Chicago News Bench

Fort Hood Shooter and Prior Classified Investigations

2009-11-09T11:17:00.002-06:00

STRATFOR security expert Fred Burton discusses the possibility that Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspected gunman in a massacre at Fort Hood, Texas, became the target of a classified FBI investigation months before the shootings occurred. (Source)

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Chicago Boy Shot to Death: How's That Gun Control Working For Ya, Chicago?

2009-11-09T09:12:00.008-06:00

Another bloody weekend in Chicago. Here's a sampling of headlines:

Boy dead, 2 hurt in drive-by shooting - ABC7 Chicago
Man riding in vehicle critically wounded in shooting - Chicago Breaking News
2 arrested in South Side shooting -Chicago Tribune
3 men, 1 woman shot in CHA lot on Near North Side - Chicago Sun-Times
Man Shot Outside Green Dolphin Street - NBC Chicago
Man Killed In Lincoln Park Shooting - CBS2 Chicago
Man charged in girlfriend's shooting - Chicago Tribune
Two found shot near each other on South Side - Chicago Breaking News
Man charged in shooting that led to police chase - Southtown Star
Another Uptown Shooting Not Thwarted by Positive Loitering - Chicago News Bench

There were (yawn) a number of other shootings over the past weekend in Chicago. Business as usual in this city of tight gun laws. Chicago anti-handgun laws are ineffective and not worth the paper they're printed on.

Perhaps that's an overstatement: Law abiding citizens do not own handguns in Chicago, so in that regard it's a smashing success. However, the bad guys still have plenty of guns, and they're not shy about using them. If Mayor Daley and his City Clowncil want to justify the Chicago handgun ban by saying it's intended to prevent gun-related homicides, then you'd have to say they are deluded.

The criminals have guns and use them to attack innocent people and, of course, each other. They laugh at the Chicago gun laws. Law abiding citizens are denied their right to own guns for self defense, thereby making it easier for the bad guys to attack them. The murder rate in Chicago is high, very high, and the overwhelming majority are committed by criminals with guns. Don't blame the guns, though; guns are inanimate objects, as incapable of committing murder as any baseball bat, kitchen knife or screwdriver. A gun is a tool, and like a screwdriver or a hammer, it can be used properly or improperly. The proper use of a handgun is self-defense, but Chicagoans are denied this right. How many attacks in Chicago would be thwarted before they leave victims dead or maimed if the victims had been able to fight back with a gun? We cannot know the answer to that, of course, but it is reasonable to say that with a fighting chance some of those victims would have come out on top of the situation, instead of under a gravestone.

There is good reason why security guards are allowed to carry guns. Mayor Daley's bodyguards carry guns, and they are right to do so. The ordinary citizens of Chicago should have the same right to defend themselves with firepower that is allowed the merchants and the mayor.

RELATED:
Pro-Second Amendment Resolution Passes Unanimously in the Wisconsin Assembly
Some Women Turning To Guns For Peace Of Mind

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

UPDATED: Another Uptown Shooting Not Thwarted by Positive Loitering

2009-11-08T23:59:00.004-06:00

UPDATE with VIDEO by JOE GRAY (below)

At about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, shots rang out at N. Sheridan Road and W. Lakeside Place, one block south of W. Lawrence Avenue. This is yet another Uptown crime story broken by Chicago News Bench as it was still happening.

Click images to enlarge

Police on the scene told Chicago News Bench that nobody was hit by the bullets. A foot chase netted one suspect, but it's believed that a second suspect got away.

Just Fisticuffs? from Joe Gray on Vimeo.

When we arrived on scene, police were beginning their evidence search, looking for bullet casings and other items. An officer said that at least two casings had been recovered. A cell phone was dropped by a doorway, and a striped sock or glove was dropped a few yards away by the window of a furniture store. Both were marked as evidence. This story is developing. The shooting took place just spitting distance from the now-infamous riot of this past August, captured on video by Joe Gray, which received worldwide attention.

Reporting shootings in Uptown has actually become boring, it's so routine. Here's yet another incident of bullets flying, despite Mayor Daley's draconian anti-gun laws and 46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller's denial that such things happen frequently in Uptown. It should be noted that no "positive loiterers" were reported to have been in the area at the time of the shooting - but would it have prevented the incident?

"Positive loitering" is useless and ineffective, as proven by yet another shooting in Chicago's troubled Uptown neighborhood. This latest shooting went down exactly one block east, in a straight line, from the home of Richard Thale, facilitator of CAPS Beat 2312. Mr. Thale and fellow loiterers have been busy - when convenient - committing "positive loitering" in Uptown.

The idea behind that is, apparently, to deter crime. It isn't working, despite the bragging and news coverage that pretends it is, and its effects cannot be measured. Just what is a "positive loiterer," anyway? Isn't any civilian on the street, with no bad intentions, be considered a positive loiterer? After all, the vast majority of 911 calls are made by ordinary people who see crime and report it. Many of those were simply standing on a corner, strolling on a sidewalk, sitting in their car. Do you have to belong to a CAPS group, or be designated a "positive loiterer," to actually be one?

The notion of a handful of unarmed yuppies loitering "positively" on a corner for an hour or two, then congratulating each other for reducing crime in the neighborhood is laughable. This is not meant to besmirch Mr. Thale, nor his fellow well-intentioned loiterers. Mr. Thale runs a tight CAPS group, and his heart is in the right place. But good intentions do not always fare well on the razor sharp edge of reality, and reality fired at least four bullets at the corner of W. Lakeside tonight. Even if there had been positive loiterers milling about nearby, would the shooter or shooters have been deterred? If so, might they not have simply waited to shoot at their target until they were a block past the loiterers?

Mr. Thale's partner, James Cappleman, is again running for 46th Ward alderman in the 2011 election. He was defeated by Shiller in 2007. Mr. Cappleman will have to explain the many shootings that have already happened since Mr. Thale's positive loitering effort was initiated. Mr. Thale owns that effort, and you can bet that that there will be more than a few additional shootings in Uptown between now and the February, 2011 election. To be clear, none of the crime is the fault of either Mssrs. Thale or Cappleman, but if they want to claim credit for fighting that crime, they'd best be prepared to substantiate it. Unless they do a scientific poll of known gangsters in Uptown that shows that the gangsters did not commit crimes because of positive loiterer lurking nearby, they have no proof whatsoever that positive loitering has any real effect.

To be truly effective, positive loiterers would have to be (a) omnipresent, on every corner every hour of the day and night, (b) armed, at least with pepper spray and batons, and (c) trained in police tactics. Thale's positive loiterers are none of those. The cops are, God bless them - but many of the bad guys are, too.

RELATED:
Ald. Helen Shiller Wallows in Lies, Self-Pity
Another Useless Public Safety Meeting
CAPS Beat 2312: “Hey, Mister” - Lake Effect News

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

UPDATED - UPTOWN SHOOTING, SHERIDAN AND LELAND, CHICAGO

2009-11-08T22:37:00.006-06:00

FIRST PUBLISHED at 10:37 p.m.; UPDATED, 11:59 p.m., Nov. 8:
Another Uptown Shooting Not Thwarted by Positive Loitering
SUNDAY NIGHT SHOOTING IN UPTOWN, CHICAGO

From ChiNewsBench on Twitter (most recent post on top):

Shell casings found 4731 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago - 10:41 PM

LIVE ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - WERE FIRING FROM SHERIDAN AND LAKESIDE, APPROX. 10:10 PM ... #police #uptown #chicago #crime less than 5 seconds ago

LIVE ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - 1000 block W. Leland, looking for casings - recovered offender's cell phone, Sheridan & Leland...

LIVE ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - CPD now looking for casings - Footchase continues nearby... Prisoners in wagon ...

LIVE ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - ONE GUN RECOVERED, ONE STILL MISSING... CPD COMBING #UPTOWN CHICAGO FOR SHOOTERS...

LIVE ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - SHOOTER, 900 W. LAKESIDE, IN CUSTODY, MORE CPD ACTION @ 1000 BLOCK W LELAND ... HOT NIGHT

LIVE ALERT - UPTOWN CHICAGO - SHOOTER IN

ALERT UPTOWN CHICAGO - 850 W. Eastwood, CPD tac has one in custody. More CPD action on 900 block of Lakeside ... foot chase .. gun seized...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Action Call Video - Revolution's Eve, Nov. 5, 2012

2009-11-08T17:39:00.002-06:00

Awesome video. Just one criticism: What about November, 2010?

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Patriots and Snakes - How They Voted on H.R.3962

2009-11-08T13:33:00.011-06:00

The "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962), a truly misnamed and dangerous bill, passed the House of Representatives last night. 3962 needed 218 votes to pass; 220 snakes votes for it, while 215 patriots voted against it. Click here for a breakdown of how the members of Congress voted.

To quote from the Tea Party Patriots web site:

Near midnight on Saturday, November 7th, when most Americans were either sleeping or otherwise destracted, democratic members of the House of Representatives ignored the clear will of a very vocal American majority and implanted the tenticals of a growing tyrannical government into the spine of the republic that was built on the back of hard working Americans. The merits of the democrats proposal have been debated and it is well known that the bill will result in an enormous breakdown of the American health care system. This did not stop Nancy Pelosi and her fellow democrats from grabbing trillions of dollars directly from the paychecks of average citizens. An amount equal to one sixth of the American economy. (Full Post at Tea Party Patriots...)

Calling 3862 "affordable" is a bit like a college kid declaring that the tuition is "affordable" even though Mom and Dad are paying the bill. While if may be "affordable" for the kid, who is not spending a dime for it, somebody's got to pay for it. Mom and Dad know that all too well. Every penny that Mom and Dad spend on the kid's tuition is another penny less that the kid will inherit.

H.R. 3962 is not yet law. The Senate must give it a green light first. Meanwhile, one must wonder if our Democrat neighbors - the ones who are soooooo happy that 3962 passed - would not go into effect for about three years, during which time Medicare would be slashed and taxes raised to help pay for the "affordable" health care. It is hoped that the Senate will stop the madness of 3962 before it becomes law. In the event that they don't, however, dictionaries will have to rewrite their definitions of "affordable."

RELATED:
Trent Franks: Democrats arrogantly defied Americans' wishes on health care
Abortion foes voting "yes" on health care bill were played
Pelosi: Buy health insurance or go to jail ...
H. R. 3962 – Vote to Destroy American Healthcare Passes the House ...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Nov. 7th Chicago Tea Party Slideshow

2009-11-07T23:07:00.006-06:00

There was a Tea Party in beautiful Wentworth Park on Chicago's south side today, in the "Bungalow Belt" a mile west of Midway Airport. (See our slideshow below.) I estimated the crowd's peak at only around 150-175, but the energy was high and the speakers rousing.

Guests of note included candidates for Illinois governor Adam Andrzejewski and Michael White. William J. Kelly, candidate for Illinois State Comptroller was there, as was John Bambenek, uber-activist. Bambenek was gathering petitions for the Putback Amendment. Another great activist, Rich Johns, played observer and took in the great speeches. Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica made an appearance, although he did not speak; a scheduling conflict allowed him just enough time to stop by and say hello, then he was off to a press conference downtown.

I had the pleasure of riding down to the event with John Ruberry, who has a great report about today's Tea Party at his blog, Marathon Pundit.

The weather was beautiful, and although that made the outdoor Tea Party especially pleasant, it probably also worked against it, as it seemed nearly everyone in Chicago was trying to get in as much summer-like activity as possible in one of the few good weekends left in the season.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Call Rep. Schakowsky TODAY!

2009-11-06T14:16:00.011-06:00

Let Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL 9) know how disgusted you are with the Democrats' attempts to force Americans to buy sub-standard, government run health insurance. Tell her how upset you are that she and her party have been secretive about the 2,000+ pages-long health "reform" bill, their lack of transparency, and their strongarm tactics and lies.

To help you get in the mood for that phone call to Schak's D.C. office, first read the propaganda email being sent across the nation by Obama's "Organizing For America." (If you don't live in the 9th Cong. District of Illinois, the email will have your congressman's name instead of Schakowsky's. Click here to find contact info for your Senators and Congressmen.)

How to contact Schakowsky's offices:
2367 Rayburn Hob, Washington, DC‎ - (202) 225-2111‎
5533 N. Broadway Street, Chicago, IL‎ - (773) 506-7100‎
820 Davis Street # 105, Evanston, IL‎ - (847) 328-3409‎

Now to the email, dated November 6, 2009, complete with lies and distortions:

This is it -- the House of Representatives will vote on health insurance reform tomorrow. All signs point to it being incredibly close, possibly coming down to a small handful of representatives or even a single vote.

The health insurance industry and their lobbyists are doing all they can to stop reform -- and your representative, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, and the rest of Congress, is under tremendous pressure. Right now, your voice could make all the difference.

Call Rep. Schakowsky at 202-225-2111 today and click here to report your call back to us.

(Not your representative? Click here to look yours up.)

Tell the staffer who answers that you're counting on Rep. Schakowsky to stand strong and vote for reform -- because that's what the voters back home depend on. And if they're working for reform, tell them you'll stand with them and thank them for their hard work on this issue.

Here's just a few of the ways the House Bill would directly help people in Rep. Schakowsky's district [1]:

• 79,000 uninsured individuals would gain access to high-quality, affordable health insurance;

• Up to 13,600 small businesses could receive tax credits to provide coverage for their employees;

• 6,500 seniors would avoid the donut hole in Medicare;

• This bill is fully paid for and will not increase the deficit, while ensuring 98.4% of taxpayers in the district will not pay a dime more in taxes because of reform.

After decades of false starts, we may be mere hours away from passing comprehensive health insurance reform through the House of Representatives. But the insurance company lobbyists will stop at nothing to block reform and we can't stop fighting now.

President Obama is visiting the House tomorrow to call for reform, and I hope you'll add your voice to his right away. If you haven't called before, now is the time. And if you have recently called, thank you -- now please ask friends, family members, and co-workers in your district to join you.

http://freedomedium.com/2009/10/organizing-for-america-promotes-fascism/

Everything we're fighting for comes down to moments like this.

Thank you for stepping up,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

RELATED:
Chicago News Bench: Did Jan Schakowsky Have Lesbian Spy Affair?
YouTube - Rep Jan Schakowsky pushes single payer healthcare
Chicago News Bench: OFA Astroturfing Big Time for Schakowsky
That 1990-page Democratic health care bill? It's longer now ...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Ah, Behold Our New Toolbar by Wibiya

2009-11-05T22:05:00.005-06:00

Regular visitors to Chicago News Bench may have noticed a new gizmo here: The groovalicious new toolbar at the bottom of our site. Powered by Wibiya.com, and in an invitation-only beta stage, the features are splendid. It's one of the best software betas I've ever had the pleasure to test.

Starting on the left, you'll see a Search box. You can toggle between searching only on Chicago News Bench or on Google. Next, you'll find Translate, powered by Google. (Note that while this is handy and works well, I already have a translation bar just under the banner at the top with many more languages to choose from.)

Moving on, to the right of Translate is a nice Recent Posts slider. Self explanatory, so let's look at the next function, a whimsical random post finder appropriately called "Random." It's a bit like the "I Feel Lucky" search on Google. Click it and a random post on Chicago News Bench appears.

To the right of Random is a favorite: Games offers hours of free fun for you. To the right of Games is a long blank area, where Wibiya will be adding new features in the future, probably after they're out of beta. Continuing on, after the blank space, is a nice RSS button, where visitors can subscribe to Chicago News Bench in a number of handy - and free - ways.

To the right of the RSS button is Share, where you can share a post on Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, MySpace and more social media. Note that you should allow popups from Chicago News Bench for this to work. Also, to share a specific post URL, rather than our home page URL, you should click the post title first, then click Share.

Next we see the Facebook button. That takes you to my Facebook page; click on "Go to Fan Page" in the popup window. To the right of Facebook is the Twitter button, which opens a very cool interface of two panels. The left panel allows you to "Join the conversation about: Chicago News Bench," showing the most recent references on Twitter to "Chicago News Bench." The right panel shows the most recent tweets from ChiNewsBench, which is me on Twitter.

Finally, the chevron symbol on the far right allows you to toggle the entire bar on or off. It doesn't really go off, but you can minimize it, then quickly bring it back to full size with another click.

All in all, Wibiya's tool bar is a fun addition that I am enjoying immensely. I hope you like it, too.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Nov. 7th Chicago Tea Party Near Midway Airport

2009-11-05T21:08:00.004-06:00

The next big Tea Party in the Windy City will be one mile away from Midway Airport, in the Wentworth Park neighborhood (map). It's over by dere...

DETAILS:
On Saturday, November 7, Noon - 2:00 p.m.
Wentworth Park, 5700 S. Narragansett (map) (at W. 57th Street)
Hot coffee, hot chocolate and bottled water will be available.

Contact: Catherina Wojtowicz, (312) 662-8666,
ChicagoTeaPatriots@Gmail.com and ChicagoTeaPatriots website

Jim McMahon writes, "We have a great line up of speakers and entertainment. We will also host an open mic session so if you have something you would like to share, please feel welcome! We will be convening in the heartland of Congressman Dan Lipinski's district -- the ONLY democratic congressman in the state of Illinois who is poised to vote NO on socialized medicine!"

RELATED POSTS:
Anti-ObamaCare Tea Party Saturday on Chicago's Southwest Side
COUNTDOWN TO TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY...
Chicago Tea Party 11/7/09

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Essay: Andy McKenna, Pay Up or Give Up

2009-11-04T19:58:00.010-06:00

Andy McKenna, candidate for Illinois governor, hopes I'll give myself to him for free. I'm not that kind of boy, though, and I charge for what the Andy McKennas of the world want from me. So today, I told McKenna to pay up or give up.

As politicians of all stripes gear up for the 2010 elections, many of them are already spending big money on campaign advertising. They are also cluttering up the inboxes of many a blogger with press/media releases. The Old Media have always gotten press releases, and in fact they welcome them because many are well written and provide free text with which to fill, for example, a newspaper. For TV and radio, press releases provide filler too, allowing a station to keep their talking heads talking for the full length of a news show without asking their own writers to actually, you know, write.

I confess that I sometimes publish a press release, in full even, if it is well written and informative. I always make it obvious that it is a press release, unlike some who unscrupulously make it look as if they wrote "that brilliant story." I will publish a press release if I think it provides interesting or useful information to my readers in a well written manner, regardless of whether it's commercial or nonprofit. I'm especially partial to small businesses, whether they are for-profit or non-profit. It can give me a good post quickly and effortlessly.

Ah, but political ads are different. Those guys are throwing obscene amounts of dough around and never ask for anything tangible in return, except - ultimately - votes, then bribes, then kickbacks. Now, I try to sell advertising on this blog, same as a newspaper or broadcaster. I'm a lot cheaper, of course, because I only have hundreds of thousand of readers, not the dozens that the bankrupt Chicago Tribune must have.

Many bloggers are trying to sell advertising. Andy McKenna is one of many people running for a number of different offices for the 2010 Illinois elections. McKenna, like other politicians, sends a number of press releases to me every week, hoping that I will either publish them in full or re-work them; either way, it is hoped that I'll help get their message "out there."

Look, even though I would never vote for a faux-Republican RINO like Andy McKenna, I would shout his message from my blog, you betcha, if it's in the form of a paid advertisement. Perhaps that makes me a mercenary of sorts; I don't look at it that way. I'm simply willing to publish an ad, even one that might not necessarily represent the views held here. I reserve the right to refuse certain ads, of course. I would refuse any ad from hateful organizations such as the KKK or the Democrat National Committee.

However, if any Democrat wanted to pay me to place a campaign ad on this blog, for example, I'd accept it, with the understanding that it would not prevent me from continuing to call them out as greedy, corrupt, amoral, opportunistic, pseudo-collectivist lice. Same goes for RINOs (Republican In Name Only). I would, however, give them honest service and what they pay for and in a timely fashion and with a forced half-smile. That's better than what they give the voters, who end up paying their salaries. So, really, they're getting one helluva a bargain by advertising here. After all, they buy ads with Big Media, many of which are critical of them. Fair is fair, even in Illinois. By the way, I'm willing to take a check or PayPal deposit from a RINO. Democrats: I'll want cash in advance or we don't talk.

Oh yes, Andy McKenna... I wrote back to the nameless McKenna flunky/ies that send/s email press releases to me and let him/her/them know that if he/she/they think I'm giving it away, he/she/they are wrong.

To: press@mckennagov.com

Dear McKenna for Illinois:

Thanks for all the press releases. I see that your campaign is spending plenty of money for radio, television and print advertising. This blog, Chicago News Bench, accepts advertising just as they do. I would gladly run any message you wish on this blog, as long as it is in the form of paid advertisement. You can easily place an ad on Chicago News Bench by going to Blog Ads at this link.

You'll find our rates to be very reasonable. We look forward to serving your advertising and publicity needs. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Cordially,

Tom Mannis

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Shiller's 911 Calls, a Baseball Bat, and Silence (Updated)

2009-11-04T18:25:00.002-06:00

(Photo: CNB file image of N. Broadway and W. Wilson, taken August 2009; click to enlarge)

An odd incident occurred at Alderman Helen Shiller's office, 4533 N. Broadway in Uptown, happened at 11:18 a.m. Police removed a homeless man from the ward office without incident, but Shiller's staff refused to say why the police were called to handle a man thought to be homeless. (See related post, "Cops Called to Ald. Shiller's Office, Staff Mum.") Shiller's chief of staff, Denice Davis, told Chicago News Bench that it was "none of your business" why an emergency call was made to the police.

Despite Shiller's staff's reluctance to discuss an emergency call for help at an elected official's public service office, Chicago News Bench has obtained confirmation that the incident did in fact happen. A Chicago police officer with the 23rd District sent this message by email on the morning of Nov. 4:

"On the 3rd at 1118 Hrs 23rd District units were dispatched to Ald. Shiller's office to handle a disturbance. The tactical restored peace and left. The disturbance is alleged to have involved a homeless male....That is the information available on our call system."

THE SECOND INCIDENT happened in mid-afternoon. Trustworthy sources in Uptown told Chicago News Bench today that Alderman Shiller herself is believed to have phone 911 around 3:00 p.m. Our source, who heard the afternoon calls go out on a police scanner, told us that "a couple of Hispanic men" were reportedly harassing people in Shiller's ward office. CORRCTION/RETRACTION, Nov. 5: Upon further investigation, we have determined that our source was mistaken about the so-called second incident, said to have happened on the afternoon of Nov. 3. We regret any confusion.

One of the peculiar things about Shiller's ward office is the baseball bat openly displayed just behind the front desk. Unless the staff is always ready to play an inning of ball at a moment's notice, there is probably only one reason for that bat to be there: Defense. Shiller's office is located in a very rough part of a rough neighborhood, plagued with violence. In fact, it was only last week, on Thursday, Oct. 28, that a shooting occurred across the street from Shiller's office.

"A mid-afternoon shooting in Uptown sent pedestrians near the corner of Broadway and Wilson diving for cover, and bullets smashing into the windows of the Wilson-Broadway Currency Exchange at 4599 N. Broadway," according to Lake Effect News. According to reporter Lorraine Swanson, "Twenty-third District police swarmed the scene around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. Witnesses said that four males began shooting across the Broadway and Wilson intersection with no regard for traffic or pedestrians at a person standing near the currency exchange. A mother and her three children dove for cover on the sidewalk, as bullets slammed into the currency exchange’s windows, witnesses said."

(Photo: Lake Effect News)

The October 29, 2009 shooting is by no means the first shooting at or close to the intersection of Broadway and Wilson. A smart gambler would bet that it won't be the last. Alderman Shiller tried to downplay the 2:02 p.m. October 29 shooting, insisting that the gunmen were not shooting at anybody in particular. That's not only a ridiculous statement, it is patently untrue. Chicago police officers told the Beat 2311 CAPS meeting on Nov. 3 that the shooters "were shooting at each other." The officers said that another shooting happened about two hours later in the course of a narcotics-related chase and arrest in Clarendon Park, about half a mile east of the currency exchange shooting. The officers said they did not know whether the two shooting incidents on Oct. 29 were related.

Shiller's staff is typical of Shiller herself. Reluctance to discuss crime and violence, even that which occurs inside of and across the street from her own ward office, for example. Shiller's dismissal of the October 29 shooting as nothing more than harmless hijinx is also in character. At last night's CAPS meeting, Shiller's chief of staff (Denice Davis) tried to shout me down as I asked the police for information about the 911 call to Shiller's office that morning. This is the behavior and attitude - indeed, the mentality - that has cost Shiller so much support in her 46th Ward. Her virtual silence on the issue of violence is deafening. Uptown's silent scream of frustration, however, will be given a loud voice in late summer of 2010, when the aldermanic campaigning will reach a crescendo. After 22 years in office, it's now widely believed that Helen Shiller cannot win another term.

RELATED: Cops Called to Ald. Shiller's Office, Staff Mum (Updated)

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Chicago Model City Exhibition Extended Through November 2010

2009-11-04T16:04:00.004-06:00

Chicago Model City Exhibition Extended Through November 2010
Chicago Architecture Foundation Enhances Detailed Model of Chicago
Chicago Architecture Foundation Media Release
Photos courtesy Chicago Architecture Foundation (click to enlarge)

Chicago – November 5, 2009 – The Chicago Model City exhibition has drawn a vibrant band of locals and tourists who linger over the city in “miniature” every day since it opened in June. Originally scheduled to close in November, the exhibition has been extended through November 2010 with some upgrades and additions. Free and open daily, Chicago Model City, is at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan. New additions to the exhibition will include an audio tour, an expanded schedule of free bi-weekly gallery talks, new adult and family programs, family programs, and a Flickr page where visitors share photos of the model and exhibition.

“The popularity of Chicago Model City demonstrates the desire for greater understanding of Chicago and all cities,” said Lynn Osmond, Chicago Architecture Foundation President and CEO. “Many people recognize that the design of architecture and infrastructure is key to achieving livable communities.”

The centerpiece of Chicago Model City is the first and only large-scale city model fabricated using the cutting-edge rapid prototyping manufacturing process called stereolithography. Chicago Model City appeals to all ages by allowing visitors to get up close to the model which spans four sq. miles from Lake Michigan to Halsted and from Oak Street to 16th Street . It has 1000 highly detailed buildings in 400 city blocks. The scale is 1 inch to 50 feet, making the Sears Tower nearly three feet tall! The lighting simulates June 21st, the longest day of the year, going from morning to night every 15 minutes.

“This exhibition really ties into the Chicago Architecture Foundation tours,” said Jason Neises, Chicago Architecture Foundation VP of Tours. “People like retracing their steps and can really see the path of the river cruise and many of our walking tours.”

Chicago Model City explores how a region as vast and complex as Chicago takes shape. The exhibition highlights the goals of the people who influence urban life, and it examines the intended and unintended consequences of their actions. By focusing on landmark planning events that have been adopted or avoided in cities everywhere, the exhibition explores why Chicago is a model city.

Chicago Model City encompasses five sections:

Beautiful City Plan of Chicago
To planners, beautification is a way to achieve wealth, efficiency, and harmony.

Global City O’Hare International Airport
International transportation networks are the foundations of Chicago ’s financial and creative wealth.

Connected City The ‘L’
Chicagoans’ ability to travel throughout the region encourages urban growth; drives real estate development; and contributes to quality of life.

Green City Chicago Climate Action Plan
Chicago’s dense population, commerce and industry, and complex infrastructure are ingredients for a green or a dirty city. How will planners tip the balance in favor of a productive and healthy environment?

New City Remaking the South Side
Some planners’ solution is to demolish neighborhoods and build anew.

The Chicago model will be a permanent legacy for the city. The Chicago Architecture Foundation plans to continue enhancing and expanding the model, which will become the focus of its new facility, planned for 2012.

Corporations including DSM Desotech, Baxter International Inc., and Molex Incorporated worked with Columbian Model & Exhibit Works by donating staff, technology, and materials to fabricate the model.

Leading support was provided by Baxter International Inc., DSM Desotech, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity / Bureau of Tourism, Allstate Corporation, Bank of America, The Burnham Plan Centennial, Feldco, Molex Incorporated, Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, and Structural Engineers Association of Illinois. Additional support was provided by Altman Lighting, Chicago Bears Football Club, Chicago Sun-Times, Color Kinetics, HOK, Intelligent Lighting Creations, Inc., Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Lightswitch Architectural, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, and Zumtobel Lighting, Inc.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public interest and education in architecture and design. The Chicago Architecture Foundation pursues this mission through architecture tours, exhibitions, panel discussions, and youth and adult education programs. The Chicago Architecture Foundation is located at 224 South Michigan Avenue , Chicago , Illinois 60604 . For further information visit http://www.architecture.org/ or call 312.922.3432.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

VIDEO: Cops Called to Ald. Shiller's Office, Staff Mum (Updated)

2009-11-04T10:05:00.006-06:00

UPDATED: Also see: Shiller's 922 Calls, a Baseball Bat and Silence

First, Ald. Shiller's staff tried to deny that the police were called. Then, the alderman's chief of staff tried to shut me down at a CAPS meeting. Shiller is a public, elected official whose public service office had just requested emergency services from the police, -- and her staff told me it was none of my business why.

At 11:18 a.m. on Nov. 3, 2009, a call came over the Chicago police radio that Helen Shiller's aldermanic ward (46th) office called to report a homeless man causing trouble. The staff keeps a baseball bat at the reception desk - just in case. The police radio indicated that it may be an assault in progress. Several squads responded by radio that they would respond. I arrived at Shiller's office at 11:28 a.m.

A police car was still on the street, in front of the office, as I walked in and asked why the police had been called. Shiller's staff was evasive, refusing at first to even acknowledge that the officers had been there even as they were still visible through the front window.

(Update, Nov. 5:) Here is confirmation of the incident as provided by the Chicago Police Department: "On the 3rd at 1118 Hrs 23rd District units were dispatched to Ald. Shiller's office to handle a disturbance. The tactical restored peace and left. The disturbance is alleged to have involved a homeless male....That is the information available on our call system." ~ CPD officer, 23rd District, email to Chicago News Bench, 11/4/09.

Later, I attended the 7:00 p.m. CAPS meeting for Beat 2311 in Uptown, just around the corner from Shiller's office. During the questions portion of the meeting, I asked the police officers if they knew what happened at Ald. Shiller's office this morning. Shiller's chief of staff, Denice Davis, interrupted me by loudly shouting "You don't have to answer that!" I responded back to her, "The officers have the right to not answer, but I have the right to ask the question, and you have no right to stop me from asking it."

Shiller, a Democrat, is widely known to be unresponsive to the high crime in her Uptown neighborhood. Shiller is the alderman who was chased from a public meeting by an angry crowd last summer.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Video: People Tear Down Khameini Billboard in Iran

2009-11-04T09:42:00.002-06:00

Part of the November 4 protests in Iran.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Huge Protests Rage Today in Iran (Nov. 4)

2009-11-04T09:02:00.001-06:00

123

Today, the Persian people are fighting for their rights - and their lives - in Iran, coincidentally on the 30th anniversary of the siege of the US Embassy in Tehran (thanks in large part to Pres. Jimmy Carter). The people of Iran are not giving up - are you paying attention, Tea Partiers?

The Mullahs and Ahmadi-Nejad have underestimated the will of the Iranian people. This is because they assume that they can fully control the people of Iran. But Iran exists far beyond her borders. The true Iran is embraced by the American people; the true Iran is embraced by the French, the Swiss, the Canadians and even the British. Just as the Iranians demonstrated in the streets of Iran/Tehran to show their solidarity after September 11th, we, Planet Iran, an untouchable number of people are giving tireless support to the people in Iran during their quest for freedom.(Source: Planet Iran)

123

This video shows protesters begging Obama to help them. They chant "Obama, Obama, either with them or us." So far, Obama has wimped out in showing any real support for their fight against tyranny.

Some related hot posts about the protests today:

Massive Protests Against Regime In Iran – People Chanting “Die, Die Dictator!”
Live Blogging from Iran
Street videos of protests in Tehran, Nov. 4 (YouTube)
Opposition supporters clash with Iranian security forces
Iran's anti-US protests could turn on Ahmadinejad Iran has boosted production at uranium mine – report

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Tyranny by a Thousand Cuts - Must-Read

2009-11-03T14:54:00.004-06:00

Steven M. Cohen wrote a brilliant op-ed at GetLiberty.org, posted today. Cohen writes about how the Obama Administration "and its congressional acolytes have in similar fashion attacked citizens who have exercised their free speech rights at the numerous health care town meetings held all over the country" and more. It is a must-read. Here's an excerpt:

As Americans continue their dalliance with redistribution and collectivism—policies now being reversed or even shunned in other parts of the world—the process takes on the aura of a car wreck, an out-of-body experience seemingly taking place in slow motion. Yet the pace at which we are surrendering our fundamental rights is not a protracted deterioration but instead is breathtakingly quick, considering the fundamental damage visited upon our democratic system by the Obama administration in its brief tenure of less than ten months. Never have so few wreaked so much havoc on so many in so little time. Full Article...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

For The Record - Why Guns Are Good (Video)

2009-11-03T13:55:00.002-06:00

A liberal friend of mine told me yesterday that he had an epiphany over the weekend. He owns an antique long-barrel gun, you see, and it finally struck him that gun ownership is not only a good idea for self protection, but that Chicago's gun laws haven't done a damned thing to stop the gun-toting gangstas from shooting up the place. One step toward recovery, he is, and I dedicate this post to him.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

TEA PARTY, THE MOVIE (Trailer Video)

2009-11-02T23:38:00.004-06:00

Yup, it's a documentary. And this trailer is pretty cool. Unless, of course, you're a liberal, in which case you're probably laughing nervously, little beads of cold sweat forming on your oddly sloping forehead, dandruff falling from your head as it bobbles from the ludes you popped earlier, and now that chronic stoner cough is getting rougher from the nervous laughter. Oh, excuse me, I digressed there for a moment. Back to the movie...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

New Jersey's Simple Choice on November 3: One Out of Three Ain't Bad

2009-11-02T21:51:00.005-06:00

New Jersey! Do the right thing on November 3, 2009. Fight the Obama Red Tide. Fight Big Spending, Big Government, Big Waste and Little Hope. Vote for Chris Christie on Tuesday. Elect a governor who actually understand that higher taxes only destroy your economy, and steal your children's future. Please see this short video and some very good article links just below it. On behalf of the nation, thanks New Jersey!

[Chris Christie campaign ad at YouTube]

RELATED:
Republicans Are Poised for Gains in Key Elections - Wall Street Journal
Democrats Caught Cheating, Undermining Democracy, In New Jersey ...
ACORN Aims to Tip New Jersey Election in Corzine's Favor - NewsMax.com
Dirty Tricks: New Jersey Democrats Paying For Robocalls For Independent Candidate In Governor Race
New Jersey Democratic State Committee admits paying for a robocall ...
ObamaNation Shrugs: Legacy of Community Organizers: Stealing Elections
Orthodox Jews Aware of Danger to Marriage in New Jersey - Standard Newswire
Corzine Christie: New Jersey Governor Election Results Live, Exit Polls, Winner

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Defeat Dirty Deeds in Virginia, November 3 Election

2009-11-02T21:20:00.012-06:00

Bob McDonnell is running against Creigh Deeds for governor in Virginia. The November 3 election is being watched as closely as the Congressional race in New York's 23rd District is being scrutinized. On November 3, Virginians have the opportunity to stick it to the big-government, high taxing, heavy regulating Democrats. History will be made. Virginians will either choose more of the same, or real hope for real change.

So, to Virginia we ask: Will you make the right choice tomorrow, on Tuesday, November 3 when you vote for your next governor. Will it be Democrat Creigh Deeds or Republican Bob McDonnell? As I sit here in Chicago, following your gubernatorial race as closely as I can (while also monitoring our fascist Mayor Daley and his City Clowncil), I must turn to those more in touch with Virginia politics than I am.

One of those people is Chris Obenshain, who wrote a must-read piece at the blog "Bearing Drift - Virginia Politics on Demand." Obenshain's post, titled "Virginia’s Choice: Being Someone or Doing Something," is one of the best pieces of the many I've read about tomorrow's seemingly easy choice. Good luck on November 3, Virginia. The nation - indeed, the world - is watching. Will you go with a do-nothing big spender, or a man who truly wants - and knows how - to reduce the burden of taxes and regulation? Seems like and easy enough decision. Despite polls showing McDonnell in the lead, do not take anything for granted. Get out there and vote, Virginians. Every single vote - your vote - counts. Read Obenshain's article, watch the McDonnell campaign video below, and please see the related article links under the video.

[McDonnell campaign ad at YouTube]

RELATED:
VA Gov Polls: The Deeds Looks Done
YouTube - Deeds On the Ropes on Taxes
Republicans Are Poised for Gains in Key Elections - Wall Street Journal
Patterico's Pontifications » Obama Throws Creigh Deeds Under the Bus

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Trial Date Set for Ald. Stone Campaign Workers

2009-11-02T17:52:00.008-06:00

Lorraine Swanson has been following the felony cases of two men who worked for Chicago Alderman Berny Stone (50th Ward).

Both men face numerous counts of felony vote fraud, which they allegedly committed during the 2007 aldermanic election. Swanson filed this today at her Lake Effect News site:

Former Ward Streets and Sanitation Superintendent Anish Eapen and campaign worker Armando Ramos have been scheduled for a two-day bench trial on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 in the Cook County Criminal Court building at 26th and California before Judge Marcus Salone .... Charges were filed in January 2008 after the completion of a joint investigation by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s and Chicago Inspector General’s offices. FULL STORY...

Stone, born circa 1749, has been Chicago's Vice Mayor since 1837, one year after the city was incorporated. Prior to getting into politics, he worked as a snake oil salesman, selling miracle potions in the American colonies of New England from a two-horse carriage. After the United States won its independence from England, Stone traveled west on foot, surviving on a diet of squirrels and rhubarb until he arrived at a swampy area, now the site of modern day Chicago. He built a small log cabin near the future site of N. Western and W. Devon, and immediately gerrymandered the swampy land. After Chicago became an incorporated city, Stone was given squatter's rights to the area now known as the 50th Ward, and was additionally granted the title and privileges of Lifelong Divine Ruler of the Land of West Ridge.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Why You Should Hate the Hate Crimes Prevention Act

2009-11-02T17:03:00.008-06:00

Star Parker rips into the hypocrisy and legal flaws of the new "Hate Crimes Prevention Act," which Barack Obama signed on October 28.

Parker (photos) is a favorite columnist around here. She is the founder and president of CURE, the Coalition for Urban Renewal & Education, a 501c3 non-profit think tank that provides a national voice of reason on issues of race and poverty in the media, inner city neighborhoods, and public policy.

Here is her Nov. 2 column, "New hate crimes law is a mistake."

President Barack Obama has signed into law the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Actually, he signed into law the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act tacked onto which was the hate crimes legislation.

Sen. Harry Reid, our brave Democratic majority leader, slipped the hate crimes bill into the defense authorization bill to avoid having to have our senators consider the controversial hate crimes bill on its own.

It's for good reason that our Democratic legislators wanted to hide under a rock while passing this terrible piece of legislation. It may help them with the far left wing of their party. But weakening and damaging our country is not something to be proud of. And that is exactly what this new hate crime law does.

The bill adds extra penalties to violent crimes when they are deemed motivated by gender, sexual orientation, or disabilities. It's the first major expansion of hate crimes legislation originally passed in 1968, targeted then to crimes aimed at race, color, religion, and national origin.

After signing this new law, Obama celebrated it by saying that in this nation we should "embrace our differences."

But law isn't about embracing our differences. It is about providing equal and non-arbitrary protection to all citizens.

Equal protection for every individual American under the law is what the 14th Amendment to our Constitution, passed after the Civil War, guarantees. That this nation takes this guarantee seriously -- that there are no classes of individuals treated differently under the law -- has been a justifiable obsession of blacks.

A society in which all life is not valued the same, where murder of one citizen is not the same as the murder of another citizen, is a horror that black Americans have known too well.

So it is a particular irony that this major expansion of the politicization of our law has been signed by our first black president.

What could it possibly mean that the penalty for the same act of violence -- for murder -- may be different depending on what might be deemed to be the motivation?

Can you imagine a football game where the penalty for roughing the passer is 20 yards rather than 15 yards if the referee concludes that the violence perpetrated was motivated because the quarterback was homosexual?

Is it not a sign of our own pathology that we now have codified that it is worse to murder a homosexual than someone who has committed adultery, even with your husband or wife, or who has slandered or robbed? Isn't the point murder?

Can we really believe that someone capable of murder is less likely to do so if the victim is a homosexual and the penalties are greater?

It should be clear that hate crime law has nothing to do with improving our law but rather with creating favored political classes. It is something that should be hateful to everyone who cares about a free society, and particularly hateful to those, such as blacks, who have been victimized by politicization of law.

How about the sad and pathetic recent murder of a 16-year-old Christian black honor student in Chicago by four teenage thugs, also black?

A hate crime?

Black on black homicides are tearing up our inner cities. Hate crimes?

The social breakdown that produces the disproportionate violence in black America is the product of the same moral relativism and politicization of law that has produced hate crime bills.

We already have a source, which instructs against murder and to love your neighbor as yourself.

But this has been banned from our schools and our public spaces.

So once again, in what is becoming our Godless nation, we mistake the disease for the cure.

More Articles from Star Parker:

The Health Care Fatal Conceit
We can expect the same results from government taking over health care as we've gotten from housing socialism.

Al Sharpton, today's Orval Faubus
Sharpton blocked Limbaugh like Governor Orval Faubus tried to block black children from entering Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.

Consumers need protection -- from government
700 of 1600 payday loan offices in Ohio have closed.

Outrage over ACORN, but not abortion
A great lie has found its way into our national culture -- a lie that has deadened our senses -- that we can contend with life's challenges in a morally relative way.

Video: Star Parker with Neil Cavuto
African-Americans are no longer buying into the 'plantation mentality' of the Left.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service

Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE)
722 12th Street, NW Fourth Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone 202-479-2873
http://www.urbancure.org/

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

After a Dry Decade, Swift School Swimming Pool to Reopen

2009-11-02T16:58:00.003-06:00

It's been long drought for fans of swimming at a north side Chicago school, but water will once again flow in mid-November. Cool, clear water, with a dash of chlorine, should make quite a splash. Details from the office of 48th Ward Alderman Mary Anne Smith:

After being closed for more than ten years, the swimming pool at Swift School, 5900 N. Winthrop, will re-open with a dedication ceremony on Thursday, November 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Community members are welcome to come and tour the new facility. The Senn High School Color Guard will post colors, and there will be performances by the Sullivan High School Steel Band, the Swift Choir and the Swift Band. The event will take place from 5:30-7:30 PM.

The pool, pool deck and locker rooms have been completely renovated and made accessible. Funding for the project came from a combination of Aldermanic discretionary funds and the Chicago Public Schools. The pool will be open to the community, but the details have not yet been finalized.

"Swift is one of the few elementary schools to have a pool, and it was a shame this asset was unusable," Alderman Smith said. "We invested in this project to create a new resource for our entire community."

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Awesome Video - Huge Iran Protests Planned for Nov. 4 #iran

2009-11-02T07:11:00.001-06:00

Never give up. The person who posted this video (below) on YouTube, "jambonjamasb," writes: "A video to remind everyone of the hardship being endured under the fascist dictator in Iran. The people are still being brutalised as the world governments ignore their plight. They will protest again on the 4th November [2009]. Please support them." Jambonjamasb asks that you share the link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDHABfzJd0Y.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Halloween Slideshow (Chicago)

2009-11-01T13:28:00.004-06:00

A nice slideshow of kids, parents, goblins and scary scenes from Chicago on Halloween 2009 is posted at Lake Effect News.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

EFF's 'Hall of Shame' Targets Internet Censorship

2009-11-01T08:30:00.003-06:00

The hard working folks at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are looking for you, whether you're a writer or a reader. I admire EFF because they have equal dislike for censorship from any part of the political spectrum, and offer a must-have Legal Guide for Bloggers free on their web site. They hate censorship of any kind and have compiled a great list of some of the worst recent offenders. Without further adieu, here's an excerpt from their must-read press release about their "Takedown Hall of Shame":

EFF's Takedown Hall of Shame at www.eff.org/takedowns focuses on the most egregious examples of takedown abuse, including an example of a YouTube video National Public Radio tried to remove just this week that criticizes same-sex marriage. Other Hall of Shame honorees include NBC for requesting removal of an Obama campaign video and CBS for targeting a McCain campaign video in the critical months before the 2008 election. The Hall of Shame will be updated regularly, as bad takedowns continue to squash free speech rights of artists, critics, and commentators big and small. Read Full EFF Press Release, then see "Takedown Hall of Shame"...

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

CBS-2, BGA Investigation of Aldermanic "Menu" Spending

2009-11-01T08:00:00.004-06:00

The Better Government Association (BGA) and CBS-2 Investigative Reporter Pam Zekman joined forces to expose the use of so-called aldermanic "Menu" expenditures.

All fifty Chicago aldermen get $1.3 million per year to fund improvement projects for the wards. Most aldermen dutifully dole out the dough to finance street repairs, blue-light security cameras, speed bumps and road resurfacing, but the BGA and CBS-2 found that some aldermen have refused to fund projects that voters want and residents say they desperately need.

Check out Pam Zekman's story at this link and below: http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/BGA.2.Investigators.2.1280133.html

Check out your ward to see what your alderman is doing with the money:
For 2007: http://llnw.static.cbslocal.com/station/wbbm/docs/2007Ward.pdf
For 2008: http://llnw.static.cbslocal.com/station/wbbm/docs/2008Ward.pdf

If you have information the public should know about this issue or any issue involving government at any level, contact the Better Government Association at info@bettergov.org.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

Crain's: Water District Chief Owns Firm That Helps Polluters

2009-11-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

By the Better Government Association and Crain's Greg Hinz - October 30, 2009

A joint review by the Better Government Association (BGA) and Crain's Greg Hinz exposes a potential conflict of interest by Terry O'Brien, President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD).

Working with the BGA, Hinz reveals in his blog today that O'Brien is 50% owner of a consulting firm boasting four clients directly regulated by the Water Reclamation District.

One of O'Brien's clients, a division of chemical producer Nalco Holding Co., is listed on MWRD's Web site as having paid $1.7 million to the district in the past three years-making it the sixth-largest payer of user fees to clean up its pollution.

Hinz asks, "How can an official be paid by polluters at the same time he's supposed to be policing them?"

BGA Executive Director Andy Shaw calls it "the political equivalent of the fox guarding the chicken house."

Terry O'Brien was first elected to the MWRD board in 1988 and is currently running for Cook County Board President.

Click here to read the entire story by Greg Hinz

Learn more about the Better Government Association at: http://www.bettergov.org/

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!

5k-15k "Hot Chocolate" Run, Chicago Lakefront, Nov. 1

2009-10-31T16:07:00.006-05:00

Where can you do a charity 5k or 15k run, then enjoy your share of 900 gallons of Hershey's hot chocolate, 200,000 pieces of assorsted Hershey's candy, and 300 gallons of warm chocolate fondue?

At Montrose Harbor, on Chicago's north side, that's where. The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute presents the "Hot Chocolate 15k/5k" on Sunday, November 1 starting at 8:00 a.m. for 5k runners and approximately 8:30 a.m. for 15k runners. All runners are asked to line up at 7:30 a.m. and listen for announcements. Both the 5k and 15k runs start and finish at Montrose Harbor, a beautiful park of Lincoln Park, right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. (download a PDF race area map). The weather is expected to be very much like today's - perfect for a jog through the park.

Chicago News Bench took these photos of the race site being prepared on October 31.

Conservative Caps, Shirt and more!
Leave a Comment - Chicago News Bench RSS Feed
Visit us on Twitter!