The Illinois House passed the mass transit funding bill--with Blagojevich's seniors-ride-free amendment--61-47 this afternoon. Now it's headed to the Senate. Cross your fingers. [Trib, CBS 2 ] more ›

The Illinois House approved legislation today that requires a moment of silence at the start of classes. This is the most pressing thing in the State's agenda? Not...say....transit funding? Or that 7-percent cap on property taxes? Or, oh, anything else? We're going to take a little moment of silence right now to think about that. Everyone hush. OK, we're back. The new law doesn't define how long a "moment" is, nor does it mention any... more ›

On Wednesday, the Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved legislation that would enable the RTA to fund the CTA, Metra and Pace and prevent service cuts and fare hikes across the board. The Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved a transit funding and reform proposal by a 15-4 vote. The House is expected to convene to vote on the proposal next week. This bill comes after the RTA announced that a "doomsday" scenario... more ›

The Illinois House approved a rate freeze on electric rates again, but beware, Emil Jones awaits. A man tried to extort $150,000 out of a local athlete, but we don't get to find out who it was. Does Milwaukee have an inferiority complex about Chicago? A CPD officer was named in a lawsuit for road raging on a truck driver. DePaul is booting juniors and seniors out of dorms to make room for more... more ›

"Little Women" via pantagrapher. more ›

Didn't someone yesterday just say it's a good thing Papa Daley never built the fabled Crosstown Expressway? Well, Mike Madigan must have been reading, and he disagrees. The Illinois House Speaker brought up the idea again yesterday to the surprise of many, including Governor Rod. Madigan's version of the Crosstown Expressway would be a toll road running from the Kennedy/Edens junction in the north, along Cicero Avenue to 75th Street, then cutting east to the... more ›

It's been a whole seven days since last week, and just like snow, the news is piling up. As our man Barack implores us to let him walk with us on this movement, everyone is just hoping for a piece of his shadow. Let's take a look back. Chicagoist's favorite whipping boy Todd "The Toddler" Stroger got booed by the crowd at Obama's announcement rally in Chicago Sunday. Considering that the people that carried Obama... more ›

The Illinois House may have delivered on what we and the rest of the state have been asking for the past week by voting to freeze ComEd's rates another three years, but don't count on that actually translating to more cash in your pockets. If we remember correctly, bills also have to pass through the senate to become law, and since the Senate Rules Committee, which decides if bills should be considered, is run by... more ›

"Halt" via pantagrapher. more ›

You'd think that after almost 145 years, especially with our Land of Lincoln motto, we'd've gotten our act together with the whole slavery deal. Apparently we haven't yet. more ›