Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Man Arrested for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse On January 28, 2026, the Orland Park Police Department arrested Brett Smith, 43, following an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a juvenile and the advertising of private tutoring services on social media. Smith turned himself in at the Orland Park Police Department after detectives attempted to…
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Chicago Couple Among Nine Individuals Charged in Federal Drug Investigation A federal drug investigation has resulted in criminal charges against nine individuals for allegedly trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to…
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How a Treasurer’s Office Study Closed a Loophole that Allowed Wealthy Investors to Siphon Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Low-Income areas For years, wealthy investors exploited loopholes in the property tax system to funnel money from local schools and governments into their collective wallets. But the loopholes were closed after a Cook County Treasurer’s…
Leving Team Court Victory Gave a Little Girl the Gift of a Lifetime – Her Father By Laura Reichel When a father loses precious time with his child, every day apart feels endless. Dad, who had been embroiled in a bitter and complicated divorce, was desperate to be with his daughter. He turned to attorney…
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Hastings introduces legislation to strengthen cannabis safety and prevent child access State Senator Michael E. Hastings introduced Senate Bill 2866, legislation designed to strengthen safety requirements for cannabis products and reduce the risk of accidental ingestion by children. “While cannabis is legal for adult use in Illinois, we must continue to take responsible steps to…
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Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 48 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 48 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Tercalo E. Thomas enticed, persuaded, and used a prepubescent minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, which…
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Endorses Richard Boykin for 7th Congressional District Seat Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is throwing her support behind former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin in his quest to become the next US Congressman in the 7th District. In her video announcement, Pappas points out that Boykin was one of her…
Dad and Sons Reunited After Painful Separation By Laura Reichel An unwed father from Illinois had been happily raising his two young sons. Though separated from their mother, he maintained regular, meaningful parenting time with his boys and was deeply involved in their daily lives. Unfortunately, dad’s parenting time wasn’t court-ordered, so it was entirely at…
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Orland Fire Protection District cautions homeowners on using alternative sources for heat inside homes OFPD, IL – Officials of the Orland Fire Protection District on Thursday cautioned homeowners on using alternative sources of heat for their homes, warning they could easily cause fires. With the cost of heating a home rising, many homeowners have turned…
Cicero Man Charged in Fatal Stabbing A 54-year-old Cicero man is facing a murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing of another man, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today. Just before 4 a.m. on Jan. 19, Cook County Sheriff’s Police responded to the 5000 block of South Luna Avenue in unincorporated Stickney…
City Paid Tens of Millions in Overtime to Potentially Ineligible Employees, OIG Finds The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has published an advisory sent to the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and the Department of Finance (DOF) alerting them that from 2020 through 2024, the City paid $26.5 million in overtime to…
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Status of Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau Status of Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau for Releasing Confidential Village Information On January 20, 2026, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Kate Moreland denied former Mayor Keith Pekau’s motion to dissolve the existing Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), allowing the Village’s lawsuit…
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Orland Park Village Board Approves First-of-Its-Kind Amazon Retail Store at 159th Street and LaGrange Road Orland Park Village Board Approves First-of-Its-Kind Amazon Retail Store at 159th Street and LaGrange At its January 19, 2026 meeting, the Orland Park Village Board approved a first-of-its-kind Amazon retail store at the southwest corner of 159th Street and LaGrange…
Leving Law Firm Matrimonial Law Seminar: Maximizing Client Success through Follow-Up and More By Laura Reichel CHICAGO — The nationally acclaimed Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd. will host the next presentation of the Arthur S. Kallow Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminar Series on January 21st at 6:30 p.m. CST at 225 W. Wacker…
Women Employed Issues “Damage Report” on One-Year Anniversary of Second Trump Administration, Vows Continued Fight for Working Women and Families On the one-year anniversary of the second Trump administration, Women Employed (WE) released a “Damage Report” detailing the administration’s “swift and unrelenting actions” that constitute “direct attacks on workers’ rights, women’s freedoms, and the fundamental…
Congressional Candidate, Donna Miller, Receives Endorsement from Elect Democratic Women Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who is running to represent the 2nd Congressional District, is proud to receive the endorsement of Elect Democratic Women. This political action committee is made up of current members of Congress who know the leadership qualities needed to serve the…
Orland Fire announces dates for popular Kid Camp and Junior Cadet programs The Orland Fire Protection District announced this week the scheduled dates for the popular and upcoming Kids Camp (June 15) and the Junior Cadet program (June 16), urging parents to mark their calendars for the events and for registration. OFPD Program Coordinator Betsy…
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Want to go paperless? eBilling lets you receive tax bills via email Cook County property owners can sign up for eBilling for themselves or family members to receive property tax bills through their computers or smart phones instead of the mail. The eBilling option offers the convenience of allowing spouses to each receive copies of…
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