Jake Griffin

Chicago

Tax Watchdog Editor and Columnist at Daily Herald

Daily Herald tax and government columnist. You should read my stuff and take that seriously; most of my tweets? Not so much. Once scored 833 in Yahtzee.

Articles

One dead after early morning crash on I-88 near Lisle

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

Posted May 20, 2025 8:03 am One person is dead and another was injured after an early morning two-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of Interstate 88 near Lisle.
Mount Prospect man sentenced to 10-plus years in prison for armed drug trafficking

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

A cache of weapons, drugs, ammunition and cash are displayed by federal authorities after being confiscated from a Mount Prospect man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison recently. Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's office A Mount Prospect man was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after a federal jury convicted him of possessing multiple firearms while trafficking narcotics throughout the suburbs. Omari Andrews Jr., 26, was sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison.
Census estimates show suburbs rebounding from previous population declines

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

New home construction in many suburbs, like the Fieldstone neighborhood in Huntley, is contributing to an increase in the population estimates in the area, census officials said. Paul Valade/[email protected] For years, the U.S. Census Bureau reported declining population figures for many Chicago area suburbs, but new estimates released late last week show most are now regaining residents.
Libertyville man charged with possessing child sex abuse materials

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

A Libertyville man is facing charges of possessing and disseminating of child sex abuse materials follo wing a lengthy investigation by the Illinois State Police and the Illinois attorney general’s office. Kyle Ranallo, 26, is in custody in downstate Montgomery County after being charged more than a week ago. Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office said state police began investigating Ranallo in September 2024, when they conducted a search of his home on the 1000 block of Mayfair Drive.
Woodland Elementary teacher accused of sending child sex abuse materials

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

Todd R. Fowler A Woodland Elementary teacher is facing charges of possessing and disseminating child sexual abuse materials after Lake County authorities say he shared images online. Todd R. Fowler, 47, of the 300 block of Buckingham Drive in Grayslake, was arrested by Lake County sheriff’s deputies Thursday. Authorities said they were tipped off by a social media company who reported one of their users appeared to have shared images on their platform.
Severe storms with potential for tornadoes and hail possible this afternoon

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

A band of supercells capable of producing tornadoes and hail is expected in the suburbs this afternoon around 3 p.m. and should last well into the evening, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. The storms are expected to move east/northeast at 40 to 50 mph. Temperatures are expected to reach into the 90s today in many parts of the area ahead of the storms and clash with a cold front that will help spawn the storms, dropping temperatures into the 60s this evening.
Round Lake Park woman facing drug charges after traffic stop in Fox Lake

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

A 32-year-old Round Lake Park woman is facing felony drug charges after a traffic stop in Fox Lake Monday. Fox Lake police officials said officers pulled over a vehicle driven by Candice M. Wedge just after 10:45 p.m. near the intersection of Cambridge Parkway and Route 134. Authorities said Wedge was acting nervous and was deceptive when answering routine questions during the stop. A police dog was called out to perform an open air sniff search on Wedge’s vehicle and signaled drug were present.
Townhouse fire in Volo leaves two units uninhabitable, causes $500,000 in damage

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

Two units of a six-unit townhouse complex in Volo were left uninhabitable after a fire Monday night. The fire was reported at about 7:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of Piccolo Lane. Wauconda Fire District officials said the blaze began on an outside deck of one of the middle units and spread into the attic space of multiple units. No injuries were reported. Firefighters successfully rescued multiple pets from the units as well.
Children sickened after being given drug-laced candy at Wheeling park

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

Posted May 12, 2025 7:54 am Wheeling police are searching for a woman wanted for possibly giving at least four children candy authorities believe was laced with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
On her way to a work conference, Sherman Hospital nurse saves driver whose heart stopped after crash

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Jake Griffin

Advocate Sherman Hospital emergency room nurse Ashley Huizar is being hailed as a hero for saving the life of a woman whose heart stopped beating after a crash she happened upon on her way to a work conference in Iowa. Courtesy of Advocate Health Care By all accounts, Ashley Huizar and the four other Advocate Sherman Hospital nurses shouldn’t even have been on the route they were taking to a work conference in Iowa last month.