Latest news with #WGNInvestigates
The Hill
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
How Tiffany Henyard's successor at Thornton Township maneuvered to keep earning six-figure salary
THORNTON TOWNSHIP, Ill. (WGN) — As supervisor of Thornton Township, Tiffany Henyard was paid an annual salary of more than $200,000, plus stipends for expenses, travel and more. But according to the township's most recent salary ordinance, her successor was to be paid at a much lower rate: $57,000 a year for the first term. So, why is Napoleon Harris earning the same salary as Henyard? WGN Investigates found Harris' other taxpayer-funded position helped quietly pave the way for him to protect the payment perk. 'What you make is based on what you're able to deliver,' Harris told WGN Investigates back in April. 'That's like people saying professional athletes shouldn't be making millions or doctors.' Harris has been a Democratic state senator since 2013. He defeated Henyard this year to take over as the township's new supervisor, his second taxpayer-funded position. In 2024, Henyard was paid a total of $282,812 by the township. That included an annual salary of $202,950, in addition to allowances for a telephone, vehicle and $59,400 for 'expenses.' Under the ordinance, Henyard collected that amount because she took over for Frank Zuccarelli in the middle of his term. Zuccarelli had been supervisor since the early 1990s. But after she was defeated, the pay was to be significantly lowered. The township's salary ordinance set the salary for first term supervisors at $57,000 a year. But WGN Investigates found that Harris — even before he won the township office — introduced legislation in the Illinois General Assembly to protect the payment perk. His bill didn't pass. But we found legislation with the same language was later advanced and passed by a different Democratic legislator. It was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker last year. Thanks to the legislative maneuver, Harris stands to collect the same benefits as Henyard. That's in addition to $123,971 he is to be paid as a state senator. 'This is the professional democratic machine, tried and tested and it appears they've taken hold of Thornton Township,' Paul Robertz, a resident of Thornton Township, told WGN Investigates.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Elderly Chicago resident seeks help after city tree damages her home
CHICAGO (WGN) – Velva Cox has lived in her South Side home for 50 years. At one time, her block on South Honore Avenue was filled with mature trees. 'I thought that was so pretty,' Cox said. 'That's why I wanted this house.' The block has seen a lot of changes over the years and many of those trees are now gone. Errant driver causes 1-week delay in Kennedy ramp re-opening However, the large, mature ash in front of the 79-year-old's home still remains. 'I like the tree because of the shade,' Cox said. That shade has a downside, too. One of the tree's branches now sits just inches above Cox's roof line, scraping against the shingles and apparently causing damage. 'The shingles is coming up on it and there's holes in my roof,' she said. In recent years, Cox asked the city to trim the tree, but said she was told it wasn't possible and she couldn't afford to pay to trim the tree, which is located on city property. Another $1.6M SNAP benefits stolen as 'big beautiful bill' looks to save In need of assistance, Cox contacted WGN Investigates. Less than a day after we notified the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, city crews came out and trimmed Cox's tree, as well as others on the block. 'There were multiple trees on the block that you could probably tell hadn't been trimmed in 15 years,' said the department's James Sheehan. Last year, WGN Investigates reported how the city changed the way it trimmed its trees, moving to a grid system rather than responding to resident complaints. SEE ALSO: Homeowner waits years for City of Chicago tree trim service City officials have acknowledged that some trees in need of maintenance may have gotten overlooked, but said the process has become more efficient under the new system, resulting in more trees being trimmed in more neighborhoods. 'We trimmed over 180,000 trees…a 200% increase, but there are definitely some that slip through the cracks,' Sheehan said. Officials said residents with trees that need trimming but are not in imminent danger of injuring people or property should call their alderman's office or email StreetsandSan@ Interviewed after the branch was removed, Cox said she was just thankful the work was finally done. Illinois pays $1.3M for unopened migrant shelter despite Pritzker pledge 'Thank you, Jesus, it's over,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard due in court Friday
CHICAGO — Tiffany Henyard's era as Dolton mayor and Thornton Township supervisor is over, but her legal cases continue. A Cook County judge ordered Henyard to appear in court to answer claims that during her time in office, she failed to follow state transparency laws and turn over spending and other records. She fired back that she was simply 'the face of the village' and not its record keeper. The Friday hearing is in connection to a lawsuit filed by the Edgar County Watchdogs, Inc. The organization sued the Village of Dolton after Henyard's administration ignored Freedom Of Information Act requests last January. Prior to Friday's appearance, Henyard was found in contempt of court. We expect to learn Friday whether there will be any punishment for that. Over the last several years, Henyard has been at the center of controversy and an ongoing FBI investigation for questionable spending, and claims that she used her government power to retaliate against people she perceived as opponents. Brawl involving Tiffany Henyard leads to 2 lawsuits WGN Investigates has documented first class trips for Henyard and her allies costing taxpayers more than a $100,000. This spring, Dolton and Thornton Township residents voted Henyard out of office. While under the spotlight, Henyard has not been charged with a crime. Friday's hearing is also expected to look into a lawsuit against the Village of Dolton, Henyard and the village's board of fire and police commissioners. The hearing is expected to begin at 2 p.m. Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
DoorDasher drives onto tarmac at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, exposing security flaw
CHICAGO (WGN) — Newly obtained video shows a DoorDash driver's attempt to deliver food to a customer at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport last month not only breached perimeter security but also failed to trigger an immediate response. In surveillance video obtained by Nexstar's WGN, the delivery driver's red Hyundai Elantra is seen pulling up just behind and to the right of a United Airlines wide body jet parked at Terminal 1, Concourse C around midday on May 17. The vehicle stopped for approximately 20 seconds before pulling forward again and then stopping alongside the jet. Baggage handlers noticed the driver and approached, however it took nearly 10 minutes for a marked Chicago police vehicle to arrive. It's unclear from the video whether police or airport security officers may have approached the scene sooner on foot. WGN Investigates has learned the driver entered the restricted area through a security gate at the southeast corner of O'Hare, indicating he traveled a significant distance across the massive airfield without being stopped or raising alarm. 'No guard was clearly visible and [he] proceeded through the gate, following instructions from his GPS coordinates in an aim to deliver the meal,' the driver told police, according to records obtained by WGN Investigates. Police found the food order and a Door Dash receipt in the driver's car and released him without issuing any citations. The private security guard manning the perimeter checkpoint told police she didn't immediately report the breach. 'The vehicle had indeed driven through her post to which she regarded as strange and unfamiliar,' she told officers according to their reports. 'She then closed the gate but made no attempt to contact [the operations center] or notify her direct supervisor.' 'Following this incident, [Chicago Department of Aviation] leadership met with the contractor, Lincoln Security, to review what occurred and referred the matter to the Transportation Security Administration for further investigation,' airport spokesperson Kevin Bargnes told WGN Investigates. 'The employee involved is no longer employed by Lincoln Security, and their airport credentials have been terminated by the CDA.' A DoorDash spokesperson did not answer a question about whether the driver is still delivering food for the company. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
05-06-2025
- The Hill
DoorDasher drives onto tarmac at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, exposing security flaw
CHICAGO (WGN) — Newly obtained video shows a DoorDash driver's attempt to deliver food to a customer at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport last month not only breached perimeter security but also failed to trigger an immediate response. In surveillance video obtained by Nexstar's WGN, the delivery driver's red Hyundai Elantra is seen pulling up just behind and to the right of a United Airlines wide body jet parked at Terminal 1, Concourse C around midday on May 17. The vehicle stopped for approximately 20 seconds before pulling forward again and then stopping alongside the jet. Baggage handlers noticed the driver and approached, however it took nearly 10 minutes for a marked Chicago police vehicle to arrive. It's unclear from the video whether police or airport security officers may have approached the scene sooner on foot. WGN Investigates has learned the driver entered the restricted area through a security gate at the southeast corner of O'Hare, indicating he traveled a significant distance across the massive airfield without being stopped or raising alarm. 'No guard was clearly visible and [he] proceeded through the gate, following instructions from his GPS coordinates in an aim to deliver the meal,' the driver told police, according to records obtained by WGN Investigates. Police found the food order and a Door Dash receipt in the driver's car and released him without issuing any citations. The private security guard manning the perimeter checkpoint told police she didn't immediately report the breach. 'The vehicle had indeed driven through her post to which she regarded as strange and unfamiliar,' she told officers according to their reports. 'She then closed the gate but made no attempt to contact [the operations center] or notify her direct supervisor.' 'Following this incident, [Chicago Department of Aviation] leadership met with the contractor, Lincoln Security, to review what occurred and referred the matter to the Transportation Security Administration for further investigation,' airport spokesperson Kevin Bargnes told WGN Investigates. 'The employee involved is no longer employed by Lincoln Security, and their airport credentials have been terminated by the CDA.' A DoorDash spokesperson did not answer a question about whether the driver is still delivering food for the company.
