The Elephant in the Rumpus Room

Wednesday may be hump day, but last Tuesday was Trump Day in Lake County. Trump dominated the GOP Primary throughout the County, outpacing his closest rival, Jeb Bush, by a comfortable 30,697 to 524.

Trump romped -- despite dire predictions in the wake of an aborted Trump rally in Chicago, a week before the election:

"Donald Trump created that hostile environment," said state Rep. Ed Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican and backer of Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He predicted a backlash against Trump. But if there isn't one, Sullivan said, "God help us."
Trump backlash swift and loud, but does it matter?

It is conceivable that God asked for a Democratic ballot, because the predicted backlash did not occur.

One political scientist told your LakeCountyEye: "Trump does so well at the ballot box because voters say they won't vote for Trump, and then they vote for Trump. The pollsters need to understand that Trump voters speak in code."

Well, your LakeCountyEye has not only cracked that code, but can identify with 100% certainty who will vote for Donald Trump. Listen for one of these 10 tell-tale tip-offs:

Ten Euphemisms for Voting for Donald Trump

Punch One ... In the Face Pull a Short Finger Take a Trump Fondled the Donald Got My Degree in P/E at Trump University Buy a Rauner Let's Juice the Orange Voto a Favor de Donaldo Trump It's Gonna Be HUGE Trump You

Look for your LakeCountyEye wearin' the orange at a Trump Rally near you.

Cancel My Subscription to the General Election

March Madness has arrived, and your LakeCountyEye is two for two. In the wake of the March Madness March 15 Primary, your LakeCountyEye predicted that State Senator Dan Duffy would resign early, and then predicted he would be replaced by Dan McConchie:

Take this Job and Duff It

McConchie, a right-to-life lobbyist who fought a close primary battle, will be the GOP candidate in the November election for Duffy's Senate seat. Now the Daily Herald says McConchie will be picked to serve out the remainder of Duffy's term in the State Senate:

Lake County Republican Chairman Mike Amrozowicz said picking McConchie in this case is a "no-brainer" because voters have already spoken.
McConchie likely to start state Senate term early

If the voters have spoken, however, it is not 100% clear what they said -- especially in McHenry County, where the primary election was botched. One party official spoke candidly to the Northwest Herald ...

"It was the worst-managed election I have ever experienced living in McHenry County, and it's been 20 years. ... I don't know why anybody would trust the results of the election yesterday."
McHenry County primary election: 'Worst-managed' in decades or isolated problems?

Your LakeCountyEye observes that the Daily Herald trusts those results, implicitly. And moreover, with zero percent of the precincts reporting, the Daily Herald has already called the November election in McConchie's favor:

McConchie likely to start state Senate term early

One McHenry County spokesman told your LakeCountyEye: "If Mr McConchie wants to start his 2017 Senate term early, that's fine with us. And if that means canceling the November, 2016 election, that's fine with us as well."

Take this Job and Duff It

If the Illinois Senate is a two-way street, then State Senator Dan Duffy just blew his last red light.

Haha, the lameduck District 26 Senator says he will resign early.  According to the Northwest Herald ...

Duffy, R-Lake Barrington, announced the day after Tuesday's election that he would resign his 26th Illinois Senate District seat effective April 3 to take a job as president and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, a Chicago-based nonprofit with chapters in all 50 states, most of which do home visitations to ensure the healthy development of children.
Illinois Sen. Dan Duffy to step down early to lead nonprofit

Note to Ops: Nostradamus has nothing on your LakeCountyEye. Not to brag but, it was as far back as 2011 that this blog predicted Dan Duffy would resign from his Senate seat:

Freakout Punch

(To put this feat in perspective, Nostradamus was still alive in 2011.)

Duffy's announcement came one day after the election -- where Dan McConchie won a closely contested GOP primary in Senate District 26. It was probably no coincidence that Duffy waited until after a winner was called in his Senate district.

Republican Party insiders have been tasked with appointing someone to serve the remainder of Duffy's term, which expires at the end of the year. And your LakeCountyEye can now predict with great certainty that those insiders will select Casey Urlacher. The current Mayor of Mettawa, Urlacher finished a close second behind McConchie in the primary.

Haha, j/k. You don't need to be Nostradamus to know that the GOP insiders will appoint McConchie -- a pro-life lobbyist and activist -- to fill Duffy's vacant seat.

Well, duh.

For an Election Lasting More Than 24 Hrs, Seek Medical Help

Your LakeCountyEye has some good news to report from Mini-Super-Tuesday: Election numbers are finally trickling in from McHenry County.

Haha, if you lost sleep Tuesday night waiting to see who won in Illinois, it's not because you totally forgot about daylight savings time. Thank McHenry County instead -- which totally bungled the election. According to the Northwest Herald, problems already ...

started with the opening of the polls at 6 a.m. with the failure in some precincts of the electronic poll books used to verify voters' registration, and continued into Wednesday. As of late Wednesday – a full 24 hours after the closing of county polls that were extended 90 minutes by emergency court order – County Clerk Mary McClellan's office had yet to post the provisional ballots cast during that hour and a half. A number of county and state races were too close to call. It's a given among veteran McHenry County candidates something always goes wrong in the county on Election Day.
McHenry County primary election: 'Worst-managed' in decades or isolated problems?

One contest impacted was the heavily mail-bombed Senate District 26:

Though he was leading a tight three-way race in the 26th Illinois Senate District Republican primary, Dan McConchie was not ready to declare victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Dan McConchie leads close 26th Illinois Senate race, not declaring victory yet

Dan McConchie was reluctant to declare victory because his opponent, Casey Urlacher, did unexpectedly well in McHenry County. Despite the fact that the McHenry County GOP prides itself on being solidly pro-life -- and that Dan McConchie lobbies for Americans United for Life (a pro-life organization) -- Urlacher (the Mayor of Mettawa) beat McConchie in McHenry County by 6 percentage points. The only plausible explanation for this sort of ballotbox behavior would have to be that Casey Urlacher is the brother of an Ex-Chicago Bear, Brian Urlacher. And that they share the same last name.

One political scientist summed up the situation on the ground in McHenry County: "I don't think anyone in McHenry County ever got tipped off that there was supposed to be an election on March 15."

Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Louis

The voters sent a message to the Lake County GOP, soundly rejecting establishment candidates backed by Party insiders. Your LakeCountyEye, of course, refers to the stunning defeat of Louis Atsaves for the post of Moraine 203 Committeeman. The soon to be ex-Moraine Township GOP Chair, Atsaves was defeated by one Margaret "Peggy" Siebert -- of whom your LakeCountyEye has never heard:

Lake County -- Election Results

The numbers were not close, but your LakeCountyEye sill expects to see a petition for a recount. One Party insider predicted it would possible to make up a 100-plus vote deficit, "provided they have a stack of absentee ballots salted away somewhere in some Post Office".

Another Party insider was less sanguine. He told your LakeCountyEye that sometimes they are not booing -- they are actually chanting LOUIS LOUIS. But in this situation however the Moraine voters were in fact booing.

Despite the unexpected loss, your LakeCountyEye has no doubt that Party insider Louis Atsaves will land on his feet. Atsaves's wife was appointed by Governor Rauner to a Commission that compensates its members at nearly $120,000/year:

Clout of Commissions

With the unexpected freetime available, perhaps Mr Atsaves will take the opportunity to reanimate his blog Common Sense in Illinois' 10th, which like Ted Williams's head is currently preserved under cryogenic suspension. One Party insider observed that Ted Williams's lifetime batting average -- .344 -- would have been good for a solid second-place finish in Moraine 203.

The Breaking News

An actual unretouched headline, lede and screencap from Lake County newspaper of record, the Chicago Tribune:

The McLaughlin campaign has received word that multiple complaints have been filed against lobbyist Dan McConchie, candidate for State Senate, for breaking election laws and illegally coordinating campaign activities with special interest PACs and political nonprofit organizations.
From the community: Lobbyist Dan McConchie Caught Breaking Election Law

The link is broken, and the Trib may have expunged the webpage. But the original can be seen on the Wayback Machine:

Lobbyist Dan McConchie Caught Breaking Election Law
(Internet Archive)

Internet Archive Wayback Machine

Your LakeCountyEye contacted one legal expert, who was all like: "I'd tell them, if they can't sue the Tribune for libel, at least try suing the Internet Archive."

Note to Ops: This information is intended for satirical purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cruz in Chicago

Your LakeCountyEye went to a hockey game this week. And a Donald Trump rally broke out.

Haha. Much like when the Mongol hordes crossed the Russian Steppes, the Presidential candidates were in Illinois to ask for your vote next Tuesday.

One candidate, GOP frontrunner Ted Cruz, flew in to dispel rumors that he is not trustworthy enough to be President:

Ted Cruz looked to expand upon his base of support in Illinois on Friday, portraying himself to party regulars in Chicago and the Northwest suburbs as the only candidate who had the delegates and the ability to overtake Donald Trump.
Cruz tells suburban GOP only he can overtake Trump

With the Illinois Primary just 3 days away, your LakeCountyEye has been privy to a squatload of oppo dumps. And the junior Senator from Texas has not gone unsullied.

Did you know that Ted Cruz was an original cast member of the 60s sitcom Green Acres?

Ted Cruz	Mr Haney
This is no repeat of another hilarious LakeCountyEye Double Vision™!

Arnold the Pig (who incidentally is registered to vote in Lake County) was unavailable for comment.

Retire, Rehash, Reefer

Some township senior centers have been asked to set an extra chair at the mah-jong table. Chief Keef -- rap star and Lake County favorite son -- is retiring:

Chief Keef is throwing in the towel when it comes to his rap career. The Chicago-based rhymer announced his retirement on Twitter last week, saying that too many rappers sound like him.
Chief Keef Announces Retirement, Says Too Many Rappers Sound Like Him

One retirement planner told your LakeCountyEye that savvy millennials are cashing-in early -- particularly in states where Medicare payments can be applied toward their medical marijuana.

Keef's announcement impacts the City of Waukegan, which is sponsoring a music festival in May:

Despite skepticism from several aldermen about the logistics of staging a large concert at Waukegan Municipal Beach, the City Council voted unanimously Monday to strike a deal with Vet Fest LLC that would allow a series of Memorial Day weekend concerts.
Waukegan finalizes deal for Vet Fest, acts could be announced soon

Your LakeCountyEye has learned that festival organizers are now negotiating with a Chief Keef tribute band:

Chief and Re-Keef

A Ted Nugent tribute band has already been booked to headline the event:

A Complete Re-Ted

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Q the Eye/03.08.16

Dear LakeCountyEye,

How can I become fantastically famous in Lake County?

A Short Fingered Vulgarian

Dear Mr Trump,

First and foremost, do not be a candidate for President of the United States. A surer path to oblivion has not been devised. Remember Lincoln Chafee or George Pataki? Your LakeCountyEye did not think so.

Like every first-time candidate, you need to make the acquaintance of your voters by direct mail. Nothing can turn a disengaged electorate into rabid supporters quite like a stack of 4-color full-page glossy paeans to your awesomeness. Haha, j/k. If anything, those campaign mailers of yours will be turned directly into into the dumpster.

A Lake County candidate is better advised instead to establish a presence on social media. And by social media, your LakeCountyEye, of course, refers to the blogosphere. Where else do Netizens of all stripes gather to swap pics of the grandkids and kitty videos?

And while many in number, there is one (and only one) Internet blog that can be said to serve the entire body politic of Lake County. Your LakeCountyEye, of course, refers to the McHenry County Blog. Their web traffic is just huge. And by huge, your LakeCountyEye means HUGE. Any candidate who finds his name posted on the the McHenry County Blog is guaranteed to become a household name in Lake County.

The trick is simple and foolproof: Retrieve all of those discarded campaign mailers out of your trashbin, highlight your name and address, and send them to the McHenry County Blog:

Proft PAC Disses Urlacher & McLaughlin



Realtors Mails Second Piece for McLaughlin



Proft PAC Hits Urlacher as “Enemy”

Act today and you will be hugely famous quicker than you can say Walter Mondale!

If you are an elected official, or a previously elected official, or just a private citizen under indictment, send your political questions to Q the Eye c/o ...LakeCountyEye@gMail.com

A Discussion of the Syrian Crisis, the Iran Connection and How They Impact the Middle East

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Irv Badr, who spent his childhood living and studying in the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia is an authority on the area's politics, religions and cultures. He has traveled extensively in the region and is fluent in multiple Middle Eastern languages. Badr is a frequent speaker at Middle East forums and political interest groups' gatherings in the Chicago area.

• Sunday
  March 13, 2016
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773- 281-0378
• $15
  No Charge for Students
• Coffee and Conversation Afterwards

Campaign Cash

The next Illinois primary election will be held in two weeks. Since most Operatives are occupied with stealing yardsigns, the month's pop quiz is a simple multiple choice:

Who said it?

We're going to grab and grab and grab. We're going to bring in so much money and so much everything.

(a) Donald Trump

If you chose (a) give yourself a nice fat wrongful conviction settlement. The correct answer is Donald Trump.

Haha, as campaign promises go, the appeal of free money is certainly as good as any and probably better than most. Just ask Bernie Madoff or Reverend Ike.

This is a lesson not lost on the candidates in Illinois Senate District 26, where the voters are primed to get rich quick if they elect the right person:

Tuesday, March 15 is Primary day. Until then your LakeCountyEye will be pricing some canine-friendly retirement property in the Waukegan Savanna.

This Deserves an Asterisk

Until now, the Daily Herald -- the gray lady of Lake County newspapers -- has been a Paddock Publication. Henceforth it could be known as the No-Shit, Paddock Publication.

Haha, as readers of this blog are aware ...

Guano Trouble

yesterday, your LakeCountyEye scooped this scatological headline & story off of the Daily Herald website:

Senator on GOP backing Trump: 'Party has gone batshit crazy'

But anyone visiting the website today will discover that the Herald has subsequently eaten its words:

Senator on GOP backing Trump: 'Party has gone bat***t crazy'

On source told your LakeCountyEye: "Sure the Daily Herald has a shit detector. But it hasn't been plugged in since 1968."

Guano Trouble

An actual unretouched headline, lede and screencap from Lake County newspaper of record, the Daily Herald:

Sen. Lindsey Graham is disgusted with the GOP's embrace of Donald Trump: "My party has gone batshit crazy."
Senator on GOP backing Trump: 'Party has gone batshit crazy'

Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi was unavailable for comment.

Note: Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, the Professor of Abnormal Scatology at the College of Lake County, is currently on assignment, covering the Trump for President campaign.

Political Divisions

Those who heard the crowd roaring ...

Hold That Line!
Hold That Line!

this week, were not at a Chicago Bears tailgate party. No, they were at a Senate District 26 election rally.

The new Senate District 26 negative campaign attack ad has hit the mailboxes and, uh-oh, the barbarians are at the gate:

Lake County backed Barack Obama, a Democrat, in both 2008 and 2012, so the Republican perimeter may already be compromised.

Where is the Lake County Republican perimeter today? Your LakeCountyEye asked a political cartographer (who works cheap in Indonesia) -- and seeing is believing. That Republican perimeter has flat-out retreated to the southwest corner of Lake County:

Ahead of a huge March 15 Illinois primary, it should be no surprise that the Trump for President campaign has contacted the Lake County GOP. And candidate Donald Trump himself is promising to build a wall around the Republican perimeter.

Who's Gonna Pay For The Wall?

Cook County!

The Fake News

Who says old media is dead and dying? Lake County has a new dead-tree newspaper, the Lake County Gazette ...

Erstwhile newspaper of record, the Daily Herald, has the story:

A new newspaper started landing in some suburban mailboxes this week with articles about state government and politics that emphasize the points of view of certain Republican candidates running for seats in Springfield. The Lake County Gazette is one of eight papers statewide mailed by Liberty Principles PAC and is intended to support candidates for office. Liberty Principles PAC is run by conservative radio host and former GOP candidate for governor Dan Proft.
Newspaper run by Dan Proft's PAC hits Lake County

Countywide, the reaction has been swift and severe. Community leaders are demanding an immediate investigation out of the State's Attorney's office.

Haha, j/k. Countywide, it's been all like the Zion Nuclear Plant: No reaction.

One media watchdog explained it this way: "So someone is peddling another rightwing newspaper in Lake County? That would be like bringing a Confederate flag to a NASCAR race. Who's going to notice?"

Register, Vote, Repeat

How many times has this happened to you? You show up to vote on election day, only to discover you aren't registered to vote.

If you are like your LakeCountyEye, too many times!

So it is probably no coincidence that your LakeCountyEye received this Email reminder from the County Clerk:

The County Clerk encouraged your LakeCountyEye to log onto LakeVoterPower.info and confirm that, come election day, everything will be A-OK.

Your LakeCountyEye immediately checked, and may happily report is good to go:

Note to Ops: Did you know the Lake County Clerk is Carla N. Wyckoff?

Your LakeCountyEye did not know that!

Who Put the Ram in the Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong?

It's a good thing Lake County has some 30,000 acres of Forest Preserves -- because the County will need all those trees for the election in Senate District 26.

The latest Illinois Senate District 26 mailer arrived today ...

Did you know that Casey Urlacher is a former St. Louis Ram?

Your LakeCountyEye did not know that!

Carded

There is an old saying in Lake County politics:

You Can't Play If You Don't Have A Card

... the card in question being your voter registration card.

Perhaps the single most important piece of identification in your wallet, the Lake County voter registration card is everything from your picture-ID for cheap beer at the VFW to your stay-out-of-jail-free bond card for that long drive home up Route 12.

So naturally your LakeCountyEye takes notice when Operatives report that the County Clerk has been mailing out new voter registration cards. One News-Sun correspondent (who registered to vote in Lake County more than 20 years ago) was surprised to find a new voter registration card in his mailbox. He assumes the card was sent ...

for one or more of three reasons: Because my old card, issued in May 2004, was turning yellow; because information like my Congressional district and/or state legislative districts had changed since 2004; or because the statement about my card being "issued by Willard R. Helander, Lake County Clerk" was out-of-date, even though the name had been written in boldface type, seemingly intended to last until the end of time.
New voter registration cards, same old process

Now, there are more than 410,000 registered voters in Lake County, an historic high. And there is another old saying in Lake County politics:

Voters Are All Like Cattle

... and when the herd grows to a certain size, your LakeCountyEye suspects there may be another reason, hidden behind the cards, and overlooked by the News-Sun:

Reason #4 ...

1. Mail Out New Registration Cards
2. Post Office Returns a Bunch of Cards Marked Addressee Unknown
3. Thin the Herd

Note to Ops: you may already be disenfranchised.

Empowering Communities to Create Sustainable Environments

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Molly Flanagan, Vice President Policy, Alliance for the Great Lakes; Eleanor Revelle, President Citizens' Greener Evanston; Beth Drucker, Co-Facilitator CONSEG (Consortium of North Shore Environmental Groups) and President, Board of Trustees, Go Green Wilmette will share information about grassroots coalitions on combating climate change. We can celebrate the decision of 196 governments at the U.N. conference in Paris to work together by taking collaborative actions here at home to control flooding, drought, polluted aquifers and waste management while improving the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.

• Sunday
  February 21, 2016
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773- 281-0378
• $15
  No Charge for Students
• Coffee and Conversation Afterwards

Urlacher on the Concept

If you are an Operative and you are occupying a Federal Post Office, you can withdraw and go home now. The new Casey Urlacher campaign mailer has finally arrived.

Casey Urlacher, the Mayor of Mettawa and Chicago Bear lookalike, is running for the Illinois Senate in the 26th District. And as knowledgable readers of this blog will know ...

More Than One Can Bear

this new Urlacher mailer arrived one day after the old Urlacher mailer:

"Casey excelled in athletics. He played on his school's state champion football teams alongside his brother, and future Chicago Bear star, Brian."

Your LakeCountyEye has filed the mailer under:

Since when did Republican mean Brian Urlacher's Brother?

More Than One Can Bear

The Chicago Bears did not send anybody to SuperBowl 50 -- but da Bears may be sending two players to Springfield this year. The Urlacher Brothers -- Brian and Casey -- besides being former Chicago Bears -- have something else in common. Both Urlachers are running for the Illinois Senate in District 26.

Two Urlachers running for one legislative office? Ordinarily, your LakeCountyEye would be quick to report that not since Cain slew Able during the Civil War has anyone foreseen a battle dividing brother against brother of these epic proportions. Sadly however, your LakeCountyEye no can do. The simple fact of the matter is more astonishing: Brian and Casey Urlacher are not running against each other. No, the two Urlacher Brothers are running together, as a team, for Senate 26.

Operatives, nodoubt, will be skeptical.  Your LakeCountyEye would be in total disbelief as well, were it not for this campaign mailer from the Urlacher Brothers:

Urlacher Brothers
Morning Workout in Mettawa

Seeing is believing.  This dynamic duo -- Brian and Casey Urlacher -- want you to send them both to the Illinois Senate.

The Urlacher Brothers certainly have contrived a novel way to ask for your vote.  In a time when the headlines are often about sports-related head injuries, two heads may indeed be better than one.

Can two individuals collectively run for the same Illinois legislative office, much like an Australian tag team would? One Illinois Constitutional scholar was surprisingly unconcerned: "If they don't mind having to share a spot in the Senate parking lot, I don't see anything to stop them."

The message is clear: A vote for Urlacher is really two votes in one. Just like voting early and often -- and without having to do either!

Too Close to Home

Talk ordinarily is cheap. Talk is not cheap, however, when the services of a court reporter is required for a transcript. According to the Daily Herald ...

Hoping to move along a court case involving a dispute over the fate of the old Midlothian Manor property in Ela Township, a unit of Lake County government has paid an outstanding $6,000 cost for a public hearing transcript and is looking to residents who opposed the project for reimbursement.
County wants $6,000 from Lake Zurich-area homeless opponents

The dispute has spilled over into small clams court, and is scheduled to be heard this Tuesday.

One unhappy resident told your LakeCountyEye: "The County sure knows how to spend money. $6000? Give me a break. If they crowdsourced the job out to a designer in Indonesia, they could have gotten the same document for pennies on the dollar!"

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Now go home.

Designing Women

Nodoubt following in the footsteps of Gauguin (who went to Tahiti) the Village of Gurnee has acquired its new logo from a designer in Indonesia:

Rather than a strike a traditional contract with a design firm of consulting company, Gurnee used the crowdsourcing website 99designs.com to start what turned out to be worldwide competition to design the village's new logo.
How Gurnee's new logo came from Indonesia

The artwork was obtained via the services of a crowdsourcing website -- where a buyer posts graphic specifications on the Internet, and then purchases a design from out of a collection submitted by remote designers.

In related news, two employees of the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk were arrested this week for altering court documents:

Two sisters working in the Lake County circuit court clerk's office have been charged with altering court records for "personal benefit," prosecutors announced Friday.
Two court employees charged with altering documents

Now, Photoshop may be a powerful imaging tool, but one software expert was candid with your LakeCountyEye: "Those two suspects should have just outsourced the job to Indonesia. They'd have saved themselves time and money. And on top of that, good luck with finding or extraditing someone in Indonesia."

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Make like Vincent Van, and Gogh.

Land o' Swooshen

That giant sucking sound you heard was not the Lake County board in executive session. No, it was the sound of jobs leaving Lake County. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the ...

Lake County, Ill.-Kenosha County, Wis., area reported a 5,100-job loss (1.2 percent)
Little change in area unemployment numbers

Ordinarily those Lake County jobs would be siphoned into Kenosha. But, if those statistics are to be believed, either those jobs are fleeing back into Lake County from Kenosha -- or they are going somewhere else.

Your LakeCountyEye investigated, and can exclusively report that these jobs are going to Indonesia. The Daily Herald has reported that ...

In need of a fresh logo quickly and at low cost, one Lake County town put out a request online -- and had it filled by someone in Indonesia. Rather than a strike a traditional contract with a design firm of consulting company, Gurnee used the crowdsourcing website 99designs.com to start what turned out to be worldwide competition to design the village's new logo.
How Gurnee's new logo came from Indonesia

After sifting through 325 proposals, the Village of Gurnee chose for itself a new logo from an Indonesian designer -- a logo that featured ...

a swoosh incorporated into the "N" of Gurnee.
How Gurnee's new logo came from Indonesia

Indonesian workers are no strangers to the iconic swoosh. Chances are your athletic shoes were made in Indonesia:

Note to Ops who plan to kiss goodbye that minimum wage job in Kenosha, for greener pastures in Indonesia: Set your clocks backward -- Indonesia is not on Central Standard Time!

Dr. Dongsheng Di: China's Economic Reforms and Their Implications

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Chinese economist and university professor, Dr. Dongsheng Di will examine the economic reforms being initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and discuss the implications for that nation and other of the world's economies. His research covers topics such as the politics and economics of global currency and financial issues, as well as Chinese foreign economic relations.

• Saturday
  February 6, 2016
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773- 281-0378
• $15
  No Charge for Students
• Coffee and Conversation Afterwards

Justice is Not Cheap

The fundamental flaw of the American criminal justice system: Cases are decided by twelve people who couldn't manage to get out of jury duty. Lake County, to its credit, has come up with a unique solution. As County Board Chair Aaron Lawlor explained to the News-Sun ...

a bill passed through Springfield reducing the number of jurors needed in court, but the bill included a pay increase for remaining jurors. He said Lake County is paying $400,000 more per year as a result.
Lake County officials question state report on consolidation

At a pay-scale of $400K per annum, your LakeCountyEye is quite sure the Lake County courts are now awash in quality jurors.

Haha. But one court-appointed attorney cautioned your LakeCountyEye not to blame Springfield: "Think about it. Every wrongful conviction in Lake County means there was a criminal trial. And appeals. And then a civil suit, followed by jury-awarded damages. And more appeals. Even if you only pay your jurors $5 per day -- a wrongful conviction here, a wrongful conviction there, and pretty soon you're talking real money!"

The Motor City Madman

Don't look for Chief Keef at the Oscar ceremonies, this year. Also, the Lake County rap star, and fugitive, will likely be boycotting a Waukegan music festival this summer.

The News-Sun has the backstory:

While a proposed Memorial Day weekend concert series at Waukegan Municipal Beach remains in the concept stages, opposition was voiced at this week's City Council meeting to one of the possible performers mentioned earlier this month by Mayor Wayne Motley: outspoken rocker Ted Nugent. "If Ted Nugent comes to Waukegan, as the chair of the Lake County Black Lives Matter movement, I will contact every chapter from California to New York, and we'll have the biggest protest in Waukegan you have ever seen," Zion resident Clyde McLemore told the council on Tuesday.
Protest threatened if Ted Nugent performs at Waukegan music festival

Ted Nugent, as Operatives know, was frontman for the Amboy Dukes -- the one-hit-wonder 60s psychedelic band. Their anthem to psychotropic substances is nodoubt #1 on the playlist of anyone who was alive in the 1960s (and with only sketchy recollections to prove it):

It's the land unknown to man,
Where fantasy is fact.
So if you can, please understand
You might not come back.
Come along if you care,
Come along if you dare,
Take a ride to the land inside of your mind.
Journey to the Center of the Mind

The demand for drug-soaked nostalgia rock'n'roll may be on the decline, however, because the 67 year old Nugent has transitioned to a new career. The former teen-idol is now a successful insult comic:

Ted Nugent on Barack Obama:
The "Piece Of S**t" should "Suck On My Machine Gun."

Ted Nugent on Hilary Clinton:
"Toxic C**t"

Ted Nugent on Gays:
"How Can We Offend Guys That Actually Have A**l Sex?"

Ted Nugent on Undocumented Immigrants:
"I'd Like To Shoot Them Dead."

It is unknown if Ted Nugent will headline the Waukegan music festival this summer. If he does, look for your LakeCountyEye -- clad with love beads and a peace medallion.

Raise? Hell!

The only thing not frozen in Lake County may be the salaries of elected officials. According to the News-Sun ...

A Lake County Board committee is poised to debate this month whether to raise the salary of the chairman's position after at least one board member noted that the position's compensation lags behind that of chairmen in surrounding counties.
County Board set to discuss possible pay raises for chairman

Whenever the question is "whose is bigger?", your LakeCountyEye looks up Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Professor of Behavioral Overcompensation at the College of Lake County.

"Ya," said Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "you can't make ends meet these days on a public servant's salary. I've heard that some elected officials are trapping and hunting wild game in Waukegan."

To be sure, the low salaries are a hidden tax on wildlife. But your LakeCountyEye wanted to know if this was a bad thing for the human taxpayers.

"Bad for Lake County." replied Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The County Board Chairs in Cook and the collar counties all make 150% or 200% over what the Lake County Chair is paid. Even in McHenry County -- where they maintain a standard-of-living far below the other, developed counties."

How bad could that be?

"Quite bad," sighed Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi "because all the good talent is fleeing Lake County for greener pastures -- quicker than an office supply company can flee to Wisconsin."

Low salaries for public servants have led to a Lake County brain drain?

"Exactly." agreed Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "You don't need to be a rocket scientist to get on a Lake County ballot. Can you name any?"

Your LakeCountyEye could not. The last one was thrown off the ballot because he bollixed his paperwork.

"Proves my point." shrugged Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Most Lake County candidates wouldn't qualify for a door prize, let alone a Nobel Prize."

And all because of the low pay scale?

"No flies on you today." smiled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "When there is more money to be made in the private sector, the remaining talent pool tends to get stocked with fish feeding from the bottom of the barrel. As a consequence, those who rise to the top of the County government food chain are those who know how to steer public policy in the direction of the donor class and the special interests."

A revolting development -- just who are these people?

Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi brightened up. "They are easy to spot. Look for the guy who yells the loudest that he doesn't need a raise."

Word to the wise. Did Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi have any parting advice?

"Tell your Operatives they get what they pay for."

Eating Off the Dollar Menu

How far will a politician go for a free meal? Operatives with GPS can find out for themselves. According to the Daily Herald ...

The Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum from 7 to 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, at Concorde Banquets, 20922 N. Rand Road, Kildeer. Candidates running for the 6th Congressional District, state Senate District 26 and Lake County state's attorney seats will be in attendance. Light breakfast included. A $5 donation at the door is encouraged to help offset the cost of the food.
Lake Zurich chamber to host candidate forum

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but in politics there is sometimes a free breakfast.

Admittedly a free breakfast should not include a rider for a $5 donation. And admittedly that's a dollar more than you would spend at the Steak 'n Shake ...

But your LakeCountyEye has been told that you'll never see a bigger bang-for-your-breakfast-buck than with this deal at the Concorde Banquets:


Breakfast Menu | Concorde Banquets

As a bonus, candidates for the 6th Congressional District have been invited. And Operatives will have an opportunity to witness Congressman Peter Roskam match wits with his tea-party opponents.

Or what's left of them. According to the Suburban Life ...

Glen Ellyn resident Gerald "Jerry" Drabik has dropped out of the Republican primary race against U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, and has thrown his support to fellow candidate and Glen Ellyn resident Jay Kinzler.
Glen Ellyn candidate drops out of Republican primary race against Roskam

Drabik, your LakeCountyEye surmises, should be contacted at the Steak 'n Shake.

Ralph Martire: The Fiscal Crisis in Illinois: Its Cause and Potential Solution

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, will examine Illinois' deepening fiscal crisis, what factors led to it and some possible solutions. He teaches a Master's Class on Education Finance and Fiscal Policy at the University of Illinois and at Roosevelt University where he is also a distinguished lecturer on public policy. His areas of expertise include tax policy, pension reform and school funding. He has taught fiscal policy seminars for a number of other universities and the International Fulbright Scholar Program.

• Sunday
  Jaunary 24, 2016
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773- 281-0378
• $15
• No Charge for Students

The Upheavaland in Cleveland

They may not be muscle-bound thespians dressed in tights. But as epic battles go, Aaron Lawlor vs Bob Bednar may just rival Superman vs Lex Luthor or Spiderman vs Dr Octopus or Batman vs The Joker. Lawlor and Bednar are locked in a winner-take-all struggle for the opportunity to nominate the 2016 Republican candidate for the President of the United States.

According to the Daily Herald ...

Which local people are presidential delegates

Aaron Lawlor and Bob Bednar will both appear on the March Primary ballot as delegates for GOP Presidential candidates. Who will go to Cleveland this summer to participate in the Republican National Convention? And who will be left behind like some guest invited to the State of the Union Address by Robert Dold?

The smart money says Aaron Lawlor. A successful career politician, Lawlor is the current Chairman of the Lake County Board. Bob Bednar, on the other hand, ran for Shields Township Highway Commissioner in 2005. And lost. He ran for Shields Township Assessor in 2001. And lost. He ran for Lake County Recorder of Deeds in 2012. And lost. And ran for 51st District State Representative in the 2014 Primary. And lost.

Of course, a CV alone does not guarantee a ticket to your party's nominating convention. But Lawlor parlayed his clout into a prize opportunity to be a delegate for Jeb Bush. This is the same Jeb Bush who has raised $100 million, is the brother and son of former US Presidents, and is the runaway front-runner in the 2016 GOP Presidential sweepstakes.

On the other hand, Bednar in all likelihood is facing another loss -- because he saddled himself with another loser: the casino-owner, Donald Trump.

Presidential primaries are difficult to predict. But as of next July someone will be relaxing in a borrowed pied-à-terre at the Cleveland GOP convention. And someone else will be in an unairconditioned booth, handing out GOP lit at the Lake County fair. And your LakeCountyEye has a pretty good idea who that someone will be.

The Dold Heave-Ho

Note to Operatives: Everyone who has an all-expenses-paid trip to the State of the Union Address in Washington DC, please step forward.

... not so fast there, Kowalski!

Haha, according to the News-Sun ...

Rep. Bob Dold planned to bring a felon to President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech next week as a guest, but he withdrew the invitation Thursday after learning that a Waukegan woman had accused the man of threatening to kill her in 2014 and obtained a restraining order against him.
Rep. Bob Dold withdraws invite to felon to attend State of the Union

Your LakeCountyEye, being under no such constraints, immediately contacted Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Professor of Criminal Neglect at the College of Lake County.

"At this point," said Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "Robert Dold may as well just order a side of bacon. He already has egg on his face. And just how do you uninvite a felon to a State of the Union Address -- send them a Dear Con letter? Still, I wouldn't fault the Congressman. If you can't trust a convicted felon these days who can you trust?"

Why would Congressman Dold invite a felon in the first place?

"Street cred, pure and simple." explained Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The 10th Congressional District follows the Amstutz all the way to the Wisconsin border. A diversity challenged candidate like Robert Dold is going to need all the street cred he can get if he hopes to win an election in the Tenth."

Street cred?

"Ya." chuckled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "If Mr. Dold gonna be down with the voters, he better be seen with the right type of guys."

Like Frank Sinatra did with Sam Giancana?

Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi grimaced. "I was thinking more like guys with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty."

Your LakeCountyEye could not recall ever having the pleasure.

"The State of the Union speech is next week." observed Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The Congressman better get on the stick if he wants to round-up a new criminal sidekick. He could look in Highland Park for an illegal AR-15 rifle owner. Or if he goes to Mundelein it shouldn't be hard to find a DUI."

Would that send the right vibe the Congressman is looking for?

"Well, Chief Keef's people told me he is booked that week." replied Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "But, it's not all bad news for Mr. Dold. I can get him the names of a hundred or more other ex-cons, any of whom he could invite. They've all sued Lake County for wrongful conviction, and can afford to pay for their own Washington airfare and hotel."

A penny saved is a penny earned. Did Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi have any parting advice?

"Tell your operatives they still have time to get arrested and contact Congressman Dold's office."

The Road to the White House

From the Chicago Tribune:

When Jeb Bush was governor of Florida, he said his constituents didn't fully understand what they were doing when they amended their constitution in 2000 to build a high-speed rail line connecting the state's five largest cities. "People thought it was 'cool' to have a really fast train running from Miami to Tampa," Bush wrote to a constituent at the time. "No costs were discussed. The higher taxes that are necessary will dramatically change the dynamic." After slashing funding for the project, Bush campaigned in favor of a second voter referendum, to kill the project. It took him four years, but he won.
Jeb Bush's war against Florida high-speed rail shows his governing style

In related news ...

When Aaron Lawlor was County Board Chair of Lake County, he said his constituents didn't fully understand what they were doing when they approved a referendum in 2009 to build a Route 53 Extension connecting the County's largest arteries. "People thought it was 'cool' to have a really fast highway running from Long Grove to Grayslake," Lawlor wrote to a constituent at the time. "No costs were discussed. The higher taxes that are necessary will dramatically change the dynamic." After slashing funding for the project, Lawlor campaigned in favor of a second voter referendum, to kill the project. It took him four years, but he won.

Haha, j/k.

The record does show that Aaron Lawlor has filed to be a delegate for Jeb Bush ...

Candidate List GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/15/2016

Perhaps not coincidentally, your LakeCountyEye learned that construction has already begun on the spur-ramp that connects the Route 53 Extension with the Republican Convention site in Cleveland.

2016 is the New 2015

It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that the odometer has rolled over to 2016. Ordinarily this would be an occasion for a roundup of the year's top stories. However, your LakeCountyEye can't think of anything noteworthy that happened last year in Lake County -- certainly nothing that merits review.  The B-plan in this situation is to review some of the new laws that went into effect on Jan 1.

The Northwest Herald observes that ...

One law, created by House Bill 3533, allows drivers who have had their licenses permanently revoked after a fourth DUI conviction to obtain a restricted driving permit after five years if he or she demonstrates a minimum of three years of sobriety and has completed rehabilitative treatment.
Ring in the new year with more than 200 new Illinois laws

In related news, the Village of Mundelein declared today a city-wide day of celebration.

Party like it's 2016.

A Coalition of the Unwilling

If there was a fly on the wall at the last Waukegan City Council meeting, it was eaten by the canary in the coal-mine. According to the News-Sun ...

An official with New Jersey-based NRG Energy reiterated this week that its Waukegan Generating Station will continue to function as a coal-burning plant indefinitely despite ongoing calls by local environmental groups for the company and the city to publicly detail long-term plans for the lakefront site. More than two dozen members of Clean Power Lake County and the Sierra Club attended last week's City Council meeting to present what they said were more than 2,000 petitions signed by Waukegan residents calling for a task force to study options for plant operation and future land use.
Despite protests, Waukegan power plant to burn coal indefinitely

In related news, Santa Claus released his post-holiday audit. The ledgers show a significant uptick in lumps of coal delivered to stockings in Lake County.

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.

Cold Caller

In Waukegan, he will be instantly recognized. He has white hair. He has a white beard. He has been sent out into the cold and goes ring-ring ring-ring ring-ring ring-ring ring-ring.

If you guessed the Salvation Army Santa, give yourself a lump of coal. The correct answer is former Lake County State's Attorney (and a founding member of the Waukegan Emergency Telephone System Board) Michael Waller.

Haha, according to the News-Sun ...

Waukegan Mayor Wayne Motley has announced that former Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller — one of the founding members of the city's Emergency Telephone System Board — will not be reappointed to another term. Both Waller and Motley said this week that the decision was unrelated to criticism Waller has faced in light of several disastrous prosecutions.
Embattled ex-Lake County prosecutor leaves Waukegan's 911 board

It is not known if Waller plans to file a lawsuit against Lake County for wrongful eviction. Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Godwin's Law

Although today marks the winter solstice, it may already be springtime for Hitler. The international symbol for evil incarnate, Adolf Hitler has been getting a lot of press lately. Even the Daily Herald has jumped on the bandwagon ...

"FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2013 file photo Adolf Hitler, leader of the National Socialists, emerges from the party's Munich headquarters."
Records show Hitler enjoyed special treatment in prison

It should be noted that Mr Hitler has been looking very relaxed in more recent file photos. Small wonder, he commands a comfortable double-digit advantage in all the presidential polls.

Hot Numbers

Who is polling all the Lake County Republicans these days? The News-Sun is on the story ...

"Lake County Republican Federation President Larry Falbe (left) showing County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and LCRF Executive Committee member Chris Foreman results of the straw poll (Posted by erin0000060, Community Contributor)"
Lake County Republican Federation Announces Results of Presidential Straw Poll

Your LakeCountyEye would be remiss not to note that Lake County Republican Federation President Larry Falbe (left) never looked better. Photographic proof that a December tan, facial scruff and shredded physique are guaranteed to turn any bean counter into the chairman of the board!

Uneasy Marks

James Marter

Under ordinary circumstances, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran would have announced that he will be a candidate for Lake County Coroner. However this election cycle has been anything but ordinary. So yesterday Curran, instead, endorsed US Senator Mark Kirk's opponent in the March Primary. According to the Daily Herald ...

GOP Senate hopeful James Marter of Oswego announced the endorsement by Curran on Tuesday. "Mark Kirk may have spent significant time attending to the needs of the Cook County law enforcement, but has done nothing for the Lake County sheriff's office," Curran said in a statement. The comment drew a swift rebuke from Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor, who backs Kirk.
Lake sheriff backs Kirk opponent for U.S. Senate

As of this posting, Mark Curran has not switched his endorsement of James Marter to someone else. But your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

On the Beat

If a tree fell on the Amstutz Expressway would anyone care? To test the hypothesis, the City of Waukegan shut down the beleaguered freeway last week. According to the News-Sun ...

The Amstutz Expressway in Waukegan is scheduled to be shut down from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday for the filming of a TV commercial, another in a series of temporary closures of the roadway over the years by film productions.
TV commercial shoot will close Amstutz Expressway Monday

Local residents were polled for their reaction, and were asked: "How do you beat the rat race in Waukegan?"

One public servant told the pollster "with a tire iron."

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Beat it.

The Rain of Terror

Ordinarily the City of Highland Park would be up in arms. But the Supreme Court declined to lift the ban on their assault weapons. The News-Sun says ...

The U.S. Supreme Court's refusal Monday to take up a challenge to Highland Park's ban on assault weapons protects similar restrictions in Chicago and other parts of Illinois and sends a message that municipalities have the right to determine how to best protect their communities, according to legal experts. The lack of action was a blow to the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun advocates who had hoped the high court would issue a ruling that once and for all clarified whether weapons such as AK-47s, AR-15s and Uzis are protected under the Constitution.
Supreme Court rejection of gun case considered a victory by Highland Park

When the issue is a blow of any kind, your LakeCountyEye immediately thinks of Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Ordnance Professor at the College of Lake County.

"The Supreme Court just kneecapped their holiday celebration, over in Highland Park." said Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Everyone gathers at Port Clinton Square on New Years to fire their AR-15s."

Your LakeCountyEye was under the impression this was a safety concern.

"Safe for the terrorists, maybe." grimaced Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The word on the street is that Highland Park has been disarmed. I've heard that the terrorists have all the B&B rooms there booked up straight through Valentines Day."

An unwelcome development.

"Ya." agreed Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Highland Park has become a mecca for the radicals."

Was Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi making like Donald Trump?

"Mr Trump says the Muslims are not welcome here." shot back Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "But he is pandering to the prejudice of his supporters with a gross and inadequate stereotype."

The blaggard.

"Studies show there are specific, well-defined demographic populations who are a clear and present danger to themselves and others. Religious extremists, drug dealers, whack jobs, to name a few. And they all share a common mental disorder. The clinicians classify them as douchebags with guns."

Douchebags?

"Don't be surprised if you're not familiar with the term." explained Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The latest DSM-5 only recently identified these douchebags as anyone in possession of a weapon who would be hardpressed, if asked, to hold their nose -- let alone a firearm."

Your LakeCountyEye did not know that.

"I agree with Mr Trump that the borders need to be sealed." explained Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "But if we are serious about protecting ourselves, then it is the douchebags with guns who need to be kept out."

Your LakeCountyEye felt safer (but not safe) already. Did Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi have any parting advice?

"Remind your Operatives that if all our guns get douched, then only douchebags will have guns."