Local Homes Sales Up But Still Weak

Home sales in McHenry County continued to rebound in May but sale prices remained depressed according to the latest figures released by the McHenry County Association of Realtors.

Last month saw the sale of 323 homes and condos in the county, a slight improvement over April's 316.  Their average price improved $8,000 to $196,000 but that figure was still $15,000 below the same month a year ago and more than $50,000 below May 2008.  Time to sell remained stuck around six months.

Experts said the May numbers may still reflect the buoying of federal tax incentives for home purchasers.  The up to $8,000 credit is over for buyers who didn't have a house at least under contract before May 1 but it still applies for sales that close before the end of this month.

LITH Leader Dies After Long Illness

Trustee Joe Murawski, 75, a Lake in the Hills village leader for almost 30 years died Friday after a prolonged illness.

Struck down by pneumonia five months ago Murawski fought back until he could attend LITH Board meetings again by telephone last month.  However,  several days ago he suffered a heart attack  and couldn't recover from that.

In 1981 he was appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals and served until he was elected Village Trustee from 1991 to 1999.  During 7 months in 1996 to 1997 he served as Acting Village President.  He was elected trustee again in 2003. Murawski served on the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, the Board of Directors for the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce, and Algonquin Township as a Republican Precinct Committeeman and Chairman of the Transportation Committee and was active in Boy Scouts.

Arrangements haven't been set yet but Murawski's funeral isn't expected to be until next weekend. Murawski is survived by wife Jean, children Edward, Suzanne and Joseph Jr., and three grandchildren.

"Joe showed one needs to take a position not for personal reasons but to help the community as a whole," said Village President Ed Plaza.  "He was truly dedicated to the community and its residents."

Huntley Red Raiders Fall To St. Rita

A line drive in the seventh dashed hopes Friday that Huntley's Red Raiders might take first in state 4A baseball competition this year.  The question this afternoon is whether they'll come in third or fourth.

The Red Raiders lost to St. Rita's Mustangs 7-6 in Joliet but the odds were long against them. St. Rita was runnerup in State Finals last year while this year's trip marked Huntley's first appearance in the championships competition.

The Red Raiders will play Stevenson for third place this afternoon and St. Rita will slug it out with Naperville Central for top honors after that.

University Borrowing Plan Becomes Law

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
State universities that have been trying to piece together their budgets for the upcoming school year may get a little help. This week Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law a proposal that would allow universities to borrow up to three-quarters of what the state owes them in overdue bills.

The state has been unable to make full, timely payments to universities and other vendors because of the lack of money in the state’s coffers. Quinn emphasized that borrowing would help universities continue to maintain education standards and contribute to the state’s economy.

“These universities like Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois are major corporations within our state. They’re major purchasers of goods and services; they’re major employers,” he said.

Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard said the state owes the university system $108 million and that the university system would try to borrow the maximum allotted under the new law, which would be about $81 million.

“The borrowing bill is critical to getting us through July and August payrolls. I talked to other (university) presidents around the state; it’s critical for them to get through July and August payrolls,” Poshard said. He said he was hopeful the state could reimburse the full $108 million owed to SIU by the end of 2010.

State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said borrowing was not an ideal funding route for the universities. “It’s a Band-Aid deal to help them to get through this session and next time so we can come up with revenue. When the state starts doing (its) job, start paying (its) bills and coming up with money, then they won’t have to borrow,” he said.

You can read Kevin's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3218/university-borrowing-plan-becomes-law/

McHenry County Indictments

CLIFF W. MOTTL, DOB:  09/19/78,    5248 W. 131ST STREET, CRESTWOOD. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE(2CTS), OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.--LITH PD
   
BRIAN J. MASSARO, DOB:  10/11/82, 650 BRAEWOOD DRIVE, ALGONQUIN. ATTEMPT BURGLARY, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, OBSTRUCTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Algonquin PD
   
CLARALAINE APONTE, DOB: 01/10/75, LKA: 11707 E. WOODCREEK, HUNTLEY. DECEPTIVE PRACTICE.--Huntley PD

JENNIFER L. FEIGE, DOB:  01/08/81, 11727 PINE WAY, HUNTLEY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

LUIS G. TAFOLLA, DOB:  01/14/70, 1400 NORTHFIELD COURT  #1A,  HARVARD. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION CARD(3CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FICTITIOUS IDENTIFICATION CARD(2CTS), IDENTITY THEFT.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
   
CAROLYN R. TAYLOR, DOB:  04/09/63, 3203 ELIZABETH STREET, MARENGO. AGGRAVATED BATTERY OF A CHILD, DOMESTIC BATTERY.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
       
CHRISTOPHER E. WELTER, DOB:  02/01/74, 612 LINCOLN ROAD, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry PD

MICHAEL A. MORZOS, DOB:  01/08/85, 706 SAVANNAH LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. THEFT, THEFT OF LABOR.--Crystal Lake PD
   
TIMOTHY S. NEWBERRY, DOB:  08/27/62, 600 N. EAST STREET  APT.4, MARENGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Crystal Lake PD
   
JUAN D. BRECEDA, DOB:  08/10/59, 72 DARLINGTON LANE  #26, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Crystal Lake PD
   
JAVIER MERANDA-DIAZ, DOB:  02/24/77, 160 W. WOODSTOCK STREET  #B, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION CARD.--Crystal Lake PD

SHARON A. LANGEL, DOB:  05/19/60, 11906 MCKINLEY AVENUE, HEBRON. RETAIL THEFT(ENHANCED).--Woodstock 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
June 11
2233 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. WANTED ON WARRANT. RAMIREZ, SAMANTHA M., F/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 1178 HEAVENS GATE LAKE IN THE HILLS CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, Kane County for Traffic Offense and Driving on a Suspended License. Bond Amount: $900.00 Full Cash. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0115 HRS 10 BLOCK OF WALNUT GROVE CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 16 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HALFMOON GATE. DOMESTIC. Mother vs Son. Verbal only. Three priors.
HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HILLTOP DR. ACCIDENT Car vs Deer on 061010 at 2130 hours. Property damage only.
0921 HRS 00 BLOCK OF STANTON CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 9 months old, fell off bed and struck head. Possible seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1035 HRS 200 BLOCK OF FERRYVILLE DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 33 years old, injured her ankle. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
1544 HRS 700 BLOCK OF ELDERBERRY CT. ORDINANCE VIOLATION. Vehicle without proper registration.
1648 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1807 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. ASSIST AMBULANCE Male, 19 years old, in need of an evaluation. Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
2026 HRS 231 RANDALL RD., (TACO BELL). BATTERY Female vs. male. FAIL TO FILE.

Grafton Board Sets New Brevity Record

The Grafton Township Board met Thursday and adjourned eight minutes later after immediately bickering over the order of business.  "We have dueling agendas again," said Supervisor Linda Moore who blamed it on newly-appointed Township Clerk Harriet Ford.

"The clerk is refusing to do her duty to sign the agenda submitted by the Supervisor," Moore charged.

"We're not going to play your stupid games," countered Trustee Rob LaPorta and Trustee Betty Zirk moved to adjourn.

"I don't want to do this," said Trustee Barb Murphy.

"Neither do I," said Zirk, "But she won't let us talk."

FEN asked Ford to outline the latest agenda conflict. "I'm not allowed to talk to the media," she said.

Ignoring the validity, who said  that?  "The Board when they interviewed me (to replace resigned Clerk Dina Frigo.)"

"No, we didn't say that," scoffed LaPorta later.

Well, anyway, where'd the set of conflicting agendas come from?

"Linda wouldn't include things the trustees wanted," said Township Attorney Keri-Lynn Krafthefer.

"The trustees refused to give me what they wanted on the agenda," said Moore.

Moore's agenda included only a new budget for the Grafton Township Road District. Trustees' was a two-page salmagundi of work piled up over the last several months and a new proposal to create a Township "computer lab and job-hunters' resource center."

Still uncompleted is unwinding the complicated real-estate transactions and loans involved in the Township's aborted plan to build a new headquarters on Haligus Road. Bank permission for that has now expired. Can it still be done?

"They aren't saying no, but they aren't saying yes," replied Pat Coen, attorney for the Road District which is still holding the bag on the deal. "What they've said is 'Show us the money and we'll give you the answer,'" said Coen.

In the pic:  Trustee Rob LaPorta listens to recriminations from audience member Aileen Seedorf after Thursday's Grafton Boad meeting broke down right after it started.

Beer, Wine Approved For New Huntley Walgreen's

The Huntley Liquor Commission decided not to pick winners and losers, approving a new liquor license and awarding it to the Walgreen's store under construction at Reed Road and Route 47.

Nearby Armanetti's liquor store owner Henry Patel had earlier argued against that claiming it would hurt his business. Walgreen's attorney Kelley Keenan argued Thursday competition would be minimal since the drug chain only planned to sell beer and wine and not much of that. She said only two percent of shelf space would go to alcoholic beverages. "We're just a convenience store," she said.

Walgreen's managers said the new store would open "mid-August, perhaps."

Nygren Cuts Off First Electric Newspaper

"The Sheriff decided that we weren't going to send (arrest announcements) to people who resemble a blog."--Keith Nygren's assistant quizzed about why, after 11 months, FEN hasn't received any releases for several weeks.

"Nngggh."--FEN's publisher biting his tongue to keep from expressing an opinion, the absence of which distinguishes online newspaper FEN from a blog.

Algonquin Police Department
Lake in the Hills Police Department
Huntley Police Department
McHenry County State's Attorney
Illinois Attorney General
Village of Algonquin
Village of Lake in the Hills
Village of Huntley
County of McHenry
Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District
Huntley Fire Protection District
State Rep. Mike Tryon
State Rep. Jack Franks
State Sen. Pam Althoff
Congressman Don Manzullo--partial list of organizations and officials who regularly distribute press releases to FEN.

Monk Talks Appointments, Senate Seat

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Federal prosecutors Thursday attempted to weave a tapestry of money-making schemes, kickbacks and cronyism, with one common thread — Rod Blagojevich. The former Illinois governor is on trial facing numerous corruption charges after his arrested a year and a half ago.

Prosecutor Chris Niewoehner mixed in five recorded phone conversations of Blagojevich with day-long testimony from former Blagojevich confidant and chief-of-staff Alonso “Lon” Monk to illustrate the former governor’s supposed penchant for wrongdoing. Monk is testifying against Blagojevich as part of a plea bargain in order to get a reduced sentence on a bribery charge.

Monk testified that Blagojevich was attempted to leverage Chicago businessman Blair Hull's desire for a Senate appointment to obtain a campaign contribution  of up to $100,000. “This Hull actually thinks he can be a senator, can you believe that guy?” Blagojevich tells his brother in a recording. Later in the same recording, Blagojevich calls Hull “stupid.”

Monk also alleged that Congressman Jesse Jackson was interested in the Senate seat. In a different recorded conversation between Monk and Blagojevich, Monk says that he is not returning calls from the congressman. “He’ll offer you fundraising and all kinds of stuff,” warns Blagojevich about Jackson Jr. in the recording.

But the day’s most stunning allegation came without a recorded conversation. Monk testified that Blagojevich was prepared in late 2008 to appoint former Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr. to the U.S. Senate. In exchange, Jones would not call a sweeping ethics proposal for a vote before the full Illinois Senate. According to Monk, Blagojevich did not want the ethics proposal to become law because it would reduce the amount of fundraising he could collect from companies contracted with the state.

Monk said that Jones backed out of the arrangement after receiving a call from then-candidate Obama. Obama allegedly conveyed concerns to Jones that inaction on the ethics proposal would hurt his candidacy. Blagojevich attempted to change the proposal using his amendatory veto powers. but the Illinois Senate overrode that and passed the original proposal.

The corruption trial will resume Monday with more testimony from Monk and possible cross-examination from Blagojevich’s legal team.

You can read Kevin's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3245/monk-talks-appointments-obamas-senate-seat/

Area Briefs

The Ron Hawking Show, featuring the eponymous Chicago crooner is set for 8 pm this evening at Huntley Park District's Cosman Theater. A percentage of the proceeds benefit A Silver Lining Foundation's Free Mammography Program. Tickets are available here: http://www.ticketscene.com/events/1935/

Christ United Methodist Church, Algonquin, is holding a rummage sale fundraiser from 9 am to to 2 pm Saturday. Books, toys, clothes, household items, holiday decorations, furniture and more will be for sale. From noon until 2 pm shoppers can fill a bag with whatever they want for $3.

Huntley Lions will hold their Steak Fry at the American Legion Hall Saturday from 5 to 8 pm. Steak and all the trimmin's for $15.

Saturday is Huntley Park District's Dive Into Movie Night. The events actually begin at 1 pm but the movie itself doesn't start until 8:30 pm. Here's the full schedule:
http://www.huntleyparks.org/uploads/SummerMovieSchedule.pdf

Sunday the Lake in the Hills Triathlon will be held. Please expect minor traffic delays and some road closures during the period of approximately 6:00 am to 8:30 am. Here are maps of the courses:
http://www.citizenobserver.com/cov6/app/attachmentContent.html?id=505
http://www.citizenobserver.com/cov6/app/attachmentContent.html?id=506

Lake In The Hills American Legion Post 1231 is recruiting baseball players Ages 17 to 19 for the 2010 baseball season. Contact Coach Sonny Furtak 847-854-2356
to sign up.

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 10
0829 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & ROUTE 31. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. GILLOWAY, JOHN J., M/W 43 YEARS OF AGE, 6813 SANDS RD., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0156 HRS 400 BLOCK OF TERRAMERE LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 35 years of age, severe abdominal pain. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
0914 HRS 100 N. RANDALL RD., (WALGREENS). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 87 years of age, with head pain. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1004 HRS 300 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 85 years of age, difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1159 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 37 years of age, with a leg laceration. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
1440 HRS 600 BLOCK OF DAVID ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 50 years of age, having a seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1524 HRS PYOTT RD. & RAKOW RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1524 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON ST. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted the Crystal Lake Police Department with a missing juvenile. Juvenile was located.
1541 HRS 101 N. RANDALL RD., (DOMINICKS). CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. The fence was spray painted. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1758 HRS 200 BLOCK OF COOLSTONE BEND. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. girlfriend. Verbal only. No Priors.
2100 HRS 4500 W. ALGONQUIN RD., (7-11). LOST ARTICLE. Complainant lost his wallet.
2200 HRS 4200 BLOCK OF ROSEWOOD CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 12 years of age, needing an evaluation. No transport.
2252 HRS 100 BLOCK OF COOLSTONE BEND. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 50 years of age, possible heart attack. Transported to Good Shepherd Hospital.
2321 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles with airbag deployment. No transport.
Algonquin
10:33am A seventeen year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Failure to Yield.  He was taken into custody at Sleepy Hollow Road and Haverford Lane.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 07/27/10, in McHenry County.
18:19pm Giacchetti, Angela A., DOB: 12/03/79. of 1905 Cobblestone, Carpentersville, was charged with DWLS.  She was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Marie Drive.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/07/10, in McHenry County.
June 8
14:54pm Benitez, Maria, DOB: 08/20/66, of 1175 Spruce Lane Apt #J, Elgin, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Failure to Yield at an Intersection.  She was taken into custody at Harnish Drive and Sherman Road.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 07/14/10, in McHenry County.
June 9
16:27pm Balderas, Angelina, DOB: 01/16/68, of 7 Robin Street, Carpentersville, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Disobeying a Traffic Control Device.  She was taken into custody at Route 31 and Edward Street.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/14/10, in McHenry County.

Teacher Rejection To Worsen D300 Deficit

District 300 officials and teachers' union leaders spent Wednesday trying to figure out what comes next after Tuesday's "no" vote on $2.2 million dollars worth of concessions that were supposed to help balance the district's 2010-11 budget.

"Whatever we don't save this year we have to save it and the same again next year," said District Financial Chief Cheryl Crates.

"What's going to happen, we're going to go into negotiations next year with a deficit that will cause us to take drastic action," said Board President Joe Stevens of Algonquin.

Thanks primarily to the shakiness of State Board of Education payments, the district had hoped to shed $15 million in costs for the coming year. So far the Board has only managed to wring out about $10.5 in savings, though.  Teacher pay concessions for extra-big classes and for supervising kids at lunchtime were supposed to bring the district closer to its goal but the plan went down two to one according to LEAD 300 teachers union President Kolleen Hanetho.

Hanetho said teachers felt the district was trying to balance the budget on their backs, firing teachers and increasing class sizes.  "The teachers cannot and will not support huge class sizes. It's educationally wrong," said Hanetho.

Neither, she said, had the district made enough cuts in administration.  "Maybe Divisionals (mid-level education administrators in the high schools) are something we just can't afford to have," she said. The Board agonized over cutting Divisionals a couple of months ago but finally decided to keep them. "We don't see that as an excuse to shoot everything else," said Stevens.

The biggest sore point Hanetho said came only two weeks ago with the district's transition plan to adjust for Mike Bregy's selection as Superintendant-to-be. Hanetho charged it amounted to rehiring two administrators who were supposed to have been let go to save money. Communications Director Allison Smith said Wednesday administrative shuffling wasn't rehiring.

The Board meets Monday to consider more budget cuts.

LITH Homeowners Complain About Industrial Neighbors

A meeting Tuesday between some irate Lake in the Hills residents and business owners they said were spoiling their neighborhood produced a committee and a promise to make things better.

Village officials called the meeting to try to sort out the complaints of 30 homeowners from the Stoneybrook and Hidden Valley neighborhoods against businesses in the Larsen Industrial Park off Pyott Road.  Residents said in a variety of ways, often simultaneously, the businesses were too noisy, smelly and dirty in the daytime and the lights were too bright at night.

"I spent nine years on the Plan Commission," said Mary Siewenie.  "I went to the house today and what do I see but his godawful fence with barbed wire on top.  The dust cloud was like an explosion."

Community Development Director Dan Olson said the Village's hands were tied by the 1992 annexation agreement that said the anybody settling there had to acknowledge they were moving next to an industrial area. Olson said the village could only step in "if there's something that's in violation of village ordinances and codes," and indeed, had recently done so after complaints about loaded garbage trucks being parked in the complex overnight.

The object of most of the obloquy turned out to be the marshalling yard of Sunset Cartage headed by Huntley native Don Mueller.  Part of the problem, he said, was that his company's grown a lot lately but he promised to work with residents to solve their complaints.

"Just this morning a driver beeped the horn and (a Sunset senior driver) ran out and said, 'What do you think you're doing?'"

"I've got an electrician coming out and I can change the lights," said Mueller, "and I can have the trucks park in the middle (away from the property line)."

Mueller proposed building a berm at his own expense to shield residents from all the business activity.  "I'd need some engineering help from the village on that," he said.

Olson promised no promises there but recruited half a dozen sceptical residents for a committee to work with business owners to see what could be done.

In the pic: LITH's  Dan Olson, right, tries to moderate a meeting of unhappy homeowners.

Algonquin Restaurant Supports Toddlers' Transplants

Mandile's Restaurant in east Algonquin will hold a fundraiser Saturday for a pair of suburban twin toddlers who need liver transplants. Mandile’s will donate 15 percent of all sales to everyone who mentions Luke and Jake Swanson.

The children, remarkably since they're fraternal twins, both suffer from an untreatable condition called biliary atresia. They both need liver transplants  which will cost their family an estimated $75,000.  Fortunately Dad Scott Swanson of Arlington Heights was a high school pal of Nino Mandile when they went to Fremd years ago.

Mandile's will only donate money for the twins on sales to customers who mention them Saturday, though.  "We had a fundraiser a few days ago," said organizer Margaret Brueck and I sort of stalked everybody. 'Don't forget to mention Jake and Luke,' I kept saying."

In the pic: Transplant twins to be, Luke and Jake Swanson.

Summer Reading Popular With Hunt Lib Patrons

"It's a little berserk around here," said Communications Director Leigh Ann Porsch during Huntley Area Public Library's first day of signups for summer reading programs Wednesday.  "We've had 700 people before 11 am today," she said.

Porsch expected an avalanche of patrons through Friday to enroll in programs for little kids, teens and adults which will run through Aug. 6.  The programs for the younger sets include a chance to win prizes and the adult program includes a free book.

Participants can join online, too, though.  For kids go to kids.huntleylibrary.info/srp2010 .  Teens are at ya.huntleylibrary.info/SRP2010 . The adult program is at www.huntleylibrary.org/srp2010 .

In the pic:  A gusty wind made signing up for "Catch The Reading Bug" an adventure for Nanette Wade and kids Taylor, Colin, Brandon and Peyton at Huntley Library Wednesday.

Former Blago Aide: It Was Wrong, Illegal

By Bill McMorris Illinois Statehouse News
A man who was once one of Rod Blagojevich’s closest friends and a top aide said the former Illinois governor knew what he was doing was “wrong” when he met with now-convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko.

Alonzo ”Lon” Monk, who served as Blagojevich’s chief of staff when he took office in 2003, on Wednesday provided the federal courtroom with allegedly firsthand accounts of the corruption that took place in the Blagojevich administration.

“We were concerned because it was in all likelihood was wrong and breaking the law,” he said of his and Blagojevich’s secret meetings with Rezko and former fundraiser Chris Kelly.

Monk said the four agreed to use the office of the governor to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars, which Rezko would distribute in equal parts to each man at the end of Blagojevich’s tenure “when there would be less scrutiny.”

Monk said the conspiracy began even before Blagojevich took office, describing a parking garage encounter with Kelly in the summer of 2002. “(Kelly) said ‘the GOP had been in power so long that they could benefit personally’ from state action and because we were close to Rod we could too,” he said.

Kelly committed suicide in September 2009, just before he was to begin an eight-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to fraud and an $8.5 million kickback scheme.

Monk described a governor’s office dominated by corruption. Blagojevich relied heavily on the recommendations of Rezko and Kelly to appoint department directors and state board members. But Monk emphasized that he and his boss knew why each man was considered for their post: “it wasn’t about merit, it was about enhanced fundraising.”

Monk pleaded guilty to conspiracy to solicit a bribe in April. In exchange for his testimony, he will serve two years in prison, rather than the five he initially faced. Monk’s testimony will continue today.

You can read Bill's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3240/former-top-blago-aide-he-knew-it-was-wrong-illegal/

In the pic: Alonzo "Lon" Monk

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 9
0747 HRS HILLTOP DR. & ALGONQUIN RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. FUERY, MARK D., M/W 41 YEARS OF AGE,2009 LIMESTONE ST., CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Wanted on warrant, Obstruction, McHenry County, Driving While license Suspended, No Seatbelt, No Valid Registration. RELEASED ON BOND.
0957 HRS 400 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Female subject had concerns about an order of protection.
1057 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD., (MARLOWE). CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Two trees, a bird house, a bench and a sign were damaged,
Estimated damage $750.00.
1406 HRS 900 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. FRAUD. Charges on debit card.
1544 HRS 1201 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (GUARANTEED AP). DECEPTIVE PRACTICE. PENDING INVESTIGATION
1657 HRS OAKLEAF RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1730 HRS 200 BLOCK OF ELLIS RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 72 years of age, injury to the shoulder. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1841 HRS 0 BLOCK OF SAVOY CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 17 months old, ate a wild mushroom. No transport.
1917 HRS 100 BLOCK DEERPATH. DOMESTIC Sister vs. sister. Verbal argument only. No priors.

Return Of The Continuous Flow Intersection

McHenry County Division of Transportation engineers came back to Algonquin Tuesday for another try at selling a Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) as the cure for the traffic tieup problem at Randall and Algonquin Roads. At the end, some of the Village Board were onboard with the idea, others weren't and still others held their counsel.

The complicated intersection would shift left-turning traffic across oncoming lanes to a stacking are on the far left before making the actual turn.  Fancy dancing with traffic lights is supposed to allow most of a left turn to happen while oncoming (Randall) drivers are stopped to allow movement of traffic on the cross-street (Algonquin).  You can (and need to) view an animation here: http://www.modot.org/stlouis/links/CFILeftTurn-2.avi

Assistant County Engineer Jeff Young passed out half-inch thick reports on a swell new CFI in northern Colorado.  Unfortunately, that's just starting construction.  Not counting a couple of demonstration CFI's in the East, there are only three finished CFI's in the U.S., the oldest in operation for only five years.  That one's in Baton Rouge and Young said it's working well even with unexpected traffic increases from refugees who relocated to the area after Hurricane Katrina.

Trustee Debby Sosine fretted a CFI would cut off access to Randall businesses as far south as Bunker Hill Drive.  "And we already have problems there," she said. Young countered that in practice traffic backups already cut off access, "except after 10 o'clock at night."

Young said it was hopeless trying to engineer an ordinary intersection at Randall and Algonquin.  Something like that would expand Randall to eight lanes and place the pavement next to area storefronts, he said,  and even at that it still wouldn't move as much traffic as fast as a CFI.

So far, all the discussion about a CFI is theoretical, anyway, since there's no money to build anything at all at the intersection.  Young said maybe there'd be some in a couple of years if Congress ever enacts a new transportation bill.  The current estimate for a CFI intersection is "$80 million to $85 million," according to Young.  "If it sits on a shelf for 20 years it could easily go over $100 million."

"I just don't want to see us involved in another Western Bypass that took years and years and nothing got done," said Trustee Bob Smith. How much would a simple second left-turn lane cost, he asked?

"Probably between $5 and $10 million just for construction," said Young, quickly adding it wouldn't accomplish much and the Federal Highway Administration consequently wouldn't pay for it.

Village President John Schmitt added in some other Randall improvements and argued against a quick and dirty intersection fix.  "You've already spent $30 million on it and no one's ever going to give you funding again," he said.

MCDOT will make another similar presentation in a few days to the Lake in the Hills Board.  They decided they didn't like the CFI idea, either.

In the pic:  Algonquin Trustee Bob Smith (left) and Village President John Schmitt had a polite verbal dustup Tuesday as MCDOT Engineer Jeff Young tried to sell the idea of a Continuous Flow Intersection.  Village Manager Bill Ganek is in the middle, perhaps in more ways than one.

Algonquin Gang Member Arrested In Grow Bust

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren Tuesday announced the arrest of an Algonquin man for running an indoor marijuana growing lab in unincorporated Algonquin. Deputies said they discovered the alleged operation in the 1400 block of Cary-Algonquin Road while they were investigating a report of domestic battery.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division said they found over 30 grams of processed marijuana along with 14 4 to 5-foot plants and the usual cultivation impedimenta. Nygren estimated the street value of the seized marijuana to be in excess of $14,000.

Arrested was 33 year-old Gustavo Rodriguez who Nygren said was of self-admitted  member of the Latin Kings street gang.  He was charged with four drug counts, three domestic battery counts and one of possession of ammunition without a permit.  Rodriguez was reported in County Jail awaiting $50,000 bond.

Mahon Charges Nygren Contributions "Pay To Play"

Democratic Sheriff's Candidate and Lake in the Hills resident Mike Mahon released a list Tuesday that he said shows Sheriff Keith Nygren's campaign contributions come largely from firms doing business with the Sheriff's Office or McHenry County. "In fact, taken as a lump sum the business contributions coincidentally are about what Nygren has on hand for this year's campaign," Mahon's release said.

Mahon charged 20 firms doing business with the Sheriff's Office had contributed about $133,000 to Nygren's election campaigns over the years.  "This is a perfect example of the 'pay to play' syndrome Illinoisans are all too familiar with," said Mahon. He stacked the deck some, though, adding up contributions from four separate Nygren Campaigns since 1997 to reach a conclusion his release could only call "troubling" rather than illegal.

The largest single contributor at $57,540, according to Mahon, was R.I.T.A. Corporation, Crystal Lake, headed by Brian Goode, a member of the Sheriff's Merit Commission. The next highest total, $17,895, came from Cabay & Company, McHenry, which provides toiletries and sundries to the County Courthouse, according to Mahon.

Mahon piously pledged that if elected, he wouldn't accept campaign contributions from any firms doing business with the Sheriff's Office or McHenry County.

LITH To Kick Off Summer Park Parties

The Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department will begin a series of  Summer Park Parties Friday on the north lawn behind Village Hall.

The show starts at 11 am featuring Circus Boy a Tonight Show guest, and Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey Circus performer. Circus Boy does stand-up comedy except from a ladder or trick cycle.  Maybe while juggling.  And it's free.

Blago Trial Pits Resolve Against Charisma

By Bill McMorris, Illinois Statehouse News
Opening arguments in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich began Tuesday afternoon, as the prosecution and defense team met for the first time in open court.

Federal prosecutor Carrie Hamilton took the 18-member jury through the saga that was the Blagojevich investigation, utilizing a PowerPoint presentation to outline the lengthy list of charges the governor faces, including extortion and racketeering. “When he was supposed to be asking about what was best for the people of Illinois, he was asking ‘what about me,’” she said as she turned to a slide outlining five alleged “shakedowns.”

Hamilton’s even tone was a world away from the charisma of her counterpart, Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam Jr. He painted his client as an honest politician, but terrible judge of character who trusted the wrong people, including two of the prosecution’s top witnesses: convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko and former Blagojevich aide Alonzo “Lon” Monk, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges earlier this year. “The biggest corrupt politician in the country is broke and why?” he said. “Because he didn’t take a dime.”

Two of the trial’s most high-profile witnesses will take the stand today: FBI agent Dan Cain and cooperating witness Lon Monk.

You can read Bill's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3223/powerpoint-vs-power-tie-blago-trial-pits-resolve-against-charisma/

Obituaries

Raymond J. Mandarino, 76, of 14049 Moraine Hills Drive,  Huntley died peacefully Tuesday. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 am Saturday at St. Mary Catholic, Huntley. Visitation will be Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home and at 9:30 am Saturday at Church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to St. Mary Catholic Church.

Mandarino is survived by his wife, Helen Mandarino of Huntley, sons Raymond J. Mandarino (Valerie) of Carol Stream and Anthony Mandarino (Linda) of Elgin and grandchildren Lauren, Michael, Melissa, Victoria and Dominic.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, Anna Marie, one brother, Michael and one sister, Arlene.

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 8
1738 HRS 400 BLOCK OF OAK ST. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. VINEZEANO, BRIAN J., M/W 47 YEARS OF AGE, 115 E OAK ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended.
1601 HRS 00 BLOCK OF HILLY LN.FOLLOW UP ARREST: DOMESTIC BATTERY. BROWN, TINA E., F/W 43 YEARS OF AGE, 20 HILLY LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS CHARGES: Domestic Battery, two counts. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0153 HRS 0 BLOCK OF ELDORADO CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 68 years of age, with low blood sugar. No transport.
0600 HRS 900 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. ASSIST OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT. Assisted Pleasant Prairie Police Department with a check for well being of a female subject.
0655 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD.,(RAKOW CURVE). ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. guardrail. Property damage only.
1128 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1440 HRS RAKOW RD. & PINGREE RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1824 HRS 700 BLOCK OF JUNIPER LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s tires were damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2212 HRS 600 BLOCK OF WHITE PINE CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. daughter. Verbal only. No priors.
2224 HRS ACORN LN. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Car vs. guard rail. Property damage only.
Huntley
June 1
A violation of order of protection report was taken in the 10600 block of Phillip St.  A McHenry County arrest warrant for Eric R. Spain, age 32, of 9865 Thornton Way, Huntley, for the charges of violation of order of protection, 2 counts of domestic battery, and interfering with a domestic violence report was issued.
June 2
A theft report was taken in the vicinity of Rt. 47 and Talamore Dr. The victim states that six signs valued at approximately $90.00 were stolen.
Wesley A. Santini, age 21, of 1604 GlenEagle Dr., Carpentersville, was arrested for possession of cannabis and outstanding Kane County warrants for driving while license suspended and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Mr. Santini was transported to Kane County Jail to await bond.
June 3
A 16 year-old female from Huntley was arrested for domestic battery.  The juvenile was released to her mother and will be petitioned to McHenry County Juvenile Court.
Daniel J. Bitaut, age 22, 9520 Rainsford, Huntley, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant for failure to appear in court.  Mr. Bitaut posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 6, 2010.
June 4
James L. Mayzer, age 33, of 10342 Hunter Trail, Huntley, was arrested for DUI and cited for improper turn signal and disregarding a stop sign.  Mr. Mayzer posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 2, 2010.
June 5
William T. Carton, age 39, of 527 Bunker Street, Woodstock, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license and cited for speeding.  Mr. Carton posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 25, 2010.
Sergio Mendoza-Salgado, age 32, of 1905 N. Pulaski, Chicago, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license and cited for no front registration plate and modified exhaust system.  Mr. Mendoza-Salgado posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 9, 2010.
June 6
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11500 block of Douglas Ave.  A vehicle drove over the victim’s lawn causing damage to his grass.

State Financial Crisis Pinches Local Governments

In the absence of a new budget the State of Illinois is falling further and further behind in payments to local social service agencies and municipalities. "They're so far behind now it makes you wonder who they are paying," griped Algonquin Village Manager Bill Ganek.

Four of the McHenry County Mental Health Board's service providers are on life support loans from the Board, according to Executive Director Sandy Lewis. Family Service and Community Mental Health Center, the Youth Service Bureau, the Family Alliance and the Family CARE groups are all operating on loans from the Mental Health Board against funds the state was supposed to pay them but hasn't. The loans add up to $500,000 and Lewis said the Board itself is due $500,000 the state hasn't paid yet.

Lewis said  at least two more providers will probably need loans soon and the Board, by law, can't keep doling out cash forever.  "It all needs to be reconciled by the end of November," she said.

Ganek reported the state's five months and about $1 million in arrears in paying Algonquin's share of the state income tax.  "The last payment was in December," said Ganek. "I'm amazed at how badly they're running things."

Huntley Manager Dave Johnson said his village was in much the same position, also owed five months' income taxes totaling nearly $1 million.   "We're locking down even more on expenditures," said Johnson.  "Basically there are absolutely no purchases unless they're essential."

Lake in the Hills Village Administrator Jerry Sagona reported the state, oddly, only owes his village four months' income tax instead of five, in the neighborhood of $700,000. "It's a shame," was all Sagona would say, at least for attribution.

Republican State Rep. Mike Tryon who represents southeastern McHenry County lays the blame on the Governor.  "Quinn won't make a decision," said Tryon. "He'll call a news conference one day to announce something and the next day he changes his mind."

Tryon's not very happy with his fellow legislators, either.  "The General Assembly spent more money this year than it did last year," he complained.  "The only ones (appearing before a committee Tryon heads) willing to cut anything were Republicans."

Democratic State Rep. Jack Franks who represents the western half of McHenry County doesn't remember it quite that way.  "There was one person in the General Assembly who filed an amendment to cut the budget.  It was me.  I couldn't get the Republicans to support it."

In any case, Johnson summed up the problem at the local level:  It's unfair for the state to pass along its budget problems instead of the money it owes, he said. "They need to take care of their own mess."

Algonquin Teacher Picked "Distinguished Educator"

Algonquin's Neubert Elementary literacy teacher Carol Anderson was named District 300 Distinguished Educator the of Year Monday at the District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence Gala at Boulder Ridge Club.

The 30-year D300 vet was 2010's "best of the best of the best", according to D300 Superintendent Ken Arndt, ex officio member of the Foundation board.  Besides the honor, Anderson's selection includes a monetary award sponsored by Lamp, Inc.

The Foundation also handed out Innovation Grants of up to $500 to 13 district teachers for their swell new ideas in teaching their subjects.

In the pic:  The other nominees (left to right), Amy Griffith from C'ville's Lakewood, Melanie Witek from Dundee's DMS and Michelle Soland from Algoquin's Westfield applaud Carol Anderson at her selection as District 300's Distinguished Educator of the Year. 

LITH Girl Gathers Aid For Domestic Violence Victims

Lake in the Hills resident Katie Ostrem was concerned about kids driven to shelter at McHenry County's Turning Point domestic violence agency so the 10 year-old collected children’s items recently to help them.

Ostrem collected items for Turning Point's playroom, including coloring books, paints, aprons and supplies to make home made modeling clay. The Turning Point shelter is a secure location for victims of domestic violence and can hold up to 21 women & children per night.

The shelter is also in need of all sizes of new children’s pajamas, according to volunteer coordinator Jennifer Kenning. She said anyone interested in rounding up pajamas, robes and slippers should contact her at (815) 338-8081.

In the pic: Little Katie Ostrem with some of the materials she collected to help victims of domestic violence at McHenry County's Turning Point shelter.

Health Department Posts Beach Results

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) has begun summer beach water samplings at the county's 35 licensed beaches According to the latest report there were no increased bacterial levels.  All beaches will be open.

To prevent illness associated with swimming, all licensed beaches on the 13 lakes in McHenry County are tested every 2 weeks for E. coli throughout the summer to determine water quality.  Additional and more frequent sampling is done when elevated bacterial levels are found.  The Department recommends refraining from swimming at least 2-3 days after heavy rainfall.

Beaches that require an advisory or closing are posted with signs by MCDH.  All beach water results and locations are readily available at: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/health/Pages/EHPublicBeach.aspx#b or by calling (815) 334-4585.

In the pic: LITH's Butch Hagele Beach.

Blagojevich Arguments Opening Today

By Bill McMorris, Illinois Statehouse News
The federal courthouse is expected to be flooded with spectators today as opening statements are set to begin in the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But it won’t just be national media and interested citizens crowding the courthouse. Fifty prospective jurors will also be in attendance — ten more than federal Judge James Zagel wanted.

Now it is up to the defense and prosecutors to send 22 jurors home during the peremptory strike phase of the process, in which attorneys can dismiss jurors for any reason other than gender and race. The defense will be allotted 13 strikes, while the prosecution will receive nine.

Blagojevich still hopes to finish opening statements early today but his own attorneys could cost him the opportunity. Lead attorney Sam Adam Jr. requested up to two and a half hours for the former governor’s opening statement because of the magnitude of the case. The judge, however, decided to grant Adam one hour and forty-five minutes instead.

“It’s nice to be back because this is the place where we can finally get the truth,” Blagojevich said as he walked into the courthouse Monday morning. Blagojevich faces more than 20 counts of corruption charges, including bribery, extortion and racketeering. He faces up to 415 years in prison if convicted.

You can read Bill's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3182/blagojevich-trial-fireworks-expected-tuesday/

Governor Surveys Illinois Tornado Damage

By Jennifer Wessner, Illinois Statehouse News
Gov. Pat Quinn traveled Monday to the central Illinois community of Dwight to assess the damage caused by Saturday’s tornadoes. Some 15 tornadoes tore through Illinois over the weekend leaving several communities badly damaged. The storms caused more than 30 reported injuries, but no deaths.

The governor declared the four hardest hit counties state disaster areas: LaSalle, Livingston, Peoria and Putnam counties. The designation allows the state to begin the process of applying for federal money to help the communities rebuild. In Livingston County, 50 homes, including 40 mobile homes, were damaged and dozens of individuals were reported injured. In Peoria County, the Elmwood Community Center lost part of its roof and sustained other damage. Areas of Putnam and LaSalle Counties have downed power lines and damaged homes.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson said in order for the state to receive federal disaster relief money, damages must total at least $16 million or 150 homes must have been destroyed. Damages were still being tallied Monday.

You can read Jennifer's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3180/governor-surveys-tornado-damage-in-central-illinois/

In the pic: A home knocked flat in Streator in LaSalle County.

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
0342 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WOODY WAY. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Son. Verbal only. One prior.
0359 HRS 700 BLOCK OF ELDERBERRY CT. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Officer had contact with a registered sex offender.
1428 HRS 3 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (AUTOZONE). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1457 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1529 HRS 400 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Reporting officer assisted McHenry County Sherriff with serving an Order of Protection.
1513 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON ST. CITIZEN ASSIST. Complainant needed to retrieve items from a residence.
1657 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (LITH POLICE). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 36 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Saint Joseph’s Hospital.
1718 HRS 500 HARVEST GATE,  (LINCOLN PRAIRIE). THEFT. Purse was taken from the school. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1917 HRS 5200 MILLER RD., (SKATE PARK). INFORMATION FOR POLICE.  Two juveniles were possibly followed home from the skate park.
1921 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs Girlfriend. Verbal only. No priors.
2144 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & BOULDER DR. FOLLOW-UP REPORT: CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY/ Taxi cab struck the gate at the exit of Boulder Ridge. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
Algonquin
June 2
07:02am A sixteen year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Theft of Lost/Mislaid Property.  He was taken into custody at at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was referred to the Tri Area Court for Teens and then released into the custody of his mother.
09:02am A fourteen year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Robbery and Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was formally petitioned into Juvenile court and then released into the custody of his mother.
12:23pm Rosales-Miranda, Gabriela A., DOB: 09/03/81 of 1000 Cortney Circle, Carpentersville, was charged with No Valid Driver's License and Speeding.  She was taken into custody at Route 31 and Elmwood.  She was released after posting $100 with a court date of 07/14/10 in McHenry County.
13:16pm McGee, William J. Jr., DOB: 03/08/85, of 1125 Boxwood Drive Apt #G2, Mount Prospect, was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Butera, 1400 E. Algonquin Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 6/30/10 in Algonquin.
June 3
07:05am A sixteen year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Theft of Lost/Mislaid Property.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was referred to the Tri Area Court for Teens and then released into the custody of his mother.
71:22pm A fifteen year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Aggravated Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his guardian.
19:23pm A fifteen year-old female from Crystal Lake was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Claire's, 1728 S. Randall Road.  She was Station Adjusted and then released into the custody of her mother.
June 4
17:36pm A seventeen year-old female from Crystal Lake was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Joe Caputo & Sons, 100 S Randall Road.  She was referred to the Tri Area Court for Teens and then released into the custody of her parents.
20:20pm Manson, Steven M., DOB: 06/15/90, of 1710 Park Lane, McHenry, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry County for Harassment by Telephone.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 06/30/10, in McHenry County.
June 5
16:57pm Miotke, Michael R., DOB: 12/18/76, of 3175 Hale Lane, Island Lake, was charged with DWLS, Suspended Registration, Improper Display of Registration Sticker and Expired Registration.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Pyott Road.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/07/10, in McHenry County.

Apology

Due to Google Hosting "isolated access issues" (in 20 states for 19 hours) FEN was unable to post Monday's stories at the usual 7 am-ish time.  FEN regrets the inconvenience.  In the old days you could climb on the press with a wrench and a roll of bailing wire, reset the web and be up and running in 20 minutes. Now all you can do is pray to the Internet gods.

Pending Law Would Hijack Local Funds To State

The Legislature hasn't acted yet on Governor Quinn's plan to keep 30 percent of municipalities' share of the state income tax but there's already a bill on his desk to divert to state coffers traffic ticket money that now goes to communities like Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley.

Found guilty, defendants in felonies, misdemeanors, traffic violations and civil cases may have to pay a fine.  It's not monolithic though and chunks of it go in different directions. On a $75 traffic ticket,for instance, only about one third actually goes to the issuing agency but the bill awaiting Quinn's signature wants some of that, too.

In a $13 billion deficit hole this year, the Governor's budget proposal calls for cuts that would lay off about 2000 state troopers and shut down 5 of the Illinois State Police 21 posts. The new almost-law will divert $28 million that now goes to counties and municipalities to prevent that.

"Everybody's going to take a cut," said McHenry County Circuit Clerk Kathy Keefe who estimated that on an uncontested $75 traffic ticket the county will lose almost $1 but local municipalities will take a $2.25 haircut.

That kind of money isn't a huge revenue source for anyone but, as Algonquin Village Manager Bill Ganek observed Friday, "At this stage any source of revenues is significant."  Ganek just directed Algonquin department heads to find another 5 percent to cut from the village's 2 month-old budget.

Huntley Village Manager Dave Johnson facing a similarly austere budget was sympathetic about the state's woes Friday but not enough.  "If it comes to a choice between funding the State Police or local police, I'll pick the local," he said.

The House passed the bill unanimously, while Senate Democrats pushed it proposal through on a mostly partisan vote. Quinn hasn't given any indication yet on when he'll decide on the diversion.

Volunteers Prepare Food Aid For Haiti

"It's going to be real close," said McHenry County Salvation Army Commander Maj. John Price Sunday afternoon of his goal to ship 1 million emergency meals to earthquake victims in Haiti.

Price said between 3,600 and 3,800 county residents turned out over the weekend to prepare and package a mix of rice, beans and vitamins to help keep starving refugees' bodies and souls together. "One of the nurses in Haiti said when kids began eating this she could immediately see they looked healthier," Price reported.  "She said you could see it in their skin and hair."

County volunteers shipped just short of half a million meals Saturday price said as he surveyed more madly manning almost every workstation at a defunct Crystal Lake supermarket.

"We made up a crockpot of (the nutrition mix) yesterday," said Price.  "We added some spices. It's a little bit bland, but that's the point," he said.  "You can put anything in it."

In the pic:  Volunteers Ali Garner, Lake in the Hills, Darlene Towzey, Huntley, and Towzey's granddaughter Katie Schneiderman, Fox River Grove, seal and pack emergency rations for refugees at the McHenry County Salvation Army's Million Meals For Haiti effort in Crystal Lake Sunday.

Girls On The Run Mob Sunset Park

About 1,000 runners converged on LITH's Sunset Park Sunday for the McHenry County Girls On The Run 5k esteem-building race for girls in grades 3 through 8.

Some 430 runners were girls; an equal number were mother or mentor "running buddies" and the rest were just people who liked to race, according to organizer Raechel Sowa.

The point of the exercise was to instill confidence and discipline, said Sowa.  "We don't care if they hop, skip, jump or chase butterflies (and they will)," she said.  "Just as long as they finish."

Girls on The Run is a 10-week course to promote healthy lifestyles and self-respect but it's chief goal is to teach girls "to finish what you start," said Sowa.

McHenry County Real Estate Taxes Due Today

McHenry County residents had an extra week over their Kane County neighbors but time's up today on paying this year's (last year's actually) real estate taxes.

County Treasurer Bill LeFew has an actual vault in his new digs next to the county courthouse but that's left over from its days as Cardunal Bank.  Also left over are the office's drive-up windows which LeFew said are being used even more than he expected.

In the pic:  Treasurer Bill LeFew impersonates Carmichael the polar bear who guarded Jack Benny's money vault.  Not that there's much cash in the vault.  LeFew said most folks pay with checks or credit cards.

Lawmakers Show Willingness To Cut Medicaid

By Jennifer Wessner, Illinois Statehouse News

While lawmakers were piecing together the state budget last month a group of Chicago-area Democrats cobbled together a number of cuts to help reduce the state’s budget deficit $1.2 billion. But most of the cuts didn’t even make it to the full House or Senate for consideration. In fact, the only proposed cut to clear a House committee was a $200 million reduction to the state’s Medicaid program.

The proposals also included a 5 percent across-the-board cut to state agency operations, and a requirement that state retirees contribute more to their health care costs.

As chairwoman of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, said she was surprised by the negative reaction the proposed cuts received from lawmakers. “I think it was an interesting exercise,” Feigenholtz said, “because it definitely showed the willingness and the lack of willingness of what people are willing to do.”

The state’s social service providers are frustrated that the only significant discussion of cuts has landed on Medicaid’s doorstep once again. Jim Duffett, the , said lawmakers are looking to make cuts in the wrong place.

“Like every year, we hear a variety of different innuendoes by some politicians that by doing this or doing that with Medicaid we’ll save the state $1 billion, $2 billion, $3 billion,” said executive director of the Champaign-based Campaign for Better Health Care Duffett. “It’s, unfortunately, a bunch of hogwash.”

Duffett said the real reason Medicaid is under the knife can be found in the vulnerability of the population it serves. “Those individuals on Medicaid are not registered to vote and those that do – are registered –don’t vote,” Duffett said. “They’re not part of any type of organized entity that ends up giving hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of political PAC dollars to politicians.”

The proposed Medicaid cuts, as well as the other spending reductions, are likely to come up again when lawmakers reconvene this year.  There being no schedule at the moment, whenever that is.

You can read Jennifer's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3126/lawmakers-show-willingness-to-cut-medicaid/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 6
0209 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & MEYER DR. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. KRUSE, JACOB M., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 364 RICHMOND LN., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGE: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. RELEASED ON BOND.
2226 HRS 400 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. DOMESTIC BATTERY. MAYERHOFER, WENDY E., F/W 43 YEARS OF AGE, 431 WINSLOW WAY, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, two counts. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0146 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD., (MORETTI’S). FOLLOW-UP ARREST: DOMESTIC BATTERY. HANNON, DORIS M., F/W 46 YEARS OF AGE, 1507 WASHINGTON ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, two counts. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1527 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (LITH POLICE). FOLLOW-UP ARREST: HARASSMENT BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE. RICCIARDI, RONALD P., M/W 35 YEARS OF AGE, 10635 GOLDEN GATE, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Harassment by Telephone, Harassment by Electronic Device. RELEASED ON BOND.
1203 HRS 2700 BLOCK OF CADBURY CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 67 years of age, feeling weak. Transported to Woodstock Memorial.
1315 HRS 1299 PYOTT RD. (PYOTT RD BRIDGE). CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Black spray paint on west retaining wall.
1416 HRS 1216 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (RYDER PARK). ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. A pick-up truck was struck by a baseball causing minor damage.
1604 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF CREEK VIEW LN. ATTEMPT SUICIDE. Male, 42 years of age, attempted suicide.
Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2046 HRS 5500 BLOCK OF CHANTILLY CIRCLE. CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
2130 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PRIDES RUN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Window was broken due to paint ball being shot at the residence. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2221 HRS 0 BLOCK OF ROCHELLE CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 41 years of age, with pain in her arms. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.

Jacobs, Dundee-Crown Hand Diplomas To 1,074 Grads

The Hoffman Estates Sears Center was packed, twice, Saturday with proud District 300 families celebrating high school graduations.

Saturday morning Dundee-Crown High School saw the graduation of 499 students led by Valedictorian Michelle Clark and Salutatorian Michelle Musielewicz.

Saturday afternoon 575 Jacobs students received their diplomas.  Elizabeth Lampp gave the senior address.  Jacobs Valedictorians included Joseph Barnec, Cassandra Castillo, Jae Wook Cha, Brittany Cooke, Ashlen Dunn, Emily Heinz, Erik Melchers, Danielle Montgomery, Meghan and Siobhan Odendaal, Kevin Olson, Daniel Paitl, Bandon Richman, Pam Schuett and Brittany White.

Algonquin Fine Arts Exhibition Adds Second Day

Occasional precip prompted a lot of tent fly tweaking Saturday at Algonquin's Art On The Fox fine arts exhibition in Riverfront Park. The trick was to strike a balance between keeping the weather out and drawing sightlines in.

Works by 35 artists and artisans were and will be on display and for sale with Algonquin singer Mary Lai providing background music for ambling art lovers. For its third year the Art On The Fox exhibition will run for two days.  As Saturday, today's hours are from 10 am to 5 pm.

Huntley Farmers' Market Opens 2010 Season

Intermittent sprinkles just added a note of dewy freshness to Huntley's first Farmers' Market of the 2010 summer Saturday which included seven new vendors.

Bergman Eggs of Maple Park, for instance brought 60 dozen natural brown eggs laid by the family's cage-free chickens.  "We have people come out from Aurora and other communities just to get our eggs," said Sharon Bergman.  "This is the first Farmers' Market we've tried."

Bergman said driving in on Route 47 felt familiar.  "We've got a lot of construction near us," too.

Huntley's Farmers' Market will run each Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm in Town Square through Oct. 2 featuring (just a sampling here) baked goods, pickles, jellies and jams, grass-fed beef, organic chicken and pork, butter, cheese, asparagus, rhubarb, peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes, onions, herbs, mushrooms and lots of different crafts.

Huntley High Award Winners Listed

Here's a list of Huntley High School graduates recently honored by District 158 for their achievements this year.

Cumulative 4.0 Awards
Michelle M. Lisack               Jamie L.Wimberly
Nhu Xuan Nguyen                  Sara Hoffman 
Emily Kay Christ                 Kevin T. Doran 
Jennelle Nystrom                 Joanna Kurnat 
Alexandra Catalina Perez         Rebecca D.LaPorta 
Melissa Sutherland               Sanya M. Siddiqui 
Paige E. Cordle                  Kirsten A. Bushman 
Joseph Alberto Lopez             Carrie Koepke Quinn 
Brian Ackermann                  Emily Webster
Arianna Albanese                 Patrick William Walsh 
Amelia Auchstetter               Andrew Meyer
Zachary Staab                    Jonathan David Schacherer  
Brian Joseph Dinh                Taylor Henning-Fletter 
Margaret R. Christie             Zaanish A. Pirani
Jeremy T. H. Ritzert             Karolina J. Lernacinska 
Eric Wiedenfeld 

Perfect Attendance- High School
Brian Ackermann    

Bob Bond Spirit Award   
Amy Fanella

National Merit Program- Commended Students
Brian Ackermann                  Nhu Nguyen
Kalvin Brown                     Jennelle Nystrom 
Michelle Lisack         

Prairie State Achievement Awards
Brian Ackermann                  Kyle Lewandowski
Arianna Albanese                 Michelle Lisack
Katlyn Anderberg                 Taylor Lombardo
Victoria Aroworade               Alexander Long
Amelia Auchstetter               Joseph Lopez
Jay Bacheller                    Dominic Lorenz
Joanna Baranska                  Aaron Mamparo
Brittany Berger                  Cameron Marzejon
Justin Bromberg                  Patrick McLaughlin
Kalvin Brown                     Casey McLennand
Kirsten Bushman                  Andrew Meyer
Alejandra Canales                Alesa Mueller
Daniel Carlson                   Joseph Muren
Emily Christ                     Nhu(Chris) Nguyen
Margaret Christie                Jennelle Nystrom
Joseph Chung                     Clayton Oates
Coultzen Claudio                 Alexandra Perez
Paige Cordle                     Nicholas Pesce
Kaylee Crogan                    Ashley Pietrusiak
Kimberly Cuaresma                Marcus Popenfoose
Dencho Denchev                   Anthony Prerost
Brittany Devine                  Shaunna Proper
Brian Dinh                       Carrie Quinn
Kalynn Dodd                      Hubert Radon
Kevin Doran                      Abhishek Rawalji
Wesley Fait                      Dylan Rehner
Daniel Fiedler                   Wayne Reynolds
Sean Fuhrer                      Jeremy Ritzert
Lauren Gaitsch                   Daimon Roesslein
Javier Garay                     Brandon Rollins
Saadia Gaziuddin                 Victoria Ross
Zachary Girard                   Justin Rucinski
Natalie Goerlitz                 Jonathan Schacherer
Michael Grode                    Stefany Southivongnarath
Samantha Guttenberg              Zachary Staab
John Hackett                     Shannon Stanis
Megan Hanks                      Christian Sulana
Taylor Henning-Fletter           Melissa Sutherland
Vinay Hiremath                   Dylan Tsikretsis
Sean Jahn                        Adam Vance
Lauren Jones                     Austin Vecchiollo
Megan Kasper                     Patrick Walsh
Kacey Keegan                     Emily Webster
Matthew Ksiazek                  Eric Wiedenfeld 
Joanna Kurnat                    Melissa Williams
Igor Kuzmanoski                  Carter Wilson
Sara Lawler                      Jamie Wimberly
Joseph Lawton                    Dong-yeol Yoo
Karolina Lernacinska

Quill and Scroll 
Michelle Lisack
Victoria Luisi
Danielle Moritz

Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award 
Corrine Wronski   
Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award 
Marcus Popenfoose
Jenna Mychko
Marine Corps Award for Musical Excellence
Paige Cordle   

U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar-Athlete Award
Brandon Luczak
Amy Fanella  

American Legion School Award 
Marcus Popenfoose
Jenna Mychko

Universities' Borrowing Power Not Yet Approved

By Mary Massingale, Illinois Statehouse News
Gov. Pat Quinn has redefined the definition of prompt payment and prompt action, especially when it comes to Illinois’ nine public universities. The schools are owed $630.3 million in late state payments as of Thursday, according to the Illinois Comptroller’s office. But legislation sent to Quinn in mid-May allowing the universities to borrow to make payroll has yet to be signed into law.

Quinn last week said he would address the measure “promptly,” but noted his focus remains on the plan to borrow $4 billion to fund the state’s five public employee pension systems. The action, or lack of it, has apparently left the university borrowing bill in limbo, although a Quinn spokeswoman noted the governor is still within the constitutional timetable. “We do have 60 days to review the bill,” said Annie Thompson. “The governor has been pretty strong in the past in his support for education funding.”

The bill allows universities to borrow up to 75 percent of payroll and other expenses left unpaid by the state for fiscal year 2010. University officials must repay the line of credit within a year, or 10 days following the receipt of state payment of the backlogged bills.

The state’s flagship university with three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield has already implemented furlough days, as well as a hiring freeze. University of Illinois trustees last month approved a 9.5 percent tuition increase for new students this fall, and hope they won’t be forced to use the proposed borrowing legislation.

“Our people have talked to the (governor’s) budget director, but we have no indication when the governor would sign it, if he would,” said U of I spokesman Mike Lillich.

The following list from the Comptroller’s office details the amounts the state owes the universities.
University of Illinois, $366.5 million
Southern Illinois University, $106.5 million
Northern Illinois University, $43.1 million
Illinois State University, $38.6 million
Eastern Illinois University, $21.1 million
Western Illinois University, $19.5 million
Northeastern Illinois University, $14.1 million
Chicago State University, $13.8 million
Governors State University, $7.1 million
Total: $630.3 million

You can read Mary's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3164/universities-owed-630-million-borrowing-power-not-yet-approved/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 05
0204 HRS 2100 BLOCK OF ALGONQUIN RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. TRUDEAU, MATTHEW R., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 2218 TEPEE AVE., CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, Carpentersville, Failure to Appear, Driving Under the Influence of Liquor, $2,000.00 Full Bond. TURNED OVER TO CARPENTERSVILLE POLICE DEPT.
2013 HRS 400 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. HIT & RUN.  LEWIS, JAMES T., M/W 59 YEARS OF AGE, 1007 HORIZON RIDGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content
Over .08, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Improper Lane Usage. RELEASED ON BOND.
0645 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON ST. DOMESTIC BATTERY . Wife vs. husband. Four priors. 46 year old female transported to Sherman Hospital with head pain. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1244 HRS 9172 TRINITY DR., (CROSSFIT). ASSIST AMBULANCE. 25 year old female passed out. No transport.
1432 HRS 200 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE, 96 year old male fell 2 days ago, possible broken hip. Transported to Saint Alexis Hospital.
1853 HRS 00 BLOCK OF HILLY LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY Husband vs. wife. No priors. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2015 HRS 170 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASS. HARASSMENT BY TELEPHONE. Complainant advised he is receiving threatening telephone calls as well as text messages. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2114 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2205 HRS 400 BLOCK OF RIDGE CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 62 years of age, with high blood pressure. No transport.