Happy Birthday, USA

When I was born, brass bands played, parades led by high-stepping majorettes marched down Main Street and fireworks lit the sky that night. I think I was four when I figured out that happened every Fourth of July.

I don't know if it's because I was born on Independence Day but I've always been interested in how we reached the point of revolt, won the Revolution, avoided anarchy and despotism and eventually crafted and adopted the most perfect form of government the world has ever known. (Such as it is.) How did we get it so right first time out of the box and better than anyone has done since? I've never been able to decide between Divine Providence, Historical Inevitability and Dumb Luck.

I thought of all that as I watched the people of Alden Township Thursday night opposing plans to turn Alden Road into something they didn't want.

Spin the globe, close your eyes and stick your finger anywhere. Chances are it'll land on a place where what the Alden folk did would prompt a knock on the door in the night and a one-way ticket to the local gulag. That's in the advanced countries. Elsewhere they'd probably face a bit of impromptu rape, recreational torture and exemplary murder.

But here in the United States I watched 90 or so ordinary people telling off their own government just as if they had every right to do so. Of course, here in the United States they do as do we all:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The thing that scares me most about being a reporter these days is that when I go to government meetings there's usually no one there except the officials and me. Do voters trust their representatives so much they don't bother to monitor them? Do they trust me so much that no one checks if I'm reporting the truth?

Men bled and died, women wept and children suffered to "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."

It'd be a shame if we lost those blessings because we didn't use them.

Now, grab a burger and have some potato salad. I made it myself.

Alden Residents Say "No Thanks" To $20 Million Road

McHenry County plans for the first modern road in the western half of the county in 15 years hit a bump last night. Alden Township residents said they don't want it.

McHenry County Division of Transportation Design Engineer Wally Dittrich told a group of almost 100 that the proposed $20 million revamp of 7 miles of Alden Road from Charles Road to the state line is a test case. Dittrich said the road is falling apart but so are a lot of other rural county thoroughfares. The Alden Road proposal, he said, will help the county figure out what to do about them.

Residents call Alden Road "the road to nowhere" but in fact, if you jink west from Route 47 via Charles Road, it's a semi-scenic route to the Lake Geneva area. Dittrich said the problem is that the road itself is used up to the point that McDOT now finds itself patching patches. "In the winter the pavement heaves and buckles," said Dittrich. "And we can't fix anything then. The asphalt plants are shut down. He said engineers believe in the long run it will be cheaper to rebuild the road from the base up.

The plan wouldn't change Alden Road from a two-lane thoroughfare. Rather, the idea is to turn the it from a 1950's relic into a state-of-the-art roadway. Mostly that would involve wider shoulders and better drainage but that in turn would require expanding the right of way from an average 70 feet to a uniform 120 feet.
At a meeting with McDOT engineers and a County Board meeting last month residents along the road charged widening Alden road would change its rural character and gut unincorporated Alden where residences built in the horse and buggy and Model T eras crowd close to the pavement. Preliminary surveys indicate the proposed right of way will cut through homes, buildings and historic landmarks and roadside trees and shrubbery. In many cases, they said, their homes would be left non-conforming to present-day setback requirements lessening their value.

There was no dialogue in Thursday's session. Resident questions were submitted in writing with Dittrich providing verbal answers. McDOT head Joe Korpalski was at his side but did not speak.The meeting was moderated by Anna Mae Miller, Chairman of the County Board's Transportation Committee. Miller assured the crowd that the final form for Alden Road rests not with McDOT but with the County Board.

As McDOT staff and most of the crowd left Alden Township's Board of Trustees began to draft a resolution to the county board. Debate centered not on whether to reject the county's plans, but on how to convey the message most forcefully.

In the pics: (top) Anna Mae Miller talked to Alden Township residents about controversial plans to upgrade Alden Road. (Bottom)Scenic unincorporated Alden.

Cops Promise To Bust Pyrotechnic Celebrants

Here's a forbidden bottle rocket: FFWWWSSHHhhhhhhhhh.....Bang! Here's a government acceptable punk stick: (glow). Not much comparison is there? Nevertheless, local police departments report if you're caught with the goods you're busted, no ifs ands or buts.

Lake in the Hills calls their policy "Zero Tolerance", Sgt. Terri Volmer reminding that the minimum fine there is $100 and can go as high as $1,500.

Algonquin Deputy Chief Steve Kuzynowski reported his village levys a $100 fine. Huntley Deputy Chief Todd Fulton said fines there range from $50 to $500. Both said their departments wouldn't give anyone a bye, either.

The point of the high tarrifs is to discourage injuries from fireworks tomorrow. The Office of the State Fire Marshall reports that last year 103 Illinois residents suffered injuries ranging from burns to two blindings and one "dismemberment". Kids 7 to 16 accounted for almost 1/3 of all injuries and those simple little bottle rockets claimed 1/5 of all injuries.

Apart from injuries, area police also pointed out that there's a reason "fire" is part of the name of fireworks. That was dramatized last year in Bensenville when a bottle rocket fell into a Corvette convertible which, thanks to its fiberglass body, burned down to its hubs.

Finally, there's the matter of being a good neighbor. "It quiets down after a while but there's always someone who thinks it's a good idea to set off a big one at 12 o'clock," commented Kuzynowski.

In the pic: A Beloit fireworks company sent a flier including this mouth-watering offer to area homes in June, although they declined to talk about it. The Battle of Yorktown, by the way, involved remarkably few casualties, the same thing police would like to see this 4th of July.

Algonquin Farmers' Market Avoids the Rush

Esmeralda Flores, Lake in the Hills, bought fresh (Southern Illinois) spinach Thursday from Emily Reego at Algonquin's Farmers' Market. The market in the village's municipal lot at Washington and Harrison is held on Thursdays from 8 AM to 1 PM to avoid head-on competition with all the other farmers' markets usually held on Fridays and Saturdays. The market under auspices of the Downtown Algonquin Partners Association will run through 1 October.

Algonquin To Trash Park Trash Cans

Use those trash cans in Algonquin's parks this weekend because after the holiday there won't be as many of them, according to Parks Superintendant Steve Ludwig.

In the next few weeks Ludwig's cleanup crews will begin monitoring trash cans in the villages 23 parks and fields with an eye to eliminating those that don't stack up, so to speak.

"We've got 100 cans we empty three times a week nine months a year. If we can eliminate some we can save some tax dollars," Ludwig said. How many tax dollars depends on how many cans prove to be superfluous. "If you add up the man hours and disposal costs I'll bet we spend $20,000 a year on trash at the parks," Ludwig said.

Saving money is icing on the cake, though, according to Ludwig. What he really wants to do is improve the environment with a policy the village calls its No Can Plan. The program asks residents via posted signs not to generate so much waste in the first place.

"I don't think people realize how much waste we generate in our present pre-packaged society," Ludwig said. "Maybe if we ask them not to generate so much trash it will make them more conscious of it."

"I mean do you really need water in disposable bottles when you can just fill up a reusable bottle with tap water?" Ludwig asked.

Ludwig said the No Can Plan came to him on a vacation to Wisconsin. "If you go to a park there you won't see a garbage can. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has really gotten behind the 'carry it in, carry it out' idea. We want Algonquin to lead the way on this here."

In the pic: Chris Szydlowski of Algonquin Public Works Department emptied one of the trash cans at Snapper Field Tuesday morning.

Notes For a Book

So it's been a month. How's the First Electric Newspaper doing? Beating the Northwest Herald by a day on the story that the Northwest Herald was being sued for $3 million sort of sums things up.

In the past month the First Electric Newspaper has published roughly as many stories about Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley as the two dailies combined. (Not counting sports which FEN will add as soon as it makes an actual profit.) The dailies discovered FEN last week and have begun using it as a bird dog.

From a base of zero, in four weeks First Electric Newspaper readership is about halfway to the point of survival, about one quarter of what it's going to take to expand. Growth has all been entirely word of mouth. With no tangible existence FEN isn't carried on newsstands, hawked from street corners or peddled door-to-door by Beaver Cleaver.

FEN's editorial content so far has been, charitably, uneven. Some stories haven't been half bad. Others have been. Sleep deprivation has been the source of several stupid mistakes.

The biggest problem so far seems to be that people think the First Electric Newspaper is a blog. Blogs being so common and local online newspapers so scarce (U.S. total: 1), the confusion is understandable. In the interest of snappy writing and comprehensible analysis FEN skates pretty close to the line sometimes but the aim is to provide actual factual news and let the readers form their own opinions.

The First Electric Newspaper is produced to strict newspaper standards. It's a real newspaper. You just can't line the birdcage with it.

Garage Sales

Lake in the Hills
Thursday
1178 HEAVENS GATE
603 LORREE LN 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
289 MOHAWK TR 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
3216 HARVARD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
810 MENOMINEE DR 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9 STANTON CT 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
280 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
1178 HEAVENS GATE
603 LORREE LN 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
911 CYNTHIA LN 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
932 VIEWPOINT DR 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
3216 HARVARD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
810 MENOMINEE DR 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
240 ANNANDALE DR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
9 STANTON CT 9:00 AM - 4:00 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
1178 HEAVENS GATE3216
HARVARD LN 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
1 POINT O WOODS CT 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
240 ANNANDALE DR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
4 CIG HILL CT 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9 STANTON CT 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
417 CEDAR ST 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
Sunday240 ANNANDALE DR 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
417 CEDAR ST 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
911 CYNTHIA LN 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
320 WINSLOW WAY 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Although Algonquin and Huntley regulate garage sales no license is required. First Electric Newspaper will publish notices of garage sales in those villages at no cost. Send date, address and hours to
garagesales@firstelectricnewspaper.com

Algonquin's Riverside Square For Sale

Nine months after construction ceased and six months after a bankruptcy filing officially turned it into an unfinished eyesore, Algonquin's downtown Riverside Square condo/retail complex is looking for a buyer. The First Electric Newspaper has been able to confirm that the project is on the market and has already been shown to a handful of prospects.

Ken Fishleigh at RE/MAX Superior Properties, Huntley, said Tuesday, "We do have an interested party. They want (Riverside Square) for 'plus 55' condos." "Several other" groups have recently examined the failed upscale residential/retail complex according to Algonquin Trustee Jim Steigert.

Other real estate agents queried have been unable to locate Riverside Square on lists of commercial properties for sale. Since work ended before the project was even fully closed in it's more the idea of a building than a completed structure. Wags have nicknamed it "Tyvek Towers" after the white weather wrap which is currently all that stands between the sheathing and the elements.

In the absence of a formal listing, marketing appears to be happening via word of mouth. "I get a couple of calls a week from people," said Algonquin Village Manager Bill Ganek. "Everybody's looking for a super deal."

Amcore Bank, Rockford, the project's lender, which was reported to have secured the deed to the property in early May, declined to provide any information about Riverside Square marketing plans.

One complication is that selling Riverside Square isn't just a question of finding a buyer willing to pay a price Amcore would be willing to tolerate. The village of Algonquin approved the project as 54 luxury condos and half a dozen retail stores. That's not a likely prospect anymore.

"The numbers aren't there," said one real estate agent, who asked not to be identified. With the drop in housing prices since the project's 2006 inception he said full occupancy at today's prices wouldn't yield enough money to pay Amcore's probable price and complete the structure as planned.

A poll of Algonquin trustees who could be reached Tuesday indicated many still want to see Riverside Square completed as they first approved it and were uncertain about how much less they might be willing to accept.

Steigert said, "What was approved is what we're looking for. Anything else is going to be a tough sell. We're not going to jump at the first thing."

Brian Dianis said, "The intent was to build a multi-use building with a residential component to support the downtown. That's still what would be in my mind for that location."

"In today's market you never know what's going to happen," said Debby Sosine who holds an optimistic view on the economy. "A year from now it could be completely different."

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 29
2330 HRS 3300 BLOCK OF SANDSTONE CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 47 years of age, collapsed.No transport.
0933 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF AVALON LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 71 years of age, cut his finger with a saw. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1319 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HUNTERS PATH. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Husband vs Wife. Two priors.FAIL TO FILE
1435 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON ST. DOG BITE. Complainant was bitten by neighbor’s dog.
1630 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HUNTERS PATH. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department with papers being served to a resident.
2228 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF HEARTLAND GATE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 36 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
June 30
1120 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & OAKLEAF RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. VOELKER, TONI. M F/U 23 YEARS OF AGE, 307 CHEROKEE TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving while license suspended, unlawful display of Registration, uninsured motor vehicle, expired registration. RELEASED ON BOND.
0153 HRS 400 BLOCK OF HARVEST GATE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 33 years of age, vomiting. Transported to Northern Illinois Medical Center.
0547 HRS 200 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 95 years of age, feeling dizzy.No transport.
0834 HRS RANDALL RD & POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. 2 vehicle accident, property damage only.
0919 HRS RANDALL RD & ACORN LN. ACCIDENT. 2 vehicle property damage only.
0947 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE. Contractors entered home without permission while homeowner not at home. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1007 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WRIGHT DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 66 years of age, feeling weak, dizzy.Transport to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1055 HRS 4500 ALGONQUIN RD (7 ELEVEN). UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD. Unknown subject used credit card without permission. PENDING INVESTIGATION
1128 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 31 years of age, numbness in hand, not feeling well. No transport.
1802 HRS ACORN LN & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1912 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HARVEST GATE. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Live ammunition was located on complainant’s front porch. Ammunition entered into evidence.
2148 HRS 0 BLOCK OF ARLAND CT. BATTERY. Male subject 16 years of age struck another male subject16 years of age in the face. FAIL TO FILE.
2153 HRS 231 N RANDALL RD (TACO BELL). BATTERY. Victim was struck in the head by an offender.Transported to Good Shepherd Hospital.
2226 HRS 3200 BLOCK OF HARVARD LN. DOMESTIC. Verbal argument between boyfriend and girlfriend. 1 prior.
2315 HRS ELDERBERRY DR & SPRINGLAKE DR. DOMESTIC Verbal only between father and son.No priors.

Huntley
June 22
A bicycle was reported stolen out of an open garage in the area of 10600 Great Plaines.
Michael Spires, age 45, of 11723 Daniel Lane, was arrested for domestic battery. Mr. Spires was transported to McHenry County jail.
June 23
Graffiti was reported near 10200 Northbridge.
Criminal damage to property occurred near 10700 Greywall Lane. Several residents reported damage to mail boxes, car windows, and flower pots.
Criminal damage to property occurred near 10300 Mayflower. A mailbox was broken.
Andres Reyna-Terrones, age 46, of 1092 Leawood, Elgin, IL was arrested for driving with a revoked license and cited for driving without lights when required. Mr. Reyna-Terrones posted bond and was issued a court date of July 10, 2009.
A resident near 10900 Sawgrass Lane reported theft of several cases of beer from the garage.
June 24
Garrett P. Shepard, age 19, of 11613 Woodcreek Drive was arrested for unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor. Mr. Shepard posted bond and was released with a McHenry County Court date of August 21, 2009. Elesiah A. Courser, age 27, of 664 S. 7th Street, West Dundee, IL was arrested for driving while license suspended and cited for suspended registration and disobeying a stop sign. Ms. Courser posted bond and was given a McHenry County court date of August 14, 2009.
A member of Centegra Health Bridge reported that a wallet was stolen from a locked locker.
Criminal defacement to property occurred near 9100 Durham.
June 25
Deborah M. Holstein, age 37, of 10820 Oregon Trail was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Kendall County for failure to appear in court. Ms. Holstein posted bond and was released with a Kendall County court date of July 10, 2009.
June 26
Judd T. Chauncey, age 19, of 9618 Stacy Lane, Union, IL was charged with retail theft that occurred at the Wal-Mart located at 12300 S. Rt. 47. Mr. Chauncey posted bond and was released.
June 28
A male and female juvenile were charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor and released to their parents.

Blogger Sues NW Herald For $3 Million

Charging a defamation lawsuit against him was "a fraud on the court and the public" gadfly McHenry County Blogger Cal Skinner Monday turned the tables on the Northwest Herald's owner, B.F. Shaw Printing, Dixon. A skinner countersuit demands over $3 million from Shaw for defaming him.

At issue is a June 3 Blog entry in which Skinner charged the Northwest Herald had once received a cut-rate "multimillion loan" (sic) to stay in McHenry County putting the paper "in the back pocket of the Republican Party". The blogpost also included a reference to the newspaper's not being in dire financial straits "then".

On June 11, Shaw filed suit against Skinner in McHenry County Court charging the paper had never received any such loan, that it doesn't now have and never has had money troubles and has never been a puppet of the local GOP. The suit claimed Skinner was mad at the paper for coverage of his divorce a decade ago.

The suit asked no specific damages although a Northwest Herald story said the company was seeking $150,000 for defamation, false light and commercial disparagement. (FEN in earlier coverage failed to notice the discrepancy and erroneously reported that figure.)

Skinner's reply Monday included a copy of a 1985 county board resolution authorizing a $2.6 million Economic Development Revenue Bond paying 80 percent of the then-prime rate, the proceeds to be loaned to Shawmor Limited Partnership to build a newspaper plant where the Northwest Herald now stands. The resolution states its purpose as "increasing and retaining employment within (McHenry County's) boundaries."

Also included is a 1985 IRS form signed by then-County Board Chairman Edward J. Buss listing principal users of the bond money as Shawmor, Shaw Free Press Media and B.F. Shaw Printing, all with the same Dixon address.

Skinner's reply claims everything else he wrote was First Amendment-protected opinion.

Skinner's countersuit says Shaw Printing knew his charges were true but sued nevertheless to "intimidate and harass" him. It claims the suit was designed to "blackmail" Skinner into posting a retraction and that the Northwest Herald's news story covering its own suit defamed Skinner when the paper's publisher, John Rung, was quoted saying the original blog post was "reckless and completely fabricated".

Shaw Newspaper CEO Tom Shaw was reported "on another line" when asked for comment. Rung was reported "on a conference call" minutes later but his secretary said all inquiries should be directed to Shaw attorney Donald Craven. Craven's cellphone answered directly to voicemail. No FEN calls were returned.

Skinner attorney Patrick Ouimet was likewise unreachable.

Skinner himself could not be contacted.

Algonquin PD Uses New Bike Carriers

Algonquin Police Officer Mike Carroll prepared to deploy his mountain bike Monday from a new style of carrier mounted to village squad cars. Previous carriers were complex and "weren't so good," said Carroll, "and they scratched up the trunks a lot, too." The new carriers were purchased with a $1,300 grant to the department from Algonquin's Target store.

Roadwork Set All Over Algonquin.

Road surfacing and reconstruction in Algonquin will shift into high gear in July with five to seven projects, depending on how you want to count them slated to begin, according to the village's Public Works Department.

Bunker Hill Drive/Huntington Drive will be resurfaced from Golden Eagle Drive east to Stonegate Road starting in July. Prep work for that began began last week. In August Huntington from Stonegate east to Briarwood Lane is scheduled for resurfacing as well. The first section is due to be done in August, the second in September. ComEd will also be at work replacing and installing new cable lines north of Huntington from Clearview Court east to Circle Drive in the coming month.

Major prep work is scheduled to start for Hanson Road reconstruction from Edgewood Road north to Algonquin Road. The Hanson Road project will remove the existing pavement system and replace it with an upgraded one that includes a curb & gutter and storm sewer. To minimize detours, the project will be in two parts, Edgewood Road north to Huntington and Huntington north to Algonquin Road. Public Works Director Bob Mitchard said earlir this year that with so much pre-construction it's doubtful paving paving can begin before next Spring.

Square Barn Road from Algonquin Road south to the village line is set for resurfacing to begin in July. That's expected to be finished by Fall. So is a similar resurfacing for Sandbloom Road from Algonquin Road south to the village limit.

Meanwhile work that began this Spring continues in Algonquin's Arrowhead Subdivision. All streets (Arrowhead Drive, Hillcrest Drive, Elm Street, Birch Street, Ash Street, Valley View Drive, and Point Court) are being comletely rebuilt with new curbs and gutters, base, binder and pavement. A new storm water sewer collection system is also being installed. New watermains are going in along Hillcrest Drive and in the subdivision's cul-de-sacs. Damaged and missing sidewalks will also be replaced or installed. The project is supposed to be done by late September if the weatherman cooperates.

Algonquin is planning a major upgrade for Boyer Road from Corporate Parkway south to the village line but that's not set to start until next year.

In the pic: Workers repaired curbs on Huntington late last week.

LITH Summer Concert Series Opens

Chicago group (including West Dundee's Jim Pedicone) 215 West kicked off Lake in the Hills' Summer Concert series at Village Hall Sunday. The four-man group performed some of the same Motown, Rock, Latin,Swing, Disco and Blues hits they'll feature at their White Sox pre-grame gig in a couple of weeks.

Girl band Tin Horse is scheduled at the next LITH Summer Concert July 19 and 80's re-enactors Members Only are set for August 9.

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--
Reports were not available

Lake in the Hills--
June 24
0042 HRS 600 BLOCK OF LORREE LANE. DOMESTIC. Wife vs Husband. Verbal only. No priors.
200 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 83 years of age, fell. Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
0724 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF HILLSBORO LANE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 55 years of age, difficulty breathing. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1435 HRS 7900 PYOTT RD (JA FRATE). ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted Crystal Lake PD with the recovery of a stolen vehicle.
1719 HRS MILLER RD & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
OFC FEELY (RP)
100 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. ASSIST CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT. Assist the fire department with a structure fire.
1814 HRS 4700 BLOCK OF SAGINAW ST. IDENTITY THEFT. Complainant advised she checked credit report and located some fraudulent usage. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
1929 HRS 61 OAKLEAF RD (JAYCEE PARK). FOUND PROPERTY. A knife was located at the park. Entered into Evidence.
2034 HRS 5200 MILLER RD (SUNSET PARK). HIT & RUN. Complainant’s vehicle was struck and the offender left the scene.
2148 HRS 200 BLOCK OF STEEPLECHASE WAY. FOUND PROPERTY. Complainant located a bicycle in his front yard.
2320 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. DEATH INVESTIGATION. Female, 54 years of age, passed away at Sherman Hospital. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
June 25
1021 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD & ACORN LN. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. BARABAS, NICHOLAS W. M/W 31 YEARS OF AGE, 1037 VIEWPOINT DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. Charge: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON CASH BOND.
2102 HRS 1200 BLOCK OF CHERRY ST. WANTED ON WARRANT. AGUIRRE, JONATHAN P. M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 1213 CHERRY ST LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County for Obstructing
Police, Bond Amount: $1,000 @ 10%, Underage Consumption of Alcohol. Issued Notice to Appear.
RELEASED ON BOND. ZAK, CHRISTOPHER T. M/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 1118 LAKE DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS
CHARGE: Underage Consumption of Alcohol. ISSUED NOTICE TO APPEAR ON THE SCENE. JUVENILE. F/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Underage Consumption of Alcohol. Issued Notice to Appear. TURNED OVER TO PARENT. JUVENILE. F/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Underage Consumption of Alcohol. Issued Notice to Appear. TURNED OVER TO PARENT.
FOLLOW UP ARRESTS:
1819 HRS 400 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE & POSSESSION OF CANNABIS. HALL, DURELLE J. F/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 425 STARWOOD PASS, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Cannabis. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0146 HRS 200 BLOCK OF HAWTHORNE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 87 years of age, fell out of bed and disoriented. No transport.
0840 HRS 1107 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (SKATE PARK). CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Graffiti was found on the ramp.
HRS 00 BLOCK OF HUNTERS PATH. FOUND PROPERTY. A dishwasher was found. Dishwasher was removed by public works.
1226 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Roommate vs Roommate. Verbal only. No priors.
1320 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & HILLTOP DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1347 HRS 2200 W ALGONQUIN RD. (THE CAR WASH). FOUND PROPERTY. A driver’s license was found. Property returned to owner.
1415 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & LAKEWOOD RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1558 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 62 years of age, disoriented with slurred speech. Transported to Northern Illinois Medical Center.
June 26
FOLLOW-UP ARRESTS:
2040 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE ROAD (LITH POLICE). CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE. JUVENILE M/W 14 YEARS OF AGE,HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Criminal Sexual Abuse, two counts, Battery. TURNED OVER TO PARENTS.
0919 HRS 900 BLOCK OF MESA DR. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted Cary Police Department with a domestic battery.
0954 HRS 500 BLOCK OF BERNYCE DR. THEFT. Prescription medication was stolen from a residence.
1034 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. BURGLARY FROM MOTOR VEHICLE. A wallet was taken from an unsecured car.
1411 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PINE ST, ASSISTC OUNTY POLICE. Assistance provided to the McHenry County Sheriffs Office.
1621 HRS 8200 BLOCK OF VIRGINIA RD. THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE. Delayed motor vehicle theft report.
PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1815 HRS 700 BLOCK OF WILLOW ST. DEATH Male, 28 years of age, found unresponsive. INVESTIGATION
TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY CORONER.
1833 HRS GREENFIELD LN & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2040 HRS 1200 BLOCK OF SYCAMORE ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 7 years of age, having trouble breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
June 27
0250 HRS REED RD & HALIGUS RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. STEPHAN, BRYAN M. M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE. 150 CUNAT BLVD, RICHMOND. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving
under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content Over .08, Improper Lane Usage, Illegal Transportation of Open Alcohol, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. RELEASED ON BOND.
0336 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD. (RAKOW CURVE). POSSESSION OF CANNABIS. BOUCHER, MICHAEL A. M/W 37 YEARS OF AGE, 1127 LURKSPUR CT PINGREE GROVE. CHARGES: Possession of Cannabis, Driving While License
Suspended, Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND
0748 HRS 500 GRACE DR. (PLOTE FIELD). CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Garbage container ripped out of the ground.
1017 HRS 200 BLOCK OF FERRYVILLE DR. DOMESTIC Husband vs Wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1118 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Son vs Mother. Three priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1212 HRS RANDALL RD & ACORN LN. ASSAULT. Female subject approached at the intersection by a male subject that seemed threatening to her. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1317 HRS 100 BLOCK OF COOL STONE BEND. DOMESTIC. Daughter vs Mother. Verbal only. Three priors. Daughter was transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital for an evaluation.
1438 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 13 years of age, with a possible broken leg. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1757 HRS 40 W ACORN LN. (KINDERCARE). INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Gang graffiti located on fence.
PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER
1902 HRS 00 BLOCK OF WANDER WAY. DOMESTIC. Husband vs Wife. Verbal only. No priors.
2029 HRS 00 BLOCK OF HUNTERS PATH. DOMESTIC. Husband vs Wife. Verbal only. Four priors.
June 28
0106 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD. (RAKOW CURVE). OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE. SANCHEZ, EFRAIN J. M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 326 TEE LN., CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Obstructing Justice – Class 4 Felony, Unlawful
Possession of a Fictitious Identification Card – Class 4 Felony, Wanted on Warrant, Kane County for Failure to Appear (Shoplifting) Bond Amount: $500 Full Cash, Wanted on Warrant, Carpentersville Police Department for Failure To Appear (Traffic Offense) Bond Amount: $3,000 at 10%, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol with
Breath Alcohol Content Over .160, No Valid Driver’s License, Illegal Transportation of Alcohol, No Valid Insurance, Improper Lane Usage. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL
0110 HRS 900 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 37 years of age, vomiting and pain in the right side of his abdomen. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
0141 HRS 700 BLOCK OF MOHICAN TR. POSSESSION OF DRUG EQUIPMENT CHARGES ARE PENDING BY REPORTING OFFICER FOR POSSESSION OF DRUG EQUIPMENT.
0751 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF MCPHEE DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 75 years of age, lost consciousness.
Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1142 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. DOMESTIC. Husband vs Wife. Verbal only. Two priors.
1218 HRS 1111 PYOTT RD. (LARSEN ISLAND). REPORT FOR INSURANCE. A vehicle was damaged In accident.
1508 HRS 10 BLOCK OF PROSPER CT ASSIST AMBULANCE Male, 67 years of age, not feeling well.
Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1631 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF MAPLE ST. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Reporting Officer assisted the Department of Children and Family Services.
1640 HRS 3400 BLOCK OF CHADWICK LN. THEFT $300 & UNDER Garden hose and hose reel taken. FAILED TO FILE.
1833 HRS 0 BLOCK OF HOLLYHOCK CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 66 years of age, possibly having a heart attack. Transported to Saint Joseph’s Hospital.
1854 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF STANTON CIRCLE. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Father vs Daughter. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1858 HRS 2265 W ALGONUIN RD. (THORTONS). ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property Damage only.
1914 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SKATE PARK). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 15 years of age, fell and landed on his head. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.

12th Year For Alongquin Township Paint Recycling

Cans of old paint are sort of like coat hangers. They accumulate. Sometimes it seems they may even breed until the house is full of dusty half-cans of mauve interior latex and the family is thinking of pitching a tent in the backyard. That's why even as Algonquin Township's monthly Saturday paint recycling center marks its 12th year the river of old paint still flows unabated.

Al Pilli, Cary, turned up at the Township Offices Saturday with 7 gallon cans and 9 quart-sized. "I just want to use my basement again," he said.

Dale Lyons, also Cary, shook his head as he pulled 10 cans out of his van saying, "Some of these were in our house when we bought it."

As a stream of cars and trucks pulled up to offload their drippy cargo a township forklift periodically carried off a pallet load of paint to the processing shed where volunteers and community service workers opened the cans and combined them in five gallon buckets of various paint types and colors.

The process is less than high-tech but yields a serviceable product with an attractive price: free. Recycled paint features in several public locations in Algonquin Township, including the Cary Senior Center. Available for pickup by township residents during weekdays, it's also used regularly in private residences.

Algonquin Township accepts paint for recycling on the last Saturday of each month through October, 8 AM to noon. That's also the township's schedule for accepting used motor oil, old lead-acid batteries, obsolete computers, and tree branches.

The township's recycling center for aluminum and metal cans; glass bottles and jars (green, brown, or clear); plastic bottles (milk jugs, water jugs, beverage bottles); laundry and detergent bottles; newspaper; cardboard and magazines is open any time.

In the pic: County Board Member Anna Mae Miller helps sort and load old paint Saturday at Algonquin Township's Recycling Center.

Algonquin Lake in the Hills American Legion Roast Pig

Cassie McDermott and Becky Weglarz dish out servings of a 230-pound porker at the Lake in the Hills American Legion Post 1231's third annual Pig Roast Saturday. Proceeds help pay for veteran services and community projects.

Among the first customers were firefighters from Station 1, just across Algonquin Road from the Legion, who said they'd been savoring the aroma all afternoon.