Latest news with #Dolton
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Watch: Pope chants ‘White Sox' at Vatican City
Pope Leo XIV joined in with fans chanting 'White Sox' as he greeted visitors to the Vatican. A clip from what appears to be St Peter's Square shows the Pope waving to supporters as he is driven through the crowd. A group can be heard chanting 'White Sox, White Sox!', the baseball team that the Pope, who is originally from Chicago, supports. He appears to stop waving to the crowd to pump his hand in the air several times and can be seen joining in with the chants. Leo is the first American pope, and grew up in Dolton, a suburb on Chicago's South Side. Shortly after Pope Leo was elected, his brother John revealed that he supports the White Sox, and the team were quick to shout about his support. 'Hey Chicago, he's a Sox fan,' the team said of the Pope on a a billboard, paying tribute to him as 'the South Side's very own' before a game last month. One fan was spotted walking around greeting passers-by wearing a papal cassock and mitre. Footage has since emerged of the Pope attending one of the 2005 World Series games, in the team's black-and-white baseball jerseys. The Sox went on to win their first championship in almost 90 years. Last week, he was given a White Sox cap by a newlywed couple undertaking the 'sposi novelli', a blessing for newlyweds given by the Pope himself. Gary DeStefano, the groom, from Massachusetts, said the moment the Pope popped the cap on his head was 'surreal'. 'It was to me showed the human side in the man. He is the most humble man, down to earth and funny,' Mr DeStefano told The Athletic.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Auction of Pope Leo XIV's childhood Chicago home extended
The highly-publicised auction of Pope Leo XIV's childhood home has been extended by a month — after it was revealed the Chicago suburb where he was raised was launching a bid to acquire the humble dwelling so it can be preserved as a local landmark. Pope Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost, spent several years living in a small three-bedroom, three-bathroom dwelling in Dolton, Illinois. His father, Louis Prevost, sold the property in 1996, according to records, after which it was sold on two other occasions. According to Realtor, the current owner, property flipper Pawel Radzik, acquired the three-bedroom, three-bathroom abode in March 2024 for $US66,000 ($A101,553) and had initially planned to renovate it, then sell it off — until that is, one of its former residents was chosen to succeed the late Pope Francis during the conclave in May. At the time, the property was on the market for just $US199,900 ($A307,605); however, it was swiftly delisted just hours after Pope Leo's new historical role was revealed. It was later revealed the home was being put up for auction via Paramount Realty USA — with listing agent Steve Budzik noting the decision to sell the property to the highest bidder came after his team struggled to settle on an appropriate listing price for an abode with such historical significance. However, the home's journey took another twist when the Village of Dolton, with support from the Chicago Archdiocese, announced plans to acquire the house, either by buying it, or by using eminent domain to take over ownership. 'The Village of Dolton intends to purchase this home either through direct purchase or through their eminent domain power,' Odelson wrote in a letter sent to Paramount Realty USA, according to the New York Times. 'The Village intends to work with the Chicago Archdiocese and other agencies to allow the home to be viewed and visited by the public as a historic site.' Odelson added discussions with the seller were underway, saying the Village of Dolton and the local archdiocese would prefer not to rely on eminent domain for the acquisition of the home because it would garner too much media attention. '[It] keeps the home in the news and not the light that the village or the church want,' he said. 'We don't want it to be a controversy; we want it to be a sacred site.' Initially, the auction of the property was due to close on June 18. However, an update to the listing has now extended the bidding process to July 17, with Budzik explaining to via email this was done in order to 'allow more time for bidders to review, perform due diligence, and bid'. A spokesperson for Paramount Realty USA added the extended auction window will also give bidders an opportunity to 'tour the property' if they wish. Neither Budzik nor Paramount Realty USA commented on whether negotiations with the Village of Dolton had any bearing on the decision to extend the auction. After Dolton announced its plans to acquire the home, Budzik told his client was very much open to working with its representatives, as well as the Chicago Archdiocese, stating in an email: 'The seller is open to the potential opportunity of working with the Village of Dolton to purchase the property at fair market value. 'We also understand that the Chicago Archdiocese could be involved in making this a historical landmark, which is great news for the seller. We would love to come to a mutually beneficial agreement in the coming days.' To make matters more complicated, CBS News reported on June 16 a motion had been filed seeking a preliminary injunction to block the Village of Dolton from using taxpayer money in order to buy Pope Leo's childhood home. This motion is understood to have been filed as part of an ongoing wrongful termination lawsuit filed against Dolton by a former employee, Lavell Redmond, who claimed in a 2022 filing that his employers had refused to discuss terms of a settlement because the village did not have sufficient funds. In his June 15 motion, Redmond's lawyers claimed Dolton is in 'severe financial distress' and made several allegations of financial mismanagement, unresolved legal obligations, and a potential misuse of taxpayer funds. Matthew R. Custardo, the lawyer who filed the motion, stated to WGN9 the injunction was being sought in order to stop 'hypocrisy,' insisting the injunction would in no way hinder the sale of the home but rather prevent local politicians from using taxpayer funds in order to take it over. 'This isn't about stopping history. It's about stopping hypocrisy,' he said. 'You can't cry broke in court and then try to spend taxpayer funds on non-essential acquisitions.' While bids for the property start at $US250,000 ($A385,148), it is widely predicted the home could sell for much more, although experts have hesitated to put a specific value on the property in the weeks since the auction was announced. The online auction house also provides a copy of the original purchase deed from the 1949 sale of the home to Pope Leo's father, Louis, which is dated March 3 of that year.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Former Dolton employee files motion to stop village's purchase of Pope Leo XIV's childhood home
Former Dolton employee Lavell Redmond filed a preliminary injunction to stop the village from using taxpayer funds to buy Pope Leo's childhood home. The house is being rehabbed with plans for it to be sold, but those plans could change after the village announced plans to buy the real estate at 212 E. 141st Pl. The one-story brick house was built in 1949. It was renovated after the Prevost family lived there for 50 years. Back in 2022, Redmond sued the village for wrongful termination. He said officials refused to have meaningful settlement discussions, citing a lack of funds. He accuses village officials of hypocrisy, saying you can't "cry broke" and then try to spend taxpayer money on non-essential purchases. Paramount Realty USA is planning an auction of the house on June 18. The starting bid is $250,000. CBS News Chicago reached out to the village for comment, but has yet to hear back.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
America's 'worst mayor' changes her tune in dramatic court hearing into widespread corruption
America's 'worst mayor' Tiffany Henyard has been uncharacteristically quiet during her latest court hearings amid her bombshell corruption case in Illinois. Henyard, 41, who served as the mayor of Dolton until she was defeated in a landslide election in January, is accused of financial mismanagement, corruption and fraud. A Cook County judge had told Henyard to appear in court for a grilling about whether she followed transparency laws about spending while she was mayor from 2021. But on Friday, Henyard's attorney Beau Brindley pleaded the Fifth on her behalf, saying she did not have the records the court had requested. The Fifth is the right to remain silent - in stark contrast to Henyard's usual outspoken approach as she has been loudly maintaining her innocence throughout the trial. Henyard previously said she was only 'the face of the village' and not its record keeper in response to criticism about her failure to produce the documents. The lawsuit against her was launched by the Edgar County Watchdogs, who sued the Village of Dolton after her administration ignored Freedom of Information Act requests last year. Brindley said Henyard does not have the document they requested. 'She has no idea what that document was,' he said. 'She's going back to some board meeting where they say she held up a single piece of paper. 'I don't know how and couldn't expect her to remember what that was given how many meetings there have been and how much chaos there was in Dolton.' Brindley advised Henyard to plead the Fifth in this case because she is also the subject of an ongoing FBI investigation into her spending. Independent investigators allege that Henyard mismanaged millions of dollars worth of taxpayer funds during her controversial tenure as the mayor of Dolton. 'At least as early as late 2021, there was a concerted, systematic effort on behalf of Mayor Henyard and others in her administration to hide the true financial condition of the Village of Dolton from the trustees and from members of the public,' former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at a meeting announcing the findings. Lightfoot's 73-page report explained that there was a whopping $779,638 charged to town credit cards in 2023, with little to no tracking of the actual expenses. More than $50,000 spent on artificial ice tiles, which could have been used to build the town ice skating rink Henyard promoted on Instagram in February 2023. At least six government credit cards were also used to pay for glamorous getaways Henyard took to Las Vegas in May 2022 and May 2023, according to the report. 'Financial records from the village and Thornton Township reflect that a number of people traveled to Las Vegas on both of these trips,' Lightfoot said. 'And the expense of their travel, their lodging, their meals and entertainment were paid for on village and township credit cards.' 'There's no evidence that business development opportunities came to the village as a result of either of these two trips,' she concluded, prompting a groan from the audience. From 2021 through June 2024, credit cards were used for over $171,000 in travel-related expenses, including airfare, baggage fees, hotels, meals and rental cars. The report also revealed that over $50,000 was spent at local restaurants. Purchases were also made at Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Wayfair, Walgreens, Apple and Walmart. An additional $218,000 was spent on Amazon over the four-year-span Henyard has been in charge. There's also evidence that Henyard charged the town more than $7000 for her hair and makeup team, listing it as an 'assistant' cost. 'Many of the credit card expenditures have no accompanying receipt, and the statements alone provide limited information about the purchases,' according to the report. As a result of this spending frenzy, allegedly done by Henyard, the Dolton Board of Trustees banned her from using town credit cards in August 2024. The report also alleged that Dolton had a budget surplus of $5.61 million in April 2022 that quickly shrank to a $3.65 million deficit by May 2024. Lightfoot said Dolton received some $3 million in payments from the American Rescue Plan, a COVID-19 stimulus bill signed into law by former President Joe Biden in 2021. According to Lightfoot, hundreds of thousands of the original $3 million in ARPA funds went missing without receipts. Henyard also failed to appoint an official to oversee the massive sum of money, a requirement put in place by the Treasury Department, Lightfoot said. Lightfoot was hired in April 2024 to conduct the forensic accounting investigation by Dolton town trustees who want to see Henyard booted out of the job she's held since 2021.
CBS News
03-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Gifts left for Pope Leo XIV disappear from outside his childhood home in Dolton, Illinois
Sacred gifts, or public nuisance? Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, is attracting new attention, this time for the gifts and offerings left by visitors, but not everyone likes them. Since then-Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope last month, many people have visited his childhood home in Dolton, and left candles, rosaries, bible verses, crosses, and other offerings. But a neighbor said someone threw most of them out, and she's concerned it could happen again. As of Tuesday, all that was left outside the home were two candles and one small cross. Neighbor Donna Sagna Davis said the rest of the items that had been left outside the home were removed, and when she asked where they went, someone pointed her to the police department. A Dolton police commander acknowledged that she had thrown the items away. On a horseshoe-shaped block, the simple brick home where Pope Leo grew up stirs emotion and brings big crowds. Davis has been acting as a welcome wagon to many of the people who stop by, playing music from her window, and keeping watch over the property as visitors like Shirley Roberson stop by. "To me, it's nice. It's historic," she said. "And it's so close to me." Roberson took only photos and new memories when she visited, but other visitors have left offerings and gifts. A few weeks ago, a small display of candles, flowers, and a rosary with a crucifix had accumulated outside the home, at the same time officials with the Village of Dolton indicated their plan to acquire the property by sale or eminent domain powers – essentially acquiring the home in exchange for a fair market price. But those offerings are now gone. "Somebody that witnessed told me that one of the police officers had taken the stuff, and I was like, 'What?'" Davis said. "When I got to the police station, she told me that she threw it in the garbage." Davis said there is a lot of trash in Dolton that could be cleaned up, but she doesn't understand why they started on private property. "There's a lot of areas that has trash. I'm looking at trash right now on the ground, but I don't consider … an element of worship to be trash at all," she said. "I was trying to get the stuff back. I tried, but I wasn't able to get everything back." The seller's real estate agent confirmed they have not removed any offerings left at the home, adding that a potential sale to the village has stalled, stating, "I have called and left messages for village attorney who was handling this. There was a village meeting last night, this was not even mentioned." That agent said the village's letter announcing their plan to acquire the property "was a bold move... before even talking to the seller directly." The police commander involved confirmed she took the items left outside the home, acknowledging some were thrown away. She said it's a safety issue, and the items were cleared to discourage theft, adding there are no plans to remove any further items, so long as the display remains small and tidy. The house is still listed as for sale by auction, with final bids due in 15 days.
