LITH Man Jailed After Domestic Stabbing

A Lake in the Hills Police Department spokesman said there were still no details this morning on the condition of a man stabbed during a domestic dispute early Friday afternoon nor of what led to the stabbing.

Police called to the home at 2881 Melbourne Lane said they found a man there with an apparent knife wound in his neck. They arrested Daniel V. DeFrancisco, 25, who lived at the address, charging him with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and domestic battery.  The wounded man was taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment while DeFrancisco was taken to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.

McHenry County Court records indicate DeFrancisco was already due in Court Jan. 4 to set a trial date for two other charges of domestic battery from an incident at a home on Council Trail in October of last year.

Little Surprise In Area Congressional Filings

There was only one area surprise, and that a negative one, Friday as Illinois' shortened and delayed filing period for Congressional candidates opened.  Former McHenry County Democratic Party Chairman Frank McClatchey announced he didn't intend to run in the 14th District including parts of Algonquin, LITH and Huntley, after all.

He'd said he was planning a run when 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh looked as if he'd contest the GOP nomination in the 14th District with incumbent Randy Hultgren. Friday, however, McClatchey said in a release that seemed to contain some unspoken assumptions, "I got in the race to run and win against Joe Walsh, the Congressman in the district now, and I know that constituents could have done much better by electing me." McClatchey's demurral leaves political newcomer Dennis Anderson, Gurnee, alone on the Democratic ballot.  Hultgren remains unopposed on the GOP one.

Walsh filed Friday to run for his old 8th District seat only he'll have to move from McHenry if he wins it in the General Election next year.  Dem remappers moved the district so far south it doesn't include any of McHenry County, anymore.  Walsh will face two GOP challengers from Palatine and Wheaton.  Two entrants filed for the Democratic Primary.

Republican warhorse Don Manzullo still, by about one-quarter mile, lives in the 16th Congressional District.  However political cartologists lopped off the tentacle that used to include Algonquin, LITH and Huntley and pivoted the district 90 degrees to butt up against Indiana.  Thanks to similar surgery on the 11th District,  he and freshman Congressman Adam Kinzinger will duke it out in the 16th District Republican Primary.

Eastern Algonquin and Lake in the Hills will find themselves in the 6th Congressional district for the March Primary.  Incumbent Republican Peter Roskam filed Friday, as yet unopposed.  Barrington's Maureen Yates, Cary's Tim Ritter, Lake Zurich's Geoffrey Petzel and Barrington Hills' Leslie Coolidge will vie to be his Democratic challenger.

Initial filings were delayed until Friday while Federal judges considered a GOP challenge to the latest Democrat-drawn Illinois remap.  That failed and the State Board of Elections set the closing date for next Tuesday.  The Board will be closed today, Sunday and Monday for a  long holiday weekend.

Algonquin Posts Info On Electric Aggregation Referendum

The Village of Algonquin was first out of the gate this week with information about the electric service aggregation referendum question that will be on the March ballot there and in one version or another practically everywhere else in McHenry County.

The ballot question will be whether to lump residents together to try to negotiate better power prices from Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers than they get now from power producer Exelon.  Either way the power would still come down wires that belong to ComEd, the company that would still send the bills.

Huntley and Lake in the Hills will have similar referendum questions.

Algonquin's webpage about the proposal is at: http://www.algonquin.org/egov/docs/1324219501623.htm

"Officially the Village does not take any position on this," said Village Manager Bill Ganek.  "We're just providing information."

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
December 23
0043 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD. & INDIAN TRAIL. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. ROBISKY, MATTHEW E., M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 11301 SUNSET LN., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving While License Suspended, and Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
0043 HRS RANDALL RD. & MCHENRY AVE. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. DOERR, ROBERT T., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE 1287 KARYN CT., SLEEPY HOLLOW. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Speeding in a Construction Zone. RELEASED ON BOND.
0157 HRS RANDALL RD. & MCHENRY AVE. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED.  NUNLEY, ERIK WAYNE, M/W 36 YEARS OF AGE, 723 W. BUENA, CHICAGO. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Speeding in a Construction Zone, and No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0343 HRS RAKOW RD. & VIRGINIA RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. WIANS, WILLIAM W., M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 413 SKI HILL RD., FOX RIVER GROVE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Speeding in a Construction Zone. RELEASED ON BOND.
1221 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD., (COSTCO). RETAIL THEFT. VALERIA, LAURA M., F/W 40 YEARS OF AGE, 4041 GEORGETOWN CIRCLE, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Retail Theft. RELEASED ON BOND.
1226 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC BATTERY. DE FRANCISCO DANIEL V., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 2881 MELBOURNE LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Two Counts of Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Battery, and Domestic Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1639 HRS 400 BLOCK OF PRIDES RUN. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal Only. No Priors.

McHenry County Unemployment Rises For November

Unemployment in McHenry County rose .3 percent in November according to the latest report Thursday from the U.S. Labor Department and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.  The County's 8.9 percent unemployment rate was still less than Illinois' overall 9.4 percent rate but higher than the national rate of 8.2 percent.

All of those were unadjusted numbers.  Allowing for season variation, Illinois still had a 10.0 percent unemployment rate in November while the U.S. rate was 8.6 percent.  Adjusted rates are unavailable at the county level.

According to IDES, the entire state added a grand total of 600 new jobs during the month of November.

Locally, the unemployment rate was steady in Algonquin, and rose .4 percent in Lake in the Hills.  IDES doesn't break out the rate for Huntley because it doesn't have 25,000 population.  Crystal Lake's unemployment rate rose .3 percent and McHenry's rose .2 percent.

The U.S. House is expected to approve a plan today to temporarily extend two-year unemployment benefits.  House Republicans threatened to kill the stopgap measure tied to a two-month extension of a payroll tax holiday but gave in to pressure Thursday. Speaker John Boehner said, "Kicking a can down the road for a couple of months does cause problems."

                            UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED    Oct   2011          PRELIMINARY Nov.  2011      
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED      NOV 
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2010   
U.S. (X1000)   154,088  13,102   8.5    153,683   12,613   8.2   9.3    
ILLINOIS     6,617,247 630,642   9.5  6,614,724  621,383   9.4   9.1   

MCHENRY COUNTY 178,012  15,225   8.6    179,486   15,941   8.9   8.0    
KANE COUNTY    266,271  23,942   9.0    269,355   25,898   9.6   8.6    
LAKE COUNTY    366,949  33,395   9.1    360,998   31,203   8.6   9.1
DUPAGE COUNTY  519,241  40,327   7.8    521,330   40,186   7.7   7.1

ALGONQUIN       16,602   1,395   8.4     16,672    1,395   8.4   7.4   
LITH            16,828   1,387   8.2     16,970    1,457   8.6   7.3    
CRYSTAL LAKE    22,227   1,940   8.7     22,394    2,013   9.0   8.6    
MCHENRY         15,114   1,406   9.3     15,219    1,447   9.5  11.8   

Judge Throws Sheriff Out Of Special Prosecutor Request Case

McHenry County Judge Thomas Meyer reversed his own earlier decision Thursday and removed Sheriff Keith Nygren from a case requesting a Special Prosecutor to investigate him for alleged wrongdoing.  Meyer had allowed the Sheriff into the case as a tax-paying citizen a couple of months ago but said now he's changed his mind because, "I think circumstances have changed."

Meyer said he'd done legal research on this own and concluded Nygren shouldn't have a say on who should be the special prosecutor because, "his position is that there should be none."

Meyer again refused to consider whether using, for instance, the Sheriff's official emblem in a political campaign, constituted a crime.  "That is the exclusive authority of the State's Attorney or the Special Prosecutor," he said.  The question is which, if either, it will be and Meyer said he's now ready for arguments on whether State's Attorney Lou Bianchi's decision to only act in defense of the Sheriff makes him legally "unavailable" to investigate. If Meyer finds it so,  it would trigger a Special Prosecutor.

Nygren was in the courtroom Thursday with the newly-named McHenry County Sheriff's Office Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Don Leist. Leist had been the Assistant State's Attorney handling the case arguing since Bianchi was technically available there was no need for anyone else.  He was removed, though, when Bianchi apparently changed his mind a couple of months ago deciding someone might think Leist had a conflict of interest since he'd defended the Sheriff's office in other cases.

Meyer set Jan 13 for mutual legal recriminations between Nygren's personal attorney, Mark Gummeson, and Blake Horwitz, attorney for ex-deputy Zane Seipler who requested a Special Prosecutor for the Sheriff two years ago.

Local Restaurant Raises Flag From Iraq Base

A ribbon cutting at Georgia's Restaurant, Algonquin, was a little different Thursday, prefaced by raising a U.S. flag flown over Iraq the day after U.S. troops finished withdrawal from that country.

Algonquin elected officials, staff and Chamber officials watched as Marine and Navy personnel from the Elgin area recruiting office hoisted the flag provided by Navy Lieutenant Spiros Kulubis, brother of Georgia's Manager Harry Kulubis.  Lt. Kulubis is a flyer still located "somewhere in the Mideast; he won't even tell me," said Harry Kulubis.

"We'll fly the flag every day," said Kulubis, "to remember his service to our country and to remind ourselves that he's still with us."

Holiday Decoration Winners, Algonquin Division

The Village of Algonquin Events & Recreation Department announced the winners of this year's Holiday Lights decorating contest.  First place in the Most Spectacular category went to the home at 6 Grayhawk Court, receiving an annual family membership to the Algonquin Swimming Pool and Splashpad. Runner up was the home at 304 Bayberry Drive.  Algonquin doesn't disclose the names of the families who put up the decorations.

 Other Algonquin holiday homes of note included entries at 1981 Broadsmore Drive and at 561 Golden Valley Lane.  There are also a couple of over the top homes on Turnbridge Court that look as if they probably take about 10 percent of the output from Zion to run but their owners didn't enter the contest.  No one submitted an entry in the "Green Holidays" division for decorations involving recyclables or renewable energy, either.

Algonquin Planner Katie Parkhurst said she knows there are such things because her brother bought a set of solar-powered Christmas lights.

In the pics:  (top) First place at Grayhawk Court.  (below) Second at Bayberry Drive. 

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
December 22
0038 HRS WILLOW ST. & PYOTT RD. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Possession of Cannabis Less Than 2.5 grams, Display Plate Attachment Violation, Graduated Drivers License Under 18 Years of Age-Passenger Under 20 Years of Age, and Operation of Uninsured Motor Vehicle. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Cannabis 10-30 grams, Possession/Consumption of Liquor by a Minor, and Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, F/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, F/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Curfew Violation. RELEASED TO PARENT.
0136 HRS RANDALL RD. & MCHENRY AVE. WANTED ON WARRANT. LEAHY, DANIEL A., M/W 38 YEARS OF AGE, 121 HICKORY RD.., LAKE IN THE HILLS.  CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant Boone County for Failure to Appear Traffic Offense, Bond Amount $305 Full Cash, and Speeding in a Construction Zone. RELEASED ON BOND.
2027 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & PRINCETON LN. ACCIDENT/DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. AHERN, JOHN W., M/W 51 YEARS OF AGE, 3260 BANFORD CIRCLE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Improper Left Turn. RELEASED ON BOND.
2304 HRS 231 N. RANDALL RD. (TACO BELL) ACCIDENT/DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. SORENSEN, MICHAEL S., M/W 44 YEARS OF AGE, 1032 ACORN WAY, CARY. CHARGES: Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol Breath Alcohol Level over .08. RELEASED ON BOND.
0856 HRS 200 S. ANNANDALE DR. (LEROY GUY PARK) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Damage to picnic table.
1222 HRS 100 N. RANDALL RD. (WALGREENS) ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 49 years of age, passed out in bathroom. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1525 HRS 100 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASS. SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Female, 40 years of age, laceration on the arm. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1542 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD.(MORRETTI’S) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property Damage Only.
1910 HRS 5000 BLOCK OF HIGHWOOD LN. ASSIST OUTSIDE AGENCY. Assisted McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.
Algonquin
delayed

Sun Sets On D300 Windfarm Plans

District 300's Joint Wind Consortium announced Wednesday it's given up plans to buy the District's electricity from a wind company after it couldn't negotiate an escape plan if a better deal showed up over the next 20 years.  The report to the District's Finance Committee  marked a probable end to a two-year effort to run District schools with "free" wind power.

Consortium CEO Cheryl Crates said the group, D300 and two much smaller Cook and DeKalb county districts, couldn't come to terms with a Chicago company Invenergy to buy electricity from a new windfarm that began construction near Kewanee last month.  Two earlier plans to build the Consortium's own windfarms in Stark and Edgar counties foundered on deadlines to use federal stimulus funds to help finance them.

The final fallback announced Wednesday is to buy power for schools at less than current rates for the next eight years from an alternate energy supplier called Constellation NewEnergy.  How much less depends on whether its just regular electricity or the "green" kind.  Plain power would cost 23 percent less while the virtuous variety would only offer an 18 percent savings under the latest proposal. "Remember we're paying about $3 million per year (now)," said Crates.

The Wind Consortium's plans for free windpower have cost D300 $83,000 in consultants', attorneys' and financial advisers' fees over the past two years according to a summary Wednesday.

In an ironic coincidence, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday it would let Northern Illinois' dominant electric generating company, Exelon, buy Maryland-based Constellation Energy. It's the parent company of Constellation NewEnergy.

Algonquin Arcade Opens In Time For Holidays

There's good news for parents already wondering what to do with kids out of school for Christmas Break.  No Limit Arcade and Family Fun Center in Algonquin's Winding Creek Shopping Center finally opened its doors this week.  "We planned it that way," said co-owner Mark Battaglia, Huntley.

At least he and partner Kevin Slota sort of planned it that way.  There were several months' delay while the pair tried to convince  Algonquin to lower its game machine licensing fees which, at 60 machines, were considerable.  They didn't get as much as they'd hoped for but finally bit the bullet and went ahead, anyway.

No Limit's arcade games are kind of a mix.  "We've bringing back all the 80's stuff," said Battaglia, "Zaxxon, Pac Man, Space Invaders."  The lineup even includes a cluster of old-fashioned pinball machines.  "(Kids) have never seen this old stuff so it's a new challenge for them," said Slota.

That's not to say No Limit's all retro.  "We've got the popular new games the kids like, shooting games and sports games," said Battaglia.  Nor is the action entirely virtual.  One game includes shooting real basketballs through real hoops and another involves dancing on pressure pads.  "The girls like that one," said Battaglia.

The fare for fun at No Limit is a $20 flat fee for one adult and one kid under 12 or a kid 12 and over on his unaccompanied own.  "You can play whatever you want whenever you want for as long as you want," said Battaglia.

Carpentersville resident Tim Vanderkolk with his daughters was already on his second visit to the arcade Wednesday.  "I was here Saturday and spent three or four hours," he said. For him, "It was a trip down Memory Lane."

In the pic: Young Alex Vanderkolk tested her skills Wednesday as a NASCAR race driver on a game at No Limits Arcade and Family Fun Center, Algonquin.

Winner Announced In Festival Of Trees For Local Food Pantries

The Lake in the Hills Parks & Recreation Department announced the winner of this year's LITH Festival of Trees contest. Trinity Gymnastics Academy on Trinity Drive had the winning tree collecting 249 non-perishable food items "votes".  For their efforts they won a gift card to Moretti’s in Lake in the Hills.

All together this year's 25 Festival trees drew more than 1,400 food items to be donated to the
Algonquin  Lake in the Hills Food Pantry and the Grafton Township Food Pantry.

General Assembly Scholarship Applications Now Available

Yikes.  It isn't even Christmas but it's already time to start worrying about where to go to college and, more important, how to pay for it.  One way is to put a name in the hat for State Rep. Mike Tryon's General Assembly Scholarship.

The 64th District (until the remap kicks in)  McHenry County Rep. announced Wednesday that applications for eight  one-year, tuition-only scholarships to the University of Illinois or any other State university are available now on his website at www.michaeltryon.com.

To qualify, applicants must be  enrolled in a degree-granting program for the 2012 Fall and 2013 Spring semesters. a resident of the 64th legislative district, show evidence of good grades and leadership potential through extracurricular activities and must be planning to continue his or her education within the Illinois state university system.  Selections are made my independent judges.

Tryon says he's in favor of college, admits he even went to one himself.  The deadline to submit a scholarship application is March 23.  For more information about the scholarship Tryon’s District Office number's 815-459-6453.

In the pic: State Rep. Mike Tryon

State, Feds Reach Settlement on Countrywide/BOA Lending

The Illinois Attorney General's Office and the U.S. Department of Justice Wednesday announced a $335 million joint settlement with Countrywide, a subsidiary of Bank of America, over allegations the former mortgage giant steered African-American and Latino borrowers into risky subprime loans more often than whites.

The joint settlement resolves allegations of widespread and illegal discrimination against minority borrowers at Countrywide, purchased by Bank of America shortly after its collapse in 2008. “Countrywide consistently sold African-American and Latino borrowers riskier loans at a higher cost than similarly credit-situated white borrowers," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. "Even when Countrywide sold minorities prime loans, they paid more than white borrowers,” she said.

The settlement calls for an independent administrator to contact and distribute compensation payments to borrowers identified by the Department of Justice as victims of Countrywide’s discrimination. Individuals who believe they were victims of Countrywide lending discrimination and have questions about the settlement can email countrywide.settlement@usdoj.gov.

Madigan’s analysis of Countrywide’s loan data found that African-American and Latino borrowers were three times more likely to receive a higher-cost subprime mortgage than white borrowers, and that Countrywide charged African-American and Latino borrowers higher interest rates and fees on loans spanning the company’s range of products compared with similar white borrowers.

Countrywide was once the largest mortgage lender in the nation, including Illinois, and led the country in selling subprime loans.

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
December 21
2027 HRS 4500 BLOCK OF BARHARBOR DR. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Cannabis less than 2.5 Grams. RELEASED TO PARENT.
1213 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CLAYTON MARSH DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Contact made with a registered sex offender.
1229 HRS 0 BLOCK OF WRIGHT CT. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Son. Verbal only. One prior.
2008 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2324 HRS 400 BLOCK OF BIG CLOUD PASS. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 41 years of age, feeling depressed. No transport.

Algonquin Outlaws Synthetic Marijuana

The Algonquin Board gave final approval Tuesday to a measure outlawing synthetic marijuana in the Village.  Sale of "incense" sprayed with laboratory versions of marijuana chemicals, stimulants or hallucinogens will draw a $1,000 fine.  Possession or use will carry $750 penalties.

If Algonquin rushes to print the new ordinance it may beat by a matter of days a new State statute the outlaws the same sort of material as of Jan. 1.  Algonquin Police Chief Russ Laine said the difference is that the State law criminalizes synthetic marijuana making its sale, possession or use a felony while violation of the Village ordinance is only a civil offense.  Violating the state law could bring jail time.  The village ordinance only carries a fine. Laine said it's up to police to decide which one to use.

And the standards for making that choice would be what?

"It would depend on the totality of the arrest," said Laine controlling a brief smile.

The new ordinance also puts a $750 minimum fine on possession of drug paraphernalia in Algonquin.

Separately the Board gave a final OK to  a new school speed zone on Bunker Hill drive near Jacobs High School.  Signs should be up by the time students return from break.

Greeting Card Snow Brings Brief Promise Of White Christmas

A mid-afternoon snow flurry in Algonquin Tuesday came and went so fast it brought little hope of a white Christmas.  Even so, it was unusual since it came in giant clusters of flakes that didn't fall so much as crash.

Most snow is actually a group of individual snowflakes, according to weather researchers,  but Algonquin's two-inch clumps were pretty far out on the right side of the bell curve. (Although the record's 15 inches at Ft. Keough, MT, 1887.)  A quick survey indicates the only thing meteorologists are sure of is that the size of snowflake aggregations drops off the colder the air gets.   They suspect clumping has something to do with individual snowflake shapes and they speculate it might involve electrical charges.

In short, no knows how snow gets so heavy it explodes when it hits the ground.

Top Stops Announced For Christmas Touring, LITH Division

The Village of Lake in the Hills Parks & Recreation Department announced the winners of the Village's annual Holiday Lights contest Tuesday.  Between the warm temps and (relatively) cheap gas prices, it's a good year for a family expedition to look at the lights.

This year's overall winner of boasting rights and a $25 LITH restaurant gift certificate was the Adam Ebner family at 2830 Hillsboro Lane.

The winner of the Griswold (see Clark, Christmas Vacation) Award was the Brenda Figelski family at 220 Hawthorne Rd. who won a similar gift certificate.

"We run this because it’s a great way to involve residents for no charge," said senior contest judge Trevor Bosack. "If people are going to take the time to set up the decorations, they might as well enter to win a gift card."

State Taxpayer Exodus Means $26 Billion Loss Says Report

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois’ reputation for political corruption and government mismanagement could have cost the state billions of dollars and an income tax increase, according to a report released Tuesday.
Illinois lost 366,616 tax-paying households between 1995 and 2009, according to a study of Internal Revenue Service figures from 1995 through 2009 by the Illinois Policy Institute, a free-market think tank with offices in Springfield and Chicago.

Those households took with them $26 billion in taxable revenue, according to the study. In 2009 alone, Illinois lost 20,725 households and their $1.5 billion in taxable income. Ted Dabrowksi, vice president of policy for the institute, said this year's tax hike might have been avoided, if those taxpayers had remained in Illinois. “If we had more people here generating income, generating sales tax, hiring people, paying income taxes, we’d have a much better fiscal outlook,” he said.

Illinois lost taxpayers to 42 states during the 14-year period of the study, including to the border states of Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Kentucky. “This is not a study to say what exactly led to people leaving, but we do note that taxes matter to people, a good, friendly environment to business matters, bad deficits and a bad governance matters to people, and people vote with their feet,” Dabrowski said.

Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas and Arizona had the largest gains of former Illinois taxpayers, according to the study.  It showed that Illinois netted 32,965 households from seven states, including Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania, bringing in $7.8 million in taxable revenue.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7365/exodus-of-il-taxpayers-means-loss-of-26b-in-tax-revenue/

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
December 20
1550 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF TALAGA DR. SPEEDING. FISHER, RYAN D., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 3204 DRURY LANE, CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Speeding 40 miles over the speed limit. RELEASED ON BOND.
0012 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF SPRUCE ST. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0103 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. MISSING JUVENILE. Female, 14 years of age, did not return home. Subject located and picked up by parent.
1049 HRS 400 BLOCK OF PLUM ST. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. An iPod was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.
1246 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1715 HRS 600 BLOCK OF MOHICAN TRAIL. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. A GPS and an iPhone charger were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.
2100 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2130 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HIAWATHA DR. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. A vehicle parked in the garage was on fire. Report for insurance.

Ethics Agency Points To Rules For Sheriff's Investigation

The Chief Counsel of the State's lawyer ethics agency said Monday Supreme Court rules on conflicts of interest are written broadly to cover all possibilities.  James Grogan, Deputy Administrator for the  Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission said that means sometimes there isn't a bright line for guidance.  Say, for instance,  in the call for a Special Prosecutor to investigate McHenry County's Sheriff. The one that's about to hit the two-year mark.

Lawyers will argue again Thursday before Judge Thomas Meyer about whether State's Attorney Lou Bianchi is "available" to look into ex-deputy Zane Seipler's complaint that Sheriff Keith Nygren unfairly used official resources in political campaigns.  Over two years ago Bianchi's office told Seipler the State's attorney couldn't do it since he'd represented Nygren in other cases.  And last year Bianchi wrote a letter saying he wouldn't do it because it was his choice to only defend the Sheriff's Office.

The basic problem, according to Grogan, is that while lawyers can take either side in a case, they can't take both.  "You couldn't have a lawyer represent both the husband and the wife in a divorce," said Grogan.  "That would be idiocy."

The matter at hand isn't quite that clearcut and Grogan declined to comment on it. He said, however, cases like it have come up in the past 193 years of Illinois statehood.  "In fact I had a call about a similar case Downstate this morning," he said.  Grogan pointed specifically to a section of the Illinois rules of professional conduct whose commentary reads, "A lawyer should not accept representation in a matter unless it can be performed competently, promptly, without improper conflict of interest and to completion."

In a sworn deposition filed last week, Bianchi said he thought there "may" be a conflict of interest if he had to investigate the Sheriff.  "What would the conflict be?" asked Seipler attorney Blake Horiwitz.  Before Bianchi could answer, Nygren attorney Mark Gummerson broke in to object and the session, featuring five different lawyers not counting Bianchi himself, degenerated into so much squabbling the State's Attorney never had a chance to answer.

Whooping Cough Cases Jump Again In McHenry County

The running total for area whooping cough cases rose 20 percent last week according to the latest report from the McHenry County Department of Health.  From a record 200 cases the previous week, the total jumped to 240, far surpassing the number in the last bad outbreak, 191 in 2004.

The increase was driven by a near 50 percent increase in confirmed cases in Cary where the childhood disease properly called pertussis was first found.  Cases in Woodstock, the other area hotspot, rose about 30 percent.

Locally 38 cases have been confirmed in Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley.  Algonquin's cases doubled to 10 during the week, Huntley increased over 50 percent to 13 but Lake in the Hills' total remained unchanged at 15.

The disease, marked by characteristic coughing, remains largely confined to children aged 1 to 19 years old and health officials have said there's hope that Christmas Vacation may help short circuit its spread.  The illness is treatable with antibiotics but officials fear parents have been sending children back to school after symptoms disappear but before the kids have actually gotten rid of the disease.

HHS Freshmen, Student Advisers Help Local Children At Christmas

Thirty area youngsters will have a brighter Christmas this year thanks to Huntley High School Freshmen and their Link Crew older student advisers.  Since before Thanksgiving the groups have raised over $3,200 to buy Christmas gifts for needy children in St. Mary's Catholic Church Mitten Tree program.

It's the third year HHS's Link Crew has organized to "adopt" children in Turning Point of McHenry County or Options and Advocacy programs, two organizations supported by the Mitten Tree.  The program provides toys, clothes, educational gifts, games, and movies for "adoptees".

“It is hard to imagine my life as a seven year-old girl where 'Santa' could not come because of my parent’s financial situation,” said senior Brittini Chung.

In the pic: HHS Mitten Tree fundraisers.  (Top)  Crystal Hoffman, Josh Elam, Anthonia Moore, Emily Kohley, Taylor Szczurek, Colin Lyman, Mike Krebs, Katie Strong, and Bryce Only. (Bottom) Thomas Regan, Kelsey Seitz, Mrs. Lindquist, Brittni Chung, Brynn O’Donnell, Abigal Spoeth, and Amanda Zbilski

Area Company Latest Charged As Mortgage Rescue Scammer

Attorney General Lisa Madigan taking action Monday against three Chicago area companies, filed her 50th lawsuit against mortgage rescue scammers. Madigan said the three conned distraught homeowners by charging thousands of dollars in upfront fees for false promises of helping them avoid foreclosure.

“These entities are nothing more than scam operations, illegally charging consumers huge sums in return for no help,” Attorney General Madigan said. “They’ve scammed families out of thousands of dollars while putting them at even higher risk for foreclosure.” Madigan alleged the three companies took $44,000 upfront from consumers with promises to help them obtain a loan modification on their mortgage, when in fact, no work was performed on their behalf.

Commonly referred to as “mortgage ‘rescue’ consultants,” the schemes are run by con artists who promise phantom help. They claim that, for a hefty fee, they can save a distressed borrower’s home by negotiating deals with a homeowner’s lender, when in reality, these “consultants” do nothing they promised. As a result, homeowners typically get further behind on their mortgage payments and wind up on a faster track to foreclosure.

In one suit Madigan charged, International Embassy Realty, Elgin, and its president Sandro Rodriguez of St. Charles, took in more than $16,000 in upfront fees from homeowners. The suit charges Rodriguez targeted Spanish speakers and instructed homeowners to stop paying their mortgage in order to speed up the loan modification process, which put many homeowners at higher risk for foreclosure.

Madigan recommended her office's helpline (866) 544-7151, for free advice on avoiding foreclosure, including assistance in connecting with a HUD-certified housing counselor to work out a solution with lenders.

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
December 19
0307 HRS 1305 RANDALL RD. (CVS) AGGRAVATED BATTERY TO A POLICE OFFICER. BOLGER, JOHN P., M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 3816 HILLCREST PLACE, JOHNSBURG. CHARGES: Two Counts of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer, Three Counts Resisting/Obstructing a Police Officer, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Improper Lane Usage, No Insurance, Failure to Signal. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. LIVINGSTON, NATHAN E., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 108 LAKE SHORE DR., CARY. CHARGES: Two Counts of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer And Three Counts Resisting/Obstructing a Police Officer. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. CARLSON, HANNAH F., F/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 332 S. MICHIGAN AVE., ADDISON. CHARGES: Three Counts of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer and Resisting/Obstructing a Police Officer. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0825 HRS 343 N. RANDALL RD. (STARBUCKS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1749 HRS 400 BLOCK OF BIG CLOUD PASS. DOMESTIC Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. No Priors.
1816 HRS 200 BLOCK OF BRIDLEWOOD CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Father vs. Son. Verbal Only. Two Priors.

Villages Recommend "Shop Local" For Last-Minute Gifts

With six critical shopping days left 'till Christmas village officials offer a few words of advice:  "Shop Local".

Thanks to Illinois' sales tax system, shopping locally works a little like the credit cards that refund some of your money.  It just refunds it to the Villages instead.  "We get 1.25 percent of the State sales tax," said Algonquin Community Development Director Russ Farnum, "and we get .75 percent Home Rule sales tax."  But, naturally, only on sales in Algonquin.

For instance, "If you shop at Woodfield, Schaumburg gets it instead," said Farnum.  Good news for Schaumburg but not so much for the villages where the shoppers actually live.  "If we don't get the sales taxes then we have to get the money somewhere else," he said.

Such as?  "Real estate taxes would be one.  That's why we were able to lower our tax levy next year," said Farnum.  "Our sales taxes are improving."

Lake in the Hills is the only area village with a formal "Shop Local" program.  Begun 18 months ago, it now has 57 businesses enrolled, about half offering discount e-coupons for customers. Assistant Village Administrator Shannon Andrews said most of the couponers are retailers.  "It's hard to figure how, say, a mortgage company would do that," she said.

Andrews said LITH's Shop Local listings--http://www.lith.org/shoplocal.php--work even for non-retailers, though.  "We certainly can see a level of interest when people click through to a company's website," she said.

Huntley doesn't have a formal program but two years of construction activity widening Route 47 have prompted an informal one, according to Business Development Director Margo Griffin.  "Some of the members of the Chamber put up signs along the way to 'Shop Huntley'," she said.

Farnum said shopping local isn't just about capturing sales tax dollars, though.  "The people who work in the stores, even the ones headquartered somewhere else, are usually local residents.  They're your neighbors.  If the stores don't sell, they won't have jobs."

In the pic:  The Randall retail corridor captures lots of area resident purchases.  That's good for Algonquin and, to a lesser degree, Lake in the Hills.

Good Deed Dollars Kids Do Well By Doing Good

A dozen District 300 students have some extra Christmas Shopping money this week.  They're the winners of the Algonquin Commons second annual Good Deed Dollars contest for noteworthy good deeds.

Three students from district middle schools and three from the high schools each won $500 Algonquin Commons gift cards and each of the kids who nominated them won $100 cards.  The whole crew was honored at last week's D300 School Board meeting, too.

In the pic:  Algonquin Middle School seventh grader Jake Johnson was nominated by fellow seventh grader Jessica Butcher for his involvement in Beta Club food drives and adaptive PE helping special needs kids.  Another winner at AMS was Jim McDonald who found an envelope full of money and turned it in.

Hunltey Library To Add New Jobs Service For New Year

Huntley Area Public Library is about to add a new free online service for job seekers.  It's called JobNow and starting Jan. 2 it'll offer live interview and job skills coaching, a resume lab, 24/7 access to career resources and an adult job skills learning center.

The Library's had a job search center for about two years now to help patrons look for and apply for jobs but the new JobNow service offers help with the next steps, actually getting the job and keeping it.

JobNow was added to the Library's services thanks to a donation from the Huntley Library Friends Foundation. The donation also funds continued access to the popular HelpNow tutoring service to help students with homework and preparation for standardized tests.

Signups for JobNow and HelpNow accounts are at www.huntleylibrary.org/jobnow and  www.huntleylibrary.org/helpnow. Both are free but only available to library cardholders. The cards, of course, are free with proof of residency.

In the pic:  Huntley Area Public Library will add the new JobNow service to its find-a-job arsenal.

State Could Shoulder Faltering Tuition Program Debt

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois may have to take responsibility for another huge debt. College Illinois! administrators and lawmakers are talking about ways the state can rescue the badly underfunded pre-paid college tuition program.

A report released last week shows College Illinois! with a March 2011 deficit topping $559 million, an increase of $28 million since June 2010. State Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said Illinois may have an obligation to the families who believed their investments into College Illinois! would guarantee a college education for their children.  He leads a task force investigating the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, or ISAC, which operates College Illinois!.

“I’m not going to use the word bailout,” Durkin said. “But I believe there is going to have to be a discussion as to what the state of Illinois’ responsibility is to this program.”

State Rep. Sandy Cole, R-Grayslake, said she does not believe Illinois should or can take responsibility for this debt. “I don’t see how the General Assembly can help out ISAC,” Cole said. “College Illinois! is not a part of state government.” Created by state law, ISAC is a state commission with some of its members appointed by Gov. Pat Quinn. “College Illinois! misled people into thinking there was a guarantee,” Cole said. “There simply is not.”

John Samuels, a spokesman for ISAC, said the commission stopped selling College Illinois! packages to new families on Sept. 30. He said “it would be unfair” to accept new members before managers know what to expect.

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7340/il-could-shoulder-debt-from-faltering-tuition-program/

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
December 18
1600 HRS 0 BLOCK OF PRINCETON CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. WARNER, DOMINICK M., M/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 1345 S. 59TH AVE., CICERO. CHARGES: Two Counts of Domestic Battery and Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL
2350 HRS PINGREE RD. & RAKOW RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. IRINEO-DOMINGUEZ, ANTONIO, M/W 27 YEARS OF AGE, 7505 HEMLOCK ST., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving while License Suspended, Speeding in a Construction Zone, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0236 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO) ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted the Algonquin Police Department with an arrest.
1153 HRS 9250 TRINITY DR. (HIGH LIFE PRODUCTS) SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT. Glass door broken.
1449 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only
Algonquin
December 16
04:07am Zeppo, Joseph P., DOB: 03/30/79, of 311 Cornell Lane, Algonquin, was charged with DUI, No Proof of Insurance, Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Improper Turn.  He was taken into custody at 311 Cornell.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 01/25/12 in McHenry County.
12:28pm Zent, Kevin R., DOB: 06/10/88, of 506 Seminole Trail, Lake in the Hills, was charged with three Counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was also Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear.  He was taken into custody at Target, 750 S. Randall Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.
21:05pm Eaton, Jeffrey S., DOB: 08/16/93, of 1425 Brandywine Circle, Algonquin, was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 01/25/12 in Algonquin.
December 17
06:14am Pilipuf, Thomas J., DOB: 03/06/81, of 139 Northlight Pass, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DUI, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Give Information and Failure to Reduce Speed.  He was taken into custody at Main Street and Algonquin Road.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 01/25/12 in McHenry County.
December 18
02:44am Bailey, Kevin C., DOB: 11/28/79, of 48 Elm Avenue, Carpentersville, was charged with DUI, Speeding, No Proof of Insurance and Improper Lane Usage.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Acorn Lane.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 02/01/12 in McHenry County.
10:59am Taylor, Ryan M., DOB: 03/30/85, of 1700 Hartley Drive, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 01/14/12 in McHenry County.

ECC, MCC Approve "Ballooned" Levies For Max Tax Increases

Both area community colleges approved property tax levies this week, both requests "ballooned" to make sure the districts get a 1.5 percent inflation allowance and every penny available from new construction built during 2011.

The Elgin Community College Board approved a 2011 levy totaling $67 million, theoretically a more than 5 percent increase. Part of the levy is $13 million for debt service including the bonds issued after the 2009 capital referendum. Not counting the bonds and but folding in the inflation allowance, the levy's likely to be closer to $44.5 million when final assessment figures are available in April.

ECC's  tax levy will fund  about 60 percent of ECC's operating revenues.

The McHenry County College Board of Trustees two days later approved a resolution calling for a $29 million levy, a nominal 9.9 percent increase. “Even though we asked for a 9.9 percent increase, the actual levy will increase between 1.9 and 2.2 percent due to new construction in the county,” said MCC’s Chief Financial Officer, Larry West.

MCC, likewise, relies on property taxes for the majority of its revenue, about 63 percent of the total.

In the pic:  Elgin Community College

Friends Holiday Baskets Raise $3,000 For Huntley Library

The Huntley Library Friends Foundation Annual Holiday Basket Fundraiser raised $3,000 this week to support the library when 20 baskets were raffled off this week.  Twenty eight local businesses, organizations and individuals donated to help make the baskets.  They included:  
 
Arby’s; BuddyZ’s; Chicago-North Chapter of the Romance Writers of America; Chipotle; Colonial Café; Connie Corwin; Don and Frances Wilson; Einstein Brothers Bagels; Huntley Park District; Janelle Nelson, Tastefully Simple Independent Consultant; Jan Schadt; Jerry and Pat Darrow; Jimmy Johns; John and Carole Janninck; Lee Irish; Linda Whitehouse; Mimi’s Café; Moretti’s; Noodles ‘n Company; Panda Express;  Prof. Massage Therapy by Kelly; Ralph and Nancy Hardy; See’s Candy; Ted and Jen Schaefer; Trader Joe’s; Tropical Smoothie Café; Wisted’s Supermarket and Yumz Gourmet Frozen Yogurt.   

Leggee Gets Grant From ExxonMobil For Science, Math Study

Leggee Elementary School students in Huntley will soon have more science and math materials to work with thanks to a $500 grant from ExxonMobil’s Education Alliance Program. Jim Drendel, owner of Drendel’s Corner Mobil, Huntley, worked with school officials to secure the grant. “(Principal) Scott Iddings works hard to make learning interesting and fun,” said Drendel.

Leggee's was one of 2,400 grants available to schools across the country served by Exxon or Mobil stations. The company figures that as members of the community, local retailers are best qualified to work with local educators to help identify schools and programs most in need of support. “As a Mobil retailer, I am proud to help young people of Huntley,” said Drendel.

Report Finds State Juvenile Justice "Failing"

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
A new study has found that more than half of youth imprisoned by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice ended up back behind bars. The report, released by the Juvenile Justice Commission this week, said: "An essential measurement of any juvenile 'reentry' system is whether youth returning from incarceration remain safely and successfully within their communities. By this fundamental measure, Illinois is failing."

For seven of the last eight years, more than half of the incarcerated juveniles had been locked up over parole violations, such as truancy or curfew offenses. George Timberlake, chair of the commission and a former judge, said that many youth are going back to jail for “typical teenage” behavior.”

Timberlake said that parole hearings for youth, conducted by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, are brief — sometimes lasting only minutes — and the board gave many of parolees the same terms for release as before. “Often they were the same conditions time after time after time,” he said. The commission recommended that if a juvenile faces losing parole and going back to a detention center, a court and not the review board should make that decision. The report also recommended that parole conditions be tailored to each offender and offenders have individual plans to help them get back on their feet.

Arthur Bishop, director of the DOJJ, said that his department is moving in the direction of many of the commission’s recommendations. Bishop said that linking incarcerated youth to community programs before they are released is key to trying to keep them from coming back to prison. “Those youth tend not to commit new crimes. Those youth then can become tax-paying citizens.”

The commission plans to release a fiscal analysis of its recommendations sometime in the next few months.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/report-finds-illinois-juvenile-justice.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.

ANTHONY J. WNEK, DOB:  07/18/64, 922 MCPHEE DRIVE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. FALSE PERSONATION OF A PEACE OFFICER, AGGRAVATED FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE A PEACE OFFICER, DISORDERLY CONDUCT(2CTS).--Lake in the Hills PD  

SUSANNE DALLAS DECICCO, DOB:  09/09/82, 415 N. SANTA BARBARA DRIVE, MCHENRY. RETAIL THEFT, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE.--Lake in the Hills PD

SABRINA B. SEUBERT, DOB:  09/23/92, 206 SCENIC DRIVE, ALGONQUIN. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

WILLIAM T. COVINGTON, DOB: 04/24/61, 38W491 US 20, ELGIN. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL (2 COUNTS), DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SuSPENDED/REVOKED.--Algonquin PD

INOCENCIO CONTRERES-ESQUIVEL, DOB:  09/12/89, 112 W. BRINK STREET  #6, HARVARD. LEAVING THE SCENE OF A PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT, DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED, OPERATION OF UNINSURED MOTOR VEHICLE.--Harvard PD

JOSEPH A. KRYC, DOB:  01/09/76, 4911 PYNDALE DRIVE, MCHENRY. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(3CTS)--McHenry PD

STANLEY G. ROUSONELOS, DOB:  02/13/74, 314 N. MADISON STREET  APT B, WOODSTOCK. PERJURY.--McHenry PD
  
KARL A. ERIKSON, DOB:  09/24/57, 2304 BAY OAKS DRIVE, LAKEMOOR. DECEPTIVE PRACTICE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
TROY E. SMITH, DOB:  01/19/69, 26151 LAKEVIEW AVENUE, INGLESIDE. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.--Lakemoor PD
  
STEPHEN V. BUSHY, DOB:  07/22/68, 1104 E. PALMER COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITHOUT REQUISITE FIREARM OWNER’S IDENTIFICATION CARD.--Crystal Lake PD

NEIL MATTHEW MILLBURGER, DOB:  06/09/76, 1436 W. WALTON  #2, CHICAGO. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED(SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE).--Prairie Grove PD

MAURO MARTINEZ, AKA ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ-ZARATE, DOB:  07/22/68, 1104 E. PALMER COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF

FIREARM WITHOUT REQUISITE FIREARM OWNER’S IDENTIFICATION CARD.--Prairie Grove PDRONALD M. BIANCHI, DOB:  05/09/83, 2703 CHERRY DRIVE, WONDER LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE.--Woodstock PD

CHRISTOPHER J. COLBY, DOB:  08/26/72, 8509 MEMORY TRAIL, WONDER LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE.--McHenry PD

JAMES CORNELUIS III, DOB:  08/05/92, 410 CENTER STREET LOWER, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--Woodstock PD

FELADELFIO PAEZ-GUITERREZ, DOB: 02/07/56, 662 ELETSON DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED DRVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.--Crystal Lake PD
  
BRIAN J. POVOLO, DOB: 04/28/93,    804 WINDSOR DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED FLEEING AND ELUDING (2 COUNTS).--Crystal Lake PD
  
KEVIN C. HOWENSTINE, DOB: 10/14/91, 5223 HAMPSHIRE LANE, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED BATTERY (5 COUNTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
  
WILLIAM GLEN GEORGE, DOB: 02/19/91, LKA: 9003 ORIOLE TRAIL, WONDER LAKE. UNLAWFUL FAILURE TO REGISTER TO REPORT CHANGE OF ADDRESS AS A SEX OFFENDER.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

PATRICK M. FOLLIARD, DOB: 10/25/92, 6423 HILLSIDE DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED BATTERY.--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
December 17
0016 HRS 3100 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son. Verbal only. No priors.
0507 HRS CHADWICK LN. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. pole. Property damage only.
0628 HRS 300 N. RANDALL RD. (LOWE’S HOME CENTER) ASSIST FIRE DEPARTMENT. Snow plow caught on fire. Report for insurance.
0726 HRS MILLER RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0743 HRS COUNCIL TRAIL & WILLOW ST. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0839 HRS HUNTERS PATH & OAKLEAF RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1125 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTON’S GAS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1624 HRS 311 N. RANDALL RD. (AMC SHOWPLACE) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1848 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1918 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2018 HRS 9162 TRINITY DR. (TRINITY ACADEMY OF GYMNASTICS) ASSIST AMBULANCE.  Male, 10 years of age, having an allergic reaction. No Transport.