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Tag: Chicago

  • John Wayne Gacy Probe Solves Cold Case

    The disappearance of Edward Beaudion, a 22-year-old Chicago man who went missing in 1978, had been a cold case for decades, until his remains were finally identified via DNA that was collected to establish potential victims of notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

    In 2011, Beaudion’s family submitted DNA to Cook County police after the department called upon relatives of missing persons who may have been victims of Gacy. John Wayne Gacy, Jr., also known as the Killer Clown, was convicted of the sexual assault and murder of at least 33 teenage boys and young men in a series of killings committed between 1972 and 1978 around Chicago.

    Here is a documentary on Gacy, also known as “Pogo the Clown”:

    Beaudion’s remains were discovered in 2008 by a family hiking in a forest preserve, though the DNA his family submitted wasn’t tested until 2013. At a press conference Wednesday morning, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart commented that the DNA was a match to Beaudoin’s body. Beaudion’s sister, Ruth Rodriguez, said, “I can’t understand why (he was killed). I’ll never get any answers for that, but at least putting the cross out there we have somewhere we can go and pray and connect with my brother.”

    Beaudion vanished after borrowing his sister’s car in July, 1978. The car was found three weeks later in Missouri, and a man named Jerry Jackson was arrested for its theft. Jackson had confessed to killing Beaudion, but was never charged because Beaudion’s body was never located. Jackson died in 2013, before charges could be filed against him in Beaudoin’s death.

    Sheriff Dart and Rodriguez both suggest that those with missing relatives nationwide should submit DNA samples to authorities to help identify bodies.

    Image via Twitter

  • Miley Cyrus Postpones US Tour Dates Due to Illness

    Miley Cyrus officially postponed the remaining dates on the U.S. leg of her Bangerz tour on Friday.

    The announcement on Cyrus’ website read as follows:

    “All remaining U.S. dates on the Miley Cyrus Bangerz tour have been postponed. Miley is continuing to recover from the severe allergic reaction she suffered on April 15. Existing tickets will be honored on the new dates, which include previously cancelled and postponed dates.”

    The postponed shows have been rescheduled for the first two weeks in August. Cyrus also added shows in Pittsburgh (on August 4) and Chicago (on August 14.)

    According to the announcement, the European leg of the tour will proceed as planned. It kicks off May 2 in Amsterdam.

    Cyrus ended up in the hospital in Kansas City last week, forcing her to cancel her show there at the last minute.

    “Miley Cyrus’ Bangerz tour date scheduled for tonight, April 15, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City has been cancelled. Cyrus has been hospitalized for a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics and has been placed on medical rest by her doctors. She will not be able to perform as scheduled,” her website stated.

    Representatives of the controversial singer explained that Cyrus was prescribed the antibiotic Cephalexin for a sinus infection she came down with in North Carolina. Cyrus suffered an “extreme allergic reaction” to the antibiotic.

    “This type of extreme reaction can last from five to 27 days in these types of cases,” the statement said. “She will remain hospitalized and is under a doctor’s care until we see some improvement in her condition …”

    The Bangerz tour kicked off February 14 in Vancouver. The spate of health-related cancellations started with Cyrus’ April 7 Charlotte, NC show.

    Bangerz released in October 2013, debuting in the number one spot on the Billboard 200. In February the album went platinum with over 1 million copies sold.

    Image via Miley Cyrus, Twitter

  • Jesse Jackson Jr., Former Illinois Rep., Moved to Alabama Prison

    Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has been spending time in a North Carolina federal prison since October of last year. Jackson is in custody for looting $750,000 from his treasury that he used for purchasing elk heads, celebrity memorabilia, and other luxury items. He served in office from 1995 until his resignation in 2012.

    Over a month ago, Jackson was placed in solitary confinement for up to five days for giving advice to other prisoners about their rights in prison. After his hearing, he was cleared of any offence and he asked to be transferred to another prison.

    According to sources, Jackson, who is Inmate No. 32451-016, is now located in a prison in Montgomery, Alabama. The transfer happened on Friday, said Chris Burke, spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons. The details regarding the transfer were not disclosed for privacy and security reasons.

    Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Jackson’s father, said that the transfer was regarding “a medical situation,” and that his son’s health was improving. Jackson Jr. is said to be undergoing treatment for his bipolar disorder.

    According to Santita Jackson, Jackson’s sister, her brother wanted to make a contribution when he entered prison. She said, “He wanted to be of service to people serving time with him.”

    Jackson’s wife, Sandy, has been visiting her husband in prison together with their two kids. She is also pleaded guilty to conspiring in looting the campaign funds. She has been sentenced to a year in prison, but will serve her time when her husband is released. These terms were given to the couple in consideration of their children.

    Jackson’s release date is set for December 31, 2015. However, authorities say that he could leave prison earlier than the projected date if he becomes a model inmate. If released earlier, Jackson will be spending time in a halfway house.

    Why Did Jesse Jackson Go To Prison?

    Image via YouTube

  • Dermot Mulroney Scar Explained, ‘Crisis’ Role Examined

    In a very detailed interview with actor Dermot Mulroney, one question that came up was in reference to the 50-year-old’s lip scar.

    The scar, located below his right nostril, has been a noticeable physical feature since the start of his acting career.

    Like any other nosey person, I too have wondered how the scar got there, and it’s rather interesting to hear the story behind it.

    “It was a long time ago, so I’ve always had it,” he told the Chicago Sun Times magazine, Splash. “I was 3½ and I was carrying a dish for our pet rabbits. And I tripped and it broke, and I fell on it. I definitely remember that day, even though I was 3 years old. I don’t think about it or see it, but it’s always been there.

    The About Schmidt star surely appears to be unashamed of his perfectly imperfect flaw-especially since he never conceals it.

    “It certainly has its place on my face, right below my right nostril. That’s where it belongs.”

    Mulroney, who is also recognized for last year’s featured roles in New Girl, is currently in Chicago working on the new television drama Crisis.

    He adds that filming the series in Chicago brings back fond memories of the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding, which he shot with Julia Roberts in 1997.

    “Coming back here to shoot [‘Crisis’], I’ll go by a stairway to an L where I know we shot a scene, or by a nightclub where we filmed. I’m always happening upon these locations that I shot at 16, 17 years ago, and I remember them like it was yesterday.”

    The premier episode aired last week for the first time on NBC.

    The actor explains that portraying secret service agent Thomas Gibson is quite out of his element, but he still welcomes the idea of exploring a daring and hostile character.

    “I’ve finally understood what people mean when they say, ‘The character got under my skin.’ I’m exploring the psychology of a man who has elements in his personality unchecked by conventional thinking. I’ve had some dark thoughts these days.”

    Mulroney mentioned that he does, however, admires his character’s intelligence.

    “But the thing that most impresses me about Gibson is how truly genius he is. It’s fun to play a character that is vastly more intelligent than I am, to be frank. It made me feel really smart.”

    Crisis will air Sundays at 10 p.m. on NBC.

    View a sneak-peek to this week’s episode below:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Vernita Gray, LGBT Champion, Dies At 65 Of Breast Cancer

    Vernita Gray, a known advocate for LGBT rights, died on Tuesday at her home in Edgewater, Chicago, after succumbing to breast cancer. Gray had been battling cancer since 1996, and had several recurrences through the years. She was 65.

    Gray is known for being half of Illinois’ first same-sex couple to exchange marriage vows when she married Patricia Ewert in November last year. A federal judge hastened the couple’s marriage license because of Gray’s condition.

    As a result, additional court rulings expedited same-sex marriage in Illinois ahead of the planned June 1, 2014 implementation.

    “She changed the world. She made it a better place,” said Ewert. “She was always happy, always positive.”

    Gray was also a leading advocate for LGBT rights since the late 60’s. She came out after Woodstock in 1969, after learning of the Stonewall riots. Soon, she organized a gay and lesbian hotline at her home, and support groups for youth who were rejected by their families. The phone rang so much that she would leave her apartment just to get peace of mind.

    Gray and Ewert met on an all-women’s cruise during Pride Month in 2009. They were engaged in the same year. The couple wed at their Chicago home on November 27 and had their honeymoon in Ixtapa, Mexico.

    The couple received a congratulatory letter from President Obama, saying, “A love like yours is truly something to treasure.”

    “Vernita Gray was an inspiration to all who crossed her path, from President Obama who knew her by name to the victims of violence she comforted and the young people for whom she was a fierce advocate,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

    A memorial service is being planned. According to family, donations should be made to Affinity Community Services, Broadway Youth Center at Howard Brown, or Center on Halsted.

    Vernita Gray Speaks At Illinois Marriage Equality March


    Image via YouTube

  • Jimmy Fallon Takes Polar Plunge With Mayor Rahm Emanuel

    Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, asked Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, to be one of his guests on the show. The Mayor responded to Fallon’s invite on his Twitter account by saying that he would only be a guest on the show if Fallon takes part in the Chicago Polar Plunge.

    Emanuel agreed to participate in the Polar Plunge after challenging students in Chicago to read 2 million books over the course of the summer.

    Chicago’s Polar Plunge is an annual event wherein participants take a dip into the freezing Lake Michigan to raise money for the Special Olympics.

    On Wednesday night, Fallon told his audience that he would be taking part in the event, and that he has no idea what the Polar Plunge is. He then replied to Emanuel’s tweet by saying he’s in on the Polar Plunge with a hashtag #SwimmyFallon. On March 1, Fallon again tweeted saying that he got his ticket and he’s wearing a suit for the plunge. He then urged participants to show solidarity by wearing a necktie. Fallon also said that he is a man of his words and a man of his tweets.

    On Sunday Morning, Fallon showed up in a suit, as he promised, and plunged into the 32-degree water in 10-degree weather with the Mayor. A few moments before the event started, Chicago firefighters went into the water and removed ice chunks in the area.

    Fallon had a shocked expression on his face as he took the plunge. Both Fallon and Emanuel were completely soaked from head to toe as the crowds cheered while watching them.

    After taking a dip in the cold Lake Michigan, Fallon posted on Instagram and Twitter with the caption “Officially PLUNGED!!!!!”

    Sunday’s Chicago Polar Plunge had 3,200 people in attendance and just a little less than $1 million was raised for the Special Olympics, breaking the record for Chicago.

    Image via Twitter

  • Chicago Man Takes Foot Fetish Too Far, Masturbates In Co-Worker’s Shoe

    The foot fetish can manifest itself in many different ways. Some people are content to just look at pictures of people wearing shoes, but others take it too far by stealing shoes. Last week, one Chicago man went way too far in his quest to get off on feet.

    The Chicago Sun Times reports that Tim Margis, Concordia University’s public safety director, was arrested for allegedly masturbating into his co-worker’s shoe. The deed itself allegedly took place on February 10 as the victim caught him leaving her office while buttoning up his pants.

    I would like to like to think that warning sirens were going off at this point, but the victim simply asked Margis what he was doing. He claimed to be checking the room as the door had been left open. It’s a pretty good excuse for a public safety director, but he made one small mistake – he left a “clear liquid” inside one of her shoes.

    As you can imagine, the police were immediately called and Margis was visited by detectives on February 12. Upon questioning, he admitted to shooting the porridge gun in her shoe and was charged with public indecency and disorderly conduct.

    Compared to some of the others in our gallery of deviants, Margis got off pretty easy with just two misdemeanors. It doesn’t mean that he got off without permanent consequence though. Concordia University made sure he won’t be working with them again:

    “At that point the employee was suspended and banned immediately from campus. We cooperated fully with the investigation and he was terminated on Feb. 13 for misconduct, less than 24 hours later.”

    The wheel of morality tells us today that a central tenet of keeping your job is to not masturbate in the shoes of your co-workers. Know what? You probably shouldn’t masturbate at work at all, unless that is your job. Lucky bastard.

    Image via River Forest Police Department

  • Tip: Clear Your Phone Browser of Porn Sites Before Using Said Phone in News Segment

    That’s just a simple tip, guys. If you’re going to use your iPhone to film stock video for a local news segment, it might be wise to make sure your bookmarks and history list doesn’t read “Pornhub Mobile.”

    Or, I guess, if you truly don’t care – well, power to you.

    A WGN (Chicago) report on a new app called Expunge.io needed some nice stock video of someone accessing the app on their mobile device. The app, which helps people expunge minor offenses from their records, is the work of local high school students.

    If only someone would have found an app that automatically clears your browser history for you.

    As you can see in the image above, an eagle-eyed redditor caught the errant link, which only flashes on screen for about a half of a second. We found the video and sure enough, this is real. The magic happens at about 48 seconds in. Don’t blink, you might miss it. Just proof that there’s always somebody watching, ready to take a screenshot. If you mess up, you’re going to wind up internet famous for it. Sorry.

    To be honest, I’m more intrigued by that other link. What the hell are we all trying to expose? Based on the Pornhub link, I have a few ideas.

    Image via GIANTclouds, reddit (hosted via Imgur)

  • Winter Storm Hercules Heads to the Northeast

    Before Winter Storm Hercules is finished with the US, roughly 1 in 3 Americans will have seen snow in the early days of 2014.

    The massive storm dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the Midwest on New Years Day, and is now slamming the Northeast.

    According to meteorologist Chris Dolce, Hercules could reach blizzard proportions in some areas: “The Northeast I-95 corridor will feel the worst impacts from Hercules Thursday evening into Friday morning. Gusty winds will combine with the snow to produce poor visibility and dangerous travel conditions. Localized blizzard conditions are possible on Long Island and in coastal parts of southeast Massachusetts.”

    Illinois saw at least six inches of snow on Wednesday, with some areas reporting up to a foot. The storm caused delays into and out of Chicago airports.

    According to the Chicago Tribune, it’s the most snow the city has had since the blizzard of 2011 – and it’s still snowing. Thanks to lake-effect snow, totals could reach two feet before the snow stops overnight.

    The Indianapolis area has received more than five inches of snow since this morning, according to the Indianapolis Star. Weather conditions are responsible for multiple traffic accidents throughout the state.

    As Hercules moves out of the Midwest, the Northeast is buttoning down in preparation.

    “This will be a full-blown Nor’easter,” said winter weather expert Tom Niziol.

    Image via Twitter

  • Marla Sokoloff Blogs About Mommy Guilt

    Marla Sokoloff Blogs About Mommy Guilt

    Actress and singer Marla Sokoloff is tackling the subject of mommy guilt on her People celebrity blog.

    In her December 11 blog post titled “Searching for the Mommy Guilt Handbook“, Sokoloff told readers about a recent nine day work trip to Chicago, and how hard it was to leave her 21 month-old daughter Elliotte behind in Los Angeles.

    Sokoloff described weighing the decision of whether to take her daughter to Chicago or leave her home in Los Angeles with Sokoloff’s husband and Elliotte’s father, Alec Puro and the family’s nanny.

    The couple’s mothers, who both live nearby, would also be on hand to assist if needed. In fact, Sokoloff said, both grandmas were “chomping at the bit to steal Elliotte for a sleepover.”

    Even knowing her daughter would be in the best of hands, Sokoloff reported feeling “intense” mommy guilt at the thought of leaving Elliotte. She said that guilt is what has kept her working close to home in LA since Elliotte’s birth.

    Based on a desire to keep Elliotte’s routine as normal as possible, and the knowledge that long days on set would mean not seeing each other during Elliotte’s waking hours even if she did tag along to Chicago, Sokoloff decided to leave her daughter home.

    Sokoloff described doing a lot of sobbing in the moments leading up to her departure from LA, and feeling intense mommy guilt even as she felt challenged and excited by her work in Chicago.

    So she’s looking for a mommy guilt handbook. In the absence of one, she interviewed a few mommy friends and shared their thoughts on the subject in her blog post.

    Sokoloff has been acting for over 20 years.

    She started her career as Gia Mahan in the television sitcom Full House. From there she went on to play Jody Lynch on Party of Five and then to her most notable and long-lasting role: receptionist Lucy Hatcher on The Practice.

    Sokoloff has also done stints on television series such as Friends and Desperate Housewives and starred in several movies including Whatever It Takes, The Climb, and Dude, Where’s My Car?

    The multi-talented Sokoloff also sings and plays guitar. She released a solo album, Grateful, in 2005.

    Sokoloff married Puro, a film and television composer and one-time drummer for the band Deadsy, in 2009.

    Sokoloff joins other celebrity moms such as Josie Maran, Jenna von Oy, and Elisabeth Röhm to blog about all things motherhood related at People.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chicago Plant Explosion: RAW video

    Chicago Plant Explosion: RAW video

    Two people were injured when a chemical plant exploded south of Chicago Friday.

    The company, Blue Island Phenol, manufactures acetone and phenol which is used to manufacture certain herbicides, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

    According to the company, the cause of the explosion is attributed to a power outage after a storm, stopping cooling and circulation systems, allowing the heat of the phenol to rise to a level where the chemical exploded.

    Television stations in Chicago showed firefighters trying to douse the blaze four hours after the initial explosion, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. Several more explosions occurred subsequently.

    The injured were transported to the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, suffering burns.

    Image via Youtube

  • Kohl’s Shooting Suspects’ Bonds Set at $400K & $100K

    The suspects in a Thanksgiving night shooting at a Kohl’s store in Romeoville, Illinois, have now been officially charged and their bonds’ set by an Illinois judge.

    Robert Russell, the alleged suspect who was running from the store when officers arrived at the scene, has been charged with attempted murder, retail theft, and obstructing an officer. His bond has been set at $400,000.

    After fleeing the store and being chased across the parking lot, Russell proceeded to jump into a Pontiac Sunfire. He allegedly then shut the car door on the arm of the officer who had been chasing him. The Pontiac’s 52-year-old driver accelerated, dragging the officer who was still partially inside the vehicle.

    Another officer ordered the driver of the vehicle to stop multiple times. When the car did not stopped, the officer shot several rounds into the vehicle, hitting the driver in the arm and shoulder area. The car then halted, and officers were able to arrest Russell.

    The driver was taken to the hospital and has not yet been released, nor officially charged. His condition is unknown, but he is expected to survive.

    A third man, Gerald Chamberlain, was also charged for his part in the occurrence that took place Thursday night. Chamberlain was still inside the store when the exchange in the parking lot took place. He has been charged with theft, and his bond set at $100,000.

    Romeoville police officers say that they received the call from the Kohl’s store on Weber Road (a southwest suburb of Chicago) around 10 on Thanksgiving night. The store employee who made the call reported that they believed a shoplifter was in the store. Upon arriving at the scene, police say they witnessed a man (Russell) running from the store and across the parking lot. An officer chased Russell into the Sunfire, which is when the rest of the events took place.

    The officer who was dragged in the vehicle was treated at a local hospital and later released.

    The Kohl’s store on Weber Road remained open throughout the entire ordeal, and stayed open through Black Friday.

    A man shopping at the Kohl’s store when the exchange occurred, Phil Koster, told a Chicago news station, “Definitely not something I expected tonight. [I was] just doing some light shopping, trying to get in the Black Friday spirit, buy a few things. A little shaken up, not bad or anything. I was within five feet of everything happening. It was very surreal.”

    Kohl’s later issued the following statement:

    “A police investigation is under way into this matter. We are cooperating with the authorities leading the investigation and are referring all media inquiries to police.”

    Main image courtesy #abcWNN via Twitter.

  • Kohl’s Shooting Leads to Charges of Two Black Friday Shoplifters

    Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and be grateful for what you do have, but for others, it’s a time to remember ALL the things they don’t have and partake in a little retail theft.

    Two men have been charged in a Black Friday incident that took place at a Kohl’s store location in Romeoville, Ill.

    At 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, police received a call regarding shoplifting inside the store.

    When police arrived, one of the suspects ran out of the store and jumped into a Pontiac Sunfire in an attempt to flee the scene. An officer went after him and ended up being dragged across the parking lot after his arm was intentionally closed in the car door.

    According to ABC7 Chicago:

    Police say a backup officer ordered the driver to stop multiple times, and when he kept going, the backup officer fired three to four shots toward the driver. The driver was struck once in the shoulder area, and at that time, the car came to a stop…

    Robert Russell, 51, has been charged with retail theft, obstructing an officer and attempted murder. Twenty-eight-year old Gerald Chamberlain, who was still in the store during the confrontation, has been charged with theft. The driver was identified as 52-year-old Charles Hinch and he is being hospitalized for his injuries.

    The police officer was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital.

    (image)

    A returning customer told MyFoxChicago this morning that she was informed by her husband about the string of events that took place the night before.

    “What bothers me is it was over clothing,”  Karen Hasberger said. “So that’s upsetting that somebody felt they had to steal clothing, and a police officer put his life on the line for that. It’s not like a jewelry heist or a bank robbery.”

    Kohl’s spokeswoman, Sydney Hofer, declined to release any additional information other than the store was cooperating with the police department’s investigation.

    Despite the frightful events that took place, the store remained open today for Black Friday.

    Image Credit: Youtube, instantnews1 

  • John Stewart Gets Pizza from Chicago Mayor Emanuel

    John Stewart is in deep (dish) trouble in Chicago. After his Chicago-focused rant on Wednesday night’s “Daily Show“, he may have lost numerous viewers from the Windy City. His rant was in response to the anger surrounding the decision to name the new One World Trade Center the tallest building in America, over the current title holder, Chicago’s Willis Tower, according to CBS.

    Stewart’s rant lasted over 6 minutes and made fun of Chicago’s homicide rate, Chicago’s weather and Chicago style hot dogs, but in all fairness, Chicago started it, according to the New York Post, by going and insulting New York’s famous thin crust pizza. Watch the hilarious ranting:

    He began his rant by insulting Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza. “Deep dish pizza is not only not better than New York pizza, it’s not pizza.” It went downhill from there. He called it “[expletive] casserole,” “a cornbread biscuit,” and “tomato soup in a bread bowl.”

    Nice. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. There’s also this wordy jewel, “When I look at your deep dish (expletive) pizza, I don’t know whether to eat it or throw a coin in it and make a wish,” Stewart said. “And if I made a wish, it would be that I’d wish for some real (expletive) pizza.”

    He screams, “It’s a cornbread biscuit which you’ve melted cheese on and then — in defiance of God and man and all things holy — you poured uncooked marinara sauce atop the cheese. Atop! The sauce, naked, cold on display like some sort of sauce whore!”

    In response to Stewart’s rant, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel had a little jab of his own.

    So the tower thing has come to blows. We shall see how this plays out! Who do you think will win the war of the cities?

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Rod Blagojevich Comes From a Long Line of Shysters

    It’s been almost 5 years since former Illinois governor Rod Balgojevich was unceremoniously removed from office. For 4 years prior to that he had been under Federal Bureau of Investigation watch for corruption. But when Blago, as he became known in the tabloids, attempted to “sell” the now-vacated seat of former United States Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, things came to a head quickly.

    Soon details about Blagojevich’s ties to one Tony Rezko, himself later convicted of wire fraud, became public knowledge. The Illinois Attorney General declared him not fit to serve, and asked that he be removed. That move failed. Finally, the Illinois legislature impeached him and had him removed.

    Blagojevich has been convicted, appealed. And time will tell where that appeal goes. But one thing is for sure: Rod Blagojevich comes from a long line of colorful Illinois politicians, especially in and around the Chicago area. In fact, the corruption and dealings of Illinois politicians has become so well-known and well-documented that it has spawned a term all it’s own: Chicago-style politics.

    If that political genealogy is any indication, one should not count Rod Blagojevich out. He could still yet be back.

    During the reign of Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley, many members of his administration were jailed on charges of corruption, though the Da Mare himself never was. Daley himself is remembered fondly by many as overseeing a time of growth in Chocago, when O’hare Airport, the Sears Tower and lots of other projects were realized. They say that, were it not for “Hizzoner”, as they call him, Chicago could be in the straits of a Detroit or Cleveland now.

    Later under the watch of his son, also a Chicago mayor, Richard M. Daley, there were also arrests for corruption.

    Entire films and television series have held the corruption of Chicago – and other cities – at the heart of their story lines. One such show is Boardwalk Empire, with its depiction of a Chicago political machine “encouraging” factory workers to vote Republican in an upcoming election, using bats and night sticks.

    image: wikimedia commons

  • Rod Blagojevich Appeal Appears Weak at Best

    Rod Blagojevich’s attempted appeal of his corruption conviction doesn’t look like it’s going to hold water. Prosecuters, in a lengthy 169 page response, balk at the idea that Blagojevich’s shenanigans were just ordinary “political horse-trading”.

    Prosecutors rebutt this theory and more in the document, which is in response to the Democrat’s July appeal with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, according to the Denver Post.

    In the appeal, that ran 100 pages, defense attorneys for Blagojevich claim he engaged in a legal “political horse-trade”. He floated the idea of a Cabinet seat or possibly an ambassadorship for himself if he were to appoint Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett to Obama’s vacated seat.

    The appeal seeks a new trial, or at least a reduction for what it deems a disproportionate sentence for Blagojevich’s crimes. They allege the main cause of his heavy-handed conviction to be, in large, the errors of U.S. District Judge James Zagel. One of these major errors, they say, was allowing a biased juror to sit on the panel during Blagojevich’s second trial. The appeal refers to him as Juror No. 174, noting that he said something questionable about Blagojevich during jury selection: “I just figured him, possibly, to be guilty.”

    “Juror 174 told the court he believed he could do that and stated that he would do that,” prosecutors said. “Nothing in the juror’s comments suggested that he had ‘an irrational or unshakeable bias.’”

    The prosecution strongly disagrees with the juror claim, and points out that it is beside the point, anyway. “This is an extraordinary claim,” the government filing says. “No matter the price he charges, a public official who sells his office engages in crime, not politics.”

    According to the Christian Science Monitor, Shari Seidman Diamond, a law professor at the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, says that the difficulty is convincing the appeals court that he was not aware that pay-to-play is a crime, especially because he was an attorney himself.

    “There’s a difference between being aware of the acts you’re doing and the goals you’re trying to accomplish and being aware there’s a statute that forbids it. I think it’s very plausible he was and very hard to believe he wasn’t,” Diamond says.

    Very hard to believe, indeed.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Chicago Sinkhole Scares Local Residents

    This month, Chicago, Illinois, has been in the news quite a lot. First, for the alligator discovered at O’Hare Airport, Charlie Trotter‘s death, and now Chicago is in the public eye again due to a sinkhole that has appeared in a local South Side neighborhood.

    According to ABC News affiliate WLS in Chicago, the massive sinkhole appeared on Sunday, November 10th, and dissolved a part of the intersection at 124th and Wentworth streets. The local water department opened the sinkhole up, finding its cause to be a water-main break. With this in mind, the news affiliate stated that the local water department shut down water to residents within a two-block radius to help alleviate the break.

    The sinkhole (measuring 20×80 feet) was created by an eroding water pipe that serviced a nearby house at the intersection of 124th and Wentworth. Over the course of time that the pipe eroded, a build-up of water collected under the intersection, allowing the asphalt to give way.

    Bill Bresnahan, Deputy and Commissioner of the Chicago Water Department, offered the following statement pertaining to the sinkhole and water-main break:

    “Depending on what’s underneath it, we’re hoping by the end of the week we should have the street repaired.”

    Deloris Alexander, a residents of the house located nearest to the sinkhole stated that, “It’s really scary. The first thing that came to my mind is that everything [in the front yard] would sink right in.” Another nearby resident, Christopher Carter, described his family’s reaction as the sinkhole happened: “They all started screaming and yelling and running.”

    According to NBC Chicago, a boil-water advisory (issued Monday) is in effect for the residents located within the vicinity of the sinkhole.

    [Image source: NBC Chicago Video]

  • Charlie Trotter, The Famed Chef, Dies At 54

    Charlie Trotter, who is said to have redefined fine dining, passed away today. He was a chef in a Chicago restaurant which was considered one of the finest in the world. He was found this morning in his home in Lincoln Park unconscious, and had stopped breathing. Trotter was then taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

    Trotter was a world renowned chef, and was one of the best at what he did. His son Dylan was the one who found him this morning, and he was taken away by the ambulance at 10:45 a.m. and pronounced dead 11:48.

    He rose to fame in 1987 when he opened Charlie Trotter’s restaurant on Armitage Avenue, quickly becoming one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago, and the news quickly spread around the country and beyond.

    He was named the country’s Outstanding Chef by James Beard Foundation in 1999 and in 2000, Wine Spectator magazine called Trotter’s the best restaurant in the nation. Several more accolades have come since for the renowned chef, who will always be remembered as a culinary innovator.

    Charlie Trotter is widely recognized for what he was able to accomplish as a chef, especially with no formal training. He also had his own show for a while, and another well-known chef with a TV show, Anthony Bourdain, said of the late chef, “It was the beginning of the notion that America could have a real haute cuisine on par with Europe. That was what Charlie did.”

    He believed in serving people the right kind of food, and also stressed the importance for the healthier options. He was quoted on his restaurant’s website saying “The taste of free-range and organic products is so much better than the alternative.”

    The famed chef grew up in the northern Chicago suburb of Wilmette, and majored in political science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, although he was inspired to cook from a meal that he enjoyed years before.

    Charlie Trotter will always be remembered as an innovative chef who cooked in a way that could be compared to improvisational jazz, as he continued to shake things up all the time. He became famous for his quest to fill three daily tasting menus with creative dishes.

    Image via Youtube

  • Alligator Discovered at O’Hare Airport

    There’s an old saying which states certain unlikely things will occur whenever pigs fly. While that adynaton has yet to come true, alligators were close to achieving the dream of pigs yesterday when one was discovered at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

    The alligator, named Allie by those who found and rescued her, was first spotted by a passenger, who then reported the sighting to a maintenance worker: “I was out there, and a passenger had pointed out that there was an alligator up under here. I looked, I said, ‘What?’” stated Tineka Walker of Universal Security.

    When Walker radioed for help to wrangle the 24 inch alligator, Chicago Police Officer Anthony Oliver said that they “Figured somebody was messing with us.” Fortunately for the gator and other passengers at the airport, the police handled the situation professionally.

    In order to safely remove the animal from the airport, the police contacted the Chicago Herpetological Society. Once the situation was properly assessed, the assembled crew caught the alligator in the most professional way possible – By shooing it into a trashcan with a broomstick.

    Once captured, the Chicago Herpetological Society assessed the animal’s health: “It was in pretty bad shape. We’re trying to get it healthy and find a place for it,” reported Jason Hood, the president of the society. A spokesman for the Chicago Herpetological Society also reported that Allie suffered from a metabolic bone deficiency, meaning the alligator’s previous owners did not include enough calcium in the alligator’s diet.

    As it currently stands, authorities do not know how the alligator found itself at Terminal 3. However, Twitter came to the rescue once again and clues are starting to emerge. Police and airport administration know that the alligator had to be dropped off by someone, considering “It’s not big enough to operate automatic doors.” That someone may have been spotted by a Twitter user who posted pictures of a man in the airport holding an alligator which looked very similar: “The patterns on an alligator are as unique as your fingerprints. We can actually match this band right here with that band right there,” stated Bob Bavirsha, a reptile rescuer.

    Because the alligator is in such bad health, the Chicago Herpetological Society will put the alligator through 6 months of rehabilitation before turning it over to a reptile park.

    Image via YouTube

  • Joe Girardi: Yanks And Cubs To Fight It Out?

    Joe Girardi is reportedly about to have two teams battling it out over who gets him, if sources are correct, and it could end up being very beneficial to him.

    After a slow season, the Cubs have fired manager Dale Sveum and are prepared to make a nice offer to Girardi in the hopes that he’ll come build up some fan love in Chicago. New York, however, will do what they can to keep him, and since his contract isn’t up until October 31st, the Yankees haven’t said whether they’ll give him permission to have a sit-down with the Cubs.

    ”He knows we’d like to have him stay and continue as manager of the New York Yankees as we move forward,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. ”I feel we hired a good one. He’s been a world champion player for us. He’s been a coach, a broadcaster and obviously a world champion manager. So we’ve benefited from having him and we’d like to do that going forward, but we’ll have to speak with him and see how it plays out.”

    Because the Cubs are trying to boost fan attendance at games–which has gone downhill over the past five seasons–it may be more financially viable for them to hire Girardi than it would be to try and woo some free-agent players. Girardi, who currently is under contract for $3 million a year, may be offered between $4 and $5 million to come to Chicago.

    Image: YouTube

  • Chicago Train Crash Leaves Dozens Injured

    Chicago Train Crash Leaves Dozens Injured

    A morning collision between two Chicago trains left dozens of commuters injured during rush hour on Monday, authorities say.

    Two Chicago Transit Authority trains slammed into one another in Forest Park, Illinois–just outside of Chicago–between 7:30 and 8 a.m., crushing part of at least one train car and sending several people to local hospitals. Officials say none of the injuries have been life-threatening, but an investigation is underway to determine what caused the collision.

    Although the CTA is currently treating the wreck as an accident, Forest Park Mayor Anthony Calderone says that no one was at the controls inside one of the trains, which only had four cars; morning trains usually have several cars, which has raised suspicion that perhaps the train was hijacked. Police are reportedly treating the area as a crime scene.

    Robert Kelly of Amalgamated Transit Union 308 said that a key would have been needed for the train to be taken; he also confirmed that it was moving between 20 and 25 miles per hour when it slammed into a westbound train that was sitting stationary on the tracks.

    Image: WSOC