Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Bridgeview Police arrest two suspects in major chop shop crackdown The Bridgeview Police announced Tuesday, July 1, 2025, that two suspects have been taken into custody following a police raid of an illegal chop shop at 10024 S. Harlem Avenue. The Police raid took place in the early morning hours on Monday at the public…
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Property tax bills delayed in Orland Township Orland Township Assessor Rich E. Kelly made the following announcement Monday, June 30, 2025: When Cook County’s second installment property tax bills are sent on time, tax bills hit mailboxes in late June and are due around August 1, 2025. This year, however, the mailing and due dates…
Summer Smash Festival returns this weekend June 20-22 at SeatGeek Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash Festival announces return on June 20-22, 2025. World’s Largest Independently-Owned Hip-Hop Music Festival Returns To Chicagoland’s SeatGeek Stadium After Breaking Attendance Records of more than 120,000. Featuring 50+ performances over three days on three stages Local organizers behind Summer Smash Festival,…
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Understanding Cook County Property Taxes: A Guide for Homeowners Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas By Maria Pappas Navigating the complexities of the property tax system in Cook County can be daunting for homeowners. My hope is this column makes it less intimidating by breaking down a complex process into simple concepts….
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Southland manufacturer receives state funding thanks to Hastings State Senator Michael E. Hastings announced an Oak Forest manufacturer has been selected to participate in and receive state funding through the Made in Illinois Grant Program. “To keep up with big business, small-scale local manufacturers need support to help them thrive and achieve their goals,” said…
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Chicago Man Faces Felony after $400,000 in Stolen Merchandise Recovered A 57-year-old Chicago man is facing a Class 1 Felony Theft charge after the Sheriff’s Police Organized Retail Crime Unit recovered approximately $400,000 in stolen fitness equipment and other goods taken during area cargo thefts, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Wednesday, June 11,…
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Suburban Chicago Physician Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud A suburban Chicago physician has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for billing Medicaid and private insurers for nonexistent and unnecessary services. Mona Ghosh owned and operated Progressive Women’s Healthcare, S.C., a medical office in Hoffman Estates, Ill., specializing…
Orland Fire participates in Village Touch a Truck event June 12 The Orland Fire Protection District will participate with the Village of Orland Park for their “Food Trucks & Touch a Truck” night to be held on Thursday, July 12, 2025. Children and families will be able to enjoy food at the event and also…
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Southwest Regional Publishing wins top General Excellence award for nondaily newspapers Southwest Regional Publishing earned first place for General Excellence among nondaily newspapers in its circulation class, the Illinois Press Association announced last week. Judges praised The Regional News for “excellent community coverage through a plethora of stories, photo stories of events and sports, as…
Federal Jury in Chicago convicts man of robbing bank in Lake County, Ill. Francisco Martinez entered a First Midwest Bank branch in Round Lake, Ill., on Dec. 20, 2021, and handed the teller a folded piece of paper that read, “40k, 30 seconds, no tricks, go now.” Martinez then raised his shirt, showing what appeared…
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Gay Community endorses Robin Kelly for the U.S. Senate Nearly 70 leaders in the state’s LGBTQIA+ community today announced their endorsement of Robin Kelly for United States Senate. A champion of the LGBTQIA+ community, Kelly is committed to advancing legislation in Congress that ensures all Illinoisans receive the same rights no matter who they are…
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Level Up your Reading Game with the Oak Lawn Public Library The Oak Lawn Public Library began its youth and adult summer reading programs on Sunday, June 1 under iRead’s “Level Up at Your Library” theme. Patrons can sign up at olpl.beanstack.org to earn prizes by logging their reading through Friday, August 1 and partake…
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Subject Arrested in Connection with Fatal Orland Park Traffic Crash The Orland Park Police Department Thursday, June 5, 2025, announced the arrest of Robert Barajar of Tinley Park in connection with the fatal collision that occurred in the early morning hours of May 31, 2025, at 15900 S. Harlem Avenue, Orland Park. At approximately 3:13…
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Cook County’s Annual Tax Sale to be Postponed for Seven Months Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas plans to postpone the Annual Tax Sale for seven months, during which time she hopes to work with legislators on comprehensive property tax foreclosure reform measures. At Pappas’s urging, the Illinois General Assembly last week passed legislation that allows…
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Your Property Taxes with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas The levy: It’s not a dam, but it is a word you should know! By Maria Pappas Since I first stepped into my office 27 years ago, one question has repeatedly come up: “Why do my property taxes always go up?” It’s a valid concern. At…
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The $2 Billion Wealth Transfer: How Cook County’s Property Tax Appeals System Rewards Businesses at the Expense of Homeowners By Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas After analyzing over 2 million Cook County property tax appeals filed between 2021 and 2023, researchers in my office uncovered a troubling trend: the system shifted nearly $2 billion in…
Orland Park Village Board Appoints George Koczwara as Village Manager Mayor Pro Tem announced, Downtown Orland Park development reviewed The Village of Orland Park is pleased to announce the appointment of George Koczwara as Orland Park Village Manager, following a special meeting held on May 12, 2025. Koczwara, who previously served as Orland Park’s Village…
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Orland Fire District elects woman Board President Orland Fire Protection District Trustee Beth Damas Kaspar, who recently won re-election to a six-year term as Trustee, was elected on Tuesday (May 5, 2025) to serve as the Fire District’s first woman Board President in the past two decades. Damas Kaspar was sworn into her second term along…
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