Memorial Hospital here in Chicago.
Big doings at City Hall today: Not only is Mayor Daley planning on laying off more than 900 city employees (including cutting some garbage crews from two men to one) to help balance the city budget, but his hand-picked top cop Jody Weis is announcing a major shake-up in the CPD.
The MacArthur Foundation has announced an investment of $68 million, the largest effort by a private foundation in the US, to address the foreclosure crisis in Chicago. MacArthur predicts that it will be able to assist 10,000 households (which includes counseling for 6,000 borrowers and the prevention of 2,700 foreclosures) by 2010.
The Wall Street Journal just released its list of the Top Small Workplaces 2008. Out of the 15 they selected, two are in the Chicago suburbs — Integrated Project Management Co. in Burr Ridge, IL and J.A. Frate Inc. in Crystal Lake, IL. Chicago-based Radio Flyer was a finalist.
A desperate move or his ace-in-the-hole? Britain's Sky News reports that GOP presidential candidate John McCain plans to bring up Democratic opponent's Barack Obama's connection to Chicago professor William Ayers at tonight's debate.
A Chicago surgeon is being sued by a Niles woman for implanting an experimental heart device in her chest without her consent. The surgeon reportedly earns royalties every time he uses the device.
Starting today, CTA riders can sign up for emails from the agency to alert them to construction, delays and changes in service. OMG.
...at least for three days. That's how long Mayor Daley wants to shut down city government this year and in 2009 to address Chicago's budget crisis.
Did you feel a sudden unexplainable chill down your spine this morning, as if the minions of the Dark Side had assembled their demonic hordes and began a death march across the barren terrain of the living. Yeah, me too. Oh, by the way, Dick Cheney's coming to Chicago tomorrow.
Runners in this year's Chicago Marathon were grateful for the added spirit (and plentiful water) offered by neighborhood spectators and volunteers. Lion dancers greeted runners in Chinatown, while Little Italy had cheerleaders and Pilsen's West 18th street had speakers playing Latin music.
With some of Chicago's main competition for the 2016 Olympics bid coming from Rio de Janeiro and Madrid, the city stressed its Latin ties in its first formal presentation on Saturday. Soon-to-be former chairman of the United States Olympic Committee, Peter Ueberroth, also touted Chicago as the best choice for purely financial reasons.
Cars, whether parked legally or illegally, appear to be the answer to the city's budget shortfall, according to Mayor Daley. To close the $420 million gap, he's raising the city parking tax, preparing to privitize parking meters, putting in more red-light cameras and revising his Denver Boot plan.
The Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet breaks down GOP presidential candidate John McCain's latest campaign commercial attempting to link Barack Obama to "the Chicago Way". Sweet notes that McCain choses to focus on Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko and Bill Daley "while the economy is sinking and the Dow is plunging again."
Experience the astounding coincidences of Pool Boy.
Yesterday Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said he'd stop enforcing foreclosure evictions. Today, a mortgage company sued to make him do it.
City Council has banned texting while driving. It'll be a $75 fine, rising to as much as $200 if you get into an accident.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has announced that he's putting a temporary halt to foreclosure evictions due to the large number of renters blindsided when their landlords default on loans.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education? That's the buzz according to local education publication Catalyst, which cites Duncan's role as an education advisor and close friend to a certain Barack Obama.
Staff at the Adler Planetarium were surprised to make the presidential debates, particularly when their sought-after projection system was ridiculed by McCain.
The driver of a "party bus" called the cops when the Highland Park teenagers he was driving to Homecoming tried to sneak booze -- and some of their parents are pissed.
According to the city's inspector general, Chicago's Bureau of Sanitation is a little bit like "Seinfeld": a big (expensive) show about nothing. David Hoffman says garbage crews get "paid to do nothing" for 25 percent of their time on the clock.
Admitting he never thought he'd win one, University of Chicago Professor Yoichiro Nambu, 87, was awarded a 2008 Nobel Prize for his work in subatomic physics and notified via an early Tuesday phone call from Stockholm. And how did your day start?
With the controversial Special Ops Section now defunct, the Chicago Police Department is taking a new approach to combating the gang problem.
"Roof Top Honey" may sound like some sort of upper-level illicit rendezvous, but it's actually the name of the sweet product harvested from beehives on the rooftops of City Hall and the Cultural Center and sold online and at The Farmstand at 66 E. Randolph St.
Today is Barack and Michelle Obama's sixteenth wedding anniversary today. According to Wikipedia, the expected modern gift for is holloware. According to the Sun-Times, Barack went for some white roses with baby's breath instead.
As if the Cubs didn't have enough problems, one of their player's name is being mistaken for a swear word. Good thing this guy isn't still their pitching coach.
So the Cubs lost yesterday. Doesn't mean that tickets for their game tonight are in any less demand. In fact, a brother and sister are headed to court over who gets the valuable pieces of cardboard.
Mr. Clean actor House Peters died recently at the age of 92. In case you didn't know, Mr. Clean was created here in Chicago by Harry Barnhart and Ernie Allen at the Tatham-Laird & Kudner ad agency. The hairless, obsessive compulsive, controversial, and sexually ambiguous corporate mascot's first name is Veritably, by the way, and he's known as Mr. Proper in England and Don Limpio in Spain. There you go: more than you ever wanted to know about Mr. Clean.
A would-be terrorist who tried to swap stereo speakers for hand grenades to launch an attack on a Rockford mall was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Bail has been denied for the suspect in the slaying of Chicago Police Officer Nathaniel Taylor Jr. Meanwhile, his 5-year-old daughter tries to cope with the loss.
Michael Reese Hospital has filed for bankruptcy, which clears the way for Mayor Daley to nab the real estate for the proposed Olympic village should the city host the 2016 games.
In an effort to cure the city's budget woes, Mayor Daley says the city may layoff 1,000 workers, possibly resulting in (among other things) reduced garbage collection.
One-time political inside man Tony Rezko has reportedly been seen making frequent trips to the federal courthouse. Is he spilling the beans in order to get a reduced sentence?
It's been called "Wrigley Field North" for the way that Cubs fans take over Miller Park when their team plays there. That sort of exhuberance cost one man his job. But then he works for the Brewers so you can see where that might be a problem.
The Telegraph has no good financial news for the house that Hef built. With a crap economy, internet porn sites, and paltry pay-per-view profits nipping at its tail, could Playboy go belly up? Gawker has a somewhat graphic graphic to explain.
As the city's crime rate goes up, the number of police officers is going down, according to the Fraternal Order of Police, who say that the city could be short 400 police officers by the end of the year.
Rev. James Meeks, he of the first-day-of-school boycott, hopes his latest protest march pays off with even more attention. He plans on ringing Wrigley Field during the Cubs' first playoff game to bring national attention to his fight for school funding reform.
Mayor Daley himself is going to bat for a Chicago cop who was arrested and sentenced to five years in Iowa for assaulting a man outside of a party in 2005. Daley wrote a letter to Iowa Governor Chet Culver seeking a pardon for Officer Michael Mette.
Jeanette Sliwinski, the Morton Grove woman who killed three local musicians in 2005 during a botched suicide attempt, will be freed October 2 after serving less than half of the eight year sentence she received.
...he's the mayor's brother and Boss Daley is a bit miffed at GOP presidential candidate John McCain for linking brother Bill to the "corrupt Chicago Machine." But just to show that corruption goes both ways, the mayor reminded everyone of the "Keating Five".
Maybe the 7th inning booze ban isn't such a bad idea, in light of the death of a Cubs fan at the hands of other Cubs fans. This isn't the first serious brawl this season, either.
The Illinois Senate voted 55-0 to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto of a state ban on campaign donations from supporters seeking to do business with the state.
The Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation will announce this year's Fellows (aka "Genius Grant" recipients) later today, but a few other sites beat them to the punch. The most local recipient is Will Allen, owner of Milwaukee's Growing Power.
We may be the most stressed-out city in the U.S., but at least the air we're breathing through our flared nostrils is fresher than most other places. A study has found Chicago to be the fourth most-sustainable city in the country.
Not content to take shots at Barack Obama's level of experience, presidential opponent John McCain levels his political shotgun at the "Chicago Machine" in a new campaign commercial and pretty much doesn't miss anyone.
The Chinese-American Museum of Chicago was badly damaged in a fire Friday afternoon. No word yet on whether any exhibits were lost.
Architecture fans take heart. Plans are afoot to rebuild Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan's Pilgrim Baptist Church, which caught fire in January 2006 (one of three Sullivans to burn to a crisp that year). The current estimate for repairs is $37 million. Donations are encouraged.
Anheuser-Busch and the owner of "the Budweiser building" across from Wrigley Field are suing each other over the iconic rooftop ad.
Mayor Daley unveils a plan to drastically cut the city's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The plan includes expanding the number of green rooftops, increased recycling and car-pooling and promotion alternative fuels.
Landmarks Illinois has released its Chicagoland Watch List, an annual review of threatened buildings in Chicago. If you're so inclined, you can vote on which ones should be preserved at the Trib.
The Associated Press reports that some Chicago police are taking it easy on criminals as a form of protest against Superintendent Jody Weis. No comment so far on Second City Cop, but keep your eye out.
Add another voice to the debate over a third airport for the Chicago area: the FAA chief who says another airport is needed in addition to the $15 billion expansion at O'Hare.
Have you visited Chicago2016.com, when you meant to go to Chicago2016.org? The former is owned by a Northwestern grad student, and features a "fair and balanced discussion" of Chicago's Olympic bid -- and the bid committee wants to use it for their own purposes. Both sides are now suing for control of the domain.
The Chicago Cubs aren't the only employees of Sam Zell's with balls. The Chicago real-estate mogul who purchased the Tribune and the Cubs is being sued by several employees of the Los Angeles Times (which he also owns) who are seeking to remove him from the company's board of directors.
A local high school football coach lost his job this week. No, not for producing a winless season. For robbing a bank. How many yards do you get penalized for that?
An enterprising Chicagoan realized the Kentucky sales tax on a pack of cigarettes is 30 cents, while the Chicago tax is $3.66 and the New York tax is $4.25. Unfortunately for him, taking advantage of that difference isn't legal.
Have you been feeling on edge lately? It's not just you--Forbes ranks Chicago as the most stressful city in the nation.
Braving the record rains over the weekend to say "I do" ended up paying off in the thousands for seven lucky couples. The jewelers running the promotion? Not so lucky.
The University of Chicago magazine contemplates what it means to be "U of C," and whether that's a legitimate criticism of presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama.
The already-diverse Barack Obama family just keeps getting more diverse. Meet Michelle's rabbi cousin.
A city worker was beaten with a stick and then shot in the back this morning after trying to put the Denver Boot on a vintage Buick. The car's owner will now have a whole lot more to worry about than unpaid parking tickets.
That had to be some sort of record. There's flooding all over the place, including along the Chicago River.
According to Chicago 2016 Commitee Chairman Patrick Ryan, the main goal of securing the Olympics is to change the city's image. Really? Are we still all Al Capone and Michael Jordan to the rest of the world?
The FBI is on the hunt for the "Cross-Dressing Bandit", who robbed a Park Ridge bank wearing a black and pink dress, pink sun hat and white gloves. For a dangerous felon, he manages to stay well-coordinated.
As if the Grant Park controversy weren't enough, the Sun-Times discovered the Museum isn't using its parking refund from McPier to subsidize anyone's parking.
VP candidate Joe Biden hung out in Lincoln Park this week and told fundraisers how he plans to handle opponent Sarah Palin in their debates. Bottom line: no kid gloves.
The new CPS/CPD project will let students send anonymous text messages to provide crime tips, but the real story is the ridiculous "CRIME" graffiti photo used in the article.
Seven beluga whales and four Pacific white-sided dolphins from the Shedd Aquarium have been FedExed to the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration in Connecticut in preparation for the upcoming nine-month renovation of the Oceanarium. I wonder what the shipping and handling on that delivery was.
Once again, Chicago's historic "Maxwell Street" is on the move, this time relocating from Canal Street to Desplaines Street. Even if you don't need tube socks, you should probably go see it. Something says this latest move might be its last.
As The Mighty Starbucks Empire begins a withdrawal of sorts, closing 600 outlets including 18 in Chicago, stalwart Dunkin' Donuts is moving in to fill the gap with plans for four drive-thrus in locations previously earmaked for Starbucks.
Trading was halted for shares of United Airlines (UAL), which were as low as $0.01 today, due to false bankruptcy rumors. The scare was caused by the Florida Sun Sentinel publishing a six-year-old Trib article with the current date.
CERN hired IO's Charna Halpern to teach its physicists how to loosen up and better explain what they do. Which will come in handy as they assure the world that their Large Hadron Collider won't create a black hole that will kill us all.
In her GOP convention speech, Sarah Palin gave a little slap in the face to community organizers. A Chicago community organizer (not Obama) slaps back.
Authorities claim the person responsible for 21 bank robberies is a South Side designer. It appears this is his myspace page.
And you thought metal shows were tough. Apparently it can get down and dirty on the lawn at Ravinia during a Donna Summer show. Especially if you pull some lo-fi moves with your blanket and chairs.
If the rain and gloomy skies has gotten you down today, here's something to give you a much-needed chuckle: Todd Stroger says that patronage is over.
Phelps may be for Chicago's Olympic bid, but some are not so hot on the prospect.
Des Plaines residents don't care much for silk flowers. The only thing that's made them more upset? Casinos.
You better not pout, you better not cry, you better not ask about his seven houses and here's why: John McCain is coming to town. (With apologies to Santa.)
The boycott of the first day of Chicago Public Schools will go as planned today, with hundreds of city students attempting to enroll at tony New Trier High School.
Follow Hurricane Gustav news from the Tribune here and on Twitter.
Say farewell to Faust the Komodo Dragon, who's been sunning himself on a fake rock at the Shedd Aquarium for the past two years.
The Chicago 2016 Bid Committee is having a big party in Millennium Park on Wednesday the 3rd, hosted by Chicago's greatest athlete, Oprah Winfrey (hey, she did run that marathon!). Meet hundreds of Olympians and cheer on Chicago's chances to host the 2016 Games. UPDATED: Although the Chicago 2016 blog says he park opens at 6am, and entry is first-come, first-served, Oprah.com says to stop by the park at noon tomorrow for reservation information. This event is the season premiere of "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Due to state budget woes, 13 historical sites and 11 state parks around Illinois will close in the coming months. If you don't get a move on, now might be your last chance to check out the Abraham Lincoln Log Cabin near Charleston, IL and a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home near Springfield.
New spa guestrooms, opening September 1 at the Trump Hotel and Tower Chicago, come with amenities like yoga kits, fresh orchids, and are staffed by "spa attachés" to customize the experience.
NASA named another telescope after a U of C researcher, and this time it's Enrico Fermi. The article also provides a list of other U of C affiliates similarly immortalized, from Chandrasekhar to Hubble.
R. Kelly may have beaten child pornography charges earlier this year, but new legal trouble have surfaced for the "Pied Piper of R&B." South African authorities wants to question him in connection to a concert ticket scam. "Mr. Kelly has no knowledge of this woman, has never received any money from her, and has not been contacted by any law enforcement authorities regarding the matter. He will, of course, cooperate fully with any legitimate investigation of this matter, since he has nothing to hide."
Remember the Ugandan orphans who were robbed? Guess who got robbed again.
You know your robbery isn't going well when you get stabbed in the shoulder and shoot yourself in the foot.
Apparently, some thieves thought it'd be a good idea to steal equipment from a Ugandan children's choir that was in the U.S. to raise money for a school and residence for their fellow orphans. A local businessman stepped in with a donation to make up for the financial loss, but some still lost the last photos of their families.
As a primer on the potential First Lady prior to her speech tonight at the Democratic National Convention, a bio of Michelle Obama.
Crain's does a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of Chicago companies' advertisements during the Olympics.
The NYPD arrested Jim Clay Harper, aka Ether, and his girlfriend Danielle Bremner, aka Dani or Utah, as they arrived at O'Hare and JFK yesterday. The pair allegedly went on a graffiti tour of Europe, and were wanted in New York for thousands of dollars in property damage from their spray-paint escapades. Harper is originally from Chicago.
Chicago's unemployment rate is up to 7.5 percent -- 2.1% over last year -- and we lost 2,700 jobs.
Yep, four-eared cat. His name is Yoda, as is apparently the tradition with the type.
Don't bother waiting for the Democratic convention. According to the Sun-Times Barack Obama is going to announce his vice presidential running mate this Saturday in Springfield.
In our continuing coverage of the arrival of Sonic burgers in the Chicago area (actually Aurora), the fast food chain with the omnipresent commercials finally opens today. And apparently not a moment too soon.
Barack Obama's senior economics advisor is (in Obama's words) just like him: a skinny, tall, youthful, geeky guy with big ears and a funny name who taught at the U of C. Read about Austan Goolsbee in MIT's Technology Review.
Speaking of nightmares, four buffalo escaped from an area just outside of Joliet and found their way onto 55, which ended up being a bad move.
A teenaged suspect has been taken into custody in California for the July acid attack on a Logan Square woman, who is still in serious condition.
We've all thought about sliding down a stair railing, but haven't actually done it because it's dangerous and foolish. Some guy at the Steely Dan show at the Chicago Theater last night thought otherwise.
A U of C researcher discovered a 9,500-year-old, 200-body graveyard in the Sahara. Other than being the biggest find from that era, it also shines significant light on the life of humans when the desert wasn't actually a desert.
In an Olympic angle amazingly un(der)covered by the media, the Trib takes a look at suburban support -- and lack thereof -- for the Olympics.
The Cook County sheriff seized 550lbs of cocaine on Monday. What tipped them off? Well, the drugs were hidden in a shipment of cattle hooves delivered to a metal grinding business.
First it was Blagojevich attempting to ride to the rescue of the city in combating gang violence, now the feds are stepping in, offering $2 mil to help stop the violence.
More than 200,000 Illinois residents have yet to file for their simulus checks, accounting for nearly $63 million in unclaimed tax rebates. Most of the non-filers are seniors, so if the money in your birthday card envelope is a little light this year...
A large portion of Bensenville is being demolished to make way for O'Hare's expansion, but a judge put that progress on hold today.
Ever wondered what the world's most famous film critic thinks about Olympic ceremonies, China or President Bush? Wonder no more.
The Windy Citizen launched a new blog on Thursday to cover Bensenvile's plight in the O'Hare expansion. Particularly interesting is a google map highlighting the places discussed on the blog.
Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was imprisoned yesterday for violating bond on charges related a text-message scandal, was booked again today on new, separate charges of assaulting a sherriff's deputy. Detroit journalists are wondering why Kilpatrick's Chicago-based attorney Dan Webb was nowhere to be seen in the legal fracas that ensued, although Webb maintains that Kilpatrick is still a client.
Free 12oz cups of coffee simply weren't enough for one cop.
Fifth-graders at Little Village Academy recommend after-school arts and sports activities, as well as recess and gym during the schoolday, in order to curb gang activity and create non-violent, social outlets for students. (All of those are, of course, often first on the chopping block when funding gets tight.) The Sun-Times gives a full rundown of the students' savvy thoughts.
Three bank robberies in Chicago in less than 90 minutes. That's gotta be some kind of record.
After a difficult couple of weeks, Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak announced he is discontinuing his column. It ran for 46 years.
Chicago and four other cities just launched a program for illegal immigrants to turn themselves in and get deported. Chicago officials said that, so far, no one has taken them up on their generous offer, which runs through August 22.
John Kass provides a discouraging update in the story of Mike Mette, a Chicago police officer currently serving a five-year jail term in Iowa for a 2005 assault that some believe is the product of corrupt local politics.
Local media is reporting on a cyclist killed on North Lake Shore Drive during rush hour yesterday evening, but the news stories have been highly inconsistent. The Trib reports the bicyclist was hit by a southbound LSD vehicle that fled the scene. The Sun-Times reports that a man was hit trying to run across the Outer Drive. No mention of a bicycle. Channel 7 reports (per witnesses) that the victim was hit while cycling north on the Inner Drive and knocked into the Outer Drive (the barrier between the Inner and Outer drives is not substantial at the 3300 block) where he was hit again. According to witnesses cited in the comments sections of both online newspaper articles, the ABC version most closely represents reality. Here's hoping our local media can quickly get this tragic story right.
Local bank Northern Trust is reportedly suing the estate of Kanye West's late mother Donda for $600K to cover a mortgage on a property here in Chicago.
Remember the O'Hare UFO? A New York Times op ed cites it as a reason to acknowledge and investigate UFOs.
Chicago isn't the only city in this region suffering a budget crisis. Oak Park is having to tighten the civic belt as well.
Jam Productions has acquired the long-shuttered Uptown Theater for $3.2 mil in a foreclosure sale, as reported by Crain's. (Thanks to Uptown Update for the tip.)
The city's gun buy-back program netted more than 6,800 weapons on Saturday, 100 more than last year. One point of curiosity: the city set a goal of collecting double that amount, but it ran out of debit cards before they even reached half.
Speaking of bad cops, the FBI caught a police officer who took bribes from a tow truck company to steer business its way.
Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in D.C. today, according to Politico. Time Out Chicago wants to know what you think.
The city has 104 red light cameras. They plan on installing 25 more. They expect to collect more than $50 million in fines because of them. If gas prices weren't enough to make you ditch the car, this might do it.
Friends of Drew Peterson (he still has friends?) say he pretty much confessed his involvement in the death and/or disappearance of two of his wives and they have it on tape, but Peterson and his lawyer say they're lying.
U.S. Department of Agriculture documented 22 violations for inhumane treatment of animal subjects at Loyola's med school, some of which led to the deaths of rabbits and dogs.
The Tribune and EveryBlock have teamed up to map the paper's blotter stories. The results are... depressing.
High gas prices has created a rise in the number of gas siphoning incidents here in Chicago, which in turn has resulted in a rise in the sale of locking gas caps.
No, not the Weird Al album -- baggy pants. They're now against the law in the south suburb.
After eight years of telling us to skip it or see it, Richard Roeper announced that he is leaving At the Movies in mid-August, leaving the show without a consistent host as Roger Ebert continues to recuperate from cancer treatment. Roeper's plans for the future are unclear.
The New York Times catches up with Tracy Letts following the success of August: Osage County and talks to him about his new play, Superior Donuts.
The TSA at O'Hare will soon have Superman vision.
Workers at a city agency accused of taking, um, unlawful gratuities? Say it isn't (yawn) so.
After a 17-month investigation, the Feds released a report on Cook County Jail, citing, per the Times, "vastly inadequate medical care, beatings at the hands of jail workers, and dilapidated dangerous building conditions." The best quote comes from U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, “You can’t have conditions where people are dying and being amputated."
Chicago-based Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first sorority started by African-American college women, is turning 100. It's celebrating in D.C. with the "largest banquet style dinner in the history of conventions." Mattel's even commemorating the anniversary of the group with the AKA Centennial Barbie.
Somebody forgot to tell a South Side man that you can buy liquor legally in Chicago now. He was busted by cops in Tennessee transporting moonshine across state lines. Riding shotgun with him? His dog, Thunder.
The guy who allegedly bought pufferfish toxin to kill his wife was a big fan of Dungeons & Dragons. Evidently that makes him creepier.
No, not that border; the Chicago-Evanston border.
Today Gov. Blagojevich suggested to the press (before he'd suggested it to Mayor Daley, apparently) that the state rehire retired Chicago police officers, bring in the Illinois National Guard, or State Police officers to help combat the city's surge in violent crimes.
Seventeen year-old Ethan Hall is swimming from Indiana to Chicago today to raise money for diabetes research. From Porter Beach in Indiana to Oak Street Beach, Hall's 29-mile trip should take about 14 hours. And what are you doing with your day?
Today's nonhuman heartbreaker: A temperature control system malfunction at the Brookfield Zoo killed 16 stingrays.
Today's heartwarmer: Bo, a collie from Arlington Heights, was separated from his family five years ago, but just turned up in the Winnebago County Animal Shelter in Rockford.
In a recent CNNMoney.com article featuring the 25 top-earning towns in the country, Chicago suburbs wrangled four of the top spots. Lake Forest, IL came in at #3, with a median family income of $212,122 (and a median home price of $1 million), followed by Wilmette, IL at #20, Deerfield, IL at #23 and Highland Park, IL at #24.
The Tribune's "Clout Street" blog is giving updates on Police Superintendent Jody Weis' grilling by the City Council today on the city's expanding crime/gang problem. Weis said he plans on contacting other cities to find out how they've handled it.
Ann Marie Lipinski announced today that she will step down as the Chicago Tribune's editor and senior vice president. Gerould W. Kern will replace Lipinski, who started her career at the paper thirty years ago as an intern.
So it's probably just a stray bullet, but maybe a certain Alderman has been straying a little too far from the machine.
We're not the only ones who stand to benefit economically from getting the nod for the 2016 Olympics. According to a report, the cities surrounding Chicago might get to stand on the winner's platform too.
The New York Times tells the story of one of the founders of Facebook who left it all behind to move to Chicago and work for Barack Obama.
O'Hare continues its stellar rankings among large airports, this time placing last in on-time departures and third to last in on-time arrivals. As usual, Midway fared better.
First it was Ottawa, now a forward-thinker at the Los Angeles Times thinks our fair city should be a model for improving his.
Larry Harmon, the creator licensor of popular children's icon Bozo the Clown, died today at 83 years old. Chicago's rendition of "The Bozo Show" remains as one of the most popular children's programs in the history of television.
Code violations were found at Cabrini Green following the death of Curtis Cooper, the 3-year-old who was crushed by a rusty gate at the project last week.
The Windy Citizen gets the scoop on a mortgage fraud case that's taken a turn for the worse.
On Monday, an Air Nippon jet dropped about 1,450 gallons of its fuel into Lake Michigan. The Trib asks about the event and what's happening to the fuel.
That's what Mayor Daley thinks we should do. Tell us what you think in Fuel.
Attention all "playas": You may want to think about removing the tint from the front window of your "hooptie" (do they still call it that?). The city is considering raising the fine for having a tinted front car window from $25 to $250. Now as for that booming bass...
A Lake in the Hills man pretended to be a doctor to buy pufferfish poison. I know there's a joke in here but I can't quite place it.
Keo the ape turns 50 today and the Lincoln Park Zoo is throwing a party for its elder statesman, one of the two oldest male zoo chimps in North America. If you have time, go over to the Regenstein Center for African Apes and show him some monkey love... um, or something like that.
The Tribune Company is considering selling the Tribune Tower. Maybe a certain new media outfit should boost its profile...
Top cop Jody Weis announced that more desk cops will be hitting the streets in an effort to shore up the police push to combat a growing crime and gang problem.
R. Kelly may be free, but a fans and other hangers on have gotten into some legal trouble.
The city of Baguio, Philippines would like to be another of our Sister Cities. Interestingly, Daniel Burnham did the city's initial master plan.
Loyola University took back the reins of WLUW last week. Meanwhile, the radio station intended to replace WLUW as a community-run entity, Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP), is still waiting for funding and clearing-of-red-tape but wants to launch a web-based feed later this summer. They've put out the call for donations: to help, you can kick 'em a few bucks or donate something from their wish list.
A pastors group gives the Independent Police Review Authority an "F" following a recent uptick in the number of fatal shooting by police officers.
Seeing Lenny Bruce here in Chicago at the Gate of Horn turned the late George Carlin's comedic life around. And the rest is seven dirty words of history...
The streetcar in Chicago is long gone, but leave it to a gas crunch to get people talking about bringing back the "Green Hornet."
We’ve had our share of land-based animal interlopers recently: your Roscoe Village cougars, your Quizno’s coyotes. Now you might want to double-check those weekend canoeing plans. A four-and-a-half-foot-long alligator was spotted this afternoon in the Chicago River near Bridgeport.
A Chicago forum concludes that the old days were fun, but the future looks bleak for newspaper journalism as we know it.
The subject of a Sun-Times article in today's paper, who complained about the hardships of not having a car, gets a bit of a dressing down by (naturally) the author of the blog Chicago Carless.
The U of C's plans to create the Milton Friedman Institute are meeting significant resistance from the school's faculty.
...you might want to make a note of one particular restaurant chain in Chicago, which has been pinpointed by the Chicago Department of Public Health as one of the major sources of the local tomato-based salmonella outbreak.
Following his murder, the Trib profiles SOLVE and provides details about an arrest made in his case. Tributes are being posted in a new flickr group and an ongoing discussion, which has plenty of links to other tributes and information.
Chicago theaters kicked major ass at tonight's Tonys awards ceremony, with Steppenwolf's August: Osage County winning several awards for Best Play, Best Leading Actress, Best Director, Best Featured Actress, and Best Scenic Design. Chicago Shakespeare Theater also took home a regional Tony last month. Congrats!
The truck driver responsible for the April 25 crash at the CTA Chinatown station that killed two and injured 21 has died.
Brendan Scanlon, also known as SOLVE, was murdered last night in Logan Square. Although the Sun Times reports that there is a suspect in custody, no charges have been filed. SOLVE was a core member of the Chicago street art community, and a tireless advocate for the meaningful, memorable use of public space. He was interviewed for a GB feature on street art last year.
Someone mailed a mysterious, but apparently harmless, white powder to several elected officials at Daley Center yesterday. No comment yet on who received the powder.
A new Brookings report analyzing U.S. regional attributes documents a 14% decline in Chicago's middle class and the 10th worst disparity between high and low income earners.
The City Council approved the move of the Chicago Children's Museum from Navy Pier to Grant Park 33-16. Share your thoughts in Fuel.
Dominick's, everyone's favorite non-Jewel grocery chain, will begin offering $4 generic drugs at its pharmacies.
The Reader will be launching a new nightlife site this week: drinks.chicagoreader.com. The site isn't live yet, but it's mentioned in the official flickr group.
The State's bid to buy Wrigley Field from the Tribune failed to make it out of the infield in a clash over how to finance the deal. Does this open the door for Mark Cuban to buy the team and stadium lock, stock and barrel?
Following the recent announcement about new construction at the U of C, the school's announcing a new medical pavilion building designed by Rafael Viñoly. The Trib has the most details, but there's an image in the Chronicle article.
A little more than a week after being removed as head of the St. Sabina parish, Fr. Michael Pfleger is heading back to the church on June 16 - with the caveat that he keep his political viewpoints out of the pulpit.
Cook County (and the whole region, actually) is under a tornado watch once again. (Saved here for posterity.)
Sun-Times music writer Jim DeRogatis won't have to testify in the R. Kelly trial, thanks to a little thing called the Fifth Amendment.
Speaking of Obama, the Chicago priest who vigorously endorsed Obama and mocked Hillary has been asked to take a leave of absence by Cardinal George.
With Barack Obama's (presumptive) Democratic primary win all sewn up, The London Times gives the A-Z of his remarkable life. Guess what the "C" stands for? There's also an AP bio on Obama with photos from throughout his life.
Jake and Elwood might have had a briefcase full of blues, but R. Kelly apparently had a duffle bag full of porn, acording to the latest not-for-the-kiddies testimony in his ongoing trial. A former aide/partner tells tales of payoffs, plots and a dalliance on a basketball court.
Well, maybe not assignments, per se, but at least one former police officer is detailing rampant on-the-job "creative writing."
The University of Chicago Medical Center throws off the gloves and plans to set up shop down the street from their "arch rivals," Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Streeterville. The move supposedly is prompted by U of C's desire to treat more well-heeled patients.
As NPR reports, and Netflix members can see for themselves, people like watching movies about where they live. We're no exception: the first six movies that are disproportionately watched by Chicagoans are about or take place in Chicago.
... and they've been coming in ever since, as Zanies celebrates its 30th anniversary of supplying Chicago's standup comedy needs. You can get in free for one of two birthday celebration shows tonight -- which show depends on your age.
Just a heads up: Chicagoland is under a tornado watch till 2pm today.
A Chicago dentist got busted for being the primary money launderer in a multi-city prostitution ring. Of course, he also did dental work for the prostitutes and pimps.
Planning on flying to Buenos Aires or Honolulu before the year is over? Better move that date up. American Airlines announced it's cutting flights from Chicago to those two cities on September 3 and January 5, respectively.
A Green Line train derailed on the South Side this morning, injuring about 10 people.
Everybody's favorite grumpy (indicted) grandpa, former Gov. George Ryan, gets a hand from another ex-gov, Jim Thompson, in getting Ryan's 6 1/2 year prison sentence commuted.
South Siders will appreciate that the Lakefront Outlook has finally gone online, even if it is only in image form.
Nationwide, students without social security numbers can't apply for federal student aid and most private scholarships. Soon -- regardless of their immigration status -- students graduating from a new city high school will be eligible for full scholarships from Roosevelt University.
Chongqing, often compared to Chicago, is only several hundred kilometers from the epicenter of the horrible earthquake in China.
A little something known as a pneumonia front barreled through overnight.
Late jazzman Joe Farrell's daughter is suing Universal Music for the use of her dad's music without attribution on a number of hip-hop cuts, including Kanye's "Gone" and Common's "Chi City." We know you own Late Registration and Be: go listen for yourselves. She is seeking no more performances or copies of said albums sold with the offending sample be released.
A columnist for the Ottawa Citizen thinks Chicago could teach a lot to that Canadian city; a letter to the editor points out that a cloned Chicago would be the wrong way to go.
The R. Kelly trial gets down and dirty as jurors see the infamous videotape of his alleged dalliance with an underage girl on a six-foot screen.
Fast Company named Chicago its "US City of the Year" and convinced Alex Kotlowitz to tell us why.
Despite protests from Marina City residents, Dick's Last Resort's plan to move to and modify the structure has been approved.
The Chicago Children's Museum won the first round in its battle to build a new building in Grant Park.
The Medill News Service analyzed data and concludes that the demolition of the Chicago Housing Authority projects has resulted in crime migrating to nearby areas.
Ald. Thomas Tunney is seeking to force a City Council vote to overturn the foie-gras ban today. UPDATE: the repeal passed, and Hot Doug's will be serving its foie gras-duck sausage "as soon as he sees the law on paper."
Received an unexplained overdue parking ticket notice in the mail? Stop scratching your head. This might explain it.
The -- ahem -- colorful Stuart Levine, the government's star witness in the Tony Rezko corruption trial, was labelled "Pinocchio" for his alleged lies on the stand during closing arguments. He was also called "corrupt ... arrogant ... unlikable." And that was by the Feds who put him up there.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal involving O'Hare and the St. John's United Church cemetery, knocking aside another barrier to the airport's expansion plans.
Dennis Farina, former Law and Order actor (and former Chicago cop) tried to board a flight to Chicago with a loaded handgun in his briefcase. He told police he'd forgotten he was carrying it. You know, like other people forget they've got a full-sized tube of toothpaste in their carry-on.
Our fair city snatched the headlines of the Sunday NY Times, including a feature story about Obama's roots on the South Side as well as another piece about storage locker auctions in the suburbs.
Last night, a man riding his bicycle on Sheridan Road near Winthrop Harbor was struck from behind and killed by an SUV that then fled the scene. The man was in his 50s and is the latest in a tragic string of bike riders who have been killed in Chicagoland this spring. Police are looking for the driver of the SUV.
In Waukegan, the staff aren't catching students hacking on school computers, they're catching teachers smoking pot in the teachers' lounge.
An anonymous email circulating in a Florida community contends that Tyson Foods is bringing in "vanloads" of gang members from Chicago to work in their plant there, some of whom are apparently fired and "roaming the streets like wild dogs." The local sheriff's office acknowledges the email, but says the information is not true.
The "Jetsonian" WiMAX is reportedly coming to Chicago by year's end.
U.S. Postal Service first-class delivery speed is apparently increasing across the board. That said, I present my favorite quote from the story: "It was unclear how delivery as a whole fared or if it was measured at all."
Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk is sponsoring a bill to ban access of Second Life in schools and libraries, citing its lack of robust age verification and the abundance of "wholly inappropriate activities" that may take place there. The American Libraries Association (ALA) is among those who are opposed to this legislation.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications just got hit with a foreclosure lawsuit over $4.5 million in unpaid bills. Puts your overdue cable bill in perspective.
What is up with drivers lately? Trucks hitting train stops, bicyclists getting hit, cars jumping the curb -- and now six people (including three kids and an infant) run down in a Bridgeport crosswalk.
Alex Kotlowitz looks at Gary Slutkin's Cease Fire, a program aimed at reducing gun violence in Chicago. [via]
Alex Kotlowitz covers the local group CeaseFire! and their way of treating urban violence as a virus, not as a criminal justice problem. Kotlowitz's writing is delightful as usual transcending a grim topic. I particularly liked this quote:
After thirteen years and heaps of criticism, Chicago will can the blue bag recycling program this summer, with plans to expand the blue cart program city-wide by 2011.
The Wall Street Journal examines Mayor Daley's unexpected perspective of the Weathermen and riots of 1968.
Obviously displeased with the Chicago Children's Museum's proposed new home in Grant Park, the Trib released its fifth alternative location for the museum.
Forget potholes; cougars are the new urban menace. Police got a call from someone who claims they saw a cougar near Lawrence and California at about 3:15 a.m. (not too long after closing time at the bars ... hmmm). Meanwhile, authorities in Stickey say a photo of a cougar prowling around their area is a hoax. Still, there are a couple of eyewitness reports of a big cat near the water reclamation plant.
The second fatal Logan Square bike accident in the last 10 days: 24 year-old Amanda Annis was hit by a car on Wednesday.
Former Trinity United Church of Christ senior pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright continued his media blitz with a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. (in which he slammed Dick Cheney's military credentials, or lack thereof). But a Washington Post columnist offers another perspective on Wright.
After hearing Da Mare, the New York Times, and so many others comment on how difficult the recent shootings in Chicago have been, it was interesting to hear the story of a Chicagoan who knew one of the recent victims.
...horses, one of which escaped from the Noble Horse Theater in Old Town early this morning and wandered the streets for a while. Our new city slogan: "Chicago: Where the Zoo Comes to You."
The New York Times wrote a profile on Operation Safe Passage, the volunteer group that escorts students to Crane Technical High School each day as a response to the March shooting one block from the school that left a student dead.
If you read the article in the Red Eye about the remains of the cougar recently shot in Roscoe Village, you only got half the story. The full article (with some rather vivid details) on the Trib's site, walks you through the preparation of the skeleton and hide for study at the Field Museum.
As the city copes with yet another senseless killing (detailed here in this AP report on YouTube), reports say the murder wave could have another consequence - it could wipe out Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics.
OK, maybe you do -- but not just because you passed by a Chicago Sun-Times box today, and thought that the front page text was backwards. It really was backwards -- an attempt to draw attention to a campaign to stop gun violence against children. "Turning our backs doesn't help," the paper reasoned.
The News Photographers Association of Canada honored Chicago by giving an award to a photo of Conrad Black during his trial. What's so notable about it? He's flipping someone the bird. What's also notable about it? It would have been so much better had the photographer bumped up the ISO rather than using a flash.
Thanks in no small part to the recent rash of shootings in the city, the CTA is yanking ads for the Grand Theft Auto IV video game from buses and CTA facilities.
The first real spring weekend of the year saw gun violence all over the city. Police are investigating at least 31 shootings, 6 of them fatalities. Head cop Jody Weis blamed the weather, gangs, and easy access to assault weapons.
In another tragic car-bicycle accident, 22 year-old Tyler Fabeck was struck and killed early Sunday morning.
Hey, did you just feel that? There are reports of aftershocks from this morning's 5.2 earthquake coming in from around the area. The latest was a 4.5 magnitude quake that occurred around 10:15am. (Thanks, Dan!)
Alright, raise your hand if you believe that Chicago really felt tremors from this morning's earthquake in West Salem, IL. More details here.
On May 12, U.S. Postal Rates will go up - again. Sun-Times critic Kevin Nance sounds off on what this means for the publishing community.
Given the overwhelming shortage of Section 8 housing vouchers in Chicago, the CHA's plan to hold an additional lottery is welcome news.
As Pope Benedict arrived in the US to a fanfare of presidential welcomes, he should have consulted with a PR agent before his press conference earlier today, where he decried the abuse of children by priests, saying he was "deeply ashamed" by the incidents. Why? He was introduced by Chicago's own Cardinal Francis George, who holds the titles of president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and one of America's Five Worst Cardinals (according to SNAP) for his handling of priest abuse scandals in the city's archdiocese.
According to the U.S. Olympic Committee chief Peter Ueberroth (and he should know, right?), Chicago is "not anywhere near first" when it comes to the bidding for the 2016 Olympics. Think about it: it's possible we're pulling up the rear with Baku, Azerbaijan (whose name, ironically, means "windy city").
Dana Levenson, the former City CFO who helped Mayor Daley auction off the Skyway and Midway Airport, is about to do the same thing in Toronto.
Remember yesterday's blue line snafu? Check out images of the passenger revolt with some additional details via the NYTimes.
Beverly area natives and Matrix creators Andy and Larry Wachowski are bringing their cutting-edge movie special effects post-production gizmos to a vacant Ravenswood building. If they reprise the Matrix series, will we finally see Neo at Neo?
A loose cougar was found and shot near Roscoe and Hamilton earlier this evening. No word if it's the same cougar that was spotted in Wilmette.
Dick's Last Resort's plan to move into Marina City and add "garage-style" doors along the river is meeting opposition from residents.
As if being forced to cancel hundreds of flights weren't enough of a headache for American Airlines, the company's pilots have planned a day-long protest next Tuesday in nine cities (including Chicago) over the company's "poor performance and service".
Legendary Southern California-based food franchise Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles has, um, persuaded the Bronzeville-based Rosscoe's Chicken and Waffles (note the extra "s") to change their name after a court battle.
When presented with 236 depictions of natural scenes and the like, our neighbors to the west would like us to think the following: "What the heck is this place, Wisconsin? Minnesota? Heaven?" "No," they will answer, "Iowa."
The 2008 Pulitzer Prizes were announced today. The staff of the Chicago Tribune shared the award in the Investigative Reporting category with the New York Times, for its “Hidden Hazards” series on failed regulation of toy manufacturing. Steppenwolf ensemble member Tracy Letts took the Drama category for his original play, August: Osage County. The AP has the full list of winners.
Seattle columnist David Brewster gives Washingtonians a Cliffs-notes version of Chicago politics.
Actor Charlton Heston, an Evanston native and New Trier and Northwestern alum, has died at age 84 from unspecified causes.
Colorful, controversial and highly successful lawyer and judge R. Eugene Pincham is remembered by friends and foes alike.
"The idea wasn't to have him bowl, the idea was to have him go to a bowling alley," explained Obama campaign chief David Axelrod regarding the senator's piteous outing last weekend in Pennsylvania (he scored an 80). Apparently Obama dominates the boards, so expect to see his athletic coordination on display soon (which is important for us to know when picking a president).
The Trib earned a national shout-out for its April Fool's Day prank.
Seems there's a little punctuation missing from the brand-new Ernie Banks statue at Wrigley Field.
The CTA permanently added two cars to all brown line trains yesterday, though no one seems to have noticed yet. Sounds like you might score a seat if you head for the ends of the platform.
Just under 10% of WBBM's staff has been cut, including anchor Diann Burns, other prominent on-air personalities and support staff members.
No, not that kind of cougar. A wild cat.
Starting Tuesday, the city will be swapping its look-alike orange street cleaning signs for a rainbow of fruit flavors.
The Chicago metropolitan area grew by an estimated 66,231 people during the last half of 2006 and the first half of 2007. It doesn't sound like much, but it makes us the seventh fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country.
Wally Phillips, who hosted shows on radio station WGN for 42 years, died today after a five-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 82 years old.
The Three Arts Club, once a residence for women artists, is now directing its funds toward grant-making instead, and the building itself may become a schmancy hotel -- leaving former residents miffed and outraged at the board's decision-making. Over at the Reader, you can read the full story and reactions of those who loved this unique building and institution.
Chicagoans will probably spend an additional $260 on groceries this year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, thanks to rising prices industry-wide. Just more good news to start your week.
Six members of Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War protested the Iraq war during the Holy Name Cathedral's Easter Mass today.
Lee Bey presents some fascinating, unrealized plans for the South Loop and the Cook County/City Hall building in the current Chicago Journal issue. As always, you can check out the Emporis unbuilt high-rise section for more crushed dreams.
Unfortunately, it's for $52,000, enough to reduce the emissions of 13 garbage trucks, among who-knows-how-many diesel trucks in the city's fleet. Well, every little bit helps!
...a Tribune employee. The 22-year-old intern reimagined "We're Not Gonna Take It" in a video urging Sam Zell not to sell the naming rights of Wrigley Field.
Two Northbrook men are among seven arrested in a bust of counterfeit art rings that sold thousands of counterfeit pieces to art buyers around the world.
Some of the Brookfield Zoo's animals are turning into fatties, so the keepers have decided to put them all on a Weight Watchers points-system type diet. What on earth happens at those support meetings?
When the troops finally do get sent home, will there be a place for them to live?
The New York Times gets Chicagoans' reactions to Barack Obama's instantly-legendary speech on race in America.
The Field Museum's new exhibit "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids" proposes zoological origins of the world's storied beasties. Cyclops? Just a pygmy elephant. More debunking in the Trib.
After the rumbling has died down, a former Hyde Park Co-Op Market shopper gives a (early) review of its replacement: Treasure Island.
Starting with the establishment of the Chicago Board of Trade in 1848, Reuters walks us through commodity exchange history.
CPS is now considering public boarding schools for disadvantaged students.
It's not good enough for the mayor's office, but term limits may be coming to the Chicago Housing Authority, which is reportedly looking at a plan to limit the amount of time residents can stay in public housing.
West Town residents and Art Institute faculty members Frances Whitehead and James Elniski make the New York Times Home & Garden section today for their elegantly styled, green tech-tacular pad. The couple's home features photovoltaic and thermal panels, geothermal desuperheaters, dual-flush toilets and other enviro-sound amenities.
One anti-ice solution Chicago and surrounding communities are using this year is mixing beet juice with salt. Unfortunately, while it helps cut down on the amount of salt used, it has its own problems.
It looks like those "Syphilis is Back" advertisements all over the city are right. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in town yesterday that confirms the trend for the seventh straight year.
The City of Chicago's new Bicycle Safety Ordinance now requires motorists to take bicycle safety seriously. Mayor Daley, AAA Chicago, and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation supported the move.
The Sterling Private Residences can now claim the title of reigning Chicago Foreclosure King. Way to go! (If you are a premium subscriber to Crain's, you can read the full article.)
That's right, at least one commentator thinks we can be a model for reforming South Africa's corruption.
Reuters helps newspapers boost sales with a story about a flu pandemic study that used Chicago as a model. Oh-so-surprisingly, flu contagion reduction strategies would not be "like a snow day."
We all know who Client -9 is, but who is Chicago's own Client-10?
The AP's written up a primer on Tony Rezko, Barack Obama and what it all means (and doesn't).
Chicago postal inspectors have created a new show on CAN-TV called "Don't Fall For It" -- urging viewers to beware of fake-check scams. Maybe this is one show you need to watch a few times in order to get truly hooked.
Thank you for considering my impressionable mind when editing your fine paper, but you've gone too far. My first glimpse of over-editing was when you changed Shia LaBeouf's "asshole" to the goofy "nincompoop." I was then a little offended when you switched (what I assume was) Buddy Guy's "nowhere" with "[any]where." And then you edited Sarah Silverman's "f*cking" to "doing the deed with." As with my asterisk, if you must edit, could you please stick with the intended meaning?
City Council is now considering fines of up to $500 for drivers who endanger bicyclists. Apparently some aldermen also wanted equal treatment for "rude" bike riders. I'm not really sure how an irate biker and a carelessly life-crushing driver could be considered equally fine-able. But maybe that's just me.
Uno, the first beagle to win the Westminster dog show, was honored by the Lt. Gov. in Chicago yesterday. That's right, yesterday was "Uno the Beagle Day."
Running late for his son's tennis game, a Lake Villa father did what any of us would do - hopped in the family four-seater plane and landed on the golf course adjacent to the courts. Police speculate that a trespassing charge is in the works, though what's a guy to do when the club's tower doesn't respond to a request for clearance?
The city is about to install as many as 220 new red light traffic cameras. They've only announced six locations, but two are likely regular intersections for driving GB readers: Belmont and Lake Shore Drive along with Belmont and Halsted.
Conrad Black, the former owner of the Sun-Times, reported to prison today. Apparently, he spent all weekend throwing dinner parties at his mansion in Florida. He'll serve six years for fraud.
The Little Village neighborhood now has a sinkhole to call its very own. Although lacking the massive proportions of January's Montrose Avenue hole, it still displayed plenty of attitude by swallowing a minivan this morning.
Toddler and the Cook County Board finally agreed on a budget late Friday night that comes with a 1% tax increase, which means that city sales tax will increase to a whopping 10.25% in November, the highest of any major US city.
Due to a change in the medical care provided at his Oxford, Wisconsin prison camp, former Governor George Ryan has been transferred to a similar facility in Terre Haute, Indiana. Ryan asked to serve out his term at the Wisconsin camp, and was not made aware of the impending change upon his arrival.
It probably comes as no surprise that Shia LaBeouf recently apologized for his Walgreen's escapade. More surprising (and funnier) is the Trib's insertion of "a nincompoop" in place of LaBeouf's more colorful language.
Like so many other sites of terrible events, NIU will raze the building where the recent tragedy occurred.
Robbers stole $20,000 from a Fashion Week practice run-through at the Hilton Chicago today.
A 7-year-old Carpentersville kid got a notice from the IRS claiming he owed $60,000 in back taxes. Turned out, you guessed it, he was the victim of identity theft.
University of Chicago Law School Professor Cass Sunstein -- reportedly the most cited law professor in the U.S. -- is heading to Harvard Law, his alma mater, but will maintain an office at U of C. His colleague, legal scholar and longtime partner, Martha Nussbaum, has also received an offer from Harvard but is staying put.
A Northwestern U. study of 49,000 Chicago school children shows that childhood asthma varies dramatically by neighborhood.
James Laski, the former city clerk who was sent to prison for his involvement in the Hired Truck Scandal, spent his time in the clink writing his memoirs; an excerpt was printed in the Sun-Times. Laski, who pocketed nearly $50,000 and spent almost two years in jail for his crime, wistfully writes "I told myself the money wasn't for me, but for my family, my loved ones." That's beautiful, man.
Two Indian princesses who live in Chicago claim they have been cheated out of their inheritance. This, of course, raises the question: How many princesses live in Chicago? UPDATE: GB reader Dubi clarifies...
Waxy.org is investigating the online activities of Steve Kazmierczak, the NIU gunman. UPDATE: Jessica Baty, Kazmierczak's girlfriend, was interviewed by WGN.
Chicagoan Dave Glowacz is best known as Mr. Bike, but he's breaking new ground as Mr. Radio. Of particular note are his health care section and interviews with the Reader's Ben Joravsky, in which he asks for "The Rest of the Story" about "The Works."
A sad note on Valentine's Day; at least one person is hurt in a shooting on the NIU campus. As of 3:52pm the campus is on alert. Update: Seems like the danger is over but there are several injuries. Further update: six people, including the gunman, have died. What's happening to this world?
Here's some pretty dramatic footage of a police officer running into a burning building, searching through an outdoor hallway with his flashlight as flames shot out of windows, and running out of the building with a little girl that he saved. This is a guy who went to work last night, was presented with a problem, and solved it. Thank you, Detective McVicker, and the rest of you. You are appreciated.
Paleontologists at the University of Chicago have discovered two new dinosaurs. Both were the size of elephants; one "would have been slicing and ripping off limbs," the other had small teeth better suited for "gnawing dead animals."
Any locals who watch The Wire might have cringed with me as the program's "Baltimore Sun" newspaper fired good journos because of cuts imposed by their parent company, referred to only as "Chicago." Well art and life do their dance as the real Sun's owner, the Tribune Company, gets into the trimming game.
On Friday, Ban Ki-Moon became the first sitting Secretary General of the UN to visit Chicago. His trip included meetings with Mayor Daley, the Chicago Tribune, and students at Walter Payton High School (where he discussed global warming).
As the plethora of rim-busting, tire-flattening potholes grows around the city (and we wait for them to be repaired), you can optimistically report the ones you come across by alerting the Department of Transportation at the City of Chicago website. There's one form for streets and another for alleys.
Trump Tower's hotel is nearly complete. The Trib's Glenn Jeffers spent a night in one of the rooms, and wrote a blog about it.
A truck carrying 4,000 gallons of liquid chocolate crashed on the Chicago Skyway this morning. Unfortunately, no chocolate was spilled, and chocolate did not flow like a river into the city.
The Obama/Rezko flap makes it all the way to the UK where The Independent reports on "the Chicago street where a dangerous secret from Barack Obama's past lurks." Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes case.
Chicagoan Patrick Bertoletti scarfed down 227 chicken wings to come in second place at Philadelphia's annual Wing Bowl, held Feb. 1. Bertoletti had some stiff competition in Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Cal. -- the top wing-eater (241!) who last year won the world's hot dog eating championship in Coney Island, N.Y.
It's a condo owner's nightmare: The company hired to manage your association makes off with all your money. (Thanks, Sarah.)
The CBC reports on a Taser stun gun study conducted at the John H. Stroger Jr. (Cook County) Hospital trauma center. The unwitting subjects of the Taser tests? Eleven pigs, two of which died from cardiac arrest after being jolted for 40 seconds, a brief pause, then another 40 seconds.
George Greenhalgh, an 84-year-old pensioner from Manchester, U.K., received a two-year suspended jail sentence on Jan. 29 for selling forged works -- produced by his son, no less -- to museums around the world, including the Art Institute of Chicago. Greenhalgh's piece to the Art Institute was a fake Gauguin, the Glasgow Daily Record reports. Due to his old age and poor health, Greenhalgh won't go to jail, but will instead be free to stay at home and listen to his old Oasis and Fall records.
Hey, here's one that's actually worthwhile: "3. Get out into the neighborhoods. 4. Beware Navy Pier."
Helen's Two Way Lounge is the first Chicago bar found in violation of the state's smoking ban. City inspectors issued Helen's a written violation after witnessing illicit indoor smoking, but due to a technicality no ticket was issued.
Controversial Obama fundraiser (and onetime photo op recipient with Bill and Hillary) Tony Rezko was taken into custody this morning after his $2 million bail was revoked. Rezko is facing a 24-count indictment for pressuring businesses to make campaign contributions and payoffs. For the record, Obama (or the Billary pic) is not connected to Rezko's legal troubles.
Flor Crisostomo, a Latin American immigrant arrested in 2006 on immigration charges, may flout her deportation orders and seek refuge in Adalberto United Methodist Church, the same church where Elvira Arellano sought refuge.
Scott Hirschey, the driver of the snowmobile that killed WBBM anchor Randy Salerno Thursday night, has been charged with one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, as alcohol and speed were factors in the accident.
Now the Canadians are coming to Chicago to take advantage of -- you guessed it -- our chilly and cheap tourist attractions. Recently, USA Today and the New York Times published similar articles, making "Chicago -- a great winter travel destination" a bona fide trend piece. Coming up next: The Boston Globe on "Chicago: Cold, But Cool."
A hearing-impaired Bolingbrook woman is angry after a manager at a local Steak and Shake refused to take her order earlier this week at the drive-up window, demanding that she use the traditional speaker. The irritated manager then threatened to call police despite the woman's explanations of why she needed to order at the drive-up window, saying "If you had just let me know at the speaker that you needed accommodations then I could take your order through the window."
Citing a "change in the climate" regarding the death penalty in the US, a man held in Toronto for the attempted murder of a Chicago cop in 1969 has dropped his fight against extradition. (Meanwhile, no new news about the Hans Peterson extradition fight.)
Oak Brook-based RC2 -- whose comma-deficient motto, "compelling passionate parenting and play for all ages," makes us long for the days of static, indifferent parenting and play -- has purportedly agreed to pay $30 million to thousands of families nationwide who had purchased lead-tainted toys produced by the company. Last year, the families filed a class action suit against RC2 in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The court will decide whether to approve the settlement at a May 6 hearing.
Sun-Times Media Group announced plans this week to shutter three of its neighborhood newspapers at the end of the month. Now it looks like Oak Park-based Wednesday Journal is swooping in to save the Skyline, Lakeview Booster, and News-Star from imminent death.
Proving that he has possibly the biggest pair around, Drew Peterson (along with his lawyer) has proposed holding a "Win A Date With Drew" contest with longtime Chicago radio personality Steve Dahl. Guess Peterson's not waiting until the ... ahem... divorce to missing wife Stacy becomes final to start dating again.
Sudhir Venkatesh details his interactions with gang members in one building of the now-demolished Robert Taylor Homes in a new book. Read an excerpt of the book, listen to an interview with Venaktesh, check out reviews here and here.
You were annoyed at having to dig your car out of the snow this morning, but imagine if you woke up to it submerged in water after a 36-inch water main burst in the wee hours. UPDATE: Check out Ryan Pikkel's shots of the aftermath from the GB flickr group.
It looks like the AP decided it doesn't like Blago so much either.
The New York Times recently published a Travel piece on how to spend a winter day in Chicago -- with cold feet.
Former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer died today at age 73 after a series of strokes. Sawyer served from 1987 to 1989, following the death of Harold Washington, and dropped out of public life after being defeated by Richard Daley.
Former Cook County Commissioner John Stroger died today from complications suffered after his March 2006 stroke.
A woman filed suit Wednesday after she claimed her eye exam ended with a medical assistant paying unusual attention to her feet.
Controversial chess champion Bobby Fischer died yesterday in Iceland at the age of 64. He was born in Chicago and achieved international fame by beating Boris Spassky in the highly publicized U.S. vs. Soviet Union World Chess Championship in 1972.
Ending the recent struggles over the Co-op lease, the U of C has announced Treasure Island will fill the Co-op's current home.
The Wall Street Journal takes notice of the two map shows in town right now.
The Trib will become the first major paper in the United States to stop carrying traditional "help wanted" ads in its weekday edition. Of course, its online jobs section will pick up the slack.
While the city gets set to unveil a detailed plan of its 2016 Olympic bid Tuesday, it seems we're still fighting the old Al Capone stereotype. Gee, he's only been dead for more than 60 years...
If you were hoping transit funding from Springfield would stave off Metra fare hikes, you're going to be disappointed.
Following last week's Sun-Times reformatting, today's Trib is its first with a reduced page width and a redesigned logo.
If you have a negative blood type and are able to donate blood, please consider doing so as soon as possible. Chicago blood centers currently have a critical need for Rh-negative blood, especially O-negative and B-negative types. You can schedule an appointment through LifeSource, which runs blood banks and mobile units in the area.
A 114-year-old woman registered to vote yesterday; the downside is she probably won't vote because "she doesn't know who any of the candidates are."
The Cook County Board of Commissioners is proposing a $4/month, $48/year tax on all phones — land, cell, cable and otherwise. The tax would also increase with inflation — at five years, your total amount paid would be over $250 a phone. Read more at NoPhoneTax.org. Update: Outside the Loop Radio will discuss the likelihood of the tax's success along with other taxes proposed at the end of 2007 on Friday's show. Look for Episode 68 on the main page around noon or listen to WLUW at 6pm.
Congrats to Carlos Kenig of UChicago, recipient of the 2008 Bôcher Prize in mathematics for "important contributions to...nonlinear dispersive partial differential equations." Where's my prize for typing that correctly?
The American Dialect Society recently chose "subprime" as the word of 2007 at a recent meeting in Chicago, the BBC reports. Other cited words included tapafication -- defined by the BBC as "the tendency of restaurants to serve food in many small portions, like tapas" -- and "wrap rage," or "[the] anger brought on by the inability to open a factory-sealed package."
You may want to check your I-PASS balance.
Crain's points out some stats on Chicago's human capital for us to enjoy: Chicago ranks first amongst US Cities in concentration of young people (25-34) who live within 3 miles of downtown, and is second (to NYC) in the number of young people who have college degrees.
Today's New York Times Style section picks up on an increasingly popular article subject: The growing discontent among today's overworked lawyers and doctors, and employers' attempts to stop staffers from quitting. Partners at big law firm Perkins Coie's Chicago office, for example, have formed a "happiness committee" to offer snack items such as candy apples and milkshakes to their associates.
Curious Chicagoan Branden Dixon, 27, earned himself two counts of felony disorderly conduct after making two fake 911 calls, the Chicago Tribune reports. "Police said Dixon made the calls on his cell phone because he wanted to watch officers respond to emergencies," the paper says. Dixon might be the only American man who does not watch enough reality television.
The Chicago Sun-Times announced plans today to cut 35 union and five non-union newsroom jobs. Meanwhile, the paper reports that the nation's jobless rate has climbed to five percent. Um, Crappy New Year ...
According to a recent U of C study, 48% of Chicago doctors surveyed gave placebos to patients. Only 12% were against the practice.
Here's a potential lead: According to Crain's 2008 Book of Lists, Chicagoans of "mixed race" use their cell phones more than any other demographic group (putting in 1,469 minutes per month), followed by blacks (1,365), Asian/Pacific Islanders (1,171) and whites (638). Local Native Americans use their cell phones least, at 243 minutes (oh, and thank Telephia for the stats). Anyone have any theories? Well, come back with some research results for us in 2010 or thereabouts, m'kay?
As expected, with 442 murders recorded in 2007, Chicago's homicide tally is at its lowest in 40 years. That's good...right?
"Attend more special sessions of the General Assembly" was apparently not on many Illinois lawmakers' 2008 resolutions lists. Due to sparse attendance at yesterday's meetings, little progress has been made to solve the CTA's funding troubles, and unless something happens soon transit riders will once again have to worry about major service cuts.
I've been fighting making this post, but I must acquiesce. It seems the gold rally and the Chicago Board of Trade's rising wheat, corn and other commodity prices have something do to with a man's mugshot.
President Bush is slated to appear in Chicago on Monday to celebrate the anniversary of his No Child Left Behind Act. Why Chicago? "Pizza?", suggested his press secretary.
Been on a plane from India to Chicago recently? You might want to give the Center for Disease Control a call. A California woman infected with a drug-resistant strain of the virus flew on a plane here before heading on to San Francisco. The CDC is seeking passengers who may have been exposed.
Have you ever wanted to know how bank robbers get named? In Chicago, look to the FBI's Ross Rice.
Chicago-based retailer Club Libby Lu -- purveyors of Princess Gifts, Charmettes, Sparkle Spas and other beautacular things -- recently sponsored a contest in which the winner received tickets to a Hannah Montana concert in Albany, N.Y. and a blonde Montana wig. Now, Club L.L. might take the prizes away from the winner, who allegedly cheated her way to victory by writing a fake essay about her dad dying in Iraq.
The Associated Press reports that Chicago's homicide rate was the lowest in 2007 that it's been since 1965, with 435 murders recorded through Dec. 26. Good work, everybody!
Efforts to create the Public Housing Museum on the West Side are gaining ground but still require more than $13 million.
"She was the only hope for democracy," said local cab driver Syed Raza. Bhutto spoke at the University of Chicago in 2000.
As of January 1st, Illinois law will ban the possession and sale of the herb Salvia Divinorum. Reportedly, the plant can cause hallucinations within seconds after it's smoked, licked or chewed. The penalties for possession or sales will be akin to those for heroin or LSD.
Gerald Richardson, the driver of the minivan that struck the WLS studio, has been ticketed and charged with felony criminal damage.
Chicago News-Star picks the top 10 local news stories of 2007. Number 10: the rise of the neighborhood blogs.
Jean Johnson was in court dealing with a probation violation when she took four photos of R. Kelly on her phone's camera. What happened next? Jail time.
Chicago's new bottled water tax goes into effect in January, so get ready for "a black market for water" and other doom and gloom. I suppose that means you should also probably prepare for Waterworld.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation wishes that you wouldn't use your crappy furniture to claim a post-snowstorm parking spot, but if you insist on calling dibs they will be "tolerant of it." Hmm. However, the city's patience has worn out today and they will be removing any placeholders still remaining on the streets.
Barbara Mahany, the author of the profile of Joseph Zeman that was found on him the day he was killed, wrote a heartfelt tribute.
An interesting story in he Trib contains both the best mug shot and most pointless crime in recent Chicago history. IMHO anyway.
R. Kelly missed his court date in Chicago today. Was he trapped in the closet? No: Heavy snowfalls in Utah -- where his tour bus was passing through -- plus trouble from the authorities hindered his traveling progress. He'll be back in town in time for his show at the United Center on Friday, Dec. 21.
A generous dentist in Geneva, Ill. has given Bears legend William "The Refrigerator" Perry a new set of choppers. Seeing as how he's even bigger than he was in the 1985 Super Bowl season, the fact that he somehow managed to scarf down food without them makes him all the more legendary.
In a significant policy change, most adult CHA residents will be required to work or attend school at least 15 hours a week to remain eligible for housing. Further expansion of the plan may include Section 8 users. I can't wait to see what Residents' Journal has to say about the change.
AAA Chicago predicts there will be an increase in holiday traveling this season, despite "unprecedented" gas prices.
The FAA says it wasn't a near miss but for the third time in a little over a month two planes flew closer to each other than regulation allows in Chicagoland airspace.
In a warning to artists and other small businesses throughout the city, 30 tenants of the Fine Arts Building were issued $200 fines for not possessing a business license. The licenses cost $225 for a two-year period.
Hundreds of donated presents intended for needy children were stolen from a church on the South Side. Thanks to the Christmas Spirit, many presents have already been replaced. You can help, too: Mail or bring donations to the Sanctuary Family Worship Center, 711 W. 120th St.
A new study sponsored by AXE (a male grooming brand) finds that flight delays can lead to romantic connections. Thanks to its poor on-time percentage, O'Hare places a respectable 13th on the list of major US airports; Midway limps in at number 31. The best matchmaker? Philadelphia International Airport. Start rearranging your connecting airports, people.
In the next step in the highly choreographed Doomsday Dance, CTA workers agreed to call off a one-day action Sunday and Monday at the request of religious leaders.
Add Chris Kelly and Abdelhamid Chaib to the list of Gov. Blagojevich associates who have been indicted by the feds.
Precocious 4-year-olds, your 15 minutes of fame are up. The Shedd Aquarium sea lions are here, and they're feeling artsy.
Walgreens has dropped trespassing charges against actor Shia LeBeouf stemming from a 2:30 a.m. Nov. 4 incident at their Michigan Ave. store.
Congratulations "w00t"! Your blending of "whimsy and new technology" has earned you the title of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2007.
A Chicago couple are among the thousands of U.S. families hoping to complete their adoption of Guatemalan children before the end of the year, when new laws that would clamp down on the "exodus" are slated to take effect.
Ex-Sun-Times boss Conrad Black gets a break from the judge and will serve 6 1/2 years in prison for fraud, rather than the maximum 24 to 30 years.
In a case of automatic content filtering gone mad, the Trib's comment approval system prohibited posting comments using the word "ho" in a piece highlighting the controversy over Santa's trademark phrase.
Reginald Potts Jr., a former boyfriend of pharmaceutical sales rep Nailah Franklin, has been charged with her September murder. Potts had been a suspect from the beginning, as Franklin had filed a police report about receiving threats from him one week before her murder.
A big day for Chicagoans Kanye West and Common: West was nominated for eight Grammy awards, Common for three.
Hope you like snow, 'cuz there's more on the way.
Presidential hopefuls beware: what you did as a 5-year-old may come back to haunt you. The Clinton campaign is waging an attack on Sen. Barack Obama's credibility based on an essay he wrote in kindergarten titled, "I Want to be a President." They also tracked down a second essay with a similar title that Obama wrote in third grade. No word yet on how many times he was sent to the corner for not playing well with others.
A Sun-Times investigation revealed that the ice cubes at some Chicago area fast food and casual dining establishments were holding a dirty little secret: high levels of coliform bacteria. Several of the restaurants identified in the study as the worst offenders have responded here.
The Field Museum is now using color-changing badges which they describe as "like a pregnancy test but without the anxiety."
Parking rates at O'Hare and Midway airports are moving on up as of tomorrow. You'll feel the biggest hurt parking in the international lot at O'Hare, where the daily rate leaps from $30 to $50 per day. Other increases are more modest, unless you roll big and valet, which will run you $45 (as opposed to $32). All this plus proposed city and county tax hikes? 'Tis the season!
Our guy on the inside of the CPD, Second City Cop, has an interesting discussion going with the many anonymous posters (all of whom are obviously his coworkers) on his site about the appointment of Jody Weis as the new Chicago Police superintendent.
Former Representative Henry Hyde, the suburban Republican who steered the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and championed government restrictions on the funding of abortions, died this morning. Politics aside, he did pretty good for himself -- he lived until he was old, and last month the President of the United States gave him a medal.
The Shedd Aquarium and NBC5 are running another one of those "name the new baby animal" contests right now; this time, it's a three-month-old beluga calf. You can vote right now from a list of 10 finalist names, and then on December 10 the public will choose from among the top 5 vote-getters, with the winning name to be revealed on December 21. Note to the Shedd: "Mister Splashy Pants" appears to be a popular whale name this year.
Highland Parker Maury Kravitz has spent the last 15 years and over $3 million in search of Genghis Khan's tomb. He's convinced that he's close and is looking to go back as soon as he can raise another $250,000 and collect some sophisticated metal-detecting equipment.
Chicago's In These Times reports on a training session for military recruiters about how to speak the language of the Millennial generation.
The emperor of Japan recently publicly apologize for the scourge of bluegills which have killed native species; the fish were a gift from Mayor Richard J. Daley 50 years ago. John Kass thinks the current Mayor Daley should do the honorable thing.
A mere 12 days after the latest near-miss of two planes near Chicago, Lewis University announced Tuesday in timely fashion that it will be the first Illinois school to offer an air-traffic controller degree. What a great job: "marked by high stress levels, bad work hours, little glory and the fear never far from a controller's thoughts that one mistake could kill a lot of people."
Researchers at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago have found a way to give the sensation of touch to people with prosthetic limbs.
Bust out the party hats and dust off the Robert's Rules: it's special election time! Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert left Congress yesterday before the end of his term, blaming a lack of bipartisanship in the Democratically controlled House. One possible scenario has the public voting twice on the same ballot Feb. 5 to both select an interim replacement and nominate a permanent successor. It's up to the Guv, who has five days in which to schedule the special election.
Jeanette Sliwinski, the former model who killed musicians Douglas Meis, John Glick and Michael Dahlquist in a botched 2005 suicide attempt, was sentenced to a paltry eight years in jail today for her crime, which could be shortened if she is released early for good behavior credits.
The best part about today's news that Oprah will campaign with Obama is that the same AP story is the top headline under three separate categories on the Sun-Times website: Politics, Elections, and Barack Obama. If only Oprah had her own category, too.
Apparently Chicago plans to surface new alleys with a porous concrete that will actually filter clean water back into the water table. If only we had a public transportation system that actually worked.... Or maybe recycling. That'd be neat.
Chicago ABC newscaster John Drury passed away on Sunday at the age of 80 after a three-year battle with ALS.
Chicago takes the stage in the latest twist in the JFK assassination.
The National Weather Service has issued a snow advisory for the Chicagoland area, calling for snow and 30mph winds. The advisory will go into effect at 5 p.m., and last roughly until Great Aunt Hettie starts complaining about her corns.
Perhaps you've heard about Kindle, Amazon's new "wireless reading device?" One of the things you can do with it is read blogs, including a bunch of Chicago-related ones (although not us yet, dammit). Click "more" to see a list.
It's lonely for Cook County President Todd Stroger's proposed tripling of the sales tax. At a press conference meant to show support for Stroger's 2008 budget proposal, State's Attorney Richard Devine (among others) declined to wrap an arm around the tax hike and smile for the cameras. "I think the public has a concern about a tax scheme that puts into the coffers more revenues than are necessary to balance the budget, " Devine said. A vote on the budget is due Nov. 30.
Seems that lots of mayors and fed types are upset about an inflammatory report listing the nation's most dangerous cities. Many question the report's methodology and motives, since they use data borrowed from the FBI and charge 50 bucks for the complete report. The study excluded Chicago because of "incomplete data." Hard to imagine anyone thinking that Chicago was lacking in crime data.
Jen Rude, a lesbian who refuses to take a vow of celibacy, has been ordained by a Lutheran church in Chicago. It comes about as a test of a new resolution that gives bishops room to discipline or not, such actions. Wayne Miller, Chicago's bishop, said, "My goal is to keep people in the conversation, and I do not see this as an issue that should be dividing the church."
Osyp Firishchak, a Chicagoan who was born in the Ukraine and served in the Ukrainian Auxiliary Police during WWII, has been ordered to be deported.
As if it weren't enough fun to learn of Daley's record frontal property tax hike this week, his stealth TIF budget likewise has broken half a billion dollars.
The local transit union that represents CTA workers is threatening a work slowdown (among other unspecified "job actions") if legislators keep dragging their feet on finalizing the union's pension and health care programs that expire on December 31. A CTA work slowdown... it's the joke that writes itself.
Um, you might want to keep your bike by the front door. The latest meeting involving House Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. Rod Blagojevch concerning, among other things, CTA funding descended into "nonproductive shouting, threats and allegations."
The City Council just OKd Mayor Daley's $5.9 billion budget. In addition to the largest property tax increase in Daley's reign, it also includes new taxes on everyday items including bottled water, beer and DVD rentals, which pretty much means the average Saturday night will cost a little more.
The transplants, which occurred in January, mark the first such transmission in over 20 years.
Freedom of speech means we sometimes have to hear things we would rather not. It also means websites that promote hate see US servers as a refuge. Unfortunately, as the Trib illustrates, many of these sites have ties to Chicago.
The home of a Wicker Park couple was burglarized last week. Among the stolen items were several plasma televisions, a heap of DVDs, clothing...and the family's dog, a two year-old shih tzu named Moo Moo who has respiratory problems that require constant medication. Moo Moo's owners, Roseanne and Michael Denigris, are offering a $5,000 reward for the safe, no-questions-asked return of the dog.
Our very own Cardinal George may be in line for a big promotion.
According to New York magazine, the fastest flight from NYC to CHI is on ATA from Laguardia to Midway. The worst? Kennedy to O'Hare on Delta.
Loyola students convened on Thursday to discuss the latest issue of Diminuendo, a student literary publication. Campus administrators pulled Diminuendo from campus racks this fall, apparently because of the publication's front and back cover.
The Midwest Teen Sex Show, a sex-ed video podcast, got some attention from the Wall Street Journal today. The show is regularly in the top-10 in iTunes' Health section.
The Chi-Town Daily News reports that several police officers beat a teenager's head into a pole while breaking up a group of loiterers at Truman College.
A peek inside the federal prison camp that will house former Governor George Ryan reveals cooking classes and high-tech fitness equipment. Still, Ryan will share a "Spartan barracks-like bunk room and single toilet" with two other inmates, and will work for $.12 an hour as a cook or groundskeeper. Sounds just like SONA.
The Chicago Police Department is investigating the level of force used in an incident where an officer subdued an 82-year-old woman with a Taser. The woman, Lillian Fletcher, was reported to be wildly swinging a hammer when officers arrived on the scene. Worried that Fletcher might harm them or harm herself, the officers took her down with 50,000 volts of electricity. Fletcher, whose schizophrenia may have contributed to her actions, was rushed to the hospital but has since been released.
Chicagoans like their lattes maybe a little too much, according to a new poll that puts us at the top of the list for per capita caffeine consumption. Strangely enough, the rest of the top five were sunny, warm climes including Tampa, Miami, Phoenix and Atlanta. None of those cities ever had to deal with dark, cold Chicago winters. Who needs a mocha?
After several failed attempts to overturn his 6 1/2 year jail sentence, former Illinois governor George Ryan must report to prison in Oxford, Wisconsin by 5pm tomorrow.
Residents who have been waiting for the long-promised replacement to the city's blue-bag recycling program might be waiting even longer. The mayor's revised 2008 budget calls for delaying the distribution of the garbage container style blue carts until July 1. The delay would save the city $2.4 million, but it remains unclear how many of the proposed 131,000 residences earmarked to receive the carts in 2008 will actually see them.
The Lincoln Park Zoo lost a long-standing resident this weekend. Betsy the Harbor Seal died of cardiac arrest after exploratory surgery to scope out some abnormalities and determine the cause of her reduced appetite in the last few months. Betsy was 36 and had been at the zoo since 1972.
Apparently puppies aren't the only things getting stolen: a local server co-location company has had one of its centers robbed four times in the past two years, with the culprits escaping with sensitive data and equipment running into the six figures. (Thanks, Kevin!)
A South Side pet shop was burglarized over the weekend; the only things taken were 17 puppies, stuffed into the store's garbage cans. But the pups cost up to $1,000 apiece, so the total lost was in the $10,000-15,000 range.
In today's New York Times Travel section, writer Matt Gross raves about how he spent so little cash during a recent visit to Chicago. Gross received $500 to live on during his Windy City weekend -- in his words, a "meager budget" -- and spent $370.16, mainly on taxi rides, dinner at May Street Market, and lodging at the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Hostel. Overall, Gross doesn't seem very frugal -- $16 for breakfast? However, he does deserve props for coining the phrase, "unctuous sausage."
A pitiful email from CTA President Ron Huberman with the subject line "Please Prepare for Next Week" appeared in my inbox tonight. "I ask that you take the time to prepare for next week's commute," he begged me, asking that I review the service cuts and fare increases expected to begin this Sunday and create a new transit plan, if needed. Given the media blackout on this topic, I'm grateful for the update. Someone get that guy a copy of this book!
Chicago's been at or near the top of Men's Fitness magazine's fattest-cities list for several years running, but just because we're overweight doesn't necessarily mean that we're shiftless. Forbes magazine's newly released list of America's laziest cities does not include our fair city among its top 20. According to Forbes, citizens of Memphis and New Orleans watch the most TV and move the least.
After honeymooning at The Palmer House in 1947, a couple from Milwaukee saved their receipt, and returned this past weekend to take advantage of a special offer: they slept in the penthouse suite once again, for the original $10/night rate. (Thanks, Dan!)
Emmanuelle Haïm, the Lyric Opera's first female conductor, will conduct Julius Caesar [pdf] starting on November 2. Listen to a podcast interview with her [mp3] for additional information.
The city Department of Animal Control will no longer distribute animal traps to residents in need of a (non-emergency) way to catch feral cats, bats, opossums or racoons that are taking up space on their property.
When Witch School International set up shop in Rossville, a struggling southern Illinois town, not everyone was excited about the economic jolt.
Two boxers from Uganda and one from Armenia who are in town for the World Boxing Championships at UIC have disappeared, but no one is sending out a search party for them; the men voluntarily skipped out on the boxing competition to see friends and travel.
A federal judge said nix to the 28 aldermen who requested the names of the 662 officers with more than 10 complaints of abuse filed against them. Our mayor said the cops have a right to privacy.
Miranda Smith, a Chicago Transit Authority customer service employee, was charged with felony identity theft after she stole at least five credit card numbers of customers who called in to CTA to buy products. Smith was caught when a customer noticed unauthorized charges on their card and alerted authorities. Second City Cop has an interesting story about the reported effort by CTA to cover up the theft.
The Chicago Innovation Awards -- which aim to "recognize, educate, and inspire" while promoting the efforts of Chicago-area individuals, organizations, and companies -- announced their 2007 winners yesterday. Among the honorees: The Goodman Theater, Radio Flyer, Experiencia Immersive Learning Center, Abbott Laboratories, and the City of Chicago.
Get ready for a new take on your driver's license-- they're being redesigned to make it harder to produce fake IDs. New features: two pictures instead of one, birth date in two places, and graphics that are hard to duplicate.
Lillian Moseley, housekeeper to two generations of former Mayor Harold Washington's family, is dead at 102. She also worked in the home of late U.S. District Court Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz. Her secret? "Always doing the right thing in life."
When you get a little glum about Chicago's shaky and possibly third-place contention for the 2016 Summer Olympics, think about Sydney, which was in the same boat when they were chosen for the gig in 2000 and pulled off a nearly problem-free event.
It's still only conjecture, albeit from well placed sources, but Secondcitycop received a tip that charges against former SOS cop Jerome Finnigan related to a murder for hire plot will be dropped.
A weird, unnecessary email appeared in my inbox at 12:29 a.m. Friday morning from the CTA warning me of Thursday's late-afternoon storms, advising me to "allow for extra travel time on CTA service this evening." Thanks for the timely warning, folks.
Opening statements were made yesterday in the case of Jeanette Sliwinski, the Skokie woman whose suicide attempt in July 2005 took the lives of three local musicians. Michael Dahlquist, John Glick and Douglas Meis were killed instantly when Sliwinski's car crashed into theirs at an intersection. Sliwinski is charged with three counts of first-degree murder. The former model faces life in prison if convicted.
Are you gay? Is your brother gay? If so, there are a whole slew of researchers who want to sample your DNA. Not like that, silly! They're looking for a gay gene, or maybe even the set of genes that combine with environment to determine a man's sexuality. Which leads to a variety of problems and solutions. Lesbians need not apply for this study. Apparently you're genes are different enough to merit separate research. Someday.
The American Planning Association has included North Michigan Avenue on their list of the Top 10 Streets in America!
Roger B. Myerson joined the pantheon of University of Chicago Nobel laureates this morning by sharing this year's prize in economics for work in mechanism design theory. More explanation here or just try it yourself.
The good news we've heard about the police lately makes this tale of alleged excessive force all the more disappointing.
Speaking of going missing, the Sun-Times is about to start a series about the 20,000 people who go missing every year in Chicago. And this just in: the body with missing feet was found.
Up near Harvard, a family cemetery lost since the 1880s was recently discovered in the Alden Sedge Meadow nature preserve.
Google Maps Street View comes to Chicago. The Tribune waxes about the privacy issues that come with it.
If you find yourself at California and 21st, look around! You're right near Little Village's own Museum of Objects Left on the Sidewalk. It's a mini museum from artist Rebecca Wolfram. Some objects left at her outdoor museum include a dead frog, shoes, coat hanger sculptures and lots of other odds and ends. Says columnist Tom McNamee, "If Wolfram tried this in, say, Kenilworth, they'd call the police on her -- and you people in Kenilworth know that's true."
Five dead, two wounded Now six dead on a hot and bloody October Saturday.
With all the kerfuffle about the possibility of Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympics, you'd scoff at the idea that Chicago is actually viewed by United States Olympic Committee brass as the third- or fourth-place candidate for the job, right? According to Peter Ueberroth of the USOC, Rio de Janiero is considered the leading applicant at this point.
Oak Park principal Victoria Sharts clarifies her position on hugging, after the story on her ban on group hugs (which are apparently causing logjams in her school's hallways) was picked up by the media and misreported as a total ban on hugs. Uh, not that we had anything to do with that...
The principal of Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park has banned hugging, claiming that students are regularly late for class and crowding the hallways by forming "hug lines." Damn kids and their freaky hippie sex practices!
While the season opener of Saturday Night Live this past weekend delivered another funny digital short, the finest sketch of the night was about local export (and SNL musical guest) Kanye West's visit to BET's 106 and Park to discuss his award show tantrums of late. To watch Kanye's music performances, click here and here.
Chicago will soon pilot camera and analysis technology from IBM that will automatically detect everything from license plates to backpacks left on the street. Bonus quote from the article: "Studies have shown people fall asleep."
If you had $80,695 in your "The Amount Owed by the Top Illinois Toll Violators" office pool, take a bow! It's Marcel Medek and Andrea Zemankova who are sitting in the driver's seat on this one. FYI: new Illinois laws escalate the fines for missed tolls to $70 each.
Oak Lawn decided to get distracted drivers' attention by having a little fun with their stop signs.
The FBI is investigating the removal of a dozen spikes from Metra tracks near 100th Street and the Bishop Ford.
Today's news reported that a body was found in a wooded area in Calumet City. The body has now been confirmed by ABC 7 as Nialah Franklin. The body is being checked to determine if it's that of Chicago woman Nailah Franklin, who was reported missing last week. Her car had been abandoned nearby.
Yesterday Motorola sent people on a cruise, the L and even in cars speeding at 50mph along a 1.5 mile stretch of the Chicago River. Why? To demonstrate their new WiMAX product to the press and attendees of WiMAX World. Here's the press release, if you're looking for more detail.
In the battle over the possible relocation of the Children's Museum to Grant Park rages on, there's a factor that's gone unmentioned: the money. The museum stands to receive more than $1 million in subsidies if it's on park grounds, reports Crain's.
The Trib's public editor explains why they pulled the September 14 "Get Fuzzy" comic. "We don't allow our own reporters to write vulgarities, double-entendres or untruths, even in jest," said associate managing editor for features Geoff Brown. Confine all groin injury references to the sports section, folks!
Nailah Franklin, a 28-year-old pharmaceutical representative living in University Village, was last heard from about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday when she sent a text message to her boyfriend. Her car and computer equipment are also missing. Ms. Franklin had recently complained to police about receiving telephone threats, which adds to the anxiety over her whereabouts. Click here for more information.
The City has unveiled it's new Olympics logo, which uses a star from the Chicago flag (yeah, we like that idea around here) in the center of a seemingly torch-like range of colors. I wonder how this is all that different from Chicago's last entry which was disqualified due to the IOC's rules against using official images of the Olympics by bidding cities.
The Chicago Reporter finds that the Chicago metropolitan area leads the nation in high-cost loans. The story is receiving serious attention and will be featured locally tomorrow on Eight Forty-Eight and the Cliff Kelley Show.
Well, now we know who our competition is. And the local press is already giving Chicago the lead.
Local yachters want the Park District to do something about cursing by musical acts at Northerly Island and they're naming names: Snoop Dogg and Wu-Tang Clan, among others. On September 2, boaters protested a Snoop Dogg show by blasting their horns from Burnham Harbor. Clear Channel, which books the concerts at Northerly, has been asked by the Park District "to be careful" about the groups it brings there.
Surfboard goes in the lake, surfer goes in the lake. Dog's in the lake... Our dog... Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies... Well done, Mr. Smolenski and Mr. Riopelle.
The Sun-Times has a story on seriously injured Windy City Roller Derby skater Tequila Mockingbird (aka Tahirah Johnson). Her proclamation: "I will walk again."
At this point, we all deserve a "I Survived the Annual CTA Funding Dog and Pony Show" t-shirt: Governor Blagojevich will soon announce a temporary infusion of funds to the CTA to avoid the drastic service cuts and fare increases that were to take effect this weekend.
Early reports are showing that Kanye West's new album, Graduation, is outselling Fifty Cent's Curtis in a same-day release showdown that Fifty briefly boasted he would win, threatening his retirement in case he lost. Kanye needs the self-esteem boost, given his completely childish meltdown at the VMAs this past weekend over getting snubbed (again) for award wins.
A suburban man unknowingly recently racked up a $4,800 phone bill for his family's three iPhones while on an overseas vacation. Apparently he didn't read the terms and conditions document, which clocks in at over 6,000 words in length; it would have told him to leave the gadgets at home to avoid international roaming charges, which are accrued even if the device is off.
A group of Glenview teens are credited with rescuing a woman from her car just seconds before two Amtrak trains demolished it on Saturday night. The teens were behind the woman's car, which was stopped on railroad tracks. "I saw the train lights coming and I said, 'This is a big problem," he told CNN.
Kevin Guilfoile posts more of his research on murderer Hans Peterson on The Outfit Collective blog.
Mark Konkol, with the help of Sun Times "Mob know-it-alls" Steve Warmbir and Tim Novak, created a map of Chicago sites relevant to the ongoing "Family Secrets" trial. If you're more inclined to seek out the original gangsters, look here and here.
Following Apple's iPhone price drop, a band of furious early adopters looted the Michigan Avenue Apple Store -- or so this article jests. Perhaps that's why Apple's handing out cash.
Author Kevin Guilfoile has been writing about the case of Dr. David Cornbleet, the dermatologist who was killed in his Loop office. Until now, nobody seemed to have a recent photo of Hans Peterson, the man who confessed to the murder and who took refuge in the French Territory of St. Martin, where he has avoided extradition. Guilfoile believes he's found one.
People were talking this morning about today's abrupt closing of all three locations (Edgewater, Wicker Park, and Andersonville) of the local fitness chain Cheetah Gym with no explanation or reopening date. A message that briefly appeared on their website said "Cheetah Gym has been closed due to employee theft and graft," mostly at their Wicker Park location. The losses are apparently too severe to continue business, and all locations remain closed. Owner David Wilshire apparently fired a great deal of employees, and advises members to contact their banks for fraud protection services in light of the crime. I need to go call my bank now!
You may have thought it was a done deal, but today Chicago was formally made the United States' nominee for the 2016 Olympics host city.
Wired puts the recent failure of Chicago's municipal wifi plans into national perspective. (Thanks, Matt!)
The numbers are still coming in, but apparently a total of 15 people were killed in violence over the long holiday weekend. Highlighting the body count is an ambush at a funeral. The cops weigh in over here, mostly with mock support of the tactics of Cease Fire, the group which last week lost lots of Illinois funding, in part because of allegations of misappropriation of funds.
You may not be aware of it—and according to my personal unscientific highway survey yesterday, many people obviously aren't—but Chicago has a ban on driving while talking on and holding your cell. Best hope Officer Ramon Solidum doesn't catch you at it. And, by the by, if you're under 19 and driving in Illinois, you better not be driving and talking at all.
The Block 37 project is millions over budget, to the surprise of nobody. Crain's reports that the city is now in talks with the same firm that leased the Skyway to privatize the CTA station below the block.
The Trib profiled the Chicago Craft Mafia in today's paper, including GB's own Cinnamon Cooper. The article offers a bunch of tips for just-starting crafters toward the end.
Sad news being reported today that community activist Florence Scala passed away yesterday at the age of 88. Read more here, here and here.
Speaking of skin, Playboy has created a (non-nude) social network for colleges. Playboy U harks back to the good ole days of Facebook: a .edu address is required to join.
The state of Virginia's tourism agency is striking out certain images from its latest Virginia Is for Lovers campaign, "Live Passionately." Why? Because the models are making a heart symbol similar to a gang sign usually flashed by the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples (also, Japanese schoolgirls... but apparently that's beside the point). A slightly creepify before and after image from the campaign can be seen here. Yep, that's gangbanger behavior if ever I saw it.
A suspect has been arrested in the murder of David Cornbleet, a dermatologist who was murdered last October in his downtown office.
A controversial city census says that there are only 24 homeless people that live downtown.
Apparently everything was going swimmingly for Pearl Jam at an AT&T site that carried their Lollapalooza set until Vedder sang "George Bush, leave this world alone" and "George Bush, find yourself another home." AT&T swears it's a mistake, but Pearl Jam's now asking for other examples of artist political censorship from the company.
Calling all drywallers: are you sick and tired of not getting the spotlight for your craft? Here's your chance for glory and a $5,000 prize through the "The Best of the Best Drywaller" competition, sponsored by USG, the folks who make Sheetrock. Qualifying bouts are currently being held at hardware stores all over the city, with the selection of the top drywaller taking place from 1pm to 5pm on August 19 at Harrison Park, 1824 South Wood.
Lauri Apple's FoundClothing -- which is about, well, the clothes she finds on the street -- got a nice boost in yesterday's Trib.
Alex Kotlowitz penned a very troubling article in today's New York Times Magazine that documents the growing tensions between suburban Carpentersville's "native" folks and its growing Hispanic immigrant community, which accounts for an estimated 40% of its population. Kotlowitz follows the successful efforts of two city Board of Trustees (who dub themselves "The All-American Team") to make English the official language of the city, which unravels a whole mess of legal and cultural problems along the way.
Not sure what Chicago-based television show this guy is going to be on, but the AP reports that Jack McClellan, a California man who says he is attracted to young girls but doesn't actually molest them, was issued a restraining order yesterday to stay at least 30 feet away from every person under age 18 in California. Only problem? He was served the order after boarding a flight to Chicago for a TV appearance.
Police are now connecting four assaults that have occurred since April in the Lakeview neighborhood due to similar descriptions of the assailant. These four, however, are not believed to be connected to Sunday's sexual assault on the 3700 block of North Lakewood.
Guy goes to a bar and a Miller Beer promo girl hands him a game ticket. It says, "Nobody Knows I... Just won a million dollars." Guy gets excited -- and Miller Girl takes the ticket away. Guy starts talking to a lawyer.
Have you noticed the abundance of bunnies in the area? The Trib's Colleen Mastony explores why local Eastern cottontail rabbits are breeding like... Well, you know.
A Tribune article and corresponding video about the legal battles between Bensenville residents and Chicago over O'Hare expansion suggests visual artists could have a field day in the area.
Tech Matters in the Sun-Times wrote a feature on Aza Raskin and his firm Humanized. (Along the way they mention our "popular online publication"...)
The Tribune reports that Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom has been temporarily closed for sanitation problems, the same kind their buddy to the west experienced this week as well; however, the Ballroom is expected to reopen as soon as those pesky fruit flies and mice are removed. Hmmm, that sounds nice.
As if Macy's year of problems wasn't enough, a man fell from an interior balcony at the State Street location yesterday.
A new Whole Foods store is scheduled to open today at the corner of Addison and Halsted, in the Center on Halsted building, which is a community center for GLBT persons. According to an article in the Tribune, the Center is happy to have Whole Foods as a tenant, as it will not only act as a grocery store, but will also serve as a vehicle for promoting the Center's activities. Sounds warm and fuzzy, right?
The Green Exchange, the proposed Logan Square environmental supercenter, is garnering serious national attention.
Unlike airports in NYC, Washington, Miami, and Los Angeles, Chicago does not have an agent with the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) at one of it's airports to help expedite clearing up mistakes/mismatches in the Terrorist Screening Data Base (and No Fly lists). Reportedly, over 500,000 names are in that database and almost 20,000 warnings were set off in 2006.
A new report co-authored by criminal justice analyst Judith Greene [pdf] claims that Chicago and LA are not only losing the war on gangs, but the policing methods currently in place might actually be strengthening gang allegiances.
Following its recent transgendered library fund, Oak Park is again on the forefront of GLBT issues in Illinois with their official support of state legislation that would establish civil unions for same-sex couples.
A legal battle is being waged over the visibility of complaints lodged against Chicago cops. You can guess what the men and women of the force think of the issue.
So, the Sun-Times of all places has an interview with local parkour kid Ando Cousins. Check out his take on this urban gymnastics/running/daredevil art form. And then learn more about Chicago parkour at this Ando-moderated site.
There's absolutely no good reason to ever leave Chicago, but if you must relocate nearby, Money magazine's Top 100 Towns (population < 50K) list includes 4 in Chicagoland. Lisle was ranked #20, Libertyville #52, Woodridge #61 and South Elgin was #82.
Two of the 500+ people who got food poisoning from hummus served by Pars Cove restaurant at the Taste of Chicago are now suing the restaurant. One lawsuit asks for $30,000 in damages; the plaintiff admits that she didn't think the contamination was done deliberately, but that she was just "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Richard M and some city officials took a little trip to Rio. It wasn't for the music and laughter though, it was for, you know...research.
The September 28 celebration of the 10th anniversary of Chicago's Critical Mass ride may also be the marking of its end, as reported in the Sun Times. The large draw of participants dedicated to showing the benefits of cycling is apparently causing more problems than displaying productive transit solutions; apparently no one likes a group of loud, drunk folks on bikes (but if you've seen a Critical Mass ride, you know that hardly describes the majority of riders). Before you start crying in despair, note that no formal plans have been made to shut down the ride, which is scheduled for the last Friday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in Daley Plaza.
630 is pretty much used up, so west suburban Chicago is up for another area code, 331. This will make it nine area codes in the Chicago area, joining the existing 312, 773, 708, 630, 815, 847, 224 and 779.
Doris Thillens, widow of the late Mel G. Thillens, the founder of old-school armored truck service Thillens Checashers, died on Saturday. She helped her family run Thillens Stadium for decades.
The Globe and Mail reports on what is surely the most important aspect of the Conrad Black trial.
The jury in the Conrad Black newspaper fraud case sent a cryptic note to the judge indicating that they are deadlocked on "one or more counts" in the 42-count case. The general take is that it's good news for Black, and one of Black's lawyers seems to think there will be a conclusion today. UPDATE: Guilty of mail fraud and obstruction of justice, faces up to 35 years in prison.
Department of Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff tells the Tribune that things could get hairy, terrorist-wise, this summer. He also bucked up the camera-happy Chicago Police Department: "I think the use of cameras here and other technologies is a model for the country," he said.
Miami Heat star forward Antoine Walker, already once the victim of armed robbery here in his hometown, was robbed at gunpoint last night in River North. Looking on the bright side though he wasn't hurt and the cops recovered his car...some of us have to find our own.
Welcome back to the grind, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. State's Attorney Richard Devine is especially happy to see you.
NBC newscaster Amy Jacobson is in the midst of a kerfuffle over her appearance at a party at Craig Stebic's house (Stebic is the husband of Lisa Stebic, who has been missing since April 30.). Jacobson's party attendance — and in particular her beach attire — has whipped up the usual hand-wringing over journalistic ethics by an easily titillated press. Meanwhile, Eric Zorn valiantly rushed to his fellow reporter's defense. UPDATE: Jacobson has resigned.
Well, the people have spoken, and Springfield, Vermont will be the lucky town to host the premier of The Simpsons Movie later this month. Our own Springfield, Illinois was in the running, but, alas, didn't garner enough votes. [Insert bitter Comic Book Guy commentary here, then go get a Squishee.]
Although it's not near a visitor entrance, a redwing blackbird has apparently built a nest near the Shed Aquarium. The bird has been dive bombing anything or anyone that comes too close.
Not willing to drive all the way to 63rd and Harlem for a Squishee? The Methods Reporter has your hook-up.
WBEZ reported today that a survey of 178 Stroger Hospital physicians revealed that over half of them are thinking about leaving their jobs in the next year due to the recent dramatic staff reductions, and the resulting decline of both staff morale and the ability to provide quality medical care. County Commissioner Jerry Butler seemed unfazed about the foreboding data, commenting that it "doesn't mean they're going to leave." I know that these talented veterans of County Hospital are available for work should Jerry have some vacancies in the future.
Giving new meaning to the slogan "The Connie's Driver will Break Your Knees," the founder of the venerable Chicago Pizza chain says he was shaken down by Mob boss Frank Calabrese Sr. According to testimony today at the Family Secrets mob murder trial, James Stolfe said he feared being burned if he didn't pay up.
Like something out of a crime novel, University of Chicago Hospital officials called in the cops to find out if spiked insulin levels that killed one patient and put another in a coma were caused by an "intentional act."
Who cares if the Mayor gets around? 67 trips since Jan. '04 sounds pretty sweet, no matter who is paying for them. (By the way, it's us. But only half the time.)
Speaking of consuming huge amounts of food, the Trib's Monica Eng sampled 253 dishes at the Taste. The experiment cost the paper a grand total of $1,022. I'm sure it was a lot of really healthy food.
A Cook County jury ordered a woman's lover to pay her husband $4,802.87 for stealing her love. Then it gets weird.
Four Bosnian Serbs were arrested in Chicago for concealing information about their military participation during the Massacre of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina in July 1995.
After receiving over 1,000 submissions, the Public Radio Talent Quest, a nationwide search for a new voice in NPR programming, has been whittled down to ten lucky semi-finalists, three of whom are from Illinois! You have until Monday, July 2 to vote for who of this bunch will advance to the next stage of the five-part contest, so visit the website and listen to their promising submissions.
Don't know how I missed this yesterday: Cornhole, aka Baggo, makes the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
Psych! GB is staying put, but someone's moving to Joliet. In fact, more than 35, 000 people moved there between 2000 and 2006, making it one of the fastest-growing in Illinois and one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.
Barnaby Feder of the New York Times reports that the Chicago-based American Medical Association endorsed the idea of placing medical records on RFID tags inserted into people at their annual meeting here on Monday. AMA committee report here.
If you want to hold an "O Baby" hat and mittens set before you buy it, you may soon be able to head to 57 N. Carpenter to visit the Oprah Store.
The CTA is telling riders (and hoping Springfield hears) that they've done all they can to avoid rate hikes and service cuts. Workers and management have agreed tentatively on a deal regarding pension obligations. Next stop, a state bailout.
Why does Chicago Public Radio need a satellite bureau a few miles from their home base? It's vital in part because Humboldt Park and Navy Pier can often seem like different planets. Last January reporter Chip Mitchell was set up in a mini office/studio at Division and Campbell, and the stories on his CPR bio page showcase the station's push toward community based reporting.
In the arithmetic of today, 8 acres = 3,000 homes + 1 hotel + (unspecified) stores + 1 marina. Now this developer needs to turn in its homework on time.
The Sun-Times has a pretty intense interview with the man who helped dig the graves of Kimberly Vaughn and her three children. Snip: "Spink said he knows few of the details surrounding the deaths of the Vaughns -- only that their lives were taken violently and that they were from out of town. 'It's just easy to pass away -- easier than you think,' Spink said."
Coudal Partners' awesome Swap Meat got a nice write-up in the New York Times Magazine. Its wild success has led them to keep the swap open till at least the end of the summer.
From the Checkerboard Chat, the Chicago Police blog: "In the preliminary report the victim stated the offender resembled Samuel Jackson, the actor." The officers "went to the YMCA at 30 W. Chicago and asked the security guard if any of the residence in the building resembled Samuel Jackson. The guard immediately said yes and gave up Richard Mason, M/B/49." He got fingered in the lineup. No word on who will play Mr. Mason in the movie version.
Apparently the irony of Blago spending $5,800 a day in taxpayers' money to fly to Springfield and back for budget talks is not lost on the rest of the country or across the pond. A google news search drummed up 235 reprints or references to the AP article, many in Illinois but plenty from other states and even the UK.
The Illinois State Library provided funds for a $3,000 grant to the Oak Park Public Library to create the first transgendered-oriented public library collection in the country.
As of today, Cheikh "Bamba" Dione is the first fleet-based hybrid taxi driver in Chicago. Oh, and if you attend the formal unveiling, you may be lucky enough to watch David Hudson receive CCC's Cab Driver of the Year award and then witness his hand print and signature rendered in wet cement for CCC's "Walk of Fame."
Word is Cook County Board Prez Todd Stroger is back home after successful prostate surgery. Doctors expect a full recovery.
In a classic example of hizzoner's debate style, Richard M questioned the Trib's environmental record when asked about a report which claims the city hasn't made good on promises to go green. The "debate" spread to "Chicago Tonight;" the Beachwood has excerpts.
On Monday, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger had his prostate removed as a part of his 10-month battle with prostate cancer. His father, former Board President John Stroger, also suffered from the disease, which strikes black men far more often than white men. More on prostate cancer here.
The Mayor, in his endless quest to make Chicago fabulous, today promoted the annual "Fashion Focus" event and a "Fashion Incubator" partnership with Macy's.
Out in Palatine, there's a family whose baby monitor suddenly began picking up video from the Space Shuttle this week.
Today's New York Times has a lengthy article about the brewing Obama-Rezko debacle. It's an interesting overview, but the Beachwood Reporter's take on the piece is even more chewy.
Julie Thoma Wright, a noted designer, passed away earlier this week after a battle with colon cancer. Thoma Wright, along with her husband Richard Wright, was known for being the force behind Wright, a Chicago auction house specializing in modern furniture and art. The Wrights were profiled last year in an article in The New York Times.
Some articles of note in today's Sun-Times: a puffy piece on Hill honcho Patty Solis Doyle; a breakdown of the congestion tax proposal; the Troutman indictment; and dirty, dirty cops.
In yet another public works project designed to win favor with the IOC (and area boaters), the Park District has released tentative plans to build three additional harbors. The Trib provides renderings.
A Chicago man is accused of "leading" a ring in which U.S. residents would marry Eastern European immigrants for $5,000. In a stroke of brilliance, each of the "families" charged in the case attended each other's wedding ceremonies, making them oh-so-difficult to connect with each other.
The National Weather Service has enlisted the help of the FBI to track down a person who is submitting bogus weather reports in Illinois and Wisconsin. The reports have caused the service to issue erroneous storm warnings. If you can't trust weather reports, what can you trust?
Norman Finkelstein, controversial professor of political science at DePaul, has been denied tenure. Read his collection of articles about the situation. UPDATE: He spoke on 848 this morning.
Da Coach and his former Super Bowl Safety Dave Duerson are in a war of words. Ditka is again rallying on behalf of former players who are denied adequate health coverage in retirement from the league and the NFL Players Association. Duerson, a trustee for the NFLPA, says Ditka is a bit late on this issue.
Patrick Tye is my hero. The man saw a baby left in a car alone with the windows rolled up. He waited for the owner to come back and reprimanded him. For his good deed he was promptly shot in the stomach. Fortunately Tye survived, and even lying in pain in a hospital bed, believes he did the right thing.
Edwin Traisman, food scientist for Chicago-based Kraft and McDonalds, died of old age last week.
Batman is back in town! No, he denied the mayor's request to head up Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (word is, Bruce Wayne was up for that job too). But "The Dark Knight" goes into production tomorrow through the rest of the summer.
The Hoffman Estates-based Chicago Hounds United Hockey League team is closing shop after only a year in business due to issues with their home rink, the Sears Centre.
それを持って来なさい. That is the loose translation for "Bring it on"(according to babelfish).Tokyo throws their hat in the ring for 2016.
A year ago, Michael Roth blew a stop sign in front of the Lincoln Park Zoo and smashed into Danit Steinbach and her daughter Maya and son Ben while her husband watched. Then, Roth took off, dragging Maya with him. He was later arrested. Wednesday, Roth was sentenced to eight years for leaving the scene of a fatal accident. In his grisly, inappropriate and callous statement, Roth said, "I just heard something in my car. It was like a little bit of a dragging."
Google and the Midwest-based Committee on Institutional Cooperation announced an agreement to digitize up to ten million volumes from member universities. Local member schools include the University of Chicago, Northwestern and UIC.
Center on Halsted, the most comprehensive LGBT facility in the Midwest, is now officially open.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation has a special treat for Bucktown and Wicker Park residents -- and, no, it's not the usual orange one. The city is testing out a new light program that will signal when it's ok to park on a street after it's been cleaned.
Great lead in Andrew L. Wang's article on protests over the possible destruction of the Lake Shore Athletic Club: "They didn't have all the pieces at first -- the exclamation point was missing, as was a very important 's.' But when each person with a letter or punctuation mark inked on their shirt lined up in the proper spot, the message was clear: 'SAVE LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC CLUB!'" Guess which S is more important.
The 27-year-old man struck and killed by a Brown Line train Sunday has been identified as Milwaukee resident, Lance Lemieux. Witnesses say it appeared the bicyclist did not realize that there were two ground-level tracks at the Rockwell station where the accident occured around 4:30pm yesterday.
It turns out a Chicago man is partly responsible for some episodes of "24" floating around online before they aired. He didn't upload them but apparently just moving them from one site to another is enough to get him up to three years. I guess the FBI has nothing better to do.
Two major news programs -- with very different slants -- anchored from Chicago yesterday. While NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams focused on lighter fare, CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 reported on the disturbing string of murders of Chicago Public Schools children.
The University of Chicago was just given $100 million -- anonymously. The gift will launch the new Odyssey Scholarships program, which will serve students from low- to middle-income families. Due to the size of the gift, almost a quarter of enrolled students will benefit from it at any given time.
Car, that is. A couple of weeks ago, IIT's Armour College of Engineering entered a car in the student 2007 Formula Hybrid competition. They finished in 5th out of 6th in overall points, but more than doubled their previous speed record. They have their eyes on first place next year.
Remember that Little Village Discount Mall raid last month? The father of 22nd Ward Alderman Ricardo Munoz was taken in and charged by the feds today. He operated a photo store out of that mall that took pictures of illegals for use in fake documentation. Bad timing -- the younger Munoz has hinted in recent months he'll run for U.S. congress when Rep. Luis Gutierrez steps down.
Previously noted by Gapers Block, The Washington Post has picked up the story [registration required] about Chicago a
