It's something that hasn't been used regularly since the days of Al Capone but it's making a comeback, galvanized by the uptick in drug- and gang-related violence. The Chicago Crime Commission which once put out the Public Enemies list, discontinued some 70 years ago, has released a new 10 Most Wanted list. Arthur Bilek, the Crime Commission's executive VP, said in a statement [PDF]: more ›

We've all been extremely frustrated by authority figures in our lives. But as we get older and - hopefully - more mature, we realize there are ways to channel and cope with this anger and, occasionally, battle the source of the anger. But not Kane Kellett, who resorted to more adolescent ways of communicating his frustration with a judge and wound up with six months of jail for contempt of court. It seems, according to the Daily Herald, Kellett gave the judge the One Finger Salute when he was asked to raise his right hand when being sworn in and threw in some obscenities for good measure. This from a guy who had been arrested less than 12 hours before on warrants for home invasion, aggravated battery and other charges including attacking a pregnant woman. The list of crimes had landed Kellett on the McHenry County Sheriff's Top 10 Most Wanted List. more ›

We were so sure it would lead to something, anything, but such is not the case. Once again we return to the case of Dr. David Cornbleet, the dermatologist heinously murdered in his office in October 2006. Last month we told you about the efforts of Dr. Cornbleet's son, Jon, to enhance surveillance footage taken of a "person of interest" in the case. Tapes from the downtown office building and a Lincoln Park Home Depot were shined up and distributed to the media, as well as posted on Jon's MySpace account. Things looked promising. more ›

Anyone who's seen The Neo-Futurists’ weekly show Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind knows the purveyors of this evening of rapid-fire entertainment regularly rely on the audience for seriocomic inspiration. We've seen these performers take up a collection for a poor college kid, treat random ticket holders to ice cream treats, start an impromptu dance party, and enlist the entire room in silent protest against the invasion of Iraq. The Neos also produce... more ›

Goldie via e.q. more ›

Talk about a nightmare: back in August, a 57-year old man found himself homeless in Chicago, with no idea how he got here or what had happened in his life up until then. He was living in a shelter in the South Loop and selling newspapers on State Street, tormented by his lost identity. He asked the Chicago police for help, sent his fingerprints to the FBI, called the Social Security administration to research the... more ›

Now that we’ve paid lip service to the artier aspects of film, it’s time to get back to completely trivial bits of entertainment “news.” more ›

• Elvis' birthday is this weekend. How are you going to celebrate? You at least have to send these cards out.
• Daley says we don't have to build a expensive new stadium to make a bid to host the Olympics. Chicago can host them still and just have the stadium venues in like Wisconsin.. or like Indiana. Right. Would that still be the Olympics in Chicago? That's the more like the Midwest Olympics.
• A 25-year-old man who was charged in the strangulation murder a year ago of Melissa Dorner, a local restaurant hostess, was caught in Mexico. A tip about his location came in after his case appeared on a Mexican TV show asking the public to help find him (Mexico's Most Wanted?).

Here at the Chicagoist HQ we've been spending the last couple days wondering if there's anything Oprah can't do. Right now we wouldn't even bat an eye if she healed the sick by touching them, found a cure for cancer or raised our long-lost childhood pets from the dead (we miss Tom the Hampster & our bunny Hops!). Ok. So maybe those things are a bit of a stretch, but in between forgiving Hermes, helping hurricane victims and redesigning her book club, Ms. Winfrey has also given Rachael Ray a new show and has even helped capture a fugitive. more ›

A DNA sample investigators took from cigarette butt left in Judge Lefkow's kitchen sink after the murder of her husband and mother didn't match any of the 2.27 million genetic profiles currently in the national database. Nor did the DNA match any of Lefkow's family members. The butt was called a key piece of evidence along with a fingerprint on a broken window, a bloody footprint, other cigarette butts and a soda can found near the home. Investigators have received over 600 tips and information about the case aired on "America's Most Wanted" Saturday night. They're being careful to explore all leads, but a number of Krotchety Kantankerous Kooks and Hale's associates have been interviewed about the case. more ›

Chicagoist knows you like being told what to do over the weekend, and we like telling you. If you're into orgiastic life-affirming pop symphonies, check out the robed and copious Polyphonic Spree (quoth Milhouse, "My doctor says I'm not supposed to go on sprees") and lead singer Tim Delaughter's attempts to become Wayne Coyne. The Spree will even have drummer Brian Teasley in tow after being cleared from the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List via that most trustworthy of alibis, TiVo. (See, we told you it's good for something.) Check out this band (cult? movement?) tonight and/or tomorrow at Park West and help them conquer the world one sugary single, iPod/VW commercial, and Michel Gondry film at a time. more ›

A Chicago-area man on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list was captured in Mexico last Thursday after a Mexican viewer saw him on the TV show America's Most Wanted (AMW). Michael Alfonso allegedly stalked and killed not one, but two of his former girlfriends. The viewer called in to AMW who then contacted the U.S. Embassy. Alfonso was captured and given to US authorities who flew him to Houston. He is staying there until he can be sent back to Illinois. more ›