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Politics
Chicago couple watches Helene hit their Florida house from security cameras
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago couple with a home in Florida said while they prepared for the storm, they stayed in Chicago and watched the wrath of Helene and its impact on the video provided by their security cameras.Helene came ashore Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane with wind gusts up to 140 mph and a storm surge around 20 feet. In Tallahassee, boats were tossed in front yards."We knew pretty clearly early on that our area was going to be affected," said Ken Buckman.Ken and Heide Buckman have been glued to their security cameras in Chicago as they...
Ford Heights mayor resigns after being found guilty of stealing from village, official misconduct
A south suburban village will meet this weekend to appoint a new mayor after a judge found the now-former mayor guilty of stealing money for personal reason earlier this week.Ford Heights Mayor Charles Griffin was found guilty of felony theft and official misconduct charges Monday.ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchGriffin resigned from his mayoral position on Wednesday, according to Trustee Tina McMichaels. The village board will meet on Saturday to appoint a new mayor.Charges were filed against Griffin six years ago. He was accused of using thousands of dollars of village money for personal purchases, allegedly during his first stint as mayor between 2009 and 2017.He was found guilty of theft over $10,000 and less than $150,000 and official misconduct.Griffin lost his bid for reelection in 2017, but won in 2021.ABC7 reached out to Mayor Griffin for comment Monday night but were told he had no statement.He is due back in court on October 24.
Dumpsters full of books seen outside Schurz High School on Northwest Side
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two dumpsters full of books were found outside a Chicago Public Schools high school on the city's Northwest Side Friday.Paperbacks and textbooks were piled up outside Carl Schurz High School, at 3601 N. Milwaukee Ave. in the Irving Park neighborhood.Various biology and chemistry textbooks and lab notebooks, a copy of "Mawi Asgedom's "Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard," and multiple copies of Peter Mayle's 1991 national bestseller "A Year in Provence" were among the books visible in a massive dumpster.CBS News Chicago reached out to the Chicago Public Schools,...
Chicago leads state in mass layoffs, policy researcher says ‘it’s violent crime’
(The Center Square) – Amid new reports that Chicago led the state in mass layoffs, a policy researcher says state leaders could do a lot to make Illinois more attractive to businesses and workers. Illinois companies announced 1,183 mass layoffs in August, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. Of the 1,183 layoffs, 443 hit Chicago. "Even though the homicide rate is down, the violent crime rates are still very high,...
Cook County board considering $15M property tax relief proposal
Political momentum is building for a so-called "circuit breaker" that would reimburse lower-income property owners if they see sharp increases in their bills.Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer introduced a resolution this month, calling on the county to create a $15 million "homeowner relief fund" for taxpayers experiencing sticker shock. The Cook County Board of Review, and Assessor Fritz Kaegi have endorsed the idea, saying he's in touch with state lawmakers about potentially getting something passed next spring. However it is still unclear where the money for the program would come from.In 2007, the last time county and state leaders implemented a "circuit breaker" to limit property tax hikes, it backfired. A state law put a cap on how much homeowners' assessments could go up in a given year, but that ended up disrupting property valuations and made others pay more than their fair share. Now, leaders are instead talking about a public, income-restricted rebate program to reimburse some homeowners with high bills, instead of trying to cap their assessments.Illinois Answers Project Government Finance & Accountability Reporter Alex Nitkin visited ABC 7 to talk about the next steps for this proposal, and who would benefit.
Route 66 Museum in Illinois is a Top U.S. Attraction for Car Fans
Whether you call them vintage or classic, one museum in Illinois is known for having some of the best cars in the nation all at once. The most historic highway in America is Route 66. Millions of cars have driven on 2,448 miles of road between Los Angeles and Chicago. To see several cars that have driven on this famous highway, you can visit one of the best car attraction museums in Illinois, Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Illinois.
Black Future Newsstand Brings New Imaginings To Chicago
Black Future Newsstand, the media exhibit that features works focused on a better world for Black people, has hit Chicago’s art scene. The exhibit will display at the Black-owned Gallery Guichard. It will include the newsstand’s signature collection of diverse content where racial justice has occurred. For the installation’s creators, bringing the art piece to life in Chi-town is as historic as the works themselves. “With regard to Chicago in particular, it’s really important for us to have the newsstand happen in Chicago,” explained Tia OSO, senior director of Media 2070 project, to The Triibe. “Chicago is a great example...
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