* “A prominent Arlington Heights landscaping firm could lose millions in Chicago Public Schools contracts after district officials alleged that the company used a black-owned trucking company as a front to secure work intended for minority-owned businesses, officials announced Wednesday… The company is owned by Aidan Monahan, who since 1999 has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic Party officials, including Mayor Richard Daley and Gov. Rod Blagojevich.”

* Tribune’s letters to the editor section gets a bit bloggy.

* Topinka press release: What’s the Governor Hiding?

* Get your 2006 Election Day Advent Calendar

* Editorial: Chicago aldermen, it appears sometimes, sure have a funny idea about why businesses are in business. The latest evidence is the call by some aldermen to stop buying groceries at all Jewels, to protest the fact that not enough people are buying groceries at one Jewel.

* Another unannounced public appearance by Gov. Blagojevich: “Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was in Galena, Illinois Tuesday, hosting a “Going Global” roundtable discussion on foreign trade.”

* Birkett touring to close campaign gap

* Open road tolling lanes to debut at 2 more plazas

* 183rd’s new mission still unknown - Air Guard’s chief says many units in the same situation