LITH Rotary Brings Mobile Food Bank To Huntley Church

The Lake in the Hills Rotary and youth arm, Interact,-sponsored mobile food pantry brought enough food to Huntley's Springbrook Church Friday to feed 175 families.  "There was one woman who came at 1:30 (pm)," said Springbrook Associate Pastor Richard Wollard.  "She waited in the lot for three hours."

Even though the broad economy's growing again, there are still a lot of people suffering from the Great Recession.  "I lost my job last November and I'm not getting unemployment," said one young Huntley woman.  "My boyfriend's still working but I've got two kids.  We've gone from being a two-income family to one."

A local ex-cable guy had an accident and still can't go back to work.  "I'm scheduled for more surgery next week.  I'm separated from my wife.  I'm just trying to get along until I can get back on my feet," he said.

A Huntley Mom loading her trunk may have been the most representative.  "I'm a single mother," she said. "I work very long hours for very minimum wages.  I've got two kids," she said herding a pair of toddlers towards their seats.  She paused and added, "That's it."

In the pic:  Food distributed Friday by the Northern Illinois Food Bank's LITH Rotary-sponsored mobile food bank was a mixed bag of donations from retailers. Cases of summer squash were well-received.  A small basket of escargot met with either blank expressions or amusement.

Boy Injured On Way To Marlowe Middle School Friday

A Marlowe Middle School student crossing Haligus Road shortly after 7 am Friday was struck by a car according to Huntley Police.  Huntley Area Fire Protection District emergency personnel took the boy to Centegra Woodstock for treatment where he was later transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.  His condition today could not be determined.

Huntley Deputy Chief Todd Fulton said the driver of the car, a DeKalb woman, was not cited in the accident. "We investigated the crash and interviewed witnesses. There was no evidence that a traffic violation occurred. The boy stepped out into the path of the car. Witnesses stated she did everything possible to avoid the crash. There just wasn't time for her to stop."

In the pic:  A Huntley 20-mph school speed zone approved six months ago for Haligus Road near Marlowe Middle School didn't prevent a child's being injured there Friday. 

D300 Relay For Life Raises $135,000 For Cancer

Almost 900 walkers in over 90 teams raised $$135,000 in pledges to fight cancer in the District 300 Relay For Life event at Jacobs High School in Algonquin Friday night and Saturday morning. Both numbers far excceeded last year's event. The 12-hour walk was one of the first of almost 200 scheduled in the Chicago area this month through August.

It was the fourth time groups of D300 students, teachers and staff trooped all night  to raise funds for cancer research and education.  Some were getting droopy at 5 am, an hour before the event's end.  They probably weren't as pooped as its founder at the first one, though.  In May, 1985, Seattle surgeon Gordy Klatt ran 83 miles in 24 hours to raise $27,000 in funds for the fight against cancer.

LITH Student Appointed to Air Force Academy

Sixteenth District Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) announced Friday that Jared Koch of Lake in the Hills received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs for the class entering in June. Koch is scheduled to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School next month.  He previously attended Marian Central Catholic High School, Woodstock, where he graduated in June.

At Marian Koch, the son of Dan and Sue Koch of Lake in the Hills, was on the honor roll every semester, acted as a mentor for incoming students and volunteered with Key Club and Rotary Club.  He also earned six varsity letters in wrestling, football and track and acted as the football team captain his senior year.

In the pic:  Koch received a Certificate of Achievement of LITH Board President Ed Plaza last year.

Audit: Overhaul Illinois Workers’ Comp System

By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Statehouse NewsIllinois’ Workers’ Compensation Program has “numerous shortcomings” and is “ill designed to protect the state’s best interests,” according to a state audit released this week. Auditor General Bill Holland’s report urges lawmakers to change the program for state employees because of “extensive problems.”

The state paid out a total of more than $295 million from 2007 to 2010. Sprains and contusions accounted for three-quarters of all injuries. The audit identified problems within the Workers’ Compensation Commission and the state’s Central Management Service, or CMS, both of which oversee the workers’ compensation program.

Among the findings:
 * The commission failed to review arbitrators’ performance annually and had no guidelines for how arbitrators were to award compensation for particular injuries, causing inconsistencies.
 * CMS negotiated settlements with injured employees’ attorneys, made decisions about compensation without appropriate forms and had no policies to address conflicts of interest by those who handle workers’ compensation claims for the state.

Also, the review board that investigates complaints against arbitrators and commissioners did not meet for three and a half years.

 Both CMS and the Workers' Compensation Commission indicated in the auditor's report that they plan to address or have begun addressing most of the audit’s recommendations already.

You can read Jayette's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8336/audit-overhaul-workers-comp-system-for-il-workers/

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 27
0253 HRS 211 N. RANDALL RD. (STEAK N SHAKE) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. MELENDEZ, JOE LOUIS, M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 150 VILLAGE CREEK DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content Greater than .08, Failure to Notify Secretary of State of Address Change, Disregarded Traffic Control Device. RELEASED ON BOND
2337 HRS ACKMAN RD & SKYRIDGE DR. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. PITTAS, JOSEPH M., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 1409 SKYRIDGE DR. APT C,  CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content Greater than .08, Disobeying a Traffic Control Device, Failure To Signal. RELEASED ON BOND.
0720 HRS 200 BLOCK OF INDIAN TRAIL. ASSIST TO OTHER AGENCY. Served a male subject with a short form order of protection for Lake County and Cook County.
1029 HRS 9010 HALIGUS RD. (PUBLIC WORKS) BURGLARY. Forced entry into a storage unit was made. A flag was removed. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1821 HRS ACORN LN. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1902 HRS 200 BLOCK OF TERRAMERE LN. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 13 years of age, hit with a rock. No transport.
2152 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & INDIAN TRAIL. FOLLOW UP REPORT: CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Vehicle was struck by an egg on 042512 and damage was located.
2252 HRS 100 BLOCK OF E. ACORN. DOMESTIC BATTERY Mother and Father vs. Son. Five priors. FAIL TO FILE.

PO Problem Solved, First Bypass Contract Awarded In Algonquin

No official start date has been set yet for the first of two construction projects to build Algonquin's long-awaited Route 31 Western Bypass, but a spokesman for the low-bidder said Illinois Department of Transportation officials notified his firm Tuesday it had been awarded the contract just under the wire. Jay Ellis, Sales Manager at Ryan Centeral Incorporated, Janesville, said a pre-construction conference might come as early as next week.  He said IDOT hadn't notified his firm of a specific date for that, either.

Monday was the nominal deadline to award the significantly under-budget $4.9 million contract for earthmoving on the bypass. Bidding and then the actual contract award had been delayed by last-minute objections from the U.S. Postal Service that changes to Algonquin Road would interfere with access to the village's Main Post Office and plans to eventually expand parking there.

Algonquin Village Board President John Schmitt said Thursday he'd received confirmation from five high-level sources, including the offices of Sen. Dick Durbin and State Sen. Pam Althoff, that the postal problem had been resolved.  Chicago area USPS spokesman Beverly Howard said Thursday she didn't know any details, though.  "My division chief hasn't been notified yet," she said.

FEN was unable to determine whether resolution of the Post Office problem extended to the estimated $53 million contract for construction of the Bypass itself. That's expected to go out for bid in about two weeks.  IDOT's spokesman could not be reached.

Schmitt said he was relieved that the first contract had finally been awarded.  "It's one of those things where you're holding your breath," he said.  "All of the people that were involved--there are a lot of 'thank you's' to go around," said Schmitt.

In the pic:  IDOT's contract for earthwork to build Algonquin's Route 31 Bypass was finally awarded.  At 1.2 million cubic yards, there's going to be a lot of dirt to move.

Consultants: Huntley Downtown Tax Plan Feasible

Consultants told the Huntley Board Thursday the village's downtown met standards to set up a special development district and that the complicated tax scheme probably made financial sense. Now Huntley has to check to see how the five other tax districts it would affect feel about the idea.

Nicholas Greifer, VP from Chicago consulting firm Kane, McKenna, said Huntley's downtown more than qualified to become a Tax Increment Finance District.  State law requires an area to meet at least 3 of 17 negative criteria and Huntley's Downtown has 7 of them. Those include hodge-podge development, lots of empty windows, elderly construction and utilities and general dilapidation.  Executive VP Robert Rychlicki said if Huntley's Downtown became a TIF District it could generate as much as $40 million for redevelopment over the next 23 years, although he admitted, "It depends...on that 23-year period."

TIF Districts are designed to funnel tax money from new growth into redevelopment so there's new growth the first place.  The way it usually works is to take an area's baseline value, borrow some money for improvements to increase it, then use the extra tax money from the added value to pay off the loan. That appeals to trustees since Huntley's recently-approved Comprehensive Plan calls for spiffing up the Downtown but doesn't say where to get the money to do it.

Trustee Pam Fender put the question simply, "Is this going to raise or lower (residents') taxes?"

"The quick answer is 'No'," said Rychlicki.

There's a long list of red tape including public hearings to go through before a TIF district could be established for Huntley's Downtown.  Rychlicki said if the Village wants to start one the most important thing is to set its boundaries because once it's done, the law says it can shrink but it can never get bigger.

Mayor Chuch Sass told staff to work on that while the Board checks with the other taxing bodies. THeir tax receipts from the Downtown would be frozen, too, if Huntley set up a TIF district for the Downtown.

Separately, but also in the Downtown area, Village Attorney Mike Coppedge reported a federal judge last week threw out a lawsuit against the village by cellphone antenna firm SBA Towers.  The company charged the Board wasn't fair when it wouldn't grant it enough exceptions to build a 175-foot wireless tower near the Dean plant along the UP tracks.  Coppedge said the judge didn't think so but SBA could still appeal.

In other action, the Board put three more street grinding and resurfacing projects on the schedule in Huntley this Summer. Fuel tax receipts came in a little higher than expected so Trustees added  Church Street from Algonquin Road down to Second Street, South Union Road and Douglas Avenue and Charles Street to the list.

In the pic:  If Huntley were to establish a Tax Increment Financing District, this would be the area it would encompass.

MCC Expansion Plans Revealed But "No Referendum"

The McHenry County College Board unveiled broad details of a long-awaited expansion Master Plan at a Special Board Meeting Thursday. It calls for the college to add another 1 million square feet of space at a cost of at least $640 million in the next 40 years.  Trustees said that wouldn't be soon, though.

Chairman Mary Miller told FEN the Board would concentrate for the next two or three years on remodeling what it has now.    "I don't see the money (for new construction) coming now," added Trustee Carol Larson. "We're not going to have a referendum," said Miller.

Even so, planners said things are getting pretty cramped at MCC.  A comparison showed space per student at less than 100 square feet compared to nearby community college's average of about 125. Estimated costs put about half the new construction coming within the first 10 years.

Planner Leanne Meyer-Smith said new construction, probably a Student Life Center first, will be laid out primarily along Route 14 frontage to create a visual "identity". A circle of parking lots and some ancillary buildings would emanate to the north. Meyer-Smith said fine details remained flexible, though.  "In 40 years who knows what people will be parking there," she said.

MCC President Vicki Smith said the college's new Master Plan was was am update required every five years by the Illinois Community College Board.  She said the ICCB does that so they'll know what community colleges need, "when they have the money."

In the pic: Planners said new construction will "shift" MCC's campus to the north. In fact IDOT plans to relocate the stoplight at MCC's current entrance to Lucas Road/Tartan Drive this Summer, they said.

Obituaries

Richard J. Schullo, 63, of Woodstock died Wednesday at Centegra Hospital in McHenry. A visitation will be on Sunday from 2 until 6 pm at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home, Huntley. There will be a Memorial service to celebrate his life, at 6 pm at the home. Schullo was born April 12, 1949, the son of Dominick and Yolanda Schullo. He married Judy Alfred on Jan. 16, 2000. He is survived by his wife Woodstock; his brothers, Ron Schullo and Bob (Judy) Schullo; three step sons, Jeff, Ryan and P. J. Slocum, and by his six grandchildren. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Centegra Hospital Foundation.

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 26
0218 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 26 years of age, intoxicated. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
0636 HRS MELBOURNE LN. & WATERFORD LN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1311 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF PRIDES RUN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER
1653 HRS 3400 BLOCK OF SONOMA CIRCLE. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assist McHenry County Sheriffs Department with the service of an Order of Protection.
1717 HRS 100 BLOCK OF HAWTHORNE RD. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Complainant was being threatened by Offender.
Algonquin
April 23
10:30am Walega, Antoni A., DOB: 04/28/58, of 256 Winston Lane, Bloomingdale, was charged with DUI, No Proof of Insurance, Improper Lane Use and Failure to Reduce Speed.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 05/23/12 in McHenry County.
April 24
05:34am Becker, Gerard J., DOB: 05/10/63, of 8450 Watson Circle, Lakewood, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of McHenry County for Failure to Appear, on a DWLS.  He was also charged with Suspended Registration and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at Route 62 and Longwood Drive.  He was released after posting $500 with a court date of 05/16/12 in McHenry County.
20:01pm Williams, Jenifer N., DOB: 05/09/87, of 14 Steven Court, Algonquin, was charged with Battery.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $150, with a court date of 06/06/12 in McHenry County.
20:39pm A 13 year-old male from Carpentersville was charged with Retail Theft.  He was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  He was formally Stationed Adjusted and then released into the custody of his mother.
April 25
23:35pm Rojas, Nicolas, DOB: 01/26/63, of 1805 Endicott Circle, Carpentersville, was Wanted on a Warrant, out of Elgin for Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Virginia Road.  He was released after posting $200 with a court date of 05/04/12 in Kane County.
23:49pm Conrad, Jimmy DA, DOB: 04/25/86, of 630 Regal Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Fighting in the Village.  He was taken into custody at Creekside Tap, 7 S. Main Street.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.
April 26
00:06am Silva, Brian L., DOB: 02/12/87, of 6119 Pingree Road, Crystal Lake, was charged with Fighting in the Village.  He was taken into custody at Creekside Tap 7, S. Main Street.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.
17:04pm Hennrich, Tobias D., DOB: 11/24/92 of 977 Harvest Circle, Crystal Lake, 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.

Judge Denies Sheriff's Special Prosecutor

McHenry County Associate Judge Thomas Meyer refused to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate whether Sheriff Keith Nygren exploited his office in the Republican Primary two years ago.  Meyer found that State's Attorney Lou Bianchi was legally "available" to conduct an investigation so it was up to him whether or not there should be one at all.

Meyer's decision ended more than two years of eye-glazing argument over whether Bianchi's claim he couldn't, later wouldn't, conduct an investigation triggered a State Law allowing the judge to appoint someone else to do the job.  Bianchi told Nygren Primary opponent Zane Seipler in 2010 he couldn't investigate his claims Nygren was cheating because, since the State's Attorney is the Sheriff's Office's official lawyer, there'd be a conflict of interest. Meyer ruled Wednesday Bianchi was obviously wrong, pointing to the State's Attorney's current prosecution of a Crystal Lake Deputy for alleged child molestation.

"There is no (intrinsic) conflict," said Meyer reading from a decision he said he'd heavily edited in the previous 24 hours.  "(Bianchi's) decision not to investigate was an exercise of the discretion of the State's Attorney with whom it exclusively resides," he said.  That wasn't the same thing as Bianchi's being "sick or absent", so, Meyer concluded, he lacked the authority to appoint someone in his stead.

Seipler attorney Blake Horwitz said afterward the judge's ruling put the pressure back on Bianchi to make an up or down call on Seipler's allegation in the politically-charged case.  "The ball's absolutely in Lou's court," he said.  "Whether he wants to investigate is up to him."

Meyer's decision applied only to Seipler's claim Nygren improperly used the Sheriff's Office logo in his campaign.  "There's other criminal activity," Horwitz added, though, referring to allegations of more serious wrongdoing later on which Meyer excluded as extraneous.

The decision Wednesday promised no end to what appears to be a war about something among McHenry County Republicans.  Bianchi's original demurral to investigate Nygren came as he, himself, was being investigated by a Special Prosecutor whose appointment he charged was politically motivated. That made all the more bizarre an appearance for a round of handshakes by retired Lake County Judge Henry "Skip" Tonigan before Meyer's decision. Tonigan was the Special Prosecutor who failed spectaculary to make anything stick in a host of charges he brought against Bianchi last year. He reportedly joked he'd just stopped by to make sure Meyer hadn't appointed him to investigate Nygren, too, then left.

In the pic:  McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi.

Huntley Man Jailed For Underage Sex Charges

McHenry County Judge Charles Weech explained his rights Wednesday to Jimmy J. Dill, 40, of 10809 Cape Cod Ln., Huntley, charged with Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Battery. Huntley police arrested Dill Tuesday and sent him to McHenry County Jail for two separate incidents involving an underage.

In October Dill's alleged to have put his hand on the breasts of a 16 year-old girl at his home. In the second incident, Dill's alleged to have exposed himself to the girl, also at his home. Police said the victim didn't tell them about either episode until March when they began to investigate.

Dill's due in court May 7 before Judge Joseph Condon to set a date for preliminary hearing on the new charges. That's also when Condon's supposed to set a trial date for nine 2009 counts against Dill for alleged possession of child pornography and two others the same year for narcotics and contraband substance possession.

In the pic: Jimmy J. Dill

Reservations Open For Ninth LITH Senior Spaghetti Night

Tuesday's the deadline for residents 62 and older to sign up to attend the ninth Annual Lake in the Hills Senior Spaghetti Dinner at Village Hall at 5:30 pm  May 4.  The Village of Lake in the Hills and local Girl Scout troops team up to provide a free night of food, fun, and entertainment at the annual event. To reserve a seat and/or arrange a ride, call LITH Parks & Recreation at 847-960-7460.

Elgin Symphony Packages Available Soon

Subscription ticket packages for Elgin Symphony Orchestra's 2012-2013 “World of Change” performance season go on sale soon starting May 7.

Ticket packages include the Classic Masterworks Series, featuring the orchestra’s showcase of the best works from the classical tradition; the Spotlight Pops Series, highlighting the talents of a headlining performer with the extraordinary ESO; the Grand Series, offering the biggest discount for subscribers who wish to purchase both and the Prairie Center Series, which offers music fans a sampler of classics and pops at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg.

The packages offer a dscount from single ticket prices. Most ESO 2012-2013 concerts are $28, $38, $48 and $68. Complete details about the ESO’s upcoming 63rd season are located at: http://www.elginsymphony.org/

Hospitals' Study: Medicaid Cuts Would Hurt Economy

By Andrew Thomason,  Illinois Statehouse News
Two health-care advocacy groups are predicting thousands of job losses and billions of dollars in economic damage to Illinois, if Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to conjure $2.7 billion in savings from the Medicaid program is implemented.

Quinn’s plan would jeopardize 25,615 jobs and cost the state’s economy $3.2 billion, according to a report released Wednesday by the Illinois Hospital Association, which lobbies for Illinois hospitals, and the Campaign for Better Health Care, an organization that advocates for health-care access

“Drastic Medicaid cuts hurt everyone, not just the Medicaid patients. Hospitals will be forced to reduce jobs. Local businesses will be impacted,” Illinois Hospital Association President Maryjane Wurth said. “And hospitals will be forced to cut or eliminate medical services that everyone uses — there is not a separate set of staff, equipment and facilities just for Medicaid patients.”

Cutting provider reimbursement’s by $675 million translates into an across the board rate reduction of 7 percent to 9 percent for providers, according to Quinn spokeswoman Brie Callahan.
Some providers would see rates reduced by more than 9 percent, while others might avoid a rate cut all together, she said.

Jim Duffett, executive director for the Campaign for Better Health Care, said the specifics of the cuts aren’t important, because any cut to Medicaid is harmful to the populace and economy. “We would still be here today talking about the impact of job loss, talking about the impact” on health care, Duffett said.


You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8329/study-medicaid-cuts-would-hurt-il-economy/

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 25
0405 HRS HALIGUS RD. & MILLER RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. KELLEY, SEAN M., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 1450 WINAKI TRAIL, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. RELEASED ON BOND.
0255 HRS 200 BLOCK OF INDIAN TRAIL. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Complainant being harassed via Internet. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1529 HRS SONOMA CIRCLE AND MILLER RD. SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT. Subject taking photographs of children getting off school bus.
1606 HRS HIAWATHA DR. & WILLOW DR. FOUND ARTICLE. Found children’s wallet. Entered into evidence.
1814 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Female, 9 years of age fell in a window well. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2046 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HARVEST GATE. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
Huntley
April 17
Mark J. Eismueller, age 34, of 1525 Meadowsedge, Carpentersville, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.  Mr. Eismueller posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 25, 2012.
Officers took an identity theft report in the 10600 block of Mayfield.  The victim states that an unknown person used her social security number to file a tax return.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 13200 block of Meadowlark.  The victim states his front door and the door frame were damaged.
April 18
Ana Lopez, age 32, of 305 Ayer St. #1, Harvard,  was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and was cited for improper lane use.  Ms. Lopez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 11, 2012.
A credit card fraud report was taken in the 12700 block of Cold Springs.  The victim states unauthorized purchases were made on his credit card.
A residential burglary report was taken in the 11100 block of Grove St.  Cash was stolen from the home.
A credit card fraud report was taken in the 10000 block of Thornton Way.  The victim stated that his credit card was used for two unauthorized charges.
April 19
An iPod touch was reported stolen by a student at Huntley High School.
April 21
Ryan W. Krajnovich, age 32, of 6681 Torch Lite Trail., Loves Park, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for speeding and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.  Mr. Krajnovich posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 25, 2012.
April 22
A criminal damage to property report was taken near the intersection of Rt. 47 and North St.  Damage to his vehicle appears to have been caused by a BB gun or pellet gun.

Algonquin Neighborhood Says "No Thanks" To Village Upgrades

"We appreciate you wanting to help us," Mike Amster, President of the Indian Grove Homewowners' Association, told the Algonquin Village Board Tuesday.  "But we really don't want the neighborhood changed."  Most of the group's members were at the evening's Committee of the Whole meeting to oppose village plans that would chop down 70 trees in the heavily-wooded area.

Village officials had met with the East Side homeowners last month to try to explain Village plans to install a storm sewer and new water main, rebuild some streets and add sidewalks.  Amster Tuesday told the Board a survey of the area's 60 or so households found almost universal opposition to the sewer, even-steven on new roads and little support for sidewalks.  Mainly, said Amster, "Everyone is very, very concerned about tree loss."

Public Works Director Bob Mitchard said the Village is, too, the reason why his department planned to replace the ones lost with 75 hardy hardwoods when the work was done.  And it needed to be done, he said, because of a sort of infrastructure perfect storm.

Indian Grove's problems start, said Mitchard, with the storm sewer.  In two years the U.S. Environmental Agency will set new rules for water quality in the Fox River.  "They'll measure (pollution) when it enters Algonquin and when it leaves," Mitchard told FEN.  "We'll be responsible for the difference."  No one knows what the penalties for too much pollution will be yet but Algonquin officials dread finding out the hard way. Hence, they plan to channel Indian Grove's runoff into sewers to remove particulates.

But the sewers require curbs so the water will run into the grates.  The curbs dovetail with the neighborhood's  deterioratingold streets, Mitchard said.  And the old streets tie in with the elderly water mains that serve residents who aren't on wells.  He said there've been eight breaks in the past ten years calling the chance of a major blowout in the next two "a crapshoot."

"Eventually you'll come crying to us if something goes wrong," said Trustee Jerry Glogowski.  "We can't continually neglect the neighborhood."

The only optional part of the Village plan was the the sidewalks, perceived as increasing pedestrian safety. Skipping that would only save 23 trees, though, Mitchard said.

In the face of strong opposition to everything, Village President John Schmitt proposed delaying the whole project for two years while everyone cooled down. The Board deadlocked on the vote, though, since Trustee Bob Smith wasn't there to break it either way.  Trustees finally decided to punt a final decision for a few weeks, maybe the next Regular Board meeting May 10.

In the pic:  Wayne Kirkpatrick VP of Algonquin's Indian Grove Property Owners' Association pointed Tuesday to trees he'll lose if the Village upgrades infrastructure in his neighborhood.  "I'll lose one third of my yard and all my trees," he said.  He called his street,  Cherokee, "a road to nowhere," anyway.

Attendance Dwindles At MCC 2012 Jobs Fair

McHenry County College's Spring Job and Career Fair fell short of last year's event Tuesday when only about 300 job-seekers turned up to meet with recruiters.  The 2011 Spring Fair drew about 700.

MCC Fair organizer Lee Willis said there was another difference,though.  "The thing that was most surprising was that we had a considerable number (of recruiters) from the manufacturing sector.  They seemed to have a lot of jobs available," she said.  In fact, that's in line with the result of the Federal Reserve Board's "Beige Book" report last week that found the economy growing at a "modest to moderate pace" with manufacturing production helping fuel the growth.  On the other hand, the Manufacturers Composite Business Outlook index for March was essentially unchanged for the first quarter.  The MAPI Index stood at 80 last March.  This year it was 65.

In the pic:  Recruiters took applications from job-seekers at MCC's Spring Job and Career Fair Tuesday.

Environmental Defenders Seek "Stuff" For Garage Sale

McHenry County's Environmental Defenders are looking for donations of "stuff" for their spring Use-It-Again garage sale. The organization will be taking donations of gently-used almost anything  Saturday and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Algonquin Township Road District garage on Route 14. Hours each day will be 11 am until 3 pm.

What kind of stuff?  Just about anything that is re-sellable.  Small appliances and electronics must be in working order but no monitors or TVs, no clothes, no baby carriers or cribs, no large appliances. Not sure if they’ll take it? Call the office at 815-338-0393, or email mcdef@owc.net .

“Reusing items is a good thing on many levels – you are keeping things out of the landfills, you are saving the energy & resources that would be have been used to create new items, and you are supporting a McHenry County non-profit,” said the Defenders' office administrator.

Sale dates for the garage sale are May 3rd through 5th, from 8am until 3pm.

In the pic:  McHenry County's Defenders sell lots of "stuff" to support the group's efforts.

Oil Industry Gears Up In Illinois, Lawmakers Consider Tax

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
Looking for revenue and short on sources, some Illinois lawmakers want to tax oil and gas drilling. A new bill in the Springfield hopper would levy a 12 percent tax on the value of oil and natural gas from wells in Illinois. Starting in January 2013, companies drilling in the state would pay based on volume, with the money generated going to the state’s General Fund.

State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, are the bill's sponsors."In these difficult economic times, it’s one way to increase revenue," said Jakobsson. The Democratic Urbana legislator said there are no estimates on how much the tax would raise, and the 12 percent figure is arbitrary.

The proposal, still in the House Rules Committee, comes amid burgeoning interest in Illinois’ New Albany Shale, with dozens of companies securing the rights to drill across thousands of acres in southern Illinois. Geologists and engineers know the roughly 4,500-foot-deep New Albany Shale — thought to be the source of all the shallow oil once extracted in southern Illinois — contains oil. But experts are split on how much can be extracted and whether it's worth the time and money to experiment.

A 12 percent severance tax probably would discourage companies from trying to find out, said Kim Oelze, president of the Illinois Oil and Gas Association, a trade group representing mostly small and medium-sized drilling companies. "We think it's an unfair tax," Oezle said. "We'd like to give companies time to come in and see if their technology will work."

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8303/as-industry-considers-illinois-oil-lawmakers-consider-taxing-it/

In the pic: An Illinois oil well downstate.

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 24
1257 HRS 4520 W. ALGONQUIN RD. (CASTLE BANK) ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assist to Secret Service. Counterfeit $100 bill received by teller. TURNED OVER TO SECRET SERVICE.
1302 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & OAKLEAF RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1638 HRS RAKOW RD. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.

Centegra Huntley Hospital Now In Court

The future of Centegra Health Systems' proposed Huntley hospital now lies in the hands of McHenry County Circuit Judge Thomas Meyer.  It's up to Meyer to decide if a Health Facilities and Services Review Board administrative law judge was right last month to throw out all of last year's hearings and votes about Centegra Huntley because of a clerical error, one that neither Centegra nor HFSB made in the first place.

In a complaint filed early this month, Centegra charged Judge Richard E. Hart at first agreed it didn't really matter that competitor Advocate Health Care put the wrong cover letters on a pair of reports. One claimed to find no need for a Centegra hospital in Huntley. The other found no need for a Mercy Health System hospital in Crystal Lake. Thanks to the cover letters,  each report went into the other firm's HFSB file but on the morning of March 19 Hart said, according to Centegra's complaint, "There was no error here...(each) document was filed exactly where the party submitting it told them it (was) to be filed."

However, that afternoon, Centegra complained, Hart changed his mind and ordered HFSB to start the Certificate of Need process all over again, not only for Centegra Huntley but for Mercy Crystal Lake, too.  Centegra charged Hart reversed himself because "the Board's Chairman (Dale Galassie) wanted it remanded." Centegra attorneys charged Deputy Board Counsel Frank Urso was the one who brought the errant paperwork, to Hart's attention but claimed he did it through back channels, so it shouldn't count.

HFSB lawyers answered Urso didn't do anything wrong or if he did it wasn't very wrong since everyone got to argue about the clerical error later.  They also claimed it's too early for Meyer to do anything since the Review Board technically hasn't really turned down a Certificate of Need for Centegra Huntley, yet.

Centegra wants Judge Meyer to tell Hart to go ahead with a hearing he canceled on whether Centegra Huntley deserves, in effect, one for Board vote.  Either that, or have Judge Meyer himself tell HFSB to give Centegra the Certificate of Need so it can start building its 128-bed $233 million facility.

A Meyer hearing on a temporary restraining order against the Board reset is scheduled next Wednesday  but a conference to set a date for full trial isn't set until early August.

According to Centegra's complaint, even Advocate lawyers were willing to admit the misfiled reports didn't make any real difference.  On the final Centegra vote in December the Board deadlocked four to four with one member absent.  An HFSB spokesman declined to say anything Monday, though.  "We don't usually comment on litigation," said Sabrina Miller.

FEN wanted to ask Centegra officials if they thought the whole case was really just an instance of bureaucrats run amok or if some other game might be afoot.  All Centegra Senior VP for Strategic Marketing, Planning & Wellness would say in a prepared statement this morning was that, "Centegra has diligently pursued an appeal through an independent hearing officer,  following a process set by State law".

In the pic:  Centegra's proposed Huntley Hospital.

Algonquin Rainbow Restaurant Finally Opens

A year in the making, Algonquin's Rainbow Restaurant and Pancake House was scheduled to open this morning in Algonquin's Fox River Center on South Main Street.  Owner Nick Dimetrelis has been remodeling the location since last Spring.  "You want to make it good," he explained.  "You want to make it perfect."

Monday Rainbow still wasn't perfect ("We've got enough knives but we don't have enough forks," Maria Dimetrelis suddenly informed her husband) but the proprietor of Elmhurst's 27-year old sister Rainbow Restaurant thought it was perfect enough.  "We have 50 to 80 people a day checking when are we going to open," he explained.

Demetrelis's choice of location was an easy one, he said.  "Everybody else, it's Randall, Randall.  This (Main Street) is the original Algonquin.  This is where business needs to be."  That and he and his wife own the Fox River Center in the first place.  Dimetrelis is hoping Rainbow will generate a little synergy.

"Everything's homemade with the best ingredients," said Dimetrelis.  "I believe in quality.  I believe in the best service.  I believe in the best people."

What he didn't believe in was whether Rainbow's "Open" sign was big enough.  "You really think it ought to be bigger?" he asked.

After a year's wait, yeah, probably.

In the pic:  Algonquin Rainbow Restaurant and Pancake House owner Nick Dimetrelis and wife Maria worked Monday afternoon to get things ready for this morning's customers.

Dee Beubien Announces Rep. Run As Indpendent

Dee Beaubien, widow of the late 52nd District Republican State Rep. Mark Beaubien formally announced Monday she'll run as an independent in November to stop GOP Primary winner Dave McSweeney when the 52nd will encompass the eastern parts of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

The Barrington resident told a crowd of supporters in Barrington she wants to give voters another choice besides McSweeney, a Barrington Hills resident who defeated appointed incumbent Kent Gaffney a Lake Barrington resident.  No one from the Barrington area or anywhere else ran for the spot on the Democratic side.

Beaubien admitted she'll have her work cut out for her gathering 1,500 signatures on petitions, especially since she plans to get 3,000 in case McSweeney challenges them as he did with Gaffney and Michelle Rowe, another GOP candidate, in the Primary.

Another measure of the uphill fight, supporters had no Beaubien signs to wave around Monday at her announcement and a check of the Internet Monday found not only no campaign website but not even a Facebook page introducing the new candidate.

In the pic: State Rep. Mark Beubien widow, Dee Beaubien annoucing her run Monday as an independent in the 52nd District.  GOP 54th District State Rep. Suzanne Bassi, Palatine, was there to support her.  (McHenry County Blog photo.)

Madigan Sues Ex-Algonquin Repair Company For Fraud

Attorney General Lisa Madigan Monday filed lawsuits against four Chicago area home repair contractors, including a defunct firm in Algonquin for operating as unlicensed insurance adjusters and defrauding homeowners of more than $165,000.

Madigan said Amazing Exteriors Inc. of Algonquin and three others operated as insurance adjusters even though they weren't licensed to negotiate damages. According to the complaints, the companies would rush in after a storm offering to do repairs for money upfront, then they'd disappear. “Homeowners who are confronting significant storm-related damage must be extremely wary of door-to-door solicitations," said Madigan. "More often than not, these companies are nothing more than scam operations.”

In the case of Amazing Exteriors, headed by Ringwood resident Robert Cechini and dissolved last October, Madigan's complaint said sometimes the company wouldn't do repair work at all, sometimes it would and ripped off subcontractors instead.  The suit only lists 5 Amazing victims in western suburbs but claims 22 more complained to the Better Business Bureau. Madigan is seeking restitution in Cook County Circuit court for homeowners in Cook, Lake, Kane, DuPage and Will counties, and is asking the court to ban the defendants from operating home repair businesses in Illinois. The lawsuit also seeks to impose an array of civil penalties.

An Attorney General's release advises people who think storm chasers are trying to scam them to call local police and the Consumer Fraud Hotline at 800-386-5438.

In the pic:  A shot from Amazing Exteriors' website, still up, looks legit as all getout but the company headquarters at Route 31 and Klassen Road is empty now and someone sawed down its sign.

ComEd Ready To Install 4 Million Smart Meters

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
Commonwealth Edison, northern Illinois’ electricity utility, unveiled plans Monday to install 4 million digital smart meters during the next decade. Smart meters record energy usage, displaying the information for homeowners and transmitting the data back to the utility.

Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of Commonwealth Edison, or ComEd, said in a news release that "customers will be able to see for themselves the benefits of this exciting technology as they take greater control over their energy consumption." The smart meters are expected to increase annual electricity costs by an average of $36 annually for ComEd customers and $3.40 for customers of Ameren, southern Illinois’ utility.

But over time the smart meters will pay for themselves, as consumers and the utility reduce wasted electricity, said David Kolata, executive director of the Illinois Citizens Utility Board.
Although the CUB opposed last year's legislation permitting the smart meters and allowing utilities to raise rates to pay for $3.2 billion in grid upgrades, Kolata said he's "cautiously optimistic" about the plan now. While ComEd's 10-year time frame to install the smart meters is too long, Kolata said, it's "significantly better" than downstate Ameren’s, unveiled earlier this month. Ameren only plans to install smart meters for about 60 percent of its customers.

According to ComEd, a subsidiary of the Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, the smart meters will help reduce power outages by 20 percent over the next 10 years and reduce theft by 50 percent.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8306/comed-ready-to-install-4-million-smart-meters-in-il/

Obituaries

Joseph A. Vedrine, 82, of Huntley died Sunday in Woodstock. Visitation will be from 10 am until the time of the Mass at 11 am Friday at St. Mary Catholic Church,  Huntley.

Vedrine was born December 25, 1929, in Chicago, the son of Joseph and Regina (Gafkee) Vedrine.  He married Dolores H. Bouchard on April 15, 1950. He is survived by his wife, of Huntley; his children, Cheryl (Patrick) Makris of Hinsdale, Jolienne (Thomas) Aiello of Palatine, Lynette (Stephen Durlacher) Vedrine of Fox River Grove and Kevin (Sandy) Vedrine of Bartlett and thirteen grandchildren, Breanne, Eric, Michael Makris, Tanner, Heather (Matt), Mallory(Brad), Alyssa, Tayler, Colin, Luke, Lauren, Michael Vedrine and Libby.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimers 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
April 23
0115 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. NO VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. MENDEZ-LOPEZ, NOE, M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 1684 PENN CT. UNIT B, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Improper Passing Center on Median, No Valid Illinois Driver’s License. RELEASED ON BOND.
0844 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. WANTED ON WARRANT. NEWELL, JAQUELINE A., F/W 60 YEARS OF AGE, 1515 MONROE ST., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of McHenry County, Failure to Appear, Forgery of Checks, $4000 @ 10%. TRANSPORTED TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1532 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & SQUARE BARN RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. RIVERA, FELIX A., M/W 35 YEARS OF AGE, 3350 N. PACIFIC AVE., CHICAGO. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Speeding 15-20 Miles Over Posted Speed Limit. RELEASED ON BOND.
1648 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS PD) FOLLOW-UP ARREST: WANTED ON WARRANT. BINETTI, KAITLIN M., F/W 20 YEARS OF AGE, 3N976 LONGFELLOW PLACE, SAINT CHARLES. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of McHenry County for Unlawful Possession of a Fraudulent Identification Card. RELEASED ON BOND.
0801 HRS 00 BLOCK OF MONTCLAIR CT. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. The siding and garage door were found damaged as well as the rear window of a parked vehicle. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1024 HRS HILLTOP DR. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1711 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. DOG BITE. Male, 8 years of age, bitten by a neighbor’s dog.
1841 HRS 315 N. RANDALL RD. (NOODLES & COMPANY) THEFT. A purse was taken after being left on a chair.
Huntley
April 9
An identity theft report was taken in the 10700 block of Bayhill Ct.  The victim states that he found several fraudulent charges made to his debit card.
A credit card fraud report was taken in the 10100 block of Hanover Dr.  The victim states cash was withdrawn from his bank account and he found several fraudulent charges on his credit card.
A theft report was taken in the 8900 block of Disbrow St.  The victim reported that a washer and dryer were stolen from a vacant home.
April 10
An identity theft report was taken in the 10600 block of Matthew St.  The victim stated that his debit card was used by unknown persons to make fraudulent charges.
A credit card fraud report was taken in the 10400 block of Aldridge Dr.  The victim states that fraudulent charges were made to her debit card.
April 11
Kassandra A. States, age 20, of 1077 Byron Lane, Elgin, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended driver’s license and was cited for failure to update the Secretary of State of change of address.  Ms. States was unable to post bond and was transported to McHenry County jail to await bond.
Christina H. Gardocki, age 41, of 5427 McKenzie, Lake in the Hills, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended driver’s license and was cited for driving with a registration suspended for non-insurance.  Ms. Gardocki posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
Ruth Yanez, age 29, of 108 Woodland #2C, Carpentersville, was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and was cited for disobeying a traffic control signal.  Ms. Yanez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
April 12
Miguel A. Mendozaarzate, age 56, of 5808 Lincoln, Morton Grove, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for improper display of registration.  Mr. Mendozaarzate posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 11, 2012.
Kirsten E. Kottmeier, age 18, of 11716 Woodcreek A, Huntley, was arrested for battery.  Ms. Kottmeier posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 11, 2012.
April 13
A theft report was taken in the 11700 block of powder park.  Concrete forms were reported stolen.
A 17 year-old male from Huntley was charged with possession of cannabis.  The juvenile was released to his parents with a notice to appear in McHenry County court.
Nathan Comacho, age 18, of 4390 Bunker Hill Dr., Algonquin, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.  Mr. Comacho posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
Eugenio D. Duran, age 27, of 122 W. Woodstock St. #F. Crystal Lake, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for failure to yield and improper turn.  Mr. Duran posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
April 14
A theft report was taken at Huntley High School.  The student states her cellphone was stolen.
April 15
Michael E. Pearson, age 20, of 420 Glenrose Lane, Lake in the Hills, was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County Warrant for failure to appear in court.  Mr. Pearson was transported to McHenry County jail to await bond call.

Disputed Grafton Audit Sent To State Without Board Approval

The State of Illinois will end up refereeing the latest battle for dominance in Grafton Township.  A spokesman for Comptroller Judy Barr Topinka told FEN last week Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore had told officials she's submitted the two-years-late 2009-10 Township annual audit even though it hasn't been approved by the Grafton Board.

Two weeks ago Moore told trustees auditors wouldn't meet with them to explain the audit until they'd been paid and trustees voted not to pay for the audit until they got some answers to questions about it.  However, when FEN inquired Thursday about when the Comptroller planned, as Illinois law, requires, to bring in her own auditors, spokesman Brad Hahn said Moore had told them she'd sent in the audit "last week".

Moore confirmed Friday that was what she'd done, even though the Grafton Board has never officially accepted the report.  Asked if that made any difference, Hahn said, "When we do get the audit in hand, then we will decide."  A definitive answer might have been lacking since Topinka was at the time hospitalized after breaking her hip Wednesday.

Grafton's 2009-10 audit was due in Springfield May 30, 2010, but after almost year of squabbling, a Woodstock auditing firm withdrew in the wake of a vaguely threatening letter from Moore's personal attorney.  Five months later Moore's auditor choice told the Board his review was almost done, finding "nothing untoward".  However, in February Road Commissioner Jack Freund charged that the apparently final report contained gross errors and trustees said they had several pages of questions about it themselves.

The latest conflict in the Grafton audit battle surfaced two days after the arrest of Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, charged with embezzling more than $33 million from a city whose books passed a September audit with flying colors.  A spokesman for the national Government Accounting Standards Board said Thursday he couldn't explain what an annual audit really proves.  However, a McHenry County CPA not connected with Grafton Township, admitted Friday an annual audit isn't a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for financial records.  "It means you can 'reasonably' rely on their accuracy," he said. "We might spot-check 10 percent of the higher volume transactions," he said, but an annual audit isn't meant to uncover a defalcation.  "That could escape the procedures we do."

Moore, meanwhile said Friday Grafton's audit problem was over.  "Now the audits are up to date," she concluded.  But even if the Comptroller agrees, that's only for the moment.  The annual audit for the year ended last month is due at the end of August and Grafton hasn't even hired anyone to do it yet.

In the pic:  Grafton's auditor told the Board he was almost done with the 2009-10 annual review last August.  

Editor's Note:  An earlier version of this story reported the 2011-12 Audit was due in six weeks.  A voltage spike the morning wiped out the story before it was posted and during rewrite the editor substituted the possible two-month extension for the six-month initial deadline.  FEN regrets the error.

Two Student Art Exhibits Set This Week

Two student art exhibits are scheduled this week in Lake in the Hills and Algonquin.  There's a bit of an overlap, on the dates, though.

Martin Elementary School will hold its 10th Annual Art Show at the school featuring work by students in grades 3, 4, and 5 Wednesday and Thursday 5:30 to 7:30 pm, both days.  However Thursday through Saturday the Village of Algonquin will hold its inaugural Student Art Exhibit for 25 local middle school students at Village Hall.  Thursday's opening reception will be from 6 to 8 pm, Friday's exhibit will run from 7 am to 5 pm and Saturday's hours are 9 am to Noon.

The Algonquin exhibit's sponsored by the Village's Public Arts Commission.  The LITH one is sponsored by the school which is also hosting a Book Fair at the same time to raise funds to buy materials for Martin's Learning Resource Center/Library.

In the pic:  Some student works of art to be displayed at the Martin Art Show.

Huntley Green And Clean Day Set Saturday

Friday was Earth Day and this Friday will be Arbor Day but Saturday is Huntley's own eco-friendly day of celebration, Green and Clean Day. The Village has a range of events and amenities scheduled.

Special dumpsters located at its Public works facility and Main and Donald Drive from 8 am to 1 pm for Spring Cleaning dropoffs. The Park District's Cosman Theater will screen Disney's Earth featuring polar bears, elephants and whales from 3 to 4:30 pm. Green and Clean Drop-In Crafts for kids are scheduled at the Huntley Area Libraryfrom 11 am to 1pm and volu volunteers will be standing by at the Library toehlp with the Library paper drive from 9 am to 1pm. Meanwhile, Village Adopt-A-Highway groups will be cleaning up their assigned roadways at the same time everyone else is taking the one-hour scenic tour of Huntley's West Wastewater Treatment Plant from 9 am to 1pm.(tours take approximately 1 hr).

Somewhat coincidentally, McHenry County College has just updated its "Official Green Guide 2012,” including information for anyone looking to recycle, reuse or reduce to protect the environment. It includes a Green Living section listing where to buy green products locally and online. It's downloadable at www.mchenry.edu/recycling .

In the pic:  Huntley's wastewater treatment plant tour includes explains what happens after you push the handle down.

New Interest Conflict Found In Lottery Contract Award

By Scott Reeder, Illinois Statehouse News
Northstar Lottery Group won a 2010 contract to manage the Illinois State Lottery that could enrich the firm by more than $300 million over five years, but a Franklin Center investigation has discovered that irregularities marred the state’s selection process. GTECH, which owns 80 percent of Northstar, poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into a campaign fund that funneled $1.5 million to Gov. Pat Quinn’s 2010 campaign.

Just six weeks before Election Day 2010, Quinn announced that Northstar would receive the lucrative contract to manage the lottery. He noted that his own administration’s nine-member panel had reviewed all of the competing applications and recommended Northstar. Illinois Auditor General Bill Holland issued a scathing report last year on the Quinn administration’s handling of the selection process. His audit found that it would have been virtually impossible for the panelists to have thoroughly read, analyzed and scored the thousands of pages of documents submitted by the applicants in the few days given them.

In a separate review, The Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity found that Northstar’s written proposal identified one of the governor’s panelists as its executive in charge of lottery sales. Despite being named for a key position in one of the proposals, panelist Victor Golden evaluated all bids, including Northstar’s. “It seems too bizarre to be real,” said state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, upon learning of the matter.

Golden could not be reached for comment. But lottery spokesman Mike Lang said it was not unethical for Golden to make a recommendation on the proposals. Lang said the bottom line for evaluators was how much potential revenue each proposal would generate for the state and that Golden was in no way influenced by the inclusion of his name in the Northstar proposal. Others disagreed.

“This was a total sweetheart deal,” said Byron Boothe, vice president for government affairs at Interlot which bid against Northstar on the Lottery contract. “It was clear from the beginning of the bidding that this is who state officials wanted to run the lottery.”

You can read Scott's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8250/il-lottery-contracts-marred-by-conflicts-of-interest/

Obituaries

Robert C. Mc Intyre, 82, of Huntley, died  peacefully April 21, Saturday. Visitation will be Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley from 9 am until a  Funeral Mass at 10:30 am.

Mc Intyre is survived by his wife, Mary and by six children,  Mary Ann (Dave) Drinka; Susan (Pete) Tararo; Michael McIntyre; Kathleen McIntyre; Christine Sylvester and Patrick McIntyre, and their children.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or American Diabetes 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
April 22
0106 HRS 00 BLOCK OF FLOWERFIELD CT. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, five years of age, difficulty breathing. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1019 HRS 200 BLOCK OF STICKLEY LN. FRAUD. Fraudulent charges on complainant’s credit card. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1057 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & FRANK RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Adult female with back pain. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1256 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LITH PD) CIVIL MATTER. Child custody issues.
1311 HRS 00 BLOCK OF ROYAL OAK CT. FOUND ARTICLE. Syringes found in complainant’s yard.
1629 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Female, 71 years of age, with neck pain. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1828 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEARTLAND GATE. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Ex-Husband vs. Ex-Wife. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
Algonquin
April 21
10:05am Conrad, Jimmy D., DOB: 04/25/86, of 630 Regal Lane, Algonquin, was charged with Obstructing Identification.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 05/23/12 in McHenry County.
21:38pm Linker, Richard A., DOB: 12/07/64, of 848 Willow Lane, West Dundee, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for DWLS.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Grandview Drive.  He was released after posting $400 with a court date of 05/09/12 in Kane County.
April 22
09:50am Garcia, Diego, DOB: 04/07/83, of 322 Dwight Street, Elgin, was charged with Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Elgin Police Department.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
April 23
00:33am Gauch, Brian C., DOB: 07/21/87, of 10147 Ashley Street, Huntley, was charged with DUI.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Corporate Parkway.  He was released after posting $100 and his Illinois Driver’s License with a court date of 05/23/12 in McHenry County.

New HHS Football Coach: "This Team Should Have Won"

Newly-hired Huntley High Head Coach John Hart met with players and parents Saturday to outline plans for football Raiders next year.  Hart said nothing's set in stone yet but he spent a lot of time talking about weight work, communicating with parents and hiring specific but still-unnamed help. "If we can get the people we're trying to get we're gonna get really good early on," he said.

The District 158 Board of Education hired Hart Thursday after he resigned from Indiana football powerhouse Warren Central High in Indianapolis last week with a 4-year 41 and 9  record.  Hart's resignation letter said he quit because Warren Principal Rich Shepler went out of this way to denigrate Hart's program.  Shepler didn't respond to an FEN inquiry Friday, nor did Peggy Hinckley, Superintendent of the Warren Township Metropolitan School District.  Saturday in Huntley Hart said he didn't want to talk about it except to say, "I think it's impossible to be successful in building a good program without a good relationship with your president."

The Indianapolis Star Saturday quoted Hart saying, "when you are the head coach at Warren, you get approached sometimes. That shouldn't get confused with wanting to leave."  However, according to an informed source, the D158 Board only invited Hart to be head coach at HHS because he'd already been a January top pick to coach Fremd in Palatine.

Hart told Saturday's crowd he'd already reviewed most of last season's Raiders game tapes. "I didn't see...there was any difference between our kids and who was beating us," said Hart.  "I thought, 'This team should have won.'"

"My son's so pumped," said Huntley Mom Kim Scalese after Hart's Saturday briefing.

"I'm just looking forward to next season," said Raider Brandon Dranka. "He's got a positive outlook."

"I think there's some fresh good energy," commented Algonquin resident Al Kabb.

One parent asked Hart the big question. "How about the (less gifted) kids that come in and work their butts off.  Are they going to get to play?"  Hart had the perfect answer.  "I'll say if they don't do those things they're not going to get playing time."

In the pic:  New Huntley Head football coach John Hart told Raiders Moms and Dads Saturday to get involved with their kids' training.  "Parents, I'll be at your home if they don't show up," he said.

Kids Run For Bear Courses Through East Algonquin Against Cancer

An fourth grader from Eastview Elementary led the pack Saturday in the second annual Kids' Run For The Bear one-mile fun race in Algonquin.  Dylan Kanner broke the figurative tape followed by second-graders Zach Ryza, also from Eastview, and Conner Mogge from Sleepy Hollow Elementary.

They all beat Justin Dusek, first among Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District firefighters who joined the run.  Dusek was somewhat hampered, however, by running the mile full fireman's regalia including air tanks. 

"Did he beat (Eastview Principal Jim Zursin)?" AMS secretary Bobbie Geegan asked excitedly.  Yep, but while Dusek was carrying 70 extra pounds of gear, Mr. Z. ran the course carrying 25 more years.

In the pic:  Saturday's Kids' Run For The Bear was a forerunner of September's 18th annual Run to support the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

County-Wide, Local Drug Take Back Set Saturday

Saturday will see the first McHenry County-wide version of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s “National Take-Back Initiative”. The one-day event from 10am to  2pm, aims to keep What Partnership For A Drug Free American estimates is an estimated 2,500 teens each day from trying prescription drugs to get high for the first time.

Unwanted, unused or outdated prescription and over-the-counter, solid dose medications (tablets or capsules) in clear sealed plastic bags can be dropped off for disposal at Algonquin, Huntley and, for the first time, Lake in the Hills Police headquarters Saturday.  Crystal Lake, Johnsburg, Lakewood, Marengo and Spring Grove PD's are other drop-off sites in McHenry County, as well as the Algonquin Township Offices manned by Fox River Grove officers.

Items not accepted include liquids, intravenous (IV) bags/solutions, injectables, needles, lancets and sharps.

In the pic:  Huntley PD even offered curb service at last year's Take Back Initiative.

State Fracking Bill Wins Industry, Environmentalist Support

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
A proposal updating Illinois' oil and gas law to regulate the latest evolution in drilling technology passed the Senate Environment Committee this week with rare support from industry and environmental groups.

Energy companies are buying leases to extract oil and gas from the New Albany shale in southern Illinois so some lawmakers and environmental groups have been trying to pass legislation regulating horizontal hydraulic fracturing, which uses water, sand and industrial fluids to release oil or gas. Sponsored by state Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Gifford, the new bill would require companies to disclose the chemical composition of the fracturing fluids and require companies to test the integrity of the cement and steel well casings meant to protect groundwater during the drilling process.

“It’s not very often that you see the industry groups and the environmental community come to together and agree on an issue,” said Dan Eichholz, associate director of the Illinois Petroleum Council, a trade group, which supports the proposal, along with the Illinois Oil and Gas Association, Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Manufacturing Association.

Jack Darin, director of the Illinois Sierra Club, an environmental group, said the bill offers good solutions to the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing, although he said lawmakers should consider other issues, such as waste water and air emissions. “This bill is going to be part of a broader conversation about hydraulic fracturing,” Darin said.

So far, only a few experimental wells have been drilled in the New Albany shale, a 360-million-year-old oil- and gas-rich rock layer that sits about 4,500 feet underground in Illinois.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8257/il-fracturing-bill-clears-with-industry-enviro-support/

In the pic:  A well in Pennsylvania where fracking's a lot more common than it is, so far, in Illinois.

Governor's Human Rights Appointment Stirs Controversy

By Stephanie Fryer, Illinois Statehouse News
Several Illinois lawmakers debated whether the co-founder of a group dedicated to a former Nation of Islam leader should be appointed to the state's Human Rights Commission. Gov. Pat Quinn recommended that Munir Muhammad, of Chicago, be reappointed to the commission, a post he has held since 2003.

Muhammad co-founded the Coalition for the Remembrance of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Elijah Muhammad was a leader of Black Muslims, and the coalition runs a website about his beliefs and involvement with the Nation of Islam. Some of his beliefs included prohibiting interracial marriage, supporting separate education for men and women, and worship of Allah. Munir Muhammad on Thursday told lawmakers the not all coalition members agree with the teachings of Elijah Muhammad.

But state Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, who opposed Munir Muhammad's reappointment, said, “Some of the things (Elijah Muhammad) said are kind of disturbing. Since this is in the public domain, it’s out there for everybody to see, and that’s the issue that I have.” However, state Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Chicago, said she believes Munir Muhammad represents the mission of the human rights commission. “If we think about religion, I think so many of us share so many different religions, that’s the beauty of all of us,” she said. “We all have different beliefs. We have diversity, and I think that is what the human rights commission is all about."

The Senate Executive Appointments Committee approved Munir Muhammad's reappointment. It now has to be approved by the full Senate.

You can read Stephanie's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8264/quinns-appointment-stirs-up-controversy/

In the pic:  Munir Muhammad with President Barack Obama.

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.

ROBERT SIGNORILE, DOB:  11/23/1968, 12966 ROCK SPRINGS, HUNTLEY. FIRST DEGREE MURDER.--Huntley PD  

TARA B. FICKLEN, DOB:  04/02/1983, 427 SPRING STREET, LAKE GENEVA, WI. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, RETAIL THEFT.--Algonquin PD

ADAM W. PITTNER, DOB: 07/20/92, 1181 AMBERWOOD, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED FLEEING OR ATTEMPT TO ELUDE A PEACE OFFICER (2 COUNTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF STOLEN VEHICLE, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--Algonquin PD

ANTHONY D. BROEDERDORF, DOB: 02/02/92, 1301 CARDINAL DRIVE, ALGONQUIN. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, THEFT (UNDER $500), UNLAWFUL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY A MINOR.--Lake in the Hills PD

DAVID W. STODOLNY, DOB:  09/01/1970, 2416 W. DICKENS, CHICAGO. AGGRAVATED BATTERY.--McHenry County Corrections
  
KEVIN S. LOCKWOOD, DOB:  05/18/59, 611 SHARON DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT, DOMESTIC BATTERY(2CTS).--Woodstock PD

BRIAN P. CASE, DOB:  08/07/1969, 817 WEDGEWOOD DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE. OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE (2CTS).--Crystal Lake PD

KAREN E. HENDERSON, DOB:  07/13/1964, 3925 ELM STREET, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry PD
  
ASHLEY M. MICHAELS, DOB:  11/26/1985, 1926 ORCHARD LANE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

PATRICK RYLEY SUTHERLAND, DOB:  04/14/90, 2962 N. 4459TH ROAD, NEWARK. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--Illinois State Police
  
JESUS E. ESTRADA-KOCH, DOB:  09/05/1985, 524 PINE GROVE ROAD, LAKEMOOR. FRANCHESCA A. TAYLOR, DOB:  04/21/1985, 524 PINE  GROVE ROAD, LAKEMOOR. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--Lakemoor PD
  
RICARDO J. CARRENO, DOB:  02/04/1983, 110 W. PRAIRIE STREET  #4, MARENGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL VIOLATION OF AN ORDER OF PROTECTION.--Marengo PD
  
EMMANUEL C. MALABANAN, DOB:  10/13/1990, 236 NEW HAVEN DRIVE, CARY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--Crystal Lake PD

LEE E. JOHNSON, DOB: 07/09/65, LKA: 470 E. BROADWAY DRIVE, CRYSTAL LAKE.UNLAWFUL FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF AN ELDERLY PERSON,
FORGERY.--Crystal Lake PD
  
LUCAS A. RUCKOLDT, DOB: 04/06/91, 10115 MEADOW LANE, HEBRON. HARASSMENT OF A WITNESS, INTIMIDATION.--Hebron 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 21
1813 HRS ROUTE 31 & TRINITY DR. FOLLOWUP ARREST: NO VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. LUNA, ALICIA, F/W 36 YEARS OF AGE, 225 UTEG ST. APT 4, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: No Valid Driver’s License and No Insurance. RELEASED ON BOND.
0112 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only.
0133 HRS 100 BLOCK OF POLARIS DR. HIT AND RUN. Vehicle struck while parked in front of residence.
0726 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & HARVEST GATE RD. ACCIDENT. Car vs. Pole. Property damage only.
0832HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & CRYSTAL LAKE RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Car vs. Motorcycle. Male 34 years of age, transported to Sherman Hospital.
1420 HRS 0 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. AMBULANCE ASSIST.  Female, 60 years of age, injury to the face following a fall. No transport.