From the Los Angeles Times:

More than a quarter-century after scientists discovered the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have finally shown that an experimental vaccine can block at least some infections, marking the first small but significant step toward eventual control of this lethal pandemic.

Today, Senator Dick Durbin announced Illinois will get more than $25 Million in recovery Act funds to hire 106 new police officers across the state.

The money is part of the $1 Billion in funds being distributed across the country through the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), COPS Hiring Recovery Program.

Chicago will get more than half of the state's share.

Here's where all the money will go:

It was in May, 1983 that millions watched "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever"

The special had legends of music, including Michael Jackson.

He performed with the Jackson 5, but also solo with the hit "Billie Jean"

Take a look at the video. It was the first time he performed his famous "moonwalk" in public.

Please share your favorite song, video, or moment from Michael Jackson's life here. We may use it on the air.

Original Video- More videos at TinyPic

Greetings CLTV Viewers,

A programming note for you about our tracking of severe weather on CLTV.

Because of our commitment to carry the White Sox/Reds game tonight, our weather coverage may have a few gaps.

We will keep you updated, as much as possible on the air and online here at cltv.com.

Thank you!

Three days a week, I talk with WGN Radio's Garry Meier about what's going on around Chicagoland.

Today, we were talking about the State of Illinois' multi-billion dollar budget deficit. Some estimates put it at $11.5 Billion.

That's $11,500,000,000.00.

A lot of zeros. A LOT of zeros.

Governor Pat Quinn was at the Chicago Food Depository Monday, trying his best to drum up support for a income tax increase.

Garry and I were talking about that. A tax increase in the middle of a horrible recession. Not what many people like to hear.

I said to Garry, in regards to employees of the State of Illinois, that "they make $90,000...$100,000 a year."

I missed a word in that sentence. I meant to say "some" make that much.

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.

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.

America, we have a new Spelling Bee Champion.

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.

Do you agree?

Ever have those really bad days and then have a great one the next day?

That's kind of what the Chicago Blackhawks had this season.

Just three years ago, the Hawks went 26-43 in their season. This year, it was 46-24.

The Hawks were eliminated Wednesday night from the Western Conference Finals in Detroit. The score was 2-1 in OT.

It shows that no matter how bad you think something is, it can always get better if you take a fresh approach.

Are you proud the Blackhawks made it this far? Are you disappointed the season is now over?

We want to know...

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?

Adult female teachers having sex with minors.

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.

A food fight, of sorts, is brewing in Chicago.

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.

I may be working right now but I still was paying some attention to the doings on the American Idol finale.

Would it be Kris, the folksy college student from Arkansas?

Would it be Adam, the flamboyant showman with an incredicle range from San Diego?

Adam was the judge's favorite. I suspect, had it been up to Simon Cowell, Adam would've gotten the title weeks ago.

But it wasn't Adam.

It was Kris Allen. He looked overwhemled, in a way.

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.

Here's how commissioners voted in this round:

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"This isn't going to be the next pandemic."

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.

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Caught on Camera!

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?

When Tom Joyner's morning show was taken off the air by Clear Channel's V103 last month and replaced by Steve Harvey, many of his listeners were outraged.

This week, those listeners were happy to learn that Joyner's show was coming back to the Windy City starting today.

What some folks may not understand is how his show is back.

It's called a brokered deal.

The company that produces Joyner's show is actually paying the owners of Soul 106.3, his new Chicago station, to broadcast the program.

On Sunday, I was in the village of Crestwood reporting on a Tribune investigation that found the southwest suburban village had, for at least 20 years, mixed in untreated, contaminated water, into it's tap water.

You can read the full Tribune story here.

That report is the first in what may become an Erin Brokovich-type story right here in Chicagoland.

We'll calmly file this into Bizzare Medical Stories:

A man in Russia thought he had cancer. His doctor thought he had cancer. Turns out, he had inhaled a seed and a tree sprouted in his lung.

The full story and pictures follow but BE WARNED they're not for everyone!

If you've ever wondered why the adage "Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover" exists, this may be a golden definition.

Simon Cowell (yes, the one on American Idol) got the shock of his life at his other job across the pond on "Britain's Got Talent".

A 47 year old, unemployed woman got up on stage. She said she wanted to be a professional singer.

People in the audience laughed. Some whistled at her (mockingly).

But what happened when the music started, brought the audience--even the judges to their feet.

Last week, Iowa's Supreme Cout stunned much of the country by ruling gay and lesbian couples could begin to legally marry in the state as soon as April 24th.

Monday, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas vetoed a measure from state lawmakers that would set marriage for gay couples on the road to reality.

Tuesday, the state legislature voted to override Douglas' veto making Vermont the fourth state in the country to legalize marriage for gay couples.

Illinois may soon join the chorus of states looking into one of the emerging issues of civil rights: Marriage Equality for Gay Couples.

State Representative Greg Harris, from Chicago, has sponsored a bill that would legalize civil unions in Illinois, giving gay couples many of the legal benefits of marriage but without the formal title.

JWT, the famed ad agency, announced Friday that it would close it's Chicago office.

At it's height, JWT Chicago, employed 300 people and came up with some of America's most memorable ad campaigns.

Now, it's expected that the 50 employees who remain at the Chicago office will be out of a job and remaining accounts will be moved to JWT's New York office.

Take a trip down memory lane and hear the story behind the "I Wish I Were An Oscar Mayer Weiner" song:

Just minutes before Former Governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday, a television reporter from Orlando got into the Disney hotel where he is vacationing with his family.

My question for you: Was this news or an invasion of privacy?

The State of Illinois is one step closer to cracking down on drivers who text while behind the wheel.

The House voted 89 to 27 to ban using a cellphone for text messages when someone is behind the wheel.

The State Senate is expected to take up its version of the bill in this session.

There's a lot of people out there who text while driving. I've seen it-- almost been run over by a few of them.

Do you think this is a good law, an enforceable law? Or is it Big Brother going too far into our personal lives?

A website is now set up for the public to donate money and send their condolences to the family of Jack and Duncan Connolly. The two brothers were found dead Sunday night in rural Putnam County. Their father, Michael, who is suspected of killing himself, didn't return the boys to their mother after a court-ordered visitation.

You can find out more at helpfindduncanandjack.com, which allows you to make a donation to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in lieu of flowers for the family.

Ahh... computers. They're one of man's greatest inventions and greatest curses.

I'm not talking about when you're at your computer and it locks up just before you save a great narrative.

No, no. I'm talking about when one of us gets replaced by a computer.

I've seen it happen in manufacturing jobs for years. Now it's happening at the airport in a job that used to be uniquely human.

I couldn't hold my excitement in. Take a look at the new trailer released for the upcoming big-screen adaptation of the classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are".

Right now, our neighbors to the North, in North Dakota and Minnesota, are fighting off an absolute disaster.

The Red River, which flows north between the North Dakota and Minnesota border, is at near-record flood stage.

In 1997, I was a reporter right out of college when I was hired by the ABC affiliate in Fargo, ND.

It was just a month after what was being called a 100 year flood destroyed many homes, lives and communities along the Red River.

You may remember the picture above from Grand Forks, ND. The city had to be evacuated when flood waters broke through the sandbag dikes.

Flooding in that area isn't new. It happens every spring.

But right now, the Red River is about to crest at levels up to 2.5 feet higher than the devastating levels seen in 1997.

Have you gotten a letter in the mail for running a "red light" in the city?

I have.

The letter shows three pictures of your vehicle and license plate, an invitation to view the video of your car going through a "red light", and a bill for $100.

Good luck trying to get out of it.

Now, State Senator Terry Link is proposing to set up the same type of fixed cameras to catch speeders in eight Illinois counties. The counties are Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair and Will. That report is in the Chicago Tribune.

The story is out of Naperville where a city councilman, Richard Furstenau, sued the city--the city in which he worked and lived--with violating his constitutional rights.

The cased stemmed from Furstenau's arrest in January 2006 and accused of slapping a police officer in the chest.

He was later aquitted of charges during a bench trial in May 2007.

The city apparently has already spent $1 million on defending itself.

Now, council members (Furstenau excluded) voted to settle the constitutional right violation case.

This guy, who at one time swore to uphold the laws of the city, sued the city and others and now may get money, after paying his legal bills, for taking it to court.

We already know that Chicagoans take their food seriously. From Chicago Dogs from a street vendor to the best and most expensive restaurants the city has to offer, foodies are among us.

Top Chef, the Bravo TV chef competition, has produced one winner and one runner-up in the last three seasons who hail from Chicago.

Last year, the James Beard Foundation named Chicagoan Grant Achatz, from Alinea, the best Chef in the United States.

Stack that on top of the James Beard Foundations finalists announced today *in* Chicago and the 18 Chicago ties there are in this year's list. Those include Monica Eng and Phil Vettel from the Chicago Tribune; Richard Melman from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises; and chef Paul Kahan from Blackbird.

You can find the complete list right here.

What do you think? Is Chicago deserving of so much praise in the culinary world? Are we a rising star--beyond hot dogs, deep dish and awesome steak houses?

I've told you before about my non-eco friendly SUV. Don't worry, it's on the smaller side of the genre.

However can I now tell you how happy I am that I have an SUV during the Chicago freeze-thaw cycles that seem to bring out the worst in pavement?

Potholes.

KILLER potholes.

Panic.

It may be the first reaction to losing your job.

However, it's how well you've prepared for it that can make that panic crippling or temporary.

The Chicago Tribune has set up a Recession Survivial Guide with many articles to help all of us avoid the pitfalls of job loss and financial mistakes that we could easily make.

Here are some tips that top the list:

Sometimes you have to wonder why Illinois politics, specifically Chicago politics, has a bad reputation.

Oh wait, I know. It's because we prove the saying a few bad apples spoil the bunch.

Tuesday, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said for the first time in public that if he were Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) he would step down.

Chicago's Chief Financial Officer and next Chief of Staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley, Paul Volpe, called a news conference Friday morning, laying out the fire money mess Chicago was faced with 2008.

Standing at the center of several bar graphs, made to illustrate the dire financial condition of the city, Volpe acknowledged the city's estimates for 2008 revenue was way off. In fact, even after lowering expectations in September, the city was still $31 million short by year's end.

As a reporter in Chicago it's interesting for me not only to cover the political intrigue we're witnessing right now but the reaction of those who are far removed from the events.

My cousins from Australia were here visiting for the holidays when Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges after allegedly trying to 'sell' the open U.S. Senate seat he had sole power to fill, by appointment.

They're now home but continue to follow developments. That includes the latest turn with Blagojevich going against nearly every democrat in the country by appointing someone to fill the seat.

Roland Burris, the former Illinois Attorney General and state Comptroller, was tapped today to be that person.

The question from my cousin, "Why did the governor do that when he knows it's not going to be accepted?"

Good question.

In Plainfield, Debra Brzostowski, 38, says she's in distress about the economy.

To prove the point, the American flag outside her home in the western suburb of Chicago is flying upside-down.

On Sunday, I was outside the Hudson home gathering information for a report that night.

Dozens of people milled around outside there. Journalists, community members, and those who'd come to show their respects.

A man came up to me and asked me what the newest information was. I told him what I knew.

He told me that he knew the Hudson family. He knew Jennifer Hudson. They went to the same church.

"She was an Englewood Idol long before she was an American Idol," he said.

Then, he challenged me. "Would you even be here if it weren't dealing with Jennifer Hudson's family," he asked?

The news isn't good for Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich.

A new Chicago Tribune poll of 500 likely voters in the state show the second term governor is sitting in the popularity cellar.

In it, just 13 percent of voters (65 out of 500) said they approve of the job Blagojevich is doing while 71 percent (355 of 500) disapprove.

That is the lowest approval rating of an elected official in the 30-year history of the Tribune doing such polls.

I'll admit it. I'm a nerd. 100% purebred All-American nerd.

This claim is backed up by the hours I've spent watching networks like History Channel and Discovery.

I was guilty of it this weekend, in fact.

The show "Secrets of Body Language" on History Channel grabbed my attention.

Sure, I know what you do and how you say something is as important (if not more) as what you say.

That's how JFK "won" the debate against Nixon in 1960, right?

Chicago may soon become a new model for tolerance in high school.

Today, Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan recommended that the school board approve plans for 20 new schools, including the first high school for gay, lesbian, transgendered teens and allies.

Does it really teach tolerance? I don't think so.

What it does is send a message--a wrong message--that Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered people are different and need to be separate.

Today, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart ordered his deputies to stop taking part in evictions of properties that have been foreclosed upon starting tomorrow.

Dart says he made the move because of the skyrocketing number of foreclosures in the Chicagoland area.

This story took on significant meaning to me recently. For nearly a year, I've battled with a law firm in Wisconsin to try and save the home my mom was so proud of buying in early 2004. It was the first house she was able to buy on her own.

Folks, it seems that being a daddy has meant some house cleaning for Clay Aiken. Specifically, when it comes to his closet.

In the latest issue of People magazine, Aiken finally acknowledges he's gay.

A new health study of Italians shows that a small square of dark chocolate daily protects the heart from inflammation and subsequent heart disease.

Those researchers even have the amount you should eat down to 1/10th of a gram.

The national media is taking the easy way out.

Late Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama went on the attack. He called the McCain/Palin campaign's reformist image "putting lipstick on a pig".

"The other side, suddenly, they're saying 'we're for change too.' Now think about it, these are the same folks that have been in charge for the last eight years," Obama said to the crowd.

"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough," he exclaimed.

Watch the video here:

Instead of covering the issues, the press is covering a darned pig statement.

Something stinks. I think it's the reporting barnyard they're wallowing in.

I've worked in television long enough to know that sometimes, things are in the TelePrompTer that aren't supposed to be there.

Perhaps that explains the faux pas from the co-chair of the Republican National Committee on Tuesday night.

In front of the entire convention (and presumably a national audience), Jo Ann Davidson of Ohio made a pretty noticeable slip of the tongue:

"We are holding a convention that will nominate a Republican woman, Governor Sarah Pawlenty, our next vice president," Davidson said.

Watch it for yourself:

On Friday, when Governor Sarah Palin was announced as John McCain's VeePee pick, no one really knew who she was.

One fact I found doing a fast google was that her degree (the only one) is a bachelor's in journalism.

Another fact... she actually worked in television news.

Now... here's the video to prove it.

"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.

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.

As Drew Peterson left Will County Courthouse on Wednesday, he was greeted by the media and some "fans".

First, take a look at the exchange:

Okay, I've seen and heard it all.

"I love the Sisters," he said. Peterson was referring to the African American women who called out to him.

"I love you too, honey," yelled out one of them.

Really? REALLY.

Greta Garbo and Monroe, Dietrich and DiMaggio.

Years ago, these icons of pop culture held influence over what did, said and thought. So much so that they're in Madonna's "Vogue".

Take a close look at the pictures above. Notice something?

They're all smoking.

Thing is, everyone who was anyone smoked in the first half of the 20th Century. It was a status symbol. Right?

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis responded to the Governor's offer to bring in State Police officers to help curb violence in the city today.

Though he said he's willing to take on more officers to assist in targeting higher crime areas, he added he's not sure why he and Mayor Daley weren't asked about the plan before an announcement was made at a press conference yesterday.

The mayor yesterday and Weis today truly seemed to be blindsided by the offer.

What's the true motivation behind it?

Perhaps it'll become more clear in the next few days.

As a taxpayer, it worries me that our leaders don't seem to be working together to solve this serious issue.

What do you think?

We'll be following reaction, including yours. Tune into Garrard McClendon Live tonight, he'll be taking your calls and asking for your opinion.

California is now the second state in the Union to allow marriage for gay couples.

The ladies in the picture above are 84-year-old Phyllis Lyon and 87-year-old Del MartIn .

They're lesbians.

They met in 1953 and have been together ever since.

On Monday, the two were married in San Francisco; the first of many couples to tie the knot on the first day that the state allowed the ceremonies to go forward.

55 years together. Straight or gay, that is astounding.

When you think about it, these ladies had more pressures than most. They were together in a time before the Stonewall riots in New York City. They were together in a time before gay people were called gay. Most importantly, they were together in a time when simply being together was a crime in many parts of the country.

They built a life together against all odds.

The Liberty Council, a group that opposes marriage for gay couples, has responded to May's court ruling allowing the marriages to happen with a move to amend the California state constitution.

The measure will be on the November ballot that would change the constitution to "provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

It's a measure Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) said he doesn't support.

As I read the story of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, my journalistic instinct to remain silent on the subject went away.

As a society, we need to encourage and be respectful of loving relationships like these. They make our communities and, in turn, our country stronger.

An article from LiveScience.com caught my eye today:

A Dutch woman who reached 115 years of age and remained mentally sharp throughout life also had a healthy brain when she died, a new study finds. The woman's brain showed almost no evidence of Alzheimer's disease. The finding suggests Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are not inevitable, as had been suspected.

What the article did not say is if this woman was blessed with incredible genes or if she lived her life in a certain way... a way we could all learn from.

I look at personal examples when it comes to mental decline in later years.

My two grandmothers, maternal and paternal, are still alive. My maternal grandmother never smoked and rarely drank alcohol. Her diet was normal--if not on the healthier side. She is living in the Alzheimer's unit of a nursing home. Though she still recognizes me and others close to her, she can barely be understood and exhibits many symptoms of advancing Alzheimer's.

My paternal grandmother, who's 7 years older than my other grandma, still lives in her own house. She jokes around with me, watches her beloved Brewers on television and even goes to the casino every once in a while.

What baffles me is that she smoked for a number of years before quitting about 25 years ago. She also ate, my most estimates, a staggering amount of red meat and artery-clogging foods.

Though she has some physical ailments at the age of 86, she is quite independent.

Reading the story of the Dutch woman makes me wonder--is our longevity and quality of life marked by decisions we've made in how we've lived our lives? Is it pre-determined in our DNA? Or, is it simply a crap shoot where some of us--no matter how we've taken care of ourselves--luck out with health while others do not?

Perhaps we'll find out someday.

Hello to you, this is Sean Lewis. Thank you for taking the time out to read this post.

Friday at 10am, CLTV begins airing NIU: Together Forward.

It's another look at how the shootings at Cole Hall February 14th touched the lives of students on campus.

This isn't just a look back at the events from that day.

This program is a look forward at how a small group of students lives were changed because of the tragedy.

We worked closely with student journalists from NIU's Northern Television Center, the student newspaper "The Northern Star" as well as a sit-down interview with the president of NIU, John Peters.

It takes a different look at what happened that day... a new perspective from the eyes of students who were inside the classroom and outside, documenting the response by school officials and emergency personnel.

I hope you are able to watch and appreciate the efforts of these students and leave your thoughts on the show.

The half-hour special airs at:

10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday May 16th,

2 and 8 p.m. Saturday May 17th

10:30 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday May 18th

This weekend is NIU's graduation weekend.

Here are the clips of the program, if you can't see it on television:

An Accociated Press-Ipsos poll out Monday shows that Hillary Clinton has a better chance of beating John McCain in November than Barack Obama.

Clinton leads McCain in the hypothetical matchup 50 percent to 41 percent.

Obama leads McCain 46 percent to 44 percent.

This poll was conducted, presumably, over the course of the weekend... the same weekend that the name Jeremiah Wright was once again in the news.

Rev. Wright was the guest of the Detroit NAACP where he tried to explain, again, the sermon that many of us have heard only portions.

Those "soundbites" from one sermon have come to define months of the campaign for Barack Obama.

Because of those soundbites, Obama made a pivitol speech on race in the United States. He then faced a barage of questions regarding the former preacher from his Chicago church. Being forced to denounce remarks and distance himself from a man he considers family.

This morning I thought, "Are the recent public appearances of Rev. Wright hurting Barack Obama's campaign... again?"

Just as the drawn-out battle for the Democratic nomination is being seen as hurting both Clinton and Obama down the road, keeping Wright as a front-and-center reminder may actually be taking votes away from Obama.

Make no mistake--I don't think this is right.

I can't imagine how I'd feel being held responsible for the words of someone else.

Also, I can't imagine taking 30 seconds of out of an hour sermon and trying to understand the real message.

That's foolish.

Think of only hearing this:

A host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.

When, during the same speech, we also heard this from Franklin D. Roosevelt:

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

If you were to hear that first soundbite, you'd be left with a far different impression than hearing the entire speech that rallied the American people to work through the Great Depression.

As we look at the Rev. Wright and his potential impact on Barack Obama's campaign, remember that Wright is also trying to have people understand that his 30 years of work shouldn't be boiled down to 30 seconds.

Most of us were fortunate as children.

We were loved by family unconditionally and had a safe place to go... we called it home.

There are, of course, exceptions.

Shelter, Inc., based in Arlington Heights, has helped thousands of children in the Northwest Suburbs by taking them into their care and giving them that love most of us took for granted.

On Saturday,April 19th, Shelter, Inc is hosting its second 5k walk and Kidz dash to raise money it needs to keep the programs going.

CLTV is a media sponsor and I will be joining many of my coworkers to show our support.

I truly hope you can make it out on Saturday morning.

For more information, please click this link to Shelter, Inc.

Thanks for taking the time!

Sean Lewis

According to a new CBS News-New York Times poll, 81 percent of Americans believe the United States is on the wrong track.

Folks, I was driving home when I heard that on the radio Thursday afternoon and I nearly drove off the road. Not because of the number itself... but because of what I heard next: That's the worst the number's been since it was first asked nearly 20 years ago.

Are we really that pessimistic as a nation or is it the reality?

Let's take a look through the New York times.

There is this article Friday that shows employers cut 80,000 jobs across the country in the month of March.

Then, there's this article that shows a significant increase in the use of food stamps, and their equivalents, as those people lose their jobs and can no longer afford to eat.

Both of those were published the same week as a statement from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke which sounded decidedly uncertain if the U.S. could avoid a recession and another poll showed that a majority of the world's nations have a negative view of the United States--for the first time.

It's truly a lot to wrap your head around when you think what goes into "being on the wrong track."

Certainly we all have our own perspective. Is it the economy on the whole, the housing crisis, the Iraq and Afghanistan war, or is it because some of the more than 1,000 people surveyed for the poll had just lost their job?

For me, it shows that "perception" is everything. A track is what we make of it.

Nearly 140 years after the first Trans-Continental railroad was completed here, maybe it's time that we start off to build a better, more modern track--one that will alter our perception and get us out of an old rut.

Born Free, now I'm expensive.

A few years ago, I saw a bumper sticker that said that very phrase... and I chuckled.

Now, a report by the U.S. Government confirms the cost of raising a child in a middle income family will cost $204,060.

Suddenly, I'm not chuckling.

$204,060?!?!

Over the course of 18 years, that breaks down to $11,336.00 per year.

According to the report, families making less than $45,800 before taxes can expect to spend about $148,320 in real terms over the course of their child's first 17 years.

Families with more income, say more than $77,100 a year, will spend $298,680 in 2007 dollars on raising their '07 child.

In all, it shows that making the decision to have a child should also include the financial ramifications but it shouldn't be everything.

As a product of a single parent, low-income household a successful childhood is more about the support and guidance you can give your child... not about the Nintendo Wii.

We've done it again.

Today, a new national record high was reached for the average price of gasoline.

$3.22/gallon for regular.

Wall Street saw it coming. AAA saw it coming. Actually, everyone saw it coming.

The "experts" blame the new record high on the price of crude oil. True to test, the price of a barrel of crude oil flirted with $110 today.

The reason for the high price of oil? Well, we know it isn't increased demand. As a country, we have curbed our appetite, ever-so-slightly, for gasoline.

Is it because OPEC and other oil producers aren't pumping enough oil? Not really.

But, I encourage you to do a quick Google search on the stock prices for various oil companies. They're way WAY up over the last 10 years.

I'm smart enough to know that I'm not smart enough to know why the price of gas is so high. I just keep paying, trying to cut back where I can and hoping that the price will drive the need for a better alternative to fossil fuels.

Folks, when it comes to politics, I'm a nerd. Book carrying, taped eyeglass wearing, bona fide nerd.

I blame my mother for this personality trait.

When I was just a little Sean, I tagged along with her when she went to the polls to vote. She voted in nearly every election.

I would stand there, staring at the rows and rows of selections. She would point to which ones she wanted to vote for and I would flip the switch. Point. Flip. Point. Flip.

Take it from me it was a blast, for a 5 year old, to do something so "grown up" and I wanted more.

She said, "When you get older you can take me here and make your own choices."

That made me a political junkie.

I remember staying up to watch the 1984 election results. If you also remember that night, you know I wasn't up that late.

In 1988, I wrote this monstrosity of a report for social studies. It had charts, pictures and graphs.

That's when I really got into the electoral college. It's kind of confusing for a lot of folks... but it's really fun to play with the states and see what a candidate needs in order to win the 270 electoral votes to be president.

Whether you have a child or not, I encourage you to check out "270 to Win" and play with the numbers. Find out what which states a candidate must win to win!

It can help with understanding the process and encourage a younger generation to be engaged in politics... and math!

Win-Win, huh?

For more than 10 years now I've reported on tragedy and triumph--both small and large.

The shooting at NIU, by gunman Stephen Kazmierczak, hits home.

I have several friends and family members who've been students at Northern.

My college mentor, Allen May, a former television reporter who now teaches journalism at NIU was on campus during the shooting.

I called him just seconds after the first reports.

As he rattled off what he had heard from campus officials and from his own students outside, his voice--for the first time since I've known him--was shaky. You could tell that this seasoned journalist was unsure for his safety and, perhaps more importantly, for the safety of his students.

Kazmierczak, the 27 year old former NIU student, didn't just take six lives during the horrible shootings at Cole Hall; he took away the sense of security that many feel while they're on a college campus.

Because Steve Kazmierczak killed himself, we may never know what his intentions were. This is a guy who was a student himself-- even teaching as a graduate student at NIU last year.

He barged into a lecture hall and opened fire. Daniel Parmenter, Catalina Garcia, Ryanne Mace, Juliana Gehant and Gayle Dubowski were shot and killed.

Does this point to another case of the mental health system dropping the ball, such as in the case of Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho?

Do we blame someone who may be mentally ill for carrying out such despicable acts?

As the investigation continues into what led up to the NIU shootings and the healing begins, I hope that leaders also take a look at how we can help those people,so sick, that they feel to end their lives--they must also take the lives of innocent people.

It was brought to my attention that some folks may be using a broad brush when it comes to labels for Hillary Clinton.

Some have called the junior senator from New York the first viable female candidate for president.

Viability, it seems, can take on many perspectives.

One perspective came in the form of an email from my aunt in Minnesota.

She was quick to point out that some in the media were less than accurate in calling Senator Clinton the first viable female to run for the White House.

For proof, she pointed to the candidacy of Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) in 2000:

"Mrs. Dole has far longer public service in a variety of positions. I get annoyed what inconvenient facts are overlooked. "

As you may know, Elizabeth Dole served as U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Reagan, U.S. Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush as well as President of the American Red Cross for a number of years.

Republican, Democrat or Independent-- you have to admit those are some pretty impressive credentials that many presidential candidates would boast about.

So, why isn't Dole getting the credit as the first viable female candidate for president?

Because in the 2000 race, she wasn't.

By definition, viable means capable of working, functioning or developing adequately.

But even before the first test of political strength was cast in Iowa, Dole dropped out of the race. The reason wasn't qualifications. The reason was fundraising.

She wasn't able to grab onto enough money early enough. That, beyond race and beyond gender, is the key to success early in a campaign.

You need a lot of money to run for president and be successful. The money wasn't there for Dole eight years ago. Without it, her campaign couldn't work, couldn't function and wasn't capable of developing.

When I replied to my aunt's email I did note this:

"Interesting, though, that both of them have very successful and powerful political husbands. Still makes it seem like there's a ceiling for women in politics. The message being, 'We'll trust you with the important job, just as long as you have the support next to you'"

That may be the next political hurdle.

History may look back on Elizabeth Dole with a great deal of recognition.. not as the first viable female presidential candidate... but as the first well-qualified female candidate.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, rubber testicles may be on their way out.

This is how HB 1452 reads:

"No person shall display upon or equip any motor vehicle with any object or device that depicts, represents, or resembles human genitalia, regardless of size or scale."

The novelty item isn't new but it is striking a chord for Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. One of his constituents recently complained about them. His young daughter, it seems, saw a pair on a truck and asked what they were for.

I mean, what do you say? Driving down the road isn't the best place to have that conversation with your little girl.

So, the bill was written. It's only a couple of lines but it strips the ability for anyone to display those replicas on their vehicle.

A few years ago, when I was working in Virginia the state lawmakers had another bill they were considering.

It was dubbed the "droopy drawers" law. It was supposed to outlaw people from wearing jeans and the like if they weren't covering a person's butt. You know how the kids wear 'em these days--a la Hip Hop Style.

The bill didn't pass. What it did do was embarrass much of the state because the bill was made fun of across the country.

I think HB 1452 is poised to do the same thing.

Sure, these "things" are in bad taste. But should it be illegal?

I'm sure the cops in Virginia have better things to do than to pull someone over and write them a ticket because a pair of tasteless testicles are hanging from the back end of his or her pickup.

See, I knew your curiosity would be piqued by the headline!

Thanks for stopping by. OK, here's the deal on this story:

I've heard of this before. Dad is in the workshop, slices off his fingers and through the miracle of modern medicine *POOF* Dad's toe is now sitting squarely on his hand as a thumb.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful that dad has his opposable thumb-toe. But now he's a 4-toed dad with some balance problems that requires months of physical therapy to overcome.

As I read this today and then read about Illinois' organ donation program having 3 million people registered it dawned on me:

Why can't we have donor limbs?

Well, as I found out, we do. It's just very rare and very complicated.

In order to do a limb transplant of any kind the bone marrow of the donor limb must be very close to that of the person who needs the limb.

The chances of that, as you can imagine, is one in a million.

My advice? If you aren't a donor already and it's not against your religious beliefs, become a tissue donor.

Illinois reached a milestone by hitting 3 million people on the donor registry.

By joining it, not only could it help others who need an organ transplant... but perhaps your neighbor--who just happened to let his or her finger get in the way of the band saw in the workshop.

Welcome to the world, Nano.

The biggest automaker in India, Tata, unveiled the world's cheapest car this week.

The Nano car (iPod fans may gasp) is roughly the cost of a new Apple Computer-- $2,500.

At a miniscule 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, the Nano lives up to its name. The 2-cylinder gas engine delivers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph.

The basic version is very basic. No radio, no passenger side mirror and only one windshield wiper. Air conditioning is only available in the deluxe version. That one costs more.

Why do we need such a vehicle?

The Nano was developed to meet the demands of a growing middle class in India. According to Tata, this car will target families that currently cram several people onto one two-seated scooter that sells for about $900.

The impact of this car could be enormous.

Environmental experts are shuddering at the thought of millions of new gas-powered vehicles pumping more carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) into the air.

Another implication is the tug on the world's oil supplies.

Tata insists that the Nano will get about 50 mpg and will meet Indian and European emission standards. Still, all those cars will inevitably increase demand for oil. Last week's record high of $100 per barrel for oil may sound cheap in a few years.

Company Chairman, Ratan Tata, believes he is doing what is right for his country.

It is much the same thought as Henry Ford when he started to produced the first affordable car, the Model T, 100 years ago.

Thing is, 100 years ago, Henry Ford was an innovator to produce the latest technology at an more affordable price through first-of-its-kind mass production.

Today, gasoline powered engines aren't the wave of the future. They're a tie to the past.

I believe Mr. Tata should take a cue from Henry Ford not only by bringing transportation to his country but by doing it through the latest technology.

How much more would it be to power the Nano by solar means or an electric motor?

My fear is that the very people in India who will flock to buy a new, cheap Nano will end up paying the price so many of us in the United States do now.

Clogged roadways and, even worse, clogged air.

I found this story out of Des Moines, Iowa.

A mom sold a car she bought for her 19-year-old son. Why? Because he broke the rules. She found a bottle of alcohol in the car and promptly took out an ad in the local paper to teach her son a lesson.

The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

The mom's name is Jean Hambleton. Since Jean took out the ad, she's gotten a flood of calls congratulating her on her tough stance.

According to Jean, her son's not happy. He says the alcohol belonged to a passenger--not him. Still, she says there were two rules when the car was given to him: No alcohol and always keep it locked.

The rules were broken. He paid the price.

I'm not going to call Jean and congratulate her but I would like to say "good for her!"

Jerry Springer, Maury Povich and the like make a living with shows revolving around horrible children.. just TERRIBLE children who have no manners, no respect and the inability to take responsibility for their actions.

What Jean did, in my opinion, was show the parents of those kids what they should be doing--what they should have done to produce successful, self-reliant and responsible citizens.

The Iowa Caucuses are over. Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee are the winners. This we know.

The next step? Wyoming. Yes, Wyoming.

It seems that Republicans in the Equality State are going ahead with their Presidential Caucuses January 5th despite objections and sanctions from the Republican National Committee.

The decision for the move came in August. The hope was that it would propel Wyoming into the spotlight.

Did it work? I think you already know the answer to the question.

Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul have barely stepped into the state to say "Howdy."

Rudy Giuliani and John McCain didn't even show up to so much as two step with folks.

In the the end, the RNC punished the state by taking away some of its delegates at the Republican Convention.

I'm sure that some attention will be paid to the results. Perhaps a mention of it on the evening newscasts and a feature story on Saturday's network morning shows.

That's all. No more. Sorry, cowboy.

For all the "change" that is being talked about in Decision 2008, the political process is still an institution steeped in tradition.

Iowa Caucuses, the New Hampshire Primary and Super Tuesday. That was the story decades ago and it continues to be now.

So, my ten-gallon hat goes off to the Republican voters in Wyoming as they caucus.

But, was losing delegates at the national convention worth being second behind Iowa?

I guess we'll find out.

Today, for the first time in history, oil futures tipped the $100 per barrel mark for a brief time. At the end of the day, the price of a barrel of crude oil settled in at $99.62 per barrel.

Why do we care?

Because that price is what oil companies will say is the reason for jacking up the price we pay for gasoline at the pump.

Here are the reasons today for the jump:

*Increased violence in Nigeria
*Rough weather at Mexican oil export ports
*OPEC report saying it might not meet its share of oil demand by 2024

I've been reporting the news for more than a decade and remember doing stories on historic LOW prices for a barrel of oil. We're talking less than $20/barrel. At the time, a gallon of regular was about $1.01. Dirt cheap.

Just months before 9/11, oil prices were just under $40/barrel.

Many complained that was highway robbery. Then, the war began.

But it's not just the war that's driven the price of oil up in the last 6 years. It is the increased demand around the world for oil. More so, it's the increased tolerance of us to pay higher and higher prices without cutting how much oil-based products we use.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge conservation guy. I own an SUV. Given this, I still see the writing on the wall. The price of oil is never going down until our cars are powered by something else.

When will that happen? No clue.

It's more a question of marketing than technology at this point.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may want to run for the White House in '08.

Bloomberg is a billionaire and ran as a Republican in 2001 and 2005. However, he is now officially an Independent and would run as one for the Presidency.

The rumblings aren't anything but a whisper draft campaign at this point but it could pose a problem for both sides of the political spectrum.

Bloomberg is seen by many as having a "less is more" sense of government involvement in private lives and likes to run a fiscally tight ship.

However, like the man he succeeded as New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, he's socially--well, more accepting of other views.

That makes him attractive to both Republicans and Democrats.

The talk is right now that Bloomberg might jump into the race in the Spring if it looks as though the major party candidates will be polar opposites. For example: Mike Huckabee vs. Barack Obama or John Edwards.

Bloomberg could be seen as a middle ground guy.

He has the cash to run on his own. He has the personality to get more than his share of coverage.

Not since Ross Perot in 1992 has a third candidate had the chance to really make a White House election so interesting for those who watch politics.

Attention Chicago postal customers: We don't have the slowest service.

In Oberlin, Kansas, a Christmas card dated December 23rd, 1914 just arrived to its destination. It was mailed to Ethel Martin, apparently from her cousins in Alma, Nebraska.

The postmaster in Orberlin says he's boggled by this mail mystery.

Okay, I admit that this is a cute story. That's why I wanted you to know about it.

It does, though, illustrate a lesson I recently learned. Christmas cards are okay to be late but you should always certify your important mail, folks.

According to the United States Postal Service website it's an extra $2.65.

I wish I would have done that a few months ago while sending in a gym membership cancellation. According to them, they never got it. Because of that, it's costing me an extra $223.50 in past dues.

That's a lot of extra lifting. Unfortunately, it's my wallet that's feeling the burn... not my muscles.

So, you might say my mom raised me right.

She was a big believer of tipping well for exceptional service. She also believed in tipping a minimum amount even for average service because service folks need to make a living.

But, do you tip extra during the holidays?

The answer, it seems, is yes. At least for those who provide services all year 'round (i.e. Hair Stylist, Postal worker, etc.)

But where do you draw the line?

Today, the pizza I ordered for lunch was nearly an hour late arriving. It was too late for me to eat right away.. and ended up being cold as a Vermont icicle in January by the time I was able to make more time.

Keep in mind that another co-worker (a very nice woman) took delivery for me and gave the driver a $4.00 tip. That amounts to a 40% tip for a late delivery. She said "Well, it's Christmas!"

True.

Don't get me wrong, the guy would have gotten *something* for his trouble.

But for as much as we yearn sometimes for better customer service, is it right to reward someone for poor performance--even if it's the holiday season?

If you'd like to read the suggested amounts for holiday tipping check out this article:
http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/17/pf/holiday_tipping/index.htm