Countdown to Smoke-Out 2008! In case you forgot, or were outside smoking when someone shared the news, come January 1 there will be no more smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants, casinos, dorms, stadiums and anywhere else that is inside, aside from personal homes and cars. more ›

This week's listings kick off this evening at Merchandise Mart with "Chill: an International Wine & Culinary Event" sponsored by Luxehome and Wine Spectator. Proceeds from the event benefit the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. The event runs from 5 - 8 p.m. Chicago Professionals for Youth is committed to improving the lives of local underprivileged youth through literacy and mentoring programs, college preparation, job training and career skills assistance. Saturday they're hosting... more ›

The Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force announced yesterday that the mortality rate for black women diagnosed with breast cancer is 68 percent higher than for white women. And that gap has widened: In 1980, white women and black women had similar cancer mortality rates, but over the last 30 years, while white women's survival rate has improved, black women's has not. According to the report, these disparities can't be chalked up to "biological... more ›

Governor Blagojevich’s rising political fortunes may take quite a hit as the controversy regarding his appointment of a Nation of Islam higher-up to his Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes (CDHC) rages on. Blago appointed Claudette Marie Johnson, the minister of protocol for the Nation of Islam, to the CDHC with last August. Little attention was given to the appointment until late last month when Johnson, also known as Sister Claudette Muhammad, invited other members... more ›

Totally debunking the idea that all Chicagoans are fat and lazy, a bunch of extremely fit runners bounded up every single story of the John Hancock building last weekend. That's 97 flights of stairs, which sounds as much like death and mayhem to us now as it did last year. more ›

It's no secret that Chicagoist rather enjoys the drink, but we've never really been fond of the after-effects of a night at a smoky bar: the dry itchy eyes, the parched crackly throat, and worst of all, the ashtray funk that invades every piece of clothing we so much as looked at during the night. more ›