Dorian Patel, who has had a career in radiology, and Cynthia Hoess, who has been a physician for 30 years and currently works as a pediatrician for Methodist Hospitals, both said they would like to serve the board to ensure its transparency with the public.

“I am very interested in finding out how the health board operates, what they’re goals are,” Patel said. “We’re here to find out more about how the health board operates.”

The board wasn’t expecting to conduct interviews at the meeting as the opening had not been posted or advertised. But Hobart resident Barbara Koteles told the board she spoke with Lake County Commissioner Michael Repay who informed her about the citizen appointment to the health board. Koteles said she told Patel and Hoess about the opening.

When the council was considering $4.87 million in state funding for the health department last year, Patel and Koteles spoke out against it, expressing concern that the money would be used for vaccine and mask mandates.

Lake County Council President Christine Cid said three people sent in resumes or letters of interest for the position, but only Patel and Hoess attended Tuesday’s meeting. The council agreed to accept resumes for the position through June 28 and to conduct further interviews at its July 9 meeting.

The health board meets four times a year, Cid said, and when asked both women said they could be available for the meetings.

Koteles said she and others are curious who has oversight over the health board, who evaluates the board members and who checks the political backgrounds of each board member.

“Past performance is a predictor of future performance,” Koteles said. “We want to see how they operate and what they were doing.”

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb advocated strongly for the Health First Indiana initiative, which was created in 2023 by the Indiana legislature through Senate Enrolled Act 4 to improve overall health of Hoosiers, a metric where the state consistently ranks among the worst in the nation.

As part of its spending plan, the Lake County Health Department plans to open a maternal and child health center in both the north and south sides of the county.

As a physician, Hoess said she’s worked in a tuberculosis clinic, an HIV clinic and in a clinic that provided home visits to asthmatic patients in Gary to help them with their medications so they can avoid hospitalization, among other things.

“There really isn’t much that I have not seen,” Hoess said. “I have a passion for what I do.”

Hoess said she’d like to see the health department work toward decreasing the number of patients with diabetes, hypertension and obesity, which have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The department should also find ways to support people with mental health issues, which have also increased since the pandemic, she said.

“I’m a team player. I’m active. I want the best health for everybody,” Hoess said. “I’m interested in being part of the Lake County Board of Health so that we can … get back and make up for time that we lost from COVID.”

The board must follow guidelines established by the CDC, Cid said, so she asked both candidates if they are aware of that. Patel said, “yes that was brought to our attention,” and Hoess said, “right.”

In her work, Hoess said she follows guidelines and best practices set by various government health departments.

“We pretty much have to follow it,” Hoess said.

Councilman Ted Bliski said he knows people were upset about the mask and vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused some people to become more involved in local politics.

Bilski said he wouldn’t want to appoint someone with a specific political agenda to the health board.

“I hope people aren’t taking this job to move forward a political agenda but for the public health of Lake County,” Bilski said.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill this year that would allow Hammond to place a 1% tax on prepared food and beverages, said Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott. The tax would be added on to the state’s 7% sales tax, he said.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law stating the tax can go into effect July 1, McDermott said, though it will take 120 days after the council gives final approval for the Indiana Department of Revenue to prepare for the tax.

The city can utilize the tax for 20 years, and it cannot increase beyond 1%, McDermott said. The tax would not be added to a grocery bill, McDermott said.

The state has directed that the funds collected through the tax can go toward three projects: expansion of the Hammond Sportsplex, construction of a downtown South Shore train station on the West Lake Corridor, and expanding the Pavilion at Wolf Lake, McDermott said.

It is estimated that the tax will generate $2 million a year for 20 years, McDermott said. Given the cost, McDermott said the city would only allocate money for the sportsplex and the train station.

Each project will likely cost more than $10 million, he said, not including financing costs.

“We feel pretty confident there’s not going to be much money left for the pavilion expansion, which, I love that idea. But I think that’s a much bigger discussion. We’re not going to be able to finance that on our own in Hammond,” McDermott said.

Ahead of the vote, Councilman Dave Woerpel emphasized that the tax, under state law, could not be increased over 1%, would sunset after 20 years, could only be spent in three areas and would not apply to groceries.

The council voted 9-0 on first and second reading of the ordinance. The council also scheduled a public hearing of the ordinance for 5 p.m. June 24 at Hammond City Hall, 5925 Calumet Avenue.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill this year that would allow Hammond to place a 1% tax on prepared food and beverages, said Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott. The tax would be added on to the state’s 7% sales tax, he said.

“The council has permission to debate this, to see if we can create an ordinance out of it. Now, the ball is passed to the Hammond council,” McDermott said.

The state has directed that the funds collected through the tax can go toward three projects: expansion of the Hammond Sportsplex, construction of a downtown South Shore train station on the West Lake Corridor and expanding the pavilion at Wolf Lake, he said.

McDermott said he felt the money would be best spent on the Sportsplex and train station.

“We couldn’t spend for anything outside of those three projects with this money,” McDermott said. “The first two projects are going to eat up all the money.”

It is estimated that the tax will generate $2 million a year for 20 years, McDermott said. On a $50 restaurant bill the potential city food and beverage tax would be 50 cents, he said.

The sales tax would only apply to prepared food and beverages not groceries, McDermott emphasized. While no one likes a tax increase, McDermott said residents can avoid the tax.

“This is a tax that’s unlike almost any other tax that you could literally avoid it easily by just not going out,” McDermott said. “If you don’t go to restaurants, if you don’t go to fast food places you’re not going to pay the tax.”

The Sportsplex is a major tourist attraction in Hammond, McDermott said, with many people from out of town coming to play in tournaments. In 2023, the Sportsplex generated $1.2 million in revenue, McDermott said, which includes concession sales, bar sales and tournament entry fees.

The train station will help with further redevelopment of the downtown area, McDermott said.

Councilman William Emerson, 4th District, said he will support the tax because it will go toward redeveloping the city.

“I’m in favor of it because to me 1% is not that much,” Emerson said.

Councilman Dave Woerpel, 5th District, said he will support the tax because as the city redevelops it will being more businesses and people to the area.

“To me it just makes a lot of sense because it will bring economic development,” Woerpel said.

El Taco Real owner and longtime Hammond resident Ray Garcia has mixed feelings about the tax. On one hand, the ordinance appears on its face to be socially beneficial, which Garcia appreciates.

Only one of the projects, however, appeals to him.

“The West Corridor project has a much broader appeal, with people coming in from Chicago coming into downtown Hammond. That’s a worthy investment for sure,” he said. “The Sportsplex, however, appeals to a smaller, more specific population that, quite frankly, probably doesn’t branch out further than the places in its immediate area. How does that help us?”

Garcia and Matt Przewoznik, who owns Flat Rock Tap on Calumet Avenue, said restaurants and bars have struggled to get back to normal post-COVID. Only now has El Taco Real completely recovered from the pandemic, Garcia said, while Przewoznik said he’s still working on it. A tax, regardless of how small, won’t exactly help him attract any customers, Przewoznik said.

“I’m not a fan of many taxes, because it’s the little guys who get pummeled again, and Hammond is full of mom-and-pops,” he said. “How does this work with the casinos, who give out free drinks? And what happens if the County passes (a food and beverage tax)? Is it just going to be on top of Hammond’s? And what about the festivals — are they going to be taxed?”

Garcia agreed.

“Restaurants are getting taxed unilaterally again,” he said. “I’m mostly for it, as funding for these initiatives is hard to find, but it would’ve been nice for (the city administration) to ask us what we think.”

Garcia also wondered how the money will be administered and who will be doing it, because that would be problematic for him.

“Look at the School City of Hammond — they got the referendum, but no offense, look what happened. Is this going to be the usual suspects? Bottom line for me is oversight,” he said.

Hammond voters approved a 2017 operating referendum before they roundly rejected a renewal of the referendum in November 2023. In the wake of that funding loss, the district has closed 3 schools and eliminated more than 170 jobs along with other cost-cutting moves.

For Przewoznik, there appear to be better ways to make money. He works in Cook County and sees billboards advertising video gaming in bars all the time.

“The State of Illinois is bringing in $250 million to $300 million a year on video gaming. Wouldn’t that be a better way to make money than a 1% tax? That’s potentially $150,000 per bar per year that would go back into the community, and no one’s forcing the people to use the machines,” he said.

“It’s 1% today, but is it going to be 4%, 5% down the road? I’ve never heard of anyone getting rid of a tax.”

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

Director Michelle Fajman and assistant director LeAnn Angerman became Certified Elections Registration Administrators through Auburn University and The Election Center in 2022. In May, they graduated from the nationally recognized Certificate in Election Administration, Technology, and Security program, according to a Lake County Board of Elections and Registration office press release.

“It’s a huge impact to go through both rigorous training sessions and classes on these. We stand by what we preach, knowledge is power. Continue learning,” Fajman said.

The two certifications allow them to become more knowledgeable in their field, Angerman said, which in turn allows them to better serve voters.

As part of the CEATS program, Fajman and Angerman created a “Flipcharts and Flowcharts,” a four-part guide to educate four target audiences: poll workers, voters, election officials and election administrators.

The 32-page poll worker guide gives information about how poll workers are selected, the different types of poll workers and training to how to operate the polling machines, what to do if not all the poll workers arrive on election day and the photo identification law.

The 32-page voter guide gives information about the four ways to vote, how to register to vote, what to do if you moved, straight-party voting, and photographs at the polling location.

The 11-page election officials guide gives information about election day preparation, assistance in the polls, surrendering voted ballots at the polls and photo identification guidance, while the 15-page administrative guide addresses staff training, physical and cyber security, conflict management and campaign finance.

“We knew that we needed to get accurate and vetted information out to the public, and we felt that it would be best done by creating modules that were designed specifically for their audiences,” Angerman said.

The project received a Help America Vote Act grant of $89,570, which was used to professionally print the guidebooks, according to the release.

The Indiana Secretary of State has reached out to the office, Fajman said, to request if it can use part of the guide. Through networking in the CERA program, Fajman said election officials in Ohio and Pennsylvania have asked to use parts of the guide.

The guidebooks have also been made available in most of the Lake County library, given to political party leaders throughout the county and various League of Women Voters chapters, Fajman said.

Poll workers used an earlier version of their guidebook during the 2023 general election, Fajman said, and a revised version in the 2024 primary election last month.

“We’re really proud of the product that we created,” Fajman said. “All of us election administrators, we’re all facing the same questions and concerns, and so we wanted to create something that truly could be used by a lot of different people.”

During the CEATS program, Fajman said she enjoyed learning about the certification process for the voting systems. In the CERA program, Angerman said she most enjoys networking with election administrators from across the country.

Fajman and Angerman both said the best part of completing the two certifications was working together on them.

“Michelle and I have both worked on this project. I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. We have a fantastic bipartisan board, Michelle and I are bipartisan and the project reflects that,” Angerman said.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

The call came at 5:55 a.m. May 7, Evans said, and officers found the woman illegally dumping large tree trunks and debris from a dump truck. The officers ensured the tree trunks were reloaded onto the truck, Evans said, before it was towed and fines and citations were issued.

“This case is one of many where illegal dumpers are not residents of the city,” Evans said. “Sometimes illegal dumping is performed by large companies that are paid to dispose of debris while doing work but instead of doing proper disposal they dump the debris in Gary.”

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Brian Rockensuess, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez and Evans announced Tuesday a major grant from the state to address two legacy illegal dumping sites and the creation of the Illegal Dumping Task Force to tackle the persistent issue of illegal dumping in the city.

“The administration cannot do this alone. It’s going to take community as a whole,” Melton said. “We wanted to … encourage the public, if you see something, say something.”

The city received a $508,678.08 grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to clean up and secure legacy illegal dumping sites at 1100 North Clark Road and 890 Chase Street, Melton said.

Before he was sworn into office, Melton said IDEM informed city officials that it would be fined for the two illegal dumping sites. Melton said he worked with IDEM to come up with a solution, which resulted in the grant.

“We already have businesses that are interested in these locations,” Melton said. “If we don’t get them prepared, cleaned, protected, it’s going to be hard to make them more attractive for economic development opportunities.”

During a recent Gary Common Council meeting, a resident stated during public comment that a city contractor has been illegally dumping at the 890 Chase Street location. Melton said his administration has not been able to verify that fact, but city contractors are required to bring back receipts that show debris was properly removed.

Rockensuess said cleaning and securing the two sites, which will include cameras for added security, the land can then be redeveloped.

“We collectively send the message that this conduct is no longer tolerated in Gary,” Rockensuess said. “The issue going on was much bigger than just those two properties. What Gary needed was not a fine … they needed help to get moving toward a better future.”

Martinez said illegal dumping creates public health and environmental hazards, as well as being expensive to clean up. Anyone caught illegal dumping can face anywhere from fines to criminal charges, he said.

The sheriff’s department will install cameras near known sites and use its aviation unit to monitor areas to prevent illegal dumping. The sheriff’s department will also help address illegal dumping by allowing inmates in the work release program to help clean the city, Martinez said.

“Taking a proactive approach, holding those individuals accountable, is going to deter other individuals from such activities,” Martinez said.

The task force will investigate to identify the number of illegal dumping sites and each site’s condition, said Gary’s Chief Operating Officer Michael Suggs in an interview with the Post-Tribune.

“The sites are all over the community. Some sites are in worse condition than others. There are sites in a lot of our areas that are blighted and the areas that are not well occupied, as far as a lot of homes,” Suggs said.

From the city, the task force will include members from the mayor’s office, code enforcement department, police department, health department, public works department, legal and communications, said the city’s Chief Communications Officer Erika Blackwell.

The task force will also include members from IDEM, the sheriff’s office and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, Blackwell said.

City officials will conduct a root cause analysis to find out all the causes of illegal dumping in the city, Suggs said.

During the analysis, Suggs said public works employees will visit sites and go through the items there to gauge what is there, particularly if any items point to a potential company that may have dumped material at that location.

City officials will also work with the sanitary district to see if illegal dumping is impacting the system, Suggs said. The police department will work to stop illegal dumping while officers are on patrol, Evans said.

The legal department will work to see what penalties and other legal actions can be taken against people and companies found to be illegally dumping objects in the city, Suggs said.

Another important part of the task force will be communicating with the public and businesses about how to properly dispose of debris or other materials, Suggs said. Right now, residents can dispose of their garbage and debris at a location near Clay Street and East 15th Avenue, he said.

“We’re just trying to do a thorough method in trying to analyze and find the roots of this issue that is becoming a plague to our community,” Suggs said. “We feel that this is going to be our best effort.”

In his 30 years with the police department, Evans said illegal dumping has been a major issue that has blighted Gary.

In the last few years, Evans said the problem has become much worse as it appears companies and contractors have been dumping materials — sometimes hazardous — which increases cost and personnel use for the city.

“Our officers are out 24/7 and they see the results of dumping all the time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take very long to do this activity,” Evans said.

If the task force finds debris from a specific company, Evans said the police will conduct an investigation into the company and the items it illegally dumped in the city. Depending on what debris is found, there are various degrees of fines and penalties that can be issued to the company, he said.

Evans said the police department is prepared to make adjustments to enforcement because there is a possibility that as people are deterred from illegal dumping “the activity may decrease but it may also move.”

“We will be a fluid, mobile type of task force that will be able to change our tactics, change our ideas on the fly,” Evans said.

The task force will respond to whatever the analysis of the illegal dumping sites finds, Suggs said.

“I look at this process as a living process. It’s constantly changing and growing as far as our new awareness and understanding of the issues,” Suggs said. “We just know that we have to do something.”

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Senate Bill 181, a revival of a bill that failed in 2023, was authored by Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, and would enable and compel Rokita, a Munster native, to bring lawsuits aimed at forcing governmental entities and educational institutions to comply with federal immigration authorities.

Governor Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law March 12. Earlier this month, Rokita sent East Chicago, Gary, West Lafayette and Monroe County officials a letter to rescind ordinances pertaining to immigration or the cities and county will face legal action.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a statement he has been made aware of the letter Rokita sent to the city council about the ordinance, and he will work with the council to address the matter. Melton said he’s been working with Holcomb to rebuild the city, and laws like Senate Bill 181 are just distractions.

“I respectfully ask the Attorney General Todd Rokita to help us out or leave us alone,” Melton said.

In 2017, the East Chicago Common Council passed a Welcoming City Ordinance that Mayor Anthony Copeland signed the next day, according to Rokita’s letter dated May 14 to the East Chicago Common Council.

In the letter, Rokita asked whether the East Chicago ordinance is still in effect, a demand to repeal the ordinance if it is still in effect, and to “inform the common council of the legal consequences of failing to repeal the ordinance.”

“Unless the ordinance has been repealed on or before July 1, 2024, probable cause will exist to bring an action against the City of East Chicago to compel its compliance with Indiana law – and I will do so,” Rokita wrote in the letter.

Copeland and East Chicago Councilmembers did not respond to requests for comment.

In 2017, the Gary Common Council voted 6-3 in favor of a welcoming city ordinance, which requires that any investigation by city officials into a person’s immigration status be court-ordered, and holds that city resources will not be used to enforce federal immigration law.

Karen Freeman-Wilson, then Gary’s mayor, backed the legislation, which was drafted in response to a Trump administration crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

Gary’s ordinance prompted a lawsuit from four Indiana residents who claimed that it violated a 2011 Indiana law banning so-called “sanctuary cities,” which prohibits cities and other local governments from refusing to communicate or cooperate with federal immigration authorities in order to shield people who have entered the country without legal permission.

The lawsuit was dismissed in 2022 after the Indiana Supreme Court ruled the plaintiffs had not suffered an injury and thus had no standing to sue.

Later the same year, the state appellate court held that two plaintiffs who challenged a similar East Chicago ordinance also lacked legal standing.

Melton said laws like Senate Bill 181 target Gary and do not help him “move the city or the state of Indiana forward.”

“As Mayor of Gary, all I want is to create opportunities for my community to flourish. Unfortunately, within the first six months of my administration we have repeatedly experienced unwarranted attacks and been dragged into national political debates around immigration and guns,” Melton said.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Special Judge Kelsey Blake Hanlon presided over a 3-day bench trial that ended Friday to address a case brought by abortion providers to broaden access to abortions under the state’s near-total ban.

Julie Storbeck, Indiana National Organization for Women President, said the organization supports the lawsuit because Indiana’s near-total abortion ban was not decided based on medicine.

abortion ban Indiana

“We look forward to the whole law being completely overturned at some point, and we’ll continue to work on that and support all efforts to have the law overturned in whole. But meanwhile, until we can get to that point, we totally support this suit,” Storbeck, of Valparaiso, said. “We are cautiously optimistic that the courts will rule in our favor and expand the exceptions.”

Deborah Chubb, executive director of the Indiana Women’s Action Movement, said while it is important for abortion providers to go to court to expand access for abortion care it is also frustrating that they must.

“This whole discussion feels like such an academic exercise. The point is that women make very responsible, rational decisions about how many children they can gestate, birth and raise,” Chubb, of Michigan City, said.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers are asking Hanlon for a preliminary injunction expanding the medical exemptions and blocking the hospital-only requirement.

The Indiana Supreme Court upheld the ban in June, ending a broader legal challenge brought by the same plaintiffs, but said the state’s constitution protects a women’s right to an abortion when her life or health is at risk.

The plaintiffs say the ban’s exceptions for protecting health are written so narrowly that in practice, many doctors won’t end a pregnancy even when a woman’s condition qualifies under the statute.

According to the complaint, the ban does not account for conditions that may threaten health later in a pregnancy, after giving birth or for conditions that may exacerbate other health problems. The health and life exception allows for an abortion up to 20 weeks into the pregnancy.

The plaintiffs also want women to be able to have abortions if medically indicated for psychological reasons. The current statute explicitly rules out the threat of self-harm or suicide as a “serious health risk,” which is another reason why the plaintiffs say the state’s definition is unconstitutional.

Only a few hospitals, largely in the Indianapolis area, provide abortions and usually at a higher cost than at clinics, the complaint says. Doctors prescribing medication must observe the woman swallowing the pills, delaying abortions for patients who don’t live nearby.

Storbeck said the cost for an abortion can be in the thousands at a hospital, while the cost for an abortion can cost a couple hundred dollars at a clinic.

The state has called the providers’ claims “vague and ambiguous” in court filings, and denied that Indiana infringes on any legal rights.

If a patient requests or needs an abortion, that decision should be made between the patient and a doctor, Storbeck said.

“How did we get to the point where a doctor, their decision in a life or death situation, their decision when dealing with the health of their patient is dismissed for someone who has no background and no knowledge of pregnancy and reproductive rights,” Storbeck said.

The challenge was filed in politically liberal Monroe County, home to Indiana University’s main campus, but Democratic judges handed off the case until it landed before Hanlon, a Republican elected in a neighboring, conservative Owen County.

Indiana became the first state to enact tighter abortion restrictions after the U.S. Supreme Court ended federal abortion protections by overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022. The state law also allows exceptions for rape, incest and lethal fetal anomalies in limited circumstances.

Since the ban took effect, abortions in the state have dramatically dropped. According to the latest report from the state health department, 46 abortions were reported in the last three months of 2023, down from 1,724 during the last quarter of 2022.

Chubb said if state officials want to increase the number of births in the state the legislature should pass bills that improve access to prenatal care, paid maternity leave and the medical cost of birth.

“There are just so many things that policymakers could do if their goal was to increase the number of births,” Chubb said.

The way to address the state’s near-total abortion ban is for voters to elect those who support legalizing abortion to the state legislature and other state offices. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick recently held a series of town halls across the state, including one in Merrillville, that focused on reproductive rights.

“Even if this exception for the health for the mother is expanded to some extent because of this case, that does not cure the problem of women being denied full and equal citizenship under our state constitution,” Chubb said.

Storbeck said voters should research their candidates in the general election and vote for candidates who support reproductive rights.

“That’s the only way we’re going to get out of this, is if we vote,” Storbeck said.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Republicans called the trial and Thursday’s verdict against the former president and current candidate as a politically motivated spectacle, while Democrats called the case and its conclusion the result of Trump’s actions.

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said in a statement he believes in the independence of the judicial branch and following the rule of law.

“Each individual, no matter their station in life, is responsible for their actions and the recent conviction of the former President speaks for itself,” Mrvan said.

As a member of the legislative branch, Mrvan said he will continue to work on issues he can control: defending the domestic steel industry, incentivizing investments in our manufacturing and critical infrastructure, supporting unions, and restoring reproductive freedoms.

Lake County Republican Party Chairman Randy Niemeyer, who is running against Mrvan in the general election, said in a statement that the jury’s decision is “deeply disappointing and indicative of a political agenda rather than justice.”

He is hopeful an appeal will overturn the verdict.

“This verdict highlights how an activist DA can politicize our justice, which is a terrible precedent to set for the justice system in our country,” Niemeyer said.

Porter County Councilman Ronald “Red” Stone said Trump’s conviction won’t stop Stone from voting for Trump. “If he’s our Republican nominee, I would 100% support him. I can’t support high inflation. I don’t support 10 million immigrants coming across the border.”

However, Stone isn’t as focused on the national political scene as some.

“My job is to be focused on local issues,” he said, including addressing Porter County needs without raising taxes and while being fiscally responsible.

Given the controversy of the case and the verdict, several people demurred. Porter County Democratic Party Chair Don Craft declined to comment and the state party did not release a statement, standing behind one from the Biden-Harris campaign instead.

“In New York (Thursday), we saw that no one is above the law. Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” the statement read. “But … (the) verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.”

Likewise, Porter County Republican Party Chair Michael Simpson referred to Indiana Republican Party Chairwoman Anne Hathaway’s remarks on the verdict.

“Joe Biden and his Democrat allies’ weaponization of the American justice system is disgusting and today officially marks a sad day in U.S. history,” she said in a statement released late Thursday afternoon. “Unfortunately, the real victims are the American people who are left to deal with crippling inflation, a humanitarian crisis at the southern border, crumbling public safety, and instability across the globe. Fortunately, the American people will be heard loud and clear when Donald Trump is elected President in November.”

None of the five Republican councilmen from the Town of Munster — four of whom ran on a “Munster First” platform, which is an offshoot of Trump’s “America First” platform — responded to a request from the Post-Tribune about the verdict. A post written on the Munster Republican Central Committee’s social media page, however, blamed Judge Juan Merchan for “nefariously” influencing the trial’s outcome.

“A judge can nefariously influence the outcome of a trial through various means, including bias in jury selection, manipulating the selection process to ensure a jury that is favorable to one side,” the post reads.

The post also included, “giving the jury misleading instructions that could sway their verdict,” and “coercing or intimidating witnesses to give testimony that aligns with the judge’s preferred outcome,” among its points — none of which have been hinted at, let alone proven, in the Trump case.

Highland Town Council President Phil Scheeringa declined to comment, saying he was at work.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Michelle L. Quinn and Doug Ross are freelance reporters for the Post-Tribune.

The vending machine cost $400 and will be stocked with naloxone, a nasal spray administered to someone experiencing an opioid overdose, said Family Guidance Centers Chief Operating Officer Ron Vlasaty. There is no charge for taking a kit.

The Family Guidance Centers mobile unit, introduced last year, will come to the vending machine periodically to make sure it is fully stocked with Narcan, the brand name of naloxone, Vlasaty said.

The mobile unit has passed out more than 5,000 Narcan kits and connected 5,000 individuals with resources for opioid addiction treatment within its first year, he said.

“The opioid overdose epidemic is ravishing our communities. The data from the south suburbs is absolutely alarming,” Vlasaty said. “FGC is proud to partner with Pace to offer Narcan, which is a life-saving overdose reversal resource in the effort to address the crisis.”

The vending machine will be outside the station, said Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger, with the goal of including another vending machine inside the station.

“We’re grateful to Family Guidance Center for reaching out to us to offer this benefit to the community at large,” Metzger said.

From March 21, 2020 to May 29, 2020, during the state’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order, there were 122 opioid overdose deaths in southern Cook County, said Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon, D-5th. Within those three months, Gordon said southern Cook County saw an increase of 82% in comparable deaths within the same time period in 2019.

Similar machines have been installed in St. Charles and at the Kane County sheriff’s office.

The need for wider availability of naloxone, which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, will help decrease the number of opioid overdose deaths, Gordon said.

“Today we stand united with a collective purpose to combat the alarming opioid crisis that has deeply impacted southern Cook County and the entire Chicagoland area,” Gordon said. “The opioid crisis is having dire impacts throughout the Southland and the urgency to address this public health emergency is clear.”

The opioid crisis affected her family, Gordon said, when about 15 years ago her uncle overdosed.

“I just can’t help to think that things would’ve been different if we had the resources that we have today,” she said.

State Rep. William Davis, D-30th, said the vending machines are a step forward toward helping people fight opioid addiction.

“Meeting people where they are is extremely, extremely important,” Davis said. “There is help here if you indeed need that help.”

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

“How can this happen in our country?” Balich said. “We had the greatest country in the world and now it stinks.”

Balich said the prosecution by the New York attorney general was politically motivated.

“I’m aggravated. I am totally appalled. New York is just an example of the scumbags running our country,” he said. “There’s no more rule of law. New York is just an example of how bad it is. They hate the guy, so they want to make sure he goes to jail.”

Balich, who has organized monthly rallies in support of Trump at the intersection of 143rd Street and Bell Road in Homer Glen, said he thinks the guilty verdict could encourage voters to support Trump in November.

“You can’t do this to people. The general population is mad. This is going to anger people so much,” he said. “They will come out of the woodwork to vote for Trump even if he is in jail.”

Christina Clausen, chair of the Will County Republican Central Committee, issued a statement saying the verdict represents a profound crisis for the democratic process.

“It is deeply troubling that in our supposedly free and fair society, a rogue judge and prosecutor can wrongfully condemn and imprison one of our greatest presidents,” Clausen said in the statement. “This outcome is a glaring instance of election interference, undermining the integrity of our Republic and equal justice. Every citizen should be outraged by this misuse of the judiciary to persecute political opponents.”

She said the case shows the judicial system can be rigged “against those who oppose the liberal Democrats and their goals.”

“Every citizen who cherishes fair and free elections should be outraged by this development,” Clausen said. “It is essential that we stand together, remain vigilant, and relentlessly defend our democracy to ensure that the will of the people prevails without undue influence or bias.”

Balich said the case would have been tossed out if Trump were tried in Texas or another state.

“To me, it’s like a big conspiracy to destroy the country. It’s so outrageous,” he said. “It’s all political. It’s stuff that happens in foreign countries. They call them banana republics.”

Balich said he wondered if President Biden would be tried in red states, such as for contributing to fentanyl overdoses due to his immigration policies.

Clausen said the verdict doesn’t diminish her support for the former president.

“I stand firmly with Trump, hoping justice will prevail and his innocence will be shown, proving the system is rigged against those opposing liberal Democrats,” she said.

Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon, a Democrat, said she received a lot of calls and text messages about the news that Trump was found guilty. She said the verdict proves the justice system is improving.

“I believe in being innocent until proven guilty, and now it’s proven. Justice was served. No one is above the law,” Gordon said.

Democratic State Rep. Will Davis of the 30th District said it was a sad day when a former president was found guilty of multiple felonies.

“I am certainly happy with the verdict, but overall it’s a sad state of affairs,” Davis said.

Former Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims said justice was served.

“If that were you and I, we wouldn’t get away with it. I don’t think a former president should get away with it either,” Sims said. “We expect our president to be a person who does things right and serves the people.”

It is unclear, Gordon said, how the verdict will affect the November election because Trump supporters are loyal to him.

Alexandra Kukulka is a staff reporter. Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.