Teacher's Union Files Another Suit Against Rahm's Board of Ed

The Chicago Teachers Union has filed suit against the Chicago Board of Education, claiming the board is illegally interviewing teacher applicants about their feelings about collective bargaining.

If the respondents do not provide satisfactory answers on the "TeacherFit" questionnaire, the suit alleges, they are not considered for employment. This is the second suit the Union has filed against the city in recent months.

This time the CTU says that's a clear violation of the Illinois Labor Relations Act because it amounts to "interrogating applicants about protected activity" which is "unlawful intimidation and coercion."

The questions include:

Question 20, sub question 4 asks the applicant to state how much he or she agrees with the statement, "I help people when they need it, even when that means risking confrontation."

Question 22, sub question 3 asks the applicant to state how much he or she agrees with the statement, "I love being a champion for my ideas, even against others' opposition."

Question 22, sub question 7 asks the applicant to state how much he or she agrees with the statement, "I love to challenge the status quo."

Question 27 asks the applicant how he or she would respond to being assigned work that takes away from class preparation and requires working over lunch breaks, evenings and weekends (a direct reference to longer school days.)

Question 30 asks the applicant how he or she would feel about a job that would require the applicant to regularly work after hours.

CTU and the Rahm Emanuel administration have engaged in a bitter fight over longer school days since Emanuel took office.

The Union recently won a court decision from the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board saying Emanuel went too far in coercing 13 Chicago Public Schools to accept longer school days -- a violation of the Union contract -- in exchange for incentives.

The most recent suit asks that the Chicago Board of Education cease and desist from asking the aforementioned questions on the TeacherFit application. Furthermore, the CTU would like applicants who were disqualified because of their TeacherFit answers admitted immediately.

Rahm Budget Ax Leads to Homeless Cab Snafu

The head of Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services got herself into some hot water Monday when she tried to explain away a Rahm Emanuel budget move.

Commissioner Evelyn Diaz, speaking before the Chicago City Council, said $2.4 million in cuts to a city program that provided transportation to shelters for the city's homeless wouldn't be all that devastating. Emanuel's budget eliminated the 24 positions that provided the service.

The Sun Times first reported the incident: 

Diaz was asked what would happen this winter without the overnight shift. How were homeless Chicagoans — many of them suffering from alcohol, substance abuse and mental health problems — supposed to get to emergency shelters overnight? Were they supposed to just hang tough until 8 a.m?

“If they can’t find another alternative,” she said.

Asked to identify an alternative, Diaz said, “Public transportation, cabs.”

The firestorm started after a reporter suggested homeless couldn't afford cabs.

A department spokeswoman followed up on the question saying they could take advantage of a program in partnership with the American Red Cross that provides free cab vouchers to victims of fire.

It remains unclear how homeless men and women could take advantage of the vouchers.

Mark Zuckerberg: Screw Up More, Stay Where You Are

Facebook Co-Founder Mark Zuckerberg stopped by the Y Combinator's Startup School for a rare interview over the weekend, and pretty much everything he had to say is of value to entrepreneurs starting out today.

One of the biggest things he hammered on, though, was why you don't need to move to Silicon Valley to start a tech-based company. In fact, Zuckerberg says if he were starting Facebook today, he'd have stayed in Boston.

But still, he has no regrets: He also predicts if he had stayed in Boston back when Facebook actually started, it probably would've crumbled. "I knew nothing, so I had to be out here," Zuckerberg said. "If you're a beginner and you don't know anything about this stuff, it's actually an excellent place to be because a lot of the stuff that you wouldn't understand how to do on your own, like I didn't, I could just get help from a lot of other people."

Regardless of where your business is located, though, Zuckerberg says one of the biggest mistakes you can make is "mess[ing] up by moving too slowly and trying to be too precise... in a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy where you're guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks and not changing anything. [But] you have to take risks."

To clarify, those should be calculated risks, but his point is that you should take risks, period. "The people who are making the product decisions [should] also understand all the technical trade-offs," he added.

Really, all of it's good stuff. Check out the video of his interview over at justin.tv. Zuckerberg's section starts around the 44-minute mark.

Possible Hazmat Spill at O'Hare Airport

The Chicago Fire Department has responded to a level one hazmat situation at O'Hare International Airport for a suspicious package.

Fire officials responded to Terminal 1, according to Will Knight, spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department.

A level one hazardous materials report involves a gas, liquid or solid spill with minimal to moderate risk to public health.

Check back for details.

Chuck Norris For Mayor of Chicago

Here’s a way for Rahm Emanuel to fulfill two of his campaign promises, cutting the budget and putting more cops on the street: no bodyguards outside Chicago. Once you cross the city limits, you’re on your own, pal.

That goes for former Mayor Richard M. Daley and Ald. Edward Burke, too. The police department spent $304,000 to protect a pair of fossils who would be better tended by archaeologists from The Field Museum. The city won’t reveal how much it spent on Emanuel’s security, or how many cops it assigned to him, but documents show Emanuel has traveled with bodyguards at least three times to Washington, D.C., and an additional three times to Union Pier, Mich. The travel costs added up to $2,240.

Emanuel has homes in both Washington and Union Pier, so we taxpayers are paying for his getaways. The mayor is more expensive to us because he’s wealthy enough to afford three homes. If Emanuel can afford all that real estate, he can afford to pay for his own private security when he wants to leave town for the weekend. We’ll save money, and the cops who protect him will be here in the city, protecting Chicagoans. Which is what they’re sworn to do. If Emanuel is so frail that he feels unsafe in a dinkwater resort town like Union Pier, he should take karate lessons, or send away for a Charles Atlas bodybuilding course.

If we’d elected Miguel del Valle, we’d be saving a lot of money, because del Valle spends the weekends hanging around his one and only house in Belmont-Cragin. Better yet, we should have elected Chuck Norris mayor. Mayor Chuck Norris wouldn’t need bodyguards to protect him. We’d need bodyguards to protect us from Mayor Chuck Norris.

 

We're Going to Ticket Pot Smokers Because We're Too Broke to Bust Them

America’s attitudes toward marijuana use have come a long way since 1968. That was the year that Dragnet’s Sgt. Joe Friday told a Timothy Leary-type drug guru that smoking pot would inevitably lead to harder drug use.

“Marijuana is the flame, heroin is the fuse, LSD is the bomb,” Friday lectured “Brother William,” a groovy with long gray hair. “So don’t you try to equate liquor to marajuana, Mister, not with me. You may be able to sell that jazz to another pothead, but not to somebody who holds some sick kid’s head while he vomits and wretches on a curbstone at 4:00 in the morning. And when his legs get enough starch into them so he can stand up and empty his pockets, you can bet he’ll have a stick or two of marijuana. And you can double your money he'll turn up a sugar cube or a cap or two.”

    

In 1968, American unemployment was at 3.5 percent. Our cities could afford enough police to straighten out all the dope-smoking punks in this country. Now, we’re broke. We’re laying off cops all over the place, and the cops we have left are pulling double duty to deal with all the crime created by a lack of cops. In Flint, Mich., it takes police an hour to respond to a shooting. In that kind of lawless environment, a kid with a stick or two of marijuana is not such a big problem.

The city of Chicago isn’t proposing to issue tickets to pot smokers because it now believes the drug is as harmless as parking for three hours in a two-hour zone, or because Mayor Rahm Emanuel listened to Peter Tosh in his dorm room at Sarah Lawrence. The city wants to write tickets because its budget hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole, and it’s more profitable to fine marijuana users than to pay for cops to arrest them. When Mayor Richard M. Daley suggested marijuana tickets in 2004, the police whined that they’d lose overtime from going to court on pot busts.

That was before the Great Recession. Now, the city is so desperate for money it’s proposing to write tickets for unlicensed bicycles and unshoveled sidewalks. So, why not convert criminals to revenue sources?

If we could afford it, we’d still arrest you. Because that would mean we could afford the police to arrest you. But police officer is the kind of solid middle-class job that’s disappearing in this country.

But we’re broke. So smoke all the pot you want. Just write us a check for $50. If you can remember.

 

Chicago Retests 1995 Firefighter Applicants

The Chicago Fire Department is making good on a federal appeals court ruling to hire 111 African American firefighters after a civil rights case alleged discrimination. 

At 8 a.m. Tuesday at Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy, the department began retesting those who took the exam 15 years ago. 

During the 1995 entry exam, 1,800 test takers were found to be well qualified, but a lawsuit alleged 78 percent hired by the department were white and that selection was random, not taking into account physical testing.

After a series of back-and-forth legal battles over the years, Chicago was ordered in May to hire 111 black firefighters and pay a total of $30 million to nearly 6,000 clients listed in the class-action lawsuit known as the Lewis case.

Would-be firefighters who chose other career paths and those who chose to bypass the "jobs lottery" to identify 750 candidates to take Tuesday's physical abilities test will receive cash awards of at least $5,000 per person.

In the end the case could cost the city up to $50 million, and for every month the hiring is delayed, the city must pay an additional $500,000 in back pay. 

Brand Watch: Radisson Blu

Advertising on the CTA is a bit of a double-edged sword: the buses, rails and stations are so heavily adorned with posters and banners, making it tough for any business to stand out. At the same time, the right message can make an impression on millions.

But Radisson Blu Hotel has launched a remarkable campaign that recently hit the CTA's Clark/Lake station in advance of the hotel's opening in Aqua Tower on Tuesday. Typically, hotel advertising can be a bore: fluffier pillows, taller buildings, and stock photos of people enjoying themselves. These aren't bad ideas -- they communicate the guest experience. But, if it doesn't stick out, it won't be memorable.

So what sets Radisson Blu apart?

It's campaign is clean and uncomplicated, with four major headline words at most. All visuals are toned in a striking shade of royal blue, making it easy to spot the other ads. The background texture that appears to be waves is actually a close-up of the building. Using a picture of the actual building, water-themed Aqua Tower, to make blue waves is not a coincidence -- it's clever. Radisson Blu hotels are not always water-themed, but for Lake Michigan and the wavy building it was a smart opportunity to add more meaning to the word Blu.

Branding isn't completely about the visual idea, however. It's also the when and where of a brand experience. Out-of-towners visiting Chicago for likely don't have a car and are using CTA. They're likely to try a different hotel next time they visit Chicago. Also, the campaign is placed on three levels of Clark/Lake's Blue Line, strengthening the brand's blue identity. Again: smart.

According to CTA's website, 1.64 million people ride CTA on an average business day. Whether a hotel or a product, transit is a great marketing platform. However, making it easy to remember, with clarity and a remarkable idea, can make or break a successful advertising investment.

Elliott Beazley is a graphic designer/web developer from Atlanta, Georgia who goes by the alias "ebeaz."  He works at Upshift. If there's time, he also takes on freelance marketing and design projects. Elliott is a graduate of the School of Art Institute of Chicago's visual communication program, where he was also an art director for the school newspaper, F Newsmagazine. In first grade, when asked to write down what he wanted to be when he grew up, he wrote "deziner."

Verdict Reached in Cellini Trial

Jurors have reached a verdict in the shakedown case against clout-heavy millionaire William Cellini.

A jury received the case Wednesday to determine whether or not prosecutors proved Cellini conspired with three other men to shake down the producer of "Million Dollar Baby" for a $1.5 million campaign contribution to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The prosecution and the defense on Tuesday addressed jurors for a total of nearly six hours in a federal courtroom in Chicago.

Prosecutors reiterated that Cellini wasn't an "accidental extortionist." He knowingly and willingly tried to get campaign cash from a Hollywood producer, they said.

Cellini's defense said he was only acting as a friend, and called the government's star witness a "whack job."

Bear Bites: Following the Same Script

Good morning and welcome to Bear Bites.

• The Bears are following the same script as last season. (Chicago Tribune)

• Did you celebrate Ditkaween? Really, it should be a national holiday. (ESPN Chicago)

• Fullback Tyler Clutts is loving life as an NFL player. (ChicagoBears.com)

• Should the Bears change up their line because of Carimi's return? (Windy City Gridiron)

• Condolences to former Bears quarterback Erik Kramer, whose 18-year-old son passed away. (Chicago Tribune)

Follow Grizzly Detail on Twitter.

Hillary Clinton's Mother Dies at 92

Hillary Clinton's mother, Dorothy Rodham, died shortly after midnight Tuesday in Washington D.C., according to a statement from the secretary of state's family. She was 92.

Rodham recently fell ill, causing Clinton to cancel a trip to London and Turkey. She died surrounded by her family, a statement said.

Rodham was born in Chicago on June 4, 1919, and settled in suburban Park Ridge to raise her family. Her cause of death was not disclosed.

To remember her, Clinton and loved ones will hold a private celebration for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dorothy's memory to George Washington Hospital, the Heifer Project or to a local organization "meaningful to the giver that helps neglected and mistreated children."

"Her family is and will be forever grateful for the gift of Dorothy's life and for the memories they will treasure forever," a statement read.

 

Groupon's IPO Price Holds

We're all gonna need a nap and a light snack after Groupon's IPO is over and done. That happens following trading Thursday.

Between now and then, however, the group buying behemoth is expected to stand pat on its $16 per share stock price, despite reports they intended to raise the dollar amount to $18. 

Groupon's still only selling just under 5 percent of the company. Unless of course it changes its mind tomorrow.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Groupon has launched its first-ever TV ad campaign in the UK. Not content to inject the word "Groupon" into our lexicon, this ad goes a step further by introducing the term "Grouponatic" to mean, yes, people who love love love Groupon.

The ad is a video diary/interview of a London woman named Charmaine, and the tone is markedly different from those infamous Superbowl spots. It's about as far away from that cringe-inducing Tibet one as possible: When asked what her favorite Groupon purchase was, the self-proclaimed Grouponatic gushes about a deal where the company would match ₤2 donations for tsunami relief in Japan. Painting Groupon as a bunch of humanitarians is the first steps towards crafting a different image over there than what it has over here, no?

Here's the new ad:

And here's that Tibet ad, in case you don't watch sports, TV, or haven't heard of the Internet in the last year:

State Police to Open Firing Ranges to Public

The Illinois State Police will open firing ranges to the public in five locations around the state.

State police ranges in Joliet, Pawnee, LaSalle, Macomb and Pittsfield will be open Nov. 12 as part of the state's "Open Range" program. State gun experts will be on hand to provide instruction and answer questions about firearms. The ranges will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The program is free, but participants are asked to make reservations.

All participants must have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card and bring their unloaded firearm in a case.

Coyote Sightings Spike Near Lombard

An increase in the number of coyote sightings in Lombard has police and the forest department encouraging greater vigilance among residents.

"Regionally here we've seen that numbers have definitely gone up," said Dan Thompson, an official with the DuPage Forest Preserve District.

Last week, police were called to Madison Elementary School after a coyote was seen sunning itself nearby. The animal was gone by the time police left.

"A school is going to be an area with a lot of activity, but they are also places with a lot of open area," Thompson said. "Especially now, when the days are going to be cooler, it's not surprising that they would be basking in the sun. They aren't there waiting to prey on the kids though."

Thompson added that more sightings tend to occur at this time of year because the pups are dispersing, and thus, are more visible. He advised residents to keep their pets indoors or on a leash while outdoors. A full list of precautions can be found on the forest preserve's website.

 

Cubs to Introduce Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod

Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod officially will be welcomed to Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

Newly minted president of baseball operations Theo Epstein will introduce Hoyer as the Cubs new executive vice president/ general manager and McLeod as senior vice president/ scouting and player development.

In a joint statement issued Thursday, the Padres announced Hoyer and McLeod would leave San Diego to accept positions with the Cubs.

The press conference takes place at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the United Club at Wrigley Field.

When Epstein was introduced last week, he told reporters that winning a World Series would take the efforts of fans, players and fans. He said changes are coming for the Cubs staff and he wants to focus on scouting, player development and a change in the front office to create success.

Hoyer and McLeod are expected to lead those efforts.

Embattled Suzi Schmidt Won't Seek Re-Election

Embattled State Sen. Suzi Schmidt won't step down, but she won't seek re-election either.

Sen. Mark Kirk said Monday the move has "opened up the gate" for Republicans, and Illinois GOP party chairman Pat Brady in reaction to the news said, "We are going to win that seat."



Schmidt recently came under scrutiny after comments she made to a police dispatcher and officers during recent domestic disturbances at her home.

The Lake Villa Republican, representing the state's 31st District, was heard on a 911 tape released last month asking Lake County sheriff’s deputies during a call on Christmas Day not to respond to her home if her husband called them.

"I'm having a little problem with my husband right now," she was heard saying on the tape. "But it’s fine, so if he calls you, you can ignore him."

Under pressure from her party last month to resign, Schmidt refused and even said she would run again. 

But in a statement released Monday, Schmidt said she needs to focus on her personal life.

“I deeply appreciate the encouragement I have received from friends and constituents over the past few weeks as I deal with personal issues and while I continue to work hard for the people of the 31st Senate District. I am grateful for the outpouring of support," Schmidt said in a statement. "However, at this point in my life, my personal life and my family are my priority, and I hope to dedicate more of my time with them in the coming months and years. Therefore, I will not be a candidate for re-election in 2012.”

Landslide Reported at Wis. Power Plant

A landslide and bluff collapse were reported Monday morning along Lake Michigan at a power plant in Oak Creek, Wis.

No injuries were reported, but at least two semi-trailers appeared part of the landslide at We Energies, chopper footage from the WTMJ affiliate showed.

"We have a report of a bluff failure on the south end of our Oak Creek power plant property," Rick White of We Energies told WTMJ. "We're investigating it now."

The landslide occurred about 11 a.m. near the construction site of a new air quality control system. Tool and equipment storage trailers slid down the bluff, but operations at Oak Creek site were not affected, according to the We Energies.

The company confirmed all employees and contractors have been accounted for.

Police on the scene continued to search for the cause of the landslide along with power plant officials.

Jay Cutler, Meet Jay Cutler

Though Jay Cutler has been on Twitter for more than two years, he hasn't immersed himself in the technology as much as his teammates until recently.

His fake counterpart, on the other hand, has had us laughing from the very first tweet. "Not Jay Cutler" has created a fake persona for Cutler, riffing on the QB's perceived personality with usually vulgar tweets.

It seemed like the real Jay knew nothing of the fake Jay, until Sunday. Cutler tweeted:

@notjaycutler just saw you got a new follower. @Kristincav likes your style I guess.

Amazing. Not only is Jay Cutler's on-again, off-again girlfriend Kristin Cavallari following the fake Jay, but Cutler got a laugh out of having a fake. Kudos to the genius behind "Not Jay Cutler" for responding quickly to the real thing.

@JayCutler6 So clingy, bro.

This season, Cutler has loosened up. His teammates have noticed a difference, and Cutler has even been more laid back with reporters. Using Twitter to tease teammates and take a little teasing of his own is the latest step in the relaxing of the QB. His demeanor has nothing to do with how he plays, but it is much easier to cheer for this Cutler than the one who seemed so closed off for so long. 

NIU Building Evacuated for Bomb Threat

A Northern Illinois University building was evacuated Monday morning after reports of a bomb threat.

Campus police searched Barsema Hall and continue to investigate the threat, a university representative said. All students were safely evacuated from the building.

An alert from the school advises students and staff to stay clear of Barsema Hall while police investigate.

The school posted the following on its Facebook page to students about 11:25 a.m.:

"NIU Department of Police and Public Safety are investigating reports of a bomb threat this morning at Barsema Hall. University public safety personnel are currently at the scene, and the building has been evacuated.

The campus community is advised to stay clear of the Barsema Hall while the investigation continues. This notification will be updated as additional information becomes available."

 

Chicago to Boston Amtrak Stuck in Snow

Amtrak officials say a train got stuck over the weekend in central Massachusetts with 48 people aboard and they are being taken to their destinations by bus.

Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham says the train from Chicago to Boston got stuck in Palmer about 10 p.m. Saturday. A rockslide caused by the snowstorm that slammed the Northeast was blocking the tracks.

Graham says the passengers had electricity and heat the whole time and got free food and drinks. Buses arrived about 11 a.m. Sunday to take them to destinations between Palmer and Boston. The Lakeshore Limited train left Chicago on Friday.

The storm forced Amtrak to suspend train service on several routes in the Northeast.