A six-member committee convened Thursday to discuss State Rep. Derrick Smith, the 10th District democrat indicted on a federal bribery charge. But Smith didn't show. more ›

Former alderman Isaac "Ike" Carothers, who pleaded guilty to bribery charges earlier this year, was sentenced today to 28 months in federal prison. Carothers has been ordered to report August 23 to begin serving his sentence. While which prison he serves time at ultimately rests with the Bureau of Prisons, the recommendation from the presiding judge was Yankton, South Dakota. Carothers admitted to one count each of accepting a bribe and filing a false federal income tax return. As part of his deal, four wire and mail fraud charges were dropped. Calvin Boender, the developer charged with bribing Carothers, was found guilty in March. Carothers, who served the 29th ward, was replaced by state Rep. Deborah Graham. more ›

• Bribery, thy name is ComEd.
• A "Code of Silence" wedding. Is there still line-dancing at the reception?
• Roger Ebert, OK GO, Stephen Colbert, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House Restoration project were among this year's Webby winners.

Ald. Isaac "Ike" Carothers (29th) pleaded guilty to a pair of charges today, changed from last summer's not guilty plea, that could send him to jail for over two years and will force him to vacate his City Council seat immediately. Ald. Carothers entered the pleas today, admitting to one count each of accepting a bribe and filing a false federal income tax return. As part of his deal, four wire and mail fraud charges were dropped. 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.

With a roster that needs to be trimmed down to its final 53 by Friday and fierce competition at certain positions, some players in Bears camp are making quite the extra effort to avoid getting cut... but by sending flowers? That's the tactic employed by wide receiver Devin Aromashodu [Ed's Note: Woo! War Eagle! - M.G.], who hoped the bouquets would help him remain a Bear. more ›

Arenda Troutman, former Chicago Alderman of the 20th ward, was sentenced today to four years in prison on mail fraud and tax fraud charges. Troutman was arrested a little over two years ago and was overheard on a wiretap saying, "Well the thing is, most aldermen, most politicians are ho's." Troutman sang a different tune at her sentencing today, saying, "As God as my witness, I am no monster. I am not a criminal and I never helped criminals." more ›