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At the jam session ex-governor Rod Blagojevich held at his house Thursday night after being removed from office, he said, "There are tens of thousands of people all across America, just like me who are losing their jobs or lost their jobs." Well, those people were laid off, not fired, Rod. Big difference. But this raised the interesting question of whether or not Blago is eligible for unemployment benefits. WBEZ spoke with Greg Rivara, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Employment Security, who are having enough problems these days without dealing with Blago. more ›

An overnight fire has killed two, injured four, and displaced eight other people. The fire happened at 3912 W. Argyle St. in the Irving Park neighborhood. Three adults, including a responding police officer, were taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital and a minor was taken to to Children’s Memorial Hospital. According to Fire Media Affairs spokesman Q. Curtis, they range from "serious" to "critical" condition. The two fatalites were identified Roxanne Ocampo, 23, and Itzel Fernandez, 7. Update - CBS 2 is reporting that investigators believe the fire was a case of arson. [WBBM, CBN] more ›

The Bulls cruised past the Sacramento Kings on Friday, winning 109-88. An even match up for the first six minutes, the game quickly turned in the Bulls’ favor as Chicago translated eight forced turnovers into a 22-9 scoring run. Their lead would never again be in jeopardy, as the Bulls shot nearly 19 percentage points better than their opponents. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng had 20 points apiece, and Tyrus Thomas contributed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Chicago will face a tougher test tonight when they visit the Phoenix Suns. more ›

What else do you call it when the coldest January in 24 years comes to a close with temps twice what they were yesterday? Today under mostly cloudy skies, we'll see temps skyrocket to the mid 30's, maybe as high as 35 or 36. It'll be breezy, though, and that breeziness will continue into the night, when temps will drop to the upper 20s. More of the same tomorrow, but temps are going to drop sharply come Tuesday. more ›

• An Illinois appellate court today struck down Chicago’s landmarks ordinance, first enacted in 1968, calling it "unconstitutionally vague."
• Someone else who's happy about Blago's departure? President Obama. Said the new Commander-in-Chief, "For months, the state had been crippled by a crisis of leadership. Now that cloud has lifted. I wish Governor Quinn the best and pledge my full cooperation as he undertakes his new responsibilities."
• Chicago Police Officer Robert Gamez has been credited with saving the life of a man who suffered a heart attack at Midway Airport yesterday. Gamez used a defibrillator that, along with CPR assistance from a doctor, revived the man.

After our new Gov. Pat Quinn spent the morning with a Sharpie crossing out "Lt." on all his business cards, he got right to work trying to clean off the stank of our (good god we love saying this) now former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The first order of business was to issue an executive order bringing the Illinois Reform Commission he had set up earlier this month under his wing in the governor's office. The commission consists of at least 12 commissioners and is an "independent advisory group [that] will examine government practices and ethics." OK, sure, having the group directly under the governor seems about as "independent" as Mayor Daley's Office of Compliance, but at this point we're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for even the tiniest chance of reform in this state -- especially when Quinn says that "we're going to start to fumigate state government from top to bottom to make sure that it has no corruption." more ›

The results of the study still need to be duplicated in a randomized trial to be proven, but it's certainly a ray of hope to find a cure for this crippling disease that affects 1 in 1,000 Americans. more ›

Well that was quick. Less than 24 hours after Peterson appeared on Nightline to talk about his lady-love, the cops were called to his Bolingbrook home by the father of Peterson's fiance to help her move out her things this morning. Ernie Raines showed up at Peterson's home this morning with Dr. Phil and a TV crewa CBS cameraman to confront Peterson and help his daughter move out her things. (Raines had previously taped an episode of "Dr. Phil.") more ›

It didn't take long for it to happen: less than 24 hours after Rod Blagojevich was removed from office and Pat Quinn was sworn in as governor, workers are already erasing signs of Blagojevich's reign. Literally. In 2004, $480,000 was spent to put up 32 signs across the states tollways, each sign saying, "Open Road Tolling--Rod R. Blagojevich Governor." Now those signs are being replaced, though the cost of taking them down is much, much lower: $15,000. Most of the signs will be replaced at night so as not to interfere too much with traffic. more ›

Chicago 2016 will file its final candidacy papers February 12, and the committee reached another victory Thursday with the approval of all event venues from the 26 international federations. However, some feel that taxpayers should have a more active voice in the discussion of whether Chicago should take on the events. In addition to the panel discussion at UIC this Saturday by the organization "No Games Chicago," another group has created the "Unlympics" to create more dialogue among Chicagoans. more ›

We wandered over to the ex-Gov's place last night just to take in the circus - and a circus it was. It was our first look at Private Citizen Blagojevich, and after a few minutes of a seemingly humbler Blago, it was right back into the talking points and woe-is-me and I-will-fight. A few things you might have missed: more ›

It was too little too late for the Blackhawks as they fell victim to the Los Angeles Kings Thursday, 5-2. Scoreless through the first 27.5 minutes and down 3-0, Chicago's Dave Bolland ripped a one-timer past goalie Jonathan Quick to cut LA's lead to two. A mere 37 seconds later, however, Alexander Frolov got it back for the Kings when the 'Hawks coughed up the puck in front of their own net. Chicago showed some fight when Patrick Sharp scored his own one-timer a few minutes later, but two more scores with less than nine minutes to play was too much to ask of the 'Hawks. Brian Campbell assisted both Chicago goals, and Cristobal Huet took the brunt of it in the 'Hawks net. more ›

The legal fight over Uptown’s Wilson Yard took an unexpected turn this week as two bloggers were subpoenaed by an attorney representing the lot’s developer. The Chicago Journal’s News-Star reported that an attorney for Peter Holsten sent subpoenas to search-engine giant Google, asking for ownership information for two anonymous blogs that have been outspoken critics of the Wilson Yard development. Those two blogs are Uptown Update, which tracks news related to the Uptown area, and What The Helen, which was up and running during the 2007 aldermanic election that pitted incumbent Ald. Helen Shiller against community activist James Cappleman. more ›

On a day when the state's executive d-bag was removed from office, one of the state's most reprehensible private citizen d-bags was also on the airwaves. Bolingrook's Most Notorious Ex-Husband, Drew Peterson, appeared on ABC's Nightline last night to talk with Martin Bashir all about his new-found love. Of his new lady-love, Peterson said, "She likes me, she likes me a lot. I'm a good guy." Mm-hmm. Peterson also, to the shock and awe of everyone watching, denied everything. more ›

A new day dawns in Illinois and with it comes sunny skies, if some pretty cold temps. Highs will reach the upper teens today, and rest assured we're going to be calling Governor Quinn's office to complain about the cold. We can't believe Blagojevich ever let it get so bad, but Quinn will fix everything! Clouds move in tonight with lows in the lower teens and the clouds stick around this weekend. But things will warm up to the mid 30s tomorrow. See? We told you Quinn would fix everything. more ›

• Blago's last act as Governor? A pair of pardons.
• Phillip Binder has been charged in the stabbing death of his older brother, Charles Binder. The stabbing allegedly occurred after an argument between the brothers over $2.
• Chicago's proposed venues for the 2016 Olympics have been approved by all 26 sports federations that will have competitions in the games.

By a vote of 59-0, the Illinois State Senate has voted to remove Rod Blagojevich from the office of Governor. Pat Quinn will now be sworn in in as the 41st Governor of the State of Illinois. more ›

We knew unemployment was skyrocketing, especially after the huge round of layoffs on Monday, but now the numbers are catching up with state's Department of Employment Security. As the state's unemployment rate has reached an almost 16-year high, the volume of people contacting the department is causing problems for the department's phone system. On Monday, 64,520 people managed to get through and on Tuesday, 57,014 were able to get through. However, with the equivalent of only 648 phone lines available, many received busy signals instead. With the rate of claimants not expected to drop any time soon, the department plans to add another 216 lines by next month to help the system avoid overloads. more ›

Two hours after they reconvened, the state Senate is still deliberating. Sen. Hendon is rambling on about underwear for state prisoners. Makes sense to us... more ›

As we prepare for Pat Quinn to be sworn in as the 41st Governor of Illinois upon Gov. Blagojevich's impending removal, we thought we'd dig back into the vaults for this interview. Kevin Robinson sat down with Quinn in April 2007. more ›

The long, arduous impeachment process has given way to a long, arduous deliberation in the state senate. Sen. Rickey Hendon (Chicago), who has voiced his opposition to the impeachment, requested the separation of the health care charges from the articles of impeachment, a motion that State Supreme Court Justice (and presiding trial judge) Thomas Fitzgerald denied. With that, Justice Fitzgerald left and allowed deliberations to begin. more ›

Check out this fantastic time-lapse of a night-time flight from Flickr user Ettubrute. It's the perfect calming video for us after a long day of Blago-related stuff. [via kottke] more ›

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis's decision to hold a press conference on the security breach (stemming from the Vincent Richardson case) just before the media turned its focus to the Blagojevich impeachment proceedings was just coincidence, right? Anyway, Weis addressed the matter for reporters this morning, saying, "We were fortunate this young man had no evil in his heart...We dodged a bullet on this one." more ›

Congress yesterday passed President Obama's controversial new stimulus package and in the process, the House tacked on an extra $3 billion for transit funds to the package ($12 billion for transit funding overall), bringing the total value of the package to around $825 billion. $1.5 billion of that extra money goes straight to the states. It seems the state of Illinois is in line to receive a fair chunk of that change: $105 million. Of that money, the Chicago area will see about $76 million and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Chicago), one of the co-sponsors, is claiming victory. more ›

Now that former CTA Prez Ron Huberman has moved on to head up the Chicago Public Schools, the CTA is now looking for his replacement. They have, however, named an acting chief to fill in for Huberman in the meantime. The CTA has announced a special board meeting for Friday at which Dorval Carter, the CTA's executive vice president, will be appointed as acting chief of the CTA. Sources told Crain's Greg Hinz that Dorval isn't currently a favorite to become permanent president. more ›

Following Gov. Blagojevich's long-winded, rambling defense earlier this morning, lead prosecutor David Ellis (pictured right) has offered his rebuttal. A fiery Ellis started, "I can't give a speech like the Governor...when the cameras are on, [he] can give a pretty good speech." And with that, he launched into the Blagojevich we heard away from the cameras and on the wiretap tapes. more ›

While the White Sox's starting rotation is still a bit up in the air, the team is hoping to have a crafty left-hander on the mound Opening Day. The Sox have officially invited new President Barack Obama to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on April 6, when the South Siders play host to the Kansas City Royals. more ›

John Murray, chief of bid operations for Chicago 2016, said earlier this week that funding for Chicago's Olympic bid will come from a trust fund that is 100 percent privately funded. He said that public funds will not go directly toward the Olympics, and the CTA's expansion would occur without the Olympics and Bronzeville residents need not be worried about being displaced. Murray is also trying to downplay the role of the Blagojevich controversy in all this more ›

Governor Blagojevich is preparing to make his last stand by offering up his own closing statement. Follow below and discuss in the comments. We're still taking even odds he takes a cheap shot at Madigan just for kicks. more ›

The Sun-Times is reporting today that Nova Henry's daughter Ava, the 10-month-old girl killed this weekend along with Nova, is the biological daughter of former Bull Eddy Curry, who also fathered Nova's son Noah. Noah was found in the apartment with the bodies of his mother and sister, but was unharmed. DNA tests filed in court last fall confirmed Curry as Ava's father, though Ava carries the last name of Fred Goings, Nova's ex-boyfriend that was questioned by police and that Nova had sought an order of protection against in 2007. According to the S-T:

Curry, a former Chicago Bull and Thornwood High School standout, also has a 3-year-old son with Henry and was ordered to pay $6,000 a month in child support. Two months after Curry was determined to be Ava’s father, Curry’s child support payments to Henry increased to $15,000 a month, according to court papers.

The Bulls earned a brief sigh of relief Wednesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 95-75. Chicago clung to a one-possession lead at the half, but came out firing in the third quarter with an 11-2 run. That run grew to 26-9 by the end of the period, as the they tallied a +10 rebounding advantage over the same stretch. The Clippers only managed to match baskets in the fourth, as the Bulls cruised to victory. The win was Chicago’s first in six games, who hope to start a streak of a different kind when they square off against the Kings Friday night in Sacramento. more ›

After all the fuss of the arrest, the press conferences, the hair, the Burris seating, and the recent media blitz, it's come down to this. By the end of the day, we will have a new governor. Even though we've been expecting it for a long time, it's hard to believe it's actually happening. So what exactly is going down today? Here's what we've been told: more ›

Today's weather...will look nothing like the above picture. But it's still pretty, no? Today will be your standard, gloomy late January day: cloudy, chance of flurries, highs in the lower 20s. And nothing much changes tonight: cloudy, chance of flurries, lows in the lower teens. Tomorrow will be pretty brisk with highs in the teens, but oh, the weekend. The sweet, sweet weekend which will bring us a new governor and the mercury above 30 degrees. Dare to dream, Chicago! more ›

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For starters, don't do like on 14-year-old Geneva student and list "arson, anarchy, vandalism and mischief" as interests on your MySpace page. The teen told police that when the night the incident happened - Dec. 20, 2008 - "he got a sudden urge to do something crazy." He got some matches and set out for Western Avenue School.

Upon his arrival, the teen set fire to a can filled with papers, which was located next to the garbage Dumpster, records state. He then walked to the back of the school, broke a window with the scraper and climbed into the building, records state. While inside, he lit pages of books on fire in one classroom, and lit papers inside desks on fire in another classroom, records state. In a third classroom, the teen lit fire to papers sitting on a teacher's desk before exiting out the window, records state.

The Obamas are taking more than a mother-in-law with them to the White House. Chicago native chef Sam Kass will be cooking for the first family. Kass served as the Obamas' personal chef at their Hyde Park home and is familiar with what the family enjoys eating. He is known for his interest in healthy, local foods. more ›

Have you no shame, William Lofthus? Lofthus, of Plainview, pleaded guilty to stealing $400,000 from retired nun Bernice Laurins (now deceased). Lofthus was Laurins' trustee and stole the money by "by writing unauthorized checks from her account, using her bank account to pay his credit card bills, and transferring funds from her bank account to his." The thefts took place over a period from 2000 to 2005. Lofthus faces up to 15 years in prison but we imagine that won't come close to the spanking he'll get from St. Peter when he's turned away from the Pearly Gates. more ›

Newly introduced CPS head Ron Huberman received a less-than-friendly welcome from the gallery when he was introduced at a Chicago Board of Education meeting today, prompting Board President Rufus Williams to admonish the crowd. The crowd criticized the Huberman choice, citing his lack of education experience while other critical comments weren't directed directly at Huberman, but rather at the CPS as a whole for the controversial decision to shut down 22 schools. more ›

When we were in D.C. last week for the Inauguration, we were constantly amused by the folks around us complaining about the "cold." People, it was above freezing, and that is NOT even close to cold. more ›

Ah, Governor Blagojevich, you cause of no end of amusement. Even though today won't be quite as fun as yesterday's airing of the Blago Tapes, you still continue to keep the tapes in the limelight, this time by wanting to have the complete set aired. Blago told CBS 2, "Before they remove a governor who's been elected twice by the people, hear the whole truth, every tape. Richard Nixon, during Watergate, fought tooth and nail to keep those tapes from being heard because he knew there was something wrong on there. Me? I'm the opposite, the anti-Nixon. I want every one of those tapes heard in the impeachment trial, and every witness called in." more ›

As the legend of Vincent Richardson, the teen arrested this weekend for impersonating a police officer, continues to grow, Mayor Daley's blood pressure continues to skyrocket. Said Hizzoner:

The Chicago Police Department is seriously looking into how an individual at such an age, with a phony badge and a phony uniform - they thought it was Halloween - could come in without a gun and be assigned a locker and be assigned to a car and be out in the street for five hours with another patrol officer.

Noah Curry, the three-year-old son of Eddy Curry and Nova Henry, has identified the man who killed Nova as well as Ava Henry, Noah's baby sister. A family member claims that Noah told them, "Fred did it," Fred being Nova's abusive ex-boyfriend Fredrick Goings. Goings is the man Chicago Police took into custody this weekend and questioned about the murder, only to eventually release him. The move infuriated the Henry family. Said Tom Henry, an uncle living in Houston, "They're afraid he's going to come back...They're terrified." Meanwhile, ex-Bull and current-Knick player Curry was spotted at his parents home, finally coming to Chicago after several days of "preparation." more ›

Ah, a new layer of fluffy white snow. It's nice in that the fresh layer does its best to hide the ugly dirty snow, the grays...and browns and yellows...of the weeks old snow. What is also hides, however, are the slick, thick, icy sections of sidewalks that have built up thanks to careless property owners who don't think it necessary to shovel your walk. I looked like Oksana Baiul taking my dog for a walk this morning. So be careful, all. In the meantime, the snow will eventually taper off as the day wears on and clouds may break enough to give us a peek at ol' Mr. Sun. Temps stay in the upper teens and drop to the lower teens tonight under partly cloudy skies. The cool week could give way to a balmy weekend with temps in the mid 30s, so there's something to look forward to. more ›

• Police continue to investigate the death of a three-month old baby who was found in a crowded, dirty apartment on the Northwest Side.
• Yesterday was a dark day for businesses nationwide with tens of thousands of jobs cut. Among them, 20,000 by Illinois-based Caterpillar.
• The ACLU has filed suit against the Illinois Department of Vital Records for refusing to issue new birth certificates to transgenders who have their sex change operation performed overseas.

As Daley's appointment of Run Huberman to replace Arne Duncan as CEO of the Chicago Public School systems became official, Duncan offered praise for the selection, saying, “Ron is smart. He is committed….He has no ego. He just wants to make things better. He's done that absolutely everywhere he's worked." This in spite of that fact that Duncan had endorsed Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins for the slot. more ›

After a spate of shootings at high school basketball games (such as the Dunbar High drive-by shooting), Chicago Public School officials have now imposed severe limitations on who can attend games. It's part of an effort to cut down on fights and violence. Among the limitations: All boys varsity basketball will start at 4 p.m.; No fans from visiting schools without permission; no fans from visiting school if there has been a history of violence between the schools. more ›

The city is testing out five new electric taxis in the downtown area but some cabbies aren't happy with the decision. The boundaries for the testing area are Oak Street to Polk and Lake Michigan to Clinton, selected because, according to Efrat Stein, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the downtown area meets the needs for "short trips traveling at low speeds." Each four-door cab will be capable of seating four people (driver included). more ›

The Blago tapes are being played at the impeachment trial. Check 'em out. They will be replayed after the first playing, too. more ›

Nova Henry was to attend her grandmother's funeral on Saturday but when she didn't show up for a hair appointment, family members suspected something was wrong. Nova's mother, Yolan Henry, went to Nova's South Loop apartment where she discovered Nova's body as well as the body of Nova's young daughter Ava; her three-year-old son was asleep on a chair, his mother and sister's blood on his hands and feet. Yolan said of the discovery, "I wish I didn't find her. I wish nobody had found her like that." In interviews with the Trib, family members described how Nova had moved to the apartment shortly after Christmas and had installed a security system just last week, all efforts to get away from an ex-boyfriend who was stalking her. The ex-boyfriend, who had previously had an order of protection issued against him by Henry, was interviewed by police but released on bail, charged only with trespassing for refusing to leave the hotel where police found him. There are still no suspects and not many leads. more ›

William Balfour, the man accused of killing three family members or actress/singer Jennifer Hudson - including seven-year-old Julian King - has been moved from Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet to Cook County Jail. The request was made by his lawyer so it would be easier to consult with Balfour and a judge approved. However, Balfour will be subject to the same 10-day limit the Cook County Jail imposes on holding all parole violators, which means Balfour could soon wind up back at SCC. more ›

With the Bulls off on their second extended road trip of the season -- this time exiled by Disney on Ice -- their season is on the brink. At seven games below .500 and sporting a 5-17 road record, the team that's already outside looking in with regards to the playoffs might just be positioned for another high lottery pick come June. more ›

Two Little Village men were arrested yesterday with cocaine in their possession. How much cocaine? $19 million worth. A tip led CPD Narcotics officers to set up surveillance of a drug deal. Officers watched the deal which led to the arrests of Anastacio Esparza and Lorenzo Barrios. Esparza was driving a van containing 50 kilograms of blow and further investigation led to the arrest of Barrios who was found to be in possession of 104 kilograms at his home. more ›

In the wake of the Miracle On The Hudson, Chicago's O'Hare is taking a step forward in the War on Fowls. Within six weeks, O'Hare will receive a special radar used for tracking flocks of birds. Such a radar would allow flights to delay or re-route flights to avoid potentially hazardous flocks of birds, like that which brought down the U.S. Airways jet a few weeks ago. You're on notice, Hekyll and Jekyll. more ›

We've been keeping track of the Blagojevich impeachment trial and while it hasn't made for compelling viewing (how can they make such comedic transcripts boring?) we did get a kick out of the prosecution's cue cards for the transcripts. Such prudes, the government. Meanwhile, while the prosecution is currently reading off the transcripts and confirming with agents that it was, indeed, Blago on the tapes, it appears as if the Blago Tapes will actually be played for the Senate today and, we hope, for the rest of the world, too. It'll be the first chance for the public to hear the governor discuss certain pay-for-play schemes. more ›

The story of the 14-year-old teen who was caught impersonating a cop keeps getting crazier and crazier. We already know he went out on calls and even went on calls with another officer; now it's coming out that this wasn't even the first time the kid has done this. Turns out the kid is still on probation from a December 2007 incident in which he was caught impersonating an officer and, according to his pastor, just last month officers caught the kid at Ford City Mall wearing a uniform. The big story here, obviously, is how bad this makes the Chicago Police Department look. Second City Cops says:

Station security is a joke and has been for years. Doors that don't open. Doors that stay open. Sally-ports that don't function. Lockup doors that don't lock. Civilians with no ID running around. Homeless encampments racked with how many strains of TB, Hepatitis and all manner of virus, germ and EPA Biohazard Superfund potential. more ›

It's been a tough month for Metra. This morning, what was being called a "minor derailment" has resulted in the closing of two stations. It's also caused all south suburban service on the Metra Electric Line to be delayed by about half an hour, affecting nearly 5,000 customers. The derailment happened in Richton Yard. Metra had originally planned to use shuttle buses but found they didn't have the necessary "equipment." Be sure to check the Metra website for any updates. more ›

Last night, Governor Rod Blagojevich continued his march through the media, appearing on CNN's "Larry King Live" and pontificating about his innocence. If you used our drinking game, then you were probably passed out about 15 minutes in. Blago dropped some great lines, like calling Ed Genson "the F. Lee Bailey of our time" (as a reader pointed out - we thought F. Lee Bailey was the F. Lee Bailey of our time) and getting the same, "if I knew they were taping..." spiel. Perhaps the greatest part of the evening? Watching Blago's reaction to the late night comedy clips (video below), including when SNL's Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers went off on his hair. While he seemed to enjoy Jason Sudeikis' impression, there was something in his eyes when hearing all the hair jokes that almost made you feel a little sorry for him, that the producers were forcing him to watch the world ridicule him. Almost. more ›

No. 22 Notre Dame dropped their fourth straight, this time in a 71-64 loss to the no. 8 Marquette Golden Eagles. Knotted at 57 with four minutes to play, Marquette went on an 11-4 run which featured a devastating three from Jerel McNeal that permanently push the lead to two possessions. Luke Harangody tried to carry his team with 29 points and 17 boards, but the balanced Eagles' attack proved to be too much. The Irish are amidst a brutal stretch of basketball, facing seven ranked opponents (five in the top ten) over eight games. Next on the docket: a Saturday afternoon tussle with the no. 3 Pitt Panthers. more ›

Right about now is the time of year when we start chomping at the bit for Spring. We have peeks of the sun to start the day but clouds will roll in soon enough. We have a chance of snow showers throughout the day but no accumulation is expected. Temps will top out around 20. Tonight, we could see a bit more snow as system clips us to the south; central Illinois will see more snow but we'll see anywhere from a dusting to two inches. Lows will drop to the lower teens. Another round of chilly temps hits Thursday into Friday, but early indications are we could see a warm-up this weekend. If there's any good news, it's that we're starting to get more sunlight these days. The long, slow trudge to Spring has started. more ›

• Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg was completely evacuated this afternoon after a citizen reported seeing a man with a gun. After a subsequent search by police turned up nothing, the mall was reopened.
• A federal judge sentenced Paul Schiro to 20 years today. Schiro is the first defendant from the Family Secrets trials to be sentenced. While the jury had only convicted Schiro of racketeering, his sentence was longer because, according to the Sun-Times, "U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel found that the prosecution had proven by a preponderance of evidence that Schiro had helped kill [Emil] Vaci."
• Box maker Smurfit-Stone, who has a headquarters located here, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Such a filing would allow them to restructure their debt.

Until recently, CTA drivers caught running red lights had to pay their own traffic citations. Thanks to a new policy, they are no longer financially liable for their violations. Instead, the Transit Authority will pick up the tab for their drivers' fines, which in turn can be paid with public funds. Good news if you drive a city bus, bad news for your average taxpayer. CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney pseudo-explains that the new policy was implemented "due to objections from the union and the CTA's wish to streamline a cumbersome process to strengthen enforcement." Strengthened enforcement that no longer includes traffic tickets for running lights, apparently. more ›

We mentioned this weekend the speculation surrounding the CTA's Ron Huberman replacing the DC-bound Arne Duncan as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. This afternoon, Crain's is reporting a source as saying it's a done deal and could be announced by Mayor Daley as soon as tomorrow. Okay, his experience with the Chicago Police department will probably come in handy with the way the kids are carrying on these days, but wouldn't we want someone with at least a little education experience for this role? more ›

Preservation Chicago unveiled today their annual list of the "Chicago 7," the seven most endangered buildings of the city. They are: more ›

We told you yesterday about the 14-year-old that waltzed right into a Chicago Police station and began working. But how involved was the teen before the CPD caught on to his shenanigans? Chicago police Asst. Supt. James Jackson said, "The senior officer was in full control of the squad car at all times, and the 14-year-old never interacted with the public while present with the assigned officer." But the teen's mother begs to differ, claiming the teen "told her that he went on 10 calls Saturday afternoon, including a couple domestic violence calls." Second City Cop has even more of the low-down: 'Many of our commentators back mom's story and verify the kid drove the car. For more than a little while. He also got a locker, checked out a ticket book and rode back-up on in-progress calls." more ›

Like a young Mathlete too embarrassed to ask out the head cheerleader, Governor Blagojevich admitted this morning that while he considered appointing Oprah Winfrey to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama, he didn't know how to approach her with the proposition, and doubted she would accept. Check out footage of the nervous nelly here. And what did the Queen of Daytime think? Besides being "pretty amused," she was also surprised: "If I had been watching as I normally watch from the treadmill, I probably would have fallen off the treadmill." Of course, Blago had reason to worry he'd be rebuffed since, as Oprah pointed out today on best friend Gayle's radio show, "Where would I fit it in with my day job, my midday job, my night job, my radio job...." Nonetheless, Oprah knows she's hot stuff, adding, "I think I could be senator, too...I'm just not interested." [chicagobreakingnews]
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Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial is getting underway right now but first: too many surreal moments from his interview on The View. Starting the interview with Barbara Walters on a TV screen; Joy messing with his hair; Whoopi looking like she wants to punch him...we could go on. Here's the Gov's appearance. At least Babs gets a little cranky with his ducking questions and even brings up the rift with the Mells. more ›

Police have taken into custody an unnamed man for questioning in regards to Saturday's killing of Nova Henry and her 9-month-old daughter Ava. According to the Trib, the man "had a romantic relationship with Henry and served as a lawyer for her" and was taken into custody from a hotel in Michigan City, Indiana yesterday. Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Monique Bond didn't elaborate on the arrest, simply saying, "We can't comment on any arrests or confirm that the subject arrested in Michigan City is the target of this investigation. No suspects have been named, and detectives continue to talk to a number of people." Henry had filed an order of protection against the man in custody in April 2007 only to have it dismissed a few weeks later. Henry's son, three-year-old Noah, was found unharmed in the apartment, but is believed to have witnessed the murders and was left with the bodies for several hours before Henry's mother discovered them. Noah is Henry's son with ex-Bull and current Knick Eddy Curry. more ›

It may be a ways off, but there are indications the Cubs could be getting their own TV network a la the Yankees' YES station. Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney hit on the topic during a radio interview this weekend, calling the potential station, "like the MLB Network, but with just the Cubs." The one hitch seems to be that the Tribune Company owns the rights to broadcast live Cubs games for about 10 more years, so the ability to show live games is still a ways off. But Kenney suggested that the network could fill its airtime rebroadcasting old games, documentaries, and other examples of archival footage. Kenney indicated the team is also working on an OnDemand package for local cable and satellite companies to provide to customers, possibly in place by Opening Day. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

The ball bounced Minnesota's way on Sunday, as the Timberwolves defeated the Bulls 109-108 in OT. Nearing the end of regulation and up by two, Joakim Noah's attempt at a defensive rebound went awry when the ball fell into the Bulls' own basket to tie the score for Minnesota. Chicago's Derrick Rose then missed an off-kilter shot on the next possession to force overtime. In the bonus period the ball was once again in Rose's hands with a chance to win. Rose drove the lane but couldn't find an outlet after picking up his dribble and was forced to take an ill-advised turnaround jumper. The ball rattled out and the Bulls couldn't get the tip to go as time expired. Ben Gordon led Chicago in scoring with 23 points, but it was Minnesota's Al Jefferson who won the day with 39. more ›

What is it with kids these days? First there was the 14-year-old who wanted to be a cop and now a 9-year-old wants to be Dale Earnhardt. The girl was left in a car parked in front of a South Side Walgreens with her aunt while her mother went inside the store. With the aunt on her cellphone, the girl jumped into the driver's seat and put the car in gear. The car then struck an 80-year-old woman, pinning her under the car and breaking both of her legs. She was later reported in "stable" condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The aunt was charged with endangering the life of a child and cited with the traffic violation of permitting an unauthorized person to drive and the mother was charged with driving on a suspended license, no insurance and parking in a fire lane. more ›

In case you weren't up as early as we were to catch our Governor on television, here's pretty much all you need to know: Senator Oprah. Appearing on ABC's Good Morning, America, the Haired One was on the defensive as Diane Sawyer came after him. When pressed about the rumor that he had considered Oprah for Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat. "The idea came to me from a friend," Blago claimed. He admitted, "She probably wouldn't take it," but that didn't stop him and his team from trying to figure out how to offer it to her so it "wouldn't appear like some sort of gimmick." As for the impeachment, he's come to accept the fact he's not likely to be Governor come February, but he's still maintaining his innocence, saying, "The fix is in." Oh, and when asked about his wife, he quoted Kipling again. more ›

As Gov. Blagojevich faces the music today in Springfield (well, metaphorically, anyway), our ongoing trial known as "The Winter of '09" will continue. Cloudy skies and cold temps in the mid-teens will make us long for Spring, but we've got a ways to go in this purgatory. Tonight, temps will drop into the single digits again and there's a slight chance of flurries. If there's a silver lining to these clouds overhead, it's that most of the snow coming in tomorrow will be to our south and we'll likely only get a dusting. more ›

Phillyist wondered just how much a star ball player is actually worth.

A 14-year-old teenager has been arrested for posing as a Chicago Police officer. What shocks us about all of this isn't that the kid tried it, but that he seems to have actually gotten away with it, if only for a short while. The teen showed up at the Grand Crossing District police station (7040 S. Cottage Grove Ave.), complete with uniform, and claimed to be "reporting for duty." Okay...but here's the part that kills us: more ›

Tomorrow at high noon in Springfield, Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial will get underway but the Governor will be nowhere near the State Capitol. Instead, he'll be making the media rounds, hitting up talk shows, a move that cost him the services of superstar defense attorney Ed Genson. At least one local network (ABC 7) has said they'll stream the events in Springfield live tomorrow and suspect more will join. But what of the interviews? If you're close to a TV and what some unintentional comedy to get your week started, you can catch Blago on the following programs: more ›

The Chicago Police Board has fired two veteran officers. The first was Karen Oaks, a 12-year-veteran. Oaks was fired after the Board discovered she had carried on a relationship with a convicted felon from 2002 to 2005. Oaks' attorney claimed that while the officer knew the felon, the relationship was not inappropriate. The other was 14-year-veteran Larry Guy Jr. Guy beat a handcuffed shoplifting suspect in 2005; the suspect claim he had no merchandise hidden on his body but Guy cut his hand on a razor when searching the suspect's pockets and then beat the suspect. more ›

No. 19 Notre Dame couldn't keep it alive against the no. 3 Connecticut Huskies Saturday, losing 69-61 and ending the nation's longest home winning streak at 45 games. more ›

More layers are shedding to the floor in Chicago Public Schools. Only two weeks after the system was hit with lawsuits alleging inappropriate searches of students, two more families have filed complaints. more ›

The woman found murdered in her South Loop apartment yesterday has been identified as Nova Henry, 24, the mother of (former Chicago Bull) Eddy Curry's son. Henry's nine-month-old daughter Ava was also found murdered in the apartment. A three-year-old boy believed to be Curry's son was found in the building unharmed. Henry's mother discovered the bodies yesterday evening around 6 p.m. more ›

After today’s sold-out matinee, “Wicked” will close after its 3-1/2 year run and 1,500 performances. The show has been seen by more than 2.9 million people here in Chicago, and has earned more than $210 million in box office revenue. more ›

Indiana took the prize in Las Vegas last night, winning the 88th Miss American Pageant was Miss Indiana Katie Stam. Last night's win represents the first Miss America from Indiana. Stam won, despite having a case of laryngitis. She is a native of Seymour, and is attending the University of Indianapolis. more ›

Where have we seen this kind of weather before? Hmmm...oh yeah. Every freaking day this winter. Mostly cloudy, high in the mid-teens, wind chills below zero, yeah, this is getting old. Tonight is also pretty redundant, with lows int he upper aughts and a slight chance of some flurries. If there's any good news, it's that we could hit 30 again by mid-week. If there's any disheartening news, it's that our snowfall has been so intense this month that it's been almost three weeks since the last time we saw bare ground around here. more ›

If you plan on using the CTA tomorrow, be sure you're aware of some re-routes happening. more ›

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about Blago going all crazy in the press. Because it was. After yesterday's Pearl Harbor comments, the WLS interview, and his crazy press conference, Blago is following up with appearances on Good Morning, America, The View, and Larry King Live, all on Monday. And what does all this publicity get him? Nothing, as far as we're concerned, but it did cost him his high-profile defense attorney Ed Genson who is resigning from Blago's criminal defense team. Genson, upset over Blago's insistence to continue speaking publicly, said, "I never require a client to do what I say. But I do require them to at least listen. I wish the governor good luck and Godspeed." more ›

The Mayor is considering the CTA’s Ron Huberman to potentially succeed Arne Duncan to take the top job at Chicago Public Schools. According to the Trib, the Mayor could make a decision as early as next week. more ›

The Toronto Raptors ended their seven-game losing streak with a 114-94 victory over the Bulls, leaving Chicago with a four-game skid of its own. Down nine points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulls whittled their disadvantage down to one over the next six minutes. That’s where the run ended, however, as the Raptors outscored the Bulls 23-4 to close it out. Ben Gordon led Chicago with 19 points, and Tyrus Thomas’ monster jam over Jermaine O’Neal gave the UC crowd reason to cheer. more ›

Another blast of cold, arctic air has settled in and we'll be lucky to see the north side of 10 today. On Skilling's extended forecast, it calls this the "Coldest weekend in 54 weeks." Can that be right? Anyway, it'll be sunny today with highs hovering just around 9. Tonight, still under clear skies, temps will drop into the mid aughts. Don't worry, though, as it appears by midweek temps will rebound to seasonal levels. more ›

The initial planning stages of our inauguration coverage began on November 5, 2008. After months of prep, paper work, applications, and urgent calls to friends looking for a couch to crash, the moment finally arrived and just like that, it was all over. After five straight days of traveling and sprinting around D.C., Wednesday was spent recovering and, for some of us, traveling once more. With President Obama now sworn in twice for good measure, he's hit the ground running, something extremely difficult for us after a weekend of scurrying around the city, trying to cover as much as possible. Tankboy, Lizz, and Karl have returned safely to Chicago and by the time this post goes live, my plane should hopefully be on its approach to Midway. But before I left town, I got a chance to scope out Washington D.C. in its own recovery mode. For the first time since I arrived, I had a chance to relax and take some time to check out some monuments and how the deconstruction of the National Mall was going. more ›

Traffic at O’Hare crawls to its lowest since 1994, which isn’t great news considering the City of Chicago is spending about $15 billion to modernize the airport by 2014. The FAA released data this week showing incoming and outgoing flights were down last year to 881,566 at O’Hare and 266,341 at Midway, the worst for that airport since 1997. more ›

As welcome our new Commander in Chief, perhaps now is the moment to reflect upon the 10 things we'll miss most about the man now know simply as Dubya -- kindly put together for you by David Letterman's staff. more ›

Looks like word about Oak Brook-based Ty, Inc. selling Sasha and Malia dolls has made its way to the White House, and Michelle Obama is not happy. Ty is insisting that the dolls are not supposed to represent the Obama girls, and that the names were chosen at random simply because "they are beautiful names." But the First Lady isn't buying any of that crap. Through her press secretary, Mrs. Obama said that it is "inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes." Maybe it's just us, but we don't think it is wise to get on Michelle Obama's bad side. more ›

No one is immune from the current economic crisis, not even Hugh Hefner. The Hef's company, Playboy Enterprises, recently reported they finished 2008 in the red thanks to over $100 million "in asset impairment and restructuring charges for the fourth quarter" according to Crain's. As a result, the company is shutting down most its New York-based operation and moving a few jobs to it's corporate headquarters here in Chicago. Jimmy Jellinek will switch from being Playboy’s online editor to the magazine’s editorial director, replacing Chris Napolitano. Napolitano will stay in NYC so Playboy can maintain a presence there. The company cut some jobs in the fall and apparently more cuts aren't out of the question. more ›

Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial gets underway on Monday and things are, what else, a hot mess. So what's going on in the World of Blago as the trial approaches? more ›

Not all of us had prime seating to Tuesday's swearing in ceremony, and in our case we secured tickets for the Silver Section from our Congressman the good ol' fashioned way ... via lottery. We heard many folks in the same area were denied entry, and even though we only arrived about 30 minutes before the ceremonies began we were able to utilize our skills at crowd navigation and "looking like we belonged" to find our way to our designated section. Communication between security and the crowd was non-existent, which is probably why there were so many snafus regarding general entry. more ›

Okay, now we've heard everything. In the wake of his failure to get his sentence commuted by outgoing President Bush, former (and jailed) governor George Ryan has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by University of Illinois professor Francis A. Boyle. Boyle is a professor of International Law and Human Rights and this isn't the first time Boyle has nominated Ryan; it's the sixth. Boyle has been trying to get Ryan's work on ending the death penalty rewarded. Here's guessing Ryan goes unrewarded once more. more ›

Following a search that has taken almost two years, the Cubs may finally have their new owners. The Tribune Co. selected the bid from the Ricketts family as their favored bid yesterday. It's by no means a done deal, however, as the Ricketts will have to secure financing and pass hurdles with MLB and other team owners. But hopes are to have the deal closed by Opening Day. more ›

College Basketball more ›

Last summer, we talked about Timur Serebrykov, the now-former guard at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum who slashed the Vija Celmins painting "Night Sky #2", on loan from our own Art Institute and valued at around $1.2 million. Now, we at least have closure. Timur pleaded guilty yesterday to institutional vandalism for the act and is due to be sentenced April 7. His lawyer said he was suffering from mental stress and Timur himself told police at the time he slashed the painting because, "I didn't like the painting.'' The painting has been returned to Chicago and, in spite of efforts to repair it, the painting has lost almost a quarter-million dollars in value. We have a few Pittsburghers on staff who are now no longer allowed near any precious works of art, at least until the Steelers win the Super Bowl. more ›

A few weeks back, we discussed the Chicago tradition known as "dibs." It now seems that Ald. Dick Mell (33rd) has had it up to here with you kids and your dibs, issuing this email to constituents. more ›

Today is going to be similar to yesterday at the start: highs in the mid 30s but there'll be some clouds and a chance of snow after noon. It's tonight that a new arctic blast sweeps in and knocks our temps waaaaaaay back down to the single digits tonight. So, let's see. I left Chicago with a temperature of -15, and I return with it somewhere near 8. Well, it's an improvement of over 20 degrees. Mother Nature is a fickle beast. more ›

For those who have never been to an Inaugural Ball (a group which included myself up until a couple nights ago), let me make this parallel: Imagine a wedding reception for approximately 8000 people. The attendees probably don't know each other from Adam, and may only be there for one person, bride or groom. Everyone is uncomfortably dressed, underfed, and most likely overserved. And everyone leaves saying, "Well, wasn't that fun!" more ›

• Issuing a directive to shut down Guantanamo Bay
• Halting some regulations issued last-minute by the Bush administration
• Issuing new ethics rules

Anyone looking to hire a foul-mouthed wife of a twice-impeached governor who clouts her way into jobs she's not qualified for and is under federal scrutiny for her real estate dealings? Then Patti Blagojevich wants to hear from you (no phone calls, please). more ›

Chalk one up for pain-in-the-Christian-ass Rob Sherman. The staunch atheist Sherman and his daughter, Dawn, filed a legal challenge against a state law requiring a moment of silence at the start of each school day. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman temporarily banned the law in May while he reviewed the case, and yesterday he completely tossed it out. Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan and her crew are reviewing an appeal. more ›

With their season just past the midway point, Bulls GM John Paxson gave a frank assessment of his team thus far. And what he had to say wasn't favorable, "We're not very good right now." more ›

Oh, sure, it'll be nice and toasty today as temps reach the upper 30's under sunny skies, a nice break from the cold of late. Temps won't sink much tonight, remaining steady in the low 30s. In fact, Skilling sayz it's the first time we're going to top freezing in 18 days. Huzzah! But ooooooh nooooo, the warm weather couldn't be bothered to stick around. It's looking like a new blast of cold air comes in tomorrow evening that'll drop us back into the dangerous wind chill zone for the weekend. more ›

• Our thoughts and prayers with the family of Chicago's Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade who was killed in action this weekend in Baghdad from injuries sustained when his vehicle struck an IED.
• A Calumet City resident found an unpleasant surprise when shoveling snow today: a dead body.
• Two teens have been charged in the shooting of another student outside Collins High School last night.

We get lots of email from readers in our inbox, some kind, some not so much. And we also get questions about certain stories in the area. Without a doubt, the story we're asked about the most is the case of Anthony Abbate, the Chicago Police officer caught on tape beating a Chicago bartender after she allegedly refused to serve him more beer. A December start to his trial came and went but nary a word was uttered about what was up with the case. While we still don't know exactly what happened, we do know now that he did appear in court today for a hearing and he's due back in court on February 26 when it's expected he'll be issued a new trial date. more ›

It appears aldermen aren't the only ones having problems with DUIs. Cook County Judge Sheila McGinnis pleaded guilty yesterday to DUI charges stemming from a May 2008 incident in Tinley Park. McGinnis hit another vehicle stopped at a red light and refused a field sobriety test; no one was hurt in the crash. While she faced up to a year of jail, she was simply fined $1,000, put on 18-months probation, and was reelected in November. more ›

Some of the city’s most vulnerable residents may be worse off thanks to a plan to close as many as five mental health centers. The Daley administration says the closings will take place on Feb. 1 and are due to a drop in state funding. Dr. Terry Mason, Daley’s health commissioner, told the Tribune that the patients from the closed centers could be relocated to any of the seven remaining ones. He also added that all 12 centers could handle about 6,500 patients. more ›

Alderman Sharon Dixon (24th) was arrested for DUI last night after an argument with police. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when Dixon approached a police controlled intersection in the 6900 block of North Sheridan Road. Police were controlling the area due to a fire and Dixon asked them to move their cars so she could get through. According to Chicago Police Officer Laura Kubiak, when the police told her she would have to move her car, Dixon got out of the car and yelled at the officers. The police simply charged her with obstructing traffic and no proof of insurance. more ›

While hanging about at the Obama Home States Ball, we were lucky enough to grab a few seconds with newly sworn-in Senator Roland Burris. Of course, we wound up channeling our inner Katie Couric and gave him a few softballs before he was whisked away by his staff. But we like to think we did as well as D.L. Hughley would have. more ›

The Bulls suffered another close defeat Wednesday, losing 105-102 to the Hawks from Atlanta (no, the hockey team didn't pick up a basketball, although...). With the game tied at the start of the fourth quarter, the lead would see-saw seven times in the next seven minutes. The advange then tilted in Atlanta's favor, however, as Mike Bibby led a quick 7-0 surge for the Hawks. This pushed the lead to two-possessions, and put the game out of grasp for Chicago. Ben Gordon led the Bulls in scoring with 21, and Luol Deng was good for another double-double. more ›

While other revelers who attended yesterday's swearing in headed home or to the parade, I fought the crush of people and made my way back to temporary HQ where I filed yesterday's Dispatch, got all gussied up in my tux, and headed out for some formal fun. more ›

Perhaps the story of Super Bowl XLIII is the latest act for Kurt Warner, who's career has seen peaks and valleys unlike any player -- at least those who haven't harmed their own careers through crime or substance abuse. From the Arena Football League and stocking grocery store shelves; to league and Super Bowl MVP; to bench warming tutor for the next generation of quarterbacks; to Super Bowl starter once more. When the surprising NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals take the field on February 1, the unassuming Warner will be under center. more ›

In the weather department, no news is good news usually. This week is such an example. We'll have partly sunny skies overhead today as temps remain somewhat normal for this time of year: in the upper 20s for the highs and down to the upper teens for a low. It doesn't look like more snow will even enter the picture until Saturday and even then it's only a slight chance for right now, so enjoy. more ›

While yesterday was a day of celebration, Rod Blagojevich wasn't among them. Governor Sound Byte was busy getting fingerprinted again. The reason: federal authorities didn't like the quality of his first set of prints. more ›

Maybe His Elective Majesty's been enjoying himself too much in the District. Or maybe he's feeling nostalgic about Chicago Cardinals games at Old Comiskey Park. Either way, we're having a hard time taking his latest words seriously. more ›

Crain's Ed Sherman blogs more about the release of Dan McNeil from WMVP. Sherman speculates that McNeil will wind back at WSCR when his no-compete clause runs out in May, in a possible pairing with his AM 1000 co-host John Jurkovic, whose contract also expires this summer. For what it's worth, if McNeil does winds up at the Score, we'd hope for a reunion with his former "Heavy Fuel Crew" partner-in-crime, Terry Boers. [Crain's] more ›

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. more ›

Chicago Streets and Sanitation superintendent Jeff Oakley has been suspended without pay and was demoted from his $100k+ per year gig after he was accused of leaving his office window open at the Bureau of Electricity headquarters the weekend before Christmas. As you might remember, it was really "freaking cold" that weekend and a water pipe froze and burst causing an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in flood damage. Oakley called the damage an "embarrassment" to the bureau and Mayor Daley, but denies having left the window open speculating that perhaps strong winds blew it ajar. The Sun-Times also helps float the idea that it may have been racially motivated: more ›

It's almost a cliche: a person is accused of a heinous crime and people come out of the woodwork to tell media that, "that doesn't sound like the person we know. And it's holding true today. Friends and neighbors of Melissa Calusinski, the 22-year-old day care center aide accused of first degree murder in the death of 16-month-old Benjamin Kingan, said that Calusinski was a hard working young woman who spoke of how she loved children. more ›

The time is upon us and we're not too long away from the swearing-in. Several Chicagoist writers (including myself) are down at the Capitol right now watching the festivities and we'll have a ton of pics and reports to bring you later. Our friends over at sister site DCist are live-blogging the events, so swing by there to check out the blow-by-blow account and then head back here to share your comments and feelings about the inauguration. more ›

Chris Duhon exacted revenge against his former team on Monday, scoring the winning basket in the New York Knicks 102-98 win over the Chicago Bulls. Down one with under a minute left, Duhon drove the baseline for the go-ahead score. Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon both had a chance to answer for the Bulls, but neither could find the bottom of the net. Luol Deng scored 20 and grabbed 10 boards, while Tyrus Thomas had 19 and 10, respectively. Despite the late miss, Rose also stepped up for Chicago, with 20 points and eight assists. It was Deng's third double-double in five games since returning from injury, having reached that mark only once in the 27 games prior. more ›

Monday was the deadline for candidates to file paperwork to the Illinois State Board of Elections to run for Rahm Emanuel's seat in the 5th congressional district. There are 26 candidates now registered to compete in the March 6 primaries. Candidates who plan to run as an independent or with a non-established party in the April 7 general election must file by January 27. more ›

In the wake of Friday's announcement that attorneys Ed Genson, Sam Adam, Sr., and Sam Adam, Jr. recused themselves from Governor Blagojevich's upcoming impeachment trial, there's been some speculation as to the real reason why the three backed out at the last minute. more ›

In a speech at the "We Are One" concert at Lincoln Memorial Center on Sunday, President-Any-Minute-Now Barack Obama said, "I won't pretend that meeting any one of these challenges will be easy. It will take more than a month or a year, and it will likely take many." Well, a number of groups have responded, "Screw that, we want action NOW." On Obama's first full day in office, January 21st, a "Solidarity Rally" will take place in Federal Plaza at 5:00 p.m. Members from various organizations will be in attendance, including the Gay Liberation Network, the International Socialist Organization, and the Coalition of African, Asian, Arab, European, and Latino Immigrants of Illinois to "demand the change they voted for" -- mainly, immediately ending raids and deportations. more ›

Ready or not, the Windy City White House is here. And, appropriately, the weather here in D.C. is positively Chicagoesque with highs expected to be in the upper 20's and wind chills in the teens. But what of the city Obama has just left? Well, Chicago even managed to out-Chicago D.C. Highs will eek just past 20 and there's a 50 percent chance of snow throughout the day. Brisk winds will keep wind chill values around 1. Clouds will part by the evening (all Obama's doing, we're sure) and temps will sink to the mid-teens. The next several days will be seasonal and snow-free. And if this winter has seemed colder than usual, that's because it has been colder than usual. more ›

As it doesn't take an advanced degree to get two dogs to mate, the industry is rife with "backyard breeders" looking to make a buck, while having no idea what they are doing. Often times the dogs are overbred and inbred, overcrowded, neglected, and spend their days in filthy cages. Puppy mill owners have no respect for the animals beyond them being a profit center, and once that usefulness is gone the dogs are euthanized. So if you have to have a purebred pooch, please go to a reputable breeder. Or even better, as regular Chicagoist readers know, we're big fans of adoption. more ›

According to the state's senior U.S. senator Dick Durbin, it looks unlikely that outgoing President George W. Bush will commute the sentence of former Illinois governor George Ryan. Durbin had requested the commutation for Ryan, but the Blagojevich scandal likely derailed any chances of that happening. According to Durbin, speaking at a pre-inauguration coffee, “It was very clear to me that scandal had an impact on President Bush’s decision. And I think it is highly unlikely that a pardon will be issued for former Gov. Ryan before George Bush leaves office. I think the atmosphere and environment of scandal and corruption makes it more difficult for President Bush to consider." Earlier, President Bush issued a commutation of sentences for two border guards in a move called "his final acts of clemency." more ›

Chicago's resident "unrepentant terrorist"/education reform scholar William Ayers was on his way to give a speech at the Centre for Urban Schooling at University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, when Canadian border guards refused his entrance. more ›

It looks everyone’s favorite Olympic events, mountain biking and road cycling, could take place in Madison and Mt. Horeb, Wis. if Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Games. Hey, at least it’s not table tennis. But it turns out the cheese-head state is a cycling hot spot that offers more competitive courses than Chicago. Sadly, it’s doubtful that moving the events to Wisconsin will significantly lessen the economic troubles looming for Chicago taxpayers. more ›

As Barack Obama's inauguration approaches, incoming chief of staff and former Fifth U.S. Congressional District rep Rahm Emanuel appeared on NBC's Meet The Press Sunday and talked the inauguration, the economy, and even Burris & Blago. To no one's surprise, Rahm maintained his insistence that he did nothing inappropriate: "As described in the document we made public, we talked in general about the, the right type of people that could be served as U.S. senator. And those are the conversations you would have with the chief of staff, and they're all the appropriate conversations." Check out video of the entire video below or, if you're the reading type, read the transcripts. more ›

It's probably a safe bet that our infamous Gov. Rod Blagojevich won't be parachuting himself into his last remaining appointment -- a seat on the board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The position became available when former commissioner Patricia Young -- who was first elected in 1992 -- decided to take a new position. Young, a single mother, found the necessary evening and weekend hours more difficult and made the change to spend more time with her adopted son. The board oversees Chicago's wastewater treatment, and as Young says, "it's essenial to our lives and essential to protecting our health." more ›

After our morning at the Capitol, we made our way over to the Lincoln Memorial for the "We Are One" Concert which was to feature a range of political, celebrity, and musical appearances before an expected crowd of up to 500,000. We were plenty early as we made our way through the masses and it gave us a chance to scan the hundreds of items available to buy from the countless vendors. Shirts, towels, buttons, flags, you name it, it probably has Obama's picture on it and you're going to pay a a lot of pennies for it. Once inside the grounds, we found the press section nestled below the right side of the stage with a nice view, though the set pieces and a jumbotron obscured our view of one of the two onstage podiums as well as the actual Lincoln Memorial, but, still, we weren't complaining. We dodged CNN's John Roberts as he filmed a report from our corral and set up position for the show. more ›

With 2009 rolling around, many of us made New Years resolutions -- go to bed earlier, save more money, eat better. For the Cubs, apparently, their resolution was giving up Pie. The North Siders traded Felix Pie, their onetime center fielder of the future, to the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend in return for two pitchers. In return for Pie - who will perhaps be best remembered for his twisted testicle - the Cubs landed left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson. Olson was just 9-10 with a 6.65 ERA in 26 starts for Baltimore last season. more ›

Three days after almost upsetting 19th ranked Purdue, Northwestern recorded its first win of the Big Ten season with a 74-65 victory over the no. 17 Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers led by three at the break but came out ice cold to start the second half, scoring only three points in the next nine minutes. Meanwhile, Craig Moore led a 16-point Wildcat rally with three three-pointers in the same stretch. That was all Northwestern needed, as they managed to trade baskets the rest of the way. Moore finished with 22 points, and Kevin Coble contributed an additional 20 for the Wildcats. more ›

It's a chilly holiday for some but just another Monday for others. Either way, it's also Martin Luther King Day as well as the National Day of Service. If you'd like to get involved but aren't sure how, here's a list of events going on around the Chicago area today that you can get involved in. And what kind of weather will you have to volunteer in? It'll be cold with highs only creeping just past 20 degrees and a wind chill value very close to 0. There's also a chance of flurries this afternoon, but more snow will move in tonight. Lows will fall to the lower teens but new snow accumulations are expected to be less than half an inch. Unless you live in northwest Indiana where you're under a lake-effect snow advisory. more ›

• Torontoist scoured Toronto to find the city's finest puny business names.
• Gothamist was stunned when a plane with failed engines landed safely into the Hudson River. All passengers survived, thanks to the pilot, crew, and amazing rescue efforts from commuter ferries and authorities!
• Bostonist drank a cocktail named after Superman's Fortress of Solitude and got ready to swill some inaugural beer.
• DCist continued its full-court press on all things Inaugural; they were the first to report on the D.C. police having declared part of downtown Washington a "Prostitution Free Zone" during the Inauguration.
• Shanghaiist found out Obama's half-brother Mark Ndesandjo helped raise some money for Chinese orphans at a charity event in Shenzhen, China.
• LAist went through the stages of grief after finding out the closest thing to a real indie rock radio station couldn't make it without catering to corporate America and opted to yank themselves off the air and head to the internets.
• Phillyist really hates Arizona—this week. Next week, they may hate Baltimore or Pittsburgh (or they'll just keep hating Arizona).
• SFist found a map of local establishments that double as porn shoot locations.
• Chicagoist felt things heat up as Governor Blagojevich presided over the swearing in of the new state senate, which will serve as the jury in his impeachment trial, was re-impeached by a new state house with his sister-in-law casting the only "no" vote, and saw his controversial senate appointee, Roland Burris, become The Lord's Senator™.
• Londonist geeked out with an interactive map of V-2 rocket sites, charting the locations where Hitler's 'vengeance' rockets fell in the capital.
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The Tribune's Sunday paper featured yet another picture of Barack Obama on the front page and included yet another "Inauguration 2009" special section. It seems the Tribune's only plan for selling more newspapers has been to put our photogenic first family on the front page. And that's really not a bad strategy, except that they seem to be running out of things to talk about. more ›

Perhaps with some experience from Election Night's Obamapalooza under their belt, the Chicago Police Department is joining 100 other forces from around the nation to add some extra security to this week's inauguration festivities in Washington D.C. The CPD is sending 48 officers to assist and CPD superintendent Jody Weis says they've been selected based on expertise. He also added that their absence would not affect the day-to-day operations of the CPD. more ›

It was a cloudy Sunday morning, but with temps in the mid 30s, it feels downright tropical. With the "We Are One" Opening Ceremony/Concert looming in the afternoon, we decided to venture down to the Capitol Building and scope out the scene. With a cup of coffee in hand, we bounded past the Russell Senate Building where we picked up some credentials (no sign of Burris) and checked out the stage at the Capitol for Tuesday's inauguration. Sure, it looks simple now, with simply thousands of empty folding chairs fanned out in front of the large stage and bleacher section, but we know millions of people will be spilling into the Mall area 48 hours from now. The atmosphere of people milling about was relaxed yet excited, if such a thing is imaginable. Groups of people wandered around, taking it all in, moving from movements of rapid chatter to silent awe. After poking around a bit and wondering if there could ever be such a thing as too many portapotties, we took off but look forward to returning Tuesday morning. Next up, a party with our friends Bruce, Bono, Beyonce, and Barack. more ›

After a week of derailments and secret agent delays, Metra hopes things get back to running smoothly tomorrow. Among the derailments was the North Central Line which runs between Antioch and Chicago which was shut when a Canadian National freight train derailed early Friday morning. Officials expect the line, which carries around 5,000 passengers daily, to be back to normal tomorrow. Be sure to check Metra's Service Updates just in case. more ›

It may be cold but at least it's double-digits again. Temps will be in the lower 20s under cloudy skies. Snow flurries may develop throughout the day, though there's not much accumulation expected so just look for a dusting. Not that you'll really be able to notice any new accumulation on top of the piles that will be with us until June. Tonight will be cold with cloudy skies and temps around 10, but, again, still warmer than last week. So...there's that. more ›

A tragic story our of Deerfield, where a 22-year-old day care center employ has been charged with homicide in the death of a 16-month-old boy. Melissa M. Calusinski, of Carpentersville, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The boy died from a head injury and his death was ruled a homicide. more ›

The controversial plan to levy a 9 percent amusement tax on 135,000 people who install satellite TV dishes is off the table. Daley had hoped to get around a federal law that bans cities from taxing direct-broadcast satellite services by asking the providers to turn over the names and addresses of customers so the city could levy the tax. more ›

There's an empty bar stool at the "afternoon saloon." ESPN Radio WMVP (1000 AM) escorted Dan McNeil, host of the afternoon "Mac, Jurko and Harry Show," out the door on Friday and breaking up the team that's been handling afternoons for nearly eight years. The station decided not to pick up the option on his contract, and while he's under contract until May he's been pulled off the air. more ›

If there's one thing that D.C. didn't want to see arrive from Chicago, it was the cold. But, sure enough, the cold blast that sent temps in Chicago tumbling earlier this week has rolled into the Baltimore and D.C. area, as has a crew of Chicagoist writers. After a 24-hour journey that included planes, trains, and automobiles, I've finally arrived at my temporary HQ in Washington, D.C. and am preparing to head out to settle some logistics - the government makes nothing easy. We've been lucky enough to gain credentials to several events here in D.C. over the next couple of days and we're looking forward to bringing you reports from the field as best we can in addition to our usual round of Chicago news. We'll be hitting, among other things, tomorrow's "We Are One" Concert at the Lincoln Memorial, the Swearing-in Ceremony, the Inaugural Parade, and even the Obama Home States Inaugural Ball (though it appears I won't be able to get a date for that). We're excited to be a part of it and look forward to sharing it all with you. more ›

A number of Rod "I can quote poetry!" Blagojevich's legal team have resigned, comparing the upcoming Senate impeachment trial to a lynching. Attorneys Sam Adam and Samuel E. Adam -- father and son -- claim they haven't had enough time to prepare and that the whole thing is unfair to their client. Another Blago attorney, Edward Genson -- previously seen getting R Kelly acquitted -- has also left the team. When the dude that got a jury to believe R Kelly didn't pee on a girl quits your legal team that is NOT a good sign. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

Chicago Police arrested a man this morning just after he robbed a bank in Lincoln Square. His getaway car? A CTA bus! Does he get points for being environmentally conscious and employing the use of public transportation?[Chicago Breaking News] more ›

Compare this to this and this. more ›

Georgio Dukes, 18, (pictured right) has been charged in last Friday's shooting outside of Dunbar High School during a basketball game. Five people were injured by the shooting and another was injured in the stampede that followed. Dukes is charged with five counts of felony aggravated battery with a firearm for the shootings. Police say the shooting is gang-related. more ›

What a bad week to ride Metra. After this week's problems involving a secret service agent and derailment, another derailment, this time by a freight train in Buffalo Grove has canceled morning service on Metra's North Central line between Chicago and Antioch. Of the 17 cars that derailed, two are packed with sulfur, a hazardous material, complicating matters. A CN spokesman said it was unlikely service would be restored today. There's no weekend service on the line, so it's likely officials will handle the currently derailed cars and then inspect the track for damage with hopes of getting things going again by Monday. No one was hurt in the derailment and no evacuations have been ordered. more ›

It's going to be a scorcher today as a Bermuda High brings us some warm, humid air. It'll be a great day to head out to one of the area beaches or to grill out in the back yard. Temps will hover in the low 90s under sunny skies and a gentle 10 mph breeze*. Tonight the temp drops the upper 60s and it'll be just a bit muggy as we settle into the overnight hours. Enjoy the sun while you can because there's rain coming in for the weekend.** more ›

In case you hadn't noticed, it's coooold outside. While we're zipping up our North Face and lacing up our Timberlands to keep warm, don't forget that others are not so fortunate. The city's department of family services is trying to make sure they find warmth and shelter for Chicago's homeless. The city is encouraging everyone to dial 311 if they see someone in need of a place to stay, so they can direct them to one of the city's six warming centers during the day and to a bed at a shelter at night. City outreach workers will be making rounds to find people in need. Also be sure to check in on your elderly neighbors, especially those who live alone. more ›

The FAA is saying all 150+ people onboard the US Airways flight that crashed into the Hudson River are alive and okay. Head over to our sister site Gothamist for more coverage on the crash. more ›

Debris on the tracks halted Red Line trains for a spell and even though they're moving again, we're getting word from readers that there are heavy delays heading Southbound from the Howard stop, where the incident occurred. Monitor the situation at the CTA website. Thanks for the tip, Lee! more ›

We thought we were going to make it through the week without anything cringe-inducing but unfortunately Drew Peterson had other plans. In an interview with WBBM's Steve Miller, Peterson described the extended family with fiance Christina Raines as "harmonious bliss." Peterson hasn't filed for divorce from dead missing wife Stacy yet so he hasn't set a wedding date for future ex-wife #5. When asked if Raines was confident Peterson was innocent of any wrongdoing in the death of ex-wife Kathleen Savio and the disappearance of current wife Stacy, Drew said no. more ›

Remember John Harris? He was Governor Blagojevich's Chief of Staff who was arrested alongside the Governor on that cold December morning. Following the arrest, Harris resigned his position and now it looks like he's joining the Feds' fight against Blago by cooperating with prosecutors. While an official deal has not been hammered out nor has Harris even begun officially giving feds info, sources tell the Trib talks are well underway. One of Harris's phones was tapped by the feds in their investigation of Gov. Blagojevich. Harris is no stranger to scandals, having previously resigned as City Hall's budget director following the Hired Trucks affair. more ›

After yesterday's derailment that snarled train traffic at Union Station, Amtrak is dealing with another derailment, this time further down state. The train, Lincoln train No. 302 traveling from St. Louis to Chicago, was involved in an accident with a vehicle. The accident damaged the train and derailed it, but no injuries were reported onboard. Other trains on the route have been canceled and passengers will instead be transported by bus. more ›

Life imitates 24. A police officer snared in the sting that resulted in the arrests of multiple law enforcement officers in the fall claims he's innocent because he was working undercover, too. Archie Stallworth (pictured right) was one of several Harvey police officers and Cook County sheriffs arrested for an alleged drug conspiracy in which they took pay to allow drug dealers to keep their business flowing. Stallworth was arrested for making false police reports but handed said reports over to the Sun-Times and insist that they're not fake.

According to the charges against Stallworth, he met the undercover FBI agent at a south suburban fast-food restaurant July 26 to provide security for a meeting. Afterward, the agent paid Stallworth $300 and said he needed someone to provide security for drug deals. more ›

Tom Tuduj was convicted yesterday by a Cook County Judge Jorge Alonso for the 2006 murder of Gary Poter, Tuduj's boss at the time. Prosecutors allege Tuduj was enraged over a poor work review and pay reduction by Poter, though Tuduj claimed a toxic mix of medications caused him mental issues. Tuduj was also convicted of attempted disarmament of a police officer because he tried to grab an officer's gun while in police custody. Tuduj faces up to 60 years in prison. more ›

The Blackhawks beat up on the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 Wednesday night, but it may have been Chicago that was left with a limp. The Sabres struck first off the stick of Ales Kotalik, but Chicago quickly answered with scores from Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. Martin Havlat and James Wisniewski would pile on two more to ensure the Chicago victory. The real blow, however, was landed when Buffalo's Drew Stafford laid a hard hit on defenseman Duncan Keith in the second period, who was visibly shaken and did not return to the ice. Keith's status is unknown, but encouraging words came from the 'Hawks locker room after the game. Chicago stays put to host the Atlantic-leading New York Rangers on Friday. more ›

At 1 p.m. Chicago time this afternoon, Roland Burris will be officially sworn in as The Lord's Senator™ by Vice President Dick Cheney, ending a several-month-long saga that has been lively even by Illinois standards. Burris will be seated without any protest from any senate leaders in spite of a litany of threats earlier in the process. While Burris faced an uphill climb to gain acceptance from his soon-to-be colleagues, the current Senators promise they'll treat him like any other freshman senator. By duct taping him to his office chair and rolling him down the hall? "Like any other senator, he'll have to learn the ropes and not get lost getting to committee hearings, like I have. I think he'll come in with people open to meeting with him and getting to know him. I think it will be just fine," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn). Oh. Senators also are looking for Burris to distance himself from Blaogjevich once he is seated, saying a call for Blago's resignation could go a long way towards helping his cause, especially if he intends to keep his seat in 2010. more ›

Just a few days after unsurprisingly going back on his promise that the 2016 Olympic bid wouldn't need taxpayer money, Mayor Daley has announced he's going after some heavy hitters to rally support for Chicago's Olympic bid. more ›

Many people in the area know A Christmas Story was originally based on author Jean Shephard's experience of growing up in Hammond. Sadly, it appears a one Hammond fourth-grader hasn't seen the movie or just didn't heed its warning. He should have known better than to try to lick a pole in this kind of weather, but he did anyway. In the end, he was fine except for his bleeding tongue. more ›

While we were happy to see Javier Vazquez and his inflated salary depart from the White Sox's starting rotation, we were concerned about the team's ability to round out its pitching staff in '09. GM Kenny Williams hopes he's plugged at least one of the holes with his latest move. Reports are that the Sox have reached a deal with former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon. Having pitched for the Sox in 2003, this would mark Colon's second stint on the South Side. more ›

Today is a day fit for neither man nor beast. By now, we've all heard how cold it is and the fact that it's going to stay below zero for a while. Some places may or may not crack zero until late Friday night into Saturday when temps begin to rise again. Until then, we'll have clear skies and temps somewhere below zero. A Wind Chill Warning is in effect until noon tomorrow as wind chills are expected to be between 25 and 40 below. And since we all know how this kind of weather messes with the trains, remember to check with the CTA and Metra for delays before heading out. more ›

• Motorola, based out of Schaumburg, announced today it would be cutting 4,000 jobs. This is in addition to the 3,000 cut during the fourth quarter of 2008. Damn.
• An Illinois House committee that oversees DFCS may consider tougher laws about aggressive dogs living in foster homes following Sunday's mauling death of foster child Alex Angulo.
• Tom Tuduj, accused of stabbing his boss to death in 2006, testified at his own trial and claimed his medication was to blame.

Given the economic crisis as well as high gas prices, it comes as no surprise that the CTA's 2008 ridership numbers were way up. The agency announced it had 526.4 million rail and bus rides in 2008, an increase of 26.8 million (or 5.4 percent) over 2007. The overall total is the highest since 1992 and it's also the largest single-year increase in 34 years. That worked out to 1.68 million rides per weekday. The big gainer was the buses, which saw a total of 328.2 million rides rides, up 6.1 percent over 2007. The CTA is attributing a part of this jump to the Blue Line slow zone work and the Brown Line expansion work. Rail rides increased by 4.1 percent to 198.2 million. Also not surprising: the largest decreases in ridership occurred at train stations near the city's two airports, something the CTA blames on the decrease in air travel. Check out the CTA's full report at their site. more ›

Just in time for rush hour! An Amtrak train has derailed at Union Station, blocking three Metra routes: the BNSF to Aurora, the Heritage Corridor to Joliet, and the Southwest train to Manhattan. Damn, the BNSF is having a tough day. The blockage is bad enough it could force a closure of Union Station. Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said: "At this point in time we are waiting to hear from Amtrak the extent of the derailment, how long it will be for them to move that train and restore the switches. Right now nothing is coming in, nothing is going out and we are waiting to see how Amtrak proceeds with their investigation of thi. Right now nothing is going in. Nothing is going out." more ›

Did you ever hear something about your doctor or dentist that made you wish you'd know that before you had your first visit with him or her? Do a little research before placing that phone call. The Illinois Department of Professional Regulation allows you to look up the licenses for a number of professions and you can see if they've ever been professionally disciplined. We clicked on "Professional Regulation" on the left hand side and then "License Look-up" to get to this page. more ›

Chicago dentist James L. Orrington agreed to shell out $462,500 to settle a civil lawsuit brought against him. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit against Orrington in September 2007 on behalf of 10 former employees who alleged he sexually harassed female staff members and forced them to watch Scientology videos and attend Scientology seminars in the office. The lawsuit also said that Orrington forced the workers to "recite formulas that Scientologists believe help people move from a lower to a higher state of mind" before he handed over their paychecks. According to the Southtown Star, the EEOC declared, "the woman will share in the award and Orrington must hire an outside firm to receive and investigate any complaints of sexual harassment or religious discrimination." The award per employee ranges from $10,000 to $42,505. Our call to the Chicago Scientology HQ for comment has gone unreturned. more ›

Laws required the newly sworn-in State House to vote again on the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Today's vote wound up at 117-1 in favor of impeachment. Today's lone "no" vote came - unsurprisingly - from freshmen Rep. Deb Mell (D-Chicago), who just happens to be Blago's sister-in-law. [Previous 'no' voter Milt Patterson is no longer a member of the House.] more ›

Two students were injured by flying glass when a man opened fire on a bus transporting students from a charter school. Neither of the injuries were serious and the students were taken in good to fair condition to Mt. Sinai Hospital. The shooting happened around 11:12 a.m. at 2257 W. Cermak. Authorities say the shooter was outside the bus when the incident occurred. more ›

Motorists chatting away on their cell phones could pay up to $500 under a new ordinance designed to strengthen Chicago’s cell phone ban. Ald. Vi Daley of the Lincoln Park area is pushing to increase fines from $75 to $100 for drivers caught yapping without a hands-free device. Fines for drivers who cause an accident while using a cell phone could increase from $250 to $500. more ›

In case you're looking for something boring yet interesting to watch, check out the swearing in ceremony for state lawmakers - including apparent guest appearance by Blago - over at the Trib. more ›

A brawl in a maximum security wing at Cook County Jail is on lockdown after a fight Tuesday night injured seven inmates. Several inmates suffered non-life threatening "puncture" wounds from shanks and a few suffered some head injuries. The brawl broke out in a room where inmates are allowed to watch television. A jail spokesman said a search of cells for more weapons is ongoing. more ›

The Chicago City Council voted 35-4 yesterday to award a $2.5 million to the family of Juan Salazar (pictured left), a 14-year-old shot and killed by Rafael Balbontin (pictured right), an off-duty police officer in 2002. The Council reasoned it was less than would be awarded if the case went before a jury. But here's the first thing that makes this strange: Salazar was shot during a home invasion of Balbontin's parents' home.

Officer Rafael Balbontin was in the basement of his parents' Northwest Side home when two men wearing yellow ponchos and masks and armed with a pellet gun knocked on the door and forced their way into the house. more ›

Never one to make a fuss about anything, impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich will today make his first appearance at the State Capitol since his arrest on December 9. Blago is on hand to preside over the swearing in of newly elected state senators, something he is required to do by law. Still, we're expecting him to receive a chilly reception at the high noon ceremony. Also occurring at noon will be the swearing in of new House members by Secretary of State Jesse White; the House will then re-vote on the impeachment of Blago, a technicality because of the newly sworn-in members. After the new senators are sworn in, Blago will then preside over the roll call vote for the Senate President, who we already know will be Chicago's John Cullerton. Cullerton will then address the senate and it's expected Blago will exit stage left, though without the traditional escort of senators. more ›

Given the mediocre play by the Bears' defense the past two seasons, many fans used to the team's defensive dominance were screaming for Bob Babich's head. Afterall, we Bears fans don't expect to see our team's D in the lower third of the league -- they were 21st of 32 in '08. But while most of the team's defensive position coaches have been relieved of duty or left for other jobs, Babich remained as defensive coordinator. more ›

NIU came up short against the Ball State Cardinals on Tuesday, losing 60-54. The Huskies led by seven at the break, but could only cobble together 20 points in the second half as their lead slipped away. Poor free-throw shooting didn't help, as the Huskies missed 12 of 20 from the stripe. Despite the lack of offensive production, NIU hung tough until the final minutes. The Huskies' Darion Anderson led both squads in points and co-led in rebounds, with 16 and eight respectively. Now midway through the season, NIU stands at 5-9. more ›

You'd think there would only be so many Empire Strikes Back jokes to be made about our weather but...The snow is quickly piling up again at the Chicagoist office and we'll see an additional couple of inches by the time the day's out. High's will reach the mid-teens and there will be some brisk winds keeping the windchill at subzero levels and blowing snow about. Still, today is balmy compared to what we're about to face: upwards of 60 consecutive hours of temps (including windchill) below zero. Enough to prompt a Wind Chill Warning. Tomorrow could be the first say in 12 years that we don't crack 0 on the mercury, and it all starts tonight as winds pick up to 30 mph and temps drop to -7. more ›

Metra BNSF Line trains have been halted this morning as police search the No. 1252 express. The train was stopped at the Lisle station at 8 a.m. and has been at a stand-still since as police have evacuated and searched passengers. A source told the Tribune that one passenger called police from a cellphone after overhearing another passenger mention he had a gun on him. more ›

• Roland Burris will be sworn in as Illinois' junior senator Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. (Chicago time) by Vice President Dick Cheney.
• Chicago's "Debonair Bandit", suspected of up to five area bank robberies, was arrested earlier today in Atlanta.
• Work on the city's Michigan Ave. Bridge began yesterday and will interrupt pedestrian traffic likely until June.

It looks like former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan will face few - if any obstacles - on his way to becoming President-Elect Barack Obama's Education Secretary. Duncan came out of a two-hour senate hearing with nary a hair on his head ruffled. Obama's personal point guard also solicited praise from Republican members of the hearing committee. Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson (GA), said of Duncan,"I've been involved in education in my entire public-service career and never had a more enjoyable conversation with anyone than I had with you when we met the other day. I want to commend you on what you've accomplished." And Rep. Sen. Richard Burr (NC) called Duncan one of "the two smartest nominees the president has appointed," the other being Nobel-prize winning physicist Dr. Steven Chu, Obama's nominee for Energy Secretary. more ›

Just days after crowing about the changes and reorganizations of the Chicago Tribune, they're throwing all that in the dustbin and doing everything they can to emulate a paper that's dying even faster than they are. As of Monday morning, a reconfigured Tribune will be appearing in newsstands and newspaper boxes in a tabloid style paper for commuters and non-subscribers. Subscribers will still continue to recieve the full broadsheet paper. more ›

At last week's historic impeachment vote against Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the Illinois State House of Representatives, the House voted 114-1-1 in favor of impeachment. We already know Milt Patterson was the lone "no" vote and that Elga Jefferies voted "present." But that still leaves two votes unaccounted for. more ›

Remember Eddy Curry? Sure, you do... he's the big, soft center that Jerry Krause paired with the tall, lanky Tyson Chandler to bring the Bulls back to glory. Only his heart gave out figuratively and literally, and the Bulls traded him to the New York Knicks. Since heading to New York, Curry's had his share of off-the-court headlines. First there was the summer 2007 home invasion. And now Curry's being sued for sexual harrassment by Dave Kuchinsky, a former employee. more ›

Dolton police are still on the scene at a home at 146th Street and Avalon Avenue in south suburban Dolton where a man has allegedly taken his wife hostage. Dolton Police Chief Robert Fox said no one has been injured and police are still trying to sort out the situation. more ›

More tragic news in the case of Alex Angulo, the four-year-old boy fatally mauled Sunday afternoon. It seems Angulo was scheduled to be moved to another home to live with a family who might have eventually adopted him.

Alex Angulo had lived with his foster family in the 3800 block of West 61st Street since 2007, said Public Guardian Robert Harris. The plan was to move Alex — who was not related to anyone in the home — as early as Thursday to a "pre-adoptive foster home," Harris said. "They had found one, and he was supposed to be moving." He already had five transitional visits with his new foster family. A recent hearing found his current placement was not a good permanent solution because his foster mother was 77, court records show.

Talk about awkward. Governor Rod Blagojevich will be in Springfield tomorrow to preside over the state senate to swear in new senators for the new legislative session. And the second item on the senate's agenda after swearing in the newbies? Finalizing rules for Blago's impeachment trial which begins January 26. So what kind of reception will the embattled governor receive. Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes said, "I would say that he would be lucky to just get silence as opposed to outright boos," and Rep. Susana Mendoza added, "I think he should just stay away." Ouch. We imagine it'll probably go something like this: more ›

The FAA's final approval of the City of Chicago's deal to privatize Midway Airport has been delayed. In September, the city leased Midway to Vancouver-based YVR Airport Services Ltd for 99 years at $2.5 billion. The FAA is still hashing out some of the financial agreements and YVR says the deal won't be finalized until April. The FAA, on the other hand, insists the work will be done before then. Given the fact that YVR manages 18 airports, it should have no trouble proving to the FAA it is capable of handling one more. more ›

So, not much of a blizzard, eh? The heavy snow and whiteout conditions never quite materialized this time around. However, don't get your hopes up. A new blizzard watch may be issued for tonight for a system coming through tomorrow morning and, blizzard or not, it's going to be freaking cold. Temps will fall throughout the day and will fall to near 0 by the evening rush hour and brisk winds will drop the wind chill to as much as 15 below. Temps will bottom out between 3 and 5 below before they start rising and snow will move in after midnight and will pile up - and blow around - throughout the day Wednesday. more ›

• Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with Friday night's drive-by shooting at Dunbar High.
• To Paddle or Not To Paddle. That is the question according to this Trib examination of the still-surviving art of the school-time swat.
• Two snowmobilers died last night after their snowmobiles fell through the ice at Sylvan Lake in northern Indiana.

In what they claim is a move to improve academic performance, Chicago Public Schools have announced they'll be doing a major reshuffling of schools, including consolidating some and closing others altogether. A vote on the closings is expected January 28, though groups of angry parents are already planning a protest. WBEZ has the story here, as well as the break down of what's happening to which school after the jump. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

U.S. Senate lawyers relented this afternoon and declared that Roland Burris's credentials met the chamber's rules and could be seated as the junior senator from Illinois. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin issued a joint statement, saying: "Barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week...We have spoken to Mr. Burris to let him know that he is now the Senator-designate from Illinois and as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a Senator-elect." more ›

Today, aldermen learned that the time-frame for suing Republic Windows & Doors to recoup $9.3 million in TIF funds that was issued to the company has expired. The money was given to Republic on the condition "that the company create 549 jobs and retain them for eight years." Unfortunately for the city, that agreement was signed in June 1998, meaning it expired two-and-a-half years ago. Corporation Counsel Mara Georges told the City Council today that even if the city did have legal standing to sue Republic, their chances of succeeding were slim: "It's a bankruptcy with very few assets. They don't even own the building anymore. It's a market dependent on the construction industry. And with the economy being what it is, they don't have a lot of prospects." Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) was among many aldermen who called for amending future TIF deals to prevent a similar occurrence, saying, "Republic Windows clearly knew that something was wrong as their business declined. They didn't tell anybody. They basically just walked out of town on us." more ›

Meanwhile, those plans for bus-only lines that were left for dead after last week's federal grant deadline snafu may still yet have some life. After a weekend meeting with outgoing U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Mayor Daley said, "They're going to put this on hold so the next administration can deal with it." The odds are good, then, that something will come of this, given that the new Transportation Secretary-designate is Ray LaHood of Peoria. What would the $153 million grant get us?

The grant would allow the CTA to build and equip bus lines on four corridors -- 79th Street, Jeffery Boulevard, Halsted Street and Chicago Avenue. All would get rapid transit-style stations that include fare pre-payment areas, high-tech signals and bus-only lanes to speed service.

Meet Paul and Caragh Brooks. They met via an internet dating site. Caragh lived in Australia and after nine months of emails and phone calls between her and Paul, she moved to the States. On New Year's Eve, Paul proposed and she said yes. It may not be the conventional "boy-meets-girl" story, but, hey, who are we to judge? Said Paul, "We have the same brain, just in two bodies. We think alike in virtually every manner. We have the same interests, viewpoints." Good for them. But, see, here's where shit gets weird: the pair got hitched this past Friday at a Taco Bell in (ironically) Normal. According to an AP report, "because, they like to spend time at the local Taco Bell, they decided to wed there." Okay, now we're gonna judge. Look, we understand times are tough. And maybe the two do have "an off-beat relationship" as Paul told the AP. But...really? A Taco Bell? Seriously? I once broke up with a girlfriend at a Waffle House, but I don't think it's quite the same thing. more ›

The ongoing drama to appoint The Lord's Senate Appointee™ Roland Burris as the junior senator from Illinois may finally be resolved this week. Burris has stayed behind in Chicago while his attorneys have traveled to Washington, D.C. to clear up the "paperwork issue" that has prevented Burris from officially being seated. While senior Illinois senator Dick Durbin said it's likely Burris would be seated this week, with a decision possibly by this afternoon, but he also added, "This thing changes by the day." Well, that's the kind of certainty we like to hear from our elected officials. On yesterday's edition of CBS's Face The Nation, Durbin tried to put to rest rumors of efforts by members of the Senate to delay the appointment until Gov. Blaogjevich's impeachment trial concluded with a possible removal from office, thereby allowing an appointment by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. Said Durbin, "To wait until Gov. Blagojevich is removed could be a matter of weeks. I think Roland Burris' future and fate will be decided before then." more ›

Work on the CTA Red and Blue Lines is happening this week, so be sure to plan accordingly. Work on the Sheridan Red Line stop will change where passengers will board and exit trains; the work will be from Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. As for the Blue Line, trains will run on a single track between Rosemont and O'Hare from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m., starting tonight and finishing Friday morning, to continue work on eliminating slow zones. more ›

Just days after two Joliet sisters were mauled by a family dog, four-year old Alex Angulo was fatally mauled by his family's rottweiler yesterday. Alex, a foster child who had been with the family since August 2007, was found at 3:18 p.m. in his backyard by his father and later pronounced dead on arrival at Holy Cross Hospital yesterday afternoon shortly after 4:15 p.m. Three dogs in all were taken from the house by the Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control: two rottweilers (one male, one female) and a poodle. While officials weren't sure which dog was directly involved in the mauling, all three have been euthanized. Neighbors told police that while the dogs were usually confined to the yard, they were known to escape and roam the neighborhood and were considered aggressive. One neighbor said, "The dog was kind of scary." Police have not filed any charges yet. [Trib, NBC5] more ›

Last week, White Sox GM Kenny Williams again found himself denying rumors that he was about to send his right fielder elsewhere in a trade. The latest whispers had Jermaine Dye headed to the Texas Rangers in return for all-star shortstop Michael Young. The Rangers were supposedly asking for Sox prospect Aaron Poreda in addition to Dye, and that might have been the deal breaker. more ›

You'd think a foot of new snow would be enough for the area. But nooooooooooooo. We have to do everything bigger and better here in Chicago. After a relatively calm day today - cloudy skies, temps in the upper 20s and a chance of snow afternoon - everything's going to go to Hell (or Hoth, as the case may be) late tonight. Temps will drop to the upper aughts as blowing snow moves in, bringing blizzard conditions and an additional 2 to 4 inches of new snow with it. Things will calm down tomorrow, but then it's just gonna get even wilder here with more snow and bitter cold towards the end of the week as Thursday may be the first time in 12 years we don't break 0 for a high. Skilling mentions that tonight's snow could push us past the 38 inch tally that's the normal amount for an entire winter. And it's only mid-January. more ›

Image Credit: Flickr user bretneilson. more ›

Yesterday, we shared reader photos of Friday's pro-Palestine rally downtown. Today, we have some photos to share from the pro-Israel rally held earlier Friday at the Federal Plaza, organized by the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. One reader said of the pro-Israel rally:

The message of the rally, I thought, was that Israel was out of options and they couldn't just let rockets rain down on their citizens. They're doing everything they can to preserve life while Hamas is doing everything they can to destroy it ... Foreign Minister Livini and all the speakers also made a point of saying that their enemy is not the Palestinian people, but Hamas and that all they want is an end to the rocket fire.

It appears that Obama is narrowing down the search for a four-legged companion. He told George Stephanopoulos earlier this morning on ABC’s This Week that the dog will probably be a “Labradoodle” or a “Portuguese Water Hound.” (It’s really a Portuguese Water Dog, but we’ll cut Obama some slack since he’s been busy saving the economy.) more ›

Heads-up, people. The Chicago Health Department is encouraging everyone to avoid contacts with bats (like we needed that reminder) after a bat discovered in an apartment last Wednesday tested positive for rabies. more ›

The Race to Replace Rahm just got a lot more interesting today as Chicago Ward committeemen voted to stay neutral and not endorse anyone in the race for the U.S Fifth Congressional District seat vacated by Rahm Emanuel. To get the endorsement, a candidate needs to garner a majority, which is 62,884 votes. The closest candidate to that number wasn't Daley fave Ald. Patrick O'Connor (40th) but rather State Rep. John Fritchey who got 61,529 votes. O'Connor received 22,901 votes. This means things are wide-open for the March 3rd primary. more ›

For the third time in just a little over a week, a Pro-Palestine protest/march was held in downtown Chicago. Yesterday's protest began at Daley Plaza and then the march proceeded to the Israeli consulate on Wacker Drive. The protest was to show opposition to Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip. A counter-protest, supporting Israeli action and claiming any military strikes are aimed at Hamas, was held earlier Friday at the Federal Plaza. more ›

The Bulls regained some traction Friday night with their 98-86 win over the Washington Wizards. This marks back-to-back victories for Chicago, who is hoping to take advantage of a three-game stretch versus opponents at the bottom of the NBA barrel. The Bulls cruised for most of this one, and successfully fended off a late fourth quarter surge by the Wizards. Larry “Those Are Boos, Not” Hughes contributed significantly, scoring 12 of his 17 points when his team needed them the most. Ben Gordon was good for his usual 22, and the Bulls got double double-doubles from Drew Gooden and Tyrus Thomas. Chicago looks to make it three straight when they square off against the 5-32 Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at the United Center. more ›

As beautiful as the snow is, we're having a hard time coming up with a reason to go outside. Other than to shovel our sidewalk, of course. By the time this is all the snow is done, the city will receive 10 inches (that's what she said). Highs will be just shy of 30 and as the snow tapers off, the cold will settle in as lows tonight will be single digits. And that winter weather advisory has been extended until 6 p.m. We've already doubled our average for this time of year (over 26 inches instead of the normal 13) and there's more on the way by midweek. But the big story is the impending cold snap, what some are predicting as the coldest weather in 15 years. There may be a day or two next week where the high temp doesn't even break 0. Hoo-freaking-ray. more ›

Photo by Katie Scully
• In case you missed any speeches today, WBEZ has you covered. Listen to Blago's press conference, The Mighty Quinn's response, and Illinois Sec. of State Jesse White's statement.
• Bob Benson, director of internal audit for the City of Chicago, and who came on after the Hired Trucks scandal, has been fired.
• Two Park Ridge teenagers have been arrested over a series of drive-by BB gun shootings that have left two people hospitalized; the teens have cited "boredom" as a motive.

Senator Dick Durbin (of our great state of Illinois) has announced Roland Burris won't be seated without the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. This proclamation comes in spite of the assertion from both White and the Illinois Supreme Court that White's signature is symbolic and not necessary to seat Burris in the U.S. Senate. Durbin maintains that while the situation as is may meet state standards, it doesn't meet the standards of the U.S. Senate. He added, "I think it's best to suspend activities the filling of that vacancy, until this impeachment trial in the Illinois state senate is concluded." more ›

An alleged case of some extremely bad judgment has resulted in a lawsuit, as the parents of two high school girls are claiming that a security guard at the Aspira Early College High School on Chicago's northwest side strip searched their daughters (along with another girl who is not a part of the lawsuit) looking for a wayward lighter. The female guard, an off duty Chicago police officer, is accused of searching under the girls' shirts with her hands, then forcing the girls to remove their pants and underwear and "squat and cough" in trying to find the contraband, which she suspected the girls of using to start a fire in the boys' bathroom. more ›

The first person that came through the door at the Governor's press conference wasn't Blago, but rather a man in a wheelchair. He was the first of several "ordinary" citizens that stood beside the Governor as he gave his impassioned, defiant, and arrogant speech. But what did these Citizen Props think of the Governor? more ›

The Tribune had a wraparound yesterday laying out some of what they're calling progress in terms of their redesign, which you'll remember kicked off towards the tail end of last September. Editor Gerould Kern laid out what they've done, what they've changed since the redesign, and what they're going to continue to do. Cliff's Notes version: Business section is back, jumping stories to other sections is done, more clear-cut organization of the paper is being implemented, and "refining" the use of graphics is underway. more ›

Today the U.S. Department of Labor released a report showing that the national unemployment rate reached 7.2 percent in December, the highest since 1993. Illinois' unemployment was 7.3 percent in November, and the state has consistently held a higher unemployment rate than the nation's average. The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) will release a report on December's statistics on January 23. In December, IDES reported that unemployment rates were surging in all Illinois cities. They recorded unemployment in November 2008 at 6.3 percent for Chicagoland, compared with 4.6 percent in November 2007. more ›

We're eager to hear what Blagojevich has to say about this morning's impeachment. Below is a live feed of the presser courtesy of MSNBC, so watch along with us and share your thoughts in the comments.Will he resign? Will he maintain his innocence and his promise to fight-fight-fight? Will he quote more Kipling? more ›

The Illinois Supreme Court has rejected Roland Burris's writ of mandamus to force Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to sign paperwork making Burris's appointment to the U.S. Senate official. While U.S. Senate leaders have said the lack of a signature is the reason they won't seat Burris, White himself has already said that his refusal to sign is purely symbolic and not legally required. The State Supreme Court agreed.

Because the secretary of state had no duty ... to sign and affix the state seal to the document issued by the governor appointing Roland Burris to the United States Senate, petitioners are not entitled to an order from this court requiring the secretary to perform those acts. Under the secretary of state act, the secretary's sole responsibility was to register the appointment, which he did.

Over 800 children from Alex Haley and Wendell Smith elementary schools got quite a thrill this week by helping artist Daniel Dancer create a "living portrait" of President-Elect Barack Obama. Dancer created an image of Obama on a playground at Alex Haley Elementary and incorporated the students to make up Obama's hair and suit. The catch? Because of the size of the portrait, it can only be viewed from above.

Dancer produces similar 'Art for the Sky' projects around the world, drawing on an ancient art form that originated in South America. more ›

Yesterday, we mentioned a potential snag in the set election dates for the primary and special elections to elect the new U.S. congressman for the fifth congressional district. We talked with James P. Allen, Communications Director of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Here's how he explained it:

This litigation is standard procedure with special elections. The same court action was filed last year to obtain a virtually identical court order for the 14th Congressional District special primary and special election to fill the vacancy after the resignation of U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert.The reason is that the overall calendar in the election code on various items (candidate petition circulation, petition filing, objections, grace period, early voting, mail-in absentees, canvassing the results) is for a primary and general election that span many months, not several weeks. Thus, a court order sets the ground rules for all of the candidates up front. Additionally, such a court order would have been necessary no matter how the writ of election were issued, because the law requires both the primary and special election to be completed inside a compressed schedule of 115 days.

By a vote of 114-1-1, the Illinois House has impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich. Speaker Mike Madigan adjourned the House until Monday. more ›

Image of House Impeachment Committee AP Photo/Seth Perlman

We're mesmerized by the "debate" happening in the state house right now - watch it for yourself here. One of the congressmen noted that today is Nixon's birthday and several others have compared Blago to Tricky Dick. All it takes is 60 votes of "yes" to impeach the governor and send the case to the Senate. It's going to be a long day, so let's do this quick hits style.

• The AP has a nice, simple run-down that amounts to "The Dummie's Guide to the Blagojevich Charges."
• Blago Attorney Ed Genson is trying to get U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald removed from the case, quoting Fitzy's emotional response at the press conference on Dec. 9 as proof that he's unfit to try the case. But as attorney Patrick Cotter told the Trib, "What, they want a prosecutor who thinks their client isn't guilty?"
• In spite of the request by the committee that recommended impeachment, no one will be hearing those Blago tapes anytime soon. Blago's attorney's have successfully gained more time to look into the matter and an official decision has been put off until January 23.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski