Judge Narrows Sheriff's Special Prosecutor But Still No Decision

After 18 months of legal wrangling, ex-Deputy Zane Seipler's request for a Special Prosecutor to investigate McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren is back where it stated: If one's appointed, and that isn't assured, he'll be limited to looking into Nygren's alleged use of public resources for personal campaigning.

Friday Judge Thomas Meyer threw out Seipler's subsequent complaints about old questions in Amy Dalby's murky  computer records "theft" from  the State's Attorney's Office and recent charges of serious Nygren corruption by Deputy Scott Milliman.  The dismissals were "with prejudice" meaning Seipler can't bring them up again.

Still alive, perhaps even thriving, though, was Seipler's original call for a Special Prosecutor to look into whether Nygren blurred too much the boundary between officeholder and candidate during his 2009 election battle with Seipler for the Sheriff's Office. The key is whether McHenry County's State's Attorney is legally "unavailable" to conduct an investigation.

In a February letter State's Attorney Lou Bianchi wrote he "has not, and will not, investigate (Seipler's) claims" based on a policy decision to only act as the Sheriff's defense attorney. "The Bianchi letter changes things sufficiently that I think the cause of action has been stated," said Meyer.

Seipler lawyer Blake Horwitz said afterwards that "put the nail in the coffin" to Assistant State's Attorney Don Leist's claim Meyer doesn't have to appoint some sort of Special Prosecutor if there's something at the Sheriff's Office that needs investigating. Horwitz still has to prove there is, however, and a decision on that isn't expected until at least Sept. 22.

What's taken so long? Friday Leist said it hasn't been because he's already defending Nygren.  "I've been defending the County," he said.  "The Sheriff isn't a party to this action."

Horwitz dismissed that as a distinction without a difference. "He's advocating in defense of his client," he said.

In the pic:  Awaiting-reinstatement-pending-Sheriff's-appeal-Deputy Zane Seipler and his attorney Blake Horwitz.

Local McDonalds To Benefit Violence Agency

Algonquin and Huntley McDonalds restaurants will hold benefits for Turning Point, McHenry County’s domestic violence agency and shelter Wednesday, Aug. 10. They're among almost a dozen area eateries donating a portion of their sales that day to Turning Point.

The local McDonalds plus four others in the region, will donate 15 percent of all sales at the restaurants between 5 and 8 pm, No coupon or flier necessary.  It's part of “Take a Stand for Turning Point,” a 36-hour radiothon presented annually by to raise funds for and awareness of the local domestic violence agency and shelter.

In the pic:  Some Volunteers at last year's "Take A Stand For Turning Point" event at Algonquin Commons.

LITH Briefed On County Coal Tar, Roads Plans

District 2 McHenry County Board Member Donna Kurtz, Crystal Lake, briefed the Lake in the Hills Board Thursday on County plans to help curtail use of coal-tar asphalt sealants.  Trustees banned the stuff from Public Works use last year after a study found the village had more coal tar particles than any of six other villages.

Kurtz also handed out copies of the County's five-year roads plan.  That includes fixing up the Pyott Road/Oak Street intersection one of these days.

MCC Board OK's New Contract For Adjuncts

The MCC Board Thursday approved a contract with the College's Adjunct Faculty Association  extending through the 2015 summer semester. This agreement covers about 180 adjunct faculty.

The new contract includes a salary increase to help MCC keep its adjuncts.  Under the contract expiring,  the average salary for a three-credit hour course at MCC is only $1,707. The average for other colleges in the region is about $2,505.  The new contract brings MCC's average adjunct pay up to that level over the next four years.

Looming Default Spells Trouble For States

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
As lawmakers in Washington, D.C., struggle to find a compromise over raising the federal debt ceiling by Tuesday, concerns are brewing in Illinois about the state’s investments, credit rating and programs funded by federal dollars.

Experts predict a default could create serious economic upheaval nationwide, which could stall or even turn around any economic recovery made in the state. “All the gurus suggest — and it makes sense — that this is going to put a drag on the economy, this sort of delicate recovery that we’re in,” said Christopher Mooney, a political studies professor with the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois. Such a decline could also be bad news to a state government, such as Illinois, struggling to find its way out of a record deficit. “You’ve got the two things that happen when the economy goes bad: Revenues go down and service costs go up,” Mooney said.

Rutherford said he is working to ensure that the state’s investments are protected, but safety may come at the expense of potential interest that could be earned. Rutherford said the state earned about $5 million in interest in June. “Risk is not an option. I’m prepared to put the state portfolio that becomes liquid into zero interest accounts,” Rutherford said. He said the money would go into accounts where it would not earn interest but would be protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“If for some reason the United States government bond rating is lowered from AAA down, that will absolutely have a splash back on other units of government,” Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford said at a Chicago news conference Friday.

Kelly Kraft, spokesperson for Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget office, said the state is working on contingency plans in a a federal shutdown begins. “We are working with agencies to evaluate the potential impacts in our state that could affect job creation, Medicaid and our infrastructure.” Illinois receives a high rate of matching funds for both the Medicaid program as well as capital construction projects.

Mooney said state officials are probably perplexed about how to handle the situation because no one knows exactly what the ripple effect of a federal default would be on the states. “It’s totally uncharted territory,” he said.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/possible-federal-default-spells-trouble.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
July 29
0359 HRS PINGREE RD. & DUFFY RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. SWANSON MARK S., M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 235 MISTWOOD LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding in a Construction Zone. RELEASED ON BOND.
1017 HRS 103 S. RANDALL RD., (JEWEL) DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. TELLO JR., GUILLERMO, M/W 37 YEARS OF AGE, 102 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., LAKE IN THE HILLS.  CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, Expired Registration. RELEASED ON BOND.
1031 HRS LAKE DR. & RAMBLE RD. WANTED ON WARRANT. LUKKARI, JARROD R., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 9N111 MUIRHEAD RD., ELGIN. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant out of Elgin Police Department for Underage Consumption of Alcohol, Resisting a Peace Officer. Bond Amount: $500 Full Cash. Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
1701 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTONS) WANTED ON WARRANT. HEINZELMANN, BRIAN W., M/W 23 YEARS OF AGE, 703 SILVER GLEN RD., MCHENRY. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear for Disorderly Conduct. Bond Amount: $5000.00 10% applies. RELEASED ON BOND.
1949 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE SCHOOL) ASSAULT. MOURGELAS, PETER C., M/W 38 YEARS OF AGE,  7311 ORIOLE CHICAGO. CHARGE: Assault. RELEASED ON BOND.
0737 HRS 2265 ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTONS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0740 HRS MILLER RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1046 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 38 years of age, unknown medical condition. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1322 HRS 600 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted Streamwood Police with an arrest. TURNED OVER TO STREAMWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
July 28
0810 HRS ACORN LANE & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. CAMPBELL, KIMBERLY S., F/W 41 YEARS OF AGE, 187 NORTHLIGHT PASS, LAKE IN THE HILLS.  CHARGE: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1118 HRS 2100 BLOCK OF PEMBRIDGE DR. WANTED ON WARRANT. KOSTOS-RASKEY, ALEXANDRA,  F/W 53 YEARS OF AGE, 2156 PEMBRIDGE DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant out of Kane County for Failure to Appear for Driving While License Suspended. Bond Amount: $300.00. RELEASED ON BOND.
1021 HRS 00 BLOCK OF SWEETWATER CT. FRAUD. Repairs were not started after down payment was made. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1256 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. 2 vehicles. Property Damage Only.
1314 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. LOST ARTICLE. License Plates. Entered into LEADS.
1758 HRS 500 BLOCK OF HURON TRAIL. FRAUD Unknown subject made purchases online. TURNED OVER TO SOUTH BARRINGTON POLICE.
Algonquin
July 25
10:03am Eckart, Sean M., DOB: 12/28/81, of 2344 Dawson Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Speeding 30+.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Broadsmore Drive.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 08/31/11 in McHenry County.
July 26
02:23am Borchart, Alex J., DOB: 10/15/90, of 319 E. Jackson Street, Woodstock, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear on a Possession of Cannabis & DUI charge.  He was taken into custody at 100 Meyer Drive.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.
02:35am A 17 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Possession of Cannabis.  He was taken into custody at 100 Meyer Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 08/31/11 in Algonquin.
July 29
01:03am Ruck, Trevor J., DOB: 12/23/90, of 111 Jefferson Street #1G, Algonquin, was charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  Also charged was Borrelli, Dominic M., DOB: 08/23/92, of 35W588 Ridge Road, West Dundee, who was also charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  Both were taken into custody at Washington Street and Main Street.  Both were released after posting $150 with a court date of 08/31/11 in McHenry County.
Huntley
July 18
Gerald Walsh, age 30, of 222 South Ave, Hampshire, was arrested on four counts of burglary and one count of Criminal Trespass to vehicle.  Mr. Walsh was transported to McHenry County jail to await bond call.
An attempted burglary report was taken at a business in the 11400 block of Allison Ct.
Valerie Torres, age 34, of 5856 Devontry Dr., El Paso, TX, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license and speeding in a construction zone.  Ms. Torres posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of August 19, 2011.
July 20
Eduardo Osorio Perez, age 23, of 814 Dorman Streamwood, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for registration suspended for non-insurance.  Mr. Osorio-Perez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of August 19, 2011.
July 21
Fabiola Tovar, age 31, of 1821 W. Chase Ave, Chicago,  was arrested for DUI and was cited for parking on a roadway.  Ms. Tovar posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of September 2, 2011.
July 22
Dione J. Lindquist, age 42, of 6124 N. Washtenaw #404, Chicago, was arrested for criminal trespass to motor vehicle.  Ms. Lindquist posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of August 26, 2011.
A residential burglary was reported in the 11900 block of Summer Ridge Lane.
July 23
Shari Elaine Alexander, age 52, of 1104 Sandlewood Dr., Durham, NC, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for improper signal.  Ms. Alexander posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of August 19, 2011.
July 23, 2011  A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 13800 block of Fieldstone.  A golf ball shattered a window.

No Information From Algonquin Informational Pickets

Algonquin Commons' big new Gordmans discount apparel and home retailer will hold its official grand opening this morning with mystery discount cards for shoppers.  Mystery labor picketers expected outside may mar the festivities, though.

Two groups of informational pickets appeared Thursday, one set in front of the store on Randall Road, the other at the mall entrance off County Line Road, manning signs reading  "Boycott Gordmans" and "Shame On Gordmans". Both were subheaded "Labor Dispute".  Both groups admitted they were from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 117 in Crystal Lake but refused to say what their beef was.

Local 117 Business Manager Tom McTavish wouldn't say, either.  At least he returned no calls Thursday. A spokesman at Gordmans headquarters in Omaha didn't know what was going on and later said the company's hands-on CEO Jeff Gordman declined to comment.

One area commercial contractor reported there was nothing on the grapevine about the picketers but speculated they might be protesting the remodel and expansion of the former Wickes furniture into the new Gordmans store. He said it was done by a non-union contractor.  If that's the case, though, he added, the protest is misdirected since Gordman's doesn't own the building.  It was the Commons' parent company that asked the Village to do the remodel last year.

In the pic:  One IBEW picketer at Gordmans Thursday refused to explain what he was protesting because, "reporters just twist whatever you say."

Grads Push Local June Unemployment Higher

McHenry County's unemployment rate jumped .3 percent in June as high school and college grads entered the labor force according to the latest state report Thursday.  That was more or less in line with Illinois and national trends.  McHenry County's rate, not seasonally adjusted, rose to 9.3 percent.  The State's unadjusted rate rose to 9.7 percent from May while the national rate was 9.3 percent. Adjusted for the seasonal influx, both were 9.2 percent.

Illinois Department of Employment Security spokesman Greg Rivara said, "Nationally, consumer confidence continues to hinder discretionary spending, which causes, in turn, businesses to delay expansion and hiring."

"Since January 2010, when Illinois employment resumed after the national recession, Illinois has added 97,200 net new jobs," Rivara reported.

Chicago's collar counties all reported big jumps in the unadjusted unemployment rate and so did three of the four McHenry County municipalities for which IDES breaks out figures.  Lake in the HIlls remained the area's relative bright spot.  McHenry remained hardest hit but at least unchanged from May.

UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED    May 2011          PRELIMINARY June 2011               
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED      June 
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2010   
U.S. (X1000)   153,449  13,421   8.7    154,538   14,409   9.3   9.6    
ILLINOIS     6,590,519 592,008   9.0  6,684,549  649,404   9.7  10.5   

MCHENRY COUNTY 178,906  16,164   9.0    181,444   16,820   9.3   9.8    
KANE COUNTY    267,868  25,606   9.6    273,632   28,568  10.4  10.8    
LAKE COUNTY    363,771  28,527   7.8    370,479   31,668   8.5  10.1
DUPAGE COUNTY  520,241  41,460   8.0    530,113   45,794   8.6   9.0

ALGONQUIN       16,596   1,394   8.4     16,949    1,571   9.3   9.0   
LITH            16,808   1,372   8.2     17,093    1,478   8.6   9.3    
CRYSTAL LAKE    22,268   1,987   8.9     22,686    2,170   9.6   9.7    
MCHENRY         15,315   1,610  10.5     15,487    1,624  10.5  10.4   

Bible School Kids Restock Huntley Church Food Pantry

A record class of Summer Bible School kids brought food donations to help fill the shelves at Faith Community Church's Food Pantry in Huntley Thursday.  Pastor Bruce Cole said this year's crop of kids totaled 170.  Pantry manager Cheryl Petersen said families coming to the church's pantry set a new record last week, too, 55. lately, she said, requests have been hovering around 40 families.

The Pantry shelves were getting bare so kids and their parents brought in bags of groceries to help restock them. Faith Community's pantry is open to anyone at the Church on Haligus north of Algonquin Road Wednesdays from 4 to 6 pm.

Sunday Aug. 14 is the Food Pantry’s “Stock the Shelves” Sunday.  The featured donation for August is peanut butter and jelly.  Other donations are accepted Monday through Thursday at the Church from 9 am to 2 pm and on Sunday mornings.

Founders' Opens Well While Algonquin Reminds About Closures

Even though the humidity was so high you could have wrung the air like the proverbial dishrag Thursday evening's open of Algonquin's Founders' Days drew a good crowd.  "This is about average for Thursday," observed one veteran Founders' volunteer.

The festival in Towne Park should shift into high gear this evening with the weatherman promising no rain and and tolerable temps through the remaining three days of the event.

Algonquin officials reminded there'll be traffic tieups for Founders Days on Saturday and Sunday, though.

Saturday Route 31 south of Route 62 will be closed for the Founders' Parade and traffic will be diverted beginning at 10 am.  The eastbound lanes of Route 62 from Route 31 to Eastgate Drive will also be closed.  The Parade will start at 11 from Eastgate, marching west on 62 over the Fox then travel south on 31 ending at Railroad Street. Route 31 will be be closed all the way south to Edgewood Road, though, and  South Harrison will be closed from Algonquin Road (Route 62) south to Washington Street during the parade.  The closures basically won't re-open until the last marchers are off the route.  Don't expect 31 open until about 1:30 pm.

For the Fireworks Sunday, Harrison Street will be closed from Route 62 to Edward Street from 5 to 11pm.  That's to allow pedestrians and local traffic to participate in the Fireworks display beginning at dusk. There's no parking on that section of North Harrison Sunday and Front Street and Edwards Street at Route 31 will be right turn only.  Access to Port Edwards Restaurant will be available, though.

Village officials warned no one,pedestrians included, will be permitted to remain on the bridge from 7 to 11 pm Sunday. The bridge will be kept open for the flow of pedestrian traffic to Riverfront Park before the fireworks.  There will be no pedestrian crossing of Route 62 permitted at River Road before, during or after the fireworks.  All pedestrian traffic must cross Route 62 at either Harrison Street or Eastgate Drive, according to police plans.

After the fireworks Sunday, everyone who wants to cross the Fox to go eastbound on Route 62 will have to cross 62 at Harrison Street to the south side and then proceed eastbound.

Record Wettest July Set At Chicago O'Hare

The National Weather Service reported Thursday that three quarters of an inch of rain at Chicago-O'Hare Wednesday and Thursday morning brought the monthly rainfall total for July to 9.80 inches. Weathermen said that set a new record for the wettest July in recorded history in Chicago. The previous record was 9.56 inches in July 1889.

The rain also moved July 2011 up to the ninth wettest month ever in Chicago. However, rain last night and this morning obviously drove the month's total even higher so meteorologists called the 9.80 figure a preliminary record event. The all-time record wettest Chicago month was August, 1987, when 17.10 inches of rainfall was observed at O'Hare.

There's a certain fudge factor in all those numbers, though. There've been at least ten different official observation sites in the Chicago area since records began in 1870.  Mostly they were downtown or near-in until 1942 when the station moved out to Midway.  It moved even further out to O'Hare in 1980.

Here are the ten wettest July's in Chicago, never mind where the readings were actually taken:

RANK..................VALUE..................YEAR
1......................9.80..................2011
2......................9.56..................1889
3......................8.98..................1957
4......................8.84..................2010
5......................8.33..................1982
6......................7.58..................1969
7......................7.31..................1963
8......................7.18..................1875
9......................6.78..................1950
10.....................6.66..................1899

And here are the ten wettest months in Chicago, same asterisk:

RANK..................VALUE..................MONTH/YEAR
1.....................17.10..................AUG/1987
2.....................14.17..................SEPT/1961
3.....................13.63..................SEPT/2008
4.....................12.25..................AUG/2001
5.....................12.06..................OCT/1954
6.....................11.28..................AUG/1885
7.....................10.58..................JUNE/1892
8......................9.96..................JUNE/1993
9......................9.80..................JULY/2011
10.....................9.70..................AUG/2007

In the pic:  Rainfall in the Chicago area can actually vary quite a lot.  This is the map of the last two weeks which, itself, doesn't include fine-grained rainfall detail.

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--FEN schedule problem
Algonquin
moretocome
Huntley
moretocome

Founders' Days 51st Festival Starts Today In Algonquin

"What you're seeing is a testament to perseverance," said Algonquin Founders' Days Festival Treasurer Jerry McEvilly as sweaty volunteers and vendors finished putting up tents at Algonquin's Towne Park Wednesday evening.

McEvilly was referring to the past two years of bad weather that have hampered the Village's yearly signature celebration.  Indeed, morning rain somewhat delayed Wednesday's setup. Even so, by evening evening Founders' Days President Jeff Krajewski said, "We're right on schedule."

That schedule includes traditional favorites but also a new feature this year.  Sunday will see the area's Regional competition in the Illinois Park and Recreation Association's annual Battle of the Bands.

Here's the rundown for the four-day event:

Thursday, July 28
4:00 to 6:00 PM         Carnival for Special Kids(Hosted by American Legion
                        Post 1231
4:00 to 6:30 PM         Cardboard Boat Regatta (Presented by Algonquin State
                        Bank)
5:00 to 10:00 PM        Taste of Founders’
6:00 to 10:00 PM        Carnival for ALL (Wristbands)
7:00 to 7:30 PM         Opening Ceremonies
7:30 to 9:00 PM         Pirates Over 40 (Presented by Village of Algonquin)
7:30 to 9:30 PM         Social Garden Open (Presented by Euclid Beverage) 
7:30 to 9:30 PM         Designated Driver Program (Presented by Centegra
                        Health System)
10:00 PM                Towne Park Closes
   

Friday, July 29
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM      Founders’ Market and Bazaar
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM     Dog & Cat Show Registration (Presented by Charlie's
                        Doghouse & PawfectPet Grooming) 
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM    Dog & Cat Show (Presented by Charlie's Doghouse &
                        Pawfect Pet Grooming) 
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM     Children’s Games (Presented by All Smiles Dental)
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM     Moonwalk (Presented by Ed’s Rental & Sales)
11:00 AM to 7:00 PM     A Zoo to You Family Petting Zoo (Presented by Advocate
                        Good Shepherd Hospital)
11:00 AM to 10:30 PM    Taste of Founders’
11:00 AM                Bake Off – Registration
12:00 PM                Bake Off – Judging
12:00 to 5:00 PM        Carnival (Wristbands)
1:00 PM                 Bike Decorating Contest (Presented by Colonial Cafe)
4:00 to 5:00 PM         Pro Dance Elite
5:00 to 10:00 PM        Carnival (Regular Prices)
5:00 to 10:00 PM        Social Garden Open (Presented by Euclid Beverage)
5:00 to 10:00 PM        Designated Driver Program (Presented by Centegra Health
                        System)
6:15 to 10:15 PM        Mike & Joe and Sixteen Candles (Presented by Thirsty
                        Whale Bar & Grill) 
7:00 PM to ???          Bags Tournament - Single Elimination
10:30 PM                Towne Park Closes
   
Saturday, July 30
11:00 AM                Under The Sea Parade
1:30 to 5:30 PM         Carnival (Wristbands)
1:00 to 10:30 PM        Taste of Founders’
2:00 PM to ???          Bags Tournament - Double Elimination
2:00 to 7:00 PM         A Zoo to You Family Petting Zoo (Presented by Advocate
                        Good Shepherd Hospital) 
2:00 to 10:00 PM        Social Garden Open (Presented by Euclid Beverage)
2:00 to 10:00 PM        Designated Driver Program (Presented by Centegra Health System)
2:00 to 4:00 PM         American English (Presented by All Smiles by Dr. 
                        Audrey)
4:15 PM                 Parade Award Announcements
5:00 to 7:00 PM         25 or 6 to 4 'The Chicago Experience' (Presented by All
                        Smiles by Dr. Audrey) 
5:30 to 10:30PM         Carnival (Regular Prices)
8:15 to 10:15 PM        The Lounge Puppets (Presented by All Smiles by Dr. 
                        Audrey)
10:30 PM                Towne Park Closes
   
Sunday, July 31
7:00 AM                 Founders’ Run: Check-In
8:00 AM                 Boy Scout Troop 151 Pancake Breakfast
8:00 AM                 Founders’ Run: 1 Mile
8:30 AM                 Founders’ Run: 10K & 5K
8:40 AM                 Founders’ 5K Walk
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM     A Zoo to You Family Petting Zoo (Presented by Advocate
                        Good Shepherd Hospital)
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM     IL Chip Program - FREE Child Identification Program 
                        (Presented by Illinois Freemasons & Nunda Lodge #169)
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM     Kids Kraft Korner feat. The Home Depot
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM     Carnival (Wristbands)
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM     Algonquin Events and Recreation Dept. Village Summer 
                        Dance Recital
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM     2 Caricature Artists - 2 Face Painters FREE w/admission
12:00 PM to 5:00 PM     Taste of Founders’
12:30 PM to 4:30 PM     Social Garden Open
12:30 PM to 4:30 PM     Designated Driver’s Program (Presented by Centegra
                        Health System)
1:00 PM to 4:30 PM      Illinois Battle of the Bands (Presented by Meyer
                        Material)
12:00 PM                Duck Races – 1st Heat (Presented by Algonquin-Lake in  
                        the Hills Jaycees)
12:45 PM                Duck Races – 2nd Heat (Presented by Algonquin-Lake in
                        the Hills Jaycees)
1:15 PM                 Duck Races – Finals (Presented by Algonquin-Lake in
                        the Hills Jaycees)  
5:00 PM                 Towne Park Closes
9:00 PM                 Riverfront Park The Founders’ Days Festival Fireworks  
                        (Presented by Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites; APLM
                        Distributing-Kenwood, Durham School Services and 
                        Brunswick Zone, Algonquin)

Here's the website for more details: http://www.algonquinfoundersdays.com/

Coroners' Jury Rules Kurt Milliman Shooting Homicide

Kurt Millman's mother and sister cried when jurors at a McHenry County Coroner's inquest Wednesday found the 48 year-old bar owner's May 28 shooting in unincorporated Woodstock was a homicide.  Testimony somewhat contradicted earlier accounts and left unanswered questions about the death of Milliman who was brother to a Sheriff's Deputy who's accused the McHenry County Sheriff of corruption.

Deputy Coroner Paula Gallas told jurors an autopsy found Milliman died when a bullet entered the area of his right shoulder blade, almost cut one of his common carotid arteries in two and passed to below his left collar bone.  The wound in earlier Sheriff's reports had been described as being "to the torso".  The carotids supply blood to the brain and Gallas later said it was amazing Milliman didn't die almost immediately.

Gallas also said blood analysis showed Milliman's alcohol level was about half again higher than the minimum for a drunk driving conviction. 

Testimony didn't establish when the shooting occurred but Deputies were first called to the scene at 10:58 pm May 28 and Milliman was pronounced dead after emergency surgery at Centegra, Woodstock, at 4:41 am May 29.

McHenry County Sheriff's Detective Mike Quick in disjointed testimony said 26 year-old Timothy Smith shot Milliman with a .38 calibre revolver he was holding to his back during a dispute Milliman was having with Smith's 28 year-old wife Kimberly after "things weren't working" in an unnamed sex act for money.  "The gun went off," Quick said.

Neither Quick nor Gallas described Milliman or Smith to jurors.  However, Milliman was a big man, well over six feet tall and Smith is said to be about average size.  Neither did Quick or Gallas say whether there were powder burns on Milliman's clothing. Despite 60 years of TV cop shows, none of the jurors asked if there were any, either.

Sheriff's spokesmen originally said the unnamed sex act was supposed to have been for $40, a figure some police say is implausible for a sex act of almost any description.  Whatever the act was, Quick said it cost $50 and required Milliman and Kimberly Smith to "put their clothes back on" afterwards . He told the Coroner's panel a $50 bill was found "under the back part of a toilet" in a bathroom off an entry where the shooting occurred.

Kurt Milliman's death came only three days after the McHenry County Sheriff's Office had issued a report that cleared the way for Milliman's brother, Scott, to resume a sworn deposition in which he had already accused Sheriff Keith Nygren of telling him to kill two people, running an illegal alien importation ring and involvement in a bribery scheme during the Gary Pack State's Attorney era.

In the pic:  McHenry County Coroner Paula Gallas didn't tell a Coroner's jury which of Kurt Milliman's common carotid arteries was torn by the bullet that killed him.

Summer Vacation Draws To Early Close

More than 1000 freshmen, parents and siblings thronged Dundee-Crown High School Wednesday evening for its annual “Charger Quest” orientation. It was the first chance for new students to receive class schedules, student ID, locker assignments and an explanation of bus routes and how the school block schedule works.

Jacobs Freshman orientation's set for Aug. 10, Classes in District 300 start Aug. 15 but Administrators estimate about 10 percent of expected students haven't registered yet.

Shuffle, Shuffle, Shuffle: Coupon Swap At Huntley Library

The program room at Huntley Area Public Library was rang with gripes and laughter Wednesday during the Library's monthly coupon swap session.

"There's a core group of five or six," said Librarian Sue Riddle-Mojica, "but sometimes seven or eight show up," she said.  "It's a new program."

It's a simple one, too.  Bring product coupons you don't need, trade 'em one-for-one (never mind the value) for coupons you can use. 

Or just bring in coupons anyone can use, even old ones.  "We have one lady who collects expired ones," said swapper Chris Koste.  "Military families overseas can use coupons up to six months after they run out.  She collected $3,000 worth of coupons that she sent them."

Check the calendar, lower right, for the next swap and other Huntley Library events here:
http://huntleylibrary.org/

In the pic:  Hunting for the "big kill" at Huntley Library's monthly coupon swap session Wednesday.

GOP Challenges Congressional Remap, Too

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Republicans and a Republican-backed organization filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming Illinois’ new congressional map violates the U.S. Constitution as well as the Federal Voting Rights Act. This new lawsuit means that both of the state’s Democratic-drawn maps will face a challenge in court.

The suit alleges that the map dilutes the voting rights of the state’s growing Hispanic population. The lawsuit, which names 11 current Republican Illinois House members as plaintiffs, says the map “blatantly discriminates against Republican and Latino voters.” The complaint says the new map effectively reverses the results of the 2010 congressional election, which gave Republicans control of the state’s congressional delegation.

“We’ve listened to advocacy groups from various Latino communities,” Chicago Democratic state Sen. Kwame Raoul, sponsor of the map, said as it was debated earlier this year in the Illinois Senate. He said no group called for two Latino congressional districts. “We have followed traditional redistricting principles in coming up with this map.”

The suit also alleges that Democrats used their control of the state legislature and governor’s office to draw irregularly shaped districts with an eye toward winning elections.

State Republican leaders filed a separate suit on similar grounds against the state legislative map last week. While both lawsuits include individual Latino residents, no Latino advocacy group — many of which were vocal during the remap process — has yet signed on to either complaint.

You can read Jamey's full report at:  http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/illinois-new-legislative-maps-face.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
July 27
0526 HRS PYOTT RD. & INDUSTRIAL DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1739 HRS 101 N. RANDALL RD. (DOMINICKS) RETAIL THEFT. $100.00 dollar worth of meat was stolen.
1829 HRS 208 N. RANDALL RD. (BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1919 HRS WILLOW ST. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2147 HRS 200 BLOCK OF STICKLEY LN. SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Female, 34 years of age had taken a large amount of pills. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

LITH Recheck: Board Really Doesn't Like Intersection Plan

The Lake in the Hills Board Tuesday was willing for the sake of argument Tuesday to concede they failed to fully convey opposition to a controversial plan to improve the intersection of Randall and Algonquin Roads.  Their solution was to invite the McHenry County Division of Transportation back for another presentation so then they can tell the agency how much they don't like it.

When LITH District 5 County Board Member Paul Yensen asked MCDOT head Joe Korpalski last week why the agency was forging ahead with plans for a largely-untested Continuous flow intersection when LITH opposed it, the County Engineer replied it was because, the last he'd heard, Village officials thought the CFI was OK.

That set off a lot of behind-the-scenes argument about who said what to whom when. Trustee Paul Mulcahy who first voiced LITH opposition to the plan summed that up Tuesday saying, "I don't know that talking to them is getting anywhere."

LITH trustees think the CFI would limit driver access to Randall businesses and don't want that since sales taxes from the retail corridor is the closest thing LITH has to a money machine. Trustee Ray Bogdanowski said, "We don't have two miles of Randall Road (like Algonquin). This (section of North Randall) is all we've got."

Village President Ed Plaza said he'd checked with Algonquin and officials there aren't very happy with the CFI, either.  The plan Tuesday was to send the County a letter inviting highway planners back to LITH, the sooner the better.  "(MCDOT) is not going to get (federal) funding if one of the principal players isn't on board," he said.

In the pic:  A screencap from an animation of a Continuous Flow Intersection.

Tryon To Support Franks Bill For Property Tax Freezes

McHenry County  GOP State Rep. Mike Tryon (Crystal Lake) said Tuesday he plans to sign on to co-sponsor McHenry County Dem State Rep. Jack Franks' (Marengo) bill to freeze tax levies when housing assessments fall.  Tryon told FEN the bill might need a little more work, though.  For instance, maybe it ought to freeze tax rates, too.

Right now in Illinois even when assessments fall, taxing districts can still bump up their aggregate tax bites by the increase in the U.S. cost of living.  The County Clerk just figures out a new tax rate to yield the latest figure. "It's the (total assessed value) that does it," said Tryon.  "The rate has to go up."

"I'd like to see this debated," said Tryon.  "The problem with the (current) cap is it protected the taxpayer during (home price) inflation.  But it actually makes taxes go up when you have devaluation."

Tryon said he was researching whether taxing districts ought to have to vote on a tax rate increase.

In the pic:  State Rep. Mike Tryon.

Committee Supports D158 Energy Conservation Bond Deal

Finance and Audit Committee members mostly supported a D158 request Tuesday to use $2 million worth of McHenry County's share of Energy Conservation bonding authority to finance the District's program to upgrade schools so they don't use so much energy.

The District's already almost one third of the way through installing hi-tech changes contractually guaranteed to improve energy usage 28.7 percent.  The initial plan was to pay for them with ordinary tax-exempt bonds but it turns out they'd also qualify for Stimulus Program QCEB bonds which carry a federal tax credit, instead.  Bond expert Eric Anderson told Finance and Audit members that investors like credits so much better they're willing to take a lower interest rate so D158 would save about $250,000 with QCEB bonds.

Anderson said the bonds would be issued by D158 so the County's involvement only extends to allowing the District to issue them; Illinois had $133 million worth of QCEB authority and gave McHenry County $3 million of it to parcel out.

Woodstock District 6 Member Mary McCann worried D158's request would use up about half of that but County Administrator Pete Austin observed that no other district has asked to use any of it and the program runs out in five months, anyway.

"(D158) did their homework," said Crystal Lake District 3 Member Mary Donner adding, "and there's still $1 million left."

The Committee's scheduled to vote Aug. 9 to pass the measure along for County Board Approval Aug. 18.

In the pic:  BMO Capital Markets' Eric Anderson asked McHenry County's Finance and Audit Committee to OK Energy Conservation Bonds to upgrade D158 schools.  Facilities Chief Doug Renkosik and Superintendent John Burkey are to the right.

Sportsplex Proposal Gets Six More Months

The Lakewood Village Board OK'ed a six-month extension Tuesday on an agreement to annex land between Huntley and Woodstock for the controversial McHenry County Sportsplex. The annexation wouldn't officially take place until Sportsplex Developers come up with a physical project.

Sportsplex President Lou Tenore said he's lined up new financing after last year's failure to secure County and Development Authority stimulus bonds but the latest bond underwriter still wants the Sportsplex company to show some private equity skin in the game.

The Lakewood vote was 4-3 with Village President Erin Smith tipping the balance. The vote on the original agreement was unanimous.

McHenry County Administrator To Stay Put

McHenry County gets to keep its Administrator, Pete Austin.  Iowa's Polk County Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday they'd picked Tazewell County (Pekin) Administrator David Jones to run their county instead of Austin or two others. The Des Moines Register said Polk Supervisors didn't officially pick a new Administrator yesterday since it wasn't on their meeting agenda but they planned a formal vote today.

Austin said he got involved in the Polk County competition when a recruiter suggested him for the post.  "I've gone on one interview in six years," he sighed Monday.  "I guess it shows the difference between a job in public service and private."

In the pic:  McHenry County Administrator Pete Austin on the job Tuesday.

Gov Wants Legislature Back In Six Weeks

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn wants the General Assembly back in session in six weeks to fix legal questions surrounding a big Illinois economic driver.  Quinn said lawmakers should return September 13 to address changes to work rules at Chicago's McCormick Place. A federal court says some of the changes the legislature approved last year violate collective bargaining rights and Quinn said he wants to bring stakeholders to the table to sort out a compromise.

The McCormick Place convention facility draws almost 3 million people each year. “We’re not going to have a cloud of uncertainty fall over our convention, tourism, hospitality business in Illinois, " Quinn said at a Chicago news conference Tuesday. "I think it important that we not just have the hope of conventions dissipate because of uncertainty about the law.”

Quinn urged legislators to return voluntarily — as they did for one day last month to approve construction spending — to take up the issue so the state can avoid a costlier special session. He said if lawmakers do return next month, budget issues would not be a priority. “I see the budget matters coming up more in late October early November,” he said.

Quinn told reporters he signed a budget that he knew was “flawed” to keep Republicans out of the budgeting process. After May 31, a three-fifths majority would have been needed to pass the budget, and Republicans could have had more leverage to push for bigger cuts. “I did not want that crowd to have an opportunity to enact that kind of budget that would have been hurtful to our state,” he said.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/legislature-could-be-back-in-session.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
July 26
0117 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. CURFEW VIOLATION. JUVENILE, M/W 12 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 14 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 13 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1620 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY. DEFRANSISCO, DANIEL V., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 341 COUNCIL TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. Charge: Domestic Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
2006 HRS HARVEST GATE. & ALGONQUIN RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. ANDERSON, DAVID M., M/W 51 YEARS OF AGE, 1079 BUTLER DR. CRYSTAL LAKE. Charges: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs, Impeding traffic, and Improper Lane Use. RELEASED ON BOND.
1022 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. Gas can taken from open garage.
1143 HRS 00 BLOCK OF LAUREL VALLEY CT. HARASSMENT. Mother being harassed by her son.
1823 HRS 200 BLOCK OF INDIAN TRAIL. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. A plasma television, a Wii game console, a DVD player and a ladder were taken from a home after forced entry was made. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2236 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF MACKINAC ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 45 years of age, needing an evaluation. No transport.

Sportsplex Developer Asks For More Time Again

This evening businessman Lou Tenore will ask the Village of Lakewood to extend its annexation agreement on land he hopes to buy north of Huntley to build a giant $55 million McHenry County Sportsplex. Thursday McHenry County Judge James Cowlin will rule on whether to foreclose Tenore's Lake in the Hills home.

Indeed, last month a Boone County Judge turned Tenore's marschino cherry factory over to a receiver in a foreclosure case there. An FEN examination of court records shows bankers are currently trying to foreclose about $750,000 in mortgages to Tenore and his cherry company, there are liens on his home and factory for another $100,000 and a couple of recent judgements for suppliers total more than $30,000.

A collection company had already filed the foreclosure on Tenore's Poplar Grove factory when Tenore appeared before the McHenry County Finance and Audit Committee in late 2009 asking for $18.5 million in tax-subsidized County bonds to build the lavish Sportsplex. No one ever ran a credit check on him or the cherry company, though.  Despite assurances from Tenore's bond underwriter that there were plenty of buyers, a year later the authority to issue them ran out.

"That stimulus was wasted," growled Sportsplex opponent Al Stenstrom Monday.  "There was a veterans' facility.  They didn't bother to apply (to McHenry County for stimulus bonds) because it was already committed," Stenstrom charged.  "They went to Winnebago County instead. It's up and running now. It created 70 new jobs."

"It's kind of 20/20 hindsight," countered Algonquin's Marc Munaretto, former head of the Finance and Audit Committee, Monday.  "Did we know that Mr. Tenore had problems?" he asked. "Yes.  Did we work with him to solve them? Yes.  Did that help? No."

In the pic:  An artist's concept of the McHenry County Sportsplex, about as far as the proposal got after two years' effort.

D300 Preps For Student Influx, Money Outflow

Superintendent Michael Bregy told the D300 Board of Education Monday he estimates only about 90 percent of the district's students have registered so far with only three weeks to go before school begins. That means, said Bregy,  another mad first-week scramble to match real teachers with real students, as opposed to projected ones.

"We're always surprised the first day when people show up," said Bregy.

"Or they show up a week late because they didn't know school starts Aug. 15," added President Anne Miller.

Whoever shows up wherever they do it, D300's big problem for the coming school year will be finding enough money to educate them.  CFO Cheryl Crates ran through the latest version of the coming year's budget. It looked looked good on paper, however, she said, while the District just received another $1 million State Aid payment for the year ended, her best guess was that's all the District's going to get.  That would leave last year's budget about $9 million in the red and augurs ill for the $32 million the State's promised to pay the District for the 2011-12 year.

Crates said the Federal debt limit showdown looming in Washington adds a new level of uncertainty to District finances.  Directly, the new budget includes more than $12 million in Federal funds.  However, referring to a Standard and Poors report last week, Crates claimed U.S. technical default might redound against D300 indirectly by driving up interest rates.  "Those entities most reliant on cash-flow borrowing...would be most susceptible," said the S&P report.  That pretty well describes District 300 which figures to borrow about $18 million early next year to meet payroll until property taxes start rolling in June.

David Moore Battery Trial Reset To December

The jury trial of Grafton Township First Husband David Moore didn't happen Monday since material witness Trustee Rob LaPorta wasn't available to testify.  Laporta said he'd be available July 29 but Judge Charles Weech last week put the trial off until Dec. 12.

Moore, the husband of Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore, is charged with battery for making "physical contact of an insulting nature" in pushing Trustee Gerry McMahon after a Board meeting last October.

Decision "Late This Week" On Possible Austin Exit

Polk County Iowa Supervisors canceled a meeting Monday on whether to hire McHenry County Administrator Pete Austin or one of three other candidates to be the new Administrator for Des Moines' home county.  Spokesman Amy Anderson said she didn't expect a decision until "late this week," although a Polk County Board meeting is scheduled today.

"This isn't an easy decision," she said.  "It impacts not only County employees but the citizens, too."  Anderson said she could imagine the same thing might apply in McHenry County as well.

State Pay Raise Court Case Could Force Layoffs

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Judges in Cook County Circuit Court and U.S. District Court in Springfield are being asked to decide whether 30,000 state workers will get their scheduled pay raises this year. However, Governor Pat Quinn said in filings to the court in Chicago that not only did lawmakers not include enough money for $75 million in pay raises, but they shorted the new state budget so much that Illinois won't make payroll for 12 state agencies for the full year.

State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said the Legislature knew that a $33.2 billion budget would not be enough, and lawmakers assumed Quinn would have to act. "There would have to be elimination of positions," said Mautino, "Instead of funding 10 people for three-quarters of the year, you'd fund eight for the full year. That's in the power of the governor to manage."

Quinn signed an agreement with union AFSCME in 2010 that blocked the governor from closing state facilities or ordering layoffs. He's bound by that agreement, until the new state budget expires in July 2012. However, state Rep. David Harris, R-Arlington Heights, said the 2010 union agreement does not prohibit layoffs. "A layoff simply says that individual who is laid-off will have the expectation of being called back at some point," Harris said.

Quinn said Monday in Chicago that he hopes to convince lawmakers to add funding to the state budget rather than force cuts.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6639/pay-raise-denial-first-of-many-budgets-tough-choices-for-quinn/

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
July 25
0043 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL/ACCIDENT. KELLEY, JASON R., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 2741 BRIARCLIFF LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, No Insurance, Failure to Reduce Speed. RELEASED ON BOND.
0240 HRS 241 N. RANDALL RD. (WHITE CASTLE) POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Underage Drinking. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0923 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. AKERS, REINE A., F/W 49 YEARS OF AGE, 3501 BUCKBOARD, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving while License Suspended, No Valid Registration. RELEASED ON BOND
0113 HRS 0 BLOCK OF MONTCLAIR CT. THEFT. Jewelry taken from residence. FAIL TO FILE.
1131 HRS 200 S. ANNANDALE DR. (LEROY GUY PARK) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Damage to slide and park bench.
1316 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Items taken from vehicle overnight.
1350 HRS 2122 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (TACOS EL NORTE) ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, seven years of age, was choking. No transport.
1649 HRS 471 RANDALL RD. (PAPA SAVERIO’S) ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 21 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2349 HRS 300 BLOCK OF N. ANNANDALE DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. One prior.

Grafton Assessments Went To County Twice

Kane County Assessor Mark Armstrong missed a step in his outline last month of how Rutland Township Sun City homeowners ended up with higher tax bills than their Grafton Township brethren.  FEN has learned Grafton assessments went to Woodstock not once but twice.  If the first ones had been accepted, Rutland tax bills probably would have been lower.

The way the property tax system works in Illinois, as long as the tax levy stays the same (in fact,  it increased), if one property owners' bill goes down, someone else's has to go up. The D158's bills  in Sun City which include portions in Kane and McHenry Counties so assessments there are calculated by two different assessors.  Armstrong claimed there were "inequitable assessment levels" between the two shifting an extra 17 percent of the tax burden from Grafton to Rutland homeowners.

The difference probably wouldn't have been so great if McHenry County Chief Assessment Officer Bob Ross had accepted Grafton Assessor Bill Ottley's first round of new property assessments. He didn't, though.  Ross said in an FEN interview that, based on historical average sales figures,  he was only prepared to OK about a 6 percent decrease in Grafton's collective assessments.  Ottley's assessments dropped a lot more than that.  "I told him, 'I don't think we can do this,'" said Ross.

Ross said if he'd accepted Ottley's first figures he'd have had to slap an equalizing multiplier on all Grafton assessments to raise them into theoretical line with the rest of McHenry County.

Instead of raising his assessments, though, Ottley split them into two parts.  One batch went to Ross who, the second time, accepted them without a multiplier.  The others, 9,000 of them, bypassed Ross and went straight to the McHenry County Board of Review as "corrections" to assessments.  Usually corrections involve an increase in value for building a new patio or sunroom.  The Grafton corrections were decreases and the Board of Review OK'ed them all.

The Review Board-approved reductions didn't trigger a multiplier on Grafton assessments overall, though, at least not for taxes that were due this year. (There'll be a 1.0531  multiplier on next year's.)  That meant they shifted more of the tax burden than otherwise to the Kane side of the border.

The Grafton reductions did help trigger an equalizing factor this year on all McHenry County assessments, however.  The Illinois Department of Revenue concluded McHenry County assessments were collectively too low and ordered a 1.0348  multiplier. Ottley told FEN that wasn't all because of the drop in Grafton.  "Assessments fell in other townships, too," said Ottley.  He admitted, however, "But some of it was Grafton, no question".  Ross agreed.  "All the townships lost value at the Board of Review," he said.

Neither Ottley nor Ross can now say who came up with idea to run some of the Grafton reassessments past the Board of Review as corrections.  They both describe discussions that eventually became a collaboration.

Ross blamed the entire property tax system.  "It was never designed for falling property values," he said. As for the Board of Review "corrections" to Grafton assessments, said Ross, "It was a tough decision."

Editor's note:  An earlier version of this story included slightly incorrect values for the Grafton and McHenry County multipliers.

Volunteers Still Welcome For Algonquin's Founders Days

Algonquin's 51st Founders' Days celebration starts Thursday but organizers report there's still time (and room) for residents to volunteer to help make it happen.

The four-day festival mounted by the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce, the Algonquin Lioness Club, the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Jaycees and a group of dedicated community members is put on solely by volunteers. Jaycees' liaison Sue Bazdor reports shifts are only for two hours so if anyone would like to help, the number to call is (847) 658-5300, the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber.

Band Instrument Drive Begins For D300 Foundation

It's time for ex-musicians to start combing their attics and basements for old ukuleles and sousaphones as the District 300 Foundation For Educational Excellence gins up their second annual drive to collect old band instruments.

Last year residents contributed about $10,000 worth of "gently used" strings, horns, woodwinds and tympani to stock District 300’s lending library for middle school students interested in music education.

Instrument dropoffs are scheduled during the Foundation's Juried Art Fair in late September and each one will will receive two free raffle tickets for a special prize donated by one of the Fair's artists.

D300 music educator Michael Kasper said “The D300 Foundation Instrument Drive is reliable and successful.  Their efforts have meant every D300 student wanting to be involved in music has an opportunity to enroll.”

In the pic:  The D300 Foundation's first instrument drive last year collected about two dozen instruments for middle schoolers including an electric guitar and a fairly rare French clarinet.

D158 Recognizes Eagle Scouts For Service To Schools

As the McHenry County Board is fond of noting, "only four percent of Scouts attain the rank of Eagle", so the four young men in this picture represent 100 Huntley kids who joined the Cub Scouts a decade ago.  They're Brian Bocian, Joseph Perone, Jacob Korth, and Matthew Heiden, collectively honored at the meeting of the D158 Board late last week for their help at some of the District's schools.

Lawmakers: Businesses Tax Issues Need Work

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Less than a year after increasing Illinois’ corporate income tax rate, lawmakers are taking on the state’s business tax code. The first of four hearings brought lawmakers, business leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration together last week in Chicago.

State Rep John Bradley, D-Marion, who is overseeing the hearings for the House, said Illinois has long been called bad for business. “We know that we have issues. We know that the corporate tax system has been problematic,” Bradley said. “We’re going to attempt to look at it and come up with comprehensive solutions.”

Bradley and other lawmakers would not say if one of those solutions would be to lower the corporate income tax rate. In January, Illinois’ corporate tax rate jumped more than 45 percent, from 4.8 percent to 7 percent.

Brian Hamer, director of the state Department of Revenue, said lowering the corporate tax rate is not the answer because Illinois’ tax code is so complicated it cannot be compared on a state-by-state basis. “We did a significant study of the Fortune 100 a number of years ago, and at the time, we saw that about a third of those large, generally highly profitable businesses paid no state income taxes,” Hamer said. “We’re in the midst of a new study, also looking at the Fortune 100, and we’re finding that quite a proportion of the group continues to pay no tax.”

However, Mark Denzler, vice president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, which represents thousands of manufacturing businesses and lobbies state government, said businesses in Illinois are suffering, in part, because of the government of Illinois. “We’ve seen an income tax increase, a proposed gross receipts tax, an attempt this year to repeal every tax incentive,” Denzler said. “The Department of Revenue is three years behind in paying corporate tax refunds. We face an $80 billion liability in pensions, and about a $6 billion short-term operating deficit.”

Denzler said Illinois’ financial woes and instability have created a negative climate for business. He said he doubts that if the current problems continue, Illinois will ever make good on the promise to roll back the income tax increase in four years.

Lawmakers are expected to hear from business leaders Aug. 2 in Rockford. Hearings also are scheduled for Marion in southern Illinois and at the statehouse in Springfield later this year.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6613/lawmakers-issues-with-businesses-taxes-need-to-be-addressed/

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
July 24
1053 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (POLICE DEPT) WANTED ON WARRANT. LASKOWSKI, HEATHER L., F/W 32 YEARS OF AGE, 309 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County for Contempt Of Court. Bond Amount: $100.00. RELEASED ON BOND.
1858 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF JEFFERSON ST. WANTED ON WARRANT/DOMESTIC. BOUDRIE, DEBBRA A., F/W 50 YEARS OF AGE, 718 NASHUA CT., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of Boone County for Failure to Appear for Traffic Offenses, bond set at $373.00 Full cash. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. Mother vs. son. Verbal only. No priors.
0836 HRS 00 BLOCK OF CASTLE PINES CT. ASSIST TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. House struck by lightning.
1508 HRS 400 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC Mother vs. daughter. Verbal only. Four priors.
1729 HRS 200 BLOCK OF STICKLEY LN. DOMESTIC. Dad vs. son. Verbal only. No priors.
1815 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) BATTERY Male vs. male. FAIL TO FILE.
Algonquin
July 23
03:42am  Romanowski, Dariusz A., DOB: 05/21/84, of 1565 Matthew Drive, was charged with DUI and Improper Lane Use. He was taken into custody at Randall Rd and Harnish Dr. He was released after posting bond with a court date of 08/31/2011 in McHenry County.
21:17pm Rowe, Kevin J., DOB: 06/23/79, of 2640 Williamsburg, was charged with Disorderly Conduct.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Police Department. He was issued a municipal citation with a court date of Aug. 31, 2011, in Algonquin.
July 24
16:39 pm Patel, Kala P., DOB: 07/21/1945, of 651 Bluestem Lane, was charged with Retail Theft. She was taken into custody at 734 S. Randall Rd. She was issued a municipal citation with a court date of Aug. 31, 2011, in Algonquin.

More Rain, Cool Temps But Heat In Offing Again

For the third day in a row,  another weak front of cooler air is moving south through the area but not very far and not very fast.  The boundary with the mass of hot humid air that baked the region earlier in the week remains stalled as it has been roughly along Interstate 80.

Storms Saturday inundated a swath of McHenry, Lake and southern Cook counties creating flash flooding in some areas and soaking the soil.  Early this morning one line of intense storms developed but was expected to mostly miss the area with the possible exception of Marengo, maybe even Pingree Grove.  However, forecasters said another complex of storms developing in eastern Iowa would track through northern Illinois at some point this morning.  Some of the rainfall could be heavy and, since soil in some locations is saturated, it could create flash flooding again.

The fronts are expected to leave cooler drier air in their wakes for Monday and Tuesday but National Weather Service Meteorologists forecast the return of hot wet air again probably by Wednesday.

In the pics:  (above) Torrential rain Saturday was limited to a fairly narrow area in Northern Illinois, although a home was struck by lightning in LITH.  (below) However, a lot of the heavy rain was in the Fox River Watershed so river levels are up.

Huntley Farmers' Market Producing Produce Now

Veggies were in abundance Saturday at Huntley's weekly Farmers' Market Saturday.  "This is the first week we've had a lot of vegetables," said organizer Barb Read. "Of course, we still don't have tomatoes yet, but we're really excited."

Sweet corn there was in abundance Saturday.  Not to mention, carrots, lettuce, beets, green beans and kohlrabi (novel as a crudite, don't overdo it if you cook it) to name a few others.  On the fruit front, a tip from vendor Mike O'Leary, Marengo:  "Michigan peaches will be ready next week."

In the pic: Kathleen Carr from Marengo's Growing Scene had sweet corn, melons and beans at Huntley's Farmers' Market Saturday.

Seats Full At Huntley Historical Society Meet

The Huntley Historical Society's first (intended to be) Annual Meeting and Election brought about 60 local history buffs to American Community Bank and Trust Saturday.

After Nancy Fike from the McHenry County Historical Society detailed life in the area before the Civil War (more soldiers died at the Chicago dock of cholera than all the combatant deaths in the Blackhawk War) the Society elected a new set of directors and officers for the year.

Nancy Bacheller outlined one of the Society's problems this year:  Starting with a $1,000 endowment, the group had to spend $1,065 to register with the IRS and the State as a non-profit organization.  The Society has some fundraisers scheduled later this year.

In the pic:  The Huntley Historical Society had some historically accurate dresses from the pre- and post-Civil War eras on display with other historical memorabilia at Saturday's organizational meeting.

Official: ComEd Sets New Peak In Demand

ComEd has announced customer demand reached an all-time high peak usage milestone during Wednesday's sweltering heat. Demand reached 23,753 megawatts.  That was a little above the utility’s previous peak demand five years ago, 23,618 MW Aug. 1, 2006.

The new peak came on the heels of the July 11 storm that knocked out power to more than 850,000 customers in Northern Illinois . The company claimed in a release Friday that it's invested billions of dollars in its transmission and distribution system in the last decade so during that time, it claimed there have been 39 percent fewer customer interruptions. The release claimed ComEd’s proposed $2.6 billion investment in upgrades including smart meters that would automatically notify the company of power outages would result in an estimated 700,000 fewer service interruptions annually.

Meanwhile, ComEd said it currently has more than 350 crews in the field monitoring the power system. That's about 100 more crews than usual for a typical summer day with average temperatures.

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
July 23
0230 HRS 200 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. ASSIST TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. Assisted the Fire Department with a structure fire.
0613 HRS 3900 BLOCK OF THORNBERRY WAY. DOMESTIC. Son vs. mother. Verbal only. No priors.
1357 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & CRYSTAL LAKE RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1448 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1443 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SPLASH PAD) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Subject reported taking photographs at the splash pad.
2255 HRS 60 BLOCK OF OAKLEAF RD. ORDINANCE VIOLATION. A male subject was issued a Trespass Warning.