Smoke and Minors

Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim filed a lawsuit against a company deemed hazardous to children and which he likened to "dope dealers on a street corner". Nerheim filed the suit against the mosquito extermination company, Clarke. The suit seeks punitive damages against Clarke for spraying Lake County with chlorpyrifos, an insecticide that causes brain damage in children.

The suit alleges that those who are exposed to the chemical chlorpyrifos ...

have no idea they are ingesting "huge amounts of a highly addictive chemical and carcinogens," Nerheim said.
Lake County suing Juul over "predatory" marketing to teens

The suit calls the practice of spraying the chemical chlorpyrifos from pickup trucks and ...

other efforts a "smokescreen."
Lake County state’s attorney sues e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, accusing it of 'creating a public health crisis'

The suit exposes industry marketing and branding strategies that distract the public from the dangers of the indiscriminate use of outdoor insecticide foggers:

"You look at this new product, Mr Fog"
Lake County state’s attorney sues e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, accusing it of 'creating a public health crisis'

Regarding the true peril posed by insects, the suit says Clarke ...

"succeeded in creating a public health crisis in order to line their pockets with cash," Nerheim said a news conference Tuesday afternoon
Lake County state’s attorney sues e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, accusing it of 'creating a public health crisis'

Does a lawsuit against an extermination company with financial ties to Lake County expose the motives of a lone-wolf State's Attorney with ants in his pants to go to court in a big way? You decide:

Nerheim said he decided to move ahead without area counties because he didn't want to wait any longer.
Lake County state’s attorney sues e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, accusing it of 'creating a public health crisis'

Haha, j/k.

Michael Nerheim is not suing Clarke. The suit has been filed against e-cigarette manufacturer, Juul Labs.

2020 is an election year. 'Nuff Said!

My Last Brain Cell

Lake County will not have to wait for recreational marijuana to find out if it has brain damage:

In a move environmentalists denounced as yet another case of the Trump administration putting industry profits over public health, the Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday that it will not ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to brain damage in children.
'A Total Disgrace': Outrage as Trump EPA Says It Won't Ban Pesticide Linked to Brain Damage in Children

As you read this, Lake County is breathing chlorpyrifos:

Clarke Mosquitomist™ Adulticide

Clarke uses the insecticide to kill mosquitoes:

Mosquitomist Two U.L.V.

One industry honcho advised your LakeCountyEye to move along, there is nothing to see here: "If chlorpyrifos was toxic then the drivers would all have brain damage and they would be driving their trucks into trees. You don't see that happening, do you?"

Lake County Sheriff's Office said 75 gallons of a pesticide spilled onto the ground in North Barrington Tuesday after a mosquito abatement company vehicle hauling the liquid crashed into a tree.
Truck Crash Causes Pesticide Spill In North Barrington

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

The Flipping Senate

Note to David McSweeney: Ex-Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran is seeking the Republican nomination for US Senate:

"The consensus is I would be a Tier One candidate," he said, noting his suburban background could help Republicans in a region that is shifting Democratic.
Days after giving up on a recount for reelection, former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran to seek GOP nomination for U.S. Senate

Additionally, the consensus is Curran will be elected the next GOP Senator from Illinois. And he will switch to the Democratic Party after two years.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

What's Your Poison?

The exploding Clarke mosquito truck failed to explode in Barrington this weekend. Instead, the village was exposed to a chlorine leak:

A "small" chlorine leak at a Barrington water treatment facility drew a large response over the weekend, with about 50 fire and police personnel from 24 agencies helping to find and fix the leak with no injuries to residents or fire personnel.
Barrington chlorine leak brings large hazardous materials response over weekend

Last month a Clarke mosquito truck hit a tree in North Barrington and dumped 75 gallons of insecticides. For the record, this insecticide spill failed to draw a large response, with about zero fire and police personnel from zero agencies helping to find and fix the leak.


ANVIL® 10+10 ULV

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Gasbag

An actual, unretouched screencap from the Lake County Gazette, Lake County's #1 fakenews source:

Lake County District 3 Board member Dick Barr fears the doubling of the state's gas tax, making Illinois home to the second-highest overall gas tax burden in the country, is just the tip of the iceberg.
Wisconsin thanks Illinois' gas tax, legislators for its business, laments Lake County Board's Barr

The news stories you see on the Lake County Gazette are all sourced from a Russian Troll Factory. And it should be no surprise that the facts presented in this particular story all diverge, to some degree, from reality.

Fact Check #1

Illinois does not have the second-highest gas tax burden in the country. Illinois ranks 7th in the nation, behind Pennsylvania, Washington, California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Ohio:

Fuel taxes in the United States

Fact Check #2

Wisconsin is not thanking the Illinois gas tax for business. Wisconsin's diesel tax is nearly 10 cents higher than Illinois.  If you average the gas and diesel taxes, Wisconsin fuel taxes are higher than Illinois:

Fuel taxes in the United States

Fact Check #3

Who is Lake County District 3 Board member Dick Barr? No one knows. No one can think of anyone serving on the Lake County Board that goes by the name Dick Barr. Doubtless, this is the kind of made-up prank name that gets paged at an airport.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Overkill

An actual, unretouched screencap from the Kane County Reporter which is totally different than the Lake County Gazette, Lake County's #1 fakenews source:

"The rapid increase just this year in those being hit or fatally killed is extremely concerning," said Sen. McConchie.

When asked for a comment, Dan McConchie said: "Could you repeat that again?"

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when subsequent future developments warrant.

The Sweet Deal

If you are like your LakeCountyEye then you spend your summer vacation reading minutes from village board meetings. So you don't have to.

Haha, this was an agenda item on the of the July 24 North Barrington Village Board meeting:

VII. ADMINISTRATION – President Eleanor Sweet McDonnell

D. Approval of Resolution #_______, A Resolution approving a proposal from GOVHR USA, LLC for Consulting Services*
Village of North Barrington :: 2019

VILLAGE OF NORTH BARRINGTON MEETING AGENDA

GOVHR USA, LLC is a government staffing agency that provides performance evaluation services:

GovHR is excited to announce our partnership with Engagedly to provide local municipalities with a robust web-based performance evaluation system.
GovHR USA / GovTemps USA

Your LakeCountyEye learned that the village of North Barrington has 3 employees:

The Village Staff consists of the Village Administrator/Clerk and two Deputy Clerks.
Village of North Barrington :: Officials

And North Barrington has a new Village President:

Eleanor Sweet McDonnell

And the new North Barrington Village President runs an executive search firm:

The Remington Group, LLC

Sharpeyed Operatives will be asking themselves:

Why would a village with only 3 employees and a new President (who runs an executive search company) contract the services of a government staffing agency that conducts performance evaluations?

The answer nodoubt is to be found in the Shakman Decree:

firing, demoting, transferring or punishing a government employee for political positions was unconstitutional and illegal.
Shakman Decrees

Note to Ops: If you want to get rid of unwanted government employees, outsource the job.

Building Partnerships; Visiting the Border

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Luvia Quinones, Health Policy Director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, will describe the conditions on the the border between the US and Mexico and highlight the work that numerous organizations are doing to provide support for migrants and refugees.

• Sunday
  August 4 2019
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773-281-0378
• $15
  (Students Free)

On a Clarke Day You Can See Nada

If Lake County had a new motto, that would likely be:

Nothing to See Here

No, really, there is nothing to see here. The 2019 quality of air in Lake County is cause for concern:

The Chicago area's "milky white" sky is caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires blowing over the upper Midwest, which could contribute to worsening air quality in the region today.
Why the sky has been so hazy

There is nothing to see in Beach Park:

Beach Park ammonia spill: Lake County Sheriff's Office releases body camera image of toxic cloud

And there is nothing to see in Gurnee:

'We don't want EtO': Residents target ethylene oxide emissions at Gurnee, Waukegan meetings

And there even is nothing to see in North Barrington:

Lake County Sheriff's Office said 75 gallons of a pesticide spilled onto the ground in North Barrington Tuesday after a mosquito abatement company vehicle hauling the liquid crashed into a tree. The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows an Alsip man driving the company's 2007 Ford truck left the road and crashed after he fell asleep while driving.
Truck Crash Causes Pesticide Spill In North Barrington

Despite dumping 75 gallons of insecticides in North Barrington, that same mosquito abatement company -- Clarke --is still trusted to be spraying insecticides all over North Barrington.

Village of North Barrington

Move along. Nothing to see here.

Self Promotion

Among Lake County political warhorses there is an old saying: "Don't bother being kind to people on your way up. In Lake County there ain't no way up."

Haha, Lake County State Representative David McSweeney thinks there is a way up:

Earlier this year, Rep. Dave McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, lost his comms staffer for criticizing fellow Republican Rep. Steve Reick for allegedly making "racist" comments and calling on House GOP Leader Jim Durkin to resign for being a "fake Republican" and "corrupt insider." McSweeney, who wants to run statewide in 2022, said he paid for his own communications staffer, so he wasn't concerned.
The return of the circular firing squad

David McSweeney may not want to represent you in Lake County any more, but who is going to blame him? Especially when there will be plenty of statewide constituencies up for grabs in 2022.  What will McSweeney do in 2022? Your LakeCountyEye doesn't expect him to run for Township supervisor. No, here's the smartmoney handicap over the 2022 election:

• A U.S. Senate seat will be on the ballot. While McSweeney managed less than 45% of the vote when he ran against Melissa Bean for Congress in 2006, challenging an incumbent U.S. Senator next time will be totally different. Totally.
  
  
• Every Illinois Constitutional office will be on the ballot. But McSweeney, presumably, will give the cold shoulder to Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer and Comptroller. None of these positions are much of an improvement over being a State Representative. Even being a State Representative in the minority party. And even a State Representative in the minority party who's been warming a backbench.
  
  
• Whether it needs to or not, Illinois will elect a Governor and Lieutenant Governor in 2022. If history is any indication, you can't get elected Governor in this state without name recognition, being admired, being trusted, etc. You can however get elected Lieutenant Governor. This position is tailor-made for McSweeney.

As is too often the case, your LakeCountyEye makes it a point to remind candidates that there will always be another election. In this instance, the 2024 Presidential Election. The position of US Vice President will be tailor-made for a perennial candidate like David McSweeney. 'Nuff Said!

Political Ambition

Has Lake County seen yet it's share of toxic spills? Apparently not -- someone just spilled the beans on State Representative David McSweeney:

Earlier this year, Rep. Dave McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, lost his comms staffer for criticizing fellow Republican Rep. Steve Reick for allegedly making "racist" comments and calling on House GOP Leader Jim Durkin to resign for being a "fake Republican" and "corrupt insider." McSweeney, who wants to run statewide in 2022, said he paid for his own communications staffer, so he wasn't concerned.
The return of the circular firing squad

Which statewide office will David McSweeney run for in 2022? No one is saying.

Your LakeCountyEye is betting that McSweeney will run for Township Supervisor. It may not be a statewide office, but he won't have to worry about David McSweeney sponsoring Bills any more to eliminate township government.

Loose Women

This week's pop quiz comes courtesy of the Lake County Gazette:

Q: Where do candidates rely most on women in Lake County?

Precinct voter rolls: Where do candidates rely most on women in Lake County?

Those who answered:

A:	Wheeling Township Precinct 4
	(Cook County)

... are wrong. But you can take an Honorable Mention for giving the same answer provided by the Lake County Gazette:

Precinct voter rolls: Where do candidates rely most on women in Lake County?

Why does the Lake County Gazette (Lake County's #1 fakenews source) want to know where all the reliable women are to be found? Your LakeCountyEye has no idea.

Q: Where do candidates rely most on women in Lake County?

Your LakeCountyEye does know, however, that the correct answer is MARS:

A: MARS

MARS, coincidentally, is where all of the Lake County Gazette news stories come from.

North Shore Taco Fest

• North Shore Taco Fest 
• July 20-21 
• Highwood Metra Station
• 317 Green Bay Rd
• Highwood

Highwood Days & North Shore Taco Fest

Hard to Swallow

Be thankful that you weren't a fly on the wall in Lake County when that mosquito abatement truck crashed into a tree. Because if you were a fly on the wall where 75 gallons of insecticides spilled, you would be dead:

Lake County Sheriff's Office said 75 gallons of a pesticide spilled onto the ground in North Barrington Tuesday after a mosquito abatement company vehicle hauling the liquid crashed into a tree. The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows an Alsip man driving the company's 2007 Ford truck left the road and crashed after he fell asleep while driving.
Truck Crash Causes Pesticide Spill In North Barrington

Informed sources say that unnamed "mosquito abatement company" is: Clarke

Clarke is an extermination company.  Don't bother looking for Clarke's Wikipedia page, there isn't one.

If Clarke has e-mail, your LakeCountyEye couldn't find any. They do list phone numbers:

• Phone
  630.326.4633
  888-593-1628
• International Phone
  +1.888.593.1628
• Fax
  630-443-3070

Their only web presence is a corporate website:

Doing the Right Thing, Even When It's Hard
Honesty and integrity drive our everyday actions and are reflected in our common belief to do what's best for our industry, and the people and communities we serve.
Aquatic & Mosquito Control Services & Products | Clarke

Some questions for Clarke, when you call:

• Why was a guy from Alsip driving around a Lake County community?
  
  
• Why was he driving a 12 year old Ford pickup around a Lake County community?
  
  
• Why was he driving while asleep around a Lake County community?
  
  
• Why did he drive into a Lake County tree?
  
  
• Why did he drive into a Lake County tree and dump 75 gallons of insecticides?
  
  

Do the right thing even when it's hard?

Whodumptit?

Lake County authorities say it is now OK to leave your homes. Just don't breathe the air.

Haha, according to the Patch:

Lake County Sheriff's Office said 75 gallons of a pesticide spilled onto the ground in North Barrington Tuesday after a mosquito abatement company vehicle hauling the liquid crashed into a tree. The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows an Alsip man driving the company's 2007 Ford truck left the road and crashed after he fell asleep while driving.
Truck Crash Causes Pesticide Spill In North Barrington

Make no mistake, 75 gallons of liquid insecticides is a turd in anybody's punchbowl.  And while your LakeCountyEye tried to contact the at-fault mosquito abatement company for some answers, it turns out that no one knows who it is.

Not the Sun-Times ...

The truck was carrying pesticides for a mosquito abatement company
Truck driver crashes, spills pesticide in North Barrington

GOOGLE ADS

And not WBBM ...

The mosquito abatement company contacted an environmental service to clean up the spill.
Truck Driver Crashes, Spills Pesticide In North Barrington

GOOGLE ADS

And not the Daily Herald ...

A 27-year-old Alsip man employed by a mosquito-abatement company fell asleep while driving a company truck
No threat to public after crash leads to chemical spill in North Barrington

GOOGLE ADS

Does anyone have any idea who this unidentified "mosquito abatement company" could be?

Boom Goes the Pesticide

Lake County celebrated Fourth of July 2019 with a bang.

While the exploding oil train failed to explode, the exploding pesticide truck did explode:

Lake County Sheriff's Office said 75 gallons of a pesticide spilled onto the ground in North Barrington Tuesday after a mosquito abatement company vehicle hauling the liquid crashed into a tree. The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows an Alsip man driving the company's 2007 Ford truck left the road and crashed after he fell asleep while driving. The sheriff's office responded to the crash at 2:25 p.m. in the 100 block of Carriage Road, and discovered upon arrival that the pesticide was leaking, according to a release.
Truck Crash Causes Pesticide Spill In North Barrington

Note to Ops: Drowsiness is a symptom of insecticide poisoning. If you've been exposed to insecticides, don't operate heavy machinery. It's only common sense!

McHenry County Bonkers

Do you like to think your finger is on the pulse of McHenry County politics? Test your wits against this week's pop quiz:

Q: How many Illinois Representative Districts are there in McHenry County?

If you answered ...

One

then you get your news from the McHenryCountyBlog:

Under the story I wrote on the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court's "hands off" decision of legislative re-mapping, someone said with all Republican representing McHenry County in the Illinois General Assembly McHenry County did well. I beg to disagree. Something over 100,000 people are in each State Rep. district. With over 300,000 residents, that means McHenry County deserves at least two members of the Illinois House. We only have one–Steve Reick.
More Thought on Reapportionment

This assertion by the McHenryCountyBlog (aka the Sunshine Blogger), that McHenry County has only one State Representative District, is flatly untrue.  Not only does McHenry County have 5 (Five) State Rep Districts, but they are all Republican-held:

Representative	District	Party
David McSweeney	52	R
Steven Reick	63	R
Tom Weber	64	R
Dan Ugaste	65	R
Allen Skillicorn	66	R

This would be evident from this map of Illinois State Rep Districts posted on the, erm, McHenryCountyBlog -- in fact, on the very same post that was quoted.

More Thought on Reapportionment

Note to Ops: When factoring in the effects of climate change, the Sunshine Blog is, from a meteorological perspective, the Moonshine Blog.

Off Message

US Congress? Or US Senate? Or even the President of the United States? Does anyone know what office David McSweeney is running for in 2020?

To find out, your LakeCountyEye visited State Rep David McSweeney's Facebook page:

Facebook

And clicked the link to www.davidmcsweeney.org, his posted website:

www.davidmcsweeney.org

David McSweeney must be running for something. His picture is all over the Internet:

You're not pixelated. No, this is another hilarious LakeCountyEye Double Vision™!

Note to David McSweeney campaign Ops: Invest in a high-res photo of your candidate. You won't be disappointed.

The Lie of the Land

Do you fancy your finger on the pulse of the Lake County voter? Test your knowledge with this week's pop quiz:

Q: Which Lake County precinct ranks #15 for the most Republican voters?

If you answered ...

Algonquin 16

then you get your news from the Lake County Gazette:

Voter rolls: Which precincts are Republican strongholds in Lake County?

Sharpeyed Operatives will observe that Lake County has neither a Precinct #16 in Algonquin Township, nor for that matter an Algonquin Township.

Has Lake County's #1 source of fakenews, the Lake County Gazette, broken news of a massive voter fraud conspiracy within the Lake County Republican Party?

While by no means outside the bounds of possibility, your LakeCountyEye nonetheless suspects a more sinister plot. The Lake County Gazette, whose stories are 100% sourced by Russian troll farms, is quite obviously waging a sustained disinformation campaign.

If not, then when did Lake County annex Northfield Township?

Precinct voter rolls: Where do Democrats depend on women most in Lake County?

Note to Ops: If you think there are too many township governments in Lake County, it only seems that way.

Green Around the Gills

St Patrick's Day be damned, Lake County rivers will be running green in the month of June:

About 200 gallons of liquid fertilizer that leaked into a storm sewer in Volo on Saturday did not pose a threat to the community, authorities said. Lake County Sheriff's deputies dispatched about 10:10 a.m. to the intersection of North Cornerstone Drive and Remington Drive found a TruGreen truck had leaked liquid fertilizer into a storm drain
No threat posed from fertilizer spill in Volo, authorities say

The full impact that the leak will have on Lake County streams, lakes and ground water remains to be determined. However one official sounding official advised homeowners against treating their lawns this summer. "There should be plenty of fertilizer in your sprinkler water", he told your LakeCountyEye.

Note to Ops: Toxic waste disposal is expensive. But who's going to know if that green slime accidentally disappears down a storm drain? You'll be rolling in the green!

Inferno Fest

The City of Highwood is heating up as Celebrate Highwood gets fired up for Inferno Fest on Wednesday, June 26, from 4:30-9:30pm in Everts Park, 130 Highwood Avenue.

Inferno Fest

Relations Between the U. S. and Canada

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

John Cruickshank, Consul General of Canada in Chicago, will speak on relations between the United States and Canada and other current issues.

• Sunday
  June 23 2019
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773-281-0378
• $15
  (Students Free)

One in a Million

An actual unretouched screencap from the Daily Herald, the Lake County paper of record:

Taxpayers will save $1.25 milion with sewage district dissolution

Apparently their spelchecker is bolixed up.

That's al your LakeCountyEye has. Now get the L out.

There Ain't No Sanitary Clause

An actual unretouched screencap from the Daily Herald, the Gray Lady of Lake County:

Taxpayers will save $1.25 milion with sewage district dissolution

One would assume the liquidation was worked out in a closed-door session.

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Now scat.

The Depreciation of Independents

The next Federal Holiday on the 2019 lineup is Independence Day.

If Independence Day was established to commemorate independent voters, then there will not be much of a July 4th celebration in Lake County this year. That's because fewer than 1% of Lake County voters are independents.

Hard to believe? Well believe the Lake County Gazette:

Which Lake County precincts have the most Independents?

Rank

Precinct

City

Voters
(#)

Independents
(%)

Independent
Women (%)

Independent
Men (%)

1

Moraine Township
Precinct 211

Highland Park

1043

0.96 %

40 %

60 %

2

Moraine Township
Precinct 207

Highwood

1280

0.94 %

33.33 %

66.67 %

3

West Deerfield Township
Precinct 387

Highland Park

1221

0.90 %

27.27 %

72.73 %

4

Moraine Township
Precinct 206

Highland Park

1093

0.82 %

66.67 %

33.33 %

5

West Deerfield Township
Precinct 389

Highland Park

1102

0.82 %

33.33 %

66.67 %

6

Moraine Township
Precinct 222

Highland Park

914

0.77 %

14.29 %

85.71 %

7

Moraine Township
Precinct 205

Highland Park

949

0.74 %

42.86 %

57.14 %

8

Moraine Township
Precinct 216

Highland Park

891

0.67 %

33.33 %

66.67 %

9

Moraine Township
Precinct 215

Highland Park

1074

0.65 %

28.57 %

71.43 %

10

Moraine Township
Precinct 210

Highland Park

1075

0.65 %

71.43 %

28.57 %

11

Moraine Township
Precinct 208

Highland Park

1083

0.65 %

85.71 %

14.29 %

12

Benton Township
Precinct 55

Winthrop Harbor

937

0.64 %

66.67 %

33.33 %

13

Moraine Township
Precinct 224

Highland Park

809

0.62 %

40 %

60 %

14

Moraine Township
Precinct 209

Highland Park

1665

0.60 %

30 %

70 %

15

Libertyville Township
Precinct 169

Green Oaks

899

0.56 %

40 %

60 %

16

Moraine Township
Precinct 219

Highland Park

931

0.54 %

40 %

60 %

17

Benton Township
Precinct 52

Winthrop Harbor

963

0.52 %

80 %

20 %

18

Moraine Township
Precinct 204

Highwood

1542

0.52 %

37.50 %

62.50 %

19

Moraine Township
Precinct 212

Highland Park

1160

0.52 %

66.67 %

33.33 %

20

Moraine Township
Precinct 221

Highland Park

810

0.49 %

75 %

25 %

21

Moraine Township
Precinct 214

Highland Park

876

0.46 %

25 %

75 %

22

Moraine Township
Precinct 220

Highland Park

948

0.42 %

50 %

50 %

23

Benton Township
Precinct 51

Winthrop Harbor

996

0.40 %

0 %

100 %

24

Libertyville Township
Precinct 174

Green Oaks

1018

0.39 %

50 %

50 %

25

Fremont Township
Precinct 120

Mundelein

827

0.36 %

33.33 %

66.67 %

Voter rolls: Where are the Independent voters in Lake County precincts?

The Lake County Gazette says that if you look at Lake County's most independent precinct you will find fewer than 1% independent voters:

And this is the precinct with the most independent voters. Bottomline: Overall, the average percentage of independent voters in Lake County is even lower than that!

While the Lake County Gazette may be Lake County's #1 source of fake news, this does not mean that the Lake County Gazette is not always 100% accurate. And by your LakeCountyEye's calculation, 100% is a far cry from 0.96%.

EtO Power

In Lake County, Memorial Day marks not only the first day of Summer, but is also the first day you may wear a white Hazmat suit.

Haha, Medline Industries in Waukegan has been a source of ethylene oxide contamination in Lake County. Ethylene Oxide is a proven carcinogen and is so flammable that it is used as a main component of thermobaric weapons.

Perhaps uncoincidentally, Medline also markets Hazmat suits. And if that's not enough irony for one $10 billion company, Medline ...

has joined chemical industry lobbyists who contend that ethylene oxide poses few, if any, health risks to ordinary Americans. Among other things, Medline hired a former scientist for one of the biggest manufacturers of the toxic gas who has co-authored several industry-funded studies rejected by the U.S. EPA and independent scientific reviewers. The company also has called for another analysis of the chemical, part of a concerted effort by makers and users of ethylene oxide to overturn a stringent safety limit established by the EPA in 2016 after more than a decade of study and two rounds of independent review delayed several times by industry opposition. Industry lobbyists are continuing to press their case with sympathetic officials in the Trump administration.
Waukegan company proposes new pollution controls that would dramatically cut emissions of cancer-causing gas

The Trump Administration responded with a statement via Twitter:

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

North Shore Pride Fest

North Shore Pride Fest

To kick off Pride Month, Celebrate Highwood is ‘showing its pride on the north side’ at its 7th Annual North Shore Pride Fest on Saturday, June 1st throughout Downtown Highwood. The full day of activities will feature a Pride Family Picnic, Family Friendly Drag Show and Taste the Rainbow (adult only) Pub Crawl.

The proceeds will be benefiting the LGBTQ North Shore School District 113 Spectrum Club.

Activities will include a picnic, drag show, and best dressed contest, all of which are family friendly! For the adults there will also be a “Taste the Rainbow” pub crawl featuring drink specials and live music.

Celebrate Highwood

Air Your Grievances

Operatives who plan to emerge from their bomb shelters this week may want to know about this:

A public meeting regarding planned controls to reduce ethylene oxide emissions from the Medline Industries Inc. facility in Waukegan will be held next week. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will host the session from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Whittier Elementary School, 901 N. Lewis Ave., in Waukegan.
Public meeting regarding ethylene oxide emissions to be held in Waukegan

One industry spokesman was eager to downplay the danger presented to the community and assured your LakeCountyEye: "Don't hold your breath."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Footloose and Sanity Free

Someone once asked Abraham Lincoln: "How many legs does a McHenry County voter have if you call his firearm a leg?"

Lincoln answered: "Two. If that McHenry County voter has a firearm, then it is likely he has shot off one of his feet."

If it seems that everyone in McHenry County is a foot shorter, it's not because they are shrinking:

A 74-year-old man accidentally shot himself at a McHenry gun range Saturday afternoon, authorities said. The man was practicing using a 9 mm pistol at CY Armory, 2908 W. Route 120, when he shot himself in the right thigh
Man accidentally shoots himself in leg at McHenry gun range

In related news, Walk Like a Pirate Day has been declared a holiday in McHenry County.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

A Tale of 2 Wooster Lakes

Buyers looking for lakefront property my have noticed these two 2019 Wooster Lake listings:

Blue Springs Drive, Fox Lake, IL 60020 | MLS#: 10103217

W Vista Court, Ingleside, IL 60041 | MLS#: 10090585

One listing says there is a 25 horsepower restriction on Wooster Lake. The other says there are no restrictions.

Well, I'm confused!

Blockbuster News

The Lake County exploding oil-train failed to explode last week.

One corporate spokesman attributed the deficit to heavy and unforeseen competition from outside industry sectors. And promised that they will be pressing forward at an accelerated pace, 24/7, redoubling their efforts to make up for the shortfall.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Let's Talk Politics Discussion In Gurnee

The Tenth Congressional District Democrats and the Newport Township Democrats are holding Let's Talk Politics in Gurnee, on Monday, May 13, 2019, at 7:00 PM, at the Warren-Newport Public Library, 224 O'Plaine Rd, in Gurnee. Admission is free.

Let's Talk Politics is a moderated discussion and allows opportunities for Democrats, independents, and progressives in and around the 10th District to talk about important issues of the day with each other and guests that often include elected officials, candidates, political analysts, and authors.

RSVP: tenthdems.org/gurnee.

Private Lake Bylaws Act

In 2007 a Bill was introduced in Springfield that would place restrictions on Wooster Lake.

Bill Status of HB4875 94th General Assembly

HB4875 did not become law, but it is a reminder of how a democratic society works: If there is no law against how others are treating me, then get the laws changed.

I won't be able to ask Robert Churchill to sponsor legislation in Springfield, but I don't need to. I can go local and talk to my mayor or my village trustee. Or talk to my county board rep, where unincorporated.

My representatives are eager to help me. That means that they can count on my vote in the next election as well as my support.

Give it a try. If you don't like how your neighbors behave, don't get mad, get even.

10th Annual Brain Builder Casino Royale

Brain Builder 2019 -- Busy Brains Children’s Museum