Naperville News Digest: Forest preserve district has new kids' website, newsletter; Will County clerk says she's running for reelection in 2026
It features fun activities and resources for children and their families, including nature quizzes, scavenger hunts and activities. Stories for younger readers and resources for parents seeking nature-based activities to share with their kids are available, officials said.
A new digital newsletter called Willy's Wild Files will be emailed to subscribers the first Monday of each month.
For more information and to subscribe to the newsletter, go to www.willyswilderness.org.
The deadline to pay the second installment of property tax bills due to Will and DuPage counties is Sept. 2.
DuPage County has several ways to pay bills, including electronically by having funds withdrawn from a savings or checking account; by credit card, including Visa, MasterCard or Discover; via a wire transfer; or by having a bank write the check.
Some banks in DuPage County accept property tax payments, the county website said. Payments also can be made by mail or in person at the DuPage County Treasurer's office, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton.
In person business hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. An after-hours drop-box is located in the south parking lot of the treasurer's office.
For more information about DuPage taxes, go to www.dupagecounty.gov/elected_officials/treasurer/tax_information.
In Will County, residents can pay their property taxes online or at participating banks and credit unions.
Residents opting to pay by phone should call 815-680-2953. This is a free service to withdraw funds from a savings or checking account. Convenience fees apply for other forms of payment, such as credit cards, the county website said.
Will County residents can mail checks or pay in person at 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet. Tax payments will be accepted in the office from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays. There is also a secure drop box at the Will County building for after-hours payments.
For more information, go to willcounty.gov/County-Offices/Finance-and-Revenue/Treasurer-Office.
Will County Clerk Annette Parker has announced she will seek reelection in the 2026 primary.
Parker, a Republican from Crest Hill, was elected clerk in November in an abbreviated campaign after former Clerk Lauren Staley-Ferry resigned. She is serving through 2026, which is the remainder of Staley-Ferry's term.
Parker said in a news releases that she plans to seek a 4-year-term to run through 2030.
She cites the strides she has made in terms of modernizing equipment, improving customer service and protecting voter integrity. and among her top priorities are election security, fiscal responsibility and community engagement are among her top priorities, the release said.
She'd also like to improve access to services such as marriage licenses, passports and vital records through extended hours, multilingual support and improved online systems.
Prior to taking office as clerk, Parker served on the Will County Board for 10 years and has been the president of the Forest Preserve District of Will County Board. She has served as executive director of the Lockport Chamber of Commerce and director of marketing for the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet.
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Boston Globe
11 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Social Security has existed for 90 years. Why it may be more threatened than ever.
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New York Times
11 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Auctioneer and the Treasury Chief: How Billy Long Fell Short at the I.R.S.
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'You say you're concerned about the debt and the deficit and at the same time you're creating chaos at the revenue collection agency,' said John Koskinen, who led the I.R.S. during the Obama and first Trump administrations. 'This is a complex system.' 'Upbeat, Friendly and Open' Mr. Long had almost no background in tax policy or running large organizations when he stepped into the I.R.S. job in mid-June after the Senate confirmed him along party lines. What he lacked in experience he seemed to try to make up for in charisma. He traveled to I.R.S. offices around the country and held early-morning office hours in Washington, inviting employees to sign up to meet with him individually for 10 minutes. He sent regular, playful missives to the full I.R.S. staff, telling workers about the books on leadership he was reading and repeatedly sending staff members home early on Friday, or 'FriYay,' as he called it. 'I used to teach a class on UFOs: 'Upbeat, Friendly and Open.' 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Under the handle @auctnr1, he posted on social media constantly, regularly amplifying posts from conservative accounts attacking Democrats and even I.R.S. employees. He had abruptly put on leave two senior I.R.S. officials targeted by conservative, anti-tax activists. His attempts to curry favor with the staff at times caused issues. I.R.S. managers were forced to scramble to schedule the early dismissals. Some employees continued to work overtime as they tried to clear a backlog of international tax returns and correspondence. 'He did not have a very good understanding of the organization or how it operates or the necessary steps to meet the mission,' said Doreen Greenwald, the president of the National Treasury Employees Union. 'So, that was concerning early on, but obviously I.R.S. employees care deeply about the success of the organization. They were willing to work with him.' He also made errors. At a conference of tax professionals in Utah in July, Mr. Long said next year's tax filing season would start later than normal, a sign of potential disarray at the agency that would come with real repercussions. Such a change would delay the ability of millions to receive their annual tax refunds, a vital source of cash for low-income Americans. He also said the agency's Direct File program, which allows Americans to file their taxes online with the I.R.S. for free, was dead. The agency had to walk back both remarks. A Power Struggle Mr. Long's statements in Utah added to frustrations at the Treasury Department, where there were concerns that the commissioner did not properly appreciate that the I.R.S. fell under the umbrella of the Treasury. The I.R.S. is the largest single component of the Treasury Department, making up more than 70 percent of its budget. But in the second Trump administration, officials from around the government have sought to tap into the tax agency's vast powers. The Department of Homeland Security has pushed the I.R.S. to share typically confidential taxpayer records it keeps on undocumented immigrants, a process that began last week after months of legal wrangling. Mr. Trump also called for the I.R.S. to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status, an attempt to use the agency's auditing powers to put pressure one of the president's political foils. In April, Mr. Bessent had to wrest control of the agency back from Elon Musk, who had Mr. Trump install a temporary commissioner at the I.R.S. without consulting the Treasury secretary. Mr. Bessent protested to Mr. Trump, who ultimately acquiesced, saying Mr. Bessent could fire Mr. Musk's pick, Gary Shapley, after he had led the I.R.S. for just a couple of days. The flap led to a physical confrontation between Mr. Bessent and Mr. Musk in the West Wing, according to multiple people briefed on what took place. Over his short tenure, Mr. Long made clear that he hoped to put his own mark on the job. He wanted to plan his own events, and in July he attended the National Auction Association's annual conference, held outside Chicago. Mr. Long, a member of the association's hall of fame, held a session at the conference, titled 'View From the I.R.S.' At one point, he auctioned off a tie that he had signed, with the proceeds going to charity. 'He's been doing that for as long as I can remember,' said Mike Jones, an auctioneer and friend of Mr. Long's who said he could not recall how much the tie had sold for. Mr. Long had at various points floated to Treasury employees the possibility of running the I.R.S. from his hometown in Springfield, Mo., according to people familiar with the remark. Just days before he would step down from the job last week, a phone call Mr. Long had set up with Representative Richard E. Neal, the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, was abruptly rescheduled. An I.R.S. representative had told Mr. Neal's staff that Mr. Long could not be found in time for the original call. The I.R.S. is in the middle of trying to put in place the new tax law Republicans passed last month, a process that includes ironing out the final details of Mr. Trump's campaign promises to not tax overtime or tips, among others. That work is proceeding without Mr. Long, though plans to post a happy birthday message on the internal I.R.S. website for Mr. Long's 70th birthday on Monday were quietly abandoned. Mr. Long, for his part, has appeared unbothered by the quick end to his time running the I.R.S., writing on social media that he was 'thrilled' to be nominated to become the next ambassador to Iceland. Mr. Long has long celebrated just about everything about Mr. Trump, claiming to have coined the term 'Trump train' and distributing fake $45 bills with the president's face during his first term. 'I was never much of a fighter, but I'm loyal to a fault,' Mr. Long wrote to I.R.S. employees on July 25. 'Loyal to my family, my employees partners and my industry. I will stand up and fight for those I'm loyal to.' Alan Rappeport contributed reporting from Washington.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
FinTech Scotland adds Mastercard and law firm CMS as strategic partners
FinTech Scotland has added Mastercard and law firm CMS to the Scottish Fintech Cluster as strategic partners. The move is expected to enhance the cluster's capabilities in financial and professional services. Payments giant Mastercard is already engaged in fostering fintech innovation, particularly in areas such as AI and Open Finance, FinTech Scotland said in a statement. FinTech Scotland added that these areas are in sync with the objectives outlined in its Research and Innovation Roadmap. The partnership is anticipated to offer Scottish fintech companies' opportunities for collaboration, potentially leading to the development of new commercial avenues and entry into international markets, the statement added. CMS, with a team of over 5,000 lawyers, is known for its advisory services to both new and established players in the financial sector. The firm's expertise in technologies such as digital assets and blockchain is said to complement Scotland's initiatives. The initiative include the upcoming Centre of Excellence in Distributed Ledger Technologies, which is being developed in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University by FinTech Scotland. CMS Scotland partners Bruce Harvie and Fiona Henderson stated: 'We are delighted to announce CMS's strategic partnership with Fintech Scotland, a collaboration that underscores our shared commitment to driving innovation, excellence and growth across Scotland's financial services ecosystem. 'This collaboration brings together our deep industry expertise and Fintech Scotland's dynamic cluster to support the development of cutting-edge solutions that will benefit businesses and consumers alike. The partnership expands the Scottish Fintech Cluster's network, which now comprises over 35 partners collaborating to create a conducive environment for fintech innovation and regional economic development. FinTech Scotland CEO Nicola Anderson said: 'We are delighted to welcome CMS and Mastercard to the FinTech Scotland Cluster. Their global reach, commitment to innovation, and deep sector expertise align perfectly with our ambition for the future of fintech innovation in Scotland. 'Together with our existing strategic partners, we are building a purposeful, connected, and impactful fintech Cluster, driving action for positive economic gain.' FinTech Scotland, launched in 2018, is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together the financial sector, universities, and Scottish Enterprise to promote fintech innovation for Scotland. "FinTech Scotland adds Mastercard and law firm CMS as strategic partners " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
