Ethylene Alley

If thick smog is choking your air, blame the Route 53 Extension. That's because the IL Toll Authority has money to burn:

The Illinois Tollway is going ahead with a $25 million environmental study of a plan to extend state Route 53, even though the project is no longer designated a local priority. Last month, the region's planning agency knocked the controversial, long-debated proposal to extend Route 53 from Cook County into Lake County off its priority list. This means it is no longer eligible for federal funds.
Route 53 study goes forward, despite project's demotion

Any environmental study should note that the Route 53 Extension is to be paved right under the toxic ethylene oxide cloud in Gurnee:

Vantage Specialty Chemicals in Gurnee reported to another office at the EPA that during 2014 it released 6,412 pounds of ethylene oxide — more than either Sterigenics or Medline did during the same period.
2 Lake County polluters emit same cancer-causing gas as Sterigenics, but authorities haven't warned the public

... where it may be prudent to dig an underground tunnel through Gurnee for that leg of the Route 53 Extension.

Note to Toll Authority Ops: That ought to wrap up that environmental study of yours. Please send the $25,000,000 to lakecountyeye@gmail.com.

Wear Pollution

Your LakeCountyEye has good news and bad news. The good news is Lake County does not have to worry about pollution coming from Foxconn in Wisconsin. The bad news is that's because Lake County already has plenty of pollution coming from Waukegan:

More than 19,000 people live within areas at risk from ethylene oxide emitted by a Medline Industries facility near Interstate 94 in the southwest corner of Waukegan
2 Lake County polluters emit same cancer-causing gas as Sterigenics, but authorities haven't warned the public

What does Medline manufacture? Wait for it ...

Hazmat Suits:

A local company is working side by side with many health care facilities to create protective wear for medical workers. Medline, a Mundelein-based company, is in high demand right now. They are making life-saving protective gear
Mundelein company's protective Ebola suits in high demand

Note to Ops: Make up your own joke here.

Blue is the New Red

That giant sucking sound you hear are the paper shredders working overtime in Waukegan.

Haha, despite having campaigned for votes by stoking fears against minorities, the GOP has become the minority party in Lake County. In fact, the EPA is reevaluating its policy of not enforcing of the Endangered Species Act. The Republican Party is near extinction in Lake County.

The results in the 2018 election are in.  The Lake County Board flipped to a 12-9 Democratic majority. Every Republican Congressman in Lake County was swept out of office. All countywide offices that mattered -- Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff -- were turned over to Democrats. There were enough flips, sweeps and turnovers to weave a new toupee for Donald Trump:

With the last votes from the Nov. 6 election finally counted, Democrats have a majority on the Lake County Board for the first time in the county's 179-year history. And Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran -- who won office as a Democrat in 2006 and infamously jumped to the GOP two years later -- looks to be out of a job.
Democrats gain control of Lake County Board; Curran ousted as sheriff

By no means does this represent a total annus horribilis for the Lake County Republicans. After all, the majority of past GOP office holders have always been closet Democrats. These were candidates who knew they couldn't get elected in Lake County running as a Democrat. Expect now to see these RINOs try to -- erm -- horn their way into the Democratic Party. Note to Ops: The Democrats are going to need someone to run for State's Attorney in 2020. Preferably someone with a law license and experience at holding down a countywide office. Preferably in law enforcement. Just sayin!

The biggest loser of 2018, of course, is your LakeCountyEye. How are you going to top this?

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

The Russian Twitter Bots that generate the news content in the Lake County Gazette have gone bonkers. For bad girls.

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

School discipline: Which Lake County districts reported suspending the most girls?

Note to Ops: Girls Gone Wild on Blarney Island are now available on Blu-ray DVD!

Fact Check, Please!

The Russian Twitter Bots that generate the fakenews content for the Lake County Gazette have hacked the Chicago Tribune.

See for yourself ...


Regarding the 2018 election results, Lake County GOP Chairman Mark Shaw told the Tribune:

Turning to specific results, Shaw pointed out that Republicans "managed to maintain the same number of elected officials from Lake County representing us in the Illinois General Assembly."
'Results were not what we wanted to see': Lake County Republican chair reflects on election

The Facts:

Lake County has 5 Illinois Senate seats. None were flipped.

Lake County has 9 Illinois Legislative seats. No Democratic seat flipped. But Republican Sheri Jesiel was defeated. And Republican Helene Walsh currently trails in the vote count. At least 1 and very likely 2 legislative seats will have flipped from Republican to Democrat in Lake County.

The Verdict:

Four Pinocchios

Regarding the Lake County board, the Tribune said:

Lake County followed McHenry into new territory, with both of its county boards now featuring a Democratic majority.
'Results were not what we wanted to see': Lake County Republican chair reflects on election

The Facts:

The Lake County board will have a Democratic majority. The McHenry County board, however, will not. It is not expected to flip any time before the 2100s.

The Verdict:

Four Pinocchios

Regarding the future:

Mark Shaw, chairman of the Lake County Republican Central Committee (LCRCC), said in a post on the group's Facebook page that local Republicans should still hold their head up high.
'Results were not what we wanted to see': Lake County Republican chair reflects on election

The Facts:

This one does not pass the laugh test.

The Verdict:

Four Pinocchios

Note to Ops: Don't let the Russian Twitter Bots infiltrate your news server!

An Embracement of Riches

If elections have consequences then the consequence of the 2018 election is there are no one left for your LakeCountyEye to make fun of.

Haha, luckily there still is legitimate businessman and US President Donald J Trump.

Trump had this to say about vestigial Lake County former Congressman Peter Roskam:

President Donald Trump on Wednesday is scorching House Republicans who did not embrace him and lost election bids on Tuesday, including Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill. "Peter Roskam didn't want the embrace," Trump said.
Trump blasts Roskam, other losing House Republicans, for not embracing him

Note to Roskam campaign Operatives: Your do-over election is less than 2 years from now. That is not a lot of time to arrange for some video footage of the Ex-Congressman and the future Ex-President locked in that embrace.

Your Last Chance to Vote!

It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that there will be an election tomorrow, Tuesday Nov 6 2018.

Who knew? Not your LakeCountyEye.

Early voting ended today in Illinois. That means tomorrow will be your last chance to vote.

Note to Ops: Will tomorrow be your last chance to vote?

Roskam Resignages

If you haven't seen any Peter Roskam yardsigns in Lake County, it is not because they got stolen. No, someone is not stealing Peter Roskam yardsigns.

Instead people have been posting comments around Roskam yardsigns:

It's so common that there now is a website for posting comment signs next to Roskam yardsigns:

IL Citizens Ignited

And that Peter Roskam's old lawfirm has filed a temporary restraining order, to make them stop it:

NRA support for Roskam triggers a battle over yard signs

Election Day is Tuesday. There is not a lot of time left to post a comment of your own:

Note to Ops: Did your LakeCountyEye mention that Peter Roskam is Lake County's vestigial Congressman?