Algonquin Township Trustee's Resignation Remains Mystery

Friday was full of speculation about why Algonquin Township Trustee Joe Powalowski resigned the post unexpectedly this week but in gossipy McHenry County none except the Cary attorney knew the actual answer and he wasn't confiding in anyone.

"I talked with him Wednesday and he said 'See you later' and 45 minutes later I got a call from (Township Attorney) Jim Kelly saying he'd resigned," reported Highway Commissioner Bob Miller.  "I had breakfast with him this morning.  He just didn't want to talk about it."

Township Supervisor Dianne Klemm said Powalowski's notice before the Board's monthly meeting was a surprise to her and the rest of her collegial, almost chummy panel. It said, "'circumstances' made it impossible for him to remain in office," said Klemm.  She said perhaps the only hint she had, and that in retrospect, was that Powalowski changed his email address and cellphone number a week ago.

A check of the usual sites for locating scandal found none Friday. Powalowski didn't return FEN calls Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile Algonquin Township once again finds itself with another Trustee's spot to fill. Fox River Grove's Dan Shea was appointed to the Board last year to run out the term of the late Neils Sorenson.  "We have 60 days (to find a replacement)," said Klemm.  "Candidates have to be Republican and live in Algonquin Township and that's about it," she said.  "It would be very nice if they had some knowledge of local government," though, she added.

Applicants should send a CV to Klemm.  "They can drop it off at the office, email it or send it by hardmail," she said.

In the pic: Former Algonquin Township Trustee Joe Powalowski

Committee Sends Regional Super Nominee To Full McHenry Board

The McHenry County Board Health and Human Services Committee Friday unanimously approved Leslie Shermerhorn, the latest nominee to fill the County's 11 months-vacant post of Regional Superintendent of Schools.  Barring another nasty surprise, the full Board's expected to OK Schermerhorn Tuesday.

Her application was among those in January that produced the last nominee, an Elgin elementary school principal who turned out to have an undisclosed arrest record.  District Two Member Donna Kurtz took point on that Friday, first asking if Staff had a run a check on Schermerhorn ("No", said County Administrator Peter Austin), then asking directly is she had "any skeletons."  No, nothing, replied Schermerhorn pausing a beat before adding, "other than the three former husbands buried in my back yard." Members gave the current Chicago assistant principal a laugh and at least a bluebird sticker for moxie.

They looked at one other problem, too, apparently the one that's delayed her nomination by Board Chairman Ken Koehler for at least six weeks.  State law requires that since Joe Williams won the last Superintendent's election as a Republican, even though he declined the post, the new appointee has to be one, too. Schermerhorn, daughter of a former GOP McHenry County Judge, has been rumored to be an apostate. Indeed, an FEN check this week, found that while she dutifully pulled a Republican ballot last month and voted as a Republican six years ago, back in the '04 Primary she voted Democratic.

Schermerhorn excused the lapse as a youthful indiscretion.  Quoting a French epigram, she told the Committee, "If you're young and not a liberal you have no heart.  And if you're not conservative when you're older you have no head."

District One Member Anna May Miller said County GOP head State Rep. Mike Tryon was willing to accept that. "I got his complete assurance he was in support of her candidacy," she said.  That's what Tryon told FEN several weeks ago, too.  "We're always happy to welcome Democrats when they see they're wrong," Tryon grinned.

In the pic:  District Five Board Member Virginia Peschke helped quiz Regional Superintendent of Schools candidate Leslie Schermerhorn Friday.  Sort of.  "I served with your father on a committee," she said.

Bloomin Bunco Raises Funds For ALITH Food Pantry

Organizers hoped to raise $8,000 for the Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry with the second annual Bloomin Bunco event Friday.  With $5,000 already in hand from roughly 200 registrations for the fun at Algonquin's Neubert School leader Carol Platt seemed confident of beating last year's $7,000 fundraiser.

Bunco involves dice and a cowbell and a lot of rules with which everybody already seemed familiar as Platt read them off while everyone else talked and ate cookies.  Volunteers from the Pantry rushed from table to table serving drinks so fast they may not be worth much this morning as the Pantry moves from it's old location on Oak Street to new headquarters on Pyott Road in Lake in the Hills.

Spring Fling Helps Mark Huntley Sweet Repeats' Second Year

About 60 supporters of Pioneer Center's Sweet Repeats applauded a Spring Fling Fashion Show Friday of stylish donations off the racks of the resale shop in Huntley.  "It's just for fun and to get to know our customers better," said checkout cashier Lisa Szatkowski, herself wearing a snazzy black sequined cocktail dress from stock.

The fashion show (including Mayor Chuck Sass modeling walking shorts--photos available on request) also kicked off a weekend-long 25 percent off sale at Sweet Repeats.  Show suppporters included DJ Tony Dinola, Al Piemonte Chervolet, The Chicago Wolves, Huntley Floral, Higher Grounds Coffee and Sandwich Shop, Jameson's Steakhouse, Culvers of Huntley, Target, Tropical Smoothie, Colonial Cafe, Dining Dough, Arlington Park Race Track, Chiro One and ABT Electronics.

In the pic: Sun City Sweet Repeats volunteer Pat Pecoraro modeled a top and slacks by Alfred Dunham at the resale shops fashion show Friday.

IL Congressmen: State’s Debt Unsustainable

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
Republican U.S. congressmen representing Illinois are weighing in on the state’s debt crisis, and a local think tank says the state could save money in health-care costs for retired public employees.  Representative Randy Hultgren, of District 14, and Senator Mark Kirk this week released the “Illinois Debt Report.” The state’s unpaid bills and unfunded obligations, they said, are unsustainable.

“Illinois cannot afford to continue on its current path,” Hultgren said in a news release. “And Washington will not bail the state out.” Illinois, the report says, is on track to end the current fiscal year with a $508 million operating deficit, one of the reasons the state has one of the worst debt ratings in the country.

Illinois has struggled to pay for government services on time, the report notes, with a current backlog of bills approaching $6 billion. The report estimates Illinois’ unfunded liabilities — largely skyrocketing public pensions costs — could reach $139 billion by 2030.

Health-care costs for retired government employees are a large contributor to that debt, according to the Illinois Policy Institute, a libertarian think tank.

In a report issued this week, Illinois Policy Institute said the state could save $500 million in the next fiscal year, if government retirees paid about 54 percent of their own health-care costs.
Retired state workers and state university employees pay about 9 percent of that cost, while retired K-12 teachers pay about 40 percent.

The move could go a long way toward reducing taxpayer liabilities for retiree health costs, which run around $1 billion a year and are expected to grow in the coming decades, the think tank said.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8133/il-u-s-congressmen-states-debt-unsustainable/

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
April 13
0220 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD. & LINDEN ST. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. BIEVER, THEODORE N., JR.,  M/W 63 YEARS OF AGE, 351 COUNCIL TRAIL, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving  With a Breath Alcohol Content Greater Than .08, Improper Parking. RELEASED ON BOND.
2155 HRS TALAGA DR. & ALGONQUIN RD. WANTED ON WARRANT/DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. MADRIGAL, HECTOR G., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 660 E. LIBERTY, WAUCONDA. CHARGES: Wanted on Warrant out of Lake County for Failure to Appear for Traffic Violation, bond amount $20,000 10% applies, Driving While License Revoked, Speeding. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1114 HRS 1200 BLOCK OF CHERRY ST. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Report for insurance.
1328 HRS 310 N. RANDALL RD. (CHASE BANK) FRAUD. Fraudulent activity on a subject’s account.
1356 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTIS) FOUND ARTICLE. Wallet located. ENTERED INTO EVIDENCE.
1508 HRS 300 BLOCK OF CHIPPEWA TRAIL. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. daughter. Verbal argument. No priors.
Algonquin
April 10
18:10pm Ruge, Melissa L., DOB: 08/30/77, of 2615 Amber Court, Algonquin, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Kohl’s, 734 S. Randall Road.  She was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.

Judge Makes Grafton Injunction Permanent--Board To Appeal

McHenry County Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell Thursday converted his December, 2010, preliminary injunction into a permanent one to settle the conflict between Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore and the rest of the Board.  Since the preliminary version clearly didn't work and Caldwell made no changes to it, Thursday evening the Board, with Moore abstaining, voted to appeal his decision.

Caldwell had no audible comment when he made permanent his injunction to balance the Supervisor's executive powers and responsibility for day-to-day Township operation against the Board's responsibility to set overall policy and ride general herd over things.  In another ruling, however, he cast blame on both sides as he ordered Moore to cut a check for Chicago computer investigations firm Forensicon.  "There were clearly a couple of trustees running around as if they owned the joint," he said, but moments later added maybe the Supervisor had something to do with that particular fiasco, too.

Forensicon was called in to investigate two years ago when the Township's computerized financial records disappeared right after the Board had ordered its annual audit.  It was more than two months before Moore admitted in court that she'd taken them home with her on a flash drive. By that time, though, Forensicon had run up a $20,000 bill, twice its initial estimate.

Forensicon President Lee Neubecher never delivered a report since Moore refused to pay him but he did offer a taste two years ago saying he'd found evidence someone had installed an industrial-strength eraser program on the Township's server.  It's not known yet when Forensicon will deliver its long-delayed but now paid-for report.

Trustees will have 30 days to file their appeal.

In the pic:  Judge Michael Caldwell

Grafton Supervisor Pays Bills But Trustees Pull Credit Card

Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore seemed subdued at the Township's monthly meeting Thursday after clear defeats at two annual Township meetings and more equivocal ones in Circuit Court this week.  Trustees may have been energized, though, and voted to figuratively cut up her Township credit card for paying bills they hadn't approved.

Moore presented a $25,000 check Thursday for overdue office rent to the Grafton Road District.  Tuesday electors rejected a Moore proposal to buy the Township complex back immediately in favor of the existing agreement to do it by the end of the fiscal year.  She also presented trustees with a $20,000 check for the computer investigator they'd hired to find out what happened to the Township's missing financial records two years ago.  A Circuit Judge had ordered that earlier in the day.

Trustees spent more than an hour reviewing bills and said they were appalled at $5,000 Moore payments for Township newsletters including an insert about the Special Township Meeting she'd organized.  They likewise objected to her purchase instead of rental of an $800 sound system for the meeting and the one that followed and to the $450 purchase of 100 yard signs to promote them. "If your kid did this to you, would you allow it?" asked Trustee Jerry McMahon.

The Trustees all figure the answer was no and voted to cancel the credit and debit cards Moore used to make the purchases.  "This using the credit card is just a way of circumventing the Board," charged McMahon.

Trustees also voted to give auditing firm Evans Marshall and Pease one more chance to come and explain the now two years-late 2010 audit of the Township books.  Moore said the auditors won't do that or submit the 2011 audit until they're paid for the 2010 one but Trustee Rob LaPorta said he and his confreres had so many questions they weren't ready to pay until they were answered.

New spectator Liz Waitzman from Algonquin chastised Trustees for trying to stiff vendors on Moore bills they hadn't approved.  "I don't think they should be collateral damage in politics," she said.  That set off a McMahon tirade, however, so violent that Crystal Lake newbie spectator repeatedly yelled, "Respect the lady" at him. McMahon said he apologized to Waitzman later.

Moore again refused to appoint a Township Attorney, a post vacant at the lawsuit-prone Township for more than a year now.

The Board set April 23 for a special meeting to come up with a new budget for for the Township for the fiscal year that began April 1.

In the pic:  There were several new faces in the audience at the Grafton Township Board meeting Thursday, 20 or so people, about double the usual size.

Aggregators Predict $300 To $400 Savings On Huntley Plan

Fewer than a dozen residents appeared for Thursday's second public hearing on Huntley's new electrical aggregation plan.  Even so, after the hearing Trustees gave formal approval for it and an accompanying agreement to join the McHenry County-based super-aggregator group NIGEAC.

During the hearing Village Manager Dave Johnson said the original $150 per year estimate of savings on a typical electric bill was probably low.  "Based on bids, it might average $250 to $300," he said.

Even that number might be low, according to Anna Bicanic Moeller, executive director of the McHenry County Council of Governments which is helping organize NIGEAC.  "(Residents) will be able to save $350 to $400 on an average at the current rate," she told FEN Thursday but then said it depends on a lot of things.

Moeller said NIGEAC received a dozen bids this week from ICC-listed Alternative Residential Energy Suppliers. Some bids were in the four to five-cent per kilowatt/hour range, she said.  That sounds great compared to the current State-regulated average price of 7.733 percent. That figure's  expected to fall next month, however, but how much is still anyone's guess.  "Those four-cent numbers were for short contracts," said Moeller.

How long alternative power prices are good for might be as important to aggregators as has how low they are, Moeller said.  Service, like how hard it is for new residents to join the plan or for old ones to leave it later, will be another consideration, according to Johnson.  NIGEAC hopes to pick a new power supplier within a matter of weeks.

In the pic:  About 90 residents filled Huntley's Board room for the first hearing on the Village's electrical aggregation plan last week but only 11 turned out for the second one Thursday.

Huntley Fire Captain Dies In Motorcycle Crash

A mid-afternoon traffic accident in Crystal Lake took the life of Huntley Fire Protection District Captain John C. Winkelman.  The 54-year old Marengo resident was killed when his motorcycle slammed into a car driven by a Woodstock woman who suffered minor injuries.

Crystal Lake Police said 27 year-old Kimberly Randall pulled out of Mt. Tabor Road into Winkelman's path on Route 176.  Crystal Lake Fire Rescue EMT's rushed the unconscious firefighter to Centegra Memorial Medical Center in Woodstock where he died later.  Crystal Lake Police said Winkelman wasn't wearing a helmet.

Traffic on 176 was tied up for about three hours while Police investigated the crash. The probe by the Crystal Lake Police Department and the McHenry county Coroner’s Office is still open. Funeral arrangements for Winkelman are pending.

In the pic: John C. Winkelman at Huntley's 911 ceremony last year.

Area Police, Deputies Warn Parents, Kids About Synthetic Drugs

Lake in the Hills, Algonquin and Huntley Police Departments and the McHenry County Sheriff's office warned an crowd of about 70 concerned area parents and kids gathered at LITH's Marlowe Middle School about the dangers of synthetic marijuana and "designer" hard-drug mimickers.

The joint presentation, the first in McHenry County, was another effort to combat what's seen as the newest threat to kids' well-being.  "It's very scary and it's very real," said Marlowe Principal Scott Rowe.

Synthetic and designer drugs are supposed to be illegal in Illinois but Algonquin officer Amy Bucci said they're probably still available.  She said on a recent undercover sweep her department had found one place where investigators could have bought the stuff except the shop was sold out that day.  Officer Pete Albanese said recent checks in Lake in the Hills didn't find any lab-made drugs for sale and Huntley officer Nora Kruis said her department's checks haven't uncovered any, either. Deputy Amy Knop said the Sheriff's office runs checks, too.  The problem is, pseudo-marijuana and "bath salts" cocaine is still easy to buy over the Internet and police urged parents to be vigilant.

In the pic:  LITH PD Officer Pete Albanese told area parents at kids gathered at Marlow Middle School Thursday that synthetic drugs are the opposite of the old slogan, "Better Living Through Chemistry."

Algonquin Attorney Pleads Guilty In Hit-For-Hire Case

An Algonquin, attorney pleaded guilty Thursday to using a cellphone, in a murder-for-hire scheme. Jason W. Smiekel, admitted to using the phone to try to arrange a hit last year making it a federal offense. Smiekel faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In his plea agreement, Smiekel admitted that last July, he asked an acquaintance if he knew someone who'd commit a murder for him. The man happened to be a federal snitch, however, so he gave Smiekel the name and phone number of an undercover ATF Special Agent.  The agent said Smiekel called him Aug. 1 with a $20,000 offer to kill a former law client, also his girlfriend's former lover. The next day, said the agent, Smiekel used the phone to set up a meet and gave him $1,500 expense money and a photo of the intended victim. ATF agents arrested Smiekel two days later at an Elgin restaurant when he made a $7,000 down payment on the murder contract.

Smiekel is scheduled for sentencing July 17 by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala in Rockford.

In the pic: Jason W. Smiekel

Safety Net Hospitals Want Medicaid Eligibility Tightened

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
The State’s safety net hospitals say Illinois should crack down on Medicaid eligibility instead of cutting rates paid to health care providers or services to those who truly need the program.

“Every day, I see people in my office, and I can’t imagine why in the world they are on the Medicaid roles. They have income, they have the means to obtain insurance,” Mark Newton, president and chief executive officer of Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, said at a recent Illinois House committee hearing in Chicago. “We have employees who elect not to take the coverage and go on Medicaid,” Newton said. “If an employer is offering health insurance today, why is somebody allowed to go on Medicaid?”

Newton said his workers also see indications of potential fraud. He said patients with pacemakers come in with their pacemaker registered under one name and their Medicaid coverage under another name. “Now how does that happen?” he asked.

Newton joined a group of the so-called safety net hospitals located in low-income and medically underserved areas of the state that offered a list of suggestions as the state looks to cut $2.7 billion in Medicaid growth. The Illinois Association of Safety-Net Hospitals estimates that 100,000 to 300,000 patients currently on the Medicaid rolls earn too much to qualify for the program and that $400 million to $1.2 billion could be saved if Illinois took more steps to ensure that all who are receiving Medicaid benefits actually qualify for them. “The system is not being administered effectively to put those dollars where they’re going to have the most impact,” Newton said.

Administrator said that reductions to provider rates and services covered by Medicaid could leave the already fragile institutions “near or at complete breakdown.”  Providers said that the looming $2.7 billion in cuts is already affecting their operations by making it difficult to borrow money to cover budget shortfalls. “A number of banks are now telling us that they will not extend letters of credit because Illinois is not the place that they want to do business,” Newton said.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/safety-net-hospitals-call-for-crack.html

In the pic:  The John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook 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
April 10
1144 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. COX, ZACHARY A., M/W 23 YEARS OF AGE, 21 PINE AVE., FOX LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Expired Registration. RELEASED ON BOND.
1143 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. VIOLATION OF BAIL BOND. HEAD, JUSTIN C., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 1405 MONROE ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Violation of Bail Bond. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0551 HRS 3000 BLOCK OF IMPRESSIONS DR. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Son. Verbal only. No priors.
1706 HRS 500 BLOCK OF BLACKHAWK DR. LOST ARTICLE. Lost passport from four years ago.
2308 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Tree. Property damage only.
April 11
0523 HRS 50 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. TRESPASS TO PROPERTY. Subjects walking in a backyard.
0756 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF WILDSPRING DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 20 months of age, behaving lethargically. Transported to Woodstock Memorial Hospital.
1039 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF BARHARBOR DR. DOMESTIC. Father vs. son. Verbal only. 11 priors.
1808 HRS 2600 BLOCK OF MELBOURNE LN. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assist to McHenry County Probation.
2347 HRS 300 BLOCK OF STICKLEY LN. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal Only. No priors.
April 12
2208 HRS RANDALL RD. & MCHENRY AVE. NO VALID ILLINOIS LICENSE. ROMERO, PEDRO A., M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 1431 ABBOTT, ELGIN.
CHARGES: No Valid Illinois License, Speeding, No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0138 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) INTOXICATED SUBJECT. Male, 27 years of age, highly intoxicated. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1448 HRS 101 N. RANDALL RD. (DOMINICKS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1646 HRS 2126 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (CONVENIENT) TOBACCO COMPLIANCE CHECK. Tobacco Compliance check.
Huntley
April 3Eugenio D. Duran, age 27, of 122 W. Woodstock St. #2F, Crystal Lake, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for failure to signal when required. Mr. Duran posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of April 20, 2012.
Nicholas W. Hanson, age 32, of 11501 Fredrick Way #1, Huntley, was arrested for trespass to real property and harassment through electronic communications.  Mr. Hanson posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 25, 2012.
April 4
Tierra L. Kellog, age 20, of 7 Oakcrest #B, Carpentersville, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended driver’s license.  Ms. Kellog posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
April 5
A residential burglary report was taken in the 10900 block of Fairbluff Ave.  The resident reported a six pack a beer was stolen from his open garage.
A vandalism report was taken in the 10900 block of Woodstock St.  Eggs were thrown at his home from a moving vehicle .
April 6
A residential burglary report was taken in the 12600 block of Cold Springs.  It is unknown what was stolen from the residence.
April 7
Christy E. Challenger, age 38, of 2916 Knight, Rockford, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended driver’s license.  Ms. Challenger  posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 11, 2012.
Angel Leyva-Zarate, age 24, of 115 N. Douglas St., Woodstock, was arrested for DUI, DUI blood alcohol over .08, and was cited for illegal transportation of alcohol, disobeying a traffic control device and improper lane use.  Mr. Leyva-Zarate posted bond and was released with  a McHenry County court date of May 11, 2012.
April 8
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 13500 block of Delaney.  A mailbox post was damaged.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11700 block of 3rd St.  The victim states that metal objects were thrown through the windows of her residence.

Bianchi Testifies He Can't, Won't Investigate Sheriff

McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi testified Wednesday he can't and he won't investigate anything up to and including allegations of murder solicitation against Sheriff Keith Nygren.  Circuit Judge Thomas Meyer said he'd deliver a decision in two weeks on whether that's enough to trigger a State law allowing him to appoint a Special Prosecutor.

Fired and now-reinstated County Deputy Zane Seipler asked for a Special Prosecutor two years ago when Bianchi's office said the State's Attorney was the Sheriff's official attorney so it couldn't investigate his charges Nygren used County resources to beat him in the GOP Primary race in 2010.  After two years of legal hairsplitting the question currently centers on whether Bianchi is legally "unavailable" to conduct an investigation.

Bianchi testified he couldn't investigate the Sheriff because he's the Sheriff's official attorney and State rules of professional conduct forbid that.  "I'd be representing my client one minute and prosecuting him the next minute.  I could be disbarred."

Seipler attorney Blake Horwitz led Bianchi through a list allegations about Nygren, most of which Meyer's already ruled are outside the case at hand but allowed for "context".

"Will you investigate whether the Sheriff used a seven-pointed star for political purposes?" asked Horwitz.

"Ethically, I cannot," said Bianchi.

A five-pointed star?

"It would be unethical for me to do so."

Using public funds to promote his candidacy?

"I will not"

How about soliciting the murder of a judge?

"Again, ethically, I can't represent the Sheriff and indict him at the same time."

Finagling fraudulent loans?

"No."

Special Assistant State's Attorney William Caldwell tried to get Bianchi to admit he could investigate the Sheriff if he really wanted to.  "And lose my license and get disbarred?" replied Bianchi.

Meyer said he thought he finally had enough information to make up his mind about whether Bianchi was "available" to investigate Nygren and said he might even have a decision if everyone would wait while he looked something up.  Fifteen minutes later the judge returned to say he couldn't find whatever it was and set April 25 for a ruling.

In the pic: State's Attorney Lou Bianchi

Court To Signal Grafton Township Via Ancel-Glink

Nothing substantive happened in McHenry County Circuit Court Wednesday in the separate lawsuits by Grafton Highway Commissioner Jack Freund and Assessor Bill Ottley against Supervisor Linda Moore.  However, in a development sure to outrage Moore supporters, Judge Thomas Meyer drew in, at least tangentially, the law firm they blame for more than $500,000 worth of Township legal bills in Moore's suit against the rest of the Grafton Board.

John Nelson, Moore's personal attorney in that case and an object of obloquy to her opponents, asked Meyer for an order to pay him to defend her in Ottley's suit that claims she won't pay the Assessor's bills.  "There is nobody here, technically, to represent (Grafton Township's) interest," said Meyer. "I guess I would like to hear from the Township before I enter an order," he said.

But that presented a problem since Grafton hasn't had a Township Attorney since Moore fired law firm Ancel-Glink two years ago. Subsequently, Moore's steadfastly refused to appoint anyone new to the post except Nelson whom trustees reject.  Ancel-Glink remains, however, as special counsel to the rest of the Grafton Board against Moore's charges they've infringed her authority.

Meyer had only minutes before said that case before Judge Michael Caldwell had nothing to do with the two new ones but Ancel-Glink was the only conduit anyone could think of to officially notify Grafton there was something going on in which it might be interested.  "I would be comfortable with Ancel-Glink being sent the motion in case the Township...had something to say," Meyer said.

In the meantime, the judge threw out Nelson's motion to dismiss Ottley's suit out of hand and set May 8 for a hearing on Nelson's fee request.

Nelson's also listed as a Moore defense attorney in Freund's complaint she's not paying Township rent to his Road District.  Naperville law firm Ottoson Britz seems to be doing the real lifting for Moore there, however.  Ottoson attorney Tim Hoppa Wednesday withdrew a motion to throw out Freund's lawsuit saying, "I think (the Township Annual Meeting Tuesday) changed some things in the case." He didn't volunteer what, nor did Meyer ask, but the judge gave Ottoson a month to come up with a new motion to dismiss as well as a new countersuit and set June 11 as the date to start considering them.

Judge Caldwell will hear arguments in his Grafton case today.

Algonquin Man Arrested In Florida On Cocaine Charge

An Algonquin man was among 14 Lake County and area residents facing narcotics charges after a joint state and federal investigation of cocaine-trafficking in the Round Lake and Round Lake Beach areas, state and federal law enforcement officials announced Wedneday.  Twenty eight year-old  Joseph "Evil" Garcia, was arrested Tuesday in Orlando, FL, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and is being returned to Illinois for trial.

FBI agents, together with local police and other authorities, Tuesday began executing arrest warrants for six federal defendants and eight state defendants resulting from an investigation that began in August 2010.  Since then, investigators have seized more than 1.3 kilograms of cocaine as part of the investigation.

FBI agents and local authorities were concentrating on lead defendant Jose Luis "Big Lou" Chavez, 33, of Round Lake and his alleged drug-trafficking organization, which they said operated mostly in Chicago's north suburbs. The largest seizure during the investigation occurred last year, when law enforcement recovered about a kilogram of cocaine allegedly on its way to Chavez during a traffic stop on I-94 near Deerfield Road.

In the pic:  crack cocaine.

States And Feds Sue Apple, Publishers On E-Book Prices

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
If you do your reading on a Kindle, iPad, NOOK or other electronic reading device, state and federal officials say you could be getting gouged when you buy best-selling books. Illinois joined 14 other states and Puerto Rico Wednesday to sue Apple and book publishers Penguin Group, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster over allegations of price fixing and violating anti-trust laws.

“By colluding to fix the price of e-books, publishers and Apple essentially forced consumers to pay millions more for e-books than they otherwise would have paid,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a written statement.

The U.S. Department of Justice is also suing Apple and book publishers Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster. The lawsuit alleges that the publishers and Apple colluded to prevent a drop in the costs of electronic books as competition grew. The DOJ and Madigan say that before Apple entered the marketplace in 2010, most bestsellers were $9.99, but after the company entered into agreements with publishers to raise the prices, the price tags went up to $12.99 and $14.99, and Apple received a 30 percent commission on the sales. Publishers then demanded the same prices from other booksellers. “Based on the commitments to Apple, the publishers imposed agency terms, over some objections, on all other e-book retailers,” said a written statement from the Justice Department.

Some publishers have argued that their agreements with Apple prevent Amazon.com from holding a monopoly over the e-book marketplace.

Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster agreed to settle with the Department of Justice last week. Under the terms of the settlement, they must end their agreements with Apple and allow retailers to sell their e-books at discounted prices. Amazon said in a written statement that as a result of the settlement, it plans to drop the cost of some of the e-books it sells.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/states-and-feds-sue-apple-and.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
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Grafton Special Meet Collapses, Annual One Upholds Buyback Plan

Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore's Special Meeting to force the immediate transfer of the Grafton office complex back to the Township opened in near chaos and closed with no action Tuesday. An hour later at the regular Annual Meeting, electors voted to "reconfirm" the plan they'd approved last year. Only about 160 people appeared for the meetings at Heineman School Middle School, around 100 fewer than showed up for a similar doubleheader one year ago.

Grafton Clerk Harriet Ford called the Special Meeting to order about 10 minutes after its scheduled 6 pm start.  Moore foe Pam Fender immediately shouted out a motion to adjourn it.  Ten minutes of catcalls and recrimination followed.  Moore, who had no official function at the meeting, wrestled the microphone from Ford and announced the meeting she herself had called, certified and posted, should not be held because it was "not properly noticed."  Ford retrieved the mike and called for a voice vote on Fender's motion.  The "ayes" were louder than the "no's" but not clearly more numerous, so she had three helpers do a head count. It turned out to be 87 to 75 to adjourn.

Later,  Moore told FEN after she was unable to get Ford to do it, she herself had posted the Special Meeting notice but not at three locations as State law requires, so it wasn't legal.  Ford later said she never even saw the petitions for the Special Meeting until after Moore'd posted the notice.  "I did ask for a lawyer," Ford said but she claimed Moore wouldn't let her consult one.

About 30 people drifted away after the Special Meeting while another 25 or so filtered in for the regular 7 pm Annual Meeting.  That one began about five minutes late.  Electors picked Huntley resident Marci Gordon for moderator, then wrangled for a while about being governed by Robert's
 Rules of Order.

After approving last year's minutes, the next item on the agenda was reading the Supervisor's financial report for the Township but Huntley resident Sean Smith moved to waive it on the premise the Township books haven't been audited for the last two years.  Argument followed about whether that was the fault of Moore or trustees and whether the audits provided any useful information, anyway. Insofar as the Annual Meeting was concerned, electors decided they didn't and voted to skip reading the report.  They skipped the Road District's financial report, too.

On the "reconfirming" resolution, essentially the flipside of Moore's Special Meeting measure to  buy back the Township Complex immediately, residents voted four to one to let stand the current agreement to pay off the Road District.  The vote was 99 to 23.

Grafton Township's agony will continue today when McHenry County Judge Thomas Meyer hears motions in Highway Commissioner Jack Freund's lawsuit against Moore for not paying rent on the complex. An hour later he'll hear motions in Grafton Assessor Bill Ottley's suit against Moore for not paying his bills.  Thursday Judge Michael Caldwell's scheduled to hear arguments about terms of a permanent injunction in Moore's suit against the rest of the Board for interfering with how she wants to run the Township.

In the pic:  Grafton residents voted overwhelmingly not to overturn a contract to finish buying back the Township Offices by next March.
    

LITH Ponders Manure Mountain, Future Of Pyott Riding Stable

The  Lake in the Hills Village Board wrestled Tuesday with what to do with its riding stable location on Pyott Road, dilapidated, vacant and messy after the departure of its former tenant.

A  few tons of horse manure and debris were left behind when Sommerset Sporthorse Equestrian Center decamped for new digs in Dundee.  Assistant Village Administrator Shannon Andrews reported that all needs to be cleaned up but before looking for a new tenant, the plumbing needs fixing, the site needs some electrical upgrades and a small barn, milkhouse, lean-to shed and windmill mouldering nearby probably ought to be pulled down.  Material costs alone might run $15,000 and Village Staff wondered if Trustees thought continued leasing was worth the trouble or if it was time to call it quits.

Trustees broadly agreed it was OK to pull down the shaky structures, maybe recycling whatever lumber could be salvaged, but decided to hold off deciding what to do about the stable itself until their Strategic Planning session later this year.  The outcome of a Village lawsuit against Sommerset for breaking the lease could influence their final decision but that might not be soon.  Circuit Court records show Village attorneys withdrew a motion for a default judgement against Sommerset Tuesday.  Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell didn't set  a conference on a trial date until July 6.

Separately, after a brief public hearing Trustees gave an initial OK to annexing and rezoning a former 19-acre slice of Cary on Route 31 north of Virginia Road for a planned asphalt shingle recycling facility. Final approval's expected Thursday.

In the pic:  LITH has to get rid of a mountain of manure at its riding stable location on Pyott Road.

Employers Ready To Hire At ECC Job Fair Next Week

Elgin Community College will one-up McHenry County College next week with a Job Fair at the college's Spartan Events Center April 20.  ECC reports it's already signed up more than 100 area employers while MCC is still looking for more for its Spring Job Fair April 24.

Among the businesses hiring from 1 to 4 pm at ECC's free event will be Employers who will be Caterpillar Inc.,  Swiss Automation Inc., Elgin Community College, Hoffer Plastics, JP Morgan Chase, Sherman Health Systems, Grand Victoria Casino, and TCF Bank.  For more information visit elgin.edu/jobfair to view a list of employers or call ECC Career Services at 847-214-7399.

In the pic:  Last year's ECC Job Fair drew a huge crowd.

Grand Jury Indicts State Rep On Bribery Charge

By Jayette Bolinski and Stephanie Fryer,  Illinois Statehouse News
Indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith is talking with fellow lawmakers through email alone, said a member of the House panel appointed to look into federal bribery allegations against him. A federal grand jury Tuesday indicted Smith, D-Chicago, on a bribery charge outlined in a criminal complaint filed March 12.

“I’m sure if I was in his situation, the criminal process is foremost over your head," said state Rep. Jil Tracy, R-Mount Sterling, a member of the six-person House Special Investigation Committee. "If you sought the advice of counsel, they would tell (you) not to have any contact."  The panel, appointed to investigate allegations against Smith, last week postponed hearings originally scheduled this week.

“Just because he was indicted doesn’t mean we won’t have any disciplinary actions," said Tracy. (Smith) could still face removal from the office by recommendation of the committee,” she said. Smith is accused of accepting $7,000 cash in exchange for writing a letter of support for a day care center, which, he thought, was seeking a $50,000 Early Childhood Construction Grant through the state Capital Development Board. Federal authorities set up the fictional day care.

Tuesday’s indictment revealed no new information about the charges against Smith. Federal authorities began investigating Smith after getting a tip from a campaign worker.

A married father of three and grandfather of six, Smith was appointed to the 10th District House seat in March 2011. He replaced Annazette Collins, who was appointed to the 5th District seat formerly held by state Sen. Rickey Hendon, who resigned last February.

You can read the full report on this story at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8128/smith-indicted-on-federal-bribery-charge/

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
delayed FEN schedule conflict

D300 To Try To Hold Special Ed Costs Steady

Continuing a series of budget reviews Monday, District 300 Administrators told the Board of Education there isn't much left to cut in Special Education programs.  In fact, they said, it will take some fancy juggling to hold costs steady.

In the past three years, for instance, the number of Special Ed students who need instruction in programs outside District 300 schools has dropped about one third, from 166 to 104.  But at a price of anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 per child, Special Ed outplacement still runs the District about $3.5 million per year, even after the State pays a share.

Right now almost 2,300 K-12 students are enrolled in the District's in-house Special Ed programs.  More than half spend most of their time in regular classes but about one quarter spend a lot of the day in Special Ed classes and about one fifth are in them most of the time. Right now in-house Special Ed costs about $18 million per year but last year's audit of D300's Special Ed regime recommended moving more kids into regular classrooms.  The plan is to cut the equivalent of 32 aides and replace them with the equivalent of 15.5 certified teachers.  Since the teachers' salaries are about twice as much as the aides', administrators figure the change will be a financial wash. "This would allow for an increase in students accessing the general education setting through the Co-Teaching model," their report concluded.

Separately, a spat broke out over what was supposed to be a routine extension of the District's contract for the school pics the kids take home each year.  Member Karen Roeckner complained the contract hadn't been up for bid since 2005 and Member Joe Stevens recalled it as another matter administrators had promised to address but hadn't.  He said administrators had agreed to bid the contract at the end of the last extension three years ago, "And that was forgotten," he griped.

Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates said the contract didn't cost anything and, indeed, saves the District a lot of money since the company provides free student photo ID's which help keep the lunch lines moving smartly.

Board President Anne Miller called for tabling the extension until the end of the month while administrators checked to see if bidding it would kill the goose that laid the golden egg.  "My concern is they're not going to hold last year's price (for parent photo purchases)," she said, so the Board put a hold on the matter for three weeks.

In the pic:  Special Education's required for students with a lot of different disabilities.

McHenry County Civil Arbitration Center Finally Opens

"I'll see you in court," ends many a dispute but if the the matter involves between $10,000 and $50,000 first the combatants will see each other in a mandatory arbitration hearing.  That's likely to speed up now since McHenry County's 22nd District finally has its own arbitration administrator.

When McHenry County's Circuit was broken off from Lake County six years ago, the arbitration head became a shared position between the two.  The caseload in McHenry County's nearly doubled to more than 2,100 cases in eight years, though, and last August both districts finally decided enough was enough, if not too much.  The Illinois Courts Administrative Office agreed each circuit ought have a full-time head of arbitration and last week the office for McHenry County's new arbitration chief finally opened in rented facilities in Woodstock.

Cases for arbitration proceed along an expedited track, with an arbitration hearing four to six months from the date the case is filed. A panel of three arbitrators, mostly retired judges or attorneys conducts the hearing and renders an award. The arbitration's not binding, though, the either side can "reject" the award, pay a fee and then go on to a trial in Circuit Court.

In the pic:  McHenry County's Courthouse is full.  The County's new Arbitration Center is at 666 Russel Court in Woodstock.   

MCC Jobs Fair Seeks Employers

Got a business and looking for workers?  Through the 18th, area employers can sign up for a booth at McHenry County College’s Spring 2012 Job and Career Fair coming up April 24.

Sponsored by the MCC Career Services Office, the job fair is a key part of MCC’s plan to promote area economic vitality.  The Job Fair's expected to bring in a wide range of job-seekers, including students looking for part-time seasonal employment and seasoned professionals looking for full-time career opportunities.

The Fair will be Tuesday, April 24, from 11 am to 3 pm on the MCC campus. Advanced Employer registration is required and includes a $25 registration fee. To register, visit www.mchenry.edu/jobfair or contact Lee Willis at lwillis@mchenry.edu for more information.

In the pic:  MCC's Job Fair usually brings lots of hopefuls.

IL House Panel Awaits Details In Bribery Probe

By Anthony Brino,  Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois lawmakers investigating allegations of bribery against a state representative are waiting for any new information that may emerge from expected court proceedings. The House Special Investigation Committee Monday postponed hearings scheduled this week on the charges against state Rep. Derrick Smith, D-Chicago.

The committee’s co-chairs, state Reps. Elaine Nektritz, D-Northbrook, and Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, announced in a letter that. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to deliver a federal indictment of Smith this week in the Northern District of Illinois U.S. Court in Chicago.

In March, Smith was arrested on a federal bribery charge for allegedly accepting $7,000 in cash in exchange for writing a letter of support for a daycare center that he thought was seeking a state grant. Federal authorities set up the fictional daycare.

A federal bribery conviction would carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8118/il-house-panel-awaits-details-in-alleged-bribery-probe/

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
April 9
2302 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. DOMESTIC BATTERY. HEAD, JUSTIN C., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 1405 MONROE ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Four Counts of Domestic Battery. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
2149 HRS 00 BLOCK OF CRIMSON CT. FOLLOW-UP ARREST: DOMESTIC BATTERY. LUCZAJ, STANLEY S., M/W 49 YEARS OF AGE, 5023 SUNNYSIDE AVE., CHICAGO. CHARGE: Domestic Battery. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1149 HRS 1400 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Wallet was taken from an unlocked vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1220 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & REED RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1706 HRS 251 N. RANDALL RD. (APPLEBEE’S) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Wife believes her soon-to-be ex is monitoring her movements.

McHenry County Board Member Being Investigated In Cook County

A hearing that might lift the law license of a McHenry County Board member has been suspended indefinitely while the Cook County State's Attorney's Office investigates him, according to Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission records.  District One Member Bob Bless invoked his right against self-incrimination March 5. Bless's motion to suspend the ARDC's regulatory equivalent of a trial also revealed "other investigations pending" against him at the agency.

Bless's motion said the ARDC and State's Attorney investigations and a Cook County civil suit were all instigated by a Wauconda widow named Kathleen Scott with whom in an earlier filing he'd admitted having an affair in 2006.  Scott in 2009 told ARDC Bless was her attorney and bilked her out of about $120,000 worth of loans and payments on a Palatine commercial site he sold to her. Bless has denied he was Scott's attorney or real estate agent.  A Cook County State's Attorney spokesman Friday said he was barred from revealing if his office was investigating Scott's charges or if, indeed, it was conducting any investigation of Bless at all.

ARDC Chief Counsel James Grogan said Thursday he was not allowed to say what other charges against Bless his investigators were looking into.  One possibility is the allegations in civil suit in Cook County Circuit Court  by Dimitrios Giannakouras and Sokol Tollumi, owners of the Five O'Clock Steakhouse in Fox River Grove.  In January they claimed after the restaurant burned down three years ago they hired Bless to negotiate a settlement with one of their insurance companies for a one fifth share of the final figure. They charge Bless  had the insurer cut a check directly to him for one third of it, instead.  They're asking for $31,000 back plus real and punitive damages, a total of more than $50,000.  The restaurateurs' attorney John Gonnella Friday said he wasn't allowed to say if that's what ARDC or the Cook County State's Attorney are looking into.

Bless is also a Cook County Sheriff's Deputy.  There have been rumors for several months now that  Sheriff Tom Dart pulled Bless's badge and gun for undisclosed reasons and set him at a desk in the Cook County Circuit Court branch in Rolling Meadows.  A Sheriff's Office spokesman Friday would neither confirm nor deny the rumor.  "You'd have to FOIA that," she said.  In fact, FEN did file a Freedom of Information Act request for Bless's duty status in September. The Sheriff's office wouldn't reveal it, claiming it was part of an employee grievance or disciplinary matter.  FEN  has an appeal pending with the Illinois Attorney General's office on the turndown.  "We know that," said the spokesman.

Bless came in fourth among the four Republican candidates in the Primary election three weeks ago for one of the four District One seats on the McHenry County Board.  FEN was unable to contact him at his Fox River Grove home over the weekend.

In the pic:  District One McHenry County Board Member Bob Bless

County Dem Chief Fasts For Area Food Bank Fundraising

McHenry County Democratic Party Chairman Michael Bissett is at the halfway point today in a 10-day fast to publicize the group's solicitation of money donations for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  The Lake in the Hills businessman has consumed nothing but tapwater since Wednesday.

Bissett's vowed to fast until the Dems' Thomas Jefferson Dinner in Union Saturday where the McHenry County Building Trades Council will receive a community service award for remodeling the new Pyott Road location for the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry.  "Nearly 50 million Americans wake up every day wondering if they will have enough to eat," said Bissett.  "One out of every eight people in Illinois need help from a food pantry just to get by. Those statistics are shocking. Those facts are shameful," he said.

Bissett said his fast is to help dramatize the problem.  "There isn't a lot I can do to raise awareness of anything.  I have limited means.  I can do this, though," he said.

In the pic: County Democratic chief Mike Bissett draws a hearty glass of water, all he'll consume for a 10 day fast.  "I'm taking a vitamin, too," he said, "but no calories." 

Algonquin Planner And Spouse Create RC Race Against MS Sunday

Village of Algonquin Senior Planner Katie Parkhurst has added a new event to her seventh year of fundraising for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  Woodstock resident Parkhurst and her husband Nick have raised over $11,000 in pledges in the Society's last six area walks against the disease and hope to raise more this year in the May 6 Walk in Lake in the Hills.  Nick is a radio- controlled racer enthusiast, too, however, so the pair are sponsoring a Fight MS Race Sunday at RC Raceway in Streamwood.

"Progress is being made with research and medications, but we have not found a way to rid the world of MS," said Parkhurst.  "What is even more disturbing is I find the more I talk to people the more people I know that have MS or have it in their family," she said.  Parkhurst herself became involved in the crusade when her uncle succumbed to the disease.

The fee to enter the Parkhursts' MS RC Race is $25. The track opens at 9 am with the first race at 11 am.  Details are located here:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/88563637/Ms-Flyer

The site to register for the McHenry County MS Walk in Lake in the Hills is here: http://walkild.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/ILDWalkEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=17984

In the pic:  Nick Parkhurst put his passion for RC racers together with wife Katie's mission against multiple sclerosis to create a race against MS Sunday.

High Court: Lower Must Hear Cook County Gun Challenge

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
A ban on assault-style weapons can be challenged in the lower courts which dismissed lawsuits  that the ban is unconstitutional, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled late last week. Cook County officials outlawed “high-capacity, rapid-fire” guns in 1993 arguing that assault-style rifles were 20 times more likely to be used in violent crimes and that urban and suburban residents had “no legitimate sporting purpose” for owning the weapons.

The Illinois State Rifle Association, a gun rights advocacy organization, filed a lawsuit, arguing that the ban violated the Second Amendment and that national law prohibits ownership of the most dangerous firearms such as machine guns. Cook County Circuit Court dismissed the lawsuit without hearing any evidence, as did an appellate court.

Gun control advocates said they believe the ban will be upheld in the lower courts. “The choice weapons of gang members these days are assault weapons,” said Colleen Daley, executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, a statewide gun violence prevention group. “Making them illegal is another tool for law enforcement.”

Gun rights advocates said the law is unconstitutional and ineffective.  “We’re going to be at this for a while, and we’re ready,” said Richard Pearson, director of the Illinois State Rifle Association.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8086/il-supremes-lower-courts-must-hear-cook-co-gun-ban-challenge/

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
April 8
0356 HRS RANDALL RD. & ALEXANDRA BLVD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. GUZMAN, EDITH, F/W 23 YEARS OF AGE, 402 E. OAK ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Improper Lane Usage, Not Wearing Corrective Lenses When Required. RELEASED ON BOND.
1154 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HAWTHORNE RD. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 80 years of age, fell. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1932 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Female, 53 years of age, transported to Woodstock Memorial.
2149 HRS 0 BLOCK OF CRIMSON CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. No priors. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
Algonquin
April 5
17:00pm Koza, Amanda L., DOB: 06/06/87, of 601 Willow Street, Lake in the Hills, was charged with Failure to Notify After Striking an Unattended Vehicle and Improper Lane Usage.  She was taken into custody at 601 Willow Street.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/16/12 in McHenry County.
April 6
14:01pm A 16 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S Randall Road.  He was released on a Notice to Appear, with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.
April 7
01:51am Coleman, Dana Y., DOB: 08/31/83, of 1011 N. Lawndale, Chicago, was charged with DWLS, No Headlights and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody at Randall Road and Harnish Drive.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 05/16/12 in McHenry County.
04:15am Jeschke, Allen C., DOB: 04/13/80, of 10720 Route 173, Hebron, was charged with DUI, DUI Over and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at Huntington Drive and Rolls Drive.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 05/16/12 in McHenry County.
05:55am Vigh, Jennifer M., DOB: 03/14/92, of 1407 Bridgedale Road, Crystal Lake, was charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Zero Tolerance, Improper Lane Usage, No Proof of Insurance and Unlawful Consumption/Possession of Alcohol by Minor.  She was taken into custody at Route 62 and N. Harrison Street.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/09/12 in McHenry County.

Reject Rabbit Rescued At Algonquin No Kill Bunny Shelter

An unwanted Easter Bunny named Jenny was renamed Denny when the cast-off creature finally arrived at No Splitting Hares Rabbit Rescue in unincorporated Algonquin Saturday.  Little details like the rabbit's sex got lost in the shuffle of reaching the Midwest's largest rabbit shelter. "It took  five people, to get her here. Or him," said founder Lisa Reemer.

About all anyone knew Saturday was that someone somewhere bought a cute little baby bunny for the kids last Easter and named it Jenny.  "And then it grew," said Reemer.  Pretty soon it had turned into what Reemer called "a larger than normal Rex (rabbit breed)," and it wasn't so cute anymore.

Somehow Jenny/Denny ended up at a small animal shelter in Princeton in Bureau County that did't know much about rabbits. "It took a week and a half" to arrange a multi-leg rescue rendesvous at a toll oasis to get him/her to Reemer's no-kill rabbit shelter where there were already 286 other mostly Easter rejects.  

"Calls have hit a record high this year for people that want a live bunny rabbit to use as a gift for a child, " said Reemer.  "It's NOT going to happen!."

In the pic:  Volunteers Sara Magly, Crystal Lake, and Joseph Cinefro Harvard drove over two hours to DeKalb to bring Denny the reject Easter Bunny to Algonquin's No Splitting Hares Rabbit Rescue center Saturday.

"On Your Marks...Get Set...Oops, They're Already Gone"

No one knew exactly how many kids and parents turned out for Huntley's Deicke Park Easter Egg Hunt Saturday.  There were 10,000 eggs for the kids and it looked as if every one got at least two, if not a lot more.  The best guess was only, "It's more than we've ever had before," said Park District Executive Director Thom Palmer.

"It took us about 25 minutes to put them all out," said Huntley Jaycees organizer Janet Westberg.  "It took the kids about 25 seconds to find them."

Credit some of that to the weather, not quite shirt sleeve yet, but a vast improvement over the early Spring chill and mist that prevailed at  the last two hunts.

CL Scouts Scour County Road In LITH

Boy Scout Troop 168 was out Saturday for the first of the year's four clean up sessions on the mile of Lakewood Road from from Miller north to Ackman.  The Crystal Lake-based troop signed on to McHenry County's Adopt-A-Highway program to clean up the stretch of road, mostly in Lake in the Hills, four years ago almost to the day.

Where's A Cop When You Need One? Close In Algonquin

The Village of Algonquin honored a veteran police officer this week with an award for saving the lives of not one, but two village residents.

The first time, Sgt. Kory Koehler was on duty when a patron at a local gym passed out on a treadmill late last year.  First on the scene, Koehler discovered the victim's heart had stopped and administered CPR until ALFPD rescue could could take him to a hospital. There physicians discovered the victim suffered from a previously-undetected heart defect which they fixed with surgery.

About four months later, Koehler was at home on a Sunday evening when a neighbor came to his door screaming that her six year-old child had stopped breathing.  Koehler found the child had suffered a seizure, cleared the airway and again administered CPR until paramedics arrived to help the child who made a full recovery.

In the pic:  Algonquin Village President John Schmitt applauded Sgt. Kory Koehler honored with an award from Chief Russ Laine for saving the lives of two village residents.

Tax Loan Bill Won't Protect This Year

A bill to protect Illinois taxpayers from high costs of tax refund loans and checks won't pass the House before Income Tax Day, April 17, this year.  The Senate version capping the loans' costs passed just before the Legislature recessed last week.

The loans and checks are billed as a faster way to receive a refund around tax time, but the Illinois Attorney General's Office charges they're really a way to siphon excessive fees out of what taxpayers are actually owed after their annual tax filings. “The only thing taxpayers should anticipate with these so-called ‘refund’ products are costly fees and smaller tax returns,” AG Lisa Madigan said.

Refund anticipation loans have interest rates running as high as 150 percent that can reduce a taxpayer’s refund by as much as 20 percent before they receive it, according to Madigan. “Every year during tax season some tax preparers and lenders take advantage of low-income individuals by charging them exorbitant fees, on top of high interest rates, to get their refunds early,” said Sen. Jacqueline Collins, Senate bill sponsor. “This legislation will cap interest rates, prohibit fees charged in addition to interest and give borrowers a chance to use their tax refunds as intended – to pay for needs like food, housing, clothing and medicine."

The Legislature won't be back in session until April 17.

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.

KURTIS M. NORWOOD, DOB: 09/04/88, 619 PARK STREET, WOODSTOCK. BURGLARY (2 COUNTS), THEFT (2 COUNTS).--Huntley PD

MICHAEL J. DONOHUE, DOB: 03/02/62, 7317 CHESTERFIELD ROAD, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONVERTED, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF STOLEN LICENSE PLATE, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY (UNDER $300)--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

AUSTIN A. GEHRKE, DOB: 08/17/92, 4221 PARKWAY AVENUE, MCHENRY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY (OVER $300).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
KAREN D. LYNN, DOB: 01/14/55, 7415 BOSTON ROAD, WONDER LAKE. THEFT (OVER $500).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
LEWIS O. PETERSON, DOB: 10/30/90, 812 SILVER GLEN DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD (5 COUNTS).--McHenry PD
  
WILLIAM R. HEINTZ, DOB: 06/11/43, 2903 SHOREWOOD DRIVE, MCHENRY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO PROPERTY.--McHenry PD
  
SCOTT T. KOVISTO, DOB: 03/28/94, 3108 BULL VALLEY ROAD, MCHENRY. BURGLARY, THEFT (UNDER $500).--McHenry PD
  
NICHOLAS C. SVOBODA, DOB: 09/23/93, 23925 N. RIVER ROAD, CARY. UNLAWFUL USE OF A DEBIT CARD, THEFT (UNDER $500) (10 COUNTS).--Cary 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
April 7
0356 HRS 2370 ALGONQUIN RD. (MIDAS TOUCH JEWELRY) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. CHANTHALA, SOULIYA O., M/W 23 YEARS OF AGE, 10770 GRAND CANYON AVE., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with a Breath Alcohol Content Over .08%, Improper Lane Usage. RELEASED ON BOND.
2246 HRS OAK ST. & BURR ST. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. COLANDREA, ZACHARY J., M/W 37 YEARS OF AGE, 8785 BELFIELD RD., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
0059 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property Damage Only.
0201 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. ABANDONED VEHICLE. Vehicle found abandoned. Entered into LEADS. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
0458 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) THEFT. Purse was stolen from a subject at the bar. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
0736 HRS 9200 HALIGUS RD. (SKATE PARK) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Men’s restroom damaged.
1437 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1456 HRS 4300 BLOCK OF BARHARBOR DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, two years of age, having a seizure. Transported to Woodstock Centegra Hospital.