15,444

That's how many hits The Bench had in January, even with all the travel and hangovers. After only 15 months of doing this, we're over 146,000 hits (the counter started in January 2007). I am grateful to everyone who has helped propel this blog upward at supersonic speed. The Bench is usually in BNN's top ten most politically influential blogs in all of Illinois. Thanks, too, to the good folks at Chicago Magazine for naming The Bench one of their 171 Best Web Sites in Chicago, and one of only a handful of the best neighborhood blogs in the city. Thanks to you and to everyone for checking in. Y'all come back now, hear?