Look what folks at Friends of the Chicago River found during a recent survey of the river's North Branch. more ›

Make your own Obama logo. This isn't an endorsement. Think of this more as a challenge. Get creative. more ›

Update on the Waukegan explosion: Nine people were injured, at least two seriously, and one person still may be unaccounted for. [Trib] more ›

All the American Gladiators used take steroids, do drugs and make out with each other. Oh, Nitro, how could you? The revamped American Gladiators airs another new episode tonight, but we're going to be too busy playing the old-school Nintendo version to watch. God, we still can't beat The Wall. more ›

An armed suspect ran into an elementary school this afternoon in an attempt to evade the police. It didn't work. The police caught him, and luckily no one was injured. more ›

In just ten years, Holland, Michigan-based New Holland Brewing Company has established itself as a craft brewer to be reckoned with, fashioning high quality beers and even delving into flavored brandies and liqueurs available at their brewpub. Along with Sundog, Mad Hatter IPA is their most notable brew. If you aren't a "hop head", you might take a while getting acquainted with this overly heady ale worthy of being named after a deranged genius... more ›

If you're not too hung over from your Thanksgiving Eve festivities ("yay! no work for four days, lets get wasted!" or more like "holy shit, i have to spend the next 48 with my family, lets get wasted!"), head over to State Street tomorrow for the 72nd annual State Street Thanksgiving Parade. Over 350,000 people are expected to show up with 1.5 million watching at home. The parade features huge-ass helium balloons, marching bands, shitting... more ›

On Saturday two college students allegedly beat the life out of a University of Illinois at Chicago student on the 1500 block of South Sangamon Street. more ›

This morning federal prosecutors alleged that a branch of a Colombian heroin ring operated within our fair city's water department. Because the news only broke an hour or so ago, details right now are a bit sketchy. The headlines scream that the heroin distribution ring operated "in", "at" or "inside" the water department, but the stories never quite explain anything besides the fact that three of the individuals were water department employees. The media aren't explaining whether the charges say the heroin dealing was done using city resources or on city time, and the scarce details lead us to believe that maybe three of the alleged heroin traffickers just happen to be water department employees. The Sun-Times tells us that the government informant involved in the investigation "was engaged in the conspiracy during normal weekday working hours," but nothing about those actually charged. more ›

Back in January we wrote a post about signs in the downtown area that warned passers-by to watch for falling ice. At the time we made the joke that they were as useful as "Watch Out For Lightning!" signs. We stand by the joke, but now we think we may have stumbled upon an entrepreneurial opportunity. more ›

A woman from the Southwest Side of Chicago filed suit in federal court yesterday charging that she and her family were the victims of a "campaign of terror" carried out by Chicago police officers. Laura Ramirez says the campaign started when she testified against a number of officers involved in an altercation in 2002 with her neighbor, a Chicago police officer off-duty at the time of the incident. An internal police investigation said the officers were not to blame. more ›

After a rainy, rotten week, Chicagoist is counting down the minutes to the weekend. All that junk about "cellar door" being the most beautiful phrase in the English language? Buh-buh-buh-bullshit. Try "it's Friday." Or "my treat." Or "open bar." Really anything that involves a) not working and b) recreation. To the Batcave! Um, check that, to…the newspaper listings! more ›

, even if our record for an alleged 30-minute meal is just under two hours. It still tasted good. more ›

is, according to the Trib, one of the most important cases the Supreme Court will hear this session, and it all started right here on I-80 in LaSalle County. more ›

Somebody fired his gun on the 91 Austin bus this morning around 9 a.m. because he didn't want to pay the fare. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Police are investigating the incident, and the CTA has turned over the security tapes from the bus. Uh, holy shit? It's a jungle out there. more ›

Man, it's October. That's so…authentic and autumnal. We just want to like, bite pumpkins and take a bath in apple cider and see our breath and jump in leaves and stuff. No? Just us? Anyway, there's so much stuff going on this weekend we have no idea how we're going to cram it all in, especially cause tonight is shot—holla, season premier of Degrassi. Here's but a few of the many exciting happenings around town... more ›

, the first Marx Brothers feature. Admission is 75 cents per movie, so start saving up. more ›

Gross. So effing gross, holy shit. Alan Keyes's sweat-soaked napkin (we're actually considering barfing right now) isn't cheap—it's already up to $465. Damn, Republicans and sweat fetishists have a lot of cash to burn. That's Gerry McGlothlin at the right (and probably on the right, snap!), who told the Trib "he wiped the sweat from Keyes' brow with a napkin so he would look better for TV news cameras." Um, McGlothlin wiped Keyes's brow for him? And kept the napkin? Somebody's got a crush! more ›