Mayor Daley -- Mayor for Life, they once called him -- shocked Chicago, if not the country, by announcing today that he will not remain in office for the rest of his life.
Instead, he will retire from office in 2011. Daley called it a personal decision, which means he must not have lost that "fire in the belly" for being mayor. He always said that once the belly fire was extinguished it's time to call it quits.
"For me that time is now," Daley said.
So, what now? Who's next? What will Chicago be like with out a Daley in office. (Or will another Daley -- the mayor's brothers John, Bill or son Patrick -- take a run at the seat?
It's no secret President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, wants to be mayor. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has always been considered a 19th Ward favorite, to say the least. Other less prominent Chicago aldermen also have said they're mulling a mayoral bid.
Whoever is elected Chicago's next mayor, they will never be as entertaining as Mayor Daley has been over the last 21 years. I got an up close look at Daley while covering City Hall for the Daily Southtown from 1999 to 2004.
No matter what you think of Daley's politics -- or the sale of those parking meters -- Da Mare is a true Chicago original, the ultimate Chicago character.
Chicago won't be the same without him in office -- for better or worse.

What a great day for Chicago -- and the South Side.
The Blackhawks Stanley Cup rally strangled downtown with (allegedly) 2 million fans.
In the 7th inning, the White Sox were beating the Cubs in another round of the Crosstown Classic at Wrigley Field.
And the late, famed Jimbo's in the shadow of Sox Park has been reborn as Cork and Kerry at the Park. At about 5 p.m., new owner Billy Guide will pour the first pints at 33rd and Princeton in far too long.
"We got the city license yesterday and the state license this morning and we're good to go," said Guide, who also owns Cork and Kerry in Beverly.
"We're really shooting for opening today. It's a good weekend for baseball in the city despite the lack of good baseball in the city. And it's the Hawks big day, too. Such a special day in the city."

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this YouTube video is priceless.

Here's a the rest of the story.

Gordon Beckham launched his new charity to raise money for Parkinson's Disease research. HIs grandfather sufferes from the incurable degenerative disease that attacks the central nervous system. The Sox second baseman says he'll donate cash to the cause every time he goes yard. You can donate at OutofthePark.org, too. So In the name of research and finding a cure, here's to Beckham, last year's Rookie of the Year, powering his way out of his sophomore slump to hit a few dozen dingers.

On my way to the Sox game Thursday night, I spotted this new sign for Cork and Kerry hanging over 33rd and Princeton attached to the corner bar once home to beloved Jimbo's.
If you don't know the story about the death of Jimbo's, here's the gist.

All that talk of turning Jimbo's Lounge into a John Barlleycorn (i.e. a Cubs bar) appears to be sufficiently dead thanks to outstanding Beverly tavern keeper, Billy Guide of Cork & Kerry on Western. (C&K is probably the most popular joint on the the Western "Death Walk" route, but I like the prices at Sean's Rhino Bar, better.)

My old pal Steve Metsch at the SouthtownStar broke the news Friday while I was battling the flu.

Chicago Police Officer Gerold Lee, of Bridgeport, volunteers as a mentor to Harold Washington College student Angie Wines through the Illinois Education Fund. For the last year, Lee has met with Wines, who wants to be a police officer, every month to help her prepare for a job in law enforcement. "There's personal rewards and satisfaction in helping people out the best you can," he says. "It feels good."

Our White Sox are getting hammered by Cleveland but there's still some sunshine in Bridgeport.
Jimbo's Lounge, 3258 S. Princeton, is serving cold ones for another opening day — it's 23rd opening day — while its eviction case is still be decided in court.

Of course city inspectors slapped Jimbo and Joyce Levato with a $250 ticket for having their outdoor patio too close to the street. Here's what Joyce Levato had to say about that today ....