Author: Fox Valley Magazine

With the average price of gasoline having increased 60% in the past year, with no signs of slowing down, this may seem like an inopportune time to enact an increase in Kane County’s gas tax by 50%, from 4c/gal to 6c/gal. But that’s what’s on tap for Kane County taxpayers. A $16 million county budget deficit is staring the county in the the face, and the estimated additional $8 million of revenue an increased gas tax would provide makes that a lot more manageable. One of the more controversial aspects of the hike is that it largely won’t go to…

By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois A three-judge federal court panel in Chicago ruled Tuesday that the legislative redistricting plan that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in June – before official 2020 U.S. Census numbers were available – was unconstitutional because the population variances among districts violated the “one-person, one-vote” doctrine. But the court did not, as Republican officials had hoped, order that a bipartisan redistricting commission be formed to redraw the maps. Instead, it declared the second set of maps that Pritzker signed in September, following a legislative special session, to be a “starting point” in developing a new…

No injuries were reported but evidence of property damage was found as Elgin police responded to a shots fired incident in the city’s near east side. At approximately 8:32 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Raymond Street for a report of shots fired. Evidence of gunfire was located, but no injuries have been reported. Only property damage has been reported at this time. Detectives from the Major Investigations Division are investigating. If you have information that may assist, please call 847-289-2600. You may also text a tip to 847411 and include “ElginPD” at the beginning of the message.…

In response to a call from the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for suburban police departments to offer assistance to the Chicago Police Department in case of officer shortages there, Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain issued a blunt statement effectively saying “buzz off.” Due to the potential for the stand-off between Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Fraternal Order of Police (Chicago’s police union) over mandatory COVID vaccines to result in massive suspensions of CPD officers by the Mayor, the state agencies have, according to a report from WGN news, contacted suburban police departments to request…

Three masked men forcibly took “cases” of jewelry from merchants leaving a private showing at the Marriott Hotel in Naperville. On Saturday evening at approximately 10:52 p.m., the Naperville Police Department responded to the Marriott Hotel located at 1801 N. Naper Boulevard, to investigate a report of a robbery. The initial investigation indicates that jewelry merchants, after completing a private showing, were leaving the establishment and, while in the parking lot, they were confronted by three masked men who forcibly took cases of their merchandise. One of the merchants got into a brief struggle with the assailants before the suspects…

It was getting a little too buddy-buddy there for a bit. Earlier this week, Green Bay Packers QB and Bears tormentor Aaron Rodgers was being questioned by the media about his feelings towards Chicago, and he responded with what can only be considered affection. “I love the city of Chicago” was the message. Rodgers heaped praise on the ferocity of Bears fans (“I really respect that”), told of a pleasant 4-5 block walk with a Chicago woman and her son the night before a game, confessed that he was a Cubs and Bulls fan because growing up on the West…

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Such is the biblical injunction. For accused rapist Antoine Truesdell, this injunction may be too close for comfort.  After having allegedly lured young women through social media to ultimately assault them, his profile is being raised considerably by social media emanating from his former victims seeking justice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Antoine Truesdell of East Dundee has made quite a name for himself with Chicagoland law enforcement officials. Truesdell has a rap sheet that stretches back at least eleven years when, as an 18 year-old, he was convicted on misdemeanor drug charges, for which he…

After a week of examinations, the Kane County Coroner has identified the skeletal remains found in the water in Elgin last Saturday morning. The remains are of 48 year-old Carl Ahrens, a white male who was known to be a part of the homeless community of Elgin. Given the condition of the remains, an autopsy by the Kane County Coroner’s office on Tuesday was inconclusive. On Wednesday, a forensic odontologist performed an examination. Ultimately, on Friday, Mr. Aherns was identified by dental records and partial fingerprints. Authorities discovered the dead body in the water last Saturday morning in Elgin. At…

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates 281,550 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. The average risk for a woman developing breast cancer in her lifetime is 13 percent, or a 1 in 8 chance, according to the ACS. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. For many women, a diagnosis of breast cancer could also include that it has metastasized or spread to other areas of her body (typically the liver, lungs, bones or brain). A diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer can be overwhelming and frightening. Advances in treatment, however, provide women a way to manage…

By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday, just days before lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the start of their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 19. All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census. The proposed new maps reflect the fact that Illinois will have only 17 congressional districts after the 2022 elections, down from its current 18 districts, due to the state’s loss of population since the 2010 census. The draft proposal includes a number of oddly-shaped districts, many of which would…