Forget the Windy City. Chicago has officially become Park Place. The city handed down a series of parking announcements throughout the week, raising the eyebrows of more than a few folks in the driving set. Here’s a look at the city’s handy work in the first five days of December.
Monday
* The city begins its winter overnight parking ban on Chicago’s arterial streets — even if there’s no snow. A separate ban puts an end to leaving vehicles on certain main streets when there’s 2 inches of powder.
* The Tribune reports that the city will give a grace period to pay red-light and parking fines before it becomes easier to boot cars. The amnesty ends on Valentine’s Day.
Tuesday
* Mayor Daley announces a plan under which parking meter rates will quadruple next month for most spots in the city. The most expensive spots downtown will increase from $3 an hour to $6.50 in the next five years.
Wednesday
* A council committee gives preliminary approval to Daley’s meter-leasing plan. The Tribune reports that meters shalt not rest on Sundays under the proposal: Parking meter holidays, including free Sundays, are slated to end next month.
Thursday
* City Council overwhelmingly approves Daley’s plan to lease parking spots to a private firm for a one-time payment of nearly $1.2 billion.
Friday
* At a press conference, Daley defended a barrage of criticism about the meters.
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And they were all yellow
The nation’s leading color source says it’s OK to be yellow.
Pantone, which provides color standards to design industries, cited mimosa as its top shade of the new year this week and said you can expect people to embrace the optimistic and sunny color. Sounds good to us: Check out some of the celebs who were already ahead of the color curve.
Jordin Sparks
November 2008
Dainty yellow
Teri Hatcher
September 2008
Skinny yellow
Mariska Hargitay
September 2008
Classy yellow
Beyonce Knowles
November 2007
Shiny yellow
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Clinton digest
Noted: Former rivals, it turns out, really can be friends. President-elect Obama tapped Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state Monday.
Quoted: “Hillary’s appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances.”
— President-elect Obama
Demoted: Bill Clinton.
The former president had to disclose the names of contributors to his foundation in a move to make it possible for his wife to get the top spot on Obama’s team. In the past, Clinton had balked at the idea.
BEST WEEK EVER
The class ring of Texan Joe Richardson, engraved with his name, turned up inside an 8-pound bass this week — 21 years after he lost it while fishing on Lake Sam Rayburn. The fisherman tracked Richardson down through the Internet.
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Heat index
RedEye takes the temperature of current events (from hot to cold)
Britney Spears
Let the “Circus” begin.
The big chill
Bring it on, winter.
Board games
Not just for nerds anymore!
Plaxico Burress
That’s gotta hurt!
Zunes
Seriously, who uses those?
