Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Over 40 percent of Illinois homes contain dangerous levels of radon gas. For less than $10, you can find out if your's is one of them.
How much would you pay to protect your family? Radon gas is a silent, odorless threat to over 40 percent of Illinois homeowners, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The EPA reports this naturally-occuring radioactive gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Luckily, the state is offering an inexpensive solution for residents to test their homes and protect their families. For less than $10, radon test kits are now available to Illinoisians via this website. Cook County also offers radon test kits for $7. Residents can obtain one by mailing a $7 check or money order to: Cook County Dept. of Environmental Control 69 West Washington Street, Suite 1900 Chicago, IL 60602. Inexpensive radon test kits are also…
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The Cook County Assessor's Office extended the senior property tax exemption deadline two weeks, from Wednesday, Feb. 6, to Wednesday, Feb. 20. The exemptions are for residents 65 and over.
Senior citizens in Cook County who are eligible for property tax exemptions have a little bit of extra time to file, thanks to a deadline extension from the Cook County Assessor. The deadline, which was formerly Wednesday, Feb. 6, was pushed back to Wednesday, Feb. 20, giving residents 65 and older two more weeks to file for their tax break forms. The forms are available online at www.CookCountyAssessor.com. The tax break forms are for 2012 property taxes, which are to be paid in 2013. The savings will be shown on the second installment of tax bills set to be mailed in July of this year. All homeowners born before 1947 are eligible for the Senior Exemption, regardless of income, which reduces property taxes by about $330. Some homeowners …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Judge Cynthia Brim, who has a long history of mental illness, was found not guilty at her Monday misdemeanor battery trial, according to a Sun-Times Media report.
Cook County Judge Cynthia Brim was found not guilty Monday by reason of insanity after a misdemeanor battery trial, the Sun-Times Media reports. Judge Brim was in court for shoving a Sheriff’s deputy back in March after he asked her why she decided to throw her keys at a security checkpoint at the Daley Center, according to the report. She was dressed in hospital scrubs and a fur coat at the time of the confrontation, and allegedly off her medications. Brim has a history of bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder that predates her move up to the bench in 1994, the Sun-Times reports, and she’s been hospitalized five times since 1993 for psychotic episodes. Nonetheless, Brim won re-election for her $182,000 yearly position last …
Cook County passed an ordinance Tuesday afternoon mandating any lost weapons be reported to the Sheriff within two days.
Gun owners who sell, lose, destroy, transfer or have a firearm stolen in the county are now legally required to report it to the Sheriff’s office within 48 hours thanks to a new Cook County ordinance. The new law, passed Tuesday afternoon, will require firearm owners report the make, model and serial number of the stolen firearm, along with the date and location of purchase. Individuals who fail to comply will be subject to an initial $1,000 fine, followed by $1,500 for each gun on the second offense and $2,000 for each subsequent violation, according to a press release from the county. Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle applauded the passage of the ordinance. She says it’s a step in the right direction. “We are giving law …
Monday, February 4, 2013
All Cook County pet owners are eligible for a rebate program for having their pet spayed or neutered during National Spay and Neuter Month.
Cook County is offering all residents a $40 credit for having their pet spayed or neutered throughout February—National Spay and Neuter Month. So why should you get your pet fixed? Spayed and neutered pets tend to live three to five years longer than those which aren’t, according to a press release from the county. If that’s not convincing enough, consider the millions of dogs and cats euthanized every year as a result of unwanted pregnancy. “The procedure not only helps your pet live a longer, healthier life, it benefits the community because it reduces the number of strays and unwanted animals in our neighborhoods,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a press release. “Communities spend millions of tax dollars every year…
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Want to see who sold their home in Cook County? Patch has compiled a searchable ongoing list of property sales in Cook County, based on data from the Cook County Recorder of Deeds.
Want to know how much that house down the block sold for or how many million dollar home sales there were in your community last year? Patch has put together a searchable real estate database of Cook County property sales that is updated twice a month as new data is received from the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. You can search by address (the field will fill in automatically as you start typing, but be patient — it may take a moment to catch up with you), or search a full town or a specific price range within a town. You can also search by the buyer or seller's name (and those fields will fill automatically as well). If no price is listed, or other information is missing, it is because it was not included in the information from the …
Monday, January 21, 2013
Wind chills could plummet to 15 to 25 degrees below zero, the National Weather Service warns. NWS issued a Wind Chill Advisory for Cook and Will counties from 6 p.m. Jan. 21 to 10 a.m. Jan. 22.
Residents in Cook and Will counties, bundle up or hunker down Monday and overnight, as the National Weather Service warns of wind chills that could hit 15 to 25 degrees below zero. The advisory is in place from 6 p.m. Jan. 21 until 10 a.m. Jan. 22. The National Weather Service cautions residents to dress properly for the weather, including coats, hats and gloves. The extreme wind chills could result in hypothermia or frostbite if proper precautions are not taken. Want more news delivered directly to your inbox every morning? Then sign up for Patch's daily newsletter.
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Cook County Assessor's Office recently mailed a reminder to county senior citizens to file for 2012 property tax breaks. Forms must be completed and mailed to the Assessor's Office by Wednesday, Feb. 6.
Senior citizens in Cook County eligible for property tax exemptions have until Wednesday, Feb. 6, to file the proper paperwork to receive their tax break, according to a mailing sent out by the Cook County Assessor's Office. Residents over the age of 65 should have received the mailing in early January, but residents who just turned 65 may not have gotten them yet, according to an email from the office. “Taxpayers who recently turned 65 will not receive application forms when the senior renewal forms are mailed,” Orland Park Assessor Richard E. Kelly said. “I encourage such individuals to call my office to obtain the forms and information necessary to receive the senior benefits." Kelly said the forms are also available online at www.…
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Solicitors are asking taxpayers to hire them to fix property value errors. Here's what you need to know.
Double-check all calls from the Cook County Assessor's Office because the contact may be a scam, a release from the office warns. People claiming to work at the assessor's office are calling residents, saying they have missing exemptions. The scammers then ask taxpayers to hire them to file Certificates of Error on their behalf. The certificate changes a property's assessed value for a past year, correcting the tax bill after the assessment is finalized. Kelley Quinn, communications director for the assessor’s office, said real employees never solicit taxpayers. Many of these so-called tax reps tell people they can get residents more money. "What they don't tell you is... they take 30 to 40 percent of that amount," Quinn said. "The …
Monday, January 14, 2013
Chicago and its surrounding suburbs are seeing a steady rise in flu cases.
Area health agencies are reporting that this year's flu season is particularly intense. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring "widespread" influenza activity in Illinois this year. According to the Cook County Department of Public Health the number of people experiencing influenza-like symptoms continues to increase in the suburbs. Those suffering from the illness are showing symptoms that are much more severe than in previous years. Drug manufacturers have also been feeling the effects of the increased number of cases. The makers of Tamiflu, which slows down flu symptoms, reported a shortage of the drug, according to Reuters. The CDC is reporting that the Great Lakes region is the nation's hardest hit with …
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1:42 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Over insulating a home traps that poison in! Let a few air leaks save your life! more ›