The Lake Forest Podcast

Fire Dept. Continued – Navy in LF? Duffers Detroit Thin Crust? Bears 5-3? Pete, Jeff, Joe talk local pride, pizza, sports + city banter. Baker Tilly says "comparable" – but OT debate rages.🔥 *Timestamps:*00:00 – Intro + Sponsors02:25 – Morgan Wallen Banter05:16 – Navy in Lake Forest13:35 – Duffers Pizza Debate19:20 – Bears 5-3 + Sports36:26 – FD OT Continued52:57 – Mayor Convertible1:04:00 – Fire District Idea1:07:00 – Wrap-Up📄 *Baker Tilly Report:* https://www.lakeforestpodcast.com/wp-...🔔 *Subscribe + Bell* – New show every Wednesday 9:30AM#LakeForest #FireDept #Navy #Duffers #Bears

🚨 *LAKE FOREST FIREFIGHTERS: UNDERSTAFFED & EXHAUSTED* *12,000 overtime hours in just ONE YEAR.* *As few as 8 firefighters on duty PER SHIFT — for the entire city.* *15 firefighters GONE in 12 months — 25% of the department.* *Amy Pais-Richer* — 20-year advertising exec with Super Bowl ads, published author, and investigative writer — *exposes the crisis* after a firefighter reached out in distress. Follow Amy:   / amy.paisricher   The city calls it a *“Perfect Storm.”* But when your house is on fire, *8 firefighters isn’t enough.* 🔥 *THE FACTS:* ✅ *12,041 overtime hours* (Sep 2024–Sep 2025) ✅ *4,092 emergency calls* — up 19% since 2021 ✅ *654 times Lake Forest GAVE aid* vs *401 received* — *net loss of 253 responses* ✅ *Shifts drop to 8 firefighters* — *below NFPA safety standards* (2-in/2-out) ✅ *15 firefighters lost* — to retirement, injury, or better jobs ✅ *City spent $30 MILLION on a new building* — *but no new hires in budget* 💡 *THE FIX?* *$26 per household per year.* That’s *one takeout order* to add a full shift and keep your family safe. 🗓️ *NOVEMBER 3:* Secret *Baker Tilly staffing report* drops (FOIA’d) 🗓️ *NOVEMBER 4 CITY COUNCIL:* Amy speaks live — *will they act?* Former Illinois State Senator *Susan Garrett* and local leader *Jeff Urso* join the fight. *This isn’t politics. This is YOUR safety.* *Share this. Tag a neighbor. Demand action.* 💬 *COMMENT:* “Should Lake Forest hire firefighters NOW — or keep risking lives?” 👇 *WATCH. SHARE. SAVE LIVES.* #LakeForest #Understaffed #FireCrisis --- #Firefighters #OvertimeCrisis #PublicSafety #Illinois #FireDepartment #SaveLives #LocalNews #LakeCounty #FirstResponders #CityCouncil #Exposed #AmyPaisRicher 🎙️ *Lake Forest Podcast* | Truth. Transparency. Action.

Lake Forest Podcast dives deep into the week’s biggest local stories — from the Shields Township controversy and City Council highlights to the recent water main break and what it revealed about the city’s infrastructure.💧 Water Main Break & Parallel Systems🏛️ Shields Township Issue & Council Reactions🍺 Jeff Urso on running bars during the AWS outage📱 Smart911 & Lake Forest Now App tips🚒 Fire Department pensions, staffing, and challenges🎃 Halloween in Lake Forest funReferenced Links:👉 Smart911 App: https://www.smart911.com/👉 Lake Forest Now App: https://www.cityoflakeforest.com/how_...👉 Mike Gallo Episode:    • Mike Gallo Division Chief Lake Forest Fire...  👉 Fire Department Understaffing Post:   / 1bg2xi4bbk  ⏱️ Key Moments0:00 Intro3:15 Shields Township Issue9:30 City Council Meeting thoughts18:00 Water Main Break22:22 Water System Parallel System24:05 How Jeff Urso runs his bar systems when AWS went out27:08 Lessons learned from boil water event29:16 Smart911 App30:32 Lake Forest Now App32:15 Mike Gallo Shout Out32:31 Fire Department Pensions34:50 Fire Department Understaffed59:50 Halloween in Lake ForestSubscribe:    / @lakeforestpodcast  Visit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.comSupport:   / lakeforestpodcast  ✅ 3. Hashtags#LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #SkooWalker #JeffUrso #JoeWeiss #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #ShieldsTownship #CityCouncil #WaterMainBreak #FireDepartment #Smart911 #LFNowApp #Infrastructure #PublicSafety #Halloween #LocalNews #MikeGallo #AWSOutage #BoilWaterAdvisory

Lake Forest just had its annual Caucus vote.671 ballots cast — 427 Yes (64%) for remote voting — 244 No.The amendment failed by 21 votes because bylaws demand a two-thirds majority.That means most residents want expanded voting access — yet turnout was under 5% of the city.When civic silence beats civic engagement, Lake Forest starts looking less like a self-governing town and more like Highland Park — where procedure and partisanship replaced participation.Results:Amendment: 427 Yes / 244 No (needed 448 to pass)Ward 1 – Nancy Novit 473 Yes / 61 NoWard 2 – Rosemary Kehr 454 Yes / 55 NoWard 3 – Alice LeVert 503 Yes / 67 NoWard 4 – Lloyd Culbertson 485 Yes / 65 NoNext step: Caucus petitions filed Oct 27 for the March 17 2026 ballot.#LakeForestPodcast #LakeForest #CaucusVote #RemoteVoting #HighlandPark #CivicEngagement

What happens when Lake Forest’s Caucus President and a former State Senator sit down to unpack the city’s most controversial proposal — online voting? 🗳️Regina Etherton, President of the Lake Forest Caucus, and Senator Susan Garrett join Pete to discuss the Alternative Voting Methods Bylaws Amendment ahead of the October 14 vote at the Gorton Center.💬 Topics include:🗳️ The details of the online voting proposal💻 Cybersecurity and transparency concerns🏛️ How Lake Forest’s caucus system works🚗 Senator Garrett’s stolen car story📄 How to volunteer for the Caucus: https://www.lakeforestcaucus.com/volu...📅 Vote: October 14, 2025 | 2–8 PM | Gorton Center📺 More info & demos:https://www.lakeforestcaucus.com/post...https://www.lakeforestcaucus.com/post...⏱️ Key Moments4:29 Regina Etherton joins the show9:10 What is the Lake Forest Caucus?10:38 Senator Susan Garrett joins11:25 The online voting issue explained20:52 Susan Garrett’s car stolen!22:23 Online voting pros and cons23:56 Voting system demo28:15 How to volunteer for the Caucus37:57 Costs: online vs offline45:28 Debate heats up47:48 Susan Garrett’s alternative solution52:29 What achieves the greater good?57:26 Susan’s objections1:01:38 Regina clarifies the vote1:07:15 Is Susan running for mayor?Subscribe:    / @lakeforestpodcast  Visit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.comSupport:   / lakeforestpodcast  #LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #JeffUrso #JoeWeiss #SkooWalker #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #ReginaEtherton #SusanGarrett #LakeForestCaucus #OnlineVoting #ElectronicVoting #GortonCenter #LakeForestPolitics #CivicEngagement #VotingAmendment #LocalElections #IllinoisPolitics #CommunityLeadership

Pete delivers a fiery monologue on civic leadership expectations in Lake Forest after the Charlie Kirk assassination. The crew debates silence vs action, elitism, and what real leadership should look like. Then we break down rising taxes, Pepper Construction’s controversial LFHS donation, and Dan Proft playing our Aaron Del Mar clip on air.👥 Topics:🏛️ Civic leadership expectations in Lake Forest🔥 Pete Jansons monologue on the Charlie Kirk vigil silence💬 Joe Weiss & Jeff Urso rebuttals🏗️ Pepper Construction’s LFHS donation conflict of interest💰 Rising property taxes & how appeals work🎙️ Dan Proft’s Aaron Del Mar clip⏱️ Key Moments:6:54 Bagpipes & Bonfires16:50 Pete’s leadership monologue21:33 Joe Weiss rebuttal24:00 Jeff Urso comment35:14 City Council podium Monday Oct 640:15 Taxes going up48:14 Pepper Construction donation conflict57:35 Dan Proft Aaron Del Mar mention1:03:24 Dan Proft clip https://youtube.com/shorts/OZExJxjfiWc?si=8aTRUSv3a6yjZ4cbSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@LakeForestPodcastVisit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.comSupport: https://www.patreon.com/lakeforestpodcast#LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #SkooWalker #JeffUrso #JoeWeiss #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #CivicLeadership #CharlieKirk #LakeForestCityCouncil #LakeForestTaxes #PropertyTaxAppeal #PepperConstruction #LakeForestHighSchool #DanProft #AaronDelMar #IllinoisPolitics

A powerful conversation with hosts Pete Jansons, Joe Weiss, and Jeff Urso on the double standard of Lake Forest leadership: vocal in 2020 during the George Floyd / Black Lives Matter vigil, but silent in 2025 during the Charlie Kirk vigil.We examine what leadership means, who showed up, who stayed silent, and whether Lake Forest College and city officials failed their community.✨ Key topics: leadership hypocrisy, Lake Forest College culture, city council priorities, parking challenges, and the changing vibe of Market Square.👥 Hosts: Pete Jansons, Joe Weiss, Jeff Urso📍 Vigil coverage: Sept. 21, 2025 (Charlie Kirk, Market Square, Lake Forest) vs June 3, 2020 (George Floyd, Market Square, Lake Forest).✨ Key Moments0:00 Intro & sponsors3:11 Jeff Urso on Duffers and Lake Forest Hockey FB Post6:41 Premise of the Lake Forest Podcast9:13 Joe Weiss on Charlie Kirk11:27 Rev. Jim Buckman speaks at Kirk vigil (via Dan Rogers, Shields GOP) [Pioneer Press photo]11:58 Lake Forest College student mocking Kirk at vigil12:35 Market Square vigil clip Watch13:35 Should leadership attend? 2020 BLM vs 2025 Kirk (Pete = yes, Joe & Jeff = no)14:22 2020 Lake Forest Black Lives Matter vigil29:00 Expectations of leadership29:33 Lack of leadership at Lake Forest College — Pres. Mike Sosulski clip (“Kirk not welcome”)34:27 “It’s 1968 again” — conservatives targeted36:38 Who is the leader of Lake Forest?42:16 Pete’s bar culture example with Jeff46:47 What leadership could have done49:45 City Council meeting & parking52:18 Parking loophole53:32 Should paid parking end?🔗 Subscribe:    / @lakeforestpodcast  🌐 Visit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.com💰 Support:   / lakeforestpodcast  #LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #JoeWeiss #JeffUrso #SkooWalker #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #GeorgeFloyd #CharlieKirk #LakeForestCollege #LeadershipHypocrisy #MarketSquare #BlackLivesMatter #TurningPointUSA #LakeForestPolitics #IllinoisPolitics #LocalLeadership #CityCouncil #LakeCountyIL #LakeForestScouts

Tonight, Lake Forest gathered at Market Square for a candlelight vigil for Charlie. Neighbors showed up. The Lake Forest Police showed up. And Pastor Jim Buckman (Faith Lutheran Church, Deerfield) had the courage to stand with us—thank you, Pastor.But no one from city leadership came. No Mayor Randy Tack. No City Manager Jason Wicha. No aldermen. Zero leadership when presence mattered.🙏 Thank you: Pastor Jim Buckman and the Lake Forest Police Department for showing up for the community.🕯️ Music: “Amazing Grace,” “God Bless America.”📖 Reflections: Faith, service, citizenship, and courage in grief.Key Moments:0:00 Opening & crowd welcome0:28 Introduction (Dan Rogers); thanks to organizers Olivia Johnson & Michelle Parnell3:08 “Amazing Grace” (community singing)5:21 Candidate remarks – Kate McGrath9:58 Reflections on service & citizenship – Barrett D.18:26 Pastor Jim Buckman opens in prayer24:26 Community prayer moment (“How can I pray for you?”)29:09 Scripture & hope (1 Thessalonians 4)36:25 The Lord’s Prayer37:31 “God Bless America” (community singing)38:31 Closing thanks & stay involvedCredits:Organized by community volunteers (thank you, Olivia Johnson & Michelle Parnell).Led in prayer by Pastor Jim Buckman (Faith Lutheran Church, Deerfield).Supported on-site by the Lake Forest Police Department.Note on Leadership:Leaders are supposed to lead. Tonight, ours did not. Lake Forest deserves leadership that shows up in our darkest hours.#LakeForest #LakeForestIL #MarketSquare #Charlie #CandlelightVigil #Community #Faith #PastorJimBuckman #Deerfield #LakeCounty #AmazingGrace #GodBlessAmerica #Leadership #Courage #LakeForestPolice #TurningPoint #Prayer #Hope #CivicEngagement

Lake Forest College’s new president 🎓 Dr. Mike Sosulski joins the 🎙️ Lake Forest Podcast to tackle tough questions on tuition, the value of humanities, sports, and the culture wars shaping campuses today.

Dr. Sosulski brings national leadership experience from Washington College and Wofford College, and now he’s guiding Lake Forest College into its next chapter.

🎓 Dr. Mike Sosulski
15th President, Lake Forest College
📖 Op-Ed on Humanities: https://www.lakeforest.edu/news-and-events/chicago-tribune-publishes-essay-by-president-sosulski-on-value-of-the-humanities
🌐 Biography: https://www.lakeforest.edu/about-us/office-of-the-president/biography
🌐 LFC News: https://www.lakeforest.edu/news-and-events/lake-forest-college-names-dr-mike-sosulski-as-fifteenth-president

🔥 Topics in this episode:
👉 ROI of a humanities degree vs bartenders making 💵 100k
👉 🎓 Distance learning & AI’s impact on education
👉 🏒 Forester athletics & community ties
👉 🌊 Should students get access to the Lake Forest beach?
👉 🗣️ Free speech, indoctrination fears & campus politics
👉 🕯️ Charlie Kirk vigil in Market Square (Sept 21, 7pm)

⏰ Key Moments:
0:00 Sponsors
3:37 Dr. Mike Sosulski’s op-ed on humanities
4:53 Dr. Sosulski joins the show
5:12 ROI: Bartenders vs humanities grads
6:50 Introducing Dr. Mike Sosulski
20:20 Do colleges have too many offerings?
24:05 Distance learning debate
30:00 Forester sports & community engagement
35:26 AI in education
37:08 Student-to-faculty ratio
41:35 Do students get access to the beach?
43:55 Proficiency testing & proctoring
51:56 Conservative parents’ indoctrination fears
55:03 Policy against celebrating death
57:40 Jewish students unsafe on campuses
58:48 Charlie Kirk vigil in Market Square
1:05:40 Morty Shapiro & Saul Monson — what could bring America together?

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@LakeForestPodcast
Visit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.com
Support: https://www.patreon.com/lakeforestpodcast

#LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #SkooWalker #JeffUrso #JoeWeiss #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #DrMikeSosulski #LakeForestCollege #Humanities #CollegeROI #DistanceLearning #AIinEducation #ForestersHockey #ForestersFootball #CharlieKirk #TurningPointUSA #FreeSpeech #CollegeTuition #HigherEd

Lake Forest Podcast dives into the biggest stories shaping our community — from Friday night lights to politics and stadium debates.

This week we cover:🏈 Lake Forest High School Homecoming & football updates🎓 Varsity Field, Wall of Excellence & traditions📜 Lake Forest Caucus bylaws & proposed alternative voting methods🐻 Bears stadium letter from Arlington Heights🎲 Pete’s Vegas trip & national anthem etiquette🙌 Shout-outs to Connor Clark and community legends like John LazzarettoKey Moments:0:00 Start2:56 Aaron Del Mar clip https://youtu.be/mUYtrTzMaUA?si=890bnRqaRZW4PY_t4:12 Lake Forest High School Homecoming https://lfhs.lakeforestschools.org/alumni12/eventsreunions/homecoming5:26 Lake Forest High School Football Update7:11 Pete in Vegas10:18 Bears Stadium Arlington Heights Letter16:14 Lake Forest High School Varsity Field update17:49 Caucus Bylaws update20:13 Regina Etherton Caucus Show Clip https://youtu.be/9M8x1oLiXNo?si=VnCn58QimNQpczF521:47 Lake Forest Caucus alternative voting bylaws amendment https://www.lakeforestcaucus.com/post/the-lake-forest-caucus-proposed-alternative-voting-methods-bylaws-amendment32:25 Caleb Johnson on national anthem etiquette39:00 How do we get Scouts football fans to stay for the whole game?45:08 Connor Clark shout-out https://youtu.be/EcI8eTLacT0?si=yszTll9TYrXqa_qr&t=183 https://oruathletics.com/staff-directory/connor-clark/26047:15 Lake Forest High School football traditions48:48 Wall of Excellence at Varsity Field49:40 Why isn’t John Lazzaretto on the Wall of Fame? https://youtu.be/7ge0QEy10wU?si=GYNk3cGYZYzaAdn8Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@LakeForestPodcastVisit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.comSupport: https://www.patreon.com/lakeforestpodcast#LakeForestPodcast #PeteJansons #SkooWalker #JeffUrso #JoeWeiss #LakeForestIL #LakeBluffIL #LakeForestHighSchool #LFHSFootball #LFHSHomecoming #LakeForestCaucus #CaucusBylaws #AlternativeVoting #BearsStadium #ArlingtonHeights #ConnorClark #JohnLazzaretto #VegasTrip #FridayNightLights