It seems like the press is finally catching on that Governor Blagojevich doesn't like to venture into the public eye very much (except for Blackhawks games), where reporters might have a chance to ask him some questions about the spate of federal investigations, the inaction of the state legislature, or the recent indictment of his former chief fundraiser. An Associated Press story from yesterday outlines several "feel good" photo ops that most politicians would......

Where Do Cows Go to Retire?...

Rep. Dan Lipinski, who is hoping for a third term in the 3rd Congressional District, is facing a tough challenge from Assistant State's Attorney Mark Pera. Lipinski's critics are unhappy with his opposition to abortion rights and stem cell research, and his siding with moderate Republicans on the war in Iraq and domestic spying. Besides his voting record, they also don't like how he came to congress: If you don't remember the 2004 general election,......

This is part of Chicagoist's continuing coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival. A sobering statistic from Chicago filmmaker Darryl Robert's new documentary America the Beautiful: Although the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world's population, its residents are exposed to 40% of its advertising. Roberts argues that one major effect of that hypersaturation is an obsession with a certain kind of "perfect beauty," an unrealistic ideal that leaves many women feeling unhappy with......

State Rep. Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago) is no stranger to the long green. As one of the chief sponsors of HB 429, the wine shipping bill that aims to bring Illinois in compliance with the 2005 Supreme Court ruling in Granholm v. Heald by limiting the ways consumers can obtain wines, Acevedo received $7,500 in campaign contributions from the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois for carrying their water. Turns out that Acevedo is also the litigious......

This afternoon, Pat Quinn, the most progressive guy in state government, and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughter of United Farm Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez, will join state and local political and community leaders to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the UFW Grape Boycott. The ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. on the 15 floor of the State of Illinois Building and is open to the public, and this Saturday, the United Farm Workers will host......

For years, we've heard about the Green Tie Ball and wondered if we'd ever get to go to something so fancy. Turns out we will, and we're excited about it. The Green Tie Ball is an annual charity event held by Gateway Green. According to their website, "The Green Tie Ball is the signature fundraising event for Chicago Gateway Green." Gateway Green is a non-profit working for "the beautification of the city." The proceeds for......

Bill Clinton was in town today to sign books at Borders on North Michigan. A woman arrested for battery of an off-duty police officer claims that the arresting officer offered the cop filing the complaint a "free shot" while she was cuffed in the squad car. She also claims that the next day she was pulled over as a joke and let go. What is he smoking? Cook County Board President Todd Stroger says......

If you’re not totally familiar with The Hideout, you’re not alone. It’s not called “The Hideout” for no reason – it’s tucked away amidst warehouses and a U.S.P.S. processing center in the gritty industrial neighborhood just south of the North Branch of the Chicago River. A hand-painted “Hideout Block Party, an unpretentious celebration of local, national, and international talent that ends in a nice donation to charity, and this year’s lineup challenges Pitchfork for the......

Yesterday the Illinois House approved legislation regarding how customers will be able to buy their wine. It's a story we've been keeping tabs on here at Chicagoist for a while. Supporters of the bill champion HB 429 as a victory for Illinois consumers. They claim that the uniform 12-case limit shared by in- and out-of-state wineries, and the establishment of a permit system allowing smaller out-of-state wineries to sell their product directly to retailers,......

If we were to describe this movie update post using song titles … In an email last week, long-time Chicago Filmmakers program director Patrick Friel announced he will be stepping down on August 10 to pursue other interests. He had been with Chicago Filmmakers for over eleven years. A replacement has not been announced yet. Also in his email was news that there will be opportunities to become involved with the programming of their weekly......

You might know it as Bags, Baggo, Corn Toss or Cornhole, but whatever you call it you better have your game on a week from Saturday for the First Annual Windy City Cornhole Classic. Bag tossers from across the city will meet up at Soldier Field to find the best cornholer in town. The event will have four different brackets including a first-time throwers division, a children's division for those under 14, a social division......

Last night Chicagoist was among a few hundred people who attended the Goose Island brewing facilities on West Fulton. The occasion was to celebrate the official launch of their new "312unes" music sponsorship program. The concept behind 312unes is to show continued support of the local rock music scene while simultaneously promoting one of Goose Island's two flagship brands, according to Goose Island marketing director Darrell Jursa. "Goose Island has been supporting local acts for......

The annual Pride Parade roared through the streets of Lakeview this afternoon. Through its 38 years, the parade has become more corporate and mainstream. Channels 2, 5, 7, and 9 had a presence, as did every major bank in the city, Jewel, Whole Foods, Pepsico, AT&T, and many other corporations. Former NBA star John Amaechi, the first NBA player to come out as a gay man, welcomed the crowd as the parade’s grand marshall. A......

There are so many cultural institutions in Chicago that it'd be easy to overlook the Alliance Française de Chicago. In addition to being located inside a really cool building, this non-profit cultural exchange organization sponsors everything from language classes to lectures and gourmet food tastings. And movie screenings too. Tomorrow as part of their Ciné-club they'll be showing Playtime, Jacques Tati's 1967 classic. It demands to be seen on a big screen. First, picture a......

Did you know that the hat Brian Urlacher wore to the Super Bowl media day cost him $100,000? No, it wasn't some bling-encrusted, endangered-species-skin fashion statement. In fact, the hat itself was most likely given to him for free by VitaminWater. But his wearing of the hat cost him $100,000 because it violated the league's sponsorship rules. That's the largest non-suspension fine in league history! See, the NFL has a little deal with Gatorade that......

Rep. Bobby Rush and two co-sponsors introduced a bill to the U.S. House of Representatives in January that would allow groups to hand out condoms to inmates. The Tribune reports that inmates are 5 times more likely to contract HIV than others. A similar bill was struck down by an Illinois State House committee 6-5 on Thursday, leaving the controversial and unpopular issue in the hands of the U.S. Senate. The AIDS foundation of Chicago,......

The Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, a nonprofit, community-run and driven advocacy organization that served as a watchdog for myriad public works, has ceased operations due to lack of funding. For those who knew the group best, it was a breath of fresh air and source of clarity in hard times. It watched out for the little guy in some of the key issues that face the Chicago area, such as school funding and construction, lack......

Daley has been given the Ebenezer award for removing the film The Nativity Story from the list of sponsors of Christkindlmarket market. A local religious group plans to set up a DVD player and TV down there to show the Nativity Story movie trailer. Take that, Daley! No surprise, many Chicago restaurants are still serving foie gras. Not going to be a white Christmas. We're having the longest snow-free spell since 1993. Already? Tank......

Where Can I Get a Flu Shot?...

Carole Jo Utech, Chicago Festival Association...

Apparently, Chicago emergency rooms aren’t the best places to go if you think you’ve been infected with a biological agent. Chicago ER doctors don’t know which of five likely bioterror weapons would cause specific symptoms. Yikes! Not that we want to rile up any hypochondriacs out there, but the Tribune reported 36 Chicago physicians and 37 doctors-in-training at Resurrection Medical Center missed more than two-thirds of the questions about chemical weapons and more than 50......

A good party deserves a sequel, which is why the guys behind TECH cocktail 1 hosted another round. Thanks to Frank Gruber and Eric Olson, TECH cocktail 1 – a social and networking event for technology and business professionals – drew more than 200 guests the first time around. TECH cocktail 2, held last night at The Gramercy, brought in more than 350 tech enthusiasts. Chicagoist made an appearance – and gave out some free......

If it’s the beginning of June, it’s time for the annual Chicago Blues Festival. Now in its 23rd year, the blues fest seems to be on its way to becoming an actual celebration of the city’s blues heritage, and not just a cheap and fast way to make money off of tourists. Each year, the city presents local and national blues acts that are hit or miss. Some deliver the type of transcendent performances you’d......

Ever notice those signs along the Kennedy with the big leaf? They signify the work of Gateway Green, the group dedicated to beautifying Chicago’s landscape through the help of corporate sponsors. Gateway Green celebrated its 20th anniversary last night, and Chicagoist stopped by the party because (a) there were free food and drinks, and (b) we wanted to find out just what it is that they do. Turns out, they’ve done a lot. In......

Lollapalooza founder, Perry Farrell...

The Chicago Australian Football Association (CAFA) is preparing for their 2006 season. The sport that is wildly popular down under, also known as Aussie Rules or Footy, has been growing in popularity and participation in Chicago and across the United States for more than 10 years. Aussie Rules is played on a gigantic oval that can be as long and as wide as two American football fields. It is a fast-paced, hard-hitting game that provides......

This summer’s Gay Games 2006 in Chicago got some good news this week in the form of an approved federal blanket waiver allowing non-U.S. citizens with HIV/AIDS to travel the United States and participate in or attend the event. Gay Games VII Sports & Cultural Festival will be held at various city venues from July 15 to 22. The waiver gives the games Designated Event Status and allows HIV-positive participants and attendees to apply for......

Mike McNamara & Mike Kwielford - MWFF Founders...

What happens when an Elgin strip club auctions off it's strippers as caddies and sponsors a golf outing? Well, suburban moms get angry, that's what! Police in Naperville are looking into whether there was indecent, public nudity and prostitution going on at the Country Lakes Golf Course on Monday. Residents who live around the course say there were a bunch of women dressed in g-strings and thongs acting as caddies.. but that they were doing......