News: December 2008 Archives

Photo by JOE M500

If ever a person had a name that befitted his or her personality, she was Eartha Kitt, the original "sex kitten." The mixed-race daughter of South Carolina farmers passed away yesterday at the age of 81. In her passing, Ms. Kitt joins Charlie Chaplin and Jame Brown on the list of entertainers who died on Christmas Day.

Photo by spudart

AP Photo/Marco Garcia

In case you're out and about this morning, here are some delays to be aware of due to the weather:

Photo by $Public$

A City Water Department official who is currently the subject of a probe has some ties to the mayor. Deputy Commissioner Tommie Talley is being investigated for allegedly using Chicago Water Management equipment and employees "to fix or improve sewer and water pipes" for private citizens, not public improvements. One of the locations under investigation is the Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in Bridgeport, though Rev. Daniel Brandt, the church's pastor, denies any illegal activity:

I’d open up my books to them and open up my doors to them to let them know the work on the property was fully paid for. I’m sure there was a day and a time when the city would do things, but that’s just suicide now, especially in the high-profile parish that this is.

As for Talley's ties to MayDay, Crain's describes it thusly:

Mr. Talley is active in the 11th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, which is run by Cook County Commissioner John Daley, the mayor’s brother. Mr. Talley also once was part of an affiliated political group headed by former First Deputy Water Commissioner Donald Tomczak, who was convicted in the Hired Truck scandal.

We bet his street gets plowed every time it snows, too.

AP Photo/Duane Burleson

Photo by Spudart

Another fantastic skyline shot from rjseg1

The EPA has put Chicago and it's surrounding metro area on notice: clean up your air in five years or else.

The agency on Monday released a list of counties and urban areas that violate the revised standard. Six northeastern Illinois counties are on the list—Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will. Also cited are two fast-growing townships in Grundy County and one in Kendall, because pollution there is believed to contribute to the wider problem.

It seems our area of the nation suffers from elevated levels of soot in the air and the EPA is in the midst of taking action against five coal-fired power plants (the EPA must have played SimCity growing up) in the area owned by Midwest Generation. Two plants are located in Chicago in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods and the other plants are located in Joliet, Romeoville and Waukegan. However, recent tests show that new standards in place have already had an effect on cleaning the air. But if we don't make good, what will the EPA do? While "fines" and "shutting down factories" are the obvious answers, we guess there's also taking our air via Mega Maid.

It's being called the "Addison Park on Clark," and plans for it continue to push forward despite complaints of nearby residents. NBC5 has even tagged their story,"Wrecking Wrigleyville," which earns points for alliteration - but is that even close to accurate? Could a hotel property across the street from Wrigley Field destroy all that Wrigleyville has come to be associated with? Perish the thought.

We know the Bears pulled off a pretty fantastic victory last night, but one fan who was in attendance at Soldier Field learned how dangerous Chicago's cold winter can be the hard way. Chicago Police officer Femi Odugbesan found Jozef Kowalkowski in a delirious state wandering around in front of the Shedd Aquarium after Kowalkowski called police just after 1 a.m., saying "I am very cold." Officer Odugbesan is credited with saving Kowalkowski's life.

“He kept calling back and I found him right in front of the Shedd Aquarium. He was walking towards me," Odugbesan said, adding that Kowalkowski was wearing all black clothing and a coat with a hood, but had no gloves and no hat.

Continue reading "Bears Fan Delirious For The Wrong Reason"

We should know by tomorrow whether or not U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will allow the Illinois State House panel investigating Gov. Rod Blagojevich for impeachment to hear the original taped conversations that led to Blago's arrest. The request is, according to a letter from Fitzgerald, "still under active consideration." Fitzgerald also expressed some concern with the panel's investigation, saying that any interviews of Blago aides by the panel could "compromise" his investigation and he continues to refuse naming specific people named in the federal complaint. The panel, meanwhile, has been dismissed for the holiday and will reconvene next Monday. It's been suggested a recommendation of impeachment could come as early as the first week of January, though we're not holding our breath.

Well, this wasn't the news we wanted to see going into Christmas. For the first time in five years, Chicago has eclipsed 500 murders, according to Chicago Police spokeswoman Monique Bond. No other details are known other than that the homicide occurred last night. While these numbers are still a far cry from the bloody 90's (when homicides topped 900 a year from 1991 through 1994), it's still an uptick from last year's 443 murders and doesn't do beleaguered Chicago Police honcho Jody Weis any good.

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Photo by Wayne Gunn

Tyna Robertson — mother to Brian Urlacher's son Kennedy and, well, let's be generous and not call her a "gold digger" — received a rude awakening this morning. Robertson, who likes to bring Urlacher to court on a whim, was arrested this morning by Will County Sheriff's deputies in her Burr Ridge home on contempt of court charges stemming from a 2007 judgment against her brought on by "Lord of the Dance" creator/choreographer Michael Flatley.

Apparently there are some fugitives in Cook County that aren't fans of John Stossel -- if they were, they might have been more skeptical responding to a "mystery shopper" scam. But unlike most other promises of easy money, this time the scam was run by the good guys.

Photo by jlurie

• Torontoist exposed infamous local fiend Dimitri the Lover's new protégé, Pavel the Lover—a man who approaches underage girls, calls them "elegant," and passes them business cards asking them if they'd like to "swing on a star."
• SFist was disheartened to hear that Equality California's executive director refused to attend next month's inauguration due to Barack Obama's regrettable decision to have anti-gay and prop-Prop 8 pastor Rick Warren deliver the invocation, but perked up when attorney general and former (and future?) CA Governor Jerry Brown said that same-sex marriage ban Prop 8 was invalid.
• Bostonist interviewed Jamie Sneider, a comedian who likes to be naked and checked out the action at Fenway's Cask'n Flagon, where fists flew at a charity ball.
• Phillyist revealed the ten names rejected by the Campbell family before they settled on naming their son for the Fuhrer.
• Chicagoist watched Governor Rod Blagojevich's quick speech and marveled at a local artist's interpretation of Blago in the nude, toasted Drew Peterson for getting engaged while his fourth wife remains missing and his third wife remains murdered, and talked about not much plowing and calling dibs on parking during a snowy week.
• DCist commenters had a lot to say about whether MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski was really mugged outside the Georgetown Ritz Carlton or just fell prey to an aggressive panhandler.
• Seattlest's coverage of Snowmageddon 2008 started off fun, with visiting reindeer and snowbound drink suggestions, but then two charter buses nearly took a 30-foot header off Capitol Hill onto I-5.
• Houstonist started scheming to turn a Space Shuttle into a taco truck, a teaching lab or an arts center if they could get their hands on $42M to buy one when they are decommissioned in 2010.
• LAist wondered if Obama choosing evangelical minster Rick Warren to speak at the inauguration would pick at the Prop 8 wound; to prove Prop 8 was still a priority, protests were organized this weekend, as supporters of the Prop filed a lawsuit to nullify the 18,000 gay marriages that took place in California this year.
• Shanghaiist was amused by this video of a Canadian guy singing The Star Spangled Banner in Chinese.
• Londonist salivated over space shuttles and skating Santas.
• Gothamist got to see Governor Paterson (1) get spoofed on Saturday Night Live, (2) express anger about it, and then (3) refer to the spoof again when he introduced a bevy of new taxes, including an "iPod tax" and "non-diet soda tax."

Continue reading "Week Around the Ists"

Oh, Drew. Is there anything you won't do to keep yourself in the limelight when someone else threatens to steal it? The latest edition of "Drew of Our Lives" features an engagement controversy. Earlier this week, word leaked out that Peterson had become engaged to 23-year-old Romeoville waitress Christina Raines, an engagement that concerned Raines' family. Now an alleged live-in boyfriend of Raines' has come forward and claims there is no engagement. A man going by the name Mike told the Tribune, "He's [mad] at her and he's trying to get back at her by dragging her name through the mud." Raines' family is beginning to echo this sentiment, even though they confirmed Drew gave her a ring.

Ernie Raines said his daughter is naive and vulnerable. He said that Peterson and his daughter have been dating for four months, but that it was not serious. He said Peterson tricked his daughter into an engagement.

Continue reading "Drew's Engagement: Are They Or Aren't They?"

Photo by rjseg1

The Blackhawks completed their Canadian conquest Saturday night, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. Patrick Sharp had the game winner in the second period, bookended by scores from Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews. Cristobal Huet played the role of backstop, denying 30 of 31 attempts on goal. The 'Hawks now return home for the holidays, hoping to resume their hot streak Friday against the Flyers.

This morning, as Obama arrives in Hawaii for a holiday vacation, his decision to include Prop 8-supporting evangelical minister Rick Warren continues to ignite the passions of the gays, who are left baffled, wondering why the invitation has not been rescinded. Obama has even released talking points, emphasizing he doesn’t agree with Warren on LGBT issues, but they do agree on issues of moving toward a sustainable planet and on “many issues vital to the pursuit of social justice.”

Sarah Jo Pender, a woman featured on last night’s “America’s Most Wanted,” is now in the custody of Chicago Police after they received an anonymous tip.

The Flames made Chicago sweat a bit in this one, but the Blackhawks came away with the 3-2 overtime victory. Duncan Keith scored the game winner 23 seconds into the bonus period off a Jonathon Toews assist. Patrick Kane and Dave Bolland recorded the other two scores, while Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 32 shots on goal. The soaring 'Hawks remain unbeaten in the month of December..

The Chicago Park District has invited landscape firms to submit their qualifications and ideas to rebuild the north end of Grant Park, transforming 25 acres that includes Daley Bicentennial Plaza, and two smaller areas known as Cancer Survivors Garden and Peanut Park.

Photo by Senor Codo

Things should be flowing again on the north side. All four tracks of the Red, Purple and Brown Line routes are now open as of today at Belmont. Fullerton returned to four-track service last month.

Photo by krmmnn

Looks like Cook County Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno took advantage of the county’s “family-and-friends hiring plan” again. The Sun-Times reported this week that Moreno, a close ally to the Stroger family, used his political clout to get a lucrative hospital contract for a campaign supporter and friend, Ronald Garcia. The Feds and the county’s inspector general are now looking into the matter.

Thanks to Basil Tydings for the image

"What? Fleet Foxes over Lil Wayne? Seriously?" AP Photo/Morry Gash

A new plan being considered by the mayor could add a new fee to those wanting to park downtown in an effort to reduce congestion and to raise funds for public transit. The new ordinance, which Mayor Daley introduced ninja-like yesterday apparently hoping we'd be so worried about snow and plows that we wouldn't notice, would also charge per-minute fees on trucks that block traffic during peak hours. But the ordinance seems kind of vague and shady.

The mayor's ordinance makes no mention of specific congestion fees. It merely gives the city's revenue director unbridled power to set the rates and adjust them without City Council approval. A study under way by the Civic Consulting Alliance will determine the size of the increase.

Continue reading "City Mulling "Congestion Fee""

The recent eviction of a woman from her one-bedroom apartment in Wheaton has left the DuPage County Animal Care and Control Center with a warren of their own after 69 rabbits were discovered in the apartment. Kerry Vinkler, director of the center, said the oldest rabbit was 18 months and that all of the rabbits, save one, were in good condition. They're domesticated Dutch rabbits, which have a life expectancy of six to ten years. They're even the center's Pet Pick of the Week.

Photo by Cycle the Ghost Round

Photo by sliz.c

Jeffrey Dailey, the new executive director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, has stepped down from his post after a month on the job, possibly stemming from the arrest of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Per the Trib:

In the complaint filed by U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald last week, Blagojevich is alleged to have pressured an unidentified highway contractor to raise $500,000 for his campaign fund before he announced a $1.8 billion tollway construction program.

Continue reading "New Tollway Chief Steps Down"

On Tuesday, when President-Elect Obama announced that Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan was being nominated as Education Secretary, one of the many praises Obama lavished on Duncan was that he "championed good charter schools, even when it was controversial." It appears that charter schools are still controversial, as a group of teachers, parents, and students turned out at a Chicago Board of Education meeting yesterday to express their disappointment with the charter school program and how they are "destroying neighborhood schools."

This afternoon, President-elect Barack Obama defended his choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren for his inauguration invocation. The choice angered gay rights advocates because Warren supported Proposition 8. From the AP:

Obama told reporters in Chicago that America needs to "come together," even when there's disagreement on social issues. "That dialogue is part of what my campaign is all about," he said.

Continue reading "Obama Defends Choosing Warren for Inauguration"

U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur today rejected two lawsuits challenging Chicago's handgun ban. The ban has been in place since 1982 but came under fire recently when the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn Washington D.C.'s ban in June. Multiple lawsuits were filed by the National Rifle Association and the Illinois State Rifle Association in towns and cities across Northern Illinois, and Wilmette and Morton Grove repealed their bans.

Evanston native Jeremy Piven has left the hit Broadway revival of David Mamet's "Speed The Plow" due to high levels of mercury. Yep, lots of mercury all in his body. Piven's exit does not come without skepticsm, specifically from Mamet himself: "I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury. So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."

Yesterday we were hardly surprised that Drew Peterson has found his future ex-wife no. 5. And today we are even less surprised to find out that his fiance’s father is less than thrilled. He told the Sun-times:

"I said, 'You need to take that back. If you don't want to, I will,' " said Ernie Raines, 53. "I said, why would you want to marry someone like that anyway? He's my age for Christ's sake."

The “lucky” lady is reportedly Christina Raines, a 23-year-old waitress and apparently, she is the one who popped the question.

AP Photo/Paul Beaty

So does Sweet Lou have to fear for his job? Not quite yet we suspect, but the North Siders have promoted former Cubs great Ryne Sandberg to manager of their Double-A affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies. Ryno had previously managed the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, guiding them to 71-68 and 60-78-1 records in '07 and '08. That's all it takes to earn a promotion in the minors? Of course, we're sure his Hall of Famer status and high profile within the organization means he's cut a little slack.

The Bulls did their best Charlotte Bobcats impersonation on Wednesday, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 115-109 in overtime. In eerily similar circumstances to last night's contest, the Bulls' Ben Gordon drew a foul on a three-point attempt with 20 seconds left in regulation. Gordon's play was of the four-point variety, and tied the game to force an extra period. With the momentum in their favor this time around, the Bulls secured the W on two clutch jumpers from Luol Deng. Gordon and Andres Nocioni each scored 22 to help thwart a 30-point effort from the Clippers' Zach Randolph.

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