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