Text Gun Threat Shuts Down Dundee-Crown For Two Hours

Dundee-Crown High School's nearly 2,500 students were locked in their classrooms for almost two hours Friday after one student text messaged another that he was going to bring a gun to school to settle a score.  The "code red lockdown" ended when Carpentersville police took the youth into custody off-campus.  According to a news release, the boy never had a weapon.

The school scare which also shut down nearby Perry Elementary School as a precaution began about 11:15 am when a DCHS student told the school's Carpentersville Liason Officer about the message which followed an earlier altercation between the boy and another student. School officials called the lockdown while Carpentersville police swept the halls looking for the boy whom they contacted on his cellphone at about Noon. He surrendered to police at his home in Sleepy Hollow later.

During the code red lockdown all of a school's doors were locked, the lights were turned off, and students were told to be quiet.  The lockdown was downgraded to a "shelter in place" after the youth had been contacted.  In that, all the doors were still locked but teachers continued instruction.

Huntley Board Honors Girl Scouts

The Huntley Village Board made the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Girl Scouts official Thursday with a Proclamation commending the group.  Mayor Chuck Sass thanked a delegation for the nice box of Girl Scout cookies they'd sent but complained administrators had gobbled them all up before he could try one.  The girls all said "Aww" and thought that was no fair, proving, as the document said, that, "Girl Scouting in the Huntley Community has had a strong positive influence on our young people."

Tryon Warns Grafton Seniors Against Prodigal State

The General Assembly's been in recess this week so legislators could go back home to campaign.  Among them was now-64th District State Rep, probably soon-to-be 66th District Rep., Mike Tryon who spoke to Grafton Township's weekly Senior Bingo gathering at the Huntley American Legion this week.

Tryon somehow came up with the brass ring in the State's recent Democrat-drawn legislative remap. No one's running against him for the Republican ballot spot in the district formerly centered on Elk Grove Village (now to include lots of Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and the larger part of Huntley) and no one at all filed to run for the seat as a Democrat.

Nevertheless, Tryon had a simple message for Huntley-area senior voters: The State's spending more than it's taking in.  "We spent $5 billion (this year) to pay last year's bills," said Tryon.

Tryon linked that state of affairs to the State's $88 billion underfunded pension systems.  He had a simple message about that, too.  "If the pension systems collapse, there's no money and no pensions."  He recommended a plan to allow a CPI increase only on the first $50,000 per year of State pensions.

On the redistricting, Tryon said not to worry what the new map says.  "I'll still be here.  I'll still take you calls," he said.

In the pic:  State Rep. Mike Tryon told Grafton Seniors he wasn't too happy with local spending, either.  He said property taxes on his home have zoomed from $3,000 when he bought it in 1994 to $7,600 last year and that was after appeals.

"Double Dipper" State Rep. Will Get Doubled Pension

By Scott Reeder, Illinois Statehouse News
State Rep. Roger Eddy will retire from public life a wealthy man — courtesy of the Illinois taxpayers and the state’s public school teachers. The southern Illinois Republican is drawing two salaries now--$107,400 as superintendent of Hutsonville School District and $75,569 as a state lawmaker. He'll leave both jobs this year to become CEO of the Association of Illinois School Boards--a nominally private group that gets almost all of its money from dues paid by local school districts and from superintendent searches for local school districts.

Last month, Eddy dropped out of the Primary for his downstate seat to announce that he was accepting the roughly $200,000 per year IASB position. A little-known Illinois law allows executives in the association to draw pensions from the Teachers Retirement System. That means Eddy likely will see his taxpayer-backed TRS pension more than double.

“Obviously, we don’t know all of Eddy’s variables but that hypothetical should come pretty close,” said Collin Hitt, senior director of government affairs for the Illinois Policy Institute. “Over the span of a lifetime that person could expect to collect $3.3 million instead of $1.7 million.”

“I’ve been accused of being a double dipper. That’s not true,” said Eddy. “A double dipper gets paid twice for doing the same thing. I worked two different jobs” he said.

In addition to his TRS pension, Eddy will be eligible for a General Assembly pension for his nine years of service as a legislator.  The 53 year-old legislator will be able to begin collecting an annual pension of $23,804 at age 55. It has an estimated lifetime value of $584,273.

“This is absolutely immoral. These double dippers and pension spikers are harming the system that hard-working teachers and the taxpayers have paid in to,” said Frank Keegan, editor of State Budget Solutions.

“Look, that’s just the system we have,” Eddy said. “It is reasonable that I would look for a job within that system.”

You can read Scott's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7957/eddy-of-il-posed-to-grab-even-more-taxpayer-money/

In the pic:  State Rep. Roger Eddy

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
delayed

GOP's Gingrich Holds Lake In The Hills Rally

Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich barnstormed Barrington, Elgin and Carpentersville Thursday finally touching down near Lake in the Hills Airport in hopes of winning some of Illinois' 54 elected convention delegates next week.

Gingrich spoke before about 200 people at a private aircraft warehouse an hour earlier than scheduled when his local appearance was first announced. Cars were will still turning in to the airport even as his audience began to disperse.

Taking his cue from the nearby small aircraft, Gingrich riffed on the Wright Brothers and claimed their mantle of innovation.  “I am the candidate of the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford," he said. It was a comparison he'd made twice in the past two weeks campaigning in Georgia.

It was also one he'd made a little over a year ago in a Salon online magazine interview. Only then Gingrich said President Obama was their imitator and they were really a bunch of sharpers. “(Obama) is in the great tradition of Edison, Ford, the Wright Brothers, Bill Gates — he saw his opportunity and he took it,” Gingrich was quoted as saying then.

At the LITH rally Gingrich pounded away at what's recently become a main campaign theme, U.S. oil independence.  His call for $2.50 per gallon gasoline probably resonated in an area where gas prices have spiked 7.5 percent in the past week to $4.29 per gallon.

No one seemed sure why Gingrich chose to appear at Lake in the Hills Airport since he and his entourage drove to the location and drove away, too.  LITH officials said they could only speculate about it and said they didn't want to.

Earlier Thursday, Gingrich's wife, Callista, appeared at LITH's Goddard School educational childcare center where she read to children from a book she'd written called Sweet Land of Liberty.

The Gingrich campaign moves to Louisiana today while GOP front-runners troll for Illinois votes.  Mitt Romney's scheduled to appear today in Rosemont and Rick Santorum's supposed to speak in Arlington Heights.

In the pic:  Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich at Thursday's LITH Rally.

McHenry County Unemployment Rate Jumps After Holidays

McHenry County's unemployment rate bounced up half a percentage point in January as employers let go workers hired for the holidays.  The unemployment rate for the county jumped to 9.5 percent, according to the latest report released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. That was still better than the rate for Illinois which rose .6 percent to 9.9 percent.  The U.S. rate also rose .5 percent to 8.8.

Adjusting for seasonality, Illinois' unemployment rate actually fell to 9.4 percent in January. "Adding private sector jobs in 21 of the past 25 months and recording the largest monthly decrease in the unemployment rate in nearly 20 years is progress that people can see," said IDES Director Jay Rowell.  Adjusted unemployment rates aren't available at the county and local levels.

Unadjusted, the labor force shrank in McHenry County and its municipalities while the unemployed portion of it grew larger.  Algonquin and Lake in the Hills saw the smallest increases in their unemployment rates while McHenry and Crystal Lake marked larger ones.

                            UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED    Dec 2011          PRELIMINARY Jan 2012               
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED      JAN 
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2011   
U.S. (X1000)   153,373  12,692   8.3    153,485   13,541   8.8   9.8    
ILLINOIS     6,554,822 610,538   9.3  6,522,160  648,311   9.9  10.1   

MCHENRY COUNTY 175,220  15,854   9.0    173,851   16,576   9.5  10.0    
KANE COUNTY    275,359  27,122   9.8    273,009   28,030  10.3  10.4    
LAKE COUNTY    356,999  34,087   9.5    359,424   38,579  10.7  10.7
DUPAGE COUNTY  517,080  37,866   7.3    511,647   38,723   7.6   7.7

ALGONQUIN       16,613   1,307   7.9     16,443    1,337   8.1   8.4   
LITH            16,786   1,464   8.7     16,541    1,420   8.6   9.0    
CRYSTAL LAKE    21,758   1,816   8.3     21,621    1,940   9.0   9.6    
MCHENRY         15,299   1,438   9.4     15,145    1,465   9.7  10.5   

Huntley Accidental 5K Capital For 2012 Race Fundraisers

The Huntley Village Board gave initial approval Thursday to five 5/K runs likely to make the village Race Central for 2012 running fundraisers. "It's not something we promoted," said Village Manager Dave Johnson.  "These are the requests they made. It just happened," he said.

The races will include:
Willow Creek Church, Huntley's Celebration of Hope through Lion's Chase April 21.
It's Our Little Secret's Race For Change though Lion's Chase April 29.
Girls On the Run 5K through Northbridge May 20.
Huntley Youth Sports Organization's Run Through The Sun through Sun City June 3.
Centegra Healthbridge's 5K run through Northbridge June 24.

In other action, Trustees wrestled with a Cindy Jo homeowner's request to fix the zoning on a duplex home he'd bought sitting on a spot officially designated for a single-residence.  Trustee Harry Leopold opposed what he called "spot zoning". The rest of the Board said the change seemed reasonable since, as best anyone could remember, the structure was probably originally built as a duplex and records show it's certainly been one since at least since 1977.  "I don't have a problem with past transgression of the Village," summed up Mayor Chuck Sass.  "What happened, happened."

The Board also gave a first OK to $50,000 worth of crack sealing work for Haligus Road between Dundee and Main; Haligus from Reed to the village Limits; Farmhill Drive from Cold Springs to Del Webb Boulevard; the unfinished part of Flowerwood Lane and Jamestown Road in Covington Lakes.

This year's program includes work that was supposed to have been done last year but was never carried out by 2011's contractor, according to Village administrators.  The same company tried for this year's sealing contract, too, but didn't submit the low bid.  Sass said the Mokena company wouldn't have won even if it had.  "They had a lot of gall," said Sass only "gall" wasn't precisely what he said.

In the pic:  Getting ready for the Girls on the Run 5K in LITH two years ago.

Algonquin Friends Of Library Sale Runs Through Weekend

There was an early rush Thursday afternoon to the Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale at the Algonquin Area Public Library's Eastgate branch.  The sale will continue today from 4 to 8 pm, Saturday 10 am to 2 pm and Sunday (1/2 price day) 1 to 4 pm.

All fiction books are in alphabetical order and all other categories are organized to make shopping easier. Hardcovers are $1, softcovers $.75, paperbacks $.50, children’s books $.25 and video games $5 to $8.

Organizers reminded that leftovers from the sale are free to library district
educators on "Teacher Tuesday" from 4 to 6 pm.

Unions Urge Business Tax Breaks Repeal To Avoid Closures

By Ashley Griffin, Illinois Issues
“Show some guts, not cuts!” and “Quinn says cutback, we say fight back!” were some of the chants from hundreds of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees who protested in front of the Executive Mansion in Springfield Thursday afternoon. It was one of 50 AFSCME demonstrations around Illinois.

The protest brought together hundreds of caregivers, child protection workers, correctional officers, state police personnel and other state employees who might lose their jobs under Gov. Pat Quinn’s FY 2013 proposed budget. Quinn aims to cut most state agencies’ funding by 9 percent and close several state facilities, including mental health centers and residential centers for the developmentally disabled. But according to some workers, instead of cutting, Quinn should repeal the tax breaks for businesses that was passed last December.

According to Jeff Bigelow, a regional director for AFCSME Council 31, repealing the tax cut package would be an “easy way to avoid these cuts.”

“Everything that they are doing is government for the rich and cutting back for the rest of us, and we’re saying they are wrong.”  But the tax breaks, geared at keeping the CME Group and Sears in Illinois, were the product of months of negotiations, and lawmakers are unlikely to repeal them.

Quinn argues that the cuts and closures are necessary and part of an overall plan to trim state costs. “The closures and consolidations proposed in the state budget are hard but necessary,” Kelly Kraft, Quinn’s budget spokeswoman, said in a prepared statement.

You can read Ashley's full report at:  http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/unions-call-for-repeal-of-business-tax.html

In the pic:  Demonstrators at one a series of AFSCME protest in Illinois Thursday.

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 15
0024 HRS PYOTT RD. & JENNINGS DR. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. RATCLIFF, CAMERON JAMAAL, M/B 29 YEARS OF AGE, 910 NORTHFIELD AVE., HARVARD. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Speeding in a Construction Zone. RELEASED ON BOND.
0413 HRS ALEXANDRA BLVD. & CARLEMONT DR. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. RODRIGUEZ, FRANCISCO A., M/W 28 YEARS OF AGE, 705 DARLINGTON LN., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving While License Revoked, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol While on a Revoked Drivers License, No Rear Registration Light. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1718 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE. NO VALID DRIVERS LICENSE/ACCIDENT. DOMINGUEZ, IGNACIO, M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 146 E. LIBERTY ST., WAUCONDA. CHARGES: No Valid Illinois Drivers License, RELEASED ON BOND.
1416 HRS 400 BL0CK PRIDES RUN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 15 months of age, injured after falling down stairs. Transported to Sherman Memorial Hospital.
1422 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO) BURGLARY FROM MOTOR VEHICLE. Camera and Global Positioning System removed from vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1813 HRS 10 BLOCK OF DEERPATH. FOUND ARTICLE. A bicycle. Entered into evidence.
1817 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEARTLAND GATE. DOG BITE. Victim was bitten by unknown dog.
1941 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) THEFT. Complainant’s cellular phone was stolen. FAILED TO FILE.
Algonquin
March 14
18:06pm Hawkins, Antuon D., DOB: 12/22/92, of 2231 Teton Parkway, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for two counts of Aggravated Battery and three counts of Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at Gaslight Drive and Braewood Drive.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.
22:17pm Bieschke, David A., DOB: 05/22/93, of 196 Lenox Court, Carol Stream, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property.  He was taken into custody at Algonquin Lakes Elementary School, 1401 Compton Drive.  He was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 04/12/12 in Kane County.
23:24pm Perna, Evan J., DOB: 07/10/92, of 1719 Lake Cliffe Drive, Wheaton, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property and Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  Krusic, Mark A., DOB: 04/24/91, of 2600 Carriage Court, Aurora and Walsh, Michael A., DOB: 06/26/90, of 261 Lake Gillilan Way, Algonquin, were both charged with Criminal Damage to Property.  All were taken into custody at 261 Lake Gillilan Way.  All were released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/12/12 in Kane County.
March 15
19:35pm Rundlett, Donald A., DOB: 07/08/62, of 3007 Martin, Rolling Meadows, was charged with Failure to Give Aid or Information and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 04/10/12 in McHenry County.

Huntley Full Interchange Construction To Start May 7

The Village of Huntley is preparing to keep residents up to date on construction of the full interchange between Route 47 and Interstate 90 set to begin May. 7.  "I think this will be less (disruptive) than the (Route 47) widening," said Village Manager Dave Johnson Wednesday, "but we'll try to put the same sort of information out many different places."

The contract for construction on the project hasn't been formally awarded yet, but Plote Construction of Hoffman Estates submitted the low bid among five opened Tuesday, $35.7 million.  The figure was 16 percent less than engineers' $42.5 million construction estimate.  Indeed, all of the bids were less than the estimate.

The project's a big one including demolishing and rebuilding a bigger and better overpass, removal of the two existing ramps and construction of six new ones, four electronic toll plazas, widening and reconstruction of 47, Jim Dhamer Drive and Freeman Road, two new signalized ramp intersections and reconstruction of the traffic lights at 47 and Dhamer Drive/Freeman Road.  Throw in Eakin Creek culvert extensions, sewer work and lighting and the entire project's not expected to be finished until June of next year.

In the pic: The full interchange between Route 47 and I-90, more easily said than done.

Turnaround In Three Years: Too Much Salt

The Algonquin Township Board set April 10 for the Annual Township meeting and April 11 for the hearings on the Township and Road District 2012-13 budgets but a lot of Wednesday's meeting centered on salt: There's too much of it.

Even with the mandatory purchase of 80 percent of this season's salt order the Road District's OK but, "it looks like some of the (other districts and municipalities) are going to have trouble using up all they need to," said Commissioner Bob Miller. He said the Algonquin District dome still has room to store about 1,500 tons from somewhere else, "out of the goodness of our hearts--but with an intergovernmental agreement."

The present state of affairs is a complete turnaround from the Winter of 2008-9 when there wasn't enough salt to go around--even at ruinous prices.

The real problem for Algonquin Township is figuring out next season's salt order due in a few weeks, said Miller. "The last time we had a mild winter (01-02) we had three more mild ones after it," he said.  "But you can't really predict Winter," he added.

In the pic:  Even though the Algonquin Township Road District's storage dome is brimming with road salt, Road Commissioner Bob Miller said "We won't take the plows off until mid-May." 

Food Fundraiser Added To HHS Fine Arts Booster 80's Concert

Huntley High School Fine Arts Boosters have added a promo fundraiser to accompany Sunday's Retro 80's appearance of the Spazmatics at the HHS Fine Arts Center. All day Sunday the Boosters will garner 15 percent of food and beverage orders at LITH's Moretti's Resaurante and Pizzaria made with this flyer: http://www.district158.org/weblinks/VBB/02.24.12/02.24.12%20-%20FAB%20Moretti%27s%20Fundraiser.pdf or even just a verbal reference to it.

“It’s a great way to gather with friends before the 3:30 show and an even better way to keep the party going after the show ends at around 6:30,” said FAB President Cheryl Meyer. (Premium seats for the Spazmatics at the door will be $20 each, mezzanine level seats $15, Students with a school ID $10.)

In the pic:  The original Spazmatics.

Arrested Rep. Has Lots Of Money In Campaign Chest

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
March was a banner month for the war chest of recently arrested state Rep.Derrick Smith, D-Chicago. Smith, arrested Tuesday on a federal bribery charge, has received more than $72,000 in campaign donations since March 1. The money was pouring in even on the day of his arrest.

Smith’s campaign had just $10,047.59 on hand at the end of 2011, but has since raised $143,881.09 in large donations, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records. They show donors Tuesday gave Smith $4,916.46. Harry Katsiavelos is president of Peoria Packing Ltd., a series of butcher shops in Chicago, which gave Smith $1,500 Tuesday, according to ISBE. “I’m shocked,” Katsiavelos said after learning Wednesday about Smith’s arrest. “I feel pretty let down.”

The Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, a nonprofit environmental protection group, spent $1,416.46 for a mailer earlier this month, endorsing Smith against his challenger in the March 20 Democratic primary, Tom Swiss. While it wasn’t cash in Smith’s war chest, it is considered a donation.Jack Darin, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, said he felt betrayed after learning of Smith’s arrest. “We’ve taken steps to retract our support and to remove his name from our list of endorsed candidates,” Darin said.

Smith was arrested Tuesday after a three-month investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois. He has been charged with one count of accepting a bribe, a federal felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The criminal complaint alleged that Smith wanted $7,000 in cash to direct a $50,000 state grant to a daycare facility. Messages left with Smith’s office by Illinois Statehouse News were not returned. Smith was released from custody Tuesday on his own recognizance.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7939/arrested-il-official-has-money-in-campaign-war-chest/

In the pic: State Rep. Derrick Smith

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 14
1127 HRS LITCHFIELD LN. & MILLER RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. LUPO, JENNIFER F., F/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 10 LITCHFIELD CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked. RELEASED ON BOND.
2327 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. BARAJAS, CHRISTINA A., F/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 1332 FOUNTAIN GREEN DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, No Seatbelt. RELEASED ON BOND.
1659 HRS 100 BLOCK OF ACORN LN. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son. Verbal only. 5 priors.

Algonquin Board Moves To Force Stalled Construction Work

The Algonquin Village Board Tuesday moved to clean up some of the mess left behind by the housing bubble's collapse almost four years ago.

Trustee's give a first OK to Gilberts' Copenhaver Construction's $328,000 bid to build the sidewalks in brick pavers around Riverside Plaza in the Village's Downtown. In November the Board approved the project developers' doing it themselves by the end of the year but that never happened.  Had it done, according to the agreement, the Village would have been on the hook for as much as $350,000 of the cost.

Trustees also gave initial approval to what Community Development Director Russ Farnum said was a measure to "start a one-year timeclock" to finish sidewalks and street paving at the troubled Glenloch/Waterford/Auburn Lakes 55-and-up age-restricted community on Algonquin's East Side.  Farnum said putting in a claim against the developer's performance bond for the project would force the owner or his bond company to finish the job or eventually pay the Village the money to do it.  "I'm confident the surety company will say, 'We'll finish it'," said Farnum.

Both measures are expected to receive formal approval at the Board's meeting next week.

Gingrich To Hold Rally In LITH--Or Not

Republican Presidential candidate New Gringrich will hold a rally in Lake in the Hills Thursday. Or maybe he won't.

The trailing GOP contender's website Tuesday listed a series of appearances by the candidate or his wife in Barrington, LITH, Elgin, and Carpentersville Thursday culminating in an appearance at 8585 Pyott Road.  That's the address of an airplane service and supply company in LITH but a spokesman at the firm Tuesday couldn't confirm a Gingrich appearance there from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. "I don't know if it's going to happen," he said.  "It's tentative," adding the location actually belongs to a company called RDD leasing, anyway.  RDD leasing's head is Raymond Plote, one of the managers of Beverly Materials in Hoffman Estates.  Plote's assistant there Tuesday said he wasn't in and said she had "no comment" on whether Gingrich would actually appear at the LITH location.

In the pic:  Republican Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich and wife, Callista, may appear near Lake in the Hills Airport Thursday.  Callista's scheduled to read to students at LITH's Goddard School Thursday.

Municipal Aggregation: Where's The Downside?

Tuesday voters in Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Huntley and nine other villages as well as unincorporated McHenry County will vote on referendum questions to start electricity aggregation programs.  Power bills are supposed to go down and no one has to join the program.  Where's the downside?

The idea behind the referenda is that individual consumers are helpless when it comes to getting a good price for electricity. Bundled together, though, all the residents of a village would have some bargaining leverage to get lower prices.  "Up to" 25 percent, according to loose figures in discussion before the referenda were approved.  Bundle all the residents in thirteen villages and the County and they might do even better.  Just imagine the kind of power prices possible if you could bundle together everyone in the state.

Or simply look at a current electric bill, the one aggregation's supposed to lower.  The Illinois Power Agency already aggregates the power needs of everyone in Illinois.  Established five years ago, it has a mandate to buy power for ComEd and downstate Ameren customers at the "lowest cost over time". It just hasn't worked very well since the State kept power prices frozen for 10 years and then took the cap off just as the IPA started buying contracts.

About a dozen states have experimented with municipal aggregation.  Texas has one of the oldest programs.  A  report last month said in the past ten years said Texas residential consumers "suffered greater increases (in electric rates) than residents in all but six other states." Jake Dyer at the Texas Coalition For Affordable Power, one of the report sponsors, said his state's experience with municipal aggregation wasn't a good test, though, since there residents have to volunteer to join an aggregation program and, mostly, they haven't.  "We don't really have municipal aggregation," he said.

In Ohio, another long-time municipal aggregation state, communities sign up residents en masse as proposed in Illinois.  Matt Butler at the Ohio Public Utility Commission said for the first five years his agency was required to track how it was was doing but now it doesn't.  "We haven't issued a report since 2005," he said.  However, the Columbus Dispatch newspaper in December looked at electric deregulation in Ohio including municipal aggregation in.  Its conclusion, "the utilities that were most expensive have gotten cheaper (but) the cheapest have gotten much more expensive." That was somewhat in contrast to national price trends for electricity which have been falling for a decade and now stand at record lows.

Even if aggregation referenda don't pass, power bills are likely to go down in Illinois. Old IAP contracts will expire in a few months and more will end next year.  "ComEd still has some (expensive) contracts from prior years," said Illinois Commerce Commission spokesman Beth Bosch.  She said replacement contracts will probably be cheaper.

The Illinois Commerce Commission reports the price Alternate Residential Electric Suppliers have to to beat right now is, on average, 6.968 cents per kwh.  Fox River Grove and Harvard which have already established municipal aggregation both have contracts at 5.99 cents per kwh but only through September of next year.  That bar will reset June 1 with the next IPA contracts, however. That's about six weeks after the McHenry County umbrella group Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium could pick a supplier.

It doesn't make any difference, though, since the aggregations will be "opt-out" programs that no one will be forced to join.  Customers would have 21 days to say "no thanks" (and then 5 more days to confirm the demur) if they want to stay with the status quo.  But what if the IPA comes up with some even better prices next year?

In Ohio consumers can drop out of municipal aggregation programs if they want to.  Sometimes they can leave with no penalty  "State law requires (a free period) at least every three years," said Ohio PUC spokesman Butler.  Otherwise there's an opt-out charge, he said.  "I've seen it anywhere from $25 to $100," said Butler.

After the initial set up, Illinois law leaves opt-out terms up to negotiation between aggregators and suppliers, according to Citizen's Utility Board expert Jim Chilsen.  "It's gotten a lot more complicated to be an electric customer in Illinois," he said. "The involvement doesn't end at the voting booth."

LITH Woman Still Hospitalized After Door Twp. Crash

A Lake in the Hills woman is still hospitalized after a Monday early evening crash on Route 176 east of Route 47 in unincorporated Door Township south of Weoodstock. Traffic was tied up for about three hours as rescuers from the Crystal Lake Fire Protection District, Woodstock Fire Protection District, Flight for Life, Lakewood Police, Crystal Lake Police, and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of a single vehicle crash.

A Sheriff's Office report said the car driven by 41 year-old Holly M. Pfeil of 950 Taralon Trail headed west when it went off the north side of the roadway for unknown reasons striking several trees. Pfeil, was transported by Flight for Life to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.  Deputies said Pfeil wasn't wearing a seatbelt and alcohol was suspected to be a factor of the crash.

US Court Strikes Down State PAC Contribution Limit

Illinois Statehouse News
A federal court Tuesday overturned part of Illinois’ recently passed election finance law, just a week ahead of the state’s primary election. U.S. District Court Judge Marvin Aspen struck down a 2009 law that limited how much an individual can donate to a political action committee, or PAC, which spends money in an election but doesn’t coordinate with a candidate.

The "Supreme Court and the Seventh Circuit speak clearly: the First Amendment prohibits governments from limiting contributions to independent-expenditure-only PAC(s),” Aspen wrote in his opinion. Personal PAC, a pro-choice lobbying group, initiated the case when it sued the Illinois State Board of Elections over the limits in early February.

Unlike PACs that spend money to influence how lawmakers might vote by donating directly to their war chest, Personal PAC spends most of its money to get pro-choice candidates elected through advertising blitzes. Personal PAC claimed it missed out on $100,000 in donations for 2011 because of the state’s law. Until then, Illinois had no limits on campaign contributions.

The part of the state’s campaign finance law struck down was first passed in 2009, before the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case, upon which Personal PAC based its lawsuit.

In the Citizens United case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that as long as a group was not coordinating with a candidate, it could spend an unlimited amount of money on campaigning for a candidate, or an issue. “Illinois law was passed before Citizens United, we understand that, but it was time for a change, and today’s ruling proved that,” Terry Cosgrove, president of Personal PAC, said. Cosgrove said he and his group started working to take advantage of the lack of contribution limits as soon as the ruling came down.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office defended the Illinois State Board of Elections in the case. Scott Mulford, spokesman for the Attorney General, said the ruling is under review.

You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7930/court-strikes-down-illinois-pac-contribution-limit/

Obituaries

Joseph E. Jackson, 85, of Lake in the Hills died peacefully Monday after a brief illness. A visitation will be Thursday from 4 to 8 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 10:30 am Friday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley. Burial will be at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine

Jackson was the husband of Linda (Mills) Jackson. He was one of the 17 children and leaves behind a very large extended family including his wife; daughter, Kristin (Dan) Hoijer, and grandchildren Sarah (Salvatore) Calabrese, Jessica Zack and Danny Hoijer.

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

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 13
0156 HRS ALGONQUIN RD & CRYSTAL LAKE RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. FLORES, DANIEL K., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 9 JOSEPH COURT, LAKE IN THE HILLS.  CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Expired Registration, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.                                                                            
2356 HRS 1300 BLOCK OF CUNAT CT. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. EVERTSEN, NICHOLE L., F/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 10 OAK VALLEY DR., CARY. CHARGES:  Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0352 HRS 2900 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend.  Verbal only.  No priors.
1835 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) BATTERY. Female vs. female. FAIL TO FILE.
1920 HRS MILLER RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles.  Property damage only.
1941 HRS 300 BLOCK OF PYOTT RD. IDENTITY THEFT. Complainant’s social security number was utilized. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2039 HRS 100 BLOCK OF ACORN LN. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son.  Verbal only.  Four priors.
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 homeowner 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  McHenry County court dates of March 23, 2012 and April 5, 2012.

Language Problems, CFO Resignation At D300 Board Meet

"We have cut as far as we can cut," said District 300 Superintendent Michael Bregy after Monday's Board of Education Budget review of the District's foreign language programs.  The conclusions:  the number of language teachers is down, the size of the classes is up and there aren't enough of them for all the kids who'd like to take a language to do it.

This year administrators are briefing the the entire Board, rather than a select committee, on each education area--where it stands now, what would happen with a 10 percent cut, what a 10 percent increase might do.  Monday's Language report was the first this year suggesting cutting the budget to the bone may have actually cut right into it.  The simple numbers included a district-wide loss of 14 out of 31 French, German and Spanish teachers since 2008 with class sizes ballooning into the mid-30's for Spanish, especially at Jacobs HS.  This year 296 kids asked to take Spanish IV but there was only room for 240 of them.

"We should be able to let students have their first choice, not have to take their second or third choice for electives," said Bregy.

"Many colleges expect two years and want to see four years of a language," observed Board Member Dave Alessio.  "They'd probably look poorly on those who don't have it."

In an unexpected development after Monday's meeting, D300 Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates submitted her resignation effective in three months.  She hadn't been scheduled to retire for two more years.  Crates was a leading figure in the District's campaign to get more money out of the Sears EDA extension.  However, she was also a leading figure in the District's failed plans to build a windfarm downstate.  Her resignation letter, according to a District announcement, said she wanted to spend more time with her family and with the EDA resolved, didn't feel the need to stay.

Separately, District Nurse Sherrie Schmidt said last week's outbreak of norovirus stomach flu at Algonquin's Westfield Community School doesn't appear to have spread and is abating there.  Indeed, she said Friday's high absence rate may have been less because kids were actually sick and more because parents kept them home so they wouldn't get sick.  "All we know is they weren't there, not why," she said.

In the pic:  Language class sizes have been rising in District 300 as the number of language teachers has fallen.

Huntley Girl Scouts Hold 100th Anniversary Meet

More than 200 Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette, Girl Scouts and their parents assembled at Huntley Village Hall Monday at 7:12 pm to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad.

It was March 12, 1912, when Juliette Gordon Low, returning to Savannah, GA, from a meeting with Boy Scout founder Robert Baden-Powell, gathered 18 girls to register the first of Girl Scouts. (In fact they were originally called Girl Guides as similar groups were in England but Low soon decided that didn't sound right.) From the original 18, Girl Scouting has grown to 3.7 million members.

The Huntley troops held hands in a giant circle and sang "Make New Friends", a popular scouting song.  Many brought along food donations for the Grafton Food Pantry, six tubs worth.  Among the donations were, yes, some boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

Applications Open For Huntely Sidewalk Repair

It's first-come first-served for Huntley's 2012 Residential Sidewalk Repair Rebate Program and the Village has posted this year's application form here: http://huntley.il.us/for-residents/documents/SidewalkRepairRebateForm2.1.12.pdf

The program allows residents to hire their own contractor to repair public sidewalks fronting their property and receive a rebate for the costs up to a maximum amount of $500. Rebate amounts are based on a flat rate of $3.50 per square foot of sidewalk repaired, that figure representing 5 percent of the estimated cost per square foot for concrete work. Repairs made to sidewalks on private property aren't eligible, though. The program's good until its funding availability at the time of building permit submittal hits the Village's budget limit for it.

State GOP Presidential Preference Will Count For Once

By Anthony Brino,  Illinois Statehouse News
With even front-runner Mitt Romney less than halfway to the 1,144 delegates needed to capture his party's Presidential nomination, Republican voters in March 20's Illinois Primary will swing some weight for once. “For the first time in decades, Illinois will be a factor in the presidential primary,” said Jim Nowlan, a political scientist at the Institute for Government and Public Affairs, a public policy research center at the University of Illinois.

A Chicago Tribune poll released Monday shows former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney out in front, with former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania running second. Romney's support is centered around Chicago, while Santorum's base is built around downstate, according to the poll. In the survey of 600 Republicans registered in Illinois, 35 percent said they favored Romney, while 31 percent gave a nod to Santorum. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points, meaning it could actually be the other way around.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia was favored by 16 percent of those polled, and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was favored by 7 percent.

"In Illinois, the polls suggest a small Romney lead over Santorum, but with plenty of undecideds,” said Brian Gaines, a political scientist at the University of Illinois. Even if Santorum wins the popular vote in Illinois, he can still only get 44 delegates because he failed to nominate delegates in four congressional districts. The other three candidates all have a full slate of 54 delegates.

Illinois' 54 elected delegates are divided by congressional districts. Each of the state's 19 congressional district gets at least two delegates, while some districts can get up to four. The state also has 15 so-called “floaters,” voting for whomever they want at the nominating convention.

You can read Anthony's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7909/a-week-from-illinois-primary-gop-presidential-candidates-have-delegates-set/

Obituaries

Daniel C. O’Neill, 62, of Algonquin died at his home Saturday. Visitation will be held today from 4 to 8 pm in McDonnell Hall at St. Margaret Mary Church and Wednesday in the church from 9:30 am until a funeral Mass at 10:30. 

O’Neill was born on June 15, 1949. in Omaha, NE, the son of Loyd & Margaret (Brookhouser) O’Neill.
He married Norma (Maher) Aug. 17, 1974, in Hooper, NE. He is survived by her and his parents; his children, Patrick (Beth) O’Neill of McHenry, Kevin (Mary) O’Neill of Harvard, Katie (Alfredo) Vidal of Quincy, Timothy O’Neill of Quincy, Carmel  (Joe) VandenBerg of Albia, IA; grandchildren,  Christopher and Chloe O’Neill, Madelyn, Colin, Liam, Brigid and Molly O’Neill, Jhoel Vidal, and Brylee and Macie VandenBerg, and sisters, Pam (Kevin) Ring, Kathy (Rich) Mayer, Connie (Roy) Mocha and Julie (Gary) Nelson. He was preceded in death by a brother Robert and four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the St. Vincent DePaul Sociey of St. Margaret Mary.

Muriel A. Passaglia, 82, of Carpentersville died at her home Monday following a lengthy illness. Visitation will be held from 4 to 9 pm Wednesday at the DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral & Cremation Service, Huntley, and from 9:30 am until the time of mass at 10:30 Thursday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.

Passaglia was born September 22, 1929, in Chicago, the daughter of Anthony and Angelina (Alberti) Corrado.  She married Roy R. Passaglia August 27, 1949. She is survived by her children, Christine Bernacchi of Carpentersville, Frank (Mary) Passaglia of Schaumburg, Mike (Debbi) Passaglia of Huntley and Robert Passaglia of Schaumburg; 13 grandchildren and her brothers, Albert (Edith) Corrado or Norridge, Ben (Marge) Corrado of Las Vegas and Ed (Noreen) Corrado of Naples, FL.  She was preceded in death by her husband, two brothers and three sisters.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Monica Catholic Church, Carpentersville.

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 12
1359 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (Lake in the Hills PD) WANTED ON WARRANT. KOTLICKY, DAVID T., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 436 CLAREMONT CT., DOWNERS GROVE. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant, McHenry County, Forgery, $20,000 @ 10%. RELEASED ON BOND.
0934 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Female driver of unit one transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital. Female driver of unit two transported to Sherman Hospital.
1106 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Female, 17 years of age, transported to Sherman Hospital.
1243 HRS 3866 SONOMA CIRCLE. (NATURE’S VIEW PARK) THEFT. Toadstool step taken from park equipment. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS
1626 HRS 700 BLOCK OF PEACHTREE CT. HIT & RUN. Delayed 14 hours Tree hit by a vehicle that left. Red paint transfer.
1646 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles, property damage only.
1916 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & ELLIS RD. DOMESTIC. Girlfriend vs boyfriend, verbal only.

Algonquin Bypass Bids Opened, Work Expected Soon

Illinois Department of Transportation planners will review the bids for mistakes this morning but  Friday's low-bidder among six for initial work on Algonquin's Route 31 Bypass turned out to be Ryan Incorporated Central of Janesville, WI, with offices in Elgin.  The bid for earth-moving work on the project, expected to begin in three to six weeks, came in at less than one third engineer's estimates, $4.9 million.

The contract to move 1.2 million cubic yards of earth on the route from Huntington Drive to north of Linden Avenue was originally set to be awarded in January but canceled a week before bids were due when the U.S. Postal Service objected to intersection plans with Algonquin Road.  Postal engineers complained the new configuration would shave away the grass berm at Algonquin's Main Post Office and eliminate one left-turn exit.

That threw a monkey wrench into the works since the State government can't condemn or quick-take land that belongs to the national one and the problem still hasn't been resolved.  "The Postal Service expressed its concern and we're waiting to hear back," said U.S.P.S. spokesman Beverly Howard Friday.

IDOT planners decided to open the grading bids on the project, anyway. That work's projected to be done by October.  A second contract estimated to cost $53 milliion for sewer work and the bypass itself is still tentatively scheduled for bids late next month or May with a June start.  The Bypass isn't expected to be finished until September, 2014.

In the pic:  Bulldozers are will probably start rolling in three to six weeks on Algonquin's Route 31 Bypass.

Huntley Historical Society Appeals For Archive Gear

The Huntley Historical Society's taping oral history interviews with long-time residents for its archives but the project's got a problem: The video from the current' equipment's fine but the sound leaves something to be desired.  Society members think they need a new rig but estimate it'll cost about $500.  "If anyone can help, have them give me a call," said organizer Pam Fender.  Her number's 847-302-6772.

In the pic:  Veteran Huntley resident Tom Conley reminisced on tape for Huntley Historical Society interviewer Elaine Kadakia recently but Society members say they really need better equipment to record such sessions.

More Than 40 Charities So Far In Area Human Race

Over 40 non-profit organizations have signed up for the second Annual McHenry County Human Race according to organizers.  Since the 5K walk/run to benefit charitable organizations serving McHenry County isn't until April 15, there's still time for other groups to join and for  walkers/runners to gather donations and pledges.

The $500 McHenry County Community Foundation Prize will go to the top fundraising organization in the race and $250  will go to the top fundraising individual's  organization.  The org with the most fundraisers will win $150 and the one with the most race participants will net $100.

The place for nonprofits to sign up is here: http://www.mchumanrace.org/Nonprofit/Nonprofit.htm . The place for individual registrations or donations is here: http://www.mchumanrace.org/register%20or%20donate/register.htm .

The race will be in McHenry’s Corporate Park on Corporate Drive.

Guns and Cellphones Vex State Legislators

By Illinois Statehouse News
Besides revenue and dangerous animals, guns and cellphone problems emerged last week in legislation during the busiest week of the Illinois General Assembly so far this Spring.
Friday was the deadline for lawmakers to get their legislation heard before, and voted out of, committee.

Once again downstate lawmakers pushed to legalize the concealed carry of firearms in Illinois, the last state in the nation where some form of carry, concealed or open, is forbidden. A House bill would allow sheriffs in the state’s 102 counties to issue concealed-carry permits. Because lawmakers decided that a statewide concealed-carry law would pre-empt local laws, the bill would require three-fifths of the chamber to pass it. That would require 71 votes in the House, instead of a simple majority of 60.
 
Concealed-carry legislation has been a perennial failure in the statehouse, State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, said Wisconsin’s decision to approve concealed carry last year is putting pressure on Illinois. “It’s long overdue … We’re very close. We’re not going to give up,” Phelps said.

Hoping to limit the problem of distracted driving, the Illinois House passed a bill banning hand-held cell phone use while driving, in a bipartisan vote of 62-53 last week. The measure makes hand-held cell phone use while driving a “moving violation,” carrying with it a $75 ticket. Using speakerphones and wireless headsets would be permitted, and there are exceptions for emergency vehicles and law enforcement.

The push for the ban comes after the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, a federal advisory agency, in December recommended banning all cell phone use while driving, including hands free talking — although no state has gone that far.

State Sen. John Millner, R-Bloomingdale, a former police officer, said people who are driving erratically should be targeted, regardless of whether they’re using a phone. “Some people can drive just fine while talking on the phone,” he said. “Others can’t, and they know who they are.”

You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7902/week-in-review-guns-animals-cell-phones-in-il/

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 11
0121 HRS RANDALL RD. & VILLAGE RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL DIEDRICH, ERIC R., M/W 33 YEARS OF AGE, 585 DARLINGTON LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Improper Lane Usage. RELEASED ON BOND.
0827 HRS 10000 BLOCK OF ROUTE 31. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. PATTERSON, JOSEPH L., M/W 65 YEARS OF AGE, 128 ENSENADA AVE., CARPENTERSVILLE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, No Valid Registration, Improper Registration, No Valid Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
1003 HRS 400 BLOCK OF GLENROSE LN. HARASSMENT/ Harassment by electronic means.
1238 HRS ACORN LN. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1309 HRS POLARIS DR. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1356 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1946 HRS 9341 PYOTT RD. (BARBARA KEY PARK) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. A garbage can was on fire and a picnic table was damaged.
1445 HRS 5500 BLOCK OF SAVOY DR. FOLLOW UP REPORT: HARASSMENT. Telephone harassment. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
Algonquin
March 9
16:08pm A 17 year-old female from Algonquin was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Wal-Mart 1410 S. Randall Road.  She was referred to the Tri Area Court For Teens and then released into the custody of her parents.
19:25pm Obaob, Lourdes F., DOB: 12/30/75, of 701 Lake Cornish Way, Algonquin, was charged with DWLS, No Proof of Insurance, Disregarding Stop Sign and Improper Signal.  She was taken into custody at Countryside Drive and Timberwood Lane.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/17/12 in McHenry County.
March 11
23:13pm Doyle, Nash A., DOB: 10/25/88, of 4 Rochelle Court, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property.  He was taken into custody at 771 Foxglove Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 04/18/12 in McHenry County.

Shamrock Shave Major Fundraiser For Algonquin's St. Margaret Mary

This year's fourth annual St. Margaret Mary Shamrock Shave in Algonquin aimed to raise more than $27,000 to support the church's St. Vincent DePaul Society aiding local families and the Algonquin-founded Bear Necessities pediatric cancer foundation.

First held in 2009 as a minor event, the Shamrock Shave's rapidly grown into one of the parish's major fundraisers.  Besides funds from sponsors of almost 50 shavees this year, there was also the money from more than 300 hearty St. Patrick's Day meals.  (Recipe: take 120 pounds of corned beef, 50 pounds of cabbage, 70 pounds of carrots and 100 pounds of potatoes; heat and serve.)

Between the clipping sessions, Chicagoland Irish band Kingsfold played classic and contemporary favorites. The Dundee Scottish Pipe Band, Katie Scullen, Summers Dance Crew and Mayer School of Irish Dance also performed before a rotating crowd that probably ran to more than 500 spectators during the evening.

In the pic: Visiting St. Margaret Mary's Shamrock Shave from retirement in Rockford was Monsignor Mike Tierney watching members of his former flock get shorn for a pair of good causes.

IDOT Plans Traffic Signal Improvement For Huntley

Mysterious masts once again lined Huntley's Route 47 this week between Freeman and Reed Roads but, to the regret of Village planners, they weren't there at a developer's behest like those two months ago.  Once again, the Miovision counters were measuring traffic, but this time, according to a contractor's spokesman, it was for The Illinois Department of Transportation.  "They're planning to tweak the timing on the (traffic) lights on 47," he said.

LITH Rotary Awarded Grant For Guatemala Aid Project

The tilapia in the new Guatemalan fish tanks Lake in the HIlls Rotarians helped build last month are eating the plants from the new vegetable beds they also helped make and the waste from the fish is fertilizing the veggies in a perfect closed circle--except for the nourishing tilapia the Q’eqchi Maya extract to eat at the remote village of Ak’ Tenamit.

Rotary President Jim Wales said Rotarians found a pleasant surprise when they returned from the sojourn:  A $13,000 grant from Rotary International's Rotary Foundation based on the work they did at the village last year to help the Guatemalans.  "It's probably enough to pay for our plans there next year," said Wales.

In the pic:  LITH Rotarians Ron Magrini, Jim Wales, Bob Huckins and Dwight Koch with a pair of Ak' Tenamit village leaders.  Rotarians Steve Swanson and Jim Siewenie were off somewhere probably hammering or sawing something when the shot was taken. 

State Bill Aims At Dangerous Animals, Owners

By Anthony Brino and Andrew Thomason,  Illinois Statehouse News
What do a kangaroo, grizzly bear and hippopotamus have in common? They could cost their owners a pretty hefty state license fee. Proposed new legislation would require the owner of a creature on a State list of dangerous animals to pay $250 annually to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. That's per owner, not per pet, though.

“We need a way to make sure (IDNR) has the ability to control the most dangerous of the exotic animals,” said state Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, sponsor of the bill. Steans said taxpayers often have to pay for efforts to catch or control exotic animals that escape or injure people.

Lauren Malmberg, director of the Peoria County Animal Protection Services, said she has witnessed the need for Steans’ legislation in the course of chasing down pythons and alligators. “It’s practically cheaper to get a lion or tiger cub than to get a purebred puppy. Virtually anyone can get an exotic animal, and a lot of people are ill-equipped to have them,” Malmberg said.

Scott Smith owns All Animal Expo in Wheaton, twice a month hosting 60 to 100 vendors from around the country who sell everything from prairie dogs to pythons to iguanas and more rarely lions, tigers or bears “This would shut us down,” he said. Smith said he thinks the new permit system would drive much of the pet trade underground, creating an animal black market.

You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7858/il-bill-takes-aim-at-dangerous-animals-their-owners/

In the pic:  One of a strange range of critters sometimes for sale at Wheaton's Animal Expo.

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.

WILLIAM M. HALLOWELL, DOB:  05/08/92, 2735 BAYVIEW DRIVE, ALGONQUIN. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE (twoCTS).--Lake in the Hills PD

MOHAMMED M. AWWAD, DOB: 10/04/92, 112 PHEASANT TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. MOB ACTION, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, DISORDERLY CONDUCT.--Lake in the Hills PD

GAGE P. GARCIA, DOB:  11/13/92, 412 CUTTERS MILL LANE, SCHAUMBURG. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Lake in the Hills PD

THOMAS J. RIFF, DOB: 07/27/71, 10725 RUSHMORE, HUNTLEY. AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC BATTERY, VIOLATION OF BAIL BOND, DOMESTIC BATTERY (2 COUNTS), RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Huntley PD

GEORGE H. GERMAIN, DOB: 09/10/59, 404 E. OAK STREET, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE.--Lake in the Hills PD

PAULA D. KAPA, DOB:  06/18/57, 228 W. LAKE SHORE DRIVE, OAKWOOD HILLS. AGGRAVATED BATTERY(2CTS).--Oakwood Hills PD

JUAN M. GUZMAN, DOB:  04/09/69, 100 HERITAGE DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER, ENDANGERING THE LIFE OR HEALTH OF A CHILD.--McHenry PD

STEVEN L. KLOIAN, DOB:  12/02/61, 107 NEWCASTLE COURT, ROLLING MEADOWS. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, THEFT.--McHenry PD
  
JERMANE L. PUGH, DOB:  08/06/87, 8137 S. EVANS STREET, CHICAGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TO DELIVER, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, THEFT OF LABOR OR SERVICES.--North Central Narcotics Task Force

LEIGH A. DAVIS, DOB: 01/04/72, 10530 BULL VALLEY ROAD, WOODSTOCK. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.--Woodstock PD
  
RANDY N. MCLAUGHLIN, DOB: 12/25/54, 511 ROSE FARM ROAD, WOODSTOCK. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED, OBSTRUCTING IDENTIFICATION.--Woodstock PD
  
CONNOR R. FREISE, DOB: 12/28/93, 3713 FRANKLIN COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. THEFT (OVER $500). McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

CONNOR R. FREISE, DOB: 12/28/93, 3713 FRANKLIN COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLE, THEFT (UNDER $300).--Crystal Lake PD

CONNOR R. FREISE. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY (2 COUNTS), THEFT (OVER $500), THEFT (UNDER $500), CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY (two COUNTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

ADAM T. KOCK, DOB: 08/21/93, 4707 BURMAN DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. CONNOR R. FREISE, DOB: 12/28/93, 3713 FRANKLIN COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. BURGLARY (two COUNTS).--Prairie Grove PD
  
PEDRO E. NAVARRETE, DOB: 04/27/91, 7526 N. WINCHESTER AVENUE, CHICAGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE, AGGRAVATED  DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE two COUNTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--Bull Valley 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
March 10
0025 HRS 600 BLOCK OF HURON TRAIL. LEAVING THE SCENE OF A PROPERTY DAMAGE ACCIDENT. PAPACHRISTODOUL, PANAYIOTIS, M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 600 DELAWARE DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Drove Off Roadway, Failure to Give Information or Render Aid. RELEASED ON BOND.
0351 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTIS) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.  MCDONOUGH, PATRICK, M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 8 GAIL CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Over .08. RELEASED ON BOND.
1114 HRS 1216 CRYSTAL LAKE RDL, (RYDER PARK) DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. MEDEMA, MARIA R., F/W 32 YEARS OF AGE, 2921 HILLSBORO LN., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Driving While License Suspended. RELEASED ON BOND.
2211 HRS 20 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL/ACCIDENT. LESIEWICZ, JAKE C., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 1147 LITCHFIELD, BARTLETT. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content over .08, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident, Illegal Transport of Alcohol by Driver. RELEASED ON BOND
0812 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Pop vending machine damaged.
1203 HRS HARVEST GATE & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1246 HRS 600 BLOCK OF ANDERSON DR. FOUND ARTICLE. Purse.
1417 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF STARWOOD PASS. FRAUDULANT ACTIVITY.  Unauthorized use of a credit card. FAIL TO FILE.
1845 HRS 400 BLOCK OF WINDERMERE WAY. DOMESTIC. Daughter & Son vs. Mom. Verbal only. No priors.
2136 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE RD. SEXUAL ASSAULT. FAIL TO FILE.