Home Sales Up, Prices Down In Latest Local Report

The number of home sales in McHenry County rose in February according to the latest report from the McHenry County Association of Realtors but their average price price slumped even as it took them longer to sell.

February saw 175 homes and condos close, up from 152 in January.  But their average sale price dropped to a little over $177,000, down from about $193,500 the previous month.  Meanwhile time to sale rose to 187 days from 162 the month before.

Algonquin realtor Mary Siewenie said Friday foreclosed and short sale homes continue to depress  prices.  "Tell me what the market is," she said.  "If there are 10 homes on the market at $150,000 why would they look at yours in the $180,000's?"

Siewenie said that's created a shadow inventory of homes overhanging things.  "I have a lot of people who are able to keep their homes.  I'm watching the market and when it gets close (to their asking price) I'll call and it'll be on the market," she said.

Adding complexity is the soon-to-expire federal homebuyer credit. To qualify as things stand now, buyers have to have a home under contract by the end of April and close by the end of June.

Siewenie said real estate these days adds up to a lot of work.  "I'm busier now than I've ever been," she said.

Brady Wins GOP Gov. Primary At Last

More than a month after the primary-election polls closed Illinois Republicans finally have a candidate for the Governor's race.

The state Board of Elections Friday certified Bloomington Sen. Bill Brady as the winner in one of the closest elections in Illinois primary history. He edged out Hinsdale Sen. Kirk Dillard by 193 votes of the slightly more than 767,000 ballots cast.

Dillard had said he would not seek a recount unless he trailed by less than 100 votes. He stayed true to that pledge on Friday.

"I didn't want to delay Sen. Brady's campaign," he said. "A recount would be divisive to the Republican Party and I did not want to put my party through that."

The 193-vote margin translates into 0.025 percent of the total Republican ballots cast in the Feb. 2 primary election.

Brady dove right into campaigning for the general election, making the economy his No. 1 priority.

"The people of Illinois are starving for a candidate who will focus on jobs, who'll focus on the economy, who will make government work for the people," he said.

Brady has already stumbled in the opening days of his campaign by straying from that message. This week he accused the governor of letting a man now charged with murder out of prison under the Department of Corrections heavily criticized early-release program — a claim the department later proved false.

Quinn wasted no time in branding Brady as out of touch. "The Republican nominee is from the extreme right wing of the party and far from the mainstream of Illinois voters," Quinn said in a statement.

However, Quinn still doesn't know who his running mate will be since troubled Chicago pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen dropped out after he won the Lieutenant Governor's race.

You can read a full report here: http://illinoisstatehousenews.com/2010/03/05/brady-accepts-primary-win-finally/

In the pic: Brady at a news conference Friday.

President's, Dean's Lists Announced At MCC

The following students were named to the President’s List for Fall 2009 semester at McHenry County College. Students who earned a grade point average of 3.75 to 4.0 were awarded the honor.
Algonquin
Joseph P. Brock, Kelsie L. Campbell, Haroon N. Unjom.
Huntley
Shirley D. Beagle, Adam D. Clavey, Keelin C. Funk, Ashlee E. Gatta, Cammy M. Gertz, Sarah E. Hutchins, Nicholas R. Jackson, Suzanne Koeppen, Jeffrey W. Krueger, Amber N. Ladwig, Solomon J. Post, David A. Rodriguez, Karley J. Vickery, Charlotte J. Wilson.
Lake in the Hills
Dylan M. Britt, Joseph C. Bruzzini, Ashley N. Bruzzini, John S. Carter, Samantha N. Clemons, Tina M. DeMarco, Bryce L. Gardner, Mary Kathleen Grzenia, Margaret E Grzenia, Kinga Kasprzyk, Kimberly A. Kozlowski, Dieu T. Lam, Adam J. LaPorte, Talia Maloum, Stacy L. Mariano, Andrea Occhipinti, Christopher John Olsen, Laura A. Rosenwinkel, Lisa M. Schnell, Kyle L. Sebion, Seth X. Williamson.

The following students were named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2009 semester at McHenry County College. Students who earned a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.74 were awarded this honor.
Algonquin
Andrew E. Eppley, Patricia C. Motta.
Huntley
Thomas R. Giordano, Fraaz M. Siddiqui, Margaret T. Strack, Justin W. Vickery.
Lake in the Hills
Alexander C. Borring, Karyn J. Kolner, Karen A. Kroll, Ryan Christopher Kromar, Cassandra C. McElfresh, Arely Y. Mejia, Kaylee Mueller, Matteo Occhipinti, Craig A. Paarfusser.

Local Sports

Boys' Basketball
STATE PLAYOFFS
Friday
CLASS 3A
Woodstock North Regional--
Marian Central 56, Prairie Ridge 52 (OT)
Johnsburg Regional--
Johnsburg 60, Lakes 58
CLASS 4A
Barrington Regional--
Barrington 47, Streamwood 45
Crystal Lake South Regional--
Rockford Jefferson 57, Crystal Lake South 44
Wednesday
CLASS 3A
North Chicago regional--
Vernon Hills 61, Grayslake Central 60
Tuesday
CLASS 3A
Johnsburg Regional--
Johnsburg 56, Antioch 37
North Chicago Regional--
North Chicago 96, Grayslake North 63
Woodstock North Regional--
Marian Central 99, Woodstock North 43
Prairie Ridge 45, Crystal Lake Central 39
CLASS 4A
Barrington Regional--
Barrington 52, Dundee-Crown 39
Crystal Lake South Regional--
Crystal Lake South 45, McHenry 44
Monday
Class 3A
North Chicago Regional--
Grayslake North 62, Wauconda 46
Woodstock North Regional--
Woodstock North 52, Woodstock 46
Class 4A
Barrington Regional--
Dundee-Crown 61, Larkin 56 (20T)
Crystal Lake South Regional--
Huntley 51, Jacobs 50 (OT)

Professional Regulation Actions

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced the following disciplinary orders in the month of January :

The following individuals’ real estate broker licenses were placed in refuse to renew status due to a criminal conviction that required the respondent to register as a sex offender:
Carl Ames, McHenry
The following individuals’ real estate salesperson licenses were placed in refuse to renew status due to a criminal conviction that required the respondent to register as a sex offender:
Ryan Henrikson, Algonquin

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
March 05
0933 HRS 3200 BLOCK OF RONAN DR. WANTED ON WARRANT. SPAIN, ERIC R., M/B 32 YEARS OF AGE, 580 WINDERMERE WAY, LAKE IN THE HILLS. Charge: Wanted On Warrant: McHenry County Sheriff. Violation of a Court Order, $6,000 @ 10%. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1526 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTONS) DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. MAZALEWSKI, ANTHONY B., M/W 49 YEARS OF AGE, 1317 JEFFERSON ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. Charges: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
2119 HRS 343 N. RANDALL RD. (STARBUCKS) ILLEGAL CONSUMPTION BY A MINOR. JUVENILE, F/W 13 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, F/W 13, YEARS OF AGE, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0848 HRS 200 BLOCK OF STICKLEY LN. ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY. Officer assisted the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office with theserving an Order of Protection.
1003 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT COURT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 54 years of age, lost consciousness. Transported to Northern Illinois Medical Center.
1505 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF RONAN DR. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. A vehicle was keyed. FAIL TO FILE.

D158 Eyes $3 Million In Cuts For Coming Year

The District 158 Board of Education didn't spend much time Thursday going over the second draft of next year's budget.  Member Mike Skala said the state's worsening budget crisis had already made it obsolete and the rest of the board agreed.

Controller Mark Altmayer had pared about $1 million from the margins of the version one budget but Skala prompted discussion on deeper cuts saying huge reductions in the state's education budget may be looming. "(Legislators') bag of tricks is used up. I don't think we're prepared for what's going to be reality."

Altmayer admitted, "If they do it all at the (per-student state aid) level, we're going to get hammered."

Superintendant John Burkey appeared blindsided as discussion rapidly moved toward another $2 million in cuts, the bulk probably out of personnel. "If we're going to do (reductions in force) we have to have that ready in the next three weeks," said Burkey.  "This is the first time I've heard about RIF's."

It probably won't be the last time, though.  In rambling discussion board members showed a rough consensus against a deficit budget but likewise against cutting amenities like sports, music and art.

Skala ran a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation showing $3 million in budget cuts would increase average class size by two or three students.  No one found that appealing but neither did anyone find it appalling.

Altmayer promised to come back with budget draft 2(b) in two weeks.

In the pic:  Mike Skala said, "We can't pretend things are going to be great like most of the politicians have been doing for the last seven years."

New Board Member Sought For D158

Thursday was the final meeting for D158 Board President Shawn Green who resigned to devote more time to broader politics.  The gavel passes to former Vice President Kevin Gentry who said "we should put an ad in the newspaper" for a replacement board member.

Here's one from FEN, no charge:

Wanted: One Board of Education member.  No specific education or experience required.  Long and irregular hours, no thanks, no pay. Sound like you? Send letter of interest and resume (open to public inspection) by 4:30 pm March 18 to:

                   Naomi Fettes
                   Executive Assistant
                   Consolidated School District 158
                   650 Academic Drive
                   Algonquin, Illinois 60102

Leading candidates will be called for public interview. Dress: at least business casual.

Lots Of Empty All Full At Huntley Library

What looked a couple of weeks ago like enough space to play basketball is full to the brim this week with the opening of Huntley Area Public Library District's mobile annex.

"We moved 70,000 books and materials," said Library Director Patrick McDonald.  The annex now houses the children's library and a small reading area while the former children's library section now houses non-fiction books, according to McDonald.

The official Children's Area Grand Opening is set for next Wednesday with two ribbon-cutting ceremonies at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm.  While supplies last kids can take home a craft set courtesy of the Algonquin Lowes. The Friends (of the Library) Foundation will pass out plastic construction hats and hold a drawing for some construction set toys at the grand opening.

Vote Monday On D300 Teacher Cutbacks

In a news release late Thursday District 300 outlined details of teacher cuts set for a Board of Education vote Monday.  Plans call for 151 teachers to be let go but only 112 may actually be on the budgetary chopping block.  Most of the rest have "performance problems" and would be replaced.

The hope is at least some of the cuts will turn out to be imaginary. Governor Quinn won't announce state budget details including support for education until March 10 but D300's teacher contracts and the law call for layoffs no later than March 8. The district has to make worst-case cuts Monday, then wait to see how much money, if any, it will have to hire teachers back for school next year.

Up for discussion Monday will be plans to cut $1.6 million in district transportation costs. That won't come up for a vote until the end of April, though.

Details on the teacher and transportation cuts are in the release here: http://www.d300.org/news/16858

Brady Says Corrections Director Should Quit

By Jamey Dunn and Rachel Wells
Leading GOP Governor Candidate Bill Brady called for Illinois Corrections Director Michael Randle to step down  Thursday but the downstate legislator found the middle of the media spotlight an uncomfortable place to be.

He made the demand at a news conference to announce a measure he introduced that would create an Internet database with information on any prisoners that are released early. The Web page would include photos and descriptions of the prisoners. Brady’s bill passed through a Senate committee with unanimous support. Brady said he also plans to create a “strike” force to investigate Gov. Pat Quinn's controversial “Meritorious Good Time Push" early-release program.

Brady sputtered, though, when questioned about what sort of early release scenarios he would support and had difficulty giving a concrete example of which prisoners the state would be required to include on the Web site. In the end, he said he does not support the early release of any prisoners.

Asked about the security of his job, Randle said, "I think we all serve at the pleasure of the governor. … We’ll continue to do our job."

You can read Jamie and Rachel's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/considering-cuts-part-2.html

In the pic:  Brady at Thursday's news conference.

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
March 04
1530 HRS HEAVENS GATE & MILLER RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. TUNZI, MATHEW J., M/W 42 YEARS OF AGE, 2243 75TH AVE., ELMWOOD PARK. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, Cook County Sheriff For Traffic Offenses, Bond amount $5,000.00 @ 10%, Driving While License Revoked, and No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
1854 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. BANASIAK,MATTHEW A., M/W 40 YEARS OF AGE, 824 HUNTINGTON DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving while License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
0316 HRS 500 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 37 years of age, having a seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
0803 HRS RANDALL RD. and VILLAGE RD. ACCIDENT 2 Vehicles. Property Damage Only.
1237 HRS 100 N. RANDALL RD. (WALGREENS) FRAUD. Unlawful acquisition. PENDING INVESTIGATIONS BY PATROL.
1446 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF IMHOFF DR. THEFT. Theft of a trailer.
1608 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF BURR ST. FOUND ARTICLE. Prescription bottles found, at the intersection of Oak St. and McPhee Dr.
1723 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 44 years of age, having a panic attack. No transport.
2225 HRS 900 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. DOMESTIC/ Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. One prior.
2355 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 33 years of age, having a seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
Algonquin
February 28
16:41pm Garcia, Jazmin N., DOB: 10/26/90, of 424 Diamando Street, Crystal Lake, was charged with DWLS and Failure to Notify SOS of Address Change.  She was taken into custody at Route 62 and Route 25.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 03/31/10, in McHenry County.
March 1
15:21pm Nechvatal, Alex M., DOB: 08/19/90, of 1425 Meghan Avenue, Algonquin, was charged with DWLS and Suspended Registration.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Algonquin Road.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 04/07/10, in McHenry County.
March 2
01:21am Smith, David B., DOB: 06/17/79, of 210 E. Algonquin Road, #F, Algonquin, was charged with Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at the East Dundee Police Department.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
11:04am Kirkby, Jennifer L., DOB: 10/10/71, of 454 Giles Court, Bartlett, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of Kane County for Theft Over $300 and Unlawful Use of a Credit Card.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $1000, with a court date of 06/26/20, in Kane County.
19:17pm Delli, Robert David, DOB: 02/18/86, of 1526 Briarwood, Crystal Lake, was charged with Retail Theft, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance.  He was taken into custody at Meijer’s, 400 S. Randall Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
22:46pm Rogers, Michael W., DOB: 10/11/59, of 265 Winchester Drive, Algonquin, was charged with Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Crystal Lake Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
March 3
16:19am Donis, Catalina, DOB: 09/25/58, of 4 Birch Street, Carpentersville, was charged with Felony DUI, DWLS and Improper Lane Usage.  She was taken into custody at Mackaben Elementary School, 800 Academic Drive.  She was transported to Kane County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
March 4
01:46am Suchodolski, Scott R., DOB: 08/26/82, of 428 W. Virginia Road, #1B, Crystal Lake, was charged with DUI, DUI Over, Speeding, No Proof of Insurance and Expired Registration.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Route 31.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 04/07/10, in McHenry County.
08:05am Ortiz, Miguel A., DOB: 04/12/72, of 5473 Whitmore Way, Lake in the Hills, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Speeding.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Talaga Drive.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 04/21/10, in McHenry County.
09:12am Lott, Dale J., DOB: 07/27/55, of 37W115 Winhaven Drive, Elgin, was charged with DUI, DUI Over, Illegal Transportation of Alcohol and Following Too Closely.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and County Line Road.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 04/14/10, in McHenry County.
15:54pm Winter, Mark A., DOB: 11/27/62, of 123 E. Streamwood Boulevard, Streamwood, was charged with DWLR, No Seat Belt and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Broadsmore.  He was released after posting $100 with a court date of 04/07/10, in McHenry County.
23:20pm Wetzel, Eric D., DOB: 08/15/64, of 1224 Barlina Road, Crystal Lake, was charged with DUI, DUI Over and Speeding.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Harnish Drive.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 04/07/10, in McHenry County.

"Criminal Investigation" Probable At Grafton Township

A Spokesman at the Illinois Attorney General's office could not confirm Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore's complaint about township irregularities to that office.  However, FEN has found that a McHenry County State's Attorney's investigation is probably underway.

Moore said at a Grafton Township special meeting Tuesday she had contacted the AG's office.  She didn't say about what but separately read a statement saying "it is a crime to violate or remove public records".  Snipes about suspected or perhaps conceivable missing records have been an occasional feature of Grafton Board acrimony since September.

Press Secretary Robyn Ziegler said Wednesday the Attorney General's office had no investigation of Grafton Township underway at the moment but neither was she able to immediately locate a record of Moore's complaint.

However, Tom Carroll, First Assistant State's Attorney, indicated Wednesday that a County investigation may be in progress.  Carroll said the SA's office had looked into at least two complaints of Open Meetings Law violations at Grafton Township but had been unable to substantiate them so there was no current investigation on those.

Are any other investigations of Grafton Township being conducted?

"If there were any criminal investigations being conducted I would be unable to comment on them," said Carroll.

Is a criminal investigation not being conducted at Grafton Township?  "I can't comment," Carroll said.

Township Attorney Kerri-Lyn Krafthefer told FEN last month that she had spoken with a State's Attorney investigator but that was when the Open Meetings charges were still circulating.  Krafthefer could not be reached for clarification Wednesday.

Candidate Charges Sheriff Puts Politics Over Cop Safety

Lake in the Hills Democratic Sheriff's candidate Mike Mahon charged Wednesday McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren is trying to have it both ways as the Legislature debates allowing the carrying of concealed handguns.

In a Tuesday story in a regional newspaper (the Northwest Herald) Nygren said he supported "concealed carry" but only with permits and training.  In a release to media Tuesday Mahon said, in that case, Nygren should have already authorized his off-duty deputies and security personnel to carry handguns.

Nygren was reported to say there wasn't much chance armed off-duty cops would be on hand just as a crime was being committed but Mahon said the Sheriff ought to allow them to carry weapons for their own protection.

"These people work with bad guys every day," the kind who look for payback, Mahon told FEN.  "I can tell you first-hand about being a 'target'," said Mahon, a Cook County Deputy.

"(Nygren) is a perfect politician but he's lost his sight as a law enforcement officer," Mahon charged.

Through a spokesman Wednesday the Sheriff said he hadn't seen Mahon's release and declined comment.

In the pic:  Mahon said "I'm really hot about Nygren's statement."

LITH Businessman To Head McHenry County Dems

A gasp rose from McHenry County Democrats at Woodstock Opera House Wednesday when the vote was announced electing Lake in the Hills businessman Mike Bissett their new county chairman.  Bissett replaced County Board member Kathy Bergan Schmidt 785-782.

Schmidt had asked Democrats to stop switching county heads every two years so the party could build some continuity but Bissett, a marketer and business consultant, said he had some new ideas to "turn the county 'blue'."

"It's not that the vote was split," said Young Democrats head Ed Rotchford, LITH, "There were two very good candidates."

Meanwhile at the Woodstock VFW McHenry County Republicans re-elected their entire incumbent slate.  State Rep. Mike Tryon remains County Chairman; Kathy Kuchta, VP; Glenda Miller, Secretary, and Fred Wickham, Treasurer.

Dems returned Sam Melei to their VP spot and Tom Cynor to the Treasurer's post but replaced party stalwart Patrick Murfin with Woodstock newcomer schoolteacher Brian Myers.

District Chairs included Jim McTague in District 1, Elizabeth Puchmelter in 2 and Andrew Georgi, Jr., in 6.

In the pics:  (above) The vote was so close counters recapped it and then checked the computer with a pocket calculator. (below) New McHenry County Democratic Chairman Mike Bissett said, "I have the support of half the party and I'm going to work to get the rest of it."

Dems Showcase Proposed Brady Budget Cuts

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
The latest proposal from Democratic state senators to fix the Illinois budget looks a lot like an idea from the presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate, state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington.

In a committee on Wednesday, state senators discussed a 10 percent cut to some of the state’s most expensive programs, including education, healthcare and human services. Brady,not at the committee, had previously suggested an across-the-board 10 percent cut to all state services in order to reduce the state’s budget shortfall of more than $12 billion.

“We have to have a serious discussion about how we’re going to deconstruct and reconstruct Illinois’ budget in a way that we can balance it, we can live up to our obligations,” he said. “And I’m more than willing to engage in that debate.”

Top administrators from two of the state’s public universities testified before the committee, saying large cuts would devastate higher education. Both outlined their support for a tax increase in order to bring in new revenue.

Meanwhile McHenry County State Rep. Jack Franks called on legislators to stop spending more money.  He asked them to withdraw any new bills that would increase state expenses.  "This action will not just save the state future monies," said Franks, "it will demonstrate a real willingness to focus on the most basic problem in our state--our fiscal crisis."

You can read Kevin's full report here: http://illinoisstatehousenews.com/2010/03/03/dems-showcase-proposed-brady-budget-cuts/

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
March 3
0907 HRS RANDALL RD. and MILLER RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. LOMBARDO, FILIPPO, M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 150 S. 4th STREET APT A, CAPRON. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant by DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for Failure to Appear for Driving While License Suspended. Bond amount $4,000 @ 10%, No Seat Belt. RELEASED ON BOND.
2100 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ORDINANCE VIOLATION. WENZEL, ROBERT R., M/W 44 YEARS OF AGE, 310 VILLAGE CREEK DR., APT 2B, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Local Ordinance Excessive Noise Violation. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED.
0535 HRS 10 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 53 years of age, severe abdominal pain. Transported to St. Joseph Hospital.
2116 HRS 0 BLOCK OF DOGWOOD CT. DOMESTIC. Daughter vs. parents. Verbal only. No priors.

Wildlife Refuge Proposed For Half McHenry County

The McHenry County Board learned Tuesday of tentative plans for a National Wildlife Refuge including roughly the northeastern half of McHenry County.

The proposed Hackmatack Refuge would cover parts of McHenry and Lake counties in Illinois and Walworth, Kenosha and Racine counties in Wisconsin. It would consist of  "a core conserved area owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" but would also include Glacial Park, Geneva Lake, Nippersink Creek, Chain O’Lakes and 88 publicly and privately owned parks, preserves, and conservation areas, too, according to a feasibility study just concluded.

"What sets (refuges) apart from many other state and federal conservation management systems is their explicit overarching policy that “Wildlife Comes First,” according to the study.

Lenore Beyer-Clow, Policy Director for the nonprofit conservation group Openlands, told the Board the Hackmatack Refuge would be swell for endangered flora and fauna but could be even better for area residents since it would be the only such place within a two-hour drive of Chicago, Milwaukee, Rockford and Madison.

"This could be one of the largest economic engines open to McHenry County," enthused Board Chairman Ken Koehler.

Union Board Member Randy Donley was skeptical.  "I'd hate to think this was what Alden Township was all about," he said referring to MCDOT's controversial plan to goldplate Alden Road, "the road to nowhere" except maybe Lake Geneva.

Alden nurseryman Kurt Behstehner told the Board he thought that was exactly what it had been about adding, "I'm tired of the government telling me what to do with my land."

In any case the Hackmatack Refuge isn't anywhere near a done deal.  In fact, its feasibility study was mostly to prove to the Fish and Wildlife Service that it ought to conduct a feasibility study of its own.  Beyer-Clow said, "it could take up to two years" for that and even if approved, Congress would still have to come up with money to fund it "It doesn't become (a refuge) until an acre is purchased by the Federal Government," she said.

You can read the Hackmatack vibility study at: http://www.tpl.org/content_document/Hackmatack_Viability_LOW_RES-022310.pdf

In the pic:  The proposed Hackmatack Wildlife Refuge would be in the area within a half-hour drive from Richmond.

County's 20-Year Development Plan In Final Hearings

The proposed Hackmatack Wildlife Refuge would have to dovetail with McHenry County's 2030 Plan for development over the next 20 years now in the midst of final public hearings.

County Board members said attendance at Monday's first 2030 Plan review in Johnsburg was pretty sparse and there's no report yet on Tuesday's gathering at Harvard.  Three more meetings are set this week.

The closest will be this evening at McHenry County College from 5 to 7 pm.  Thursday there'll be another one at Marengo High School, same times, and Saturday will see a final hearing at the County Administrative Center in Woodstock from 9 am to noon.

Environmental Defenders of McHenry County sent out a release Monday warning the plan allows residential development in several areas the group thinks ought to stay agricultural.  That includes the region northwest of Huntley.

The latest version of the 2030 plan is here: http://www.mchenrycounty2030plan.com/

Grafton Supervisor Complains To State Attorney General

At Grafton Township's latest special meeting Tuesday:

Supervisor Linda Moore announced she had lodged unspecified complaints with the State Attorney General's Office.

Newly-hired administrator Pam Fender's husband stuck a handful of papers in front of the lens of the recorder Moore's husband was using to document the meeting.  Moore threatened to have him ejected.

Trustees voted to locate Moore's office in the tiny windowless office formerly used by the part-time Township Clerk. Fender is to move into the former Supervisor's Office anteroom and the Clerk, whenever one is hired, will have Moore's former office. Moore objected.  Trustee Gerry McMahon sneered, "We don't even have to let her have an office."

Trustees directed Fender to make all that happen today.  "You're saying an employee is supposed to supervise the Supervisor?" asked Moore.  "Oh, stop it," moaned Trustee Rob LaPorta.

Board members were so busy interrupting each other that it was well into the third attempt at a vote on changing all the office locks before LaPorta woke up to an obvious irregularity.  He suddenly cried, "Wait a minute, (Moore's) calling the roll. It won't be a valid vote." Assistant Clerk Mary Hardy called the voting roll again so it would be.

The meeting was supposed to approve moving money in the budget around to cover hiring Fender and all this year's extra attorneys' fees but after about 10 minutes trustees threw up their hands and decided the books were such a hash they needed an audit.  In that case, they decided, there wasn't much point in working on the budget for the new fiscal year starting in April so they adjourned.

The Township's next regular meeting is set for March 11 and the annual meeting is set for April 13.

In the pic:  For no obvious reason Trustee LaPorta played peekaboo with Supervisor Moore's husband for about five minutes.

Net, Cellphone Safety Seminars Set By LITH PD

Lake in the Hills Police IT Supervisor Mark Kuhlman told a group of local parents Tuesday their kids are sometimes called "The Naked Generation" and not just because of the scandalous pictures they sometimes text each other on their cellphones.

"They just don't seem to have any sense of privacy," Kuhlman said, not a good thing in a world of Internet sexual predators, foreign Phishers and homegrown cyberbullies.

Kuhlman told parents how to help protect their kids in the first of a series of Internet and Cell Phone Safety seminars presented by the LITH PD.  The first was at the PD's Safety Center but three more are set during the rest of the month.

A parent only-session is scheduled next Tuesday at Lincoln Prairie Elementary, 6 pm.  Another, with a separate session for the kids so they won't hear how to foil parental controls, is scheduled at Chesak Elementary March 16, 7 pm. A final one (with another separate kids' session) is set for LITH Elementary, May 23 at 7 pm.

In the pic:  LITH PD's IT guy Mark Kuhlman warned parents their kids could unknowingly download computer viruses if parents didn't educate them about Internet dangers.  "I had one a few weeks ago took me four days to get rid of," he said, and he's a pro.

Lawmakers Talk Concealed Carry Again

If Illinois is ever going for ordinary citizens to carry concealed firearms, this could be the year. On the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about whether Chicago's ban on handguns should continue, Illinois lawmakers heard arguments on a number of proposals allowing some people to carry a weapon.

State Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, wants to make Peoria the test city for concealed handgun carry. "If you take a look at the violent crimes and where weapons are used, those are illegal weapons anyway," he siad.

Lawmakers have shelved Risigner's proposal, though, and it may never come up for a vote in Springfield.  Many concealed carry and gun control bills face a similar fate every year.

State Sen. Brad Burzynski, R-Rochelle, said there could be some movement on concealed carry this year, though.  He is pushing a plan that would allow prison guards to carry a gun while not on duty.  There is a similar plan that would allow state's attorneys to pack a pistol.

Burzynski said those incremental changes may move Illinois closer to concealed carry for everyone. "We're seeing the carve-outs for those that currently utilize firearms in their positions.  And I think that's the type of thing we're going to see until ultimately at some point, someone says 'hey wait a minute, let's just take the direct approach and let's do this for everyone who has certain criteria, that meet the qualifications, and will take the training."

State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, who also has a concealed carry plan in Springfield, said some of the fundamentals need to change at the Statehouse before concealed carry can move forward. "You have a lot of conflict and basically a stand-off here in the state legislature,  You have x-number of legislators that are pro-gun, x-number of legislators that are pro-gun control, and then a few that are in the middle that bounce back-and-forth.  And they generally decide what bills get passed, and which don't."

You can read the full report on this here: http://illinoisstatehousenews.com/2010/03/02/lawmakers-talk-concealed-carry-again/

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
March 2
1603 HRS 3500 BLOCK OF SONOMA CIRCLE. WANTED ON WARRANT. JONES, DONALD R., M/W 52 YEARS OF AGE, 3593 SONOMA CIRCLE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant by Sedgwick County Sheriff (Kansas) for Kidnapping and Aggravated Trafficking, Bond
amount $500,000. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1314 HRS 2400 BLOCK OF SAVOY DR. DOMESTIC. Wife vs. husband. Verbal only. One prior.
1453 HRS 9109 TRINITY DR. (ALEXANDER LEIGH CENTER) ACCIDENT. School bus vs. car. Property damage only.
1705 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 45 years of age, possible food poisoning. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1855 HRS MILLER RD. & FRANK RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

Three Plans Revealed For Huntley Revitalization

The village of Huntley posted draft maps of three alternatives Monday for the village's Downtown Revitalization Plan.  The proposals are consultants' distillation of six months of meetings and workshops with Huntley residents to try to figure out what to do with the Downtown area as the village expands.

Planner John Houseal told the Village Board his firm had prepared three different outlines since all the research really hadn't found a consensus among residents.

One plan is called the Preservation Alternative. It would, for the time being, anyway, leave things largely as they are except maybe a little prettier in the core downtown along Main St.  Houseal said it would, counterintuitively, probably be the most expensive option in terms of direct village expenditure.

At the other end of the spectrum another plan called the Redevelopment and Expansion Alternative would make Dhamer Square bigger and encourage retail and residential development around it. Planners said it would give the Downtown an identity of its own and make it a place to go to.

The third plan is a mashup of the first two called the Hybrid Alternative.  The Square would be expanded but there'd still be some of the old structures left.  There'd be some retail and residential development but, too, but not as much as in version two.

All three plans hinge to a greater or lesser extent on what happens to the First Congregational Church and Dean Foods properties which combined total 11 acres in the downtown. The church and Deans already have their own expansion agendas and they may be at odds with all the village plans except the preservation version.

All three redevelopment maps with extensive notations can be seen at: http://www.huntley.il.us/news/Recent%20news/2010/Huntley%20-Downtown%20options%203.pdf 

LITH PD Enforcement Pays Surprising Dividend

Sometimes things just work right.  Case in point, Lake in the Hills Police Department's plans to test the latest version of squad car video recorders.

The recorders which document traffic stops to an onboard hard drive are pretty standard cop issue these days but there's one drawback: they run on 9-volt drugstore batteries.  "We buy quite a lot of batteries," laughed traffic supervisor Sgt. Eric Decker.

The latest advance is (wait for it) recorders with batteries that draw from a squad car's already beefed-up charging system. They cost about $3,000 apiece, though.  Even so, the department's current budget included money to buy one for evaluation. Now the money can go for something else, though.

In a stop-the-drunks campaign over the holidays the Illinois Department of Transportation offered cool cop gear incentives to area PD's for extra enforcement efforts.  LITH PD was among the top departments and the top prize was, yep, a state-of-the-art video recorder.

Decker said he expects improvements from not having to change batteries all the time.  "It's great from a cost standpoint," he said, "not to mention the environmental benefits at work."

In the pic:  Officer William Berens monitors the video recorder in his squad car on patrol in LITH Monday.

Algonquin Plans Resident Spring Cleanup For April

The Village of Algonquin and Waste Management, will sponsor a Village-wide spring cleanup next month for single-family residences and townhomes that currently receive regular refuse and recycling services.

The cleanup will cover the village in three sections over three weeks in April.  The good news: stickers aren't required.

The cleanup will cart off things like toys, old clothes, couches, beds, dressers, grills and patio furniture. Still verbotten will be stuff like automobile parts, landscape waste, washing machines and construction waste like broken concrete, lumber and brick. (FEN has found an ad in the "FREE" section of Craigslist is a dandy way to get rid of a lot of that sort of thing, though.)

In the pic:  click to expand the map and schedule in a new window.

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
March 1
2235 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. THOMPSON, BRADLEY J., M/W 27 YEARS OF AGE, 8215 42ND AVE. KENOSHA, WI. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Improper Lane Usage. RELEASED ON BOND.
0051 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. DOMESTIC. Brother vs Sister. Verbal only. No priors.
0059 HRS 2102 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (BLUE COW POLISH DELI). CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Black graffiti was found on the east side of the building.
0108 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 26 years of age, having labor pains after her water broke. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
0432 HRS 4800 BLOCK OF HIGHWOOD LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 45 years of age, vomiting and passing out. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
1049 HRS 2450 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (BANK OF AMERICA). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 27 years of age, lost consciousness. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1053 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HICKORY RD. THEFT. Furniture taken from home.
1234 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. GPS and electric razor taken from vehicle over the weekend.
1231 HRS 200 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASS. LOST PROPERTY. License plate. Entered into the Law Enforcement Agency Data System.
1755 HRS 9100 TRINITY DR. (B&N MOTOR SPORTS). LOST/STOLEN LICENSE PLATE/ Three temporary license plates lost or stolen. Entered into the Law Enforcement Agency Data System.
2102 HRS 00 BLOCK OF WRIGHT CT. ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2141 HRS MONROE ST. & ROOSEVELT ST. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Ex-girlfriend vs. Ex-boyfriend. Altercation occurred in a vehicle. FAIL TO FILE.

Local Legislator Hopes to Dispel Budget Smoke and Mirrors

As Springfield gears up for the start of budget battles next week McHenry County State Rep. Mike Tryon is trying to build support for a bill that would hold legislators' feet to the fire.

"Look at it this way: If we've got a (Constitutional) Balanced Budget Amendment how did we end up with a $12 billion or $13 billion or whatever it is deficit?" Tryon asked in an FEN interview Sunday.

Smoke and mirrors was Tryon's answer and he hopes to remove some of them with a bill called the Truth in Accounting Act of 2010. The bill concerns eye-glazing things like accrual accounting and consolidated annual financial reports.  What it amounts to, though, is an attempt at budget time to require the state to admit how much it really owes and how much it honestly thinks it's going to to take in.

"I'm tired of the hocus pocus at budget time," said Tryon.  "What are the state's liabilities?  I'd like to know what it really is.  We ought to have a number we could agree on."

"This wouldn't keep them from doing what they've already been doing," said Tryon. "You could still pass a balanced budget based on borrowing," he said. It would just make it more obvious that that's what legislators  were doing.

"I would hope with a set of figures we could agree on we could fix this over two or three years," said Tryon.  But those figures have to come before anything else, he said. "Otherwise if you just raise taxes they'll just spend the (new) money."

Tryon said the first battle will be to even get his bill out of committee for debate since a single "No" can block it.  He said if he can get it reported out 50 fellow members would probably vote for it right now, although it would take 60 to pass.

Citizen Complaints Result In LITH Ordinance Change

"I just got the notice," said fire sprinkler repairman Terry Karder Sunday.  The notice being that the village of Lake in the Hills parking ordinances now allow parking of certain heavy-duty trucks like his in residential areas.  The reason for the change is that Karder complained they didn't.

In mid-November Karder appeared before the LITH Board because he'd been getting tickets for parking his truck at home even though it was no different from any number of trucks down the street except for a set of heavy-duty springs.  At the same meeting village resident Marje Powley complained about big trailers parked in her neighborhood.  There seemed to be a theme there and Village President Ed Plaza appointed a group to look into it, including Karder and Powley.

A spirited meeting tried to balance two somewhat antagonistic concepts: fairness and enforcement.  LITH PD Patrol Chief Dave Brey observed status quo enforcement was pretty simple.  "You look at the plates," he said. What the group came up with amounted to "...and then you check with a big ruler."  No more than 9 feet tall for trucks, 11 feet long for trailers.

The change called for a lot of public hearings and didn't reach the board until last week.  Plaza called the experiment a success.  "I'd like to see more of it," he said.   Karder was pleased at the result, too, but said it didn't really inspire him to get more involved in village government.  "I'm used to solving problems in about an hour," he said.

In the pic:  Terry Karder's Cybor Fire Security van kept getting tickets because it carried license plates for a heavy duty truck.

“Festival of Music" To Feature HHS, Sun City Bands

Huntley High School and Sun City will present their third annual “Festival of Music” concert on Thursday. The concert will feature the Huntley High School jazz band, percussion ensemble, concert band, wind symphony, and the Sun City concert band.

Under the direction of Donna Bressler, conductor of the Sun City Concert band, the bands will perform “Flourish for Wind Band” together, and Nick Konwerski, HHS band director, will conduct the combined bands in playing “Die Meistersing”.

The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted with $5 suggested. All
proceeds will benefit the High School Band Department. Last yearabout $700 was raised with the Sun City Concert Band donating an additional $500. This year, the Sun City Concert Band will match all donations up to a total of $1,000.

The concert will begin at 7:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center at Huntley High School.

Local Students Help MCC Speech Team To Multiple Wins

The McHenry County College Forensics Team brought home several victories from the first tournament of Spring 2010 semester at the College of Du Page Frank-ly Speaking Invitational Tournament.  That included its first-ever “triple double” win. The triple double win included three MCC students advancing to the final rounds of two event categories.

“Final rounds are typically comprised of the top six speakers so MCC students made up 50 percent of two final rounds,” said Bonnie Gabel, forensics team coach.

In Dramatic Duo Interpretation, Joe Cusumano of Huntley  and John Cox of Woodstock won second place; Lauryn Lugo of Lake in the Hills and Becky Weise of Union won fourth place; and Steve Guardi of Johnsburg and Jake Pritts of Crystal Lake, placed fifth.  In Dramatic Interpretation, the winners included Steve Guardi, second place; Lauryn Lugo, third place, and Becky Weise, fourth place.

Overall, the team won in two team sweepstakes categories:  Open and Community College.  In the Community College Division, MCC won second place and in the Open Division fifth, making MCC one of two community colleges that placed in the division. 

National competition will be held in New Orleans this April and the team is planning a showcase at MCC as a fundraiser for the trip.

In the pic: McHenry County College Forensics Team, winners at a recent area competition. (front row, left to right) Brian Walsh of Cary, Kat Stemple of Marengo, Lauryn Lugo of Lake in the Hills, Joe Cusumano of Huntley. (back) Bonnie Gabel, forensics team coach; Becky Weise of Union, Antonio Clinton of Woodstock; Jake Pritts of Crystal Lake, Steve Guardi of Johnsburg, John Cox and Chris Cox, both of Woodstock.

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
February 28
1138 HRS PHEASANT TRAIL & CRYSTAL LAKE RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. KUDZIN, KURT J., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 5019 W. MONTROSE AVE., CHICAGO. Charge: Wanted On Warrant: Kane County Sheriff’s Office for Failure to Appear for Possession of Cannabis. Bond Amount: $300 Full Cash. RELEASED ON BOND.
0223 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. CHECK FOR WELL BEING. Female, 75 years of age, needed an evaluation after leaving a residence and returning hours later. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
1141 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. girlfriend. Verbal altercation only. 13 priors.
1256 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. DOMESTIC Boyfriend vs. girlfriend. Verbal altercation only. 14 priors.
1338 HRS 00 BLOCK OF E OAK ST. ASSIST TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. Exterior of a residence was on fire, unknown reason.
1536 HRS CARY-ALGONQUIN RD. & 3RD ST. (ALGONQUIN). ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Hit and run occurred in Algonquin, investigative stop with offending vehicle. TURNED OVER TO ALGONQUIN POLICE.
1817 HRS 5700 BLOCK OF LUCERNE LN. DOMESTIC. Daughter vs. Mother & Father. Verbal only. No priors.
2018 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 26 year old female possibly going into labor. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2053 HRS 5600 BLOCK OF DANBURY CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
2135 HRS 800 BLOCK OF MASON LN. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
Algonquin
February 26
16:56pm A fifteen-year-old male from Dundee was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Wal-Mart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 03/31/10, in Algonquin.
February 27
01:09am Ditusa, Salvatore J., DOB: 03/12/82, of 1088 Horizon Ridge, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Battery, Assault and Criminal Damage to Property.  He was taken into custody in the 1700 block of S. Randall Road.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 03/25/10, in Kane County.
10:10am A fifteen-year-old female from Carpentersville was charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  She was taken into custody at Colonial Café, 2555 Bunker Hill Drive.  She was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of03/31/10, in McHenry County.
14:57pm Aguilar-Lopez, Guadalupe, DOB: 12/10/68, of 205 Marian Parkway, #2B, Crystal Lake, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 03/31/10, in McHenry County.
17:22pm Santiago, William, DOB: 07/18/75, of 939 Oxford Court, Pingree Grove, was charged with DWLS and Suspended Registration.  He was taken into custody at Corporate Parkway and Esplanade Drive. He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 03/31/10, in McHenry County.
23:43pm Sitko, Jeffrey E., DOB: 12/10/90, of 236 Coyote Trail, Cary, was charged with Possession of Cannabis and Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody in the 1600 block of S. Randall Road.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 03/25/10, in Kane County.
February 28
12:32pm A fifteen-year-old female from Algonquin and a fourteen-year-old female from Lake in the Hills were both charged with Retail Theft.  Both were taken into custody at Kohl’s, 734 S. Randall Road.  The fifteen-year-old was referred to the Tri Area Court For Teens and then released into the custody of her mother.  The fourteen-year-old was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 03/31/10, in Algonquin.
15:59pm Powell, Brady R., DOB: 04/25/90, of 1833 Autumn Lane, Columbia, Tennessee, was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Failure to Give Aid/Information, No Proof of Insurance and Disobeying a Traffic Control Device.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Klasen Road.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 04/07/10, in McHenry County.

Consultant: Health Claims Rise As ObamaCare Looms

A status report on McHenry County's medical self-insurance program this week revealed a remarkable trend in medical costs as ObamaCare heads toward a final showdown reconciliation vote in the U.S. Senate.

Health plan designers Corporate Benefit Consultants, Des Plaines, reported the County's abandoning a traditional third-party-pays insurance plan two and a half years ago has saved it more than $1.5 million in the interim.

However, CBC partner Jim Cornelius said the County's good news is the reverse of national trends.  "What we've seen (this year) is a rapid advance of costs in advance of national healthcare."

Cornelius said national medical claims have risen about 10 percent in the past year, much faster than the previous two.  He said some of that was due to COBRA claims from people who've been laid off but hope to beat the end of their health insurance. But Cornelis said the increase couldn't all be laid at the Great Recession's door.  "Costs have been exploding  everywhere, not in any particular area."

The trend of Cornelis' report was that since the healthcare reform battle started, people have been trying to get their maladies fixed before Washington makes doing it better and cheaper.

LITH Recruiting Summer Workers

Lake in the Hills announced a small glimmer in the so-far jobless recovery from the national recession.  Applications are being taken for Parks and Recreation summer employees.

Director Trudy Wakeman said the department will hire 37 seasonal workers but most of the slots are already filled with returnees from last year.  She said spots are still open for three parks workers, three lifeguards and two to five day camp counselors.

"Our preference is to 'hire in the Hills', of course," said Wakeman.

The jobs only pay $8.25 per hour and are, of course, temporary.  Even so, LITH Trustee Ray Bogdanowski said, "I'm just glad our village is able to give any kind of employment to our residents."

Jobs available and application forms are here:   http://www.lith.org/Employment.html
In the pic:  Some of LITH's seasonal workers at Indian Trail Beach last year.

Plan To Junk Lt. Gov Advances

By Jamey Dunn
Whichever candidate becomes lieutenant governor may be the last person to fill the job. A legislative committee passed a proposal this past week for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the office. House Speaker Michael Madigan said scratching an office with a nearly $2.1 million budget and few duties other than waiting for something to happen to the governor makes sense when the state is strapped for cash.

Republican committee members said they supported the amendment in theory but added they did not want to fill up the ballot with the Legislature's amendments and crowd off amendments that reach the ballot through voter petitions. “Politically, it’s possible that if you don’t like an amendment to the constitution that is being circulated by the voters, [you could] fill up the ballot with three questions amending three articles and exempt any voter initiative out there to amend the Constitution,” said McHenry County Rep. Michael Tryon.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross said the Legislature should address the redistricting process before lawmakers use up all of their opportunities to place amendments on the November ballot.

Madigan said his amendment wasn't a response to Scott Lee Cohen's winning the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and then resigning in a storm of scandal. Madigan said he'd been considering the measure for about six months.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/plan-to-eliminate-lt-gov-advances.html

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
February 27
0148 HRS 9341 PYOTT RD. (BARBARA KEY PARK). DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. STEINBRING, MICHAEL A., M/W 32 YEARS OF AGE, 1305 CUNAT COURT UNIT 1C, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, No Valid Insurance, Violating Park Hours – Notice to Appear Issued. RELEASED ON BOND.
1239 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (POLICE DEPT.). WANTED ON WARRANT. ZEBELL, MICHAEL S., M/W 36 YEARS OF AGE, 1625 WARRINGTON LN., CRYSTAL LAKE. Charge: Wanted on Warrant, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for Telephone Harassment. Bond Amount: $5,000 at 10%. RELEASED ON BOND.
2354 HRS 5500 BLOCK OF ALEXANDRIA DR., DOMESTIC BATTERY. BINDI, DANIEL SCOTT, M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 5532 ALEXANDRIA DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, Bodily Harm, Domestic Battery in a Provoking Manner. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1015 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Officer assisted the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office with serving child custody paperwork.
HRS 1000 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 64 years of age, has a high temperature. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2056 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF ADAMS ST. DOMESTIC. Mother vs Son. Verbal only. No priors.
2328 HRS 0 BLOCK OF DOGWOOD CT. DOMESTIC. Mother vs Daughter. Verbal only. No priors.