Here are some of the stories that caught our attention during the work day for November 20, 2012.
In case you haven’t somehow heard, the CTA won’t be raising base fares but they are jacking up the cost of 1-, 3-, 7-, and 30-day passes, ensuring that they’ll still manage to negatively impact the finances of as many riders as they can. The hikes come as the CTA still hasn’t brought service levels back up to the pre-2010-cuts level and service disruptions – even during rush hour – remain regular occurrences. On the bright side, all Red Line train cars will continue to smell like pee so at least they didn’t take that away from us. [Sun-Times]
An awful story developing out of Maine West High where a lawsuit claims three members of the boys soccer team were sexually assaulted as part of a hazing incident. [Sun-Times]
The state garnered $346,000 in the month of October as a result of video gambling machines. No word on if the state plans to reach into the much more lucrative market of taxing Golden Tee video games played by drunk Wrigleyville bros. [WBEZ]
The woman accused of stalking Rev. Michael Pfleger allegedly told police that God ordered her to marry Pfleger. [Sun-Times]
RIP, Chicago Journal and Skyline. [The Reader]
Having already conquered the Loop, Walgreens is now heading to Wicker Park where they’ll open a huge, upscale shop at the corner of Damen & North, giving people a viable food alternative for when the line at Big Star gets just too damn long. Which is all the time. Genius move, Walgreens! [Crain’s]
The loud rumble of the city’s garbage truck could soon be a blissful annoyance of the past as the city plans to rollout a handful of electric garbage trucks onto streets and alleys soon. [Gapers Block]
Jay Cutler is doing his best to calm Bears fans by telling them he’ll play again next year. I don’t know why he’d bother because if there’s one fan base that totally doesn’t overreact to anything, it’s clearly the Bears’ fan base. [Sun-Times]
Sorry, Chicago-on-TV fans, but yet another Chicago-based-and-filmed show, Boss, is canceled. While the Kelsey Grammar-starring political drama is the first such cancelation of the season, you could probably win bets that Mob Doctor will soon follow suit. [Tribune]
BRIGHT ONE: Mary Mitchell shares the inspiring story of Rihana Gunn-Wright, Englewood’s Rhodes Scholar. [Sun-Times]
FINALLY: With marijuana legalized (maybe) in a few states, it’s time to buy stock in weed vending machines. [Mashable]
