Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today kicked off a forum on benefits available to county employee veterans by emphasizing the commitment of her administration to helping vets navigate what can often be a confusing system of services available to them. The forum was the inaugural event in the outreach Cook County is making both to its employee veterans and to veterans at-large through the County’s Department of Veterans Affairs.

This July, as part of an ongoing effort to make its operations as green and economical as possible, the Forest Preserves of Cook County converted 16 new gasoline-fueled large riding lawn mowers to propane power. Most people already think of the Forest Preserves as being green—after all, the Preserves’ 69,000 acres account for the largest area of preserved natural areas in Cook County. But maintaining all that open space requires a lot of vehicles and fuel.

Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today that the Cook County Jail’s urban garden has its first bulk buyer of produce: Chicago-based restaurant Sopraffina. Sopraffina, which has five downtown Chicago locations, specializes in Italian food made from locally raised and sustainable produce. The restaurant will purchase, in bulk, jail-grown Roma tomatoes, basil, kale, beets, butternut squash, zucchini squash, yellow squash, green peppers, red peppers, and cucumbers. “I am proud to see the continual growth of the garden program,” Sheriff Dart said.

Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that enacts a critical part of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making Medicaid coverage available to all low-income adults in Illinois. Today’s action delivers on a major priority announced by Governor Quinn in his 2013 State of the State address and is part of his agenda to improve the health of the people of Illinois and increase access to quality health care. “In the home state of President Obama, we believe access to quality health care is a fundamental right and we proudly embrace the Affordable Care Act,” Governor Quinn said.

Originally published July 11, 2013 at the Cook County Sheriff's website Sheriff Dart reminds the public that while the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (PA 98-0062) became state law on July 9, 2013, it remains illegal to carry a concealed handgun without a license issued by the Illinois State Police. Under the Act, the Illinois State Police has 180 days to make the license application available, followed by a 30-day period for local enforcement to file an objection, if warranted.

The Forest Preserves of Cook County will be hosting a series of community open houses in late July to showcase improvements suggested for key sites in the recently released Recreation Master Plan and the 2013–2017 Capital Improvement Plan. The open houses will feature design boards for community members to review and offer feedback on prioritizing the proposed improvements.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners today approved changes to the county’s assault weapons ban and toughened penalties for violations of the ordinance. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Commissioner Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia (D-7th) and Commissioner Larry Suffredin (D-13th) sponsored amendments to the “Blair Holt Assault Weapons Ban,” named for the son of a Chicago police officer who was killed in a 2007 shooting while protecting a high school classmate.

The Cook County Board today approved $1.9 million in grants for 15 local community groups. The organizations’ work will be aimed at reducing violence in Cook County. The grant proposals were recommended by the Violence Prevention, Intervention and Reduction Advisory Committee, which was established by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as part of the 2013 budget.

The Cook County Board today approved an amendment that would lower the tax rate for many individuals who park in garages and lots. Commissioners approved a 6 percent tax rate for daily parking and a 9 percent rate for weekly and monthly parking.

Originally published at the Cook County Clerk's website Cook County Clerk David Orr on Thursday released the 2012 TIF revenue report, which shows $723 million was collected in the 435 active tax increment financing (TIF) districts in Chicago and suburban Cook County. Chicago will collect $457 million in TIF revenue for the 2012 tax year. Chicago’s 2012 TIF revenue represents an increase of $3.3 million or 0.74 percent over 2011. The slight growth follows two years of TIF revenue declines – an 11 percent drop in 2011 and a 2 percent dip in 2010.