Judge Delays Grafton Township Showdown

Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell Friday put off the Grafton Township legal showdown between its Supervisor and Trustees for another month.  The decision will give the Township Board, who requested the delay,  Attorney and Administrator a chance to prepare for Wednesday's Annual Township Meeting where they hope to undo the Township's real estate tangle and, perhaps, come up with a new plan for office space.

Supervisor Linda Moore and Grafton Township Trustees are mutually suing each other over who really runs the township.  Both are working under a restraining order that's supposed to keep things "peaceable". Caldwell had scheduled a two-day hearing on a more complicated preliminary injunction to start the morning of the Township Annual Meeting.  Township Attorney firm Ancel-Glink didn't make in issue of it when the date was set March 30 but Friday asked for a continuance so there'd be time to translate 12 agenda items from legal jargon into plain English that ordinary "electors" could understand.

Caldwell postponed the hearing until May 12, not May 10 as reported in a regional newspaper.

February Algonquin Illnesses Proved "Cruise Ship Virus"

County Health Departments reported Friday the illness that sent 9 residents of an Algonquin supportive living facility to hospitals in early February was the same as the one that kept scores of children home from school at Algonquin Lakes Elementary at about the same time.  McHenry County Department of Health and Kane County Health Department officials reported testing showed both incidents were outbreaks of norovirus.

Also known as "the cruise ship virus" after widely-reported outbreaks asea,  norovirus causes vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Those were symptoms that hit 41 residents and 14 staff at Algonquin's Eastgate Manor and about 10 percent of the kids at Algonquin Lakes.

McHenry County Department of Health spokesman Debora Quackenbush said the illness is a particular threat to the elderly since they may already have weak immune systems and chronic illnesses.  "It's highly contagious," she said. "It runs like wildfire."

Both outbreaks were the only reported recent instances in the area, according to the health departments. Tom Schlueter, spokesman at the Kane County Health Department said that doesn't mean there weren't others, though.  "The last time I got sick this way, I didn't go to the doctor.  I just stayed home and was miserable."

Norovirus is transmitted hand to hand (or hand to object to hand) so the key to stopping it's spread is lots of handwashing, according to both health departments.  The Centers For Disease Control has a page all about it here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus.htm

Eastgate manager Jason Benedict said his people helped stem the outbreak by swabbing everything down with a disinfectant.  The school did much the same and urged the kids to use installed hand sanitizers.

Schlueter said it was probably coincidence the two outbreaks were close together at about the same time.  If they were related, "You'd have had to have a person from one place in the other," he said.

In the pic: A noravirus if it didn't look fuzzy in an electron microscope and it showed color.

Huntley Summer Road Improvement Expanded

The ill economic winds continue to blow some good insofar as infrastructure is concerned at least.  Thursday the Huntley Board approved expanding planned roadfixes for Cambridge Drive from Reed north to Dalton to include Dalton itself.

Huntley Village Manager Dave Johnson said bids for the original project came in 36 percent below estimates.  "We looked at what else we could do" with the money already budgeted and Dalton was it.

Trustee Harry Leopold observed that workers from Northern Illinois Gas "are tearing up the town."

Johnson replied, "That's really what's holding up the whole (Route 47 widening) project."

"It's the dry utilities," said Johnson. "They should be done in a couple of weeks."

Quinn Taps Lawmaker For Healthcare Post

By Bill McMorris, Illinois Statehouse News
Gov. Pat Quinn chose Evanston Democratic state Rep. Julie Hamos to usher in President Barack Obama's national health care reform, appointing her  Friday to head the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

"I want to make sure we have a person in that department, like Julie Hamos, who really cares for families, cares about health care, understands it's important that we work with Washington and our federal government all the time, especially now after passing a landmark law," Quinn said.

Hamos will assume her new duties April 16, although confirmation by the Illinois Senate is required to make her appointment official. She plans to spend her opening weeks at the department studying public health policy in other states to adopt what she calls "best practices." She also said she will look across the aisle at some Republican proposals for Medicaid reform.

"We're looking at a range of different possibilities here. That's really the promise of healthcare access for all…making sure that we get some efficiencies from the Medicaid system and that's where we talk about reducing health care costs," she said. "The current system is unsustainable over the long term."

In the pic: Julie Hamos

You can read Bill's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/2615/quinn-taps-lawmaker-for-healthcare-post/

McHenry County Indictments

A McHenry County Grand Jury returned indictments against the following individuals this week:
An indictment is not proof of guilt. A defendant 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.

JOSEPH A. SOVA, DOB:  01/04/82, 626 KNOLLWOOD DRIVE, CARY. RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER, RETAIL THEFT.--Cary PD
  
JAMES D. CONRAD, DOB:  04/25/86, IL DEPT OF CORRECTIONS, CANTON. BURGLARY, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.--Cary PD
  
IVAN A. GARCIA, DOB:  11/27/86,    4512 GARDEN QUARTER #4, MCHENRY. CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT.--McHenry PD
  
FRANCIS W. SMITH, DOB:  09/25/80, 239 ½ BENTON, WOODSTOCK. RETAIL THEFT.--McHenry PD

KIMBERLY K. LYKOWSKI, DOB:  05/22/69, 101 SHERBON LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. RETAIL THEFT.--Crystal Lake PD
  
FELICIANO ZARATE, DOB:  06/09/78, 148 W. WOODSTOCK APT A, CRYSTAL LAKE. ARMED VIOLENCE, AGGRAVATED BATTERY.--Crystal Lake PD
  
JOSEF A. CEISEL, DOB:  06/07/76, 3342 SOUTHPORT DRIVE, ISLAND LAKE. UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT, DOMESTIC BATTERY(2CTS).--Island Lake PD
  
MARTIN J. MCDONAGH, DOB:  10/02/90, 504 S. DALE AVENUE, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION CARD, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BY A MINOR.--Huntley PD

ADRIAN K. CLARK, DOB:  11/02/86, 307 W. JACKSON STREET #1A, WOODSTOCK. AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE.--Woodstock PD

DANIEL W. BANE, DOB:  12/28/90,    7917 ISLAND LANE, WONDER LAKE.--DECEPTIVE PRACTICE.--Woodstock PD

JACK L. SMITH, DOB:  06/28/38, 2811 MYANG STREET,MCHENRY. PREDATORY CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD(3CTS), AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Offfice
  
THAD C. YURS, DOB:  03/01/72, 323 BAILEY COURT APT 2, MARENGO. GREGG A. LOCKHART, DOB:  04/11/61, 323 BAILEY COURT, MARENGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
      
THAD C. YURS, DOB:  03/01/72, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA--Marengo PD
  
LAUREN P. CARR, DOB:  04/30/91,    1120 WAUCONDA ROAD, WAUCONDA. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Island Lake PD

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
April 09
2232 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & TALAGA DR. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. SHANAHAN, CYNTHIA J., F/W 49 YEARS OF AGE, 245 N. HAGER AVE., BARRINGTON.  CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0120 HRS 600 BLOCK OF DAVID ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 49 years of age, vomiting. No transport.
0537 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WOODY WAY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Three vehicles with damage to windows. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
0753 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WANDER WAY. FOUND ARTICLE. Bicycle located in the back yard.
0902 HRS 10005 S. ROUTE 31, (MATERIAL SERVICE). TRESPASS. Three male subjects, trespassing on property were asked to leave.
FAIL TO FILE.
1059 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD., (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 13 years of age, with a neck injury. No transport.
1131 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 74 years of age, fell in the store. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1742 HRS 4561 PRINCETON LN., (GODDARD SCHOOL). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property Damage Only.
2029 HRS 5200 MILLER RD., (SUNSET PARK). ACCIDENT. One vehicle. Property Damage to Football Field.
FOLLOW UP REPORTS: 2258 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Report for insurance.

State's Attorney Confirms Hiring Top Defense Lawyer

McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi confirmed to FEN Thursday he had hired a top-gun Illinois criminal defense attorney.  That came after Special Prosecutor Henry "Skip" Tonigan announced that morning he would begin to empanel a grand jury today to hear evidence about alleged Bianchi wrongdoing.

Rumors Bianchi had retained Lisle attorney Terry Ekl have been circulating at least since the three-month mark in Tonigan's investigation in January.  Ekl, who got ex-Blackhawk's star Chris Chelios off a DUI hook in DuPage County yesterday, has appeared on lots of high-profile cases over more than two decades.  Last year he defended Rod Blagojevich Chief of Staff John Harris who pleaded guilty after providing information against the former governor.  He was one of the defense attorneys in the 1999 DuPage 7 case that cleared authorities on charges of railroading Rolando Cruz in the Jeanine Nicarico murder.

No one knows what evidence Tonigan may have turned up in his investigation since last Sept. 19.  Three weeks ago he said he had nothing to report to Circuit Judge Gordon Graham after six months' work.  Graham appointed Tonigan Special Prosecutor to look into charges Bianchi used County workers and money for political campaigning.  Those arose from an earlier investigation by Special Prosecutor David O'Connor. That one ended in a misdemeanor guilty plea from former Bianchi secretary Amy Dalby for copying 1000 pages of State's Attorney's files she thought proved Bianchi wrongdoing five years ago.

Speculation is rife that Tonigan may have turned up something else.  The Dalby files were essentially discounted in 2007 when the Attorney General's Office looked at some of them during the Bianchi-Regna primary fight and declined to start an investigation.  Two years ago the County Auditor went through Bianchi's bills with a fine-tooth comb ago but all that came of that was a massive expansion of the County's rules on reimbursement.

County administrators said Thursday they still don't know how much Tonigan's Bianchi investigation has cost so far.  They said he hasn't submitted any bills since ones in January for the first three months.  Those totaled about $34,000.

Bianchi said, "We're going to cooperate completely," in the grand jury investigation. "I have nothing to hide," he said. FEN couldn't reach Ekl for comment late Thursday.

Grafton Board Gives New Administrator A Raise

As Grafton Township's Trustees and its Supervisor struggled Thursday to prepare for next week's annual meeting to unwind forbidden new office plans audience behavior continued to degenerate with periodic guffaws and catcalls all evening.

After warmup bickering over the order of the evening's agenda, accepting Supervisor's Moore's response to her months-old censure by Trustees and rules for preparing for future meetings, the Board buckled down to heavy duty argument about ordering Supervisor Linda Moore to return the computer backup drives of Township financial records Trustees said she removed last month.  Moore's was the only vote against that and it probably didn't matter since the order didn't set any deadline, anyway.

Then the Board took up an employment contract for Pam Fender whom Trustees hired to fill the newly-created position of Township Administrator two months ago. A provision to pay Fender 10 months' severance wages and benefits if she were fired for no reason drew gasps from onlookers.

"What I got all my life was no contract (at all)," said Trustee Gerry McMahon.

"This clause was put in because of the very unstable environment she was hired into," said Trustee Rob LaPorta.

Argument was prolonged until Fender was finally allowed to comment that she didn't really care about severance in the first place.  It was dropped to three months.

Trustee Betty Zirk complicated things with a motion to boost Fender's salary another $5,000 from the $35,000 level at her hiring.  "(Moore's) assistant is getting $40,000 and Pam will be working harder," she said.

"Let's make it $240,000," shouted one onlooker.  "Let's make it $300,000" cried a second.


Moore and McMahon were the only votes against a contract with $40,000 salary but only three months' severance. The latter won't count if a judge rules later that the Board shouldn't have hired Fender in the first place.

In public comment Huntley businessman Tom Halat complained, "These Board Members could never be businessmen but they're spending my money."

Later McMahon disparaged Halat saying, "I hear he's a friend of Judge Caldwell," the Circuit Judge who will hear more or less complementary cases next week in which Moore and the Trustees are suing each other.

Already in a war of dueling lawyers, the Board renewed a battle of dueling IT guys with a measure to make the the township's long-time tech its sole Information Technology person.  Argument raged until Trustees remembered they'd already done that so they settled on specifically forbidding Moore's tech guy from touching township computers.

Also in the technical arena Moore, brandishing last week's court order returning things to "the last peaceable" status quo, demanded the password to the Township's website.  Trustees said she couldn't have it because she'd never had it before.

"Give your stuff to (the Webmaster)," said Trustee Barbara Murphy. "He'll put it up for you."

The Board approved a big bill from AT&T which may have included charges for removing and restoring Township phone lines two weeks ago.  McMahon objected saying, "We didn't approve moving phones to farmhouses," but Murphy observed, "We can't afford not to pay AT&T."

As far as next week's annual meeting goes, trustees decided to segregate onlookers from voters.  That includes any reporters, if any besides FEN's show up, who will be kept in a corner.

After retiring to executive session McMahon and Zirk didn't come back so the public meeting closed for lack of a quorum.

In the pic:  This photo of Trustee Rob LaPorta in hasty consultations with Administrator Pam Fender as he tried to leave in the middle of Thursday's meeting  is the last you'll see of its kind.  The Grafton Board voted to limit photographers to taking shots from the back of the room from now on. That's Trustee McMahon on the left; he'd already had his consult.

Comptroller Shows Illinois Owes $5.5 Billion

By Ashley Badgley, Illinois Statehouse News
A report from the state official who cuts the checks shows Illinois will owe about $5.5 billion in backlogged bills by the end of June. State schools and universities and social service agencies will suffer the most due to the late payments, according to the report from Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes.

The increasing backlogged bills and a multi-billion dollar budget deficit only add to the gloomy news that nearly $1 billion in federal stimulus funding used to balance the current budget most likely will not be renewed for next year. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said his time at the Capitol is often spent trying to get payments for service providers in his district. “I spend most of my time here trying to get emergency payments for facilities and providers who have to go through the procedure requesting expedited payments,” Mautino said. “That stack has got so high it has become a point of priority – which ones close and which ones don’t close.”

State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said the state needs to learn a lesson from a family that has to tighten its purse strings. “When a person files bankruptcy, they don’t pay off their debts overnight,” Syverson said. “But, they get a handle on the spending, then they work on whittling off the debt, and Illinois has got to get a handle on its spending.”

Some lawmakers have said the legislative session will end in early May instead of the usual May 31 adjournment, and fear legislators will leave the Capitol without tackling the tough fiscal issues.

“There will be repercussions of [getting out early] and there will be people saying ‘why aren’t you there solving the big problems here?’” said State Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville,

Lawmakers return from their two-week spring break Tuesday.

You can read Ashley's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/2602/comptroller-quarterly-report-shows-illinois-owes-5-5-billion/

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
April 08
1649 HRS 201 LAKEWOOD RD., (LEROY GUY PARK). CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. JUVENILE, 14 YEARS OF AGE, M/W, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Criminal damage to property. RELEASED TO PARENTS.  JUVENILE, 14 YEARS OF AGE, M/W, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Criminal damage to property. RELEASED TO PARENTS. JUVENILE, 14 YEARS OF AGE, M/W, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Criminal damage to property. RELEASED TO PARENTS.
0901 HRS 900 BLOCK OF WINDSTONE CT. PHONE HARASSMENT. Receiving harassing emails and text messages.
1012 HRS 1401 INDUSTRIAL DR. (PYOTT SELF STORAGE). BURGLARY FROM MOTOR VEHICLE. Eight motor homes broken into. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1108 HRS 5500 BLOCK OF CHANCERY WAY. ASSIST AMBULANCE, Male, 51 years of age, difficulty breathing and weakness. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1410 HRS 500 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Female vs. legal guardian. No priors.
1421 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 89 years of age, chest pain. Transported to Sherman Hospital
L10-05057 1453 HRS 617 ANDERSON DR., (STONEYBROOK PARK). CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Swings damaged.
1546 HRS 208 N. RANDALL RD., (BLOCKBUSTER). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 52 years of age, having leg problems. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1712 HRS 281 N. RANDALL RD., (E-Z TAN). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1947 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD., (THORNTON’S). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2012 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HIAWATHA DR. FOUND ARTICLE. A propane type tank.
2005 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF HERON DR. DOG BITE. Dog bit by another dog. Citations issued to dog owner.
Algonquin
April 6
13:56pm A thirteen-year-old male from Huntley was charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Minor and a twelve and thirteen-year-old male, both from Huntley, were charged with Possession of Cannabis.  All three subjects were taken into custody at Heineman Middle School, 725 Academic Drive.  The three juveniles were petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of their parents.
April 7
11:23am Garcia-Rico, Maria Angelica, DOB: 09/23/87, of 5500 Windgate Way #3A, Lake in the Hills, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Disobeying a Stop Sign.  She was taken into custody in the 600 block of Academic Drive.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 05/19/10, in McHenry County.
15:57pm Patel, Hina J., DOB: 12/16/70, of 861 Bode Road Apt 2C, Elgin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for Selling/Buying Tobacco for a Minor.  She was taken into custody at Washington Street and Main Street.  She was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.

Grafton Township Offices: Back To Square One

If Grafton Township voters next week can unwind all the transactions for court-canceled offices back to square one, it's worth looking at what square one was.

The present headquarters for Grafton Township and the Township Road District is very much "the house that Jack built" consisting of additions to additions.  With the township's growth in the past decade or so it's a small one, too.

Built in five different chunks from the original garage in 1961 to the last addition in 2004, according to Township Assessor's records the agglomeration now stands at 8,400 square feet of garage and 3,840 square feet of offices.

Road Commissioner Jack Freund has said he's, if not happy with his garage, at least able to live with it.  Besides, the last time he looked a new standalone facility for the Road District "would cost about a million bucks."  That's more than he'd really like to spend.

Nobody in the adjacent offices is very happy with things as they are, though.  The offices house the Grafton Supervisor, part-time Township Clerk, and Assessor Bill Ottley's operation. The newly-hired Township Administrator, just adds to the crunch, at least pending the outcome of a bunch of litigation.

Ottley, with a seven-person staff trying to keep track of 22,000 different pieces of real estate, said Wednesday the township offices are pretty awful.  "See that piece of plywood at the back (of the office)?  That's my personal plywood to insulate the wall.  When I come in on a really cold day it's about 52 in here," said Ottley who keeps a heater in the footwell under his desk.

Records and supplies are stacked to the ceiling in places, Ottley complained, and there isn't enough parking. "It depends on the time of year," he said.  "When the tax bills come out a lot of people come in.  We probably get 10 or 15 a day."

Supervisor Linda Moore has complained she needs lots of private space to take care of General Assistance requests.  Wednesday, though, she said, "I'd prefer to yield to a committee of citizens who would analyze the facilities.  I've proposed it on numerous occasions."

There's nothing in law that says all the township facilities and officials have to be in one spot. Administrator Pam Fender recently floated the idea of renting or buying one of the commercial properties on the Huntley market.  She's particularly interested in the 30,000 square foot former R&R Metalcraft building on Bakley claiming it would allow enough room for town meetings and Senior Bingo.

One Huntley commercial realtor told FEN prices generally are off about 30 percent from two years ago. He added there was no way to estimate how much prices are off on new commercial construction, however. "There isn't any," he said.

In the pics: (above) Grafton Township Assessor Bill Ottley's office is fully packed. (below) It would be hard to remodel Grafton Township offices since almost every wall is structural.

D158 Reveals Third Kalkirtz Resignation

Disrict 158 hasn't provided a written explanation to the Attorney General's Office yet about why it only gave news organizations one terse version of Special Education Director Cheryl Kalkirtz' resignation letter.  In an email response to the AG late Monday, however, it provided two different versions of an earlier letter of resignation and disclosed yet another, subsequent and previously unknown.

Kalkirtz was the fifth top special educator to leave the District in the past 18 months and local newsmen tried to find out why with Freedom Of Information Act Requests.  D158 provided only a Kalkirtz letter dated Feb. 1 tendering her immediate resignation but including no reasons.  However, various sources provided reporters with a two-page document from Kalkirtz dated Jan. 11 resigning at the end of the school year due to a series of complaints about disagreements over how the district's special education program was being run.

FEN filed a Request For Review of the district's FOIA response.

In Monday's email D158 FOIA Officer Lorie Woods included copies of the Feb. 1 resignation and two copies, one including a typo, of the detailed Jan. 11 letter.  She said those hadn't been received from the district's attorney until March 18 after the local FOIA requests were filled.  However, she also included a copy of another resignation letter signed March 11 as part of a settlement agreement.

The latest letter doesn't list any reasons for Kalkirtz' resignation, either, but Wood's email is the first confirmation that a settlement was involved in whatever was going on.

Wood's email closed saying, "We trust the information provided is sufficient to allow the closure of this Request for Review."  An AG spokesman said Wednesday no decision has been made yet.

In the pic: The latest resignation letter from former D158 Special Ed Director Cheryl Kalkirtz.

College Info For Adults On Tap At Area CC's

With local unemployment still topping 11 percent, both area community colleges are offering seminars for workers considering retreading for new careers.

Elgin Community College will offer two information sessions next Thursday, April 15. A daytime session will run from 10 am to noon in the Advanced Technology Center Auditorium, and an evening session will be from 6 to 8 pm in the Visual and Performing Arts Center. Both meeting areas are located on the ECC Main Campus.

McHenry County College will have two “Getting Started” seminars at at the end of the month.  One will be from 6 to 7:30 pm Wednesday, April 28, the other from noon to 1:30 pm Friday, April 30. Both will be in MCC Room B168.

Both groups of seminars will include  information about the colleges, programs available, admissions requirements, financial aid and scholarships.  MCC suggests bringing along transcripts of any prior college work.

For ECC, go to www.elgin.edu/adultstudents to reserve a free spot at one of their sessions.  For MCC, call (815) 455-8914 or email hjost@mchenry.edu  to do the same thing there.

Brady Ahead Of Quinn In Latest Poll

By Ashley Badgley, Illinois Statehouse News
With campaigns seven months until the November election, a recent poll shows Republican Bill Brady ahead of Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn 43 percent to 33 percent in the state’s gubernatorial race.

The poll conducted by Public Policy Polling surveyed 591 adults in Illinois who had voted in at least one of the recent state elections, Tom Jensen of PPP said. The poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4 percent.

“Certainly, Republicans are in good shape for the governor’s race and that has everything to do with Pat Quinn’s popularity right now,” Jensen said. “Fifty-three percent of voters in the state disapprove of the job he’s doing.”

Among minorities, Quinn was ahead with African-American voters with 51 percent, compared to Brady’s 17 percent. However, the African American population was the only minority group in which Quinn came out on top.

The Brady campaign released a statement saying the PPP poll adds to the evidence that Brady is firmly ahead of Quinn. A Rasmussen Poll released March 8 also showed Brady leading Quinn.

PPP also surveyed the same 591 voters about the U.S. Senate race for the seat currently held by Roland Burris, who is not running for re-election. Burris was appointed to Barack Obama’s seat after Obama won the presidency in 2008.

The poll showed U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R- Illinois, ahead of State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias 37 percent to 33 percent.

In the pic:  Brady at a recent news conference.

You can read Ashley's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/2585/brady-ahead-of-quinn-in-latest-poll/

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
April 07
1013 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. WENZEL, ROBERT, M/W 44 YEARS OF AGE, 310 VILLAGE CREEK DR. 2B, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: 2 counts Disorderly Conduct. TRANSPORT TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1029 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & FRANK RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. EAKER, JOHN M., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 9731 LONGFIELD DR., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving while license suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1843 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & FRANK RD. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. SMITH, MATTHEW P., M/W 28 YEARS OF AGE, 2611 ROSS, HAMPSHIRE. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of 2.5 to 10 grams of Cannabis, Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
2302 HRS 700 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRICLE. DOMESTIC BATTERY.  FARRAR, RICHARD V. II, M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE,  791 WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, Domestic Battery of a Provoking Nature. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
FOLLOW UP ARRESTS: 1534 HRS 290 INDIAN TRAIL. (TURTLE ISLAND) CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, CARY.
CHARGES: Criminal Sexual Abuse – two counts. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, CARY. CHARGES: Criminal Sexual Abuse – two counts. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1402 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD., (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL). INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Information for police.
1516 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1955 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC Son vs. Father’s Girlfriend. Verbal only. Three priors.
Huntley
March 29
Eliezer A. Aldape, age 36, of 10717 Church St, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and cited for possession of a suspended drivers license.  Mr. Aldape posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 16, 2010.
A criminal damage to property report was taken at a business in the 10400 block of Algonquin Rd.  The manager stated that between 9:00 PM, March 29, and 5:00 AM, March 30, unknown subjects shot 25 – 30 paintballs at the outside of the building.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 10100 block of Bennington St.  A mailbox valued at approximately $15.00 was dented.
March 30
James A. Rooney, age 55 of 118 Grace, Fox River Grove, was arrested for DUI and cited for improper lane use.  Mr. Rooney posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 21, 2010.
April 1
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 9800 block of Riverside Dr.  A mailbox valued at approximately $40.00 was knocked off of its post.
Peggy S. Froberg, age 41, of 850 Bristol Dr., Algonquin, was arrested on an outstanding Kane County warrant.  Ms. Froberg was transported to Kane County jail to await bond.
Ulises Velazque-Castellanos, age 24, of 4158 W. 25th place, Chicago, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license and cited for no rear registration light.  Mr. Castellanos posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 16, 2010.
April 2
Raymond Barnett, age 49, of 2049 W. 79th Place, Chicago, was arrested for forgery.  Mr. Barnett was transported to Kane County jail to await bond call.
April 3
Jeremy J. Ahillen, age 18, of 761 Parc Ct., Lake in the Hills, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant for failure to appear.  Mr. Ahillen posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 28, 2010.
Christopher E. Sivila, age 23, of 4760 Highwood Lane, Lake in the Hills, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant.  Mr. Sivila posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 16, 2010.
A Criminal Defacement report was taken at a business in the 10400 block of Algonquin Rd.  Unknown subject shot paint balls at the building.

McHenry County Board Calls For Refuge Feasibility Study

The McHenry County Board Tuesday approved a resolution calling for a feasibility study of the proposed Hackmatack Wildlife Refuge in McHenry and Walworth counties but only after a lot of debate about whether they endorse and support it.  It turned out they did.

Boosters of the proposed refuge to include the northeast third of McHenry County claim it would protect native plants and animals, including maybe, whooping cranes, and bring in hordes of eco-tourists.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has yet to vet the idea, though, and that's what Tuesday's resolution was about.

A loose but apparently well-funded group called Friends Of Hackmatack briefed the Board on the proposal a month ago but while some members were fine with the feasibility study some thought endorsing the refuge might be putting the cart before the horse.

District One Member Anna May Miller, Cary, tried to cut the endorsement out of the resolution. "The first I ever personally heard of Hackmatack was the presentation last month," she said.  "I haven't had time to research it."

Board Chairman Ken Koehler said that the Hackmatack idea's been kicking around for years.  In fact a board briefing was set two and a half years ago, Koehler said, except it was canceled to accomodate a local landowner who was in the middle of a sale, he said.

That revelation probably didn't help quell suspicion about the the project in rural District Six, particularly the Alden Township area.  Randy Donley, Union, said, "Some of us have known about (Hackmatack) for an awfully long time but some who might be impacted did not. Let them have a voice."

District Five's Tina Hill, Woodstock, addressing Alden worries the area's being set up for development and Hackmatack is part of it said, "I think they're separate but they're not perceived so.  Perception becomes reality."

Barb Wheeler, District Three, Crystal Lake was terse. "Without an endorsement what's the point of a feasibility plan?"

Apparently no one had an answer to that one so even Miller voted against removing the endorsement.  Only Donley voted for removal.  Likewise his was the only vote against the Hackmatack resolution.

The best guess is it will take USFWS at least two years to do a Hackmatack feasibility study, assuming it decides to do one, anyway.

In the pic:  Atmospheric scene over a McHenry County area within the proposed Hackmatack Refuge.

Big Blow Knocks Down Huntley Barn

McHenry County residents cleaned up Tuesday after a series of storms with high winds ripped through the area around midnight Monday.

The most spectacular damage was in Huntley where gusts blew down the barn on the one-time Schaffenegger Farm just west of Route 47 and Reed Road.

There were no injuries reported on the collapse, not even to the cattle housed in the barn found milling around the feedlot Tuesday morning.

The barn wasn't thought to be historically significant.  Neighbors said it was a replacement for the original and only dated from around 1950.

Agenda Set For Grafton Township Annual Meeting

Grafton Township's new Clerk, Harriet Ford, posted the agenda for next week's long-awaited Annual Township Meeting Tuesday but a planned explanation for the confusing legal gyrations it's going to entail still aren't up.

The first nine agenda items involve unwinding the aborted plan to sell the Grafton Township Hall to the Township Road District and build a new one on Haligus Road.  All of the real estate transactions for that deal went through legally before a Circuit Judge ruled the decision to authorize them was illegal.  Now they have to be legally undone so the township can start from scratch.  Naturally, it's more complicated than it sounds.

Item Ten is the one that may turn into a free for all.  It's a "general discussion" of what's next once things are returned more or less to where they were two years ago.

Item Eleven involves how to do whatever registered township voters decide on Item Ten, assuming they decided to do anything.

The agenda can be read here: http://www.graftontownship.us/2010AnnualAgenda.html

FEN will have more on the Annual Meeting agenda and procedures once the Supervisor, Trustees and at least two different lawyers figure out what they're trying to say.

Art Or Amenity? Algonquin Bike Racks Coming Soon

Workers will begin installing Algonquin's hybrid sculpture/bike racks around the village in a few days.  For some reason they're all piled up in the hallways of the village's Community Development department right now.

Here Trustees John Spella, Bob Smith and Jerry Glogowski along with department Director Russ Farnum Tuesday check out the "Fox" bike rack created by Public Works employee Ben Melnick.

"It's excellent work," said Spella.

 "I can't wait to see this out in the village," Smith said.

State Public Works Slowed By Funding Issues

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Last year, Quinn pushed through an expansive $31 billion construction plan aimed at revamping the state’s roads, bridges and infrastructure. This year the state is struggling to secure the funding for it.

For the public works plan, including Huntley's Route 47 widening and Algonquin's Route 31 Bypass, the Quinn administration is depending on a combination of federal money, state-issued bonds, state funds and local funding matches.

The Capital Projects Fund was supposed to collect $1 billion in revenue from different sources, including new video poker machines, the privatization of the lottery, implementation of the sales tax on items like candy and shampoo, increased liquor taxes and increased motor vehicle fees.

But a state  Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability analysis Tuesday shows all of those revenue sources have fallen short of initial estimates.  That's in part because of the economic recession and in part because of difficulties collecting from those sources.

With video gaming, for example, the COGFA analysis says 50 communities have opted out of allowing video gambling, or about 11 percent of the anticipated population, while Chicago, a potentially huge source for gaming revenue, has yet to opt in.

Adding to the fiscal problems, the state has to grapple with its plummeting bond ratings, which is impacted by the state’s $13 billion budget deficit.

“The main thing is the budget deficit,” said COGFA Senior Analyst Lynne Kapp who said that agencies could downgrade the state’s bond rating further. “I think the rating agencies are waiting to see what legislators and the governor do this year.”

The Quinn administration did not comment before deadline.

You can read Kevin's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/2569/state-public-works-slowed-by-funding-issues/

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
April 6
1536 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ORDINANCE VIOLATION. WENZEL, ROBERT R, M/W 44 YEARS OF AGE, 310 VILLAGE CREEK APT 2B, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Notice to Appear for Noise Ordinance. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED.
0623 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF MAPLE ST. DEATH INVESTIGATION. Female, 59 years of age, natural causes. TURNED OVER TO THE CORONER.
1258 HRS 4800 BLOCK OF THISTLE LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 48 years of age, mistakenly took too many prescription pills. Transport to Woodstock Memorial
1326 HRS 900 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. IDENTITY THEFT. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1453 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF GENEVA LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 86 years of age, injury to her hip. Transported to Woodstock Memorial.
1718 HRS 0 BLOCK OF FEATHERSTONE CT. FRAUD. Complainant's credit card was used in California.
1812 HRS 400 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Complainant being harassed through Craigslist. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.

D300 Approves Another Round Of Teacher Cuts

A split District 300 Board of Education laid off another 27 teachers Monday.  That brings to 180 the number of teachers the district cut to meet its state-triggered budget crisis for the coming school year.

Board President Joe Stevens summed up for the majority arguing, "We don't want to do this," but saw no alternative.  The minority didn't want to do it, either, and it didn't matter if there was no alternative.

Member Dave Alessio pinned his "no" vote on the proposition that Springfield pols will patch together a solution to the state's financial crisis.  "I think something will be negotiated," he said. Members Anne Miller and Chris Stanton simply viewed the latest round of teacher cuts as too close to the education bone.

Superintendent Ken Arndt said he'd recommended the latest round of layoffs because, "We're painfully aware of how we got $27 million in debt in 2003.  Everyone kept saying, 'It'll get better'.  And it didn't."

CFO Cheryl Crates fudged her latest $15 million estimate of the district's state funding shortfall next year. "My scenario may be $2 million not enough.  This is the best case of (Governor) Quinn's cuts, not the worst."

Mass teacher layoffs to meet state firing deadlines are SOP in many school districts, often followed by callbacks when the fiscal crystal ball clears later on.  Last year D300 laid off 32 teachers but essentially rehired 30 of them when the current school year started.  Crates said that wouldn't happen this time.  She estimated 51 might be called back next year if legislators can reach a plausible compromise.

Member John Ryan called for creation of a Community Advisory Task Force to "think outside the box" looking for more ways to cut spending without hurting education.  The Board was all for that idea but Miller warned the accent was on "advisory". "I want it so that it isn't 'whatever the recommendation, that's what the Board agrees to do,'" she said.

Meanwhile, about $1.5 million in recommended transportation cutbacks remain on the table for Board action.  They're on the agenda next week.

Jacobs Boosters To Restore Name To Water Tower

A contractor crew is preparing to sandblast Algonquin's Jacobs water tower in a few days, effacing the high school's golden banner.  Not to worry, though.  School boosters are reported confident they'll be able to raise enough money to paint it again.

The rusting tower really belongs to the village, not the school, but village trustees were worried Algonquin coffers didn't contain enough money to redo the high school's logo when the 750,000 gallon structure is refurbished this summer. 

Staff decided to to see what would happen piggybacking the Jacobs name with the the rest of the project. Village Manager Bill Ganek said, "It worked out to be less than we estimated it would be." The bid came in at $1,500 instead of $3,000, Ganek said.

District 300 Supervisor of Communications Allison Strupek said Monday, "Most of the support groups like the athletic boosters have promised to raise the money this summer."  She said the village "really worked closely with the school to bring down the cost."

In the meantime, Ganek said, the village would front the cost.  "I think we can trust them," he grinned.

The tower itself is already offline and will remain empty for the next couple of months.  Project Manager Shawn Hurtig said so far there've been no complaints about low water pressure.  There were some during last year's rehab of the village's Westbury tower off Hansen Road but, "That one was a little trickier," said Hurtig.

In the pic:  Algonquin's Jacobs water tower will soon be sheathed in a kind of shower curtain to keep sandblasting grit from fouling the area nearby.

"Prescribed Burns" Restore LITH Fen Monday

A series of fires burned through about 200 acres at Lake in the Hills Fen Monday.  Unlike last week's brushfire in a nearby LITH neighborhood, though, these were intentional and threatened no homes.

The McHenry County Conservation District has been setting "prescribed burns" at several of its nature locations the past few days.  "It's part of our restoration program. It adds nutrients back to the soil," said Communications Manager Wendy Kummerer.

"We have a narrow window for this," she said. The burns have to be done "when the birds start returning," Kummerer said.

GOP Candidates Turn to Tea Parties for Support

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois Republican candidates visited the State Fairgrounds Monday evening, seeking the vote of limited-government supporters known collectively as the “Tea Party.”

Sean McCann, a Carlinville native and owner of a construction company, will face Democratic state Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, in November. McCann acknowledged Tea Party supporters could be seen as outsiders, but said they would be willing to fall in line with the Republican Party because of their overwhelming frustration with Democratic-led state and federal legislatures. “Regardless of what moniker you want to put on it, I think the important thing is you have hundreds, if not thousands, of people who want their country back," said McCann.

Al Reynolds, a retired information services manager, moved to Danville three years ago, where he helped organize the East Central Illinois Tea Party group. Reynolds ran as a GOP write-in candidate in February to face state Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Champaign, in November’s general election. “That’s how we’re making our move right now, is to put people into the Republican Party that are of the core values that we see here in the Tea Party,” he said.

The nationwide Tea Party tour began in Nevada to protest U.S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and will stop in Rockford today.

You can read Kevin's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/2558/gop-candidates-turn-to-tea-parties-for-support/

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
April 05
1732 HRS PYOTT RD. & INDUSTRIAL DR. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. ENGLERT, ANN MARIE, F/W 26 YEARS OF AGE, 314 HIGHLAND AVE., WOODSTOCK. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended and No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0813 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF MACKINAC ST. BURGLARY $4000.00 cash and gold coins taken from home. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
0816 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HARVEST GATE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 61 years of age, possible stroke. Transport to Sherman Hospital.
0822 HRS 5200 MILLER RD., (SUNSET PARK). ABANDONED VEHICLE. Vehicle left abandoned at Sunset Park.
700 BLOCK OF ELDERBERRY CT. DOMESTIC. Mother and son, verbal only. No priors.
1407 HRS 200 BLOCK OF ACORN LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 56 years of age, difficulty breathing and incoherent. No transport.
1740 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF ASH ST. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Windshield was damaged on complainant’s vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1807 HRS VILLAGE CREEK DR. & ACORN LN. CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Orange graffiti on brick wall that surrounds the dumpster area.

No Widespread Power Outs For Route 47 Project

Moving ComEd power lines from the west to the east side of Route 47 to make way for widening at Huntley won't cause widespread power outages, according to company spokesman Jeff Burdick.

Prep work for the move began in December and the job won't be done until July, Burdick said, but the move will only involve short outages to a few individual customers.  "Each will be notified individually," said Burdick who estimated the cuts would run from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Burdick said the cutoffs were less about moving the main lines than "balancing the load" after the transfer's done.

In the pic:  These were just a few of the ComEd crews working near Route 47 and Kreutzer Road last week.

Eat Fish, Just Not Too Much

Health experts advising eating more fish.  But other health experts, particularly those from the Illinois Department of Public Health, advise against eating too much fish, at least from some local waters.

IDPH released its annual consumption advisory early last month for sport fish caught in Illinois waters.  Included were warnings against some fish caught in the Fox and Woods Creek Lake.  McHenry County Department of Health spokesman Debra Quackenbush said, "While there is no known immediate health threat from eating contaminated fish from any body of water in Illinois, there are concerns about the effects of long-term, low-level exposure to pesticides and chemicals, such as chlordane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury, found in fish listed on the advisories."

The Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program screens fish samples from about 40 bodies of water per year for contamination from 14 banned pesticides, industrial chemicals and methylmercury. The advisories are aimed mostly at what are considered sensitive populations, including women of childbearing age, pregnant women, fetuses, nursing mothers and children younger than 15 years of age.

On the latest list advising no more than one meal a week are channel cats of any description from the Fox and bigger than 18 inches from the Chain O Lakes. Cats bigger than 26 inches and carp over 17 inches from the Chain are limited to one meal per month. Any size carp from the Fox are limited to one meal a month.

Largemouth bass bigger than 15 inches from the Lake in the Hills are limited to one meal per week for sensitives and one per month for everyone else.

Advisory limits for other area waters can be found at:  http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/fishadv/2010_fish_advisories.pdf

In the pic:  Angler Edgar Villegas from Des Plaines tried his hand at catching a finny meal Sunday below Algonquin Dam.

Home Sellers Open Doors For Weekend

Realtors in Illinois and around the country will be holding open houses this weekend during the Nationwide Open House Weekend trying to beat the expiration of the federal tax credit for homebuyers.

"Mortgage rates remain low, home prices are affordable, and the federal homebuyer tax credit is set to expire April 30,  all making this one of the best times to buy a home in years," said Jim Haisler, CEO of the McHenry County Association of Realtors. "The Realtor Nationwide Open House Weekend will showcase the many homes that are on the market, but which buyers might not have discovered."

On the tax credit, first-time buyers can qualify for up to an $8,000 tax credit and long-time homeowners buying their next primary residence can qualify for up to a $6,500 tax credit, but they must sign a purchase agreement on or before April 30 and close on or before June 30 in order to get them.

Under the tax credit, first-time buyers may qualify if they have not owned a principal residence in the last three years. Long-time homeowners buying their next home may be eligible to claim the tax credit if they meet certain criteria and can show they owned their primary residence for a consecutive five-year period during the eight years ending on the date the new home is purchased. There's more information about the tax credit at www.YourIllinoisHome.com.

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
April 04
0430 HRS 200 BLOCK OF COURSE DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 55 years of age, disoriented. No transport.
1749 HRS REED RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1756 HRS 600 BLOCK OF DELAWARE DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 35 year old female with difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2137 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF CROSSVIEW LN. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. Two priors.
2203 HRS 5200 MILLER RD., (SUNSET PARK). ASSIST AMBULANCE 48 year old female in need of an evaluation. No transport.
Algonquin
April  1
15:59pm Torres, Belinda D., DOB: 05/22/71, of 952 Chippewa Circle, Carpentersville, was charged with DWLS.  She was taken into custody at Randall Road and Harnish Drive.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 05/12/10, in McHenry County.
22:59pm A sixteen-year-old male from Lake in the Hills was charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Square Barn Road and Bunker Hill Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 04/28/10, in Algonquin.  Also taken into custody during the same incident were a seventeen-year-old male from Lake in the Hills and a seventeen-year-old male from Algonquin.  The seventeen-year-old from Lake in the Hill was charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Minor, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Violation of the Graduated Driver’s License Restrictions.  The seventeen-year-old from Algonquin was charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Minor.  Both were released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 04/28/10, in Algonquin.
April 2
14:03pm Chonko, James W., DOB: 06/26/89, of 424 South Drive, Algonquin, was charged with DUI, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Hit and Run.  He was taken into custody at Sherman Hospital.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, when unable to post bond.
16:05pm Espinoza, Alfonso, DOB: 11/27/89, of 4947 S. Artesian Avenue, Chicago, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance and Improper Use of Registration.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Huntley Road.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 05/12/10, in McHenry County.
18:21pm Green, Sherry E., DOB: 09/19/74. of 1886 Mark, #6, Elgin, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at TJ Maxx, 832 S. Randall Road.  She was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 05/26/10, in Algonquin.
April 3
02:58am Sadler, Tanya L., DOB: 08/08/89, of 321 Windermere Way, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Battery and Resisting Arrest.  She was taken into custody at 556 Woods Creek Drive.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 05/05/10, in McHenry County.

Huntley Egg Hunt Draws Crowds Of Kids

In 601 AD Pope Gregory I ruled that baby rabbits were fish (really--ed.) so the Easter Bunny was unfazed by Saturday morning's drizzle at the Huntley Park District's Easter Egg Hunt.  Likewise unfazed were hundreds of kids snatching up the plastic eggs strewn over the dewy turf at Deicke Park.  Some of the eggs contained prizes.  Grand prize was a year's pass to the district's Stingray Bay pool.  Maybe Gregory was onto something, after all.

Wild Concept At New LITH Business: Quality

Daniel Susong's entrepreneurial inspiration was a simple one:  "If I'm going to work eighty hours a week, I'm going to do it for myself."  So, after the last couple of months' rollout Pop's Pizza, Panini, Pasta will celebrate its grand opening this week as one of Lake in the Hills' newest businesses.

The former proprietor of Michael's Bistro, McHenry, said he decided not to try full-service dining again.  "It's being taken over by franchisers," said Susong. "Mom and Pop don't have a chance."  Besides, "I don't want to deal with a liquor license and all that goes with it," he said.  Instead Susong concluded the place to beat the big boys was food quality.  "I still hold to my standards."

No vinyl cheese dribbled over a paint-thin layer of sauce on a factory roze and froze crust.  "Everything is scratch," said Susong.  "We bread our own mushrooms, we make our own cheese sticks, we make our own dough here every day, I could go on and on."  He seems almost embarrassed the tomatoes don't come out of his own backyard. "We use a very high quality product," he said.  "They're all plums."

In another "hit 'em where they ain't" tactic Susong decided to offer panini, grilled Italian sandwiches. "That's something a lot of other pizzarias don't have," he said.  "In fact, I don't think any of them do."

Susong opened Pop's in February with no fanfare. "We wanted to secretly slide open," he said and slowly build momentum. Aside from a few door hangers, the advertising he's mostly counting on is word of mouth.

Not coincidentally, that's where the taste buds are located.

Pop's is in the shopping plaza at Lakewood and Ackman roads.

In the pic:  Dan Goheen assembles a panini while Holly Huffstutler makes a salad at Pop's Pizza, Panini, Pasta.  That's Daniel Susong at the rear whipping up a pizza from scratch.

No Funding For Blagojevich Portrait?

Illinois Statehouse News
Rod Blagojevich still can't catch a break in Springfield. The Illinois House voted last week in favor of a bill that would prevent taxpayers from paying for a portrait of the former governor in the state capital.

State Representative Bill Black sponsored the legislation. Black says people shouldn't have to pay up to $25,000 for a painting of the impeached governor. He says it can be funded by private money if it does go up in the capital. "I have no desire nor intent to revise history," said Black.  "I also have no desire nor intent that someone who is impeached...and convicted...gets into the taxpayers' purse for anything."

Quad Cities representative Mike Boland says he is not a fan of Blagojevich, but thinks his picture should hang in the capital because he is part of Illinois' record. "This isn't a matter of how we personally feel," said Boland. "This is a matter of our history."

Currently, there are 39 governor's portraits in the capital. The next step for the bill is a vote in the Senate.

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
April 3
0036 HRS RANDALL RD. & ROOSEVELT RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. MOTTL, CURTIS W., M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 11545 S. MEADOWS DR., MERRIONETTE PARK. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content over .08, Improper Lane Use. RELEASED ON BOND.
0054 HRS 3300 BLOCK OF SANDSTONE CT. POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of less than 2.5 Grams of Cannabis, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. JUVENILE, M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE,LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Curfew. Notice to Appear Issued. TURNED OVER TO PARENTS. JUVENILE, M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Curfew. Notice to Appear Issued. TURNED OVER TO PARENTS.
1649 HRS LAKEWOOD RD & SULLIVAN PASSDRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. DEPOWSKI, TIFFANY A., F/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 622 SPRING AVE., DEKALB. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
0758 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HILLTOP DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0828 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF HORIZON RIDGE. DEATH INVESTIGATION. Male, 53 years of age, found unresponsive. TURNED OVER TO CORONER
0852 HRS 900 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT. Vacant home, with an unsecured front door.
1055 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Child passenger checked for injuries. No Transport.
1136 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1545 HRS PYOTT RD. & RAKOW RD. FOUND ARTICLE. License plate, found in roadway.
1724 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF MARBLE CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 69 years of age, having abdominal pain. Transported to Sherman Hospital.