Crain's Chicago Business tosses another shell in the "war" against foodies discussed yesterday. Most of the issues surrounding this have been talked to death already, but we will say that this article is much more obnoxious than yesterday's Oregonian article. Instead of promoting local businesses that flew under the snobby radar, this article profiles people who hate complicated food. One woman "lives on cereal, chicken and Lean Cuisines" and a man is profiled who prefers "simple food" - "McDonald's burgers and fries, steak and Budweiser beer." The article portrays these as real people, honest midwesterners, tired of the frills and exotica of today's food scene. We sigh at our apparently illusory status and keep eating. more ›

With it all but officially announced that Mayor Daley will seek a seventh term as Chicago mayor next year, Crain's takes an in-depth look at The Daley Years by the numbers today. It's a fascinating glimpse into what has gone right for the city (large decreases in violent crime, murder, and infant mortality since 1989) as well as what has gone wrong (the city's skyrocketing debt). There's also a large focus on the flight of African-Americans from the city, down fiver percent, while the Hispanic population has grown by more than eight percent. Be sure to click through all the graphs and survey results for additional information. more ›

If you keep seeing all this talk of "food trucks" and aren't exactly sure what it's about or, more likely, why there are none in Chicago and why people really want them, consider this Crain's primer video and then TOC's Street Food Now blog. [via] more ›

Venerable beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon, which for some reason always gets connected with bike messengers in MSM reports, has reportedly been sold for $250 million to the man who helped make Vlasic Pickles what they are today. Crains tells us that C. Dean Metropoulos has purchased the Woodridge-based company from Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation. Non-profits like the Kalmanovitz organization can only own for-profit businesses for five years, but received a special dispensation for another five year stretch from the IRS. It expires this year, and according to the Wall Street Journal up to 15 firms were jockeying to own the brewery, which also owns Schlitz, Old Style and Colt 45. more ›

With mounting debt of almost $7 billion and at least $4 billion in repairs due, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is reportedly looking into hiking tolls for I-PASS users. Crain's reports this morning that revenue from tolls has platueaed since 2005 while operating expenses have increased and debt payments on bonds sold in 2005 have rocketed up by over 130 percent since 2005. Raising the toll is a rare thing for the ISTHA. According to Crain's: more ›

Crain's is reporting this morning that the federal government is about to make it rain at O'Hare with a new round of funding - $400 million - for the airport's expansion. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be on hand as will U.S. Dick Durbn, Gov. Quinn, and Mayor Daley, who bemoaned the lack of funding earlier this year. It's a major boost for the City in its ongoing fights over O'Hare expansion. Besides the Battle of Bensenville and the fight over the St. Johannes Cemetery relocation, the City has also faced off with airlines over the expansion project. Six major airlines have previously expressed their opposition to the expansion project and American and United Airlines protested a new landing fee meant to fund the project. And that's not even getting into the accused shenanigans surrounding contracts on the expansion. It's not yet known what the new round of cash will be used for but it's still a welcome influx for the City and Mayor Daley who's in full 'Git 'er done" mode on the expansion. more ›

Crain's has released their annual list of the best places in the Chicagloand area to work. The study considered, "any business with more than 50 employees as of Sept. 30 in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties." The number one workplace? McTigue Financial Group. more ›

We're still four months away from the International Olympic Committee's final vote to select the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics, but that doesn't mean Chicago 2016 is resting on its laurels. The team is prepping for a June 17 technical presentation in Lausanne, Switzerland. According to Crain's: more ›

Where is the best place to work in Chicago? According to the 2009 list released today by Crain's Chicago Business, Transwestern beat out more than 150 other large businesses in the Chicago area vying for the top spot. Several companies that made the list -- all of which had 100 employees or more per survey rules -- said they invested in employee development and meaningful perks such as full health-care coverage and transportation reimbursement for their workers. more ›

We mentioned this weekend the speculation surrounding the CTA's Ron Huberman replacing the DC-bound Arne Duncan as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. This afternoon, Crain's is reporting a source as saying it's a done deal and could be announced by Mayor Daley as soon as tomorrow. Okay, his experience with the Chicago Police department will probably come in handy with the way the kids are carrying on these days, but wouldn't we want someone with at least a little education experience for this role? more ›

In a development that won't help his already long-shot bid to buy the Cubs, Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur Mark Cuban has been charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Wall Street Journal explains it all thusly:

Mr. Cuban sold his entire 6% ownership stake on June 28, 2004, after learning that Mamma.com was raising money through a private investment in a public entity, or PIPE. The next day, on June 29, the company announced the PIPE financing and shares of the company dropped by more than 10%. By selling his stake, the SEC alleges, Mr. Cuban avoided more than $750,000 in losses.

At least, if you take what he says as gospel truth. With all the financial stories swirling around our heads these days, it's hard to know what's for real and what's just blithering...but in this case, it is Sam Zell, master real estate investor billionaire and not Sam Zell, Tribune Company executive. Crain's has the details: more ›

The Trib unveiled its new website today, and Crain's redesign went live yesterday. more ›

Oooooh, Bank of America, you silly so-and-sos. The gigantic financial institution, which recently purchased LaSalle Bank and thus increased its presence in our fine city, just ran this ad in Crain's: Whoops. That's an old photo--note the Sun-Times building, which was demolished in 2004. Somebody call the irony police. Beyond the fact that this is an out-of-date image, the picture doesn't even seem that Chicago-y to us, and the ad is super boring. Back to... more ›