Attorneys for the city and Felony Franks owner Jim Andrews have reached an agreement to allow the West Side hot dog stand a sign. But 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti may still oppose the sign. more ›

Felony Franks owner Jim Andrews and 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti have been at loggerheads for years over Andrews's insistence on playing up the convict angle of his business for promotional purposes. Andrews, to his credit, walks the walk, giving ex-cons a second chance by hiring them to work his Near West Side hot dog stand and his paper company business. But the seemingly cavalier attitude in how he markets Felony Franks -- home of the "Misdemeanor Wiener," "Probation Burgers" and "Pardon Polish" -- has rubbed neighbors and Firoetti the wrong way since he opened his hot dog stand two years ago. Now Andrews is suing the city so that he can hang a sign at Felony Franks, as well as $300,000 in damages for what he says is lost business because he doesn't have a sign. more ›

2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti, who unseated Madeline Haithcock in a hotly contested race in 2007 is now circulating petitions around the city to get on the February ballot for mayor. “Petitions will be circulated in all 50 wards in the next couple of days,” Fioretti told the Tribune. “We are starting a fund-raising campaign.” He's also actively seeking re-election to his aldermanic seat, just in case. more ›

With speculation swirling around who will be Chicago’s next mayor and the public’s eye already fixed on the possibility of a Rahm Emmanual run, pollsters are already asking which horse people plant to bet on. We Ask America found 40+ candidates mentioned in reports on potential Daley replacements, narrowed that number to ten and asked more than 2,300 people who their top choice was. [Ed's note: I was one of the "lucky" recipients of the call and it had a D.C. area code. Boring. - M.G.] 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.
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The Tribune has discovered that Michael Scott has more of an interest in the Olympics than civic pride. Scott, a Chicago 2016 committee member, president of the Chicago Public Schools and a "friend of Richie", also served as a consultant to a condominium developer near the proposed Olympic Village site, a deal that could result in the project being worth far more than it currently is. For his part, Scott says that there's no conflict, given the depth of his role in the project. "I had no financial interest. I didn't do any real work," Scott told the Tribune. This, of course, is all in addition to the story from earlier this summer that Scott owns land located near the proposed Olympic cycling venue, something that Scott and others have said was not a conflict of interest. more ›

In a fight that's been around for a while, Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) is waging a new battle to reduce the number of honorary drives the city bestows on its streets. According to the Sun-Times: more ›

Alderman Bob Fioretti (2nd) introduced an ordinance yesterday that would ban metal bats from youth baseball within city limits. Metal softball bats would still be allowed under the proposed law, which would apply to players 8–18 years old. more ›

One of Chicago's newest aldermen, Bob Fioretti (2nd) is taking heat from one of the city's older hotels. The 14-story Congress Plaza Hotel, designed and built to accommodate visitors to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, has been embroiled in a strike with UNITE HERE Local 1 since June 2003. According to Crain's Chicago Business, the hotel, owned by Albert Nasser Shayo, a Syrian globe-trotting businessman with residences in New York, Argentina, and Switzerland, who... more ›

In one of his first acts as the new 2nd Ward Alderman, Bob Fioretti threatened to stall the second phase of a $750 million plan to raze the CHA's ABLA Homes, part of their multi-billion dollar "Plan for Transformation." After learning that $31 million dollars in expiring tax credits might be lost, he approved $15 million in tax-increment financing, but he vowed that a series of side letters would dictate three things: minority participation at... more ›

Yesterday was a big day on LaSalle Street. Those nine ragamuffins that took out sitting aldermen were sworn in Monday, making them officially part of the establishment. In his sixth inaugural address, Daley tried to draw a line in the sand with the new aldermen, urging them to come over to his side and "work together", and reminded them that "the people of our city expect their leaders to continue working together. They want action... more ›

A piece that ran in Sunday's Tribune got us to thinking about the ramifications of last week's election here in Chicago. Much has been made about the significance of the nine new aldermen that will take office in May, especially those that had the support of labor. Dorothy Tillman, Madeline Haithcock, and Shirley Coleman all went down, beaten by union backed candidates. Toni Foulkes in the 15th Ward, an actual union member, beat Felicia Simmons-Stoval... more ›

This election has been one of the most significant in recent memory. With seven new aldermen set to take office in May, including the wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. in the 7th Ward, the stage is set for a new power struggle in Chicago. This year, more than any other, saw the city's labor movement — especially the service-sector unions — flex their political muscle. The result? A record-low turnout in the mayoral vote, and... more ›

Boy oh boy, the shit is starting to fly! Now that the Aldermen and their challengers have taken the gloves off, you better believe it's game on in your neighborhood! This week, we dedicate this edition of the Hump Day Political News Roundup to kickin' ass and talkin' shit. Yee Haw! 32nd Ward Candidate Sues Incumbent. That's right, Scott Waguespack has had it with Steady Teddy's bullshit. So he's filed a $5 million lawsuit against... more ›

With the aldermanic runoff elections just over 2 weeks away, the drama is starting to pick up in a neighborhood not far from your own (or maybe even your own)! Reports from Ukrainian Village indicate that the 32nd Ward Regular Democratic Organization has been sending out a mailing with allegations that we only heard rumors of before February 27. Charges that candidate Scott Waguespak represented himself as an American lawyer while traveling abroad are touted... more ›

Shit is starting to fly in the 2nd Ward. (If candidate Larry Doody were in the runoff, the number of potential poop-themed jokes would be truly astronomical.) During the campaign, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women rescinded their Fioretti endorsement, citing a five-year-old case in which a female court reporter filed for an order of protection against Fioretti, who was then a practicing lawyer — charges that were eventually vacated. Now NOW... more ›

Well, another municipal election has come in Chicago, and in many wards (but not all) it's gone. As expected, Richard M. Daley sailed to re-election, set to eclipse his father as the Chicago's longest-serving mayor, in spite of Ben Joravsky's best efforts. At the time of this writing, a few things are clear: there will be a few runoffs this year, including Madeline Haithcock - Bob Fioretti (2nd), Dorothy Tillman - Pat Dowell (3rd), Shirley... more ›