Extra, Extra ...
- A DuPage County jury has sentenced Edward Tenney to death for a 1992 murder.
- Jury selection kicked off today in Calvin Boender's case.
- Authorities weren't too amused with a bus prank pulled by a pair of East Aurora High students.
- TimeOut Chicago is now under new ownership: Chicago's Joe Mansueto now holds a majority stake in the magazine.
- Raquel Welch's bra set off the metal detector at O'Hare.
- RIP and Godspeed, Reptile 1, Lincoln Park Zoo's oldest animal.
Tuesday Flashback: Pippen & Leno ...
A big tip o' the hat to Pippen Ain't Easy [via] for posting this clip of Bulls legend Scottie Pippen paying Jay Leno a visit when Leno himself brought The Tonight Show to Chicago back in 1996.
Snow Hampered Departure Delays For Midway, O'Hare ...
Numerous snow events are being blamed for the poor on-time departure rankings for the city's airports in January. Of the country's 29 busiest airports, O'Hare ranked 26th for on-time departures (74 percent) while Midway ranked last (69 percent), according to the the U.S. Department of Transportation report. As for arrivals, the two fared a bit better: Midway was 19th overall with 78 percent of arrivals on time and O'Hare was 23rd place with 76 percent of flights arriving on time. Number one overall? Seattle-Tacoma where 89 percent of departures and 86 percent of arrivals were on time. Yeah, but do they have life-size statues of the Blues Brothers? Didn't think so.
Good News For Employment In Illinois? ...
AP Photo/Danny Johnston
Economic news might be looking upward for Illinois for the first time in a few months. According to a survey by the staffing firm Manpower, who regularly releases such surveys, 18 percent of companies in the greater Chicago area are planning to take on more employees next quarter, and increase of 10 percent over the first quarter of the year. With only 3 percent of companies surveyed planning on cutting jobs (as compared to 16 percent in the first quarter of the year), this is a net gain of 15%. The strongest job prospects appear in industries like construction and durable goods manufacturing, while employers in government plan to cut jobs. Overall, 75 percent plan to maintain their current level of employment, continuing a small upward trend.
While this is a piece of good news for job seekers in Illinois, the statistics nationwide aren’t so rosy: 73 percent of employers surveyed nationwide say they plan on keeping employment levels the same, while 8 percent say they’re cutting payrolls. A government jobs report last month showed 36,000 Americans lost their jobs last month. At present, the unemployment rate nationwide hovers near 10 percent , but as we've reported before, that number is only a partial figure since it does not include longer term unemployed and underemployed people.
The White Stripes Tear It Up Under The Great White Northern Lights ...
It's been almost three years since The White Stripes embarked on their against-the-grain tour of Canada. Having never toured the country before, Jack and Meg attacked the idea with creativity and vigor, setting out to do things that no other band on their scale had done before. In addition to playing typical large venues, the duo hit every province, towns large and small, locations quirky and unpredictable. Canucks everywhere frantically scrambled to the town square or the local YMCA after receiving tips that The White Stripes would be playing a gig. They played bowling alleys, pool halls, and even boats. Performances were unrehearsed, chaotic, and free of charge, and all from one of the biggest bands in the world. Fortunately, for those who missed out on one of the most unique and meaningful tours in a very long time, director Emmet Malloy captured it all for your viewing pleasure.
Malloy's documentary, The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights, recounts the duo's performances and travels all over Canada, showing the great contrast between their small and large shows. Though at first listen The White Stripes can be misconstrued as static or "premeditated", Malloy's film captures the real diversity of Jack and Meg, not only as musicians, but as people, too. Jack even ventures into this idea, addressing the accusation that "Everything about The White Stripes is a lie," defending very earnestly that the music, above all, is not. Insights like these are peppered throughout this entertaining and sincere documentary, as Jack comes off as down-to-earth as any other former furniture re-upholsterer should.
While segments of the band rocking furiously in front of large crowds are entertaining, the real treasure of UGWNL is seeing The White Stripes play the smaller side shows, which is fittingly capped off by a very moving performance at the end of the film. It's a move that just about every other big-time band would never do, and yet they pull it off effortlessly and without an air of pretentiousness. Never once is there a feeling that what they're doing is self aggrandizing or insincere. If there was, UGWNL would fall flat on its face, and we may have to assume that everything is a lie.
Check here for the times and locations of several Chicago screenings of The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights
Tuesday Afternoon Diversion ...
In the wake of Conan's departure, we've become enamored with Jimmy Kimmel's show which, like Conan's Tonight Show, is something we haven't watched enough (thankyouverymuch, Oprah replay). In this great bit from his post-Oscars show, Kimmel presides over a meeting of the Handsome Men's Club. Chuck, Tankboy, and myself have all been rejected by said club though we understand Prescott made it past the first round of the selection process.
Blago On A Top Ten List That's Not A "Most Wanted" One ...
Phil Rosenthal is reporting over at the Tower Ticker that unesteemed ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich will be showing up on the Late Show With David Letterman this Wednesday to deliver the evening's Top Ten List. Blago will most likely be shilling for his upcoming stint as whipping boy for Donald Trump on the new "Celebrity Apprentice" season, which starts this weekend. While the topic of the evening's countdown has yet to be revealed, here's a few possibilities from the consulting group of Chicagoist Strategies Incorporated for what to expect in gubernatorial-related Countdown hilarity:
- Top 10 Ways I Can Corrupt My "Celebrity Apprentice" Co-stars
- Top 10 Different Ways I Can Nationally Taint the Jury Pool
- Top 10 Lines I'll Use To Subtly Reference My Absolute Innocence
- Top 10 No-Bid Contracts I Might Award to Donald Trump
- Top 10 Reasons I Should Replace Governor Paterson
- Top 10 Ways I'm Sleazier Than Fellow Contestant Bret Michaels
- Top 10 Things That are F'ing Golden About NBC
As if you didn't need any other reasons to tune in, it's a fairly Chicago-centric episode, with Billy Corgan's possible paramour Jessica Simpson set to appear, along with McHenry's very own Alkaline Trio as the musical act. Will Blago's uncomfortable smirk and self-aware self-deprecating sense of humor be enough to get the Chicago market to tune in? It's not likely to produce an exchange on the level of G-Rod's previous "wanted to be here in the worst way/you're here in the worst way" unintentional improv magic, nor will it probably be as good as when then-Senator Obama appeared to deliver the list. But in fairness, the idea of Mitt Romney as Secretary of Lookin' Good never fails to make me smile just a little. Rod, take notes - the precedent that you're up against is after the jump.
Do This For FREE: White/Light At MCA ...
Experimental duo White/Light, comprised of Chicago sound-based artists Jeremy Lemos and Matt Clark, currently have an interactive music installation on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art as part of the UBS 12 x 12: New Artists / New Work series. The exhibit is set in the dimly lit gallery, where two reel-to-reel tape machines loop electric guitar samples and drone electronic noise. A glowing microphone lures people into the room and triggers a sensor that modifies the sound frequencies, allowing the visitors to participate in transforming the continually evolving sound. The artists also constantly manipulate the installation - the tape machines and amps are rearranged periodically and Clark shows up at the gallery frequently to record new guitar samples for the loops.
White/Light came together in 2003 as a sound project, Clark playing electric guitar and Lemos layering synth, analog electronics and shruti box beneath it. Though the band’s name was inspired by Velvet Underground’s White Light/White Heat, their music takes a much different, more experimental approach. They explore the dynamic properties of sound, evident by their focus on contrasting Lemos’ humming, pulsating noise with Clark’s electric guitar, as well as the extreme, often surprising variations of their sound: sometimes minimal and subtly hypnotic, while at other times overwhelmingly dense and orchestral. So far, White/Light has recorded two full-length albums, toured Europe and the U.S. and are currently creating a collaborative album with Steve Shelley, drummer of Sonic Youth, and Disappears, a minimalist rock ensemble made up of members from Chicago bands such as the Ponys, Boas and 90 Day.
Tonight (and every Tuesday night through March), they’ll be performing live, interacting with the sound installation. Many of their performances include guest musicians, such as Steve Shelley, Tortoise’s John McEntire and Joan of Arc’s Tim Kinsella. Tonight, White/Light will be accompanied by Disappears (minus drummer Graeme Gibson). The performance kicks off at 7pm, but show up at 6pm to hear White/Light discuss their work beforehand in the gallery. Checkout White/Light’s site for their complete schedule and a few free downloads.
Disappears & White/Light perform tonight, Tuesday, March 9 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago, 7 p.m., FREE
Willis Tower, Hancock Center Architect Dies ...
Bruce Graham, the architect who designed two of Chicago's tallest and most iconic buildings, died this weekend at his home in Hobe Sound, Fla. He was 84 and died due to complications from Alzheimer's disease, according to Crain's. Graham designed the Willis Tower - formerly known as the Sears Tower - which was the world's tallest building from its opening in 1974 until 1996. At 1,451 feet, it's still the tallest building in the U.S. He also designed the 100-story John Hancock Center, which opened in 1970. He helped design the green-glass high-rise Inland Steel Building, located at 30. W. Monroe, in the 1950s. Graham, originally from Bogota, Colombia, was a senior architect at the famous firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, from 1951 to 1989.
Today In Maps: Grocery Stores Vs. Bars ...
FloatingSheep loves to stick data on maps, thereby graphically illustrating the data, and one of their new maps is a real lulu. Using stats gleaned from Google Maps, they
did a simple comparison between grocery stores and bars to discover a remarkable geographically [sic] phenomenon. We had expected that grocery stores would outnumber bars and for most parts of North America that is the case. But we could also clearly see the "beer belly of America" peeking out through the "t-shirt of data." Starting in Illinois, the beer belly expands up into Wisconsin and first spreads westward through Iowa/Minnesota and then engulfs Nebraska, and the Dakotas before petering out (like a pair of love handles) in Wyoming and Montana.In other words, on the map above every patch of red represents a location where bars outnumber grocery stores. Dubious at the results, they looked at official 2007 Census Country Business Pattern data. And it matched up.
It's easier to see on the full sized map: although Illinois clearly loves a good tipple, all that red in Wisconsin jibes with Forbes 2006 list of America's Drunkest Cities, which had Milwaukee as the most soused metropolis in the nation. Chicago? #6.
Two Brothers Meets French Oak With New Ale Series ...
Last year, two Brothers Brewing invested in seven fresh French oak fermentation tanks, or "foudres," to do some barrel aging. Foudres, which are much larger than standard barrels, are widely used in the Rhône Valley for winemaking. Two Brothers decided they would revisit the practice of using these for oak aging.
The first two results, called the "J Series", are hitting bars and shelves next week. These two beers mark the first new year-round beers in the Two Brothers line since Cane & Ebel two years ago. "Long Haul" is a session ale with a good balance between the hops and malt, a 4.2 percent ABV content, light in body but (with 27 IBUs) full of flavor from the oak. "Resistence' is an oaked India Pale Ale weighing in at 70 IBUs and 6.9 percent ABV. Expect lots of pine, honey, a strong bitterness on the palate and persistent oak on the finish.
To celebrate the release of the J Series, Two Brothers will sponsor a tapping of the two beers next Tuesday at Hopleaf from 6-10 p.m..
[Sponsored] ...
Chiditarod 2010 Wrap Up ...
Warm and sunny weather graced the fifth annual Chiditarod shopping-cart race, as over a hundred teams competed in what may be “the world’s largest mobile food drive” this past Saturday on the Near West Side. Chiditarod mimics the famous Alaskan Iditarod except the dogs are replaced by people in wacky costumes and the sleds are shopping carts. It is a one-of-kind event, incorporating a food drive, with a costume/talent contest, pub crawl and 5-mile race. Traffic was blocked for the starting point but after that racers had to use the sidewalks or alleys and adhere to all traffic lights. Many people were caught off-guard when they saw the teams race down the sidewalk in colorful, crazy outfits and pimped out shopping carts. One startled woman shrieked, “What on earth is going on?” while a young toddler kept asking her Dad if it was Halloween. The race began at Hubbard and Wolcott and included six check points at local bars in the area. Talent contests included karaoke, haiku, pole dancing and a cheer-off. Each team was required to cross the finish line with 40 pounds of food or more. Proceeds benefited the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation. The prize list, race results and donation totals have not officially been announced yet but we did track down a few winners:
- 1st place by time: Area 3 All-Stars:
- Best in Show: Mt. Attack Kill
- Spirit of Chiditarod: Action Squad
- Best Sabotage: CJ Ownz
- Best in Pole Dance: Goonies
Check out video of the start after the jump.
Surprise! Billy Corgan Looking For More Pumpkins! ...
Stop the presses! Billy Corgan is looking for yet another bassist for "The Smashing Pumpkins" to fill the revolving door that role seems to have built into it, and he's going about it via open auditions. (Chicagoist's own Lizz Kannenberg is between band gigs, maybe she could make the cut?) Most recent bassist Ginger Pooley is leaving the band to focus on taking care of her family's newest arrival, her new baby daughter.
Corgan is also looking for a prog rock keyboardist in the style of "on Lord and Rick Wakeman." No word on whether you need to bring your own cape or if Corgan will lend you one of his.
Interested in throwing your bass or keyboard or keytar into the ring? Send a video of you in action to either pumpkinsbass@gmail.com or pumpkinskeys@gmail.com. Good luck?
Openings: M Burger, Aldino's ...
Former 312 Chicago chef Dean Zanella returns to action Thursday with the opening of his Aldino's, in the former Caffe La Scala space in the UIC Hospital District/Little Italy. Zanella has partnered on Aldino's with Scott Harris, who is seemingly opening restaurants everywhere these days. With a big assist from Chef de Cuisine Ray Stanis (Blackbird, Avec, Osteria di Tramonto), Zanella will be serving a menu of local and seasonally-driven Italian fare. Not content to open just a restaurant, Zanella will also be opening a companion market to Aldino's in a couple weeks.
Also opening Thursday is M Burger, located in the space that once housed the chef's table at Tru. M. Burger's griddle is right in the middle of Tru's kitchen. Audarshia "312 Dining Diva" Townsend, who first broke the news of M Burger and has been on the story ever since like a groupie with a backstage pass, got a sneak peek at the menu yesterday. She said to "remember the Hurt Burger (a spicy sandwich with BBQ sauce, Pepper Jack cheese and jalapeños) and the ultra-creamy Caramel Shake." M Burger has very limited counter seating, but will expand outside when the weather warms.
Aldino's, 626 S. Racine, 312-226-9300. M Burger, 161 W. Huron, 312-254-8500.
PHOTOS: Free Energy And Foreign Born At The Empty Bottle ...
Free Energy's debut Stuck On Nothing -- out today -- is already one of our favorite party records of 2010. Their appearance at The Empty Bottle last Friday took tunes that on album are already pretty perfect and upped the energy and grit by blowing said songs through a dual-guitar attack and a stage show that never slowed down. Throw in choice selections from the band's small catalog, a smokin' cover of Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Hey You," a dance section singer Paul Sprangers dubbed "the dude pit," and you had the making's of a pretty unforgettable show. It appears as if the bro nation is already onto these boys from Philadelphia, so we're glad we got a chance to see them at The Bottle since their next time through town is sure to be in a much larger room.
LA pop rockers Foreign Born closed out the night with effervescent guitars and composed, light-to-dark jams reminiscent of the eclectic Silver Lake scene they call home. On their latest, Person to Person, Matt Popieluch and crew combine vacillating rhythms and well-placed doses of African percussion in a solid effort to be your #1 summer jam.
Foreign Born review by Lizz Kannenberg
Interview: Mac McClelland's Battle For Burma ...
Mac McClelland is on a mission. She's on a mission to help bring to light a war that's been raging for decades, resulting in humans rights abuses that would horrify the normal person, but a war, that goes unnoticed day after day. Her mission is Burma. But she's done more than talk, she's spent time in Thailand working with refugees and now she's sharing their ongoing story in For Us, Surrender Is Out Of the Question. Part memoir, part historical narrative, McClelland delicately weaves her own story working with a memorable, sometimes rambunctious, group of refugees while also detailing the history of Burma's ongoing war between ethnic insurgents and its government, deftly intertwining the two stories into a narrative that's striking in its ability to be humorous one moment and shocking the next but never betraying either the gravity of the situation or the spirit of the refugees she's assisting.
McClelland, an Ohio native and later a Katrina survivor [full disclosure: Mac and I first crossed paths in New Orleans], now lives in San Franciso where she writes for Mother Jones. As she hit the road to promote For Us, Surrender... (read an excerpt here), she took a few minutes to talk to us about why she went to Burma in the first place, the delicate balance of tone in her writing, and how she feels about the war in Burma so often being overlooked.
Mac McClelland, Wednesday March 10, 7:30 p.m., The Grafton, 4530 N. Lincoln Ave, Free
Chicagoist: Can you give us some background to how you wound up going to Thailand and got involved with the Burma issue in the first place?
Mac McClelland: I was goofing around on the internet and saw something about these huge refugee camps in Thailand that were full of refugees from Burma but I couldn’t really find out much about what was going on. This was before I started grad school and after I finished grad school, I kept coming back to it. I guess it was haunting me that there was this thing going on that I didn’t know anything about that seemed like a really big deal. So I went back to it and it had gotten worse but there still wasn’t that much information about it. I emailed one of these organizations and asked them if they needed a volunteer in Thailand and they said, “Sure, come on.” They didn’t really tell me much about who worked there or what they did there so I basically just showed up and tried to figure out what was going on and how I could help.
C: How long were you there?
MM: I was in Thailand for six weeks the first time, which is the time-frame of the book. I’ve been back since but that first time was six weeks.
C: What ultimately drove you to write the book?
MM: The guys - the refugees - that I lived with were the most amazing people in the world. It was the characters that made me want to want to write this the most. They’re hilarious, they’re hot, they’re drunk, they love Jesus, and they have crazy jobs where they risk their lives all the time. So they were the impetus for it but when I started looking into it, doing tons of research and devouring all the information and history that I could, I found the history of the country [Burma] was really interesting, the history of their war - between the Burmese government and these ethnic insurgents - was interesting. It’s the longest war in the world, 61 years old, and no one’s ever heard of it. All this information, the circumstances, surrounding these characters was just as compelling as they were.
C: The book is a mix of personal narrative and a historical account of the ongoing battle in Burma. The historical background is obviously important for context of the personal narrative. What was the most difficult aspect of writing the book, striking that balance?
MM: The hardest part of doing both was selling the idea. Editors responded, “You can either do a memoir or you can do history but you cannot do both.” It took some time to find someone who understood my vision, which [laughs] of course I thought was brilliant. I thought I could do it, I just wasn’t sure how. And I ended up at Soft Skull and found someone that thought it could work well. But even when I first talked to my editor there, they asked, “So how are you going to do this?” and I said, “I…don’t know.”
I moved different pieces of it around, different pieces of the narrative. And as it turned out, I did parallel narratives, alternating with each chapter. I kept the history shorter because it’s harder to follow that information than to follow this story of these guys. When I had the first readers go through it, they didn’t really notice the switch between narratives and that was the first time I really knew that we had managed to strike a pretty good balance. I was really excited about that because both parts are really important to the story.
C: One thing that kept coming up for me when I read the book was the tone. I’ve read your writing before, but there’s almost an… I don’t know, irreverent tone in your memoir chapters that spills into the historical background chapters. On the one hand, it seems essential to the cohesive nature of the book. But on the other, did you ever worry about it turning readers off because it seems like you weren’t taking the subject - the war and the human rights issues - seriously? Did you ever have to tinker with the narrative with that in mind.
MM: Oh it was a huge concern. Partly because when I was pitching the book, my agent would forward me these emails back from editors, “This is a nice idea and it seems like an important story but her voice is really obnoxious” or “The tone of this is scathing” and they hated it. So I definitely had this crisis of confidence - was it too “voicey” or too strong. I called some friends around here [San Francisco] while I was writing it and told them, “I’m worried my voice is out of control, that it is too irreverent, that it’s too…not dry.”
It’s sort of ridiculous that you’d worry about your prose being too lively but because of some of the feedback I’d been given…At the same time, I feel that if that proposal had been coming from a man, they probably would not have reacted so strongly, that there’s this really strong voice in the narrative. But that’s [laugh] my feminist bias and I can’t actually prove that.
But when it was all said and done I went back and read those chapters- you know, nobody wants to read about history, nobody cares what happened in Southeast Asia in 9 B.C. So when I went back and reread those chapters the fact that I had written them the way that I usually write, which is essentially the way that I talk, these were so much easier for me to read. So I decided to stick with it and I had an editor who was really supportive and he told me, “Don’t worry about it, just write the way that you write, and if we have to turn you down later, we will.” I’m glad that I stuck by my guns with that even though it was really hard because I was worried other people would not take to it at all.
C: So you’re happy with how it all came out?
MM: I am! I’m actually - and you know me, you know I’m pathologically confident - I knew these guys made an amazing story. No matter who’s telling it, the information, it’s so good. And the characters are so good so I had a lot of faith in that. When I had to reread it for my final edits, I thought that it had turned out better than I had expected. Especially because it’s so important to me to tell these guys stories and I love them. It’s so critical that people understand what’s going on there, I owed it to them to produce something that would be readable for the word to get out.
C: Do you still talk to those guys - those refugees - on any sort of regular basis?
MM: Some more often than others. They’re scattered all over the place and a lot of time it’s hard to get in touch with them and language barriers are much tougher over phone than in person. But I’ve seen a bunch of them since my first visit and I still keep up with them on Facebook and email.
C: How many times have you been back since that original visit?
MM: I went in 2006 and then again for a month in 2008. I was in Thailand and crossed over into Burma both times.
C: Are you going back any time soon?
MM: I’d like to go back because it’s really dear to me and there are still people there I really care about. But I probably won’t be back for a while because of work. I’ll definitely go back but it’ll be a while.
C: There were the riots in 2007 but aside from that it seems that this is constantly in the background. Do you worry about the way this war has been overshadowed, the way we tend to consume these events - like the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile this year - and then eventually move on like nothing happened?
MM: I do, actually. It keeps me up at night. The thing about Burma is that so many people have never heard about it in the first place. I’m so obsessed and so immersed as far as Burma is concerned - I’ll be doing something, like brushing my teeth, and listening to the radio and they’ll mention something in Yemen that's driving refugees out of there and I’m like, “Okay, why are we reporting this but not reporting the very similar thing - except ten times worse - that’s going on in Burma?”
It’s the great untold story and I don’t understand how it has managed to stay completely out of the news because the information is so horrific you would think it would be juicier to a reporter. But then news things come that are more immediate, more important because this war between ethnic insurgents and the Burmese government has been going on for 60 years. That’s not news. It’s the opposite of news.
But it still happens, the atrocities that are committed every day are so severe that if you compare disasters- they’re all crucial stories, but if you’re comparing disasters, you can put Burma up against anything that happened in any day and it would be news-worthy from a strict humanitarian point of view. So it’s just a matter of getting the word out and people understanding the situation. And the information out there, it’s just not as visible and that’s what I’m trying to do: make it more visible.
Around Town ...
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Nutrition 101 ...
March is the official National Nutrition Month. Let's get in the spirit with some basic nutrition talk. The American Institute of Cancer Research constructed the New American Plate which is comprised of 2/3 or more of vegetables, fruits, whole grains or beans, and 1/3 or less of animal protein.
Along with the New American Plate, the AIRC delivered four key messages for cancer prevention and weight loss. Nothing we haven't heard before, but important nonetheless.
-Eat mostly plant-based foods, which are low in energy density
-Be physically active
-Maintain a healthy weight (via steps 1 and 2, as well as reducing portion size)
-Reduce your portion size
While the basic tenet of "no food is unhealthy is small portions" holds true, it can be easier than we even think to over-indulge. It takes roughly 3500 calories to gain 1 pound of fat. By eating an excess of only 100 calories per day for 365 days, we could gain up to 10 pounds! On the flip side, it takes only about 20 minutes of brisk walking to burn 100 calories (the equivalent of an average slice of bread). A healthy-sized meal should average at about 500 calories, based on a diet of 2000 calories per day that includes three meals and two snacks.
Calories of select foods and drinks around town:
Goose Island 12 oz Matilda Beer = 212
Starbucks’ Grande White Chocolate Mocha with nonfat milk= 350
One Counter Burger = 880
Order of Counter Burger fries for two = 1210
Portillos Italian Beef Sandwich = 450
Chicago-style Vienna Beef Hot Dog = 350
Chipotle Chicken Burrito with cheese and sour cream = 1179
Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza (1 slice) = 300
Cheesecake Factory Carrot Cake (1 slice) = 1550
Cheesecake Factory Caesar Salad with Chicken = 980
Subway Foot long Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki = 760
P.F Chang’s Coconut Curry Vegetables = 1020
Tips for cutting calories and portion sizes:
1. When dining out, ask for a to-go box right away to save half of your meal for another time.
2. At home, eat from smaller size dishes and bowls
3. Avoid going extended periods of time (more than 4 hours) without eating - when we’re super hungry we’re much more likely to choose the wrong foods, and then overeat them.
4. Don’t drink your calories. The occasional cocktail or full-sugar soda aside, try to stick with low calorie drinks such as sparkling water, hot or iced tea on most days.
5. Use visual cues to determine appropriate portion sizes. A healthy meat serving is about the size of a deck of cards. Check out this online serving size finder for more visual references.
Chicago Author Spotlight: Tony Romano ...
If You Eat, You Never Die: Chicago Tales by Tony Romano
Tony Romano discusses his novel If You Eat, You Never Die: Chicago Tales tonight at 6:30 p.m. He will be at Chicago Public Library's West Belmont branch at 3104 N. Narragansett Ave. The event is free.
C: In the book, the title signifies the words of the mother of the family, Lucia. Does the saying "If You Eat, You Never Die" come from something your mother said?
Tony Romano: It's something my father used to say and still says. If you look back at the ordinary moments of your life, you find these sublime lines, these artistic lines. I don't know if it makes any sense, but to his culture and to our culture it makes sense. To be able to show the cover to my dad… he was thrilled and a little stunned. Just to get that recognition. Those are his words.
C: What about the subtitle, Chicago Tales? Could this book have taken place anywhere else?
TR: I've heard some people say that it could take place somewhere else. I grew up in Chicago and I think you need to be familiar with your setting. The thing about Chicago is that there are a lot of hard workers, and you don't get anything given to you. I think that comes through in the characters more than the place.
C: Does your work draw inspiration from Chicago? How are you tied to the city?
TR: I always looked at Chicago as being made up of all these small towns. Especially as a kid you have all these boundaries, and all you know is one or two streets. I knew everyone on my block and knew everyone's business. And growing up in a city of millions, I felt like I knew everyone. As a kid, it was a good place to grow up. I felt safe and watched over. We didn't need adults to organize our activities. It was part of our education.
C: What do you do when you aren't writing or teaching high school students?
TR: I organize this week at school called writer's week where I bring in writers from all around the country. The writers end up on the summer reading list and we do some of it in class. It sends the message to kids that writing is not just some 5-paragraph essay you are going to write for an SAT exam. Writing is written by living breathing people. It's the best week at school for the kids.
C: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
TR: Discipline. No matter how hard things are going, you need to write every day or nearly every day. I went through years of rejection. I took me five or six years to find an agent. During all that time, I was writing. And persistence. Once you do the writing, you have to be stupid about sending it out to be rejected. Regardless of how the world of publishing is changing, discipline and persistence are critical.
The Morning After ...
Spring Training continued for both squads yesterday after Sunday's rain-out. The Cubs had another big offensive outing, downing Oakland 10-3. The Sox, meanwhile, fell to Seattle 5-4.
Alert Issued For Rape Suspect On Southwest Side ...
Police sketch of suspect in SW Side attacks
Chicago Police Sgt. John Nowakowski told reporters, "Our victims in all four incidents indicated to us that the offender would pull his vehicle up to where they were standing, engage them in conversation for them to approach. And in two incidents, when the victims got really close to the van, the offender grabbed them and physically pulled them into the van." The vehicle the suspect is driving is a green minivan.
Police have asked that anyone with any information on the attacks call (312) 747-8380 or (312) 747-8224.
Notre Dame Plots 2012 Game At Soldier Field ...
Northwestern's ongoing efforts to land a game at Wrigley Field aren't the only major college football efforts going on for the city. Notre Dame is apparently looking into using Soldier Field for a 2012 game, the Tribune is reporting. With a game this upcoming season slated for Yankee Stadium (against Army), one in 2011 at Washington D.C.'s FedEx Field (against Maryland), and future games against Syracuse slated for the new Meadowlands stadium, a game at Soldier Field makes sense for the school's plans to play on some of the biggest stages available.
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Trib, "We were solely focused on getting (2011) closed out, but having now achieved that we will turn in earnest to nailing down the off-site game for '12. Our starting point for that effort is to see if we can find the right opponent and date for a game in Chicago." The most logical match-up would be against a Big 10 opponent but the 2012 schedule has a long way to go before being finalized; the only confirmed game so far is the season opener against Navy which will be played in Dublin.
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Massa: Rahm Emanuel is "Son of Devil's Spawn" ...
AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File
U.S. Rep. Eric Massa (D, NY), who resigned his post over allegations he sexually harassed two male aides, is not going quietly and he's stirring up trouble for the Obama White House and Rahm Emanuel. Massa is now alleging he was "set up" by fellow Democrats because he opposed Obama's health care bill and that his resignation helps lower the necessary votes to pass the legislation in the House from 217 to 216, charges White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called "ridiculous."
But Massa saved his most pointed barbs for Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Said Massa: "Rahm Emanuel is son of the devil's spawn. He is an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive." Okay, well, that's nothing we haven't heard before. Massa then described being confronted by a nude Emanuel at the gym: "I am showering, naked as a jaybird, and here comes Rahm Emanuel, not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me." Again, nothing about that story shocks us at all. Neither does the fact that Massa, in his apparent huff, is taking his story straight to that bastion of journalism, Fox News, for an interview with Glenn Beck.
All eyes seem to be on Rahm lately; this weekend, the New York Times magazine will run a feature titled, "The Limits of Rahmism," focusing on Rahm's role in the White House, particularly in regards to health care.
Today's Weather: Conciliatory ...
Nothing in this world is free or easy to come by, it seems. So it goes with the weather. Take what you must, Mother Nature. Even as we're saddled with dense fog and, later, showers, highs will reach near 50 degrees. Those late afternoon showers will carry over to the nighttime hours when lows will only fall to the mid-40s, continuing the Great Melt. But still, we don't mind; we'll be enjoying the warm weather.
Extra, Extra ...
- Jeffrey, Lori, and Michael Kramer, the victims of last week's triple murder in Darien, were laid to rest today.
- Calvin Boender's trial was delayed, but only briefly, as an Appeals Court turned down Boender's request to strike testimony by his former attorney.
- Chicago apparently has some terrible drivers.
- A small plane was able to make a safe emergency landing in Wheeling last night after it sustained damage from striking a deer on take-off.
- James Warren is already jumping ship from The Reader to the Chicago News Cooperative.
- Congrats to Mauro Fiore who won an Oscar for his cinematography work in Avatar last night; Fiore is a graduate of Columbia College.
PHOTOS: Chicago Polar Plunge 2010 ...
The folks at yesterday's Chicago Polar Plunge certainly had things easier than last year, which featured freezing temps and brutal winds that whipped stinging snow into bare bodies. But with the water temperature at 35 degrees yesterday, diving into Lake Michigan in nothing but a bathing suit still probably wouldn't be described by any of the participants as "pleasant." Each "plunger" raised a minimum of $100 in pledges which combined totaled $326,375, all of which goes to Special Children's Charities and Special Olympics Chicago. The top fundraiser, Jennifer Kramer, raised an amazing $14,220.01.
Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don't Bother. ...
As renovations and modernizations at Wrigley Field are underway, the Trib's Paul Sullivan raises a good question: what about a jumbotron? Just about every Major League stadium these days has some sort of High-Def behemoth videoscreen on which player stats and replays are shown. But does Wrigley really need one? And, if so, where do you put it? Most players Sullivan talked to thought it's a pretty good idea; only Ryan Theriot seemed to be against it. As for where to put it, we've been through this once before as far as blocking rooftops go. Though the Cubs may be able to kill two birds with one stone by, as Jeff Samardzija suggests, putting it up on the building that now hosts the giant Horseshoe Casino ad. No rooftop owners are angered and the Cubs take care of an ad they're trying really hard to block. Of course, that'll take some money to buy the space, not to mention the problem that the location isn't even in the ballpark. The only other solution? Replace the old-time scoreboard currently entrenched atop center field.
So we'll go ahead and say it: no, Wrigley doesn't need a Jumbotron. We're not necessarily purists - though the DH is a load of crap - but in an age of the Super Stadium, it seems gaudy and unnecessary. Nothing against what's been done at places like U.S. Cellular Field, but we kind of like the idea of a quaint, small ballpark with organ music, and a scoreboard devoid of obtrusive between-inning commercials, obnoxious music for every batter, and KISS CAM segments. As the stadium undergoes renovations over the next few years, maybe the Ricketts could simply upgrade the televisions spaced around the stadium showing the television feed. After all - and not to get too maudlin or sentimental - the point of going to a baseball game is to enjoy the game and ambiance of the ballpark on a sunny, warm summer afternoon. Too many sports are now about the entertainment experience (see: the NBA). If you're that concerned with replays and added entertainment, stay home and watch the game on television. Besides, new management should be concerned about giving fans a team worth watching replays of before they worry about any other extravagance; the extravagance means little if the base product is mediocre to begin with.
Monday Afternoon Diversion ...
In lieu of last night's Oscars, enjoy this trailer, a template, "A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever."
Thanks, Al!
Today In Alleged Assaulter of Women ...
Unfortunately, violence in general and against women specifically happens every day, so to shine a spotlight on one particular alleged assaulter of females only serves to point out how many others also deserve such exposure. But when one particular alleged offender raises his own profile to the point where he stands head and shoulders above the rest, well, John Poiner, you've truly illuminated yourself now.
According to CBS2, Mr. Poiner was arrested after two alleged attacks in Wicker Park and Bucktown which otherwise might not be that interesting on its own, except for the fact that he's a middle-aged guy who allegedly attacked two women in the middle of the freaking afternoon. In the first alleged attack, after requesting a cigarette and some change from two women (one of whom was wheelchair-bound), Poiner allegedly hit one of the women in the head and ran like the extraordinary example of masculinity that he is. In the second alleged attack just a half hour later, Poiner allegedly just up and hit another woman in the head as she was walking down Damen with a male companion. When the man said something to Poiner (we're assuming something along the lines of "What the fuck?") Poiner allegedly responded with a death threat and, again, fled. He was arrested a short time later and ID'ed by the victims.
We hesitate to offer any sort of legal or personal advice to Mr. Poiner, especially in terms of experience with law enforcement, as he's apparently been arrested over 100 times and most likely could tell us all about how the CPD operates. In any case, he should be careful - perhaps the next time Mr. Poiner decides to deliver alleged violence upon another individual on the street, the Long Arm of the Law might decide to treat you like they treat "aggressive panhandling" in the heart of the Loop.
Mug shot of Poiner courtesy Chicago Police and via CBS 2
Dark Lord Day Set To Roll Out Their Wonka Tickets ...
We're less than two months away from the insanity that is Three Floyds' Dark Lord Day. The implementation of "golden tickets" was a wonderful idea to ensure those who wanted to purchase the hotly anticipated Russian Imperial Stout actually could, while raising money for the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society in the process. While some golden ticket holders still took to Craigslist and ebay to sell extras, the combination of the tickets and bad weather made last year's version of DLD manageable and much more enjoyable.
Golden tickets will be going on sale shortly. This year, Three Floyds will announce the sale on their twitter feed first, followed by posts on the Beer Advocate and Rate Beer message boards. The Floyds have been understandably cagey on just when the tickets will go on sale, but Drinks Over Dearborn has indicated on their twitter feed that the sale will commence at a to-be-announced time on the 17th.
Free Chamber Music Tonight, Starring You ...
In the lobby following a recent Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert, I ran into a couple intrepid friends who attended the show despite being entirely unfamiliar with classical music. Their opinion of the performance was cautious and mixed; they wished there was some sort of church crying room where they could've taken in the concert, had a few drinks, and asked me questions about what was happening on stage. The CSO is fantastic, both as an ensemble and as a night-on-the-town outing, and everyone should check them out at least once, but they had a point: The classical music concert-going experience is staid and not without an air of exclusivity. It's no mystery why the genre is seen as inaccessible.
Classical Revolution, a chamber music group performing for free tonight at the Gallery Cabaret, seeks to demystify the classical music experience. The Chicago chapter, which is a little over a year old, was the sixth to be established, after San Francisco (where it was founded), New York, Philadelphia, Portland, and Reno (!), and there are now CR operations in fourteen cities in the U.S. and Europe. The individual groups operate autonomously, but they share a mission: one, move music from the concert hall into more relaxed environments, and two, obliterate the barrier between performer and audience.
The first goal is relatively easy, and the solution - performing in a bar - is far more elegant than a crying room. Live classical music in more casual locations isn't a new thing here in Chicago, but the ethos of the welcoming, open-minded Gallery Cabaret jibes particularly well with CR's aims. The program itself is a great mix of old and new masterpieces, including Johannes Brahms's String Sextet No. 2, Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2, an arrangement of Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time," and two pieces by Carl Nielsen. There will also be a piece by the group's composer Scott Ostrander.
The second goal is more complicated, and CR breaks down the barrier in a uniquely direct way: finishing the show with a jam session among the group and any audience members who'd like to participate. Regardless of your skill level, bring your axe and some sheet music, if you have some (although CR will bring some, too), and you can read through it with other musicians. And don't be nervous: Breaking down the barrier means more than just playing music together. According to the Chicago chapter co-founder Allie Deaver-Petchenik, CR does this "to show that classical music is not this constantly pristine, high brow thing." Basically, there are more important aspects to music than perfection, and music-making is something anyone can (and should!) do. It's pretty democratic thinking about a genre too-often boarded up in its ivory tower.
Tonight at 9:00 p.m., Gallery Cabaret, 2020 N. Oakley, FREE
In Living Color: An Interview With David Bromstad ...
Interior designer David Bromstad is making a splash, and it’s not just his infectious blend of energy, creativity and central-casting good looks that’s got everyone excited. The first winner of HGTV’s “Design Star” and host of his own series Color Splash, Bromstad is actually something of an “accidental designer.”
After graduating from the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, the designer launched his career as an artist for Walt Disney World in Orlando. A self-taught builder, he honed his carpentry skills by creating props for various fantasy rooms at Disney. But designing kitchens, baths and great rooms? Not so much. “Who knew that learning about interior design on national television could be so fun,” says Bromstad with a good-natured laugh.
During a break from shooting the fourth season of “Color Splash,” Bromstad spoke to Chicagoist about his upcoming visit to the Windy City, the location for the new season (Miami), and, of course, his favorite colors for spring.
Chicagoist: Talk a little about the vibe and feeling of the new season of Color Splash.
David Bromstad: Well, it’s official: The show has been renamed to “Color Splash: Miami.” This is where I live. I lived here while I was filming in San Francisco and traveling back and forth almost every weekend—that was quite the adventure! But honestly, I wanted Color Splash to move to Miami because it is so inspiring with all of its international influences, especially South America—I call it the "American Rivera." Miami definitely has its own design style, which is hip, fresh and innovative, and we will feature that as well some more relatable design elements. We have a whole new crew this season, made up of Latinos and Latinas and everything that goes along with it—it’s a little spicy! I miss my old team, we were a family, but I’m really excited to work with this new team.
C: You’re going to be at Colori, an eco-friendly paint boutique in Wicker Park, to discuss the latest trends in color and to answer questions from the audience. I've heard you’re going with lime green as your color for spring.
DB: I am always favoring lime green—even though it happens to be hot at this particular moment. Lime green has always said 'spring' to me. I grew up in the Midwest, and when spring came around, we had all these fresh leaves, and everything looked new and wonderful. Lime green is hot right now, but it’s also a great safe color—guys like it, girls like it. Not many colors can play to both genders, but lime green definitely can.
C: What other color trends are surfacing this season?
BD: Purple, magenta and pinks are hot, all the different shades, from the subtle to the more dramatic. Turquoise is an up and coming color for interior design. We’ve seen it a lot in fashion this year, and next year we’ll see it in the house.
C: What are some of your favorite things to see and do while you’re in town?
DB: I’ve been to Chicago twice, and both times I had to rush in and rush out, I’m sorry to say. I am really hoping to get out and maybe hit up Boystown this time, actually! I always stay downtown when I am there and it is so clean! It is one of the best preserved cities and very clean and safe. Miami is a little rougher around the edges, I think, which I love too.
C: Speaking of Boystown, I’m reminded of an interview you had with afterelton.com, shortly after winning Design Star, where you admitted that you wrestled with how you might portray your sexuality, if at all, on television. You’re openly gay—what advice do you have for other design professional, especially those just entering the field, who are gay and maybe unsure of how to put themselves out there, professionally speaking?
DB: Just be true to yourself, it’s the easiest thing to do, and it’s also the hardest thing to do. People have a hard time figuring out who they are, but once you do, stick to your guns—whether you are the butchest thing out there or the gayest thing that ever walked! Be yourself. People will see you for who you are anyway, especially on television. It’s important to always be comfortable in your own skin.
C: Do people recognize you in public, David?
DB: Not when I am just walking along the beach or something, but if I’m out at Home Depot, or Ace Hardware, or IKEA or Target or any place that has anything remotely to do with the house, I am noticed. Everyone is very positive, which I love! They seem just giddy to see me, and they usually give me a hug and take a picture or something. It brings such positivity my way. If I were ever to get irritated with any of that, then it’s time to hang up my TV hat and go home!
C: In a recent interview with fitceleb.com, you mentioned that being on TV is an added motivation for you to stay fit.
DB: You know, if I go a week without working out it is really hard for me because 1) I am exhausted and 2) my creativity is lost. Having that feeling of being physically fit—it’s not even about whether or not I look fit— it’s more about confidence and feeling good about myself. I usually go the gym at least 3 times a week.
C: On a related note, on www.bromstad.com it says you’re 32 years old. I certainly think you look 32 years old, you look fantastic, but I have to ask: Is that really your correct age?
DB: Thanks for saying I look 32, I appreciate that! (laughs). But no, I need to update the Web site, I’m actually 36.
C: We all know there aren’t any quick fixes when it comes to physical fitness, unfortunately, but what is your favorite quick-fix for a room?
DB: Nice transition! Well, my favorite quick fix is to paint an accent wall. The accent wall is the largest wall in any particular room. It’s the wall with the largest piece of furniture behind it, so in the bedroom it would obviously be the bed, and in the living room it would be the couch and so on.
C: What is the one color you’d probably never use in a room, David?
DB: There isn’t a color out there that I wouldn’t use in a room. I was telling my new staff the other day that there is no such thing as bad color, but there is bad design. Throw any color at me: puce, fluorescent yellow or green, whatever the most hated color is, and I can design a strong room around it—it’s all in what you pair it with.
David Bromstad, Mar. 20, Colori, 2243 W. North Ave., 773-252-4923. The event is free, but space is limited.
Do This: Rare Tea Cellar Dinner at David Burke's Primehouse ...
Back in January we attended an early front runner for the year's best dinner with NAHA's "Winter Doldrums" cocktail dinner, an exercise in excess pairing Carrie Nahabedian's cooking with cocktails from Wirtz Beverage's Peter Vestinos. For each of the seven courses, Vestinos fashioned punches using rare select vintage teas from Rodrick Markus's Rare Tea Cellar. Both the courses and cocktails intensified in richness until Markus tucked the attendees to bed with a tea blend, Emperor's Late Night Elixir, that had us sweating toxins out of our pores.
Markus has been brainstorming for weeks with Rick Gresh, chef at David Burke's Primehouse, on a five-course dinner Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.. Gresh will be featuring steaks from Primehouse's salt cave aging cellar (ranging from 28-day dry aged ribeye to a 75-day dry aged ribeye) with side dishes incorporating more teas from Markus's inventory. The prices of these teas range from $400 - $8,000 per pound.
We were completely unprepared for the intensity of the NAHA dinner, but if any chef is up for the challenge of topping that, it's Gresh. With a plethora of aged steaks at his disposal, this dinner should come with a Surgeon General's warning. The cost of the dinner is an all-inclusive $79 per person. To RSVP, call 312-660-6000.
David Burke's Primehouse, the James Hotel, 616 N. State St.
Around Town ...
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JC Brooks And The Uptown Sound Rock Your Monday ...
Local soul/funk rockers J.C. Brooks and The Uptown Sound have always been able to get us perked up and in a dancing mood. Which makes tonight's performance at the Empty Bottle a perfectly-timed event. With warmer weather (slowly) rolling in and another work week upon us, we're ready to relieve some stress and just have a good time. And it's impossible to have anything but a good time at a show from one of the city's most energetic, soulful bands. The group is currently promoting its fantastic new single "Get It Together" which comes backed with a funked-up cover of Wilco's "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart." The icing on the cake for tonight's show? It's free of charge. So get a running start to your week; you may wake up a bit tired tomorrow, but trust us, it'll all be worth it.
J.C. Brooks and The Uptown Sound with The Dirty Diamonds and DJ set from East of Edens, Tonight, 9:30 p.m., The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave, FREE
One Great Dish: De Colores' Pozole ...
Restaurants, from white tablecloth concepts to McDonad's, have varied cycles of life. Pilsen's De Colores is currently capitalizing on the restaurant boom in that neighborhood in a way the restaurant that preceded it, Picante Grill, could not. Now a BYOB, simple taqueria using the family recipes of owners Sergio and Priscilla Reyes, the food at De Colores can be a hit or miss affair.
One of the major hits is their take on pozole, the traditional pork and hominy stew. De Colores' version is a clear broth, teeming with whole white hominy, spices and large cubed chunks of pork butt. It's complemented with a side of fresh sliced onion, cabbage, tomato and radish, along with an effervescent cucumber salsa. Compared to how soups and stews are served in other taquerias, De Colores' pozole is a diet portion. It's still big enough to serve two.
De Colores, 1626 S. Halsted, 312-226-9886
Guzman Leans Towards Risky Surgery ...
AP Photo/Al Behrman
"It's going to be tough," said Guzman "But it's better than not having it and not having a chance. Doing it, I have a small chance, but there is a chance. So I'm going to take the chance." Guzman is expected to consult with reknowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews, perhaps as early as today, before making the final decision.
With Guzman lost for a long while regardless of the path he takes, the Cubs are now left trying to reassess their bullpen as they move forward without one of their workhorses. Guzman appeared in 55 games last season, racking up a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings.
Fast Food Wars Episode IV: A New Hope ...
(Image Via Weather Sealed)
Anthony tipped us off Friday, via Consumerist, Fast Company and a host of others, to this intriguing and informative series of maps showing which fast food chains dominate various territories throughout the U.S.
If you merely stopped at the Consumerist link without clicking through, however, you'd be missing the genius of the original post, in which the original map is reconfigured and given a "Star Wars" twist, with McDonald's as the Empire and all others as the Rebel Alliance. Which would make the Burger King Han Solo and the Wendy's girl Princess Leia.
The Morning After: Wings Clip 'Hawks ...
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Red Wings Down Blackhawks
The Blackhawks got out to a 2-0 lead over main rival the Detroit Red Wings but a huge five-goal second period from the Wings proved enough to down the 'Hawks by a 5-4 final. First period goals from Duncan Keith and Andrew Ladd gave the 'Hawks an early 2-0 lead. But it all fell apart in the second when Detroit lit Chicago - and Cristobal Huet - up with four goals in the first 10:30 of the period. Huet was pulled in favor of Antti Niemi, who gave up the fifth Detroit goal late in the second. The 'Hawks tried to fight back as Ladd added two more goals in the second - his first hat trick - but it wasn't enough as Detroit held on for the win. The loss means the 'Hawks relinquish first place in the Western Conference to San Jose; they'll try to bounce back Wednesday against the L.A. Kings (7:30 p.m., CSN).
College Basketball
finished their regular season losing their third straight game, falling to Wisconsin 72-57. Mike Tisdale scored 16 and Bill Cole scored 14. Next up for the Illini? Another match-up against the Badgers in the quarterfinal round of the Big 10 tournament on Friday (approx. 2:30 p.m., ESPN).
Spring Training
Rain washed out the Cubs-Sox rematch as well as the Cubs' split-squad match-up against the Dodgers.
Tribune: CTA Bus Drivers' Pay Ranks Third Nationally ...
This morning, the Tribune's Jon Hilkevitch reports that the highest pay for CTA bus drivers ranks third in the nation at $28.64 per hour and, when adjusted for the city's cost of living, comes in first. The top bus driver pay in the nation goes to Boston's MBTA at $30.18 an hour; New York comes in sixth overall at $27.99 an hour. Top pay for Pace drivers is $24.93 an hour, 17th overall. The report comes at a time when the CTA is trying to draw the CTA unions to the negotiating table to reconfigure contracts in an effort to save the city money. (The current contract runs through 2011.) Hilkevitch reports:
CTA officials said they cannot restore service that was cut on Feb. 7 or hire back any of the 1,059 laid-off transit workers, unless the union agrees to give up this year's 3.5 percent salary increase and accept 10 unpaid furlough days, as well as possibly accept other concessions to erase a projected $95.6 million budget deficit. More than 900 of the laid-off workers are bus drivers, bus mechanics and bus cleaners.Union leaders have refused to consider management's proposals, saying their members have bailed out the CTA in the past and that the union has a duty to protect the middle-class lifestyle of CTA workers. In addition, union leaders say the CTA cannot count on its labor force as a cash machine in difficult times.
Keep in mind, Chicago is the third largest city in the nation and has the third largest bus ridership in the nation, according to a report last year from the American Public Transportation Association [PDF, hat tip to Scott Smith], and that having the third highest paid bus drivers would seem to follow - and this new report lists the highest paid rates, not the average rates. Still, we're sure the new report will surely touch a nerve, especially in the wake of the recent service cuts.