Perp School?

The Lake County GOP is sweating bullets. Why? Because there is a preeminent Republican, a former candidate and office holder, who is under criminal investigation. And who could be indicted.

Your LakeCountyEye, of course, refers to Peter Pettorini:

A Round Lake High School English teacher is on leave and the subject of a criminal investigation stemming from an allegation made against him in early January, but school and police officials are not disclosing the nature of the accusation.
Round Lake High teacher, Millburn school board member under criminal investigation

Pettorini is an elected member and vice president of the Millburn District 24 school board:

MILLBURN DISTRICT 24

Of course the voters decide who will sit on the school boards. As they will do again on April 4, election night.

But will the voters get to vote for or against Peter Pettorini? No. Pettorini's term does not expire until 2025.

Stay tuned. By 2025 Pettorini may have the endorsement of another high-profile Republican under criminal investigation, Donald J Trump. In this highly charged political environment any arresting development is possible.

It'll All Come Out in the White-Wash

Can someone send Dan Proft a jar of body wash?  His conservative PAC, People Who Play By The Rules, is underwater by $1.2 million.  At least according to a complaint filed last week with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

But now Proft says the error was a typo:

After the state Democratic Party filed a complaint against him for failing to disclose more than $1 million in receipts to the political action committee he runs, right-wing radio talk show host and GOP political operative Dan Proft is blaming the discrepancy on a near $3 million typo.
Dan Proft corrects a nearly $3 million typo on campaign finance report following complaint by Democrats

No doubt, the money originally belonged to Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein:

Proft's independent expenditure PAC was almost entirely funded by conservative billionaire megadonor Richard Uihlein, the founder of the Uline office supply and packaging firm.
Dan Proft corrects a nearly $3 million typo on campaign finance report following complaint by Democrats

It was possibly an in-kind donation from Uihlein:

Hush Hush Money

So who needs Yelp? The Illinois Democratic Party is reviewing restaurants, too. For instance, they don't like the way Dan Proft cooks his books:

For the second time in four months, the Illinois Democratic Party has filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections against right-wing radio talk show host and GOP political operative Dan Proft, this time alleging he failed to disclose $1.2 million in contributions to the conservative political action committee he runs.
Democrats file another election complaint against Dan Proft's political operation, alleging $1.2 million in undisclosed contributions

HaHa, if Dan Proft is Big Chef then that makes Richard Uihlein Elsie the Cash Cow. Lake County Moneybags Richard Uihlein has been providing the cheddar:

Proft's independent expenditure PAC, People Who Play By The Rules, was almost entirely funded by ultraconservative billionaire megadonor Richard Uihlein.
Democrats file another election complaint against Dan Proft's political operation, alleging $1.2 million in undisclosed contributions

$1.2 million is a lot of money, even if your name is Uihlein. Where did it all disappear to?

Take One for the Fuel

Question of the day: Can government be run like a business?

Those who live in Mundelein may be finding out. The Village of Mundelein just purchased a filling station:

Anticipating a possible future land deal, Mundelein is buying the site of a former gas station in the downtown area.
Mundelein buying former Citgo station on Hawley Street

According to rumors, the deal was struck because a delegation from the Waukegan Airport was seen to be appraising the property.

A source told your LakeCountyEye: "You know, those light aircraft don't have any indoor plumbing. The Waukegan Airport needs a 7000ft runway nearby some restrooms."

You Say Greenway I Say Runway

There is an old saying in Lake County ...

Nobody Expects the Route 53 Extension

The Lake County Board endorsed a proposal to transform the Route 53 Extension -- 1,100 acres of land — into a greenway:

Supporters want the land to be transferred from the Illinois Department of Transportation to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources so it can be protected in perpetuity as a state park, trail or other open space.
Lake County Board might endorse using Route 53 right of way as greenway

One Waukegan Airport head honcho spoke to your LakeCountyEye: "And they say the Route 53 Extension will be a State Park -- not an airport runway? Tell me more."

Doing Land Office Business

Not to be outdone by the Lake County Forest Preserves, the South Barrington Park District is getting into the land speculation business:

South Barrington Park District officials again are asking voters to approve selling 34 acres off Bartlett Road and Route 59. It's the fourth time the district has brought the proposal to voters.
South Barrington Park District again seeking voter permission to sell land

If everything goes as planned, the South Barrington Park District could turn a tidy profit. They hope for ...

a sale price of about $2 million.
South Barrington Park District again seeking voter permission to sell land

A spokesman for the Waukegan Airport said: "Our maps indicate that the South Barrington Park District is 7000ft from the Waukegan Airport. We will be filing legal papers to annex that property."

Highway to the Heavens

BREAKING NEWS

Not satisfied with merely commandeering 52 acres of Lake County Forest Preserve land ...

Questions Loom as Lake County Considers Forest Preserve Land Sale to Waukegan Airport

the Waukegan Airport now wants to annex the Amstutz Expressway.

One aviation top-gun told your LakeCountyEye: "The Waukegan Airport will need a 7000ft runway to land any of those C-130 cargo planes. And the Amstutz brings all that and more.  Besides there's never anyone on that road -- why not put it to some use?"

Misplaced Trustee

Good news, your pop quiz is a TRUE/FALSE question:

Q: As a member of the Board of Trustees, Margot Dallstream advocates to make Barrington a great place for the residents, business owners, and the visitors alike.

A: FALSE

This campaign mailer says Margot Dallstream is a Village of Barrington Trustee:

But the last time your LakeCountyEye checked, there was no one on the Barrington Village Board named Margot Dallstream:

Barrington Village Board

Given a choice, would someone think this mailer is a deliberate misrepresentation or an honest mistake?

You decide:

Note to Ops: Padding the resume is how George Santos got elected.

Buffalo Stakes

It may be that no prophet is accepted in his hometown. But when that hometown is Lake County, then no profit is given by Richard Uihlein. Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein, and Mrs moneybags Elizabeth Uihlein, are notorious for spreading their millions among conservative candidates and causes. But if you are in Lake County, don't expect to see much of that wealth. Knowledgeable sources are saying ...

the Uihleins will focus on national politics "and to be only nominally engaged in Illinois" for at least the next two cycles.
Where suburban GOP megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein's $36 million went last fall

Despite that, the Uihleins are known to be generous when it comes to celebrities. They ...

contributed to the losing U.S. Senate campaigns of Herschel Walker in Georgia and Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania
Where suburban GOP megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein's $36 million went last fall

This fact was not lost on the Lake County Republican Party, who recruited a local homegrown celebrity for the 2023 election:

Now, out of the numerous qualified and informed candidates for school board, the Lake County Republicans chose to back a quadrupedal ungulate. When asked if it was appropriate to get behind a bison for school board, a Lake County GOP spokesman said: "Absolutely. Let the chips fall where they may."