Riverside Square Fate Still Unknown

McHenry County Judge Michael Sullivan continued a hearing Friday on the Village of Algonquin's request to have Riverside Square torn down.  Meanwhile there was no report on whether a sale of the decrepit failed condominium project belongs to someone else now.

April 8 is the next date for a hearing on whether or not the court really needs to hear from safety experts on whether Riverside Square is a hazard.  Current owner Harris Bank wants their reports on the decrepit structure and asked for more time to marshall its arguments.

Algonquin officials reported Friday afternoon they still hadn't received word on whether someone had bought the so-called Tyvek Towers.  In the Riverside Square foreclosure case to which Algonquin is only a spectator, a Harris attorney said earlier this week that a sale closing was scheduled Friday.

The purchaser was thought to be Des Plaines investor John Breugelmans who last month sat out a $1.25 million auction for Riverside Square stripped of about $2 million in contractor liens.  According to an informed source, now Breugelmans hopes to reach his own settlements with contractors before giving Harris $325,000 for the hulk which he plans to finish building.

FEN was unable to contact Breugelmans Friday but did reach his son John Peter Breugelmans who seemed familiar with the matter.  "I'm a little busy right now," he said to a background of murmurs and rustling papers.  "Could you call me back after Five?"

FEN could but no one was home on his cell phone then.

If the sale fell through McHenry County Judge Michael Caldwell might order another auction for Riverside Square but with a lower minimum bid.  That possibility was raised at a hearing earlier this week but if Caldwell made any response it was lost in background noise from the rest of the herd of lawyers before his bench. 

Algonquin Resident Becomes Associate Circuit Judge

An Algonquin attorney is McHenry County's newest associate Judge according to an announcement Friday from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.  Former Cook County and McHenry County Assistant State's Attorney , 43, was the choice among 15 candidates by the elected judges of the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit.

The Associate Judge slot opened up when Gordon Graham was elected in November to fill the new Circuit Judge's opening in the Circuit.

Gerhardt, an attorney with Wiejaczka Law, PC, in Hawthorn Woods, is a member of the Algonquin Police Commission and an instructor in Criminology at Trinity International University, Deefield. In Cook County, Gerhardt worked in the Child Protection Division and the Juvenile Justice Bureau and was counsel to the Aviation Integrity project researching the expansion of O’Hare Airport. He earned his law degree from The John Marshall Law School.

In the pic: Mark R. Gerhardt

Champaign Coroner Investigates Death Of Huntley Woman

Champaign County Coroner Duane E. Northrup is still investigating the unexpected death of a 22 year-old Huntley woman attending school in Champaign.  Northrup said Friday an autopsy found "no evident cause of death" for Ashley M. Coquillard found dead Tuesday.  Northrup said an investigation revealed nothing to indicate suicidal intent and that he was awaiting results of a toxicology report not expected for several weeks yet.

Visitation for Coquillard is set today from 3 to 8 pm with a short service at 6 pm at the Wait Ross Allanson Funeral & Cremation Services Algonquin Chapel. 

LITH Family Fun Fills Chesak Elementary

Chesak Elementary rang with laughter Friday evening as the Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation department showcased some the programs it has to offer.  It was Family Fun Night with organized activities (relatively speaking), pizza and drinks.  There were also some local businesses on hand who promised to donate some of the proceeds from new signups.  In case you missed it, here's the LITH Parks and Rec Winter/Spring brochure: http://www.lith.org/Publications.html#Parks

In the pic: How low can you go?  Some youngsters limboed while others assailed a martial arts instructor with nerf quarterstaves at Lake in the Hills' Family Fun Night at Chesak School.

Pension Underfunding Increased Says IL Auditor General

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
While lawmakers and civic organizations continue to debate the fate of pension benefits for current state employees, Auditor General Bill Holland reported that the state’s unfunded pension liability increased in the last year.

Holland's report this week said that the state is now $76 billion short on fully funding the pension system. He said next fiscal year’s required contribution from the state will be more than $5 billion,  roughly $1 billion more than the payment for the current fiscal year. Lawmakers voted to borrow to make that payment.

Commentators on all sides agree that part of the reason the pension system is not properly funded is because state politicians have skipped payments to defer unpopular decisions such as cuts to programs or increased taxes. “The legislature and various governors chose for decades to use the pension system as a credit card to fund public services and stave off the need for tax increases or service cuts,” according to Eric Madiar, chief legal counsel for Senate President John Cullerton

The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago has been one of the most vocal advocates for changing retirement benefits for current employees.  The group advocates a plan by House Minority Leader Tom Cross giving employees all the benefits they have earned up to the date of a change and then giving them the option of three different plans with reduced benefits. It commissioned opinions that say such changes would be constitutional.

Madiar concluded in an opinion released this week that while it might be convenient to target ever-growing pension costs in the current economic downturn and state budget crisis, it would be unconstitutional. He said that courts upheld the earlier Illinois Constitution even during the Depression.

Tyrone Fahner, president of the Commercial Club, said something has to be done.  Otherwise, “Many of the people working (for Illinois) right now that are expecting a pension aren’t going to get one.”

You can read Jamey's full report at:  http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/report-says-pensions-underfunded-by-76.html

Department Of Professional Regulation Discipline

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

James Rainbolt, Algonquin – massage therapist license placed on indefinite probation after defaulted on an Illinois educational loan and has now entered into a repayment agreement.

Sean Schuelke, Wonder Lake – permanent employee registration card placed on probation for one year due to unreported misdemeanor arrest and conviction in 2001.

Catharine O'Donnell, Crystal Lake – registered nurse license placed on indefinite probation with work restrictions for a minimum of three years for having diverted controlled substances while employed at a facility in the state.

Jennifer Pudlewski, Woodstock – registered nurse license placed on indefinite probation with work restrictions for a minimum of three years for failure to chart some medication, pre-charted some medications before administering and wasted medication without a witness.

Pharmacy technician licenses placed in refuse to renew status after defaulted on an Illinois Educational Loan:

Miranda Kasper, Barrington
Jillian Kennedy, Crystal Lake

Suzanne Albrecht, Woodstock – pharmacist license restored to indefinite probation for a minimum of five years effective upon payment of fees and filing of forms.

Steve Gramarosa, Elgin – ordered to cease and desist the unlicensed practice of real estate brokerage, sales or leasing.

Nancy Roofing, Elgin – roofing contractor license placed on probation for two years due to unprofessional conduct.

McHenry County Indictments

A McHenry County Grand Jury returned indictments this week against the following individuals:
The charges against these defendants are merely allegations against them. The defendants are presumed innocent of any crime until proven guilty in court.

RAQUEL M. FERRANTE-MARTELL, DOB:  11/13/80, 11185 FLEETWOOD STREET, HUNTLEY. AGGRAVATED BATTERY, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Huntley PD

JASON A. STEVENS, DOB:  08/22/81, 1404 WASHINGTON STREET, LAKE IN THE HILLS. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
TIMOTHY J. HIRCHERT, DOB:  04/27/90, 3 HOLLYHOCK COURT, LAKE IN THE HILLS. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, (2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE.--Crystal Lake PD

PAUL J. BASISTA, DOB:  09/22/56, 8410 W. SUNSET, WONDER LAKE. PUBLIC INDECENCY.--McHenry PD
   
KENNETH J. BOSSHART, DOB:  10/10/64, 4504 W. PRAIRIE AVENUE, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED BATTERY, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER, DOMESTIC  BATTERY.----McHenry PD

MATTHEW J. LAFLAMME, DOB:  09/18/80, 757 TREEVIEW LANE, ROUND LAKE PARK, IL. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE,  UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry County Sheriff's  Office

COLLEEN M. RYAN, DOB:  01/17/86, 1522 RIVER TERRACE DRIVE, JOHNSBURG. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(4CTS),  UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
   
JEREMY CONLEY, DOB:  11/25/79, 3010 KAMA AVENUE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--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
March 04
2001 HRS 10 BLOCK OF WOODLAND RD., DOMESTIC BATTERY. JAKOBS, KURT R., M/W 48 YEARS OF AGE, 14 WOODLAND RD., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Two Counts of Domestic Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1326 HRS HARVEST GATE & VILLAGE HALL DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1452 HRS 10 BLOCK OF REDBUD CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 27 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1542 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF BALDWIN LN. DOMESTIC. Son vs. Mother. Verbal only. No priors.
1642 HRS 9600 BLOCK OF HALIGUS RD. FOUND ARTICLE. Pink iPod. Entered into evidence.
2037 HRS 100 N RANDALL RD., (WALGREENS). UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD. Complainant's credit card was utilized at Walgreens. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2141 HRS 10 BLOCK OF SUN VALLEY CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 67 years of age, severe pain in right leg. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2318 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WOODY WAY. BATTERY Male vs. Male. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2313 HRS 400 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. Seven priors

Riverside Square Sale Today Would Change Little

A sale of Algonquin's unfinished and moldering Riverside Square is scheduled for closing today according to the attorney for Harris Bank, the shambles's current deedholder.  If it happens, the sale won't represent any real progress on what to do about the Village's iconic eyesore. Still pending against the building itself would be about $2 million in claims from subcontractors stiffed when developer Aspen Homebuilders fell into bankruptcy more than two years ago.

Harris Attorney Scott Koenig told McHenry Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell Thursday he'd been working for more than a week to bring about the sale of Tyvek Towers for "not much more than the cost of a house, and I don't mean a mansion."  Federal bankruptcy receiver Michael Kayman said the sale price would be $325,000.

That would be far less than the $1.25 million minimum auction bid for the project that the flock of subs finally agreed to over a month ago. The foreclosure auction would have given a buyer clean title to Riverside Square and switched the fight about who gets how much of the sale money over onto a siding.  No one thought the half-finished hulk was worth that, though.  Only Plote, Inc., put in a bid and that was under the minimum.  In fact, it was a lot less than $325,000, according to one informed source.

If the sale goes through today, all it would do is send a substitute player into the game.  The next time, said Kayman, "Instead of Mr. Koenig standing there there'll be another lawyer but all the rest of the lawyers will still be there representing the same parties."

Algonquin Village Manager Bill Ganek said an owner change wouldn't make any difference in the Village's separate court case to have Riverside Square torn down as a safety hazard.  "We'll continue with our efforts on that," he said.  In fact a hearing's scheduled in that case this morning.

Caldwell set the next official checkdate in the foreclosure case for April 26 but if the sale happens attorneys are supposed to tell the court about it within two weeks.

Deficit Budget Or Layoffs? D158 Board Agonizes

The District 158 Board of Education made plans Thursday to cut $6.5 million from the budget for the 2011-12 school year but $1 million of that depends on teacher's making salary concessions in upcoming contract talks.  Board members didn't sound sanguine about that and prepared unhappily for layoffs.

Plans to refinance building boom debt certificates, limit school repairs to "critical" items, skip redoing Academic drive, put off replacement of aging PC's, scrimp on textbooks and have employees pick up health insurance premium increases still only totaled $5 million in savings.  That left the budget $1 million short and the Board facing a conflict between two of what they called "core values".  One was small classes, the other was a balanced budget.

Member Kim Skaja summed it up recalling her days as a young District Mom.  "I had a first grader and a sixth grader in a class of 30," she said.  "It's too big."  On the other hand said Skaja, "I can't support deficit spending," either.

Member Mike Skala said he'd been to a meeting Wednesday with three of the downstate Big Four legislators and the view there was more money from Springfield didn't look as if it was in the cards.  In fact, he said, the District will probably see State funds cut in the coming year.

"In the face of that we did the only thing we can do--it's unfortunate--the only thing is to reduce salaries by $1 million," said Superintendent John Burkey.  "It doesn't mean all reductions come from (layoffs)--but it's going to mean some."

Member Dave Drzal argued passionately against that.  "We also have other resources--(accumulated savings). 'We don't want to dip into our Fund Balance.'  I think that's silly," he said.

"What happens is it's $1 million (short) every year," said Burkey.

"Why not ride it for one year and see?" asked Drzal.  "That doesn't make us Cary."

"Assuming a deficit budget it a slippery slope," answered Board President Kevin Gentry.  "I don't think anything's going to get better any time soon."

Member Paul Troy put it simply.  "I don't want to see my kids with higher class sizes but I don't see an option."

The Board has to finalize the new budget by its next meeting March 17 to meet state requirements for layoff notifications in April.

Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer's memo on the new budget is here starting at p. 338:

http://www.district158.org/weblinks/BOE%20Meetings/COW%202010-2011/COW%2003.03.11.pdf

In the pic:  Plans for computerized instruction at Huntley High next year were also discussed at Thursday's D158 Board meeting. Director of Educational Technology Marisa Burkhart said she's still not sure whether to go with Wi-Fi or cellular hookups.

Paczki: Don't Say "Jelly Donut"

Joe and Jolanta Buch expected to sell about 500 paczki Thursday at their Blue Cow Polish Deli in Lake in the Hills.  It was Tlusty Czwartek the Polish version of Mardis Gras, more or less, only earlier.

Buch said his paczki are prawdziwa rzecz (the real thing) imported from a secret location in nether Chicago which he refused to reveal.  They're not supermarket paczki or, and here his lip curled, jelly donuts.  We're talking paczki just like Babcia (Grandma) used to make.  For instance, in your authentic paczek (one paczki) the filling's injected  before it's fried, not after like a, here's the lip curl again, jelly donut.  "Of course that's not with the custard filling," said Buch.  "That wouldn't work."

Buch will be selling no-kidding paczki through Fat Tuesday next week.  On that day he'll also have paczki without any filling at all.

??

"People have asked for them," Buch said.

In the pic:  LITH's Zofia Magiera was about to pick out some Fat Thursday paczki as Jolanta Buch checked out another customer with a box of paczki at the Blue Cow Polish Deli in Lake in the Hills.

Huntley Plans Kreutzer Extension, Grafton Bus Expansion

The Huntley Village Board gave a prelinary OK to draw up engineering plans for an extension to connect the two parts of Kreutzer Road.  It also gave preliminary approval to an agreement to help fund the Grafton Township Senior Bus that will probably run aground at the next Grafton Board meeting.

The Kreutzer plan would stitch together the existing east/west and north/south parts of the road bypassing the Route 47-Main Street intersection.  The resolution expected to be approved next week would have engineers finish conceptual work for the project and start construction drawings.  Meanwhile the village will try to acquire the last nine acres of land need for the extension.

What's missing?

"The middle," said Village Manager Dave Johnson.

Kreutzer also figures in the bus agreement since some of Sun City to its south is in Kane County Hampshire Township. The Grafton Senior Bus agreement the way it's written would be mostly a rerun of the one currently in place. The problem is Supervisor Linda Moore has consistently said the Township ought to get more than the current $10,000 figure since it's supposed to pick up riders in the Rutland Township part of Huntley, too.  The new agreement might make things worse since Mayor Chuck Sass said, "there's an addendum to it to include people in Hampshire Township."

Another problem has nothing to do with the agreement itself but everything to do with the state of affairs at Grafton.  The agreement's a legal document and the Township still doesn't have a Township attorney to review it.  Two weeks ago during during a lull in the Grafton Township case(s) Moore's attorney John Nelson told a colleague in a conversation FEN wasn't supposed to hear that he can't find anyone in McHenry County who wants to work for the Township and isn't having any more luck in neighboring counties.  "Do you know anyone?" he said.

In the pic:  Land for the turn of the planned Kreutzer extension is still missing, according to Huntley's Dave Johnson.

Editors note: In a call this morning Moore said she's never argued for more than $10,000 to cover carrying Rutland and now Hampshire Township passengers.  FEN stands by its story.

Illinois Revenue: $33.2 Billion. More Or Less

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
The state’s next budget could be much smaller than Gov. Pat Quinn outlined last month. Or it could be the same. Or larger. Newly fiscally conservative Democrats in the Illinois House unveiled numbers Thursday they say will limit state spending.  Lawmakers said they will base the next state budget on $33.2 billion in state revenue.

As state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion put it, that is all the money the state will have next year. And that is all of the money that the state should spend. The numbers “fairly reflect the revenues of the state of Illinois as anticipated based upon, not possibilities of law, but existing law and existing revenue sources at this time,” said Bradley.

The phrase “at this time” is why the House price tag is lower than projections from Quinn and the legislative Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. COGFA’s best-guess number is a little more than $34.8 billion coming into the state for the next fiscal year.

Quinn’s budget office came up with a $33.9 billion number. The differences stem from varied estimates as to how much Illinois will get from the new personal and corporate income tax increase passed in January. COGFA is guessing $2.1 billion. Quinn’s budget office is guessing $1.8 billion.

The governor’s spending plan comes with a price tag of more than $35 billion. State Rep. Mark Beaubien, R-Wauconda, said the discussion on spending will come next. “This is the first time we’re starting out with a logical approach — look at revenue first then back into spending,” Beaubien said. “For 14 years we’ve been spending and tried to back into revenue.”

You can read Ben's bull report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5257/illinois-budget-33-2-billion-or-not/

Obituaries

Raymond Peter Weimeschkirch, 61, of Huntley died of cancer at Sherman Hospital, Wednesday. Visitation will be Monday from 3 to 9 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday at 10:30 am at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.

Weimeschkirch was born February 11, 1950, in Chicago, the son of Francis Peter and Luella (Weber) Weimeschkirch. September 17, 1972 he married Susan Sandrik. He is survived by his wife of Huntley, son Nick (Christiana) Weimeschkirch of Gilberts, grandsons Anthony Francis and Erik Peter Weimeschkirch and by his sister, LuAnn (Larry) Fortman of Morton Grove. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
March 3
2158 HRS 5300 BLOCK OF BRIARFIELD LN. VIOLATION OF BAIL BOND. MAGNUS, RAYMOND J., M/W 45 YEARS OF AGE, 5332 BRIARFIELD LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Violation of Bail Bond. TRANSFERED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL
0024 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD., (MORETTI’S). BATTERY. Female slapped male subject in the face. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER,
0749 HRS 00 BLOCK OF DEER CREEK CT. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
0813 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF BANBURY LN. ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0922 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Property damage by tenant documented. Reported for insurance.
1010 HRS 500 BLOCK OF PLUM ST. FRAUD. Possible Internet scams.
1047 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HICKORY RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 68 years of age, dizzy and vomiting. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1251 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1832 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1916 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. ACCIDENT/INJURY Two vehicles. Driver of Unit 2 complaining of head, neck and back injury. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1528 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CLAYTON MARSH DR. FOLLOW UP REPORTS: ORDINANCE VIOLATION. Violations of local ordinances. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
Algonquin
March 1
10:52am Kelly, Brianne M., DOB: 01/04/87, of 416 South Street, West Dundee, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for DUI.  She was taken into custody in the JC Penney Parking Lot, 800 S. Randall Road.  She was released after posting $1000 with a court date of 03/21/11 in Kane County.
16:34pm A 13 year-old male and an 11 year-old male, both from Algonquin, were charged with Criminal Defacement.  They were taken into custody at Westfield School, 2100 Sleepy Hollow Road.  They were both referred to the Tri Area Court For Teens and then released into the custody of their mothers.
Buchanan, Susan G., DOB: 04/04/67, of 43 Beacon Bay, Lakemoor, was charged with DUI, Criminal Trespass to Residence and Criminal Damage to Property.  She was taken into custody at 411 Lake Plumleigh Way.  She was released after posting $450 with a court date of 04/06/11 in McHenry County.
March 2
07:05am A 15 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Theft under $300.  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.
22:44pm A 16 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Disorderly Conduct and Theft.  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 parents.
March 3
04:22am Ullmann, Matthew J., DOB: 05/18/88, of 157 Hilltop Drive, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DUI, DUI Over, No Proof of Insurance and Failure to Drive on Right Side of Roadway.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Harnish Drive.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 04/06/11 in McHenry County.
04:55am Rodman, Lincoln C., DOB: 12/21/62, of 1820 Broadsmore Drive, Algonquin, was charged with DUI, Improper Lane Usage and Expired Driver’s License.  He was taken into custody at Huntington Drive and Huntington Court.  He was released after posting $300 with a court date of 04/13/11 in McHenry County.
13:39pm Achterberch, Lauren A., DOB: 02/24/90, of 28871 W. Pitner, Cary, was charged with DWLR, No Seat Belt and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody at Main Street and Front Street.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/13/11 in McHenry County.

Bianchi "Nephew" Told Grand Jury He Wasn't

Tuesday Lou Bianchi defense attorney Terry Ekl told reporters the man believed to be the felony-charged "nephew" an indictment alleged the McHenry County State's Attorney put in a special no-jailtime program wasn't related to him.  Wednesday that man said the same thing adding he'd told Special Prosecutor Henry "Skip" Tonigan's Grand Jury that, too.

"They had me in front of the Grand Jury, why I don't know," said Crystal Lake resident Michael Morzos in a telephone interview.  "I don't know (Bianchi), I never met the man, we're not related.  That's what I told the Grand Jury," he said.  "I think maybe I'd better get an attorney," then he hung up.

Monday Tonigan and fellow-Special Prosecutor Thomas McQueen announced three more indictments of Bianchi for Official Misconduct to add to 19 previous ones.  The new indictments alleged Bianchi gave special breaks to a political supporter, the supposed nephew of his Chief Investigator and his own supposed nephew. 

The indictments didn't identify any of the people by name to whom Bianchi allegedly gave preferential treatment.  However, Tuesday the attorney for Investigator Ron Salgado, also indicted, told newspapers the "nephew" in a second instance was actually the grandson of the ex-wife of Salgado's brother in law.

Reached at his North Barrington office Tuesday and told of Morzos statement Tonigan said, "I cannot comment on Grand Jury testimony.  And he really doesn't have any business talking about his testimony."

So Morzos did appear before the Grand Jury.

"I can't comment on that," said Tonigan.

Morzos' name was not on a list of witnesses included with the latest indictments.  However, attorneys FEN contacted said there's no rule about which witnesses have to be included or, indeed, that any need to be included at all.

When the first batch of  indictments was announced for Bianchi's allegedly having his County secretaries do political work,  the list of witnesses included the name Robert Scigalski, a Special Prosecutors' investigator. At Monday's news conference McQueen said he and Tonigan began looking into alleged Bianchi favors when "a number of attorneys" called Scigalski after those indictments were announced.  However, a search of published reports finds no mention of Scigalski's firm until a month after the first indictments and none of Scigalski himself until an FEN report two months after them.

In the pic: McHenry County Special Prosecutors Henry Tonigan (right) and Thomas McQueen at Monday's news conference announcing new indictments of State's Attorney Lou Bianchi.

Name Of Victim Killed In Pyott Crash Released

Lake in the Hills Police released the name Wednesday of an Algonquin woman killed in a crash on Pyott Road Tuesday evening but not of the off-duty emergency medical technician who tried to help her at the scene.

Pronounced dead at Sherman Hospital Tuesday was 45 year-old Bridget Prate, the passenger in a car driven by her husband, 46 year-old Anthony Prate.  Anthony Prate was taken to Northern Illinois Medical Center and subsequently released.

LITH PD Sergeant Rob Harper said investigators are still trying to determine what caused the Prate car to swerve into one driven by 51 year-old William Hinde of Carol Stream, then off the road north of McPhee Drive into a tree about 6:30 pm Tuesday.  Hinde and a passenger, 57 year-old Edward Lyons of North Webster, IN, were not hospitalized after the crash.

Harper declined to name the passing Good Samaritan who ministered to Prate while rescue crews rushed to the crash site. "I'm not sure he'd want his name known," said the sergeant.

Visitation for Bridget Prate will be Sunday from 1 to 8 pm at the Wait-Ross Funeral Home, 201 Algonquin. A funeral mass will be Monday at 10 am at St. Margaret Mary Church, Algonquin.

Huntley Fire Station 4: Look For June Open

Progress on Huntley Fire Station 4 in Algonquin, now nearly closed in, was a major topic at Wednesday's meeting of the Huntley Fire Protection District Board.  "We're still on track for a June opening," said Deputy Chief Ken Caudle.  "She's ahead of schedule and under budget."

Staffing the station was also on Wednesday's agenda.  The Board approved three new full-time firefighter/paramedics.  "They'll probably start in April," said Chief Jim Saletta.

Besides the District's construction of the station itself west of Square Barn on Algonquin Road, Village of Algonquin work continues to replace the storm sewer system to serve it.  Original plans called for an expensive and costly to maintain lift station, but Algonquin Public Works Director Bob Mitchard cut a deal with the District eliminating the pumps while simultaneously upgrading drainage for the nearby Manchester Lakes subdivision. The price to the District was the same as the lift station but now there's no cost to keep it running.  "It was a good deal," said Caudle. "All the parties are happy now."

In the pic:  The roof's not finished at HFPD Station 4 in Algonquin yet but it's coming pretty soon.  Windows, too.

"Spelling Bee" Musical At Huntley Park District Saturday

This weekend the Huntley Park District will host the start of Elgin's Green Room Theater production of the musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (Stop right here. Editor's note: It has nothing to do with the actual Illinois Putnam County. It's a generic Putnam County.  If you have a cousin in  McNabb you'll probably be disappointed.)

The show's all about six tweenagers who deal with puberty and angst and how to spell words like crepuscular by singing funny songs.  Audience members might experience a little angst themselves since the show involves asking some of them to spell words like crepuscular, too.  It's the only show where it's a good idea to carry a Funk & Wagnalls along even if it does spoil the drape of your dinner jacket.

The Spelling Bee run begins at the Cosman Cultural Center Saturday at 7 pm.  There's a second performance next Saturday, also at 7 pm and a third next Sunday at 3 pm.  Tickets, $12 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, are only available at the door.  However, if you say you saw a Huntley Park District Ad for the show you can get a $2 discount even if you didn't.

In the pic:  One of the "kids" in the GreenRoom Theater's musical at Cosman Saturday.

Huntley Ed Foundation Showcase Set Sunday

The Huntley Education Foundation's fourth annual variety showcase will be at the HHS Performing Arts
Center Sunday at 2 pm.  This year's show's called "March Into the Spotlight" and features more than 100 area performers aged 6 to 86.

The show features State finalists Taylor Little and Zoar Lopez from the Huntley High School Speech Team, performing their award-winning comedy duet act, “Matt and Ben.” Also on tap, Marlowe Middle School students previewing their upcoming musical “Pirates of Penzance,” and Sofiya Kyrylyak, a sixth grade violinist who performs with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

The box office opens at 1 p.m.  Tickets at the door are $10 for adults and $8 for children 12 and younger. All proceeds benefit the District 158 Education Foundation which supports District 158 education.  Any questions, call the Foundation hot line at (847) 659-5800.

In the pic:  There were dancers at last year's Huntley Education Foundation showcase.

State U's See Tuition Hikes For Coming Year

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Presidents of two major Illinois universities say they will deal with limited state funding somehow if the State will just send along the money it owes. The University of Illinois is waiting on about $500 million from the state, and Southern Illinois University is owed about $145 million.

“At SIU this financial uncertainty has led to deep budget cuts, reduction in salaries for administrative personal, stalemated negotiations with our major faculty unions, and an ongoing cash-flow management system that has from time to time threatened our own ability to pay our employees and vendors,” President Glenn Poshard said Wednesday during a meeting of the state Senate Appropriates II Committee. He said a seven to eight percent tuition increase is possible next year.

The story is the same at the state’s flagship school — the University of Illinois — where President Michael Hogan said the school has cut more than 500 positions during recent years through attrition. Hogan said the school will take up the tuition question later in the spring, but wants to keep any hike to a minimum. “We’ll be happy if the governor, if his budget is fulfilled. We’re grateful that he asked for it,” Hogan said. In total, Quinn has set aside $6.5 billion for universities, an increase of $200 million from last year.

McHenry County State Sen. Pam Althoff asked Poshard about any further savings available to universities, such as reducing sabbaticals for faculty. “About the only thing significant left for us are layoffs," he said. "We’ve had furloughs this year. We’ve cut back on travel. We’ve collapsed some programs, eliminated some degrees. We think we’ve gone the extra mile to show that we really do take this situation seriously.”

Following the theme of penny-pinching, State Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, asked Hogan about how he can justify his salary and perks while the state is dealing with financial woes. Lauzen cited a recent a study released by state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, that showed Hogan making more than $600,000 annually. Hogan said his salary was about in the middle range for his peers.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5238/universities-say-theyll-make-due-under-quinns-budget/

Obituaries

Richard Dombrowski , 86, of Huntley died Tuesday at his home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 am  Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.  Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 6 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley, and at St. Marys from 9:30 am until the time of Mass .  Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery.

Dombrowski was born  November 27, 1924, in Chicago, the son of Felix J. and  Lillian T. (Orzechowksi) Dombrowski. He is survived by his wife Susan of Huntley; his four children. Florence Beaver of Utica, NY, Deborah (Lawrence) Walsh of Poplar Grove, Tammy (Drew) Indurante of Crystal Lake and Paul  (Martha) Dombrowksi of Deer Park; seven grandchildren and his brothers Benon (Pat) Dombrowski, Daniel (Betty) Dombrowski, Adraian (Agnes) Dombrowski and Anthony (Carol) Dombrowski. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ursula, and five brothers, Hilard, Robert, Howard, Flory and Menard and by his granddaughter, Crystal.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Hospice of Northern Illinois.

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
March 02
0743HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & FRANK RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. CONTRERAS, JOSE A., M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 829 WESTERFIELD WAY, SOUTH BELOIT. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant Boone County Failure to Appear Driving on a Revoked License $5000 @ 10%, Expired Registration, No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0754 HRS MILLER RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0938 HRS 500 BLOCK OF E OAK ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 50 years of age, flu like symptoms.
1250 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1351 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 2 years of age, having a seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2006 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
Huntley
February 21
A criminal trespass/criminal damage to property report was taken at a business in the 11100 block of Dundee Rd.  An interior door was damaged.
February 22
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 10500 block of Cindy Jo Ave.  Two neon signs were stolen.
February 23
A theft report was taken at a business in the 11800 block of Factory Shops Blvd.  An undisclosed amount of cash was stolen.
February 24
Christopher Rogers, age 25, of 2570 Rockport Rd., Hampshire, was arrested for driving while license suspended.  Mr. Rogers posted bond and was released with a McHenry County Court date of March 18, 2011.
A Trespassing to vehicle report was taken in the 10600 block of Rt. 47.  The victim states that two of his vehicles were entered overnight February 19, 2011.
A theft report was taken in the 12600 block of Crestview Dr.  The victim states that several jewelry items were stolen from the residence within the last 7 months.
Maximiliano, Ramirez-Mercado, age 20, of 500 Washington St., Harvard, was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and was cited for defective exhaust system. Mr. Ramirez-Mercado posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of March 11, 2011.
February 25
A student at Huntley High School reported that his cell phone was stolen out of his unlocked gym locker.
Leo Puzzo, age 27, of 13638 Penefield, Huntley, was arrested on an outstanding Failure to Appear warrant for driving with no valid drivers license.  Mr. Puzzo posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of March 28, 2011.
February 26
Mark A Gouley II, age 19, 10511 Northbridge, Huntley, and Natalie T. Goertliz, age 19, of 5386 Lansbury Circle, Lake in the Hills, were  was arrested for possession of cannabis.  Both subjects were released with a notice to appear in McHenry County court on March 14, 2011.

Algonquin Woman Dead In LITH Traffic Accident

A 45 year-old Algonquin woman died Tuesday evening in a traffic accident on Pyott Road in Lake in the Hills even though an off-duty paramedic stopped to help her.  Her name is being withheld this morning pending family notification.

Lake in the Hills police said the woman was a passenger in northbound car that crossed the Pyott centerline past McPhee Drive caroming off a southbound car, then skidding west into a fence and a tree.  Police said she was rushed by ambulance to Sherman Hospital, Elgin, but pronounced dead when she got there.  Other victims were taken to Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center where their conditions could not be determined this morning.

Police said they don't know yet what the caused the accident which occured at about 6:30 pm.  Pyott was closed between McPhee and Oak Street until just before 9 pm because of it.

County Board "Commends" Mercy Proposal, Too

The McHenry County Board "commended" plans Tuesday for a proposed Mercy Health Systems hospital in Crystal Lake.  The measure was similar to one two weeks ago "commending" a competing proposal from Centegra Health System for a nearly hospital in Huntley.

The original resolution then had been to "support" the Centegra proposal but most of the Board decided it wasn't a good idea to take sides in the dueling hospitals dispute.  Tuesday's resolution in line with the earlier one only had language to "commend" the Mercy proposal. Some members still argued the Board ought to "support" McHenery County-based Centegra but that wasn't what the resolution for Janesville-headquartered Mercy was about and most members still wanted to stay out of the crossfire.

The Woodstock City Council was less even-handed Tuesday evening reportedly approving a resolution giving full support to Centegra Huntley.

In the pic:  Another rendering of Centegra's proposed hospital for Huntley.

Rakow Two-Year Rebuild Begins

Tuesday marked the official start of a two-year project to widen and gentle Rakow Road from south of Ackman Road to Route 31 but there wasn't a lot going on.  Only one utility crew was in evidence Tuesday afternoon but pretty soon construction crews will have Rakow down to just one lane in each direction. McHenry County Division of Transportation spokesman advise keeping an eye on the electric signs.

Widening Rakow needs to be done because the amount of traffic on the road "has grown tremendously", according to an MCDOT release.  The project's been in the planning stages for three years.  The final version is six through lanes between Ackman and Pyott roads and four from Pyott to Route 31. Rakow will also be re-aligned east of McHenry Avenue to soften the road curve.

All of the intersections along the project will be channelized for improved traffic safety and flow and most of the signal intersections will include dual left-turn lanes, where deemed necessary, for greater capacity and efficiency. The project also includes a pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Rakow for the McHenry County Conservation District Bike Trail just east of Pyott.

In the pics: (lower) the big Rakow curve will be "flattened".

Shoe Store Latest Randall Opening In Algonquin

Businessmen are voting with their dollars that the economy's getting better.  At least along the Randall Corridor, particularly in Algonquin.  The latest entry a new shoe store that opened late last week in Oakridge Court.

Shoe Carnival, an Evansville chain with about 300 stores in the East and Midwest, features contests, games, neon signs, flashing lights and up-tempo music to produce an energized (shoe) shopping atmosphere, according to its PR department. "Name brand shoes at a value price," is what Store Manager James Burr calls it.

The company has stores in McHenry and Arlington Heights and Burr said one in Algonquin seemed to be a logical progression.

More new businesses are reported soon to open on Randall.  A color-coordinated women's clothing store is due in about six weeks in Algonquin Commons and a pancake restaurant on Randall is somewhere in the hopper.

In the pic:  Recently opened Shoe Carnival in Oakridge Court has a lot of shoes.  Really.  A lot.

Algonquin Gets Grant For Ash Borer Repair

The Algonquin Village Board did a little ordinance "housekeeping", OK'ed overnight boarding  at a village doggy daycare center and signed off on an agreement to do the wrenchwork on Pingree Grove's PD vehicles.  It was all in front of a big bunch of Dundee Crown High School students who needed to attend a meeting as a class requirement and, yes, kids, this is "how government works": almost as much fun as watching paint dry.

Probably the most exciting development of the evening was Village Manager Bill Ganek's announcement that the Village won a $20,000 federal grant to replace trees lost to the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. That's a lot of money for a job that's budgeted at $70,000 for the coming fiscal year.  "Unfortunately that was the max," said Ganek.  He singled out Village Forester Steve Ludwig for getting that, though.  "He blew them away with the information we had," he said.

In the pic:  "I see the semester's almost over again," said Algonquin Board President John Schmitt Tuesday night.  Besides the students from Dundee-Crown there was also a bunch of Scouts from Troop 368 in attendance; they led the pledge of allegiance.

Federal Tax Break Could Put Hole In State Budget

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Illinois could stand to lose more than $1 billion if it the State tax code stays in step with changes to the federal one, according to a study released Tuesday. Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget counts on a move to disconnect from a federal plan to spur more businesses to spending on equipment.

The federal provision is part of a compromise between President Barack Obama and Republican members of Congress to extend income tax cuts enacted by President George W. Bush. It allows businesses to deduct the entire costs of spending on machinery and equipment all at once on their federal tax returns as expenses. Without the benefit the costs would be capitalized, the deduction for depreciation spread over several years. Because Illinois' income tax code falls in line with federal code, businesses would be able to take similar deductions on their state tax returns too.

A study from the Washington-D.C.-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities took a look at how much revenue states could miss out on.  According to the center’s projections, Illinois could potentially lose the most, with an estimated hit of more than $1 billion. A spokesperson for Governor Quinn’s budget office said that was in line with their estimates and the Quinn's drafting legislation to split the state from the federal practices on the issue.

Mark Denzler, vice president of government affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers Association, said the center’s revenue estimates are inflated. “It would be nowhere close to that.” he said. Besides, “We would just be continuing the current practice of what Illinois has been doing for almost a decade now,” said Denzler.

On the day of Quinn's budget address, House Speaker Michael Madigan took issue with counting revenue in his budget proposal on the assumption that the legislature would pass a bill to end the accelerated tax bonus in Illinois. Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Quinn’s move went against recently enacted proposals to reform the budgeting process in Illinois, including requiring budgets to be based on the revenue available at the time they are created. “On day one [of the budgeting process], we were not off to a good start,” Brown said.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/federal-tax-break-could-put-hole-in.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
March 01
0133 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HALIGUS RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. CARACHURE, SERGIO, M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 11195 DOULGAS AVE., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant, Kane County for Failure to Appear - Narcotic Equipment/Possession, and Possession of
Cannabis. RELEASED ON BOND.
0817 HRS 5000 BLOCK OF WHITMORE WAY. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Items removed from unsecured vehicle overnight.
1816 HRS 200 BLOCK OF S. ANNANDALE DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1825 HRS PYOTT RD. & MCPHEE DR. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Transport to Sherman and Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center.
1911 HRS 300 BLOCK OF RAMBLE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 40 years of age, with partial airway obstruction. No transport.

Bianchi Denies Nephew In Latest "Favors" Indictments

McHenry County Special Prosecutors unveiled new indictments of State's Attorney Lou Bianchi Monday charging he gave special breaks to supporters and family members including putting his own nephew in a deferred prosecution program.  Bianchi said late Monday he doesn't have a nephew in the program.

Henry "Skip" Tonigan and Thomas McQueen said a Grand Jury charged Bianchi and State's Attorney Chief Investigator Ron Salgado with official misconduct for favoritism.  One count alleges Bianchi and Salgado both told an Assistant State's Attorney to cut a year off a five-year prison term for Salgado's nephew charged with two felony drug deals at Crystal Lake High School. Another claims Bianchi interfered with a complaint against a personal friend and member of a family of political supporters, then dropped the charge.  A third count alleges Bianchi let his own nephew charged with felony theft out on no-money bail until he could get a new wrist-slap program running and then put him in it.

All of the new charges against Bianchi and Salgado were for Official Misconduct, the same offense the Grand Jury returned against Bianchi in September for allegedly having his secretaries do political campaign work on the County's paycheck.

Bianchi defense attorney Terry Ekl said the new indictments were merely a ploy.  "Their case against Lou was falling apart.  What they've tried to do is dirty him up," he said.

Ekl also said the latest indictments look like another unauthorized expansion of the Special Prosecutors' original mandate.  McQueen apparently anticipated that and earlier said they stemmed from "calls from a number of lawyers" to his investigator Robert Scigalski after the first indictments were announced.

None of the cases where Bianchi was supposed to have played favorites was identified by name.  Even so, Bianchi said in a brief FEN interview he was sure of one thing.  "I don't have a nephew that's in any trouble," he said.

To the extent the latest charges could be matched against known cases, they weren't much of a surprise.  One had been leaked in considerable detail to the Chicago Tribune two months ago. The broad outlines to the others surfaced in rumors about two weeks ago and the one involving Bianchi's supposed nephew was circulating except for the nephew part by last weekend. McQueen said he didn't plan to investigate the leaks.

Monday's indictments marked the end of the Bianchi investigation.  "The Grand Jury's done," McQeen said, even though it will remain empaneled for a little while longer.  He said the finish had nothing to do with the announcement last week that the Illinois State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor has a right to review the bills he and Tonigan have been running up investigating Bianchi.

The Special Prosecutors also announced a collateral indictment Monday.  It said State's Attorney's Investigator Robert McCleary used his County car for personal errands.

In the pic:  Special Prosecutors Henry "Skip" Tonigan (center) and Thomas McQueen (left) announced new indictments of State's Attorney Lou Bianchi at a press conference Monday.  Investigator Robert Scigalski is on the right.  He didn't speak and declined comments later.

D300 "Cuts" $8.6 Million, Most Of It Uncertain

The District 300 Board of Education cut almost $8.6 million from the District's budget for the 2011-12 school year Monday, but $5.2 million of that depends on upcoming union contract negotiations.  Not included in the total was another $1 million for the District's preschool program for at-risk and poor children, axed on paper but not actually cut yet.

The Board chopped intramural sports and clubs, administration costs, high school electives, counseling, library services and bus costs.  "There are none of the cuts on this page I want to make," said Board President Joe Stevens.  "But every cut we don't make, we have to find another," he said.

The Board Monday ignored the elephant in the budget bedroom except for a comment by Member Dave Alessio that making the whole thing work still depends on teachers and staff agreeing to up their insurance payments while accepting the same salaries as this year.

The Board figures it's faced with uncertain but definitely declining support money from Springfield in the coming year.  For example, said Stevens, Governor Quinn's budget works out to a $1 million reduction in funds for D300 busing.  "It's a cut school districts have no alternative to provide because it's mandated by the State," he said. "It's another unfunded mandate."

Not mandated is the District's Preschool For All program serving about 400 kids and funded by a yearly grant.  Next year the grant's iffy at best so the Board voted to lay off the teachers when this year ends but not to kill the program yet. In a complicated compromise, if the money shows up, the teachers come back.  If it doesn't, then the Board will decide what to do about it.

The only "cut" the Board didn't approve was actually an increase in the student registration fee. It hasn't gone up in five years but Member Monica Clark said, "Even if we don't have the highest registration fee we certainly have one of the highest sports fees."

The Board decided to skip votes on "restructuring" its high schools and killing alternative programs for troubled students. Those are supposed to be worth about $3 million in savings but wouldn't go into effect until the 2012-13 year.

Besides, connected to the restructuring were some new appointments by Superintendent-elect Michael Bregy.  He's taking three of his top principals and an associate principal off the line and putting them into new positions to figure out how to meet  federal education standards due in two years.  Bregy said the cost of the new spots would be paid for by eliminating five other administrative positions which he announced last week.  In fact he said, "The Administration for a second year will be taking monetary reductions.  There is an overall reduction to the Administration."

The cuts the Board made Monday are listed here on page 2: http://www.d300.org/files/Board%20of%20Education%20Meeting%20Packet%2002.28.11.pdf

Here's a subsequent news release: http://www.d300.org/news/24454

In the pic:  Algonquin Mom Gia Larsen was one of several supporting District 300's Preschool For All Program Monday. "I and my children would be lost without PFA," she said.

Free Scholarship And Financial Aid Presentation Coming At HHS

Huntley High School will host a a free scholarship and financial aid presentation by Ben Kaplan, the best-selling author of How to Go to College Almost for Free next Tuesday from 8 to 9 pm at the high school Performing Arts Center.

Kaplan speaks to 30,000 families at 100 schools worldwide ech year and has appeared on 2,000 TV and radio shows, including Oprah, Good Morning America, NBC, CBS, and CNN.  His topics include:

How to find scholarships online
How to develop a winning scholarship game plan
How to "paint a portrait" in a scholarship application
How to master the scholarship essay
How to earn a "preferential financial aid package"
How to manage family finances for more grant aid
How to slash student loans
How to best save for college without much time left
How to get deals on related expenses (like textbooks)

For more info call Karen Miller at (847) 659-6615.

Legislature Finally Facing Tough Budget Choices

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Changes to Illinois’ budgeting process will put more responsibility in the hands of the General Assembly this spring. A new law requires Committees in both Springfield chambers  to decide how to spend the finite amount of money the state is expected to collect during the next fiscal year.
The law, passed in the previous General Assembly, is the result of what’s been a perpetually messy budgeting process and calls to rein in spending for a state mired in a multi-billion dollar deficit.

The change is a stark departure from the past two years in which the Legislature would approve how much the state could spend, and then let the governor decide how to divide it among state agencies, a practice referred to as lump-sum budgeting.

State Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, said that a smaller pool of money to draw on necessitated the need for lump-sum budgeting. “That was basically to try to give the governor and the Office of Management and Budget the ability to make decisions within different agencies budgets as how best to spend the money they have available,” Sullivan said.

State Rep. Mark Beaubien Jr., R-Barrington Hills, doesn’t quite see the past two years in the same light. He said the Legislature failed to live up to its duties by giving Gov. Pat Quinn a check but no direction on how to spend it. “We abdicated our responsibility and said to the governor, ‘here’s the budget, you deal with (it),’ and that’s not what the Legislature should be doing,” Beaubien, the GOP budgeteer in the House, said.

Now the Legislature will have its responsibility back, which could be a double-edged sword because before the Legislature can decide who gets what, it must first know how much it can spend. Appropriation committees in both chambers will be given a revenue figure for the next fiscal year, out of which a portion for each state agency must be carved, according to the new law.

“This year they’re going to be forced to make some very tough decisions, because you get education, human services, all the sudden they recognize, ‘hey wait a minute, we have responsibility now in making this work,’” Beaubien said.

You can read Andrew's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5223/legislature-facing-tough-budget-choices-2/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
February 28
0752 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD. & DEER PATH. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1030 HRS 300 BLOCK OF COUNCIL TRAIL. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 83 years of age, fell. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1414 HRS 800 BLOCK OF JESSIE RD. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Victim’s information was used to obtain a loan without permission.
1612 HRS 200 BLOCK OF BOULDER DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. Two priors.
2241 HRS 70 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 19 years of age, not feeling well. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

LITH Church "Dissolved", Building For Sale

Joy Community Church didn't see its usual Presbyterian Service Sunday, although it did host one for a Crystal Lake evangelical group called The Well.  According to reports, Joy Community Church ceased to exist earlier this month, apparently a late victim of the Great Recession.

Paul Donnan, pastor at The Well, said the church building, LITH's first free-standing church when it was built in 2006, was for sale and that his congregation was interested in purchasing it, "If God provides."

"It's really a wonderful church," he said.

FEN was unable to reach Blackhawk Presbytery officials in Oregon, IL, over the weekend.  Elgin retailer Roger Eads, a member of an administrative commission tasked with closing Joy, said his group has only been working on it for about a week and declined comment.  Rev. Bill Ingersoll of Grayslake, recent Pastor at Joy Community Church didn't respond to a phone message.

According to Blackhawk Mission Strategies and Resource Board records, however, former pastor Paul Stunkel said a year ago that the Joy congregation was groaning under a $1.2 million mortgage with an $8,600 per month payment.  According to a report at his new church in Michigan, Stunkel was granted a permanent sabbatical shortly after that.  By mid-year the Presbytery had assumed the mortgage on the Joy Church renting it back to its congregation, according to records. A Committee on Ministry report showed a vote to dissolve the church effective Feb. 18, however.

Joy Community operated a popular child daycare center at the church and Donnan said that would continue.

Donnan's group, The Well, has been holding services at Joy for the past month in addition to its regular services at The Pointe Homeowner's Association center in Crystal Lake.  Donnan said The Well is a mission from a church in Grand Rapids, MI.

In the pic:  Evangelical church The Well will hold Sunday services at the former Joy Community Church in Lake in the Hills.  The new church promises "Pure filtered Jesus".

District 300 To Vote On Massive Budget Cuts Tonight

District 300 officials are scheduled for an early interview Tuesday at an Elgin radio station about the District's preschool programs.  The question is whether there'll be any to talk about.  Preschool for All is one of several programs on the chopping block this evening as the Board of Education looks to cut $8.3 million in expenses for the 2011-12 school year.

An huge deficit still remaining in Springfield is cascading down on school districts and the D300 Board doesn't expect enough aid next year to operate in the black without more heavy cuts.

Budgeteers estimate eliminating preschool would save the District about $1 million next year.  The measure was discussed for the 2012-13 year but according to tonight's agenda it's been moved up to the coming year.  The District figures to save another $1 million with a new bus contract and some bus stop tightening. Eliminating building managers is supposed to save about $500,000 and  "Restructuring" Special Education is expected to yield another $400,000 savings.

The biggest chunk of savings, about $4.5 million, is still supposed to come from higher health insurance premiums for the entire District staff and a teachers' wage freeze.  Either those or layoffs.  The prospect of layoffs is what's pushing the Board to move fast on the District's budget for next year.  The District's required to make the first round of cuts in administrators and tenured teachers by March 25.

Tonight's District 300 Board of Education meeting open session is set to begin at 7:30 pm at Westfield Community School in Algonquin in the Professional Development Center.  That's the door facing the parking lot on the school's north side. 

Scouts Prep For Saturday ALITH Pantry Food Drive

The boys of Algonquin Boy Scout Troop 151 will provide the muscle Saturday.  You provide the beans, Wheaties, Hamburger Helper, whatever, for their annual "Scouting for Food" food drive Saturday to collect donations for the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry.

Some of the guys will be manning (boying?) a drop off spot at ALFPD Fire Station #1 at Algonquin and Pyott from 9 am to noon Saturday.  But if you can't stop there, they'll come (likely with their moms) to you to pick up donations of non-perishable food, personal care items and cleaning supplies. Contact Janet Vogler at (847) 658-4735 of Troop 151 with questions on that.

When everything's all gathered the boys will truck on over to the Pantry to organize everything and stock the shelves for its patrons.

In the pic:  Troop 151 getting pumped up at the Congregation Church of Algonquin for Saturday's ALITH  Pantry food drive.

Illinois Looks To Wisconsin, Recalls Last Year

By Melissa Leu, Illinois Statehouse News
The migration of what some are calling Wisconsin's "Duck Bill" Democrats appears to have passed out of McHenry County over the weekend.  Sunday at least some of the wayward legislators were reported nesting in Lake County.  Meanwhile Illinois lawmakers may be feeling a sense of deja vu as they look at Wisconsin's struggle to solve a pension and budget deficit.

Last March Illinois reformed its public employee pensions when the General Assembly passed legislation that created a “two-tier” pension system.  That's similar to the proposal up before the Wisconsin Senate, however the measure there includes collective bargaining rights in the mix, too.

Wisconsin Democratic senators have fled the Capitol in protest of the repeal of most collective bargaining rights, leaving the rest of the GOP-led legislature to ponder how to close the state’s $136.7 million budget deficit for the current year. Walker's plan passed the Assembly chamber but still needs to clear the Senate before hitting Walker's desk for his signature.

Illinois' reforms allow current employees to keep their existing pension plan, changing the rules only for new employees hired after Jan. 1. The retirement age increased to 67, maximum salaries were capped at $106,800 and payouts became based on a worker's highest salary during eight consecutive years of the last 10. At the time, Illinois was facing a roughly $13-billion budget deficit. Although the measure angered unions, it was passed and ratified without much legislative opposition — 92-17 in the House and 48-6 in the Senate.

Jim Nowlan, a research fellow at the Institute of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, attributes the diverging reactions from each state to a contrasting political climate. “The speaker of the (Illinois) House did strike very quickly last year and surprised the public employee unions, which did mount some opposition,” Nowlan said. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, pushed the measure through in a single day.

David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, said the widespread protests aren’t surprising considering the financial crisis and recent political turnover in Wisconsin leadership. “It's one thing to raise questions about the level of benefits, about the numbers of state workers, and it's another thing to question whether unions really have a right to exist. So that's bound to spark a great deal of militancy on the part of labor leaders,” Yepsen said.

You can read Melissa's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5218/illinois-looks-to-wisconsin-and-recalls-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
February 27
2357 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD., (RAKOW CURVE). DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. GOMEZ, JOSE M., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 7501 BIRCH STREET, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving while License Suspended, Driving too Fast for Conditions. RELEASED ON BOND.
0201 HRS RAKOW RD. & MCHENRY AVE. ACCIDENT. One vehicle hit a guard rail. Property damage only.
0311 HRS 300 BLOCK OF N. ANNANDALE DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1416 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). BATTERY Male vs. Female. FAIL TO FILE.
1557 HRS 1200 BLOCK OF PATTON AVE. HIT & RUN. Vehicle was struck while legally parked on the street.
Algonquin
February 25
11:45am Page, Tyler J., DOB: 08/23/85, of 22238 Little Pond Road, Kildeer, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property.  He was taken into custody at 210 E. Algonquin Road.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 03/30/11 in McHenry County.
13:52pm Levy, Laura E., DOB: 12/30/92, of 641 Anderson Drive, Lake in the Hills, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Unlawful Use of a Credit Card and Theft Under $300.  She was also Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for Unlawful Use of a Credit Card.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $500 on the McHenry County Warrant with a court date of 03/08/11 in McHenry County and after posting $500 on the Kane County Warrant with a court date of 03/25/11 in Kane County.
15:00pm Kavelj, Josipa, DOB: 07/24/92. of 827 Menominee Drive, Lake in the Hills, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Unlawful Use of a Credit Card and Theft Under $300.  She was also Wanted on a Warrant, out of Kane County for Receiving Goods in Violation of the Credit Card/Debit Card Act.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $500 on the McHenry County Warrant with a court date of 03/08/11 in McHenry County and after posting $500 on the Kane County Warrant with a court date of 03/25/11 in Kane County.
20:11pm Frenden, Matthew R., DOB: 11/04/87, of 2664 Loren Court, Algonquin, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property and 2 counts of Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at Harnish Drive and Stonegate Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
February 26
04:09am Zielinski, Stacy A., DOB: 09/10/82, of 252 Sonora Drive, Elgin, was charged with DUI, Improper Lane Usage, and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol.  She was taken into custody at Harnish Drive and Sherman Road.  She was released after posting $100 and her Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 04/06/11 in McHenry County.
February 27
00:34am Munao, Gina J., DOB: 02/18/72, of 1920 Jester Lane, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Lee County for Contempt.  She was taken into custody at 1920 Jester.  She was released after posting $300 with a court date of 03/24/11 in Lee County.
13:41pm Helman, John K., DOB: 06/03/84, of 609 S. Hubbard Street, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear, on a Possession of Cannabis charge.  He was taken into custody at 609 S Hubbard.  He was released after posting $500 with a court date of 03/04/11 in McHenry County.
16:07pm A 17 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody in the 2400 block of Huntington Drive.  He was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his guardian.
20:26pm Pearson, Chad R., DOB: 01/30/89, of 1240 Old Mill Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Battery.  He was taken into custody at 1240 Old Mill.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/06/11 in McHenry County.
23:28pm Buse, Carol A., DOB: 03/30/78, of 790 Regal Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer.  She was taken into custody at 790 Regal.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 03/30/11 in McHenry County.

Huntley Home And Business Expo Packs New Site

Crowds flocked to the the Huntley Chamber of Commerce's Home and Business Expo on Day One Saturday, enough that the two-day event may exceed its 3,000 attendee target.  It's at a new location this year, Marlowe Middle School in LITH, instead of the former venue at the Huntley Park District Rec Center.

The Expo provides an opportunity to meet Huntley businesses, more than 100 of them,  under one roof and gather information about their services.  That saves a lot of time and shoe leather.  Likewise suddenly scandalously expensive gasoline.

The Expo includes several raffles.  Adult Grand Prize is a two-night stay at Disney World sponsored by Huntley Travel.  Kids' First Prize is a Disney Gift Basket and $100 savings bond sponsored by American Community Bank and Trust and the aforementioned Huntley Travel again.  The winners will be picked at the Chamber's general meeting Wednesday.

The Business Expo continues today from 11 am to 3 pm.  There's a free shuttle for Sun City residents available by calling 847-858-4480.

Angel Food Flies Out The Door At St. John's

Saturday was Angel Food distribution day at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Algonquin.  For about three years now St. John's has been part of Angel Food Ministries, a nutrition program whose motto is "Blessings by the Box."

Angel Food is is a medium-sized box of food for $30. What's in it varies each month but program spokesmen say retail comparison shopping for the same items produces a bill between $42 and $78. Each box assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month and it's all the same quality as grocers sell.

There are no restrictions, conditions or forms to fill out to purchase Angel Food. The food relief program is open to one and all. The program even accepts food stamps.

Saturday St. John's volunteers distributed 29 boxes of food, down from last year's peak of 45.

Maybe the economy's picking up?

"I think it's the snow," said sign-in volunteer Kathy Mittelbrun.

More information's available from the church at 630-417-3009 or orders to be picked up at St. John's next month can be placed online at http://www.angelfoodministries.com/ .

LITH Luau Wows Toddlers

Goddard School held a Luau for returning and prospective preschoolers in Lake in the Hills Saturday.
It included the usual face-painting and balloon animal activities that are always a hit with the small fry but a special attraction was a hula demonstration by dancers from a group called Aloha Chicago.

Um, hula?

"I'm just tired of the cold weather," said owner Michele Clark.

In the pic:  Luau's are a Hawaiian celebration but the dancers also showed off their expertise with Maori Poe Balls, once a weapon, now "thankfully just some balls of foam and tissues."

Grant To Be Sought For Health Insurance "Transparency"

By Diane S.W. Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week states could benefit from additional federal money to help stem the rising cost of health insurance premiums. “If the federal government is offering us a grant to look at insurance rates, I think it is something that we should definitely look into,” said state Rep. Patricia Bellock, R-Hinsdale.

With a deadline in August, states could apply for one of two federal grants totaling approximately $50 million to address “unreasonable” or “excessive” insurance rate hikes. States can apply for up to a $3 million grant to cover three years or up to a $2 million grant to cover two years to help improve transparency for consumers and to hold companies accountable for insurance increases.

Steve Larsen, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said additional funding would improve how states review proposed premium increases.

“The great news for consumers is that we know effective rate review is already helping to moderate premium growth,” he said. “In Connecticut, for example, the state insurance commissioner there rejected a proposed 19.9 percent premium increase that would have raised costs for about 48,000 consumers there.”

Illinois does not have the legal authority to approve or reject proposed health insurance hikes. But additional funding would bring the state one step closer to reaching that goal, said Michael McRaith, director of the Illinois Department of Insurance. “Rate approval authority in the Department of Insurance … will have significant long-term benefits for families and employers, so that patients not only get the health care they need but will receive the financial security they paid for with their premiums,” McRaith said.

The Illinois Department of Insurance was awarded a $1 million grant last August and plans to apply again this year.

You can read Diane's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5202/illinois-could-get-federal-money-to-examine-health-insurance-rate-hikes/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
February 26
1625 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). RETAIL THEFT. SCHUCK, CYNTHIA R., F/W 57 YEARS OF AGE, 545 KELSEY ROAD, BARRINGTON. CHARGE: Retail Theft. RELEASED ON BOND.
0435 HRS 310 N. RANDALL RD., (CHASE BANK). ACCIDENT. One vehicle. Property damage only.
0706 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF HILLSBORO LN. SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT. Footprints in the snow leading up to multiple vehicles in area.
1250 HRS PINE ST. & PLUM ST. FOUND ARTICLE. Cellular telephone.
1255 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD., (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL). ASSIST AMBULANCE. Two females, both 12 years of age, lost consciousness. No Transport.
1305 HRS PYOTT RD. & RAKOW RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 67 years of age, disoriented. Transported to Northern Illinois Medical Center.
1807 HRS 5507 MCKENZIE DR., (CELEBRATION PARK). DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. girlfriend. Verbal only. No priors.
1929 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF CROSSVIEW LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Husband vs. wife. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1930 HRS 2200 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. IDENTITY THEFT. Multiple magazines subscribed to complainant’s name.
2005 HRS 900 BLOCK MESA DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 19 years of age, having difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2103 HRS MILLER RD. & SWANSON RD. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. tree. Property damage only.
2106 HRS 200 BLOCK OF OAKLEAF RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 75 years of age, having difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2203 HRS MILLER RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2228 HRS 300 BLOCK OF TECUMSEH TRAIL. ASSIST AMBULANCE/ Female, 2 years of age, having difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2320 HRS 300 BLOCK OF TECUMSEH TRAIL. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 1 year of age, having difficulty breathing. No Transport.