Chicago Travel

If Chico wins mayor, how ould clients fare at City Hall?

The Watchdogs: Since Mayor Daley took office 21 years ago, his former law firm -- Daley & George -- has done a booming business at City Hall. One of the best-known candidates vying to replace Daley -- Gery Chico, the mayor's former chief of staff -- also heads a law firm that's a go-to player for clients that do business with the city or want to get various city approvals.

Preckwinkle to take office today, ready to tackle budget

Today, Toni Preckwinkle takes over as Cook County Board president -- the first woman elected to the post -- after she and the 17 county commissioners are sworn in. Preckwinkle, the 4th Ward Chicago alderman whose resignation is effective today, has said she'll clean house to rid the administration of outgoing president Todd Stroger's political hires.

Officer 'in fear of her life' kills unarmed suspect

A Chicago cop investigating an alleged drug deal shot dead an unarmed man on the South Side on Saturday night after he made an ''aggressive movement'' toward her, police say. Relatives of Ontario Billups, 30, want to know why he was killed on the 8100 block of South Ashland at 8:30 p.m.

Emanuel outlines green agenda

Rahm Emanuel unveiled a proposal to make 21,000 residential and commercial buildings in Chicago energy efficient next year by creating a $10 million fund that he projected will leverage an additional $100 million and create more than 400 jobs. Emanuel, who is seeking to become the next mayor of Chicago, said the initial $10 million would come in part from unused federal stimulus funds.

Officer Tasered in finger trying to subdue S.W. Side suspect

A cop Tasered himself in the finger as he tried to take down an alleged would-be burglar on Friday, prosecutors said.

Soft spot in aircraft security

The Ride: While grandparents traveling for the holidays are getting airport patdowns, there's another security threat hiding in airplane storage compartments -- unscreened cargo. Along with the cargo that goes in and out of the country on UPS or FedEx planes, cargo is also carried in the bellies of passenger jets.

Married 70 years and couple's still 'best friends'

BY JANE DONAHUE Naperville Sun

Evelyn Paulin and Ed Doyle met at Oak Grove, a former Naperville dance hall, on New Year's Eve, 1935. Evelyn was checking coats. Ed was checking her out. ''I thought she was a nice-looking gal, and my buddy said, 'Eddie, I got just the girl for you,' and that's how he introduced me to her. That was it.'' Last week, Ed and Evelyn Doyle celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. After seven decades, Evelyn has some straightforward advice: ''Have your argument and get over it.''

Meeks spreads word, ward by ward

Mayoral candidate James Meeks emphasized his commitment to Chicago's neighborhoods Sunday with the rollout of 50 Wards in 50 Days. Meeks said he will visit every city ward to highlight the importance of small business growth and neighborhood safety.

Brothers bring back city classic -- Maurice Lenell

From the crumbling of the famed Maurice Lenell Cooky Co. comes a new Chicago store to peddle the sweets. A pair of Chicago brothers have opened a spot to sell the cookies, the first retail store dedicated to the brand since the company's 2008 shuttering of operations in Norridge.

2,000 motorcyclists join Toys for Tots parade

About 2,000 motorcyclists Sunday participated in the 33rd annual Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade. The 20-mile tract started at Dan Ryan Woods at 83rd and Western and ended at DeVry University at 3300 North Campbell.

CTA will lose its chief operating officer to retirement

Yet another CTA chief operating officer will soon be out the door. Jeanette Martin, a 27-year veteran of the transit agency who took over the COO job from William Mooney after his retirement last year, is herself retiring at the end of December.

Last hearing today on RTA budget

Here's your last chance to complain. The RTA will host its final public meeting of the year today to discuss the proposed 2011 budget. The hearing will be at 6 p.m. in the RTA boardroom on the 16th floor at 175 W. Jackson. Two live budget webinars will follow at noon Tuesday and at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Register at rtachicago.com. Proposed budgets will be reviewed for the CTA, Metra and Pace. The budget is up before the RTA board for a vote Dec. 16.

Oprah, McCartney lead Kennedy Center gala

ASSOCIATED PRESS

When The Beatles were storming America, Oprah Winfrey had the band's poster on her bedroom wall, Merle Haggard was free from prison, Jerry Herman was making Broadway sing and Bill T. Jones was not yet a dancer but growing up in a migrant labor camp. On Sunday, these leading artists who followed divergent paths since the 1960s joined Paul McCartney to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

College students going online for degree programs

Danny Ashcom reports for class in the living room of his Uptown one-bedroom apartment. The 32-year-old counselor is earning an online master's degree in computer science through the University of Illinois at Springfield. He started the program in August, the same month he graduated with a traditional bricks-and-mortar master's degree in psychology from a different school. Online classes and degree programs have exploded in size and popularity in the last decade.

Metro briefs

A Navy helicopter pilot who was a 2002 graduate of Merrillville High School died from injuries he suffered in a hit-and-run accident while riding a bicycle in Atlantic Beach, Fla. Lt. Robert Huish, 26, had been in a medically induced coma, according to The Florida Times-Union newspaper, which reported that Huish died after being struck by a vehicle about 2 a.m. last Sunday. A seven-month deployment in the Persian Gulf was part of the service record amassed by Huish, the son of Merrillville town councilman and Merrillville Police Cmdr. Lance Huish.