Alexi Giannoulias being considered for two top education posts?

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

The eraser set . . .

Scoopsville: Sneed hears former U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is being considered for two top education posts.

†To wit: Word is Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has spoken with Giannoulias about chairmanship of the Chicago City Colleges board and Gov. Quinn has chatted with Giannoulias about heading the Illinois Community College board. (Giannoulias, who was a major supporter of community colleges, is also a close friend and hoop shooting buddy of U.S. Education czar Arne Duncan.)

Stay tuned.

Donate ’em . . .

Pssst! Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel refused to accept a $50,000 speaking fee for addressing the International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place earlier this month and requested the money be directed to the Greater Chicago Food Depository; charities for the families of firefighters and police officers who died in the line of duty; and to the Center on Halsted, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center. Sneed is told checks for $12,500 for each group were cut Tuesday.

The name game . . .

Geraldine Ferraro, our nation’s first female U.S. veep candidate — who died last week, was a remarkable woman. Thankfully, she was also the reason for a national Sneed scoop.

†Translation: Dem presidential candidate Walter Mondale’s choice for veepmate was a huge secret! Was it going to be then San Francisco Mayor (and current U.S. Senator from California) Dianne Feinstein, a comely brunette, or the flaxen-haired U.S. Rep. from New York Gerry Ferraro?

†The upback: Sneed’s source, who was en route to California to pick up the veep winner in a private jet and unaware of Mondale’s choice, phoned Sneed immediately upon arrival.

†The upshot: Compelled not to disclose the name, the source stated: “It’s the blonde.” Bless him.

I Spy . . .

Actor Vince Vaughn at the Whole Foods on Huron Street Monday pushing a cart on the produce section . . . Gov. Quinn at Eggsperience on Ontario Friday . . . Blackhawk Jonathan Toews at Chicago Cut Steakhouse Thursday.

Royal flash!

Please note: The official wedding cake for Brit’s Prince William and fiancee Kate Middleton is a traditional ... fruit cake. Just thought you’d want to know.?

Vroom Vroom . . .

His Airness Michael Jordan just sold his 2005 Bentley Continental GT Coupe to the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Ill., (about 50 miles northwest of Chicago). It’s design inspired a version of Air Jordan shoes — the front of which resemble the Bentley grill.

Bieber blab . . .

Now comes word via TMZ Justin Bieber’s recently shorn locks of hair, which sold at an eBay charity auction, has two bodyguards as it wends its way around the country raising money for victims of the tsunami tragedy in Japan.

Fore!!! . . .

Legendary Cub Ernie Banks was spotted at a Loop estate sale of his old friend Anna “Babe” Ahern, who once owned Evergreen Country Club — where she employed Vincent Gebhardi — better known as “Machine Gun” Jack McGurn, Al Capone’s No. 1 hit man, as a head golf pro.

†Word is Ernie bought Babe’s reclining chair and a scale Banks once used to weigh himself in the club’s men’s locker room.

†The legendary “Babe” died last December at age 103.

Sneedlings . . .

Today’s birthdays: Norah Jones, 32; Mark Consuelos, 40; Celine Dion, 43; Piers Morgan, 46; Ian Ziering, 47; MC Hammer, 49; Paul Reiser, 54; Robbie Coltrane, 61; Eric Clapton, 66; Warren Beatty, 74 and Tracy Chapman, 47.