This evening marks bartender Paul McGee's last shift behind the stick at the Whistler. more ›

Gov. Quinn heads to Brazil, the state unemployment rate falls, and other news. more ›

Jasmine snapped this beauty at Cole's the other evening. We'd sure as hell vote for him, wouldn't you? more ›

Brian DeLeon was found near a park with head injuries so severe EMTs believed he had suffered a gunshot wound. more ›

Police are still looking for information on the attack. Nothing was stolen from the boy, and there is no apparent motive. more ›

With Wicker Park Fest last weekend and Lollapalooza next weekend, our social calendar has been exhausting. Our hopes for Wicker Park Fest were promptly dashed with the lack of interesting music, vendors and space to move around. But we're really looking forward to the festival sandwiched between Wicker Park Fest and Lolla, Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, which spans Milwaukee Ave. between Kimball and California. more ›

"I want to demystify the art of making truffles. It's not that complicated!" On that reassuring note, I began a truffle-making class with Katherine Anne Duncan, founder of Katherine Anne Confections. I'd visited Katherine before, and been impressed by her truffles, dipped caramels and other goodies - but things have moved forward for her company. No longer working out of a shared kitchen, Katherine now has her own, dedicated space in Logan Square where she can produce truffles and hold classes and events. I joined other truffle novices, rolled up our sleeves and got busy. more ›

- Bleeding Heart Bakery, everyone's favorite punk rock pasty location, is opening a new location in the suburbs. According to their facebook page, they will be opening a new location in Elmhurst by the end of the summer. The new location will be supplied by their new, huge home bakery in the city which will hopefully open in the next few weeks - the opening has been delayed several times already. In any case, suburbanites rejoice, as you won't have to drive all the way into the city to taste their baked goodies. more ›

There are an overwhelming number of music series and summer fests filling up our calendars this summer. But here’s another worth noting: this weekend, the Empty Bottle will kick off the Logan Square Music Series: Sundays in the Park, a free summer concert series. more ›

It’s been a year since Saki opened and joined Chicago’s abundant community of record stores. But the store isn’t just celebrating its birthday, its commemorating with an entire weekend of live music and discounted merch. more ›

A few weeks back, we brought you news of an aldermanic hissy fit that threatened the life of the Logan Square Farmers Market. Alderman Rey Colon objected that campaign material for his opponent in the last election had been handed out at the market, and tried to shut it down. The response was immediate - on every website that covered the story, angry comments piled up - and a few days later, Colon withdrew his formal opposition to their permit in the city counsel. Even then, it was unclear what would happen to the market. The Tribune reported Friday that Colon announced that he would support the market going forward. more ›

We've been proud to see small, neighborhood-based farmers markets spreading rapidly throughout the city over the past several years. But this is Chicago, and eventually a market would run into the harsh reality of city politics. We've discussed the bureaucratic obstacles to creative foodspaces before, but Gaper's Block reports a new twist - Logan Square Alderman Rey Colon is trying to pull the permit for the Logan Square Farmer's Market. Allegedly, Colon is angry about political campaigning (for his opponent in the last election) at the market, by an employee of the managing organization, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce. reports a new twist - Logan Square Alderman Rey Colon is trying to pull the permit for the Logan Square Farmers Market. Allegedly, Colon is angry about political campaigning (for his opponent in the last election) at the market, by an employee of the managing organization, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce. reports a new twist - Logan Square Alderman Rey Colon is trying to pull the permit for the Logan Square Farmer's Market. Allegedly, Colon is angry about political campaigning (for his opponent) at the market, done by an employee of the managing organization, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce. more ›

Chicago Police released a sketch of a man on Friday that they believe was involved in an attempted sexual assault, robbery, and vehicle hijacking in Logan Square earlier this week. The incident took place on March 7 around 8:22 p.m. when a 34-year-old woman was returning to her home on the 2500 block of North Avers Avenue, police said to the Chicago Tribune. The woman had pulled her 1994 Green Mercury minivan into the alley behind her home and was parking in her garage when she was attacked by a man who police said was waiting inside the garage. The man forced himself into the woman's minivan at knifepoint and demanded money and other valuables from the woman. more ›

We’ve been dying to try Logan Square’s Brand BBQ Market, and we finally made it in for lunch. Brand has a current lunch special of a chopped pork sandwich, a soda, and fries for $6.95. That’s for dine-in only and does not include tax or gratuity, but what a deal! We couldn’t pass it up so we stopped in to see what Brand could do with their pigmeats, and find out what else they have to offer. more ›

On Thursday afternoon, a man walking his dog in Logan Square ended up preventing a 14-year-old girl from being sexually attacked, police said. As the girl got off the Diversey Avenue bus just after 5 p.m., she noticed a man--later identified as Larry E. Smith--following her. He allegedly ran up to her, threw her on the ground, and began to forcibly remove her clothing and his pants. She screamed and the man and his Great Dane ran over to her. "They came running over and the offender took off," Shakespeare District police Capt. Marc Buslik told the Chicago Sun-Times. "But the neighbor and the dog cornered him in the alley." The man and his dog kept Smith in the alley until police arrived. Smith, 28, was charged with attempted criminal sexual assault and already had a police record, including a 2009 conviction for public indecency. The 14-year-old was not seriously injured. more ›

Northbound service on the CTA's Evanston Purple line was halted briefly this morning when a small track fire broke out near the Main Street station. the fire broke out at 7:15 a.m. and was put out by Evanston firefighters by 7:40. CTA had shuttle buses running north from the Howard station in Chicago to the end of the Purple Line at Linden. more ›

Ever since Longman & Eagle's owners announced plans late last year for a boutique neighborhood inn as part of the restaurant, we've been anticipating its opening, having already been won over by the establishment's menu. Though the restaurant, bar and inn are considered one entity, the "eat and drink" recently earned a Michelin star while the "sleep" portion remained under construction. With the final touches in place, Manager/Innkeeper Elana Green said the inn will be accepting guests "hopefully mid-December" pending city licenses and paperwork (though she says they've done a successful test run with a wedding party a week earlier). more ›

Nestled in the crook of Western, Diversey and Elston in Logan Square is the Cornerstone Café. While out of the way for many Chicagoans, the Cornerstone impressed us as worth the trip with its unassuming food, friendly atmosphere, and reasonable prices. With a cozy interior populated with booths, wooden tables, and an old-fashioned lunch counter that mimics the shape of the intersection, the Cornerstone is frequented largely by Logan Square and Bucktown locals. Upon entry, we were greeted by a few older fellows who appeared to have set up shop for the entire morning with endless cups of coffee and newspapers spread across the countertop. In a local cafe, that’s a good sign. more ›

We mentioned the first verdict in Extra, Extra yesterday, but late yesterday evening, a jury convicted the other woman accused in the brutal 2008 Logan Square acid attack on Esperanza Medina. Both Maria Olvera-Garcia and Ofelia Garcia, found guilty by separate juries, were convicted on charges of heinous battery and each faces from six to 45 years in prison at sentencing. A third adult charged in the crime died awaiting trial and three teens charged in the incident previously pleaded guilty. more ›

In a town primarily known for power pop heroes like Cheap Trick and dark rock villains like Billy Corgan, Jon Drake and the Shakes stand out sheerly because no one can really peg them in either or those genres; nor any other for that matter. They have a luminous pop sensibility, but lyrically they can be darker and more angst-y than a 13-year-old looking for black nail polish at a Hot Topic. Either way they're indisputably the largest, most passionate and assiduous band in Chicago with sometimes over 14-accomplished-musicians on stage, singing and playing their myriad of rock and orchestral instruments until they can no longer stand. more ›

The "Affair," which claims to celebrate "Logan Square’s vibrant history, residents, businesses, artists and its surging and eclectic music scene," will be primarily focused on four bands that not only have a love of said neighborhood, but also reside, create and sometimes even record there. Jon Drake and the Shakes, The Shams Band, The Minneapolis Henry's and Derek Nelson and The Musicians will be congregating in the center of Logan at the Illinois Centennial Memorial Monument every Sunday leading up to the celebration from noon to 4pm to play music to whomever decides join them. All of the acts share not only their love for their "hood," but a similar musical aesthetic as well. Don't expect synthesizers, loops or driving beats at these music-filled summer rendezvous, you will be treated to actual guitar, bass, drums, horns, and strings. If there is something we love here at Chicagoist, it's some roots-rock, as long as it has nothing to do with Rusted Roots rock. We recommend pulling up a lawn chair, a paper bag filled with your favorite "beverage" and enjoying the summer sun and the beautiful sounds that these Sundays will bring. more ›

We know, we know, another festival. If we have gathered one piece of knowledge through covering summer events here at Chicagoist, it's that Chicago loves a festival. As if your skin wasn't burned enough from Pitchfork and your liver hadn't taken enough damage from all the day drinking that ensued there, yet another festival has decided to grace us with its presence. Well fear not, this one is a little less taxing on your body than Pitchfork and the forthcoming Lollapalooza. The Milwaukee Arts Festival, located in the trendy part of Logan Square, features a lot of the same stuff other festivals offer, i.e. art, local cuisine, local bands, booze, but it also offers a trolley to travel the grounds in to avoid even more blisters on our precious feet. There will also be the Logan Square Farmers market as well as some of our favorite local music acts to keep us entertained like The 1900s, Jon Drake and the Shakes and Bomba Deer. And lest we not forget what the festival is named for: art! There will be nearly 30-art-exhibitions, an indoor art market, open studios and galleries and a community mural project for those who want to get in there and make there own art. more ›

As Fest Season 2010 continues to roll through the streets of Chicago, many smaller outdoor street festivals tend to get lost in the shuffle. Chicagoist is recommending the second annual Metronome Celebration in trendy Logan Square this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13. more ›

On Wednesday night, a man called police after his dog discovered what looked to be a human knee bone in the Logan Square neighborhood at 2107 N. Sawyer Ave. According to a spokeswoman for the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, it was not immediately known whether or not the bones were human and they're still being examined. more ›

• We'd be amiss if we didn't urge you to catch an encore presentation of The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans at the Siskel this weekend. It screens once on Sunday and again Monday night. Seeing it last year was hands down one of the funnest times we've ever had at the movies, a guilty pleasure consciously overstuffed with so many cop movie clichés it's hilarious. The paring of filmmaker Werner Herzog's dry-as-dust humor and Nicholas Cage's unhinged performance is stuff that cult films are made of. Along with the iguana. When you go, keep your eyes peeled for a cameo by Michael Shannon.
• The 2010 Chaz and Roger Ebert Truer than Fiction Award-winner, 45365, screens this Saturday and Sunday at Facets. Named after the zip code for Sidney, Ohio, this documentary by brothers Bill and Turner Ross examines 21st-century small town America in ways that are both heartwarming and surprising. TimeOut London calls it "a dizzingly detailed, thoughtful, sympathetic but highly pragmatic celebration of the modern Midwest in all its beauty, complexity, stupidity and brilliance," and gives the movie its highest rating.
• Speaking of Mr. Ebert, in a recent blog post he confirms plans for a new TV show. He's a bit coy, writing, "I can't reveal details about the talks we're deeply involved in," but promises that "the Thumbs will return." Yes, Thumbs with a capital T.

The Logan Square neighborhood is graced with beautiful tree-lined boulevards, quaint squares and historic buildings. For years, speculation has been raised over the fate of one of those landmark buildings: the Morris B. Sachs Flatiron, which lies on a triangle lot between Milwaukee and Kimball Avenue and has been vacant for 20 years, with the exception of a Payless Shoe store. more ›

A 32-year-old bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run in Logan Square yesterday afternoon but there are still some questions surrounding the incident including, a police source tells the Tribune, the possibility that, "the incident involved criminal activity and was not solely an accident." Jepson Livingston was struck by a van yesterday afternoon in the 3800 block of West Diversey; the driver of the van then fled on foot. ABC 7 reports police have video from a nearby traffic camera they hope gives them some clues. more ›

A suspect in last year's Logan Square acid attack has died, according to officials. Linda Dirzo died yesterday afternoon at Stroger Hospital. At the time of her death, she was still in jail awaiting trial for her part in the attack. According to the Tribune, "Officials said she had a history of liver cirrhosis and believe her death was natural. An autopsy is scheduled for later today." Dirzo was charged as one of the adults that drove the teens who carried out the attack on 48-year-old Esperanza Medina. Prosecutors alleged Ofelia Garcia masterminded the attack because she believed Medina was seeing her ex-husband. Dirzo had pleaded not guilty last December. more ›

A new study led by a UIC researcher - performed in conjunction with the University of Michigan - shows that "racial residential segregation in the Chicago area may be perpetuated by a lack of knowledge of communities across racial lines." In 2005, researchers surveyed more than 700 adults 21 years of age and older living in Cook County, Illinois to examine how whites, blacks and Latinos differ in awareness of neighborhoods in Chicago and surrounding areas. Respondents in the study were asked to look at a map which highlighted 41 communities located in and around the city and mark any area they didn’t know anything about. The researchers called these areas community blind spots. The 41 areas represented a variety of communities in and outside the city - from communities with expensive housing to those with moderately priced housing, and from communities that are racially segregated to those that are integrated. Regardless of the variety and types of communities represented, the blind spot communities were very different along racial lines. more ›

Ramiro Guevara, 17, was shot and killed inside V Live, a Logan Square night club, last night after getting into an argument with another man. The man who shot Guevara fled the club after the shooting and police say no one was in custody. About 2,000 patrons were estimated to have been at the club, which admits teens but uses the wristband system to denote who is and who isn't allowed alcohol. [Tribune] more ›