Air travel could get a little harried for Illinois residents this spring. Illinois is one of seventeen states that have passed legislation or resolutions objecting to the post-9/11 REAL ID Act’s provisions over concerns it could cost too much to implement. The law is designed to make driver's licenses more secure. more ›

Can Mike Madigan and Rod Blagojevich please, please get a reality show? That way, when they have a "nonproductive" meeting like they did today, we have a full serving of drama to go with our intense disappointment and frustration? Today's meeting, between Blago, Madigan, Mayor Daley and state legislative leaders, was an attempt to make progress on the state transit funding...oh, let's call it an "issue." (Clusterfuck? Mess? Problem? Bargaining chip? Dick-wagging contest? All... more ›

You've seen them before. You can't help but notice them as you crawl out to the suburbs for whatever reason, a constant reminder that you still haven't sucked it up and bought an I-Pass. And for those of you who did make the investment, those bright blue signs winking out "Open Road Tolling - Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" seem to say, "This is for you, buddy. Wasn't it worth it to play into my hands... more ›

We've heard tons lately concerning teens dying behind the wheel. Even one teenager dead in a traffic fatality is too many; it's practically the definition of a needless death. Secretary of State Jesse White recommended some tough improvements for teen drivers last month. Now, a new study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is backing him up hardcore. According to the study, states that have the most laws concerning teen driving fare the... more ›

Over the past year, it seemed as though a story about a car crash involving teens was on the Tribune’s Web site nearly every week. Apparently Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White noticed it, too, and will propose legislation to enhance the state's Graduated Licensing Program, aimed at curbing teen accidents later this week. Under White’s recommendations, a learner’s permit will no longer be the speedy ticket to a driver’s license, but would triple the... more ›

A few days ago on Chicagoist we mentioned that Secretary of State Jesse White's daughter was arrested on drug charges. To flesh out your memories, here's the gist of the incident: Undercover cops performed a sting operation at the Ida B. Wells complex, around Pershing and Cottage Grove, posing as drug dealers. Lorraine White was one of 17 people arrested Thursday morning for allegedly buying drugs from one of the officers. As it turns out,... more ›

The radar system at O'Hare failed a few times today, causing delays. The daughter of the IL Secretary of State Jesse Whitewas arrested on drug charges. Depressed? Eat fish. Hunger is on the rise in Chicago and it's hitting seniors and kids the hardest. Remember the woman who was found dead in her bath tub in Hyde Park a few months back? They think the cable guy did it. Some generous soul in Will... more ›

Cook County Board President John Stroger has been moved from Rush University Medical Center to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago as he continues to recover from his stroke. Not a lot of details about his condition and recovery have been released, but his son, Alderman Todd Stroger, says his father's impatience and improved speech and mobility is a good sign. We're very happy to hear Stroger is on the mend. But CBS 2 has a... more ›

There’s probably no such thing as bad publicity for a guy who promises “I'll murder you and come at you again in the afterlife” but Chicago speed-rapper Twista’s been having a relatively tough month. Last week as Twista was participating in the city’s Principal For A Day program, local resident David L. Wideman was protesting the West Side rapper’s participation and even threw up a circa-1995 style website to voice his concerns (via Gaper’s). Wideman’s... more ›

Chicagoist doesn’t drive very often and when we do it’s usually because we’re headed out of town on a road trip. So when we overhear traffic reports, we usually pause only long enough to laugh at the poor bastards stuck on the Kennedy as we wonder if we’ll be sitting next to the guy that smells like pee again on the bus this morning. There’s some good news in this morning’s Sun-Times for anyone who... more ›