County Reveals Plans For Next 20 Years

McHenry County's Regional Planning Commission Friday unveiled the first draft of the county's plan for development in the next 20 years. What would McHenry County look like in 2030 under the draft plan? A lot like it does now only with better roads.

The draft was revealed in the first of four scheduled public meetings. The sign-in sheets at that meeting revealed the 35 persons in attendance were among the same planners and administrators as those who originally shaped the plan in a series of input workshops last year.

"Maybe everybody else is working today," said County Board Member Jim Heisler, liason to the planning commission. "Some of the rest of the meetings will be in the evenings."

Although unstated, present-day DuPage County is present in McHenry County's 130-page draft plan for the future. The plan broadly calls for further development to be confined mostly to the already built-up eastern end of the county preserving the western half as rural.

Ways to preserve and increase open space and forests and manage water resources constitute about two thirds of the plan. Not mentioned in the plan but recurring in discussions has been a "water czar" with regulatory power.

Better transportation, mostly roads but including lots of bicycle paths and hiking trails, figures largely in the plan which makes no specific proposals.

The plan likewise calls for but does not recommend how to achieve more and better local jobs. Although it does not appear in the report a four-year college turned up in discussion.

In several sections a picture of McHenry County emerges as a recreation and tourist destination.

Three more public sessions to critique and revise the county's first draft of its 2030 Plan are scheduled: Monday, June 29, 6 to 8 PM; Tuesday, June 30, 8:30 to 10:30 AM and 7 to 9 PM, all at at the County Board meeting rooms at the Government Center in Woodstock.

The entire plan can be reviewed at http://www.mchenrycounty2030plan.com/drafts/index.htm

In the pic: Algonquin Community Development Director Russ Farnum was one of three dozen professionals planners gathered to review the first draft of McHenry County's 2030 Plan.

Huntley Jaycees Hold Community Garage Sale

Billed as a community garage sale, the Huntley Jaycees and Park District event included elements of a flea market as well Friday. The event to support Jaycees activities continues today at the Huntley REC Center parking lot until 4 p.m.

Algonquin Water Conservation Begins

The Village of Algonquin shifted its water sprinkling status to "yellow" Friday in what has become an annual rite that has less to do with saving water than saving money.

Before the village's water conservation plan began five years ago water use spiked radically when residents watered their grass and shrubs in the hot summer months. Water use numbers indicated summer watering demanded about twice the well and water treatment capacity required the rest of the time. Instead of paying for even more wells and water towers the village began the present summer water conservation program backed by hefty fines for violators.

"We've found from year to year we're saving two to three million gallons of water per day," said Algonquin Senior Planner Katie Parkhurst Friday. "We're maintaning the same water pumping rate even though the village has continued to grow."

Yellow status, or even/odd sprinkling means even addresses may water on even-numbered calendar days and odd addresses may water on odd-numbered calendar days. In either case sprinkling must be before 9:00 AM or after 6:00 PM. Village planners figured too much water turned into water vapor when sprinkling was done in the hot part of each day.

Families Swarm Grafton Food Pantry

Dozens of families lined up Thursday in the sweltering heat and baking sun to receive portions of 5 tons of food and supplies at the Grafton Township Food Panty. The pantry aids families who have not yet qualified for or who have exhausted other forms of assistance.

Wednesday's distribution was a one-time event this year, according to Harriet Ford, a Pantry Director. The event was financed by the Huntley Rotary Club for a special purchase of supplies from the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Ford said the Pantry on a regular basis is currently assisting more than 300 families per month. "It's probably doubled since last year," she said. Ford said the weakened economy has increased the load on the Pantry. "Four years ago we were only helping 25 families a month."

The Pantry continues to operate out of the Grafton Township offices although it's unclear how much longer that can last. Meanwhile, Ford said, the search for a new location is proceeding, "Not well. People want more rent than we're able to pay."

Never mind price, how much space would the pantry need? "About 1800 square feet would be ideal," Ford said.

In the pic: The line for donations broiled in the sun Thurday as Huntly area families gathered at the Grafton Township Food Pantry to receive a special summer distribution of food and supplies.

McHenry County Unemployment Rises

McHenry County's unemployment rate jumped to 10.5 percent last month from 9.8 percent in April according to figures released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Services. The rate was notably higher than the state's overall rate, 9.9 percent up from 9.3 percent in April.

As the recession settled in during the past 12 months both county and state unemployment figures have nearly doubled. The county rate was only 5.7 percent in May, 2008, 6.2 percent for the state overall.

County, State and National unemployment rates will likely climb higher when June numbers are released, according to IDES spokesman Greg Rivara. That's due to an influx of high school and college graduates. McHenry Community College, for example, just issued 416 degrees and certificates to graduates, said Christina Haggerty, Director of Marketing and Public Relations.

"The unemployment rate reflects not just those people who have lost jobs," said Rivara. "It includes anyone actively searching for a job."

That's not to say, as it turns out, that the unemployment rate includes everyone who would like to have a job. A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April noted there are unemployed workers who aren't counted among the unemployed.

"These individuals—referred to as 'marginally attached to the labor force'—wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months." said the report."They were not counted as unemployed because they had not actively searched for work in the past 4 weeks."

Trucker Robert Blank of Huntley ranks among the unemployed. He's drawing unemployment compensation and looking for work. "I'm a trucker but I'll do anything, I'm not too fussy," he said.

Store manager Allan Schweizer, also of Huntley, probably isn't counted as unemployed even though he doesn't have a job and desperately wants one. His unemployment benefits ran out four months ago. "I've been doing what I can to sustain myself. Patching windows and jobs for neighbors, whatever I can find," he said.

The uncertainty over whether Schweizer counts among the unemployed was revealed in a half-hour FEN conversation with a specialist at the U.S. Department of Labor. He recounted a bewildering array of numbered and lettered unemployment programs enacted by Congress, adopted or not by each state, sometimes allowed to expire, sometimes reinstated (occasionally retroactively) but all to the consternation of department statisticians who have trouble keeping up. Then the conversation was declared to have been "off the record."

Nationally the Department of Labor report found that in the first quarter of this year, while 13.5 million people were counted as officially unemployed another 2.1 million persons would have liked to have found work.

McHenry County's labor force in May numbered 181,240 according to the IDES report. It said 19,106 McHenry County residents were officially looking for jobs last month.

Huntley Picks Downtown Planner

Huntley's Board of Trustees Thursday chose a Naperville planning company to create a scheme to renew and revitalize the village's downtown district. Houseal Lavigne Associates was awarded a contract "not to exceed $50,000" for a new downtown plan.

Village staff winnowed a list of more than a dozen companies down to Houseal Lavigne and Teska Associates of Evanston. Both companies were invited to make sales pitches during board meetings this past month.

Houseal which developed Algonquin's downtown revitalization plan as well as plans for McHenry and Carpentersville emphasized their experience and promised to custom tailor recommendations for Huntley's downtown rather than pull something readymade from their rack. Teska, currently engaged in Plainfield and Montgomery, made similar claims but apparently not as well.

One Houseal promise Teska didn't match was an interactive website to poll residents' wants and preferences. Devin Lavigne said Thursday that for some residents attending the sort of public meetings that are standard research techniques might be too much trouble. On the other hand, he said, many other residents may not have computer access or skills to complete surveys via the Internet.

Lavigne said he didn't expect to have a website up for Huntley's downtown until "this Fall." Eventually the results of surveys submitted on the site will be folded into the results of public input sessions for incorporation into a plan for the downtown.

"We don't want this to supplant public meetings," Lavigne said. "It's going to be a supplement."

In the pic: Dave Patterson will likely have something to say about Huntley Downtown revitalization. Trustees presented the 81 year-old Sun City resident with a certificate of appreciation for his last nine year's work on the village planning and zoning commission.

Garage Sales

Lake in the Hills
Friday, June 26--
2000 NOELLE BEND 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
911 CYNTHIA LN 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
615 ANDERSON DR 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
932 VIEWPOINT DR 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
1308 WASHINGTON ST 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3216 HARVARD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
4195 GREENFIELD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
5 SUGAR CREEK CT 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
10 NEWBURY CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
2850 CADBURY CIR 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
3041 NOELLE BEND 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
7 SUGAR CREEK CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
8 WANDER WAY 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
13 BONNIE CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
4155 GREENFIELD LN 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
609 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
611 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1173 HALFMOON GATE 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
208 WANDER WAY 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2621 STANTON CIR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2640 FAIRFAX LN 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2680 FAIRFAX LN 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3940 PEARTREE DR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3721 CHADWICK LN 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
5266 GREENSHIRE CIR 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
5274 GREENSHIRE CIR 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
419 THUNDER RIDGE 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
2041 NOELLE BEND 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
417 CEDAR ST 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
280 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
320 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday, June 27--
2000 NOELLE BEND 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
615 ANDERSON DR 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
932 VIEWPOINT DR 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
1308 WASHINGTON ST 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3216 HARVARD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
4195 GREENFIELD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
5 SUGAR CREEK CT 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
10 NEWBURY CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
11 BONNIE CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
1172 RIDGEWOOD CIR 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
2850 CADBURY CIR 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
3041 NOELLE BEND 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
7 SUGAR CREEK CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
8 WANDER WAY 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
1 POINT O WOODS CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
10 POINT O WOODS CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1145 RIDGEWOOD CIR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1154 RIDGEWOOD CIR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
13 BONNIE CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
301 COBBLESTONE CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
4155 GREENFIELD LN 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
609 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
611 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
3340 SANDSTONE CT 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
1173 HALFMOON GATE 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
208 WANDER WAY 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2621 STANTON CIR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2640 FAIRFAX LN 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
2680 FAIRFAX LN 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3940 PEARTREE DR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3721 CHADWICK LN 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
4 CIG HILL CT 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
419 THUNDER RIDGE 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
2041 NOELLE BEND 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
417 CEDAR ST 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
503 BARTON CREEK DR 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
911 CYNTHIA LN 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
280 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
320 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday, June 28--
615 ANDERSON DR 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
11 BONNIE CT 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
3041 NOELLE BEND 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
8 WANDER WAY 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
609 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
611 LONG COVE DR 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
419 THUNDER RIDGE 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
417 CEDAR ST 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
911 CYNTHIA LN 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Algonquin
Huntley
Although Algonquin and Huntley regulate garage sales they do not require a permit. The First Electric Newspaper will publish garage sales in these villages at no charge. Please send dates, address and hours to: garagesales@firstelectricnewspaper.com

County Dems Support Conservative Blogger

Some people think political commentator Cal Skinner is a McHenry County asset. Others think that's only about half right. In the latter group would probably be the Northwest Herald whose publisher is suing Skinner for $150,000 charging defamation, false light and commercial disparagement for one of Skinner's recent postings.

At issue is a June 3 screed in Skinner's McHenry County Blog in which he said the County's new stimulus bonds (see FEN story in archives) will turn into a slush fund to solicit campaign funds.Harking to what he said was an earlier episode of such abuse.

Skinner's post reads:

"And, who could forget the multimillion loan to the Northwest Herald at sub-market rates?I filed a Freedom of Information request for the details a couple of years and got nothing. Guess it's time to try again.

In any event, the NW Herald was not an “in extremis” condition then. The excuse for loaning the money was to keep the county newspaper from moving out of the county.

The real reason was to put the paper in the back pocket of the Republican Party. (Anyone want to deny the strategy worked?)"

The suit filed two weeks ago in McHenry County Circuit Court by B.F. Shaw Printing Company, Dixon, the Northwest Herald's parent company, complained it had never received a cutrate county loan to stay in Crystal Lake, is not in grave financial condition and is not a tool of the county GOP.

Skinner, standing by his guns, hasn't removed the offending post from his site and recently hired attorney Patrick Ouimet to defend him. Ouimet, as it happens, is past chairman of the McHenry County Democrats. Indeed, Skinner's only other public supporter, is Democrat Secretary and fellow blogger Patrick Murfin (who called the Northwest Herald "a bully".)

Asked why McHenry County Democrats were the only people to publicly side with Skinner, a man whose views tend toward the diametric opposite of theirs, Democrat Chairman Kathy Bergen Schmitt said, "Maybe it's sympathy. As a group the Democrats haven't gotten a very fair shake from the local newspapers."

County Republican leaders either could not be reached or did not return calls seeking comment.

In the pic: Skinner's notion of himself.

Sidebar to NW Herald v Cal Skinner

In researching the story of the Northwest Herald's suit against blogger Cal Skinner the First Electric Newspaper found another Internet page that appears to defame one of B.F. Shaw's newspaper stable:

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=30685604

A company profile page on Businessweek.com, owned by the publishing giant McGraw-Hill company, claimed the Morris Publishing Company, a Shaw subsidiary and publisher of the Morris Daily Herald, was recently in extreme financial difficulty. The listing reported the company was being pressured by its bank to sell off assets last October and had hired a workout adviser this January.

Further research, however, showed the Businessweek.com page had confused Shaw's Morris subsidiary with a similarly named company in Georgia.

The First Electric Newspaper alerted Shaw Newspaper CEO Tom Shaw to the error via email Tuesday but received no acknowledgement. Shaw did not return a followup call Wednesday.

Businessweek.com Senior Manager for Communications, Heather Carpenter, reported Wednesday "(Shaw)has not contacted us."

"There's even a button on the page for reporting errors," she said.

Don Craven, Shaw's lawyer in the Skinner case, contacted Wednesday said, "They've made a mistake. It should be corrected. I haven't talked to Tom Shaw or John Runge (COO, Shaw Suburban Media) about this. I haven't talked to anybody."

Full Disclosure: Skinner's blog published this writer's investigation last year of the Woodstock Residence deaths when there was no place else to break the story. Skinner also bought this writer a cup of coffee a couple of months ago.

Ringo Must Go From Lake in the Hills

Did you know that ringtailed lemurs are banned as pets in Lake in the Hills? Neither did the Troy Evert family who recently located on Starwood Pass. That's why the Lake in the Hills board spent the past two sessions wrestling with a lemur named Ringo.

(Ringtailed Lemur: a primitive primate, endemic to Madagascar, about the size of a cat with a raccoon tail that looks as if belongs on an animal three or four times its size. Eats mostly fruits and bugs it it can get its hands on them. Has hands.)

A neighbor ratted out the lemur. "She saw Ringo when we were moving in," said Evert. "She called the village to ask if there was a rule or something against lemurs. She didn't file a complaint. She was just asking."
The inquiry was enough, though. In short order a Lake in the Hills animal control officer cited Evert for harboring Ringo. "She even fed him grapes," Evert said.

Lake in the Hills' animal ordinance is supposed to ban pets like goats and pigs, not to mention things like lions and tigers and bears. (Oh, my). Lemurs' danger and offense to the senses ranks about on the level of a chihuahua wearing a feather boa which may be why trustees spent so much time on the case.

There was vague speculation about what might happen if Ringo got loose to ravage the village."The coyotes would probably get him in a day or two," said Paul Mulcahy.

In the end trustees decided the village animal ordinance was about as clear as it could be. Nor could they allow an exception for Ringo. Doing so would allow the camel's nose into the tent opening the board to a potentially endless menagerie of requests for exceptions on everything from aardvarks to zebus.

Evert asked for a month to solve the Ringo problem. "Ninety days," is what Village Ed Plaza gave him.

Evert and his family haven't decided what to do next. "Ringo's part of our family," he said. "When the kids cry, he cries. Would you get rid of your kid?"

"I'll tell you I'll move again if we can't keep Ringo," said Evert.

In the pic: Mailei Evert offers Ringo the lemur a grape while brother Andrew serves as a perch.

Oops. Randall Road Construction Delayed

When a pavement job that was supposed to take "three or four days" runs into its fourth week, it's clear something is wrong. That's the case at the lane expansion on Randall Road north and south of Harnish Drive in Algonquin.

The project, adding a lane at each side, is supposed to smooth the flow of traffic as cars enter and exit the new Oakridge Court Shopping Center. Work began May 28 but final pavement in southbound lanes north of Harnish hasn't been laid leaving two to three inch bumps to jolt drivers. Work on lighting and traffic signals has ground to a halt as well. Everyone agrees the problem is electric and phone utilities that need to be relocated. Who dropped the ball?

A construction superivsor on the scene said, "The (very rude word) County."

Not so, said Mark Dammyer, McHenry Division of Transportation Construction Manager. Dammyer disavowed responsibility saying the project technically belongs to OakRidge Court. He said MCDOT only functions as a supervisor making sure the project is designed to the proper specifications and that the job was done to that design when it was finished.

"The developer is the one who's responsible for relocating utilities," Dammyer said

Calls to Oakridge Court Developer Tim Schwartz, were not returned. The actual construction is being done by Tara Contracting of Algonquin. Tara Project Manager Jim Basich, asked if he would care to comment on the snafu, said only, "Nope."

ComEd spokesman Jeff Burdick said the electric company was aware of the Randall widening project. "We've been working with the county and the contractor on it." The problem, Burdick said was, " Nobody told us the timing on it was 'right now'".

Burdick was unable to say when ComEd would be able to relocate the obstructing lines near the intersection.

The latest figures from IDOT show almost 45,000 cars per day pass through the Randall/Harnish interesection.

In the pic: Workers last week bolted down the last of light poles they said they could install at Randall and Harnish until underground utility lines are moved.

LITH Police Pension Clobbered

Lake in the Hills Auditor Brian D. LeFrevre told the Lake in the Hills Board of Trustees Tuesday the village's Police Pension fund lost over half a million dollars in Wall Street's meltdown late last year.

At the end of the year the fund totaled better than $11 million, 61 percent of liabilities, down from a 75 percent level at the start, he said. LeFevre reported the fund was about 45 percent invested in stocks.

Lake in the Hills Finance Director Peter Stefan said the village's experience was not unusual and most other municipalities had suffered similar fates. "We fund at 100 percent actuarial levels," Stefan said, explaining that means the loss will be made up but over an extended period. "We've got 24 years to make the loss up."

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Lake in the Hills

June 22

1704 HRS VIRGINIA ROAD & ROUTE 31 ACCIDENT/DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. BRAVO, ADRIAN M/W 30 YEARS OLD, 438 TULSA, CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, Following Too Closely, Attempt Obstruction, Wanted on Warrant out Of Kane County, Traffic Offenses, $500.00 full cash bond. Wanted on Warrant Carol Stream, Failure to Appear Traffic Offenses, $500 full cash and Wanted on Warrant Rockford, Failure to Appear for Driving Under the Influence $10,000, 10% applies. RELEASED ON BOND

1454 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 3 year-old female having a seizure.Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

1533 HRS 400 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. THEFT A bicycle was taken but located and returned to the owner.

1713 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF MAPLE STREET. FOUND PROPERTY. Three bicycles were found. Two were recovered stolen. One returned to owner (The report above.)

1946 HRS 0 BLOCK OF FLOWERFIELD COURT. DOMESTIC. Verbal argument between ex-husband and ex-wife.No priors.

1949 HRS 208 N RANDALL ROAD (BLOCKBUSTER). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
June 23

1636 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE ROAD & PHEASANT TRAIL.DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. SANTINI, WESLEY AARON, M/W 20 YEARS OF AGE,1604 GLEN EAGLE DRIVE, CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended and No Seat Belt On Driver. RELEASED ON BOND.0154 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT COURT. SUICIDAL SUBJECT. 49 year-old male made suicidal statements.Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

1220 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT COURT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 49-year old male severely depressed.Transported to St. Alexius Hospital.

1400 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PRIDES RUN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

1459 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF SWEETWATER RIDGE. FIREWORKS. Subject was issued a citation for possession of fireworks. Fireworks entered into evidence.

1853 HRS RANDALL ROAD & POLARIS DRIVE. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

1911 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. AMBULANCE ASSIST. 51 year-old male with possible heat stroke. Transferred to Saint Joseph’s Hospital.

2334 HRS 00 BLOCK OF ROCHELLE COURT. DOMESTIC. Verbal only between 18 year-old son and Mom’s husband. One prior.

Huntley

June 15

Massimo Giovannangelo, age 20 of 600 W. Rand Road, #C306, Arlington Heights, IL, was arrested for unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor and cited for improper lane use, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of cannabis. Mr. Giovannangelo posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 10, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.

Peter G. Vivacqua. age 20 of 3211 N. Carriage Way Drive, Arlington Heights, IL, was cited under local ordinance for unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor and was given a McHenry County court date of July 13, 2009 at 1:30 a.m.

Enrique Mena. age 22 of 11806 E. Main Street, was arrested for domestic battery. Mr. Mena was also charged with two counts of aggravated battery and possession of cannabis 10-30 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Mr. Mena was transported to McHenry County jail.

June 16

Red Gennel, age 28 of 1828 20th Avenue, Melrose Park, IL. was arrested for driving while license suspended and cited for improper use of registration and expired registration. Mr. Gennel was unable to post bond and was transported to McHenry County jail.

Criminal defacement to property occurred at Ruth Park. Obscene pictures and words were written on the fence that surrounds the portapotty.

June 17

A resident near 10900 Cape Cod Lane reported burglary to motor vehicles. Both vehicles had been entered over night and had items removed.

Brendan J. Medskerl, age 19 of 1225 Winaki Trail, Algonquin, IL, was arrested for possession of cannabis over 30g but less than 500g, possession of cannabis with intent to distribute, alcohol consumption by a minor, possession of a revoked driver’s license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Boriana Geleva, age 18 of 3708 Pinecrest Drive, Carpentersville, IL, was arrested for alcohol consumption by a minor.

Connor Kustief, age 18 of 502 S. Second Street, Dundee, IL, was arrested for alcohol consumption by a minor.

June 18

David L. McMillon, age 41 of 711 Carslisle, Woodstock, IL. was arrested for driving while license suspended. Mr. McMillon posted bond and was released and issued a McHenry County Court date of July 17, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.

June 19

Florence W. Waiyaki age 24 of 304 Mountain Street, #1A, Elgin, IL, was arrested for driving while license suspended and cited for expired registration. Ms. Waiyaki posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 10, 2009 at 8:30 a.m.

Ashley Weiner, age 22 of W5102 Bark River, Fort Atkinson, WI, was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of McHenry County for a probation violation. Ms. Weiner was unable to post bond and was transported to McHenry County jail.

Criminal defacement to property occurred at Parisek Park on the water fountain.

June 21

A resident near 10300 Central Park Boulevard reported burglary to motor vehicle. A GPS unit was reported stolen.

Criminal defacement to a vehicle occurred while automobile was parked near 11200 Victoria.

Huntley Population Hits Home Rule (Almost)

Huntley Mayor Chuck Sass last week announced the village's new certified population. The total follows November's U.S. Census Bureau special enumeration in parts of Huntley and came in at 25,525. The total was not altogether unexpected but for PoliSci majors it was still a bombshell.

The latest special "partial census" was the third Huntley had commissioned from the bureau to pick up the village's most recent growth. The more Bureau- certified souls in Huntley, the more money the village can likely get from Washington and Springfield.

The 2000 headcount found only 5,730 people in a sleepy village. Three years later the figure had risen to 12,203. Two years after that it was 16,719. By last year the census bureau estimated the population was around 20,000 but trustees, closer to the ground, figured it was a lot more than that. Maybe close to 25,000. That Huntley's population now officially exceeds 25,000 almost (more on that in a moment) triggers a large change in municipal powers.

Home Rule would put Huntley in the same league as Crystal Lake, Algonquin and Lake in the Hills. It would eliminate restrictions that apply to smaller municipalities offering, proponents claim, greater flexibility, authority and jurisdiction. Notable among these is taxation where referendum requirements for smaller communities would no longer apply.

The other important home rule liberalization would be freedom from the state real estate tax cap Under the tax cap property taxes may not increase more than five percent or the consumer price index, whichever is lower, without a referendum.

On its face the Illinois Constitution says a municipality gains home rule as soon as it passes the 25,000 bar. However, in practice, Huntley Village Manager Dave Johnson notes, "The state has not recognized partial census results previously." That would mean that the village would have to wait on home rule status until the results of the 2010 census. Those probably wouldn't be available until 2011 at the earliest.

There's a bill that hit Governor Quinn's desk the day before Sass's population bomb, though, that would eliminate that delay. HB719, the "Muni CD-Census" bill, would require the state to recognize partial census results like Huntley's and would take effect as soon as it's signed.

Johnson said trustees have in the last couple of years mused about just what they might do with Home Rule power. "I'm sure we'll be looking at it in the near future," he said.

D300 Waits For Money Reports

No new initiatives emerged in Monday's D300 Board of Education meeting confining themselvesto housekeeping and discussion of school bus aides in great detail.

Particularly absent was discussion of D300 finances for the coming year. "Let's not talk about that until we have a better idea of what's going to be coming down from Springfield," said Finance Committee Chairman Chris Stanton.

The question of state and federal funding is more uncertain than usual this year with the Governor and the Legislature battling over an increased income tax and a huge slug of federal stimulus funding for education yet to be allocated.

Discipline Committee Chairman Anne Miller revealed plans for a pilot program at Dundee-Crown High School this Fall to identify chronicly tardy students via computer monitoring.

"Tardiness will be the new focus," she said. "We've gone from more severe problems to tardiness showing the discipline progress we've made."

In the pic: The D300 board awarded $1,000 scholarships Monday to four graduates planning to major in Education. From left to right, Jacobs High School graduates Joshua Graber off to DePaul; Heather Graham, U of I; Crystal Gulledge, NIU; and Aimee Neilan, Knox.

There's No Excuse For This

Either a turtle dashed out of Exner Marsh Sunday morning into the path of a car driving in the gutter on Miller Road or someone literally went out of his way to kill it for fun. Of four turtles FEN has seen in the past week, two have been run over.
Editorial Comment: What the heck is wrong with people, anyway?

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Algonquin
June 19, 2009
15:36pm Grant, David W. DOB: 10/22/88 of 7N8725 Cloverfield Circle, St. Charles, was charged with Reckless Conduct. He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department. He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/22/09, in McHenry County.
15:55pm Spaw, Tiffany D. DOB: 09/19/68 of 8 Redbud Court, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Retail Theft. She was taken into custody at Old Navy, 1824 S. Randall Road. She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/23/09, in Kane County
18:08pm Revera, Sergio DOB: 05/17/89 of 651 Virginia Road, Apt #225, Crystal Lake, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Speeding. He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Meyer Drive. He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/22/09, in McHenry County.
June 20, 2009
17:56pm A fifteen-year-old female from Crystal Lake was charged with Retail Theft. She was taken into custody at Kohl’s, 734 S. Randall Road. She was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 07/29/09, in Algonquin.
June 21, 2009
21:59pm Leon, Alfredo DOB: 03/11/80 of 181 Polaris Drive, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DWLS, No Proof of Insurance and Failure to Signal. He was taken into custody at Sherman and Harnish Drives. He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/22/09, in McHenry County.

Lake in the Hills
June 19
1114 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & PYOTT RD. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. MARTINEZ-HERRERA, ANDREA. F/W 38 YEARS OF AGE, 307 BIRKSHIRE DR CRYSTAL LAKE. Charges: No Valid Illinois Drivers License, No Proof of Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND. JUVENILE. F/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, CRYSTAL LAKE. Charges: No Valid Illinois Drivers License, No Proof of Valid Insurance. Notice to Appear issued. RELEASED TO PARENT.These arrests stemmed from a one vehicle, property damage only, accident.
1444 HRS 250 N RANDALL RD. (COSTCO). ENDANGERING LIFE OF A CHILD. OGUNSANWO, BOLATITO, O F/B 29 YEARS OF AGE 10724 OREGON TRAIL, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Endangering the Life of a Child – three counts. RELEASED ON BOND.
1556 HRS 700 BLOCK OF MOHICAN TRAIL. WANTED ON WARRANT. HERNANDEZ, BRIAN C, M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE,701 MOHICAN TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, Hoffman Estates, FailureTo Appear for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond amount: $5,000 @ 10%. TURNED OVER TO HOFFMAN ESTATES POLICE.
0023 HRS 400 BLOCK OF E OAK ST. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Parent advised daughter may be obtaining drugs from a subject in Algonquin. Parent advised Algonquin Police Department. Reporting Officer to notify narcotics task force.
1726 HRS 400 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 52 years of age. Subject having a diabetic reaction. No transport.
2046 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 71 years of age. Needing to be transported to the hospital. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
June 20
0012 HRS 1216 CRYSTAL LAKE RD (RYDER PARK). WANTED ON WARRANT. GOMEZ, JULIO. M/W 28 YEARS OF AGE210 WAVERLY COURT, CARPENTERSVILLE.CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County, Failure toAppear for Damage Property. Bond Amount: $5,000 at 10%. Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County, Failure to Appear for Driver’s License Expired more than One Year. Bond Amount: $3,000 at 10%.TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL
0144 HRS RANDALL RD & STONEGATE RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. BARRETT, CARRIE E. F/W 44 YEARS OF AGE, 1538 CRABTREE LANE CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol with Blood Alcohol Content over .08, Improper Lane Usage.RELEASED ON BOND.
1037 HRS WENTWORTH DR & ALGONQUIN RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. ROWLETT JR, ALAN D. M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 4770 BORDEAUX DR LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
2207 HRS 1212 CRYSTAL LAKE RD (PROPERTY OWNERS ASSC). BATTERY. STEWART, BRETT M. M/W 51 YEARS OF AGE,1264 MERRILL ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
1845 HRS 5300 BLOCK OF WILDSPRING DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY (followup arrest). WARD, STEVEN W. M/W 51 YEARS OF AGE, 5731 WILDSPRING DRIVE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery – two counts. Possession of firearm without a valid F.O.I.D. card – four counts. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0146 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. AGGRAVATED BATTERY. Male subject suffered a puncture wound to his left shoulder by unknown means. FAIL TO FILE.
1124 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & BLACKHAWK DR. ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1125 HRS 5700 BLOCK OF WILDSPRING DR. AMBULANCE ASSIST. Female, 46 years of age, ingested a non recommended amount of medication and charcoal. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1209 HRS 35 HILLTOP DR (HILLTOP DAM). ASSIST FIRE DEPARTMENT, Assist with the removal of a 17-foot fishing boat from the spillway.
1215 HRS 2700 BLOCK OF STANTON CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 58 years of age, experiencing a high fever & disorientation. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1231 HRS REED RD & ANNANDALE DR. INJURY ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Female transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital for a chest injury.1504 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF GENEVA LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 17 years of age,passed out.Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1743 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF ADAMS ST. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Husband vs wife. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1853 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2132 HRS 300 BLOCK OF RANDALL RD (THEATERS). HIT & RUN. Black Mitsubishi SUV struck a blue Dodge mini-van in the parking lot and fled the scene.
2320 HRS 200 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASSE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 39 years of age, unconscious with a bloody nose. Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
June 21
1051 HRS 100 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. FOUND PROPERTY. Wallet found in the area of Pheasant Trl.
1442 HRS MILLER RD & PATTON AVE. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1548 HRS 700 BLOCK OF JUNIPER LN. DOMESTIC. Daughter vs Mother and mother’s boyfriend. Verbal only. No priors.
1938 HRS 00 BLOCK OF WANDER WAY. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 40 years of age, with swollen legs. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

Here's One Way to Get Free Local News...

The Other is the First Electric Newspaper

(please tell your friends)

Young Eagles Rally at LITH Airport

Almost clear and almost calm Saturday was almost a perfect day for the monthly Young Eagles Rally by the Local 790 Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. That's the one where local pilots give kids 8 to 17 a taste of the wild blue yonder, or as wild as it gets at Lake in the Hills Airport, anyway.

Nine pilots had driven or flown in by early morning while a couple of dozen kids and and their parents were lined up to learn a little about small aircraft and how to fit small children in them.

Connie Berg, Crystal Lake, was there with sons Danny and Joey. She said her boys had flown commercially but, "my husband was in the Air Force. We just wanted the kids to have the opportunity to know what it was like to really fly."

Bob Skalany, a Chapter 790 director, said that was the whole idea of the Young Eagles Rallies."There's something about flying that just gets in your blood. We want to pass that along."

More Young Eagles rallies are set at the airport for Sept. 26 and Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to noon, weather permitting. If the weather's poor on those Saturdays the rallies reset to Sunday.

In the pic: Lon Danek, Barrington, prepares to take Danny Berg for a jaunt in the sky in a four-seater Cessna.