News

He's helped one team overcome a long title drought, but at 42, does Curt Schilling have what it takes to help a team win a World Series? To talk to him, it sounds like it. Appearing at an ESPN event, Schilling, when asked if he would consider a come-back this season, said, "Absolutely I'll come back...The challenge would be in a place like Tampa Bay or Chicago." Schilling missed all of 2008 with a shoulder injury and wouldn't make the opening day roster, but could be prepare to return not too long after the season starts. more ›

Heritage Community Bank was the third bank in Illinois to fail after being shut down by state and federal regulators on Friday. It is the second Chicago bank to go under so far this year. The FDIC announced that MB Financial was the winning bid and will purchase their assets. more ›

Vanity Fair really liked the new music Xanadu, currently showing at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. A new billboard in East Lakeview for the musical had a quote from VF proclaiming the musical was, "like taking ecstasy." Problem is, that billboard was at Melrose and Broadway, right across the street from Nettelhorst Elementary School. And it didn't take long for complaints to start rolling in. more ›

Northern Trust, after receiving $1.5 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds, has apologized for sponsoring the PGA Northern Trust Open golf tournament in Los Angeles last weekend, and has pledged to repay the bailout funds it has received. Northern Trust CEO Frederick Waddell wrote in a letter to U.S. Rep Barney Frank, D-Mass.: more ›

The Chicago Blackhawks gave it a go on Friday, but ultimately fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 in OT. Trailing by scores of 2-0 and 4-2, the 'Hawks twice made impressive comeback bids, but the Penguins' Evgeni Malkin had the final say with a power-play goal in the bonus period. Chicago's Jonathan Toews took full advantage of the 'Hawks promotional hard-hat night, turning in his first career hat trick. The plastic contruction caps rained down a bit prematurely, however, as Toews' third score was waived-off for a high stick. Determined to reclaim his three-goal night and keep his team in the contest, Toews netted another in the third period to make it official. Dave Bolland had the fourth Chicago goal, tying the game on a backhanded shot with five minutes in regulation. more ›

Looks like it's bye, bye to those chants of "Jerry, Jerry." "The Jerry Springer Show," which has been taped at the NBC Tower in Chicago since 1992, plans to move to Connecticut this summer just in time for the host's 19th season to begin, sources told the Tribune. According to Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell, NBC Universal and her state are working to build a TV production studio about 30 miles from New York City in Stamford, Conn. more ›

The calendar says tomorrow is the first day of March but that change-over is more mental than meteorological as it looks like chilly temps have settled back in for the next few days. Today will be overcast with spits of flurry where and there, highs in the upper 20s. The cloudiness continues overnight with lows in the upper teens, but no snow. Yep, it's late-February in Chicago. more ›

Vincent Richardson, the 14-year-old who got into a world of trouble and exposed some gaping security holes in the Chicago Police Department when he imitated an officer, has been released from juvenile detention. Juvenile Court Judge Andrew Berman ruled Richardson could be released but he'll be put on home monitoring. Berman said, "You're an intelligent person...If you violate, you paint me in a corner where I have to take you into custody." Richardson had been in custody for a month and has another court date on March 27. more ›

This is why we can't have nice things...or even slides at our Chuck E. Cheeses. Gerrhonda Stevens filed a lawsuit yesterday charging Mr. Cheese et al with causing injuries that resulted in the loss of her daughter's "ability and capacity to attend to most social, school and personal activities." Bummer. What happened? From Chicago Breaking News: more ›

Earlier today we mentioned the arrest of Martin Ybarra, the man accused of killing three Southeast Side teenagers last week. Court documents released today outline what happened and it appears as if, in a very cruel twist of fate, none of the three boys killed were his intended target. Ybarra was aiming at a gang rival but missed, instead shooting Raheem Washington who was hit five times. Then, flee, Ybarra hopped in a car and fired again and, once again, missed his target and hit Kendrick Pitts, who was with the target, and also struck Johnny Edwards, who seems to have been simply walking home from school with a brother. The detailed documents were released at a hearing today at which Judge Maura Slattery Boyle denied bail for Ybarra. more ›

If the Illinois State Legislature has their way, we could see a serious reduction in the free transit rides offered to seniors. If you remember, the free rides for all seniors was a stipulation that douche rocket former governor Rod Blagojevich demanded in turn for giving local transit agencies funding that would (temporarily) stave off another doomsday. With those free rides costing area transit agencies about $58 million this year in the face of huge deficits, state lawmakers are looking to scale back the rides and put a little bit more money in the agencies' pockets. more ›

Chicago Police have arrested Martin Ybarra (pictured right), 20, in connection with last week's gang-related shooting near 87th Street and Exchange Ave. which left three Southeast Side teenagers dead. Ybarra has been charged with three counts of murder and police believe he may have been the one to pull the trigger on the semi-automatic weapon used in the shooting, though officials say they are still seeking others who were involved in the shooting. The shooting followed what residents of the neighborhood called an escalation of violence between gangs over the preceding days. The shooting claimed the lives of three teens: Raheem "Chiko" Washington, 15, Kendrick Pitts, 17, and Johnny Edwards, 13. Family members and friends say Washington and Pitts had previously been involved with gang skirmishes, though according to the Tribune report, it's still unclear if any of the three were actually targets. more ›

It's good to be Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak. Facing a potential sentence of between three and four years in prison for his role in a kickback scheme, Fast Eddie walked out of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse yesterday a free man, sentenced to five years probation and fined $50,000, and declaring for reporters, "God is great." In spite of calls from prosecutors to come down heavy on Vrdolyak, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur called the prosecution's case against him "serious overkill" when announcing the sentence. Vrdolyak pleaded guilty last fall to his role in the kickback scheme, but had refused to cooperate with the feds in any of their additional investigations. Per the Trib: more ›

"Red" Kerr succumbed to cancer at 76, just weeks after the Bulls honored the man who served the franchise for nearly its entire existence. A chicago native, Kerr starred for Tilden High School and the University of Illinois before joining the NBA, where he was an All Star and NBA Champion. Drafted by his hometown Chicago Bulls in the expansion draft as a player, Kerr instead retired from playing and served as the Bulls first head coach, and remains the only NBA coach to lead a team to the playoffs in its inaugural season. He returned to the Bulls as a broadcaster and announced their games on TV for 35 years. more ›

No. 20 Illinois earned a hard-fought win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday, 52-41. Up by one with six minutes to play, the Illini D didn't allow Minnesota to score another basket. Demetri McCamey and Trent Meacham were also busy on the offensive end, sinking back-to-back threes to spark a 10-point Illinois run. The Illini now prep for a big one on Sunday against the no. 9 Michigan State Spartans. more ›

It'd be a great day to stay inside under the warm covers of our bed...if it weren't a weekday. Damn. While we recover from being eaten by the rain monster lingering snow showers will fall throughout the morning and blustery winds of up to 20 mph will make it feel colder than the mid-20's that it'll be. Skies will remain cloudy tonight with lows near 20. As for yesterday, 1.9 inches of rain was recorded at O'Hare, shattering the previous record for February 26 (0.92 inches). But just be glad it wasn't colder: the amount of rain that fell would have translated to roughly 20 inches of snow. more ›

• As expected, Mayor Daley named Richard Rodriguez to replace Ron Huberman as President of the CTA. Daley also appointed Rosemarie Andolino as aviation chief.
• Former Bulls player and television analyst Norm Van Lier passed away today at the age of 61. Van Lier was a three-time all-star for the Bulls from 1971-1978.
• The Republic Windows and Doors plant where workers staged a sit-in last year has been bought by the California-based Serious Materials, who plans to rehire the plant's former workers.

A new study by INRIX, "a leading innovator of real-time, historical and predictive traffic information," tells us something most of us already knew: driving in Chicago sucks. According to their most recent list, Chicago ranks third in congestion behind Los Angeles and New York. Okay, but, then again, Chicago is also third in terms of population so this sort of makes sense. The area also boasts several of the worst bottlenecks in the nation. In fact, we contribute 25 of the top 100, including three in the top 20: North-bound Exit 53 (Canalport Ave/Cermak Rd) off of the Dan Ryan (#8), East-bound Exit 17 (US 12/US 20/US 45) off of the Eisenhower Expressway (#10), and - naturally - North-bound Exit 52 (Ruble) off of the Dan Ryan (#19). more ›

A trio of Indiana boys, all students at Portage High School, may be tried as adults for terrorizing classmates on a bus. A hearing has been set for March after The Porter County Prosecutor's office has filed papers to try the trio - Ashley Javon Toney, 17; Joe Francisco Carnell, 17; and Charles McCloud-Smith, 16 - as adults. As for the alleged crimes themselves, they're quite eye-opening and instead of attempting to recap them, we'll just go with what WBBM outlined in their article. more ›

Times may be tough, but robbing a kid? Really? Police arrested Dennis Lares (pictured right) last night for robbing a kid, either 9-years-old or 11-years-old, depending on which media outlet you read. The incident happened in the Austin neighborhood last night around 10:30 p.m. when Lares saw the kid carrying money and robbed him of $23. The boy, who was unharmed in the incident, then flagged down a police car. Officers chased Lares on foot and, when they caught him, he told him he did it, “Because I didn’t have any money.” A seach of Lares brought up four stolen credit cards and, in the end, he was charged with one count of robbery and four counts of theft of lost or mislaid property. more ›

Mayor Richard Daley said Wednesday that City Inspector General David Hoffman has "done a very good job"; and can stay on for another four-year term "if he wants to". "He hasn't stepped on any toes. He just does his job," said Daley. "I don't know why you say he's stepped on toes. He does his job. Rightfully. And that's what his authorization is. He's done a very good job. Yes. He's been very good. Yes. He's done a good job. I've always said that." more ›

Last October, we took a look at the possibility of Chicago becoming the center of a nine-state high-speed Amtrak network. With the passage of President Obama's stimulus package, though, this could be much closer to reality. Among the bill's provisions is $8 billion for high-speed transit lines, now seemingly up for grabs. It hasn't yet been decided how much money will be spent and where, but there's already controversy over which proposed line will get the money and even over one of the lines itself, one GOP'ers have taken to calling "The Sin Express," which would connect San Diego to Anaheim and then Las Vegas. more ›

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a legal opinion late Wednesday night that says it would be legal for lawmakers to move up the date of the Senate election to choose a replacement for President Barack Obama. The opinion paves the way, at least in theory, for the state legislature to force Burris to run as a candidate in a special election if he wants to retain the seat he was appointed to by former Governor Rod Blagojevich. more ›

Chicagoist loves the Bears and we've had to make extra efforts occasionally in order to catch them on TV when away from home. We've endured cheesy hotel sports bars that had satellite. We've watched the game on static-filled screens with Spanish announcers. And we've DVRed games and then had to make tremendous efforts to not see the score before we watched the game. But we've never had to pay to watch a game -- other than maybe some overpriced hot wings. Wayne Burdick, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. more ›

The governor is scheduled to make an announcement this morning that several state parks, closed by Rod Blagojevich as a cost cutting measure in response to state budget pressures, will be re-opened. The announcement, to be held at at the Department of Natural Resources headquarters in Springfield, will be "good news because that was just a huge economic loss to our district and the rest of the state,” said Dixon Democrat Sen. Tim Bivins. “I think anybody who likes the state parks of Illinois will like what we have to say,” Quinn spokesman Robert Reed told the Peoria Journal Star. more ›

The swirl of controversy around Senator Burris gets worse and worse each day. Today's development? The Sun-Times is reporting this morning that Roland W. Burris II, son of Senator Roland Burris, landed a job with the Blagojevich administration last fall, all in spite of some financial troubles for Roland II. Just weeks before, the IRS hit Roland II with a tax lien of over $34,000 and shortly thereafter a mortgage company foreclosed on his South Side home. While officials say there was nothing illegal about Roland II's hiring, it does raise more questions about the relationship between Blago and Sen. Burris prior to the appointment. more ›

One night after drubbing the Orlando Magic, the Bulls suffered a setback against the New Jersey Nets, losing 111-99. Chicago managed to maintain a two-possession lead throughout the latter half of the third quarter, but turned ice cold at the start of the final period. The Bulls scored only four points in the next 6:30, while Devin Harris and the Nets poured on the offense. Harris alone finished with 19 points in the fourth (42 for the game), compared to a team total of 21 for Chicago. Ben Gordon led six Bulls into double figures with 17 on the night, and Tyrus Thomas had a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards. more ›

Progress Illinois, the left-of-center blog sponsored by the SEIU Illinois State Council, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with both the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel and Gov. Pat Quinn's office to obtain the city's still undisclosed stimulus wishlist. Noting that 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell has gotten nearly every alderman to sign off on a resolution intended to force the mayor to make his plans public, they asked her for an update on the progress that has been made so far.

An exasperated Dowell told us that for the time being, aldermen are still in the dark about how the city could benefit from the federal cash. '[W]e have no idea how much Chicago is going to get from the federal stimulus. We need to know how this money is to be spent.'

Oh sure, today looks nice at first. Partly cloudy skies, warmer temps, melting snow...you might almost mistaken it for spring. And, in a way, it will be, but not in the way we'd hoped. Today is going to be a drencher. If you left the house without an umbrella, you might want to hit your nearest Walgreens or CVS on your lunch break for one of there $15 umbrellas that work great once or twice before self-destructing. While highs will reach the upper 40s to near 50, rain will be the main story in the afternoon as we could see some heavy downpours as well as a few rumbles of thunder. The rain will continue into the evening when it'll allegedly trickle to a drizzle and then, overnight, change to snow showers as temps drop into the upper 20s. Oh, and it's going to be windy this evening, too, so those cheap quick-buy umbrellas will get a work out. more ›

• Terrence Ligon, the man acquitted of killing a 4-year-old in a 2001 shooting, was shot dead Monday night.
• A faked ID production ring in Chinatown was busted up by federal authorities today.
• Both the Cook County Sheriff's office and the Chicago Police Department are implementing new, more rigorous background checks for employees.

Today the Chicago Public School Board voted unanimously to close, phase out, and consolidate 16 schools a day after CPS head Ron Huberman chose to spare six schools. more ›

Blaming the tanking real estate market and their bankruptcy-protection case, the Tribune Company has pulled the Tribune Tower off the market. Damn, and we almost had enough to make it the new Chicagoist HQ. The Trib Company had hired a broker to unload both the Tribune Tower and Times Mirror Square, the HQ for the LA Times, but with the economy spiraling further and further down the drain, the sales have been put on ice. more ›

Mayor Daley has voiced his support for Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis' decision to rebuke an order from a judge to turn over a list of police officers who have had five or more citizen complaints filed against them since 2000. Weis was to turn the list over to the court as part of a lawsuit against the city accusing a police officer of using excessive force and making a false arrest. Weis refused, saying that handing the list over would, "compromise officers’ performance, threaten safety, reduce morale and improperly impugn many officers’ otherwise well-deserved good reputations.” Today, Mayor Daley said, “They have been thoroughly reviewed. Those people should not come under scrutiny of any lawyer…These are public servants. I believe [Weis] is doing the right thing.” more ›

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly sided with several thousand former Cook County Jail inmates in a lawsuit against the jail, claiming the strip searches they were subjected to upon entering the jail were humiliating and often done in deplorable conditions. The suit was officially brought by former inmates Kim Young, Ronald Johnson, and William Jones on behalf of themselves and numerous other prisoners against Cook County Sheriff Michael Sheahan and Sheriff’s employees Callie Baird, Scott Kurtovich, and Salvador Godinez (collectively the Sheriff Defendants) for violating their rights with these searches upon their arrival at the jail. more ›

From time to time, mistakes are made. Yes, even by us. A few weeks ago, we wrote a post about Lauralee Pfeifer and a lawsuit stemming from underage drinking in her house. While her homeowners insurance may still be on the hook for $2.5 million for damages, one thing she isn't is the stereotypical "Cool Mom" that original reports (including ours) made her out to be. Despite the underage drinking that went on in her house, lawyers state that Pfeifer didn't provide the booze, and she wasn't even aware that drinking was going on at the home. From the Trib:

Unlike other lawsuits alleging that adults played a role in teenage drinking parties, Pfeifer did not buy the alcohol for the teens or know they were drinking in her home. Pfeifer did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement, said Michael Borders, her lawyer.

Want to check out the new look Bulls, but the economy's making you think twice about shelling out for tickets? The Bulls just announced a half price ticket promotion for two upcoming games at the United Center. Seats in the 300 level normally running $60 (rows 1-7) and $40 (rows 8-17) are available for $30 and $20 online. The half-price tickets are available for the Bulls vs. Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 4 and vs. Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, March 6. Both games tip off at 7:30pm. more ›

28th Ward Alderman Ed Smith cautioned State Attorney General Lisa Madigan that if she walks away from the Jon Burge torture cases that allegedly took place at Area Two Headquarters in the early 80's she'll face a backlash that could have consequences on any campaign she launches for Governor, U.S. Senate, state supreme court, or even re-election. Madigan's office has been handling the Burge cases since 2003, when Chief Criminal Court Judge Paul Biebel found that then-State's Attorney Richard Devine had a conflict of interest because Devine once represented Burge. Madigan has asked that five of the 25 cases she's currently handling be shifted back to the state's attorney office. "If this is shifted back, it's gonna get lost in the cracks, put on the back burner and nothing will happen. Those people who are in jail will remain in jail. I want her to follow these cases to fruition and make sure that justice is served from her office" Smith said. "Our community is still upset about these cases. It could give the impression that she just wants to walk away and let it go. It could be an adversity if she ran again." more ›

Could one of Chicago's most famous landmarks be getting a new wardrobe? The owners of the Sears Tower, which has soared over the city's skyline since 1973, have proposed a silver paint job for the iconic black tower. So why is silver suddenly the new black? Is the Sears Tower jealous of the attention the glimmering Trump Tower demands on account of the way it reflects the sun's rays? more ›

In an interview with the Sun-Times's Lynn Sweet on Tuesday, Governor Pat Quinn affirmed that he'll run for re-election in 2010. "I have no reason not to run," Quinn said. "I think I am doing a good job today. I anticipate I will continue to do that. Stabilizing the ship of Illinois is vitally necessary. I think even in the first three-and-a-half weeks we've done a decent job of turning a page in an unhappy chapter in the state's history," he told her. more ›

The Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs division has completed its investigation into the Vincent Richardson affair, the case of the 14-year-old teen cop impersonator. Tina Skahill, chief of the Internal Affairs Division, said, “We did find evidence that department members — at least five — violated department rules and regulations." The full report won't be released to the public until CPD superintendent Jody Weis has a chance to review it himself. Investigators interviewed witnesses and examined surveillance footage as part of more ›

As if the pressure on Roland Burris couldn't get any more intense, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, met with embattled Senator Roland Burris yesterday afternoon. After the 59-minute meeting, Durbin told the press that he advised Burris to resign. "I told him that under the circumstances, I would consider resigning if I were in his shoes," Durbin told reporters. "He said he would not resign, and that was his conclusion." Burris tried to avoid the media on his way out, telling the press that he was "under orders not to say anything." When pressed, he said that advice came from his attorneys. "I asked him if he would be a candidate in 2010 and he said he had not made up his mind," Durbin said. "I told him I thought it would be extremely difficult for him to be successful in a primary or a general election under the circumstances." more ›

The Chicago Bulls earned an impressive victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, 120-102. Chicago, leading by seven with seven to play, recorded eight-straight from the free-throw line to ignite a 13-2 scoring run and put the game away. The Bulls were a clutch 20 of 22 from the charity stripe and shot better than 56 percent from the field. Coach Del Negro spread the wealth, with no player seeing more than three quarters of court time, and nine Bulls playing 20 minutes or more. Derrick Rose led Chicago with 22 points, while six other Bulls reached double figures in scoring. more ›

Not to be outdone by President Obama, the GOP gave Americans their own minority leader to talk about his vision for our nation. Louisiana Governor (and the antithesis of Rod Blagojevich - hair notwithstanding) Piyush "Bobby" Jindal presented the Republican response to President Obama's speech last night. more ›

In his first official address before a joint session of congress, President Barack Obama struck a tone more reminiscent of a campaign stump speech than a presidential address. After weeks of bad news on Wall Street, compounded by sometimes public musings by lawmakers about the sorry state of the economy, Obama struck positive notes throughout his speech: "while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken,'' the president said, "though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.'' Given the downward spiral of the markets recently in spite of the administration's attempts to shore up the economy, that may not be such a bad thing. more ›

Here's hoping everyone had a great Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Pancake Day/Carnivale/Paczki Day. Shake off those hangovers (or lack thereof) and get on about your Ash Wednesday business. Our brief warm-up continues as the overcast, gray skies at least bring the chance of rain to our area and temps will level out in the mid-40s. Cloudy skies continue tonight with lows around 30. But keep the umbrella handy cause it's gonna rain tomorrow. A lot. more ›

We're not doing anything fancy like a liveblog or anything, but below is streaming video of President Obama's speech. Feel free to share your thoughts as it happens in the comments. more ›

• Former FBI agent Vo Duong "Ben" Tran is now the main suspect in a 2002 North Side double homicide.
• Linda Pithyou, 29, a teacher at Lawrence Hall Services, has been accused of having sex with one of her teen students.
• John Morphey, the brother of Tom Morphey - the lone witness in the case of Stacy Peterson's disappearance - is speaking to the press on his brother's behalf and, guess what, he thinks Drew killed her.

We were really hoping one of these days Mayor Daley would get around to addressing Michael Vick and Barry Bonds. Today, Da Mayor obliged during a rant in which he questioned the priority of federal investigators. Here's the gist, courtesy of CBS 2: more ›

Chicago Police have made an arrest in connection with Friday's gang-related triple homicide on the Southeast Side. Asst. Police Supt. James Jackson wouldn't confirm much other than that they've taken into custody a "young adult" over the age of 18 who's also a gang member they believe may be the shooter. Jackson also refused to officially call the killings gang-related, saying only, "There are several different theories. The investigation is still going forward, this is by no means over. At this point we don't want to put too much out.'' more ›

CPS CEO Ron Huber(super)man saved six schools from being closed, leaving 16 schools on the list of those that will be closed and/or consolidated. more ›

“I think we had email,” Natarus said. “The Haymarket Group handled all that stuff. Really, at the time, I was surprised we used television in an alderman’s race.” more ›

In case you were wondering what those Dementors were doing swarming around Schaumburg last night, Karl "Turd Blossom" Rove was at the Mariott talking strategy with Illinois GOP members at a fundraiser and general pep-talk for candidates and their Republican supporters. Topic of conversation: Beating the Democrats in 2010, of course. more ›

Randall Madison was sentenced to pay $1,400 in vetrinary bills and 10 days in jail, for beating his girlfriend's Jack Russel terrier so badly that it lost an eye. He was also placed on two years probation, ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and serve 150 hours of community service by DuPage County Judge Jane Mitton, who said "this is a serious offense." more ›

Mayoral and municipal primaries are being held in some Chicago 'burbs today. Don't forget to vote if you live in Cicero, Berwyn, Calumet City, Waukegan, North Chicago, Elgin and Dolton. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. more ›

As Wal-Mart gets ready for Round Two of the Retail Wars in Chicago, Supervalu, which owns Jewel-Osco, is remodeling 25 local stores to stay competitive in the market, Crain's is reporting. more ›

This past weekend, Sox fans saw Joe Crede -- one of the stars from their 2005 World Series team -- sign with the rival Minnesota Twins after management decided to move on without him. Could another one of that team's heroes also find himself in a new uniform before the season is through? more ›

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Robert Sorich's appeal of his 2006 conviction on fraud charges. Sorich, Mayor Daley's former patronage chief, was found guilty of rigging city hiring to give jobs to politically connected workers. Along with former Department of Streets and Sanitation official Patrick Slattery, and former Sorich aide Timothy McCarthy, Sorich's attorneys argued that since the men never took bribes or kickbacks, they couldn't be convicted of violating the "Honest Services" statute, which prohibits public employees from breaking the law for gain, even if it isn't personal gain. more ›

New allegations have come to light in the ongoing federal investigation of patronage and fraud in the awarding of contracts for the O'Hare Expansion Project. According to the Sun-Times, 45th Ward Alderman Patrick Levar's brother Michael is under investigation. According to the Bright One's sources, Michael Levar, who was Mayor Daley's point man on the project, is a "major focus" of the far-reaching investigation. He's suspected of working with Diamond Coring, a concrete cutting and paving company that is accused of operating a phony female-owned company, the Stealth Group Inc, or SGI. Diamond Coring has contributed nearly $12,000 to Ald. Levar in campaign funds. more ›

Temps will rebound today thanks to some winds from the south and we might, just might, top 40 degrees under fair skies. There's a chance of a shower or flurry out and about, but the day will be mostly precip-free. Lows tonight will be in the lower 30s while skies cloud over. And, yes, today is Mardi Gras (or Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday or...) and I'm finally having to relearn that everywhere else, it's just another Tuesday. Sigh. more ›

• The Sun-Times looks at Amber Cremeens, the McHenry native killed last week by her ex-boyfriend Tyler James Martin, who shot himself after a stand-off with police in Logan Square on Friday.
• State Attorney General Lisa Madigan is prepping a lawsuit against Caterpillar, Inc. over the huge oil sludge spill from earlier this month.
• The Arlington Heights-based company responsible for Golden Tee is gambling on a new slot machine.

We're still wading our way through the behemoth that is the Chicago 2016 Bid Book (no, seriously, it's f#$@&%! huge) but the Associated Press has already latched on to one of the aspects of the bid that the city is hoping will put us over the top: bein' green. At the heart of the green aspect of the city's proposal is the usage of lots of green space and space along Lake Michigan for event venues. more ›

Despite an order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis will not release a list of officers who have had five or more citizen complaints filed against them since 2000. Judge Valdez made the order due to a current lawsuit against the city accusing a police officer of using excessive force and making a false arrest. more ›

Say what you will about Alan Keyes, if nothing else, the man is determined. 4 years after getting his ass handed to him by Barack Obama in the race for Senate, Keyes is still on the attack. It's a bombastic, overblown, hyper-exaggerated attack, of course, and he concludes by sounding like the craziest internet commentor that ever did exist. more ›

The attorney for William Balfour, the man charged with the murders of Darnell Donnerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King (actress/singer Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother, and nephew, respectively), has quit the case. Joshua Kutnick insists he believes his client is innocent but says he doesn't have the money for such a high-profile case. Said Kutnick, "It's the kind of case that involves intense hours. I was gathering all resources, but I couldn't finance it." Balfour is expected to receive new representation, a court-appointed public defender soon, soon. more ›

As we've covered before, the big losers in the passage of HB 429 in 2007 were out-of-state retailers looking to sell their wines to customers in Illinois. A bill introduced last Friday by state Representative Julie Hamos (D - Evanston) could restore the rights of those retailers to do business in Illinois. more ›

As if they didn't have enough problems these days, the CTA is dealing with another: too much space. The CTA has added another floor to the space they're attempting to sale or lease at their building, located at 567 W. Lake Street. With the 11th and 12th floors of the building already on the market, the CTA has added the 10th floor, which has become available due to recent staff cuts; each floor is 35,000 square feet. While anyone can buy the space, potential renters are must be "other government agencies or qualified non-profit groups." more ›

Joe Crede, a key part of the White Sox 2005 World Series run, has parted ways with the South Side squad and joined the division rival Minnesota Twins. Crede had spent his entire major league career with the Sox, including his best year of 2006, which saw him bat .283 with 30 HR and 94 RBI, but injuries kept him sideline much of the last two seasons. In only 97 games in 2008, he managed to belt 17 HR and drive in 55 runs. more ›

Chicago Police have confirmed that they are currently holding a "person of interest" in connection with Friday's shooting on the South Side that killed three teenagers. Johnny Edwards, 13, a 7th-grader at Arnold Mireles Academy, Raheem Washington, 15, and Kendrick Pitts, 17, were killed Friday afternoon when gunfire broke out near the intersection of East 87th Street and South Exchange Avenue. Police believe the shootings were gang-related and have received several tips from neighborhood residents. more ›

The two leading Democratic candidates to replace Rahm Emanuel in Chicago's Fifth Congressional District both made news over the weekend. In Federal Elections Commission reports that cover that cover Jan. 1 through Feb. 11, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz's campaign reported that she has raised $550,594 since the campaign began, with $306,000 in the bank and $70,000 in debts. Regardless, she announced that she will loan her campaign $100,000 because she is "close to winning" the Tribune reports. "I want to put my money where my mouth is," she said. Adding muscle to her claim is State Comptroller Dan Hynes's endorsement of her. Hynes, who may be a gubernatorial candidate next year, is only the second statewide office holder to endorse in the race. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who may be a candidate to replace Roland Burris in the U.S. Senate, has endorsed state Rep John Fritchey. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

By a vote of 14-3 the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a compromise budget of $2.9 billion that includes no new taxes and no borrowing for operations. The budget tha commissioners approved also denies about $37 million in spending that Stroger requested, and cuts health care spending by about two percent. Commissioners also agreed to spend an additional $294 million by the end of 2010 to fund construction projects and technology upgrades. That spending will require additional borrowing. Left unresolved is $104 million in employee pension costs. Those costs are a left over lump sum payment from a 2007 special employee buyout. Because the budget compromise rejects Stroger's plan to borrow $260 million to finance insurance and court costs, as well as the pension payments, future interest payments of $214 million were averted. more ›

The Bulls may now have the pieces to make the playoff picture, but as evidenced by their 98-91 loss to the Indiana Pacers Sunday, still have some work to do putting the puzzle together. Trailing by 14 midway through the third, John Salmons, Tim Thomas and Kirk Hinrich sank consecutive three-pointers to make inroads on Indiana. The Pacers settled for outside looks and couldn't convert, while the Bulls steadily marched to a one-possession lead. Fortunes would fade for Chicago, however, as Indiana developed a hot hand early in the fourth and the Bulls struggled to defend the paint with big man Brad Miller on the bench. Ben Gordon led the scoring with 28, and new guys Salmons and Miller contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, respectively. more ›

Frederick Goings, ex-boyfriend of Nova Henry, has officially been charged with two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Henry and her infant daughter Ava. Goings has been the prime suspect in the killings since they happened as reports surfaced that the two had a volatile relationship: Henry had previously taken out an order of protection against Goings and the two allegedly had an argument the day of the murders. Henry's three-year-old son, Noah, who was found unharmed in Henry's apartment with his mother's and sister's body had reportedly told members, "Fred did it." Goings and Henry first met when Goings represented Henry in a paternity suit against former Bull Eddy Curry, who is the father of both of Henry's children. Curry was not considered a suspect and authorities said he's been fully cooperative in their investigation. As for Noah, he remains in the custody of his grandmother. more ›

Governor Pat Quinn has called on Roland Burris to resign his senate seat in light of recent revelations about the newly minted senator's contact with impeached governor Rod Blagojevich. But not everyone is ready to call for his resignation just yet. In statements to the press late last week, Mayor Daley, who has been in the Persian Gulf, refused to call on Burris to step down. “Let’s put everything in perspective and give him an opportunity to explain himself," Daley said. "Automatically, every time something happens people want everybody to resign. Is it becoming very common now to tell people to resign after he was appointed?" When asked if Burris can effectively represent Illinois in congress given the controversy, the mayor waxed poetical: “He’ll have to explain that himself,” Daley said. “If there’s a cloud, I guess he’ll have to say what cloud it is. Is it a heavy or a light cloud? It’s up to him … I don’t know," he said, noting that the economic recovery bill "never would have passed" without Burris. more ›

It's the same old, same old around here, weather wise. Of course, it is late February so it's not like we're getting the beach gear out yet or anything. Sunny skies and highs in the mid-20s is what we'll see this afternoon and tonight we'll see lows in the mid to upper teens under mostly clear skies. We'll see a brief midweek bump of slightly warmer temps, but then back to normal by next weekend. Sigh. more ›

Bostonist photographed the impressive interior of the new House of Blues, but had to wait in line for music, leaving us skeptical about the venue's future.

Federal authorities interviewed Sen. Roland Burris for several hours yesterday hoping to glean information into the ongoing case against ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, who allegedly tried to sell President Obama's senate seat for political or personal gains, the Chicago Tribune reported last night. more ›

Police are searching for a tan 2001 Ford Explorer, stolen from the 2400 block of North Lowell Avenue, just before 11 a.m. And get this, people: a 4-year-old was inside. more ›

From the folks at the Sports Hernia come these shots of major league baseball players on spring training photo day. This shot of Bartolo Colon is all the reason you need to know why Ozzie Guillen insists on being the face of the White Sox (although Lance Broadway could give him a run for his money from a photogenic standpoint) and probably has scores of Grant Park softball league wizards thinking they might have a shot at a spot in the Sox rotation. more ›

The Blackhawks scored a 3-1 victory over the Stars on Saturday, completing a four-game, season sweep of the Dallas skaters. Patrick Kane poked in the game-winner seven and a half minutes into the second period, bookended by one-timers from defensemen James Wisniewski and Matt Walker as Chicago took a 3-0 lead. Cristobal Huet was once again stellar in net with 30 saves on 31 attempts, the spoiler coming on a breakaway goal midway through the third. The 'Hawks will return to a hero's welcome when they host the Minnesota Wild tonight, having amassed nine wins in their last 12 games, 11 of which were played on the road. more ›

A missing Highland Park teen is home safe after she went missing Friday evening while running. 17-year-old Caroline Stitcher returned home, and was transported to Highland Park Hospital for a checkup shortly after 9 p.m. on Saturday night. more ›

The chill will continue today in spite of sunny skies; highs will only reach the lower 20s and a constant, brisk 15-20 mph wind will keep it pretty nippy outside. It'll be clear and continued cold tonight with lows in the lower teens. But keep hope alive, all, for a midweek warm-up will send temps into the lower 40s by Wednesday. more ›

Police have confirmed they have determined "people of interests" in connection with yesterday's South Side shooting near the intersection of East 87th Street and South Exchange Avenue that claimed the lives of three teenagers. Chicago Asst. Police Supt. James Jackson credits residents from the neighborhood for providing information, saying, "A lot of it had to do with the community stepping forward." The victims were: more ›

Transparency and accountability are two features sorely lacking in Illinois' political landscape. But they are a big part of Governor Pat Quinn's new Web site urging Illinois residents to bring in their suggestions on how to spend anticipated stimulus funds. more ›

While Chicago Police have not officially confirmed it, other authorities and several media outlets have stated that the man who holed himself up in a Logan Square apartment building yesterday evening was Tyler James Martin, a former McHenry resident accused of killing his girlfriend (Amber Kathleen Cremeens, also a former McHenry resident) in Denver earlier this week. The standoff ended when Martin committed suicide around 7:30 p.m. Authorities in the Denver area had warned local police that Martin was likely on the run and planning to return to the Chicago area to see family. more ›

There have been no charges filed and police won't confirm who it is, but someone has been arrested in connection with the killings of Nova Henry and her infant daughter Ava. Nova and Ava were found murdered in Nova's apartment in January; Nova is the former girlfriend of former Bull and current New York Knick Eddy Curry. Nova and Curry's three-year-old son, Noah, was with his mother and sister when they were killed but was left unharmed and later told family members, "Fred did it," assumed to be Nova's former boyfriend Frederick Goings. Goings had been questioned by police after the murders but was eventually released. Police have not commented on whether Goings was the man arrested, but he had previously abused Nova and was reported to have had an argument with Nova on the day of her killing. more ›

The not-yet-new-look Chicago Bulls halted a hot Denver Nuggets squad Friday night, winning 116-99. Still awaiting the final trade paperwork for their new acquisitions, Chicago had only eight familiar faces eligible for action. Despite the limited subs (38-year-old Lindsey Hunter saw just one minute of playing time), the Bulls had no shortage of energy and were dominant in the transition game. With the score tied at 87 early in the fourth, Chicago scored 19 over the next five minutes while holding Denver to just five points during the same stretch. Ben Gordon led the way with a season-high 37 points, and the Bulls got double-doubles from both Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas. Chicago will take its new team on a test drive Sunday, when they travel to Indiana to face the Pacers. more ›

Right now, we're in a bit of a lull, but Skilling promises there's more snow on the way this afternoon and evening and we could several more inches before all is said and done. Highs will be in the lower 30s today and brisk winds will keep the wind chill down. The snow tapers off into the evening and lows will be in the low-to-mid teens. more ›

• In the latest bit of bad news for U.S. Sen. Ronald Burris, Darrel Thompson, his chief of staff, has resigned. Could the Senator himself be far behind?
• An afternoon shoot-out in an alley along 87th Street on the city's South Side has left a 13-year-old, a 15-year-old, and 17-year-old dead.
• Patti Blagojevich is shakin' off that firin' by the Chicago Christian Industrial League just fine as she's selling a house to bring in a little extra money.

AdWeek is reporting that Playboy would consider a sale, were there to be a viable buyer, based on falling ad and circulation revenues (what else is new) and an expected continued drop of ad revenue in the upcoming quarter. more ›

It's not just cracks in CTA buses that have our public transit overlords worried today. Once again, even in the face of record ridership and fare increases, there's another big ol' pesky budget hole to fill. The Chicago Tribune has RTA Chief Jim Reilly and Executive Director Steve Schlickman looking at the RTA having a $58 Million hole, and the CTA with $87 million to make up. more ›

The ever-prescient Second City Cop has taken in the controversy surrounding the video of a Chicago Police Officer confronting a bus passenger that's been making the rounds as of late and has offered a rebuttal. In its response, SCC defends the officer, pointing out how many times the officer asks the passenger to leave the bus and explaining the officer's action. [Language still NSFW] more ›

Air Angels, the emergency transport company based in Bolingbrook that was involved in a helicopter crash in Aurora that killed four people last October, announced yesterday that it is going out of business. Air Angels and its parent company are facing a lawsuit from the family of the 14-month-old patient that was killed in the crash, and their helicopters have been grounded for two months. The full report of what caused the crash has not been released yet, but the the attorney working for the family said that the Air Angels could have prevented the crash if it had installed navigation software and followed federal recommendations to use a terrain avoidance warning system in the cockpit. The company's 33 employees all received a 60-day notice of termination yesterday, and Air Angels says it is working with local hospitals to assure emergency transport services in the region are not compromised. more ›

Antoinette Basso filed suit today against Drunk Santa, otherwise known as Daniel E. Aulwes, claiming "negligence and negligent battery" for knocking her on the ground face first outside of a restaurant at the 1000 block of West Monroe Street. (Carmichael's?) Drunk Santa stumbled around, knocked her over and caused her to suffer from "pain ... disability and disfigurement." She is now seeking more than $50,000 in damages. Yikes. Once in college a drunk Santa knocked over our best friend, Al, who then punched drunk Santa out of embarrassment and rage. So we totally empathize with you, Ms. Basso. Those who choose to dress Santa-y should only practice holy behavior. [CBN] more ›

As the one-year anniversary of the tragic Lane Bryant shootings recently passed, some wondered what would become of the Tinley Park Lane Bryant location where five women were shot in a robbery. The shop has been closed down since the shooting as it's still considered an active crime scene. But what of the inventory? It seems the chain is going to donate all clothing that's not considered evidence. The beneficiaries of the donations will be homeless charity Together We Cope and the Crisis Center for South Suburbia, which benefits women who are victims of domestic abuse. Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki said, "They were in the front part of the store. They were not in the back of the store. Any of the clothes that were involved in the crime, or near the crime, have been taken by the police and they're in the evidence center. And the clothes that Lane Bryant has so nicely donated are all 100 percent good. There's no problem. Many of them are still in original packaging." more ›

At an evening press conference to update the media on the flury of trade activity at the league's trading deadline, John Paxson tried to put rumors of his imminant departure from the GM job to rest. Opening the presser, he stated, "I'm the GM of the Bulls. I'm not resigning. I'm here. I'm going to be here. That puts an end to it." We notice he didn't say for how long he's staying... perhaps he's not resigning today or this week, but does he still plan to leave at the end of the season? Perhaps only Pax himself knows. Or perhaps he simply had a chance of heart after being able to successfully shake his roster up and position the team for a run at the top free agents after next season. more ›

The Caucus of Rank and File Educators (C.O.R.E.) -- the reform caucus of the Chicago Teachers Union -- and teachers from Holmes Elementary School on the south side are planning to picket the McDonald's at 1554 E. 55th Street as well as the Walgreens across the street this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to, as they say in a press release, "inform the public of their anger toward big-business for meddling with public education." more ›

With all the recent ruckus over President Obama's stimulus package, it's easy to forget the swell of happy and goodwill that came from the Election Night Obamapalooza rally in Grant Park back in November. And this latest bit of news surely won't help: it seems the Democratic National Committee still owes the city $1.74 million stemming from the party. Peter Scales, spokesman for the city's Office of Budget and Management, said, "The Democratic National Committee has not yet paid us. We're reaching out to them this week." A DNC spokeswoman only responded with, "We are still looking at various costs and bills.'' According to the Sun-Times: more ›

The fall-out has begun from the CTA's decision to pull around 200 buses from service. So what exactly happened to these accordion buses? It seems a bus driver noticed a crack in the actual accordion section of the bus that attaches the front end to the rear. The bus in which the crack was discovered was five years old and had 152,000 miles on it. more ›

Chicago shut out the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Thursday, in the teams' lone matchup of the '08-'09 campaign. Goalie Cristobal Huet dodged 31 bullets en route to his third perfect outing this season, while the 'Hawks applied pressure offensively with 42 shots on goal. Andrew Ladd broke through early with a feisty put-back in the first period, and Chicago successfully defended their 1-0 lead for the next 45 minutes. Ben Eager ended the scoring drought in the third, finding Tomas Vokoun's five hole to make it 2-0, Chicago. Johnathan Toews then sailed in an empty-netter from his own blue line, and Ben Eager padded his stats with another score in the waning seconds. The Blackhawks' grueling-yet-successful road trip nears its end when the club travels to Dallas for a Saturday-afternoon scuffle with the Stars. more ›

Pretty lousy description, but it's going to be pretty lousy weather. There's even a Winter Storm Warning in effect for tonight into tomorrow...but we're getting ahead of ourselves. It'll start sunny but those high, thin clouds will roll in throughout the day. Highs should reach the upper 20s. Tonight will start off mostly cloudy but the snow rolls in late. How much will fall, exactly, is anyone's guess (most everyone says somewhere between four and eight inches) so we'll stick with our "more than one, less than 10" motto. more ›

• Chicago Police are investigating what seems to be a serial rapist terrorizing the Bucktown neighborhood after another attack of a woman leaving the Western Ave. Blue Line stop.
• Former pro-wrestling star Verne Gagne is in hot water after a man he threw to the ground in a nursing home died as a result of the incident.
• On the eve of the 10th anniversary of Gene Siskel's death, former partner-in-criticism Roger Ebert gives a heartfelt remembrance of Siskel.

South Side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) recently introduced an ordinance that would mandate countdown signals - like the ones for pedestrian walk signals - at intersections where red-light cameras have been (or will be) installed. more ›

The CTA is removing a bunch of buses from service, according to the Sun-Times, "due to a structural crack that was found in one of its 60-foot-long articulated buses." The buses will remain out of service until an independent source can look into the problem, so prepare to get a little closer with your fellow bus passengers as more folks crowd onto available buses. Could someone remind us again why the 2016 Olympic bid didn't include money for transit? Update - The Trib reports that it's actually 200 accordion buses that will be removed from service. more ›

It's been a busy day for Sen. Roland Burris, or at least in the press. Here's (most of) what's happened. more ›

Less than a month since being sworn in as Governor, Pat Quinn is already surprising people with his pick of Jack Lavin as his Chief Operating Officer. While described as a personal friend of Quinn, Lavin also has an extensive past with both former governor Rod Blagojevich and convicted Blago fund-raiser Tony Rezko. Lavin previously served as Blagojevich's director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. That was, of course, after working for Rezko as a COO and receiving $12,000 from Rezko when he mulled over a run for public office. Lavin previously worked with Quinn when Quinn was state treasurer in the early '90's. Quinn defended Lavin in an interview before he became governor, saying, "I don't think there has ever been an iota of information that he did anything improper." State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno said of the pick, "Certainly he comes with some baggage that we have to be very sensitive about at this moment in our state's history, but personally I want to work with everyone right now to make sure we get through the very serious problems we're facing. I can only hope the governor has fully vetted his association and knows full well that they won't in any way, shape or form interfere." more ›

Wow, ESPN really likes us. Following the lead of The Huffington Post, who started up the now-(in)famous ChuffPo, ESPN is launching a Chicago-centric site appropriately called ESPNChicago. Great! More ways to hear about the Cubs' curse and the Bears inability to find a decent quarterback. The site - the first city-specific site from ESPN - will launch in April and, for the time being, the address redirects to the ESPN 1000 AM site, more ›

We know some folks have an issue with President Obama's new stimulus package, but damn, Rick. CNBC analyst Rick Santelli, reporting from the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, went on an epic rant regarding the stimulus package saying, "The government is promoting bad behavior," before turning to the traders on the floor and whipping them up into a frenzy. He also calls for a Chicago Tea Party in July, saying - at the 2:10 mark - "All you capitalists that wanna show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing it...I'll be dumping in some derivative securities..." more ›

Do the Bulls have a hotline that rings directly to Madison Square Garden? The New York Knicks remain the dumping grounds for the Bulls unwanted parts, even after they parted ways with Isiah Thomas -- the worst executive in the history of basketball. This afternoon, just before the NBA trading deadline, the Bulls shipped Larry Hughes to New York in return for three players: Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson. more ›

In a technology upgrade Mayor Daley is heralding as a major step forward in fighting crime, the city's police cameras have been successfully integrated with the city's 911 system so that when a 911 call comes in to the dispatch center, the system will automatically scan for any police cameras within 150 feet of the reported incident. Video would then appear on the dispatcher's screen within seconds, enabling them to forward more helpful information to responding officers. more ›

The NHL announced today that the Chicago Blackhawks would be one of four teams opening the 2009-2010 season in Europe as part of a special series. The 'Hawks will head to Helsinki, Finland to take on the Florida Panthers in a two-game "home and home" series while the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues will tangle in a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden. Not so coincidentally: Finland and Sweden are the top two countries in terms of non-North American visitors to the NHL's website. While the Panthers have never played a game outside of North America in their existence, the 'Hawks have skated on the other side of the pond before. In September 1992, the Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens faced off in a pair of exhibition games at London's Wembley Arena. It will be the third straight year the NHL has opened a season overseas. more ›

Take a look at everyone around you. Think of your co-workers, your fellow commuters, the guy next to you at the bar tonight. Do you want him or her to be carrying a gun? If you do, you're a step closer to having your hopes become a reality: The Illinois House moved a concealed-carry bill forward yesterday with a vote of 11-1. more ›

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that clean-up from the February 8 oil sludge spill at the Caterpillar, Inc. plant in Rockdale has been mostly completed. The EPA is also currently reviewing Caterpillar's plan and plans to issue any further rulings at a later date. The EPA and other federal authorities claim there was "no significant impact" on the ecological surroundings where the spill happened on the Des Plaines River. Officials did not state how many Shamwows were used in the clean-up. more ›

Early voting has already begun in Illinois's Fifth Congressional District, and Chicagoist is taking a look at each of the candidates vying to keep Rahm Emanuel's seat warm for him. Read Part One here, Part Two here and Part Three here. more ›

Just as former alderman Arenda Troutman was sentenced to four years in prison for bribery/fraud charges this week, it looks like U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is focusing his attention on another City Council member: Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th). The Sun-Times is on the case: more ›

So now that President Obama has signed the controversial stimulus package, just how big will Illinois's piece of the pie be? The AP reports our take will be $1.58 billion, good enough for fifth place overall amongst the 50 states. Lawmakers now have to decide how that money will be spent. According to the AP, "The law also requires that half the money be spent on projects that have been vetted by the federal government and deemed "ready to go" in 120 days, as a way to jolt the economy and create jobs." more ›

With a new transit doomsday prophecy, the area's transit systems are trying to figure out exactly how they'll manage to find the funding to stay running. At a CTA board meeting yesterday, chief financial officer Dennis Anosike revealed the alarming news that the CTA's budget deficit was at $87 million, much larger than had previously been thought. When added to the ginormous shortfall in tax revenue the RTA already outlined this week, the CTA now finds itself over $240 million in the red. Well, shit. And with everyone out of cash and looking for more, the infighting has begun as the CTA and RTA clashed over where the money would come from and who knew what when. more ›

The shorthanded Chicago Bulls won a shootout in Milwaukee Wednesday night, beating the Bucks 113-104. With the departure of teammates Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni earlier in the day, Kirk Hinrich made his case to stick around (or perhaps upped his trade value) with a 31-point performance, including 18 in the fourth quarter. Milwaukee had its opportunities, securing 13 more offensive rebounds than Chicago, but had difficulty converting those second chances into points. The new-look Bulls will play Denver at the UC Friday night; just how new will be finalized by the trade deadline this afternoon. more ›

In case you were following it, our sister (mother?) site Gothamist has been exploring the controversy over yesterday's editorial cartoon by the NY Post's Sean Delonas which many have claimed is racist and makes allusions to shooting the President. It's not the first time Delonas has gotten himself in hot water, either. more ›

The feds have hit Patti Blagojevich with a subpoena that has many wondering if she'll be joining her husband in receiving a grand jury indictment this spring. Lady Blago reportedly complied with the subpoena, handing over any and all notes relating to over 40 individuals relating things ranging from her husband's fund-raising to her own real estate deals. Speaking to the Sun-Times, her attorney Raymond Pijon said he hopes the feds "consider the 'family structure' as they weigh that decision." more ›

The NBA trade deadline is early afternoon on Thursday, and the Bulls were expected to be active. But the Bulls didn't land Amare Stoudemire, nor did they trade Larry Hughes -- yet. In their first deal, the Bulls sent Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin and Cedric Simmons to the Sacramento Kings in return for Brad Miller and John Salmons. There's a strong consensus that the Bulls were on the big winners of this trade, with the Kings looking to dump salary (the Maloofs lost millions to Bernie Madoff), and the Bulls gaining both help now and cap room down the road. more ›

It's pretty dang cold and slippery out there and it seems like a sign of things to come. Highs will reach up to 20 today under sunny skies while lows tonight drop into the single digits. But last night's snowfall is just a foreshadowing of what we might get tomorrow night as another system comes through, potentially bringing us the biggest snowfall we've seen in over a month. So keep the boots handy. more ›

• Rev. Steve Wu, the pastor of Willow Creek Chicago - part of the megachurch Willow Creek Community Church, has resigned due to acts of "sexual impurity."
• The strange, terrible saga of Lockport, Illinois soldier Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr. continues.
• Well, it's no Miracle on the Hudson, but props to the pilot of a small plane who managed to make an emergency landing on the frozen Gray's Lake yesterday.

Cubs stars Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are putting in their two cents on the recent round of steroid accusations (cough*A-Rod*cough) and both come down pretty hard on those who break the rules. Said Lee, ''There should be zero tolerance. We've had plenty of warnings. There's no excuses. You get caught now, there should be no sympathy. A year to me is even light.'' Meanwhile, his teammate Ramirez wants the 104 perpetrators exposed: ''Because [otherwise] everybody's going to be looking over your shoulder and saying, 'They might have done it,' or, 'They might have done it.' Just get it out and get it over with and move on." The Sun-Times has more comments from the two stars. And what of Alfosno "The $136 Million Dollar Man" Soriano, who became a Texas Ranger the year after A-Rod left the team? Said Fonz, ''I played in Texas for two years, and I didn't see anybody do it." more ›

A group of men labeled the "Liberty City Six" began their third trial today on four terrorism-related charges including scheming to blow up the Sears Tower; two previous trials have ended in mistrials when the juries couldn't reach a verdict. Ana Jhones, defense attorney for one of the men - Narseal Batiste-, claims it was a set-up by FBI informants who were manipulating the six men for money. Batiste testified at one the earlier trials that he never intended to act on any threat and was simply playing along with the informant in hopes of receiving up to $50,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Arango countered, "What's relevant is their intention - what they wanted to do...They all agreed to sell out their country for money," Arango said. "The fact that they did so for the mighty U.S. dollar is no excuse." more ›

It's been far too long since we heard anything from embattled former TV reporter Amy Jacobson. Besides having her story kinda-sorta adapted for a Law & Order episode, you may remember that Jacobson sued CBS 2 for airing the controversial video that led to her termination at NBC 5. The Trib's Eric Zorn, had the details when Amy first filed suit and now Encyclopedia Zorn is back on the case with an update on how Jacobson's lawsuit has cleared a hurdle. more ›

Alderman Howard Brookins told WBBM-AM that "with unemployment growing and tax revenues sagging, Chicago needs Walmart." In a separate speech to labor leaders, Ald. Ed Burke said he'd be fine with more Walmarts in Chicago, as long as they allow employees to unionize - which is about as likely as Walmart turning all their stores into marshmallows and sunshine. Are the anti-Walmart tides starting to turn? It was just a couple weeks ago that Walmart started their push back into the city proper - with two aldermen starting to think about what the 'Mart could do for them, could the other 48 be far behind? more ›

After the Evanston Police Department agreed with the Cook County Medical Examiner's decision to rule Aquan's death a suicide, the boy's family continues to ask questions about his death (and seems to be girding itself for a potential lawsuit). At the center of the family's issues are how did Aquan manage to slip away unnoticed for such a length of time? It's an issue the Evanston Police don't seem to have an answer for and Aquan's teacher has been placed on administrative leave as that particular probe continues. more ›

If you've recently woken up in a panic realizing you parked on a snow route the night before and expected your car had been towed only to find out it was still there, you can thank the current Chicago budget shortfall for saving you a trip to the pound. Towing is running at half the pace compared to last year because the ones who get the tow trucks rolling -- the field vehicle investigators -- were cut back in last October's job cuts. It's actually pretty amazing towing hasn't been reduced further since only 4 of the previous group of 31 full-time investigators remain, and only 5 of 10 positions for seasonal snow tow work have been filled -- by some of the laid-off investigators. more ›

In the wake of many revelations regarding Sen. Roland Burris, Sen. Dick Durbin has finally spoken but he didn't say a whole lot. Durbin, currently traveling in Greece, said, "The public statements made by Mr. Burris to this point have raised questions which need to be looked at very carefully. His sworn testimony in Springfield did not satisfy our requirement in that it was not complete and we need to have the complete story before the final conclusion that we reach." Meanwhile, the investigation against Burris continues. more ›

Early voting has already begun in Illinois's Fifth Congressional District, so Chicagoist figured that with 25 candidates in the race to keep Rahm Emanuel's seat warm for him, we'd look at five each day all this week. Read Part One here, and Part Two here. more ›

The Bears enter this off-season as they do every year, with questions at quarterback. After a surprising start to last year, Kyle Orton seemed to have earned himself the starting job. But a late season slump that followed a mid-season injury prevented him from locking down the position. Even if he does remain atop the depth chart, they need somebody to back him up, and Rex Grossman isn't likely to return. more ›

At an after-work rally at the Plumbers Union Hall on Chicago's West side yesterday, union leaders, members and community allies gathered to press the case for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill before Congress that would amend the National Labor Relations Act to allow workers to form a union by signing membership cards or a petition in lieu of a secret-ballot election. Supporters say that it takes the threat of coercion, punishment and even termination out of the unionization process, making organizing easier. But opponents say that the bill robs workers of the right to a secret ballot when choosing whether to join a union. more ›

In the state where we tax the shit out of everything, there's a new gas tax proposal just waiting to raise our ire. State Senate President John Cullerton and Speaker of the House Mike Madigan are co-sponsoring a bill that would raise the tax on a gallon of gas to 27 cents a gallon; motorists currently pay 19 cents a gallon. The reason? To help fund "Grow Illinois", which would pay for debt services and capital improvements the wake of the state's budget shortfall. Another co-sponsor, State Rep. Luis Arroyo, (D-Chicago) said, "No tax for the taxpayers of Illinois is easy. We need infrastructure and we need jobs. Everybody's crying for jobs. There's a lot of people getting laid off. We have to do a capital bill." That raises taxes on people who can't afford to travel to their jobs as it is? more ›

Acco Brands, the Lincolnshire-based office products company, is taking an unusual step in these tough economic times to avoid layoffs: pay cuts. Acco plans to cut the pay of its U.S.-based salaried and hourly employees, as well as the executive officers by 20 percent begining February 23, through June of this year. It will also impose an additional two-week salary reduction, while maintaining a regular five day work week. The company's chief executive will take a pay cut of 57 percent through April, and a reduction in salary of 30 percent through June. more ›

The Blackhawks earned a comeback victory versus the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night by a score of 5-3. The game got off to an encouraging start for the 'Hawks, as Duncan Keith put Chicago on top 1-0 midway through the opening period. Despite just three shot attempts for Tampa in the first, Steve Stamkos managed to sneak one past goaltender Cristobal Huet and even things up. Stamkos would then start the second period with two more scores, earning the first hat trick of his career and leaving the 'Hawks in a 3-1 hole. Jonathan Toews narrowed the gap, however, on a wrister in the final seconds of the period. It was then Patrick Kane, Dave Bolland and Toews once again as Chicago recorded four-straight scores and commandeered the lead. The 'Hawks will stay in the Sunshine State for a Thursday matchup with the Florida Panthers. more ›

The Lord's Senator Roland Burris spoke to the press Monday night in Peoria, and what an event it was. In a nutshell, he says he told Rod Blagojevich's brother Rob that he would raise money for him, asked some people to help out, found out nobody was interested, and then told the brothers Blago that he couldn't do it, since he was seeking the senate seat himself. "So sometime shortly after Obama was elected, the brother called and I had talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fundraiser on," Burris said. But the Chicago Public Radio Blog brings us the best bit of his statements, adding "He started talking…and talking…and talking…and talking…then contradicting…then back to talking about his involvement. The clip that the newspapers pulled doesn’t give it justice. This gives it justice." more ›

It's a dark, dank day as rain has rolled into the area. Temps are chilly, too, in the upper 30s. That all will change, however, as around noon temps will slide into the lower 30s and any rain sticking around will change over into snow. Up to half-an-inch is possible during the day, according to the National Weather Service. The snow continues into the evening and night, tapering off around midnight while temps dip into the upper teens and wind chills even lower thanks to some gusty winds. Get used to this newest chill, too, because it's going to stick around the rest of the week. more ›

• Legendary Chicago architect John Holabird passed away yesterday at the age of 88.
• Our pal Justin Kaufmann over at WBEZ's blog has a copy of Cook County Clerk David Orr's alleged open letter to Sen. Burris calling for Burris to resign.
• Like it or not, President Obama signed off on the $787 billion stimulus package today.

The group of community leaders in Bensenville fighting the O'Hare expansion has launched a new multimedia ad campaign, saying the plan will destroy the community without improving airport capacity. "We are not about 'Not In My Backyard.' We are about expanding the airport the right way," Bensenville Village President John Geils said at a news conference at Chicago City Hall. The city plans to spend $15 billion to modernize O'Hare by 2014 and has already acquired over 500 properties and a cemetery for a runway scheduled for 2011. more ›

The FBI is offering up to $10,000 in reward money for tips leading to the arrest of a bank robber dubbed The Cross-Dressing Bandit. The robbery took place last August at a MB Financial Bank branch in Park Ridge. The robber was wearing "a black and pink floral-print dress, pink wide-brimmed sun hat, long white cloth gloves and white sandals" and also carried "an oversized black purse" from which he produced a large, black handgun. As for the robber's description, he's a black male between the ages of 18 and 20 years old, 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds. Our favorite part? "Despite his choice of outfit, the man is considered armed and dangerous." As if the gun wasn't a clue... more ›

Ah, allergies. Many of have them and we're getting close to a particularly bad time of year for them. Some of us sniffle and drip our way through the days, suffering and loading up on various meds just to get us through the work day. One Joliet teacher, however, is squaring of with her school district over her right to wear an allergy mask she claims helps alleviates her severe allergies. more ›

Motorists shouldn't shoulder all the blame, said Jansen "John" Daoud, who runs a convenience store that faces the Chicago-Cicero intersection. more ›

After a second investigation into the death of 10-year-old Oakton Elementary student Aquan Lewis, the Evanston Police Department has ruled the death a suicide, agreeing with an earlier conclusion reached by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. Lewis was found hanging from a hook in a school bathroom the afternoon of February 3rd and died early the following morning at Children's Hospital. more ›

We'll be honest - we don't know much about the intricacies of Brazilian government. It could be that they're as shady and dishonest as the government we've become used to in Illinois. But we're going to assume that they're unlike us in one striking regard - they're telling the truth about the budget for their Olympic bid. Why? Because it's really, really bleeding expensive. more ›

Arenda Troutman, former Chicago Alderman of the 20th ward, was sentenced today to four years in prison on mail fraud and tax fraud charges. Troutman was arrested a little over two years ago and was overheard on a wiretap saying, "Well the thing is, most aldermen, most politicians are ho's." Troutman sang a different tune at her sentencing today, saying, "As God as my witness, I am no monster. I am not a criminal and I never helped criminals." more ›

Keeping it all in the family, a Chicago firefighter has been placed on unpaid leave after he was charged with selling cocaine to a Department of Water Management worker. The firefighter, 62-year-old Ruben Santiago, was charged with "manufacture, delivery and possession of more than 15 grams of cocaine" while the DWM worker, 63-year-old Waldemar Cruz, was charged with "felony possession of a controlled substance." Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said, "At this time, there is no indication that anything illegal was done on city time. However, the conduct alleged clearly violates the oath taken to protect life." more ›

We mentioned yesterday the newest round of Transit Doom and how the RTA doesn't intend to do much about it with state funds, but instead asking the individual agencies to maneuver their way through it on their own. And because of that, the CTA may have to look to cut jobs to save money. According to the Chi-Town Daily News, the CTA's board will consider an ordinance authorizing job cuts at their meeting tomorrow. It'd be part of an effort to meet the agency's $1.3 billion operating budget for 2009. more ›

Early voting has already begun in Illinois's Fifth Congressional District, so Chicagoist figured that with 25 candidates in the race to keep Rahm Emanuel's seat warm for him, we'd look at five each day all this week. Read Part 1 here. more ›

Chicago State defeated the Longwood Lancers Monday night, 94-84. The Cougars were outscored from the floor, but found a 23-point advantage at the free throw line. Chicago State star David Holston recorded 15 of his 21 points at the charity stripe as Longwood tried to slow down the nation’s second leading scorer. With much of the defensive attention on Holston, all five Cougar starters reached double figures in points. The Cougars also out-rebounded their opponents 54-32, en route to their second victory over the Lancers this season. more ›

At this year's much-discussed NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, two jumbotrons were erected in the outfield bleachers to give fans with questionable sight lines a chance to see some of the action. But now one rooftop owner, furious over the fact that the video screens blocked the view of the ice for his customers, is refusing to pay the Cubs a 2008 profit-sharing payment out of protest. The owner is Anthony Racky, who owns Lakeview Baseball Club (3633 N. Sheffield). Per the Sun-Times: more ›

Single game tickets for the 2009 season go on sale this Friday, but if you want to get seats from the Wrigley Field box office, you'll first need a numbered wrist band. Wrist bands will be distributed at at Wrigley Field from 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 7:00 .a.m - 10:00 p.m. on Thursday. The starting number will be randomly drawn and announced on WGN (720AM) shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Friday and tickets will be sold starting at 8:00 a.m. at the box office (10 a.m. online). more ›

Following a pattern we've already seen in the CTA's numbers from '08, Metra reported last week that their 2008 ridership numbers also hit a record high. For the year, Metra saw nearly 87 million rides, an almost four percent increase over 2007's total of 83 million. The most popular line, accounting for nearly 20 percent of Metra's rides, was the the BNSF Railway Co. (Aurora to Chicago). The upward trend, according to Metra, is one that's been going on for 25 years as the railway has seen traffic increase by around two percent a year since 1983. Metra also announce a planned $112-million improvement on the Union Pacific West line which will begin in March and be completed by late next year. more ›

With Blago safely out of power in Illinois and awaiting indictment and trial, it would seem that Illinois can begin to move on from the hackneyed political soap opera that dominated the local news these past few years. But with Governor Pat Quinn quickly and quietly purging the state government of Blagojevich's people, and each new statement coming out of U.S. Senator Roland Burris's mouth potentially throwing more dirt on his political grave, the herd of ambitious Illinois pols that were eagerly lining up to make their move on Blagojevich may now be readying to run for the senate. more ›

It'll be an interesting weather evening, but for the most part the day will be a mix of clouds and sun as clouds slowly but steadily increase throughout the day. On a positive note, highs will creep into the lower 40s today, a bit warmer than usual for this time of year. Overnight, temps will drop to the low-to-mid 30s with rain developing. Of course, with temps at that level it won't just be rain: look for a mix of rain/snow/sleet to develop overnight with most of the sleet mix to the north. Tomorrow could be pretty messy, so keep an eye out. more ›

• A white supremacist/Satanist in Muncie has been sentenced to a year in jail for biting a boy.
• The CTA is adding 24 more routes to it's Bus Tracker program.
• Looks like a plan at O'Hare could wind up forcing several airlines to relocate from their current terminal positions.

The Chicago Tribune has had enough of the corruption that has been the big story in our state as of late (and over the years). Yesterday, in an editorial titled "State of Corruption," the Trib rededicated itself to editorial efforts to take on the scandalous lawmakers of our state and to repair The Land of Lincoln's reputation. more ›

Chicago continues on with its business model of raising fines to raise revenue, this time targeting Alderman Tom Tunney's favorite law, the city's cell phone ban. Effective Saturday, February 21, the price of a ticket increases $25 to $100, and if you cause an accident because of your jibber jabber on the phone you'll be coughing up $500. But will the fine increase do anything to get people to put down the cell and put both hands on the wheel? Traffic Committee Chairman Pat O'Connor seems to think so: more ›

Ask, and ye shall receive. After Saturday’s post about a possible TIF transparency requirement, we bothered Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd, pictured right) about the list of his fellows who signed on in favor of the proposal. He says he ran out of time to gather more than the 20* signatures below at the city council meeting last week - but that he hopes to get about nine more in the coming weeks. The ordinance would require documents relating to TIFs - from weekly payroll reports to annual filings - appear on their own website, indexed for the ease of public use. The new people on Mayor Daley's "enemies list" are: more ›

Earlier today, we brought you the first in our series of candidate profiles of those running for Congress in the Fifth U.S. Congressional District of Iliinois, the race to replace Rahm Emanuel. If you're interested in getting to know more info about the candidates, several will be appearing at a forum tonight. The forum will run from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Second Unitarian Church of Chicago (656 W. Barry). As of posting time, those candidates scheduled to appear include: State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D), State Rep. John A. Fritchey (D), Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley (D), Ald. Patrick O’Connor (D), Jan Donatelli (D), Charles J. Wheelan (D), Paul J. Bryar (D), Tom Geoghegan (D), Jon Stewart (R), Mark Arnold Fredrickson (Green), and Matt Reichel (Green). Thanks for the tip, Stephen! more ›

After printing a salacious issue about underage encounters that identified involved students by name, a Lincolnshire high school newspaper will face more restrictions that some say are tantamount to censorship. The 3,400 copies of the Jan. 30 issue of the Stevenson High School newspaper "The Statesman" disappeared from the newsstands almost immediately, though the school says they did not remove them. more ›

Early voting has already begun in Illinois's Fifth Congressional District, so Chicagoist figured that with 25 candidates in the race to keep Rahm Emanuel's seat warm for him, we'd look at five each day all this week. more ›

Another Monday means another entry in the Chicagoist.com Podcast Series - after last week's more carnal conversations, we needed a beer and a cheap meal. So we figured we'd talk about some more food-related topics, which ended up venturing into politics and where not to eat during Restaurant Week. more ›

In what has become a rite of passage for Chicagoans, like that first glorious spring thaw or the annual Cubs collapse, it's time again for another CTA Doomsday warning. This time, the culprit seems to be the economy and according to the Trib's Jon Hilkevitch, "The new numbers are so bleak that the "doomsday" service cuts and fare increases threatened more than a year ago appear mild in comparison to the sweeping measures that would be needed to fill gaping budget holes the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace are facing." Yikes. The CTA, Metra, and PACE are all facing huge tax revenue shortfalls which mean huge funding reductions for both 2008 and 2009. more ›

With the NBA trading deadline quickly approaching, trade rumors involving perhaps the biggest catch out there -- Phoenix Suns power forward Amare Stoudemire -- are circling back towards his landing with the Bulls. There is no doubt that Stoudemire would give the Bulls the front line scoring they need and the star type player they've been missing in recent years. The Suns seem to be very intrigued by Tyrus Thomas and are attracted to Drew Gooden's expiring contract. The Bulls, of course, want to move Larry Hughes and his overinflated paycheck. So can these two teams work out a deal? If Stoudemire does get traded, the Bulls seem to be the front runner now. more ›

College Basketball more ›

News you may have missed from over the weekend. more ›

If you're one of the unlucky ones stuck in an office on this "holiday" (like us), don't worry because it's not like you're missing the kind of weather we had last week. Sure it's sunny, but it's going to be a seasonably cold day with highs in the lower 30s. Tonight skies will be fair with lows in the mid-twenties and a brief warm-up into the 40s tomorrow before snow arrives mid-week. more ›

Londonist followed in the footsteps of ambitious Victorian tourist James Patterson by completing the epic Patterson Challenge in 8 hours (and near-blizzard conditions).

At a press conference on Sunday, Sen. Roland Burris told reporters he had no inappropriate contact with regards to his Senate seat with any friends or supporters of former Governor Rod Blagojevich. “I’ve always conducted myself with honor and integrity,” Burris said. “I did not donate one single dollar, nor did I raise any money, nor promise any favors of any kind to the governor.” more ›

Since the Jan. 9 announcement that Chicago Public Schools may close six schools in its district, outspoken critics of Renaissance 2010 - Mayor Daley’s plan to close 70 troubled schools and open 100 new ones by 2010 - have been taking names and voicing their concerns to whomever will listen. On Saturday, parents and teachers added two more enemies to their list: McDonald’s and Walgreens. According to WGN radio, hundreds gathered outside a North Side McDonald’s and Walgreens for a Valentine’s Day protest against the corporations’ support of the plan. more ›

On Jan. 31, when we heard that the city’s landmarks ordinance was in peril, we started digging into the 300-plus-page filing. Turns out that while developer and city residents Albert Hanna and Carol Mrowka may have a point about the constitutionality of the ordinance, their actions might be undoing much more than they ever expected. Citywide, more than 9,000 property owners are affected by some part of the ordinance as it stands. Some see it as a burden, and fight the districting of their properties. Others use the ordinance to their advantage, and put the various tax breaks to good use. more ›

After a scoreless affair in St. Louis Friday night, the Blackhawks exploded offensively with a 6-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Dallas goalie Marty Turco kept his finger in the dam early, but Chicago was relentless in their assault on net. The ‘Hawks rattled off 15 shots in the first period alone, breaking through on Troy Brouwer’s one-timer at the 13:22 mark. The second period brought more of the same, as Martin Havlat scored twice for Chicago. The Blackhawks built their lead to five, with goals from Jonathan Toews and Colin Fraser in the third. Dallas did muster a pair of goals later in the period, but Chicago clearly had the game in hand. It was not all smiles for ‘Hawks fans, however, when Patrick Sharp left the game with an undisclosed injury to his left leg. No further details are yet available, but Sharp is not expected to travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip. more ›

And here we thought the Saga of The Lord's Senator™ was all played out. But yesterday came the revelation that then-Governor Rod Blagojevich's brother had asked Roland Burris for a campaign contribution. The incident occurred prior to Blagojevich's appointment of Burris to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, but Burris failed to mention the incident while testifying under oath to the state house committee investigating Blagojevich for impeachment. And now that Burris has changed his story (again), he finds himself facing calls for a perjury investigation against him. more ›

It's a pretty typical mid-February day for the area. Skies will see variable cloudiness and highs in the lower 30s while the snowbelts of Michigan and Indiana get a bit of lake-effect snow. Tonight, skies remain fair and lows will be in the upper teens. It's looking to warm up a bit as we start the week out, but overall the next two weeks look to be a bit chillier than the first two weeks of the month. We'll get you for this, groundhog. more ›

It's been one year since a peaceful Valentine's Day on the campus of Northern Illinois University was shattered just after 3 p.m. by gunfire. Former student Stephen Kazmierczak opened fire on a class in a lecture hall in Cole Hall, ultimately injuring 21 and killing five; Kazmierczak then took his own life, bringing the death toll to six. It was the fourth deadliest university shooting in United States history and occurred less than a year after the Virginia Tech massacre. At a press conference the next day, NIU President Dr. John Peters said, "We will get through this together as a community." Classes were canceled and wouldn't resume until February 25th. more ›

The public has always been in the dark, it seems, about TIFs, the way they are used to pay for city improvement projects and the beneficiaries. Therefore we’re thrilled to hear about a new “TIF Sunshine” ordinance being proposed in the City Council. Wicker Park Aldermen Manny Flores (1st) and Scott Waguespack (32nd) submitted an ordinance - now backed by 22 council members including senior Alderman Bernard Stone (50th) - that would force city government to post all TIF documents, from weekly payroll filings to annual reports, on a city-funded website. The pair argued that the benefits of the service, in terms of time and transparency, far outweigh the small costs of the endeavor. Check out the ordinance here [PDF]. more ›

For the second consecutive meeting the Blackhawks couldn’t generate any offense against the St. Louis Blues, this time losing 1-0. Both goalies made 22 stops Friday night, the difference being Brad Boyer’s one-timer early in the third. Blues net minder Chris Mason now has 43-straight saves against the Blackhawks, which account for two of his four shutouts this season. Having wrapped up an eight-game tour of duty on enemy ice, the ‘Hawks make a brief appearance at the UC tonight to face the Dallas Stars before hitting the road again for their next three contests. more ›

In an announcement that probably surprises no one, new U.S. Senator Roland Burris has admitted that then-Governor Rod Blagojevich's brother hit him up for a $10,000 donation to Blago's campaign fund. Burris insists that the request came before his controversial Senate appointment and that he didn't make the contribution. Still, it was an instance that Burris apparently forgot to mention when he was questioned - under oath - by a state house committee investigating the impeachment of the then-governor. more ›

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary findings in its investigation of a January plane crash in West Virginia that killed all six people on board, all from the Chicago area. The NTSB found that a flight plan hadn't been filed and that the pilot mostly ignored requests from air traffic control. The NTSB also noted that the flight was originally consist of five passengers, not six. more ›

For you delinquent payers, don't forget that tomorrow is the final day to take advantage of the City's special ticket amnesty program. You can pay via the web or in person at a number of centers around town. If you've waited til now, though, be prepared to wait in some long lines, as our friends over at The Expired Meter have observed. more ›

After the Saga of Vincent Richardson and the Juan Quintero incident, it seems like some folks have had enough. Earlier this week, Chicago Ald. James Balcer (11th) introduced a new ordinance which would jack up the minimum fine for impersonating a police officer. The old minimum? $10. The new minimum? $500. The maximum fine would also increase, from $100 to $1,000. more ›

We don't care what that rodent in Pennsylvania says, spring starts as soon as pitchers and catchers report. That means spring is here because the Cubs pitchers and catchers arrive in camp later today, while the White Sox battery mates arrive on Sunday. more ›

It's not just "Cool Moms" in Lake Forest that are facing the music these days. Elmhurst is getting in on the action now, too. A big New Year's Eve bash attended by many students from York High will result in punishment for 43 student athletes who attended the party. Principal Diana Smith said, "Students received consequences for being at the party that included suspension from participation for a portion of their season and 20 hours of community service." All of the students who attended the party were allegedly freshmen and sophomore and fully cooperated with school officials. more ›

The official Chicago 2016 bid book will be unleashed at 10:30 a.m. this morning. Tokyo released theirs as did Madrid; Rio plans to unveil theirs at a press conference in London on Monday. So how important are the bid books? Kinda sorta. more ›

The Bulls' latest comeback bid was of the fast and furious variety, but Chicago came up just short Thursday night in their 95-93 loss to the Miami Heat. Facing a seemingly insurmountable 93-86 deficit with 1:12 to play, the Bulls rattled off seven straight to points to make it a game. Fate and the ball were in Miami's hands with six ticks left on the clock, but Kirk Hinrich secured a steal to give Chicago the chance to win outright. That chance never materialized, however, as Thabo Sefolosha's inbound pass was picked by Dwyane Wade, who subsequently set up Shawn Marion for the game-winning basket at the other end. Ben Gordon had a big night for the Bulls with 34 points, including three pressure free throws that tied the score late. Chicago gets an All-Star breather before heading north to face the Bucks on Wednesday. more ›

Today, the First Family makes their first trip home to Chicago since President Obama was inaugurated. It's been a rough week for the President, who's dealt with the ongoing drama over the economic stimulus package and, subsequently, the withdrawal of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) from consideration for Commerce Secretary. The Obamas will spend the long weekend in Chicago, celebrating Valentine's Day and Presidents Day, at their Hyde Park home. Meanwhile, the Obamas visit means certain flight restrictions will be in place over the weekend. While the Secret Service insists commercial flights will not be affected, small planes will be. more ›

A handwritten copy of a speech given by President Lincoln in November 1864 fetched $3.44 million in an auction in New York yesterday. The speech was given by Lincoln on November 10, 1864 after he won re-election and the manuscript is in Lincoln's own hand. According to the AP: "The manuscript was sold to an anonymous phone bidder after spirited bidding in a crowded Christie's auction house room. Proceeds from the sale will go toward a new wing for a library in New York's Finger Lakes region, where the document has been since 1926." It's a new record for Lincoln-related auctions, topping the $3.4 million that was paid for a letter Lincoln wrote to a group of children asking him to free "little slave children.'' more ›

We'll take this rumor with a grain of salt, seeing as it's coming from the NY Post's Peter Vescey, but he's reporting that John Paxson is out as the Bulls' GM soon after next week's trading deadline passes, and that Vinny del Negro will likely be out of a job at the end of the season, too. Vescey expects another round of wooing Doug Collins by Jerry Reinsdorf to fill one or both vacancies. more ›

Gone is the warmth of earlier this week as the chill and - possibly - snow has returned. It's been almost two weeks since we last saw a snow fall but that could all change tonight. Today will be sunny with highs in the mid-30s, but the clouds roll in late this afternoon and into this evening, with snow possibly not far behind. How much snow will fall is uncertain, but we feel comfortable saying the accumulation will range from 0 to 10 inches. Lows will be in the mid 20s and flurries will continue into tomorrow morning. more ›

• President Obama will apparently never have a Commerce Secretary: Republican Sen. Judd Gregg (NH) has withdrawn his name because of a difference of opinion over the stimulus package.
• Lawmakers are considering banning future governors from emblazoning their name on signs a la Blago and the Tollway.
• That's not the only sign issue in the state: now there's a fuss over the county road markers that the Cook County Board approved earlier this week, a fight that's being led by a pair of Board commissioners.

It turns out that lovely Christmas tree that adorns Daley Plaza comes at quite a price. CBS2 calculated that the city spends over $300,000 to buy the tree and to pay the workers to create the frame and assemble the tree. The tree is actually made up of 113 small trees combined, unlike the single (privately-funded) tree that adorns Rockefeller Center in New York City, and it took workers six weeks to hoist the trees into position. more ›

WBBM is reporting that over $600 worth of Girl Scout cookies were recently stolen from the Carlisle Community Center in Carlisle, Ind. While not the first (or dumbest) Girl Scout cookie caper, this swindle seems to be the largest and most puzzling in recent memory. The thieves will be disappointed to discover that this year there are two to four fewer cookies in each box, due to the rising costs of transportation and baking (oh man, suckers!). And while Indiana police have yet to disclose any leads, don't fret; our crack Chicagoist sleuths have identified a person of interest [NSFW language]. Also not mentioned in the report, the 27 boxes of Trefoils remained untouched. more ›

A new website was recently launched to help regular citizens keep an eye on how the federal stimulus spending package is being spent. Stimulus Watch is an aggregation of projects listed in U.S. Conference of Mayors' report of its list of "shovel ready" projects that they hope will benefit from the massive federal spending bill. more ›

Olympic athletes, sports writers, and now simple towns folk: no matter who you are, it seems the gods are against you when it comes to just unwinding with some Phish and weed. This time, Mother Nature played the NARC. Those gusty winds we dealt with yesterday were also felt in South Bend, Indiana where they somehow tripped a home security system off at a residence. Police responded to the call but upon arrival, while they found no signs of a security problem, their police dog sensed drugs on the premises. Sure enough, the police uncovered "19 marijuana plants and 40 grams of processed marijuana." No one has been arrested but prosecutors are considering charges against the homeowner. more ›

A North Side home has been searched by federal agents in connection with a series of attacks on area synagogues. Agents were seen carrying items such as a computer from the residence, located on the 6000 block of North Artesian Avenue, and a pair of vehicles were also confiscated by agents. No arrest has been made in connection with the attacks. Four synagogues in the area have been vandalized since the beginning of the year. more ›

While Washington was busy trying to figure out how to leverage the federal government's largess to kick the economy back into a normal business cycle, our new governor Pat Quinn was busy restricting state spending. Facing a $9 billion deficit, Quinn has ordered state agencies to cut spending by one percent, exempting education, has ordered that job vacancies not be filled, and is curtailing spending on travel and equipment. "Nobody likes to cut back, but sometimes that's what's necessary," Quinn said. "We have to make sure that state government is lean and cuts cost wherever it can." more ›

Times remain tough for the auto industry, with sales having fallen off a cliff due to a perfect storm of high gas prices, tight credit and the poor economy. But while we may be avoiding showrooms like the plague, we still want to check out the latest metal from Detroit and Munich -- especially if we can do so without packs of hungry salesmen nipping at our heels. While it's likely to be a less elaborate affair compared to years' past, the Chicago Auto Show must go on. more ›

The Blackhawks made the most of their opportunities Wednesday night, defeating the Atlanta Thrashers 3-1. Great goaltending from Nikolai Khabibulin helped neutralize the Thrashers' offense, which netted only one score in 37 attempts. Chicago proved much more efficient, scoring twice in 27 shots on goal and tacking on an empty netter in the waning seconds. The ice didn't break offensively until late in the second period, when Patrick Sharp flung a wrister past Atlanta goalie Kari Lehtonen. The Thrashers quickly answered with a score from Ilya Kovalchuk, but Jonathan Toews ended the flurry with a rebound goal and game winner. The 'Hawks shoot over to St. Louis to face the Blues on Friday night. more ›

Mayor Daley met with federal lawmakers Tuesday to try and convince them that Chicago should get $50 million dollars to help fund the O'Hare expansion. Daley is hoping that the funds will come from the economic stimulus plan that Congress is preparing to send to the president. "The job stimulus package is vital," Daley said at a news conference. "It's worse than a recession out there. It's a crisis." Without the funding, the mayor fears the project will fall behind its scheduled 2014 completion date. "Infrastructure is key," Daley said. "All these things will put blue- and white-collar people back to work." The project is currently behind schedule and about $130 million over budget. more ›

After a long night of congressional aides and clerks working on the specifics and minutiae of the bill, as well as assurances from three key Republicans in the Senate - Arlin Specter of Pennsylvania, and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced yesterday afternoon that the House and the Senate had reached a compromise on the Obama administration's centerpiece economic recovery bill. “Like any negotiation, this involved give-and-take, and if you don’t mind my saying so, that’s an understatement,” Reid said. more ›

You may have heard sometime during the course of your week that today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. There will be many celebrations, including one by Sen. Dick Durbin in Washington, D.C. and one in Springfield by President Obama, though it wasn't until Lincoln was 21 that his family actually moved to Illinois. It was in Illinois that Lincoln began his political career and launched the campaign that would take him to the White House. Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, it doesn't really matter where he was from as Lincoln is celebrated as one of the nation's most beloved presidents. We're sure Lincoln saw his share of cold, raw, awful February days growing up in the Midwest. Today would not be one of those. The warm spell is gone but we remain above normal temp-wise with highs in the lower 40s and partly cloudy skies. Tonight, temps will drop into the upper 20s. And for the approaching weekend? It seems snow will make its triumphant return. more ›

• Former priest Donald McGuire was sentenced to 25 years for having sex with a minor.
• Aquan Lewis, the 10-year-old boy who was found hanging from a hook in a school bathroom and later died, was laid to rest today.
• The 3rd District Appellate Court has upheld a ruling that Drew Peterson is not the suitable person to gain control of the estate of his murdered third wife, Kathleen Savio.

This weekend will see the first parking meter increase since Mayor Daley sold the meters to a private company to help the city raise money in the face of a budget shortfall. When and where will the increases start? It all begins Friday in the Loop. more ›

With the economy in the tank, Lord knows we could all use a little extra money these days. We're always looking for a way to supplement our salaries, whether it's selling back old clothes to thrift stores or selling our plasma. One Grand Rapids sports writer, however, thought he had found a better way to supplement his income: selling weed. David Mayo (right), sports writer for the Grand Rapids Press, was charged with manufacture of more than 20 but less than 200 plants, a seven-year felony, and maintaining a drug house at his home. a two-year, high-court misdemeanor. We knew print media was having a hard time of it these days, but this bad? [via Awful Announcing] more ›

The last six weeks have been pretty wild for us here in Illinois. We've seen the appointment of a new U.S. Senator (Roland Burris) and the promotion of the Lt. Governor (Pat Quinn). The Tribune recently conducted a poll seeking favorability ratings for Quinn and Burris. The poll was taken from 500 registered voters in early February with a 4.4 percent margin of error. And what did the poll find? more ›

Facing criticism for not having true community involvement, Chicago's Olympic planners have announced a new "Outreach Advisory Council", focused on engaging interests such as affordable housing, contract procurement and affordable housing. more ›

Oh, Blago. When will you ever learn? People try their best to give you opportunities in the wake of your absolute asshattery and yet you insist on making yourself look like an even bigger doucherocket than we thought. Our pal Eric Zorn was listening in to Blago's appearance this morning on WLS and found some of what Blago had to say eyebrow-raising. It seems Blago has decided to go all Blair Waldorf on Springfield, spreading everyone's dirty laundry. Here are some of the more choice excerpts. more ›

Now that he's been removed from office, won't be receiving any unemployment benefits, needs a new lawyer, and may not be able to land a book deal, the time has come for former governor Rod Blagojevich to figure out what the next step in his career will be. Fortunately for him, Joliet's minor league baseball team, the Jackhammers, have offered Blago a steal of a deal to play ball for them. Blago would be considered a "rookie" on the team's roster and thus receive a rookie's salary, but, hey, better than what he's making now. more ›

Former star second baseman (and former White Sox player) Roberto Alomar is in hot water: an ex-girlfriend is suing him for $15 million, alleging he forced to her to have unprotected sex though he knew or suspected he was HIV positive. The ex, Ilya Dall, tested negative for the disease but is suing for "punitive damages and emotional distress." Alomar spent part of the 2003 and 2004 seasons playing for the White Sox but had very little impact. Our sister site Gothamist has more details on this disturbing story. more ›

Caterpillar confirmed Tuesday that President Obama will tour one of their plants Thursday in Peoria before heading to Springfield for a dinner to honor Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. Caterpillar spokesman Jim Dugan told the Peoria Journal Star that Cat has been "working closely the last two days with the White House and the Secret Service," and that they are thrilled and honored to be hosting President Obama this week. It is a great honor for Caterpillar and our employees to see and hear the president." more ›

On a night of tributes to legendary coach and broadcaster Johnny “Red” Kerr, the Bulls gutsy, 107-102 comeback victory was the likely the best honor the Chicago native received. The Bulls trailed the Pistons by 15 with 7:30 to play, but whittled the deficit to 10 over the next four minutes. Then, an 11-2 run set the stage for Ben Gordon, whose heroic four-point play with 16 seconds left put Chicago in front for good. Gordon finished with 24, Derrick Rose had 23, Tyrus Thomas contributed 22 and 10 rebounds, and Joakim Noah had a strong showing with 12 points and 16 boards. The Bulls look to improve upon their recent 6-2 record when they face the Heat at home on Thursday. more ›

Ronald Haddad Jr. has learned the hard way that if you have a problem with the job elected officials are doing, you're better off sending that angry letter to the editor of a newspaper. Oh, and you can't threaten to kill them because you're mad about high taxes, either. Haddad was arrested yesterday and charged with sending threatening letters to various elected officials including Mayor Daley, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, former Governor Rod Blagojevich, and Ald. Edward Burke (14th). Some of the nuggets of non-constructive criticism in the letters included, "This is the end of Daley and his empire," and, "You will surely end up dead." Haddad is accused of sending multiple rounds of threatening letters since December 2007. The last batch were sent last month; Mayor Daley received a letter that had "a shotgun shell that had a wire attached to the primer." If convicted, Haddad could serve up to 10 years. more ›

After an eight-hour marathon session, the Cook County Board of Commissioners reached a tentative budget deal. County commissioners closed a multi-million dollar budget hole in board president Todd Storger's proposal, banking on federal revenue that hasn't come through yet and doesn't deal with the county's pension obligations or a means to finance millions of dollars in construction projects. Nevertheless, last night's compromise sets the stage for approval. The budget plan was reached by making a series of cuts in Stroger's initial proposal and rejecting his plan to issue a bond worth nearly $400 million. more ›

A hard rain's a-gonna fall. Rain and a few thunderstorms will dominate the weather today and highs will reach the lower 50s, still pretty mild for this time of year. There's lots of fog out there and with the ground soaked from melted snow, some flooding as well, so be careful. With this gloomy weather, we'll bid adieu of the unseasonable warmth that's brought smiles to our faces this week. It's back to "snow" after today. Sigh. Tonight, the rain tapers off and leaves us with mostly cloudy skies and lows will drop to the upper 20's, meaning any leftover rain will most likely turn to flurries. And now we gird ourselves for the final two-month stretch until spring... more ›

• Today's "totally not a surprise" headline: "O'Hare remains worst for on-time departures."
• In the wake of job and budget cuts, the ER at the University of Chicago Medical Center is about to get a little more selective in who it takes in.
• The man who killed himself after a police chase in L.A. last night has been identified as former Chicagoan Mustafa "Moe" Mustafa.

Mayor Richard Daley's chief of staff Paul Volpe by announcing more spending cuts and that more city job cuts will be likely.

The city will try to save $6 million by making a 3 percent reduction in spending on "non-personnel costs like commodities, materials, supplies and services" across city government, said top Daley aide Paul Volpe. more ›

It seems the economic crunch might finally see Metra go back on their no-ads policy. On Monday, Metra began using a car featuring one of those full-wrap vinyl ads. Unlike the ones you'll see on the CTA for iPods or cell phones or movies, this one at least is for the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, featuring the likenesses of, among others, Presidents Lincoln and Obama. It's an attempt to increase non-fare income, according to Metra executive director Phil Pagano. Metra will see what public reaction is and how the ad holds up to the elements before moving forward with any other ads. more ›

Now that he's no longer Governor, Rod Blagojevich can turn his attention to his upcoming federal trial and, more importantly, finding a new lead attorney. Star defender Ed Genson quit Blago's legal team on the heels of Blago's media blitz, which Genson disapproved of. With that, all the ex-gov is left with is "longtime friend" Sheldon Sorosky. The father-son pair of Sam Adams Jr. and Sr. handles some of Blago's impeachment proceedings but have not yet committed to the federal portion of Blago's legal woes. The Sun-Times reports that Rod and Patti met with several prospective attorneys over the weekend in an attempt to fill out the roster. more ›

The First Family is making their first visit to Chicago since President Obama's inauguration and the FAA is putting airspace restrictions over Chicago in place this weekend for security reasons. The temporary restriction will be in place from Friday through Monday. According to Crain's, "The center of the restricted area will be near the lakeshore on the South Side and will extend up to 30 nautical miles from that point, the FAA said. All airspace up to 18,000 feet above ground will be included in the restricted area." The request for the restriction was made by the Secret Service and the FAA promises it won't affect any commercial traffic in and out of O'Hare and Midway. more ›

We'd think that after a seven-game road trip, the Bulls couldn't wait to see their home whites when they return to the United Center tonight to host the Detroit Pistons. Instead, they'll sport their road reds one more time. That's because tonight, the Bulls are honoring Johnny "Red" Kerr for his 35 years of service with the Bulls. more ›

As the Chicago Police Department contends with the fall-out from the Vincent Richardson affair, they're now dealing with another person who posed as an officer. Last night, Juan Quintero (right) asked two gentlemen to move their car, claiming he was a police officer and showing them a fake badge. Quintero also displayed what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon. more ›

Chicago State got more than it bargained for against the 3-21 Houston Baptist Huskies Monday night, managing to pull off a 112-108 victory in OT. Trailing by double digits with under two minutes to play the Cougars surged back into contention, getting five-straight points from David Holston to end regulation and force overtime. In the bonus period Chicago State gained a late advantage on a Mike Wilson three, and preserved its lead with solid free-throw shooting down the stretch. Holston scored 39 for the Cougars, who close out a four-game road trip at NJIT on Saturday. more ›

A car chase in L.A. last night involved a white Bentley with Illinois plates. Not much is known about the man who was driving the car other than that he was "a businessman of Pakistani origin." The man led police on a three-plus hour car chase before coming to a stop. With cruisers surrounding the car, the man shot himself in the head. Reports had the man being taken from the scene alive, but he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Rumors had swirled all night that the driver was a local DJ or even embattled R&B singer Chris Brown, but those were proven false. Zach Behrens, editor of our sister site LAist (and Evanston native!), watched the drama unfold last night. more ›

President Obama held a prime time national press conference last night, addressing the American public about the state of the economy and the need for a recovery plan that is "big enough and bold enough to meet the size of the economic challenge we face right now." Speaking of the people he met in Elkhart, IN today, "a place that has lost jobs faster than anywhere else in America," and faces 15% unemployment, Obama urged swift action to bring the first piece of major legislation to his desk in days, not weeks. more ›

We're not going to think about tomorrow's rain. We're not going to think about the low temps in the teens predicted for later in the week. We're not going to think about the snow that's coming. We're not going to think about the two more months of cold weather we have to put up with until weather like today is here everyday. No, we're instead going to cut work and head outside. We're going to take the dog to the park. We're going to drink a 40 oz of High Life out of a paper bag while we let the kids play in the street and the neighbors judge us. For today is a day of celebration, with highs in the mid-60s and partly cloudy skies. Maybe we'll even take advantage of the winds and fly a kite. Abe Lincoln would have wanted it that way. more ›

• Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of two Illinois National Guardsmen who were killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb this weekend.
• The saga of Daniel Fore continues in Oak Park; Fore is a homeless man attempting to get his name on the ballot for village trustee.
• More bad job news, this time from the Tribune (again).

STOP (Southside Together Organizing for Power) is holding a protest tomorrow morning to protest the closing of several mental health facilities and the city's 2016 Olympics bid. The organization is calling for the protest to begin at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the mayor's office (121 N. LaSalle - 5th Floor). According to STOP's website: more ›

President Obama takes to the airwaves tonight to pitch the current stimulus plan to the American people but locally lawmakers are eagerly anticipating the possible cash influx. If the $800 billion package passes, Illinois could get a decent-sized chunk of that. According to Sen. Dick Durbin: more ›

More than a third of that -- about $1.3 million -- went to Blagojevich, whose administration gave 11 of the companies $656 million in contracts since 2004. more ›

Not content to just go away, Drew Peterson keeps talking, this time to CBS 2. It was the same old, same old from Bolingbrook's Most Notorious Ex-Husband™, who maintained his innocence, insisted his engagement to Christina Raines was genuine, and bad-mouthed the two men who have publicly claimed that D-Pete killed Stacy Peterson. Of course, there's no beating this quote from the interview when asked if he thinks he'll serve jail time: "Innocent people go to jail all the time. And guilty people get set free, so I don't know." Next up for Drew: a book entitled If I Did It. more ›

As what would be former President Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday approaches (Thursday, February 12, to be exact), the U.S. Government has decided to honor him in multiple ways. First, the Library of Congress has released a handful of Lincoln and Lincoln-related portraits to Flickr's Creative Commons group ahead of the opening of their new Lincoln exhibit, "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition," opening, appropriately, Thursday. We've picked out some selections below, but you can check out the whole set for yourself here. more ›

Mayor Daley’s pick to head Chicago Public Schools might have to be approved by the City Council. That’s according to a lawsuit filed by activist and 2007 Mayoral candidate William Dock Walls, who’s just the latest critic to sound off on the appointment of Ron Huberman as CPS CEO. The lawsuit argues that Huberman’s appointment has to comply the city municipal code, which states that the City Council must approve “all officers of the city” who are picked by the mayor. But the mayor receives the power to choose the CEO from state law, which doesn’t say anything about the city council. The lawsuit, however, argues that the state law doesn’t indicate that the city council can be left out of the decision-making process. more ›

The job cuts keep getting deeper. The University of Chicago Medical Center announced this morning that they will be eliminating 450 jobs (with hundreds more being lost through attrition) as well as cutting $100 million from its annual budget. On Friday, Dr. Skip Garcia, chairman of the University of Chicago Department of Medicine since May 2005, resigned his position but plans to stay on as a faculty member. more ›

The recession has prompted people low on cash to do all kinds of wacky things - such as roaming the streets with “Hire me” signs - but the latest craze? Selling your body parts to make ends meet, says a CBS 2 report. For example, Chicagoans - and others across the nation - are increasingly selling their hair using sites such as TheHairTrader.com. Sellers looking to make a quick buck on their locks can rake in anywhere from $150 to $2,500. more ›

No. 21 Illinois defeated the no. 13 Purdue Boilermakers Sunday afternoon, 66-48. The Illini maintained a slim lead for most of the game, until a 14-4, seven-minute run midway through the second gave them the edge for good. A strong defensive effort was the deciding factor, as they held Purdue to their lowest point total of the season. Mike Davis had a big day for the Illini, scoring 14 and securing 16 boards. Illinois' next contest is on Thursday, when they come to town and take on the Northwestern Wildcats. more ›

Things are a mess at the Caterpillar plant in Rockdale (near Joliet) this morning after a holding tank overflowed, sending 65,000 gallons of oil sludge spilling out into the surrounding area. Of that, 6,000 gallons wound up in the Des Plaines River. By Sunday night, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency officials claimed the spill had been contained and, according to spokeswoman Maggie Carson, "there is no evidence of a fish kill or harm to water fowl." Ginny Narsete, a spokeswoman for the U.S. EPA, said there was not enough oil or sludge in the water to cut off the oxygen supply to any fish in the river, the biggest danger in these situations. Of course, it was a three mile stretch of the Des Plaines that was affected, so while it's not out of the question there wasn't much harm to wildlife, it's still 6,000 gallons of oil sludge; that's going to mess with some part of the eco-system, right? Officials insist there is no eminent danger to any humans living in the area, though. more ›

Sen. Roland Burris has had his hands full lately - working on the stimulus package and lobbying for Illinois funds - but according to an interview with WBEZ, the recently sworn-in senator has something else on his mind too: paying off debts. In an interview with Burris on Friday, WBEZ’s Richard Steele asked the junior senator from Illinois if he had decided to run in the 2010 election, noting that according to the Federal Election Commission, Burris signed a statement of candidacy on Jan. 2. “No that means I am in debt,” Burris responded. “I have legal bills, to the tune of $400,000.” more ›

It isn't just local developers and regular homeowners that are having a hard time in the current housing market. Crain's Chicago Business is reporting that even the Chicago Housing Authority is feeling the pinch. more ›

The Great Thaw continues today under cloudy skies, but no rain. Temps will reach the mid-to-upper 40s as those mounds of plowed snow continue to drip away. Tonight, it'll be cooler, but still unseasonably mild as temps drop to the lower 40s. If you're thinking of playing hooky, however, we'd suggest waiting until tomorrow when temps will soar into the 60s and skies will be partly cloudy. There'll be some midweek rain, too, so we can look forward to a lot of salt and grime being washed away. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

The Tribune Company has been making headlines in papers other than their own these days, most recently for its part in former governor Rod Blagojevich's schemes and for filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, making it the first in decades to do so. But now they're back in the news for a recent decision to close the McCormick Freedom Museum, housed in the first and second floors of the Tribune Tower annex on Michigan Avenue. Focused on educating school-aged children on issues of first amendment rights and the meaning of freedom, the museum will close its doors on March 1 and move toward mobile exhibits. - Post by Anthonia Akitunde more ›

Temps will be scaled back from yesterday's gorgeous highs, but they'll still be above normal and enough to continue the melt. Highs will be in the low-to-mid 40s as sunny skies prevail and they'll drop to the lower 30s tonight. There's rain (and a high near 60!) on tap later this week for the area, but by the end of the work week, we'll be back into snow territory, so get out and enjoy the mild weather while it lasts! more ›

In a story posted on the Sun-Times site today, “Blagojevich was quite the college prankster,” the S-T has identified a number of college behaviors and misidentified them as “pranks”: more ›

After the Sun-Times exposed some of the highest-paid school superintendent salaries, lawmakers are saying they want school systems to fully disclose the salaries and “hidden benefits” extended to school officials. The Sun-Times called out former Supt. Neil Codell was bringing home $411,500 for the last school year; he oversaw two schools in Niles Township High School District 219. It’s interesting to know that G-Rod’s base pay was $177,412. more ›

Adding to post-impeachment “stop corruption in Illinois” demands, a new University of Illinois at Chicago report draws on the state’s 150-year history of political sleaze to offer tips for improvement. The 49-page delve into Illinois dirty laundry traces its corruption record back to the 1860s, when the report’s authors say disorderly and rapid population growth in Chicago, in addition to a mass influx of immigrants needing support from local officials, fed the fire of the now infamous Machine. more ›

After watching the former governor’s two-week-long media rampage, some critics say Rod Blagojevich is gunning for a book deal. But even literary agent Sharlene Martin, who assisted the Goldman family in obtaining the rights to publish O.J. Simpson's "fictional account" If I Did It - which details how the ex-NFL star could have committed the murders he was acquitted of - says a Blago tell-all might not sell. more ›

Irving Park bus rider/POTUS Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel earned headlines this week upon word that his "renting" of the basement in scarily-spectacled Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)'s Capitol Hill abode is illegal. Delauro tried to clear up the matter, telling the press that Emanuel's been staying there for free. Scandal averted? Nope: "Free" is actually worse than "renting," thanks to the Obama administration's new and improved ethics rules regarding acceptance of private gifts from personal friends in high places. Delauro's hub, a Democratic pollster, owns the house. Whoops! more ›

Yes, we know what the calendar says and yes, we realize this thaw will last a few days and we'll return to those freezing temps eventually...but for now? Bliss. Sweet, sweet bliss. Today will be positively June-like with clear, sunny skies and highs in the lower 50s. Be careful tonight, thought. While today's warmth will melt a whole helluva lot of snow, tonight's temps will drop to the upper 20s, causing some refreeze. It'll be a bit cooler tomorrow before it warms again to start the week. Get outside and enjoy today, just wear some boots. more ›

• Stick-em-up: a man robbed a Logan Square McDonald's today armed only with a stick.
• Police seized drugs and weapons as well as arrested Casey Crawford during an overnight raid at a condo apparently owned by Chicago Police Asst. Supt. Beatrice Cuello. Neither Cuello nor her daughter, who also lives at the condo, were suspected of any wrong-doing.
• A state appeals court has ruled jailed former governor George Ryan should be allowed to receive part of his pension. Ryan will receive $65,000 a year.

For what feels like the millionth time, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis was called before the City Council. Today's topic? The 14-year old who impersonated a police officer. The only new substantial detail that came out of the questioning was that the teen had tried to enter another station before he successfully infiltrated the district station where he was eventually caught. According to the Trib:

A considerable amount of time was spent discussing whether the back door to the station that the boy entered was broken or not. After much back and forth, aldermen determined the door wasn't broken, but that officers kept it open or unlocked so that officers could come and go freely. The city actually changed the door's lock yesterday, and gave the new keys to only select staff.

A Bridgeport church was vandalized and had two fires set nearby overnight and officials are calling at least one of the fires an arson. The incident happened at All Saints St. Anthony's Church very early this morning. One of the fires damaged a stained-glass window. In addition to the fires, the phrases "GOD IS A LIE," "RAPE," and "IT HAPPENED HERE" were displayed across the doors of the church in red duct tape. The church's pastor, Rev. John Parker, said earlier today, "We didn't receive any warnings or threats or anything of that nature...I'm trying to figure out what the message means and what it means to the person who did it." more ›

We've had a few hours to digest the hundreds of thousands of job-losses announced this morning, so now might be the perfect time to spring this on you: Wal-Mart would like to put as many as 5 new stores in Chicago. The Tribune is reporting that a new push is being put together to start out with a new store in the 21st ward, and take it from there. more ›

As you might have noticed, the 1980s hard rock scene produced very few great scholars. There is no Kip Winger, Ph.D., or Mark Slaughter, M.Ed. Vince Neil implored us to call Dr. Feelgood, but never himself M.D.'ed. (Nikki Sixx OD'ed, though.) Blackie Lawless is not an Esq. more ›

The Saga of Drew Peterson continues as "ex-fiancee" Christina Raines appeared before a Joliet grand jury on Thursday afternoon. The grand jury was formed in November 2007 to investigate the death of D-Pete Ex-Wife #3 Kathleen Savio and the disappearance of current wife Stacy Peterson. Last week, Peterson appeared on ABC's Nightline and the next day Raines moved out. Funny how that works. Not really sure what new insight will be gained from this, especially considering the source. more ›

The White House announced Thursday that President Obama will hold a prime time press conference on Monday, February 9, at 7 p.m. Chicago time. The President will also address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, February 24. That address is being billed as his first State of the Union, and that he will submit his first budget to Congress by the end of February or the beginning of March. No word yet on how this will impact his ability to drive the discussion on his economic recovery legislation. more ›

The Illinois Sheriff's Association seems to be an unlikely supporter of what would be a controversial public law: the right to carry a concealed weapon. The group is taking a stand in favor of the Family and Personal Protection Act, introduced on January 20 by Democratic State Rep. John Bradley of Marion. HB 245, (can read the bill here), would permit citizens to carry concealed firearms if they have the proper training. "I believe to be successful the key to concealed carry is training," St. Clair County Sheriff Mearl Justus said Wednesday in a prepared statement. "If we allow concealed carry, we must make sure only the right people have the guns. This is best done by requiring training, proper identification, and a thorough background check — including a mental evaluation.... If this is done, our citizens will have the right to concealed carry, but those who can't pass a background check or cannot successfully complete a training program will not be legally able to obtain a permit." more ›

The bad economy is being felt throughout society these days, and it's even hurting pro sports. The Arena League suspended their entire 2009 season. Sox GM Kenny Williams explained how the reduction in sponsorship revenue impacts his team's payroll at last weekend's SoxFest. The Chicago Bears are likely to feel that same pinch, but they won't be recouping that lost revenue from their fans. more ›

A woman was pushed into a Metra train late last night in an attempt to fight off a potential sexual assault. more ›

The Blackhawks won their third straight and fourth of their last five games as they topped Calgary 5-2. After a back-and-forth first period that saw the teams exchange goals to a 2-2 tie, the 'Hawks scored three unanswered to pull away. Five different 'Hawks scored, but it was a big night for Andrew Ladd (1 goal, 2 assists) and Matt Walker (3 assists). Khabibulin was solid in net, stopping 29 of 31 shots, including nine on power plays. The 'Hawks are at 4-1 on this eight game road trip and sit solidly in second place in the division and third overall in the conference. more ›

Earlier this week the White House released its fact sheet (PDF, see page 27) on the "immediate, tangible impacts" of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, Barack Obama's centerpiece legislation to address the economic crisis. Among the billions of dollars proposed to be pumped into the economy, Illinois would stand to benefit from transit and infrastructure projects, green jobs and a mix of tax credits and government benefit extensions. more ›

At last, the long-promised warm-up is here! Under sunny skies, we'll see temps soar into the upper 30s and possibly touch 40 in some spots, so look out for the melting mounds of snow. As night descends, temps won't budge very much, remaining in the upper 30s as clouds and fog roll in. There's even a chance of some drizzle after midnight. One caveat: it'll be pretty windy. Still, taking a glance at the extended forecast, we can't help but have our spirits buoyed by the warmer temperatures that await us. more ›

• The family of Aquan Lewis is asking for a second autopsy to be performed, disputing what they call a "startling" and quick decision by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office that ruled Aquan's death a suicide.
• Police continue to investigate the rape of a woman that occurred early Monday morning in the Bucktown neighborhood - 2300 block of W. Moffat - just south of the Western (Milwaukee) Blue Line stop.
• Today in Executive Resignations: Dawn Catuara, acting executive director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, has abruptly resigned. Cyrus Freidheim, president and CEO of Sun-Times Media Group, has also announced his resignation.

Among the more shocking incidents to rattle the Chicago-area were the "Tylenol murders" in 1982, when seven people died after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol capsules laced with potassium cyanide. Investigators determined that the pills had been taken from store shelves, tampered with, and replaced. A total of 8 poisoned bottles were eventually found. Area-wide warnings were issued -- we still remember the chilling announcement made over our junior high PA system telling us to avoid Tylenol products. The scare led to a recall of 31 million bottles of Tylenol products, and a revamping of over-the-counter drug packaging. The case was never solved. more ›

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

We told you earlier about Mayor Daley's "clockwatchers" comment in regards to city workers, who Daley said, "They're not customer-related. They're gonna leave at 5 o'clock." This afternoon, Daley tried to set the record straight...by blaming it all on the media. more ›

With Ron Huberman moving from the CTA to the Chicago Public Schools in recent weeks, the search is on for a new CTA head. Sources at City Hall are now saying that Aviation Commissioner Richard Rodriguez is the lead candidate. Originally, the top pick was alleged to be Terry Peterson, Daley's 2007 campaign manager, but it doesn't appear Peterson has any interest in leaving Rush University Medical Center where he is vice president of government affairs. Rodriguez has formerly worked with the Chicago Housing Authority and the Department of Aviation. more ›

Remember Shepard Fariey's iconic HOPE poster featuring now-President Barack Obama? Of course you do. They're still featured on banners hanging from various light poles across the city. It was one of the most popular campaign posters in recent memory but now the Associate Press wants monetary compensation and credit for what they believe is a case of copyright infringement. Fariey has conceded that the likeness of Obama on his poster is based on an AP photo taken at the Washington Press Club in 2006 by photographer Manny Garcia. In a statement, the AP said:

"The Associated Press has determined that the photograph used in the poster is an AP photo and that its use required permission," the AP's director of media relations, Paul Colford, said in a statement. more ›

In a new federal indictment returned on January 22, former president of Teamsters Local 743 Robert Walston is alleged to have "conspire[d] . . . to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely, 5 kilograms or more of mixtures and substances containing cocaine." more ›

In spite of a large fire that resulted in massive amounts of smoke and water damage to the storied cathedral, Holy Name Cathedral opened its doors this morning for mass. The church used the Club Room, the same room that was recently used when the church was undergoing rehab work. Rev. Matt Compton thankend attendees, calling their presence, "a manifestation of their faith that they weren't deterred." more ›

As family and friends deal with the death of 10-year-old Aquan Lewis, details are slowly beginning to emerge from the fog of uncertainty surrounding his alleged suicide. Lewis was found hanging from a hook in a bathroom at Oakton Elementary School in Evanston; he was pronounced dead at Children's Memorial Hospital early yesterday morning. Among the details we now know are that Lewis had threatened to kill himself earlier in the day after he was lectured by a teacher. Authorities say they found Lewis hanging by his shirt collar from a hook in a stall with a footprint on the toilet seat. more ›

Illinois State Senator Larry Bomke (R-Springfield) really wants to see Bill Ayers fired from his job as a professor at UIC. Bomke has introduced a proposal that says anyone who has committed an act of violence against the governments of the United States or Illinois cannot work at a public university. more ›

Coming off the city's most violent year in over a decade, embattled Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis will finally get his wish when the CPD begins receiving the first of its 2,000 new Chevy Tahoes by early spring. In November, Weis inked the deal with Advantage Chevrolet to provide the CPD with up to 2,000 new SUVs over the next three years at a total cost of around $59 million. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

You remember Paul Vallas, right? He was Daley's CEO of the Chicago Public Schools from 1995 through 2001, until he left CPS amid criticism from the mayor and a new teacher's union leader who ran on an anti-Vallas platform. After coming in second to Blagojevich in the Democratic primary, Vallas left town to become CEO of the Philadelphia public schools. He's been running the New Orleans since 2007. more ›

Paced by rookie Derrick Rose's team-high 21 points, the Bulls had no problem beating the Chris Paul-less New Orleans Hornets, 107-93. Six players scored in double-figures for the Bulls, who took a comfy 62-44 lead to halftime. It was the Bulls' fourth win in five games but even with the win, the Bulls are still at six games under .500 and a game back of the last playoff spot. Said Rose, "We were just running, playing an up-tempo type game, pushing it, playing defense. We need to do that more often.'' The Bulls are 4-2 on their current road trip and end it with a game in Dallas Saturday night. more ›

Mayor Daley addressed the media Wednesday evening in his typically candid fashion, taking on lazy city workers, "shovel-ready" projects for the pending federal economic recovery bill and criticism from Fith Congressional District candidates over his plan to privatize Midway Airport. Defending his sell of off city assets, including Midway, Daley said city workers are "clock watchers" who don't care about customers. "They're not customer-related. They're gonna leave at 5 o'clock. They're gonna leave at 4:30 or 4:00. I'm sorry. We're on a time clock. They walk out. But, in the private sector, when you have a customer, you're gonna stay there making sure they're happy and satisfied," Daley told the press. "We can't compete with the private sector. The private sector has a complete idea of who your customers are. Government doesn't have customers. They only have citizens." more ›

The long, slow climb out of the zero degree hole begins today, but not before we deal with the 12th 0 or below morning (at O'Hare), making this the winter with the most 0 or below low temp readings in 25 years. Also, we're entering our 31st consecutive day under a snow cover of at least one inch. But fear not, Chicago. Winter's long, terrorizing grasp loosens as we head into the weekend, and it all starts today. Sort of. Temps will "soar" into the upper 20s under partly cloudy skies, and lows will drop into the upper teens tonight, but it's still an improvement. 50 degrees still seems a possibility Saturday and with rain and temps above freezing predicted well into next week, we'll probably be seeing bare ground soon enough. more ›

• Federal investigators on the Jon Burge torture case have widened their scope to include several of Burge's former colleagues.
• A new police unit on the West Side, led by commander James Roussell, has seen dramatic improvements in violent crime statistics. Roussell credits using a similar strategy he used against insurgents when fighting in Iraq as a Marine Reserve officer.
• State Representative Cynthia Soto is asking for a one-year moratorium on the closing and reorganizing of several Chicago-area schools.

A series of recent muggings at the CTA's Logan Square station has raised concern among residents and has police on the defensive. There were seven different incidents reported in a recent two-week period and now residents want to know what police are going to do about it. more ›

The death of 10-year-old Aquan Lewis, a 10-year-old student at Evanston's Oakton Elementary School, has been ruled a suicide after an autopsy. The ruling was made by the Cook County medical examiner's office earlier this afternoon. Lewis was found yesterday hanging from a hook in one of the school's bathrooms. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at Children's Memorial Hospital earlier this morning. Any further details are still very hard to come by. more ›

A new minor league baseball team will begin playing in Zion come 2010 and their co-owner will be actor Kevin Costner. Costner's partner is Schaumburg Flyers co-owner Rich Ehrenreich, who called Costner a "primary owner" and added, "He owns enough to coach third base but not enough to play it." The team will be the first professional sports team in Lake County and will play in a new to-be-built, $17 million stadium, but all involved promise tax dollars won't be used to build it. In his own statement, Costner said, "I've seen many opportunities over the years to be involved in baseball projects but this one is really special. The location, the people involved and the chance to offer families in Zion and the surrounding communities a quaint and affordable setting for minor league baseball means everything." more ›

While the U.S. Senate was debating the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the bill that President Obama hopes will pump billions of dollars and thousands of jobs into the faltering economy, the White House released a study indicating that the bill could save or create 150,000 jobs over the next two years. According to Crain's Chicago Business, those estimates "are based on the overall goal that the plan will create or save 3 million to 4 million jobs nationally over the next two years." (You can check out per capita details of the House stimulus plan over at the Wall Street Journal's nifty "Who gets what" map.) more ›

An Indiana man learned the hard way recently that referees for high school sports usually work another job. A man attending a game at Washington Township High School in Valparaiso, Indiana became so enraged he stormed out of the stands and confronted the group of referees calling the game. Unfortunately for him, one of the referees was also an Indiana State Trooper. According to the AP:

The trooper said he tried to walk away but the man pushed him. Fifield said he identified himself as a police officer and told the man he was under arrest, but the man said he couldn't be arrested by a referee. Officials said the man tried to choke Fifield with his whistle neckstrap. Fifield said that once the man realized he really had attacked a trooper, he retorted: "That's not fair.''

46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller, along with 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores, proposed an ordinance Tuesday afternoon that requires new apartment buildings in the city to set aside space for recycling. New buildings with four or fewer units, which are served by the city's Streets and Sanitation Department, would be mandated to set aside space to sort and store recyclables and townhouses would have to have set aside space, either indoors or screened off outdoors for recycling. Buildings with five or more units, which are served by private waste haulers, would have to set aside space on each floor, or incorporate chutes to handle recyclable waste. "It's very difficult, right now, to actually comply with that ordinance, give that there is minimal space," Flores told the Tribune. more ›

Things got down-right nasty at Monday night's meeting of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist when NBC 5's Warner Saunders (pictured right) accused former Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder of bias. Extra sizzle: Feder was in attendance as a guest of the AFTRA. According to the Trib's Phil Rosenthal, Saunders' said in his incendiary speech that Feder underminded "the accomplishments of black talent while placing the spotlight on our deficiencies" and then added that inviting Feder was "like choosing David Duke to serve as mohel at a circumcision." Damn. Speaking to Mancow yesterday, Feder said, "From the very beginning, [it] became a personal attack." AFTRA Chicago executive director Eileen Willenborg defended Saunders' right to the speech, saying, "It was a forum for free speech to happen, and free speech sure happened." more ›

The audit of a Chicago Health Department warehouse revealed that nearly $1 million's worth of drugs had either expired or disappeared, due to shoddy record-keeping and/or lax security. The warehouse on the Near North Side stored medicines, vaccines, birth control, antibiotics, condoms and baby formula, but nothing harder than that. The city lost its license to handle harder drugs last year for the same reason: poor record-keeping. more ›

While there was no mention of Bobby Abreu at this past weekend's SoxFest -- and in fact a player of his caliber would seem to be the antithesis of what GM Kenny Williams claimed he was trying to do -- rumors persist that the White Sox are negotiating with the free agent Abreu on a one year, eight million dollar deal. Neither side is denying the talks. more ›

Aquan Lewis, a 10-year-old student at Evanston's Oakton Elementary School, was pronounced dead early this morning at Children's Memorial Hospital. Lewis, of Skokie, had been found yesterday afternoon, unresponsive and hanging from a hook in a bathroom at the school. While it's not clear who found him, attempts were made by the principal to revive the boy. According to Elliot Lieteau, the school's janitor, "The principal was on the left side, and he's on the floor, they had just pulled him off the hook, and they were saying that he's been up there, so I immediately get on my knees and start giving him CPR, and I'm checking his pulse when I'm doing it." For now, authorities are calling the death an accident and claiming no foul play is suspected. more ›

Shortly after meeting with President Barack Obama and the other big wigs in D.C. today, Governor Pat Quinn announced that he will focus on passing the much needed, (and much delayed) capital spending bill. Setting April 3 as the date, Quinn told the press that "it will give us a target to shoot at and keep an urgent approach," and mentioned that while he planned to present the date to the legislature Wednesday, he had already discussed it privately with some members of the General Assembly. "We will (pass a capital bill)," said Quinn, adding that he will present the bill, along with the rest of his budget, to the public and the legislature on March 18. more ›

An early morning extra alarm fire caused heavy damage to the downtown Holy Name Cathedral. Besides damage from fire and smoke, there was heavy water damage and according to Cardinal Francis George the roof will need to be rebuilt. While the cause of the fire is still unknown, early speculation is that it may be related to current renovations. The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. this morning but was out by 8 a.m. The current church was completed in 1874, replacing the original church that burned down in the Great Fire of 1871. more ›

Okay, Chicago. We can do this. Let's hold it together. Just one more day of temps this cold and then we get a nice, warm break. In spite of the sun, it'll be cold with highs in the low teens. But that's okay. We don't have any new snow on our ground - unlike our friends in Northwest Indiana - and with temps reaching 50 this weekend, we could see bare ground for the first time in a month. Tonight, under clear skies, lows will be in the lower-to-mid aughts and wind chills will be below zero, but tomorrow, we'll be back up to seasonal levels. And then the warm weekend. Let's keep it together. more ›

• Mayor Daley is still pissed about the teen cop: "What bothers me is I’d hate to see it at Halloween if everybody walks in - a 12- or 14-year-old walks into a police station on Halloween, they'll be handed a desk. They'll give them a car. They'll give them a badge…That's a real concern that we have."
• Maybe MayDay's on edge about his upcoming trip to the United Arab Emirates, where he'll visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi in an effort to further Chicago's stance as a global city.
• The Expired Meter takes an interesting look at how budget cuts for the city, including shutting some offices, are making it more difficult to contest and settle parking and red light camera tickets.

The Ty Inc. dolls that were named Sasha and Malia but were in no way at all meant to be Sasha and Malia Obama have been retired and renamed, thus bringing the saga of the Obama Dolls to its conclusion. If you remember, the company originally claimed the dolls, Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia, were inspired by the Obama girls, but later backed off after they raised the ire of First Lady (and Mom) Michelle Obama. Since then, Ty has distanced themselves from the Obamas. The announcement was made via the company's website which also included this statement from founder Ty Warner:

In deference to the wishes of the First Family, Ty Inc. has officially retired the Ty Girlz names Marvelous Malia and Sweet Sasha. We have renamed the dolls Marvelous Mariah and Sweet Sydney. more ›

Yesterday, it was announced that Illinois Veterans Affairs Department chief Tammy Duckworth is President Barack Obama's choice for the assistant secretary in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth, who received a Purple Heart for her service in the second Iraq War during which she sustained severe injuries including the loss of both legs, was once a Blago appointee who seems to have come away from his removal without any sort of taint. more ›

It's a busy start to his first full week as governor for Pat Quinn. He met yesterday with Mayor Daley here in Chicago and pledged his full support to the Chicago 2016 cause, saying, "We want to have the greenest Olympics ever held." At issue was the $150 million ex-gov Rod Blagojevich had promised to the $1.15 billion financial package to help Chicago in its bid. All indications are that Quinn will back that money as well, saying, "I support whatever is necessary...The General Assembly will have to act on that, and it's an opportunity that I think will happen in the next couple of months." more ›

In the ongoing saga of Drew Peterson, nothing surprises us anymore. Now comes word that "ex-fiance" Christina Raines plans on talking to police about her time with Peterson. What groundbreaking information she could hold is beyond us. "He's old." "He's creepy." "He's mean." Yeah, those'll help find Stacy in no time. Meanwhile, Peterson and his attorney are putting the blame on Raine's father, Ernie, and claiming he was the mastermind behind the whole thing. At least it seems Drew has found a way to channel his anguish. more ›

Illinois ranked ninth in the country for total number of foreclosed properties in 2008 -- at almost 100,000 -- but it’s not just homeowners who are suffering. A New York-based investment firm has only a few days left to pay off more than $48 million in loans on the building at 500 W. Monroe St., or it could be become the first Chicago skyscraper in a decade to face foreclosure, Crain’s Chicago Business reports. more ›

Not only is every single resident in the 5th Congressional District running for Rahm Emanuel's vacated seat, some candidates are getting in front of voters sooner, rather than later. Democrat Charles Wheelan was up on the air early with a commercial that ran locally several hours before the Super Bowl. more ›

Yesterday, we mentioned the story of Tiffany Cox, Carmelita Hall, Roslind Ball, and Miesha Nelson, the four women accused of beating and stabbing a man - Morris Wilson - to death this weekend. Now, the details of exactly what the hell happened are coming to light and it scares us even more than before.

The four women and the victim...were playing cards and drinking in the apartment of one of the women in the 8100 block of South Drexel Avenue at about 2 a.m. Sunday, said Cook County Assistant State's Atty. LuAnn Snow during a bond hearing. more ›

Continuing to re-work their roster ahead of the start of Spring Training in two weeks, the Cubs traded away two once promising pitchers in separate deals on Monday. The team announced that they traded the once promising lefty Rich Hill to Baltimore in return for a player to be named later. And to think it was only two years ago, the Cubs considered Hill to be one of their few untouchable pieces after he went 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA in '07. But then he lost his ability to throw strikes, which is apparently important when one's a pitcher, and spent the bulk of 2008 in the minors. more ›

Like your crazy ex-boy/girlfriend or herpes, former governor Rod Blagojevich just won't go away. We already know about his appearance on Letterman tonight, which given Dave's cantankerous manner might be worth watching, but this morning we were dismayed to find Blago ruining our morning again by swinging by the Today Show on NBC. He called the impeachment a "hijacking," kept bitching about the witnesses, claimed he was offered the chance to stay on as an incapacitated governor through 2010, and continued to compare himself to the thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs. So, just like every other damn interview he's done in the last 10 days. Except he quotes Jesus this time. more ›

With the new Obama administration settled into the West Wing and Illinois 5th District Congressman Rahm Emanuel resigned from congress and serving as White House Chief of Staff, Democrats, Republicans and Greens are lined up to take his place in the House of Representatives. more ›

Is there no decency in the world? With Mayor Daley the enemy of graffiti artists everywhere, the kids these days have gone to new lengths to deface the city's property. Sometime in the last day or so, someone scratched the name "Peters" (or "Peter S") on The Bean (proper name "The Cloud Gate"). The name was six inches long by one inch tall and was found "on the northeast quarter of the sculpture on the outside facade, about 3 feet off the ground." A park security officer discovered the vandalism yesterday afternoon and police are currently investigating the incident. So remember, children: bulldozing giant X's on a runway = okay, but scratching your name on an iconic work of art = bad. more ›

Just when you thought it was safe to start going outside, Mother Nature smacks us strong across our faces with her pimp hand, reminding us who's boss. Temps are hovering near 0 right now and will "rebound" into the lower teens today. Expect things to cloud up a bit as the morning wears on and lake effect snow showers to develop; parts of the Chicago area could see as much as 2 to 4 inches by the time all is said and done and the snow shifts to the snowbelt of Indiana. Lows tonight will be around 0 under partly cloudy skies. But then something caught our eye about Skilling's extended forecast: more ›

• Joey "The Clown" Lombardo is the latest mobster sentenced in the Family Secrets trial: Joey received life.
• Uriel Soto-Castro, the man who hit three teens with his car on Friday, is facing aggravated drunken driving charges from the incident; none of the teens' injuries were considered life-threatening.
• The Sun-Times uncovered some rather disproportionately high salaries for some area educators.

Ronald Vos, the middle school teacher from MacArthur Middle School in Prospect Heights, was found dead at his home today of an apparent suicide. The report of his death comes less than 48 hours after Vos was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a student at the school from September 2005 until March 2007. Vos' wife, who had left the house after his arrest, called police early Monday morning after finding him hanging in the home. An investigation into the assault showed Vos and the student had four encounters and had "agreed to trade sex for beer and cigarettes." A letter from Gregory P. Guarrine, superintendent of Prospect Heights School District 23 regarding Vos' arrest can be read here [PDF]. more ›

He's been in place less than a week but new Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman is already going back to his old haunt, the Chicago Police Department, for some help. It was announced today that The Ron is bringing on CPD spokeswoman Monique Bond for a "a top advisory role" for his new administration. Bond, who's been CPD spokeswoman for four years, previously worked with The Ron in a spokeswoman capacity during his tenure as director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. more ›

Today, February 2, marks the one-year anniversary of the Lane Bryant killings, when an unknown gunman walked into the Tinley Park location of the store and shot six women in a robbery, killing five. The lone survivor was able to give police a description of the killer, but in spite of several leads (most being proved false), the killer still remains at large. The victims were Rhoda McFarland, 42, of Joliet, Jennifer L. Bishop, 34, of South Bend, Ind.; Sarah Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; Connie Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor; and Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort. To mark the anniversary, family of friends of the victims gathered at the Tinley Park Convention Center to remember the victims and celebrate their lives. more ›

Now that the unpleasantness has been taken care of, it's safe for President Barack Obama to return to Springfield without too much of a fear of taint. Obama will be in Springfield next Thursday, February 12, to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday. From announcing his candidacy on the steps of the state capitol (exactly where Lincoln delivered his famed House Divided speech), to the concert at the Lincoln Memorial, to replicating the Lincoln's at his inaugural luncheon, Obama has been a very vocal fan and studier of Honest Abe, so his birthday visit surprises absolutely no one. According to Sen. Dick Durbin's office, President Obama will be attending the Abraham Lincoln Association's annual Lincoln birthday banquet. In a statement, Sen. Durbin said, "Last week, our state proudly looked to Washington once again as another son of Illinois took the presidential oath of office. As our country's economic challenges grow, President Barack Obama will be called on to show leadership and courage similar to that shown by Lincoln during one of the most difficult periods in our history." In case you missed it, check out yesterday's interview of President Obama with NBC's Matt Lauer from the Super Bowl pre-game show. more ›

A man is in custody for the Friday murder of Ralph Turner, shot and killed as he was leaving the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. Arthur Marcell Grady is being held without bond on charges of first degree murder and armed robbery after police found his cell phone at the scene of the crime. Per the Sun-Times:

Grady, who was dressed in a black-hooded sweatshirt, allegedly followed Turner home from the casino, which is about 20 minutes from Chicago, and shot him twice in the chest after exiting an SUV, police said. Grady then allegedly went through Turner’s pockets and took Turner's cell phone -- while dropping his own on the scene, police said, adding that Grady's phone was recovered. It was not known how much money was taken.

Just because Rod Blagojovich been removed from office doesn't mean he's going away. And with his criminal trial approaching, Lord knows if he ever will. This time, though, Blago is taking to the airwaves with late night talk show host David Letterman. Blago's appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. We figure they'll discuss the trial and Blago will continue to whine about witnesses, but we also assume Letterman might give him some tips on how to improve his image. more ›

It's been a violent year so far in 2009, continuing the theme of 2008. A pair of bizarre weekend stabbings added to the year's early tally. Things started Friday night when Manuel Ortiz, a landlord in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, allegedly stabbed one of his tenants with an ice pick. The fight occurred at Ortiz's address in the 5900 block of South California Avenue. The tenant was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in serious condition but was treated and released. Police have charged Ortiz with aggravated battery and the cause of the fight is still unknown. more ›

Six Chicago area residents, including four members of the American Polish Aero Club of Chicago, died Friday when their small Piper PA-34 plane crashed near Kenova, West Virginia. According to other members of the club, the members who died in the crash were Kazimierz Adamski (Morton Grove), Wieslaw Dobrzanski (Niles), Irenevsz Michalowski (Des Plaines), and Stanislaw Matras (Chicago). Also on board were Monika Niemiec, a reporter for a local Polish radio station, and her father, Stanley Niemiec. The plane had left McHenry County and was headed for a stopover in Charlotte, North Carolina before heading to Clearwater, Florida when the crash happened Friday afternoon. A thousand people attended a memorial service yesterday at St. Constance Catholic Church and friends and family members gathered at the club to remember their loved ones. As of yesterday afternoon, officials in West Virginia had still not identified who was on board, but the names were released by the club. [Trib] more ›

No. 20 Illinois rebounded from their 36-point performance against Minnesota with a 62-54 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Illini once again looked sluggish in the first half, but started the second period with 13 points before missing a basket. Leading by one with 8:30 left to play, Illinois scored six straight to extend their lead to three possessions. The Illini then froze offensively, however, recording two points over the next six minutes. Fortunately for Illinois the Hawkeyes only scored four during the same stretch, and with 39 seconds on the clock the Illini sank eight consecutive free throws to preserve the lead. Big man Mike Tisdale led all participants in scoring with 18 points. more ›

While the other baseball in team in town still disregards online media, Chicagoist had full access to this weekend's SoxFest, the annual winter festivities for White Sox fans and players. The three day kickoff to the 2009 season, SoxFest included town hall seminars, memorabilia for sale, autograph sessions with players, and interactive games and activities for Sox fans. more ›

The ongoing saga of Drew Peterson and Christina Raines has come to a fiery conclusion, but not before Raines and her father had CBS cameras tag along to film a "dramatic" confrontation on the steps of Drew's home. Not only that, but Raines herself sat down with CBS' The Early Show. Because if there's one thing we've learned through our own personal experiences, it's that nothing helps you mend a broken-heart over an ended relationship quite like an interview on national television. more ›

It seems even the groundhogs are against us. This morning, local groundhog weather prognosticator Woodstock Willy saw his shadow, which means this seemingly unending winter will continue. True to form, today's highs won't top 30 after this weekend's balmy temps, topping out in the upper 20s while cloudy skies hang overhead. Tonight snow moves in as temps drop to the lower teens, but no significant accumulation is expected. more ›

Phillyist took a personal look at this year's Super Bowl—even though it will be Pennsylvania's other team playing.

Cloudy skies will give way to sun and temps will soar into the upper 30s, giving us our warmest weather in weeks. Just look out for those puddles on your way to whatever Super (or Puppy) Bowl Party you're hitting. Tonight, temps will drop into the upper 20s under fair skies. While all eyes will turn to Punxsutawney tomorrow, our eyes will focus on next weekend, when Skilling and his staff say temps could reach the 40s. Don't toy with us, Tom. more ›