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A Chicago suburb city mayor says he will return $2,000 in campaign contributions connected to a local restaurateur who has been indicted in a federal gambling case in Indiana.
Mayor Gary Grasso confirmed the donations from Filippo “Gigi” Rovito after local outlet Patch contacted him to ask about contributions from two Burr Ridge businesses owned by Rovito, Capri Ristorante and the Are We Live nightclub.
The mayor said he was not aware of the contributions before the publication actually got in touch with him.
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Lottery officials said the Powerball winner elected for the one-time cash option instead of the annuity paid out over 29 years. The $450.5 million lump sum payout was reduced to about $261.5 million after federal and state taxes.
The $1.04 billion jackpot ranked eighth all-time in Powerball history and marked the 15th billion-dollar lottery prize won in the United States. It stands as the second-largest lottery prize ever claimed in Illinois, trailing only the $1.33 billion Mega Millions jackpot won in July 2022.
“A jackpot of this magnitude is an extraordinary event, and we’re excited to see the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois officially claimed,” said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “It’s exciting to see such a significant Powerball win come to an Illinois player, and we’re pleased to celebrate this milestone with them.”
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Green MP Cate Faehrmann has criticised the arrangement, highlighting a conflict of interest where clubs reduce their tax liabilities while simultaneously cultivating community goodwill.
She called the proposed changes “tinkering around the edges”. She questioned whether ClubGRANTS genuinely supports community projects, or functions as an indirect subsidy that lessens scrutiny of gaming revenue.
“ClubGRANTS is what the clubs rely upon to push back against any reform. The fact is they’re not generous, they’re a rort.” A “rort” is an antipodean term denoting a trick, scam or fraudulent practice.
