Culture

City, County Announce $20 Million in Savings
Tue, 02/07/2012
The City of Chicago and Cook County have saved a combined $20.5 million since they began working together to maximize resources in June, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today. The two governments saved taxpayers $9.2 million in their second quarter of collaboration, down from $11.3 million in savings...

Aid for startups, way down south
Thu, 09/01/2011
 High school buddies Scott Thompson and Scott Bird had long talked about starting a company. But life and careers got in the way as Mr. Thompson worked his way up in marketing in a big New York financial firm and Mr. Bird became CFO for a liquor distributor. They were making good money but didn't have the cash to start a company on their...

Ricketts Dumps Hendry as Cubs' GM
Fri, 08/19/2011
A late August Cubs-Cardinals series has been an annual high point for dozens of baseball seasons on the North Side, but the Cubs’ two-year slide into National League irrelevance drained much of the juice from this weekend’s three-game set at Wrigley Field. Jim Hendry paid the price for that slide on Friday. Hendry, 56, the Cubs’ head of baseball...

Urban Decay Lures Hollywood to Gary
Wed, 08/17/2011
When Gary, Indiana was booming, the city’s factories belched a constant cycle of smoke and steel. When the industrial hub thirty miles south of Chicago went bust, those buildings decayed with equal fervor. The steel industry has not returned, but the crumbling remains of Gary’s last viable economy are offering some small hope of a new one. Last...

Green Scene: How one neighborhood is pushing the sustainability mantra
Thu, 07/14/2011
About 40 businesses in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood are participating this week in the North Side neighborhood’s Green Week festivities. Local retailers, restaurants, and other businesses in the area are organizing, sponsoring and running many of the 50-plus events and activities taking place July 12-18. Events include local chefs...