Flooding Alerts

With the snow accumulation, temperature rising and a hard rain we are susceptible to flooding. So do a couple things, keep an eye on your street drains, and go into your basement an look at your sump pump to make sure nothing bad is happening! Also drive safely those puddles might be deeper then you think!

New Blog Location plus Holiday wishes to you and your familly!

The time has come to say goodbye to the eroundlake.com/blog (no April Fools joke this time) and welcome it to its new location, which has actually been its old postion all the time. It just pointed to the eroundlake.com site, those pointers will be removed, and the blog will reside at its new headquarters.

billgentes.blogspot.com

The new blog will debut on January first, but you can go look at it now if you like, it looks slightly different appearance wise, but all the content is there so from that aspect nothing has changed. The blog will however change and I think that will make it more readable and enjoyable.

Finally I wish all of you a wonderful holiday tommorrow and I hope all of us get exactly what we wanted from Santa, and then we move on and have a wonderful 2009.

Worse/Best TV Show ever!

Over the years I have slowly stopped watching TV, reducing my viewing to sports, and the news. However the promos for one show caught my eye, and my daughters as well, Momma's Boys on NBC. Needless to say we Tivo'ed it and thank god we did, because some of the lines were so priceless we had to replay them a few times.

The premise of the show are three adult men who still live at home with Mommy (that's what they call their mother) are going to chose from 32 high quality young ladies, who range from doctors to convicts and all points in between. The moms live with the 32 girls in some monster mansion on the pacific coast while the three boys live in condos somewhere nearby. At some point the boys kick off the girls one by one, based I would assume on mom's orders. Talk about emasculating!

The highlights/lowlights of the show encompass the following:

• Creepy audition videos, where one mom asks her son to disrobe so everyone can see his body.
• Racist creepy audition videos, where one mom disqualifies the entire human race from being with her son.
• Mothers packing son's clothing for the trip and treating sons like they are in 2nd grade.
• A highly disturbing girl who has a compulsion to clean up everything, loves ABBA, and is actually my favorite character, she would in my humble opinion be perfect for the three boys.
  
• A young lady who has an extreme melt down over a broken shoe heel. She aspires to be a philanthropist when she grows up!
• Another young lady who has angst about being the Penthouse Pet of the Year and won't talk about it and then another who has no problem talking about herself posing in Playboy.
• This one was unable to recall what she did for a living.
• A lady who is a critical care nurse who hates men!
• Two of the moms look alike so its hard to separate the racist mom from the uber creepy domineering mom extraordinaire without having to concentrate.
• The girls have alcohol in their hands throughout the entire show, which makes for better TV, and lively interaction amongst the contestants.

Some of the classic lines are:

A female contestant says "I paid for my second boob job with my student loan."

One mom says that she "I call him at least 100 times a day and he answers 100 times a day."

I have no idea what the rules are, nor the actual point of the show, but all that's irrelevant when confronted by what I would guess is the stupidest TV show ever. Therefore highly watchable! Monday night 2 hour episode be there or be square! There is an encore of this episode tonight at 7pm by the way!

County Snow Alert

Current forecast guidance suggests that the onset of precipitation for Lake County will not be until around 9:00pm tonight, with the heaviest rates of precipitation occurring between 2am and 8am. The Weather Service currently expects all of the precipitation across Lake County to fall as snow, with snowfall rates of up to two inches an hour possible. There is a potential for thunderstorms within the overall storm system, and heavier snowfall rates are possible where thunderstorms develop. In general, the expectation is for from 8 to 14 inches of snow, with the potential for locally heavier amounts, across Lake County. Because of the nature of this storm system, the snow will be wetter and heavier than what fell earlier in the week.

Former Trustee John Huebner (1934-2008)

Yesterday the village lost a wonderful public servant John Huebner who was a life long resident of Round Lake, and who served as a Village trustee for 16 years, retiring in 2003. John passed away yesterday after a long struggle with cancer.

John was a village trustee when I was elected and I served with him for two years until he retired, I always valued him for his insight, opinions and his support. He had a passion for water issues and was always a useful person to consult on the history of why something was done that way versus another way when it came to engineering or public works.

Trustee Dale Multerer and I had been visiting him at the hospital for the last few weeks and his sense of humor and command of the facts were there right to the end. John will be missed by all of the village.

Weather Warning from Lake County

Lake County will be affected by three separate winter weather events over the next five days.

First, forecasters expect the light fluffy snow to continue accumulating the remainder of today and overnight, with a total of around 5” (+/- 2”) of new accumulation. Winds will be light, and temperatures not as cold as they have been, but heavy snowfall rates may make for a challenging commute home this evening. Please use caution when driving.

The second evolving situation may cause serious problems later this week. There continues to be disagreement between the major forecast models, but there will be a wintry mix Thursday evening. Some indications point to a brief period of freezing rain followed by heavy liquid rain, while others indicate the likelihood of heavy freezing rain and significant ice accumulation.

Because of the divergence in the models, confidence is low in any particular solution, so we need to pay attention to the changing forecasts and be prepared for problems Thursday night into Friday. We generally look at ½” of ice as the threshold for substantial damage to trees and utility lines, so if the model that is currently anticipating more than ¾” of ice proves to be correct, we will likely be facing widespread power outages and fallen trees in the roadways on Friday morning. In addition, both the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers are nearing their action stage because of the rain last Sunday, so there is a possibility for some flooding.

We need to emphasize that the forecasters and forecast models do not yet have concurrence about what form of precipitation we can expect, and very subtle changes in the forecast can cause drastic changes in our consequences.

The third winter weather event will likely be a moderate snowfall Saturday night into Sunday, but is still far enough off that projections may change.

Mayor Bowl 3 is set with the finalists

The long season is almost over with two teams finally making the prestigious "Mayor Bowl 3". The semifinals were finished yesterday with the following results.

Terry Vandenboom beating Chris Rozakis 108-96
Al Villasenor beating Rik Flor in overtime 80-80 (tiebreaker was 3-1 in TD's scored)

Good luck to the finalists!

Round Lake Spartan Cheerleaders are State Champs!

This weekend the Round Lake Spartan Featherweight Cheerleaders were crowned state champions by the Illinois Recreational Cheerleading Association's Cheerleading and Dance State Championship held at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates. I have known lots of these girls fro years and I am very very happy for them. In addition the pee wee squad finished third in state as well! Watch this video I was blown away by how good these girls are!

The girls on the team are Mariah Berrera, Shelby Brubaker, Rebecca Bubloni, Maricela Bueno, Madison Eastman, Kaylee Hiland, Madison Iazzetto (Blum), and Christina Larson

Coaches: Jen Bubloni, Lori Brubaker, Steph Olson and Heidi Spaw

Fantasy Football Semifinals are set!

The third annual Mayor's semifinals are set, and kicked off last night with two match ups.

Terry Vandenboom against Chris Rozakis
Al Villasenor against Rik Flor

Where I am you may ask? My team was excused by Rik in the quarterfinals quite easily. Good luck to the four semifinalists!

Results from the 120 CPC meeting last night.

The 120 Corridor Planning Council reached one of the major decision points last night, which was to decide on the character of the road. There were 3 remaining options that were voted on.

13 of the 16 members were present so we had a good representation of key decision makers throughout the corridor.

Alternative 5-- 6 lane expressway with limited on and offs failed
2 votes to 11 votes

Alternative 4-- 6 lane expressway signalized arterial failed
1 votes to 11 votes

Alternative 3-- 4 lane boulevard (either signalized or with roundabouts) passed
11 votes to 2 votes

I cast the villages vote for Alternative 3, based on a few things, the first being cost, followed by land use issues along the corridor are easier to solve with alternative 3.

120 Corridor Planning Council takes big step tonight

Tonight at the 120 Corridor Planning Council we will make a big decision about the character of the road. But before we get to that I want to review what has happened to this point.

At the Lake County Transportation Summit in September 2005, an improved Illinois Route 120 corridor was identified as a consensus priority. The Corridor Planning Council was formed and tasked to look to the future, to 2030 and beyond, and establish the vision of what this new Illinois Route 120 corridor would be. The goal is to develop a plan that is technically feasible and will be preferred by the local communities along the corridor. This feasibility study will tell IDOT what is the locally preferred alternative and set the table for continued studies.

The project’s Purpose & Need was established and two alternatives, the No-Build Alternative (Alternative 1) and the Widening of Existing Illinois Route 120 (Alternative 2) fell short of meeting the purpose of the project and were eliminated. A decision matrix with 8 main categories and 26 total criteria was developed to help compare road character and road placement alternatives.

The four alternatives being considered represent what potential alternatives that would be both technically feasible and preferred by the local communities along the corridor. Each alternative has its advantages and disadvantages. All alternatives that meet the purpose and need of the project will be studied by IDOT again later.

All four alternates for road character include a bypass around existing Illinois Route 120 within the Villages of Grayslake, Hainesville, Round Lake, and Round Lake Park. Alternate 3A is a 4-Lane Roundabout Boulevard, Alternate 3B is a 4-Lane Signalized Boulevard, Alternate 4 is a 6-Lane Signalized Arterial, and Alternate 5 is a 6-Lane Expressway.

The next steps in the project are to study road placement, intersection types, and finally, the project’s financing strategy. A summary document will be prepared documenting the findings of the feasibility study and will be transmitted to IDOT.

Before construction would begin, IDOT would complete a Phase I Study that would further analyze the results of the feasibility study. At the conclusion of the Phase I study, engineering plans and specifications would be prepared for construction, and property would begin to be acquired. Depending on the availability of funding and other scheduling items, construction could begin no sooner than 6 to 10 years.

I favor alternate 3, I want more information on the differences between option A and B before I come to a conclusion on that issue, but we are getting closer!

Police Department Accreditation Nears Completion

Since I made changes in the police department a few years ago and demanded a better more professional department the department has taken giant steps forward. One of these major steps is an on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying it meets professional standards.

Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.

As part of the on-site assessment, Department employees and members of the community are invited to offer comment at a public information session on Monday, December 15, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in the Round Lake Police Department Community Room located at 741 West Town Line Road, Round Lake, Illinois 60073.

Department members and the public are also invited to offer comments by calling (847) 201-2169 on December 15, 2008 between the hours of 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team. Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Department’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. To review the standards, please contact Director Michael S. Recupito at (847) 546-8112.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Round Lake Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2215, or www.calea.org

FREE Stuff--- Pancake Breakfast with Santa

I have 4 tickets for the Round Lake Chamber of Commerce's Pancake Breakfast with Santa that Trustee Dale Multerer would like to raffle off to a Round Lake Resident. The proceeds benefit the Round Lake Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund. The tickets are $5 so this a $20 value!

Event details:
Sunday December 14, 2008
Round Lake High School
7:30am to noon

The kids can get to sit on Santa's lap as well! Who will be making a special appearance! Plus there is a craft fair, and the Round Lake Area band will entertain you!

How to win:
Email me at bgentes@eroundlake.com and I will automatically enter you into the raffle, and I will draw the winner on Thursday.

Alternatives to Driving: Transit on the Tollway

The Illinois Tollway’s board of directors recently approved Tomorrow’s Transportation Today, a $1.8 billion plan to relieve traffic congestion by investing in key Interstate to Interstate interchanges and creating dedicated Green Lanes that will encourage more Tollway commuters to consider carpooling, vanpool programs, and express bus services. Green Lanes combine the functions of high-occupancy toll lanes (HOT), high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV), and carpool lanes – all of which are helping uncork bottlenecks in states across the country by squeezing more capacity out of existing roadways through variable tolling. The investment includes $1.4 billion for interchange improvements, as well as $400 million to support new transit alternatives for Tollway commuters who don’t want to pay more to drive alone.

From L.A. to North Carolina, other U.S. regions have had success with similar programs. Seattle’s HOV/HOT lanes move the equivalent capacity of four regular lanes during rush hours. In Houston, more than 40,000 daily commuters use the express transit buses – up from virtually zero transit riders since HOV lanes were first introduced in 1979. North Carolinans who carpool, vanpool, or ride transit cut their commuting costs by approximately $3,000 each year. Both HOV lane users and non-users gave Los Angeles’ system an 88 percent public approval rating. By encouraging carpooling, increasing transit options, and improving connections between tollways and transit routes, commuters benefit from a wide menu of options to fulfill their transportation needs.

The Green Lanes also provide a new opportunity for Pace to help meet the region’s rising transit demands without taking on significant new capital expenses. Express bus service along the Tollway’s dedicated Green Lanes, coupled with new park-and-ride facilities and intermodal centers, will provide commuters with more reliable and accessible transit options and help reduce regional congestion. In coordination with Pace, the Regional Transportation Authority, and Chicago Metropolitan Agency

for Planning, the Illinois Tollway's Green Lanes Plan will help strengthen the connectivity between existing transit services and future regional transportation and land use improvements. As planners explore new alternatives to fight gridlock, making the most of existing infrastructure is an important part of a cost-effective system.

For Additional Information:

• Tomorrow’s Transportation Today: A Progressive Improvement Plan – Illinois Tollway Press Release
• Green Lanes Plan – Illinois Tollway
• Personal Benefits of HOV Lanes – North Carolina Department of Transportation

The 2009 Mayors 5K

I have been walking and or running at the Nippersink Forest Preserve recently and have mapped out what will be a reasonable route for my third annual race. I specifically walked the loop on Saturday with an eye towards having a race, while my daughter ran the route and offered me her thoughts.

There are some nice steep hills so I am thinking we will have a very challenging race, however we are going to have to run one part of the loop first.

I need to confirm the date with the forest preserve, but I am shooting for a Saturday in late May or early June.

Lake County Launches New Website

Lake County spent $500,000 redesigning the county's website. You can find the new site at the following web address www.lakecountyil.gov I browsed it for awhile seeing what they had to offer and some of the features are quite useful, not sure however they got our moneys worth out of the site.

• MAP IT! CLOSE TO HOME - Enter your address and find your elected officials, schools, polling places, police and fire stations, and more close to your home.
• REQUEST A SERVICE – Report a pot hole on a county road, submit a complaint about a restaurant, and request other services.
• The site allows users to interact with county government, access services on-line, and find information easily using “I WANT TO…” and “County Services A to Z,” or through information portals for residents, business, and visitors.

The public is encouraged to visit the new site and send their comments. A short survey can be found at www.lakecountyil.gov. The old website will remain active through Friday, November 21 and there will be a link to the new site. Starting next week, visitors to www.co.lake.il.us will be redirected to the new website at the new web address. County email addresses have also changed from name@co.lake.il.us to name@lakecountyil.gov.

Energy Saver Tips

In today's challenging economic environment its important to make smart money saving moves in your homes. I was browsing this site called Energy Savers which is produced by the U.S. Department of Energy, in partnership with Owens Corning, providing useful tips to help Americans save energy and money at home.

Here are a couple of tips I gleaned from the site:

• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
  
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
  
• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
  
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
  
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your southfacing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

New Notification System in Place!

Yesterday was the first day we used our new emergency notification system we implemented this year its loosely called "Reverse 911" or "One Step Notification". If you had signed up for the system you would have received a parking notification yesterday around 5pm because of the expected snow fall last night.

The service lets the village send an unlimited number of voice and text messages to residents, businesses, staff, or any combination of these groups. If you want to learn much more about the service go the providers website here.

I would encourage you to use the link on our web page or click on the graphic at the right.

Fantasy Football Update

This year is the third of The Mayoral Fantasy Football challenge. Each year the league has grown from 10 players the first year to 12 and then 18 players this year. The regular season is winding to a close this weekend setting up the playoffs where my utterly obnoxious nephew Chris Rozakis and Al Villasenor have locked up the top seeds, followed by Terry Vandenboom and Rik Flor. The final two playoff spots are going to be decided amongst me, Paul Hollingsworth, Eric Multerer, Steve Serres, Davis Clark, Jason King and Jimmy Tonias. Also playing the game are Cris Nolan, Brian Brubaker, Cliff Metaxa, Craig Harrison, Ryne Sanchez, Michael Blum, and Dan Foecking.

Greatest Thanksgiving Show Ever!

Mayor for a Day

During my hiatus from blogging I had Tristan Linderholm join me as Mayor for the day, in addition I also went to his classroom and talked to his class, which was lots of fun. Tristan and I had special tours of the Police Department, the Public Works Department and the Village Hall.

Overall I am not sure who had more fun me or Tristan!

Question of the Weak?

What is up with the older couple resting in the bathtubs in these commercials?

I am wondering if anyone knows what is up with the older couple resting in the bathtubs at the beginning and end of the these commercials. I understand them resting, watching a sunset, but why are they sitting in separate abstinence inducing (defeating the pills purpose I would think) bathtubs rather then a beach chair or something? Why not in a gazebo or a hot tub as opposed to a regular tub?

The only people that keep major appliances outside do not appear to be the target market for the product.

Clean answers in the comment section, the best answer by next Monday gets a prize! I don't know what it is, but I will come up with something lasting!

Round Lake Dining Review

Since I love to eat, I constantly sample the Round Lake Restaurant scene, and one place I am always happy to go is Mike's in the strip mall off of Wilson Road in Valley Lakes. They have done a recent remodeling and expansion to better handle the crowds, and I do mean crowds, at lunch and dinner.

They have a marvelous lunch time menu, with a $5 lunch special, I have sampled each special and can attest to the deliciousness of the specials! Dinner is always good as well, I am partial to the Chicken Marsala.

Oh and one other thing! They do take-out! The phone number is (847) 740-2399‎.

SAVE THE DATE-- Christmas Tree Lighting Scheduled

The holiday tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Friday, December 5, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. It will be held at the Village hall 442 N Cedar Lake Road. There is a special guest invited as well for the kids!

In addition there will be hot beverages to take the sting out of the cold weather! Look forward to seeing you there!

Round Lake Food Drive

As part of the Village of Round Lake's Centennial Celebration, the Village would like to reach out to those who are struggling to make it through these difficult economic times. Your help is needed for food donations (see list below for specifics).

All items donated will go to the following food pantries: Calvary Presbyterian Church, COOL, Avon Township, and Fremont Township. Donations are being accepted the entire month of November! Print out the Flyer here.

Drop off your donations at the Round Lake Village Hall or the Round Lake Police Station, and the First American Bank (60 and Cedar Lake)

• 1 lb package rice
• 1 lb package pasta
• Cereal (dry or oatmeal)
• Canned soup
• 16 oz canned vegetables
• Tomato/Spaghetti Sauce
• 16 oz canned fruit
• Beverages (juice, coffee)
• Peanut Butter
• 16 oz can pork & beans
• 1 lb bag pinto beans
• Canned tuna fish
• Canned meat (ravioli, stew, Spam)
• Packaged side dishes
• Baby food
• Baby formula
• Cookies, Crackers, Popcorn
• Condiments (catsup, mustard, mayo)
  

Thank you for making a difference in Round Lake! These food pantries serve many of our local families, lets all pitch in and make a difference! We thank your for your assistance! Together we really can make a difference!

What do you call it....Pop or Soda?

When on a hot summer’s day you buy a carbonated beverage to quench your thirst, how do you order it? Do you ask for a soda, a pop or something else? That question lay at the basis of an article in the Journal of English Linguistics (Soda or Pop?, #24, 1996) and of a map, showing the regional variation in American English of the names given to that type of drink.

The article was written by Luanne von Schneidemesser, PhD in German linguistics and philology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and senior editor of the Dictionary of American Regional English. And although there might be weightier issues in life (or even in linguistics) than the preferred terminology for a can of soft drink, there’s nothing trivial about this part of the beverage industry.

“According to an article last year in the Isthmus, Madison’s weekly newspaper, Americans drink so much of the carbonated beverages sold under such brand names as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew, and 7-Up that consumption averages 43 gallons per year for every man, woman, and child in the United States,” Von Schneidemesser begins her article. “The Statistical Abstract of the United States (1994) confirms this: 44.1 gallons per person in 1992, compared to the next most consumed beverages: beer (32.7 gallons), coffee (27.8 gallons), and milk (25.3 gallons).”

It must be that ubiquity of soft drinks that has made this pop vs soda map the single-most submitted map to this blog, sent in by over 100 contributors. The map details the areas where certain usages predominate.

• coke: this generic term for soft drinks predominates throughout the South, New Mexico, central Indiana and in a few other single counties in Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. ‘Coke’ obviously derives from Coca-Cola, the brand-name of the soft drink originally manufactured in Atlanta (which explains its use as a generic term for all soft drinks in the South).
• pop: dominates the Northwest, Great Plains and Midwest. The world ‘pop’ was introduced by Robert Southey, the British Poet Laureate (1774-1843), to whom we also owe the word ‘autobiography’, among others. In 1812, he wrote: A new manufactory of a nectar, between soda-water and ginger-beer, and called pop, because ‘pop goes the cork’ when it is drawn. Even though it was introduced by a Poet Laureate, the term ‘pop’ is considered unsophisticated by some, because it is onomatopaeic.
• soda: prevalent in the Northeast, greater Miami, the area in Missouri and Illinois surrounding St Louis and parts of northern California. ‘Soda’ derives from ‘soda-water’ (also called club soda, carbonated or sparkling water or seltzer). It’s produced by dissolving carbon dioxide gas in plain water, a procedure developed by Joseph Priestly in the latter half of the 18th century. The fizziness of soda-water caused the term ‘soda’ to be associated with later, similarly carbonated soft drinks.
• Other, lesser-used terms include ‘dope’ in the Carolinas and ‘tonic’ in and around Boston, both fading in popularity. Other generic terms for soft drinks outside the US include ‘pop’ (Canada), ‘mineral’ (Ireland), ‘soft drink’ (New Zealand and Australia). The term ‘soft drink’, finally, arose to contrast said beverages with hard (i.e. alcoholic) drinks.

I got this from the fine site called Strange Maps.

Real Simple Recycling A to Z

A Comprehensive Primer on Recycling Nearly Everything, Often for a Good Cause Oct. 10, 2008 from Real Simple and reprinted on ABCNews.

Each water bottle you recycle may seem like a drop in the bucket, but don't undervalue your efforts.

America is recycling nearly 33 percent of its waste -- almost twice as much as 15 years ago. But sometimes it can be tough to tell what can go in the bin, what can't and what your recycling center does and does not accept.

To help you navigate the often murky recycling waters, check out Real Simple magazine's A to Z guide to recycling.

These tips were first published in the September and October issues of Real Simple and written by Natalie Ermann Russell.

For more tips like these, a new lifestyle makeover series called "Real Simple, Real Life," hosted by Kit Hoover, premieres on the television channel TLC on Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. ET.

AEROSOL CANS. These can usually be recycled with other cans, as long as you pull off the plastic cap and empty the canister completely.

ANTIPERSPIRANT AND DEODORANT STICKS. Many brands have a dial on the bottom that is made of a plastic polymer different from that used for the container, so your center might not be able to recycle the whole thing (look on the bottom to find out). However, Tom's of Maine makes a deodorant stick composed solely of plastic No. 5.

BACKPACKS. The American Birding Association accepts donated backpacks, which its scientists use while tracking neotropical birds.

BATTERIES. Recycling batteries keeps hazardous metals out of landfills. Many stores, like RadioShack and Office Depot, accept reusable ones, as does the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. Car batteries contain lead and can't go in landfills because toxic metals can leach into groundwater, but almost any retailer selling them will also collect and recycle them.

BEACH BALLS. They may be made of plastic, but there aren't enough beach balls being thrown away to make them a profitable item to recycle. If a beach ball is still usable, donate it to a thrift store or a children's hospital.

BOOKS. "Hard covers are too rigid to recycle, so we ask people to remove them and recycle just the pages," said Sarah Kite, recycling manager of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp., in Johnston, R.I. In many areas, paperbacks can be tossed in with other paper.

CARPETING (NYLON FIBER). The Carpet America Recovery Effort estimates that 5 billion pounds of carpeting went to landfills in 2003. Go to www.carpetrecovery.org and click on "What can I do with my old carpet?" to find a carpet-reclamation facility near you, or check with your carpet's manufacturer. Some carpet makers, like Milliken, Shaw (www.shawfloors.com), and Flor (www.flor.com), have recycling programs.

CARS, JET SKIS, BOATS, TRAILERS, RVS AND MOTORCYCLES. If these are unusable -- totaled, rusted -- they still have metal and other components that can be recycled. Call junkyards in your area, or go to www.junkmycar.com, which will pick up and remove cars, trailers, motorcycles and other heavy equipment for free.

CELL PHONES. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, less than 20 percent of cell phones are recycled each year, and most people don't know where to recycle them. The Wireless Foundation refurbishes old phones to give to domestic-violence survivors. For information on other cell-phone charities, log on to www.recyclewirelessphones.com. In some states, like California and New York, retailers must accept and recycle old cell phones at no charge.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS. CFLs contain mercury and shouldn't be thrown in the trash. Ikea and the Home Depot operate CFL recycling programs; you can also check with your hardware store or recycling center to see if it offers recycling services.

COMPUTERS. You can return used computers to their manufacturers for recycling. Check www.mygreenelectronics.com for a list of vendors or donate them to a charitable organization, such as www.sharetechnology.org or www.cristina.org. Nextsteprecycling.org repairs your broken computers and gives them to underfunded schools, needy families, and nonprofits.

CRAYONS. Send them to the National Crayon Recycle Program, which melts down crayons and reforms them into new ones. Leave the wrappers on: "When you have black, blue and purple crayons together without wrappers, it's hard to tell them apart," said the program's founder, LuAnn Foty, aka the Crazy Crayon Lady.

CROCS. The manufacturer recycles used Crocs into new shoes and donates them to underprivileged families. Mail them to: Crocs Recycling West, 3375 Enterprise Ave., Bloomington CA 92316.

DVDS, CDS AND JEWEL CASES. If you want to get rid of that Lionel Richie CD because "Dancing on the Ceiling" doesn't do it for you anymore, you can swap it for a disc from another music lover at www.zunafish.com. But if you just want to let it go and not worry about it ending up in a landfill, send it (along with DVDs and jewel cases) to www.greendisk.com for recycling.

EMPTY METAL CANS (CLEANING PRODUCTS). Cut off the metal ends of cans containing powdered cleansers, such as Ajax and Bon Ami, and put them in with other household metals. (Use care when cutting them.) Recycle the tubes as you would any other cardboard.

EMPTY METAL CANS (FOOD PRODUCTS). Many towns recycle food cans. If yours doesn't, you can find the nearest steel-can recycling spot at www.recycle-steel.org. Rinse out cans, but don't worry about removing the labels. "Leaving them on doesn't do any harm," said Marti Matsch, the communications director of Eco-Cycle, one of the nation's oldest and largest recyclers, in Boulder, Colo. "When the metal is melted," she said, "the paper burns up. If you want to recycle the label with other paper, that's great, but it's not necessary."

EYEGLASSES. Plastic frames can't be recycled, but metal ones can. Just drop them into the scrap-metal bin. However, given the millions of people who need glasses but can't afford them, your frames, broken or not, will go to better use if you donate them to www.neweyesfortheneedy.com. Sunglasses and plastic frames in good condition can also be donated. Or drop off old pairs of glasses at LensCrafters, Target Optical or other participating stores and doctors' offices, which will send them to www.givethegiftofsight.org.

FAKE PLASTIC CREDIT CARDS. They're not recyclable, so you can't just toss them along with their paper junk-mail solicitations. Remove them first and throw them in the trash.

FILM CANISTERS. Check with your local recycling center to find out if it takes gray film-container lids (No. 4) and black bases (No. 2). If not, many photo labs will accept them.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. There are two types of extinguishers. For a dry-chemical extinguisher, safely relieve the remaining pressure, remove the head from the container and place it with your bulk-metal items (check with your local recycler first). Alternatively, call fire-equipment companies (listed in the phone book) and request that they dispose of your extinguisher. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are refillable after each use.

FOOD PROCESSORS. Some communities accept small household appliances for recycling -- if not in curbside collection, then in drop-off locations. (New York City will even pick up appliances left on the sidewalk.) "If an appliance is more than 50 percent metal, it is recyclable," said Kathy Dawkins, director of public information for New York City's Department of Sanitation. Most appliances are about 75 percent steel, according to the Steel Recycling Institute. So unless you know something is mostly plastic, it will probably qualify.

FORMAL WEAR. Finally, a use for that mauve prom or bridesmaid dress: Give it to a girl who can't afford one. Go to www.operationfairydust.org or www.catherinescloset.org.

GADGETS. There are many ways to recycle PDAs, MP3 players and other devices so that any money earned from the parts goes to worthy causes -- a win, win, win scenario (for you, the environment and charity). Recycleforbreastcancer.org, for example, will send you prepaid shipping labels, recycle your gadgets, then donate the proceeds to breast cancer charities.

GLUE. Many schools have recycling programs for empty containers of Elmer's glue and glue sticks. Students and teachers rinse out the bottles, which are then sent to Wal-Mart for recycling. Find out more at www.elmersgluecrew.com.

GLUE STRIPS AND INSERTS IN MAGAZINES. Lotion samples and non-paper promotional items affixed to glue strips in magazines should be removed because they can jam up recycling equipment (scented perfume strips, on the other hand, are fine). "One of the biggest challenges we get is pages of promotional stickers and stamps," said Matsch, "which can adhere to the machinery and tear yards of new paper fiber."

HANGERS (PLASTIC). These are not widely accepted at recycling centers because there aren't enough of them coming through to make it worthwhile. However, some cities, such as Los Angeles, are equipped to recycle them. You might consider donating them to a thrift store.

HANGERS. Some dry cleaners and Laundromats will reuse them. Otherwise, they can be recycled with other household metals. But be sure to remove any attached paper or cardboard first.

HEARING AIDS. The Starkey Hearing Foundation recycles used hearing aids, any make or model, no matter how old. Lions Clubs also accept hearing aids (as well as eyeglasses) for reuse. Log on to www.donateglasses.net/hearingaids.html to find designated collection centers near you.

HOLIDAY CARDS. After they've lined your mantel for two months, you could throw them into the recycling bin, or you could give them a whole new life. St. Jude's Ranch for Children, a nonprofit home for abused and neglected youths, runs a holiday-card reuse program in which the kids cut off the front covers, glue them onto new cards and sell the result, earning them money and confidence.

IPODS. Bring in an old iPod to an Apple store and get 10 percent off a new one. Your out-of-date iPod will be broken down and properly disposed of. The catch? The discount is valid only that day, so be prepared to buy your new iPod.

JAM JARS. Wherever there is container-glass recycling (meaning glass jars and bottles), jam jars are eligible. It helps if you remove any remaining jam, but no need to get obsessive. They don't have to be squeaky clean. Before putting them in the bin, remove their metal lids and recycle those with other metals.

JUICE BAGS. Because most are a combination of a plastic polymer and aluminum, these are not recyclable. But TerraCycle will donate 2 cents for each Honest Kids, Capri Sun and Kool-Aid Drink pouch, and 1 cent for any other brand you collect, and send in to the charity of your choice. The organization provides free shipping, too. What does TerraCycle do with all those pouches? Turns them into colorful purses, totes and pencil cases that are sold at Target and Walgreens stores throughout the country. To get started, go to www.terracycle.net/brigades.

KEYS AND NAIL CLIPPERS. For many recycling centers, any metal that isn't a can is considered scrap metal and can be recycled. "There's not a whole lot of scrap metal we wouldn't take," said Kite. "It's a huge market now."

LEATHER ACCESSORIES. If your leather goods are more than gently worn, take them to be fixed. If they're beyond repair, they have to be thrown in the trash -- there's no recycling option. (A product labeled "recycled leather" is often made from scraps left over from the manufacturing process, which is technically considered recycling.) Donate shoes in decent condition to www.soles4souls.org, a nonprofit that collects used footwear and distributes it to needy communities.

MAKEUP. Makeup can expire and is none too pretty for the earth when you throw it in the trash (chemicals abound in most makeup). Some manufacturers are making progress on this front. People who turn in six or more empty MAC containers, for example, will receive a free lipstick from the company in return; SpaRitual nail polishes come in reusable, recyclable glass; and Josie Maran Cosmetics sells biodegradable plastic compacts made with a corn-based resin -- just remove the mirror and put the case in your compost heap.

MATTRESSES AND BOX SPRINGS. Mattresses are made of recyclable materials, such as wire, paper and cloth, but not all cities accept them for recycling. Go to www.earth911.org to find out if yours does.

METAL FLATWARE. If it's time to retire your old forks, knives and spoons, you can usually recycle them with other scrap metal.

MILK CARTONS WITH PLASTIC SPOUTS AND CAPS. Take off and throw away the cap (don't worry about the spout -- it will be filtered out during the recycling process). As for the carton, check your local recycling rules to see whether you should toss it with plastics and metals or with paper.

MIRRORS. These aren't recyclable through most municipal recyclers, because the chemicals on the glass can't be mixed with glass bottles and jars. You can donate them to secondhand stores, of course. Or if the mirror is broken, put it in a paper bag for the safety of your trash collectors.

NIKES AND OTHER SNEAKERS. Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program accepts old sneakers (any brand) and recycles them into courts for various sports so kids around the world have a place to play. You can drop them off at a Nike store, other participating retailers, athletic clubs and schools around the country (check the Web site for locations), or mail them to Nike Recycling Center, c/o Reuse-A-Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Ave., Wilsonville OR 97070.

If your sneakers are still in reasonable shape, donate them to needy athletes in the United States and around the world through www.oneworldrunning.com. Mail them to One World Running, P.O. Box 2223, Boulder, CO 80306, or call 303-473-1314 for more information.

NOTEBOOKS (SPIRAL). It may seem weird to toss a metal-bound notebook into the paper recycling, but worry not -- the machinery will pull out smaller nonpaper items. One caveat: If the cover is plastic, rip that off, says Marti Matsch, communications director for Eco-Cycle, in Boulder, Colo. "It's a larger contaminant."

OFFICE ENVELOPES
Envelopes with plastic windows. Recycle them with regular office paper. The filters will sieve out the plastic, and they'll even take out the glue strip on the envelope flaps.

Paper FedEx envelopes can be recycled, and there's no need to pull off the plastic sleeve. FedEx Paks made of Tyvek are also recyclable (see below).

Goldenrod. Those ubiquitous mustard-colored envelopes are not recyclable, because goldenrod paper (as well as dark or fluorescent paper) is saturated with hard-to-remove dyes. "It's what we call 'designing for the dump,' not the environment," says Matsch.

Jiffy Paks. Many Jiffy envelopes -- even the paper-padded ones filled with that material resembling dryer lint -- are recyclable with other mixed papers, like cereal boxes. The exception: Goldenrod-colored envelopes must be tossed.

Padded envelopes with bubble wrap. These can't be recycled. The best thing you can do is reuse them.

Tyvek. DuPont, the maker of Tyvek, takes these envelopes back and recycles them into plastic lumber. Turn one envelope inside out and stuff others inside it. Mail them to Tyvek Recycle, Attention: Shirley B. Wright, 2400 Elliham Avenue #A, Richmond VA 23237. If you have large quantities (200 to 500), call 866-338-9835 to order a free pouch.

PACKING MATERIALS. Styrofoam peanuts cannot be recycled in most areas, but many packaging stores (like UPS and Mail Boxes Etc.) accept them. To find a peanut reuser near you, go to www.loosefillpackaging.com. Some towns recycle Styrofoam packing blocks; if yours doesn't, visit www.epspackaging.org/info.html to find a drop-off location, or mail them in according to the instructions on the site.

Packing pillows marked "Fill-Air" can be deflated (poke a hole in them), then mailed to Ameri-Pak, Sealed Air Recycle Center, 477 South Woods Drive, Fountain Inn SC 29644. They will be recycled into things like trash bags and automotive parts.

PAINT. Some cities have paint-recycling programs, in which your old paint is taken to a company that turns it into new paint. Go to www.earth911.org to see if a program exists in your area.

PENDAFLEX FOLDERS. Place these filing-cabinet workhorses in the paper bin. But first cut off the metal rods and recycle them as scrap metal.

PHONE BOOKS. Many cities offer collection services. Also check www.yellowpages.com/recycle, or call AT&T's phone book-recycling line at 800-953-4400.

PIZZA BOXES. If cheese and grease are stuck to the box, rip out the affected areas and recycle the rest as corrugated cardboard. Food residue can ruin a whole batch of paper if it is left to sit in the recycling facility and begins to decompose.

PLASTIC BOTTLE CAPS. Toss them. "They're made from a plastic that melts at a different rate than the bottles, and they degrade the quality of the plastic if they get mixed in," says Sarah Kite, recycling manager of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, in Johnston, R.I.

PLASTIC WRAP (USED). Most communities don't accept this for recycling because the cost of decontaminating it isn't worth the effort.

POST-ITS. The sticky stuff gets filtered out, so these office standbys can usually be recycled with paper.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. The Starfish Project collects some unused medications (TB medicines, antifungals, antivirals) and gives them to clinics in Nigeria. They'll send you a prepaid FedEx label, too.

PRINTER-INK CARTRIDGES. Seventy percent are thrown into landfills, where it will take 450 years for them to decompose. "Cartridges are like gas tanks," says Jim Cannan, cartridge-collection manager at RecyclePlace.com. "They don't break. They just run out of ink. Making new ones is like changing motors every time you run out of gas." Take them to Staples and get $3 off your next cartridge purchase, or mail HP-brand cartridges back to HP.

QUICHE PANS AND OTHER COOKWARE. These can be put with scrap metal, and "a plastic handle isn't a problem," says Tom Outerbridge, manager of municipal recycling at Sims Metal Management, in New York City.

RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT. Don't send tennis rackets to your local recycling center. "People may think we're going to give them to Goodwill," says Sadonna Cody, director of government affairs for the Northbay Corporation and Redwood Empire Disposal, in Santa Rosa, Calif., "but they'll just be trashed."

Trade sports gear in at Play It Again Sports or donate it to www.sportsgift.org, which gives gently used equipment to needy kids around the world. Mail to Sports Gift, 32545 B Golden Lantern #478, Dana Point CA 92629. As for skis, send them to Skichair.com, 4 Abbott Place, Millbury MA 01527, where they'll be turned into Adirondack-style beach chairs.

RUGS (COTTON OR WOOL). If your town's recycling center accepts rugs, great. If not, you're out of luck, because you can't ship rugs directly to a fabric recycler; they need to be sent in bulk. Your best bet is to donate them to the thrift store of a charity, like the Salvation Army.

SHOPPING BAGS (PAPER). Even those with metal grommets and ribbon handles can usually be recycled with other paper.

SHOPPING BAGS (PLASTIC). "Americans recycled 812 million pounds of bags in 2006, up 24 percent from 2005," says Keith Christman, senior director of packaging at the American Chemistry Council Plastics Division, which represents plastic manufacturers. If your town doesn't recycle plastic, you may be able to drop them off at your local grocery store. Safeway, for example, accepts grocery and dry-cleaning bags and turns them into plastic lumber.

To find other stores, go to www.plasticbagrecycling.org. What's more, a range of retailers, like City Hardware, have begun to use biodegradable bags made of corn. BioBags break down in compost heaps in 10 to 45 days.

SHOWER CURTAINS AND LINERS. Most facilities do not recycle these because they're made of PVC. (If PVC gets in with other plastics, it can compromise the chemical makeup of the recycled material.)

SIX-PACK RINGS. See if your local school participates in the Ring Leader Recycling Program; kids collect six-pack rings to be recycled into other plastic items, including plastic lumber and plastic shipping pallets.

SMOKE DETECTORS. Some towns accept those that have beeped their last beep. If yours doesn't, try the manufacturer. First Alert takes back detectors (you pay for shipping); call 800-323-9005 for information.

SOAP DISPENSERS (PUMP). Most plastic ones are recyclable; toss them in with the other plastics.

STEREOS AND VCRS. Visit www.earth911.org for a list of recyclers, retail stores, and manufacturers near you that accept electronics. Small companies are popping up to handle electronic waste (or e-waste) as well: Greencitizen.com in San Francisco will pull apart your electronics and recycle them at a cost ranging from nothing to 50 cents a pound. And the 10 nationwide locations of Freegeek.org offer a similar service.

TAKEOUT-FOOD CONTAINERS. Most are not recyclable. Paper ones (like Chinese-food containers) aren't accepted because remnants can contaminate the paper bale at the mill. Plastic versions (like those at the salad bar) are a no-go too.

TINFOIL. It's aluminum, not tin. So rinse it off, wad it up, and toss it in with the beer and soda cans.

TIRES. You can often leave old tires with the dealer when you buy new ones (just check that they'll be recycled). Worn-out tires can be reused as highway paving, doormats, hoses, shoe soles, and more.

TISSUE BOXES WITH PLASTIC DISPENSERS. The plastic portion will be filtered out during the recycling process, so you can usually recycle tissue boxes with cardboard.

TOOTHBRUSHES. They're not recyclable, but if you buy certain brands, you can save on waste. Eco-Dent's Terradent models and Radius Source's toothbrushes have replaceable heads; once the bristles have worn out, snap on a new one.

TOOTHPASTE TUBES. Even with all that sticky paste inside, you can recycle aluminum tubes (put them with the aluminum cans), but not plastic ones.

TVS. Best Buy will remove and recycle a set when it delivers a new one. Or bring old ones to Office Depot to be recycled. Got a Sony TV? Take it to a drop-off center listed at www.sony.com/recycle.

UMBRELLAS. If it's a broken metal one, drop the metal skeleton in with scrap metal (remove the fabric and the handle first). Plastic ones aren't accepted.

USED CLOTHING. Some towns recycle clothing into seat stuffing, upholstery, or insulation. Also consider donating clothing to animal boarders and shelters, where it can be turned into pet bedding.

UTENSILS (PLASTIC). "There is no program in the country recycling plastic flatware as far as I know," says Matsch. "The package might even say 'recyclable,' but that doesn't mean much."

VIDEOTAPES, CASSETTES, AND FLOPPY DISKS. These aren't accepted. "Videotapes are a nightmare," says Outerbridge. "They get tangled and caught on everything." Instead, send tapes to ACT, a facility in Columbia, Missouri, that employs disabled people to clean, erase, and resell videotapes. You can also send videotapes, cassettes, and floppy disks to www.greendisk.com; recycling 20 pounds or less costs $6.95, plus shipping.

WHEELCHAIRS. Go to www.lifenets.org/wheelchair, which acts as a matchmaker, uniting wheelchairs with those who need them.

WINE CORKS. To turn them into flooring and wall tiles, send them to Wine Cork Recycling, Yemm & Hart Ltd., 610 South Chamber Drive, Fredericktown MO 63645. Or put them in a compost bin. "They're natural," says Matsch, "so they're biodegradable." Plastic corks can't be composted or recycled.

WIPES AND SPONGES. These can't be recycled. But sea sponges and natural sponges made from vegetable cellulose are biodegradable and can be tossed into a compost heap.

WRITING IMPLEMENTS. You can't recycle pens, pencils and markers, but you can donate usable ones to schools that are short on these supplies. At www.iloveschools.com, teachers from around the United States specify their wish lists. And there's always the option of buying refillable pencils and biodegradable pens made of corn (like those at www.grassrootsstore.com) so that less waste winds up in the landfill.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Ship your old lights to HolidayLEDs.com, Attention: Recycling Program, 120 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1403, Jackson MI 49201. The company will send you a coupon for 10 percent off its LED lights, which use 80 percent less energy and last 10 years or more. And they're safer, too. LEDs don't generate much heat, whereas incandescents give off heat, which can cause a dry Christmas tree to catch fire. Ace Hardware stores accept lights as well; search by ZIP code at www.acehardware.com.

YOGURT CUPS. Many towns don't recycle these because they're made of a plastic that can't be processed with other plastics. But Stonyfield Farm has launched a program that turns its cups into toothbrushes, razors, and other products. Mail to Stonyfield Farm, 10 Burton Drive, Londonderry NH 03053.

Or you can join TerraCycle's Yogurt Brigade (currently available only in the Northeast) to recycle Stonyfield containers and raise money for your favorite charity. For every cup collected, Stonyfield will donate 2 cents or 5 cents, depending on the cup size. Go to www.terracycle.net.

ZIPPERED PLASTIC BAGS. Venues that recycle plastic bags will also accept these items, as long as they are clean, dry, and the zip part has been snipped off (it's a different type of plastic).

New Road Projects on Horizon

From Yesterday's Daily Herald.

Five road projects, some too complicated and expensive to have been realistically considered before, are on Lake County's fast track.

Transportation officials on Wednesday unveiled a list of road work projects to be paid for with increased sales tax revenue, authorized last year as part of a Regional Transportation Authority reform.

Nearly $11 million is being proposed for the required first stage of study for five major projects. The county board's public works and transportation committee supports the choices, which go to the county board next week for official approval.

The suggested projects are:

• $3.54 million for Route 83/Rollins Road/Canadian National Railroad/Hainesville Road intersections.
• $2.14 million for Route 45 at Millburn Road.
• $980,000 for Route 176/Fairfield Road.
• $1.92 million for Route 134/Fairfield Road/Metra railroad intersections.
• $2.15 million for Washington Street, Hainesville Road to Lake Street and Canadian National railroad crossing.

In each case, the money is being designated for preliminary engineering, also referred to as Phase 1 of a given project. That process takes about two years.

"The purpose of the Phase 1 study is to find out what's the best solution," said Marty Buehler, director of transportation. "We're looking for the long-term improvement."

The solution could be an overpass or underpass, which is much more involved than adding lanes or widening an intersection. The Route 83/Rollins project in Round Lake Beach, for example, would have a major impact on businesses.

County officials say the projects will include a significant amount of public involvement, such as a business task force for the Route 83/Rollins project.

The concerns would be different at Fairfield/Route 176, which has forest preserve property on all four corners. In that case, environmental impacts would be the main concern.

Whatever the decisions, the county is making a point of moving as quickly as possible to use its new source of revenue.

Collected since last summer, the sales tax is expected to provide the county with more than $29 million a year in new revenue - more than doubling its current road work budget.

"We wanted to put the money to work as quickly as possible so people see we mean business to get projects done," said Paula Trigg, director of planning and programming for the division of transportation.

The list presented Wednesday is not the first expenditure of the new sales tax funds. About $3 million already has designated as a local match for the reconstruction of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Sheridan Road to Green Bay Road, a $12 million project.

Last year, the county board voted to spend all the new sales tax money on road work, although other uses such as public safety projects also are allowable.

About 60 percent of the county funds are designated for state road projects that are considered perennial bottlenecks the Illinois Department of Transportation has not had the funding to pursue.

Nippersink Forest Preserve is Open

A few week ago I attended the dedication of the Forest Preserve's new Nippersink facility. Its on 120 between Fairfield and Bacon. I have to say its spectacular, I am very proud of all the work that was done to get this located in our area.

I have written quite a bit about this project over the years and its nice to see it finalized! I am going to explore having my Mayors 5K road race here next year as well! Hills, and no trains, what an excellent route! The picture is of us cutting the ribbon I am second from the left.

Route 120 Corridor Planning Council (CPC) Open House – Coming Up Fast!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Location: Prairieview School
Address: 103 E. Belvidere Rd. (Route 120) Hainesville, IL

The Route 120 Corridor Planning Council has scheduled a Public Open House for November 12th. This is your opportunity to provide input and get updates on:

• Roadway characteristics
• Roadway alternatives
• Land use in the corridor
• Recent traffic studies
• …and more.

Anyone interested in the Route 120 study and traffic relief is encouraged to attend.

Well that was fun!

So I have been gone for 50 days, and not been paying much attention to the back office stuff on the blog like comments and numbers of visitors. Lots of comments were sitting in the queue waiting to be approved since most of them were germane to the state senate election and not this blog I deleted them. The rest I approved. Comments are back on and unrestricted as they generally always have been.

The other thing I noticed is that while I was averaging 1,500-1,600 unique users a day before the 50 day hiatus, over the 50 days my readership (if you can call it that) fell by an average of 500 users. So everyday even though nothing was posted 1,000 of you came anyway. Hummmm what does that say?

Lastly the picture above was the one my opponent used in all his negative mailings calling me a "master criminal" of course the kids were edited out, it was taken at a fourth grade field day at Village School a few years ago. I do still enjoy the picture becuase the kids and I had a great time.

Regular Service to Resume on the 10th

I will resume the blogging mayor function on the 10th! See you then!

Temporary Relocation

As you have all probably guessed I am quite busy. I am also keeping a campaign blog as well, so as I have been getting busier I have been neglecting this blog and the campaign blog as well. So I decided for the next 50 days I will only be writing on the campaign blog. After the election I will be figuring out how to make a senatorial blog so I will be blogging on in some format one way or the other!

I also moderate comments on the blog, since its a political site and you know people can get heated over politics. Not like over here on this blog. So see you all over there.

Nippersink Forest Preserve!

NOTE: Here is an old post about the Nippersink Forest Preserve. The breaking news is its open and looks great! Go check it out. This is the original post from two years ago, so you can have some of the back story

A couple of years ago I got frustrated with a series of developers who kept insisting that they need to build homes on Nippersink Road across from Village School. In a partnership with County Board Member Larry Leafblad we were able to chase off Neumann Homes and secure the 219 acre marsh to be added to the Lake County Forest Preserve. Now granted I did not do much other then frown and express dismay with the project and the Forest Preserve did the buying of the land.

I do have issues with the Forest Preserve buying land and then not letting any one use the land that they buy, if you doubt me drive around and see all the land in the Forest Preserve, but this purchase made long term sense for the village and the area. Then about 2 years ago Toll Brothers wanted to bring 300 senior oriented houses to the Country Lakes Resort on 120 across from Bacon Road. I had some conversations with the owners and the desire of the family who owned the resort to sell the property.

I then thought about it and referred to our comprehensive plan which led me to invite Bonnie Thompson Carter who is the President of the Lake County Forest Preserve and one of Round Lake's county board members. I drove her around the property which she knew well since her family owned portions of it way back when! I told her that I could prevent the development from happening if the Forest Preserve put up their money and bought the land for active recreation purposes. Kudos to her and the rest of the Forrest Preserve for carrying through.

Last week I attended the sneak preview of whats coming and the graphic above is a representation of what is coming. The result of all of this is the Nippersink Forrest Preserve area in Round Lake. The Millennium Trail will also be coming through the area as well which is a wonderful addition to the area.

Understanding Your Property Assessment

The Chief County Assessment Office of Lake County will hold two public information meetings and 14 tax assessment help meetings this fall to help residents understand their property assessment.

Public Information Meetings:
The Chief County Assessment Officer will explain assessment procedures, provides the recommended steps to review a tax assessment, outline the assessment appeal process, and answer questions from residential property owners.

• Saturday, October 25 at 9:00 a.m. – College of Lake County, Grayslake Campus, Building C – Auditorium
• Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m. – College of Lake County, Grayslake Campus, Building C – Auditorium

Tax Assessment Help Centers:
Residents will work one on one with a member of the Chief County Assessment Office staff for personal assistance with evaluating their property tax assessment. The county provides valuable web applications to the public, which will be utilized during these sessions, at three convenient locations.

• Tuesday, September 9, from 5 – 8 p.m., at the University Center of Lake County, Grayslake
• Tuesday, September 16, from 5 – 8 p.m., at the University Center of Lake County, Grayslake, and at the College of Lake County Southlake Educational Center, Vernon Hills

Dates, times and locations for additional help centers can be found in the attached flyer.

What was that in the sky?

Over the weekend Clarke Mosquito was doing some vital mosquito abatement work over the village and alert blog reader and shutterbug Kevin Garrett snapped this picture of it.

In addition there was a two flight of F-16's that overflew Round Lake on Saturday on there way somewhere. Where and why I have no idea, but still not the usual thing to see over our skies!

Metra Parking Update

Metra is starting to improve the parking lot on the NE corner of the train lots which will add quite a few parking spaces later this year. Unfortunately this is a Metra project on Metra land so we are at the mercy of the schedules and contractors chosen by Metra. We also will be losing parking spaces during the duration of the project so bear with us.

Here is a rough schedule we have been provided with:

September 10: Start date: Install tree protection, erosion barrier, and begin tree/brush removal
September 12: Begin site demolition to include asbestos, underground storage tank, buildings, fence, sidewalk and curbs
September 25: Begin storm sewer layout and installation
October 6 – November 7: Site grading and construction of curbs, walks, landscaping wall, etc. November 12: Begin paving operations
November 21-25: Install fencing
November 26: Painting
March 2: Landscaping

Fantasy Football Kickoff Tonight

This is it! Mayor Bowl III is starting tonight with the start of the NFL season. This season 18 teams entered for the road to the MB3, up from 12 last year and 10 the year before. We have a good selection of elected officials playing so public ridicule is upcoming on the blog and is virtually a guarantee (assuming my team does not stink)!

Good luck to everyone and next year if we have more teams we will explore a more energetic league (of course it will be called Senator Bowl then!) and the bragging rights will be greater!

My first game is against Team Multerer, who appear to be masterminded by a teenager so I am wary!

Understanding Your Property Assessment

Since we have all been getting our blue cards recently with our new assessed valuation of our homes on it in the last few days I think its appropriate to run this post from information I received from the Lake County Assessor's office.

The Chief County Assessment Office of Lake County will hold two public information meetings and have fifteen fifteen tax assessment centers this fall to help residents understand their property assessment.

Public Information Meetings: The Chief County Assessment Officer will explain assessment procedures, provides the recommended steps to review a tax assessment, outline the assessment appeal process, and answer questions from residential property owners.

• Saturday, October 25 at 9:00 a.m. – College of Lake County
• Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m. – College of Lake County (Grayslake Campus, Building C – Auditorium)

Tax Assessment Help Centers: Residents will work one on one with a member of the Chief County Assessment Office staff for personal assistance with evaluating their property tax assessment.

The county provides valuable web applications to the public, which will be utilized during these sessions, at three convenient locations. Dates, times and locations for the help centers can be found in the attached flyer.

Centennial Booklet on Your Doorstep!

Late last week you should have received on your doorstep the 100th anniversary booklet we put out in conjunction with the Pioneer Press. Its got some interesting pictures and articles on some things I did not know about and learned some new details about the village I love!

We were able to get the pictures of all the past mayors of Round Lake in on one of the pages as well. As you all know I love history and I take my stewardship of the mayoral chair quite seriously, and I value the service of the 12 mayors who came before me quite a bit.

Have a Wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

More on the CN EJE attempted merger

Maybe we need a hospital up here also?

From Today's Daily Herald

For those of you not following along this is a huge issue, and these trains will effect our commutes as they cut across our routes to work. I testified here last night as well.

Both sides to EJ&E sale have their say at meeting
By Russell Liseau

More than 100 people packed a Mundelein hotel's banquet room Tuesday night to sound off about the proposed Canadian National purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern railroad - but the comments weren't one-sided.

People opposed to the deal - which is expected to relieve freight-train traffic on the existing Canadian National tracks in the area but would lead to increased freight travel on the EJ&E line that loops through the suburbs - outnumbered supporters, but supporters were present and vocal.

Among the high-profile backers who spoke at the Crowne Plaza Chicago North Shore was state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, who said freight traffic is a fact of life. "The CN proposal deserves a fair review," the Northbrook Democrat said.

The political heavy-hitters who opposed the deal were in much greater number, however, led by U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, who flew in from the Democratic National Convention in Denver for the session.

Bean, of Barrington, criticized the proposed purchase as a move by a private, foreign company that would force local communities to pay for relieving any problems that arise from the extra traffic on the EJ&E line.

She also criticized Canadian National's statements that train traffic would decrease on its current tracks, saying the company has made no long-term promises.

"The so-called benefits are clearly a sham," Bean said.

Other politicians and community leaders who spoke against the deal included Hawthorn Woods Mayor Keith Hunt, Mundelein Village Administrator John Lobaito, Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Jeff Steingart and Mundelein Fire Chief Tim Sashko.

Plenty of local residents shared opinions about the proposal, too.

Most shared the sentiments of Mundelein resident Michael Fisher, who was concerned about Canadian National's safety record and the potential freight traffic on the EJ&E line.

"An overnight increase ... is a recipe for disaster," he said.

The meeting was arranged by the Surface Transportation Board, a three-member federal panel with final say on the deal.

Representatives from the board, Canadian National and other interested groups were present.

The transportation board has said it will work the comments given at the meeting and at other gatherings throughout the Chicago area into an environmental impact study that's scheduled to be released in December or January.

A final decision on the proposed deal will follow.

Similar meetings are scheduled for this afternoon at Barrington High School, Thursday at Bartlett High School and Sept. 9 at West Aurora High School.

Spartan Football--- The Corn and Brat Day

One of the nicest events held every year is the Round Lake Spartan Youth Football organizations annual Corn and Brat day. This year I would guess was the biggest yet, about 5,000 people throughout the day! The opposition was provided as always by Mchenry and they came with some big kids!

There are seven different age groups and teams so its an all day affair, the kids get a treat by running through a banner to start the day, the PA system calls them out by name when they make a big play, the companion cheer leaders cheer like crazy for the teams! It is is one of the best things about the Round Lake area!

Regional Transportation Authority Testimony

About 10 days ago I testified at an RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) public hearing in Grayslake. The RTA put on an excellent presentation which you can view here as a PDF. What follows is my testimony, it was interesting to hear others concerns and issues, all in all it was well worth the time.

My name is Bill Gentes and I am the Mayor of Round Lake, I also serve on the board of directors for the Lake County Transportation Alliance, on the Lake County Partners Board of Governors as well as being the Chair of the Route 120 Corridor Planning Council.

• Long commutes
  
• Outrageous gas prices
• Standing room only on Metra trains
• Not enough parking
• Not enough trains and stations
• More “reverse commute” options

As Mayor for 8 years I have heard all of these things repeatedly from residents of Lake County. I personally have observed numerous improvements to transportation over the years from the state and county governments, but in reality they are stop gap measures at best, barely keeping our heads above water. A few minutes ago I listed 6 items, of which 3 are directly solvable by increasing and improving Regional Transportation funding, the other three are syptoms of the illness that is plaguing transportation in the region Tonight at this hearing we have heard that there is a plan to move transit issues forward This state desperately needs the passage of the so-called “Capitol plan” I call on the legislature and governor to move forward on this needed piece of legislation so we can start to implement the RTA plan and get this state moving again. Thank you