Can Mike Madigan and Rod Blagojevich please, please get a reality show? That way, when they have a "nonproductive" meeting like they did today, we have a full serving of drama to go with our intense disappointment and frustration? Today's meeting, between Blago, Madigan, Mayor Daley and state legislative leaders, was an attempt to make progress on the state transit funding...oh, let's call it an "issue." (Clusterfuck? Mess? Problem? Bargaining chip? Dick-wagging contest? All... more ›

Over the past year, it seemed as though a story about a car crash involving teens was on the Tribune’s Web site nearly every week. Apparently Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White noticed it, too, and will propose legislation to enhance the state's Graduated Licensing Program, aimed at curbing teen accidents later this week. Under White’s recommendations, a learner’s permit will no longer be the speedy ticket to a driver’s license, but would triple the... more ›

Too Much Civic Duty? more ›

There’s probably no such thing as bad publicity for a guy who promises “I'll murder you and come at you again in the afterlife” but Chicago speed-rapper Twista’s been having a relatively tough month. Last week as Twista was participating in the city’s Principal For A Day program, local resident David L. Wideman was protesting the West Side rapper’s participation and even threw up a circa-1995 style website to voice his concerns (via Gaper’s). Wideman’s... more ›

Did we miss something? Scott Fawell is the key witness in the prosecution’s case AGAINST George Ryan, right? more ›