Results tagged “chicagodepartment”

Random things that we like: those who do what they love, and groups that help to foster that experience. That’s why we are kinda interested when we hear about organizations like the Chicago Cello Society which, since its inception in 1980, has strived to unite Chicago amateur and professional cellists to promote the art of playing the instrument as well as its standing in the musical world.

This week Chicagoist received an email from the Chicago Department of Public Health, announcing the immediate closing of The Great American Bagel at 1248 W. Belmont. The list of serious violations included cockroach infestation and the serving of spoiled food. That's bad, obviously, but what's worse is that we have actually eaten food from this establishment! We felt kind of "eeeww" after our egg and cheese sandwich; now we realize how worse we could have felt.

Because we’re sickies, we love it when we slap a mosquito that was going for our sweet, sweet blood. There’s something extremely satisfying about kicking Pandora’s ass. That said, if we never had to deal with mosquitoes again, we would gladly give up the rush that comes from squashing them. We hate that we have to give up bananas for months at a time.

In news that will surely give fodder to the Macy's h8rs in the house, the city closed down the lower level food court at the flagship Macy's yesterday after they found "a fruit fly infestation, water backing up from a clogged drain, a leaking sink, and grease and food debris on the walls and floor around the inside trash can." The Health Department was there in the first place because a customer called them after...

We took a break from our Dungeons and Dragons to check out the competitive gaming taking place at the Chicago Cultural Center this weekend, which played host to the 2007 U.S. Open. We’re not talking about tennis here. We’re talking about the Rubik’s Cube Championship, where the winner of the 3x3x3 Speed Solve gets an all-expense-paid trip to the 2007 World Rubik’s Cube Championship in Budapest. The competition was was sanctioned by the World Cube...

Seriously, guys, Burton Natarus is not on Chicago's City Council anymore, but it's not like he's dead. Eugene Schulter and Walter Burnett must have banked on his promise to spend the summer kayaking, however, because it didn't take them a hot minute to go after one of the cornerstones of his legacy: dogs, their shit and people who eat around it. Schulter re-introduced a stalled ordinance ("Seriously, guys, I haven't even walked out of the...

What's Going on with the North Avenue Bridge?

Blago's office is being sued to release any subpoenas related to corruption. The Chicago Department of Human Survices (CDHS) needs volunteers to help them conduct a one night, point-in-time count of the homeless in shelters and on the street on January 25, 2007 from 9PM to 2AM. For more information or to volunteer, Dominique Bell at 312-742-1552 or DH0608@cityofchicago.org. A Chicago woman is suing for court costs after she was robbed by a police...

Traveling during the holiday season is bad, but this season airports are possibly the worst. Pouring out containers of your much-needed contact solution, fancy au-de-toilettes, and 12-year scotch because you forgot the size and description of liquids allowed on planes (you terrorist) just adds to the frustration for travel-weary crowds who don't like to take off their shoes and/or be delayed.

Chicagoist once got a speeding ticket in Michigan, and based on the advice of friends, decided to contest it in person under the theory that officers often don't show up to defend the ticket. When our name was called in traffic court, the officer was indeed absent, but instead of throwing out the ticket, the judge said, "Isn't Officer O'Lately around this morning? I thought I saw him," then proceeded to shuffle our case to the bottom of the pile while someone retrieved him. He finally showed up, they laughed in our face, and the judge said we had to pay our fine.

"Cart Rouge" via pantagrapher.

If you're in a fix at O'Hare, trying to email that presentation to your boss before your flight takes off, don't get your hopes up. Turns out that the Wi-Fi there sucks. The Chicago Department of Aviation is fielding complaints about customers unable to sign on, getting kicked off the network once they do make it, and flaky, unreliable service. An O'Hare tech support rep said that the system is a "beta site," a convenient excuse used by computer folks for years, and blamed much of the trouble on the heavy traffic at the airport. Although it probably gets less traffic, Midway's network has garnered few complaints.

Krause Music Store?

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...

Normally Chicagoist isn't big into reporting on every restaurant/bar/whatnot that has its door shuttered for health code violations. But this one we couldn't let pass by. This morning, a Chicagoist operative was on assignment out in North Center (read: drinking many beers at the Globe watching the World Cup) when he stumbled on over to Lincoln Restaurant only to find the doors locked and a big ol' neon-green sticker on the front, which means...

Tuesday morning, the Chicago Department of Transportation discovered that some crafty thieves broke into the gears of a bridge at 24th and Halsted to strip away copper wiring. In an ironic name twist, spokesperson Brian Steele said that this was the first incident of its kind in many years. What Mr. Steele didn't mention was that scrap metal prices are currently at an all-time high. Bringing in the copper nets some Jacksons, not just pennies. But the vandals' (we're not sure stealing something counts as vandalism) scramble for cash will not entirely affect the bridge's ability to lift, thus ensuring the richy mcrichersons can get their yachts and sailboats to the harbors (hopefully *you* have one as a friend). Whew. That was a close one.

Today is World AIDS Day and Chicago is commemorating with candle light vigils and fundraisers. Over 40 million people worldwide now are infected with HIV/AIDS. If you think that AIDS only affects the poor in Africa or gay men in San Francisco, well, you’d be wrong. Many of your neighbors, friends, and possible sex partners are infected and you probably don’t know it. Being tested on a routine basis is vitally important to stopping the...

The Chicago Department of Transportation has a program in which they will evenly split the cost to replace sidewalks in front of commercial or residential properties with the owners of the property.

Is there a more fun city agency to work in than the Chicago Department of Water Management? First we discover that if you pay a little bribe, you can make a lot of dough in overtime. City worker Richard Pacheco (as opposed to the other Richard Pacheco) said that when he gave cash to his supervisors, he in turn received overtime resulting in an additional $14,000 in pay. The extra cash must have come...

Have you ever had or witnessed a violent run-in with Haroon Paryani the man killed in February with his own cab? If so, a new Web site, www.endcabviolence.com, wants to hear from you. The site provides an e-mail address and phone number for you to report any violent incidents with the cab driver promising that the information will be kept private and confidential. Michael J. Jackson, a former Chicago Department of Public Health Employee, allegedly...

Can’t decide whether the chicken or the burger is your afternoon delight? Why not screw the moral quandary and check out the FREE LunchBreak programs at the Chicago Cultural Center instead. This ongoing weekday series offers something for every wandering soul whose noontime errands are already run: Classical Mondays bring classical and opera performances; Jazz Café Tuesdays are for jazz, blues, and cabaret; the Dame Myra Hess concert series on Wednesdays puts the spotlight...

Greg Hinz reports today in Crain's that tomorrow the CTA will formally solicit business plans from bidders on how to create, pay for and operate an express service to O'Hare and Midway from downtown. Estimates say the fare will be around $15 (will people pay that?) for the 20 to 25 minute ride to O'Hare.

Six people have been charged with stealing from the Englewood Neighborhood Health Center on 63rd Street. All six are employees at the center: a public health nurse, two certified medical assistants, a clerk, and two nurse midwives. The two midwives are employees of UIC, contracted by the city to work at the center, and the other four are Chicago Department of Health employees. The alleged thieves weren't even working together. Hello, people, teamwork.