Results tagged “chicagobusiness”

Just days after the death of his father, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has indicated that he may agree to give control of the county hospitals to an independent agency. Stroger's chief of staff Lance Tyson told Crain's Chicago Business "the intent is to take health services for the poor out of the sphere of politics and put it into a sphere of greater business expertise." The proposal to turn the county's health care system over to an independent body came last October, when a committee of business and health care executives commissioned to study the systemreleased their recommendations.

A tentative contract deal was announced yesterday between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union. Although the details were not discussed publicly, our sources tell us that nothing too radical was agreed upon. The teachers are expected to get around 4 percent each year of the deal. CTU President Marilyn Stewart suggested to Crain's Chicago Business that the CTU managed to restore some of what was lost in the previous contract, which was...

BP announced yesterday that it was backing down on plans to increase discharges of ammonia and suspended solids into Lake Michigan from the planned expansion of its Whiting, Indiana refinery. BP announced on its website Thursday "ongoing regional opposition to any increase in discharge permit limits for Lake Michigan creates an unacceptable level of business risk for this $3.8 billion investment."

Yesterday Willowbrook family practitioner Steve Sauerberg announced his candidacy for the United States Senate, hoping that he will be the lucky Illinois Republican to challenge Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin for his seat in Congress. “Sen. Dick Durbin has been on the government payroll for the last 37 years.... Quite simply, he is part of the problem in Washington, D.C.” Sauerberg told Crain's Chicago Business earlier this week. With no other name-brand Republicans willing to...

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...

Well, Creative Loafing hasn't even owned the Reader for a week, and already the Tampa-based company is leaving its mark. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason announced Friday that the Old Gray Doorstop's going to become a traditional tabloid. In addition to moving ad and page design and some production functions of the paper to Atlanta and printing the paper to Fayetteville, N.C., Eason told Crain's Chicago Business that they're going to combine the Reader's three...

The Tribune isn't the only paper to have a new owner, although that sale is still up in the air (fifth item). Yesterday the Tampa-based media company Creative Loafing purchased the Washington, DC alternative Washington City Paper and the Reader, which the City Paper also owns. So what does this mean for the future of the Old Gray Doorstop? Not much, at least immediately. Michael Miner blogs that Creative Loafing does have a reputation for...

It's been another spring week of wacky weather here in in the Windy City. And just like the sunshine, our elected leaders have been coming out to shine. Let's take a look back at some of the more notable events thus far: Black Business Group Doesn't Like Blago's Tax Plan. The Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), a group representing African-American businesses has reviewed the governor's proposed budget plan, and they've given it what...

It's only a delicious rumor right now, but Crain's Chicago Business is whispering hints that with the recent mayoral election taken care of, King Daley can now turn his focus to other things. Like getting rid of Frank Kruesi. Of course, it can't be as cut and dry as that, but we can get our hopes up, can't we? Apparently, the Sun-Times reported that ol' Frank would take over the job runnning the O’Hare Modernization...

We here at the Chicagoist offices follow the news so you don't have to. Sometimes that means sifting through press releases, reading other news outlets, or keeping our ear to the ground. One thing we've been keeping an eye on here is the "education situation" in this state, with all its sick twists and turns. Tax "reform" and education have been quite the issue this winter, with Governor Blagojevich promising not to raise taxes, while...

We’re not sure if this has been proven, but we’re guessing that between two frozen burritos, one with the word “ORGANIC” written on it and one without, the former will typically outsell the latter. Labelling a product as natural or organic has become big business, and from the looks of it, the grocery conglomerates are expecting this trend to continue. Crain’s Chicago Business reported yesterday that Safeway Inc., the parent company of Dominick’s and the third largest grocer in the country, will be expanding it’s O Organic line of food offerings.

Takashi Yagihashi cut his culinary teeth right here in Chicago at Yoshi Café and Ambria before moving off to become executive chef at a restaurant outside Detroit. After a short stint in Las Vegas, and after winning the James Beard award for Best Chef in the Midwest 2003, Yagihashi returned to Chicago yesterday with the opening of a noodle stand on the seventh floor of the State Street Macy’s. Contrary to how that may sound (we don’t think Yagihashi has serious financial problems and is slinging noodles to anyone who’ll buy ‘em) this appears to be a well-calculated move for the chef who is scouting West Loop and River North locations for a possible restaurant opening next year.

Seriously, is there anybody in this town's upper tax bracket who hasn't thrown their hat into the ring of interested buyers, should the beleagured Tribune Company decide to sell the Cubs as part of their fire sale? Even before the Trib's latest troubles, some notable bidders went on record expressing interest in buying the team — including the likes of Ernie Banks, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump. While Chicagoist would be all for a Cuban...

Well, the empty lot that was once a Dominick's over in Lakeview/Boystown finally has a contract on the table for a new structure and the developer for the project, Michael O'Connor of Dionysius LLC, says "the date hasn't closed yet, but the contract is hard." We're trying to leave that be, and just be grateful. Every time we walk past that gaping hole, we sigh and lose a little bit more hope that it will be just another set of boxy, half-a-million dollar condominimums.

While neither team made the playoffs this year, the White Sox's 2005 World Series title and contention for a playoff spot until the last weeks of the season this year allowed the Sox to edge the Cubs in TV ratings for the 2006 season.

Gather 'round the coffee pot, kids! It's storytime.

Crain's Chicago Business is reporting that Mayor Daley's administration is following in the steps of Michael Bloomberg by trademarking various logos and insignia used by city departments: In May the city was granted a trademark for the Chicago Airport System logo worn by employees at O’Hare and Midway airports, which affirmed its exclusive right to emblazon the symbol on hats, T-shirts, neckties and even underwear. Other pending applications would trademark everything from Chicago Police...

While Mark Cuban remains busy cheering his Dallas Mavericks through the NBA Finals, others interested in buying the team have been quietly meeting Tribune Company execs to inquire abou their availability. Last month, Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks, met with Tribune CEO Dennis FitzSimons to discuss buying the team. Two seperate groups have approached Banks, the Hall of Famer who played shortstop for the Cubs from 1953-1971, about participating in efforts to buy the Cubs....

We remember the Sunday we were strolling down Broadway when something seemed strangely afoot at the ghetto Dominick's* right at Broadway and Wellington. A crowd was gathering and soon it was amassing mob proportions. Next thing we know, the building is burning down before our very eyes! Oh my!

Chicagoist can't remember the last time we bought a pack of gum. Between the unwrapping and the chewing and smacking and Mom's voice in our head telling us that gentlemen don't chew gum like grazing cows and the spitting of the spent wad (heh, we said wad) into a garbage can or, unable to find one, placing it under a table it's just too much of a hassle. Plus, we'd rather lock our jaw pursuing more, um, carnal pleasures.

Try as they might to spin things in a positive manner, it has NOT been a good year public relations-wise for the Chicago Transit Authority. Remember in the spring when they proposed so many "doomsday budget" scenarios that they came across like a spoiled child begging for more allowance money while not doing any more work around the house? Those were good times. Or when CTA Board Chair Carole Brown started her own weblog...

Construction began on Block 37 in November, but it was still uncertain as to who would be filling the space. CBS 2 confirmed it was headed there and the CTA was building an underground station for express lines to the airports, but other than that, no solid plans.

So, what's a World Series worth? Both Crain's Chicago Business and Forbes have tried to place a value on the White Sox post-World Championship. Crain's pegs their current valuation at $327 million, while Forbes lists the team at $300 million. Just last April, Forbes valued them at $262 million, but states the anticipated increases in TV rights, higher sponsorship fees and better ticket sales as reasons for the increased value.

Are you an Continue reading "That's a Lotta Dogs!"