This month's installment of Mark Bazer's "The Interview Show" at Hideout tonight features a loaded guest list. Actor Brian Dennehy, set to star in The Goodman Theatre's upcoming production of The Iceman Cometh, headlines the bill. Chicago reader senior writer Mick Dumke is also on the schedule. more ›

An eyebrow-raiser in the local media world this morning: The Reader's Mick Dumke, who's produced some of the best investigative reporting in the city over the last few years, is departing the weekly alt-paper for the Chicago News Cooperative, according to Reader colleague Michael Miner. It's a big name pick-up for the CNC and one who, for once, doesn't have an extensive background at the Tribune. In a talk with Miner, Dumke insists his departure isn't a protest over the firing of long-time editor Alison True, but that after that firing, "the conversations intensified." more ›

• A man was shot and killed by police today after he tried to run over a police officer who had stopped the man's car for questioning.
• An 11-year-old Will County boy died after he was electrocuted while washing a horse.
• There's a governor's debate tonight, but the two main candidates won't be there.

Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke of the Chicago Reader told us about the city's "shadow budget" earlier this fall. Last week, after filing FOIA requests, the pair finally got their hands on the document. And today they finally break it all down. more ›

• On again, off again: the abortion notification law is on hold once more after a judge issued a restraining order on it this afternoon at the request of the ACLU.
• According to prosecutors, the man accused of causing a wreck that killed a pregnant mother and the baby - delivered by emergency c-section after the crash - had cocaine in his system at the time of the crash.
• Mick Dumke breaks down Mayor Daley's interview with WBEZ from earlier in the week.

To our friends celebrating Rosh Hashanah, L'shana tova! more ›

Thanks to The Reader's Whet Moser (whose Chicagoland blog should be required reading) for sharing this fantastic video from last night's episode of WTTW's Chicago Tonight. The topic? That IVI-IPO lawsuit against the city for the parking meter fiasco. The entire video - featuring Clint Krislov, who is representing IVI-IPO, The Reader's Mick Dumke, and Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) - is worth your viewing, but if you have no attention span, just roll up to about 11 minutes. Mick, we owe you a beer. more ›

• The dispute over the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School expansion in Skokie has raised accusations of antisemitism.
• A Chicago firefighter remains in critical condition. the latest victim in the series of violent Lincoln Park attacks Updated: Police say it is not connected to the recent string of robberies in the neighborhood.
• In another case of sickening violence, a woman was bound and raped Tuesday night in the Logan Square neighborhood.

State Comptroller Dan Hynes has announced he's taking on Gov. Pat Quinn in next year's gubernatorial race. As a fellow Dem, if he wants to nomination, he'll have to first knock of Quinn in the party's primary. We'll have more on this later, but for now, The Reader's Mick Dumke has a solid look at Hynes. more ›

The Reader's Mick Dumke has an interesting solution for how to help the City close that budget gap: legalize marijuana and tax it. Mayor Daley has supported decriminalizing marijuana in the past (before he was against it). And Lord knows he loves to tax stuff. This could possibly work. But it's only a matter of time before he privatizes more ›

In a column run yesterday on Crain's Taking Names blog, Greg Hinz pretty much summed up the mess Mayor Daley is returning to here in the City by the Lake. more ›

• Metra found out today they're the recipient of $46 million in federal cash.
• The Parking Ticket Geek has shots of today's Parking Meter protest.
• Cook County Commissioner Willaim Beavers took a cheap shot at departing commissioner Forrest Claypool, calling him a, "born loser."

...than Ed Smith's video blog? As alderman of the West Side's 28th Ward, Smith has a reputation as (sort of) an independent. Coming into office with Harold Washington in 1983, Smith was behind the smoking ban, has pushed for federal prosecution of former police commander Jon Burge, and generally annoys Mayor Daley. Now he wants to be Cook County Recorder of Deeds. As The Reader's Mick Dumke pointed out, this election may be the Year... more ›

While the state government devolves into a teeming cesspool of Machiavellian intrigue and self-loathing (quickly becoming an annual tradition in one form or another here in the Land of Lincoln), the world of politics moves on. While we have no problem kicking around Blagojevich (and the other asshole cynics downstate), this week, we're putting it aside, damn it! With out further adieu, here it is, your dose of news before lunch: Daley Takes his Public... more ›

We're not sure what to dedicate this week's round up to: Rudy Guiliani salivating as he was "asked" about a fictional terrorist attack in last night's debate, Tom Tancredo's vow to double the size of Guantanamo Bay if elected, or Tommy Thompson's large ears and no neck. Ah screw it, this one is dedicated to Rod Blagojevich's hair. Here we go: Mayor Daley Is a Funny Guy. No, really, he is. Go read Mick Dumke's... more ›