McHenry County Fact-Finders Report On Colorado CFI

After a grueling 22-hour expedition to Colorado Thursday, the verdict from McHenry County fact-finders Friday was that Continuous Flow Intersections are easy to navigate but retailers don't like them a lot.  Both were new information for continued debate about building one of the largely untried traffic arrangements to relieve congestion at Randall and Algonquin roads.

Even with the help of animated videos, "In the course of many conversations about the CFI...it was abundantly apparent we didn't know how it worked or what it did," said State Sen. Pam Althoff who muscled a nine-passenger rental van through a newly-built CFI in Loveland, CO, Thursday. "I thought it would be confusing," she said.  "It was not."  Algonquin Village President John Schmitt took a turn at the wheel, too.  "It was completely intuitive," he said.

Driver confusion isn't the only local CFI concern, though.  Village board opposition in Lake in the Hills and Algonquin has actually centered more on the possible loss of business along the Randall corridor. The McHenry group reported more equivocal findings in Loveland about that.

"Some of them complained because of the impact on their businesses," said County Board member Paula Yensen, one of several fact-finders who fanned out to talk with store owners near Loveland's CFI. Board Member Anna May  Miller had a slightly different take.  "They didn't like it," she said, "but nobody could conceptualise why they didn't like it."  Schmitt reported a third version;  "Nobody said, 'Hey, it's great,'" said Schmitt. "But it wasn't like, 'My God, we hate it', either."

Algonquin trustee Jerry Glogowksi even waded into traffic to talk about the CFI with drivers waiting at the lights, Schmitt said.  "That's why we invited him to come," he said.  "He's done a huge amount of research about CFI's."

"Twenty two hours," Miller groaned Friday.  "I can't remember the last time I did something like this.  I know I was much younger." Schmitt said Thursday's Colorado trip was a rough one, too. "All I can tell you is I drank an awful lot of McDonald's Senior Coffee," he said.

Even though both LITH and Algonquin boards have rejected the idea, McHenry County Division of Highways still hasn't submitted a report to the Federal Highway Administration on hearings earlier this year about the CFI.  McHenry County planners want the new-fangled intersection to help commuters passing through the Randall/Algonquin crossroads heading north, so there might be more debate to come.

In the pic:  McHenry County factfinders couldn't talk with the owner of Penguin's Ice Cream near Loveland, CO's Continuous Flow Intersection Thursday.  It closed last week after a 10-year run. A news release said business had dropped 20 percent.

Algonquin Issues Boil Order For Huntington/Hanson Residents

The Village of Algonquin Friday issued a precautionary water boil order for 390 homes after the Illinois EPA detected slight bacterial contamination in a routine water sample near Huntington Drive east of Hanson Road.  Village officials said they were nonplussed since other samples nearby showed no contamination but issued the order, anyway.  They said they requested an IEPA retest late Friday but weren't sure they could get an answer during the weekend.

Residents in the affected area were advised to boil water for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth for at least three minutes and to toss out any ice that's been made.

McHenry County Religious Protest Healthcare Reform Requirement

Abut 175 people gathered at the McHenry County Government Center in Woodstock Friday to protest a U.S. Health and Human services mandate they claim violates their free exercise of religion.  The event was part of a nationwide rally Friday against the measure.

The Woodstock rally and the others was about an Affordable Care Act requirement that employer health plans provide free or low-cost contraceptives, "morning-after" pills and sterilizations.  Some religious groups who prohibit such things, notably 43 Catholic Groups who've filed lawsuits so far, claim an exemption for religious organizations is a legal fiction that, in practice, would still force them to violate their own tenets. 

The mandate's free exercise of religion question is expected to end up before the Supreme Court, assuming the 2010 healthcare reform law itself survives a Supreme Court decision due before the end of the month.

In the pic:  Activist Lindy Elliot sang Amazing Grace at a Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally in McHenry County Friday.

Durbin, Kirk Working On U.S. Attorney Replacement

By Stephanie Fryer, Illinois Statehouse News
Illinois’ two U.S. senators are working together in a bipartisan effort to nominate a replacement for outgoing U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, whose last day on the job is June 30.

“Both senators work in conjunction with one another. Even though Durbin is the Democratic senator, the senator from the opposing party (Mark Kirk) doesn’t have zero power," said Christina Angarola, spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who heads the process. "They embarked on the process together.”

Fitzgerald has been the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois for more than 10 years. He oversaw numerous high-profile corruption investigations, including those of former Govs. George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich. Fitzgerald can recommend someone for the post on an interim basis until a permanent U.S. attorney is named. His spokesman, Randall Samborn, on Friday would not confirm whether Fitzgerald had done so. Samborn said the process is a private matter and would remain an internal affair for the U.S. Department of Justice. A call to the office of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who has final approval over an interim replacement, was not returned.

Durbin could send the names of several potential nominees for the permanent post to Washington, D.C. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, would approve one, send it to the Senate Judiciary Committee for approval, and it then would go on to the full U.S. Senate for approval. The Senate, however, is in recess for six weeks during August and September, and again in October for the election.

“If Durbin and Kirk bring in a candidate today, it still wouldn’t work for that nominee to be approved before the election,” Angarola said. The election also is a factor. If Obama loses, Kirk then gets to make the final recommendation for an appointment. “It is a really complicated process,” Angarola said. “They will work together from the beginning so when in a position to make this recommendation they both agree on it.”

You can read Stephanie's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8775/durbin-kirk-working-together-on-u-s-attorney-replacement/

In the pic:  U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

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
June 8
0311 HRS 8108 PYOTT RD. (L & V DISTRIBUTORS) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS. KAPLANTZES, DEMITRIUS C., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 1776 DYER DR., BARTLETT. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Narcotic Instrument. RELEASED ON BOND.
0343 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) ASSAULT. Male vs. Male. Male, 23 years of age, transported to Sherman Hospital for a head injury. FAIL TO FILE.
1247 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1318 HRS 0 BLOCK OF CARL CT. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. Four tires punctured on vehicle overnight. TURNED OVER TO INVESTIGATIONS.
1257 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1442 HRS 10 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 33 years of age, collapsed. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
1751 HRS 9171 PYOTT RD. (THE FEN) SUICIDAL SUBJECT. Male, 25 years of age, made suicidal statements. Transported to Sherman Hospital.

Restaurants, Villas, Video Gaming Win Huntley First Approvals

If all goes well, Huntley "active adults" might be able to drop in at a chain restaurant and try their luck at a game of video poker some day.  Thursday the Huntley Board gave initial OK's to changing some Talamore development, a new commercial complex at Regency Parkway and video gambling in Huntley.

Attracting more restaurants has been at the top of Huntley's wish list at least since the Village's survey of its most popular eateries a couple of years ago.  Thursday trustees gave initial assent to conceptual plans for a pair of restaurants in Regency Square west of Walmart.  One restaurant is Jimmy John's, part of a Champaign-based chain of sandwich shops which already has a site in Algonquin.  The other is Rookies All-American Bar & Grill, a small Kane County restaurant chain whose closest location is in Elgin. Developers said a nationally-known third company is interested in the location, too, but they didn't want to name it yet.  It and the restaurants will all still have to go through Huntley's formal development review and approval processes before building can start.

"Active adults" is developmentese for couples without kids, the target demographic for 86 detached single family Ryland Homes "villas" in the Talamore subdivision to which trustees gave their earliest OK.  Ryland wants to subsitute them for 126 townhomes originally planned north of Ackman road 7 years ago. Ryland Division President John Carroll said that, while Huntley housing isn't anywhere near the superheated construction level of six years ago, Talamore is still the fastest-growing development in Illinois.  The revamped villas will also have to pass the Village's review and approval processes before they can start building.

In yet more action, trustees also gave a general OK to  video gambling in Huntley  in certain places like bars, at least whenever the state Gaming Board finally allows it.  According to Village calculations Huntley could net as much as $112,000 video gaming machines.  Trustee Nick Hanson said he though some of that ought to fund a scholarship for Huntley students but Trustee Pam Fender said, considering some of the measures mooted in Sprinfield lately, it would probably be better not to.  For the time being, the question is theoretical since, more than two years after the Legislature voted to legalize video gaming, there still isn't a system to actually make it work.  September is the earliest date Gaming Board spokesmen think there might be one and, anyway, they say they're not sure how long it will take to process all the paperwork necessary to get as many as 60,000 machines up and running.

In the pic:  An artist's concept of the entrance sign for new restaurants and a third business planned for Huntley's Regency Square. 

Expected Payment Would Wipe Out New Red Ink In D158 Budget

The District 158 Board of Education didn't flinch much Thursday at the second version of its 2012-13 draft budget showing $1.1 million of red ink.   Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer said that's likely to go away in about three weeks.  Members were more troubled at the prospect the District might have to take on paying part of teachers' pensions.

The momentary deficit is the result of the Board's only counting for the last couple of years on receiving half the money the State's promised to pay for Special Education and busing. That's all it's gotten so far for the 2011-12 school year drawing to a close but Altmayer said the latest word on the school finance grapevine is that the third quarter payment, about $1.5 million, will come through late this month or the first week in July wiping out the deficit now showing on the budget draft. Altmayer observed later that the current year's budget draft showed a $1.9 million deficit early last summer.  In fact the year will probably end about $50,000 ahead of budget even without the third quarter payment.

"There doesn't seem to be enough concern to change course here," summed up Finance Committee Chairman Tony Quagliano.

Superintendent John Burkey was  troubled, however, at prospects legislators might offload some of the State's teacher pension obligations onto local school districts.  The General Assembly ended the Spring Session without doing that but the idea isn't dead yet and the Governor's expected to call a Summer Session on pension reform.  "I think we have to be adamant that (school districts' taking up teacher pensions) isn't a good thing," said Burkey who fatalistically added it was also important to make sure the new financial burden gets phased in slowly.

Board President Mike Skala voiced impassioned and extensive comments to support a new program to rescue students before they flunk out or get kicked out of high school.  "I don't feel the sytem we have set up serves these students," he said.  "I don't see how we cannot have the funds for it," said Skala.  The cost estimate for the program was $334,000 for only 30 kids, though.  Burkey agreed it was important to help failing kids but said $180,000 already in the coming budget to ramp up "intervention" aides would help do that. 

"Ok, I can read the writing on the wall," said Skala when other members seemed reluctant to embark on what could be an expensive new program.

Huntley Interchange Construction To Begin Next Week

Huntley officials announced Thursday construction will begin next Thursday on the long-awaited full interchange between Route 47 and I-90.  Since the early 70's when the current interchange was built, there's only been access for drivers traveling to and from the east on on the Interstate but the $69 million project will fix that.  The plan is to build another overpass, tear down the old one and then build an overpass for two more lanes in its place, all with new ramps leading both ways.  The project's not expected to be finished until June of next year.

$2.5M Settlement Check Next Week To Ex-Death Row Inmate

By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Statehouse News
A $2.5-million settlement check from the Illinois State Police to former Death Row inmate Randy Steidl must be in hand by June 15, according to records in a civil rights lawsuit pending in federal court. The settlement was approved in October, but the General Assembly had to appropriate the funds, which will come from the fiscal 2013 budget.

Steidl, who turned 60 last year, spent more than 17 years in prison — 12 on death row — for the 1986 killings of newlyweds Dyke and Karen Rhoads in their home in downstate Paris, Edgar County. The two were stabbed to death and their house set on fire.  Steidl was one of two men arrested, tried and convicted for the murders, despite numerous problems with evidence and witnesses. A judge eventually ordered Steidl to be either freed or retried, and the Attorney General’s Office refused to try him again. In 2005 he sued numerous officials — including state police investigators,the City of Paris, Paris police officers and former Edgar County State’s Attorney Michael McFatridge — in federal court for wrongful conviction, false imprisonment, depriving him of a fair trial, malicious prosecution, conspiracy and emotional distress.

Flint Taylor, an attorney with People’s Law Office in Chicago that represents Steidl, said Steidl has referred to the state police investigators as “criminals with badges". ISP spokesman Monique Bond, in previous published reports, said the settlement does not equate to an admission of wrongdoing by the Illinois State Police.  As of last Fall, the Illinois State Police had spent more than $3.7 million to defend itself in the lawsuits, according to published reports.

You can read Jayette's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8751/il-state-police-to-fork-over-2-5m-settlement-to-former-inmate-by-june-15/

In the pic:  Randy Steidl.

Obituaries

Jeffrey S. Graser, 41, of Crystal Lake died peacefully Monday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. A funeral service will be held 11 am today at DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral & Cremation Service, Huntley.

Graser was born August 22, 1970, in Park Ridge, the son of Jeffrey G. Graser and Jolene Nys.  On April 3, 1992 he married Jennifer Deans. He is survived by his wife and his sons, Bret and Jeremy Graser, all of Crystal Lake.  He is also survived by his mother, Jolene (Trency) Nys of McHenry, and two brothers, Jason Graser and John (Shelia) Graser.

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
June 7
0002 HRS 100 BLOCK OF NORTHLIGHT PASS. BATTERY. THORELIUS, SHANE S., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 510 TENBY WAY, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. KULKARNI, MEGHNA, F/W 19 YEARS OF AGE, 8408 REDTAIL DR., LAKEWOOD. CHARGES: Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED. BATTERY IS PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1334 HRS MILLER RD. & FRANK RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. MACK, CAPREIS L., M/B 39 YEARS OF AGE, 17 MANCHESTER CT., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked, Expired Registration, and No Valid Insurance.
0900 HRS 5000 BLOCK OF ALEXANDRIA DR. IDENTITY THEFT. Bank account tampered with by an unknown subject. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1028 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. INJURY ACCIDENT Two vehicles. Driver of unit two transported to Sherman Hospital.
1447 HRS WILLOW ST. & PYOTT RD. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Bicyclist. Property damage only.
1744 HRS 300 BLOCK OF HIAWATHA DR. DOMESTIC BATTERY. Husband vs. Wife. No priors. FAIL TO FILE.
1830 HRS 5500 BLOCK TO CHANTILLY CIRCLE. IDENTITY THEFT. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2050 HRS 9341 PYOTT RD (BARBARA KEY PARK) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2253 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF BURR ST. SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Female, 47 years of age, attempted suicide. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
Algonquin
June 4
15:34pm St. John, Michael E., DOB: 09/26/92, of 3022 W. 38th Street, Chicago, was charge with DWLS, No Proof of Insurance and No Seat Belt.  He was taken into custody at County Line Road and Merchant Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 07/11/12 in McHenry County.
June 5   
02:00am Jordan, Nicholas J., DOB: 12/27/90, of 20 Stonegate Court, Algonquin, was charged with DUI/Drugs, Possession of Cannabis, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Valid Driver’s License, Speeding 40+, No Proof of Insurance and Reckless Driving.  He was taken into custody at Randall Road and Corporate Parkway.  He was released after posting $300 with a court date of 07/11/12 in McHenry County.
11:28am Kaplan, Andrew D., DOB: 08/22/86, of 1120 Fox River Drive, Algonquin, was charged with DWLS and Disobeying Stop Sign. He was taken into custody at Main Street and Beach Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 06/27/12 in McHenry County.
13:50pm Chavez-Morales, Leticia, DOB: 10/02/71, of 83 Sparrow Road, Carpentersville, 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 07/25/12 in Algonquin.
June 6
17:53pm Jones, Steven R., DOB: 02/26/70, of 4 Greyshire Court, Algonquin, was charged with Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  He was transported to Kane County Jail, to await a bond hearing.
18:55pm Burris, Heather A., DOB: 10/18/89, of 10704 Pebble Drive, Huntley, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Battery.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 06/27/12 in McHenry County.
June 7
17:04pm Santiago-Valerrabono, Edda, DOB: 02/16/89, of 40 Evergreen, Carpentersville, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident.  She was taken into custody at Route 62 and Harrison Street.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 07/11/12 in McHenry County.
20:14pm Krentz, Peter S., DOB: 05/23/74, of 2605 Pond View Drive, Algonquin, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Endangering Life/Health of a Child.  He was taken into custody in the Walmart Parking Lot, 1410 S. Randall Road.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
Huntley
May 21
Sixteen criminal damage to property reports were taken in the 12800-900 blocks of Big Horn Dr., 11300 block of Greenway, 14000 Block of Wildrose, 13000 block of Coventry and the 11300 block of Stonewater Crossing.  Tires were damaged, a windshield was broken and outside lights were damaged.
A criminal damage to property report was taken at a business in the 11900 block of Main St.  Two chairs were smashed and a rag soaked in paint thinner was set on fire.
A theft report was taken in the 13200 block of Cold Springs Dr.  A yard ornament was stolen from the yard.
A delayed theft report was taken at a business 11700 block of Main St.  The victim states her cellphone was stolen on May 16.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 9900 block of Yardley.  The victim states that the lock on his vehicle was punched out.  The vehicle was parked in his driveway.
May 22
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11900 block of North St.  A rock was thrown through the windows of a road grader.
An attempted burglary report was taken in the 12400 block of Flowerwood Dr.  No items are reported missing from the residence.
A residential burglary report was taken in the 11400 block of Stonewater Crossing.  The burglary occurred sometime between May 20 and 22.
Matthew E. Robisky, age 35, of 11301 Sunset Lane, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for driving with a loud muffler.  Mr. Robisky posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 22, 2012.
May 23
Brian D. Glissendorf, age 22, 0f 10612 N. Church St, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for expired registration and no proof of insurance.  Mr. Glissendorf posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 8, 2012.
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 10300 block of Brighton Lane.  Jewelry was reported stolen.
A theft report was taken at a residence in the 12000 block of Oakcrest.  The victim states that several pieces of jewelry are missing from the home.
May 24
A cellphone was reported stolen at the High School.
Musical equipment was reported stolen in the 12900 block of Del Webb Blvd.  A Mackie brand audio mixer was stolen.
May 25
Two theft reports were taken at Huntley High School.  Two students reported that their iPods were stolen from their unsecured backpacks.
A theft report was taken in the 10800 block of Church St.  The victim stated that someone dug up an evergreen tree from her yard and took the tree.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11900 block of Main St.  The victim found several BBs shot into a fence and a burn mark on an exterior wall.
A criminal damage to property report was taken at Ol’ Timers park.  A port-a-potty was damaged.
May 26
Roy L. Potter, age 44, of 371 Terra Cotta, Crystal Lake, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for speeding and driving with a suspended registration. 
Mr. Potter posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 15, 2012.
Nathan B. Kindlesparker, age 36, of 10906 N. Woodstock St. #B, Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended and was cited for driving with no insurance. 
Mr. Kindlesparker posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 6, 2012.
May 27
A theft report was taken at a business in the 10900 block of Rt. 47.  A laptop computer was reported stolen.
A theft report was taken at a business in the 13200 block of Rt. 47.  Two bottles of water were reported stolen.
May 28
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 11700 block of Daniel Dr.  A coin slide on laundry room equipment was damaged.
A criminal damage to property report was taken in the 10700 block of Cape Cod Ln. A liquid substance was thrown at a garage door and stained the door.
May 29
Thomas A. Cristofaro, age 31, of 100 W. Oak Knoll Dr., Hampshire, was arrested on outstanding McHenry County warrants for harassment by telephone and harassment by electronic device.  Mr. Cristofaro posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of  June 26, 2012.
A 15 year-old male from Huntley was arrested for possession of cannabis at Huntley High School.  The juvenile was released to his parents and will attend peer jury.
A mail box was reported stolen in the 12200 block of Daphine.
May 30
An attempted burglary report was taken in the 12500 block of Pheasant Ridge Dr.
A delayed criminal damage to property report was taken in the 13000 block of Big Horn Dr.  A tire on a vehicle was punctured while parked in the driveway.
May 31
A 16 year-old male from Huntley was charged with possession of cannabis.  The juvenile was released to his father and will be petitioned into McHenry County Juvenile Court.
June 1
Kyle S. Singleton, age 26, of 14N510 Oliver Dr., Huntley, was arrested for driving while license suspended, possession of a suspended driver’s license, display of a false insurance card and operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.  Mr. Singleton posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of July 20, 2012.
A 17 year-old male from Huntley was arrested for two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.  The juvenile was transported to McHenry County jail to await bond call.
June 2
A retail theft report was taken at a business in the 10400 block of Rt. 47.  A bottle of liquor was reported stolen.
Jeremy Hanley, age 20, of 17 Livingston Ave, Carpentersville, was arrested for driving while license suspended and possession of a suspended driver’s license.  Mr. Hanley posted bond and was released with a McHenry County court date of June 22, 2012.

Nine From McHenry County Inspect Colorado Intersection Today

A small herd of legislators and politicians left McHenry County early this morning for a day-long inspection of a Continuous Flow Intersection in Loveland, CO.  McHenry County Division of Transportation engineers think it's like the one proposed for Randall and Algonquin roads in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

Village Boards in both Lake in the Hills and Algonquin have both soundly rejected MCDOT's proposal for the unusual arrangement that routes left-turning traffic across oncoming lanes before ever reaching the intersection.  Most members of both boards think it would confuse drivers but, worse, wall them off from shopping at lucrative Randall stores.  McHenry County planners have been reluctant to take no for an answer, though, claiming Randall/Algonquin congestion hinders commuters to northern parts of the county.

State Sen. Pam Althoff, State Rep. Mike Tryon, County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, Transportation Committee Chairman Anna May Miller and Vice Chairman Paula Yensen, Algonquin President John Schmitt, Algonquin Trustee Gerry Glogowski, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation head Pam Cumpata and MCDOT chief Joe Korpalski all headed out for a 3 am Milwaukee flight to Colorado for a personal inspection of the Continuous Flow Intersection at Madison Avenue and Eisenhower Boulevard in Loveland, a suburb about 40 miles from Denver.

Schmitt said he hoped to personally drive through Loveland's CFI to get a feel for how confusing it might be.  "We'll have several rental cars so I think there's a good chance," he said. 

Loveland built the CFI a little over a year ago to solve a bottleneck on the standard route from Interstate 25 to Rocky Mountain National Park.  A recent study found accidents have fallen since the CFI was built but reader comments in the local newspaper claim that's because local residents avoid it like the plague.

There are only 13 CFI's in operation in the U.S. and MCDOT engineers picked Loveland as the one to visit because they thought it was looked the most like Randall/Algonquin.  The McHenry County delegation will have to decide if the resemblance is close enough.  Only 45,000 cars per day pass through the Colorado intersection while about 60,000 cars roar through Randall/Algonquin daily.  Likewise, some Google Maps research finds the Colorado CFI, save for a Sam's Club, is surrounded by an alignment center, a convenience store, a pawn shop, a couple of liquor stores, some motorcycle shops, two Chinese restaurants and a five-store strip mall.  Veteran newsman Tom Hacker at the Loveland Reporter-Herald newspaper Google Mapped the Randall/Algonquin vicinity and told FEN, "(Our) area isn't as intensely retail as the one in McHenry County."

Notably absent from the McHenry County delegation is anyone on the Lake in the Hills Board.  Members have vehemently opposed the Randall CFI for more than two years.  Yensen, a former LITH Board member, said trustees were invited to be part of the expedition but, "They said they couldn't come.  Ed (Plaza, Village president) said he had a family commitment."  The group won't return to Milwaukee until 10 pm this evening.

In the pic:  A nine-person team from McHenry County is in Colorado today to inspect this Continuous Flow Intersection in a Denver suburb.

New LITH Bank To Locate At Algonquin And Randall

Lake in the Hills' Planning and Zoning Commission will hold public hearing in two weeks on a request by the latest new business planning to settle in the Village.  Associated Bank of Green Bay plans to open a LITH branch in the former Blockbuster Video store at Randall and Algonquin roads but wants to put a drive-thru teller on the building's west side.

Community Development Director Dan Olson said Associated Bank will only take about half the Blockbuster store.  "We didn't recruit them," he said.  "They came to us on their own."

Associated Banc-Corp has total assets of $22 billion and claims more than 250 banking locations serving more than 150 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.  The bank already has one branch in Crystal Lake and three in the Elgin area.

The LITH hearing will be 7:30 pm June 18 and LITH Village Hall.

Animal Advocate Asks For Animal Control's Kill Rate

A conflict over who has the right "live-release" rate for the McHenry County Health Department's Animal Control Animal Control and Adoption Center broke out Wednesday's meeting of the Animal Control Advisory Board in Crystal Lake.  Animal advocate Sue Wells charged Animal Control staffers disparaged her calculations of the Center's kill rate after claiming they didn't have the number in the first place.

Wells said she calculated the rate for animals leaving the center alive and kicking based on Animal Control stats after a Freedom of Information Act request for it was turned down.  But she said Animal Control staffers told other people the rate she came up with wasn't high enough. According to Wells, only 74 percent of cats and dogs made it out of the shelter alive in the first four months of this year. "If my figure's wrong, tell me how you calculate it," she said.

Public Health Administrator Patrick McNulty said Wells' FOIA request was turned down because Animal Control doesn't calculate kill rates or live-release rates.  Then he said it did but only on a yearly basis.  "Our percentages for the last 25 years are way above the national averages," said McNulty.

County Board liaison Anna May Miller said it was important to get the numbers right.  "I would not like to see us go back to the days of distrust (of Animal Control)," she said.

Chairman Bud Alexander told Wells the Committee couldn't order the Health Department to calculate kill rates.  "We're the tail, not the dog," he said.  However, McNulty said he'd prepare some new statistics for the Committee's next meeting.

In the pic:  Animal advocate Sue Wells charged cats like these at McHenry County Animal Control fare especially badly.  "Almost 40 percent get killed," she said Wednesday.

Committee Recommends Discipline For Indicted State Rep.

By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Statehouse News
The silence of state Rep. Derrick Smith was a factor in his colleagues’ decision to proceed with disciplinary action against him, according to members of a House committee that looked into allegations against the indicted lawmaker. The state House of Representatives’ Special Investigate Committee announced Wednesday that its probe is complete, and it believes reasonable grounds exist to pursue disciplinary action against the Chicago Democrat.

The six-person committee, which met three times since March, invited Smith and his attorney to confirm or deny allegations outlined in the federal indictment, but neither did so. “In this process … we’re entitled to infer something from his silence,” said state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, committee chairwoman. A new House committee will meet within the next 30 days to begin deliberating what punishment, if any, should be given to Smith, who faces a federal charge of accepting a $7,000 bribe.

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, who was on the House special investigative committee, said the process was deliberative and exhaustive. He said the committee reviewed hundreds of pages of documents and testimony. Federal prosecutors declined to provide the committee with any additional information, beyond what was in the public record, about their investigation. “The federal government has advised us we probably will not get any other evidence from them,” Reboletti said.

You can read Jayette's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8743/committee-recommends-discipline-for-indicted-illinois-rep-derrick-smith/

In the pic: Derrick Smith

Police Blotters

The filing of charges is not proof of guilt. A defendant charged is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills
June 6
0003 HRS ROUTE 31 & TRINITY DR. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. ALVAREZ, SAMUAL L., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 567 SOMERSET LN. APT 3, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Possession of Cannabis Under 2.5 grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. RELEASED ON BOND.
0929 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. ACCIDENT. Vehicle vs. Deer. Property damage only.
1705 HRS RAKOW RD. & PINGREE RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1916 HRS 2400 BLOCK OF STANTON CIRCLE. IDENTITY THEFT. Unknown subject using complainant's credit card. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
2117 HRS 300 BLOCK OF WINSLOW WAY. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Unknown subjects went into complainant's garage.

Algonquin Bypass Work "On Schedule" Official Reports

Public Works Director Bob Mitchard told the Algonquin Village Board Tuesday work on the Route 31 Western Bypass is on schedule, maybe a little ahead, since the tree removal subcontractor's been working 12 hours a day and weekends to read the site for earthmoving. In fact, Mitchard said, half a dozen scrapers and almost as many 'dozers are already at work atop but the bluff, just not evident from Algonquin Road.

A project manager from Homer Tree Service Tuesday said he wasn't sure how many trees his crews were removing for the project.  "I just know there's 50 acres to clear," he said.  Mitchard told the Board most of the trees getting the axe were trash trees.  Homer's saving  the hardwood trunks for milling and there were only a handful stacked up Tuesday.

Separately, the Board waived charging the Lake in the Hills Historical Society a fee to move the historic Ford School back to its original site in LITH's Ford School Park.  The move's expected next week.

In the pic:  Clearing for earthwork on Algonquin's Route 31 Bypass crested the bluff this week.  Bids for construction of the bypass itself are due to be opened next week. 

County Streams First-Time Audio For Budget Process Debate

Residents could listen to the McHenry County Board without actually being there Tuesday thanks to Internet streaming audio of Tuesday's meeting.  The experience was a lot like listening to National Public Radio as members approved a formal County budget process but there were occasional whiffs of Gunsmoke, too.

The budget process ranks the priorities for allocating funds each year, from top priority, what the law requires, all the way down to what would be nice to have, "free money" from the Feds and State if the County just puts up some of its own. 
The conflict came over upping the County's fund reserves from enough money run the County for five months to enough for six.  District Four Member John Hammerand was among those who thought the increase was extravagant, calling it "overkill."  District 3 Member Mary Donner thought the increase was probably prudent, though, considering the shaky condition of the State's finances. The Board has just heard a briefing on the chaos following the collapse of McHenry social services provider Family Service thanks to late State payments.

The budget process resolution also put in writing an obvious but previously only implicit proviso in adjusting the County's tax levy for inflation.  State law allows it to increase each year by as much as the  national Consumer Price Index went up the previous year. The new County budget process says it doesn't have to, though.

Clerk Kathie Schultz announced the vote on the new budget process was 14 to 7 with one abstention but the steaming audio wasn't good enough to tell who'd voted how.  "Yeah," said Administrator's Assistant Adam Lehmann later, "We need to find a way to turn on the mikes during voting."

For the time being, county residents will only be able to listen to streaming audio from Board meetings.  Lehmann said video will probably come later.  When there's enough money in the budget.

In the pic:  Streaming audio of McHenry County Board meetings, both simultaneous and recorded, is available here: http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/citizens/calendar.aspx#  Click where it says "video" (a template listing that will be corrected later).

Huntley "Most Wanted" Man Now In Jail

A Huntley man was being held in McHenry County Jail Tuesday pending $100,000 bail after he was arrested for two counts of criminal sexual assault in late 2010. Robert M. Gude, 33, of the 11200 block of Douglas Avenue in Huntley was one of two of McHenry County's "Most Wanted" fugitives captured Monday, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Gude disappeared early last year after formal charges were brought against him.  Investigators thought he'd escaped to Florida.  However, they said an anonymous tipster Sataurday phoned in a report that Gude was actually still in the area working in St. Charles.  Deputies and U.S. Marshalls took him into custody at Randall Road and Route 64 without incident Monday morning.

A Friday phone tip led to the similar capture of Jeremiah B. Pederson, 29, of Woodstock Monday.  He failed to appear in court last month on several drug charges, aggravated battery and resisting a peace officer. Deputies thought he's skipped to somewhere in Schaumburg but didn't know where until the "Crimstoppers" call.  Deputies and marshalls arrested him in South Barrington. Pederson's bond is set at $1 million.

In the pic:  Robert Gude.  

Lawmakers May Revisit DNR Fees This Summer

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Supporters of a plan to increase fees to fund the state's struggling Illinois Department of Natural Resources see the prospect of lawmakers returning this summer to address pension reform as an opportunity.

A proposal to raise vehicle registration fees by $2, which would bring the cost to $101 annually, had the votes to pass if it would have been called for a vote in the Senate before the midnight Friday adjournment deadline. At that point, the proposal would have needed only a simple majority to be approved. The revenues from the plan would go toward funding the DNR, which faces about $750 million in deferred maintenance at the state’s parks.

But the bill was called for a vote after midnight and under Illinois Constitution needed a three-fifths majority to become effective prior to June 1, 2013. “I can’t put my finger specifically on why this [vote] was 12:05 a.m. because we were ready to go,” said Democratic Sen. Toi Hutchinson, a sponsor. “Had it been 11:48 p.m., that bill would have passed.” The measure had passed in the House just hours earlier.

The proposal would also allow the DNR to charge visitors access fees for certain park features, such as beaches and horse trails."We are essentially running out of time with our other state funds, and these will help us have a sustainable business model," said DNR Director Marc Miller.

Republicans who voted against the bill argues that Democrats have pulled money out of the DNR program to spend elsewhere. “This wasn’t some irresistible, unchangeable movement that we were faced with, so now we have to go once again and dig even deeper into people’s pockets,” said Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican.

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/lawmakers-may-revisit-dnr-fees-this.html

In the pic: Castle Rock State Park.

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
June 5
0158 HRS MCHENRY AVE. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. ACUNA, JESUS L., M/W 25 YEARS OF AGE, 1045 COVENTRY LN., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Driving While License Suspended, Obstructing Identification, and Speeding in a Construction Zone.
RELEASED ON BOND.
1401 HRS 5300 BLOCK OF LANSBURY CIRCLE. DOMESTIC BATTERY. ROJAS-AREVALO, ALFREDO, M/W 34 YEARS OF AGE, 395 S. ORIOLE TRAIL, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Two Counts Domestic Battery. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
2015 HRS ACORN LN. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED. TORRES, KENNY, M/W 27 YEARS OF AGE. 503 N. 27TH ST., LAFAYETTE, IN. CHARGES: Driving While License Revoked and No Valid Registration. RELEASED ON BOND.
0918 HRS 300 N. RANDALL (VERIZON WIRELESS) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1225 HRS RANDALL RD. & MILLER RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1940 HRS 200 BLOCK OF COOL STONE BEND. HARASSMENT BY TELEPHONE. Complainant being harassed via telephone.
2247 HRS 4000 BLOCK OF GREENFIELD LN. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Damage to garage door.

Grafton Budget Could Go $360,000 In Red For 2012-13 Year

The Grafton Township Board finished drafting a 2012-13 budget Monday that came up more than $250,000 in the red.  "And that's based on we can sell the (Haligus Road office site) lot this year," warned Board budget expert trustee Betty Zirk.  The budget assumes the Township will earn $100,000 on the now-unneeded office location.

Trustees ran through a doubly-revised draft budget paring it line by line for two hours after they boostined the allowance for legal services to $200,000. That was double the figure Supervisor Linda Moore had proposed in April, only marginally increased in May.  "We have to budget a lot more money for attorneys," said Trustee Rob LaPorta.  "Supervisor Moore has presented another lawsuit against the trustees that seeks to put us in jail," he said referring to Moore's request for a contempt citation against trustees two weeks ago for allegedly violating an injunction to bring order to the Township.

That's not the only legal battle pending in the Township, though.  In addition, Trustees and Moore are both appealing the injunction itself and Assessor Bill Ottley and Road Commissioner Jack Freund both have lawsuits pending against Moore.

A squabble over $1,000 worth of Huntley and Algonquin PD bills for security at Grafton Board and Township meetings illustrated why Grafton spends so much on attorneys.  Trustees had tabled the bills last month but Trustee Gerry McMahon Monday accused Moore of paying them, anyway, "with the credit card we canceled."  LaPorta asked Moore if she'd already paid the security bills.  "This is a matter of pending litigation," was all Moore would say.

The Assessor's Office accounted for $561,000, about one third of the $1,721,000 draft Township Budget.  The draft Road District budget OK'ed in April was theoretically $1,789,000.  Almost half of that is State tax money, though, which actually goes to Grafton municipalities so the practical budget is really smaller than it looks.

A public hearing on the proposed Road District budget will be held June 14 at 7:15 pm at the Park District, followed by one on the proposed Township budget at 7:30.

In the pic: Grafton Supervisor Linda Moore chatted with audience members while trustees beavered away trying to cut the Township Budget Monday.

Replacement Named For Retiring McHenry County Judge

McHenry County attorneys will be thumbing through their thesauruses looking for punchy verbs to add to their resumes after Monday's announcement that Associate Judge Michael W. Feetterer will replace retiring Twenty Second Judicial Circuit Joseph P. Condon in December. Fifteen attorneys applied last year to become Associate Judge after Gordon Graham moved up to fill the 22nd's new Circuit Judge opening.

Court Administrator Dan Wallis said Monday there's a lot of legal ritual to go through before applications will be accepted to replace Feetterer.  He said it probably wouldn't be complete before late September or October.

Feetterer of Crystal Lake, an Associate Judge since 2004, has served in the Family Division and currently is the the presiding judge of the McHenry County Drug Court program that began in December.  A release Monday said Feetterer had the highest retention rating, scored by local attorneys, of any associate judge in the State.

Local Chamber To Host Meet With State Rep. Candidate

The Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce announced Monday it would host an informal "meet and greet" June 14th with the head of the Illinois Chamber and David McSweeney, GOP candidate for State Rep. in the 52nd District including the east parts of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills. McSweeney knocked on some area doors in the Primary but the event would mark his first public campaign appearance in this part of the newly-remapped district.

McSweeney, from Barrington Hills, doesn't face a Democratic challenger but Dee Beaubien, Barrington, the widow of Mark Beubien who formerly represented the district hopes to run against him as an independent in November.  Beuabien's campaign last week reported to a Barrington news aggregator that she's busy gathering signatures for a June 25 deadline to make the ballot.

Beaubien's campaign is starting out well-funded.  A FEN review of State Board of Election records found that her late husband's campaign organization donated $15,000 to her campaign organization the day she announced her run and the candidate herself loaned $10,000 to it a week ago.  Longtime women`s rights activist Marcena Love of Winnetka donated $1,000 to Beaubien's campaign Monday.

In the pic:  David McSweeney, GOP candidate for State Rep. will appear at the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce next week.  

Leaders To Hash Out Pension Reform In Chicago

By Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News
Legislative leaders are planning to meet with Gov. Pat Quinn in Chicago this week, perhaps as early as Wednesday, after a failed attempt to rein in the cost of the state’s public pension systems.

Quinn said earlier this year pension reform must happen this spring, and said he would call lawmakers back to Springfield if they failed to pass substantive changes. Late Thursday, he issued a news release saying he would call a meeting with the four legislative leaders to salvage a plan scuttled in the last days of the spring session.

Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, said the following leaders will probably meet Wednesday in Chicago: Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago; House Republican Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego; Cullerton, D-Chicago; and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont. Quinn’s office, which is coordinating the meeting, won't confirm the date.

Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Radogno, said it’s extremely unlikely the Legislature would return to Springfield before the leaders and Quinn had a chance to sit down and hash something out. “I think he’d want a leaders’ meeting first,” Schuh said.

The public pension impasse last week came after Republicans refused to vote for a plan that would slowly shift the responsibility for teachers’ and college employees’ pensions from the state to their local employers. Republicans said the shift would equate to a property tax increases and higher tuition.

You can read Andrew's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8737/leaders-set-to-hash-out-pension-reform-this-week-in-chicago/

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
June 4
0026 HRS RANDALL RD. & ANGELA LN. POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. GARCIA, LUIS R., M/W 18 YEARS OF AGE, 351 W. TERRA COTTA #1, CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis 2.5-10 grams, Driving While License Suspended, No Insurance and Electronic Communication Device. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
1422 HRS 00 BLOCK OF FAIRHAVEN CT. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE. JUVENILE M/W 16 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Criminal Trespass to Residence, Theft Under and Possession of Alcohol by a Minor. RELEASED TO PARENT. JUVENILE, M/W 15 YEARS OF AGE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Criminal Trespass to Residence, Theft Under, Possession of Alcohol by a Minor, Possession of Cannabis and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. RELEASED TO PARENT.
2343 HRS CRYSTAL LAKE RD. & ACORN LN. POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. WILLIAMS, RAYMOND I., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 406 CRYSTAL LAKE RD., LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Two Counts Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Narcotic Instrument and Speeding. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0754 HRS 9242 TRINITY DR. (HITCH AUTOMOTIVE) BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE. Vehicle damaged and wheels and tires taken off.
1851 HRS 1115 CRYSTAL LAKE RD. (LAKE IN THE HILLS POLICE) ASSIST TO OTHER AGENCY. Assist to McHenry County Sheriffs Department.

Local Solar Canoe Takes First Shakedown Cruise

A solar-powered canoe scheduled to ply the Mississippi to New Orleans in two weeks made its official debut in Crystal Lake Sunday.  After a short prayer, engineers Larry Kozak of Algonquin and Ray Christie of Lakewood launched their 22-foot, 220-pound Calypsol trimaran and motored (very quietly) across the lake in a short shakedown cruise.

"We did a flotation test last month and a power test this week," said Christie, "but this is the official debut."

More than two years, over 1,000 man-hours and $15,000 in the making, Calypsol began with the retired engineers' idea that it would be fun to use an ordinary canoe to retrace the routes of French explorers Marquette and Joliet 330 years ago.  The idea required a complete rethink, though, when Kozak discovered someone had already done and it and it had taken 800,000 paddlestrokes (downriver) to boot.  "It probably isn't a good idea to take a birchbark canoe on the Mississippi anymore," said Kozak drily.

Returning to the drawing board, the pair decided to still make the trip in a modern craft but one with no more environmental impact than a canoe.  There being no such animal thedue had to build one of their own featuring high-tech construction and an electric motor with solar panels and lith-ion batteries to run it.  "They said we couldn't get enough power," said Kozak.  "We've got enough power."

Christie said if everything goes well on the two-month trip down the might Missisip the pair plan to design a new version of Calypsol for commercial production.  "It would cost about $6,000," he said.

In the pic:  Local engineers Larry Kozak (bow) and Ray Christie (stern) glided around Crystal Lake Sunday in a hand-made solar-powered canoe that will leave for New Orleans in two weeks.

Huntley Run Thru Sun Sets New Record

A lot of motorists on Farm Hill Drive seemed to think the barricades for Sunday's HYSO Run Thru the Sun were merely decorative but Huntley Youth Service Organization volunteers turned them around again so more than 400 runners could rush off in 5K, 10K and one-mile competitions.

It was a record runner turnout for the 7 year-old event, which saw 100 volunteers help bring it off, too.

In the kids' 1-mile race, 11 year-old Tyler Eberhardt was the winner turning in a 6:50.5 time.  He was followed by 10 year-old Josh Guyer at 7:13.9 and nine year-old Ethan Manois with a 7:28.8.  Thirteenth overall and first among the girls was 8 year-old Kaithlyn Guyer with an 8:29.2 run.

In the 10K race Algonquin's Brian Kephart broke the (digital) tape turning in a 41:18.3 run.  Huntley's Kirk Holte followed with a 40:39.4 time and Carpentersville's Chris Koscinski was third.  Steve Parks from South Elgin was fifth overall and first among women.

In the 5k Huntley's Justin Hollister was first overall with an 18:13.4 run, with LITH's 14 year-old Keagan Smith number two at 18:43.8 and Jeff King from Kewanee in third place. Algonquin's 12 year-old Mary Raclawski was 11th overall and first among women with a 22:12.6 time.

Full results for all three races are listed here: http://itsracetime.com/Index.aspx?Action=Archive 

Algonquin Argonauts To Mount Halftime At Slaughter Game

The Algonquin Argonauts football and cheerleading group will perform the halftime show at the Chicago Slaughter's game against the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks at the Sears Centre in Hoffman  Estates Friday. A portion of each $16 ticket for the game will go to the Argonauts.

All kids that come to the game will be allowed to join the Argos on the field and be part of the midgame festivities. Besides that, everyone can join the Argonauts starting at 4:30 pm for a tailgating party. Registration and more information of this event is here: http://algonquinargonauts.com/

In the pic:  The Algonquin Argonauts were Pop Warner PeeWee champs in Chicagoland last year.

Some Legislation Resolved Before End Of Spring Session

By Jamey Dunn, Illinois Issues
Besides passing a budget while deadlocking on pension reform, the Illinois General Assembly manage to deal with a few other pieces of legislation as the Spring Session ended last week.

One bill that passed would roll back the donation caps that went recently went into effect if a political group inserts itself into a race and starts spending money independently of candidate. "The governor signed the limits bill just a few years ago as part of what he called his 'year of reform.’" said Brian Gladstein, executive director of Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. "If he signs this bill, a lot of the work he did during that year will be for naught."

The General Assembly also sent a bill to the governor that supporters say would help address overcrowding in the state’s prisons. The measure would reinstate an early prison release program for inmates who earn good-time credits. The governor suspended the Meritorious Good Time program after an escalated version got him in political hot water before the 2010 race for the governor’s office.  The new program would enact stricter regulations on who would be eligible for good time credits, and the governor’s office and the General Assembly would receive reports on all inmates who were released. A Quinn spokesperson  said he plans to review the bill.

Not on the way to the governor is a bill to fund upkeep of the state’s public parks. The Senate shot it down even though he Department of Natural Resources says there is billion of dollars in deferred maintenance for the state’s parks. The bill would have increased vehicle registration fees and allowed DNR to charge for use of certain areas like beaches and horse trails. Mattoon Rep. Dale Righter blamed Democratic opponents on that one. He said they should have made cuts elsewhere to save the parks. “At some point you just have to say no. Fund the parks. They are in horrible condition.”

You can read Jamey's full report at: http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/legislative-action.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
June 3
0427 HRS 250 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. BIRKENHEIER, DANIEL J., M/W 22 YEARS OF AGE, 1661 CUMBERLAND PKWY, ALGONQUIN. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol with Breath Alcohol Content Over .08, Failure to Signal Lane Change, Disobey Traffic Control Device. TURNED OVER TO MCHENRY COUNTY JAIL.
0928 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF NOELLE BEND. WANTED ON WARRANT. BRECEDA, JONATHAN M., M/W 21 YEARS OF AGE, 1060 NOELLE BEND, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGE: Wanted on Warrant for Assault out of Carpentersville. No Bond. TURNED OVER TO CARPENTERSVILLE POLICE
0318 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) BATTERY. Female vs. male. FAIL TO FILE.
1322 HRS RANDALL RD. & ACORN LN. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1744 HRS 800 BLOCK OF PARC CT. INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Report for insurance.
1924 HRS 4600 BLOCK OF ROLLING HILLS DR. DOMESTIC Husband vs. wife. Verbal only. No priors.
Algonquin
June 1
10:06am Nieto, Maria N., DOB: 10/06/93, of 310 Four Winds Way, Carpentersville, was charged with Harassment Through Electronic Communications.  She was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department, 2200 Harnish Drive.  She was released after posting $150 with a court date of 07/11/12 in McHenry County.
15:37pm Irwin, Heather L., DOB: 12/18/86, of 1752 Winaki Trail, Algonquin, was charged with No Valid Driver’s License and No Proof of Insurance.  She was taken into custody in the 500 block of E. Algonquin Road.  She was released on a Personal Recognizance Bond with a court date of 06/27/12 in McHenry County.
17:07pm Bogseth, John T., DOB: 01/17/66, of 830 Elm Street, Algonquin, was charged with two counts of Domestic Battery.  He was taken into custody at the Algonquin Police Department, 2200 Harnish Drive.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond call.
21:38pm Johnson, Stephanie D., DOB: 12/01/93. of 155 South Grove Avenue, Elgin,  and a 17 year-old female from Huntley were both charged with Retail Theft.  They were taken into custody at Walmart, 1410 S. Randall Road.  They were both released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 07/25/12 in Algonquin.
June 3
00:25am Le, Thanh, DOB: 03/02/70, of 1441 Skyridge Drive, Crystal Lake, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis and Aggravated Assault.  He was taken into custody at 3670 Bunker Hill Drive.  He was transported to McHenry County Jail to await a bond hearing.
03:32am Carpenter, Eric S., DOB: 07/07/92, of 625 Claymont Court, Algonquin, was charged with Zero Tolerance, Disregarding Stop Sign, Improper Lane Usage, Illegal Possession Alcohol by Minor, Illegal Consumption Alcohol by Minor and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was taken into custody at 830 Tanglewood Drive.  He was released after posting $150 with a court date of 07/11/12 in McHenry County.
03:47am A 16 year-old male from Stratford, WI, was charged with Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor.  He was taken into custody at 830 Tanglewood Drive.  He was released on a Notice to Appear with a court date of 07/25/12 in Algonquin.
15:57pm Spagnola, Regina, DOB: 11/08/75, of 5810 W. Byron Avenue, Chicago, was Wanted on a Warrant out of Kane County for Unlawful Display of Title/Certificate/Plates.  She was taken into custody at 15 South Randall Road.  She was released after posting $500 with a court date of 06/27/12 in Kane County.
June 4
01:38am Halley, Jason F., DOB: 10/07/70, of 208 E. Main Street, Carpentersville, was Wanted on a Warrant out of McHenry County for Home Repair Fraud.  He was also charged with DWLS, Suspended Registration and No Proof of Insurance.  He was taken into custody at Route 31 and Wilbrandt Street.  He was released after posting $2000 on the McHenry County warrant with a court date of 06/20/12 and after posting $150 on the Algonquin charges with a court date of 07/11/12, both in McHenry County.

Midnight Fire Destroys Algonquin Barn

Smoke still rose from the ashes this morning after early morning fire destroyed an unused barn on South Randall Road in Algonquin east of the Esplanade.

Firefighters from the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District were called to the site about a half mile south of County Line Road after a passing motorist reported the blaze around midnight.  Adjacent Randall Road was closed down while firefighters from the Algonquin Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District and others nearby controlled the blaze.

Firefighters were called to the same location seven months ago for a similar fire in an outbuilding at the inactive farm location.

HHS Grads: Out In A Brave New World

Saturday's 519 Huntley High School Graduates were the first to to march down the aisles at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, rather than HHS itself. (In modern times.)  The D158 Board of education voted to move graduation ceremonies last year because Huntley High graduation was pressing the limits of the school gym.

The $24,000 cost of the event came from an activity fund and sales of tickets beyond those for four spectators for each graduate.

Salutatorian for 2012 was Madeline Bartot. The Valedictorian was Kirsten Allen.

In the pic:  "You Only Graduate Once" was the song by the HHS Mastersingers before diplomas were handed out at HHS graduation ceremonies at Sears Centre Saturday.

GOP Hopeful Fails In Bid For Ballot Spot Against Jack Franks

A special meeting of McHenry County Republican Precinct Committeemen fell well short of a quorum in Crystal Lake Saturday so a Woodstock Tea Party activist had no chance to make the County GOP slate her to face 63rd District Democratic State Rep. Jack Franks this November.

Franks hasn't had a Republican opponent in two out the last three campaigns and no one tried for the GOP slot to represent rural McHenry County in the March Primary, either. "Wife and mother" Tonya Franklin had an impulse last month to give it a try, though, and asked the County GOP to put her on the ballot via the slating process.  A Republican interview committee decided she was too inexperienced but Franklin tried to bypass that decision with Saturday's meeting.

Franklin's challenge to established leadership upset a lot of people, both for and against her bid, and probably exacerbated murky divisions within McHenry County's GOP.  That was evidenced by a raid Friday by masked protesters on a Franklin phone operation trying to turn out Committeemen for Saturday's meeting.

In the pic:  Two men in disguise with a homemade sign apparently referring to the criminal records of another Tonya Franklin tried to disrupt a Woodstock resident's efforts to win a spot on November's ballot against  McHenry County Democratic Rep. Jack Franks.

Legislature OK's Strip Club Fee For Rape Crisis Work

By Jayette Bolinski, Illinois Statehouse News
A measure charging some Illinois strip clubs a fee to help fund sexual assault crisis centers  is headed to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature. The owners of strip clubs where there is alcohol would have to pay either a $3-per-visitor fee or a flat fee based on the business’ tax revenue.

Officials estimate the fee will generate $1 million, which would help fund sexual assault assistance programs and rape crisis centers, which have lost about 28 percent of their state funding during the past five years.

House lawmakers approved the legislation in a 92-23 vote this week.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, a proponent of the fee, thanked lawmakers in both chambers for generating bipartisan support and working out a compromise on the fee with the adult entertainment industry.

“This is an example of how the process should work,” she said. “All parties worked together for
the good of our state.”

You can read Jayette's full report at: http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/8697/house-approves-strip-club-fee-to-fund-rape-crisis-work/

Obituaries

Leslie R. Barnes, 74, of Huntley died Friday at the Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield following a short illness. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm Tuesday at DeFiore-Jorgensen Funeral Home Huntley and from 9 am until the time of mass at 10 am at St. Mary Catholic Church, Huntley.  Burial will be in Windridge Cemetery, Cary.

Barnes was born August 6, 1937, in Michigan, the son of Curtis Edward and Bengta (Antonsen) Barnes. He had owned and operated C-Less Grinding & Mfg. in Lake In The Hills. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol, of Huntley; his children, Diane (Scott) Glait of Buffalo Grove, Susan (George) Stephen of Anna Marie, FL, Bob (Laura) Barnes of Crystal Lake, Ed (Michele) Barnes of Wilton, CT, and Katie Barnes of Bartlet and 15 grandchildren, Sarah, Megan, Nicole, Elizabeth, Anne, Christopher, Benjamin, Kathryn, Emily, Michael, Rachel, Hannah, Will, Cole and Jacquelyn.  He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Alver and Toby.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Professional Regulation

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

Philip Hoy, McHenry – certified residential real estate appraiser license placed in refuse to renew status due to incompetence in performing an appraisal.

Frank Rozanski, Crystal Lake – certified residential real estate appraiser license placed in refuse to renew status due to his preparation of an incompetent appraisal report containing several inaccuracies and omissions.

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.

TRAVIS N. TILLMAN, DOB: 07/21/83, 1145 WALDEN OAK DRIVE, WOODSTOCK. AGGRAVATED BATTERY (4 COUNTS), OBSTRUCTING A PEACE OFFICER, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY (UNDER $300), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--Wonder Lake PD
  
JUSTIN M. NULLE, DOB: 07/18/84, 1601 WILDFLOWER LANE, HARVARD. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, RESISTING PEACE
OFFICER (2 COUNTS).--Harvard PD
  
PATRICK K. REDDISH, DOB: 07/25/60, 1031 CONCORD DRIVE, ISLAND LAKE. DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED/REVOKED.--Island Lake PD

BRETT R. WOJTKIEWICZ, DOB: 02/28/61, 3308 W. ELM STREET #2A, MCHENRY. AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC BATTERY, DOMESTIC BATTERY (SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE) (2 COUNTS).--McHenry PD

WILLIAM B. CHEATHAM, DOB: 09/11/62, 1983 ROSEMARY CIRCLE, SANDWICH. AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (2 COUNTS).--McHenry PD

LANCE R. PORTZEN, DOB: 03/19/86, HOMELESS. AGGRAVATED CHILD PORNOGRAPHY (3 COUNTS), CHILD PORNOGRAPHY (3 COUNTS).--McHenry PD

TODD A. STAYART, DOB: 05/24/63m 14411 KISWAUKEE VALLEY ROAD, WOODSTOCK. RETAIL THEFT (ENHANCED).--Crystal Lake PD

ANDREW M. GILBERT, DOB:  06/11/1984, 55 DEER RUN, CRYSTAL LAKE. CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO RESIDENCE.--Crystal Lake PD
  
SHEILA A. THOMAS, DOB:  06/29/1959, 2218 HAZELWOOD DRIVE, MCHENRY. RETAIL THEFT--McHenry PD

EDUARDO L. GARCIA, DOB:  10/27/1989, 671 E. CHICAGO STREET, ELGIN. THEFT, RESISTING A PEACE OFFICER.--McHenry PD
  
DEREK S. GABRIEL, DOB:  08/01/1988, 611 NORTH RIVER ROAD, MCHENRY. DISARMING A PEACE OFFICER.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
  
LUCAS C. DECLERCQ, DOB:  07/13/1978, 1012 CASTLESHIRE DRIVE, WOODSTOCK. UNLAWFUL PRODUCTION OF CANNABIS SATIVA PLANTS, UNLAWFUL MANUFACTURING OF CANNABIS, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CANNABIS.--McHenry County Sheriff's Office

HOLLY J. JOYNERm DOB:  05/09/1987, 213 OPATRNY DRIVE, FOX RIVER GROVE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA,  UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE.--McHenry PD

TYLER JAMES BENDER, DOB:  09/29/1989, LKA:  4417 SCOTT COURT, CRYSTAL LAKE. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS), UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(2CTS)--McHenry County Sheriff's Office
  
EUGENE R. RAYMOND, DOB:  11/15/1985, 1316 BARBERRY, ROUND LAKE. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Spring Grove PD
  
REBECCA C. COMITO, DOB:  03/03/1969, 5662 N. NEWARK AVENUE, CHICAGO. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--Spring Grove PD
          
CARLOS ROMAN, DOB:  02/10/1977, 3026 SEWELL STREET, ROCKFORD. UNLAWFUL DELIVERY OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.--U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rockford.

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
June 1
0317 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) BATTERY. GARCIA, ALBERTO, M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 517 CHARLOTTE AVE., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Battery. RELEASED ON BOND. STRAUSS, KEVIN, M/W 28 YEARS OF AGE, 115 N. DOLE AVE., CRYSTAL LAKE. CHARGES: Battery.
RELEASED ON BOND
0550 HRS 220 N. RANDALL RD. (MORETTI’S) INFORMATION FOR POLICE. Contact made with a registered sex offender.
1143 HRS RAKOW RD. & PINGREE RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Three vehicles. Airbag deployment. No transport.
1153 HRS 260 N. RANDALL RD. (COSTCO GASOLINE) ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
1433 HRS 100 BLOCK OF PHEASANT TRAIL. HIT & RUN. Vehicle hit by unknown vehicle. Property damage only.
1742 HRS 9625 HALIGUS RD (MARLOWE MIDDLE SCHOOL) BATTERY. PENDING INVESTIGATION BY REPORTING OFFICER.
1801 HRS ACORN LN. & RANDALL RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2110 HRS 800 BLOCK OF TARALON TRAIL. DOMESTIC. Brother vs. Sister. Verbal only. Two priors.
2157 HRS 251 N. RANDALL RD. (APPLEBEE’S) ASSIST AMBULANCE. Male, 13 years of age, having a diabetic reaction. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
June 2
0116 HRS MCHENRY AVE. & RANDALL RD. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. WATT, JASON B., M/W 24 YEARS OF AGE, 361 WEDGEWOOD CIRCLE, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving While License Revoked, Speeding, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. Transported to Sherman Hospital for an evaluation. RELEASED ON BOND.
0408 HRS 3800 BLOCK OF PEARTREE DR. UNDER AGE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY A MINOR. BAMBINI, KENNETH L., M/W 19 YEARS OF AGE 3865 THORNBERRY WAY, LAKE IN THE HILLS. CHARGES: Under Age Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. NOTICE TO APPEAR ISSUED.
1016 HRS 800 BLOCK OF DOGWOOD LN. ASSAULT. MOSZKIEWICZ, ROBERT A., M/W 42 YEARS OF AGE, 9620 STONECASTLE LN., LAKEWOOD. CHARGES: Assault, Criminal Trespass, Criminal Damage to Property. RELEASED ON BOND.
1312 HRS LAKE DR. & ALGONQUIN RD. INJURY ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Four year-old male, 6 year-old male, and a 25 year-old all transported to Sherman Hospital to be checked out.
1434 HRS 400 BLOCK OF STEEPLECHASE WAY. LOST ARTICLE. Lottery ticket.
1743 HRS 4581 PRINCETON LN. (PARK N SHOP LIQUORS) BATTERY. Male vs. Male. FAIL TO FILE.
1856 HRS LAKEWOOD RD. & REED RD. FOUND ARTICLE. A purple bicycle was located on the side of the road. Entered into Evidence.
1927 HRS 300 BLOCK OF E. OAK ST. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2115 HRS 2700 BLOCK HILLSBORO LN. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, Female, 14 years of age, attempted suicide. Transported to Sherman Hospital.
2257 HRS PYOTT RD. & ALGONQUIN RD. ACCIDENT. Two vehicles. Property damage only.
2349 HRS 1000 BLOCK OF VIEWPOINT DR. MISSING JUVENILE. Female, 14 years of age, did not return home. Entered into the Law Enforcement Agency Data System.