The Nuclear Option

Your LakeCountyEye will be visiting the Zion Nuclear Power Station this April Fool's weekend, to work on the LakeCountyEye tan. As readers of this blog will know ...

That Healthy Glow

tanning parlors, because of their harmful UV radiation, are destined to become adults-only in Illinois. And the only way your LakeCountyEye now hopes to maintain the signature suntan will be with the direct application of radioactive isotopes. The meltdown at the Fukushima reactor has unquestionably been a windfall -- but nothing beats a long weekend at a decommissioned nuclear power plant for turning that dawn-of-the-dead blogger's pallor into a rich chocolate brown patina.

Zion Nuclear Power Station Fun Fact #1:

The Zion Nuclear Power Station was retired on February 13, 1998. The plant had not been in operation since February, 1997, after a control-room operator accidentally shut down Reactor 1 and then tried to restart it without following procedures.
WikiPedia

D'Oh!

Situated in JoAnn Osmond's 61st House District, Zion is the only nuclear plant in Lake County. But not from any lack of trying on Osmond's part. According to the News-Sun ...

Osmond introduced legislation in January that would have lifted the state's 24-year ban on nuclear power plant construction, but said it no longer is on her legislative front burner. "I don't know it's permanently dead, but it's not a thing we want to do at this point until we've researched and really made sure that whatever causes there were for what happened in Japan are something we wouldn't have right here," Osmond said.
Osmond shelves bill to lift ban on new nukes

The legislation may be off the front burner -- and in the nuclear cooling tower -- but your LakeCountyEye, for one, looks forward to a Lake County with a nuclear plant conveniently located in every town or township. That would certainly beat having to schlep over to Zion just for a lousy suntan.

Until then, look for your LakeCountyEye doing laps in the spent fuel pool -- maintained at a constant & toasty 120°F!

That Healthy Glow

Speaking for Internet bloggers of all school ages, your LakeCountyEye was more than chagrined to learn of legislation, working its way through the Springfield sausage-making machine, that will deny anyone under 18 access to their tanning parlor. According to the Daily Herald ...

Most high schoolers wouldn't be allowed to use tanning beds under legislation approved by a Senate committee Tuesday. A panel voted 6-4 to ban children under 18 from using tanning beds, with supporters arguing that young people who start tanning early and often are especially susceptible to melanoma and other cancers caused by ultraviolet light.
Senate panel says children under 18 shouldn't tan

Toiling late hours in the basements of their parental units, bloggers are a pasty-faced bunch under the best of circumstances. This new intrusion upon Illinois's epidermal freedoms would render your LakeCountyEye, for one, whiter than a Glenn Beck rally. In Salt Lake City. In a snowstorm! Were it not for the LakeCountyEye tatts, your LakeCountyEye would be facing a prospect of total transparency.

Luckily the whole Chernobyl-2.0 situation in Japan promises to provide some melanomic sustenance. According to the Daily Herald ...

Low levels of radiation from Japan have been discovered in test samples taken in unincorporated DuPage and Will counties, officials said Tuesday. Warrenville-based Exelon Nuclear said small amounts of radioiodine 131, a type of radioactive isotope associated with the troubled Japanese plants, were discovered March 22 during testing at Dresden, its nuclear plant near Morris in Will County.
'Low levels' of Japan's radiation reach suburbs

They say when DuPage sneezes, Cook coughs. And when Cook coughs, it's on Lake County. Given the prevailing winds, your LakeCountyEye plans to be nicely bronzed by Easter -- and all from the comfort of the LakeCountyEye underground bunker.

That bright glowing light you see when cruising Grand Ave might be red-light camera. Or it just might be your LakeCountyEye.

Division Signs

Your public easement is a perennial host to a sure indication that Spring has arrived in Lake County: campaign yardsigns. The election is a short week away, and sign farms are sprouting throughout the county faster than the medicinal marijuana seedlings. In Island Lake the situation is more akin to a yardsign agribusiness. Not ordinarily known for its zoning restrictions, Island Lake now allows candidates to plant their yardsigns on public land. And the candidates there have taken full advantage of the windfall. The Daily Herald relates one tale of signs of things to come ...

Village board candidate Joe Ptak is angry other candidates have placed their signs in the easement in front of his house. Accusing opponents Charles Cermak and Allen Murvine of harassment and intimidation, Ptak filed a complaint with police about the signs Sunday. In an e-mail sent to the Daily Herald and village leaders, Ptak said he feels he and his family are "purposefully being harassed, intimidated and threatened" by the other candidates' placement of their signs.
Furor over political signs in Island Lake

Leave Joe Ptak alone! Please. He's a human being -- leave him alone, you operatives!

All kidding aside, Ptak is the burgher who managed, last year, to harass and intimidate a League of Women Voters Congressional Forum by loudly demanding a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Your LakeCountyEye was scoopin Rte 176 this weekend and can verify Island Lake is beholden to more signs than a prophesy Bible camp. Unfortunately, your LakeCountyEye being a stringer for the McHenryCountyBlog, the LakeCountyEye digital Polaroid was fresh out of film. The LakeCountyEye thumbs, however, did manage to jot down a few yardsigns on the 4G handheld -- until being issued a citation for texting while stealing yardsigns. Anyhow, here are ten signs observed in Island Lake:

Island Lake's Ten Most Popular Campaign Yardsigns

I visited Island Lake and all I got was this lousy yardsign. There is no alternative: Vote the Intelligent Design Slate Dan Duffy for State Senate in 2008 Cash For Gold! Island Lake: A Community of Friendly People I'm with Stupid → Coming Soon at this Location: The Route 53 Extension Your Message Here What's Happening in Island Lake BLOG Now featured on the LakeCountyEye! You can take my yardsign when you pry it from the cold frozen ground.

Look for signs of your LakeCountyEye wherever better votes are sold.

Consistency is the Hobgoblin of the Tribune's Creepy Cartoonist

The Chicago Tribune's Creepy Cartoonist was none too happy to see President Obama dragging his feet before going to war with Libya. From last week ...

Chicago Tribune, 03/18/2011

The next day the Creepy Cartoonist reminds everyone that Obama waited too long to pull the trigger ...

Chicago Tribune, 03/19/2011

What does the Creepy Cartoonist think this week? Ha ha, Obama is a war-monger:

Chicago Tribune, 03/25/2011

Your LakeCountyEye just has to ask, did Barack Obama run over the Creepy Cartoonist's dog with his Cadillac Yukon or something? Why does the Creepster have it in for the POTUS?

Working Blue

They must not be feeling the love in Island Lake. The Daily Herald penned a we-are-not-amused editorial about them ...

The dysfunctional Island Lake village board continues to set the standard for politicians behaving badly. We've criticized them before in this space for squabbling like alley cats instead of concentrating on the people's business, but they show no signs of changing.
End the bad behavior in Island Lake

So mean!

On top of that, Island Lake is being ignored by your LakeCountyEye. In your LakeCountyEye's defense, this is a non-partisan blog and would be ill-advised to step into any public scene of partisan mud-slinging. Besides, Island Lake has as its village motto ...

A Community of Friendly People

It's hard to satirize anything with as well-endowed a talent to satirize itself.

The Inbox does contain a nice note from one Island Lake Trustee, thanking your LakeCountyEye for compliments. Your LakeCountyEye, though, was chided for the use of profanity. The Trustee (who will remain nameless) noted that Island Lake Trustees have mothers who read these blogs. In your LakeCountyEye's defense, the tactical use of profanity has been permitted in the past, but the point is well taken.

The Trustee also has a blog ...

What's Happening in Island Lake

and sharpeyed operatives will notice it has been added to your LakeCountyEye's Local Blogs of Note. It's quite obvious that all they crave over in Island Lake is just a little attention. Your LakeCountyEye is happy to oblige.

As as added incentive to operatives, some handy Google links to the blog have been provided ...

Google

Google

Google

Google

Pottymouthed mofos may look for your LakeCountyEye posting comments over at ...

What's Happening in Island Lake

Townhall of Fame

Conventional wisdom, in its wisdom, dictates that while the tednugent histrionics may have landed him on the cover of Time Magazine, Joe Walsh has nonetheless made himself vulnerable in 2012. At least that's the thinking of 50 guys running already against Walsh. That number is sure to grow (perhaps to the theoretical limit) as office seekers on both the left and the right sense an opportunity to pick up a quick and easy W in the Eighth Congressional District. Would-be opponents to Walsh already have their people (or they themselves) oppo-ing the incumbent. As was reported on this blog ...

Paint the Townhall Red

State Rep Jack Franks was spotted at one recent Walsh townhall meeting. With more of these townhalls looming on the horizon, expect to see many more familiar faces in attendance. And now that Joe Walsh has leveraged himself from unlikely representative of an obscure Illinois Congressional District into a bona-fide Palinesque celebrity, there is an additional expectation to spy some buffed-up star-power in attendance as well.

Operatives have not been disappointed -- here are ten more heavy-hitters spotted at one Walsh townhall or another:

Ten Persons of Interest Seen at Joe Walsh Townhalls

Scott Lee Cohen Princess Nudelman Charlie Sheen Don Henley Waldo Muammar Gaddafi Cal Skinner John Beckwith / Jeremy Grey Patrick Fitzgerald Phil Crane

More townhalls loom. Look for your LakeCountyEye you know where.

Paint the Townhall Red

Snow may be on the ground but spring must be in the air, judging by all the Valentines posted by the Northwest Herald. Readers of this blog will recall one fawning editorial the Herald issued for the benefit of diminutive Senator Mark Kirk:

Flatter of Opinion

Their latest wetkiss-valentine is to diminutive Congressman Joe Walsh, where a Herald reporter was at the Rep's Tuesday townhall:

One of the few critical questions Walsh received was from a woman who opposed his vote to de-fund National Public Radio, which has faced scrutiny after controversial remarks made by a former executive caught on hidden camera. The rest of the audience, however, applauded when Walsh affirmed his vote.
Walsh sounds off during town hall

The real story, however, is not the potentially ugly romantic triangle percolating between the Northwest Herald, Mark Kirk and Joe Walsh. According to one LakeCountyEye Operative present at the townhall, State Representative Jack Franks was IDed in the back row:

Joe Walsh Holds Town Hall Meeting, Jack Franks Checks Out Potential Competition

Why was Franks, who lives in the 16th Congressional District, at a meeting for constituents of the 8th Congressional District? Your LakeCountyEye will not hazard to guess. The real story, no doubt, is that nowhere in the Northwest Herald's account is it mentioned that Jack Franks was in the audience. Ha ha, the Herald sends a reporter to a Walsh townhall and they are still scooped by some simple county blogger. And not just any simpleton blog, but their arch-nemeses, the alleged defamers at the McHenryCountyBlog. Your LakeCountyEye has been sworn to secrecy, but will say this: a potentially ugly triangle looms, between the Northwest Herald, the McHenryCountyBlog and Eddie Fisher!

Party to a Crime?

The Newton bomb exploded at last week's Lake County Board meeting. Operatives familiar with this blog will already know that Jim Newton was handpicked by Board Chair Michael Stolman to replace Board member Suzi Schmidt, who resigned to take a higher-paying job in Springfield. The devil however is in the details, and this devil in particular is Netwon's party affiliation. Illinois law stipulates that Schmidt, a Republican, is to be replaced by another Republican. Newton however, for the purposes of the same Illinois statutes, is a Democrat. He is a Democrat in the opinion of Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller, who interpreted the statutes that way for the Board when a similar appointment was made in 2009. This issue actually led to about 25 minutes of discussion during the 2009 Board meeting. The video can be watched on this blog:

The Finagle System

Since Newton is legally ineligible to replace Schmidt, it was no small surprise that Netwon's appointment had been scheduled, last Wednesday, to a vote before the Board. Your LakeCountyEye at least looked forward to a thorough and rigorous debate. Here is the transcript:

STOLMAN: Number One, the resolution recommending the appointment of Mr Jim Newton as a member of the Lake County Board Representing District Three. Is there a motion? Diana O'Kelly? Second by Ms Carter. All in favor?

COUNTY BOARD: Aye.

STOLMAN: Any opposed?

CRICKETS: Chirp.

STOLMAN: We do have a new board member. Mr Newton if you can come forward we would like to swear you in.

The video can be watched here, although operatives are advised not to blink if they do not want to miss a thorough and rigorous debate:

Lake County Board 03-15-2011

It is unclear to your LakeCountyEye whether Sheriff Make Curran is now required by law to arrest Newton for impersonating a Republican, or arrest the County Board for malfeasance.

Truth Spoken to Power Here

Suspicious minds -- out of necessity -- will view this blog with suspicion, while calumniating your LakeCountyEye's good name with accusations of liberal bias. Well, a pox upon thy house, and fie upon thee (not to mention foe and fum), your LakeCountyEye has the Conservative chops of a Chuck Norris and the street cred to prove it. High ranking Conservatives throughout the county have confided to your LakeCountyEye ...

The Swift Boat of Truth

that they are winning their war against the children. The battlelines are drawn where the children are taught their degeneracy: the public schools.

The secret weapon at the disposal of every Conservative are the three Gs: Guns, God & Gays. Conservatives have the guns. Conservatives have God on their side. And Conservatives don't fight like the girls.

Those readers understandably skeptical are asked to ponder one open letter recently penned by a proactive LakeCountyEye Operative:

The below letter was sent to Representative Ed Sullivan Jr., Representative Carol Sente, Senator Dan Duffy, and Senator Terry Link of the Illinois State Legislature.

Atheism in our education system is a bigger threat than terrorism. If students are given ungodly instruction, they grown up being ungodly. God gave the command to not commit adultery (fornication) to Israel for a reason. It was not to "limit their fun". There are unwanted issues which arise when the gift of sexual relations is abused. Look at the problems that the "free love" movement gave us from the sixties, and "shacking up" in the seventies. We now have a whole lot of broken families, unwed mothers (many times over), and disease.

How hard is it for a man in his mid-twenties to find a virgin for a wife these days?
Atheism in Illinios' Education System

How hard is it indeed?

The message could not be any clearer. Will students be given their instruction in the three Rs or in the three Gs? The choice is simple. Reps Sullivan, Sente, Duffy & Link, consider yourselves on notice.

Flatter of Opinion

All things being equal, the Northwest Herald is in the newspaper business. This fact alone goes a long way toward dispelling misconceptions over why the Herald frequently publishes editorials. Their latest opinion of diminutive Senator Mark Kirk:

If handing out mock awards was all that Kirk was doing, we'd be concerned. But Illinois' junior senator has been busy on many issues of substance. In the past month, Kirk introduced a bipartisan bill to prevent bullying in schools. He worked with other Illinois leaders to reach a deal on the O'Hare International Airport expansion. His amendment to expedite assistance to small business owners during the federal patent approval process was approved. He plans to travel to the Horn of Africa this spring, then push anti-piracy legislation in response to bloody Somali pirate attacks. To put it mildly, the guy's been busy representing the interests of Illinois and the nation, so we see no harm in his Silver Fleece Award.
New 'award' targets waste

Three words, gentlemen -- get a room. It is unclear whether this is an editorial or a Valentine to Mark Kirk posing as one. The last time your LakeCountyEye witnessed this much fawning, Bambi's mother died. If the Northwest Herald has become a wire-service for Mark Kirk press releases, your LakeCountyEye at least hopes they are billing at union rates.

Ha ha, the home-town media outlets have to practice this sort of embarrassing, bend-over journalism if they hold any hope toward seeing their calls returned. Look for your LakeCountyEye on craigslist:

Comical Internet blogger seeks Congressional liaison for purposes of discretionary friending.

Hold Your Nose & Vote

April 5 is election day, which falls on a Tuesday this year. For those forgetful or truant voters, Tuesday can be easily remembered as the day before Wednesday, hump day. Which brings to your LakeCountyEye's mind the Arabian proverb about the camel's nose:

If the camel once gets his nose in the tent, his body will soon follow.

Discerning operatives will discern in this little fable the Theory of Evolution writ large: No sooner does the nose of the camel sneak into the tent will it slowly but surely evolve into an enormous, spitting camel. Discerning operatives who discern a lede for another update to the LakeCountyEye Creationism-Tote-Board™ are two for two.

In this case the camel's nose is a candidate who wants to be inside the metaphorical tent that would be the Stevenson High School Board. According to the Daily Herald, school board candidate Charles Cardella ...

said he believes "any type of scientific theory" has strengths and weaknesses. Science has changed since Darwin's time, he said. "Why shouldn't students be informed — taught — about what we've learned (since then)?" he said. "Not everything in the theory is right. Not everything in the theory is bulletproof."
Stevenson candidate talks about the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution

And doubtless there is no better way to examine its shortcomings than to compare and contrast the Theory of Evolution with a pseudo-scientific theory pulled from the theological grab-bag -- like Creationism. Your LakeCountyEye can note however that while not bulletproof, an enormous, spitting camel is capable of leaving an equivalent mess.

Checking the tote board, there are now seven -- possibly eight -- public high schools in Lake County retrofitted to teach Creationism.

The 2011-2012 School Year: Countdown to Creationism

LEGEND Creationist On Board Creationist Not On Board Creationist Conceivably On Board

Antioch High School

Barrington High School

Deerfield High School

Grant High School

Grayslake High School

Highland Park High School

Lake Forest High School

Lake Zurich High School

Lakes Community High School

Libertyville High School

Stevenson High School

Mundelein High School

North Chicago High School

Round Lake High School

Vernon Hills High School

Warren High School

Wauconda High School

Waukegan High School

Zion-Benton High School

Look for your LakeCountyEye in the faculty parking lot, with Joe Camel.

The Swift Boat of Truth

There are many school trustees on the April 5 election ballot, and your LakeCountyEye could not resist making light of both the County's School Boards and the voters who seat them. But with the polls now open to early voting and election day nearing, your LakeCountyEye recognizes a need to dial it down, if only for purposes of bettering the Republic with a well-informed electorate. Acknowledging that some may have been offended by recent, insensitive tweets ...

Q the Eye/03.14.11

your LakeCountyEye reiterates that there is no truth to the claim that conservative voters secretly desire a Swift return to fundamental principles where the mission of public education is to prepare raw & callow youth into a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.

The aforementioned remarks were brooked for the purposes of Internet satire, and Internet satire only; your LakeCountyEye regrets any false misperceptions these may have created.

This is not to say, however, that conservatives wouldn't like to see the public schools eliminated in favor of private education -- preferably on the taxpayer's dime, and in the form of school vouchers. No doubt more than a minority would prefer to cut out the middleman entirely in favor of homeschooling; and would just as soon the whole public education system blew itself up.

The reason for their animosity toward the three Rs is the three Gs: God, Guns & Gays. An emboldened conservative base doesn't like to see Evolution being taught; they think educators should be teaching children how to recite their prayers -- i.e., their Our Fathers and Hail Marys and whatnot. Sex education is another anathema; they don't want to see their kids fraternizing with members of the opposite sex. Or the same sex.

It should be no mystery why the Tea Party, et al., have declared war on the Teacher's Unions and the public education system. They don't hold much value for what's on the curriculum.

All of which leaves the last G: Guns. They're also none too happy that the conceal-carry laws stop at public school boundaries.

Q the Eye/03.14.11

Dear LakeCountyEye,

So the great and powerful LakeCountyEye thinks our public schools should boost their revenue streams by franchising out space on school property to the likes of beer distributors and payday loan sharks. And you have the impertinence to call yourself a non-partisan blog? There's an old saying where I come from -- probably where you come from too that says -- fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, Oh the humanity!

The Thought Police

Dear Party Pooper,

It's no secret that most Lake County public schools are cost centers that hemorrhage revenue at the taxpayer's expense. Last week this blog published a range of options for school administrators and trustees on how they can turn their operations into revenue producing cash-cows for their constituent stake holders:

Coming Soon: Child-Proof Schools!

And already those with the foresight to invest in your LakeCountyEye's advice are reaping big dividends for their taxpayers. The Daily Herald covers the lesson learned by some schools ...

While most suburban school districts continue to struggle with a weak economy and unreliable state funding, a few have combined strong local tax bases with frugal spending to generate annual surpluses even before their state and federal funding arrives. Districts at the top of that list describe their approach to aggressive budgeting as a culture that permeates the thinking of not only board members and administrators, but teachers, parents and other community members.
Some school districts generating surpluses

But the point is well taken, your LakeCountyEye should cast aside the partisan goggles, and stop trying to pretend to be moderate and non-partisan. Only some ultra-liberal county-club conservative would expect his public school to generate him a surplus by merely operating under budget. A true conservative would want much more, a healthy, double-digit positive cash-flow from out of his child's school, and direct to his wallet.

The free market is all about transforming resources into profits. And what resources do the public schools have in abundance over all other competing units of government? That would be lots of pupils and lots of time. So your LakeCountyEye asks: Why aren't these abundant resources being put to good use? They would be if the free enterprise system wasn't crippled by onerous government regulations that go by the name of: Child Labor Laws. Your LakeCountyEye says it is high time these antiquated laws are finally eliminated from the books. Then the Lake County taxpayer will be looking at some real money!

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

Coming Soon: Child-Proof Schools!

It's no secret that conservatives are winning the war they declared on the children. The median age of the GOP is now about 85 -- and these retirees show up at the polls every election to vote down school funding referenda. The Tea Party wants to blow up government because they don't like paying their property taxes, and most of these taxes go toward supporting the public schools. One way to blow up the schools is to demonize the teachers and bust their unions. Once the teaching profession becomes a minimum wage job, all the good talent will be lured away to the high-paying & long-term opportunities with employers like Taco Bell and Walmart. Parents will then be compelled to home-school their children, which doesn't cost the taxpayer anything. To quote Hannibal Smith: I love it when a plan comes together!

With the prospect of the schools being slowly bled to death -- or worse dismembered, parcel by parcel -- your LakeCountyEye would advise school administrators against divesting their assets & infrastructure to realize the quick buck and focus instead on those long-term strategies that will lock-in a healthy ROI for years to come.

Case in point, Fremont Elementary School. The Daily Herald has the blow by blow:

Fremont Elementary District 79 officials say they will sell 10 acres that will not be needed in the future. District 79 Communications Coordinator Margaret Van Duch said the undeveloped parcel at Route 83 and Ivanhoe Road will be sold through sealed bids to a potential developer. The district does not know when the bid process would begin. If no bids are received, a Realtor will be brought in to help sell the property, Van Duch said.
District 79 to sell "unneeded" parcel

But your LakeCountyEye asks, with 10 acres of prime, close-to-schools real-estate, why sell when you can turn that asset into a cash-cow money maker? There are a literal slew of development opportunities just waiting to transform your acreage into high-yield investment property, and a bigger slew of eager developers waiting to make it happen. Don't throw away taxpayer money by converting your land into unnecessary athletic fields and parking facilities. Instead, here are ten tried-and-true turn-key opportunities for improving that unused property into a developed asset, requiring little to no up-front investment from the principal stakeholders.

Ten Ways to Turn Unused School Acreage into Big $$$

Liquor Store Nuclear Power Plant Tattoo Parlor Army Recruitment Post Safe-House, Witness Protection Program Medicinal Marijuana Farm The Lake County Casino Thomson Correctional Center for Gitmo Detainees, Minimum Security Annex Route 53 Extension Chuck E Cheese

And look for your LakeCountyEye's newest University of Phoenix Degree Program: Blogging for the Big Bux

The Finagle System

Operatives familiar with this blog ...

Newton's Law of Promotion

know that Jim Newton will likely be Lake County's newest Board Commissioner. Ops, though, may not know that Newton is likely to be Lake County's latest illegally appointed Board Commissioner. Newton, hand-picked by Board Chair David Stolman, will replace Board Commissioner Suzi Schmidt, who resigned. According to the Daily Herald, however ...

By law, her replacement had to be a Republican living in her district. Newton voted in eight GOP primaries between 1992 and 2006, according to the Lake County clerk’s office. In 2008, however, he voted in the Democratic primary, and that was the last time he voted in a primary election, Clerk Willard Helander said. Stolman was aware of Newton's voting record and doesn't think it disqualifies Newton from the post. Newton has professed to being a Republican, Stolman said, and his record shows a predilection for the GOP.
Reporter tapped to join Lake Co. board

Absolutely. But we are a nation, if not a County, of laws. Is Newton, in the eyes of the law, a registered Republican or Democrat? Your LakeCountyEye is but a simple county blogger, and will defer a legal question of that nature to the experts with the Lake County State's Attorney.

Operatives may recall that the County Board tackled a strikingly similar case back in 2009, when Collin O'Rourke was appointed to replace Bob Sabonjian. The issue then was whether O'Rourke was a member of the Democratic or the Green Parties. In 2008 O'Rourke voted with the Greens but in 2009 he took a Democratic ballot.

Then County Chair Suzi Schmidt solicited the opinion of the county State's Attorney. Michael Waller's office obliged with an unambiguous opinion that since O'Rourke last voted in a Democratic Primary, O'Rourke was a Democrat. No ifs ands or buts about it. Move along please.

The unambiguous details were reported on this blog ...

A Blink of the Eye: 07.14.09

Operatives demanding video proof can tune in to about 09:45 for the State's Attorney's unambiguous opinion:

Lake County Board 07-14-2009

Now fastforward to 2011. Jim Newton, by the State's Attorney and the County Board's own criteria, is a Democrat. Full stop. And appointing Newton to replace Schmidt would be a violation of Illinois State Statutes. Operatives are urged to call Michael Waller's office and demand that he arrest the County Board before they embarrass everyone again and vote to illegally appoint Newton to their Board. Send Waller the video!

Ha ha.

Your LakeCountyEye said it before and will say it again: The Lake County Board makes up its own rules as it goes along. Because Michael Waller can be counted on to carry water for the elephant. If Jim Newton says he's a Republican that's good enough for Chairman Stolman: Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

A Blink of the Eye: 07.14.09

Your LakeCountyEye has been conducting a seminar on how to protect the corporate brand during times of adversity. To Charlie Sheen. All night.

In the meantime, please enjoy this encore presentation of a 2009 post:

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Will O'Rourke be Borked? For operatives just tuning in: With the defection of Bob Sabonjian from the County Board (for that executive figurehead position in his dad's organization), County Board Chair Suzi Schmidt is increasingly desperate to find a suitable replacement. One recent candidate has evaded attempts at contact and is believed to be in the Federal Witness Protection Program. The latest applicant, Collin O'Rourke, is thought to be a member of the Green Party. Illinois law stipulates that Sabonjian -- a Democrat -- must be replaced by a member of the same party. At issue is O'Rourke's voting record. In the 2008 Presidential Primary he voted for a Green candidate. In the 2009 Municipal Primary, O'Rourke took a Democratic ballot. Is O'Rourke a Green or a Democrat? County Commissioner Angelo Kyle thinks Green. Kyle, carrying water for the donkey, argues that the 2009 Waukegan Primary didn't have any Greens on the ballot; or Republicans or Whigs or any other party besides the Democrats. So the 2008 Primary ballot would be the true indicator of O'Rourke's party loyalties. But, not so fast, says an Assistant State's Attorney speaking on behalf of Michael Waller's office. The ASA argues that they're the ones with the law degrees and they say the last ballot is the one that matters. And that makes O'Rourke a Democrat, case closed. So move along, there's nothing here to see. Tune in to about 09:45 for the actual exchange between Kyle and the ASA: SAS (10:55) The focus when we're trying to answer the question as a matter of law -- is this person a Democrat -- is: what was the last political party ballot that he pulled? And we're focusing on him, his voting record, not whether someone in some other municipality might have been able to vote or not vote a partisan ballot at that time. We looked at his last vote, his last political party ballot. And I have spoken with the County Clerk and she has told me that the last party ballot that he pulled was a Democratic party ballot. And for that reason I told the Chairman and I told the other County Board members who have asked that I think he is qualified, he is a Democrat for purposes of Illinois law. And the fact that he once voted a Green Party ballot in a primary would not disqualify this person from being appointed to the vacancy created by Sabonjian's resignation. SAS (15:15) I think what's important here is Mr O'Rourke most recently voted as a Democrat. Lake County Board 07-14-2009 Note to operatives: the Lake County Board can make up its own rules as it goes along, because Michael Waller can be counted on to carry water for the Suzi. So be careful how you vote in that next Primary. That party ballot you ask for -- Democratic, Republican, Green, whatever -- is your legal & binding declaration of Party affiliation. No exceptions! For the record, the County Board went on to approve the O'Rourke appointment by a vote of a zillion to nothing. Posted by Barney Baxter at 12:19 AM 121 comments Labels: Suzi Schmidt, Robert Sabonjian, Michael Waller, Collin O'Rourke

Your LakeCountyEye: keeping an eye on the past since 2011!

The Descent of Man

What does Charlie Sheen think, now that the Lake County Schools are riddled with Creationism study units? Sheen is uncharacteristically reticent. But if Sheen was your LakeCountyEye, it is virtually certain the beleaguered actor would be nonplussed. Operatives who surmise they are looking at another update of the LakeCountyEye Creationism-Tote-Board, would be correct. The Daily Herald provides the latest wrinkle in this shar-pei-caliber shaggy-dog story ...

Most recently, four of the candidates running for the Round Lake Unit District 116 board were asked to share their stances on the issue during a discussion at the Daily Herald's Lake County office. Three of the candidates favored teaching creationism in science class.
Dist. 116 candidates talk creationism's role in science classes

For those keeping score: seven down, twelve to go ...

Got Creationism? Where to Look in Lake County

Antioch High School

Barrington High School

Deerfield High School

Grant High School

Grayslake High School

Warren High School

Highland Park High School

Lake Forest High School

Lake Zurich High School

Lakes Community High School

Libertyville High School

Stevenson High School

Mundelein High School

North Chicago High School

Round Lake High School

Vernon Hills High School

Wauconda High School

Waukegan High School

Zion-Benton High School

LEGEND Creationist On Board Creationist Not On Board Creationist Conceivably On Board

With new census figures coming in, Lake County is expected to overtake rival McHenry County as the Dukes-of-Hazard epicenter of Northeastern Illinois.