News

Huzzah! A new day is upon us and tomorrow, a new month. Making it only fitting that by the time December arrives at midnight, we could have a fresh layer of snow on the ground, the first measurable amount for Chicago this season. We're starting out the day with a mix which will change over to snow in the afternoon as the temp drops from around 40 to the lower 30s. As much as two inches could fall on some areas by the evening. There'll be more snow tonight, too, as an additional 3 to 4 inches could fall, bringing the total snow accumulations by Monday morning ranging from around 3 to 8 inches. Of course, with warmer temps, those accumulations, especially earlier in the day, will be confined to grassy areas. And some melting could lessen total accumulations...you know what? It's gonna snow. More than 0 inches, less than 10 inches. There. Drive safe, everyone! more ›

According to an AP report from last night, it seems President-Elect Barack Obama will officially nominate Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State on Monday. more ›

For the second straight year, Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher has been placed on injured reserve, prematurely ending his season. This time it's Vasher's fractured right hand that's ended his season. The injury came in the fourth quarter of last week's victory over the St. Louis Rams. In his place the Bears will start Corey Graham. more ›

Governor Blagojevich is currently putting together a plan that, if passed, would force all transit agencies that hike fares in 2009 and 2010 to institute a salary freeze. Yes, the same Governor Blagojevich who played chicken with the CTA during last year's doomsday threats just so he could implement free rides for seniors, a program that is costing the CTA a nice bundle of money. Still, in Blago's defense, his plan only affects nonunion employees - union salaries are determined by collective bargaining agreements - and is mainly aimed at executives, many of whom actually saw a pay increase in 2008.

Salaries for dozens of transit executives continued to rise in 2008 after state bailout money started to flow, records show. The Chicago Sun-Times Watchdogs column reported Monday that the number of Pace executives who make more than $100,000 a year increased from 13 in 2006 to 20 this year. more ›

A fifth school has been added to the growing investigation of corporal punishment used against students (mostly athletes) in Chicago Public Schools. Harlan High (9652 S. Michigan) is the most recent school to be involved in the investigation after accusations surfaced of a football coach paddling players. Harlan joins Morgan Park, Marshall, Phillips and Simeon as local schools that have been investigated this year for allegations. Corporal punishment has been illegal in Chicago Public Schools since 1994. Several Chicagoist staff members can remember being paddled in their younger days, and frankly, given how the kids these days are behaving, we can't say a paddling will really do any damage. If nothing else, the threat of embarrassment could be enough to keep the kids in line. more ›

After a good start to their Circus Trip, the Blackhawks have now dropped two straight as they fell to the Anaheim Ducks 1-0 yesterday. It was the first time all season that the Blackhaws have been held scoreless. Huet was able to stop 20 of 21 shots, allowing only a Ryan Getzlaf goal in the second period, but Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller stopped all 26 Chicago shots, including 15 in the second period. Rockford's Corey Crawford has been called up to back-up Huet as Khabibulin remains day-to-day after getting hurt in the game against San Jose earlier this week. The 'Hawks play tonight in L.A. and then they head home. more ›

Osial Hernandez, the 7-month-old who prompted an Amber Alert when the van he was in was stolen, was found safe yesterday evening. The van was stolen around 3:30 a.m. and police think the van was abandoned shortly after the car was reported missing, but Osial was discovered around 4 p.m. when a plumber working on the 5100 block of Madison in Skokie where the van was found heard the baby crying. more ›

The weather hasn't wavered much as we move into the holiday season but that's going to change very soon. Today is going to be partly cloudy with highs in the mid 40s, but some clouds are going to move in tonight and tomorrow will see some kind of rain/snow mix and we could see a few inches of snow pile up. How much? We're not sure, exactly, but Tom Skilling looks at the situation and thinks in the neighborhood off 1 to 4 inches.
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Oh, Governor Blagojevich, you sly dog. While addressing reporters at a Chicago Christian Industrial League Thanksgiving meal yesterday, Blago began looking around for Congressman Danny Davis, also in attendance, and playfully asked, "Where's Senator Davis?" with a smile. While he didn't follow that up with, "Nah, I'm just fuckin' with yall," he did herald Rep. Davis as one of his favorites to take over President-Elect Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

"Congressman Davis is a very good person. He and I have worked together in Congress, and I know the kind of man he is. I know that he is a good, decent man, and you don't find a lot of that in politics," Blagojevich said. "I'm breaking my rules about speculating on a candidate, but Congressman Davis is here, and I can tell you he's certainly a strong candidate for the position."

A man has been charged with six counts of aggravated battery to an officer after he became "rambunctious" on a CTA bus and wound up striking the CTA bus driver in the head and, when police responded, hit and kicked five arresting officers. Police called him "highly intoxicated" and said the man struck another officer in lock-up. After complaining of pain, he was taken to Mt. Sinai hospital where he had to be sedated. He has since been returned to lock-up. more ›

The Trib has a reader update page for Black Friday craziness but things seem...relatively tame. Police were called early Friday morning (like, 2:40 a.m. early) to Gurnee Mills Malls to take care of a rowdy bunch of shoppers waiting on the early morning store openings. Still, nothing can compare to the tragedy in Long Island where a Wal Mart worker was killed in a stampede of early morning shoppers and a crush of customers at the same store also injured a pregnant woman. Earlier reports said she suffered a miscarriage but those have been retracted. more ›

If you habitually return books late to the library like we do, you'll have to dig a little deeper into your pocket come January 1, 2009, when the Chicago Public Library is doubling its late fee, from 10 to 20 cents per day. The maximum fine -- provided the book is eventually returned -- is increasing from $5 to $10. Other large library systems in the country have already been charging a similar fee -- New York is 25 cents, and Los Angeles is 30 cents. (They read books out there?) Late fees brought in $1.6 million to the CPL in 2007, so if people don't starting pinching those extra dimes and circulation rates stay at their current highs, they may be looking at over $3 million next year. more ›

A Chicago woman and her family were rescued by the Indian Army from a Mumbai hotel where they had been trapped for almost two days since the siege began earlier this week. Carol Mackoff and her husband, sister, and friend were staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel as part of a three-week trip when the attacks began. With the satellite TV cut, Mackoff's only communication with the outside world was through text messages with the U.S. Consulate. In an interview with CNN, Mackoff said, "In the beginning, we heard shots and we didn't know what was happening. We saw men running down our hallway and we could see through the peephole in the door -- we could see guns in their hands." more ›

Whether you're one of those folks working, dashing around town shopping or you're (like us) spending more time with your family, today's weather is good for you. Sunny with highs in the lower 40s. There. Pretty simple and friendly. No fuss, no muss. And it'll last through Saturday before Sunday makes way for some snow, which may or may not amount to some accumulation. more ›

A car theft early this morning on the Northwest Side has prompted an Amber Alert because the car's owner's 7-month-old infant was asleep in the back of the car. The theft happened around 3:30 a.m. at 4242 West Bryn Mawr Avenue. The car is a light green 2003 Dodge Caravan with an Illinois plate number X533131. The mother had left the car running and unlocked. We're not even going to bother jumping to conclusions or questioning the mother's actions. At least until the child is returned safely. more ›

But instead of taking this opportunity to come clean, Ryan has doubled down on denial: "His conscience is as clear as his mind," his wife, Lura Lynn, told the Sun-Times Tuesday. "If he had it to do over—and I've heard him say this—he would govern the same way as he did before." more ›

Ah, Black Friday. You always present us with deals and videos of crazy people trampling each other so they can be the first to grab that $500 HDTV or Tickle Me Elmo or whatever the kids are crazy about these days. It's become such big business that there's even a struggle amongst websites to be the first to break the Black Friday ads - even Twitter is in on the act this year. But even with more attention than ever on the day, there's also more pessimism than ever because of the large decrease in consumer spending in 2008. As the economy continues to slide, will Black Friday numbers follow suit? Some stores are so concerned about profits, they're offering freebies to those brave souls who sprint through the doors at the crack of dawn in hopes to entice more people to shop. And come Saturday, as the Black Friday numbers roll in, all eyes will shift to Cyber Monday as online retailers try to fight the slumping economy as well. And, of course, there are those who fight Black Friday and all it stands for. more ›

In his weekly address, President-Elect Obama discusses Thanksgiving. And the economy. more ›

If you're reeling from a Thanksgiving disaster (charred turkey perhaps?) and need something to put together for a Thanksgiving dinner, feel free to take a cue from Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving meal. One person did, and the results don't look all that bad. more ›

"He did get his nails painted. Yes. [My daughters] painted his nails. So what? His sisters were painting their nails, so he was like, 'I want to paint my nails.' He's 3 years old. Who cares? more ›

Blackout Wednesday took a violent turn in Stone Park where one woman was killed and several others were injured after a nightclub fight spilled into the streets. The incident happened at the Nitro Nightclub.

"We encountered multiple incidents," according to [Stone Park Fire Department Lt. Chris] Soda, who said a fight was inside the club moved outside, where three people were stabbed and two people were struck by a hit-and-run vehicle. more ›

Dolton Mayor William "Bill" Shaw passed away Wednesday at the age of 71 after a four-year bout with colon cancer. He was Dolton's first black mayor and had a long history in Illinois politics. he was elected the Illinois State Representative of the 34th Legislative District in 1982 where he served five terms. He also served as a state senator for 10 years and was elected mayor of Dolton in 1997. He had previously been hospitalized for the cancer in 2005, shortly after he was elected to a third term in the south suburban city.

During his two decades in the Illinois General Assembly, Shaw served as a member of the Senate Energy & Environment Committee and the Task Force on Electric Deregulation. As a member of the Senate Local Government Committee, Shaw was instrumental in the redevelopment of the Historic Pullman District on Chicago's South Side. Additionally, in 1984, Mayor Shaw along with current Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr, co-sponsored groundbreaking legislation with both Illinois House members that made it mandatory that African American History be taught in Illinois public schools. Mayor Shaw also sponsored legislation that created the Illinois Donor Program within the office of the Illinois Secretary of State.

An Oak Lawn man arrested after robbing a Burbank bank may be the "Playboy Bandit" that authorities have been hunting. Edward Guajardo, 48, is charged in a robbery Tuesday afternoon. After making off with over $6,000 in cash, Guajardo and two other men fled in a car and a high-speed chase ensued. It ended when Guajardo's car crashed into Chicago police car at 63rd Street and Cicero Avenue. All three men were taken into custody but only Guajardo has been charged.

Though not yet charged with any other holdups, Guajardo appears to be the heavyset man who robbed two other banks, including a Charter One branch in Alsip Sept. 11, the FBI said. more ›

All South Shore train service, which carries passengers between Chicgao and South Bend, Indiana, has been cancelled for at least the remainder of today due to damage caused to the rail line by a freight train. John Parsons, spokesman for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, said the service might not resume until tomorrow morning.

The damage was caused when a Union Pacific freight train ran a damaged wheel for several miles along the South Shore track in East LaPorte County, Parsons said. The wheel broke welds along the line, and several miles of track will have to be replaced, Parsons said. more ›

It was a bad night for the Blackhawks. In spite of a pair of Jonathan Toews, the San Jose Sharks pulled out a 3-2 win over the 'Hawks in overtime. But there was more for the 'Hawks to deal with: goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and defenseman Aaron Johnson both left the game with injuries. Both players are scheduled to be evaluated today. more ›

It's here, the best food day of the year. And it's a day we give thanks. Thanks, for instance, for this amazing weather. Sunny skies and temps in the upper 40s. We here at Chicagoist are thankful for many things: our friends, our families, our pets, the men and women in the armed services, etc. But what are Chicagoistos and -istas thankful for? more ›

The suit also claims that Harvey has a criminal record, having twice violated a domestic violence protection order taken out against him. Doe feels that the station should have done more due diligence as to who they were trying to hook women up with, and that the station was negligent. more ›

Just because it's a short holiday week doesn't mean the President-Elect is resting on his laurels. It's been a busy week for Obama, especially in the news. more ›

Yesterday we discussed Nissan's decision to withdraw from, among others, the Chicago Auto Show. Now it appears as if the complaints about their pull-out from local dealers have made enough noise that they're reconsidering. A spokesman says an announcement will be made next week and there is optimism. Chicago Automobile Trade Association spokesman Paul Brian said, "We're certainly optimistic, and it would be marvelous if they did. It would be a testimonial to a terrific group of dealers, who have worked very hard to make Nissan the No. 4-selling brand in Chicago." more ›

The Joliet Herald-News reports this morning that Brian Urlacher's baby mama, Tyra Robertson, has filed a claim in Will County court that states that Urlacher's son, Kennedy, has taken to wearing pink diapers and wearing blue nail polish on his toes. We're not sure exactly where in the penal code this counts as child abuse, but it gets better - Robertson seems to believe that this is reason enough to keep Brian from seeing his kid. Can someone get Jeffrey Leving on the phone? Brian needs some Father's Rights representation, stat. more ›

Chicago police have an old problem on their hands this holiday season: metal theft. A combination of rising copper and aluminum prices and the declining economy has created an increase in the theft of these metals especially. Thieves are stealing everything from sewer covers to the wiring inside gas meters and trying to cash them in at city scrap metal facilities. Many of these types of thefts cause serious safety hazards. Bonnie Johnson of People's Gas said, "The mouth (of the meter) that's going into the home is no longer controlled which could cause a gas explosion." The CPD has created a task force and a public service announcement notifying Chicagoans and asking for our help – and scrap metal recyclers have been warned not to take sewer covers and fire hydrants in exchange for cash, or they will incur a hefty fine.

"That's been the age-old problem," Deputy Chief Daniel Dugan said. "You would see scrappers taking fire hydrants. You should know this is property belonging to a municipality." more ›

The family of Sun-Times columnist Rev. Andrew Greeley have something to be thankful for: he's vastly improving following a fall several weeks ago that left him critically injured. He's been moved to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for recovery. His spokeswoman, June Rosner, said, "It's a big step forward. He no longer belongs in a critical care unit." Greeley was injured in a fall while exiting a cab on November 7. more ›

U.S. Congressman from Illinois' 4th District Luis Gutierrez has asked Gov. Blagojevich to be appointed to President-Elect Barack Obama's vacant senate seat. But Gutierrez's request comes with stipulation that will probably take him out of the running: he doesn't want to run for re-election in 2010 even though Blago's preference is for someone more long-term. Gutierrez issued a statement, saying, "Gov. Blagojevich shared with me today that he was very interested in me as a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat, but that his preference is to appoint someone who will run for a full term in 2010." Thanks for sharing with the class, Luis. more ›

Northern Illinois fell to Navy last night, 16-0, and likely fell out of a bowl. At 6-6, the Huskies are bowl eligible but are also in the middle of the MAC, which doesn't have enough bowl bids to go around. It was a defensive struggle with neither team topping 300 total yards and Huskie quarterback Chandler Harnish throwing two interceptions which both led to Navy scores. Coach Jerry Kill, finishing off his first season with the team, said, "The game comes down to little mistakes and you can't make those against the Naval Academy. We moved the ball but we couldn't finish and that was the difference." more ›

We know it's only Wednesday, but most of you will probably be offline until you drag your well-fed butts back into the office next Monday, right? So don't forget when you park your car Sunday night that the city's draconian winter overnight parking ban kicks in at 3 a.m. this Monday, December 1. more ›

If you're staying in town for the holiday tomorrow but plan on using buses, be prepared for some downtown area reroutes because of the McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The CTA website has info here and the Trib also has us covered. Hmmmm. The parade runs down State Street, from Congress to Randolph, from 8:30 a.m. til 11:00 a.m. For a little history on the parade, check out Prescott's Flashback. more ›

Today is allegedly the busiest travel day of the year, with everyone returning home or venturing to far corners of the country for the holiday that celebrates the 3 F's: food, football, and family (preferably in that order). [For flying locally, Tuesday was expected to be Midway's busiest and Sunday will be O'Hare's busiest with almost a quarter-of-a-million people stomping through its halls.] And even in the bad economy, we know lots of you will be traveling. Fortunately, you'll have excellent weather around the area if you're staying close. Sunny skies and seasonable temps in the low 40s will make things easy on you and those conditions will continue if you're traveling tonight, with clear skies and lows in the 30s. So whether you're walking, driving, training, or flying, travel safe and have a happy holiday! more ›

For what feels like the umpteenth time, Chicago's cabbies are demanding a fare hike and threatening to strike, but instead of just talking the talk, today they walked the walk. Literally. A group of cab drivers protested in the loop demanding an immediate 16 percent fare increase. Lest you forget, this shitstorm revolves around the dropping of the gas surcharge since gas prices have dropped below a set threshold, and the cabbies want the fare hike by January 1. City Hall hasn't complied but has said a hike is in works, though it wouldn't go into effect until Spring 2009 at the earliest. To get their point across, this group of cabbies claims they will strike for 24 hours starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, which may or may not be effective with travellers returning home from the holiday. Because there's no alternative transportation from Chicago's airports. more ›

On the bright side, for those of you who have been pinching pennies for a nice down payment on a house and have maintained a healthy credit score, it's a buyer's dream market.
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The 5th floor of the Cook County Building, located at 118 N. Clark St, was evacuated this afternoon and employees of two Cook County commissioners were quarantined. The Trib is reporting this all stemmed from a threatening letter. more ›

At a press conference in Springfield today, Sen. Dick Durbin says he's wondering whether or not former and now convicted Governor George Ryan has served enough jail time. The Trib reports Durbin saying, "I'm taking into consideration the situation with the former governor, and whether or not a commutation should be recommended to the president, and I am considering it at this moment." Ryan was convicted on 22 counts of racketeering, fraud, bribery and corruption, and has served prison time for a little over a year of his six and a half year sentence. Is this some sort of setup to get Marc Rich knocked off the top 10 list? more ›

The Cook County budget showdown is gearing up as county President Todd Stroger is expected to unveil his 2009 budget proposal today. Stroger has already put pressure on Cook County commissioners to approve a plan to borrow $720 million. The Stroger administration argues that the money is needed in order to keep the county afloat. Donna Dunnings, the county’s chief financial officer and Stroger’s cousin, told the Trib yesterday that massive layoffs are in store if the plan is rejected. more ›

Times are tough for auto makers. High gas prices and tight credit markets have conspired to keep people from buying new cars in recent months. The Big 3 have been reduced to begging for funds just to stay afloat, claiming if they go down so, too, will 3 million American jobs. GM even dropped Tiger Woods as a Buick spokesman to keep costs down. more ›

Story by Amy Wilschke, Photo by JOE M500 more ›

Blagojevich derisively called Pace officials "bureaucrats" who "sock it to" riders by raising fares. more ›

In a back-and-forth thriller, the Chicago Bulls stunned the Jazz and the home Utah crowd as a Larry Hughes buzzer-beater gave the Bulls a much-needed 101-100 win Monday night. Derrick Rose continued his outstanding rookie campaign by scoring 25 and dishing nine assists. Drew Gooden added 18 and Hughes had 16, including his game-winner as time expired. The Bulls moved to 2-3 on their seven-game Circus Trip with a date in San Antonio on Wednesday before a few days off for the holiday. The Bulls remain in third place in their division. more ›

Under normal circumstances, we'd call today "boring" but given we're staring down the barrel of a long, cold winter, we'll take it. Every single minute of it. Like what you see today? Good, cause this weather is going to be around all week. Partly cloudy, seasonably cool, and little chance of precipitation. Temps today will reach the upper 30s and maybe touch 40 under partly sunny skies and then drop to upper 20s tomorrow night. Hooray for sunny skies and turkey. more ›

At a press conference today, President-Elect Barack Obama presented what is being called his "money team," his economic advisers who will attempt to help him turn the economy around once he takes office in January. At the presser, his second since his November 4 election win, he announced the following members of his economic team: more ›

Officials say a gas leak at 3430 W. Shakespeare Ave. prompted evacuations of homes surrounding the address, according to CBS2. There's been no update on the situation since 2 p.m. more ›

While companies are putting together bids for Des Plaines, Rosemont and Waukegan for the state's final casino license, they're finding themselves hampered by the struggling economy. Bill Eadington, director of a gambling institute at the University of Nevada-Reno, recently told the Trib, "It's very bad timing for Illinois. We're facing the biggest economic recession in 75 years. I wouldn't be surprised if the companies that made bids a couple months ago could no longer justify them." Casino giants like Harrah's are having to scale back or scrap plans for new casinos altogether.

The finalists are Trilliant Gaming, a Los Angeles-based venture that has teamed up with Rosemont and submitted the high bid of $435 million. The next highest offer is $225 million from Waukegan Gaming. A distant third at $100 million is Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, billionaire developer Neil Bluhm's group, who wants to open in Des Plaines. Those figures don't include the cost of building the casino, which could be in the hundreds of millions, making it tougher to turn a profit. more ›

Stephen Colbert + Christmas + Willie Nelson dressed as a shepherd = Goodness. more ›

The troubled Block 37 project seems to have suffered another setback today as David Barton Gym, "the first and largest retail tenant to sign," has pulled out of an agreement to put a 40,000 square foot gym on the top level of the structure. Instead, Barton will be focusing on a gym located at The Roosevelt Collection, a mixed-use project in the South Loop. Said Barton, "Even though Block 37 has suffered a few delays, I do think that the project will be a success in the long term. However, I have instead decided to focus on the Roosevelt Collection project which will cover the region effectively and makes more sense for my growth strategy." more ›

The University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago announced they'll be cutting 200 jobs. The move is an attempt to save money to the tune of $14 million. Additional service cuts will put total savings at $25 million. Said spokeswoman Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, "Our goal is to take prudent steps and thoughtfully diligent action now to avoid tough decisions later." more ›

A bone from the arm of Mother Cabrini, a 19th century Italian-American nun who founded hospitals, schools and and orphanages across the country, has made a temporary home at the Shrine of Our Lady Pompeii Church in Little Village. Mother Cabrini is known in the Catholic community for her missionary work that created a whopping 67 institutions in big cities across America, including Chicago's Columbus Hospital in Lincoln Park. In fact her bone normally resides within the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini at Columbus Hospital, which is currently being converted to condos. Cabrini Green was also named in her honor. Mother Cabrini was the first American to become a saint, and was named the patron saint of immigrants. more ›

The City of Chicago is trying to pick a new design for the 2009-2010 city vehicle sticker and they need your help. They solicited designs from area high school students and have narrowed down the choices to 10. As you can see, the city has chosen to honor the city's canines with the design. Be sure to stop by the City Clerk's website to cast your vote. While Chicagoist policy prevents us from officially endorsing a design - and they're all fantastic - we're suckers for anything involving the city flag. more ›

The CTA is creating a stink with some with new signs that are aimed at "continuous riders" that critics say are aimed at the city's homeless. The signs have gone up recently and some, like Chicago Carless' Mike Doyle, suggest the signs are aimed at curbing the number of homeless people who take to the warm train cars during Chicago's harsh winters.

Any regular ‘L’ rider can attest to the wave of homeless Chicagoans who take to the warm interiors of CTA rail cars during the city’s brutal winter months. Although generally a benign presence in the system, their downtrodden visual appearance–and in many cases odor–earns them the ire of many fellow, more fortunate passengers. more ›

Coming off last week's ugly loss in Green Bay, the Bears were looking for an opportunity to move forward in their quest to outlast their rivals and win the NFC North. Working in the Bears favor more than anything, perhaps, is their remaining schedule -- starting with Sunday's match-up against the St. Louis Rams. The Bears took care of business and headed north of .500 with a definitive 27-3 victory. more ›

Cook County Commissioner and notarized Red Wings hater Mike Quigley is filing papers to run for the U.S. Congressional seat being vacated by Rahm Emanuel, a race which continues to heat up. Quigley has a history of battling with Mayor Daley so he could become The Anti-Daley Candidate. While many have talked the talked about joining the race to replace Rahm, the only other candidate to officially file is state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. more ›

We have to hand it to the GOP: regardless of your political stance, the Republican Party has come up with a nice piece of online satire with Barackbook.com. The site, designed to mirror Facebook, satirizes Barack's online presence while also being used as a tool for pushing the GOP agenda. The site was originally started in July, but continues to be updated even since Obama won the Presidential election on November 4. Of course, the site loses its bite by satirizing one of the reasons Obama won the election (those pesky internets), but its continual presence may provide Republicans with a successful tool as the new administration begins and focus turns to 2010. That is, if they can come up with more successful attacks than the exhausted attempts to connect Obama to William Ayers and ACORN. more ›

As the busiest travel day of the year - Wednesday - approaches, Chicagoans look like they're going to be blessed by two things: good weather and lower gas prices. While Chicago has had the highest average gas price in the nation the last few years, the nation's gas price drop has reached us. So low, in fact, that some stations have regular unleaded actually below the current national average of $1.98. The lower prices come as the price of a barrel of oil has dropped from $147 a barrel in July to under $50 a barrel currently, as close to a silver lining as you'll find in the current economic crisis. Though this paragraph from the AP story certainly got our attention: "Some 'peak oil' adherents view the theory as an incentive to work harder on alternative energy. Others claim it's too late for that, and forecast an apocalyptic future in which industrial society and the global marketplace give way to local micro-economies with backyard farms, abandoned malls and marauding hordes." Um...Happy Holidays, everyone! more ›

The Circus Trip gets longer for the Bulls, who blew a late lead as the Nuggets claimed a 114-101 win. Down by nine after the first period, the Bulls fought back to take a fourth quarter lead. With around five minutes left and up by three, the Bulls were stunned by a 13-0 Denver run that clinched the Nugget victory. Ben Gordon had 28 points for the Bulls and Drew Gooden added 21 more in the losing effort. After the game, Gordon lamented the Bulls play, saying, "We didn't make enough sharp plays to win the game. When it came to crunch time, we just didn't come with a big enough number of plays.'' The team travels to Utah tonight. more ›

Those are some big flakes we see falling outside the Chicagoist office this morning, but no need for the boots as it probably ain't gonna stick, at least in the city. Snow, maybe mixed with a little bit of rain, will continue to fall throughout the early part of our morning, but will taper off as the day wears on. Clouds may even break a bit towards the afternoon, but temps will still remain in the upper 30s. Winds will be a bit gusty, too, hitting upwards of 30 mph today and into tonight. Still a chance of flurries this evening with lows around 30 and a few more flurries. more ›

• Chicagoist took umbrage with a New York Times article, explored the Korean food Disneyland, examined Rahm Emanuel's Charades game-face, and checked out a cookbook that focuses on an, er, unorthodox ingredient.
• Phillyist covered Philadelphia's Prop. 8 protests and continued to debate Eagles fandom.
• Gothamist bemoaned plans for a fare hike , and how he hates hugging fans.

A group of Chicago residents living on the West Side have filed a suit against the Chicago Police Department for alleged harassment as they celebrated the outcome of the election. more ›

Two Northwestern students have been named Rhodes Scholars. more ›

The centralization will also lead to a more "efficient sharing of information" between officers investigating gang crimes, as well as being able to help "anticipate and prevent" them. [Trib, S-T, Photo by Pam Morgan] more ›

Blackhawks Remain Undefeated On Trip more ›

Today's weather will get along with us just fine, thanks. Sunny skies and temps get a bump into the 40s so it'll be a nice day to get about and take care of some of those pre-holiday errands. Or to sit inside and watch football. It's a day that you can do anything of your choosing. Skies cloud over tonight and there's a chance of a rain/snow mix after midnight as temps drop to the mid 30s. There'll be a mix hangover in the morning, but the National Weather Service says there will be no significant accumulation. more ›

An IIT student missing for a week, Benjamin Collen, 19, was found dead last evening in a fraternity house on campus. Officials believe the death is a suicide, but an investigation is being conducted. [Trib] more ›

It seems the Obama girls have a new school: the private, Quaker Sidwell Friends School, the same school that Chelsea Clinton and the Gore kids attended during that administration. Here's hoping it's as fun as the Constance Billard School for Girls. Also in the news is Long Island's Ludlum Elementary, which has just opted to rename the school after President-Elect Obama. Effective immediately, the school is now Barack Obama Elementary School. James K. Polk remains unimpressed. One more thing: you can check out his weekly address here. more ›

We can't believe this but we actually have...good news to report in regards to the CTA. Beginning this morning, four-track service was fully restored to the Fullerton station. And, don't look now, but the same will be said for the Belmont station by the end of the year, according to CTA President Ron Huberman. Said The Ron via press release: “Completing the three-track operation at Fullerton is an important milestone and marks another chapter in bringing CTA’s largest capital improvement project to fruition. We thank customers for their patience during this project and assure them the accessible stations, longer trains and modernized stations will improve the overall travel experience now and in the future.” more ›

After a sluggish start - to say the least - on their annual Circus Trip, the Bulls finally broke through with a win, edging the Golden State Warriors 115-110. Larry Hughes led the Bulls with 26 points, Derrick Rose added 25, and Drew Gooden put in 18 with 16 rebounds. Before the game, the Bulls had started the season 0-5 on the road. Rose expressed relief at snapping the streak: "We really needed this one. We thought we could come in here and compete against them, and that's what we did. I had to shoot, and that's what I did. I stopped thinking about what I did and reacted to it.'' Next up for the Bulls are back-to-back games tomorrow night (Denver) and Monday (Utah). more ›

Cloudy skies? Bit of a stiff breeze? Cold? Yep, it's Chicago in late November. The highs will reach into the upper 30s and there's a chance of snow flurries early this afternoon. Skies will clear a bit tonight as temps drop to the lower 20s. Skilling says there's a chance of snow Monday. Don't tease us, Tom. more ›

Someone needs to put a moratorium on celebrities giving their babies idiot names. This time around, popster wife Ashlee Simpson gave birth to her son with husband Pete Wentz of Chicago's Fall Out Boy. The kid's name? Bronx Mowgli Wentz. No, we're not making this shit up. The Bronx is a borough of New York City and Mowgli is the name of the main character of The Jungle Book. According to a spokesperson, "Ashlee, Pete and baby Bronx are all healthy and happy, and thank everyone for their well wishes!" Well, that's good, because that poor kid is going to have his named mocked for the rest of his life. No word if the child was born with eyeliner already applied. more ›

It's been a busy day for the President-Elect. more ›

We thought that July's rash of stories about the Amethyst Initiative and lowering the drinking age had come and gone, but last night CBS 2's Rob Johnson* brought back the age-old question: should we lower the drinking age to 18? And we were all set to spend about 300 words bashing CBS for not checking their fax machine in about 4 months, but lo and behold, across the nation there have been a wave of stories about Amethyst in the past couple weeks. Either people are really curious about the idea of 18-year-olds getting tanked, or Amethyst has a pretty solid PR person with a lot of illicit photos of news desk editors across the country. more ›

On the cover of today’s Chicago Tribune is the story of Patrick Pridemore, 4, of Kentucky, who has a severe wheat allergy. Patrick’s mom bought him foods specifically labeled “gluten free” to cater to those with allergies to wheat, barley and rye. Patrick had a severe reaction, though, because the foods still contained a life-threatening level of wheat, despite the label. more ›

To no one's surprise, sources say the Oprah camp is putting together a special series of shows that will broadcast from Washington D.C. this January surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration. Producers haven't yet nailed down a site for Oprah's Obamarama Take 2, but they're rumored to have their eye on the Kennedy Center. Oprah is also said to be planning an inauguration bash, and is looking for a spot for that too. The important part of the work is done, though, since she already has the dress. [S-T] more ›

Plans to create Chicago’s first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender high school were pulled this week after mounting pressure from Mayor Daley and a group of clergy, who were concerned the school would be a throwback to the days of segregation. Some gay activists, however, believe the segregation charge was a “cover story.” That’s because one of the leading ministers who opposed Pride Campus of Social Justice High School is a supporter of the “sanctity of marriage.” more ›

The survivor of a shooting that killed five women at a Lane Bryant in Tinley Park early this year was taken off of the store’s payroll for some unknown reason – but will be put back on payroll December 1. The unnamed woman was working at the store on February 2, when an armed man entered, robbed the store and ended up shooting her and five others. She was the only one to survive the shooting and had been on Lane Bryant’s payroll up until a few months ago, though her employment status is not certain.

It's not clear why or when Lane Bryant took the store employee off the payroll, but Tinley Park police Chief Michael O'Connell said she would be back on December 1. more ›

Have you ever heard a song by a band and totally been turned on to that band, rushing out to buy their record, listening to it, and then excitedly telling your friend all about your "discovery", saying, "Hey, have you ever heard of this band called The Rolling Stones??? They ROCK!" only to have your heart crushed when your friend tells you that band's old news? (Tankboy has to do it to me all the time.) We hate to be "that friend," but... more ›

Oh, Verizon. Aside from providing me with a last-second Halloween costume idea every year, you've always been benign. Well, until this big no-no. It seems some nosy employees at Verizon accessed Barack Obama's cell phone records, though no voicemails or emails were accessed. Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam issued an apology statement, saying:

We apologize to President-Elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day...a number of Verizon Wireless employees have, without authorization, accessed and viewed President-elect Barack Obama's personal cell phone account...All employees who have accessed the account — whether authorized or not — have been put on immediate leave, with pay. Employees with legitimate business needs for access will be returned to their positions, while employees who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action.

Another Cuban will soon be coming to town, but he's more likely to be playing the hot corner than hanging with fans in the bleachers or chilling in the owner's box. While Mark Cuban's chances of landing the Cubs took a turn for the worse this week, the White Sox are poised to sign Cuban phenom Dayan Viciedo. more ›

The Illinois Tollway Board on Thursday passed a $400 million plan to create "Green Lanes," a.k.a. carpool lanes, in some of the tollway's most congested areas. They hope to have the first lane done by 2010. As expected, the tolls will operate on a tiered system with solo non-hybrid drivers being charged the highest tolls. Our favorite quote on the whole thing comes from today's Sun-Times, which actually sums up the government's stance on just about everything: "But the Tollway still doesn’t know exactly where the carpool lanes are going to be or how they’re going to work." Aaaaaaaaaand SCENE! more ›

While the Bulls have floundered thus far on their Circus Trip, things are going much better for the Guys on Ice. The Blackhawks moved to 2-0 on the trip as they beat Dallas last night, 6-3. Nikolai Khabibulin had 31 saves on 34 shots in goal for the 'Hawks, including 13 in the first period as a fast Dallas start gave them a 10-1 edge in shots early on. Still, led by Patrick Kane's pair of goals, the 'Hawks fought back. The game had a back-and-forth nature with the teams exchanging goals for most of the first two periods. With the score tied 3-3, Kris Versteeg scored with 30 seconds left in the second period to give the 'Hawks a 4-3 lead and Chicago would add two more goals in the third to clinch the victory. Besides Kane and Versteeg, Ben Eager, Brian Campbell, and Martin Havlat all scored. Next up on the road trip is a Saturday night date north of the border with the Maple Leafs. more ›

We've received a couple of emails asking us, "Why do you love the snow so much since you always complain how cold it is?" Let's see: more ›

Gun charges against Drew Peterson stemming from a semi-automatic weapon police seized were dismissed this afternoon after prosecutors refused to cooperate with a judge's ruling. The judge had ruled that prosecutors had to turn over to the defense all documents they compiled before they arrested Peterson on the gun charge. Attorneys for Bolingbrook's Most Notorious Ex-Husband™ claim the charge was a case of vindictiveness. So it looks like we will be prevented from seeing the awesomeness of John Travolta testifying on behalf of Drew. more ›

Governor Blagojevich suffered a setback today as the Fourth District Illinois Appellate Court ruled in favor of releasing to the public federal subpoenas his administration has received. The Better Government Association sued the Governor to release the documents under the state of Illinois' Freedom of Information Act claiming they wanted to see how extensive the corruption investigation of Blagojevich has become. more ›

Courtesy of our sister site DCist comes the news that D.C.'s mass transit system, Metro, is issuing special commemorative SmarTrip passes (similar to CTA's Chicago Card) for Obama's upcoming inauguration. This has us wondering if the CTA can think of a way to one up D.C. Maybe relabeling all Orange lines with the signature Obama "O"? more ›

Today marks the completion of the first stage of the O'Hare expansion as its new $450 million runway opened for business. The first flight to land on the runway (the first new one in the city in 37 years) was welcomed by Mayor Daley as well as U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and Federal Aviation Administration chief Bobby Sturgell. Washington D.C.'s Dulles and Seattle's airports also had runway grand openings today. Supporters are promising that the new runway will help alleviate O'Hare's well-known delays.

Synonymous with air-travel angst for decades, O'Hare's delays persist despite a more than 8 percent fall in traffic this year. Mother Nature has been the airport's main vulnerability because when bad weather reduced visibility, controllers could land just two planes at a time -- reducing capacity by a third. more ›

Mayor Daley’s unofficial city council floor leader, 40th Ward Ald. Pat O’Connor, says he’d like to run for Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s seat but only if the mayor gives him the thumbs up. Receiving Daley’s blessing would be a major bonus for any candidate competing in the special election for Emanuel’s soon-to-be-vacant House seat. So far, six other Chicago aldermen in have expressed some interest in the seat. Those aldermen are Manuel Flores (1st), Ariel Reboyras (30th), Tom Allen (38th), Margaret Laurino (39th), Tom Tunney (44th) and Eugene Schulter (47th). State Representative Sara Feigenholtz has filed her paperwork to run and may be joined by some colleagues. more ›

As Mayor Daley heads east to join Pat Ryan in Turkey today to lobby the European Olympic Committee on behalf of Chicago 2016, the pair will be joined by President-Elect Barack Obama. Sort of. Obama has recorded a message which will be played at the meeting supporting Chicago 2016's efforts. Daley is hoping that at next year's final presentation in Copenhagen, the real Obama will join the Chicago delegation. more ›

The FBI says that the number of bank robberies in Chicago this year (220 to date) is on pace to surpass 2007 numbers (226), but probably won’t surpass the record number set in 2006 (284). They also reported that the number of robberies has spiked in the last two to three weeks, and the incidents are becoming increasingly dangerous. Apparently, it’s no coincidence that the number of bank robberies is on the rise as the economy is tanking. Crimes like muggings and ATM hold-ups also increase during times of economic strife. The Sun-Times reported Tuesday that police are focusing crime fighting in areas hit hardest by foreclosures. "Abandoned buildings breed crime," police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. Officers in the Troubled Buildings Unit have been identifying abandoned properties, patrolling them to keep gangs, vandals and other criminals out and getting the city involved in dealing with the owners, Bond said. more ›

Pena testified that he had opened one bag and thought it was so good he wanted a third. But he said that as he walked to the front of the store to pay, he became concerned that he couldn't hear his radio. He said he forgot about the extra bag when he went outside.

Virginia Choice, the mother of Melvin Choice III, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the drowning death of her son. Melvin was one of three teens who drowned at an area camp last week when they sneaked out of their cabin and took a paddle boat on the river which then sank. The suit names VisionQuest (the leadership camp the boys were attending), YMCA of McHenry County (who runs Camp Algonquin where the drownings occurred), and North Lawndale College Preparatory High School (the school the boys attended) as defendants. The suit claims "the defendants failed to secure paddle boats or warn that the plugs on the bottom of the boats had been removed." The plug removals were part of the camps winterizing of the boats. more ›

North Side State Senator Jon Cullerton (6th District) was selected to replace Emil Jones as President of the State Senate Wednesday night by fellow Democrats. The vote came on the second ballot as Cullerton defeated Belleville Sen. James Clayborne for the spot. The selection of Cullerton signals a shift in Springfield: Jones was an ally of Gov. Rod Blagojevich but Cullerton got his start as a deputy to House Speaker and Blago foe Mike Madigan. Senate Democrats will submit the Cullerton pick to the full Senate in January. Political alliances are fun! more ›

In what was easily one of their worst performances of the season, the Bulls got absolutely trounced by the Portland Trail Blazers 116-74. We know, it's the Circus Trip, but this is only game two, so that excuse is out the window. The game that featured the last two No. 1 picks in the NBA Draft (2007's Greg Oden - Portland, and 2008's Derrick Rose - Chicago) turned out to be completely one-sided. The Blazers took advantage of terrible shooting by the Bulls and raced out to a 34-13 lead and cruised the rest of the way. If you're looking for a silver lining, you can stop. Nocioni led all Bulls in scoring, putting in 13 off the bench while Gordon and Gooden both added 11. Things don't get any easier with four games - against Golden State, Denver, Utah, and San Antonio - in the next six days and Luol Deng sidelined with a pulled groin he suffered against the Lakers. more ›

So there was more sun than we expected yesterday, but today, that won't be the case. A new frontal boundary is making its way through the area (they never call to let us know, jerkstores) and it's gonna deliver us the coolest chill of the season yet - even though three months from now this kind of weather will seem absolutely balmy. It'll be cloudy with a chance of flurries after lunch and highs peaking in the low 30's in the early afternoon before tumbling to the upper teens - with a chance of more flurries - tonight. Chicago Weather Godfather Tom Skiling says get used to it: the next few weeks will be colder than normal. more ›

Todd Stroger, the beloved President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, today issued a reminder via press release that December 2, 2008 is the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance for disaster relief stemming from this fall's flooding. According to the release, "To date, more than 30,000 businesses and residents have filed a claim through FEMA for assistance in the wake of this fall’s catastrophic flooding, with FEMA disbursing $35 million to impacted counties, including Cook. A full 88% of those funds – $33.5 million – have been disbursed to Cook County residents alone." To apply, call FEMA at 1-800 621-FEMA (3362). more ›

Q What do motorists pay elsewhere? more ›

Now that Mayor Daley has addressed the Obama security issue and passed his 2009 budget, it's time for more important things: like a trip to Turkey to make a pitch for Chicago 2016. The Mayor's packing his bags as we speak because he'll leave tomorrow to attend a European Olympic Committee gathering and press the flesh to sway those members to vote for Chicago. Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan, who is already in Istanbul for the meeting, said, "It’s not critical that a government leader be at each of these meetings. But it’s important to be at some of them. We have very strong support from Mayor Daley and city government. It’s important that he be here to demonstrate that strong partnership." Ryan also added that the city's bid was aided by the Obama election: "The Obama election has been helpful in that it’s putting a very bright spotlight on Chicago. The acceptance speech in Grant Park, the multi-culturalism and passion of the people, the outstanding acceptance speech resonated around the world. The fact that President-elect Obama is managing the transition from Chicago continues to put a spotlight on Chicago." more ›

The Chicago City Council passed the city budget today with a 49 - 1 vote. Ald. Billy Ocasio (26th) cast the only dissenting vote. Mayor Daley’s hard-times budget will cut no more than 770 city jobs, down from the nearly 1000 originally proposed. The plan will also raise parking taxes, raise amusement taxes and charge fees on private dumpsters. more ›

The not-quite full-size foam replica of the Statue of Liberty won't be going up in Hammond after all. The statue was to go up in Wolf Lake but a structural engineer has told officials it's just not feasible.

Engineer Don Corson told the Hammond Redevelopment Commission that wind and ultraviolet light would damage the 130-foot, 50,000-pound resin-covered statue and it would require extensive renovation for an outdoor display.

A suburban school district's technology director is behind bars after soliciting a 17-year-old for a homemade porn movie. Michael Kolb, 23, of Woodstock, worked for Alden-Hebron District 19 and the incident allegedly happened in late October. According to Hebron Police Chief Dale Egland:

"He asked her if she was still doing some modeling work to which she said yes," Egland said. "He told her there was more money to be made in the adult film business." more ›

The Saga of Jason Austin continues. The West Side man was originally charged with the murders of off-duty Chicago Police Officer Robert Soto and social worker Kathryn Romberg only to later have the charges dropped. Following his release, he decided to sue the city for mistreatment. One of the reasons given for the dismissal of charges was that witnesses recanting. Now comes an admission of guilt by a teenager who was charged with beating a witness who talked to police about Austin and the murders.

During the investigation, two teenage girls – Tashianda Howland, 18, and a 16-year-old relatives, were charged with beating and intimidating a female witness. more ›

Yesterday, we looked at the Chicago Police Department's efforts with President-Elect Barack Obama's security team and the cost (covered by the federal government) of the extra man hours. Looking to deflect the whisperings of criticism, Mayor Daley took to the press to defend the work being done to protect Obama and the benefit to Chicago. As usual, we can't do his words justice so we'll let him speak for himself:

This is a great honor…We’re excited about him being here. This is his transition. He could go to Washington, D.C…He’s not going to buy right into Washington. He’s here and he has people from all walks of life coming here. It is putting us on a global map more than anything else... more ›

The Chicago City Council is preparing to vote on Mayor Daley’s 2009 budget plan today and you can watch a live stream of the council meeting through the city clerk’s website. The Daley administration hopes to close a $469 million budget shortfall by cutting no more than 770 city jobs, enacting more furlough days, and also raising a slew of taxes, which includes increasing the daily garage parking tax to $3 from $2.25 and increasing the amusement tax by one percent. The Daley administration also wants to impose an annual fee on private dumpsters for businesses and larger condos. That measure is estimated to bring in $8 million next year. The Denver boot will also be used on cars with two unpaid tickets that are a year or more old. Earlier this week, a deal was reached between the city's labor unions and Mayor Daley that will reduce the number of city worker layoffs. more ›

So after all that hand-wringing and hoopla surrounding the proposed GBLT-friendly School for Social Justice Pride Campus or whatever they finally decided to call it, planners of the high school have decided to once again shelve plans for the school a day before the plan was to go before the school board. It seems that even after trying to rework the structure of the school so as to allow other "disenfranchised" students, they faced a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation: criticism from opponents who called it segregation and criticism from supporters who decried the new plan as "watered down." Chicago Public School district spokesman Michael Vaughn said, "There are some members of the design team who felt it was watered down too much and there was not enough consensus...to move forward as it stood." So now what? Well, it seems it's back to the drawing board for the team, who plan to come back with a new plan next year and hopes of opening the school in 2010. more ›

The 'Hawks snapped a three-game skid and earned their second shoot-out win of the year, beating the Coyotes 3-2 to start their lengthy road trip. Kris Versteeg and Patrick Sharp scored goals a minute apart at the end of the first period to put the Blackhawks up 2-0, but the Coyotes managed a goal in each of the remaining periods to force overtime. Nikolai Khabibulin made 36 saves in all, including two in the shootout, to help the 'Hawks hold on for the win; Sharp and Jonathan Toews scored in the shoot-out for Chicago. While it's a long road trip for the team, Sharp seemed optimistic about it, saying, "It's good for us to get out on the road. We like playing at the United Center, but it's good to be around each other quite a bit and build some chemistry." more ›

So that very brief and very light dusting of snow on Monday evening was all just a tease. Those annoying southwest winds that are buffeting you on your morning commute? They'll actually be "boosting" temps to seasonable levels - mid 40s - and the sun will make a cameo. The gusty winds will blow through the day and into the evening and lows will drop to around 30 tonight as a new round of cold air will make its way to town. Flurries become a part of the forecast again as the week goes on, but no accumulation, unlike our friends in northern Indiana who will be dealing with more lake effect snow. Apropos of nothing, today is World Toilet Day. more ›

A lawsuit against the mayor and other city officials of Bridgeview is going forward. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve allows former World Golf Dome owner John LaFlamboy to move forward with his suit against the officials. LaFlamboy claims Bridgeview mayor Steve Landek and other village officials tried to coerce him into selling them his 50 percent interest in the World Golf Dome. The dome was a key part in luring the Chicago Fire to base itself in the suburb; the facility has conversion features that make it adaptable for other sports, like soccer. Politicians strong-arming ordinary citizens? This sort of thing never happens here in Chicago. more ›

It looks like Chicago’s first high school for GLBT students may not be back in the closet after all. Last month, a plan to open Pride Campus of Social Justice High School was shot down by Mayor Daley over concerns that the school amounted to segregation. The plan, however, has now been revived and retooled. Pride Campus will now be called Social Justice Solidarity High School and will allow kids who are bullied for other reasons. “They wanted to try and make sure that the scope was broadened so that kids who are isolated for other issues, whether that be religion, obesity or other things that kids get teased about...have a spot at that school too,” said Chicago Public Schools spokesman Michael Vaughen to the Chicago Tribune. more ›

We're big fans of the ladies of the Windy City Rollers and are excited to have them back in the city after a stint in Cicero. And we're even more thrilled to hear they placed second in the recent WFTDA Northwest Knockdown Championship. TOC's Scott Smith runs down the action and hears from Roller Varla Vendetta. more ›

In court records unsealed recently, it seems that Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak was ultimately done in by "buddy" Stuart Levine, who taped conversations between he and Vrdolyak in 2006. And if that name sounds familiar, yes, it's the same Stuart Levine whose testimony was the crux of the case against one Mr. Tony Rezko. Vrdolyak just pled guilty a few weeks ago to the real estate kickback scheme of Rosalind Franklin University's sale of a Gold Coast building. In the taped conversations, Levine is described as, "pressing his old pal for his share of a bogus finder's fee." The Trib recounts this more succinctly than we ever could.

Levine, a board member at the school, tapped his friend Vrdolyak to find a buyer, Smithfield Properties Development. more ›

The Chicago Cubs and Ryan Dempster are close to agreeing on a new contract for the free agent right-hander that would keep him in Cub blue. The contract is rumored to be a four-year deal that would pay Dempster around to $52 million to stay in Chicago. After an uneven three-year stint as the Cubs' closer, Dempster was moved back to the rotation this year where he experienced a renaissance, going 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA and was almost unhittable at Wrigley (14-3, 2.86 ERA). No word on how this may affect the Cubs' pursuit of either Jake Peavy (yes, please) or Randy Johnson (no, thanks). more ›

This weekend, Chicago Public Schools head Arne Duncan met with one of the families of the three boys who drowned last week in the Fox River during a leadership camp. Duncan sat down with the family of Jimmy Avant, who drowned attempting to rescue two of his friends whose paddleboat capsized; the boys were partaking in what one sheriff deemed "shenanigans" late last Thursday night when the incident occurred. Avant's mother, Sharon Gowdy, said:

They were all working hard. They all had great dreams…dreams are shattered now. He'll never drive a car. He'll never have a child. He'll never walk across a stage. He'll never go to college...They shouldn't have been allowed to sneak out there -- you know kids will be kids.

Tigers, elephants and clowns [Ed.'s Note: God, I hate clowns. - M.G.] are filing into the United Center, which means only one thing for Bulls and Blackhawks fans -- the dreaded "circus trip." Each November, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus exiles the Bulls and Blackhawks from their home for an extended road trip. For the Bulls, the trip usually wreaks havoc with the young team's record and psyche -- since MJ left town, the Bulls are a cumulative 6-52. This year's squad, led by rookie Derrick Rose on the court and a rookie coach on the sideline, is off to a surprising 5-5 start. Will that give them the confidence to hold their own while away, or will the road trip derail their early success? more ›

More than 20 people were injured this morning when a vehicle rear-ended a No. 12 Roosevelt bus near the intersection of Roosevelt Rd. and Blue Island Ave (close to St. Ignatius College Prep). Over 15 bus passengers required medical attention, all from minor injuries according to a CTA spokeswoman. A Chicago Fire Dept. spokesman said a total of 23 people were reported in fair condition and one in serious-to-critical condition at the scene. Over a dozen ambulances were ready to take injured passengers to hospitals though exactly how many would require hospitalization is still unknown. more ›

If you work in the Loop, particularly in the vicinity of the Kluczynski Federal Building (230 S. Dearborn) you've probably noticed a heavy police presence thanks to President-Elect Barack Obama, who has a temporary office in the building while he waits to move into his new official office. And while the city certainly celebrated Obama's election victory a few weeks ago, more people are growing a little frustrated with immense security. more ›

The family of Janice DiCosolo, a Cicero woman who died from an overdose of fentanyl as a result of using a painkilling Duragesic skin patch, has been awarded $16.5 million. The Cook County jury ruled that Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc. and ALZA Corp, both subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson, knew about the defect in the patch. A spokesman for the two companies offered his condolences to DiCosolo's family but said the companies are planning an appeal. DiCosolo died in February 2004. more ›

Today remains a tad unseasonably chilly with highs in the mid 30s, but man that sun is nice and bright, huh? And every minute of sun while we can get it is welcomed. Clouds roll in during the evening and temps will drop to the mid 20s, but no precipitation is expected (unlike our friends in NW Indiana who are digging out from some lake effect snow) and temps look like they'll warm to normal levels by Wednesday...only to plummet again on Thursday. more ›

A few weeks ago, we learned there was a chance that the Cubs might help the Yankees christen their new stadium in an exhibition series. Today, Major League Baseball confirmed the series, assigning the dates of April 3 and 4 for the two-game stint. The Cubs last played in the Bronx back in 2005. Co-chairperson of the Yankees, Hal Steinbrenner, said, "The Yankees organization is excited and honored to host the Chicago Cubs in two exhibition games to be played at the new Yankee Stadium. As we welcome our fans into the ballpark for the first time, it is fitting to showcase two of Baseball's greatest and most historic franchises." In case you're counting, the Yankees have won all 26 of their World Series titles since the last time the Cubs won (1908). more ›

As the national (and state) unemployment rates continue to rise, Governor Blagojevich has announced the launching of a new state-run website, in conjunction with CareerBuilder, that will connect citizens to new job openings. Illinois workNet was launched today, with Blago billing it as, "the best place for Illinois' job seekers and businesses to connect to resources and services needed to be successful in the 21st century economy." Blago also announced state-wide "Workforce Outreach Days" intended to help prepare potential employees with career planning and training. Said the governor, via a press statement:

I know that Illinoisans are suffering. We see evidence of that everyday as families make difficult decisions about budgeting their money, how to get by while they look for a new job, or how to ensure that their children have opportunities in this tough economy. While our state cannot fix the mistakes made by those on Wall Street and in Washington, we do offer services to help families through a difficult time. During Illinois Workforce Week, I want to make sure that Illinoisans know that they can get help through services like Illinois workNet, All Kids, and LIHEAP.

Metra and Google have partnered to bring us a trip planner that allows residents to plan trips involving Metra's commuter trains now, a great tool for those of us who aren't too familiar with what train to take to which suburb. While the planner incorporates CTA buses and trains, its drawback is the absence of Pace information. It offers the same info as the RTA's trip planner, but with the world going Google crazy, Metra is happy to get the plug at no cost. more ›

Crime novelist Laura Caldwell, 41, was attacked last week while jogging in Lincoln Park, at 5:30 p.m. near the intersection of Seminary and Altgeld. Two men came up from behind, smashing Caldwell's face into the pavement and knocking out her front teeth, then grabbing her iPod and running off. On her website, Caldwell said, "You might see some media reports about me being mugged while out for a run in my Chicago neighborhood. Yep, kind of got my butt kicked. Lost some teeth, but got some new ones. The swelling is way down, the ego is still a little bruised. I'll be back to writing on Monday." more ›

There's news out of City Hall today and for the first time in weeks it doesn't involve Mayor Daley's Prophesies of Doom™. Instead, it seems the Mayor and union leaders have worked out an agreement that could greatly reduce the 929 planned layoffs in the city's 2009 budget. In exchange for offering eligible union members cash incentives for voluntary retirement, union leaders have agreed to reduce the cost of overtime for city workers.

"We have 433 eligible people in the Laborers pension fund. We're hoping around 60 will take advantage of it," Lou Phillips, business manager of Laborers Local 1001, said Monday. more ›

Pop quiz: Let's say that your fourth wife goes missing. And let's say it happens under suspicious circumstances. And then let's say that after her disappearance, the police reclassify your third wife's death from "accident" to "homicide" which only fans the flames of speculation that you're involved in her death as well as said fourth wife's disappearance. Do you: more ›

Ever been to a pawn shop? Ever hocked an old ring or a bracelet? The State of Illinois is essentially doing the same thing starting on Sunday, and your grandma's abandoned property is what's up for grabs. The treasurer's office is using their digital presence on the World's Biggest Swap Meet to bring in some extra cash for the holidays, and you too can be a part of it. more ›

Safia Jilani, 19, pleaded not guilty today to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from her allegedly false claim of an attack at Elmhurst College. Her attorney, Terry Ekl, said she, "is in treatment and I hope the public wouldn't judge her until all the facts are known." Jilani claimed that she had been attacked by a masked gunman on October 9 and made claims of anti-Muslim graffiti. Since the revelation that the attack was faked, she has been expelled from Elmhurst and is currently residing at her family's home while she awaits her December 22 court date, free on $10,000 bond. more ›

In a development that won't help his already long-shot bid to buy the Cubs, Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban has been charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Wall Street Journal explains it all thusly:

Mr. Cuban sold his entire 6% ownership stake on June 28, 2004, after learning that Mamma.com was raising money through a private investment in a public entity, or PIPE. The next day, on June 29, the company announced the PIPE financing and shares of the company dropped by more than 10%. By selling his stake, the SEC alleges, Mr. Cuban avoided more than $750,000 in losses.

The now-former Senator from Illinois continues to dominate the news around here (though we'll pass on his gym updates, Trib). more ›

With the Bears atop the NFC North, Lovie Smith's perfect record at Lambeau and Kyle Orton's return to the field, we Bears fans felt pretty good when waking up Sunday morning. But none of that mattered as the Packers destroyed the Bears 37-3. The Bears were equally horrible on both sides of the ball, where the offense managed 234 yards of total offense and a lone field goal while the defense showed little ability to stop the run or pass. more ›

Cook County sheriff's police broke up a dogfight taking place in the basement of a house in the 500 block of West 66th St. on Saturday night. The fight was attended by 50 people, including a pregnant woman and a few teenagers. Three men (pictured from left to right: Donaver Jones, Melvin Trent and Timothy Norris) were charged with felony dogfighting. All others were issued misdemeanor tickets for attending a dogfight.

Police swept into the basement about 10 p.m. Saturday night to find a bloodied 10-by-10-foot makeshift ring surrounded by 3-foot-high wooden boards smeared with blood, bites and scratches. The floor of the ring was covered with a red rug that police said was used to disguise blood. more ›

A body of a man in his 20's pulled from Lake Michigan yesterday may be that of missing Northwestern student Travis Boehm. Boehm has been missing since November 9 and late last week, searchers found his jacket and other personal items on a Lake Michigan beach near the Northwestern campus. The body was found about six miles south of where the personal items were found. An autopsy was scheduled at the Stein Institute and police also hope to make a positive identification of the body today. more ›

In an offensive explosion of a game, the San Jose Sharks scored two unanswered third period goal to edge the Blackhawks 6-5 on Sunday night. The two teams exchanged goals in the first period to a 2-2 tie and the Sharks opened the second with two straight for a 4-2 lead. The Blackhawks struck back for three consecutive goals to take a 5-4 lead, but the Sharks got a pair of third period goals and San Jose goalie Brian Boucher stopped all eight Blackhawks shots in the third to hold on for the victory. Cristobal Huet started in goal stopped 25 of 31 shots in the loss. Kris Versteeg netted two goals for the 'Hawks while Campbell, Barker, and Kane contributed the other three. Said Campbell of a game when five goals isn't enough for a win, “It’s pretty frustrating. We’ve given away a couple of points in our last few games and we’re not happy about it. That was why tonight’s game was so important.” more ›

How awesome were those snow showers last night? Very pretty and peaceful. Anyway. Today starts out partly cloudy and breezy, but clouds will increase throughout the day and more flurries could be on tap for this afternoon and evening. Temps will top out in the mid 30s but will drop to the lower-to-mid 20s as skies clear overnight. Looks like it'll remain chilly throughout the week, but at least it'll be sunny. But tell that to the folks in NW Indiana who are facing a lot of lake effect snow. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

Quarterback C.J. Bacher tossed two third quarter touchdowns to give Northwestern a lead over Michigan they wouldn't relinquish on their way to a 21-14 win over the Wolverines. Bacher finished with 198 yards passing and two touchdowns with two interceptions. It was an ugly weather day as precipitation switched between rain and snow, forcing Michigan to go to the ground which wasn't enough as they found themselves looking at the school's first-ever eight loss season. As for the Wildcats, they're enjoying their first eight win season since 2000, which also happens to be the last time they beat Michigan (a crazy 54-51 overtime win). They close out the season next week in Evanston against Illinois. more ›

Tim already told you about yesterday's Prop 8 protest rally, so here's our first round of pics from the rally, including some reader contributed pics to our Flickr pool. more ›

Gay and straight, black and white, young and old came together yesterday in Federal Plaza to protest the passing of California’s Proposition 8, which amends California’s constitution banning any marriage that is not between a man and a woman. Reportedly, over 2,000 people gathered, banners and rainbow flags in hand before marching on City Hall and eventually to Michigan Avenue. more ›

Today's weather might seem familiar: it's almost identical to yesterday. It'll be cloudy, high in the upper 30s and a chance of flurries. Temps will dip into the 20s again tonight with clouds hanging around. We wish we could get excited about the weather...but come to us when the snow starts to fall. We'll be more pumped then. more ›

Photo by chloeloe
• A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot near his South Side home last night. It was only part of a violent 24 hours for the city.
• Republican "power broker" William Cellini enteres a not guilty plea yesterday to his extortion charges.
• FEMA will be providing $45 million in relief for Illinois victims of fall flooding.

As Senator Barack Obama prepares to resign his senate seat tomorrow to focus on his transition to President full-time, he has taken to YouTube to issue his first radio address since being elected President. The address focuses on the economy, referencing the G-20 summit, discussing the current unemployment situation, and encouraging Congress to pass a down payment to stimulate the economy. more ›

Singer/actress Jennifer Hudson took to her MySpace blog this week to issue a quick note of thanks to fans for support since the triple murders that claimed her mother, brother, and nephew. In the post, Hudson said:

I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your love and concern. jhud

President-Elect Barack Obama is set to announce long-time campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett as a Senior Aide in the White House. Jarrett has been associated with the Obamas for almost 17 years, going back to before Michelle and Barack got married. Her experience in the city of Chicago (for better or for worse, depending on your point of view), is extensive.

All told, Jarrett served eight years with the city of Chicago, as deputy corporation counsel for finance and development and then as deputy chief of staff. She later became commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development. more ›

On Friday, Metra announced the suspension of two engineers for allowing "unauthorized access to their locomotive cabs," according to the Chicago Tribune. The unauthorized person is believed to be the same teenager who illegally operated another Metra train, resulting in the resignation of a third engineer. Not exactly reassuring for suburban commuters, as this announcement follows recent news of an $11 million settlement in an unrelated Metra derailment incident, in which operator error was blamed. And if you're not yet convinced that teenagers shouldn't operate commercial transit vehicles, maybe this will change your tune. The positive spin? Kids, you can do anything if you put your mind to it! more ›

The Blackhawks dug themselves an early hole, allowing two goals in the first seven minutes and finding themselves down to St. Louis 3-1 just a hair over halfway through a fight-marred first period. They fought back and forced overtime, but the Blues pulled out the victory in overtime, 4-3. Down 3-1, Dave Bolland brought the 'Hawks back with a short-handed goal in the second period, and then the equalizer in the third, his first two goals of the season. But a controversial hooking penalty called on Bolland in overtime led to the game-winner from St. Louis' Andy McDonald. Coach Quenneville said, “It was a tough call there at the end. I don’t think [Bolland] did anything wrong on the play. It was just a hard play.” Jonathon Toews reflected on the 'Hawks stumble out of the gate: “I think we dug ourselves a hole tonight. We battled back and had a chance to win. We can’t blame anybody but us for the slow start and the penalties that we took. It’s pretty simple to see what we didn’t do tonight.” Nikolai Khabibulin was in goal, allowing all four goals out of 30 shots. more ›

Chilly air returnes today as temps will hover in the upper 30s and cloudy skies prevail. There's a slight chance of snow flurries as the day goes on and temps dip unto the 20s tonight. Winds will gust upwards of 25 to 30 miles per hour. Tomorrow...looks like more of the same. more ›

The economic crisis that's gripping the nation might have claimed yet another local victim: vehicle stickers. Whether or not that's the reason fewer people are buying stickers (as opposed to, say, laziness), you'll still get ticketed out the wazoo if you're caught sans sticker.

Through Oct. 31, investigators for the city clerk's office had issued 46,541 tickets to vehicles that either had an expired city sticker or no sticker at all. That's up 8 percent from the same period a year ago. City stickers cost $75 for passenger vehicles, reduced to $30 for senior citizens. The sticker fee for SUVs went up -- from $90 to $120 -- in 2008. The 46,541 figure includes only those tickets written by the clerk's office.

Three Chicago teens - Jimmie Avant, 18, Melvin Choice III, 17 and Adrian Jones, 16 - died when their paddleboat sank into the Fox River early this morning. It seems two of the boys died when the boat capsized and the third died after attempting to rescue the other two. Conditions of the river delayed recovery of the bodies; the last body was pulled from the river shortly before 11 a.m. this morning. All three boys were students at North Lawndale College Prep and were participating in an eight-day leadership camp. more ›

Looks like the Thompson Center may see a mob of repo-men pretty soon. That’s because Comptroller Dan Hynes says the state’s backlog of unpaid bills could reach $5 billion by next year. According to the AP, Hynes sent out a letter to state leaders warning them of the fiscal crisis. “While it may have become a habit to dismiss my pronouncements as more of the same gloom and doom, the consequences of inaction are very real and potentially catastrophic,” Hynes said in the statement. He cautioned lawmakers that if nothing is done, state troopers might not be able to buy gasoline and food suppliers to state prisons will stop making deliveries. more ›

Time is ticking for Governor Rod Blagojevich to find a successor to Obama’s senate seat. The odds on Tammy Duckworth getting the spot just got worse thanks to her pal, Sen. Dick Durin. Durbin and Blagojevich are apparently not on good terms, but then again who is? Durbin has publicly chided the governor in the past over his on-going feud with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, saying he’d rather mediate Baghdad than Springfield. Durbin has said he gets plenty of complaints from Illinois residents as well as his colleagues in Washington about the gridlock in Springfield. more ›

No, we had never heard of local rapperBump J, at least until he robbed a bank in Oak Park almost two years ago. After a long hunt for him, Bump J (real name Terrance Boykin) was arrested in Carbondale during what the Sun-Times calls, "a routine traffic stop." He's accused of robbing a Chase Bank in January 2007 and making off (along with an assailant) with $100,000 cash. He faces up to 20 years if convicted. And even though we haven't heard of him, apparently we've heard one of his songs: the Kanye-produced "Move Around" which has appeared in commercials and a Madden video game. Language NSFW... more ›

Regis, a 13-year-old mixed breed dog, is recovering from a fire that claimed the life of his owner. John Petrik, 68, died from a heart attack and smoke inhalation as a result of the fire after rescuers had to forcibly remove him from his home; Petrik refused to leave without his dog. Firefighters managed to rescue the 55-pound dog, who suffered burns to his tail and smoke inhalation. The Oak Park vet treating Regis said, "He's much better, but he's not 100 percent yet." As for Petrik, his brother Joe described his brother's dedication to the dog.

Petrik's brother, Joe, described him as a private man who never married. About 12 years ago, John Petrik rescued Regis at a Cicero intersection after watching the dog get thrown out of the car in front of him at a stop sign. He had cared for the dog ever since, rarely leaving the house because he didn't want to leave the dog alone, Joe Petrik said.

Lorenzo Espinoza, 19, has been charged with drug-induced homicide stemming from the summer death of Naval recruit Michael Falzone. Prosecutors say that Espinoza sold Falzone a "highly potent does of heroin" in June. The charge is a Class X felony and, if convicted, Espinoza could serve up to 60 years in prison. Falzone's death was the third area recruit death attributed to drugs in 2008, the second to heroin. more ›

With their stable of guards thinned by injury and no point guard to back up rookie Derrick Rose, the Bulls signed veteran guard Lindsey Hunter on Thursday. The fifteen year veteran spent most of those years with the Detroit Pistons, who drafted him in with the 10th pick of the 1993 draft. After seven years in Motown, he was traded to the Bucks, Lakers, and Raptors in a span of three seasons, before landing back in Detroit for five more years. more ›

We outlined for you yesterday the specifics of the actual fare increases, but there are a few other tidbits we missed. First, as part of the new budget the CTA passed, 632 workers will be laid off, with as many as 200 losing their jobs before the new budget (and fare hikes) go into effect on January 1. As for the reason that long-term passes increased by only 15 percent instead of 20: "Transit board Chairman Carole Brown said that change was made possible by halting employee enrollment in a "supplemental" pension program for senior staff, a move that was expected to save $3.6 million." more ›

The Chicago Fire's hopes for another MLS title came to an end in Columbus last night as the Crew out-dueled the Fire 2-1 in the MLS Eastern Conference final. Brian McBride scored in the 29th minute on an impressive header to give the Fire a 1-0 edge, but the Crew scored twice in the second half (49th and 55th minute) to take the lead, one they wouldn't relinquish. It was a bittersweet experience for McBride who spent many years in Columbus yellow. The Fire had some late chances, but a fourth trip to the MLS Cup Final wasn't in the cards. Goalkeeper Jon Busch was upbeat after the loss, saying, "We gave a good effort. They have a very good team. We had our chances and they had theirs. We gave them too many chances. The first goal took a little air out of us. I can't say enough good things about these guys. We just had those two lapses." more ›

You see that picture up there? Today will be nothing like that. Today will be another cool, damp, drab day. There's a 50 percent chance of rain and though temps will hit the mid 50s, they'll drop enough this evening (into the low-to-mid 30s) that any rain showers that might fall will turn to snow. But, hey, at least we saw the sun yesterday, which as Skilling predicts, will be a rarity as we head through the weekend. more ›

Photo by DR000
• Sweet Lou's not the only one to get baseball honors this week. White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin and Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano were both received Silver Slugger awards today.
• Some more details have been released in the super creepy case of the Evanston woman living with her 3 dead siblings.
• John Kass takes a look at a smarty pants 12-year-old in Oak Park who decided to do a social experiment by wearing a pro-McCain shirt to school one day, and a pro-Obama shirt the next. Guess which shirt went over better.

With the free agent signing period for Major League baseball set to begin at 12:00 a.m. Friday morning, clubs are making trades to get the most of what they can before they lose players to the market. First up are the Sox, who dealt Nick Swisher and minor leaguer Kanekoa Texeira to the New York Yankees in exchange for infielder Wilson Betemit and a pair of right-handed pitchers, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. While Betemit saw some big league action this year, both pitchers spent '08 in the minors. more ›

The Illinois State Senate yesterday unanimously approved legislation that would allow the dead to testify (in addition to voting) from beyond the grave. This piece of legislation appears to help Will County prosecutors in their case against Drew Peterson, who is suspected of killing two of his wives, by admitting hearsay statements as evidence in murder trials. That means if I tell you, “I saw Chicagoist Editor-in-Chief Marcus Gilmer kill Anderson Cooper,” and I turn up dead the next day, my statement to you can be used as evidence against Marcus for the death of Cooper and myself. [Ed's note - I would never dream of ruffling a hair on Anderson's head. Hunter, on the other hand, took the last donut in the Chicagoist breakroom this morning. - M.G.] more ›

Illinois Senator and U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama has announced he will resign from his Senate Seat this Sunday. In a statement, Obama said, “It has been one of the highest honors and privileges of my life to have served the people of Illinois in the United States Senate." The responsibility for replacing him now falls on Gov. Rod Blagojevich who has said he is not interested in naming himself to the seat. While there's no deadline for making the appointment, aides to the Governor say that the replacement should be named within 60 days of Obama's resignation. We can hear Jesse Jackson, Jr. licking his lips from here. more ›

It looks like the CTA has passed a fare hike for 2009, but media outlets, while not saying exactly how much the hike will be, are reporting it's lower than the proposed 25-cent hike. Update: It seems the 25-cent hike will go into effect for per-ride fares, but the long term passes will have less than a 20 percent hike. Here's a rundown via Chicago Breaking News:

Starting in January, a transit card ride will cost $2, up from $1.75; a rail transit card will cost $2.25, up from $2; a rail Chicago Card will increase to $2.25 from $1.75; and a bus Chicago Card will rise to $2 from $1.75. more ›

Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool has decided he won't run in the special election to select a replacement for outgoing U.S. Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who is vacating his Fifth District seat to become President-Elect Obama's Chief of Staff. Claypool told the Sun-Times, "It was tempting and something I gave a lot of thought. It would be an exciting time to be in Congress and support the president-elect’s agenda and work with people I know and have a long history with in a time of national crisis. But I’ve spent six years working hard to reform county government — I think I can make a bigger difference locally than nationally.” more ›

Mayor Daley has many nicknames among Chicagoans, but we're going to start referring to him as The Harbinger of Doom. Daley announced that he has been informed by several CEOs to expect massive layoffs in the city's private sector as the nation's current economic recession deepens. "Huge layoffs are coming in November and December. And next year, there’s going to be [even more] huge layoffs. All the corporation CEOs have come in to tell me. That’s just the beginning. It’s not their end result." Oh, and that $420 million budget hole the city is facing? Turns out that's not the only bad news we're facing.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that Chicago will close the book on 2008 with an unreserved corporate fund balance of just $1.5 million, a dangerously low level that, Wall Street Rating agencies warned, threatens the all-important bond rating used to determine borrowing costs. more ›

Rafe McMullen had been arrested for trespassing and was residing in police custody at the South Loop (1718 S. State St.) was found dead in lock-up on Wednesday morning; he was declared dead at 6:20 a.m. An autopsy performed yesterday was inconclusive. More info on his arrest was not available. more ›

Could our long, municipal nightmare soon be over? After just one-and-a-half games, might Rex Grossman return to clipboard duty while Kyle Orton lines up under center this coming Sunday? Possibly. While the initial diagnosis on Orton's sprained ankle suggested the Bears starting QB might miss a month, he resumed practicing this week, splitting snaps with Grossman in practice on Wednesday. So that's a good sign, right? Orton was optimistic when asked by the media about his chances, "I'm preparing like I am [playing]," Orton said. "Just going to go from there, day in and day out." more ›

We talked a few days ago about the high demand for Obama inauguration tickets and the high prices being paid for them, even though they're technically free. Well, any hopes Illinois residents had of the state getting a few extras to hand out since we're Obama's "home" state have been dashed. It seems that each Congressional district in the country will get a paltry 198 tickets to hand out to those who signed up with their respective offices. Jesse Jackson, Jr. spokesman Ken Edmonds said, "We received about 1,500 requests in 48 hours on our Web site, not including the thousands of calls since last week. We're disappointed that we'll have to disappoint some of our constituents." more ›

Tisha Muentes, the 15-year-old who went missing two days ago and prompted a frantic search, nonchalantly returned home yesterday, saying she had taken a bus to Indianapolis because she, “felt she needed to get away for a while." Authorities say the girl left town on her own accord and claims she didn't leave town to meet anyone. She was described as being "mentally stable and healthy" and no charges will be filed. Of course, we're sure her parents have a thing or two to say to her about all of this after the work her firefighter father and his colleagues put in looking for her. more ›

On a night that the #3 of Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson, two great Blackhawk defensemen, was retired, the Blackhawks fought hard in a defensive struggle, but dropped the game to Boston in a shootout, 2-1. The teams went almost two complete periods without scoring, but Boston's Marco Sturm tipped in a power play goal in the closing seconds of the second. Jonathon Toews scored the equalizer for the Blackhawks in the middle of the third period on a power play and a scoreless overtime sent the game to a shootout that Boston won 2 goals to 1 to take the win. In spite of the loss, Nikolai Khabibulin had a fantastic night in net, stopping 38 of 39 shots. Coach Quenneville said of the goalie, “Khabibulin had a special night for us. He gave us a chance to win.” Patrick Kane added, “We were on the penalty kill for two minutes [in overtime]. Khabi stood on his head.” more ›

Another day of cloudy skies and moist air, but, hey, no rain. At least while the sun is up. And speaking of Mr. Sun, some breaks in the clouds might allow him to break through as temps rise to the upper 50s. But rain develops late this afternoon and into this evening, lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Tomorrow looks like today, but temps turn cold again tomorrow night and the rain will turn to snow. The coldest weekend in 8 months is coming and Skilling says snow isn't far behind. more ›

Photo by Primeau
• A Lincoln Park High student is suing for his right to transfer to another school after the school board has rejected previous attempts. The student was the victim of an unprovoked attack in October, being beaten by nine other students who all still attend the school. Chicago Public Schools allow "safety transfers" for similar situations but for some reason have repeatedly rejected this request
• Nothing strikes fear in our hearts quite like this sentence: "City of Evanston Health and Human Services officials declared an official outbreak of Pertussis [aka Whooping Cough]."
• Sen. Dick Durbin briefly addressed a crowd of reporters yesterday and talked about the recent death of his oldest child, Christine. Durbin said, "It's a reminder that politics has its limits. Life goes on, life and death, and…your family is the most important thing."

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve today rejected Tony Rezko's request for a new trial. Much has been made of how the conviction rested on the testimony of Stuart Levine. Sayeth the judge in a 34-page opinion:

The government introduced substantially more evidence than just the testimony of Stuart Levine to prove defendant Rezko’s criminal conduct, including extensive corroborating wire taps. When viewing all of the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, the government proved defendant’s knowledge and intent beyond a reasonable doubt. A new trial is not required in the interest of justice.

Involuntary manslaughter charges against E2 nightclub owner Dwain Kyles stemming from the 2003 stampede tragedy have been dropped this afternoon by Cook County prosecutors. The dismissal comes on the heels of last year's acquittal of Kyles' three co-defendants. According to the A.P., "Wednesday's dismissal follows an appellate court's upholding of the same judge's ruling not to allow prosecutors to introduce a Housing Court order as evidence at Kyles' trial. The order was issued before the stampede and required E2 to close because of code violations. The judge, however, said it was vague." Still no word on co-owner Calvin Hollins, Jr.'s lawsuit against the city. more ›

It's always a busy day in the world of Donald Trump, but it's a little bit busier around our very own Trump Tower as of late. First, Crain's Chicago has scoured the real-estate listings to find that the Editor-In-Chief of the Chicago Sun-Times, Michael Cooke, flipped his condo for a tidy profit recently. Hey, good for him - at least the newspaper industry is on a paying basis for somebody.* Maybe he can get a show on A&E now. more ›

When an Elgin woman jumped into the Fox River attempting suicide yesterday afternoon, a group of onlookers called 911 to report the incident; rescue divers pulled the woman, still alive, from the river not far from the bridge where she jumped in. It was a decision that officials say was the right call. Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Swoboda said, "People like that you don't want to get too close because you don't know what their mindset is. Just keep an eye on them until we can show up...It's normal for people to want to do that, but realistically, it just makes it more difficult for the fire department when they get here. That water's really cold and it can put you in shock really quick, and you're not going to be much of a help to somebody at that point." Karen Beyer, the executive director of Ecker Center for Mental Health in Elgin, agreed that direct action can be risky, but suggested talking to the person threatening suicide. "You might try to bring the conversation around someone in their life who depends on them and loves them and would be hurt deeply if they died and they know it." more ›

A settlement to the tune of $11 million has been reached in the deadly September 2005 Metra derailment that killed college student Jane Cuthbert and research technician Allison Walsh while also injuring 80 others. The settlement was approved by Cook County Judge Thomas Hogan and puts to rest a pair of wrongful death lawsuits brought about by the victims' families. The Joliet-to-Chicago train derailed when attempting to switch tracks at over 70 miles-per-hour. The engineer at the helm during the derailment was fired in 2006. more ›

Um...really? Don't get us wrong: it's great to see the Cubs capture more postseason hardware and we thought Lou did a pretty swell job and all but given the way the Cubs shat the bed in the playoffs and the job Charlie Manuel did with the Phillies - who, you know, actually won the World Series - or even Torre out in L.A., we were surprised to learn that Lou Piniella has been recognized as National League Manager of the Year. Even more surprising is the fact that Manuel was a distant second place in voting, 103 points to 67. (In case you were wondering, Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon won in the A.L.) more ›

Good Lord, what a pair of sad stories. First, there's the Park Forest incident where a police officer tracking a burglary suspect wound up shooting and killing a family's dog. Two officers, a detective, and the police dog passed the yard of the Walker family tracking a suspect. The Walker's dog, Princess (a pit bull/shepherd mix), began scratching at the door and, thinking the dog just needed to go out, a boy in the family opened the door for Princess. Princess, however, was reacting to the scent of the police dog and made a fateful move.

Park Forest Deputy Police Chief Mike McNamara said the dog ran toward the detective. more ›

The number 3 will be lifted to the United Center rafters tonight as the Chicago Blackhawks honor former greats Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson tonight. Pilote played 13 seasons for the Blackhawks during which he won three Norris trophies, was an eight-time All-Star, served as captain for seven seasons, and was part of the last Blackhawks team to win the Stanley Cup (1960-1961). He was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. While Magnuson wasn't a statistical star, he was a heavy presence for the Blackhawks defense and played for two Stanley Cup final teams (thought the 'Hawks lost both times to Montreal). Magnuson died in a a tragic 2003 car accident. If you still want a chance to catch the ceremony, tickets are still available for tonight's game against Original Six member the Boston Bruins. more ›

Oh, if only Charlton Heston were alive to see this. Tribune correspondent Howard Witt has gathered up a file folder of anecdotal evidence purporting that sales of assault rifles, handguns and ammunition nationwide are through the roof since Barack Obama was elected last week. Witt reports that one Houston gun shop ran out of assault weapons the day after the election and now have a month long waiting list, and that state officials in Colorado set a new record for gun purchaser background checks. Reasons stated range from fear of future gun bans, to fear of "civil unrest" because of the economy, to one sociology professor claiming it's a, "deep-seated fear of the armed black man." (We're sensing a theme here.) more ›

A few weeks ago, we pointed out how Jesse Jackson, Jr. dismissed the notion of replacing Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate while at the same time posting stories to the contrary on his website. A politician contradicting himself? No! Well, in the newest example of Jackson's "No-I'm-Not-Yes-I-Am" campaign, it seems Jackson's U.S. Rep Office has sent out an email touting Jackson as the candidate to replace Obama in the Senate. Steve Rhodes breaks it all down over at Division Street, including the results of a Jackson-ordered Zogby poll of possible replacements. Of course, as Rhodes points out, all of the polling data Jackson includes is pointless as it's up to Governor Blagojevich to name a replacement and 2010 would be the next election for the seat anyway. more ›

The CTA board meeting scheduled for today has been postponed until tomorrow due to the CTA's failing to post a notice of the meeting as required by the Illinois Open Meetings Act which is in place, "to ensure that public business is conducted in public view by prohibiting secret deliberations and actions on matters that should be discussed in a public forum." Still, one day won't change the suspected outcome of the meeting: an expected 25-cent fare hike. We ran down the ins-and-outs of the new budget about a month back, but said budget is finally coming to pass. more ›

While phenom Derrick Rose continued a hot start to his rookie season (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists), it wasn't enough for the Bulls to overcome Atlanta as the Hawks pulled out a 113-108 victory. Andres Nocioni added 20 in the losing effort and Deng and Gordon both scored 19. The Hawks held a 10-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter and held off a Bulls rally to remain undefeated at 6-0. Deng wasn't happy with the defensive performance, saying, "Our defense was terrible. We did a poor job picking up guys in transition. We didn't help each other.'' It's the Bulls' second straight loss and it drops them into a tie for last place in the division with Milwaukee. The Dallas Mavericks and maybe/maybe not potential Cubs owner Mark Cuban come to town tomorrow night. more ›

In the city where I grew up, there was a television meteorologist who used to describe weather like this as "Four 'D' Weather." The four D's were: dark, damp, dank, and dreary. That pretty much describes this week. It'll be a bit warmer than yesterday, with highs near 50, but the chance of showers remains through Friday night when it'll turn to a slight chance of snow. Lows tonight will be in the low-to-mid 40s. And still damp. Skilling Says: next week is gonna be the coldest yet. more ›

Photo by reillyandrew
• Former Chicago alderman Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak has been ordered by a judge to cough up the money to cover court costs for waiting until the last second to change his plea to guilty.
• In spite of threats from angry Aldermen, Mayor Daley's 2009 City Budget is one step closer to becoming a reality.
• The three-year-old girl who went missing last night was found safely but the search is now on for the woman who apparently tried to abduct her in the first place.

Local television stations will be participating in small, five minute test sessions tomorrow in order to help viewers prepare for the nationwide switch to digital broadcasting on Febrary 17, 2009. WGN Channel 9 viewers who are equipped to handle the digital signal will receive an on-screen confirmation, while those with outdated eqipment will see Bozo the Clown appear on their screens, saying, “It’s me, your ol’ pal Bozo, a big part of WGN’s glorious past, with an important message for you about the future of WGN. If you can see me right now, that means you’re NOT ready for America’s conversion to DTV, digital television.” All local TV stations perform test sessions tomorrow at 6:53 a.m. and 5:23 p.m. more ›

As gas prices continue to plummet, the gas surcharge on taxis is going away for good. The $0.50 surcharge kicks in when gas prices reach $2.70 per gallon and then rises to $1 when gas hits $3.20 a gallon. The surcharge was dropped back to $0.50 on Halloween, prompting the first warning of a cabbie strike and as the surcharge is now slated to go away Friday, the cabbies of Chicago are renewing that threat. United Taxidrivers Community Council chairman Fayez Khozindar has set a November 25th press conference during which the date for the strike will be announced. more ›

Stanislaw "Stas" Gunkel is the Doogie Howser of political blogging. Not only does the 7-year-old boy from Edison Park have his own blog, Planet Stas, but he recently received a letter from president elect Barack Obama thanking him for his support and offering some advice: "Look out for other people, even when it does not directly benefit you; strive to make a difference everywhere you go; and get back up every time you are knocked down." more ›

We're still trying to track down the Trib graphic they used, but The Beachwood Reporter outlines some of the interesting area election results, broken down by ward, of which McCain won none. more ›

As the Cubs close in on acquiring Padres ace Jake Peavy, the Tribune Company has informed bidders their next round of proposals are due by Thanksgiving Day. And this time, there's an added twist: prove that, in this current economic clusterfuck, you can actually pay for the team. It seems the Trib, like everyone, is in dire financial straits.

On Monday, Tribune reported a net loss of $121.6 million across its operations for the third quarter, compared with a profit of $152.8 million for the same period a year ago. Revenue declined 10.5 percent to $1.04 billion. more ›

Add this alongside Joliet's piranha to the list of "things we didn't know happened in our area": cattle rustlers hit a Maple Park farmer, stealing "six bull Holstein calves valued at $900" over the weekend. One of the calves was recovered on Saturday afternoon but the other five are still missing in what could be Kane County's first case of such a theft in over 10 years. Owner Robert Burgin said, “It’s hard to believe in 2008 that people are stealing cattle like it’s the 1800s. It appalls me that people have the nerve to do that. These are baby calves, not even weaned yet.” Burgin added that though he reported the theft, if the calves are returned to their corn crib from which they were taken, no charges will be filed. more ›

Business Week magazine has named Mt. Prospect as the nation's best place to raise children, using factors such as test scores and cultural make-up. Sayeth BW:

Founded by German immigrants and incorporated in 1917, Mount Prospect hasn't strayed far from its values of fiscal conservatism and community involvement, even as it has expanded to include new immigrants from Poland, Mexico, Korea, and India. It is a middle-class community with low crime, affordable homes, award-winning schools, ethnic restaurants, a major regional mall, and a small-town charm that makes the big city less than an hour away seem much farther away. more ›

Proving once again that there is no such thing as "free" in the age of internet entrepreneurs, tickets for Barack Obama's Inauguration are the hottest item on the internet. The thing is, they haven't been distributed yet. Oh, and, again, they're free. So why are people shelling out up to $10,000 for them and how is any of this legal? Well, the answer to the first question is obvious: Obama's election was a historic event and he's built up one the largest active followings of any politician in our lifetime. more ›

Another reason to never go swimming in any body of water in the area: Joliet's D.J. Johnston caught what may be a red-bellied piranha while fishing in the Des Plaines River last week. An expert at the Shedd Aquarium, who studied a photograph of the fish, agreed the fish is likely a piranha as Johnston claims the fish has pointed teeth. Shedd spokeswoman Melissa Kruth says the fish was likely a pet that was liberated by an irresponsible pet owner. "It was probably in someone's aquarium and they let it go...It makes an invasive species. It's bad." Thanks for making us feel better, Melissa. Seriously. We're not ones to get paranoid, but we remember that segment from Planet Earth all too well and piranhas (like the Wu-Tang Clan) ain't nothin' to fuck with. Don't believe us? Check this out (not for the faint of heart). more ›

Remember when we wondered whether the Bulls' backcourt depth was a blessing or a curse? We're now relieved that the team has so many guards on their roster who justify playing time, because they've had trouble keeping them healthy. Over the weekend, Kirk Hinrich suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb which will relegate him to street clothes for the next 12 weeks. Capt. Kirk, who had missed just 21 games in his first five seasons, could miss half of this one. more ›

This and other true Rahm bits can be found at Rahm Emanuel Facts, which presents info on the incoming White House Chief of Staff in a Chuck Norris-like manner. [via Gapers Block] more ›

Anonymous Democratic officials are telling the Associated Press that Obama's transition team is looking to tap Patti Solis Doyle to become Cabinet secretary in the Obamistration. Solis Doyle, sister of 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis, was fired from Hillary Clinton's failed presidential campaign in February, and went on to join the Obama campaign as Joe Biden's chief of staff. Solis Doyle is reportedly interested, but is "[worried] about the effect it would have on her two young children." Now we love Chicago as much as anybody (naturally), but we're still thinking perhaps our President-Elect should expand his Cabinet pool a bit to include people more than 1 degree of separation from a Daley. more ›

Today's weather is the tried and true stuff of that late Chicago autumn period: cool, cloudy, and a mix of precipitation. Indeed, temps will hover in the mid-40s and there's 60 percent chance of a wintry mix (rain, sleet, a bit of snow). Temps will stay in the 40s and even rise at a point overnight, meaning it's all gonna turn to rain and the next couple of days look the same. And if it seems a little colder than usual for this time of year, that's because it's the earliest spell of three days or more without a high above 40 in 13 years. more ›

Happy Birthday, Cynthia! more ›

Dennis Phillips of College Hills, Illinois took third place in the World Series of Poker's main event early this morning in Las Vegas, the lone American left standing. For his efforts, Phillips, trucking account manager, will take home $4,517,773. At least, before taxes. Almost 7,000 players began the competition back in July. more ›

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich isn’t getting much love from voters but that doesn’t mean he isn’t swimming in gifts that range from an Al Franken book to samurai swords. The Sun-Times takes a look at Blagojevich’s 56-page gift log and finds some familiar faces. Convicted felon and former Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko gave the governor a silver spoon in 2003 for his newborn daughter. Joseph Cari, who pleaded guilty in the Rezko deals, gave the governor Al Franken’s Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them). Blagojevich also received a gift from indicted fundraiser William Cellini, who gave a $50 framed print. A Blagojevich spokesman told the Sun-Times that he doesn’t think the governor keeps most of the gifts in the log, which came in to a total of $16,475. more ›

It seems there's a lot of drinking going on in Schererville, Indiana these days. Police stopped a 24-year-old woman for speeding and then arrested her for driving under the influence with her one year old son in the car. Police called the child's father to pick him up, but the father showed drunk and was also arrested. Next, the police called the child's grandparents who, yep, had also been drinking. After they determined the grandmother's blood-alcohol-content was below the legal limit, they allowed her to drive the child home, escorting her. [WBBM] more ›

The plans for The Bloomingdale Trail, a proposed elevated bike and walking path on an old rail line on the city's Northwest Side, are moving forward after the City of Chicago acquired more properties that would enable the trail to become a reality. The plans for the 3-mile trail have been boosted by the City's purchasing of lands for three parks and access ramps, but it still must somehow find $45 million for funding, not an easy task at all, especially given the city's $420 million budget hole. The path is 18 feet up and railing as well as landscaping will be used to prevent bikers from falling off.

"For years this has been invisible space—viaducts throughout the city that you travel under without looking at what's above," said Beth White, director of the Chicago office of the Trust for Public Land. "But you have this whole other vantage point of the city that you can't find anywhere else." more ›

Believe it or not, there were people who actually voted for Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election; 46 percent of America, in fact. And several of them live here in Chicago, the Obama Epicenter. The Trib talked to some of them over the weekend to learn about their understandable angst; one person even compared it to being a Cubs fan dealing with the White Sox World Series win in 2005. more ›

With the playoffs far enough behind us that we can forget the terrible choke job by the Cubs, it's a little easier to celebrate today's awarding of the National League Rookie of the Year to Cubs' catcher Geovanny Soto. Soto is the first catcher to win ROY honors since Mike Piazza won it in 1993 and the first Cub to do so since Kerry Wood in 1998. more ›

As Governor Rod Blagojevich has named November Alzheimer's Awareness Month, it was announced that the state of Illinois will be making a $190,000 grant to Alzheimer's research courtesy of taxpayer donations on their tax returns to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund. Since the fund was established in 1985, Illinois residents have donated over $3 million. Currently there are approximately 200,000 Illinois residents suffering from the disease. more ›

If you plan to make time with a hooker in unincorporated Cook County, there are a few things you should consider first. (If you're capable of thinking about anything besides the bulge in your pants?) The Cook County Board is currently considering a proposal that would impose stricter penalties on anyone attempting to pick up a prostitute. Currently those caught soliciting hookers are given a $100 fine and made to take a two-hour class in order to expunge charges from their record. Apparently this slap on the wrist doesn't deter repeat a offenders, so the new ordinance proposes a $1,000 fine, a vehicle impound and 100 hours of community service. Per Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart: more ›

Three adults and a 16-year-old boy have been charged in connection to this summer's acid attack on 48-year-old Esperanza Medina. The incident occurred in Logan Square on July 28 and a two other teenagers have previously been arrested and charged. The adults charged are Linda Dirzo, 58, Ofelia Garcia, 59, and Maria Olivera-Garcia, 35. Prosecutors also claim they have a motive in the attack: Ofelia Garcia masterminded the attack because she believed Medina was seeing her ex-husband. Dirzo and Olivera-Garcia apparently drove the youths to the location of the attack, a charge that's confirmed by surveillance footage and that Dirzo has admitted to. The charges are Class X heinous battery and armed robbery since Medina's purse was taken in the attack. more ›

William Balfour, the "person of interest" in the Hudson murders, will remain in police custody. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board considered testimony from William Balfour's girlfriend that she saw him with a gun on the day of the shootings matching the murder weapon as evidence enough to revoke his parole and keep him in police custody while investigators continue to examine how he's connected to the triple-murder. The Parole Board also ruled the June 19th drug arrest as grounds for revoking Balfour's parole even though it was considered so at the time, something that is sure to come under intense scrutiny if Balfour is charged in the Hudson slayings. more ›

The Bears suffered the loss of Kyle Orton at perhaps the worst possible time in their season. Rex Grossman had to take the reigns of the Bears offense for the first time in 2008 against the undefeated Tennessee Titans. That scenario didn't sound promising, and the end result was as expected -- the Bears dropped to 5-4 with their 21-14 loss at Soldier Field Sunday afternoon. more ›

We know, everyone is suffering from Obama-overload. But we thought this was pretty cool. The Secret Service has given the incoming first family their code names. The President-Elect is named "Renegade." Sasha as "Rosebud"? Someone in the Secret Service must be a Citizen Kane fan. And President Bush as "Tumbler" just makes us giggle. Biden as "Celtic" is interesting, and while he doesn't look anything like Larry Bird, we encourage Joe to look at growing a Bird-esque mustache. more ›

William Balfour, the "person of interest" in the killings of the mother, brother, and nephew of Jennifer Hudson, is scheduled for a parole hearing this morning that many news outlets are touting as something that could allow Balfour to "go free." The parole hearing, which was to happen at 9 a.m. this morning in Stateville, will determine if there is enough evidence in the Hudson case to constitute a violation of Balfour's parole and keep him in custody while police continue their investigation; charges still haven't been filed in the late October incident. In the latest development, the Trib is reporting law enforcement sources as saying Balfour has not only admitted to being in the Englewood home of Hudson's family (where Hudson's mother Darnell Donerson and brother Jason Hudson were found shot) the morning of the shooting, but is saying that Balfour's current girlfriend claims Balfour admitted to being involved in the killings. more ›

After almost a week off, the Blackhawks didn't miss a beat in dousing the Calgary Flames 6-1 on Sunday night. The 'Hawks were up 3-0 in the second before the Flames even got on the board. It was a distribution of wealth on offense as six players scored goals for Chicago: Havlat, Johnson, Kane, Toews, Versteeg, and Brouwer. It was Toews first goal after a 12 goalless games and he was happy to put it behind him:

“It’s a good feeling,” Toews said. “I’ve been telling myself that the team’s playing great and that’s the most important thing. If we were losing and things weren’t going well as a team, there’d be a little bit more pressure when pucks aren’t going in, but they did tonight. Hopefully, that means there are going to be a lot more to come.”

• Gothamist greeted Election Day with excitement--and some really, really long lines. Even Tim Robbins had a meltdown at his polling site!
• Bostonist discovered that it's hard out there for a singer when we met The Opera Guy, a classically trained busker, and Jess Tardy, an independent singer-songwriter whose work has appeared on television.
• Seattlest thought that this video of Capitol Hill hipsters literally dancing in the streets -- to Journey, no less -- ought to go into an Election Night 2008 time capsule.

The Independent Police Review Authority is looking into accusations of police misconduct, including the pepper-spraying of children, against Obama supporters celebrating his election on Tuesday night. The incident has led to a federal lawsuit filed by the family, asking for.more than $150,000 in damages. According to the WBBM:

Christina Ballard and Cornelius Voss were driving their young niece home Tuesday night following Obama’s win when three unmarked police cars began driving alongside them, according to family attorney Gregory Kulis. more ›

Last night, about 150+ protesters showed up outside the Renaissance Hotel, where the Chicago Museum of Broadcast Communications was inducting into the Radio Hall of Fame Focus on the Family’s James Dobson. Dobson donated $800,000 to California’s Proposition 8, which passed last week, amending California’s constitution, removing the right of gay men and lesbian women to marry. more ›

Sun-Times columnist Rev. Andrew Greeley was injured in a fall on Friday, fracturing his skull. According to the S-T, the incident happened when, "his jacket got stuck in a taxi door when he was dropped off at the Rosemont CTA station. As the cab began to pull away, the 80-year-old priest fell to the ground and hit his head, fracturing his skull." His doctors say he's in critical but "very stable" condition and has improved since the accident happened. His progress is also being updated at his website. more ›

Cavs Pull Away From Bull more ›

Amtrak experienced a “very minor” derailment earlier this morning in the South Loop. [How one can have a ‘very minor’ derailment, we’re not sure; either you’re on the tracks or you’re not. Is it like a ‘minor flesh wound?] more ›

The unnamed man who’s shoulder Oprah smeared her mascara all over on Tuesday night has been revealed: He’s Sam Perry of Menlo Park, California. Reportedly, a friend of Perry’s outed him to Oprah’s people by sending an e-mail, and Oprah invited him to Friday’s show. more ›

People, when you see a motorcade coming, assume it’s Obama and move out of the way: more ›

Has the sun set on the run-and-gun Phoenix squad? Without coach Mike D'Antoni and with big man Shaq on the bench, the Bulls ran roughshod over Phoenix on their way to a 100-83 win Friday night. Ben Gordon came off the bench to lead all Bulls in scoring with 23 points and rookie sensation Derrick Rose added 18 points and 6 assists. Said Gordon of the Bulls' #1 pick, "Watching him in practice, you can tell right away how special of a talent he is. He really doesn't surprise me with anything he does out there on the floor. I think he hasn't even scratched the surface.'' At one point, the Bulls went on a 16-0 run to go up 31-17 and never let the Suns back in. Rose, a new fan favorite, is taking the popularity in stride: “I was just trying to play basketball today. If they get out of their seats, that's great. I'm really just trying to play basketball.” With the win, the Bulls are .500 at 3-3 and are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for third place in the division. Next up for the Bulls is a game against Cleveland tonight, their second game in four days against the Cavs. more ›

Thanksgiving falls later this year, creating fewer shopping days, so the mall wants to give consumers ample time to, well, consume, said Bonni Pear, a Woodfield spokeswoman.

Police made a startling discovery on a peaceful, well-kept block in Evanston yesterday afternoon. A 90-year-old woman was found living in a house on Judson Avenue with her brother, Frank Bernstorff, and two sisters, Elaine Bernstorff and Anita Bernstorff -- all three of which were deceased. Elaine is said to have not been seen alive since at least the early 1980s. Frank was last seen in 2003, and Anita in May of this year. more ›

A menu of my dinner tonight, by reillyandrew
• Thinking of ordering a "Choose Life" license plate? A federal appeals court ruled the state doesn't have to issue them.
• Two Englewood teens were shot dead thus putting the city past its 2007 murder total.
• The Sun-Times reported a net loss of $168.8 million during the third quarter of 2008 and it looks like more staff cuts are on the way.

Gary Grabitz, a former Cook County correctional officer who was fired for soliciting two female inmates to suck their toes (and, uh, actually did) while on duty, is now suing to get his job back. The incident was reported by a third inmate who gave a "detailed, credible account" of the incident.

The witness, who was in federal custody in McHenry County, identified Grabitz and fully explained how she was approached by him and the details of what happened between him and two women inmates. Grabitz claims the Merit Board's decision was "arbitrary and legally erroneous." The complaint also states the board did not properly weight the evidence presented and lacked the legal authority to terminate his position.

For the first time since being elected, Sen. Barack Obama addressed the press on economic issues from a downtown Chicago hotel this afternoon and then took questions from reporters for a short time. Obama was quick to make sure he didn't step on the toes of the current administration, saying:

The United States has only one government and one President, and until January 20th of next year, that government is the current Administration. I have spoken to President Bush, and I appreciate his commitment to ensuring that his economic policy team keeps us fully informed as developments unfold.

Mayor Daley's 21st Century Commission has released a 140 page report detailing 64 ways to improve the city. Some of the recommendations made were establishing a business 311 call system, a revisiting of congestion tolls as well as other ways to reduce truck traffic, installing water meters at the 350,000 homes that don't have them, and the big kicker, farming out garbage pickup to private waste management companies (maybe that last one isn't such a bad idea). more ›

With all this talk about a new dog for Sasha and Malia when the new First Family moves into the White House, it's understandable the outgoing First Canine is feeling a little bitter. Poor Barney... more ›

There's no denying the collective energy felt throughout Chicago after Obama's win on Tuesday night. We observed that the concentrated amount of elated emotion Tuesday night was expressed with tears of joy, mass champagne consumption, and dancing and cheering in the streets. Oh, and sex. more ›

Seven people, including four children were injured in an overnight fire on the Northwest side that officials believe may be arson. The fire broke out around 2 a.m. this morning at 5685 N. Elston Ave. The was even a dramatic rescue of one of the children who was hanging from a third floor window; the child was rescued. Fire Deputy District Chief Thomas Lynch said, "Right now, we do have reports from some civilians that live in the area, that live in the building – and through some police reports – that this fire is being looked at as highly suspicious." Furthering this suspicion is the fact that police had been at the scene a few hours before the fire to inspect another incident, though it's not known if the two were related. more ›

Oprah began her live presidential party on Wednesday with a copy of the Sun-Times in hand, with its stoic image of Barack Obama and simple headline, "Mr. President," declaring it her favorite from that day. As she later told her guest Will Smith, "It was the best paper of all the papers in the world." And she had a lot to choose from. more ›

Even though former 10th Ward Alderman Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak pleaded guilty to his recent charges, he still may face a fine because of the unexpected admittance. The jury had already arrived at the courthouse for the start of the trial when Vrdolyak had a change of heart, costing the court a fee of $6000 for the jurors and U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur is now mulling over making Vrdolyak pay for it all. There are no breaks for the felonious. more ›

David Axelrod, the man who laid out the plan to get Sen. Barack Obama to the White House, is following Obama as Senior Advisor in the White House. Axlerod has his own consulting firm, AKP&D, and also worked for Deval Patrick, who became the first black governor of Massachusetts. Axelrod is a University of Chicago graduate and a former reporter for the Trib. more ›

Barack Obama will hold his first news conference as President-Elect this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. from the Michigan Ave. Hilton Hotel. He'll discuss Rahm Emanuel's appointment as Chief of Staff and most likely will address other potential staff appointments, especially economic ones. And if you haven't seen it yet, we strongly urge you to check out the new transition website. more ›

Thanks to a 0-0 tie in the first game of their aggregate playoff series with the New England Revolution, all the Chicago Fire had to do was win to advance to round two. And win they did, topping the Rev 3-0 Thursday night at The Camry in front of a crowd of over 17,000. Chris Rolfe scored the first goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half, taking advantage of a loose rebound after Rev goalie Matt Reis had to stretch to stop a Blanco shot. At the beginning of the second half, in the 49th minute, defenseman Wilman Conde scored off a free kick by Justin Mapp. Rolfe also got an assist on a nice pass to Gonzalo Segares, whose goal in the 74th minute clinched the game for Chicago. It was an intense, physical game which saw 21 fouls and six misconducts, including a red card on New England's Chris Albright in the 83rd minute. The Fire managed six shots on goal and goalie Jon Busch stopped all four New England shots on goal in the win. Now the Fire await the winner of the Columbus-Kansas City series, which concludes Saturday, in the Eastern Conference Championship, which begin next Thursday. more ›

Obamapalooza was a memorable experience for anyone who attended, but it's even more memorable for attendees Erin and Mawi Asgedom. The couple were watching President Elect Obama speak when Erin went into labor. She said, "Before we went, we realized that our contractions were about seven minutes apart. We decided to take the risk and witness something that was very historic." The couple left and walk nearly a mile to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where Erin was admitted and gave birth to a healthy Sawyer Tewolde Asgedom. Father Mawi, an immigrant from Ethiopia, said, "I feel like I've had the best 12 hours one can have. I got to witness a momentous moment in the history of democracy, Barack Obama, and then now I have my son here, who can be anyone he wants to be." more ›

In a bold and welcomed move, Consolidated High School District 230 is looking to add Arabic courses to its curriculum to help provide students with an opportunity to better understand a part of the world that is becoming a more integral part of everyday life, even in southwest Cook County.

But in a suburban area that has seen a backlash to an increasing Arab presence, efforts to build a program have been unsuccessful, said Zaher Sahloul, president of the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview. more ›

Just yesterday we were speculating over who would replace outgoing Senator Barack Obama who has a new job. Now we turn our attention to the departing Rahm Emanuel, who even though he was just reelected to his U.S. House seat on Tuesday, is leaving Congress to become Chief of Staff in the Obamistration. Governor Blagojevich, who seems to have plenty on his plate already, will have to set a special election to fill Congressman Rahm's seat (unlike with the Senate seat, where Blago is allowed by law to name a successor). FYI - Rahm holds the same seat (5th District reprezent!) Blago did before he bolted in '02 to become governor. The law requires the special election be held if there is more than 180 days until the next election (in this case, it is - 2 years, actually) and the election must be set within 5 days of the official vacancy. more ›

We made a brief mention in our Morning Box Score on Tuesday about the death of Marguerite Kuhlman, who collapsed during the Blackhawks-Avs game at the United Center Monday night and later died. What we didn't know but have since learned is that Kuhlman's mother also died at a Blackhawks game in 1986. Mildred Kuhlman died March 30, 1986 during a Blackhawks game at the old Chicago Stadium. Marguerite and her sisters, Patricia and Dorothea, owned season tickets to the Blackhawks. Patricia and Dorothea were to attend the game Monday night but had to skip it because of a meeting for election judges. more ›

Did crime take a holiday to celebrate the home town senator's election? Nope. Among some of the criminal mischief going on about town: more ›

No matter how you feel about Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympics, it is undeniable that Mayor Daley has been politically strategic about bringing one of his largest pet projects to fruition. From the get-go, Daley had enough foresight to recognize the power of a potential Obama presidency in relation to Chicago’s chances, bringing Obama on board to support the bid way back in the spring of 2007. Obama showed up at the city’s USOC Candidate City rally last year and the IOC Candidate City rally last June, each time making a speech that tied the Chicago 2016 bid to his candidacy for president. more ›

Ah, Mother Nature, you fickle beast! Even as we prepare for a return to chilly weather this weekend, the recent warm spell has claimed at least one casualty: the opening of the Millennium Park's McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. Due to the warm weather and a current forecast for rain, the rink's opening, originally scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, has been delayed; it's now tentatively scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, November 19 and will remain open through Sunday, March 15, 2009 (again, weather permitting). more ›

Some news coming in... more ›

Sure, we're proud somebody from our home town was elected president. But even more importantly, the future Commander-in-Chief is a White Sox fan! So it comes as no big surprise that White Sox GM Kenny Williams wasted no time in inviting Obama to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day -- April 6, when the Sox will host the Kansas City Royals. more ›

Mayor Daley has proposed a plan for a $12 million subsidy to pay for a new 354-room Loews hotel at the Block 37 site, specifically the southeast corner of Randolph and Dearborn. Tack the new money onto an existing $42.4 million going towards the project.

The new money would partially compensate the block's lead developer, Joseph Freed & Associates LLC, for cost overruns in the construction of a CTA station beneath the property. more ›

As the monumental achievement of Tuesday night sinks in, we now can get reflective about what happened. And our friends over at The Windy Citizen have taken that one step further with an excellent look at Chicagoans' motivation for voting with their "Why I Voted" project. They spoke to 22 people from Evanston, Hyde Park, and the Loop as they cast their ballots to get their feelings on why they voted in this historic election. Stop by and take a gander at the results. more ›

The Huskies got a national television audience all to themselves Wednesday night on ESPN but made the least of it, getting blown out by MAC leader No. 17 Ball State 45-14. The Cardinals took a 21-0 lead to halftime and Northern Illinois struck first in the second half, but Ball State overwhelmed the Huskies with 24 consecutive points to put the game well out of reach. The Huskies managed to gain just 275 yards of total offense while Ball State racked up 529 total yards. The loss knocks the Huskies out of contention for a shot at the MAC Western division title, but at 5-4, a bowl is still not out of reach. Think positive, Huskie fans. more ›

Who says print media is dead? Around the country newspapers were selling out as revelers wanted to get their own copy of front page celebrations of Barack Obama's election to the Presidency. And things were no different here, with copies of the Sun-Times and the Trib selling out. But they're both coming to your rescue if you didn't manage to grab one and still want one. The Trib has a link to order copies here and the Sun-Times does the same here. But keep scouring your local Walgreens and 7-11s as extra copies were printed and sent out. more ›

You mean there was news besides the election??? more ›

Earlier today, we speculated over who would fill President-Elect Obama's now to be vacated U.S. Senate seat. And while we still think Jesse Jackson, Jr. is at the head of that list, Gov. Blagojevich wants to make it clear he's having none of the speculation he would replace Obama himself. Instead, Blago announced today at a news conference the creation of a team aimed to vet potential replacements. "The process begins today. The thinking begins today. The search begins today," said the embattled Governor. Overall, Blago seemed subdued, but maybe he's just smarting from being excluded from Obamapalooza last night. more ›

Once more, with feeling, from our Flickr pool. more ›

United Airlines has reinstated the 500-mile minimum award in an apparent attempt to appease their frequent fliers, but we don’t see this as any cause for celebration. Back in July, United began awarding only the actual miles flown to frequent flier members instead of allocating at least 500 miles per flight, as they’d done in the past. The guaranteed 500 is back, but only for United’s elite members who fly at least 25,000 miles per year. The “get what you pay for” model still applies to the average Joe Six Pack flier. more ›

MSNBC is reporting that close to 137 million Americans, a turnout of 64.1 percent, cast ballots in this historic election, the highest total since 1908. more ›

Before the ink was dry on the papers announcing them as winners of their respective races, it seems buddies Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel might get to work even closer. Several media outlets are now picking up on a story by Congressional newspaper Roll Call, which is reporting Rahm has accepted an offer to be Chief of Staff for the Obama Administration (henceforth referred to as the Obamistration). Rahm was elected to the U.S. House when Blago left to run for governor in 2002. He spear-headed the 2006 Democratic take-over of Congress and won his seat last night with a 74 percent vote total, not that it matters as it looks like he'll be bidding Congress adieu. more ›

Yep, even more Obamapalooza pics from our Flickr Pool! And a few more to come... more ›

As Chicagoans rush out to get that commemorative front page, the Chicago Tribune is printing an additional 200,000 copies that will be distributed at 7-11 stores throughout the city. Many places are running out of copies as residents get their own to mark the historic election of Illinois Senator Barack Obama. The need for more papers is also being seen in New York where more copies of the New York Times are being printed; likewise, papers in Detroit, D.C., and Atlanta are running extra editions. more ›

Despite a rally for "yes" votes a few weeks ago, the people of Illinois gave a resounding "no" to a Constitutional Convention. For those that didn't pay attention to what they were voting for yesterday, a Constitutional Convention is proposed every 20 years, and allows changes to be suggested to the state's charter which then need to be ratified by voters. Supporters like Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said it would be great opportunity to reform education funding, and give us the right to recall public officials. more ›

Thanks to everyone who contributed photos to our Flickr Pool from last night's historic event. We'll be going through more of these as the day goes on. more ›

Our Esteemed Governor, Rod Blagojevich, has announced a press conference this afternoon to discuss the possibility of a commission to discuss who might possibly take over for YESHECAN when he takes office in January. Rather than handicap all the possibilities for the vacant seat, here's a quick list of "maybes" and we'll leave it to you to virtually wager your digital matchsticks or Halloween candy miniatures on who's going to get the nod. Here's some of the people who've been mentioned: more ›

The Cubs of politics Jim Oberweis was soundly beaten 57% - 43% in his attempt to capture the congressional seat in the 14th District. Oberweis was challenging incumbent Democrat Bill Foster for the second time -- the first was back in March during a special election to replace the outgoing Dennis Hastert, who retired. The 14th District had previously been represented by a Republican for over 30 years, and the shift is seen as monumental by those in the area. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2010 when Foster won't be riding on the Obama momentum wave, especially if the state GOP can finally get their act together and present a formidable candidate for governor. more ›

Looks like Joe is gonna keep plaguing us ... at least for the next 3 minutes or so. He appeared on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, and they asked him for his thoughts on last night's Obama victory and his own post-election plans: more ›

Welcome to the first person. I had my doubts about Obama waaaaaay back when, but once he became the Dem Nom, I couldn't have supported him any more strongly. This election marked the first time I actually donated to a candidate, and it marked the first time my girlfriend actually prepared an argument to try and sway her Conservative parents in Missouri. And it's the first election I ever cried at when the President Elect was actually announced. more ›

With reports of long lines all around the area, it seemed we were heading for a record turnout. Did that pan out? Not quite, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr, who estimated Cook County turnout would be just below 80 percent. "We're still going to have a big turnout but I don't think we're going to make 80 percent." However, in spite of this, the total number of voters in Illinois casting ballots did hit a record high with an estimate of 5.7 million. Still, why the overestimation of turnout? Spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioner James Allen pointed to the early rush, saying, "I call it the Rally Effect...Either they wanted to avoid the tangle of traffic or they wanted to go...After that big morning rush, we expected a supersized turnout. But after after 3 o'clock, instead of getting busier and busier the polls got deader and deader." What about national turnout? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 126 million people voted in the 2004 Kerry-Bush Presidential election. As of 9:50 a.m. this morning, MSNBC had 118,694,407 voters casting ballots for the two major party candidates (with 97 percent reporting). That doesn't include votes cast for third party or independent candidates. more ›

While the big party was in Grant Park, another historic win went down in Cook County last night as Pilsen native Anita Alvarez became not only the first female state's attorney in the county's history, but is also the first Hispanic state's attorney. With 93 percent of the results in, Alvarez garnered 69 percent of the vote to Republican challenger Tony Peraica's 26 percent; Green Party candidate Tom O'Brien had five percent. more ›

Today, Chicago wakes up with a new President and sunny skies. Temps will again rise to hopeful levels, hitting the upper 60s, but an increase in wind is an indication of the stormy weather to come. Thunderstorms roll in tomorrow and tomorrow night, dumping up to an inch of rain on the area. And Friday? A rain/snow mix. So if you haven't gotten outside to enjoy this summer redux, we suggest you get out there today. more ›

In case you missed it or if you just wanted to relive it, here is Barack Obama's acceptance speech as he was elected the 44th President of the United States. more ›

History has been made as CNN, NBC, and other major network are projecting Illinois Senator Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. more ›

Good evening, everyone. We'll be keeping you updated with results, both national and local, as they roll in. Will our junior Senator become President? Will incumbents like Rahm and Durbin hold on to their seats? Will the people of Illinois vote for a Constitutional Convention? We'll be following it with you right here. Also, be sure to check back later for our Obamapalooza post with updates from staff members and readers from Grant Park. But for now, we await the results. We know it's been a heated, emotional campaign season so we ask you to keep it clean and civil in the comments. more ›

Grant Park and the surrounding areas are packed with people with and without tickets to witness history. We've got several staff members and readers down at the park and we'll be keeping you as up-to-date with happenings at the park as we can via texts, twitter, flickr, and other updates. more ›

The first polls have closed, the first exit polls are showing Obama leading big in some states, and we'll be here all night long watching it with you, covering local races and the big Obamapalooza festivities in Grant Park. more ›

Des Plaines police arrested a man yesterday who allegedly broke into a restaurant over the weekend. It was a pretty easy bust, as the burglar had the idea to enter the restaurant through a kitchen exhaust vent of which he apparently misjudged the size -- he got stuck and wound up hanging upside down covered in grease for 26 hours. So why didn't the restaurant workers find him sooner? Because there weren't any -- the restaurant was out of business. And we know the rich, rich bounty to be found inside a closed restaurant. Fortunately the building's owner discovered the Thomas Crown wannabe when he went to get the mail, otherwise an embarrassing bungle could have turned into a tragic ending. more ›

An estimated 2,500 mourners paid their respects yesterday morning at the funerals of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson; her brother, Jason; and her nephew, Julian King. Oprah, Missy Elliot and Queen Latifah were in attendance, as well as Hudson's former American Idol colleague Fantasia Barrino, who also sang a tribute during the service. more ›

A new round of PR firm contracts, at $5 million a piece, has Mayor Daley under fire again. His administration has signed up with Valerie Denney Communications, Better World Advertising and Metropolitan Group LLC, adding to seven previously announced contracts, for a grand total of $50 million. This has not gone over well at a time when so many other cuts are being made to the city budget thanks to that pesky $420 million hole. Press secretary Jacquelyn Heard promises no payments will be made to these firms will be made until that hole is erased. So...never? Said Heard, "When you're trying to alert millions of people to hundreds of city programs, it's understandable that you need to go beyond the current level of staffing. But many of the other programs dialed back were also helpful and this is no different. You have to live within your means. Sometimes you have to make tough choices." 10 PR firms? Are we that bad off? Cause this has nothing to do with the 2016 Olympics, we're sure. Of course, Hizzonah is too busy with prognostications and parties to actually address city budget issues. more ›

Happy Election Day, dear readers. With such a big day ahead of us, the Chicagoist staff is scattered about the city voting and trying our best to go on with business as usual. But we can't do it alone; we need your help. more ›

We're under four hours away from the first polls closing but the news is still going fast and furious. more ›

Redflex lobbyists include former Chicago Ald. Mark Fary (12th), husband of O'Hare expansion chief Rosemarie Andolino, and William Griffin, a friend of Mayor Daley and Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th).

Illinois Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama and wife Michelle, escorted by their daughters, cast their votes this morning at Shoesmith Elementary School in Hyde Park. Also voting at this location? Louis Farrakhan and William Ayers. Matt Drudge's head just exploded; as far as we know, no terrorist fist jabs were exchanged. more ›

We've gotten some more specific info on some street closures and other transportation issues. We also have learned some Very Important VIPs are staying downtown so don't be at all surprised when dudes with earbuds grab you and shuffle you out off the way as a tornado of activity leaves this or that hotel lobby. more ›

One of the smaller pleasures about voting is getting that sticker that says, "I voted!" that lets everyone know, "Hey, I rocked the vote." But there seems to be a severe lack of stickers out there, so how are we to display to the whole world, proudly, that we voted? This is my first general election in Chicago and I'm shocked that there are no stickers here. If the South did one thing right, it's the "I voted" stickers. (Well, and S.E.C. football). Anyway, our friend Scott Smith over at Time Out Chicago has a solution for those of you itching for a sticker. All you'll need is your receipt, a mailing label, some scissors and a little glue. Get clicking and get sticking. Image of voting receipt by kristen caston. more ›

Dear Cindy Miller of Washington, Illinois: more ›

Dying to spend New Years Day at Wrigley Field watching the Blackhawks and Redwings face off? Want to give that sports nut on your shopping list the coolest gift ever? The NHL released details for ticket sales to the Winter Classic today. more ›

Another victim of the new City budget seems to be the city's free trolley system. The system, a big hit among tourists (88 percent of riders are out-of-towners), was put in by Mayor Daley after a trip to San Francisco in 2000. Initially funded by a federal congestion-relief plan, the city took over payments for the trolleys in 2004. Almost a million people have ridden the trolleys in 2008. The last day of service will be January 4, 2009 and is expected to save the city about $1.7 million. more ›

Things are already cranking early this morning with people already showing up for Obamapalooza and glitches already being reported. According to Crain's:

Voting in Washington Park on the South Side was slowed when there were not enough pens to mark the ballots. more ›

It's barely 8:30 a.m. and already a report of a voting glitch down in Pilsen. Reader Lindsay sent us a tip, saying:

I was in line by 6:05 and at 6:30 I opted to vote with the electronic booth. Then I noticed something fishy, it was only asking me about Federal races. I had stayed up last night figuring which of the 100 judges was good and deciding how I felt about Con-Con and now I had no say? I asked the election judge who said, that's just the way it is. I know my rights and caused a fuss, saying something was wrong. In what world do you get a smaller ballot if you vote electronically? I then asked another election judge and there was major confusion before that realized that for me and everyone before me they had been using the wrong code. And now they did not know how to spoil my ballot. So in true Chicago style they let me cast my ballot and gave me a new card.

That's all, kids. Read up and then rest up. Tomorrow's gonna be a wild day. Happy voting! more ›

Remains found near the site of adventurer Steve Fossett's wrecked plane have been identified as Fossett. Fossett, a former Chicago trader, went missing in September 2007. more ›

The clock is ticking and polls will open soon across this great nation of ours and soon we'll elect a new leader. As head into the home-stretch and supporters begin worrying about a repeat of 2000 (or worse), here are a few stories about the Chicago candidate, Illinois Senator Barack Obama. more ›

The future is now, at least over at CNN. During tomorrow night's election, the network is planning on using three-dimensional holograms to supplement those weird touch screens they've been using. They'll project holographic images of their field correspondents stationed around the country, including Chicago, onto their set using 44 cameras and 20 computers in each location to get the image rendered correctly. Holy shit. I will pay $50 to the first CNN tech who manages to slip in a glimpse of the Death Star blueprints instead of, say, Anderson Cooper. more ›

Oh, Drew Peterson, why can't people just leave you alone? Bolingbrook's Most Notorious Ex-Husband™ got an odd start to his Halloween on Friday thanks to a radio station's prank. It seems that some of the folks at B96 issued a challenge to its listeners: be the first trick-or-treaters at Peterson's house and win a shiny new cell phone. A pair of folks showed up on Peterson's doorstep on Friday morning, but hilarity did not ensue.

"The police heard about it," Peterson said, and the law showed up to intervene. more ›

As Election Day approaches in just a few scant hours, it looks like early voting wasn't just a local thing. Officials have said that early voting in the state of Illinois has topped 877,000. Overall, turnout is expected to be near 80 percent in the state for this election. The previous high for early voting was 220,000 during this year's primaries. more ›

After years of talking, the City of Chicago might finally get cracking on the Carroll Avenue project, which would utilize the old bridge near Kinzie and the connected tunnel that runs beneath the Merchandise Mart as a means to connect train stops (presumably both Metra and CTA) in the West Loop to Michigan Ave.

The city envisions a streetcar -- or an express bus -- picking up passengers at the train stations and carrying them north along Clinton. City officials would like to create an underpass under the Metra tracks so cars and buses wouldn't have to wait for the train. more ›

Gourmet grocery Fox and Obel gave Loop-bound foodies reason to rejoice when they announced an outlet on State Street, located in the former Carson Pirie Scott building. Hope you didn't count those farm-raised cage-free organic jumbo brown-shell eggs before they hatched, foodies - Crains reports that F&O has pulled out of that deal, along with Australian surf-gear retailer Billabong. (We're sure that this hurts all those Chicago surfers and aficionados of cargo shorts as well, but we've got a shiny nickel on Loop lunchers being more directly affected.) more ›

Oh, CNN. Is there anything you can't uncover? With nothing going on in the news these days, the network took a cruise around the internet and found that there's lot of anger out there. That's something Eric Zorn apparently knows all too well. You'd never know it if you read our site. more ›

Three people, two women and one man, were injured in a stabbing outside of Rite Liquors in Wicker Park early this morning. The three were involved in a “physical altercation” with another person they all knew just before 2 a.m. outside the bar/liquor store, located at 1649 W. Divsion St. One of the women and the man were in serious condition at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County; the other woman was taken to Saint Mary Medical Center. Police had a suspect in custody but no charges have been filed yet. more ›

Just when we were gonna take a long, hard look at his case involving a kickback scheme and the sale of a medical school building, former alderman Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak will plead guilty to federal bribery and fraud charges, according to the case's judge. more ›

The current financial meltdown has claimed another victim: Circuit City. The electronics chain will be shutting down 155 stores nationwide, including 14 in the Chicago area. The store at 1030 W. North Ave, in the Clybourn Corridor, will be the highest profile store of the area to close. Other locations shutting down include ones in Joliet, Bolingbrook, Niles, and Oswego. The stores that are being shut down will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday, November 4) but will reopen on Wednesday, November 5 to begin closing sales. New store openings are being reduced and existing leases are being renegotiated to help save money as well. more ›

Hundreds of mourners gathered yesterday for a public memorial honoring Jennifer Hudson's slain family members: her mother Darnell Hudson Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King. The public service followed a private service attended by extended family and close friends at Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church in Hyde Park. Afterwards, members of the public were able to file through the church signing sympathy cards and viewing images of the victims. Friends, coworkers, and classmates shared stories about the victims and remembered them with jokes and stories. Cousin Shari Sweat said of Donerson, "She taught me how to shake a tail feather. She had a soft voice, but you should not let that fool you. She was a great debater." Julian's teacher Carmen Williams told mourners, "When Julian raised his hand in class, he had that enthusiastic look in his eye. And he always, always had the right answer." more ›

Worried whether or not things in Illinois will be on the up-and-up when you cast your vote tomorrow? Have no fear, State Attorney General Lisa Madigan is on the case. According to The Lisa, 166 investigator teams will fan out across the state to monitor the election and make sure everything is good to g: no voting irregularities or voter fraud, to name a few.. Northern Illinois will get a large majority of those teams (125) while down state will do with fewer (41). Some other issues include no voter intimidation within 100 feet of a polling place and the right to a new paper ballot if you made a mistake on the original - as long as it hasn't been cast. more ›

Sunday was one of those days that tests a Bears fan's fortitude. With the Monsters of the Midway on the short end of a 23-13 halftime score to the Lowly Detroit Lions, and our starting QB having just been carted off the field, things looked bleak. Yet, somehow, the Bears found a way to come from behind to win 27-23 and claimed sole possession of first place in the NFC North, a win that's tempered by the loss of Kyle Orton to injury. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

Blackhawks Beat Columbus in Shootout more ›

The CTA, Metra and the Office of Emergency Management and Communications are all working to handle the throngs of people expected to show up at Tuesday night’s rally in Grant Park. Complicating the plan is that they really have no idea how many people will attend, but they are planning for an event similar to the annual July 3 fireworks display--on steroids. more ›

We’re looking at 70 degree weather on election day, folks. Should be a great night to host a rally! more ›

Our condolences go out this evening to the family of Sen. Dick Durbin as Christine Durbin, the Senator's oldest of three daughters, died from from complications to a congenital heart condition. She was 40 years old. A worker in the Department of Agriculture's emerging markets division, she is survived by her husband and son. The Senator's office issued a statement saying, "Chris Durbin, 40, fought a heroic, lifelong battle with heart disease and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Durbin family." The office also said funeral arrangements were still pending. more ›

It’s November 1, which means it’s National Novel Writing Month, celebrating it’s 10th year this year. National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, encourages anyone who wants to participate to finish a novel in the course of 30 days. In other words, 175 pages of prose equalling 50,000 words. more ›

A head-on collision in Kane County early this morning claimed the lives of four teenagers. According to the Kane County Sheriff's Department, a preliminary investigation shows that drugs and alcohol did appear to factor into the crash. The crash happened just after 1 a.m. near the intersection of Burlington and Plato Roads in an unincorporated area of Burlington Township. more ›

Thanks to FissionMailed, who snapped this shot of Governor Rod Blagojevich jogging down Fullerton yesterday, presumably trying to outrun those federal indictments or maybe those horrible approval ratings that are destined to kick his ass. more ›

Schaumburg Police officer Frank Russo, 47, collapsed while chasing a suspect early this morning and was later pronounced dead. The 19-year veteran was working on his night off at a club with another officer when two suspects fled from an incident near the parking lot. The officers apprehended the suspects but another broke free and Russo collapsed during the ensuing chase. He was taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove where he was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. An autopsy is scheduled for today. more ›

Days after Mayor Daley invited everyone in the entire world down to Grant Park for Tuesday's Obamapalooza, the City is now saying people will be turned away if things get too crowded. Ray Orozco, executive director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, said, “If Grant Park reaches capacity, people will be turned around. This is for public safety.” According to Crain's:

On-street parking will be banned between the lake and the Kennedy Expressway, from the river south to Cermak Road (22nd Street) after Tuesday’s rush hour.

Intermittent “rolling” closures are likely on Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue, and sections of Balbo and Columbus drives will be shut as early as Saturday. Buses will not be allowed to drop off passengers on Michigan Avenue.

Anyone with a ticket to the party should enter on Congress, walk east to Columbus and then south. Anyone else will be turned north on Columbus, until the park reaches capacity.

Blackhawks Whip Stars more ›

As Chicago police announced the gun they had found earlier this week in an alley was indeed the gun used in last week's killings of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother, and nephew, they're now trying to track the gun from it's origins to Chicago. The ATF has traced the gun back to its original owner in Michigan, who reported it stolen. Now it appears that Jason Hudson may have owned an identical gun that was stolen earlier this year from the Englewood home where he and his mother, Darnell Donerson, were shot to death last Friday. If this holds true, it points another finger at suspect William Balfour, who had been thrown out of the home by the family earlier this year. However, police say they're keeping all options open as their investigation continues. Also surfacing is a report that Jason was shot in the leg in an incident earlier this year, an injury he never sought medical treatment for. more ›