By Natasha Julius
The Weekend Desk: Taking control of the narrative since 2006.
Market Update
Sense of Humor saw its value skyrocket this week, because let’s face it: we’re all going to need one.
Posted on January 7, 2012
The [Friday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
“Chicago Public libraries will close all day Mondays – instead of Monday and Friday mornings as promised – stunning and infuriating aldermen who thought they had an agreement with Mayor Rahm Emanuel,” the Sun-Times reports.
Maybe he just means during the NATO/G8 summits.
No, but really, they’re quite mad.
“That’s not what was proposed or voted on,” Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said. “It’s completely contrary.”
Posted on January 6, 2012
The [Thursday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
By the time Illinois holds its Republican primary in March, Rick Santorum may be long gone from the race, but for now stories like this one that include his yearbook photo from Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein are fun and interesting to read.
See also: SantorumIllinois.com.
Posted on January 5, 2012
The [Wednesday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
And then that happened.
See also: The Iowa Caucus Report From The Beachwood Political Affairs Desk.
Who won? The dumb-ass media. Who lost? You.
NOTE: Additionally material including from our Twitter feed now in the comments section.
Posted on January 4, 2012
The [Tuesday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
“Medicaid payment delays of up to six months are causing fits for supportive living centers throughout Illinois, and some owners are worried they may have to close if the situation doesn’t improve soon,” AP reports.
This is the price some people are paying for the economic scandal – yes, let’s start calling it a scandal – while the very comfortable complain about how unfairly they’re being treated.
“‘It’s a crisis for us because reserves and lines of credit are being exhausted,’ Wayne Smallwood, executive director of the Springfield-based Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, said last week. ‘This is the worst we’ve seen, and there’s no relief in sight.’
“Illinois’ festering budget problems, the sagging economy and the end of the federal economic stimulus program in June have contributed to growing payment delays that also hamstring nursing homes, hospitals, doctors and other medical providers.”
Posted on January 3, 2012
The [Monday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
Is it possible to already be hopelessly behind on the second day of the year?
Yes. Because evil doesn’t take a vacation.
1. Please send your correspondence to Richard M. Daley at Katten Muchin.
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And don’t forget:
“The full council approves the deal 40-5, with the nays coming from Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Rey Colon, Waguespack, and Ocasio. Five aldermen – Shiller, Carothers, George Cardenas, Ariel Reboyras, and Sandi Jackson – manage to miss the vote.”
Posted on January 2, 2012
The Weekend Desk Report
By Natasha Julius
What a week to take a vacation! Ron Paul became a credible threat, the NBA season kicked off and Britney Spears was apparently replaced by the only person with worse hair than Justin Beiber. Here are the stories still left to cover.
Market Update
How bad was 2011 on the financial markets? So bad two countries said “fuck it” and skipped to 2012 early.
Posted on December 31, 2011
The [Friday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
Every year for the past several New Year’s Eves I’ve toasted to the notion that the coming year will be better than the last because each succeeding year seems to suck harder than ever. Now I’m somewhat resigned to the fact that it’s just gonna get worse and worse. I wonder if there’s an early admittance program to that senior public housing building on Damen I’ve always had my eyes on. Because, really, I’ve had enough.
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I am somewhat comforted by the notion that if there is an afterlife – doubtful – I’ll be treated much better than Cardinal Francis George, who has a lot to learn about people, history, society, and pastoral care. What an absolute dud.
He leads today’s quick look through the news.
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1. Cardinal George calls Angola a KKK sanctuary.
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See also: The Cardinal’s Bizarre Analogy.
Posted on December 30, 2011
The [Thursday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
“As younger military veterans stream back into Illinois from Iraq and Afghanistan, the state faces a challenge as it tries to make them more of a priority in a time of desperately tight budgets,” AP reports.
“The state has been increasing the amount it spends on veterans services in recent years. But the bulk of that money is spent on older veterans while many younger soldiers and National Guard troops are returning to a difficult economy looking for help with jobs and training.
[ . . . ]
“The vast majority of the money Illinois spends on its veterans – $82.86 million, or 85 percent – goes into the state’s four veterans’ homes, which serve between 900 and 1,000 former military personnel.
“‘I think it’s where it ought to be,’ Erica Borggren, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, said about the financial emphasis on older veterans. ‘Those veterans served in World War II or Korea. That’s been a core, defining mission for our agency for a long time now.'”
Posted on December 29, 2011
The [Wednesday] Papers
By Steve Rhodes
“Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields, who sponsored the legislation in the Senate, pointed out that [Sears] would not qualify for state tax breaks unless it met employment and investment requirements,” the Tribune reports.
Well, at least there’s that.
“The legislation, for instance, requires the retailer to retain 4,250 jobs at its headquarters, now the site for 6,100 workers.”
Wait, what?
Toi, I’ve got a poker game I’d like to invite you to. Bring your buddy Pat, too.
Posted on December 28, 2011