WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

(photo by Lee Bey)

The 14-story hospital building going up on the Rush University Medical Center campus won't be completed until next year--but I like it already.

A curvy building in a right-angled city, the 806,000 sq ft building on the southwest corner of Ashland and Congress Parkway--quite visible from traffic-clogged Eisenhower Expressway--stands out a bit. Perkins & Will designed the combination bedtower and surgical center, which looks like the architectural love child between the Watergate Hotel and old Prentice Women's Hospital on the Northwestern Medical Center campus.

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Every weekday, John Williams hosts a four-hour talk show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WGN-AM (720), walks 20 yards down the hall to a different studio at Tribune Tower, and, with just an eight-minute break in between, hosts another two-hour talk show from 1 to 3 p.m. on WCCO-AM in Minneapolis.‚ Both shows stream live online.

^{John Williams}

While it may not be as physically demanding as the Dallas-to-Chicago-to-Dallas daily commute that Tom Joyner pulled off during his eight years as America's "fly jock, it's got to be every bit as challenging mentally and logistically.‚ Williams, 50, has been doing the six-hour, two-city, back-to-back shifts since April 13, and by all accounts, he's managed to pull it off amazingly well.

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In the next few weeks, the Midwest will experience the best parts of the South: bold food, hand-crafted whiskey and Kentucky Derby parties.

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Dearest Abbey, Tracy, Jason, Emma, Chris, Ann, Lisa, Sarah, Momski, Amanda, Rebecca, Theresa Collins and her Fiction/Poetry class:

I took your photos!

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We often use this space to discuss how Chicago's architecture and neighborhoods are seen in movies and TV shows. But I think the best view comes from hip-hop music videos--especially those by Chicago artists.

Kanye West directed the above video for rapper Common's 2005 cut "The Corner."‚  West sees Chicago the way a native does: at times cold and foreboding, yet beautiful. The opening helicopter shot of the domed Adler Planetarium sitting out in an ice-over Lake Michigan is brilliant, as are the cuts to what I think is a 1981 Oldsmobile rolling down Garfield Blvd on 20" rims. Navy Pier and the high-rises of north Lake Shore Drive are seen, as are the Regal Theater near 79th and Stony Island, the corner of 79th and Cottage Grove.

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First of all, let me just say that I'm overwhelmed and ecstatic there were so many of you who wanted in on the Dark Lord tickets yesterday. Congrats again to comment #175, Mark Mitcheltree on the win. We all had a blast reading your comments. One of my favorites was comment #82, from Blake Rodgers:

My Three 3 Floyds Beer Haikus:

1:
Moved to Chicago
Am sick of PBR Bars
Give me 3 Floyds Beer

2:
I Miss MicroBrews
Chicago Beer Specials Suck
Tummy Needs Dark Beer

3:
Moved here from east coast
Blake moved away from good beer
3 Floyds YUM 3 Floyds

But the main thing was that you all united over a common cause (to get your little paws on some wickedly good beer). So your enthusiasm has sparked an idea. I'm having the crack staff at WBEZ/Vocalo.org come up with some more cool shit to give away, so we can have more contests, because isn't that what life is all about? The eternal quest for free (or severely discounted) stuff that you ingest?

Just a quick plug for my stories today - and tonight - on ABC 7: Today at 11 a.m., it's off to the city's latest hot dog joint, yearning to be more than just a dog and fry destination.

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An assortment of news items (updated and annotated) from my Chicago Sun-Times column 24 years ago this week:

• "After months of on-air auditions all over town, aspiring broadcaster Eleanor Mondale finally has landed a steady radio job. . . . The 26-year-old actress and daughter of former Vice President Walter Mondale just agreed to a one-year deal with WGN-AM (720), starting in early June. She will appear as a frequent contributor to programs hosted by Wally Phillips, Bob Collins and others, as an all-around fill-in host and, eventually, as host of her own weekly show. 'We see her as a sort of Jacqueline of All Trades,' said WGN program director Dan Fabian." [Mondale, who was briefly married to former Bear Keith Van Horne, held a variety of on-air jobs in Chicago, including sidekick to morning star Robert Murphy on WKQX-FM (101.1). She most recently has been a talk show host at WCCO-AM in Minneapolis, where she's been waging an ongoing battle with brain cancer.]
• "Tired of getting trounced each morning by Oprah Winfrey, WBBM-Channel 2 finally made it official: As of June 9, the station will move Phil Donahue's syndicated talk show to 3 p.m. weekdays from its longtime slot at 9 a.m." 

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