Aquan Lewis death ruled suicide

Evanston police said today they agree with a Cook County medical examiner's report that a 10-year-old boy took his own life when he hung himself in a bathroom at his elementary school.

At an afternoon news conference, authorities released more details about the death of 5th-grader Aquan Lewis of Skokie.

The police investigation found that Aquan may have been alone for as long as 40 minutes before he was found hanging from a bathroom hook at Oakton Elementary School on Feb. 3.

There were no signs that he had fought or struggled with anyone prior to his death, said police Cmdr. Tom Guenther.

The boy's polo shirt was buttoned to the top and he had hung himself on a hook on the bathroom door.

Reginald Potts will not defend self in Nailah Franklin murder case

It seemed that Nailah was on my mind and so I did a little research on what's going on in her case:



Just weeks after he insisted he could represent himself against murder
charges, Reginald Potts today accepted the assistance of the Cook County
public defender’s office.
He told Judge Thomas V. Gainer Jr. last month he couldn’t afford a
private attorney and said he wanted to represent himself. He repeatedly
said he didn’t want a public defender.
In September 2007 Nailah Franklin, 28 disappeared. Her partly decomposed body was found 10 days later in a wooded area of Calumet City

Chicago News

Buyers who purchase tickets to Chicago sporting and cultural events online through eBay and StubHub could end up paying an extra 8 percent tax if a lawsuit filed by the city is successful.

The city says eBay and StubHub are "reseller's agents" and aretherefore required under Chicago's ordinance to pay an amusement tax.

"Wicked," the longest-running Broadway show in Chicago history, will close its curtains for the last time Jan. 25, 2009.


Midway Airport, was named No. 1 in a customer satisfaction survey amongmedium-size U.S. airports.


Plans for the Carson Pirie Scott building on State ( renamed SullivanCenter at State and Madison) :

• Fox & Obel, the gourmet grocery store, plans to open a store inside
• Billabong International, surf and skate clothing store, with its firstMidwest flagship store.
• Flat Top Grill restaurant has also signed a lease

No more parties in Chicago? Promoters ordinance

In 2007 a friend who is a partner in a marketing group told me about new “laws” that may take place against club/party promoters requiring insurance and licenses. It seems that now this will happen. The E-Biz reports that tomorrow “ the Chicago City Council will vote to approve an ordinance that requires ANY event promoter to have a license from the city of Chicago and liability insurance of $300,000 --- even when working with an established venue that has already fulfilled all of these obligations”

Reading these guidelines I thought it was for music acts only but now it seems that it is for ALL promoters. Grant it I am not a BIG fan of the club scene here in Chicago but I do have friends in the industry who host parties and events which are calm and non-threatening BUT there are other promoters I know who do not have a clean background record and with this ordinance they will be required to have a background check….which they will not pass.

Interview from Jim DeRogatis (Sun-Times) with Efrat Dallal Stein, the spokeswoman for the Department of Business Affairs & Licensing

Q. But to run a concert venue in the city of Chicago, you’re already subjected
to a dozen licenses and hundreds of regulations

A. The definition of an
event promoter, though, you need to be very clear in who is exempt for this. It
is not all cases of events that will need a license. There are exemptions to
this, and if you are an event promoter who makes a living from marketing events
and bringing people in to these events, in order for this industry to thrive and
continue to grow, these are some very basic common-sense responsible business
practices. The range of fees goes from $500 to $2,000 for a two-year license.
The insurance requirement is that you have general liability insurance up to
$300,000 per occurrence, which is very low, and it’s basically the same
requirement for many other types of business in the city.

Q. But the
question remains: What is the goal of this ordinance?
A. It’s to place a
level of responsibility into the hands of event promoters. There have been many
examples and incidents where promoters operate with little public safety
concerns, and hopefully this ordinance will help to prevent cases of
overcrowding and put some sort of responsibility in the hands of promoters to
ensure that events run smoothly and safely. Of course, many events already do
that.


Q. Well, it is when it comes with requirements for insurance
and a license fee. And I have to get fingerprinted, and you’re going to do a
criminal background check on me, and I have to be over 21 years old. Some of the
top promoters in this city were 18 or 19 when they started their businesses.
A. But when they started, the drinking age may not have been 21. The
drinking age is 21, and that’s why they made it that way. But not every event is
going to require the same things. Not every event requires security. Just
because the contract requires that they assign the responsibilities of security,
that doesn’t necessarily mean that it requires security. We’re not requiring
security; all that we’re requiring is that the event promoter and the venue have
guidelines and an agreement, that they’re in understanding of who is responsible
for what. You take into consideration capacity, safety, security if needed, any
electronic special effects that may come into play, and the fact that they will
have insurance. Those are very basic things, and what we’re asking are very
basic, common-sense responsible business practices that many of these businesses
are already doing. Many of them already operate within a contract.

The City sounds confused, this ish is not clear at all.........

The City Council meets in the Council Chamber located on the Second Floor of City Hall, 121 North La Salle St., starting at 10 a.m. on May 14

Whats your shopper type + Chicago becomes wireless

What kind of shopper are you??? Bargain hunter, designer diva, etc???
Find out with Chicago Tribunes’
fun quiz


Chicago is expected to be a launchpad for the next generation of
wireless networks, blanketed with a fast Internet signal-accessible to
subscribers from homes, streets and traveling vehicles-and capable of
giving mundane home appliances a voice.

As analysts see it, a fast signal available everywhere would break down
the traditional barriers between devices and content providers and, for
example, allow a consumer to watch a TV program on a conventional set, a
phone or a laptop computer, either at home or on the go.

Chicago is at the center of the action partly because a major WiMax
equipment supplier is Schaumburg-based Motorola Inc. When Sprint and
Clearwire started working together, they made plans to roll out the
service first in Chicago, as well as Baltimore and Washington.

Story by Chicago Tribune Read more….

Chicago News & Events

News

Chicago will receive more than $153 million in federal funding over the next two years to test a carrot-and-stick combination of ideas aimed at reducing traffic congestion

• Lanes dedicated to buses-only, one could be Lake Shore Drive
• Buses will make fewer stops—four to five blocks apart. Kiosks will be installed at the bus stops to enable passengers to pre-pay their fares and board quickly.
• Technology will be added to some traffic signals to extend green lights for buses running behind schedule
• The plan also calls for new parking meters downtown that would charge more during rush-hour to discourage people from driving there.

Events

• Nate Berkus (Oprah’s favorite interior designer) and Michelle Obama fund-raiser on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is May 12 at the Park West
• Simone (Nina Simone’s daughter), who once fronted the Chicago-based acid-jazz band Liquid Soul, returns to the Windy City on Saturday for a concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square
• Sex and The City cast will be on Oprah thursday 05/01/08

Chicago news

Rozlynn Rodgers, 19, drowned her 5-month-old daughter in a bathtub earlier this month because she couldn't go to parties. Rodgers was held on $600,000 bond Wednesday


A man in his late-20s randomly attacked six people, including Ch. 7 news anchor Cheryl Burton, on Loop streets Wednesday evening.


Three men and two women were found shot to death Wednesday afternoon in a ransacked South Side home. Authorities would not identify the victims, but relatives said four of the dead were Anthony Scales Jr., Donovan Richardson, Whitney Flowers and Reginald Walker. They were in their 20s. The fifth victim's name was not known.

The slayings were the deadliest in the city since 2003

Violent Chicago weekend + city worker tried to lure girl into car

• 31 people have been shot in Chicago -- six fatally -- and two people have been stabbed since noon Friday. The shooting victims range in age from 12 to 65.

• Dale E. Bartoszewski, 59, pulled alongside the girl in the 5700 block of North Milwaukee Avenue as she was walking to school and asked her to get into his car. He later told police he was trying to lure her to the car because he wanted to date her and have sex with her

Akira fashion show @ NV Penthouse Lounge

Last night yours truly attended the Akira Fashion show at the NV Penthouse Lounge. The show showed some of Akira's key pieces for Spring but not in a typical fashion show style. Models stood atop small platforms for the audience.


My favs:








Visit Akira and tell them I sent you!!!


Akira
1837 W North Ave
Chicago

AND

2357 N Clark St
Chicago

DJ Sean Mac "All White" party

DJ Sean Mac “All White” Party
Save the date!!!! 05.03.08


NBA Players Bobby Simmons of the Milwaukee Bucks, Steven Hunter of the Denver Nuggets, and Luther Head of the Houston Rockets, along with Epic/Koch recording Artist Yung Berg, and music video model Buffie the Body will host DJ Sean Mac's King Magazine sponsored 26th Birthday Party – an "All-White" apparel affair; DJ SnS from New York will provide the night's music.

Expected company of a who's who of Chicago's Urban Entertainment Industry. In past years, DJ Sean Mac's parties have boasted the attendance of celebrities such as Twista, Paul Wall, Eddy Curry, Shawnna, 50 Cent, DJ Whoo Kidd, Fat Joe, Bump J, Busta Rhymes, Tony Yayo, Avant, Juelz Santana & More.

DJ Sean Mac's imprint, Shadyville DJs employs a 20 member street team and has release over 100 mixtapes with over 50,000 units sold locally. At 26 years old, DJ Sean Mac is the among the MidWest's youngest and most accomplished Disk Jockies.

Shout out to Rebecca O'Neal!!!! Do u!!!

Appearances

Ellen will be in Chicago on May 3rd taping a show. On her show she also said, ‘‘we want to know what you think we should do while we’re there. So if you live in Chicago, or you’re from Chicago ... or you like the band Chicago ... or you’ve seen the movie ‘Chicago’ ... go to our Web site and let us know what we should do.’’ So go to the site, tell her what she should do and get ticket information



Taste of Chicago line-up
Stevie Wonder --June 28.
Chaka Khan, June 27
Plain White T's, June 29
Joss Stone, July 1
Fantasia, July 2

CBS cuts major players + Allison Payne returns

Diann Burns was forced out of her contract seven months early while Mark Malone and reporters Mary Ann Childers, Katie McCall and Rafael Romo were also cut.
CBS reason? Economic conditions companywide.

If CBS cutting anchors that are veterans in the journalism industry maybe I should rethink my job search. Yes??


In good news--- Allison Payne finally is returning to Ch. 9 next week after health issues I reported HERE

Teen shot, then gets on bus

A 17-year-old discovered he was shot while on CTA bus Monday night.
The teen was walking to a bus stop near South Cottage Grove Avenue and East 67th Street when he heard gunshots, he got on the bus and, feeling lightheaded, sat down and fell asleep.
“A woman woke him up and pointed at his arm and he realized he’d been shot," Bickham said.

Chicago just had the rally about the 20 Chicago public schools students that were killed this year by guns. People get your lives together

Death penalty sought against Reginald Potts

Cook County prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Reginald Potts in the death of Nailah Franklin in September 2007.

Today, assistant state's attorney Maria McCarthy told Judge Thomas Gainer, “On this date the state has filed its motion of intent to seek the death penalty.” The state will pursue capital punishment on the grounds the murder was “cold and calculated”. Not surprising, Potts has pleaded not guilty.

Read my other posts on the Franklin case here and here

Anniversary of E2 night club

Five years ago, in 2005 a tragedy happened here in Chicago. At the club E2 a stampede happened after pepper spray was released. 21 people were killed after being crushed amid the rush for the narrow stairs.

I frequently pass the club, which was recently bought and the owners are now trying to rent out the place, I've heard they really wanted to turn it into a hotel. I think because of E2, this site will remain untouched. Too many memories and unresolved issues.

NIU Tragedy--- 6 dead in college shooting

If you haven’t heard there was a shooting that took place this afternoon at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. I was notified at work about the shootings and immediately thought of a close friend in her last year at NIU. I called her and she is fine, she was next door to the shooting in the auditorium. But 6 others including the gunman are dead.

In December there was a threat and reference to the Virginia Tech shootings as well as racial slurs written on the bathroom walls. This threat shut down the school. My friend also told me after that December incident that there have been a lot of threats and tensions on the campus.

My thoughts and prayers are with family, friends of the deceased as well as the victims and students who will have to live with this tragedy forever.

Street Kings Trailer

Chicago's own very sexy Common stars (as a bad guy) in this movie. Lupe is the background vocals on the trailer

Plot: Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him

Chicago GRAMMY winners

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott, "Daydreamin'"

Best Rap Solo Performance
Kanye West, "Stronger"

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Common featuring Kanye West, "Southside"

Best Rap Song
Kanye West featuring T-Pain, "Good Life"

Best Rap Album
Kanye West, Graduation

Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Jennifer Hudson, "Love You I Do" (from Dreamgirls)


****** Pics/videos coming soon!

Meet Victoria Beckham

Who: Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice

Where: Saks Fifth Avenue
700 North Michigan Avenue

When: Feb 15th
12-1 pm

Why: To view her dVb denim and sunglass collection

::cough, cough:: I think I may have to call in sick that day

Chicago Bling

I received an email from Daily Candy about Chicago Bling....

SHE boutique has pave diamond-encrusted “I heart Chicago” necklace (pic), 773 area code bracelet, and Illinois-shaped pendant with a diamond signifying Chicago.


Check them out at SHE, 1024 West Armitage Avenue, at Kenmore Avenue (773-880-8061).