ESPN News is reporting the Chicago White Sox have managed to land San Diego Padre ace Jake Peavy at the MLB trade deadline. We're tracking this story for details. Peavy has been on the DL since early June. MLB Network reports the Sox shipped the Padres four players in return for Peavy: left-handers Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard and right-handers Dexter Carter and Adam Russell
Fed up with owners of dangerous dogs who aren't properly abiding by set rules, Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th) is looking to put down stricter penalties at those who flaunt the current rules. Inspired by an incident in his own ward, Schulter has introduced an ordinance that would ban an offender from owning a dog for five years while multiple offenders could face a lifetime ban within city limits as well as up to six months in jail. [Sun-Times]
Part of the argument in favor of bringing a second Wal-Mart into Chicago, at 83rd and Stewart in Chatham, is that the neighborhood is a "food desert". This argument has been bandied about a lot lately, most recently by a certain Sun-Times columnist. But if you've spent any time around Chatham, you'll know that it isn't the desperately poor black neighborhood that much of the South side is characterized as. In fact, as Rich Miller over at Capitol Fax and this Google map show, there are quite a few food stores near the proposed location.
Twitter no-no's have been all the rage this week. First, there was the local woman who was sued for defamation by her property company and now it appears as if U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, who recently announced his campaign for U.S. Senate, may have violated some military rules via his Twitter account. Kirk, a Naval Reservist, is under scrutiny from The Capitol Fax for a pair of tweets that went up on his campaign twitter account while he was on active duty and may have violated rules. He revealed his location, which violates military rules, and because the twitter account is part of his U.S. Senate campaign, he may be in trouble because military rules prohibit certain political activities while on active duty. A Kirk spokesman told Rich Miller at Capitol Fax that it wasn't Kirk but rather a staffer who posted those tweets on Kirk's account. The Navy told Miller they are, "going to be looking into the matter.” [via ChicagoNow]
Chicago's Chief Financial Officer Gene Saffold is predicting that the city's budget hole will be worse next year. This is after the city burns through a new $320 million "rainy day fund" created from the parking meter lease. Saffold predicted a deficit of upwards of half a billion dollars next year, citing declining tax revenue and increased wages, compared against a projected budget of $6 billion. (Is this the first time the city has engaged in long-range financial planning? Publicly, at least?) While raising taxes is a last resort, according to Saffold, "nothing is ruled out at this point," Saffold told the Tribune. "The mayor has instructed us not to look at property taxes as we move forward in 2010."
In a sit-down described as "cordial and productive," President Obama sat down with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., and Sgt. James Crowley, the Cambridge Police officer who arrested Gates a few weeks ago as Gates tried to enter his own locked house. The furor over the incident intensified last week when President Obama said that the police had "acted stupidly" in the manner in which they arrested Gates. A Pew Research Center poll found 41 percent of those polled disapproved of Obama's handling of the situation, 29 percent approved, and 30 percent fell into the "don't know" category. Afterward, Crowley indicated he and Gates planned to meet again. Whether the sit-down will cool tensions over this incident - which has seen things as wild as FOX News host Glenn Beck saying Obama, "has a deep-seeded hatred for white people," - remains to be seen and the President now moves on to other issues such as the economy (is it really rebounding?) and health care (still facing much opposition). In the meantime, Slate also breaks out a great list of cinematic sit-downs over beer. Hard to beat #1.
The White Sox relied on late-innings heroics Thursday night to defeat the New York Yankees 3-2 and snap a three-game skid. In the top of the ninth, it appeared former Sox player Nick Swisher was going to play the heel, driving a fastball from Matt Thorton into the left field stands to tie the game at two. Thankfully for the Sox, Dewayne Wise had other ideas. With runners on first and second and two away, Wise ripped a comebacker up the middle to score Scott Podsednik and notch a walk-off win for Chicago. The rally salvaged an excellent 7.2 innings by starter Gavin Floyd, who allowed only one run on four hits and a walk while striking out 10. Paul Konerko and Gordon Beckham both finished 2-for-4, with Beckham doubling home the Sox's other earned run in the third. The Sox and Yanks do it again tonight at 7:11.
That's the persistent question as the date for selecting the city that will host the 2016 Summer Games draws near. Bid backers in Chicago contend that the Games will bring jobs, an economic boost and international prestige to the city, all at little or no cost to taxpayers. Chicago 2016 has also claimed that support from the private sector coupled with world class management will ensure that Chicago will benefit from hosting the games. Within that debate, however, supporters haven't pointed to a city that has benefited from hosting the games. Montreal didn't finish paying off the billions of dollars of debt it had incurred in 1976 until 2006. More recently Greece teetered on the edge of failing to host the Olympics in 2004 when the government failed to complete construction on time. London is already billions of dollars over budget.
Even with both baseball teams still in the playoff hunt, we're still excited by the first Bears practice, because that means that football season returns soon. Kicking off Training Camp in Bourbonnais today, the players will take the field at Olivet Nazarene University for the first time at 3pm.
With the state feeling the financial crunch and reeling from that recent budget dust-up, we knew lots of folks we're going to suffer repercussions. One of the latest groups to feel the sting is a group of the state's college students who were denied financial aid. Why? Because they applied after the state's May 15 deadline, a deadline which, in the past, had been set much later. Then there's this, according to the Sun-Times:
What's more, under the state budget compromise reached earlier this month, which slashed funding for the state's Monetary Award Program in half, no student at any Illinois school will receive aid for the second half of the 2009-2010 school year.
Other forms of aid are available, such as Pell Grants, loans, and scholarships handed out by specific schools, but it doesn't look good for a lot of state students.
The Tribune's James Janega was embedded with the Illinois National Guard in Afghanistan and just recently returned home to Chicago. Today's he's filed this outstanding story and you can catch up on more of James' stuff (accompanied Tribune photographer Jason Wambsgans) here at the Afghan War Blog.
Wal-Mart certainly raised the stakes this week in its bid to open a second store in the city. But the results of the push-poll notwithstanding, setting up shop in Chatham may not be the slam dunk the Arkansas-based mega-retailer thinks it will be. That's because, as the city council was passing the buck on the Wal-Mart vote by sending it from the Rules Committee to the Finance Committee, committee chair Alderman Ed Burke (of the 14th Ward) told the Sun-Times that Wal-Mart would have to step up to the plate to play ball in Chicago.
Later Tunney acknowledged that there isn’t a consensus in the LGBT community whether to pursue a special category as a qualified minority. He told the Sun-Times:
The White Sox found themselves on the losing end on another one-run ballgame, this time falling to the Minnesota Twins by the score of 3-2. With runners on second and third and two out in the ninth, the newly acquired Mark Kotsay hit a hard liner right into the glove of Michael Cuddyer to end Chicago's threat. The Sox flashed some power offensively, scoring on home runs by Jayson Nix and Carlos Quentin, yet managed only six hits off the Twins' pitching staff in total. The pair of solo shots was good enough to erase a 2-0 deficit, but the Twins added the third run when Alexi Casilla plated Joe Crede in the sixth. Jose Contreras took the loss for Chicago, surrendering Minnesota's three runs over 5.2 innings on the mound. The Sox head into a tough seven-game stretch on a down note, as they host the Yankees tonight at 7:11.
It seems Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis got a bit ahead of himself with the new rule that would allow officers to shoot at the drivers and passengers of cars as they flee police. Yesterday, Michael Sneed reported a police department spokesman as saying the new rule would go into effect Monday. One problem: no one cleared this past the City Council which is, as the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman put it, "a no-no for any Chicago police superintendent." Instead, at yesterday's Council meeting Ald. Isaac Carothers, introduced an ordinance that would require the police department to get City Council approval before enacting any new policy related to deadly force, citing two cases that occurred in 1999 in which innocent civilians were shot by police: "Let's not forget what happened in the LaTanya Haggerty case, which cost the city a lot of money [$18 million], and the [Robert] Russ case, which cost an awful lot of money [$9.6 million] with police officers firing their weapons." The move was also announced without the approval of the police union, according to union president Mark Donahue. Mayor Daley himself later said nothing had changed yet and, They're just looking at it. If you have general orders that conflict with one another, you should look at it." [NBC 5, Sun-Times]
The Chicago City Council approved a 25 year land lease to Exelon Corp. and SunPower Corp. yesterday, to build a 40 acre solar power plant on the polluted and vacant International Harvester plant, in Chicago's South side West Pullman neighborhood. The ordinance calls for a lease term of 25 years with an option to continue the lease for 25 more years after the initial lease term ends. The agreement stipulates that Exelon will pay the city $110,000 a year for the lease, and the city will assume $1.3 million of the environmental clean up costs. That includes asbestos-contaminated soil and removal of underground tanks. If other tanks are found, the city will split the costs with Exelon, although other environmental clean up costs will be assumed by the joint venture.
U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel announced today he wouldn't be giving a public release to the FBI's tapes of former governor Rod Blagojevich's conversations amassed via wiretaps. Several media outlets had requested the release of documents such as the tapes and transcripts. Zagel is still weighing how much information he'll release in regards to the government's case against William F. Cellini, a request made by the Tribune. [Sun-Times]
Here's how to spin some bad news into good news: We're certainly not wasting any stimulus funds to construct a decent website about the spending of our stimulus funds. How do we know this? The organization Good Jobs First has rated the websites of all 50 states [pdf] to see how well they report their spending of stimulus money, how detailed the information is, and so on - and Illinois sucked bad.
An outbreak of offense and a stellar outing from Randy Wells powered the Cubs waaaaay past the Houston Astros today by a score of 12-0. The Cubs put up six runs in the first inning alone, half of that off a three-run homer from Alfonso Soriano. Aramis Ramirez homered in the second, and the Cubs put up two more in the fourth. A few more late-inning runs from the Cubs, including a solo shot from Andres Blanco in the eighth, wrapped up the blow-out. All told, the Cubs used every available position player and knocked 14 hits off the Houston pitching staff. As for Wells, he was nothing short of fantastic on the mound, throwing eight shut-out innings, scattering six hits and striking out two for his seventh win of the season. Mitch Atkins made his major league debut by pitching a scoreless ninth. But the story today was the offense which, for the third time since the All-Star Break, hit double-digits in the runs scored category, a feat they accomplished only twice before the break. And since the break, the Cubs are now 10-3 and they're 5-1 on this homestand which wraps up tomorrow. The team, now back in a temporary first place tie with the Cardinals who play later tonight, hits the road after tomorrow's matinee finale.
Rich Miller, who runs Illinois must-read politics blog CapitalFax is having a little fun with the much touted release of former governor Rod Blagojevich's new book, The Governor. In a post on his site yesterday, he explains that he "created a tag called 'Moron'. Clicking the Moron tag shows that Rod Blagojevich's new book is already the second most prevalent product with that tag at Amazon's entire site. It does have a way to go to overtake the first place contestant, however, but Blagojevich is, in my opinion, far more deserving." And he's encouraging his readers to click the tag if they agree with the sentiment. That's a great one, Rich, but there's still a ways to go if you want to hang with 4chan.
Local radio station Radio Arte WRTE 90.5 FM - "a Latino-owned, bilingual, youth-driven public radio station" - is reporting this morning that a youth mural supporting immigration on their Pilsen building, shared with youth arts outreach group Yollocalli, was defaced overnight. The mural, based on last year's "A Declaration of Immigration" exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art, was defaced with the spray-painted words "LIES" and the phrase "Mexicans Are Racists."
Jack Shaw, a Jersey City political consultant who was arrested last week in connection with the massive New Jersey corruption probe, was found dead yesterday at his home. Authorities reported finding several bottles of pills near his body, but the cause of death has not been determined as Shaw did suffer from an unspecified illness. According to the New York Times, Shaw got his start as, "a longtime Democratic operative who cut his teeth working for Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago."
The Sun-Times resident City Gossip Queen is reporting this morning that Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis is enacting a new policy this weekend that allows police to shoot at the drivers and passengers of cars as they flee police. A police source told Sneed, "Officers were allowed to use deadly force to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person, but it didn't allow them to use force to apprehend a fleeing forcible felon. If confronted by an oncoming vehicle, officers were simply told to get out of the way, unless they were put in great danger."
As the city looks hard to close a budget hole of more than $300 million, Mayor Daley is announcing plans to furlough more than 2,000 non-union employees in the park district, the public schools, the city colleges, the Chicago Housing Authority, the Public Buildings Commission and the CTA. The unpaid days are expected to save the city $18 million. "We must continue to demand more from every employee and do more with less," Daley said at a press conference Tuesday. The bulk of the cuts will happen at the management level, affecting those earning around $90,000 a year or more. "Those savings demonstrate that we, starting at the top levels of governments in Chicago, understand the need to be part of the solution during these very, very difficult times," he said. Last month city hall laid off more than 400 city workers, after they refused to take overtime reductions and 15 unpiad furlough days.
In another outbreak of violence, at least 15 people were injured in a spate of shootings overnight. The most violent of those happened in East Garfield Park where seven were injured in one shooting. According to a Chicago Breaking News report:
It seems like the controversy over Wal-Mart's attempts to open a second store in Chicago won't go away. And it seems like the massive retailer is helping to fan the flames of contention. From the Chicagoist tipline: "I just got what I think was a 'push-poll' about building a Wal-Mart at 83rd & Stewart. Basically, it only asked one question (a true sign of a political push-poll) and was heavily weighted in language towards Wal-Mart and Mayor Daley. It was something similar to the following: 'Mayor Daley says that a Wal-Mart at 83rd & Stewart would bring 400+ jobs to the city and make fresh food available to the neighborhood; others believe jobs are not enough. Press 1 if you believe a Wal-Mart should be allowed to be built or Press 2 if you believe it should not." A quick check of the phone number the calls are originating from - and a check of that tipline inbox - indicated that quite a few Chicagoans got the same call, as well.
Mark Buerhle's bid at back-to-back perfection fell a few innings short on Tuesday night as the White Sox were defeated by the Twins 5-3. Buehrle set that Major League record for the most consecutive batters retired with 45, but, unfortunately for the Sox, his transition back to normalcy was not a graceful one, as the Twins tagged Buehrle for five runs by the end of the seventh inning. Chicago, who had scored one earlier on a homer by Jermaine Dye, added two more in a ninth, but could not close the four-run gap. The loss drops the Sox into a second-place tie with the Twins, still two back of the slumping Tigers. The two teams will close out their three-game series tonight at 7:10.
This morning, the Chicago City Council will vote on whether to grant a 25-year land lease to Excelon Corp., ComEd's parent company. The $60 million project, a joint venture of Exelon and San Jose-based SunPower Corp is expected to create 200 jobs directly from the construction of the plant, and the nearly 33,000 solar panels are expected to save over 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Excelon will own and operate the plant, and plans to market the Solar Renewable Energy Certificates it generates.
Hopefully this is the last time we have to say this, but once again Hawaii has checked and triplechecked the Obama birth certificate and guess what - it shows that the POTUS is a natural-born citizen. (Whether you like it or not.) From the Swamp: "I ... have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawaii State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen," Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said in a brief statement.
A railing collapsed at a Calumet Park apartment building last night, injuring four. When responders arrived on the scene, two of the four were unconscious. Calumet Park Fire Chief Tom Battistella said there were possibly up to 10 people on the stairwell when the railing collapsed:
"When we arrived there were about 10 people on the stairwell. It looks like they fell anywhere from 10 to 15 feet," Battistella said. " Four were transported to Metro South in Blue Island and Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. Seven people refused treatment. I don't know their conditions."The remaining residents of the building were evacuated while the building was inspected. [Chicago Breaking News]
State Rep. Julie Hamos will announce today that she is running for congress in Illinois's 10th District. She'll be running for Mark Kirk's open seat, who is challenging Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate. Democrat Dan Seals, who lost to Kirk twice, has been the subject of speculation, but hasn't made his intentions public yet.
An uptown woman is being sued by the real estate company that owns her apartment for a defamatory tweet the woman put up on her public Twitter account. Amanda Bonnen allegedly tweeted on May 12, "Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it's okay." Now Horizon Group Management says that statement has caused harm to their reputation and they're suing for more than $50,000 in damages. [CBS 2]
Fresh out of bankruptcy and still getting used to the new ring Uncle Sam bought for the shotgun wedding to Italian automaker Fiat, Chrysler began production Monday at its norther Illinois Belvedere plant. The plant, which manufactures the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Patriots and Jeep Compasses is expected to bring 1,700 local autoworkers back on the clock, compared to the 2,700 it employed prior to shutting down on May 1, when Chrysler LLC entered bankruptcy.
Conventional wisdom around Cook County is that Todd Stroger is toast in the next election. But voter sentiment might not be the only thing at play in the primaries. That's because, according to an investigation by the Daily Herald and the Better Government Association, county contractors have not only benefited from contracts that weren't the best price, they've also been making contributions to Todd Stroger's campaign. Of 11 contracts for professional services, only three went to the low-bidder, and all 11 went to politically connected businesses. Two contracts in particular stand out, according to the Herald, because they will be paid substantially more than the original price quoted:
Alfonso Soriano's walk-off grand slam in the 13th inning of Monday's ballgame gave the Cubs a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros. Soriano, who was in jeopardy of ending a nine-game hitting streak, rocketed a 1-0 changeup from Chris Sampson deep to center field for a dramatic finish to the extra-inning affair. The Cubs' only other run came way back in the fourth, when Derrek Lee hit a leadoff homer to tie the game at one apiece. Credit starter Carlos Zambrano with seven three-hit innings on the hill and the Cubs' bullpen for five scoreless innings of relief. Monday's win went to Jeff Samardzija after two effective frames, his first W of 2009. The Cubs will look to extend their hot streak in game two, tonight at 7:05.
After garnering national attention for his recent perfect game, the White Sox's Mark Buehrle was invited to participate in David Letterman's famous "Top Ten" list on Monday's show. Taped from the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the Sox ace was assisted by teammates Josh Fields and Dewayne Wise -- just like during Thursday's gem. For those who missed his appearance on late night TV, check out the video below and the full list after the jump.
Los Angeles-based Wilton Partners may have to default on a $83.2 million loan it took out five years ago to finance the overhaul of seven Illinois tollroad oases. Wilton Partners owes iStar FM Loans LLC nearly $95 million in principal and interest payments, according to a foreclosure suit filed in April. Wilton also owes the state over $1 million in back rent and other payments. The slow economy has left the developer holding the bag on space that it can't lease out in the tollway oases. The kicker? The firm made huge campaign contributions to former governor Rod Blagojevich. Wilton Partners and its owner, Jay Wilton, gave Blagojevich $85,000 to his campaign in 2003 and '04. That included hosting a fundraiser at the Beverly Hills Hilton in 2004. Wilton has also been connected to Tony Rezko. The firm cut rents in half for Subway and Panda Express restaurants that were owned by the convicted businessman.
For a while, former 26th Ward alderman Billy Ocasio wanted Mayor Daley to appoint Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus. Then, he supported his wife for the position. Now? Mayor Daley has appointed neither and instead gone with Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado. After the jump, Maldonado's acceptance speech, via press release. [Trib]
Sheesh, the race for county board president certainly seems crowded, at least among the Democrats. Toni Preckwinkle, Dorothy Brown and Todd Stroger are running for sure, but the list of people that smell blood in the water is long. Danny Davis has formed an exploratory committee, and Larry Suffredin, and Tom Dart. You can add Terrence J. O'Brien, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board president to the list of candidates. "I want to do for Cook County Government, what I have done for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. So, I am officially announcing my candidacy for President of Cook County Board," O'Brien said in a prepared statement issued to the press on Friday.
Come on, feel the Illinoize indeed. Nevermind those 44 arrests in New Jersey last week. It seems that although that would seem to give The Garden State an advantage in corruption over Illinois, the FBI's statistics say otherwise. According to a report in the Sun-Times, Illinois still ranks pretty high in corruption if you're going by the number of FBI agents tracking political corruption cases. Chicago ranks 2nd in terms of U.S. cities, only behind Washington, D.C., putting Illinois near the top. Not only that, but former Springfield bureau chief Weysan Dun is now in charge in Newark so it's pretty easy to see where he cut his chops in preparation for last week's big bust.
When he isn't warning Chinese government officials of the duplicitous ways of the current White House administration, Mark Kirk has been fairly vocal about how we should handle the current economic downturn. Kirk, who is running for the U.S. Senate Seat that is up for grabs next year, has been a critic of how the money in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is being spent. One of those key criticisms is that there is too much "social spending" and not enough focus on infrastructure spending. Few would disagree that capital spending on transit and buildings has a direct impact on putting people to work. And the debate over social spending - such as student loans, extended unemployment benefits and education spending - is as valid as the divide between fiscal conservatives and their counterparts in the progressive camps.
With all the hubbub over Wal-Mart going on in these parts recently, we're not surprises there's more news to add and this time it'll raise even more eyebrows. According to WBEZ, Dr. John Agwunobi, a senior vice-president of the company whose unit includes the company’s health clinics, spoke in Chicago at this weekend's National Council of La Raza and said the company supports a part of President Obama's healthcare proposal that includes coverage for all workers. But Agwunobi also said the company wants healthcare for illegal immigrants. When asked if they support healthcare for illegal immigrants, Agwunobi answered, "We believe strongly that everyone should have access to affordable health insurance. Everyone." [WBEZ]
Surrounded by supporters and wrapped in the mantle of Illinois's favorite son, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias made official his intention to run for the state's open Senate seat next year. "A few years ago, Barack Obama inspired me to run for public office with the simple belief that it was possible for good people to build a state and a nation where everyone, not just the privileged few, had a real chance to succeed," Giannoulias said Sunday. "In this very building, Barack Obama endorsed my candidacy for state treasurer." And while the White House tried to recruit Attorney General Lisa Madigan to run for the seat, Giannoulias struck a tone of camaraderie and partnership in reference to his relationship with the president. "I think the President and I will be just fine. We're excited about this and, again, there's a lot of work. People have very real problems every single day and its important that we do everything we can to turn them around," he said.
The Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon, giving them a series sweep and sole possession of first place in the N.L. Central. Starter Rich Harden held the Reds to just one hit (albeit a home run) through six innings of work, while at the plate, Kosuke Fukudome drew a bases-loaded walk and Alfonso Soriano hit an RBI double to give Chicago an early 2-1 lead. The Cubs then extended their advantage to four in the late goings, thanks to run-scoring at-bats by Jake Fox, Koyie Hill and Fukudome once again. The Cubs' offense, one of the least raucous in the league during the first half of the season, is averaging better than 12 hits per game over their last four contests. They'll stay put to host the Houston Astros, with a first pitch at 7:05.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has a thought on the ordinance the Cook County Board passed last week, decriminalizing marijuana: not so fast. Dart expressed some concerns with the new ordinance, saying, "I think any time you're talking about legalization or downgrading there needs to be a very thorough discussion. It needs to be based on facts and analysis. I don't know if that was done." Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has not officially approved the bill but has indicated he doesn't plan to veto it. [WBBM]
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger made good on his promise to veto a second attempt by the county board to rollback the 1.75 percent sales tax by half a percentage point. Back in May the county board voted to cut the sales tax by the same amount, which Stroger also vetoed. Then, county commissioners couldn't muster the 14 votes needed to override the veto, leaving the sales tax hike, enacted amid much controversy and hand wringing last fall, intact. The sales tax increase has been so unpopular, county-wide, that a group of suburbs in the northwest have even voted to secede from the county.
A fire on the west side of Joliet destroyed a four-unit condo and left two couples homeless Saturday morning, according to the Herald.
The Ted Lilly-less Cubs got the best of the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon, winning 5-3. With Lilly sent to the 15-day D.L. due to shoulder inflammation, substitute starter Kevin Hart gave Chicago six innings of five-hit, one-run baseball. The Cubs’ big bats made that one run inconsequential, as Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley each went deep for the North Siders. Bradley’s homer—a pinch-hit solo job in the eighth—seemed superfluous at the time, but provided the Cubs some breathing room when Jonny Gomes launched a two-run homer off Aaron Heilman in the ninth. Kevin Gregg stepped in to record the final out, and the Cubs extended their winning streak to three games. The Cubs will attempt to sweep the series at 1:20 this afternoon.
Beggars in Hyde Park are getting a run for their money as police encourage "panhandlng victims" to file complaints, according to Chi-Town Daily News. An increase in solicitations in the South Side neighborhood (and home to President Barack Obama and the University of Chicago) has residents worried. Police have upped their patrolling in the area and tell "merchants and customers not to give panhandlers money or food."
The Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds by the score of 8-5 on Friday afternoon. Chicago tallied a run in each of the first three innings to offset a three-run home run by Reds’ starter Aaron Harang in the second. The Cubs then reclaimed the lead when Aramis Ramirez homered to start the bottom half of the sixth and made sure it stuck with a four-run eighth that included dingers from Jeff Baker and Derrek Lee. Randy Wells earned the win with six effective innings on the mound, only faltering on Harang’s home run, and the Cubs weathered a rocky ninth by Kevin Gregg in which two came across for Cincinnati. Game two takes place today at 12:05 on the North Side.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were busy in Chicagoland this past week, rounding up people with known gang ties in the city and various suburbs. 19 arrests were made in Chicago, Addison, Bensenville, Blue Island, Carpentersville, and Hanover Park. The majority arrested reportedly are in the U.S. illegally from Mexico, with one person from Guatemala, another from El Salvador. All 19 are facing deportation. ICE also tagged for deportation 6 known gang members already sitting in various county jails, who will be turned over to the federal agency after they serve their time.
Preservation Chicago placed the Richard Nickel House at 1810 W. Cortland on its "Chicago 7" list of architecturally significant buildings slated for demolition. Nickel, a photographer and architecture preservationist, dedicated his life to preserving Louis Sullivan's classic architecture as Sullivan's buildings were being torn down rapidly during the 60's and 70s. Nickel's home often store rescued artifacts from buildings before being sold to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where they remain on display.
Faced with mounting opposition from both Republicans and so-called "Blue Dog" Democrats on the health care debate, President Obama made a swing through the Midwest, including a pit stop in Chicago, yesterday to drum up support for health care reform.
We guess new Blackhawks don't have to wait long for their company health insurance to kick in, because just weeks after signing the richest contract in team history, Marian Hossa will require surgery on his injured shoulder. The one he hurt while still a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
In a surprise move, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has reversed course and now says he won't veto the new measure the Cook County Board passed yesterday, decriminalizing marijuana in unincorporated parts of Cook County. According to Chicago Breaking News:
The Sun-Times is reporting today that the city and the FOP have reached a deal to let veteran officers retire at 55 instead of 60, in an effort to save as much cash as humanly possible. Cops retiring at the new lower-age cutoff would take a "staggered payout" of their comp time, whereas previously, older police retiring at 60 would otherwise be charged co-pays until Medicare kicked in at 65.
What an afternoon at The Cell where White Sox ace Mark Buehrle has just hurled a perfect game as the Sox beat the Rays 5-0. Buehrle struck out six in the game. The play of the game came from Dewayne Wise who not only saved the perfect game, but made an amazing home run robbing catch over the wall in left-center field in the top of the ninth. A Josh Fields grand slam is what put the Sox up for good early on in the second inning. Buehrle threw 116 pitches, 76 for strikes, and got 11 ground outs, 10 fly outs, and the six K's.
Authorities have caught Mark Booher, the last of a trio of prisoners who escaped Indiana State Prison last week. He was caught at a hotel just northwest of Indianapolis this afternoon. [Chicago Breaking News]
Although it seemed that Da Mare wasn’t about to step into the fray of (yet another) Wal-Mart in Chicago a few months ago, he’s come out behind Howard Brookins and his efforts to bring the massive retailer into the South side’s Chatham neighborhood. Claiming that Wal-Mart jobs are aren’t meant to provide long-term stable employment in a community, he took a shot at the United Food and Commercial Workers union, who’s members work at Jewel and Dominick’s stores across the region. “When they hire, you know, a couple of thousand people - you know, these are beginning jobs,” the mayor told WBEZ. “People want to just start some place,” he said, adding that he doesn’t understand why unions get upset when Wal-Mart wants to open in Chicago, but not in the suburbs. Mayor Daley’s staff may be updating his YouTube page, but they don’t seem to be checking the rest of the internet much.
Late last year it looked like the Big Three were circling the drain of automaker history. But while GM is trying to sprint through bankruptcy while bringing new models and cars to market, and Chrysler is hoping the Italians can finally make a high-quality mass-produced car, Ford has been quickly rolling out it's updated line of competitive, updated fuel efficient cars. Among the lineup of cars designed to compete with the auto transplants are the Euro Focus, the Transit Connect, the Fiesta, the Fusion and the Taurus. And unlike the other two American car companies, Ford went through many of the same economic and design challenges several years back. The result? A solvent, nimble company that's well positioned to launch competitive and appealing cars at a time when the auto industry is struggling to get buyers into showrooms, without having to depend on federal bailouts to keep the lights on.
Aside from the usual fender-benders, the Bishop Ford Expressway has had a rough week that's made travel on the highway treacherous. First was yesterday's chemical spill which closed the outbound lanes for a good chunk of yesterday. And today a crash between a car and truck shut down two southbound lanes near where the chemical leak happened yesterday. Six people were injured in the wreck - three children - but reports say none of the injuries were serious.
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) filed a lawsuit against the CTA yesterday alleging the transit agency was infringing upon their first amendment rights by refusing to display ads for "mature audience" video games. Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, said in a statement:
It was another hotly contested affair between the Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday night, with Chicago prevailing 4-3. Carlos Torres’ first big-league start was a quality one, as he allowed three runs over six pitched innings. The Sox’s offensive efforts were unproductive until Scott Podsednik broke the ice with a solo home run off Tampa starter James Shields in the sixth. Shields, sitting at a season-high 111 pitches, was lifted with one on and two away in the seventh, allowing the Sox to do some damage against the Rays’ bullpen. Consecutive hits by Podsednik, Alexei Ramirez and Jermaine Dye gave Chicago a one-run lead, and Matt Thorton successfully navigated the eighth and ninth to earn the save. The Sox will attempt to claim the four-game series when they take the field at 1:05 this afternoon.
Fox 32's "Good Day, Chicago" co-host Mike Barz is out at the station following allegations of misconduct at an off-site party a few weeks ago, according to reports. The Sun-Times reports it's the second misconduct allegation against Barz, the other coming two years ago. [Sun-Times, Tribune]
Remember Jim Parque? While not exactly a household name, we Sox fans do remember the pitcher who won 13 games for the 2000 team that won the AL Central crown, before his career derailed due to injury. After his 13-6 campaign, he pitched just 13 more games for the Sox over the next two season and just five more with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before his career ended for good in 2003.
Former University of Chicago law professor Cass Sunstein was tapped back in January of this year by past U of C colleague President Obama to join the growing rank of czars and head up the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, but now the Senate confirmation process has been put on hold by Republican Senator John Cornyn.
The citizens of Gary, Indiana aren't happy today, but at least their garbage is getting picked up again. By a vote of 5-4, the Gary City Council voted to approve a contract that would continue to allow a private company to pick up the city's garbage at the cost of $12 per month fee for the citizens. Gary Mayor Rudy Clay reasoned that privatizing garbage collection was cheaper for the city - the decision eliminated almost 50 city jobs. [WBEZ]
President Obama will be in town this weekend for a fundraiser at the home of friend Penny Prtizker, but as Crain's Shia Kapos reports, not all the neighbors are thrilled, especially with the limited access and blocked off streets and alleys in the area of Pritzker's Orchard Ave. home.
Neighbors won't talk openly about the inconvenience, but off the record say they’re peeved.“It’s annoying,” huffed one resident who, not surprisingly, isn’t invited to the big-money affair.
Yesterday, WBEZ covered a Secret Service exercise in connection with the visit that caught many off-guard when several helicopters landed on a baseball field in Lincoln Park, sending a huge cloud of dust up.
Well, that didn't take long. It seems the newly acquired Blackhawk Marian Hossa has a shoulder injury he sustained in this year's playoffs that he's rehabbing. Hossa, who signed a 12-year, $62.8 million deal three weeks ago, had informed the 'Hawks of the injury before the signing according to reports. According to the Tribune, "The extent of the injury and whether Hossa will have to undergo surgery to repair it are not yet known."
Walmart will be hosting a “Fresh Farmer’s Market” Saturday at the site of their proposed store in Chatham, at 83rd and Stewart. Press releases were sent to local news outlets, and the Tribune’s story on the market remained on their site’s front page all day yesterday. Could it be true? Could Walmart actually be getting involved with the community and promoting products grown here, rather than in China or Mexico? Or is this just another shot in the ongoing battle between Walmart and the City Council? (Ed. Note: A Sun-Times op-ed today weighs in favor of a Walmart in Chatham. — CS)
Besides the controversial marijuana decriminalization, the Cook County Board also tackled another tax rollback but unlike last time they might succeed in getting it past President Storger thanks to a veto-proof majority. The measure rolls back the tax by half a percentage point, from 10.25 percent to 9.75 percent. The measure passed by a vote of 12-2 with one present vote and Commissioners Peraica and Claypool absent, but both of those commissioners have said they will vote to override Stroger's expected veto at the Board's September meeting. UPDATE: Per Peraica's twitter, the vote was 13-3 with 1 absent. The Sun-Times has more information including a full break down of the vote.
It's been almost a year since the epic bench-clearing brawl between the Peoria Chiefs (the Cubs A-level affiliate) and the Dayton Dragons and yesterday the trial of Chief pitcher Julio Castillo who injured a person when he threw a ball into the stands during the brawl; Castillo's defense was that he was aiming at the Dayton dugout. Seriously, though, Castillo is charged with felonious assault with a deadly weapon and felonious assault causing serious physical harm stemming from the incident. Fan Chris McCarthy suffered a concussion as a result of the injury. The Tribune has more, including excerpts from the opening statements. Blair Witch-esque video of the brawl is below. Thanks to commenter tc3 who points us to this video which very clearly shows Castillo's throw triggering the entire brawl.
The Cubs did their best to prevent Philly's tenth straight win Tuesday evening, but eventually fell victim 4-1 in 13 innings. The Phillies posted one in the third on a Jimmy Rollins solo shot, and the Cubs answered in the top of the fourth when Kosuke Fukudome's extra-bagger plated Ryan Theriot. That was all the damage either starter would allow as both Rich Harden and Joe Blanton turned in seven stellar frames. The Cubs' bullpen held steady through the next five innings of relief, but the offense couldn't mount a charge, recording only two hits in the final nine innings. The Phillies' offense did not fare much better, but with two away in the 13th, Jeff Samardzija issued two walks and then a walk-off home run to Jayson Werth. The loss puts Chicago in a three-way tie for second with the Brewers and Astros, two back of St. Louis. Chicago will trot out Carlos Zambrano for today's nooner, hoping to avoid the series sweep.
In a move that's caught almost everyone by surprise, the Cook County Board yesterday voted to decriminalize marijuana in very small amounts in unincorporated parts of Cook County. Under the legislation passed, sheriffs can arrest someone possessing less than 10 grams of marijuana on misdemeanor charges or simply issue a $200 ticket. The measure was introduced by Commissioner Earlean Collins who admitted personal motivations: her grandson was arrested for having a small amount of marijuana. Collins, though, made a salient point: arresting marijuana offenders is crowding jails. According to the Sun-Times, she said:
Is it only a matter of time before American pro athletes begin to look like NASCAR drivers, enveloped in countless sponsor logos? As the crap economy takes a bite out of team revenues, more and more are looking into alternate revenue streams. For the Chicago Bears, that means a new deal that will add sponsorship patches to the players' practice jerseys for Training Camp and the regular season.
It appears as if Cook County will sue the owners of Burr Oak cemetery in an effort to overtime costs in connection with the ongoing investigation at the graveyard. The county is seeking $326,000. The Sun-Times has more.
A day after the leading Republican candidate, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate, the leading Democratic candidate is preparing to follow suit. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias will formally announce his bid on Sunday. The move is hardly a surprise as Giannoulias had formally formed an exploratory committee to look into running and he became his party's front-runner when Attorney General Lisa Madigan chose not to run for the office. His exploratory committee has already raised $1.8 million for the run. [Trib's Clout Street]
With the Health Care issue the hot topic on Capitol Hill right now, President Obama took to NBC's Today Show to talk about his proposal for Health Care reform and how he's prepared to do what it takes to ensure it gets passed.
Suburbanites Saving Seats At Pritzker: The New Dibs?
Could Palin Put Kirk Over the Top? More Importantly: Would She?
Oprah's Leaving Chicago?
Strollergate 2009: Doubts Raised
Abortion Notification Law Cleared
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