News

With the special election for Dennis Hastert's vacant 14th Congessional District seat coming up next Saturday, the race has heated up. Democrat Bill Foster has hit Jim Oberweis almost daily, pointing out the differences on Social Security, global trade, and the war in Iraq. Oberweis has fought back, calling Foster a liberal and a liar, and charging that he will raise taxes. The close race got even more interesting this week when Foster released recent internal polling indicating that he leads Oberweis in the race. Now Foster is claiming that Oberweis violated the so-called "Millinoare's Law", by failing to disclose that he was about to dump buckets of his own cash into the race. more ›

The Chicago Journal has an update on the Green Exchange, the eco-themed shopping mall that's slated to open in the old Cooper lamp factory on Diversey. There are two bits of news in the article: first, the Green Exchange is expected to open by the end of 2008, and second, "city planners are exploring the possibility of creating an eco-industrial park or green-themed planned manufacturing district nearby." more ›

Maybe he hasn't made Keith Olbermann's nightly list yet, but Sam Zell is quickly cementing his place among the "Worst People in Chicago" as he continues to antagonize Chicagoans since his takeover of the Tribune Co. more ›

Update on the Waukegan explosion: Nine people were injured, at least two seriously, and one person still may be unaccounted for. [Trib] more ›

Psst. Down there. Hey! It's me! Nature! I live in the sky and throw water down on you whenever I feel like it. Guess what? I super feel like it this year. Guess what again? It's going to snow tonight for the 35th time this season. I know--it usually only snows 30 times all season. But I like to think of myself as a wild bird who can't be caged. more ›

Second City Cop more ›

Five people were injured in Waukegan about an hour ago in an explosion in a shopping area that destroying Tuxedo World, Cleopatra's Unisex Hair Salon, Cellular Concepts, a travel agency and vacant space. Details are still emerging. more ›

Eric Hanson has been sentenced to death for killing his sister, parents and brother-in-law. His surviving sister testified against him during his recently concluded trial, and yesterday a jury took only 90 minutes to return its verdict in favor of execution. more ›

Gearing up for the Chiditarod on Saturday? The Chicago Methods Reporter wants to hear from you. They're hosting a "24-hour journalism party"--and trust us, there ain't no party like a journalism party--after the race to encourage participants to document their experiences and assemble a "definitive collection" of Chiditarod accounts. more ›

The city's License Committee added Alderman Brandon Reilly's 42nd Ward, which includes the Loop, River North and the Gold Coast to the list of wards where private businesses will have the legal authority to boot cars parked on private property. "It seemed like an interesting concept. I figured we’d give it a try,” Reilly told the Sun-Times, pointing out that illegal parkers wouldn't have to travel to remote lots to spring their towed vehicles, and that a private attendant would be on duty to remove the boot once the fine had been paid. more ›

With Friday's budget deadline looming for Cook County, Todd Stroger is finding himself in a very uncomfortable position. Stroger has been more ›

A father of five was killed yesterday when he tried to stop his minivan from being carjacked. Eric Holmes, 36, grabbed onto the van's luggage rack and was killed when the car jacker ran into a concrete barrier. [Trib] more ›

Sneakerfiles reports that the Levi's 501 premium selvedge denim have an elephant print lining the inside and the signature Air Jordan symbol is embroidered on one of the pockets along with six gold rings that symbolize each of the championship rings MJ won during his BBall years. The jeans, sneakers and shirt come in a red collector box decorated with graphics from each brand. more ›

Sam Zell said yesterday that he'd be down with selling the naming rights to Wrigley. Which isn't news exactly. He's been saying that for a while. But he said it again and louder. more ›

Tony Rezko's upcoming trial on fraud charges is sure to be sensational, with a veritable who's who of Illinois politicians listed in the indictment, including a sitting governor and a presidential candidate. Key to the prosecution is the government's star witness, Stuart Levine, whom Rezko's defense team has been trying to discredit as a drug user. Those allegations just got, um, sexier yesterday afternoon. more ›

Cole Hall will be closed for the rest of the semester and will be knocked down this spring, with construction on the new Memorial Hall to be completed by the 2010 school year. [Northern Star, Trib] more ›

"Legoland." Just feeling the word roll off your tongue should be enough to send you into shivers of delight. But news that some in Joliet are pushing for a Legoland that close to home? That is leaving us a quivering mess on the floor. Legoland! Right here in Illinois! Please, nerd overlords. Please. more ›

A bike-rental program may be in the works....[S-T] more ›

Podiatrist Dr. Stephen P. Loheide, 64, of Algonquin, has been charged with dozens of counts of exchanging prescription drugs for sex, videotaping those encounters without womens' consent, drug possession with intent to distribute, eavesdropping, possession of eavesdropping devices, and other assorted unsavory activities, all of which allegedly took place in his East Dundee office. more ›

From U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve's recent ruling in the Rezko case.... more ›

The biker who was hit by a car and killed over the weekend was Matthew Manger-Lynch, 29. He was racing in the Tour Da Chicago, an alleycat street race. more ›

If you're cramming for a test, need a post-dinner pick me up or want a Paul McCartney CD between the hours of 5:30 and 8:30 tonight, you'll have to go somewhere other than Starbucks. Nearly all of the coffee chain's locations will be closed for a company-wide education and training session for employees. Dunkin' Donuts just happens to have a promotion running today and will be giving away free lattes. Our favorite quote in the Trib's story comes courtesy of Frances Allen, Dunkin' Donuts' brand marketing officer: "We never want any customers to ever be denied access to their specialty drinks." You tell 'em, Ms. Allen. Let's draft a constitutional amendment guaranteeing Frappuncino availability. more ›

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a new study about American religiosity yesterday, and the study says the religious landscape of America is "diverse and incredibly fluid." A lot of oeople are changing religious affiliations, and more are choosing no affiliation at all than ever before. The study found that 16.1 percent of adult Americans characterized themselves as "unaffiliated." more ›

Given that the team has gone a whole century without a World Series title, has repeatedly been bounced from the playoffs in quick fashion, and suffered some truly epic collapses (1969, 2003), surely there are countless Cubs fans with broken hearts. more ›

The Cook County Board of Commissioners had a contentious meeting yesterday as they tried to resolve a looming budget shortfall of nearly $300 million. The board must pass a budget by Feb 29 or face a partial shut down of the county government. more ›

Former Bears linebacker Jim Schwantz is running for mayor of Palatine. [Trib] more ›

To the shock of absolutely no one, Governor Blagojevich was officially identified as Public Official A today in the documents pertaining to Tony Rezko's prosecution. more ›

NIU classes resumed today after a vigil last night drew 10,000 people from the university and beyond, including Governor Blagojevich, Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, and secretary of the department of health and human services Michael Leavitt. more ›

A new study released today says that 44 percent of CPS freshman don't graduate, and 73 percent of those drop-outs were "over age" when they started high school. While there's no one reason students drop out, there are a lot of factors that indicate how at-risk a kid is. From the Sun-Times: more ›

Usually when we hear "8 inches," we think "yay." But not now. Today, it's in reference to how much snow we're supposed to get this afternoon. Our fair city is in for another 6 to 8 inches of icy precipitation, and if that amount does fall, it would make this season the snowiest in a long time. Maybe we should just start rooting for that to happen so at least all this toe-freezing was for record-breaking purposes. more ›

Paul Tilley, 40, died Friday after jumping from a window the Fairmont hotel. His death has been ruled a suicide. more ›

Eight people were bound and robbed at gunpoint Sunday night at the Hilton Chicago at 720 S Michigan. The assailants got away with about $20,000. more ›

But they've got to take somebody to the big dance, the Bears told Rex Grossman on Saturday. The Bears and their erratic, starting QB agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal. Wow... that's like asking the ugly girl to the prom because all the prettier girls and the ones who put out have dates already. more ›

Last week, it was announced that one of the U of C Law School’s biggest superstars, Cass Sunstein, will be leaving for Harvard in the fall. Sunstein attended Harvard as an undergrad and for law school, and he later clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall. He’s been on faculty at the U of C for 27 years, and during that time he has written and edited at least a dozen books. Now, he's going to Harvard to "head a new program at Harvard on risk regulation," according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. more ›

Here's what our local ne'erdowells have been up to while waiting in eager anticipation for tonight's Oscars: more ›

href="http://londonist.com/2008/02/air_bound.php"> remove one man from Gatwick.

While the Field’s Fans are too busy protesting poor customer service at Macy’s as they long for the days of Marshall Field’s, customer satisfaction for shopping scabs has increased. An annual University of Michigan Study ranking shopper satisfaction among discount and department stores and supermarkets reported Macy’s saw a 5.6% increase in customer satisfaction, ending with a score of 75 out of 100 points. Nordstrom tops the list with a score of 80, only five points between the two. The Sun-Times reported: more ›

With foreclosures on the rise, along with the ubiquitousness of television shows like Flip This House and Flipping Out, more and more people are showing up at real estate auctions trying to score a bargain and make a quick buck. And while veteran house flippers know that when you buy a home "as is" you're sure to find a few surprises like termites, water damage, or even a shitload of cats, we'll still bet that the new owners of a graystone in North Kenwood were shocked at their discovery -- a skeleton wearing a red tracksuit. The bones belonged to the home's owner, Randy Johnson, who neighbors say disappeared back in October, 2006. more ›

Guess that knee injury Rex Grossman suffered last December wasn't so serious -- he was offered a new one year contract with the Bears, which he agreed to this morning. The Sun-Times calls the contract "imminent", and that it "includes incentives based on play time and performance". more ›

If the RTA extended the Blue Line out to the Yorktown Mall in Lombard, would you go? The Sun-Times reported yesterday that possible improvements to the city's transit system could include a longer trek on the Forest Park line, new bus routes on major expressways, and a north-south train between Midway and O'hare, among other things. more ›

The Sun-Times takes a look at "elimination communication," a technique some parents are using to toilet train their very young children. Perhaps you read about it. In the New York Times. In 2005. [S-T, NYT.] more ›

Joseph Pannell pleaded guilty today to shooting a Terrence Knox, a Chicago police officer, in 1969. He'll serve 30 days in jail, be on probation for two years, and contribute $250,000 to the Hundred Club of Cook County, a group that assists the families of police officers, paramedics and fire fighters killed in the line of duty. more ›

The South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day parade will be held a week earlier than usual this year. Typically, the parade is held the Sunday before March 17, but this year, that's Palm Sunday, a major day on the Catholic calendar. So parade organizers moved the festivities up to March 9 to avoid any conflicts. We're not sure how much local St. Patrick's revelry will actually be affected by the Catholic calendar, since the ways we usually see people celebrate are definitely not Church-sanctioned. more ›

Just squeaking in before the NBA's Thursday afternoon trading deadline, the Bulls made a big move by moving Big Ben. more ›

Are cougars reemerging in the Midwest? A few years ago, a dead mountain lion turned up in New Boston, IL and last month, a live one made its way through southern Wisconsin. Experts tested DNA from a bloody pawprint the animal left and confirmed that it was indeed a mountain lion, the first in Wisconsin in a hundred years. more ›

Michigan Avenue, a new luxury magazine, has set a new launch date: September 17. Dan Uslan, most recently of Where Chicago magazine, was named the publisher today. There's a Where Chicago magazine? Live and learn. [Crain's] more ›

Drew Peterson's third wife's death has been ruled a homicide, Will County States’ Attorney James Glasgow announced today. Kathleen Savio died in 2004, and her body was exhumed in November after Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, disappeared. more ›

Sha na na na, Ben Wallace. The Bulls traded Wallace in a three-team deal with Cleveland and Seattle. more ›

Oh man, we almost forgot about the Children's Museum debate! Luckily, Alderman Brendan Reilly wants to keep it front and center, which is why he sent the Museum a list of 24 possible places it could relocate that aren't Grant Park: more ›

The clock is ticking for Diann Burns, one of Chicago's top-paid news anchors. WBBM announced yesterday that starting April 21, six months before her $2 million contract is up, they're replacing Burns for the 5pm weekday news with California anchor Anne State. Burns will continue to coanchor the 6pm and 10pm newscasts with Rob Johnson, and State will report for the 10pm broadcast as well. more ›

John Kass doesn't want us to think about his "Mediterranean back hair," which pretty much guarentees that's ALL we're going to be able to think about for, oh, ever, but he's really writing about what's he's dubbed "Showergate": City Budget Director Bennett Johnson III has installed a shower in his City Hall office. It's at his own expense, and City Hall spokesfolk say he wants it because he bikes to work sometimes and wants to rub a dub dub when he gets to the office. more ›

When it's this cold and icy, the last thing we can imagine doing is sitting outside at a ball game. But spring will one day arrive, and we're sure some of you will want to spend time enjoying the nicer weather at Wrigley Field. more ›

Tony Rezko's rise to power in state politics didn't happen overnight. When got started as a strong advocate of grassroots Arab-American activism in Chicago and was often the largest contributor to Arab-American campaigns. But several years ago, Rezko’s name started showing up on campaign disclosure forms for prominent politicians in Chicago, Cook County and the state. more ›

The FBI finally caught the Kangol Bandit. [Trib] more ›

deplorable. more ›

Governor Blagojevich delivered his State of the State and budget address today. He wants to pass a capital bill based on privatizing the Illinois lottery, and says he has "three clear and achievable goals" for our state's economy: 1. "Invest in our infrastructure" 2. "Relief for families" and 3."Tax cuts for businesses." more ›

I really bugged people yesterday when I said I didn't care that much about the dean of Medill possibly making up anonymous sources for a letter in an alumni newsletter, and the conversation that followed has been interesting and persuasive. The story so far: more ›

In a race that may be a precursor to the Ohio and Texas Democratic primaries in March, Barack Obama won a decisive victory in Wisconsin last night, leading Hillary Clinton by nearly 20 points. He also won Hawaii, taking over 75 percent of the vote in a state where he had campaigned as a "native son." His victories last night mark his ninth and tenth consecutive primary or caucus wins and put his pledged delegate count at 1,140. Clinton has 1,005 pledged delegates. When you add in committed superdelegates, Obama leads Clinton 1,301 to 1,239, with John Edwards's 26 delegates still in play. Chris Bowers at OpenLeft points out that Clinton has now surpassed Jessee Jackson's 1988 total of 1218 delegates. 1988 saw the highest number of delegates ever won by a Democrat who did not win the nomination. more ›

Cubs third baseman Aramis Remirez finally arrived at Spring Training on Tuesday, but when asked by reporters what he did on his winter vacation, he refused to answer. In fact, he wouldn't even allow for the reporter to finish asking the question. more ›

Unlike so many political figures in Chicago, Tony Rezko didn't come from a background steeped in ward politics and clout. In fact, after he finished his degrees at IIT, did what most new immigrants to Chicago do: he got a job. more ›

Sam Zell, along with Randy Michaels and Gerry Spector, addressed the Chicago Tribune staff today. Go go gadget eccentric billionaire! more ›

We can't stop complaining about how cold it is--and luckily, it's not just us being pussies. It really is freakishly cold. Tomorrow's going to be the record-breakingly chilly: "The predicted high of 9 degrees at O'Hare would be the coldest this late in a cold season since a 3 degree high on Feb. 21, 1963." Our entire area is under a wind chill advisory starting this evening because polar gusts are coming our way via Canada. According to the advisory, "the colder air will be ushered in on northwest winds near 25 mph... which will lower wind chills into the 20 to 30 below zero range late tonight and Wednesday morning." (Emphasis ours.) more ›

More disturbing details are emerging today about Steve Kazmierczak: Police are saying that he tried to cover his tracks before the shooting spree. He removed the hard drive from his computer and took the SIM card out of his phone. And apparently the account his girlfriend gave CNN yesterday doesn't match with what she told the police. more ›

The Trib unveiled its new website today, and Crain's redesign went live yesterday. more ›

It seems like everybody in town knows Tony Rezko's name. And why not? Besides being under federal indictment, he's a big player in Illinois politics. He's also gotten some national attention, with Former Gov. Jim Edgar musing that Rezko isn't really Obama's problem, and a photo of him with former President Bill Clinton surfacing on the Today show. more ›

You know that list of needs the Bears have to fill this off-season? Quarterback, running back, offensive line? Well, we can add wide receiver to the list. more ›

The Tinley Park murderer is still on the loose; pastors today called for him to turn himself in. [Trib] more ›

, and no doubt people all over the city are mispronouncing things in his honor. more ›

It was pretty much inevitable that discussions about the NIU shooting would turn to gun control. And turn they have. more ›

While the City Council was following up on the General Assembly's plan to "save" the CTA last week, 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett was advocating for minority businesses. more ›

The Chicago Blackhawks honored the NIU victims last night with above decal, which they'll wear on their helmets again tomorrow night in St. Louis and Wednesday night here against Minnesota. And Ozzie Guillen and co. were wearing NIU hats at spring training. [Blackhawks, Uniwatch] more ›

How many times have we seen this? A player seems likely headed out of town, and Kenny Williams begins the smear campaign against that player and his agent in order to shift blame. He did so to Magglio Ordonez after the 2004 season. And there were numerous comments suggesting that Mark Buehrle was set on signing with his hometown Cardinals as a free agent, only to see the Sox's Ace sign a longterm extension last season. But had he been traded, that would have made Mark look like the bad guy, right? more ›

Perhaps crime will slow down tomorrow, when all that water lying around freezes and turns Chicago streets into one giant ice rink. But for now, let's see what's been going on this weekend in the world of criminal justice: more ›

Like his old man, Mayor Richard M. Daley is determined to transform public housing as part of his legacy (here's hoping it turns out better than Sr.'s effort -- several detractors don't have high hopes). His plan is creeping forever forward -- it's currently many years behind -- and the city will eventually replace CHA high rise projects like Robert Taylor Homes and Cabrini-Green with mixed-income housing. more ›

Go buy your tickets, people. The jackpots of two different lotteries have grown significantly over the weekend, after no jackpot winner selected all the winning numbers in each game. more ›

In the category of unstoppable diseases, ten cases of a drug-resistant flu have been diagnosed at a Chicago-area health care facility. The name of the facility has not been released. But the emergence of a flu strain that is not responding to Tamiflu, the most popular front-line anti-viral medication, is causing concern among health officials. more ›

UIC officials have arrested a 24-year-old student after she allegedly sent out e-mails threatening violence on the West Loop Campus. The e-mail apparently went out Friday afternoon, and an eventual recipient was a senior administrator who reported the e-mail to police. According to a university spokesperson, the e-mail threatened violence in the spring. more ›

Stephen Kazmierczak's professors and classmates say he seemed like a normal guy. [Trib] more ›

Mark your calendars: For one hour on March 29th, Chicago will be in the dark. The City of Chicago and COM ED are asking businesses and residents to turn off their lights and unplug all electrical devices between 8 and 9pm on Saturday, March 29th to participate in Earth Hour, a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund in which cities and communities turn out their lights to symbolize their commitment to finding climate change solutions. more ›

This is the first photo emerging of Stephen (we're also seeing it spelled Steven, but NIU announced it as a ph) Kazmierczak, the gunman in yesterday's shootings at NIU. more ›

This weekend's forecast? Three guesses. More snow! We're going to have single-digit lows tonight, but it should be pretty clear tomorrow during the day, with a 50 percent chance of a "wintry mix" tomorrow night. Sunday, though, looks pretty miserable with a 100 percent chance of wintry mix and precipitation throughout the day. At least it'll be in the 30s? [National Weather Service] more ›

According to a new study released by Chicago Urban League Wednesday, Chicago must expand education, business and economic opportunities for African-Americans in order to become and remain globally competitive. Cook County is the most densely black populated county in the nation with 1.4 million blacks, 1.1 million of whom live in the city. more ›

9:37 Dr. Peters, president of NIU, is thanking everyone for their response to the tragedy. He says he was "renew[ed]" by seeing the university community come together. more ›

Last week the English Premier League announced its intention to play some regular season matches abroad. In previous years, international club teams have found financial success by coming to the United States to play some pre- and post-season friendlies with other international powerhouse clubs or local Major League Soccer clubs. more ›

CNN is identifying the shooter as 27-year-old Steven Kazmierczak. more ›

Another wounded student has died, bringing the number of fatalities from yesterday's shooting at Norther Illinois University to 7. The gunman's identity will be announced at a news conference later this morning, but right now authorities have said he was a 27-year-old graduate student enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. [Trib] more ›

More reports out of NIU tonight: more ›

The CTA will be spending $227 million in federal funds on improving itself and fixing slow zones. Doors open on the left at "finally." In other CTA news, the Yellow Line is going to start running on weekends. [S-T, Trib] more ›

At least two people were shot during a geology class at Northern Illinois University this afternoon. As of 3:50, NIU had posted this on its website: more ›

Go take your classic shots of Buckingham Fountain now. Come September, the landmark will be under a tent for a while as part of a $25 million restoration. more ›

Virgin Atlantic is offering free flowers, cards, cab rides and movie tickets in honor of Valentine's Day. You can grab flowers or cards at the NBC Building, Ogilvie Building, Union Station and the LaSalle Metra Train Station between 3:30 and 7:30 tonight. For free movie tickets, you have to text VPORT312 to 51684, and it'll text you back a Fandango code. Word. more ›

Ow, my heart. A still-unnamed Humboldt Penguin chick is being raised by zookeepers rather than its parents because the little guy (or girl) wasn't growing fast enough. more ›

Sure, it's still damn cold out. And the snow keeps coming. And coming. But spring is just around the corner. How do we know? Because Spring Training is finally upon us. more ›

John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, will visit Illinois next Wednesday, appearing at a fundraiser at the Rich Harvest Farms golf course in Sugar Grove to raise money for 14th District Congressional candidate Jim Oberweis. Oberweis's campaign spokesman Bill Pascoe said the appearance will give Oberweis a boost with independents as well as an infusion of cash heading into the the March 8 special election to choose a successor to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert. "Republicans are united and energized about holding this seat," Pascoe told the Tribune. more ›

Screw Valentine's Day...let's think of tomorrow as Palentine's Day instead. High fives and paper airplanes for everyone! more ›

Porn is like a money tree. If you need some cash, just go out and shake the silicone until a few hundred thousand dollars drop out. So how exactly can the nation’s foremost “gentlemen’s magazine” be losing money? Playboy announced a 4th-quarter loss today, losing $1.1 million compared with a $3.7 million profit at this time last year. more ›

Who wants to go ice skating a Soldier Field? We do! We do! more ›

Tribune Company chairman and CEO Sam Zell had some bad news for employees this morning. He sent out a memo saying the months ahead would include "a combination of voluntary separation programs, involuntary layoffs, attrition and closing of open positions." more ›

The Trib and Sun-Times are reporting that police have arrested a suspect in the Tinley Park murders, but the Tinley Park PD says no arrests have been made. more ›

With the Democratic primary election in the 14th Congressional District all but settled, Bill Foster and Jim Oberweis are duking it out over Iraq. Oberweis is accusing Foster of politicizing the Iraq War in his bid to take the seat that Dennis Hastert vacated by retiring. Foster says he won't support any policies that don't "change the course in Iraq and do it now." more ›

Barack Obama swept the Potomac Primary last night, bringing his winning streak to eight, and eclipsing Hillary Clinton in the delegate count, 1,059 to 956 among pledged delegates. more ›

Johanna Vera, 23, was charged with attempted murder for allegedly giving her children, 3 and 10 months, juice with rat poison and boric acid in it. Vera also apparently drank it herself. All three survived the November 29th incident, which Vera says stemmed from a domestic dispute that left her wanting to "die and take her children with her." [S-T] more ›

Yes, it's going to keep snowing most of the night. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather warning, a lake effect snow advisory, and a short-term forecast that says "more snow." We're looking at single-digit temps tonight, but it should warm up a little by the end of the week. more ›

More details have emerged in the death of 4-year-old Chicagoan Demond Reed. Carla Cherisse Poole (pictured), 37, of Minneapolis, has been charged with second-degree intentional murder for killing her cousin's son. Poole had two of her own children, 6 and 4, hold Reed down while she beat him to death. more ›

Demetrius Warren, 17, was charged yesterday as the gunman in Amadou Cisse's murder. Warren had already been charged with other crimes from the robbery spree that night, and three others have already been charged in connection with the case. more ›

Well, the hits just kept on coming for one Mr. Christopher T. Turner of South Carolina. Last February, he checked into the Drake, where he was staying while on a business trip. He decided to have a little whiskey from the minibar, but when he drank the mini bottle of Dewar's White Label Scotch Whiskey, he says it tasted like urine. more ›

Convicted criminal and ex-City Clerk Jim Laski, fresh off his incarceration, has published a book about taking the fall in the Hired Truck scandal--and he says Mayor Daley knows more than he's letting on. Wait, wait, wait, hold the presses: Mayor Daley is intimately involved with scandal and patronage, but he'll deny it? Noooo. more ›

Forensic anthropology students at the University of Indianapolis have exhumed what may or may not be the body of Belle Gunness, a La Porte, Indiana serial killer from the turn of the century. Some say Gunness killed herself in a kerosene-soaked fire that burned down her farmhouse, but others say she staged that and escaped. Now, forensic anthropologists are going to test DNA from the exhumed headless skeleton again saliva from an envelope from a letter Gunness sent one of her eventual victims. Wowsers. more ›

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Seems we're not the only ones who have trouble finding sports stories newsworthy enough to cover this time of year. With the Bears' season over, the Bulls and Hawks dwelling near the cellar, and the start of spring training still a couple weeks away, these are cold days for Chicago sports fans. more ›

Shake-ups and oustings continue at the Trib. The latest casualty: Tribune Interactive President Tim Landon. [Trib] more ›

So's everyone else's, sucka. Research in Motion, the company that makes the way of life device, says a "component of the Americas network infrastructure" is broken, and they don't know when it'll be fixed. It's affecting all wireless carriers, so as much as we all love to curse a our various providers, this problem originates with RIM. more ›

The Illinois High School Association is coming under fire from the media this week with a story in the Reader and an editorial in the Trib about the organization's recent decision to ban photographers from high school sporting events unless they sign a document promising not to sell their photos. Yikes. more ›

The City's nipples have permanently shifted into cut-glass state, but there's more cold on the way, and the National Weather Center says there's a 100 percent chance of precipitation tonight. There's a chance of snow later this week, too, and if you've been wondering what the difference is between sleet and hail, wonder no more. more ›

Ludwika Szynalik was run over by a CTA bus on New Year's Eve, and now her family is suing the transit authority, saying the bus driver behind the wheel of the 152 was negligent. Szynalik was getting her bike off the bus's front-mounted rack when the driver ran her over. She was dragged for 80 feet before the driver noticed, and she died later that day. The whole thing was caught on CTA surveillance video, and it's really fucking disturbing. more ›

According to a new Sun-Times analysis of last Tuesday's county-wide primary races, those candidates that attempted character assassination of their rivals by associating them with unpopular Cook County Board President Todd Stroger lost, almost across the board. Stroger's approval ratings are basically in the same territory as President Bush's—somewhere between rock bottom and Herbert Hoover—so the prevailing logic was that if you could associate a candidate with Stroger, it would be like transferring his unpopularity onto them. Makes sense, right? more ›

Obama's landslide victories in the "Significant Saturday" contests - including Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and the Virgin Islands, and his Sunday win in the Maine caucuses, could break the deadlock over pledged delegates for the Democratic nomination. Obama is hoping that these wins will generate the momentum that he needs to carry Ohio and Texas on March 4. Rhode Island and Vermont hold their primaries that day, too. Obama's wins this weekend were bad news for Hillary Clinton, who tried to inject a ray of optimism by announcing that her campaign had raised $10 million from over 10,000 donors. Obama's campaign quickly announced that over 350,000 donors had already contributed this year. more ›

Yesterday's worldwide Scientology protests had a local presence outside the church's center on Lincoln. more ›

Patty Solis Doyle, Hillary Clinton's campaign manager and sister of 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis, stepped down Sunday after a string of primary losses to Barack Obama. She will be replaced by Maggie Williams, who had been working in an informal top role on the campaign since Obama won Iowa. Solis Doyle cited the extraordinary length of the campaign, and the toll that it was taking on her and her family. Shortly after Solis Doyle sent an email to campaign staff announcing her departure, Clinton issued a statement that read, in part, "this already has been the longest presidential campaign in history and one that has required enormous sacrifices of everyone and our families. I look forward to her continued advice in the months ahead." more ›

It wasn't all about roasting pigs out in the 'burbs this week: more ›

It’s coming, folks. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009. You won’t be able to eat your Wheaties in the morning without reading something about Lincoln, so don’t say we didn’t warn you. more ›

"At this point it is unclear why she did something like this but after talking to the teacher involved and the principal, it’s clear that the incident did in fact take place. more ›

It was a rough week for Macy’s, people. 2,500 jobs cut. January same-store sales down 7.1%. Let’s just put that into perspective: sales are nowhere near expectations across the board. A survey of 43 retailers by the UBS-International Council of Shopping Centers indicated that January sales were only up 0.5%, a percentage point below the anticipated 1.5%. Macy’s, on the other hand, anticipated their sales were going to be down 4 to 6%. more ›

But [Village Manager Mark] Rooney and [director of economic development for Wheeling James] Lang said the village never intended to stop anyone cooking for their church or any other religious organization. more ›

There are few words we come across - at least within the local sports pages - that concern us more than "Brian Urlacher" and "neck surgery" in the same sentence. Yet that's what greeted us in bold print in Friday's papers. Following a routine post-season physical, a problem in Urlacher's lower neck that affected the curve of his cervical spine required "minor" surgery to correct. Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey wondered, "[I]s there such a thing as a routine surgery for someone whose job revolves around catapulting himself head first into running backs and quarterbacks?" more ›

The City is running low on de-snowing dollars. We've already plowed through over $14 million of an $18 million budget. [S-T] more ›

Attention sword enthusiasts: Don't exercise with your samurai gear at playgrounds. You may "alarm" school officials. more ›

Mayor Daley introduced a new ordinance today that would fine motorists whose reckless behind-the-wheel antics endanger cyclists. Fines from $150-$500 could be levied against drivers who turn in front of someone on a bike, pass with less than three feet of space between car and bike, or door someone. more ›

So the big snow wasn't all that big after all. At least not in Chicago. Parts of Wisconsin got 20 inches. Ayee! But the lousy weather was indeed shocking--five people were sent to the hospital last night after they received mild electrical shocks, possibly from a bum wire in a utility pole. It's the third electric shock incident in the last few days. more ›

“If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention… I forestall the launch of a national campaign, and frankly I would be making it easier for Sen. Clinton or Obama to win... Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

Is it possible to be the inevitable presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in America and not have the funds to carry on? That's a question that Hillary Clinton's campaign is facing after she loaned her campaign $5 million. Clinton's staffers are also working without pay, and she loaned her campaign $5 million last month. Shortly after the announcement yesterday, an email went out to her supporters asking for additional funds: more ›

After the Trib ran a story about Wheeling's Amante Enad roasting pigs in his back yard in traditional Filipino fashion, the village issued him a citation barring the practice and asking him to fork over (hay-oh!) his roasting equipment. [Trib] more ›

The American Apparel on Armitage reopened today after being closed for two weeks for operating without a business license. Weirdly, none of the four Chicago locations had local business licenses--just Illinois ones. But the Lincoln Park store had been warned, whereas the others had not. Anyway, you can go back to your regularly scheduled programming of buying high-waisted Vegas leggings. (Pictured are the taffeta swim trunks, if you're planning for warmer weather.) more ›

An unrelated mystery has been solved as police investigate the Tinley Park murders. A con woman, evading police for years, was apprehended this weekend because police tracked down the owners of the cars parked near the Lane Bryant, where the fugitive Esther Reed had left her car, which was registered under an assumed identity. more ›

It wasn't just Presidential candidates that were running for nominations in yesterday's vote. A handful of local Democrats and Republicans also ran for their party's spot on the November ballot as well. more ›

John McCain won big in last night's Republican primaries, winning nine states and pushing his delegate count up to 559--not enough to win the nomination, but big enough to secure his standing as the front runner. Mike Huckabee got a boost last night as well, winning a string of upsets in the Southern states, enough to justify his continued candidacy. Mitt Romney, however, has bigger problems, winning only a handful of states, and with Huckabee still in, he won't get the one-on-one race he so desperately wanted. more ›

A truck hauling chocolate overturned on the northbound Skyway this morning, spilling diesel fuel but none of its precious cargo. The semi, carrying 4,000 gallons of liquid chocolate, crashed near 71st Street. Three people suffered minor injuries, and we're left to fantasize about the nastiest, biggest fondue party that could have been. We're still trying to figure out why chocolate would be transported in its liquid state and where exactly it was headed. more ›

The only survivor of the Tinley Park murders from this weekend released a statement yesterday as the investigation continues. more ›

This time it's for real. Probably. The snow we were supposed to see yesterday is actually coming today and local weathermen (and weatherwomen) are predicting even more snow than initially reported. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning until 6pm today with up to 12 inches of snow in the forecast. With temperatures at or below freezing, the snow will be wet, heavy and mixed with ice. Bleh. Strong winds are also in the forecast creating heavy drifting and as meteorologist Ryan Brumer puts it, "a mess coming home for the rush hour." Over 500 flights at O'Hare were canceled this morning as the storm threatens to produce one of the city's biggest snows of the last nine years. And while the worst of it is expected to be over by this evening, brace yourselves for light snow the rest of the week. more ›

Just when you think it's safe to vote in Chicago, something like this has to happen. more ›

As election results continue to roll in, at least one race is still neck and neck: The democratic race in the Illinois 14th. Perennial candidate Jim Oberweis nabbed the Republican slot, but Bill Foster and John Laesch were, at last count, separated by a scant 351 votes. (Foster: 32,189, Laesch: 31,838) A Laesch campaign staffer told us that within the next 48 hours, they're hoping to finish canvassing the county, making sure all the early votes and absentee ballots were counted. Whoever wins will face Oberweis for Dennis Hastert's old seat. more ›

Looking for a mini-vacation from the Chicago winter? Head out to Allstate Arena on Friday night to take in some professional beach volleyball. The AVP Crocs Hot Winter Nights will be bringing some of their top-ranked professionals along with truckloads of sand for a night of volleyball action. more ›

Seems Chicagoist wasn't the only one who found the lopsided terms of the Pau Gasol trade a bit fishy. With outrage and confusion growing in Memphis, the Grizzlies owner pointed his finger firmly at ... the Bulls! Wha?! more ›

Reuters calls Alaska for Obama. more ›

Obama wins Illinois; Clinton takes Arkansas, Tennesee and Kansas. McCain took Illinois, Romney Massachusettes. [Trib, Trib] more ›

Another day, another sentencing in the Family Secrets Trial. Today was James "Little Jimmy" Marcello's turn to be be sentenced to life. Marcello had been convicted of racketeering and the 1986 murders of brothers Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro and Michael Spilotro. Marcello also chose not to testify in his own defense unlike the other defendants in the trial. He was acquitted of the 1981 murder of Nicholas D'Andrea. more ›

In a memo released to the press yesterday, Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe tried to manage expectations for tonight's returns: more ›

Surprise, surprise: Chicago will not be banning retail stores from distributing plastic bags anytime soon, but steps are being taken to institute a plastic bag recycling program. According to the Sun-Times, Alderman Ed Burke from the 14th Ward proposed a "San Francisco-style ban on non-compostable plastic bags" last May, but he was ultimately forced to compromise. Now, Burke is joining Economic Development Committee Chairman Marge Laurino from the 39th Ward in proposing a much softer ordinance that instead of banning bags creates bag recycling options. more ›

Today's the big day. Along with 24 other states, we're voting in Super Duper Tuesday. Up for grabs are 1688 pledged Democratic delegates, and 900 Republican delegates. Delegate-heavy states such as California, New Jersey, New York, Illinois and Georgia could play a deciding role in the outcome of both races. But with polling showing a tight Democratic race, and Obama working overtime to split votes in odd-numbered districts, tonight's results won't produce a nominee for the Democrats. more ›

Somebody's been keeping track of our eyelash-blowing habits because the Mountain Goats recorded a song about Super Tuesday, and it's all about satanic symbolism. "Vampires only kiss you if they've sharpened up their fangs." Oh, mama. more ›

Bulls GM John Paxson is having about as much luck these days as fellow Jerry Reinsdorf employee Kenny Williams. While the Sox have been unable to add a marquee center fielder to their roster, the Bulls keep keep coming up short when trying to land a player who can be the centerpiece of their franchise. more ›

The Sun-Times Media Group in particular? Because you might be able to. The company announced today that it is thinking about selling uh, itself. more ›

A 33-year-old woman who is the sole survivor of Saturday's Lane Bryant killings says the victims were all tied up and shot at close range in the back of the head; she survived because somehow the bullet went through her neck instead of her head. She placed the 911 call. more ›

Haha, just kidding, you can't. Midway is completely closed until at least 4pm, and delays at O'Hare are currently averaging over 2 hours and more than 300 flights have been canceled. more ›

21st Ward Alderman Howard Brookins accepted Jesse Jackson's endorsement for Cook County State's attorney Sunday at Jackson's South Side Rainbow/PUSH headquarters. more ›

More details are emerging about the Tinley Park murders from this weekend. In addition to the five women who died, one woman was shot but survived and gave police a description of the gunman, who is still at large. Lane Bryant is offering $50,000 reward for information that leads to the shooter's arrest. more ›

While John McCain spent Super Bowl Sunday in Massachusetts, Mitt Romney made his pitch to the most reliably conservative county in Illinois. At a packed rally of several hundred people at the College of DuPage yesterday, he tried to convince voters here that he is the true conservative standard bearer. Romney vowed that as president he would "stand up for the principles of the Republican Party and to live in the house that Ronald Reagan built." more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

With the race for the Democratic nomination showdown just days away, and polls showing Obama closing in on Clinton in key Super Duper Tuesday states, the Obama campaign made a huge ad buy during the Super Bowl in the Super Tuesday states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Washington, (but, alas, not Illinois) more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

An unknown gunman went on a rampage inside a Lane Bryant store at Brookside Marketplace shopping center in south suburban Tinley Park earlier today, opening fire and killing five women. A police source is speculating that robbery was the motive, but the source had the same question we did -- why pick a clothing store to make your big score? more ›

The Trump International Hotel and Tower is now open for guests. The hotel portion of the project, originally slated to open last December, occupies floors 14 through 27, and features 339 luxury guestrooms, including one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites. In addition to top-of-the-line appointments (sub-zero fridge for a minibar and in-mirror TV portals in the bathroom), the hotel promises service that will be unrivaled. The hotel website brags: more ›

One of the more contentious races in Tuesday's election is at the Cook County Board of Review, where incumbent Joe Berrios is facing a stiff challenge in trial lawyer Jay Paul Deratany. For many homeowners throughout Cook County, the Board of Review is their best chance at finding relief from both the monster property tax increases proposed by Mayor Daley and the County Board and the skyrocketing assessments of County Assessor Jim Houlihan. more ›

The NBA finalized the All-Star game rosters, announcing the reserves on Thursday. It should come as no surprise that the Bulls will not represented. Again. more ›