Will County Gazette

Will County Black business leader: Democratic reparations proposal 'all about patronage'

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 19, 2020

A local Black business leader said he was “livid” when he first heard the news of a reparations resolution proposed by the Democrats on the Will County Board.

DuPage trustee Benford feels vindicated with news that former supervisor’s case is in FBI’s hands

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 2, 2020

DuPage Township Trustee Alyssia Benford felt a certain amount of “vindication and redemption” upon seeing a report by the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) that the investigation into former township Supervisor William Mayer over his alleged misuse of general assistance funds is now in the hands of the FBI. Benford first uncovered the alleged abuses more than two years ago.

Illinois GOP mounts campaign to denounce neo-Nazi on ticket

By W.J. Kennedy | Mar 5, 2020

Three top Illinois Republican officials kicked off a massive PR campaign today not in support of a Republican congressional candidate but against one.The chairmen of the state GOP, and of the Cook and Will County Republican organizations announced at a press conference Thursday morning that they are employing a multiple media campaign to urge their fellow Republicans not to vote for Arthur Jones, a Holocaust denier and anti-Semite, who collected enough signatures to get himself on the primary ballot in the Third Congressional District. “We have to do a better job of educating voters,” George Pearson, Chair of the Will County Republicans, told the Will County Gazette after the press conference at the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago.

Lauren Underwood’s nursing background not what people think

By W.J. Kennedy | Mar 2, 2020

Colleagues of U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-14th) are apparently buying her campaign fabrication that she once worked as a practicing nurse.

From Prairie State Wire

Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady said to have voiced private support for abortion funding, gun control legislation

By W.J. Kennedy | 5 years ago

Former high-level aides to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has revealed that Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) told the then governor he was right for signing HB 40 in September 2017, the law requiring Medicaid funding of abortions. At a separate meeting, Brady also recommended that the governor sign gun control bills should they reach his desk.

Watchdogs insist DuPage Trustee Oliver resign over ginned up retaliation against colleague Alyssia Benford

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 26, 2019

The Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) are calling DuPage Trustee Maripat Oliver a “hypocrite” for her ongoing -- and proven baseless -- allegations of criminal activity by her colleague, Trustee Alyssia Benford, and they are insisting that she resign.

Police investigating Joliet Township's Daniel Vera, but not DuPage’s former Supervisor William Mayer

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 19, 2019

The questionable professional practices of former DuPage Township Supervisor William Mayer and current Joliet Township Supervisor Daniel Vera have both been subjected to relentless examination by the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW).

House candidate has homestead exemption applied to 3 of his Will County properties; state law allows 1

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 5, 2019

Tim Baldermann, a Republican candidate for the 37th District state House seat now held by Rep. Margo McDermed (R-Mokena), has an aversion to paying property taxes even though his income from multiple public sources depends on others paying their taxes, county records show.

Will County GOP chairman condemns appearance of Nazi in Republican congressional primary

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 3, 2019

Will County Republican Chairman George Pearson ripped into the Republican primary candidacy of a known Nazi sympathizer and racist who is bidding again to take on long-time Illinois Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-3rd District) in the general election next November.

Criminal complaints against Alyssia Benford without merit; watchdogs investigating why complaints were filed

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 22, 2019

A government watchdog group is working to get to the bottom of why two criminal complaints were filed against DuPage Township Trustee Alyssia Benford back in January, complaints that the Will County State’s Attorney has determined to be without merit.

Practices of former DuPage Township supervisor in conflict with state law, Illinois Constitution, investigation concludes

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 25, 2019

An investigation by the DuPage Township’s law firm into former Supervisor William Mayer has validated the months-long work of a government watchdog group that sounded alarms of Mayer’s troubling, and in some instances, potentially criminal behavior, while in office.

From Prairie State Wire

Investigation into aborted remains in the hands of pro-life Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill

By W.J. Kennedy | 5 years ago

An Illinois pro-life leader said that he was encouraged that Will County authorities turned the investigation into more than 2,200 aborted remains discovered in abortion provider’s Ulrich Klopfer’s garage over to the Indiana Attorney General.

Will County board member Balich haunted by news of discovery of aborted human remains

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 17, 2019

Will County board member Steve Balich (R-Homer Glen) said that the board’s earlier inaction on a proclamation condemning the killing of babies who survive abortions now haunts him with the discovery of more than 2,000 aborted remains in the county.

GOP Chair Pearson says state House candidate Baldermann “dogged by double-dipping”

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 8, 2019

As a Republican candidate for the state House, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann, 53, is almost certain to face scrutiny from voters over his receiving a publicly-funded pension check and multiple government pay checks, says George Pearson, chairman of the Will County Republican Central Committee.

Quadruple dipper Tim Baldermann eyeing state House seat

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 15, 2019

Tim Baldermann, who collects checks from four government entities, is maneuvering to add another high paying government position to his resume by assuming the House seat being vacated by a retiring Margo McDermed (R-Mokena), sources tell the Will County Gazette.

From Prairie State Wire

Pritzker’s claims of paying down pension debt “simply dishonest,” fiscal watchdog says

By W.J. Kennedy | 6 years ago

The recently approved state budget hardly makes Illinois the beacon of fiscal prudence that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative leaders claim it is, budgetary analysts at Wirepoints say.

Steve Balich’s calls for audit of Sheriff Mike Kelley’s office due to whistleblower lawsuit ignored by board

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 7, 2019

An audit of the Will County Sheriff’s Office is the only way to get to the bottom of charges in a lawsuit of faked payroll records by higher-ups in the office, says Will County Board member Steve Balich (R-Homer Glen). But Balich says his calls for an audit have been shrugged off by the Democratically controlled board.

From Prairie State Wire

Madigan 'bullying' income tax increase through legislative process

By W.J. Kennedy | 6 years ago

House Speaker Michael Madigan used his absolute power over the legislative process to move legislation to the floor on Friday that exchanges Illinois’ constitutionally mandated flat income tax with a progressive tax.

Edgar County Watchdogs insist Bolingbrook Village Clerk hired herself as assistant

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 18, 2019

The Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) are insistent that Bolingbrook Village Clerk Carol Penning either hired herself as her own assistant, or that a law was broken, if, as she insists, someone else did the hiring.

Natalie Manley's bills eliminating township clerks, allowing local officials to earn additional salaries, trouble GOP officials, fiscal watchdogs

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 16, 2019

Two bills in Springfield sponsored by State Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) are giving some local GOP leaders and fiscal watchdogs fits.