Or at least they were, until Tennessee state health officials found out about them. more ›

Does City Hall have a sense of humor or are we in the midst of a zombie preparedness drill? We have not seen signs of walking dead but this photo implies the end is near. more ›

Study after study shows Americans---and especially Illinoisans---are getting more obese. And there are no shortages of reasons: but two more stepped into the limelight this week. One, a lack of activity, is a no-brainer. The other…well…a Northwestern University study blaming religion is a bit less obvious. more ›

Denis Leary thought the nth degree of cigarette warnings was a brand called Tumors sold in a black pack with a skull and crossbones on it. 17 years later, he’s not that far off. The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday they will be requiring graphic warning labels that cover half a package’s front and rear and the top 20 percent of all cigarette ads starting in 2012. more ›

In an updated tally of the Pandemic That Wouldn't Go Away, the CDC says that Illinois is second in terms of American states with the number of reported cases at 2,526, second only to Wisconsin which has reported 3,008 cases. Overall, there have been 21,449 cases reported nationwide with 87 deaths, but the CDC notes that much of the recent action has shifted to the Northeast. [via WBBM] more ›

The swine flu frenzy is dying down just as summer rolls in and that means one thing: time to ramp up the West Nile coverage. Illinois gets the odious distinction of being the first state to have mosquitoes test positive for the virus in 2009. Overall, 44 people died from West Nile in 2008, one in Illinois; there were 20 reported cases in Illinois last year. The city has set aside $3 million for fighting West Nile this year. Check out the CDC's West Nile page for more information. more ›