We don't really have much to say about this other than uh... well, it's just too weird to NOT share. [via] more ›

One South Side teen is learning the hard way what is and isn't okay to do if you're having to take a cold walk. What is okay? Buying a bigger, warmer coat. What isn't? Carjacking a police officer. According to the Sun-Times, on Sunday night, 17-year-old George E. Floyd, "stole an off-duty female police officer's SUV Sunday after beating her because he was 'very cold' and 'didn't want to walk home.'" He then sped off and led police on a chase that ended a few miles later when he crashed the SUV into a parked car. Floyd's attorney, a public defender, says Floyd's alleged confession is a lie. more ›

We know there are more serious things going on in the city (and the world) but sometimes we read a story and just shake our heads in disbelief. This morning, that story was from the Southtown Star explaining the current plight of the Blue Island Little League, victims of a weekend burglary that saw the theft of $3,000 worth of concessions and equipment. The theft happened at a concession stand at Rauch Field, located at 125th Street and California Avenue. League president Jaime Jalomo told the paper, "You name it, they took it. They took candy, Gatorade, boxes of hot dogs, nachos, our public address system, the stereo, pizza ovens and pizzas. They even took our extra baseballs." more ›

It was just last week when we learned former governor Rod Blagojevich actually met a PR opportunity he could refuse: appearing on the HBO show Cathouse, which focuses on Las Vegas's famed Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel. At the time, Blago spokesman Glenn Selig said, "They did offer it to him but we're not taking it seriously." Now, Bunny Ranch owner Dennis Hof told WBBM 780 he might set his focus on landing Drew Peterson instead. Said Hof: "You know, I think I might as well just stay in that Chicago area. I think I'm going to go after Drew Peterson. He doesn't have an old lady now; at least they can't find her. He might as well be on my show and have some fun with the girls." more ›

Times may be tough, but robbing a kid? Really? Police arrested Dennis Lares (pictured right) last night for robbing a kid, either 9-years-old or 11-years-old, depending on which media outlet you read. The incident happened in the Austin neighborhood last night around 10:30 p.m. when Lares saw the kid carrying money and robbed him of $23. The boy, who was unharmed in the incident, then flagged down a police car. Officers chased Lares on foot and, when they caught him, he told him he did it, “Because I didn’t have any money.” A seach of Lares brought up four stolen credit cards and, in the end, he was charged with one count of robbery and four counts of theft of lost or mislaid property. more ›

• The Sun-Times looks at Amber Cremeens, the McHenry native killed last week by her ex-boyfriend Tyler James Martin, who shot himself after a stand-off with police in Logan Square on Friday.
• State Attorney General Lisa Madigan is prepping a lawsuit against Caterpillar, Inc. over the huge oil sludge spill from earlier this month.
• The Arlington Heights-based company responsible for Golden Tee is gambling on a new slot machine.

Yesterday's news that a second Elton John & Billy Joel concert had been added to the summer slate at Wrigley came as no surprise. The summer concert has become something of a tradition over the years, with boomer-centric acts like Jimmy Buffet and The Police playing multiple shows at the stadium and all the shows have sold quite well. Things, however, are starting to get ri-damn-diculous as news comes today that a third concert has been added to the slate for Wrigley. This one will be country rockers Rascal Flatts featuring Darius Rucker (formerly of Hootie & the Blowfish) and will happen on Saturday, July 18, between the two John/Joel dates. [In case you're wondering, the Cubs are out of town for the All-Star Break and trips to Washington and Philadelphia in that time frame.] more ›

Okay, now we've heard everything. In the wake of his failure to get his sentence commuted by outgoing President Bush, former (and jailed) governor George Ryan has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by University of Illinois professor Francis A. Boyle. Boyle is a professor of International Law and Human Rights and this isn't the first time Boyle has nominated Ryan; it's the sixth. Boyle has been trying to get Ryan's work on ending the death penalty rewarded. Here's guessing Ryan goes unrewarded once more. more ›

Meet Paul and Caragh Brooks. They met via an internet dating site. Caragh lived in Australia and after nine months of emails and phone calls between her and Paul, she moved to the States. On New Year's Eve, Paul proposed and she said yes. It may not be the conventional "boy-meets-girl" story, but, hey, who are we to judge? Said Paul, "We have the same brain, just in two bodies. We think alike in virtually every manner. We have the same interests, viewpoints." Good for them. But, see, here's where shit gets weird: the pair got hitched this past Friday at a Taco Bell in (ironically) Normal. According to an AP report, "because, they like to spend time at the local Taco Bell, they decided to wed there." Okay, now we're gonna judge. Look, we understand times are tough. And maybe the two do have "an off-beat relationship" as Paul told the AP. But...really? A Taco Bell? Seriously? I once broke up with a girlfriend at a Waffle House, but I don't think it's quite the same thing. more ›