Originally appeared in the November 13, 2012 edition of CookCountyCourt.org Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Domestic Relations Division Presiding Judge Grace G.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today laid out details of a $5 million fund to improve infrastructure in unincorporated Cook County. Earlier this year, the Unincorporated Cook County Task Force described a number of barriers to annexing Cook County’s roughly 62 square miles of unincorporated land. About 100,000 people live in such areas. Each unincorporated area has unique characteristics.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS) Chief Executive Officer Dr.

Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) officials remind residents that everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine. Vaccine is available at your local pharmacy, family doctor and grocery stores throughout suburban Cook County. The 2012-2013 flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today a compromise to the proposed firearm and ammunition tax and a $2 million dedicated to violence prevention, intervention and reduction programs that combat gun violence. The County will impose a $25 tax on the purchase of firearms, while eliminating the proposed tax on ammunition. The $2 million, which will be set aside in a specific account, will be overseen by an advisory committee and primarily dedicated to grants for non-profit organizations with proven experience in violence prevention or community outreach.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today announced an adjustment to her proposed tax on gambling machines by creating a two-tiered system. The tax rate would be $1,000 per electronic gambling device, such as a slot machine, and $200 per video gaming terminal, such as a video poker machine.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today a modification to the proposed Buy Local Tax, which incentivizes businesses and residents to buy goods in Cook County by increasing the exemption from $2,500 to $3,500 in annual purchases. The change will provide businesses and residents more leeway to purchase goods throughout the year. President Preckwinkle made the decision after hearing from members of the Board of Commissioners, as well as a number of Cook County businesses and residents. “We want to encourage businesses to buy within Cook County.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is pleased to announce G.A. Finch as her incoming chief of staff. Finch is a partner with Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP, where he is a member of the business, employment, real estate and litigation practice groups. He will join the county in November. Finch also has an extensive background in government. He served as a City of Chicago Deputy Planning Commissioner in Mayor Harold Washington’s administration and was the General Counsel for the Chicago Housing Authority. “After twenty years in the private sector, I am proud we were able to lure G.A.

Originally published at the Cook County Economic Development website, Commit to Cook, October 24, 2012: The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development rolled out their new website geared towards affordable housing in Cook County, IL. Highlights of the website include the work of the Department of Planning and Development and their work with the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and HOME Programs.