Daley Mon Nov 24 2008

Day by Daley Monday 24 November

Poor old Richard M. sounded sad upon the radio. He moved a dozen or so hearts, in mono. Our mothers cried, and sang along -- well, who'd blame them. You've grown. So grown. Now I must say more than ever:

Come on, Daley. I swear (oh, he means) at this moment, you mean everything!

Come To Chicago! We Make Presidents! Mayor Daley was in Turkey over the weekend, trying to convince the International Olympic Committee that (a) Chicagoans want the Olympics and (b) Chicago would be a good place for the Olympics. He also brought along his new best friend, President-elect Barack Obama, in digital form! Fran Spielman calls this the "Obama card." I call it "pathetic." Why didn't he go armed with testimonials from residents? Oh, right, he never asked any residents. Michael Sneed has some mildly interesting gossip. I wonder if President-elect Obama wandered past his security detail to ask the actual residents of the Hyde Park and Washington Park area, and up to Bronzeville, how they felt about getting the Olympics? Nah, he's probably busy.

Hey! Remember that story last week about our city's budget, and how we are not hiring more cops, and cutting city services? Well, good thing the city is borrowing half a billion dollars to demolish a hospital and put in an "Olympic village!"

Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) disclosed Thursday that Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan is closing in on an agreement with Medline Industries, owner of the 37-acre Reese site. A $485 million borrowing to finance the acquisition could be approved by the City Council next month, she said.

Cuts Coming to the County. Fifteen hundred job cuts to the Sherrif's department? Awesome. Any other public safety departments we can go after?

Mayor Daley's City of Neighborhoods. Mayor Daley's odd pick to head his our police department announced the creation of a new gang-focused police squad. Here's this nugget to keep in mind when you're hearing about budget cuts or reading about TIF givebacks:

Weis estimated there are 75,000 gang members in Chicago, a group responsible for more than 50 percent of all killings. There have been about 474 homicides in Chicago this year, a nearly 20 percent spike from 2007.

And seventy-five thousand is a low number.

— Ramsin Canon / Comments (0)