Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Father with troubled past gains full parenting time By Laura Reichel A Chicago father with a problematic past, was being kept from his son. He drank a little too much back in the day, and he had a criminal record. When he and his wife separated, he initially had limited contact with his grade school-age son,…
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You may be owed a refund for overpaying property taxes during past 20 years By Maria Pappas My office is sitting on about $93 million in potential refunds for property tax overpayments going back 20 years. Most overpayments occurred because more than one person paid the same tax bill twice. Reasons why duplicate payments occurred…
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What’s the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland’s suburbs? Zwar in Orland Park One of Chicagoland’s best Middle East Arabian restaurants offers a special exotic entertainment show every Wednesday, complementing their great food menu with the mesmerizing dance of Belly Dancer Tina every Wednesday from 7 PM until 9 PM. Enjoy a great show along…
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Court orders divorced mother to allow son to visit dad’s critically injured relative By: Laura Reichel A caring father of a 6-year-old boy shared custody of his child with his ex-wife. One day, Dad received news that a close family member had been hospitalized after a serious accident and was hanging on for his very life….
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Here’s why your tax bill tells you about government debt and pensions By Maria Pappas I do not determine your property taxes. My job as county treasurer is to bill, collect and distribute that money to pay for local government services. Local governments typically rely on property taxes to fund payrolls and other day-to-day expenses….
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Dad reunited with young daughter after ex-wife obtained baseless Order of Protection against him By Kate Davis A Chicago dad had a great relationship with his 5-year-old daughter. Even after he and his wife split up, they shared parenting time, and were very amicable – that was until his co-parenting relationship with his ex-wife crumbled…
Treasurer’s website offers easy way to update property tax bill address information By Maria Pappas My website, cookcountytreasurer.com, offers people an easy way to correct, change or update name and address information about where property tax bills are mailed. The best option is to electronically request the change online. You may request a change in…
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Local law enforcement agencies should tap into state witness protection fund to help bring victim families closure By Jeffery M. Leving SM With a reported homicide closure rate of about 20% in Chicago, far too many families are waiting for justice for their loved ones and closure for their families. While there are several reasons…
Hanania syndicated columns: expose ASPCA spending, effort to block RFK from presidential debate and more Ray Hanania’s syndicated columns this week included a detailed look at how the ASPCA spends the money it solicits in high profile but painful advertising on its company executives. Only about $7.75 of the monthly $19 solicited in the Ads…
Pekau hides Owens sign behind building but puts his own name upfront By Ray Hanania Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau just can’t be honest. Last week, I revealed that the Village removed the sign for the Frederick T. Owens Village Hall from the front of the building. Fred Owens was a beloved mayor who helped…
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Senior freeze exemptions help prevent huge spikes in property tax bills By Maria Pappas Many senior citizens on fixed incomes face the challenge of managing their property taxes. They may be eligible for a tax break known as the “Senior Freeze” Exemption. My website, cookcountytreasurer.com, explains the eligibility requirements and can walk you through the…
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Pekau removes Mayor Owens’ name from Village Hall sign In a pure act of pettiness, Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau has removed the name of Frederick T. Owens from the signs in front of the Village Hall, for which the Village Hall has been named, without any public discussion or notice. In its place, Pekau…
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Robert F. Kennedy should be allowed to participate in presidential debates By Ray Hanania My most recently syndicated columns for this week, which are available to the public at www.RayHanania.com, address several issues. My latest column addresses why it is important for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be permitted to participate in any debate among…
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Can’t hide the anti-Trump spin in the new “Civil War” movie Although the director denies it, the new Civil War movie is a subtle but direct attack on former President Donald Trump, another effort by the media, this time entertainment, to destroy him By Ray Hanania Paid/Politics-Movie/Saturday April 20, 2024/Syndicated column. Sign up today If…
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Senior citizen exemptions help give homeowners a break on big tax bills By Maria Pappas Senior citizens can get a break on their property tax bills, but they need to apply when seeking savings for the first time. The popular tax break is known as the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption. For homeowners already receiving the…
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Federal lawsuit aims to protect kids from Social media By Jeffery M. Leving SM Despite several attempts at passing legislation to protect kids on social media, I fear lawmakers have not been able to get much of anything passed. Now, 33 states have banded together with the same objective — protecting kids — and are…
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Homeowner exemptions slash tax bills. So why do so many fail to apply? By Maria Pappas Homeowners can reduce their property tax bills by hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year by taking advantage of the Homeowner Exemption. Exemptions are tax breaks. To qualify for the Homeowner Exemption, first-time applicants must have occupied the…
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Chicago aldermen embrace selfish politics over public need Nine Chicago aldermen are hoping to undermine Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson using emotional distractions and are failing to address real issues like cracking down on increasing crime. They are demanding Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) should be stripped of power because he was at a rally where an American flag…
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