Patch Flash: Cook County Looks at ‘Violence Tax’ on Gun Buyers

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has floated a new proposal aimed at addressing the overwhelming impact of gun violence on the county's coffers by introducing a new tax on guns and ammunition sold in Chicago and its suburbs. Preckwinkle is looking to implement a so-called "violence tax" as part of her new budget, which is slated to be introduced on Oct. 18.  Preckwinkle has not yet discussed the specific amount of the possible tax. 

An 18-year-old from Montgomery, IL, was arrested for smoking marijuana in front of the Villa Park police chief’s house, located in Naperville. Villa Park Police Chief Robert Pavelchik Jr., said the teen, Maximilian G. Salling, was smoking pot in plain view, right in front of his home, when he came home from work. 

According to a victim’s advocate with the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, the indictment against Casey was increased after blood work indicated the 20-year-old was under the influence of multiple drugs, not just inhalants   According to police, Casey was huffing the contents of an aerosol can right before she passed out behind the wheel, crossed the centerline and caused a two vehicle crash, April 28, that injured an elderly woman in Palatine. 

The trial for state senator Suzi Schmidt starts today. Schmidt was arrested June 12 for misdemeanor criminal damage and criminal trespass and was served with an Emergency Stalking No Contact Order after a dispute with her neighbor, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. 

Can Highwood carve more than 30,919 pumpkins this year? Town officials aim to surpass the world record set last year, when Highwood residents bested the previous 30,128 carved-pumpkin record set by Boston in 2006. John Kindseth, an assistant to the city manager, said the city of 5,000 people is aiming to light 32,000 this year. They're hoping to keep at bay Keene, N.H., which first set the record in 1996 and is aiming to unseat Highwood with its own carving carnival.