RaysGuide

RaysGuide Local news, events, businesses, developments and real estate around Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park, and southwest suburbs of Chicago.

Subscribe for free. Raymond Kennedy with Village Realty, Reatlor®

09/02/2026

The Village suspended its Flock license plate reader cameras while a Will County Sheriff’s investigation and review of ALPR policies continues.

And this isn’t some isolated concern.

Channahon is investigating alleged unauthorized Flock use. A Joliet police lieutenant is accused of repeatedly searching another officer’s plate. Joliet Township just revoked permits for Flock cameras on Road District property.

These cameras can absolutely help solve crimes.

The bigger question is what happens when somebody with access uses the system for something they were never supposed to use it for.

Apparently, we’re starting to find out.

08/28/2026

A new bill called the MOVE Act is trying to make portable mortgages more accessible, potentially allowing homeowners to move their existing mortgage rate, balance and loan terms to another property. It’s still only a proposal, and there are some big catches.

What if you could sell your house and take your 3% mortgage rate with you?That’s the idea behind a new bill in Congress ...
08/27/2026

What if you could sell your house and take your 3% mortgage rate with you?

That’s the idea behind a new bill in Congress called the MOVE Act.

It would expand the use of portable mortgages, potentially allowing homeowners to move their existing interest rate, remaining balance, and loan terms from one house to the next.

Why does that matter?

Because a lot of homeowners who would otherwise move are staying put simply because they don’t want to give up a 3% or 4% mortgage. FHFA research estimates mortgage-rate lock-in prevented roughly 1.7 million home sales in just two years.

There are some big catches, though. This is still only a proposal, and it does not mean everyone with an existing 3% mortgage would automatically be able to take it with them.

I broke down what the bill actually says, who it could help, and what it could mean for sellers, move-up buyers, downsizers, and first-time buyers.

Full breakdown in the comments.

08/25/2026

A major solar company went bankrupt, but that doesn’t mean the payments disappear with it. Before signing a long-term solar deal, there’s one question homeowners should be asking.

08/24/2026

Could Tinley Park and Frankfort actually end up in two different states? 33 Illinois counties have already voted to explore separating from Cook County. It’s extremely unlikely, but if it ever happened, the southwest suburbs could get really weird.

08/23/2026

Illinois drivers are about to pay more. Passenger tolls are set to increase in 2027, with future toll adjustments tied to inflation starting in 2029. If you use I-294, I-355, or the Tollway regularly, this one matters.

Ever wonder how many Flock cameras you drive past every single day?You can actually look.You can search a map of reporte...
08/23/2026

Ever wonder how many Flock cameras you drive past every single day?

You can actually look.

You can search a map of reported license plate readers around the southwest suburbs and nationally. Zoom in around your house, your subdivision, the roads you drive to work. It gets interesting pretty dang fast.

And this one surprised me: there is another website that lets you search public Flock audit records that have been obtained to see whether your plate shows up in them. The database isn't complete, so no result doesn't mean you've never been recorded or searched.

I went pretty deep into what these cameras collect, who can potentially access the information, and what has already happened when the information was wrong.

Full breakdown is in the comments, including the websites to look this information up directly.

Let me know what you find when you do a quick search.

08/22/2026

Will County just approved agreements involving Flock cameras in six communities, including Frankfort and Mokena. These cameras can record your plate, your vehicle, where you were and when you were there. Are you comfortable with that?

What if Illinois actually split into two different states?For most of the state, people talk about this like it’s simple...
08/22/2026

What if Illinois actually split into two different states?

For most of the state, people talk about this like it’s simple:

Chicago on one side.
Downstate on the other.

But here in the southwest suburbs?

It could get REALLY weird.

Mokena and New Lenox are in Will County.

But Frankfort, Tinley Park, and Orland Park all reach across the Cook-Will County line.

So if Cook County stayed in Illinois and the rest of the state broke away… where exactly would they draw the new state line?

Would they split towns?

Move the border around them?

Let communities choose?

And then come the questions that would actually hit your wallet:

🏠 What happens to home values?
💰 What happens to property and income taxes?
🏫 What happens to schools?
🚗 What happens to your commute?
💵 And who gets stuck with Illinois’ existing debt and pension obligations?

No, Illinois isn’t about to split tomorrow.

But 33 counties have already voted to explore separating from Cook County, and Indiana has even created a commission to study the possibility of moving its border west.

That makes one question pretty interesting for those of us living right along the Cook-Will line:

If Illinois ever DID split… which side would you want the southwest suburbs to be on?

Stay with Chicago and Cook County?

Join a new state?

Join Indiana?

Or something else entirely?

👇 I dug into what this could actually mean for Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Tinley Park, and Orland Park:

https://raysguide.com/local-community/community-updates/illinois-secession-southwest-suburbs

08/21/2026

If your home or business had damage from the August 11 storms, Will County is still collecting damage reports. The current deadline is August 22. The survey helps document how widespread the damage was and can help officials determine what recovery resources may be available.

https://www.willcountyema.org/storm

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20950 S. Frankfort Sq. Road Unit C
Frankfort, IL
60423

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