This week, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

Inside, Rod Blagojevich might be all torn up about the death of Christopher Kelly. If we were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, we'd say he's still making sense of it on the inside, which is why his mouth keeps vomiting out the same old "woe is me not my fault" song and dance on the outside. But we know better than to do that by now, don't we? more ›

Itching to get your hands on a copy of Rod Blagojevich's new "tell-all" book The Governor? Yeah, neither are we. But, should you want one, they apparently can be had. WBBM's Steve Miller reports that he was able to pick up a copy early and that stores are already selling it. The AP also got a copy and reports on some of things within, such as Blago admitting he wanted to appoint Lisa Madigan to President Obama's vacant Senate seat and says he picked Burris for the spot because of his big ego. Without reading anything in the book, we can also (probably) boil the rest down: he did nothing wrong, he will be vindicated, it was the fault of others. There you go. more ›

Update: The transit bill has landed on Blago's desk! The Senate approved the sales-tax plan, and now all we need is Blagojevich's signature to save 81 bus routes, 2,400 jobs and all of our sanity. [ABC 7, S-T] more ›

A freshman at Corliss High School on the South Side says his school's security guards assualted him--and a student has the incident on tape. According to the Sun-Times, the tape shows an officer wrapping his arm around the student's neck and pining him to the floor. RIP, Betsy the harbor seal. The 36-year-old resident of the Lincoln Park Zoo was quite old for a harbor seal. The City Council's finance committee approved the Mayor's... more ›

Rod Blagojevich has made much about his fantasy of selling parts of the State to private companies as a revenue stream for Illinois. Daley started this trend by selling a 99-year lease of the Chicago Skyway to foreign investors for $1.8 billion. Blago has seen dollar signs in his eyes, ever since, floating the idea of selling the Illinois Lottery as a financial source for "education". Now he's turning his sights to vending rights in... more ›

The Governor has kept busy this past week doing various ceremonial activities around the state in what the Tribune describes as “a time-honored practice for Illinois politicians as they travel the campaign trail, carrying a pair of faux oversize scissors.” Part of the pre-election package includes grant money for public parks in Illinois. more ›

Over the summer, Chicagoist went to Springfield for the first time since the ubiquitous 7th grade state capital field trip. While we didn’t remember Springfield ever being particularly thrilling, we had heard some positive reviews of the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and just assumed that we didn’t get to see all that the capital had to offer last time we were down south. more ›

Chicagoist doesn't ususually go in for the rough talk. We like it smooth. Easy. Gentle, baby. But we've had enough of this shit. Not only is Bill "I think I'm the Godfather" Beavers trying to extort Blagojevich for $100,000 in campaign money by threatening him with the black vote, he's also gone ahead and built up a little slush fund for him and his buddies to use. The Governor basically told the Toddler to shove... more ›

After quibbling about who would wear what color suit, how big the podiums had to be, and when, where, and how they would exclude the Green Party candidate, Judy Baar Topinka and Rod Blagojevich finally had their first debate. And what an event it was, with each accusing the other of lying about everything from state contracts and patronage to property taxes and job growth. While Topinka said that her education plan wouldn’t expand gambling... more ›

It was a heated weekend for Illinois' First Political Family. With little warning Gov. Rod Blagojevich excercised a seldom used power to close a Will County garbage dump that was allegedy operating illegally. Trouble is, the dump is owned by one of his wife's cousins. And oh yeah, his wife is the daughter of long-time Chicago Alderman Dick Mell. Mell didn't take this too kindly, and managed to make comments to a Chicago Tribune reporter while he was vacationing in Florida. more ›

drugs. We don't have health insurance. Those things are for sick people. So why do we continue to talk about prescription drug costs here on Chicagoist? Because we detest most rich people unless they give us money, provide us with entertainment or are smokin' hot. Drug companies are richies getting richer and they don't give us money. Plus, have you ever seen a sexy drug executive? No, you haven't. Unless you are one and if so, please leave your name, gender, measurements and the amount of money you're willing to pay us to date you in the comments below. more ›