Metering is ON

sneed

Michael Sneed biography

Michael Sneed has been a Chicago journalist for nearly four decades covering everything short of war.

Among the stories Sneed has reported on in her …

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Steady reign and dry heir in this weather forecast

Blimey! Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs: England’s Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, has some plummy ways — like talking to plants and berating bad buildings. ◆The weather report: But in an effort to be the real deal, Prince Charles decided to deliver …

Ball purchased from 1945 Cubs-Tigers World Series

Is the end of the 67-year old Cubs’ curse at hand? If Grant DePorter, the man who detonated the Bartman Ball in 2004 in hopes of dispersing the curse, has his way — it will be. ◆To wit: DePorter, the restaurateur/showman who blew the dreaded …

Readers’ barbs, jabs and fanny mail

The letter bin ... A sampling of mail tossed over Sneed’s transom and/or glutting our email file. A suggested etymology of Pippa Middleton — the derriere doyenne who is sister to the royal Kate (nee Middleton) Windsor, the Duchess of Cambridge: Pippa is from Phillippa …

  • Will Mitt Romney give Rick Santorum a top speaking spot at convention? You bet

    Quid pro no? So what’s on former GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum’s wish list? Well, there was at least one request on Rick’s list when he met for 90 minutes Friday with GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney — who is hoping for Santorum’s endorsement. ◆ …Read More

  • MJ’S SIGNATURE MOVE

    Air Jordan . . . $$$$$$: Historic hoopster Michael Jordan is still cashing in on his sports products, and the prices are bigger than ever. Consider: ◆ Signed photos, programs and ticket stubs are $899 each. ◆ Basketballs, jerseys and canvases are $1,249 each. ◆ …Read More

  • New Obama book is cookin’

    Obamarama . . . Ah, young love. Interested in being served a few slices of President Barack Obama’s former love life? Grab your fork. Author David Maraniss, whose much anticipated biography of President Obama titled Barack Obama: The Story, hits bookshelves next month — found …Read More

    • JOKE ISN’T

    ON RAHM

    Rahm ’em ... Don’t mess with Rahm. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is no Joker. ◆ Translation: Emanuel was portrayed as a Joker (in the vain of the latest Batman flick) on a May Day protester’s lapel button Tuesday beneath the shadows of Loop federal buildings. ◆ …

    Top court has welcome good news for George Ryan in prison

    Finally, he wins one: A chance to challenge his fraud conviction is the first time former Gov. George Ryan has gotten good news since his imprisonment 4œ years ago. “First he loses his wife to cancer. Then he loses his older brother. That was devastating …

  • PRINCE ED BLOWS IN

    Blimey! Britain’s Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, hit town this weekend flying the flag of his mum, Queen Elizabeth —who is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years on the throne. Prince Edward, the youngest of the Queen’s four children, is the uncle-in-law of Kate …Read More

  • Despite prison stint, Vrdolyak says ‘I’ve never had a bad day in my life’

    Eddie’s out! “The Croatian word for Happiness is Vrdolyak!” Thus spoke former political powerhouse Ed Vrdolyak, who is now a free man. No more jail. No more electronic bracelet. No more halfway house. No home confinement. “I told my wife, Denise, that if anyone needed …Read More

  • Gorbachev’s early hero: JFK

    Gorby gab . . . I got the Gorbachev embrace; a big Russian paw pulling me into a Perestroika moment; a bear hug and a slew of Russian words lost in translation. Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev sat down for a few words with Sneed …Read More

  • ‘An honor to serve’

    Plastic place ... The ties that bind: Huh???? Sneed couldn’t help but notice that PLASTIC ties are being used on hundreds of trees in the city and suburbs bearing signs touting the benefit of urban trees by the Morton Arboretum in celebration of Arbor Day. …Read More

  • Elgin woman charged with making fake claim to Mega Millions jackpot

    Jackpot, not . . . Last month’s $656 million lottery jackpot, the nation’s largest ever, attracted a fraudulent claim with a new high-tech twist. † Sneed has learned an Elgin woman allegedly purchased an online lottery ticket eight minutes after hearing the winning numbers and …Read More

  • Gravedigger charged in Burr Oak scandal hired at Homewood cemetery

    Bury ’em ... Sneed has learned a gravedigger awaiting trial on the charge of “dismembering a human body” in the Burr Oak cemetery scandal — was subsequently hired as a gravedigger at the site of last week’s cemetery shocker! ◆ To wit: Gravedigger Maurice “Bear” …Read More

    • Memories of the Daleys’ late son live on in new children’s garden

    Kevin’s garden ... It never goes away; the loss of a child. The sorrow of such a loss registered once again on the face of former Mayor Richard Daley on Tuesday, when a garden at the new Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital was …

    Drew Peterson is down in the dumps after court ruling on evidence

    SNEED EXCLUSIVE: The blues have hit accused wife murderer Drew Peterson, who has spent three years in jail awaiting trial for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.“They took away my right to a speedy trial,” said Peterson via a phone call to a Sneed source. “They took away my right to confront witnesses.”

    Santorum’s Italian roots

    The Santorum Connection... Mama Miaaa! Uber conservative Rick Santorum’s decision to “suspend” his presidential run follows a recent report in the Italian magazine Oggi that distant cousins from the Santorum family’s ancestral town in Italy were ... hard-core, post-World War II communists! Ai! Is Ozzie …

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