If you want to piss voters off, mess with their commute. Those concerns might explain some surprising action taken by local pols related to a bill in DC that could have big impacts at home. more ›

The spat over alleged municipal tax scams developing between RTA, the City of Chicago and a pair of towns far down the I-55 corridor isn't just another Illinois embarrassment; it impacts your public transportation rides. more ›

Even as Chicagoans prepare to hit the polls Tuesday, an issue left over from last November's election looms large for many Illinois politicos. Redistricting: that time-honored process of gerrymandering political district borders for the state Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives that has been elevated to an ugly art form across the Land of Lincoln. One of the few comforts emerging for Democrats as the dust clears from their national whooping in the last election, the party retained control of the General Assembly in Springfield; which translates into control of the redistricting process. This is one of only seven states where the Dems will be drawling the lines, but the once-in-a-decade process should be particularly interesting here given the City and statewide population declines and the power realignment that will likely occur in response to the alarming African-American flight from Chicago. more ›

Crain's Greg Hinz - who's all over the place today - reported today that plans to move the Children's Museum to Grant Park hit a financial obstacle. more ›

In a column run yesterday on Crain's Taking Names blog, Greg Hinz pretty much summed up the mess Mayor Daley is returning to here in the City by the Lake. more ›

Something's up over at City Hall where, according to Crain's Greg Hinz, the GOP's national party has filed a request for communications with Attorney General Lisa Madigan and her father, State Speaker of the House Mike Madigan (pictured right). more ›