Seldom do sequels surpass their predecessor. And so it goes for the Rod Blagojevich retrial. more ›

Ah, politics. Can you smell it in the air? The votes are in, and the people have spoken: Rod Blagojevich is the most disliked politician in the country. Blago takes the reign from Levi Johnston (aspiring mayor of Alaska and Sarah Palin's nemesis), as Public Policy Polling noted that 83% of Illinois voters had an unfavorable opinion of Blago and that only 8% of Illinois voters had any favorable feelings toward the ex-governor. more ›

• It seems some aldermen are pretty steamed about Rahm Emanuel's impending run for Mayor.
• It seems Tony Rezko , who pleaded guilty today to another fraud charge, is "ready and willing" to testify against ex-gov Rod Blagojevich if given the chance at the next Blago trial.
• Allan Kustok, the husband of slain teacher Anita Jeanie Kustok and charged with her murder, has been ordered held on $2 million bond.

Now why are you still reading this? Get on over to our meet-up at Goose Island Clybourn! more ›

A Mel Gibson-Blago mash-up? Okay, we'll admit it, this made us laugh. Now can we get it as a ringtone? more ›

Can't get enough of the Blago Tapes? Brian Mackey of the Springfield Journal-Register's Off the Clock blog has given us the gift of Blago on our mobile phones. That's right - You can let the dulcet Blago tones inform you that he worked his bleeping bleep off to get your child health care. Enjoy other such classics as: more ›

The Illinois Republican Party announced yesterday in a message to its email list that the state party "has launched a full line of shirts, hats, mugs and other memorabilia which feature a caricature of former Governor Rod Blagojevich blow-drying his hair along with an elephant in the background who’s pulling the plug on the hair dryer." The state GOP says that they're "having some fun, but also trying to make a point," that point being that a slouchy white elephant can play a practical joke on a disgraced former governor by unplugging his hair dryer. No, wait. The point is that the Machine is a cheap plastic hair dryer used to coif Blago's famous hair. No, wait. Well, we don't know what the point is by looking at the image. But the party says that the point is that "the whole Blagojevich/Quinn/Madigan regime has been in power way too long" and it's time for a change. Clearly. more ›

• U.S. Rep. - and GOP U.S. Senate candidate - Mark Kirk opens up about the award kerfuffle.
• Stedman speaks and he doesn't think we appreciate Oprah.
• Another student bullied to suicide.

The night before a big event - be it job interview, a wedding, or, say, a federal corruption trial - we know one way to get rid of a case of nerves is a run. And that's exactly what former governor Rod Blagojevich was thinking earlier this evening as he went jogging across Winnemac Park. But on his sojourn, he encountered a kickball league in a break between games. The participants hollered at Blago to come back and try a kick and take a picture. Never one to say no to a camera, he obliged. But how did he do kicking? We'll never know: just as the ball approached home plate, he took off, still jogging jogging jogging towards freedom, proclaiming he had to get home for "very important appointments" (we assume to watch the Blackhawks game). more ›

• A former O'Hare security chief is speaking out about how unsecure the airport is.
• Note to Blago: they're laughing AT you, not with you.
• The Reader's Whet Moser nails the Chicago Now vs Mike Doyle feud.

• A disturbing update to last week's NIU shooting.
• A Cook County judge rejected a motion by the Chicago Teachers Union to block the closing and consolidation of a pair of local schools.
• Tammy Duckworth has ever-so-politely withdrawn her name from consideration to run for Lt. Governor.

• Mayor Daley said there's no reprieve coming for the impending CTA cuts.
• More developments in the Alexi Giannoulias/Broadway Bank matter. Meanwhile, opponent Cheryle Jackson has called for Giannoulias to bow out of the race.
• That new Blago indictment could be coming by next week.

• Catching up with Chicago-area volunteers who helped with rescue efforts in Haiti.
• The investigation continues into last week's stabbing death of a trucker along the Edens.
• "The officer suffered swelling and cuts to eye along with a severe bite to the nipple."

• A firefighter was critically injured today while responding to a fire in a Lake Shore Drive high rise (3950 N. Lake Shore Dr.).
• Maggie Daley was hospitalized today for what's being called "an adverse reaction to her cancer treatments."
• A new study claims that Burr Oak Cemetery is home to more bodies than it has room for.

This week, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

Another one for the You Can't Make This Stuff Up File. Columbia College's Cinema Slapdown series (a film screening followed by a pro/con debate between two participants) has included some pretty choice movies. Showgirls was quite memorable, but on December 16 things will be taken to a whole new level with Viva Las Vegas. In a stroke of genius, the Elvis Presley/Ann-Margret musical will be defended by no less than Rod Blagojevich himself. His opponent? Film & Video faculty member Dan (“Elvis has left the building!”) Rybicky. It's Elvis' gaudiest movie (duh) and includes a mesmerizing bit where Ann-Marget sheds an enormous fur coat to reveal ... well, we don't want to spoil the surprise. 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 ›

• A judge ruled today that Blago can appear on the reality TV show Celebrity Apprentice though are still concerns about how is appearance could affect his upcoming trial.
• The mother of James Degorski, recently convicted for the 1993 Brown's Chicken murders, testified on his behalf today during the penalty phase of his trial.
• Still no word on why a group of federal agents, led by the Chicago FBI office, raided an area goat meat plant.

Last week, we mentioned former disgrace governor Rod Blagojevich was slated to appear on the next edition of reality show Celebrity Apprentice. The show's rolling along and photos from what looks to be the opening credits shoot have surfaced, giving us the first look of Blago alongside the likes of Cyndi Lauper and Sinbad. We don't know whether to laugh or cry. more ›

Kudos to WGN's John Williams for getting Blago in on the auto-tune craze. We are now anxiously awaiting his guest appearance on the next Lil Wayne record. And if that's not enough Blago for you, be sure to watch him on tonight's Daily Show and play Blago Bingo. [video via, thanks to Darcy for the Blago Bingo tip] more ›

To our friends celebrating Rosh Hashanah, L'shana tova! more ›

Police are still investigating the death of former Blago adviser Christopher Kelly but Kelly's "girlfriend" (Kelly was married at the time of his death) is no longer talking to police and, according to Country Club Hills mayor Dwight Welch, she is "lawyered up." Which is perhaps a good thing: according to the Tribune, while the death has been investigated as a possible suicide - the Sun-Times reports that Kelly, "called a woman identified as his 'girlfriend' and told her that he took some pills and was going to kill himself" - it seems they're now treating the case as a homicide investigation due to it's high profile nature. Said Welch, "We're giving it all of the bells and whistles. Were going after every detail ... we're treating it as we would if this were a homicide. It's a high profile case, we want to do it by the books, by the numbers and do it right.'' more ›

• He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.
• The Sun-Times looks into a fence that cost taxpayers over $45,000 but seems to have benefited Ald. Ed Burke (14th) the most by keeping those damn kids with their rock'n'roll music off his lawn.
• Jackie Heard, Mayor Daley's press secretary, is not amused with media reports suggesting she rented a house to drug dealers.

Former Blago adviser Chris Kelly has reached a plea deal in regards to money laundering and mail fraud for a kickback scheme involving roofing work at O'Hare. Kelly's trial was set to begin tomorrow, but a potential plea agreement had been reported earlier by both the Tribune and Sun-Times. The Trib's Jeff Coen, though, updated the situation when he tweeted from the courthouse: "Pleading to count 1 and 14." He also added, "he pleads for 57 mos." We're waiting for confirmation from Coen, but it seems that could be Kelly's sentence for this plea deal. Kelly still faces charges stemming from his involvement with Blago. But it seems Kelly is already hard at work trying to make amends. Update: the Sun-Times' Natasha Korecki confirms the 57-month sentence which will be served after he serves 37-months from a previous case. more ›

The folks over at Gawker filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get access to media pitches for interviews with then-governor Rod Blagojevich immediately after his arrest in December 2008 on fraud charges. The results are interesting to say the least (ABC 7's Andy Shaw being our favorite). You can check out their complete findings here. [via Dan Sinker] more ›

• Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide.
• It was a clout-y first day of the Fall 2009 term at the University of Illinois today.
• Bensenville's village president has conceded the fight against O'Hare expansion but is still expressing concern for effects on the city's maintenance.

• The dispute over the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School expansion in Skokie has raised accusations of antisemitism.
• A Chicago firefighter remains in critical condition. the latest victim in the series of violent Lincoln Park attacks Updated: Police say it is not connected to the recent string of robberies in the neighborhood.
• In another case of sickening violence, a woman was bound and raped Tuesday night in the Logan Square neighborhood.

All those public appearance fees and book profits may be for naught for former governor Rod Blagojevich. A new law just signed by Gov. Pat Quinn yesterday would prevent convicted public officials from making any sort of profit from crimes. If Blago's convicted, according to the Tribune: more ›

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

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