Burn Baby Burn

Did you know that there is a carcinogenic pollutant that may be in the air you are breathing right now? The County, to its credit, is taking steps to mitigate the spread of this airborne toxin. At the same time, some elected officials continue to oppose these safety measures.

Is your LakeCountyEye is referring to ethylene oxide gas emissions?  No.  The carcinogen is smoke from burning leaves.

Indiscriminate leaf burning has been proscribed in unincorporated Lake County:

The measure, described as a step toward protecting public health, replaced a temporary ban enacted more than two years ago due to potential respiratory impacts from the coronavirus. Woody materials can be burned in small fires all year and in larger ones from Nov. 1 to March 31 under the new rules. But leaf burning will be prohibited.
Leaf disposal, cost an issue for some as burning ban nears in Lake County

County Board members Linda Pedersen and J Kevin Hunter, for instance, remain critical of efforts to reduce the amount of smoke particles in Lake County air.

What up with that? One Republican Party spokesman said: "Nothing to see here. Cough. Cough Cough."

Risk to Limb and Limb

The first McHenry County gun owner to shoot himself in the foot this week, failed to also shoot someone else in the foot. He was only able to shoot the other guy in the arm:

A McHenry man in his 50s who works for a Waukegan gun range injured himself and another man when he accidentally fired a weapon Friday afternoon, authorities said.
McHenry man accidentally fires pistol, injuring himself and another man at Waukegan gun range

One McHenry County expert trigger man told your LakeCountyEye: "When going for a two-pointer, always shoot the other dude's foot first. That way you get the element of surprise."

Buffalo Clips

Do you desire a home where the buffalo roam? Well, look no farther than Hawthorn Woods:

It looks like a famous bison on the run is making a new appearance in Lake County, Illinois. A woman took video of the large trespasser in the northern suburb of Hawthorn Woods Friday. Runaway buffalo 'Tyson the Bison' makes new appearance, caught on video in Hawthorn Woods

A spokesman welcomed the Village's newest celebrity ungulate: "Please enjoy Hawthorn Woods's 18 park sites that provide a variety of amenities including walking trails. In deference to Mr Bison's stay, shoes are mandated."

The Village of Buffalo Grove sent a cease and desist letter. "Any partnership between the Village of Hawthorn Woods and Mr Bison will be viewed as an infringement upon the Village of Buffalo Grove's trademark claims upon the word Buffalo."

Uncowed, a Village of Hawthorn Woods spokesman said: "And don't forget to visit the Village's Aquatic Park. Be sure to sample the Buffalo Water Wings at the concession stand."

From Russia with Love

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

What is a ocv.im/6UBRUFC?

To find out, your LakeCountyEye asked Google Translate:

The Russian Troll Farms that supply the Lake County Gazette with exclusive content were unavailable for comment.

Bum Steers

Open prairies, no doubt, are a good thing. But this is ridiculous:

Four of the Texas longhorns spotted around Johnsburg and Spring Grove are still at large, Johnsburg police said late Friday morning.
Texas longhorns still on the loose around Johnsburg, police say

One school got a new enrollee:

A roaming calf was spotted outside Johnsburg Junior High School Thursday morning, which officials at the school said was one of a few stops it made through town that day.
Texas longhorns still on the loose around Johnsburg, police say

According to experts, the Texas Longhorn is a breed with horns that can extend to over 8 feet.

A spokesman for Tyson the Bison issued a statement: "Texas is sending its rapists and drug dealers into Lake County. We need to build a wall along the McHenry County border to stop them."

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Git along little dogies.

The Travelling Sales Tax

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

And an actual unretouched screencap of the Lake County Gazette, from the same day:

Exactly how much Deer Park sales tax was collected in 2021? Nobody knows.

One thing is known.  The Lake County Gazette and the people of Russia get their news from the same source: the Russian State Media.

Operatives are challenged to guess which random numbers the Russian Troll Farms will be circulating tomorrow.

Politically Incorrect

CORRECTION ALERT!

Sharpeyed readers of this blog have spoken. Your LakeCountyEye erred in:

Better to Build a Bridge than a Wall

It was claimed that Republican Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor was not driving the truck that struck the Long Grove bridge. This is incorrect. The correct statement should be that Lake County's Metra Citizen's Advisory Board Member Larry Falbe was not driving the truck that struck the Long Grove bridge.

Your LakeCountyEye regrets the error.

Better to Build a Bridge than a Wall

Whoever said ...

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

never anticipated the Long Grove covered bridge:

Yet another truck got stuck under the cover of Long Grove's iconic bridge, authorities said Thursday. This is the 30th time a truck has struck the bridge cover since it was reopened in August 2020 following repairs from a previous collision
Yet another truck gets stuck on Long Grove bridge

Republican Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor was not driving the truck.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

The Ballot In Question

Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein wants to cancel the next election and he has the firepower to do it:

The Voter Reference Foundation is putting the nation's voter rolls online while making unsupported claims suggesting election fraud. The group's funding can be traced to a Super PAC funded by the CEO of Uline.
Billionaire-Backed Group Enlists Trump-Supporting Citizens to Hunt for Voter Fraud Using Discredited Techniques

Uihlein's foundation is putting personal voter registration information and voting history on the Internet:

In early August, the foundation published on its website the names, birthdates, addresses and voting histories for 2 million Nevada voters,
Billionaire-Backed Group Enlists Trump-Supporting Citizens to Hunt for Voter Fraud Using Discredited Techniques

And Uihlein's foundation will use fuzzy math and chicanery to show that elections are all rigged:

officials said that the methodology used to identify the discrepancies was flawed, the data incomplete or the math wrong.
Billionaire-Backed Group Enlists Trump-Supporting Citizens to Hunt for Voter Fraud Using Discredited Techniques

The message to Lake County is clear: For the love of God, don't vote ever again!

Who is your first line of defense against this foreign onslaught?  Republican Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor.

Operatives are asked to insert their own joke here.

The Yuletides of March

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

If you believe the Lake County Gazette, it's never too early to early to start your Christmas shopping.

The Russian Troll Farms that supply the Lake County Gazette with exclusive content, naturally enough assume you will be giving something to your bartender on Christmas:

A bottle of Russian vodka would be perfect.

Third World War

Lake County has been sad witness to a government entity exerting illegal sovereignty over its independent neighbors. Your LakeCountyEye of course is referring to the Village of Third Lake and nearby residents of unincorporated areas.

HaHa, despite lacking jurisdiction, the Village of Third Lake wants to impose boat fees on unincorporated residents with homes on Third Lake:

Village of Third Lake
ORDINANCE NO. 22-02-02

NATO forces are not expected to intervene.

Wearing Nothing But a Smile

WooHoo, your LakeCountyEye learned COVID restrictions will be eased on Monday.

In related news, while indoor mask mandates are to be lifted in Lake County, indoor pants mandates have been already been dropped in Fox Lake:

A Fox Lake village trustee was captured on camera exposing his buttocks to one or more village employees inside village hall in October of 2019, but officials call the act "unfortunate" and say there was nor will be any disciplinary response.
Fox Lake security cameras captured elected official exposing himself at village hall in 2019

One village elder told your LakeCountyEye: "It will be good to see all of those rosy cheeks once again."

Badgering the Witless

Breaking international news: Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein is supporting for Governor some guy from Wisconsin:

Liz and Richard Uihlein have a candidate to back, or so it appears, and Kevin Nicholson is that candidate. He's a Wisconsin native
Uihleins give their support to Kevin Nicholson

Can a Wisconsin citizen be the Governor of Illinois? Citing the long commute from a Green Bay or Eau Claire to Springfield, one legal scholar said the answer was "if not a no then at the very least ill-conceived."

Uihlein owns Uline Inc, which is located 20 miles north of Lake County in Wisconsin. One cognitive scientist warned that if you live in one state but work in another, "it's quite easy to lose your bearings. In more ways than one."

Last but not least, one business expert told your LakeCountyEye:  "Crazy?  Maybe crazy like a fox. You can get labor at 50 cents on the dollar if you hire it in Wisconsin."

Take the Money and Run

Good news, today's pop quiz is multiple choice:

Q: Why did Uline move its headquarters in Lake County 20 miles north to Wisconsin?

1. For the highly educated and skilled workforce?
2. For the warm and sunny climate?
3. For the cheddar?

HaHa, Uline owner and Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein donated $1,000,000 to Darren Bailey.

Uihlein made the generous donation because Darren Bailey is a Republican candidate for Illinois Governor.

In related news, Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor announced that she not only will be switching parties -- from Democrat to Republican -- but she now will be running for Illinois Governor instead of County Clerk.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Bailey Money

Perennial Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein is at it again. Uihlein donated $1,000,000 to Darren Bailey:

Conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein gives $1 million to state Sen. Darren Bailey’s GOP bid for governor

Who is Darren Bailey? Nobody knows.

Your LakeCountyEye put on some gumshoes and discovered that Bailey is a candidate for Governor. In Illinois.

And as if that can't bust your britches, Darren Bailey is also a farmer from McHenry County downstate Illinois. Bailey's farm produces corn, wheat and soybeans.

The farm, as far as your LakeCountyEye can tell, does not produce any dairy products. That would be Richard Uihlein's job. To produce the cheddar.

Start Spreading the News

Your LakeCountyEye got the scoop: Lake County is being galvanized by the Lake County News Dispatch.

What is the Lake County News Dispatch? Nothing less than Lake County's newest source of news:

Lake County News Dispatch

And who is the Lake County News Dispatch?

We are dedicated to aggregating news from local sources for you, as well as adding some of our own reporting on key topics of interest regarding Lake County Illinois.
About Lake County News Dispatch

The Lake County News Dispatch has the news and plenty of it. What more could you ask from your news source?

OK, it goes without saying that the Daily Herald may be Lake County's newspaper of record. But if their motto is "to fear God, tell the truth and make money", the Daily Herald has nothing on the Lake County News Dispatch.

Stop the Steal

There is no truth to the rumor that Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor filed for re-election as a Republican candidate this time because she screwed up the paperwork:

Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor is switching parties in a bid for reelection to a second term.
Democratic Lake County Clerk Robin O'Connor switching parties for reelection run

Since she is the Lake County Clerk, after O'Connor becomes a Republican, she will have to get up to speed on how the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump:

• Dominion voting machines changed and deleted votes for Trump
• Sharpie markers invalidated Trump votes
• Mail-in voting is rife with fraud
• People were throwing out bags of ballots and "finding" suitcases full of ballots
• Poll watchers were blocked from observing
• There were thousands of votes by dead people and people voting multiple times

6 conspiracy theories about the 2020 election

Robin O'Connor will also have to get up to speed on how to ensure that Lake County elects Donald Trump in 2024:

Seven ways Republicans are already undermining the 2024 election

One Republican Party boss told your LakeCountyEye: "If the Lake County Clerk ever eventually manages to preform her job competently, Lake County will be in the red again in no time!"

A McLaughlin Matter

Martin McLaughlin is angry about an Illinois legislator, and public health bill HB 4640:

"This legislator obviously does not understand what her job is, or where her authority lies as an elected state representative," McLaughlin told the Lake County Gazette

McLaughlin is angry about the language contained in the bill, which ...

would allow the state to "isolate or quarantine persons who are unable or unwilling to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments."

Anyone who took time to read HB 4640, however, would see that the objectionable provision ...

"isolate or quarantine persons who are unable or unwilling to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments"

is actually part of the existing law, and not a revision.

Full Text of HB4640 102nd General Assembly

Existing law and revisions to existing law are totally different.

The Capitol Fax says about McLaughlin:

It's insane that people are this ignorant.
Who doesn’t understand their job, Rep. McLaughlin? It sure looks like it’s you

The Bill's sponsor says about McLaughlin:

This uneducated legislator is part of the reason I am now in this situation. I hope it is worth it for him when he closes his eyes with no worries at night.
Who doesn’t understand their job, Rep. McLaughlin? It sure looks like it’s you

One fictitious policy expert told your LakeCountyEye: "It's a good thing that ignorant, uneducated Martin McLaughlin is merely an Ex-Mayor of Barrington Hills. If he was a Lake County State Legislator I'd be worried."

Gainsaying the Lede

Lake County is in the 11th Congressional District. Who knew? Lake County's newspaper of record, the Daily Herald knew.

The Herald looked at who is raising money in the 11th and how much.

Incumbent Congressman Bill Foster's ...

fundraising total for the final quarter of 2021 vastly exceeded any of his Republican challengers' efforts

Foster's closest competitor is Catalina Lauf.

The nearly $4.3 million Foster had in his political war chest at the end of the year dwarfed Lauf's $255,976 reserves

For 2021, Foster and Lauf raised roughly the same amount of money:

although both candidates have raised more than $1 million so far this election cycle, Lauf's total receipts were slightly ahead of Foster's as of Dec. 31

Given these numbers, naturally the headline of the Daily Herald story is:

1 GOP challenger outraising Foster in 11th District race

Bait-and-switch or just clickbait? One thing is known, your LakeCountyEye checked the archives and found these memorable headlines from past Daily Herald stories:

• Cleveland Hall-of-Famer Jim Thome Throws Ceremonial First Pitch in Game 7 of Cubs World Series
  (2016)
• Hindenburg Arrives Right on Schedule
  (1937)
• We Ask Mrs Lincoln: "How Did You Like the Play?"
  (1865)

Next week: "The Headline Writer Deserves a Big Raise"

The Big Lie Under Oath

Just like deja vu all over again, it's Groundhog Day all over again. According to legend, when the Groundhog sees his shadow that predicts six more weeks of circulating petitions.

HaHa, March 14 is the last day to file your nominating petition for the 2022 Primary. Which means: Have you signed your Loyalty Oath?

Every candidate can submit an Illinois Loyalty Oath, and when you do, be sure to read the fine print:

I am not affiliated directly or indirectly with any communist organization or any communist front organization, or any foreign political agency, party, organization or government which advocates the overthrow of constitutional government by force or other means not permitted under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of this State; that I do not directly or indirectly teach or advocate the overthrow of the government of the United States or of this State or any unlawful change in the form of the governments thereof by force or any unlawful means.

Signing this oath means you do not advocate the overthrow of the government of the United States:

Loyalty Oath (SBE Form P-1C)

Note to Ops: Anyone shown otherwise could be charged with perjury.

It's the law!