Midwest
State funds to Dolton cut as embattled 'supermayor' Tiffany Henyard tries to reinstate indicted police chief
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
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.
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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
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.
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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Brewers have a chance to win their second series in a row and their first of July this evening in Arizona as they get set to take the season series against the Diamondbacks.
After a late night yesterday with over eight innings thrown by the Brewers bullpen, they’ll lean on Brandon Woodruff to provide them with rest. Woodruff will be making his third start on the mound since returning from the injured list and his ninth overall on the season. Since returning, Woodruff has thrown 11 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits, no runs, and has struck out 16. That brings his season total to a 2.59 ERA with 41 strikeouts.
Tonight’s start will be Woodruff’s ninth against the Diamondbacks in his career. Most recently, he was sent to the injured list after he completed 1 1/3 innings at the end of April. Overall, he has been up-and-down throughout the course of his career against the Diamondbacks, posting a 4.65 ERA with 51 strikeouts.
For the Diamondbacks, Merrill Kelly will be handed the ball to make his 15th start of the season. He’s been in the midst of his worst season up to this point in his career as he enters tonight with a 5.84 ERA, having allowed 18 home runs, 33 walks, and only striking out 33. He finished the month of June with a 7.31 ERA, as in his last start, he allowed five runs to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lifetime against the Brewers, Kelly has been successful, posting a 3.41 ERA in 11 games. However, in his last outing against the Brewers in April, he gave up five runs on six hits and five walks.
Though no lineups have been announced yet, much of both of these lineups have faced both teams’ starting pitcher. For the Brewers, Sal Frelick and Brice Turang have witnessed the most success against Kelly, as they hope to replicate what they did in Milwaukee back in April.
You’ll be able to listen to tonight’s game on the Brewers Radio Network on WTMJ 620 while being able to watch it on Brewers.TV. First pitch will be another late one as it’s slated for 8:40 p.m.
Minneapolis, MN
People facing drug addiction in Minneapolis voice difficulties amid planned crackdown
On Friday afternoon, a Minneapolis police car drove slowly down Blaisdell Avenue towards Lake Street.
In response, a group of several dozen people moved further down the street, congregating at the KFC at the intersection. Minutes later, they returned to a spot that three of them admitted to be a spot to hang out, purchase and use fentanyl.
“The majority of us are addicted to fentanyl. The majority of us don’t want to be,” a man who wanted to go by Alon said. “It’s just really difficult getting off without having someone to hold our hand and guide us in the right direction.”
Alon said that he fell into a pattern of fentanyl use after becoming homeless. It was a similar story for Jeremiah and Mohamed, who told WCCO that they didn’t know where they were going to sleep on Friday night. But Blaisdell Avenue and Lake Street had become a reliable place to spend the day.
“It’s a place to go. A lot of times people don’t have a place to go,” Mohamed said.
Both men said that drugs are abused on the block, but claimed that no one else in the neighborhood was getting hurt.
“[There’s] not a lot of crime going on as far as like harming other people. We’re harming ourselves doing these drugs,” Jeremiah said.
The city would likely designate the area as an open-air drug market. Just this week, Mayor Jacob Frey was joined by local law enforcement and Native American organizations to announce a crackdown on drug users and sellers in these kinds of public spaces.
“You can get services that we will offer and you can get better. We’ll make sure that those services are readily accessible,” Frey said. “But if you don’t accept those services, you can’t continue to hurt our neighborhoods and make our streets less safe.”
The announcement comes as concerns continue to grow over public fentanyl use, discarded needles and criminal activity in areas like Cedar Avenue and Highway 55. City officials emphasized that enforcement will be paired with efforts to connect people to resources. Those with the city say they will continue helping individuals find housing and addiction treatment while expanding access to Brixadi, a medication that helps reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Naomi Wilson, a community organizer who has criticized Frey’s approach towards drug markets and homeless encampments in the past, said that “criminalization” will only create more harm, and that the city should explore designating safe, public areas for drug use while creating more stable housing options.
“All we are asking from the mayor is to partner with advocates to partner with City Council on an interim step that’s not criminalization,” Wilson said. “I think the issue is that with all the fencing around the city, people don’t have anywhere to be. They don’t have anywhere where they can be safe at nighttime.”
On social media, Councilmember Jason Chavez likened Mayor Frey’s announcement to the city starting a “War on Drugs.”
“Our community has told us what it actually needs. A safe location, safe outdoor spaces, tiny home villages, real pathways off the street, and housing first, a compassionate approach, not another arrest that leaves someone with a record, further from housing, further from a job, and further from the stability they need to get well,” Chavez posted online.
He ignored a request for comment from WCCO.
On Blaisdell Avenue, Jeremiah was blunt. He said he knew city services were available, noting that many simply weren’t interested.
“Whether people are a drug addict or just lazy, they don’t tend to go for it. But they’re [services] definitely available,” Jeremiah said.
During Thursday’s announcement, Frey argued that the goal is not criminalization.
“After years of outreach, we cannot stand by while drug use continues to harm our neighbors,” Frey said.
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