Category: Chicago

What’chu talkin’ about… Willis Tower?

Posted on by TL

The Chicago Tribune reports the Sears Tower will change its name to Willis Tower under the terms of a new lease signed by global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings.

Willis Group plans to consolidate five area offices and move nearly 500 Associates into Willis Tower, initially occupying more than 140,000 square feet on multiple floors.

Willis said its move to the new space, at $14.50 per square foot, will result in significant real estate cost savings, and that there is no additional cost to the company associated with renaming the building.

Willis Tower just sounds odd, for now, at least.

No, it just sounds odd.

Peraica Tweets and Stroger Sounds Like Twit

Posted on by TL

Everyone has suddenly discovered Twitter.  The Inland Press Association recently profiled some journalists who are using the social networking site to tell the world what they’re doing, 140 characters at a time.

Pols are “tweeting” as well.  During President Obama’s address to Congress, many Republicans were caught tweeting, some sounding intelligent, some juvenile.

LOL.

Well, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica has discovered Twitter also.  With a bit more than 600 followers as of right now, according to the Sun-Times, Tony has taken up Twitter, tweeting from County Board meetings.

Last month, Peraica started posting short messages — called “tweets” — during board meetings about everything from contract votes and political bickering to his opinions and wisecracks in 140 characters or less.

With a few strokes of the keyboard, he’s part legislator, part reporter and part talk-show host.

“I think it’s important to keep the public informed about what’s going on with the board as it happens,” Peraica said. “This is a wonderful technology that enables us to keep in touch with 600 to 700 people who care about what happens at the meeting.”

Tweet away, Tony.  Tweet away.

What struck me about this particular account of Tony Tweeting was Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s response:

“I think it’s strange,” Stroger said. “It doesn’t sound kosher. He probably shouldn’t be typing while we’re doing business. Maybe that’s why he can’t remember how he voted on things two weeks ago.”

Doesn’t sound kosher, Todd?  Really?  Kosher?

Talk about your bad blood.  This just sounds silly.

We get it that the two of you don’t get along, but can’t you disagree on issues without being so disagreeable with each other?

Todd Stroger loses this round.  Who cares if Tony Peraica fires off 15 (the count at the last meeting) short sentences into cyberspace during a County Board meeting?  Who cares if any other commissioner tweets?  If 600 or more Cook County residents care enough to read, then that’s enough.  Why use the occasion to take a cheap shot at a colleague?

Cook County residents need a board that functions.

Talk about issues, and stop these juvenile digs.  Or Tweets.

3 Teens Shot Dead on Chicago’s Southeast Side

Posted on by TL

Johnny Edwards was 13 years old.  He would have turned 14 on Monday.

The two other teens, boys aged 15 and 17, were students at Bowen High School, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The 13-year-old, Johnny Edwards, was remembered Friday evening by family and neighbors as a helpful boy who played in after-school sports programs and loved math and science.

“He was humble,’’ his uncle John Johnson said. “He showed respect. He helped his brothers, his sisters and cousins with their homework. He liked to help people.’’

According to witnesses, the three victims were shot in different locations.

Supt. Jody Weis, who was on the scene after the shootings, said the teens were attacked by more than one shooter.

“It appears they were attacked by several individuals, one of which had an assault rifle,” Weis said at a news conference.

Another of the victims, Kendrick Pitts, 17, “about 10 days ago, was released from Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, where he had been for about three months for getting into fights,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

The 15-year-old victim was identified by friends and a law enforcement source as Raheem “Chiko” Washington, who attended Bowen High School, according to the Tribune.

I have not written about each and every young person who lost his or her life throughout Chicagoland, but I’ve noticed quite a few recorded in the posts of this blog.

I call once again for more funding for CeaseFire Chicago, the organization with the most comprehensive approach to ending the violence.

Why do we shoot each other?  We could debate endlessly.  For all our discussion, it happened again.

We need gun control.  No, not necessarily fewer guns.  We simply need to contol our  guns, control ourselves.

Once again, I simply offer a lone lament and my prayers for the families.

Officer Removes Lorenzo Wiley from Bus – Why is this News?

Posted on by TL

I don’t get it.

An officer removes a man from a CTA bus who did not pay hi s fare.  This is news because someone took video of the event.   When asked, the officer provides his badge number.

Yes, the officer in question used profane language.  But, so what?  Why is this news?

The video above says that the officer shoved Wiley’s head, but I don’t see it.

Look, a guy was removed from a bus.  That’s all.

Why is this news?

Joey ‘the Clown’ Lombardo Gets Life

Posted on by TL

Much of what I know about the Mob comes from the Godfather and the Sopranos.  Throw in Goodfellas also.

Today, one of the worst Chicago has ever known was sentenced to life in prison.  It sounds like it was a powerful day in court:

As he stood addressing a crowded federal courtroom today, Joseph Seifert recalled how confused he was almost 35 years ago as he stared out the window of a squad car at his father’s lifeless body.

“He was lying twisted in the grass,” said Seifert, who was 4 when his father, Daniel, was slain. “I wonder if I ever said goodbye.”

The testimony was the emotional highlight as Joey “the Clown” Lombardo, one of the Chicago Outfit’s most colorful and ruthless characters of the last 40 years, was sentenced to life in prison.

A federal jury convicted Lombardo of racketeering conspiracy at the landmark Family Secrets trial in 2007 and found him responsible for the 1974 murder of Daniel Seifert weeks before he was to testify against Lombardo. The charges were dropped against Lombardo after the witness’ murder.

Lombardo, now 80 and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit while seated in a wheelchair, had little reaction as prosecutors flashed Seifert family photos on a large screen in U.S. District Judge James Zagel’s courtroom.

The Godfather, Sopranos and Goodfellas are a few steps removed from reality for me, even though Goodfellas is based on a non-fiction book, and the others are close enough to reality to be disturbing, yet alluring.

Today was real.  No entertainment.  Just an old criminal finally sent away.

And one man forced yet again to relive the death of his father 35 years ago.

Bring On Governor Pat Quinn

Posted on by TL

Prepare for Governor Pat Quinn, at last.  Quinn is the only member of the executive branch who has made any sense the last few years.

One of his first acts as governor will be the removal of Rod Blagojevich’s name from signs over state tollways.

From the Chicago Tribune:

“The signs will go down, and we’ll probably have a ceremony to do it,” Quinn told the Tribune. “I might even ask some toll payers to help us out.”

Speaking in his Chicago office with the Senate impeachment trial blaring in the background, Quinn said he would end a period of “imperial governorship” that began under Republican Gov. George Ryan and was continued by Democrat Blagojevich.

As he prepared to head to Springfield for a Senate vote that could oust Blagojevich this week, Quinn sounded more than ever like the governor-in-waiting. He has already tapped several potential top aides to join him in a new administration.

I’ll look forward to that ceremony.

Personally, I’m looking forward to Pat Quinn in the Executive Mansion in Springfield.  Pat Quinn has been dependable the past several years, and I think he really wants to govern.

Welcome Governor Quinn.

Curtain Call on Rod Blagojevich’s Flying Circus

Posted on by TL

I am so tired of everything Blagojevich right now.  Governor Blago’s Flying Circus will near its final act Thursday when the soon-to-be former governor addresses the deliver a 90-minute plea to garner support from lawmakers so he can stay in office.

Unbelievable.

I have no doubt that Blago will continue to court the media.  He needs that book deal.  He needs that movie.

Personally?  I’d cast George Wendt as Blagojevich.  Poetic justice, you know.

Blago’s newest best friend is Geraldo Rivera.  Rivera somehow believes Blago is getting a raw deal.  Watch him here on Fake News.

The last hurrah will be Thursday.  Finally.

From the Sun-Times:

The governor has boycotted the first three days of his impeachment trial, arguing in a national media barnstorming blitz that the rules are stacked against him.

Under those rules, the governor will get 90 minutes to make his case that he should not be convicted of the pending impeachment article against him. House prosecutor David Ellis, meanwhile, will get one hour to argue for Blagojevich to be removed.

And when all is said and done and the last gavel has finally sounded on this bizarre ordeal, legislators will return to the task of actually governing.

I’m ready for the final curtain on this one.

Cheney to Swear In Roland Burris

Posted on by TL

How surreal will this be?

In one of his last official acts as Vice-President of the United States, Dick Cheney will swear in Rolan Burris as the junior senator from Illinois.  According to the Chicago Tribune, “Following the swearing in, Sen. Dick Durbin, the assistant majority leader who had initially blocked the Burris appointment, will host a reception in his honor.”

Yoi, and double yoi, as Myron Cope would have said.

I know that Roland Burris is the legal appointee for President-Elect Barack Obama’s senate seat.  I get that.  I understand that Gov. Blagojevich is defiant and crazy all rolled into one.

And Rolan Burris will be the junior senator from the Illinois.

I look forward to finally focusing on President Barack Obama.  The world desperately needs a voice of reason and sanity right now.

Six days.

Senator Roland Burris.

Yoi.  And Double yoi.

Roland Burris on the Rachel Maddow Show

Posted on by TL

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Blagojevich apointee to the United States Senate Roland Burris on the Rachel Maddow Show.