Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (R) shoots over Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague in the first half of their Eastern Conference semifinal NBA basketball game in Atlanta, Georgia May 6, 2011. REUTERS/Tami Chappell (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL) Jamal Crawford thought that Game 2 was the best shot the Bulls could give against his [...]

Three brothers who own two pizza restaurants in the north suburbs were allegedly part of a large drug ring that sold and delivered cocaine throughout Lake County, sometimes using pizza delivery trucks. Waukegan police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office completed a lengthy investigation by getting indictments against 19 individuals for criminal drug conspiracy, according to …

It was for the chicks. That’s the explanation a Ford Heights man had for keeping a dangerous four-foot alligator in his home, authorities said. Dewayne Yarbrough, 43, allegedly kept the gator in a small tank and only fed it once a month — a meal of 10 live mice — to keep it svelte. “He stated that he kept the alligator as …

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel will inherit a $587 million shortfall in the city’s 2012 budget — not including pension liabilities — despite a slight uptick in city revenues and a $65 million year-end balance that’s Chicago’s highest in the last decade, City Hall said Friday. A hiring freeze and other spending controls that were projected to save $45 million this year will, instead, …

How Lombard man, 24, went from family's hot dog stand to the big leagues

Andrew Belleson sat in front of the microphone, cleared his throat and called out the first line of the script in his deep baritone:

Considered by many the horse to beat, Uncle Mo is scratched from first leg of Triple Crown because of a gastrointestinal ailment. Picking a winner from among the remaining 19 horses is a daunting task.

Reporting from Louisville, Ky.

Bulls could see triumph in eyes as

David Haugh: Joakim Noah has been a teammate of Derrick Rose long enough to know what he saw before the Bulls' romp promised to make Friday a memorable one. "I knew before the game even started, I just saw in his eyes, he had it,'' Noah said of Rose. "I knew it was going to be ugly.''

Higher oil prices and fears about a slowdown in the recovery fail to deter employers, who add 244,000 new jobs to the economy in April across a wide spectrum of industries. The gains are tempered by a rise in the unemployment rate to 9%, up from 8.8%.

The American economy created a healthy batch of new jobs in April for the third straight month, allaying fears of a stall in hiring due to higher oil prices and concerns about an economic slowdown.

Media company's board dissolves 4-member executive council, puts L.A. Times publisher in charge

For the man who helped popularize home satellite dishes, the table is set at Tribune Co. and there's plenty on Eddy Hartenstein's plate.

Illinois boosts tax incentives in 10-year deal to keep smartphone company in Libertyville

Gov. Pat Quinn put up more than $100 million in financial incentives to persuade smartphone company Motorola Mobility to keep its corporate headquarters in Libertyville — the largest package he has offered a company to date and a signal of how badly the state wants to hold on to high-tech jobs.

WASHINGTON — Katie McCormick Lelyveld, press secretary to first lady Michelle Obama, is leaving the post and returning home to Chicago, the White House announced Friday.

Shortfall shrinks, but Daley still leaving Emanuel to face $587 million gap

The big budget shortfall Mayor Richard Daley is bequeathing successor Rahm Emanuel isn't quite as bad as City Hall financial forecasters previously thought.

2 who faced gunfire that killed comrade among those recognized

Chicago police Sgt. Jason Kaczynski and Officer Kimberly Thorp were on desk duty, both recovering from medical issues, when the sound of gunfire ripped through the police facility on 61st Street last July.

Yes, as the title of this post indicates, our Chicago home search has been updated.  I am very happy with the updates that have been made and the fact that our property search provider is on the cutting edge.  In fact, our property search functionality surpasses that of local brokerages. That said, there is one [...]

Tonight I was watching the Brewers take on the Cardinals and as Yuniesky Betancourt came to the plate, I said to my wife "If Yuniesky Betancourt breaks up the no-hitter, it  . . ." and that's all I got out before he slapped one through the left side of the infield. I was going to say he'd be the worst hitter ever to break up a no-hitter, but I have no idea if that's true or not. Anyone else know?  Of course I mean in the late innings. I don't mean some game that Neifi Perez got to lead off the game and somehow beat out a slow dribbler.

In case you missed it, the Cubs released catcher Max Ramirez to activate shortstop Jonathan Mota off the disabled list.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs got blown away by the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins), 11-5.

Starting pitcher Jay Jackson got knocked around for five runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. Jackson walked three and struck out two.

Left fielder Lou Montanez went 2 for 4 with a double and his fourth home run this season. The home run was a solo shot in the seventh inning. Montanez also walked one and scored three times.

Center fielder Tony Campana went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and a run scored. Right fielder Brad Snyder scored once and walked once in a 2 for 4 evening. 

First baseman Bryan LaHair was 2 for 5. Shorstop Jonathan Mota went 2 for 4 in his first game back.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies had their picnic baskets stolen by the Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks), 5-4.

Hung-Wen Chen made the start tonight in place of Trey McNutt, who once again is battling a blister. Chen tossed three innings allowed four runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs that scored all four runs. He walked once and struck out two. One of the four runs he allowed was unearned, but it was his error. Somehow I think that shouldn't count.

Center fielder Brett Jackson hit a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his fourth homer this year. Jackson was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Third baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs gave up four runs in the ninth, but hung on to win 5-4 over Brevard County Manatees (Brewers) when right fielder Nelson Perez threw out the potential tying run at the plate.

Starter Nick Struck improved his record to 4-1 with six strong shutout innings. He allowed only three hits and three walks while striking out seven.

Frank Batista entered the game with two out in the ninth and runners on first and third. He gave up a single to right but the runner on first tried to score on the play and was thrown out. It was ugly, but it was Batista's eighth save.

Shortstop Junior Lake went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and a run scored. In addition to the gave-saving assist, Nelson Perez was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. He also scored once.

Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He also scored once. After not having walked in his first 16 games, Ha now has five walks in his last ten games.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were just out-lasted by the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 5-4 in 14 innings.

This was a game that started out low scoring, saw a lot of runs scored in the seventh through ninth innings and then nothing until Clinton pushed a run across in the 14th.

Peoria's first starter was Austin Kirk, and he went 5.1 innings and allowed only one hit on six hits. He walked one and struck out six. Kirk is quietly putting together a great start to the season. His ERA sits at 2.17 after six starts and has struck out more than a batter an inning.

Then the game got interesting as the Chiefs took a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning, only to see Clinton tie it in the top of the eighth. The Chiefs got the lead again in the bottom of the eighth, only to see Marcus Hatley allow an unearned run in the ninth to tie it. Hatley pitched two innings and only had one hit. He didn't walk anyone and struck out one.

Bryce Shafer relieved Hatley and took the loss when he gave up a run in the 14th. He pitched 3.2 innings and gave up the run on four hits and three walks. Shafer struck out two.

Shafer was relieved with two out in the 14th by third baseman Anthony Giansanti.  He struck out the only batter he faced.

Right fielder Matt Szczur was 2 for 5 with a walk and two RBI. He also stole two bases, giving him six in the past four games. Szczur has now stolen eight bases and hasn't been caught yet.

First baseman Richard Jones went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. He scored once. Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 5 and scored twice. Eliot Soto was 2 for 6. Catcher Sergio Burruel was 2 for 6 with a run scored.

Next one at 9.

Last one of the night. Someone out there create a FanPost if you want to discuss Lakers/Mavs.

And expect a special guest recap sometime later tonight or tomorrow. Looking forward to it myself.

Fans that have enjoyed Neil Young's classics over the years got to hear them in person Friday night at the Chicago Theatre.

Looking every bit like an MVP, Rose sliced up Atlanta for a career-high 44 points as the Bulls seized control of the Eastern Conference semifinals with their best performance of the postseason, romping to a 99-82 victory over the Hawks in Game 3 Friday night.

FBI agents returned to the home of a missing doctor from northwest Indiana Friday night.

Cook County Sheriff's police removed a four-foot alligator from the home of a Ford Heights man who kept the reptile as a pet.

Buckle up -- even if you're in the backseat. It may soon be the law in Illinois.

If you want dishes inspired by a Greek grandmother, ABC7's Hungry Hound says to head to the northern suburbs.

Officer Alvin Weems gained notoriety for killing an unarmed man eight years ago.

Saturday: 1 1/4-mile race, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky., all 125 pounds; post time is 5:24 p.m.

Internet: 7:05 p.m. Saturday; http://www.arenarush.com , niftytv.com.

After 2 seasons in lower league, he believes he's prepared to help Fire

It was Daniel Paladini's choice to take a two-year career detour and leave MLS to play for a lower-level professional team.

Sox's overall offensive problems lessen patience with slumping rookie

SEATTLE — After starting the season as a reserve, Mark Teahen made his fourth start in the White Sox's last seven games at third base Friday night and will continue to gain more playing time.

SEATTLE - Manager Ozzie Guillen is waiting for the fortunes of the Chicago White Sox to change, starting Friday night against Seattle and 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez.

Derrick Rose scored a career-high 44 points as the Bulls rolled the Hawks 99-82 to win Game 3 and take a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 4 is Sunday in Atlanta.

An apparently suicidal and intoxicated man armed with a handgun was fatally shot by a Will County sheriff's deputy today after authorities said he pointed the weapon at officers who had responded to his Beecher residence.

Switching problems with CTA equipment during about 2 hours of the Friday evening rush led to some significant delays on five "L" train lines, officials said.

CBS Channel 2 News reports: Bond was set at $350,000 today for Damien Deanda, 39, of the 1500 block of North Windsor in Arlington Heights, accused of sexually assaulting three teen girls over the past year.

WBBM-AM reports: Munster police said FBI agents and evidence technicians were at the Indiana home today of Dr. Promila Mehta-Paul, 70, an eye doctor who disappeared more than a month ago. Police did not say if there were any new developments but they’re “taking another look.”

As the shot clock ticked down to 10, Derrick Rose crossed his double between his leg and stepped back beyond the 3-point arc, giving himself just enough space to launch over Jamal Crawford.

How Lombard man, 24, went from family's hot dog stand to the big leagues

Andrew Belleson sat in front of the microphone, cleared his throat and called out the first line of the script in his deep baritone:

Shifting from a secular life to a religiously observant one can definitely teach you who your friends are--and aren't. My social circle looks very different at the end of my Jewish conversion journey than it did at the beginning of it. That's OK.

How many opportunities did the Cubs give away on the basepaths in today's 5-4 loss to the Reds?

Let us count the ways.

RISP in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Bases loaded, one out in the fifth; bases loaded, nobody out in the sixth. Two TOOTBLANs, one with Starlin Castro getting caught off base in the fifth, the other Kosuke Fukudome in the ninth, when he represented the tying run.

And, Matt Garza hitting a dribbler in front of the plate and being tagged out by the catcher.

Had enough? Well, for this game, maybe so. The Cubs had seven hits and five walks and had numerous opportunities to at least tie the game up; failure to lay down a bunt by Darwin Barney in the ninth inning before he lined into the double play with Fukudome on base... ah, well, enough, really. Here's the only number from today's game that really matters: 2-for-12 with RISP.

Although Garza gave up five earned runs in six innings, he didn't pitch that badly, making just one massive mistake, a three-run homer to Jay Bruce that gave the Reds the lead after the Cubs had fashioned a 1-0 lead on Garza's first major league hit, a couple of groundouts and a passed ball.

Yes, Matt Garza (who looks about as bad standing at the plate with a bat as any pitcher I've seen since Mike Bielecki) got a hit today, a single up the middle. Don't expect this to happen too often, or maybe ever, again. As is normal for first ML hits, the ball was tossed into the dugout to be saved for Garza (after, of course, players mark up a different ball with various obscenities and pretend that's the real one). Maybe they should bronze it, or put it in a time capsule, because 100 years from now, who's going to believe it actually happened?

The bullpen again did a good job; Marcos Mateo continued his match-a-strikeout-with-a-walk pace, but gave up nothing after Sean Marshall bailed him out, and Kerry Wood had his longest outing of the year, throwing 25 pitches over 1.2 innings (longest by inning; he did have a 26-pitch inning earlier in the season). That probably makes Wood unavailable for tomorrow.

What more can be said? The Cubs had the Reds on the ropes several times and failed to cash in on chances. Mike Quade said in his postgame remarks, cliche-ridden though it might seem, the correct thing: "We're setting the table. We just have to have somebody clean it off." Who that is going to be, no one knows. Castro, Fukudome, Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto all failed in RISP situations today. Anyone else want to step down, er, up?

Oh, and after the day dawned sunny without a cloud in the sky, spitty little showers danced around the ballpark off and on both before the game and during the seventh and eighth innings, not hard enough or long enough to stop play; just enough to be extremely annoying.

Kind of like the game itself. There's a 60% chance of rain again tomorrow, seemingly par for the course in this dreary spring. It'd be nice if the Cubs could dodge raindrops long enough to even up this series. Casey Coleman will face Bronson Arroyo.

Next one at 7.

Next thread at 8.

Image: http://chibrksports.trb.com/media/alternatethumbnails/story/2011-05/353440400-06111915.jpg

Soundgarden once sung about looking California and feeling Minnesota, but now the reunited Seattle foursome needs to think about many more states in the union for their summer tour. According to the grunge band’s newsletter, sent out yesterday, 12 dates have been added, including a July 16 stop at the UIC Pavillion, to the previously announced jaunt. [ more › ]

Art Jackson looked ragged when we visited him yesterday. Last Friday was his last day as chef at Bijan's Bistro in River North, but he returned Monday to tie up loose ends so he could focus on Pleasanthouse Bakery, his new bakery and sandwich shop opening 5 p.m. today at 964 W. 31st St. Jackson's schedule for months has been to work on Pleasanthouse in the free time he had away from Bijan's or from tending to the network of urban farm plots he, wife Chelsea and their immediate family maintain in Bridgeport and Pilsen under the name Pleasant Farms. "We've saved up for years for this moment," Jackson said. "There are no investors. It's just us." [ more › ]

As far as pickup lines go, "wanna see my alligator" is a pretty original one, when it isn't used as a euphemism. Police in suburban Ford Heights arrested 43-year-old Dewayne Yarbrough for possession of a dangerous animal after they received a tip Yarbrough kept a four-foot alligator in his home because chicks dug it. [ more › ]

Reds 5, Cubs 4 [ more › ]