Visitation For Algonquin Woman Killed In Huntley Crash

Memorial visitation will be 1 to 3 pm today at Willow Funeral Home, Algonquin, for 20 year-old Megan Elizabeth Hartigan of Algonquin, killed Tuesday evening in a single-car crash on Marengo Road one mile and a half north of Huntley.

Two Huntley men, 21 year-old Jonathan J. Lombard and 18 year-old Ryan W. Hanks, and an unidentified female juvenile remain hospitalized after the crash in which the car in which they and Hartigan were traveling left the road, struck a culvert and rolled, ejecting all occupants.

Hartigan, a 2010 graduate of Jacobs High School, is survived by her mother, Stacey of Algonquin; father, Dennis, of Franklin, WI; sisters, Alexandra and Emma, and grandparents, Walter and Cheryl Dethlefsen of Barrington and Dennis Hartigan of Naples, FL, and Edith Hartigan of Hazlet, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to ASPCA Linda Tiramani or Fox Valley Helping Paws Animal Shelter, Woodstock.

Girl Scouts Serve Seniors For Ninth Year At LITH Dinner

About 50 seniors attended the ninth annual Lake in the Hills Senior Spaghetti Dinner Friday served by a literally uncountable number of (very fast-moving) girls from LITH Girl Scout Troops.

It was the fifth spaghetti dinner in a row ("at least") for LITH senior Helen Neil.  "I enjoy the food and the camaraderie," she said. "And the little girls are wonderful," added tablemate Rosalee Cacciatiore.

Indeed, the Senior Spaghetti dinner's as much about the Scouts as the Seniors, said organizer LITH Parks & Rec. organizer Trevor Bosack.  "It started when they were looking for a way to serve the community," he said.

Girls from Brownie, Girl Scout and Junior Troops 148, 234 and 1066 did the honors at Friday's fete.  Funds were provided by the People For Parks Foundation.

In the pic:  Alyssa Moran from Troop 148 and Riley Doherty from Troop 134 were among the Girl Scouts serving Thursday at the ninth Lake in the Hills Senior Spaghetti Dinner.

Jacobs Science Team Takes Second At State Meet

The Jacobs High School Illinois Science Olympiad team's been basking in relative glory the past couple of weeks after bringing home second place Class A honors against 23 other schools in the state this year's state competition at Champaign-Urbana.

Fourteen students coached by physics teacher Phil Timm and biology instructor Krista Glosson competed in every event at the Olympiad covering topics of earth sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics.  The team brought back 24 medals including 3 golds.

In the pic:  Jacobs High School's winning 2012 Science Olympiad team (front to back)--Niko Makridakis, Sai Nissankula, Allison Dianas, Marcie Orjuela, Rosa Wu, Trevor Tschosik, Matt Messina, Nick Johansen, Jason Schnecke, Sivaram Yeramati, Hari Manikandan, Melissa Duda, Nolan Magsanem and Mike Hubner

Educator Scholarships Awarded, Top Educator Honored

The District 300 Board of Education took a moment this week to honor this year's LEAD 300 Stella Wetzel Scholarship winners.  The teachers' union scholarships go to district high school students who plan to become educators.  This year's recipients were Angelina Anton at Jacobs High School and Emma Gentile at Dundee-Crown.

The Board also took note of this year's D300 Foundation 2012 Distinguished Educator of the Year recipient, Cynthia Schneider at Jacobs High School.

In the pic:  Angelina Anton, LEAD 300 President Kolleen Hanetho and Emma Gentile.

Professional Regulation

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced the following disciplinary orders in the month of March: 

A to Z Credit Lenders, Inc., Woodstock – fined $1,300 for the following violations: Improper simple interest calculations and other violations.

Ace Cash Express, Inc., West Dundee – fined $6,000 for the following violation: Lender presented dishonored check, ACH debit, or other item more than twice.

Beneficial Financial I, Inc., Crystal Lake – fined $1,300 for the following violations: Improper simple interest calculations and other violations.

Cottonwood Financial Illinois, LLC, Elgin – $2,325 for the following violations: Licensee is not maintaining turndown Files. Original documents, or approved equivalents, not cancelled or returned following payoff and other violations.

Eastside Finance Company, Inc., Elgin – fined $1,550 for the following violations: Acts and rules are not in the permanent file and other violations.

National Credit Lenders, LLC, Woodstock – fined $1,050 for the following violation: licensee’s or retail seller’s name and address is not properly disclosed on legal document.

Sandra Cadiena, Elgin – certified residential real estate appraisal license placed in refuse to renew status for failure to respond to the Department's written request for an appraisal report she performed.

Mahesh Parikh, Crystal Lake – physician and surgeon license indefinitely suspended for a minimum of one year for engaging in sexual misconduct with a patient.

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
May 4
0833 HRS PYOTT RD. & WILLOW ST. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1208 HRS 1500 BLOCK OF MONROE ST. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Information received about a possible fraud. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1558 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Roommate vs. Roommate. 12 priors. UNFOUNDED.
1818 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. Verbal only. 13 priors.

Small Plane Crash Kills Two Near LITH Airport

National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to arrive today to try to find the cause of Thursday's private airplane crash that killed two men near Lake in the Hills Airport.

Lake Thursday authorities identified the dead as 82 year-old Paul San Filippo, Grayslake, registered owner of the 1964 Beech Bonanza, and 65 year-old Hugh Scott Clark, Lake Forest.
San Filippo was listed as the president of General Aviation Consulting, nominally headquartered in Grayslake.  FAA investigators Thursday said they weren't sure who was at the controls of the single-engined craft when it crashed in the worked-out 235-acre gravel pit east of the Airport.

A passerby alerted LITH 911 about the crash at 3:15 pm but the pit's in Crystal Lake so both PD's and fire/rescue departments rushed to the site, a little southwest of Rakow and Virginia roads. Neither victim was alive when they got there, however.  Crystal Lake Police said recovery and investigation were both hampered by mud in the marshy pit bottom.

Crystal Lake Deputy Chief Gene Lowery reported in a release late Thursday that the plane had taken off from the Airport but, for reasons yet-unknown, then tried to return but crashed as it appeared to lose power.

D158 Announces $3.3 Million Digital "Textbooks" Plan

District 158 administrators announced a plan Thursday for a $3.3 million all-digital reading program, K through 5, to begin rolling out next year at Martin Elementary.  The program would be district-wide by 2015.

Hints pointing in that direction came more than a year ago when Superintendent John Burkey pitched the idea of getting ready for a time when every kid would have his own device, type unspecified, to access education programs via the Internet.  Burkey told the D158 Board Thursday it's time to start now.  The District needs new reading textbooks and Burkey said they ought to be digital ones.  "It teaches students the way they'll live the rest of their lives," he said, "with technology".

Burkey said the top choice for a new reading text was the Reading Street series, which publisher Scott Foresman offers in both traditional paper and interactive digital versions.  Burkey said taking the cost of paper books and "repurposing" some funds that would have been spent on general tech buys would yield enough money to pick the digital version.

In fact, the individual instruction programs themselves are cheaper than paper books, according to figures presented by Chief Academic Officer Mike Moan. It's the tablet computers they run on and the wifi hubs and classroom projectors that cost an arm and a leg.

Director of Educational Technology Marisa Burkhart said she's narrowed device selection down to one of several Android OS tablets.  Moan's numbers estimate the cost of buying 1,200 tablets for all the Martin kids will account for $570,000 of the near-$1 million cost of the first-year rollout. The "books" are only estimated to run about $75,000.

Board Member Kim Skaja said a chance encounter with a 10 year-old from another district that's already gone digital showed some some obvious problems but, likewise, some obvious advantages.  "I was surprised she had such an expensive piece of equipment," said Skaja.  "I also noted she didn't have a 40-pound backpack."

While the digital reading program would only be for Martin next year, the plan calls for its expansion to all third through fifth grades and Leggee in year two and all kindergarten through second grades and Chesak and Mackeben in year three.

There are lots of questions still unanswered.  Will digital textbooks mean a new "technology fee" for parents to pay, wondered Member Tony Quagliano.  Board members agreed to look at the program some more at their next full meeting.

Separately, D158 granted tenure to 53 teachers Thursday and District CFO Mark Altmayer reported the State came through last week with the $2.3 million bus and special ed payment that was due in January.  That was all the Board had counted on actually getting from the State in this year's budget so if any more shows up it'll be budgetary gravy.

In the pic:  The hardcover versions of the new Reading Street textbooks D158 plans to buy in digital form.

Corbels And Grant Applications Figure At Huntley Board Meet

Thursday's meeting of the Huntley Village Board was all about taste.  The taste, for example, of  Mai Tais, a possible addition to 2012's Fall Fest. (Technically, this was actually a discussion by the Board wearing their Liquor Commission hats.)  There was also the "taste" that adding some corbels would add to the new Gateway sign planned for the southeast corner of Main and Route 47.

Trustee Pam Fender thought some corbels on the high part of the sign would add a tasteful old-timey touch.  Mayor Chuck Sass thought that was awful but they'd be just the ticket bracketing the message board.  Trustee Harry Leopold cut to the chase asking if anyone was against the message sign itself.  No one was and consultants said they'd bring back some new pictures.

On the "how lucky do you feel?" front, the Board gave initial approval to trying to get a chunk of the latest $50 million round of Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grants to pay for some Downtown Streetscape Improvements.  It's a competitive program but Village Manager Dave Johnson said Huntley's bid ought to be well-received since last year's Downtown Revitalization Plan will underlie it. Downtown streetscape improvments are estimated at $1.5 million so Johnson said planners would ask for the max theoretically available, $1.2 million.

In the pic:  The latest version of Huntley's Gateway message sign, although without corbels (the brackety things often found under fireplace mantels).

Legislative Scholarship Program May End

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
College scholarships handed out by members of the Illinois General Assembly may soon be a thing of the past. The Senate voted Thursday to end the program that allows lawmakers to hand out tuition waivers for state schools to students in their legislative districts.

“You wouldn’t think that we would take relish in eliminating over 1,400 opportunities for kids to have scholarships to go to college,’ Senate President John Cullerton said. “But there were abuses. And we have some major, major issues to deal with down here in the next month, and everybody knows what a distraction this is.”

The scholarships came under scrutiny after it was reported that lawmakers have awarded them to students outside of their districts, as well as to the children of campaign contributors. Cullerton tacked a provision onto the bill that calls for a commission to review all the tuition waivers given out to students at state schools. He says that $414 million in waivers were used by students this year. “Many of these things have no standards whatsoever. So the same attention that everybody put on legislative scholarships ought to be put on the other tuition waivers. And we might have that task force also address the concern about eliminating the opportunity for these young people to get a college education.” The legislative scholarships were worth about $13.5 million annually.

Because the bill has been amended in the Senate, the House has to approve the change before it would go to Gov. Pat Quinn. Quinn has pushed for the elimination of the program and is sure to sign the measure if it lands on his desk.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/legislative-scholarship-program-may.html

Voters To Decide On Pension Benefits Amendment

By Ashley Griffin, Illinois Issues
Voters in November will decide how tough it's going to be to boost State pensions. The Senate Thursday joined the House in approving a constitutional amendment requiring a three-fifths vote by the General Assembly to enhance public employee pension benefits. That means the measure will be on the November ballot for voters to decide on.

If voters approve it, instead of 30 votes in the Senate and 60 votes in House needed to pass, the new amendment would require 36 votes in the Senate and 71 votes in the House. “There’s a lot of tough medicine in this resolution. I think the tough medicine is needed,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan.

The measure comes at a time when lawmakers are trying to reform the state’s crumbling pension system. Currently, the pension systems have more than $80 billion in liabilities. Earlier last month, Gov. Quinn released his own plan to help mend the system that would require employees to choose between keeping subsidized retiree health care or accepting diminished benefits. Under the proposal, employee contributions would rise by3 percent, and the retirement age would jump to 67.

But union officials say the amendment does not address the problems with the pension system, which were caused primarily by governors and lawmakers who opted to skip payments. “This measure is misleading to the public. Though cast as 'reform,' it would do nothing to solve the real problem plaguing Illinois public retirement systems, which is a lack of funding, not excess benefits,” said Anders Lindall, a spokesperson for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31.

For now, the fate of the proposal will have to wait until November. To become a part of the state’s Constitution, the proposal must receive the support of either three-fifths of those voting on the question or the majority of those voting in the election.

You can read Ashley's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/voters-will-decide-on-requirements-for.html

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
May 3
2109 HRS 400 BLOCK OF PLUM ST. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. JUVENILE, M/W 17 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Criminal Damage to Property. TURNED OVER TO KANE COUNTY.
1512 HRS 00 BLOCK OF SUSSEX CT. FOLLOW UP ARREST: AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. FAUROT, PHILLIP T., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 3140 MONTROSE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Two counts of Aggravated Assault. RELEASED ON BOND.
1515 HRS VIRGINIA RD & RAKOW RD. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted Crystal Lake Police Department with an airplane crash.
1806 HRS 3100 BLOCK OF MONTROSE DR. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Damage to vehicle from an air soft gun.
1844 HRS 10 BLOCK OF CLARK AVE. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 52 years of age, made suicidal statements. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1932 HRS 4200 BLOCK OF GREENFIELD LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.  Damage to mailbox, garage door, and vehicle from a BB gun.
2145 HRS 10 BLOCK OF CLARK AVE. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. Two priors. Male, 52 years of age, transported to Woodstock Memorial.
2201 HRS 5600 BLOCK OF DANBURY CIRCLE. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. No priors.
Algonquin
April 30
20:43pm Joyner, Steven D., DOB: 03/15/85, of 9575 S. Route 31, Algonquin, was charged with Felony Domestic Battery and two counts of Aggravated Assault.  He was taken into custody at 9575 S. Route 31.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
May 1
14:45pm LaGrippe, John J., DOB: 04/04/66, of 1145 Sawmill Lane, Algonquin, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Unlawful Possession of Explosives and two counts of Endangering the Life of a Child.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $2000 with a court date of 05/10/12 in McHenry County.
20:06pm Bosley, Ashlyn T., DOB: 09/07/92, of 153 Briarwood Drive, Gilberts, was charged with Retail Theft.  She was taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  She was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.
May 2
00:10am Manarpaac, Matthew J., DOB: 04/23/80, of 1445 Menoma Trail, Algonquin, was charged with Criminal Damage to Property and Reckless Conduct.  He was taken into custody at Fire Bar, 435 Angela Lane, Crystal Lake.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 06/03/12 in McHenry County.
09:32am A 16 year-old female from Carpentersville was charged with Unauthorized Possession or Storage of a Weapon on School Grounds.  She was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  She was formally Petitioned into Juvenile Court and then released into the custody of her mother.
14:44pm McGovern, Deborah J., DOB: 05/10/57, of 165 lake Drive South, 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.
17:31pm Dietrich, Adam D., DOB: 09/07/93, of 6920 Zachary Drive, Carpentersville, was charged with Possession of Cannabis and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was taken into custody in the 1400 block of County Line Road.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 06/13/12 in McHenry County.
22:50pm Farina, Alexander R., DOB: 09/13/91, of 1475 Loch Lomond Drive, Crystal Lake, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Aggravated Fleeing and Attempting to Elude a Police Officer.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was released after posting $1,000 with a court date of 05/09/12 in McHenry County.
May 3
16:26pm Stack, Jolynn M., DOB: 08/19/91, of 304 Bayberry Drive, 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.

Cook County Sheriff To Fire McHenry County Board Member

Eight months after FEN requested the duty status of McHenry County Board District 1 Board Member and Cook County Deputy Bob Bless, the Sheriff's Office finally divulged it this week:  "Robert Bless has been De-Deputized/Relieved of Law Enforcement Powers...as of August 03, 2011. He is currently working in a non-sworn capacity."  Assistant General Counsel Liz Abraham added the Office hopes to fire Bless "soon".  That's not his only problem, though, perhaps not even the biggest.

Spokesmen won't say why the Sheriff's Office pulled Bless's badge and gun but it seems to involve his claim for Workers' Compensation. In a September, 2008, accident Bless's squadcar and one driven by a Minnesota safety inspector were inovolved in an accident in Schaumburg. The IWCC file is scant on details but Bless said he had severe injuries and claimed the Sheriff's Office wouldn't pay for their treatment.

"I had a broken neck. I've had three operations on my (right) shoulder and they denied me all the way through.  I had to go through my own health insurance," said Bless when FEN spoke with him Tuesday at Cook County Circuit Court in Rolling Meadows. Bless, who's been holding down a desk there for the last nine months, indicated what the pending firing really hinges on is that even while he was on medical leave from the Sheriff's Office he kept on working as an attorney.  Bless said his injuries impacted his legal work as well and Workers' Comp should pay for that, too.

Bless's law practice is also on shaky ground, however.  The Attorney's Registration and Disciplinary Commission has a hearing scheduled next week on whether to pull his law license based on a charge that he bilked his mistress/client out of $120,000 in loans and payments in a complicated commercial real estate deal in Palatine four years ago. Bless has admitted the affair but denied the Wauconda widow was his client.

Bless had originally moved to have the ARDC hearing stayed because he was being investigated by a Cook County Grand Jury. He withdrew the motion the day after FEN reported he'd filed it.  He said the investigation involved his business dealings with Katherine Scott, the woman who complained to ARDC.  Bless said he didn't know the extent of the investigation. There are rumors the probe has run into statute of limitations problems.  FEN tried to reach Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Liam "Bill" Reardon to ask about that Wednesday but no call was returned.

Whether a January civil suit against Bless which FEN found figures in all the investigations couldn't be determined.  A pair of Fox River Grove restaurateurs claimed Bless rooked them out of part of an insurance settlement.  Bless said he has a retainer agreement on file agreeing to the amount he took.

Cook County action to fire Bless "in the near future" isn't likely before July 19.  That's the next time the Sheriff’s Merit Board meets in regular session. Meanwhile, Bless is currently a Republican District 1 candidate to retain his seat on the McHenry County Board.

Acting on a tip, FEN filed a Freedom of Information Act request for Bless's duty status Sept. 7 of last year.  The Cook County Sheriff's Office replied that he was "an active employee" but claimed anything else was exempt from disclosure because there was an investigation going on.  FEN appealed on the premise that changing an officer's duty might be the result of an investigation, but it obviously wasn't part of it.  The AG's Public Access Counselor finally agreed and ordered Cook County to supply the information on April 24.  The Sheriff's FOIA officer said she never got the notice so FEN had to have it sent again. The Attorney General's opinion on FEN's FOIA request for a police officer's duty status is not a citable one.  It turns out the AG had already issued one of those in January because so many police agencies were trying to climb through what looked like a FOIA loophole.

In the pic:  Fox River Grove's Bob Bless being sworn in to the McHenry County Board in 2008, three months after an accident he said incapacitated him.  He told FEN his doctor said he only had to wear a neck brace if he thought he was likely to be "jostled." (McHenry County Blog photo.)

Judge Refuses To Tell Review Board What To Do On Huntley Hospital

Centegra Heath Systems plans for a new hospital in Huntley received a setback Wednesday when McHenry County Circuit Judge Thomas Meyer ruled he wouldn't tell a Health Facilities Services and Review Board administrative judge what to do about a couple of misplaced studies sent in by opponents. Centegra's lawyer worried now the company may have to do last year's 12-month application process all over again.

In the lengthy series of hearings and comment periods on both Centegra's plan for a 128-bed facility in Huntley and a similar Mercy Health System proposal in Crystal Lake, mutual competitor Advocate Health Care sent HFSRB a pair of studies claiming neither one was a good idea.  Unfortunately Advocate switched the cover letters on them so each study went into the opposite file.  Administrative Law Judge Richard E. Hart decided that spoiled everything and canceled a hearing last month on whether Centegra had actually met all the HFSRB standards for building a new hospital.

Centegra attorney Daniel Lawler asked Meyer to order Hart to hold the hearing the way the law says.  "The statute is obviously contemplating a report from the hearing officer," he said.

Illinois Assistant Attorney General Diane Moshman argued it's too late for that since the hearing was supposed to have been done in 90 days and besides, the Review Board hasn't actually decided what to do about the misplaced studies, much less Centegra's application.  "We're trying to maintain the integrity of the process," she said.

Meyer decided Centegra was crying before it had been hurt.  "All I can do is speculate," he said. "A good faith action following the administrative judge's recommendation will be made.  If they refuse to act or do not act promptly...I can't give you advice," he said, although he kept the case open so he can look at it again whenever a conclusion is reached.

Centegra has until Friday to file more objections with HFSRB to Hart's sending everything  back to the Review Board.

In the pic:  An artist's concept of what Centgra Huntley Hospital will look like if there ever is one.

Pancakes And Recruiting Sunday For Huntley Scouts

Sunday's more than just Troop 167 Pancake Breakfast day in Huntley this year. That's still on as usual at the American Legion from 8 am to 12:30 pm but later (1 to 2:30 pm) at Deicke Park's South Pavilion there's a full afternoon of fun and recruiting scheduled for Huntley Scout Day for all the village's boys scouts, cub scouts and girl scouts aged 6 to 20.

Breakfast served by the 167 Scouts will be $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for kids 3 to 10.
Ice cream and info at the park will be free.  Recruiters will be there from Cub Scouts Pack 167, Chesak/Martin; Cub Scouts Pack 267, Leggee; Cub Scouts Pack 467, Square Barn; Boy Scout Troop 167; Boy Scout Troop 267; Venturing Crew 1067 and Girl Scouts.

In the pic:  Service with a smile at Troop 167's Pancake Breakfast last year.

Transparency Bill Aims To Expose Government Fraud

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
A bill requiring local governments to post financial information could help to expose and prevent fraud, supporters of the measure say. The Illinois Policy Institute, state Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Lake Barrington, and other lawmakers are pushing a Senate Bill to require local governments to post their budgets, audits and expenditures online.

The proposal comes after federal charges were filed against Dixon comptroller Rita Crundwell, who is accused of taking $53 million from taxpayers. The Illinois Policy Institute looked at 130 local governments, and measured them based on transparency. "After seeing how little public information is available on Dixon’s website, it's no surprise that the alleged theft went under the radar for so long," said Brian Costin, director of government reform for the institute.

Crundwell became comptroller of Dixon, a town of about 16,000 people, in 1983. Some seven years later, court documents said, Dixon began funneling city funds into personal bank accounts, using the money to buy a horse farm, several cars and a $2.1 million motor home. Crundwell is charged with one count of wire fraud, a felony.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8375/transparency-bill-could-help-expose-govt-fraud-supporters-say/

Illinois May Make State Retirees Pay For Healthcare

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois taxpayer-subsidized health care for state retirees could end with legislation moving through the Illinois House.  The measure, which passed out of the Executive Committee Wednesday without opposition allows the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to set premium rates for state retirees, retired lawmakers, retired judges and retired university employees.

Currently, after working 20 years, state employees can get 100 percent of their health care costs paid for by taxpayers. State retirees with eight years of service can get 40 percent of their health insurance covered. And taxpayers cover all health care costs for lawmakers who retire at the age of 62 or older and have served a minimum of four years.

The state is dishing out $876 million this year to cover health care for 78,000 former state employees, said House Republican Leader Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego. “The goal here is to not eliminate health care coverage but to make sure it’s sustainable,” Cross said.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who is co-sponsoring this legislation with Cross, said this isn’t tied to the public pension reform talks. Instead, he framed the measure as responsible budgeting. “It’s a significant step and a step we clearly ought to take if for no other reason, for no other reason, to set the tone for the budget making for the next 30 days,” Madigan said.

AFSCME Council 31 Legislative Director Joanna Webb-Gauvin said retiree health benefits have been viewed as compensation. “This has always been a part of the collective bargaining process and we’re in opposition because we feel that process is being violated,” Webb-Gauvin said.

Beyond having an unfunded pension liability of $83 million, the state also has $54 billion in unfunded retiree health care liabilities, according to the Illinois Policy Institute, a right-of-center think tank.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8372/il-bill-aims-to-have-state-retirees-pay-into-health-care/

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
May 2
1434 HRS RANDALL RD. & POLARIS DR. WANTED ON WARRANT. HAMPTON, DOUGLAS J., M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 4325 BARHARBOR DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant out of Kane County for Traffic Offense. Bond Amount: $400.00 full cash. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL. CAMPBELL, KENNETH R., M/W 30 YEARS OF AGE, 350 LEE DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Speeding. RELEASED ON BOND.
2050 HRS 00 BLOCK OF SUSSEX CT. FOLLOW UP ARREST: CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.  ROBSON, ALEXANDER J., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE9921 BEDFORD DR., HUNTLEY. CHARGES: Criminal Damage to Vehicle and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0007 HRS 100 BLOCK OF S. ANNANDALE DR., CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
0615 HRS 5500 BLOCK OF ALEXANDRIA DR. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
0709 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s daughter’s vehicle was damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1112 HRS 600 BLOCK OF WINDERMERE WAY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1406 HRS 5400 BLOCK OF SULLIVAN PASS. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1520 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. DOMESTIC. Mother vs. Son. Verbal only. 5 priors.
1628 HRS 600 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. House was entered and items removed. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1745 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WINDERMERE WAY. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Complainant’s vehicle was damaged. FAIL TO FILE.
1759 HRS 14 PROSPER CT. (AUSTIN CONSTRUCTION) HIT & RUN. Vehicle was struck and offender left.
2026 HRS 900 BLOCK OF TARALON TRAIL. DOMESTIC Mother vs. Daughter. Verbal only. 2 priors.
Huntley
April 23
An unlawful use of credit card report was taken at a retail business in the 9900 block of Rt. 47.  Unknown subjects attempted to purchase merchandise with a stolen debit card.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in a driveway in the 11500 block of Douglas St.  The victim states that her purse containing cash and medication was stolen from her unlocked vehicle.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 12100 block of Lincoln St.  A rock was thrown through the passenger-side window of a vehicle while parked in a residential driveway.
Somphith Phachansiri, age 33, of 11604 E. Main St. #B, Huntley, was arrested on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.  Mr. Phachansiri posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 10, 2012. April 24.
Jimmy J. Dill, age 40, of 10809 Cape Cod Lane, Huntley, was arrested for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a child, and battery.  Mr. Dill was transported to McHenry County jail to await bond.
April 25
A retail theft report was taken in the 13200 block of Village Green Dr.  Alcohol was stolen from the store.
April 26
Jamie Fish, age 37, of 10611 N. Church St., Huntley, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of a syringe.  Mr. Fish was transported to McHenry County Jail to await bond call.
Stephen P. Biggs, age 40, of 1109 N. Oak Terrace Round Lake, was arrested for driving while license revoked and was cited for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and speeding.  Mr. Biggs posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
Griffin S. Krewer, age 18, of 23 Ronan Ct., Lake in the Hills, was charged with consumption of alcohol and possession of alcohol by minor. Alexander J. Robson, age 18, of 9921 Bedford, Huntley, and two  male juveniles were charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor.  All were released with a notice to appear in McHenry County court on May 21, 2012.
April 27
Jonathan Dupree Williams, age 27, of 374 Cornell Ave. #3C, Calumet City, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for failure to signal.  Mr. Williams posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 25, 2012.
April 29
A criminal damage to property report was taken at a park in the 11900 block of Ackman Rd.  A storage trailer was damaged with spray paint.
Baldemar Jacintos-Valdez, age 28, of 440 Leah Ln. #4C, Woodstock, was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and was cited for no rear registration light.  Mr. Jacintos-Valdez posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of May 18, 2012.
A burglary to motor vehicle report was taken in the 11000 block of Myrtle St.  A cellphone was stolen from the vehicle that was parked in a residential driveway.
A criminal damage to property report was taken at a business in the 11700 block of Powder Park Dr.  A glass door was shattered.

Algonquin OK's Marginal Revenue Raisers

The Algonquin Village Board formally approved two obscure measures Tuesday to bring a little more money into Village coffers.  "It's not much but every little bit helps," said Village Manager Bill Ganek later.

Trustees approved signing on to the State Comptrollers' expanded debt collection service.  A new law lets the Comptroller hold back up to 25 percent of, say a State income tax refund, to pay off an unsatisfied Village claim like a big (over $50, anyway) fine.  Residents will have 60 days to appeal the withholding.

The Lake in the Hills Board approved joining the program last week and, in fact, even school districts can do so.  "It's really the Comptroller's idea," said Ganek, who had no estimate on much money it might bring in.

The Board also approved hiring out Building Commissioner Craig Arps whenever the Village of Cary needs a Chief Building Official and Plan Reviewer.  The premise is that without a superheated building boom it just doesn't make sense for every village to have full-time expertise at such a high level. Algonquin already provides similar services for Carpentersville and Huntley.  "Craig did a lot of work on the plans for St. Mary's Church's expansion in Huntley, for example," said Ganek.

The Board also approved this year's appointments, reappointments really, to its six commissions. Steve Karaba was renamed to the Economic Development Commission  (although Jerry Pinderski will head the EDC now); Jeff Jolitz and Phyllis Koeppel to the Historic Commission; Patricia Szpekowski to Planning and Zoning; J.C. Paez to the Police Commission; Jeff Martynowicz to the Police Pension Board and Diane Magerko to the Public Arts Commission.

LITH's Latest Restaurant Pulls Double Duty For Single Owner

The first thing customers have to know about Two Italians Deli and Pizzeria, Lake in the Hills latest restaurant at Lakewood and Ackman, is that both the Italians are named Joe Giannini.  "There used to be another guy," he laughed, "but he got tired of being Italian."

Two Italians has been settling in to the location of the former Pop's Pizza and still more-former Pizza Amore shops for the past couple of weeks while Giannini meshes his established mobile food truck in Chicago with the new immobile takeout restaurant in LITH, all while pulling a daily commute from the city's extreme South Side.  "Any further and I'd be in Indiana," said Giannini.

When 15 years at IBM came to an end, the Two Italians food truck seemed like a good way, Giannini said, to ease into the restaurant biz "without a $100,000 investment in a kitchen."  The advantage soon chafed, however.  "I can only make so good a product that will hold for four hours."  Giannini said he wanted to serve better food and, anyway, renting kitchen time ate into profits. "This is just what I was looking for", he said, since the Two Italians fixed location is really a twofer.  The kitchen serves not only the restaurant itself but also prepares all the food for the truck now, too.

Giannini said he's confident the LITH location's going to be a hit, he just wants it to be one soon.  "I'd like to move to Lake in the Hills.  It's a great community.  And the commute's costing $100 a week."

In the pic:  Joe Giannini hustles in the kitchen at Two Italians Deli and Pizzeria in Lake in the Hills.

Plastic Bag, Wrapper Bill Heads To State House

By Anthony Brino, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois lawmakers are pushing for a statewide plastic bag and wrapper recycling program that would be the first of its kind in the country. The bill, sponsored by McHenry County Rep. Mike Tryon, would requires plastic bag and wrapper manufacturers to establish collection sites within 10 miles of Illinois residents in 90 percent of counties in the next two years.

“We could do nothing and recycle 2 percent of our bags next year, or we could put in a statewide program and make it to 13 percent,” said Tryon. The collection program would also evaluate plastic bag and wrapper recycling rates. It would expire in four years, unless the General Assembly renews it. The bill would bar local governments, except Chicago and Cook County, from banning or taxing plastic bags and wrappers.

The bill passed the House Environmental Health Committee with support from manufacturers and retailers and is expected to go before the full House. An identical version already passed the Senate in late March by a 36-15 vote. The bill has support from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Chemical Industry Council of Illinois and Hilex Poly, the largest plastic bag manufacturer and recycler in the United States.

You can read Anthony's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8340/plastic-bag-wrapper-recycling-bill-heads-to-il-house/

In the pic:  Recycling plastic bags leads to some contentious debates about energy, resources and economics but there's one undeniable fact--they won't biodegrade.

State Commission Votes To Keep Three Facilities Open

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
A legislative commission bucked parts of Gov. Pat Quinn’s facility closure plan, voting along regional lines to keep two prisons and a facility for those with developmental disabilities open.

In a political twist, mainly Republicans on the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability voted 3-7 Tuesday to keep open the Tamms Correctional Center, a “supermax” prison; Dwight Correctional Center, a woman’s prison, and Murray Developmental Center in Centralia. Democrats, mostly from Chicago, voted to close the downstate facilities. COGFA already has voted against closing the Singer Mental Health Center in Rockford, also on the hit list.

The commission's recommendations now are in Quinn's hands but lawmakers said most of their consternation over the proposed closures came from a lack of a plan from the Governor. “These are issues that are long-term situations, not ones that can be decided in the next 30 days while we work on a budget,” state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said.

Quinn first proposed the closures last year when the budget passed by the General Assembly was more than $300 million short, and laid out a similar plan to save money in his budget address this year. COGFA has voted against most of Quinn's closure recommendations, but it did vote unanimously to shutter a Department of Children and Family Services office in Skokie.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8365/il-commission-votes-to-keep-3-facilities-open/

In the pic: Accomodations for guests at the Tamms supermax, recommended for continued operation.

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
May 1
1833 HRS 800 BLOCK OF WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE. FOLLOW UP ARREST: DOMESTIC BATTERY. JOHNSON, PAUL L., M/W 47 YEARS OF AGE 890 WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, Domestic Battery of an Assaulting and Provoking Nature.
TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1512 HRS 5200 MILLER RD. (SUNSET PARK) CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Damage done to vehicle. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1731 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF HEAVENS GATE. FOUND ARTICLE. Hunting knife. Placed into evidence.
1756 HRS 300 BLOCK OF OAKLEAF RD. DOG BITE. Two dogs were attacked by another dog. TURNED OVER TO ANIMAL CONTROL.
1839 HRS 00 BLOCK OF TORREY PINES CT. THEFT. Checks were stolen. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
2012 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. MISSING JUVENILE. Male, 16 years of age, did not come home after school.
2233 HRS 4700 BLOCK OF PRINCETON LN. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. Wife. Verbal only. No priors.

State Sen. Says Tax Swap Is Proposed To Solve Pensions Mess

A new tax but one that would funnel more money to school districts is the latest pension reform solution making the rounds in Springfield, State Sen. Mike Noland, (D-Elgin) told the District 300 Board Monday.  "It's something that's been taken up in the last couple of days," he said. 

Noland asked to brief the full Board after last week's D300 lobbying fete with legislators because, he said, "you could teach other school districts the pitfalls of politics in Illinois."

Noland, who represents the eastern part of District 300, said he was optimistic the Legislature will finally pass some sort of pension reform legislation this year because, at an $80 billion unfunded liability headed toward $300 billion, "our situation is so dire."

Possible reforms to the State's pension systems include raising the retirement age, cutting cost of living adjustments and slashing healthcare benefits.  Another change that's been floated, however, would put school districts on the spot: having them take over the State's employer's contribution to teacher's retirements.  Noland said such a move would increase school districts' budgets anywhere from 6 to 16 percent per year.  "There's some districts, this is going to bankrupt them," he said.  Board members spitballed it at a $6 million added burden for their district.

Noland said the solution some lawmakers are suddenly proposing is another version of an Illinois perennial, the "Tax Swap".  The State would still offload the pension obligations to school districts but raise taxes somewhere else and give the money and more back to schools.  "Under HB 174 (a failed bill two years ago that would have increased personal and corporate income taxes and added services to the sales tax) you would have received $11 million extra per year," Noland said.

Board members' questions concentrated on the pension offload but they asked Noland to stay in touch.

Separately the Board approved laying off a group of support personnel and teacher's aide paraprofessionals.  There are around 300 of them in District 300 but the list to be cut wasn't included in the published Board packet so FEN was unable to determine how many were let go.  President Anne Miller said, "We are hoping...many can be recalled."

In the pic:  State Senator Mike Noland outlined a new wrinkle in the battle over State pension reform at Monday's D300 Board meeting.

Property Tax Bills Coming Soon

Kane County property tax bills for 2011, payable in 2012, are scheduled to go in the mail out Thursday, according to Kane county Treasurer, David J. Rickert.  The first Kane County installment will be due June 4, the second, September 4.

McHenry County property taxes are tentatively scheduled to go out May 11, according to Treasurer Bill LeFew. The first installment of property taxes will be due June 11, the second Sept. 11, LeFew said.

Residents can pay their tax bills electronically but there's a charge for the convenience.  Payments by e-check or credit card can be made at the following sites:

http://www.co.kane.il.us/Treasurer/

http://www.mchenrytreasurer.org/common/countydpt/treas/default.aspx

Huntley Aggregators Announce New Electric Prices

The supplier for the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium handling Huntley's newly-established municipal electric aggregation plan Monday announced the electric rate consumers will pay from August through July of next year. Direct Energy's new fixed rate for electricity customers will be $0.04169 per kilowatt hour.

That doesn't count transmission charges and taxes but neither does the non-summer average rate of $0.0773 per kWh for ComEd customers under the State's Illinois Power Authority contracts. IPA's price will likely go down soon, however.  In the midst of record low electric prices, bids for about one third of ComEd residential power over the next three years were due last month but the agency hasn't announced the new contracts yet or what the new average rates will be starting in June.

NIGEAC has a two-year contract with Direct Energy but only bid out the first 12 months.

Huntley through NIGEAC has an agreement with Direct Energy for an electricity Opt-Out Aggregation Program. Residents who don't get their electricity from some other alternative energy supplier will automatically be signed up for the plan unless they contact Direct Energy to be excluded.

Direct Energy will send Huntley residents (and those in Woodstock and Genoa Lakewood and Ringwood where aggregation referenda also passed) a letter soon that will explain all about starting service with Direct Energy--essentially wait until it happens--or how to reject it to maintain the status quo.

Algonquin E-Waste Recycling Set Saturday

Algonquin residents can drag their old Philco and Admiral TV's, decrepit Commodore and Hitachi monitors and a lot of other once-wonderful-now-passe electronic gadgetry to the the Village's first e-Waste Recycling Event of the year, Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm at the Algonquin Public Works Facility on Meyer Drive, off Algonquin Road.

The swell thing about the event is free recycling for TV's and monitors which, otherwise, often include a fee for disposal.  Also accepted will be a lot of other doodads ranging from stereos to VCR's to cash registers, even power tools.  Pretty much, if it's electric the recyclers will take it--EXCEPT for "white goods", refrigerators, stoves, freezers, dishwashers, dryers, air conditioners, and other appliances.  Also verbotten are smoke detectors, curling irons, medical waste products, wet batteries, household batteries, and rubber-based items.

Details are at www.algonquin.org/ECO

In the pic:  Algonquin's first e-waste collection had cars lined up down Algonquin Road.

Rep. In Sting Plans To Appear At House Committee

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
A lawmaker who entered a plea of not guilty Monday on bribery charges also plans to appear before a legislative committee charged with deciding whether he will face disciplinary action.

A House Special Investigative committee decided last week to ask Rep. Derrick Smith to appear and testify under oath. The vote came after U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald told the committee that he would not share information from his investigation of Smith and asked that members not try to obtain such information. Smith is accused of taking a $7,000 bribe in exchange for writing a letter of recommendation for a day care center he believed was seeking a grant.

Smith, a Chicago Democrat, was the subject of a federal sting, so the day care center was not actually seeking the grant. Smith could opt not to testify by evoking his Fifth Amendment rights, but Rep. Elaine Nekrtiz, chair of the committee, said that the group could take such a move under consideration when deciding whether there is reason to pursue disciplinary action against Smith. If the committee decides action is warranted the full House could vote to censure or even expel Smith.

Victor Henderson, Smith’s lawyer, said he did not know when Smith would be scheduled to appear. “When it happens, he will be there," said Henderson. You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/smith-plans-to-appear-before-house.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
April 30
0047 HRS PINGREE RD. & DUFFY DR. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. CORTEZ-MORALES, ROMAN, M/W 29 YEARS OF AGE, 5012 DRIVE IN LN, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, Operating Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Speeding in a Construction Zone,
Wanted on Warrant Lake County for Failure to Appear Driving While License Revoked, Bond $20,000 10% Applies. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0818 HRS 9100 BLOCK OF MILLER RD. TELEPHONE HARASSMENT. Subject being harassed via the telephone. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1408 HRS 00 BLOCK OF APPLETREE CT. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Boyfriend vs. Girlfriend. No priors.  FAIL TO FILE.
1639 HRS 100 BLOCK OF INDIAN TRAIL. ASSIST OTHER AGENCY. Assisted McHenry County Sheriff with a paper service.
1730 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. DOMESTIC. Son vs. Parents. Verbal only. Three priors.
1923 HRS 900 BLOCK OF NOEL BEND ST. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Registered sex offender employment change.
1946 HRS 2000 BLOCK OF LITCHFIELD LN. DOMESTIC. Son vs. Parents. Verbal only. Four priors.

Bianchi: Won't Say If Sheriff's Investigation Forthcoming

In the wake of a Circuit Court Judge's ruling that State's Attorney Lou Bianchi could investigate Sheriff Keith Nygren if he wanted to, Bianchi declined to say whether he'll do so.  He likewise declined to say if he'd hand the investigation off.

For over two years Bianchi's maintained he can't ethically investigate the Sheriff because the State's Attorney is the official lawyer for the Sheriff's Office.  Wednesday Judge Thomas Meyer, denying a request for a Special Prosecutor, said there'd be no inherent conflict if  Bianchi conducted an investigation.  "I think the judge is wrong," Bianchi said Saturday.

Bianchi testified two weeks ago that "I could lose my license" investigating the Sheriff.  The arbiter on that would be Illinois' Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission.  The simple solution would be to ask the Commission who's right.   Unfortunately, Deputy Counsel James Grogan said Friday ARDC doesn't offer decisions ahead of time.  The office is part of the Illinois Supreme Court said Grogan. "The Supreme Court only rules on (legally real) questions so that's what we have to do, too," he said.

Grogan added, on the other hand, that ARDC panels "usually defer" to a judge's decision on an ethics question and Meyer delivered a pretty clear and specific one. Bianchi was, nonethless, adamant.   "It's an obvious conflict to defend the Sheriff in the morning and then prosecute him in the afternoon," he said.

Another solution would be to call in another attorney to conduct an investigation, say the Illinois State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor which office McHenry County pays $30,000 a year to stand by in case of conflicts.  ILSAAP Director Patrick Delfino wouldn't say Friday if his office would accept the case but observed, "We carefully review every request."  Bianchi, however, declined to say if he'd make such a request.  "I'm going to stand by my previous answer," -- not to answer-- he said.

Whatever would stand in the way of calling in someone else?  Sifting through the past two years' of hyper-ethical argument, one possibility is that Bianchi  might see even that as a breach of his duty to defend Nygren.  Is that the problem, FEN inquired?   Bianchi wouldn't say.

Nygren's 2010 Republican Primary foe Zane Seipler asked for a Special Prosecutor after Bianchi said he couldn't look at claims Nygren used Sheriff's Office resources in his campaign. More serious allegations have surfaced in a separate Seipler federal case but in previous testimony Bianchi said ethics prevent his looking at those, too.

Editor's note:  An earlier version of this story reported Bianchi had declined both to investigate Nygren or ask someone else to do it.  The State's Attorney this morning said that was incorrect.

Fifty Run/Walk Against Child Abuse In Huntley Event

About 50 runners and walkers turned out Sunday for the second annual "Race for Change" run/walk at Huntley's Deicke Park for It's Our Little Secret, a non-profit for emotionally, physically, and sexually abused children and teens.

IOLS’ mission is to promote a healthy recovery for the abused children and youth, and to stop the destructive future behavioral patterns of the abused towards their own and other children. IOLS' goal someday is to build a 28,000 square-foot residential facility to help children in the Illinois Fostercare system. 

Illinois Railway Museum Fundraising Ride Ends Early

About 50 Chicago area rail buffs on a fundraising ride for Union's Illinois Railway Museum had a Casey Jones moment Sunday when the wheel truck fell off one of the chartered CTA railcars they were riding at 14th and State Street in Chicago.

Most of the enthusiasts walked to the next station but Chicago rescue workers had to pull two off the train with a cherry picker.  Officials said the train was moving slowly when it derailed passing over a switch.  No injuries were reported.

Algonquin To Hold 10-Mile Recreation Race

About two weeks remain to sign up for the Village of Algonquin's first Run For Recreation 10 mile race May 19.  The race will start and end run on Huntington Drive the site for the Village's hillclimb car races 100 years ago.  Assistant Village Administrator Mike Kumbera said the run's to help celebrate Sports Health and Fitness Month in Algonquin.

The signup site for the race is here:  http://www.active.com/running/algonquin-il/run-for-recreation---algonquin-illinois-2012

That's also the place for sponsors to climb aboard if they'd like to help with the race.

Fraud And Larceny Easy In Illinois

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Ghost employees and phantom vendors aren’t characters in the next big horror movie. Rather, they represent just two of the ways government employees can defraud taxpayers. The recent arrest of a Dixon finance official accused of siphoning $30 million over the past few decades highlights just how vulnerable to fraud the approximately 4,900 taxing bodies in Illinois are.

 Rita Crundwell was the comptroller for Dixon — a town of about 16,000 — since the early 1980s. Crundwell's control over the city’s annual budget of $20 million allowed her to create a bank account, which was hidden from others in the city government. She allegedly used the account to launder money, according to the federal criminal complaint. Crundwell has yet to enter a plea in the case.

 Supposedly, taxing bodies have internal controls in place to prevent fraud, but internal controls aren’t necessarily a guarantee against theft. That’s why state statute requires people like auditor Anita Failor each year to double-check county, municipal, township and special taxing district books. “We assess those (internal) controls, and if we see an area that may be of higher risk, then that’s where we focus our procedures,” Failor said.

 But even the annual external audits aren't enough to prevent fraud completely . Dixon had two firms prepare its annual audit — one compiled the numbers, the other reviewed that information and prepared the annual report. “The results year after year disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other matters required to be reported under government auditing standards,” Dixon Mayor James Burke said shortly after Crundwell's arrest.

 It's the sheer number of taxing bodies that's part of the problem. Because the state’s former constitution set a limit to how much debt a local government could have, all kinds of special taxing districts — from library districts to drainage districts — were created. “Who’s going to show up to the mosquito abatement annual meeting on finances?” asked Eileen Norcross, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Norcross said transparency is the best way to prevent fraud. Posting annual audit reports, monthly finances and other financial records online creates a database that journalists and concerned citizens can use to keep tabs on taxpayer dollars, she said. “That’s your first defense against outright theft,” Norcross said.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8350/fraud-and-larceny-can-be-easy-in-illinois/

In the pic:  Authorities charge Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell blew a lot of the $30 million they say she took on the ponies--not betting on them, rather, raising the creatures.

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 29
0227 HRS ACORN LN. & ACORN CT. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. PFISTER, MARIETTE L., F/W 43 YEARS OF AGE, 1479 WILLOW TREE DR., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure To Signal. RELEASED ON BOND.
0413 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. GARNER, ANALISE J., F/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 311 VILLAGE CREEK DR. APT 2C, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Domestic Battery, Domestic Battery of an Assaulting and Provoking Nature, Underage Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor, Animal Cruelty. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1219 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & REED RD. ACCIDENT. Car vs. deer. Property damage only.
1353 HRS HARVEST GATE & ALGONQUIN RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Driver Unit 1, female 39 years of age, transported to Good Shepherd.
1527 HRS 1100 BLOCK OF MOONSTONE RUN. FOUND ARTICLE. Bicycle located in front yard. Entered into evidence.
Algonquin
April 27
09:12am Huyatid-Olivares, Joann C., DOB: 01/25/76, of 2920 Hillsboro Lane, Lake in the Hills, was charged with two counts of Endangering the life or Health of a Child.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 05/24/12 in McHenry County.
April 28
22:40pm Herman, Jacob J., DOB: 05/07/93, of 2242 Glenmoor Drive, West Dundee, was charged with Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at Jacobs High School, 2601 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 05/30/12 in Algonquin.
April 30
00:35am Bialek, Elizabeth D., DOB: 12/17/77, of 825 Duvall Drive, Woodstock, was charged with DUI, No Valid Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance, Endangering the Life of a Child and Possession of Hypodermic Syringes.  She was taken into custody at Square barn Road and W. Algonquin Road.  She was transported to McHenry County Jail when unable to post bond.

McHenry County Unemployment Unchanged For March

The unemployment rate in McHenry County in March was unchanged at 9.1 poercent from the previous month according to the latest Labor Market Report from the Illinois Deparment of Employment Security released this week.  That was in contrast to the unadjusted national rate which fell .3 percent to 8.4 percent and the Illinois unadjusted unemployment rate that fell .4 percent to 9.0 percent. 

March was the first month since May 2011, according to IDES statisticians, in which the rate fell in every metropolitan area of the state. The not seasonally adjusted data compared March to March last year. The largest declines were in: Rockford (-1.7 point to 11.7 percent), Kankakee-Bradley (-1.5 point to 11.6 percent) and Peoria (-1.5 point to 7.8 percent). The Chicago-Joliet-Naperville metro rate fell -0.4 point to 9.0 percent.

The unemployment rates IDES breaks out for individual McHenry County municipalities were mixed in March.  Algonquin's rate rose slightly, Lake In the Hills' even more and McHenry's still more yet. Crystal Lake's rate eased, however.

                          UNEMPLOYMENT (unadjusted)             
               REVISED    Feb 2012          PRELIMINARY Mar 2012               
               LABOR    UNEMPLOYED      LABOR   UNEMPLOYED       MAR  
               FORCE    NUMBER  RATE    FORCE   NUMBER    RATE  2011   
U.S. (X1000)   154,114  13,430   8.7    154,316   12,904   8.4   9.2    
ILLINOIS     6,565,803 615,552   9.4  6,549,569  589,326   9.0   9.6   
MCHENRY COUNTY 176,735  16,112   9.1    176,409   15,970   9.1   9.7    
KANE COUNTY    277,269  27,074   9.8    277,032   27,124   9.8  10.2    
LAKE COUNTY    356,880  37,502  10.5    352,861   33,521   9.5  10.5
DUPAGE COUNTY  519,856  36,863   7.1    520,075   37,634   7.2   7.5

ALGONQUIN       16,701   1,274   7.6     16,696    1,287   7.7   8.3   
LITH            16,838   1,395   8.3     16,881    1,456   8.6   8.6    
CRYSTAL LAKE    22,001   1,901   8.6     21,925    1,848   8.4   9.2    
MCHENRY         15,357   1,386   9.0     15,404    1,449   9.4  10.1   

Huntley Green and Clean Day Spiffs Up Village

Saturday was Huntley's day to clean out residents' figurative Augean Stables of the past year's accumulated detritus. It was Green and Clean Day when volunteers combed Village streets for litter and residents lugged tons of junk to special dumpsters at the Village's Public Works Facility.

MDC Environmental Services drivers said they hauled away at least 70 cubic yards of exploded mattresses, defunct push scooters, busted La-Z-Boy recliners, junk light fixtures and wrecked badminton racquets, to name a few identifiable items.  "I know there's at least 40 cubic yards of TV's, too," one added. "We have to recycle that."

Many Meds Gathered For Disposal During Drug Take-Back Saturday

Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley residents trooped into are Police Departments Saturday to responsibly dispose of unwanted, unused and outdated medications in the first McHenry County-wide version of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's annual Take-Back Initiative.

LITH's Marsha Timmerman disposed of a bag of medications at LITH PD.  "My mother-in-law lives with us and they've changed her medicine a lot of times.  And my daughter had one she was allergic to," she said.

Doris Aussin, also of LITH, was right behind Timmerman with another bag of medications.  "They give you more than you need when you get better.  Then you don't need them anymore," she said.

Saturday was the fourth DEA Take-Back. Officials said the last three along have removed almost 1 million pounds of meds from circulation in the past 13 months.  "What do they do with this?" wondered Timmerman.  All the local drugs collected go to DEA where they're burned, according to a spokesman.

In the pic:  Ten year-old Evan Timmerman played bombardier disposing of his grandmother's meds at LITH PD during Saturday's county-wide Drug Take-Back.

District 300 Lobbies Legislators At Springfield Meet

District 300 leaders and community members met with legislators in Springfield this week in what they hope will become an annual confab to make lawmakers understand the District's problems. "The intensity of educational issues currently being discussed by the General Assembly will have a direct effect on our ability to fund all educational resources in our schools," said Superintendent Michael Bregy.

The group lobbied State solons about Board-approved legislative issues including State Aid, bus and Special Ed funding and a chunk of State Capital Development Board money the District hopes to finally get.  Discussion also covered nascent plans for the State to dump its teacher pension obligations off onto local school districts.

In the pic:  Special Ed Assistant Superintendent Shelley Nacke, Board Member Steve Fiorentino and Superintendent Michael Bregy got the lowdown on education legislation in Springfield from local State Rep. Mike Tryon this week.

Police Say Early Education Cuts Lead To More Costs

By Ashley Griffin, Illinois Issues
As lawmakers look to cut the state budget, law enforcement officials warned this week that reductions to early childhood programs are false savings because they create a need for more spending in other areas.

A report released by a group called Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, a non-profit anti-crime organization led by more than 300 law enforcement officials, found that cuts to state preschool programs could cost the state more in the long run, in part because students who do not receive a preschool education are more likely to end up in the back of police car.

The report states: “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids estimates that cutting preschool for 176,000 children will cost the Illinois taxpayers $200 million over the children’s lifetime due to increased criminal, educational and social services for at-risk children denied preschool. This future cost of $200 million from denying preschool for the 17,600 children who have been cut is more than three times greater than the $55 million we save now. Even in tight fiscal times, preschool is an excellent investment that must be preserved.”


According to the report, Illinois has over the last three years cut funding for preschool for all by $55 million and denied 17,600 children the chance to attend publicly funded preschool programs. Instead of cutting more early childhood education programs, the report recommends that lawmakers reject the proposed $85 million in programmatic cuts

While lawmakers are still weeks from making final spending decisions, education cuts are a distinct possibility. The House passed a resolution that calls for spending reductions in virtually all areas of government.

In the pic:  Police presented a report in Springfield claiming early education cuts would increase crime-fighting costs later on.

You can read Ashley's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/law-enforcement-officials-say-early.html

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.

EMMANUEL GAYTON-DURAN, DOB:  11/12/1988, 485 JAMES WAY, CARY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Algonquin PD

ADAM W. PITTNER, DOB: 07/20/92, 1181 AMBERWOOD, CRYSTAL LAKE. NICHOLAS C. SVOBODA, DOB: 09/23/93, 23925 N. RIVER ROAD, CARY.
BURGLARY (2 COUNTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE (2 COUNTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

KENNETH S. NEPRAS, DOB:  05/21/1991, TRANSIENT. BURGLARY, THEFT.--Woodstock PD
  
KENNETH S. NEPRAS, DOB:  05/21/1991, TRANSIENT. ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.--Woodstock PD
  
JOSHUA L. LULOW, DOB:  09/09/1978, 1806 INDIAN RIDGE DRIVE, JOHNSBURG. UNLAWFUL FAILURE TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER.--Woodstock PD
  
BENJAMIN P. SHADLE, DOB:  01/11/1992, 175 8TH AVENUE, MARENGO. BURGLARY,  THEFT (OVER $500).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
  
ALEXANDER F. HENSON, DOB:  10/02/1984, 813 HAYDEN DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITHOUT REQUISITE FOID, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM AMMUNITION WITHOUT REQUISITE FOID, RECKLESS DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A FIREARM, RECKLESS CONDUCT.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

JACOB R. STAUDT, DOB:  02/26/1990, 685 DARLINGTON LANE, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2CTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

SEAN P. REILLY, DOB:  02/02/1991, 3111 TURNBERRY DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
  
ALEXANDER R.E. GARMS III, DOB:  07/19/1992, 2919 SHOREWOOD DRIVE, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--McHenry County Sherif's Office

ARIEL C. GUERRA, DOB:  02/26/1982, 205 MARIAN PARKWAY APT. 1C, CRYSTAL LAKE. AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE, PREDATORY CRIMINAL SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD (7CTS).--McHenry PD
      
DENNIS W. PERRY, DOB:  05/03/84, 60 LLOYD STREET, CARY. UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD, CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO MOTOR VEHICLE, THEFT, DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE.--McHenry PD

PATRICIA LOZANO, DOB: 05/28/81,    4508 W. GARDEN QUARTER ROAD #37, MCHENRY. UNLAWFUL USE OF IDENTIFICATION CARD, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION CARD.--McHenry PD
  
JEROME STANLEY, DOB: 08/02/68, LKA: 808 CENTERVILLE AVENUE, BELLEVILLE. UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD.--McHenry PD

JORDAN G. SCHULZ, DOB: 10/31/91, 1905 OAKLEAF DRIVE, JOHNSBURG. AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, DOMESTIC BATTERY, UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WITH THE REPORTING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.--Crystal Lake PD

GLORIA D. FORD, DOB: 05/08/67, 804 NANCY LANE, MCHENRY. FORGERY.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

ASHLEY M. RZEPKA, DOB: 04/05/88, 818 ROUTE 176, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED BATTERY, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE DOMESTIC BATTERY, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

TYLER R. CHRISTENSEN, DOB: 12/30/93, 368 E. CRYSTAL LAKE AVENUE, CRYSTAL LAKE. RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

EVANS B. GROVES, DOB: 01/03/95, 957 AMBERWOOD PLACE, MCHENRY. BURGLARY (4 COUNTS).--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

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 28
0654 HRS 70 BLOCK OF HILLTOP DR. BATTERY. FOOTE, DANIEL R., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 70 HILLTOP DR., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND.
REPORTS:
0952 HRS 277 N. RANDALL. (YUMZ) HIT AND RUN. Delayed, unknown vehicle struck complainant's vehicle and fled.
0957 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS POLICE) ASSIST TO OTHER POLICE AGENCY. Assist to the Drug Enforcement Administration, picking up prescription medication for proper disposal.
1047 HRS 300 N. RANDALL. (LOWE’S) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1055 HRS ALGONQUIN RD. & LAKEWOOD RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1323 HRS ROUTE 31 & VIRGINIA RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Passenger of Unit 2, transported to Sherman Hospital for back pain.
1501 HRS HALIGUS RD. & HALIGUS RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1807 HRS 300 BLOCK OF VILLAGE CREEK DR. DOMESTIC. Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. Three priors.