
Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart
Dart applauds action on ‘ghost guns’
From staff reports
Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart recently applauded the Illinois General Assembly for passing legislation to combat the proliferation of un-serialized “ghost guns” that are impossible to trace and make it harder to solve violent crimes.
“Untraceable ghost guns pose a significant threat to our efforts to combat violence.” Dart said. “It was imperative to close this legal loophole that allowed people to build untraceable guns while evading background checks. We are seeing more and more of these deadly weapons every year, and they are intentionally being sought out by criminals.”

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart
The bill, which was passed by both the Senate and the House last week, will now be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker.
“Gun violence is destroying communities across Illinois,” Dart said. “There is no good use for deadly weapons that help violent criminals evade justice.”
Dart began pushing for this legislation last year as Sheriff’s Police and other local law enforcement agencies were finding an increasing number of the weapons on the streets.
Dubbed “ghost guns,” these weapons can be easily assembled at home with basic tools using parts that can be purchased separately in stores or online. Because the individual parts are not an actual firearm, they are not required to have a serial number, unlike typical firearms.
As a result, when a ghost gun is used in a crime, law enforcement agencies are unable to trace the weapon to the original purchaser, a key investigative step.
Once signed into law, the measure will:
- Immediately ban the sale of un-serialized gun parts or kits in Illinois.
- Ban privately made firearms, including 3D printed guns, unless they are affixed with a serial number through a federally licensed firearms dealer.
- Require current owners of ghost guns or un-serialized parts to have the weapons or parts serialized within six months of the effective date of the law.
- Make possession of un-serialized guns or gun parts illegal six months after the effective date of the measure. A first offense for possession of a ghost gun or un-serialized parts would be a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to 364 days in jail.
Subsequent offenses would be a Class 3 felony, which carries a possible sentence of two to five years imprisonment. A first offense for an individual selling a ghost gun and/or parts would be a Class 4 felony, which carries a penalty of one to three years’ imprisonment, and subsequent offenses would be a Class 2 felony, which carries sentence of three to seven years imprisonment.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reports that more than 23,000 ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement from potential crime scenes nationwide between 2016 and 2020. Cook County Sheriff’s Office recoveries of such weapons jumped from four in 2020 to 21 in 2021. The Office is on pace to more than double the number of recoveries this year, with 10 found in just the year’s first four months.
The legislation was sponsored by State Sen. Jacqueline Collins and State Rep. Kam Buckner.
“I am proud to sponsor this legislation because un-serialized firearms are able to circumvent state and federal gun laws, making them harder to track and regulate, which makes them all the more dangerous for our communities,” Collins said. “We cannot allow such undetectable and deadly weapons to continue to harm Illinois families. Every fatal gun incident leaves another family devastated beyond repair, and if we are to ensure the safety of our residents and communities, we have to confront these issues before they prematurely take the lives of our loved ones.”
Local News

Dart warns of Kia, Hyundai thefts
Suggests steps to protect vehicle owners From staff reports Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart is warning the public about what he is calling a dramatic rise in thefts of certain models of Kia and Hyundai vehicles. He is urging owners to take additional precautions to reduce the risk of theft. In the past few…

Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg golfer Jillian Cosler opens high school sports season with a bang
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The 2022-23 high school sports season opened with a bang. Practices were allowed to begin on Aug. 8 and the IHSA unleashed boys and girls golfers on Aug. 11; and there was some excitement the next day. Sandburg’s girls golf team participated in the Prep Tour Showcase at Hickory Point…

Campaign 2022: Garfield Ridge man to run for state senate
McGill to focus on law enforcement issues By Bob Bong As it turns out, Democratic state Senate candidate Mike Porfirio looks like he will face a Republican challenger in November’s general election. Porfirio, a Lyons Township trustee, had filed to run for the 11th Illinois Senate seat on the same day incumbent Sen. Steve Landek withdrew…

Villanueva to host back to school resource fair on Friday
The new school year is right around the corner and to prepare students as they head back to the classroom, state Senator Celina Villanueva is giving away free school supplies at a back to school resource fair on Friday, Aug. 12. The back to school resource fair will take place from 4-7 p.m. at Rauner…

Lopez’s approach is proactive
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 Last week we learned of Ald. David Moore’s intentions to take care of the sections within the current 17th Ward boundaries that will soon become a part of the 15th Ward. Unfortunately, it was after the deadline of…

Back to school, just like that
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Just like that, it’s back to school. Saints Bruno & Richard Schools go back on Aug. 18. The sign at Peck School says classes resume on Aug. 22. There will be a “Back to School Block Party”…

National Night Out was a big success
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Did you go to the National Night Out Against Crime event at West Lawn Park on Aug. 2? I wanted to go, but I couldn’t make it. I had been wondering how it went. My friend, Fran, called to let me…

‘Coach Q’ era begins at Brother Rice
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer You might say the man they call “Coach Q” was as cool as a Q-cumber on the first day of high school football practice for the 2022 season. As an assistant coach, Casey Quedenfeld helped Episcopal High School in Texas win a private school state championship in 2019. He also…

Area Sports Roundup: Saint Xavier football tabbed 11th in preseason rankings
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Saint Xavier’s football team has something to feel lucky about. The Cougars are ranked No. 11 in the preseason NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll. That’s a number to which people around the school have taken a liking. “Hopefully 11 is our lucky number and maybe it’s…
Neighbors

10-day sales tax reduction on clothing, school supplies begins Friday
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Friday and lasting through Aug. 14, the state will reduce its sales tax rate from 6.25 percent to 1.25 percent for certain clothing items costing less than $125 and school supplies. The “tax holiday” was included in Gov. JB Pritzker’s “family relief plan,” one prong…

State lays out $34.6B multi-year spending plan for roads, bridges, ports, airports, rail and transit
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation on Friday laid out a $34.6 billion six-year spending plan for road, bridge, transit, rail, airport and port upkeep. It’s the latest multi-year plan backed by the state’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois bipartisan infrastructure law, which doubled the state’s motor fuel tax…

2022 Illinois State Fair officially opens
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The 2022 Illinois State Fair officially got underway Thursday when Gov. JB Pritzker and Secretary of State Jesse White cut the ceremonial ribbon in front of the main entrance to the fairgrounds. “As many of you know, the Illinois State Fair, one of my favorite events…

CAPITOL RECAP: State Fair begins in Springfield
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois State Fair organizers unveiled the 101st State Fair butter cow Wednesday, an unofficial kickoff of the fair which began Thursday, Aug. 11, and runs through Aug. 21. The sculpture – by Iowan Sarah Pratt – consists of more than 800 pounds of recycled butter…

‘Grow with Us’ State Fair, butter cow theme a nod to agriculture, infrastructure
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois State Fair organizers unveiled the 101st State Fair butter cow Wednesday, an unofficial kickoff of the fair which begins Thursday and runs through Aug. 21. The sculpture – by Iowan Sarah Pratt – consists of more than 800 pounds of recycled…

Pritzker eying Indiana firms after abortion law signed
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said this week that he is actively reaching out to businesses in Indiana and other states that have recently passed restrictive abortion laws in hopes of luring those companies to Illinois. “Well, already I’ve reached out to companies that are affected in…

Regulatory work behind 1 million EV push in full swing in Illinois
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Ten months after Illinois lawmakers passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act which set a goal of putting 1 million electric vehicles on state roads by the end of the decade, state agencies are engaged in a flurry of regulatory planning aimed at meeting those goals.…

10-day sales tax reduction on clothing, school supplies begins Friday
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Friday and lasting through Aug. 14, the state will reduce its sales tax rate from 6.25 percent to 1.25 percent for certain clothing items costing less than $125 and school supplies. The “tax holiday” was included in Gov. JB Pritzker’s “family relief plan,” one prong…

Pritzker highlights Rebuild Illinois funding for Cahokia Heights sewers, Rend Lake Resort
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinoi [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – When state lawmakers voted on bipartisan lines in 2019 to double Illinois’ motor fuel tax and raise several driving-related fees, it laid the groundwork for a $45 billion infrastructure plan, the largest in Illinois’ history and the first in nearly a decade. The plan, spanning six…

CAPITOL RECAP: Democrats choose Hernandez as new party chair
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – The vote for state Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez as the Democratic Party of Illinois’ first Latino chairwoman was unanimous and uneventful Saturday morning – the drama had occurred in the days prior in a power struggle of some of the state’s most prominent Democrats. Hernandez was backed Gov. JB…