McHenry County Blog

Here is the third group of the highest paid State of Illinois employees living in McHenry County.

Right on top is David Keahl, Governor Rod Blagojevich's Director of Ethics Training and Compliance. He works in the Office of Executive Inspector General and was not appointed by Blagojevich his boss tells me. Keahl lives in Crystal Lake.

Looking at the places that pay the most money, again the Illinois State Police is well represented.

Michael Coli, a Blagojevich appointed member of the Labor Relations Board, is also on the list. He's a retired Teamster's rep and gave $500 to Dick Gephart in 2004 and $750 to John McCain last year. He lives in Turnberry in Lakewood.

• KEAHL, DAVID E – $97,854, Governor
• MINNIEAR, MICHAEL J – $97,795, State Police
• STUMPNER,JAMES A – $97,404, Transportation
• TRAVIA, STEPHEN M – $97,268, Transportation
• SZAFRANSKIBRIAN J – $96,985, Toll Highway Authority
• WOJCIKRICHARD F – $96,417, Transportation
• MYHRE, MICHAEL A – $95,941, State Police
• FELD, JOHN J – $94,429, Toll Highway Authority
• BUTZOW, ROBERT – $94,110, Human Services
• HAGMANN, CHRISTIAN LA – $93,076, Transportation
• SMITH, DANIEL P – $93,006, State Police
• KINAST, CONSTANCE – $92,371, Human Services
• COLI, MICHAEL G – $91,919, Labor Relations Board
• O'BRIEN, RAYMOND M – $91,655, State Police
• COOMBS, LESLIE B – $91,085, Employment Security
• CONWAY, JAMES – $90,507, Human Services
• BORO, ROBERT THOMAS – $89,916,Transportation
• HANLEY, BRION J – $89,863, State Police
• PELLETIER, AMY ELISE – $89,837, State Police
• MUSINSKI, ARTHUR A – $89,724, Human Services

Of the Human Services employees, Conway and Musinski are stationary engineers. Kinast is a Clinical Psychologist and Butzow is a pharmacist.

The IDOT folks are all engineers.

Labels: David Kaehl, Executive Inspector General, Illinois, McHenry County, MIchael Coli, State Salaries

There used to be a rundown house on west side of Route 47 near the intersection of Interstate 55 near Dwight.

My father used to see structures like this and observe that it was listed by Century 19, a play on Century 21.

When I was on my way to Bob Wargaski's Pigapalooza May 3, I saw this farm building that certainly could be listed by the same real estate firm.

It was southwest of the intersection of North Darrell and West Case Roads.

Labels: Bob Wargaski, Century 19, Century 21, Darrell Road, Decrepit, Falling Down, Island Lake, Message of the Day, Pig Roast, Pigapalooza, Tear Down

While I was searching for some old newspaper articles for a November 22nd article, I stumbled across two bits of memorabilia of no concern to anyone but myself.

I found this picture of me at age 6 in a multi-colored costume with saddle tap shoes. I’m even wearing a cap.

Goodness knows how my mother ever convinced me to take tap dancing lessons, but, come time for the recital, she had made an outfit in which I was to dance to “You Are My Sunshine” with other little boys in all probability.

My little sister Janet. age 4, was in the 1948 recital, too.

But she had a cuter outfit.

I was six.

First grade.

My classmate David Hill's father owned Hill’s Pharmacy in downtown Easton, Maryland. His father called their home, south of my own on South Aurora Street, "Hill’s Half Acre." It had a railroad spur running along the road to its north.

Catchy name for a home, I thought.

I even found a bit a cloth from what was left over from the original custume.

My wife will, of course, order a dumpster when I die.

There's no secret about that.

Labels: Bo Jangles, Cal Skinner Jr, Saddle Shoes, Tap Dancing, You Are My Sunshine

We see a two-fer today.

On the back window of this car next to a garbage truck is a

window sticker.

On the back ledge is a


yard sign long enough to almost cover the entire ledge.


The car was on Route 14 in Fox River Grove, I think. (Click to enlarge.)

Labels: Car Window Sticker, Message of the Day, Ron Paul, Yard Sign

Yesterday, we showed you the twenty highest state employees living in McHenry County.

Today we look at the next twenty and we get under the $100,000 level.

The information originated in the Illinois State Comptroller's Office and was put online in this descending format by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Here's the next group of best paid people on the state payroll:

• PELLETIER, MICHAEL – $123,530.00, Human Services
• JENKNER, JAMES S – $120,688.62, State Toll Highway Authority
• ANDREWS, DOUGLAS W – $118,903.09, Toll Highway Authority
• PEREZ, JOSEPH M – $118,580.00, State Police
• WOLFBERG, BRIAN L – $115,922.00, Revenue
• O'CONNELL-DIAZ ERIN – $114,543.40, Commerce Commission
• ANDRIAKOS, JAMES – $112,237.68, State Police
• POWELL, LANCE J – $111,088.19, State Toll Highway Authority
• LAMBBART, E – $110,277.00, State Police
• ZIMMER, MARIANNE – $109,415.42, Children & Family Services
• DAMASKY, TODD A – $107,891.48, State Police
• WEAVER, MICHAEL ANTHONY – $107,876.88, Transportation
• HOLT, CHRISTOPHER J – $107,608.22, Transportation
• FANNING, MELINDA P – $106,470.70, State Police
• BRZINSKI, LEONARD E – $105,857.83, State Police
• SATKIEWICZ, ROBERT R – $105,726.52, State Police
• WATTS, ROBERT A – $103,718.34, State Police
• POWERS, DANIEL C – $100,665.50, Commerce Commission
• GOEGLEIN, EUGENE T – $99,224.16, State Board Of Education
• POLOVIN, ANDREW – a $98,372.79, Children & Family Services

It doesn't take too much examination to figure out that if you're not going to become a judge that the State Police side of law enforcement is next best. Most seem to be sergeants and many have “overtime” listed under the Post-Dispatch's “details” button.

Eugene Goeglein is McHenry County's Regional Superintendent of Education, an elected position.

Labels: Erin O’Connell-Diaz, Eugene Goeglein, Illinois, Illinois State Police, Regiional Superintendent of Education, State Salaries

I seem to have posted something that someone in power in China doesn't want its citizens reading.

It seems to have something to do with the following picture of a Vet-Teks truck and two drivers supplied by John Blanchard's NASA Education.

Just two guys standing next to a truck in a story published May 1, 2008, entitled,

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Here's where the attempt to access the picture came from (click to enlarge):

Anybody have any idea what's going on?

Labels: Forbidden, Google Blocking, Internet Access, John Blanchard, Vet-Teks

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a data base with those who get state paychecks.

The 2008 information is arrayed from highest to lowest. It comes straight from the State Comptroller's Office.

I remember when this information was only supplied to the county chairmen of each party. It was distributed in paper form once a month. It was right there in the state statutes.

The better to find contributors and works, it's my guess.

Let's take a look at the top earners. The top twenty are below.

You'll recognize a lot of judges in the list below. All of them will get a cost of living raise on July 1st.

• HUTCHINSON, SUSAN F – $180,829.30, Judges Of Appellate Court
• O'MALLEY, JOHN M – $180,829.30, Judges Of Appellate
• CALDWELL, MICHAEL T – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• CHMIEL, MICHAEL J – $165,434.172008Circuit Court Judges
• CONDON, JOSEPH P – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• MCINTYRE, MAUREEN P – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• PRATHER, SHARON – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• SULLIVAN, MICHAEL J – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• WEECH, CHARLES P – $165,434.17, Circuit Court Judges
• LUCHETTA, DONNA – $157,437.82, Department Of Human Services
• BEADERSTADT, ROBERT – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• BOLGER, JOHN D – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• FEETTERER, MICHAEL W – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• GRAHAM, GORDON E – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• MANGIAMELE, SUZANNE – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• MEYER, THOMAS A$157,137.612008Circuit Court JudgesMcHenryDetails WILBRANDT, ROBERT A$157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• ZOPP, GERALD M – $157,137.61, Circuit Court Judges
• COWLIN, JAMES S – $154,642.76, Circuit Court Judges
• VEDAK, CHANDRAGUPTA – $137,002.70, Department Of Human Services

Labels: Jack O'Malley, Joe Condon, Maureen McIntyre, Michael Sullivan, Mike Chmiel, Sue Hutchison

Somehow it seems appropriate that this license plate,


should be seen driving around Crystal Lake.

This is, of course, an appropriate day to post it, since it has been one year since Mayor Aaron Shepley's 75% city sales tax went into effect.

It was passed to benefit developers and to do the same thing that the Vulcan Lakes TIF project was supposed to do--turn Vulcan Lakes into a recreational area.

If the owner would like to pass a petition to abolish Home Rule government in Crystal Lake, which is what allowed the city council (with only Jeff Thorsen dissenting) to raise sales taxes 75%, email me. The address is way down at the bottom of the page on the right.

Labels: 75% Sales Tax Hike, Aaron Shepley, Home Rule, No Tax, Sales Tax

When Vernon Kays retired from being County Clerk, Dad ran for the office against Vernon's Chief Deputy Rosemary Azzaro. Rosemary won, even winning at least one Crystal Lake Coventry precinct in which she knocked on doors. Dad didn't do any door-to-door campaigning.

Two years later he was back on the county board.

In the 1980's, the county board was bold enough to announce potential sites for ten or so county airports. What a way to engender opposition.

Tom Smrt, the owner of Fox Valley Systems in Cary took offense. He raised English Shires sought of Marengo on Route 20 next to the Tollway. He created the McHenry County Chronicle, which was mailed to at least all who voted Republican regularly. Every month. Smrt's attacks on the county board led to Dad's allies winning all four seats that were up that year.

In the fall of 1987, his wife Eleanor was killed in a truck-car accident at Route 14 and Dean Street Road. It took over ten years after that for a traffic signal to be installed.

Dad and Mom had been scheduled to go up to Mayo the next April. Dad didn't go.

The night the summer drought was broken by a severe thunderstorm Dad had a county board meeting.

On Country Club Road almost to Crystal Springs Road, he ran into a tree branch. He hit his chest on the steering wheel. That might not have been so bad, but when he plowed into the big tree branch there was a young man trying to move it from the highway. Dad's bumper crushed the Good Samaritan's leg between his bumper and that of the young man.

About a year later he developed lung cancer where his chest was bruised. He had smoked cigarettes, then, a pipe, but had stopped maybe eight years before the cancer showed up.

It would have been caught early had Dad kept the appointment at Mayo, but, after Mother's death he skipped it.

He ended up being treated at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He and I lived with my sister Jan in a zip code in search of a town between Annapolis and Washington. The zip code was called Severn.

In December, Dr. Stevens would not release him when he had to leave in order to get back to McHenry County to vote for Ann Hughes for county board chairman. He didn't think her opponent would be independent enough.

He signed himself out.

You see the photo of my wheeling him in for the crucial vote. Somehow he managed to retain his position as vice chairman, even though a deal had been cut to elect another man.

After Dad died in the summer of 1989, I executed his estate.

To do that I had to get his birth certificate.

To my surprise, I found that his middle name of “LeRoy” read “Leroy” on the birth certificate. Apparently he decided to capitalize the “R” at some point in his life. So, I'm not really a “junior” because my birth certificate reads “LeRoy.” I guess being a regular “Leroy” wasn't fancy enough for him.

= = = = =
Earlier articles in this ten-part series can be found in the nine days previous to today.

Labels: Cal Skinner Sr, McHenry County Airport, McHenry County Clerk, Rosemary Azzaro, Tom Smrt

We ate at Port Edward. You see the baby bagels, lox and cream cheese, a delicacy I discover in the Wilder Hall basement Ratskeller at Oberlin College in 1960. Port Edward also had a whole salmon on the table seen above.

Labels: Algonquin, License Plate, Message of the Day, Port Edward, Shy

Prior to the 1972 elections, the United States Supreme Court ruled that legislative bodies like the McHenry County Board and city councils had to be apportioned on a one-man, one-vote basis.

The county board divided the county into three districts, Dad's consisting of Algonquin and Grafton Townships.

Dad didn't like the way the districts had been apportioned and challenged it acting as his owner lawyer in Federal Court.

Because the district lines Dad came up resulted in more closely matched populations and were at least as compact as the county's the judge told McHenry County State's Attorney to discuss a settlement with Dad.

State's Attorney Bill Cowlin did not do so before the next scheduled court date.

When both showed up before the judge, Dad told the judge that Cowlin hadn't gotten in touch with him.

The Federal judge then ordered him to do so before returning for the next hearing.

Dad didn't get exactly what he asked for, but the county board members came up with a much more acceptable map. Algonquin and Grafton Townships were put in District 1, one-third of the county's population.

Dad and his allies put together a slate, which they called “Responsible Republicans.” They made the ballot order so they could tell people to vote from “Bick to Burns.” (John Bick, an older conservative and 10-acre tree farmer from Barrington Hills; Brad Burns, my to-be brother-in-law, from Crystal Lake's Coventry.)

The regular Republicans won all eight seats up in 1972, but my father got more votes than any other county board member running in Districts Two and Three.

The next time Dad ran, he and his ally Lou Anne Majewski won. Lou Anne got more votes, helping validate my theory that women have an automatic advantage when they run for office.

I remember on serious disagreement we had. When an addition was being built on the new courthouse, he voted to let the Public Building Commission issue bonds without a referendum.

I reminded him that he had campaigned against similar action when the new courthouse had been constructed.

More tomorrow. You can read earlier articles by looking at early days of McHenry County Blog.

Labels: Bill Cowlin, Brad Burns, Cal Skinner Sr, Eleanor Skinner, John Bick, Lou Anne Majewski, McHenry County Board, One Man One Vote, Reapportionment

When Governor Jim Thompson set about raising taxes 40%, State Rep. Bernie Pedersen (R-Palatine) was a leader in the fight to kill the effort.

Where is today's Bernie Pedersen?

Who is the back bencher putting pressure on on Tom Cross and Christine Radogno not to cave in?

Probably time to call your legislators.

The main switchboard in Springfield is 217-782-2000,

Labels: Bernie Pedersen, No More Taxes

I had to check and see if I had posted this message before and, guess what, I found I had.

But it was on a tee shirt I saw at Disney World in 2006.


Obviously a take off on


First I found it close-up.

When were driving home from the Old Capitol Art Fair, I saw it on a Wisconsin car headed toward Chicago on the Northwest Tollway.

The image of the bumper sticker is fuzzy, but that's probably appropriate since lots of us have some trouble understanding His message.

= = = = =
The picture of the Old Capitol Art Fair in mid-May was taken from the southeast side of the Old State Capitol. The metal palm trees are certainly fascinating.

Labels: Bumper Sticker, Disney World, Got Jesus?, Jesus, Message of the Day, Northwest Tollway, Old Capitol Art Fair

This year, State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) followed up on an idea that my former legislative assistant Pete Castillo originated while working for the Illinois Department of Employment Security getting jobs for homeless and other unemployed veterans:


Pete's idea was a veterans court, similar to the mental health court instituted by McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi and Judge Charles Weech.

It's over two years old now.

And, here's an idea that is only slightly ahead of its time in Illinois:


Illinois is going to have a lot of problems with people being addicted. Even with a casino down the Fox River in Elgin, I remember a story about a McHenry County Sheriff's deputy having been arrested for stealing from the department's evidence room.

Labels: Drug Court, Gambling Court, Lou Bianchi, Pete Castillo Mike Tryon, Veterans' Court

Before we moved to Crystal Lake in 1958, the Government Improvement League of McHenry County had a newsletter. Dad belonged to the group and became responsible for publishing that newsletter. From 1963 to 1968 the publication became the Public Affairs Newsletter.

In 1969, Dad renamed the publication "The Star Reporter." It was a weekly newspaper. (Click to see the arguments by Herb Lutter against the proposed Ladd Site in McHenry for McHenry County College, published in 1970.)

Among other issues, he spoke out about the building of the new courthouse without a referendum. It was built with illegally accumulated surpluses.

That and other “rock turning over” stories must have irritated the Establishment as much and, perhaps more, than McHenry County Blog.

I remember McHenry County State's Attorney Bill Cowlin, who was first elected in 1968, interrupting a Finance Committee meeting held in the county board room.

He started berating me for an article my father had published saying it was inaccurate. I knew the article was accurate because I had written it. It was about a legal opinion that county treasurers could put up to the insured amount ($15,000 at the time) in savings and loans associations. Dad's headline was a bit off.

I told Cowlin that it wasn't the time or the place for such a discussion. He walked out in a huff. (That was the same meeting that the county board members decided to double the number of copies of the 1968 county history book. My father was working on selling them into the 1980's.)

In 1969, my father again took on District 155. My sister Ellen was bored in high school, so Dad asked fellow church member and Superintendent John Buckner if she could attend some classes at McHenry County College instead.

Buckner replied that would result in the school district losing State Aid to Education.

"John," my father replied. "It's $154 a year. I'll write you a check."

Buckner didn't accept the offer, but, starting the year after my sister graduated from CLCHS, its students were allowed to take MCC classes.

Ellen and Dad found a way around her boredom.

She entered the Diversified Occupations program and spent every afternoon working on the Star Reporter.

Typing, mainly.

And, she got paid for it.

In 1970, the McHenry County College Board put a referendum on the ballot to buy land from Ladd Enterprises in McHenry on which to construct a campus. Dad opposed the December 5th referendum, as you can see by clicking on The Star Reporter article above.

80% voted against the referendum.

The next time around, the board proposed the current Crystal Lake site and it was approved.

More of the biography tomorrow.

Labels: Bill Cowlin, Cal Skinner Sr, District 155, Government Improvement League, Herb Lutter, John Buckner, McHenry County College, Public Affairs Newsletter, The Star Reporter

Right before I was scheduled to give a pint of blood at Heartland Blood Center, I saw the front page of the Elgin Courier-News.

Screaming in a blood-red headline was the word



The more benign use of blood gets stuck on donors' chests as their blood drips into a plastic bag.

There is undoubtedly a summer shortage as people go on vacation. Give Heartland a call at 1-800-7TO-GIVE and schedule an appointment. There an office near Hobby Lobby in Crystal Lake.

Labels: Blood, Charlie Corpuscle, Heartland Blood Center

Sometimes you have to connect the dots.

This time it’s about what capital spending is being voted on in Illinois and what it is rewarding.

A USA Today story highlighted Chicago State University’s 16% graduation rate after six years.

Only 4% after four years, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Not exactly a model to be emulated.

But reward Chicago State the General Assembly did.

It got $40 million in the new capital bill to build a new campus on the West Side of Chicago.

Some might think that a university that manages to graduate only 16% of its students in six years might not be one deserving of cloning.

Why not clone Northeastern Illinois University? It's 19% graduation rate was slightly better.

How about much more successful Northern Illinois University, It came in at a 52% graduation rate after six years.

You have to wonder how prepared the students are who are being accepted to these schools.

Chicago State’s and Northeastern’s numbers really raise serious questions.

For reference, Northwestern’s graduation rate is 93%, while University of Chicago is 90%.

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign has a 82% graduation rate after six years.

Your federal fiscal stimulus money has $1.1 million dollars going to Chicago State. It is part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.

Is this anyone’s idea of “building upon success?”

Or is it “throwing good money after bad?”

In 2007 then Chicago State University President Elnora Daniel had to reimburse the university more than $8,600. But only after a state audit criticized spending practices at the university.

President Elnora Daniel explained at a press conference how she mistakenly used the university-issued card instead of her personal card. The explanation was she forgot to change purses or was in a rush at a store.

Daniel’s salary was $241,000 and the Chicago Tribune reported,
“In August 2006, Daniel and her family spent nine days on a Caribbean cruise, as Daniel attended a leadership conference, at a cost of more than $15,000.”

The trustees allowed a provision in her contract for this cruise to be legally paid for by the taxpayers of Illinois.

The trustees just hired Wayne Watson, the retiring head of Chicago's junior college system, to be Chicago State's new president a $229,166.

When you hear Democrats say,


at least you have some idea of what that means in Illinois.

Labels: Chicago State University, Graduation Rates, Northeastern Illinois University, Pork

Today's the day of the cardboard boat race in Crystal Lake.

You see a tee shirt from someone who attended previously.

Labels: America's Carboard Cup Regatta, Message of the Day, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

In 1963, my mother and I attended the Illinois Crime Commission's summer hearings held in the old county board room at what is now Woodstock City Hall. It was twice the size of the current Woodstock City Council Chambers.

Crime Commission Executive Director Charles Siragusa had investigated a bookmaking operation in Crystal Lake and presented diagrams of Crystal Lake businesses (like the magazine shop on Williams Street) from which bets were phoned to a room on the second floor the Pinemoor Hotel southwest of the First Congregational Church. At the time, we knew the Pinemoor as a great place for pizza. (It still it near the “V” in the Crystal Lake Plaza.)

The owner of the Pinemoor was Harry Snell, our Republican precinct committeeman. He told the commissioners he didn't know what was going on upstairs.

Algonquin Township Precinct 7 was huge. It went from Route 14 to the the McHenry-Kane County line east of McHenry Avenue. Most of the homes were in Crystal Lake and Lakewood. The current Lake in the Hills and Algonquin subdivisions west of Randall Road did not exist then. They were farms.

In 1964, my father ran for the office of McHenry County Auditor. It was the first year that the county had enough population to have one--over 80,000 people.

He ran against McHenry County Board Chairman Harley Mackeben, who was on the board by virtue of his position as Grafton Township Supervisor.

My father and mother ran a leisurely campaign in the then-90,000 person county, telling people who asked whether he would quit his Barley and Malt Institute job that he wouldn't, that the job only require part-time work, which was subsequently proven correct.

Mother and Dad campaigned in the little northern and western towns on weekends, going into the small bars and stores and introducing themselves.

Dad lost the two-way race by about 300 votes, preparing the way for me to become McHenry County Treasurer in 1966 in a 3-way race (33%+, 33%, 33%-) by 72 votes with about 13,000 cast.

Lots of people obviously thought they were voting for my father.


I heard again and again when they met me, the 20-something, in the Treasurer's Office.

The same year, Dad decided that he would make a more appropriate precinct committeeman than Harry, ran against him and won.

In 1967, Dad, who had opposed the formation of a junior college district in 1963, called a meeting in the cafeteria of Crystal Lake Community High School that led to the formation of a committee that successfully created McHenry County College with a ten-cent tax rate. The committee promoted a college that would be one-third funded by student tuition, one-third by local property taxpayers and one-third by the state. (Needless to say, state government did not come through with the promises made by state officials who spoke to McHenry County college proponents.)

The referendum passed on April 1, 1967, and Dad was elected to serve on its first board.

More tomorrow.

Labels: Bookie, Cal Skinner Sr, Charles Siragusa, Harley Mackeben, Harry Snell, McHenry County College

I was going to put Gary Christ’s first name in the title in parentheses in front of "Christ," but I concluded it would be sacrilegious.

You can see one reason I didn’t use the play on words in the following paragraph from an email that Gary sent me:

"As for me, I am full of faith that this creative mind God blessed me with will be focused on doing the Father's Will.

"This latest invention, a land mine destroyer, may provide a platform for ministry in Cambodia and other places, I will check out Angola.

"The Cambodians have become so good at de-mining they are hired to go to other countries to teach their skill."

My first big memory of Gary goes back to when he was promoting a way he had designed to use old tires and plastic to build cheap housing.

He even erected one on his family’s farm near the power lines in what is I think is now Sunset Park. (Well, it’s a park in name only. The Crystal Lake Park District is still growing crops.)

Then, I ran into him at the Illinois Libertarian Party convention in 2002.

He ran against me for the party nomination for governor.

Since we both shop in Crystal Lake, we see each other once in a while. The next time he was taking apart a barn to ship to Cambodia.

And, right before I wrote this article (over a year ago, maybe two years ago) while purchasing some movies at the old Wal-Mart, we found each other again.

This time he filled me in on an invention to dispose of land mines, which he had just finished field-testing in Cambodia.

It is a big steel box, several feet long and wide and about 2 feet high. It is open on the bottom.

This contains the explosion.

The box is attached to the front of a small tractor.

To detonate the bomb, there are 8 pound hammers attached to chains.

As the hammers drop, they activate any land mines.

The force of the explosion pushes the hammers and chains back up into the box.

And is Gary Christ finished?

What do you think?

"I also have plans to restore old water wells, as that is a huge problem in Cambodia and many other places."

Labels: Cambodia, Gary Christ, Illinois Libertarian Party, Land Mines

This sweatshirt was being worn at his son's birthday party on Gate 22 in Lakewood.

It says,


Ray Christie, the youngun' wearing it, is retired, but his inventive mind keeps stirring.

Labels: Message of the Day, Ray Christe, Sweatshirt

Another pig roast at Irene Napier's Valley View Road home will be held on Sunday June 28th. (Click to see the details on my invitation.)

Last year's was at Resurrection Center.

This is a political fund raiser, which is apparently by invitation only for some McHenry County Health Department reason I fail to comprehend. If you didn't get an invitation, call Irene at 815-459-3849.

Because next year all statewide officials are up, there probably will be a number of candidates courting pretty much the only source of reliable volunteers in McHenry County.

Last year DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett showed up.

My guess is that he will run for Attorney General again, if Attorney General Lisa Madigan runs for Governor against Pat Quinn.

Any serious candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor will be in attendance.

The cost is $50 per couple, $35 for individuals (pair up and save) and $10 per child.

Labels: Irene Napier, Joe Birkett, Pig Roast, Pro-Life, Sigma Pigma Pie

The pre-Crystal Lake posts of my father's biography can be found by looking down on McHenry County Blog.

Dad rented a home at 100 W. Crystal Lake Avenue. We started school there (the junior class built its Homecoming float there) as Mother and Dad looked for something that would allow more access to the lake for the 50-horsepower Wolverine outboard boat we bought that summer. The boys of the previous tenants had used the attic as a BB gallery. The BB's were everywhere.

Soon my parents found a home to rent at 800 West Broadway in Lakewood, but, more importantly in the Country Club Addition Property Owners Association. That gave us the right to keep our boat in the lake.

Dad was the association's secretary, maintaining up-to-date Address-O-Graph plates for what was probably decades.

Since there was no Rotary Club in town, Dad joined the Crystal Lake Kiwanis, where he became the long-time secretary, doing the tedious record-keeping job of the first service club in Crystal Lake.

After the November election Dad received a "thank you" letter from the ward committeeman in Chicago where he lived.

My father, a ghost voter in 1958. Who would have believed it?

Having been active in politics in Easton, Maryland, Dad was determined not to become so in Crystal Lake.

It took two years for him to break his pledge.

The Crystal Lake High School District was holding a bond referendum during the spring of my senior year. He started writing letters to the weekly Crystal Lake Herald. The next week the school board's president would reply. My father would offer a rebuttal the next week. (None of the current Northwest Herald nonsense of only allowing one letter a month.) This went on until I knew the teachers were looking at me and pointing out I was the son of the guy trying to defeat the bond issue.

The bond referendum lost. Since it was my last semester and Oberlin College had already accepted me, my grades didn't matter as much, but I don't think any of the teachers retaliated. I still remember standing in the study hall while a couple of teachers looked my way from the westerly hall near Ken Tarpley's speech class room. I wondered if they were saying, "There's his son."

Later Dad ended up on some committee to solve whatever space problem was perceived and, when he discovered that the football field had to be moved, he asked if a sidewalk could be built. I suspect that was his major victory on the committee.

Now, too often, I tell my son as we drive on Wallace, “That's my Dad's sidewalk.”

”I know, Dad. You've already told me,” my son replies, sometimes in an irritated tone of voice.

When Richard Nixon ran for office in 1960, Dad became head of his local citizens committee. That put him in touch with the Republican precinct committeemen.

At some point in the 1960's, Dad took over the publication of the Government Improvement League Newsletter, GIL Newsletter, for short. He wrote about assessments and taxes.

Dad's office at the Barley and Malt Institute was in the Builder's Building on Wacker Drive when he started work.

After the lease ran out, he convinced his board to move the office to Des Plaines. ("If we ever meet in Chicago, it will be near O'Hare, not Downtown Chicago." They agreed. It was on the corner of Route 14 near the train station across from the movie theater in an old Masonic Hall.)

When that lease came up, he asked if he could move the office to Crystal Lake, arguing that if the board ever met in Chicago, it would be at a hotel near the airport, not in the Des Plaines office.

He ended up on Brink Street, later on the second floor on the west side of Williams Street, then the tip of "V" in the Crystal Lake Plaza and, finally, at Mike Janek's old auto dealership on the corner of Woodstock and Brink.

More tomorrow.

Labels: 100 W. Crystal Lake Ave, 800 Broadway, Address-O-Graph, Barley and Malt Institute, Bond Referendum, Cal Skinner Sr, Crystal Lake Kiwanis, Ghost Voting, Government Improvement League, Ken Tarpley

How sad.

The crowning achievement of my former legislative colleague from both the 1970's and the 1990's, Wyvetter Younge, seems to be a Mississippi River front park that could have been riverfront housing.

Having not seen the site, maybe I'm overreacting.

Maybe housing could be built behind the park and still have a view of the river.

But when I saw the area in the late 1970's, she wasn't talking about a park.

I went to Wyvetter's home town of East St. Louis two or three times.

The first time was in the 1970's. She drove me around.

It brought to mind what I thought Berlin must have been like after the Allies bombed it.

There were bricks from demolished buildings everywhere.

She showed me the railroad yards that took up so much of the riverfront property. Lots of railroad lines crossed the river from there. Each had their separate set of spaghetti-like tracks.

We both remarked on the immense opportunity consolidation of the tracks would provide.

Fast forward to 1993.

I was the Republican Spokesman on the House Committee. Wyvetter wanted me to come down to East St. Louis to hold a hearing on the “rent-to-own” situation.

There were scores, maybe hundreds of homes where her constituents lived, in this arrangement. The arrangement in my part of the state would be a contract sale.

In her part of Illinois, the contracts allowed the landlords to make improvements and add their cost to the amount owed.

The result was that even people with good jobs could never get to the point of owning their home, an essential part of the American dream, I would say.

Wyvetter thought the owner they traced to Boston was using her constituents as a holding action until profitably development would come.

At her request, my wife and I toured a college campus nestled in her district. It wasn't being used and she thought it should be. I think it was called Park College. It was south of town, near the airport, I think.

She got a casino before I visited in the 1990's.

Where I had seen crumbling buildings, there were now empty lots.

The bricks were gone.

A light rail line had a station in town on the way to the hill towns.

I noticed no development.

Indeed, more downtown stores seemed to be closed.

The Lee newspaper of the 1970's was long gone.

Wyvetter was a sincere and gentle woman who had all sorts of ideas of how to help her area. Most were not of high practicality, but she did her best in that part of the economic cycle she was dealt.

Economic revival did not come in her lifetime.

But, when it does, she will have been the prophetess.

And, they may have named this park Malcolm Martin Memorial Park, but it is really Wyvetter Younge Memorial Park.

Labels: East St. Louis, Rent to Own, Wyvetter Younge

Once a month we water the cacti that we bought on the way home from one of Miss Lori's Johnsburg parties.

So far, only one has died.

We bought it when Keely Cat was a kitten.

He sniffed at it too closely then and jumped backwards when a touched a spine.

This month when we took it down to water, Keely sniffed again.

More carefully.

Now do you see the relationship of yesterday's “Message of the Day” to today's?

Labels: Cat, Keely, Look Sharp, Message of the Day, Sniffing Around

Earlier segments of this biography of my father can be found below on McHenry County Blog.

In 1952, my youngest sister Ellen was born.

That was also the year Dad switched his registration from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in order to be able to vote for Dwight Eisenhower for president. (Maryland has a closed primary, unlike Illinois'.)

And the state was as Democratic then as it is now.

To understand how Democratic the area was and how significant it was for the President of the Easton Town Council to switch parties, let me tell you about the 1952 Halloween paintings I helped put on the barber shop's front window.

It was a parade to a haunted house. On a wagon was a sign that said,


A day or so after we painted it, my 5rh grade teacher, Miss Ornett, suggested that I should change the sign to


Compliant child that I was, I did.

The Eastern Shore had always been conservative. Today my birth place is firmly in Republican Party control.

But I remember in 1948 when I was six asking my mother why she and Dad weren't in favor of President Truman. I am not sure of the answer, but that's the first political thought I remember...unless watching my mother cry when she heard the news that President Roosevelt had died in 1945 when I was two years and ten months counts.

Just as Dad may have been the first to get a student loan, he certainly was one of the first Democratic Party office holders to switch to the Republican Party—all the rage while Ronald Reagan was in office.

My mother, who was the daughter of a Queen Anne County, Maryland, Democratic Party county board member didn't follow suit until 1954.

Her father, James Clayland Stevens, was the swing vote who tried to keep the county's two Democratic Party factions honest after he was recruited by one to run on its slate.

In 1953, the family moved to Salt Lake City.

Dad found that he could not get a job at the National Canners Association because the national association did not want to offend its regional affiliate.

So, he looked outside of the food industry.

He found the National Chinchilla Breeders and Marketing Associations in Salt Lake City. It had lots of employees, but was looking to modernize and downsize. Dad did both. The association keep voluminous records of the genealogy of the little animals with the softest fur on earth. He implemented a pre-computer filing and sorting system using cards about the size of 4 by 6 inches with places to punch out indicators around all four edges.

That must have meant there needed to be many, many fewer employees, because by the time he moved the office to Middletown, New York, in 1956, the association did not need very many people.

The office was moved because Dad convinced his board that if the industry was going to survive they needed to sell some pelts for coats and stoles. Since the fur market was in New York City, being fifty miles up the Hudson was close enough to make sales pitches in the city and far enough to avoid the high cost of labor there. The pelt is pretty poor, but the black and gray fur you see above is the natural color. The marketers experimented with dying the pelts blue, among other colors.

After about a year, my father was let go. The board figured his two top assistants earning $5,000 each could do the job he was doing earning $10,000. (My sister Jan covers this much better than I.)

So, Dad was looking for a job while I was a sophomore at Middletown High School. What he found paid less than the NCBA, but it was a job. He was the natural resources man for the National Association of Manufacturers dealing with the big lumber companies, among others.

I suspect he immediately starting looking for a job that paid more and would allow him to see his family more than Wednesday night and weekend. (While Middletown was fifty miles from New York, the same distance as Crystal Lake is from Chicago, the train trip was at least an hour and a half. The track was so bad, the commuters called it the Eire and Lackadaisical.)

He stayed in a single room occupancy hotel in NYC, meeting all sorts of interesting people, as he did in Chicago when he preceded us to take his new job as Manager of the Barley and Malt Institute.

"Tell Grandmom—his mother—it's about malt, like malted milk,” he told me by phone. (You see Addie Watlin-Skinner in her mid-nineties here.)

Addie Skinner was not one who favored alcohol or cards. She and her husband left the Methodist Church about 1944 because it was getting too liberal. My grandfather Skinner built a Holiness Church near Crumpton, Maryland, where they retired.

Dad came to Chicago while us kids finished the school year. He lived in a single room occupancy hotel.

Dad and Mom decided on Crystal Lake as the place they wanted to live. It had a lake that seemed safer than Lake Michigan.

Labels: Cal Skinner Sr, Chincillla, Ellen Skinner, James Clayland Stevens, National Chinchilla Breeders Association, Party Switching, Queen Anne's County, Salt Lake City

This is so simple I am amazed that I haven't heard it anywhere else.

Let's put a couple of small slot machines on each CTA bus and rapid transit car.

Let the CTA keep all the profits.

Consider it a user fee.

Labels: Chicago Transit Authority, CTA, Slot Machines, User Fee

Here's a new McHenry County blog which has a story about Johnsburg folks might be interested in.

Silver Lake's resident Erica Burke, who is managing editor of McHenry County Living writes about "Paradise Lost (in Johnsburg.)"

The “Lost Paradise” is Paradise Cove Motel.

I really like the picture she has of docked boats on her masthead.

Labels: Erica Burke, Johnsburg, McHenry County Living, McHenry County Musings, Paradise Cove Motel

Here's a license plate that ties into tomorrow's “Message of the Day.”

It says,


and was found somewhere in the Crystal Lake area.

Labels: License Plate, Look Sharp, Message of the Day

When Rod Blagojevich was running for governor in 2002, he promised that Sheridan Correctional Center would stay open.

If memory serves me correctly, Governor George Ryan had it on his closure list in his efforts to save the state money.

While it could have been turned into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility for the Chicago metropolitan area, instead of trying for that alternative use, Blagojevich turned it into a drug treatment center for convicts.

A couple of years later I heard a rumor that parole agents were being discouraged from discovering violations by those paroled from Sheridan.

If parolees weren't sent back to prison, the drug treatment program would be a success, right?

Now that we have a new governor, I wonder if anyone has figured out what was rumored is happening and, if it is, whether parole agents have been freed to do the job for which Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart worked so hard to get hired when he was a state representative.

The article you see reminded me of the rumor.

Labels: Parole, Pat Quinn, Probation, Probation Violation, Rod Blagojevich, Sheridan Correctional Center

This is the fourth in a serialization of my father's biography. Previous parts can be found below on McHenry County Blog.

One of Dad's inspirations for running involved an unresponsive city government.


I can hear the sounds of gravel to this day hitting the water below my feet as my Dad held my hands after I managed to slip into the open storm sewer.

Dad went to city hall and asked for a grate on the sewer. (You might say my and my father's political careers started that day...in the gutter. That what I said about my own when I announced for the U.S. Senate in 1981 at my then in-laws' Herb and Millicent Geist's David Adler mansionat at 955 Lake Avenue in Lake Forest.)

Dad didn't get what he requested.

So, when the post of president of the town council became vacant, he had a real reason for running.

Needless to say, storm sewers soon through Easton soon had grates.

First daughter Janet was born in 1944.

I remember the family joined the Miles River Yacht Club. We had a small outboard in what seemed to be a very big berth to someone about six. I remember the day we came to the yacht club and it had sunk.

More scary were the fireworks that blew onto our blanket when the wind blew in from the east during the 4th of July celebration.

Dad then bought a leaky, old fishing boat. We had just seen the “African Queen,” so it probably was in 1951 or 52. The boat ran aground in Kent Narrows and the men got off to push it off the sandbar. I was put in charge of the pump at age ten, while my eight-year old sister Janet sat with me inside the small cabin.

The yacht club is where I got introduced to slot machines. They were nickel slots and I have to admit I did not understand the sign above them:


I knew there were no mines nearby.

My father and his assistant Jack Rue, who became a congressional assistant to either Rogers C.B. Morton or his successor, took off the boat's copper sheathing and spend hours putting wooden match sticks into the holes where the nails had been.

One day a snow goose showed up in the back room where the washing machine was kept. Dad had shot it. I remember Mother's pouring boiling water over to loosen the feathers, which she plucked. I don't think she was too happy about having that task.

Sometime in the late 1940's Dad bought a used offset press and started a printing business in the side room where we played. I guess he thought the family needed more money than Tri-State Packers paid him.

Dad was in the caravan of Eastern Shore public officials who were the first to drive across the new Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 1952.

So much for the ferry rides across the Bay. They were a real treat to us kids.

That was the same year that second daughter Ellen entered the world. Jan and I were asked if we wanted a little brother or sister. My guess is that Mom asked the question after she was pregnant.

More tomorrow

Labels: Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Easton Town Council, Jack Rue, Janet Skinner, Kent Narrows, Miles River Yacht Club, Tri-State Packers

The answer is simple, but the politics is difficult.

It is pretty obvious that real estate value is greatly affected by closeness to mass transportation, especially that which runs on rails.

It is equally obvious that downtown business interests have a vested interest in getting people to and from jobs in and near the Loop.

Not coincidentally, that is where the most valuable real estate is.

So, I propose additional funding for the CTA come from the real estate tax in areas served by the system.

Those who receive the most value from mass transit would pay the most; those receiving the least value, the least.

Naturally, the best tax is a tax someone else pays.

But a good tax is one that can be logically linked to what it is financing.

A property tax can achieve that linkage to the Chicago Transit Authority; a sales tax cannot.

And, there is one other advantage. The property tax on at least residential property in Chicago is very, very low compared to elsewhere in Illinois.

Labels: Chicago Transit Authority, CTA, RTA Sales Tax

1967 was the year and the McHenry County Republican Central Committee, Ted Wickham, Chairman, had printed



signs to help township candidates get elected. They were nailed on phone poles and trees. No need for wire.

Campaign signs have gotten a lot more sophisticated since then, haven't they?

Labels: McHenry County Republican Central Committee, Message of the Day, Sign, Ted Wickham, Vote Republican

The Northwest Herald did a front page story on fathers in McHenry County Jail. I scanned it at the time, but that was before I lost my images in a hard drive crash.

It was a good article, to which I would link if the NW Herald's search engine was adequate.

I was reminded of the underlying story I wanted to write by this May 26th Chicago Tribune story, entitled,

No job,
but child
support
still due

I tried to find that article by typing in all but the last two words in the title and nothing popped up. Didn't matter, because the Tribune hides its articles after 30 days.

And it doesn't matter for the purpose of this story.

Before my friend Mark Enghstrom was diagnosed with a fast spreading cancer, he was in one of the McHenry County divorce wars. Having endured one myself, we discussed the details too often.

He wanted as much time with his kids, Luke and Tabatha, as he could get. I remember one time he took them on a vacation in the almost broken-down panel truck he used for his carpentry and painting jobs. They always went camping. He could never afford a motel room.

I think they went to Iowa the time I am remembering his having told me about.

In any event, they were in farm country and he saw a farmer on a tractor. Mark offered him $15 to let Luke drive it. The farmer accepted it. Luke learned to drive a tractor in junior high school, just as farm kids do.

During the hearing on child support, he was so proud that he had just gotten a job selling insurance for some “Christian” insurance agent.

The $35,000 he testified to was not from commissions he had earned; it was a starting stipend.

And, guess what?

It disappeared when Mark called the boss on some unethical behavior.

But, did the child support decrease?

Oh, no.

It just kept mounting up as his carpentry and painting work did not bring in anything close to $35,000 a year.

(And that, a friend reminded me, is an understatement to Mark's abilities. He was a craftsman. Look at the cove molding in our kitchen and you'll agree. Ask my wife about the discussion of color for our bedroom and downstairs bathroom, where you can still seen a shoe mark as he distressed the striped faux French design he created. He used to call me “a handyman's delight.")

In any event, Mark's ex-wife's attorney seemed to think she could wring money out of Mark's rock. She kept taking him to court again and again and, of course, Mark could never pay what he owed in child support, let alone the lawyer's fees for taking to court repeatedly.

Eventually, the lawyer asked that Mark be tossed in jail for not paying the child support.

Right along with the violent criminals.

The irony is that Mark had just started a job that would pay decent money. Naturally, he lost it because he was in jail.

At the time I wondered about the logic of Judge Marty Zopp's expecting a father to pay back child support while incarcerated.

I think Mark was in jail at least a month. (He was put in jail twice, for this offense, once earlier for not very long.)

At one of the status hearings, I interjected myself into the proceedings, saying I had a job for him.

The judge admonished me for speaking out of turn, but let Mark out that day.

We went to the McHenry County Fair and had lunch. How pale his skin was from all those days without sunlight.

Anyway, that's what the two stories about Dad's not being able to pay their child support when they lost their jobs brought forth from my memory bank.

Mark died in 2005 after having left an indelible mark on our family. My son sometimes says he “hates God,” because of Mr. Mark's and South School Librarian Mrs. Pearl's deaths. I see his handiwork in the kitchen, bedroom, living room and both bathrooms. The last thing he was able to do was put up the towel rack in the downstairs bathroom after painting it. It pretty amazing how often his craftsmanship leads my brain to think of him.

The irony is that the attorney who ran up all the bills trying to collect child support that did not exist did not get paid.

= = = = =
In the photos with people, you see Luke and Tabatha with their father Mark Engstrom.

Labels: Child Support, Ex-Wife, Mark Engstrom, Marty Zopp, McHenry County Jail

The McHenry County Conservation Foundation sounds all warm and fuzzy until you figure out that the Conservation Board set it up specifically to keep $1 million paid by Lakehead Pipeline out of MCCD's coffers.

Out of the control of public officials and into the hands of ex-Conservation District leaders. Read the whole sordid tale here, as well as how that Foundation spent $137,000 million to pass bond issue in 2001.

You might find of interest a statement by a local Republican leader asserting that raising taxes helps taxpayers.

In retrospect, it sounds a lot like Pat Quinn this spring.

For the 2007 $73 million bond issue, the Foundation only kicked in $63,000.

At least that's what its captive campaign committee—the McHenry County Citizens for Clean Water & Open Space—reported to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

I guess the $24,000 of polling in the month before the election showed there was not a need to spend as much money that time around.

The mailings were financed over 95% by tax free money that should have been in the McHenry County Conservation District's treasury where it could not have been spent to pass a bond issue.

You can read who lent their names, but, with few exceptions, not their money to passing the MCCD's 27% property tax hike here.

Other people's money is the best money, right.

Here are the mailings I snagged. (I may have missed some because they took me off their mailing list.)

McHenry County Conservation Foundation Hides Its Payment of Tax Hike Mailing

Protecting Open Space

Labels: $73 million bond issue, MCCD, McHenry County Conservation District, McHenry County Conservation Foundation

Have you notices that municipalities do so, so well when growth is rampant?

But when it slows down, taxes and fees get hiked.

If you need a recent example, think of Crystal Lake's hiking water and sewer rates for the second time

IlliniPundit posted a story about developer impact fees. It certainly doesn't say growth pays its own way.

The City of Champaign released their draft Cost of Land Uses Fiscal Impact Analysis, and held a public meeting on it...:

The study found that among six types of residential development, only high-priced single-family detached homes in the $400,000 to $600,000 range, such as Trails at Brittany and Chestnut Grove subdivisions, and downtown apartments, like at One Main, generated income surpluses for the city, primarily due to their higher taxable values.

High-priced single-family homes generated a surplus of $813 per house for the city and downtown apartments generated a surplus of $325 per unit.

Other types of housing were net money losers, including medium-priced single family homes, like in Sawgrass and Boulder Ridge subdivisions (a loss of $888 per unit); low-priced single family homes, like in Ashland Park (an average $641 per unit loss); apartments on the city fringe (an average loss of $764 per unit) and attached housing units, such as townhomes, duplexes and triplexes (an average loss of $334 per unit), the study said.

And this:

Among nonresidential developments, big box retail generates a $6,245 surplus for the city per 1,000 square feet of space, and neighborhood retail generates $4,639 per 1,000 square feet. Sales taxes generated by retail sales accounts for the surpluses.
But the city loses an average of $314 per 1,000 square feet of office space, loses $63 per 1,000 square feet of industrial use and loses $51 per 1,000 square feet for health care clinics.

So, growth in Barrington Hills, Lakewood and Bull Valley pays its own way, but affordable homes don't.

The rest of us have to subsidize the developers, who "help" us subsidize them by contributing campaign cash to school tax hike committees.

Labels: Champaign, Growth, Growth Doesn't Pay Its Own Way, Rampant Growth

Previous parts of this biography can be found below on McHenry County Blog.

The night I was born, June 11, 1942, my father and his Methodist minister friend Charles (Charlie) Jarvis, who baptized all three kids and, having moved to Illinois to the first pastor the Oak Park Methodist Church, officiated at Dad's funeral, sat on the porch of the Easton Memorial Hospital drinking beer.

His wife Eleanor was inside doing the heavy work.

It was the night of the first blackout. (During World War II communities prepared for air attacks by using shades to block light coming from their homes.)

Since I was conceived before Pearl Harbor, my father was not drafted. He also was working in what was considered an essential industry. Those two factors, rather than his mis-set broken arm probably keep him out of harm's way.

A local owner of property, Mrs. Hubbard died and her homes went up for auction to settle her estate. Dad was bidding on her home, which was at 212 S. Aurora Street. As I remember the story, he had $2,000.

The bid went higher.

Mr. Shook, his boss at Tri-State Packers, offered to loan him $500 and, with that money, he bid $2,500 and bought his first house. (It had weathered wooden shingles then. I remember tossing what Mrs. Hubbard had stored in the attic out the window, which seemed very high up to someone in grade school. I got a lot of great old stamps, because she saved every letter.)

Shortly thereafter Mr. Shook retired and Dad became the Tri-State Packers' Executive Secretary.

That must have been about the time Dad was spending a lot of time on Capitol Hill. As one of the closer trade associations.

The National Canners Association often called on him to appear before congressional committees during World War II. Dad always got cannery operators to testify, knowing that congressmen would rather hear from someone in the trenches than a hired gun.

The high-powered attorney the national association retained gave him some advice I have repeated many times:

“Cal, there are two kinds of lawyers. Those who tell you why you can't do what you want to do and those who tell you how to do what you want to do.”

Dad and I preferred the latter.

Besides working at the trade association, Dad managed a cannery at least one summer.

He also worked his father's farm when his father became incapacitated. You see him behind the mule.

As an up-and-comer in Easton, Dad was elected president of the Easton Rotary Club, which met in the Tidewater Inn. From the award for club excellence I found, it appears that must have been in 1944-45. (Plaques just don't take the place of those hand-lettered awards, do they? Click to enlarge.)

His friend Walter Barnes, who ran a men's store across from the courthouse, was Mayor of Easton. When a vacancy occurred as head of the legislative branch, the town council, Dad ran unopposed and won. (I remember walking with my mother when she voted at the fire house on the side street near the Avalon Theatre.)

More tomorrow.

Labels: Blackout, Cal Skinner Sr, Capitol Hill, Charlie Jarvis, Deferment, Easton Memorial Hospital, Easton Rotary, Eleanor Skinner, Mule, Tri-State Packers, Walter Barnes, World War II

I have always been amazed at how many people are employed collecting garbage in Chicago.

Didn't there used to be four men on each truck?

Now there are three. Mayor Richard Daley talked earlier this year about cutting the number to two.

Why not one?

I don't remember garbage trucks out here having more than one person, even before the machines were attached to lift the containers automatically. Maybe two when someone was being trained.

One morning I saw two MDC garbage trucks going in different directions.

One was picking up garbage, the other recyclables. The recycling containers now have yellow lids.

I don't know why the guys in the picture on Douglas Street were out of their trucks. In the middle photo, you can see that for an ordinary pick-up, they don't have to.

That proves it can be done.

When you see Daley announce one man per truck, you'll know he's serious about saving money.

The trucks from from EDC Environmental Services, which used to be called MDC Marengo Disposal Company. They now say "MDC" on the trucks.

Labels: Garbage Men, Garbage Trucks, Marengo Disposal Company, MDC Environmental Services, Recycle

This is a Pizza Hut pizza zit.

That's what the kids said when they saw it.

When I bit into it, was the pizza pimple filled with tasty cheese?

No-o-o-o.

Nothing but air.

Labels: Blackhead, Message of the Day, Pimple, Pizza, Pizza Hut, Whitehead, Zit

The first part of my father's multi-part biography ran yesterday. Today, Father's Day, we'll

Dad graduated debt free from college in three and a half years.

Somehow I have gotten the impression that he was something of a lady's man. I don't know how he had time.

He had to take off one semester to work the farm while he father was sick, which I didn't know until I read my sister Jan Patel's memories.

Dad's goal in life was to become a county ag agent.

One of his part-time jobs was candling eggs at a market in Washington, D.C. The Southwest District of Columbia market still exists and I believe it is now an upscale shopping area.

(Later, during the Richard Ogilvie administration, the McHenry County Republican Party sent out a list of jobs that were open. Dad had been elected Algonquin Township Precinct Committeeman in 1966, when I ran for McHenry County Treasurer, and served until 1988. He had been head of the local Nixon citizens committee in 1960. He lost a GOP primary race for County Auditor in 1964 to Harley Mackeben, McHenry County Board Chairman and Grafton Township Supervisor.

(In any event, "egg candler" was one of the jobs and Dad guessed rightly that no one else would have relevant experience. Don't know where the job was located, but he didn't get it. Of course, he didn't really want it.)

Mom was teaching in Elkridge, Maryland. It's on the Western Shore. Her first year, she coached her girls basketball team to second place in the state tournament.

My mother and father were married on July 31, 1938, in Wilmington, Delaware. The fancy marriage certificate says it was by a Methodist Episcopal minister named Wingate Daniel Short.

Mother lived in Barclay at the time; Dad in Sudlersville, both in Maryland. Helen Roe Stevens and Addie Louise Skinner were the witnesses.

After college, my father taught agriculture in Cordova, Talbot County, Maryland, but discovered it didn't pay well enough to support a wife.

Then, he took a job with the Federal Land Bank in Baltimore. The two lived in an upstairs apartment in a row house.

As an appraiser, he worked with farmers who held loans with the Land Bank when the Pennsylvania Tollway right-of-way was being purchased, among others.

In 1941,he took a job as assistant to the Tri-State (Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey) Packers Association in Easton, Maryland, with the prospect of becoming its Executive Secretary when the man who hired him retired. I think his name was Frank Shook. They lived in half a house until I was born in 1942.

My September, 1941, conception occurred before Pearl Harbor and for some reason that kept Dad from being drafted. Dad also worked for what the government considered an essential industry--food production. That may have contributed to his deferment later in World War II.

I found a Red Cross Volunteer arm patch, which I assume was Dad's.

I know he told me that he did serve as a lookout along the shore to see if German submarines were within site.

I'm not sure where, but the coastal areas were worried that a submarine would land spies or saboteurs, I guess.

Our home county of Talbot has more miles of waterfront than any other in the country. (And, the British did bombard St. Michaels during the War of 1812. And, the Nazis patrolled the Eastern Seaboard looking for Allied ships.)

Tomorrow - More of Cal Skinner, Sr.'s biography.

Labels: Cal Skinner Sr, Cordova, Egg Candling, Eleanor Skinner, Federal Land Bank, Helen Roe Stevens, Marriage Certificate, Pennsylvania Tollway, Talbot County, Tri-State Packers

Matthew 7:24-29 advises building one's house on solid rock, not shifting sand.

As I was researching Dinosaur National Monument in northwestern Colorado, I discovered that the Quarry Vistor Center is closed.

Why?

"The Quarry Visitor Center has experienced continuing problems with foundation movement since its construction on expansive soils in 1957."

There may be a message there someplace.

Labels: Dinosaur National Monument, Matthew 7:24, Matthew 7:26, Quarry Visitor Center, Shifting Sand

Here's a tee shirt I found at Disney World.

It says,


I asked the Dad wearing it where it was from.

“Aurora,” he replied.

In Orlando.

Labels: Father's Day, Message of the Day, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

Father's Day is tomorrow and it seems appropriate to jot down some thoughts about my Dad.

The story got out of hand, so I'll cut it up and run some each day until I reach the end.

Calvin LeRoy Skinner was born in Wilmington, Delaware June 8, 1916, the second son of Addie Watling and Roy Skinner.

His mother was running a corner store. She already had son George when she became pregnant with Dad.

I was interviewing her in her 95th year and she suddenly asked,

"Are you in favor of abortion?"

"I don't know, Grandmom," I replied, not knowing where she was going.

"Well, you better not, because you wouldn't be here if I had followed my girlfriends' advice."

Her girl friends suggested if she had a second child she would have to close the store.

The family also lived in Chester, Pennsylvania, and on various rental farms in Maryland, two I know of were in Queen Anne's County.

Dad's father was a handyman-builder and farmer. He built their home in Chester. At one point his mother worked in a fireworks factory in Chestertown, Maryland, that blew up. She led survivors to safety, crawling under a wire fence.

The family lived on rental farms, one of which was next to his future wife Eleanor Stevens near Barclay, Maryland.

Another was on a road where he and his father saw a black man lynched. They were walking home as the mob was stringing the poor man up. (I wrote Maryland officials interested in lynching, but none are listed in Queen Anne's County after 1891. I figure this probably occurred in the 1920's, but Maryland statistics show no lynchings in that decade.)

The last farm was near Route 50 east of Crumpton and Dad farmed it during World War II when his father became unable to do so.

As a high schooler, Dad excelled in agriculture, becoming President of the Maryland 4-H All-Stars. (He must have had a politically astute Ag teacher to win the convention held in Fredericksburg, Maryland.)

As a kid he broke his arm falling out of a tree. His father set it. The result was a slightly bent arm the rest of his life, left, I think.

After graduating from Sudlersville High School, the same year as his future wife Eleanor, in the summer before attending the University of Maryland, he may have received the first student loan.

The local banker asked him,

"Calvin, how are you going to pay for college?"

Dad told him he was going to work his way through.

"Here's a check book. If you ever need money, write a check."

Dad got his first car, a Model T with a rumble seat, I believe, when he walked by a man on a road who couldn't get his vehicle restarted.

"You want it?" he asked.

My father answered in the affirmative.

"It's yours," the owner said and walked away.

Tomorrow, Cal Skinner, Sr.'s story continues with Part 2

Labels: 4-H All-Stars, Addie Watling-Skinner, Cal Skinner Sr, Chester, College Loan, Eleanor Skinner, Eleanor Stevens, June 8 1916, Lynching, Queen Anne's County, Sudlersville High School

During the tornado warning Friday, Keely Cat was hiding under the bottom stair to the basement.

One of my son's friends was sitting on top of him. My wife was above.

My son and I were standing up.

Then, my son told me where the Mitten was.

In the safest place in the house should a tornado hit.

Labels: Basement, Cowering, Fear, Keely, Message of the Day, Tornado Warnnig

I don't remember three waves of thunderstorms coming through McHenry County before.

Labels: Severe Thunder Storm

Prior to the 1972 elections, the United States Supreme Court ruled that legislative bodies like the McHenry County Board and city councils had to be apportioned on a one-man, one-vote basis.

The county board divided the county into three districts, Dad's consisting of Algonquin and Grafton Townships.

Dad didn't like the way the districts had been apportioned and challenged it acting as his owner lawyer in Federal Court.

Because the district lines Dad came up resulted in more closely matched populations and were at least as compact as the county's the judge told McHenry County State's Attorney to discuss a settlement with Dad.

State's Attorney Bill Cowlin did not do so before the next scheduled court date.

When both showed up before the judge, Dad told the judge that Cowlin hadn't gotten in touch with him.

The Federal judge then ordered him to do so before returning for the next hearing.

Dad didn't get exactly what he asked for, but the county board members came up with a much more acceptable map. Algonquin and Grafton Townships were put in District 1, one-third of the county's population.

Dad and his allies put together a slate, which they called “Responsible Republicans.” They made the ballot order so they could tell people to vote from “Bick to Burns.” (John Bick, an older conservative and 10-acre tree farmer from Barrington Hills; Brad Burns, my to-be brother-in-law, from Crystal Lake's Coventry.)

The regular Republicans won all eight seats up in 1972, but my father got more votes than any other county board member running in Districts Two and Three.

The next time Dad ran, he and his ally Lou Anne Majewski won. Lou Anne got more votes, helping validate my theory that women have an automatic advantage when they run for office.

I remember on serious disagreement we had. When an addition was being built on the new courthouse, he voted to let the Public Building Commission issue bonds without a referendum. I reminded him that he had campaigned against similar action when the new courthouse had been constructed.

When Vernon Kays retired from being County Clerk, Dad ran for the office against Vernon's Chief Deputy Rosemary Azzaro. Rosemary won, even winning at least one Crystal Lake Coventry precinct in which she knocked on doors. Dad didn't do any door-to-door campaigning.

Two years later he was back on the county board.

In the 1980's, the county board was bold enough to announce potential sites for ten or so county airports. What a way to engender opposition.

Tom Smrt, the owner of Fox Valley Systems in Cary took offense. He raised English Shires sought of Marengo on Route 20 next to the Tollway. He created the McHenry County Chronicle, which was mailed to at least all who voted Republican regularly. Every month. Smrt's attacks on the county board led to Dad's allies winning all four seats that were up that year.

In the fall of 1987, his wife Eleanor was killed in a truck-car accident at Route 14 and Dean Street Road. It took over ten years after that for a traffic signal to be installed.

Dad and Mom had been scheduled to go up to Mayo the next April. Dad didn't go.

The night the summer drought was broken by a severe thunderstorm Dad had a county board meeting. On Country Club Road almost to Crystal Springs Road, he ran into a tree branch. He hit his chest on the steering wheel. That might not have been so bad, but when he plowed into the big tree branch there was a young man trying to move it from the highway. Dad's bumper crushed the Good Samaritan's leg between his bumper and that of the young man.

About a year later he developed cancer where his chest was bruised.

It would have been caught early had Dad kept the appointment at Mayo, but, after Mother's death he skipped it.

He ended up being treated at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He and I lived with my sister Jan in a zip code in search of a town between Annapolis and Washington.

In December, Dr. Stevens would not release him when he had to leave in order to get back to McHenry County to vote for Ann Hughes for county board chairman.

He signed himself out.

You see the photo of my wheeling him in for the crucial vote. Somehow he managed to retain his position as vice chairman, even though a deal had been cut to elect another man.

After Dad died in the summer of 1989, I executed his estate.

To do that I had to get his birth certificate.

To my surprise, I found that his middle name of “LeRoy” read “Leroy” on the birth certificate. Apparently he decided to capitalize the “R” at some point in his life. So, I'm not really a “junior” because my birth certificate reads “LeRoy.” I guess being a regular “Leroy” wasn't fancy enough for him.

First a severe thunderstorm watch, then a tornado warning.

Lots and lots of rain.

We skipped the McHenry Marlin swim practice because of the Tribune's radar weather map showed the storm headed toward McHenry.

Turns out it came about the time practice was over, but just barely. It would have been absolutely pouring on the way home.

When I took my son to Camp Invention at Indian Prairie Grade School, even the geese crossing Huntley Road seemed to think it was too much.

Then I spotted a perfect message for today.

A soggy garage sign at the southeast corner Golf Course and Village Roads.

Not a good day for a yard sale.

Labels: Camp Invention, Indian Prairie Elementary School, Sign, Soaked, Soggy, Yard Sale

Labels: McHenry County, Tornado Warnnig

The following information about Illinois Stimulus Package projects comes from Oklahoma U.S. Senator Tom Colburn's office:

• Illinois county to spend $173,824 weatherization grant on eight pickup trucks. Having received $400,000 for a federal weatherization program, Madison County in Illinois will be spending nearly half of it on eight new Ford F-150’s. One member of the county board, Bill Meyer, raised concerns about how fast the county is being forced to spend the money, noting that

  “it looks like this is being crammed down our throat.”

  Fellow council member Bruce Malone responded that they have little choice:

  “They are saying,

  ‘Get out and spend it.’” (61)

  (61) Schmidt, Sanford, “Panel calls for spending stimulus funds on weatherization,” The Telegraph, June 8, 2009.

• Road signs costing $300 each are being placed at construction sites to alert motorists that the project is being paid for by stimulus money. Signs are popping up all across American. In Illinois alone, the signs are expected to cost $150,000, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). According to an IDOT spokesman,
  
  

  “It's difficult for us to determine how many signs there will be.”(65)
  
  (65) Erickson, Kurt, “Stimulus money paying for signs announcing funded projects,”

  Bloomington Pantagraph, May 12, 2009.

• Parking lot that no one wants. In Macomb, Illinois, $643,945 was spent on a Prairieview public housing parking lot that no one wants. Many of the residents that the parking lot was supposed to benefit have protested it. Explaining his concern, a local resident said,

  “The kids love the grass. We’ve got enough pavement here.”(72)
  
  (72) Steelman, Lainie, “Parking under protest at Prairieview,” Macomb Journal, June 10, 2009.

• Illinois will spend $350,000 to build a four-person bunkhouse at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. (75)
  
  The median price for a home in Marion, Illinois, the site of the park, is currently $71,000. (76)
  
  (75) Crab Orchard refuge gets federal stimulus money.” The Southern, April 27, 2009.
  
  (76) Zillow.com, search for “Marion, Illinois,” accessed June 12, 2009.


• Rather than help welfare recipients obtain jobs and escape poverty, $1 million will be used to study whether 300 people in Chicago are healthier when living in “green” public housing facilities. The study will evaluate whether building green housing is healthier for people and will focus on 300 residents at a Chicago public housing facility. Researchers expect to find that residents living in these more energy-efficient facilities will have much lower healthcare costs. This study will create interviewing jobs.(80)
  
  (80) Sachs, Peter, “UIC gets $1M grant to study ‘green’ housing,” Chi-Town Daily News, May 08, 2009.

If you would like to learn more, here is Senator Colburn's publication.

Other Midwestern examples can be found here.

I wonder if the four-person Crab Orchard bunk house will turn out to be a vacation getaway for the political class, as some state DNR facilities were for Illinois politicians. Goose and duck hunting were the draw for the relatively luxurious state-owned facilities.

= = = = =
Thanks for Respuublica for pointing the way to this story.

Labels: Bruce Malone, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Green Housing, Macomb, Madison County, Pork, Prairieview, Sign, Stimulus Package, Tom Colburn, UIC-Chicago, Weatherization

A press release from a new internet-savvy McHenry County conservative political organization has arrived.

The new group describes what it all about below:

Patriots United Vision:

To renew America by changing the present course of our government, one community at a time, to one that our Founding Fathers were divinely inspired to create.

Patriots United Mission:

Change Public Policy that reflects our Conservative Pillars and values by uniting all like-minded citizens

Patriots United Purpose:

To change public policy that better reflects this vision through holding those accountable that work in our government.

The press release follows:

Learn how to use the Web to Connect, Educate and Activate to Accomplish Our Mission

Since their last Town Hall Meeting featuring conservative political and cultural radio host, blogger and commentator Teri O’Brien, the grass roots conservative movement Patriots United formed in McHenry County, IL, continued their mission to educate and activate concerned conservatives regarding the issues of concern related to their five pillars:

Patriots United Core Issues (Pillars)

• Pro-family (Life, Traditional Marriage, Resist Culture of Death)


• Limited Government (Abide by the Bill of Rights)


• Free Market Economy (Lower Taxes, Pro-Entrepreneurialism)


• Choice in Education, Education not Indoctrination (Charter Schools, Private & Parochial, Vouchers, Home Schooling


• National Defense (Safer Communities, Immigration Reform, Strong Military, Second Amendment Protection)

The next Town Hall meeting is scheduled on Friday, June 19, 2009. Registration will be from 6:30-6:45. The meeting starts at 7 and ends at 8:30.

"Anyone who values freedom, American traditional values, and true conservative principles should be involved. Truly, America is on the chopping block.” --Michael Brown

Patriots United can be contacted on the internet via:

www.patriotsunited.com

bklockenga@patriotsunited.com

Facebook MeetUp

Patriots United Facebook Cause

Patriots United Facebook Group

Patriots United Twitter

Facebook MeetUp

Patriots United Facebook Cause

Patriots United Facebook Group

Click to enlarge the meeting announcement.

Labels: McHenry County, Patriots United

What looked to me like a blue heron flew low across the lake from the west and landed on the front lawn immediately east of CCAPOA Gate 13 Beach on Crystal Lake.

Next an egret landed in the same front lawn.

Ray Christi lamented that he didn't have his camera, but mine was in the car, so I got it.

We walked closer. The egret took off over the swimming area.

I got this shot.

Neither of us saw where the other bird went.

Labels: CCAPOA, Crystal Lake, Egret, Gate 13 Beach, Message of the Day

I'm no cell phone expert, but, with the defeat of the T-Mobile cellular proposal to put a tower in Ken Bird Park, a proposal that has just surfaced to put one on Crystal Lake Country Club property may be to take up the slack the company perceives.

The following email was sent to Crystal Lake Country Club members yesterday:

June 17, 2009

Fellow Members,

As some of you know, or have heard before, we have been negotiating with T-Mobile to allow a cell phone tower to be erected on Club property. I'm pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with them and I share the basic facts with you below.

It was not an easy process --- they kept dragging their feet or changing terms or specifics for most of the past year. We finally got a signed agreement which covers the following basic points:

• The agreement is a 10-year lease with the right to extend for two more 10-year periods.


• T-Mobile has the option to exercise the lease for one year for $2500 and they have the right to extend the option for a second year for another $2500.


• The property being leased is a small parcel (about 4600 square feet) bounded by the maintenance shed, Barlina Rd and the fence behind the 3rd tee. The tower will be about 80` high.


• T-Mobile has the sole responsibility to obtain appropriate approval from the City of Crystal Lake for the tower and has sole responsibility for the costs and the building of the tower. CLCC has nothing to do with and no expense for these aspects.


• T-Mobile will pay rent at $1900 per month, escalating at 4% per year for the duration of the lease.


• T-Mobile will pay us reasonable attorney fees for executing the agreement.


• T-Mobile cannot sublet space on the tower without CLCC executing an agreement with the sublessor.

T-Mobile has already paid us the initial option fee and attorney fees. As noted, T-Mobile has the responsibility to get city approval. We have no responsibility in this regard and will wait to hear what happens.

I will keep you updated on further developments.

Thank you,

Chuck Ebann
President
Crystal Lake Country Club

The Crystal Lake Park District was going to get $2,000 a month. I wonder why the country club is getting less. Maybe it's because of the 4% annual increase in the $1,900 a month rent.

There was this vibrant park board meeting where Ken Bird Park neighbors expressed their concerns.

As stated in the email, Crystal Lake City Council permission is required. I wonder if Four Colonies residents will take offense similar to that of Ken Bird Park area residents.

= = = = =
The top photo was seen at the park board meeting. The bottom one is of the maintenance building from Barlina Road. I would assume the third tee is to the west.

Labels: Barlina Road, Cell Tower, Cellullar Tower, Four Colonies, T-Mobile

It was free and worth more than the price of admission.

Attended by 35-40 McHenry County Democrats, a panel of four speakers talked of what one needed to be a successful candidate.

Michael Bisset, husband of and campaign manager for McHenry County Board member Paula Yensen in her upset campaign last fall, summed the estentials up in three words:


“Most of you will find time is your strength.

“I started working on my campaign literature a year in advance,” newly elected county board member Yensen said later.

“Our secret weapon is time and message and passion to win,” Bissett said.

Mike Fourcher gave tried and try advice about raising money.

The essential, of course, is


Locally, Fourcher worked on Patrick Ouimet's and Bill Gentes' Illinois state senate campaigns. He founded purely political consulting after working more recently with the Haymarket Group, among others.

8th District Committeewoman for the Illinois Democratic Central Committee Nancy Shepherdson told of running for state representative twice against Lake County's Ed Sullivan,


Shepherdson urged candidates to find something to be passionate about and had some really good advice regarding attitude:
She also thinks every candidate in every incumbent should have an opponent.

Tom Cynor, who was slated to be the Democratic Party's candidate for State’s Attorney, stressed the need for money, especially for a countywide campaign.

He pointed out that there are 200,000 voters to court.

“You're looking at a large number of folks.

“That means, unfortunately, money.

“The business of running for countywide office is raising money.

“(If you can't raise the money) you don't have an honest and valid shot at winning the office.

“It's a huge, huge undertaking.”

He recommended having a war chest of at least $100,000 to run for county office.

“(Raising the money) is a task the candidate can't be bashful about. If you're bashful about anything, you shouldn't be running for countywide office.”

= = = = =

Mike Bissett is seen in the first table shot. Behind him is Tom Cynor and Nancy Shepherdson. Below Mike Fourcher's slide and shadow is Nancy Shepherdson. At the bottom is Tom Cynor with Shepherdson again int he background.

Labels: Havnig Fun, McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, Michael Bissett, Michale Fourcher, Nancy Shepherdson, Paula Yensen, Purely Political Consulting

As I suggested previously, there are messages almost everywhere.

When I was driving home on Monday, I saw this tire being changed at Lake Street and McHenry Avenue.

Looks like a classic Good Samaritan example to me.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Good Samaritan, Lake Street, McHenry Avenue, Message of the Day, Tire Changing

On of the friends of McHenry County Blog got a phone call this afternoon urging citizens contract McHenry County State Senator Pam Althoff to urge her to vote against the huge income tax hike that Governor Pat Quinn and other Democratic Party leaders favor.

Here's the text of the robo-call:

"This is Paul Caprio from Family PAC.

"Gov. Quinn is still trying to scare Illinois Sen. into passing his 50% tax increase without cutting the fat.

"Quinn won't agree to cutting the budget.

"Stand up for reform in Illinois now.

"Call Sen Pam Althoff at 815-455-6330 and tell her to cut the fat and no new taxes.

"Paid for by Family PAC."

I might have gotten it on my answering machine, if I still had one that worked.

It died when we installed AT&T U-Verse, even though it is a digital model.

As I have stated previously, I wish I could read this on State Rep. Mike Tryon's and Althoff's Route 14 sign in Woodstock.

(So, if you want to get in touch with me when I'm not home, email the address on the bottom right of the blog page, please.)

Labels: Family PAC, Income Tax Hike, Pam Althoff, Robo-Calls

The following press release has been received from the United States Attorney's Office:

Please find attached a superseding indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in Rockford, Ill., against Edward F. Bachner, IV, 36, formerly of Lake in the Hills, Ill., who was initially charged and arrested on June 30, 2008, on federal charges that he possessed a neurotoxin, Tetrodotoxin (TTX).

Bachner was indicted last summer on five counts of possessing a biological agent for use as a weapon and five counts of possessing a biological agent without any justifiable research or other peaceful purpose.

He has pleaded not guilty to those charges and remains in federal custody while the case is pending in Federal Court in Rockford.

Today’s superseding indictment contains those same charges and adds six new counts:

• one count of wire fraud alleging that Bachner engaged in a scheme to obtain TTX to kill his wife to collect $20 million in life insurance proceeds;

• one count of soliciting another in 2005 to commit a federal felony involving the use of force;


• one count of using an interstate facility for murder for hire in 2005; and


• three counts of filing false claims for federal income tax refunds.

Bachner is scheduled to be arraigned on the superseding indictment at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 18, before U.S. Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney in U.S. District Court in Rockford.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only allegations and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

July and August, 2008, background:

Puffer Fish Toxin Guy Had Empty Poison Vials, Needles and Book Telling How Much Needed to Kill People

Puffer Fish Toxin Man Seeking Murder of Woman in 2006

Bachner Connection to the Murder Request: "I was bored."

Dog Days and Zombies Have Arrived

Speculation for Motive of Puffer Fish Poison Guy

Lake in the Hills Puffer Fish Man Indicted, Charged with Getting Toxin to Use as a Weapon

The puffer fish lamp is found at The Breakers, an excellent Chinese restaurant in Crystal Lake.

Labels: Edward F. Bachner, Puffer Fish, Tetrodotoxin, TTX

is what the warning sign said Monday on Crystal Lake's College Street near Uteg.

Saturday the corner was flooded at 7:30 AM.

Impassible at 9.

This is the corner that the Crystal Lake Public Works Department spent a lot of effort to prevent regular flooding.

That flooding was right where you see the United Parcel Truck above.

I don't know when the sign went up, but it wasn't needed yesterday.

Labels: College Street, Crystal Lake Public Works Department, Flooding, Uteg Street, Water on Pavement

As I was driving back from the McHenry County Government Center the back way, I came upon an accident at the dangerous intersection of Briarwood and Route 176.

Briarwood is the first major intersection west of Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

As I approached from the north I saw two fire vehicles. I drove across 176 and took this photo.

Driving past I saw a pickup truck had collided with the back of a car.







This is the corner that the traffic study conducted for Pete Heitman's and Mark Houser's baseball stadium at McHenry County College completely ignored.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen pointed that out during the zoning debate prior to the “No” votes by him and Councilman Ralph Dawson doomed the project.

It's time for a traffic light.

Click to enlarge any image.

Labels: Briarwood, Jeff Thorsen, McHenry County College, Ralph Dawson, Route 176

I was a bit surprised by this imaginative political advertising that peered down at me from a widescreen television above the halls at the Kishwaukee Family YMCA that I saw before the McHenry Marlins dual meet started.

It promotes State Rep. Bob Pritchard as

• Honest
• Hardworking
• YMCA Supporter

You can see him on a treadmill, but the message on his tee shirt is too small to read.

It gives the legislator's



And, it says it's paid for by Citizens for Prichard, his political action committee.

= = = = =
The cap of the young man swimming the butterfly at DeKalb meet says his name is Schultz.

Labels: Bob Prichard, Citizens for Prichard, DeKalb, DeKalb YMCA, Kishwaukee Family YMCA, Political Ad

Just fifteen days left before Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and his entire city council, except Jeff Thorsen, voted to raise the city sales tax 75% will have been in effect for a full year.

Three days later we can celebrate Independence Day.

You may remember that even though the Vulcan Lakes TIF District, which will raise everyone's taxes in McHenry County, just as every other tax increment financing district does, was created to finance the recreational development of Vulcan Lakes, Mayor Shepley and the city council super-majority used the same excuse, plus others, to hike Crystal Lake's city sales tax 75%.

Right before the Crystal Lake City Council tax hike vote, the legislature, including at least one Republican State Senator with higher ambitions (Kirk Dillard) voted to triple our RTA sales taxes.

Once both the Crystal Lake and the RTA sales taxes hike went into affect, Crystal Lake shoppers started paying 7.75%, rather than the previous 6.5%.

Labels: 75% Sales Tax Hike, Aaron Shepley, Crystal Lake, Kirk Dillard, Sales Tax Hike

Crystal Lake's Main Beach is the place to be this afternoon.

I saw this banner tied to the gate of Main Beach as I was coming home from church.

The man at the parking lot said that the Crystal Lake Rowing Club is going to be introducing people to the sport this afternoon.

I don't know if that means verbal introduction or actual sitting in a skiff.

A tent is already up way down by toward the outlet.

I stopped and asked what time and heard,
Three

So, if you are interested, drop by.

It's a lot calmer than when the interstate high school tournament.

Labels: Chicago Greater Regional Rowing Championships, Crystal Lake Main Beach, Crystal Lake Rowing Club, Rowing

The $962,000 1.9 mile bike path from Walkup Avenue to McHenry County College, approved in late March, 2008, by the MCC Board and financed by the McHenry County Conservation District, is taking shape.



Look under the Centegra billboard and you will see that the path is paved all the way to where it turns east from Route 14 to parallel the Com Ed high power lines.


On the Walkup Avenue end, where a parking lot will eventually be built, you can see culverts that awaiting burial, plus a back hoe that was parked there at the beginning of the project.

Out of the $68.5 million 2001 MCCD bond issue, the District 47 part of Crystal Lake got $90,000 for the Walkup Avenue parking lot and a sign. Here's where the rest of the money went.

Most of the money for this bike path is coming from the 2007 $73 million bond issue, although $200,000 is coming from the Department of Natural Resources.

The district is also planning an entrance from Crystal Lake to the Lake in the Hills Fen behind the CVS Pharmacy.

Labels: $65.8 million bond issue, $73 million bond issue, MCCD, McHenry County Conservation District

This ad was placed last Christmas by Hobby Lobby. (Click to enlarge.)

That's the store that closes on Sunday, the way most stores did.

When I attended Oberlin College from 1960-64, the only stores that seemed to be open on Sunday were stores that sold milk, although I do remember buying a Sunday paper at the corner drug store. It was the only time I saw college President Robert Carr out of a suit.

The message on the full-page ad is




If you would like to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, call the Need Him Ministry at 1-888-NEED HIM.
Hobby Lobby, Hemispheres and Mardel Stores – 7704 S.W. 44th St. - Oklahoma City, OK 73179

Below the ad are three words from Pope John Paul II:


I include it because every book in the Bible tells not to be afraid.

Labels: Fear Not, Hammer, John Paul II, Oberlin College, Robert Carr, Stakes

You can see above what it looked like at College and Uteg this morning at 7:30.

This is the intersection that the Crystal Lake Public Works Department spent a lot of time trying to fix in 2008. Here you see city employees scoping out the problem.

I took some photos of the construction project, but didn't get around to posting them.

When Pete Castillo and I got back from our Emmaus Reunion Group at Andy's Family Restaurant,at 9 o'clock, the water at the intersection was so deep that I turned around in the middle of College to avoid the flooding.

Pete, who has some experience laying sewer pipe, thought that the new drainage pipe was too small.

The flooding does not seem to have been appreciably improved.

Here is a street where the sewer pipe is large enough to solve what was a chronic flooding problem. It is Lake Avenue near Country Club Drive next to the Crystal Lake Park District's Main Beach.

Labels: Andy's Family Restaurant, College Street, Crystal Lake Public Works Department, Flooding, Low Point, Message of the Day, Uteg Street

Twelve people applied to replace Lisa Knoeppel on the Crystal Lake Elementary School Board.

Thursday night, after an Executive (that is, secret) session, the consensus was that Robert Fetzner would do the best job.

The board voted to select him. He will be sworn in at Monday night's meeting.

The last name is a familiar one in the grade school district. His father Bill was principal at South Elementary School before he was elevated to a district administrative post.

Fetzner emerged from a pool of twelve applicants for the vacancy:

Mary Humphrey of Prides Run in Lake in the Hills and the following residents from Crystal Lake:

• Ralph DeGregor of Brairwood
• Lloyd Everard of Shadowood
• Jeff Larkins of Ackman Road
• Bob Linning of Village
• Eileen Palsgrove of Center
• Sue Sheehan of Silver Aspen
• Mike Shorten of Mira
• Michael Stick of Driftwood
• Terry Tubb of Glendale
• Larry Zurek of Wedgewood

The photo is from the South School award ceremony on Tuesday.

Labels: Bob Linning, Eileen Palsgrove, Jeff Larkins, Larry Zurek, Lisa Knoeppel, Lloyd Everard, Mary Humphrey, Michael Stick, Mike Shorten, Ralph DeGregor, Rob Fetzner, Sue Sheehan, Terry Tubb

Today's tee shirt was found at Knox Pool in McHenry, where the McHenry Marlins were practicing.

It says


In the background is what looks like a bicycle jumping over a row of school buses.

I got a photo of this young man's tee shirt at the DeKalb Dual Meet on Thursday that will show up some day, too.

Labels: I can do it, I saw it on TV, Knox Pool, McHenry Marlins, Message of the Day, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

Lake County State's Attorney Mike Waller seems on track to do what the U.S. Attorney has not been able to do.

Put fear into crooked Illinois politicians.

At least in Lake County.

Why?

He has indicted former Mayor Tom Hyde of Island Lake for a second time for official misconduct—three counts so far, I think—and his wife Sharon on one count.

They are, of course, considered not guilty until proven otherwise.

I have written elsewhere on the charges, which I had to obtain through the grapevine because Waller's office did not return my phone call request for details of about 3:30 Wednesday afternoon.

Please excuse the digression.

Any Lake County politician convicted of a crime by the Lake County State's Attorney would serve time in a state prison.

From my service on the Prison Reform Committee during the 1990's, I can tell you that no one who has been in an Illinois prison would want a friend or relative incarcerated there.

Once word about Illinois prison conditions get around, that should have a deterrent effect.

We're not talking Club Fed here.

= = = = =
The photos were provided by the Lake County Sheriff's Department. They were taken during the Hyde's June 10th booking.

Labels: Lake County State's Attorney, Michael Waller, Sharon Hyde, Tom Hyde

Not only are McHenry County Democrats having a meeting for prospective 2010 candidates to explain the lay of the land, but Young Republicans say they are getting inquiries “about becoming Republican Precinct Committeemen.”

Details about the earliest time for passing petitions (August!) and other information from the organization's weekly newsletter is below.

Here's the latest missive from the McHenry County Young Republicans:

Weekly Newsletter

There is certainly lots of things happening in the world of the McHenry County Young Republicans right now!

EVERY member is invited to our next meeting at O'Leary's in Woodstock. O'Leary's is open to all ages. There will be time to talk and meet other members before and after our short meeting. During this gathering we will be hosting a business card drawing. All members are encouraged to bring a business card. This activity is meant to help network with other Young Republicans and local businesses.

Over the last week we have received many inquiries from you about becoming Republican Precinct Committeemen. As you may already know, August is the time petitions begin to circulate for committeemen hopefuls. We encourage you to get involved in your respective precinct by contacting us. We can tell you what Precinct you reside in and direct you to our officials to begin the process. We will be hosting several Question and Answer forums in addition to training at no cost for those who are interested. Please contact Bryan at info@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com or by calling 847-354-1243.

On July 4th there will be a variety of Tea functions available for those who want to attend. Below is a list of the one's to date in McHenry County:

• Algonquin IL - 101 S Harrison Contact Julie (815) 404-9320
• Cary IL - US-14 Contact Kelli (847) 639-8594
• Crystal Lake - US-14 Contact Mary postscript1@comcast.net

-Details: http://www.teapartyday.com/Locations.aspx

MCYR will be walking on the July 5th Independence Day Parade in Crystal Lake begining at 12:30PM and meeting for line-up at the corner of Woodstock St. and Walkup Ave. We have 2 members considering taking on the last available committee role in MCYR at this moment. If you would like to get involved in any of the committees, please let us know! There is a Membership Committee (Salvatore Cucinella), Fundraising Committee (Pending), Social Committee (Rob Lee), Technology Committee (Open) and a Education Committee (Angela James). All committees are taking in members right now! Please speak to our Vice Chairwoman Erica Poremba if you would like to get involved! ericaporemba@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com

A very sincere thank you to Brian Sheekey of DMI Marketing for providing high quality targeted business lists and fundraising data to MCYR. DMI Marketing is strong proponent of Republican values and organizations. Please support our Republican businesses by calling Brian for your data needs. http://www.dmimarketing.com/ 1 (888) 627-7849

We are currently working with McHenry County's Home of the Sparrow. Please see the left column for details on this event! If you wish to participate, please let us know.

For those of you interested, for a limited time the NRA is offering membership for no cost to our members. Please follow the link if you wish to sign up.

Thank you very much for reading this weeks update and we can't wait to see you all very soon.

Labels: Angela James, Brian Sheekey, DMI Marketing, Erica Poremba, McHenry County Young Republicans, Rob Lee, Salvatore Cucinella

The following press release was received from the McHenry County Democratic Party:

COUNTY DEMS PRESENT PANEL FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES

CRYSTAL LAKE—The Democratic Party of McHenry County will present a special panel to provide useful information for potential local candidates at its meeting 7 PM on Wednesday, June 17 at the McHenry County Farm Bureau Building, 1102 McConnell Road in Woodstock.

“We want to encourage anyone who has considered running for local or county-wide office to attend,” said County Chair Kathleen Bergan Schmidt. “It’s going to be about everything you always wanted to know about being a candidate but were afraid to ask.”

Panelists will include Nancy Shepherdson, 8th District Committeewoman for the Illinois Democratic Central Committee and chair of Eighth District Democrats and Independents (EDDI), which actively supports candidates in Lake County and portions of Cook and McHenry Countys.

Tom Cynor, currently Treasurer of the County Party and a former candidate for State’s Attorney will speak from the experience of a candidate.

Michael Bissett managed Paula Yensen’s successful campaign for County Board. Mike Fourcher of Purely Political consulting has worked on victorious campaigns and will address fund raising.

The program is free and open to the public.

For more information contact the party at 815 788-9540 or e-mail info@mchenrydems.org.

Labels: McHenry County Democrats, Michael Bissett, Mike Fourcher, Nancy Shepherdson, Paula Yensen, Tom Cynor

Yesterday I found this license plate.

It's pretty easy to tell that its owner likes golf and is from Iowa.

Maybe the “X” in the



means its owner wishes he or she were back in Iowa so he or she could go see the University of Iowa's Hawkeyes.

Labels: Iowa, License Plate, Message of the Day

I can't begin to tell you why two Lake County jailers told me last night that former Mayor Tom Hyde's wife Sharon had posted 10% of a $400,000 bail--$40,000.

I wrote my story after a 5:30 contract with the first jailer.

A friend read it and the Daily Herald story, which said the woman had posted a $10,000 bail, so I called the jail again.

Again I was told Sharon Hyde's bail was $400,000 and that she had posted $40,000.

Today, I talked to Sgt. Chris Thompson, who is the Lake County Sheriff Department's public affairs officer.

He looked it up and found that Sharon Hyde's bail was $100,000, with $10,000 posted, while Thomas Hyde's was $50,000 and he had been released on his own recognizance.

The only explanation he could think of was that the jailers had read the computer wrong.

Oh, well.

For those just dipping in on this story, Hyde was the Democratic Party leader of Island Lake. He apparently voted to hire his wife to run the village day care center called Creative Playtime. More here.

She apparently got paid for work she didn't do.

Over $100,000 worth, the two Herald's report.

The pictures of Sharon and Tom Hyde are those taken when they were booked into the Lake County Jail on June 10th.

Labels: Creative Playtime, Creative Playtime Preschool, Island Lake, Sharon Hyde, Thomas Hyde, Tom Hyde

When politically connected Aidan E. Monahan was indicted in July, 2007, I looked at who he had made political contributions to.

Just looking at the biggest contributions one can find $108,000 to the state party run by House Speaker Mike Madigan, $27,000 to Michael Madigan, $25,000 to Lisa Madigan, Dick Mell’s 33rd Ward Organization $10,000 and Rod Blagojevich $5,000.

This guy was politically connected with a capital “P.”

And the landscaping company had a location in Algonquin:


When Monahan's indictment was unveiled it was described as a plan to defraud and obtain money, “including Minority Business Enterprise contracts calling for payments in excess of $1.5 million,” from the Chicago Public Schools.

During the first three years of this century, Manahan won the Chicago Public School contract to do landscaping for the entire system. His company was paid over $8.5 million.

After 2003, a bidding process was set up that required companies to be owned and operated by minorities or women in order to bid on several regional areas.

From the description of the scheme, it sounds as if the president of Company A, later revealed to be run by retired Chicago Bear Roland Harper played little more than a courier role, taking mail about the contract to Monahan for processing.

Then a second Algonquin connection showed up:


It turns out that minority front man Harper lives in Algonquin on Westbourne Parkway, assuming he listed his home address of a $200 political contribution to Republican Cook County Commissioner Allan Carr in 2001.

Harper's trucking company Rohar gave Governor Rod Blagojevich $1,000 almost on election day, 2006. He made a 2005 personal contribution to Statesman of the Year State & Local PAC.

This week Harper was sentenced.


read the Chicago Sun-Times headline.

Harper was sentenced to a year of home confinement.

Sentencing judge John Harrah revealed Harper had cooperated extensively with government investigators.

The former bear apologized.

He could have received up to 20 years in prison.

Monahan was sentenced in April to 41 months in prison and is serving his time now the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center. Sometimes folks are incarcerated there because the U.S. Attorney's Office wants to be able to contact them easily.

Labels: Aidan Monahan, Algonquin, Chicago Bears, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Schools, Minority Business Enterprise, Roland Harper

The man who used to be on the Chicago Tribune's editorial page all the time is Dick Locher.

He still draws cartoons which the Trib picks up once in a while.

His latest ran Sunday. It featured a race car named "Illinois."

A mechanic is lowering

into the “Daley, Stroeger, Quinn Machine.”

A taxpayer asks,

Labels: Dick Locher, More Taxes, Pat Quinn, Richard Daley, Tax Hike, Todd Stoeger

Taking my son to swimming at West High School's pool in McHenry, I was parked next to a car turning left with this license plate while waiting for the light to change at Bull Valley Road.


Mike has obviously found a new way to get his name on a license plate.

So could anyone else with a name with four or fewer letters and a love of Dr. Suess.

Two young men were in the car with microphones and an amplifying system.

With only a quick look at the license plate, I thought that it was damaged.

I am sure they were surprised when I told them that and suggested getting it replaced. I guess I was seeing the shadow and thinking it was a defect.

Labels: Dr. Suess, I Am, License Plate, Message of the Day, Mike

Details are not forthcoming, but Sharon Hyde, wife of ex-Island Lake Mayor Tom Hyde has had her bail set at a whopping $400,000. (Here is a more complete article written earlier today.)

She has been charged with one count of official misconduct.

She runs the Creative Playtime, listed as a city department on the Island Lake web site.

Her husband, Thomas Hyde has been charged with two counts of misconduct, but has had bail set at a comparatively low $25,000.

In Illinois, people are allowed to get out of jail, if they can come up with 10% of the bail amount.

The rumor mill is saying Mrs. Hyde turned in time sheets for numerous hours she did not work.

Labels: Island Lake, Sharon Hyde, Thomas Hyde, Tom Hyde

Last October, Island Lake Mayor Tom Hyde was arrested for forgery and misconduct for supposedly altering a liquor license so an establishment could remain open.

Then, State Rep. Mark Beaubien's Democratic Party fall opponent Rich Garling was arrested. See


Mayor Hyde is the guy that the Daily Herald compared with Sarah Palin, former small town Alaskan mayor former small town Alaskan mayor, now Alaska governor and then Republican Vice Presidential candidate.

Can you spell “embarrassment?”

What was found last October appears to have interested Lake County prosecutors in looking at other wrongdoing that local citizens think occurred while partisan Democrats ran the village

A Lake County Jail employee has confirmed that Thomas and Sharon Hyde are “still in our custody.”

“They haven't been booked in yet.”

The husband is now charged with two more counts of official misconduct; the wife with one.

The local scuttlebutt is that the former major was arrested for participating in the hiring of his wife and voting to pay her. The wife is believed to have billed the village for hours she did not work, many, many ghost payrolling hours, according to the rumor mill.

The wife runs the village's pre-school, called Creative Playtime. Although supposedly a village operation, people who have looked for paperwork on it have been unable to find much.

The following is from the "liability waiver" parents sign when they enroll their kids in the program:

"I agree to waive and relinquish all claims my child/ward may have as a result of participating in the program against the Village of Island Lake and its officers, agents, servants, and employees.

“I do hereby fully release and discharge the Village of Island Lake and its officers, agents, servants, and employees from any and all claims resulting from injuries, damages, and losses sustained by my child/ward, and arising out of, connected with, or in any way associated with the activities of any of the programs.

“All Tuition shall be paid in advance and is due according to the Creative Playtime Payment Schedule. The Village of Island Lake reserves the right to deny admission to any child whose tuition is not paid in advance in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Any late or unpaid tuition is subject to a late fee of $5.00 per month. The undersigned agrees to pay all late fees, court costs and attorney’s fees incurred by the Village of Island Lake in enforcing any of the terms of this Agreement."

Sounds like a village operation, doesn't it?

Labels: Creative Playtime, Island Lake, Official Misconduct, Sharon Hyde, Thomas Hyde, Tom Hyde

The lawsuit of former zoning Czarina Sue Ehardt seeking reinstatement in the job from which she was dismissed by the McHenry County Board has been dismissed by Circuit Judge Maureen McIntyre.

Ehardt came to my negative attention when she and her employees raided a trailer park in the Marengo area .

The owner called to tell me a zoning department contingent had descended upon his property to search the trailers for kids.

It seems kids were not allowed; might attend school, don't you know?

The owner told me that two grandparents were caring for a child (maybe children), the grandfather got sick and couldn't move the trailer south in time for school.

So the kids were in school.

This was a BIG deal.

From the owner's reaction, I'd say mercy was not a large component of the Planning and Zoning Department at the time.

He told me their jackets worn reminded him of an FBI raid. Written on the back was




Then, I started getting phone calls from people seeing cellular phone towers going up in rural areas.

I asked that the county at least notify the surrounding property owners, even if the tower could not be stopped.

I knew from personal experience in Fox River Grove that it was possible to convince at least AT&T to be reasonable about their placement, if anyone local knew anything about the proposed erection before construction began and if there were an alternative location.

How obstinate Zoning Czarina Ehardt was when I asked that surrounding property owners be notified of future cell phone tower zoning applications in unincorporated areas.

My pitch was that such a notice to Fox River Grove in the instance that I mentioned above would have probably short-circuited the original contract and saved a lot of trouble.

State Rep. Jack Franks and I set up a meeting at the government center with Ehardt and the Zoning Committee chairwoman.

Ehardt came up with the loony alternative of sending notices to each legislator representing the area where a cellular tower was planned. If they wished, then the legislators could notify surrounding residents.

Let’s see.

County government has the lists of who lives where. They're called voter registration lists and property tax records.

But the czarina wanted legislators to do the work that county government was better equipped to do.

It's amazing she lasted as long as she did.

Labels: Cell Tower, Cellullar Tower, Fox River Grove, Jack Franks, McHenry County Planning and Zoning Department, Sue Ehardt

Thanks to the Northwest Herald for assigning Kevin Craver to cover the county board.

He writes today of the Finance Committee's recommendation that the McHenry County Board vote to borrow $60 million on the Federal “come.”


All members voted to give themselves power to spend the $60 million.

Marc Munaretto is chairman of the Finance Committee, Lyn Orphal is vice chairman and the following are members:

Scott Breeden, John Hammerand, Tina Hill, Daniel P. Ryan, Mary Donner

Former McHenry County College Board member and bond counsel Tim Stratton told the committee that they is going to be “wide availability.”

President Barack Obama's stimulus package is providing a stream of income (from borrowed billions need not be noted).

Guess the banks that got the billions still aren't loaning to small business folks. I talked to a couple of CitiBank clients who had had their lines of credit cut, which would lead one to believe that the President's plan is not working to these businessmen's satisfaction.

First, McHenry County is going to become a “recovery zone.”

The county board just needs to pass a resolution.

The bonds will be highly taxed favored, won't be counted against the county's debt limit and, hey, we county taxpayers don't have to worry if anyone defaults.

And, we Federal taxpayers, well, this is the year to switch your 401(k) retirement savings into a Roth IRA. (Of course, you'll have to pay taxes on the money, but the tax rate has to be higher than it will be after the Democrats and President hike them to pay back the trillions they are borrowing.)

If you haven't figured out I think this is a bad idea, you might want to read


The $60 million has to be out the door by the end of next year.

Although the Finance Committee will screen the public and business applicants, Munaretto said,


Maybe, but the committee surely sounds like the bankers who will make the decisions.

I hope they put in the contracts that no recipient, their officers or straw man or woman is allowed to make campaign contributions to themselves or anyone they hint could “use some help.”

The McHenry County Mental Health Board and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation appeared in support of borrowing the money.

= = = = =
Click to enlarge the 1934 Chicago Tribune cartoon.

Labels: Dan Ryan, John Hammerand, Lyn Orphal, Marc Munaretto, Mary Donner, McHenry County Board, Recovery Zone, Scott Breeden, Stimulus Package, Tim Stratton, Tina Hill

When I was the Republican Spokesman on the Illinois House Appropriations Committee that handled the budget for the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, one of my goals was to get at least 50% of the money into community services.

Think about it.

If you needed supervision, would you rather live in an institution or a home near your family or even at home?

I think the answer is obvious.

It was not until Governor George Ryan appointed Barrington's Ann Patla director that I got cooperation from the Executive Branch. Patla headed up Pioneer Center before becoming agency head.

One year when I asked my annual question of the budget percentage going to non-institutional care, Patla told me it was over 50%.

Not much over 50%, but more than half.

Now, the folks Governor Pat Quinn appointed to look at cost cutting agree:

"We believe that every individual with developmental disabilities should be given a meaningful choice to live and remain in his or her community," is in that part of their report, which is below.

From the June report from the Illinois Tax Review Board, I'm assuming that putting too much money into the expensive institutional part of the care still exists.

Indeed, one of Rod Blagojevich's key campaign pitches was to keep open or to open institutions like Lincoln Developmental Center whose costs clearly outweighed their benefits. He went from facility to facility holding rallies set up by AFSCME. I ran into one in Canton while campaigning against him for governor on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2002.

Let's take a look at page 37 and 38 and see what the folks given the task of suggesting budget cuts came up with:

Enhance community options for people with developmental disabilities that are living in State or privately-run institutions:

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) provides services to adults with developmental disabilities who are living in their homes and communities, or in institutional settings.

Currently, there are 2,385 individuals served in nine State-Operated Developmental Centers (SODCs), which provide residential and program services to those with developmental disabilities needing active treatment programs and intensive supervision.

One of the SODCs, the Howe Development Center, is a de-certified facility, serving approximately 289 adults at an average annual cost per beneficiary of $186,573.

The average cost per individual of the remaining SODCs is $142,533.

In addition, there are over 300 private intermediate care facilities for persons with disabilities (ICF/DD) that are currently serving 5,648 adults at an average annual cost per beneficiary of $57,428.

Both SODCs and private ICF/DDs are certified and operate under the same federal regulations.

There is also a network of Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILA), in which approximately 200 community-based organizations provide services to 7,240 people with disabilities on a 24-hour basis, at an average annual cost of $53,291. Services provided by these centers include advocacy, peer counseling, skills training, information and referral.

Finally, there are 3,055 people with disabilities that currently receive home-based services at an annual individual cost of $19,852.

All other individuals with disabilities are being served on a Average Annual Per Person Cost Waiver program, in which they receive day services at an average cost of approximately $12,000 per year. (12)

Illinois relies disproportionately on high-cost institutional settings rather than less costly community settings or shared living environments to serve the needs of these individuals.

According to recent state comparisons, (13) Illinois ranks at the very bottom - 51st - out of all states, including the District of Columbia, in serving adults with disabilities in settings of six persons or less.

We believe that every individual with developmental disabilities should be given a meaningful choice to live and remain in his or her community.

Many of the beneficiaries who are currently being served in high-cost institutions in Illinois could be served in the community with quality services at a much lower price.

States such as New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, Oregon, and Wisconsin have developed shared living environments that serve individuals in an independent foster care-like setting.

In 2006, 70.5% of all persons nationwide were supported in living arrangements for six or fewer people - Illinois can take advantage of these best practices to make successful community transitions.

The State should immediately begin pursuing aggressive strategies to reduce the number of individuals with developmental disabilities in institutional care, including:

• Exploring the potential closure of some of Illinois’ State-Operated Developmental Centers (SODCs).


• Pursuing the immediate closure of Howe Developmental Center. The Department of Human Services has recommended to the TAB the closure of this facility, and the TAB supports this department’s recommendation. The decision was based on a number of factors:
  
  1. concerns from the U.S. Department of Justice,
  2. the need to ensure quality of care for all residents, the decertification of the facility under the federal Medicaid program,
  3. the facility’s inability to regain certification, and
  4. the continued loss of over $2 million of federal matching funds per month.


• Investing some of the savings from closing these facilities in enhancing the capacity and services available in the community.

= = = = =

(12) It should be noted that the CILA, home-based services and private ICF/DD annual costs reflected above do not include pharmacy or other medical services funded through the Medicaid State Plan. The ICF/DD and CILA costs do include some nursing services provided at the residential settings.

Nevertheless, the large disparity in costs associated with private and community services versus those delivered by the State, even after taking into consideration additional Medicaid medical services, clearly supports the TAB strategy addressed below.

(13) “The State of the States in Developmental Disabilities: 2008,” Washington, DE. American Association Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Braddock, D., Hemp, R. and Rizzolo, M.C. (2008)

Labels: Ann Patla, CILA, Developmental Disabilities, Pioneer Center

Nothing like the coming home traffic on the Tollway, but traffic last Friday night was backed up from Route 176 to Woodstock Street on Walkup Avenue.

This is rush hour in Crystal Lake.

Part of it may have been a result of the 6:10 or so train coming through town.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Message of the Day, Rush Hour, Walkup Avenue, Walkup Avenue Underpass

I'm not sure it was really a graduation ceremony, but fifth graders at South Elementary School were in the auditorium getting recognized for various accomplishments.

The last was for the recently departed Librarian Cheri Pearl. Her death this past spring cast a pall on the entire school.

My son has attended funerals when he was younger, but he didn't want to go to Mrs. Pearl's. He was too sad.

Part of the reason was undoubtedly that Mrs. Pearl's daughter, Tricia, was both my son's third and fifth grade teacher. But every student gets to know the librarian.

A collection was taken and the $800 raised will go toward the creation of a patriotic corner in the school library.

Mrs. Judith Ferretti read what was on the plaque for the crowd and held it up at an angle where my flash would not reflect from it.

It has a picture of Mrs. Pearl and her dog. It reads (click to enlarge):


I looked for pictures of her dancing at the New Year's Eve wedding of Mackenzie Walter to Carlos Garcia, but couldn't spot her. Maybe if you click on the images of the folks dancing up a storm, as she was that night, you will find her. She certainly was more than holding her own.

= = = = =
Besides the photo of the plaque, the one on top is of one group of 5th helpers

Labels: Cheri Pearl, South Elementary School, Tricia Pearl

Below is a press release just received from 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo:

Manzullo Cosponsors Bill to Reverse Forced Closures of GM and Chrysler Dealers, Save Thousands of American Jobs

WASHINGTON – As the deadline nears for Chrysler and GM to strip thousands of auto dealers of their franchises and put tens of thousands of Americans on the unemployment lines, U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) has cosponsored a bill that would reinstate the franchise agreements for those dealers that would like to stay in business.

The legislation, “The Automobile Dealer Economic Restoration Act (HR 2743),” was introduced late Monday and would restore the economic rights GM and Chrysler dealers enjoyed before the auto manufacturers’ bankruptcies.

Because the forced closures of more than 2,000 Chrysler and GM dealers will not save the manufacturers significant amounts of money, reinstatement of the franchises will not affect their planned emergence from bankruptcies. The forced closures of the dealers was agreed to by GM, Chrysler and the President’s auto task force prior to bankruptcies as part of the Administration’s decision to fund the automakers’ debts with more than $60 billion in taxpayer funds.

“The misguided decision of GM, Chrysler and the President’s auto task force to close more than 2,000 dealerships in the United States will do nothing to improve the finances of the automakers because the dealers pay their own costs and actually purchase cars from the automakers.

“Many of these dealers represent several generations of hard-working small business owners who have given so much to their employees and their communities over decades of service only to be stripped of their franchises and forced to shutter their businesses in a matter of weeks,” Manzullo said.

“This legislation will bring some common sense back to the industry and restore the franchise agreements to the dealers who want to keep operating without threatening the plans for both GM and Chrysler to emerge stronger from their bankruptcies.”

Manzullo, who has been working with several local auto dealers scheduled for closure, sent previous letters to the President and the automakers seeking a reconsideration of the forced closures as well as a delay and more transparency in their decisions. Many of the dealers slated for closure are profitable and have no idea why they are targeted for closure.

In addition, Manzullo will vote later today for a “cash for clunkers” bill that will bolster auto manufacturing and sales by providing vouchers up to $4,500 to anyone who trades in a vehicle made after 1984 that gets less than 18 mpg and purchases a new vehicle, costing less than $45,000, that gets at least 4 mpg more. The legislation is expected to bolster auto sales by 1 million vehicles.

Manzullo authored alternative legislation (HR 1606) that would have provided a $5,000 voucher to anyone who purchases a vehicle – no strings attached – that would have covered the sale of 15 million new cars. While the “cash for clunkers” bill will not have nearly the boost to auto manufacturing and sales as Manzullo’s bill, Manzullo still supports the cash for clunkers bill because it will help the industry. He will continue to push for his bill that would have a much greater impact on American manufacturing.

Every one million in new vehicle sales has the following impact on the economy:
Creates

• 60,000 jobs (10,000 at vehicle assembly plants;
• 50,000 at suppliers, auto dealers, and other businesses).
• Provides $750 million in tax revenue to the federal government.
• Provides $1.4 billion in sales tax revenue to states.
• Saves federal government over $1.8 billion in unemployment payments, COBRA health care subsidies, job retraining assistance, and food stamps.

The automobile industry and its suppliers account for 13 million American jobs, 20 percent of all U.S. retail sales, and billions of dollars in state and local sales taxes. The drop in U.S. vehicle sales from 16 million in 2007 to 13 million in 2008 to a projected 9 million in 2009 has been one of the leading causes of America’s economic downturn and huge job losses.

= = = = =
Crystal Lake's Viking Dodge, seen above, is one of the Chrysler franchises due for closure.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Car Dealership, Chrysler, Don Manzullo, General Motors, Government Motors, HR 1606, HR 2743.

Guess there is not a financial problem in Huntley, even though Pam Althoff's and Mike Tryon's bill to redress State Aid to Education problems caused by a clerical error did not pass the General Assembly.

Huntley District 158 Superintendent John Burkey said the district was facing a “bleak” outlook at last week's board meeting.

At the same meeting, Burkey recommended 4% percent raises for administrative staff, one of whom is School Board President Shawn Green's wife.

Meanwhile, the Elgin Courier-News' Dave Gathman reports that Hampshire Village Administrator agreed to freeze his $80,123 salary “until 'the economic climate improves and the village has adequate funds' to give him a raise.”

And the St. Charles City Manager is frozen at $175,000,plus benefits and a car allowance.

If I heard what Human Resources Director Lauren Smith said about the raises for administrators, they would be receiving 3.1% raises.

So that one-tenth of one percent increase in the cost of living last year did show up somewhere.

On top of the 3% salary hike.

Will any of the administrators’ raises be based on performance or merit?

Apparently not.

If not, that does not bode well for adding a performance clause to the Huntley teachers union contract.

Superintendent Burkey made it clear every administrator will get the same percentage as part of his recommendation.

The top performing administrators will receive the same percentage increase as those whose decision making cost the district thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars of unnecessary legal expenses, for example.

The board majority appears to think it is good for morale for every administrator, except the Superintendent, to receive the same percent increase.

Burkey will be receiving the largest pay raise, both for percent increase and dollar amount. His own salary increase is the exception to his “everyone gets the same” explanation. He justified the salary increases for administrators as “it’s very competitive out there.”

What Burkey failed to add was, “if you are looking for a job.”

The only board member who raised concerns about the raises was Aileen Seedorf.

Burkey made sure the percent increases were not in writing in the board packet. Only the dollar amounts were referenced.

This makes it far less likely the local newspapers will pick up on the story.

Imagine the size of the pay increases if the outlook was not “bleak!”

How bleak is it?

Burkey recommended adding more extracurricular activities and the board majority moved it on for formal approval at this month’s board meeting.

Apparently Burkey has determined it is essential for taxpayers to pay for adding a new fishing club.

A bowling club was also added this year costing over $4,000. The four grand is apparently for teacher coaching as the cost of using the lanes was said to be donated by the bowling alley.

Rather than focus money on academics or special education needs, it appears the board majority would rather pay for more teachers to enjoy their hobbies at the taxpayers’ expense.

Labels: Dave Gathman, Huntley School District 158, John Burkey, Lauren Smith, Teachers Union

Grade school is out today and high school for Crystal Lake was out last week.

The Red Tail Golf Club in Lakewood is offering inexpensive after dinner golf this summer and a kids' program.

The golf course that cost Lakewood homeowners about $500 a year in real estate taxes during the 1990's because a non-referendum bond issue could not be paid off with golf course revenues is now offering $1.25 a hole night golf.

If it's after 6:45, you and your kids can play golf for $1.25 per person per hole.

And, you decide how many holes to play.

Nine holes for $11.25.

You don't have to walk. You get a cart.

Maybe that's like a restaurant trying to get as many sittings a day as possible.

Sounds like a good deal to me, but I'm not a golfer.

There are also junior golf programs that can be found on the Red Tail Golf Club web site. I got the flyer in the envelop with my sewer bill.

Labels: Cheap Golf, Concerned Citizens of McHenry County, Inexpensive Golf, Lakewood, Red Tail Golf Club

The McHenry County Young Republicans haven't forgotten that college students get involved in politics.

The county organization is trying to connect with those who have returned home for the summer.

The following press release has been received:


Woodstock, IL - With the school year officially over, the McHenry County Young Republicans would like to welcome back returning college students.

MCYR will host a meeting/social at O’Leary’s Pub in Woodstock to welcome back the college students and help them network with other Young Republicans.

They will be hosting “Business Card Bingo” to help the networking process so everyone is encouraged to bring a business card.

All participants will be able to take advantage of O’Leary’s specials: $3 wells and $1 off meatloaf dinner.

• What: MCYR Meeting/Social


• When: Wednesday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.


• Where: O’Leary’s Pub, 113 S Benton St., Woodstock, IL 60098

• Who: McHenry County Young Republicans

For more information, call Bryan Javor at (847) 354-1234.

Labels: Bryan Javor, McHenry County Young Republicans, O'Leary's Pub, Woodstock

The following press release has been received from Crystal Lake's State Rep. Mike Tryon:

STATE REP. MIKE TRYON AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS

Crystal Lake…. State Representative Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) announced the winners of his 2008/09 General Assembly scholarships. The program awards eight one-year tuition-only scholarships at the University of Illinois or any other public university in the state and is judged by a scholarship committee.

“It is wonderful to be able to take advantage of our state university system and reward some our children for their hard work,” said Tryon. “This is one of the most fulfilling jobs of a state legislator.”

To qualify for the General Assembly Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

1. The student must be enrolled in a degree granting program for the 2009 Fall and 2010 Spring semesters
2. The student must be a resident of the 64th District
3. The student must show evidence of good grades and leadership potential as demonstrated through extracurricular activities
4. The student must be planning to continue his or her education within the Illinois State University System

“College can be a tremendous tool for our young adults working to make their way in the world. I am very happy to be involved in the process, helping students achieve their goals,” added Tryon.

The recipients of this year’s scholarships are

• Colleen Bechtold of Prairie Ridge High School attending Southern Illinois,


• Russell Cardelli of Dundee Crown High School attending University of Illinois,


• David Grochocki of Crystal Lake Central High School attending University of Illinois,


• Christopher Kang of Crystal Lake Central High School attending University of Illinois,


• Susannah Koch of Crystal Lake Central High School attending University of Illinois,


• Nashrah Maryum of Crystal Lake South High School attending University of Illinois,


• Shaina Murphy of Crystal Lake Central High School attending Illinois State University,


• Hiran Patel of Crystal Lake attending University of Illinois College of Medicine, and


• Alison Svoboda of Huntley High School attending University of Illinois Springfield.

For more information about the scholarship program, please contact Rep. Tryon at 815-459-6453.

Undoubtedly the med school scholarship is the most valuable.

Labels: Christoper Kang, Colleen Bechtold, David Grohocki, Hiran Patel, Legislative Scholarships, Mike Tryon, Nashrah Marum, Russell Cardelli, Shaina Murphy, Susannah Koch

This campaign poster looks like one from 1967.

It promotes Jere Dodge, Justice of the Peace from Lake in the Hills.

Dodge ran for state representative against Crystal Lake's George Lindberg and incumbent John Henry Kline in 1966 when I won the McHenry County Treasurer race.

From the holes at the four corners, I can tell it was nailed to an electric pole..

Above Dodge's photo it says,


Below is


The office of justice of the peace was abolished by the 1970 State Constitution.

Labels: 1970 Illinois Constitution, George Lindberg, Jere Dodge, John Henry Kline, Justice of the Peace, Lake In the Hills

Wednesday night I searched all the townships and municipalities in the pork bill passed by the General Assembly and put up an article about how much each township received.

They all got $75,000, but I discovered that three of the largest four—Algonquin, McHenry and Grafton—got more.

I wondered why Nunda got only $75,000, but after running the search engine twice, wrote the article and went to bed.

Nunda Township Democrat Patrick Murfin saw the piece and speculated on why Nunda got less.

He wondered whether Nunda was being punished for trying to "seize leadership in the county party, " citing Brent Smith's role in putting together the slate Team Nunda, which rolled to victory in both the GOP primary election and the general election in which Murfin and a running mate were challenging Smith' wife Joni, who ran first.

(Murfin also wrote a piece on the election, which I referenced.)

So, Murfin reads my article and asks, “What gives?”

Pretty much the same question I asked myself.

Those of you who remember geometry may remember that one can reach the wrong conclusion if one starts with the wrong information.

The next day, I read Pete Gonigam's First Electronic Newspaper and discovered he had found much more money had be allocated to Nunda than my bleary eyes had spied in House Bill 313.

I dutifully wrote a correction about missing the $175,000.

And, so did Murfin.

He observed, “Maybe Nunda is being rewarded for his increased clout.”

So, nothing unusual about the township pork. The big townships got more than the little townships, just as one would expect.

= = = = =
The photo shows Brent Smith recruiting Neko Olsen for the Young Republicans at last summer's Nunda Township Picnic.

Labels: Brent Smith, House Bill 313, Nunda Township, Patrick Murfin, Pork

Under my June 4th article about the Chinese buying Government Motors' Hummer division, appeared this comment from regular reader Rursus:

My comment: “

Surely I cannot be the only person who has thought that the Chinese might want to buy the Hummer division of GM for future military purposes.”

Rursus' reply:

“Seriously, you think that the Chinese are buying a car company so their military can learn to build over-priced gas-guzzling vehicles? There's very little "military" about the GM Hummer.”

Here is a rebuttal in the form of an editorial cartoon from the Sunday edition of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Labels: China, Chinese, General Motors, Government Motors, Hummer, Rursus

I got a request for a biography of my father and worked on it well into two nights.

It isn't finished yet, but my younger sister Jan, a special ed teacher near Baltimore, has come up with some memories that I want to share on our father's birthday, which is today, June 8th. Dad was born in 1916 and died in 1989. Jan wrote this Sunday.Thanks for the opportunity of reflecting on what a great Dad we had.

Jan

I was in church this morning and the minister was talking about how unusual it is in the Bible to talk about God as our Father.

So, I was remembering Dad and how having a dependable father made it easy for me to trust in God the Father. (Baby Jan and her father to the left.)

I remember in 8th grade Dad lost his job because the company, National Chinchilla Breeders of America, a trade association, was having some financial troubles and decided to lop off the highest paid person, the executive secretary, Dad.

I have often recently marveled that I never felt like this was a tragedy or that my life would change because of this. I just assumed he would get more work and that life would go on, which it did.

But I am pretty sure that today kids in the 8th grade are suffering anxiety if their fathers lose their jobs.

I realize it isn't the same economy as it was in 1957, but I am so grateful that Mom and Dad didn't put that adult worry on us kids. Thanks, Dad.

My brother-in-law Denny Desmond did my father's taxes. He has often marveled that Dad didn't make that much money, but managed to send us three kids through college without burdening us with college loans, keep a boat, etc. etc. on a modest income with one family earner.

Dad was frugal.

I remember him buying milk at the gas station to save money.

I remember him always eating hot dogs and baked beans at Howard Johnson's on trips.

I think he did like them, but I also think that his main motivation was to save money.

The rest of us had clams or something else. I am frugal myself, probably because of his example.

When Mike (Peters) was in seminary I made a corduroy jacket for my eldest girl (Newborn Elizabeth above in her grandfather's arms) out of an old red robe. It felt good to "make do."

I am still using his 1960's something riding lawn mower.

He would be too.

He went through college as an agricultural major in 3 1/2 years at the University of Maryland and that included a semester off to go work his father's farm when his dad got sick.

He survived on skim milk (which was going to be thrown away), oatmeal, baked beans (again) and I don't know what else.

He worked several jobs.

He got a "loan" of sorts from the bank in Sudlersville, MD. One of the directors had noticed that he had potential (and no money) and told Dad that he needed to go to college.

He gave him checks and said to write them when he needed money--that he could pay it back later. Thanks to that person who saw the specialness of Dad and helped him to get ahead.

He started to date my mother again (they were in high school together) after she had graduated from college.

Pop Pop Stevens told him that Eleanor was home and that he should stop by.

Time passed.

When he asked Mother if she would marry him, she said that she would have to think about it. I guess he asked sooner than she had expected.

Anyway, he never brought it up again.

So one day, a week or so later, she said, "Do you remember that question you asked me a while ago?"

He responded that he did not remember it.

"Well," she said, "the answer is yes."

He said, "I'd hoped you would have forgotten."

I don't know what happened after that.

Mom should have punched him one, but I always tell the grandkids that the scene faded out into a kiss.

(The wedding certificate is above right and a wedding day photo is to the left.)

He never called my Grandmother Stevens anything.

If you are getting married, don't do this.

Somehow it was never settled what to call her, and so he always waited for eye contact and then talked. I guess Mrs. Stevens was too formal and "Mom" was reserved for his mother.

Anyway, I made sure I got it straight what I was going to call Mike's parents before the wedding. (Jan and Mike Peters cutting their wedding cake.)

I called them Mom and Dad and never felt that my loyalty to my birth parents was in any danger by sharing the name. I felt close to my in-laws and they to me.

Maybe he called her Mom Mom after the grandkids came. I'm not sure.

I only applied for one job after college.

I just knew that Fort Logan Mental Health Center was going to hire me as a special ed teacher. I felt I was in the will of God.

He said that perhaps I should apply somewhere else, to hedge my bets (reasonable request for a parent who did not want to continue to support me after college).

But I didn't and I did get hired. He drove out to Denver, Colorado with me to help me get set up in an apartment after I graduated from Michigan State. (Jan with Eleanor and Cal Skinner above.)

I left my contacts in the motel somewhere in Kansas. More were ordered and he didn't make a big deal out of it.

I was grateful.

Dad told me once that he was useful on the County Board because he knew how to ask questions.

When he was on the County Board, I remember that the board had people come to present their proposals.

One was about a landfill, I think.

Well, you can have people come before a board, but if the people on the board haven't done their homework, they won't know what to ask.

Dad did his homework. He worked hard.

One summer after Mike had moved to Hawaii for the Navy (we were to come in August), I took 11 hours at Northern Illinois towards my Masters in Special Ed.

Mom and Dad watched my girls.

I was really working hard and Dad told me that I was probably doing too much. I really valued that compliment because I knew I was working hard if Dad thought so.

(Below you see Cal and Eleanor Skinner with their granddaughters. Elizabeth and Sarah, Jan's daughters have the long hair. Ellen's three are Lissa, bottom right with the pigtails, Heather, bottom left in pigtails, Kelly being held by her grandmother's right arm. Cal's daughter Alexandra is being held by her left arm.)

After Mom died Dad went to her grave in Church Hill to "talk" with her.

He was going to drive back to Crystal Lake alone and his eyes were not the best.

I told him that if he had just talked with Mom he knew she would not be in favor of this.

He responded,

"I talk things over with her, but I don't always agree with her."

He had a great sense of humor.

When Mom's casket went to Dover instead of Baltimore, we talked about how Mom liked to travel. He never lost the twinkle in his eye.

I got to know him more after Mom died than before.

As with many families, the mother was the hub.

But after my husband Mike died and after Mom died, Dad and I discussed things more as peers.

We talked about when to take off the wedding rings.

We talked about moving on in relationships.

It was a precious time.

We discussed what should be on the family tombstone bench (in Church Hill, Maryland) that Mike and I and Mom and Dad would share.

He was fine with Mike's request,

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel."

The other side said,

"Sit Awhile Rest and Reflect."

As we near Father's Day and Dad's birthday, June 8, it has been good to reflect up a father who lead by example and was always there for us.

Thanks to Jan's husband Sudhir Patel for sending most of the photos while Jan was in school.

Labels: Cal Skinner Sr, Denny Desmond, Eleanor Skinner, Eleanor Stevens, James Clayland Stevens, Jan Peters, McHenry County Board Privatization, Sudhir Patel, University of Maryland

We're celebrating my “now I'm in my late 60's” birthday this afternoon and who should show up my front door but Wayne White, Certified Master Arborist and head of the “Save the Ash” campaign.

He was here to do what he did last year to protect the ash that shades our bedroom from the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer. See


Towns like Lake in the Hills and Algonquin seem to have given up, although Lake in the Hills is having a meeting on the subject 6:30 PM Wednesday, June 17th, at village hall.

You see a foretaste of the chain saw massacres to come in towns that would rather react than take preventative measures in the picture here taken by Pete Gonigam, publisher of the First Electric Newspaper, a new publication reporting on Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Huntley.

In any event, the ash man stopped by and I asked him for an update.

This spring when he was here to inject the insecticide into the ground among the roots of our ash tree, he told me he had just gotten back from Cedarburg, Wisconsin, where every tree bigger than 18 inches in diameter is being treated.

See


He said that his people with the insecticide injecting tool, a “wedgle,” had just finished 12,000 diameter inches of trees in Cedarburg and he was on his way to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to do 35,000 diameter inches.

The injections are made to the cambium layer of the tree so as the ash tree draws moisture and nourishment from the ground, it will also pull up the ash borer poison. Injections are made every inch around trunk.

He said our ash was 23 diameter inches.

White has also treated trees in the Parks of Barrington. There are 98 ash trees in that subdivision.

Above you can see the devastation that will result without preventative treatment. The trees that are green were treated at Michigan's Oakland County International Airport. The dead trees are across the street.

The last time White was in Crystal Lake, I told him he ought to make up some yard signs like other businesses like blacktop and home repair services post.

He brought the sign you see above and it's in front of our home on Lake Avenue in Lakewood. The 800 number, 1-877 SAVE ASH, is even on the sign.

6,500 cars a year drove past in the last study I saw.

Meanwhile reports of the bug spreading along the North Shore communities like Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Deerfield, Highland Park and Wilmette have appeared in the new North Section of Chicago Tribune. I'd show you the really big article, but it went bye-bye with my hard drive crash.

The Elgin Courier-News wrote last week under "Elgin News" that the ash borer was in St. Charles, where the village government is going to remove about 500 trees. The Campton Hills area is losing 400 that are 60-70 years old. The story notes that the beetles have been spotted elsewhere in Kane County, as well as Kendall, LaSalle, DuPage, Lake and Cook Counties.

Today's article, which focused on LITH, also mentioned Sycamore and DeKalb where the D-shaped holes and woodpeckers are showing up.

Labels: Algonquin, Ash, Easter. Lake in the Hills, Emerald Ash Borer, Wayne White

Congressmen call it “earmarks.”

Illinois legislators call it “member initiatives.”

If it's in someone else's part of the country or state, people commonly call it “pork.”

Whatever you call it, here is what Crystal Lake State Rep. Mike Tryon got inserted into the infrastructure or capital budget this year. The bill has not yet been signed.

• Grafton Township – road improvements, $125,000


• Lakewood – road improvements, $200,000


• Crystal Lake – water and sewer, $100,000


• Nunda Township – non-dedicated road program, $175,000


• Algonquin Township – non-dedicated road program, $250,000


• Lake in the Hills – park improvements, $100,000


• Cary Park District – park improvements, $75,000


• Lakeside Legacy – restoration and improvements, $75,000


• Fox River Grove – infrastructure, $50,000

So, Tryon was not the legislator to allocate $75,000 to every township road commissioner.

Since it includes all 17 townships and State Senator Pam Althoff represents all of part of each township in McHenry County, my guess is that it is she, but Althoff declined to specify what she inserted into the budget. She said she would once the bill was signed.

Jack Franks, who has made a career of handing out big checks, has not publicized 2009 state grants public.

The bill in question has major financing coming from neighborhood slot machines where liquor is sold.

Labels: Earmark, McHenry County, Member Initiative, Mike Tryon, Pam Althoff, Pork, Pork Barrel, Township Road Commissioner

As you can see if you click on the image below, the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee is asking help in making blankets for chemotherapy patients at local hospitals.

Clarenda Johnson (847-203-2382) and Eileen Marhoefer (815-455-4717) are heading up the project.

Directions are available for making a “no sew” fleece blanket or people can use their own skills and imagination.

You seen below one that I was given. It's long enough for me to nap under on the couch.

I've put a smaller one on top. That size if more appropriate for someone sitting in a chair.


More information may also be obtained from McHenry County Republican Headquarters in the tip of the “V” of the Crystal Lake Plaza. The phone number is 815-444-1910.

Commitments are sought by July 1st with the hope that blankets will be handed in by September 15th.

Labels: Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee, Blanket, Chemotherapy, Clarenda Johnson, Eileen Marhoefer

It's D-Day.

What should I see in Downtown Crystal Lake, but a World War II license plate holder.

The Army's D-Day web site introduces the subject with this:

“June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France.

“General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which 'we will accept nothing less than full victory.'

“More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy.

“The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.”

Don “Sully” Sullivan, was featured on the day the United States now celebrates Memorial Day.

He has a World War II license plate. He was in the Pacific theater, as was my father-in-law Vince Giangrasso. Both live in Wonder Lake.

Labels: Crystal Lake, D-Day, License Plate Holder, Message of the Day, World War II

Crystal Lake's Patrick Murfin writes the blog


He also ran for Nunda Township Trustee this past spring with running mate Meredith Reid Sarkees.

Even though the Dems knocked on doors, they lost.

Murfin, Secretary of the McHenry County Democratic Party offered an analysis of the election.

Murfin's comments on my township pork article and focuses on his township, Nunda, which Murfin says is

“a wholly owned subsidiary of Brent Smith Empire Builders Inc.”

More analysis, focusing on Republican Precinct Committeeman Brent Smith, a member of Local 150 of the Operating Engineers, suggesting Smith would take over from Nunda Township Road Commissioner Don Kopsel and

He has this intriguing sentence, among others:

“Smith clearly is aiming to seize leadership in the County party at the head of resurgent conservative purists out to purge 'trimmers' and suspected moderates like Tryon."

Part of the article is based on my incorrect information that Nunda Township only received $75,000, as the least populated townships did. That proved incorrect, as I learned on a new Southeastern McHenry County information source, the First Electric Newspaper, written by Columbia Journalism School grad Pete Gonigam. My correction is here:

The Devil Made Me Do It

Labels: Bill O'Reilly, Bloviating, First Electric Newspaper, Heretic Reble a Thing to Flout, Meredith Reid Sarkees, Patrick Murfin, Pete Gonigam

sshjIt doesn't seem that long ago that I was writing about Washington Pork.

In fact, it was last March.

Let's look at what the two congressional representatives from McHenry County are requesting in the Commerce, Justice and Science budget. (Hat tip to Respublica down Collinsville way.)

Don Manzullo is requesting the following:

• $250,000 – Rockford Crimefighting Technology Initiative


• $250,000 – Communications Equipment for Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department

Melissa Bean wants the following:

• $675,00 – along with Peter Roskam – Atmospheric Detection Equipment For the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System at the Glencoe Department of Public Safety


• $300,000 – Turning Point

Labels: Don Manzullo, Earmark, Melissa Bean, Pork, Pork Barrel, Rockford Crime Fighting Technology Initiative, Turning Point, Winnebago County Sheriff

The following fiery press release has been received from small business advocate 16th congressional district U.S. Representative Don Manzullo:


WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) today said the CEOs of Chrysler and GM are using the bankruptcy system to reduce consumer choice and drive up their vehicles’ costs by cutting dealerships, eliminating competition and creating monopolies among their brands. In the process, they are destroying the lives and businesses of thousands of auto dealers and their employees.

Manzullo, who previously called for GM, Chrysler and the President’s auto task force to rescind the 1,889 forced closures of dealerships, was outraged by testimony of the automaker CEOs before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation earlier this week.

The CEOs don’t want consumers to shop for their cars among competing dealers.

When questioned, they said their decisions to pull the franchise licenses from the dealerships were necessary to their survival because the multitude of locations forces dealers to uncut one another, driving down a vehicle’s residual value.

The statements were incorrect because it costs car manufacturers nothing to have multiple dealers: the manufacturers just don’t want competition, and their whole goal is to drive up prices.

“The American people need to know why -- at a time American workers are losing their jobs in droves – the CEOs of GM and Chrysler and the President’s auto task force think it’s a good idea to unnecessarily put another 150,000 Americans on the unemployment lines,” Manzullo said. “All this will do is reduce competition and increase the price of GM and Chrysler cars and trucks for consumers, putting them at an even greater competitive disadvantage with the other auto companies.”

Unbelievably, Chrysler gave its targeted dealers less than a month to clear all its inventory and wind down operations.

On Tuesday, June 9, the 789 Chrysler dealers will lose their franchise agreements and ability to offer dealer incentives and financing.

In a letter to the President and the GM and Chrysler CEOs, Manzullo has requested a 60-day extension to allow the targeted Chrysler dealers more time to wind down operations.

Furthermore, Manzullo is concerned with the June 12 deadline surviving GM dealers have to sign a new contract that trumps state franchise laws and waives their rights to appeal future GM decisions.

“Many of these dealers represent several generations of hard-working small business owners who have given so much to their employees and their communities over decades of service,” Manzullo said.

“It’s horrible that GM and Chrysler can work a deal with the President’s auto task force to shut down these family businesses, send their employees to the unemployment lines, and destroy their legacies. This shouldn’t happen in the United States of America.”

Instead, the Administration and Congress should be working on legislation to re-start auto manufacturing and auto sales. Manzullo introduced legislation earlier this year to give Americans a $5,000 voucher to purchase a new vehicle, stimulating auto sales and manufacturing, re-starting the supply chains, and putting millions of Americans back to work. The New Automobile Voucher Act of 2009 (HR 1606) would provide a one-time, $5,000 electronic voucher from the U.S. Treasury at the point of sale of a new vehicle through the end of 2009.

The automobile industry and its suppliers account for 13 million American jobs, 20 percent of all U.S. retail sales, and billions of dollars in state and local sales taxes. The drop in U.S. vehicle sales from 16 million in 2007 to 13 million in 2008 to a projected 8 million in 2009 has been one of the leading causes of America’s economic downturn and huge job losses.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Car Dealership, Chrysler, Competition, Don Manzullo, Franchise, General Motors, GM

666 is the mark of the beast.

In my Wednesday article on township pork, I missed


I did wonder why Nunda Township, the fourth largest township in McHenry County, got only $75,000 of legislative pork from the not yet signed capital bill financed largely by neighborhood slot machines, while Algonquin received $495,000, McHenry $250,000 and Grafton $200,000.

When I read the First Electric Newspaper, a new venture of Columbia Journalism School graduate Pete Gonigam, I saw that he was reporting Nunda's share as $285,000.

Then I got a project list from Rep. Mike Tryon's office which listed $175,000 for Nunda Townshp. Let's see, $75,000 plus $175,000 is $285,000.

Too much of a coincidence.

So I looked at House Bill 313 again and found


It contained the $175,000 I missed on Wednesday night.

So, here's an article of correction.

Nunda didn't get a mere $75,000, the same amount the littlest townships got. It is scheduled to get $285,000, the rest compliments to Rep. Tryon.

So, the township total in McHenry County is not the $1.9 million I reported Wednesday.

It's $2.05 million.

Labels: HB 313, Mike Tryon, Nunda Township, Pork, Pork Barrel, Township

This is one of the prettiest time a day at Lakewood's Gate 5.

The cross street's official name is Oxford Lane.

This is the northeast intersection of Lake Avenue and Oxford.

This time of year the spiraea is in full bloom.

It's common name of this white flowing bush is bridal wreath.

The corner is beautiful when it snows, too.

Look here and you and you can see the comparison.

Across the street was where I caught the bus to Crystal Lake Community High School during my junior and senior years when my family lived at 800 Broadway.

I really miss the little pond that was across from the Main Beach. It has been filled in and now provides overflow parking for the Crystal Lake Park District. Back in 1958-60, it was a place for red winged blackbirds and goodness knows what other wildlife.

Labels: 800 Broadway, Cal Skinner, Crystal Lake Community High School, Gate 5, Lake Avenue, Lakewood, Oxford Lane, Spiraea

In mid-May, the Huntley School Board was approached by some disappointed and frustrated parents.

At both the Finance and the board meeting, the moms of kids with special needs felt empowered to speak about the education their kids are or are NOT getting.

You see, two key special education employees jumped ship.

The parents seemed to think there no longer was light at the end of the tunnel.
How Federal economic stimulus money will be spent is at stake, too.

The Huntley School District is getting $1.5 million. The money has to be spent over a two year period.

A loophole, however, allows half of it to be drained to other than new or additional special education uses.

The administration wants to spend a rather large amount of money on a reading software that they have not piloted or know if it will be effective with special ed students.

The reading software is being used for regular students now. This makes it look like the software the district will be buying is software that would normally be bought this year to expand its use with more regular ed students.

The reasoning for diverting the money is that Federal mandates for so many years have been unfunded. Maybe "underfunded" would be a better word.

During comments the parents made a lot of interesting points. One became emotional at the board meeting and pretty much ignored Board President Shawn Green's attempt to shut her down after a certain amount of time.

Board member Aileen Seedorf was aggressive in the discussion, even pulling out a hat and put ting it on mid-discussion, using it as a prop to make a point.

Seedorf pushed for a standing Special Ed Board committee, but the the board majority would not allow it.

In any event, signatures are being sought on the following petition:

Labels: Aileen Seedorf, Don Drzal, Huntley School District 158, John Burkey, Kevin Gentry, Kimberly Skaja, Michael Skala, Paul Troy, Shawn Green, Special Education

Yesterday Mike Tryon talked about the financial aspects of the spring legislative session. Today he talks about what happened to his own legislation

My Legislation

Here’s a quick recap of a few of my bills that were approved in the House and the Senate in the past couple of weeks.

House Bill 170 prohibits the installation of surface discharging private sewage disposal systems without proper permitting from the Environmental Protection Agency. This bill will protect the quality and supply of groundwater.

House Bill 1142 creates the Modular Housing Buyer Protection Act to provide greater protections from those who purchase manufactured homes. The bill provides recourse for those who purchase manufactured lemmings.

House Bill 1322 creates the Transportation Development Partnership Act to help fund local and state road projects. The bill allows counties the ability to lend IDOT money generated from the county sales tax and supplemental fuel tax in order to fund road projects included in IDOT’s five year transportation plan. The bill also allows counties to capture matching federal funds dedicated for transportation.

House Bill 4035 requires the state to purchase environmentally preferable supplies and services. The price preference is up to 10% of an environmentally preferable supply or service.

House Bill 4212 creates a task force to study the possibility of establishing a Military and Veterans Court within judicial circuits in Illinois. I introduced this bill because I believe our military service members and veterans struggle with unique issues that were incurred as a result of their service to this country. A Veterans Court will help create a fair justice system that will consider the very real service related mental health problems that may put our veterans into the court system.

Many of my legislative ideas come from my constituents in McHenry County.

I hope you know that your input is important to me as I represent your interests in Springfield.

As always, do not hesitate to contact my district office at (815) 459-6453.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Tryon
Illinois State Representative

I took a look at Tryon's legislation the second week of May and found nine bills that looked like they would pass.


One that didn't would have set statewide guideline for the posting of campaign signs. After what seemed an innocuous amendment in the Senate, the bill came under attack and got one more negative than positive vote.

In the debate, McHenry County Democratic Party colleague Jack Franks took him on.

Labels: Jack Franks, Mike Tryon, Veterans Court

Most of all he wants respect.

But the very junior U.S. Senator from Illinois is not getting much.

He's the Rodney Dangerfield of Illinois politics.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I lost the State Comptroller's race to Roland Burris in 1982.

First the Chicago Tribune provides a fold-up representation of Burris as Pinocchio.

The nose even moves in and out.

The plans are below, just in case you are into crafts (click to enlarge):

And St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Pat Gauen heaps joined the pile-on Thursday.

After explaining how Burris explained the FBI tape of the conversation between and Rob Blagojevich, Rod's brother, Gauen observes,

“One, Burris was the victim in this, deprived by poor questioning in the House of the opportunity to tell his constituents exactly how he curried Blagojevich's favor.

“Two, Burris will make hollow promises to get what he wants — and brag about it later.

“Three, Illinois' junior senator apparently thinks we're idiots.”

Labels: Cal Skinner, Paper Doll, Pat Gauen, Pinnocchio. Chicago Tribune, Ridicule, Rolland Burris, State Comptroller

This one showed up on my son's hand on Field Day, a basically a "no work." fun and games day at the end of the school year.

Despite failing on his already scraped knee, hitting his head on the ground and “I think I broke my toe,” it was off to swim practice.

“But it will wash off, Dad,” the youngster pleaded.

“We're going to swim practice.”

“It will make a mess in the pool.”

“Wash it off ahead of time. I'll take a picture of it.”

You see the photograph.

Labels: Body Painting, Field Day, Hand Painting, Lizard, South School

It was flying so low over Lake Avenue while I was cutting the grass behind our day lilies that it almost spooked me.

It was the helicopter spraying for gypsy moths.

I decided it was time to go inside and shut the bedroom windows.

Hard to tell what the residue would be.



On the way back from swim practice at McHenry's West High School pool, I saw this one on Walkup at Crystal Springs Road.

You will notice it warns of May spraying.

I guess this June day was the first one without rain or a wind to high to allow for effective spraying.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Gypsy Moth, Lakewood, Sign

Checking out Algonquin-Lake in the Hills-Huntley's new First Electric Newspaper, edited by Pete Gonigam, I found I missed two earmarks in the Illinois General Assembly's capital bill.

One is even in my neighborhood:


Pioneer Center for Human Services is also scheduled to receive $80,000.

Here's the pork I found:

McHenry County Township Pork

McHenry County Municipal, County, Etc., Pork

= = = = =
You see Crystal Lake's Dole Mansion with the band Second Time Around playing for the 2007 Pig Roast crowd of Crystal Lake's Last Chance House alcohol addition recovery program. The Dole Mansion's more formal name is the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park.

Labels: First Electric Newspaper, Last Chance House

Very profitable for the ailing Chicago Sun-Times, but it will be devastating for any of the property owners who will lose their property for a fraction of what it is worth, if they cannot pay the back taxes, plus often usurious interest.

That interest was up to 2% per month when I was McHenry County Treasurer from 1966-70.

When interest rates spiked, the Illinois General Assembly hiked the maximum interest rate to 18%.

3% per month.

That's a maximum of 18% every SIX months.

The taxes are “sold” in a reverse auction starting at the highest allowed interest rate.

The better the property, the lower the interest rate...usually.

Property taxes are due in McHenry County tomorrow.

Labels: Cook County, Maria Pappas, Tax Sale, Usury

Surely I cannot be the only person who has thought that the Chinese might want to buy the Hummer division of GM for future military purposes.

I wonder if research and development will be stripped of possible improvements before the transfer

Labels: China, Chinese, General Motors, GM, Government Motors, Hummer

Listing the African American politicians and the Bulls player who have been indicted or received bad publicity, the Chicago Defender is saying its

“readers have called and wondered aloud if Black leaders are being targeted.”

It mentions Ike Carothers, Roland Burris, Jesse Jackson, Jr., his wife, Alderwoman Sandi Jackson and Todd Stroeger.

“...makes you go 'hmmmmm,'”

the writer says.

I couldn't read the entire article, because I am not a subscriber.

Meanwhile, Austin Weekly News columnist Alene Jones writes,

"To put it in terms that most of us can understand, that's kind of like helping someone make $30,000 on a deal and they give you four cents.

"No offense, but it is quite embarrassing when you look at the trivial amounts that our elected officials are accused of taking.

"Can't we just once get a black elected official who, when the charges are made, is accused of having embezzled thousands of dollars and not just pennies?

"I am not advocating dishonesty.

"I am just pointing out how they sell themselves and our community out so cheaply."

And,

"When it comes to our elected officials, if they've done a million things right and then willfully do one thing that's wrong, does that "wrong" take away from any or all of the million "right" things?

"Part of the problem we have as a community is always trying to equalize the good and the bad.

"As far as I am concerned, if the allegations about Ike are correct, it has negated all of his positives.

""He sold us out for a mere pittance - a paint job and the price of new windows and doors."

Labels: Arlene Jones, Austin Weekly News, Chicago Defender, Ike Carothers, Jesse Jackson Jr., Sandi Jackson, Todd Stroeger

Maybe I'm mis-reading the last “Whereas” clause of this resolution passed Tuesday by the McHenry County Board.

Only Ersel Schuster and John Hammerand voting “No.”

Read it and tell me if you think it says those twenty-two who voted “Yes” favor

• an income tax and/or


• Motor Fuel Tax hike:

WHEREAS, regardless of the funding source (a Motor Fuel Tax or income tax increase), it is critical that local governments receive their fair share and are treated equitably in any capital bill.

Just wondering?

The whole resolution is below:

RESOLUTION
URGING PASSAGE OF A COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM

WHEREAS, passing a comprehensive Capital Infrastructure Program in the 2009 Legislative Session is critical to Illinois; and

WHEREAS, ten years have passed since the Illinois General Assembly and Governor last passed and signed into law a comprehensive Capital Infrastructure Program; and

WHEREAS, local communities are facing the problem of maintaining their roadways, bridges, water systems and sewer systems to meet growing needs; and

WHEREAS, units of local government have responsibility for over 88% of the public roads in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Motor Fuel Tax Allocations for municipal, county and township roads and bridges are only 10% higher than they were eight years ago, yet the cost of construction on local roads is 90% higher during that same timeframe; and

WHEREAS, the Motor Fuel Tax has not been changed since it was raised to 19 cents a gallon in 1990; and after expenses are removed the balance of the 19 cent Motor Fuel Tax is distributed as follows: 45.6% to the state, 26.7 % to municipalities; 19.1% to counties; and 8.6% to townships; and

WHEREAS, it is extremely important that the dollars are divided by formula and that the current formula is kept intact; and that units of local government have the opportunity to control what projects will be funded in their respective jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, regardless of the funding source (a Motor Fuel Tax or income tax increase), it is critical that local governments receive their fair share and are treated equitably in any capital bill.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the McHenry County Board of Illinois believes it is imperative that a comprehensive capital infrastructure bill be passed in 2009 and that local governments receive an equitable share of such capital infrastructure program to be delivered through existing formula; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this resolution be distributed to Governor Quinn, Speaker of the House Madigan, Senate President Cullerton, House Republican Leader Cross, Senate Republican Leader Radogno, State Senators Althoff and Duffy, State Representatives Beaubien, Franks and Tryon, the County Administrator and the Director of Transportation/County Engineer.

DATED at Woodstock, Illinois, this 2nd day of June, A.D., 2009.

________________________________
KENNETH D. KOEHLER,
Chairman McHenry County Board

I would point out that consideration of raising the Motor Fuel Tax is not serious in Springfield, even it would be logical a logical way to finance road improvements.

Labels: Ersel Schuster