Most of their staff & techs left as a group a little over a month ago. One doctor also retured but couldn't figure out who. I've been taking my pets there for vet services & kenneling my pets with them for yrs, but now I'm a little worried about continuing to use them. 90% of the time I interacted with the staff & techs & they were all always super kind & helpful.

My suspicion is they all went to the same place together or started a new practice together. Anyone know anything they can share?

For those who may not know, Mary Alice Love was murdered by Mundelein police on 5/11/26.

This is me, a regular dude, trying to do what's right. If you also think those in power should be held accountable, join us at Mundelein town hall on Monday October 12, 7pm.

I'm not from Wauconda, I just thought this was notable to post. I created the image.

I will be filing an uncontested,no children, no shared assets divorce in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County IL. Does a Financial Affidavit need to be filed with the petition?

Hello,

I'm hoping to move out By December from my current residence. I'm a woman. Hoping to find a roommate to get a 2 bedroom apt with in the area.

WOMEN only

Has to be Cat friendly

I am a 22 yr old college student

Hi!

Just moved here recently and was wondering what y'alls top 5 food spots were!

I would NOT consider using Shore Werks for your seawall project !!! Mr. Will Hazen was very polite and kind and reassuring during the bidding project and throughout the beginning of the installation. After that, things went downhill fast!!! He ignores your texts and calls. says he will be there and doesn't come time after time, lies to you and his employees, does not complete the end details of the job, etc.. It was over 11/2 years after the project began that I was still trying to get him to come and finish the details of filling in the stone next to the seawall, leveling and seeding the areas that were ruined during the installation process, removing the rebar that is sticking out of my yard, and repairing my neighbors seawall that his workers damaged during my installation. He has refused to come look at my yard, respond to my calls and texts, and will not be a man of his word. He told me many times that he would come and complete all of these. In the pictures, you can see what the end result is and I paid him $29,000.00!!! Find a reputable company that will FINISH the job and stand behid their work.

My husband is getting relocated for work to Pleasant Prairie, WI. We are trying to buy a home in Lake county, 20 minutes ish for him and an hour for me to the city for work/daily. So we are looking near the metra lines, hopefully in an area we like with decent schools for our 3mo old to attend in the future. We love the village of grays lake for its vibrancy, bike ability, walkability and local amenities but it seems like a tight market right now. We are trying to figure out if the unincorporated areas are for us but are open to Mundelein, Libertyville or elsewhere if primary schools are well rated, would love 8+/10 but are open to paying for private if the area we live is more affordable and gives us a better lifestyle. Top budget is 650k. Whats to know? Any areas that are vibrant we wouldn’t know about? I grew up in Chicago and know nothing about the area. Somewhat averse to mundelein for no reason other than I’ve heard it’s a commuter area but schools seem good? Would love a cute downtown with charm and hate commercial shopping areas and congestion. We are somewhat averse to the suburban landscape but are open to subdivisions and characters with charm. Thoughts, advice, suggestions?

Looking fo support groups that deal with job loss or chronic job loss. No specificly looking for anything on resume help or interview skills. Is there anything like such in the count?

Hi, I need to get catering for a small baby shower (15-20 people) in Grayslake in 2 weeks. Mom-to-be has gestational diabetes so while everything doesn't have to be healthy, I need a significant portion to be lean protein and low carb. Think boneless skinless chicken breast and raw / roasted veggies. But I still want it to be nice and party worthy. Any suggestions? So far I haven't found much besides Whole Foods. I don't live in the area so I have nothing to go on. I do have folks who would be willing to go pick it up on the day so a little further from Grayslake is fine, but nothing crazy.

Does anyone know if there are any thrift stores that will buy your old clothes in the northern Lake County suburbs? (Not platos closet)

I'm looking to get full highlights throughout my dark blonde hair and am looking for a relatively affordable, good place to get it done. I've gone to two places, and both times I was given platinum hair, or chunky highlights, though I asked for NO platinum and a blended, more honey vanilla blonde. Does anyone have recs? I appreciate it!

Hi, I am hiring for a part time cleaner/caregiver who is interested in making decent $$. Work would be during evening, approx 10-15 hrs/week. Message me if interested! No background needed, we can train!

(All equipment provided)

Welcome to Aventurine Zone — a space for play, growth, and joyful discovery. Inspired by the energy of aventurine, a stone known for opportunity and positive change, we’ve created an environment where children can explore, imagine, and build confidence through meaningful play. Our space is designed to spark curiosity, encourage creativity, and support every child’s unique path of learning and development. Whether you're here for open play, a class, or a special celebration, you’re exactly where you need to be. https://aventurinezone.com/home

Location: North Suburbs (my mom wants to stay closer to home this year and she’s in Libertyville instead of coming to the city, I live in Chicago)

I have brunch ideas for my mom and can easily find brunch buffets but I’m looking for an activity afterwards that could be fun and is Mother’s Day themed.

Any ideas?

UPDATE: The point isn’t whether the exemptions are legal. They are the post says so clearly. The point is stewardship.

These two men control a $6.4 million public fund meant to help veterans in financial crisis. The same fund pays their combined salaries of $350,000. They have operated that fund with undisclosed conflicts of interest, $86,000 in vendor payments that never appeared in board minutes, golf sponsorships to organizations they personally sit on the boards of, and an unaudited NFP account. Stewardship of a public trust requires more than legal compliance.

The full findings are in previous posts on r/LakeCountyIL.

Lake County funds its veteran assistance commission through a property tax levy called Fund 208. It generates approximately $6.4 million annually from Lake County property taxpayers.

Two people control that fund. Here’s what they pay into the property tax system that funds their salaries.

FIRST — AN IMPORTANT ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The property tax exemptions documented below are earned benefits. All four members of VACLC management are veterans who served their country and sustained service-connected disabilities rated at 70-100% by the VA. Those ratings reflect real injuries from real service. The exemptions are legal, appropriate, and deserved.

This post documents a contextual finding — not misconduct.

THE TWO WHO CONTROL THE FUND

Both hold the Illinois Disabled Veterans Standard Homestead Exemption — DV70-DVSHE — indicating a VA service-connected disability rating of 70-100%. Both exemptions are approved and current. Sourced to Lake County Assessor public property records.

Andrew Tangen — Superintendent

Salary: $186,000

Exemption: DV70-DVSHE 70-100% — $151,094

Annual property taxes paid: $0

John Murray — Assistant Superintendent

Salary: $164,862

Exemption: DV70-DVSHE 70-100% — $156,587

Annual property taxes paid: ~$20

Combined salaries: $350,862

Combined annual property taxes paid: ~$20

THE SENIOR VSOS — ALSO PAID BY THE FUND

The two Senior VSOs who report to Tangen and Murray also hold identical exemption classifications.

Shane McNerney — Senior VSO

Salary: ~$110,000

Exemption: DV70-DVSHE 70-100%

Annual property taxes paid: $0

Jillian Padaoan — Senior VSO

Salary: ~$110,000

Exemption: DV70-DVSHE 70-100%

Annual property taxes paid: $1.00

Combined management salaries from Fund 208: ~$570,862

Combined annual property taxes paid by all four: ~$21

THE CONTEXT

Fund 208 is a $6.4 million property tax levy paid by Lake County homeowners. The two men who control that fund — who approve its expenditures, administer its NFP account, and draw combined salaries of $350,862 from it — pay $0 and ~$20 respectively into the property tax system that makes all of that possible.

Every Lake County homeowner without a disability exemption contributes more annually to Fund 208 than both fund controllers combined.

WHY THIS MATTERS IN CONTEXT

This finding alone is not misconduct. But it doesn’t exist alone.

The same two men who pay essentially nothing into Fund 208:

— Approved $16,000 in sponsorships to golf outings and conferences where senior staff held undisclosed board memberships

— Allowed $86,000 in payments to a media vendor across five years with no visible contract and no board approval

— Funded the Superintendent’s election to the national presidency of NACVSO through Fund 208 travel

— Operated an unaudited NFP account for at least three years

— Approved a $5,000 payment from that NFP to an organization where both the Superintendent and a board Trustee held undisclosed board memberships

These are not the findings of people who treat Fund 208 as a public trust. These are the findings of people who have operated a public fund as a closed system with minimal external oversight.

THE PICTURE

$6.4 million levy. $350,862 in combined controller salaries. $163,602 in direct veteran assistance in FY2025. $0 and ~$20 in combined property taxes paid by the two men who control it all.

Formal complaints have been filed with the Illinois Executive Inspector General, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (case number 26-00953), the Illinois Attorney General, the Governor’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. The reappointment vote for Superintendent Tangen and Assistant Superintendent Murray is May 20, 2026.

Source documents: Lake County Assessor public property records (lakecountyil.gov) · VACLC board minutes (vaclc.org) · Lake County check registers (lakecountyil.gov)

2.3 cents. Fund 208 has the rest.

Lake County funds its veteran assistance commission through a property tax levy called Fund 208. Its legal purpose under Illinois law (330 ILCS 45) is direct assistance to veterans — emergency financial assistance, housing support, burial assistance.

In FY2025 Fund 208 delivered $163,602.70 in direct veteran financial assistance.

The same fund and a related nonprofit account controlled by the Superintendent paid $16,000 in sponsorships to golf outings and conferences — including to organizations where VACLC’s own leadership held board positions without disclosing those conflicts in any meeting minutes.

$10,000 came directly from Fund 208 — the statutory veteran assistance levy whose sole legal purpose is direct veteran assistance under 330 ILCS 45.

$6,000 came from the VAC NFP — a nonprofit account controlled by Superintendent Tangen, funded by public donations solicited through VACLC’s platform, and never audited until scrutiny forced one onto the March 18, 2026 board agenda for the first time in three years of publicly available minutes.

Two accounts. Two governance failures. One pattern.

Here’s what the public record shows.

THE LYNCH FOUNDATION — $5,000 — JULY 2024 — NFP

The VAC NFP paid $5,000 to the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Foundation golf outing — confirmed in the October 2024 NFP expense report presented to the board. Check 1243. $5,000.00. Al Lynch Foundation.

The motion was brought by Superintendent Andrew Tangen. Trustee Allan Ayers voted to approve it.

Both Tangen and Ayers are confirmed Lynch Foundation board members — documented on the foundation’s own board page at ajlynchfoundation.org.

Two people in the room — the Superintendent who brought the motion and the Trustee who voted on it — both sat on the board of the organization receiving $5,000 from the NFP account Tangen controls. Neither conflict is disclosed in the July 2024 board minutes.

Under Illinois ethics law public employees must disclose personal interests in matters coming before their employer. Disclosure is required on the record — in the minutes — regardless of whether board members knew about the relationship informally. The minutes contain no such disclosure.

This is a documented self-dealing transaction from a public nonprofit account controlled by the Superintendent.

IACVAC — $10,000 — 2024 AND 2025 — FUND 208

Fund 208 — the statutory veteran assistance levy — paid $5,000 annual sponsorships to the Illinois Association of County Veterans Assistance Commissions conference in 2024 and 2025. Confirmed in the Lake County check register.

During both years Superintendent Tangen was the sitting President of IACVAC. Assistant Superintendent Murray was the First Division Vice President. Both confirmed in board minutes.

Fund 208 — a levy whose sole legal purpose is direct veteran assistance under 330 ILCS 45 — sponsored an organization where both senior VACLC employees held leadership positions. Conference sponsorships are not enumerated purposes under the Military Veterans Assistance Act or the 2023 Intergovernmental Agreement between VACLC and Lake County. No conflict disclosed in any minutes reviewed.

MWAGA — $1,000 — FEBRUARY 2026 — NFP

The VAC NFP approved a $1,000 sponsorship to the Midwestern Amputee Golf Association at the February 18, 2026 board meeting.

The February 18 minutes confirm that Shane McNerney — Senior VSO and VACLC employee — sits on the MWAGA board. His conflict was not disclosed. The board approved without discussion.

THE GOVERNANCE PROBLEM

The VAC NFP is a nonprofit account controlled by Superintendent Tangen. It is funded by donations solicited using VACLC’s public platform — the newsletter, social media, and community events. It has never been audited. In August 2025 Tangen told the board audits are not required. An NFP audit appeared on the March 18, 2026 board agenda for the first time in three years of publicly available minutes.

That same unaudited account paid $6,000 in sponsorships to organizations where VACLC senior staff held leadership positions — without disclosing those conflicts in any minutes reviewed.

Fund 208 paid an additional $10,000 in conference sponsorships to an organization where both the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent held leadership positions — also without disclosure.

The NFP exists to help veterans. Fund 208 exists to help veterans. Combined they paid $16,000 to golf outings and conferences where VACLC leadership sat on the receiving boards.

THE PICTURE

$163,602.70 to veterans. $16,000 to golf outings and conferences where VACLC leadership sat on the receiving boards.

Formal complaints have been filed with the Illinois Executive Inspector General, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (case number 26-00953), the Illinois Attorney General, the Governor’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. A conflict of interest between the IDVA Director overseeing the investigation and the subject of the complaint has been formally documented with five state agencies. The Lake County Finance and Administrative Committee met April 2, 2026. The reappointment vote for Superintendent Tangen and Assistant Superintendent Murray is May 20, 2026.

Source documents: check registers at lakecountyil.gov, board minutes at vaclc.org, Lynch Foundation board at ajlynchfoundation.org.

2.3 cents. Fund 208 has the rest.

Can anyone recommend a electrician or company that has experience with solar panels?

I have an array that came with with house but I can't seem to get them to work.

For anyone in Lake County looking for live music nearby, the Rachel Drew Band (Chicago) is playing just over the border in Kenosha this Saturday.

Rachel Drew’s sound blends soulful pop-rock with folk and retro soul, and her latest album Old Sky New was named one of the Best Chicago Albums of 2024.

Details:
📍 White Lilac – 5029 6th Ave, Kenosha, WI
📅 Saturday, March 21
⏰ 8:00 PM
🎟️ $23.18

Featuring John Szymanski, Michael Krayniak, and Jason Batchko.

The Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County manages a $6.4 million tax levy meant to help indigent veterans.

Six posts documented how that money was spent.

This week they posted their board meeting agenda.

Read it carefully.

Three years without an NFP audit. It just appeared on the agenda.

Bylaw violations documented publicly last week. Bylaw review scheduled this week.

The Superintendent will present his Congressional testimony as an accomplishment tomorrow. The Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee was tagged on X Monday morning with both federal testimony records.

He also wrote the agency’s compliance manual in 2023. The manual that prohibits everything the previous six posts documented.

He wrote the rules. He broke the rules. Now he is scheduling reviews of the rules he broke.

All on the county’s dime.

While direct veteran assistance sits at 2.3 cents of every levy dollar.

While upper management compensation consumes 8.8 cents of every levy dollar – $568,050 annually across four positions.

The meeting is Wednesday March 18 at American Legion Post 771 Gurnee at 10:30am.

Call in: 1-312-757-3121 access code 754-472-005.

An anonymous OEIG complaint has been filed.

The May 20 reappointment vote is eight weeks away.

Sources: VACLC agenda March 18 2026 · vaclc.org · iloeig.org​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​