Gurnee trustee announces memorial:

Gurnee Trustee Kirk Morris, who is running against incumbent Kristina Kovarik for mayor on April 9, announced plans for his long-stalled Heroes of Freedom Memorial at a political event this week. Instead of Gurnee, it would be part of the proposed National Veterans Museum in Hoffman Estates. Museum leaders say the facility could cost $800 million to $1 billion. No site has been secured. Morris tried to build the Gurnee memorial to soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan on 1 acre owned by the village. Morris’ private foundation was asked to lead construction of Heroes of Freedom on the former Gurnee police station site in 2005, but Kovarik eventually removed the group, citing a lack of progress. Morris’ foundation sued the village and Kovarik over the removal in 2010. Gurnee’s insurance carrier paid $200,000 to the foundation to settle the case early this year.