Scandal doesn't stop Fox Lake Fourth of July fireworks show
Fireworks will explode over Fox Lake this summer, thanks to funding for the show provided by the village and local businesses, officials said.
Village Administrator Anne Marrin said village leaders have agreed to spend $30,000 to pay for the Fourth of July holiday weekend show months after concerns surfaced when the local group organizing the event folded.
The fireworks will take place at dusk Saturday, July 2, after the village's annual "Celebrate Fox Lake" Independence Day celebration. The fireworks will be launched from a barge on Nippersink Lake and explode over the water, officials said.
Marrin said the village intends to offset the cost of the show through business donations.
The village's annual fireworks show was in doubt after the not-for-profit Chain O' Lakes Fireworks folded earlier this year.
According to the Chain O Lake's Fireworks Facebook page, the group decided to not hold a show in 2016, saying "We have gallantly tried to put on the best show funds could provide but feel our time was frivolous and we could barely cover costs." The group's website at keepthesparkalive.com has also been shut down.
Mayor Donny Schmit said previously the village was looking to pick up the ball and host a fireworks show at the village's Lakefront Park on Nippersink Drive, over Pistakee Lake. He said the benefits to businesses in holding the annual event far outweigh the cost of the fireworks.
Chain O' Lakes Fireworks and Keep the Spark Alive was founded in 2009 after Mineola Hotel owner Pete Jakstas Sr. retired from his well-known fireworks show over Fox Lake in 2008.
However, the charitable group was hit by a scandal in 2014 when former President Noreen Michael was charged with a felony count of theft after authorities said she took money from the organization.
Authorities said Michael used a fireworks fund debit card to take approximately $8,700 between February 2011 and December 2012. The money was spent on personal expenses, authorities said.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due back in court June 7. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to 2 to 5 years in prison. The charge is also probationable.