Pledge drive rumors answered: If we do well this drive, we will eliminate the summer drive

Pledge drive rumors answered: If we do well this drive, we will eliminate the summer drive

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Wait, wait…did I hear this right? If WBEZ makes its goal for this fall membership drive (we are in a pledge drive mode right now), we will eliminate the summer pledge drive. So if we get 9500 members to pledge by the end of the day Thursday, no more summer drive. Fierce!

I ran up to Andrew Arganbright’s desk to get him on the record. He wasn’t there. So I tracked him down:

I mean seriously, you are lucky we don’t do pledge drives all year round. Or on this blog.

Man, those drivers look sick. (AP)

B story: Man, the city is projecting a shortfall of over $630 million. Now, it comes out that the CTA is projecting a $227 million hole. I’m no budget guru, but that seems a little disproportionate, don’t you think? Claypool puts the blame on…you guessed it - union workers who call in sick. This strategy seems to be working in the Emanuel administration. Garbage collectors call in sick too much. Teachers call in sick too much. Now bus drivers call in sick too much. It’s starting to become clear to me that budget time is becoming election time in Chicago.

C story: Oh man, this is always my favorite story of the season: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart set up a sting for wanted fugitives. The ol ‘Come to this location and win a prize!” gets them every time.

D story: Local sighting! Playboy Club (the TV show) featured local actor and WBEZ personality Jimmy Carrane in last night’s episode. I didn’t see it, but Facebook told me. Congrats to Jimmy C! Jimmy used to make regular appearances on ER when they were shooting in town.

Weather: Beautiful. No sideways rain today, Occupy Chicago. Now harness the sun!!!!

Sports: The Illini are 5-0 with Indiana on tap this weekend. There’s a good chance (not great) that the Illini could be undefeated heading into a Big Ten showdown with Michigan, and then Wisconsin in mid November. The Cubs might actually have a chance at Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. And more of the same: Jay Cutler seen at Dancing With The Stars’ Monday episode. Now that’s news (light, but news). Cutler is a celebrity and he was at a celebrity event. But the headline is Cavallari coy after Cutler spotted in ‘Dancing’ audience. How ‘bout you lead with Cutler, Tribune? Your robot writers are doing you a disservice.

Kicker: Blagojevich is selling his house. And we are sprucing up his list of amenities. You can help. Winner gets a Car Talk mug.