News

A dozen protesters - 11 adults and one juvenile - were arrested this morning in the Loop. The group was part of a rally organized by Mobilization for Climate Justice. [FOX] more ›

In the midst of yet another rough "Circus Trip, " the Bulls got a piece of bad news about Kirk Hinrich and his sprained thumb, an injury suffered during a practice in Portland last week. The guard, who has been the team's sixth man all season, will miss one to two weeks with the injury. A MRI conducted Monday indicated that the injured ligament remains attached to the bone, which is good news in that he'll only miss a limited amount of action. Last year, Hinrich missed 31 games after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his other thumb. Still, the Bulls are already short handed due to Tyrus Thomas' fractured left forearm and the team was lacking in backcourt depth even before Hinrich's injury. How much can they depend on Jannero Pargo and Lindsey Hunter (the oldest player in the NBA) to contribute in the next few games. Let's just hope the Bulls don't do something rash and try to talk Allen Iverson out of retiring! more ›

Multiple media outlets are reporting this afternoon that Charlie Weis is no longer the head football coach at Notre Dame following a disappointing 6-6 season at the school. The first two seasons under Weis were successes as Notre Dame went 9-3 in 2005 and 10-3 in 2006 and landed in BCS bowls both years but the team has been 16-21 over the last three years and is winless against ranked opponents in that same time period. Overall, Notre Dame was 35-27 under Weis, 1-2 in bowl games (those two BCS bowls were losses). Players are slated to vote at a team meeting today whether or not to accept an expected bowl game invitation after which any decision about an interim coach will be made. more ›

Blogger and internet radio host Hal Turner, arrested in June for calling for the murder of three federal judges, has been on the FBI payroll since 2003. According to The Record of Bergen County, Turner was approached by the FBI in 2003 to become an informant. Since then, he has reportedly received thousands of dollars from the feds to report on various white supremacist groups. FBI memos indicate as much as $100,000 were appropriated for Turner’s work. more ›

If you're on Facebook (and who isn't, these days?), then you know that people use the social networking application not only to stay in touch, but also to share their thoughts and personal events with their network of friends and acquaintances. Social networking has become so prevalent in society that even politicians and elected officials use it communicate with constituents. Unfortunately, they tend to use it in a dry and almost "safe" way - sticking to an unwritten script of stating a position on an issue, thanking supporters/asking them to help support a campaign, piece of legislation or friendly candidate, and sharing information about issues the candidate is working to promote or support. more ›

The Chicago Spire may have new hope of becoming something beyond a really expensive hole in the ground. According to a report by the Tribune, the building's developer, Garrett Kelleher, is slated to meet with today leaders of AFL-CIO pension investment trusts which could get the ball rolling on a new loan. That land loan would total $170 million and, according to the Trib, "would retire Shelbourne Development Group Inc.'s loan from Anglo Irish Bank, pay off liens and restart work on a project dormant for more than a year." If this sounds familiar it's because similar talks happened earlier this year but were shelved when the trusts decided to make a potential deal to help build an Olympic Village the top priority. With the Olympics not coming to Chicago, that's put the Spire back at the top of the list. Per the Trib: more ›

Now a quick note on the tragic end of the holiday: it was a deadly holiday weekend as nine homicides were reported in Cook County, including a pair of murder-suicides. The Sun-Times has a breakdown of what went down. The S-T also reports six traffic deaths across the metro area over the extended weekend. more ›

With today expected to be a busy day with holiday travelers returning home, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection is conducting an undercover operation to target unlicensed cab and limo drivers at Midway, O'Hare, and other locations around the city. For those caught breaking the law, by the time prosecution is all said and done, fines and fees can top out at over $5,000. The Tribune has more on the sting. more ›

We don't even know why we continue to watch this train wreck. The Bears keep looking worse and worse as their season progresses, dropping to 4-7 after losing to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings 36-10 on Sunday. The Vikings' offense obliterated the Bears bumbling defense, with the ageless Favre completing 32 of 48 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns; the Vikings racked up 537 yards of total offense. Five different receivers caught at least five passes from Favre, led by rookie Percy Harvin's first 100 yard game on six receptions. With the defensive game plan focused on Adrian Peterson, the Bears "held" the star running back to 85 yards rushing, and the Vikings still managed 159 yards on the ground. more ›

Gov. Quinn has signed into law a bill that amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act. The bill raises penalties and gives the state more power to enforce laws preventing "cramming," when scammers pile on unauthorized fees on your phone bills. David Kolata, of the Citizens Utility Board, said, "Cramming is just another name for fraud. It's a scam that must end, that should end and we believe with the extra protections in here including strong third party verification and disclosure and enhanced ability when you are crammed to know who you should call to solve the problem, we believe all these provisions will lead to a dramatic reduction in cramming." [ABC 7] more ›

Photo by ekovalev more ›

Seattlest was thankful for all the ways that Washington sports doesn't suck. more ›

Three sketches by Pablo Picasso were sold for $36,000 in less than two minutes at Bloomington Auction Gallery's annual after-Thanksgiving estate event in central Illinois. The sketches were pieces of a dust cover for the 1954 French book, "Picasso and The Human Comedy," depicting Picasso's wife, Olga, a male nude, and a flute player and his mistress. Jason Penny, the auction manager, told the Chicago Sun-Times that he wasn't surprised that the tattered drawings largely went unnoticed by auction-goers, with most of the traffic coming in by phone and online. The names of the buyer and seller weren't disclosed. more ›

Following up on their decision to name Mount Prospect the best place in the U.S. to raise children in 2008, BusinessWeek magazine has passed the title on to Tinley Park for 2009. Unlike their magazine rival, Forbes, who has voted Chicago the nation's most stressful city for the past two years, it seems like BusinessWeek may have a bit of a crush on the suburbs of Chicago. more ›

Former Mount Carmel High star and NBA star Antoine Walker is in hot water for slum conditions at various buildings he owns across the city, according to a report by the Tribune: "Real estate investment companies that list Walker as an investor or principal -- Walker Ventures LLC and AW Realty LLC -- are the target of more than a dozen lawsuits alleging poor management of numerous properties, unpaid debts and damages caused by shoddy repair work." In an interview with the Trib, Walker apologized for the conditions and said, "I accept full responsibility for the debts of my company." more ›

'Hawks Drop Circus Trip Finale more ›

The last time we checked in with the Gitmo situation almost two weeks ago, the story was drawing attention both nationally and locally. In Illinois, local politicians were arguing back and forth over the possible transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center in Thompson, Illinois. On Friday, House Republicans decided to make their concerns heard by calling for a bipartisan committee to study the potential sale of the northwest prison. more ›

Two people stole over $70,000 in cash from an ATM in the bank lobby of a Chase Bank in Buffalo Grove earlier this month, police said. The two thieves obtained customers' account information from a camera and another recording device they installed in the lobby. The Secret Service was informed of the robbery, which took place at the Chase Bank on the 170 block of North McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove. more ›

The Thetan Level of Printer's Row is about skyrocket: the Church of Scientology will move its Illinois HQ into new digs at 650 S. Clark St. next year. The Church is in the midst of renovations to the seven-story, 50,212 square foot building which, according to the Tribune, "will accommodate worship, courses, spiritual counseling known as auditing, community outreach and church administration." The Church seems to have outgrown its current digs on the North Side on Lincoln Avenue. Rev. Jesse Wells said, "That's one of the reasons we need such a large space, to accommodate all the activities." more ›

The thing about the Thanksgiving weekend smorgasbord of football is that we lose track of who plays on what day. Case in point: Illinois playing yesterday against Cincinnati being left out of our morning sports round-up. Mea culpa, Illini fans. Though chances are most of you didn't mind as the Illini finished the season on a losing note, falling to #5 Cincinnati by a score of 49-36. The Illini got out to an early 7-0 lead but Cincinnati showed why they're ranked #5, rattling off 28 straight points to take a lead that would never really be in danger. Illinois QB Juice Williams threw for 282 yards/3 TDs adn ran for another 67 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground as Illinois rolled up 476 total yards. But they couldn't overcome the performance by Cincy QB Tony Pike, who threw for 399 yards and six TDs of his own. The Illini finish the season a disappointing (an understatement) 3-8. more ›

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown has announced that her campaign is relenting on their petition challenge of incumbent Todd Stroger in the race for Cook County Board President. Brown, who has problems of her own, made the announcement yesterday via an email to supporters but not before taking a few more potshots at Stroger, including making the age-old "We totes could have won but had more important things to do" argument. The statement said: more ›

The Blackhawks finally lost a guy and, of course, it had to be in the land of Disney. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim shut-out the Blackhawks 3-0 yesterday afternoon, handing the 'Hawks their first loss of the Circus Trip. It had been three weeks since the 'Hawks had last been on the losing end of a game. The Ducks scored on three consecutive power plays and managed to shut down a high-powered Blackhawks attack that had scored 20 goals over the previous four games, including a pair of seven goal games. All three Duck goals came in an 11 minute span from the end of the first period into the halfway point of the second period. Huet still managed 31 saves in goal, but the 'Hawks managed 28 shots of their own, none finding the back of the net. If there's a silver lining, it's that the 'Hawks wrap up the Circus Trip tonight in L.A. against the Kings (9:30 p.m., WGN). And you'll have plenty of chances in December to catch the 'Hawks: eight of the next 10 games after tonight are at home. more ›

If you're on the fringes of the political spectrum - right or left - you may have a PR problem running for a position in Illinois government. Though it's optional, candidates are encouraged to sign a loyalty oath, a short statement affirming they are "not affiliated directly or indirectly with any communist organization or any communist front organization, or any foreign political agency, party, organization or government which advocates the overthrow of constitutional government." WBEZ reports that most candidates turned in the oath with their ballot petitions. more ›

Tamara T. Hoffman, newly-former chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, has been charged in Springfield with making harassing phone calls and texts to a woman who is supposedly involved in a love triangle with a man that both her and Hoffman have been seeing. Police say Hoffman made the calls/texts from her state issued cell phone. Authorities also say Hoffman tried to throw her political weight around with the downstate woman, allegedly telling her, "If you see him again, something bad is going to happen to you. I work for the State of Illinois, and you don't know who you're messing with." more ›

In the Chicago Reader's profile of Joe Laiacona, running for the State House in the 40th District against Blago's sister-in-law Deb Mell, Hunter Clauss mentioned Laiacona's petition challenge to Mell's candidacy, centered on a conflict of Mell's address. But thanks to a ruling earlier this week, the Reader follows-up, it looks like Mell is in the clear. more ›

The Bulls' struggles on the road continued last night as the team fell to Utah by a 105-86 final, their fourth straight loss as well as their fourth straight loss by over 15 points. Luol Deng led the Bulls with 26 points and 8 rebounds and Derrick Rose added 19. The Bulls only shot 42 percent while allowing the Jazz to shoot over 60 percent from the field. Said Joakim Noah afterwards, "We've got to do something. We're not competing like I know we're capable of competing. It's on nobody's shoulders. It's a team effort and we've just got to stick together as a team and get it together because we're not there yet." If there's a silver lining for the Bulls, it's that they can finally return home with only a Monday game a few hours up the road in Milwaukee left on the Circus Trip. more ›

Sure, it's only 1 p.m., but we're calling it an early day to go eat, drink, and be thankful with friends and family. But don't worry; we'll be emerging from our food comas tomorrow morning and be right back here. (Don't forget: if you're out shopping, consider buying local.) But before we go, we'd like to give thanks for you. Sure, we have lots of things to give thanks for (family, friends, etc), but we're also thankful to have you, our readers, coming back day after day. 2009 has been the biggest year yet for Chicagoist and we're looking forward to a strong finish. While we don't always see eye to eye with some of you, you keep reading and without you, there would be no one with whom to share our thoughts about this amazing city we live in. Whether it's directly on the site, via our RSS feed, on Facebook, or on Twitter, you've stuck with us. So thank you for making us a part of your daily (and sometimes hourly) routine. more ›

Richard Gillman, the former CEO of Republic Windows and Doors, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of mail fraud, money laundering, organizing and continuing a financial crime enterprise, and felony theft. According to the Sun-Times: more ›

The 'Hawks have several things to thankful for this morning as they continue on a big roll. First, last night's game saw the Blackhawks debut for their big off-season free agent signing, Marian Hossa, who missed the start to the season thanks to off-season shoulder surgery. And, second, the 'Hawks' winning streak reached eight games as they cruised past San Jose 7-2. Troy Brouwer got a late first period goal for an early 1-0 lead. But early in the second, the 'Hawks cracked the game wide open when Hossa and Patrick Sharp scored short-handed goals within 28 seconds of each other. Midway through the period, Dustin Byfuglien added a goal and the 'Hawks went into the second intermission up 4-0. more ›

According to Mike Martz, there will be no "Greatest Show On Turf" at Soldier Field. With the Bears mired in a three-game losing streak (and losers in five of their last six games), rumors have swirled that both head coach Lovie Smith and GM Jerry Angelo are on the way out, rumors the team has denied. Another rumor has offensive coach Martz coming to town, pushing out Ron Turner. Martz was the architect behind the '99 Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams' explosive offense and the chance to work with Cutler would seem irresistible for Bears fans. Or not, as some fans might also remember Martz as the offensive coordinator who more recently struggled mightily in Detroit. more ›

It seems that the Andy McKenna campaign has riled both the Gov. Quinn campaign as well as the Chicago Tribune after using an alleged quote from a Tribune article that both the Trib and the Quinn says the McKenna folks made up. The ad continues to attempt to tie Quinn to our most recent corrupt ex-gov, Rod Blagojevich. more ›

Judicial Watch, a "conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, [that] promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law," is preparing to file a lawsuit against the city of Chicago to force them to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request they filed in September of this year. The group had filed the request in order to obtain records involving Chicago's failed Olympic bid, specifically looking at the role President Obama and the White House played in the bid. more ›

The White Sox aren't spending Thanksgiving Eve laying about; they're making moves. With the departure of a players like Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye, the team seems to be looking for someone to add a little power and it looks like they're going to take a gamble on Andruw Jones. The Sox and Jones agreed to a one-year, $500,000 deal that includes a potential $1 million in performance-based bonuses, according to Chicago Breaking Sports. Of course, Jones seems to be past his prime, only playing in 82 games in 2009 and turning in a .214/17/43 performance. According to Sox GM Ken Williams, Jones will largely be used as a reserve, adding, "With the addition of Andruw, Mark Kotsay and Omar Vizquel, we feel our bench is taking shape to be a strong asset heading into the 2010 season." Those three players have over 44 seasons of experience combined. more ›

Police are investigating what appears to be a murder-suicide in Addison. A man, his wife, and their two children were found in the house when police arrived on the scene earlier this morning. Addison police spokeswoman Officer Megan Freeman told the Tribune, "Preliminary investigation indicates this was not a random act of violence, but an isolated incident at this location." [Tribune] more ›

After all that huffing and puffing about Mayor Daley's proposed property tax relief plan, the City Council's Finance Committee backed down on their challenge and passed Daley's plan with a few minor changes. The committee had initially balked at the plan, prompting Daley to lash out at the challenge. more ›

With new ownership now in place for the Sun-Times, the focus now turns to making money. Speaking yesterday to the City Club of Chicago at a luncheon, Sun-Times Media CEO Jeremy Halbreich outlined several changes that are in store for the company in an effort to turn things around financially speaking. According to Crain's: more ›

Conventional wisdom was that Bears head coach Lovie Smith's job is secure, at least through next season, for no other reason than that the McCaskey clan wouldn't want to pay Smith and his staff while also paying a new coach and his staff. Smith has two years and $11 million remaining on his current deal. Never mind that the Bears now hold a 4-6 record in spite of adding supposed franchise QB Jay Cutler, who Ron Turner has managed to turn into the second coming of Rex Grossman, and in spite of Lovie personally taking over the defensive play calling. The media and fans alike have been imploring the Bears ownership to eat those contracts and make a coaching change. Turner is also the subject of speculation as a source has told the Sun-Times that Mike Martz has been targeted to take over the offense. more ›

Police have released their full report on the investigation into the death of former Blagojevich aide Christopher Kelly. Kelly died in September from complications stemming from a suicide attempt. Several additional details were released, including Kelly telling his girlfriend, "It's my life...Tell them they won, tell them they won." There's no indication of who "they" refers to, but Kelly was under pressure from federal prosecutors to testify against Blagojevich. The Trib has more here. more ›

• Another game, another sizzling performance from Luke Harangody for #23 Notre Dame. The senior forward scored 29 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as the Irish (5-0) dispatched Kennesaw State 80-62.
• Wofford hung tough early on with #21 Illinois, but the Illini managed to pull away to remain undefeated (4-0) thanks to a 78-64 win. Demetri McCamey scored 21 points and three other starters hit double-digits: Mike Davis (16), D.J. Richardson (15), and Mike Tisdale (12).
• Northwestern improved to 3-1 on the year with a 69-53 victory over Liberty. Drew Crawford led all scorers with 22 points.

Two Chicago Police officers have been reprimanded for an incident in Pittsburgh in September in which the officers forced an arrested college student to kneel and pose for a photo with them. The Chicago officers were on loan to help provide security for the G20 summit. According to CBS 2, the reprimands were given to "a department chief and commander" and details of the reprimand were not released. more ›

Earlier this week, we talked about the Cubs erecting a pair of billboards that would block the view of a rooftop on Waveland emblazoned with an ad for the Horseshoe Casino. Most fans remember the rooftop from previous years when it was painted red and featured the Budweiser logo on it. It seems the new chairman for the Cubs, Tom Ricketts wasn't pleased and Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said the team was: "looking to protect our corporate partner family who invest their resources with us to be our official sponsors. It's important that we protect our brand in the marketplace, protect the value of our corporate partners and protect against anyone trying to ambush our brand." Which seems to be a not-so-subtle way of saying, "We're trying to protect Budweiser." The team never had an issue with the large Budweiser rooftop sign, the bleachers at Wrigley are officially sponsored by Bud Light, and, well, we all know what kind of man Harry Caray was. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But what company is expected to become advertisers on the new billboards? According to CBS 2, Budweiser. more ›

Mayor Daley lashed out at Chicago aldermen on Tuesday for sending back his proposal to give Chicagoans cash payouts to help ease the hit of increased property tax bills. The mayor's plan would use $35 million of the proceeds from the controversial parking meter lease to give an average of $150 to homeowners. The city council's Finance Committee sent the bill back to City Hall, asking that the mayor revise the scope of his plan, as it currently would extend to homeowners earning $200,000 a year. more ›

• Prosecutors raised the amount that Chicago Police Sgt. John Pallohusky has been accused of stealing from the Chicago Police Sergeants' Association; previously listed as $600,000, it was increased to almost $1 million. Pallohusky faces charges of with felony theft and money laundering.
• The Washington Post is closing several bureaus, including the one here in Chicago, in an attempt to save money.
• The owner of a pair of Gary, Indiana casinos has filed for bankruptcy as he awaits a decision by the state about allowing casinos to be built on land.

No one’s happy about the economy right now and it doesn’t seem that anyone is happy about the stimulus package either. Whether someone is shouting socialism or directing other vitriol at President Obama or some fuzzy numbers and bad data show up in the records, the stimulus package can’t seem to get a break. Now, the Chicago Tribune reports that the $6.4 billion Illinois received doesn’t seem to add up to many new jobs. more ›

The Tribune reported earlier today that Playboy Enterprises, amidst considerable profit losses, will outsource most of its business operations to the company that publishes National Enquirer, Men's Fitness, Star, Muscle & Fitness and other high-profile periodicals. The company, American Media Inc., will take over Playboy's print edition with the exception of editorial content in a five-year deal that Playboy hopes will return the magazine to profitability by the end of 2011. more ›

Opponents of Chicago's handgun ban - who have taken their battle to the U.S. Supreme Court - are finding themselves gaining support from all around the country. In fact, 38 states have shown support for the repeal. [Tribune] more ›

A member of the Youth Pride Center (YPC), an LGBT-geared Hyde Park youth support center, was attacked earlier this month as he left a Green Line train stop. It is the fourth anti-gay attack on a member of the South Side center in as many weeks, and the 17th this year according to a report from the Windy City Times. more ›

Even as one of the busiest airports in the country is in the thick of its busiest week of the year, there's actually some good news to be had about O'Hare and delays. The new runway at the airport is being credited as part of the reason that delays are down and on-time flights are up to 80 percent (from 66 percent in the first nine months of 2008). Of course, there is another reason: there are seven percent fewer flights overall thanks to the tanked economy. Still, as some of us pack our bags to take flight this weekend, at least we know that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that delay won't be as bad as it used to be. more ›

If you're connected to the internet, you may have heard about the Dairyland greyhounds that are up for adoption. (Chicagoist got an email about it last week.) Rumors abound that, if not for the generous hearts of local greyhound aficionados, the dogs will be euthanized. And while it's no secret that we've got a few dogs and cats hanging around the Chicagoist offices, it turns out there's a little more to the story than "teh internetz" would have us believe. Sam Adams, over at the Reader's sports blog, dug a little deeper, getting the facts from Ellen Paulus of the Wisconsin chapter of Greyhound Pets of America. "Wisconsin law mandates that no dogs can be put to sleep in our state just because their racing careers are completed," she told Adams in an e-mail. "Dogs have 3 options: transfer to another track to continue racing, go into adoption programs, or be signed back [to] their owners." more ›

Today, there's a bittersweet addendum to the tragic story of Chicago boxer Francisco "Paco" Rodriguez who died late Sunday night after suffering fatal brain injuries during a boxing match last week. According to a statement on the boxer's website [via the Tribune], some of Rodriguez's organs have been donated, including a kidney that was given to his uncle; organs were reportedly donated to seven other recipients as well. more ›

Did we learn nothing from the tragedy of Charla Nash, the woman violently attacked earlier this year by a friend's pet chimp? While these two incidents are different in terms of the size of the animal involved or the severity of the injuries sustained, they both underscore a good point: primates are not meant to be pets. A 10-month old LaPorte, Indiana girl suffered some minor injuries when a pet monkey grabbed the girl's head and banged it against its cage several times. Per ABC 7: more ›

E2 owners Dwain Kyles and Calvin Hollins were due to be sentenced this morning for their part in the February 2003 stampede that killed 21 people. While Kyles and Hollins have since both been cleared of involuntary manslaughter charges - making this charge the only criminal charge they'll be sentenced for - the [air were found guilty of contempt in housing court in September of this year for refusing to close the club after receiving four notices to do so. We'll update as soon as we hear. [Tribune] more ›

Things keep getting worse on this current road trip for the Bulls as they lost their third straight game, this time 122-98 to the Portland Trailblazers. Not only do the losses keep coming (the Bulls are now 2-6 on the road this season), but the margin of those losses grows as well: 15 to the Lakers, then 19 to the Nuggets, and now 24 to the Trailblazers. The Bulls had a hard time stopping big men like Greg Oden, who scored 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in less than 27 minutes on the floor. For the Bulls, Luol Deng led the team with 25 points and John Salmons added 22, but Chicago was out-rebounded by a wide 47-27 margin, something Coach Vinny said was the difference in the game: "they outrebounded us by a lot, and that was the difference in the game - their control of the glass. We gave up way too many easy field goals underneath." The Bulls hope they can be thankful for an end to the losing streak when they visit Utah Thursday night (9:30 p.m., TNT/WGN). more ›

At their meeting yesterday, their first since the death of board president Michael Scott, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education moved forward with business, approving five new charter schools that will open across the next two school years. CPS had originally proposed six but withdrew one: the Chicago International Charter School. more ›

Is the City Council growing a spine? That may be the case, as the Finance Committee sent Mayor Daley's plan for property tax relief back to City Hall Monday for revisions. Facing a steep increase in property taxes this year, Mayor Daley (who claimed not to understand how property tax assessments work) has proposed a tax-relief plan - to the tune of $35 million - for homeowners that see their tax bills rise. According to the Tribune, Daley's plan breaks down like this: more ›

• Two people are dead and four were hurt in a fire this afternoon near suburban Bloomingdale.
• A week after his body was found in the Chicago River and a day after he was memorialized, the Chicago Board of Education met and honored Michael Scott.
• The Sun-Times has a profile of Joe Ferguson, the city's new Inspector General.

We don't know about you, but whenever we head out to the dollar store for some off-brand jerky, a 20 oz. Mountain Dew, and some expired baby aspirin, we often think, "Gee, some tabloid format news would be perfect right now," only to find out they didn't have any. So imagine our delight when it was announced that the Sun-Times is now available at 150 Dollar Tree and Dollar General stores across the Chicago area. The Sun-Times will also be selling its daily paper at 57 Walmart stores -- the discounter had previously only sold the Sunday edition. more ›

It's the same old song and dance at the County Building this afternoon, as Todd Stroger once again vetoed the rollback of his penny-on-the-dollar sales tax. The tax was recently voted down (again) by the Cook County Board by a vote of 12-5. Since the State Legislature changed the rules to require only 11 votes to overturn a Board President's veto, all the commissioners have to do is to not flip-flop on their original vote. more ›

Ten people - including former county workers - were indicted last week on charges of taking part in a scam that arranged scam marriages between immigrants and American citizens and would have helped the immigrants circumvent immigration laws. Among those indicted were Maria Cruz, a former worker from the Cook County Traffic Court, and Manny Aguja, a Chicago area immigration lawyer. [Tribune, Sun-Times] more ›

It's about to be one of - if not the - busiest travel weeks of the year, so it must also be time for a news station to ring the alarm on holes in security at our local airports. This time Fox 32 found they were able to fly out several employees to destinations around the country without any of them having to show a government-issued photo ID. Instead, they were able to get through by showing the name on their boarding pass matched that of the name on a credit card. Of course, there's nothing technically illegal about such a maneuver. As Fox itself explains: more ›

An area man accused of stalking and illegally videotaping ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews has pleaded not guilty on one count of interstate stalking. The plea was entered in a federal court in Los Angeles earlier today. The man, insurance executive Michael Barrett, is free on $100,000 bond, an amount that's much higher than the original bond imposed. Barrett was already free on $4,500 bond and U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Turchin was set to raise that to $20,000 but raised it higher after hearing arguments from attorneys in the case. Per the AP: more ›

The body of a white man in his 40s was pulled from Lake Michigan this morning after a jogger along the lakefront path spotted him. Authorities say the man was fully clothed and had identification on him, but they have not released his name. [CBS 2] more ›

This past winter, the Chicago Cubs battled a rooftop owner who claimed his view of the field for the NHL's Winter Classic was blocked by a jumbotron installed for the game. Now, the team is battling another rooftop, but this time an advertiser. For years, a large rooftop beyond the left field stands was emblazoned with a Budweiser logo. This season, though, it became a large ad for Horseshoe Casino after a new owner bought the building halfway through the 2008 season. The Cubs aren't happy about the Casino ad being so prominently displayed, especially for a television audience multiple times a game, and have now installed new boards that block the rooftop from view. more ›

A tragic story from Philadelphia where a Chicago-based boxer, Francisco Rodriguez, has died just two days after a fight. According to ESPN, Rodriguez's fight on Friday night with Teon Kennedy - for the vacant USBA super bantamweight championship - was stopped by technical knock-out in the 10th round after which Rodriguez collapsed; he was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital where he underwent emergency brain surgery. Dominic Pesoli, his promoter, released a statement, saying, "Francisco was family to us and we all loved him very much. He was very popular with fight fans in Chicago and will be deeply missed." Rodriguez was 25. The Philadelphia Daily News has more on the fight and the fallout. more ›

Playing in prime time for the fourth time this season, the Bears crumbled under the lights yet again -- this time losing 24-20 to the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field. In spite of a few extra days to prepare after playing on Thursday last week, the Bears were unable to pull out a win in a game where the Bears had their chances against a team missing a number of key players. more ›

No home games, no problem. The Blackhawks' win streak, which started at the United Center, has continued on the current road trip as the 'Hawks have now won seven straight after edging Vancouver 1-0 last night. The lone goal came off the stick of Bryan Bickell just over a minute into the third period. Meanwhile, Antti Niemi was a monster in net for the 'Hawks, stopping all 30 shots he faced to help secure the shut-out victory. It was the third game in four days for the 'Hawks, who now have a few days off to rest before another stretch of three games in four days with a trio of games in California, beginning with San Jose on Wednesday (9:30 p.m., CSN). more ›

Yesterday, Cook County Board President Board president Todd Stroger once again promised to veto last week's half-percent sales tax roll back passed by commissioners. Asked about a possible veto override by the commissioners, Stroger told CBS 2, "I hope that what's good for the county is done by the commissioners." Unfortunately for Stroger and his supporters, there's a new law now in effect which means the Board only needs to provide 11 votes to override Strogers veto instead of the previous threshold of 14. Stroger plans to announce his veto at a noon press conference in front of the main entrance of Stroger Hospital, accompanied by nurses, doctors, clergy, and community members. more ›

DCist caught up with the dapper gents and ladies who took to the streets in high style for the D.C. Tweed Ride.

Just as Senate Dems secured enough votes to open up President Obama's Health Care plan for debate, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris is headed for an early-week visit to troops in Iraq. Sen. Burris, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is part of a delegation that will, as an aide told the Tribune, "examine security and political developments in the region." Burris will be joined by Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, (both Oregon), Tom Udall (New Mexico) and Michael Bennet (Colorado), all fellow Dems. The delegation will return by Thanksgiving. Last week, Burris was cleared by a Senate ethics committee of any wrong-doing stemming from his testimony about his communications with then-governor Rod Blagojevich about the Senate seat he now holds, but it did earn him an admonition from the panel. more ›

A man faces one count of felony robbery for allegedly pushing and robbing his 80-year-old wheelchair-bound mother, according to CB2. The mother found her son, Randy Suggs, 54, in her bedroom early Friday morning with a blanket over his head to cover his face, the report states. When asked why he was "doing this," Suggs pushed the woman to the ground, stole $67 and fled. Suggs' mother waited for her other son to come home, who called the police and followed them to arrest Suggs. more ›

Anyone who has received a $100 ticket in the mail for blowing through a traffic light is familiar with red-light cameras. Beginning in 2003, these cameras have been installed at some of Chicago's busiest interactions in an attempt to curb traffic accidents. But are they meeting their goal? more ›

Blackhawks Roll Past Oilers more ›

A West Side man now faces three felony charges for allegedly planting fake bombs at two prominent downtown buildings, Chicago Breaking News reports. more ›

Three men were arrested earlier this week for a rash of Craigslist-aided robberies that began in October, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. more ›

In spite of yesterday's ruling that stripped control of the beleaguered Block 37 project from its developer, the project will see the first store opening today after the city gave the project the green light, according to Crain's. Today will see the opening the opening of both the pedway and the Steve Madden store. A spokeswoman for the developer, Joseph Freed & Associates, LLC, said they expect two additional stores - Zara and Puma - to open early next week and several more will follow suit by Thanksgiving. more ›

No pro sports last night but there was a trio of area college hoops game. more ›

Awesome timelapse video by Joshua Mellin more ›

Is it any surprise that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers couldn't properly maintain a levee to hold up against a hurricane when they can't even seem to keep a fish out of Lake Michigan? New word from the Corps in the fight against the Asian carp is that they've discovered the fish's DNA beyond an electronic barrier that was set up along the Illinois River to keep the fish out of the Great Lakes. The new evidence was found a mere 7 miles from Lake Michigan, and at this point if the carp makes its way through a navigational lock it's home free from there, and its feeding habits will wreak havoc on the Great Lakes native species. Cameron Davis, from the Environmental Protection Agency, said that the DNA evidence is "very accurate" in terms of indicating the fish's presence. more ›

Peter Thompson, another Daley nephew, has been reappointed to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. According to the Sun Times, Thompson helped the mayor rake in $7 million as his campaign finance chief in less than three months. Thompson will keep his unpaid seat on the ISFA until January 1st, 2012. In 2007, when Thompson was first appointed, he said “Finance and investments are what I do for a living. That's my sweet spot.” The ISFA is the developer, owner and operator of U.S. Cellular Field and renovates stadiums in the state of Illinois. The Sun Times reports some of its upcoming plans include potentially replacing the parking lots where Comiskey Park once stood with an expansion on the Gate 5 entrance. more ›

Sgt. John J. Pallohusky, head of the Chicago Police Sergeant's Association, has been arrested for allegedly embezzling over $600,000 from the association. According to the Trib, Pallohusky is accused of spending that money on a variety of things including gambling trips to Las Vegas and to pay for improvements to his own home. more ›

The controversial abortion law that requires doctors to notify a girl's parents or guardians before (if the girl is under the age of 17) before performing an abortion has hit another snag. A circuit court judge has decided to extend a current restraining order on the law through the end of the year. According to WBEZ, the judge, "says he's waiting for briefs from both sides before determining whether the law should stand." Though it was set to go into effect almost three weeks ago, the law, with an already tumultuous history dating as far back as 1984 (before being updated in '95), the law continues to be centered in a tug-of-war. more ›

The gruesome murder of 19-year-old gay man Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado in Puerto Rico last week has shone new light on the potentially life-threatening dangers facing those who do not easily slide into our society's conventions of gender. He, and 161 others murdered due to anti-transgender violence and prejudice, are memorialized worldwide today as part of Transgender Day of Remembrance. more ›

While we were watching Oprah, the Senate Ethics Committee charged with investigating alleged shenanigans pulled by Sen. Roland Burris leading up to his appointment to his current Senate seat by then-governor Rod Blagojevich officially cleared Burris. Issuing a Public Letter of Admonition (read the full letter after the jump), the committee cleared Burris of wrongdoing but before shaking its finger at him for actions that reflected "unfavorably" and scolded, "...you should have known that you were providing incorrect, inconsistent, misleading, or incomplete information to the public, the Senate, and those conducting legitimate inquiries into your appointment to the Senate." They then sent him to his room without supper and asked him to think about what he did. more ›

There's more trouble brewing over the student newspaper over at Stevenson High. Already having been through one controversy last winter over a gossip edition - an incident which led to the resignation of the paper's adviser - this week's edition of the paper has been spiked by school administrators over more controversial stories that were to run. The trouble began with plans for a front-page story about the National Honor Society and freshmen mentors program which included references to students admitting they drank and smoked, behavior that's a no-no for members of those programs. Administrators threatened the paper's staff that they would seek the names of those students and discipline them accordingly. So rather than give up the sources, the staff decided to run a blank front page with a simple note explaining why the story had been pulled. But it didn't end there. The Trib explains: more ›

Mayor Daley, fresh off his smackdown of the media over a question regarding Michael Scott on Wednesday, has wasted no time in lashing out once more. Remember Oprah's big party downtown to kick off her new season and the hubbub the local media - us included, admittedly - caused over it? Daley is saying it was that backlash that's contributed to Oprah's decision to pack up and move out in a few years. Speaking at a United Negro College Fund fundraiser last night, CBS 2 reports Daley said: more ›

Blackhawks Scorch Flames more ›

So now the news has sunk in and...well, now what? There's plenty of speculation, mainly around the idea that Oprah will simply relaunch her show on OWN once she closes down shop here. Kind of what Nikki Finke suggested a few weeks ago. So who knows what we'll find out in a few minutes when her show goes on the air, the last live taping of the calendar year (new taped episodes will still be shot). She'll address her audience and we're guessing it'll be mostly the same as what we've already her. But maybe we're wrong. Maybe we'll get specific details about what she plans on doing when that mystical date of September 9, 2011 flips over on the calendar. more ›

After all the huffing and puffing earlier this week over the new tax rollback, the Cook County Board still managed to pass its 2010 budget yesterday and there were no new taxes included. The budget, valued at $3 billion, does include that new half-percent tax rollback - from 1.75 percent to 1.25 percent. Though the battle over the veto and override still hovers on the horizon. more ›

News has broken that Oprah Winfrey will shut down her show, based right here in Chicago, in the fall of 2011, at the conclusion of the show's 25th season, Crain's reports. The final show will air September 9, 2011. Mark your calendars. more ›

• Pvt. Francheska Velez, one of the two area soldiers killed in the Ft. Hood shooting rampage, was laid to rest today.
• The state's unemployment rate hit a new 26-year high in October at 11 percent.
• The RTA today gave the official thumbs up to the deal struck with Gov. Quinn that would avoid another CTA fare hike.

With questions still lingering around the circumstances of the death of Michael Scott, the Chicago Police is not rushing to issue its ruling. Still, in light of recent discoveries in the investigation, it seems that they may be inclined to issue a ruling in line with the one the Cook County Medical Examiner's office issued earlier this week and has been forced to defend. Among other discoveries: more ›

Remember the crazy story of Robert Maday, the suspect who managed to over-power a pair of investigators, leaving them pantsless, and going (temporarily) on the lam? The fall-out from that incident continues as those two investigators have now been fired. Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton confirmed the firings this morning. In late October, Maday was sentenced to 13 years for several counts of robbery charges (the hearing he was originally en route to when he made his daring September escape). Earlier this week, he pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated hijacking and attempted robbery stemming from the escape attempt. A status hearing has been scheduled for December 23. more ›

Media junkies of Chicago, get ready. Tomorrow, the first edition of the New York Times featuring the Chicago-centric section (well, two pages, anyway) produced by the newly-formed Chicago News Cooperative will hit newsstands. The CNC will provide the Chicago content for the local edition, which will appear on Fridays and Sundays. Since the initial announcement, the CNC, already heavy on former Tribune folks, managed to poach a few other Tribune writers, including City Hall reporter Dan Mihalopoulos. In the words of Gawker, "New York Times Hires Gang Who Killed Chicago Tribune to Kill Tribune.” However, Gawker also insists that "The Times has always had a very good foothold in Chicago because there is no local alternative for the sort of people who read the Times--curious, smart, and not invested in Chicago's bottomless Second City status anxiety." more ›

The campaign for the Democratic nomination for Governor is getting dirtier by the day as the Hynes campaign leaked a video showing Quinn falling asleep during a particularly "heart wrenching speech" about health care. We've all been there, we've all dozed off during a staff meeting or on a conference call. But we've been lucky enough to not have our campaign rival videotaping us before taking 40 winks. [via NBC 5] more ›

No sooner had the Chicago Park District made news for considering layoffs and fee increases to balance it's nearly $400 million budget than it made news again, this time for asking the park board to greenlight a $4.2 million project to redesign 25 acres of the north end of Grant Park, from Millennium Park to Lake Shore Drive. The project involves hiring New York-based landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. Gia Biagi, the district's planning and development director, told the Sun-Times that Valkenburgh was chosen because of the firm's extensive work on urban landscapes. more ›

Amid the myriad financial problems facing the state of Illinois these days, paying for social services is one more. Both the Courier-News and the Batavia Sun profiled social services in the state - a women and children's domestic violence shelter in Elgin and a senior services group in the Fox Valley, respectively - that depend on state funding to carry out their missions. Both are struggling with covering expenses, including payroll, that the state hasn't paid for since this summer. While the Elgin Community Crisis Center was able to raise about $160,000 through community contributions, Executive Director Gretchen Vapnar knows it won't be enough to keep operating long-term. more ›

So far this young season, Bulls budding superstar Derrick Rose hasn't played up to the level many expect. His play has been more tentative, he's committing more turnovers and his shooting percentage has dropped. While's he is still recovering from an ankle injury that caused him to miss most of the preseason, and the loss of Ben Gordon allows opposing teams to tighten up their defense, Rose is perhaps his harshest critic when it comes to his play. And he's vowed to do something about it. more ›

It was a light evening of Chicago sports but with both the Blackhawks and Bulls in action, tonight will be much more eventful. more ›

As if we needed more reasons for delays out of our bustling airports ahead of the holidays. An FAA computer glitch cause nation-wide delays this morning, including at Midway and O'Hare. As of around 9 a.m. this morning, the Trib reported minimal delays at both Chicago airports (averaging 20 to 30 minutes) and the AP was reporting the glitch had been resolved. But AirTran has already been forced to cancel almost 40 flights due to the glitch and other residual delays can be expected. A quick scan of the FAA's flight delay site shows the worst of the delays confined to the East Coast but, as always, check with your specific airline before heading out the door. more ›

Yesterday the Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments regarding former governor George Ryan's pension as Ryan attempts to reclaim part of his pension. Representing Ryan was another former governor, Jim Thompson. Thompson argued that though Ryan was stripped of his entire pension - a mind-boggling $197,037 per year, according to the Sun-Times - by the General Assembly upon his conviction in 2006, Ryan should still be entitled to the pension for offices he held before he became secretary of state in 1991; he had been a member of the Kankakee County Board, a State House Rep., and Lieutenant Governor (under Thompson). Why those offices? Because he served those offices "honestly"; in other words, he wasn't charged with anything while serving those offices. The pension he'd collect for those jobs would total around $60,000. Earlier this year, a state appeals court reversed the complete stripping of his pension. Reps for the retirement system, though, are none-too-amused. The Sun-Times continues: more ›

42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, who represents the north end of Chicago's downtown, is opposing efforts by the city's commercial property owners to establish a TIF district in the East Loop, bounded by Wacker, Randolph, Columbus and Wabash. "Owner reinvestment and market forces should ultimately decide ‘winners’ and ‘losers,’ not TIF subsidies,” Reilly said in a press release. “The East Loop TIF proposal appears to provide a competitive advantage to those properties within the proposed TIF boundary. The intent of TIF was never to place surrounding properties at a leasing disadvantage. This proposal would very likely have exactly that effect.” Reilly seems to understand that TIFs were intended to combat blighted neighborhoods, not subsidize established business. more ›

• Two members of the Liberty City 7 - the group accused of plotting to bomb the Sears Tower - were sentenced today. Burson Augustin was sentenced to six years while Rotschild Augustine was sentenced to seven years. Sentencing for the other three men who were found guilty (two were acquitted) will occur tomorrow and Friday.
• The case against two area men arrested for plotting terror attacks overseas has grown as authorities investigate allegations that they may have been involved with last years terror attacks in Mumbai.
• Buffalo Grove trustee Lisa Stone will get to learn the identity of internet commenter Hipcheck16 at a December 18 hearing.

Like the city of Chicago and the CTA, the Chicago Park District is facing budget deficits as well in 2010, to the tune of $23 million. The park district is looking at a number of ways to balance their $391.8 million budget, including laying off some full-time employees and increasing a number of fees. more ›

The City Council today passed a new ordinance that will cost you if you're caught driving on a suspended or revoked license. Not only will your car be impounded, but you'll pay fees that will total up to $665. The new ordinance will go into effect January 1, 2010. [Tribune]. more ›

Though he wasn’t dressed in a flight suit, Governor Pat Quinn declared “missions accomplished” in today's debate with rival Democratic candidate Dan Hynes. The hour long debate took place at the Union League Club of Chicago, with Hynes and Quinn trading barbs over pension reform, personality traits and the state budget. Quinn reminded attendees that he took over in a very “dark hour” in Illinois history and that he “got missions accomplished whether it’s in ethics or getting things done for ordinary people in the budget or getting jobs.” more ›

Burr Oak Cemetery is set to reopen to the public four months after the Cook County Sheriff closed it down. The cemetery came into the spotlight in July when hundreds of families were left in shock when it was discovered four employees allegedly dug up over 300 graves, dumped the bones in a large pile, and resold the grave plots. The county is still scrambling to account for thousands of dead, and even set up a website to aid in the effort. more ›

Rachel Maddow talked about it last night. Eric Zorn's discussing it today. And in case you haven't seen it from those two yet, allow us to be the first to bring you the newest potential threat on the life of the President of the United States of America - direct from the pages of the Bible. more ›

College basketball season kicks off this week, with a number of our local teams taking the court for the first time. What's in store for some of our area's most prominent programs? more ›

Whether you believe genetically modified foods are helpful or harmful, there is no real way to know if you are eating them because there is no U.S. regulation regarding disclosure on products manufactured with genetically modified organisms (GMO) ingredients. The industry group, the Non-GMO Project, hopes to change that by launching a campaign to voluntarily test products and label those that are largely free of genetically modified organisms (GMO). These products will be labeled with the project’s seal, a butterfly perched on two blades of grass in the form of a check mark. more ›

The Bulls are off to a good start on this year's Circus Trip and are also off to their best start overall in 12 years (6-4) after a 101-87 victory over Sacramento last night. It was also the first time the Bulls broke 100 points in a game and they were paced by John Salmons who scored 23; Joakim Noah (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Luol Deng (16 points, 10 rebounds) added double-doubles. With the hot start, the Bulls are already hearing the whispers about the echos of Jordan and Pippen. After the win, Derrick Rose tried to keep things in perspective, saying, "We're not even near them right now, hopefully one day we'll get there but it's going to take a lot of time." Next up on the road trip are the Lakers tomorrow night (9:30 p.m., TNT). more ›

Last month, the City Council passed an ordinance that requires anti-abortion activists to stay at least 50 feet from clinics and medical facilities that perform abortions, and 8 feet from anyone entering the clinics. In the 8 foot protective "bubble zone" anyone passing out materials, displaying signs, protesting or attempting to counsel someone without their consent could be fined $500. more ›

In a sense, the chatter over the death of Chicago Public Schools Board of Education President Michael Scott seems to be almost deafening. But we have to realize it's been only a little over two days since his body was found on the water's edge of the Chicago River; to expect a full set of answers in such a short time span is completely unrealistic. But that hasn't kept the speculation from churning, even as friends and family still try to make sense of his shocking death. At the heart of all of this is what the Tribune has labeled "a rift" between the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. On Monday afternoon, as police continued their investigation, the ME's office declared Scott's death a suicide by a "contact-range, through-and-through gunshot wound to his head," according to CCME Nancy Lynne Jones at a press conference. The rare press conference from a Medical Examiner was a defensive move as police have urged patience while they continue to investigate the circumstances around his death. His untimely death has also shown a spotlight on a few other items, including a recent probe into his usage of his board credit card, though it's reported he had already begun paying off the rather small amount ($3,000) on it. more ›

• Things got heated at today's Cook County Commission vote on the tax roll back and WBEZ has the sound bites to prove it.
• The CTA is investigating rider claims that a door on a Red Line train stayed open as the train moved from the Addison to Sheridan stops just after midnight Sunday morning.
• A deal has been reached between the University of Illinois and striking graduate assistants.

Today, Gov. Quinn signed into a law a bill that falls under the "This should be common sense" umbrella. The law requires school bus drivers to check the bus to make sure there are no children left on board after each trip. Of course, the new law was inspired by actual events, when a 4-year-old autistic boy was left on board his school bus. The Tribune revisits that incident: more ›

A police board held a hearing today to determine whether or not Anthony Abbate will remain an officer with the Chicago Police Department. While Abbate has been relieved of duties without pay, FOX 32 reports he's still technically a member of the police force. As part of the hearing, Abbate testified but pled the Fifth nearly 100 times. more ›

Pittsburgh Steelers fan Zack Heddinger is suffering from brain damage and blindness. Why this is pertinent on the Chicago scale is unfortunate, as Heddinger says the effects are the result of having been poisoned by Bears fans at a local bar following a 17-14 Bears victory over the Steelers in September. The Pittsburgh Channel reports that Heddinger, 46, has "basically been blind for two months," following the incident. more ›

Just a week after the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society announced it was moving its 2012 convention from Chicago to Las Vegas, another major convention is also bolting the Windy City for a warmer climate. Today the Society of the Plastics Industry announced they would be moving their next two conventions to Orlando, Florida. The convention, held every three years, was last in Chicago this June but will be relocating for at least its 2012 and 2015 conventions. The reason? Cost. According to CBS 2: more ›

With a new law in effect limiting the number of votes required to override a Stroger veto, the Cook County Commissioners took another crack at rolling back the sales tax increase by one percent has fallen short. According to a tweet from Com. Tony Peraica, the votes were 10 NOs, 6 YESes, and 1 absent. In another tweet, Peraica identified the YES votes as himself and Commissioners Claypool, Gorman, Goslin, Schneider, and Silvestri. more ›

Despite yesterday's ruling from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office that CPS Board of Education president Michael Scott's death was a suicide, Chicago Police are still going forward with their investigation, including reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing residents who lived near where Scott's body was found. According to Fox 32: more ›

Former governor Rod Blagojevich's motion to move back his trial has been denied. The motion was filed because Blago's lawyers claim a trio of cases before the Supreme Court for rulings could have implications on parts federal mail fraud law and, therefore, could affect aspects of Blago's federal trial. Judge James Zagel disagreed, saying that either way the current start date of June 2010 should give both sides plenty of time to prepare. [WBEZ] more ›

Notre Dame's men's hoop team continued their winning start to the season, downing St. Francis by a 95-72 final to remain undefeated on the young year at 2-0. Luke Harangody led all scorers with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Ben Hansbrough had 18 and dished 7 assists while Tim Abromaitis scored 17 off the bench for the Irish. The Red Flash kept close to the Irish, trailing by only five in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Irish used a 13-3 run to put themselves out in front for good. more ›

Remember a few weeks ago when there were conflicting media reports pertaining to the numbers the City's Department of Revenue was throwing out in regards to higher revenues from parking tickets? In October, the Dept. cited a jump in revenue to the tune of $7 million from January to August of 2009 over the same time period in 2008. But some claimed that revenue jump was due to the parking ticket amnesty program during the first quarter of '09 that encouraged people to pay outstanding tickets with no fear of additional penalties. more ›

White Sox GM Kenny Williams always seems to have some deal in the works, so it's no surprise that the Sox are involved in some of the early trade chatter during the off-season. His boldest move last season was landing Jake Peavy from the cash-strapped San Diego Padres, and he might use the Padres' financial situation to try to land another of their star players. Preliminary talks suggest a three-way trade which would send Sox first baseman Paul Konerko to the Anaheim Angels, Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the White Sox and prospects from Chicago and Anaheim to San Diego. more ›

The battle between Bensenville and the City of Chicago, due to the O'Hare expansion project, is over. The Tribune reports that under a new agreement, the demolition of houses could begin as early as December; the village agreed to end the fight in exchange for $16 million plus an additional $20 million more from the City of Chicago to insulate homes and schools from noise pollution caused by the planes flying in and out of O'Hare. The city will also hire consultants to assist in the demolition and will partner with the village to aid Bensenville in economic development. The village's long fight against O'Hare took a turn this spring when Frank Soto won election as village president; Soto called the agreement, "a victory for Bensenville." more ›

• With police reiterating that their investigation is still early and ongoing, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office officially ruled the death of CPS Board of Education president Michael Scott a suicide.
• The aftershocks of the beating death of Derrion Albert continue to be felt as today a federal judge gave the okay for students at Fenger High to transfer if they felt unsafe.
• An young Aurora man with Autism was found safe this morning after he went missing from his home late yesterday; he was found safe but in Crest Hill which is 20 miles from Aurora.

Not happy with the CTA's plans for cutbacks and layoffs, one CTA Union is preparing to dig in its heels. At a news conference yesterday, Robert Kelly, head of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 (representing rail workers) said, "Public transit is not going away in a city this size. We need to fund it, and doing this year after year and now saying we need working people to take the cuts is not the way to do it." He also criticized the CTA for not trimming enough management fat, and for spending $654,000 on financial consultants over the last year. more ›

The plan to house and put some Guantanamo Bay detainees on trial on the U.S. mainland has predictably generated a flurry of debate, both nationally and locally. On the national level, politicians and pundits alike are up in arms over the decision to bring accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four accomplices to trial. Right here in Illinois, the controversy surrounds the potential transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center in Thompson, Illinois. more ›

The body of Private Francheska Velez returned home today, and a procession from Midway, past Kelvyn Park High School where she had attended school, was held. Velez was one of the thirteen people killed in the November 5 Fort Hood shooting rampage. Last week, a vigil was held for the 21-year-old in her home neighborhood of Humboldt Park. Adding to the tragedy was the fact Velez was a little over two months pregnant at the time of her death. She had served in Iraq but had been transferred to Fort Hood after she became pregnant and was awaiting a December return to Chicago. Visitation for Velez is scheduled for Wednesday at Montclair Lucania Funeral Home; the funeral is scheduled for Thursday followed by a burial at Mount Olive Cemetery. more ›

As was indicated last week, the Graduate Employees' Organization at the University of Illinois has gone on strike after negotiations with the school broke down. The two sides were at odds over free tuition for graduate and teaching assistants. An agreement was apparently reached over the weekend, but the school claims the union made additional demands after that agreement was reached. more ›

Don't be surprised if our Editor-in-Chief is a little jumpy this week. He's got this silly fear of clowns and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to town on Wednesday. Taking over the United Center from Nov. 18-29, the "Greatest Show on Earth" once again exiles the Bulls and Blackhawks for their annual "circus trips." The Bulls open their West Coast swing on Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings, followed by games against the L.A. Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks over the next two weeks before returning to the Madhouse on Madison again. While the team's been able to return to Chicago to celebrate Thanksgiving with family between games, this year the Bulls play the Jazz in Utah on the holiday. more ›

We've hit the ground running with news this morning already but there was plenty happening over the weekend you might have missed. more ›

Like their United Center roommates the Bulls, the Blackhawks are off on the annual Circus Trip (more on that from Benjy in a bit) on a winning note after edging the Sharks 4-3 in overtime last night. Brent Sopel scored a little more than four minutes in to give the 'Hawks an early 1-0 lead that the Sharks would even up before the end of the first period. San Jose would strike twice more within the first two minutes of the second period to jump out to a 3-1 lead. The 'Hawks held firm and got two second period goals of their own, first from Patrick Kane and then, in the closing minutes, from John Madden to send the game to the final period at a 3-3 tie. After a scoreless third, it was a goal from Brent Seabrook in the opening minute of overtime that clinched the Blackhawks victory, their seventh straight win at home. Huet was in goal once again for the 'Hawks, allowing the three goals but also making 20 saves in the winning effort. After playing four games at home in seven days, the team now has a few days off before opening their two-week road trip in Calgary on Thursday (8:30 p.m., CSN). more ›

What was supposed to be a forum for the four remaining Democratic candidates for Cook County Board President turned into a Player Hater's Ball as the incumbent, President Todd Stroger, was a no-show, opening the flood gates for the remaining three candidates - Terry O'Brien, president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th), and Cook County Clerk of Courts Dorothy Brown - to unleash some verbal attacks on Stroger. The S-T provides a sampling of what each candidate said about Stroger. As for Stroger's absence? His campaign manager, Vincent Williams, originally told the Sun-Times, "I haven't spoken to the president today, so I don't have an answer." However, this morning, Williams issued the following statement (via email) on behalf of the Stroger campaign: more ›

Media outlets around the city are reporting that a body pulled from the Chicago River near Merchandise Mart early this morning is that of CPS Board of Education President Michael Scott. As of 9:00 a.m. this morning, police have yet to confirm the news but outlets such as the Tribune, Sun-Times, and ABC 7 (where Scott's wife, Diana Palomar, was vice president of community affairs) have reported the body as being Scott's. The body was discovered around 3:15 a.m. and Scott's car was found parked in a lot near the river; the body was pulled from the river around 4:30 a.m. Scott had last been seen yesterday evening around 6 p.m. after visiting his sister in a South Loop care facility, something family members said he did every Sunday. Scott's family later reported him missing. Neither police or the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office have confirmed the body was Scotts, though ABC 7 reports the CCME confirmed the body is an unidentified man, black, in his 50s. more ›

LAist interviewed Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe, stirring up talk of still-hot topics like John McCain, Rev. Wright, political journalism, and the concept of change.

The street outside the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home in Joliet was lined with 200 motorcycles yesterday, all mourners paying their respects to U.S. Army Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolingbrook, who was one of the 13 people--and three from the Chicago area--that was killed in a mass shooting at Fort Hood earlier this month. The motorcycles outside the funeral home belonged to the Patriot Guard Riders, a group that often attends the funerals of military personnel. more ›

The Democratic Socialists of America held their national convention in Evanston this weekend. Wearing buttons proclaiming "Obama's No Socialist, But I Am," the meeting brought resolutions and amendments for consideration and reveled in their vision of a "world without bosses." more ›

Fifty Fenger High School students were brought out of their neighborhoods and into the Loop Saturday to discuss peaceful ways to handle conflict, the Chicago Tribune reports. more ›

Shane T. Collymore, 18, Skokie, was charged with three felony counts of armed robbery, three felony counts of aggravated unlawful restraint, and three felony counts of aggravated kidnapping in connection with robbery of MB Financial Bank, 1014 Busse Hwy. in Park Ridge, on Aug. 13, 2008. Police said that in the robbery, a man wearing a black-and-pink dress, white gloves, sandals, and a woman's sun hat walked into the bank at closing time and pulled out a black handgun from the purse he was carrying. more ›

Thanksgiving is almost here and with that comes the hoped-for opening date for the beleaguered Block 37 project downtown. And two events this week might go a long way towards determining if the project will manage to open on time as scheduled. First, on Thursday, the project will get the final inspection from the city that would give it the okay to proceed with its opening. But Friday sees the hearing where Bank of America, the main lender on a construction loan, will ask a judge to take control of the project away from developer Joseph Freed and Associates LLC and hand it over to a receiver. According to the Tribune: more ›

Fire Doused By Real Salt Lake more ›

The last time we checked in with the Asian carp, Congress had voted to allocate $6 million to help fight off their invasion, with the money going towards building permanent barriers and studying ways to get rid of the fish. On Friday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced that it would dump Rotenone, a dangerous fish-killing chemical, into the canal between Romeoville and the Lockport Dam next month. more ›

Back in the day, it was customary to buy the newspaper right around Thanksgiving and check out all the ads and circulars to see which store had the best Black Friday deal. But now things are a bit easier, thanks to bargain-hunting website gotadeal.com, a site that specializes in bringing consumers the newest and cheapest deals from major chain stores such as Target, Best Buy, and Walmart, among others. more ›

We mentioned only in passing this week's 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down but there's plenty to read out there on the subject. One story in particular is an interview Gapers Block's Richard Lorenc conducted with an immigrant who made his way to Chicago from Poland in 1962. The immigrant also happens to be Richard's father. It's a great interview that gives a unique peek behind the curtain. more ›

The Federal Drug Administration and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan want manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks to prove they are safe to drink. The FDA, which hasn't given permission for caffeine to be used in alcoholic drinks, gave manufacturers 30 days to prove their safety on Friday. Madigan, worried that the caffeine and alcoholic combo may be unsafe for "young people," was one of the state attorney generals who asked for the FDA to review the drink's safety. [Tribune] more ›

A rural Illinois prison has gained federal attention as a potential new site to "house suspected terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba," according to the Tribune in an exclusive report. more ›

Playing their third game in five days, the Blackhawks extended their win streak to, well, all three games as they up-ended the Maple Leafs 3-2 last night. Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith both netted goals in the first period to give the 'Hawks in early 2-0 lead. The lead was extended to 3-0 early in the second when Troy Brouwer tipped in a power play goal. It was the Phil Kessel show from the on as he scored for Toronto late in the second period and again early in the third to cut the lead to 3-2. Cristobal Huet held firm, allowing the lone third period goal on 11 shots from Toronto (Huet had 29 saves overall) to help the 'Hawks notch the win. The 'Hawks have now won sixth straight at home, dating back to October, but have only one game left, tomorrow night against San Jose (6 pm, WGN) before they head out on the Circus Trip. more ›

• A CTA bus driver was injured last night when his bus got caught in the crossfire from a shoot-out; the driver's injuries were cuts caused by flying glass.
• The three teens charged in the beating death of Derrion Albert all pleaded not guilty at a hearing today.
• Shocker: Daley defends TIFs.

if you're planning on doing any traveling to or from Northwest Indiana at least tonight, you may want to double check your travel plans. The Indiana Department of Transportation closed a four-mile stretch of Cline Avenue between Calumet Avenue in Hammond and Michigan Avenue in East Chicago due to corrosion. The bridge will be reopened after it passes further inspection. more ›

Former DuPage County prosecutor and current gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan has apologized for dropping the ball in the case of Jeanine Nicarico, a 10-year-old Naperville girl who was raped and killed in 1983. But does a simple "sorry" absolve Ryan enough to make him deserving of the top job in Illinois? After all, Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez narrowly escaped lethal injection when they were wrongly accused of the murder by Ryan, despite the real killer, Brian Dugan, confessing to the crime after being arrested for a similar murder in 1995. Ryan ignored Dugan's confession and instead stayed focused on executing Cruz and Hernandez. The seeming inability to weigh all the facts and admit when you're wrong really is not something this state needs in a leader right now. more ›

Some wackness coming out of the NFL offices today as a pair of Bears were fined for stuff that went down in their Week 9 debacle against the Arizona Cardinals and it's left us scratching our heads. Cutler was fined $20,000 for jawing at an official during the game. According to ESPN, "Cutler was fined as a result of verbal abuse toward the back judge, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the Bears' 41-21 loss to the Cardinals." The NFL was a bit more specific: "Cutler was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct during the third quarter, when he believed TE Greg Olsen was held on a fourth-and-4 play. Cutler had words with referee Ed Hochuli to draw the 15-yard penalty." more ›

Today, the state of Illinois announced 12 additional deaths due to the H1N1 flu virus (aka swine flu). Meanwhile, counties are struggling to keep up with the demand for the vaccination, but there are some serious inconsistencies as to how much each county gets. more ›

Despite a failed attempt at securing the 2016 Games in Chicago, Patrick Ryan still has work to do on the Olympics front. Ryan, who was the head of the Chicago Olympics bid, was named chairman of the board of World Sport Chicago on Thursday, an organization whose focus is to get Chicago youth to participate in the wide range of Olympic sports. Ryan had promised that the city's work for the Olympics wouldn't end with the failed bid and this new position will test that promise. more ›

We don't expect a lot of post-season hardware to come the Cubs' way after an underachieving 2009 campaign, but one bit of silver lining is Carlos Zambrano taking home another Silver Slugger award. The award, given to the best hitting pitcher, is Z's third award and second in a row. His four homers, 11 RBIs, and .217 batting average were enough to win out. Congrats, Big Z! more ›

While we've been busy watching just a few of the many fine films screened at Reeling this year, a mighty lot of gay-centric news has come across our desk. Consider this little round-up a crash course in the past two weeks in the world of LGBT Chicago, headlined by a gay couple that now faces perhaps the most far-reaching denial of equal rights in our modern world: A lifetime ban from Wal-Mart. more ›

Attorneys for former governor Rod Blagojevich are lobbying to have the ex-gov's federal trial pushed back from its scheduled June start date until September. The reason? They claim a Supreme Court ruling on the "honest services" provision of the federal mail fraud statute expected in the Spring might affect Blago's case. The Trib explains: more ›

Documents released this week show some prominent Bears players among those showing love for Edward "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak, the former aldermen convicted of real estate shenanigans and given a sentence that was, essentially, a slap on the wrist. Over 50 letters in support of Vrodlyak were sent to U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur, asking for a lenient sentence. Among those letters, according to the Tribune, were one former and one current Chicago Bear: Tank Johnson and Brian Urlacher, respectively. The documents were made public even as government prosecutors have appealed the light sentence ($50,000 fine, 5 years probation, 2,500 hours of community service). more ›

The calls for Lovie Smith's head are only going to escalate following the Bears' 10-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Fans don't care about the added cost of firing a head coach with years left on his contract, we just want to see our team win. Especially the winnable games. Thurday night's game, against a team that entered the game with a 3-5 record, was one of those games the Bears had to win if they had any dreams of making the playoffs. more ›

The ballot positions for several races in this February's primaries, including Governor and U.S. Senate, were set yesterday via lottery by the Illinois State Board of Election. For Governor, Andy McKenna drew the top spot for Republicans and William "Dock" Walls III, the subject of a controversial petition challenge, drew the top Democrat spot. On the U.S. Senate ballot, Don Lowery will be at the top for Republicans and Robert Marshall will be in the first slot for Democrats. You can check out all the candidates, including ballot positioning, here. more ›

During yesterday's City Council budget hearing with the Law Department, department head Mara Georges said the City plans to ask for an end to the Shakman decree early next year. Georges claimed the city is in "substantial compliance" in regards to laws forbidding political hirings and firings and that the city is no longer involved in such corrupt practices. It would also mean the end of the road for the city's hiring monitor, Noelle Brennan, with whom the city has long feuded. As recently as this summer, Brennan suggested that there could still be as many as 50 city employees that need to be disciplined or counseled for political hiring abuses. According to the Trib: more ›

After a cool October it's hard to believe our luck with such a warm November. Sunny, fair skies mean a great day to be out and about and it'll be mild, too, as highs reach the mid-60s. In general, it's going to be like late April or early May outside. And that's pretty awesome. Winds will be a bit gusty at times, though, as they reach upwards of 30 miles an hour. Windy and mild is the story overnight as lows only fall to the lower 50s. more ›

• Former DuPage prosecutor, state attorney general, and current gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan apologized today for the prosecutions of Rolando Cruz and Alex Hernandez, the men originally convicted and sentenced to death for the 1983 murder of Jeanine Nicarico. He claimed the prosecution “acted in good faith...and still came up with the wrong result."
• Swine Flu's toll so far, according to the CDC: 22 million sick, 4,000 dead.
• Police in Cleveland have arrested a woman from Chicago who's been using her children to help her shoplift.

Look out Obama's house and Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie house, there's a new landmark coming to in Hyde Park, and it's sure to dwarf the competition. more ›

For once, the City of Chicago failed to find a taker in a bid to privatize a city service and, as a result will be paying overtime to plow drivers this coming winter. We've already heard promises of preparation but this new call came from Mayor Daley himself at a press conference earlier today. Still smarting from last year's attempt to cut costs by skimping on side-street plowing and scaling back on overtime pay, Daley promised the streets would cleared efficiently this coming winter: "You have to do an effective job on the major streets and get to the side streets as fast as possible." more ›

Last night Eyewitness News Chicagoist went to the House of Blues to hear Bill Clinton talk about the Millennium Network: an effort to involve folks under 45 in the public service work undertaken by his William J. Clinton Foundation. In addition to remarks by the OG President Hopey (Arkansas, represent), the fancy fund-raising event included a performance by Common and platters of spring rolls served with a delightful sauce. more ›

The body of Army Pfc. Michael Pearson returned home today. Pearson, one of the 13 people killed in last week's Ft. Hood shooting rampage, was a Bolingbrook native. The plane carrying his body landed at Midway this morning and a procession (pictured above) carried his body from the airport to Bolingbrook, and passed Bolingbrook High School (where Pearson graduated in 2006), the Pearsons' home, and finally the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home in Joliet where wakes will be held tomorrow and Saturday morning followed by a service Saturday afternoon. Burial will be at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood. more ›

We told you yesterday about the petition challenges filed for the 2010 February primaries. The deadline for the ballots to be printed is December 14 so the Cook County Clerk’s office has a lot of work to do. As for how the process actually works, Chicago Current's Alex Parker gives us a quick overview of how it all goes down. more ›

Whether we’re hanging our heads at Chicago’s Olympic fail, shaking our fists at our state’s budget woes or rolling our eyes every time our former governor appears on a talk show, Illinoisans could at least take comfort in the platitude “it could be worse - we could be California.” Not so fast, says a new Pew Study. In a report titled “Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril,” Illinois is rated one of the nine states “most like California,” meaning we’re teetering on the brink of fiscal ruination. more ›

It's an exciting day to be a candidate for Illinois Governor. Today the lottery will be held to determine the ballot positioning for February's primary and we'll see who gets the coveted first and last place on the ballot. As soon as we hear, we'll post the results here. more ›

'Hawks Melt Avs In Shoot-Out more ›

Today, the City Council is slated to finish up hearings pertaining to Mayor Daley's 2010 budget as they prepare to send the budget to the whole Council for discussion next week. The Law Department will be the last to participate in the hearings and then we can get ready for a whole lot of...well, who knows? There's a historically huge budget gap - $520 million by WBEZ's count - that the City is looking to close. We've already heard Mayor Daley's plan, including major cuts to tourism, arts and events, furlough days, and even the city's recycling program. What remains to be seen is how much noise some of the city's aldermen - notably aldermen like Manny Flores and Scott Waguespack - make, especially in regards to Daley's plan to raid the money from the Parking Meter deal (Heaven forbid he touches any of the money in the city's large TIF funds). Ald. Waguespack said a few weeks ago, "If the parking meter money is depleted within five years, then what happens for the next 70 years of that contract?" Of course, our cynical side suspects that those offering resistance will be outnumbered by those willing to be the Mayor's rubber stamp. more ›

We mentioned yesterday morning the deal struck between the RTA and the state of Illinois which would provide enough funding to prevent a fare hike at the CTA for the next two years but wouldn't prevent the $90 million in service cuts originally proposed by the CTA. At a press conference yesterday, we got some of the details of the deal. Well, "deal" is a loose term as you'll see. The move isn't so much eliminating the CTA's debt as it is slightly reducing and really prolonging it. The Tribune breaks down the deal like so: more ›

• Students involved in the Medill Innocence Project denied allegations made by prosecutors they paid witnesses for testimony relating to Anthony McKinney; the students claim to have only paid transportation costs.
• CTA President Richard Rodriguez commented on last week's miracle stroller story, calling the mother's claim "plausible" and saying the investigation will now turn to the train's operator.
• The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is ditching Chicago in favor of Las Vegas for it's 2012 convention.

The president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents CTA bus drivers and maintenance workers, is claiming that Chicago police harassed a bus driver days before his arrest. more ›

After 10 hours of deliberation - and one false alarm - a jury has sentenced Brian Dugan to death for the 1983 murder of Jeanine Nicarico. [Tribune] more ›

Chrysler will start a temporary second shift at its Belvidere, Illinois plant later this month to boost production of its popular Dodge Caliber line. The company wanted to increase production in October, but delayed the move due to supplier shortage, no surprise as the auto parts industry has been wracked with shutdowns and bankruptcies since the economic crash last year. Chrysler currently employs about 1,700 workers at that plant, and the additional shift is expected to put another 1,000 back to work. more ›

Monday was the deadline for candidates to drop from races - a la Danny Davis in the Cook County Board President's race - and to file challenges to petitions. WBEZ is on top of the latest developments with an updated candidate list as is Chicago Current. Perhaps the most noteworthy challenges come in the aforementioned Cook Co. race as both Dorothy Brown and incumbent Todd Stroger have had their petitions challenged. Brown's challenge is no surprise given the recent accusations of shenanigans but we're a little surprised to see Stroger challenged but given the heated nature of this campaign, maybe we shouldn't be. more ›

If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of people that will get stuck with a higher property tax bill this year, one of the things you may be wondering (besides 'why me?') is where that money goes, specifically. Thanks to a new search engine Cook County Clerk David Orr put up the other day, property owners in TIF districts can now see how much of their tax money is going into Mayor Daley's personal slush fund. Progress Illinois took it for a test drive, using Mayor Daley's permanent index number.

For fun, we plugged in Mayor Daley's PIN number (17-22-109-027-0000) and found that a whopping 92 percent of his property taxes were redirected into the Near South TIF last year. By contrast, cash-strapped schools are getting a mere 3.9 percent of the Daley's property tax dollars. This goes to show how much strain the TIF system are putting on those local taxing bodies entrusted to deliver education and other public services.

Most of us have been there before: it's a late night of drinking and partying but suddenly your friends bail without telling you and you're left sitting in the corner of a 4 a.m. bar alone except for the bag of Taco Bell you bought two hours before. You need a ride home but the streets are empty and you don't have any cab companies stored in your cell phone. How do you get home? Have the bar call you a cab. Keep waiting for a cab. Walk. Call and wake up your BFF if you have to. Just don't call 911 unless it's an actual emergency. It may seem like common sense, but one man recently learned the hard way this is a no-no. more ›

While we still don't know exactly what caused yesterday's crash of a CTA bus into a house - well, other than the vague "lost control - the driver has been cited. Police ticketed the driver, 36-year-old Zoye Sanders, for "negligent driving." Four people suffered injuries in the accident, including Sanders, but no one in the house, now deemed unsafe by the Department of Buildings, were hurt. [CBS 2] more ›

It was a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle at the United Center last night, complete with buzzer-beater drama but it was also a game ultimately decided by the refs last night as the Denver Nuggets edged the Bulls 90-89. This morning, Bulls fans are bitterly muttering to themselves about the final call that cost the Bulls the game when a Brad Miller buzzer-beater was waved off by the officials after an instant replay review. We've watched it two dozen times and it still seems too close to call. Though it's only a Level X on the Sports Guy's Level of Losing scale, we still feel like it was a Stomach Punch game. As for the previous 47:59.7 of the game, Denver led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter, but the Bulls chipped their way back into the game and did so again in the fourth quarter when - with six minutes remaining - Denver extended the lead back out to seven. Derrick Rose led all scorers with 22 points, Luol Deng had 21 points, and Joakim Noah was a monster on the boards, pulling down 21 rebounds. The Bulls will have to shake off last night's game pretty quick; they're in Toronto tonight (6 p.m., WCIU). more ›

In 2000, the University of Chicago granted area residents access to a two-acre plot of land on 61st and Dorchester to develop a community garden. Over nearly ten years time, the garden has taken on a life of its own under the loving care of area gardeners who have cultivated not only their 10' x 10' plots but unexpected friendships along the way. more ›

After a false alarm last night, the jury deciding the fate of convicted murderer Brian Dugan has been sequestered and will continue deliberating. Reports initially indicated a verdict had been reached last night, but the presiding judge then announced the jury was not ready and ordered them sequestered for the night and that deliberations would continue this morning. The jury is deciding whether or not Dugan, already serving two life sentences for two 1985 murders, should receive another life sentence or the death penalty for the 1983 rape and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico. Dugan admitted to the crime earlier this summer. [ABC 7] more ›

Yesterday evening, news broke of a deal between the RTA and Gov. Quinn providing funding so that the CTA could avoid fare hikes through 2011. Details of the deal haven't been announced - Quinn is expected to outline those in an afternoon press conference - but Greg Hinz at Crain's reports: more ›

• At today's hearing, prosecutors alleged that an investigator working with students of the Medill Innocence Project on the Anthony McKinney case paid a witness, undermining his credibility.
• President Obama traveled to Fort Hood to take part in the memorial service for the soldiers killed in last week's shooting rampage. Video of the President's remarks is available here.
• The early release for state prisoners to save money has begun.

In less than a week, graduate teaching and research assistants at the University of Illinois may go on strike for the first time ever. According to The News-Gazette, on Monday, the Graduate Employees' Organization voted overwhelmingly in favor to authorize a strike against the UI Board of Trustees if an agreement can't be met. The GEO has been negotiating with UI administrators for over six months, seeking a contract "that would set the minimum salary for a 50 percent nine-month appointment at the UI's estimate of a living wage for a graduate student, as well as protect tuition waivers for TAs and GAs." more ›

Maybe the entire season didn't quite play out how ace Mark Buehrle and the Chicago White Sox had wanted, but it wasn't too shabby for Buehrle. He finished the season with 33 starts, a 13-10 record with a 3.84 ERA, and one complete game. Of course, that one complete game was kind of a big deal: the Sox first perfect game since 1922. And now Buehrle has some nice hardware to add to his accomplishments, being awarded this year's A.L. Gold Glove for the pitcher position. He's the Sox first Gold Glover since Robin Ventura got one in 1998. While making only one error, Buehrle had 41 assists, good enough for a .982 fielding percentage. more ›

Northerly Island - home to 12th Street Beach, a temporary Charter One Pavilion, the Adler Planetarium and the vacant remains of Meigs Field - needs a makeover, according to the Chicago Park District. The man-made island would have temporarily housed a 20,000 seat Olympic beach volleyball stadium along with a canoe and kayak slalom course, but we all know how that panned out. Tonight, Chicagoans will get a chance to hear ideas and provide feedback to the Chicago Park District on the fate of the island. more ›

It seems as if some burglars in West Rogers Park had to make due with some shampoo after they failed to gain access to a jewelry store. Police investigated a burglary at Dilshad's Hair Design but discovered the thieves had tried to dig through the wall and into a neighboring jewelry store, N.P. Jewelers. One problem: they weren't able to get the hole big enough - only a few inches across on the N.P. Jewelers side - before an alarm sounded. Unlike the Lincoln Square burglars from last week, these guys seemed to sorta know what they were doing. Peter Chandani, owner of N.P. Jewelers, told the Tribune the hole opened up into the shop at one of the few places along the wall that weren't blocked: "They may have scoped it out. They must have done their homework." The Trib's report continues: more ›

Well, this isn't the kind of sentence you enjoy reading. From the Tribune: A" United Airlines pilot was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport Monday on charges that he was about to fly 124 passengers to Chicago while drunk." Damn. The pilot, who was not identified, allegedly failed a breathalyzer test, leading to the arrest. The passengers were rescheduled on other flights back to Chicago. United issued a statement, saying, "Safety is our highest priority and the pilot has been removed from service while we are cooperating with authorities and conducting a full investigation. United's alcohol police is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation of this well-established policy." more ›

While the House narrowly passed health care reform over the weekend, both the president and Senate Democrats were looking ahead to the next round. And while it appears that there will be at least a cursory fight over abortion funding in the Senate version of the bill, there seems to be a real concern over the ability of lining up 60 votes to pass the bill. more ›

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis defended his decision to step out of the Cook County Board President's race and instead focus on winning reelection to his Congressional seat. According to WBEZ, Davis felt like "I could have won" except for some impediments. more ›

Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that makes it easier for Cook County commissioners to beat back a veto, reducing the number of votes needed from 14 to 11. And while Quinn called the measure a chance to make government more responsive to voters, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger wasn't too happy about it. Stroger's governmental affairs director Derek Blaida said the president's office "believes there are constitutional concerns and questions over changing the power of the executive branch and shifting that to the legislature during the middle of a term," according to the Tribune. Blaida said that Stroger will continue to review the measure, with an eye on a legal challenge. more ›

A hearing is currently taking place in the case of Anthony McKinney, a man who's been in prison since 1978 for murder that Northwestern's Medill Innocence Project says he didn't commit. While Cook County prosecutors have agreed that McKinney should get a new trial, but have battled the Project to gain access to the students' notes, grades, and other information claiming the work was done by students for good grades and have, thus, questioned the authenticity of the work. The school has fought the subpoena, arguing it has already turned over relevant material pertaining to the case. Medill professor David Protess said, "Prosecutors should be more concerned with the wrongful conviction of Anthony McKinney than with my students' grades." The judge may decide in today's hearing whether or not the Project has to comply with the subpoena. We'll update as we get more information. In the meantime, the Tribune has a nice write-up including more background of the Project and its involvement in the McKinney case. more ›

A CTA bus crashed into a South Side home this morning, injuring four; none of the injuries were described as life-threatening. The crash happened at a house at the intersection of 115th Street and Vincennes Avenue. The bus, a No. 111 Pullman/111th/115th bus, was, according to the Tribune, "traveling south on Vincennes when it hit the south side of the house." According to the Sun-Times report, vehicles (it's unclear if that includes "CTA buses") have narrowly missed barreling into the house twice in the past year. A neighbor told the S-T, "Every time the buses take the left turn [southbound on Vincennes onto 115th Street] they speed. They go fast around that corner." That said, the CTA is still investigating and hasn't given an official reason as to how the bus missed the street and hit the house instead. more ›

The Blackhawks used a big rally early in the third period to propel themselves to a 4-1 win over the L.A. Kings last night at the United Center. After a scoreless first period, John Madden got the 'Hawks on the board in the opening minutes of the second period. The Kings tied the game up halfway through and the game headed to the final frame tied 1-1. That's when the 'Hawks unleashed an offensive attack, scoring three goals in just over the first nine minutes of the period: back-to-back power play goals from Troy Brouwer (who also had two assists) and Jonathan Toews and then the final goal from Andrew Ebbett. Huet played well, making 17 saves on the night and, once more, the 'Hawks outshot their opponent by a wide margin, this time 29-18. The 'Hawks full week at home continues Wednesday when the Colorado Avalanche come to town (7:30 p.m., CSN). more ›

A mayoral aide says the city will be much better prepared for street plowing this winter than last. The aide even referred to last year's cost-cutting policy which entailed using less road salt, plowing side-streets only during normal working hours to reduce overtime, and skipping side-streets after minor snow storms, as "last year's mistakes," reports the Sun-Times. In a statement on Monday the aide said the city has 370,000 tons of salt "on the ground, covered and ready for the snow to hit." more ›

Following up (finally) on 47th Ward Ald. Eugene Schulter's complaint that suburbanites are claiming the best seats at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Mayor Daley lashed out at those who are ungrateful for the benevolent contributions that suburban corporate benefactors have made to build Millennium Park. "Remember, people gave money [to build Millennium Park] who lived throughout the metropolitan area - business leaders. And if you look at many of them, they lived in suburban areas. They should have never given," Daley said Monday. "We have free concerts there. First come, first served. People show up early. I mean - they show up REAL early. So, it's first come, first served," the Mayor told the Sun-Times. "It's a wonderful program. Of course, they [also] have the Grant Park concerts. That goes on." more ›

• Drivers have a few months to prepare for the next prolonged traffic snarl: resurfacing of the Eisenhower (I-290) will begin in April 2010.
• Prosecutors have alleged Tahawwur Rana, one of the men arrested last month for allegedly plotting overseas terror attacks, was in possession of a pair of al Qaida videotapes.
• The Gold Coast building that used to serve as a home to the Three Arts Club could soon be the home of the ashes of 15,000 deceased Chicagoans.

A heads up to those of you parking law scofflaws out there with the fortuitous work schedule that allows you to not be parked on Chicago streets during the prime Denver booting hours of 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. -- your luck has just run out. more ›

Local musician, zinester and Quimby's mainstay, CT Ballentine went missing last Friday afternoon from his McKinley Park apartment. Friends and family reported Ballentine going through some hard times and a missing person's report was filed over the weekend when he dropped off the grid. The efforts of concerned Chicagoans seems to have paid off, as a recent update by Ballentine's mother to the Facebook page started in tandem with his disappearance claims he has been located. While the details surrounding his reappearance are hazy, it's good to know that CT is safe and sound. more ›

The practice of posting nasty, anonymous comments on the Internet is as old as the Internet itself. We imagine the very first thing on the Internet ever went a little something like this: more ›

It is with heavy hearts that music fans mourn the tragic weekend loss of drummer and all around loved guy, Jerry Fuchs. Fuchs lent his percussive talents to a long list of bands over his career including Maserati, Turing Machine, !!! and The Juan Maclean. more ›

Beyonce is coming back to Chicago but this performance will be in a courtroom, not a concert hall. Chicago songwriter and performer Rickey Allen filed a copyright infringement lawsuit a few years ago about one of his songs, "Cater 2 U" and a Destiny's Child song by the same name. Beyonce's lawyers claim she was "the source" for the Destiny Child's version of the song and she'll likely testify when the trial gets underway in a federal courthouse here next month. [WBBM 780] more ›

Former President George W. Bush will be entering rare personal territory when he visits later this month for a fundraiser. It'll be one of the few speaking engagements for the ex-prez since he left office in January. (In America, anyway; the former president recently made a few speeches and diplomatic appearances in Asia.) So why is W coming to the city of his successor? He'll be speaking at a private function of the Turnaround Management Association, filling in for former GE CEO Jack Welch who had to back out due to illness. The November 19 appearance is closed to the public and media, but reservations jumped by 50 percent when the announcement was made. more ›

A man is being held on one count of attempted murder and one count of aggravated domestic battery after an early morning fight yesterday with his girlfriend that included him trying to bite her ear off and partly succeeding. Not much else is known about the fight but police say they were able to recover a portion of the ear that was bitten off though it's not known how much or what part of the ear was bitten. The woman was last reported in serious condition last night. [CBS 2] more ›

Maybe the Bears aren't who we thought they are. While we thought this team was certainly among the top few in the NFC, they are proving to be mediocre at best. Playing against the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field on Sunday, the Bears got killed 41-21 by a team who entered the game with an identical 4-3 record. more ›

With today being the drop deadline for next year's elections, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis has announced he will forgo a run at Cook County Board President and instead focus on getting re-elected to his current position, Congressman of Illinois' 7th District, and office he has held since 1996. more ›

There was plenty going on this weekend in the news but we understand if you missed it and were, instead, outside enjoying the amazing warm weather. Here's your chance to catch up. more ›

Pvt. Najee Hull, 20, Homewood, is back in Illinois and recovering after being shot three times, twice in the back and once in the knee, in the mass killing at Fort Hood while he was waiting in line to file paperwork for his deployment to Afghanistan. His family told the Chicago Sun-Times that Army officials reported that Hull was the gunman's first victim. "I'm in terrible condition," Hull told the Sun-Times in a phone interview from his hospital room. "[I'm] shocked and surprised...that it happened on post, the place where I get dressed, the place I trust the most in my Army career," said Hull. Despite his injuries, doctors expect Hull to make a full recovery. more ›

You can't make this stuff up if you tried. At about 8 a.m. on Sunday morning on a CTA bus near Belmont and Milwaukee, a man claiming to be a "knife salesman" accidently tripped down the aisle of the bus and stabbed himself in the leg with one of his own knives, police News Affairs Office Laura Kubiak said. The man told police that he was a "knife salesman," selling knives out of his suitcase, and the stabbing was accidental, Kubiak said. Fire Media Affairs Dir. Larry Langford said that although the man lost a lot of blood, his injuries did not appear to be life threatening. more ›

In the market for some new digs? Have a couple million saved up for a rainy day? You're in luck: two of the most expensive properties in the Chicago area have just opened up. more ›

By a narrow final margin of 220-215, the U.S. House passed the health care reform bill late last night. With the vote almost completely breaking along party lines, only one Republican - Joseph Cao of New Orleans, LA - voted yes while 39 Dems (none from Illinois) voted no. In an email statement, President Obama said, "This is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun.'' more ›

A 25-year-old babysitter received second-degree burns in a fire started by one of her charges in the South Side neighborhood of Roseland, Chicago Breaking News reports. more ›

College Football more ›

Four people have been charged in a lottery ticket scam that swindled five victims out of $110,000 and targeted two others for $50,000, Chicago Breaking News reports. more ›

The last three jurors and six alternates were selected in the trial of a man charged with the rape and murder of 11 South Side women in the 90s on Friday at the Criminal Courts Building, according to Chicago Breaking News. more ›

Pantera, a 16-month-old black Labrador, recently joined the Chicago Police Department's organized crime division, as part of a new effort to recruit police dogs from shelters instead of expensive breeders. Pantera was adopted in May for only $98 by Officer Steve Martinez, who visited the Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare League close to half a dozen times before picking Pantera because of the dog's "high degree of maturity and strong drive," Martinez told the Chicago Tribune. Since completing his training in different drug detection techniques, Pantera is now the youngest certified narcotics detection dog in Chicago's history. Pantera has already helped police recover evidence and assisted in search warrant operations with the narcotics team, the department said. more ›

Daniel Vincent, 28, Aurora, was accused on Friday of robbing a First Federal Bank in Lexington, Kentucky. Vincent previously served over five years in federal prison for admitting to robbing 16 banks. On Friday, Vincent led Kentucky police on a 25-mile chase after allegedly robbing a bank in Lexington, authorities reported. Vincent entered the First Federal Bank around 11:30 a.m., implied that he had a weapon, and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, authorities said. more ›

The battle over health care is revving up this weekend as a deal among U.S. House Democrats has paved the way for a potential House vote on President Obama's health care reform bill. The deal would allow for an amendment to the public option portion that would prevent the the government's plan, as well as private plans involved in the government-run exchanges, from covering elective abortions. However, coverage would still be available in the cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger. The amendment is expected to pass with support from Republicans and conservative Dems and gives Dem leaders hope of swaying enough of those conservative Dems to secure the 218 necessary votes to pass the bill on to the Senate. There are concerns, though, that there won't be quite enough votes to get the bill passed. Clout Street explains: more ›

The question of whether or not Bulls' forward Tyrus Thomas had the flu when the team sent him home this week is now irrelevant. Thomas will miss the next four to six weeks after fracturing his forearm during a workout yesterday. According to the Tribune: more ›

The Blackhawks' road woes continued last night, dropping their third straight away game as the Avalanche edged the 'Hawks 4-3 in a shoot-out. It was a game of runs as the Blackhawks opened up a 2-0 lead in the first half of the opening period. Dustin Byfuglien got a power play game early on and Duncan Keith added a second goal a few minutes later. But the Avalanche countered with a three-goal run that spanned the rest of the first and most of the second period to take a 3-2 lead. The 'Hawks answered, courtesy of Andrew Ladd, to tie the game at 3-3. After a scoreless third period and overtime, it was on to the shoot-out where Patrick Kane was the only 'Hawk to net a goal and by a 2-1 shoot-out margin, the Avs took game. Niemi took the loss in goal for the 'Hawks making 17 saves in regulation, two in overtime, and six saves on eight shots in the shoot-out. The 'Hawks return home Monday night to take on the Kings (7 pm, VS), the first of four home games next week. If you haven't had a chance to catch the team live in person, now's a good chance to do it before the team goes on the infamous two-week Circus Trip. more ›

• A pair of area deaths related to H1N1 have been reported. In related news, a truck with 900 H1N1 vaccine doses was stolen in Milwaukee though police have apprehended a suspect.
• As the search continues for a hit & run driver responsible for the death of 25-year-old Rachel Gilliam, a surveillance tape is making the rounds that shows the alleged car that moments later hit Gilliam and her family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the driver.
• With 1,000 officers eligible to retire, Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis admits he's "nervous" about retirements cutting into the CPD's already thinned ranks.

While we've been lamenting things like the loss of the Outdoor Film Festival and the shrinking of the Chicago Christmas tree, there are certainly more serious issues at stake in the midst of the city's enormous budget deficit, one being the quality of mental health care in Chicago. The city's mental health centers have been in limbo since January when it was announced that some of the city's 12 centers would be closing, and while 4 of the centers were reopened, they still won't be avoiding a hit -- their operating budget is being reduced next year. more ›

The Tribune is calling today's story about "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan's incarcerated brother and his planned prison escape "Batman-like," which is good bait to get you into the story. But when you read deeper, it turns out that the tale being told isn't terribly Batty at all - it's only barely Dark Knight related. Which is not to say it's not a hell of a story - one which we're surprised hasn't been talked about much to date. (The conspirator part of our brain is saying "yeah, but that kind of talk might keep away other film companies, and that's bad for the city, so maybe...") more ›

Every year the boundaries for acceptable Halloween costumes are tested. Every year those boundaries are most certainly crossed, if only for a few of us at Chicagoist that insist on wearing the Ninja Turtles costume we've worn since we were eight. Halloween in some ways has become a social experiment, measuring the capacity for tolerance by exploring what really is in fact taboo by today's standards. For some, we found out where the line was drawn after photos of two local individuals dressed as "blackface" for Halloween surfaced on the Internet a few days ago. The two who dressed in blackface are believed to be students at Northwestern University and, as a result, there has been considerable public outcry in Evanston. The university even publicly addressed the photos, calling the costumes insensitive and in poor judgment, although not in violation of any university rules. more ›

A 14 year old student from Fenger High School has been charged in the September beating death of fellow student Derrion Albert. The student is the fourth currently charged in the murder; Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16, are all being held for the murder. Another teen, Eugene Bailey, has since been released after charges against him were dropped. [Tribune] more ›

The White Sox continue to shuffle their lineup around. First, a day after the rumors first leaked about a trade sending Chris Getz and Josh Fields (plus some cash) to Kansas City, the trade has been confirmed. Sox general manager Ken Williams tells the Trib the newly acquired Mark Teahen will play third while Gordon Beckham will be shifted over to second base. more ›

A second Chicago-area victim of the Fort Hood shooting has been identified. CBS 2 is reporting that 21-year-old Francheska Velez of Chicago was among the 13 people killed. Velez, a 2006 graduate of Kelvyn Park High School, had just returned from Afghanistan and was pregnant, according to her uncle who spoke with CBS 2. Earlier, it was reported that Bolingbrook's Michael Pearson was also shot and killed in yesterday's shooting rampage. more ›

Hyatt, the hotel chain owned by Chicago's storied Pritzker clan, raised $950 million in its initial public offering Thursday, as the hotel chain took its shares public. Shares were priced at $25, but closed up 12 percent Thursday, near $28 a share. "We are delighted at the success of our initial public offering and with our new partnership with the NYSE," Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian said of the IPO. "Our focus will continue to be providing authentic hospitality to our guests and driving preference for our brands." more ›

Bulls Edge Cavs more ›

There were a pair of debates last night of interest to voters with the approaching primaries in February. Of particular interest to local voters is the The Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) Cook County Board President forum. ABC 7 has video of the complete forum that you can check out here. The participants were current Democrat candidates Pres. Todd Stroger, Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, and MWRD Pres. Terrence O'Brien, Green Party candidate (and former No Games Chicago leader) Tom Tresser, and only one Republican candidate, John Garrido. more ›

With a massive budget deficit looming, property taxes on the rise, and the mayor talking about more furloughs and service cuts, the Chicago Public Schools have still found over $150,000 to hire a city hall insider to handle "forging partnerships with the business community to support school programs," the Sun-Times is reporting. Better yet, the hire is Barbara Lumpkin, who has served as Daley's city comptroller, budget director and city treasurer, and who was involved in several city hall scandals during her previous tenure. more ›

We were all shocked yesterday afternoon watching coverage of the shooting rampage in Fort Hood, Texas. This morning, the tragedy hits close to home as it's been learned one of the 13 people killed, Army Pfc. Michael Pearson, 21, was from Bolingbrook. Pearson's mother Sheryll told the Tribune, "We thought it was going to be okay, because we thought it was another building. Mike won't be there because he already he got his inoculations ... He shouldn't be in that part of that building. Since we weren't contacted, we felt we were okay." The Trib's report continues: more ›

• A Naperville man has been charged with trying to bribe a "city agent," who the Sun-Times reveals to be Ald. Ike Carothers.
• GOP candidates for governor aren't the only ones debating tonight; the candidates for Cook County Board President will participate in a forum that gets underway at 6 pm. You can view it live online at ABC 7.
• Two men have been arrested in the shooting death of DePaul student Francisco “Frankie” Valencia from last weekend.

As a union leader expressed doubt about the recent stroller incident at the Morse Red Line stop, police have now called the mother's account "credible" and say there's no evidence of any shenanigans, though the investigation, including interviews, continues. While the union leader expressed doubt over the lack of damage to the stroller, police say traces of paint on the stroller back up her story. The Tribune report also says the stroller was not turned over to the CTA until some five stops later. Union officials claim the stroller (pictured right) would be more heavily damage from hitting guardrails. Initial tests on the train from the incident show the car's door were functioning meaning they would have stayed open as long as an obstruction was present. The train's operator remains suspended without pay pending the investigation. more ›

The Chicago Community Trust, a foundation that funds programs to benefit Chicago, announced today that it will award 12 local news organizations with $500,000. The awards are part of a new program by the trust, Community News Matters, designed to support the sources of Chicago news and information. more ›

A Northwest Indiana man with the last name "Duis" was pulled over early this morning and found to have a blood-alcohol level four times the legal limit, earning him a, yes, DUI. So already the young man is showing an extreme lack of judgment. But it carried over even further when the man told the state trooper who had pulled him over, "Dude, I do this every night; I'm straight up and not drunk!" A field sobriety and, later, breath test proved, yeah, dude, you were. [WBBM 780] more ›

A stolen semi containing more than 1,200 cases of liquor was found on the South Side on Monday. The truck was reported stolen around 12:30a.m. on Friday from a National Wine & Spirits in Indiana, according to Sgt. Matthew Mount. Two men allegedly wearing ski masks commandeered the delivery truck by gunpoint after attacking the truck's driver and handcuffing him and throwing him in an empty trailer of a parking lot. After the two men drove off, the driver exited the trailer and called for help. The truck was recovered over three days later at the 12000 block of South Avenue O in Chicago and two men were arrested. It is unknown if the liquor was still in the truck when it was found. Rumors have been circulating that the 1,200+ cases were headed to Chicagoist Editor-in-chief Marcus Gilmer's house for a Halloween party. more ›

Former Chicago Police commander John Burge, arrested last year on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury, has successfully postponed his trial for the third time. The Chicago Sun Times reports Burge has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will be undergoing radiation treatment in Florida when his January trial is scheduled to begin. Burge’s lawyers requested the postponement, saying that it was “nonsense” to imply he is using his illness to further stave off the trial. In fact, Burge’s legal team appeared disappointed in not beginning the trial, with one of his lawyers saying he “would have loved a Christmas jury with a cancer patient. That’s a combination for an acquittal.” more ›

At least on one home in the north center of Chicago. Last night at about 7:52 p.m. a large of chunk of ice fell onto the roof of a house on the 4200 block of N. Wolcott Ave while the family was inside watching TV. They said they heard a loud thud that shook the house like an earthquake. The family collected the balls of ice into a plastic bag and believes a large chuck on ice fell from the sky, hitting the roof and exploded into smaller pieces. more ›

Last night, Marcus Jordan, son of Bulls legend Michael, made good on his promise to wear Nike shoes during his school's first game, prompting rival shoe company adidas to back out of it's multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with the school. The controversy had started a while ago when Jordan claimed the school, the University of Central Florida, promised him he could wear his father's line of Nike shoes though that directly conflicted with the school's exclusive contract with adidas. According to the Orlando Sentinel: more ›

The 2009 Major League Baseball season has been over for about 12 hours and already reports are surfacing of some White Sox dealings. Per ESPN Chicago the NY Daily News is reporting that the Sox have sent infielders Chris Getz and Josh Fields to Kansas City in exchange for third basemen Mark Teahen. The Sox refused to comment on the story and Getz told ESPN, "I talked to some people with the team this morning. At this point, it's been characterized as a rumor." more ›

2010 is a big election year and state Republicans are hoping to take back, among other offices, the governor's seat. But first they've got to get through the primary and with seven candidates in a heated campaign, the race to see who will oppose Quinn or Hynes in 2010 could be pretty interesting. The debate happens tonight at the downtown Hilton (720 S. Michigan Ave) and Chris Robling will moderate. You can purchase tickets here, find a viewing party, or wait for WLS 890 AM to rebroadcast the entire debate tomorrow night at 7 p.m. more ›

We've admittedly been hesitant to cover the story of the alleged "Miracle At Morse" in which a stroller with a baby was reportedly stuck in the doors of the train, dragged along the platform, and then the baby knocked out onto the tracks but wound up miraculously unharmed. The whole thing sounded so improbable and given a similar recent incident in Australia that garnered world-wide attention, we had several questions: Did the operator completely not see the stroller before pulling out? How did the train start moving with doors still wedged open? - and we wondered if the whole thing was real. Turns out we're not the only ones. Amalgamated Transit Union President Robert Kelly is having problems wrapping his head around this, too. With the stroller in question in officials' hands and in relatively good condition, questions are beginning to arise. As reported by CBS 2: more ›

When Mayor Daley first appointed a former federal prosecutor to the Inspector General office five years ago in the wake of scandals such as Hired Trucks, he probably thought of it more as a gesture than anything that might bring about real problems for him. Boy, was he wrong. Since then, there's been a lot of tension between the City and the IGO as the IGO has done their job and kept after the city. In the latest development of this ongoing battle, the Inspector General's Office is taking the City of Chicago to court in an effort to get access to documents and records pertaining to a 2006 no-bid contract award. Our media crush Carol Marin has the details at the Sun-Times: more ›

The Wolves got the best of the Milwaukee Admirals last night in the latest leg of the Amtrak Rivalry by a 4-3 final. It also happened to be the first road win for the Wolves this season. Anthony Stewart opened the scoring halfway through the first to get the Wolves up 1-0 and Tim Stapleton made it 2-0 just a few minutes later. Not to be outdone, Milwaukee countered with a pair of goals of their own to make it 2-2 at the first intermission. In the second, Milwaukee got its third goal on a power play to take the 3-2 lead, but the Wolves answered when Arturs Kulda tipped in a shot from Stewart. The game remained tied at 3-3 until Stapleton got his second goal of the game halfway through the third to give the Wolves the edge and eventual win. Goalie Drew MacIntyre had 14 saves on the night and Chris Chelios had a pair of assists. The Wolves next travel to Grand Rapids for a game tomorrow night (6 p.m.). more ›

With the city hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, fewer police on the street to battle crime, and a transit system on the verge of another round of service cuts and fare hikes, the City Council is tackling the tough issue plaguing our city: suburbanites claiming the best seats at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. During the Council's budget hearings yesterday, it was Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th) who spoke up, according to the Sun-Times. Said Ald. Schulter: more ›

• On again, off again: the abortion notification law is on hold once more after a judge issued a restraining order on it this afternoon at the request of the ACLU.
• According to prosecutors, the man accused of causing a wreck that killed a pregnant mother and the baby - delivered by emergency c-section after the crash - had cocaine in his system at the time of the crash.
• Mick Dumke breaks down Mayor Daley's interview with WBEZ from earlier in the week.

We read stuff all the time about people doing dumb things, but it's not often you come across a story so littered with wrong turns that you could turn it into a drinking game. Such is the case of Mary Cordes-Michehl, a 45-year-old Palatine woman who was arrested Tuesday on charges of manufacturing and distributing child pornography. Let's break down the alleged events that police say happened that led to her arrest: more ›

Chris Cilizza, writing for The Fix at the Washington Post is reporting today that Senate candidate Mark Kirk is courting an endorsement from America's Sweetheart, Sarah Palin. According to Cilizza, Kirk fired off a memo to GOP bigwig and Berwyn-born Fred Malek, hoping to nail down a friendly howdy-do from Palin. more ›

The Brown and Purple Lines are experiencing some serious service interruptions and delays after an incident this afternoon in which a CTA worker was burned by electricity on the tracks. The incident happened near Sedgwick. Shuttle buses are in place between Belmont and all Loop stations according to the CTA. Update: Normal service has resumed as of 3:15 p.m. more ›

According to the American Psychological Association's Stress in America survey, Chicagoans are stressed about work and job stability this year. More than 60 percent of residents report money, work and the economy as significant sources of stress. The study also cited that more than half of Chicagoans have been told by a health care provider that they have a chronic condition. more ›

The Illinois' Medical Disciplinary Board voted this morning to not extend the grace period set on the long-debated abortion notification law that was set to go into effect earlier this week, meaning the law was put into effect immediately. The law requires physicians to notify the parents/guardians of girls 17 years or younger who seek an abortion. [CBS 2] more ›

If you owe the state more than a grand, the world will know about it. The state's Department of Revenue today posted its annual list of tax dodgers and delinquents. According to the Tribune, there are over 100 entries on the list owing some $6.3 million. Many of the tax scofflaws owe around five figures, but a handful owe hundreds of thousands of dollars. The highest figure on the list is a whopping $401,238.65 from a man in Villa Park. The state generated $15 million from sending out two rounds of notices prior to publishing the list. more ›

We're not superstitious, but we got a kick out of the latest announcement from the beleaguered Block 37 project. The project announced a slew of new tenant signings, totaling 13 in all, an unlucky number for an unlucky project. Among the tenants: Sephora, L'Occitane en Provence, and several local stores including a new spot from the Comic Vault and Chicagoist favorite Bleeding Heart Bakery. Developer Joseph Freed and Associates LLC claims the project will open this Thanksgiving - just in time for Christmas shopping - and be complete by the end of next year. Meanwhile, Freed and Associates are battling Bank of America in that foreclosure lawsuit and a hearing is scheduled for November 20 that could decide whether the opening of the project's underground CTA pedway is delayed. According to Crain's: more ›

With last week's announcement of the Cubbies' new ownership - the Ricketts family - came a historic, gay caveat. One of the four new sibling owners, out lesbian Laura Ricketts, is the first openly gay owner of a professional sports team. more ›

Last night, the Bulls dug themselves a big hole early on by rallied in the second half to bounce the Bucks 83-81. The Bulls' offensive struggles of the past few games carried over into last night as they shot 27 percent, mustering an unsightly 29 points in the entire first half and found themselves down by 14 at the break. The Milwaukee lead grew to as much as 18 over halfway through the third, but then Chicago finally got things going, sparked by Jannero Pargo coming off the bench, kicking off a 12-0 run to close to gap to four by the end of the third; the team wound up scoring 45 points over the game's final 18 minutes. Luol Deng had the best performance for the struggling Bulls with 24 points and 20 rebounds; Joakim Noah had only four points but pulled down 12 rebounds and Derrick Rose, who started but played fewer minutes, scored 16. The Bulls get a night off and then head to Cleveland to take on LeBron and the Cavs tomorrow night (7 p.m., TNT). more ›

During Tuesday's morning shoot around, the Bulls sent power forward home Tyrus Thomas home with "flu-like symptoms." Thomas missed the Bulls dramatic comeback win against the Milwaukee Bucks last night, with rookie Taj Gibson starting in his place. more ›

File this under No Surprise to Anyone: Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, otherwise known as McPier, is deep in debt. Crain's is reporting that according to the new chairman of McPier, more ›

• Jury selection began today for Andre Crawford, accused of raping and killing 11 women during the 90's.
• No one was hurt but 12 vehicles were damaged today when a Pace bus driver passed out while driving the bus along it's Oak Park route.
• Block 37, lawsuit, CTA, delay, blah blah blah.

With yesterday's petitioning deadline come and gone and the deadline to petition challengers and withdraw from a race approaching next Monday, there's still just a teeny bit of positioning left to do for this February's primaries, but the races are starting to shape up. Luckily for us, WBEZ has a nice, concise breakdown of who's running for what. For instance, did you know that there were actually a few Republicans running for Cook County Board President, too? But seriously, the list is pretty comprehensive though we'll know more a week from now, especially as we await on which race U.S. Rep. Danny Davis will settle on. more ›

The results of New York’s special election in the 23rd district congressional race might have effects nation-wide, even here in Illinois. The Tea Party movement successfully derailed the campaign of Dede Scozzafava, a moderate GOP candidate in the race in favor of Doug Hoffman, a much more conservative republican. Politico reports that their success could embolden their efforts to push out more moderate GOP candidates in favor of hard right conservatives. more ›

Normally when you think of the phrase "trimming the tree," the image that comes to mind is decorating it with lights and ornaments. But this year, Chicago is also trimming the physical size of the Christmas tree that goes up in Daley Plaza each November. more ›

An alert has been issued for a car that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident early Sunday morning. The car - described as a silver Lexus four-door - hit and killed Rachel Gilliam, 25, as she walked home from her job as a bartender at Bowman's Bar and Grill (4356 N. Leavitt St); the accident happened at 3:40 a.m. at 4314 N. Lincoln Ave., the intersection with Cullom, according to police. Anyone with information has been asked to contact the Major Accident Investigation Unit at (312) 745-4521. [Tribune, Sun-Times] more ›

So as we stare down higher property tax bills and a potential transit fare hike, here's more good news: the parking meter rates are going up, too. As The Parking Ticket Geek points out, when the City Council passed that controversial parking meter lease that Mayor Daley engineered, it also included a yearly increase in rates. These annual rate increases will continue through 2013. $1/hour rates will go up to $1.50, $2/hr up to $2.50, and $3.50/hr up to $4.25. The increases hit January 1, 2010. more ›

Home foreclosures in the Chicago suburbs and outer lying counties have risen sharply in the past three months, according to the Chicago Tribune. While home foreclosures within Cook County have decreased by five percent this financial quarter, "collar counties" like Will and Kane saw an increase in filings of at least 53% when compared to last year. The Woodstock Institute, a Chicago based economic research group, attributes the increase partly to the Illinois Homeowner Protection Act and the Home Affordable Modification Program. more ›

While the candidates for various offices up for election next year were hustling their petitions to the state and the county Monday, there were some surprises in the Seventh Congressional District. Incumbent Danny Davis, who's been playing coy about his intentions, filed for Cook County Board President, while 24th Ward Ald. Sharon Denise Dixon, 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti and Emil Jones's stalwart Ricky Hendon have all filed for Davis's 7th Congressional District seat. Davis himself filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections early Monday morning for re-election in the 7th Congressional District. He says he'll decide which office he wants to focus on by the November 9 withdrawal deadlines.
more ›

Mayor Daley's Environment Commissioner Suzanne Malec-Mckenna told the press yesterday that she would accept a one-day suspension for alleged hiring abuses related to a contractor in her department. The city inspector general recommended the suspension, as well as the firing of one of her deputies, who is accused of lying to investigators about the matter. “If that’s the recommendation, I’ll take the recommendation,” Malec-McKenna said Monday. more ›

The Tribune Company - which includes the L.A. Times, the Baltimore Sun, and our own beloved Chicago Tribune - is preparing for a potential separation from the Associated Press by sleeping on the couch and (for the most part) going without AP content for a week starting this Sunday, November 8. The AP itself is still shaking out how it'll charge for content, including possibly offering stories to some outlets earlier than others for a higher price. The TribCo gave the AP a head's up last October that come October 2010, they may ditch the AP completely. Next week's trial separation will give the company an idea of how life without the AP might be. Of course, the separation won't be complete. The Trib's Phil Rosenthal reports that there will still be a bit of AP content, limited to sports stats and the occasion when the AP is the only source of a "vital" story. Also, TribCo TV station and newspaper websites won't be affected by the trial separation. more ›

With 2,000 layoffs being included in the CTA's dreaded 2010 budget, leaders for the CTA bus drivers' union are contemplating a strike to fight the proposed cutbacks. Local 241 of the Amalgamated Transit Union is threatening to not only strike to protest the cutbacks and promised raises made in a 2007 deal, but is claiming that the CTA's current budget gap is closer to $500 million, far larger than the CTA claims. Darrell Jefferson, President ATU Local 241, told CBS 2, "Metropolitan Transit Act says, in section 28, that management and exempt people should make up only 3 percent of the total number of employees. We estimate CTA being somewhere like 15 to 18 percent. Laying off people and you're still gonna be heavy in management, I think you're asking for a war more than a layoff." more ›

Todd Stroger filed for re-election of his seat as Cook County Board President late Monday afternoon. By filing the nearly 22,000 signatures he's collected to put him on the ballot so late - he filed less than an hour before the deadline - he'll secure the last position on the ballot, considered second to the top spot in terms of voting booth strategy. "I feel great," Stroger told the press after filing. "I feel like 150 pounds of dynamite." While Stroger is perceived as politically vulnerable after a tenure of tax increases and budget debacles, that 150 pounds of dynamite has yet to really go off on Cook County residents. The 22,000 signatures are only about half of what a few of his opponents turned in. Never one to take the blame himself, Stroger instead told the Sun-Times it had to do with his helpers: "Normally, you have people who collect signatures. It's hard getting people out there to collect signatures." more ›

• Sen. Burris continues to be in the health care debate spotlight thanks to his stance on a public option. Well, sort of.
• The Sun-Times discovers commuting by bike.
• Clean-up continues of a major freight train derailment in the Glenview area.

It's good that with a weak economy we have another villain to give the stink eye. Many of the country's major airlines, including Chicago-based United, have doubled surcharges on flights taking place around the holidays. Usually $10 each way, the surcharges will now be $20 each way. Of course, when you're already paying $400 for a round trip flight, what's another $20? [Crain's] more ›

The abortion notification law that was supposed to take effect tomorrow? It seems it won't start until at least Wednesday. Late Friday, The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued another extension on the law's injunction, in place until the state's Medical Disciplinary Board meets on Wednesday at which point they could impose another extension on the injunction or go ahead and call for it's enforcement. [CBS 2] more ›

The Chicago Cubs have denied they've been in talks with the Toronto Blue Jays about a trade that would send troubled outfielder Milton Bradley north of the border in exchange for Vernon Wells. But that doesn't mean the Cubs aren't looking to deal Bradley after only one year of his three-year, $30 million contract. ESPN reports that the Tampa Bay Rays (for Pat Burrell), Texas Rangers, and California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (for Gary Matthews, Jr.) are potential destinations for Bradley. more ›

The field to garner the GOP nomination for next year's gubernatorial election is getting a bit more crowded as former candidate Jim Ryan is entering the contest. Ryan, who lost to former governor Rod Blagojevich in the state's 2002 general election, has spent the last several years out of public office and teaching at Benedictine University in Lisle. But as WBBM-AM explains, Ryan, a former state's attorney general, may face a few new hurdles. more ›

It might, if the government is to be believed. As swine flu escalates, leveling everything and everyone in its path, the wide-spread absences that have shut down schools might also lead to similar wide-spread absences in offices across the country. And what will millions of bored, sick, bed-ridden Americans do to pass the time? Why take to the internet, of course. And such simultaneous web-surfing could overload the information super highway, crashing the web for people all around the world. The Government Accountability Office issued a 77-page report that sets guidelines as to how we can all help, including "voluntary public reduction of Internet use," and trying to "limit video streaming, gaming and peer-to-peer and other bandwidth-intensive applications during daytime work hours." Right, that'll happen. more ›

Having fallen to .500 by losing two straight after a 3-1 start to the year, the Bears looked to right the ship against the 1-6 Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field on Sunday. While the Bears came away with a 30-6 victory, it was hardly the reassuring victory the team and fans were looking for. Sure the Bears managed to score 30 points on Sunday, but the team's offense repeatedly encountered trouble when it found itself inside the redzone against the league's worst defense. On three separate occasions the team had to settle for field goals and once even turned the ball over on downs. The Bears may have scored 30 points, but that they didn't capitalize on opportunities to score forty or more was a failure. more ›

Heat Burn Bulls more ›

WBEZ's Alison Cuddy sat down for a one-on-one with Mayor Daley and while we can't say she was soft on Daley, there are no major revelations in the interview. Daley defends his decision to dip into the parking meter fund for the 2010 budget; when asked how that money will be replaced, Daley simply says, "You replace money as the economy gets better," and then makes a joke about praying for the economy to get better. On the subject of TIFs, the Mayor said, "Most TIF funds don't generate any money." And on the topic of TIF transparency, Daley chuckles when Cuddy mentions the Chicago Reader and then seems to brush off the question with a less-than-genuine answer. Not that we're surprised. On the subject of privatizing other city assets, Daley side-stepped the question, saying, "There's no market. If there's no market, you cannot lease a public asset," as if to imply, "No." Which we don't believe as getting fair market value for the asset never seemed to be Daley's main concern. Other topics tackled include his approval rating and youth violence, on which Daley still manages to find a way to blame the media for something. more ›

Tomorrow, the controversial law that requires physicians to notify the parents or guardians of girls 17 years old or younger who seek abortions will go into effect. Unlike in many other states, however, in Illinois parental consent is not required. There are ways around the notification: in the case of medical emergency or if the girl puts in writing that the pregnancy was a result of sexual assault, she may bypass the notification. A teen can also request a bypass of notification by appearing before a judge who would have 48 hours to rule. The ACLU of Illinois has set up a website designed to help guide girls through the bypass process. The law was actually passed in 1984 and updated in 1995, but that update was placed under a federal injunction which was lifted this summer by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. more ›

Gothamist learned that Vespa owners are resorting to illegal measures (okay, scraping off their vehicle ID numbers) to keep their scooters on the street, not that it'll help.

The past two years that the Witch School has operated in the city of Rossville, about 125 miles south of Chicago near the Indiana border, haven't been without constant protests from nearby Christian groups, going so far as to sprinkle the wheels of their cars with holy water and drive around town to ward off witches. This weekend, the Christian groups demands will finally be met as the Witch School is moving to a more occult-friendly city: Salem, Mass, the site of the notorious witchcraft trials over three centuries ago. more ›

Around 2:06 a.m. this morning in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood on the west side, a 2-alarm fire broke out on the 2000 block of West 23rd Street in a 2-story frame apartment building, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Chief Kevin MacGregor. Two 2-story frame buildings adjacent to the building where the fire originated also caught on fire but only sustained minor damage, MacGregor said. By 2:20 a.m., the fire was struck out and officials began conducting a search of the building around 3 a.m., MacGregor said. more ›

Whether or not you still have sore feelings about one of Chicago's most recognizable landmarks being renamed by the Brits, there is at least one good thing coming from the switch: the building will receive an upwards of $300 million green makeover. more ›

Now that we've dealt with the annual "fall back," (you did fall back, didn't you?), it's time to focus on...well, how about the new area code? The new code - 872 - cranks up Saturday, November 7. But perhaps the biggest change for locals will be the institution of 11-digit dialing. Instead of just dialing a seven digit number and having it get redirected to the proper area code (i.e., 312 or 773), you'll now have to add 1 + the appropriate area code to the number as well. [Tribune] more ›

DePaul students and faculty are up in arms, holding protests and sit-ins over alleged gender discrimination in the university's tenure system, the Chicago Tribune reports. more ›

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