Political unrest in Dolton and Thornton Township, and a federal investigation into Tiffany Henyard, who is mayor and supervisor, dominated headlines in the south suburbs in 2024.
The long-awaited opening of a casino in East Hazel Crest that promises to direct gambling revenue to several south suburban communities, and a painful increase in property taxes that hit many south suburban property owners, particularly poorer ones, were also among the biggest Southland stories in 2024.
For the first time in decades, Thornton Township held caucuses for major party candidates rather than a primary. Questions arose of how the caucus would be run and whether Supervisor Tiffany Henyard would seek the party’s nomination up until the night of Dec. 3.
At the caucus, which began with hundreds of people still waiting in line outside the building, Henyard attempted to nominate herself but could not because she did not have a full slate of candidates prepared.
State Sen. Napoleon Harris instead became the party’s nominee for supervisor, but Henyard is suing the township Democrats to overturn the caucus results.
In her bid for a second term as Dolton mayor, Henyard faces a challenger in the upcoming February primary from Trustee Jason House, who is leading a ticket of candidates for trustee and clerk.
This spring, federal investigators delivered subpoenas at Dolton Village Hall and township offices seeking records related to Henyard and close associates at the village and township level. Records related to Henyard are also sought by investigators from Thornton Township High School District 205.
Henyard and some village trustees battled at Village Board meetings and in court, with lawsuits over issues such as where Village Board meetings should be held.
At board meetings, Henyard was jeered and ridiculed by residents, some of whom stood up and turned their backs to her as the mayor addressed the audience.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, hired by Dolton trustees as a special investigator, issued a preliminary report in August that laid out a bleak picture of village finances.
Lightfoot said, without having access to detailed information about Dolton’s income and spending, the village had gone from budget surpluses to a multimillion-dollar deficit. A more complete report detailing the findings is expected to be made public in early 2025.
Property tax shocker
Cook County’s Southland homeowners saw an almost 20% jump in property taxes this summer, the highest increase in 29 years. New assessments, successful commercial appeals and the end of the COVID-19 adjustment shifted the tax burden more to homeowners and less to commercial property owners.
Patricia Harris, who lives in the small village of Phoenix, said her taxes jumped 450%, from $1,612 last year to $8,855 this year.
On top of that, an October report by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas showed 2024 south suburban property tax collections dropped due in part to a record spike in tax bills and economic factors such as inflation.
For all of Chicago and surrounding suburbs, communities in the south suburbs had the lowest collection rates for property taxes, fueled in part by a 27.7% increase in the number of residential delinquencies, the report showed.
South suburban casino
In November, Wind Creek opened its Southland casino off the interchange of Halsted Street and Interstates 80/94, with hundreds of people lining up in advance.
Wind Creek is a subsidiary of PCI Gaming Authority Inc., which manages 10 casinos and other gambling properties on behalf of the Alabama-based Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
The Southland casino, at 17300 S. Halsted St., spans 75,000 square feet. A 16-story, 252-room hotel with a spa and a steakhouse on the top floor is scheduled to open early in 2025.
A revenue sharing agreement will benefit more than 20 communities by directing some of the gambling revenue to them, and Wind Creek has promised to establish the Southland Public Benefit Fund.
Initially, Wind Creek plans to distribute $150,000 annually during the first five years of operation, with the money providing scholarships to disadvantaged students in the south suburbs and helping bolster access to health care.
Wind Creek said it intends to create a fund of $20 million after five years to boost yearly disbursements to $1 million.
Harvey, Calumet City politics
Michael Kinsch, owner of Michael Motors in Harvey, has been unable to renew his business license due to unpaid property taxes, leading to the city blocking both entrances to his used car lot with concrete barricades.
This forced Kinsch to cease operations in September, leaving him unable to protect or sell his inventory. Kinsch and other business owners, facing substantial property tax debt, argue the city’s measures to force them to pay up — such as denying licenses and using barricades — are driving businesses out of the city.
Some business owners have filed a federal lawsuit, challenging the city’s actions and questioning the legality of blocking businesses without court orders. The city defends its actions, claiming it is attempting to collect unpaid taxes that burden local residents and take funds away from city services.
Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark’s move to implement stricter decorum measures at City Council meetings following heightened tensions after 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman’s arrest for what the city claimed was an assault on the city administrator rankled residents. The charges have since been dropped.
Residents raised concerns about the increased police presence and restrictions on public discussion at meetings, but Clark defends the measures as essential for maintaining order. Critics argue the rules limit council members’ ability to ask questions during meetings, with Chapman and others claiming this undermines their legislative responsibilities. Despite the pushback, Clark insists the changes are vital for effective governance.
In June, Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones cast the tie-breaking vote to pay off credit card bills some aldermen believed required additional explanation. A series of charges totaling $13,000 included hotel stays in New Orleans, Uber rides and meals the aldermen did not remember being for city business.
A month earlier, Sean Howard, a spokesman for Calumet City, confirmed that Jones would repay some of the flagged expenses. However, after the vote he said the mayor was not involved in determining which charges were included in the final bill list.
James Patton, the city’s 6th Ward alderman, said he believed scrutinized items were included in the bill list because of “human error” from the treasurer’s office, as they had not been recommended by the city’s Finance Committee. He is challenging Jones for mayor in 2025.
Police politics
In October, Flossmoor, seven months after the dismissal of Jerel Jones as police chief, settled his lawsuit alleging his firing was a form of racial discrimination.
The village agreed to pay Jones nearly $60,000 “to avoid the cost and distraction of prolonged litigation,” Mayor Michelle Nelson said in a statement. Jones was previously paid about $56,000 in severance from the village.
Village officials stated Jones was fired less than a year into his service due to poor performance. In September, Jones was sworn in as deputy police chief in Richton Park.
In December, Cook County prosecutors dropped charges against an Oak Lawn police officer charged in connection with the violent arrest of a Bridgeview teen in July 2022.
Patrick O’Donnell was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct for allegedly striking the teen more than 10 times in the face and head as he was lying face down in the street during the arrest, captured on video.
The state’s attorney’s office did not comment outside of a shared statement that said evidence against O’Donnell was insufficient to meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. He and two other Oak Lawn officers are named in a civil lawsuit pending in federal court.
Ford Heights mayor
A federal embezzlement charge brought against Charles Griffin in 2021 wrapped up in September.
The village of Ford Heights mayor was convicted of stealing between $10,000 and $100,000 of public funds “for his own personal and economic benefit” from 2014 to 2017.
Prosecutors charged Griffin after former Mayor Annie Coulter’s office discovered secret accounts holding $147,000 in public funds shortly after Coulter took office. Griffin was mayor of Ford Heights from 2009 to 2017, and despite being under federal indictment was elected again to the post in 2021.
Griffin was held liable for less than the $147,000 prosecutors claimed. However, his felony conviction meant he could no longer serve as mayor and he resigned and former Trustee Freddie Wilson was appointed mayor.
Retail workers face attacks
Fadi Sahouri, the general manager of Jawahir Jewelry in Bridgeview, witnessed an armed robbery at the fine Middle Eastern jewelry store in 2023.
Despite having security measures in place, including a buzzer system, the robbers gained access wearing lifelike Halloween masks. The robbery highlighted the increasing risks faced by retailers as attacks on workers grow more prevalent, a review of suburban crime reports over several months shows.
The crimes range from minor confrontations to fatal encounters raise concerns about the safety of both workers and customers in light of bolder retail thefts. While law enforcement and local communities work to address these issues, experts stress the importance of vigilance and proactive safety measures.
New facilities
In April, New Lenox officials broke ground for the village’s $70 million Crossroads Sports Complex, with construction expected to take a little more than a year to complete.
The sports complex, near Interstates 355 and 80 next to Silver Cross Hospital, will feature 29 youth baseball or softball fields or 12 soccer or multiuse fields on about 100 acres.
In May, the Mokena Police Department opened the doors to its new station, which is seven times larger than its previous space and is complete with state-of-the-art technology.
Police Chief Brian Benton invites members of the public to tour the new Mokena police station May 29, 2024, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Michelle Mullins/for Daily Southtown)
The department moved its operations from its 5,000-square-foot converted fire station on Front Street to the new 35,000-square-foot facility, 10300 W. 191st St., which is equipped with an indoor tactical gun range, fitness center and five-cell detention center.
In February, Tinley Park-Park District officials marked the official transfer of 280-acres of property previously owned by the state which the district plans to redevelop for recreational uses.
The Park District is working to remove environmental contaminants and raze buildings on the site of the vacant Tinley Park Mental Health Center, northwest of Harlem Avenue and 183rd Street.
In April, Will County officials unveiled the new Children’s Advocacy Center, designed to help children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect or violence.
The Will County Board moved to make the site of the former courthouse in downtown Joliet a public park. Demolition of the courthouse was complete in the summer. A committee plans call for it to be a pleasant space for the community to gather when visiting downtown Joliet, the county’s seat.
Political changes
In April, state Rep. Tim Ozinga, R-Mokena abruptly resigned from the state legislature, abandoning the House seat he held for more than three years.
Ozinga was elected to the 37th House District in January 2021. He ran unopposed for reelection in the March Republican primary.
Just days after Ozinga’s resignation, Republican committeemen in the district tabbed Patrick Sheehan, a former police officer and former Lockport alderman, as his replacement.
Businesses exit
Grocery store chain Walt’s Food Centers, which opened a fruit and produce stand in South Holland nearly nine decades ago, closed its store at the northeast corner of 162nd and State Street at the end of September.
Village officials said they would work with Walt’s to redevelop the prime corner, near South Suburban College.
Walt’s Food Centers, which has had a presence in South Holland for 87 years, will close its store, 16145 State St., Sept. 28. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Petey’s Bungalow Restaurant and Lounge served its final customers in October after a 63-year run in Oak Lawn.
The restaurant, 4401 95th St., not far from Advocate Christ Medical Center, opened in 1961. The Oak Lawn closing came after Petey’s II at the southwest corner of La Grange Road and 159th Street in Orland Park closed in January of 2024. That location had operated since 1969.
Enzo’s, which served up Italian beef since 1946 and was one of the last vestiges of Chicago Heights’ thriving downtown business district, closed in March.
Enzo’s had absorbed another business that had relocated from downtown Chicago Heights to became Enzo’s & Carmelcorn.
