News

  • Waukegan Police Department took weeks to launch review of deputy chief's traffic stop

    Waukegan Police Department took weeks to launch review of deputy chief's traffic stop

    While the Waukegan Police Department opened internal investigations within days after two rank-in-file officers were involved in traffic stops, the probe into a stop involving a deputy chief took much longer, interviews and records obtained by the Lake County News-Sun show. Deputy Chief Gabriel...

  • Sister comes to Munster for 'Late Nite Catechism'

    Sister comes to Munster for 'Late Nite Catechism'

    “Late Nite Catechism” is one of the longest continuously-running shows in Chicago theater history. It’s is a one-woman show that’s part Catechism class, part interactive comedy, and it is celebrating 25 years this year. It was created by authors Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan. “It is fairly amazing...

  • Waukegan District 60 deputy superintendent to resign

    Waukegan District 60 deputy superintendent to resign

    Waukegan District 60’s deputy superintendent is resigning for personal health reasons, marking the third departure of a top administrator in the last five months. Vicky Kleros-Rosales, the district’s deputy superintendent of academic supports and programs, will be stepping down as soon as her replacement...

  • Metra will add more trains to make commuting easier for Lake County workers living in Chicago

    Metra will add more trains to make commuting easier for Lake County workers living in Chicago

    A new two-year pilot program is designed to gauge demand for additional Metra trains connecting Chicago residents with their jobs in Lake County through an agreement between the commuter train service and Lake County Partners. The public-private partnership agreement, which will split the costs...

  • Director: 'Shrek the Musical' message to all is 'be yourself'

    Director: 'Shrek the Musical' message to all is 'be yourself'

    Scott Weinstein likely would have loved seeing “Shrek the Musical,” when he was a child. “I must have seen dozens of (theater for young audience productions) when I was growing up, ranging from musicals to plays and adaptations of books,” said Weinstein, who is directing “Shrek the Musical,” at...

  • Walk A Cop To School helps 'build bridges with kids' in North Chicago

    Walk A Cop To School helps 'build bridges with kids' in North Chicago

    Colorful leaves made crunching sounds on sidewalks as close to 50 students walked through neighborhoods making their way to school accompanied by city police officers and detectives during an inaugural Walk A Cop To School event on Wednesday in North Chicago. The initiative drew families out of...

  • Waukegan Symphony Orchestra opens season with search for new director

    Waukegan Symphony Orchestra opens season with search for new director

    The hunt is on for a new music director of the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra. With its director search in full swing, the orchestra’s upcoming season will feature four subscription concerts, each one conducted by a finalist auditioning for the top job. First up is its “At the Theater” concert at...

  • Oasis offers more than average bar fare

    Oasis offers more than average bar fare

    Lou Buccelli, owner of The Oasis on Lake Bluff, wanted to offer gourmet bar food with a twist. “You keep it fast and efficient for the boaters. But I needed to pop it up a notch,” he said. “I opened it to be more of a bar on the Chain, but with our food we turned into an eatery.” That led to offerings...

  • Waukegan District 60 seeks 'experienced, proven grant writer' to pursue extra funding

    Waukegan District 60 seeks 'experienced, proven grant writer' to pursue extra funding

    Waukegan District 60 plans to hire a full-time coordinator of strategy and grant writing, a decision that comes in the wake of a failure to secure a state preschool grant the district had been receiving since 1992. Having a dedicated staff member to search out grants and write the applications...

  • Magician from Broadway's 'The Illusionists' to appear at Genesee

    Magician from Broadway's 'The Illusionists' to appear at Genesee

    He’s known for putting cell phones into blenders while their owners have heart palpitations nearby. Adam Trent — who did the iPhone-in-the-blender trick on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” show in 2016 — comes to the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan for a 7:30 p.m. show Oct. 25. He’s a rising star in the...

  • For Brooks Williams, it’s almost always been about the blues

    For Brooks Williams, it’s almost always been about the blues

    Growing up in Georgia, Brooks Williams followed the crowd. For a while. He learned to play guitar and just like most kids do, he said he played whatever was on the radio, which was rock music. But sometime when he was a teenager, he said he realized the rock songs were based on blues songs. And...

  • Selle: Photo cover-up fuss shrouds Dem-GOP election divide

    Selle: Photo cover-up fuss shrouds Dem-GOP election divide

    Nothing illustrates the widening Blue/Red gulf in Lake County as much as the bustle over displaying photographs of politicians near an early voting site in the County Building. While it might seem much ado about nothing, the strict lines have been drawn as we near next month’s elections. The rogues’...

  • Six Flags strikes deal to operate Magic Waters in Rockford

    Six Flags strikes deal to operate Magic Waters in Rockford

    Officials with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation and the Rockford Park District announced late Tuesday that they have reached an agreement that will see the Magic Waters Waterpark operate under the Six Flags banner starting in spring 2019. In a joint statement, the two parties announced that...

  • Mundelein looks to hike fees on video gambling machines

    Mundelein looks to hike fees on video gambling machines

    Mundelein’s fees for video gambling are among the lowest in the northwest suburbs, but they could soon be among the highest. Currently, Mundelein charges a $250 application fee and if accepted a $50 video gambling business license fee along with a $150 fee to register each individual machine. All...

  • Chicago woman in critical condition after Beach Park crash

    Chicago woman in critical condition after Beach Park crash

    A 29-year-old Chicago woman was in critical condition Tuesday following a weekend crash in Beach Park, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s deputies were called around 10:23 p.m. Sunday for an crash at York House and Green Bay roads with injuries, according to a statement from...

  • As Lake County administrator prepares departure, deputy appointed as interim replacement

    As Lake County administrator prepares departure, deputy appointed as interim replacement

    The Lake County Board unanimously voted Tuesday to make Amy J.P. McEwan the interim county administrator, replacing Barry Burton, who has announced plans to take a job in Florida starting in November. McEwan, presently the deputy county administrator, will take over the position Oct. 24. She has...

  • Ravinia Brewing Company to open taproom, taco bar in Billy Corgan's former tea shop space

    Ravinia Brewing Company to open taproom, taco bar in Billy Corgan's former tea shop space

    Goodbye brewed tea, hello beer brewery. Ravinia Brewing Company in Highland Park has announced plans to open a taproom and taco bar at 582 Roger Williams Ave. on Saturday in the space formerly occupied by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan’s Madame ZuZu’s tea shop. The new restaurant will...

  • Hearing scheduled as gun-rights advocacy groups look to overturn Deerfield assault weapons ban

    Hearing scheduled as gun-rights advocacy groups look to overturn Deerfield assault weapons ban

    Attorneys for the village of Deerfield and gun rights advocacy groups are due back in court Oct. 12 to wage arguments in two lawsuits challenging the village’s authority to ban assault weapons. In June, a Lake County Circuit Court judge issued a temporary restraining order barring Deerfield from...

  • More than 20 wanted defendants arrested in Lake County sweep

    More than 20 wanted defendants arrested in Lake County sweep

    Lake County, federal and municipal law enforcement agencies reported Friday that they conducted a joint sweep operation this week and arrested 22 people wanted on outstanding warrants, ranging from sexual abuse and weapons charges to criminal damage to property. The countywide warrants sweep was...

  • Rollins and Kenosha roads both facing construction closures for culvert repair

    Rollins and Kenosha roads both facing construction closures for culvert repair

    Culvert-replacement projects by the Lake County Division of Transportation will close two different roadways for more than two weeks in mid-October. In a statement issued on Oct. 2, LCDOT officials said they plan to close Rollins Road from Fairfield Road to Wilson Road in the Round Lake area to...

  • Vernon Hills trustees not sold on proposed Mariano's gas station

    Vernon Hills trustees not sold on proposed Mariano's gas station

    Mariano’s is facing a potential roadblock in its plan to construct a gas station in Vernon Hills after trustees on Oct. 2 discouraged the company from applying for permits. The grocery store’s plans called for a seven-dispenser fueling terminal under a 5,418-square-foot canopy where employee parking...

  • Waukegan District 60 hires new associate superintendent

    Waukegan District 60 hires new associate superintendent

    Two new administrators are joining Waukegan School District 60 in the wake of an administrative reshuffle completed this summer following the termination of a deputy superintendent. Jason Nault, who has spent the last seven years as a high school principal in both Chicago Public Schools and most...

  • Lake County sheriff charges Algonquin man with child solicitation

    Lake County sheriff charges Algonquin man with child solicitation

    An Algonquin man was arrested by Lake County Sheriff’s detectives Thursday after allegedly attempting an in-person meeting with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy he had met online. Instead, Lake County Sheriff’s detectives were waiting at the prearranged meeting site and arrested Thomas...

  • Nonprofit ventures feel their missions 'align perfectly' at new North Chicago after-school program

    Nonprofit ventures feel their missions 'align perfectly' at new North Chicago after-school program

    In partnership with the LEARN Charter School Network, the Boys & Girls Club of Lake County has opened an after-school program at the LEARN 6 charter school in North Chicago. The program rolled out last month at the Sheridan Road facility with enrollment open for up to 100 of the 460 students ages...

  • Cyr: Public servants and the public good

    Cyr: Public servants and the public good

    Gen. George C. Marshall is what people used to call a dedicated public servant. As chief of staff of the U.S. Army, he did essential work to get a dangerously unprepared America at least partially ready for World War II, and then led the mammoth organizational effort required for victory. Later,...

  • Zion 8-year-old who has given police 1,000 thank-you cards gets birthday surprise from Lake County Sheriff's Office

    Zion 8-year-old who has given police 1,000 thank-you cards gets birthday surprise from Lake County Sheriff's Office

    “Thank you” is such a simple expression, but for an 8-year-old Zion boy, it has become his mission to let police officers around Lake County and the country know that he thanks them for their service and hopes someday to join their ranks. On Thursday, Angel Contreras was at Our Lady of Humility...

  • Calendar: Expand your mind in Lake Forest Wednesday

    Listings are subject to change. Please call the venue in advance. To submit items to the calendar, go to newssunonline.com/community.Monday Storytimes for 2-year-olds at Lake Forest Library: Storytimes are for 2-year-olds, meeting every Monday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. between Sept.17 and Oct....

  • Not guilty plea entered in Zion shooting death

    A Zion man entered a not guilty plea Thursday to charges of murder in connection with a fatal shooting Aug. 29 in the city. Raymond Smith Jr., 29, pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder Thursday afternoon before Lake County Circuit Judge Christopher Stride. Smith is charged with...

  • Mundelein considers rent subsidy program as a way to attract new businesses

    Mundelein trustees Oct. 1 discussed a new proposed tax subsidy that would pay the first few months of rent for an incoming independently-owned business. If approved, Mundelein would be the third town in Illinois — behind Lombard and Urbana — to offer a similar rent subsidy, according to a village...

  • Rains make collapsed culvert work in Waukegan more complicated

    The excavation work around a collapsed 114-year-old culvert in Waukegan was complicated by rains continuing this week, but the project remains on track, city officials said. The repairs to the culvert, which carries the Waukegan River under Washington Street, is estimated to cost at least $1.765...

  • Lake County Housing Authority failed to follow HUD requirements, audit finds

    The Lake County Housing Authority may have to pay back the federal government up to about $445,000 after an audit discovered a variety of issues with its housing voucher and family self-sufficiency programs. The audit’s findings and recommendations are being reviewed by the agency’s brand-new executive...

  • Solo Cup developer reworks proposal to add units, save trees at Highland Park site

    A developer proposing to construct more than 500 new housing units on the former Solo Cup property was quick to address City of Highland Park concerns over the loss of heritage and other protected trees on the property. During a first appearance Tuesday before the Highland Park Plan and Design...

  • Video related to Lake County jail inmate death shows guards standing around, not giving aid

    A video released Wednesday morning by Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran shows jail guards and command officers standing around, some with their hands on their hips, while waiting for a nurse to respond after inmate Edward Robinson III was found unresponsive. Curran said that disturbed him. “There...

  • Private attorney hired by defendant in Deerfield murder case

    A Deerfield man charged with murder in the stabbing death of his wife has hired a private attorney, who formally took over the case Wednesday from the Lake County Public Defender’s Office. Gary Kamen, 55, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of Karyn Kamen, is now being represented...

  • Selle: Party affiliation ardor flags in candidates' election bids

    The midterm elections are just over a month away and a trend is manifesting itself: Many candidates are campaigning without any party labels, even some incumbents. Perhaps this lack of party affiliation is in response to the current national tenor of politics, to this great divide Americans have...

  • Moran: Stearns School Road bridge across Tri-State in line for reconstruction

    It’s known as the back door to Gurnee Mills, and that escape hatch can be critical at certain times of year, though most especially on Black Friday and/or any weekend on the runway to Christmas. Stearns School Road — named for early Lake County settler John Stearns and also the one-room schoolhouse...

  • Hawaiian poet laureate brings his brand of slam poetry to CLC

    Standing on stage in his bare feet, Kealoha meanders via poetry, dance and movement through topics as diverse as the Earth’s origin and surfing. Considered the first poet laureate of Hawaii and honored as a national poetry slam legend in 2010, Kealoha will perform Oct. 25 at the Lumber Center in...

  • Long Grove reopens historic bridge following crash — but with one signature piece missing

    More than two months after an oversized truck severely damaged Long Grove’s historic one-lane bridge, officials received the clearance to reopen it to traffic. But motorists and pedestrians likely will notice a signature piece of the bridge missing when traveling past it on Robert Parker Coffin...

  • Calendar: Current events to be discussed at Highland Park event

    Thursday Afternoon at the Movies: A Sneak Peek of the 2018 Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema. Cindy Stern, Executive Director of the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, shares trailers and clips of upcoming films coming to the festival this fall. They screen the first episode of the new addictive...

  • Referendum is a possibility as Libertyville reviews funding options for storm sewer overhaul

    Libertyville officials are set to discuss funding options for storm water management upgrades priced between $46.2 million and $72.5 million at a meeting next month. The figures were presented during an Aug. 15 committee meeting after a contractor was hired to study the underground network more...

  • Selle: Credit card purchases put a charge in county spending

    Lake County officials this week are expected to decide what to do with the plethora of credit cards floating among elected representatives and staff members. Here’s an idea: Cancel all 260 county-issued credit cards. That may sound harsh, yet consider if a county taxpayer’s credit-card purchases...

  • Crowds brave rain to attend Libertyville fall festival

    Emma and Shane McMillon were not about to let a little rain spoil their fun. After all, they traveled 19 miles from Trevor, Wis., with their parents to check out Fall on the Farm at Lambs Farm in Libertyville on Sunday. “It is what it is. You can’t do much about the rain now,” said Tracey McMillion,...

  • Overdose epidemic forum scheduled Tuesday at College of Lake County

    A free informational forum on the local impacts of the nation’s overdose crisis is scheduled for Tuesday evening at the College of Lake County. “An Epidemic Hits Home,” including guest speakers, panelists and resource and informational tables, will run from 6 to 8:45 p.m. at the CLC Lower Level...

  • Calendar: Ghost stories to be told in Lake Forest

    Monday Storytimes for 2-year-olds at Lake Forest Library: Storytimes are for 2-year-olds, meeting every Monday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. between Sept.17 and Oct. 26. Register to reserve your spot for the entire season! Children must be the appropriate age for a storytime prior to the beginning...

  • Future of Urban Edge, Waukegan's city-owned gallery, unclear after summer without exhibits

    The lights at Urban Edge, the city-owned gallery in downtown Waukegan, are on again this fall after remaining dark all summer. Mayor Sam Cunningham said the city hasn’t changed its priorities when it comes to the gallery — located within a municipal parking garage downtown — but another look has...

  • Thirty hours in a coffin? Great America puts out the challenge during Fright Fest

    Hank Salemi says no way would he spend 30 hours in a coffin even if he got bathroom breaks. But the president of Six Flags Great America in Gurnee knows for sure plenty of other folks are willing to do that. In concert with its annual Fright Fest, which runs through Oct. 31, Six Flags just put...

  • Talk of the County: What's the limit on video gambling locations?

    Editor’s note Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk...

  • Man wanted on murder charges in Mississippi arrested in Zion

    A man wanted on murder charges in connection with the shooting death of a man in Mississippi earlier this month was apprehended in Zion Tuesday, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Deshaude Jones, 40, of Ocean Springs, Miss., was arrested by multi-jurisdictional law enforcement teams...

  • Vernon Hills police warn of recent home burglaries that occurred when residents were sleeping

    Vernon Hills police are warning residents to be diligent following a string of residential burglaries that occurred when residents were home and asleep early Sunday morning in three village subdivisions. Two burglaries occurred in Centennial Crossing on Route 45, three occurred in the Stone Fence...

  • Main Street Social's recipes have been developed by three generations

    There are no red-checkered tablecloths, melted candles shoved into wine bottles or the other trappings you might find in other Italian restaurants. But Main Street Social is indeed an Italian restaurant, “offering riffs on classic Italian-Mediterranean fare, fine wines and craft libations,” according...

  • Selle: At harvest time, grain tariffs haunt Illinois farmers

    Soybean and corn dust swirled around monster green Deere combines along miles and miles of Interstate 80 in northwest Illinois on the first Sunday of fall. Harvest time is underway in the nation’s breadbasket. Midwest farmers are reaping either a record grain crop or a near-record year. Even with...

  • Lake County Forest Preserve museum returns Native American remains for burial

    The last of human remains belonging to a Native American in possession of the Lake County Forest Preserve’s Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County will be heading home soon. The skull and a stone arrow or spear head bring the total number to 46 individuals and funerary objects from the Lake County...

  • Hawthorn 73 plans referendum forums, meets with Vernon Hills leaders

    Hawthorn School District 73 is planning to host five public forums to share information about two referendum questions that will appear on the November ballot. One measure asks for $48.7 million for construction projects, while the other seeks an additional $1.3 million in permanent annual taxing...

  • Selle: TV, our 'vast wasteland,' continues its penchant for reruns

    For some time, I have had the feeling the center of our film and television universe, Hollywood, has needed a reboot. Looking at the offerings of the new TV new season solidifies that sense. Like replacing the baking soda in your refrigerator every month or so, it’s time for a new creative box...

  • Barrington walk spreads Lyme Disease awareness

    Krista Paul was 30 years old, an energetic administrator in Township High School District 214, when she began experiencing joint pain, fatigue, memory loss and fainting in 2010. Doctors diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and even mental illness, Paul said....

  • Bond set at $10 million for Deerfield man charged with wife's murder

    Bond was set at $10 million for a Deerfield man charged with murder after his wife was stabbed in their north suburban home, according to police. Gary A. Kamen, 55, appeared in Lake County Criminal Court Sunday for a bond hearing, according to Sgt. Christopher Covelli, a spokesman for the Lake...

  • Community calendar

    Monday Tween Craft Club at Lake Forest Library: Make a Duct Tape locker organizer. 4 p.m. Monday, Lake Forest Library, 360 E. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest, free. Storytimes for 2-year-olds at Lake Forest Library: Storytimes are for 2-year-olds, meeting every Monday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. between...

  • Lake County Lines: Waukegan Public Library gives teen their own dedicated space

    The Waukegan Public Library now has a space dedicated to teenagers where they can play video games, gather for study groups and find teen-oriented books, a library spokeswoman said. The repurposed space by the southeast wall contains modular seating that can be rearranged to meet changing needs;...

  • Sinkhole leads to closure of portion of Washington Street in Waukegan

    A sinkhole has led the city of Waukegan to close a half block of Washington Street to all traffic, a city spokesman said. A minor patch in the area, located on Washington between Glen Rock and the Lilac Ledge senior living facility, was completed earlier this week, but further investigation Friday...

40°