Comcast Newsmakers

This week on Comcast Newsmakers the following will be airing about 8-10 times a day during CNN Headline News. Its a nice way of articulating whats going on in the community and in the area. I have done this before as you all know. Since not all of you get cable, I am linking it here.

Time for Fantasy Football-- Season 3

If you are interested in participating in season three of Fantasy Football let me know via email and put Fantasy Football in the subject so I can sort it easily! I would love to have more people involved this year!

Last year we had 14 people step up. The game has an auto draft so there is no time commitment on draft day so your time commitment is low and enjoyment high!

Relay for Life was this Weekend

We had a nice turnout for the Relay for the Life this Saturday and Sunday. Unlike last year I was unable to stay the distance, lasting until about 11pm. I could not face sleeping in a tent! Camping to me is staying in a Holiday Inn!

Many thanks to Jennifer Blum for leading the Round Lake Village People and volunteering to be a committee member for the planning of the Relay for Life. The picture at the right is of about 15 of the 25 people we had participate this year on our team. We also raised over $2,000 for the event as well.

Street work approved in Round Lake

From today's News Sun.

ROUND LAKE -- Three older village streets are slated for repair this year.

Residents along Alpine, Hillendale and Pineview are finally in line to receive road repairs. These streets are included in the 2008 village street maintenance and repair program, according to Mayor Bill Gentes.

"It was an area where residents were complaining about the streets and there were several potholes," Gentes said.

He added the work likely will be completed by the end of this summer in conjunction with the Cedar Lake Road extension work.

The contractor selected, Peter Baker and Son of Lake Bluff at a fee of $122,680, is the same one who will work on Cedar Lake Road.

3rd Annual “Fishing Should Be Fun” Fishing Derby

Saturday, July 26, 2008
8a.m.— Noon
Round Lake Beach lake front park on Lake Shore Dr.

Sponsored by:
Competition Bassmasters of Northern Illinois, Round Lake Management Commission, in conjunction with the Round Lake Area Park District.

For more information, call Tim Pasternak at 847-644-3976.

Every child deserves the opportunity to catch the “big one”. That is why Competition Bassmasters of Northern Illinois, the Round Lake Management Commission, and the Round Lake Area Park District are proud to cooperatively sponsor the 3rd annual “Fishing Should Be Fun” Fishing Derby. This event will give all children the opportunity to experience the joy of
fishing. Come out, bring your rod and reel, cast your line, and help make this year’s event the best yet. Don’t have your own equipment? Don’t worry - we’ll have plenty of equipment to loan you. All you’ll need to do is to make sure you don’t let the “big one” get away.

Event will feature:

• Kids fishing and boating safety seminar
• Kids casting event
• Fishing knots and rigging
• Fishing derby with prizes by age group
• Boat rides
• Fish in special designated
• Family Fishing Areas.
  
• All kids will receive a FREE Goody Bag and lunch!

Golf Winners Announced

Last Friday I announced the raffle of donated tickets golf passes from Sherry Ridge of Sherrydebtfree.com for a free round of golf at Renwood Golf Course. I used the normal methodology for determining my raffle winners.

• I sorted them by time received and assigned the first one received the number 1 and the second one the number 2 and so on and so forth. I received 31 entries by the way.
• The winning numbers were generated here at this site.
• The drawing was supervised by the CPA firm of Adam Baum and Associates.
• I decided to give away two prizes, originally I was going to give the tickets away as a pair, but the response was so good that I decided on splitting, remember all decisions of the Mayor are final!
  

The winners of one free golf pass are Suzzette Jeckel and David Klain! Congratulations to them, and to all the others better luck next time!

If the above rigorous methodologies were not employed Todd Pompilio would have won one for sure for including a very funny joke in his award submission email, and more then likely Dan Foecking with his Caddyshack related email, which was in my spam folder due to questionable references to varmits!

Landscape Irrigation: Water Conservation Strategies

An attractive lawn and landscape is a high priority for most organizations. It helps to maintain a good public image and creates a pleasant atmosphere for staff and visitors. These beautiful landscapes come at a high price, however. The increase in water consumption during the summer months for landscape irrigation often puts a severe strain on water supplies in many areas. While water may seem like an endless resource, our population and demand keep increasing while water supply remains constant. By implementing water-efficient landscape irrigation practices, your facility can significantly reduce its water consumption. This will not only lower your water bill, but will help to ensure the future of our nation's fresh water supplies.

No matter what type of landscape you have at your facility, there are two basic rules that apply to water-efficient landscape irrigation:

1. Apply water in the most efficient way possible.
2. Irrigate only when and where water is needed.

Water Saving Practices
The following tips and guidelines, if followed, can improve irrigation efficiency and result in significant and immediate savings:

• Water early in the morning. Wind and temperatures are generally at their lowest levels, allowing water to be applied evenly with little loss from evaporation. This can also lets you complete the watering before there are significant numbers of employees or visitors at the facility.
• Hit what you are aiming at. Position or adjust sprinklers to water grass, plants, and trees. There is no reason to water sidewalks or the parking lot.
• Irrigate deeply (down to 4–6 inches) instead of every day. Deep watering will help plant roots grow deeper and enable them to become more drought tolerant.
• Schedule your watering cycles to reduce runoff and increase absorption. Try to water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the moisture.
• Do not irrigate when it is windy or raining.
• Avoid over-watering. Measuring moisture at the root level will help to determine when plants need water.
• Raise lawn mowers blades to three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system, and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
• Avoid using water to clean parking lots, sidewalks, and similar surfaces.

Maintenance and Replacement Options
These maintenance and replacement tips for sprinkler systems, while requiring varying amounts of upfront time and investment, can result in significant long-term reduction in your facility’s water usage:

• Perform an irrigation audit. This is a good way to jump-start any long-term water conservation effort. Irrigation audits consist of three main activities: site inspection, performance testing, and irrigation scheduling. Each activity in itself can result in significant water and cost savings. See the Irrigation Audit Datasheet for a good overview of the process. An irrigation professional can also perform an energy audit for you and recommend energy saving practices. See the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program Web site to find a certified irrigation professional in your area.
• Increase the efficiency of the system's sprinkler heads. Sprinklers that produce a fine mist are susceptible to water waste from wind drift. Some sprinklers also don't apply water evenly over the landscape. Many times, existing sprinkler heads can be exchanged with more efficient heads designed to minimize the amount of water lost to wind, and distribute water in a more uniform manner.
• Make sure your irrigation system is watering uniformly. Regularly check your system every 2–3 months. Look for water leaks, spray heads popping up, obstructions within the water outlets, and that all of your zones are coming on.
• Install a moisture sensor. Known as tensiometers, these devices automatically test the soil to determine the timing and volume of water to be delivered.
• Install weather-sensing technology so that your plants are watered only when conditions are right. Rain sensors can prevent irrigation from taking place during periods of sufficient moisture. Wind and freeze sensing technology can also interrupt irrigation during inappropriate weather conditions.
• Consider smart sprinkler or irrigation controls. Smart irrigation control technology uses local weather and landscape conditions to tailor irrigation schedules to actual conditions on the site, or to historical weather data. Instead of irrigating according to a preset schedule, advanced irrigation controllers allow irrigation to more closely match the water requirements of plants.
• Consider retrofitting a portion of your trees, shrubs, or plant beds with low-volume irrigation, commonly known as drip irrigation. Many plant beds do not require the spray heads traditionally used to water turf areas. Drip irrigation can be more efficient, due to slow and direct water application to the plant root zones, which minimizes evaporation and runoff.

Landscape Design Considerations
Landscape design and plant selection options are available that can reduce irrigation needs.

• Redesign your landscape to require less water. Convert from high-water-use lawns, shrubs, and trees to water-efficient landscapes, which incorporate attractive plants and require less water.
• Consider using only local plants and grasses. These plants are well adapted to your region's climate and moisture levels and should require less intensive care and watering. Contact a landscape profession or your local Agricultural Extension office for suggestions.
  

Further Reading and Resources
See the Irrigation Association’s Turf and Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices for a detailed discussion of implementing and managing an efficient irrigation system.

Raffle of two Golf Passes

Thanks to Sherry of SherryDebtFree.com I am able to raffle off two free rounds of golf at Renwood Golf Course. So email me with the some about golf in the subject line and on Monday I will draw the winner. You must be a resident of Round Lake however!

I was sitting next to Sherry at yesterday's Round Lake Chamber meeting by the way when she won the tickets to play, and offered to raffle them off here, when she said she did not play golf.

Me and a Friend

Always nice to see a United States Senator!

On the Road: Fighting Those High Fuel Prices

With the average cost of gasoline and diesel fuel at over $4 per gallon, businesses and their employees need to conserve energy. Higher gas prices have affected everyone—from fleet managers for large companies, to truckers delivering goods, to employees driving to work. If you can't afford alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles, you can still significantly improve vehicle fuel economy (easily up to 40%) with a few generally low-cost techniques. Here are some ideas for both your organization and your employees, some of which may surprise you.

Drive More Efficiently

Drive Sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, and rapidly accelerating or braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money. Fuel Economy Benefit: 5%–33%.

Observe the Speed Limit. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.30 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer. Fuel Economy Benefit: 7%–23%.

Remove Excess Weight. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight, and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. Fuel Economy Benefit: 1%-2% per 100 lbs.

Avoid Excessive Idling. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than cars with smaller engines.

Use Cruise Control. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

Use Overdrive Gears. When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Keep Vehicles in Shape

Keep Vehicle Engines Properly Tuned. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%. Fuel Economy Benefit: 4%.

Check and Replace Air Filters Regularly. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10%. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine. Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 10%.

Keep Tires Properly Inflated. You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4% for every 1 psi drop in the pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 3%.

Organizational Issues

Commuting

• Allow flex-time when possible. Employees who can stagger their hours can spend less time sitting in traffic and idling during peak rush hour periods. Offer telecommuting (working from home) when it makes sense.
• Encourage carpooling or ride-sharing programs. These can help employees cut fuel usage by up to 50%. Public transportation, if available, is another good fuel saving option. Encourage participation by offering incentives or rewards.

Traveling. Avoid traveling by car or plane to meetings or training sessions whenever possible. Much of this type of work can be accomplished through conference calls, web conferencing, or other alternatives. While these technologies can't totally replace face-to-face contact, they can help cut significantly on fuel costs.

Fleet Management. Many commercial fleets are oversized for the jobs that they need to perform. Fleet managers should review their vehicle mix. Often, a mix of lighter vans and mid-sized vehicles can do the work now being done by bigger, less efficient trucks. Fleet managers should also take a look at pick-up and delivery schedules to look for opportunities to combine loads or otherwise save fuel.

Drive Only Fuel Efficient Vehicles. For company cars, personal vehicles, and rentals, look for only the most fuel efficient vehicles available. An excellent resource is the U.S. EPA Web site, FuelEconomy.gov, which includes side-by-side comparison of the fuel efficiency of different vehicles from current and past model years, as well as information on hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.

Ten Energy Saving Ideas (That You Might Not Have Thought About)

Thanks to NICOR for the article: With rising energy costs and increasing environmental concerns, there is no shortage of information telling facility managers how they can become more energy efficient. Strategies such as heating and cooling system maintenance and energy efficient lighting, while important, often receive a little too much attention. Reinforcement is a good thing, but can often lead to redundancy. There are many energy saving strategies that often go unnoticed that can lead to significant improvements in efficiency. Below are ten ideas that you might not have thought about. While many of them may require some upfront investment in time and money, they can have a significant long-term impact on your energy costs.

To lower cooling costs, install a reflective coating on the roof. White or reflective roofing reflects heat and helps keep buildings cool. This can lead to significant energy savings, depending on climate, the number of stories, and the ratio of the roof area to the overall building envelope area. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label or Cool Roof Rating Council on roofing products.

Reduce solar heat gain. Install shades and awnings in the south- and west-facing windows. Add reflective solar films to windows. This can significantly cut down on cooling needs and will have the added benefit of reducing ultraviolet radiation. Instruct staff to close shades or other window treatments during summer months to reduce heat gain. See "Be Selective When Blocking Solar Heat Gain."

Use variable frequency drives on air-handling units. Building areas such as offices and administrative areas often have little or no occupancy during evening hours and on weekends. A variable frequency drive (VFD) can be used to reduce airflow (and the kilowatt hours needed to drive the air) by up to 80%. This can result in significant energy savings for up to 12 hours a day during the week and 48 hours over the weekend. See "Fresh Ideas for Improving Ventilations System Efficiency."

Install skylights. Skylights equipped with photo sensors and lighting controls can cut energy use in commercial buildings by reducing the use of electric lighting whenever sufficient daylight is present. In one example, a grocery store used skylights and photocells to reduce lighting energy use by 30% during a monitored two-week period. See "Using Skylights to Save Energy."

Design your landscape for energy efficiency. A well-designed landscape can reduce cooling costs by 15% to 50% and heating bills by 25% to 40%, according to U.S. EPA statistics. For example, evergreen trees located on the west and northwest sides of a property relieve air conditioning costs by blocking the powerful rays of the setting summer sun and reduce heating costs by protecting the building from harsh winds in the colder months. Likewise, deciduous trees on the east and south sides of a property provide cool shade in the summer, but warm sunlight is able to penetrate the trees’ branches when they drop their leaves in the winter. See "Landscape Irrigation: Water Conservation Strategies."

Install an energy recovery ventilation system. Energy recovery ventilation systems provide a controlled way of ventilating a building while minimizing energy loss. They reduce the costs of heating ventilated air in the winter by transferring heat from the warm inside air that is being exhausted, to the fresh (but cold) supply air. In the summer, the inside air cools the warmer supply air to reduce ventilation cooling costs. Most energy recovery ventilation systems can recover about 70%–80% of the energy in the exiting air and deliver that energy to the incoming air. They are most cost effective, however, in climates with extreme winters or summers and where fuel costs are high. See "Energy Recovery in Commercial and Institutional Buildings."

Network printers. Many office buildings are loaded with multiple printers that consume a surprising amount of energy. According to U.S. Department of Energy estimates, the average printer uses nearly 400 kWh of energy per year, or about $40 in annual energy costs. A building with a printer in each office could we wasting hundreds of dollars. Since printers use energy even when they are not printing, sharing printers among multiple employees is a great way to save energy, cut down on equipment costs, and discourage paper waste. See "Energy Saving Strategies for Office Equipment."

Install air curtains in open or frequently opened doorways. Air curtains save energy by keeping temperatures controlled inside, while keeping the heat or cold on the outside from coming in. Air curtains also prevent insects, dust, and odors from penetrating the building. They are typically available in a number of sizes and strengths. Traditionally used in large warehouses, air curtains can also be used in coolers and freezers, delivery doors, store entrances, drive-up windows, and many more applications. See "Justifying Air Doors/Air Curtains."

Install LED exit signs. Facilities managers seeking ways to cut down on energy costs often overlook exit signs. Exit lighting is required by law in most commercial and institutional buildings and must operate continuously. Significant savings can be achieved by using energy efficient lighting technology, such as light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. LED is rapidly becoming the standard in exit lighting due to its high energy efficiency and long life (20 to 50 years). It has the highest initial cost, but requires little maintenance. Overall, LED lamps can save nearly 90% in total operating costs compared to traditional incandescent lighting. See "Energy Efficient Exit Lighting."

Utilize laundry equipment controls. Many commercial and institutional facilities, such as lodging, hospitals, and restaurants, have laundry rooms. Laundry rooms must be air conditioned to ensure worker comfort and safety. Laundry room equipment, such as steam tables, however, generates heat that can dramatically increase cooling loads. Consider installing an electrical actuated steam valve and mechanical timer on your steam table. This will ensure that the equipment operates only when in use, and will help to lower air conditioning costs. See "Laundry Operations: Reducing Your Energy Load."

Only 10 days until the Relay For Life of Grayslake/Round Lake Area!

Below are some important details and remember to Fight Back by donating to our Round Lake Village People team by doing any one or more of the following. You can join us from 6pm until 6am on the night of 26th of July at the Esper A. Petersen Family Foundation Aquatic Center in Grayslake.

PURCHASING LUMINARIA For many people who attend Relay For Life®, one of the most moving parts of the event is the Ceremony of Hope. As the light dims over campsites and team members complete laps, the night is brightened by the glow of lighted bags called luminaria, each of which has a special meaning.

Some luminaria celebrate the survivorship of people who have battled cancer and lived to tell the tale. Many commemorate the lives of those who have been lost to this disease. All represent a person who has been profoundly affected by cancer and the family and friends who continue to be touched by that experience. have been touched by this disease. By going on www.relayforlife.org.

You can honor a cancer survivor by placing their name under “In Honor of," or you can remember someone who was lost to cancer by placing the name under “In Memory of.” Each individual’s name will appear on a luminaria and each will be lit at the ceremony to shine as a beacon of hope for others. You also have the option to send an e-card to inform family members and friends of your special gift.

SURVIVORS We are looking forward to celebrating our special cancer survivors! There will be a beautiful Cancer Survivor Reception for all cancer survivors at 4pm on July 26th! Please register online at www.relayforlifegrayslake.com and attend the reception and participate in the first lap at 6pm! Each survivor that comes to Relay will be given a goody bag.

JOIN US FOR OUR TEAM THEME & LAP Teams will be given special recognition this year during the "Team Lap" (following Survivor & Caregiver laps)!! Each team will submit a "team song" that will be played as they are announced during the team lap at Relay! The Round Lake Village People have chosen a Hawaiian Theme for our team so come on out and join us for the Theme Lap and "Team Song".

ONSITE FUNDRAISING Many teams do onsite fundraisers at Relay. This year our team has been fortunate enough to partner with Bill Price from Maggie Moo's Ice Cream in Mundelein as our onsite Fundraising. Bill will be part of our team and will be onsite with us selling his wonderful ice cream and donating 20% of his sales to our Round Lake Village People! We gladly invite you to come and partake of some of his amazing ice cream and remember that 20% of your sale will donated to our team.

SILENT AUCTION We will also be participating in the onsite Silent Auction again at Relay this year. We will be donating a basket/item for the Silent Auction, the money bid on that item will be credited to our team fundraising! You can join us at any time after 6:00PM for the bidding

Great idea and great site

In my eternal quest to bring blogging goodness to the area an beyond I bring you this website. Its got some interesting tools on it.

Drive less. live more. promotes healthier and happier communities by offering tools to explore more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly travel options. We explore real solutions that will fit your lifestyle and your needs. Through three key activities, THINK, MOVE, and PLAY, we can work together to help diminish air congestion, improve daily commutes, and provide a better tomorrow.

Save Abandoned Babies

The village was honored by the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation for being one of the first 100 communities in the state to be in compliance with the recently passed state law where an unwanted infant can be relinquished to personnel at any fire station, police station, or hospital with no questions asked.

Since this bill originally passed (in 2001) there have been 44 safe and legal relinquishments and during that same there have been 49 unsafe abandonments with 24 of those babies found dead. Clearly there is a need for more awareness.

Raising Money for a Good Cause

A Bright Meadows Resident named Maureen Girimonte better known as Mo is doing this and she asked me to pass this along for her. I wrote about this awhile ago here.

As some of you may know, I am riding in Tour DaVita which is Sept 14-18, 2008. Tour DaVita is a minimum 240 mile ride kidney awareness fundraising ride. The goal is to raise kidney awareness and raise funds for The Kidney TRUST. In order to do the ride, each rider must raise $1000 by August 1st.

This year the ride takes place through Wisconsin. We begin in London, WI just outside Madison, WI and end the ride past Sturgeon Bay, WI which is NE of Green Bay, WI. Each night we camp which significantly keeps the costs per rider down since the tents are all donated for this ride as are the bikes. During the day, we ride 60-80 miles each day. The ride may be stated as 240 miles, but that is the minimum depending on if routes are changed at the last minute.

So far, I have been able to raise $250. I have received a lot of verbal donations but now is the time to start sending the money so that I can make the Aug 1st deadline. My overall goal is to raise $2500. My theory is this is the biggest athletic event I have done since my car accident. What better way to get back into my previous lifestyle then to do something like this? Not only am I able to prove to myself that I can do the things I loved before but can also help raise awareness to the public on the serious nature of kidney disease.

I have started a personal blog in the spirit of this ride. Pop in ever now and then if you wish. In it are direct links to my fundraising page and the website for Tour DaVita which gives more detailed facts. I am also including all these links at the bottom of this email.

Please donate what you can, even if it is $5-$10, it will make a difference. Of course, forward this to everyone you know too. The overall goal is to increase kidney awareness which is best by word of mouth, or in this case, email.

From Todays Daily Herald

Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes says he was "a little depressed" a couple of months ago when Advocate Health Care dropped plans to build a hospital on the southwest corner of Route 120 and Wilson Road.

Gentes' mood is much better now, because village trustees Monday night approved entering a contract to sell the village-owned 57 acres to a developer that wants to bring a retail project - possibly including a supermarket - to the busy intersection.

Rosemont-based NBG Land Partners struck the deal with the village, which bought the parcel for $5.5 million in 2006. Under the contract, Gentes said, NBG has 130 days to obtain retail commitments for the site.

If the plans pan out with a supermarket, it would be the first in Round Lake. Residents typically travel to Fox Lake or Round Lake Beach for their groceries.

"That's one of the things we've been struggling with for years, to bring a grocery store here," Gentes said Tuesday.

NBG managing member Marc Neuerman said it's too soon to provide details, but a major grocery is among the retail anchors under consideration for the site.

Despite a jittery economy and a so-called housing slump, Neuerman said residential growth is expected to continue in western Lake County within a five-mile radius of Wilson Road and Route 120.

"The residential business was way too hot for a number of years, and now it's way too cold," Neuerman said.

Oak Brook-based Advocate Health Care had planned a $251 million hospital for the village-owned land. However, Advocate scrapped the idea in late May after announcing plans to merge with Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

"I was a little depressed when Advocate walked away," Gentes said, adding there has been much interest in the site surfaced after the hospital proposal fizzled. He said the area is desirable for a retail project because of its proximity to subdivisions, such as Valley Lakes, and a Baxter International Inc. facility.

NBG isn't a stranger to Round Lake. In November, the advisory Round Lake plan commission/zoning board of appeals rejected the firm's plan to build 259 townhouses near Fairfield Road and Route 60.

SWALCO Household Electronic Collection Drop Off is Today!

All of us have accumulated stuff! Some of us more then others, and in todays gadget rich society we have many things we may not want or use anymore.

So the Round Lake Public Works Department is hosting a Household Electronic Collection at the Public Works Facility from 8am to 5pm. The Public Work's facility is at the corner of Bacon and Townline Road. What follows is a list of things that we are accepting.

Adding Machines, Main Frames, Answering Machines, Mice (Computers), Blenders, Microwaves, Calculator,s Modems, Cameras (film, magnetic tape, digital), Monitors, CB’s/Two-way Radios Pagers, CD ROM/Zip/Tape Drives Palm Organizers/Hand Held Games, Cell Phones, Paper Shredders, Coffeemakers, Portable Radio/CD Players, Copy Machines, Postage Machines, Cordless Telephones, Power Tools Cords and Cables (power, USB, etc.), Printers (laser, ink jet), Curling Irons, Radio Controlled Toys, Desk Top PC’s (CPU), Radios/Stereo Systems, Electric Razors, Scales, Electric Tooth Brushes, Scanners, Electric Toy Slot Cars, Sewing Machines, Electric Toy Trains, Speakers, Fans, Telephones, Fax Machines, Toasters, Hair Dryers, TV’s, Hard Drives, Typewriters/Word Processors, Humidifiers/Vaporizers, UPS Battery Backups, Irons, Vacuums, Joysticks/Game Controls VCR, DVD, Laser Disc Players, Keyboards, Video Game Players, Lap Top PC’s, Waffle Irons, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Round Lake is a member of SWALCO (the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) and we plan on having more of these programs in the future.

Round Lake History

A story from Round Lake's past!

The 400 residents of Round Lake in Lake County last evening were celebrating the feat of an elderly bank cashier and several citizens who yesterday balked a holdup of the First State Bank in the Village and shot and captured one of the robbers. The celebration took the form of a search for a companion of the captured bandit who fled on foot while two others got away in an automobile. Even woman and children joined in the hunt. It seemed a perfect setup for a small town bank robbery when two shabbily clothed men entered the bank with their hands in their pockets at 9:35am.

Edwin C. Webber, the 60 year old cashier, was in the cage, and Miss Vilah Hart, bookkeeper, daughter of the bank president, John Hart., was in a rear office. They were alone and there was some $10,000 in cash on hand. One of the strangers asked Webber where they could get jobs. He told them he didn’t know and the man suddenly said: “This is a stick-up.” Webber mentally thanked the foresight of the bank officials in providing bullet-proof glass on the cages, tear-gas guns, a revolver and an alarm system. Then, he answered, tartly, “The hell it is, “and reached for the revolver.

Both bandits fired, but the glass and steel framework of the cages stopped their bullets. Webber stepped on a button, causing the alarm to sound in the street and in the shops of merchants who form the town’s volunteer guards. He pushed his revolver through a porthole and fired two shots as the bewildered robbers fled from the bank. The driver of the bandit car and a fourth man sped away to save themselves.

The two running from the bank fled in different directions. One of them, gun in hand, almost bumped into Michael Luby, a Village employee who was raking a garden plot across the street. “I had been reading about John Dillinger,” Luby related afterward. “I thought it must be one of that gang, so I lifted my rake and whacked him over the head with it as he passed.”

A Muppet 4th

Metra Ridership Surges - Especially in Lake County

The continual increase in the price of gasoline is sparking a surge in ridership of mass transit. Overall, ridership on Metra was up by more than a million passengers, or about 5 percent, through the first four months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, Metra said.

For Lake County train lines, the increase is even greater. The sale of monthly passes on the Milwaukee District North line (the line running between Fox Lake and Chicago) was up by 8.5 percent in April from a year ago.

The North Central line, between Antioch and Chicago, rose 7.5 percent during the same time period. During 2007, North Central ridership rose by an amazing 14%, according to Metra's newsletter, On the Bi-Level.

(Article from the the Chicago Tribune)

Round Lake Is Celebrating 100 Years

Join the Village of Round Lake as we celebrate it’s Centennial to honor our past, present and future all year long!

In the 1890s, when officials of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad extended a branch line from their Milwaukee–Chicago main line at Libertyville Junction (later Roundout) to Janesville, Wisconsin, western Lake County farmers gained easy access to Chicago, landowners near Hainesville such as Amarias M. White knew that a railroad station would increase property values.

In a classic ploy, White offered the railroad free land in exchange for a station. He also drew up a town plat to show railroad officials that profitable traffic would come through his station site. White succeeded, and Round Lake, named after the nearby lake, not Hainesville, whose inhabitants failed to offer the railroad anything, became the area station on the “Milwaukee Road.”

White's promise came true in 1901 when the Armour Company decided to harvest ice from Round Lake for their refrigerator car operations. They erected a massive ice storage building holding over 100,000 tons for shipment in spring and summer months. In 1908 White and his partners acted to incorporate the station area. The proposed village population was too small to meet incorporation requirements, so area farmers were included in the village with the understanding that, once incorporation was successful, their farms would be disconnected. On January 7, 1909, Round Lake incorporated with White as village president. Soon after, those farmers who wished to disconnect were allowed to do so—an act which prevented present-day residents of the village from having any public access to their namesake lake.

A fire in 1917 destroyed the Armour operation in the village, although a dormitory housing winter ice cutters survived. Noticing vacation resorts which had sprung up around the lake, the Armour Company remodeled its dormitory into a rural summer retreat for company employees. The praise showered on the Round Lake environment by them helped bring a slow trickle of nonagricultural residential growth to the village. With post–World War II expansion into the suburbs, Round Lake's Armour-era reputation as a rural refuge acted as a magnet for development. People began moving into the unincorporated area around the lake and demanding municipal services. The village of Round Lake failed to make those annexations. As a result new communities, using the words “Round Lake” in their corporate titles, arose. This resulted in a duplication of political hierarchies and village services which still exists. Since the 1970s, Round Lake has embarked on an expansive annexation program. With ongoing development of those areas, Round Lake is expected to continue to grow.

• Current Round Lake Information
• Photos of Round Lake, Past and Present
• Historical Facts and Stories of Round Lake
• Questions for Centennial Committee

Number 3 with a Bullet!

The folks at the Lake County Motorist Blog have named the village's website the 3rd best in Lake County for commuters! You can reach our website here. I am consistently amazed at Lake County Motorist and his blog, so in honor of his ranking I would say that his blog is number #2 in terms of blogs that cover transportation! No prizes for guessing which one is number one! But you can give me guesses as to why I used this picture! Comments are the place to guess!