Talk of the County

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Updated: March 18, 2012 1:47AM

Libertyville casino

A Libertyville casino? I don’t really know why some Libertyville trustees are speechless. Libertyville has the right to a casino like any other town. The location is good and the people of Libertyville can benefit from a casino if a potential $75 million is on the table. Security is an issue, but I think they can handle that.

Sport salaries

Carlos Zambrano is slated to make $18 million next season throwing a baseball. Alex Smith, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, is also slated to earn a $1 million bonus for playing in a playoff game after taking 70 percent of the snaps throughout the season. I wonder if the anti-Wall Streeters and the 99 vs 1 percenters are out there protesting sport personalities. I wonder why we don’t hear more complaints about people in entertainment making multimillions of dollars.

Hometown heroes

Congratulations, Brandon Paul, you are Gurnee’s true hometown hero. I just wish Waukegan’s hometown hero could be doing us just as good as you’re doing.

$35,000 a plate

Obama says he is for the poor. However, how many dinners can people get for $35,000. Obama charged that much a plate for his fund-raiser in Chicago. That is what most people earn in one year. He’s not after the 99 percent of people that are hurting in this country. He’s after and working for the 1 percent.

Street plowing

Vernon Hills Public Works needs to take a handful of lessons from Waukegan Public Works and learn how to plow your streets. I have never driven through such a town that has been in such disarray after it snowed. It’s horrendous.

Just the facts

Regarding Jereme Richmond. We don’t need his picture in the paper every time something comes up. It seems the paper feels he is not guilty and is using his picture for sympathy. Forget the picture and just print the facts like you do with everyone else.

Permission to search

Regarding the article about Jereme Richmond. It states that the officer admitted that he had not received permission to open the vehicle. Why would they need permission when he knew there’s a gun involved? Mr. Richmond had beat up his girlfriend and did not respond to what the officer asked. I’m wondering since when does an officer have to ask permission to open a vehicle? If that’s the case, then I will not allow any officer to open my vehicle if you’re saying that he had to have permission. I think circumstances have to be taken into consideration. The officer was concerned about safety, whether it be his own or those involved.

Romney haters

Now Republicans hate Mitt Romney more than they hate President Obama. Inquiring minds want to know.

Political campaign

The Neighborhood Watch meeting in Waukegan was just a ploy to get the community to come out to a political meeting. There was literature on the chairs and one board member was complaining that nobody told her about the meeting. This carjacking has gotten out of proportion and has turned into a political campaign for the people wanting to be re-elected. There’s no reason why there were so many elected officials at a simple community meeting regarding a neighborhood watch.

Assessor Samaritan

The seniors that had lunch at the N & T’s Restaurant in Zion on Dec. 28 would like to thank Larry Wicketts, the tax assessor of Zion, for picking up the tab for all of us. It was greatly appreciated.

Public housing

Public housing is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Public housing has never worked and it’s set up where the poor can get everything for free. You can’t give people stuff. You need to make them work for a living where they feel like they’ve accomplished something. Get out and work and quit giving these freebies away. You Democrats think that you’re doing a good thing, but it’s not working. Never has and never will.

Expungement box

This is to all the politicians running for state, federal and local governments. When are you all going to get a law that gets rid of the box where it says have you ever been convicted of a crime. There’s no such thing as expungement and that box keeps people from getting interviews and jobs. When are you going to allow people to change their lives? Massachusetts has that law available and we need to have it here in Illinois. It would lessen the gangs, drug trafficking and everything else. We need to get rid of the box.

Lake Marie preserve

In regard to the 227 acres of new forest preserve property that they’re buying by Lake Marie. If there’s no tax increase, then where did they get the money to buy it? The only one that’s benefiting from this is the property owner that’s going to get $33,000 an acre. Where in the good Lord’s name is any property in Lake County worth $33,000 an acre? I think this is ridiculous, uncalled for and should be stopped.

The short end

If it wasn’t for the unions this country couldn’t have the benefits and the level of living that we have. Regarding the Zion teachers wanting a raise, but what about all the lawmakers that vote themselves raises? That’s legal extortion. Don’t give me this garbage about the teachers wanting to be able to take their kids to the hospital if they get hurt or wanting benefits. If the teachers contract is so good and their benefits are so great, then why don’t all the lawmakers, governors and superintendents of the schools have the same contract and the same pay? Do you know why? It’s because the teachers are getting the short end of the stick.

Townships claws

You’ll never be able to get rid of townships because those people will fight, scratch and claw for their jobs.

Wisconsin money

I see that the North Shore Sanitary District is giving another $3 million to a Wisconsin firm. The only person that agreed to get an Illinois firm was Dan Pierce, the president. What’s going on with the other trustees? Why do they put their trust in Wisconsin firms? That’s our tax dollars. I’m glad elections are coming up so we can get some of these trustees out of there.

Super salaries

Do yourself a favor as a taxpayer and look at how much money your local school superintendent is making. I can assure you that you will literally be appalled. It is truly almost that of a sin when they are literally making very well into the six-figure range. I have no problem paying my share of taxes for the school system, however I do have a problem when a majority of my hard- earned money is going to line the pockets of these individuals. At a minimum, their salaries should be cut in half.

FOID cars

In response to the article “On hold.” This person is requesting information about renewing his FOID card. You don’t have to call the state police, you can go to any gun shop. As far as I know, everyone one of them have the applications and the information for FOID cards. If you’re an area resident of Waukegan or the northeast shore, go to the Outdoorsman up in Winthrop Harbor and they can take your picture and process all the paperwork there for a small fee. The whole thing is done for you and it’s mailed to your home.

He’s not?

The snow is pretty but try explaining to your grandchildren that Santa Claus is not coming back.

King Barack

President Obama has asked for more power from Congress to “streamline our government.” When President Bush asked for more power for the president or tried to assume more power, the left cried foul and labeled him King George. Where’s the outcry over President Obama’s grab for power which has been ongoing since his election? Since the media treats him like royalty, then they might as well call him King Barack.

Enemy corpses

If being shocked and outraged by the Marines urinating on the corpses of our enemies makes me an Obama Democrat, I am proud of the recognition. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Devoted to community

Shame, on the person who criticized Larry’s Donut Shop in Antioch for closing his doors at the end of the year. That person has no idea the pain and suffering and the amounts of dollars that Larry has devoted to that store and to the community. He has been a true member of the Antioch community and for somebody to criticize him when he loses his business due to the economy and he can’t make things work with Dunkin’ Donuts is just shameful. That person should be embarrassed. Thank you, Larry, you are still appreciated and we all think of you as still Larry.

Township’s King program

I’d like to thank Waukegan Township for doing such a great job at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.

Lawful participation

In reference to “They’re not going away.” Evidentially these people don’t know that the state is already involved with a full investigation and a lawsuit against the city of North Chicago in reference to the same thing. But it seems as though people want to have justice before there’s any legal action. Come on down to the council meetings, but just participate lawfully.