Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longtime chief of staff Tim Mapes exits the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in downtown Chicago on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, after he was sentenced to 30 months in prison for perjury and attempted obstruction of justice. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois)
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Tim Mapes was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison, though U.S. District Judge John Kness told Mapes he had “zero hesitation in agreeing, wholeheartedly, that you are a good man,” after reading dozens of letters written to the court on Mapes’ behalf.

(WTTW News)

Demolishing the record set in each of the past three years, $1.3 billion poured into the city’s 127 TIF funds in 2022, according to a report from Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough.

(WTTW News)

Demolishing the record set in each of the past two years, $1.22 billion poured into the city’s 129 TIF funds in 2021, according to a report from the office of the Cook County Clerk.

(WTTW News)

“We have a serious shortage of judges and poll workers,” Cook County Clerk Yarbrough said. “The clerk’s office manages elections in suburban Cook County and we’ve seen our number of election judges shrink significantly in recent years. Over the last eight years, we’ve seen a reduction of about 40%.”

Candidates line up at the Illinois State Board of Election to file petitions on March 7, 2022. (WTTW News)

Anyone in line to file their petitions by the time election authorities opened their doors has a chance to be listed first on the ballot for their race, a position that could make a difference by attracting voters’ eyeballs in a close contest.

(WTTW News)

The growing share of city property taxes sent to tax increment finance districts has fueled a perennial argument over whether the districts actually spur redevelopment and eradicate blight or serve to exacerbate growing inequality in Chicago.

(WTTW News)

November’s election is sure to be unlike any other — and not just because of who is on the ballot, but because of how people are expected to cast their ballots.

(Ken Teegardin / Flickr)

The growing share of city property taxes sent to tax increment finance districts is sure to fuel the argument over whether the districts actually spur redevelopment and eradicate blight or exacerbate growing inequality in Chicago.

(Credit: Kobi Swissa of Swissa Creative)

Big wedding blowouts aren’t happening, but people are still getting hitched. How some couples are making it happen during the pandemic.

Karen Yarbrough

“Having already saved taxpayers millions of dollars as Recorder, I plan to use that same fiscal discipline to build the best County Clerk’s Office in the country,” says Karen Yarbrough. Learn more about this candidate.

“Having already saved taxpayers millions of dollars as Recorder, I plan to use that same fiscal discipline to build the best County Clerk’s Office in the country,” Karen Yarbrough writes. Learn more about this candidate.

Voters have chosen to cut costs by consolidating the Cook County Clerk’s Office with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds in a binding referendum.

Karen Yarbrough

"My guiding vision for the Cook County Recorder of Deeds is 'Accuracy-Efficiency-Advocacy.' That means protecting an accurate public record of property ownership and doing it with only the minimum amount of taxpayer resources needed to get the job done." Learn more about this candidate.

This fall, voters will get to decide whether or not to eliminate an entire branch of Cook County government that some say could save $1 million per year. Why other county officials are urging voters to keep it around.

Dorothy Brown

Incumbent Dorothy Brown declared victory on Tuesday night, winning 47 percent of the vote with 95 percent of precincts reporting.

With only $40 and forged paperwork, crooks are stealing houses from unsuspecting homeowners. It’s real -- and a felony. Last week, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance cracking down on the "Clouding A Title" scammers, adding steep fines to jail sentences. City Treasurer Stephanie Neely and Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough join us with tips on how to protect yourself from strangers changing your locks and moving in.