Tag: Markham

Rep. Bob Rita testifies in trial over alleged obscene text messages, harassment by Tinley Park political operative

State Rep. Bob Rita was among those who testified Friday in the trial of a Tinley Park political operative who stands accused of sending obscene and harassing text messages ahead of a previous election.

Timothy Pawula, a former political ally of Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz, was charged in October 2024 with two counts of both electronic harassment and transmitting obscene messages. Both charges are misdemeanors and carry a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail and an up to $1,500 fine, according to Cook County Associate Judge Mohammad Abedelal Ahmad.

The charges stem from texts Pawula allegedly sent to as many as 20 people, including Rita, April 4, 2023. One message, as presented during Friday’s trial, addresses voters of Tinley Park with claims that Ahleah Salefski, a candidate for village clerk at the time, lusted for both votes and sexual relations with Rita.

It was accompanied by a photoshopped image of a message Salefski posted on social media in 2017 that references “lusting after someone you know you probably shouldn’t,” according to prosecutors. Superimposed over the text were images of Rita’s and Salefski’s faces, with Salefski’s picture photoshopped to reference a sexual act.

“I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Rita said during his testimony.

According to prosecutors, the content of the messages is false and qualifies as illegally obscene under state statute, using “language or terms which are obscene, lewd or immoral with the intent to offend.”

Pawula was working for the Big Tent Coalition, a political action committee founded by Tim Ozinga, R-Mokena, who was state representative in the 37th House District before abruptly resigning in April 2024. Pawula was Ozinga’s chief of staff and treasurer of his election committee.

In an ongoing lawsuit filed in February 2025, state Sen. Michael Hastings alleges Pawula, Glotz and the Big Tent Coalition conspired to organize a “smear campaign” leading up to the November 2022 election, which included sending out obscene text messages to voters.

At the time the message was sent, Rita was running for re-election as state representative and Salefski was running for the village clerk in Tinley Park. Salefski said during her testimony that Rita’s daughter is one of her best friends, and Rita was supporting her candidacy.

Upon seeing the messages, Salefski said she felt humiliated and worried about how many people it had been sent to.

“I felt like people were going to look at me like I was some sexual deviant,” Salefski said. “I was planning to start coaching for a youth organization, and I was worried that all these kids that I was planning to coach as well as their families were seeing these things about me.”

Master Sgt. Cary Morin of the Illinois State Police’s criminal investigations unit testified that Salefski reported the text message to police after her husband, Chad Salefski, received it on Election Day. The text allegedly came from an unknown number, which state police tied to Pawula after obtaining a search warrant for documents from Ping, the messaging app used by the sender, and Apple Inc.

Morin said state police also searched Pawula’s phone, where they found evidence of the messages sent to Chad Salefski and Rita along with a screenshot of them sent to a group chat that included Glotz. In one text sent to the group referencing the messages, prosecutors said Pawula described himself as “the dirtiest piggy in the pen.”

Prosecutors said messages in the group chat along with the fact that the Pawula sent the texts to Rita, Chad Salefski and other family and friends of Rita and Salefski show they were intended to offend the two political candidates.

But defense attorney Frank Andreano said while Pawula’s political tactics may have been unsavory, the text messages targeting Rita and Salefski qualify as protected speech under the First Amendment.

“An insult isn’t an obscenity,” Andreano said.

Andreano said reacting to the speech with subpoenas and search warrants is “frightening and scary” and sends a clear message.

“Oppose us, and if you say something we don’t like, the whole weight and force of the state of Illinois will come down on you,” Andreano said.

Judge Ahmad said he will issue a ruling in the case at 9 a.m. on March 27 at the Cook County courthouse at 10220 South 76th Ave., Bridgeview.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Olivia Stevens

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February 6, 2026
Volunteers clean up at Beyond Borders Cafe after driver fleeing police crashes into building

Volunteers from the community joined owners and employees of Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor to sweep up broken glass and vacuum dust out of cushions Tuesday, after a driver fleeing Homewood police crashed into the business Monday morning.

Owners Christopher and Jennifer Zarozny said they plan to reopen as soon as possible. Their goal is to be closed for no more than two weeks.

“If it was up to us, we’d be up and running next week,” Jennifer Zarozny said.

The car crashed into the cafe the early Monday after speeding down Sterling Avenue, they said. Christopher Zarozny said the driver was speeding because he was fleeing from Homewood police, and that he was estimated to have been going 80 mph at the time of the crash.

“It wasn’t an elderly person that had a medical condition,” Christopher Zarozny said.

The village of Flossmoor’s statement said the driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

“The incident is currently under investigation by the Flossmoor Police Department, and the actions of the Homewood Police Department related to the incident are also being reviewed,” Homewood police Chief Tom Johnson said. “There is no additional information to share at this time.”

Beyond Borders Cafe opened in August of last year.

“I think we ran through every emotion,” Jennifer Zarozny said. “The crying, the anger, the going to comedy about it because what else can you do, you know?”

Despite the damage to their business, the Zaroznys said they’re relieved the accident happened when the cafe was closed and no one was present or walking nearby.

A car crashed into Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor early Monday morning. (Christopher Zarozny)

“Generally, as you know, we have people sitting here,” Christopher Zarozny said, indicating the front window of the business. “There could’ve been four dead people.”

Though the car did heavy damage to the cafe’s front wall and covered everything inside in dust and glass, it hit the front of the building side-on and did not go into the cafe itself, meaning the only major repair work will be to the front wall.

“This can be replaced, right? Human life can’t,” Christopher Zarozny said.

Lisa Hawkins, Jennifer Zarozny’s sister, was one of the volunteers helping with cleanup Tuesday. She said she’d also been thinking about how much worse the accident could’ve been.

“I was just shocked,” Hawkins said. “To me it’s kind of selfish. Just pull over.”

A car crashed into Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor early Monday morning. (Christopher Zarozny)

The accident also broke a fire hydrant and damaged the building’s gas meter. The situation was especially dangerous because the building has apartments on the upper floors, Hawkins said.

“He busted the gas meter,” Hawkins said. “With the car being on fire, he could’ve blown the whole building up.”

Hawkins said it was painful to see the cafe in disarray after all the work that went into getting the it up and running.

“We’re thankful that the community’s coming together and people are coming here and coming together to help clean up today,” Hawkins said. “It takes a village, for sure.”

Christopher Zarozny, left, points out the gas meter that was hit in the crash. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)

Volunteers clean up the Red Velvet Room in the back of of Beyond Borders Cafe, where the business recently hosted a wine tasting. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)

Manager Farzana Ecob said she moved to the area from Los Angeles shortly before the cafe opened last July.

“The cafe means a lot to me. I’ve seen it from day one, or day zero,” Ecob said. “I like to think this is everybody’s baby, and to see the baby hurt is really devastating.”

Ecob said her hope for the cafe is that it provides a safe, comfortable space for everyone.

“It’s such a wonderful communal place, and to see it in this state is a little traumatizing,” Ecob said.

However, Ecob said she was certain the business would come out stronger from the accident.

“We have hope, and seeing everybody coming in today and helping out, we’ll persevere,” Ecob said. “Life throws a lot of curveballs at you, but community, at the end, is what thrives and keeps us going, and that’s what everybody is here to do.”

elewis@chicagotribune.com

Evy Lewis

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January 13, 2026
Personal history fuels firefighting family to fund scholarship at Moraine Valley Community College

Growing up in a single-parent household, Daniel Brand discovered early in life how crucial an education can be for families of lesser means.

As a longtime firefighter, he also knows how tough it is to find qualified candidates to fill the demand for emergency responder positions.

So he started the Brand Family Firefighter Scholarship for $1,000 to assist Moraine Valley Community College students attending the school’s Fire Academy and Emergency Medical Services Program.

“During my childhood and as a young adult myself, my brother Bill, and especially my mom, didn’t have the financial means to further our education past high school,” said Brand, who now handles OSHA compliance and logistics for the Crestwood Fire Department. “Events that occur have lasting effects on a child, so I want to take the opportunity to give a little extra to that person who wants to serve his or her community as a firefighter.

“Currently many fire departments are having trouble filling open positions, so I hope this helps get someone through the finish line and into a career in the fire service.”

Brand has a strong link to the profession through his family.

His cousin, the late Ed Brand, was a battalion chief for the Oak Lawn Fire Department. Another cousin, the late James Drozdz, was a firefighter in Crestwood and Palos Heights before becoming a state police officer and eventually states attorney for Hancock County. Brand’s brother-in-law is on the Oak Forest Fire Department and his father-in-law, Phil Knor, was a firefighter for more than 20 years.

Also, Brand and his mother both attended the college in Palos Hills, so the scholarship at MVCC was a perfect fit.

He is one of a handful of recent donors to have established scholarships to help Moraine Valley students get started in the trades. Each has their own personal story about how education and scholarships helped them or their loved ones get where they are today.

The Adam Bartuzi Trades Career Programs Scholarship established by the Zopf, McNamara and Bartuzi families offers $500 to a student in memory of Adam Bartuzi Sr. After he died, son Adam Bartuzi Jr. nearly dropped his college plans until his uncle Peter Bartuzzi signed up for classes at Moraine Valley too.

Moraine Valley Community College students Peter Bartuzi and Adam Bartuzi Jr. display their scholarship awards. After being assisted in getting an education at the school the family established a scholarship in memory of Adam Bartuzi Sr., who also was a student at the school. (Moraine Valley Community College)

“When Peter and Adam Jr. saw how scholarships were changing their classmates’ lives, and theirs. Peter talked to his large family and asked if everyone could chip in to create a scholarship in honor of Adam Sr., who strongly believed in education and was always taking classes even as an adult,” explained Patti Mehallick, director of Alumni and Annual Programs at the MVCC Foundation. “Adam Sr. was a tradesman, so they focused on the scholarship funds helping students pursuing HVAC, automotive repair, welding and electrical.”

Mehallick, who is also an adjunct business instructor, said she benefited from a scholarship when she started college in Maryland or she might not be where she is today.

“We have so many students who have big dreams but not the funds, and our donors and our foundation supply the funds for tuition fees and books so they are able to attend classes,” she said. “Community college students are different — they’re also working, may have kids — so any support we can give them to keep them in school, it gives them the drive that someone cares about me and I can do this.”

Moraine Valley Community College Fire Academy students show off their certificates during a graduation ceremony at the school in Palos Hills. Several new scholarships at the school are aimed to increase access to training in trades such as firefighting. (Moraine Valley Community College)

The other recently established scholarships at Moraine Valley Community College are the L.A. Schraffenberger Health Sciences Endowed Scholarship for $1,000; the Patricia J. McNamara Scholarship for $1,000 for students in the Nursing Program who are 24 or older and returning to school after being away for five or more years; the Patrick “Irish” Collier Scholarship in memory of Pat Collier, a long-time EMS Program instructor; and the Sullivan Paramedic Scholarship for students in the paramedic program.

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Janice Neumann

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January 2, 2026
Close to 1,000 people gather to mourn, celebrate Park Forest Officer Tim Jones

Amid the ceremonial trappings that befit someone hailed as a fallen hero, the life of Park Forest police Officer Tim Jones was celebrated Saturday before a crowd of close to 1,000 people, including police officers from an estimated 30 police departments in the Chicago area.

Pomp and circumstance were not forgotten as the arrival of police officers was ushered in with a salute by the Chicago Police Department’s Bagpipes & Drums of the Emerald Society.

Park Forest firefighters process past Detective Tim Jones’ casket before his celebration of life, service Saturday at Tinley Park High School. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

The event was held at Tinley Park High School, the school from which Jones graduated in 2009.

Jones, 34, died Dec. 3, nearly 10 years after he was critically wounded in deadly confrontation with an angry home invader March 19, 2016. Officers accompanying Jones killed the intruder.

Park Forest officials, clergy, relatives and friends all took part in Saturday’s observance.

“This day we celebrate his life” said Park Forest Mayor Joe Woods. “He gave so much with so little urging. We celebrate this superhero who gave everything. Tim did not lose his life. He gave it to an entire community.”

Former Mayor John Ostenburg said Jones was “a true hometown hero.”

“The shooting galvanized the community,” former Park Forest village manager Tom Mick told the crowd. “He became known by his first name alone.”

“He carried himself with quiet strength,” said Park Forest police Chief Brian Rzyski.

At the time of the shooting, Tim’s father, William Jones, was the Country Club Hills police chief and the person who pinned the badge on his son when he was sworn into office.

The badge No. 204 became a link between the community and its police. Three days after the shooting at a fundraiser at a Matteson restaurant to defray family expenses, hundreds of people over a four-hour period purchased both food and a blue T-shirt emblazoned with his number. A police car with his badge number on it became part of the village’s fleet.

Police officers from various departments process past Park Forest Detective Tim Jones’ casket as part of an honorary walk-through before his celebration of life. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Coloring sheets of Park Forest police Detective Tim Jones hang on the walls of Tinley Park High School during a celebration of life service Saturday for the officer, who died Dec. 3. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Village officials never seemed to forget Jones. In 2021, he was given the rank of detective and a Tim Jones honorary street sign was placed on Forest Boulevard adjacent to the police station. His Police Department desk and his locker will remain a permanent symbol of his sacrifice.

Following the 2016 shooting, Jones was airlifted to the Level One trauma unit in Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was met by more than 200 police officers of all ranks and from dozens of departments, lining the halls in a silent tribute.

Doctors told Jones’ father there was almost no hope for any recovery. One told Tim Jones’ father the odds of winning the Power Ball were better than of him living one more day.

Illinois State Police officers take their seats Saturday after participating in an honorary walk-through before a celebration of life for Park Forest Detective Tim Jones at Tinley Park High School in Tinley Park. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Tinley Park High School had posters paying tribute to Jones, and large placards with his picture proclaiming “real heroes don’t need a cape” were given to attendees.

After his death, 75 people were helped through organ donation, it was reported in the program.

Jerry Shnay is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.

Jerry Shnay

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December 27, 2025
Harvey approaches 2 months with no City Council meetings, despite mass layoffs and financial crisis

The last Harvey City Council meeting was at the end of October, when residents accused the administration of lacking transparency in the midst of a major financial crisis.

Since then, every one of the City Council’s regular biweekly meetings has been canceled.

Harvey ordinarily has City Council meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month, for a total of 24 scheduled meetings a year. The most recent scheduled meeting, which was canceled, would have been Monday, and would have been the last meeting of the year.

A spokesperson for Mayor Christopher Clark said it was not unusual for the final meeting in December to be canceled due to Christmas, despite it being listed on the city’s website.

Fourth Ward Ald. Tracy Key said in the past, the city had scheduled around Christmas so that end-of-year conversations could still be held.

“Even with Christmastime, which always falls at the end, sometimes we would have it like the week before,” Key said.

Clark said in a statement that given the city’s state of fiscal crisis, not holding meetings was the financially responsible course of action.

“Canceling meetings in this moment is about responsible leadership, not disengagement,” Clark said. “The City of Harvey is currently navigating staffing shortages and financial constraints, and we are being mindful of how public tax dollars are used. When there is nothing new to report, it is in the city’s best interests to focus our time and funds on the work towards stabilizing finances and bringing our employees back to work. We cannot afford to waste any public resources.”

However, critics of Clark have said that the move feels like avoidance.

At a special City Council meeting Oct. 16, outside the normal schedule, Clark led the audience through an hour-and-a-half long presentation about the city’s debilitating financial struggles, which he said were largely the result of corruption and mismanagement by the administration of the previous mayor, Eric Kellogg.

Under Kellogg, the city diverted water payments owed to the city of Chicago and failed to make required payments to the fire and police pension funds, he said. Compounding problems are Harvey’s high tax rates and correspondingly low collection rates, the third lowest in Cook County.

Due to the financial hole that Harvey had been left in, Clark said, its only solution was to petition the state for financially distressed status, and to partially shut down city functions until help arrived. Harvey’s City Council voted unanimously to declare Harvey in financial distress under the Illinois Financially Distressed City Law, which would allow for the state to step in to oversee Harvey’s finances.

Key said he believes that, especially with the state of uncertainty brought on by the declaration, the city should be required to have at least the 24 regular City Council meetings.

“If not, it’s taking away the residents’ rights to be able to speak and be informed,” Key said. “I’m kind of disturbed with that.”

There has been no visible movement from the state regarding the city’s declaration of financial distress.

In the week following the declaration, Harvey laid off 40% of its city staff, including major cuts to the Fire Department and Police Department. A later round of layoffs brought the Fire Department well below half strength.

Following those developments, there was only one more Harvey City Council meeting, Oct. 27. The last meeting before the hiatus was rancorous, with a resident being escorted out by police from the preceding Finance Committee meeting before the City Council even convened.

At that meeting, Clark and a majority of the City Council voted to approve bill lists for the city and approved the sale of a set of city-owned properties to an entity called Turlington Homes for redevelopment, over objections from Key and 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman.

Turlington Homes was established as a business Oct. 2. Its website remains empty. The resolution approving the sale said that the city was “willing to assist the developer by selling the Redevelopment Property at a discounted sale price,” though a price was not specified.

“You didn’t even say how much you sold our land for,” Chapman said. “It’s ours, because if the city owns it, then it’s mine too, it’s everyone’s who lives in the city. We own it.”

During public comment at that meeting, several residents strongly criticized Clark and the members of City Council for approving expenses as normal when the city was in crisis, and for approving the sale to Turlington Homes with no discussion or debate.

Subsequently, every City Council meeting has been quietly canceled with no agenda posted and, Chapman said, a lack of communication to City Council members. Each of the scheduled meetings appears on the city website, but never occurs.

“I’ve called, I’ve emailed, and I have yet to receive any responses on anything,” Chapman said.

The lack of meetings also means that no bills have come before the City Council for approval since the meeting at the end of October, when invoices from July 18 to Oct. 21 were approved.

Chapman said the lack of meetings and public information makes it hard for Harvey residents to see a future for the city.

“If individuals are seeing increased property taxes, financial distress being called in our city, what is holding them to have a belief that there’s a quality of life, a path forward for Harvey?” Chapman said.

The next scheduled meeting is set for Jan. 12, next year.

elewis@chicagotribune.com

Evy Lewis

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December 23, 2025
Calumet City aldermen lower limit of Mayor Thaddeus Jones’ credit card, citing excessive travel spending

Calumet City aldermen are raising concerns about Mayor Thaddeus Jones’ municipal credit card after receiving a statement that shows the mayor, who was reelected in April, spent more than $44,000 in one month.

The spending, much of which took place during the Congressional Black Caucus’ 54th annual legislative conference in Washington, led the City Council to lower Jones’ credit card limit from $50,000 to $5,000 and consider asking the mayor, who is also a state representative, to reimburse the city for an undetermined portion of the costs.

Second Ward Ald. Monet Wilson said she raised concerns about Jones’ spending after receiving a list of bills for approval Oct. 23, which included unauthorized charges to a Hooters restaurant in Lansing, steakhouses in Chicago and Washington and private tours of Washington.

“The spending reflected in this bill list reveals a pattern of wasteful, unauthorized and excessive use of public funds that cannot, in good conscience, be ignored,” Wilson wrote in an email sent to Jones and other aldermen Oct. 23, the day of the City Council meeting. “I had hoped that some of these line items would raise questions from members of this council — because raised eyebrows should lead to raised phone receivers. Instead, silence seems to have replaced oversight.”

In response, Jones wrote that her email was “full of lies and misinformation.”

“I expect you to vote ‘yes’ tonight as the funds were reimbursed and approved already,” Jones said.

The council voted unanimously to remove 25 separate charges from the approved bill list. Restaurant charges removed include $480 spent on two occasions at the Lansing Hooters, $510 spent at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, $120 spent at Chicago Pita, $1,100 spent at Rosemont restaurant Carmine’s, $310 spent at Washington restaurant Ocean Prime and $2,700 spent at STK, a Washington steakhouse.

Other spending removed from the bill list included payments totaling $1,900 to Amazon, four payments of $4,500 to KSM Logistics, $6,300 in payments made to three separate vendors via Paypal, four payments to Southwest Airlines totaling $980, two payments of $820 to Private D.C. Tours, $690 in Uber rides and $530 to Uber Eats, according to the Oct. 23 meeting minutes.

At a Nov. 4 special Finance Committee meeting, Jones said he gave a $25,000 check to the city treasurer to cover the charges removed from the previous bill list, according to meeting minutes.

Further inquiry into spending via the municipal credit card during the Sept. 22-29 Washington trip uncovered tens of thousands of dollars in transactions recorded, some of which were not included in the October bill list but are visible on Jones’ credit card statements.

Wilson Community Liaison

Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune

Calumet City 2nd Ward Ald. Monet S. Wilson participates in a City Council meeting Nov. 9, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

The City Council considered canceling Jones’ credit card entirely during a Nov. 4 Finance Committee meeting. Alds. Wilson, DeAndre Tillman and DeJuan Gardner voted in favor of canceling the credit card, while Alds. Shalisa Harvey, Ramonde Williams, Melissa Phillips and Miacole Nelson voted against.

“It wouldn’t put the council at risk of having to comb through various potential items of expenditures that are questionable,” Gardner said.

All seven aldermen did vote to reduce Jones’ card limit from $50,000 to $5,000.

“I would hope that this policy is followed now that the amount has been reduced significantly,” Gardner said.

Phillips said she was unavailable for comment while Tillman, Harvey, Williams and Nelson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to the credit card statement that closed Oct. 2, more than $44,000 was spent via Jones’ municipal credit card in September. The city budgeted $5,000 for Jones to spend during the Washington conference, and the council approved $4,800 on Sept. 11 for his lodging at a Marriott Marquis hotel.

Wilson and Tillman were also approved to attend the conference and provided $3,500 each for travel expenses, meeting minutes show. According to the Sept. 11 meeting minutes, city employees Juel Stanley, Jericho Thomas and Scott Nnamah and Ald. Harvey were also approved, though the amount allocated for each official to spend was not specified.

Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones talks to area residents about property tax increases in the south suburbs on July 22, 2024, at Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Jones declined to be interviewed, but in a statement said “I stand firm in the decision to have staff as well as our elected officials travel to Washington D.C. to take part in all of the impactful workshops and seminars in which the Congressional Black Caucus offered to local governments, not-for-profits, and business leaders throughout the nation.”

During the trip, Jones said, he and others met with representatives for Illinois’s two U.S. senators and congressional leaders, and made a request for $20 million. He said one of the Hooters charges “was for employees from public works and city staff (both men and women) who were working overtime at a previous event. THEY CHOSE HOOTERS. I treated them to lunch.”

Jones is under federal investigation for tax issues involving his campaign funds, the Tribune has reported, with the mayor and state representative paying tens of thousands of dollars in the first quarter of this year to a law firm that specializes in criminal defense.

Among the records that emerged with a 2022 subpoena were previously undisclosed details of a 2017 hearing on a complaint filed by two Calumet City aldermen with the State Board of Elections that alleged Jones spent political funds for personal use.

The complaint cited a series of expenditures by Jones’ campaigns, including for outings to Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs games, and nearly $7,000 spent between 2014 and 2016 at Hooters. The complaint also claimed payments to the Jones Foundation, a charity Jones founded that is headed by his wife, were illegally reported.

Following a hearing, the elections board ruled there was insufficient evidence to support most of the allegations and Jones was not fined.

Former Calumet City Ald. James Patton, who filed the complaint along with Tillman, this year mounted an unsuccessful challenge to Jones for mayor, losing in the Democratic primary.

Jones also came under fire last year after charges from Hooters, a Gordon Ramsey restaurant, a hotel in New Orleans and a Cadillac lease appeared on his municipal credit card statements. Jones promised to repay the city for some of the $13,000 in scrutinized expenses, though some of the disputed charges were ultimately approved by the council.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Olivia Stevens

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November 24, 2025
Southland College Prep band director Ron Harrigan is state charter school teacher of the year

During Southland College Prep Charter High School’s homecoming pep rally Wednesday, band director Ron Harrigan was surprised with the news he is the Illinois Network of Charter High Schools’ Teacher of the Year.

Southland College Prep, in Richton Park, was the only charter high school to receive “exemplary” status from the Illinois State Board of Education this year. Its student population is 585, the school said.

“We’re a small school — everybody knows everybody and everyone looks out for everybody,” Harrigan told reporters after receiving the award. “We try to not allow any student to fall behind.”

Harrigan’s relationship with Southland College Prep dates back to the school’s founding in 2010. While also teaching at Huth Middle School in Matteson, Harrigan was the Richton Park high school’s part-time band director for two years.

Ron Harrigan waves at the marching band he leads as the Southland College Prep High School band director received a check for $10,000 as part of the Illinois Network of Charter High Schools Teacher of the Year Award. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

After being full-time director of bands at Huth, Harrigan returned to Southland College Prep part-time in 2017 as associate band director and became full-time director of bands in 2020.

Harrigan’s honor follows the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra naming him its inaugural music educator of the year in April.

Carl Cogar, Southland College Prep’s director of fine arts, said in addition to being a talented trumpet player and pianist, Harrigan encourages growth in every student he works with.

“He has a clear vision of what it is he wants to see kids accomplish and how he wants them to sound,” Cogar said. “And he has that singular focus on helping kids become better, not just better musicians but better people altogether.”

Cogar said he felt like a “proud papa” hearing that Harrigan would be honored as the state charter school’s educator of the year.

“He is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met,” Cogar said. “And he has a knack for getting kids to achieve more than they thought they could.”

Ron Harrigan receives the Illinois Network of Charter High Schools Teacher of the Year Award on Nov. 5, 2025. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Born and raised in the British Virgin Islands, Harrigan leads more than 100 Southland College Prep students in five main troupes: marching band, wind ensemble, concert band, jazz ensemble and percussion ensemble. The school also has smaller chamber groups including bass ensemble, flute ensemble and clarinet choir.

The high school’s marching band and Lady Eagles were invited to WorldStrides’ Orlando Heritage Festival at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, where students performed earlier this year, and were invited to perform in the Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom Parade spring 2026.

Senior student Heaven Anderson, who plays drums, clarinet and bass, said Harrigan has been a mentor since she started at Southland College Prep.

“He’s just a person I feel like I can go to at any time,” Anderson said. “I can tell him anything, and he can give me advice.”

Harrigan led the marching band ahead of receiving the surprise reward, and said after 18 years teaching, he “still gets butterflies” watching them perform.

“I’m excited that they get a chance to showcase what they’ve been working on,” Harrigan said. “And they’re having fun — that’s what it’s about. Music (is something) you should enjoy, you should be able to express yourself as an artist and a listener.”

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Olivia Stevens

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November 5, 2025
Harvey 2023 collection rate means $24.15 million in unpaid taxes, Cook County treasurer’s report finds

A year after the bills were sent out, Harvey’s 2023 property tax collection rates are the third lowest in Cook County, a study of collections by the Cook County treasurer’s office has found.

The study, released Wednesday, revisits collection rates one year after bills were sent out, incorporating late payments. On the whole, that rate — a measure of property taxes actually paid compared to what was billed — has largely rebounded from when bills were first sent out, making up what was formerly a significant shortfall. However, the report said, collection rates for many south suburban communities remain “perilously low.”

Of these, the most glaring is Harvey, which billed $57.9 million in taxes in 2023 and has collected only $33.75 million, a collection rate of 58.29%. That equates to $24.15 million in unpaid taxes.

The only two municipalities with lower collection rates are Ford Heights at 39.08% and Robbins at 57.44%, both much smaller communities.

Low collection rates starve villages, libraries and schools of the main source of revenues they rely on to operate. A collection rate of 95% is considered strong, according to the Civic Federation, a fiscal watchdog group.

Over time, low collections in a community can increase the property tax burden on those who do pay, potentially pushing them out of their homes while simultaneously making it harder for local governments to pay for public services that attract new residents.

The south suburbs had a difficult tax year in 2023. Median tax bills rose by 19.9% compared to the year before. It was the largest jump in the last 29 years, driving down initial collections further.

Harvey has the most tax delinquent homes of any Cook County suburban municipality, with 3,152, according to the report. That’s more than three times as many as either Chicago Heights or Calumet City, the municipalities with the next most delinquent properties. Harvey also has the most tax delinquent vacant lots, with 1,885.

Harvey is in fiscal crisis, with its City Council voting last month to apply for relief under the Illinois financially distressed cities act, a status previously only invoked by East St. Louis. Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark said uncollected taxes were a major source of the city’s budgetary problems.

“The reason why the collection rate is so low is because of one, years of disinvestment,” Clark said. “Two, of course, the low collection rate also has a correlation of our high tax rate. So it’s a diminishing return.”

Harvey has one of the highest tax rates in the county, placing a disproportionately high financial burden on residents. In order to qualify for state aid due to financially distressed status, a municipality must be in the top 5% of tax rates and the bottom 5% of tax collections.

“It confirms why the city is looking for state funding and why we’re looking for any other assistance that may be offered from our federal, state and county partners,” Clark said. “You just cannot continue to operate a municipality with such abysmal numbers and have an expectation that your citizens will be properly served.”

Harvey also leads the region in both number of tax delinquent businesses and in money owed by businesses. According to the report, 662 businesses owed Harvey $9.2 million in unpaid taxes.

“Property owners’ inability, sometimes refusal, to pay their taxes has been a longstanding problem in Harvey,” the report said, “Schools, the city and other local governments in Harvey are owed more than $312.4 million in unpaid taxes, and another $441.4 million in interest accumulated during the past 20 years.”

Clark has attempted to force delinquent business owners to pay taxes, including by physically barricading parking lots for delinquent businesses with concrete blocks.

Harvey 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman criticized the Clark administration’s attempts to extract delinquent business taxes by denying business licenses and fining business owners.

“If you want to operate a business in the city of Harvey and you owe back taxes, you pay a settlement agreement,” Chapman said. “I feel like the city of Harvey is spending more time fighting entities legally that owe back property taxes and that won’t pay into this settlement agreement, versus coming to the table trying to find, like, some equitable measures.”

Harvey is in a state of partial government shutdown, having furloughed more than 40% of its city staff due to inability to make payroll, including major portions of the Police, Fire and Public Works departments.

Chapman said one major issue when it comes to Harvey’s tax collections and overall financial situation is thousands of abandoned homes.

“Could you imagine not collecting any property taxes?” Chapman said. “I mean, to the left, right and in front of me are all abandoned homes. There are 10 abandoned homes in my area that sit on the main thoroughfare of the city.”

Seven other south suburban communities also collected below 85% of their billed taxes, according to the report, including Dolton at 83.38%, Chicago Heights at 84.7% and Calumet City at 84.96%.

The report also found that collection rates across the south and southwestern suburbs dropped about 1% between 2022 and 2023, while collection rates both in Chicago and in the north and northwestern suburbs remained regionally stable.

Five south suburban municipalities saw their collection rates drop more than 2% between 2022 and 2023, including Markham and Blue Island. The most severe drop was in the portion of Steger in Cook County, where the collection rate dropped by 2.79%.

elewis@chicagotribune.com

Evy Lewis

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November 5, 2025
Tinley Park District 146 tentative teacher contract includes 6% salary increase over 5 years

The Tinley Park Elementary District 146 teachers’ contract set for approval at Tuesday’s board meeting includes 6% raises over the next five years.

A spokesperson for the union said highlights of the tentative contract include two additional sick days for all staff members, a 3% increase in all stipends, updated safety language “to protect staff,” updated property and damage language and a $2,000 stipend for staff members who don’t opt into district insurance.

The union also successfully removed a requirement that veteran teachers, known a Tier 1 in the Illinois Teacher Retirement System, retire as soon as they are eligible.

“When we started this bargaining process, we knew that teacher recruitment and retention had to be a main focus in order to best serve the students in District 146,” the District 146 Educators Council said in a news release. “This agreement is a strong step towards that goal. By removing a limit on when educators must retire, and by bringing compensation closer to neighboring district standards, our district can better compete for teachers looking for jobs and ensure teachers who work here want to stay and build their career in our community.”

The District 146 Educators Council said 72% of union members voted in favor of the contract, and the agreement will be up for a vote by the school board at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the district office, 6611 W. 171st St., Tinley Park.

The agreement follows the union voting to authorize to strike if an agreement could not be reached, with 230 of 232 members in favor of the authorization.

While most contract terms were settled ahead of the strike authorization vote, the teachers union said it was fighting for higher wage increases and more retirement benefits than the district offered. Negotiations began in February, with the union declaring an impasse once the board “started bargaining regressively and stalling over the summer.”

The most recent contract expired July 31. Full details tentative agreement approved by the teachers’ union was not made available, but both sides had publicized their latest offers.

The district’s offer moved wage increases up to 6% for each of the next three school years, while its previous offer included wage increases of 6% for each of the next two school years and 5% for the 2027-2028 school year. The district also made the current retirement incentive a benefit with a 10-year eligibility window, it said.

The teachers union said it would remain firm in advocating for wage increases of 7% each year for the next three school years, which they said was important to counter inflation and struggles teachers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to attract good teachers amid a nationwide shortage.

The district said it was unwilling to match the union’s 7% proposal because wage increases beyond 6% expose the district to financial penalties through the Illinois Teachers Retirement System.

Under the district’s proposed salary increase, teachers starting salaries would have been $52,570. Teachers with master’s degrees would have started at $56,300. The contract for the 2024-2025 school year had teachers with bachelor’s degrees starting at $50,586 and teachers with master’s degrees starting at $54,175.

“We are proud of our members, who stood strong and united to get this done, and thankful for our students and families who joined us in calling for real solutions that would ensure a secure, stable future for District 146,” the District 146 Educators Council said. “We are grateful to have reached this agreement and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the Board of Education and administration to give our students the high-quality education they deserve.”

District 146 Superintendent Jeff Stawick declined to comment on contract details Thursday.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Olivia Stevens

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October 12, 2025
Will County Board will consider resolution to prohibit immigration enforcement

The Will County Board will consider next week a resolution asking the state and federal government to adopt polices to prohibit immigration enforcement in courthouses, schools and other sensitive community spaces and ensure that residents, regardless of immigration status, can live without fear of harassment and racial profiling.

The proposed resolution was passed Tuesday at the board’s Legislative Committee meeting with four Democratic committee members supporting it. The measure moves to the County Board for a vote on Oct. 16.

Republicans serving on the committee said it amounted to campaign or political speech outside of the board’s purview.

Legislative Committee Chair Destinee Ortiz, a Democrat from Romeoville, said she brought forward the resolution because residents deserve to live and work without fear.

“At its core, this resolution is about affirming something very simple — that every person in Will County deserves to feel safe in their own community,” Ortiz said.

She said there have been reports of aggressive immigration enforcement actions in recent months that cause fear among undocumented and U.S. residents alike.

“This is not a campaign speech or political or whatever you want to call it,” she said. “It’s about principle. It is about the Constitution. … Every human being on U.S. soil regardless of how they got here is guaranteed basic constitutional protections against government abuse.”

Ortiz said when people are profiled because of the color of their skin or the language they speak, they become afraid. When residents live in fear, they don’t call police, go to court, send their children to school or seek medical treatment, and they stop trusting government institutions, Ortiz said.

The resolution was amended along a party-line vote to add language that asks federal and state governments to adopt policies that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement need to identify themselves and stop wearing masks, unless medically necessary, to improve transparency and build trust. Four Democrats on the committee supported the amendment while three Republicans opposed it.

The resolution also asks for increased transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement actions to ensure that no one is detained or deported solely due to racial or ethnic profiling.

In a social media post, Ortiz encouraged Will County residents to write to the board in support of the resolution.

Legislative Committee Republicans voted against the proposed resolution.

“This has nothing to do with our county responsibilities, and I absolutely do not support this,” said board member Julie Berkowicz, a Naperville Republican.

She said some of the statements within the resolution, such as 70% of individuals in ICE detention have no criminal records, is not verified.

“For us to put our names on something that is not truthful or valid is reckless,” Berkowicz said.

She said the federal government is “finally stepping up to enforce our legal immigration laws.”

Dan Butler, a Frankfort Republican, said he believed the resolution included inflammatory and misleading statements.

“There are hardened criminals,” Butler said. “The federal government is within its right to come in and look for those people. Most of these people are criminals. They are getting out of here. There is nothing that is going to stop that. I feel bad for any immigrants that came over illegally who are good people, but this is a campaign speech. This is not a credible resolution.”

The County Board rejected a resolution in July 2024 that declared the county a nonsanctuary county, after several residents said it was an anti-immigrant resolution that runs counter to the county’s welcoming values. At the time, 11 Democrats voted against the resolution and eight Republicans voted in favor of it.

The committee meeting came the same day as members of the Texas National Guard stationed soldiers in Elwood.

County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant released a statement Tuesday saying the county was made aware by state and Elwood officials of the presence of Texas National Guard soldiers at the Army Reserve training facility in Elwood.

“We have received no information or coordination from the federal government about this deployment, including the scale of operations or the length of time they will be stationed at this facility,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “The arrival of the National Guard by the Trump Administration is an aggressive overreach. Our federal government moving armed troops into our community should be alarming to everyone.”

She said she will coordinate with local leaders to protect the rights of the residents and ensure safety.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Originally Published: October 7, 2025 at 7:57 PM CDT

Michelle Mullins

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October 7, 2025
Nonprofit providing animal-assisted therapy wins grant for expansion in Frankfort

Katy Kleinschmidt says Coping Together’s animal assisted therapy not only helped her son Jack form deep relationships with his favorite animals, but improved his ability to connect with people as well.

Jack, who has autism and struggles to communicate, started working with Shelley Skas, founder and president of the animal-assisted therapy nonprofit, about three years ago after struggling to recover from the isolation brought by COVID-19 lockdowns, Kleinschmidt said.

“I was pretty desperate,” Kleinschmidt said. “His behavior just got more, I don’t want to say aggressive, but just more regular.”

At first, Jack was working individually with Skas. But one day, Kleinschmidt said, Skas asked the two of them to tour her ranch on Steger Road in Frankfort.

“She put him to work right away,” Kleinschmidt said, with Jack quickly building a routine of helping out therapy animals while eventually joining other groups of developmentally and intellectually disabled adults in their therapies. Now, Jack looks forward to trips to the ranch two to three times per week, with Kleinschmidt noting visible improvements in his behavior and use of language.

“People are actually paying attention to him and interacting with him. And that’s what he thrives on,” Kleinschmidt said.

Jack Kleinschmidt, a 32-year-old with autism, works with a donkey at therapy nonprofit Coping Together’s Frankfort ranch. (Katy Kleinschmidt)

Coping Together, which currently operates out of an Orland Park office and the Frankfort ranch, is hoping to expand operations with the help of a recent grant Skas said she applied to on a whim. Kubota Tractor Corporation announced Coping Together as one of its 10 grant recipients earlier this month, providing $25,000 for a new mower and an additional $25,000 Skas said will fund a self serve coffee and snack station for clients and family members who bring them to the ranch.

The coffee station will be stocked and monitored by students who come to the ranch to learn skills to help them transition from high school to postsecondary life, some of whom were busy Thursday afternoon cleaning horse stables and the ranch’s indoor arena. Partnerships include Rich Township High School and Tinley Park’s iCan Dream Center.

Skas said the coffee shop will be part of Therapy Town, a homey area dedicated to individual and group therapy sessions including animals. Current in-house therapists will have their own offices, and quiet areas will be available for clients who might be overstimulated or wanting their own space.

Skas prides herself on providing a wide range of services and resources to meet clients where they’re at. They include adults with disabilities as well as couples, families, veterans and just about anyone who could benefit from working with animals.

Shelley Skas, founder of Coping Together, explains how animals are used in the mental health program at the ranch in Frankfort. (John Smierciak/Daily Southtown)

“For example, if you were having a hard time cleaning your house … we’ll have the clients, whether or not they’re group or individual, go out and create an obstacle course,” Skas said.

The goal in Skas’ example is for the client or clients to create different courses representing different rooms in a house, where they will later lead a horse or other animal.

“Usually they’ll give them a hard time,” Skas said about the animal. The exercise allows the client to problem-solve on the spot, thinking of ways to change the course or their approach with the animal step by step.

Donkeys await their chance to work with people with special needs Thursday, Sept. 18 at Coping Together in Frankfort, which recently received a $50,000 grant. (John Smierciak/Daily Southtown)

“So instead of someone being hard on themselves as to why they’re not getting something done, they now realize why they were being too hard on themselves,” Skas said. “I expected to be able to get something completed, but I could still do it. It might not be in that way that I originally envisioned it, but that’s for the client to come on their own.”

Coping Together is hosting a fundraiser on Oct. 5 designed to raise money for the Therapy Town project, which is still in its planning stages, Skas said.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Olivia Stevens

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September 20, 2025
Dolton 148 approves contract for interim superintendent at $1,500 per day

Less than two weeks after Superintendent Kevin Nohelty announced his abrupt retirement, the Dolton West Elementary District 148 board approved a contract for his interim replacement Tuesday.

Sheila Harrison-Williams will be paid $1,500 a day for up to 120 days, according to board President Shalonda Randle. Students returned to District 148’s 10 early childhood, elementary and junior high schools last week.

Harrison-Williams said despite the district making headlines for Nohelty’s $450,000 salary, which the board voted in March to increase by $30,000 over each of the following two years, district community members have welcomed her with open arms.

“I watch TV and I hear things,” Harrison-Williams said about the district’s reputation. “I saw the opportunity to do what’s right for kids and make sure they have a fighting chance.”

Randle said has seen Harrison-Williams make a positive impact at other struggling districts. Harrison-Williams was superintendent of Hazel Crest District 152.5 for 18 years and received the National Alliance of Black School Educators Superintendent of the Year award.

“When you hear of people doing great things in the area, you think of those people when you need that support and help,” Randle said.

In his retirement letter dated Aug. 14, Nohelty blamed board members, including Randle, for making his job difficult and targeting him with “harassment and bullying.” He said he chose to retire after Randle declined his offer to buy out his contract.

“The board president and certain board members have undertaken a smear campaign against me, riddled with baseless allegations, innuendo, and repeated threats of investigation and discharge,” the letter said.

Nohelty said at one point a board member said his being a white man in a majority Black district as a reason he had to leave.

Randle said the district has not started its search for a permanent superintendent but said she plans to hire someone at a “reasonable salary” comparable to those paid by neighboring districts.

Superintendent Kevin J. Nohelty attends a Dolton West Elementary School District 148 Board meeting March 25, 2025, in Riverdale. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

When the board voted to increase Nohelty’s salary, Randle said she was not included in discussions about the terms of the approved contract. Other board members said they voted to boost Nohelty’s salary because the former superintendent stayed on past his previous contract’s June 2022 end date while the board searched for his replacement.

“This was not something premeditated, preplanned or orchestrated for money purposes,” board member Larry Lawrence said at the time. Under the new contract, Nohelty was required to mentor his selected successor for one year as they got acclimated to the district’s top job.

Randle said the board plans a special meeting on Sept. 3 at its administrative office, 114 W. 144th St., Riverdale. More information will become available on the district’s website.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

Originally Published: August 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM CDT

Olivia Stevens

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August 27, 2025
Trinity Christian College president, vice president of student life announce leave

Two years after overseeing a 40% drop in Trinity Christian College’s tuition, President Aaron Kuecker and Vice President of Student Life Leah Fulton announced they’re leaving the Palos Heights institution to pursue other opportunities. Both began in 2022.

While Fulton left the private college July 23, Kuecker will stay until the end of this month. Classes begin Monday.

Erin Nagelkirk, director of admissions, marketing and campus experience, announced earlier this month in a post on LinkedIn that she was laid off.

The college would not confirm how many staff were let go along with Nagelkirk.

Kuecker is leaving Trinity to serve as CEO of Hope Chicago, a nonprofit that helps students on the South and West Sides of Chicago achieve postsecondary education without debt.

Fulton is moving to Chicago Scholars to serve as the organization’s vice president.

“The last three years at Trinity have been incredibly formative for me in my leadership journey,” Fulton said in a news release about her departure from Trinity.

The two administrators in 2023 oversaw a layoff of about 10% of faculty and 10 of 150 staff members as well as a major tuition decrease to reduce the need for financial aid and student debt. Tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year is 20,580, down from $33,800 before the reduction.

“As with any business, we’re paying attention to revenues and expenses and thinking about that, sort of, over the long term,” Kuecker told the Daily Southtown after the 2023 layoffs.

The college has not yet disclosed who will fill the roles of president and vice president of student life in the absence of Kuecker and Fulton.

A sign welcomes freshman students to Trinity Christian College on move in day. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Angie Fratto, marketing and communications director for the college, declined Thursday to answer questions about the recent changes, saying “our leadership team’s time is spoken for as we prepare for the arrival of all our students and the launch of fall classes next week.”

But the most recent departures follow cuts at other Chicago area colleges and universities, with small religious schools in particular struggling with inflation and demographic shifts.

Moody Bible Institute in Chicago’s River North neighborhood let go of between 8% and 9% of its staff in May as part of a broader restructuring, the Chicago Tribune reported. Its enrollment numbers show a steep drop in matriculating students over the past decade.

Just north of Springfield, Lincoln Christian University shuttered its doors last spring, following in the footsteps of Lincoln College, a predominantly Black school a few miles away that closed two years earlier.

“Across the country and, I’m sure, across Illinois, the percentage of kids who are choosing a Bible institute has dropped dramatically from 50 or 100 years ago,” James Fraser, a professor emeritus at New York University who specializes in religion and higher education, told the Tribune. “On the other hand, a school can thrive catering to a small but very focused group.”

While not a Bible school, the small, arts-focused Columbia College Chicago laid off 20 full-time faculty members in June as part of planned cuts to the college’s programming, the Tribune reported. The school has been plagued by financial troubles for years, with a budget deficit once expected to reach nearly $40 million. The school’s cost-cutting initiatives in December reduced the number of undergraduate degrees offered from 58 to 33.

In a news release announcing his departure from Trinity, the college lauded Kuecker for implementing “innovative changes that have moved the needle on some of higher education’s most pressing challenges.”

“Trinity’s staff and faculty have positioned the college as a leader in pursuing strategies that eliminate student debt, foreground student wellbeing and utilize powerful experiential education that connects them to employer partners,” Kuecker said in the release. “I am so honored to have worked with such a gifted and innovative community of educators.”

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Olivia Stevens

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August 23, 2025
CEO Relieved AI Can Never Replace Him If He Already Contributes Nothing To Company

NEW YORK—Expressing confidence that the new technology wasn’t a threat, FinCorp Solutions CEO Charles Markham reportedly expressed relief Wednesday that artificial intelligence could never replace him if he already contributed nothing to the company. “I actually don’t do anything, so there’s nothing the computer can do better than me,” said Markham, adding that his job was secure since no one was interested in building AI dedicated to wandering around the office or going on vacation for 12 weeks out of the year. “Lucky for me, the current models are striving toward imitating the skills of professional artisans, who possess a level of talent that I don’t have. When AI can sit in a large chair and make money off the backs of others all day, I’ll start to worry about my job.” At press time, sources reported Markham became concerned after finding out that AI was capable of embezzling company money way better than he could.

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March 1, 2023