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.