WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Preservationists seeking to prevent the demolition of the former Prentice Women's Hospital were dealt a severe if not final blow today.

Cook County Judge Neil Cohen dismissed a lawsuit brought by two plaintiffs: the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI). 

Judge Cohen said a previous ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court does not grant him the power to overturn a decision by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, even if, as the Judge appears to believe, the Commission violated its own rules in making that decision.

The Judge also dismissed the Landmarks Preservation Council as a plaintiff in the case, but gave the National Trust 30 days to file an amended complaint. 

Michael Rachlis is one of the legal representatives for the preservationists.

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The 112th Congress may have avoided diving off this mythical "fiscal cliff" we've all been hearing about. But legislators left behind some serious unfinished business: They failed to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The Act provides federal money to protect women and children in abusive situations. That protection varies from support for kids in abusive homes, to help for women seeking restraining orders or divorces, to education for law enforcement.

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Preservationists who want to prevent demolition of the former Prentice Women's Hospital seem to be an unstoppable force.

They've argued for the architectural merits of the Bertrand Goldberg-designed building. When that didn't pan out, they went to court.

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This Sunday Holy Family Parish on Chicago’s west side marks a milestone: their 155^th anniversary. 

Holy Family is Chicago’s second oldest church. Historically it has been a gateway church, for immigrants ranging from Irish to Mexican. The church is also a survivor of sorts. It escaped the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the threat of demolition in the 1980s after attendance declined.

Father Jerry Boland says these days his parish is strong.

"With all the development on the near west side, it’s like here come’s everybody! There is a large diverse parish community," he says.

So the pews are likely to be full this Sunday mass.

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Christmas celebrations are already in full swing at homes in and around Chicago. But not everybody marks the holiday. If you’re Jewish or Muslim or just prefer to skip it – there is another, time-honored way to enjoy the night before Christmas: head out to see a movie.

The two big, brand new releases are "Les Misérables," the film version of Victor Hugo's epic historic novel (which has undergone epic adaptations, for film, television and most famously Broadway), and "Django Unchained," the latest ultra-violence from Quentin Tarantino.

Christmas-time viewing is also a good opportunity to catch up any of the big films that might end up in the "best picture" category at the Academy Awards (which will be announced January 10th).  

Adam Kempenaar co-hosts WBEZ’s Filmspotting.

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Ken Chaney, a long-standing Chicago jazz musician and educator, died last Wednesday at the age of 73.

Chaney's reputation among his fellow musicians is stellar: Everyone praises his musicianship and attitude.  

"Ken Chaney was one of the best musicians I ever worked with. And Chaney was cool," said drummer Isaac "Red" Holt.

Holt hired Chaney to play in his group Young-Holt Unlimited in the late 1960s. They had a hit with the song "Soulful Strut."

Chaney was born in Edmonton, Alberta and came to Chicago in the mid-1950s. After leaving Holt’s group in the 1970s, he went on to form and lead his own ensembles, including The Awakening.  

Holt said Chaney's musical talents were all over the map.

"Later on he was known as a bebop player because he had the bebop brass around him. But Ken Chaney was a versatile piano player. He could play whatever you wanted to play," Holt said.

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With a winter storm about to put the smackdown on the Chicago region, we’ve probably got better things to worry about than the Mayans and this calendar completion craziness. But if the world were to come to an end at the stroke of midnight tonight - or if we make it to see another day – here's a pair of damn fine ways to celebrate. 

1. Beer! Louis Glunz Brewery has been in business a long time now: One of America's oldest breweries (and the world's oldest distributor of Schlitz) will celebrate 125 years in business in 2013.

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