Chicago Sun-Times Afternoon Edition
Good afternoon. Here's the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It's about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today's biggest stories.
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Top story
How UIC has cost Cook County taxpayers $1.2
The University Village Montessori School, 1304 S. Halsted St. (right), hasn't been billed for hundreds of thousands in leasehold property taxes. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times
The University Village Montessori School, 1304 S. Halsted St. (right), hasn't been billed for hundreds of thousands in leasehold property taxes. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times
Over the past decade, the University of Illinois Chicago has leased storefronts in its University Village Maxwell Street to a private preschool.
Under Illinois law, the university is supposed to tell the Cook County assessor's office about any new tenants. That's to help ensure that tenants, like the University Village Montessori School, that lease and operate on government property get billed every year for property taxes — money that, in Chicago, largely goes to the Chicago Public Schools and city government.
But UIC officials repeatedly have failed to obey that law. So the preschool hasn't been billed for hundreds of thousands in leasehold property taxes, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found.
Asked about the Sun-Times' findings, the Cook County treasurer's office — which sends out property tax bills — says the Montessori school should have to pay up, making good on property taxes going back to 2013 that it should have been billed for had UIC followed the law. That's a bill that could top $839,000, according to the treasurer's office.
Kiran Devani, who, with her husband Kashif Devani, owns the preschool, says it's not her fault that Cook County officials never sent her any tax bills for more than six years, though their lease with the university says they're responsible for the real estate taxes.
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi asked the university yesterday to provide its leases with the Montessori school, which his office says will owe a yet-to-be-determined amount of back taxes.
Government bodies, such as UIC, are exempt from having to pay property taxes.
But their privately owned tenants are not. The assessor's office is required to bill any business operating on government-owned property. That includes Navy Pier, O'Hare Airport, Midway Airport and public universities like UIC, which all lease space to stores, restaurants and other tenants.
Read the full Watchdogs report from Tim Novak and Lauren FitzPatrick here.
More news you need
  1. Family and friends are mourning the loss of Samuel Bell, who was killed yesterday morning after being hit by a car while he rode a bike in River West. Bell was "exactly what you'd want in a friend and mentor," one friend said.
  2. More than 50 immigrants who arrived in Chicago from Texas within the past week have relocated to a suburban hotel where they will live for at least 30 days, according to local officials. The move to the suburbs happened as buses arrived to Chicago from Texas for the third time in a week with more expected.
  3. Derrel McDavid, R. Kelly's former business manager, took the stand for a third day today to face questions from prosecutors. Our Andy Grimm and Jon Seidel have the latest from the today's hearing — which capped the fourth week of Kelly's trial — here.
  4. The Bears have had preliminary talks with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, state legislators and village trustees in Arlington Heights about the infrastructure help they need to support a $5 billion "stadium-anchored development," retiring president Ted Phillips said. The Bears have, according to Phillips, hired Goldman Sachs to "explore every possible option" and develop a "specific ask" of the village and state.
  5. E-cig giant Juul Labs has given more than $120,000 to Illinois politicians' campaign funds since 2020, records show. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Welch has been a significant recipient of the company's giving, our Robert Herguth reports.
  6. Most Illinois taxpayers will soon be getting one-time income and property tax rebates from the state. Distribution of the money to qualifying residents starts Monday and could take up to eight weeks, officials say.
A bright one
Mural in Andersonville a nod to artist's heritage, goal of promoting Korean art
There is a comedic element to the work that Chicago artist Jeff Pak painted last July on a rail viaduct at Ravenswood and Bryn Mawr avenues.
The pink creature, a tiger, is shown uttering "야" in a text bubble. That's Korean for "Hey!"
Pak, 34, says it's a joke — and a nod to his mother and how often she yells at him.
Avondale artist Jeff Pak painted this pink tiger in July on a viaduct in Andersonville. | Provided
Avondale artist Jeff Pak painted this pink tiger in July on a viaduct in Andersonville. | Provided
The Chicago-born artist, whose parents are from South Korea, says the mural pays homage to his heritage, as Tigers are often found in stories of Korean folklore and history.
Pak says that after noticing how little Korean art can be found in museums, he's worked to incorporate that culture into his work — while still creating art for his pure aesthetic pleasure.
"I'm just trying to make really dope and weird stuff," says Pak, who completed the mural in a day. "That's what brings me joy."
Nicky Andrews has more with Pak here.
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