Charles "Chuck" Panici

Charles "Chuck" Panici is the former mayor of Chicago Heights, Illinois. He served four terms, from 1975 to 1991, and was called "the most powerful Republican in Southern Cook County" by the Chicago Sun Times (12-28-1989). President Ronald Reagan visited him in 1986, and Vice President George H.W. Bush, in 1988.

In 1967, Chuck and Jerry Colangelo, former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, helped create "Small Fry Basketball" (limited for pre-teen kids 5'1" or shorter) in Chicago Heights. That program has since gone nationwide. Chuck was recently credited for this in a March 2011 ESPN Magazine article.

Chuck was born in 1930 in the "Hungry Hill" section of Chicago Heights, a south suburb, which was the home to mainly Italian immigrants in a heavily Italian town. The Hungry Hill neighborhood was also home to Mafia bosses such as Albert Tocco, whose sundry felonies, including murder, earned him 200 years in prison. Chuck grew up a block away from Tocco.

Chuck began his political career in the early 1970s as President of the Chicago Heights Park District. In 1975, he put together a coalition ticket and easily defeated the incumbent mayor. His Concerned Citizens ticket won three of the four seats on the city council. In 1979, he won again, with his entire city council slate of John Gliottoni, Louise Marshall and Eugene Sadus winning re-election. They were joined by Nicholas C. "Nick" LoBue, and all five won easy victories in 1983 and 1987.

His biggest accomplishment as mayor was the annexation of Ford Motors, which still brings in $1 million in annual tax revenue to Chicago Heights. His administration was also responsible for bringing Lake Michigan water to Chicago Heights after residents had complained for years about poor water quality. Several municipal buildings were also built during his tenure, including a new City Hall, police station and library.

( Visit http://TheColorOfJustice.com and http://chuckpanici.com for more information )