My birthday is coming up. Someone please buy me those pants? (photo by Gabriel Michael)

Top story: If all goes well today (by well, I mean quick), the corruption trial of former Governor Rod Blagojevich will hit the prime-time – lil’ Elvis himself will take the stand. My guess is that it will be like the trial at the end of Good Fellas. Under cross examination, Blago will start by answering the lawyer but then turn to the camera (imaginary in this instance) and do a walking monologue, right out of the courtroom. Then they will play some Rolling Stones and sell the video of the trial on Netflix.

B story: Big Boi retweeted us. So I’m not sweatin’ it… I forgot to tell the better-half of Outkast how his CD won’t play anymore because I scratched it to hell in my 20s. Read the rest of this entry →

Either they are shooting Transformers 3, or someone got really mad that this cab didn't accept credit cards (photo by Ernesto)

Top story:  Have you seen our new WBEZ Music site? Just launched this week. It’s a site that brings together all the music coverage and live performances WBEZ/Vocalo has to offer. It also will be one of the places you can get extensive Pitchfork coverage. Jim DeRogatis, Andrew Gill, Michael Catano and myself will be down at the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend documenting the weekend. Check back here tonight, tomorrow and Sunday for the coverage. DeRogatis will be reviewing sets, Andrew and Michael will be recording performances and I’ll be mingling with the crowd – giving you the real Pitchfork. If you want sweaty guitar players, I can get you some video of a sweaty guitar player. If you women in bikinis with cowboy boots, I’ll get you a couple photos of bikinis and cowboy boots. You want kebobs? I’ll get you kebobs.

B story: A new report gives us 20 things that might cause cancer. Read the rest of this entry →

To quote Kool & the Gang..."It's too hot...too hot baby" (photo by Javier Ayala)

Top story: Yesterday, news crossed that the head of the Illinois Dept. of Juvenile Justice resigned his post. Kurt Friedenauer stepped down in the midst of changes to streamline the IDJJ by running it under DCFS. WBEZ spent the better part of the past year examining and investigating the IDJJ to find out if juvenile justice was working in the state. Now, if we were the Trib, we would say “Friedenauer resigns because of Trib investigation.” If we were the Sun-Times, we would say “FRIEDENAUER RESIGNS BECAUSE OF SUN-TIMES INVESTIGATION!!!!!” My colleagues in the City Room would never go there because they know it not to be true (and they are just better human beings than I). But I’m the circus-barker of the unit and I don’t think there’s a resignation if there’s no pressure to do a better job. Here’s an interview with Friedenauer a couple months back, talking with Rob Wildeboer.

B story: The court ruling shooting down the FCC indecency rules was well covered by our organization yesterday. 1) Feder did a great job talking to Chicago’s notorious FCC offender Mancow Muller. Mancow takes the opportunity to tell us radio is dead and who cares anymore. And NPR got into the act yesterday with a great report on the ruling. Best part? Because they were working in the post-indecency world, they were able to air part of George Carlin’s famous 8 dirty words rant without beeping. It was the classiest use of swears ever. Read the rest of this entry →

Source: AP

Top story: George Steinbrenner died today in Tampa, Florida. The owner of the hated/loved New York Yankees had won 7 championships since his ownership began in 1973. I have nothing to add to this. Someone at ESPN is probably all over it.

B story: WOW! The Trib does a great investigative report on dangerous rail crossings for the morning paper and then BAM! Read the rest of this entry →

This better be a World Cup related photo. Otherwise, I'm lost! (photo by Jason Marck)

Top story: Shore Bank is awaiting word on whether or not they will get federal funds to stay alive. This is a big story, not because it’s a community bank in Chicago, but because Shore was an experiment in community banks helping communities, as opposed to just making money. But at the end of the day, the big banks showed the country (and the politicians) that they can be toxic to bail-out. And several community banks go under every month. So what makes this bank special?

B story:  This is kind of awesome on a slow news day – the Reverend Jesse Jackson had a problem with the Cleveland Cavalier’s owner ripping LeBron James after he left Cleveland. Read the rest of this entry →

Crush! Transformers 3 fakes downtown destruction (photo by Robert Bernhard)

Top story: Gosh, I really don’t like this LeBron character. Read the rest of this entry →

Tony Stewart for governor?

Top story:  Tonight is the first debate for the governor’s mansion. But unfortunately, Quinn and Brady are busy. Yeah, Quinn is busy today, Thursday July 8th. Why? Because he has to recognize today as Illinois’ Nascar Day. Yep, can’t make this stuff up. Maybe he could send Tony Stewart to debate. Yeah, that’s right. I know a little Nascar. Jealous? Read the rest of this entry →

It’s been a few days, but I’m back with the daily line-up of what’s in the news. It’s always been my thought that this blog post lets you know what’s going on in Chicago. So you don’t have to, you know, read for yourself. You’re welcome, Chicago. And please feel free to use these thoughts as your own when discussing the news with friends, family and random co-workers. Consider me your ghost writer.

The blog gargoyle wants you to have a good 4th (photo by Steve Kuenstler)

Top Story: Ah, a good ole’ stabbing melee at the Taste of Chicago. Read the rest of this entry →

Does this mean Mother Nature likes RedEye the best? (photo by Alvin Shubert)

Top story: The Burge trial is winding to a close this week. Our blogger John Conroy has been following the trial closely. His work really is the definitive on the subject. Most of the newspaper coverage has to take place in broad strokes to tell a quick story, but John’s work has been very detailed and very specific. I suggest reading it top to bottom to catch up on the trial. I was out of town yesterday and his sum-up of the end of Burge’s testimony and the latest defense witness was gold.

B story: WBEZ will blind you with science!!!! That way, you have to listen. Clever Apes debuted yesterday and will be a monthly presence on WBEZ. Read the rest of this entry →

Quellville for mayor? (photo by Gabriel Michael/Flickr)

Top story: The Burge trial took a very interesting turn yesterday as a police detective who once testified that he saw Burge pulling a bag over a suspect’s head changed his testimony. He didn’t really change it, he just softened it. And today – Conroy has the story of former Chicago Police Supt. Leroy Martin. Martin wants to plead the 5th, but the judge hasn’t decided yet. That would be awesome if he testified. He once was quoted as saying the CPD was the “toughest gang in town.”

B story: We had a poll yesterday about why you booed Mayor Daley at the Blackhawks rally. Over 50% chose the answer “I am dissatisfied with his job performance.”  It actually got a lot of play with some good comments. I’m still fascinated with the dynamic between Chicago and our leader. As we move forward this summer and into an election season, we’ll see if more of this.

C story: How great would it be if the Blagojevich trial called Governor Pat Quinn to the stand.

Weather: Let’s get hot baby! We are ready!

Sports: As Blackhawks fever dies off (thank you antibiotics), let’s turn our attention to baseball. And more importantly, who is probably going to get traded.

Kicker: Did I just look up while daydreaming on the bus to see placards for the Taste of Chicago? And did I look up and see that on June 25th, V-103 and the city of Chicago are presenting Bell Biv Devoe, Salt N Pepa, Rob Base, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh?

Everyone knows Poison and all the other BBD jams, but I hope they do a live reenactment of the video for this slow jam. I’ll be there.