Illinois State News

Federal grand jury indicts Wisconsin judge in immigration case, allowing charges to continue

Tue, 13 May 2025 18:43:35 +0000

MADISON, Wis. — A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, allowing the case against her to continue.

The arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan escalated a clash between President Donald Trump’s administration and local authorities over the Republican’s sweeping immigration crackdown. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to make a national example of Dugan to chill judicial opposition to the crackdown.

Prosecutors charged Dugan in April via complaint with concealing an individual to prevent arrest and obstruction. In the federal criminal justice system, prosecutors can initiate charges against a defendant directly by filing a complaint or present evidence to a grand jury and let that body decide whether to issue charges.

A grand jury still reviews charges brought by complaint to determine whether enough probable cause exists to continue the case as a check on prosecutors’ power. If the grand jury determines there’s probable cause, it issues a written statement of the charges known as an indictment. That’s what happened in Dugan’s case.

Dugan faces up to six years in prison if she’s convicted on both counts. Her team of defense attorneys responded to the indictment with a one-sentence statement saying that she maintains her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court. She was scheduled to enter a plea on Thursday.

Kenneth Gales, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee, declined to comment on the indictment Tuesday evening.

Dugan’s case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge, who was accused of helping a man sneak out a courthouse back door to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That case was eventually dismissed.

Prosecutors say Dugan escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a back jury door on April 18 after learning that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the courthouse seeking his arrest.

According to court documents, Flores-Ruiz illegally reentered the U.S. after being deported in 2013. Online state court records show he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor domestic abuse in Milwaukee County in March. He was in Dugan’s courtroom that morning of April 18 for a hearing.

Court documents suggest Dugan was alerted to the agents’ presence by her clerk, who was informed by an attorney that the agents appeared to be in the hallway. An affidavit says Dugan was visibly angry over the agents’ arrival and called the situation “absurd” before leaving the bench and retreating to her chambers. She and another judge later approached members of the arrest team in the courthouse with what witnesses described as a “confrontational, angry demeanor.”

After a back-and-forth with the agents over the warrant for Flores-Ruiz, Dugan demanded they speak with the chief judge and led them away from the courtroom, according to the affidavit.

She then returned to the courtroom and was heard saying words to the effect of “wait, come with me” and ushered Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out through a back jury door typically used only by deputies, jurors, court staff and in-custody defendants, according to the affidavit. Flores-Ruiz was free on a signature bond in the abuse case at the time, according to online state court records.

Federal agents ultimately captured him outside the courthouse after a foot chase.

The state Supreme Court suspended Dugan from the bench in late April, saying the move was necessary to preserve public confidence in the judiciary. A reserve judge is filling in for her.

Federal judge OKs use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans who are labeled gang members

Tue, 13 May 2025 17:36:30 +0000

A federal judge says President Donald Trump can use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan citizens who are shown to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

The ruling Tuesday from U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines in Pennsylvania appears to be the first time a federal judge has signed off on Trump’s proclamation calling Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization and invoking the 18th century wartime law to deport people labeled as being members of the gang.

At least three other federal judges have said Trump was improperly using the Alien Enemies Act to speed deportations of people the administration says are Venezuelan gang members.

Haines, a Trump appointee, also said the administration hasn’t been giving enough notice to people facing removal under the AEA. She ordered the administration to provide at least 21 days notice — far longer than the 12 hours that some deportees have been given.

“This case poses significant issues that are deeply interwoven with the constitutional principles upon which this Nation’s government is founded,” Haines wrote. “In approaching these issues, the Court begins by stressing the questions that it is not resolving at this time.”

The ruling doesn’t address whether the administration can remove people under other immigration laws, nor does it address whether Trump can invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport people who simply migrated to the U.S. and who aren’t members of a foreign terrorist organization, Haines wrote. She also did not weigh in on whether people suspected of being members of other gangs could be removed under the act.

But she did say the Act can be used to remove Venezuelan citizens who are at least 14 years old, who are in the U.S. without legal immigration status, and who are members of Tren de Aragua.

“Having done its job, the Court now leaves it to the Political Branches of the government, and ultimately to the people who elect those individuals, to decide whether the laws and those executing them continue to reflect their will,” Haines wrote.

Trump issued a proclamation in March claiming that Tren de Aragua was invading the U.S. He said he had special powers to deport immigrants, identified by his administration as gang members, without the usual court proceedings. After the proclamation, the administration began deporting people designated as Tren de Aragua members to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

The proclamation and deporations sparked a flurry of lawsuits in multiple states — including the one that led to Haines’ ruling Tuesday. That case was brought a Venezuelan national who says he fled to the U.S. with his wife and children in 2023 after facing extortion in his own country. He was arrested in February after a neighbor reported that he is a member of Tren de Aragua — a claim the man vehemently denies.

The man is identified only by his initials in the lawsuit. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Haines initially approved the case as a class action, temporarily blocking the Trump administration from using the AEA to deport any migrants in her district. But she lifted that designation Tuesday, clearing the way for deportations to resume as long as the people being removed are given at least 21 days notice in English and Spanish as well as an “opportunity to be heard” on any objections they might have.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie testifies at his trial about abuse and ‘freak offs’

Tue, 13 May 2025 17:03:33 +0000

NEW YORK — Cassie, the R&B singer and former girlfriend of Sean “Diddy” Combs, testified on Tuesday that the music mogul abused and sexually exploited her for years, as she took the witness stand for the first time during his sex trafficking trial.

Sighing heavily and pausing to compose herself at times, Cassie told the jury in New York that she felt compelled by Combs to participate in elaborate sexual marathons called “freak offs” involving male sex workers. She also said Combs assaulted her numerous times during their turbulent relationship.

“He would mash me in the head, knock me over, drag me, kick me. Stomp me in the head if I was down,” she said, leaving her bruised and bloodied. She said it was difficult to refuse Combs’ demands because she feared he would hurt her or leak videos of the “freak offs” to the internet.

Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of abuse. The suit was settled within hours but dozens of similar legal claims followed, sparking the criminal investigation.

She is the star witness for prosecutors who accuse Combs of using his status as a powerful executive to orchestrate a deviant empire of exploitation, coercing women into abusive sex parties and becoming violent if they refused.

Lawyers for three-time Grammy winner argue that although he could be violent, Combs never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering, telling jurors that the sexual acts were consensual. Defense attorney Teny Geragos said in opening statements on Monday that jurors might think Combs is a “jerk” and might not condone his “kinky sex,” but that “he’s not charged with being a jerk.”

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. He has been jailed since his arrest in September. If convicted, could get at least 15 years and up to life in prison.

Cassie testifies about violence and abuse

She and Combs met in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating.

“Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, everything, everything,” Cassie testified.

Under questioning by a prosecutor, Cassie said her relationship with Combs ran the gamut from good times to arguments and physical altercations.

“If they were violent arguments, it would usually result in some sort of physical abuse and dragging, just different things,” Cassie said. Asked how frequently Combs became violent with her, Cassie softly responded: “Too frequently.”

Cassie sniffled and dabbed her eyes with a tissue while on the stand. She is pregnant and would occasionally rest her hands on her belly.

Cassie felt she couldn’t refuse Combs’ demands

Now 38, Cassie said she was barely 22 when Combs first asked her to do a “freak off.” The encounters would go on for 36 or 48 hours, and she said the longest lasted four days. She said they stemmed from Combs’ interest in voyeurism.

Cassie said the “freak offs” involved hiring a sex worker and “setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean” while Combs watched. This took place in private, often in dark hotel rooms, unlike Combs’ very public White Parties in the Hamptons that attracted A-list celebrities and gossip columnists.

She said her first “freak off” occurred in Combs’ Los Angeles home with a male stripper from Las Vegas and she felt dirty and confused afterward, but relief that Combs was happy.

Cassie said she felt obligated to go along with future “freak offs.”

“I just didn’t want to make him upset,” she said. “I just didn’t want to make him angry and regret telling me about this experience that was so personal.”

She also worried about potential violence and the threat of the sex videos being posted on the internet if she refused, she testified.

Cassie began crying as she was asked if there was any aspect of “freak offs” that she liked. She said that “time spent with him” was what she enjoyed.

‘Freak offs’ became a ‘job’

Soon, she said, she was doing “freak offs” weekly. They went on for a decade, with the final one occurring in 2017 or 2018, she said.

“‘Freak offs’ became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again,” she said. Each time, she said, she had to recuperate from lack of sleep, alcohol, drugs “and other substances,” and “having sex with a stranger for days.”

Shown still images from the now-infamous 2016 security camera footage of Combs beating her at a Los Angeles hotel, Cassie said that prior to the altercation: “We were having an encounter called a ‘freak off’ and I was leaving there.”

Cassie said the “freak offs” involved lots of baby oil. On one occasion, she said, a blow-up pool of baby oil and lubricants was placed in a hotel room and she was told to get inside. She also described being humiliated by some of the things Combs made her do.

“It was such a mess,” she said. “It was like, ‘What are we doing?’”

The Associated Press doesn’t generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done.

Hotel video is a key piece of evidence

On Monday, jurors were shown the hotel security video, which CNN aired last year, leading Combs to apologize. The video shows Combs wearing only a white towel, punching, kicking and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway.

Israel Florez, a former security officer at the hotel, testified Monday that he refused when Combs offered him a stack of money and said “Don’t tell nobody.”

California prosecutors said they couldn’t prosecute the assault because it happened years before the video was made public and the statute of limitations had expired.

Combs was among the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades. The rapper, entrepreneur and founder of Bad Boy Records has worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige and Usher. He also created the fashion clothing line Sean John and produced the reality show “Making the Band” for MTV.

Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

Valparaiso University officials confirm art sale, ask city to serve as pass-through for $117M bond issue

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:21:37 +0000

Valparaiso University officials came before the Valparaiso City Council Monday to explain their bid for the city to serve as a conduit for up to $117 million in general obligation bonds for some campus renovations and to refinance university debt.

What they got was a host of questions from the council on why the university sold cornerstone artwork from the Brauer Museum to fund freshman dorm renovations if they were undertaking a bond issue, whether the city would face any financial obligation, and how to explain the request to their constituents.

“The Silver Veil and the Golden Gate” by Childe Hassam at the Brauer Museum of Art on the Valparaiso University campus in Valparaiso, Indiana, Friday, February 10, 2023. University officials confirmed during a Monday Valparaiso City Council meeting that the painting has been sold. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)

“We have a lot of publicity regarding some art sales,” said Mark Volpatti, the university’s senior vice president for finance and chief financial officer.

The university has sold or is concluding the sale of the three paintings, including one by Georgia O’Keeffe, and is moving forward with its freshman village, he said, adding the renovation work was being done without taking on debt and through “the proceeds from the artwork.”

University spokesperson Michael Fenton confirmed in an email to the Post-Tribune Tuesday that O’Keeffe’s “Rust Red Hills” and “The Silver Veil and the Golden Gate” by Childe Hassam have been sold.

Because the sale was conducted through a private broker, he did not have information on the identity of the buyers. The sale of Frederic E. Church’s “Mountain Landscape” is still in process, Fenton said, “and there is no further information at this time.”

Work on the freshman village, as Volpatti called it, includes air conditioning, furniture and other upgrades. The dorms, Brandt and Wehrenberg halls, are slated to have a gallery displaying lesser-known works of art from the Sloan Trust, which directly or indirectly provided the three paintings being sold off. The work is slated to begin this summer and conclude by fall 2026.

“People will say the No. 1 reason people don’t come to Valparaiso University is because of the housing,” Volpatti said. “All the other stuff is really good for us.”

As far as the bonds, Patrick Lyp, the city attorney, said the city can act as a conduit for the bond purchase and has done so for other non-profits, including a senior housing facility a few years ago.

“This is not necessarily debt issued by the city, where we’re responsible,” he said.

David Nie, an attorney with Ice Miller and the university’s bond counsel, reiterated that the bonds do not obligate the city financially. Under the Internal Revenue Service’s tax code, non-profits have to go through a government entity to secure general obligation bonds.

In this case, he said, the Valparaiso Economic Development Corp. can serve that role, which also is allowed under state statute.

“Their consideration is whether the project would be of benefit to the general welfare of the city and we think we meet that threshold,” Nie said.

The maximum for the bond issue is $117 million but Volpatti expects the amount to be closer to $55 million, with about $15 million for infrastructure upgrades on campus, including new roofs, information technology work, and other needs. The rest of the funds will be used to refinance existing debt.

The university’s goal, Volpatti said, is to have the bonds on hand by the end of June, which also is the end of the university’s fiscal year.

City council members had an assortment of questions about the sale of the artwork, the university’s junk bond status by Moody’s, and whether the university had a backup plan if the council voted against pitching in with the bond issue.

Councilwoman Barb Domer, D-3rd, asked Volpatti to confirm that the freshman dorm renovations weren’t included in the $117 million bond issue and that the entire cost of those renovations would come from selling the paintings, which he did.

David Nie, a partner with Ice Miller, on right, discusses Valparaiso University’s request for the city of Valparaiso to serve as a conduit for a $117 million general obligation bond during a city council meeting May 12, 2025. (Philip Potempa/for Post-Tribune)

The university expects the paintings to bring in around $12 million, which is what’s being invested in the dorm renovations, Volpatti said, adding the $117 million figure for the bond issue “is if we go all in and we don’t think that will happen.”

“What’s the Plan B? What happens if this body says no?” asked Councilman Peter Anderson, R-5th.

The university would have to figure out the funding, Volpatti said, and determine whether that’s done through philanthropy or selling core assets.

Nie, under questioning from Council President Ellen Kapitan, D-At-large, reiterated that the city would serve as a pass-through for the bonds.

“In no way does this ever reflect on the issuer that issued the bonds. In no way does this come back to the city,” Nie said, adding the bonds would not impact taxpayers.

Councilman Robert Cotton, D-2nd, like other city officials, said he supports the university but had questions about the university’s recent bond rating analysis from Moody’s.

“I just feel very responsible to understand as best as possible the recent change in the bond rating” and whether that’s from the university’s debt or its enrollment struggles, Cotton said.

Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. recently downgraded Valparaiso University two notches to a junk rating, which could raise the university’s borrowing costs.

In an April 30 report, Moody’s noted that “the highly competitive student market poses ongoing difficulties for enrollment management. Inability to boost net tuition revenue will further limit financial reserves and the university’s capacity to address operating deficits in the short term.”

The negative outlook, Moody’s said, “reflects the potential for continued enrollment challenges resulting in pressure to balance operations.”

The university is working to “right-size,” Nie said, and determine where it sees growth. At one time the university hoped to have more than 6,500 students but “that’s not happening,” he said. The university had 2,598 students at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, according to its website.

The goal, Nie said, is for the university to break even for two years and generate revenue four years out. Still, Cotton wanted to know if the university would be “pressing against a debt limit” with the general obligation bonds.

Nie confirmed that the university has enough funding to support the bond payments, and added that the university will only be taking on an additional $15 million in debt for the infrastructure work since $32 million to $37 million will be used to restructure debt. This is the first time the university has asked the city to be a conduit for a bond issue.

“If this was an option, can I ask why it wasn’t used instead of selling the artwork?” asked Councilwoman Emilie Hunt, D-At-large.

The artwork was sold, Nie said, because university officials “felt like we had a very great asset but it wasn’t doing the most from an operational capability for the campus to run. It was just a decision the university made.”

Per the court order that allowed for modifying the trust that provided the funding for the paintings, Nie said, the funds have to be used for the dorm renovations. Any money left over also has to go toward university housing.

Domer said she was still trying to figure out the sequence of events and how she was going to explain that there was more than a year of legal controversy over selling the art because those funds were necessary for dorm renovations.

“That’s all happened and now there’s a request for a $117 million bond issue and when I think about the sequence of events, wouldn’t all of this have been known a year ago or even six months ago, on the heels of a court order saying it’s OK to sell those paintings to renovate the freshmen dorms?” she said.

The university chose to sell the paintings for the dorm renovations, Volpatti said, because “we thought that was the best return on the investment.” Selling the art, he added, was the best thing for the university and, in turn, the city because the renovated dorms would bring people here.

Valparaiso City Councilman Peter Anderson, far right, addresses the council and Valparaiso University representatives during a council meeting Monday, May 12, 2025, about the city acting as a conduit for a $117 million general obligation bond for the university. (Philip Potempa/for Post-Tribune)

“From our position, this is a bit of a confusing thing, right?” Anderson said. “The city is doing something for the university, it’s this very innocent pass-through thing but it’s very difficult to explain that to the public.

“I would think you would do yourselves a service by letting us know exactly what the projects are going to be because that allows us to present that to our constituents.”

Nie said the university could share a memo about the details with Lyp. Additionally, Lyp said the university will have to present an economic benefit statement to the VEDC, including job retention, which is at least as important, if not more so, than new hires.

The university has about 600 employees, Volpatti said, with about 200 or 225 faculty members and the rest staff employees.

“For me, it’s really important that we have Valparaiso University. It’s a huge asset to our community,” Kapitan said.” I’m glad we’re able to have this conversation to show our support but at the same time, I’m understanding what our role is in this, and we’re successful when you’re successful.”

Mayor Jon Costas said he appreciated the conversation and understood that the city would look and feel a lot different without the university.

“Smaller, private institutions are challenged and you’ve got to make some difficult decisions to make sure you’re succeeding,” he said, adding the city would not be taking on any risk by serving as the conduit for the bond issue.

The council voted to carry the matter to its next meeting, scheduled for June 9, though it could schedule a special meeting before that to consider the proposal. In the meantime, the city’s plan commission will have to give the proposal a cursory glance, which officials expect to be routine since it doesn’t include anything involving city infrastructure.

The Valparaiso Economic Development Corp. will hold a public hearing about the bond issue at 2 p.m. May 28 in council chambers at city hall, the only public hearing on the proposal before it goes back to the city council for a final vote.

alavalley@chicagotribune.com

Trial opens for Gary man charged with killing marijuana dealer

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:49:40 +0000

A Gary man is on trial for allegedly killing his marijuana dealer.

Tyrone Reno, 34, of Gary, was charged Nov. 20, 2023, with murder and a firearms enhancement. He has pleaded not guilty.

Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Dafoe said Tuesday in opening arguments the shooting happened within five minutes after Reno showed up at Quintez Johnson’s apartment to buy “some weed.”

There were two kids in the apartment in another room. After the shooting, when they called a woman for help, she thought it was a “TikTok prank,” Dafoe said.

Defense lawyer Natalie Williams said prosecutors gave a “one-sided story.”

Just because a man – on the apartment security cameras – looked like Reno, didn’t mean it was him, she said.

“It’s not enough to show he’s probably guilty,” she told the jury. “We’re not saying anyone is lying. We’re saying mistakes happen.”

Gary Police responded Nov. 15, 2021, to an apartment building on the 1300 block of W. 5th Avenue for a homicide.

Detectives found a trail of marijuana up the stairs to an open Pringles can inside a third-floor apartment. Johnson, 31, was lying on the sofa. He had been shot twice in the head. There were no signs of struggle.

Security cameras showed a man — later identified as Reno — arriving at Johnson’s apartment, then fleeing about three minutes later. He had a handgun and a marijuana bag. Police believe Johnson was shot around 2 p.m.

While a patrolman was writing a report at the Gary Police Station, 555 Polk St., a man who matched the one seen on the video walked by him and a colleague. He was wearing the same clothes, including a black hoodie with white lining and brown tag.

The other cop approached him. Reno gave his name but he wasn’t arrested since the man in the video wasn’t identified yet.

When Det. James Nielsen later interviewed him, Reno said one picture “looks like me,” while the second, he admitted, “that’s me,” Dafoe told jurors.

A witness said Johnson started selling marijuana a month earlier to help pay his bills.

Investigators used “facial recognition software” to help match security footage outside the Gary Police station to the man seen at Johnson’s apartment.

The case is before Judge Salvador Vasquez. Deputy Prosecutor Milana Petersen is also assigned.

mcolias@post-trib.com

Merrillville man sentenced to 15 years for racketeering conspiracy

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:37:23 +0000

A Merrillville man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes committed while he was involved with a Gary-based motorcycle gang.

Roger “Bo” Burton was sentenced after pleading guilty to a RICO conspiracy charge in May 2024. Burton also allegedly shot and killed Sin City Desciples member London “Short Dogg” Clayton, during a May 2, 2015, fight at the clubhouse on the 1300 block of Virginia Street, according to Post-Tribune archives.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon said Tuesday that the recommended sentence was 20 years, but he took mitigating factors into account.

“Who would want to be part of this?” Simon said about Sin City Disciples. “It was an organization you joined, and you were up to your ears.”

Federal prosecutors wrote in filings that Burton was once among the three most powerful members, including founder Kenneth “Sonny” McGhee and Michael Rivera, who was involved in Clayton’s murder.

Burton was also a Vice Lords member, “extremely violent” and sold cocaine to McGhee, according to court filings.

Before sentencing Tuesday, Burton apologized to the court, his attorneys and loved ones for the pain he caused. Burton told Simon that he joined Sin City Disciples to find brotherhood, but it wasn’t what he hoped for.

“I never want to put anyone through that again,” Burton said.

Lawrence Levin, Burton’s attorney, said he’s spent a lot of time with his client, and he thinks Burton understands the error of his ways and has given up his “previous life of crime.”

Levin asked Simon to sentence Burton with justice, mercy and hope that he will be reintegrated into society.

Simon said Tuesday that Burton seemed sincere before his sentencing.

“I hope you’re being genuine,” Simon said.

Burton’s health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, were mitigating factors in Simon’s decision. Another mitigating factor was that Burton has a large family, the judge said.

Levin asked for Burton to be sent to a federal medical center in Lexington, Kentucky, because of his health problems. Simon told Levin that he’d recommend the medical facility.

Burton was one of 15 members and associates of the Sin City Desciples to be charged in racketeering conspiracy and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, according to an Oct. 27, 2021, news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.

Upon sentencing Burton, Simon said he wouldn’t be issued a fine because of his lack of assets, and he would receive credit for his time in prison since Oct. 27, 2021.

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com

League of Women Voters hosting Valpo City Council redistricting forum

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:12:36 +0000

The public is invited to a Thursday forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Porter County to discuss the impact of redistricting the geographical boundaries of the Valparaiso City Council seats.

The meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the community room at Pines Village Retirement Community, 3303 Pines Village Circle in Valparaiso

Valparaiso City Council Member Barbara Domer (D-3), a longtime member of the League will assist with the event, entitled “Draw the Lines Valparaiso.”

“Even before I was elected, I’ve always described myself as an active advocate, including my time serving with the League of Women Voters of Porter County,” Domer said.

Much like a town hall, she said the tradition of a public forum gathering brings residents together to ask questions and share perspectives on key issues.

“I am reaching out to explain the redistricting initiative I have been working on which is to establish an independent citizen-led redistricting commission whose responsibility will be to draw the Valparaiso city council legislative district maps,” Domer said.

“As a member of the League of Women Voters of Porter County, I have been involved in the redistricting process for the past several years. Taking the politicians out of the map drawing process and entrusting the residents of our community with this responsibility will likely create district maps which respect communities/neighborhoods of interest without dividing voters for political gain.”

In 2022, the city entered a contract with the law firm of former speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives Brian Bosma to draw the city district maps.

“The city paid close to $50,000 for this service, while meanwhile residents, including myself, proved we could draw the maps locally and we drew legislative maps for free,” Domer said.

Domer said an independent redistricting commission would establish “the redistricting procedures that are transparent, inclusive and inviting public participation.”

“At the core of this commission’s mission would be to receive public input on how residents want to see their communities drawn,” Domer said.

“I am inviting everyone, including our elected officials, to this upcoming public forum on city council redistricting. Julia Vaughn, Executive Director of Common Cause Indiana, will share information on the process of redistricting with her opening remarks and I will facilitate a discussion on how an independent redistricting commission can work in Valparaiso.”

Vaughn said public comment and input are key to any proposed transition or needed change.

“Putting power in the people’s hands when it comes to drawing city district lines is one of the best ways to ensure effective, responsive government. Rather than letting partisan interests dominate how city council lines are drawn, this approach prioritizes neighborhood voices and community needs,” Vaughn said.

Beckie Guffin, president of the League of Women Voters of Porter County, said redistricting ranks as one of the number one topics the public requests for information and involvement.

“The League of Women Voters have believed for a long time that the redistricting process should be the responsibility of a vested citizens commission,” Guffin said.

“The League believes that the redistricting process can create fair and free maps by opening the process to public scrutiny and input and public submission of maps. We believe that the criteria used to draw district maps must be transparent and available to citizens so they can have confidence the maps are not partisan or unfairly gerrymandered.”

Phil Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

Orland Park rehires former Village Manager George Koczwara, some trustees wanted more time

Tue, 13 May 2025 14:22:29 +0000

Orland Park officials voted Monday to rehire former Village Manager George Koczwara, although some trustees urged the board to take more time before making a decision.

Koczwara was manager for five years before leaving last June, and is being rehired, effective immediately, at a salary of $207,000.

The village attorney will also draft a one-year employment agreement.

The action was taken at a special Village Board meeting Monday, with a closed-door session taking place beforehand.

Mayor Jim Dodge ran with a slate of village clerk and three trustee candidates, won election and were sworn in May 5.

Dodge defeated Keith Pekau, who sought a third term as mayor and ran with his own slate, in the April 1 election.

While Dodge and the other new officials took care of basic village business at the May 5 meeting, the hiring of Koczwara was the first substantive action taken since the change in administration and makeup of the board, which now gives the new mayor a 4-3 majority.

Jim Culotta, previously assistant village manager, has been interim village manager since Koczwara’s departure.

Previously village administrator in Shorewood, Culotta was in the interim position since October.

Carol McGury, who ran for trustee with Pekau, questioned Monday why the board was rushing to make an appointment and urged colleagues to rethink their choice.

Another resident said he agreed with the board’s decision to take action right away.

“We need someone now who can step into the job immediately,” and that Koczwara is “already familiar with our operations,” he said.

Resident Joseph Solek questioned why the job had not been advertised and other candidates considered.

“What’s the hurry to appoint a new village manager?” he asked.

Trustees Cynthia Katsenes and Michael Milani, prevously elected to the board under Pekau’s support, said the important position of village manager required more study.

Katsenes said approving a village manager, which he said in many ways has more of a role in the day-to-day operations than the mayor, is “one of the most serious votes a trustee can make.”

She said the village should step back and “conduct an open and transparent process” and that, in the meantime, “the village has been in very capable hands” with Culotta.

Milani also questioned why there had not been a job posting or interview process, saying hiring a new manager “is a very important topic.”

He made a motion to table a decision, which failed before the vote, 4-2, to hire Koczwara. Trustee William Healy was not at the meeting.

mnolan@southtownstar.com

20 Democratic attorneys general sue Trump administration over conditions placed on federal funds

Tue, 13 May 2025 14:14:55 +0000

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A coalition of 20 state Democratic attorneys general filed two federal lawsuits on Tuesday, claiming that the Trump administration is threatening to withhold billions of dollars in transportation and disaster-relief funds unless state’s agree to certain immigration enforcement actions.

According to the complaints, both Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have threatened to cut off funding to states that refuse to comply with President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.

While no federal funding is currently being withheld, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a press conference on Tuesday that the threat was “imminent.”

“President Donald Trump can’t use these funds as a bargaining chip as his way of ensuring states abide by his preferred policies,” Bonta added.

Email messages seeking comment were sent Tuesday to the departments of Transportation and Homeland Security.

Both lawsuits say that the Trump administration is violating the U.S. Constitution by trying to dictate federal spending when Congress has that power — not the executive branch.

On April 24, states received letters from the Department of Transportation stating that they must cooperate on immigration efforts and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing funds.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin criticized the timing of Duffy’s letter when Newark’s airport struggles with radar outages and other issues.

“I wish the administration would stop playing politics with people’s lives,” Platkin said. “I wish Secretary Duffy would do his damn job, which is to make sure planes land on time, not to direct immigration enforcement.”

Meanwhile, on Feb. 24, states received letters from the Department of Homeland Security declaring that states that “refuse to cooperate with, refuse to share information with, or even actively obstruct federal immigration enforcement reject these ideals and the history we share in common as Americans.”

“If any government entity chooses to thumb its nose at the Department of Homeland Security’s national security and public safety mission, it should not receive a single dollar of the Department’s money unless Congress has specifically required it,” Noem wrote in her letter.

Attorneys general behind the lawsuits include the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and Vermont.

The cases are being spearheaded by California but were filed in federal court in Rhode Island, a detail that the attorneys general defended by saying they filed an “any court that is going to be fair and objective and consider our factual presentation and legal analysis.”

The lawsuits are the latest legal actions that Democratic-led states have taken against Trump since he took office earlier this year. Bonta noted that California has filed more than 20 lawsuits against the administration, while Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said his state has launched more than a dozen.

While the lawsuits have challenged policies on tariffs, federal employee firings to health care research, Trump’s focus on immigration enforcement and the mass deportation of immigrants in the United States illegally have received the most attention.

This has included the president’s promise to mass deport people to the start of a registry required for all those who are in the country illegally.

“What we’re seeing is a creeping authoritarianism,” Neronha said.

Afternoon Briefing: Wells Fargo aggressively expands retail footprint

Tue, 13 May 2025 14:02:30 +0000

Good afternoon, Chicago.

Charged in the slaying of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins is Crosetti Brand, 39, who is facing felony counts of murder, attempted murder, home invasion and aggravated domestic battery. Brand is representing himself in the trial, which began Friday with jury selection and continued yesterday with opening statements, during which he told the jury he acted in self-defense.

Jayden’s mother, Laterria Smith, testified for hours, telling the jury she was stabbed over and over by Brand, who has a history of abusing her and other women. The case resumed today at the Leighton Criminal Court Building as jurors heard an account of that morning from Lilliam Rodriguez, who lived across a hallway from the family.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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