A Springfield Jaycees' Haunted House was forced to paint over a mural which included a depiction of Mike Madigan and Gov. Blagojevich strangling each other and GOP VP Candidate Sarah Palin shooting Bullwinkle J. Moose (who was holding a "Joe Biden" sign). This after Illinois Department of Agriculture officials saw the mural which spokesman Jeff Squibb said, "wasn't appropriate for a family event." More legitimate, though, are worries that the mural could be seen as "electioneering on state-owned property." The haunted house is located in a space below the Illinois State Fairgrounds Grandstand. Gary Kessler, who designed the room the mural was in, was nonplussed by the reasoning. "It shows a complete and total lack of any sense of humor. Not family friendly? As opposed to cannibalism, chain saws, axes and body parts?" It just goes to show that even at Halloween, politics is the scariest horror of all. ZING! more ›

Sad news for local trees. Gypsy moths have moved to Chicago in droves and show no signs of relocating. State officials announced yesterday that these hungry, leaf-munching monsters are out in record numbers this year, wreaking havoc on area foliage. more ›