Hi-Liter Illinois 11/30/2022

Santa to swap reindeer for carousel horses during upcoming visits at Volo Museum

With his many appearances at shopping malls, city parks and more, Santa certainly makes the rounds this time of year. But no opportunity to cap ture a memory with St. Nick will rival those coming up this December at the Volo Museum.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat urdays and Sundays Dec. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18, Santa will greet families in the Coney Island Carousel Room at the museum, 27582 Volo Village Road.

“It’s magical,” Marketing Director Jim Wojdyla said of the space. “The Grams family spent about $2.5 million re storing the 1920s carousel that is the centerpiece. They built this whole building to house it, and they’ve surrounded it with all of these beautifully carved, hand-painted, fully functional music machines and other vin tage arcade pieces that are also amazing. Everything in here is 100 or more years old — and it all works.”

Not only is the backdrop breathtaking, but kiddos queue ing up for a Kriss Kringle chat also will have the chance to take a spin on the carousel with him.

A professional photographer will post Santa-visit pics online for visitors to download later. And it’s all included with the regular price of admission, Wo jdyla said.

“We look forward to seeing the smiles on family members’

faces as they take it all in and enjoy an especially memo ry-making time with Santa at the museum,” he said. “And, of course, there is so much to do and see here before or after the Santa stop. We’re featuring hol iday-themed drinks and snacks in our new Grams Central Sta tion, and our awe-inspiring ex hibits never disappoint.”

In addition to the muscle and movie cars for which the formerly named Volo Auto Museum has been renowned for decades, it’s now also home to everything from tractors to trains, snowmobiles, boats, a military museum and even an indoor, animatronic dinosaur park.

“We like to keep it interest ing,” Wojdyla said. “One visit here is never the same as the next. Even Santa said he can’t wait to see what’s new.”

The Volo Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is $19.95 per adult, $17.95 per senior, $16.95 for military, $12.95 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for chil dren 4 and younger. Separate admission to the Jurassic Gar dens dinosaur park is $15.95 each; free for children 4 and younger. Combo passes for both attractions cost $31.95 for an adult or $24.95 for children ages 5 to 12, and are good for two consecutive days.

For other details, visit volo fun.com, find Volo Museum on social, or call 815-385-3644.

Cynthia Wolf

CONTRIBUTOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF CYNTHIA WOLF | WOLF WORDSMITHING Hi-Liter/MCN

Volo Museum Marketing Director Jim Wojdyla points out the spot where Santa will visit with children in the Coney Island Carousel Room at Volo Museum during the first three weekends in December. The building’s center piece is a meticulously restored, fully functional 1920s Herschell carousel, on which those visiting with Santa may also take a spin with him. Volo Museum is located at 27582 Volo Village Road. Visit volofun.com for more informa tion.

Welch, poised for another term as speaker, reflects on growing House majority Says lawmakers mulling action on abortion, assault weapons ban

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who recently announced he has the support for another term as House speaker, says he looks forward to governing with an even larger superma jority than he had during his first two years.

“Expanding our caucus was definitely a priority of mine,” he said during an in terview with Capitol News Illinois. “But from a policy standpoint, we want to con tinue to build on the budget work that we’ve done. Ex panding our caucus would not have been possible if peo ple didn’t believe Democrats were doing the right things.” Welch, a Democrat from sub urban Hillside, was elected speaker in January 2021 after most in the Democratic cau cus refused to back longtime Speaker Michael Madigan, who’d been implicated in a bribery scandal and has since been indicted on corruption charges.

During his first two years, Democrats held a 73-45 ad vantage in the House, and Welch used that to pass land mark legislation, including the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which provides state support for carbon-free energy pro duction and seeks to phase out fossil fuel power plants by 2045.

That supermajority also enabled Democrats to con trol the redistricting process when lawmakers drew new maps for the General Assem bly, congressional districts and the Supreme Court.

In the elections that fol lowed, Democrats widened their majority in the House by at least four seats—one race remained too close to call as of last week—while also capturing a 5-2 majority

on the state supreme court.

In all, while Democrats who ran for statewide offices received, on average, about 55 percent of the vote, Dem ocrats captured roughly 66 percent of the state legisla tive seats.

When asked whether ger rymandering played a role in those results, Welch said it did not.

“What I would say is that the maps reflect the diversity of our state,” he said. “And one of the things that I said as the leader of our caucus and the speaker of the House last year when we were going through that process, that any fair map would reflect the diversity of our state. And if you look at the election results, the election results show that.”

He said the results in the House were an example of that.

“We elected our first Viet namese American to the House,” he said. “We elected our first Korean American to the House. We elected our first Arab American Mus lim to the House. We elect ed our first Indian American Muslim to the House. We elected our first South Asian, Pacific Islander American to the House. Diversity is well represented in the Illinois House, and we look like Illi nois, and we look like Amer ica. And we should be proud of that.”

Welch said one key factor in the election that worked in Democrats’ favor was the U.S. Supreme Court’s deci sion in June overturning Roe v. Wade. That decision, in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organiza tion, said the U.S. Constitu tion does not protect a wom an’s right to have an abortion, effectively giving states the authority to regulate that pro

cedure as they see fit.

“It certainly played a role in what happened on Nov. 8,” he said. “You know, I said it in a number of speeches here during the campaign that No vember was coming. And if you look at what happened here in Illinois and across the country, that decision re ally got women to the polls. It got 18- to 24-year-olds to the polls, and they voted in droves.”

When the Dobbs decision was handed down, Demo cratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly quickly called for a special session to call for even more protection for abortion access in Illi nois. Likewise, a few weeks later after a mass shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, they called for a spe cial session to call for more restrictions on assault-style weapons in Illinois.

But in the ensuing weeks, both of those issues were put on hold as various “working groups” were formed with lawmakers and stakeholders in an effort to reach a consen sus on measures that could actually pass.

While Illinois has among the least restrictive abortion laws on the books, Welch said there is still more the state can do, possibly in cluding a state constitutional amendment to protect abor tion rights.

“That’s certainly one of the questions that’s out there, and it’s a strong possibili ty,” he said. “But again, I don’t want to get ahead of the working group or the rec ommendations they formally present. I’m certain that’s one of the things that’s on the table.”

Regarding assault weap ons regulation, Welch said that issue will have to wait

until the 2023 session be gins in January, when only a simple majority of votes is needed to pass new laws with an immediate effective date. That’s because the Illi nois Constitution requires a three-fifths majority for bills passed after June 1 to have an immediate effective date.

“Anything that we do on assault weapons, we would want it to be effective im mediately,” he said. “And I just don’t think we would have 71 votes to get some thing done in this shortened veto session. But I do believe that we’re going to be able to deliver for the people of Illi nois an assault weapons ban next year, and we’re going to work real hard to make that happen.”

Lawmakers still had the veto session, which contin ued through Dec.1. Welch said the top priority for those days were to pass “clarifica tions” to the SAFE-T Act, a sweeping criminal justice reform package passed in January 2021 that includes, among other things, eliminat ing cash bail effective Jan. 1, 2023.

In particular, he said, there has been disagreement among prosecutors and law enforcement officials about what should happen on Jan. 1 with people already being de tained pretrial in lieu of bail. The law doesn’t specifically say what happens to those individuals, which has led some to claim that it could lead to their widespread re lease from jail.

“They’re interpreting it in a way that says that they have to swing the jail doors open at midnight,” he said. “And even though that’s absolutely not true, we’re going to add some language making it ex plicitly clear how that transi tion should work.”

Lake County Board adopts fiscal year 2023 budget

The Lake County Board approved its balanced Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget at the Nov. 15 meeting. The $601.7 million budget is focused on maximizing efficiencies and a recommitment to facility and technology capital im provements.

The County Board estab lished the guidelines and framework in which the FY2023 Budget was to be prepared, with their Stra tegic Plan and Values driv ing budget decisions. Lake County departments and agencies worked diligently to tighten the budget, re sulting in a minimal 1.6% increase in the overall oper ating budget, despite several unfunded state mandates and inflationary increases to the costs of goods and services.

The County Board and staff are sensitive to the property tax burden on its residents. The approved budget is funded in part by a property tax levy that is flat compared to prior years, with an additional levy allo cation for the Lake County Veterans Assistance Com mission (VAC), pursuant to the new statute providing in dependent authority to VACs across the state.

Individual tax bills will vary depending on how a property’s assessed value has changed and depending

on the actions of other local government taxing bodies. The Lake County portion of the tax bill for the average homeowner is expected to be relatively flat.

“Working with our tal ented team of departmen tal staff, the County Board has approved a budget that shows our commitment to provide outstanding services to residents while continuing to be fiscally responsible,” said County Board Chair Sandy Hart.

County departments have developed efficiencies, while continuing to provide exceptional services. For example, some departments have consolidated services with other departments for maximum efficiency. Anoth er example is the Regional Operations and Communica tions (ROC) Facility, which is the physical portion of a

larger regionalization proj ect to consolidate 9 1 1 and public safety access points.

Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s reaffirmed their high est triple-A ratings to Lake County Government. Both rating agencies comment ed on the County’s strong, stable economy and large diverse tax base, along with good financial policies and practices.

To adhere to the Lake County’s Board’s budget policy, only a limited num ber of new program requests were granted as part of the FY2023 budget. One fund ed expansion will be the purchase of fleet tracking software that will allow the County to intelligently right size its fleet, while simul taneously moving toward more efficient and sustain able vehicles where possible and practical.

“This budget reflects the priorities of our board in vesting in our people, our veterans, and key environ mental initiatives. We’ve also taken big steps to cre ate more efficiencies in the budgeting process. I thank the Board Members for their unanimous approval of the 2023 budget,” said Financial and Administrative Commit tee Chair Paul Frank.

Flagpole removed from Old State Capitol Project is part of ongoing historic renovation

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

People walking through downtown Springfield Nov. 21 looked up to an unusual sight—a helicopter hovering over the Old State Capitol, dropping a rope and lifting away the flagpole that sat atop the bronzecolored dome.

“We took off the flagpole of at the Old State Capitol today in preparation for a new automated one that will be going up probably in a few months,” said Troy Gilmore, assistant site superintendent for the Springfield State Historic Sites with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The operation took fewer than 15 minutes and was part of an ongoing renovation project that has kept the historic building shrouded behind scaffolding for about two years. The project involves repairing roof leaks, repairing and replacing windows, and replacing portions of the columns known as “capitals”—the decorative portions at the top of Corinthian columns.

Gilmore said replacing the manually controlled flagpole with an automated one will improve safety for workers who raise and lower the flag to half-staff or full staff when occasions call for it.

The Old State Capitol, located a few blocks northeast of the current Statehouse, was used by lawmakers from 1840 to 1876. It was the Capitol when Abraham Lincoln served in the Illinois House and it is where he delivered his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858 after accepting the Republican Party nomination for the U.S. Senate. Gilmore said that when the legislature left the building in 1876, it was purchased by Sangamon County, which operated it for the next 90 years, during which time it made several substantial changes.

“The most drastic change that the county made was in 1900, when they raised the building up 11 feet taller than it even stands today,” he said. “And that was to add another level of offices on the ground floor. So, after 1902 you walked straight into the building off of the street level, you didn’t even walk up the steps as you would have today.”

The state of Illinois purchased the building in 1966 and launched a three-year restoration project to return the building to its original state, a project that involved taking the building apart and rebuilding it piece-by-piece.

Gilmore said the current renovation project will soon move into its second phase, which will involve removing asbestos from the boiler rooms and installing new restrooms for the first time since the 1960s.

He did not offer an estimate of when the entire project will be complete.

Valent BioSciences assists with landscaping makeover

The Lake County Forest Preserves recently gave its General Offices and the Dunn Museum in Libertyville a landscaping makeover, thanks to a long-time supporter.

Valent BioSciences, with its headquarters and Biorational Research Center in Libertyville, recently donated $15,000 to cover the cost of removing Callery pear trees, an invasive species, at the General Offices, 1899 W. Winchester Road. Native trees, such as oak and hickory, replaced the invasives. With its strong global presence, Valent BioSciences is a worldwide

leader in the development, commercialization, and manufacturing of biorational products and technologies used in the agriculture, public health and forestry markets.

Valent BioSciences made the contribution to the Preservation Foundation, the charitable partner of the Lake County Forest Preserves. The removal of the trees, also found in your preserves, is consistent with the Forest Preserves’ countywide natural resource management strategies.

“We are grateful for Valent BioSciences’ support as we work to remove this invasive species

from our corporate campus, a key objective in the Forest Preserves’ 100-year Vision for Lake County,” said Angelo Kyle, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves. “Restoration is core to our mission and we want to lead by example in replacing these trees. We hope to educate and inspire other corporations to understand the threat of Callery pear to Lake County’s natural lands and remove it from their corporate campuses.”

“Both of our organizations have much in common from an environmental perspective,” said Salman Mir, executive vice president and chief operating

officer of Valent BioSciences. “Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond Libertyville. We are restoring 34 acres of highly diverse native prairie adjacent to our manufacturing facility in Osage, Iowa. In addition, we are installing a solar field that will provide 8% of the plant’s annual energy,” he said at an event Wednesday at the General Offices.

The Callery pear, also known as Bradford pear, is an invasive ornamental tree introduced to the region for landscaping purposes from eastern Asia. While the original cultivars were bred to be sterile, cross-pollination has

resulted in viable seeds.

Birds readily eat this plant’s fruits, which resemble small apples, and disperse the seeds in their droppings. Unfortunately, Callery pear has spread aggressively and invaded many habitats, including natural areas.

The invasive trees at the General Offices have been replaced with native shrubs and trees, including oaks. Oak are a keystone species in the Chicago area. Hundreds of species of birds, insects, butterflies, mammals and other plants depend on them for shelter, nutrients, camouflage and reproduction.

Qualified candidates sought for Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals

Lake County is seek ing qualified candidates to serve on the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The ZBA is estab lished under the statutory provisions of the County’s Code and focuses on zoning in the unincorporated areas of Lake County.

The ZBA holds public hearings to consider appli cations for zoning varianc es, delegated conditional use permits, and appeals of administration decisions. It also serves in an advisory capacity to the Lake County Public Works, Planning and Transportation Committee

Get your jingle on at Glacial Park Dec. 10

Visit Glacial Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of family fun. This is a free drop-in event for all ages.

Activities will include: • Holiday at Grandma’s house, at the PowersWalker House. Visit volunteers in historical attire as they are preparing for winter and the holidays as it would have been customary in the mid19th century.

• Holly Jolly Scavenger Hunt at the Lost Valley Visitor Center. Pick up a

scavenger hunt booklet at the visitor center.

• Nature’s Ornaments at the Lost Valley Visitor Center. While you are in picking up your scavenger hunt booklet make time to create a one-of-a-kind historical pioneer ornament using materials from nature. Take your ornament home and hang it on your tree.

Glacial Park Conservation Area is located at 6705 State Rte 31, Ringwood. For more information call 815-678-4535.

and the County Board for zoning ordinance and map amendments, and non-del egated conditional use per mits, which include planned unit developments.

The ZBA consists of seven members and two alternate members. As of November 21, 2022, there are two member vacancies and one alternate member vacancy. State law requires that each member reside in a different township. Based on current Zoning Board of Appeals membership, res idents from the following townships are eligible to serve: Antioch, Benton, Ela, Fremont, Grant, Moraine, Newport, Shields, Vernon,

Waukegan, West Deerfield and Zion.

Meetings are generally scheduled in the mornings of the second and fourth Thurs day of each month and held at the Central Permit Facility (CPF) in Libertyville. Public hearings for rezoning and conditional use permits are individually scheduled and usually held during weekday afternoons in the appropriate township hall or other pub lic building. Public hearings for text amendments vary by day/time but are customarily held at CPF.

In its recent history, the ZBA has been involved in a number of very impactful projects and policies includ

ing the following:

• Review of a major region al development proposal (mixed use retail/office) for a 100-acre site

• Review of an ordinance draft addressing adult use (recreational) cannabis busi ness regulations

• Review of significant envi ronmental sustainability-re lated draft regulations

How to Apply

Residents of Lake Coun ty, whether they reside in the unincorporated area or in a village/city who are inter ested in serving on the ZBA are encouraged to apply online at lakecountyil.gov. When applying online, res

idents should indicate that they would like to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals and they should complete each step in the application process.

Residents may also sub mit their resume, letter of interest and any other sup porting material they wish to include (such as letters of recommendation) via email to countyboardoffice@lake countyil.gov, or via U.S. mail to: Lake County Board Office, 10th Floor, 18 North County St., Waukegan, IL 60085.

Those interested in serv ing on the Lake County ZBA are encouraged to apply by Jan. 1, 2023.

Pet of the week

Kienna, is about 6 months old, spayed, up-todate on routine shots (incl. rabies), tested nega tive for heartworm and on preventative and micro chipped.

She is a little shy at first, but before you know it Kienna is enjoying all the attention!

While walk-ins are welcome, adoptions are by appointments only to ensure we have the staff available to help adopters. For information and/ or to complete an online application, please visit www.saveapetil.org/adopt.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Hi-Liter/MCN

At left (from left): Preservation Foundation president Nels Leutwiler, Salman Mir, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Valent BioSciences, Rosa Maria Gimenez, global business director, biorational crop protection at Valent Bio Sciences and Erika Stergos, executive director of the Preservation Foundation, are

shown here at a recent event recognizing the new landscaping at the general of fices in Libertyville. Right: Native trees, such as oak and hickory, replaced Callery pear trees, an invasive species, at the general offices of the Lake County Forest Preserves.

Metra Board Director retires, qualified candidates sought for replacement

Norm Carlson, Lake County’s appointed member on the Metra Board of Directors, has announced his retirement effective Dec. 15.

Carlson was appointed to the Metra Board in April 2013 by the Lake County Board Chair. In 2016, he was elected as Chair of the Metra Board and has served as the Vice Chair since September 2020.

McHenry County Museum holding Holiday open house this Saturday

The McHenry County His torical Society and Museum is holding their free Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The itinerary in cludes live music, a bake sale, holiday selfie-station, and a one-of-kind Christmas display compiled by Golden Glow of Christmas Past members Dave Harms and Lynne Eltrevoog.

ed elves that appeared in the opening scene from the mov ie. Ralphie looks in the win dow of Higbees Department Store and spies his coveted Red Ryder BB gun.

Norm Carlson

During his tenure, Metra started a reverse-commute pilot project that introduced outbound express trains to help commuters from Chicago get to work in Lake County, and he was instrumental in helping lead Metra through the difficult challenges brought to the commuter rail industry from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I thank Norm for the many years he dedicated to representing Lake County in such an important role,” said Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair. “His vast knowledge and expertise of the rail industry will be sorely missed. We wish him the very best in retirement.”

Qualified candidates are sought to fill the Metra Board of Directors seat. The Metra Board of Directors is made up of 11 members representing the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. They meet once a month to discuss various matters.

According to 70 ILCS 3615/3B.04(4), one Director shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Lake County Board with the advice and consent of the Lake County Board and shall reside in Lake County. Illinois law also states:

• No director, while serving as such, shall be an officer, a member of the board of directors or trustee or an employee of any transportation agency, or be an employee of the State of Illinois or any department or agency thereof, or of any county, municipality, or any other unit of local government or receive any compensation from any elected or appointed office under the Constitution and laws of Illinois

Residents of Lake County who are interested in serving on the Metra Board of Directors and meet the criteria are encouraged to submit their resume, letter of interest and any other supporting material they wish to include (such as letters of recommendation) via email to countyboard@lakecountyil.gov, or via mail to: Lake County Board Chair, Lake County Board Office, 10th Floor, 18 North County St., Waukegan, IL 60085.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 16.

This year ’s centerpiece is a 125- year-old German church nativity made by master sculptor, Konrad Rabbels of Kevlaer, Germany. There are 27 figures with the largest be ing 40 inches tall. The crèche spans 15 feet.

In anticipation of next year’s 40th anniversary of the movie “A Christmas Story,” there will be three animat

Harms said this year marks the 140th anniversary of the first electric Christmas tree. Come see and learn the his tory of early Christmas tree lighting with examples of light sets, including match less stars, bubble lights and lighted tree stands. There will be examples of early feath er trees including an early electrified version, offered to homeowners in Ohio if they converted to electricity in their homes in the 1920s.

Edward Hibberd Johnson, a business associate of inven

tor Thomas Edison, created the first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree at his home in New York City in 1882. He hand-wired 80 red, white and blue light bulbs and wound them around his Christmas tree. Johnson also invented the rotating tree stand that became particularly popular with aluminum trees.

A selection of tree stands from the 1920 through the 1960s will be on display, as will timeline of various Christmas lights used from 1903 until the early 1970s. Also on dis play are small aluminum trees from the 1960s, including a 6-foot pink variety. See the advertising genius of Polk Brothers stores in Chicago with the Jolly Polk Santa and

Lake County Sheriff’s arrest bulletin

The Lake County Sheriff’s Dept. reported the following arrests in Lake County. Sus pects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Oct. 14

Brandi S. Patton, 43, An tioch, was cited for theft, possession of stolen prop erty, domestic battery and possession of drug parapher nalia;

Juvenile, was cited for domestic battery, interfering with the reporting of domes tic violence and criminal damage to property;

Hector V. Cadle, 39, Waukegan, was cited for DUI – alcohol and no insurance;

Dyniqua S. Coleman, 30, Gurnee, was cited for DUI –alcohol;

Jarrod A. Felten, 21, An tioch, was cited for DUI - al cohol;

Oct. 15

Fellie McKnight, 51, Zion, was cited for DUI –alcohol, no insurance, and

open transportation of alco hol;

Jonathan D. Torkelson, 27, no permanent address, was cited for a warrant ar rest: domestic battery;

Santos O. Perez-Garcia, 47, Zion, was cited for DUI – alcohol, no driver’s license and no insurance;

Mary S. Pinkus, 66, Beach Park, was cited for domestic battery. Oct. 17

Israel Jesus Jara Contre ras, 19, unknown address, was cited for a warrant ob tained: residential burglary; Erick T. Frydrych, 52, Round Lake, was cited for a warrant arrest: violation of an order of protection (Cook County);

Gerald Girmscheid, 60, Grayslake, was cited for do mestic battery;

Ronzavior D. Williams, 27, Zion, was cited for DUI – drugs and no insurance; Oct. 19

Scott E. Loes, 18, Zion,

was cited for no driver’s li cense, suspended registra tion and no insurance;

Jose A. Alvarez, 39, Gurnee, was cited for do mestic battery and child en dangerment; Oct. 20

James J. Kman, 36, Wauke gan, was cited for a warrant arrest: parole violation;

Laurentino Vazquez, 53, Park City, was cited for aggravated DUI and open transportation of alcohol;

Lynn A. Celing, 65, Grayslake, was cited for dis orderly conduct;

Noe I. Escutia-Arista, 29, Waukegan, was cited for driving while license re voked; Oct. 22

Jose A. Gonzalez, 63, Round Lake Park, was cited for DUI – alcohol;

Marcus A. Mejia Palma, 22, Waukegan, was cited for domestic battery;

Rafael Garcia Fuentes, 27, Zion, was cited for no

Snowman.

Stop in on your shopping day at the Marengo/Union Housewalk where there will be Christmas tunes on a bub bling Wurlitzer juke box. Free admission to the display and museum Saturday.

The display will remain up through Jan. 6, with the excep tion of Dec. 23, 26 and 30; as well as New Year’s Day. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Regular museum ad mission applies after Dec. 3.

For more information call 815-923-2267 or visit GotHis tory.org. A limited number of guided group tours are avail able by appointment, email kurt@mchenrycountyhistory. org. The museum is located at 6422 Main St., Union.

driver’s license; Abraham Hernandez Deje sus, 18, Round Lake Park, was cited for DUI – alcohol, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident; Oct. 23

Kevin D. King, 55, Gurn ee, was cited for battery; Ashley N. Anderson, 36, Grayslake, was cited for dis orderly conduct;

Joseph R. Young, 40, Grayslake, was cited for hate crime, battery and disorderly conduct.

Oct. 24

Daria Saravia, 30, Wauke gan, was cited for DUI – al cohol, leaving the scene of an accident, and no insur ance;

Michael A. Stegmeir, 21, Waukegan, was cited for DUI – alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident, and no insurance;

Emily I. Rogan, 36, Mun delein, was cited for identity theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

PM&L Theatre holding auditions for ‘Sister Act’

PM&L Theatre and direc tor Darius Russelle are seek ing a cast of 25 actors for their production of Sister Act the Musical, based on the Touch stone Pictures Motion Picture of the same name written by Joseph Howard, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Bill

and Cheri Steinkellner, and additional material by Doug las Carter Beane.

Auditioners must have completed an online audition form and reserved an audition slot prior to arrival. Auditions will be held on Sunday, De cember 4, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Monday, December

5, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., at PM&L Theatre. Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 7.

Sister Act the Musical will open on Friday, February 17, and will run for four weekends until Sunday, March 12, 2023.

PM&L Theatre is located at 877 Main Street, Antioch.

McHenry County Sheriff’s arrest bulletin

The following arrests in McHenry County were reported by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Depart ment. Suspects are consid ered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nov. 2

Richard E. McQuitter, 66, Peoria, was cited for DUI –alcohol, failure to remain at the scene of a vehicle dam age accident, failure to reduce speed, and headlight/taillight out; Nov. 3

Shallay D. Zerin, 34, McHenry, was cited for pos session of a controlled sub stance; Nov. 4

Daniel P. Perry, 38, Wood stock, was cited for mfg/del 1<15 grams cocaine/anlg, and possession of a controlled substance;

Jessica L. Finger, 34, Crys tal Lake, was cited for domes tic battery; Nov. 5

Brent H. Gibson, 50, Marengo, was cited for 2 counts of aggravated battery - deadly weapon other than firearm or use of air rifle, A-2 battery/physical contact and A-1 battery/bodily harm;

Jonathan M. Borris, 37, McCullom Lake, was cit ed for A-1 domestic battery/ bodily harm; Nov. 9

Alec E. Sadaukas, 24, Cin cinnati, was cited for posses sion of a controlled substance;

Kelly A. Shaevitz, 55, McHenry, was cited for retail

theft – taking merchandise from retail establishment with intent to deprive merchant without paying; Nov. 10

Marcus D. Gross, 23, Woodstock, was cited for un lawful use or possession of weapon by a felon or person in custody at DOC facility, illegal possession of ammuni tion/FOID, and driving while license suspended or revoked;

Thomas A. Brown, 29, Waukegan, was cited for methamphetamine posses sion; Nov. 12

Justin M. Hora, 36, Crystal Lake, was cited for violation of an order of protection;

Caleb M. Perkins, 42, Wonder Lake, was cited for driving while license to op erate a motor vehicle is re voked, and speeding over statutory limit 21-25;

Daniel E. Stacy, 46, Cary, was cited for contempt of court;

Mario E. Dotson, 39, Won der Lake, was cited for escapefailure to report to penal institu tion or periodic imprisonment; Nov. 14

Edward G. Jungmann, 39, McHenry, was cited for viola tion of bail bond – violates con dition of release when victim is family or household member;

Nathaniel S. Michelini, 42, Spring Grove, was cited for A-2 domestic battery/physi cal contact;

Todd E. Marler, 55, Genoa City, was cited for disorderly conduct – breach of peace.

Court

Guilty verdicts handed down for seven counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child

Late Fri day, Nov. 18, a Lake Coun ty jury trial concluded with guilty verdicts on all counts of Predato ry Criminal Sexual As sault of a Child.

Maurice Thompson, 32, was convicted of seven counts of Predatory Crim inal Sexual Assault of a Child, a class X felony, involving three minor chil dren under the age of thir teen. Thompson was first charged in October 2018, after the North Chicago Po lice Department responded to and investigated a report of a sexual assault incident involving more than one minor.

State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart stated, “Thank you to the Multi-Disci plinary Team at the Lake County Children’s Advo cacy Center that consisted of an advocate, forensic in terviewer, Assistant State’s Attorney, the North Chi cago Police Department,

DCFS, and the Lurie’s Hospital Medical team. They all worked togeth er to coordinate an effec tive response and bring justice to these victims. The North Chicago Police Department, who worked diligently to investigate this crime, should be com mended for all their hard work.”

The jury trial began on Monday, November 14 and lasted five days. Ju rors heard from different state witnesses, including medical and forensic ex perts. They explained how the victims’ testimonies of the assault aligned with the physical injuries and the evidence collected from the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE).

Thompson was held on a $500,000 bond in the Lake County Jail from the time of his arrest until the trial. After the verdict, Judge David Lombardo revoked his ability to post bond. A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered by the court prior to any sentenc ing hearing. The case is set for status of sentencing on

December 12.

Because Thompson was convicted of all counts of Predatory Criminal Sexu al Assault of a Child and there was more than one victim, Thompson is facing a mandatory natural life sentence in the Department of Corrections.

State’s Attorney Rine hart continued, “Advocat ing for children of violent crimes is an integral part of the criminal justice pro cess. This should be at the forefront in order to ensure children are protected and safe. We are grateful these children have received jus tice and our office will con tinue to support the victims in their healing journey.”

Round Lake area man charged with indecent solicitation

On November 22, the Lake County Sheriff’s Of fice Special Investigations Group in collaboration with the Naval Criminal Inves tigative Service (NCIS) concluded an investigation which resulted in the arrest of a man for the offense in decent solicitation of a child.

posing as a girl under the age of 15. During their con versation, Rojas indi cated he was in the area on a ‘busi ness trip’ but wanted to meet with the ‘child’ to engage in sexual acts.

Rojas agreed to meet the ‘child’ on November 22, 2022 at a location in Lake County. When he arrived at the location to engage in the sexual acts with the child he was arrested by detectives.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges of two counts of indecent solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor. Rojas remains held in the Lake County Jail on $200,000 bail. He is next due in court on December 20.

Automobiles

1969 & 1977 CADILLAC ELDO RADOS For Parts/Restoration. Call 262-581-5371.

2010 FORD ESCAPE $4000 OBO. 414-940-4624

Motorcycles

‘07 HARLEY ULTRA 34,000 MI. Excellent condition. Asking $10,500 OBO 608-214-4863.

1992 750 HONDA NIGHTHAWK with Velorex sidecar. 51,000 miles. $2000. (414) 688-4008

2002 HONDA SABER 1100cc, 34,000 miles. $2100. (414) 6884008

Parts & Accessories

GREATER MILWAUKEE IN DOOR AUTOMOTIVE AND VIN TAGE BICYCLE SWAP MEET

Sunday 02/26/2023 Vendor spaces now available. Interest ed? go To: WWW.wichaptermaf ca.com Or Call 262-337-0423. Booth spaces starting at $30. Event held at Washington Coun ty Fairgrounds, West Bend, Wis consin. Hosts WI Chapter Model A Ford Club of America.

MICHELIN X ICE snow tires, 23560-R-18, set of 4, used 1 season, exc. cond. $600/OBO. Call or text. 262-391-7302

Sports/Classic Cars

1990 CORVETTE CONVERT IBLE, triple black, 49,000 miles, automatic, no winters. $11,500. (630) 886-6667.

Sport Utilities

1999 CHEVY TAHOE LT select 4WD, 198k mi., new fuel pump, tires & more, 5.7 eng., well maint’d, little rust. $2,800. 815845-2006

Trucks & Trailers

2002 GMC YUKON 4x4, 155,00 MI. Asking $4500/OBO. Call 608-214-4863

During the month of No vember, Julio Rojas, 61, of the 1800 block of Tomahawk Trail, Round Lake Heights, began communicating online with undercover detectives,

Sheriff John D. Idleburg said, “While we will always use all of our resources to investigate and arrest those who prey on our most vul nerable, it is still very im portant for parents to un derstand there are predators out there who prey on our children. Please inspect your child’s electronic devices to see who they are communi cating with and what they are saying.”

Homes for Sale

DUPLEX: WATERFORD, WI 610 Cornerstone Xing. Lg. 3 Bed/2 Bath Units. New Furnances, Cen tral A/C, Dishwashers & Garage Doors in both units. $445,000. JESZKA REALTY LLC. INFO@ JESZKA.COM / 262-682-1363.

Other Real Estate

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it ille gal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, dis ability, familiar/ status or national

origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This news paper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-900-669-9777. The toll-free tele phone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800927-9275.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Maurice Thompson

Julio Rojas