By Steve Rhodes

“Ties between Lollapalooza promoters C3 Presents and attorney Mark Vanecko, a nephew of Mayor Richard M. Daley, run deeper than previously reported, and include a link to alcohol sales at the massive three-day music festival in Grant Park, according to public records and corporate filings,” Jim DeRogatis reports for Vocalo.
“Although the liquor license for the concert is issued in the name of Parkways Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Chicago Park District, beer and hard liquor actually are sold to the crowd of as many as 95,000 daily by Lollapalooza Festival Services, a company co-owned by Kevin Killerman, a Wrigleyville bar owner with dozens of complaints for underage drinking on his record, and a friend and legal client of Vanecko.”

Read More

Posted on July 14, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

And so it goes . . .
Information for this article was gathered on a research trip sponsored in part by European Waterways Ltd., American Airlines, Rail Europe, Hotel Sofitel Dijon La Cloche and Hotel Le Bristol Paris.
And from the article’s “If You Go” advice box:
“BARGE CRUISES: European Waterways Ltd. runs barge cruises in France and other parts of Europe.

Read More

Posted on July 13, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

“‘I simply cannot understand how a person can have such a total disregard of life and for those who keep order on our streets,’ [police Supt. Jody] Weis said Friday in announcing charges against Bryant Brewer, accused of shooting Officer Thor Soderberg with Soderberg’s gun and then firing into the police station at 61st and Racine,” the Sun-Times reports.
Really? You simply cannot understand? Then you have no business being our police chief.
It’s your job to understand.

Read More

Posted on July 12, 2010

By Natasha Julius

Hell, if this suburban DC housewife can raise two young kids while spearheading a Russian spy ring, there’s really no excuse for the Weekend Desk to slack off.
Market Update
The wealth gap between Harpies and Trolls grew ever wider this week, as even the wealthiest snatchers struggled to extort a measly $100 million from an online corporation. Meanwhile, even the most mundane Troll seems poised to suck, like, a bazillion dollars out of the top names in the business.

Read More

Posted on July 10, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

“As former Deputy Gov. Robert Greenlee explained it, Blagojevich spent most of his time at home and showed up no more than two to eight hours a week at his government headquarters,” the Tribune reports. “When there, Greenlee said, the governor was known to hide in the bathroom or his office to avoid confronting those who tried to discuss difficult policy problems such as the state budget.”
And you wanna be my latex salesman? I don’t think so.

Read More

Posted on July 9, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

It won’t be long now until I find out just how brilliant – or not – I was for buying the URL lebronisabull.com . . . I always thought it would turn out in the end that Jesse Jackson Jr. was cooperating with the feds this whole time or would otherwise be cleared, but this testimony makes him out as both a sleazeball and a liar . . . No one in our fair city found the Jackson revelations more satisfying than Richard M. Daley, whose wild cackles could surely be heard for blocks around City Hall . . . this story made me dumber, not smarter; totally lacking in any sort of context. Reporting isn’t just quoting people . . .

Read More

Posted on July 8, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

“Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has handed out raises – some of more than 20 percent – to his staff while proclaiming a message of ‘shared sacrifice’ and planning spending cuts of $1.4 billion because the state is awash in debt,” AP reports.
“The Democrat has given 43 salary increases averaging 11.4 percent to 35 staffers in the past 15 months, according to an Associated Press analysis of records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Here’s the best part:

Read More

Posted on July 7, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

1. Rush played at Northerly Island last night; we have a brief video and hope to see more posted on YouTube in the next 24 hours so we can bring it to you.
2. Boy, the Cubs stink. How does Lou keep his job? We’ve got some theories.
3. Konerko may not have been picked – yet – for the All-Star game, but Weep Not For Paulie.

Read More

Posted on July 6, 2010

By The Weekend Desk B Team

While new mama Natasha Julius tends to her young Cub, we follow the holiday weekend news so you don’t have to.
1. LeBron James Watch.
2. Barbecue & Fireworks Watch.

Read More

Posted on July 3, 2010

By Steve Rhodes

“The Blagojevich household spent more on fine clothing than on their mortgage, child care, travel or private schools in the years that Blagojevich served as governor, according to trial testimony,” the Sun-Times reports.
“Many of the expenditures came as the family was swimming in debt.
“Blagojevich’s finances were displayed on the same day jurors heard the former governor calling President Obama a ‘mother f[ucker]’ on a recorded telephone call, as well as testimony that Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, got paid tens of thousands of dollars by convicted businessman Tony Rezko – allegedly to do nothing.”
This guy is toast.

Read More

Posted on July 2, 2010