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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 more ›

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] more ›

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] more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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.
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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] more ›

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. more ›

• The Parking Ticket Geek has coverage from today's City Hall Parking Meter protest.
• The Harold Ickes Homes are coming down and Chi-Town Daily News has a great story on it. [via Gapers Block]
• Brown Line riders rejoice! Another stop is finally reopening; this time, it's the Wellington stop which has been closed for 16 months.
• The Sun-Times brings us the bizarre story of the sorority, the former Chicago Housing Authority comptroller, and the $900,000 wax statue.

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] more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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." more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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."

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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• Chicago-based diamond company LifeGen plans to turn locks of Michael Jackson's hair into diamonds. Company founder Dean VandenBiesen says LifeGen will "extract carbon from the King of Pop's hair and turn it into crystals, which can be refined into diamonds."
• Chicagoan Jerry Lowery has been charged with three counts of armed robbery and one count of fleeing an officer after allegedly stealing $45,000 worth of eye wear from suburban Milwaukee stores. The motivation? Prosecutors say he "really likes to be around glasses."
• Family members are checking grave sites and county sheriffs are investigating after a human bone was found in a Mount Glenwood cemetery. "I don't know whether this is a sign of a greater problem or if there is a valid reason why this bone was found where it was," said Cook County sheriff's police spokesman Steve Patterson.

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] more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

A fire on the west side of Joliet destroyed a four-unit condo and left two couples homeless Saturday morning, according to the Herald. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• The City has awarded contracts connected to the demolition of Michael Reese Hospital to make way for the proposed Olympic Village for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Unemployment for the Chicago metro area is up again, hitting 11.3 percent for June.
• The battle over a helipad at the new Children's Hospital in Streeterville continues.

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: more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

• First Clout College, now this: the Chicago Tribune reports that the Chicago Public School system has launched an internal investigation looking at how students are selected to admittance for some of the more elite schools after, according to CPS CEO Ron Huberman, information showed, "that existing policies may not have been followed."
• Several media outlets report today that Brian Dugan is ready to plead guilty to the 1983 murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico; Dugan is already in prison serving two life sentences for two other murders.
• A section of the outbound Bishop Ford Expressway was closed for around eight hours today after a tanker truck spilled corrosive coal tar in the road early this morning.

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. more ›

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] more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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) more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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. more ›

• A UPS driver is in critical condition after being shot while making a delivery in the Englewood neighborhood.
• The U.S. Department of Education has ruled that the City College's debit card system is illegal.
• On the chopping block from the state Board of Education: after-school and gifted students programs.

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. 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] more ›

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. more ›

The idea of Mayor Daley seeking reelection in 2011 and the effect the 2016 Olympic race will have on it has been a topic of conversation around the Chicagoist office keg water cooler for a few months now. If Chicago wins the Games, would he retire and focus solely on that? Or would he be so drained by losing the Games that he'd choose to step back? Of course, this is a Daley we're talking about here so the Mayoral Monarchy would be threatened. But it's been a topic of conversation that's also picked up a little buzz city-wide and now WBEZ takes a look at Daley's campaign cash to see if there are any clues. Their conclusion? There aren't any, really, especially given his usual election routine - "Keep in mind, the big Daley money rolls in closer to the election." - but it's still an interesting peek into the Mayors coffers and worth a look. more ›

You may or may not have heard them zoom over the city early this morning (we didn't; thank you, Xanax!) but they were up there. "They" being F16 fighter jets. But what were they doing up there? Testing out the city's new flight path restrictions, of course. Per Chicago Breaking News: more ›

Remember the fanfare surrounding ESPNChicago's launch a few months back? Well, there's more ruckus now with as the New York Times reports that in June, ESPNChicago became the number one local sports website according to internet tracker comScore with 590,000 unique visitors in the month over the second-place Tribune who had 455,000 unique visitors to its sports section. All of this has ESPN looking at expanding its city-centric collection of sites to include New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. more ›

It's been nearly six months since fire damaged the historic Holy Name Cathedral and while worshipers have found other locations to hold mass, they'll soon be back in their church. Repairs have been ongoing - at a rate of 10 hours a day for six days a week - and the $6 million repair is almost done, mostly covered by insurance. It appears the church will reopen officially on Saturday, August 1. CBS 2 has more on the repair efforts and the expected reopening. more ›

The White Sox won in dramatic fashion Monday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3. Chicago quickly jumped on top 4-1 behind starter Gavin Floyd, but an inside-the-park homer by Carl Crawford and a garden-variety solo shot by Evan Longoria brought Tampa back into contention. Clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth, Bobby Jenks retired the first two batters he faced before surrendering a hit and two walks to load the bases for Jason Bartlett. With the count full and nowhere to go, Bartlett swung and missed at a ball-four slider, giving Jenks another nail-biting save. The win went to Floyd, who allowed only three hits--all solo homers--over seven strong innings. Paul Konerko picked up the bulk of Chicago's runs with a three-run dinger in the third, and Scott Podsednik reached safely in all four plate appearances. The White Sox, only a game back of first-place Detroit, will look to continue their winning ways tonight at 7:11. more ›

Now that this year's (excellent) Pitchfork Fest is behind us, it's time to turn our attention to that fest's bigger brother, Lollapalooza. A week or so back, when the schedules and map of the festival grounds were released, something caught our eye: gone from the South end was the AT&T stage and in its place is the Chicago 2016 stage. That gave us a big "hmmmmmm" moment, but then we rolled our eyes and moved along. After all, the bid had a large set-up at last year's fest, too. Other media outlets have jumped on the sponsorship, including Jim DeRogatis at the Sun-Times and NBC 5. Of course, Chicago 2016 is not a corporate sponsor of the event so it seems like a "goodwill gesture" on promoter C3's part as Chicago 2016 spokesman Patrick Sandusky told DeRo. Ah! But wait, there's more. Sandusky himself also said: more ›

The second member of a trio of inmates who escaped from Indiana State Prison last week has been caught. Lance Battreal was captured at his parents' house in Rockport, Indiana early this morning thanks to a tip from the general public. No word on if his parents will be charged with harboring a fugitive. Last week, shortly after the trio's escape, Charles Smith was the first of the three to be caught by a security guard working details for Mayor Daley who was at his vacation house near Grand Beach, Michigan. Mark Booher (center picture) still remains at large. [CBN] more ›

• Do not be alarmed when the loud F-16s go screaming overhead tonight at 1 a.m.; there's a good reason for it.
• Looks like there will be a delay in the guilty plea of former Blago cohort Len Monk who was scheduled to do so tomorrow.
• A plant in Carol Stream was evacuated earlier today because of a chemical leak.

Scott Hirschey was sentenced to three years probation today in connection with the January 2008 death of of WBBM-Ch. 2 anchor Randy Salerno. Hirschey was driving the snowmobile Salerno was riding when it crashed, injuring Hirschey and killing Salerno. Hirschey had originally pleaded not guilty to driving the snowmobile under the influence of alcohol before the plea deal; authorities reported Hirschey's BAC was twice the 0.08 legal limit of Wisconsin where the accident took place. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

Carlos Quentin is back in the lineup for the White Sox. In fact, fans of the Pale Hose should be happy to hear he'll start in left field tonight against Tampa Bay, batting sixth in the lineup. Of course, someone has to be moved out to make room for Quentin, and that someone is Brian Anderson, who's been optioned to AAA Charlotte. Quentin's had a great rehab run in the minors, hitting .375 with four doubles, 1 HR and 10 RBIs in 14 games for the Charlotte and Kannapolis (A-level ball). [ESPN Chicago] more ›

Michael "Mario" Pace, 18, the teen found guilty of shooting and killing teen Blair Holt on board a CTA bus in May 2007, has been sentenced to 100 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery. Kevin Jones, who gave Pace the gun used in the shooting, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role. [Sun-Times] more ›

If there's something of a stench coming from the direction of Gary, Indiana, it's not another factory or plant. Rather, it's the trash, which hasn't been collected in a week. WBEZ has more as does the Tribune. At issue is Gary Mayor Rudy Clay's insistence on hiring a private firm to do the work in spite of protests from residents to the contrary. Hmmm, where have we heard that before? more ›

An infected McDonald's employee who didn't practice proper hygiene has caused a stir in Northwest Illinois. It seems the worker had hepatitis A and may have spread the disease. According to Fox, the worker was at the Milan, IL McDonald's and worked July 6 - 10 and 13 - 14. People who ate at the restaurant during those days are eligible for free treatment courtesy of the Rock Island Dept. of Health at Rock Island High School today and tomorrow. Though officials haven't confirmed if they're related, 20 cases of hepatitis A were recently confirmed throughout Rock Island, Mercer, Henry, Warren and Woodford counties. [FOX 32] more ›

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk ended all the speculation today and formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois that's up for grabs next year. He's wasting no time, either, with his campaign website now live and featuring a campaign video of sorts that takes Blago and Burris to task. Speaking to WLS this morning, Kirk said, "I think this is the chance to put forward a strong candidacy, to renew the two-party system in Illinois, but maybe most importantly restore ethics and integrity to Illinois government. We're just a laughingstock in Washington." Kirk is not expected to have any stiff competition from within his own party in the primary. more ›

Governor Quinn paid a visit to Illinois troops overseas in Iraq and is still over there on a tour of goodwill, showing support for the soldiers far from home. Quinn spoke with CBS 2 and told them, "This is an arduous, difficult, hard assignment, and they've carried it out with great distinction...(We have) 3,200 men and women from our Illinois National Guard are over in Afghanistan. It's the largest deployment since World War II. But here in Iraq, we have hundreds of Guard members." Quinn took the surprise trip with a group of other state governors, departing Friday; the plans for the rest of his trip and his return have not been released. more ›

It's well-known around town that the CTA needs money something fierce and is looking everywhere to find some money. It won't come from a second fare hike this year, as last week the CTA said they wouldn't be doing that. $1.4 billion is due from the federal government later this year but the CTA itself says it needs $7 billion to get itself fully up to speed (which we're sure all that Olympic cash would totally fix, right?). CTA President Richard Rodriguez has even said he's going to put an end to the free company cars that nearly 70 CTA employees take advantage of, including himself, as a means to cut spending. But where does all this money go? How much does it cost to run the CTA? The Sun-Times offers up this pretty nifty interactive graphic which shows you how costs break down for the agency. [h/t Windy Citizen] more ›

The Cubs completed a four-game sweep of the Washington Nationals with an 11-3 win on Sunday afternoon. Chicago did the bulk of its damage in the fourth, as Alfonso Soriano jump started a seven-run inning with a one-on, one-out homer to left field. Jake Fox also went deep for the Cubs, hitting a gratuitous three-run blast in the sixth to give him four runs batted in on the day. Newly anointed starter Kevin Hart added to the offensive frenzy with his first big-league RBI and supplemented his work at the plate with five innings of two-run baseball on the mound. After an ideal beginning to the second half, the Cubs will draw a much tougher test when they square off against the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies tonight at 6:05. more ›

A pair of shootings within an hour in the Austin neighborhood last night left seven people, including a 9-year-old girl, injured. The first shooting occurred at 7:45 p.m., a drive-by shooting near West Monroe Street and South Lotus Avenue that injured five men between the ages of 17 and 29. One was reported in serious-to-critical, one in good condition and the other three ranged from fair-to-serious condition to good condition. About half an hour later, another drive-by shooting happened in the 1000 block of North Leclaire Ave., injuring the 9-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy. Both were in fair-to-serious condition. Police have not said whether or not they suspect the shootings were related. Two more shootings happened last night in the neighborhood as well, bringing the evening's total to nine injured in about a 3.5 hour period. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

The first case of West Nile Virus has been reported in Kendall County. A batch of mosquitoes collected on July 13 have tested positive for the virus. more ›

We know Oscar Mayer’s first and last name, but do we know his insurance policy number? more ›

It's true, there's a lawsuit that's been filed in Kendall County against the former President of the Philippines and his wife. It's a strange, complicated story and the plaintiffs are seeking $1,964,005,859 in total damages. We'll let WBBM explain the rest to you. more ›

An Irish student died Saturday evening, days after suffering injuries from jumping off the North Avenue pier, according to Chicago Breaking News. While walking on the pier with his girlfriend and friends, Keith O’Reilly, 22, dove off the pier and into the shallow water below early Thursday morning. O’Reilly struck his head on the rocks at the lake bottom. According to Chicago Breaking News, there are “unconfirmed reports” that O’Reilly had been drinking. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

The White Sox held on for a game-two victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, winning by the score of 4-3. Effective starting pitching from Mark Buehrle and a four-run offensive outburst in the fifth put Chicago on top 4-1 headed into the late innings. That outburst began with a two-run dinger from Jermaine Dye, and after six consecutive Sox’s hits, ended on back-to-back plays at the plate. Chicago’s three-run advantage was safe until the top of the ninth, when closer Bobby Jenks allowed two runs before getting Nick Markakis to ground out, ending the game and preserving the save. It was the tenth win of the season for Mark Buehrle, who appeared to be back in top form after a rocky previous start. The Sox will go for the series sweep when they take the field at 1:05 this afternoon. more ›

The state was warned in 2001 of “irregularities in the cemetery maintenance trust fund” of a Calumet Park cemetery owned by the same firm that owns Burr Oak, according to a former employee. more ›

Authorities arrested a recently paroled ex-con with connections to the three inmates who escaped from a Michigan City, Ind. prison, according to the Tribune. more ›

Children’s Memorial Hospital will be making the case next week in public meetings for their controversial heliport proposed for their new $1 billion facility in Streeterville. Hospital officials are insisting every precaution has been taken to guarantee safe operation, and Children’s CEO Patrick Magoon declared it, “one of the most sophisticated and safest pediatric heliports in the country.” more ›

Service on the Blue Line has been suspended until Monday between the Western/Milwaukee station and downtown’s Washington stop. Shuttles are running to move passengers until Monday at 4 a.m. when the route will open again. more ›

The Sox flexed their offensive muscle in a 12-8 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. Jim Thome was the hero for Chicago, hitting a three-run homer in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie and then adding a grand slam in the sixth to put the Sox comfortably ahead. Thome’s career-high seven RBI helped earn John Danks the win, who exited after allowing three runs, seven hits and three walks in five frames. Among the Sox’s other offensive contributors were Scott Podsednik, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two walks, and Paul Konerko, who gave the South Siders their first run of the game with a solo shot in the second inning. The Sox again play host to the Orioles at 3:05 this afternoon. more ›

• Yesterday we admitted that the Apollo 11 moon landing didn't really have anything to do with Chicago, but hold up -- turns out a west suburban company manufactured parts used in the launch rockets.
• "I'm so glad an independent coffee shop opened in our neighborhood. But is it just me, or does their coffee taste just like Starbucks?"
• Chicago native and former NBA power forward Antoine Walker was arrested in Nevada and accused of paper hanging almost $800,000 in bad checks. That must have been one hell of a cold craps table.

Former 26th Ward alderman Billy Ocasio, who left the City Council earlier this year to work for Gov. Quinn, has changed course and now wants his wife to succeed him. After Ocasio resigned, Hector Villagrana was appointed as a temporary replacement and Ocasio himself suggested Rev. Wilfredo De Jesús of the New Life Covenant Church as his permanent replacement. However, in the wake of the endorsement, members of the gay community expressed concern over De Jesús. According to the Trib, Ocasio said that at issue was De Jesús's residence: "The reverend owns property and has a house he built in the ward but he doesn't actually live there, so he can't be appointed." Ocasio's wife, Veronica, currently works for U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez. The Trib's Clout Street has more on the story. more ›

We've all heard about the Clout List in the admissions office at University of Illinois. But it's never been clear where the students came from. The Trib's database project, the first that we've seen from Olde Chicago Journalism lately, lets you check out your metro-area high school's clout statistics - while encouraging tutt-tutting and tsk-tsking from, well, everyone else. more ›

As Mayor Daley announced layoffs after playing hardball with a pair of unions, the Sun-Times takes on a batch of 911 workers who have each earned over $10,000 of overtime pay this year. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications, however, insists these workers are putting in extra hours thanks to more calls and several position vacancies, making the overtime necessary. Spokeswoman Jennifer Martinez said, "Every ring could mean the difference between life and death." more ›

An explosion at a commercial vegetable oil plant in Humboldt Park has seriously injured two, according to published reports. The building is in the 800 block of N. Albany, an address that the Trib reports belongs to Columbus Foods Co. The chemical explosion resulted in five ambulances and a hazardous materials unit responding to the call. more ›

For over a century, hearty sailors have made the 333-mile trek across Lake Michigan from Chicago to Mackinac Island, in the world’s longest annual freshwater distance race. This Saturday, for the 101st time an armada of 350 sailboats will embark on the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. For those who want to learn more about the Mac, The Trib answers a number of common questions about who races, how long it takes and which are the boats to watch. more ›

If you haven't gotten your fill of Rod Blagojevich over the last nine months, than you're crazy. Also, you'll have the chance to listen to The Hair blabber on and on courtesy of WLS-AM 890, who have signed the former governor to host a talk show the next two Sundays. Airing from noon until 2 p.m. this Sunday and next Sunday, we assume Blagojevich will talk mostly about himself and how he's innocent and how he was railroaded. In other Blago news, it looks like his campaign office on the North Side has officially been shuttered, according to WBEZ, and the space will soon be up for rent. Well, once the landlord makes sure all the FBI's bugs are gone. more ›

The Cubs started the second half of the season on a high note with a 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals Thursday evening. Rich Harden was dominant on the mound, permitting only one unearned run while holding the Nats to three hits over six innings. At the dish, Derrek Lee had a big night, going 3-for-4 with two extra-base hits, including a solo home run in the sixth. Ryan Theriot added a pair of RBI for the Cubs, driving home Chicago's first run of the contest and then capping off the three-run ninth with a sacrifice fly. The bullpen also played a key role in the victory, as Angel Guzman and Carlos Marmol kept the Nat's bats quiet until the Cubs' offense poured it on in the ninth. From a personnel perspective, the front office addressed the lack of lefty relievers by signing former Blue Jay closer B.J. Ryan to a Minor League deal, with the hope he will contribute later in the season. The Cubs and Nationals play game two tonight at 6:05. more ›

Not one to miss an opportunity to pander to publicity, Mayor Daley had some choice words for the media at the naming ceremony for the newly-minted Willis Tower. Asked if he would be calling the iconic skyscraper 'Big Willie', Daley told the press "'Big Willie', Willis Tower, yeah. You know why? Because they stepped up to the plate." The mayor used the comments as a chance to trumpet his glorius transformations in how Chicago works. "There has to be change in government and business," the mayor said. "And you have to realize that change is good." more ›

Ah, it's that time of year again! Time for us to strap on our backpacks, get our over-sized sunglasses, slap on a fannypack, and head to Union Park for this year's Pitchfork Music Festival to mingle and and rock and sway with fellow music lovers, hippies, hipsters, and even a few regular folks. But this year, there's a twist. No, it's not tonight's Write The Night set-up. It's...the weather. That's right, for the first time perhaps, well, ever in its history, Pitchfork Fest won't live up to it's "Sweatfork" nickname. For tonight's opening set, you may even need...wait for it...a jacket. While we have sunny skies now, overcast skies and a few possible sprinkles are in order for later today as well as highs that will just crack 70. Brisk northwest winds of up to 20-25 mph will only make things cooler, especially tonight as lows drop to the mid 50s. We are not kidding. And tomorrow? More overcast and more showers with a high in the lower 70s. Maybe those hipster scarves will actually come in handy. more ›

• Two Chicago Police officers were shot today while trying to execute a warrant on the Southeast Side. Each officer was shot in a leg and both were reported in good condition.
• The police shooting followed last night's violent six hour window which saw four killed and eight wounded in shootings.
• Gov. Quinn has joined the fray over Burr Oak Cemetery, appointing a task force to look at cemetery operations state-wide.

The Saga of the Teen Cop Impersonator has finally come to a conclusion. We think. The 15-year-old teen that impersonated a police officer earlier this year has been sentenced to three years probation. The teen, who was 14 when he was arrested for the impersonation, appeared in juvenile court today where Juvenile Court Judge Andrew Berman handed down the sentence and offered this stern warning: "One of the things that you have done, and have been very candid about, is you like to manipulate other people and situations. That's going to stop right now. You are not going to manipulate me. If you mess up with this probation ... to say nothing of if you get arrested, that's it. Next stop is the Department of Corrections." more ›

Photo by Matt Motyka more ›

The new United We Work site - which just went public this week - seems to be catching on. Free for job seekers and employers alike through the end of the year, the site is expected to have 500,000 job openings posted by the end of this week. The incentive for employers to use the site, is a reduction in the cost of hiring because the responsibility for finding qualified candidates is shared across participating employers. “We believe that if we can break those [cost barriers] down, it may stimulate an employer to hire now instead of waiting six months,” Jason Kerr, founder of QuietAgent told the Tribune. more ›

Former Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Al Sanchez, who was convicted earlier this year on federal corruption charges, is asking for a new trial in light of new developments in the case. Sanchez, who was convicted in March of rigging hiring through his position as a city commissioner and his role in the Hispanic Democratic Organization, has asked the judge for a new trial, citing prosecutors failure to disclose that a key government witness was a high-ranking gang member and drug-trafficker. According to Sanchez's lawyer Thomas Breen, Brian Gabriel, who testified against Sanchez in the corruption trial, was a member of the Spanish Vice Lords. "It is hard to imagine information that is more impeaching of a witness than self-admitted gang membership, even if such membership is in the past," Breen said. "The evidence of gang membership was also no doubt suppressed by the government. The prosecution learned of Gabriel's gang affiliation prior to trial and prior to Gabriel's testimony yet did not disclose it to the defense." more ›

As the deadline passed for two holdout unions to agree to concessions with the City of Chicago, the Mayor announced over 400 layoffs of city workers Wednesday. "I don't want to lay anyone off. It could have been avoided," Daley said Wednesday. "I feel for the members and of course their families." Referring to the truck drivers, library and public health and safety employees that were laid off, he said that Teamsters Local 726 and AFSCME Council 31 "have failed to reach an agreement with the city to take unpaid furlough days for the rest of the year to help us address our budget deficit and of course save our taxpayers money." more ›

American Landmark Properties of Skokie is finally taking steps to recognize an iconic, if lesser-known Chicago personality. That's because today American Landmark Properties has made official the name change of the Sears Tower to the Willis Tower. And Chicagoist couldn't agree more - nearly six years since the death of Chicago busker, musician and artist Wesley Wiliis, he's finally getting his due in the form of a landmark office tower bearing his name. more ›

When we previewed the season back in April, we didn't foresee the White Sox running away with the division crown. We also didn't see them bringing up the rear either -- even if Nate Silver did. In fact, through the first half of the season, the Sox have pretty much defined average by MLB's standards. With a 45-43 record, the Sox hover just above the .500 mark on account of a hot streak that saw them win 10 of their last 15 heading into the All-Star Break. Two games above .500 puts them in second place in the weak AL Central, 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers --so they're still alive for the postseason. But with a couple weeks before the non-waivers trading deadline, it's still too early to know whether the Sox will be buyers or sellers come July 31. more ›

The Chicago Fire dispatched the New England Revolution 2-1 last night in Foxboro, earning themselves a trip to the 2009 SuperLiga final. Cuauhtemoc Blanco led the way for Chicago with an assist to Brian McBride in the 34th minute to give the Fire a 1-0 lead. Then Blanco netted an unassisted goal in the 63rd minute to break a 1-1 tie and put the Fire ahead for good. Keeper Jon Busch played outstanding for the Fire, stopping 8 of 9 shots on goal fired by New England. The Revolution - the defending SuperLiga champs - were also a bit short-handed as suspensions, injuries, and other duties kept seven players off their roster for this match. Still, there's nothing to take away from the Fire, who earned the right to host the August 5th SuperLiga final against Tigres UANL. Fire coach Coach Dennis Hamlett said after the game, "You need big plays to win and our big players stepped up and made great plays." more ›

After a lot of hootin' and hollerin', it's finally done: we have a state budget. And one without an income tax hike. But with the state facing somewhere in the neighborhood of a $9 billion budget gap, how will the state actually manage to make ends meet? In a word: borrowing. The $26 billion spending plan depends on borrowing $3.5 billion to pay state worker pensions and around $3.2 billion in bills is pushed off to next year's budget, but the move means that most of the state services that were on the brink of getting cut will now remain. For now, anyway, as Gov. Quinn has the option to cut any additional money as he sees fit. Still, Quinn said the budget still puts the state between $4 billion and $5 billion down. more ›

While Laborers Union Local 1001 was one of the city unions that agreed to concessions as part of Mayor Daley's master plan to save the budget, the city did give one concession to Streets and Sanitation workers, without even being asked by the union. With Newly appointed Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Tom Byrne has implemented a disciplinary amnesty. In a department where nearly one third of the workforce is absent. Every day. more ›

• The Tribune reports Roman Szabelski, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago, has been appointed to take over day-to-day operations of Burr Oak Cemetery in the wake of the horrific discoveries of the past week.
• The Reader's Ben Joravsky checked out the Chicago 2016 neighborhood meeting last night. What did he think? In his words: "I Tried."
• A man from Lombard was sentenced to 18 months in prison for trying to set up a dog fight for his pit bull. The Chicagoist Intern does not approve.

Fox 32 is reporting that House Minority Leader Tom Cross has said a tentative agreement has been reached on the state budget, which has been in limbo for weeks after the last legislative session ended without a new budget in place. There's no income tax increase in the budget, though State Senate President John Cullerton said that an increase of some kind was inevitable in the future. Gov. Quinn backed off his push for an income tax hike last week in a bid to increase the chances of a speedy resolution. more ›

While it's been in effect for three years, but the state of Illinois is just now getting around to enforcing a law that requires tattoo parlors (as well as piercing places) to pass an annual inspection by the state Department of Public Health. Parlors will have to register with the state and meet a set of regulations to earn a passing grade. So far, 212 parlors have registered. [Tribune, NBC 5] more ›

The state is due to explore it's once-every-10-years redistricting plan in 2011 once the census is delivered. Exactly how does the state go about redrawing those boundaries? It's a pretty crazy process, which doesn't surprise us at all. According to WBEZ: more ›

Well, this perks us up on a Humpday. In spite of threats to the contrary throughout the first half of the year, the CTA announced today there will be no service cuts or fare hikes through the end of the year to help the agency close its budget gap. Good news for riders, indeed. Of course, there's still the issue of how exactly do they close that gap, the $190 million in funding cuts the CTA has undergone already this year, and what exactly will happen next year. But it is a bit of small relief to, for once, not have the Budget Doomsday card played. Um, right? [WBBM] more ›

An alderman who says one thing in private and something else in public? Considered us floored. Ald. Tom Tunney is the latest political figure to come under a bit of scrutiny over perception versus reality. To hear him talk about his proposal of shutting down vendors within a certain radius of Wrigley Field, it's all about safety. Last month, Tunney told the Trib, "It's a public safety issue. You can't walk to the park." Behind closed doors is another matter though. more ›

Lynn Sweet reports that U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk's office is saying he's running for a state-wide office...but tsk tsk, they won't tell us which state office until his formal announcement on Monday. Of course, we can look past this little tease and know almost for certain that it's going to be for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Roland Burris. With state GOP head Andy McKenna yielding the right of way to Kirk on this office, it seems a pretty sure thing we'll be reading about "Kirk For Senate" come Monday afternoon. more ›

The day many have dreaded - and even more have dismissed - will finally arrive tomorrow. The Sears Tower will cease to be and instead, in a ceremony, the building - the tallest in the U.S. of A. - will become The Willis Tower officially. Last week, while Prescott and I were teetering over The Ledge, reader Melody - who works in the Tower - sent us an email saying: more ›

Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has issued a statement in regards to the impending city job cuts coming from the Daley administration as a result of that union's refusal to make concessions with City Hall. more ›

An Army reservist has found a unique way to get out of going into battle. U.S. Army Major Stefan Frederick Cook is balking at being deployed to Afghanistan, saying that the Commander-in-Chief has no right sending him there because Barack Obama can't legally be the President. more ›

It was a mercifully quick-paced Major League Baseball All-Star Game last night, lasting barely 2 and a half hours, which made it shorter than the previous night's Home Run Derby. In the end, the American League came away with another victory, winning 4-3 and keeping the NL winless streak intact (the NL last won 6-0 in 1996). That's what happens when you allow the DH, folks. It's not real baseball. Anyway. It was the second straight year the final score was 4-3 and the fourth straight year the AL won by a single run. And what of our local boys? North Sider Ted Lilly didn't see any action, but South Sider Mark Buehrle pitched a quick, easy 1-2-3 third inning for the junior circuit. more ›

In a possible compromise over the level of transparency of Chicago's 2016 Summer Olympics bid, an independent auditor will review the city's bid, analyzing the numbers behind the bid. L.E.K. Consulting, a London-based strategic consulting firm, will be doing the counting. The organization has experience in sports and marketing, including a 2007 analysis of the Rugby Football Union. The firm was criticized for its excessive fee structure and its uncollaborative approach. The report called for radical reforms in the sport. more ›

Midnight has struck for a pair of unions that have been holding out on making a deal with the City on concessions to save job cuts. Now what? Well, we're not really sure. Mayor Daley will hold a press conference this morning at 10:30 a.m. to discuss what's next, though yesterday he did threaten that 431 jobs from the two unions - 141 from Local 726 of the Teamsters union and 290 from Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - would be cut if the concessions weren't made. But the unions are prepared for the cuts, as Tom Clair, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 726, told the Trib, "I know it's going to happen. I was told by a city official last night that layoff notices would be handed out this morning when workers show up to their shifts. I don't know who, and haven't been notified yet, but I expect the layoffs to be this morning." more ›

• The number of city jobs to be cut if the unions don't come to an agreement with Mayor Daley: 431 according to the Mayor.
• Authorities arrested Elgin Nathan James for running "a street gang that allegedly exerts control over the hardcore punk rock music [scene] through the use of violence."
• A strange story from the South Side where a man's two prosthetic legs were stolen. The legs were later recovered unharmed.

It looks like Drew Peterson won't be going on trial next month after all. Due to stand trial for the murder of Kathleen Savio, his third wife, on August 24, Peterson's lawyers informed presiding Judge Stephen White that Peterson has waived his right to a speedy trial. The move to indefinitely delay the start of the trial is so the defense can review over 40,000 pages of evidence. The next big day in court for Peterson is August 14 when his lawyers will try to have the case moved out of Will County and when they will challenge the constitutionality of the recently passed controversial hearsay law, which plays a big role in the prosecution's case against Peterson. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

As if the Burr Oak Cemetery case wasn't under enough scrutiny, the heat on the investigation is sure to amp up with the revelation that Fraser Robinson III, the father of First Lady Michelle Obama, is buried at the historic African-American cemetery. Michelle's spokeswoman, Camille Johnston, confirmed that Robinson was buried at the Alsip cemetery but refused to comment any further on the matter and there's no word if his grave or headstone was among the hundreds of burial sites that had been disturbed. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

The unions aren't the only folks facing a deadline; Chicagoans in need of a city sticker have through midnight tomorrow to get in on the act and grab their new city sticker to avoid late fees ($40) and tickets ($120). Our pal The Parking Ticket Geek has a suggestion or two for those of you who have waited til the final few hours. Of course, this year's sticker not only features the design (seen above) by Denise Ferguson, recent graduate of Corliss High School, but it also combines the need for a vehicle sticker and a residential sticker in one, easy-to-display multi-purpose sticker. more ›

The Sun-Times is reporting that the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has revived an old law requiring teenage girls to notify their parents before having an abortion.

The lower court found that a provision of the law giving teens the option of getting court approval instead of parental consent was not workable. But the appellate court disagreed. more ›

Why the city is technically not breaking any rules or laws by excluding them, their failure to list some of what was found in the waters of Lake Michigan seems disingenuous. The annual report was recently sent to residents across the cities and while the City did follow the rules, the Tribune took a look at the full report and came across a few discoveries: more ›

Chicago-based ShoreBank, known for making credit available in underserved communities, has been hit with a cease and desist order from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the federal agency charged with insuring deposits and regulating the liquidity of member banks. The order, which requires ShoreBank to to buttress its capital holdings and improve its asset quality and earnings and develop a plan to improve its liquidity, hasn't yet been made public. Nevertheless, it appears that ShoreBank is suffering from the same stagnant economic climate that has hobbled the rest of the banking industry. "We all got hit with a more severe recession than anyone - either here or in Washington or on Wall Street recognized," ShoreBank Chairman and co-founder Ronald Grzywinski told Crain's. While the bank asserts that it is "well-capitalized" by industry standards, it does have a plan in place to raise $30 million in capital. The bank already has a $4 million commitment. more ›

Citing Chicago's "long history of being unable to contain special project costs" and the violation of the "initial promise that 'not a dime' of taxpayer money would be used", Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organizations (IVI-IPO) board members have voted not to support the city's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. In a statement released to the press late yesterday, IVI-IPO urged city council members to vote against authorizing Mayor Daley to sign the host city contract with the IOC on October 1. more ›

If you missed it last night - and we can't really blame you - the Home Run Derby was held and in between the insufferable "BACKBACKBACK" calls of Chris Berman, Milwaukee Brewer Prince Fielder walloped 23 total homers and edged Nelso Cruz in the finals by a 6-5 tally. Fielder also had the longest home run of the night, blasting a shot estimated at 503 feet. more ›

While one of three unions that have been holding out on a labor deal with Mayor Daley has agreed to terms with the Mayor, two others are still not budging as Daley's self-imposed midnight deadline approaches tonight. Laborers Local 1001 recently reached an agreement with the Mayor, leaving just the Teamsters and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) as the lone hold-outs, according to the Tribune's Clout Street. Daley has been threatening to lay off as many as 1,500 workers if the city's unions didn't reach a deal with him that included concessions and unpaid holidays. The city claims deals reached with other unions have saved 800 jobs and that if the two hold-out unions don't come to an agreement, around 700 jobs from those two groups will be cut. more ›

No harm, no foul... right? Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon took some heat recently for not sending the team's restricted free agents their offer sheets by the league-designated deadline. The team eventually signed all eight players to contracts anyway and the players' union withdrew its complaint. But the issues isn't over, as reports suggest that the team is expected to announce that Tallon has been fired on Tuesday. He will be replaced by Stan Bowman, who had been assistant general manager under Tallon. more ›

• Chicago Now's one story up has the story of a family who is facing eviction from Section 8 housing after the death of their mother.
• The Clout College hearings continued today with a pair of admissions experts expressing surprise at the elaborate nature of the system in place at the University of Illinois.
• If you haven't heard it yet, please, go listen to Sen. Roland Burris's interview this morning on WBEZ's 848. While nothing new is revealed, Burris's reactions to questions like what he thinks the impact of his not seeking the seat in 2010 on his staff will be straddle the line between hilarious and horrifying.

As expected, Gov. Quinn signed a $31 billion construction plan today. Hopes are that the plan will fund a rebuilding of the state's infrastructure - prompting repairs and creations of things like bike trails and state highways - while also creating thousands of new jobs. Meanwhile, Quinn has also backed off his push for an income tax hike as state lawmakers return to Springfield tomorrow to see if they can finally hash out a new state budget. [AP via CBS 2] more ›

On July 9, an unidentified person called the victim and directed her to a building in the 200 block of South Michigan Avenue, according to a police press release. The victim notified police, who accompanied her to that location and recovered the violin. The case and bows were also recovered.

Crain's Greg Hinz - who's all over the place today - reported today that plans to move the Children's Museum to Grant Park hit a financial obstacle. more ›

After a flurry of "He's Out" and "He's In" releases, scoops, and stories, it seems we're heading for a final "He's In!" for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and the upcoming U.S. Senate race. Crain's Greg Hinz is reporting that state GOP chief Andy McKenna, the man most saw as Kirk's primary obstacle in securing the Republican nomination for next year's senate contest, will defer to Kirk's wishes. It's been a bit of a confusing affair, especially with two big names - State Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the seat's current holder, Roland Burris - dropping out of next year's race. Luckily, Hinz breaks it down pretty succinctly. more ›

With the crime scene expanding and new horrific discoveries almost every day in the Burr Oak Cemetery case, the FBI has joined the investigation. Chicago Breaking News reports that an FBI forensics team is now on the scene, helping to map the cemetery grounds and determine what the scope of the actual crime scene is. more ›

WBEZ's Rob Wildeboer brings us an interesting and all-too-familiar story of funding for court services - like drug court, mental health court and youth services court - being stuck in limbo. For three years, the county has allegedly been collecting $5 from court fees, which cost $135, to distribute to these court services. But a legislative hang-up is preventing that money from actually going anywhere, particularly to these court services, such as a mediation service provided by juvenile court Judge Michael Stuttley which allows a victim to meet face-to-face with an offender to settle differences. Stuttley tells Wildeboor, "If we had $80, 85,000, we could run the program and we have mediators who have been trained at no cost, no cost to us whatsoever, it's just the clerical expense of setting everything up that we're looking for." After doing a little math, Wildeboer discovers there should be roughly half a million dollars going to programs like Stuttley's. but the money's not getting there thanks to a legislative oversight. Check out the full story here. more ›

The Tribune Company may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in regards to the Chicago Cubs. But it's not as bad as it seems; rather, it's a move that may help the pending sale of the team go a little smoother. According to Bloomberg: more ›

Cubs & Cards Split Doubleheader more ›

United We Work, a job matching website fronted by Jason Kerr, founder and CEO of Chicago-based QuietAgent, is publicly available today. United We Work, "a new nationwide service designed to stimulate hiring by connecting job seekers and employers without any recruiting, job posting or advertising fees," puts employers together with job-seekers at no charge. Backed by Starbucks Coffee Co., AT&T Inc., Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and 7-Eleven Inc, as well as Sears Holdings and Allstate, Kerr's goal is to stimulate hiring by cutting out the costs associated with recruitment. According to Kerr, recruitment, job postings and advertising cost U.S. companies about $60 billion. United We Work won't cost employers anything for the rest of this year, but in 2010, firms employing more than 100 people will be charged $35 annually for the service; job seekers will continue to access the site for free. more ›

A trio of prisoners from Indiana State Prison in Michigan City pulled an Andy Dufrene by tunneling their way to freedom this weekend, but one has already been caught - by Mayor Daley's security guard. But first, who are these three men? Chicago Breaking News identifies the three dangerous escapees. more ›

Phillyist nominated the administrators of the suburban pool club that allegedly kicked out a number of urban youth on basis of their race as its assholes of the week.

A soldier was killed Thursday evening after getting food at a restaurant with his cousin, the Sun-Times reports. Simeon Sanders, 21, was shot while crossing the street to avoid men arguing on the sidewalk in the south suburb of Harvey. Sanders was visiting his family during his furlough. Harvey police are currently investigating the incident, according to the Sun-Times. Funeral arrangements are to be determined. more ›

Bear, the Chicago Police K-9 dog who went missing a few months back, has gone missing again. When Bear got loose in May, he had been scared by a thunderstorm. This time around, it may have been caused by Friday night storms or it might just be an old-fashioned break-out. He went missing from his home sometime after midnight early Saturday morning. [Chicago Breaking News] more ›

Police reopened Ohio Street to traffic after an inactive grenade was found in the River North area this morning, according to Chicago Breaking News. A man found the grenade inside a sock on the sidewalk near Clark and Lake and notified police. The device was real but "inert" and "did not pose a threat," the report said. more ›

All-Star Ted Lilly notched his 100th career win as the Cubs defeated the Cardinals 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. Lilly permitted only four hits and one run over eight innings, alleviating the pressure on Chicago’s bats. The Cardinals’ Brad Thompson did not have the same success, plunking Milton Bradley with the bases loaded in the first inning and then surrendering a two-RBI base knock to Jeff Baker as the Cubs jumped in front 3-0. St. Louis would get one back in the fourth, but Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano each picked up a run in the fifth to extend The Cubs’ lead to four. Things got interesting in the ninth as Carlos Marmol struggled with his command and a blown call at first base kept the Cardinals’ hopes alive, but Kevin Gregg stepped in to record the final out and preserve the victory. The Cubs and Cards play two today before heading into the break. more ›

City Hall is ending its month to month lease at a warehouse on South Pulaski that Mayor Daley's nephew, Robert Vanecko owned. Vanecko, you may remember, headed a real estate investment firm with Daley fundraiser Allison Davis. Davis and Vanecko got nearly $70 million in investment funding from five city pension funds. Both the city inspector general and federal prosecutors are investigating the deal, and Vanecko has since left the investment firm. Nevertheless, the city has determined that it no longer wants to be in the lease deal. But it's not because of the controversy. Certainly not. more ›

With the announcement that Roland Burris will not seek re-election and Lisa Madigan staying put in the AG's seat, Illinois's Junior Senatorial seat has become somewhat of a political hot potato. And amid the shuffling of names and personalities in potential statewide races that have been subject to speculation for months, the Washington Post reported, incorrectly, that Mark Kirk wouldn't run for the GOP slot in the general. In fact, Kirk has been in a bit of a political standoff with Illinois GOP chair Andy McKenna over who would run for an elected office in Illinois that could actually go to a Republican. more ›

State legislators may need more time to "warm up" to an income tax increase. Which is why Governor Pat Quinn will take a break from his 67 percent income tax rate hike proposal, giving legislators until the fall to make a decision. Quinn told the Tribune he would focus on passing a "bare bones budget" to meet government needs until the tax hike is reconsidered in the fall. more ›

A father filed a lawsuit today after his son fell seven stories to his death down an elevator shaft in an Ames, Iowa apartment building. Ronald Pawlak filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging the elevator wasn't "properly inspected or maintained," according to a Chicago Breaking News report. The suit "seeks damages from the elevator company and building management for wrongful death as well as funeral and burial expenses," the report said. more ›

The crowd turned out to the Steel Yard, a minor league baseball stadium, in Gary, Indiana last night to pay tribute to the town's most famous native son, Michael Jackson. Check out the pictures above and read recaps of the evening here and here. more ›

Authorities have closed Burr Oak Cemetery in suburban Alsip, even to those seeking information as to the condition of their loved ones' graves, as their investigation into a scheme that involved over 300 bodies being disinterred continues. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart advised concerned family members to head to the front gates of the cemetery where they could pass information along to sheriff's officials. Dart made the decision after second site of remains and disturbed graves was made on the grounds yesterday. Dart said, “It has become abundantly clear to us that this crime scene is going to continue to grow. We do not have an end in sight.” A temporary restraining order by the sheriff's office to put a moratorium on burials at Burr Oak was dropped. Said Sally Daly, spokeswoman for the Cook County States Attorney's office, "Initially there was discussion of obtaining a temporary restraining order to make sure no more digging, no more funerals, so as to preserve the scene. At this point the lawyers for the cemetery have agreed to discontinue any funeral or any kind of excavating at the cemetery." The cemetery could be closed for up to a week as the investigation continues. [Tribune, Sun-Times] more ›

The Cubs lost ground on the division-leading St. Louis Cardinal Friday afternoon, falling 8-3 in the series opener. Derrek Lee’s third inning homer erased an early three-run deficit, but Albert Pujols reestablished a lead for St. Louis in the fifth with a solo shot to dead center off starter Rich Harden. Aaron Heilman stepped in to relieve Harden in the sixth, but promptly surrendered four more runs on two hits, three walks and a wild pitch, giving the Cards their final margin of victory. Chris Carpenter earned the win for St. Louis and Harden was saddled with the loss for Chicago, dropping him to 5-6 on the season. The Cubs will try to get one back this afternoon behind All-Star southpaw Ted Lilly. more ›

• U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has blamed a lack of funds as the reason he is not running to keep his seat next year.
• The man arrested last fall outside of President Obama's house with a gun has been sentenced to five years in prison.
• A cabbie was arrested for drunk driving last night after he careened off Lakeshore Drive and into a park where he hit two sleeping homeless people; both victims were reported in good condition.

The hammer of justice has come down on Webio co-founder David Hernandez, 48, of Downers Grove. Hernandez stands charged of four counts of mail fraud for running a Ponzi scheme that bilked people out of around $12 million. According to the Sun-Times, the feds are also trying, "to seize $3.5 million and two luxury automobiles from Hernandez, including a 2009 Audi and a 2007 Mercedes Benz ML350." more ›

Prosecutors are still trying to decide if three boys will face charges in last month's burning of 9-year-old Joshua Judkins. The boys, ages 15, 14, and 13, claimed it was a prank gone wrong, but Judkins' parents thought otherwise, calling for hate crime charges. Last week, an announcement was made no charges would be filed, but Lake County juvenile prosecutors spokeswoman Diane Poulton told WBBM AM that the announcement was a "miscommunication." The original police report considered the burning a felony, criminal recklessness causing serious bodily injury. Authorities are awaiting the results of a separate FBI investigation before moving forward with any charges. more ›

The new O'Hare runway opened to much fanfare (and controversy) last fall, but officials are learning it's now all rainbows and lollipops as residents of Park Ridge are complaining of worsening noise issues. In response, a commission of eight residents and an alderman was formed, called the O'Hare Airport Commission. According to the Tribune, the group, "will monitor noise, advocate for fewer flights over Park Ridge, examine environmental issues, and make recommendations for reducing airplane noise in homes and schools." [Tribune] more ›

The state budget mess has left confusion in many sectors and the latest concern is over a lack of swine flu vaccinations. While the virus faded from headlines here in the states, it's still making the rounds and things are getting worse in England. And with the state budget, well, non-existent, there's concern about local health departments - as well as the state's - being able to properly plan for vaccinations. Cook County Department of Public Health head Stephen Martin told WBEZ, "We as a health department by ourselves cannot do this. Nor do we know the impact on our providers - we don’t know how many people they can bring to the table to help us pull off a major campaign for one of the nation’s biggest metro areas." Martin also expressed concern over cuts to disease control budgets that have been threatened by state lawmakers. [WBEZ] more ›

Shock and disgust remain two days after the horrific discovery at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip that employees at the historic African-American cemetery had dug up several hundred bodies for the purposes of reselling the plots. The disinterred remains were then dumped in a field at the rear of the cemetery. According to the Sun-Times' Mary Mitchell, officials also discovered the casket of Emmett Till, whose murder became a rallying point of the Civil Rights movement, had been moved. more ›

Despite threats he wouldn't do it, Governor Quinn is slated to sign a $29 billion public works bill on Monday. Quinn had supported the bill since the beginning but had threatened to not sign it in the wake of the failure to secure his desired state budget. Quinn also said yesterday that he'd be willing to work with legislators on a five-month budget to get the state through the end of the year and buy time to work on a more long-term spending plan. [Crain's, Tribune] more ›

Speaking of the Sox, if you've been following the mystery surrounding Sox hurler Bartolo Colon's whereabouts this week, you might be curious about whether he ever turned up and took the mound last night. Colon did eventually surface in Charlotte to pitch for the Knights against Norfolk, and pitched and impressive game. Going five innings, he allowed just two hits and one run while earning the win in the Knights' 7-1 victory. For the Sox front office, it must be a relief that Colon seems to be on track to return to the active roster soon -- after Clayton Richard's one-inning, six-earned run outing last night his days in the rotation may be numbered. more ›

The road to victory proved too steep for the White Sox on Thursday afternoon, as they fell to the Cleveland Indians 10-8. Pitching on three day's rest and mired in a mid-season slump, starter Clayton Richard didn't make it out of the second inning, surrendering six earned runs while recording only three outs. Four of those runs came on a Kelly Shoppach grand slam in the second, which gave Cleveland a 6-2 lead and sent Richard to the showers. The Tribe pushed their advantage to seven with three runs in the third off reliever D.J. Carrasco, but the Sox battled back in the bottom half of the inning. Chicago posted four runs on a two-out rally and then added two more in the fifth, cutting the deficit to one. That's where the comeback would end, however, as Cleveland's bullpen turned in four-plus innings of two-hit relief, stiffling the Sox offense and preserving the victory. The White Sox have a chance to put some distance between themselves and third-place Minnesota when they take the field in Minneapolis tonight for their final series before the All-Star break. more ›

It's exciting times in Illinois politics - and almost impossible to keep track of the players. The 2010 election, about eight months out at this point features three key races - and enough plot twists to keep even the most well-informed political junkie interested. more ›

The Bulls front office seems to have an infatuation for Dukies, having drafted the likes of Elton Brand, Jay Williams, Chris Duhon and Luol Deng in the past few years. And they were supposedly trying to move up in this year's draft in order to land the Blue Devils' Gerald Henderson. more ›

• CPS officials are boasting about higher test scores, but are they misleading?
• Police caught a man accused of a rape in Logan Square.
• An Amtrak train bound for Chicago crashed into a sedan today, killing all five people in the car.

Well, shit just got interesting. After yesterday's announcement by Attorney General Lisa Madigan that she won't be running for his office, U.S. Senator Roland Burris has had enough and will not be seeking to keep his seat in 2010, according to a report from the Sun-Times. Burris is expected to detail his decision in a press statement tomorrow. more ›

Fox 32 is reporting Michael Jackson's father Joe Jackson, as well as other unnamed family members, will be at tomorrow's memorial for the dead pop singer at Gary, Indiana's baseball stadium. Meanwhile, that House resolution for Michael Jackson? Nope, not gonna happen. more ›

As our pal Steve Rhodes reminds us over at NBC, former Blago Chief-of-Staff John Harris served under Mayor Daley as his budget director and deputy aviation commissioner. Could the feds have an even wider net? Will Harris divulge things about Daley as well as Blago? Rhodes points out: more ›

Don't worry about that mysterious disappearance of White Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon. While his exact whereabouts still aren't public knowledge but according to the team, he will make his scheduled rehab start in Charlotte tonight. But perhaps the best part of this is not the "where" or the "when" but rather the "why" he was hard to locate. Ozzie Guillen has his own theory [per the Tribune]: more ›

The field for next year's Cook County Board President race continues to get a little smaller. Cook County Assessor James Houlihan announced today he wouldn't be running for the office after all. So far, the field against Todd Stroger consists of Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) - read our interview with her, Part 1 and Part 2 - and others either in or considering a run include: U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, Clerk of the Court Dorothy Brown, Commissioner Larry Suffredin and Sheriff Tom Dart. [Sun-Times] more ›

There's plenty going on in Chicago's bid to claim the 2016 Summer Olympics. Here's a few of the stories that caught our eye. more ›

Yesterday we mentioned Gov. Quinn is exploring the early release of many non-violent inmates as a means to help cut from the state budget. Now, reports say the number of inmates released could go as high as 10,000 in a bid to save up to $125 million on the budget. more ›

Local violinist Lori Ashikawa had her rare 18th century violin, two bows, and a case stolen from her home near the corner of N. Wayne and W. Foster on Monday night. The burglar used a key hidden in a planter outside the door - by the way, as soon as you're home, you should change where you're hiding your spare key - and crept up a couple flights of stairs to steal the violin, all while Ashikawa and her husband slept, which gives us the willies to think about. more ›

A strange, horrible story from Alsip regarding the historic African-American Burr Oak Cemetery. It seems the manager and several grave-diggers dug up over 100 almost 300 bodies for the purposes of re-selling the graves. Authorities found piles of bones where the bodies had been dumped after being dug up. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said, "What we found was beyond startling and revolting...All of us who were working on this for the last week were pretty distraught. You start with the premise of your own loved ones and how they are cared for after they are buried, but there is also a true significance to this particular cemetery." Among the historic figures buried at the cemetery are Emmett Till, jazz/blues legend Dinah Washington and heavyweight boxing champion Ezzard Charles. Dart said authorities are working to identify the remains that were removed, but said, "We cannot give people definitive answers at this point." [Tribune, Sun-Times] more ›

Last week, we mentioned the children of the state are getting fatter. Now, another study says that Illinois' adults are, too. According to data released by the CDC, 26.4 percent of Illinois adults are obese. Overall, the Southeast has the highest rates with Mississippi and Alabama coming in at #1 and #2, respectively. (Way to go, SEC country, making me proud of my homeland). But, seriously, the new results show a very troubling trend. As the Trib explains: more ›

It seems a Chicagoan was in on the act the other day when a bunch of environmental protesters unfurled a giant banner over the face of Abe Lincoln (outrage!) at Mt. Rushmore yesterday. According to the Daily Herald, Chicagoan Mary Sweeters was involved and Greenpeace officials indicated at least one more Illinois resident may have been a part. The Daily Herald has the full scoop on what went down. more ›

It was only a matter of time. The first of what promises to be many lawsuits related to the Fourth of July bridge collapse near Merrillville, Indiana has been filed. According to Fox 32: more ›

Crain's Chicago Business is reporting that Michigan developer Villiage Green Companies is looking to the City of Chicago to help finance conversion of a 45 story vintage office building into apartments, after private financing fell through.

The failed financing is the latest trial for the ramshackle Gothic Revival office tower, which is well-known for its crumbling terra cotta facade and has made two trips to Bankruptcy Court this decade. Village Green, which wants to convert the building into 313 apartments, is pushing ahead despite the bad economy, betting that the downtown rental market will pull out of its slump by the time the project, called Randolph Tower City Apartments, is finished. more ›

The White Sox took game two from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night, winning 5-1. Jose Contreras pitched six-plus frames, allowing one run on six hits while striking out nine. At the dish, Jermaine Dye was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, driving home runs in the first, third and seventh innings. Paul Konerko and Gordon Beckham added to the third-inning offensive, each picking up an RBI en route to an early four-run lead. The Sox will shoot for the series sweep at 1:05 this afternoon as youngsters David Huff and Clayton Richard square off on the mound. Richard, who last pitched on July 5, will look to reverse his recent fortunes on short rest. more ›

The City of Chicago is strapped for cash. Some would argue that we're on the verge of bankruptcy. Layoffs, budget cuts and asset sales? Those are all on the table, if they haven't been tried already. But Mayor Daley is ready to throw down the gauntlet on people that shirk their responsibility to pay traffic tickets, municipal utility bills and other debts owed to the City that Works. Daley announced yesterday that the city plans to outsource its debt collection to, well, debt collectors. "We escalated it in the '90s...We've been doing this for 15 to 20 years," Daley told the Tribune. "People refuse to pay...they say it's too much," the mayor said, adding "it's hard, to be very frank. Some went bankrupt, some you can't find, some are just refusing to pay...this is nothing new." more ›

It's hard out there for a Mayor, as our own Honorable Richard M. Daley is learning these days. Already facing a mountain of criticism at home for things such as the parking meter fiasco and the 2016 Olympic agreement putting taxpayers on the hook for $500 million (let's not even mention that pesky nephew), now he's having to defend himself even more. more ›

• Our thoughts and prayers to the family of local National Guard soldier Derwin Williams who was killed by a road-side bomb in Afghanistan.
• With Madigan's exit from both the governor's and senate race, it looks like Republican state senator Mark Kirk is taking his aim at U.S. Sen. Burris' seat.
• Meanwhile, the Republican side of the governor's race keeps growing.

The story of the this year's Cubs has been the lack of offense and today was no different as the Braves shut the Cubs down on the way to a 4-1 win. A sixth inning solo homer from Kosuke Fukudome was all the Cubs could muster in terms of offense. As for the pitching, the loss spoiled Kevin Hart's first major league start. Hart walked five but gave up only one run over five innings. The Braves Casey Kotchman hit a solo shot in the sixth to put the Braves up for good. Kevin Gregg had a rough ninth, allowing two runs though neither were earned; both were the result of Cubs fielding errors. All is not lost for the Cubs, though. In spite of maddening inconsistency, the Cubs get an off day tomorrow and then welcome the first-place Cardinals into town for a crucial four-game series heading into next week's All-Star Break. If the Cubs can manage to win that series, they could close the gap in the standings as well as get some sort of momentum going into the second half of the season. more ›

The saga of the Loop Lab school looks like it may be solved. And it doesn't look good for the state getting it's money back in spite of an earlier ruling. If you remember, then-governor Blagojevich intended for the money to go to the recently burned down Pilgrim Baptist Church but it seems he mistakenly promised it to Elmira Mayes, who was then leading the Loop Lab School which had been renting space at the church at the time of the fire. After a lot of confusion, the school took the money to buy a new space downtown but then flipped the property. Even shadier, the school's leader, Chandra Gill, had been the recipient of a Blago pardon. Lisa Madigan eventually sued the school and the school eventually agreed to repay the state. But an audit by the Illinois Auditor General's office shows that it's very unlikely the state will see that money, calling out the Blago administration for "a lack of due diligence" on its "bureaucratic mistake." more ›

With the state budget mess well documented already, Governor Quinn is hacking away at state spending to save money. One possible solution Quinn is considering? Early release of inmates, something that's already legal for inmates who are less than a year away from their scheduled release date. Of course, this is just one of several possible moves under consideration by Quinn, who said at a press conference yesterday, "We're going to take a look at everything under the Department of Corrections." Read more over at The Daily Herald for reactions to the high-risk potential move. more ›

Reacting to the violent holiday weekend that saw 11 people killed in over 60 shootings (and a stabbing thrown in for good measure), Mayor Daley took to the defensive, citing other reasons rather than the diversion of police to cover the Taste of Chicago (which had its own issues). Namely, the mayor blamed alcohol and the warmer weather for the outbreak. more ›

Be sure to check Part 1 of the interview here if you haven't. more ›

Oscar Mayer, the third chairman of the Wisconsin meat-processing company bearing his grandfather's name, died of natural causes at the age of 95, in Fitchburg, Wis. Mayer retired from the company in 1977. The group reported its first billion-dollar year shortly afterward. The Oscar Mayer company moved to Chicago in 1900 and is now a subsidiary of Kraft Foods. more ›

In a surprise move, it seems state Attorney General Lisa Madigan will not be running for either the U.S. Senate or Illinois Governor come next year, according to Sun-Times political analyst Lynn Sweet. Instead, Madigan will look to stay put by running again for Attorney General. more ›

The Cubs got a great start out of Carlos Zambrano, pitching on three days rest to fill in for the injured Ryan Dempster, but the bats couldn't help out as the Braves slipped past the Cubs 2-1 Tuesday night. Koyie Hill tied the game at 1-1 in the second, but it was all the offense the Cubs could produce. The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the third and then the pitching staffs took over. Zambrano gave up only the two runs over six innings, and the bullpen held tight, but scoring opportunities on offense were few and far between. Said Lou of Z's start, "He did a nice job on [three days'] rest, gave us six good innings of baseball, gave us a chance." The third and final game of the series starts today at 1:20 p.m. (CSN). more ›

White Sox GM Kenny Williams wants to know if you've seen his Colon. Bartolo, that is. It may seem unlikely to lose sight of the rotund pitcher, but that's exactly what's happened. Scheduled to make a rehab start with their Triple-A team in Charlotte on Thursday after a stint in Arizona, the White Sox have been unable to get in touch with Colon. Said Williams, "Efforts to contact his agent have been successful. Their efforts to contact their client have not been so successful." more ›

John Harris, Blago's former Chief of Staff who was arrested along with the ex-governor back in December, is expected to plead guilty to fraud charges at a noon hearing today. Indications are that Harris has been cooperating with prosecutors and plans to testify against Blago at his trial next summer. [WBEZ] more ›

The woes of Mayor Daley continue. With the parking meter deal and the Olympic bid coming under extreme scrutiny, and his nephew's wheelings and dealings, the last thing he needs is another accusation of shady hiring practices, especially in the wake of this year's Hired Trucks trial. But that's what he's getting. Yesterday afternoon, Human Resources Commissioner Homero Tristan, the man Daley brought in to help the city avoid such scandals, resigned in the wake of accusations of lying by city Inspector General David Hoffman; Hoffman had called for Tristan's firing two weeks ago. In spite of the resignation, Tristan maintains his innocence, claiming it's now impossible for him to defend himself while also trying to serve the city. Tristan said (via the Sun-Times): more ›

• The Chicago Public Schools are holding hearings this week on a potential new set of schools, including a pair of live-in schools.
• The number of state worker layoffs coming from Gov. Quinn's budget cuts? 2,600.
• Weird Science story of the day: using Facebook to crack Social Security Numbers.

Dan O'Neil, brother of The CTA Tattler's Kevin O'Neil, keeps us posted on some changes he's making to CTA Tweets, his CTA alert Twitter feed. Check out his assessment of the original project and how he's working on improving it with your help. more ›

Like when we sell a Pitchfork ticket on Craigslist, the Tribune Company has lined up a second party to whom they can sell the Cubs (and the additional assets) should the current deal fall through. It's not really a shock; after all, crazier shit has happened in business and it's certainly one way of strong-arming the Ricketts into completing the deal that has dragged on for a bit. According to the Tribune report: more ›

Though a party from Chicago 2016 is actually in Africa to promote the City's Olympic bid, using a message from President Obama in the pitch, the City's bid team is beginning to focus locally. With an upswing in anti-Olympic sentiment and even rumblings from within the City Council, Chicago 2016 is taking no chances. Between Wednesday and the October 2nd IOC selection, Chicago 2016 will be holding various community meetings for each wards - often grouped together - to meet with the public. The first meetings have already been set. more ›

The Heartland Animal Shelter, a nonprofit, no-kill adoption service in Northbrook, has seen a surge in the number of abandoned pets over the last year, since owners are struggling to support them. According to The Northbrook Star: more ›

Two men, Ronald Kitchen and Marvin Reeves, have been freed by a judge who ruled in favor of their claims they were wrongfully convicted on the basis of false confessions that were beaten out of them as a result of torture during the tenure of former police commander Jon Burge. The two were convicted in the 1988 quintuple murder of two women and three children. The Illinois Attorney General's office backed the mens' request for release. [WBBM] more ›

So now that the Cubs have a new owner, what's next for their home, Wrigley Field? Included in the sale of the team, the iconic stadium may be in for some renovations soon. In question is the Wrigley 2014 plan which would account for $250 million in upgrades and fixes to the stadium that would - hopefully - spruce the Friendly Confines up enough to host the 2014 All-Star Game. And the reason for stressing 2014? That's the ballpark's 100th birthday. What's going to be fixed? According to the Sun-Times: "new concourses, washrooms, concessions, skyboxes and a club seating lounge." Not on the menu: clearing the bleachers of annoying drunk frat boys and girls in pink Cubs hats that have no idea what's happening on the field (full disclosure: I'm the lone die-hard Cubs fan on staff, or, rather, the only staff member brave or stupid enough to publicly claim that). more ›

A new "couples only" hotel may be coming to Midlothian, and residents say the hotel does not belong in a residential area and fear the hotel could bring prostitution to the area. One resident told the Sun-Times, "We're all for business here and it may sound silly. And maybe we're being fussy. But I don't want any midnight stenographers around here." more ›

There is a time and a place for everything. Cubs fans watching the interview between Len & Bob and Erik Estrada last night learned that a 7th inning interview might not be the best place for a conversation about seeing "a lot of child pornography" as well as bringing up - in a complimentary manner - the best known part of Ron Jeremy. more ›

Toni Preckwinkle has been the Fourth Ward Alderman for nearly 20 years. She ran for the post twice prior to winning, in 1983 and 1987, against incumbent Tim Evans. "I came to Chicago when I was 18 years old to go to the University of Chicago. That was 1965, and I've been here ever since. I usually describe myself as having a dilettante's major - I was a general studies and social sciences major and then I got a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. I'm a high school teacher by profession," she says. She got into Chicago politics after working with Paul Simon on his race for State Treasurer. "I started working on independent politics in the community in Hyde Park and South Kenwood, with the Independent Voters of Illinois. Larry Bloom, who was married to one of my college classmates, decided to run for Alderman of the Fifth Ward. I was precinct coordinator for him. So I kind of worked my way up from precinct worker to precinct captain to precinct operations. He won, unexpectedly. I think he thought he'd have to take a couple of runs at it before he got elected." more ›

With the Olympic bid picking up steam, one South Side organization sees it as a chance to build a new hybrid Metra-CTA line to connect under-served transit spots. Calling their proposed branch the Gold Line, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, or SOUL for short, has a plan but it's pretty expensive. According to the Trib: more ›

The Cubs carried momentum from their weekend series win over Milwaukee into the series with Atlanta as they ousted the Atlanta Braves 4-2 in the opening game of a three-game set. Derek Lee continued his hot summer, belting another homer, a two-run shot, in the first to give the Cubs an early 2-0 lead. Fukudome and Theriot followed up with RBIs in the second to give the Cubs all the runs they would need to pull out a win. Starter Randy Wells had a few shaky moments, but held off the Braves, allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings. The bullpen trio of Marshall-Marmol-Gregg shutout the Braves over the final three innings to secure the win; Gregg earned his 15th save. It was also the first game back in almost two months for Aramis Ramirez, who went 0 for 4. Fukudome, batting leadoff again, went 2 for 3 and Soriano was once again hitting sixth and went 1 for 4. Overall, the Cubs are now 5-1 in July and only two games out of first, something of a minor miracle. Game two of the series gets underway tonight at 7:05 p.m. (WGN). more ›

With the state budget crisis growing worse by the day, Governor Quinn has prepared $1 billion in state cuts he plans to announce today in an effort to show legislators he's done all he can to save the state money. A good portion of the cuts will include laying off state workers and Quinn also plans to ask those who remain employed to take 12 furlough days. Said the Governor, "Nobody should be exempt from making sacrifices when all of our state finances are in peril. If the rest of state government is taking 12 furlough days, including my office, I think all the legislators and all the legislative staffs should participate in the sacrifice." more ›

• Bail was set at $1 million for the cab driver accused of sexually assaulting a passenger.
• University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman spoke briefly today on ending the admissions process at the school that gives favor to certain "connected" students.
• The FBI is now investigating a suspicious package found this morning at Riverside Plaza.

Citing a lack of results, the city of Schaumburg is getting rid of the one red light camera they had installed. Curious to see how the cameras worked, the city installed one at a particularly busy intersection close to Woodfield Mall. What happened next led to the eventual decision to scrap plans for more. more ›

Hold tight, Cubs fans, as your team made a big move today. Journeyman infielder Ryan Freel, who joined the team in May, has been traded to the Kansas City Royals. Freel was traded to the Cubs, who in turn sent some cash and Joey Gathright to the Baltimore Orioles. Now, he and cash have been sent to the Royals in exchange for the hotly anticipated "Player To Be Named Later." Freel, who had originally been designated for assignment last week, finishes his short stint with the Cubs with one run, one RBI, and a .143 batting average. more ›

The CTA unveiled the first of its new 58 articulated hybrid buses today. The buses were purchased with $50 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, just one of several projects the CTA is undergoing with their $241 million in stimulus cash. Once the rest of the new buses get into action this fall, the CTA will have a total of 151 articulated hybrid buses on the roads and the buses will help the agency save around $7 million a year in areas like fuel, parts, and labor. [Crain's] more ›

With a state budget still not in place and lawmakers trying to figure out how to plug a budget hole that ranges somewhere between $9 billion and $11.6 billion, Governor Quinn has decided to go straight to legislators instead of the usual dealings with party leaders. Among those who Quinn has met with is Sen. James Meeks, who supports Quinn's proposed income tax hike. Quinn told reporters, "I have a number of other legislators -- Democrat and Republican, House and Senate -- I will be meeting with over the next few days. We believe in consensus-building.'' more ›

After an exceptionally violent weekend, some people are wondering if violence may have been worse than the city wants us to think. The anonymous police watchdog blog, Second City Cop, compiled their stories from the field at Taste and noted that the fireworks may have started half an hour early to stave off more violence. Mike Doyle rounded up comments and reports from the city, the media and the blogosphere on his Chicagosphere blog. Doyle's point is a good one: the disparity between eyewitness reports and ones filtered by City officials through the media can differ greatly. more ›

Cab driver Fred Batrony (pictured right) is in police custody today after an alleged sexual assault of a female passenger late Friday night. The 24-year-old woman hailed Batrony's cab near Fullerton and Clark and asked him to take her to Diversey and Clark. Instead, Batrony allegedly took the woman to a secluded area and assaulted her before dropping her off. Once she was out of the cab, the woman contacted police and gave them a detailed description of Batrony and his cab. Police tracked him down late last night and he's been charged with kidnapping and criminal sexual abuse. [ABC 7, CBN] more ›

Finally. After a long, arduous process, the Chicago Cubs (and Wrigley Field) have a new owner: the Ricketts Family. The Tribune reports this morning that the Tribune Company and the Ricketts finalized the deal over the weekend. Here's hoping the deal wasn't finalized on Saturday in conjunction with the worst performance we've seen out of the Cubs this summer. Anyway. The Trib reports: "The source said the sales price is "close" to the $900 million bid the Ricketts offered earlier this year that won an auction for the baseball team, stadium and a 25 percent stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago, a regional cable television sports network." The agreement now goes to Major League Baseball for approval. more ›

The annual 10-day long Taste of Chicago celebration saw a slight attendance drop this year as the Tribune reports that the City is estimating 3.35 million people visited Grant Park for the food and fun. The estimate is down compared to last year's estimated 3.5 million visitors. Of course, given the cool, cloudy weather that coincided with much of the fest - not to mention a wet Fourth of July - the decrease is considered minimal. Estimates also kept this years attendance at the July 3rd fireworks show at about the usual million or so people down at the lakefront. more ›

The bridge in a Merrillville, Indiana park that collapsed on July 4th, injuring 25, was overloaded to twice its capacity, according to an initial investigation. The collapse sent more than 50 people tumbling into the water below, though no one was seriously hurt. Ross Township Trustee John Rooda said, "There were far too many people on the bridge. It was overloaded. We had uniformed (Merrillville) police officers at both ends. We shoot for 20 people. It can handle up to 40. We're confident there were twice as many on the bridge." The park was closed yesterday for the investigation and is expected to reopen today. The bridge, of course, remains closed. [CBS 2, Fox 32] more ›

Cubs Bounce Back To Top Brewers more ›

Forget the Governor's race or the stampede to oust Sen. Burris. One race that's just as intriguing that's heating up for the next election seems to be for the Cook County Board President's spot. Incumbent Todd Stroger's list of opponents seems to have grown longer with the addition of U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who has announced he is forming an exploratory committee to look into running for the position. Said Davis, "One could say that Cook County government, after the illness and death of President John Stroger, has experienced a crisis in leadership." If Davis jumps into the fray, he'll join Tony Preckwinkle (who we recently interviewed - keep your eyes peeled for that one) and Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown, both of whom have already announced their candidacy for the spot. Republican commissioner Tony Peraica, who ran against Storger in 2006, has yet to announce if he'll run though Demorcat Forrest Claypool has already announced he won't run, instead completely leaving the Board. [CBS 2] more ›

The Blackhawks proved this past year that they're a team on the rise, and certain moves this off-season suggest the team is intent on building upon their success. But did another, inadvertent action, put their future in jeopardy? The 'Hawks may have bungled the tendering of qualifying offers to their restricted free agents -- clerical work that's typically a formality -- and the result might have serious ramifications for the team. more ›

On the heels of the announcement last week that crime in Chicago was down in the first half of 2009 over the first half of 2008, Chicago experienced one of its most violent weekends so far this year. Weekend violence accounted for 63 shootings, one stabbing, and a total of 10 deaths. Of course, looking back at last summer's violence, the bloody start to this July is pretty pedestrian, all the more reason to be skeptical about that recent decrease claim: last year's murder tally was the highest in five years, undermining the claim that violent crime is decreasing rather than just returning to normal levels. more ›

While it was no shock to see only one Cub on this year's NL All-Star Roster, it's hard not to consider a certain White Sox player as snubbed. Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly and Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle were the lone representative from each team named to this year's All-Star teams. Missing from the AL squad? Jermaine Dye, whose 19/50/.291 line wasn't good enough. Dye isn't included on this year's Final Vote list, which gives fans the chance to vote in the final player to each roster. more ›

More than 30 people were arrested at the Taste of Chicago and around Grant Park Friday, according to Chicago Breaking News and Sun-Times reports. Of that number, four were arrested for carrying guns (including a 15-year-old male with a sawed-off shotgun in his backpack) and two were arrested for carrying knives. Only two people were arrested on Saturday for misdemeanor charges, according to the Sun-Times. The first gun arrest for the 2009 Taste happened last Saturday, the Sun-Times reports. more ›

Yes, we know yesterday was a holiday and there was a lot of alcohol being consumed and all kinds of other factors that can fuel violence outbreaks, but this screenshot of Chicago Breaking News this morning gave us a bit of a jolt, especially after the earlier claim that violence was down in the city. more ›

Holiday celebrations ended abruptly and horrifically for many gathered on a pedestrian bridge in Merrillville, Ind. Saturday evening. The bridge, holding an estimated 100, collapsed as people dispersed after a fireworks show that evening, according to Chicago Breaking News. While there were significant injuries, no one died and everyone was rescued, reported a Merrillville dispatcher. more ›

Brewers Blast Cubs more ›

In spite of the weather, the grills are warming up, the beers are getting cold, and these bottlerockets aren't going to light themselves. We're off to enjoy the rest of the holiday and we hope you are, too. Have a safe and happy holiday celebrating our nation's independence and we'll see you right back here tomorrow morning. more ›

Part of the tradition of July 4th is watching the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating contest and this year was no different. Not only did defending champ Joey Chestnut win again and also notch a new world record with 68 hot dogs downed, but Chicagoan Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finished third overall behind Chestnut and Kobayashi (64.5) - with 55 hot dogs put away. You may remember we caught up with Bertoletti last year at an eating contest. more ›

Some people seem to have taken the "blow stuff up" aspect of the holiday a bit too far. Chicago Police are still looking for the person who used explosives to blow up a porta potty at the Lakefront yesterday morning before the crowds showed up. Police say no one was injured and only the toilet was damaged. [WBBM] more ›

A year ago, the City was reeling from two jarring violent acts: the death of Chicago Police officer Richard Francis, killed in the line of duty, and a shoot-out in the Loop following the Taste of Chicago. And while there have certainly been outbreaks of violence this year, City officials are touting new numbers that show crime is down in 2009. The first six months of the year have seen a 10.4 percent decrease in crime and a 12.7 decrease in homicides (199 versus 229 last year). Embattled police superintendent Jody Weis said, "While our ultimate goal is to see the number zero for murders in Chicago, the 12.7 percent drop in homicides through June is a positive sign that our efforts to curb violence are having an impact." more ›

White Sox Roll Past Royals more ›

With the City already staring down major cuts, the Department of Public Health could be adding to the cutbacks. The DPH could be forced to cut spending by 25 percent and layoff as many as 80 workers. The main culprit? The ongoing state budget crisis in Springfield right now. Dr. Terry Mason, DPH head, said yesterday at a press conference, “This is real. This is not something that is contrived. You cannot make bricks without straw and you cannot provide services without people. This political game which is being framed as an economic argument, but it’s a political game and it needs a political solution and it needs it now.” Other departments, such as the Department of Family and Support Services, also face double-digit cuts. [Chi-Town Daily News] more ›

Beware if you're heading out to get on I-294 for weekend travel right now. A 15-car pile-up between Willow and Lake-Cook Roads on the I-294 tollway has caused a seven mile long traffic jam, causing a complete highway clusterfuck. more ›

The Chicago Tribune's investigation into the University of Illinois has now reached State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Giannoulias' adviser Endy Zemenides allegedly helped get a student off the wait list and into school and in turn, a Greek Orthodox priest, a family friend of the student who had reached out to Zemenides, held a fundraiser for Giannoulias that earned over $120,000. Giannoulias is currently eyeballing a run at Sen. Roland Burris' senate seat. His campaign distanced Giannoulias from the student, saying he knew nothing of the request, and Giannoulias has not been connected to any other student on the list. more ›

Seven months after they approved Mayor Daley's parking meter privatization deal, the City Council held a hearing to angrily express their outrage over the deal. This from the same City Council that voted 45-5 to approve the deal and, when one alderman complained about the lack of time for review, prompted the classic response from Ald. Mell (33rd), "How many of us read the stuff we do get, OK?. I try to. I try to. I try to. But being realistic, being realistic, it's like getting your insurance policy. It's small print, OK?" Small print, indeed. more ›

Derek Lee solidified himself as the one Cubs offensive performer worthy of an invitation to the All-Star Game by homering twice and knocking in seven runs as the Cubs raced past the Brewers 9-5. Lee got things started with a three-run homer in the first and was followed up by Jake Fox who hit a solo shot. Mike Cameron hit a two-run shot for the Brewers in the second to cut the Cubs lead in half, but D-Lee responded with a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth as the North Siders blew the game wide-open. Geovanny Soto completed the scoring-only-on-homers night for the Cubs as he belted a solo shot in the fourth as well. Of course, never ones to make things easy, the Cubs pitching staff allowed the Brewers to score runs late, but Lee's offense was enough to pace the team. Ryan Dempster had a good start, allowing four runs (three earned) over 6.2 innings while striking out nine. Aaron Heilman allowed a run in the eighth but the bullpen, which included appearances from Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol, held the Brewers. Don't look now, but the Cubs are only 2.5 out of first. The two teams tangle again this afternoon at 1:20 p.m. (CSN). more ›

It was a bad day for Illinois banks yesterday as six banks across the state failed. According to the FDIC, the banks that failed were:
• Founders Bank, Worth, IL
• The Elizabeth State Bank, Elizabeth, IL
• The First National Bank of Danville, Danville, IL

If you're one of the few people in an office today...we feel your pain. And you're missing a gorgeous day outside. So what are you waiting for? Get outside! Sunny skies and highs in the upper 70's? No excuse to be indoors. Besides, you can always read our mobile version from the park. more ›

• Police have arrested a man in connection with an attempted assault on a doctor in her office earlier this week; the man was turned in by his girlfriend.
• Has Mayor Daley ditched Stroger for Preckwinkle in the upcoming Cook County Board President race?
• A quick thinking paramedic helped save a woman who suffered a heart attack at the Taste of Chicago earlier today.

Around 5,000 pounds of "high-powered, commercial-grade fireworks" have gone missing in DuPage County and now authorities are worried whoever stole them may not be ready for the oomph of the explosives which are more powerful than the bottle rockets and low-grade shells that most people buy from stands and shoot off on Independence Day. Sgt. Jim Ruff, commander of the department's Hazardous Device Unit, put it succinctly when talking to the Sun-Times: "If one of these things goes off in your hand, you're probably going to die." more ›

In another round of Great News!, it turns out kids in Illinois are getting fatter. In a study just released, based on 2007 data from the National Survey of Children's Health, Illinois children rank fourth in the United States in terms of being overweight or obese with 20.7 percent of the children tipping the scales. more ›

Got a gripe for the CTA? Bus bunching? Poor train conditions? Now's your chance to tell them what's wrong and how to improve their service. You can swing by their site and take this survey. more ›

It looks like Ald. Manny Flores (1st) has a bit of company in his bid to cap Olympic spending. Earlier this week, Flores introduced an ordinance to the City Council and so far 10 more aldermen have signed on to back the cap. They are, according to the Tribune: more ›

One enterprising Chicago teen is learning you can't sell fake money. The Secret Service arrested 18-year-old Arthur J. Williams III for selling counterfeit $100 bills. According to NBC 5:

The individual agreed to cooperate and purchased fake bills from Williams on three occasions. On June 16, Williams allegedly sold the person 24 counterfeit $100 bills for $480. He sold 30 additional bills for $600 on June 17, and another 10 for $200 on June 23, the complaint alleges. After each transaction, agents matched the serial numbers of the bogus bills and discovered counterfeits with the same numbers, totaling $112,900, had been passed in at least a dozen states nationwide in recent months.

Seems United has got things churning again out at O'Hare as the check-in kiosks are back online. But it'll take some time to untangle from today's earlier mess so we still highly recommend you check your flight status online if you're flying the friendly skies. [CBN] more ›

State Comptroller Dan Hynes is saying there's still time to save payments to state workers in spite of the fact there's no budget and state lawmakers are waiting until July 14 to return to Springfield, one day before the next checks are scheduled to go out. Hynes says the payroll will be ready to go in case a budget is finalized. In addition, Hynes told WBEZ that social services won't be hurt until later in the summer since money is not immediately delivered, even when the state has a working budget: "If they provided services today, by the time they got their paperwork into the agency and it's submitted to our office, and with the cashflow delays we're having, we're talking several months. So that's why the day-to-day social services don't have a real, hard-and-fast deadline like a payroll does." It's the first time we've heard a "Don't Panic" from a state official, but it's being drowned out by the political posturing of those in charge of putting together the budget. more ›

The Bulls weren't the only team bidding farewell to free agents. The Blackhawks joined the club, as two key players from this past season's playoff run have flown the United Center coop to other destinations. more ›

Cubs Boot Bucs more ›

We mentioned it yesterday, but the numbers are in and they aren't pretty. In the first round of cuts meant to save money, the Chicago Public School System has cut 557 jobs. The cuts lower the CPS deficit by about $100 million, from $475 million to $375 million with even more cuts expected in the near future. According to the Sun-Times: more ›

We were excited to learn that EveryBlock co-founder Daniel X. O'Neil was working with Harper Reed of Threadless fame to develop a new online gadget - but it's not the hyper-local t-shirt you might immediately presume (pretty please?). Instead, the pair produced a new city government transparency toy: CityPayments. And it's likely to be all the rage among us reporters as it gathers momentum. But what does it do? And why do we care? more ›

Turns out that the rumors we'd heard over the past couple weeks were true. On the first day that NBA teams could make offers to free agents, the Detroit Pistons lured Ben Gordon away from the Bulls. Gordon reportedly agreed to a five-year deal worth between $55 and $60 million. While the Bulls claimed to want to retain Gordon, and Gordon stated his desire to remain in Chicago, he sure didn't waste much time in signing elsewhere. more ›

The timing couldn't be worse: as people prepare to leave town for the holiday weekend, a computer glitch has left United Airlines at a standstill at O'Hare. The glitch is preventing passengers from checking in and keeping flights grounded. A spokeswoman has said that United flights are landing but taking a while to proceed to the correct gate. A WGN helicopter flew by and the news crew estimated a line of around 2,000 passengers extending outside the United terminal. On their website, United has issued the following statement: more ›

• R.I.P. acting legend (and Chicago native) Karl Malden.
• Bail was denied for Harold Turner, the blogger from New Jersey currently in jail for threatening several Chicago-area judges over their upholding of Chicago's handgun ban.
• Layoffs began today at the Chicago Public Schools.

As we head into the holiday weekend, there's a bit of sports news to catch up on. more ›

Following up on our earlier post about the budget crisis facing the state, Gov. Pat Quinn today announced he was vetoing part of the budget that had be presented him by the state assembly. The part Quinn vetoed dealt with social services, calling the fight to hold out for more funding via his budget and tax increases was a "fight worth fighting for." Per the Tribune: more ›

For the second time in about a week, multiple cars were set on fire. The latest incident occurred last night in Lincoln Square where four cars were burned in a parking lot in the 5600 block of North Western Avenue. No one was hurt and an investigation is underway. Police say it doesn't appear to be related to last week's incidents of car burnings on the Northwest Side. [CBN] more ›

There are conflicting reports this morning that the game of chicken between the unions and Mayor Daley may be at an end. The Sun-Times is reporting this morning that the two sides are in the process of finalizing a two-year deal that will cut costs but save 1,504 city workers who had otherwise been selected for layoffs. Of course, as the Sun-Times points out, a two-year deal would conveniently carry through the aldermanic and mayoral elections of 2011. Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon wouldn't discuss details, but did say, "There's a deal in the works." more ›

In a rare moment of aldermanic clarity, it seems some members of the city council don't believe what they're being told about the city's Olympic bid. Led by 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores, a group of aldermen are asking for an independent third-party auditor to look through the city's bid book for potential cost overruns. "It is critically important that we pursue the bid in a financially responsible manner and also in a manner where we provide full transparency for the city of Chicago, and fully vetting and evaluating the merits of the Games," Flores told CBS2. "That's what the residents of the city want," Flores said. "They want the assurance they're not going to be put on the hook long term." more ›

That's right, Illinois, it's an exciting day as the new Fiscal Year has begun and- what? There's no budget but rather a huge budget hole? Between $7 billion and $9 billion? Shit. Didn't we just boot a corrupt as all Hell governor so that the state government could right this sinking ship? Well...crap. more ›

In a symbolic move, 33rd Ward Alderman and Rules Committee Chairman Dick Mell and 38th Ward Alderman and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen are demanding that the Chicago Park District cancel its plans to install meters in over 4,000 parking spots in lakefront spaces. "The slogan is, 'Come out and play', not 'come out and pay.' We want to revisit this. People own the lakefront. People own the beach. In this economy, that's the only vacation people can afford," Allen told the Sun-Times. The Park District announced in May that they would begin charging for parking this fall. Mayor Daley, already bruised and battered from voter outrage over the parking meter privatization debacle, dodged comment on the matter, telling the Tribune, "That's the park district." more ›