Lake and McHenry County Scanner A family was displaced after their house became fully engulfed in flames and damaged a second house in Mundelein early Thursday morning The Mundelein Fire Department and Mundelein Police Department responded around 4:37 a.m Thursday to the 100 block of South Seymour Avenue in Mundelein for a report of a structure fire Mundelein Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Lockwood said it was reported that the house was fully involved in flames Fire crews arrived at the scene in six minutes and found heavy fire coming from two sides of the home through multiple windows and the front door The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level for additional fire departments to respond The occupants of the residence had evacuated prior to the fire department arriving on the scene Firefighters pulled a hose line to the front of the home and initiated an attack on the main body of fire while other firefighters connected to a nearby fire hydrant Lockwood said the second arriving crew operated a master stream to help control the main body of fire in a transitional attack before crews entered the house to check for extension of the fire There was significant fire extension into the attic space of the house The fire was reported under control at 5:24 a.m. The family who lived at the residence was displaced as the home was deemed uninhabitable The fire also damaged the vinyl siding of a home next door The fire did not extend to that house and it remains habitable The family lost all of their belongings and neighbors are collecting clothing and other items for them Lockwood said the Lake County Fire Investigators Task Force responded to conduct an investigation into the cause A damage estimate was not immediately available The fire was fought by 32 firefighters staffing six fire engines The Mundelein Fire Department was assisted by the Arlington Heights The fire department said they remind residents of the importance of having functioning smoke detectors to provide early warning of a fire No part of this website may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission from Lake and McHenry County Scanner To keep you informed about the latest news across Lake and McHenry counties as it happens Despite objections from the potential beneficiaries and many residents, the Mundelein village board approved a tentative plan Monday for how much the company behind the proposed Ivanhoe Village development should pay the schools and library that will be used by its eventual residents The Blackhawks-owning Wirtz family and its Wirtz Realty Corporation wants to construct more than 3,100 houses townhouses and apartments — as well as retail light industrial and buildings — on the 773-acre ancestral property near Route 60 and Peterson Road businesses and necessary infrastructure would be constructed in phases over 25 years Build-out could cost Wirtz Realty $2 billion Fremont School District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120 will receive payments from Wirtz Realty based on the type of homes constructed and the number of bedrooms they contain payments will be delivered when homes are ready for occupancy the Fremont Public Library District is set to receive $300 per residential unit constructed The arrangement is expected to generate about $6.6 million for District 79 $4.3 million for District 120 and $947,000 for the library The payment schedule won’t become final until a broader development agreement is approved District 79 and District 120 representatives have said the proposed payments are significantly lower than the funds needed to accommodate the enrollment boom Ivanhoe Village is expected to create District 79 officials want $90 million from Wirtz Realty and District 120 officials want $22 million The disagreement has pitted the schools against Wirtz Realty and Mundelein officials The plan progressed even as state lawmakers drafted legislation designed to mandate impact fees from real-estate developers across Illinois. The state House approved the legislation last week; the Senate has not yet debated the plan More than a dozen Mundelein-area residents spoke against the village’s agreement with Wirtz Realty before Monday’s vote the Mundelein park district’s director of recreation and facilities services who criticized the planned lack of funds for his agency and alleged it was unfairly cut out of negotiations Ivanhoe Village residents surely will enjoy park district programs and facilities even though the development will have its own parks District 120 Superintendent Kevin Myers and District 79 Superintendent Trisha Kocanda renewed their objection to the deal owner of the Mundelein Crossings shopping center southeast of the Wirtz land — spoke in favor of the plan The new homes and their residents will benefit the businesses in his center The board approved the plan with a 5-1 vote Trustee Kara Lambert was the lone dissenter Audience members booed the “yes” votes and cheered when Lambert said “no.” the village board unanimously approved calculations for impact fees for future real estate developments terms previously had been negotiated case by case A mixed-use development will soon transform a 740-acre site in Mundelein into Illinois’ first Urbanistic Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) aims to blend urban design principles with a sprawling environmentally conscious community that integrates residential Currently a farm and open land owned by the Wirtz family the site at 6000 W IL Route 60 will be annexed into the Village of Mundelein to accommodate the large-scale development with construction efforts broken into several phases to ensure meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure development Ivanhoe Village will feature wide parkways and a mix of architectural styles designed to create a visually cohesive and functional neighborhood the development will offer 221,500 square feet of retail space 300,000 square feet of medical and office space and 1.33 million square feet of industrial space A core principle of the Ivanhoe Village development is environmental sustainability The project will integrate green infrastructure to support ecological balance and water management Plans include bioswales to manage stormwater runoff a community farm to promote sustainable food practices and parks and wetland preserves to protect natural habitats The development will also feature hiking trails and other recreational facilities to promote an active lifestyle for all ages and website in this browser for the next time I comment For advertising information and rates, you can call (888) 627-8717 ext 212 or request information through the “Advertising and sponsorships“ link A company that last year proposed opening a cannabis dispensary in Mundelein has selected a different site within town for the operation Chicago-based Terrabis now wants to open a store in the former Bank of America at 3210 W in the Mundelein Crossings center on the village’s northwest side The company initially proposed taking over a former Rosati’s Pizza shop in the same shopping center Terrabis cofounder Nick Liaromatis presented the company’s revised concept during Monday night’s village board meeting “We remain excited about Mundelein,” Liaromatis said The roughly 4,620-square-foot former bank building is close to Route 60 on the western side of the Mundelein Crossings complex a feature Illinois cannabis dispensaries must have for product security Conversion into a dispensary will be “relatively easy” and won’t require facade changes other than cosmetic ones Terrabis operates eight dispensaries in Illinois and Missouri with the nearest being in Woodstock and Plainfield The company will not ask the village for any financial assistance The village board has issued only one dispensary permit since cannabis sales were legalized in Illinois The board took no formal action on the Terrabis proposal Monday night When Mayor Steve Lentz asked trustees how they felt about the plan Juarez opposed the original Terrabis proposal last November expressing concern about the site’s proximity to the Sheldon Woods neighborhood across Route 60 A man has been charged with drug-induced homicide after prosecutors say a son found his mother dead in her home from a fentanyl drug overdose in Mundelein The Mundelein Fire Department and Mundelein Police Department responded around 11 a.m on November 16 to an apartment in the 500 block of North Seymour Avenue for a death investigation Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said a 911 caller reported an unresponsive female following a possible drug overdose Paramedics were already on the scene when officers arrived and they pronounced Brenda Peleska Peleska’s teenage son told officers he found his mother lying on the floor and immediately called 911 The teen had last seen his mother the day prior Officers found drugs and drug paraphernalia next to Peleska Investigators sent everything to the crime lab for analysis and also spoke to Peleska’s mother She told officers she lived with Peleska and her daughter was sleeping on the couch when she left for work A review of Peleska’s phone showed she met up with David M Detectives interviewed Koza and he admitted to delivering fentanyl to Peleska on November 15 He said Peleska knew what it was and that it made her sleep McConnell said Peleska paid Koza $300 in cash for the drugs Koza said he purchased the drugs from the same person that Koza’s ex-boyfriend Peleska began purchasing her drugs from Koza at least a year leading up to her death The coroner’s office ruled her death the result of fentanyl Koza was charged last month with one count of drug-induced homicide The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Koza pending trial argued for her client’s release during a detention hearing Cole said Koza has a minimal criminal history and is a self-employed plumber who began experiencing serious pain due to the nature of his job and required surgeries which led to an addiction to fentanyl to control the pain Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition to detain following the hearing “This is unfortunately an all too familiar story that the court has heard over and over and over,” Nerheim said “It’s not like you woke up one day and decided to go become addicted to fentanyl.” The judge said that he believes Koza poses a danger to the community and no conditions of release could mitigate the threat Koza remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on March 12 for a preliminary hearing The proposed Ivanhoe Village megaproject in Mundelein will change the local landscape and have substantial ripple effects for the surrounding community including a predicted influx of at least 1,000 students to local school districts and to what degree developer Wirtz Realty Corporation should pay for them remains uncertain Not everyone is pleased with the village of Mundelein’s first official actions on the proposal since the Wirtz property was annexed in late 2022 At issue is how much money will be generated for school-related expenses through village-imposed impact fees and whether the developers should contribute more Talks between Wirtz and Fremont Elementary District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120 are at an impasse with both sides blaming the other for the stalemate The village and school districts also are at odds as to how the breakdown in talks happened 24 in front of Mundelein’s village board and has percolated since I wish there was more unity,” Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz said after officials and supporters of districts 79 and 120 addressed the village board Ivanhoe Village will encompass 772 acres owned by generations of the Wirtz family on Mundelein’s northwest side the plan envisions 3,200 housing units of various types light industrial buildings and other elements “It’s crucial that we engage our community now and take time to get the development plan right,” District 120 school board President Peter Rastrelli said Most new grade school students from the development would attend three District 79 schools already near capacity Developers should offset a “reasonable portion” of an estimated $150 million in predicted “enrollment growth projects” so taxpayers don’t bear the brunt Mundelein does not have an impact fee ordinance But it’s expected to enact one at Monday’s village board meeting the board will consider a “term sheet” that outlines the amount of impact fees from the Wirtz development for school The village says it can’t require one-time impact fees to cover school construction costs or operational expenses Negotiating that is up to the developer and schools “State law and (legal) precedent are pretty clear,” he added Districts will reap millions in property taxes from Ivanhoe Village to cover additional costs such as teacher salaries and bond payments to build facilities But school officials say rules governing impact fees give the village flexibility in determining whether a developer is making a good-faith attempt to negotiate Goldsmith sent a letter to the school districts stating his client declines to engage in further negotiations due to their “complete failure to act in good faith.” That prompted the districts to ask the village to hold pause the development process. In a letter to the community dated Feb. 21, district leaders also asked residents to attend and comment at village board meetings Lentz responded on Facebook and the village website It also sparked a public letter to Lentz from four local state legislators accusing the Wirtz Corporation of “disrespectful and unneighborly conduct,” adding it “inappropriately attacked threatened and insulted” school district leadership Lentz said the village respects the legislators’ opinions but added that the letter is biased in favor of the schools and he wishes the lawmakers had reached out for a full briefing they likely would not have written that letter,” he said he contended the districts refused to present a proposed impact package wouldn’t negotiate with developers when given a chance and instead embarked on a publicity campaign to embarrass the Wirtz family into paying more District 120 Superintendent Kevin Myers countered saying that Lentz showed a “complete disregard,” for taxpayers The first and only negotiation meeting with Wirtz “ended with handshakes an agreement to exchange updated information and a commitment to share financial proposals at the next meeting,” Myers said a Wirtz family attorney accused the district of acting in bad faith the developer remains confident Ivanhoe Village will be a “positive contributor” to schools and the community for generations to come according to a Wirtz Realty Corporation spokesperson Legislation introduced as promised by state lawmakers to untie the hands of Mundelein village officials allowing towns to impose fees to help schools cover costs of mega-developments has been approved in the Illinois House House Bill 22 is the response by four Lake County legislators to the proposed Ivanhoe Village development in Mundelein which has had Fremont Elementary District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120 at odds with Wirtz Realty Corporation Ivanhoe Village encompasses about 772 acres on the village’s northwest side on land owned for generations by the well-known Wirtz family calls for 3,200 units of various housing types light industrial buildings and other uses and elements School officials say District 79 and Wirtz are about $86 million apart on what developers should contribute to build a new school to accommodate an estimated 800 new K-8 students The bill passed Wednesday 113-0 and will be sent to the Senate for consideration “This legislation allows municipalities to impose impact fees to help cover the costs of constructing new school buildings when those costs are directly tied to specific developments,” reads a statement by state Sens Adriane Johnson of Buffalo Grove and Mary Edly-Allen of Libertyville and state Reps Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove and Laura Faver Dias of Grayslake Legislators became involved in late February after talks between Wirtz and the schools broke down and a public dispute erupted The legislators urged village leaders to act collaboratively and work with the schools and Wirtz to reopen talks Negotiations with developers are common but Mundelein does not have an impact fee ordinance Mayor Steve Lentz said the village’s hands are tied by state law and can’t require the Ivanhoe Village developer pay fees to cover school construction costs or operational expenses The village is considering enacting an impact fee ordinance for future development and a specific agreement with Wirtz but details have not surfaced and no official action has been taken School officials have been urging the village to delay any decisions and asked residents in updates to do the same so the legislation can advance the legislation allows for proper funding for school districts so programming isn’t negatively impacted by enrollment growth from Ivanhoe Village if the village and developers are willing to negotiate “It is our taxpayers who will benefit from this proposed legislation,” said District 79 Superintendent Trisha Kocanda Lentz chose not to seek reelection and mayor-elect Robin Meier has deferred to him until she officially is seated May 12 this is (a) much larger issue that would impact 1,200 plus municipalities across the state,” Lentz said Thursday “There is no way to know what this final legislation will look like or when it may possibly take effect,” he added Whether the village will take official action regarding impact fees or Wirtz before Lentz leaves offices is to be determined The agenda for Monday’s village board meeting won’t be finalized until late Friday afternoon A spokesperson for Wirtz declined to comment The third time was the charm for Mundelein mayoral aspirant Robin Meier Meier was ahead of fellow Trustee Tim Wilson for the center seat on the village hall dais Wilson said he called Meier late Tuesday night to concede who’s stepping down after three terms as mayor and one as a trustee Meier will be the village’s second female mayor Marilyn Sindles had the job from 1989 to 2005 Meier is a retiree who has served three stints on the village board Wilson is a regional sales manager who was elected to the village board in 2021 Meier said she thinks she stood out with voters because she addressed issues they care about such as the need to bring more businesses to town She said her experience on the board and reputation for responsiveness on social media probably were beneficial Whereas Wilson has been a solid ally of Lentz’s during their time on the village board Meier and Lentz have butted heads over some issues she opposed the water-and-sewer rate increase that was backed by Lentz and approved by most other trustees Meier also opposed the sales tax increase the board approved in 2024 Wilson said attracting new businesses should be a priority The candidates also were fairly aligned on the controversial Ivanhoe Village proposal along with commercial buildings and more to what is now the Wirtz family’s land near routes 60 and 83 The project has prompted complaints from officials with Fremont School District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120 who say it will lead to many more students and overwhelm services and facilities Meier called Ivanhoe Village “an interesting concept.” Wilson who’s on the committee negotiating details of the plan with the intended developers favorably compared the proposal to a similar project in Glenview and said it’ll be “a great addition to our community.” When Meier and Wilson got together for in-person and online forums they stuck to the issues rather than throwing ugly accusations at each other Acrimony was absent from their social media posts “I felt both candidates had mutual respect for each other and kept to the issues we each bring to the table,” Meier said Tuesday “I believe most of our supporters honored our desire to stay focused on the positive and to avoid mudslinging Wilson said he loves the community too much to go negative “I worked as hard as I could to get every vote I could,” Wilson said The race for the village board was uncontested with incumbent Daniel Juarez and newcomers Jennifer Grieco and Arnold Krinski the only candidates for three seats Village Clerk Karen Walsh ran unopposed for her post The ongoing dispute between Mundelein village leaders and area school officials over the impact of the proposed development of the Wirtz family’s land has its first political casualty Mundelein resident, artist and author Shawn Killackey resigned from the village’s historical commission this week publicly declaring he cannot be “part of a municipality that I don’t respect.” Killackey also serves on the Fremont School District 79 board which is one of the agencies that’s been feuding with village hall over the proposed Ivanhoe Village development Mundelein High School District 120 officials also have been distressed about the proposal which could result in a massive residential commercial and industrial development on the village's northwest side Killackey was a founding member of the historical commission which formed in 2019 to develop a long-term plan to preserve Mundelein’s history and make it available to the community He’s been a District 79 board member since 2017 Killackey announced his resignation during the public comment section of Monday’s village board meeting He said Mundelein officials have disappointed him regarding the Ivanhoe Village proposal and he accused village leaders and the developers of being selfish The resignation was effective immediately. Killackey’s name already has been removed from the list of commission members on the village website The audience at village hall applauded after Killackey concluded his remarks Other District 79 and District 120 officials and residents addressed the controversy next Mayor Steve Lentz said officials have slowed down progress on the project and are talking with the developer about an agreement that would include payments to the schools A video recording of Monday’s board meeting is available online at mundeleinil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/222/media A little more than a year after its much-celebrated opening & Scratch Kitchen will shut down this month Tonality, which operates in a renovated fire station at 169 N. Seymour Ave., will serve its last meals April 13 at the latest, owner Zach Gelfand said Monday night on the business’ Facebook page He tried to assure fans the announcement wasn’t an April Fools’ Day prank but we will do everything in our power to get people hired as soon as possible.” Gelfand gave no explanation for the pending closure Village Administrator Eric Guenther said he was “a bit surprised” by the announcement brick building to Gelfand and his company in 2022 it later served as a public works maintenance garage before being vacated in 2020 Mundelein purchased a former car wash just south of the site and quickly sold it to Tonality so it could create a parking lot there To encourage redevelopment of the former municipal building the village board voted to give Gelfand and his partners $180,000 in grants and tax rebates The development deal called for the village to give Tonality $50,000 from the local Business Incentive Grant program; a 50% sales-tax rebate of up to $65,000 over five years once the business began operating; and up to $65,000 from a village tax increment financing fund over five years The business’ opening repeatedly was delayed It eventually opened to customers in November 2023 after about $3.4 million in renovations Guenther said officials have reached out to the village’s attorney to clarify its options regarding the financial incentives Gelfand said the company is exploring selling the business and the building and please tip the staff generously if you can,” he wrote “This is going to be a rough time for everyone involved.” more than 300 people had responded to Gelfand’s Facebook post about the pending closure with comments praising the beer as well as good wishes for the Tonality team A private youth baseball training facility in Mundelein could relocate to the village’s northwest side and expand its amenities The Bolt now operates on the south side of town at 300 Townline Road Owner Jerry Fox wants to move the business about four miles to the 28000 block of North Route 83 The undeveloped property is north of Route 176 and just east of the Mundelein Commons shopping center anchored by Target and Home Depot Fox has a contract to buy the nearly 5-acre site on Route 83 The land is in unincorporated Fremont Township now The village board on Monday directed village staffers to draft documents needed to annex the property amend the village map and approve zoning variations Launched in Mundelein in 2021, The Bolt was designed for young athletes on the Lightning travel baseball and softball teams as well as a weightlifting room and other amenities Fox envisions a 42,000-square-foot facility on Route 83 indoor pickleball and tennis courts and a golf simulator would be available to the public with memberships “Pickleball — it’s hot,” said Trustee Tim Wilson who leads the village’s community and economic development committee Fox plans to work with a partner to run the expanded facility The Route 83 property abuts Fremont Township’s Ivanhoe Community Club Park Fremont Township Supervisor Diana O’Kelly requested a fence be constructed between the proposed Bolt site and the park to prevent construction debris from littering the park The plan previously had been recommended by Mundelein’s plan commission after a pair of public discussions the commission had recommended Fox add windows and change other elements of the proposed building’s design to make it appear less industrial Mayor Steve Lentz called Fox an “icon in travel baseball in Lake County” and thanked Fox for keeping the operation in Mundelein Mundelein’s two mayoral candidates oppose allowing the village’s police officers to assist mass deportation efforts orchestrated by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal agencies The stance shared by Robin Meier and Tim Wilson aligns with current village policy and defies attempts by President Donald Trump to quickly purge the nation of immigrants living here illegally The issue particularly is pertinent in Mundelein, where more than 36% of residents are Hispanic and more than 45% of residents age 5 or older live in homes where languages other than English are spoken Meier and Wilson discussed their views on deportation efforts and other issues Wednesday in a roughly 35-minute online discussion with the Daily Herald A video recording can be viewed at dailyherald.com Meier and Wilson are competing to succeed Mayor Steve Lentz When asked if Mundelein police should assist federal agents seeking to capture and deport immigrants living in town illegally “Mundelein police will not be involved in that,” she said He said some Mundelein residents aren’t leaving their homes out of fear of deportation residents should be able to call police for assistance without worrying about deportation The Mundelein Police Department didn’t support Trump’s anti-immigrant attitude during his first term Immigration enforcement “(is) really not their mission,” Wilson said building trust across all the groups within our community,” he said Wilson was elected to the village board in 2021 Meier is in her third stint as a village trustee She served on the board from 2008 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2021 Meier unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2013 and 2021 IL — A 72-year-old Mundelein man suffered a "fatal medical event" before crashing in the area of Route 60 near Taylor Lake Court in unincorporated Mundelein who has been identified as Laurentino Marcos-Guzman was not breathing and was unconscious when authorities responded to the scene of the collision at about 1:35 p.m according to a news release from the Lake County Coroner's Office Marcos-Guzman was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room the coroner's office released the preliminary results from Marcos-Guzman's autopsy which revealed he suffered a "fatal medical event," which led to the crash An investigation into the collision revealed he was headed west on Route 60 near Taylor Lake Court when he crossed the center line went into the opposite lane of traffic and then hit a guardrail and no other vehicles were involved in the crash Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. A Mundelein man facing charges stemming from the fatal shooting of a Wheeling resident will remain jailed while his case is pending is charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm and obstructing justice The charges resulted from the killing of Luis Moreno Moreno was shot multiple times about 7:10 p.m Monday in the parking lot of a shopping plaza on the 700 block of South Lake Street in Mundelein At least one shot was fired from inside Romero’s car said Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesperson Christopher Covelli Romero later hid the semiautomatic pistol used in the killing Romero was arrested Tuesday in Round Lake after investigators used surveillance video footage from the plaza to tie his Acura sedan to the shooting A spent shell casing was found inside the car Romero is not the same person who drove Moreno to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville but left before police arrived Authorities continue looking for that person The case remains under investigation and additional charges are possible Nerheim on Wednesday ordered Romero detained while awaiting trial Romero is next scheduled to appear in court Jan Anyone with information about the shooting can call Mundelein police at (847) 968-4600 A Mundelein man is facing weapons and drug charges following a traffic stop that led to a scuffle with police when he tried to flee According to the Lake County sheriff’s office 29-year-old Benjamin Rodriguez was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by deputies just before 7:30 p.m Thursday on the 26000 block of Route 83 in Mundelein Investigators said Rodriguez initially complied with a deputy’s request to exit the vehicle after the deputy noticed drugs on Rodriguez’s face and on the seat where he was sitting authorities said Rodriguez resisted attempts to detain him and tried to get back in the vehicle and drive away Deputies were able to pull Rodriguez out of the car but they said he continued to struggle and continued to conceal his hands in front of his body An officer ultimately used a Taser to gain control of Rodriguez and placed him into custody stolen handgun in Rodriguez’s front waistband and several small bags of suspected fentanyl One of the bags of the powder became airborne during the scuffle and contaminated two officers who were transported to a hospital for possible fentanyl exposure and later released Rodriguez refused treatment and was taken to the Lake County jail unlawful possession of a controlled substance possession of s stolen firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon The legacy of Mundelein College lives on at the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership and is sustained by its dedicated alumnae community The Mundelein College & Gannon Scholar Alumnae Board meets multiple times throughout the year to organize engagement activities celebrating the legacy of Mundelein College View the Alumni Events calendar to see any upcoming Mundelein College & Gannon Scholars Alumnae Board events 312.915.7660 A cannabis dispensary could fill a vacant restaurant building on Mundelein’s northwest side Chicago-based Terrabis wants to convert the former Rosati’s Pizza at 3110 W Route 60 into the village’s second pot shop The 5,000-square-foot building is in the Mundelein Crossings plaza and has stood unused since 2023 The privately owned Terrabis operates six dispensaries in Illinois and Missouri including one in Plainfield that opened about a month ago A store in Woodstock is expected to open by February Terrabis cofounder Nick Liaromatis and other company representatives pitched their latest concept to Mundelein officials during Monday night’s village board meeting Attorney Stewart Weiss said the layout of the property and the building’s high visibility from busy Route 60 will be advantageous Weiss stressed Terrabis isn’t seeking financial incentives or zoning changes from the village All it will need from the board is a license to operate Liaromatis touted Route 60’s reputation as a strong retail corridor retailers in the enormous Mundelein Crossings center include Home Depot Liaromatis said remodeling would be an easy job that shouldn’t take longer than 120 days Shopping center manager Bill Shiner spoke in favor of the proposal board members asked a few questions and shared their opinions Trustee Erich Schwenk asked if the company plans to offer on-site cannabis consumption Liaromatis said his team isn’t considering creating a lounge for customers Trustee Tim Wilson favored the plan but wants the facade design to be discreet Trustee Kara Lambert said she was “really conflicted” about the proposal While saying she opposed it on an emotional level Lambert noted cannabis is as legal as alcohol Eventually Lambert said she’d back the plan if it moves forward The only trustee who opposed the proposal was Daniel Juarez who expressed concern about the site’s proximity to the Sheldon Woods neighborhood across Route 60 He said he’d like to hear what residents there think of the plan Trustees eventually gave the company a tentative go-ahead to proceed with plans Formal approval will be needed down the road Mundelein was the first Chicago-area community to host a licensed medical cannabis dispensary after they were legalized statewide The Clinic — now known as Rise — opened in 2015 at 1325 Armour Blvd The store rebranded after recreational cannabis sales and use were legalized in 2019 A Wheeling robotics company plans to expand by opening a facility in Mundelein ICR247 intends to take over more than 10,200 square feet of space in the village-owned Archer Business Center The current ICR247 operation at 311 Egidi Drive in Wheeling will remain open The space to be leased in Mundelein last was used for the Lure of the Local community art show in fall 2024 ICR247 manufactures and integrates automated equipment and systems for other companies It also offers training programs in industrial automation and robotics The Mundelein facility will be a manufacturing incubator at which professional apprentices and interns can learn skills using modern equipment “We teach practical skills that are not available (at colleges),” Koretskov said Village officials are excited about ICR247’s plan it will present a great deal of opportunities to anyone interested in this type of profession,” Village Administrator Eric Guenther said “Potentially … to all of Lake County and beyond.” the Mundelein village board approved a three-year lease agreement with ICR247 without any discussion the company will pay $4,696 per month in rent for the first year Rent will increase to $4,884 per month starting June 1 It will increase again to $5,080 per month starting June 1 Once occupied by a business called Anatol Automation the 164,000-square-foot building was purchased by the village in 2005 Officials initially intended to convert it into a new village hall but instead built a new one nearby at what is now 300 Plaza Circle Additional ICR247 expansion within the Archer Business Center is anticipated Such expansion wouldn’t affect Tighthead’s operation Mundelein-area school districts again are urging officials to slow the process involving the proposed Ivanhoe Village mega-development in light of pending turnover on the village board and word from state lawmakers about legislation they plan to introduce Adrian Johnson and Mary Edly-Allen and state Reps Dan Didech and Laura Faver Dias in a letter Thursday to Mayor-elect Robin Meier said they will be introducing legislation to “untie your hands and empower the village to secure the resources necessary to support our schools.” That was a reference to Mayor Steve Lentz’s contention the village was limited by state law and could not require the developer to pay fees to cover school construction costs or operational expenses we are committed to ensuring that the state of Illinois does not stand in the way of your ability to be responsive to the community's needs,” according to the letter linked in a community update by Fremont School District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120 The districts say an influx of new students will overwhelm services and facilities Negotiation sessions between the school districts and Wirtz Realty Corporation to assess future needs have been held but the schools have said offers to bridge the money gap have been woefully short Ivanhoe Village encompasses about 772 acres generally south and east of Peterson Road and Route 60 on Mundelein’s northwest side known for its ownership of the Chicago Blackhawks and other businesses began assembling land in the area 165 years ago Mundelein annexed the property in late 2022 As planned it would be developed over 25 years with 3,200 units of various housing types Village officials have been considering enacting a general impact fee ordinance to be imposed on any future development as well as a specific agreement for Ivanhoe Village but no official action has been taken the schools and Wirtz have disagreed on the actual impact and how much will be needed to address it and began airing their differences publicly District 79 informed Lentz it was contacting neighboring elementary school districts regarding potential interest in annexing 900-plus acres of Wirtz property it would relieve taxpayers of the “unsustainable financial burden” of dealing with enrollment growth No responses have been received but the districts again are urging residents to contact the village board and ask them to delay action to let the legislative process play out “Now is the time for the village of Mundelein to commit to its desire to unify our community by supporting this new legislation and pausing action on impact fees,” according to the community update from the school districts A spokesperson for Wirtz Realty declined to comment One person was taken to the hospital after a car crash in Mundelein on Wednesday on Illinois Route 60 near its intersection with Taylor Lake Court according to Countryside Fire District Battalion Chief Russ Bach The car struck a guardrail along the road near Irish Mill The driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries The cause of the crash is under investigation A man died after the sheriff says he drove into oncoming traffic and crashed into a guardrail before being found unresponsive on Route 60-83 near Mundelein Wednesday afternoon The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Countryside Fire Protection District responded around 1:35 p.m Wednesday to the area of Route 60-83 and Taylor Lake Court in unincorporated Mundelein for a vehicle crash Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a Toyota SUV was traveling westbound on Route 60-83 near Taylor Lake Court crossed the center line for unknown reasons The vehicle traveled into the opposite lane of travel and struck a guardrail Sheriff’s deputies and paramedics arrived and found the driver was unconscious and not breathing First responders initiated CPR and other lifesaving measures The man was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he was pronounced dead Covelli said preliminary information suggests the driver may have suffered a medical event that led to the crash No passengers were in the Toyota and no other vehicles were involved Deputies shut down Route 60-83 between Midlothian Road and Acorn Lane for approximately two hours Crash investigators responded to the scene and diagramed the crash The Lake County Coroner’s Office is scheduling an autopsy on the driver and his identity has not been released yet Filling vacant storefronts and completing development of the land around village hall are among the top issues for Mundelein’s two mayoral hopefuls Candidates Robin Meier and Tim Wilson also expressed fears about how President Donald Trump’s financial policies could affect programs or projects in Mundelein Meier and Wilson discussed their priorities in questionnaires and a joint A video recording of that session can be viewed at dailyherald.com Both Meier and Wilson are village trustees They’re competing to succeed Mayor Steve Lentz who isn’t seeking a fourth term in the April 1 election Wilson said finding occupants for high-profile vacant commercial buildings in town is Mundelein’s most pressing issue Officials frequently hear complaints about such vacancies when they meet with residents Wilson cited two former bank buildings on Seymour Avenue in an area sometimes called “the Bank Triangle” as examples as well as a vacant commercial building on Hawley Street that stands where village hall once was located Village officials should market that Hawley Street building to businesses outside of Mundelein and offer them financial incentives to move there A regional sales manager who was elected to the village board in 2021 Wilson also said officials must ensure the completion of real estate developments around Plaza Circle near the current village hall A developer has proposed a $68 million project on Plaza Circle consisting of a five-story apartment building The buildings would occupy the last of the vacant lots the block which is south of Hawley Street and east of Seymour Avenue Wilson called President Donald Trump’s pledge to cancel federal grants “a serious concern.” He said he’s working with U.S Brad Schneider of Highland Park to ensure promised grants are delivered Meier said Mundelein’s commercial vacancy rate is low but noted some long-standing empty spaces “upset people.” Residents often ask her what the village is doing to encourage businesses to open in town Meier suggests displaying a list of them or a QR code that would link to such a list at community events The information would show residents and visitors what Mundelein has to offer The effort might also prompt Mundelein business owners to encourage other entrepreneurs to set up shop in town “Businesses talk to other businesses,” said Meier a retired telecommunications professional who first was elected to the board in 2008 Meier is troubled by how Trump’s efforts to cancel federal grants could affect infrastructure projects like the pending improvements on the eastern stretch of Hawley Street Meier also voiced concern about the potential effects of the tariffs on foreign goods and services ordered by Trump “New tariffs may make construction costs escalate or create construction supply issues,” Meier said A Wheeling man was fatally shot Monday night in Mundelein and police are searching both for his killer and the person who drove the dying victim to a hospital which is on the 700 block of South Lake Street spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force Mundelein officers arrived and learned Moreno already had been driven to Advocate Condell Medical Center in nearby Libertyville He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital The man who took Moreno to the hospital was driving a dark-colored SUV called for help and left after hospital workers took the shooting victim inside An autopsy conducted at the Lake County coroner’s office Tuesday determined Moreno suffered multiple gunshot wounds Mundelein police and the county task force are investigating the shooting Police are working to get surveillance video from businesses in the area as well as from the hospital A woman who lives near the plaza and works at a business there said she heard the shots at home “I thought it was fireworks,” said the woman The homicide is Mundelein’s second of the year and the first fatal shooting in the village since 2020 Anyone with information about the latest shooting can call Mundelein police at (847) 968-4600 The coroner has released the identity of a 77-year-old woman who was found dead after a fire at her home in Mundelein which officials described as a hoarder house that hindered firefighters’ rescue attempts The Mundelein Police Department and Mundelein Fire Department responded around 5:24 p.m Sunday to the 1200 block of Huntington Drive for a report of a structure fire Mundelein Fire Chief Bill Lark said a neighbor saw the fire and called 911 informing dispatchers that the residence was occupied by an elderly woman and the home was experiencing hoarder conditions Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the woman on Wednesday as Alicia Bowles Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the front and rear of the residence with heavy flames at the rear of the second floor Firefighters attempted to make entry to the home but were met with heavy smoke The front door could only be opened five to six inches and had to be removed off its hinges “These hoarder conditions were also found on the stairwell to the second floor which made accessing the second floor extremely difficult,” Lark said Fire crews then began operating from the outside to extinguish the fire due to their inability to fully access the inside of the home The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to bring additional fire department resources to the scene Firefighters eventually extinguished the main body of fire on the first and second floors and then attempted to go inside the home again Lark said first responders assumed Bowles was still inside the residence due to there being a car in the driveway of the home The Lake County Sheriff’s Office went to Bowles’ place of work and they advised she did not show up for work While crews were conducting overhaul operations they located Bowles in a second-floor bedroom Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said Bowles was located in her bed The Lake County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy Monday morning on the woman Preliminary autopsy results are pending toxicology testing Well over a dozen fire investigators were called to the scene from numerous fire departments along with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal Lark said the Mundelein Police Department is assisting in the investigation but foul play is not suspected The home had no central heat and space heaters and propane-powered camping heaters were being used inside the home Antioch and Buffalo Grove fire departments assisted at the scene or covered calls in Mundelein Promising that Mundelein “is definitely moving forward,” Mayor Steve Lentz gave his final State of the Village report Monday night who isn’t seeking reelection this spring after 12 years as mayor the much-hyped Ivanhoe Village concept for the village’s northwest side and other projects in the roughly hourlong speech at village hall First on Lentz’s list of things to tout was the ongoing redevelopment of land in the downtown area known as “the Bank Triangle.” The site covers about 6 acres east of Seymour Avenue and north of Hawley Street A microbrewery offering on-site food and drink service called Fenton's Brewing Co already is planned for one of the buildings there the village has a contract to buy vacant land and create a roughly 150-spot parking lot for people visiting Fenton’s or other downtown attractions Lentz revealed timelines for two much-anticipated infrastructure projects: the reconstruction of the eastern portion of Hawley Street between Chicago Avenue and Route 176; and the construction of an overpass for Route 60/83 over the Wisconsin Central Limited railroad tracks that are northwest of Diamond Lake Road The Hawley Street work should start in 2029, and construction of the Route 60/83 overpass could start in late 2026 or early 2027 commercial and industrial development coming to the village's northwest side have been proposed for about 700 acres near Route 60 and Route 83 The famed Wirtz family owns the land now and will steward the property through construction “It’s not going to be done at once,” Lentz said Lentz went on to talk about plans to start construction this summer on apartment buildings on vacant land on Plaza Circle, the recently completed Station 250 apartments elsewhere on Plaza Circle and other residential developments The mayor also touched on the village’s financial health including the impacts of inflation and declining tax revenue; the implementation of new computer software for building permits pet and bicycle registrations and other services; and plans for local road resurfacing and reconstruction He fielded a couple questions from the audience before wrapping up the presentation. To watch a recording of Lentz’s speech, visit mundelein.org Lentz first was elected mayor on 2013 after one term as a village trustee Lentz said being mayor “has just been an amazing honor and a privilege.” Trustees Robin Meier and Tim Wilson are running for mayor in the April 1 election Police officers conducting a traffic stop on an Uber arrested an alleged street gang member after they found him in possession of a loaded AK-47-style gun in Mundelein was charged with three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon consumption of liquor by a minor and illegal possession of ammunition The Mundelein Police Department conducted a traffic stop on an Uber around 2 a.m Sunday for the vehicle having suspended registration Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis said Infante was in the backseat of the vehicle Officers recognized Infante because he is a known Latin King street gang member who was arrested earlier this year A backpack was in between Infante’s feet Infante denied it was his backpack and the Uber driver also denied it was his Theis said police felt a hard object in the backpack and recovered a Mini Draco 7.62 AK-47 style handgun The gun was loaded with a 30-round extended magazine Infante was arrested and admitted the gun was his The Uber driver also told officers that Infante got into the car with the backpack Infante was on pre-trial release at the time after being charged with illegal possession of ammunition and disorderly conduct for an incident in Mundelein on August 11 Theis said Infante also has a juvenile adjudication for illegally possessing a gun in 2022 public service and counseling for his sentence “The least restrictive conditions have been tried and failed because this defendant does not comply with them,” Theis said arguing for Infante to be detained in jail pending trial Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition to detain Infante after agreeing with prosecutors that there were no conditions of release to ensure the community’s safety Infante is set to appear in court again on January 10 for a preliminary hearing a homegrown volunteer enterprise and resource for do-it-yourselfers has reopened with a new name and location in Mundelein It took endless hours of prep work by dedicated volunteers but the renamed Tool Library of Lake County is back in business in a larger “We’re back and everyone is pretty upbeat,” said Mark Wilson a retired attorney and treasurer of the not-for-profit organization What had been known as the Mundelein Tool Library opened in June 2021 at the village’s former water division facility in the downtown area it is said to be the only tool lending operation of its type in Lake County and in the region outside Chicago the library is notable for its inventory of about 2,000 tools and pieces of equipment for check out at no cost The name was changed to emphasize that the service is available to all in Lake County and to clarify that it operates as a separate entity and is not affiliated with the village the library’s former home was sold by the village for a proposed brewery/restaurant and it had to move The process started in mid-July and included packing a member of the organization’s board who owned a construction company for a number of years “Most of our volunteers are retirees with hands-on experience.” a Mundelein resident who originated and pursued the idea of a tool library after seeing a similar facility during a visit to Portland “The work they have put in there is amazing and their personal time commitments ridiculous,” noted Miller a founding member of the library and board member besides the physical labor to ready the space but we have a sound plan and we’re on target with the plan,” Wilson said That includes a capital campaign to raise $45,000. To get there, a GoFundMe page has been created Tax deductible donations from individuals and businesses have been received and local state and federal grants are being pursued That includes a “generous” monthly donation to help with operating costs for the entire term of the lease from Hawthorn Management Services that has kept the tool library afloat An annual membership fee will be required and a small rental charge instituted for expensive or much requested items such as snowblowers and aerators Thursday operations are expected to resume soon tool advisers will be on hand to answer questions and advise patrons “It’s a feel good place to be,” Miller said “I’m excited we are back open and look forward to engaging with the patrons once again.” Visit https://toollib.org/ Two Mundelein school districts working in tandem have hired a new superintendent to continue leading them under a shared-services model adopted in 2019 The school boards of Mundelein High School District 120 and Mundelein Elementary District 75 in a joint special meeting Tuesday unanimously named Corey Tafoya superintendent of Harvard Community District 50 to succeed retiring Superintendent Kevin Myers beginning July 1 Tafoya was chosen from more than three dozen candidates capping a process that began in January 2024 with the hiring of BWP & Associates to conduct a comprehensive national superintendent search The list was narrowed and four candidates were interviewed last month District 120 board President Peter Rastrelli said there was remarkable alignment and consensus on Tafoya the more we realized he was the one,” Rastrelli said in the district’s announcement “There’s something very approachable and very outcome-focused with him District 75 board President Kristie Fingerhut said Tafoya will fit seamlessly in the role “We have the right person for the job,” she said Tafoya was signed to a five-year contract with a starting base salary of $292,000 as top administrator for both districts Tafoya has been District 50 superintendent since July 2017 He previously served three years as assistant superintendent for Crystal Lake High School District 155 and as Woodstock High School principal from 2005 to 2014 and a “real sense of community” resonated and reflected his values “It had to be a good match for me,” he said Tafoya created a Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait of an Educator established a dual degree program with a community college and implemented AVID programs in prekindergarten through 12th grades District 50 also was among 23 in the nation to be recognized with a Lighthouse Award for its commitment to learner-centered equity-focused and future-driven education Myers assumed the dual role for the districts for the 2019-20 school year The decision to share the top administrator was made with the retirement of then-District 75 Superintendent Andy Henrikson The boards are sticking with the shared superintendent model because it’s been successful, said spokesman Peter Gill. Visit Mundeleinschools.org/shared-services/ District 120 voters in November approved borrowing $149.5 million for a variety of projects District 75 is building a $7 million addition at Carl Sandburg Middle School The 166-unit development is adjacent to both a rail station and the town hall in Mundelein Thirty-five miles from downtown Chicago in Mundelein Chicago-based developer Synergy Construction Group and Irvine California-based design firm Ware Malcomb have completed their addition to the area’s downtown — a 166-unit transit-oriented development located next to Mundelein’s Metra transit station While Station 250, now open to residents, shares a similar material palette with the surrounding buildings — including the Mundelein Village Hall, rebuilt in 2014 — it shapes these elements of classic Chicago-style architecture into a more modern design aesthetic “Station 250 brings a more contemporary look and feel than the more historically oriented Village Hall,” Charles Swanson “The site layout fronts the building on the street to bring a New Urbanist vibe to the community.” The property is four stories tall and consists of one- and two-bedroom units with tuck-in garages a game simulator room and a coworking lounge Swanson talks with Multifamily Dive about the project’s design concept This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity MULTIFAMILY DIVE: What made this the right place and time to build this project CHARLES SWANSON: Evolving commuter needs made this project possible The site was originally a parking lot for Metra [regional rail] commuters Transforming a surface parking lot into a transit-oriented multifamily community is the kind of thing we get excited about as architects We were also fortunate to have the support and understanding of the Village of Mundelein which realized that adding higher-density housing close to their Village Hall will help create a vibrant and walkable downtown but not all communities understand that density helps make that retail successful How did you approach and execute on the design First we needed to determine the right product for the site — four-story wood frame works great here and makes financial sense We then fronted the building on the street to achieve a New Urbanist look and feel in accordance with Mundelein’s village center zoning What renter demographic is the developer targeting Urban professionals who appreciate the adjacency to the light rail but enjoy the cost of living and lifestyle that Mundelein has to offer Did you encounter any challenges in the design process This site has a surprising amount of grade — the building steps an entire floor This helped minimize the visible height of the building when adjacent to single-family to the west while creating a more appropriately scaled four-story frontage to the east We were also able to take advantage of this grade change by locating some windowless amenities (such as a golf simulator and dog wash) in the basement adjacent to the step What is the multifamily market like in your area It’s challenging to get projects to pencil in today’s interest rate environment we’re focusing on reducing unit sizes to keep rents per square foot high and keeping buildings straightforward for construction wood-frame buildings with tuck-under garages These projects are dense enough that we don’t need a giant site to get to 150+ units and we can keep moving forward while Texas wraps or podiums struggle against higher construction costs We’re also doing more tax-credit work and HUD 221(d)(4) financed projects We are very close to completing construction on our 7 Van Buren project a net-zero Passive House apartment building with a giant solar panel array We’re working on an affordable and adaptive reuse project in downtown Chicago We’ve got 4,355 units in the pipeline and are looking forward to an exciting 2025 Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Bozzuto and Cardinal Group highlighted the strategies that drive value during a recent webinar Subscribe to the Multifamily Dive free daily newsletter Subscribe to Multifamily Dive for top news The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines Mundelein’s $77 million annual budget for the next fiscal year includes cash for street repairs and the installation of more LED streetlights The village board unanimously approved the spending plan Monday Annual spending is expected to increase nearly 5% from the current year’s nearly $74 million total Village finance director Linda Miller attributed the increase to a jump in infrastructure-related spending Street repairs and rehabilitation projects will cost about $4.5 million this fiscal year Gifford Court and George Drive are among those that will be resurfaced West Orchard Street and Emerald Avenue are among those that will be rebuilt the village will conclude a multiyear effort to replace traditional streetlights with LEDs That will begin in May and cost about $100,000 Some will be installed on Seymour Avenue and Park Street The fire department will get a new ambulance this summer Officials predict the village's revenue from taxes fees and other sources also will be about $67 million The total is down about 1% from the current year’s nearly $68 million Miller attributed the change to expected decreases in investment earnings and fees from building permits The difference between expected spending and revenue will be bridged by the village’s cash reserves Police are investigating after a 21-year-old man died following a shooting in the parking lot of a shopping center in Mundelein Monday evening The Mundelein Police Department responded around 7:10 p.m Monday to the Lake Plaza shopping center in the 700 block of South Lake Street for a report of shots fired Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said officers arrived and learned a man had been shot The 21-year-old Wheeling man was transported to an area hospital in a privately owned vehicle Officers were notified a short time later that the victim had been brought to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville The man died from his injuries despite hospital staff’s efforts to save him The person or persons who transported the victim to the hospital left prior to the arrival of officers The Lake County Major Crime Task Force was called to the scene to assist Mundelein police detectives with the investigation A heavy police presence was seen for hours around the eastern side of the shopping complex near Jay’s Liquors ACTION Martial Arts and Supermercado Gisselle Crime scene tape was set up in the parking lot and officers were photographing the scene and going in and out of the businesses Investigators believe the shooting was possibly targeted adding that it is believed to have been perpetrated by a single gunman The Lake County Coroner’s Office is in the process of scheduling an autopsy on the victim Covelli said Major Crime Task Force investigators and Mundelein police detectives continue to actively investigate the homicide The pressure was on when six girls gymnastics teams and many individuals battled it out with a berth to the 2025 IHSA state meet at stake Thursday night at the Mundelein sectional And New Trier became the third team to advance to state next weekend at Palatine High School as the Trevians took first place with 143.575 points to hold off runner-up Prairie Ridge with 142.55 points The final team berth will be decided Friday night at the Glenbard West sectional as well as the four at-large team berths to state Vernon Hills edged Carmel Catholic 140.425 to 140.35 at Mundelein followed by Lake Forest (138.65) in fifth and Warren (131.7) in sixth Hersey freshman Maria Reyes was sensational in winning the all-around competition with 37.475 points (9.37 average) while Vernon Hills' Livy Tran was a close second with 37.375 points The top five finishers in all-around and all four events advanced to state while the cut-off scores for state will be announced following Friday night's sectional and I wanted to make it to state and win in my freshman year," said Reyes who hit a season-high mark in the all-around "I just hope I have the same confidence I had today (at state) and I want to make at least top five next week." Lake Zurich's Mia McHugh (37.3) nipped Mundelein's Lexie Ede (37.225) for fourth place overall while Vernon Hills' Mya Brusso (37.05) took sixth to pretty much lock up an at-large berth to state Overall this sectional is so tough with so many great teams so I'm proud of them," said Vernon Hills coach Denise Caton she took second place with a fall (on uneven bars) and Mya had a great day after the last few weeks with an ankle injury." Libertyville freshman Nina Raniszewski (36.225) and Carmel's Alyssah Arends (35.875) all have a shot at state in the all-around "She (Raniszewski) pretty much hit every event so I thought she did phenomenally well," said Libertyville coach Tiffany Owens and Kenzie Tyrrell may advance on beam as an at-large qualifier." Ede won vault (9.575) and beam (9.525) while Tran won floor with a 9.525 Reyes took second on both floor (9.5) and beam (9.5) Lake Zurich's Ella Babcock (9.175) and Hersey's Gianna Mazzola tied for fifth on beam to advance to state Warren teammates Camryn Clark (9.3 on floor) and Emilia Montes (8.975 on beam) have a good shot at making state We are in a fantastic sectional so our goal was to end on a high note," said Carmel coach Sarah Mikrut Doyle but she had a beautiful floor and vault and I hope she can make state in the all-around." An elderly woman has been found dead after she was missing following a fire at a duplex home that resulted in significant damage in Mundelein Sunday evening Fire crews arrived to find smoke showing from all sides of a two-story duplex home An elderly woman was reported to be unaccounted for and firefighters were unable to fully search the home initially due to the damage Flames and smoke could be seen coming from the second floor of one of the two units Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said the elderly female occupant of the home was later located deceased She was reported to have been found in her bed The woman’s identity has not been positively made yet and it could take a couple of days to make the identification The Lake County Coroner’s Office was performing an autopsy Monday morning on the woman Fire officials have not yet said what may have caused the fire 2025 at 11:00 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Mundelein Police Chief Jason Seeley and David Ortiz executive director of Mano a Mano Family Resource Center and a Waukegan Township trustee said they both read about ICE activity in Mundelein on Sunday IL — Officials looked into reports of ICE activity in Mundelein over the weekend but did not find any evidence that federal officers were in town In a statement from village officials addressing the federal immigration activity police said the Illinois TRUST and VOICES ACT outline prohibitions and limitations relating to Illinois law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement "Mundelein police personnel comply with all requirements of both acts and will not participate in any of the ongoing federal immigration activities occurring throughout the country or across the state," according to the statement the police department intends to continue to collaborate with local leaders and places of worship to educate and assist them in protecting their interests." Meanwhile, dozens of people were arrested over the weekend in "enhanced targeted" immigration enforcement raids in Chicago over the weekend, according to reports. In Lake County, at least two people, men in Waukegan and Round Lake, were taken into custody by ICE agents Trump border czar Tom Homan told NBC on Sunday that the Chicago-area arrests included several people convicted of serious crimes including murder and sex offenses, but said people without criminal convictions who were present during the raids would also be detained JB Pritzker said Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union" that he supported the deportation of violent criminals with convictions Related: Pritzker Vows To Protect IL From Trump, New Border Czar Says 'Game On' “If that’s who they’re picking up before advocating for a path to citizenship for immigrants who are law-abiding longtime residents with jobs and families in the area But Pritzker said local authorities would not coordinate with federal officials on the arrest of people if they don’t have a warrant “We’re going to follow the law in Illinois and federal law too,” he said I’m very afraid that they will not follow the law." Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Chicago could target around 2,000 people Related: If ICE Comes To School: IL Issues Guidance For Teachers, Staff Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement on social media acknowledged "confirmed reports of ICE enforcement activity in Chicago." "Per City code, Chicago police were not involved in this immigration enforcement activity," he said, directing residents to the Know Your Rights resource guide at chicago.gov "My team and I are in close communication with City officials including the CPD." ICE said it conducted the operations with the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol Firarms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S The operations were intended “to enforce U.S immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities,” ICE said in a statement posted on social media referring to the operation as "Operation Safeguard."Among those present in Chicago for the operations were Homan and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove and local levels who joins this critical mission to take back our communities," Bove said in a statement "We will use all available tools to address obstruction and other unlawful impediments to our efforts to protect the homeland Top officials under President Donald Trump vowed to start immigration enforcement operations in Chicago the day after Trump's inauguration before walking back those statements Bove issued a memo ordering federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who they believe are interfering with the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration in an apparent warning to the dozens of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions across America.Chicago has some of the strongest sanctuary protections which bar cooperation between city police and immigration agents Immigrant rights groups have tried to prepare for the aggressive crackdown with campaigns for immigrants to know their rights in case of an arrest publishing similar information at public bus and train stations several Chicago-based immigrant rights groups filed a lawsuit against ICE seeking an injunction prohibiting certain types of immigration raids in Chicago Related: IL Sues Trump Over Ending Birthright Citizenship The Associated Press contributed to this story A woman’s body was found Sunday night following a fire in a Mundelein duplex The fire on the 1200 block of Huntington Drive was reported by a neighbor about 5:25 p.m Firefighters discovered the woman’s body in a second-floor bedroom after extinguishing the blaze Authorities did not release the victim’s identity but believe the remains were those of an older woman who lived in the home where the fire occurred An autopsy was conducted Monday by the Lake County coroner’s office Preliminary results weren’t immediately available The unit was filled with piles of belongings in bins and bags as well as loose items The clutter hampered firefighters’ efforts to enter and maneuver in the home including accessing stairs to the second floor according to a fire department news release The home didn’t have a working heating system and liquid-fuel heaters for camping were set up in the home and contributed to the fire Mundelein firefighters and police are investigating Firefighters from departments throughout Lake County and northern Cook County assisted on the scene Mundelein’s lone cannabis dispensary will add a second lounge for recreational users The village board unanimously approved the proposal Monday by amending the ordinance that allows on-site consumption at Rise, 1325 Armour Blvd 2,000-square-foot lounge will be on the north side of the dispensary It will complement an existing 1,200-square-foot lounge on the south side of the building The first lounge opened in 2021 and was the first in the Northwest suburbs Creating a second lounge will allow Rise to offer live comedy and musical performances or art classes without disturbing lounge customers who don’t want to partake in such activities, according to a memo from its parent company, Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries The company called the necessary architectural and design changes minor Appointments are required to use the lounge and only newly purchased products can be used there Lounge employees are tasked with preventing overconsumption of cannabis by patrons municipalities can allow on-site pot consumption at licensed dispensaries — but few have Rise opened as a store selling medical marijuana and supplies in 2015 under the name The Clinic It rebranded when the sale and use of cannabis for recreational purposes became legal in 2020 Securing voter approval Tuesday for tax hikes to fund a host of improvements for Lake County forest preserves and Mundelein High School was the hard part Now the logistics of using a combined $304.5 million are underway Forest preserve officials were confident going in but pleasantly surprised at the unofficial total showing two-thirds of voters were in favor of what the district had in mind for the $155 million being sought It was the district’s first tax hike referendum since 2008 “We get pushed a lot — 'When are you going to do more?’” explained Executive Director Ty Kovach Everyone at the district is “incredibly grateful” for the resident support at the polls This is an enormous win for conservation,” he said Forest preserves use is 30% higher than before the pandemic and residents have come to enjoy the benefits of natural areas and were inclined to invest in nature “People have deepened their connection,” said Rebekah Snyder director of community engagement and partnerships with the owner of a home valued at $300,000 paying an extra $33 per year at most The outcome for Mundelein High School District 120 where the same homeowner will pay an additional $414 per year Voters rejected a higher tax hike request in April 2023 This time the amount sought was reduced by $25 million to $149.5 million with 36,000 square feet less of new construction proposed It passed by a comfortable margin with 56% voting in favor “The community showed it is willing to make a significant investment in the future of our children by expanding and enhancing the Mundelein High School facilities,” said school board President Peter Rastrelli drainage and other work to prepare the site for building additions are expected to be solicited this month and approved in the first quarter of 2025 it’s too soon to say if all the bonds to raise funding for the overall project will be issued all at once While the school district has specific plans of what will be done with the money forest preserve plans are a bit more open ended Because work associated with bond issues must be done within five years $65 million is designated for land acquisition Those purchases aren’t discussed publicly in advance there are a number of possibilities for $60 million to be designated to build trail connections and redevelop or open preserves Forest commissioners will have the final say on which and when the projects will proceed All have surfaced at one time or another as part of a 10-year capital improvement budget but money hasn’t been available to pursue them “There are no surprises in there,” Kovach said The forest board didn’t change as a result of Tuesday’s election but board leadership and committee assignments may A snapshot of ongoing projects will be presented in January for the reassembled board A prioritized list of project recommendations for official action is expected in March Public access and other projects at four forest preserves are expected to top the list: Lake Marie near Antioch Lakewood near Wauconda and Greenbelt in North Chicago “They are strategically located in the four quadrants of the county,” Snyder said A judge denied pre-trial release to a man who prosecutors say opened fire during a shooting that left a 21-year-old man dead at a Mundelein shopping center and then hid the murder weapon was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing justice Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said investigators learned Romero and his two friends were at Jay’s Liquors in one of his friend’s cars were also at the liquor store in a dark-colored Infiniti who was sitting in the backseat of the Acura pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots in the direction of Moreno McConnell said Moreno was struck by the gunfire Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said officers responding to reports of shots fired found a pool of blood in the parking lot of Jay’s Liquor but no victims were initially located Officers soon learned Moreno was transported by private car to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he was pronounced dead according to Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli An autopsy performed Tuesday showed Moreno suffered from multiple gunshot wounds according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek Both of Romero’s friends told investigators that the shots came from the backseat of the Acura The friends also reported that the occupants of the Infiniti were armed with a gun but that none of them discharged it Investigators found a bullet hole in the backseat window of the Infiniti that originated from inside the car McConnell said a discharged casing was recovered from the back of the car and investigators learned that additional casings had already been removed from the car Romero admitted to multiple people that he was involved in the shooting and one witness told investigators he saw Romero possess a gun McConnell said Romero later no longer had the gun and told multiple people he got rid of it Romero does not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card (FOID) or concealed carry license “Not only was he armed with it [the firearm] he discharged it multiple times and then disposed of it,” McConnell said Investigators have not recovered the gun yet and they believe it was discarded in a way that someone else could come across it The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Romero pending trial McConnell called Romero a threat to the safety of the community and said his willingness to carry the gun and discharge it is evidence of his danger Romero was previously petitioned on charges of felony unlawful restraint and domestic battery while he was a juvenile in 2022 Romero was located on Tuesday and arrested without incident in Round Lake knowing he is being investigated in the murder could pose a threat to the witnesses in the case should he be granted pre-trial release argued for his client’s release from custody and said Romero is not charged with homicide or murder but instead Class 4 felonies Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the state’s petition and remanded Romero to the Lake County Jail pending trial following a detention hearing Wednesday afternoon Romero is set to appear in court again on January 7 for a preliminary hearing A woman whose body was found after a weekend fire in her Mundelein duplex has been identified as 77-year-old Alicia Bowles The cause of Bowles’ death still hasn’t been determined the Lake County coroner’s office said in a news release The fire on the 1200 block of Huntington Drive was reported by a neighbor Sunday evening Firefighters discovered Bowles’ body in a second-floor bedroom after extinguishing the blaze