Judge Stops Bianchi Prosecutor Payments, Will Open Some Records

McHenry County Circuit Judge Gordon Graham Friday ruled McHenry County doesn't have to pay Special Prosecutors $300,000 until it gets an Appellate Court ruling on whether it really owes that much more for the failed misconduct charges against State's Attorney Lou Bianchi.  Graham also indicated he'll open at least part of a secret file Bianchi's lawyer hopes will show how a complaint about a secretary's typing political material mushroomed into a $600,000 prosecution.

Graham last month ordered the County to pay the final rounds of bills from Special Prosecutors Henry "Skip" Tonigan and Thomas McQueen even though a Winnebago County judge exonerated Bianchi without a defense of all of two dozen charges.  Special Assistant State's Attorney Charles Colburn Friday asked Graham to stay the order while he appeals it.

McQueen argued it was "time for the County of McHenry to pony up" or at least post a payment bond until it was. Graham allowed the appeal without a guarantee.  "The County is apparently in good financial shape," he observed.

McQueen also argued against opening any of the administrative file about the prosecutions. "These matters are akin to the actions in a State's Attorney's Office," said McQueen.  "It identifies our every move."

"I'm not asking for access to Mr. McQueen's files," Ekl replied.  "I'm asking for a court (administrative) file," he said.  "It's different."

Graham fretted that the records might contain information from Grand Jury proceedings saying,  "It probably contains material that should never see the public eye." Ekl replied there was an easy answer: keep only the legally secret material secret.  "You don't seal the entire file," he argued.

Graham said he'd open the file-- but only part way.  "I'm going to have to go over it," he said, with the Special Prosecutors' help.  "A couple of weeks should be more than sufficient," said Graham.

Colburn said he'd hold off filing the County's payment appeal until then.  Under a previous Graham ruling, if there's an appeal pending, nothing else happens in the case until it's resolved.

In the pic:  Circuit Judge Gordon Graham

Grafton Trustees' Lawyer Points Toward Appellate Court Again

Judge Michael Caldwell set April 12 as the earliest date for a final judgement on whether the Supervisor or the Board actually runs Grafton Township.  However, Trustees' Special Counsel  said later the final answer will probably come from an Appeals Court.

Caldwell more than a year ago issued a preliminary decision that the Supervisor Linda Moore is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Grafton Township but the trustees have authority on "major contracts" and what bills to pay.  Since then, though, trustees charge Moore won't pay bills she doesn't like and they, in turn, have refused to allow Moore to pay ones they don't like.

After a closed pre-trial conference Friday with Caldwell and Moore Attorney John Nelson, Robert K. Bush, partner in the trustee's attorney firm Ancel-Glink, said he didn't foresee an end to the Grafton Township conflict at the Circuit Court level.  "We need some better definition from the Appellate Court on what is meant by 'day-to-day' operations," he said.

An appeal can't come, though until Caldwell ties up some loose threads in the case. The biggest one is whether Grafton Township has to pay a $20,000 bill for a computer forensics firm Trustees hired to find out what happened when Grafton's financial records vanished two years ago.  Moore testified she took them home with her but, apparently, never told anyone else.  Caldwell's expressed doubt about the way Trustees hired the firm but has never made a decision.  That might come in April, but maybe not.  Nelson Friday stage-whispered to Bush that he might take a new tack and argue Trustees were personally liable for it.

In the pic:  Still unresolved at Grafton, the $20,000 bill to find the Township's "missing" financial records.

HHS Donates Funds For County’s Breast Cancer Program

McHenry County Department of Health said this week that Huntley High School's donation of thirty-eight $25 gas gift cards ($950) would give a big boost to  MCDH’s Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer program. “For many women, the inability to afford gas for a car becomes a barrier to accessing care," said Public Health Administrator Patric McNulty. “Huntley’s contribution will help facilitate screenings, diagnostic tests and/or treatment for low-income women who lack the resources to get regular screenings.”

Proceeds from T-shirt sales at the Second Annual Huntley High School Boys Basketball “Pink Out” game last month paid for the gas cards.  According to MCDH figures since 2008, the Breast & Cervical Cancer Program's screened 2,835 McHenry County women finding 476 breast and 98 cervical abnormalities.  More tests have confirmed 29 breast and 9 cervical cancers for treatment.

In the pic:  A sea of HHS pink T-Shirts last month helped support cancer screening for McHenry County women.

Lawmakers Pan Budget Cuts

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Lawmakers agree the state needs to cut spending, but few rallied behind Gov. Pat Quinn's spending plan  to close state facilities in many of their districts and cut Medicaid spending on many of their constituents. Quinn’s $33.9 budget relies on cutting Medicaid spending and saving $110 million annually by closing or consolidating 63 state facilities to generate a surplus of more than $160 million.

“He talked a lot about Medicaid but didn’t give us a whole lot of specifics about how to we’re going to get from point A to point B, except he’s going to keep us around all summer if we don’t do what he says,” state Rep. Rich Morthland, R-Cordova, said.

Mary Jane Worth, president of the Illinois Hospital Association, which lobbies on behalf of hospitals in the state, said less Medicaid spending could have a domino effect. “If cuts are made to Medicaid, many hospitals will be forced to reduce or eliminate key services or lay off staff, and some hospitals may close,” Worth said. “When health-care services are eliminated due to Medicaid cuts, those services are gone for everyone, not just Medicaid patients.”

For some downstate lawmakers, the state facility hit list, not pension reforms or Medicaid cuts, are of great concern. Democratic state. Sen. John Sullivan’s hometown of Rushville is one of 24 communities where Quinn wants to close the local Illinois Department of Human Services office. “To talk about increasing funding for education at the same time when you’re talking about closing numerous facilities and cutting services to some pretty vulnerable populations, that did not seem like a good balance,” Sullivan said.

Quinn’s proposals, while bare, are the start of a much-needed conversation, said Doug Whitley, president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, a group that lobbies on behalf of businesses in the state. “Our state needs to wake up and recognize the reality is of what they can afford," he said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7731/quinns-budget-cuts-leave-little-to-be-desired-il-lawmakers-say/

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
February 24
0104 HRS 700 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Brother vs. Brother. Verbal only. No priors.
0156 HRS 1401 INDUSTRIAL DR. (PYOTT RD. SELF STORAGE) ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Pole. Property damage only.
0435 HRS RAKOW RD. & VIRGINIA RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
0745 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. ACCIDENT. One vehicle. Property damage only.
1015 HRS 251 N. RANDALL RD. (APPLEBEE’S) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1625 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF JEFFERSON ST. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 48 years of age, took unknown amount of medication. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

Area Digs Out From Overnight Storm Ending This Morning

The winter storm system over the area will move northeast with some areas seeing more moderate snow before it tapers off to light snow showers and flurries for this afternoon, according to the National Weather Serivice. Forecasters said a Total daytime snow accumulation of one to three more inches was possible.

Plows rumbled down area main thoroughfares long before dawn this morning but a spot check shows many neighborhood streets haven't been reached by crews yet.  Snow accumulations vary around Nothern Illinois.  At 6:30 this morning O'Hare airport had measured only 2.6 inches of snow.  Rockford airport, however, reported 4.8 inches.

District 300 administrators Thursday evening called a two-hour late start for its schools today.  Algonquin's St. Margaret Mary School will also have a late start today at 11 am.  At 8 am this morning D158 hadn't called a snow day or late start.

Despite the ominous creaking of loaded tree branches ComEd reported few widespread power outages in its service area.  An outage map this morning shows the most lines down in Libertyville and Mt. Prospect but as the early morning progressed, some interruptions began to be reported in the Crystal Lake and Elgin and DeKalb service regions, too.  That may change as predicted 15 to 20 mph breezes begin to push on trees loaded with sticky heavy snow.

In the pic:  For all the trouble the snow is, it's surely pretty this morning.  Outside the FEN office.

LITH Board Ducks Chicken Decision

Chickens were not on the menu Thursday at the Lake in the Hills Village Board.  A request by tenants at the Village's Larsen farmhouse off Pyott Road had requested permission to keep hens for eggs in the abandoned chicken coop on the property but trustees showed the white feather and  put off a decision for a couple of weeks.

LITH's animal ordinance outlaws chickens but permits the Board to grant exceptions.  On one hand, the site's next to a stable.  On the other, making an exception would amount to the Village doing itself special favors.  Two years ago the Board felt forced to run a ring-tailed lemur out of town when a resident asked for a somewhat similar break.

For some reason, chicken disputes are turning up all over. Last Spring the Batavia Board said chickens in town, at least with a license, were just ducky there.  But last Summer Crystal Lake's Board split over a quartet of chickens roosting in a residential garage and the mayor had to provide the edge to uphold the city's ban.  Last Fall McHenry's mayor likewise had to break a tie vote to keep the the fowl creatures out of that village.

There's even a local special interest group for keeping chickens.  It has a website here:
http://mcbackyardchickens.weebly.com/

In the pic:  A pair of chickens that used to live in Crystal Lake.

Huntley OK's Electric Consortium, Seeks Adopt-A-Highway Help

The Huntley Village Board Thursday gave final approval to joining the McHenry County-headed Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium.  NIGEAC will try to negotiate lower electric rates for residents assuming voters in unincorporated McHenry County and 11 municipalities approve aggregation referenda on their ballots next month.

Separately, Managment Assistant Barb Read told FEN the Village's Adopt-A-Highway Program still lacks volunteer groups to care for four sections of community roadways.  They are Reed Road, Section One from Route 47 east to eastern boundary of Covington Lakes, about half a mile, and Section Two from Haligus Road east to eastern boundary of Southwind Subdivision, also about half a mile; Freeman Road from Route 47 east to Village limits, about three quarters of a mile, and Dhamer Drive from Route 47 west to east of Sandwald Road, a little better than three quarters of a mile.  Volunteer groups promise to care for roadways for a two-year period with trash collections  at least twice a year, April in conjunction with Earth Day, and October.

Info on it all's available here: http://www.huntley.il.us/documents/Adopt-A-HighwayWebPage_001.pdf or from Read at 847-515-5262 .

In the pic:  Some McHenry County Adopt-A-Highway volunteers cleaning up Randall Road.

Auto Accident Kills Huntley Girl

Funeral services have not been set yet for a 19 year-old Huntley girl killed in an unexplained auto accident Wednesday evening on Huntley Marengo road about a half mile east of Route 20.

Passenger Jennifer M. Kearns was thrown from a Westbound Jeep Cherokee when it left the road and rolled over at about 8 pm.  Emergency personnel pronounced her dead on the scene.  McHenry County Sheriff's Deputies said she wasn't seatbelted in.

Neither, they said, was driver, Zachary C. Richardson, 22, Union, nor the other passengers, John W. Sheehan, 23, Huntley, and Steven D. Manninen, 21, Union.  Richardson, too, was thrown from the vehicle, according to Deputies, and taken to Centegra-Woodstock for treatment.  Sheehan was taken to Sherman Hospital and released.  Manninen refused treatment, according to deputies.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Crash Investigations Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office are still investigating what caused the accident.  

ISN Puts IL Budget Through Math Check

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's budget proposal tops 400 pages and is more than 3 inches thick. Inside the governor's plan for the next fiscal year, which begins in June, are the details of how he wants to spend $33.9 billion in taxpayers’ money.

Quinn’s fiscal 2013 spending plan is $700 million more than the current budget, mostly for an increase in the state's public employee pension payment. "Our pension payment is increasing a little over $1 billion this year," said Quinn’s Budget Director David Vaught. Illinois will owe $5.9 billion in the upcoming year.

"The governor's proposed spending is less than projected state revenues," said said Laurence Msall, president of the Chicago-based fiscal policy watchdog group, Civic Federation. "And that is a step in the right direction." The Legislature's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on Tuesday predicted Illinois will take in $34.3 billion in tax revenue in fiscal 2013.

Jerry Stermer, Quinn's special adviser on Medicaid said, "Illinois has to cut $2.7 billion from human services and Medicaid in the next budget, because the state simply cannot afford to spend $14 billion on $16.7 billion in liabilities."

Quinn's budget also calls for closing 14 facilities and consolidating dozens more could save the state close to $100 million a year. State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, whose district includes one of the youth centers considered for closure, said the governor is counting on savings while discounting the costs of moving people out of prisons, youth centers or institutions. "Just saying that we're closing facilities is not enough," Bost said. "You actually have to implement a plan and show those savings."

You can read Ben's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7733/how-does-quinns-budget-add-up/

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
February 23
1444 HRS 200 BLOCK OF WANDER WAY. TRESPASS. Trespass to residence. FAIL TO FILE.
1548 HRS 00 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD CT. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Information for police. PENDING INVESTIGATION.
1710 HRS 700 BLOCK OF WHITE PINE CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. Nine priors.
2053 HRS 8603 PYOTT RD. (SNELTON INC) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
Algonquin
February 20
09:27am Viera, Nelson C., DOB: 05/29/67, of 821 Roaring Brook Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Domestic Battery and Interfering with the reporting of Domestic Violence.  He was taken into custody at 750 Roaring Brook Lane.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
18:32pm Arcari, Lindsay C., DOB: 07/25/93, of 10865 Wheatlands Way, Huntley, was charged with Theft by Deception.  She was taken into custody at Maurice’s, 714 S. Randall Road.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 03/28/12 in McHenry County.
February 21
09:00am Malicki, Daniel A., DOB: 06/24/66, of 1 W. Acorn Lane, Lake in the Hills, was charged with DWLS, No Safety Certificate and Unsafe Tires.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Ryan Parkway.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 03/21/12 in McHenry County.
13:45pm Desch-Ayers, Kayla A., DOB: 01/04/94, of 7036 Nathan Lane, Carpentersville, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  She was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 03/28/12 in Algonquin.
15:22pm Cardelli, Glenn E., DOB: 08/29/60, of 1756 Winaki Trail, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County, for Theft.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 03/07/12 in McHenry County.
February 22
13:30pm Delaney, Rosaleen, DOB: 07/10/84, of 1390 Getzelman Drive Apt #2W, Elgin and a 16 year-old female from Elgin were both charged with Retail Theft.  They were taken into custody at Gordman’s, 1500 S. Randall Road.  They were both released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 03/28/12 in Algonquin.
16:23pm Polanco-Vede, Karina, DOB: 11/27/84, of 10321 Ashley Street, Huntley, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License, Improper Lane Use and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody at Algonquin Road and Oakleaf Road.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 03/28/12 in McHenry County.

Smartmeters, Surges and Zahm Hilight Huntley Tea Party Meet

The main show at Wednesday's meeting of the Huntley Tea Party was supposed to be all about electrical smartmeters but a pair of unscheduled sideshows stole some of the limelight.

Tea Party organizer Bill Broderick warned that ComEd, thanks to a new state law, is installing smartmeters to measure and control electricity in Naperville and Aurora and might head this way soon.  That would be bad, he said, because RF radiation from smartmeters might cause anything from upset stomach to autism and the signals would allow marketers to find out what kind of appliances customers own or burglars to figure out if residents are even at home.  "All of this is available on the Internet," said Broderick who owns a personnel recruiting firm.

Tea Party sparkplug Peg Mulhall added that she'd contacted Huntley Trustee Nick Hanson to see what the Village knew about it all.  "He never responded," she said.  "If you don't do what we want you to do," she added, "we remember." 

As Broderick wound up his Powerpoint, GOP 33rd District Senate Candidate Cliff Surges rushed in with what he called a new pitch for the post.  "Our current governor has a 25 (percent approval) rating, the two before him are in jail and Illinois has the worst credit rating in the Country," said Surges.  "It's time to make a change," he said.  "Either that or move to Wisconsin."  Surges drew a round of applause.

Political consultant John Zahm wound up the evening with a wad of snarky and snide emails he'd FOIA'ed from Chris Lauzen's GOP opponent for Chairman of the Kane County Board, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns.  Zahm, head of the Kane County Conservative Coalition, read a few including one from Burns fussing about Congressman Randy Hultgren's not returning a phone call.  "'Apparently Randy is busy at a prayer dinner in DC,'" it read. "'Won’t he be surprised when he learns there is no God.'” That brought an audible gasp from about a lot of audience members.

Zahm earlier in the day called campaign emails to Burns' official mayoral account an "intentional misuse of public resources".  A quick FEN search, however, found Zahm, whose CV claims teaching ethics at a college in Indiana, had a problem of his own last year when he was still the City Clerk in Geneseo. 

According to a published report, Zahm sent out an email seeking a political donation for another man, closing it with his official title.  The Geneseo Republic said Geneseo's mayor ran that past an attorney who cleared him of wrongdoing because, "'Mr.Zahm made this request outside of his work day on his own time.'"  The story said the lawyer adjured Zahm not to use his title that way again, though.

In the pic:  Long-time Chris Lauzen political consultant Jon Zahm said he FOIA'ed opponent Kevin Burns' emails on his own hook, not the candidate's.

Late Winter Snow Due To Hit Tonight

A late season storm moving across the plains this morning may prove that Winter isn't finished yet. The National Weather Service predicts precipitation, mainly rain,is expected to develop ahead of the system but as it deepens over the area late tonight that's expected to change quickly to wet snow possibly heavy at times.

Snowfall rates might exceed an inch per hour in some locations before the system moves east of the area early Friday, according to meteorologists. Accumulations over six inches are possible in some areas, they said, adding that strong winds might cause "severely reduced visibilities this evening through tonight."

Mice Out, Sewers Going In On Rakow Rebuild

Mice turned out to be the problem plaguing traffic signals last week at the Pingree Road intersection in the Rakow Road Construction area.  A family of the critters had set up house in the nice warm signal controller box, but now they've been (humanely) evicted and the signals are back to normal, according to construction officials.

Utility relocations are reported finished on the project now and crews are set to resume work Monday laying storm sewers from the south end of the Rakow work area heading north.  Side street work's due to resume the following Monday, March 5, with tighter turns in store as crews prep to begin construction on westbound Rakow lanes.

State Budget Proposal Clear On Spending, Not Reforms

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn set a dour tone as he kicked off the budgeting process Wednesday with a $33.9 billion proposal that shared few details on what he cites as his two biggest goals for the year.

Quinn said that overall, he is calling for $425 million less in spending by state agencies than the current fiscal year and laid out the need for pension and Medicaid reform although not the solution.  He told lawmakers, “Don’t plan on going home for the summer” if Medicaid spending is not addressed.

Republicans claimed Quinn was short on reform details. House Minority Leader Tom Cross said he wants more specifics on pension reforms Quinn would support. “Are you for having the employees pay a little more? Are you for cost shifting (to local school districts and universities)? Are you for addressing the (cost of living increases)? He’s said they're all on the table, but what does he want? I mean this is not new stuff.”

Quinn was specific about new spending he would like to see included in the budget. He proposed a $50 million bump to the Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) grants for college students and $20 million in additional spending for early childhood education. That didn't play well with Republicans, either, though. “We cannot increase spending. Period. The end,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.

Quinn also called for closing tax loopholes to help pay down the state’s backlog of overdue bills to vendors, social services providers and schools. “I’m absolutely exhausted after a decade … of every governor talking about closing corporate loopholes,” said Doug Whitley, president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Area politicians were more than sceptical of Quinn's new budget. The Governor's claim to spending reductions was true "only if you use magical math,” charged McHenry County Republican State Sen. Pam Althoff.

“We have heard for days that the Governor will roll back spending to FY08 levels, but this budget spends $3.5 billion more than in FY08,” said former GOP Caucus budget chief Ken Gaffney, now 52nd District State Rep.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7733/how-does-quinns-budget-add-up/

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
February 22
1247 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. HUEBNER, ROBERT L., M/W 46 YEARS OF AGE, 1221 LOWE DR., ALGONQUIN. Charge: Domestic Battery. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0806 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Report for insurance. Four tires were found without air on a car.
1535 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LITH POLICE) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Contact with a Registered Sex Offender.
2022 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. rocks. Property damage only.

House Passes Area Legislator's Property Tax Freeze

In an unexpected vote Tuesday the Illinois House approved a measure to freeze collective taxes if the value of property in a tax district falls.

Area school district officials whose levies usually account for more than half of residents' tax bills were aghast.  District 300 Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates said, "It would cost us $5 million. It's a big deal for us."  D158 Board President Mike Skala reported if the measure passes in the Senate his schools would face a $1 million hit.

Under the current regime, taxing bodies get to take an inflation increase on their levies each year, even if the values of their tax bases fall as they're expected to do again this year.  For 2012 taxes payable next year,  the increase would be 3 percent. "It should be fundamental that when property values decrease, property taxes should at the very least, not increase,” said rural McHenry County Democratic Rep. Jack Franks who engineered the bill.

The new measure wouldn't apply to individual property tax bills, however, just each district's total tax bite.  It would only apply in Cook and the collar counties and only to non-home rule bodies there.
 
In a whirlwind Tuesday, Reps took an unrelated measure close to passage, sawed off everything below the title, glued on the levy freeze and passed the new bill 74 to 39, local Reps all supporting it.  The vote was roughly the reverse of one on a similar Franks proposal that failed last Summer.  The remade measure, already approved by the Senate, has to go back for a new OK now but that's not scheduled until April 8, two weeks after the upcoming Primary.  "Now they can all go home and say, 'I voted against taxes',"said one local political observer.

"We heard about it late," said Crates.  "We sent out emails and made  phone calls but I don't think they wanted our input."

"The State legislature shouldn't tell us what we can do under local control," complained Skala. "We're abating our taxes (this year in D158). I wish they would get their own house in order."

County Board Chairman Ken Koehler had a similar reaction only backwards.  "(If it passes) We'll just have a budget like the State of Illinois--all smoke and mirrors," he said.

In the pic:  State Rep. Jack Franks

McHenry County Clerk On Early Voting: "There Will Be Lines"

McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz ran through all the ins and outs of early voting Tuesday for about 75 senior citizens who'd turned out for Grafton Township Bingo at the Huntley American Legion.  She said one quarter to two thirds of all votes cast in next month's primary will probably by early ones but, even so, "that last week there will be lines, particularly the last weekend, the last couple of days."

Early voting starts Monday.  Info about it on Schultz website is here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyclerk/pdfDocs/March%2020%202011%20Election/Early%20Voting%20News%20release.pdf

Schultz wasn't the only county officeholder to drop in on Grafton Bingo Tuesday, and probably not the only one with an eye on the Primary.  District Five Board Members Tina Hill and John Jung and District Six members Mary McCann and Diane Evertsen all showed up, too.  Both districts cover parts of Huntley but four members is four more than usually show up for Senior Bingo.

In the pic:  McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz said early voting in Illinois hasn't increased voter turnouts.  "If you're going to vote, you vote.  If you don't care,  you don't care," she said. 

County Board Approves Electric Group, Realtor To Zoning, Too

The McHenry County Board Tuesday OK'ed an agreement to set up a group to bunch all the electrical aggregators voters approve in referenda in March 20 voting.  The measure formalizes a plan for the County to be the pointman in hiring a broker to negotiate with electrical suppliers to lower the cost of power bills.

County Administrator Peter Austin is expected to head the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium to include the County and most of its municipalities.  Algonquin, for instance, was scheduled to approve joining the group Tuesday evening.

In other Board action a spat broke out over an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals.  The choice was between Woodstock realtor Tom Harding and county environmental activist Patrica Kennedy.  The Board committee's nod was to Harding but District Six member Diane Evertsen opposed it.  She said Harding was an honest and successful realtor and that was there problem.  "There's no doubt in my mind that there isn't anyone around he or his office staff haven't sold property to."

District Two Member Donna Kurtz echoed that.  "We should appoint people who have no economic interests," she said.

Nonsense, was the rejoinder from District Three's Mary Donner.  "I know with all the economic interest forms we have to file in this county he would know when there is a conflict," she said.

The vote to confirm Harding was 17 to 6.

Republicans: State Pension Shift Would Cut Education

By Ashley Griffin, Illinois Issues
While Gov. Pat Quinn says he plans to increase education spending under his budget proposal, some Republicans leaders say an idea he has pitched to reform the state employee pension systems would cut $1 billion for downstate schools. Quinn, Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have all publicly mooted the idea of having school districts outside of Chicago pick up some of the cost of their teachers' pensions.

While Quinn plans to propose about a 1 percent increase in education spending during his budget address today, Republicans say his pension idea could lead to higher property taxes or possible layoffs. Quinn has said that schools should pay some of the pension obligation but hasn’t released any details. “At this point, its an idea. We are not sure what and how they want to do this, but at the end of the day we are talking about shifting a $1 billion to local school districts....This is basically rearranging deck chairs while the Titanic continues to sink,” said Sen. Ed Sullivan from Mundelein at a GOP Caucus news conference.

With few details on the portion of costs school districts might have to pick up and no actual legislation in sight, some Republican leaders fear the worst for local districts. Representative Kent Gaffney (R- Lake Barrington) said the Democrats’ pension shift would eat up about 9% of local school districts’ total payroll budgets.“Schools are already waiting months for reimbursement from the state and school transportation dollars have been slashed.  If the Democrats move forward with the shift, schools will have even fewer payroll dollars to pay teachers’ salaries, and will be forced to enact layoffs,” Gaffney said.

During a Tuesday night budget briefing, Quinn’s budget officials did not give specifics on his plans for revamping the pension system; but they did emphasize how much teacher’s pensions make up the overall pension cost to the state. Jerry Stermer, senior advisor to the Governor, said that the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) accounts for 51 percent of overall pension costs, or $2.7 billion of the more than $5 billion the state will pay pensions in Fiscal Year 2013.

Stermer’s said a working group is meeting with stakeholders on pension reform, but any ideas would have to go through the legislative process.  So even specifics on pensions still aren't expected during the governor’s budget speech.

You can Read Ashley's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/republicans-pension-shift-would-be-cut.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
February 21
2121 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. DOMESTIC BATTERY. LATSIS, NANCY M., F/W 40 YEARS OF AGE, 301 PYOTT RD. APT 101, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Two Counts of Domestic Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
2317 HRS ACKMAN RD. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. VOLANT, LYNETTE M., F/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 545 MONARCH DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Defective Windshield and Obstructed Driver’s View. RELEASED ON BOND
1312 HRS 00 BLOCK OF PERSHING AVE. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1720 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE) VIOLATION OFAN ORDER OF PROTECTION. Possible Violation of an Order of Protection. UNFOUNDED.
1739 HRS 200 BLOCK OF COOL STONE BEND. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1913 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. MISSING JUVENILE. Male, 16 years of age left the residence for school and did not return home. Entered into LEADS. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.

Morning Snow/Rain To End

What looked to weather forecasters Monday like a 30 or 40 percent chance of rain turned out to be a 100 percent chance of snow this morning in most of Kane and southeast McHenry County, as often this year, just in time for the morning commute.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service center in Romeoville were having a hard time pinning down how long it would last. Indeed, one single area of snow developed an island within itself and began to separate into two bands at about 5:30 am. Radar at 7 am indicated both were decreasing and, at the same time, moving out of the area to the northeast at about 30 mph.

The weathermen believed there'd be no accumulation on area roads but a quick inspection showed patchy areas of snow and slush on some side streets near FEN at 7 am.  Snow or rain, weather forecasters said they expected precip to end this morning.

Monday Evening Fire Damages Algonquin Home

It took Algonquin Lake in the Hills firefighters almost an hour to put out a blaze Monday evening in an unoccupied residence in Algonquin's Gaslight Terrace subdivision.  A neighbor saw the fire just before 9 pm in the garage of a home being remodeled at 1115 Springhill Drive.

Crews remained on the scene until after midnight investigating the fire and securing the home.
Investigators on the scene have not yet determined the cause of the fire.  Battalion Chief John Greene, said a damage amount is not yet available but is expected to be significant.

No civilian or fire department injuries were reported. The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District received assistance from Carpentersville, Huntley, Fox River Grove, Cary, West Dundee, Barrington, Rutland Dundee, East Dundee, Marengo, Nunda, Lakewood, The Salvation Army, and The Red Cross.

Last Day For Voter Registration--Sort Of

Today's the last day to register to vote in the Primary Election.  Insert asterisk here.  The asterisk covers what Illinois calls Grace Period Voter Registration.

If you were registered and moved, changed your name or if you never registered before, you can still go to the County Clerk's Office in the County Administration Building in Woodstock (or Kane Clerk in Batavia, as applicable) today and be registered to vote in the March 20 Primary. Details are here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyclerk/pdfDocs/March%20primary%202012/Close%20of%20Registration%20Press%20Release.pdf

However, Starting Wednesday through March 13, it's still possible to register to vote and vote in the Primary, just not on Election Day.  Grace Period registration requires casting a ballot at  the time of Grace Registration at the Clerk's Office.  Details here: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/countyclerk/pdfDocs/PDF%20Docs/GRACE%20PERIOD%20REGISTRATION%20info%2004272010.pdf 

More Revenue Predicted For Upcoming State Budget

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget speech Wednesday will likely involve more money than initially thought.
Budget Director David Vaught told a Senate budget committee in Chicago last week that there would be “some revision” in the revenue estimate that was part of a three-year budget projection released in January. That called for about $33.1 billion in income but Vaught said revenues are “trending up.”

Vaught told the committee that Quinn does not intend to make the nine percent cuts to all areas of spending that the January projection called for. Vaught said Quinn is not planning “across the board reductions of this size and scope in all areas.” But he added, “We will have them in some areas.”

Quinn has said that he does not want to reduce spending on education and health care. Vaught reiterated Quinn’s desire to reform the Medicaid and pension systems this year, calling the growing costs of both “the squeeze” on other spending. Vaught added that Quinn plans to look at health care and human services as two separate areas of the budget this year because advocates complained that lumping them together led to human services being cut to keep up with growing Medicaid costs.

Steve Schnorf, a member of the Budgeting for Results Commission and a former director of the Bureau of the Budget under former Gov. George Ryan, warned against a repeat of the fight over revenue estimates that happened last spring as lawmakers started the budgeting process for the current fiscal year. The House created a smaller estimate that the Senate and Quinn disagreed with, but that was what the budget was ultimately based upon. “Starting with an agreed upon revenue number … creates buy-in from all the players,” Schnorf said. “I think that buy-in is important.”

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/quinns-staff-expects-more-revenue-for.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
February 20
0940 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1033 HRS 0 BLOCK OF WRIGHT CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Mother vs. son. One Prior. FAIL TO FILE.
1156 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF ROYAL OAK LN. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1251 HRS 3900 BLOCK OF PEARTREE DR. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Damage to a vehicle window. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
1500 HRS 162 N. RANDALL RD. (CIGARETTES DEPOT) RETAIL THEFT. Theft of three cigars. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2029 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2148 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. 11-month old female with bump on her abdomen. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

More Problems Rise In Secret Meet On Regional School Super

The job of finding someone to fill the long-empty post of McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Schools has been a hard one.  Now it may get harder and in a way that could roil the area's GOP.  Two new candidates have come forward but they're not Republicans.  Yet.

Illinois statutes require McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler to appoint a Republican to the position because that's what Joe Williams was when he was elected to it although, after Governor Pat Quinn zeroed its salary funding, he decided not to take it.  According to informed sources, in closed session Friday, Koehler told the Board's Health and Human Services he's found two candidates who meet a lengthy list of professional qualifications but neither pulled a Republican ballot the last time he voted in a Primary. According to the same sources, Koehler said there's an obvious solution to the problem since there's a new Primary in only four weeks.

That doesn't sit well, though, with some party members who say if the Regional Superintendent's supposed to be a Republican, he ought to be a stalwart, not some summer soldier.  "(Former Superintendent) Gene Goeglein was always a Republican.  Joe Williams was a Republican," said one.  "It's not right to pick someone for the job because he became a Republican just so he could have it."

Others aren't as offended by the workaround idea.  "What's the politics in training bus drivers and certifying new school buildings for occupancy?" said one.

McHenry County GOP Chairman Mike Tryon couldn't be reached over the weekend to see what he thought about the controversy.  County Democratic Chairman Mike Bisset was available, though.  "It sounds like they want to put party loyalty ahead of getting the job done," he said.  "Who can best fill the responsibilities of the position ought to be what's most important," Bissett said.

Whatever Republicans come up with to resolve the problem now, it's likely to come back all over again in November.  State statutes say Koehler's appointment will only be good until the next General Election.  Since no one in either camp filed for the spot in next month's Primary, both parties will have to slate candidates then. Assuming they can find anyone qualified for for the office and anyone willing to run.

Algonquin Readys For Another Emerald Ash Borer Season

Parks and Forestry Manager Steve Ludig briefed the Algonquin Village Board on the war against the Emerald Ash Borer beetle last week.  His latest dispatch: The conflict's drawing toward a close; the bugs are winning.

Emerald Ash Borers are like candy for woodpeckers so while the leaves are gone, Ludwig and his crews have been out looking for their holes.  "You can see them a mile off," he told trustees. Inspections have found another 300 trees with EAB raising the number of known infestations to 1,796, Ludwig said.  That's approaching half the roughly 4,400 ash trees located in village parks, open spaces and rights of way.

Invaders from China, the green metallic-sheened insects have been marching through the Midwest munching on the inner bark of ash trees since 2001.  They turned up in Algonquin in 2008 and Lake in the Hills followed by Huntley the next year.  The bugs' Algonquin head start still shows in local numbers but neighboring villages aren't far behind.  LITH Arborist Rob Caldwell told FEN almost 1,000 of his village's 3,000 ash trees are now infested.  Barb Read, who keeps the stats for Huntley, reported infestations there are approaching 700 out of 2,300 ash trees.

Thanks to the area's rapid growth, about one quarter of all local trees are thought to be ash.  Developers favored them since they were cheap and held the promise of rapid growth to bosky fullness.  No more, said Ludwig. "The bugs will keep going for three years" before the infestation tails off in Algonquin he said.  "In five years there won't be any ash trees left."

In the pic:  After trees are cut down they're chipped into bits too small for EAB larvae to live on preventing their spread.

Frosty The No Man

With  an inch or more of snow on the ground for only ten days through Feb. 15,  this hasn't been a banner year for snowmen in the Chicago area according to the National Weather service,.  Still, the Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department had two "diehard snowman-building residents" send in entries for this year's village contest.  Until March 2 residents can pick a favorite here: http://www.lith.org/snowman.html .

Absent significantly more snow, the winter of 2011-12 will tie for sixth with the fewest days with an inch of snow on the ground at 6 a.m., the Weather Service said.  Forecasters look for the possibility of snow early Tuesday but said precip expected is more likely to fall as rain.

IL To Seek No Child Left Behind Waiver

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois is hoping to join the growing number of states that are being allowed to skirt the requirements of federal education reform known as No Child Left Behind. The deadline to ask the U.S. Department of Education for exclusion from the program is Tuesday, and the Illinois Board of Education said it plans to submit a waiver request.

President Barack Obama announced in September that he would use his executive authority under the law to exempt states from many of its provisions — including the requirement that all students be proficient in math and reading by 2014, a benchmark widely deemed impossible. The Obama administration has granted waivers to 11 states. Twenty-eight other states, including Illinois, are applying for the waivers, which will remain in place until Congress changes NCLB or passes new federal education policy.

NCLB’s main thrust was to tie student performance to federal funding. Under NCLB, students’ standardized test scores must show improvement every year. If students' test scores in a school fail to improve two years in a row, the school must develop an improvement plan. If, for a third year, the school does not improve, it must offer free tutoring and other academic improvement services to students, according to NCLB legislation.

Since NCLB went in effect, the majority of Illinois schools have not met the law's benchmarks. As of last year, only 1,259 of Illinois’ 3,810 schools were meeting the law’s yearly progress requirements, said Melissa Perez, an education researcher at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, which maintains a database of state education data.

“We’ve really outgrown NCLB,” said Monique Chism, administrator of innovations and improvement at the Illinois State Board of Education, or ISBE, who helped write the state’s waiver. ISBE is submitting its waiver application with a plan largely focusing on measuring student readiness for college and careers and targeting underperforming schools with individualized plans to improve student performance, rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach that NCLB now uses, Chism said.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7682/illinois-seeks-flexibility-with-no-child-left-behind-waiver/

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
February 19
1114 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE SCHOOL) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. JUVENILE M/W 13 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS, CHARGES: Disorderly Conduct. RELEASED TO PARENTS.
1640 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. PASTOR-ZAMUNDIO, GERADO, M/W 37 YEARS OF AGE, 116 CORDOVA, CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Child Restraint Violation, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. RELEASED ON BOND.
1713 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. STEIN, MICHAEL J., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 1590 BARRINGTON CT., ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. RELEASED ON BOND.
1851 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & BOULDER DR. SPEEDING. BIGGAR, STEPHEN M., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 2 CARL CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Speeding 40 Miles over the Speed Limit. RELEASED ON BOND.
0700 HRS 300 BLOCK OF S. ANNANDALE DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1001 HRS 8407 PYOTT RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS AIRPORT) ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted Public Works with an incident report.
1909 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF BRITTANY BEND. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
1913 HRS 00 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL DOWNS CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 11 years of age, having trouble breathing. No transport.
1952 HRS 100 BLOCK OF E. ACORN LN. MISSING JUVENILE. Male, 16 years of age, refusing to come home. Juvenile located in Palatine.
2225 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) DOMESTIC BATTERY. Ex-girlfriend and ex boyfriend. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2336 HRS 100 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASS. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles, property damage only.
Algonquin
February 19
17:05pm Smith, Tony R., DOB: 05/05/85, of 1233 Driftwood, Algonquin, was charged with Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $75 with a court date of 03/21/12 in McHenry County.
February 20
00:32am White, Shanna R., DOB: 10/14/75, of 901 Lennox, Waukegan, was charged with DWLS, No Proof of Insurance and Driving w/o  Headlights.  She was also Wanted on a Warrant out of Lake County for Failure to Appear on a Retail Theft charge.  She was  taken into custody at Randall Road and County Line Road.  She was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.

Editor's note:  Today's stories were seriously delayed to run an exhaustive antivirus scan after something tried to install itself on FEN's main computer before sunup.

"Fight Like Lin" Dinner Aids Huntley Grandmother

More than 100 friends and neighbors gathered Saturday to support Huntley breast cancer victim Lin Palma at Pincecrest Restaurant at the "Fight Like Lin" benefit dinner.  A fight it's been, the Huntley grandmother of ten now approaching three times the time doctors gave her to live even though the disease has metastasized to other locations as well.

Her biggest concern, said daughter Tracy, came when the Huntley realtor had to shave her head. "'Will my grandkids be scared of me?' she said."

Huntley Jaycees sponsored Saturday's event.  One member explained, "The Jaycees do a lot of different things to benefit the community.  This is one of them."

There's a website for the "Fight Like Lin" fund.  It's at http://www.giveforward.com/fightlikelin
or checks can be sent to the fund at PO Box 1142, Huntley, IL 60142.

LITH Legion Poker Tourney To Benefit Cancer Victim

All proceeds from Lake in the Hills American Legion Post 1231's Texas Holdem Tournament Saturday will benefit Nicole Marie Medical Fund.  Nicole Marie is a student recently diagnosed with a rare cancer and about to start chemotherapy to treat it.

Registration for the tournament will start at the Post at 5 pm with the tourney kicking off at 6.  Buy-in will be $65 with a $50 Re-buy. Prize awards to the top three overall places are guaranteed and one third of the Buy-in Total will be awarded as prizes. A silent auction's also scheduled, as well as T-shirt sales.

In the pic: Last Year's Legion Texas Tourney benefited local vets

Local Chamber Announces Return Of Leadership School

March 15 is the deadline to join the joint Chamber of Commerce and villages of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills  Leadership Academy for 2012.  It's a nine-month program to help residents, leaders and elected officials understand how local governments are put together and what keeps their wheels from falling off.

Algonquin's Ted Spella Leadership School and LITH's Community Leadership school haven't met the last couple of years.  This year they'll  be combined and with the ALITH Chamber's addition create a combined academy.  More than 60 people have graduated from the original programs, many not already involved assuming leadership roles in board positions and community projects as well as village and county positions.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to sponsor employees and residents who want to make their community a better place to live. For more on what the Leadership Academy involves, application criteria and tuition, go to:  http://www.alchamber.com/schools.html or call 847-658-5300.

In the pic:  That last graduating class of local movers and shakers in training from Algonquin's Ted Spella Leadership Academy.

IL Ranks High In Corruption But Has Tough Prosecutors

By Stephanie Fryer and Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News
A new study lists Illinois as the third most corrupt area in the nation, and Chicago as the most corrupt city. Experts in the state say Illinois has earned those titles the hard way.

The report, released at a Wednesday statehouse news conference, details a study from the University of Illinois in Chicago, or UIC, and University of Illinois' Institute of Government and Public Affairs in Champaign. Only Louisiana and the District of Columbia have more corruption convictions per capita than Illinois. Chicago leads all cities in the United States in corruption convictions, where defendants are either elected officials or public money is involved, according to the report.

“For a long time, going back to at least the Al Capone era, Chicago and Illinois have been known for high levels of public corruption,” said UIC political science professor Dick Simpson. “But now we have the statistics that confirm their dishonorable and notorious reputations."

Only two other states have seen more of these convictions than Illinois in the past 36 years. California reported 2,345 convictions and New York had 2,522. Because the study makes the comparisons on a per-person basis and these two states have larger populations than Illinois, however, both states received lower rankings. Illinois has around 12.8 million residents and averages 1.42 convictions per 10,000 residents.

Due to its significantly smaller estimated population of 4.5 million, Louisiana sees an average of two convictions per 10,000 people, making it the second most corrupt state. However, the District of Columbia is the most corrupt; with well under a million residents, it has a per capita rate of 16.

Former federal prosecutor for Illinois' central district, Roger Heaton, said one reason Chicago and northern Illinois have seen so many corruption convictions is because prosecutors there take corruption cases seriously. "There's a history of active investigations out of northern Illinois," said Heaton who has now moved on to private practice here. "And because prosecutions (of those investigations) were successful and resources were added to those forces, they grow and grow."
 
You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7669/il-ranks-high-in-corruption-but-has-tough-prosecutors/

In the pic:  Five of the last 10 Illinois Governors have been indicted and four of the last seven convicted including, most recently, Rob Blagojevitch.

Obituaries

Paul Robert Stromberg, 76, of Huntley died Thursday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A funeral Mass will be held 10 am Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.  Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 to 8 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley.  Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Stromberg was born Feb. 21, 1935, in Chicago, the son of Paul and Evelyn (Johnson) Stromberg.  He married Elizabeth Sciackitano Oct. 15, 1963.  He is survived by his children, Carrie Pass of Elk Grove Village and Paul Stromberg; his grandchildren, Kyle, Brittney and John'; his sister, Theresa (Jackson) Burgess. and his special friend, Geri Farrell. He was preceded in death by his wife.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to American Heart Association.

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.

ZACHARY S. JERZYK, DOB:  10/14/92, 1018 BURR STREET, LAKE IN THE HILLS. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--LITH PD

JESSICA M. JAMISON-KIRK, DOB:  10/25/76, 9333 BRISTOL LANE, HUNTLEY. UNLAWFUL USE OF CREDIT CARD, THEFT (UNDER $500.)--Algonquin PD

JULIE M. RIDDINGTON, DOB:  07/28/70, 409 ROSE, ISLAND LAKE. FORGERY, RETAIL THEFT.--Algonquin PD

CHRISTINA M. MOHAMMED, DOB: 03/12/75, LKA: 5706 N. TALMAN AVENUE, CHICAGO. UNLAWFUL USE OF CREDIT CARD, (2 COUNTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
      
RANDY L. IHRKE, DOB: 10/27/89, 8617 W. SUNSET, WONDER LAKE. THEFT (OVER $500).--McHenry PD

RONNI R. SHIELDS, DOB: 01/24/79, 133 WEST RAND ROAD APT. #1, LAKEMOOR. THEFT (OVER $500), CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED PROPERTY, ESCAPE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
JUAN M. ELIZARRARAZ, DOB: 05/23/90, 4216 ELLA LANE, JOHNSBURG. OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

GUILLERMO A. GOMEZ, DOB:  08/26/86, 389 HICKORY DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION CARD.--Crystal Lake PD
  
VICTOR A. LEON-OROZCO, DOB:  10/31/89, 311 W. MAIN STREET, CARY. AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE, CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO STATE SUPPORTED PROPERTY.--Crystal Lake Park District
  
MAXWELL T. CANNON, DOB:  11/26/89, 1245 CLUB ROAD, WOODSTOCK. INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, RECKLESS DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM, AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

KYLE M. GRIEBEL, DOB:  07/11/92, 806 S. LILY LAKE ROAD, MCHENRY. BURGLARY(2CTS), THEFT(2CTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

BARBARA J. HARDGRAVE, DOB:  03/01/49, 8509 MEMORY TRAIL, WONDER LAKE. AGGRAVATED BATTERY, DOMESTIC BATTERY.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

NICHOLAS G. MAURO, DOB:  05/04/72, 1618 N. 77TH AVENUE, ELMWOOD PARK. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Cary PD
  
JAMES B. GUTTRIDGE, DOB:  11/10/73, 8010 SLATER DRIVE, ROCKFORD. CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE(3CTS).--Woodstock PD
  
JEFFERY L. JOYNER, DOB:  08/11/80, 503 EASTWOOD STREET  UNIT #1, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. SHERICE M. VARGAS, DOB:  09/28/71, 503 EASTWOOD STREET  UNIT #1,WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A LOOK ALIKE SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A LOOK ALIKE SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
EDWARD A. MERCADO, DOB:  02/27/74, 1811 WOODSIDE DRIVE, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE  OR NEEDLE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
  
JOSE H. SANCHEZ, DOB:  01/24/89, 654 ELSINER, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
MARVIN SOTO, DOB:  08/14/90, 500 ½ KENNEDY STREET, MARENGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Marengo PD
  
GERALD R. NITZ, DOB:  10/01/43, 1209 BULL VALLEY DRIVE, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--Woodstock PD
  
ALEXANDER R. KING, DOB:  08/14/91, 3711 GENEVA PLACE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS WITH INTENT TO DELIVER, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--McHenry PD
  
TIMOTHY R. COLBY, DOB:  04/28/75, 4701 MCCULLOM LAKE ROAD, MCCULLOM LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McCullom Lake PD

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
February 18
0331 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. ALEJOS, JESUS E., M/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 10 HITHERGREEN COURT, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under The Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Over .08, Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, No Rear Registration Light. RELEASED ON BOND.
1039 HRS 343 N. RANDALL RD. (STARBUCKS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1205 HRS RANDALL RD. & RAKOW RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2101 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON ST. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. No priors. PENDING INVESTIGATIONS BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2300 HRS 700 BLOCK OF WHITE PINE CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. Eight priors.