Bloomberg Quarterbacks Search for His Successor
On the New York mayor’s list of “dream choices”: Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer, and Ed Rendell. Why not Rahm?
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Concern From Domestic Violence Advocates Causes Pushback on Courtroom Cell Phone Ban
The cell phone ban in Cook County courthouses, scheduled to go into effect next week, is meant to protect witnesses and others in court—but could it put victims of domestic violence at risk?
DUIs, Fatal Crashes, and Regional Drinking Culture
Chicago’s a pretty safe city to drive in, but it’s got a drinking problem: a high percentage of fatal crashes involve intoxication. It’s a problem in the North and the West, while far fewer fatal, intoxicated crashes occur in the South.
Megabus, the Recovery of American Downtowns, and the Resurgence of the Bus Industry
Less than a decade ago, intercity bus service looked like an industry in terminal decline. Since 2006, it’s started to recover, with discount carriers adding over a thousand daily operations. Megabus pushed the dying giants to innovate—but the improvement of big-city downtowns has also taken the stigma out of bus travel.
Winter Travel 2013: Puerto Natales, Chile
BREATHTAKING HIKING: The last outpost of civilization before wild Patagonia
Winter Travel 2013: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
SPAS AND RUINS: Just an hour from Cancun but a world away from Spring Break madness
Winter Travel 2013: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
POWDER PARADISE: Where the warm welcome is no longer just for advanced skiers
Winter Travel 2013: Tucson, Arizona
DESERT SANCTUARY: Where you can gaze into the night sky and let your mind rest
Richard Mell Stands Up (for Nepotism): A View of Chicago's Most Infamous Father-in-Law
The Sun-Times reports that 33rd Ward Alderman Richard Mell—who is also Rod Blagojevich’s father-in-law—is looking to retire in the next few months, and has cut a deal with Mayor Emanuel that replaces his City Council seat with his daughter, Deb Mell.
Lead, Violence, and Society
One reason frequently given for the substantial drop in America’s violent crime rate is lead abatement—a couple decades after it was removed from paint and gas, crime started downwards. But it’s still out there, in houses and the soil of big cities, and the more we know about it, the lower the acceptable limits of lead get.