1ST THURSDAY

One of the attractive features about First Thursday art is the variety in artistic aesthetic, subject and media. An evening art stroll yields such wide rewards, and you always come away with these different ways of approaching visual arts playing off of one another. Here's a small selection of some of the art you'll see this First Thursday:

BASEMENT GALLERY: SUMMER EXHIBIT

Basement Gallery will hold an opening reception for what promises to be a varied and original showing. Four very different artists make up Basement Gallery's Summer Exhibit:

John Killmaster a well-known artists and former professor at Boise State, will exhibit enamel, gouache and oil pieces. …

Panel recommends Illinois governor impeachment

A state panel recommended Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich be impeached for abuse of power, hours after his Senate pick told lawmakers he didn't strike any agreement with the scandal-plagued governor to win the plumb position.

The state panel's decision sets the stage for the full House to take action Friday and make Blagojevich the first governor impeached in Illinois history.

If the House votes to impeach, the matter would then go to the state Senate for a trial.

The 21-member committee voted unanimously to recommend impeachment. Many called it "a sad day" for Illinois.

Blagojevich has denied any wrongdoing. Spokesman Lucio …

MICHAEL SNEED

Basketball . . . The "in" basket: Paul H. Berger, the new city Revenue Departmentchief, who walks around City Hall with a Reaganesque "where am I?"look, just appointed deputy Mattie Blair to become his second incommand! A big tip: Blair really runs things anyway. A pink slip:Minutes later, Blair accepted the "resignation" of Rudy Figueroa, atax manager. The "out" basket: Deputy press secretary Laura Washington is leavingCity Hall and joining Channel 2 as a top snoop. Washington, who ranthe City Hall press room while boss Al "the Pal" Miller tagged afterMayor Washington, is joining Pam Zekman's award-winning investigativeunit. Is City Hall quaking? Is press secretary Miller …

Federer Reaches U.S. Open Final

NEW YORK - Roger Federer cut off all the angles and charged into his sixth straight Grand Slam final, overwhelming Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 Saturday at the U.S. Open.

Next up for the top-seeded Federer will be Andy Roddick or Mikhail Youzhny, who met in Saturday's other semi. Roddick was leading after three sets 6-7, 6-0, 7-6.

Federer will play for the championship Sunday afternoon.

Against Davydenko, Federer never had to sweat, showing off pinpoint serves, sizzling backhands and crushing forehands. His only slowdown in this semifinal romp came when he and Davydenko held up as jets roared overhead leaving nearby La Guardia Airport.

Federer won the …

Stocks Soar, Dow Rises 420 Points

Wall Street stormed higher Tuesday as investors, optimistic following stronger-than-expected earnings from two big investment banks, were also galvanized by the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point. The Dow Jones industrial average soared 420 points, its biggest one-day point gain in more than five years.

Many investors were expecting the Fed to cut rates a full point, but appeared to overcome their early disappointment, especially since a 0.75 point cut is still substantial. The central bank's benchmark fed funds rate is now at 2.25 percent _ its lowest level since December 2004, and less than half what it was last …

Laid off? Oakton offering free classes

Oakton Community College is offering limited free tuition to local residents laid off after Jan. 1, 2008.

The "Reboot" program began this winter. Tuition is free for at least one semester for five subjects that are in demand -- including computer programming and "green" marketing.

"We had people who were driving buses, people who were in middle management and everywhere in between," said Robin Vivona, career services manager for Oakton, which has campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie.

Eighty-three people signed up before the classes filled up, Vivona says.

Without the tuition waiver, …

Relationships can grow success

What makes a business relationship work?

A friend, facilitating a workshop on this topic, sought my counsel with this question.

Here are my top 13 thoughts and theories, dos and don'ts, philosophies to embrace and things to avoid to make business relationships prosper:

1. The companies and people involved share similar core values and business philosophies.

2. The client or customer views their "provider" as a valued adviser or strategic partner, not as a vendor. (Vendors are expendable; partners are invaluable.)

3. Each sees the other as a "contributor" to their health and wellbeing, success, growth, profitability and a more favorable future.

4. …