Latest news with #LakeCountyBoard
Chicago Tribune
30-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Law & Order column: Zion man charged in restaurant robbery
Authorities say that they have charged a Zion man for an armed robbery of a fast-food restaurant in Beach Park. Shane L. Lones, 41, of the 1800 block of Jethro Avenue, was arrested by Lake County Sheriff's Office detectives on May 23, the day after the robbery in the 38900 block of North Lewis. Police said that a man entered the restaurant at about 7:35 p.m. on May 22 and produced a knife before taking money from the cash register and fleeing. Neither employee at the business was hurt. Detectives traced several leads that indicated Lones was the perpetrator, including security camera footage that shows Lones entering a nearby vehicle after the hold-up, police said. The following day, detectives found Lones in his car near his residence and took him into custody. A subsequent search turned up clothing police say Lones wore during the robbery. He has been charged with one count of armed robbery, and was ordered detained until trial, according to court records. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek recently earned her master's degree in health administration, which she said she hopes will help her perform her duties. Banek, who is an advanced practice nurse, completed her degree through George Washington University. 'As both an advanced practice nurse and a public official, I pursued this degree to better advocate for systemic improvements, enhance interagency coordination, and bring forward-thinking leadership to my office and to Lake County as a whole,' she said. Lake County Board Chairman Sandy Hart lauded the coroner. 'Jennifer's pursuit of an MHA is a testament to her commitment to strengthening public health infrastructure in Lake County,' Hart said. 'Her clinical background, combined with advanced administrative training, gives her a unique and powerful perspective as our coroner.' State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said Banek's investment in advanced education, 'shows the kind of proactive leadership that builds stronger, healthier communities. We applaud her initiative and look forward to even deeper collaboration between our departments.' Grayslake Police Chief Jeff Myrha is the guest on the latest episode of the 'Discovering Grayslake' podcast. Myhra, according to the podcast, discusses his life in law enforcement, and 'his passion for fostering a safe, connected community.' Myhra was appointed chief in August 2024 after serving as deputy chief for 10 years. He started as a community service officer in 1997, and worked his way up through the ranks before replacing Phil Perlini, who retired. A link to the podcast is available on the Grayslake police Facebook page. The city of Highland Park held a reception to recognize the law enforcement, first responders and medical professionals who provided emergency care to a man suffering a heart attack this spring. The city presented commendations to Office Ginger Stokes and dentist Dr. Michael Czarkowski, and recognized the professionalism and lifesaving contributions of Highland Park firefighter/EMTs Kevin Best, Andrew Beverly, Trevor Mount, and Nick Traske, and Dr. Benjamin Feinzimer of Endeavor Health's Physician Response Vehicle Program. August Swanenberg, who suffered the medical emergency and is recovering, was on hand at the City Council chambers. He was leaving the Chicago Botanical Garden on March 11 when he suffered a cardiac event while driving. Stokes used her department-issued defibrillator and, along with bystanders, including Czarkowski and paramedics, was able to re-establish Swanenberg's heartbeat. 'I am one lucky bird,' Swanenberg told the City Council and members of the audience at the May 27 event.
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Lake County's homeless numbers down, but still high; ‘An individual … experiencing homelessness looks just like you or me'
Lake County has released the results of the 2025 Homeless Point-in-Time Count, and while numbers have improved since last year's record-setting high, additional data paints a far less-positive picture. According to a news release from the county, this year's assessment of unhoused people, conducted by more than a hundred volunteers on the night of Jan. 29, recorded a total of 561 individuals experiencing homelessness across the county. Of those, 439 were staying in emergency shelters, 64 in transitional housing programs and 58 were unsheltered, the release said. It's a notable drop from last year's 705, which represented a steep 50% increase from the prior year's count, but it's still far higher than the norm of the past decade for Lake County. Annualized data on homelessness in Lake County actually indicates an increase in overall homelessness, the release said, with 1,452 accessing emergency shelter compared to 1,158 in the previous year. The number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time was up as well, with nearly 1,100 in 2025, and the average stay time in shelters had increased to 132 nights, up from 110 the year before. However, there was a 12% decrease in the number of families in shelters, dropping to 105 from 119 in 2024. Lake County's rise in homelessness was far from an outlier. A 2023 Associated Press report showed the U.S. experienced a 12% increase in homelessness, the most since the country began using the point-in-time survey in 2007. Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said homelessness is not just a housing issue, 'it's a human one.' It was the job of the board and its partners to not only manage homelessness, but also provide housing opportunities through, 'creative problem-solving and innovative approaches' for the community's 'most vulnerable neighbors.' 'Behind every tent or shelter bed is a person or family with a story, a struggle and many of the same hopes we all share,' Hart said. 'It is important to remember that an individual or family experiencing homelessness looks just like you or me.' Lake County Community Development Administrator Dominic Strezo said the 'solution to homelessness is housing. Housing supply has not kept up with demand, driving up cost beyond the reach of many.' Addressing homelessness requires a network of readily available resources to support individuals and families facing a housing crisis 'due to no fault of their own,' the release said, allowing them to 'get back on their feet and into a home to call their own.' This year's count, which saw its volunteer sign-up period close early due to an overflow of applications, had volunteers working into the next morning, driving around the county in search of people experiencing homelessness. Beyond taking a count, volunteers spoke with people, providing them care packages and offering a ride to a shelter for the night. Eric Foote, president of the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless, praised the efforts of volunteers who participated in the count, and called for continued efforts to support the vulnerable. 'While many institutions are contributing to the work of ending homelessness, the efforts of individual community members must also be credited,' he said. 'The 2025 Point-in-Time Count was a show of force for the good from Lake County citizens interested in making a difference.'
Chicago Tribune
05-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Trump's tariff war spurs Lake County trade crusade
Lake County is becoming proactive when it comes to economic development in the area. The timing couldn't be better. Business leaders, along with elected officials, recently became globalists, traveling to Mexico and Japan to tout the laurels of doing business here and in Illinois. According to last week's Steve Sadin News-Sun story, Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart, D-Lake Bluff, and Kevin Considine, president and CEO of Lake County Partners, were out and about lobbying foreign businesses to expand or locate in the county. The separate trips came during the economic roiling hitting the U.S., caused by the trade war President Donald Trump has ignited by slapping high tariffs on many of our long-time trading partners. The jury is still out on what Trump's actions will accomplish, but in the short term, it doesn't look good for Americans' pocketbooks. Worries over the international trade war Trump has unleashed were but one reason Hart journeyed to Mexico and Considine to Japan. They understand Lake County is a center of global enterprise, with many companies impacted by the president's tariff skirmishes. Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie and Baxter don't just market their pharmaceuticals and diagnostics in the U.S. Their reach spans the globe. Indeed, Lake County Partners, the Lincolnshire-based collaboration between private business and government, estimates nearly half of Illinois' biopharma output comes from Lake County. The Partners have been cultivating long-term economic growth and job creation in the county for more than 25 years. Frequent readers know I have long railed over our neighboring states' cherry-picking Lake County firms and enticing them to the promised land of Kenosha County just over the Illinois state line. Companies like the shipping supply firm Uline, which began in a North Shore basement, have found continued success after moving much of its operation north to the friendly confines of America's Dairyland. Trump's tariff crusade surely was another impetus for the trade trips. Considine reported in Sadin's account that 24 Japanese businesses are operating in the county. Another 15 firms headquartered in Germany are located here. Supply-chain issues, too, weigh heavily on international firms, officials note. Hart said 83% of the continental U.S. population is a two-day trucking distance from Illinois. 'With the third-largest interstate highway network in the U.S., the most-connected intermodal rail system and the nation's largest airports and inland waterways for barges, manufacturers can transport their goods and people across the globe with greater speed and reliability,' she said. Hart traveled to Mexico last month along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker on a trade mission organized by Intersect Illinois, the state's economic development organization. Considine was in Japan in March as part of a delegation with the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership. Some 500 Japanese firms do business in the Chicago region, employing more than 60,000 workers. Trump's tariff binge also may have spurred Abbott to announce an investment of $500 million in research and development at its sprawling headquarters campus off routes 43 and 137, along with a location in Dallas. The firm also has offices at Willis Tower in Chicago's Loop. The pharmaceutical giant expects to hire an additional 200 people, the company said in a news release. Abbott has 89 manufacturing sites around the world, 35 in the U.S. Company officials said Abbott has invested nearly $5 billion in domestic manufacturing, with another $10.7 billion in R&D. Another recent economic development win for the county was the announcement last month that Vantive, the Baxter International spinoff involved with kidney care products, will make a $23 million investment and site its new headquarters at 510 Lake-Cook Road in Deerfield, the former home of Caterpillar Inc., which bolted for Texas. In a statement, Hart said that the action is, 'further solidifying Lake County's position as the number one life sciences hub in the Midwest.' The new company, with 200 employees, is receiving a state incentive package and expects to create another 50 full-time jobs. With economists forecasting dire financial projections due to the imposition of trade tariffs, the recent actions by local and state officials put Lake County in a position to weather any forthcoming hardships. Even those issued by the Trump administration, which seems to enjoy targeting the Land of Lincoln. With their planned investments, it doesn't look like business leaders at Abbott and Vantive are perturbed about what the president has to say about Illinois or about the economic bloodshed his trade battles may evoke.
Chicago Tribune
29-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Lake County officials travel abroad to lure businesses; ‘It means more jobs, investment and money'
As companies around the world are trying to deal with the uncertainty of tariffs being imposed by President Donald Trump, Lake County business and political leaders are quietly taking steps to protect local enterprises from negative impacts. Both Lake County Partners President and CEO Kevin Considine and Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart recently traveled abroad — Considine to Japan and Hart to Mexico — trying to convince foreign businesses to expand or locate in Lake County. Considine said there are already 24 Japanese businesses and 15 from Germany operating in Lake County, as well as scores from other international locations manufacturing goods or supplying materials to locally owned companies. 'By international companies manufacturing here, it not only brings jobs but — with respect to tariffs — it also helps the companies that they supply,' he said. 'It means more jobs, investment and money to be spent locally.' International companies are a key part of the economy in Lake County, with the recent foreign visits serving as a thank you for their contributions, and an effort to expand growth and make new connections for additional companies. Tariffs are creating a certain amount of uncertainty now, but Considine said a major reason it is important for international businesses to develop a presence locally is to avoid the kind of supply-chain issues that happened five years ago during the COVID pandemic. Local production helps minimize or eliminate such problems. 'Getting products and raw materials from (overseas) was very difficult during COVID,' Considine said. 'The supply-chain difficulties were hard to come back from. That killed us during COVID.' Foreign companies operating in Lake County are not new. Considine said they include both factories and offices. The Chicago area is a transportation hub, enabling it to efficiently move goods and send personnel seamlessly to most parts of the U.S. or around the world. 'We are the biggest market for virtually everything,' Considine said of the U.S. Getting products to market across the country from Lake County and the rest of Illinois is very efficient. Hart said 83% of the continental U.S. population is a two-day trucking distance from the state. 'What's good for Illinois is good for Lake County,' Hart said. 'With the third-largest interstate highway network in the U.S., the most-connected intermodal rail system and the nation's largest airports and inland waterways for barges, manufacturers can transport their goods and people across the globe with greater speed and reliability.' Traveling to Japan in mid-March with the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, Considine said 500 Japanese companies operate in Chicago and its suburbs, employing 60,000 people. They saw people with whom they had existing relationships, and made new acquaintances. 'Part of this trip was a chance to say thank you,' Considine said. 'Developing relationships means constantly coming back.' Just as Considine was part of a group representing Chicagoland, Hart said her trip to Mexico with business and political leaders — Gov. J.B. Pritzker organized the mission — was about creating a partnership between Illinois and Mexico. 'The governor said, 'We are your neighbors and your friends,'' Hart said. 'Illinois has a great story to tell about (why to) partner with Illinois businesses. A big part of our mission was about developing and starting relationships.' Dealing with both Japan and China has changed over the years. Considine said that Japan's population is getting older, and its purchasing habits are changing. Its businesses need to find larger international markets for their products. Considine said 20 years ago, China was a place from which to import inexpensive products, but it is not just a location for inexpensive goods any longer. 'Now, they are really good at making stuff,' Considine said.
Chicago Tribune
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Rise of gambling has given way to gaming addictions
Apparently, there's a cost to turning Illinois into a giant gaming casino, but it isn't high enough to turn back the clock on the thousands of gambling dens currently in operation. The latest example is what the Lake County Board did the other day. The county's legislative body approved doubling down on gambling addiction and allocated $800,000 in video gaming revenue to area social services agencies. When legalized gambling first surfaced in the Prairie State, opponents warned of the consequences, like gamblers spinning through money they don't have, ending up in debt and decimating their families. Their predictions of gambling disorders have come true in spades. The ease of gambling — one can place bets online and from cellphones, pick up a Lotto ticket at a mini-mart, take a chance at a bar or restaurant with video games, or visit one of the casinos located geographically across the state — is what makes it a devastating addiction. According to Joseph States' recent News-Sun account, County Board members remarked on the negative impact gambling addiction has had on their constituents. Of course, millions of Illinoisans bet responsibly. They know their limits. For others, they need to overcome their addictions. A study a few years ago by the Illinois Department of Human Services found that 68% of adult Illinoisans reported they gamble, with the Illinois lottery being the most popular outlet. It also found that 3.8% of Illinoisans — about 383,000 people — are considered to have a gambling problem. An additional 7.7% — approximately 761,000 — are at risk for developing a gambling problem. Another study calculates that about 1% to 3% of U.S. adults are gambling addicts. County Board member Linda Pedersen of Antioch said allocating money to social-service agencies only makes sense, States reported. 'Why would you take the money from gambling and spend on everything else, and not help the people that you know are going to have problems?' she said. While it's a noble move to spend gaming earnings on gaming addictions, officials can expect to dole out their winnings in perpetuity to battle its pull. Especially since Illinois and local governments get a nice boost from gambling without actually taxing residents. State and local governments earned more than $1.7 billion in tax revenue last year from the state's 16 licensed casinos, approximately 8,700 video gaming terminals and 14 sportsbooks, according to Illinois Gaming Board data. The breakdown was $1.4 billion to the state, and $269.9 million to local governments. In March, The Temporary casino in Waukegan's Fountain Square entertainment zone earned nearly $10.9 million in adjusted gross receipts, the Gaming Board reported this month. Of that, $1.2 million went to the state, and $620,619 to local governments. The Temporary is the state's seventh-highest-grossing casino. Rivers, off the Tri-State Tollway in Des Plaines, is the highest. It is followed by newly opened Wind Creek in South Suburban East Hazelcrest; Hard Rock Casino-Rockford, also newly opened; Grand Victoria in Elgin, one of the state's original 'riverboat' casinos; Harrah's Joliet; and Bally's Chicago. Riverboat casinos began operating in Illinois in 1991, with expansion following. Video gaming was approved in 2009, and sports betting in 2019. The U.S. gaming industry made a record $71.9 billion in revenue last year, with gamblers, who should know odds always favor the house, losing more than $100 billion. A rise in gambling addictions has resulted. Indeed, the Mayo Clinic based in Rochester, Minnesota, notes, 'Gambling can stimulate the brain's reward system much like drugs such as alcohol can, leading to addiction.' In one study, Illinois is ranked as the 14th-most gambling-addicted state. Nevada is number one. Even those who rule the state's gaming venues admit we have a gambling problem. 'Problem gambling awareness and responsible gambling education demand our attention, effort, and action,' Illinois Gaming Board Administrator Marcus Fruchter said in a statement last month, marking Problem Gambling Awareness Month. The IDHS spends more than $10 million annually on gambling-addiction treatment services. The state operates a voluntary self-exclusion program for problem gamblers, which allows them to voluntarily ban themselves from the state's casinos and sportsbooks. As of March, some 15,613 people had placed themselves on the exclusion list, according to the Gaming Board. Elizabeth Thielen, senior director of substance abuse treatment services at Waukegan-based Nicasa, whose counselors have been treating county addicts since 1966, said it is estimated that every $1 of gambling revenue results in $3 of social costs due to increases in crime and social-service spending. That's a heavy loss for what are advertised as fun games of chance. If you believe someone has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER (800-426-2537).
