Moore Denies Circulating County Board Petition

Responding to the past week's rumors, Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore told FEN Friday she isn't circulating petitions to run for the McHenry County Board in rural District Six. She refused to say she wasn't thinking of it, though.  "I think of lots of things," she said.

Moore, involved in a battle with the rest of the Grafton Board over who makes the final decisions in Grafton Township, was part of the audience at Tuesday's McHenry County Board meeting when it set new $20,000 salaries for Board members.  She's been observed there only once before.

County Clerk Kathie Schultz reported Friday Moore hadn't picked up a Board election packet but observed that all the forms in it are downloadable from her office's Internet site.

Moore has two more years to go as Grafton Supervisor but if she ran for District Six and won, she wouldn't have to give up the Township position and its $55,000 per year salary.  Illinois Statutes specifically say there's no conflict inherent in being a Supervisor and a Board Member at the same time.

Whether or not Moore has her eye on a County seat, her attorney in the contest with trustees seems to have higher aspirations.  McHenry County Blog reported Thursday Rockford lawyer John Nelson is seeking the Democratic nomination for Don Manzullo's 16th District Congressional spot.  New maps kick in at the March Primary, however, and the 16th District won't have anything to do with McHenry County then.

In the pic:  Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore and attorney John Nelson

Judge Reported Refusing To Open Bianchi Prosecution File

The Crystal Lake Northwest Herald reported this morning that McHenry County Circuit Judge Gordon Graham ruled Friday records about the failed prosecution of State's Attorney Lou Bianchi should remain secret.

Bianchi defense attorney Terry Ekl acting for half a dozen Bianchi-supporting taxpayers earlier this year asked Graham to unseal the records of how, under his supervision, allegations the State's Attorney had his secretary type campaign materials ballooned into what's expected to be $500,000 worth of Special Prosecutors' bills for 30 charges that ended in either dismissal or directed acquittal without a defense.

“When a special prosecutor is appointed and a grand jury intervened, that in and of itself is a compelling reason it should be sealed,” Graham was reported to have said. “This case is pretty much over.”

It isn't, though, since the McHenry County Board is balking at Graham's order to pay Special Prosecutors Henry "Skip" Tonigan and Thomas McQueen.  Likewise, although no one's officially acknowledged it after a month, the Board's also trying to figure out what to do with a request to pay Bianchi's defense bill, also reported to be in the $500,000 range.

Friday's hearing was itself semi-secret.  It took place in open court from which the public isn't barred.  However, notices of the hearings in the matter are considered part of the records Graham has sealed, according to Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe, so there was no public notice it was scheduled.

The Northwest Herald's story is here: http://www.nwherald.com/2011/10/21/judge-bianchi-file-will-stay-sealed/a7d5bxz/?page=1  

Winners Announced In LITH Halloween House Contest

Lake in the Hills Parks & Recreation Department judges Friday announced the winners of the Village's annual Halloween House Decorating Contest for residents looking for some low-cost (for spectators, anyway) weekend entertainment.

Winner of the Scariest House competition again this year was Toby and Stephanie Wrolson's home at 340 S. Annandale Drive.

Winner of the Cheeriest House was the Michael Bashonski family home at 102 Acorn Lane. Other LITH Halloween decorating extravaganzas in the contest are at 134 Hilltop Drive, 922 Brandt Drive,     1203 Birch Street, 715 White Pine Circle, 10 Farmington Court, 1 McKenzie Court and 2 Wedgewood Circle.

Downstate Congressional District Seen Wobbly For Dems

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
"The 12th District may be the dye that turns southern Illinois red," said St. Clair County Republican committeewoman Mary Thurman Friday.  The 12th Congressional District, which runs along the Mississippi River from Metro East to the southernmost tip of the state, is now at the center of attention for Republicans and Democrats. Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello abruptly announced his retirement earlier this month in the district drawn by Democrats to suit him.

Williamson County Democratic Chairman Bill Stevens said southern Illinois has seen a Republican resurgence. But Stevens said much of Williamson County saw a GOP push in 2010. "Politics has changed, not only in southern Illinois, but everywhere," Steven said. "You've had more and more movement toward the conservative side. That's just the mood of the public."

"What's happened is that the (Democratic) Party got broken down. The people stayed the same," said Thurman.

Costello has served the district in Congress since 1993 and the 12th District has backed Democrats in the past three presidential races. Gov. Pat Quinn won three counties inside the 12th District, Madison, Jackson and Alexander counties. The only other county Quinn won was Cook County.

Stevens, said he still expects a Democrat to take the 12th District. But first, the Democrats need to find a candidate. A number of big names have said they will not run. Republicans have one declared candidate — Jason Plummer who used his family's lumber fortune in an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor in 2010. Others, including state Rep.Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, are said to be thinking about a run.

John Jackson, a professor with the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, said, "Republicans will want to nationalize the race, make the 12th District vote about President Obama, while Democrats are going to want to localize the contest. They'll want to say, 'We need another man who can bring home the bacon to southern Illinois.'"

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7025/southern-illinois-congressional-race-could-be-the-one-to-watch/

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
October 21
1726 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & SPENCER PL. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Cannabis Less then 2.5 grams and Expired Registration. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 14 YEARS OF AGE, HUNTLEY. CHARGE: Possession of Cannabis Less then 2.5 grams. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1603 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS POLICE) FOLLOW UP ARREST: THEFT/ JUVENILE M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, HUNTLEY. CHARGE: Theft. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0351 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PINE ST. SUICIDAL SUBJECT. Male, 27 years of age, made suicidal statements. No transport.
1203 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE/ Golf Clubs were taken from vehicle overnight. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1820 HRS 200 BLOCK OF BRIDLEWOOD CIRCLE. SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Female, 29 years of age, had taken unknown amount of Tylenol. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

Huntley To Consider Electric Bill Referendum

Huntley residents are going to get an education in electric power in the next five months and they'd better study hard because there's going to be a test.  If all goes according to the plan revealed at the Village Board Thursday there'll be a referendum in March on whether Huntley should start a program to lower power bills.

Municipal aggregation is what it's called.  It's the final move in a tortuous game to deregulate Illinois electric power. In 1997 the Legislature split the State's two giant electric companies apart to encourage competition in power generation.  Then they cranked prices back 20 percent and froze them for 10 years with the result that there wasn't any.

When the caps ran out four years ago, rates soared but it finally created a chance for someone else to get in on the power production act.  Besides Exelon in Northern Illinois and Ameren Energy downstate, the Illinois Commerce Commission now lists 55 other "Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers".  That's why residents are starting to get so much junk mail from companies no one's ever heard of offering to cut electric bills.

Huntley's looking at something like the mail offers but on a village-wide basis. The premise of municipal aggregation is that a whole bunch of customers can get a group deal better than they can one at a time. "Harvard and Fox River Grove have done this," said Huntley Mayor Chuck Sass Thursday, "and the County's looking at it for unincorporated areas so we thought it was time to take look at it, too."

In fact,  20 Illinois cities and villages have started aggregation plans, according to the ICC.  The public-interest Citizen's Utility Board says, however, that while it sounds good in theory, no one's had a plan in place long enough to tell if it really works.

Village Manager Dave Johnson was at pains Thursday to explain that even if a residential Huntley plan was approved, the power would still come into homes on ComEd lines, the electric bill would still come in the mail from ComEd, and no one would have to use an alternative retail electric supplier who didn't really want to.

The law says if Huntley wants to try municipal aggregation, voters have to OK it via referendum. The next election's the 2012 Primary and the deadline for a resolution to put the question on the ballot is Jan. 3.  Trustees told Staff to write up a measure for consideration next month.

Zilleti Out At Sun City Board, Kirschner Back, Bayser Top Candidate

There was an upset when the results were tallied for Huntley's Sun City Board of Directors this week.  Incumbent Board President Bill Ziletti didn't make the cut for one of the three two-year spots open on the Board.

Incumbent and retired nurse and hospital administrator Bonnie Bayser was the top vote-getter in the contest with 1,183 votes out of 1,805 cast.  Retired public school teacher Linda Davis was next with a 944 vote total and retired business executive and former Board Member Jerry Kirschner won the third seet with 881 votes.

Kirschner's return to the Board and Zilleti's fourth-place finish with only 702 votes was probably a rebuke to the Board overall.  Kirschner quit it in April charging high-handedness in leasing community facilities.

The other candidates were Jim Lunn, 643 votes; Al Drogosz, 577 votes and Tony Troy, 349. The new members will serve from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2013.

In the pic: Top vote-getter for the Sun City Board, Bonnie Bayser.

D158 Board Notes Death Of Former Member

The District 158 Board of Ed paused Thursday to note the death of a former member, LITH resident Larry Snow.  Snow died Oct. 3 but it didn't become  known until Thursday with the announcement that his funeral was held in his native Lynn, MA, last week where he was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.

Snow, 61, was a controversial figure on the Board from 2005 to 2009 battling, usually in the minority, often by himself, for what he called transparency in the District.  He achieved national attention in 2006 when he tried to stop an edition of the HHS student newspaper for an editorial that criticized him.

Snow's health was poor but he seemed in good shape last month when he attended a Board meeting,  talking with friends and former colleagues for an hour. 

Snow, born Leonard J. Sniegoski, is survived by his brother, Vincent Snow; sister, Elizabeth Sniegoski; daughters, Stacy Peters, Trina Geatz and Kerry Snow, and his granddaughter Caroline Peters.

The Board's meeting was mostly housekeeping Thursday.  Members approved three different attorney firms as District legal counsel. They were all  the same as last year's.

Half Illinois High Schoolers Not Reading At Grade Level

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Half of Illinois' high school students cannot read or solve math problems at grade level, but state school leaders are not blaming the students or teachers. They are blaming the federal program No Child Left Behind. Illinois State Superintendent Chris Koch and State Board of Education Chairman Gery Chico Thursday unveiled the dismal results from last spring's standardized tests.

Under NCLB guidelines, 85 percent of students must be proficient in reading and math by 2011. The bar goes to 100 percent by 2014. These same percentages apply to science for high-schoolers. This past year, only about half of Illinois' 11th-graders who take the Prairie State Achievement Exam, or PSAE, scored at or above the 85 percent benchmark. In all, 656 of Illinois’ 666 public high schools failed to meet NCLB requirements.

Overall, 65 percent of Illinois’ 4,321 schools failed to meet the federal standards. Last year, 51 percent of schools did not progress. Chico said the rise in failure rates indicates that NCLB has “lost its usefulness.” Chico said NCLB is "improperly labeling" students and schools as failing, because schools that are close to meeting the benchmark are still classified as missing the mark.

Illinois is seeking a federal waiver from the NCLB requirement that all students must pass standardized reading and math proficiency tests by 2014. President Barack Obama recently said the federal government would agree to waivers, if the states were to be held more accountable for whatever educational progress students and schools actually achieved.

"We all kinda knew that the bar that was being set, every year, that level was going up to a point that  no one can reach it," said Chico.

Kock said NCLB ignores progress in favor of results. "If you're making improvements in one, two, or three grade levels, that's a great thing," said Koch. "Right now in this system, you don't get credit for that. If we were given credit for that, we'd be seeing and recognizing a lot of schools for the improvements they are authentically making on behalf of students."

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7016/half-of-illinois-high-schoolers-not-reading-at-grade-level/

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
October 20
0259 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTIS) BATTERY Male vs. Male.  Male, 23 years of age, highly intoxicated. Transported to Sherman Hospital. FAIL TO FILE.
1518 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF HENRY LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Damage to windows. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1711 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF CHANCERY WAY. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged due to a manhole cover.
Algonquin
October 17
14:23pm Esparza-Reyes, Claudia, DOB: 06/19/79, of 402 E. Parkview Terrace, Algonquin, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance and Disobeying a Stop Sign.  She was taken into custody at Hanson Road and Zange Drive.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 11/23/11 in McHenry County.
18:56pm A 14 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Aggravated Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his mother.
October 18
12:22pm Perez-Rivera, Veronica, DOB: 04/28/87, of 134 Ellswort, Cary, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Child Safety Seat Violation.  She was taken into custody at Cary-Algonquin Road and Allen Road.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 11/23/11 in McHenry County.
18:06pm Borck, Gregory L., DOB: 12/04/50, of 10101 Wilmette Avenue, Algonquin, was charged with DUI, DUI Over and Failure to Yield.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Route 31.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 11/23/11 in McHenry County.
October 19
01:12am Kamner, Jonathan P., DOB: 11/23/88, of 7 Shoal Court, Lake in the Hills, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Probation Violation.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Meyer Drive.  He was released after posting $300 with a court date of 11/08/11 in McHenry County.
11:32am Montoya-Montoya, Alfredo E., DOB: 12/25/86, of 223 Stimmel Street, West Chicago, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance, Suspended Registration and Failure to Reduce Speed.  He was also Wanted on a Warrant out of DuPage County for Failure to Appear on a No Valid Driver’s License charge.  He was taken into custody at County Line Road and Merchant Drive.  He was released after posting $150 on the Algonquin charges with a court date of 11/22/11 in McHenry County and after posting $375 on the DuPage Warrant with a court date of 11/16/11 in DuPage County.
October 20
13:18pm Raffin, Patricia A., DOB: 10/31/57, of 1 Crofton Court, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Kohl’s, 734 S. Randall Road.  She was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 11/30/11 in Algonquin.
13:55pm Correa, Erick A., DOB: 02/16/81, of 2952 N. Major Avenue, Chicago, was charged with DWLS.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Lake-Cook Road.  He was released after posting $150, with a court date of 11/30/11 in McHenry County.
19:56pm Grant, Joseph A., DOB: 02/24/92, of 6902 Paulson Drive, Marengo, was charged with Possession of Unlawfully Fictitious Driver’s License.  He was taken into custody at Buffalo Wild Wings, 461 S. Randall Road.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 11/30/11 in McHenry County.

Sheriff's Escapee Captured

In a bulletin early this morning the Crystal Lake Police Department reported it apprehended a 44 year-old homeless man who escaped from a McHenry County Police car Wednesday night. Crystal Lake PD reported it caught James R. Henson without incident and turned him over to the the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

According to reports Henson, wearing handcuffs, escaped from a Sheriff's squadcar in Crystal Lake a little after eight pm Wednesday night.  According to a Sheriff's report he escaped by kicking out the car's back window.  Undersheriff Andrew Zinke said this morning the squad car was stopped when Henson kicked out the window but the deputy still wasn't able to stop his doing it or catch him after.  "We'll certainly investigate our training procedures and security," he said.

A report from the Sheriff's office said they'd arrested Henson Wednesday afternoon for criminal trespass to real property, burglary, possession of burglary tools, and criminal damage to property after a Crystal Lake barn owner reported someone was camping out in it.  The report said Henson kicked out the squad window a couple of hours later but deputies couldn't find him afterwards. He wasn't located until 8:30 this morning after someone saw a man trying to break into a ComEd facility near the City wastewater plant.

Zinke said Henson was primarily a "property criminal". He was most recently heard from two years ago when he was arrested on DNA evidence from a beer can found at a breakin at a church in Crystal Lake.

In the pic:  James R. Henson.

D300 Rough Figures: Ten-Cent Property Tax Hike

The District 300 Finance Committee heard some very preliminary numbers Monday that added up to a bottom line 10-cent  per $100 assessed valuation property tax increase next year.  Roughly.

What the Committee was looking at was the 2011 (to be paid in 2012) Tax Levy and only one number in the calculation is known right now for sure.  "The (Consumer Price Index for last year) was 1.5 percent," said D300 Finance Director MeriAnn Besonen. The CPI increase more or less sets the limit on the District's total tax bite.  "Your property tax will go up 1.5 percent even if nothing else changes," she said.

The more or less part depends on the value of the tax base, all the property in the District, which isn't known yet.  "We get these figures in March," Besonen explained, "but we have to ask for the Levy in December."  At the moment, calculations assume a 2.19 percent increase in total assessed equalized valuation based on $78 million in new construction.

Right now the total levy looks as if it will really be about $143 million but under the confusing requirements of the State's Truth in Taxation law, in a couple of months the District will ask for more than that in case the tax base turns out to be bigger than anyone thinks it is.

In a bit of good news, Committee members learned Standard and Poor's Rating Services again assigned District bonds an AA rating.  "I was pretty surprised with all that's going on," she said, referring to both the moribund economy and the battle over Sears taxes.  Besonen said the rating would pay off with low interest rates in Spring when the District will probably have to sell Tax Anticipation Warrants to cover tardy State Aid to education payments.  The State still owes the District the last payment for the 2010-11 year and hasn't sent the first quarter's installment for the current one, either.

ALITH Pantry Revs Up Remodel, Asks For Donations

In a classic "glass is half-full/half-empty" state of affairs, the future home of the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry at the LITH Larsen Farm is one of the busiest construction sites in the area. The half-full part is all the donations making it possible.  The half-empty part is that it's necessary at all.

Work to remodel the Larsen pole barn revved up a notch this week with a promise from Plote Construction to donate asphalt paving for the Pantry parking lot, according to Pantry Manager Sal Maggio.  That's meant near non-stop inspections and conferences, he said, to bring in utilities before the pavement goes down in a couple of weeks.

Maggio said with time running out the Pantry finally had to break down and pay for concrete for foundations and flooring.  "We don't like to do that but we did get a discount from Meier," he said.

The Pantry plans to relocate next year from a Village machine shed on Oak Street to the barn on Pyott Road and Maggio said it's looking for more cash donations.  "Every dollar donated (to the building fund) can go back to food for the people," he said.

In the pic:  Volunteers had to strip some of the siding from the Larsen barn this week to replace sills that turned out to be rotten.

Fed Blizzard Reimbursement Nears $1.6 Million In McHenry County

McHenry County agencies received $1.6 million in FEMA reimbursements for the Feb. 2 Blizzard, according to a total released by the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency.  The County itself received about $207,000.  The Village of Algonquin recouped $77,000, LITH $54,000 and Huntley $46,000. Algonquin Township received $57,000 reimbursement and Grafton $13,000

All the funds were to help repay the extra overtime, equipment and supplies agencies used during the record storm when crews worked around the clock at snow removal helping motorists stranded by the storm.

McHenry County Emergency Management Director Dave Christensen said everybody did great work during the Blizzard but wondered if it could have been even better. That's why the Agency will host its first review of the McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan November 10 at 9 am in the McHenry County Administration Building.   "we will also review lessons learned here in McHenry County as to what worked well, what didn’t and how to mitigate future damages,” said Christenson.

In the pic:  Golly, didn't we have fun in the snow, though?  You just can't put a dollar value on something like that.

Quinn Vows To Veto Gaming Plan, But Supporters Still Seek Deal

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn wants lawmakers to start over with new gaming legislation, but backers of the gambling expansion that passed last spring are not ready to walk away from the bill.

“I think it was done in a hasty manner, and it has major flaws. That’s why I will veto it,” Quinn said at a Chicago news conference Wednesday. The governor presented sweeping changes that he says he would like to see drafted into a new bill. “I think members of the General Assembly realize it’s not exactly a masterpiece. It has a lot of shortcomings. It needs fundamental improvement. It’s better to go back and start over and do it right.”

Perhaps the most controversial part of the governor’s plan is his opposition to slot machines at horse racing tracks. Instead he said he would only back the five new casinos. Quinn also called for a tweak to implementing video poker, which was legalized at some bars and restaurants statewide as part of the capital construction plan passed in 2009. While local governments can now opt out of allowing video poker machines, Quinn wants local officials to have to vote to accept video gaming instead.

Despite Quinn’s vow to veto the gamine bill, supporters say they are still working on a trailer bill with changes in the hopes of reaching a compromise. Waukegan Democratic Sen. Terry Link is optimistic about working out a deal. “I think that we addressed (in the trailer bill) a lot of the concerns that the governor addressed in his statement today, even though we didn’t know about it,”

Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang, the gaming bill House sponsor, agreed that a trailer bill would be the simplest solution. “It would be very difficult to put the coalition together necessary to get the votes to pass (a gaming bill) again.”

While supporters have said they want a resolution on the gaming bill by the end of the legislature's fall veto session beginning next week, Quinn said he doesn’t mind waiting. “I think it’s better to do it right the first time so we don’t have problems,” he said. “The bottom line is, I’m the goalie. I’m the final word.”

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/quinn-vows-to-veto-gaming-plan-but.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
October 19
2340 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD (LITH POLICE) FOLLOW UP ARREST: BATTERY. SOLOMOU, KYRIACOULLA, F/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 881 TARALON TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
1131 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1243 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) FOUND ARTICLE. A wallet. Item entered into evidence.
1850 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. One vehicle. Property damage only.
1903 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

County Board OK's Member, Non-Union Worker Raises

The McHenry County Board gave themselves either a $300 or a $1,700 raise starting in two years and approved a 3 percent raise for non-union employees next year in a session Tuesday that featured so many amendments to amendments that members had to ask what they were supposed to be voting on.  Part of the confusion came because the Board Members' raises weren't technically for themselves and the employees' raises weren't exactly raises.

Some of the confusion stemmed from a State law forbidding a County Board to raise their own salaries, only the salaries of newly-elected Board members.  In an economy move last year the Board voted to freeze salaries for members who'd be seated after the 2010 election. There was an overall increase scheduled already, though, so the Board ended up with a "two-tiered" system. Ten have been receiving $19,766 per year but 12 others have been getting $20,181 for the same job. (The Chairman gets full-time pay and the Vice Chairman gets a little extra.)  Thanks to this year's redistricting, all the Board seats are up for votes so the Board brought the low-pay members' compensation up to match the high-pay members', setting a yearly salary of $20,150 starting in 2013.

"We are setting a payscale for the next Board," said District One Member Anna May Miller.  "We aren't doing this for us."

The original plan called for the lower of a cost of living or five percent boost from 2015 to 2021 but that eventually got knocked out with an amendment from District Four Member Sandy Salgado who argued it wasn't needed.  "When an individual runs (for the Board) they know what it pays," she said.

District Six Member Ersel Schuster argued for junking straight salaries altogether since "in the past eight months there were 206 missed meetings; we missed the meetings but we got paid for it."  Schuster wanted to the Board to be paid per diem but District Four Member Pete Merkel said he'd seen that before.  "Everybody got meeting happy," he said claiming attendance for committees they didn't even belong to.  Only a couple of others members joined Schuster when her per diem idea came to a voice vote.

Potentially as important as salary were fringe benefits, mainly medical, dental and vision insurance.  The County pays full premiums, almost as much as their actual salaries for some members.  Miller proposed they start to pay for 40 percent of their own insurance but after tortuous debate that got a big "Nay", too.

A three-percent pay raise for 924 non-union workers was actually a three-percent increase in merit compensation.  That means some employees might actually get three percent but some might get more.  Some might get nothing at all, depending on evaluations.  Workers have argued they're mostly poorly paid and times are getting tough.  District Six Member Diane Evertsen said they were getting tough for taxpayers, too.  "I find it really difficult to tell someone unemployed for two years...it's only going to cost you eight bucks.  That's a gallon of milk and some peanut butter," she said but the increase passed overwhelmingly.

District three member Nick Provenzano chastised the rest of the Board for spending so much time on compensation but none on the coming County Budget.  "I'm dismayed when we have a $4 million shortfall and we spend as much time as we have," he said.

The Board put a $254 million budget, up from this year's $243 million, on review for comment.  The proposed budget, due for a vote in a month, calls for saved "reserves" to cover part of increased spending and a property tax levy increase to cover the rest.

The 2012 Draft Revenue Budget is here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyadministration/pdfDocs/2012/12DraftRevenue.pdf

The 2012 Draft Expenditure Budget is here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyadministration/pdfDocs/2012/2012DraftExp.pdf

In the pic:  District Five Member Paula Yensen, LITH, was the first to speak against a County Board salary increase.  A low-pay member, she said, "I believe I'm paid fine as an elected official."  

District 300 Calls For "Caravan" To Lobby Springfield

District 300 officials Tuesday called for a "caravan" of taxpayers, parents, students, and  employees to caravan to Springfield Monday to try to head off an extension of a property tax rebate for Sears company headquarters the District believes will cost it $14 million per year. "This legislative field trip is the district's last chance to stop this misleading and misguided legislation" said the announcement.

In a robo-call over the District's snowday and absent-student line Board President Anne Miller told parents, "We have cancelled our School Board meeting for October 24th because of the extreme importance of this urgent situation," urging them to join the caravan "by car, bus, train, or plane."

Officials said they expected legislators to arrive in the Capito l Monday preparing for Tuesday's start of the Fall Veto Session. They hope a gathering at the Lincoln Statue will help convince lawmakers to vote against a measure that would continue the Sears rebate for 15 more years.  It was supposed to expire at the end of next year and School District budgeteers have been counting on the "new" property tax receipts to make up for aid they doubt the State's going to be able to pay.

A release reported more than 11,000 signatures to an electronic petition opposing the extension District officials claim is really a bailout for the Village of Hoffman Estates where Sears headquarters is located and which administers the rebate program.

The measure, tucked according to local legislators, late at night into an unrelated bill is thought to be ready for vote as early as Tuesday.  District spokesmen said they plan to attend committee meetings Monday while others are "lobbying" for most of the afternoon.


In the pic:  D300's "lobby" caravan will meet here in Springfield Monday.

LITH Airport Expo, Take Two, Saturday

Saturday's the makeup date for Lake in the Hills Airport's Autumn Aviation Expo. The event from 9 am to 1 pm was rained out in August.

There'll be no aerobatics like the old LITH Air Show used to have but the event will feature vendors in aircraft sales, maintenance, repairs, charter, fuel and insurance services. Aircraft on display will include models from Cessna, Cirrus, and piper and Citation 2 jet.

The Airport will be open to flights Saturday even though the runway's been closed a lot since Oct. 10 while the taxiway's being relocated for safety upgrades required by the FAA.  It's supposed to remain closed weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm and 7pm to 5 am until Oct. 26.

There'll be food for sale at the Expo from Papa Saverio’s and there's a shuttle bus laid on between the Expo and the Fall Festival at Tom’s Farm Market in Huntley Saturday.

In the pic:  If you haven't seen the beacon at LITH Airport for a while, the reason is taxiway construction, even at night.

Schools Looking For More Money Next Year

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois taxpayers will have a chance to input how the state should spend money on elementary and secondary education at five public hearings throughout the state. The Illinois State Board of Education will hold the first hearing in Springfield today.

School funding in Illinois is generally set up so local tax money makes up 55 percent of a school’s budget, state funding accounts for 35 percent and federal funds make up the remaining 15 percent. Part of today's discussion will involve who pays what.

Gov. Pat Quinn’s Education Funding Advisory Board, or EFAB is recommending that the state raise its level of funding by $4 billion next fiscal year. The advisory Board wants to raise per-student funding from $6,119 to $8,360 and give more money to schools in areas with high poverty rates. Any increase in general state aid next year would be the first such increase since the 2008 school year.

State Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, a school superintendent, said the $4 billion is needed to give children the best education, but said it’s unlikely to happen. “The problem is the revenue and finding the dollars to support that foundation level in this economy and with all the other competing factors.”

Larger pension payments, more money tied up in Medicaid and other factors have translated into an effective freeze of general state aid to schools. Schools have had to cut programs and lay off staff because of the cost of normal inflation outpacing money from the state and local tax bases.

“It’s just getting tougher on the teachers and tougher on the administration to keep things going, to keep the doors open,” said Vicki Hardy, superintendent of Carthage Elementary School District in western Illinois.

You can read Andrew's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7005/schools-looking-for-more-money-next-year-2/

Obituaries

Ronald J. Vocalino, 69, of Sun City, Huntley, died Friday in Las Vegas, NV after falling ill during a vacation. Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 pm Thursday at the DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley and from 9 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10 am Friday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley. Burial with military honors will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Huntley.

Vocalino was born June 21, 1942, in Chicago, the son of Natale and Mary (Segreti) Vocalino. He married Nancy J. Rose April 22, 1967. Vocalino is survived by his son, Marc J. (Joann) Vocalino of Huntley; his daughter, Cara J. (Scott) Brubaker of Monument, CO; his grandchildren, Miya and Joseph Vocalino and Hayley and Ashley Brubaker, and his sisters, Natalie Dee of Lombard and Dotty Bosworth of Alabama. He was preceded in death by his wife.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

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
October 18
1342 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & PRINCETON DR. ILLEGAL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY MINOR. ZEIS, MATTHEW S., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 8930 DISBROW ST., HUNTLEY. Charges: Underage Consumption of Alcohol and Disobeying Traffic Laws on Bicycle. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1941 HRS 2800 BLOCK OF SORREL ROW. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Burglary to Motor Vehicle. RELEASED TO PARENT.
JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Theft. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1629 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LITH POLICE) FOLLOW-UP ARREST: BURGLARY. JUVENILE M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Burglary. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0251 HRS 4200 BLOCK OF COYOTE LAKES CIRCLE. CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1043 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Daughter. Verbal only. Two priors.
1403 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted the Crystal Lake Police Department.
1539 HRS 0 BLOCK OF TURNBERRY CT. FOUND ARTICLE. Bicycle found in the backyard.
1726 HRS 10 BLOCK OF WANDER WAY. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Items removed from vehicle last week. FAIL TO FILE.
1842 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
Huntley
October 10
Joshua W. Krajewski, age 31, of 391 W. Terra Cotta #1, Crystal Lake, was arrested for driving with no valid drivers license.  Mr. Krajewski posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of October 28, 2011.
A laptop computer was reported stolen from a retail store in the 12300 block of Rt. 47.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 10800 block of Wing Pointe Dr.  Items were stolen from  the unlocked vehicle.
October 11
Reggie A. Levandowski, age 25, of 1021 N. Page St., Marengo, was arrested for unlawful display of registration.  Mr. Levandowski posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of October 28, 2011.
October 12
Richard Eremenchuck, age 49, of 13700 Wilshire Way, Huntley, IL was arrested on an outstanding Erie County, PA, warrant.  Mr. Eremenchuck was transported to McHenry County Jail.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11700 block of Woodcreek Dr. E.  A garage door was damaged.
October 13
Jennifer A. Zelinski-Dunkel, age 35, of 11607 Daniel Lane #D, Huntley, was arrested for failure to notify police of a property damage accident and was cited for improper lane use and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.  Ms.  Zelinski-Dunkel posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of November 14, 2011.
Joel D. Taylor, age 39, of 1406 Channel Beach Ave, Johnsburg, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for driving an uninsured motor vehicle, no valid safety sticker and no valid registration.  Mr. Taylor posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of November 14, 2011.
October 14
A 14 year-old male from Huntley was charged with disorderly conduct.  The charge stems from an incident October 12, 2011, at the High School.  The juvenile was released to his mother and will be petitioned into McHenry County Juvenile Court.
Michael F. Lucas, age 63, of 694 Auburn Ct., Crystal Lake, was arrested for burglary and theft.  In the same incident Mathew R. Lucas, age 29, of 694 Auburn Ct. Crystal Lake, was arrested for burglary and theft.  Michael F. Lucas posted bond and was released.  Mathew Lucas was transported to McHenry County Jail to await bond.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 10800 block of Potomac Lane.  A GPS unit was stolen from the vehicle.
A criminal defacement report was taken in the 11700 block of Woodcreek Lane.  A table in a gazebo was damaged.
A 16 year-old female from Huntley was charged with possession of tobacco by a minor.  The juvenile was released to her mother with a McHenry County court date of October 31, 2011.
October 15
Lisa J. Gruver-Kamps, age 41, of 1014 Rose Farm, Woodstock, was arrested for driving while license revoked and was cited for no rear registration light.  Ms. Kamps posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of November 18, 2011.
A license plate was reported stolen in the 11000 block of Cape Cod Lane.  The victim stated the license plate was stolen off of his vehicle while parked in his driveway.

Judge Orders Grafton Supervisor To Pay Trustee Legal Bills

"Paying bills is a ministerial act (requiring no judgement) and should be done," McHenry County Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell told Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore Monday, ordering her to pay $45,000 in legal bills she'd been withholding.  He didn't find her in contempt of earlier decisions, however, even though Trustee's attorney Thomas DiCianni asked him to "have the bailiff take her away for a few days so she can think about the games she's playing."

Caldwell said he didn't have enough information to do that and also ruled that Moore's withholding trustee payments for attending Township meetings wasn't a matter for argument anymore since she'd sent them out after trustees added that to the complaint he heard Monday.

DiCiannni had told Caldwell Moore ought to pay his firm's bills because the rest of the Township Board had approved them. Moore attorney John Nelson in a rambling answer had argued the bills to defend trustees in Moore's lawsuit against them were higher than his.  Then he added that the Township Assessor was trying to avoid the bidding process on some windows he wants in his office.

As DiCianni and Nelson drafted Monday's order,  Moore popped out of the courtroom and told reporters, "The effect of the legal bills over time in the Township will be that we have to cut expenses."  Asked which ones, she said she didn't know and ducked back inside.

Later she came back out again to say, "The trustees could certainly hire a cheaper attorney," then retired into the courtroom again.  She sent out a press release with the same message Monday evening.

A check of records indicates the Ancel-Glink law firm is still billing the Township at the same rate agreed upon when Moore convinced the rest of the Board to hire it as Township Attorney two  years ago.  Sunday Moore sent out a spreadsheet showing Ancel-Glink total charges to the Township have been $339,000 versus $49,000 for Nelson.  The comparison comingled  Ancel-Glink's regular Township legal work with  trustee's defense work, however.  Nelson's bills have just been  for suing the trustees.  A more apples to apples comparison since Caldwell upheld Moore's right to fire Ancel-Glink as Township Attorney show the firm's charges for trustees' work at about $71,000 and Nelson's at $18,000.

Caldwell set Jan. 20 as the date he might enter final orders in the long-running argument over who has the authority to do what in Grafton Township.

In the pic:  McHenry Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell.

Agency OK's $3 Million For Algonquin Randall Pedestrian Bridge

Algonquin officials confirmed Monday a $3 million federal award to the Village to plan a pedestrian bridge over Randall Road.  The award was buried in a Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning announcement last week about a release of $411 million in federal transportation funds for 115 projects to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.

"What we have is the money to plan a bridge," said Community Development Director Russ Farnum Monday.

Two years ago the Algonquin Board looked at grade crossings, overpasses and underpasses at five different locations up and down Randall.  They decided there wasn't much point in making a choice until they knew how much money there was to work with. The CMAP announcement was for a walkers' bridge over Randall from "from Golden Eagle Drive to Stonegate Road", but Farnum said Village staff were thinking of a location close to Bunker Hill and Huntington.

The village also received a roughly $500,000 grant for a pedestrian/bike path along Edgewood Dr from Hanson Road to Main Street.

Village Manager Assistant Mike Kumbera said Village Staff were preparing a briefing for trustees at this evening's Board meeting.

In the pic:  More than one third of last week's federal grants in the area to improve air quality went to bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Tickets Still On Sale For Huntley Historical Society Halloween Night

There's still a week before sales end and about half the tickets are still available for the Huntley Historical Society's Halloween Night of History Oct. 29 at the DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley, at 6:30 pm.

"We have the Harmony Road Brass Quintet playing New Orleans style jazz for one hour," said organizer Pam Fender. "We have a Chinese food buffet for dinner. Laurel Mellien will present Headstones and History,Huntley, and we have Steve Aavang, a professional storyteller, telling ghost stories," she said.

About half the 100 tickets available are already gone, according to Fender, but the rest are still available for a $25 donation at 847-302-6775.  The Historical Society asks everyone attending to wear black clothing.

In the pic:  Huntley Cemetery at (more or less) Midnight.  

Cash Flows Ahead Of Smart Grid Vote

By Andrew Thomason,  Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois’ two largest utility providers have given $116,400 to the campaign warchests of lawmakers just weeks before the Legislature is expected to address a contentious rate-hike veto.

Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed legislation last month that would have allowed Commonwealth Edison Co. to charge customers $36 more per year more to pay for statewide infrastructure upgrades. The General Assembly likely will consider an override during the fall veto session.

Commonwealth Edison Co. and its parent company, Exelon, and downstate electric company Ameren have donated to 38 legislators since Quinn’s veto Sept. 12, according to Illinois State Board of Election records. The largest chunk of cash from the companies — $19,000 — went to the State Senate and House Republican caucuses. The State Senate Democratic caucus received $15,000. Caucuses can divide that money among their members to help in upcoming re-election efforts.

State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, received a total of $8,000, the most from the two power companies in recent weeks. The former GOP gubernatorial candidate was followed by House GOP Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who was given a total of $6,000 from both companies. Cross and Brady voted for the legislation earlier this year.

Lawmakers in favor of the plan insist they want what’s best for the consumer and aren’t influenced by money. However, “(The power companies) are trying to reinforce positions, so they definitely give money to people that have supported them in the past. They give money to leaders, but they are also trying to influence votes,” said Kent Redfield, a professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6982/cash-flows-ahead-of-likely-vote-on-smart-grid-2/

In the graph:  The big legislative winners in the Smart Grid Sweepstakes.

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
October 17
1215 HRS 4000 BLOCK OF COYOTE LAKES CIRCLE. ACCIDENT/DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS. ABDUL KARIM, LUBNA JIHAN, F/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 9669 DUNHILL DR., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. RELEASED ON BOND.
0656 HRS 3900 BLOCK OF WISTERIA CT. TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE. Male subject made entry to car in garage. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
0755 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HILLTOP DR. INJURY ACCIDENT. Three vehicles. Male, 40 years of age, head injury. Female, 32 years of age, head injury. Both subjects transported to Sherman Hospital.
1532 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF BARHARBOR DR. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son. Verbal argument only. One prior.

Huntley Gears For Major Traffic Delays

Huntley Village officials warned of long traffic delays from crews scheduled to begin grinding pavement grinding Tuesday through Friday. Streets scheduled for grinding include Kreutzer Road east of Route 47, Main Street from 47 to Church Street, Main from Route 47 to Bonnie Brae, Woodstock Street between Main and Coral and Algonquin Road from Route 47 to Church. Watch for flaggers and expect delays,  is Village advice.

Officials said special parking prohibitions will be in place during the grinding process. There'll be no parking will be allowed on Main between Woodstock and Church streets, and no parking will be allowed on Woodstock between Main  and Coral during the grinding. Crews will put up parking barricades at those locations at 6 am on the days crews will be out with their mills.

Elsewhere, throughout the week other crews will be piecing in paving with small concrete pours at sites along the Route 47 construction route. Flaggers will be directing traffic when necessary.

All the Village's construction information comes from IDOT and it's "subject to change".  The most current info available is located here: http://www.huntley.il.us/Route47Widening.asp

There's also a link to have it emailed to residents. It's here: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001beAL-N5vKfRuNvArKU-sZdrnYfraucZpxcXQeN5ddihg-nj86NFp6g5TgSFKP1w8kGMGts8lhlQ0ra62yeQy-SryTl3IqNTFR8_iWPmb__w%3D

Walsh Job Fair Draws Hundreds Of Hopefuls

An estimated 500 to 600 McHenry County job-seekers trooped to Woodstock North High School Sunday for a job fair sponsored by 8 District Rep. and 14th District Congressional candidate Joe Walsh. Fifty five businesses and organizations were there to hire but some didn't want to say how many, so the number of jobs at stake was unknown.

Walsh District Director Dave Carlin said it wasn't as many as it ought to be because of "burdensome" taxes and regulations, especially in Illinois.  "I was talking with a businessman recently," he said, "who told me, 'I've been here for all my life but I just can't stay here anymore.'"

"Now he's looking at Wisconsin and Indiana," said Carlin.

Algonquin CROP Walk Raises Funds For Pantries, Worldwide Aid

About eighty walkers from four area churches hiked either 2.5 or 3.5 miles, depending on their preference and stamina, through Algonquin Sunday for the Cardunal CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walk against hunger.

Churches in southeast McHenry and northwest Kane Counties have been holding the CROP walks since 1984.  This year they included the Congregational Church of Algonquin,  Christ United Methodist Church of Algonquin, Light of Christ Lutheran Church, Algonquin, and the First United Methodist Church of West Dundee.

One quarter of the funds raised by the walkers will to donated to the ALITH Food Pantry, Fish Food Pantry in Carpentersville and the McHenry County PADS shelter in Woodstock.  The remainder will to the Worldwide Natural Disaster Fund.

Quinn Wants Quick End To Lawmaker Scholarships

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
A day after House Speaker Michael Madigan rejected his plan to abolish legislative scholarships, Gov. Pat Quinn renewed his call for lawmakers to put an end to the embattled program. “We should abolish political scholarships altogether in Illinois. I think every citizen feels that way, and it’s time for the legislature to wake up,” Quinn told reporters in Chicago.

Last spring, lawmakers approved a bill that would ban legislators’ family members from receiving the tuition waivers. Quinn used his veto pen to rewrite the measure to outlaw the program altogether. But Madigan said Quinn has overstepped his amendatory veto powers. “It’s not in compliance with the constitution as it relates to the use of the amendatory veto. That’s very clear,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Quinn argued last week that he and Madigan agree on the subject of scholarships. “He has voted in the past himself to end this program.” The governor said he wants the $13 million spent on legislative scholarships each year to instead go toward the Monetary Award Program. “We should devote our scholarship money to those who have the merit to go to college and the need [for help] to go to college. Political connections shouldn’t play a role in any way, shape or form.”

Skokie Rep. Lou Lang, a longtime member of House Democratic leadership, said Madigan’s support for the issue is irrelevant. He said the speaker has historically been opposed to allowing governors to use their veto pens to make broad changes in the legislation that lands on their desks. “Even if he likes the changes, he has not allowed those bills to be called to a vote because they violate the Constitution.”

Quinn said today that he would back a new bill to outlaw the scholarships, but he wants to see it approved within the next month. “There are some legislators who are very contentious and have not abused the program. But, unfortunately, too many have. And we have example after example over decades of this program being abused,” Quinn said.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/quinn-wants-speedy-end-to-legislative.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
October 16
0901 HRS 680 NORMANDY LN. (NORMANDY PARK) DOG BITE. Delayed from previous night.  Male, 30 years of age, was bitten by a stray dog.
1247 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1439 HRS 00 BLOCK OF ARLAND CT. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Fraudulent activity on account. TURNED OVER TO LOUISVILLE, KY, PD
1651 HRS 900 BLOCK OF MESA DR. ENDANGERING THE LIFE/HEALTH OF A CHILD. Drugs being provided to juveniles. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2212 HRS 200 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal Only. No priors.
2254 HRS 3500 BLOCK OF SONOMA CIRCLE. HIT AND RUN. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
Algonquin
October 15
15:49pm Hofman, Renate A., DOB: 07/12/62, of 2110 Carlisle Street, Algonquin, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Kohl’s, 734 S. Randall Road.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 11/30/11 in McHenry County.
October 16
00:03am Latif, Hamid R., DOB: 07/20/67, of 1427 Grandview Court, Algonquin, was charged with Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at 1427 Grandview.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
14:23pm Janese, Tyler Jr., DOB: 06/16/90, of 1332 Mulberry, Cary, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Speeding.  He was taken into custody at Edgewood Drive and Harper Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 11/23/11 in McHenry County.
October 17
01:06am Bedgood, Todd J., DOB: 03/27/68, of 22 Dellwood Court, Algonquin, was charged with Aggravated DUI (two counts), DWLS and Obstructing Identification.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Algonquin Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.

Rakow Construction Over One Quarter Finished

Rakow Road construction from Randall Road to Route 31 has passed the one quarter point, according to project spokesmen last week. Since the Rakow Road project started, the underground contractor has installed more than three miles of storm sewer pipe while the the paving contractors have hauled in more than 1,500 full truckloads of stone.

Rakow will expand to six through lanes between Ackman Road and Pyott Road and four through lanes from Pyott Road to Route 31.  Rakow Road will be re-aligned east of McHenry Avenue to soften the road curve.  The new pavement will be of a composite design, with a thick and strong concrete pavement constructed on an improved subgrade, overlaid with a wearing surface of asphalt pavement.

All of the intersections along the project limits will be channelized for improved traffic safety and flow and better traffic signals will be installed at the intersections of Ackman Road, McHenry Avenue, Pyott Road, Virginia Road, Pingree Road and Route 31.  The project, expected to cost $15 million won't be completed until next year.

Residents Destroy 14 Tons Of Docs At Algonquin Twp. Shred Fest

Technicians from  Accurate Document Destruction, Elk Grove Village, shredded about 14 tons of records Saturday at Algonquin Township and Algonquin Township Road District's second and final Shred Fest for this year. 

"It's about the same amount as (the first in August)," said Anna May Miller.  "Then it was heavy at the start and at the end but this time it's been pretty steady. The Algonquin Township Board decided the first Shred Fest brought out so many residents they'd do another.

The event also brought in a lot of donations, this time for the Cary Food Pantry.  "People brought about half a (pallet-sized box) of food contributions," said Miller.

Open House, House Canvass Featured At ALFPD

Kids lined up a dozen deep for a turn at handling a real fire hose (at low pressure) at Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District's Station One Saturday at Pyott and Algonquin.  The District regularly holds Open Houses like the one Saturday to familiarise residents with fire safety.

In another program, though, firefighters don't wait for someone to come to them.  For over a month, they've been going out to help residents  in a door-to-door canvass of the entire District to see if smoke alarms work and update address information. The new program's called “The 100% Club" to provide free smoke alarms in those homes that don't have them.

“Our goal is to make sure that our residents are safe,” said Fire Chief Kevin Rynders.“Unfortunately, despite the Illinois State Law requiring smoke alarms, we found that of the structure fires that we have responded to in the last year, 56 percent of the homes had no working smoke alarms."

Residents who'd like to to make an appointment for their inspection can call the Headquarters station at 847-658-8233.

In the pic:  Three year-old Caiden West from LITH and Firefighter Justin Dusek knock down some flames at the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District's Open House Saturday.

Lawmakers Seek Better Conditions For Migrants

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Lawmakers are looking to improve conditions for the thousands of migrant and seasonal workers who travel to Illinois to work in agriculture and other industries. One witness testifying before an Illinois Senate agriculture committee last week compared the conditions for migrants to those documented in "The Jungle," Upton Sinclair’s 1906 expose on the conditions in Chicago’s meat packing plants.

Julie Pryde, administrator of the Champaign Urbana Public Health District, said her department received a complaint about raw sewage being dumped from the Cherry Orchard housing complex, which often houses migrant workers. “I was absolutely shocked with what I encountered."  Pryde recounted holes in walls and ceilings and a lack of running water and electricity. The owners — who Pryde said were licensed in the past by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to use the building as housing for migrant workers — were brought up on charges.

“This is a condition of indentured servitude,” said Peoria Democratic Sen. David Koehler, who says he saw such conditions first hand when he worked with organizations run by immigrants’ right advocates Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez.

According to the Latino Policy Institute, a majority of the migrant workers in the state are legally allowed to work in the United States, and 33 percent are U.S. citizens. According to the Illinois Migrant Council, approximately 28,000 seasonal and migrant workers traveled to the state last year.  That number is down from about 32,000 in previous years.

Miguel Keberlein Gutierrez, supervisory attorney of the Illinois Migrant Legal Assistance Project, said migrant workers are lured to Illinois, as well as other states across the nation, by labor recruiters. “(The recruiters) begin to make promises about good free housing, about getting their kids into school, about access to food stamps, SNAP benefits. But of course, farm workers are never told how dangerous or poor the housing will be that they’re going to be placed in. Gutierrez said the only way a worker can get legal help is to file an injunction to shut down a housing camp or a work operation. “The likelihood of a farmworker being able to navigate the local court system (with no legal representation) to get an injunction against a labor camp is remote,” he said

The committee plans to hold more hearings on the issue, and Sen. Toi Hutchinson said she hopes they will produce legislation addressing some of dangerous housing and labor conditions faced by many migrant workers in the state. “If this were (happening) in another country, we would be talking about human rights violations — not an agricultural protection act — I’m talking about human rights violations.”

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/lawmakers-seek-to-improve-conditions.html

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.

KRISTINE N. STATSIEK, DOB: 12/18/87, 649 SILVER CREEK ROAD, WOODSTOCK. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (2 COUNTS).--Lake in the HIlls PD

JOSEPH A. SAVINO, DOB: 11/23/82, 28904 PILGRIMS PASS, MCHENRY. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE (2 COUNTS), OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.--McHenry PD
  
MATTHEW R. STURGEON, DOB: 04/20/78, 900 WESTBOURNE LANE, BUFFALO GROVE.
CAROLINA TADER, DOB: 12/11/73, 620 LEE STREET, DES PLAINES. AGGRAVATED BATTERY (2 COUNTS), RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER (2 COUNTS).--Fox River Grove PD

JENNIFER J. MEYER, DOB: 06/01/76, 5118 WILLOW STREET, WONDER LAKE. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, THEFT (OVER $500), CRIMINAL DAMAGE
TO PROPERTY (UNDER $300).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
October 15
0726 HRS 2118 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (CEDAR RIDGE PLAZA) WANTED ON WARRANT. WIORA, SCOTT A., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 14 DEER PATH, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrants, Failure to Appear, McHenry County Sheriff, Two Counts of Trespassing, Possession, Possession of a Syringe, Bond $35,000 10% applies. Wanted on Warrant Failure to Appear, Kane County Sheriff, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Bond $10,000 10% applies. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0111 HRS 0 BLOCK OF ROYAL OAK CT. MISSING JUVENILE. Male, 16 years of age, left his residence. Located. removed from LEADS.
0204 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF JEFFERSON ST. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. An officer assisted the Crystal Lake Police Department with an arrest.
0344 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WOODY WAY. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Brother vs. Sister. Female, 18 years of age, needing an evaluation. Transported to Sherman Hospital. UNFOUNDED.
0738 HRS 500 BOULDER DR. (GUARD HOUSE) ACCIDENT. Truck vs. guard house. Property damage only.
1211 HRS 100 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Delayed from Thursday.  iPod and charger taken from unsecured vehicle.
1357 HRS 100 BLOCK OF WOODY WAY. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Daughter. Verbal only. One prior.
1429 HRS 2400 BLOCK OF WEXFORD LN. DOMESTIC. Uncle vs. Niece. Verbal only. No priors.