Would you do it? Could you do it?

In these days of rising prices, resetting mortgage rates, and stagnant wages- more and more are.

I'm talking about homesharing, the old-fashioned "boarder" concept so crucial to many during the Great Depression that is en vogue and in demand once again.

Why Favre Why?
Why must you come out of your short lived retirement? Was the big press conference and tears all a game? Has Michael Jordan taught you nothing?
How many times are we (sports fans) going to be forced to watch our favorite sports heroes give tearful good-byes only to see them return to the sport that made them famous in less than prime form.

Strong storms blew into the Chicago area last night causing numerous power outages and damage. CLTV will be following this story throughout the day with plans to cover the 10 am press conference with Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications live. In addition, CLTV reporters will have updates from Griffith, IN - an area hardest hit by last night's storms.

If you have photos of the storm or its damage, email them to us cltvdesk@tribune.com and we may use them on our air as part of our coverage.

An OEMC spoke with CLTV morning anchor Tonya Francisco early this morning with an update. The video of that and other helpful links after the jump.

A Chicago resident captures last night's storm on video. Lighting lights up the skyline while drivers navigate through a flooded Halsted.

More user videos of the storm including heavy rains and lighting after the jump.

Chicago-area photographers are posting photos of last night's storm and its damage online. The above photo was taken by Flickr user "Henry." Click here to see more of his storm photos.

This from Flickr user "mmayes." Click here to see more of his photos of the storm's damage.

This morning I watched the residents of Griffith, Indiana walk around with wonder- it was the kind of awe you typically see on the faces of the focused in art museums.

They weren't in despair, they weren't upset- they were simply in shock by the damage five-minutes' worth of a violent storm did on their town.

Video of the damage after the jump.

Governor Rod Blagojevich signed a bill into law Monday, it was to make sure that those who violate orders of protection have GPS tracking bracelet--so victims know if their abuser is nearby.

The bill is named in honor of Cindy Bischof, the Arlington Heights woman who was shot and killed by an ex-boyfriend outside her office.

That was the news story.

What didn't make the news that night was the tardiness of Governor Blagojevich.

Mystery corpse washing up on the shore, Chicagoland pummeled by storms, and one guy gets upset over a sandwich. Below are the most popular videos on cltv.com in the past seven days.

West Side ministers are joining forces with ministers from the South Side calling for Chicago public school students and parents to boycott the first day of school due to a lack of school funding. At the same time, members of the Million Father March are rallying to encourage fathers to walk their children to school on the first day and make a pledge to be involved in their children's education. Should parents honor the boycott? Or is it in the best interest to make sure students are in class on the first day?

I must admit. I am completely obsessed with the Olympics.

Whether it's watching tiny gymnasts tumble their way to gold (and praying that they don't fall), watching the world's fastest men and women sprint 100 meters in less than 10 seconds, or holding my breath as swimmers glide through the water like fish, chasing their dreams. It is simply amazing to watch.

So, Spain's basketball teams thought it was a good idea to take a pre-Olympic photo pulling back their eyelids to make their eyes look slanted.

One star player says the pose was out of "respect" for the Chinese.

Gimme a break!

Check out the picture after the jump.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is on fire, winning gold after gold in Beijing. But do you care? Is Phelps a true superstar who belongs in the same category as a Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, or Tom Brady? Swimming is gaining unprecedented attention because of Phelps' run for eight gold medals in one Olympics. He already has the most gold medals in the history of the games for one person. Is he only a superstar for three weeks or does he have staying power? Or is he only a superstar in the sport of swimming and not outside the swimming cube?

Michael Phelps keeps finding gold at the Beijing Olympics.

The American swimmer has claimed five gold medals at the summer games so far, and he still has three more events to go.

I think his achievements in the pool are awesome and incredible.
But I also think more attention should be paid to the accomplishments of all the other talented athletes - especially those who don't win medals.

In 1996, my oldest brother, Derrick, competed in the summer games in Atlanta.
He was a Greco-Roman wrestler and 37 years old.

As part of a preview for this weekend's Air and Water Show, CLTV reporter Jae Miller rode with the Lima Lima Flight Team. Watch the unedited video of her entire flight - take off to landing. And for more of the Flight Team, visit their website.

A Chicago comedian passes away while the city deals with more violence. These are the most popular videos for the week of Aug 8th - Aug 14th.

As constituencies loyal to him continue to contract, Rod Blagojevich is doing his absolute best to hold onto the support he still has.

One example is how he's recently held events announcing programs catered to the African-American community, among others like the elderly (i.e. free transit rides for seniors).

But this past Monday in a speech to the City Club of Chicago, Blagojevich may have gone too far.

After the forum's moderator, Roosevelt University Professor Paul Green suggested there was little difference between Blagojevich and Senate president Emil Jones (the second African-American to hold the post) the governor agreed, and made the following pronouncement.

"There are times I consider myself the first African-American governor of Illinois."

Other than the oddness on its face that someone of Bosnian Serb ancestry would claim honorary African heritage; it's also factually incorrect.

Illinois has already had a black governor, albeit for only a few hours.

Today I met America's most famous mom...and she hasn't changed a bit from the days when she juggled six kids, a husband and a housekeeper.

The woman we all know as Carol Brady will be singing the Star Spangled Banner each day this weekend at North Avenue Beach to start off the show at Chicago's classic event.

Below is my extended interview with Florence Henderson, to find out more about the product she's promoting, how she gets ready to perform, as well as her secrets to staying so young!

Well, the word is out now.

You already know that 49-year old Chicago Police veteran Robert Soto was caught dead Wednesday morning with a woman who was not his wife, but we at CLTV chose not to harp on that.

Who you wit? It's the way Bernie Mac started off his tv show and a classic line from many of his stand up comedy shows. I am going to the House of Hope on the south side for a memorial service for Chicago's true funny man. His death shocked the entertainment world and the city. CLTV will have full coverage of the service and reaction from his friends and fans who will pack the church for a final farewell. How did Mac touch you? How will you remember a comedian who many say jump started comedy again in Chicago?

Thousands of fans packed the House of Hope of the south side Saturday afternoon for a public memorial service for Chicago native Bernie Mac. Celebrities like Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Rock, Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and George Wallace showed up to pay their respects and honor the comedian. They talked about how Mac cherished life, his friends and family. Bernard Jeffrey McCullough died one week ago from pneumonia, but battled sarcoidosis for years. It's an autoimmune disorder that attacks the lungs. It was a powerful showing for a man who went from Englewood to Hollywood, never forgetting where he came from and his fans. Share your memories of the Bernie Mac and what he meant to you. A legend is gone but he will never be forgotten.

Two men from Georgia say they've found remains of the infamous Bigfoot.

And get this -- they won't disclose the exact location where they allegedly found the body, because they say there are several similar creatures in the area who are still ALIVE.

Looks like a fake ape suit in a box.

On Saturday, thousands of people, including celebrities Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, gathered at the House of Hope to honor comedian Bernie Mac. Below is a collection of clips from CLTV's coverage of the memorial service.

Chicago Public Schools are stepping up efforts to curb the violence. Last year, 26 students were gunned down and now they're doing more to stop guns from coming inside the schools. Ten schools will have imporved emergency procedures, more surveillance cameras, and security guards. Do you believe this is a good first step? Will this help decrease the gun violence? Do you believe most of the violence doesn't take place in or around schools anyway? School can do all of these things, but parents have to be there to enforce good behavior and promote smart choices. CPS spent $2 million for cameras last year and expect to spend another million dollars this year. Something has to be done and this seems like a step in the right direction.

A group of 100 college presidents is calling on lawmakers to make a controversial change that would affect students across the country.

They want the current drinking age lowered from 21 to 18.

Harlen Hayes is fighting for his life, after he was doused with gasoline and set on fire.

The 77-year-old landlord of a South Side apartment building, Hayes is a Korean War vet and retired postal worker. He's is in critical condition with burns to about 90 percent of his body. Police are looking for a 28-year-old man who was a former tenant. Neighbors say the man was evicted after a drug bust.

This story made me sad, angry - but also thankful that my parents are no longer in the business of being landlords.

Spanking, swats and licks.
A quarter of a million schoolchildren got them last year - and a new study says African American, American Indians and kids with disabilities got a disproportionate share of the punishment.

While a majority of states have outlawed corporal punishment, it remains widespread across the south, according to the study by the Human Rights Watch. The national P-T-A believes paddling should be banned everywhere.

And I wholeheartedly agree.

Ridiculous! That’s the only way I can describe the latest craze among pre-teen girls, that’s apparently being fueled by their mothers. Girls between the ages of 10 and 12 and sometimes even younger are getting bikini waxes.

What’s wrong with these mothers??? Why would anyone woman who has ever had anything waxed (eyebrow, leg, bikini, etc.) want her daughter to endure that pain?

TODAYshow.com surveyed several salon owners around the country who say the number of kids 12 and under coming in for waxing services has increased dramatically over the past three years.

An aesthetician in Philadelphia says the mothers who bring their daughters in for waxing come in two varieties: those who are concerned because their children are being teased about their body hair, and those she calls “perfectionists.”

But some experts say using hair removal to boost self-esteem is not a good idea.

“Girls are learning the worst possible lessons about body image and body hair,” said Dr. Diane Levin, professor of education at Wheelock College in Boston and co-author of the book “So Sexy So Soon.” Ultimately Levin says, the trend of tweens waxing is indicative of bigger issues, including the sexualizing of young girls. “Girls shouldn’t be taught so early to focus on how they look and that things like money, makeup and looking good buy happiness, instead of the skills that they possess,” Levin said.

So is this a case of mothers trying to protect their daughters or are they trying to live vicariously through their children? In either case, it's sad!!! It reminds me of something my mother told me, “children should be allowed to be children, they grow up too fast these days and miss out being a kid and before you know it, they’re adults.”

Chicago says goodbye to its hometown hero Bernie Mac and hello to a national fast-food chain. These are the most popular videos of the week on cltv.com.

Are you anxiously checking your cell phone, blackberry, or other electronic device you're tethered to for news of Barack Obama's choice for vice-president?

Perhaps you're an Obama supporter preparing to add his veep choice to your campaign paraphernalia, or maybe you're a backer of Republican John McCain, licking your chops and thinking about how to attack the soon-to-be celebrity.

Either way keep your televisions tuned to CLTV and your computers and pdas linked to cltv.com for coverage of the decision announcement today.

And stick with us throughout the weekend, CLTV's Political Reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez (that's me) will be traveling to the Old State Capitol in Springfield for Obama's rally Saturday, where he's expected to make his first major public appearance with his newly minted #2.

You can also join the conversation on our blog, where I'll provide regular updates.

Now that those who didn't get the long-awaited text message know Delaware Sen. Joe Biden will be Barack Obama's #2 should he win the presidency, we can begin to ponder why?

Maybe he wanted an Irish Catholic who could appeal to the middle and working-class; or perhaps it's because Biden had the most experience and detailed policy proposals of any of his fellow Democratic presidential primary candidates.

Or maybe it's that Obama needed to exponentially beef up his foreign policy cred as Republicans begin to target that soft underbelly of his campaign.

CLTV's Carlos Hernandez Gomez is in Springfield today covering Obama's rally where the senator is expected to formally introduce his running mate, Joe Biden. Here's his early report from Springfield. CLTV will be following the story throughout the day.

This afternoon, from the front steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Sen. Barack Obama introduced Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate. CLTV was covering the rally and below, you'll find videos of each speech.

So they go their separate ways for the next few days, to stump in crucial battleground states until their official anointing at the Democratic convention.

Sen. Barack Obama and his newly minted running mate Sen. Joe Biden's first public appearance together was brief.

They shared the stage on the grounds of the Old State Capitol in Illinois for less than half an hour.

But that didn't seem to bother the throng that exceeded 35,000 people of all ages and colors, many of whom waited more than two hours in the muggy Springfield heat.

After that many squeezed their sweaty bodies as they tried to touch Obama, Biden or their wives.

But one veteran political observer described Biden's presentation as flat.

While others described him as on fire.

What do you think? Weigh in here.

Illinois is one of 8 states that is losing federal funds for an advanced program that tracks the rate of HIV infections.

So far this year, there have been more than 800 new cases of HIV reported in Cook County alone, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. That's a 19% increase since 2007.

What the “bleep” Obama? I woke up yesterday morning at 12:45am and the first thing I did was check my phone… no new text messages. And as I drove to work to start my early morning producer shift I made my daily call to the news desk to see if there was any breaking news overnight. And guess what? There was. Denise our night side desk assistant told me Obama picked Biden it was all over CNN and his website and she asked me did I get a text message and I simply replied no.

Michelle Obama kicks off the Democratic National Convention tonight and will speak in prime time to the crowd in Denver. CLTV will be covering the convention all week, both on air and online. Below you'll find WGN's Allison Payne's in depth interview with Michelle that aired last December. She talks about balancing her family life with politics, how race is affecting her approach to campaigning and how her Chicago roots help her every step of the way.

Michelle Obama, the woman who could become the nation's first African-American first lady, is tonight's keynote speaker for the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Known as "the rock" in the Obama family, she wrote her own stump speech. It's expected to humanize her other half and to show up her own critics.
It is indeed Michelle's big night to shine.

Chicago played a big part in the opening day of the Democratic National Convention. Below are selected video highlights from the first day including CLTV's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez analysis of the convention thus far, Garrard McClendon's interview with Army Maj. Tammy Duckworth who is in Denver this week and highlights from Michelle Obama's prime time address.

The cover story in today’s Redeye looks at why young men are having vasectomies.

The paper talked to a young man who had one at age 27. He said the thought of getting a woman pregnant was “the scariest thing in the world.” And he’s long known that he doesn’t want to be a father and he didn’t want to take any chances.

I’m all for sharing the responsibility of making sure a life is not brought into this world too soon or unwanted, but I’m not down with young men having vasectomies.

I personally know two men who have had vasectomies. But they both made the decision AFTER having had children.

The decision to have a vasectomy should be made after men have “experienced” life. As a 30-something, I know how much my outlook on life has changed since I was 18. Things I thought I wanted back then, men I thought were “perfect” for me, my philosophies on life, career, religion, etc. have all changed. I think making life defining decisions before you have lived life are a major mistake. And trust me, you have not experienced all that life can and will throw at you before 30.

Is using a condom or just saying “no” that hard?

Here is Michelle Obama's entire speech from Monday night's Democratic National Convention. For more on the convention, tune into CLTV all week long and follow along on the blog.

"The time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose."

Those were the words Senator Hillary Clinton said as she opened her speech at the Democratic National Convention.

If you didn't see it, the 20,000+ delegates were on their feet for a good number of minutes, cheering, holding up "Hillary" signs and chanting rythmically "Hill-a-ry, Hill-a-ry"

The message, as expected, was one of unity. Though it is of note that her speech veered in the direction of her own stump speech... for her own candidacy.

Sen. Hillary Clinton was last night's main event at the Democratic National Convention. Below, you'll find her entire speech as well as local reaction to it. WGN's Mark Suppelsa and Allison Payne reported live from the Pepsi Center with a wrap up of the day's events and CLTV's Garrard McClendon spoke with Roland Burris who was also in Denver.

For continuous coverage of the convention, tune into CLTV and log on to the DNC section of the news blog.

This is video of Sen. Clinton's entire speech from Tuesday night's Democratic National Convention. What did you think? Of her speech? Of her choice of words? Of her outfit? Leave a comment below.

It's been forty years since Hizzoner Richard J. Daley presided over the infamous 1968 Chicago convention when Chicago cops mercilessly beat the protestors, reporters and others with impunity.

And his son Mayor Richard II redeemed the city with as he pulled off the successfully pulled off the 1996 Democratic National Convention.

Now Daley the younger is in a unique position, mayor of the adopted hometown of his party's nominee Barack Obama.

Obama's catchword this campaign season is change, and Daley made sure to pepper his pro-Obama speech to the delegates in Denver with that all-important word.

"The American people are looking for change and for leadership," Daley proclaimed. "They know that the same old politics won't work."

The same old politics won't work? Really your honor? They seem to be alive and well in Chicago.

Chicago and Illinois again had a major roll in Wednesday Democratic Convention. Below you will find video of Mayor Daley speech as well as speeches from Sen. and Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden, Bill Clinton. Also included is CLTV political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez's explanation of yesterday's roll call, WGN's Mark Suppelsa's report from Denver and Garrard McClendon's conversation with Jesse Jackson Jr.

Tonight, Senator Barack Obama will take his place in history when he accepts the Democratic Party's nomination for president.

Obama is set to become the first African-American to accept a major party presidential nomination. His big moment happens to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech.

This moment is certainly one for the history books.
Some would like to believe Obama's nomination is proof that the issue of color is behind us, but not so fast.

One of the few perks of being a political reporter is sometimes getting the text of a speech before it's delivered.

So here's my gift to you. If you promise to read this entire entry, you'll get to see a few excerpts from his upcoming speech before the rest of the world sees it.

Obama (a guy who once had trouble getting reporters to press conferences not in the statehouse press room) is probably giving the most important speech of his life tonight.

He must not only sell himself to his own party to get Sen. Hillary Clinton's sore supporters behind him, he must also convince the American people he can be a strong, patriotic leader who understands and can help their problems as opposed to some Harvard-educated out-of-touch liberal elitist.

The Democratic National Convention closed out on Thursday night with Barack Obama accepting his party's nomination for president. Below you'll find videos of his speech, Sen. Dick Durbin's introduction, Chicago's own Jennifer Hudson performing, and local reaction to the night's events.

A crime-filled week marks the end of August.

Sen. Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President last night in front of a crowd of over 80,000 at Denver's Invesco Field. Here is his speech in its entity.

John McCain has chosen Alaska Sarah Palin as his running mate. Watch the video of McCain introducing Palin and parts of her speech from Dayton, Ohio.

After the jump, watch CLTV's Political Reporter Carlos Henandez Gomez's analysis of the VP pick.

Three years after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another dangerous storm is headed that way.

Ready or not?

Hurricane Gustav is going to test just how much things have changed in three years.