History Making California Teen 'Wings' Into Chicagoland
You look at her really cute self and realize she could easily be a Teen Miss America. But, such a goal might perhaps seem frivolous to this Los Angeles girl who's already accomplished one sky-high goal and is not yet done soaring!
Kimberly's 16 year old sister is also in the flying program** and has set her own aviation records.
**TAM - Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum - provides scholarships and after school programs for LA-area kids in need, who then in turn do some community service work. TAM's based out of the airport in Compton, California.
With the big LA event now history, Michael Jackson's next memorial is slated for Friday night in his hometown of Gary, Indiana (6pm, at the downtown ballpark).
If you can't make it, a Chicago-based tour bus company is getting ready to offer a tour down Jackson Memory Lane in Gary.
Jackson Family Gary House
The reportedly included stops: the Jackson house, the steel mill where his dad worked, the grocery store where the family shopped and the former nightclub where a very young Michael made his professional debut in 1966. (cost: 55 bucks)
A list of top entertainers past and present took the stage in Los Angeles today to pay tribute to the King of Pop.
Michael Jackson's golden coffen draped with crimson flowers also there, in front of an audience of thousands, Jackson fans, friends and family, there for this final public good bye.
Some have criticized it as too big of a spectacle, too celebratory, like a big concert. A rabbi, who was once a spiritual advisor to Jackson, expessed outrage that the event didn't focus enough on Michael himself, a man who leaves behind three children.
The Lovable Losers and their legendary landmark of a ballpark are now headed to the Ricketts family for 900 million dollars.
That has sports watchers wondering what the billionaire financial gurus will do to the Friendly Confines.
"This is obviously an iconic place," says Chicago Tribune Cubs beat writer Paul Sullivan. "There's been a lot of talk that they want to make some changes in the grandstand, the triangle building, perhaps some amenities around the park to add some revenue and we haven't really heard from the Ricketts what they plan to do."
Should they plan to do anything?
Sullivan says if they do, they'll likely stay true to the old-school design and atmosphere.
"Tom Ricketts is a guy who kind of grew up in Wrigley Field, came here in college, and partied in the bleachers- so he's a Wrigley Field lover," Sullivan says.
Would You -Want- To Go To Michael Jackson's LA Memorial?
The big event is planned for Tuesday (7-7) morning in Los Angeles. Eleven thousand 'free' seats have been made available in the Staples Center (site of the memorial) and another 65-hundred in the adjacent Nokia Theatre (they'll apparently get a video feed from the main event).
To have a chance at a ticket, you had to register online -- more than a million-and-a-half people reportedly did! Now those who've succeeded get a voucher good for two tickets; one for themselves; one for a person of their choice.
Police say anyone *caught scalping the free tickets ( and 'caught' may be the key word) faces arrest. (Jackson tickets are reportedly selling on Ebay for a couple grand).
But would you really want to be there in LA? I think if you lucked out with a near-front-row seat at the Staples Center -- that could be pretty cool. Though getting there could be nuts, considering police are preparing for a crowd of around a million converging on nearby streets surrounding the arena.
Might be a lot better (both view -and- safety-wise) to watch from home, via your TV.
This evening I covered yet another crime which makes no sense.
The Cook County Medical Examiner has ruled 67-year old William Hallin was killed due to blunt head trauma and assault in the the basement of a building which he was renting out in the 5000 block of S. Talman Ave.
Hallin's body was later burned, and neighbors say they're certain the crime was committed by a man living in the upstairs unit.
Just Thursday, one neighbor told me, that man shot a b.b. gun at her from across the alley, screaming that she "wouldn't understand, he's lost someone close to him."
Sounds like he went crazy, and an innocent landlord paid the price.
Hallin's wife died seven years ago, but he leaves behind children and a grandson.
She's already served as mayor, governor, mom, grandmom and Vice-Presidential running mate to John McCain.
Does Sarah Palin's resignation signal a newfound focus on a Presidential bid in 2012?
In a news conference today in her hometown of Wasilla, Palin said she planned to travel and support a variety of political causes upon her leaving office July 26th.
"I'll work hard and campaign for those who are proud to be Americans and are inspired by our ideals and won't deride them," Palin said.
Translate what you think that means about her political future here.
Marillac: State Cuts Could Wipe Out A Program That's Helped Generations
Ever heard of Marillac? A lot of Chicagoland residents may not have. But it's been in this area for more than 90 years; started by Catholic nuns of the 'Daughters of Charity' order, it's helped the poorest of the poor in ways that money can't buy. Thing is, without more money soon.. Marillac could be in danger of going under, according to those who run it.
Marillac, on Chicago's west side, is a victim of state funding cuts to social services programs. So, next time you see an Illinois state budget story talking about these cuts, those affected no longer need to be entirely faceless. Check out my report below:
Question: If a lifeblood of an already impoverished and blighted community is eliminated..
what happens?
Are we looking at a time bomb waiting to go off, as jobs and other activities to keep kids off the streets disappear, as working parents can no longer find affordable child care, as seniors can't get needed help close to home?
Marillac is asking people to call on their state representatives, to try and get them to help. Marillachouse.org
I also wonder why the Chicago Catholic Archdiocese (even though Marillac is an independent operation) isn't coming to the rescue?
We Jackson fans have all heard by now- should Michael's 79-year old mother Katherine not be able to look after his three children, his 65-year old mentor Diana Ross should be their guardian.
Diana Ross has raised five children of her own, but the queen of Motown is aging, and judging by her recent behavior- is aging erratically.
She's had two arrests recently, for both DUI and allegedly assaulting an airport worker.
Given her age and her criminal record, is Ross a good choice to look after Prince Michael, Paris Michael Katherine, and Prince Michael II?
'United' Delays: Life's a GLITCH - and then you FLY!
In the end it wasn't too terribly bad: the Big Flying Delay at O'Hare early Thursday, after a computerized passenger check-in system malfunctioned for some reason.
People (many trying to get somewhere for a July 4th Holiday weekend) were stuck waiting and not flying... until they could be *manually checked in. For the luckier ones, it was simply a matter of a flight delay. Though others had their flights outright *cancelled (about a hundred were dumped as of Thursday afternoon), those folks then needing to be re-booked on other flights.
While a lot of people were definitely frustrated, some did try to stay positive. One guy itching to get his vacation started, but standing in a long check-in line, put it this way, "In a line is better than in the office!"
****
This is the second time in two years United's had computer-related delays at O'Hare. They say the two situations are completely different, though they still haven't fully explained (at this writing) what went wrong in this latest incident.
Michael Jackson's Will - Apparently No Mention of His Father
Perhaps in some ways it can be reassuring to the rest of us, that even the most famous and wealthy families have their problems. Joe Jackson at his son's side during Michael Jackson's child molestation trial
It's not entirely clear that Joe Jackson's left out of any inheritance from his son, but that's reportedly the case. The current 2002 Michael Jackson -will- now officially filed in a Los Angeles court apparently doesn't refer to him. Though some experts believe another more recent will could still possibly surface; there's a good chance such a document also wouldn't include the family patriarch, as he and his famous son reportedly had a strained relationship.
Katherine Jackson
It's also interesting, that in granting custody of his three children to his mother, Katherine Jackson, the back-up to her in that role (if she can't fulfill it) isn't another family member. Michael Jackson wished for legendary singer Diana Ross to raise his children if his mother can't.
The state’s budget year ends at midnight but lawmakers are still in Springfield trying to agree on a last-minute spending plan.
Governor Pat Quinn says an income tax increase is the best way to raise revenue.
He says if lawmakers don’t pass the tax hike, he will be forced to make drastic cuts to social service programs.
But lawmakers have been against raising taxes. Nonetheless, the governor "remains optimistic" that a new spending plan will be approved in time.
And yes, I mean 'flying luggage!' If you've ever had the privilege of viewing a game of 'hurl the bags' it's thoroughly entertaining. That is, until you realize that could be 'your' suitcase the airline baggage guys in the bowels of the plane are playing 'hit the luggage cart' with.
A couple months ago, I watched some baggage people miss the cart, as the bag in question then slammed on to the tarmac instead. Of course, it then gets picked up and 'slammed' on to the cart. Nice.
When I got back from the trip I was on and the folks in my group retrieved our bags -- three of the four were damaged. Even though we paid extra to check the bags, the airline (U.S. Air) informed us paying to fix those they wrecked was not their problem. Also nice.
Thought it was interesting, when on another airline's (American) flight over the weekend, they made a big point of saying how *careful they are with your bags. Extra nice? Or should I say - Really?
Anyway, my gripes aside, one Congressman from Illinois is now looking to address his own luggage-related airline gripes via a new bill. Check out the link below for more.
One woman in attendance today at the Michael Jackson memorial service at Sweet Holy Spirit Church said one reason she admired the King of Pop so much was that before he came along, "MTV was all white."
The "Thriller" video certainly changed that.
Does anyone remember MTV in those two years pre-"Thriller"?
Here's a photo from my evening at a wonderful tribute concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, which included the work of Michael Jackson.
It was held at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, where fans spent most of their evening on their feet, dancing to the music Michael and Motown made famous.
I danced (poorly) with a Michael Jackson impersonator to "Thriller," but what M.J. song brings you to your feet the fastest?
As a news reporter, I have incredible access to incredible situations almost everyday, but I have RARELY felt the need to document any of these situations for myself. That's probably because in the news business- it's just that, the business, and though I'm not proud of it, I oftentimes don't appreciate the importance of many things I'm fortunate enough to witness.
That's not the case with the death and remembrance of Michael Jackson, a legend whose music has played in the background through the three decades in which I've lived.
So today, I took pictures of the scene outside the Gary, Indiana Jackson family home for myself- something I haven't done in three years covering news in Chicago.
Many I spoke to got out their old records, or made a trip to the record store to buy the ones they didn't have.
Some dusted off their Sega Genesis "Moonwalker" game, while others just started moonwalking themselves.
Jackson fans: What are you doing to remember his legacy?
Jackson fans: What did you do to mark the day? I'
Faithful Michael Jackson fans started flocking to his childhood home in Gary, Indiana at 4 this morning.
Samantha Moritz and her dad drove from the town of Highland, Indiana to pay their condolences to the king of pop.
Now, 15, Samantha swears she fell in love with Jackson's music at the tender age of 3. Samantha clutched a laminated photograph and autograph of Jackson. She got them during Jackson's last visit to Gary in 2003.
Mayor Rudy Clay of Gary, IN says he intends to permanently memorialize the legacy of the town's most famous citizen, Michael Jackson.
There's talk of turning Jackson's childhood home at 2300 Jackson Street into a museum, and the mayor also mentioned moving the home and building a museum around it somewhere visible from the expressway.
Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop", has died at a Los Angeles hospital. The former Gary, Indiana resident was 50 years old. Stay with CLTV for continuing coverage on this developing story. You can also leave your comment below about the life and legacy of Michael Jackson.
We sometimes joke within our newsroom when we're covering hot weather and giving survival tips (same during freezing temps) -- that it seems sort of dumb to report on this .. as people who live here already know what to do when the temperatures and humidity soar.
But the reality is: though we all seemingly *know what to do, we don't all do it. For proof just look back to the deadly Chicago summer of 1995 - when more than 700 people died heat-related deaths. It was like an epidemic had hit the city. But in fact, it was a case of folks not doing what needs to be done to survive extreme heat and potentially deadly heat stroke.
The elderly were especially susceptible in 1995's extreme Chicago heat. (Tribune photo by Walter Kale)
Below are some hot weather survival tips:
--avoid caffeine and alchohol
--drink extra water and eat frequent small meals
--wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing
--plan any strenous outdoor activity for the early morning or evening hour
--stay *inside from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the hottest part of the day
Heat Exhaustion Symptoms:
(include) pale and clammy skin, heavy perspiration, dizziness, weakness, headache or cramps, nausea and fainting
Heat Stroke Symptons**:
(incude) high body temperature, skin that is red and dry, rapid pulse and loss of consciousness
**Get Help Immediately If You or Someone You Know Experiences the Above Symptoms.
Melissa Swiontek's 2-year old daughter has been missing now for almost a week, and this evening she joined with an army of volunteers to go door-to-door in Gary and Hobart, asking neighbors if they have any information regarding the disappearance of Jada Justice.
Police and F-B-I have been busy searching the woods near Jada's babysitter's home, but Swiontek won't go there.
"We're not looking in the woods, we're not looking in abandoned houses," Swiontek told me.
She instead is focusing on the possibility that Jada is in the home or yard of a neighbor who has not yet heard of the little girl's disappearance.
Is such a scenario a possibility?
Has anyone in Northwest Indiana NOT heard of Jada Justice?
Clarence Justice spent his Father's Day thinking positive thoughts about his missing daughter.
Jada Justice, who is almost 3 years old, has been missing for almost a week.
She was last seen Tuesday night with her 18-year-old babysitter - who is also her cousin. Angelica Castillo has told authorities that she left Jada in her unlocked car while she ran into a Gary gas station to grab a gallon of milk.
The Lake County State's Attorney is scheduled to meet with law enforcement Monday morning in connection with the disappearance of 2-year old Jada Justice.
Why?
We're not sure.
Angelica Castillo, Jada's 18-year old cousin and baby sitter, was being held as a person of interest in the case on possible child neglect charges, but she's been released.
On Friday, Hobart police said they believed there were individuals related to the case who were not being "forthcoming."
What do you believe will come of Monday's meeting?
Ronald Holt walked into the Cook County Criminal Courts Building this morning with his son still fresh on his mind.
Jury selection soon was to get underway today for the trial of a 17-year-old accused of gunning down Holt’s16-year-old son, Blair, on a CTA bus in May 2007.
Holt expected to sit through hours of jury selection; instead, he received an unexpected surprise.
After a spokeswoman for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan confirmed she did indeed fly to Washington D.C. last Friday to meet with President Obama regarding the Illinois Senate race, speculation is swirling regarding Obama's endorsement.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the President is endorsing no one, but the meeting seems to suggest otherwise.
Here's what Gibbs had to say Thursday in his daily briefing:
"Let me be explicit. The President is not going to pick a candidate in the Illinois Senate race. The President has a very long relationship with the Illinois Attorney General dating back to their time in the State Senate and has enormous respect for what she's accomplished there and has as Attorney General. I think she would be a terrific candidate, but we're doing going to get involved in picking that candidate."
Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times responded, "Then why did you call her into the White House, or somebody did?"
"I don't know whether she got called in or she came in," Gibbs said.
"So could you find that out by the way?" said Sweet.
"I might, I might not," Gibbs laughed.
"Robert when you say that, it just doesn't square with the reality on the ground that the DSCC has been polling for her," Sweet stated.
"I clearly don't control the DSCC," Gibbs retorted.
"Could you just try to say more succinctly and clearly what you said?" Sweet asked.
Gibbs' response:
"What I said frankly was succinct and clear. I said we're not picking a candidate, we're not going to endorse in this race. Does the President have enormous respect for the Attorney General? Absolutely. That was succinct and rather clear."
Another reporter chimed in:
"Then why go as far as you did in talking about her, in what a great candidate she would make?"
"The President has enormous respect for her. He sat next to her in the State Senate," Gibbs responded- clearly annoyed.
What do you think?
Are the President and his staffers working on behalf of Lisa Madigan, as their meeting may suggest?
Or is it blown out of proportion?
2 year old Jada Justice went missing in Northwest Indiana Tuesday night.
IF YOU'VE SEEN HER CALL: 1-800-CALL-FBI
***
A sweet little girl, according to those who know her.
Description: 2 feet 2 inches tall, 35 pounds, dark hair, brown eyes. Last seen wearing an orange skirt; a white, orange and green tank top; white sandals, purple underwear.
So, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has some beef with our Commander in Chief. Apparently the advocacy group is upset over President Obama's enormously skillful ability to kill flies. Check out this video.
As you can see, during a television interview, the President did what millions of people around the world do on a daily basis -- he swatted a fly that was bothering him.
Blues Man BUDDY GUY Celebrates 20 Years of 'Legends'
What a Guy.. that Buddy Guy! A True-Blue(s) Star, who keeps it Real.. and keeps 'em Coming Back.
Buddy Guy's Chicago Blues club - Legends - celebrated *20 years in business Tuesday night. Quite an accomplishment, when you consider that many, many other Blues clubs, here and across the country, have been shuttered over the years. In terms of working to keep *his place open, Guy says, "We lost so many great people that play the Blues and I'm doing my best to keep the Blues alive."
(** Buddy Guy anniversary pictures thanks to photographer - Paul Natkin)
Of course, among those now gone: Chicago's own Blues queen, Koko Taylor, who died earlier this month. Just one of the music Legends who'd show up to play at Buddy's place (others have ranged from B.B. King to the Rolling Stones). Koko's passing actually caused Guy to cancel the original June 9th date for his club's big anniversary party. Last night, Taylor's long-time base player Melvin Smith played at Buddy Guy's bash. He told me if Koko were still around 'Congratulations!' is the first thing she'd say to Guy & Company -that- and 'Let's pitch a wang dang do' - translation: let's have a good time!
And as far as I could tell, folks definitely did. They seemed to be having a blast. A big part of it, seeing and hearing the award-winning Guy perform (a Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame music-legend-in-his-own-right).
The man's now in his seventies, NOT that you'd know it. He owns the stage and the audience. One young woman exclaimed it's, "The music that moves your feet!" "Amazing!," was the word from a guy in from Barcelona (Spain - just one of the countries represented in the audience pool.. also heard some fans from France and Lithuania were in the house). Folks of all shapes, colors and ages showed up to celebrate. At one point someone in the crowd yelled, "We love you Buddy."
Check out this You Tube clip of Buddy playing his newest awarding winning album 'Skin Deep' on Letterman.
Good 'Guy'
"One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet," says Dan Henley, who plays in a band with one of Buddy's daughters. Guy's club manager, Harvey McCarter calls him the, "Best boss I ever had." He's thankful he's kept the place open and kept them all employed. Singer Sharon Lewis, who did her first professional gig at Legends in 1993, says Guy's about "Encouraging the young, the young talent coming up."
Guy, himself, came up the hard way. A Louisiana sharecropper's son, he landed in Chicago in 1957. I first heard his story first hand 11 years ago, when I interviewed Mr. Guy for a special CLTV segment. Check it out...
Funny thing.. I really didn't think Buddy Guy would remember me, when I saw him again last night at his big 20th anniversary bash. He did. Started talking about that 1998 interview of ours.
How fun is that! The Chicago Park District has lifted a ban on Surfing at city lakefront beaches.
NOT that I'D want to do it. But I might just volunteer my news colleague Judy Wang to do one of those reporter-involvement-type stories, where SHE could then ride those Lake Michigan waves. Hey, she claims to know how to surf. Says she learned in California. You know, where they have those Ocean-size Waves.
Speaking of waves, not sure how this Chicago thing's going to work. I mean, outside of stormy weather those local Lake Waves don't really seem Hang Ten-able, do they? But then, what do I know.
Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon is predicting painful concessions on the part of the unions to avoid the potential layoffs of more than 1500 city workers July 15th.
He says he hopes to strike a deal with Mayor Daley by the first of July, a deal which may include:
-reduced work-weeks
-reduced schedules
-furlough days
-unpaid holidays
-pay cuts
-delayed prevailing wage increases
-comp time instead of overtime
-increased health care contributions
-reduced sick time accrual
None of it sounds appealing to union members- but what would you be willing to give up to avoid the layoffs?
Here's a sampling of what doctors attending this year's AMA meeting at the Hyatt Regency are saying in advance of President Obama's address:
"Our concern is that our patients have access to care, to affordable cancer care. The number of bankruptcies in this country that medical patients face are astounding. I don't know that people are aware of it."
-Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, Oncologist, GA
"This didn't happen in 1992, and he's here to talk to us. What he says I think is just opening up a dialog."
-Dr. Larry Jones, Urological Surgeon, FL
"I want to hear him say 'we will not pursue a public plan option that's strictly based on Medicare reimbursement.'"
-Dr. Jerome Adams, Anesthesiologist, IN
"We want to cover the uninsured."
-Dr. Patrice Harris, Psychiatrist, GA
"A whole bunch of physicians are practicing defensive medicine. We need to decrease the amount of defensive medicine practiced, which means tests are done simply because the patients are asking for them and to avoid the possibility of a lawyer in the future asking 'why did you not do that test?'"
-Dr. Richard Pieters, Radiation Oncologist, MA
"I would like to hear what he's going to do about the medical students coming out of medical school with more debt than what it costs to buy a house in California."
-Dr. Patricia Austin, Opthamologist, CA
During the improv session which followed Saturday night's performance of "Rod Blagojevich Superstar," Blagojevich himself told spectators what he really thought of the show.
"Thought it was all bull@#$%!" the ex-governor quipped.
He then proceeded to ask Second City comics how they spell "Blagojevich."
"B-L-A-G-O-J-E-V-I-C-H," one spelled.
"That's what I learned in law school!" Blagojevich laughed. He's often poked fun of his days as a "C student at a B law school," which in his case was Pepperdine.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has refused to say if President Barack Obama has indeed actually kicked his habit of smoking- but he did say if he were to comment on the matter himself, Obama would respond: "struggling with a nicotine addiction is something that happens every day."
Obama was quite the smoker in Springfield during his days as a little-known state senator, but under the glare of a national campaign, he resolved to quit and began chewing nicotine gum to help in his efforts.
In December, Obama told NBC's Tom Brokaw that he would not be violating the White House's no-smoking policy, but that there were indeed times that he's "fallen off the wagon."
Here's a rookie mistake by NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose.
He's not very love-a-bull in this photo.
Rose says he flashed the "pitchforks" sign of the Gangster Disciples Nation while attending a party as a student-athlete at the University of Memphis- but in a statement he issued today, Rose says he meant the picture "as a joke... a bad one, I now must admit."
Car Hits Train, Driver Walks Away With No Injuries
It was an unbelievable site on the Eisenhower Expressway this morning.
A mangled Dodge Charger sat sandwiched underneath a Blue Line L train.
State Police say Jose Rivera's car somehow left the roadway near Central Avenue, jumped a concrete barrier wall and landed right on the Blue Line tracks, where it was eventually struck by a train.
The following frequently asked questions (and answers) have been provided by the Illinois EPA.
Q: What additional exposure did residents get by breathing the vapors of water that could have been contaminated with vinyl chloride?
A: Drinking the water is the most important pathway for vinyl chloride to pose risks to exposed residents. Exposure via the skin while showering or bathing would be insignificant since the gas, vinyl chloride, would evaporate very quickly from hot water.
Q: What if residents drank, bathed and showered in the blended well water/ Lake Michigan water and cooked with it for the 10+ years before the appearance of the vinyl chloride, during which time the water was contaminated with other drycleaner solvent breakdown products? What risk does exposrue to these solvents from 1985-2007 add to the vinyl chloride exposure risk?
A: The IL EPA has no information that any of the drycleaner breakdown products, other than vinyl chloride, were ever in the Crestwood PWS well at concentrations greater than their respective MCL. MCLs are considered by the U.S. EPA to be the maximum level of a contaminant at which no known or anticipated adverse human health effect would occur, and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Thus, the IL EPA believes that throughout this time period, the exposures to chemicals other than vinyl chloride did not add to anyone's health risk.
Q: What if residents used this contaminated water for gardening?
A: Vinyl chloride is a stable and persistent chemical when it is found deep in groundwater where there is no oxygen to help bacteria break it down into harmless molecules. When vinyl chloride is exposed to sunlight, air and soil bacteria in the garden, it rapidly breaks down and it is not absorbed by the plants. Rapid degradation also occurs with the other volatile organic chemicals that the IL EPA suspects were present at low levels during the 20-year period. Gardeners who watered their gardens with Crestwood PWS well water from 1985-2007 and ate their produce are not at risk from the vinyl chloride in the Crestwood water.
Q: Are there any other areas served by the Crestwood PWS whose residents may not realize that water was being sold to their township or municipality by Crestwood?
A: A part of unincorporated Palos Heights is part of Crestwood's PWS distribution system. Crestwood village officials report that the only unincorporated area receiving Crestwood PWS water is the area bounded by 127th Street on the north to 131st Street on south and by Monitor Avenue on the east to Austin Avenue on the west; a total of 93 homes in this area are served by Crestwood PWS water.
Chicago Alderman Carothers Pleads 'Not Guilty' -- Maybe?!
You either are or you aren't right? Guilty, that is. Right?
Well, it appears Chicago Alderman Isaac "Ike" Carothers (29th Ward) isn't guilty of federal corruption charges - based on the 'not guilty' plea he entered in federal court today. But there's also a chance, according to his attorney that he might switch it up to 'guilty,' once they can evaluate the evidence the feds have against his client.
Kinda like ..only having to own up to murder... if there's a body found?
Oh yeah, also got some of *that* potentially goin' on in Chicagoland, don't we?
Right.
For More:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/06/carothers-alderman-corruption-arraignment-not-guilty-bribe-fraud.html
Governor Pat Quinn is asking the state legislature to increase the Illinois income tax rate by more than 50%, but his foes in Springfield say "no way."
I had a chat with Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard this evening, who is mulling a run for governor himself.
He says Illinois' budget problems can be solved by calling in AFSCME, the union which represents state workers. Dillard says they're getting a 15% raise in the midst of the biggest recession most of us have ever lived through.
"Who else is getting a 15 % raise in these economic times but state workers?" Dillard asks.
He wants Gov. Quinn to reopen AFSCME contracts, and perhaps unleash funds to this debt-mired mess.
"Let's set down and be realistic," Dillard says. "These workers should not want their brethren laid off or their jobs eliminated, perhaps they ought to renegotiate their contract. So there's a lot of options out there other than doomsday scenarios."
Gov Quinn says if the legislature fails to pass his version of the budget by the June 30th deadline, the state's education, mental health servies, and assistance for the poor and unemployed will all suffer.
Do you think Sen. Dillard's idea is viable?
Do you think Gov. Quinn is using scare tactics?
Yesterday I blogged about the tragic case of 32 year-old Norma Favela, beaten to death inside her northwest suburban Hanover Park home by her boyfriend, 31 year-old Rafael Alvarado.
Alvarado has been charged with first-degree murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child. Favela was eight months pregnant. We've learned his weapon was a hammer, and his motive: suspicion of infidelity.
Go on! Adopt that Really-Cute-Once-Abused Doggie in the Window!
40 abuse connected dogs -just in from Tennessee- are now in residence at Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society, a no-kill pet shelter. Check out the short video story posted here.
Officials at the Anti-Cruelty Society tell me there's is a 7-Million dollar annual operation, heavily dependent on donated funding. They place thousands upon thousands of dogs and also cats (June is Adopt-a-Cat month) into adoptive homes each year. For more go to http://www.anticruelty.org/
From the Chicago Tribune: Koko Taylor, the Grammy Award-winning "Queen of the Blues," died this afternoon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital of complications from surgery, according to Marc Lipkin of Alligator Records. She was 80.
Two young men are now charged with the shooting death of 27-year-old Chicago Police Officer Alejandro "Alex" Valadez.
21-year-old Kevin Walker and 20-year-old Shawn Gaston each face three charges tonight:
First Degree Murder
First Degree Murder of a Peace Officer
Attempted Murder
According to Chicago Police, Gaston was the shooter and Walker was the driver.
Valadez was in plainclothes when he was shot in the head and leg about 12:15 Monday morning. Police say he and his partner were standing outside talking with someone when the shots were fired.
It's sad that not only did a 27-year-old officer die in this tragedy, but that two young "men" are now charged in that death.
'HE' being 29 year old Desmond Hatchett of Knoxville, Tennessee.
'HE,' who appears to have whipped out his 'personal baby-making hatchet' with frequent regularity and success.
"HE' being the father of (count 'em) 21 (TWENTY ONE) kids!
-- fathered with... like a dozen.. different women!!
(Also check out this blog: "Oughta There Be a ...SPERM Law?")
SPERM-DADDY
Look at him. Poor thing looks exhausted. And who wouldn't be. All that sperm-delivery, 'plus' working his minimum wage job.
The latter (i.e. his low pay) being the reason his level of child support is soooooooooooo low and apparently non-existent in some cases (he's been called to court numerous times).
Reportedly the mothers of Hatchett's babies (which range in age from 11 months to 11 years) are entitled to up to about 300 bucks a month. But again, he doesn't earn much money and under the law the government's only allowed to take up to 50% of his pay check to cover child support. Word is when you divide that up to cover 21 kids, some of the moms would only get a buck-98 a-month.
I believe a SPERM-Daddy Reality TV Show is The Ticket -- the answer to everyone's Problems.. and Questions.
Problem solved; more money comin' in to cover all that child support (as condom makers and vasectomy clinics would probably love to advertise on the show).
Question answered; since he ain't got no cash, what kind of incredible 'line' he uses to get all those wanna-be mommies in the sack!
Plus, while he *demonstrates his lovin' moves on almost-real TV -- no one would actually get hurt, cuz Mr. H claims he *doesn't plan on having any more kids. Meaning what? He *did plan for the first 21? Wow.
It's wasn't the first time we've seen Patti Blagojevich on television.
But instead of reading to children or cutting a ribbon to open a hospital, Mrs. Blago was eating a tarantula and chatting with Spencer and Heidi Pratt from the Hills.
Yes, folks, I watched (some of) "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!" on Monday night.
It was interesting. It was amusing. It was embarassing.
Did you watch the show? What did you think?
I'll be interested to see what the ratings were for Chicago.
Desmond Hatchett was hauled into a Knoxville, Tennessee court over alleged failure to pay child support for four (4) of his kids. That's when it came to light that he also has 17 other offspring conceived with 11 (eleven!!!) different mothers.
Listen. Not judging here, however, if you're gonna whip it out and play.. shouldn't you also have to pay?
Poor thing apparently can't help it. According to his attorney, Hatchett makes only minimum wage, so truly he needs state assistance to pay all that kid support. (Interestingly, he didn't apparently need any assistance in conjuring up those kids.)
Mr. Hatchett now claims he doesn't plan to have any other children. Whew! Tennessee taxpayers (i.e. Hatchett Child Supporters) can now rest easy and assured. But what about those 21 kids he's already had? How are they resting?
Private suites, in-stall vanities, sconces, chandeliers and murals- they are all fixtures of what could be voted America's Best Restroom.
The Drake Hotel's Palm Court Powder Room is among ten finalists- and the only in Chicago- chosen in America's Best Restroom VIII Contest, sponsored by Cintas Corporation.
13-year-old Kavya Shivashankar won the entire enchilada Thursday night with the word Laodicean.
After spelling the winning word, which means lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics, Kavya received huge hugs from her father, mother and little sister.
I find the spelling bee so interesting and inspiring.
On the news, we see so much of what's wrong with the world--especially when it comes to our children.
The National Spelling Bee, which started in the 1920s, shows that there's still a younger generation to believe in.
I visited the area surrounding 29th ward Ald. Ike Carothers' local office today near Madison and Austin- and I got an earful.
I wasn't expecting ward residents to wholeheartedly defend their own against the actions alleged today by the feds, but I was not prepared for such quick condemnation.
They don't sound happy with Carothers, and it sounds like they haven't been for his entire ten-year tenure.
Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th), a staunch ally of Mayor Richard Daley, was indicted today on charges he accepted about $40,000 in improvements to his residence as well as meals and tickets to sporting events in exchange for backing a major project by a developer.
I've reported on some heinous and heartless crimes over my career, but this is one of the cruelest.
Earlier this month, 15-year-old Alex Arellano's brutalized body was found in a gangway on the Southwest Side. He had been beaten, burned and shot in the head.
I’m not a political reporter, but I occasionally cover politics. I’ve talked to Roland Burris numerous times over the past two years and he always seemed like a genial person – and an honest person, at least by Chicago standards.
But this morning, I saw a very different side of the man who is now the junior senator from Illinois.
Today, the the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois released the audio from an intercepted phone call between Senator Roland Burris and Robert Blagojevich. Click the link to listen:
He's still in jail. Still laughing. Despite predictions to the contrary.
Drew Peterson called-in 'collect' to a Chicago radio show Wednesday afternoon -- doing some jailhouse comedy schtick 'live' on the air.
He suggested having a contest: 'Win a Conjugal Visit with Drew!' Other of his material dealt with his legal fees, his 'bling' handcuffs and ..prison showers.
While some may be appalled, Peterson says humor is how he deals with stress. Certainly the former Bolingbrook cop is under at least *a little, given he's charged with murdering his third wife and is a suspect in the disappearance of the 4th one. Though for his part, he continues to maintain no wrongdoing.
Drew Peterson's in jail right now, because last Friday a Will County judge denied his request to have his 20 million dollar bail reduced, so he could afford to post bond and get out of jail. Afterward, on the courthouse grounds a spokesman for the family of his missing wife (Stacy Peterson) said, "He thought that all this was a joke. In the very beginning, he probably thought he would never come to see this day. And now that he sees the seriousness of it, he's no longer laughing."
Well, he is laughing. Question is: At what exactly?
If you believe what you read, Senator Roland Burris may be in a heap of trouble.
Transcripts of phone conversations, secretly recorded by the FBI, show that Burris may have begged the brother of former Governor Rod Blagojevich for an appointment to the U.S. Senate.
In exchange, Burris agreed to make a campaign contribution to Blago.
I haven't read the transcript yet. But a federal judge Tuesday said the recordings should be given to a Senate Ethics Committee looking into Burris' appointment.
Rod Blagojevich, of course, was impeached in January for, among other things, trying to "sell" Barack Obama's former seat in the Senate to the highest bidder.
What do you think of this allegation? Do you think Burris lied when he said he didn't make an offer of payment of some sort?
Do you think the news media should leave Roland Burris alone and let him serve out the rest of Obama's senate term until January 2011?
Up until 15 years ago, we never really heard of such cases.
The most recent, that of 38-year-old Jennifer Espinosa. She was a teacher at maine East High School in suburban Park Ridge.
Ms. Espinosa is now charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse--admitting that she carried on an 8-month affair with a 16-year-old boy who is a former student.
Rich Martorelli has been medically retired from the U.S. Army since June of 2007, but he'll never be able to put his experiences in the armed forces behind him.
"It's just a movie played over and over inside my head," said the Antioch native today at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, where he was among the veterans honored this Memorial Day by the North Chicago Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Martorelli suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stemming from his stay in Iraq- where he lost 32 friends in combat during the course of one year.
But the good guys finish last, right? That is how the saying goes, right? And right now the Blackhawks do have their backs against the wall in hockey's best of seven Western Conference finals. They're down three games to one. The Detroit Red Wings could blow the Hawks off the ice for the rest of the post-season come Wednesday.
But even if they don't make it to the final fight for the prestigious Stanley Cup, Hawks' chief Rocky Wirtz and his ice men have definitely come a long way in a short time. So in that sense, these good guys truly *won't be finishing last, no matter what happens from here on out.
Check out my two-part interview with Rocky Wirtz posted here. It ran after Friday's big Hawks' win. (Really too bad they had to then lose on Sunday.)
Father Michael Pfleger is temporarily flipping his church's flag in honor of Memorial Day.
Earlier this month, Pfleger turned the flag the flies at Saint Sabina Church upside down as a "distress signal" to draw attention to the young people killed by gun violence in Chicago.
It happened early Saturday morning near 117th and Wentworth- a man broke into Loretta Sanders' home through the basement window and sexually assaulted her ten year old daughter.
He got away without Thomas getting a good look at him, and police need your help finding the offender. Here's the police description:
One game now separates the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings in their playoff series- the Red Wings lead 2-1 but the Hawks host Game 4 on Sunday.
There's another "but" however.
Two Hawks left Game 3 with injuries- winger Martin Havlat and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin.
Drew Peterson looked around the Will County Courthouse court room Friday afternoon. Gone the joking, laughing-type attitude he's become known for - in the wake of his becoming a suspect in his third wife's murder (which he's now charged for) and his fourth wife's disappearance.
He did jolly up just a tad when his lead attorney, Joel Brodsky, walked over. Other than that, he just sat cuffed and chained in his behind-bars-garb, stamped 'Will County Jail' across the back.
He's now stuck in that outfit for who-knows-how-long. His big bond's not going to be reduced.
A federal lawsuit, filed this week in Chicago, claims Kraft Foods is using false advertising.
In the lawsuit, Sara Lee claims Kraft is misleading consumers with ads presenting Oscar Mayer hot dogs as superior in taste tests to Sara Lee’s Ball Park franks.
Ball Park and Oscar Mayer each claim to be the nation's largest hot dog-maker, but Ball Park has been gaining on its main rival in recent years. Data from Information Resources Inc., a market researcher, show that Ball Park surpassed Oscar Mayer in market share last year.
Ahhh... How I long for the days of a simple Oscar Mayer ad that wasn't reason for legal action.
The following statement is the latest information received from the Will County Coroner related to the discovery of skeletal remains on the banks of the Desplaines River near Channahon:
It's hard to imagine what the loved ones of Stacy Peterson and Lisa Stebic must be going through right now.
This morning, an autopsy will be performed on the badly decomposed body found yesterday by a cleanup crew on the banks of the Des Plaines River near Channahon and Interstate Highway 55.
That's an area where searchers have looked for Peterson since she disappeared Oct. 28, 2007.
I know it's been in west suburban Melrose Park for 81 years -- but so what?
Kiddieland Then
I know I didn't grow up in Chicagoland, but I've lived here for a loooooong time, so I still say..
-- so what?
Kiddieland Now
A family fued of some sort (one part of the family owns the park; the other the land it sits on), has now led to the lease apparently not being renewed. Kiddieland is to close after this 2009 season.
If a *family behind a supposedly fun place for *kids .. can't get along..
---then what are they really showing kids anyway?
Besides, there's plenty of other fun stuff to do in Chicagoland. It's part of what makes it such a great place to live.
It was an on again, off again affair with the Cook County Board.
President Todd Stroger, who pushed through a one percent sales tax hike last year, last week vetoed a vote to do away with the tax increase.
He did so, facing a possible veto override by commissioners.
The cards were stacked against him.
Two weeks ago, the Board voted 12-3 to rollback the one percent tax that gave Chicago the dubious distinction of having the highest sales tax in the country. Two commissioners were not there for that vote.
Stroger said doing away with the one percent sales tax would leave a $400 million dollar budget hole which would mean closing down county supported hospitals and medical clinics.
In order to override the veto, the Board needed 14 votes. Not only didn't it have that. It didn't have the 12 original votes.
The Cook County Board tested embattled President Todd Stroger’s veto power today.
Commissioners supporting a rollback of a penny-on-the-dollar sales tax increase needed 14 out of 17 board members to side with them to override Stroger’s veto of a measure to withdraw the tax increase.
Illinois' former First Lady, Patti Blagojevich, apparently now has an offer from NBC to be one of the contestants on the reality television show "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!"
If she accepts, she would take over for her husband, Rod Blagojevich, who had the orginial offer from NBC to be on the show that tapes in the Costa Rican jungle.
A judge already said the former governor couldn't leave the country to be a part of the show.
An attorney for Blagojevich says Mrs. Blagojevich made make the deal because the family needs the money.
Do you think Illinois' former First Lady should take part in a reality TV show?
The Drew Peterson drama is heating up again. The ex cop turned murder suspect has to sit in jail for a few more days.
At his arraignment today on murder charges, Peterson’s attorney, Joel Brodsky, planned on asking that Peterson’s $20 million bond be reduced. But that effort was put on hold after prosecutors, in a surprise move, requested that the judge in the case be taken off the case “on the ground of prejudice” against prosecutors.
Sister Marie Marot is wearing her habit, and will for the remainder of her trial on a traffic violation charge.
The 24-year old nun, who is a member of the Fraternite Notre Dame order, had a collision with another car in Elgin back in October of 2007. The crash was deadly- killing a 16-year old boy from Carpentersville.
Prosecutors didn't want the nun to wear her religous garb, because it may garner sympathy or prejudice among potential jurors.
The judge ruled Sister Marie could stand trial in her habit.
RNC Chairman Michael Steele called the honorary degree the University of Notre Dame conferred upon President Obama today "inappropriate" given his divergent views on abortion and stem-cell research from those the Catholic Church teaches.
Would the decision to withold that degree have stopped the massive protests on campus during commencement exercises?
I couldn't remember the name of the man who spoke at my graduation from the University of Notre Dame back in 2004.
Maybe most folks can't name their graduation speakers, but as Domers- my fellow alumns and I tend to believe our school is simply more "special" than the rest, and for that reason- I bet my friends' memories are equally clouded by the tradition of commencement day and the anticipation of four years- and in many cases a lifetime- coming to fruition in the receipt of our diplomas.
President Obama will receive one of those diplomas Sunday, just as through a scrapbook search I was reminded that Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page did on my day five years ago.
But it was my day, shared with friends, roommates and family members that traveled across the country to witness what so many proud moms and dads for generations have dreamed for their kids.
They were likely listening as the first black justice in his state gave us graduates some advice about breaking barriers and accomplishing our dreams.
But for that class, and at that school, so many of us already did.
That's the case in every class at every university, particularly ones with such prestige. It's a sacrifice for families and an accomplishment for the graduates that no one can ever take away.
It's my hope that the President and accompanying campus protests won't distract the Class of 2009 and those who join them from the real meaning in tomorrow's commencement.
They're the newest graduates set to begin their lives outside the shadow of the Golden Dome.
That's what matters.
They'll just be more likely to remember who took the podium.
After more than 200 tip calls about Chicago Police Dog "Bear" who ran off during Wednesday night's thunderstorms, a $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to his return.
"Bear," a 2 ½-year-old German Shepherd, scaled a fence and fled from his handler's backyard
in the 3800 block of 109th St. after he was startled by a sudden clap of thunder Wednesday
night.
Hyungseok (Henry) Koh of Northbrook has been charged in the April 16th stabbing death of his 22-year old son Paul.
Koh is currently being held at the Cook County Jail on a $5 million bond, which his attorney says shows "outrageous prejudice" on the part of the office of the Cook County State's Attorney.
Defense lawyer Elliot Zinger says his client is seen as a flight risk, simply because he's Asian.
What a Friday this has been for one Hanover Park family. Their home was devastated by a fast-moving fire earlier today, but the family of four managed to escape unharmed.
As I walked up to the burned out shell in the 2100 block of Laurel Avenue I could see what looked like a kitchen chair but not much else in the charred rubble.
Here's a picture of the missing member of the Chicago Police K-9 Unit.
The German Shepherd named "Bear" escaped during Wednesday night's storms after being spooked by the clap of thunder.
Bear ran north from his handler's home in the 3800 block of West 109th Street at about 10:30 p.m., and he was last spotted running on the campus of St. Xavier University.
If you see Bear, you're asked to call Chicago Police immediately at (312) 746- 7180.
Will Wisconsin Be Next With Marriage for Gay Couples?
From North of the Stateline...
Late Thursday, the court announced it would take up a case thrown out of Dane County court last year.
In 2006, Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will look at a challenge to that vote. Namely, whether the referendum illegally put two issues to voters at the same time: whether to ban gay marriage and whether to outlaw civil unions.
When three adults were shot (one fatal) at a home in southwest suburban Bolingbrook Thursday morning, six children were also there, according to relatives.
Family members say police told them the kids were safe, but *wouldn't let them see them!
Check out the story posted here:
If your three year old daughter was kept from you for hours - what would you do?
It's the end of the road for hundreds of Chrysler dealerships. The automaker plans to close 789 dealerships nationwide, including more than two dozen in the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana by June 9th. The bankrupt automaker says low sales volumns at those dealerships are to blame. The Chrysler dealers have the right to appeal. A complete list, click here.
The city of Chicago is in the midst of a major cash flow crisis.
Facing a budget shortfall projected at $300 million, Mayor Richard Daley wants thousands of non-union city workers to take as many as 17 unpaid days off before year’s end.
That, apparently, is no longer the question, at least not in this economy.
More and more, the question for government bodies simply seems to be, "How to bring in more (tax) revenue as painlessly as possible?"
Illinois' Poker Face
A legislative committee in the Illinois House has signed off on a bill that would allow bars, truck stops and some clubs, to operate *video poker machines. Backers of the measure say the machines could generate up to 300 Million Dollars in additional state revenue each year, through a 25% tax.
Word is, the lion's share would go to the state's school construction fund; the rest earmarked for local government needs.
Sin? Tax
The idea here is obviously to try and find a way to bring in more state dollars to pay for government services for most, while taxing just a few (i.e. those sinners? who like to gamble).
Not a bad plan really. But then again, perhaps 'not bad' only in the *short term. Some might argue that if more folks start gambling in these tough times, more folks good end up in *personally tougher times (more debt, addiction, etc.). In other words, just helping to feed the economic downturn, rather than a recovery?
Did Todd Stroger Do the Right Thing for Cook County?
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is standing by his decision to block a rollback of the controversial sales tax increase he pushed for last year.
At a press conference this morning at Provident Hospital on the city's South Side, Stroger said the county has too much at stake to let the repeal of the penny-on-the-dollar tax go through.
A Spanish language magazine is running pictures of a Miami priest cavorting on the beach with a bathing-suited woman.
Now that he's been caught, he's thinking about leaving the church; marrying the woman. Maybe.
What he's clear on:
39 year old Father Alberto Cutie (pronounced: KOO-tee-ay) doesn't want to be the 'poster boy' for the anti-celibacy movement in the priesthood. He apparently still believes in the no-sex rule for priests.
The news spread quickly around the world this morning. Northwestern University graduate and American journalist Roxana Saberi was finally freed.
Saberi was imprisoned on espionage charges four months ago. She was sentenced to eight years in jail, but an Iranian appeals court reduced her term to a two year suspended sentence.
A new state law may allow letters Kathleen Savio wrote to friends and family to be entered into the evidence in Drew Peterson's murder trial.
Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow says these letters are telling, and that they will allow the jury to hear from Savio herself, "from the grave."
I recently spent some time at Project Onward in the Chicago Cultural Center, a program which provides artists with mental illnesses the studio space and supplies to pursue their passion.
Lots of Money, Lots of Road Construction This Summer
Get ready for some massive street construction this summer.
The City of Chicago announced Friday that $86 million in federal stimulus money is on its way here to fix the battered streets.
Approximately $50 million will be spent on 37 resurfacing projects, totally 31.4 miles of Chicago streets.
The remainder will be used on 4 major road re-construction projects at Chicago Avenue from Laramie to Grand, Congress Drive from Wells to Michigan, LaSalle Drive from Clark Street to Lake Shore Drive and Lake Park from 51st to 57th.
Here's a list of the 37 projects announced. Construction should start sometime in June and last 6-8 weeks, according to the city.
The former Bolingbrook police sergeant will make his first court appearance this morning for the drowning death of his third wife.
Peterson is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of first-degree murder in the death of Kathleen Savio. She was found dead in a dry bathtub in 2004. Her death was originally ruled an accidental drowning.
No, the ghost of Ralph Kramden isn't going to commandeer a suburban Pace bus and gun it down some Chicagoland road; changing traffic lights at will -so he's green-lighted all the way back in time to 'The Honeymooners!'
No, a Sandra-Bullock-Clone isn't going to plow her Pace bus down the lane at breakneck 'Speed,' magically flipping red lights to green!
But Pace bus drivers are enroute to having more green light time to keep their buses moving, and on schedule. The bus drivers themselves, however, will have No Control over the new traffic-light-changing-bit. It will be run by Super Technology. A mainframe computer system will, in conjunction with GPS, figure out when to give a Pace bus a little more green, or a little less red.
According to Pace, it's all part of a plan to *express certain bus traffic. An effort called 'Aterial Rapid Transit.' A-R-T routes will also have fewer stops, so buses can keep on flyin'.
Check out my video story posted here.
AND - Pace Officials swear the longest additional time drivers stopped at intersections, so a green-lighted bus can get through, will have to wait is -- Ten Seconds!
They also say such rapid bus transit is 'cutting edge' and has already been proven to work in other markets, especially in California (Oakland and LA). According to Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot,
"They found that there's even drivers that ride behind a bus, because they found that there's a little bit of an advantage of getting through a traffic light."
Get ready for Bus Bumper Stickers that read: Get Off My Tail! (kidding)
Renita Carter is a grieving mother on a mission. Last night, her only child was shot and killed by Chicago Police officers and she's determined to find out what really happened.
According to police, Carter’s son, Dashaun Winston wounded four people last night when he opened fire in a convenience store in the South Shore neighborhood.
I did a bit of garden shopping after work the other night ('tis the season?). I stopped at a very large *HOME improvement chain store, where apparently you now bag your own stuff , while the clerks just stand around and gossip!
Could Someone Help - Please?!
One would think that especially in these tough times when people are losing their jobs by the thousands -- those *with jobs would try harder to be top-notch employees. (Not that you shouldn't be doing that anyway, regardless of the economic climate; if nothing else, personal pride and integrity should mandate it. Right?)
Not Everyone Got The Memo?
If there was a sort of *baseline work memo, wouldn't it at the very least mandate:
"Tough times require performing at an *average level*."?
Apparently Not
Anyway, back to my experience at the Depot-like store...
With arms full, the cashier just looked at me, as I tried to hand her the items for check out. Finally, as I struggled and asked, "Can you take this?," did she actually begin to try and assist me. My fragile plants were knocked over in the process, and she plopped a trimmer onto the ground - blade first (the part you like to keep as sharp as possible for the season).
I couldn't help myself. "Oh my god," escaped my lips. She ignored me, ran my credit card and chatted up her co-cashier about some management guy at their store. She then handed me my receipt. I don't recall a "Thank-you" (though I couldn't 100 % testify that there wasn't one). She just continued ignoring me; talking to her co-worker.
I Really Need A Bag!
So, there I was with my stuff in my arms and on the ground thinking, "How am I supposed to get this to the car?" Then, right there in front of me I spied the bags. I started to put my stuff into a bag as Miss Clerk kept chatting with Mr. Clerk. At one point she looked over, and as nicely as possible, I asked, "Is this some Bag-It-Yourself deal now?" She said that, basically, YES it was, because some customers didn't want bags for their plants and so it was up to the individual person as to whether they took a bag, yada, yada, yada. (Oh my god!)
Listen, I'm all for bagging your stuff yourself, if necessary (even bringing your own bag, which I often do in a green-effort). But if a store's saving money by not having their people bag items, then have them at least working at other things. Don't have two of 'em in front of my face just gossiping away! Otherwise, "I" WANT TO BE PAID FOR BAGGING MY STUFF!
Before and After: Face Transplant Patient Goes Public
It's a story out of science fiction. A woman, without a face re-emerging with another woman's face after 30 intensive surgeries.
Above, you can see the before and after photos of Connie Culp. In 2004, her husband shot her in the face with a shotgun then turned the gun on himself. He survived and got 7 years in jail.
Below, you can see what Connie looked like before the shooting.
Alex Arellano’s family members and police insist that the 15 year old was a good kid who was not into gangs. But pictures of Arellano on his MySpace page tell a different story. They show Arellano proudly displaying what appear to be gang signs.
Over the weekend Arellano was found fatally beaten, shot and burned in a gangway on the city’s southwest side, a day after family members reported him missing.
No more Pit Bulls allowed. That's what the mayor of north suburban Highland Park is after. He's working toward having the entire breed banned in his town.
Why?
A 14 year old girl was mauled by a Pit Bull in Highland Park; the dog's owner was able to yank the animal away via its leash, but the girl still required a hundred stitches.
We've certainly heard of dog ban attempts in the past; Rottweilers, other Pit Bull calls. But is it the answer?
Even little Poodles have been known to chomp away. By the way, the morning director I work with here at CLTV has a little Puggle. He says it scared off a Pit Bull at the park the other day.
The mayor of H.P. is hoping to have a local Pit Bull Ban in place by June.
"Pay to Play: How Rod Blagojevich Turned Political Corruption into a National Sideshow" by veteran WTTW reporter Elizabeth Brackett has hit book shelves.
The whole thing's just sad. A 56 year old woman riding a motorcyle in northwest suburban Lake Zurich; killed while stopped at a yellow light. She was rear-ended (and thrown along with her bike) by another female driver -- this one in a car; allegedly applying nail polish at the time of the accident.
Three years ago, north suburban Waukegan raised some eyebrows when it cracked down on women with wet, freshly manicured nails not 'buckling up.' They were apparently forgoing safety, so as not to smear their paint job. As part of the crackdown, nail salons across the area were posting signs that read, "Don't fret if your nails are wet.. we will help you buckle up."
Salon employees would literally walk out and belt-in a client with not-yet-dry nails.
All seemingly silly on some level. But not so much now. Now that one woman's dead and another one's at least -near- future.. is ruined.
Looking for something to do this weekend? I headed out Saturday to the 1st Annual Artwalk at the Promenade Bolingbrook and enjoyed the weather, the music....and most importantly- the art! You can find paintings, like Tina Guide's acrylics seen above, as well as jewelry, ceramics, scultpture and pottery, like Hank Olenick's handled jar seen below. There are some fabulous pieces on display!
Tough decisions surrounded me today as I encountered so many talented and provocative artists at the 1st Annual Artwalk at the Promenade Bolingbrook, where I served on a panel of three judges.
Awards were given to artists- not to pieces in particular- so entire bodies of work were pitted against each other, no matter the medium.
We awarded three prizes- the Best in Show and two Awards of Excellence.
The above jewelry by Jill Bush is just a sample of the art on display this weekend at the 1st Annual Artwalk at the Promenade Bolingbrook. It's an outdoor juried art fair where yours truly, Randi Belisomo, will serve as one of the judges deciding who will when the one thousand dollar grand prize.
Four and a half year old Braxton Bergman is currently hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. He has a severed spleen, a severed liver, two broken collar bones, six broken ribs, four broken vertebrae, and collapsed lungs.
The injuries are the result of what Will County authorities have called a "freak accident," but it's an accident his dad Johnny says was entirely preventable.
The Chicago Catholic Archdiocese has given local churches the option of cancelling some potential germ-spreading practices used at mass. St. Ignatius on the city's north side is going for it; no more communal wine or 'sign of peace' handshake.
What do you think? Prudent or Overkill?
*** While the Mass changes may seem unusual, Father Joe, by the way, points out that the Archdiocese did close one Chicago Catholic grade school earlier this school year due to a stomach flu outbreak. Plus, he says we're fortunate, in this day and age, to simply be able to take precautions --and not have to leave town (which is what he says his parents had to do in the early 1900's, when an influenza outbreak crippled the Windy City)!
We in the news like to think we're doing a public service by updating you on the latest (very latest... absolute very latest) on any variety of news story.
That includes living and breathing the latest on the spead of the Swine Flu Strain.
Today, we reported that the World Health Organization raised its Pandemic Alert level to Phase 5. Read below to understand what each phase means.
This is from the WHO:
In nature, influenza viruses circulate continuously among animals, especially birds. Even though such viruses might theoretically develop into pandemic viruses, in Phase 1 no viruses circulating among animals have been reported to cause infections in humans.
The *seasonal flu (the stuff we get each and every year) kills some 30,000 Americans annually. Generally, no big life changes have happened over that. But suddenly everything's changed -- now that *Swine Flu appears to have oinked its way into our U.S. world.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Illinois had nine *probable cases of Swine Flu -- meaning state health experts are 99% sure it's the real deal, but are awaiting final CDC confirmation. The people affected range in age from six to 57, only one of whom is hospitalized (a 12 year old girl).
Wednesday morning one northside Chicago school was closed over a Swine Flu concern (the 12 year old girl mentioned above is a student there). By afternoon, word arrived that two more area schools would close; one in Batavia, one in Aurora. And of course, as of yesterday people were reportedly creating a run on face masks at Walgreens (and hand sanitizer). Is it all Overkill?
BOTTOM LINE
The virus that's been killing people in Mexico has started to hit home. Of course, at this writing there has still only been one U.S. death: a toddler from Mexico who died in Texas (not clear *where the child was actually infected).
Are we in the media over-doing it, or is the pubic just over-reacting to the information coming out on Swine Flu.
We can't just sit on the facts: deaths in Mexico, U.S. numbers, pork IS safe to eat.
But clearly we're not at the same kind of risk here in the U.S. as in Mexico, where a top health official has admitted they may not have the ability to go to the homes of all the victims infected, in order to give flu shots to all others at each residence.
So, get *your face mask yet? (some Chicagoland stores have supposedly had a run on 'em)
Swine flu fears have some people anxious, on alert and possibly overreacting.
More than 150 deaths in Mexico are blamed on the virus so far which is thought to be the epicenter of the illness. Health officials say the number of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States has jumped to 68 though none of the cases have been fatal.
There also reported cases in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Americans are being urged not to travel to Mexico if they don't have to.
It's the end of the line for Pontiac, a mainstay in the General Motors lineup since 1926.
Monday, GM announced the brand could no longer be profitable- and after 73 years, production will be stopped. The photo is of one of the first Pontiacs ever made, a '26 Coupe.
Here are some photos of the American classic through the years:
That is what I heard from a physician I talked with over the weekend about swine flu. The virus that has everyone abuzz because it's a new strain of the influenza bug which kills thousands every year.
Now, Google Maps has come up with a searchable map mashup of the current confirmed and suspected cases of swine flu. It's actually pretty cool and can give you a world view of what's going on with this virus.
Click around this map and find out more on the locations seeing activity.
First a deadly outbreak of Swine Flu, now a strong *earthquake!
Mexico is reeling. People are understandably frightened.
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the central part of Mexico Monday (epicenter:130 miles from Mexico City; 50 miles from Acapulco). Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries (as of Monday afternoon).
Meantime Swine Flu, which is believed to have started in Mexico, is now suspected in more than a hundred deaths there (149 as of Monday afternoon). Plus, all schools across the country have now been ordered closed for at least a week. It's part of an effort to stem the spread of the contagious disease.
Experts on epidemics reportedly suggest that Mexican health officials should really be more *proactive in seeking out people who came into close contact with the swine flu victims -- *insisting -- they take antiviral drugs to prevent the spread of contagion. But a top Mexican Health official says the government lacks the staff needed to visit the homes of everyone suspected of dying from swine flu. So, Mexico is currently the only country producing such a high number of Swine Flu deaths.
Bottom Line: Mexico, which has always been one of the world's poorer countries, is now not only hurting from the global economic meltdown; its attempting to battle an epidemic -and- dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake.
People Are More Than Worried
I'm scared," says a 22-year-old social services worker. Sarai Luna Pajas was standing outside her office building moments after the quake hit. Buildings were reportedly swaying. Pajas says, "We Mexicans are not used to living with so much fear, but all that is happening...(i.e. economy, flu, quake) it feels like the Apocalypse."
It has now been reported in five states- the latest incident, as close as Ohio.
City health officials say it's only a matter of time before the disease comes to Chicago, so the Department of Public Health is providing us with the following facts.
What is it?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the type A influenza viruses. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs, but it can spread from person to person as well.
Be sure to watch your stuff if you ride the CTA. Recent statistics from the Chicago Police Department show robbery has soared 77 percent on CTA trains, platforms and buses in the past three years - from 246 incidents in 2006 to 436 in 2008, according to a report in today's Sun-times.
I spoke with some riders in the South Loop today and many said the struggling economy is to blame. They said times are tough and people are doing whatever they can to survive and that includes stealing!
Our former governor, Rod Blagojevich, suspended in mid-air as cameras rolled in Los Angeles Thursday.
It's apparently part of the NBC Reality Show that a federal judge this week said he couldn't leave the country to be a part of.
Now Blago says there may be another way to be a part of the show afterall.
Watch the video. Then tell us, is Blago doing this to make money for his family and defense fund or is he just hanging by more than just a legal wire these days?
Jackson Family Gary House
Jackson 5
Katherine Jackson
The elderly were especially susceptible in 1995's extreme Chicago heat. (Tribune photo by Walter Kale)
