Results tagged “damare”

It almost plays like a plot from a trifling summer movie: The Illinois Medical District wants to build a new biotech building on the Near West Side. The kicker is, they want to build it in the same spot as a current Little League baseball field. In a letter dated Sept. 25, Medical District counsel states that the Chicago Park District must remove all improvements from Livingston Park, at Lexington and Leavitt, so that construction...

Aurora's Planned Parenthood can open immediately. How bad do things have to get before Daley will denounce what's going on with the Chicago Police Department's Special Operations Section? Even the Associated Press is saying, "Not since club-swinging cops in baby-blue helmets chased demonstrators through clouds of pepper gas at the 1968 Democratic National Convention have Chicago police been so awash in trouble." Dayum. And yet Da Mare has given no indication that he'll disband...

Obama has done it. Durbin has done it. Now Daley’s gonna do it. The “it” in question? Lobbying for alleged murderer Hans Peterson’s extradition to the United States. The story’s old hat by this point: Peterson supposedly confessed to killing dermatologist Dr. David Cornbleet last October in his office on Michigan Avenue. Unfortunately his confession fell on French ears, as Peterson had fled to the isle of St. Martin, where he invoked his Gallic heritage...

That Mayor Daley. What a guy! When he isn't busy saving us from being the next Detroit, he's addressing the media with frustration and consternation. After a 48 - 0 vote in the council yesterday, Daley's plan to divorce the Office of Professional Standards from the Police Department was approved. As part of his new plan to "restore public confidence", Da Mare will be bringing Los Angeles attorney Ilana B.R. Rosenzweig in to be the...

In a series of minor news announcements yesterday, some of the city's dirty laundry was hung out to air. Although criticized for not being independent enough, the new Office of Professional Standards cleared it's first legislative hurdle on Monday, passing the City Council’s Police Committee. OPS would go further than just investigating incidents where a firearm is discharged. The new director would have broader powers to subpoena and be free to investigate allegations of verbal...

If there is one thing that you can say about Mayor Daley, it’s that he’s a tenacious motherfucker. With one eye always on expanding his influence beyond the borders of the city, he’s been taking on the state legislature for some 15 years now over the issue of gun control. Often at odds with those that represent Illinoisans outside of urban areas, Da Mare has been defeated in the General Assembly more than once in...

While we've been busy enjoying the nice weather over the weekend, and trying to get back in the groove this week, lots of other newsworthy stuff has happened here in the City by the Lake. Let's take a look back at everything that's happened so far this week: Daley Picks a New Chief of Staff; Local Press Makes Bad Sports Jokes. As Daley promoted Ron Huberman to try and save the CTA's ass, he's tapped...

One thing we've learned in our time as a font of synopsis, synthesis and snark of local news and events, is that when Da Mare gets in the press, it's all at once. And yesterday was no exception. After being gone for two weeks, Daley had a little bit to say about the Cline resignation, the recent settlement of patronage hiring, and the indictment of Al "Dirty" Sanchez. Daley indicated that after "the mistakes of...

The news was light on Stupid this week, at least the kind we usually write about, but Bears news provided enough silliness to fill three newspapers so we decided to make this a special Super Bowl XLI edition of TWIS. After Sunday's win over the Saints, three men jumped into Lake Michigan near Soldier Field on purpose and had to be rescued. One of the men was described as "combative," which as we learned from...

Now that Barack and Rich Daley have given each other a big warm hug in front of the press, is it too early to start calling him O'Bama? In a press conference at Daley '07 HQ, Obama gave Richie the treatment, saying "I see a lot of cities... I don't think there is a city in America that has blossomed so much over the last couple of decades." Daley, in turn, has endorsed O'Bama, saying...

Mayor Daley has a lot on his mind these days, and most of what's in there has been in the news recently. He started this week being hailed by Conscious Choice magazine as a great environmentalist. Plus he's building those solar bus shelters and recycled sidewalks. (Now if only the buses would actually show up....) And when the local hippie press isn't fawning over his recycling program and his big plans for the CTA (WTF!?),...

While we were busy obsessing over Ward politics and aldermanic races, all kinds of newsworthy events happened in the spectator sport of local Chicago politics. Lets take a look back at the week so far: Todd Stroger is asking Cook County's elected officials for budget cuts, in an attempt to trim the deficit. Facing a nearly $500 million shortfall, Stroger is asking Sheriff Tom Dart, State's Attorney Dick Devine, and Clerk of the Court Dorothy...

Da Mare is looking out for you: Daley and the city have a bright vision for the future, a future where we can all pay for parking meters with our cell phones. City hall submitted an official “request for information” to potential contractors who could provide a pay-by-cell phone system for the city. These kinds of systems have been up and running for several years in other US cities and around the world.

On Friday afternoon, Miguel Del Valle was sworn in as Chicago's newest city clerk. He's also the first Latino to serve in that position. Del Valle has a history of championing the political empowerment of the Latin community in Chicago, and a reputation for being able to work with many different groups, including those that are at odds with him. What makes his acceptance of Daley's offer to replace convicted former city clerk James Laski...

Being the mayor of a big city can be stressful. Sometimes you need to vent a little to someone who will listen. Luckily, Mayor Daley has lots of folks like that. They're called the press corps. For instance, Da Mare wants to see more college dorms downtown because nothing makes the Loop seem young and vibrant like a bunch of kids in hoodies smoking and text-messaging. He also thinks faculty and staff should live in...

Over the weekend, the Sun-Times delved into the seedy underworld of disability claims by city workers. Their findings? That our love/hate relationship with Chicago just tipped back into "hate" again ...

While Congress wallows in its own self-loathing, the City that Works keeps plugging along. Mayor Daley announced yesterday that Miguel Del Valle would be replacing convicted former City Clerk James Laski. Del Valle, an Illinois State Senator since the late 1980's, has served a mostly Latino district on the Northwest Side of the city. Altogether this is a smart move by Da Mare, as it puts him in good graces with independents in the city,...

Phewww, gas prices are finally starting to go down after another summer of paying way to much to fill the tank. Chicago peaked at an average price of $3.29 per gallon of gasoline in 2006 and is expected to make it all the way down to below $2.30 by mid-winter. The average price of gas in the city is currently $2.59. Does anyone else find that number a bit low? It's got to have something to do with the neighborhoods that we at Chicagoist are driving through, but an average of $2.59? That means there is lots of gas being sold for less than that price.

Two men that are running for mayor but refuse to declare it are taking swipes at each other in the local papers. Neither one will definitively say it, but it sure looks to Chicagoist like the competition is on. Yesterday, Jesse Jackson Jr. admonished Richard Daley to "leave race out of it". Apparently claiming that the unions turned a blind eye when big-box retailers opened shop outside of black neighborhoods, Da Mare accused living-wage supporters...

Ever notice those signs along the Kennedy with the big leaf? They signify the work of Gateway Green, the group dedicated to beautifying Chicago’s landscape through the help of corporate sponsors. Gateway Green celebrated its 20th anniversary last night, and Chicagoist stopped by the party because (a) there were free food and drinks, and (b) we wanted to find out just what it is that they do.

We fought the good fight against the Marshall Field’s name change. While it might seem to have been a fruitless battle, the outcry from many Chicagoans may be the motivation behind the latest move by Field’s’ new parent company to being some of the celebrated store’s history back to Chicago.

Chicago's First Lady, Maggie Daley, was diagnosed with breast cancer almost four years ago. Since that time she has quietly fought her disease and lended her name and support to various breast cancer charities and events. Yesterday she opened up ever so slightly about her ongoing fight against the disease.

The turkey's in the oven, the parades are on TV, and jocks turned analysts are ready for some football. Thanksgiving is here! Before indulging in the big bird and enough sides to feed a small army, let's take a moment to give thanks.

You already know that Chicago is one of America's greenest cities, but a group of area architects are asking the ever-burning question: Why just be green when you can be green and stylish at the same time?

The reviews are in on Northerly Island and they’re so glowing, we’re wondering if Da Mare is making a list of other underused airports he can bulldoze. Expect complaints from Burt Natarus’ constituents any day now (we know that’s not his ward over there but those people seem to complain anytime someone seems to be having too much fun downtown).

Because Chicago's recycling program just ain't convoluted (and ineffective) enough, Daley wants to add yet another confusing step to the process.

Outside of Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley is viewed as a model big-city mayor. And when you talk to the average Chicago citizen, Da Mare is generally thought of as good for the city. Hey, props to you Big Guy. So all that happy, fuzzy stuff aside, what the heck is going on with city government lately?