Category: Cook County

Schools Supt. Charles Flowers Charged With Theft

Posted on by TL

Charles Flowers, superintendent of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, is led toward the Cook County sheriff’s office this afternoon after being arrested by Cook County state’s attorney investigators in Maywood.

"Lead us not into temptation." –The Lord’s Prayer

Kudos to the Southtown Star:

Regional Supt. Charles Flowers was charged today with theft by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

The arrest comes after a yearlong investigation by the Southtown Star into operations of Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.

Flowers turned himself in about 1 p.m. to sheriff’s police in Maywood. He was accompanied by his attorney, Tim Grace.

At a news conference this afternoon, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said Flowers is charged with felony theft and official misconduct. She said he faces a prison term of four to seven years if convicted.

"Just when you think you may have seen it all, along comes a case like this one today that just shocks you with the level of egregious conduct that is involved," Alvarez said.

Flowers is in custody pending a bond hearing Friday morning in a Maywood courtroom.

Temptation is an ugly thing. It’s so hard to resist. No doubt that’s one of the reasons mention of temptation found its way into The Lord’s Prayer.

There’s an old Christian teaching about an ‘occasion of sin.’ While often associated with Catholic sisters and priests on dance floors telling dancing teens to separate, there’s actually a lot of wisdom to this one. There’s a lot of wisdom is setting up boundaries in an office to isolate oneself from temptation. In generic accounting terminology, we might talk about setting up internal audits.

It may be too late for Regional Supt. Charles Flowers. He is innocent until proven guilty. For anyone else in elected office, this is a sobering lesson.

Set up checks and balances so neither you, or those you hire, will be tempted, and, heaven help us, give in to temptation.

More at the Star.

Chicago Tribune Endorses Toni Preckwinkle … For Reform; I’m Listening

Posted on by TL

I was persuaded by Dorothy Brown, but I am fearful that she is just too much part of the old pseudo-Democratic order: Those Who Just Want To Be Elected.

I’m intrigued by the Chicago Tribune’s endorsement of Toni Preckwinkle for Cook County Board President.

Hmmmmm.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Most of the Illinois Democrats who endorsed Stroger in 2006, from Congress to state government to City Hall, wriggled away long ago. They’re frantic to forget that they wholly own Stroger and his reign — even if they didn’t formally sign off on his Friends and Family Hiring Extravaganza, that felonious steakhouse busboy included.

This year’s primary gives Democrats a do-over. We hope they dump Stroger and instead nominate the honorable and no-nonsense Chicago alderman — yes, there are some — who offers her party its best hope of redemption after the Stroger humiliations.

Toni Preckwinkle, a University of Chicago-educated history teacher turned South Side politico, isn’t a household name in much of Cook County. But she has built an impressive city-suburban alliance of African-American, Latino and white supporters. And on the signature issue in this campaign for many voters, yes, she says she would retire the second half of the 2008 sales tax increase that Stroger engineered.

We think Preckwinkle has the best potential of the three Democrats challenging Stroger to deliver on his badly broken promises for a streamlined and modernized County Building. Appearing before our editorial board, she was the only one of the four to say she would fully protect the independence of the panel that now runs the county’s health care system. That’s crucial: Keeping that system out of the mitts of County Board members, the board president and other bosses is the only hope that patients and taxpayers have for good health services delivered economically.

Interesting.

Read the rest here at the Trib.

Interesting.

Employees Safe But Frightened After Matteson Hostage Situation

Posted on by TL
 

Police say none of the employees at a Sprint Store in Matteson were injured during a hostage situation Wednesday night. They were, however, frightened by the experience.

From ENEWSPF:

A possible hostage situation involving an armed gunman at the Sprint Store in Matteson was resolved shortly after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night when police discovered the alleged robber had fled before police arrived.

Police were dispatched to the Sprint Store, 4858 211th Street Matteson Center, Matteson, around 6:30 p.m. According to police at the scene, it was believed that an armed gunman was in the store holding hostages.

Employees at Panera Bread next to the Sprint Store received a call from the Matteson Police Department at approximately 6:35 p.m. advising them to put the store on lockdown. Patrons were immediately advised to vacate the front of the store and congregate an area away from windows. Meanwhile, a manager locked all doors to the establishment, advising patrons that no one was permitted to leave the store.

A strong showing of police followed shortly after, including officers and detectives from neighboring Olympia Fields and Park Forest. According to police at the scene, employees at the Sprint Store were ordered into an office by the alleged perpatrator, who then fled the store. Employees in the Sprint Store were unaware the suspect had left the building.

Read more here.

Restaurateur Nick Sord Charged with DUI in Crash that Killed Girlfriend

Posted on by TL

An absolute tragedy.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A business partner of a Blackhawks legend and former coach has been charged with drunk driving after a crash early Thursday near Oak Forest that killed his girlfriend, Cook County sheriff’s officials said today.

Nick Sord’s blood-alcohol level was 0.236, three times the legal limit for driving, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office. Sord, 22, of the 10600 block of Churchill Drive, and Denis Savard are partners in a venture to open a restaurant, Savard’s Hall of Fame, in Munster.

Sord has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence.

His girlfriend Jessica Mejia, 20, of the 700 block of Brookwood Road in New Lenox, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue in unincorporated Cook County.

Once again, according to police, Nick Sord’s blood-alcohol level was 0.236, three times the legal limit for driving.

Read more at the Trib.

Suspect Shot by Police on Chicago’s South Side

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Police and fire crews remain at the scene of a police-involved shooting Tuesday night in the South Side Fuller Park neighborhood.

Independent Police Review Authority spokesman Curtis Tarver confirmed a police-involved shooting happened at 54th and Indiana Avenue about 7:40 p.m. He said a suspect was shot by a police officer.

Fire crews remained at the scene in the 7800 block of South Shore Drive at 9 p.m., according to Fire Media Affairs Cmdr. Will Knight, who said no transports had been made.

This is a developing story.

Read more here at the Sun-Times.

Always Loving the Spotlight, Dwight Welch Helps Nab 3 Bank Robbery Suspects

Posted on by TL

When I first read this in the Trib, I just knew the “suburban mayor” had to be Dwight Welch trying to play cowboy again.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Three suspects were arrested this afternoon after they robbed a bank in south suburban Country Club Hills, officials said.

Three officers from Country Club Hills and Mayor Dwight Welch, who is a state-certified police officer and former sergeant, were joined by officers from neighboring Homewood and Flossmoor to make the arrest in the city’s Provincetown subdivision just south of 183rd Street.

Officials say two of the men robbed the First Midwest Bank at 4101 W. 183rd St. at about 2 p.m., while the third suspect waited in the van, according to a news release.

I really don’t care for Dwight Welch. I don’t care for anyone who engages in patronage government. It’s a big waste of taxpayer dollars, and really only benefits the politician dolling out the dollars or jobs. Dwight Welch certainly knows how to spend money.

But, you have to give credit where credit is due. According to the report, Mayor Welch joined three of his officers and responded to the scene, where they met with the two other officers. The group followed a set of fresh footprints to a nearby townhouse, where they ordered the suspects outside and took them into custody.

I’m glad the police caught the alleged bad guys, and I’m sure Dwight Welch is happy for the good press. Sure beats the State Board of Elections knocking on your door.

This isn’t the first time Welch has tried to steal the spotlight. NBC’s Steve Rhodes asked in September why Welch was trying to become the face of the Chris Kelly’s suicide investigation:

Welch also seems to have watched a few too many episodes of NYPD Blue, eagerly announcing in the early-going of the investigation that Flores-Buhelos had “lawyered up.”

It’s not an unusual term to hear around the federal building in Chicago or the grittier precincts of the city, but probably not a term a Country Club Hills mayor hears that often in real life.

Terry Gillespie is a defense lawyer tasked to represent his client with zeal, but in this case his angry retort that Welch had engaged in “unconscionable grandstanding” rang true.

In the least, Welch has acted carelessly, which is always a good way to endanger a criminal case.

But the criticism lobbed Welch’s way hasn’t slowed him down.

Now he is promising revelations at a press conference today that will leave people following the case both “pleased and a little surprised.”

How anyone could be “pleased” with any new findings is a mystery in itself.

At the time, Rhodes suggested that it was time to push Welch off-stage and let the real authorities “take hold of the case.”

Dwight is jumping into the spotlight again.  I simply cannot imagine a situation where a police officer would be happy to have the mayor tagging along for a chase.

Read rest of the story here at the Trib.

Michael Jordan Sues Jewel, Dominick’s for Using His Name, No. 23 to Sell Steaks

Posted on by TL

Wow. This was just incredibly bad judgment on the part of Jewel and Dominick’s.

From the Sun-Times:

Michael Jordan is suing Chicago’s two big grocery chains, Jewel and Dominick’s, claiming they used his good name and his good number — 23 — to sell steaks and other goods without his permission.

According to the suit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court: “Jordan brings these claims for violation of the right of publicity, false endorsement, false designation of origin, deceptive business practices, and unfair competition against” Jewel-Osco and Dominick’s.

In both cases, the grocery store chains had advertisements in a commemorative Sports Illustrated issue congratulating him on this year’s induction in to the basketball Hall of Fame, according to the suit.

According to the suit, the Dominick’s ad featured Jordan’s name and number with the phrase “You are a cut above” and a photo of a steak.

Below the congratulations is an ad for $2 off a Rancher’s Reserve steak. In the case of Jewel, Jordan takes issue with a full-page magazine ad that congratulates him on the Hall of Fame honor.

The pair of basketball shoes, with a number 23 on the tongues, “appear to be an inaccurate and misleading copy of Air Jordan basketball shoes, which are the subject of an endorsement agreement between Jordan and Nike, Inc.

I would not want to wrestle with Michael Jordan in the courts.

Read more at the Sun-Times.

Danny Davis Likes Dorothy Brown for Cook Co. Board President, and So Do I

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Rep. Danny Davis endorsed Dorothy Brown for Cook County Board President. In desperation, Todd Stroger played the race card, stupidly, I think.

From the Sun-Times:

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) threw his support behind Dorothy Brown in the crowded Democratic primary for Cook County Board president.

Davis noted that a recent poll showed Brown, the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, leading the pack and he said that factored into his decision.

Davis dropped his own candidacy for board president earlier this year after failing to convince incumbent Todd Stroger to drop out.

Brown, who lost a 2007 bid to unseat Mayor Daley, thanked Davis for his support and said it would help propel her to victory in the four-candidate race.

The Sun-Times says Stroger released the following statement: “Congressman Davis has made a point of expressing his desire to not create or involve himself in any issue that would divide the African-American community. However, this endorsement has the potential to do just that.”

That’s just silly, Todd.

I would like to see Dorothy Brown issue a strong statement condemning patronage jobs. That happens, and I’m all in.

More from the Sun-Times here.

Eleven-Year-Old Aston Wise Killed by Coward with Shotgun

Posted on by TL

When will it stop?

The sad news from the Chicago Sun-Times:

Eleven-year-old Aston Wise was a passenger in a sport-utility vehicle parked on a South Shore street Friday night when a masked gunman opened fire with a shotgun, killing Aston and critically wounding his father.

Aston, of the 6800 block of South East End Avenue, was shot in the head in the 7800 block of South Kingston, police said. He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Aston was a sixth-grader at Martha Ruggles Elementary School, 7831 S. Prairie, Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Bond said.

Police Supt. Jody Weis said detectives are investigating if the shooting was connected to a relative with gang ties.

Weis said Aston had a half brother in the Black Disciplines street gang and that there has been “low-key” conflict between the Black Disciplines and the Gangster Disciples. Police are also looking into the possibility of a carjacking, Weis said.

“We won’t really know until we get a chance to talk with the father,” Weis said. No arrests had been made as of Saturday night.

Another one of our children cut down, this time by a coward with a shotgun.

Todd Stroger Doesn’t Like Them Poll Numbers

Posted on by TL

From the Sun-Times:

Embattled Cook County Board President Todd Stroger blasted a new poll showing he’s in third place in the four-way race for his job.

A Tribune poll of what has been described as 500-plus likely voters shows Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown leading the pack in next month’s Democratic primary with 29 percent of the vote followed by Chicago Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) at 20 percent. Stroger is next with 14 percent and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Terrence O’Brien garnered just 11 percent.

“I think it is inaccurate,” Stroger told the Sun-Times today.

“I’ve been here for three years. The Tribune has been trying to sink me for all three years. So I can have a balanced budget when everybody else is struggling, I can keep the hospital system open. I can help 25,000 people change their mortgages and keep their homes, but that’s not good enough,” Stroger said, using an all-too-familiar refrain about how the media is biased in its coverage of him.

Well, that’s one way to handle bad numbers: deny they exist.

Unless Stroger pulls a George W. Bush and fixes the election, I don’t see him surviving the primary.  He certainly does not have my vote. I’m leaning toward Dorothy Brown right now.

I’m looking forward to writing about “former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger.”