Do not ask for whom the (Weather) Bell tolls

Bank of America finished its digestion of LaSalle Bank this week. The Dutch company (ABN AMRO) that bought out LaSalle Bank in the early 90's -- and thereafter swallowed up other Chicago institutions like Talman-Home Savings and Bell Federal Savings -- sold LaSalle to Bank of America. That's the Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America, y'all.

Bank of America says it wants to be involved in Chicago, and, for starters, it has assumed sponsorship of the Chicago Marathon. So that's encouraging.

But do not ask for whom the Bell tolls (at the Weather Bell corner, Monroe and Clark)... it tolls for thee, local ownership.