News

The Teamsters Union, which represents mechanics at Chicago-based United Airlines, is taking its grievances over executive pay and worker compensation directly to the board. In a letter to shareholders, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer C. Thomas Keegel is asking that they withhold votes at the airline's upcoming shareholder meeting in June for six members of the board that set executive pay, including CEO Glenn Tilton. more ›

Today was supposed to by the last kernel for the popular Garrett’s Popcorn Shop on Michigan Avenue, but it’s been granted a stay for the moment. According to Garrett’s P.R. people, the lease has been extended for an unspecified amount of time. more ›

Police arrested Shawn "Shakey" Betts, who they say controls 75 percent of drug and gang activity in Austin, as part of a sweeping drug and gang bust in which 55 other people were arrested. The arrests come after a years-long investigation that included investigators listening to 22,000 phone calls and making 100 undercover drug buys. [S-T] more ›

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Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis will have to testify at R. Kelly's trial, Judge Gaughan ruled today. DeRo's lawyer says he's going to appeal. more ›

So what’s the status on that city-wide bike-rental program that the Mayor’s office was touting late last year? Chicago is actively looking to imitate the structure of Paris's Vélib program, which is financed by private advertising company JCDecaux, but has not yet been able to settle on a contract. From the Sun-Times: more ›

Rev. Michael Pfleger is coming under fire today for comments he made about Hillary Clinton while guest-preaching at Trinity United Church of Christ. Pfleger, a Catholic priest at St. Sabina's on the South Side, is a "long-time friend" of Obama's, according to both the Trib and the Sun-Times. Pfleger recently stepped down from Obama's Catholic advisory council and from the Catholics for Obama committee. more ›

Lawmakers in Springfield expressed confidence they would have a state budget for the coming fiscal year yesterday, as the General Assembly began sending pieces of the budget to Blagojevich for approval yesterday. If the votes are any indication, it looks like state legislators are on track to finalize the budget before Saturday's deadline - avoiding another overtime session like last year's. more ›

In addition to it being a shitty day weatherwise, we are also under a tornado watch until 2pm. Be prepared to take cover. Or not... more ›

Get ready for tonight's finale of with this sorta spoof, sorta recap. more ›

Naperville Central's principal has officially lost his job after plagiarizing a speech. District Superintendent Alan Leis announced today that Principal Jim Caudill, who has been with the school district for 34 years, won't be returning as principal in the fall. more ›

A new study shows that proteins extracted from alligator blood fight all kinds of bacteria and viruses. "Before ordering up a quart of miracle healing elixir from the local gator farm, however, consider that raw animal blood, whether from gator or goat, can make humans sick — or worse." Thanks for the warning, Miami Herald! [MH] more ›

Do we ever get to read good news about Cook County? Probably not until 2010, and even then it's a crap shoot. more ›

The Blackhawks will be playing the Red Wings this January at Wrigley. Exciting! Initially, plans were to have the Blackhawks play a game at Soldier Field, and that could still be a possibility. [Comcast Sports, S-T, original photo by dwward]
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If you're a member of an out-of-state wine club or shop online from an out-of-state wine retailer, you have a few days left to place an order. So make it count. more ›

Todd Stroger's final four candidates to oversee the county's new independent health services board were endorsed by a majority of county commissioners yesterday. Among the approving commissioners was Forrest Claypool, who voted against Stroger's previous nominees, saying they were "lacking proven success and experience in managing or turning around large and complex organizations." The four nominees are Dr. David Ansell, chief medical officer at Rush University Medical Center; Sister Sheila Lyne, CEO of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center; Warren Batts, a former top executive at seven major corporations and onetime chairman of Children’s Memorial Hospital; and Dr. Luis Muñoz, president and director of occupational medicine at WorkCare Medical Management Inc. and a founding member of the Illinois Hispanic Physician Association. more ›

Comcast.net was hacked last night (screenshot) to read "KRYOGENICS Defiant and EBK RoXed Comcast sHouTz to VIRUS Warlock elul21 coll1er seven." Comcast e-mail was down while the site was out of commission, but a company spokeswoman says no private info was compromised. [AP] more ›

The CTA has released its Mystery Shopper reports (recall the mystery shopping program), and apparently the rest of the city rides the Heaven Express down Miracle Drive, direct from Unicorn Town. more ›

In the six weeks since Bulls GM John Paxson fired interim head coach Jim Boylan, countless names had emerged as possible replacements: coaching legends like Larry Brown, formerly hot coaches like Mike D'Antoni and Avery Johnson, and well-regarded assistants on teams still in the playoff hunt all seemed likely at some point in the search. more ›

The Drew Peterson Saga took yet another turn into the surreal yesterday when D-Pete's attorney named a new key witness in his felony gun case: John Travolta. Yes, that John Travolta. more ›

For Alfonso Soriano, the past few days had pretty much sucked. After his ninth inning drop of a routine fly ball on Saturday led to a 6-5 loss in extra innings, he's been the target of scorn by Cubs fans and sports media alike. more ›

With tensions running high downstate over passage of the state budget and capital spending bills, Mayor Daley and schools chief Arne Duncan chimed in Tuesday, warning that a "lack of trust" in Springfield could endanger the quality of life in Chicago. "It's like the Hatfields and McCoys down there, unfortunately. Lack of trust," said the mayor. "I hope they can get around that." Daley and Duncan are hoping the state comes through with an additional $180 million to expand kindergarten, evening classes and foreign-language instruction, as well as other programs in the public schools. Duncan also announced that the school board was canceling its regular meeting this week so that he and other school leaders can head to Springfield to lobby. more ›

The CTA is blaming operator error for this morning's Green Line derailment. According to CTA officials, the operator ran through a red signal light and also overrode an emergency system that would have prevented the derailment. The motorman has been a CTA employee for 31 years and has no recent records of safety violations. more ›

Remember all that drama last month when Todd Stroger was supposed to meet with county residents in Palatine, and then backed out at the last minute when it looked like village pols had set him up to be publicly ambushed by angry voters? Well, it seems like Stroger and Palatininans are talking about getting together again. more ›

When we first imagined making a movie of the Tony Rezko trial, it was an intense courtroom drama, rife with "I object!"s and such. Much brooding. Perhaps a lawyer who Reaches! His! Limit! and knocks a water pitcher off a table in a moment of rage, or maybe a bright up-and-coming associate who finally shows she knows how to roll with the big boys. Lots of smarmy judgment every time Rezko's lawyers say "." And maybe a flashback sequence or two to the good old days at the Purple Hotel. (All drug scenes must be set to the opening portion of "Baba O'Riley.") more ›

A Chicago man was arrested over the weekend in Merrillville, Indiana for attempting to kill his wife on their honeymoon. more ›

Looking for "short" jeans at the Gap is not only annoying, it's also indicative of several larger social and economic factors. According to economist John Komlos, a professor at the University of Munich who grew up in Logan Square and earned his econ degree from the U of C, height is a good indicator of "how well the human organism thrives in its socioeconomic environment." more ›

Breaking news: A Green Line train derailed near the 55th/Garfield stop, and preliminary reports indicate that several people were injured but none of them critically. According to CBS 2, "One train car continued due south, while another decoupled and veered off to the west." And the Trib notes that "the derailment occurred on elevated tracks, but the cars did not fall to the street," which is now our new nightmare. more ›

Police used surveillance video and tracking info from a suspect's CTA card to locate and arrest him. Shauntaine Curry, 18, was arrested and charged with attempted aggravated kidnapping for allegedly stalking a 12-year-old girl and accosting her outside a Pink Line stop. Witnesses came to the girl's aid, but Curry got away. more ›

Never let it be said that working for the Toddler will hold you back in your career. Todd Stroger's Chief of staff Lance Tyson is resigning at the end of this week to be a partner in the law firm Freeborn & Peters in July. He'll be working in the firm's municipal finance and government law practice group. Tyson cited the firm's "depth of resources and talent" as part of the job's attraction. "Lance was an invaluable asset for me to carry out my campaign objectives, and I wish him well in his future endeavors," Stroger told the Tribune. more ›

It's not our imaginations--this month has been much colder than typical Mays. Yesterday's high was the lowest for the date since 1959, and so far this is the 35th coldest May since 1871. And today's high in the low 60s still puts us "a whopping 7.8 degrees behind last year," according to, you guessed it, Mr. Tom Skilling. [Trib, NWS] more ›

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signed state legislation yesterday making Wisconsin the fifth state to join the Great Lakes Basin Compact. The compact was created among eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces after a Canadian company proposed shipping water from Lake Ontario to Asia in 1999. The states and provinces reached a voluntary water deal in 2001, then spent four years negotiating language that would go into the law. The agreement bans most diversions of water from the Great Lakes Basin, and establishes procedures to mediate disputes among the states and provinces that surround the Great Lakes. more ›

Dean Cage was wrongfully convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault 14 years ago and has been in prison ever since. DNA evidence cleared him over the weekend. [S-T] more ›

So this morning's Supreme Court ruling might not be the total end of the road for George Ryan's quest to get out of prison. The latest? His lawyer is going to ask President Bush to pardon him. Jim Thompson announced this afternoon that he and the rest of Ryan's legal team were planning on petitioning the president for clemency. And if Bush won't grant it, they'll petition the next president, too. One expert put the chances of Bush granting Ryan's request at 50-50. [CBS 2, WBBM]
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A RANDOM THOUGHT: Introducing sex education in schools was not a bright idea. . . . it interferes and distracts a young person from thinking about education to just thinking about doing the nasty. Self-esteem classes should be taught instead.

LL Cool J is designing a hip-hop clothing line for Sears, called "LL Cool J for Sears". (Really LL, that's all ya got?) The LL Cool J for Sears line will be available for purchase in most Sears stores by September. Mr. Cool J is said to have an emotional connection with Sears as he used to beg his grandfather to take him shopping there when he was a child growing up in Queens, which factored into his decision to launch the LL Cool J brand there. Sears is expecting another loss in profit this quarter and is hoping this line will appeal to the “urban” customers that they are not currently reaching. more ›

We've heard about "going green," but Chicago 2016 is taking recycling to a whole new level. Spokesman Patrick Sandusky stated that the group has been in discussion with London officials about possibly reusing parts of London's stadium, being built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, in the proposed Washington Park stadium. Sandusky claims, "What's important to note is they have a similar concept in terms of re-purposing the stadium, so we're talking to them about how to best use a stadium and how to leave the best legacy." Both stadiums would hold around 80,000 seats for each city's respective games, but the London stadium will be renovated to a 25,000 permanent seat structure, while the Chicago stadium would only hold 5,000 post-Olympic permanent seats under current plans.

Even if recycling London's stadium isn't feasible, Sandusky said the talks are worth it. more ›

Police say two sailors kidnapped a cab driver, carjacked his cab and drove it around Gurnee before setting the car on fire. Aaron Couch, 21, and Terry Gappa, 20, both face felony counts of theft of services, assault, theft of a vehicle and criminal damage to property. more ›

Two months after the bill landed on his desk, the Guv signed it into law today with a photo op ceremony at Loop landmark Italian Village. So why the delay in signing the bill? The speculation is that G-Rod previously didn't want to have to take any questions from the press. Apparently he's gotten over his skittishness in exchange for some potentially good publicity. more ›

Not only are local gas prices awful (averaging $4.19 per gallon), but apparently so are our drivers. more ›

The United States Supreme Court denied George Ryan's appeal today, meaning our imprisoned former governor will stay just that: imprisoned. more ›

Man, the El sure is loud. A new report from the Sun-Times today looks at the noisiest stations and warns readers that prolonged exposure to El noise could be damaging, though there's nothing to suggest anyone's hearing has been affected at all. more ›

Chicagoist remembers the day when we had to wait for the next morning's newspaper to see whether our team won or not, and we'd pore over the previous night's box scores while eating breakfast before heading off to school or day camp. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

"Lost my gold wedding ring at the fisting party last night." more ›

takes a skeptical look at our police superintendent, and they don't seem too persuaded that he's doing a good job. more ›

Industrial workers faced long hours, low wages, and unsafe conditions in 1936 as the Steelworkers Organizing Committee reached out to Chicago's steelworkers. After a year of organizing, U.S. Steel agreed to recognize the union in 1937, but other, smaller steelmakers refused, and on May 26, the workers struck. On May 30, the union held a picnic in front of Republic Steel, at 117th and Avenue O, to support the strike. After a round of speeches, the strikers marched toward the steel mill. As they crossed the field, they were met by a line of Chicago policemen. When the day was over, 10 strikers were dead, and dozens more had been beaten by the police. more ›

Who’s your daddy? Gary Iriza, Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2008, is your daddy, sir. Iriza took the leather sash at the XXX International Mr. Leather (IML) Competition Sunday night. (The XXX stands for 30th anniversary, people.) IML is a beauty pageant of sorts, celebrating masculinity and a lifestyle of leather. IML has its roots in the Mr. Gold Coast contest, held in the historic Gold Coast Leather Bar. It expanded to a larger venue in 1979, and with the larger venue came the expanded “international” title. more ›

Chicago Bull Joakim Noah was arrested in Gainsville, Florida early this morning for violating an open container law, and police later found a joint in a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. He's facing two misdemeanor charges. more ›

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Is it any wonder that Illinois has the worst pension problem of any state in the country?[S-T] more ›

"I didn't get a scratch on me," Ignasiak said Friday. "I'm happy to be alive." more ›

One could make the argument that a zoo, by nature, is already organic. But this weekend, the Lincoln Park Zoo is implementing one step in a five-year plan to reduce the attraction’s impact on the environment when they open the Cafe at Wild Things. The cafe will only feature organic, sustainable, locally produced snacks. Even the utensils will be made of biodegradable cornstarch-based plastics. more ›

Since the picture appeared, both say they've endured "mental suffering and anguish," while also having their "good name and reputation" damaged. more ›

R. Kelly's defense team wants to call rock critic Jim DeRogatis as a witness. Save DeRo! [Trib] more ›

The 2006 MySpace suicide case has prompted the Illinois House to draft new legislation on “cyberbullying.” The Cyberbullying Law amends the existing Criminal Code and The Harassing and Obscene Communications Act to ban threats, harassment, and stalking done through the means of electronic communication, and makes violations punishable by up to three years in prison. more ›

Carnival aficionados, take note: The Yo-Yo is no longer legal in Illinois. (The Yo Yo is the one with the swings.) After the ride collapsed in California, injuring 23, Illinois lawmakers called for its ban. The manufacturer, Chance Morgan, says the ride is safe. more ›

While initially mentioned among the leading candidates for the Bulls' head coach vacancy, Avery Johnson's seeming desire to take a year off on the Mavs' dime had made him an afterthought in recent weeks, even as other top candidates landed elsewhere. more ›

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who's in desperate need of a nickname, said there's "every reason to think there are more charges to come in the future," following the arrest of 15 people, including several city employees, charged with giving and receiving bribes in the zoning department. The investigation is called "Operation Crooked Code," which is amazing. more ›

Someone sent a scary-nasty letter to Mayor Daley as some kind of reaction to the cougar shooting, threatening to burn down Daley's summer home (which almost happened) and ranting about his family, and a source close to the investigation told the Sun-Times that the same person may have sent a threatening letter to the Brookfield Zoo in 2003. more ›

It's been a tough week for two of Chicago's most beleaguered boys. After an entertaining week of jury selection, the R. Kelly trial started in earnest with with the first day of testimony. Cautionary tale Drew Peterson was arrested on a felony weapons charge and there's trouble surrounding the reopening of the estate of his third (possibly murdered) wife, Kathleen Savio. Though both of these cases are scandalous in their own right, there are actually some parallels between the two alleged perpetrators. Both have a thing for younger women, both have hurt their own cause, and, of course, neither has been convicted of anything. Yet. After the jump, a quick update of what's been happening with each case. more ›

For the second time this week, the White Sox pulled out their brooms. With last night's 3-1 win over the Cleveland Indians, the Sox swept the series, after sweeping the Giants earlier in the week. more ›

"'Everything was the exact opposite of the way it should be,'" says David Hoffman, the city's inspector general, describing the bribery and corruption in Chicago's zoning and building departments. Sayeth the Trib: "The alleged bribes helped developers avoid seeking necessary variances, receive certificates of occupancy that they were not entitled to and pass inspections that they should have failed, authorities said." [Trib] more ›

Remember when Oprah swore off burgers and the beef industry went apeshit? Well now she's going whole-hog vegan for 21 days. more ›

Garrett Popcorn is closing its Michigan Ave store on May 31, making room for the Ritz Carlton and for people to actually walk on the sidewalk. Don't panic, you can still get your "Downtown Mix" at several other locations throughout the city, and plans to open another Garrett on Michigan are in the works. History snippet: Garrett Popcorn Shops has been a Chicago institution since 1949 and after Oprah listed it as one of her coveted favorite things in 2002 and 2005, internet sales increased like whoa, where "whoa" = 35 percent. more ›

Just in case your faith in humanity was in a healthy zone, consider the case of Jaylen Brown, a severely disabled 13-year-old who died last week from sepsis. His mother and two nurses have been charged with felony neglect, and a Trib story today outlines just how severe the kid's suffering was. more ›

Fifteen people, including seven city employees, are being charged with crimes connected to corruption and bribery within the Chicago's Building and Zoning Departments. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the city's inspector general David Hoffman, FBI officials and postal inspectors are holding a press conference later this afternoon to explain all the charges. Damn. [S-T, Trib]
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Almost daily, buildings that have stood for decades, some even for a century, are destroyed. For example, the buildings that made up the Cabrini Green housing project get a little bit smaller every day. Other famed architecture like the two Adler & Sullivan buildings that went up in flames (the Pilgrim Baptist Church and Wirt-Dexter building) in one year have also been lost to the ages. more ›

Drew Peterson urned himself in on felony weapons charges today. He's been charged with knowingly possessing a rifle whose barrel is less than 16 inches long, which is illegal, but Peterson's lawyer says Peterson was a cop at the time the gun was seized, and police weapons are exempt from the law. Police seized 11 of Peterson's guns back in November, so the lag in arrest time is "suspicious," according to Joel Brodsky, Peterson's lawyer. [S-T] more ›

Mayor Daley announced yesterday that he is behind Dick Mell's proposed ordinance to reopen gun registration in Chicago, creating a one-month amnesty for gun owners who forgot to re-register. The mayor says he's doing it for hunters with summer homes out of state, not the alderman. "A lot of people go back and forth to their summer homes ... A lot of people move their shotguns. A lot of 'em are bird hunters, gun collectors. ... They move 'em back from Wisconsin, Michigan, [other] parts of Illinois," the mayor told the Sun-Times. "It's one time [for] one month ... You want to have 'em register. There's nothing wrong with that ... People want to just register. A lot of 'em bring 'em back from hunting trips. So, why not?" more ›

Chicago has just been awarded the dubious honor of having the highest gas prices in the nation, according to the latest Lundberg Survey. Area residents are paying an average of $4.07 for a gallon of regular gas, and nearly $4.60 for a gallon of diesel. more ›

The Bulls hit the jackpot on Tuesday night, winning the NBA Draft lottery! more ›

According to CBS2, Secretary of State Jesse White is planning to propose a ban on texting while driving. Chicago's ban on talking on a cell phone on the road took effect three years ago, but law enforcement officials feel that it needs to be tightened in response to the dramatic increase in text messaging. more ›

Mayor Daley, along with the mayors of Honolulu and Miami and travel and hospitality industry leaders, met with Republican presidential hopeful John McCain yesterday to discuss expanding the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which lets nationals of participating countries enter the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. "As the travel process becomes more difficult, America's economy and image suffers," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association, who joined the mayors in a roundtable discussion with McCain. "We have lost 250,000 jobs. A lot of that is due to we are now regarded as an unfriendly place to visit," Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said. more ›

Midway ranked number-one on customer satisfaction for midsize airports in a new survey from J.D. Power and Associates, who apparently took a break from giving awards to every car ever to compile this data. According to the survey, late-arrival rates were the highest since 1996, customers are less satisfied than ever, and fewer people are checking bags. Perhaps even fewer travelers will be checking bags now that American will be charging $15 to do so. more ›

Not much, actually. Her win in Kentucky, along with her recent wins in Indiana and West Virginia add nothing to her argument that she is the best candidate going into November. She can win white working-class voters? So what? She won the popular vote? That depends on how you do the math - and counting Michigan and Florida skews those numbers, because she ran unopposed there. more ›

Cathleen Crowell Webb, who shocked Chicago in 1977 by charging that Gary Dotson had kidnapped and raped her, died of cancer in New Hampshire yesterday. Crowell Webb, then a 16 year old student at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, alleged that Dotson had kidnapped and sexually assaulted her on July 15. more ›

Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor today. Doctors say his prognosis isn't good. [Boston Globe] more ›

More aldermanic shenanigans today: Dick Mell (33rd) is re-writing a law he accidentally broke. Apparently, Mell forgot to register his arsenal of guns last year, and when he realized he was going to lose his appeal, he decided to change the law. more ›

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias wants federal prosecutors to look into what he claims is a scheme by a GOP powerbroker to scam millions of dollars from the state of Illinois. According to Giannoulias, Republican lobbyist Bill Cellini crafted a deal in the 1980s with then-governor Jim Thompson to secure a $15 million loan from the state to build and buy the Ramada Renaissance in Springfield, which later became the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center. The loan stipulated that the owners wouldn't have to repay the state-funded mortgage until they turned a profit. more ›

Both sides presented opening arguments today in the ongoing media circus that is R. Kelly's kiddie porn trial. The jurors will be shown the now-infamous tape that shows two people engaging in sex acts; the prosecution says those people are R. Kelly and an underage girl, and the defense says it's not R. Kelly, nor has the prosecution correctly identified the girl on the tape. more ›

We were just wondering what was going to go in at the Sullivan Center (née the Caron Pirie Scott building), and now we know: fancypants grocer Fox & Obel is opening up a 25,000 square foot store at the 1 S. State location. The building will also house a FlatTop Grill (whose name always makes us think haircut, not stir-fry), and a three-floor Billabong store. Billabong? They're still around? more ›

If your answer is yes, you might be interested in firing off a resume to Springfield. We got an email from Careerbuilder a couple days ago that included this listing for Press Secretary to Rod Blagojevich. Job requirements include: more ›

Citing a recent county ordinance encouraging contractors to give ex-convicts a second chance, two county employees with criminal records defended their jobs. James D'Amico is responsible for maintaining county buildings, and Myron Colvin is a grant writer for the county's scandal-plagued job training program. D'Amico pleaded guilty to making threatening phone calls during a charged political race in 1996, and Colvin pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault after a club fight in 1989. Both chalked it up to being young. more ›

Aldermen are breaking local and state laws with astonishing regularity, according to a new report from The Beachwood Reporter and Chicago Talks. No one keeps written records, and not enough aldermen are present for votes or meetings. more ›

It's going to be surprisingly cool the rest of this week, but don't cancel your barbecue plans just yet: highs should be over 70 Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Expect the rest of this week to be sunny with highs around 60. [NWS, WGN, TWC] more ›

At a press event on the West side yesterday, Rob Blagojevich responded to reporters questions about his role in the federal investigation of Tony Rezko. When asked if he thought he might be the next target of federal prosecutors, the governor replied “as I've said before, I'm not going to answer stupid questions like that." His response elicited applause from his audience, mostly ex-offenders that have benefited from state-sponsored anti-recidivism programs. more ›

John McCain made a campaign stop yesterday at the National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago. In town with former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, McCain slammed Obama for his support of corporate welfare for agribusiness and proposing to meet with states like Iran over diplomatic conflicts. On Sunday Obama said in a speech in Oregon that "Iran, Cuba, Venezuela -- these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union.... They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us. And yet we were willing to talk to the Soviet Union at the time when they were saying, 'We're going to wipe you off the planet.'" McCain criticized Obama for his "inexperience and reckless judgment," saying that "on the contrary, right now Iran provides some of the deadliest explosive devices used in Iraq to kill our soldiers." more ›

The Illinois Gaming Board fined Aurora's Hollywood Casino $800,000 and suspended three managers for sending marketing materials to problem gamblers who had volunteered to be banned from Illinois casinos. [Crain's] more ›

Last month, we told you about the state's endangered landmarks list, which included the famed Michigan Avenue Streetwall, the nearly one-and-a-half mile stretch of skyline that runs from 11th Street to Randolph St. Now, the Streetwall is hitting the national scene after being added to the D.C.-based National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of the nation's 11 most endangered historic places, which comes out tomorrow. (Again with a list of 11!) more ›

There are two noteworthy items in this recent report about a man who died Saturday from blunt head trauma after falling out of a police wagon. The first item of interest is the story in and of itself; the suspect was handcuffed and trying to escape from police custody, but the paddy wagon was stationary, and he was not struck by another vehicle. He simply … fell on his head, and died later from his injuries at Stroger Hospital. The death is under investigation. more ›

With the dramatic uptick of Chicago Public Schools students caught in the crossfire of violence and the approach of summer, worries about the safety of students remains high across the city. One teacher, Marisol Sierra of McKinley Park Elementary, is taking a proactive approach by teaching her preschool class on how to stay safe in these dangerous times and is being rewarded for her efforts on June 3 as one of five recipients of the 2008 Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award. While, on the surface, educating four- and five-year-olds about gang violence may seem a bit extreme, the children sadly have no lack of first-hand experience. Five-year-old Aldo Gonzalez related, "I was riding by my home and I saw some gangbangers on my street and they were fighting. I got on my bike and I ride fast and then I got back to my home and I got inside." more ›

Mark your calendars, car folk: city stickers expire June 30. We know it sounds like a long time from now, but that's how procrastination gets ya. Plus it takes 10-14 days, so it's really not all that much time. Luckily, city clerk Miguel Del Valle has unveiled a new, fancier site where you can renew both your city sticker and your residential parking permit. more ›

A truck hauling 14 tons of double-stuffed Oreos crashed on I-80 early this morning, spilling plastic sleeves of cookies all over the highway. The truck's driver fell asleep, according to police, and crashed into a median near Morris, about 50 miles southwest of here. Sayeth the AP, "No charges have been filed but both lanes of traffic remain closed while authorities remove the cookies." more ›

Only a day after ABC’s 20/20’s “Are Cops Above the Law?” exposé, where Chicago police were highlighted for their recent rash of drunken cop beaters, another cop is on the beat, so to speak. Gerald Callahan, an off-duty Chicago cop, was arrested for allegedly attacking two patrons at Chambers Seafood Grill & Chop in Niles. Niles police were called to the lounge about 1:50 a.m. Saturday morning, but Callahan had fled. At 2:30 a.m., he was found a few blocks away, passed out in bushes. He was arrested and charged with two counts of battery. more ›

"We'll be here forever," groaned state Rep. Mark Beaubien Jr., a Barrington Hills Republican.

The controversial Northwestern Law School alum Jerry Springer spoke to the graduating law school class last night. He gave a speech that lasted about 15 minutes, and quoted his mother, Winston Churchill, and Socrates. The 1968 graduate told the Class of 2008: more ›

bank) in Saugatuck, Michigan after a busy Labor Day weekend netting themselves over $350,000. All of those involved with the robbery were eventually caught and arrested except one -- Carmine Jannece, the getaway driver. That changed last month when the feds finally caught up with Jannece, now 84, and he was convicted this week after pleading guilty. more ›

The three-judge appellate court unanimously ruled today that the city of Chicago cannot be held liable in the E2 nightmare that killed 21 people. A lawyer for the victims' families say they're going to appeal. [Trib] more ›

Despite this week's news that the work on the Fullerton and Belmont stops will be finished ahead of schedule, we're still drinking the CTA flavor Haterade. Honestly, we've given up taking the El on weekends. With slow zones, closures and reroutes, not to mention the ongoing Brown Line construction/clusterfuck, it's easier in this beautiful weather to just walk or ride our bikes (always wear a helmet!). With lots of people traveling and making their way around town for fests and other spring-time activities, it's important to keep an eye on the CTA Customer Alert website. Here's a quick run-down of this weekend's closures. more ›

There's no shortage of disrespect towards Todd Stroger in Cook County these days. His nickname's "The Toddler," he's derided in bars and coffee shops around Chicago, and set up to be politically ambushed at a town hall-style meeting in Palatine, many county residents have no love the Cook County Board President. But one county resident took it a step further Tuesday. more ›

Someone stole 100 burritos from a Chipotle in La Grange last night. The tasty, foil-wrapped packages of impending regret* were supposed to go to a charity event for Relay for Life at Lyons Township High School, but a man impersonating a volunteer for the event picked them up from the 'potle and absconded. He's described as a 40-something, balding, thin (not for long! har har) white man, around 5-foot-9, who drives a brown Dodge Charger. [CBS 2] more ›

Gaughan took a break from shenanigans and using the look-him-in-the-eye trick moms have used for centuries to uphold the gag order in the case, refusing to unseal records of pre-trial closed-door hearings. MTV News has a thoroguh description of all the jurors, including the one who says he's "too young" to remember the O.J. trial. Which makes us feel about a million years old. Time to go mix up some Metamucil, fire up an episode of and talk about wearing our onions on our belts. more ›

Controversial ex-husband Drew Peterson is back in the news thanks to a woman who has yet to have the term "mysterious circumstances" applied to her. The new lady in Peterson's life, a 22-year-old Benet Academy graduate, is unconcerned with those pesky "homicide" accusations that follow Sir Drew wherever he goes. "They're like, 'We're 100 percent positive he killed them. His family thinks he killed them. You're going to be next. And I'm like, 'Then why isn't he in jail?'" Touché, miss. more ›

We knew you couldn't stay out of the news for long, Roscoe Mellencamp, famously deceased locally-roaming cougar! We just didn't really expect this. Police are investigating a fire they say someone set last month near Mayor Daley's vacation home in Michigan, possibly out of anger over the death of the cougar. The fire didn't damage the Daley home, but it did destroy one of his neighbors' houses and damaged another. more ›

According to a study released earlier this week, while there is an independent caucus in the Chicago City Council, a majority of aldermen still vote consistently with Mayor Richard Daley. The study, "The Independent Caucus: Breaking the Rubber Stamp Mold," (here, in PDF), examines current council voting since May 2007 and the formation of an independent caucus within the council ranks, noting a new opposition to the machine politics of the past 20 years, which stands in contrast to a majority held by the mayor. more ›

Polar bears are now protected under the Endangered Species Act. [AP, and an excuse to link to one of our favorite Colbert moments] more ›

The Green Cleaning Schools Act went into effect in Illinois on May 9, making us the second state in the nation to require that schools develop "green cleaning" plans and use cleaning supplies that meet EPA standards. Great, there goes our idea to sell boiling ammonia cancer splash lunchtable cleanser in a get-rich-quick scheme. Sigh. Guess we're going to have to market bottled hippie tears. Oh, we kid. more ›

A judge today dissolved the contract between the Latin School and the Chicago Park District, which means the city owes the Latin School $2 million, but at least public space remains public space. more ›

Janet Weiss, student of yoga, filed a lawsuit yesterday against Wendy Sadler, teacher of yoga, after receiving "severe and permanent injuries" during one of Sadler's classes. Weiss attended a yoga class at Northbrook YMCA taught by Sadler who apparently "grabbed and maneuvered her" and now she's hurt forever. Weiss is also blaming the YMCA for not reviewing Sadler's qualifications before hiring her. Sadler trained at the Himalayan Institute. That's in Pennsylvania. Not in the mountain range separating the Indian Subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau, mind you. [S-T, photo by jillhudgins] more ›

The CTA released a report yesterday of how the agency is meeting its "performance indicators" for the first quarter of '08. The CTA says its metrics are "ridership, on-time, efficient, safe, clean, courteous." Interesting tidbits from the report: more ›

Working cold cases has gotta be a bitch. Looking to solve crimes that happened decades ago with no new evidence or information must be some terribly frustrating work. But does that justify using hocus-pocus bullpucky to try to unravel some of these cases? We might be a little more skeptical than others, but when police departments bring in psychics to try to help with long-unsolved crimes, we tend to think that there are better ways that cops can be utilizing their time. Like, say, ramming their heads into a wall, or watching paint dry. more ›

], and some members of the Kelly jury pool have given us some great examples this week. One woman was dismissed for singing high praises of Kelly, calling him a "musical genius." When asked to say something negative about him, she reluctantly brought up his feud with Jay-Z. Another woman was dismissed because the judge thought the woman's impending June wedding would distract her from juror duties. One woman, when asked if she had an opinion on Kelly replied, "Yes, he's not very smart." The Sun-Times reported that the answer caused Kelly to wear "a hurt expression on his face." Sad panda. more ›

Alderman Ed Burke's ordinance to impose mandatory sterilization of domestic animals in Chicago gained new traction yesterday, as Alderman Ginger Rugai (19th) joined forces with him to introduce an ordinance that would require all pets be spayed or neutered in Chicago. The ordinance states that “no person shall own harbor or keep within the city of Chicago a dog or cat over six months of ages which has not been sterilized.” The ordinance would impose fines of up to $100, increasing to $500 for failure to comply within 30 days. more ›

John Edwards has been running for president since 2000, when he began appearing in Iowa. Over the last eight years, his campaign has used a theme of "two Americas," the haves and the have nots. He touched on that message last night in Michigan. “There is one man that knows how to create the lasting change that you have to build from the ground up. There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America, not two, and that man is Barack Obama,” he told Obama supporters in Grand Rapids last night. more ›

The city council backed away from a resolution opposing a US invasion of Iran yesterday at the behest of Mayor Daley. The resolution, sponsored by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore, encouraged diplomacy in place of military action. "Sen. Obama has been pursuing diplomacy with Iran. Nobody from his campaign has called me expressing his concern," Moore said. Five years ago Chicago passed a resolution, 48-1, opposing the war in Iraq. more ›

In need of left-handed hitting in their lineup, the Cubs signed Jim Edmonds on Wednesday after the 38-year old outfielder cleared waivers. Edmonds had been released by the San Diego Padres last week after getting off to a slow start this season, in part due to a calf injury from spring training. more ›

Artemia Torres, who sells elotes from a cart in Humboldt Park, was shot a few weeks ago in broad daylight when someone tried to rob her. [Trib] more ›

On the heels of her big victory in West Virginia, Hillary Clinton is now reeling from yet another big endorsement for Obama, this time from perennial Presidential bridesmaid John Edwards. more ›

Monday night, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull star Shia LeBeouf humorously recounted on The Late Show the circumstances behind his November arrest at a Chicago Walgreens last November. He told David Letterman how the trouble began from having too much of the ol’ “magic sauce,” then thrice marching from his hotel to Walgreens (we remember it being the one at Michigan and Chicago Ave.) to buy cigarettes, getting distracted by acne cream and gummy bears, and his swelling drunken frustration, which ultimately led to a scuffle with the Walgreens security guard and a misdemeanor criminal trespassing charge. more ›

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. filed FOIA requests following reports that high-ranking Secret Service agents circulated racist e-mails, one of which joked about the elder Jackson's assassination. more ›

Hotcha! The CTA says it's going to finish construction at the Belmont and Fullerton el stops by the end of 2008, six months earlier than expected. How will they accomplish such a feat? By uh...working faster. more ›

Ugh, paper work is the worst. And we're all guilty of letting it pile up, from time to time. But we're pretty sure cops aren't supposed to do that. With parking tickets. Like, the ones they've issued. Maybe Sal Mungia didn't get the memo? Or maybe it got lost? Under the pile of nearly 300 tickets he wrote but didn't give to drivers? more ›

Beginning in 2009, the federal government will require all states to purchase and provide anonymous rape exams if they wish to continue receiving funds under the Violence Against Women Act, which provides money for women's shelters and law enforcement training. The exams allow for the collection of evidence (skin, hair, blood, saliva or semen) from rape victims, but identify the victims only by a serial number, maintaining anonymity. The exams are sealed, preserving the evidence, and are only opened if the victim decides to press charges. more ›

Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford says the paramedics had an open mic on the radio they use to talk to the O'Hare Communications Center, and that the paramedics used the N-word in conversation between themselves on January 9. more ›

But you should still put on a happy face. Highs will be in the low 60s today, but we're looking at clouds and thunderstorms through the end of next week. According to Tom Skilling's crack team, only four Mays in the last 50 years have had wetter starts. [TWC, NWS, WGN] more ›

If you were anywhere near a television last night (or in a bar), you watched Hillary Clinton win a convincing victory in West Virginia last night. more ›

The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted on Todd Stroger's picks to head up the "independent" health services board yesterday. Of his nine picks, they only approved six. Andrea Zopp, Jorge Ramirez, Quin Golden, Benn Greenspan, David Carvalho and Heather O'Donnell were approved by the board. It took two separate votes to approve O'Donnell, a policy director at the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Barbara Hillman, a union attorney, and F. Daniel Cantrell, an aide to U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Chicago) were rejected, and Norman Bobins, former chairman of LaSalle Bank, withdrew his name before the vote. more ›

A fight at Cook County Jail this morning injured 11 guards and 7 inmates. [Trib] more ›

Two things that blew our mind today from the Trib's "gavel to gavel" R. Kelly coverage: more ›

Last week the Illinois State House of Representatives approved HB 4844, which bans the gassing of unwanted pets at animal shelters. While many shelters use lethal injection to put down unwanted pets, there are still some that use carbon monoxide to euthanize companion animals. The bill passed the House 110-0, with some members vocally supporting the legislation. "What's been happening with the animals is really a disgusting practice," said state Rep. Lou Lang. more ›

Most high schools teach bio in ninth grade, chemistry in tenth, physics in eleventh and cupcake decorating in twelfth, but several Chicago-area high schools are adopting the Physics First model, which teaches physics freshman year. The thinking behind PF is that physics is more exciting than bio and chem (so true) and that students should all be exposed to physics before they graduate. more ›

Just confirmed with Gene Schulter's office: The proposed ordinance that would force promoters to be licensed and insured has been tabled. Crisis averted. more ›

What do Pat Sajak, original house DJs Hot Mix 5 and Ida B. Wells have in common? They're all getting honorary streets named after them, which makes them part of the first wave of honorees since 2006, when then-Alderman Madeline Haithcock proposed and honorary street be named for Black Panther Fred Hampton. If you recall, that didn't go over so well. more ›

Terrence Camodeca, Orland Park resident, and Village Trustee Pat Gira are working on making "airplane bottles" of liquor illegal in the OP. And then from there, to the county, and maybe...to the state? (Cue "Trumpets of Doom.") more ›

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by St. John's United Church of Christ in Bensenville in their case to prevent the relocation of their cemetery, home to 1,300 graves, to make way for a new runway as part of O'Hare Airport's $15 billion expansion plan. Even though O'Hare officials claim they will move forward with their plans to notify the families of grave occupants about the cemetery relocation, no official action can be taken until all litigation surrounding the proposed move has concluded. The church and the city of Bensenville are still fighting the move with separate cases in DuPage County Circuit Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. more ›

Well, that anti-promoter ordinance the City's kicking around sounds worse with every passing second. The vague language means it may limit live comedy in Chicago, too. You can hear Alderman Eugene Schulter try to defend the ordinance on 848 from this morning, but we'll warn you that it'll just make you grumpy. more ›

The Bears don't get themselves into field goal range nearly enough, but when they do they'll have the richest kicker in the game to try and put some points on the board. The Bears signed kicker Robbie Gould to a long-term contract extension that makes him the highest paid kicker in NFL history. And the guy hasn't even hit a 50-yarder yet. more ›

Todd Stroger's picks to head the new independent county hospital board have been controversial - with critics complaining that they are too closely tied to local Democrats or vested interests in the county health care system. That controversy may get more heated. more ›

City crews have filled over 400,000 potholes since December. Wow. But the Transportation Commissioner says real resurfacing projects can't be completed until the state coughs up the money. [S-T] more ›

The New York Times is getting in on the Blagojevich Death Pool, kinda. According to a half-page article today.... more ›

. The 20-year-old, originally from Glenview, is a student at Drake University. From the Des Moines Register: more ›

R. Kelly's long-awaited child pornography trial is officially underway. Jury selection started Friday, resumed this morning and should take about a week, with around 150 potential jurors being screened down to 16 (the standard 12 plus 4 alternates). The judge and lawyers from both sides are questioning potential jurors, asking about impartiality and how much they already know about the case. Also, being a little weird: more ›

Wow, underground buildings are the new above-ground buildings, apparently. First the Children's Museum revealed its dugout plans, and now the University of Chicago has yet more plans to keep its students sun-shunning mole trolls. We kid, we kid. more ›

In honor of the CTA asking select riders to be “Mystery Shoppers,” The Sun Times took their own mystery shopping trip, riding and evaluating 242 miles of L and subway track, and have created a list of best and worst L stops. The “Ghastliest” stop, straight out of a horror flick with dripping water, filth and bad lighting went to the Division Blue Line stop. "Prettiest" stop is the Green Line Conservatory/Central Park Drive platform with its antique station house and the beautiful view of Garfield Park. "Coolest art" goes to the 18th Street station on the Pink Line with its Mexican folk designs. And the most obnoxious riders award went to the Brown Line at rush hour, as it “seemed to have the highest ratio of self-absorbed, loutish passengers. This is the worst line if you're pregnant -- few people even look up to offer a seat.” See the Sun Times complete list here. more ›

Virgin America is petitioning the FAA for two gates at O'Hare for a planned eight flights a day, four to San Fransisco and four to LA. The company expects the FAA to make its ruling by June and to start flying into and out of Chicago around November if things go their way. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

Just a week after Todd Stroger announced his nine nominees to head up the independent board that will operate the county hospitals, it was revealed that the former head of the Health Services Bureau is still calling the shots. Stroger said that Dr. Robert Simon had conducted the interviews for those nine candidates. Simon resigned his position as head of the Health Services Bureau last month. Just as quickly, he was given a contract to be a "consultant" to the new independent county hospital board. Simon, a long-time friend of the Stroger family, is being paid $6,000 a month for that consulting work. He earned $26K a month as director of the Health Services Bureau. more ›

Last week, it looked like the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni were close to hooking up. Then rumors that the New York Knicks also liked D'Antoni began to sweep through the halls. Most thought, however, that D'Antoni was just playing hard to get, hoping to squeeze more money from the Bulls. more ›

Citing "dangerously low" staffing levels, a federal judge ruled Thursday that the county must hire private security guards to staff the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center. Detention center director Earl "Dapper" Dunlap says that about 200 of the 500 positions there are currently either vacant, or filled by people on extended medical leave. "We're going to move expeditiously, but smartly," Dunlap said. "I'm a little concerned about potential backlash," as guards begin two weeks of training today. more ›

• Gothamist watched a series of civil disobedience events, protesting the Sean Bell shooting verdict, unfold across the city--over 200 people, including the Reverend Al Sharpton, were arrested. Somewhat related, on behalf of a black freelance reporter for the NY Post, the NYCLU sued the city and NYPD for racial profiling.
• Phillyist took a look at how city employees are bankrupting Philadelphia. Not that they need more cops on the streets there or anything.
• Seattlest wondered what it means when we see shoes flung over power lines.

Asked whether public safety was placed in jeopardy because of Baggett's alleged oversights, [Anthony Boswell, the Denver attorney hired to run the Office of Compliance] said, "It's pretty clear there was that potential. Absolutely. It was a very serious report. It puts people on the road at risk, and we're taking it very seriously. more ›

The true test, they say, will be in July, when the heat and the humidity bring out any lingering scents. Some experts have told them it could take up to three years. more ›

Over 10,000 students from Illinois, Chicago, Wisconsin and Michigan bussed their way to Six Flags Great America for the annual physics day in which high school students pretend to learn about velocity and actually play on rides all day. We kid. Students actually learn a lot about how "stuff" works based on a curriculum by Nathan Unterman, a Glenbrook North High School science teacher who also wrote the book, Amusement Park Physics, which we love. Because if you're going to have to figure out the amplitude of a driven oscillation, you might as well have fun vom-ing on Raging Bull while doing so. [S-T, photo by Hendricks Photos] more ›

Terri Bollinger, the principal at Ridge Central Elementary School in Chicago Ridge, promised back in October that she would kiss a cow if her students read over 10,000 books by the end of the school year. Naturally, then, her students managed to tally a total of 11,014 books read, and she found herself actually kissing a cow yesterday afternoon. The cow, named Stella, is owned by Bollinger’s cousin. more ›

As more horrific details emerge in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, an estimated 1,000 Burmese living in the Chicago area whose families were believed to be affected by the storm await word on their condition. Among them is 35-year-old monk Ashin Ukkamsa, currently living at an Elmhurst temple. "I don't know the situation of my family, if they are safe or not...I worry about my family and my friends. They may have great suffering." Local Burmese will be holding a prayer service at Ukkamsa's temple on Sunday and also hope to raise $10,000 for relief efforts. more ›

Bella’s Pizza owner Michael Cosmano was arrested Wednesday for a murder that took place in 1981. The impetus was a phone call to police by a former pizza delivery driver who had witnessed the crime and kept silent all this time from fear that Cosmano had connections with the mob. more ›

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has launched a new campaign specifically aimed at physicians, who have a higher suicide rate than people in other professions. [NYT] more ›

"We are building toward that day when we can claim a majority of the pledged delegates, and we believe that's going to be on May 20 and I believe that's gonna be a big night for those of us in this campaign...To my knowledge, the party has never nominated anyone other than the winner of the most elected delegates,'' Axelrod said.

Get ready for WiMax to blanket our region with delicious, wherever-you-want speedy internet connections (provided you have a WiMax-enabled device). Come to mama. more ›

Recall the bizarre murder/suicide of Justin Newman and Ari Squire: Squire apparently killed Newman in an attempt to fake his own death in what might have been an insurance scam, but later killed himself when police started putting the pieces of the story together. Newman's family announced a lawsuit today against Squire's wife, who police say was in touch with Squire after his faked death. more ›

If you're weird about eyeball injuries, don't read this post. more ›

South Africa's Moral Conscience, archbishop Desmond Tutu, was in Chicago yesterday to speak about human dignity and help raise funds for Community Support Services, an organization for the developmentally disabled. He also posed for a photo op before the event with Chicago's finest, Barbara Daley and Michael Jordan's mother, Deloris. There's video of his speech here. more ›

Juvenile Detention Center Director Earl Dunlap faced harsh words from County Commissioners yesterday on everything from his communication with the board to the way he dresses. more ›

Mike Downey at the Trib is incensed! He's pissed that the Sun-Times ran a front-page story about the White Sox' blow-up dolls, and spends his entire column ragging on the paper, its ads and its editorial content. more ›

Oh, the ambiance of the Friendly Confines ... the ivy, the manual scoreboard, the giant columns blocking half the field for some seats. Well, that last one kind of sucks, actually. more ›

The TSA is rolling out a new security-line system at Midway. Starting today, passengers will sort themselves into three different lanes to go through the security check, based on their experience and efficiency as travelers (and packers). People who know the ropes, like business travelers, will go in the expert lane; people who are inexperienced travelers or who have kids with them go in the novice lane; and anyone who's not sure or is somewhere in between goes in the casual lane. more ›

Chilly temperatures are settling in for the next two weeks. Ayee! Highs through this weekend won't even crack 60, so bring a sweatshirt. [WGN, NWS] more ›

God, we love a good Mavis Beacon joke. [Lonely Sandwich] more ›

We know not everyone just says no, but if you're going to do drugs, please try not to be a child abuser or a moron. A Wisconsin woman and her friends taught her two-year-old how to smoke a joint. Krystle Webber, Sean Held and Dane Ashley all pleaded guilty to charges, and Webber has since regained custody of the little boy, but apparently they filmed the incident, and that video has now surfaced. more ›

The intersection of Belmont and Sheridan is one we've hated and feared ever since moving into the neighborhood. It's a toxic stew: you've got cars anxious to get on LSD, cars anxiously getting off LSD, commuters anxious to catch buses going downtown or anxious to get home after getting off buses coming from downtown, and a traffic light with timings that almost seem capricious. Yikes! more ›

A new study released today from The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center at DePaul looks at young women and prostitution in Chicago. In a survey of 100 women under 25 currently working in the sex trade under a pimp, researchers found: more ›

Author Richard Florida looks at America's "psychogeography" and says personality types tend to cluster—and that understanding those clusters can help us understand the economies and futures of different regions. more ›

Armadillos are the latest surprising species to be making its way through Illinois. A New Athens man spotted one in the woods of St. Clair County in March (and took photos), and according to Dr. Joyce Hoffman of the Illinois Natural History Survey, 130 'dillos have been spotted in the Land of Lincoln since 1999. more ›

Sorry, aspiring hoteliers looking for scuzzy property that gives you braincrabs if you think about it for too long: The Purple Hotel has been sold, and it's going to be demolished. more ›

Rumors spread through the NBA world like spring fever through a high school yesterday, as ESPN.com reported that current Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni wanted to coach the Bulls, followed by reports that the Bulls liked D'Antoni, too. more ›

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Last night's big news: Obama took North Carolina, Clinton took Indiana. These are some of our favorite lines from local coverage: more ›

For the second time this season, White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd flirted with a no-hitter, with last night's 7-1 victory breaking a 6-game losing streak. more ›

Bears rookies just began their first rookie mini camp a few days ago, and already safety Craig Steltz seems to be making a good impression. more ›

The Bulls unveiled a new broadcast line-up this afternoon: longtime play-by-play announcer Neil Funk is moving from radio to TV, Raptors broadcaster Chuck Swirsky will be taking over his radio slot, and Wayne Larrivee on WGN and Tom Dore on CSN both got the boot. [Bulls, Trib] more ›

Rep Mark Kirk (R-IL) wants the FTC to issue a consumer alert because he believes Second Life could expose children to predators. He also believes it's a social networking site, which isn't quite accurate. From his press release: more ›

Joseph Richardson, 39, died last night saving his 4-year-old daughter from a car that crashed into them on the sidewalk. more ›

The White Sox, in an attempt to break their batting slump, decorated their clubhouse with two blow-up dolls, surrounded and propped up by bats with signs over their breasts that said "You've Got to Push" and "Let's Go White Sox." more ›

Hold off on the mourning, all ye Spindle fans who continue to lament the loss of their beloved public art and pigeon poop collector. Could the citizenry of Berwyn get a new Spindle back in the parking lot instead of a Walgreens? Or, what the hell - how about on top of the Walgreens? The Tribune reports that the ownership of the mall is "open to spending an estimated $300,000 to create a new Spindle." more ›

Remember when prom night meant spiking the punch bowl, renting a hotel room on Lincoln and packing it with liquor, then drinking until sunrise and taking what was left to Great America? Good times. more ›

The publishers of Grand Theft Auto are suing the CTA after the agency pulled the ads for the game a few weeks ago. According to Take-Two Interactive Software, that violates a $300,000 deal and their right to free speech. Also, common sense. more ›

Is there any medium with a shorter attention span than television? Year in and year out, dozens of new shows go on the air; but we only really remember the hits. That's why a museum capable of restoring some perspective to the history of television would be such a cool thing. Unfortunately, it doesn't look the Museum of Broadcast Communications will be opening anytime soon. more ›

WGN didn't lead off last night's 9 p.m. newscast with more Clinton/Obama drama. Instead, they started the newscast with Jackie Bange's discovery of an advanced rodent civilization in Terminal 1, Concourse C of O'Hare Airport. more ›

Yay, a weird animal story! Our favorite! Today's tale: The mysterious 12-foot headless snake! (We're saying that in a spooky haunted-house voice, of course.) more ›

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The Illinois Supreme Court denied a request today to unseal the court proceedings in R. Kelly's child pornography trial. The Trib, Sun-Times, AP and WBEZ had joined forces (media powers: activate!) to petition the court to overrule the lower court's ruling to keep the court records private. more ›

Today's long read: Chicagoist fave Alex Kotlowitz's captivating portrait of CeaseFire, the anti-gun violence organization whose founder, epidemiologist Gary Slutkin, believes violence should be treated like an infectious disease. more ›

The Kentucky Derby is marketed as a glamorous event, but those who have been there know otherwise – it’s really just a rip-rollicking, drunkified good time. And the “most exciting two minutes in sports,” as a recent documentary would have us know, would not be so without years of dirt, sweat, and hard work. Now, the Kentucky Derby is associated with a different kind of dirty business, after the highly publicized death of one of the race’s thoroughbreds. more ›

The prosecution rested its case against Tony Rezko today, and the defense declined to call any witnesses. Judge Amy St. Eve asked Rezko if he understood what waiving his right to testify meant, and satisfied that he did, she took three defense motions under advisement. St. Eve is going to give the jury a week off and reconvene Monday for closing arguments. more ›

Cedric Benson has never lived up to his lofty draft status and giant paycheck, so you'd think that the Bears running back would try extra hard not to give the team another reason to look to replace him. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

“Hello Americans, this is Paul Harvey...” Lynne “Angel” Harvey, the woman behind those words and many of Paul Harvey’s best known broadcast features, died yesterday at their River Forest home. Last May, Paul Harvey told his radio audience that Lynne had been diagnosed with leukemia. more ›

• Bostonist went to ROFLCon, a semi-academic conference about the internet and its enthusiasms, and ended up with a Brawndo hangover.
• Seattlest opened the floor to a few local hip-hop artists who were stirring about Reverend Wright’s controversial comments.
• Gothamist was amazed to hear that an NYU student decided to eat a muffin found in a classroom--only for the muffin to be filled with razors, leftover from a different professor's class ("ideas in absurdism and randomness," etc.). Well, if you're spending nearly $50,000/year tuition, you've got to learn some lessons.

High school students who ride horses in the streets of Philadelphia. An Iraqi who takes to the streets of Savannah to talk to Americans about the war. The life story of people named John Smith. These are some of the stories that will unfold in second season of the TV version of This American Life when it premieres on Showtime Sunday night. more ›

Grassroots activism lost to corporate America last night when the 50-foot Berwyn “Spindle,” an eight-car kobob, was dismantled under the cover of darkness. Cermak Plaza’s pop icon was taken down with a crane to make room for a proposed Walgreens. more ›

A CTA bus crashed into a building near 76th and Ashland. [Trib] more ›

Wow, file under "took us long enough": By 2011, all of Chicago will have curbside blue-cart recycling. [CBS 2] more ›

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The mayor's plan to require owners of vacant buildings to make them more secure was delayed yesterday after lenders objected to the requirements. The new rules would require a building that is vacant for six months or longer to be secured with steel panels, or have all the doors and windows completely installed, dusk to dawn lighting, and an "active account" with a private security firm. Lenders that are holding the property would also have to pay an increased fee of $250 to place the building on the city's vacancy registry. That fee, currently at $100, would be waived as long as the building is kept up to city code. more ›

Hopefully a block of Netflix is arriving in your mailbox today because it's going to be stormy weekend, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms likely this afternoon and evening. Saturday will be cool and rainy and Sunday will be cloudy and cold. Bleh. And although a weekend full of critically acclaimed, award winning new DVD releases sounds tempting, we're still hoping the rain holds out on Saturday for one of the first street festivals of the summer. [] more ›

The Illinois House voted 105-0 yesterday to order the chief auditor to investigate how the Blagojevich administration apparently gave $1 million to the wrong organization. Instead of going to the Pilgrim Baptist Church to help rebuild their school after a fire, the money went to Loop Lab School, which had been using Pilgrim Baptist facilities before the fire but isn't affiliated with the church. more ›

EPA Midwest administrator Mary Gade has been forced to resign her post. Last summer, Gade invoked emergency powers against Dow Chemical to force the company to clean up three toxic hotspots near their Midlands, Michigan headquarters. She had been fighting the company for years over dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment that extends 50 miles beyond the Midlands plant and into Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. And when tests revealed that dioxin levels in along a park in Saginaw were the highest in the nation, she ordered more dredging. Dow and the EPA had been working out a deal over the cleanup, but Gade ended those negotiations in January, saying that Dow wasn't taking the steps necessary to protect public health. Company officials appealed to Washington, and Gade was forced from her position yesterday. more ›

Yesterday's protests brought together thousands of immigrant-rights supporters and activists and included performances by Tom Morello, Perry Farrell and Ben Harper, plus a speech from Mayor Daley. [S-T] more ›

The University of Chicago and the Humane Society released a new study on the causes of urban dog fighting earlier this week. The study was conducted by interviewing current and former dogfighters in Chicago, focusing on why young men and boys in the city get into the illegal practice. more ›

It's not just bags of cash that Ali Ata knew about. In testimony during Tony Rezko's federal fraud trial yesterday, Ata told jurors that he donated $25K to Blagojevich's campaign in 2002, dropping the check off at Rezko's office. He was then led into a conference room where the governor, his campaign manager Lon Monk, top fundraiser Chris Kelly and state Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collonsville) were waiting. According to Ata, Rezko explained to the governor that he was interested in joining the Blagojevich administration. Blago then allegedly asked Rezko if Ata had "identified job opportunities.” Sometime after that meeting, Rezko asked Ata to identify state jobs that might interest him, he testified. more ›

We'll keep our eyes peeled tomorrow for new designs for the Children's Museum proposed Grant Park digs. [Crain's] more ›

A four-judge appellate panel halted construction on the Latin School's soccer field in Lincoln Park today. The decision, according to Crain's, "effectively accept[s] the view of a citizens’ group, Protect Our Parks." Now the case goes back to circuit court. [Crain's]
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While fans may strongly disagree on which baseball team is better in this town, the consensus has been among most Chicagoans that Wrigley Field was the better ballpark -- even after the extensive renovations to U.S. Cellular have improved many of the less-desirable features of the park when built. We admit that we love the historic ambiance of Wrigley even if we are Sox fans -- we just go and cheer on the Phillies, Marlins or whichever team is playing the Cubs. more ›

A bus driver and bus aide were suspended for harassing special needs children in the Morton School District 201 after a recording surfaced of the pair calling kids "f[uck]ing little monsters," threatening to tie the children on the roof and also threatening to break their fingers. Cathy and Richard Bedard had a feeling something wasn't right with the bus that took 2 of their 3 special needs kids to school everyday so they stuck a tape recorder in their 13 year-old daughter's backpack. Sneaky. Awesome. The driver and aide work for First Student Inc. and were immediately suspended, however, the school district recently learned that following a 6-week suspension the pair were reassigned to another route, causing outrage in the community. more ›

] Alabama native and karate expert Ron Werstler has spent the past week breaking wood blocks with his hands outside of Harpo Studios in a attempt to get Oprah's attention and assistance in raising awareness for cystic fibrosis. Werstler's son has the fatal disease, which prompted him to go on an 18-month tour of board-breaking to raise money to help families cover the costs of treatment. more ›

The White Sox head to Toronto for a four-game series with the Blue Jays tomorrow, minus one if their players. Because of visa issues, they left Cuban national Alexei Ramirez behind in Chicago. more ›

Today's the first day for free CTA rides for active military personnel, who must be in full uniform to qualify. Onerous! A military ID card, a la the senior card, is in the works to expand the program to disabled veterans at some point this summer. Also, the CTA is cutting 100 non-union administrative jobs. [S-T, CTA] more ›

Anthony Abbate's lawyer is seeking a gag order to ban lawyers and witnesses from speaking about the case, saying all the publicity makes it hard for his client to get a fair trial. The ex-cop is facing 15 felony charges for beating Karolina Obrycka, a female bartender, in an infamous incident caught on tape and widely circulated. The judge in the case will hold a hearing May 12 to decide. [Trib, ABC 7] more ›

As announced, Todd Stroger passed on last night's meeting with residents in Palatine. Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins took some of the blame for his absence, saying she understood why Stroger might be put off by the change of meeting format that came Monday. After a heated debate about the format of the meeting, Palatine Councilman Jack Wagner lost his temper. more ›

The Illinois State GOP made their love of local business magnates official yesterday, anointing Martin Ozinga, of Ozinga Cement fame, as their candidate the 11th District congressional seat left open by Jerry Weller's retirement. The party picked Ozinga as a replacement candidate after New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann dropped out of the race. "We are excited to have Marty on the ticket," said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna in a statement after the decision was announced Wednesday morning. Ozinga will face Democratic State Senator Debbie Halvorson and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace in the fall. more ›

On the same day he fired the guy who just might be the next Bulls head coach, Mark Cuban made an appearance at Wrigley Field. more ›