Tag Archives: Chicago
Chicago Car Thefts Up 22% So Far This Year
After years of falling car theft rates, stolen vehicle statistics are on the rise and up 22% over the same period last year according to the Sun-Times.
Since 2004, when the police department reported 22,788 cars stolen, vehicle thefts have steadily fallen to a low of 15,472 last year. So far, through August of 2010, 11,844 cars have been stolen city wide. Improvements to anti-theft technology for cars like Lojack and Onstar have contributed to a 17% national decline in auto thefts according to the article.
Car Spontaneously Combusts On North Side
Boom!
“It sounded like a bomb going off,” said Irving Park neighborhood resident Michael Medina via e-mail late Tuesday night. “I heard a boom and went out on the porch and saw this car was completely engulfed in flames and the entire block was lit up by the fire.”
Fines For Speeding Tickets Going Up Sept. 15th
Motorists caught speeding on Illinois roads could see as much as a 60% increase in fines very soon.
According to Sunday’s cover story in the Chicago Sun-Times, starting September 15th, the increase will add $45 to the cost of an average speeding ticket.
The price bump is specifically targeted at drivers who opt to plead guilty to a traffic offense and just mail in their payment or make payment to the police officer at the time of the traffic stop. The current fine (technically a bond) for speeding (20 mph or less over the limit) is $75. After September 15th, this will jump to $120.
Fines for other violations, like driving without a seat belt, driving on a suspended license and others will also rise.
Geek + Outside The Loop Radio Thursday
Outside the Loop Radio, in my unhinged opinion, is the best public affairs radio show in Chicago. It’s easily the hippest radio show covering current events.
That’s why I’m always shocked that OTL host Mike Stephen regularly invites dim bulb, the Parking Ticket Geek as a guest. It doesn’t make sense really.
But tomorrow morning, Stephen will be talking to the Geek about cell phone tickets.
Street Cleaning Temporarily Suspended Three Days
Streets & Sanitation Crews Re-Deployed To Flood Cleanup
Due to the deluge of rain and subsequent flooding over the weekend, Streets & Sanitation Commissioner Thomas Byrne has called for a three-day suspension of scheduled street cleaning services.
Streets & Sanitation personnel are being taken off street sweeping and recycling pickup duties in many areas of the city to assist with the aftermath of the weekend flooding according to an e-mail alert from 33rd ward Alderman Richard Mell’s office.
‘Congestion Pricing’ Coming To Chicagoland Highways?
A new study suggests Chicago area drivers need to embrace a concept known as congestion pricing.
According to a story in the Chicago Tribune, this federally funded study by the Illinois Tollway and the Metropolitan Planning Council recommends charging motorists more to drive during rush hour.
Essentially, congestion pricing would be controlled by supply and demand. During peak driving times, tolls would be higher and vice versa for off peak times.
ALERT!: Transformers 3 Filming Ties Up Downtown Traffic
The film crews shooting the Transformers 3 movie will be closing down downtown streets and tying up traffic this weekend.
The concentration of problems will center around Chicago’s financial district along LaSalle.
Here are the scheduled closings:
• LaSalle St. closed from Jackson to Wacker Dr. from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
• Washington St. closed from Wells to Clark streets and Randolph Street closed from Wells to Wacker from 6 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday.
In addition there will be short, intermittent closures of intersecting streets at LaSalle between Jackson, Adams, Madison and Monroe.
Those damn Transformers are always screwing things up.
Of course, all this driver frustration and delays are well worth seeing another awesome multi-million dollar budget piece of crap without Megan Fox.
OTHER CLOSURES:
Some Aldermen Enjoy Getting Their Hands Dirty
EDITOR’S NOTE: Watch channel 32 tonight at 9 to see this story we teamed up on with Fox Chicago News.
Politics is dirty business.
Especially in the City of Chicago.
But some aldermen have taken this old adage to an entirely new level.
Look Out For Naked Bike Riders Saturday Night
If you’re driving around the north side of Chicago tonight, and think you saw several hundred bike riders sans clothing–you’re not hallucinating.
Tonight is the annual World Naked Bike Ride. It’s some sort of way to make a political statement to promote bike riding and this year there’s some element of protest against BP oil spill.
But, drivers should be more concerned about all the traffic back ups from the hundreds of bike riders on the streets backing up vehicular traffic.
In addition, you need to look out for other motorists driving like morons because they’re drooling and gawking at hundreds of naked bikers riding down the street instead of paying attention to how they drive a two ton motor vehicle.
