McHenry County Residents Sought For National Cancer Study

Centegra Health Systems have begun recruiting what the healthcare provider hopes will be 600 McHenry County residents for the next big American Cancer Society study into the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. Centegra's the first Illinois health system invited to join Cancer Prevention Study-3.

There've been two previous Cancer Society studies, one that began in the 1950's and a second that started in the '80's.  Those were the ones that found the links between cigarette smoking and lung cancer and between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer. “Many individuals diagnosed with cancer struggle with what caused it. In many cases, we don’t know,” said Alpa V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of CPS-3. “The study will help us better understand what factors cause cancer, and once we know that, we can be better equipped to prevent cancer.”

What Centegra needs are men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer. They will answer questions about medications, family history, lifestyle and other behaviors, then schedule a short medical appointment to measure their waists and give a small blood sample.  After that it's just follow-up surveys of various lengths sent to participants every few years.

This is a perfect opportunity for those who really want to do something to help make a difference in the fight against cancer,” said Amy Moerschbaecher, executive director of medicine and oncology services at Centegra and the first enrollee.

To participate in the study, individuals must first go to www.seeuthere.com/cps3enroll/mchenryil to schedule an enrollment appointment. Limited appointment dates are available. They are:
 
7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 3 at Centegra Hospital-Woodstock
7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 4 at Centegra Hospital-McHenry

Participants will receive a confirmation email after scheduling the enrollment appointment.

For more information or to learn how to become involved with CPS-3, visit cancer.org/cps3, email cps3@cancer.org, or call toll-free 1-888-604-5888.

LITH PD Honored For Guard And Reserve Support

The Illinois Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, Friday recognized the Lake in the Hills Police Department at a ceremony in Springfield. “The Above and Beyond Award recognizes companies who provide outstanding support and cooperation to members of the Armed Services,” said Michael Ayers, Illinois ESGR Field Committee Chair.

The Above and Beyond Award is the second highest ESGR Award available at the state-level to recognize companies for their support of ESGR and the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. It recognizes employers at the state and local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements for granting leave and providing support for military duty by their employees.  The PD was nominated by office by officer Bill Herrmann, himself once deployed to duty.

In the pic:  LITH Police and Public Safety Director Jim Wales, telecommunications specialist Suzanne Artinghelli, Deputy Chief Mary Frake and Officer William Berens, recently returned from National Guard duty in Kuwait, at the ESGR award ceremony in Springfield Friday.

New Algonquin Restaurant Revs Up After First Week

The only real problem during the first week at Algonquin's new Don Marcos Mexican Restaurant came the first night.  "The man who was going to be my bartender called a couple of hours before we were going to open to say he'd be late," said co-owner Mike Garcia.  "Then he didn't show up."

Garcia's got a new bartender now and things are going more smoothly for the former cement contractor turned restaurateur.  "It's something I wanted to do when I was younger," said the boyish-looking 46 year-old Friday.  The chance came when partner Anna Caranza was bitten by the restaurant bug, too.

"This is authentic," Caranza said.  "We're using my recipes." Then she laughed admitting some of the spices are dialed back a notch or two in deference to more tender Norteamericano tastebuds.

In the pic:  Algonquin's George Vasquez and family, Rosa and Elizabeth, stopped for dinner Friday at Don Marcos Mexican Restaurant in Fountain Square Plaza on Algonquin's east side. "This was our first chance to come," he said.  Munching some shrimp he added, "I think we'll be back."

Quinn Wants Dropout Age Raised To 18

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Following a call to action in President Barack Obama"s State of the Union Address, Gov. Pat Quinn Friday proposed raising the dropout age for Illinois high school students from 17 to 18. “Every child in Illinois deserves a quality education that will serve them throughout their lives,” Quinn said in a prepared statement. “The best way to ensure that our children have the chance to achieve and succeed is to make sure they stay in school long enough to earn their diploma.”

Illinois high school students could drop out at age 16 until lawmakers increased it to 17 in 2005. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the statewide dropout rate in 2004 was 4 percent, and the rate today is 2.7 percent. “I would anticipate if it was raised to 18, we would see another decrease in the dropout rate,” said Matt Vanover, spokesperson for the ISBE.

Charles McBarron, spokesperson for the Illinois Education Association, said that the teachers union supports the concept of raising the dropout age. However, he said that may not be enough to ensure that students get a solid education. “It probably requires more than just keeping them in the building. We have to find way of engaging them.”

Rep. Roger Eddy, a Hutsonville Republican said that vocational courses or workplace readiness programs might connect with students who are not succeeding in a traditional academic setting. “To serve the needs of all students, we do have to understand that some students aren’t going to college.”

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/quinn-wants-high-school-dropout-age.html

Obituaries

Frances L. Mainiero, 89, died peacefully on her birthday Wednesday at Pepper Family Hospice in Barrington. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 1 pm Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley with visitation at the church one hour prior to Mass.

Mainiero was born January 25, 1923, in Chicago, the daughter of William and Mary (Hitchock) Leisten.  She is survived by her children, Theresa (William) Novak of Huntley and Anthony (Audrie) Mainiero of Neshkoro, WI; five grandchildren, Jackie, Tommy, Douglas, Jenny and Dawn, and her brother Ed (Mildred) Leisten. She was preceded in death by her her parents, brothers, sisters and her daughter Mariann.

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

Joseph M. Till, Jr., 66, of Huntley, formerly of Chicago, died peacefully, Thursday. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 9 pm at DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley.  Visitation will also be on Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley, from 9:30 to 10:30 am Monday.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 am.

Till was born April 14, 1945, the son of Florence M. (Russo) Till and the late Joseph M. Till, Sr. He is survived by his life companion, Janet Ganek; his mother; sister, Carolyn (the late Richard) Zembron; brother, Michael (Shirley) Till; sister, Kathie (George) Andrikokus; William Ganek; Richard (Carol) Ganek and  William J. (Mary) Ganek. He was preceded in death by his father.

The family requests no flowers.

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
January 27
1119 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF STANTON CIRCLE. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE. MEYER, JOSHUA C., M/W 27 YEARS OF AGE, 130 PARK ST., ALGONQUIN. CHARGE: Criminal Trespass to Residence. RELEASED ON BOND.
2240 HRS 5000 BLOCK OF ALEXANDRIA DR. DOMESTIC/DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. KEETON, KENNETH RALPH, M/W 39 YEARS OF AGE, 5537 ALEXANDRIA DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Endangerment to the Life or Health of a Child. RELEASED ON BOND.
0743 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR LN. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Report for insurance. Damage to unit from a broken water pipe.
0801 HRS 3400 BLOCK OF CHADWICK LN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1114 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF STANTON CIRCLE. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO PROPERTY. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1232 HRS 2106 ALGONQUIN RD. (LILY GARDEN) LOST ARTICLE. Lost wallet.
1458 HRS REED RD. & ANNANDALE DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1725 HRS 200 BLOCK OF TERRAMERE LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY Stepfather vs. Stepson. Stepfather grabbed stepson. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1816 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

McHenry County Adds Jobs But Unemployment Rate Unchanged

McHenry County's unemployment rate remained unchanged in December, according to the latest report Thursday from the Illinois Department of Employment Security.  The county's 8.9 percent rate was in contrast to the nation's 8.3 percent unemployment rate, up .1 percent for the month and Illinois' 9.3 percent rate, down .1 percent.

Looking at the underlying figures, McHenry County added over 600 jobs in December but a proportionate number of people started looking for work again so the unemployment rate didn't budge from November.

IDES Director Jay Rowell looking at the Illinois rate said, "Overall job growth continues to improve despite monthly fluctuations in the unemployment rate and the number of jobs created, which has become the hallmark of this economic cycle."

Locally, IDES reported Algonquin tallied the lowest unemployment rate in McHenry County in December but that was mostly due to a decrease of more than 100 people reporting they were actively looking for work. A similar sharp drop in job seekers was reported in Crystal Lake.  LITH's unemployment rate fell slightly with a small increase in jobs while McHenry's rate was unchanged because nothing changed much.

                         UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED    Nov 2011          PRELIMINARY Dec 2011               
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED      Dec 
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2010   
U.S. (X1000)   153,683  12,613   8.2    153,373   12,692   8.3   9.1    
ILLINOIS     6,614,071 620,983   9.4  6,592,838  613,408   9.3   8.8   

MCHENRY COUNTY 179,476  15,938   8.9    180,248   16,072   8.9   8.3    
KANE COUNTY    269,316  25,869   9.6    271,433   27,037  10.0   8.9    
LAKE COUNTY    361,519  31,191   8.6    360,986   34,824   9.6   9.5
DUPAGE COUNTY  521,315  40,191   7.7    521,198   38,198   7.3   6.7

ALGONQUIN       16,667   1,390   8.3     16,620    1,284   7.7   7.2   
LITH            16,967   1,455   8.6     17,016    1,444   8.5   7.1    
CRYSTAL LAKE    22,393   2,013   9.0     22,277    1,817   8.2   8.1    
MCHENRY         15,217   1,445   9.5     15,277    1,452   9.5   8.8   

Fast Start For "Soft Open" At Algonquin Niko's Lodge

Thursday afternoon's open of Nikko's Lodge on Algonquin Commons Restaurant Row was supposed to be a low-key affair but it didn't turn out that way. "We were going out for dinner and my friend John said, 'Let's see if Niko's is open,'" said Huntley resident Bill Jorgensen.  "We had to wait for a table."

Restaurateur Niko Kanakaris has been turning away customers for over a week while government inspectors and functionaries stamped, filed, spindled and mutilated all the papers necessary to reopen the Commons' former Barley House restaurant, even more former Cladagh Irish Pub. In the past four months Kanakaris gutted and redecorated the interior while reworking the exterior to emulate his successful Niko's Lodge in Campton Hills near St. Charles.  "We were going for a late December open," said Kanakaris, "so that's pretty close."

In the pic:  Niko's Lodge in Algonquin is supposed to be reminiscent of a Northwest wilderness camp so instead of afterdinner mints, guests like Algonquin mom Buffie Koehler and daughter Allie are offered s'moresfirepits. makings to toast at the restaurant's outdoor

Huntley Starts Website To Draw New Business

The Huntley Village Board Thursday reviewed a new Economic Development website, part of a five-year plan to help bring new businesses to the Village.  In fact, two other elements of the plan are to help keep and expand existing businesses but, as Village Manager Dave Johnson observed, "We're now in a position where we'll see some return" on $100 million worth of new infrastructure.

The new website http://www.huntleyfirst.com is filled with vital information about Huntley like where it is.  "There are about 400 site selectors in the country" who pick where business should locate said Vic Narusis, Special Projects Co-ordinator for Huntley.  "Most are on the East Coast."

Actually the new website has a lot of granular information for business planners sifting through the nitty gritty.  But there's plenty of headline info, too, like Huntley's ranking in Illinois top 10 communities for new building permits every year since 2000.  "That's an important message for retailers," said Narusis.

The new website lit up late Thursday afternoon but it's not quite finished, according to Huntley Business Development Coordinator Margo Griffin.  It includes an easy search function to review available properties in the village because, "(Selectors) don't really want to spend a lot of time working on long lists."

The formatting and code's not quite ready for that part to work yet, though, she said. "Probably in early February," sad Griffin.

In the pic:  Huntley's new Economic Development website.

Small Business Group Urges State Leaders To Fix Tax Ranking

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and legislative leaders should be alarmed by the sharp fall in the state’s national ranking as a place to do business, said the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Wednesday.

The Tax Foundation, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, ranks the states every year on their respective business climates.  Illinois' dropped this year farther and faster than any other state. “In 2011, Illinois enacted significant tax increases...businesses in the state now pay one of the highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world,” said the report.

Illinois fell 12 places in the ranking from 16th to 28th, marking the sharpest decline among all 50 states. “This is not the way we want to be viewed regionally, nationally or internationally,” said  NFIB State Director Kim Clarke Maisch. “We are developing a reputation in the business community as a place to leave or avoid," she said. “We dropped in ranking in every category of taxation,” said Maisch.   “The trend is going in the wrong direction and if we remain on this course the damage may be irreversible.”

Maisch pointed out that Illinois is now almost surrounded by states with better business climates.  Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and Missouri, all immediate neighbors, are all ranked higher in the report. “We can’t compete in our own region if we isolate ourselves with taxes that businesses can avoid simply by moving a few miles in either direction,” said Maisch.

The Tax Foundation's report is located here: http://taxfoundation.org/research/show/22658.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
January 26
0132 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, nine years of age, in need of an evaluation. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
0845 HRS ALEXANDRIA DR. & ANNANDALE DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1759 HRS 1305 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (ALLSTATE) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1930 HRS FRANK RD. & BOULDER DR. LOST ARTICLE. License plate and front bumper. Entered into LEADS.
Algonquin
January 23
11:16am A 14 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Illegal Consumption and Possession of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 02/29/12 in Algonquin.
12:00pm A 14 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 02/29/12 in Algonquin.
12:39pm A fourteen-year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his father.
January 24
15:21pm Kelley, Sean M., DOB: 07/20/87, of 3050 Baldwin Lane, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.   He was also Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for Failure to Appear on a Possession of Cannabis charge.  He was taken into custody at Harnish Drive and Boyer Road.  He was released after posting $150 on the McHenry County charges with a court date of 02/29/12 in McHenry County and after posting $500 on the Kane County warrant with a court date of 02/16/12 in Kane County.
17:00pm Cvitkoivich, Joseph M. Jr., DOB: 06/14/63, of 1304 Yarmouth Court, Schaumburg, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry  County for Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $100 with a court date of 02/07/12 in McHenry County.
18:02pm Hallowell, William M., DOB: 05/08/92, of 2375 Bayview 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 02/29/12 in Algonquin.
January 26
12:27pm Schaefer, Sabrina M., DOB: 06/10/93, of 44W251 US Highway 20, Hampshire, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  She was transported to McHenry County Jail, when unable to post bond.
15:18pm A 12 year-old female from Algonquin was charged with Illegal Possession of Alcohol by a Minor.  She was taken into custody at Heineman Middle School, 725 Academic Drive.  She was referred to the Tri Are Court For Teens and then released into the custody of her mother.

Bull Valley Skulls Remain A Mystery

McHenry County authorities are scratching their heads after the discovery of two human skulls along Cherry Valley Road in Bull Valley.  After a schoolboy found the first skull Tuesday, a host of police agencies combed the area Wednesday and found a second one.  Spokesmen said they didn't think the skulls fit any missing persons reports.

None of the authorities quite said the skulls looked like anatomical specimens but a McHenry County Coroner's spokesman said they looked as if they'd been bleached.  Against that, real human skulls are fairly expensive, currently listing on eBay, for instance, between about $1,000 and $3,000.

The skulls were scheduled to be sent to a forensic pathologist for examination Wednesday.

In the pic:  Cherry Valley Road in Bull Valley was closed Wednesday as authorities looked for clues to the discovery of two human skulls there.

LITH Youth Among Three Arrested For Vandalism Spree

A Lake in the Hills youth was among three persons charged Wednesday after a mailbox and car-smashing spree Saturday and Sunday in Crystal Lake.  Police said they connected the trio to at least two dozen acts of vandalism to eight vehicles and 16 mailboxes, damages collectively exceeding $3,000.

Crystal Lake police said  Cleveland L. Wiggins and  Zachary J. Mecko, both 18, both from Crystal Lake, and the LITH boy were in a car they stopped after a salt truck driver saw someone bashing a stop sign with a crowbar Sunday evening.

Wiggins and Mecko were each charged with two counts of criminal damage to property and released after posting $150 bond.  The LITH youth was charged with only one count and released to his parents.

In the pic: Wiggins (left) and Mecko

Huntley Police Open Registration For Citizens' Academy

The Huntley Police Department is getting ready for another edition of its Citizen Police Academy  now accepting applications for the upcoming.  The the 10-week familiarization course is scheduled to begin March 7 from 7 to 9 pm meeting every Wednesday night through May 9 at HPD.

The Academy, free, consists of a series of classes and discussions which provide an overview of the various areas of law enforcement.  It allows citizens the opportunity to learn about the issues that affect law enforcement efforts in the Village of Huntley.  Advanced registration is required and seating is limited. Applicants must be at least 18.  There's a form here: http://www.huntley.il.us/depts/police.asp  or call (847) 515-5409. The registration deadline is Feb. 29.

Madigan Sues Ratings Agency For Finance Meltdown

Illiniois Attorney General Lisa Madigan Wednesday filed a lawsuit against securities evaluater Standard & Poor’s for assigning its highest ratings to risky mortgage-backed investments in the years leading up to the housing market crash.

Madigan alleged S&P doled out high ratings to risky investments as a corporate strategy to increase its revenue and market share. “Publicly, S&P took every opportunity to proclaim their analyses and ratings as independent, objective and free from its desire for revenue,” Madigan said. “Yet privately, S&P abandoned its principles and instead used every trick possible to give deals high ratings in order to retain clients and generate revenue."

Madigan said in the run up to the financial crisis, S&P consistently misrepresented the risk of mortgage-backed securities, assigning its highest seal of approval or AAA rating to paper that didn't deserve it. That spurred investors to purchase securities that were far riskier than their ratings revealed, her suit claimed.

Mortgage-backed securities are financial products made up of a pool of mortgages that are bundled together and sold as a security. The assets are backed by residential mortgages, including subprime mortgages. Madigan charged it was the misrepresentation of the true value of risky mortgage pools that helped the housing market skyrocket, then ultimately collapse in 2008.

Obituaries

Josef K. Wallner, 77, of Marengo died Wednesday at his home. Visitation will be Friday from 3 to 8:30 pm at the DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral & Cremation Service, Huntley. Funeral services will be at 10:30 am Saturday at the Zion Lutheran Church, Marengo.  Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Arlington Heights.

Wallner is survived by his wife, Irma; his daughter, Vivian (Michael) Kasal; his son, Joseph (Elizabeth) Wallner, and his grandchildren, Autumn and Christian Kasal and Kasen and Charlotte Wallner. He was preceded in death by his brother, Alois and his sister, Maria.

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
January 25
0823 HRS 9600 HALIGUS RD. (PUBLIC WORKS) DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. ISAILY, CATALINA, F/W 41 YEARS OF AGE, 11840 CAPE COD, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1049 HRS 00 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. SEXUAL ASSAULT. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1611 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1858 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Unwanted communication between students.
2054 HRS 400 BLOCK OF THUNDER RIDGE. SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Female, 48 years of age, suicidal. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2329 HRS 8801 PYOTT RD. (ALL SAFE SELF STORAGE) ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Deer. Property damage only.

Public Doubtful At Randall/Algonquin Intersection Hearing

About 200 people examined plans Tuesday for a controversial and unfamiliar solution to traffic woes at Randall and Algonquin Roads.  About half the crowd poring over maps and diagrams at Jacobs High School were government types of one sort or another but the other half were civilians, residents and business owners trying to figure out how a Continuous Flow Intersection works and what it would do to the Randall Retail Corridor.

McHenry County Division of Transportation engineers have been studying the Randall Corridor for five years since traffic there's bad and expected to get worse.  The bottleneck is Randall and Algonquin.  MCDOT computer modeling showed just adding more lanes wouldn't solve the problem while an interchange would take out about as many businesses as a tactical nuke. The "preferred solution" planners found was a Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) of which there are five in the U.S.

Needless to say, traffic flow through a CFI isn't actually continuous. In fact, it stacks left-turners in a waiting lane except it's to the far left of oncoming traffic. "I can't follow this," said one salty Algonquin resident who preferred not to be identified.  "It's like a dodgem ride."

Accompanying access closings and changes stemming from the CFI would extend as far north as Acorn/Polaris and as far south as Bunker Hill/Harnish.  Bunker Hill resident Paul McDonough looked at one map and said, "This is going to funnel more traffic onto Bunker Hill and there's going to be a mammoth increase.  There's already a lot of traffic there now."

Some business owners worry customers won't be able to get to their stores if a CFI is built but Joe DiGrazia, Manager at Algonquin's Guitar Center, focused on a more immediate access problem.  "The question I have is how long it will take.  It seems a good bet it would be more than a year that business would be affected by construction."

That would depend on whether the project wins approval, however. MCDOT has to get the plan past Federal Highway Administration officials since they're the ones holding the purse strings for the Randall upgrade project now ticketed at $80 million.

MCDOT will accept comments on the plan until Feb. 23 at: http://www.randallroad.info/contact

In the pic:  Some of the maps at Tuesday's MCDOT CFI hearing can be reviewed at: http://www.randallroad.info/files/info/preferredAlternative/RIS_PR_11x17CFIExhibit.pdf and http://www.randallroad.info/files/RIS_PR_2-Leg_CFIExhibit_Access.pdf

LITH Board Still Against CFI, Algonquin Appears Split

MCDOT's hearing Tuesday on a Continuous Flow Intersection at Randall and Algonquin Road didn't have much effect on opposition to it from the Lake in the Hills Board. "I felt like I was being sold a used car," said Trustee Steve Harlfinger at the Village's Board meeting half an hour later. "This is going to be a nightmare.

Trustee Ray Bogdanowski said the problem isn't the CFI itself but all the business access closings necessary to accommodate it.  MCDOT's mapped alternate routes for customers to reach shops shut off from current Randall access but, "You have to backtrack to get anywhere and that's our bread and butter," said Bogdanowski.

Village President Ed Plaza said business sales tax receipts where what allowed the Village to cut its property tax levy this year and called on staff to help mobilize the Village's Business Relations Committee with petitions against the CFI.  "We don't have an ear at the County, anymore," he said.

Algonquin trustees weren't expected to discuss the CFI at their meeting Tuesday but that Board is probably still split.  At the hearing, Trustee Debbie Sosine said she'd be willing to listen to further arguments in favor of the CFI but only on one condition.  "They have to talk to us, not lecture us," she said.  Trustee Jerry Glogowski claimed he was still agnostic on the CFI idea.  "I don't make up my mind until I've done my research," he said.

Trustee Jim Steigert seemed to favor the CFI, not because it was the best solution but because it was the least bad one.  "When Algonquin is built out you're going to have another 15,000 people," he said. "More people means more traffic.  It's already a deterrent for people coming from Huntley or Crystal Lake on a Saturday, " he said.  "What's it going to be like in 2030?"

In the pic:  There were lots of details to ponder Tuesday in the 3.5 mile stretch of Randall Road being considered for upgrades.

No Cause Found Yet For Huntley Monday Evening Fire

It may be another two days before Huntley Fire Protection District investigators can determine the cause of the Monday evening fire that destroyed the house at Dr. David Hucek's Huntley Equine & small animal clinic on Huntley Road.

The fire began about 6 pm Monday but the last firefighter didn't leave the scene until about 4 am Tuesday morning.  HFPD Deputy Chief Ken Caudle said efforts to damp the blaze on the home's second story were hampered because "this was an unhydranted area; we had to use tenders for it."  Indeed, Caudle said 10 of 22 departments involved in putting out the fire had to bring their tankers.  "The other problem was it was cold," said Caudle.

One family member was treated for smoke inhalation, according to authorities and one firefighter suffered a minor cut fighting the blaze.

Caudle said the family's being aided with food, clothing and a motel room right now by the boardup service called to secure the home. 

Candidates Trade Snarls In 52nd District GOP Race

Tuesday's announcement of an Illinois State Board of Elections refusal to throw incumbent 52nd District State Rep. Ken Gaffney off the GOP Primary ballot drew overheated reaction from both Gaffney's camp and that of challenger Dave McSweeney. The new 52nd District includes eastern parts of Algonquin and LITH.

Gaffney sent out a release Tuesday calling on McSweeney to withdraw. "He has disgraced himself with shameful, untrue accusations against my campaign," said Gaffney.

McSweeney shot back is own release saying, "We strongly believe that there was a pattern of fraud," adding that he planned to file suit in Cook County Circuit Court to have Gaffney stuck from the ballot.

The conflict turns on the validity of signatures on Gaffney's nominating petitions.  There were 1,059 on the petitions he turned in.  Technicalities negated 261 and a hearing officer knocked off another 138 because of conflicting testimony about how they were gathered.  That still left 660 good ones with only 500 required.

The conflicting testimony came from the husband and son of District 5 McHenry County Board Member Tina Hill who circulated some Gaffney petitions at a turkey raffle.  "It was just a difference of memory," she said Tuesday. "(My son) said he didn't touch the petitions and my husband said he might have."

McSweeney also said he planned to press a complaint that some of Gaffney's petitions were circulated by government employees working on the State's time.

In the pic:  Dave McSweeney (above; McHenry County Blog photo) and Kent Gaffney (below). 

Higher State Ed Funding Goes To Pensions

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois’ 12 percent increase in higher education spending this year isn’t going to benefit students. Instead, the additional funding for fiscal 2012 is going into the State Universities Retirement System, or SURS, to address its underfunded pension program, according to a study released Monday by Illinois State University.

The study didn’t specify how much it estimates SURS’ portion to be but said the “rapidly increasing appropriations” have pushed Illinois’ higher education spending from $3.2 billion in fiscal 2011 to $3.6 billion this fiscal year, according the annual Grapevine study of state support for higher education put out by Center for the Study of Education Policy at ISU.

Funding that made it to the college or university classroom decreased this year compared to last year by 0.76 percent, from $1.62 billion to $1.6 billion, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, or IBHE, which oversees the state's higher education system. Those figures reflect money going directly to education, such as operating expenses, and don’t include capital spending.

The amount of taxpayer money making it to the universities for daily operations has been on a downward slide for a decade, “It’s probably not very likely we’re going to see increases in state funding for education, and we’ll be lucky if (higher) education funding is held flat,” said Alan Philips, deputy director of the IBHE.

Students have been asked to shoulder much of the rising cost of classrooms while at the same time Illinois diverted money to the ailing SURS. Students in 2011 paid 30 percent more for a year of college at a university than those in 2007, as the cost rose from $13,496 to $18,189.

Philips said increasing tuition and student fees have become an ugly reality for universities dealing with less state money and the end of federal stimulus funding. “With the cost of educating increasing, with the requirement to serve more students increasing, with the state funding decreasing, there’s not many places that you make up the difference,” he said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7514/increased-il-higher-ed-funding-goes-to-pensions/

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
January 24
1548 HRS 103 S. RANDALL RD. (JEWEL FOOD STORE) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2055 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son. Verbal only. No priors. Male, 15 years of age, transported to Woodstock Hospital for an evaluation.

D300 Board Ponders New Bus Contract, Hiring Fleet

The District 300 Board of Education Monday welcomed a proposed $22.4 million three-year bus contract, a rate about the same as the current one.  They promised to look at it some more, though, to see if the District might be able to save more money using bus company buses instead of district-owned ones.

Even without that change, while the bottom line of the contract would remain largely unchanged, some of the details of the new contract would be different.  Most notably, Durham School Services, the current contractor and low-bidde would take over bus maintenance.  Otherwise the new contract would have been $400,000 per year higher, according to officials.

Finance Director Merriann Besonen told Board members they could slice another $500,000 per year off the transportation budget if it called for Durham-owned buses.  Board Member Joe Stevens worried that might leave the district at Durham's mercy if it ever tried to switch to another company.  Fellow Member Chris Stanton argued in that situtation a new contractor could pull a replacement bus fleet out of its hat in practically no time.

Board members will look at the new bus contract again next month.

Separately, District administrators sought to close an obscure backdoor to teachers' higher pay rates.  Human Resources Director John Light said he wanted to clarify that if a new teacher signed on as a Bachelors-certified teacher even though he actually had a Masters degree, he'd never get paid later for holding the higher one. Superintendent Michael Bregy said the District makes those sorts of hires sometimes because "we didn't want to become one of those districts that refuses to interview beyond a bachelors' candidate."

Stevens said that was a good policy since it helps the district find better teacher candidates.  "If there's a surplus of qualified candidates in the private sector--that happens every day," he said.

The policy doesn't preclude teachers from working on another Masters or Doctorate to qualify for a higher salary Light said.

In the pic:  Administrators said D300 stands almost alone now among large Illinois school disrtricts in owning its own school buses.  

Kirk Stroke Unlikely To Impact Congressional Battles

Illinois Senator Mark Kirk's stroke may not have much effect on upcoming legislation.  There isn't much on tap soon except for extension of the payroll tax cut and Kirk's absence isn't expected to make much difference. Kirk's Senate Office Monday said, "As Senator Kirk begins his recovery, his office will remain open to constituents."

Complaining of dizziness, the Highland Park Republican checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital Saturday where doctors found a torn right carotid artery in his neck. He was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago where other tests showed he'd suffered a stroke. Early Monday Kirk underwent surgery to relieve swelling around his brain.

Physicians said that since he's only 52 and in good health they were confident he'll recover intellectual function but might not regain all his physical abilities.

In the pic:  Mark Kirk campaigning for his eat at the Summer Sunset Parade two years ago.

Regional Spelling Bee At Marlowe Middle School Feb. 1

Marlowe Middle School in LITH will be the site for this year's McHenry County Regional Spelling Bee next Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 6 pm.  Spellers in grades six through eight have been vying in classroom and school-wide competitions to head for the regional meet for several weeks now.

For example, D158 will be represented by Marlowe seventh grader Carlos Mendez.

In the pic:  Carlos Mendez, Jack Sover and Jonathan Velazquez swept the top three places in the District's school-wide spelling competition earlier this month.

Illinois Justices To OK Cameras In Courts

By Scott Reeder, Illinois Statehouse News
It is time for Illinois courts to allow cameras into courtrooms, Illinois Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride told Illinois Statehouse News in an exclusive interview. Today, the state Supreme Court is expected to announce it will allow trial court proceedings to be filmed and tape recorded for the first time in the state’s 194-year history, Kilbride said.

Illinois is one of 14 states where cameras in trial courtrooms are still either not allowed or not used, according to the Radio Television Digital News Association. “The idea behind this is simple. We need to have the courts be more open. By having the public keeping an eye on what is going on in the courtroom, it can act as a check in the balance of power,” Kilbride said.

The move is a positive step toward holding judges, state’s attorneys and other elected officials who work in courtrooms accountable, said Mike Barnhart, president of Sunshine Review, a national organization that promotes government transparency and accountability.

The chief judges of Illinois’ 23 circuit courts are responsible for implementing the policy. Once a chief judge of a circuit court applies and is approved by the Supreme Court, news media may request to cover eligible cases electronically in that circuit court. Members of the news media are responsible for applying for electronic coverage each time they want to cover a particular case.

The new policy only allows for members of the “established” news media to photograph, film or tape record sessions. Residents and those working for non-traditional news organizations, such as Internet blogs, initially are being excluded from filming or recording court sessions. “While I think this is a step in the right direction, it does distress me that some are included in this policy, and others are excluded,” said Mike Barnhart, president of Sunshine Review, a national organization that promotes government transparency and accountability.

You can read Scott's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7506/illinois-supreme-court-gives-ok-to-cameras-in-trial-courts/

In the pic:  Although most histories credit the 1954 Sam Sheppard murder trial with starting the move to ban courtroom cameras, it was actually the 1964 Billie Sol Estes fraud trial shown here that really kicked  them out.

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
January 23
0140 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 31 years of age, lost consciousness. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1952 HRS 700 BLOCK OF MOHICAN TRAIL. DOMESTIC. Brother vs. Sister. Verbal only. One prior.

One More Vote To Come On Huntley Centegra Hospital

Centegra Health Systems officials and Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board staffers will lay out a schedule next month to culminate in what will be, in effect, one more vote on whether to build a new 128-bed hospital in Huntley.

Centegra, according to Board Administrator Courtney Avery, filed an appeal Dec. 20 from the Board's Dec. 7 four to four deadlock with a member absent over authorizing the new hospital.  There'll be a pre-hearing Feb. 23 followed by a one to three-month investigation before an administrative law judge renders his decision, according to Board Deupty Chief Counsel Frank Urso.  But that's not the final decision.  The end will come when the Health Facilities Board votes one more time on whether to accept or reject the judge's verdict.

At an initial review in June, the Board voted eight to one against Huntley Centegra. Three members changed their minds last month, though, after Centegra emphasized expected population growth in southeastern McHenry County.  Centegra will have to hold those four and convert one more Board Member to win approval.

"When someone has invested all the time and the effort and the money that goes into one of these proposals they probably will take all the due process options that are available," commented Urso Friday.

Mercy Health Systems is also asking for administrative review of the Board's thumbs down to a now-smaller proposed hospital in Crystal Lake.  Avery said Mercy filed a request on that Jan. 12.

In the pic:  A model of Centegra's proposed new hospital at Haligus and Reed roads.

Dundee Library District Seeks New Name

Work on the Dundee Public Library District's 5,000 square-foot branch library in the new Randall Oaks Recreation Center is moving along.  The District's decided, not too surprisingly, to name it the Randall Oaks Branch Library but now the Board's not sure what to call the District itself.

Its legal name since it was formed in 1981 has been, "Dundee Township Public Library District."  Since then, though, the District 's spread out a lot and Board members worry the name's no longer descriptive. They're trying to find a better one.  "In thinking of a new name for the district, we would like people to keep in mind that the purpose of renaming the district is to have the name reflect the whole district,“ said board president Marge Skold.

That's going to be quite a challenge since it now  includes parts of Algonquin, Elgin, and Barrington Hills and all of Carpentersville, both Dundees, Sleepy Hollow and Gilberts.  Whatever the new name turns out to be, it's supposed to be memorable and easy to say, too. 

Naming criteria,  guidelines, and an email address to submit new Library District names are at: http://www.dundeelibrary.info/dundee/Extra7.asp

In the pic:  The new Dundee Library District branch will be in the Randall Oaks Rec Center now under construction.

Manzullo In Battle For 16th Congress Seat, Just Not Here

Incumbent 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo will continue to represent southeastern McHenry County until next January but since the Congressional remap whisked the 16th district off to the south and east his Primary battle with 11th District freshman Congressman Adam Kinzinger for the GOP nomination doesn't matter locally.

Too bad, since it's turning into a swell fight over who's the more conservative candidate.  Manzullo trotted out a Heritage Foundation vote tally last week proving he is.  Kinzinger used Manzullo's voting record to charge he's really a big-spending bailout supporter.

It's anyone's guess which one voters are going to believe.  Thanks to redistricting, 56 percent of the voters in the revised 16th have probably never heard of Manzullo before and 70 percent probably don't know who Kinzinger is, either.  No one's filed for the Primary on the Democratic side.

In the pic:  Don Manzullo who represented the area for the past decade.

IL Looking For Pension, Medicaid, Tax Reform Hat Trick

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Gov. Pat Quinn is set to outline his priorities for the upcoming legislative session during the State of the State address Feb. 1, but taxes, public pensions and Medicaid are expected to dominate the discussion here this Spring.

This trinity of seemingly separate issues — skyrocketing health-care costs, ballooning pension payments and the state’s tax structure — actually are interwoven, said Tom Johnson, former director of the Illinois Department of Revenue and current president of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, non-partisan fiscal and tax policy advocacy organization. “The first place you have to look at is our pensions," Johnson said. "It’s what’s crowding out all other areas of government, human services and education.” Until then, new money from the year-old income tax increase “will be used primarily for payment of debt, not sustaining government services.”

Illinois has an unfunded pension liability — how much the state owes in payouts compared with the fiscal resources on hand — of $85 million. The state is expected to put $5.3 billion into the state’s pension system for this coming fiscal year, about $1.1 billion more than the most recent payment.

Medicaid spending is growing quickly, as well. The state will shell out $7 billion, or about 12 percent, of its $33.2 billion budget for the state-run health-care program as part of the federal federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. That cost is expected to climb about $700 million in the next budget.

There is another squeeze in the near future, beyond the current issues facing Medicaid and pension funding. The 67 percent personal income tax increase passed a year ago is set to go from the current rate of 5 percent to 3.75 percent at the end of 2014, then back to the pre-increase rate of 3.25 percent by 2025. This will create a huge revenue hole in the budget that will be filled with either more taxes, major changes to the state’s Medicaid and pension systems, or some combination of both.

Johnson said any changes to the tax structure need to be preceded by changes in spending. “The tax increase did not resolve the issues, because we didn’t really tackle, in any significant way, the spending side of the budget,” Johnson said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7499/il-looking-for-hat-trick-of-pension-medicaid-tax-reform/

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
January 22
0337 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTIS) BATTERY. BLACK, HENRY L., M/B 21 YEARS OF AGE, 535 HILL DR. UNIT 303, HOFFMAN ESTATES. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
1307 HRS 2400 BLOCK OF CLAREMONT LN. POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH REVOKED FOID. HUVER, JAMES E., M/W 35 YEARS OF AGE, 2432 CLAREMONT LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS, CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant Dupage County Failure to Appear Domestic Battery Bond $6000 @ 10% and a $75 Failure To Appear Fee, Possession of a Firearm with a Revoked Fire Arm Owner Identification. RELEASED ON BOND.
1053 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS POLICE) ASSIST OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT. Assisted the Elgin Police Department with a Missing Juvenile. Juvenile returned to Parent.
1109 HRS 4000 BLOCK OF BARHARBOR DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Parents vs. Son. Eight Priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1239 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Damage to unit from a broken water pipe.
1307 HRS FRANK RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1258 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Damage to unit from a water break.
1346 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Damage to unit from a broken water pipe.
1418 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Damage to unit from a broken water pipe.
1416 HRS 400 BLOCK OF HARVEST GATE. REPORT FOR INSURANCE. Window broken on a car.
1554 HRS 00 BLOCK OF INDIAN TRAIL. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Daughter. Verbal only. No priors.
1647 HRS 0 BLOCK OF LARKSPUR CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. One prior. FAIL TO FILE.
1755 HRS 00 BLOCK OF LINDEN ST. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Garage Door. Property damage only.
1912 HRS 2 E. OAK ST. (LAKE IN THE HILLS POLICE ANNEX) SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Male, 23 years of age, ingested unknown number of sleeping pills. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2130 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY.  Husband vs. Wife. Fail to file. Two priors. FAIL TO FILE.
2306 HRS 0 BLOCK OF DEERPATH. ASSIST AMBULANCE. one year-old having a seizure. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
Algonquin
January 21
01:36am Lorusso, Nick M., DOB: 08/02/93, of 1551 Tallgrass Court, Algonquin, was charged with Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody in the area of Bloomsbury Court.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 02/29/12 in Algonquin.
January 22
00:54am A 14 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Criminal Damage to Property and Assault.  He was taken into custody in the 2200 block of Teton Parkway.  He was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of his parents.
04:32am Hurtado, Fabian, DOB: 07/04/77, of 250 Wedgewood Circle, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DUI, Failure to Reduce Speed and Following Too Closely.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Harrison Street.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 02/22/12 in McHenry County.
January 23
00:17am Becerra, Bernabe, DOB: 01/01/91, of 412 Hoover Drive, Carpentersville, was charged with DWLS and No Proof of Insurance. He was taken into custody at Route 62 and High Point Ridge.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 02/29/12 in McHenry County.

Foreclosures Still High In McHenry County

Mortgage foreclosure filings fell to a total of 2,906 in 2011 according to the latest compilation from the McHenry County Circuit Clerk's office. That was a big improvement on 2010's 3,635 total but still the second highest in county history, worse than 2008 and 2009.

In fact, according to a report this month from RealtyTrac, the national online real esate data firm, McHenry County had the third highest rate of foreclosure filings in Illinois behind only Kendall and Kane counties. Illinois, while down about 32 percent from last year, still had the fourth highest rate of filings after California, Florida and Michigan, according to RealtyTrac. About 1.9 million U.S. homes were hit with default notices, foreclosures and other actions last year. That was down from 2.9 million in 2010.

The downward trend in foreclosures last year may not mean fewer homeowners in trouble, though. Early in the year many big mortgage providers held back on foreclosures while they revamped records-keeping procedures lawyers had challenged in court. The real estate market was in "full delay mode" last year , said Brandon Moore, Realty Trac's CEO.

That may be over now, though. "There were strong signs in the second half of 2011 that lenders are finally beginning to push through some of the delayed foreclosures in select local markets," said Brandon Moore.

By Realty Trac's count there were 2,240 homes listed for sale in McHenry County right now. However the firm also says banks own 1,028 properties. That overhang probably helps explain the McHenry County Association of Realtors sales report for last month. The number of sales went up 14 percent in December to 282. However the average price skidded another 6-plus percent to $165,000.

McHenry County's foreclosure filing stats are at: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/circuitclerk/Pages/ForeclosureStatistics.aspx

In the pic: RealtyTrac's tally of foreclosures and four months late pre-foreclosures in McHenry County for December.

ALITH Food Pantry Getting Closer To Big Move

Journeymen trainees finished the ducting this past week and volunteer tile installers are due this week at the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry's intended new location on Pyott Road in Lake in the Hills.  "The way I see it, we're about three weeks away," from moving the Pantry's larder said volunteer boss Ron Eck Saturday.

For the past four months, area trade union members have been doing most of the work to remodel the pole barn on LITH's Larsen Farm so the Pantry can move from the leaky LITH machine shed on Oak Street where it's been located for the past decade. "We've got the furnace working now," said Eck, "and the insulation union will be here next week so we can put in a foot of insulation," said Eck.  "Then maybe we can get the temperature above 54 degrees which is all we can do now," he said.

In the pic:  Bob Zmijewski and Ron Eck Saturday figuring out where the light cans will go so the drop ceiling in the Food Pantry's resale area will install properly.

MCC Seeks Literacy Volunteers For College, Area Libs

McHenry County College has scheduled volunteer orientation sessions Saturday and Feb. 2 at MCC for literacy volunteer tutors to teach reading, math or English as a Second Language to adult students at McHenry County College or at local libraries.  The Saturday session's from 9 to 11 am on in Room A370. The Feb. 2 one's from from 5 to 7 pm in Room A368.

Literacy volunteer tutors don't not have to speak a second language to teach in the adult education literacy program. Volunteer tutors will receive free basic training that provides the information and skills needed to work with literacy students. Flexible work schedules are provided to tailor things to volunteers' personal dayplanners, both retired or  full time workers.

Marie Day at (815) 455-8542 has more information or can reserve a seat at one of the orientation sessions.

IL Lawmakers To Push For school Vouchers--Again

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Riding the wave of a victory in school reform last year, education activists are gearing up for another push this spring, this time for school vouchers. Through vouchers, tax dollars would help pay tuition at private schools.

Past plans in Illinois have targeted vouchers at children enrolled in underperforming schools and those who live in economically depressed areas of the state. “All of the most serious school choice proposals we have seen over the past couple of years have at least one thing in common; they in their own way try and deliver school choice to students in the worst schools,” said Collin Hitt, a senior policy analyst with Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank. Hitt said his organization plans to ask lawmakers to revisit the issue again this year.

Vouchers have made unusual allies out of conservative advocates and Democratic lawmakers. The conservative advocates say they would save taxpayers money and create healthy competition between the public and private sectors. “We think diverting money from public schools is a misuse of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Charles McBarron, a spokesman for the teacher’s union, the Illinois Education Association.

Studies on the effectiveness of voucher programs in better educating students are mixed.
Chris Lubienski, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studies school choices, and he said academic gains are minimal. “Once you control for the fact that there’s more special education students, more English deficient students, more disabled students, in public schools, when you control for those differences, public schools actually might outperform private schools on standardized tests,” Lubienski said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7478/il-lawmakers-set-to-push-for-school-vouchers-%E2%80%94-again/

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
January 21
2203 HRS VIRGINIA RD. & RAKOW RD. NO VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE/ACCIDENT.  ACUNA, JESUS, M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 449 WINDHAM COVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: No Valid Drivers License, Improper Lane Usage, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid Accident. RELEASED ON BOND.
1347 HRS 5300 BLOCK OF BRIARFIELD LN. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Boyfriend vs. girlfriend. Verbal only. Sixty priors. UNFOUNDED.
1437 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTONS) FRAUD. Credit card used for unlawful transaction. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1447 HRS 1123 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (STREET LEGAL) ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assist McHenry County with a battery. Victim transported to Sherman Hospital.
2201 HRS 500 BLOCK OF MASON LN. ACCIDENT Two vehicles property damage only.