Lon Monk, former chief of staff for ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors which saw him plead guilty today and promise to testify against Blago at the ex-gov's trial next year. Monk pleaded guilty to just one charge involving a shake down of race track owner Johnny Johnston for a $100,000 campaign contribution in exchange for favorable horse racing legislation. As part of the agreement, Monk would face up to two years in prison. more ›

• Now at the top of the list for investigators in the Christopher Kelly case: cell phones.
• The IVI-IPO parking meter lawsuit is still churning along.
• Today at the Brown's Chicken murders trial, a Cook County Jail EMT testified that suspect James Degorski admitted the killings to her and claimed to have done it "just for fun."

Former Blago adviser Chris Kelly has reached a plea deal in regards to money laundering and mail fraud for a kickback scheme involving roofing work at O'Hare. Kelly's trial was set to begin tomorrow, but a potential plea agreement had been reported earlier by both the Tribune and Sun-Times. The Trib's Jeff Coen, though, updated the situation when he tweeted from the courthouse: "Pleading to count 1 and 14." He also added, "he pleads for 57 mos." We're waiting for confirmation from Coen, but it seems that could be Kelly's sentence for this plea deal. Kelly still faces charges stemming from his involvement with Blago. But it seems Kelly is already hard at work trying to make amends. Update: the Sun-Times' Natasha Korecki confirms the 57-month sentence which will be served after he serves 37-months from a previous case. more ›

We mentioned the sentencing for former Blago fundraiser Chris Kelly earlier. A judge has sentenced Kelly to 37 months in prison for using work funds to pay off gambling debts and to pay for his house. more ›

Alderman Dick caved. As we told you yesterday, Mell said he was willing to retract his allegation that Chris Kelly, Blago's top fundraiser, traded state appointments for $50,000 donations. But for the past week the attorneys were squabbling over the wording of an apology letter. Evidently they came up with something that pleased both parties as the letter went public today. more ›

CBS-2 reports that Alderman Dick "Mell said he's willing to admit he's 'said things I shouldn't have said' about [Gov. Rod Blagojevich's chief fundraiser] Chris Kelly." But for some reason, Mell isn't willing to settle with Kelly and his lawyers. This whole thing got started when Gov. Blago closed down one of father-in-law Mell's distant nephew's garbage dumps, and then Mell made the explosive accusation that Kelly was trading Illinois state appointments in exchange for... more ›

It's official, the Alderman Dick Mell (33rd) and Governor Rod Blagojevich family feud is offically an overblown soap opera. Or is it? more ›