Friday Afternoon Diversion
Jay-Z Announces 2010 Tour Dates. Chicago Not On List.
I Fight Dragon$
"Batman" Headline Is a Stretch, But Prison Escape Story Could Be Its Own Movie
Grates To Tear Up Schubas
Is Mike Madigan ready to take a gamble? So it seems from a letter he wrote today to state legislators. He said today that he'd endorse a bill proposed by Democratic reps Lou Lang and Bob Molaro that expands gambling—gaming, sorry—and uses that money for roads and schools.
From the AP:
The new proposal includes many of the elements that already passed the Senate in September, including a huge, land-based casino in Chicago and thousands more slot machines at Illinois' nine existing riverboats. Madigan's plan also calls for another new riverboat casino and reissuing Illinois' 10th casino license, which has been tied up in legal limbo since it was approved for the Chicago suburb of Rosemont in 1999. The Senate-backed plan called for two new licenses. The speaker also wants 3,600 gambling positions at the state's five horse racing tracks, something the Senate idea didn't include.
This bill itself would not solve the transit funding crisis in Chicago, but it does open up some additional room to negotiate because downstate legislators had said they wouldn't vote to increase transit funding unless they got something in return. Time's a-wastin, too; the CTA is due for its next doomsday come January, so legislators would need to get both this bill and a transit funding bill through in the next two weeks. Good thing our state government is known for its swiftness and efficiency. Ah, we're trying to laugh through the tears.
[Daily Herald, Trib]
Slot shot by Kubina
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in better CTA news there was an article about how much faster the blue and red lines have become since huberman tackled the slow zone problem last summer. it's true, i get downtown from logan square in half the time i did last year.
also new rail car prototypes will be delivered next year, with or without funding as they were already purchased.
that's all i got.
Anyone notice this blog hasn't been as good since guest comments were removed? There used to be 10-20 comments for numerous posts. Guests would post, and then registered users would respond in kind and vice-versa. Now with less people to comment, almost no one does.
Plus, the Tribune allows comments now, which provides far greater diversity in commenters. No offense, but it seems 90% of posters on here live within a mile of the NW Blue Line, are white, and between 27-37 years old.
The quality of the stories is just as good, just not as many fun comments.