McHenry County Blog

You know what a “onezie” is, don’t you.

It’s a one piece outfit that a baby wears.

So, what happens when a Bear fan marries a Green Bay Packer fan and they have a child.

Someone goes out and buys a onezie with Chicago Bears logos.

Someone goes out and buys a onezie with Green Bay Packer logos.

Maybe the small person, a person with a sense of humor

Then, someone cuts the two onezies in half and sews them back together so that half consists of Bears’ logs and half of Green Bay Packer logos.

And, our message of the day is what it looks like.

Strangely enough, there’s a mirror image of this onezie back in the bureau.

12-31-6 Ah, ending the year with a December 19th Crystal Lake sunset across Main Steet's big empty field that my 9 year-old son picked as prettiest.

2,644 people have now tried to figure out who this guy is that writes McHenry County Blog. That’s the number who have clicked on my name in the upper right hand corner of this page.

And, as of the end of 2006, 2,182 articles have been posted since starting this blog in reaction to Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s and his city council’s promotion of Tax Increment Financing districts, which will increase taxes for all McHenry County property owners.

Last year Tribune columnist and blogger Eric Zorn asked for summaries of the year. The question intrigued me, so I submitted mine.

It was a lot of work, which probably explains why Zorn didn’t repeat the effort this year.

Last year I awarded a “Most Stunning Example of Left Stream Media Bias By a Reporter” award to a WTTW’s Elizabeth Brackett.

This year, the very day of Todd Stroeger’s ascension to his father’s ballot position for Cook County Board President, I was watching WTTW’s Chicago Tonight again and again heard something I could not believe.

Mispronoucing his last name, Carol Marin outlined the Democratic Party strategy to defeat Tony Peraica:

…there are plenty of Democrats out there who might want to protest by voting for you, but they see you as an anti-gay, pro-gun, anti-abortion (pause) guy in the bluest state and county in the state, so what do you have to say to them on the social issues that are going to make you attractive if they do decide to jump the traces?

Does this woman deserve the “Most Stunning Example of Left Stream Media Bias By a Reporter” award for 2006 or what? And maybe she should get the run-on sentence award of the year, although I'm sure I'm in the competition for that one.

This is the second time that a WTTW employee has achieved this distinction.

Oh, yes. The panel had three Democrats and Peraica. Pretty typical of political balance on most WTTW panels.

Incidentally, last year Marin won the “Most blatant defense of a future felon.”

That future felon, Tru-Link Fence guy Jim Levin was indicted two days after her 2005 Sun-Times column and pled guilty in early December of this year. He admitted to being a briber of Chicago School District procurement officers and to falsifying minority business partners.

I’ve noticed no follow-up, but her columns are not on my “must read” list.

Most Undercovered Story by Main Stream Media:

Developers’ and school vendors’ financing of school tax hike and bond referendum.

Oh, I readily admit that the Northwest Herald reporter Allison Smith broke its long-standing ignoring of this story with her excellent stories on the subject. She somehow infiltrated an early fund raising rally, revealing the Carpentersville School District 300 tax hikers goal of $153,000. She followed up, too. If only every local Northwest Herald education reporter would cover his or her district the way Smith covered District 300. Smith now works at a much higher salary the Carpentersville School District 300's media relation’s person. That's the school she covered previously.

Still, each of those almost “pay-to-play” or, maybe, “pay-to-be-able-to- keep-selling-homes” contributions deserves to see the light of day before the referendum. And that did not happen in the Northwest Herald, the Daily Herald or the Chicago Tribune.

But voters did see the direct mail pieces those contributions paid for.

(You might think that since most campaign spending completely ignores newspapers that they would have little to lose by reporting the contributions, but that ignores the tens of thousands of dollars of advertising revenue that the papers get from developers.)

And, as long as I am passing out kudos to reporters, surely, they are deserved by Daily Herald reporter Jeffrey Gaunt. I can’t begin to list the way he kept both District 300 and Huntley School District 158 on their toes--or, maybe, I should say “off balance”--by just reporting what they did. Click on Jeffrey Gaunt to see all the stories he wrote that I have referenced.

The two should share the award for "Reporters who gave the most fits to local school boards and administors."

I'm sure they would rather I call it, "Reporters who asked and wrote about the most probing and legitimate questions." OK, we'll call it that.

Runner up in that category should be Northwest Herald reporter Karen Long, who delivered an unwelcome article for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley five days into the 8-day petition filing period for the spring election. (I'd love to know what was edited out of her article and whether Long will be allowed to follow up before the April election.)

More about what happened on McHenry County Blog in 2006 on New Year's Day.

For more McHenry County Blog, click here.

When I left the Lakeswood Fire Station at slightly after one PM Saturday, Lakewood Fire Chief Tony Huemann had handed out 25 keys to the firehouse, part of the Public Works Department garage complex.

The firemen were loading first white, then red hose onto the late 1970's American LaFrance pumper that has been purchased from South Elgin’s department.

They were getting to know each other.

The name on the pumper still read South Elgin, but New Year’s Eve it will go to any fire that occurs in Lakewood.

Heumann told me that, so far, he had gotten to 600 years of firefighting experience among the men who were to man the Village of Lakewood’s first fire department.

I jotted down where a number of the firemen lived and came up with

Algonquin
Cary
Crystal Lake
Elgin
Hebron
Lake in the Hills
Lakewood
Prairieview
Sleepy Hollow
Wonder Lake
Woodstock

And the departments they are now affiliated with or had worked for?

Addison
Algonquin- Lake in the Hills
C'ville
Cary
Elk Grove Township
Fox River Grove
Hanover Park
Lincolnshire
Nunda Rural
Rolling Meadows
Rosemont
Schaumburg
Wauconda
West Dundee

Those who were relative newcomers to the fire service, those working for other fire departments and retired veterans attended the 10 AM Saturday briefing by Chief Huemann and American Emergency Service Corporation President Gary Jensen. Huemann currently works for the Mt. Prospect Department.

Jensen told me he had started five fire departments from scratch, one for a Waste Management industrial waste disposal plant with just two days notice.

I discovered that private fire departments are not all that rare in Illinois. A much larger company named PSI operations maybe three dozen, according to one full-time eastern DuPage County fireman who lives in Woodstock.

In his briefing Huemann described the response to his call for firefighters had been “absolutely unbelievable.” He told me he had 70 inquiries. And wanted more.

Later Jensen told me that that some young men had called asking why they had not been called for interviews. The answer is just that Huemann hadn’t had time to do so what with getting everything ready to roll on New Year’s Day.

The activity reminded me of a “just in time” manufacturing company.

The refrigerator was delivered while I was standing there taking pictures, for example. The signs on the door jam warned that paint on the woodwork was wet.

The firefighters were being fitted for masks.

A cleaning firm was scheduled to come in Friday night to prepare the office and living quarters. Mattresses were stacked next to the police boat, but no bed frames were in sight.

There were enough leather boots for the full-time firefighters, but not enough for all the “paid on call” firemen.

“The fire service is a passion for me,” Huemann told those assembled.

He asked the men to use their own pagers and cell phones until ones could be procured.

For those who had signed on for full-time work, he requested they be professional and give two weeks notice to their current department.

He stressed the importance of the “paid on call” people.

“We’re not going to be able to run a fire department without 'paid on call' people he said. “Every time we go out, we need to have the 'paid on calls' fill the station.

Huemann also stressed the professionalism of Crystal Lake Fire Chief Jim Moore.

“The Crystal Lake Fire Chief has been very gracious,” the Lakewood Chief said.

“We are firefighters. We do not get involved in politics,” he said, alluding dissatisfaction among some of Crystal Lake’s firefighters, I think. “I’ll ask you not to do that.”

Huemann said he would be willing to elaborate in one-on-one conversations, if firemen were interested.

He added, “Chief Moore has been absolutely fine with me on a professional basis. He’s a fire fighter.”

Lakewood Village Trustee Carl Davis spoke to the group and shortly after meeting ended Village President Julie Richardson came by.

Richardson welcomed the new firemen and told them women of the village would supply dinner New Year’s Eve.

Besides the 1978 or 79 pumper from South Elgin, the department has a tanker from Marengo.

Two more fire engines are on the way from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Some unexpected repairs were needed, so they will not arrive until the first week of January.

A fire caught at its beginning will take “a couple of hundred gallons to put out,” AESC President Jensen told me.

If one is ablaze, “several thousand” gallons would be needed.

Where fire hydrants are not available in Country Club Additions, the tanker will drop a large containers and fill them with water.

Of the nine full-time firemen to be hired, three will be lieutenants.
They are Ross Wagner from just down the road in Lakewood, Jason Thielman from Wonder Lake and Scott Vaughn from Prairie View.

Huemann revealed that mutual aid will first come from Woodstock and, next, from Huntley.

As I was leaving, Alice and Steve Barnett, a couple from South Shore Drive at Gate 13, was bringing in submarine sandwiches for lunch.

Two ambulances were at the station, complete with Lakewood Village Fire Department signage, but state government has not yet gotten around to certifying their acceptablility.

Talking to Trustee Davis, I suggested calling State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon.

I told him my basic advice to citizens was that when state government did something stupid, it was time to all a legislator.

I know from trying to contact state employees for stories I am writing that the state’s new “use it or lose it” vacation policy is leaving more than one department short-handed at the year.

So, maybe a call from a legislator’s office might get someone out to Lakewood on Tuesday. In the meantime, Emergency Medical Technicians will go out on the fire trucks.

Huemann also revealed that the communications requirements imposed by the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System members that McHenry County Blog reported the third week of December have been solved.

Not only will SEECOM, the Southeast Communications Center, dispatch Lakewood's fire calls, but the county system to alert fire fighters of fires in their jurisdictions has allotted Lakewood its own frequency.

Knowing that timing was tight, Huemann revealed at the countywide meeting that Crystal Lake had been asked for a one to two week extension on its contract for Crystal Lake to provide fire protection.

Apparently that request was denied.

And, a post script. Just in case folks don't think these are serious firefighters, take a look at these ten license plates that were in the parking lot: All but one are Illinois firefighter plates and the one that is not says, "FYREMAN 8."

For more McHenry County Blog, click here.

= = = = =
The first photo is the new Lakewood Fire Department pumper, still with South Elgin identification on it.

To its right the new Lakewood firemen are installing the larger white hose. Immediately below, a fireman stands beside smaller red hose, which was installed next.

The next three photographs are of Chief Tony Huemann briefing the new members of the Lakewood Fire Department.

Company President Gary Jensen talks about payroll details after Huemann, standing behind, finishes providing his information. Jensen urges the men not to use the $40 orange gloves when regular $1.50 work gloves will do--the only indication I saw that the fire department will be run by a for-profit entity--and tells everyone that Huemann is in charge.

The next pictures show the appliance company workers delivering the refigerator before the 10 AM meeting and a fireman being fitted for a smoke mask.

Below on the right is a picture on Huemann giving his briefing and one of Crystal Lake Fire Chief Jim Moore, taken at the countywide MABAS meeting on December 20th in Woodstock.

Lakewood Village Trustee Carl Davis talks to Village President Julie Richardson after the briefing.

A close-up of Gary Jensen is next.

The three lieutenants of the new department--Ross Wagner, Jason Thielman and Scott Vaughn--are introduced by Huemann below Jensen's photo. Note the mattresses stacked behind them in front of the police boat.

Taken after the MABAS meeting is Huemann conferring with Woodstock's Fire Chief Ralph Webster.

Next can be seen Lakewood's Alice and Steve Barnett bringing sub sandwiches for lunch.

The two Lakewood ambulances can be seen below.

The next photo is a close-up of three of the new recruits preparing the pumper for action.

Finally, ten fire fighter license plates on cars in the parking lot.

Labels: American Emergency Service Corporation President, Carl Davis, Crystal Lake Fire Department, Gary Jensen, Jim Moore, Julie Richardson, Lakewood Fire Department, Mutual, Tony Huemann

I call it the “Little Store,” but the name above the door reads, “General Store.”

It’s located in Crystal Lake on North Avenue kitty-cornered across from the Lakewood Village Hall.

It seems like it has been closed for re-modeling forever...well over a year, maybe, going on two years.

Maybe longer.

Most convenience stores are not well known.

They don't have character.

McHenry County folks will remember this one from its former proprietor, Naoki Kamijima, murdered by a Coventry subdivision man who went to more than one convenience store looking for an oriental to kill.

Naoki was from Japan with the outgoing friendliness unequaled for such a convenience store.

When I first met him, he managed the gas station and convenience store next to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce building.

He decided to expand by adding the Little Store on the West end of Crystal Lake.

Then, he lost the gas station opportunity and poured himself his “supplemental” opportunity.

After he was killed, the Crystal Lake Park District named to little park across the street from his store after him.

Naoki’s wife operated the store for a while after his death, which must have been emotionally very difficult, but finally closed its operation.

As I was wondering around taking pictures of an unfrozen Crystal Lake, I saw workmen and decided to stop over to see how much progress had been made.

On the left as one enters is a brand new deli.

It couldn’t be more modern.

I asked for a tour and was shown the grocery section off to the right, which looks least changed.

The refrigerated units are all new, however.

The behind the scenes changes have to be the most striking (although I never saw what was there before).

Behind the deli is a completely new kitchen, completely up to Crystal Lake’s and the McHenry County Department of Public Health’s most recent requirements.

Under the stairs to the upstairs living quarters is a reverse osmosis water purifying system. What a great use of what would usually be wasted space.

So, if you don’t think Crystal Lake’s water is always up to snuff (we’re on a private well), the County Store is the place to go.

Behind the back display cases just to the right of the entrance are more sinks.

For store clean-up, I suppose.

And, I won’t tell you how many security cameras there are.

Just know that the actions of any future crook will be fully recorded.

They're everywhere.

I can’t wait for it to open.

It is such a pain to have to drive to gas station a mile away on Route 14 to buy what we’ve forgotten at Jewel.

A new law sponsored by State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) will take effect New Year’s Day.

But, hardly anyone will notice because most government offices are closed.

According to the Association Press to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Springfield correspondent Kevin McDermott, Franks sponsored

The new "Human Voice Contact Act" requires that in the case of Illinois state agencies, callers are given the option, early on, to circumvent that digitized obstacle course and speak directly to a person.

"We need the government to be serviceable to average citizens, and oftentimes, you get the voice mail from hell — you're in voice-mail purgatory, and you can't get out," said Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, a sponsor of the legislation. "Government has got to be reachable."

Republican State Rep. Ron Stephens of the metro-East area countered,

"If we passed a law for everything that frustrates us, we'd have 1,000 new laws (starting Jan. 1) instead of 100." Even the current list of new laws is "without question" too many, he said.

My son gave this tee shirt to my wife for Christmas.

It says,

Remember the Reason

with a snowflake made up for the early symbol for Christianity, fishes pointing toward a circle in the middle.
Under that is

Jesus answered, “You are right in saving I am a king. In fact for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world.”

The Chicago Reader’s Deanna Isaacs reports this week that the Gay Games is almost at the breakeven point.

Specifically,

Gay Games Chicago is still looking to raise about $25,000 to close the gap on its $8.8 million cash budget through donations (to be matched by an anonymous benefactor) and proceeds from the Gay Games VII DVD. The final financial report won’t be out until March.

The organization was $200,000 short in mid-October.

The picture is of the underwhelming crowd at 3:30 on July 16, 2006.

DeKalb’s MidWeek reporter Diane Strand provides yet another view of what happened in the DeKalb Courthouse when the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water asked for a question to be placed on the April ballot to form a new regulatory unit of local government.

I found the following interchange between A-LAW attorney and former Judge John Countryman and former DeKalb State’s Attorney Mike Coughlan amusing:

Former DeKalb County State's Attorney Mike Coughlan made lengthy comments at the start, arguing against the constitutionality of the proposal because thousands of those affected will not have a voice in it.

Countryman responded that anyone trying to use a “constitutionality” objection should have contacted the Illinois Attorney General's office first.

Klein then asked Countryman if there were other such water authority districts in the state and Countryman respond, “Yes.” In fact, there are 17 such districts, most of them downstate.

Another MidWeek story starts with

“This is the start of a water war, isn't it,” said DeKalb County Board member Julia Fauci.

If you want a list of “horribles,” start here.

There’s a third story by Dennis Hines about Sycamore’s council’s opposition. Sycamore is excluded from the proposed new unit of local government.

Being outmaneuvered by the referendum’s proponents seems to be a main concern:

“Only 20 percent of the registered voters in the three counties would be able to vote on the referendum, which is proposed for this April,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

Meanwhile, Northwesst Herald columnist Eric Olson minimizes the issue.

One Christmas bib was not enough for my grandnephew.

Here’s a second one that says,

My Very First Christmas

Those are Dad’s outsized head and hand.

The following press release was received from the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee Thursday. I believe it speaks for itself.

OUIMET SITES HEALTH IN RESIGNATION AS McHENRY COUNTY DEM CHAIR

CRYSTAL LAKE--Patrick M. Ouimet, the Chairman of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, will resign his position effective on December 31.

Ouimet suffered a heart attack requiring emergency angioplasty surgery on November 12, just days after leading the county party to an historic victory. A Democrat was elected to the County Board, Congresswoman Melissa Bean and Representative Jack Franks swept to victory, and big county wide margins we racked up for state wide candidates Lisa Madigan and Jessie White.

A stent was placed in Ouimet’s right coronary artery to relieve blockage of that artery. He was released from the hospital less than 48 hours after surgery and his recovery has been remarkable.

In light of this recent medical event, Ouimet felt it appropriate to hand over the leadership reins of the Democratic Party to a new Chair who will take over the day-to-day governance of the Party. He communicated his resignation to the Party’s Executive Board members in writing on December 27.

Under the Party’s Constitution, Vice Chair Kathleen Bergan Schmidt will automatically assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair until such time as a successor is elected by the members of the Central Committee.

Bergan Schmidt of Crystal Lake, a veteran party leader who ran for the McHenry County Board in the November election said, “We anticipate that we will continue to build the party to the standards set by Pat Ouimet’s leadership.”

Patrick Murfin, a former vice-chair who himself assended briefly to the Chair, had high praise for both the departing and incoming leaders:

Pat’s passion and unmatched organizational skill helped transform the McHenry County Democrats into an effective organization. Kathy has worked hand in hand with him and shares his vision of making the Democrats the majority party here.

Ouimet will continue to serve the Party in his elected position as Precinct Committeeman for Dorr 12.

Here is the Ouimet biography posted on the county Democrats web site (the photo is from there, too):

Patrick M. Ouimet was born on St. Patrick's Day 47 years ago in Decatur, Illinois.

From a large, close knit family of seven brothers and three sisters, Pat today lives and practices law in Woodstock, and is married to Dr. Mary Riggs, an OB/GYN, practicing in the cities of McHenry and Algonquin, Illinois.

Pat graduated from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago. He then attended John Carroll University located in University Heights, Ohio. In 1988, Pat received his law degree (with honors) from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Pat has served the McHenry County Democratic Party as its General Counsel, Chaired the Membership Recruitment Committee and served on the Policy Committee.

On April 19, 2006, Pat was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the McHenry County Democratic Party.

Best wishes to Mr. Ouimet in his recovery.

Labels: McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, McHenry County Democrats, Patrick Ouimet

The leaders of still another village are objecting to be included in boundaries the Kishwaukee Water Authority that A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, has proposed.

That’s what The Times, which seems to be based in Ottawa, is reporting.

The reason is different from other towns who see McHenry County-style growth as a benefit.

Reporter Melissa Garzanelli writes,

Sandwich Mayor Tom Thomas said he plans to ask that Sandwich be excluded from the group's jurisdiction since it is a different watershed from the rest of the area A-LAW seeks to regulate -- the Kishwaukee River basin. Sandwich is in the Harvey Creek watershed.

The mayor also brought up another objection I have not heard of: the new taxing authority would (could?) require boat registration.

Not that there are a lot of places to put boats in rural McHenry, Boone and DeKalb Counties.

Both times when dairy and investment house owner Jim Oberweis ran for the United States Senate opponents charged him with using Oberweis Dairy ads to advance his candidacies.

The first, filed by Steven A. Leahy, Chief Counsel for the Republican Assembly of Illinois, complained of a “corporate contribution,” according to a Federal Election Commission press release.

It was dismissed August 27, 2002.

During his 2004 campaign Springfield’s Sangamon County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Timoney filed another complaint.

FEC Public Information Officer Bob Biersack told McHenry County Blog, “We’re prohibited from discussing them.”

He was allowed to say,

We did in fact get a complaint and it has not been closed.

I called Timoney to ask him the most recent information he had.

His response:

I don’t have any information and the Federal Election Commission evidently does not provide an objector with the outcome of the investigation or complaint.

He did add that about once a year someone calls him to ask if he has heard anything.

No complaints were made to the FEC for the gubernatorial campaign because the Feds have no jurisdiction over state campaigns.

There are recent media reports that Oberweis may run for Congress, if House Speaker Denny Hastert decides to step down.

= = = = =
Photo of Jim Oberweis is on Paul Capiro's Family PAC cruise this summer. He is serving then state senate candidate Eric Wallace and Judge Don Weber's campaign manager Michael Galbreth.

Labels: Family PAC, FEC, Federal Elections Commission, Jim Oberweis, Oberweis Dairy, Paul Caprio, Sangamon County Democratic Party, Steven Leahy, Tim Timoney

Another message from Christmas Day.

This time a baby’s big and a hat.

Baby’s

First Christmas

is what they both read.

How about running for library board, if you live in a library district?

Hardly anyone cares who is on the library board.

There are some exceptions.

I would point to the library district in Libertyville where conservatives and liberals have fought knock-down-drag-out battles with the liberals winning the last go-round.

Despite that, those who think they might like to run for higher office some day can get the resume they need by running for and winning a library district board post.

Sometimes enough people aren’t even interested enough to fill all the vacancies.

I guarantee you it is better to run than to have most library board appoint their favorite.

Since former President Gerald Ford died Tuesday night, I guess it’s time for my “I had dinner with Ford” story.

It was at Oberlin College at Harkness Hall across from Dascomb, just north of Talcott.

The Oberlin College Young Republicans were holding their Lincoln Day dinner and the guest of honor was United States Representative Gerald Ford, then Minority Leader of the U.S. House.

As I remember, it was shortly before he defeated Indiana’s Charlie Halleck for the post. That would make it 1963 or 1964.

Since I was Chairman of the Republican Mock Convention and my friend Paul Keefe was YR President, I got one of the seats at Ford’s table.

He was a pleasant enough fellow, but I admit not to remembering anything about the dinner conversation or his speech.

Here’s the end of the year summary from the Windy City Times about the Gay Games in Crystal Lake:

Crystal clear:

March 2 marked the beginning of the Crystal Lake controversy. The Crystal Lake Park District Board rejected Gay Games’ request to hold the rowing competition with a 2-2 vote, but later approved their request after a March 7 meeting. The agonizingly long meetings were filled with protesters and homophobic remarks. However, local supporters and PFLAG parents came out in droves to battle homophobia. Gay Games would later come before two other area boards before overcoming the final hurdle in April and gain approval for the summer event, which went off in July without a hitch and only a handful of naysayers.

And, on the Protect Marriage petition effort:

Sweet victory:

In the Spring, anti-gay group Protect Marriage Illinois ( PMI, a sister organization of the Illinois Family Institute ) hand-delivered over 345,000 signatures Downstate in an attempt to place an anti-gay advisory referendum on the upcoming November ballot. In the summer, Fair Illinois filed an official challenge to PMI’s marriage referendum petition with the State Board of elections. The GLBT community and its supporters rallied together, volunteering the necessary hours to check each signature for validity. The hard work of many ensured the anti-gay organization fell short of the valid signatures needed to move forward in August. This was a major victory for the state’s lesbian and gay community.

So.

I was wrong again.

The cow appearing with Jim and Joe Oberweis on a television set near you in January did not come all the way from Wisconsin.

She lives in Hampshire at the Conro Family’s Sunset Acres Farm, according to the Aurora Beacon-News by way of the Naperville Sun.

C-Factor of Chicago advertising agency employee Toby Smalley wrote me,

"The cow's name was Bridget. She is 5 years old and her grandmother was one of the original Oberweis logo cows."

Smalley also sent the top photo of son Nick Conro's and, I assume, his sister Cheri's handling Bridget.

From the blue plastic on the floor of Aurora University's library, you might think that someone doesn't trust Bridget to mind her business while being "interviewed" for her job. Aurora University's Media Relations man Al Benson sent the lower photo.

Nick's sister attends Aurora University.

Labels: 14th Congressional District, Jim Oberweis, Television Ad, Tv Ad

A sister-in-law who shall remain nameless was told her son had a tree stand on his wish list.

She asked him how much it would cost.

When she heard the price, she thought it was expensive for a Christmas tree stand.

This ornament from her daughter-in-law rubs in the misunderstanding.

It says,

You might be a
Redneck
If…
Your Christmas Tree has
a deer stand.

Reminiscent of this tee shirt, isn't it?

The Chicago Sun-Times’ man on the advertising beat, Lewis Lazare, reported Tuesday that Oberweis Dairy is about to start another round of television ads.

This one features a cow being interviewed by former U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis.

The nameplate of the person sitting next to him behind a desk in the photo the Sun-Times reads is Joe Oberweis.

So, where did the cow come from?

As luck would have it, McHenry County Blog has tracked down a herd of Holsteins where it might have originated.

It was not Harmilda, the plastic cow in Harvard, which bills itself as the Milk Capital of the World. . (The name Harmilda comes from Harvard Milk Days, I learned on the event’s web page.)

And its picture is probably not on the painting on the side of the building behind Hermelda at the corner of Ayer Street--which becomes the “Milky Way” early each June.

When I took office as McHenry County Treasurer in 1966, Shoppers Service was sending its shopper from Harvard every week. And every week at least one dairy farmer was holding an auction because he was going out of business.

So, the odds of the cow being from McHenry County are not high, although dairy farms do still exist.

I followed this cheese truck north to Wisconsin.

Actually, I was on another errand to Williams Bay and got lost trying to follow a detour in Walworth to Lake Geneva.

But guess what I found?

Part of a herd of cows that supply Oberweis Dairy hormone-free milk.

They were resting or peacefully grazing about as far from the highway as seemed possible.

And, believe it or not, the farmer was a Republican.

Just look at the yard signs out in front of his home.

I know the farmer's candidate for governor, Mark Green, fared no better than the man who buys his cow's milk.

Paul Ryan, candidate for Congress, got 63% of the votes cast.

His candidate for state senate, Neal Kedzie, won 2-1.

The Republican candidate for the state assembly. Thomas Lothian, had a closer call, getting under 54% of the vote.

Labels: Cow, Dairy Farm, Harmilda, Harvard, Jim Oberweis, Oberweis Dairy, Political Sign, Shopper Service, Television Ad

Considering the Christmas story starts with taxation, perhaps I should not criticize the Chicago Tribune for running Diane Rado’s Christmas Day story headlined,

Income tax hike in play for schools

with a subhead reading

Bipartisan caucus faces tough battle with Blagojevich

Still, must we think of taxes on Christmas?

I didn’t, as you can see from the date this is posted.

Of course, the Tribune didn’t think the tax hike threat was as important as U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s hiring a contributor’s kid as an intern, but such are the news judgments of Tribune editors.

The tax hikers have managed to convince even a savvy reporter like Rado to call them “tax reformers.”

And, doesn’t it figure that a Republican state representative (Robert Pritchard of Hinckley) is “a former school board member and chief organizer of the education causes?”

I see Hinckley is in DeKalb County. I suggest Rep. Pritchard might want to type his zip code into this tax calculator that Rado worked up. (If the link doesn't work, tell me in a comment what your zip code is and I'll post the results.)

Just in case Rep. Pritchard doesn’t want to go to the link in the above paragraph, I have copied what the tax calculator says will happen to the tax bill of the average taxpayer in Hinckley, if Senate Bill 750 became law.

It shows a net income tax increase of 13% for Hinckley taxpayers. The dollar increase is estimated to be $728.

Rado reports that one of the caucus’ main goals is to reduce reliance on local taxes for schools.

I guess the education caucus members don’t understand that he who supplies the gold rules.

Kudos to Rado for pointing out—one of the rare times print reporters have done so—that increasing the state income tax rate from 3 to 5 percentage points is a 66 percent hike (actually, it rounds to 67%).

And our hero?

Governor Rod Blagojevich is about all we have.

No Republican is quoted as being against tax hikes. Good thing she or Ray Long, who assisted with the article, didn't call Jim Edgar. Thanks to Bill Barr for pointing out his continuing role as cheerleader for higher taxes.

Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

Well, maybe fuzzy.

Labels: Barack Obama, Diane Rado, Income Tax Hike, Robert Pritchard, Rod Blagojevich, SB 750, Senate Bill 750, Tax Calculator

“Santa stopped coming to see you
after you shot at his
reindeer,”

says the text below the bewildered reindeer with bullets flying around him.

On top it says,

You might be a REDNECK
if

The venison sausage was good.

As we were going through the woods and over the river, we weren’t on our way to Grandma’s house on Christmas Day.

But I did spy that same Judy Baar Topinka and Joe Birkett sign at the southeast intersection of Route 31 and East Crystal Lake Avenue.

Again.

Since I pointed it out on November 30th, I guess I’m surprised that it’s still up.

No wonder McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Bill LeFew is asking people to join the Republican Party (only $15) and volunteer for sign duty.

I wonder why the Algonquin Township Republican Precinct Committeeman doesn’t take it down.

And, no, I am not suggesting she put it up.

Imagine my surprise when I finally found out who the certified letter was from.

After I returned from the Crystal Lake City Hall to pick up a DVD of the October 10th city council meeting when the Tax Increment Financing district proposals were made I saw it.

It was from the City of Crystal Lake.

City taxpayers paid $4.64 to send it to me.

It told me that the DVD I had requested was ready for pick-up.

After not having heard from the city maybe two days after I made the request I called to ask if it were ready.

It was, so I drove down to pick it up.

The cost was $5.

I did not file a Freedom of Information request to DVD. I left my phone number.

But, when I picked it up, I did file some Freedom of Information requests.

I wonder if the city will spend $4.46 to tell me when each of the requests have been fulfilled.

= = = = =

I imagine that there will be some smiles at city hall when they see I did not remember the name of Bill Cellini’s company. Instead of putting New Frontier on the request, I wrote “Fremont.”

I don’t know whether DeKalb’s Daily Chronicle’s headline said everything about last week’s hearing about the Kishwaukee Water Authority court hearing or not, but it’s worth reading:

Lots of anti-water-authority testimony heard.

Reporter Dana Herra writes that only one of 24 people who spoke…was in favor.”

Attorney John Countryman, a former state representative and DeKalb County judge, representing A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, objected to each of the opponents testimony.

Why?

The reasons ranged from not living in the proposed district to content.

Here’s an interesting objection by Countryman:

Unless they all want to show me that they took a vacation day today, I would move their testimony be stricken.

Of course, they could have been acting in their official capacities, appearing to protect what most municipalities believe is a manifest destiny to grow.

The lawyer for the DeKalb County Building and Development Association said,

It looks like a piece of Swiss cheese. The majority of voters who are affected by it can't vote on it.

Reporter Herra explains that representatives of the municipalities left out of the district—those whose residents would not be able to vote on the formation of the tax district and, of course, who would not be taxed if the new government were approved—strongly objected.

Genoa Alderman Jay Hansen complained about his city’s inclusion,

saying that including Genoa while similar-sized cities in McHenry County were excluded puts the city at an unfair development disadvantage.

So, just as McHenry County Blog indicated in the first story published on this proposal, it’s all about growth.

The rampant growth folks are against it and those who want to limit growth are supporters.

The judge verified my initial analysis, according to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle:

Pretty interesting situation, huh? The municipalities are saying, “We don't want a water authority telling us what to do and how to develop,” and the rural areas are saying, “We don't want the municipalities hogging all the water.”

I find this very interesting. It's a refreshing change from what I normally get to do (criminal court).

The Northwest Herald apparently did not cover the court hearing.

CORRECTION: The Northwest Herald did cover the court hearing. Here's the link.

I have a Google search for the authority, but, for some reason, the Northwest Herald article did not show up.

= = = = =
Click on the map to enlarge it and see who is in and who is in and who is out of the proposed Kishwaukee Water Authority.

As our family returned home on Route 14 Christmas night, there was little sign of a cultural war.

I saw four establishments open on Route 14 in Crystal Lake:

· A Chinese restaurant,
· Walgreens
· A convenience store and
· A Shell station.

Blog Chicagoist poster Kevin Robinson says it is a Jewish tradition to go to a movie and for Chinese on Christmas Day.

Emanuel.

God with us.

I don’t know about you, but God doesn’t talk to be much.

Or, maybe it’s just that I don’t listen very well.

Last Christmas, I wrote of an encounter with God that happed as I was trying to complete a talk for a Walk to Emmaus retreat.

This year I was not scheduled to speak, but I had had the feeling for a long time that last year’s talk on how every Christian is expected to be a priest needed to be given again.

Two days before the retreat spiritual leader Ken Poling called me and asked if I could fill in on the Priesthood of all believers talk. I agreed.

The man originally scheduled to give this talk this year was needed to help tend to newly born, premature twins grandchildren.

When I re-read last year’s talk, I found this part near the end. My additions to last year’s talk are in parentheses.

If you are a parent or a grandparent, let me make it easy for you. You can give a Christian message to the children in your life, instead of a doll, legos or Thomas, the Train set. Veggie Tale videos, DVD’s and CD’s are excellent. My 9-year-old son has devoured every one of them.

While taking him to and from school, we now play a CD called “Jonah’s Overboard Sing-Along.” We have played all of the CD’s one year or another.

[Let me add something here. I wrote this talk for last fall’s Walk.

[The man originally scheduled to give this talk this year was needed to help tend to newly born, premature twins. That’s where he and his wife are now.

[We needed to name our table and I thought the name "Jonah" was picked because a later speaker talked about Jonah when he practiced his talk.

[I had no message from God as to what name to select. No one else came up with a suggestion, so I said, “How about Jonah?”

[I didn’t think I had a message from God or anything.

[Then, Ken Poling called me and asked if I would give this talk again.

[As I was re-reading my text Wednesday, I found my CD recommendation—“Jonah’s Overboard Sing-Along.”

[Now I know that our table name selection was straight from God.

[Back to the music coming out of my cars’ speakers…day after day.]

When the young child in your life memorizes Micah 6:8’s “act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God” message and sings it in the back seat, I hope it sends a thrill up your spine like it did mine.

Focus on the Family has the wonderful “Odyssey” series of tapes, videos and CD’s. They are excellent to play while on trips, even around town. My son is now into the “Last Chance Detectives,” both the CD’s and the DVD’s.

And it got better once we arrived at Woodstock’s Resurrection Center and I discovered who was sitting with me.

A guy from Madison told us that his wife was pregnant and he wanted to name his son Jonah. He said his wife was resistive because she didn’t want to be referred to as “the whale.”

And, the name of our table was Jonah.

I’m pretty sure the newborn will be named “Jonah.”

I had found a book telling Jonah’s story at the rummage sale of my First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake and put it on the table.

A bunch of us wrote notes in it to the baby.

One “God incident” was a splendid experience.

But, this was a twofer from God.

= = = = =
If you are interested in attending such a retreat, you can leave a message on the Northern Illinois Walk to Emmaus web site or just email or call me. (I'm in the phone book, if anyone still uses them.) Here's what several who attend had to say about their experiences. And, what a Crystal Laker and a resident of Mohomet were inspired to do:

· "Detention for Jesus"
· Carpenter's Helpers

The stained glass representation of Jesus' encounter with two men on their walk to Emmaus is from the First United Methodist Church of Elgin. I saw it at a United Methodist Men's District meeting and worship service earlier this month.

Ever attend a Kids Christmas Pageant and think that you read an article about its theme before.

No, I’m not talking about some magazine article in which the liberal national news magazines do their best to shake the faithful with a “Was Jesus Really Born in Jerusalem?” or, worse yet, a "Was Jesus Ever Born?" piece or something like that.

This is one that could have been on that New York lawyer's show "Law and Order."

So, here’s the story line.

Kids put together their annual Christmas pageant, which has always been held in the town square for their Christmas pageant.

The mayor—a politically correct woman—is up for re-election.

The mayor decides she doesn’t want to offend anyone, so she tells the kids they can’t use the town square.

The kids decide to go door to door to ask people to call the mayor and urge her to change her mind.

First they go to a blasé rich people’s house. They attract them outside by singing carols.

The urbane husband asks the wife what the kids want, money?

“Here, give them $5.”

The kids say they don’t want money, they want the man and woman to call the mayor to allow them to put on their presentation in the town square.

The couple give no indication of following through.

They go to a second home and find two aging hippies.

These folks celebrate every holiday.

Their belief system consists of “Whatever.”

One of the youngsters observes that if one believes in everything, one really believes in nothing.

Finally, they find a mother with children asleep inside.

Her husband is the Armed Forces and she is horrified that the mayor has banned the play. She promises to call.

The next scene I remember is the mayor coming to tell children that she has changed her mind. She says has been getting phone calls all day, including one from her daughter.

The mayor's daughter is the mother with the sleeping kids and husband serving in the Armed Forces overseas.

The mayor has undergone an epiphany.

She doesn’t care if she loses votes.

It’s on with the show.

Not only can the show be put on at the town square, but the mayor wants to be in it next year.

So, it's on with the Christmas pageant, complete with Nativity scene.

= = = = =
I don't know all the names, so my apologies to those I leave out or misidentify.

In the top picture the children are shown "practicing" the show they are going to perform in the town square.

Part of the show included a chorus line. On the right is Gina Daleo. The other girl is Johanna Sveden.

The mayor was Megan Heidenreich.

The urbane couple were played by Julie Noack and Andrew Swlatly.

The hippies were Felicia Hornback and David Deemer.

The mayor's daughter was Jennifer Peterson.

Protraying Mary was Gabby Schweizer. Joseph was Brian Madigan. The shepherd was Sidney Schroepfer. Sarah Ripple was the angel.

Before the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake presentation the kids were in the community room practicing. For the finale, they couldn't remember the second verse. They certainly remembered during the show.

The photo under the Nativity scene and above this paragraph is of the rehearsal.

But, as someone mentioned at the reception (bottom right picture) after the show, there were no problems on the stage.

The title of the show?

"Miracle on Main Street" by Celeste Clydesdale, arranged by David Clydesdale, script by Mark Davis & Celeste Clydesdale.

Renee Schultz was the drama director. Jeannie Patterson did the choreography. Lisa Bishoff was children’s director. Katrina Jackson was the music director.

Lessons in practical politics in church.

Lessons on so many levels.

Who would have imagined that?

Labels: Celeste Clydesdale, Christmas Pageant, eannie Patterson, First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake, Katrina Jackson, Lisa Bishoff, Miracle on Main Street, Renee Schultz

I saw this one at the last McHenry Marlins’ swim meet at McHenry West High School.

The man wearing this
In the Beginning…God
Was entering the times for the swimmers on our computer.

This message fits in quite well with that of the Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church Christmas pageant.

You can read about it below.

Kids don’t have to worry that Santa won’t make it this evening.

My 9-year old has created the “Santa Jet” from Legos.

This vehicle will be able to get through the worst of storms.

Labels: Lego, Santa, Santa Claus

For the first time, my family saw a full gospel Christmas pageant.

This was not just a nativity scene-focused presentation, although there was a nativity scene.

This was a quick step through the Bible from creation to the return of Christ.

The beginning had a somewhat subtle, yet obvious illustration of the impermanence of things temporal.

Marshall Field’s was featured in the secularized scene, which featured shopping and gifts.

Two screens beside the huge stage at the Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church in Lake Zurich were used effectively to show celestial light at the creation of the world, narrators, prophecies and even comic relief.

This was a complete