McHenry County Blog

They weren’t black helicopters as some of McHenry County Blog’s readers might expect its writer to be seeing.

And, they weren't like the ones I saw last time in Crystal Lake.

Actually this one flying quite low back and forth across Route 14 near Crystal Lake’s North Shore was pretty small.

I couldn’t figure out what it was doing.

Then, I went to City Hall and picked up the latest ”City Letter.”

On page 4 was an article entitled,

City Continues Mosquito Abatement Efforts

Then, it all clicked.

In all likelihood, the helicopter was from Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management.

Labels: Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management, Helicopter, Mosquito

Larry DiPrima started it.

Maybe it was Myron Kulas.

The Royal Order of Mushrooms.

They sat in the back of the Illinois House chamber.

And they played the role of a typical mushroom.

They were kept in the dark and fed, well, you know McHenry County Blog is at worst a PG-rated blog, so you will have to fill in the blank.

And, why do the mushrooms like Governor Rod Blagojevich?

You’ll have to read that at McHenry County Blog.

Labels: Illinois House of Representatives, Louie DiPrima, Loyal Order of Mushrooms

As I mentioned before, all sorts of watercraft were out on Wonder Lake on the 4th of July.

Here two pre-teens are paddling the family boat with leg power while a jet ski flashes by.

One can imagine the thoughts in their heads.

“When can I drive ride one of those all by myself?”

Labels: 4th of July, Jet Ski, Paddleboat, Wonder Lake

Somebody has probably written about this, but I haven’t seen it, so here goes.

In a fit of logic, the General Assembly enacted legislation that denied legislators per diem payments after the Constitutional deadline beyond which a super-majority was required to make a law effective immediately upon signature.

Because of this law, those legislators who cannot finance their hotel rooms and meals out of their own pockets or out of their campaign funds have had a disincentive to be in Springfield since June 1st.

It shows in the attendance figures this year.

But, once a Governor calls a special session, the state reps. and senators start getting money for every day they are in Springfield.

And, folks, as I well know, this is tax-free money.

That means anything that is not spent is pure gravy for the legislator.

Labels: Illinois General Assembly, Per Diem, Rod Blagojevich

As I was taking my son to a McHenry Marlins swimming practice at 7:30 AM, I saw this fisherman just west of the pier next to the Gate 7 launching ramp.

He was fishing among the moored boats.

Just goes to show that one does not have to fish from a boat, I guess.

One could easily stand in the lake and cast where this man is fishing.

Labels: Crysal Lake, Fishing, Gate 7

The Crystal Lake Gala Parade Committee rejected the Libertarian Party’s method of delivering its message.

That led to the Libertarians deciding to skip the Crystal Lake parade.

Instead they went to Elgin, where the screening process apparently does not prohibit that most important form of Freedom of Speech—political speech.

Today’s “Message of the Day” is contained on a tee shirt worn by Fox Valley Libertarian Party leader Ken Prazak on Independence Day.

The tee shirt says,

CENSORED
BY CRYSTAL LAKE
PARADE COMMITTEE
2006
Freedom of Speech
www.FVLP.org

The sensorship message runs diagonally across a Statue of Liberty with tape across her mouth.

They were made up last year and worn by Libertarian Party members who passed out literature along the Crystal Lake parade route at the 2006 parade.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake Gala, Elgin, Fox Valley Libertarian Party, Ken Prazak, Statue of Liberty

On Monday, Huntley School District 158 board member Jim Carlin sent the email at the bottom of this story to Superintendent John Burkey.

But, first some background.

In it, Jim Carlin criticizes Aileen Seedorf, the woman who beat him in the April school board election, for pointing out a lack of precision in the school board’s agenda. I have added paragraphing to the email to make the message easier to read.

Seedorf, who insists upon accuracy from district administrators, spoke about the May 17th minutes, which were originally scheduled to have no discussion.

She pointed out that the very date of the meeting was incorrect.

“There are an awful lot of mistakes,” she observed. She pointed out that board actions are “put in the ‘Board Bits” before they are approved. I don’t know what “Board Bits” are, but I presume it is some publication.

She also was concerned about the confusion between references about the board’s Finance Committee and the Financial Advisory Committee.

Carlin suggested that her concern would be better placed elsewhere.

“I’m in a $60 million entity,” Seedorf replied. “I’m really uncomfortable with the minutes. I am uncomfortable about voting for any minutes.”

Board President Shawn Green pointed out that minutes were “supposed to be a general overview and not intended to get into the detail some board members require.”

Seedorf explained that what she had said at the podium (during the public comment period) was “going out wrong.”

“At one meeting (where) I spoke there’s no (report) of what I said.”

Board Secretary and longest serving board member Kim Skaja, who defeated Seedorf for secretary, explained that she was not putting content into the minutes concerning public comment.

I think she said that public comments don't interact with the comment person at the time that the info doesn't make the minutes.

And, as I was taking pictures of her, said,

"It’s not a good day to take my picture. I have a bad complexion.”

[I thought she looked fine.]

She apparently read my article about the May 17th board meeting, which no other reporter attended, because she referred to my having pointed out that the meeting’s recording ended at 10:44 and that she had to leave at midnight.

Kevin Gentry seemed to be willing to be more accommodating: “It strikes me as a process that works,” he said referring to the “opportunity to edit.”

Superintendent John Burkey then got involved in the discussion:

”What you’re asking for is a court reporter. If you want a word-for-word of what we’re doing, that’s what you’re talking about.”

There’s more that didn’t seem to relate too closely to the topic of minutes. Perhaps more of that in another article.

Here’s the email that Seedorf sent:

Sent: Thu 6/21/2007 12:54 AM

Subject: FAC name

NOTE: With regard to any and all emails, please do not reply in any way that would violate the OMA. [Open Meetings Act]

This is intended to disseminate information not encourage a discussion.

RE: FAC

There is an ? issue ? with the actual name of the committee which requires someone's attention. Please determine what the legal name is so that the site, minutes, agendas, etc. are consistent.

1. The site shows Financial Advisory Committee on the left side (and in that link) and in the body of http://www.d158.k12.il.us/fiscal/

2. Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) - 2006-2007 is shown here at the top http://www.district158.org/boe/ComFinancAdvis07.htm with Financial in the body.

3. Under Committee Agendas and minutes on the left it says Finance.

4. On the top of the April 26, 2007 minutes it says Finance, however, in the 2nd line down from the heading it says Financial.

5. On the June 21, 2007 agenda (yellow packet copy) it says Finance under Minutes, Finance under Finance Committee, and Finance at the end under Upcoming Meetings.

Please notify everyone on the FAC committee as well.

Note: Not trying to give anyone a hard time - just want it settled and properly shown - and, please double check me, the hour is late.

Thanks.

Aileen

Here’s Carlin’s Monday email about Seedorf's email:

From: Carlin, Jim
Sent: Mon 6/25/2007 2:05 PM
To: Burkey, John; BOE Members
Cc: 'Zornow, Eric'

Subject: RE: FAC name

Thank Zeus this confusion has been cleared up.

I've been so worried about this that I haven't slept in 4 nights. People have been calling and asking me what the difference is between Finance and Financial and what in Pegasus name is a FAC?

We should fire all FAC's and reprimand the Administration for not dropping everything they were doing and resolving this sooner.

I mean, what could be more important? After all, if a Bored member is sending an email at 1pm it has got to be disastrous, doesn't it?

Thank Pices that we have such diligent bored members.

Jim Carlin

I have asked for all of the emails concerning the minutes for the May 17th meeting. That’s the meeting when the video and audio recording stopped at 10:44 PM.

There were numerous comments about the minutes at the June 25th board meeting prior to their approval by what I remember as a 5-2 vote.

Labels: Aileen Seedorf, Huntley School District 158, Jim Carlin, Kim Skaja

I don’t know if this is the same egret we saw just west of Gate 21 in Lakewood last week, but it flew onto the main trunk of the tree just west of the Gate 9 pier early on Independence Day morn.

My son and a friend who had spent the night had convinced me to accompany them to the lake to search for snails as soon as they awoke.

That was about 6:30—well before my normal rising time.

We went over and found the previous night’s rainstorm had left the lake less transparent than it usually is that early in the day.

We could see the bottom out probably ten feet from shore, but I could find none of the tell tail snail trails that ended where the tiny snails stopped.

These are the snails that eat duck poop, which, in turn, results in something that causes swimmers itch.

I had hoped the boys would gather dozens of them and remove them from the lake—permanently.

But, no such luck.

I did get most of three newspapers read before I noticed a lovely white bird flying toward the tree which overhangs Crystal Lake at the west edge of Country Club Additions Property Owners Association’s property that is called Beach 7.

I got to the edge of the closest parking lot and took the picture you see.

As I snuck closer the egret became alarmed and flew off. I got a white smudge of a picture of one of the wings, but little more.

For those who can’t envision the tree where the egret landed and where generations of kids have loved to play in winter and summer, here’s a picture I took within the last week showing the setting sun’s rays shining through it.

The egret was standing on the branch sticking over the lake.

Labels: CCAPOA, Country Club Additions Property Owners Association, Crytal Lake, Egret, Gate 9, Sunset

If you missed the Lake in the Hills Rotary Ribfest last July, it was a blowout.

Now is the time to put July 6-8 on your calendar for what is sure to become an annual event at Sunset Park. (Yes, there are directions on the web site.)

It’s pretty obvious that some Rotarian involved with the event has a great sense of humor.

Look at this picture from the event’s web site.

The banner reads,

PIGFOOT

There is a $3 admission fee. Free for those 12 and under.

Here's the Northwest Herald's Brenda Schory's story on the event.

The Daily Herald's Shreya Baxi wrote this story.

Labels: Lake in the Hills Rotary, Ribfest, Sunset Park

The 4th of July had all sorts of folks enjoying Wonder Lake.

Here you can seen a family pulling their kids on a tube.

Labels: Tubing, Wonder Lake

As I read the Chicago papers early this week, I didn’t see any reference to the McHenry County Peace Group’s exclusion from Crystal Lake’s 4th of July Parade.

But it turns out that the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays participation in the Crystal Lake Gala Committee’s parade did merit a story, albeit in a homosexual and lesbian publication.

The Windy City Times published an article, complete with photos and links to even more.

The article was even by Tracy Baim—publisher of the Windy City Times.
It says that the march was inspired by last July 16th’s Gay Games Rowing Regatta.

A woman identified as a Catholic mother from Harvard, “who has a lesbian daughter (who lives in Oregon) and a gay and lesbian niece and nephew,” came up with the idea, “inspired by the visibility in the region caused by the Gay Games controversy,” the article says.

The woman, the article says, is driving the car in front of those walking.

Just as at the Gay Games, a Crystal Lake Police presence was noticeable, although I admit to not noticing it until after I looked at the pictures for this story.

While local police rode all sorts of conveyances at the Gay Games Regatta, here they were represented by a policeman on a bicycle.

There was a sign saying, “Come Walk with Us.” The Windy City Times says 15 joined the original 28 marchers.

One woman with a dog waved at me, but my photo of the dog is not nearly as good as the one at the Windy City Times web site.

In the same photograph can be seen a person carrying a sign saying, “We’re a PFLAG Family.”

I asked the woman holding the web site sign for the group to hold it up toward me so I could get a better picture. As you can see, she obliged.

After a little break in the flow, there next was a couple with multi- colored balloons. And another person pulling a little red wagon with balloons attached.

At the back of the group was a rainbow flag being carried, the article says, by her son, holding up one end and her daughter holding up the other end with one hand and her girlfriend’s hand with the other.

The article points out that the contingent was near the end of the parade.

It does not reveal that PFLAG was in front of a Living Waters Lutheran Church float.

And, lest you think PFLAG was at the very end of the parade, here’s what came after it:

• Living Waters Living Church,
• TLS Massage, Ltd.,
• Immanuel Lutheran Church’s marchers (featuring “Old Time Religion at the Pointe” and its elementary school),
• South Shore Drill of Chicago,
• American Taxi, and
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church’s My Father’s Way Pre-School,

By the way, the two teens leading the Living Waters Lutheran Church contingent were not holding hands.

And, although the back of the church float did have multi-hued bunting, it was in red, white and blue.

One final observation.

The McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee decided to boycott the parade because the McHenry County Peace Group had been banned for carrying some sign that the Gala Parade Committee decided broke its rules last year.

That, of course, did not mean that Democrats were not in the parade. I found a picture of a car with the license plate PFLAG 1 on the Windy City Times gallery of photos from this year’s parade. Its bumper stickers reminded me of those that were on the car most prominently parked in a handicapped parking space at the Main Beach the day of the Gay Games Regatta last year. John Kerry bumper stickers below their license plates.

It may be the same car with a different license plate and with some new bumper stickers. I wonder if last year's had an "I (heart) Womyn" bumper sticker, as this year's did.

All photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Gala, Living Waters Lutheran Church, Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, PFLAG

This tee shirt was also found at Lakeside Festival.

I saw it on a woman who was riding the Ferris Wheel, which my 9-year old rode all on by himself.

She says that she is a

Mosaic artist

On the back was information about where she studied.

Labels: Lakeside Festival, Mosiac, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

I received my new Firearm Owner’s Identification Card and discovered something I don’t think I have seen before.

There’s a

“CAUTION: This card does not permit bearer to UNLAWFULLY carry or use firearms.”

But, there’s more:

“This does not authorize the carrying of a concealed weapon.”

Really.

As if most gun owners in Illinois that Illinois is one of the few states in the Union that does not grant that privilege to its law abiding citizens.

The new card does have a nifty little hologram in the lower right hand corner. It is much more colorful in the photograph than when I look at it. It must be the flash.

Labels: Concealed Carry, Firearm Owner's Identification Card, FOID Card, Illinois Covered

My wife and I took a cruise on Wonder Lake on Independence Day and, naturally, I took the camera.





We saw lots of activity in and on the lake, some of which I shall share with you in future posts, but watching the canoeing was the most fun.





It was an inflatable canoe ridden by five young folks.





First, I got a pretty straightforward shot.





Trying to take another one, the girl on the back fell off. You can see her body leaning left, but I had framed the picture on the moving pontoon boat with little room to spare.





As a result, you can’t see the falling girl’s head.





They all got back on the canoe and were off again.





By then, they had noticed that I was taking pictures and seemed happy enough to be
“immortalized.”





Of course, since we weren’t within shouting distance—just waving distance—they didn’t know that they would end up on McHenry County Blog.





I took a couple of more shots, as you can see, before they pretty much disappeared out of sight on this largest of McHenry County’s lakes.





When we caught up again, I saw disaster have befallen the canoeists.




They had all fallen into Wonder Lake this time.




Wipe out!

Labels: 4th of July, Canoeing, Wonder Lake

On June 20th someone in Crystal Lake snapped this picture of a Blue Pontiac Sunbird parking across not one, but two handicapped parking spaces.

It was posted on Caughya.org right here.

The site describes itself as

"A 'hall of shame' to expose people parking illegally in disability or mobility parking spaces."

Thanks for “One Heck of a Guy” Allan Showalter for pointing me to the entry.

It looks like someone other than myself keeps his or her camera at the ready.

Can anyone recognize the location?

The picture can be enlarged by clicking on it.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Handicapped Parking

Ten little ducklings follow momma mallard duck across Crystal Lake’s Gate 7 roped in beach area.

Momma was in the lead until she stopped to eat something.

The little ducklings kept on swimming.


Soon the expected line-up was askew.

Momma was in the middle.

Everything was muddled.

But at least they were going in the direction that Momma was headed.

The pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Ducklings, Gate 7, Lakewood, Mallard

If you expected fireworks, you’ll have go back to July 2nd. That’s where I have posted a bunch of rockets exploding over Crystal Lake last Sunday. And you can see much larger versions than those to the right.

And, it was last year that McHenry County Blog featured the Declaration of Independence on a mouse pad.

This year, thanks to a Crystal Lake father with a July 4th-appropriate tattoo on his calf, you can see Captain America.

Captain America, you may remember, has been around since World War II.

I have read that Marvel Comics plans to kill him off in a September comic book. There will even be a funeral.

But Captain America will live on in Crystal Lake on my son’s friend’s father’s calf.

Labels: 4th of July, Captain America, Crystal Lake, Tattoo

When I visited the lot at Pierson and Dole after the parade, I learned that I had missed the biggest story.

I noted Monday that a Lady Liberty on stilts had walked the parade route.

She even posed for me so that I get her crown against the blue sky, instead of tree leaves.

Talking to some of the McHenry County Peace Group next to their banned signs and Statue of Liberty stationary float, I learned that the Lady Liberty on stilts had walked onto the lot and sung a song to those gathered there.

Nelson Borelli, the man seen flying the kite with a dove on it in front of the float, had taken picture of the two Statues of Liberty and agreed to send it to me.

He did and you can see the two replicas here today.

Click on the picture and you can see a larger version.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Gala, McHenry County Peace Group, Nelson Borelli, Statue of Liberty

A Tax Increment Financing district proposed by West Dundee for the corner south of Spring Hill Mall is moving forward.

That's what Elgin's Courier News reporter Rebecca O'Halloran wrote about Tuesday.

As McHenry County Blog pointed out early in its existence, virtually any property can be qualified for TIF district subsidies.

Our home in Lakewood, complete with major 1998 addition, could be declared “blighted” for TIF district purposes.

Our home does not meet current building requirements. The headroom for the stairs to the second floor is not high enough. I guess people were shorter in the 1920's than they are now.

That’s just one of the many flaky criteria that could lead to a property being declared "blighted."

In any event, if Huntley’s Prime Outlet Mall could be put in a TIF district when it was an empty field, truly anything could be declared eligible.

The problem is that such TIF districts push up tax rates on everyone living outside the district.

Crystal Lake Grade School District 47 Superintendent Ron Miller pointed out that tax shift to Crystal Lake authorities.

He told the city council that his school district would not lose any money if Crystal Lake froze real estate assessments for his district and other local tax districts.

That’s because District 47 and my guess is all other tax districts are beneath their maximum tax rates.

That’s because assessments have increased faster than the Consumer Price Index virtually every year since the Property Tax Cap went into effect in the early 1990’s. When that occurs, a tax district’s tax rate is forced down.

In the case of West Dundee, School District 300 will not lose any money if West Dundee’s proposed tax district passes.

The losers will be all of District 300’s taxpayers located out of the tax district.

So, is District 300 fighting to keep its homeowners’ tax rates down?

Not like the Richmond Nippersink Grade School District put up when the Village of Richmond tried to put most of downtown, plus a lot of a golf course in one.

West Dundee’s presentation of its consultant’s study will occur on August 18th at Village Hall.

At that time representatives of all local tax districts are allowed to vote to disapprove the TIF district.

All such an action would do, however, is force the West Dundee Village Board to obtain an extraordinary majority to approve the TIF district.

On August 20th a public hearing will be held at Village Hall, starting at 7 PM.

Labels: District 300, Tax Increment Financing District, TIF, West Dundee

In front of the cemetery fence on Dole Avenue I found this little boy.

Is he prepared for the sirens or what?

His parents have fitted him with ear muffs to protect his eardrums from the screeching sounds of the police cars and the fire engines.

I wonder if one of his parents works at O'Hare Airport.

At times, I wish I had had a pair.

Labels: Ear Muffs, Fire Trucks, Sirens

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday that an unnamed female Trinity International University player had sued the university and her former basketball coach.

Ordinarily this would not be a topic for McHenry County Blog.

But the article says that the coach, Drew Bauer, is a minister in McHenry.

“Jane Doe,” according to the Sun-Times, “says Drew Brauer, her coach at the NAIA Division II school, repeatedly made sexual advances toward her and assaulted her in his hotel room on road trips.”

If you are interested in the details, read the Sun-Times article.

Labels: Coach, Minister, Trinity International University

Here’s the welcoming sign to motorists on Route 176.

The Island Lake folks invite you to come to their parade at 10AM.

It will be at Burnett Road.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Island Lake, Route 176, Sign

Here’s another tee shirt from a teenager attending the Lakeside Festival carnival.

Here’s the message:

Here’s a little hint,
I DON’T CARE

Labels: Crystal Lake, Lakeside Festival, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

At least in McHenry County.

Every parade I participated in as State Rep. in the 1990’s meant a trip to Sam’s Club to buy $40 or so of candy.

I liked Tootsie Rolls or Jolly Ranchers.

During a lull in the parade, one mother took her little daughter out in the middle of Dole Avenue in front of the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake to scavenge for candy that had not made it to curb.

The little girl was clearly loving every moment of it.

Before the parade began, I walked from the First United Methodist Church to city hall. In front of where a relatively new subdivision with an iron fence replaced Flowerwood's rose greenhouse, complete with big smokestack, I found these little tykes all dressed up in red, white and blue sparkly hats.

And you can see they have been supplied big buckets, the better to store the candy their parents expect to be handed out by parade participants.

The kids were not disappointed, as you can see from woman adding goodies to children's bags.

Lucky them.

They were near the beginning of the parade.

Many parade entrants ran out well before they reached the end of the Independence Day Parade.

You can get larger pictures by clicking on the images.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Candy, Crystal Lake

Two Illinois legislators have recently taken surprising political stands.

State Senator Kirk Dillard (R-DuPage County) cut a campaign ad segment for Barack Obama. It made big news in the Chicago metropolitan market and got big criticism from Republicans.

State Representative Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

So, why would Dillard go out onto a limb for Obama and Franks onto a similar branch for Hillary?

Dillard lost in the Illinois Senate Leadership fight to Frank Watson. Dillard also just voluntarily gave up the traditional power base of Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Central Committee.

Maybe he would like to be a federal judge in Chicago. Couldn't hurt to have a president or a vice president or even a U.S. Senator as an advocate.

Franks is similarly boxed in politically.

He could run for Congress against Republican Congressman Don Manzullo in the 16th congressional district.

But that would by no means be a slam-dunk.

And one of his 2006 contributors, Robert Abboud, is acting as if he is going to run against Manzullo.

Does Franks run against State Senator Pam Althoff next year?

Only if he is very, very brave.

He’d have to knock on twice as many doors and, surely, he has gotten tired of knocking on doors by now. It’s been eight years of going door-to-door.

As I have stated repeatedly, I have seen that women have a five-percentage point advantage over men in this area.

Why would he run for the state senate if Althoff were not vacating her seat to challenge Congresswoman Melissa Bean?

So, could Franks, who barely beat Dr. Tom Salvi—a man, I point out—afford to spot Althoff five-percentage points?

I don’t think so.

And, why take the risk by leaving what is by now a “safe” seat?

Or has Franks’ support of Hillary blown the conservative “cover” has spent low these many years creating?

Maybe it would make him vulnerable in his legislative seat, especially if a woman ran against him.

Franks got lots of publicity posturing for a Democratic Party primary challenge against Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Indeed, Franks is the anti-Blagojevich in the Illinois General Assembly.

So, why would Franks want to be a state senator under the leadership of Rod Blagojevich lover Emil Jones?

He gets paid the same as a state representative. And he seems to have reached a détente with McHenry County Republicans on giving Mike Tryon a free ride to Springfield, that is, no Democratic Party opponent, in return for his having no opposition.

And, Franks get to work with the father of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who must love it every time Franks takes on the man the Speaker wants to beat in a gubernatorial primary election in 2010.

What else it left?

Franks could run for Attorney General, if Lisa Madigan ran for governor. I thought that most likely until Franks' endorsement of Hillary.

But that is a statewide race and his stances on hot button Democratic Party issues like homosexual rights and abortion have not been liberal enough to gain the support of the Personal PAC’s and gay rights supporters in Illinois.

So, what’s left that would be a step up?

How about a federal judgeship?

If Hillary gets elected president, Franks would have been one of the few prominent Illinois Democrats to have supported her before the primary election.

Trust me. Politicians remember who supported them when it counted most.

Sure, Franks would have to have the support of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

But, Durbin is a practical kind of guy.

I don’t see that as an obstacle.

So, if Hillary wins, I figure Franks has his choice of sitting on the federal bench in Rockford or in Chicago.

It’s a toss-up, in my mind, as to which he would pick.

= = = = =
The picture of Kirk Dillard and Frank Watson came from the Illinois Channel, which Comcast refuses to broadcast in McHenry County. Hillary Clinton's photograph comes from her campaign web site. The photos of Don Manzullo and Robert Abboud, Pam Althoff, Jack Franks, Mike Tryon and Dick Durbin were take by your intrepid photographer, most with need for a flash. All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Barack Obama, Dick Durbin, Don Manzullo, Hillary Clinton, Jack Franks, Kirk Dillard, Lisa Madigan, Melissa Bean, Mike Tryon, Pam Althoff, Robert Abboud

Over a month ago on May 26th McHenry County Blog broke the story about Bill and Randi Scheurer's announced intention to run for Congress against Democrat Melissa Bean.

Scheurer ran on the Moderate Party, an anti-war party, in 2006 and received over 5% of the vote. That established his Moderate Party as an “established party,” meaning that he can get on the ballot without collecting any signatures.

His wife intends to run in the Democratic Party primary election.

So, voters will see a one-two punch.

A tag team match, so to speak.

Yesterday, the Chicago Tribune decided it was worth a story.

The Tribune has traditionally been openly hostile of third party efforts, to the point of ignoring such candidacies.

At least an article appeared before the filing date.

Labels: 8th Congressional District, Bill Scheurer, Chicago Tribune, Melissa Bean, Moderate Party, Randi Scheurer

I first saw egrets in Illinois driving through South Barrington.

There was a rookery on the road that is east of Route 59.

Now, every once in a while they can be seen on Crystal Lake.

This one had just flown across from the North Shore.

It landed in front of a South Shore house west of Lakewood's Gate 21 beach.

The bird is certainly looking for something to eat.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Egret, Gate 21, Lakewood

The following statement was issued by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald upon the Pardon of Scooter Libby by President George W. Bush:

STATEMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

Statement of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald regarding today’s decision by President Bush to commute the 30-month prison sentence of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby:

“We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.

"We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as 'excessive.' The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.

"Although the President’s decision eliminates Mr. Libby’s sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process.”

Labels: George W. Bush, Patrick Fitzgerald, Scooter Libby

When I saw the Sunday Northwest Herald headline,

“Drive collects rehab equipment for poor,”

I thought I was going to read a story about the Woodstock-based The American Disabled Equipment Fund, a group holding a charity rock event on July 28th at the Penny Lane Pub. I wrote about it last Friday.

But, no.

It was about a California-based ministry called Joni and Friends.

Driving hither and yon, I have listen to Joni Eareckson Tada on WMBI every once in a while.

NW Herald reporter Regan Foster wrote that used wheel chairs, crutches and walkers can be taken to New Life Book Store in the Crystal Lake Plaza through July 14th. Leo Wiedenfeld, is heading up the “10 Days to Independence” collection effort.

Both appear to be commendable organizations.

Labels: Crystal Lake Plaza, Joni and Friends, Joni Eareckson Tada, New Life Book Store

This one was found in the carnival area last Sunday at Lakeside Festival.

It has a long message saying,

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE
IN THE WORLD. THERE ARE WINNERS.
AND THERE ARE LOSERS.

A WINNER IS SOMEONE WHO HAS
AMBITIOUS GOALS AND HAS THE ABILITY
AND DRIVE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

A LOSER IS SOMEONE WHO BEHAVES
LIKE A MINDLESS IDIOT, AND WOULD
ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT
TO JUST STAND THERE AND READ
THE ENTIRE MESSAGE PRINTING ON THE
FRONT OF THIS T-SHIRT

In case you are wondering, I did not read the bottom part before I took the picture.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Lakeside Festival, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt.

# posted by Cal Skinner : 11:43 PM  0 comments

As I looked at where the boats out on Crystal Lake to watch Sunday night’s fireworks, it stuck me as pretty funny.

Usually, they are at beyond Lakewood’s Gate 7, maybe Gate 5. This time the wind was blowing so hard from the northeast that the leading edge of the boats was pretty much even with the pier where we dock our boat at Gate 9.

So, no reason to take the boat out to watch the fireworks.

Last year I had just gotten my new digital Canon Rebel as a birthday present from my wife.

She was tired of my spending so much money on film.

I sat on the pier and braced the camera against the post and had a grand old time.

I’d click a picture of the fireworks and look at it on the small screen on the back of the camera.

The photos looked alright to me.

But, when I enlarged them, some looked like coral.

That was because the camera moved so many times while the lens was open.

This year I brought my Christmas tripod. It’s a heavy-duty piece of equipment.

I set it up in the sand at the water’s edge, set the exposure and started clicking away.

The results were far superior to last year’s.

At one point it seemed that the north side of Crystal Lake was on fire. I wondered if something unplanned had occurred.

But, the fireworks continued.

The fireworks were paid for by the proceeds of the Crystal Lake Gala, by the way.

The one above looks like one of the Hubble Telescope pictures of deep space. Note the red clouds, which could be solar dust in another context.

I saw a pyramid of exploding rockets.










Multiple galaxies disintegrating.















Koosh balls and pin wheels in the sky.














Fiber optic bundles.










A palm tree with really spiky leaves.













Blue stemmed cat tails.
















A galaxy exploding in only two directions.















Neon colored tubes.













A scalloped shaped image.















A space station exploding.










A white thistle.











Feathers looking like the top of a palm tree.











Gold, blue and white koosh balls.












Lights of a plane in the sky above the fireworks.








Finally, one where you can definitely see how hard the wind was blowing from the northeast. It was a cold wind that had our family wrapped in blankets, wearing sweatshirts and anything else they could find that would keep them warm.

All of the photographs of fireworks can be enlarged by clicking on their images.

Labels: 4th of July, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Gala, Fireworks

Lake’s 4th of July Parade is like the Milk Day Parade in one respect.

The first contingent of vehicles consists of cars with elected officials.

At Milk Day the public officials are taken the entire length of the parade and then returned to a reviewing stand at the beginning of the Milky Way. At least they were when I represented Harvard in the 1970's.

In Crystal Lake’s parade they go down Dole Avenue to the lake and disappear from sight.

In previous years, there has been a reviewing stand across from the Main Beach, but I didn’t see the flat bed truck there this year.

From past experience, I knew the public officials would be lining up at city hall, so I walked down before the parade.

I was amazed at how few there were.

There were the mayor and city council folk, plus McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren.

I got a chance to thank Nygren for allowing the young political leaders from China to tour the jail last weekend, including the ICE floor, where illegal aliens are detained.

That was about it, although I admit that I didn’t get photos of all of the cars as they drove past the First United Methodist Church.

Grand Marshall Bob Blazier and his wife, plus Elyse Wood, were sitting in the shade next to the city hall front door, but his car wasn’t in the pack of dignitaries or in front of the man part of the parade, for some reason.

I did get a shot of a truck with the names of Crystal Lake City Councilmen Ralph Dawson and Jeff Thorsen on it. I'm pretty sure that is Mrs. Dawson waving at the camera.

I was out of position for the women on the council. I think I saw Cathy Ferguson and Ellen Brady Mueller. There may have been others, if so let me know and I'll put you in the story.

Also in the middle of the parade was United States Congressman Don Manzullo.

And so was McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi and his wife.

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was riding in what looked like a jeep waving.

In a really old green car, I also saw Mary Donner, McHenry County Board member. The car was so old it came complete with running boards. Donner is from Crystal Lake.

Tina Hill, another county board member, but from Woodstock, was riding in a convertible. I ran out of picture-taking capacity as I tried to take her photo and had to slip in another flash card, erase it and, amazingly enough managed to run up and catch her face at the intersection of Crystal Lake Avenue.

I saw Marie Chmiel, another Crystal Lake county board member walking on Dole before the parade. I’m not sure she was in it, though.

Those dignitary cars went fast.

CORRECTION: John Coonen writes,

"Cal, Both Representative Mike Tryon AND Senator Althoff walked in the parade. You may have missed them because they were shaking hands with people along the way."

So my comments below were incorrect. Althoff and Tryon must have been working the sunny side of the street. I certainly did not see them when their vehicles went past.

Missing in action were State Senator Pam Althoff, who is up for re-election next year, and State Rep. Mike Tryon. State representatives, of course, are always up for re-election.

Both did have contingents carrying balloons and signs.

I can't remember missing a 4th of July Parade in Crystal Lake unless the General Assembly were in session.

In years past, when Al Jourdan was McHenry County Republican Party Chairman, there was always an elephant in the parade.

Not this year.

I did manage to get a quick shot of Mayor Aaron Shepley as he ran past.

He had to run to keep up.

How different from the pace in 2000, when the dignitary portion of the parade was much slower than it was in 1999—my last parade as a public official—and this year.

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Aaron Shepley, Cathy Ferguson, Crystal Lake, Don Manzullo, Ellen Brady Mueller, Jeff Thorsen, Lou Bianchi, Mary Donner, Pam Palmer, Ralph Dawson, Tina Hill

McHenry County Blog reported on June 17th that Johnsburg Middle School Teachers Andrew Reinhard and Michelle Lawniczak were two of three local teachers to receive awards from British Petroleum’s A+ for Energy program.

Sunday, Northwest Herald reporter Sarah Sutschek fleshed out the story.

According to the NW Herald, “Reinhard plans have a one-kilowatt, grid-tied solar panel system installed that will provide the school with power and could save about $200 each year on electricity.”

What will Lawniczak do with her $10,000.

Among other things, the NW Herald reports,

Most of Lawniczak’s grant money will go toward building kit cars, about the size of remote control cars, that run on solar power or fuel cells powered by hydrogen.

In addition, Elizabeth Woods of District 300’s Dundee-Crown High School was selected.

Labels: A+ for Energy, Andrew Reinhard, BP, Johnsburg Junior High School, Michelle Lawniczak

Something happened in Kane County that I have not seen in McHenry County.

A school board actually released a tape which showed it acted illegally in an executive session.

“Executive session” is a high-flouting for

“It’s none of your business.”

But in St. Charles, it most certainly was the public’s business and the tape proved at least one of the board members knew it.

A Daily Herald editorial told what school board member Jim Gaffney said:

“If they find out about it, they find out about it. … But I don’t think we should tell anybody.”

Clearly, an ideal public servant.

The Daily Herald observes that it endorsed Gaffney for re-election this past spring but says,

“..we find it tough to trust anything he would say on behalf of the board again.”

What was the issue?

The tape shows that the board OK’d a contract sans open-meeting vote because members knew that portions might make voters ill, especially the granting of 85 sick days, apparently meant to help (School Superintendent Barbara) Erwin reach a pension after working a certain number of years in Illinois.

Is District 303 alone?

The Daily Herald writes,

Elgin School District U-46 hasn’t released closed meeting minutes in decades, despite it being required by law. Its legal counsel turned himself into a pretzel trying to justify the defiance before the district was forced by public pressure to reconsider.

Community School District 300 held a number of meetings behind closed doors last year to discuss matters well outside the exceptions listed in the state’s Open Meetings Act, yet board members pretty much claimed innocence — or ignorance.

Elgin Community College District 509 seems to be the only area school entity taking state law on these matters even semi-seriously. It releases 60 percent of its closed-session minutes about every six months.

So while distrust of a school board may be at its zenith in District 303, taxpayers nearly everywhere have the right to similar reservations. And they have to ask themselves two questions:

•Do they trust their board to reveal the information that it is obligated by law to share?

•Do they trust their board to avoid approval of inflated wages or benefits, or willful attempts to keep taxpayers in the dark?

Labels: Beach 7, Crystal Lake, Duck, Ducklings, Gate 7, Lakewood

As befits an Independence Day Parade, representations of the Statute of Liberty were in the parade.

They weren’t from the McHenry County Peace Group, however.

But the Peace Group were out at 11 o’clock when I was going to church after posting this article on their parked float.

It was banned by the Gala Committee.

There were four little girls with picket signs in front of the float on Dole Avenue at Pierson Street. I got this shot out of the car window, but they weren’t close enough to get them all and the light at Route 14 had just turned green, so I only got one chance.

The girl in the camera’s lens carried a sign that said,

We the People

A friend had a sign saying, “Draft,” with a big “X” through it.

I’m not sure the relevance, since there is no draft.

The committee apparently didn’t want spectators reminded of the number of American service men and woman who have been killed in Iraq.

Before the parade, I saw two women with McHenry County Peace Group tee shirts passing out leaflets informing spectators that they had been banned from the parade. Included was a quiz on Lady Liberty.

There was a Statue of Liberty woman on stilts.

She kindly posed for me so that I could get her crown outlined against the blue sky, rather than the trees under which I was hiding from the sun (having forgotten to bring sun tan lotion).

Another Statue of Liberty was marching in front of the “We Support Our Troops” sign, right beside Uncle Sam.

A man who appeared to be a reporter got in the shot, too.

Most surprising was the District 47 and 155 school bus decked out in a “Support the Troops” mode.

There was an MIA/POW flag attached to the back of the school bus.

One of the men insisted it wasn’t a political statement.

I asked if it were not, what was the point?

In any event, it surprised me to see the school districts seemingly in the middle of the controversy.

Now, I am sure that whoever put the entry together will point out that they were not taking a political stand, and that is certainly one interpretation.

They could point to the hall entryway to South Elementary School, which has a “support the troops” display as evidence that this is not outside the norm for at least Grade School District 47. I believe one or more of the teachers have sons in Iraq.

But, considering the banning of the Peace Group’s float, let me say that I found it, well, interesting.

The Sinful Saints Dixieland Band invoked God’s blessings for Sgt. Ashley Martinez, serving in Iraq. The band was playing atop Tom McDermott’s restored fire engine.

And, guess what I found behind another of the entries.

A guy with a peace tee shirt on, complete with Biblical citation. He was behind the FedEx Truck, accompanied by little girls wrapped in tape which indicated they would be delivered on Saturday.

I thought the parade was on Sunday, but with the 4th of July on Wednesday, I’m pretty mixed up myself as to what day is which.

After the parade finished passing the First United Methodist Church and I had another hot dog with mustard and a Diet Coke, I drove to Pierson Street to get a close-up of the McHenry County Peace Group’s parked Lady Liberty float.

I asked which was the sign that the Gala Parade Committee found so distasteful.

A man pointed toward the one that told the number of casualties.

You can see it at the bottom right of the float, below the Statue of Liberty, as well as in the close-up.

Members of the group had been holding up signs like “Bring Them Home” to the people in the parade.

Since so many participate in the parade, they must have reached a lot of people.

Nelson Borelli managed to keep a kite flying with a dove on it. I was never very good at flying kites, so was a bit envious.

The Peace Group’s Statue of Liberty float didn’t bring tears to my eyes the way some of the military units playing patriotic songs did earlier in the day, but if dissent is not a part of American culture, I don’t have any idea what the Revolutionary War was all about.

I got all sorts of good tee shirts at the relatively small gathering around the Peace Group's float. These will show up periodically at McHenry County Blog’s ‘Message of the Day.”

As usual, all photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake High School District 155, District 47, McHenry County Peace Group, Statue of Liberty

As we were waiting for the visiting Chinese young political leaders to finish lunch the Saturday before last at the Lakeside Festival, I saw this tee shirt.

I saw the back first. The “SIN KILLS” below a scull and cross bones caught my attention.

As the man walked toward the exit with a woman, I caught up to him and asked if I could take a picture of his tee shirt.

He was a bit surprised, but agreed.

Then, I saw the front of the tee shirt said some, too, and took a picture of it.

The front says,



Underneath there was a small skull and cross bones.

I didn’t read the rest on the back until just now.

Under the traffic shaped warning sign with “SIN KILLS” is the following:


Another quote from Romans. Last Sunday's message was from the same book.

Labels: Lakeside Festival, Romans 6:23, Sin, Skull and Crossbones

As promised, the McHenry County Peace Group has its float in place at the corner of Dole and Pierson.

My wife decided to go get some of that designer coffee before going to church at 11 and suggested two locations.

Since one would take her to Downtown Crystal Lake, I suggested she buy it there.

And, I asked that, if she saw the float, she take a picture of it.

It was.

She did.

Above is a view where you can see the flame.

Below right, you see a side view complete with sign giving the web site of the McHenry County Peace Group.

I still can't see the face well enough to know if the Statue of Liberty is shedding tears as a result of the group’s having been banned from the 4th of July Parade by the Gala Committee.

This is the parade that the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee decided to boycott after the peace group was banned. That prompted former Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Ouimet to quote that famous U.S. Supreme Court decision by Mr. Justice Brandeis.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake Gala, McHenry County Peace Group

It’s not the coverage given opposition to the Gay Games rowing regatta in Crystal Lake last spring, but one wire service has picked up on the Gala Committee’s rejection of the peace marchers in Sunday’s parade.

United Press International, a shell of its former self, ran a short story of the banning of the McHenry County Peace Group’s from the annual 4th of July Parade.

= = = = =
Picture of peace marchers from Crystal Lake resident Patrick Murfin's blog.On Thursday, Murfin reported that the group will show off its float, featuring the Statue of Liberty, in a yard at the southwest corner of Dole and Pierson (on the lake side of Route 14). The picture of Lady Liberty's head also comes from Murfin's story.

I can't tell if there are tears coming down her cheeks, but there might be.

Labels: 4th of July Parade, Crystal Lake Gala, McHenry County Peace Group

Present only a couple of the days of the year are these yellow sandbags.

They are on the barge near Crystal Lake’s outlet.

That’s the barge from which the fireworks will be ignited Sunday, July 1st.

The excitement begins at dusk, which should be somewhere between 9:15 and 9:30.

Labels: 4th of July, Crystal Lake, Fireworks, Sandbag

This can’t be helpful McHenry County College’s effort to finance a $35 million baseball stadium and fitness center over 20 years with two-thirds of the revenues from a minor league baseball team.

Elgin’s Courier-News reports,

“The Chicago Bandits, a professional women’s softball team that plays in Lisle” wants to build “a 4,400-seat stadium” near Randall Road.

And, that’s not all. The promoters envision two miniature golf courses, 18 batting cages, restaurants and a botanical garden.

Gerry Clarke, spokesman for the Bandits, says he envisions this as “an entertainment Mecca for Elgin.”

The team is in its third year in the 7-team National Pro Fastpitch League.

Just as Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, one of those in the know early on in the MCC baseball stadium deal, Elgin’s Mayor Ed Schock is enthusiastic.

He told the Courier-News that a stadium could help the city to attract more tournaments.

But, at least Schock is straight-forward enough to point out that the Elgin stadium almost certainly will not be built without the taxpayers footing part of the bill.

Ah...

Local taxpayer-subsidized entertainment venues.

Don’t you just love the smell of pork a-cookin’?

Labels: Aaron Shepley, Baseball Stadium, Chicago Bandits, Ed Schock, Elgin, MCC, McHenry County College