Chicago Tribune - July 14, 2017 | original article

By Frank S. Abderholden

Walking into W.J. Murphy Elementary School in Round Lake Park following this week's flooding, the first thing that comes to mind is either a bait shop or a bag of wet, dirty laundry.

"Too bad you can't post smell," said State Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, said on Friday in a Facebook live video on her cellphone while touring the Greenwood Drive school.

Murphy Elementary was devastated by flooding Wednesday after water knocked out a giant electrical box outside of the building and shut off power.

Shelia Duhon, executive director of operations for Round Lake Community Unit School District 116, toured the building with Bush and State Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Round Lake Beach. Duhon said the district has several post-flood issues at its schools, which covers 10 buildings from preschool through high school.

While Raymond Ellis Elementary School in Round Lake was also affected by the floods, the damage at Murphy was devastating, especially since students are scheduled to start school at the end of August, said Duhon.

"The library is really our epicenter of our whole building, and obviously, it's a total loss," she said.

Duhon added that "it's really hard to see the devastation" while looking over the library area of the school, where flood water had completely covered all the bookshelves.

The gymnasium was also flooded, and it is also used as the school's cafeteria. A music room was flooded along with a computer room — according to Duhon, all the computers were under water — and four of the fourth-grade classrooms had several feet of water. The schools computer server room was also located in the basement and was flooded.

Duhon said Friday that the water had receded some, but crews cannot pump it out until the water outside the school goes down. The school serves 533 students.

"We've contacted other districts, and we may have enough space at our other elementary schools to absorb the students," she said. The school has insurance, but the amount of water will mean replacing drywall and cleaning vents and walls.

"You are going to have to do mold remediation," said Yingling. "This is just terrible."

"We will also have to get a structural engineer to look at the building," Duhon said. The school has had some water issues in the past, and after another flood knocked out the electrical box, it was raised two feet when it was replaced, but that wasn't high enough.

"It's never been like this. It's never gotten (water) this high," she said.

GRAYSLAKE, IL – Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) and Representative Sam Yingling (D-Round Lake Beach) issued a joint statement in response to the governor’s visit to Lake County to tour flood sites:

“Lake County residents have been working to pick up the pieces after major flash floods hit the area. The governor has not declared a state of emergency for Lake County, so residents with devastating property damage and no flood insurance have been unable to get access to low-interest loans that help people rebuild.

“Today, the governor will be in Lake County touring flood sites. The devastation experienced by our constituents over the last few days needs to be seen to be understood. Clean up from this historic flooding is going to take all of us working together.

“With more flooding expected to occur this weekend, we urge Governor Rauner to do what Governor Walker has already done, declare a state of emergency and call in the National Guard to provide much-needed relief to flood victims. Lake County residents need this help immediately.”

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Photo Credit: Lake County, IL Government

Please report all flood damage to Lake County Emergency Management Agency through this web form by Monday, July 24, 2017.

If you are in need of sandbags, call the Antioch Township Highway Department at 847-395-2070.

For information from Lake County on how to minimize health hazards from flood water, click here.

Lake County Emergency Management Agency: 847-377-7100

American Red Cross Hotline: 847-220-7495

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of a balanced budget:

“Today, the Senate Democrats once again chose to restore stability and certainty to Illinois by passing a balanced budget that will prevent the closure of University Center of Lake County, restores funding to social service providers and ensures our schools open on time this fall.

“Governor Rauner’s two-and-a-half-year reign of destruction has brought Illinois to the brink of collapse. His refusal to sign a budget has led to seven credit downgrades for Illinois and a 220% increase in the state’s bill backlog, from $4.6 billion in unpaid bills when he took office to $14.7 billion today.

“I hope the governor chooses to put people before politics and sign the Senate’s balanced budget plan into law. The cost of inaction is too great. It’s time for him to do his job.”

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