The Home Front

(Above) Sam Sianis (center) holds the 1974 tournament trophy won by the Chicago Daily News 16-inch softball team he sponsored. The legendary lineup included Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Mike Royko (top row, second from right). The photo was taken at the Hubbard Street Billy Goat Tavern next to the “VIP Room” sign. Photo provided by Don DeBat. By Don DeBat Chicago-style 16-inch softball managers might tell you losing a good sponsor is worse than losing a brother. With the

By Don DeBat For thousands of Illinoisans, an HOA turns the American dream into ‘condo jail.’ To combat board abuse and financial mismanagement, state lawmakers are weighing new bills to protect frustrated owners in ‘Condoland.’ Buying a condominium or homeowners association (HOA) property in Illinois can sometimes feel like entering “condo jail.” Board abuse, breach of fiduciary duty, and a lack of transparency are widespread complaints. Because there is currently very littl

(Above) While 87,000 Cook County taxpayers remain stranded by a system-wide software backlog, Tyler Technologies Chairman John Marr celebrates corporate success by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on February 3, 2026. The Texas firm’s unresolved county tech contract has left an estimated $46 million in local refunds bottlenecked. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) By Don DeBat While tens of thousands of Chicago property owners are reeling from soaring taxes, some

(Above) Aerial view looking north from Jackson Park toward the Chicago skyline, showcasing the Woodlawn and South Shore neighborhoods. (Photo: Adobe Stock) By Don DeBat With the Obama Presidential Center approaching, a new anti-gentrification ordinance is rattling the real estate industry, pitting landlord rights against city efforts to prevent displacement in Chicago’s lakefront neighborhoods. The threat of rising apartment rents in “Obamaville” and other South Side lakefron