WLIP Voice of Lake County 1/7/19

North Chicago Death Investigation

Vander Tuuk 1-7-19

(North Chicago, IL) A man found dead in North Chicago is now the subject of a Lake County Major Crimes Task Force investigation. Officials say the body of a 35-year-old man was found just after 8 o’clock on Sunday morning in the 17-hundred block of Greenfield Avenue. The man appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound. An autopsy is scheduled on the body at some point today, after which more information will likely be released. In the meantime, anyone with more information on the situation is being encouraged to contact North Chicago Police or the Lake County Crimestoppers.

Father, Son Arrested in Abuse, Porn Case

Vander Tuuk 1-7-19

(Waukegan, IL) A man wanted on warrants out of two Lake County areas has been arrested, along with his father. Lake County Sheriff’s Warrants Team officials located John Redmond, after developing information that he skipped the Lake County area for neighboring McHenry County. Redmond was wanted on warrants for failure to appear on a sexual abuse charge out of Vernon Hills, as well as a child pornography charge out of Mundelein. On January 4th, the 31-year-old was observed leaving the Crystal Lake home of his father, and he was arrested after arriving to a Lake County worksite. He is now being held on a 500-thousand-dollar bond. His father, Edward Redmond was arrested and charged with concealing his son. He is free on a 15-hundred-dollar bond.

Gurnee Shooting Investigation

Vander Tuuk 1-7-19

(Gurnee, IL) Police in Gurnee continue to investigate after a man was shot near Gurnee Mills. The incident took place on Friday night around 7:30 when a man was shot in the chest in the parking lot of a hotel in the 68-hundred block of Gurnee Mills Circle East. The 42-year-old victim was hospitalized, and the shooter fled the scene. The victim’s condition is unknown at this point. Anyone with more information on the shooting is being encouraged to contact Gurnee Police.

Vernon Hills Officer Cleared in Police Shooting

Vander Tuuk 1-7-19-

(Waukegan, IL) Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim has cleared a Vernon Hills Police Officer in a shooting that killed a man earlier this year. A statement released by the State’s Attorney says Officer Tadd Spencer shot and killed Randy Rausch back in September, after Rausch reportedly brandished a rifle at him during a call about retrieving some property from his home. Nerheim said the officer had numerous peaceful encounters with Rausch in the past. He said the victim in the case was repeatedly told to drop his weapon, but refused, leaving Officer Spencer with no other recourse. The weapon turned out to be an airsoft gun designed to look like a larger caliber high powered rifle. State’s Attorney Nerheim said he expressed his condolences to the Rausch family, while also thanking the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force for their thorough investigation of the matter.

Illinois Democrats have control _ can they get work done?

Associated Press 1-7-19

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) The Illinois General Assembly convenes next week with historic numbers of Democrats running the show and plenty of pent-up demand for action. Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker takes over from one-term Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner after four years of an ideological stalemate that prevented a state spending plan for two straight years. He has plenty of backup. Democrats control the House 74-44. In the past 140 years, only one House session saw a larger percentage of majority control. The Democrats’ majority in the Senate is the highest since the height of the Great Depression. Pritzker has promised a capital construction plan to bolster roads and bridges, to legalize marijuana to boost state revenue, and an increased minimum wage.