ECC Job Fair Employers Up 50 Percent From Last Year

Elgin Community College's Job Fair opened Friday to 95 companies looking for employees and wall-to-wall hopefuls looking for jobs.  Last year there were only 60 companies hiring.  As a sign of the times was the increase good, bad or indifferent? The short answer was, "Yes."

Recruiter Lauren Crane from Bridge Personnel, Hoffman Estates, said, "It depends on what industry you're in.  Clerical is fantastic.  Sales have been picking up in the last two months.  That means the economy's improving."

The numbers for the past year seem to say so.  The February unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in Kane County, 9.1 percent in McHenry.  That's still pretty bad but a year ago they were 12.0 and 11.3 percent, respectively. That was downright abysmal.  On the other hand, a closer look at job numbers from the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows while unemployment is falling the total labor force at best stood still.  The number of people with a job or looking for one last February stood at 270,074 in Kane County, 180,312 in McHenry County.  The numbers this February were 269,644 and 179,829.

Part of the stasis might be that where the jobs are isn't necessarily the same place as where jobseekers are.  Troy Brown, recruiter for national connector distributor Fastenal, has two sales spots open.  "Business is better than it was in 2009," he said, but the jobs he needs to fill are in Belvidere and Waukesha.  "I'm willing to hire but a lot of people don't want to move."

New entrants joining the workforce are another problem.  They're competing with all the older unemployed workers already there making a pretty big crowd trying to grab a rung on the lower levels of the ladder.  That makes joining the military an attractive option for job entrants.  Marine Staff Sergeant Freddie Garcia said, "If someone walked into the office now and was qualified we couldn't ship them to Boot Camp for nine months.  That's how backed up we are."

Still, if workers don't  try to find a job it's a pretty safe bet they won't get one.  Erin Linnell from McHenry office equipment distributor Imagetec said applicants for a new store the company's opening in Lincolnshire weren't discouraged.  "People seem pretty positive right now," she said. "Especially the ones coming to employment fairs."

A list of all the employers who were hiring at ECC's Job Fair is here:

http://elgin.edu/uploadedFiles/About_ECC/News/Elgin_Community_College_News_and_Events/Annual_Events/Employer_Job_Fair_List.pdf

Bicycle Club Asks For County Study

The yellow daffodils showed the their first shoots this week as bicyclists sporting bright yellow McHenry County Bicycle Club Jerseys packed the County Boardroom Thursday to ask for a resolution promising not to "improve" area roads so much two-wheelers can't use them safely. The group also asked for an MCDOT study in the next two years for a County bicycle plan. 

Including bicycle accommodations would only add about 5 percent to road rebuild costs according to a Club presentation to the Board. Times are tight said Assistant County Engineer Jeff Young.  On the Rakow Road upgrade currently underway "None of the communities at the time wanted to pay for a path."  Young said engineers rigged plans so one could be added later, though.

District 5 Member Paula Yensen, LITH, said if the County's going to have a bike plan, "We need to understand what part of the population have kids, whether their destinations are for work, how much is recreational."  If there's going to be a plan, she said, "We need to know what's going on in the County (now)."  There seemed to be some support among members for that idea so the ball's back in the Bike Club's court again.

In the pic:  Members of the McHenry County Bicycle Club peddled the idea of a County bicycle plan within two years.  Then they pedaled away from the County Government Center for a 25-mile jaunt around (literally) Woodstock. The club's website is  http://www.mchenrybicycleclub.org/ .

ALITH Jaycees Prepare For Special Needs Egg Hunt

Algonquin Lake in the Hills Jaycees spent Friday evening at Algonquin's Cafe Firefly stuffing eggs.  Not with creamy hard-boiled yolk and mayo mixture garnished with bits of bacon and pimento, et al, etc. They weren't real eggs, a good thing, since they won't be used until next Saturday at the Jaycees' Special Needs Egg Hunt from 10 to 11 am at Algonquin Towne Park.  The eggs were plastic, the stuffing was candy and there's a footlocker full of empties local Girl Scouts will be working on Tuesday.

For info on the Jaycee's Egg Hunt for Special Needs children, email ericdaudelin@yahoo.com .

In the pic:  (left to right) Eric and Melissa Daudelin, Kristin Lange, Sue Bazdor and Cyndi Gac stuffed Easter Eggs for a Jaycees' Special Needs Hunt next Saturday.  Stalwarts all, nobody "snuck" even one piece of candy in the process.

House Lawmakers Vote To Keep Gun Owners Names Secret

By Diane S.W. Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois lawmakers Friday fought the attorney general’s ruling by approving legislation to seal the names of authorized gun owners from public access. The House voted overwhelmingly to send a new exemption to the State's Freedom of Information Law to the Senate. Under it Illinois State Police could not disclose Firearm Owners Identification card holders' names unless gun owners are under criminal investigation.

Chief sponsor State Rep. Richard Morthland, R-Cordova, said the FOID card list could become a “shopping list for ne'er-do-wells” or irresponsible people. “This could lead to a situation, where you have people who are gun owners and who are afraid that somebody who approaches their house might wish them well or try to take their guns away from them,” Morthland said. “And it is just better to have that information private.”

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan ignited controversy two months ago after she ruled the names of FOID card holders were public information. The Associated Press filed a FOIA request in September, seeking the names of authorized gun owners. But the state police refused to release the information, citing privacy and safety concerns.

Co-sponsor McHenry County State Rep. Michael Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, raised the question of whether FOID cards are constitutional. Tryon cited the Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, which states “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

“I can easily argue that telling me I have to have a card to carry a gun is an infringement of my Second Amendment right, and maybe that’s a discussion that needs to be had,” Tryon said, “because we are one of the only states that have a Firearm Owners Identification card. But in reality, to give that out to the public, that’s wrong.”

In an email statement in response to the proposal, Illinois attorney general spokeswoman Natalie Bauer said, “The public access counselor’s role was to interpret what information is public under the current Freedom of Information Act after this question of FOID information was presented to us. It’s the General Assembly’s role to weigh in on the larger public policy questions raised by this issue.”

You can read Diane's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5650/house-lawmakers-vote-to-keep-foid-card-names-secret/

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced recently
the following disciplinary orders were issued in the month of February:

Stephanie Slider, Lake in the Hills - pharmacy technician license placed in refuse to renew status after defaulting on an Illinois Education Loan

Cassandra Kimble, Cary – pharmacy technician license placed on indefinite probation after defaulted on an Illinois educational loan and has now entered into a repayment agreement.

John Griffin, Crystal Lake – home inspector license placed in refuse to renew status for producing a substandard home inspection report and for producing the report on an expired license.

Diana Carter, Elgin – licensed professional counselor reprimanded for attempting to engage in private practice without supervision and prior to obtaining a professional clinical counselor license.

Raz Haq, South Barrington, and IK Corporation, South Barrington – (both unlicensed) ordered to cease and desist the unlicensed practice of real estate brokerage, sales or leasing.

Lesley White, McHenry – nursing home administrator license reprimanded for failure to report an allegation of abuse to the Illinois Department of Public Health within the required 24 hours.

Elizabeth Rodriguez, Woodstock – cosmetologist license issued and placed on probation for two years due to criminal convictions and unprofessional conduct.

Kara Condon, Harvard – funeral director and embalmer intern license  placed in refuse to renew status after defaulted on an Illinois educational loan.

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.

MATTHEW S. ZEIS, DOB:  02/02/93, 8930 DISBROW STREET, HUNTLEY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, THEFT.--LITH PD
KYLE D. MELTON, DOB:  12/19/92,    4317 SHAMROCK LANE  #2A, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, THEFT.
PATRICK J. CASAGRANDE, DOB:  07/26/93, 5855 FIELDSTONE TRAIL, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, THEFT.
MATTHEW S. AVONTS, DOB:  05/24/93, 7401 BURNING TREE DRIVE, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, THEFT.
MARCO A. DELGADILLO, DOB:  11/28/92, 7404 MASON HILL ROAD, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, THEFT, AGGRAVATED BATTERY.--McHenry PD
  
CHRISTOPHER W. WEBER, DOB:  12/24/87, 4315 CRESTWOOD STREET, MCHENRY. CONCEALING A FUGITIVE.--McHenry PD
   
JAKE A. BARAGLIA, DOB:  09/20/91, 66 GATES STREET, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL USE OF WEAPONS, POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITHOUT REQUISITE FOID CARD, POSSESSION OF FIREARM AMMUNITION WITHOUT FOID CARD.--Crystal Lake PD
     
JOHN A. NEVEITT, DOB:  09/29/88, LKA:  2405 W. EDGEWOOD LANE, MCHENRY. BURGLARY, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

MICHAEL T. LENARD, DOB:  03/28/91, 5006 W. GLENBROOK TRAIL, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--McHenry PD
   
BRANDON L. CORDOVA, DOB:  07/22/92, 1716 DONOVAN STREET, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(4CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA(2CTS).--McHenry PD

LUTHER Z. BURNETT, DOB:  01/16/47, 42 HAWLEY STREET, GRAYSLAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

DAVID W. SCHULTZ, DOB:  03/13/78, 5410 W. WESTSHORE DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Woodstock PD

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
April 08
1916 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & PYOTT RD. NO VALID ILLINOIS DRIVER’S LICENSE. SCHMIDTKE, JACEK, M/W 33 YEARS OF AGE, 8151 W. BELMONT APT 3R, RIVER GROVE. CHARGES: No Valid Illinois Driver’s License, Expired Safety Sticker, No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0536 HRS 200 BLOCK OF ELLIS RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 65 years of age, having difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1315 HRS 320 RANDALL RD., (ARBY’S). PRIVATE PROPERTY ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. dumpster. Property damage only.
1343 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF COURTNEY DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 17 years of age, psychological evaluation. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1631 HRS 20 BLOCK OF ECHO HILL. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. An iPod was taken from the vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1710 HRS 20 BLOCK OF ECHO HILL. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE.  A GPS and an iPod were taken from the vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
2049 HRS 0 BLOCK OF SONOMA CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Wife struck husband. No Priors. FAIL TO FILE.

Bianchi Supporters Want Judge To Fire Special Prosecutors

McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi's maintained since before his spectacular acquittal two weeks ago that the Special Prosectors' case against him was all about politics, not the law.  Thursday Bianchi's attorney filed a motion that was at least as political as it was legal, in effect, asking the judge who appointed the Prosecutors to fire them for incompetence.

Defense lawyer Terry Ekl charged Thursday that over the space of more than a year Special Prosecutors had examined more than one million pages of documents in their so-far failed Bianchi investigation.  "They looked  under rocks trying to find something to indict Lou Bianchi for," Ekl thundered, adding that they charged the County big in the process.

An out of County judge declared the Special Prosecutors' case against Bianchi for Conspiracy and Official Misconduct was based on bad law and unsupported by the most charitable reading of the facts, finding the State's Attorney not guilty without a defense.  So far Henry "Skip" Tonigan and Thomas McQueen have sent $312,000 in bills to the County with at least another $85,000 known to be coming, likely more.

At a chilly news conference in front of the McHenry County Justice Center Thursday Ekl said he wants to look at the case's "M.R. File" full of administrative records. "It's a file that, for some reason, has been sealed by Judge (Gordon) Graham," who appointed the Prosecutors, said Ekl.  That's why, he announced, he'd just filed a motion for half a dozen McHenry County taxpayers, all cheerfully admitted Bianchi supporters, to enter the case.

Ekl withheld copies of the motion in case it technically became a secret, too, as soon as he filed it.  However, what he described was a request for the Bianchi buddies to join the case based on the Prosecutors' spending their tax money. Then, assuming Graham OK's that, they'd ask Graham to open the M.R. File for public inspection and fire the Special Prosecutors "because of incompetence" in favor of some other attorney, any other attorney, to take over the prosecutorial favoritism charges the pair added against Bianchi one month ago.

The motion puts Graham on the spot, either admitting the men he appointed were bunglers or denying their failure to accomplish anything so far at considerable cost.  A possible escape, however, might be Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor Charles Colburn whom the judge reconfirmed six weeks ago to represent the County's financial interests in the case.  Ekl said his Thursday motion didn't duplicate that but Graham might rule differently.

Colburn hasn't gotten any financial detail from Graham yet, according to County Administrator Pete Austin who was spectating at the news conference.  "We had some conversations last week," he said.  "Mr. Ekl has received more information than the Appellate Prosecutor."

Ekl said Bianchi approved of his latest move in the contorted case.  "He's as concerend as anyone the County's being ripped off," he said.

In the pic:  Bianchi Defense Attorney Terry Ekl (far right) with Bianchi supporters and new clients (left to right) Bob Borchert, Ria and John Reckamp and Anthony Scimeca at Thursday's news conference.  Thomas Crane and Mary Alger, also part of the group, weren't there.

No Vote For More Layoffs But Door Still Open At D158

The D158 Board of Education decided not to add more teacher layoffs to the agenda for the next full Board meeting in two weeks.  The decision wasn't without dissent, however, and the door is still open a crack.  "I would expect the Administration to keep us informed of every new (financial) development," said Member Aileen Seedorf.  Superintendent John Burkey said that was SOP.

The chance of more layoffs started with a discussion about dropping English Language Learner teachers on the premise that the District doesn't have as many second-language students as it used to.  "Obviously we're not going to overstaff," said Burkey.

That led to studying the statutory deadline for letting teachers go at which point Member Mike Skala blurted out that he was worried the Board hadn't given itself enough budgetary leeway for the coming year when it OK'ed laying off 11 teachers last month.

"I'm a little skittish, too," chimed in Tony Quagliano.  "I'm concerned in case additional bad things happen in the budget," he said.  "We don't know what may happen with the (teachers') contract."

Quagliano thought the budget needed at least another $200,000 lopped off. Skala said the new contact, still being negotiated, was, indeed, a worry and maybe teacher salaries needed another $500,000 cut to cover a possible rise in health insurance costs for the District.

Chairman Kevin Gentry was against more cuts.  "By not acting, it puts more resolve in what's already there," he said.  "We have to get out of the contract what's implied in our current budget."

Skala was all for resolve but still argued for more cuts and so did Quagliano who warned, "I'll never vote for a deficit situation.  Just look at the State to see how that works."

Everyone was jittery about how much money the District can really expect to get out of Springfield next year but not enough to schedule a vote for more possible teacher cutbacks. "This involves human beings, their lives and their livelihoods," said Seedorf.

The point of no return for D158 non-tenured teacher layoffs is April 24.  The Board's supposed to meet in regular session April 21.

In the pic: Gentry (left) tells (right)  Quagliano and Skala  no more layoffs will stiffen D158 resolve.  Superintendent John Burkey's in the middle, at least in the picture.

ECC Teachers File Intent To Strike Notice

Elgin Community College's teachers' union filed a 10-day intent to strike notice Thursday but no one was sure whether that meant the teachers would walk really walk out.

ECC spokesmen and College President David Sam were all reported out of their offices "at a meeting" Thursday afternoon.  An after-hours email from Chief Communications Officer Paula Amenta said, "I was working hard to meet a 5 pm deadline on a media release, but I was not able to get my hands on all of the data facts I need, so it looks like it will be tomorrow."

Teachers' spokesman Gary Christenson couldn't be reached but his union blog contained the following entries Thursday evening: "A reporter alerted me this afternoon that (ECC Board Chairman) Ellie MacKinney planned to send details of our mediation efforts to area media, despite the mediator's request for continued confidentiality."

"We see her actions as little more than sabotage of a process that until last week was beginning to yield results. ECCFA will continue to abide by the mediator's request for confidentiality, except in cases where we must correct distortions."

The Elgin Community College Faculty Association contract ran out Jan 1 even though the union and the College have been meeting since October.  Talks have been in mediation for the past month and another bargaining session's still scheduled next week.

Huntley Begins Manning Road Deal For I90 Full Interchange

The Huntley Village Board began a complicated process Thursday to take over Manning Road so the Village's long-awaited full Route 47 interchange with I90 can actually begin construction perhaps as early as next year.

Manning connects to 47 right in the middle of the proposed interchange and Illinois Department of Transportation safety engineers say that won't work.  The road belongs to Kane County, though and IDOT regs also say Kane can't close it off from 47.  However, the regs say the Village could if it actually owned it so Huntley and Kane are trying to work out a deal.

If Huntley were getting a truck from Kane the village would have to pay for it.  In the strange world of roads, though, Kane has to pay Huntley since Village's taking it over would involve paying to maintain the thing from here to eternity.  Village Manager Dave Johnson said his planners figured $200,000 would be a reasonable price to do that but Kane's negotiators thought $100,000 was better.  He said they'd probably end up more or less splitting the difference. "It's an important part of the overall puzzle," said Johnson.

"If they don't give us any more we'll go ahead as it is," said Mayor Chuck Sass, but he still grumbled that, "It's a terrible road."

In other action the Board OK'ed formal votes on zoning variances for the new FYH Bearing distribution center planned at the end of Jim Dhamer Drive and on an expansion of the Crocker food package facility on Smith Drive off Kreutzer.  Crocker owner Ron Giordano said business has picked up so much he's already hired 14 more people and he needs more room.  Giordano said half the popular Keurig single-serving coffee packets in the U.S. run through the facility.

Quinn Pick To Human Rights Panel Gets Grilled, Gets Job

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's pick for the state's Human Rights Commission will get his job.  But he also got a political lambasting on Thursday from Republicans in Springfield. Republican senators used the confirmation process for Terry Cosgrove to hammer home their opposition to the man who heads a pro-abortion-rights group and may have campaigned against them.

Cosgrove, as the head of Personal Pac, supported Quinn in the November election. Cosgrove said he applied online for the Human Rights Commission post. He said that his support of Quinn and other Democrats wasn't the quid for an eventual pro-quo of the appointment. "I don't think there is any doubt that my commitment to human rights, and my educational background as a social worker, should give anyone any pause about what my intention is," Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove has worked on human rights commissions in the past, including a stint in Champaign.  But Republicans point to Cosgrove's work as president of Personal Pac and as a Democratic campaign supporter as his real work experience.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Oakawville, said Cosgrove and Personal Pac drove a lot of money to the governor's re-election bid.  Now Cosgrove is getting a $46,000 appointment.  Luechtefeld said that doesn't pass the smell test. "Do you feel that you are being appointed because of the money you gave Quinn?" asked Luechtefeld.  Cosgrove insisted there is no pay-to-play.

State Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Barrington, unleashed his frustration on Cosgrove for mailings and campaign messages that Personal Pac sent out.  "I adamantly oppose this person to represent the state of Illinois.  Based on your past, based on your experience, based on your actions, and based on the hundreds of thousands of dollars that you donated to Gov. Quinn," Duffy said.

Quinn brushed aside the GOP questions and criticism.  A statement from the governor's office reaffirmed Quinn's support for Cosgrove. The final vote on Cosgrove's appointment was 30-25.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5632/controverial-quinn-pick-to-human-rights-panel-gets-grilled-gets-job/

Audit Finds More Trouble In College Illinois Plan

By Diane S.W. Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
One of the state's prepaid tuition programs is sold to parents as “low-risk.” But a new state audit reveals College Illinois may have squandered $12 million on risky investments last year.
A financial audit released Thursday from the office of Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland raised red flags about the program’s business practices and questioned officials' lack of oversight from investment losses.

The report shows in September 2008, Illinois Student Assistance Commission officials invested $12.7 million into Chicago-based ShoreBank. But after federal regulators closed the bank in 2010, the investment was “deemed worthless,” according to the report.

There were questions even back in 2008 about ShoreBank's health, but the company tapped by ISAC to invest the money — San Francisco-based Grigsby & Associates — went ahead with the deal anyway. The audit questions the motives behind that decision. "The Vendor’s investment due diligence services were limited to one recommended transaction – a private equity investment in a specific bank," the audit states.

The report also notes that program officials did not consider other private equity investments, and did not allow others a chance to bid for contracts. "There is no evidence that any of the nine other respondents were asked to provide pricing for due diligence services after the proposals were received and scored," the audit states.

The audit also showed the program had a deficit of $338 million on June 30. The program had a deficit in 2009 of $342 million.

State Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said he wasn’t surprised by the findings. Durkin is seeking an investigation into the program for its “risky investment practices” and to document its administrative cost growth. “We need to overhaul College Illinois so we can at least bring integrity and bring confidence back to the parents of Illinois,” he said.

ISAC officials refused to comment on the specifics of the audit, or on the decision made in 2008.

You can read Diane's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5631/audit-finds-more-trouble-in-college-illinois-plan/

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
April 07
0117 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF MACKINAC ST. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. Four priors.
0704 HRS 3900 BLOCK OF THORNBERRY WAY. HIT & RUN. Vehicle vs. fire hydrant. Property damage only.
0815 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., (POLICE DEPT.). FOUND ARTICLE. Cellular telephone left in taxi cab. Entered into evidence.
0849 HRS 0 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 44 years of age, having difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1433 HRS 800 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Siding damaged due to rocks thrown.
1854 HRS 260 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO GASOLINE). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2106 HRS 600 BLOCK OF DELAWARE DR. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. son. Verbal only. No priors.
2113 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF BALDWIN LN. MISSING ADULT. Female, 37 years of age, left her residence. Located in Kenosha, WI.
April 05
(report delayed due to mysterious Internet forces)
0125 HRS CARLEMONT DR. & VILLAGE RD. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. PFISTER, MICHAEL S., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 1479 WILLOW TREE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License and No Headlight When Required. RELEASED ON BOND.
1041 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & OAKLEAF RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. RISTAU, RACHYL L., F/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 16449 S., MUELLER CIRCLE, PLAINFIELD. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
0708 HRS WILDSPRING DR. & HALIGUS RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1616 HRS 800 BLOCK OF PARC CT. HARASSMENT BY TELEPHONE. Subject received threatening telephone calls. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
Algonquin
April 5
19:00pm Cravins, Christina M., DOB: 09/24/85, of 325 Tecumseh Trail #105, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Theft.  She was taken into custody at Kentucky Fried Chicken, 415 S. Randall Road.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
April 6
10:24am Martinez-Ortiz, Ruben, DOB: 02/10/75, of 1710 N. Kimball Avenue, Chicago, was charged with DWLS, Speeding and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Cary Road.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
10:32am Hutcherson, Tavares, DOB: 01/12/77, of 4633 Garvok Court #29, Indianapolis, IN, was charged with Speeding.  He was also Wanted on two Warrants out of Indiana for Violation of Parole and Dealing Methamphetamines.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Cary Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.
19:34pm Dellegrazie, Ryan T., DOB: 01/11/86, of 435 Parkview Terrace West, Algonquin, was charged with Aggravated Assault.  He was taken into custody at 435 Parkview Terrace West.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
19:37pm Luckett-Wilson, Juanita M., DOB: 03/29/74, of 360 Andover Drive, Oswego, was charged with DWLS.  She was taken into custody at Randall Road and Corporate Parkway.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
April 7
14:28pm A 16 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his parents.
16:44pm Hill, Derrick I., DOB: 05/10/73, of 220 Washington Street, Algonquin, was charged with Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, Criminal Sexual Assault and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
Huntley
March 28
Joseph M. Goldufsky, age 24, of 10609 Kathleen, Huntley, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant.  Mr. Goldufsky posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 11, 2011.
Jacqueline M. Doucet, age 47, of 11417 E. Main St. #41, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and displaying a false insurance card and was cited for display of expired registration, no proof of insurance.  Ms. Doucet posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.
Michael J. Schaefer, age 35, of 2405 Park St., Rolling Meadows, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cannabis, driving with a suspended registration, and driving while license suspended.  Mr. Schaefer posted bond and was released with a Kane County court date of May 2, 2011.
March 29
Jose Luis Gomez, age 22, of 832 Adams St., Elgin, was arrested for displaying a fraudulent insurance card, possession of drug paraphernalia, no drivers license on person, and was cited for no front registration plate.  Mr. Gomez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 20, 2011.
March 31
Paige N. Cook, age 20, of 11602 Main St., Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for operating an uninsured motor vehicle.  Ms. Cook posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 6, 2011.
Sean S. Pedersen, age 27, of 9415 Rainsford Dr., Huntley, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and was cited for speeding and failure to wear a seatbelt.  Mr. Pedersen posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.
Marc C. Impey Jr., age 30, of 2121 Claremont, Lake in the Hills, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for speeding.  Mr. Impey posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.
April 1
Larine A. Olson, age 44, of 440 Wedgewood Circle, Lake in the Hills, was arrested for driving while license revoked.  Ms. Olson posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 20, 2011.
Two criminal defacement reports were taken on Heritage Dr. near the intersection of Centennial and Dundee Rds.  Vandals spray painted graffiti on a utility box and a wooden structure.
James v. Wechet, age 49, of 1418 S. Barrington #102, Barrington, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended drivers license and was cited for failure to wear a seatbelt.  Mr. Wechet posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.
Eduardo Mercado, age 22, of 1219 Madison, Woodstock, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for defective exhaust system and no proof of insurance.  Mr. Mercado posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.
April 2
Scot D. Snyder Jr., age 20, of 55 Della, Crystal Lake, was arrested for driving while license revoked and was cited for speeding.  Mr. Snyder posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 20, 2011.
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 11500 block of Barberry.  The victim reported that his solar bug zapper was stolen from his yard..
Szczpin Mariusz, age 33, of 152 Webster St, Vernon Hills, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended license and was cited for speeding.  Mr. Mariusz posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 13, 2011.

Huntley Hospital Decision Pushed Back Six Weeks

Centegra officials said Thursday a decision to postpone a final ruling on a hospital in Huntley for six weeks won't make much difference in the long run.  The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board last week quietly reset final consideration from May 10 to June 28 because of "the voluminous amount of information that has been received".

Indeed, the Review Board pushed back not only Centegra's application to build a 128-bed hospital in Huntley but also a competing application for a 128-bed Mercy hospital in Crystal Lake.  That's why there's so much material for the Board to go through.  "I can't really measure it for you," said Board Administrator Courtney Avery Wednesday, "but it was a lot of information and staff has to analyze the data and make sure the information is correct."

Avery said never before has there been a case of two nearly identical hospitals in almost the same place applying for permission to build at the very same time. "It's unprecedented," she said.

Centegra spokesman Kim Kubiak said Centegra wasn't especially concerned about the delay since there would still be a lot of planning and approval work to do before the first ceremonial spade could hit the dirt.  "Nothing was based on happening until we got (Review Board) approval," she said.

In the pic:   What Centegra Huntley would look like, apparently early in the morning before the haze burns off.

Over 80 Employers Scheduled At ECC Job Fair Friday

Jobseekers, set your printer to "Ahead, Warpfactor 10" and crank out some resumes to bring along Friday to Elgin Community College's annual Job Fair. There'll be more than 80 area employers with positions to fill at the event, from 1 to 4pm at the college’s Spartan Events Center.

Last year's Job Fair pales in comparison.  A paltry 1,500 employment-seekers showed up to talk to a mere 60 or so employers. This year the list includes Swiss Automation Inc., Elgin Community College, State Farm Insurance, Hoffer Plastics, Illinois Department of Human Services, JP Morgan Chase, Sherman Health Systems, Provena Saint Joseph Hospital, Grand Victoria Casino, Farmers Insurance Group, TCF Bank, Fastenal Company, and Spa and Alexian Brothers Health Network.

There's no signup fee for ECC's job event and it's open to the public. Parking is available in lots 11 and 12 off Renner Drive, enter through the Spartan Events Center. For more information, contact ECC Career Services at 847-214-7399 or visit http://elgin.edu/business.aspx?id=4364&ekmensel=c580fa7b_94_108_btnlink for a complete list of employers.

In the pic:  Big last year, ECC's Job Fair's supposed to be  bigger this year.

HHS "Once Upon A Mattress" Performance Starts Friday

Huntley High performers ran through their first dress rehearsal Wednesday for performances this weekend and next of the venerable Broadway hit Once Upon a Mattress.  It's the show that catapulted Carol Burnett to stardom back when the U.S had a missile gap because all the nation's tailfins had been used up making Fords and Chevies.

Be that as it may, the show itself is a timeless piece by Mary Rodgers (Rodgers and Hammerstein's daughter, sort of) based on the fairy tale story of "The Princess and the Pea" but with singing, dancing and a dash of slapstick.  The first performance is Friday at HHS's Performing Arts Center at 7 pm with another Saturday at 7 pm and a third Sunday at 3 pm.  Same schedule next weekend.  Tickets for students and seniors are $6, everybody else $8, at the door.  Or they're available online here: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=d9499274455e9762c139753c014be657&t=tix

In the pic: Zoar Lopez rehearsed her role as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone Wednesday in the "Shy" number from Once Upon a Mattress playing at HHS this weekend and next.

Blood Donors Can Get (Most Of) Their Blood Back

Heartland Blood Centers is asking blood donors to give either life-saving blood or platelets this month. Platelets?  They're the little thingies that make blood clot so you don't bleed from a scratch until you're empty and dead.  Through the wonders of modern technology, donors can give just those and get the rest of their blood back again. Say, for instance, at three blood drives in the area this month.

Car accident and trauma victims need as many as 50 or more red cell transfusions, and burn victims can use up to 50 platelet transfusions.   Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.  Plasma helps maintain blood pressure, carries blood cells, nutrients, and supplies critical proteins for blood clotting and immunity.

National Donate Life Month, April, was established in 2003 to raise public awareness of the critical need for organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donation.  This year alone, Heartland Blood Centers will need to collect 166,700 blood products to support their member hospitals.

Heartland's bloodmobiles will be at Meadowview Lodge, Sun City, in Huntley April 22 from 9 am to 1 pm and at Faith Community Church, Huntley, April 24 from 8 am to Noon.  Lifesource, the other blood agency that serves the area, will have a bloodmobile at Dundee Crown High School, om C'ville April 25 from 2 to 8 pm.

Donors can schedule donations at blood drives or at the groups' storefront offices at:
http://www.heartlandbc.org/donating_online_appt.html

https://donateblood.lifesource.org/itxm/menu_quick_search.php


In the pic:  Platelets, AKA thrombocytes.  Too few is hemophilia.  Too many is a higher risk of stroke.  Try to have just enough.

Catholic Leaders Lobby For Anti-Abortion

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Catholic leaders from across Illinois Wednesday came to the Capitol to weigh in on anti-abortion legislation that was approved by a House committee this week.

Cardinal Francis George of the Chicago diocese also met with Gov. Pat Quinn and other top lawmakers in Springfield to press what the Catholic Conference of Illinois calls its legislative agenda.   Church leaders are backing a measure that would require women to be offered an ultra sound and the opportunity to view it if they are considering an abortion.

Conference spokesman Zach Wichmann said during a press conference that the measure tops the agenda for Catholic leaders. "We think the government has a role to protect all human life.  Obviously we, the Catholic Church, believes life begins at conception.  And we think our public policies and our laws should reflect that," he said

The ultrasound measure has become a contested issue in Springfield.  Brigid Leahy of Planned Parenthood Illinois said this is just one of a number of proposals on women's reproductive rights that are surfacing this year.  She takes exception to the notion that the proposal would protect life. "The government should not tell doctors what to do or what to say when they are practicing medicine," she said.

State Rep. Brandon Phelps, R-Harrisburg, said he is proud to call himself pro-life.  And that's how he sees the ultrasound legislation, which he is sponsoring.  "We think that if this saves one life, it's worth it all," he said.

But it's not just legislation still waiting for a vote that church leaders weighed-in on.  Springfield Diocese Bishop Thomas Paprocki said the church watched with interest as lawmakers dealt with the death penalty and civil unions.

The church backed the law to abolish executions in the state, but was against the plan to allow same sex couples to enter into civil unions.  Paprocki said lawmakers have to walk a line between their faith and their jobs. "There is always some give and take between what the personal convictions are of a government official and the convictions of the people that he or she represents," he said.

Paprocki said he doesn't have an exact number, but said the best estimate is that 25 percent of Illinoisans are Catholic.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5616/catholic-leaders-lobby-for-anti-abortion-measure-textbook-funding/

In the pic:  An ultrasound scan of an eight-week fetus.

Obituaries

Judith Lynne Quam, 53 of Huntley, died Sunday at home. A memorial service will be held at 1 pm Friday at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church, , Huntley.

She is survived by her parents, Nelville and Lorraine Quam, and her sister, Gail Quam.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church.

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
April 06
0047 HRS 10 BLOCK OF CLARK AVE. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal Only. Two Priors.
1010 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF SORREL ROW. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Possible harassment by neighbor.
1056 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Three vehicles. Property damage only.
1504 HRS 0 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 5 years of age, fell and struck his head. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2100 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF SPRUCE ST. DOG BITE. Victim was bitten by her own dog. Animal control notified.

Local Elections See Low Turnout, Few Changes

What may have been a record low turnout for Tuesday's local elections favored incumbents with a couple of notable exceptions.  Only 12.5 percent of McHenry County voters cast their ballots, 13 percent in Kane County.  The number who went to the polls was even less than that since those numbers include about 2 percent early voters.

The biggest upset if that's what it was came in the race for the beleaguered District 300 Board.  Former Board Member Susie Kopacz and newcomer Steve Fiorentino earned seats Tuesday knocking out incumbent Monica Clark and appointed incumbent Karen Plaza.  Clark and Plaza generally supported D300 Administration austerity measures to cope with the District's fierce financial shortfall but ex-teacher Kopacz may not be so accommodative.  Fiorentino's predilections are a question mark.

The Huntley Village Board will see a new face in contractor Nick Hanson who took Sun City incumbent Jay Kadakia's seat Monday.  The races in Huntley were more shoe-leather than issue-driven.

McHenry County College saw the last of the fractious old guard, George Lowe, fall from his seat to newcomers Linda Liddell and Cynthia Kisser.  Appointed incumbent Bob DeWitt also fell.
Dennis Adams was confirmed to serve out the remaining term of now-County Board Member Donna Kurtz.

In Lake in the Hills, Business Relations Committeeman Russ Ruzanski won the seat empty since the death last year of Joe Muraswki.

The crowed race for the Huntley Fire Protection District Board boiled down to incumbent Bonnie Bayser returning along with newbie Joe Mahoney.  The interesting thing there is that Jerry Bergquist, who seemed to drop off the face of the Earth after he filed, still drew a respectable number of votes.

Here are the most complete local vote totals available this morning, including absentee and early ballot returns:

                                     TOTAL     MCHENRY   KANE

Village of Algonquin Trustees, four year term, three up

DEBORAH SOSINE                        1231      956       275  
JOHN SPELLA                           1173      905       267  
JIM STEIGERT                          1080      840       240  
KENNETH FISHLEIGH                      466      379        87    
MICHAEL STRATEJCRUK                    384      298        86   
  

Village of Lake in the Hills Trustees, four year term, three up  

RAY BOGDANOWSKI                                 572  
PAUL MULCAHY                                    513  
RUSSELL J. RUZANSKI                             473  
JOSEPH WRIGHT                                   331
BILL DUSTIN                                     308   

Village of Huntley Trustees, four year term three up  

HARRY LEOPOLD                         1541      780       751  
NIKO KANAKARIS                        1266      700       566  
NICK HANSON                           1111      674       437
JAYANT S. KADAKIA                      954      472       482  
ROSA DeMAERTELAERE                     642      363       279   
JR WESTBERG                            541      325       216  


Community Unit School District 300 Board Members four year
term, four up 
 
CHRIS STANTON                         3620     1265      2355  
SUSIE KOPACZ                          3462     1059      2403
JOE STEVENS                           3436     1224      2212  
STEVE FIORENTINO                      3427     1403      2024   
KAREN J. PLAZA                        2787     1043      1744  
MONICA CLARK                          2041      628      1413  

  
Consolidated School District 158 four year term, 3 up  

ANTHONY QUAGLIANO                     1894     1265       629  
KEVIN GENTRY                          1838     1237       601  
WILLIAM GEHEREN                       1815     1211       604  
unexpired two year term  
MICHAEL SKALA                         1982     1323       659 


McHenry County College District 528 Trustees, six year
term, two up  

LINDA LIDDELL                         7297     7016       281 
CYNTHIA KISSER                        5540     5921       249 
GEORGE LOWE                           5164     5014       150  
ROBERT J. DEWITT                      4376     4197       179   
GORDON TEBO                           3837     3774        63   
ERIK SIVERTSEN                        3251     3141       110  
ROBERT S. JACKSON                     3128     3043        85   
DARREN FORTIN                         2348     2273        75   
MCC TRUSTEE 2Y   
DENNIS ADAMS                         10062     9715       347  
DAVE BOGER                            7863     7388       295  


Elgin Community College District 509 Trustees, six year
term, three up
   
ELEANOR "ELLIE" MacKINNEY             9110     1038      8072  
JOHN DUFFY                            8554      908      7646  
JOHN G. DALTON                        7759      789      6870  
RICHARD L. GEARY                      5561      669      4892   
ROBIN M. LISBOA                       5319      751      4568 


Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, 6
year term, two up  

MIKE MARKOWITZ                        1223     1104       119   
JOHN BRADACH                          1036      939        97  
CHARLES "CHIP" PARKER JR.              996      882       104   


Huntley Fire Protection District, 6 year term, two up   

BONNIE BAYSER                         1486      864       622   
JOSEPH V. MAHONEY                      815      539       276   
PATRICK J. CONLEY                      793      498       295
TERRY HORA                             400      246       154   
DAVID VEATH                            383      276       107    
SEAN SMITH                             388      255       133   
JERRY BERGQUIST                        327      245       127  


Algonquin Area Public Library District Trustees, 6 year
term, two up

ERIN VAN DER BOSCH                     912      896        16  
PATRICIA R. PEDRETTI                   842      823        19  
DORIS M. BENES                         759      746        23  
BRIAN SCHWARZ                          754      737        17 


Huntley Area Public Library District Trustees,  4 year
term, four up  

ANN CHRISTIANSEN                      1865     1196       669  
JANICE I. SCHADT                      1766     1117       649  
DONALD "RUSTY" AYERS                  1725     1098       627
H. MITCHELL BAKER                     1621     1022       599   


Huntley Park District Commissioners, 6 year term, two up 

JERRY NEPERMANN                       1974     1288       686  
WILLIAM AWE                           1905     1204       701  
   

FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY REFERENDUM

YES                                                     14822
NO                                                      12372    



McHenry County Regional Board of School Trustees full term

PAULETTE VRETT                                  632 


Kane County Regional Board of School Trustees full term

PENNY WEGMAN                                            18554                                                                                                                      

FOX WATERWAY DIRECTOR   
WILLIAM BROOKMAN                               4215  
Write-in                                        146   
DANIEL J MITCHELL                                13

In the pic: Judges usually outnumbered voters at Algonquin Precinct 68 in the Algonquin Library Tuesday. At 1 pm only 42 of 1,225 voters had appeared.

Grafton Audit Stopped Again

Grafton Township's long-delayed audit of 2009-2010 financial records will be delayed again according to a letter from the firm that was supposed to conduct it.  After a vaguely threatening letter from Supervisor Linda Moore's attorney, CPA firm Brown and Company withdrew its services from "this vicious environment", according to letters provided FEN Tuesday.

The audit of last fiscal year's books was due a year ago but the Township Financial records disappeared.  When Moore finally admitted she'd taken them home and returned them last year she and the rest of the Township Board fell into, first, an argument over who should do the audit, then whether the trustees' choice, Woodstock firm Brown and Company would do it.  Last month everyone finally agreed on Brown.

Grafton Trustee Barb Murphy sent FEN copies of an exchange about the audit. In a letter to Brown Friday, Moore's attorney, John Nelson, questioned how the audit contract was arrived at and the "efficacy" of a preliminary Brown audit questionnaire. In an answer Monday owner Wayne Brown asked what business it was of Nelson's since he's Moore's personal attorney, not the Township's official counsel, then resigned from conducting the audit.

"I don't see why for two years we can't get an audit done," said Murphy in an interview.  "I don't understand the stalling."

Since the last official word on the audit, that the question "appears moot (settled)", came in a March 11 court order Nelson himself drafted, FEN tried to contact him Tuesday.  He failed to return the call.

A message to Moore on her personal voicemail Tuesday produced no return call but did elicit an email response. Two in fact.

In the first she said, "Just last Friday (April 1) I sent Wayne Brown a letter. It said, 'We have accumulated the information as you have requested. What will the audit process involve?  When would you like to schedule it?'". In the second, listed "news release", she said she hadn't heard from Brown adding, "It is my understanding from the court order that as Township Supervisor, I am the contact person for the township with the auditor. It is unclear to me how this unconfirmed resignation has come to be a (sic) news interest."

A followup email to Moore asking if she had authorized Nelson's April 1 letter only produced another copy of the "press release".

The Grafton Township battlers will be before Judge Michael Caldwell again April 26.

No Progress On Riverside Square?

Tuesday's meeting of the Algonquin Village Board was notable more for what didn't happen to the village's hapless Riverside Square condo development than for anything that actually occurred. (Primarily a citizen complaint about every possible aspect of Village water.)

It was one month to the day since a father and son North Barrington development company purchased  the half-finished and decaying condominium and retail project in the Village's Downtown from the bank that had inherited it.  Since then newly-formed Riverside Square Developers have made no announcements and returned no calls while Village officials have been variously silent or cryptic. Pending  the while, though, has been the Village's suit in McHenry County Circuit Court to tear the whole thing down as a safety hazard.

Tuesday's agenda included unusual entries (two other times in the last five years) for "EXECUTIVE SESSION: (Closed) Pending litigation" and "(Open) Consider settlement agreement." If it was about Riverside Square, whatever the offer was, it wasn't good enough.  Trustees returned after 10 minutes to announce they would take "no final action" on the pending litigation they'd discussed and that was all anyone would say.

When the project's sale was announced last month Village Manager Bill Ganek said the new buyers would have to provide the Village with inspection reports, engineers' evaluations and new permit applications before construction could resume so FEN inquired if there'd been any of that in the last month.

"No comment," said Ganek.

"What he said," added Village President John Schmitt.

The Village's request to raze Riverside Square is scheduled for a motion hearing Friday.

Quinn: Cat Staying, Business Climate Good

By Diane S.W. Lee, Illinois Statehouse News
Peoria's famous yellow-and-black tractor manufacturer announced Tuesday the company and its 23,000 jobs are “here to stay,” squashing any rumors of leaving Illinois.  “We’re invested heavily here,” said Doug Oberhelman, chief executive officer and chairman of  Caterpillar Inc. “And we are going to work together to find a way we can invest more here, and continue to be proud of our state as we move on.”

Governor Pat Quinn and Oberhelman met Tuesday in Peoria to discuss promoting “a very business friendly climate in Illinois.” The governor said Illinois is good for business, both in the state and across the globe.

Wisconsin, Indiana and New Jersey have been working to lure Illinois businesses since the state passed a 67 percent personal income tax increase in January. Quinn has defended the tax increase. Quinn said he wants Illinois businesses to think internationally.

“Maybe we can make a trip to Latin America,” Quinn said. “Because Brazil, Chile, and Peru and Columbia and Panama — all those are countries that we do business with and we can do more business with. We’ve had dynamic growth, thanks in large part to Caterpillar’s exports. We want to open those markets.”   More than half of Caterpillar's growth is overseas, said Doug Whitley, president and chief executive officer of Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Illinois is showing some signs of recovery with fewer people unemployed and more businesses exporting goods, said David Vaught, director of Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.
“When your exports are growing, that is a major sign that you are internationally competitive,” Vaught said.

You can read Diane's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5587/quinn-cat-staying-illinois-business-climate-is-good-for-globe/

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
delayed--unknown technical problem between here and there

Committee Calls For D300 School Reorganization Vote By May 9

A Board of Education committee Monday recommended District 300 settle on a plan to restructure its middle and high schools in five weeks.  The Board's standing Education Committee recommended administrators prepare a series of plans for the Board to examine at its next two meetings with a vote for one May 9.

Soon-to-be Assistant Superintendent for High School Teaching and Learning Ben Churchill told the committee simply putting together students' schedules for the coming year required the whirlwind pace.  "We took the first day of school (Aug. 15) and worked back from that," he said.

The Board's vote to lay off more than 350 teachers two weeks ago was actually a vote to change the District's middle and high school curricula to try to stanch a minimum $5.2 million deficit for the new school year.  There are two main ways to do that.  One way would be to cut hours teaching, perhaps in fact, perhaps only on teacher contract paper. The other would be to cut optional elective classes like Home Ec and Chinese.  

"You could look at reducing the student day or you could look at expanding the (course) core," said about-to-be Middle School  Assistant Superintendent Kara Vicente.  The Committee asked administrators to prepare and cost out a range of packages for Board consideration.

Churchill said the District should preserve important elective courses.  "We need to have what our students need to be successful in college and work backwards from that," he said.

The big "known unknown" is how much money teachers will demand next year. Contract negotiations with the District only began last week.  "How feasible is it that by May 9th you'll know?" asked civilian committee member and AMS Mom Leslie Russo.

Looming over the decisions for the 2011-12 year is another known unknown, a de facto State-mandated revamp of the whole curriculum for the 2014-15 year to meet new national education standards.

Everyone expected the next five weeks to be grueling ones.  "We might as well leave the (Westfield) gym set up for meetings," said Committee Chairman Dave Allessio.

In the pic: Kristin Corriveau and Kara Vicente (table, top left) and Ben Churchill (second from top, right) are pulling double duty right now working their nominal jobs as Principals and Assistant Principal this year but also covering new spots as District Assistant Superintendents even though those won't become official until July 1.

County Asks Judge To Check Special Prosecutors' Bills Again

The McHenry County Circuit Judge who OK'ed the failed investigation and prosecution of State's Attorney Lou Bianchi may have received a motion Monday asking him to reconsider his orders to the County to pay the Special Prosecutors' bills.  The head of the County Board's Law and Justice Committee said Monday that's only for starters.

Patrick Delfino, head of ILSAAP, the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor's Office, said the motion was filed by mail Friday.  However, Circuit Clerk Kathy Keefe said Monday she wasn't able to confirm its receipt.  "That's in the (Bianchi accuser Amy) Dalby case," she said.  "The case is sealed."

The secret element is part of what the motion's about.  Three times Circuit Judge Gordon Graham has told the County to pay the bills of Special Prosecutors Henry "Skip" Tonigan and Thomas McQueen without providing any information about what the bills are actually for, not even how much the pair have been charging for their time.

Delfino said ILSAAP's motion on behalf of McHenry County's financial interest in the case highlights a state statute that a Special Prosecutor can't bill more in a year than the State's Attorney's annual salary.  That's $166,000 in McHenry County and so far neither Tonigan nor McQueen have hit that figure.  But there's another passage that says anything less than that has to be proportionate.  "If I did an hour's work and billed $166,000 for it,  would that be fair?" asked Delfino.

Law and Justice Committee Chairman Nick Provenzano told FEN it's time to look hard at the bills "when a Special Prosecutor's named, a (judge's) friend, and there's no evidence."  That's the first official reference to persistent but so-far unsubstantiated  rumors that Tonigan's a personal chum of Judge Graham from the days before the McHenry County's 22nd  Circuit was split off from Lake County's 19th.

The rumors may be surfacing now since Tonigan so far hasn't managed to make anything he came up with stick. Bianchi was acquitted by an out-of-County judge two weeks ago on all 21 charges against him without even bothering to mount a defense. He still has to be tried on three additional charges the Special Prosecutors came up with right after Graham reconfirmed ILSAAP as the County's financial representative in the case.

Provenzano said he hopes ILSAAP can find a way to examine "The steps in naming the Special Prosecutor in the first place."  Since the Appellate Prosecutor's sort of a pre-paid legal plan for counties, "It won't cost us anything," Provenzano said.

In the pic:  The Appellate Prosecutor's request for Judge Graham to think again about Bianchi Case bills only applies to about $200,000 in charges by Special Prosecutors (left) Thomas McQueen and Skip Tonigan, not another $225,000 for the detective firm they hired. 

Huntley Women's Group To Hold "Unequal Pay" Mixer

The Huntley Area AAUW (formerly the American Association of University Women) has an "Un-Happy Hour" mixer set next Tuesday.  That's April 12, Equal Pay Day this year, the day on which organizers estimate working women reach pay equity with men.  They claim  Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show women earn less than 80 percent of what men are paid.

This year, the Huntley Area AAUW Branch will have their Un-Happy Hour mixer at Niko’s Grill & Pub Restaurant in Huntley. Each person may order her/his own drinks and food from the pub menu but there's a requested donation at the door to support the group's programs. It's $1 for men but only 80 cents for women.

Quinn Has Powerful Tool In Redistricting

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
When it comes to redrawing the political lines in Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn has his own special pen. It's called the amendatory veto.

For the first time since the state adopted its Constitution in 1970, one party controls all the branches of government needed to create a new legislative district map based on U.S. Census population figures. One tool created in that Constitution was the amendatory — or corrective —  veto. Can Quinn use that power to make changes to any political map  General Assembly sends him? According to several state constitutional experts, the answer is yes.

There was talk of this exact scenario during the 1970 Constitutional Convention, said Ann Lousin, a professor at the John Marshall Law School, who was involved in the convention.
 “I remember there (was) informal discussions, no great big fuss, let me tell you, about the fact that since (redistricting) would be a bill as opposed to a joint resolution, that it would go to the governor and this would give the governor whatever his veto powers were,” Lousin said.

Dawn Clark Netsch, now a professor at Northwestern Law School was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, too. She said the Constitution doesn’t give Quinn the ability to simply swap the Legislature’s map with his own. “We know by court decision that it is more than technical changes or correcting errors, but it is not rewriting a bill or totally changing the purpose,” Netsch said.  

Kent Redfield, a professor of political studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said that Quinn could use his signature on a new map as leverage for some of his legislative priorities. Against that, Redfield said, because the political lives of so many are tangled up in the redistricting process, any map that actually makes it out of the Legislature is likely to be fragile at best.

“It certainly does give the governor kind of the ultimate doomsday weapon, which is to scuttle a map that (Senate President John) Cullerton and (Speaker of the House Michael) Madigan put together,” Redfield said. He added, though,  “I think that’s a pretty dangerous game of chicken.”

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/5579/quinn-has-powerful-tool-in-redistricting/

In the pic:  A button some legislators are sporting these days in Springfield. (It refers to draft redistricting maps.)

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
April 4th
2121 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. FLORES, JORGE C., M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 5451 WHITEMORE WAY, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended and Tail Light violation. RELEASED ON BOND.
2325 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF W. ALGONQUIN RD. DOMESTIC BATTERY. TANK, ANTHONY M., M/W 26 YEARS OF AGE, 1317 WASHINGTON ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Two counts of domestic battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY CO JAIL.
1310 HRS SKYRIDGE DR. & ACKMAN RD. ASSIST OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT Recovered stolen vehicle for Elgin Police. UNFOUNDED.
1448 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. THEFT. Jewelry was removed from the residence. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2210 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF DEER CREEK LN. ASSIST OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT. Assist Crystal Lake Police apprehend an offender from a property damage hit & run. TURNED OVER TO CRYSTAL LAKE PD.

Local Races Hard To Research In Digital Age

A local pol who's had a lot on his plate lately said Friday, "I was talking to my wife this morning and I said, 'Gee, I haven't even had time to research the local elections.'"  He hasn't missed much, though, since there isn't a lot of information to find.

In an age when anyone can set up a website for his dog for $10 and so many people have Facebook accounts Mark Zuckerberg has to hide in a bunker from would-be investors, local candidates have mostly stuck with pounding in a few yard signs and shoving random fliers in the mailbox.

From a candidate viewpoint, the downside to websites and Facebook pages is that they're passive--voters have to look for them.  The upside, however, is they're candidate-controllable, almost infinitely expandable and nearly as cheap as dirt.  Even so a FEN search by name for most candidates above the level of Fox Waterway Management Agency Director (uncontested) found only a few who've entered the digital age. Here's a cribsheet:

Village of Algonquin for four-year term, three up

Kenneth Fishleigh in
Deborah "Debby" Sosine in--http://www.debbysosine.net/debby.html
John Spella in
Michael A. Stratejcruk in--http://voteformaz.com/
Jim Steigert in

Village of Lake in the Hills four-year term, three up

Ray Bogdanowski in--http://www.facebook.com/login/setashome.php?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1353236108&sk=wall
Bill Dustin in
Russell J. Ruzanski in
Paul Mulcahy in
Joseph Wright in

Village of Huntley four-year term three up

Harry Leopold in
J.R. Westberg in
Jayant S. Kadakia in
Niko Kanakaris in--http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1416838266
Rosa DeMaertelaere in--http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001987156571#!/search.php?q=Rosa%20DeMaertelaere&init=quick&tas=0.985707190190782&search_first_focus=1301911402150&type=all
Nick Hanson in

Community Unit School District 300 Board Members four-year term, four up

Susie Kopacz Hampshire Twp--http://www.susie4d300.com/Home_Page.html
Monica Clark Hampshire Twp
Joe Stevens Dundee Twp
Karen J. Plaza Algonquin Twp--http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=joe%20stevens%20300&init=quick&tas=0.20351593914927069&search_first_focus=1301911402150#!/profile.php?id=1565772688
Steve Fiorentino Algonquin Twp--http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiorentino-For-D300-BOE/138441406217968
Chris Stanton Rutland--http://www.votechrisstanton.com/

Consolidated School District 158 four-year term, three up

(no real contest)

Elgin Community College District 509 Trustees six-year term, three up

John G. Dalton--http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259#!/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259?sk=info, http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-G-Dalton/160662019553
John Duffy--http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259#!/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259?sk=info, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259#!/profile.php?id=100001303317145&sk=wall
Eleanor "Ellie" MacKinney--http://ellie4ecc.com/, http://www.facebook.com/login/setashome.php?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100001658818274, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259#!/pages/Three-for-ECC/177338338962259?sk=info
Richard L. Geary
Robin M. Lisboa

McHenry County College District 528 Trustees six-year term, two up

Linda Liddell--http://lindaliddell.wordpress.com/, http://www.facebook.com/login/setashome.php?ref=home#!/pages/Linda-Liddell-for-McHenry-County-College-Board-of-Trustees/155038067883174
Robert J. DeWitt
Gordon Tebo
Cynthia Kisser
Robert S. Jackson
Erik Sivertsen--http://www.erikfortrustee.com/
Darren Fortin
George Lowe
for unexpired two-year term
Dennis Adams
Dave Boger

Huntley Fire Protection District six-year term, two up

Patrick J. Conley
Bonnie Bayser
Sean Smith--http://smithforhuntleyfire.squarespace.com/about-sean-smith/,  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sean-Smith-for-Huntley-Fire-Protection-District/100351053379314
David Veath
Terry Hora
Joseph V. Mahoney
Jerry Bergquist

Editor's note:  A Google search of most names will turn up information from regional newspaper candidate cattle calls.

"Great Melting Pot" Underlies Charges Of Sheriff's Racial Profiling

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren maintains ex-deputy Zane Seipler was fired a couple of years ago for writing a pair of funny traffic tickets.  Seipler on the other hand, charges it was really because he stuck his head up to complain about Hispanics and Latinos being targeted for unequal law enforcement.  But if he did that, why?  "Seipler" doesn't have a very Hispanic ring to it.

"Actually it was 'Von Seipler'" said the fire deputy who's petitioning for a Special Prosecutor Friday, "but they dropped the 'Von' back in the 20's."

So you're German?

"I'm all kinds of stuff," said Seipler.  "My mother's Polish."

Then what was the point of going to the mat?  Well, maybe it's Seipler's wife and the mother of his children. Her name's Rosalinda.  Or maybe it's Seipler's best buddy. "I met him in (Navy) boot camp. We were stationed together." said Seipler. "He's Mexican.  He's my children's Godfather."

Initial documents subpoenaed in Seipler's federal civil rights case showed no irregularities but Seipler's attorney demanded more detail. "I said, 'let's look at this,'" said Seipler, "'because I know what we're going to find'"

Now the Sheriff's Office claims it's in the midst of a full-scale investigation to ferret out the extent of racial profiling.  The Chicago Tribune FOIAed some of the same records and found what it called statistical evidence there was unequal law enforcement.  The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights jumped on the bandwagon last week, too, calling on the U.S. Justice Department to step in.

"It wasn't just me," said Seipler.  "There were a couple of others guys, too. I'm just the one who wouldn't let it go."

In the pic:  Ex-Deputy Zane Seipler and his bride on their wedding day. 

I90 Reconstruction Work Set To Begin This Week

Work's supposed to begin this week on an I90 Roadway and Bridge Rehabilitation Project to repair and resurface pavement and bridges between the Elgin Toll Plaza and Barrington Road and between Genoa Road and Route 20.   

What's involved is milling off the top layer of asphalt, repairing the concrete road base and resurfacing the 52-year-old roadway with a four-inch layer of asphalt. The project also includes rehabilitation of 25 bridges 5  culverts. Other work includes roadway signage, guardrail and storm sewer improvements and installation of additional roadway cameras as part of the Tollway’s Traffic and Incident Management System.

Tollway officials said they'd keep as many lanes open in the work zone as they could by using shoulders and express lanes but they said some temporary lane closures might be required at times. They're supposed to be scheduled during non-peak hours. This week there'll be temporary overnight lane closures to remove rumble strips and prepare the outside shoulders to carry daily traffic during construction.  Pre-stage work's expected to be done in a couple of weeks in the 10-mile section between the Elgin Toll Plaza and Barrington Road.

Later on the project will require occasional closures at some entrance and exit ramps. During the first stage of construction, one I-PASS Only lane at the  Route 59 and the Beverly Road  toll plazas will close with the cash lane remaining open for both cash and I-PASS customers.  Subsequent stages will include split configurations with express and local lanes, and long-term ramp closures with detours at the IL Route 25 and IL Route 31 interchanges. 

Quinn Fires Back On Budget

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn said he plans to roll out a workers’ compensation reform package this week but added he would not sign off on big cuts to some of the largest areas of state spending.

In a news conference Friday Quinn responded to House Speaker Michael Madigan’s statement he didn’t think lawmakers would go for a budget giving the Govenor lump sum authority on budget cuts this year.
“I really didn’t ask for it,” Quinn said.

Quinn said if lawmakers have budget proposals this year he would be “happy to look at those.” However, he seemed to be a long way from getting on board with the House’s lean budget proposal, which calls for cuts to education and human services. “Severe radical cuts in education and in decent health care and in human services and public safety, I’m not going along with that. I think it’s very important that we maintain the core priorities of Illinois. And we’re not losing a generation of children and their education, and we’re not going to take away health care from people who have nothing at all. We have to make sure we have a decent society.”

Madigan shot down Quinn’s proposal to borrow $8.75 billion dollars to quickly pay off the state’s backlog of bills. Instead, the House plan currently calls for paying off overdue bills with any money that might come in that exceeds the chambers “conservative” revenue projection for fiscal year 2012.

Quinn did not waver from his plan. He called on lawmakers to quickly approve a smaller borrowing plan of about $2 billion, which he says would allow the state to capture about $200 million in federal funds under an elevated Medicaid matching rate that expires in June.“Everyone in Springfield, Democrats and Republicans, they can beat their breasts all they want about restructuring debt. The bottom line is: if we’re going to sacrifice and give up almost a quarter billion dollars, that’s foolhardy.


You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/quinn-fires-back-on-budget.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
April 03
0135 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & SQUARE BARN RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. BARKHO, EMIL TOWER, M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 10921 POTOMAC DR., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
0028 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Mother vs. Daughter. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
0353 HRS 231 N., RANDALL RD., (TACO BELL). ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0919 HRS 10 BLOCK OF GRANT AVE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 48 years of age, unconscious. Transported to Good Shepherd Hospital.
1039 HRS 1200 BLOCK OF BURR ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 75 years of age, possible broken arm. Transported to St. Joseph Hospital.
1108 HRS 35 WALTER CT., (BLITZ EXPRESS). ASSIST OTHER POLICE AGENCY. Assisted Chicago Police with a recovered stolen vehicle. Chicago Police Department will notify owner of vehicle.
1258 HRS 250 N. RANDALL, (COSTCO GAS). ACCIDENT. Two vehicle. Property damage only.
2054 HRS 900 BLOCK OF MESA DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 28 years of age, with a possible allergic reaction. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2137 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Possible possession of Spice, synthetic cannabis. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
Algonquin
April 1
10:56am Provencio, Ramiro T., DOB: 06/18/53, of 523 Towne Court, Gilberts, was charged with DWLR and Improper Lane Usage.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Harnish Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/04/11 in McHenry County.
April 2
03:28am Ure, John D., DOB: 08/29/72, of 180A Old Sutton Road, Barrington Hills, was charged with DUI, DUI Over, Driving in the Wrong Lane and Improper Turn.  He was taken into custody at W. Algonquin Road and Oakleaf Road.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
14:30pm A 14 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Cardinal Drive and Edgewood Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 05/25/11 in Algonquin.  Also taken into custody during the same incident was a 15 year-old male from Poplar Grove who was also charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was also released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/25/11 in Algonquin.
April 3
03:59am Zuart, Reydir, DOB: 12/29/76, of 1389 Teakwood, Crystal Lake, was charged with DUI, DUI Over, No Valid Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident.  He was taken into custody on Randall Road north of Algonquin Road.  He was released after posting $300 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
17:50pm Haiges, Jake D., DOB: 10/11/89, of 101 Woody Way, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DWLS.  He was taken into custody at Huntington Drive and Rolls Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.
18:07pm Plumb, Emily A., DOB: 07/28/88, of 3 Lisa Court, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DWLS, Suspended Registration, No Proof of Insurance and Expired Registration.  She was taken into custody at Stonegate Road and Rolls Drive.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/11/11 in McHenry County.

Huntley Landmark Soon To Be A Memory

"The walls come tumblin' down" as the Mahalia Jackson song had it when Joshua "fit the battle of Jericho" but the walls of Huntley's Marlowe Feed store almost gave wood recycler Elmer West fits before they came tumblin' down Saturday.

West had hoped to peel the balloon-framed walls off the building's supporting beam structure like sheets of cardboard but after cutting the connectors all that yanking on the first wall did was snap the pull straps.  An extra 5-ton tow strap from the junk in the back of the FENmobile finally added enough tensile strength to get the job done, though.

The old growth pine in the walls and beams will by recycled partly by area businesses into mostly flooring but at least some high-end furniture, too, according to West.  Even after Marlowe's gone, West said he may stay in Huntley for a while.  He's already got two area barns lined up for recycling he said.

Grafton E-Waste Event Coming Saturday

Organizers expect a heavy turnout Saturday for Grafton Township's first E-waste recycling event at the Township complex. Volunteers from the Huntley Lions Club, M D C Environmental Company and COM2 Recycling Solutions  will help residents and businesses unload their unwanted, busted or obsolete electronic gear from 10 am to 2 pm.

The event's  for electronics: computer systems (including laptops and notebooks); peripherals like printers, scanners, copiers and faxes;  accessories like keyboards, mice, speakers, cords and cables; external drives; DVD players and game consoles and (joy of joys) computer monitors and TV's which, most places, cost extra money to recycle.  But, what the heck, bring your kitchen mixer and toaster, too, although not your old washing machine.  A list of what's OK and what isn't's here:

http://graftontownshipsupervisor.us/?p=212

The Grafton Township complex is at 10109 Vine Street in Huntley.  Upgrading Route 47's changed Vine Street access.  There's still one from 47 directly but it's in a different place now.  There's still access from 47 and Reed Road, too.

In the pic:  Grafton's E-waste recycling's expected to be similar to this one by the Village of Algonquin last year.