A couple of years ago, Alderman Gene Schulter of the 47th ward (and Chairman of the License Committee) was made aware of some scummy kennel operators in his area and was disgusted by what he found going on at their operations (e.g., dogs without food and water). He headed up a task force of sorts to ensure that kennels, grooming and other dog day care facilities would be held to some sort of standard in... more ›

Apparently, Chicago emergency rooms aren’t the best places to go if you think you’ve been infected with a biological agent. Chicago ER doctors don’t know which of five likely bioterror weapons would cause specific symptoms. Yikes! more ›

With all the holiday hullabaloo lately, Chicagoist is having a hard time staying motivated at work. But we bet it’d be a lot easier to do our jobs if we got to play video games all day like the folks at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. more ›

Yesterday US Congressman Mark Kirk held a hearing at the Shedd Aquarium to discuss the results of a study done by the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, which determined Lake Michigan has more mercury pollution than all of the other Great Lakes. more ›

Acting in violation of a year-old state law protecting a woman’s right to feed her children with her boobs, a lifeguard at Great America asked a North Chicago woman to exit a wading pool while breast-feeding her 4-month-old daughter. Despite covering herself, her baby and her boobs with a blanket—thereby sparing all concerned the trauma of a semi-nude portion of the human body—Rebecca Gray was asked to adjourn to a private area while engaging in... more ›

Two weeks ago, CNN ran a story that after almost 11 years as White House Chef Walter Scheib is hanging up his apron and "pursuing other opportunities." more ›

There's no word on whether Tim Couch will be offered a flu shot as part of his physical exam today. The Bears are bringing in the first player drafted in the 1999 NFL draft. Couch was cut by the Cleveland Browns last winter and by the Green Bay Packers during training camp. But the 27 year old QB claims to be fully healed from shoulder tendonitis. Could be possibly be any worse that what the Bears currently have on their roster? more ›

Ladies, listen up: Illinois women are less healthy than most other women. We’re more likely to die of breast or colorectal cancers than women in most other states (46 other states for breast cancer, 44 for colorectal). On the upside, we’re less likely to commit suicide—we’re only 6th for that. (States are ranked from 1-50, 1 meaning “fewest women died from this condition.”) more ›