We are having a serious problem with state government and media relations. Not only is today’s story about the failed merger between DJJ and DCFS concerning (it was such a big headline for Quinn when he announced it), but Mark Brown’s column earlier this week about the casino bill was a bit frightening. Remember those big headlines about the IL Senate and House voting for a Chicago casino? Remember how we were all waiting for Quinn to veto or not veto? Well, the actual bill hasn’t left the IL Senate yet, held up by Senate Prez John Cullerton. Cullerton is using parliamentary procedure to keep the bill from the governor’s desk until there is enough time to either amend the bill or convince the governor to sign it. Now mind you, this is AFTER our legislative bodies voted on it. So this is purely politics (and kind of weird). 

Add these stories to the fact that our governor is routinely late to press conferences, and we have a media problem here. Chicago political reporters have wasted about two hours this week alone waiting for Quinn to show up to press conferences. Yesterday, Governor Quinn was half an hour late for his press conference on clean coal.

This isn’t working, guys. Remember, media is around to keep the public informed. You are elected by the public. So by using the pinciples I learned in Pre-Geometry, you are all showing some serious disrespect to the people you are supposed to be representing. At least that’s what the Pythagorean Theorem tells me.

I have a startling and controversial proposal. How bout we bring back the Republicans. No, not the Bill Brady 2011 types, but the 90s Illinois Republican. A little Jim Edgar sprinkled with a bit of Lee Daniels, smothered in Pate Philip and/or not corrupt George Ryan. Heck, I’d take Bob Kustra at this point.

B story: Robert Feder just tweeted 780 WBBM is having an all staff meeting at 11:30 to announce it’s simulcasting on 105.9 FM. FM radio is either going to get really interesting or really boring. Now if I were in charge of WBEZ 91.5, I’d start playing Matchbox 20 and Rage Against the Machine right quick.

C story: Curtis Duffy is leaving Avenues. The Trib’s Kevin Pang broke the story yesterday. Duffy is a superstar chef, like Achatz and Graham Elliott Bowles. Duffy is the new kid on the block, one that came from the Achatz tree. Food is a lot like sports these days. Chefs are like NFL head coaches. They all come from one system. So Achatz is like Belicheck and that makes Duffy, like, Eric Mangini? Mangini but much better looking.

WBEZ’s Mark Bazer interviewed Duffy at the Hideout last month. Very entertaining - take a look if you dare.

Actually, you could make an argument that the pecking order in Chicago media would go sports, food, then news. Then somewhere down by Relcon Apartment Guide and that Discovery Center class catalogue, would be “snarky news commentary.” So I got that going for me, which is nice.

D story:  Rahm is disbanding the city of Chicago’s Office of Compliance. This was expected, but it does signify the beginning of the end of Daley’s F-You poltiics. Remember, he built this office to say F-You to the Inspector General. How ironic. The guy who created F-you politics at the national level is disbanding it locally. 

Weather: C’mon - what a great day. It’s the only nice part about not having power. It’s not 100 degrees…yet.  

Sports: Patrick Kane loves the new look Blackhawks! He actually likes them because they are big and tough. So the next time he’s in a Buffalo cab, he’ll have bigger guys with him.

Mike Martz is talking to media. He said the Bears could be ready on a day’s notice to play the Rams in the Hall of Fame game, scheduled for August 7th. Huh. Let me guess what that game will look like.

Kicker: The Cook County Forest Preserve has finally updated their laws to allow jugglers. But don’t get too excited guys, you still have to zip your pants. Seriously, that’s in the law. Wait, is this whole law a euphemism? Can someone check Urban Dictionary?