The 1st Ward alderman has said he'll use aldermanic privilege to prevent the Bible Belt chicken shack from opening a location in Logan Square, following the CEO's comments on gay marriage. Read more
A handy how-to guide for road agents, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. Carry a sawed-off shotgun; always get the jump on the driver; don't bother searching pockets; and always, always be sure to make facetious remarks. Read more
The most notorious gangland murder in the city's history kicked off an early round of gun control at the state and national level, leading to a messy but beloved Supreme Court decision. Read more
The West Side neighborhood has 34 homicides in the past 12 months, by far the most of any community area. But it's also the largest community area in Chicago. What happens when you break down the numbers a bit? Read more
After spending 25 years in prison, Michael Tillman settled with the city for over $5 million dollars, the latest judgement to come out of the Burge torture scandal. Read more
The failure of the Miami Marlins to contend, even with their offseason spending spree, results in the Tigers picking up two important pieces at the trade deadline and making a surprising White Sox season that much harder. Read more
In mid-May, very little of Illinois was abnormally dry. By mid-June, practically the entire state was in severe drought, or worse. It's another summer of "flash drought," and Iowa State researchers are busy making corn crops that can survive a hotter future. Read more
The theater shootings in Aurora, Colorado—just miles from Columbine, and coming after NIU and Virginia Tech—have gun control back in the news again. Similar incidents led to the 1994 assault-weapons ban, though it was not particularly good or effective law. Public policy is difficult, but that's not a reason for hopelessness. Read more
For the weekend, two of the best articles I've read in awhile—about a teen killer from rural Indiana, and the isolated subcultures of GLBTQ life in in Boystown. Read more
A comparison of Chicago's unemployment rate and percent of employed to unemployed since last year... is actually not unhopeful. And it's not just a matter of unemployment falling generally; Chicago's numbers compare favorably to growth spots like San Jose and Houston. Read more
