Midwest
State funds to Dolton cut as embattled 'supermayor' Tiffany Henyard tries to reinstate indicted police chief
![State funds to Dolton cut as embattled 'supermayor' Tiffany Henyard tries to reinstate indicted police chief State funds to Dolton cut as embattled 'supermayor' Tiffany Henyard tries to reinstate indicted police chief](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/e0c8e498-Tiffany-henyard-thumb-new.jpg)
Tiffany Henyard accused of extravagant spending that could bankrupt Village of Dolton, Illinois (Photo illustration). (Village of Dolton | stylemebrandon – Instagram/screenshot )
The Illinois State Comptroller Office has stopped some funds being allocated to the Village of Dolton over its alleged failure to submit financial records, the latest twist in an ongoing saga where controversial Mayor Tiffany Henyard has been accused of misdeeds, excessive spending and allegations of corruption.
The move comes amid reports that the self-described “supermayor” reappointed a fired deputy police chief to lead the department after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on bankruptcy fraud charges, while the state comptroller also says that Dolton’s village clerk informed the office that it had been ordered to not reply to any Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza has immediately suspended all “offset” funds to the village, saying it has been delinquent in annual reports including financial statements, audits, and Tax Increment Financing District reports over the last two years. Offset monies are collected from state payments that the comptroller’s office withholds from people who owe fines like traffic tickets or other payments to municipalities, including Dolton.
POLICE ALLY OF SCANDAL-RIDDEN MAYOR TIFFANY HENYARD INDICTED ON BANKRUPTCY FRAUD CHARGES
![Tiffany Henyard speaks to her constituents.](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1723913596_190_State-funds-to-Dolton-cut-as-embattled-x27supermayorx27-Tiffany-Henyard.jpg)
Mayor Tiffany Henyard, a politician who has been embroiled in numerous controversies, had yet another contentious meeting with her constituents this week. (Fox32)
“When municipalities around Illinois are having legitimate problems filing their annual reports with us, based on staffing or other issues, we earnestly work with them to get them into compliance,” Mendoza said in a statement.
“Dolton is different. The Mayor’s office has refused to communicate with us or address the problem. If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the tools at our disposal to safeguard the interests of Dolton’s citizens.”
Mendoza said in the statement that her office has repeatedly notified Dolton of the delinquency over the last two years.
Last week, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot released her preliminary findings into the town’s finances, revealing that in April 2022, Dolton’s general fund balance was $5.61 million, but by May 2024, the balance had dropped to a deficit of $3.65 million.
Lightfoot also disclosed that Henyard used the village credit card to make purchases at Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair and other retailers. One jaw-dropping statement revealed that the embattled mayor had dropped $33,000 on Jan. 5, 2023 on Amazon.
Last year, the Illinois State Comptroller sent Dolton $120,000 in offset from state payments to residents such as income tax refunds and lottery winnings, Mendoza said. This year, the village is on track to receive about $135,000.
CONTROVERSIAL MAYOR POSTS VIDEO WITH BIDEN JUST DAYS AFTER RIPPING COLLEAGUES FOR ‘ATTACKING ON A BLACK WOMAN’
![Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza profile picture](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1723913596_515_State-funds-to-Dolton-cut-as-embattled-x27supermayorx27-Tiffany-Henyard.jpg)
Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza has immediately suspended all “offset” funds to Dolton, Illinois, saying it is delinquent in annual reports. (Illinois State Comptroller’s Office)
The Illinois State Comptroller said that if Dolton continues failing to file reports, it will initiate forced audits and fines, per state statute.
“Our office can assess fines of approximately $7,000 per year per unfiled report, totaling $78,600 for Dolton as of today,” the statement reads.
“That would be in addition to the roughly $135,000 the Village of Dolton could lose in offset fines our office sends the village on an annual basis if its administration does not resume filing reports.”
The village last filed its 2021 reports in 2022, but the 2022 and 2023 reports are unfiled and delinquent, the state comptroller says.
The Illinois state comptroller also says that Dolton’s village clerk, Allison Key, emailed the auditing body to say she was told by administrator Keith Freeman that she cannot comply with FOIA requests.
“Freeman has illegally removed me as FOIA officer without board of trustees’ knowledge or vote of approval,” Key wrote in the undated email. “He has continued to interfere with the FOIA process for the past 2 years.”
Freeman was charged with bankruptcy fraud earlier this year, and he and Henyard have appeared to have a falling out, with Henyard saying earlier this month that he was fired, but trustees opposed the move.
FORMER CHICAGO MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT HIRED TO INVESTIGATE SO-CALLED ‘WORST MAYOR IN AMERICA’ AT $400 AN HOUR
![lightfoot-henyard-split](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1723913596_528_State-funds-to-Dolton-cut-as-embattled-x27supermayorx27-Tiffany-Henyard.jpg)
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, left, and Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. (Getty Images/Village of Dolton)
Meanwhile, according to WGN, Henyard is reported to have told officers they are to continue obeying orders from former Deputy Chief of Police Lewis Lacey, who was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury on bankruptcy fraud charges, in a case unrelated to the town’s finances. He pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Separately, he has been accused of receiving more than $200,000 in overtime since 2022, per the outlet.
Lacey was fired last week as the town’s deputy police chief to save costs during a contentious village board meeting involving Henyard, Fox 32 Chicago reports.
“Stop playing these silly games,” Henyard was heard telling police officers on Thursday in a video obtained by WGN. Lacey then seemed to tell the assembled staff to fall in line or risk consequences. “Do what you want; but anything after this is insubordination,” he said per the outlet.
The accusations of financial misdeeds in Dolton have prompted an ongoing FBI investigation. The reports have been a pressure point for the city, which has a population of slightly more than 20,000, according to a July 2023 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau. She has been called a dictator by some locals.
Henyard, who typically speaks into a golden microphone at meetings, has also come under fire for an alleged sexual assault by one of her allies during a Las Vegas trip, where the alleged victim claims to have been fired after speaking out. Henyard’s cancer charity is also facing scrutiny while FOIA documents revealed she paid a stylist $7,650, over six transactions between April 6 and June 5, 2023.
Fox News Digital previously reported that Henyard has been living like a royal with a combined salary of nearly $300,000 — more than the state’s governor — despite the 23,000 residents of the Illinois town having a median income of $24,000.
![Tiffany Henyard](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1723913596_296_State-funds-to-Dolton-cut-as-embattled-x27supermayorx27-Tiffany-Henyard.jpg)
Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s outfits are professionally styled by a fashion expert. (stylemebrandon | Instagram/screenshot)
In February, it was reported that the FBI was investigating Henyard after six people had reportedly spoken to the agency about her alleged misconduct, including “business owners, a former village employee and one or more public officials.”
In April, the FBI served two federal subpoenas as part of an investigation. Henyard was not served.
The first one was for employment records, personnel files and disciplinary reports for 25 Dolton employees, including three police officers and Freeman.
The second subpoena was served specifically on Freeman, asking for records of all companies associated with him and possible ties to the village.
Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
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Wisconsin
Can the Badgers win at least eight games in 2024?
![Can the Badgers win at least eight games in 2024? Can the Badgers win at least eight games in 2024?](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PN3rRhCsCGpb4mZSOPEXCKyHGWM=/0x0:5000x2618/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25541559/usa_today_23685873.jpg)
The Wisconsin Badgers are entering the 2024 season with different expectations than they had last year after an up-and-down 2023 during Luke Fickell’s first year as head coach.
Still, they look like a better team from a year ago, as the Badgers hit the transfer portal to address key needs. But, that’s matched with a tougher schedule this year, as Wisconsin enters the new-look Big Ten.
So, how will they fare this season?
On Friday, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic issued his win-loss predictions for all Big Ten teams. Ohio State was predicted to go undefeated, while Michigan State and UCLA will finish tied for last at 4-8.
The Wisconsin Badgers, facing one of the strongest schedules in the nation this season, are predicted to go 8-4 along with Rutgers and Nebraska.
Mandel sees the Badgers finishing with an eight-win season for three reasons.
1. The Badgers should have solved their growing pains under Year 1 of the Luke Fickell regime.
2. Tyler Van Dyke will be a quality transfer quarterback.
3. Wisconsin’s demanding schedule features Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon at home and road trips to USC and Iowa.
While Wisconsin opens the season against Western Michigan and South Dakota, first-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and returning starting quarterback Jalen Milroe enter Camp Randall Stadium for an early September test. The Crimson Tide game will gauge how close or far Wisconsin is to becoming a college football playoff team.
Then, the schedule gets interesting.
According to ESPN FPI, the Badgers are underdogs against six of the next eight opponents, including Rutgers and Nebraska, before finishing the season against Minnesota.
Wisconsin is favored to win its eighteenth straight game against the Purdue Boilermakers and take revenge against Northwestern after the Wildcats’ 24-10 beatdown of Wisconsin back on November 11th.
Stewart Mandel’s 8-4 prediction for the Badgers is perhaps the safe bet if one looks at the schedule.
If Wisconsin wants to improve from a pedestrian 7-6 record last year, it must avoid the upset bug. So, look for Tyler Van Dyke and a resurgent offensive line under AJ Blazek to lead the Badgers in the second year under head coach Luke Fickell.
Detroit, MI
Can Detroit Tigers Pull Off Huge Upset Over Yankees on Saturday?
![Can Detroit Tigers Pull Off Huge Upset Over Yankees on Saturday? Can Detroit Tigers Pull Off Huge Upset Over Yankees on Saturday?](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3200,h_1800,x_0,y_105/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/tigers_baseball_report/01j5gcfbv96rewxddkny.jpg)
The Detroit Tigers have shown major signs of being a team headed back to contention throughout the 2024 MLB season. Right now, they hold a 59-64 record heading into Saturday’s MLB action.
Today, the Tigers will take on the New York Yankees. In the first game of the weekend series, Detroit ended up falling to the Yankees by a final score of 3-0.
Could the Tigers pull off a big-time upset over New York?
Taking the mound for Detroit will be 24-year-old rookie starting pitcher Keider Montero. He has started in nine games this season and appeared in 10 total. Montero has compiled a 3-5 record to go along with a 5.76 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, a 2.6 K/BB ratio, and 54.2 innings pitched.
Montero has been a decent pitcher in his first MLB season, but he has a lot of work to do to develop his game still. If he reaches his full potential, he’s going to be a big building block for the future.
On the other side of the diamond, the Yankees will give the starting nod to 31-year-old veteran starter Carlos Rodon. He has gone 13-7 this season to go along with a 4.18 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, a 3.3 K/BB ratio, and 131.1 innings pitched.
Just looking at the pitching matchup, New York has a slight advantage.
From a lineup perspective, the Yankees are also the better team on paper. Led by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, they’re very difficult to beat. The Tigers will have their work cut out for them.
Despite facing a tough test today, Detroit has won four out of its last five games. They have been playing at a high level this season and are looking to continue that.
It won’t be easy, but no one should count them out.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see if the Tigers can pull off the upset over New York. Make sure to tune in to see if they can do so. First pitch will be thrown at 1:10 p.m. EST.
Milwaukee, WI
Heavy rain likely, thunderstorms possible in Milwaukee area Saturday afternoon to evening
![Heavy rain likely, thunderstorms possible in Milwaukee area Saturday afternoon to evening Heavy rain likely, thunderstorms possible in Milwaukee area Saturday afternoon to evening](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/17/PAPN/74840959007-nws-0817.png?auto=webp&crop=1534,862,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
What causes thunderstorms? Here’s how thunder and lightning form
Here are the three things a thunderstorm needs to form.
A gloomy Saturday is expected for the Milwaukee area, with possible thunderstorms and heavy rain.
Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs will most likely get hit with heavy rain, with possible thunderstorms, Saturday afternoon to early evening, said Mark Gehring, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Milwaukee.
“We’re in a very moist environment with lots of clouds,” Gehring said. “Most people will end up getting hit and will see at least brief periods of a shower or two and it will come down pretty good for that brief time as well.”
Gehring said the rain and storms are moving in a southeast direction steady enough to not cause any concerns. The temperature is expected to remain in the low to mid-70s.
Swimming conditions at beaches are expected to remain safe as long as there’s no lightning. Gehring said there won’t be any rip currents or high waves, which usually are what create dangerous swimming conditions.
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