Judge given advocacy center award
Associate Judge George Strickland has been named this year's recipient of the Fred L. Foreman award by the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center.
Strickland, a former assistant state's attorney currently hearing cases in family court, was recognized for what State's Attorney Michael Waller called his significant effort in support of the criminal justice system.
Strickland began his career as a prosecutor in 1984 and rose through the ranks to chief of the criminal division prior to his appointment to the bench in July 2006.
Waller said Strickland is an innovative problem solver who organized training sessions for other prosecutors while serving as an assistant state's attorney.
Other people recognized for their support of the advocacy center this week include:
Law enforcement awards went to Christina Kruschwitz-Payton, an investigator for the state Department of Children and Family Services, and Sgt. Gil Rivera of the Round Lake Beach police for their work with child molestation victims and their families.
Community support awards went to Vernon Hills Police FOP Lodge 34, which raised $3,300 for the center during the village Oktoberfest; Stephanie Foreman, who organized a group of artists to paint pictures for the center's walls and Sandy Litner of Vista Health Services for coordinating medical exams for sexual abuse victims for the past seven years.
Malpractice settlement: The family of a late Antioch dentist will receive $4 million through the settlement of a medical malpractice suit this week in Cook County Circuit Court.
Anton Urban, 55, was admitted to Lutheran General Hospital on Nov. 9, 2002, suffering from a broken pelvis and wrist sustained in an auto accident.
According Matthew Williams of the Waukegan law firm of Salvi, Schostok and Pritchard, Urban was identified by doctors as at high risk for deep vein thrombosis.
Although medication was ordered to reduce the risk of blood clots, the medication was not given to Urban and clots did develop.
One of the clots broke free and caused a pulmonary embolism that killed Urban four days after he was admitted to the hospital.
Williams said Urban is survived by his wife of 29 years and four adult children.
Volunteers needed:ŒCourt Appointed Advocates of Lake County is looking for volunteers to work with children who are victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment by their parents.
The volunteers gather information on the child's condition and education, medical and emotional needs for the purpose of recommending a course of action to judges.
A 40-hour training course for volunteers will be held two days a week during evening hours from Jan. 7 to Feb. 13 at the CASA offices at 1020 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Deerfield.
The same course will be offered during daytime hours two days a week from Feb. 19 until March 26.
To register or for more information, call (847) 808-9154.