Illinois
Illinois comptroller freezes payments to Village of Dolton over past-due audits
DOLTON, Ill. (WLS) — ABC7 is hearing from the Illinois Comptroller Susana Medoza about her decision to withhold tens of thousands of dollars from the Village of Dolton.
Medoza said it is because the village isn’t being transparent with its financial situation.
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“Until I see those reports properly filed the way, the law says they have to be, and until we see them show accountability for how they are spending taxpayer money, they will not see another penny of those offsets,” Medoza said.
Mendoza said she is freezing $135,000 that would have been sent to Dolton after a preliminary report of the village finances by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed questionable expenses under Mayor Tiffany Henyard, and a village that had a multi-million dollar surplus two years ago is now running millions of dollars in debt.
READ MORE | Lightfoot investigation found some Dolton police officers received staggering overtime pay
“Our action yesterday is to protect the people of Dolton, who she is disrespecting with her behavior every day,” Medoza said.
Mendoza says her office is poised to conduct a forced audit and levy fines if the Village of Dolton does not file past due audits. Village trustees are now demanding that the village finance department comply.
“It’s so sad. It’s sad, because the people who are being hurt are the poor people of Dolton,” Medoza said.
An attorney representing Henyard shared statement, saying in part, “She has never refused to comply with the Comptroller. She is simply trying to compel the accountant to comply.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, there was more confusion over leadership at the Dolton Police Department after the trustees put Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey on administrative leave.
SEE ALSO | Dolton general fund $3.65M in debt, down from surplus of $5.6M when Henyard took office: Lightfoot
Lacey appeared in federal court on Thursday, pleading not guilty to charges of bankruptcy fraud and lying under oath. A judge ordered him to hand over his firearms and FOID card.
In a video obtained by ABC7, Lacey and Henyard were heard telling officers who is in charge on Thursday night.
“Now, from this point on, do what you want, but anything after this is insubordination,” Lacy said.
Attorney Burt Odelson represents village trustees.
“I’ve seen a lot of corruption and hijinks, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Odelson said.
Dolton trustees told ABC7 they will move to formally fire Lacey at the next village board meeting after they say he violated the terms of his administrative leave.
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Illinois
Tornado watches, warnings across Illinois on Father’s Day
ST. LOUIS – Sunday marked Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice; it’s been a tornado day, too.
Multiple storms across the region have had rotation that produced tornado touchdowns. As we wait for a cold front to pass through, more strong storms could be working through the region. Eventually, some dry time and some calm are in the works in for a few days this week. Rain and thunder are possible late week.
Meanwhile, a tornado watch was issued for most Illinois counties in the FOX 2 viewing area and nearly all of southern Illinois into Indiana until 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Tornado warnings were issued in Fayette and Marion counties until 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.
Just after 5 p.m., new tornado warnings were issued for Madison, St. Clair, and Clinton counties in the Metro East. An area of rotation was spotted on the FOX 2 Power Doppler just south of Collinsville around 5:10 p.m.
At least two tornadoes were spotted in Marion County, Illinois.
Beginning at 3 p.m., tornado warnings were issued for Madison, Bond, and Fayette counties in Illinois. Those warnings are expected to end by 4:45 p.m. A tornado warning was issued for Jefferson County, Illinois, until 5:30 p.m.
On the Missouri side of the Mississippi River, a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for Crawford, Dent, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Phelps, Reynolds, St. Francois, and Washington counties until 1 a.m. Monday.
A flood advisory for St. Louis City, St. Charles and St. Louis counties ended at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Illinois
Lake County detectives rescue girl from man they say drove to Illinois from Georgia to meet her
Detectives from Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff’s office rescued a girl under 14 from a grown man who had traveled from Georgia to meet her this weekend, authorities said Sunday.
At 4:40 a.m. Saturday, Lake County sheriff’s deputies were called to unincorporated Gurnee for a report of a missing girl under the age of 14. Deputies learned the girl had never run away before, and it was especially concerning that she did so in the middle of the night, authorities said.
Sheriff’s detectives learned the girl’s cellphone was not functioning, and she could not be found through any of her electronic devices. Detectives also found that a 24-year-old man from Norcross, Georgia, named Jordy Alexis Fuerte Perez had been communicating with her, authorities said.
Detectives learned that Fuerte Perez had made plans to drive to Illinois from Georgia and pick up the girl, and evidence indicates he told the girl he wanted a “romantic relationship” with her, authorities said.
Detectives homed in on a vehicle that Fuerte Perez may have been driving, and found the vehicle at the Independence Grove Forest Preserve near Libertyville, authorities said. Both Fuerte Perez and the girl were in the car in a parking lot when detectives arrived at 6 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.
The girl did not appear to be injured, but was taken to the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center for specialized advocacy and attention, authorities said.
Fuerte Perez was charged with two counts of solicitation of child pornography, and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, namely cocaine. More charges ar likely, authorities said.
“This type of case is a parent’s worst nightmare. Our Criminal Investigations Division took this case seriously and worked tirelessly from the moment the girl was reported missing until she was safely located,” Lake County Sherif John Idleburg said in a news release. “While there will undoubtedly be a long road to recovery and healing, I am grateful the victim was found safe and is physically okay. I am proud of everyone who played a role in rescuing this young girl and bringing the offender to the first steps of justice.”
Fuerte Perez was due in court on Sunday morning. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s office is asking to have him held while awaiting trial.
Illinois
Illinois Prison Closure Deepens Small Town’s Fears
In Lincoln, Ill., another pillar just fell. The New York Times’ Julie Bosman reports that the state plans to close Logan Correctional Center, a women’s prison that employs more than 500 people, stripping the Route 66 town of about 13,000 of one of its last major, stable job sources. State officials say the nearly century-old complex is too deteriorated to fix and will be replaced by a new, modern facility in Crest Hill, outside Chicago. Capitol News Illinois reports the Illinois Department of Corrections estimates it’ll take five years to build the new prison.
In Lincoln, where factories, a glass plant, and even a 157-year-old college have already called it quits, that decision feels like one more hit—and one that favors the Chicago area over downstate. Residents and local leaders, who spent years lobbying to keep the prison, now worry about a fresh wave of departures as families follow jobs elsewhere, further straining schools and small businesses already on the edge. For a look at what the loss of a single prison means for one Midwestern town—which takes particular pride in the fact it was uniquely named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president—read the full piece.
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