A Chicago area owner of a lakefront mansion tried to save 80k on his property taxes by turning his racketball court into a chapel for his disabled wife and daughter, and claiming the home was an exempt church. (There is a picture of the "church"). Initially he qualified for the exemption. (He also became ordained on line.) So far its creative, and you almost pull for the taxpayer. But after the locals sued to reverse the Illinois Department of revenue's granting the exemption, said taxpayer sued claiming the locals only wanted Anglo-Saxon whites living there. The taxpayer is Armenian. Village attorney says the "accusations have no merit."

Workers at Chicago's Congress Hotel have been on strike for seven years with no end in sight. Workers were told in 2003, there would be no raises until 2010. The employer has not budged on its wage proposal during the 7 year strike. Members of UNITE HERE gathered with local politicians and clergy to "celebrate the anniversary with speechifying and solidarity. Details here and here. We have previously posted about the injunction the hotel sought against the City to prevent the City from interfering in the labor dispute.