Economist.com Cities Guide: Chicago Briefing - October 2005

News this month

By any other name

Chicago will lose an institution—or at least its name—next autumn, when all Marshall Field's department stores become Macy's. Minneapolis-based Federated Department Stores, owner of Macy's, announced the decision on September 20th, about a month after they bought the May Department Stores Company, owner of Field's, for $11 billion. Federated announced other changes as well: Field's will lose not only its name, but many employees and even its target market. Federated plans to cut up to 6,200 jobs from May’s corporate offices next year, and downgrade the inventory at Field's, dropping higher-quality products so that Field's can compete with Wal-Mart and other inexpensive superstores.

Field's has 62 shops across the country (mostly in the Midwest), but is rooted in Chicago, where its flagship store was built 126 years ago. The renaming touched a nerve in Chicago, with local newspapers printing letters and editorials bemoaning the chain's demise. It hardly helps that Macy's is an iconic New York brand, inflaming the inferiority complex of Chicago as a “Second City”.

Too little, too late

On September 26th, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago announced that 11 priests suspected of sexual misconduct with children had been removed from public ministerial and clerical work. They cannot wear collars, be called “Father”, or perform funerals, masses or weddings. The priests have not, however, been formally defrocked.

The priests’ removal came two years after Chicago's Cardinal Francis George forwarded their names to the Vatican. Many victims’ families complain that punishment has come too late: the alleged abuse happened more than 20 years ago, which means the statute of limitations has expired and the priests cannot be prosecuted. Sexual abuse continues to plague Chicago's church—in the last financial year, the city's Archdiocese paid $18.2m to settle claims of alleged molestation.

Ryan's hope

The trial of George Ryan, a former governor of Illinois, began on September 28th, seven years after the launch of the federal inquiry that would ultimately end his career. The investigation, Operation Safe Road, initially concentrated on bribes taken in exchange for drivers' licenses, but mushroomed into a wide corruption probe. Mr Ryan faces a 22-count indictment on charges of mail fraud, tax fraud, racketeering and lying to federal agents.

Prosecutors say that, as governor, Mr Ryan steered lucrative contracts and leases to clients of Larry Warner, a lobbyist and Mr Ryan's co-defendant, while accepting gifts and favours from Mr Warner. Prosecutors also claim that Mr Ryan gave millions of dollars to political cronies; 79 people, including state employees, are charged with receiving such gifts. Both Mr Ryan and Mr Warner maintain they have done nothing illegal, with defence lawyers insisting that no one can prove Mr Ryan took “one corrupt dollar”.

Corruption, part two

Meanwhile, another inquiry into local corruption continues to snowball: federal prosecutors have now charged 36 people, including 20 city workers, as part of an investigation of Chicago's Hired Truck programme, which outsourced municipal work to private companies. The feds’ newest target is Carrie Austin, a Chicago alderman. She provided office space to a trucking company—owned by a political supporter—that has earned about $2.6m from city contracts.

Ms Austin is the third alderman or alderman's aide with a conflict of interest in the Hired Truck programme. The investigation began as a probe into trucking companies bribing city officials for contracts, but expanded earlier this year to examine the city’s hiring practices as well. So far Richard Daley, Chicago's mayor, has been singed but not burned: as part of their inquiry, federal officials questioned him in late August. Mr Daley has apologised for not keeping closer watch over the programme, and recently signed a pair of executive orders compelling city workers to report corruption, and punishing those who don't.

Billy Goats to Washington

The Billy Goat Tavern, one of Chicago's most famous watering holes, plans to open a bar in the nation's capital. The Tavern has two claims to fame: first, Bill Murray famously lampooned it in his “Cheezborger, cheezborger” sketch on “Saturday Night Live” in the late 1970s; and second, William “Billy Goat” Sianis, the Tavern's original owner, put a curse on the Chicago Cubs in 1945, after groundskeepers refused to let him bring his pet goat into Wrigley Field for a World Series game. The Cubs haven't returned to the Series since.

The Billy Goat's current owners, Sam and Bill Sianis, say they chose Washington as a beachhead because: “They say nobody from Washington is from Washington,” and transplanted Chicagoans “want something that feels like home”. But these Chicagoans may be in for a surprise: the Billy Goat Tavern's Washington branch will feature plenty of glass and blond wood, a far cry from the original, a dank, cavernous dive beneath Michigan Avenue.

Catch if you can

October 2005

Rhinoceros Theatre Festival

Until October 31st 2005

This is Chicago's premiere showcase for experimental theatre, music and performance art. This year's assortment imbues avant-garde fare with a distinctly classical tone: “The Masrayana”, a piece about land seizures in India, makes obvious nods to venerable Indian epics, while Dan Telfer re-imagines Beowulf in “The Book of Grendel”, featuring Colm O'Reilly as the titular monster in bathrobe and slippers. It's worth perusing the festival’s complete programme; there is plenty to sample, and ticket prices rarely exceed $15, so mistakes aren't too costly.

At venues around the city. For tickets, call +1 (773) 267-6660 or visit the festival's website.

More from the Chicago cultural calendar