Anyone who's ever gone to a Cubs game knows the clusterfuck that occurs around Wrigley Field right before game time. Now, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) wants to try to clear that congestion a bit by making it illegal for street vendors to set up shot within a certain radius around the stadium. The proposal, introduced today, would make it illegal for vendors to, as the Tribune explains, "sell food or merchandise from a cart, table or other temporary stand."
The City Council today voted 42-6 to approve 15 unpaid furlough days for non-union city workers in an effort to cut costs for the city as it continues to deal with massive budget issues. Ald. Edward Burke (14th) insisted it was to keep from losing jobs, saying, "I don't think we have much choice." Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) said, "We have to show [the unions] we're serious." According to Clout Street, the six votes against the plan were from Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), Robert Fioretti (2nd), Toni Preckwinkle (4th), Leslie Hairston (5th), Sandi Jackson (7th) and Joe Moore (49th). No word on who the two missing votes were from.
Metra trains will soon have additional federal security on board. Metra insists the new plan is not in response to any threat but rather for the benefit of passengers.
The TSA patrols will "augment existing security resources, provide deterrent presence and detection capabilities, and introduce an element of unpredictability to disrupt potential terrorist planning activities," Metra said in a statement.The extra security officers will also be identifiable, wearing uniforms rather than going undercover. [Fox 32]The patrol teams can consist of federal marshals, TSA officers, TSA-certified canine teams, surface transportation security inspectors and local/state law enforcement.
We're less than 12 hours from the deadline to pass a budget that won't completely mess with the state's finances and it seems we're no closer to having a solution than we were before. Last night, the House approved a plan to borrow $2.2 billion to help soften the blow of the expected cuts, but Gov. Quinn isn't too happy about it and, though it still has to pass the Senate, he seems hell-bent on making sure a tax increase is somehow passed. Without saying he'd veto it, Quinn did say, according to the Tribune, "If they throw that my way tonight, they will see it thrown right back at 'em. For those who might be advocating things in the budget that are unfair, are not humane, or indecent, I'm not going down that road."
Mayor Daley's beautification program has done wonders for downtown and tourism, but for Candy Basselen, who runs Springfield Supply, a steel fabrication company, Daley's love for wrought-iron fencing and fancy landscaping has cost her her business. That's because the city wouldn't grant her a new business license after she moved her business to a warehouse at 3348 S. Pulaski, the same warehouse owned by Daley's nephew, Robert Vanecko. And until the warehouse had sufficient amounts of wrought-iron fencing and pleasant landscaping, the city told her, the building wouldn't be up to code. And therefore she couldn't get a business license.
1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores is moving forward with his plans to introduce an ordinance in the City Council to limit the city's Olympic liabilities. "While I remain a strong supporter of hosting the Olympic Games here at home and believe that the Games can provide an economic boost to our city," Flores said in a press release. "We must pursue the Olympic bid in a financially responsible and transparent manner." Flores would like to restrict the city's liability to $500,000,000 should the city win the bid to host the 2016 Summer Games. Mayor Daley signed a contract with the International Olympic Committee earlier this month in Switzerland, leaving taxpayers on the hook for unlimited damages.
At the end of this year, Chicago could be short 800 cops compared to last year the police union told the Sun-Times. The shortage is attributed to vacancies, attrition rates, and Mayor Daley’s 2009 budget which has significantly slowed down hiring. Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis told the Sun-Times last week that the CPD hopes to use federal grant money to hire 150 new officers this year. In the short term Weis will manage the officer shortage by shifting officers from desk jobs, or pay officers overtime with federal grants to cover the streets this summer.
A man accused of two rapes in the Bucktown neighborhood has been arrested. Damario McNeil, 31, of Lawndale, was arrested and charged with one count of attempt first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated criminal assault and two counts of aggravated kidnapping and one count of armed robbery. The first rape occurred in February in the 2300 block of W. Moffat, very close to the Western/Milwaukee Blue Line stop. The second assault happened just a few weeks ago, a bit further from the same Blue Line stop but still in the vicinity, in the 2000 block of W. Charleston. Police think McNeil could be linked to at least two other assaults, another in February close to the Western/Milwaukee Blue Line stop and one last September close to the Damen/North Blue Line stop. [Chicago Breaking News]
In a move to tackle poor supervision and excessive spending, Mayor Daley rearranged his cabinet yesterday, removing Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Michael Picardi and replacing him with Thomas Byrne, who is currently head of the city's Transportation Department. Picardi, who has been the Streets and San boss since 2005, was criticized after the city inspector general dinged Picardi for lax field supervision, after investigators witnessed garbage crews taking long lunches, drinking beer on the job and urinating in the streets last fall.
Earlier today, Ponzi scheme extraordinaire Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison for his crimes. CBS 2 talked to Stuart Borg of Northbrook, one of the Chicago-area Madoff victims. Said Borg, "Life in jail is too good for him. This man has devastated not only people like myself, and richer people than me, but what I've said before - what he's done to these charities. It's unconscionable, and he has no conscience." [CBS 2]
Buffalo Grove's American Needle Inc. is heading to the Supreme Court thanks to a fight with the NFL. The company had been one of many that had previously sued the NFL for violating federal antitrust law when the league signed an exclusive merch licensing deal with Reebok in 2001. American Needle lost its suit and its appeal against the NFL and the league took the case to the Supreme Court hoping to get a more broad ruling against smaller lawsuits, though American Needle has pursued a high court ruling as well. According to the Associated Press, "Football team owners hope the high court will issue a broader decision that would insulate the NFL against what they contend are costly, frivolous antitrust lawsuits." [AP, WBEZ]
There's not a whole heck of a lot of time for state lawmakers. The current state budget expires in less than 36 hours (midnight tomorrow). While the failure to reach an agreement won't mean an instant shut-down of the state, it'll definitely be a pain in the ass, as the makeshift budget passed in May contains a whole helluva lot of cuts. The State House is back at work today but the State Senate doesn't kick back into gear tomorrow. At the center of the budget fracas has been Gov. Quinn's call for a higher income tax, yet members of Quinn's own party are questioning Quinn's consistency. Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) told the Tribune, "What Quinn do you get on a given day? There hasn't been a consistent message from the governor's office in regards to solving the fiscal crisis. That also has the legislature acting inconsistently to find a solution." [Tribune, WBEZ]
According to the Reader's Mick Dumke, Ald. Joe Moore (49th) sent out an email to constituents this morning informing them that the hearings on the Great Meter Debacle will commence this Thursday, July 2nd. This considering the City has already announced plans to spend some of the money made from the deal.
A new study by the University of Chicago has revealed a disturbingly high rate of turnover among Chicago Public Schools teachers. According to the study, within five years, the CPS loses half of its teachers and almost two-thirds of new teachers. The study, conducted by the U. of C.'s Consortium on Chicago School Research, also showed that turnover was even heavier at poorer, predominantly African-American schools where half the teachers left within three years. The study focused on 35,000 public school teachers in 538 elementary schools and 118 high schools over the course of five school years, from fall 2002 until spring 2007. For more information on the study, check out stories by the Sun-Times, the Tribune, and, of course, the entire study itself.
U.S. Rep Dan Lipinski of Chicago has put an a proposal before Congress that's likely to either make you nod your head in agreement or ruffle your feathers about whether or not it's really important. As the Trib explains in a profile today, Lipinski's proposal looks to install federal regulations on size limits of carry-ons. The Congressman is also mulling over a proposal that would put caps on the fees several airlines charge for checked baggage. As for the size limit, David Castelveter, spokesman for the Air Transport Association, questioned its feasibility, asking, "Why set standards that apply to both a large wide-body plane and a regional jet?" Check out the full story at the Tribune.
After a pair of back-and-forth offensive battles, the second round of the Crosstown Classic closed with a killer pitching performance from White Sox starter John Danks dominated the Cubs lineup en route to a 6-0 shutout to take the game and the series. Danks gave up four hits and struck out five over the first seven innings, completely shutting down the Cubs offense; reliever Scott Linebrink pitched two hitless innings to close the game out. Overall, Danks is 2-0 versus the Cubs this year, striking out 14 and allowing only one run over 14 innings pitched. Said Danks after the game, "I didn't throw as many strikes this time around, but I feel like I was still able to make the big pitch when I had to and guys were making plays all over the field for me."
As we approach the end of the month, two June deaths have brought the state death toll from the N1N1 Influenza A (aka swine flu) to 12. A 54-year-old woman passed on June 10 and a 47-year-old woman passed on June 23; the older of the had a previously existing medical condition. Overall, swine flu cases in the state have topped 2,800. [WBEZ]
Several passengers on a CTA bus were injured last night when a teenager trying to escape a police chase crashed the stolen car he was driving into the bus. The incident happened shortly before midnight last night. One officer saw the reported stolen car and began pursuit; other officers followed and a chase ensued. The driver blew through a stop sign at 79th and Perry and crashed into a No. 79 bus. Eight people on board the bus were injured but were all listed in good condition at Stroger Hospital as was the driver of the car who is now in police custody. A passenger who was in the car was in good condition but not charged with anything. [CBS 2, CBN]
A 4-year-old girl who was in critical condition after choking at Calumet Beach on Tuesday died Saturday night. The child, Marianna Carabez, was knocked into the water by a wave while sitting on the beach, according to a police report. Carabez was pulled from the water by her father and bystanders and received CPR from lifeguards, but was "in cardiac arrest after choking" when the Chicago Fire Department emergency personnel found her, the Tribune reports.
[Trib]
As expected, the Regional Transportation Authority board agreed this week to slash public funding for Chicago-area transit services by $67 million over the next six months. The nine board members in attendance voted unanimously for the cuts, in the hopes that they will bring the transit agencies' growing budget deficits in line with lower tax revenues.
It appears that Chicago Police Department's efforts to increase security at this year's Taste of Chicago is working: a man was arrested as he attempted to bring a loaded gun into the festival on Saturday. Police said they were "acting on a tip" when they found a "9mm handgun on Shrome D. George," according to the Tribune. The 25-year-old Michigan City, Ind. resident has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and other weapons charges; he has a bond hearing today.
[Trib]
Another day, another thriller. For the third time in their four games this season, the winning team came from behind late for victory as this time the White Sox earned a walk-off win over the Cubs 8-7. The Sox opened the scoring by piecing together runs in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Cubs responded in the top of the third by knocking a few in themselves to knot the game at 2-2 and took the lead on a D-Lee sac fly in the fifth. The Pale Hose countered with a Scott Podsednik solo homer and A.J Pierzinski slapping a bases loaded single to score two, putting the Sox ahead 5-3. The see-saw battle continued in the sixth courtesy of a two-RBI double by Alfosno Soriano and an RBI single by Ryan Theriot to put the Cubs up 6-5. That lead lasted all of a few minutes as in the bottom of the inning, Podsednik singled in Wise for his third RBI of the game, tying the game at 6-6.
It’s getting harder out there for Illinois students who attend public universities.
The babysitter of Jada Justice has been charged in the death of the toddler as has the babysitter's boyfriend. Engelica Castillo, 18, and Tim Tkachik, 23, both of Hobart, were charged with Jada's death. Jada's body was allegedly found encased in concrete and placed in a plastic bin, according to CBS 2.
Officials at the Norwegian American Hospital seek federal funding for a new emergency room due to a lack of space in their current one, according to a Chi-Town Daily News report.
With only 17 ER beds and an increase in visits, an expansion is necessary to continue caring for around 30,000 patients each year and “to enhance care for the poor,” hospital officials said. Visitors seeking treatment must wait outside the waiting room and in an opened conference room during peak hours.
The hospital is considering a parking lot outside the ER as the potential site for the project, which will cost around $10 million.
The first exhibit of a new museum dedicated to the Korean War -- the first of its kind in the nation -- opened in Springfield yesterday.
Still reeling from the spike in parking meter fees and where that money's going? Rest assured, the price to park in a Chicago garage daily is up only $1 from last year, according to a new parking rate survey released this week.
If yesterday's game was any indication, this round of the Crosstown Classic promises to hold some of the same excitement we're used to from this series. A back-and-forth game where both teams had chances to score, the Cubs took the first of three on the South Side, edging the Sox 5-4 yesterday. Jermaine Dye belted his 17th homer of the year in the bottom of the first to give the Sox an early 1-0 edge over Randy Wells and the Cubs, but the Cubs got two of their own in the fourth courtesy of surging rookie Jake Fox. The lead didn't last long, though, as Jim Thome homered in the bottom of the same inning to tie the game at 2-2. In the top of the seventh, Jose Contreras - who seemed to have some back issues earlier in the game but was left in - gave up a three-run shot to Geovany Soto, putting the Cubs ahead 5-2.
Well it's a good thing the City got short-changed on that parking meter deal, eh? Because today the City announced that they're going to have to cover a budget hole that could reach $300 million. The money will come from a "budget stabilization fund" set up following the $1.15 billion deal to privatize the parking meters. But that's not the end of the city's money woes as outlined by the City's Chief Financial Officer Gene Saffold today. The City Council is also closing in on a deal to force non-union workers for the city to take 15 unpaid days off: six unpaid furlough days, six unpaid holidays, and three "reduced-service" days. Per The Trib's Clout Street:
The Clout List scandal at the University of Illinois continues to grow beyond Ron Santo and undergrad. The Chicago Tribune reports that the law school at U of I admitted an unqualified student in return for promised jobs for outgoing graduates.
As we mentioned earlier today, the citizens of Gary, Indiana are mourning their most popular native son, the King of Pop Michael Jackson. What happened when Jackson came back in June 2003 for a visit? One word: chaos. And then check out a performance of "Human Nature" during the Chicago stop of 1984's Victory Tour. The Chicago stops consisted of three shows from October 12 through 14 at Comiskey Park. After the jump is one more Michael Jackson-related video featuring a song written but not sung by Jackson, just for the hell of it.
The jobless rate in the Chicago metro are hit a 26-year high during May. The "seasonally unadjusted" rate hit 10.7 percent in May 2009, the highest the area has seen since August 1983. According to Crain's:
There were 185,900 fewer people employed in the metro area last month compared with the same month in 2008. That figure, the highest among the 12 Illinois metro areas reported, suggests that the recession continues to hamper the local labor market.The Chicago metro area was second in the state behind Rockford which saw a rate of 13.4 percent.
After last year's shoot-out at the OK Corral in the Loop following the fireworks at the Taste of Chicago, and Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis being raked over the coals for it, police aren't taking any chances this year and are upping security. According to Chicago Breaking News, some of the measures will include:
It's been an eventful end of the week for the Blagojevich family. First, Patti returned from the wilds of Costa Rica after being voted off the reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here. Husband Rod, daughters Amy and Annie, and sister State Rep. Deb Mell were at O'Hare to greet Patti upon her return. When asked about the experience, Patti said, "It was nice to go down there and meet people that didn't have an agenda with me, that became my friends and it helped restore my faith in people." Rod added, "She's a heckuva lot more popular [than him]."
The Sox and Dodgers played extra baseball and in the end it came down to Scott Podsednik who provided the heroics for the Pale Hose, driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 13th to give the Sox the 6-5 victory. The Sox found themselves down 4-0 going into the bottom of the fifth as the Dodgers knocked around starter Clayton Richard. But then in the fifth the Sox started the comeback, courtesy of a Konerko solo shot and an RBI triple from Wise. The Sox then went ahead in the sixth thanks to A.J. Pierzynski's three-run homer only to see the Dodgers tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh. But the Sox bullpen went into lockdown mode as Scott Linebrink, Matt Thornton, Bobby Jenks, Octavio Dotel and Aaron Poreda combined for 0 runs and 8 K's over six innings of relief. Poreda ultimately got the win when, in the bottom of the 13th, Podsednik knocked a two-out bases loaded single for the win. Afterward, Podsednik said, "Game-winning hits are always fun, but most importantly, to win the series against a club like the Dodgers, who came into town with the best record, maybe that will give us some momentum here. We haven't been playing that great at home, so maybe that will give us some momentum going into the Cubs series."
Some legal wrangling went down this week in the case against Drew Peterson, set to stand trial for the murder of wife #3, Kathleen Savio. Among the more notables moves made, Judge Stephen White asked prosecutors to cut their witness list down from a mind-boggling 805 to 50. One battle prosecutors did win was an attempt by Peterson's defense team to make the large amount of discovery evidence "easier to navigate." John Connor, the chief of the major crime unit for the state's attorney, claimed, "I think what the counsel is asking us to do is give them CliffsNotes on this," and said all the information the defense was seeking was available in the evidence. Another issue raised by Peterson's attorney - whether three key state witnesses received compensation for their testimony - will be reviewed and ruled on by Judge White at a July 10 hearing. [Sun-Times]
Heading into Thursday night's NBA draft, the Bulls were looking for some help with their inside scoring and some depth in the backcourt. When the night was over, they had addressed the first need twice over while neglecting the other entirely.
As the world reels from the unexpected death of pop star Michael Jackson, fans in his hometown of Gary are flocking to his childhood home to pay homage to the fallen singer. Jackson was born in Gary in 1958 and first started performing with his brothers at nightclub Mr. Lucky's in 1964. Jackson left Gary in 1969. According to the Tribune:
Alinea chef grant Achatz has sold a book proposal of his battle with Stage IV tongue cancer to Gotham Books. Tentatively titled Life, On the Line (a play on words referencing both Achatz's well-documented cancer struggle and the daily grind of a chef in the kitchen), the book is a dual-voiced narrative alternating between Achatz's first-hand account and the perspective of his fight from Alinea partner Nick Kokonas. [NYT Dining Journal]
Police have arrested two men in connection with last night's shooting in which an innocent 9-year-old bystander, Chastity Turner, was killed while washing her dog on her grandmother's porch. Three others, including Turner's father, were also hurt in the shooting, which occurred last night around 7 p.m. in Englewood, but none of their injuries were life-threatening. Sources also tell media outlets that a weapon has been recovered and testing is underway to see if it was involved in the shooting. Earlier, sources said a green van matching the description of the one used in the shooting, believed to be gang-related, was also recovered. The Tribune and Sun-Times have more on tragic incident, including information that Turner's father is not cooperating with authorities in their investigation.
The Lord's Senator has become The Absent-Minded Senator. Senator Burris is backpedaling to fix another "oops," this time amending a financial statement involving stock options. According to the Tribune, Burris forgot to mention his option to buy 8,000 shares of stock in Inland Real Estate Corp. on a Senate financial disclosure statement. Burris served on the board of the company between 1996 and January of this year when he was sworn in as the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. Burris' communications director Jim O'Connor told the Trib, "You are absolutely right. His unexercised options were not disclosed," and that Burris will amend the statement to include the options.
In a move that actually makes sense, Chi-Town Daily News reports that Chicago Public Schools will soon begin offering students STD testing with help from the Chicago Department of Public Health. Cook County is number one in the nation in gonorrhea cases and third for chlamydia cases and teens make up 60 percent of Chicago's new cases. No word, though, when testing will become available to students.
The ongoing city scandal over real estate and leases involving the mayor's nephew has drawn the ire of 31st Ward Alderman Ray Suarez. Reacting to the questionable month-to-month lease the Department of General Services established back in November of 2007, Suarez told the Sun-Times that he should have signed off on it. Suarez is chair of the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
In a column run yesterday on Crain's Taking Names blog, Greg Hinz pretty much summed up the mess Mayor Daley is returning to here in the City by the Lake.
The Cubs missed a bundle of opportunities to score en route to a 5-3 loss in Detroit last night, their third straight loss. Overall, the team batted 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base. Geovany Soto showed some power with a solo shot and Derek Lee extended his hitting streak to 21 games but the Cubs inability to take advantage of scoring opportunities sank them. Rich Harden also struggled on the mound, losing his third straight decision as he gave up four runs - two earned - over 5.1 innings pitched. Not that the bullpen fared much better as both Heilman and Marmol walked in runs. The series finale starts at 12:05 p.m. this afternoon (WGN).
We've disagreed with a lot of judicial decisions and passed laws and City Hall decrees over the years but you'd be hard-pressed to find anything in our archives quite like what blogger and internet radio host Hal Turner pulled. Upset over the recent decision to uphold handgun bans in Oak Park and Chicago, Turner went on an internet tirade which included, "Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed." To take the threats to another level, he listed the "photos, phone numbers, work addresses and courtroom numbers" of the judges involved: Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and judges Richard Posner and William Bauer of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Turner, described by media reports as a white supremacist, was subsequently arrested yesterday at his New Jersey home. While Turner's website has no reference to the Illinois-related arrest, it does contain a post about his arrest earlier this month in connection to similar charges from the state of Connecticut stemming from the same tirade, though the original offending posts are no longer available online. [CBS 2]
Last year, the Bulls were sitting pretty with the top overall pick in the draft. And while some thought they should pick power forward Michael Beasley, the Bulls seem to have made the right call with their selection of point guard Derrick Rose. Not only did he take home the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the league's top rookie, he also helped the Bulls return to the playoffs -- where they played an epic series against Boston. As such, the Bulls avoided the draft lottery this year, and don't make their first pick in the 2009 draft until midway through the first round, at the 16th spot. The Bulls -- on account of trading Thabo Sefelosha to Oklahoma City -- also have the 26th pick. So with newly promoted GM Gar Forman running his first draft, we're interested to see what the Bulls can do to improve the team.
Amid the growing controversy over Mayor Daley's signature on a financial guarantee for the 2016 Summer Games, the city's bid team met yesterday with aldermen behind closed doors. Mayor Daley's Intergovernmental Affairs Office informed aldermen of the meetings, which started at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall. Mayoral spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard denied that the meeting were secret. "The 2016 team walked into a public building in broad daylight right past a crowd of reporters that the team knew was waiting there and proceeded to brief aldermen as part of the same process that had been in place for decades," Heard told the Tribune. "First, aldermen are given the opportunity to ask questions and hear the facts in private. This allows them to develop a well-informed opinion before they air them publicly." Chicago 2016 spokeswoman Mica Matsoff echoed that sentiment, saying that the meetings were a decision the bid team made "as we're going through this in in real time and hearing things and responding to them."
Did you know that in the 30's and 40's there were frequently ten nominees for Best Picture? Neither did we. The practice ended in 1943, when Casablanca took home the Oscar. Since then it's always been winnowed to a list of five. But this morning AMPAS President Sid Ganis announced that the bigger list is being revived for next year's awards. There will once again be ten nominees. Said Ganis, "Having ten Best Picture nominees is going to allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize. The final outcome, of course, will be the same - one Best Picture winner." The other categories will remain unchanged.
The Sears Tower will receive a $350 million face lift over the next five years to reduce its energy consumption by 80 percent. The building will also receive a new neighbor--an environmentally friendly 50-story luxury hotel, located at Jackson and Wacker. The initiative could create 3,600 new jobs and Sears Tower could become the tallest building to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
We'll admit, we've left plenty of stuff on trains before: papers, books, umbrellas, even a scrap of paper with the phone number of a young woman who was way too pretty for us anyway. But we've never left a baby on board a train as a woman did last night on a northbound Union Pacific North Line train. No charges have been filed against the woman who left the baby on board when she got off at North Chicago. And yes, mother and baby were safely reunited. [CBS 2]
ChicagoNow's Megan Cottrell wrote an excellent piece about the Chicago Avenue garden at Cabrini Green's southern tip that's run by Fourth Presbyterian Church's "Chicago Lights" outreach program. Cottrell reports on some of the relationships developing in the garden between Old Town and Cabrini Green residents, as well as the struggles faced in getting Cabrini residents to take part in the project. (via Windy Citizen)
The Sun-Times reports that U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis is forming an exploratory committee to consider a run for Cook County Board president early next year. The field is already crowded with at least six other officials showing interest. The Chicago Reader has a roundup of the potentials, which includes, Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, and of course Todd Stroger. Currently there is no clear candidate for the Republican primary.
She married ChicagoSportsWebio founder David Hernandez in 2001, but she is just now finding out who he really was. Last week, the SEC accused Hernandez of running an $11 million ponzi scheme that funded the ChicagoSportsWebio venture, and he promptly left town. Gina Hernandez reported her husband missing on June 16, and police found him at a hotel downstate on June 22.
Joliet's Empress Casino, closed since a large fire struck the complex in March, is finally set to reopen tomorrow. Empress marketing coordinator Kevin McMaster told Fox 32, "Everything is coming along great. It's amazing how fast things are coming together. We are crossing our last Ts and dotting our last Is for Thursday." The casino, which has been closed for 97 days, will have a few ceremonies before reopening to the public at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. [Fox 32]
Yesterday, Chicago Police officer Anthony Abbate was sentenced to two years of probation, a forced curfew, anger management classes, alcohol evaluation and 130 hours of community service for the February 2007 beating of bartender Karolina Obrycka which was caught on tape and broadcast around the world.
In a refrain which is growing tiresome yet still just as worrisome, it seems the CTA is once again threatening service cuts ahead of an RTA vote. The vote, happening Thursday, would cut $61 million worth of services to make up for a drop in sales-tax revenue. If approved, overall cuts would breakdown to $35 million for the CTA, $19 million for Metra, and $7 million for PACE. CTA President Richard Rodriguez has warned that cuts would result in about a five percent reduction in service for every $10 million lost. There's no indication which specific services the CTA would be cut, but officials have said whole bus routes could be lost in addition to overall reduction in service. PACE will look to reduce services on routes with low ridership, focusing on late nights, early mornings, and weekends. As for Metra, officials for that agency seemed to be downright sunny in comparison, saying the cuts wouldn't result in lost services as the agency did not fill some vacant job posts and have held tight on spending. [Tribune]
Amid the ongoing game of political football that has defined negotiations over how to close the gap in the city's looming budget hole, one voice has been remarkably absent: city workers who would bear the brunt of the mayor's economic sanctions. That silence was broken yesterday as SEIU Local 73 members descended on the city council meeting to vent their anger at both the city and the union. Workers are angry at the city for forcing layoffs on them, and at their union for not accepting furlough days. “We will take the [furlough] days. We will make the adjustments. But somehow people are demanding something that we haven’t demanded,” detention aide John Joynter told the Sun-Times. “We are not being represented by either the city or the union. We have not had a voice in any of this. It’s like we’re pushed aside.”
John Danks gave the White Sox his third straight quality start, but it wasn't enough to deliver a win as the Sox bullpen and bats couldn't hold up their end of the bargain and the Sox fell 5-2. Danks was rough early, giving up three runs in the first two innings, but then settled down and held the Dodgers scoreless for the remainder of his seven innings. But his early stumbles, including a two-run homer given up to LA's James Loney in the second, were too much for the Sox to overcome. Matt Thornton gave up two runs in relief in the eighth to help LA along to victory. Of course, credit is also due to LA's starter, Hiroki Kuroda, who held the Sox to two runs on four hits over 8.2 innings. Paul Konerko provided an offensive spark early for the Sox with a solo homer in the second, but the Sox couldn't get much going after that. Game two of the three game set gets underway tonight at 7:11 p.m. (WCIU).
The international news of the last week has been filled with images and descriptions of the post-election turmoil within Iran. As tens of thousands of people in Tehran and around the nation filled the streets to protest what they believe is a stolen election, the American president has been remarkably mum on the whole affair. "The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States," Obama said in an interview recorded Friday. "We shouldn't be playing into that."
When we started getting into the NHL playoffs a couple months ago, we were surprised to see Chris Chelios was playing for the Detroit Red Wings, the same Chelios who had helped the Blackhawks to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1992. The same future Hall of Famer who played for the Blackhawks from 1990-1999. Jeremy Roenick and Ed Belfour may have retired, but the defenseman, at age 47, was still skating (as is Roenick, who plays for San Jose).
Sad news to report from overnight: John Callaway, broadcast journalism legend and founding host of WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" has passed away at the age of 72. According to his wife, Callaway died from a heart attack yesterday evening in Racine. Callaway began his career in Chicago with the City News Bureau of Chicago and in the mid-60's went to WBBM where he helped oversee the station's switch to an all-news format in 1968. Later that same year, he was named Vice President of CBS Radio in New York where he helped stations all over the country make similar switches. In 1974, he returned to Chicago at WTTW where he took over as news director and in 1975 began hosting "Public Newscenter." Callaway than started and hosted "Chicago Tonight" in 1984 and remained host until 1999. Most recently, Callaway was the host of WTTW's "Chicago Stories" and in February appeared at the Chicago Journalism Town Hall. Among his numerous awards were seven Emmies and one Peabody award.
DePaul University is looking to expand and has brought its plan to the neighborhood for approval. Chi-Town Daily news reports DePaul has designs on a 10-year development plan which would include a big complex at Fullerton and Sheffield. And now the Sheffield Neighborhood Association will hold its final meeting on the expansion tonight (7pm in the McGowan Science Building). Ted Wrobleski, the SNA's planning chairman, told the CTDN, “Basically one of the concerns is the size of the new buildings, how tall they’re going to be and how that would fit into the character of the neighborhood." But Wrobleski also said that the association and DePaul have a good relationship and there's not much opposition to the plan.
Despite the fact White Sox fans outnumber Cubs fans on this site (though a Cubs fan is in charge), we have to take time to acknowledge a historic game played within the Friendly Confines 25 years ago today. It was on June 23rd, 1984 that the baseball world saw what a young player with the goofily-spelled first name of "Ryne" could do.
In it's battle to obtain documents from the University of Illinois in connection with their investigation of the Clout College Controversy, the Chicago Tribune has stumbled upon a strange example of what they allege to be shenanigans: Ron Santo. While Santo has nothing at all to do with the controversy, it seems the school blacked out Santo's name in documents it handed over to the Trib which the Trib claims "violated the spirit of the law," in terms of their investigation. According to the Tribune's story:
Strange happenings on the West and Northwest side where it seems a total of 17 vehicles were set on fire in several different spots. According to Chicago Breaking News:
Seven vehicles were found in the 1600 block of North Keeler Avenue, an additional six were found in the 1600 block of North Spaulding Avenue, three others were found in the 1800 block of West Erie Street, and one found in the 3200 block of West Wabansia Avenue, police said.Investigators aren't saying much by both the Chicago Fire Dept. and the CPD's bomb and arson unit are looking into the incidents.
Just three weeks ago Boeing said that its 787 Dreamliner might finally make its first flight this month after two years of delays. Now Boeing says that the plans have been grounded again because a section of the aircraft's structure required extra reinforcement.
According to an article in today's Trib it looks like beer, wine and other alcoholic packaged goods could be coming soon to a Walgreen's near you. After Prohibition the drugstore began selling alcohol at many of their locations, but that was phased out in early 90's because it was deemed too costly. Now, according to company spokeswoman Tiffani Washington, new computer systems will make it easier to manage. Profits at the chain have been slipping recently. Perhaps booze can pump them back up. We're completely in favor of the change, as it would mean another way we'd be able to avoid CVS, not to mention it's easier to find a Walgreens.
As Illinois's political leadership struggles to close a daunting hole in the state's budget, the debate over raising taxes versus cutting services brought the governor and legislative leaders to a near standstill. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities posted an interesting analysis of how different states are coping with decreased revenues in the ongoing economic crisis. They found that many states are looking at a combination of both spending cuts and tax increases to balance state budgets. According to their research, 23 states have raised taxes since the beginning of 2009, and 13 more states are considering tax increases.
We're still waiting for more details, but according to a Sun-Times tweet Abbate has been sentenced to two years probation for the taped beating of bartender Karolina Obrycka. He was found guilty on a charge of aggravated battery three weeks ago.
A list of the nation's 25 most dangerous neighborhoods based on neighborhood statistics shows Chicago has landed four on the list, the most of all cities listed. The highest ranked Chicago neighborhood - well, more like "sections of larger neighborhoods" - on the list belongs to a part of Washington Park - State St. & Garfield - that comes in at number two overall. As the Sun-Times points out, that particular neighborhood formerly consisted of the well-documented Robert Taylor housing project.
President Obama is about to start a press conference in the White House Rose Garden, his first from that location. Expected topics of interest will include Iran and health care. You can follow it here starting at 11:30 a.m.
Update: Now that the press conference is done, you can view the complete conference here.
As if the ongoing rift in the Daley family over mayoral nephew Robert Vanecko's connections weren't bad enough, the Bright One brings us more evidence of corruption in the mayor's family. According to records obtained by the Sun-Times, the city has been leasing property from clouted landlords, often at rental rates higher than market. Adding to the problems for the mayor is a warehouse at 3348 S. Pulaski that Vanecko and his business partners acquired, and which the city has paid more than $480,000 in rent over the past 15 months. The city uses that space to park dump trucks.
The Cubs made a quick trip to Atlanta on a scheduled off day yesterday for a make-up game and in the end the offense took an off day anyway as the Braves shut out the North Siders 2-0, wasting a good performance by starter Ryan Dempster. Despite getting nine hits and having runners in scoring position in multiple innings, the Cubs couldn't knock in any runs off Braves starter Javier Vazquez. Jake Fox started in place of the $136 Million Dollar Man and Micah Hoffpauir started in place of Milton Bradley. Dempster saw a strong start go to waste, as he gave up only two runs and and struck out six over 6.2 innings. Said Sweet Lou, "We got enough hits. We just didn't hit with men on base. Vazquez pitched well. Both starting pitchers pitched well. But when you get 10 hits, you figure you'll score a few. We just didn't do it." Not to mention leaving 12 men on base overall. After the quick trip down South, the Cubs have huffed it back up to Detroit where they open a three-game set against the AL Central leading Tigers tonight at 6:05 p.m. (WGN).
In 1989 Juan Johnson, then 19, was arrested for murdering a rival gang member with a two-by-four outside a nightclub in Humboldt Park. He was later convicted and sentenced to a 30-year prison term and served eleven and a half years before he was acquitted in 2004. On Monday, Johnson was awarded $21 million in compensatory damages which is the largest award for wrongful conviction in Chicago history according to Chicago Breaking News.
As the backlash against Mayor Daley's Olympic commitments grows, 1st Ward Ald. Manny Flores is now saying that he will introduce an ordinance that will limit the city's liability for the Games to $500 million. Daley signed a contract last week with the International Olympic Committee, committing the city to assume unlimited financial liability for the "planning, organization and staging of the Games." Chicago has already guaranteed $500 million in backing for the Olympics.
Our warm, humid late June run continues today. If hot and humid is your thing, today's a great day for you. Sunny skies hang overhead and temps will reach the lower 90s in many places today. Coupled with some high humidity readings, it's going to be a steamy day. Be careful if you're outside a lot, as areas south and west of the lake will see heat indexes above 100 degrees, which has prompted heat advisories in some counties. It's good to see the sun out after the wet, dreary start we had to June. Enjoy the beaches!
Chicago-based United Airlines announced today they're cutting 600 flight attendant positions due to lower-than-expected air travel and lower attrition than expected. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said, "We will again offer our flight attendants a voluntary package, and hope to receive enough responses to prevent any involuntary furloughs." The airline warned its investors last week that lower travel numbers in the second quarter of 2009 could lead to a 20 percent drop in revenue. United cut approximately 1,550 positions last year. [Tribune]
There are a few changes in this year's Pride Parade, happening this weekend, but one of the biggest will be the installation of barricades along the parade route. The report comes from Michael Lehet at What's A Boy To Do (via WBEZ):
Hell hath no fury like a cab driver handed an American Express card. Technically-speaking, cabbies are supposed to allow payment with credit card; however, we suspect that, technically-speaking, many of you out there have gotten into arguments - or have been flat-out refused a ride - because you tried to pay with plastic. But taxicab travel is set to improve immediately now that New York-based Creative Mobile Technologies and Chicago's Taxi Medallion Management, home of the 2,600 cars of the Yellow, Checker, and Blue Diamond fleets, are beginning to install touch-screens as part of a ten-year deal signed last December.
There's not a whole heckuva lot of information, but the Trib is reporting that David Hernandez, former ChicagoSportsWebio co-founder and alleged Ponzi scheme runner, is in custody after a failed suicide attempt. We'll have more as the story develops.
We mentioned the sentencing for former Blago fundraiser Chris Kelly earlier. A judge has sentenced Kelly to 37 months in prison for using work funds to pay off gambling debts and to pay for his house.
While the Republicans are beginning to sort out their candidates for the 2010 governor's race, the nation's top Democrat is starting to help state Dems sort out who's running for what, including Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Though Madigan has long been rumored as a serious candidate for governor, it seems President Obama is trying to push Madigan into next year's senate race - for the seat Obama once occupied and is now occupied by embattled Sen. Roland Burris - in an attempt to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk. The Sun-Times' Laura Washington has more.
State Senator Matt Murphy, a Republican from Palatine, has officially entered what is going to be a wild 2010 governor's race. Talking to the Tribune, Murphy said, "I'm very serious. I look at it as I really feel that among those in this, I give it the best chance for us to win. It felt like everything kind of came together right in a strange sort of way. The feedback has been good enough. I'm ready to go forward. I'm in." Fellow GOP Sen. Bill Brady (Bloomington) has announced his intention to run already and Sen. Kirk Dillard (Hinsdale) is also considering a run. [Tribune]
Bears fans planning on spending their Sundays tailgating at a pair of parking lots should prepare to pay a little bit more than they did last year. The two lots - one at the McCormick Center and one at 31st & S. Moe Dr. - will see nearly a 50 percent increase from their $17 2008 costs to $25 in 2009. And why, exactly? According to Mary Kay Marquisos, spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, it's to cover "the cost of security, portable toilet facility rental, shuttle buses, cleaning and parking taxes." Also, due to ownership issues, there will be no parking at Michael Reese Hospital.
Randy Wells earned his first Major League win on Sunday as the Cubs defeated the Indians 6-2. Wells, who has the lowest ERA of the Cubs' starters, finally got some run support as he pitched six-plus innings of five-hit, two-run baseball. Following a Geovany Soto homer in the second and a sacrifice fly from Jake Fox in the fourth, Wells helped his own cause with a base hit that lead to a big fifth inning for Chicago. A bases-loaded single from Derrek Lee, and bases-loaded walk to Soto and a bases-loaded double by Fox gave Chicago four runs in the frame and a 6-0 advantage. Lee's RBI knock extended his current hitting streak to 18 games, a span in which the 2007 All-Star is hitting .365. The Cubs look to take their winning streak on the road with an one-night stand in Atlanta this evening before continuing to Detroit for a three-game series that starts on Tuesday.
The annual Taste of Chicago fest doesn't start until Friday but street closures in and around Grant Park have already gone into effect. According to ABC 7, Columbus is closed between Balboa and Monroe while Jackson is closed between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive. Also, Congress is closed between Michigan and Columbus. Plan accordingly. For CTA bus reroutes, be sure to check the CTA's alerts page.
A group of parents at Antioch High School hope to have a Sherman Alexie novel assigned to incoming freshmen for summer reading banned, describing the book as "vulgar" and "racist." The book at the center of the controversy is Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which was good enough to earn accolades like the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, named one of the Los Angeles Times' Favorite Children's Books of 2007, and named New York Times' Notable Children's Books of 2007. But such awards are not enough for some parents who want the book pulled off the list.
Christopher Kelly, former fundraiser for ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, will be sentenced today on the first series of charges he's already pleaded guilty to, with two more sets of charges he's already pleaded not-guilty to. Today, Kelly will be sentenced for using work funds to pay off gambling debts and pay for his house and for personal expenses. He's still to face charges related to a roofing deal at O'Hare and racketeering charges with Blago. Federal prosecutors have been hoping they would get cooperation from Kelly in their case against Blago but that has yet to be the case. Estimates for Kelly's sentence on the charges he will be sentence for today range from about three to four years in prison [Fox 32]
Gothamist had its full of the controversial, from a scandalous Calvin Klein billboard (with threesome) to the killing of Canada geese, in the name of airline safety.
The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program will have to cut more than half of its services if an income tax increase does not occur, reports Chi-Town Daily News. The state and federally funded program gives free breast screenings and mammograms for women over 40, cervical exams for women over 35 and cancer treatment to eligible women. With expected budget cuts, the program stands to lose $9 million. More than 36,000 uninsured women in Illinois, a third of which are from Chicago, benefit from the program; more than 21,000 would no longer receive services.
In an updated tally of the Pandemic That Wouldn't Go Away, the CDC says that Illinois is second in terms of American states with the number of reported cases at 2,526, second only to Wisconsin which has reported 3,008 cases. Overall, there have been 21,449 cases reported nationwide with 87 deaths, but the CDC notes that much of the recent action has shifted to the Northeast. [via WBBM]
Two officers were injured when their squad car hit collided with a civilian car when they were responding to an early morning call of a man with a gun. The accident happened about 4:30 a.m. at the intersection of North Kimball and West Irving Park Road. One officer was taken to Thorek Memorial Hospital, and the other was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital. Both had injuries, but none were considered life threatening. A third person, in the civilian car, was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital. [WBBM]
For those who want to celebrate the first day of summer with a dip in Lake Michigan, good news: Chicago beaches have been re-opened for swimming. However, Oak Street and Montrose beaches have swim advisories. Low to moderate traces of E. coli bacteria were found in the water near those beaches. The Chicago Park District has more information on how to enjoy the lakefront during the 2009 beach season. [Trib]
The Cubs walked off with another win versus the Cleveland Indians and Kerry Wood yesterday, triumphing 6-5 in 13 innings. Cleveland broke a 4-4 deadlock in the top of the 13th when Luis Valbuena hit his second solo shot of the contest, putting the pressure on a Cubs’ offense that had been held scoreless since the sixth. Kosuke Fukudome started the bottom half with his fourth hit of the game, singling to right. He then made a break for second on the third strike to Koyie Hill and advanced all the way to third on an errant throw by Indian’s catcher Kelly Shoppach. A subsequent single by pinch-hitter Andres Blanco plated Fukudome to tie the game, and Aaron Miles’ base knock moved Blanco to within 90 feet of a Cubs’ victory. The game came to an abrupt end when Wood uncorked a wild 1-1 fastball that bounced to the backstop, allowing Blanco to come home with ease for the winning run. Derrek Lee and Micah Hoffpauir provided the Cubs’ early offense, both hitting two-run homers in the middle innings to keep their club in the mix. Starter Ted Lilly turned in six quality innings and seven pitchers later David Patton notched the win. The Cubs will go for the sweep at 1:20 this afternoon.
A blazing train derailment in Rockford, Ill. resulted in one death, power loss and the evacuation of hundreds of residents. The Chicago-bound freight train had 74 of its 114 cars filled with ethanol, according to the Associated Press. As of Saturday morning, five rail cars were still burning, with officials concerned other cars may catch fire. Cars on the train hydroplaned in standing water as it approached a railroad crossing, according to witness reports to the Rockford Register-Star. However a Canadian National Railway Company spokesman said claims the derailment was “caused by a washout of the tracks” were under investigation.
It's been quite a week for Western Illinois' Kyle Peterman at the U.S. Open, but, sadly for Peterman, his golf is done for the weekend. On Saturday, Peterman, playing as an amateur, finished his second round at the rain-plagued Open and hit the clubhouse with an overall score of 16 over par (+11 first round, +5 second round) well off the +4 score necessary to make the cut. Still, we hope to hear big things about Peterman in the future.
Police are investigating the deaths of two beloved pets in Naperville as poisonings. They are offering $1,000 reward for any information leading to the arrests of any culprits. Max, a 9-year-old black Labrador retriever, died late last month from what veterinarians said was an intestinal infection. Bosco, a 8-year-old chocolate Labrador who lived just around the corner from Max, also died after suffering from similar symptoms: vomiting and diarrhea. Veterinarians who looked at Bosco determined he had consumed rat poisoning. The close proximity between the two pets led the Naperville Police Department and animal control to determine whether or not the poisoning was deliberate. Though it was not determined if Max had also ingested rat poisoning, his owner, Gwyn Fahrner, believes it is possible. However Fahrner doesn’t assume it purposely done. [Trib]
The first annual Taste of the Riverwalk kicks off today, along with the opening of a new section of the riverwalk, running along the south bank of the river between Wabash and Michigan Avenue. It’s now possible to walk along the river from Wabash all along the lake without having to go up and down stairs.
The Cubs notched another glorious comeback victory on Friday, beating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings. Trailing 7-0 through the first 4.5 frames, Derrek Lee officially brought the Cubs back to square with a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth off familiar face Kerry Wood. Then with two outs in the tenth, another former teammate, Luis Vizcaino, walked Alfonso Soriano, who then moved into scoring position with a swipe of second. Ryan Theriot worked the count full and then slapped a line drive past Cleveland's Victor Martinez for the game-winning RBI. By the time starter Rich Harden made his final pitch in the fifth, the Tribe had scored seven runs on seven hits. The Cubs, with only two hits to their name, began making inroads when Reed Johnson drove the first pitch from Cliff Lee deep into the center field bleachers for Chicago's first run of the day. Derrek Lee followed suit in the sixth, adding another solo shot to the teams' total, and the Cubs then piled on four runs in the eighth to make it a game again. Kevin Gregg got his second straight win, as the Cubs 'pen allowed just one hit in four innings of relief. The Cubs and Cleveland will play round two at 12:05 this afternoon.
In an effort to balance next year’s budget, the Art Institute of Chicago is laying off 22 staff members, accounting for 3% of their workforce. The cuts are being made across the board, and take effect immediately; employees were notified on Thursday.
Just in time for rush hour on a Friday! It seems some equipment malfunctions have caused the shut down of the Brown and Purple lines at Merchandise Mart, causing major delays. We're not sure what's up but several readers have reported several fire trucks at the Merch Mart location. According to Chicago Breaking News, shuttle buses are transporting passengers between Clark/Lake and Armitage. Adjust your Friday afternoon escape plan accordingly.
The teen accused of shooting and killing teen Blair Holt on-board a CTA bus in May 2007 has pleaded guilty to the shooting. Michael Pace, 17, will serve between 45 years and life for the murder as well as an additional sentence of 6 to 30 years for aggravated battery. Kevin Jones, considered Pace's accomplice, pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, earning him a 10 year sentence. Four others on the bus were injured in the shooting. Pace will be sentenced July 20. [Tribune]
It looks like at least one chapter in the saga of The Lord's Senator has been closed. The Tribune reports that Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt has said there isn't enough evidence to bring perjury charges against U.S. Senator Roland Burris. The perjury issue came up a few months ago when Burris sent an affidavit to the state House committee before whom Burris testified that had information that contradicted his testimony.
The second round of storms for today has just moved through (the above pics were taken this morning looking north towards Navy Pier) and another round is right behind it. This got us wondering about tornadoes downtown. Last month, our pal Amy Freeze warned us of the possibility and we dug back into our archives for this old Ask Chicagoist post. And, just FYI, the northeast Illinois area is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 3 p.m. while northwest Indiana is under a Tornado Watch until 7 p.m. (EDT). (Thanks, Lauren!)
The Cubs got one back Thursday afternoon with a dramatic comeback effort, defeating the White Sox 6-5. Trailing 5-1 with two away in the eighth, Derrek Lee eeked a three-run homer into the basket in right field, bringing the Cubs back to life. Geovany Soto then followed suit, making it back-to-back jacks off reliever Scott Linebrink, tying the game at five. Kevin Gregg pitched the Cubbies through the top of the ninth unscathed, and with two out and two strikes in the bottom half, Alfonso Soriano flared a single to right field, plating Reed Johnson and winning the game in walk-off fashion. Leading up to the dramatic conclusion, Carlos Zambrano and Gavin Floyd traded scoreless innings until the sixth, when Brian Anderson singled home Jermaine Dye for the Sox. Derrek Lee then responded in the bottom half on the inning with a ground-out RBI, evening the score at one. Big Z was saddled with two more runs when Alexei Ramirez went yard in the seventh, and the Sox made the North Siders' situation look dire with RBI knocks from both Chris Getz and Gordon Beckham in the eighth, extending their lead to four. The loss went to Matt Thornton and the win to Gregg, ending the rain-shortened series at one game apiece. The Cubs stay put to host the Indians this afternoon, and the Sox are off to Cincy for three games with the Reds.
And you thought the Cubs' problems this season were confined to a shaky bullpen and quiet bats. It seems the Tribune Company isn't dealing with just the Ricketts family, the original high bidder, anymore. According to Crain's, a "period of exclusivity" has elapsed, opening the door for the Tribune Company to begin negotiating with other bidders, specifically those who the Ricketts had previously outbid. The group the Tribune Co. is now talking to includes investors Marc Utay and Leo Hindery, who had previously bid on the team.
In a surprise move, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool announced yesterday afternoon that he would not be running for County Board President. Claypool, who ran as a reformer against John Stroger in the 2006 Democratic primary, said in an email to supporters that he has "decided not to be a candidate again for Cook County board president. Nor will I be a candidate for a third term on the board." He has also canceled his June 30 fundraiser, and "will be returning all checks." In an early May poll, Claypool was ahead of both incumbent Todd Stroger and 4th Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle.
As the investigation into the Clout list at the University of Illinois continues, the feds now have reason to look at former governor Rod Blagojevich. The Tribune reports that the U.S. Attorney's office subpoenaed the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University today in connection with the investigation, which is also looking into if any of Blago's people - including Tony Rezko and Len Monk - did the same. The University of Illinois subpoena confirms it is in connection to the criminal case against Blago.
The "Parking Ticket Geek" announced on his now-ChicagoNow-located Expired Meter site that there's a "Stop the Meters" protest set for tomorrow from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the South Chicago neighborhood. Alderman John Pope will be facing off against angered constitutents who are trying to ensure that no more parking meters go into their neighborhood, already stretched by the bad economy.
When it all started, Mayor Daley said the taxpayers would bear no additional costs from his 2016 Olympic dream. We'd get the Games, development would be spurred on, and glory would come to Chicago. And the taxpayers would only reap benefits, from the redevelopment of Chicago's Michael Reese Hospital campus to revamped venues all over the city.
The White Sox won the opener of the Crosstown Classic Wednesday at Wrigley, defeating the Cubs 4-1. The Cubs’ anemic offense was on display once again, as the North Siders managed only five hits off Sox starter John Danks and none off his relief, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
LAZ Parking has heard you loud and clear, Chicago, and they're going to help you out. No, they're not giving the money back to the city and no, they're not going to lower their rates. Instead, frustrated motorists that find themselves flummoxed by the new parking meter boxes will bed assisted by "Green Teams," who will be roaming the streets of neighborhoods with these boxes, distributing instructions on how to properly use them. The helpers earned their name thanks to the green t-shirts they'll be wearing when they pass out the instructions. According to the Sun-Times:
With the NBA free agency period still a couple weeks away, and the NBA draft upcoming as well, it may still be premature to speculate on where players might end up. And yet rumors have surfaced that the Bulls' Ben Gordon, an unrestricted free agent, may be atop the wish list for the Detroit Pistons. Sam Smith, on his Bulls.com blog, reported that the Pistons are ready to offer the Bulls guard an $11 million a year deal when the free agency period begins on July 1.
The political embarrassment of Mayor Daley has been brewing publicly for a few months now (not counting the earlier charges that his son and nephew had hidden ownership stakes in a company that did millions of dollars of business in contracts to clean city sewers). To wit, Daley's nephew, Robert Vanecko, has been at the center of an investigation by city Inspector General David Hoffman, and now federal prosecutors, over a real estate investment firm he ran with Daley fundraiser Allison Davis, DV Urban Realty. That company, which bought up South side properties which eventually lost money in the hosuing meltdown last year, was financed with nearly $70 million in city pension funds.
President Barack Obama will sign a presidential memorandum today to extend some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, but they may not include health or retirement benefits. Some gay rights activists expected Obama to make strides for gay rights this June in honor of Gay Pride Month, but they have been disappointed by the lack of movement.
It's been a strange couple of days for ChicagoSportsWebio and it all culminated with the site shutting down yesterday, according to the Trib's Phil Rosenthal. While the site still looks like it's fully operational, indeed, there is no audio. The drama started when Mike North's complaints about bounced checks got him fired from the site by co-founder David Hernandez. Hernandez was then alleged to have been running a Ponzi scheme and subsequently disappeared, his wife yesterday filing a missing person's report.
As time runs out for a new state budget, Governor Quinn is mulling over the possibility of calling a special session to hash it out. Quinn expressed a desire to have a new budget done in the next 10 days. He told WBEZ, "I plan to get together next week with the legislators, we'll talk tomorrow about how the mechanism is, but I think they understand they may have gone home for the summer-- summer vacation -- but their work isn't done." Yesterday, Quinn said up to 10,000 state workers could lose their jobs if the budget wasn't fixed from its current state.
Former Cook County patronage worker Tony Cole spoke to the press yesterday about his frustrations with how he's been treated by Todd Stroger, his friends and his family in the wake of the county's most recent hiring scandal. "President Stroger should have never fired me," Cole told the Sun-Times. "He wasn't my father. He wasn't my dad he just gave me an opportunity," Cole told ABC7.
Chicago 2016 made a 45-minute pitch to members of the IOC today, attempting to convince them why Chicago should be chosen as host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Ireland IOC Rep Patrick Hickey, who seems to think Chicago will win the bid, said afterward of Chicago's presentation, "It was excellent, and I heard a lot of good comments from my colleagues." Each city - Chicago, Rio, Madrid, and Tokyo - had 45 minutes to make a presentation and then up to 45 minutes for a Q & A session with the IOC members. USOC VP Bob Ctvrtlik said, "There were areas where we can improve a little bit, especially in giving more details. We were trying to do in 45 minutes what we did in 3 days for the evaluation commission."
The hunt is on for Dr. Charles Flowers, the county's Regional Superintendent of Suburban Cook County Schools after a state audit showed that he may have misused county funds for personal gains. The office, which issues teaching certificates, approves school calendars and reviews school districts' finances in suburban Cook County, was deemed so useless that it was eliminated in 1994. A political deal in Springfield later resurrected it. Flowers, who's is the head of the office, is suspected of using tens of thousands of dollars in state money to hire relatives and pay for personal expenses. Included in the spending is a vehicle, furniture and personal cash advances.
The highly anticipated first game of this year's Crosstown Classic was postponed last night due to rain. While no make-up date has officially been announced, the Trib pulled out their pocket schedules and figured out both teams have open dates on September 3 and September 10, meaning a late-season clash could be in the cards.
After watching this video, you can just imagine John Harwood standing on Pebble Beach, cell phone pressed firmly to his ear, talking to his editor back at CNBC. "Dude, seriously, he caught the fucking fly with his bare hand. Yeah! First try. Of course we have it on film - I nearly crapped my pants when I saw it. I thought 'Oh my god, this is gold. It's like Mr. Miyagi! Yeah, we'll get it over to you right away."
The man accused of trying to kill his wife using pufferfish toxin has been indicted on additional charges. Edward F. Bachner, IV, having already been indicted on a charge of possessing a biological agent for use as a weapon, faces additional charges. According to Chicago Breaking News:
The superseding indictment, handed down today in federal court in Rockford, alleges that Bachner committed wire fraud as part of the scheme, solicited another person to commit a felony involving the use of force, used an interstate facility for murder-for-hire and filed false claims for federal income tax refunds.
Bachner has pleaded not guilty to the previous charge and is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges on Thursday.
"I've spent all my life in America," said Saman, 29. "But I feel connected to everything back there. And it's clear from what we're hearing that something is wrong with the elections [in Iran.]" Saman, who gave only his first name, said his mother was singing the Iranian national anthem along with the protesters via cell phone for most of Tuesday afternoon as a fraction of Chicago's Iranian community rallied in protest of the allegedly falsified elections. "She knows all the words, [to the song, Sorud-e Melli-ye Iran]" he said. "They left Iran before the [1979] Revolution." Saman said he had to read the Persian lyrics, supplied by organizers, to keep up with her.
The New York Times is reporting this afternoon that, "according to lawyers with knowledge of the drug-testing results from that year," Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids during the 2003 season in which he was playing for the Cubs. According to the story, it seems Sosa's positive test came from the same round that snared Yankees slugger/slapper Alex Rodriguez.
Mayor Daley and the Chicago 2016 crew have some unexpected tagalongs at their IOC appearance in Switzerland. It seems a few delegates from No Games Chicago made the trip as well and were carrying literature to distribute to the IOC and it seems Chicago's competition lent a helping hand. According to the Trib's Philip Hersh:
Some good news for the Iranian-Americans hoping to protest in Chicago today. The City finally approved their permit and the rally will be held downtown in Federal Plaza at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon, according to CBS 2. Similar protests are happening in other cities today as well. We'll have pictures tomorrow, but be sure to follow along on Twitter using the "#iranelections" tag and our pals at @windycitizen for constant updates. [via Windy Citizen]
The Tribune isn't taking the battle for applicant data in the case of the University of Illinois's clout list lightly. Last week, they ran a list of state legislators complete with statistics on how many students each has helped. Now, they've filed suit against the University for the release of applicant data, including, "the immediate release of grade point averages and standardized test scores of the hundreds of college applicants placed on an internal list of well-connected students." School spokesman Tom Hardy said, "The university believes it has a strong legal case and we are prepared to make it."
Hate crime charges could be coming in the burning of nine year old Joshua Judkins, according to authorities investigating the case. Joshua, who suffered second- and third-degree burns over 20 percent of his body, was visiting his mother in Hammond when the incident happened. He was playing with three older boys he had just met when they allegedly threw alcohol on him and set him on fire. But Joshua is black and the three boys involved are white, leading Joshua's father to call for hate crime charges. Elijah Judkins said, "This is not nothing that just happened by chance. This was a hate crime." Police say the boys claimed the burning was accidental. Authorities also say Joshua isn't well enough yet to give an official statement. [CBS 2 via WBBM-AM]
Yesterday evening, Cook County sheriff's police were still investigating the death of a woman after she was hit by a golf cart at Idlewild Country Club in Flossmoor. Barbara Zoub, 78, was struck by a golf cart at the country club Sunday afternoon and pronounced dead later that night. The investigation, however, was late in starting. Cook County Sheriff's office spokesman Steve Patterson told reporters, "We were not immediately notified by Flossmoor police of this death and just began investigating this today. At this point, we're in the very early stages of the investigation and need to conduct interviews, as well as examine the scene." [Tribune]
Much was made yesterday morning about the cost of President Obama's quick trip back to Chicago for his speech before the American Medical Association's annual meeting, pitching his proposed health care reform plan. But the speech itself was received warmly for the most part. Calling the current cost of health care a "ticking time-bomb" and while not supporting caps on malpractice lawsuits, Obama did call for improvements to the system that would:
33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell announced late last Friday that Wal-Mart will get another shot at coming into Chicago, perhaps as early as by the end of this month. “We’ll see what the consensus is,” Mell who is chairman of the City Council's rules committee, said. Archon Group LP, the real estate firm that controls the South side retail center, has been ratcheting up pressure on the city, along with Wal-Mart, to allow the mega-retailer to develop a supercenter store at 83rd and Stewart. A clause in the development agreement of the Archon retail center prevents any store larger than 100,000 square feet from opening without prior approval by the city. Wal-Mart supercenters are typically 180,000 square feet, and sell groceries along with other retail goods.
Yesterday, we mentioned a group Iranian-Americans who planned to protest the recent controversial election (which is being understated about it) with a rally downtown. But this morning comes a report from CBS 2 that the group had a parade permit denied by the city. No reason was given for the denial. The New York Times has a good running update on the situation in Iran.
With radio in turmoil and big name hosts getting axed across town, radio personalities are sometimes going to unusual lengths to reach an audience. After leaving The Score (670AM) last year, veteran sports radio host Mike North joined forces with David Hernandez to launch Chicagosportswebio.com as an internet sports-talk platform. Things started to get weird there last week, when it was reported that North was fired from his executive role at the start-up by Hernandez after North question why the media outlet's checks were bouncing.
Tony Cole, the former steakhouse busboy that county board president Todd Stroger hired to a $60,000 a year county job in spite of his felony convictions for check fraud, is back in the news. According to an investigation conducted by the Sun-Times, Cole continued to get paid by the county for time his spent in jail (the Cook County jail, no less!) between Nov. 19 and Nov. 21. Cole was incarcerated for violating the terms of an order of protection against an ex-girlfriend.
As 1,500 city workers await threatened pink slips, Mayor Daley (before he heads to Switzerland) met with union leaders to try to hash out some sort of compromise. Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon said, "We may take a tough hit, and we probably are at the end of the day, but we want to get our arms around this as best we possibly can to make sure we minimize the amount of layoffs." [Trib's Clout Street]
We hope former governor Rod Blagojevich had a good time this weekend appearing at the Second City show that mocks him because he's facing even more legal trouble. Four state casinos have banded together to file a $267 million racketeering lawsuit against Blago for a 2006 law that forced the state's top four casinos to direct three percent of the earnings to the horse-track industry. The Wall Street Journal has the details.
It's go-time once more for the Chicago 2016 team. A group of representatives, including Mayor Daley, are off to Switzerland to make another presentation to the IOC. After the presentation, the team will also take questions from the IOC. And, of course, our pal Steve Rhodes is a bit skeptical of Daley's travel (and rightfully so). [WBEZ]
We've spent the past few days marveling at the protests happening in Iran following the recent controversial presidential election. Now comes word that a local group of Iranians are planning to protest the controversy. From CLTV: "The Iran House of Greater Chicago says it doesn't necessarily care about the outcome, but just wants to make sure everyone's vote was properly accounted for Friday." No word on specifically what they have planned nor where the protest will happen. Click here for some amazing pictures of the protests. [via Windy Citizen]
Meet Cheryl Reynolds, the worst mother in Chicago. On Saturday, Reynolds crashed her car as she allegedly reached for a bottle of alcohol in the car that had fallen onto the floorboard, causing her nine-year-old to smash her head into the windshield. Reynolds was subsequently charged with aggravated driving under the influence and ticketed for reckless driving, not having a valid drivers license, failing to wear a seat-belt and for operating an uninsured vehicle. The crash happened around 6:15 p.m. Saturday evening as the car crashed into a viaduct near East 83rd Street and South Jeffery Boulevard. Police reported yesterday that both Reynolds and her daughter were in stable condition. [WBBM, Fox]
Chicago Police answered a call of a break-in at Whittier Elementary School early this morning and discovered a pair of boys, 13 and 14 years old, inside. The 14-year-old then allegedly pointed a gun at police who shot the boy in the leg. According to reports, the boy did not fire on police and the other teen did not have a weapon. Per the Sun-Times:
If U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk gets his way, more potent marijuana will soon garner a harsher punishment. Under Kirk's proposed legislation, a first-time offense for selling or distributing marijuana with a THC content of more than 15 percent would earn you 25 years in prison. Kirk plans to unveil his proposed legislation at a press conference later today. We're not even going to wade into the "Legalize It" debate but 25 years seems a bit steep.
Ryan Theriot's walk-off single gave the Cubs a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday and prevented the series sweep. Derrek Lee started the rally with a one-out single and then legged his way to third on Geovany Soto's knock to left. The Twins then walked Mike Fontenot to get to the right-handed hitting Theriot, who made his second RBI of the day a game winner. On the hill Ted Lilly turned in another fine performance, grinding out 7.2 quality innings. Carlos Gomez was the only thorn in Lilly's side, as Gomez doubled, stole third and scored in the second inning, and then deposited a hanging slider over the wall in left center to tie the game at two in the sixth. Soto picked up the Cubs' other RBI, plating Milton Bradley in the fourth en route to a 3-for-4 day at the dish. The win stopped a four-game skid, and will give the club some confidence heading into Tuesday's opener with the Sox.
A third person - this time an adult - has been charged in last month's horrific murder of teenager Alex Arellano. The Sun-Times reports this morning that Alisa Campos, 22, has been charged with a count of first-degree murder. Two others - Jovanny Martinez,15, and Edgar Silva,18 - were previously charged in the crime. According to a report from Chicago Breaking News, Campos is alleged to have been one of the people who beat Arellano with a baseball bat when he refused to acknowledge his attackers' gang affiliation (Latin Kings). Arellano's burned body was found in a gangway the next day.
Our two beloved baseball teams face off this week for the first time this season, and as usual the hoopla and hype over the series begins well in advance of the first pitch. Never one to shy away from taking the first shot, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen let his true feelings for the Friendly Confines be known on Sunday: "One thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there." He continued, "That's just to be honest. And if Cub fans don't like the way I talk about Wrigley Field, it's just Wrigley Field. I don't say anything about the fans or anything now. But Wrigley Field, they got to respect my opinion. That's the way I feel."
We mentioned last week President Obama is making a brief return visit to town today to speak to the annual meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates. Most pundits see the address as the first in what will be a growing and ongoing tussle over Obama's new health care package. But others, including the Tribune, are focusing more on the cost of Obama's trip home than what he has to say to the AMA. President Obama won't stay long, flying back to D.C. later this afternoon after making his appearance. According to the Tribune, the cost of the round-trip on Air Force One will cost around $236,000. And, as the Trib points out, "that does not include such expenses as Secret Service protection, motorcades and helicopter transports." It's believed that Obama will travel by helicopter from O'Hare to a location close to the hotel where he'll be speaking so as not to completely snarl traffic. Of course, buried in the Trib story are concessions that Obama's trips to Chicago are much shorter - and thereby cheaper - than trips taken by previous presidents to their home bases.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich opened "Rod Blagojevich Superstar," a comedy show satirizing the rise and fall of the impeached and indicted governor's career, Saturday evening at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. A parody of rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar," the hour long production was supposed to end June 14, but was extended to Aug. 9 because of its popularity. A producer said he contacted Blagojevich last week and asked if he would make an appearance to promote the extended run, according to the United Press International. The ousted governor followed through on his promise and was met with wild cheers from the audience when he appeared on stage.
A rare stamp with a likeness of Lincoln fetched $431,250 at an auction yesterday. The stamp, known as the Ice House Cover, was originally mailed from Boston to India in 1876. It was stolen from a collector's home in Indiana in 1967 and surfaced in Chicago in 2006. The highest bid came from a doctor named Arthur K.M. Woo. [Sun-Times]
The White Sox had a field day against Manny Parra and the Brewers, scoring six runs in the second inning of a 7-1 victory. Parra coughed up five hits and three walks in that fateful inning, as Jayson Nix, Gordon Beckham, Scott Podsednik and Paul Konerko all drove in runs for the Sox. The outburst ended Parra's day after only five outs, while in the Sox camp starter Jose Contreras pitched eight shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two free passes. Contreras has now thrown sixteen frames since his return to the Bigs, conceding only three hits in that span. Nix, Brian Anderson and Ramon Castro had two hits apiece for Chicago, with the recently aquired Castro adding a solo shot to the Sox's tally in the fifth. The Sox and the Brewers play the rubber game today at 1:05 in Miller Park.
A man carrying, among other things, a loaded gun and a fake security badge was arrested yesterday by police at the Central/Lake Green line stop. The badge had a fake business and phone number listed on it. Police made the discovery after conducting an interview with the man and asking for proper identification that would allow him to carry the loaded weapon at the train stop. From NBC 5:
If you're flying through Terminal Two at O'Hare this weekend, Starbucks won't be around to meet your caffeine needs. The coffee shop has been shut down by the Dumpster Task Force thanks to insects. A visit was made on June 4th when a warning was issued and the shop was shut down yesterday when a return visit yielded the same results as before. No word on when the shop will be reopened. [CBS 2]
Metra officials have their panties in a wad, but commuters will be singing for joy: beginning in September, Metra will begin accepting credit cards for monthly passes and 10-ride tickets. Thank you Sen. Michael Bond (D-Grayslake) for pushing through legislation that now requires Metra to accept credit cards.
Police are trying to make sense out of what happened to an unidentified woman who was seen hanging out of the window of a moving car, nude. She was found battered following a car crash on the South Side a little before 8 a.m.
Strange story coming from the Sun-Times' Michael Sneed (so take it with a grain of salt). It seems that while Patti was allowed to go to Costa Rica for that reality show, Blago's received a new offer of his own. William Kelly, host of CSN's "Sports-A-Holic," has allegedly offered Blago $10,000 to participate in a drag race. Yes, a drag race. We...would actually watch that on television (unlike Patti's rumble in the jungle). According to Sneed:
A fight broke out at the Columbus Restaurant and Bar, 651 W. Washington Blvd, in the West Loop early this morning and police responded to find four people injured from stab wounds. One victim was listed in critical condition, another in guarded, and the other two in stable condition. The perp was also apprehended by police and hospitalized in stable conditions with minor cuts. No word from police of what led to the violent outburst. [WBBM]
The Sox squandered a late lead against the Brewers Friday night, dropping game one in Milwaukee 7-2. Starter Clayton Richard-- given two runs to work with in the fourth on Chris Getz's RBI single--pitched five scoreless innings before committing a throwing error in the sixth to put Milwaukee's leadoff man on base. The gaffe, in addition to his 102nd pitch, marked the end of Richard's night, as Ozzie Guillen handed the ball to reliever Octavio Dotel. Dotel allowed the inherited runner to come across, along with two more Crew members, as Milwaukee jumped ahead 3-2. D.J. Carrasco came in to pitch the seventh, but fared no better, surrendering four runs in just one-third of an inning. Aaron Poreda finally stopped the bleeding in his Major League debut, pitching the remainder of the contest with one hit and three K's to his name. On offense, Scott Podsednik led the charge with a 3-for-4 showing, and Richard made the most of the interleague opportunity by picking up his first career hit. Last night's loss was the ninth in the month of June for the Sox, who'll look to bounce back at 3:05 this afternoon.
Tom Tuduj, who was convicted in January of killing his boss, Gary Poter, was sentenced today to 45 years in prison. The murder happened in 2006. Prosecutors alleged Tuduj was enraged over a poor work review and pay reduction by Poter, though Tuduj claimed a toxic mix of medications caused him mental issues. Tuduj was also convicted of attempted disarmament of a police officer because he tried to grab an officer's gun while in police custody.
It was a gorgeous day for baseball at Wrigley, but a few ugly plays cost the Cubs a shot at a comeback as the Twins tripped up the Cubs 7-4 in the opening game of their interleague series. Starter Randy Wells had a rough outing, giving up four runs on seven hits in only 3.2 innings pitched. Joe Mauer put the Twins on the board with a two-run homer in the third and the Twins knocked in two more in the fourth. Milton Bradley got the Cubs back in the game with a bases loaded double in the sixth that scored two runs. A fielder's choice on the next batter - Derek Lee - led to another run for the Cubs. But in the top of the seventh, Bradley lost a fly ball in the sun and then misplayed another on a diving catch which led to another run for the Twins. Bradley committed another miscue in the eight when he caught a one-out fly ball in right field and, thinking it was out three, postured in the outfield, and tossed the ball into the right field stands. A run scored on the sacrifice and a runner on first made it all the way to third. Each team tacked on another run, but in the end, the Cubs couldn't take advantage of their opportunities while giving the Twins plenty of their own scoring chances. The series continues at Wrigley tomorrow afternoon at 12:05 p.m.
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