South Loop muggings were latest crime wave

07/27/2011

I’ve lived through a number of crime waves since moving to the South Loop 17 years ago. The first one, early on, was a raft of Weber Grills that were stolen out of our neighborhood backyards.
Read more...

Get over it - bring a casino to the South Loop

One view

07/27/2011

I cannot help but get impatient with the chronic naysayers on a casino in downtown Chicago. I understand the opposition of the churches, with bingo and casino night fundraisers fearing revenue loss. Most churches draw from their members to attend these events. One new Chicago casino could have only a marginal effect on them. There already are many choices.
Read more...

Flash mobs and flash points

07/20/2011

As this column goes to press, the country is focused upon our national financial debt crisis. Failure to cut federal spending, close tax loopholes, and raise the debt ceiling will cause us to slide into a double-dip recession. Or, as the president has called it, economic Armageddon.
Read more...

West Loop road construction brought to you by new taxes - and sin

07/13/2011

Road construction season is in full effect in the West Loop. The bright orange "NO PARKING" signs announcing road resurfacing projects are popping up across our neighborhood’s east side. Most of the roads have already been torn up, and sit awaiting asphalt.
Read more...

Gambling against the South Loop

06/29/2011

So, Dearborn Park, is this what you want the world to be saying? "What happens in Dearborn Park stays in Dearborn Park?" If the Chicago Sun-Times gets its way, it could happen.
Read more...

Keeping the faith

06/15/2011

Last Friday evening, I sat down with 13 longtime reform leaders including Dawn Clark Netsch, Don Rose, and June Rosner for our informal annual reunion dinner at Yoshi’s Café. Over the past 40 years, we worked together on dozens of political campaigns and government reform project. We still play leadership roles in a number of organizations, although some of us are now only “senior statesmen” and have grown less active with age.
Read more...

Dressing up for Taste of Randolph

06/08/2011

Each summer, Chicago welcomes visitors from across the U.S. to neighborhood street fairs and festivals. They peruse the wares, get a feel for the architecture, a taste of the local restaurants, and hopefully the urge to visit again. One of the keys to a successful festival is showcasing the neighborhood’s assets to the public.
Read More...

Cannes 2011 a winner for Film Fest founder

One view

06/01/2011

What a spectacular year for the Cannes Film Festival. Everything just seemed to fall into place: the wonderful weather, the screenings, the talented guests and the audiences. I found myself falling in love with film after film. That’s unusual, especially when you screen around four films a day and throw in a few late-night galas!
Read more...

Daley leaving South Loop, but legacy remains

05/25/2011

There was a lot about Mayor Daley the Second I didn’t like: that he called the folks in the East Loop racists who didn’t want to see a children’s museum built in Grant Park; that he destroyed the runways in the middle of the night at Meigs Field — a truly quaint amenity in a big city — so his pals could build Olympic-sized buildings (no pun intended) in the vicinity without worrying a whit about the FAA.
Read more...

Redistricting circus is back in town

05/18/2011

Now that we have the mayor inaugurated and our federal and state income taxes paid, we can turn our attention to the political circus of figuring out which elected officials represent us. Legislative redistricting occurs in three rings and it is hard to keep your eye on all three at once.

Read more...