The April 29 decision from the United States Supreme Court marks a troubling moment for voting rights and fair representation in our nation. By narrowing key protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Court has made it more difficult to challenge maps that dilute the voting strength[Read More…]
Tag: Cook County
Flossmoor takes the punches to revenue, but keeps standing
Flossmoor officials say the village’s finances have taken a few hits in recent months — but leaders believe the community is still on solid footing. During a discussion of the village’s preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 budget at the board meeting on Monday, March 9, trustees reviewed revenue trends, infrastructure needs[Read More…]
Cook County announces Grow with Google partnership to bring scholarships to adult learners
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced a new partnership between Cook County’s Project Rainbow initiative and Grow with Google that is expected to open doors for adult learners. Through this collaboration, no-cost scholarships will be made available for Google Career Certificates, helping hundreds of residents gain the skills they need to grow their[Read More…]
County to offer $25 million in grants to fund programs addressing gun violence
County and nonprofit organization officials on Tuesday, July 22, announced grant awards under two complementary initiatives designed to improve community safety in Cook County. Through the Cook County Community Violence Intervention initiative, the county is investing $20 million in community-based services for residents at risk of being involved in gun[Read More…]
Column: When it comes to voting on property tax referendums, the few decide for the many
If you’ve ever voted, you’ve probably seen one. It’s a referendum, a ballot measure that can affect your property taxes. Simply put, referendums are direct votes where the electorate has the chance to weigh in on a particular issue such as a proposed law, a tax increase, a bond issuance[Read More…]
County to provide $1.5M in grants for suburban arts and culture nonprofit organizations
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle announced Tuesday, Jan. 23, the launch of a new grant program to assist arts and culture organizations in building resiliency in the post-pandemic economy. The Nonprofit Relief Grant Program is a component of Cook County Arts, a $5 million pilot arts initiative funded by the American[Read More…]
Cook County issues indoor mask requirement effective Aug. 23 (free content)
The Cook County Department of Public Health today announced on Aug. 20 that all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask indoors, beginning on Monday, Aug. 23. The order requires that all people above age 2 who can medically tolerate a mask to wear one[Read More…]
County officials and suburban mayors push for homeowner relief
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle recently joined a coalition of suburban mayors and other local leaders to support the systemic reforms proposed in the Homeowner Relief and Community Recovery Act. The legislation, Senate Bill 1721, is intended to empower communities and local governments to transform vacant properties into homes[Read More…]
Preckwinkle announces launch of Cook County Equity Fund Taskforce
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced recently the launch of a more than 50-member taskforce to advise her administration on strategic investments from the new Cook County Equity Fund, which addresses historical disparities and disinvestment in Black and Latinx communities. The Cook County Equity Fund was established by President[Read More…]
Cook County faces ‘dramatic’ COVID-19 financial impact
On Friday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle released the preliminary forecast for the county’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget, showing a projected gap of approximately $280 million for the rest of this fiscal year and $410 million the following year as the widespread financial impacts of COVID-19 are touching nearly[Read More…]


