Dog Kills Woman | Rittenhouse | COVID Outbreaks: 2020 Top Stoies

GRAYSLAKE, IL — It's hard to believe a year ago today, the coronavirus was not even a blip on our radars. Times sure have changed, and it goes without saying, 2020 is a year that many of us are ready to put behind us.

Grayslake has not been immune to bad news about the virus and has seen its fair share of heartache due to COVID-19. Some other stories that drew attention involved Kyle Rittenhouse, the teen who took part in local police cadet programs and now is accused in fatal shootings in Kenosha; a horrific story on a fatal dog attack; and coverage of a teen who was injured after his friends, who claimed to be imitating a YouTube video, started his foot on fire at a sleepover.

On a less serious note, news regarding local businesses, like Six Flags Great America, that began allowing patrons back in and their protocol for staying safe during the pandemic, as well as a Frank Lloyd Wright House in Grayslake, that hit the market in January, drew a lot of attention.

We thank you for following along and relying on Grayslake Patch for news and updates during a time when so much has changed. If you haven't, sign up for our daily newsletters and breaking news updates, and follow us on Facebook for the latest as we head into 2021.

Top Grayslake Patch Stories From 2020

Kyle Rittenhouse Coverage: The Lake County teen who was involved in local cadet police programs and idolized officers made headlines across the U.S. after he opened fire during protests in Kenosha in August. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, told police he was attacked while he was guarding a business and that he fired in self-defense.

He faces a first-degree intentional homicide murder and first-degree reckless homicide charge in connection with the fatal shootings of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, of Kenosha, and Anthony Huber, 26, of Silver Lake, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse also faces a charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide regarding allegations he shot and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, of West Allis, Wisconsin.

The case has had plenty of twists and turns along the way. Here's a look at some of our most-read articles.

Crowdfunding To Help Pay For Rittenhouse Lawyer

Kenosha Shooter's Mom Tries To Deflect Blame From Her Son

Court Documents Detail Rittenhouse Charges

Rittenhouse Poses With 'Silver Spoons' Actor Ricky Schroder

Illinois Teen Charged In Slayings Posts $2 Million Bond

The First COVID-19 Cases In Lake Co., Grayslake

Early on in the pandemic, we reported on the first cases identified in the area. In early April, there were about 14 confirmed cases in town. And on March 11, health officials identified the first confirmed case in the county: A man in his 50s.

Star-Shaped Frank Lloyd Wright Home Selling For $3.9M

Local readers enjoyed reading about this Grayslake Frank Lloyd home that hit the market in January. The 5,947-square-foot home, on a hilltop and 30-acre property, had indoor and outdoor waterfalls, large floor-to-ceiling windows, an indoor firing range, chef's kitchen and a fully retractable wall that opened to a pool. More photos and information on the home can be found here.

Teens Start Friend's Foot On Fire While Imitating YouTube Video

A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized earlier this year after friends, imitating a prank they saw on YouTube, poured nail polish remover on his foot and started it on fire at a sleepover. Gio Palacios, a baseball and basketball player, had to undergo surgery and was hospitalized following the January incident, according to media reports. An online fundraiser raised hundreds of dollars for Gio's family and their legal expenses as well as costs to cover costs for Gio's recovery and counseling.

COVID-19 Violations On Rise At Bars, Restaurants

Public health departments in Lake and McHenry counties investigated more than 300 business-related complaints regarding social distancing and masking violations at restaurants and bars in the past two months, health officials said in August. The full story can be found here.

Coronavirus Outbreak Linked To Volleyball Games At Bar

A Gages Lake bar was among the businesses the Lake County Health Department following a coronavirus outbreak linked to adult volleyball games held in September. Several people who played or watched volleyball at Jesse Oaks Food & Drink tested positive for COVID-19, and health officials said at the time nearly 200 players and spectators may have been exposed to the virus. Read the full story here.

Six Flags Will Require Guest Reservations Once Parks Reopen

In spring and early summer, stories on businesses looking at ways to reopen while still preventing the spread of COVID-19 were popular. So, it's probably no surprise local residents got excited when Six Flags announced how it would go about allowing people back into its park. The amusement park ended up introducing a reservation system as they set capacity limits for each park to meet national, regional and expert social distancing guidelines.

Woman Killed By French Bulldog In 'Vicious' Attack

A 55-pound dark-colored French bulldog-bulldog mix named Blue attacked his owner, 52-year-old Lisa Urso, in March. A second, smaller and light-colored French bulldog, named Rocco, was also found at the scene of the deadly attack, and both dogs had blood on them, according to authorities.

Although the Lake County Coroner's office said Blue had been bred to fight, Lake County Animal Control said there is "no evidence that this dog was mistreated or that this dog was involved in any sort of fighting." You can read the full story here.

Sisters, Ages 5 and 8, Killed In House Fire

The blaze in recent weeks at a home in Ingleeside claimed the lives of Elizabeth Evans, 8, and Autumn Evans, 5. The sisters were not able to escape the fire but four adults inside at the time, their teen brother, mother, and grandparents, were able to get out. They all were injured and three pets also died in the fire. An online fund-raiser has brought in more than $217,000 as of Wednesday morning for the Evans family.

• Conditions Of Mom, Brother Injured In Fatal Fire Are Improving
• 2 Young Girls Killed, 4 Adults Injured In House Fire
• Funds Raised For Family After Fatal Fire

Dozens Line Downtown Grayslake During Protest

In early June, dozens of protestors lined Center Street in downtown Grayslake while holding signs and shouting "I can't breathe." Cars passed by honking their horns. The peaceful protest, like many held across the Chicago area, was in response to the death of George Floyd.

More on the protest as well as more photos can be found on Grayslake Patch.

Have a happy and safe New Year's Eve! We will see you in 2021.