Almost 150 years after his death, Honest Abe is still taking hits from from dishonest folks as thieves steal a chunk of his tomb. But high gas prices might help him rest in peace now. more ›

A handwritten copy of a speech given by President Lincoln in November 1864 fetched $3.44 million in an auction in New York yesterday. The speech was given by Lincoln on November 10, 1864 after he won re-election and the manuscript is in Lincoln's own hand. According to the AP: "The manuscript was sold to an anonymous phone bidder after spirited bidding in a crowded Christie's auction house room. Proceeds from the sale will go toward a new wing for a library in New York's Finger Lakes region, where the document has been since 1926." It's a new record for Lincoln-related auctions, topping the $3.4 million that was paid for a letter Lincoln wrote to a group of children asking him to free "little slave children.'' more ›

Earlier this week, we told you about the new Flickr pool of Lincoln portraits and the new set of Lincoln stamps. And last fall we mentioned the new bicentennial Lincoln pennies. Well, now they're here and they're pretty copperific. In addition, there's a special Lincoln silver dollar floating around out there, so what better way to celebrate his birth than by collecting a bunch of coins that nobody uses? Seriously, though happy birthday, Abe! [via the U.S. Mint] more ›

You may have heard sometime during the course of your week that today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. There will be many celebrations, including one by Sen. Dick Durbin in Washington, D.C. and one in Springfield by President Obama, though it wasn't until Lincoln was 21 that his family actually moved to Illinois. It was in Illinois that Lincoln began his political career and launched the campaign that would take him to the White House. Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, it doesn't really matter where he was from as Lincoln is celebrated as one of the nation's most beloved presidents. We're sure Lincoln saw his share of cold, raw, awful February days growing up in the Midwest. Today would not be one of those. The warm spell is gone but we remain above normal temp-wise with highs in the lower 40s and partly cloudy skies. Tonight, temps will drop into the upper 20s. And for the approaching weekend? It seems snow will make its triumphant return. more ›

• Federal investigators on the Jon Burge torture case have widened their scope to include several of Burge's former colleagues.
• A new police unit on the West Side, led by commander James Roussell, has seen dramatic improvements in violent crime statistics. Roussell credits using a similar strategy he used against insurgents when fighting in Iraq as a Marine Reserve officer.
• State Representative Cynthia Soto is asking for a one-year moratorium on the closing and reorganizing of several Chicago-area schools.

Remember the Sun-Times awesome Blago-John Wayne photoshop cover? The New York Post has one-upped them with a story on Obama's impending inauguration and his love of Lincoln. In a story about next week's Inaugural Luncheon, which Obama is having modeled after Lincoln's favorite foods, the Post drops phrases like, "They're going to party like it's 1861!" and calls the luncheon "Abe-apalooza."

Just to make sure everyone gets it, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which handles much of the inaugural planning, has deemed that "A New Birth of Freedom" will be the official inaugural theme. The phrase, from the Gettysburg Address, expresses Lincoln's hope that the sacrifice of those who died to preserve the nation would lead to "a new birth of freedom" for our nation. And at his swearing-in ceremony, Obama will place his hand on the same Bible that Lincoln used at his first inauguration.

Earlier this month we bitch-slapped New York Magazine for thinking that they could lay a personal and geographical claim to our President-Elect. Now we have to collectively face off against a more potent foe: the state of his birth*, Hawaii. There can be only one, Highlander. So who will reign supreme? more ›

Some Illinois employees have off today for Lincoln's birthday (lucky ducks), and as long as you're thinking about Honest Abe, why not vote for a new statue in Decatur? more ›