"Stomach Flu" Hits More Than Half At Algonquin Westfield School

A norovirus, more commonly the stomach flu, raged through Algonquin's Westfield Community School Friday with more than half the student body calling in sick.  The Kane County Health Department confirmed the norovirus diagnosis late Friday after tests taken Thursday when more than one quarter of Westfield's students suddenly failed to show up for class.

"At this point, no other schools in D300 are reporting similar issues with student absences, and we would like to keep it that way," said a D300 release to parents Thursday when the illness was first suspected.  The worry was the outbreak might spread since "Westfield is a large, K-8 school with a robust extra-curricular program."

Custodians were reported "deep cleaning" the school Thursday but CDC fact sheets report norovirus symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps don't show up for one to two days after infection.  Indeed, in about 30 percent of infections, symptoms don't show up at all, according to one study, making it hard to stop outbreaks since victims remain infectious for anywhere from three days to two weeks.

Recommendations from Kane County Health Deparment include washing hands carefully with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and always before eating or preparing food; cleaning and disinfecting contaminated surfaces with a bleach-based solution and washing clothing or linens thoroughly.

CDC's info on noroviruses is located here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-keyfacts.htm

In the pic:  An SEM pic of the "bug" that causes norovirus stomach flu.

Judge Orders Entire Bianchi Prosecution Case Record Opened

In an unexpected turn, McHenry County Circuit Judge Gordon Graham Friday unsealed all of the administrative file on the failed State's Attorney Lou Bianchi prosecutions.  A week ago the judge had said he intended to keep some of them closed but Friday he told Bianchi defense Attorney Terry Ekl that Special Prosecutor Thomas McQueen had called him the previous day withdrawing his objections to full access.

That call sounded like what lawyers call an ex-parte, outside public channels, communication, something for which Graham had criticised Ekl a year ago when the prosecutions were still going on.  Ekl didn't raise the issue Friday, however, presumably since he got what he wanted.

"I expect to find petitions that let (Special Prosecutors Henry "Skip") Tonigan and (Thomas) Mcqueen go so far," said Ekl afterwards.  Ekl's suing the pair and their private eye firm in federal court for Bianchi asking $15 million for an alleged conspiracy to force the State's Attorney from office with more than two dozen indictments, all withdrawn, thrown out or ruled innocent without a defense.

McQueen leaving the courtroom told reporters, "I'm going to say it for the last time, no comment.  See you after the appeal."  That last referred to a request Illinois States Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor Charles Colburn's expected to file next week asking an Appellate Court to overturn Graham's ruling that McHenry County should pay all of the Special Prosecutors' $600,000 bill.

While the Bianchi files were officially opened Friday afternoon, it was expected to take a while for the order to reach the Circuit Clerk to be implemented. In practice, all the records probably won't be available for examination until some time Monday.


In the pic:  McHenry County State's Attorney Lous Bianchi after his acquittal.

No Direct Election For McHenry County Board Chairman

McHenry County Republicans rested more easily this week, at least some of them did, when a bill to directly elect the County Board chairmen in McHenry and Lake Counties went down in flames.  The ignominious vote on McHenry County State Rep. Jack Franks' proposal was 100 to 16.

When the Marengo Democrat introduced it at the start of the year,  it wasn't clear if the measure ever had a real chance of passage. Area Republicans who dominate the County Board with 92 percent of the seats acted as if it did, though. They spent the last two months squabbling with each other and reopening divisions apparent last year when eight board members rebelled against re-electing Ken Koehler, County GOP head, as their head, too, for a fourth term.

The bill called for direct election of the County Board Chairman in November and, since the Primary in two weeks doesn't include a place on the ballot for spot, no one was sure how it was going to work, anyway.

Fish Fry And St. Pat's Dinner Set For LITH Legion

Lake in the Hills American Legion Post 1231 will be busy hosting two different public dinner events next weekend.  Friday the Sons of the American legion will sponsor a Fish Fry (all you can eat) from 4 to 8 pm at the Post at Algonquin and Pyott roads. The charge to adults will be $9, seniors $7 and kids ten and under $6. Miller Draft will be $2.25.

The next day, St. Patrick's Day, Legionnaires will host a corned beef and cabbage dinner  from 4 to 8 pm. Prices for that will be the same as the fish fry.  Proceeds from both will support Legion community programs and activities. For information, call the Legion at 847-658-2010.

Policy Group: State Needs To Slash Budget $4.3 Billion

By Benjamin Yount and Anthony Brino,  Illinois Statehouse News
One of Illinois’ private, fiscal watchdogs says lawmakers need to slash billions, not just trim millions, from Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed state budget. The Illinois Policy Institute, a free-market think tank with a focus on Illinois’ fiscal policy, Thursday released a budget proposal it says slashes more than $4 billion from the budget that Gov. Quinn introduced last month.

The Policy Institute’s plan would:
    * Cap state spending at $29.4 billion, now penciled in at about $34 billion
    * Cut salaries for state employees by 10 percent
    * Shift the costs for downstate teacher retirements to local school districts
    * Reform Medicaid to save $1.7 billion

Ted Dabrowksi, the institute’s vice president of policy, said said the institute’s spending plan is based on the assumption that lawmakers will repeal 2011 personal and corporate income tax increases in January 2013. State spending “goes to $29.4 billion in our plan, and then to $28.7 (billion) in 2014,” Dabrowksi said.

Dabrowski said Quinn’s budget calls for too much spending. “He seemed to recognize some of (Illinois’) problems,” Dabrowski said. “But what we didn’t see in (the Governor’s budget) were the reforms. We need to see action tied to his rhetoric.”

Andres Lindall, spokesman for Illinois’ largest public sector labor union, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, said the institute’s proposal ignores reality. “Responsible people recognize that harmful cuts have gone too far already, undermining public services,” Lindall said. “Instead of further cutting essential public services and jobs for the middle class, we should ask corporations and rich people to pay their fair share.”

You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7898/policy-group-illinois-needs-to-slash-4-3-billion-from-budget/

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
March 9
0932 HRS 9114 VIRGINIA RD. (COLLISION EQUIPMENT EXPERTS) THEFT. Theft of a gas card.
1528 HRS 2265 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTONS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1531 HRS 200 BLOCK OF THUNDER RIDGE. HIT & RUN. Complainant’s vehicle was struck by an unknown vehicle.
1848 HRS 101 N. RANDALL RD. (DOMINICKS) THEFT. Theft of liquor. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2035 HRS 10 BLOCK OF GRANT AVE. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. No priors.
2322 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF BRITTANY BEND ST. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. Two priors.
2356 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD. (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL) BATTERY. Juvenile was pushed by another juvenile at the school. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.

Trustees Stalk Out Of Grafton Meet But Return

Thursday's Grafton Township Board meeting probably reached a new nadir of personal invective and legislative chaos as Trustees stalked out of the session for a five-minute cooling-off period.

Trustee Barb Murphy had been hotly pressing Supervisor Linda Moore to prove she'd actually transferred $1,200 from one place on the books to another so they'd balance when Moore said, "I know you've been having a tough time at home but don't take it out on me." Murphy, who, according to friends, has been caring for a seriously ill son and grieving over the recent death of her infant godchild, called for a recess and left the room.  Trustee Rob LaPorta angrily seconded the motion and left, too, as did, a moment later, Trustees Betty Zirk and Jerry McMahon.  But they left so fast they never voted to confirm the recess and Moore announced she was gong to adjourn the meeting since they hadn't.

Road District attorney Pat Coen pointed out there wasn't anyone left to vote on adjournment, either, so Moore spent the remainder of the time bickering with audience members until the Trustees finally came back.

Minutes later a conflict between Moore and Assessor Bill Ottley ended similarly except with Ottley leaving for good saying, "Let the minutes show that at 8:27 I've had enough."  The argument was  over records Moore demanded before she'd issue a final paycheck to former Assistant Assessor Chad Schmidt who's moved to Cleveland.  After 15 minutes of angry assertions about which ones were legally necessary and which had already been provided, Moore suddenly announced she'd already made arrangements to pay Schmidt, anyway.

With the Township's Annual Meeting coming up next Month, Moore tried to have an agenda item added to replace the Road District/Township sale and leaseback agreement to return the Township headquarters back to its ownership.  Coen warned that would interfere with a signed contract and only lead to more lawsuits.  Moore charged Coen was breaching professional ethics addressing the Board without their attorney present, although she'd earlier, once again, refused to nominate anyone to be the Board's attorney.  Trustees rejected her agenda item accepting, instead, a Coen-drafted measure to reconfirm the terms of the contract.

Trustees also vetoed paying for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 audits of the Township books and voted to hire a new auditor if someone from the current firm doesn't appear to explain errors and changes in the draft and final reports which still haven't been publicly released.

In a bit of welcome news, Road Commissioner Jack Freund told the Board the Road District had won $200,000 in state capital grants courtesy of State Sen. Pam Althoff.  The Board voted to thank her even though, with redistricting, she won't represent Grafton Township next year.

In the pic:  Normally unflappable, Grafton Trustee Barb Murphy jumped Thursday at Supervisor Linda Moore's personal needle.

New Showcase For Jacobs Music Performers

Algonquin's Colonial Cafe rang to the sound of acoustic guitars and young voices as members of Jacobs High School's Music Club celebrated an afternoon off after the first day of finals with a talent showcase Thursday.

"It gives students a chance to perform for an audience and their friends," said Club President Pablo Castillo who thought it was one way to help members win a paying gig.  "A lot of us would like to earn some money," he said, "but really most of us just do it for the music."

Colonial Manager thought the "sing what you brung" atmosphere was reminiscent of some of the Greenwich Village nightclubs in the early 60's where Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Joan Baez and Phil Ochs got their starts.  "It's an experiment," he said.

In the pic:  Matthew LeBlank at Algonquin's Colonial Cafe Thursday perhaps following a trail blazed by Bob Dylan.  Not that Kitchen Sink Sundaes were normally part of the mise en scene at Gerde’s Folk City.

LITH Chicken Ordinance Ends Unhatched

Chickens are still on the list of prohibited animals in Lake in the Hills.  When Village President Ed Plaza asked Thursday for someone to advance what he called "The Ordinance For Urban Chickens"  Trustee Steve Harlfinger obliged. No one stepped up to second it, however, so the measure died.

Tenants Bill and Barb Rasmussen at the Village's Larsen Farm had hoped to keep a clutch of hens in the old chicken coop at the former farmstead but Village regulations don't allow that these days.  In discussions in two previous sessions, Trustees were reluctant to make a defensible exception for fear of starting a slide down a slope that might end turning them into LITH's Odd Animal Review Board.

The Rasmussen's weren't present Thursday so no one was sure what will become of the couple's small flock of egg layers.

Timeline Revealed For Huntley Electrical Aggregation

Five Huntley administrators including the Village's Manager and Chief Financial Officer talked about the Village's upcoming Electrical Aggregation referendum in two weeks but mostly among themselves Thursday.  Only eight residents came to two-hour open house on the subject. "They were very nice and asked some good questions," said Village Manager Dave Johnson.

On March 20's Primary ballot will be a question whether to authorize Huntley to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of being in what's hoped to be a lower-cost power program.  The phrasing of the question might explain the apparent lack of voter interest so far: they can bail if they don't like it later on.

If the referendum passes, according to a tentative timeline, the Village will hold a public hearing April 5 and another a week later, April 7.  If the Village Board OK's a plan April 12,  Opt-out letters would go into the mail May 4 due back 21 days later.  ComEd would send out a letter making sure customers want to try a new supplier May 31 and June 1 would see the actual change.

In the pic:  Huntley Management Assistant Barb Read explained a proposed electrical aggregation program to residents Ed and Judy Frazier at an Open House Thursday at Village Hall.

Algonquin Man Gets Nine Years For Sex Assault

McHenry Circuit Judge Sharon Prather sentenced a 59 year-old Algonquin man Thursday to nine years in prison for raping an applicant for a job at the babysitting and cleaning service he ran out of his home in 2009

Andrew Spanier had faced up to 30 years in prison after being convicted almost a year ago of criminal sexual assault on the then 43 year-old victim.  According to the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office, since it was a sex offense, Spanier will have to serve more than seven years before he's eligible for parole.

State Police Consolidation Would Have Upfront cost

By Ashley Griffin, Illinois Issues
The Illinois State Police are weighing a consolidation that could result in the layoffs of dozens of communications personnel. Under Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget plan, the state police would consolidate its 20 communications centers down to four.

But the move will not result in immediate savings. State police Director Hiram Grau at a hearing Wednesday said the consolidation of the centers could actually cost the state nearly $13 million in capital funding upfront but said it would save the state money in the long run.

Union spokesmen said consolidating local dispatch wasn't a good idea. "Being familiar with the area, telecommunicators can help them identify their location, so the police can respond,” said John Coleman, for the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.

Some lawmakers said the state’s current budget situation puts consolidations on the table, though. “I don’t think individual troopers probably are wanting to see their local radio centers closed. However, in these economic times, I think everyone can understand the efficiencies of doing that,” said Rep. Jerry Mitchell, a Republican from Sterling.


You can ready Ashley's full report at:  http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/state-police-consolidation-would-have.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
March 8
0250 HRS 211 N. RANDALL RD. (STEAK N SHAKE) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. WEEKS, BRIAN M., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 1440 CARLISLE ST., ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle, Failure to Use Turn Signal, Illegal Transportation of Alcohol. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1501 HRS MILLER RD. & HEAVENS GATE. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. KENNEDY, BRANDEN J., M/W 28 YEARS OF AGE, 6419 WOOD DR., CARY.  CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Failure to Use Turn signal. RELEASED ON BOND.
0034 HRS 600 BLOCK OF ANDERSON DR. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Son. Verbal only. One prior.
1005 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD. (RAKOW CURVE) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1644 HRS 5100 BLOCK OF PRINCETON LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Rear window of vehicle was smashed.
2338 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF W. ALGONQUIN RD. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. Two priors.
Algonquin
March 5
10:30am A 16 year-old male from Lake in the Hills was charged with Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was referred to the Tri Area Court For Teens and then released into the custody of his parents.
12:56pm Beauchaine, John P., DOB: 09/20/61, of 1555 Farmhill Drive, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry County for Violation of Sex Offender Registration.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $1000 with a court date of 04/04/12 in McHenry County.
14:35pm Birkenheier, Daniel J., DOB: 01/31/90, of 1661 Cumberland Parkway, Algonquin, was charged with DUI and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 04/11/12 in McHenry County.
17:56pm York, Andre D., DOB: 12/22/63, of 505 Willard Avenue, Elgin, was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and County Line Road.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 04/11/12 in  McHenry County.
19:03pm Medansky, Lucas F., DOB: 03/26/91, of 503 Lincoln Avenue, Fox River Grove, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Petition to Revoke.  He was also Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for DUI and DeKalb County for Battery.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, when unable to post bond.
March 6
16:49pm Pilch, Jeffrey J., DOB: 03/29/78, of 306 Circle Drive, Algonquin, was charged with DWLS, Suspended Registration, No Proof of Insurance and Passing in a No Passing Zone.  He was taken into custody at Circle Drive and Huntington Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/18/12 in McHenry County.
18:22pm Dalbello, Brian A., DOB: 03/05/93, of 1710 Crofton Drive, Algonquin, was charged with Attempted Obstructing Justice.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department, 2200 Harnish Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/11/12 in McHenry County.
March 7
17:30pm A 15 year-old male from Algonquin was charged with Battery.  He was taken into custody at Stonegate Road and Wynnfield Drive.  He was referred to the Tri Area Court For Teens and then released into the custody of his parents.
20:12pm Stanko, Sean M., DOB: 07/25/91, whom is homeless, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at 300 Eastgate Court.  He was transported to Kane County Jail when unable to post bond.
March 8
15:12pm Krysiuk, Norbert, DOB: 06/06/90, of 508 Lake Shore Drive, Barrington, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear on a DWLR charge.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $1500 with a court date of 03/21/12 in McHenry County.

Sun City Burglaries: "Be That Nosy Neighbor," Says Chief

Huntley Police Chief John Perkins Wednesday told about 300 Sun City residents worried about an outbreak of burglaries in the retirement community this month what to do if they see something suspicious.  "Call 911. I don't want you to hesitate. I don't want you to look up a number," said Perkins.  "It's 911."

Wednesday's meeting was a reprise with more notice of a hurried briefing last week when residents demanded to know what HPD was doing about 11 Sun City attempted or actual burglaries in the past 13 months.  Perkins said Wednesday it might only be 10 because the first one didn't fit the pattern of all the rest, daytime front entry and only money or jewelry stolen.

Perkins wouldn't divulge clues investigators have uncovered but said, "It doesn't work like that CSI program," which drew an audience chuckle.  What he described sounded more like Dragnet, in fact, legwork interviews of neighbors, delivery men, garbage men, cleaning ladies and public works crews who might have seen something.  That and upgraded surveillance, with patrols doubled at first.  "Recently we tripled it," said Perkins.

The key to stopping the bad guys, said Perkins, was the residents themselves.  "Be suspicious.  Be that nosy neighbor," he said.

And call things in to the PD, of course.  During a Q and A session one resident recounted recently watching a man wearing a jacket blazoned "Security" prowling around a neighbor's  back yard.  "Do we have something like that here?," he asked.

"No," said Perkins.  "You called 911 didn't you?"

"No," admitted the resident with some chagrin.

In the pic:  (above) HPD Chief John Perkins told Sun City residents officers are patrolling their neighborhoods in unmarked cars besides just black and whites.  (below)  HPD Sgt. Mike Hewitt, in charge of Sun City protection, took notes from residents after the meet.

Two More Weeks Until Possible Sheriff's Special Prosecutor Ruling

The arguments ran in circles Wednesday as attorneys battled over a motion to dismiss an ex-McHenry County deputy's request for a Special Prosecutor to investigate Sheriff Keith Nygren's campaign practices.

Nygren's Primary opponent two years ago, Zane Seipler, charges Nygren used his official position improperly during the campaign.  However, State's Attorney Lou Bianchi refused to investigate claiming, since he's often the Sheriff's defense attorney, doing so would create a conflict of interest under lawyers' rules of professional conduct.

Special Assistant State's Attorney Bill Caldwell argued there's no built-in conflict so Seipler's petition doesn't trigger a state law allowing appointment of a Special Prosecutor when a State's Attorney isn't "available".

Judge Thomas Meyer at first Wednesday seemed to lean toward Caldwell's view that there isn't an inherent conflict of interest. "Why didn't the Legislature codify this?" he asked.  "It exists constantly." But later he told Seipler Attorney Blake Horwitz he was reluctant to rule there wasn't a conflict since the Legislature's never passed a law saying that, either.

Horowitz argued it doesn't make any difference whether there's really a conflict of interest or not as long as Bianchi thinks there is. "The State's Attorney himself has said, 'I will not look at this case, I will not touch it, I will not investigate.' What else do you need?" he asked.

Meyer set March 26 to rule on Caldwell's motion.  In favor would end Seipler's request.  Against would probably send it grinding past the 26-month mark.

In the pic:  Zane Seipler charges that things like an official Sheriff's Office star--or something  like it--on bottles of wine for supporters was Sheriff's campaign cheating.

Saving the Earth One Bottle Or Can At A Time At Conley

Teacher Michelle Kenefick’s fifth grade class have the lead this week in a race to see who can bring in the most plastic bottles and aluminum cans at Conley Elementary. In one day, they dragged in over 25 bags of them in a recycling contest sponsored by Pepsi and Waste Management. Students in Conley's third through fifth grades have already collected over 110,000 bottles and aluminum cans.

Besides the cans and bottles, students are also collecting tabs from beverage, soup and pet food cans to donate to the Ronald McDonald House near Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The  tabs are worth an extra five cents per pound at a recycling center to benefit the shelter for parents whose kids are in the hospital. Community members and local businesses can help in all of the collections. Julie McLaughlin is the recycling coordinator at (847)659-3877.

In the pic: Conley Elementary students sorted through bags of plastic bottles and aluminum cans this week in an effort to save the Earth, at least the part around here.

Budget Battle Begins Between Gov, Lawmakers

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
The stage has been set for a spending showdown between the General Assembly and Gov. Pat Quinn.
The Illinois Senate Wednesday set its revenue projection for the upcoming fiscal year at $33.7 billion, $200 million lower than Quinn’s revenue projection of $33.9 billion. The Illinois House last week approved the same revenue projection.

Revenue projections became important to the budgeting process, starting last year because of a new state law that requires the state budget to be based on projected income, not wants and needs.
“We’re going to have to make even deeper discretionary spending cuts than the governor proposed,” said state Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Ridge Park, chairman of the Illinois Senate Appropriations II Committee, one of two such committees in the Senate.

Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, called the General Assembly’s revenue projection a good first step. “Unfortunately, adopting the revenue estimate may be the easiest part of this whole process. It’s going to be difficult to come to a consensus on the spending number,” Radogno said.

Kotowski said that any revenue generated above the $33.7 billion figure would go to paying off the state’s $8.5 billion pile of overdue bills.

Having the Senate and the House agree on the amount the state will have to spend starts the process off on a more cordial tone than last year when the Senate’s $34.3 billion revenue projection was $1.1 billion more than the House’s projection. “Starting at the same number this year should definitely make it easier to reconcile the budget proposals at the end,” Kotowski said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7878/budget-battle-begins-between-il-governor-lawmakers/

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
March 7
0605 HRS SQUARE BARN RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. DOMINGUEZ, MANUEL A., M/W 50 YEARS OF AGE, 419 GAIL CT., BELVIDERE. CHARGE: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
1104 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD. & DEER PATH. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. LUNA, ROBERTO I., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 4218 PONCA ST., MCHENRY. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License, Revoked Registration, and No Proof of Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
1908 HRS HAYWARD LN. & HAYWARD CT. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. JUVENILE, M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License, One Headlight, and Graduated Driver More Than One Passenger Under 20. RELEASED TO PARENTS.
2225 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. AGUILAR, JAVIER, M/W 39 YEARS OF AGE. 8614 BARD RD., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License, Speeding in a Construction Zone, and No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0806 HRS 100 N. RANDALL RD. (WALGREENS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1532 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
Huntley
February 27
A 17-year old male from Huntley, IL was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor at Huntley High School. The juvenile was released to his father with a McHenry County court date of April 9, 2012.
A residential burglary report was taken in the 12400 block of Black Oak Trail.
February 29
A residential burglary report was taken in the 12100 block of Plum Grove Rd.
A 14-year old male from Lake in the Hills was arrested for theft at Huntley High School.  The juvenile was released to his mother and will be petitioned into McHenry County juvenile court.
Noe J. Solis, age 26, of 2309 Bird Song, Schaumburg, was arrested for driving while license revoked and unlawful use of registration.  Mr. Solis was cited for no valid safety test and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.  Mr. Solis posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 13, 2012.
March 1
A theft report was taken in the 12300 block of Russet Lane. The victim states that a UPS delivery of medication was stolen from the front porch.
Juan B. Arellano, age 18, of 10767 Oregon Trail, Huntley, was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and was cited for speeding.  Mr. Arellano posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 13, 2012.
William W. McFall, age 18, of 4530 Barharbor, Lake in the Hills, was arrested for DUI,  and was cited for driving with no headlights, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and no driver’s license on person.  Mr. McFall posted bond and was released with a McHenry County Court date of March 23, 2012.  In the same incident a 16-year old male from Lake in the Hills was arrested for Possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of cannabis.  The juvenile was released to his father and will be petitioned into McHenry County juvenile court.
March 3
A 16-year old male from Huntley was charged with being in a park after dark and a curfew violation.  The juvenile was released to his mother with an ordinance citation and a notice to appear in McHenry County court on April 19, 2012.
Pablo Dominguez-Benitez, age 47, of 840 Foxworth Blvd., Lombard, was arrested for driving while license suspended and an outstanding DuPage County warrant for failure to appear in court.  Mr. Dominguez-Benitez  was cited for disobeying a traffic control Signal.  Mr. Dominguez-Benitez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of March 30, 2012.
A theft report was taken in the 12300 block of Black Oak.  The home owner stated that several pieces of jewelry were stolen.
March 4
Raymond J. Magnus age 46, of 5332 Briarfield Ln., Lake in the Hills, was arrested for DUI and an outstanding McHenry County warrant for  violation of a bail bond. Mr. Magnus was cited for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, improper lane use, and transportation of open alcohol.  Mr. Magnus posted bond and was released with a McHenry County courts date of March 23, 2012 and April 5, 2012.

Algonquin Board 4 To 2 (Or 3) Against Continuous Flow Intersection

There was no vote at Tuesday's Algonquin Village Board meeting but after an hour's discussion about a proposed Continuous Flow Intersection at Randall and Algonquin Roads it was clear only Village President John Scmitt and Trustee Jim Steigert were for it with Trustee Brian Dianis offering lukewarm support.  Four other trustees thought it was a bad idea.

Schmitt prefaced the session, Algonquin's first since McHenry County Division of Transportation unveiled fairly detailed CFI plans there in two sessions almost two years ago, with a modification he and Village Engineers had brainstormed last week to unblock access to Algonquin stores near the intersection.  He said it allayed business owner's fears the CFI would speed up traffic but keep drivers from going anywhere they might want to shop.  "Otherwise it would almost cripple all of the businesses at all four corners," said Schmitt who reminded the Board that, "Eighteen years ago we made Randall Road (our) economic engine."

That was the point, said Trustee Jerry Glogowski, opposing a largely untested traffic solution and  package of Bandaids to patch up already evident problems.  "I looked at the other CFI's," said Glogowski.  "All of the others were done prior to heavy retail development."

Steigert, on the other hand, observed that traffic's bad now and going to get worse.  "I've talked to people in other communities and they've cut back on coming to Algonquin because of the traffic," he said.  "It's going to keep people away."

Trustee Bob Smith cross-examined MCDOT planner Wally Dittrich on cost, $80 million, and schedule, realistically a 2016 start at the earliest with two years' construction to follow.   "Children who aren't even born yet won't be able to make a left turn (onto Algonquin)," Smith snorted urging MCDOT to put in yet another turn lane.  "What would that cost?"  Dittrich said he hadn't worked it out.

McHenry County Board Chairman added it didn't matter, anyway, since it wouldn't fix things enough to improve flow for all the commuters in Crystal Lake and points north.  He said the CFI was the only solution with a chance of gaining federal funding although he admitted right now the chance looks "probably slim to none."

Trustee John Spella said as bad as traffic is at Randall and Algonquin,  it's worse elsewhere in the Chicago area but that doesn't stop shoppers.  "Woodfield is packed every day," he observed.  But if the intersection really needs to be fixed, "I think we need to do something now," Spella said.

Trustee Debbie Sosine raised a point that's never come up before.  "Signage hasn't been discussed," she said.  "I don't want our town to look like an expressway."

Trustee Brian Dianis summed up the Board's quandary voicing tepid support for the CFI but adding, "I would like to see something done now even though it's not perfect.  But I'd hate to spend the money and then ask later why we did it."

There's no vote planned at Algonquin on the CFI.  For the time being, the ball's back in the County's court to examine Schmitt's CFI access modifications and in the LITH Board's court to see what that group thinks of them, too.

In the pic:  McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and MCDOT planner Wally Dittrich defended a proposed Randall/Algonquin Continuous Flow Intersection at Tuesday's Algonquin Village Board meeting.

Algonquin Charity Faces Local, State, Federal Woes

"Remember on TV they used to have those guys spinning plates on sticks?  I feel like I'm spinning plates," complained Roger Klein, head of Fiat Mart in Algonquin Tuesday.  Embroiled for the past week in a dispute with the Village of Algonquin over a water service fee for FIAT Missionaries' East Side Algonquin retail outlet, he'd just received a letter from the Illinois Attorney General's Office asking for the group's charity bona fides. He said he suspected the Village was behind it.

More likely, though, it was a FEN inquiry two weeks ago to the AG's Charitable Trust Bureau that prompted the letter.  A spokesman said then there were no complaints on file against the group. However, when FEN explained the Internal Revenue Service had decertified FIAT as a charitable organization in November, that it's not registered as a tax-exempt organization with the Illinois Department of Revenue, indeed, not registered with the Secretary of State to do business in Illinois at all, but incorporated in Florida, she said the Bureau investigators' were interested.

FIAT Mart opened in late August in the largely empty Glacier Plaza strip mall near Algonquin and Lake Cook Roads with the Village deferring payment of half an initial $3,400 water hookup fee for six months.  Now the other half is due and Klein says if he has to pay it he may have to move the store whose retail sales, he says, support FIAT Missionaries' food donations to pantries and soup kitchens in Chicago and northern Illinois.

The move to Algonquin came when landlord Don Wolfe told Klein to get his stock out of Wolfe's warehouse in Huntley.  "I never checked him out," said Wolfe.  "We just gave him 2,500 square feet for the food," he said. "Next thing I know, he's got another 2,500 square feet loaded with everything but food," said Wolfe.  "I had a gut feeling something wasn't right."

Klein says the non-food items ranging from chairs to barbecues to plastic Christmas trees, are overstocked and damaged items from retailers that he sells to pay for gathering and distributing 500 tons of food donations a year to more than 50 different organizations.  Most on a provided list are only open a few hours a week so only 20 could be readily contacted.  Of those, 17, including the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Food Pantry and the Northern Illinois Food Bank, said FIAT doesn't give them anything.  However, FEN located two other pantries not on Klein's list he does supply.  One was the Hanover Township Food Pantry in Bartlett.  "Yeah," said Klein, "they gave me an award."

FIAT Missionaries sells donated food nearing its expiration date at FIAT Mart.  Algonquin bargain hunter Christy Salkaitis at The Shopper's Apprentice blog said she was literally the store's first customer.  "Sometimes they have very good prices and sometimes they're not much better than the supermarkets.  But you can't put a price on charity."

Klein found a way, though. Four years ago he used donations to run a food co-op for a while at his Huntley location.  The deal was take whatever food you want for $25 per week.  "That was really a church we worked with out of Elgin," said Klein.  "The pastor went back to Honduras, though," he said. "It just kind of fell apart."

Klein said he had explanations for all of FIAT Missionaries' regulatory discrepancies.  He said he'd supplied all the financial material the IRS wanted but hadn't been recertified because the agency's running five months behind on its paperwork.  He said he thought donated materials were sales tax exempt in Illinois.  He said he couldn't register with the Illinois Secretary of State because of a records mixup at the Secretary of State's Office in Florida where FIAT Missionaries is officially chartered at what was his daughter's residence.  "My son's there now," he said.

According to an Internet posting, FIAT Missionaries has almost $50,000 worth of small buses for sale at the moment but Klein said even if someone buys one, he can't use the money to pay Algonquin's water fee.  "We have quite a lot of debt from operations," he said.

Algonquin Village Manager Bill Ganek didn't hold out much hope Tuesday of forgiving the $1,500 he says FIAT still owes because rules are rules.  "To my knowledge, the Village has always charged a tap-on fee, even to churches and schools," he said.  "If you can't collect for the water (system), you can't run it."

In the pic:  FIAT Missionaries' Roger Klein at Algonquin's FIAT Mart shortly after it opened.

Judge Shuts Down Huntley Couple's National Tax Scheme

A U.S. federal court has permanently barred a Huntley couple, Tracy L. and Linda Sunderlage, and four companies from operating a scheme to allegedly recycle as much as $300 million from what were supposed to be employee benefit plans back to rich company owners, according to a Justice Department announcement Tuesday.

Judge John W. Darrah of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois permanently enjoined the Sunderlages who consented and SRG International Ltd. of Nevis, West Indies, and three Illinois companies from continuing the plans.

Federal prosecutors alleged the Sunderlages and the companies operating out of an Algonquin office claimed to run plans providing insurance benefits to participating companies' employees but said what they were really were doing was funneling money, either tax-free or -deferred, back to the companies' owners for their own use. The injunction bars the Sunderlages from operating or promoting any sort of welfare benefit plans and ordered them to give the government a list of their customers.

The original complaint charged Tracy Sunderlage has a long history of dubious financial schemes dating to at least 1986 when he had a run-in with the SEC. That resulted in another injunction to which he also consented.

DNR Supports Admission Fees At State Parks

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Hikers, hunters, vacationing families and outdoors enthusiasts may soon have to pay a fee for entrance to the state’s parks. A pending House bill would allow the Department of Natural Resources to set fees for people driving and walking into Illinois state parks and a House committee approved the legislation Tuesday.

Jay Curtis, chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said the need for new revenue has grown out of a decade of under funding the department. However, Curtis said he overstated the problem when he recently said that his agency is on the brink of closing its doors. “What I was really saying was that we need to find an alternative funding mechanism for the agency to make it sustainable. Curtis said that in the past, DNR has tried to “slow down” bills that would allow entrance fees at state parks, but this year, the department supports the idea. “We’re one of only seven states right now in the United States that does not have an entrance fee [for parks] of some sort.”

The bill does not set specific fee levels, and Curtis said the department is still in the early stages of determining what the fees might be. However, he estimates they could bring in $8 million to $12 million for DNR.

Rep. Mary Flowers, a Chicago Democrat, voiced concern for families who may not be able to afford entry into parks. “These are very difficult times for people across the nation and certainly across the state,” Flowers said at Tuesday's committee hearing. “Sometimes you just need a place to go.” Rep. JoAnn Osmond, the bill's sponsor, responded, “Unless we can get the money to get them safe, we’re not going to be in position where we can keep our parks open."

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/dnr-supports-admission-fees-at-state.html

In the pic:  The Falls at Matthiessen State Park  in LaSalle County.

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
March 6
0341 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PINE ST. ASSIST TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. Structure fire.
1236 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WINDERMERE WAY. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Several items taken from a foreclosed home. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1602 HRS 100 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. LOST ARTICLE. License plate. Entered into LEADS.
2058 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. FOLLOW UP REPORT: THEFT. Theft of compact discs totaling over $200.00 dollars. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.

No Injuries In Early Morning LITH Fire

A Lake in the Hills family escaped a fire at their home at 1102 Pine Street early this morning without injury.  A neighbor discovered the fire in the garage of the home a little after 3:30 am rousting the homeowners from their beds and calling Algonquin Lake in the Hills firefighters.

ALFPD, Huntley and Crystal Lake fire crews brought the fire under control from outside and then went inside to extinguish it, according to Lt. John Green.  Investigators haven't been able to determine what caused the fire yet, nor the extent of damage, Greene said.

He did note that the homeowner said the family didn't have a working smoke detector.  Greene said smoke detectors greatly increase the chance of surviving a home fire adding that Saturday when residents change their clocks would be a good time to check detector batteries, too.

In the pic:  Cleanup after an early morning house fire on Pine Street in Lake in the Hills.

Area State Rep. Hopeful Charges "Chicago-Style Indimidation"

Area elections are regularly marred by stealing yard signs but Republican 52nd District State Rep. candidate Danielle Rowe charged Monday opponents are using "Chicago-style intimidation tactics" with the theft of, not one, not two, but three campaign signs mounted on 4x8 sheets of plywood and bolted to steel fenceposts driven two feet into the ground.

"The fact that they took my signs down--it's just like challenging my petitions," Rowe complained Monday.  "It's made a lot of people angry because they know how hard I'm working.

Rowe Campaign Manager John Tsarpalas said theft of three of her large signs from locations in North Barrington, Wauconda and Island Lake wasn't a spur of the moment idea.  "They needed a pickup truck and a box of tools," to do it he said, including among the tools a post-puller.

Rowe said she'd make up for the missing signs by knocking on more doors since it would take more than a week to order and erect replacements An area business owner, Rowe is locked in a battle with incumbent State Rep. Kent Gaffney and businessman Dave McSweeney for the November GOP spot in the 52nd District which includes the eastern parts of Lake in the Hills and Algonquin.

In the pic:  State Rep. candidate Michelle Rowe said this campaign sign in Wauconda didn't last two weeks before her opponents hauled it off.

Huntley Library District To Annex Area To South

The Huntley Area Public Library Board held a hearing Monday on the annexation of about four square miles of unlibraried land to the south of Huntley.  No one besides reporters attended the meeting so after 15 minutes the Board adjourned.

Library Director Patrick McDonald said the idea of annexing the farm and forest land south of Freeman Road and west of Pingree Road down and over to Big Timber Road was an effort to accommodate the handful of families who live there.  "Historically we've seen people from the area come to the (Huntley) library," he said.  "They don't pay taxes so we can't issue them a card."

The Library District's tax rate was a little over 2.3 cents per $100 valuation for 2010.

With the hearing out of the way, McDonald said there were still some other legal formalities to line up before the board could vote on annexation, probably in April.

IL Pensions Worse Than Official Numbers

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois' pension problems could be worse than the numbers show. A report by U.S. Government Accountability Office released late last week says Illinois could face unforeseen payment hikes because of how the state has handled its public pensions.

In 2009, the General Assembly changed the law dictating how the state calculates liabilities and assets. That shaved $100 million off of its pension payments for the State Employees’ Retirement Systems that year but those savings aren't real. “This strategy only defers contributions when plan assets experience a loss, as they did in fiscal year 2009. Future contributions will be higher than they would have been,” the report says.

Shelia Weinberg is founder and chief executive officer for the Institute for Truth in Accounting.
“The immediate effect is that the contributions are less than they really need to be,” she said.

The state already is facing a $1.2 billion jump in its pension payments from the past year to this year. In total, the state will have to kick in $5.3 billion this year to the pension system, compared to $4.1 billion last year. By fiscal 2017, the state will be paying $6.2 billion into its pension funds. Complicating the problem is the $14.4 billion the state has borrowed since 2002 to make its pension payments.

“Bonds approved by the General Assembly were issued twice under(Gov. Pat) Quinn to make the required payment due to the fact that there was not an appetite in the General Assembly to make the cuts needed to make the required payments,” Kelly Kraft, Quinn’s budget spokeswoman, said in an email.

 Governor Quinn has assembled a pension working group to outline possible solutions.  State Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville, is part of it. She said the group is discussing more transparent accounting practices, changes in how much employees and taxpayers contribute, and other reforms. “It’s going to be interesting to see where we land at the end of May,” Senger said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7824/il-public-pensions-worse-than-numbers-show/

Obituaries

Diane J. Lock, 73, of Carpentersville died Sunday at the Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois in Woodstock. Visitation will be held from 4 to 9 pm Wednesday with a funeral service at 10:30 am Thursday at the DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral & Cremation Service, Huntley.

Lock was born Feb. 19, 1939. in Chicago, the daughter of Jerome and Jane (Moore) Holesovsky.  She married Gerald J. Lock Nov. 10, 1962. she is is survived by her husband and son Michael, both of Carpentersville; son James (Veronica) Lock and daughter Melissa (Dan) Shelby, both of Lake In The Hills; grandchildren McKenzie, Sarah & Colin; sisters Geraldine Holly of Rolling Meadows and Barbara (Jeff) Boehler of Medinah and brother Arthur (Rita) Holly of New Port Richey, FL.  She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Judy and brother Ron.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Foundation of Northeastern Illinois, 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010.

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
March 5
0013 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LITH POLICE) WANTED ON WARRANT. SORENSON, ERIC S., M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 198 LAKE CT., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear Traffic Offense. Bond: $5000 10% applies. RELEASED ON BOND
0842 HRS 2265 ALGONQUIN RD. (THORNTON’S) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Contact made with a registered sex offender.
1501 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. No priors. Male, 25 years of age, cut his wrist. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1943 HRS 4445 LARKSPUR LN. (WATER TOWER) ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Fire hydrant. Property damage only.
1949 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO GAS STATION) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2113 HRS 6900 RAKOW RD. (RAKOW CURVE) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. A piece of ice was thrown at complainant’s vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.

Crunch Time Tuesday For CFI At Algonquin

Tuesday's meeting of the Algonquin Village Board is shaping up as a make or break session for McHenry County Division of Transportation plans to install a controversial Continuous Flow Intersection at Randall and Algonquin Roads. "Discussion" of the CFI is the major Algonquin agenda item for the first time in almost two years when members said they needed more information.

That was in contrast to the Lake in the Hills Board which, since February, 2010, has repeatedly and vehemently opposed building what would be only the sixth CFI in the U.S. at the busy intersection.  LITH trustees worry that even if the unfamiliar configuration speeded up traffic--and trustees aren't convinced about that--it would also cut off easy shopper access to local businesses.  That's important to LITH and Algonquin, too, since sales taxes from Randall retailers are a big revenue item for both villages.

MCDOT engineers argue the $80 million CFI is the best solution to Randall/Algonquin congestion and, more important, the only one that holds a hope of winning federal funds for construction.  The unspoken assumption is that there'll be any money actually available, however.  Congress hasn't passed a long-term highway bill since 2005 and at the end of last week,  the choice looked like one between still another stopgap measure in the House and a slightly longer Senate bill. Both would only provide about half the money for roads each year as the old Transportation Bill.

Algonquin's Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled to start about 7:05 pm Tuesday at Village Hall; whenever trustees finish with a short Liquor Commission session that begins at 7.

In the pic: The proposed Randall/Algonquin Continuous Flow Intersection would turn Randall into a 10-lane thoroughfare, counting turning, merging and stacking lanes.

My Sister's Dress Sale Helps Out Area Big Brothers Big Sisters

The McHenry County College gym looked like a little slice of Manhattan's Garment District Sunday as young women from all over the area pawed through the gowns at the fifth annual My Sister's Dress project looking for an outfit for upcoming proms.

Typical was HHS Senior Hannah Sturtecky who doesn't have a date yet ("I'm not really interested in anyone") but thought, "It'd be nice to look good," even if she goes stag.  "My parents gave me a budget of $200 to $250," she said.  "But all the dresses here are $20 or $25, so they'll be very happy."

Each year My Sister's Dress volunteers collect unsold and castoff gowns around the county for sale to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County at the annual sale.  There were 20 volunteers on hand Sunday to help with sales but organizer Emily Smith said that was only half the turnout Friday night.  "We had 40 people here helping with sorting and hanging and tagging the dresses," she said.

In the pic:  Algonquin Senior Hannah Sturtecky was one among many local girls looking for prom gowns Sunday at the My Sister's Dress benefit for  Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County.

Huntley Sets Burglary Meeting For Sun City Residents

The Huntley Police Department will hold an open meeting Wednesday for Sun City residents about burglaries in the active seniors community in the past 13 months. There've been nine reported and two attempts during the period according to HPD's tally at an impromptu meeting with residents Thursday worried after a burst of three in February.

Huntley Chief John Perkins and Sergeant Mike Hewitt are scheduled to analyze the break-ins and offer tips on protecting residential property at Sun City's Drendel Ballroom at 7 pm Wednesday.
Police said at Thursday's meeting they've tripled patrols in Sun City to combat the burglary outbreak.

In the pic:  Huntley Police report burglars in Sun City have been taking money and jewelry  leaving expensive electronic gear untouched.  

State Lawmakers Look To Drilling Laws As Boom Looms

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
With a potential oil and gas boom on the horizon in southern Illinois, some new proposals for updated regulations have bipartisan and industry support. Energy companies are leasing the rights to drill for oil from landowners in southern Illinois, hoping hydraulic fracturing — a process used for decades in Illinois but now able to be used on a much larger scale — will let them extract oil once considered elusive.

Hydraulic fracturing, familiarly, "fracking", involves pumping high pressure water with a dose of chemicals into geologic formations to break them up and release trapped gas or oil.  Opponents charge fracking contaminates ground water. Four measures are currently before the General Assembly including one by State Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Gifford. “We're learning about potential problems associated with it, and before it comes into Illinois, I  think it’s good to be proactive,” Frerichs said.

"We don't have evidence to indicate that hydraulic fracturing causes groundwater contamination,"  said Mike Nicholaus, a geologist and spokesman for Ground Water Protection Council, a national nonprofit that consists of state and local water agencies.

Brad Richards, executive vice president of the Illinois Oil and Gas Association, a trade group representing state petroleum companies said oil drilling has been done safely in Illinois for decades.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7819/with-potential-oil-boom-on-horizon-lil-awmakers-want-to-update-drilling-law/

In the pic:  Once upon a time Illinois' was a major oil producer but today it only pumps about 10 to 12 million barrels a year, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

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
March 4
2058 HRS 700 BLOCK OF PARC CT. WANTED ON WARRANT. EMBURY, KEITH A., M/W 43 YEARS OF AGE, 721 PARC CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant out of Alsip, IL. Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding. TURNED OVER TO ALSIP POLICE DEPARTMENT.
0338 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO) BURGLARY FROM MOTOR VEHICLE. Purse taken from vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1350 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. MISSING ADULT. Female, 19 years of age, failed to come home. Entered into LEADS. Subject later returned home. Removed from LEADS.
Algonquin
March 2
22:26pm Pinsel, Joseph A., DOB: 02/10/92, of 1440 Richmond Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.  He was taken into custody at 1440 Richmond.  He was transported to Kane County Jail to await a bond hearing.
March 3
02:31am Miosi, Christopher M., DOB: 01/12/74, of 2320 Dawson Lane, Algonquin, was charged with DUI and Disobeying a Stop Sign.  He was taken into custody at Huntington Drive and Stonegate Road.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 04/04/12 in McHenry County.

Six Local Blood Drives For March, Two On Monday

Two blood drives are scheduled Monday in Algonquin and four others are scheduled during the rest of this month in Algonquin and Huntley.  It takes a lot of donors to supply the blood needs of the nearly 100 hospitals in northern Illinois and northewest Indiana served by the area's two blood services which together supply almost 750,000 blood products each year.

Monday Heartland Blood Center will take donations from 3 to 7:30 pm at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Algonquin. Meanwhile Lifesource Blood Center will be doing the same thing from 4 to 9:30 pm at Algonquin's Lifetime Fitness center.

March 14 will see another blood drive from 10 am to 2 pm at Famous Dave's Restaurant in  Algonquin.  The next day, March 15, Huntley High School will be the site for a blood drive  from 8 am to 2 pm.  Back In Algonquin, there'll be another blood drive March 22 from 11:15 am to 1:15 pm at Robinson Family Chiropractic on East Algonquin Road. Finally, in Huntley again, March 31 will see a blood drive from 8 am to 12:30 pm at Saint Mary's Catholic Church where all donors will receive a pair of cotton lounge pants.

To be a blood donor, individuals must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with written parental permission; weigh at least 110 pounds; be symptom free of cold, flu and allergies; and be in general good health.

Argonauts Set Last Discount Walk-In Registration

The last walk-in registration with Early Bird $25 discounts for 2012 Algonquin Argonauts football and cheerleading will be Saturday, March, 17th from 10 am to from 2pm at Brunswick XL Zone in Algonquin.

Even if kids are already registered online, they still have to do a weigh-in and submit certification papers including two copies of birth certificates, parent/player contracts, medical history forms and physical forms.

The forms and other details are all available on the Argonaut website: www.algonquinargonauts.com

In the pic: Argonauts JPW Cheerleaders took first place in October at the Hoffman Happening competition.

Medicaid Spending Could Increase Illinois Hospital Bills

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
The average Illinois household might face higher hospital bills under Gov.Pat Quinn’s $33.8 billion proposed budget. Quinn’s office said that under normal circumstances, Medicaid spending would jump by $2.7 billion. “We think that is a recipe for a collapse of the Medicaid system,” Jerry Stermer, Quinn’s top adviser, said.

To avoid that, Quinn is calling for lawmakers to approve some combination of decreasing the amount health-care providers get paid for treating Medicaid patients, limiting the non-mandated services and other reforms. Danny Chun, spokesman for the Illinois Hospital Association, which lobbies for more than 200 hospitals in the state, said any Medicaid cut “has a domino effect across the health-care system,” though. One out of every three hospitals in the state is operating in the red, said Chun. Decreasing how much the state pays doctors for treating Medicaid patients or cutting services covered by Medicaid will force hospitals to make up the difference elsewhere he said. “Health-care costs will go up for non-Medicaid patients and for employers who pay for insurance and premiums,” Chun said.

Currently, the state has $1.9 billion in Medicaid bills from last year that it intends to delay paying once again, said Stermer. Without changes to Medicaid, the amount of overdue, unpaid bills would jump to $4.6 billion next fiscal year. “That’s the 800-pound gorilla … because everything else, whether it’s a  9 percent cut to this agency or a 2 percent cut to this agency, doesn’t matter because it’s all being cut” to cover Medicaid costs, state Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said.

Without change, the state will have $21 billion in unpaid, overdue Medicaid bills by fiscal 2017, according a report by the Civic Federation, a think-tank that monitors the state’s finances.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7704/medicaid-spending-could-drive-up-other-il-health-costs/

Ammo Tax For Trauma Centers Gets Mixed Reaction

By Anthony Brino,  Illinois Statehouse News
Illinoisans, especially those downstate, may need to bite the bullet, so to speak, as lawmakers take aim on an ammunition tax. “The bottom line is we’re talking about a penny on a bullet,” said state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, who co-sponsored a bill that would levy a 2-percent surcharge on all ammunition sales.

A pack of 20 hunting rifle bullets, for example, which costs $14, would generate 28 cents in tax revenue. Cassidy figures that would yield up to $1.2 million a year. The Illinois Department of Public Health would give the revenue to trauma care centers in high crime areas, including Chicago.

However, gun rights advocates and others attacked the bill as an affront to the constitutional rights of legal gun owners and argued whether they should be forced to pay for crimes not committed in their backyard. “Law-abiding gun owners like hunters aren’t the problem; it’s the illegal gun owners,” said Ralph Zancha, owner of Zancha’s Guns & Ammo, in Lovington.

For some gun owners, particularly hunters, a surcharge of 2 percent wouldn’t seem like much money. But it's on top of an 11 percent federal tax on bullet manufacturers, said Todd Vandermyde, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association,

And the cost of bullets has shot up steeply during the past few years. Zancha, the Lovington gun-shop owner, said the cost of bullets has roughly tripled in the past three years.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7791/ammo-tax-proposal-to-support-il-trauma-centers-gets-mixed-reaction/

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.

ALEXANDER LEE PROCHASKA, DOB:  01/24/92, 1833 MOORLAND LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC BATTERY, AGGRAVATED BATTERY(2CTS).--Crystal Lake PD

TANYA RODRIGUEZ, DOB:  07/12/80, 645 SLOCUM LAKE ROAD, WAUCONDA. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS, THEFT, AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.--Cary PD
  
EDSON GALINDO, DOB:  12/22/93, 1523 FOX SEDGE TRAIL, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--Woodstock PD
  
NICHOLAS J. BROWER, DOB:  05/22/82, 513 WEST GRANT HIGHWAY, MARENGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Marengo PD

RICHARD G. NIELSEN, DOB:  11/23/59, 7607 ORCHARD, WONDER LAKE. FIRST DEGREE MURDER.--Wonder Lake PD
  
BRANDON M. WARREN, DOB:  03/22/86, 532 COUNTY ROAD L, EAST TROY, WI. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

Obituaries

William J. McCorkle, 63, of Huntley died Fridayat Kindred Hospital in Sycamore.  Visitation will be Monday from 4 to 8 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday at 10:30 am at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.  Burial will be in Maryhill Cemetery.

McCorkle was born August 19, 1948, the son of William J. and Lillian M. (Rosco) McCorkle in Chicago. He is survived by his sister, Jacqueline (Jospeh) Malek of Sylvania, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to St. Mary Church.

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
March 3
0006 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF CADBURY CIRCLE. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. BORCHART, ALEX,  M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 11705 3RD STREET, HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol With a Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Driving While License Revoked. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. SMITH, MITCHELL A., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 290 SUMMERDALE LANE, ALGONQUIN, CHARGES: Underage Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Intoxicated Pedestrian, Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
0904 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & SCOTTY DR. WANTED ON WARRANT. ENGLISH, WHITNEY A., F/W 24 YEARS OF AGE,  150 VILLAGE CREEK, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of DuPage County, Failure to Appear, Alcohol Consumption by a Minor, $6000 @ 10%. RELEASED ON BOND.
1706 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO GAS STATION) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.