Algonquin Home Sale Boosts County Stabilization

A home in Algonquin's High Hills Subdivision this week became the second home sold in McHenry County's Neighborhood Stabilization Program, according to Department of Planning and Development officials.

Earlier this month a home in Oakwood Hills was the first sold of ten the County is sprucing up to kickstart sales in some neighborhoods with a lot of foreclosures.  The County bought the homes with about $5 in federal and state funds for sale or rent to qualified families making between 50 and 120 percent of county median income.

CAHMCO Executive Director Mary Lu Seidel said she expected the program's direct renovations to set off a cascade effect.  "Whenever we would rehab a house on the block at least two or three other people would do something, too," she said.

The Corporation for Affordable Homes for McHenry County, bought the  two-story, four bedroom Algonquin colonial in January after it was foreclosed last August. CAHMCO hired contractors to make the place more energy efficient and ensure it wouldn't need anything big like a roof or furnace for at least five years.

Homeowners must go through a minimum eight hours of consumer credit counseling to learn about the financial responsibility of homeownership before purchasing an NSP home.  Information for buyers and contractors are at: http://www.cahmco.org/nsp.html .

Other homes in the County program are in Harvard, Woodstock, Island Lake and Wonder Lake.  The program is supposed to run for "three or four years".

In the pic:  This 1986 home just off Huntington Drive is the second sold in a McHenry County drive to stanch the the recent wave of foreclosures.

Time Running Out To Get Senior Assessment Freeze

Township assessors are in the midst of reevaluating homes for the current tax year but time's running out for elder homeowners to apply for a Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption Application.  The deadline is Thursday.

Seniors 65 and up with a household income of $55,000 or less may be eligible for the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption. To qualify an owner must also receive the Senior Homestead Exemption and the property must be his principal residence for a period including the two prior January 1 dates.

County Assessor Bob Ross announced Friday a recent County bulletin was wrong, however, in claiming the form to apply for the assessment freeze was available online.  You'll have to pick up a hard copy at either the Algonquin or Grafton township assessors' offices or at Ross's office in Woodstock, he said.

Huntley Rotary Funds Kids' Day Camp

Huntley's Rotary Club recently donated $1000 to the Huntley Park Foundation for grants to families whose children need summer day camp.  The Huntley Park District Summer Camp is a ten-week program for children and teens during the summer break from school. 

The popular camp features themed weeks which include field trips, entertainment, swimming, crafts, games, sports, educational activities and special events.  Grants supplement the fees due from participant families. “Many families are affected by the current economy, and the Rotary Club wanted to help the kids have a fun and educational summertime,” stated Jim Drendel, Rotary president.

In the pic:  Rotarians Pat Jagman, Warren Higgins, and Earl Ferris sold popcorn Tuesday at the concert in Deicke Park, one of the ways Huntley Rotary raises funds for community projects like the camp donation, the Grafton Food Pantry, and the Salvation Army.

Quinn Signs STAR Bonds

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn approved a controversial economic stimulus plan Thursday meant to bring development to an area of southern Illinois with double-digit unemployment. The cost will be the loss of nine-digit revenue.

The bill will allow Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds to fund up to half construction of a planned shopping and entertainment complex near downstate Marion. That will mean the sales tax dollars generated by the estimated $378 million development would help to fund its creation instead of going to state government. The bill also requires that fifteen percent of any new property tax revenue from the complex would go to area schools.

Detractors say Illinois cannot afford to lose large chunks of tax revenue during a budget crisis, especially if projects similar to the one near Marion are eventually allowed to spring up throughout the state. The Illinois Department of Revenue estimated that STAR bond district alone would cost the state $287.5 million to $437.5 million in future sales taxes revenues.

But those in favor of the plan say the lost revenue is a tolerable trade-off for new business in an area that has historically relied on coal mines, many of which now closed, as a major employer and which has been hit hard by the recent financial turmoil.

“This legislation is going to help us create jobs — and real jobs that you can depend on; you can support a family on,” Quinn said at a Marion news conference.

The plan is a pilot program exclusive to this project. However, critics say it is only a matter of time before other areas want to do the same.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/quinn-signs-star-bonds.html

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.

ERIC R. SPAIN, DOB:  01/28/78, 9865 THORNTON WAY, HUNTLEY. UNLAWFUL VIOLATION OF ORDER OR PROTECTION, DOMESTIC BATTERY(2CTS), UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WITH THE REPORTING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.--Huntley PD
  
ALEXANDER D. EDMONDS, DOB:  10/25/88, 452 WASHINGTON PLACE, SYCAMORE. AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE.--Algonquin PD
  
AMANDA V. HERNANDEZ, DOB:  03/10/80, 7510 BIRCH DRIVE,WONDER LAKE. RETAIL THEFT.--McHenry PD
  
AMBER J. MEYER, DOB:  07/12/81, 210 W. BROADWAY STREET, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED BATTERY, BATTERY(2CTS), CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
SALVADOR LEMUS, JR.. DOB:  12/19/77, 207 MCCOMB STREET, HARVARD. DEFRAUDING DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENING TESTS.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
      
ADAM J. MACHNIK, DOB:  06/03/91, 2207 W. FAIRVIEW AVENUE., JOHNSBURG. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS WITH THE INTENT TO DELIVER, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM AMMUNITION WITHOUT FOID CARD, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry PD
  
WILLIAM A. BELOW, DOB:  04/04/87, 8920 WOODY TRAIL, WONDER LAKE. AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

JONATHAN M. HENDLE, DOB: 03/07/91, 976 NOTTINGHAM LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. ATTEMPTED BURGLARY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--Crystal Lake PD
  
KEITH W. RINDT, DOB: 01/18/1992, UNKNOWN, WONDER LAKE. RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER, UNLAWFUL VIOLATION OF AN ORDER OF PROTECTION, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS,UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
JOHN D. FITCH, DOB: 09/05/54, 6704 HUNTERS PATH, CARY. DOMESTIC BATTERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE
WITH THE REPORTING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

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 25
0054 HRS KAY CT. & BONNIE CT. BATTERY. PFEIFFER, ROBERT A., M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 4 BONNIE CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
0131 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. CHAVEZ, JESSE R., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 1790 HAVERFORD DR., ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Greater than .08, Improper Lane Use. RELEASED ON BOND.
0930 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. ACUNA-DIAZ, MANUEL D., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 449 WINDHAM COVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Suspended Registration, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
2322 HRS HANSON RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. STADIE, DAVID G., M/W 35 YOA, 2613 CESARIO DR., HAMPSHIRE. Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Greater than .08, Open Container of Alcohol, No Insurance, Improper Lane Use, No rear Registration Lamp. RELEASED ON BOND.
0150 HRS 311 N. RANDALL RD., (AMC THEATER). HARASSMENT. Female subject harassing a female subject. FAIL TO FILE.
0421 HRS 900 BLOCK OF ASTER CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 37 years of age, severe headache. Transported to Woodstock Hospital.
1241 HRS 4500 ALGONQUIN RD., (7 ELEVEN). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
644 HRS 50 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE Male, 73 years of age fell and hurt his back. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

McHenry County Unemployment Below 10 Percent

McHenry County unemployment fell below 10 percent in May, just, to 9.9 percent according to the latest figures released Thursday by the State Department of Employment Security.  That's the best number in six months and marked a sharp drop from April's 10.4 percent figure.

McHenry County's performance was in line with improvement in the state's overall 10.0 percent unemployment rate announced earlier this month.  Then IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell said, “Long-term job growth might include periods that show flat or possibly increased unemployment rates as frustrated job seekers grow more hopeful about their job prospects.”

According to IDES trackers, Illinois added 16,700 new jobs in May but, the same as nationally, much of the growth came from hiring census takers. Manufacturing only grew by 2,400 spots, educational and health services 1,900 and professional and business services 1,300.

At the municipal level Algonquin's unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent, followed by Lake in the Hills at 9.2 percent and Crystal Lake at 9.7 percent. McHenry remains mired with a 10.4 percent unemployment rate.

                          UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED April 2010       PRELIMINARY May 2010               
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED      MAY 
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2009   
U.S. (X1000)   153,911  14,609   9.5    153,866   14,369   9.3   9.1    
ILLINOIS     6,668,387 716,583  10.7  6,645,041  665,023  10.0   9.8    

MCHENRY COUNTY 181,632  18,908  10.4    180,506   17,934   9.9  10.1    
KANE COUNTY    272,100  30,158  11.1    269,988   28,272  10.5  10.4    
LAKE COUNTY    361,618  40,343  11.2    361,095   33,956   9.4   8.6    

ALGONQUIN       16,878   1,565   9.3     16,796    1,497   8.9   8.6    
LITH            17,204   1,661   9.7     17,103    1,575   9.2   9.5    
CRYSTAL LAKE    22,553   2,312  10.3     22,394    2,172   9.7  10.2    
MCHENRY         15,299   1,650  10.8     15,223    1,587  10.4  10.7    

Judge Boots Grafton Township Case Another Month

Grafton Township residents hoping for speedy court resolution to the battle over township dominance were disappointed Thursday when Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell continued the case for another month.

Attorneys for both sides asked for more time to polish their written arguments to Caldwell who gave them a new July 22 deadline.  Considering the intensity of the case and its potential to set new township standards a decision probably wouldn't come for a week or two after that, though.

Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore is suing all the Township trustees and the Township attorney for allegedly usurping her powers.  The trustees, in turn, are countersuing Moore for obstructing their directives.

Meanwhile Grafton Township Assessor Bill Ottley who for the past year has tried to stay out of the fight charged Thursday that Moore has badly botched paying his office's bills.

"I don't have an Ace (Hardware) charge account anymore," said Ottley.  "She didn't pay my bill.  She didn't pay any of our bills in May."

Ottley said things are so bad at the Grafton Offices he probably won't be able to get a drink of water in his often stifling office.  "(The bottled water company) is probably going to cut us off.  She hasn't paid that.  We won't have any potable water."

There's a tap at the sink over there.

"That's well water.  It hasn't been tested and certified in years," said Ottley.

They make water filters for that sort of thing, don't they?

"Maybe, but I won't be able to buy one at Ace," Ottley replied.

Moore said this morning that the only Ace bill approved in May was for $2.29 and Ottley could still buy anything he wanted at the store with his Township credit card.  She also said she'd be happy to send a water sample to the County Department of Health since she does it for township residents weekly on Tuesdays.

State Pays Huntley--Six Months Late

Village Manager Dave Johnson had gladsome tidings for the Huntley Board Thursday reporting the State of Illinois made a payment this week of the village's share of state income taxes.  Unfortunately, he said, it was only the payment that was due back in December so the Comptroller still owes Huntley about $900,000.

The shortfall made a Thursday's start on a broadstroke five-year financial plan a difficult one.  Finance Director Jennifer Chernak said, based on past experience, the village could expect a 2.5 percent increase in almost everything in the next five years--expenses and revenue both--so the village could run balanced budgets for the next five years if no one upsets the applecart.

Said cart is headed toward two giant potholes, though.  One is Governor Pat Quinn's plan to hijack 30 percent of the village's share of state income tax revenue to prop up the State Board of Education (see story below.)  The other uncertainty is the cost of health insurance for Village employees.  Chernak projected that to increase 15 percent each year.

"That's what we had this year," after changing carriers, she said. "It was going to be 30 percent."  The big question mark there is Obamacare health reform  whose regulations are only now being written.  "We don't really know what effect that's going to have," said Chernak.

"What are the best sources of (new) revenue if we absolutely have to have them?" asked Trustee Harry Leopold.  "Where are we going to get the money?"

"We haven't looked at that yet," said Johnson.

"We've been using surpluses and cutting expenses for the last couple of years," said Leopold.  "Far be it for me to talk about Doomsday but this is Doomsday.  We're in the hole."

"We'll come up with some possibilities for discussion," Johnson promised.

LITH Summer Concert Series Starts Sunday

The first of this year's Lake in the Hills Parks & Recreation Department's popular summer concerts will be Sunday at 6 p.m. on the village hall north lawn.
The concert will feature Chicago cover band Soda.

The group's playlist is decidedly eclectic including hits made popular by, among others, Johnny Cash, Dave Matthew, Styx and John Mayer.

The event is free and picnicking is OK, indeed encouraged. In case of inclement weather, the concert will move inside to the Village Hall Multipurpose
room. For more information about Soda go to http://sodarocks.com/ .

State Cuts School Funding Almost $300 Million

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
The Illinois State Board of Education approved almost $300 million in cuts to K-12 education Thursday.

The board had anticipated a $480 million shortfall from last year’s budget, based on the budget approved by the General Assembly. But Gov. Pat Quinn decided to allocate $194 million to bilingual and early childhood education, which the board had listed among its proposed cuts.

“There are federal requirements for districts to provide bilingual education and the state is strongly committed to providing early childhood programs,” Kelly Kraft, a spokesperson for Quinn’s Office of Management and Budget, said in a written statement.

The budget will maintain the foundation spending level at $6,119 per student. “Those are the primary funds that districts really rely on, so that’s important,” said Mary Fergus, a spokesperson for the state board. She said the board wanted to avoid cutting programs that receive matching federal funds because that would result in losing those dollars, as well.

The budget zeros out funding for more than a dozen programs, including: arts and foreign language, agricultural education, advanced placement classes, alternative schools for at-risk kids and school breakfast.

While some might consider the numbers grim, Fergus said the one positive is that schools can now start planning their budgets and making decisions such as whether to rehire some of the thousands of teachers and staff who were given pinks slips earlier this spring.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/k-12-to-take-almost-300-million-in-cuts.html

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 24
0022 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. WANTED ON WARRANT. PANKNIN, TERRY L., M/W 33 YEARS OF AGE, 141 VILLAGE CREEK DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County Sheriff’s Department for Larceny. Bond Amount: $10,000 at 10%.
TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL
0237 HRS FRANK RD. & MILLER RD. ILLEGAL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY A MINOR. JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Curfew, No Valid Driver’s License, Improper Lane Usage. Notice to Appear Issued. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Curfew. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Curfew. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/B 15 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Curfew. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0940 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD., (RAKOW CURVE). DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. NEWSOME, TAMMY J., F/W 46 YEARS OF AGE, 12 WALNUT GROVE CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Driving While License Revoked, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
1317 HRS ELM ST. & HILLTOP DR. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. REED, NICHOLAS T., M/W 26 YEARS OF AGE, 1110 VIEWPOINT DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While License suspended, No valid insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0654 HRS 3500 BLOCK OF CHADWICK LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Driver’s side window broken overnight.
0938 HRS 00 BLOCK OF HAWTHORNE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 49 year old female feeling shortness of breath following a bee sting. No transport.
1315 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 63 years of age, lost consciousness. Transported to Northern Illinois Medical Center.
1318 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (LITH POLICE). SEXUAL ASSAULT. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1407 HRS 3600 BLOCK OF CHADWICK LN. FOUND ARTICLE. Credit cards. Entered into evidence. Returned to owner.
1723 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD., (MORETTIS). ACCIDENT Car vs. car. Property damage only.
Algonquin
June 21
16:26pm Johnson, Ryan M., DOB: 09/23/84, of 608 N. Harrison Street, Algonquin, was charged with DWLS and Expired Registration.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Highland Avenue.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.
June 22
17:02pm Maniscalco, Ryan J., DOB: 04/03/87, of 1653 Warrington Lane, Crystal Lake, was charged with Retail Theft and Resisting a Peace Officer.  He was taken into custody in the area of Kelsey Court.  He was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.
June 23
02:10am Lang, Holly S., DOB: 07/23/73, of 1551 Seminole Road, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of West Dundee for Shop Lifting.  She was taken into custody at 1551 Seminole Road.  She was turned over to the West Dundee Police Department, when unable to post bond.
09:06am Eaves, Elizabeth M., DOB: 10/24/78, of 271 Country Commons Unit 2, Cary, was charged with DWLS and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody at Route 62 and Harrison Street.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.

Rainout Delays Randall Return To Normalcy

Work on Randall Road's right turn lane at Harnish drive was supposed to be finished with southbound lanes reopened this morning but oil and water don't mix so Wednesday's rains have pushed construction back at least one more day.

The lane's base layer of asphalt is down but at least two more remain to be applied and it isn't clear whether workers can manage to get them down before they run out of daylight today.

The schedule for the project announced last week included the qualifier "weather permitting" and the last few days have demonstrated why these things always include that little asterisk.

Independent Challenger Files For McHenry County Judge

McHenry County's confusing politics became even more confused Wednesday as Crystal Lake attorney Sally Wiggins filed petitions to run as an independent candidate for McHenry County Circuit judge against Associate Judge Gordon Graham in the November election.

Graham won the Republican spot on the ballot unopposed in the primary which featured no Democratic candidate at all. Wiggins said she didn't run in February be design claiming judges should "not make policy based upon political affiliation." Wiggins hasn't claimed her opponent is doing that but he is in the middle of a politically charged case.

Graham, appointed Associate Judge by the elected judges of the circuit in 1996 and periodically since, claims endorsements from a lengthy list of County Republican officeholders and appointees. He's also the judge who drew the short straw in the call to investigate charges State's Attorney Lou Bianchi used county workers on county time in his re-election campaign against challenger Dan Regna.  Graham appointed Special Prosecutor Skip Tonigan to look into the matter over nine months ago and, other than the presentation of a big bill and the formal convening of a grand jury, nothing has happened since.

Regna's run against Bianchi revealed a murky split in county Republican ranks with Sheriff Keith Nygren finally coming out for Regna.  Subsequently Bianchi made a call Nygren didn't like in a case against the Sheriff's Office and recently the Sheriff using a mouthpiece made his displeasure over that abundantly clear.  A few of the GOP have taken sides in whatever it's all about but most have been keeping their heads down, at least in public.

Wiggins claimed she'd collected 5,100 signatures to appear on the November ballot which is officially more than enough, that is, unless they're challenged.  In a news release Wiggins didn't say she expected that to happen but commented, "There are many rumors."

In the pic:  Independent candidate for Circuit Judge Sally Wiggins with 365 pages of signatures she collected to get on the November ballot.

LITHYAA Tourney Heads Into Fifth Year

Fourty five teams from northern Illinois as scheduled to duke it out in the fifth annual Brian Krueger Memorial Baseball Tournament for kids eight to twelve sponsored by the Lake in the Hills Youth Athletic Association.  The tourney will be at Sunset and Leroy Guy parks July 7 though 11.

The baseball tournament raises funds in memory of former LITHYAA baseball player Brian Krueger for the Midwest Children's Brain Tumor Center at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. The boy was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor at age 4, overcame it to start playing baseball in the LITHYAA at age 8 but relapsed and died 5 years ago at age 11. 

A portion of the proceeds collected from the tournament fees, concessions and T-shirt sales will be donated to help victims of pediatric cancer and their families.  Donations can also be made directly to:
Midwest Children's Brain Tumor Center, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital,1675 Dempster Street,Park Ridge, IL  60068.

In the pic: At the plate at the LITHYAA Brian Krueger Memorial Baseball Tournament last year.

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 23
1119 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. BROWN, TRENT T., M/W 36 YEARS OF AGE, 6312 LONGFORD DR., MCHENRY. CHARGES: Driving while License Revoked. RELEASED ON BOND.
1540 HRS ROUTE 47 & CONLEY RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. LESCHKE, SARA N., F/W 26 YEARS OF AGE, 801 WASHINGTON, WOODSTOCK. CHARGES: Driving while License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1207 HRS 300 BLOCK OF RIDGE LN. FOUND ARTICLE. Silver Mongoose BMX bicycle. Placed in evidence.
1450 HRS 300 N. RANDALL RD., (LOWE’S). BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. A power saw was removed from complainant’s vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2145 HRS 500 BLOCK OF CHEYENNE DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. One prior. Male, 41 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2150 HRS 200 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 8 years of age, possible broken hand from falling. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2223 HRS HALIGUS RD. & SCOTT DR. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Reporting officer assisted Crystal Lake Police with a stop and hold for a residential burglary.
2348 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. BATTERY Male subject pinched another male. FAIL TO FILE.
Huntley
June 14
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 10300 block of Sawgrass Ln.  A wallet was stolen and recovered.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 10800 block of Sawgrass Ln. A radar detector was stolen.
Luke K. Shaw, age 28, of 491 Windermere Way, Lake in the Hills, was arrested for driving while license suspended.  Mr. Shaw posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 2, 2010.
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 10500 block of Yellowstone.  The victim states that jewelry valued at $1,100.00 was stolen from the residence.
June 15
Victor M. Zepeda, age 19, of 15 Tweed Rd, Fox Lake, was arrested for driving while license suspended and cited for driving to fast for conditions, tinted windows, and no proof of insurance.  Mr. Zepeda posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 9, 2010.
Jose Juan Perez-Villagomez, age 41, of 775 Adams St., Huntley, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license.  Mr. Perez-Villagomez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 16, 2010.
June 16
A retail theft report was taken at a business in the 13200 block of Village Green.  The victim states flowers were stolen.  The suspect later returned and paid for the merchandise.
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 9900 block of Riverside Dr.  A Gravity longboard with a rainforest design valued at $200.00 was stolen from the open garage.
Andrzej D. Poznia, age 36, of 11283 Nicollet, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and operating a vehicle with a license plate cover.  Mr. Andrzej posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 16, 2010.
June 17
Paige N. Cook, age 19, of 11602 E. Main St. Lower, Huntley, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant for criminal damage to property.  Ms. Cook posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 30, 2010.
Abraham Mendez-Gomez, age 23, of 5 Meadowlark, Carpentersville, was arrested for driving while license suspended and unlawful display of registration.  Mr. Mendez-Gomez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 16, 2010.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 12000 block of Yellowstone.  The victim stated that a GPS unit was stolen from the vehicle on June 13, 2010.
June 18
Stephanie L. Schneider, age 30, of 11306 S. Myrtle, Huntley, was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident.  Ms. Schneider posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 23, 2010.
Mauricio Neri, age 20, of 456 Illinois St, Huntley, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license and cited for improper lane use and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.  Mr. Neri posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of  July 16, 2010.
Ryan C Sanders, age 28, of 1105 S. Hilltop, McHenry, was arrested for theft at a business in the 12300 block of Rt. 47.  Mr. Sanders was transported to Kane County Jail to await bond call.
June 19
A theft report was taken in the 12900 block of Oak Grove Rd.  Two unplanted rose bushes were taken from the yard.
June 20
Stephen W. Beatty, age 29, of 716 Wilson St, Waterman, was arrested for DUI and DUI blood alcohol over .08 and was cited for speeding.  Mr. Beatty posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 9, 2010.
Jesus R. Gonzalez, age 19, of 805 Washington St., Woodstock, was arrested for driving while license suspended, and cited for loud muffler.  Mr. Gonzalez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 2, 2010.
An attempted burglary report was taken in the 13700 block of Fieldstone Lane.  The victim’s window screens were cut and pry marks were found on the window frame.

Obituaries

Theodora G. “Teddy” Reiter, 67 of Huntley and Spring Hill, FL, died, after a brief battle with cancer Tuesday with her family by her side. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am  Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.  Visitation will be on Sunday from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home,Huntley.  Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery.  Memorials  may be directed to the Theodora G. Reiter Memorial Fund.

Reiter was born December 3, 1942, the daughter of Marcelino and Angelica (Davis) Guillen.  In 1999 she married Marvin Reiter. She was an artist of crocheting and quilting and an avid walker. Reiter is survived by her husband, Marvin;  a daughter, Kimberly Reiter; grandchildren: Christopher, Catalyna, McKenzie,  Delany Rose, and Logan;  sisters, Andria North and Ariel Stiles and brother,  Stephen Guillen.  She was also survived by her step children; Patricia Sacks,  Rhonda Horan and Ron and Jim Reiter.

Spared Tuesday, More Storms Predicted For Area Today

The storm system expected early Monday to hit McHenry and Kane counties clobbered Peoria instead.  However, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning early this morning until 10 am for another system bearing down on northern Illinois from the west.  Forecasters said there could be another batch of bad storms late this afternoon as a cold front moves in.

Even though the area dodged a bullet Tuesday, some areas still had a lot of cleanup from storms Friday so McHenry County has extended the period for open burning through July 5.  Open burning was supposed to end last month until October.  All the rest of the County burn rules will still apply through the extended period, though, and only in unincorporated areas, anyway. It's either forbidden or severely restricted in area municipalities.

McHenry County open burning rules are here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/health/pdfDocs/ENV/EHArticle3.pdf

In the pic:  A screencap from NWS radar at 6:45 am.

LITH Considers Dogwash And Cricket

Lake in the Hills' Board meeting had an Alice Through the Looking Glass element Tuesday as the Committee of the Whole considered proposals for a coin-operated dogwash and a cricket field.

Board Members mostly kept straight faces as they set about correcting the obvious oversight in the village zoning ordinance that neglected to list unattended dogwashes among permitted uses in business, manufacturing and open space districts.  Garden Prairie company All Paws Pet Wash wants to put one somewhere in Lake in the Hills, maybe at the village's Bark Park.

Trustees said they had a lot of questions about that idea but concluded they couldn't really ask them until they'd ok'd the concept of a dogwash in general.  So they passed the zoning amendment along for final approval Thursday.

Cricket, of course, is kind of the British version of baseball if baseball were played with a bat shaped like a canoe paddle and all the players mainlined Valium instead of steroids.  LITH resident Adnan Baig and some friends in the United Cricket Club want to pay to put in a cricket oval in Sunset Park in the Festival Area on the north Miller curve.

Parks and Rec Director Trudy Wakeman said that wouldn't interfere with things like the upcoming Ribfest and Trustee Paul Mulcahy admitted to having not only played cricket once during his youth (long story) but enjoyed it.  So that idea was passed along for approval Thursday, as well.

In the pic:  An All Paws Pet Wash next to a carwash in Rockford.

Maybe Programmable Signs Would Be The Answer

If the bank consolidations of the past decade, especially the last couple of years, have left you with the feeling you can't tell the players without a scorecard, you've got plenty of company. 

The McHenry County Finance and Audit Committee Tuesday updated the list of banks in which the County can deposit money.  The banks themselves will remain the same ones they've always been.  But so many names have changed Treasurer Bill LeFew thought it was a good idea to make up a new list with new names just to cross the t's and dot the i's.

In the pic:  Workers were busy in April sprucing up the signs at Illinois National City on Randall Road. National City banks all became PNC banks a couple of weeks ago. PNC remains one of 27 banks in which McHenry County deposits funds. 

Wiretaps: Blago Played Games With Senate Seat

By Bill McMorris, Illinois Statehouse News
While Illinois was waiting for its newest U.S. senator to be named, FBI wiretaps reveal former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was playing political games. And those games started almost immediately upon the election of Barack Obama to the presidency.

The alleged sale of Obama’s former Senate seat is by far the most famous charge against the former governor. Taped conversations with and Tuesday testimony of former Chief of Staff John Harris' testimony painted a picture of a volatile and jumbled mind and a governor consumed by self-interest, according to the prosecution.

Blagojevich’s mouth ran a mile a minute and a curse-word a sentence in conversations with Harris. He vocalized his desire to trade the seat in order to become the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Ambassador to the United Nations or any other country, anything to “get me the f*** out of (Illinois).”

Blagojevich felt the Senate appointment was his best ticket to achieve some sort of political or personal victory, according to Harris. His demands outnumbered the serious candidates, each of whom was put forth to achieve some sort of goal.

There was Valerie Jarrett, the Chicago businesswoman favored by then-president-elect Obama. Or Attorney General Lisa Madigan, daughter of Blagojevich’s political rival Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Or Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, a close ally of the governor.

On one hand, the tapes could prove the defense’s claim that Blagojevich was a man who ran his mouth without any intention of serious follow through. On the other, the prosecution’s witness said Blagojevich was not interested in deliberate decision-making–he was looking out for his own interests.

“He wanted a good deal for himself, as good or better than being a senator himself,” Harris said.

You can read Bill's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3348/testimony-reveal-blagojevich-played-political-games-with-senate-seat/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 22
0315 HRS COOL STONE BEND & HARVEST GATE. CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Graffiti on stop sign.
0810 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HIAWATHA DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 63 year old female with difficulty breathing. Transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
1019 HRS 600 BLOCK OF DAVID ST. THEFT. Mailbox and post stolen.
1021 HRS ASH ST. & PLUM ST. ACCIDENT. One vehicle, over turned dump truck. Property damage only.
1222 HRS 9010 HALIGUS RD., (LITH PUBLIC WORKS). FOUND ARTICLE. Keys.
1648 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF SWEETWATER RIDGE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 17 years of age, difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1804 HRS 2265 W ALGONQUIN RD., (THORNTON’S GAS). INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Officer had contact with a registered sex offender.
2012 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. STOLEN VEHICLE. Reporting officer recovered a stolen vehicle. PENDING INVESTIGATIONS BY REPORTING OFFICER.

NWS Expects Hazardous Weather Today and Evening

The National Weather Service issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook this morning for northeast and north central Illinois and northwest Indiana including McHenry and Kane Counties for today and Wednesday.

Forecasters said scattered Thunderstorms, mainly late this afternoon and into the evening, could produce winds in excess of 70 mph, one inch hail, heavy rainfall and a lot of lightning.

At 6 am the weather experts expected the worst of the system to strike to the south of this area but it was still out in Iowa when they made that prediction.

Grafton Senior Bus Theatened, Saved Monday

A crisis that would have crippled Grafton Township's Senior Bus Service was averted Monday when Supervisor Linda Moore paid the Township's phone bill.  That was contrary, though, to a Board decision, last week, to pay no bills at all.  It wasn't clear why the bill was so far in arrears in the first place.

The episode began Monday at a budget conference with Township Administrator Pam Fender and Trustee Betty Zirk when Moore announced she'd just just received a notice of suspension of phone service for past due charges starting Wednesday. The suspension was to include the Township's line for scheduling rides on the Senior Bus which would effectively shut it down.

There seemed no solution to the problem since Trustees, locked in a battle to force Moore to pay an array of bills she opposes, last week voted not to pay any new bills at all until all the old bills they've approved have been paid. Neither could an emergency Board Meeting be called in time to reverse the decision since a meeting notice would have to be posted for two days.

After the conference broke up Moore said she called John Nelson, the Rockford lawyer she wants the Circuit Court to appoint as Township Attorney.  She said his advice was to cut the Gordian knot.  "He said pay it.  So I did," said Moore.  "We're not going to let the seniors take the brunt of what's going on," she said.

Monday's crisis came after an electronic argument between Moore and Fender on the Huntley Neighbors bulletin board last Wednesday over a Moore plan to increase Senior Bus fees for Rutland Township residents.  Fender is also a Huntley Trustee and noted her village is already paying the Township a subsidy to transport Rutland seniors.

Moore told FEN she wasn't sure how the bill for Grafton Township's main, fax and transportation lines got so far behind. "I think there were some charges (unpaid) for phone installations from Pam when she was hired," she said.

Before it was clear his lines weren't among those to be cut, Assessor Bill Ottley told FEN Monday Moore has his office's bills in a turmoil, too.  "My bill from Ace Hardware was $122," said Ottley.  "She sent a check for $47 and nobody can figure out where that number came from.  That was May 18 and she still hasn't sent a new check yet."

Ottley said there have been other bill problems.  "I've had a couple of creditors calling," he said. "I've had these vendors for over 20 years," said Ottley.

In the pic: Grafton Township's Senior Bus Service has seen rides almost double in its first four years of service.

Paving Due On Randall Southbound Today

Paving was scheduled to begin today for the right turn lane at Randall Road and Harnish Drive where construction was expected to create a one-lane bottleneck through Wednesday.  As one worker observed, "It's only 500 feet (of one lane traffic) but that's enough."

McHenry County Design Engineer Wally Dittrich said Monday he hadn't set any specific rules about "extended hours" to speed up construction work but warned, "I don't want to see anybody leaving there at 3:30."

Jacobs Tower Good As New, Maybe Better

With the high school's name restored to the Jacobs Water Tower the $444,000 rehab of the structure is largely complete now. The tower was blasted inside and out down to the metal, primed, double hi-tech coated and hand spotted at all the welds.  Algonquin Public Works began refilling the tank early last week.  Jacobs boosters promised to pay for adding the Jacobs name again after the contractor chopped the price in half.

Feds To Buy Thomson, Even Without Gitmo Prisoners

Illinois Statehouse News
No one knows who will be housed there, but the Obama administration is moving to buy the Thomson prison by the end of year.

The nearly empty state-built lock-up north of the Quad Cities had been eyed as a destination for terror suspects when the U.S. military's  prison in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba closed.  That has yet to happen, but now there's word that Thomson will be bought regardless of who will be housed there. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) released a letter late Monday that explained the federal Bureau of Prisons is moving ahead with the sale, and hopes to take over Thomson by the end of the year.

Ronald Weich, an Assistant Attorney General, wrote both Durbin and Manzullo that the federal government is standing behind its commitment to buy the Thomson prison. If Guantanamo Bay terror suspects are not brought to Illinois, or anywhere else in the U.S., Thomson may be used for federal inmates in other prisons across the country.

Gov. Pat Quinn's office released its own joint statement with Durbin, saying the purchase of Thomson would be great news  for that area of northern Illinois. The governor's office predicts "thousands of jobs" and a "$1 billion impact on the Illinois economy."

But there are a number of people who live near the prison who are not excited about the prospect of bringing terrorists to the state.  Lawmakers in Springfield have also questioned the wisdom of the sale. Illinois built the Thomson prison back in 2001 to ease overcrowding in state prisons.  But budget cuts and political in-fighting have kept the prison nearly empty.

You can read the full report on Thomson here: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3331/feds-to-buy-thomson-even-without-gitmo-prisoners/

"Victim" Testifies Against Blagojevich

By Bill McMorris,  Illinois Statehouse News
The jury in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has repeatedly received firsthand accounts of the former governor's alleged misdeeds, but the prosecution took a break from questioning co-conspirators Monday and put one of the governor's alleged victims, educator Donald Feinstein, on the stand.

Feinstein helps run the Academy for Urban School Leadership, a non-profit program developed to "fix failing schools." Back in 2005, Feinstein's school caught the eye of then-Congressman Rahm Emmanuel, who lobbied Blagojevich for a $2 million grant to help build an athletic facility at the school.

Blagojevich's former Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk told the jury what happened next, as he ran through a phone call he had with Blagojevich during the summer of 2006.

"He said 'where's my fundraiser'…and I understood that to mean the grant would not be released unless a fundraiser was first held," Tusk said. "I thought it was illegal and unethical." Tusk said he was "disgusted" by Blagojevich's actions and told former Illinois general counsel Bill Quinlan to "get (his) client under control."

Blagojevich would eventually release all of the $2 million grant. A fundraiser was never held.

The defense has argued that the prosecution's witnesses were the masterminds, rather than the middlemen, behind the corruption during Blagojevich's six years as governor.

Another former Blagojevich Chief of Staff, John Harris, took the stand at the end of Monday's proceedings and Prosecutor Carrie Hamilton said Harris will testify through the end of the week. Harris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to solicit a bribe earlier this year and agreed to cooperate with the prosecution.


You can read Bill's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3330/zagel-to-defense-is-that-all-youve-got/

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 21
1512 HRS 10 BLOCK OF WALNUT DR., DOMESTIC BATTERY. JUVENILE, M/B 17 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, Domestic Battery Provoking, Aggravated Assault. RELEASED TO PARENT
0059 HRS 100 N. RANDALL RD., (WALGREENS). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 48 years of age, feeling dizzy. No transport.
0652 HRS HALIGUS RD. & GENEVA LANE. ACCIDENT. Car located in Marsh area. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
0752 HRS VIRGINIA RD. & RAKOW RD. OVERWEIGHT TRUCK. Citation issued. Fine paid.
1038 HRS 2400 BLOCK OF WATERFORD LANE. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal Only. One prior.
1134 HRS 241 N. RANDALL RD., (WHITE CASTLE). REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Vehicle struck awning structure.
1319 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 63 years of age, fell. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2011 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & S. ANNANDALE DR CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Graffiti found on Bell Chase Subdivision sign.
2222 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & LAKEWOOD DR. HIT & RUN Complainant’s vehicle was struck by a silver Ford Explorer that left.
2339 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Possible violation of order of protection. UNFOUNDED.
2358 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Step-mother vs. step-daughter. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.

No Agreement With Key Western Bypass Landowner

While a call for bids next month is still planned for the first stage in building Algonquin's long-awaited Route 31 Western Bypass, the Illinois Department of Transportation still hasn't acquired at least one of the properties on which the work is to take place.

"It's time for them to (perform) or get off the pot," said Paul Strurznickel, owner of Hansen's Service which occupies the property adjacent to Algonquin's derelict Toastmaster factory.  Both locations are in the path of the traffic project but have been found to be contaminated with industrial chemicals. IDOT plans to dig up and cart off the contamination before starting work on the bypass itself.

"(IDOT) made an offer," said Sturznickel Friday.  "We made a counteroffer. They made another offer. We made a counteroffer.  They made another offer, we said 'put it in writing' but they wouldn't give it."

Sturznickel refused to say whether he would have accepted IDOT's latest figure but did admit, "We would have thought about it."

"(Hansen's Service) was supposed to be my retirement business," Sturznickel said, outlining his reason for demanding his own price.  "It's not my idea to sell."

Indeed, Sturznickel said he thinks IDOT is bullying him. "They've chased all of my tenants out which wasn't very nice of them," said Sturznickel. But if losing his rental income was supposed to make him buckle, he said it backfired. "That makes us madder."

So mad, in fact, Sturznickle said his attorney recently filed suit against IDOT to come up with a reasonable offer. Sturznickel said he wasn't sure in what venue it was filed, though. A check of McHenry County Circuit Court records found no case in his name.

FEN was unable to check on the status of the Toastmaster property itself.  Although its developer was reported to be at his Freeport office Friday, he made no reply.

In the pic: Bypass landowner Paul Sturznickel repairs a slushy machine at Hansen's Service.  "It's hard for your life to go on when you don't know what your life is doing," he said.

St. John's Lutheran Begins Collection For Haitian Relief

Lauren Terzinski sorted through a box of masonry fasteners, a highly prized donation to Haiti Earthquake Relief that began Sunday at St. John's Lutheran Church, Algonquin.  Clothes, toiletries and first aid supplies are on the list of desired donations but hardware and tools to aid rebuilding are needed, too, according to Lauren's Mom, Kathy.  "I'm going to see a man Tuesday who says he has a lot of them," she said.  Donations for Haitian victims can be dropped off at St. John's all this week through Saturday,  phone: 847-658-9300.

Huntley Historical Society Kickoff Meeting Saturday

The new Huntley Historical Society will hold its first general meeting, Saturday, at 1 pm at Faith Community Church, Huntley. The Society's mission is to "preserve and promote Huntley history through educational events and community activities.”

Funding for the Society comes from membership dues, entrance fees, auctions, social functions and donations.  If you can't wait for the meeting to find out about that, call Frances Kreutzer, Membership Secretary, at  847-669-5952 or email John and Mary Paule Bierlein, at jmpbierlein@comcast.net

In the pic:  Downtown Huntley looking south over 100 years ago.  The picture was one on display at a recent village retrospective at the Old Village Hall.

D300 Collects School Supplies For Homeless Kids

The School year just ended for District 300 but plans are already afoot to prepare for next year.  A drive is on to collect school supplies for the district's homeless students next month at the Algonquin Wal-Mart. The goal is to "Fill the Bu"s with supplies for the district's neediest students.

The list of needed materials per child includes:
Plain backpacks
6 folders, two pocket, solid color only
4 notebooks, one subject, wide rule, solid color only
1 pack loose leaf filler paper, 150/200 count wide rule
1 package pencils, 10 count, #2 yellow wood
2 black pens
1 not pink or blue pair of scissors
2 glue sticks .21 oz
1 wooden ruler
1 pack of crayons, 24 count

Collections will be accepted July 17 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Wal-Mart.

Pension Borrowing Appears Stalled

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn said again recently that he expects senators to return to the Capitol and pass a borrowing plan before July. “We have until the end of the month for the Senate to gather their resources and their energy. But that’s what they’re paid for," Quinn told reporters after a Chicago news conference last week. Quinn said he thinks there is enough support in the Senate for a plan to borrow about $4 billion for the state’s required fiscal year 2011 pension payment.

Senate President John Cullerton made it clear when the Senate left town at the end of May that he expected Quinn to be the one to bring more votes onto the plan. He said the bill would not pass without bipartisan support and that it would take at least two Republican votes. House Speaker Michael Madigan said on
the same day that the pension borrowing was not absolutely necessary for the budget to work.

When asked whether he would resort to calling a special session to get the chamber back for a vote Quinn said, “I would hope that wouldn’t have to happen. But we’ll do whatever necessary to make sure the process is working for the people … who deserve an Illinois Senate that listens to them.”

It is possible that when the budget arrives on Quinn’s desk—he said that will likely happen in the last days of the month—it will not contain a specific plan on how to make the pension payment. Quinn said he will have to “act promptly” to make cuts when he gets the budget because the new fiscal year begins July 1.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/pension-borrowing-appears-stalled.html

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 20
0055 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. NETTLEINGHAM, BRIAN L., M/W 33 YEARS OF AGE, 3945 EAST 11TH RD., EARLVILLE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, and Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
0118 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ILLEGAL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL. RAYFIELD, NICHOLAS K., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 8 E. PHEASANT TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED.
0129HRS 231 N. RANDALL RD., (TACO BELL). BATTERY. RAYFIELD, CHRISTOPHER, M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 8 E. PHEASANT TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Two Counts of Battery, Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
KAMPAS, TERRANCE M., M/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 105 HAWTHORNE RD., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED.
0343 HRS MELBOURNE LN. & BRIARCLIFF LN. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. VEGE, DONALD A., M/W 46 YEARS OF AGE, 10735 SHENANDOAH DR., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Signal. RELEASED ON BOND.
0915 HRS INDIAN TRAIL & VILLAGE CREEK DRIVE. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. KOHL, TIM P., M/W 50 YEARS OF AGE, 30 W. OAK ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS CHARGE: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1623 HRS 8407 PYOTT RD., (AIRPORT). NO VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. RIVERA, ARTURO, M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 930 ABERDEEN DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License, Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
0026 HRS 400 BLOCK OF THUNDER RIDGE,  BURGLARY. Large bottle full of change taken from an unsecured garage.
0239 HRS 900 BLOCK OF CYNTHIA LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Room-mate vs. room-mate. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
0928 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. DOG BITE. Male, 25 years of age, received a bite from a dog on 061910. McHenry County Animal Control notified.
0942 HRS 2700 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LANE. ANIMAL COMPLAINT. Dog attacked by another dog. Canine was turned over to McHenry County Animal Control.
0939 HRS 241 N. RANDALL RD., (WHITE CASTLE). ACCIDENT. Two Vehicles. Property Damage Only
1021 HRS 9341 PYOTT RD., (BARBARA KEY PARK). CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Graffiti found on garbage enclosure.
1642 HRS 4200 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 48 years of age, having a diabetic reaction. No transport.
1718 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEARTLAND GATE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 4 years of age, was choking on a piece of food. No transport.
1904 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD., (THORNTON’S). DOMESTIC BATTERY. Ex-boyfriend vs Ex-girlfriend. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
Algonquin
June 18
21:42pm A seventeen-year-old male from West Dundee was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Meijer’s, 400 S. Randall Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 07/28/10, in Algonquin.
June 19
01:05am Helmick, Rachel D., DOB: 05/04/90, of 11576 Heritage Lane, Huntley, was charged with Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and Speeding.  She was taken into custody in the area of Route 62 and Main Street.  She was released after posting $100, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.  Also taken into custody during the same incident was a seventeen-year-old female from Algonquin who was charged with Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  She was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of her parents.
09:41am Vital, Adrian, DOB: 03/08/87, of 681 Clover Drive, Algonquin, was charged with DUI and Improper Lane Usage.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.
21:27pm Rodriguez, Ruben, DOB: 01/27/68, of 416 Prides Run, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DUI, Improper Lane Usage, Improper Turn and Failure to Signal. He was taken into custody at Miller Road and Heartland Gate.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.
June 20
02:42am A seventeen-year-old male from Crystal Lake was charged with No Valid Driver’s License (Curfew), Disobeying Traffic Control Signal, Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and Zero Tolerance.  He was taken into custody at Stonegate Road and Randall Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.
19:37pm Montenegro, Juan C., DOB: 02/03/92. of 602 Ivarene Court, Carpentersville, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear, on a DWLS charge.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Virginia Road.  He was released after posting $300, with a court date of 07/02/10, in McHenry County.  Also taken into custody during the same incident was Montenegro-Diaz, David, DOB: 02/07/90, of 602 Ivarene Court, Carpentersville, who was charged with DWLS.  He was also Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear, on a No Valid Driver’s License charge.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond, for the DWLS charged with a court date of 07/21/10, in McHenry County and after posting $1400, on the McHenry County Warrant, with a court date of 06/22/10, also in McHenry County.
June 21
02:05am Farrar, Christine M., DOB: 04/17/88, of 9920 Thornton Way, Huntley, was charged with DUI and Speeding.  She was taken into custody at Randall Road and Grandview Court.  She was released after posting $100 and her Illinois Driver’s License, with a court date of 07/28/10, in McHenry County.

Lane Changes Planned For Huntley Rt. 47 North

At the south of Huntley's Route 47 project crews will still be working on the sewer and by Friday engineers predict they'll have to make a lane shift at the north end between Algonquin and Reed Roads.  In the meantime there'll be periodic one-lane bottlenecks in between, according to the latest report from the Village.

As for the new traffic lights at Route 47 and Main Street, everyone at the village knows the timing on them is bad.  "It moves the traffic, but you wait too long," said Village Manager Dave Johnson last week.  Johnson said he hasn't  had any luck yet convincing IDOT to modify the program running the signal array.

Huntley posts the latest construction info here:  http://www.huntley.il.us/Route47.htm

Loud Car Competition Blasts Algonquin

The fifth annual Loud Car Competition at Street Legal Audio and Accessories in Algonquin Saturday wasn't heard so much as felt nearly a block away on Algonquin Road. Low frequency soundwaves don't damp out as fast as ones in the treble register.

The event to see who had the loudest car sound system filled the store's parking lot with competitors from as far away as Dekalb, the home of Robert Ebert. He came confident thanks to the installation of a heavy duty alternator to amp up his rig but left thinking he needed a little audio Viagra.  "I've seen all the stuff (the others) have got here," he said.  "I've got to get something more."

In the pic: Elias Carrera at Street Legal Audio sticks a mike on the windshield to measure Robert Ebert's sound system.  It put out better than 138 decibels, close to twice the level of a stock system but pretty puny by Saturday's standards.

Huntley Jaycees Second Garage Sale Draws Buyers

Rising winds sent some sellers home early Saturday from the Huntley Jaycee's Community Garage Sale at the Park District Rec Center.  Even so there were still some swell bargains.  A bag of brand new plastic babydoll parts, for example, sold in minutes for $3. Head, arms, legs, no torso. (?)  Proceeds from exhibitor signups went to support Jaycees' projects.

Judge: Special Election Needed To Replace Burris

By Kevin Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois voters may have to make two selections on their ballot for U.S. Senator during this November's general election, depending on a case going back to trial this week. A federal court opinion sending it there said the U.S. Constitution requires an election to be held if there is a vacancy in the U.S. Senate.

Illinois had a Senate vacancy in 2008, when Barack Obama resigned from the Senate after winning the presidential campaign.Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich filled that vacancy when he appointed Roland Burris to replace Obama. But Burris was supposed to be a temporary appointment, according to the opinion from United States Court of Appeals Judge Diane P. Wood.

"The governor has a duty to issue a writ of election to fill the Obama vacancy," said Wood's opinion.  "That writ must include a date, but it appears that the Illinois legislature has provided only one date from which Governor Quinn may choose: November 2, 2010," the opinion said.

November 2 is also the date of the state's general election, which sets up the possibility of two votes for U.S. Senate on the same ballot. One winner would likely serve the remaining eight weeks of Obama's term in the 111th Congress. The other winner would serve as the junior senator from Illinois for the 112th Congress. Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Congressman Mark Kirk are the frontrunners of a contentious race for the seat.

Ken Menzel, a lawyer with the Illinois State Board of Elections, said the agency is waiting for the trial court to rule before taking action on any ballot changes. "We've got a lot that we'd have to see, based on first, whatever it is the court actually rules, and second, to the extent that there's leeway for the governor to act with a writ (of election), what the governor chooses to do with his writ," he said.

The offices of Burris, Quinn and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan each said they were reviewing the appellate court opinion.

You can read Kevin's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/3303/judge-special-election-needed-to-replace-burris/

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 19
0034 HRS 241 N. RANDALL, (WHITE CASTLE). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0923 HRS 101 PYOTT RD., (MOBIL ON THE RUN). THEFT. Pack of cigarettes taken.
1142 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles; property damage only.
1344 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). AMBULANCE ASSIST. Female, 86 years of age, feeling sick. Transported to Sherman  Hospital.
1603 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF GENEVA LN. AMBULANCE ASSIST. Female, 80 years of age, feeling weak. No transport.
1702 HRS 311 N. RANDALL RD. (AMC THEATRES) CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT. Gang graffiti on the fence.
1737 HRS 00 BLOCK OF MCKENZIE CT. AMBULANCE ASSIST. Male, 31 years of age, laceration to the head. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1930 HRS 211 N. RANDALL RD., (STEAK N SHAKE). HIT & RUN. Complainant’s vehicle was hit by an unknown vehicle in the parking lot.