McHenry County Blog

The sign on the left was posted on the south side of Lake Avenue above the culvert through which water from Crystal Lake is surging on August 20th.

A friend who just retired also took a picture of it and seems to have convinced some governmental entity to replace it with a brand new one.

Probably a good thing, even though there is less water flowing now that previously this week.

The sign says,

Labels: Cress Creek, Crystal Lake, Flooding

Earlier this week, McHenry County Blog re-printed academician Richard Vedder's comments on how McHenry County College's push for a minor league baseball stadium might be a leading indicator that community colleges were losing their way.

Today begins a two-part series on what others have learned about minor league baseball teams and stadiums.

The following is adapted from an email received by McHenry County Blog:

McHenry County College Officials are telling taxpayers that the baseball stadium will pay for itself along with a portion of the Health and Wellness Center.

If not, why would they need the stadium?

And it won't cost taxpayers anything. That's what college officials are telling the public.

In 2002, according to CFO.com article, “Diamonds in the Rough,” Minor League Baseball president Mike Moore warned his colleagues that "this industry is headed down a road of potential self-destruction if changes are not made."

"Cash calls, reorganizations, and distress-type sales are not signs of a stable situation," Pat O'Conner, COO of Minor League Baseball continued. "The popularity of the minor leagues has introduced new owners, more-complex financing, and a new level of risk that the traditional world of baseball views with a mix of awe and concern.”

And this isn’t the only story:

Investing in minor league ball is risky.

This topic has been covered extensively in the media.

And it’s been covered extensively in academic journals as well.

In 2004 the "Journal of the American Planning Association," published a meta-analysis finding,

“Almost all of the existing literature concludes that these projects are poor investments, unworthy of public sector efforts and dollars.”

Indeed, scholarly studies by Review of Policy Research, Managerial and Decision Economics, Indiana University, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and many others that all agree that minor league baseball stadiums are risky, and should be considered potentially worthwhile cultural expenditures, not income streams.

The questioner asks,

"Does MCC have independent scholarly studies that contradict the existing literature, and if so, by whom, and how can they be obtained?"

Sample of scholarly findings and recommendations:

1 “Local officials should be aware of the risks that accompany hosting professional sports teams and understand that minor league teams will not be economic growth engines,” Review of Policy Research findings.

2 “Baseball is a form of escapism and publicity. If these are valued ideas it remains for city councils and voters to decide if the 'Boys of Summer' really define a community's image, culture and placement in the fabric of American society,” Indiana University.

3.“Enhancement of community image, and recreational infrastructure improvement… outcome goals such as these, rather than debate over a team's economic impact should shape policy decisions,” University of Maryland, Baltimore.

4. “The results of the study 'suggest that economic development arguments' for public subsidies 'should be carefully evaluated,' (501)” Managerial and Decision Economics.

Tomorrow some more outside observations to chew on.

Labels: Baseball Stadium, MCC, McHenry County Board, Minor League Baseball

At the meeting with our son’s 4th grade teacher at South Elementary School, I discovered that I was not the only one who found this sign amusing.

It is on Broadway in Lakewood.

The part of the lot where the sign stands was covered with water last Wednesday.

You’ll note that "POOL” is a feature emphasized on top of the “For Sale” sign.

Neither we nor the Dad who took this picture have a pool.

Labels: For Sale, Message of the Day, Pool, Standing Water

With an Illinois House legislative committee having voted to send a huge tax hike to the House floor for a vote the day after Labor Day, I think it's time for a re-run of the following August 3rd article:

At least $18 million will be picked out the pockets of McHenry County shoppers every 12 months if the General Assembly passes the half percentage point RTA-Road Sales Tax Hike.

To put that in perspective, $207 million was collected in sales taxes throughout the county this past year. So, the proposed sales tax increase would hike sales taxes 8.7%.

(Yesterday, I estimated the increase would be at least 7.6% and pointed out how a local newspaper was helping the RTA to raise taxes with its headline. That calculation was based on using the tax rates. This one uses actual dollars.)

If only the 89,403 households paid the tax, it would amount to $231 a family. But, since businesses pay some sales tax, the figure per household will actually be less.

Maybe you won’t care.

That’s certainly what the legislators behind this tax hike are hoping.

If the legislation becomes law, the Regional Transportation Authority will get another $9 million. About $100 per McHenry County family.

Almost half of the RTA’s McHenry County $9 million will go to the Chicago Transit Authority, according to Kevin Craver’s Northwest Herald article.

And the county board will get the same amount--$9 million--to spend, apparently as it wishes, on roads it wants to improve. That’s almost twice as much as $4.6 million collected in McHenry County Motor Fuel Taxes this past year.

The county board just decided to borrow $50 million to improve roads. If the $9 million per year were similarly bonded, an extra, what, almost $100 million could be spent on roads.

County board members might not even have to take the heat for raising the taxes…unless the legislators decide to require them to approve the tax hike. (Rockford recently passed a sales tax hike to pay for roads.)

Labels: RTA, RTA Sales Tax

McHenry County Blog received an email announcing an announcement for state representative just south of the McHenry-Kane County line yesterday.

Jim Krenz of Carpentersville, formerly of Elgin, is going to announce his candidacy against incumbent Tim Schmitz at noon on Tuesday in Carpentersville at Amy Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, which apparently will be his campaign headquarters. It’s at 39 North Western Avenue.

Schmitz is an assistant minority leader in the Illinois House, having joined Tom Cross in the revolt against former Minority Leader Lee Daniels, for whom Schmitz once worked. Schmitz' official biography says he is a part-time Batavia fireman and a land developer.

Here’s what the Krenz announcement said:

Lifelong Fox Valley resident Jim Krenz, a Republican, will officially announce his candidacy for State Representative in the 49th District, which is currently held by Republican incumbent Tim Schmitz. Krenz will make a brief statement about running for the position that will include issues that he intends to run on. Krenz will be available for interviews after the event.

There is already a front page to his web site, which you can see here.

Joe Stefani will manage the Krenz campaign.

Labels: Jim Krenz, Tim Schmitz

Route 31 is disintegrating in McHenry County.

Local public officials are calling for the Bolz Road bridge over the Fox River to be financed with tolls.

Yet two new bridges are being constructed over Interstate 57 near university towns in central Illinois.

Both are major state highway expenditures.

I-57 is a lot like a river. You can’t cross it except at over or underpasses.

One new overpass is north of Mattoon in Coles County.

Coles is a county that had an estimated 50,949 people in it as of 2006.

It has lost 2,247 people--4.2% of its population--since the U.S. Census in 2000.

But, it gets a new bridge.

The other overpass is being built in the Champaign area.

At least Champaign County has grown.

Its population is up 3.3% during the first six years of this decade. Up 6,013.

Not only is it getting a new overpass. It is getting an entire new cloverleaf.

Huntley can't get half a cloverleaf on Route 47, but Champaign gets one of I-57.

Priorities, you know.

Let’s compare their growth or loss of population with what has happened in McHenry and Kane Counties.

McHenry grew by 20.1%. 53,296 more people lived here in 2006 than were here in 2000.

Kane increased its population by 89,616—a 22.2% increase.

Now, all of these new folks didn’t move to homes west of the Fox River, but a lot of them did…probably a majority.

142,912 more people in McHenry and Kane Counties, but no new bridges financed by state government.

How pathetic.

= = = = =
The photos of the two new overpasses and Route 31 at Terra Cotta can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Fox River, I-57, Overpass, Route 31, Route 47, toll bridge

First the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn decided that the Illinois Minuteman Project couldn’t hold a private meeting on immigration.

Protesters, you know.

Now the Naperville Holiday Inn has canceled an Americans for Truth banquet out of fear of protest from homosexual activists.

The group’s leader Peter LaBarbera wrote the Holiday Inn “dropped our reservation due to the possibility of a ‘gay’ protest against us.”

“It seems that there is now a sort of politically correct homosexual ‘heckler’s veto’ that’s forcing or persuading businesses to do things to decent people that they wouldn’t normally do.” LaBarbera told OneNewsNow.com reporter Jim Brown.

According to Brown's article on the AFT web site,

The pro-family group was well into planning a fundraising banquet at that facility for October 6, when the Inn’s General Manager Dennis Igoe cancelled the group’s reservation, citing safety issues for the hotel’s patrons.

Those concerns stemmed from the possibility that homosexual activists would protest the event and resulting negative publicity for the hotel, not from AFT’s planned activities.

Igoe’s actions were upheld by the Holiday Inn corporate offices, leaving AFT to scramble for alternate accommodations.

Now there are two reasons not to patronize Holiday Inns.

The banquet has been re-scheduled for Friday, October 5th.

Labels: Americans for Truth, Dennis Igoe, Holiday Inn, Illinois Minuteman Project, Peter LaBarbera

I still can’t get used to school starting in August.

Wednesday was the first day of school in Crystal Lake.

It was only a half a day, but how glorious was the weather.

Monday parents met their kids’ teachers.

School was in session in Springfield while temperatures were over 90 degrees.

The students were let off early.

The crossing guard at South School was glad to be back at work.

That’s what he told us when we walked to school this morning.

Parents didn’t seem to be dragging their children to their classrooms.

When school let out at noon, the buses were lined up.

Moms had ridden bikes to school to accompany their little ones home.

Labels: Crystal Lake, School, School Crossing Guard, South Elementary School

This tee shirt was found just before we left Springfield’s Drury Inn.

I couldn’t pass it up.

It says,

I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS
AS LONG AS THEY ARE MINE

It was worn by a Mom.

Labels: Message of the Day, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

It must be the silly season.

The Huntley School District 158 Board of Education has decided to allow convicted felons bid on contracts like the hurry up, rush, rush one for snow removal.

And Carpentersville District 300’s board has decided that the appearance of conflict of interest is, well, no problem. You can find reports of the in the Daily Herald's

and Northwest Herald's


Only the two newly-elected board members John Ryan, sponsor of the proposal, and Monica Clark, his running mate, voted for the language that would prohibit companies who contributed $5,000 to district tax hike committees from doing business with the school district for two years.

Read some of the comments from Daily Herald reporter Jameel Naqvi’s article:

"’This type of policy is hampering the business of the district,’ (Mary) Warren said, noting that the district already has issues receiving enough bids. ‘I think this is absolutely unnecessary.’

“Roeckner agreed.

"’We have never had this problem in our district,’ (Karen) Roeckner said. ‘I will still vote no.’

“Board President Joe Stevens echoed Warren's and Roeckner's concerns earlier Monday.

"’It's fine for vendors to contribute to referendum campaigns,’ Stevens said. ‘I have not seen any evidence of "pay-to-play."'”

The Northwest Herald’s David Fitzgerald picked these gems up:

“'We hold ourselves to high standards, and we maintain our credibility by our actions,' board member Mary Warren said.

"She added that the district’s current bidding process worked well and that campaign contributions all were open to the public for scrutiny."

Fitzgerald then notes,

"The longest-sitting board members – Warren, Karen Roeckner, Anne Miller and President Joe Stevens – voted against the policy Monday night."

I guess all the vendor contributions printed in McHenry County Blog (the ones Warren points out are "all open to the public for scrutiny") here and here and here are just coincidences.

Not even a wink, wink, nod, nod.

And there should be no concern even though this school superintendent says soliciting vendors is a way to raise tax hike campaign money.

It’s not a very high percentage of the money District 300 vendors receive.

But it certainly doesn’t look pure and clean like schools want taxpayers to believe they are.

It rather resembles Governor Rod Blagojevich campaign fund raising, doesn’t it?

Local dailies have pointed to the $5,000 that long-time school architect Burnidge Cassell Associates contributed at the official beginning of tax hike committee Advance 300’s campaign to hike taxes in 2006.

The Daily Herald even editorialized in favor of Ryan's proposal.

So far, however, neither the Northwest nor the Daily Herald has picked up on District 300’s architect’s bragging about raising $100,000 for a district tax hike committees in letter dated February 25, 2005.

Here’s what was in the application for further work:


Whether impropriety or just bad judgment on the part of the vendor was involved in that 2005 request for “Architect Services for Life Safety Reporting,” it certainly smells.

Two of the board members who did not vote for the policy—Miller and Chris Stanton—indicated they had questions about enforcement. I believe Miller is an attorney and, in any event, a district willing to spend money keeping a citizen advisory board member from getting information expeditiously ought to be willing to spend some figuring out how to enforce conflict of interest language.

Maybe when September comes, the board will get more serious about an issue that helped defeat Board President Mary Fioretti.

= = = = =
The top photo is of Carpentersville School District 300 Board member John Ryan. Underneath is a shot of board members Mary Warren and Karen Roeckner. Board President Joe Stevens is to their right.

Below Stevens is board member Anne Miller.



It must be the silly season.

Labels: Anne Miller, Burnidge Cassell, Chris Stanton, Conflict of Interest, District 300, Huntley School District 158, John Ryan, Karen Roeckner, Mary Warren, Monica Clark

Crystal Lake neighbors of the Dole Mansion unloaded their dissatisfaction with the Lakeside and Gala Festivals last week at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting.

The Northwest Herald’s Jim Butts wrote a story based on Bob Frerichs 66-person petition and comments, plus the points neighbor Bob Fugate made.

Living within sound range of the bands, I can tell you they are loud.

And, the traffic.

Suffice is to say that it often difficult to come home by driving past the Main Beach.

“Make yourself useful, Cal,” Frerichs said, asking me to pass the petitions to the council folks. I was happy to do so.

According to Butts, the petitioners’ points were

• The festivals have outgrown the neighborhood setting.
• The growth has included more and larger bands, larger and less desirable crowds, more traffic, and more concern for safety.
• The festival committees have shown “complete disregard for the tranquility of the neighborhood.”
• The festivals put undue workloads on the city’s public works, safety and police departments. “The cost of which is borne by the taxpayers,”

Fugate complained about how the carnival was torn down while neighbors were trying to sleep and generators’ being left on every night.

He also spoke to the Crystal Lake Park Board the Thursday before about what he believes is an impending accident where Country Club Drive curves around Seminary Park. He believes it is only a matter of time before there is a serious accident. He asked for the park district’s assistance in convincing the city to post parking restriction signs.

Before I spoke on a different topic, I pointed out that Federal Judge George Lindberg and his wife Linda had moved from across from the Dole Mansion to Lake Forest because of the disruption the festivals caused.

Labels: Bob Frerichs, Bob Fugate, Crystal Lake Gala, Dole Mansion, George Lindberg, Lakeside Festival, Linda Lindberg

The following is by academician Richard Vedder. It was published in The Center for College Affordability and Productivity on July 30th. You can find the original posting here.

Dr. Vedder, Illinois born and educated and now at Ohio University, has kindly allowed McHenry County Blog to reprint his article on McHenry County College's proposed baseball stadium. It’s entitled,

Are Community Colleges Losing Their Way?

I have written frequently about how four year universities have deviated from the straight educational path, becoming distracted by all sorts of non-academic things, and instilling a country club atmosphere for the students. I have always thought two types of schools were relatively immune from this sordid trend: the for profit schools and the community colleges.

I am not so sure about the community colleges anymore. I had heard a few stories that suggest that community colleges may be starting to abandon their single-minded emphasis on low cost, no nonsense instruction.

For example, a few miles from me, the local two year school (Hocking College) that had long owned a lake that served as a laboratory for its students studying parks and recreation, was now trying to turn that lake into a luxury resort --kicking out locals who had swam and fished there for almost nothing for years. (It looks like their plans will be thwarted on legal grounds --violating the agreement signed at the time the lake was created).

Now my good friend Steve Stanek of the sainted Heartland Institute has told me an even wilder story. McHenry County College (MCC) serves moderately affluent Chicago suburbs.

It announced that it wanted to borrow $26 million to build a minor league quality baseball stadium -- seemingly on speculation. The goal is to lure a Frontier League team to play in the stadium. No team has committed to go there if the facility is built. To be sure, the stadium is ostensibly part of a larger physical fitness center, but the MCC officials are not providing details on the project (so much for transparency in the Chicago suburbs).

The idea is horrible on many grounds.

First, community colleges should concentrate on low cost education, not speculative investments with funds borrowed via tax-exempt bonds.

Second, in this case, another group of totally private persons in the same county has been trying to do the same thing (respecting minor league baseball), so this is an attempt by a government entity (a college) to preempt a private effort financed without any public subsidies.

Third, for higher ed officials to want to devote their major new effort to promoting professional sports rather than improving existing programs or offering new ones shows a shocking disdain for the basic purposes of higher education.

Fourth, and actually almost irrelevant, it is a dumb idea on economic grounds, since even if a team came in the stadium would likely be a money loser unless subsidized by taxpayers. (Steve could probably cite a couple other objections, but enough is enough).

I have favored reallocating more of higher ed public funds towards community colleges on cost-saving grounds.

But as these colleges join their four year counterparts in getting away from the basic purposes of higher education, the case grows for government to give all government assistance to students, none to the institutions that succumb to hubris and empire building at great cost to those financing these indulgences. And the case grows compelling to end the ability of colleges and universities to borrow on a tax exempt basis for non-educational purposes.
posted by Center for College Affordability and Productivity at 7:01 AM

2 Comments:

TC said...

Without a guarantee that a league sanctioned team would use the baseball field, I wouldn't touch those bonds with a 10 foot pole. And I believe they wold have a problem peddling them - even with a state tax exemption.

And doesn't Chicago already have two - count 'em, two professional baseball teams?

But as far as the education angle goes, when it comes to receiving taxpayers dollars, they are going to spend the money like Imelda Marcos on shoes.

The very same people who make proposals as cited in your blog have to go home and balance their check book and avoid insolvency. But when it's someone elses money, they are completely irresponsible.

Where is the outrage?

I don't think this will fly.
5:17 PM

James said...

The problem is somewhat akin to the real estate bubble, in which easy credit flooded the market with cash and drove up prices, eventually affecting every segment of the market.

Higher education is flooded with cash from student loan money. This money is readily available at low interest rates, and backed by the government. Colleges know that students will take out the loans, no matter how insane tuition becomes, so they have absolutely no incentive to get costs under control. If the government quit subsidizing the colleges, both directly and via support for student loans, this would choke off the flow of cash and force the colleges to get rampant cost increases under control. There would be a lot of screaming initially, but ultimately all would benefit.
5:19 AM

Labels: Baseball Stadium, MCC, McHenry County College, Richard Vedder

With former Governor Jim Thompson in the news last week defending former Governor George Ryan, one of his lieutenant governors, this Illinois State Fair bag from 1991 was too good to pass up.

It wasn’t worth the buck that the antique dealer was asking, but it was worth a picture.

I found it at Abe’s Tradin’ Post across from the State Fair grounds in Springfield.

It says,

Labels: Illinois State Fair, Jim Thompson, Message of the Day, Shopping Bag

The following press release has been received from the McHenry County Peace Group:

MYTHS AND REALITIES OF IMMIGRATION TOPIC OF FORUM AT MCC

WOODSTOCK—“Immigration: Myths vs. Realities in the Current Debate” will be the topic of a public forum in the Current American Issues in the McHenry County College Conference Center on Thursday, September 13 at 7 p.m.

The featured speaker will be Salvador A. Cicero, an award winning Chicago attorney whose law practice focuses on civil rights, immigration, business law and international human rights. Cicero, a former Consul of Mexico, is a volunteer with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC.) He has directed projects for the American Bar Association and serves as a consulting expert for the Organization of American States. His scholarly articles have been published in peer reviewed law journals and he is qualified by U.S. Courts as an expert in international law. He has made a specialty of preventing trafficking in human beings.

Cicero will offer his perspectives on U.S. immigration policy as it exists today and how international trade agreements have affected the influx of job seekers.

The program follows a month of controversy about immigration touched off by an program, later cancelled, sponsored by Illinois Minuteman Project and public demonstrations by both sides in Crystal Lake.

The Current American Issues Series is sponsored monthly at MCC by the McHenry County Peace Group. There will be a period of open discussion following the program. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information visit e-mail aglegg@sbcglobal.net or visit www.mcpg.org.

Labels: Illinosi Minuteman Project, McHenry County Peace Group

McHenry County Blog reader Jerry Fleming (of McHenry) attended McHenry County College's explanation meeting a week ago at the Shah Training Center.

He has graciously allowed McHenry County Blog to reprint it below:

I attended the meeting tonight at the Shah Center and like you I am very confused and disturbed that a community college is planning on subsidizing a private minor league baseball team.

They were very accommodating on allowing me to ask my questions, but didn’t seem to have any concrete answers to back up their own numbers.

One of my questions was for them to clarify why in a June article in the Northwest Herald Walt Packard was quoted in saying the following:

“College officials expect that revenue from the team will cover two-thirds of the debt to build the complex. The remaining debt will be paid through renting out the fitness center, which includes indoor basketball and volleyball courts, to traveling sports teams, Packard said.”

Yet the projected revenue numbers seem to contradict this statement. The MCC website reports the revenue stream to be.

“Complex revenue is broken down as follows– 64% indoor facilities, 36% outdoor stadium.”

It seems strange to me you will pay back 2/3 of the debt from revenue that is only expected to be 1/3 of the total complex. Walt explained in his answer back to me that the Northwest Herald article was out dated and those numbers were no longer accurate, but I don’t remember any new numbers being reported or that two-thirds of the debt will be paid back now by the indoor facilities. At least there have been some numbers reported on how they expected to generate revenue from the baseball stadium, but I have heard nothing concrete on how they plan on generating revenue from the indoor facilities.

Another question which was asked by someone else was if college had considered building the HWAC, without the baseball stadium, and on some remote location off the main campus. Walt answer to this question was that without the baseball stadium the HWAC could not be built.

Walt had stated earlier in the meeting that the stadium constituted 1/3 of the cost of the project. Therefore, when he gave the above answer about not being able to build the HWAC without the stadium, I question why if you expected the HWAC facilities to generate roughly 2/3 of the revenue, and you reduce roughly 1/3 of the cost by not building the stadium. Then how could it be that the HWAC could not stand on its own. At this time they question my numbers. They seemed to be very disappointed when I pointed out I got them from their website.

See First Phase Funding on this page on the MCC website.

I also question if they understood the criticisms that they have received by not making their plans more public, however Walt gave me a similar answer that you received from your FOIA request. To my disappointment they had no business plan for public scrutiny nor did they seem they owed one to anyone. When I tried to point out this wasn’t true since they were actually a public entity. He said we needed to agree to disagree.

Anybody financing a project would naturally need to share their plans with the prospective institution that would be willing to finance them. How is not understand a debt certificate is underwritten by the public, especially since Walt pointed out tonight that public property taxes can be diverted to pay back this debt. They seemed to be very reluctant to put this to a referendum, which seemed to be the fairest and equitable way to understand public opinion.

Hopefully, laws can be changed to stop this practice of financing private endeavors.

Thanks
Jerry Fleming

If you would like me to pass on any message to Mr. Fleming, just email me.

Labels: Baseball Stadium, Jerry Flemming, MCC, McHenry County College, Walt Packard

Our family was in Central Illinois while the lake was cresting and Crystal Lake Police were separating the McHenry County Peace Group from a minuteman group who was not sponsoring the private Holiday Inn meeting ordered canceled by a McHenry County Judge.

The Holiday Inn Illinois Minuteman Project meeting cancellation was a contract dispute, local newspapers reported.

It wasn’t anything about Freedom of Speech.

That may be the law, but it’s not the perception.

Last year a more unpopular political cause—the advancement of acceptability of homosexuality—was given red carpet treatment by the Crystal Lake Park Board and City Council.

This year, those supporting enforcement of federal immigration laws were denied the opportunity to promote their cause, a cause, by the way, that is destined to become a major issue in the 2008 presidential campaign.

If you doubt this, try to explain the ouster of the left-wing French government without talking about the negative reaction to too much immigration.

The Illinois Minuteman Project wasn’t going to hold a demonstration.

It was going to hold a private meeting in a private location at which an Ohio sheriff was going to tell how he and his department had helped enforce immigration laws that Federal officials clearly cannot enforce on their own.

The difference is that the organizers of the Gay Games wanted to use Crystal Lake for free.

And, incredibly, they got permission.

Local citizens-taxpayers with motorboats were forbidden from using their expensive machines the way they were designed during the early part of the rowing regatta. (They were forbidden by local ordinance in the latter part-- as they are every Sunday afternoon—a compromise more than a decade old between active and passive lake users.)

The skiff owners did not even have to buy boat stickers like Crystal Lake taxpayers must.

Oh, they paid for police protection from demonstrators who basically took a pass and probably did something with their families elsewhere on that splendid July day.

But, the Gay Games were not forced to pay ahead of time for police protection by either the City of Crystal Lake or the Village of Lakewood.

A couple of months later, Crystal Lake got $17,600, while Lakewood received $3,400. (The park district was smart enough to ask for and get advance payment.)

This was for an all-day event. And the Crystal Lake and other police were everywhere.

There was no threat of demonstrations from opponents on a state highway, as there was from the McHenry County Peace Group and others with a more pro-illegal immigration agenda.

Labels: Gay Games, McHenry County Peace Group

This tee shirt was on the announcer guy at the wedding of Eric Black and Cat Morrison.

I think he may have been the only person wearing a coat at the outdoor wedding.

(I brought one, but, when I saw no one else wearing one, left it in the car.)

But, he was wearing a tie, too.

I asked him what his tee shirt said and here is what he showed me.

It’s Mario from the Super Mario Brothers video game.

He didn’t know what the Japanese words on top meant?

Do you?

= = = = =
An informed reader sent the following answer:

The shirt says Super Mario. Actually, technically it says Su-pa- Marioh. The dashes extend the sounds.

Labels: Cat Morrison, Eric Black, Mario Brothers, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

The bride and groom stood barefoot under a tent with Lake Shelby in the background when they were married the night of Saturday, August 25th.

The tent was of Biblical derivation, constructed by the groom’s father.

The bride and her bridesmaids were ushered to the tent carrying parasols.

So were the mothers and the aunts.

The wedding was an informal one; none of the wedding party wore shoes.

The minister, Todd Magruder of Christian Fellowship, also known as, CFS, evoked the Captain and Tennille’s song, “Love Will Keep Us Together” before getting down to the serious stuff.

He explained the difference between a “contract” and a “covenant.”

A contract can be broken under certain conditions.

A covenant cannot.

Marriage is a covenant.

Jeff’s kiss of his bride was right off the silver screen.

For all nine frames, click here.

And “A New Hope” from the 1977 Star Wars Episode IV was the music to which the couple left the marriage area. (Neither were born then, right?)

Everyone recognized it was a Star Wars’ tune and started laughing. I found out the title when I looked at the programs that I found in a box under the table where people were signing the wedding book and a mat for a wedding picture. Had they been passed out ahead of time, I think it would have ruined the delightful surprise.

Then the official wedding photographs were taken.

I hung around.

At the end of the pictures, the photographer had the wedding party line up with Lake Shelby in the background and jump.

It took three times before everyone jumped at the same time.

The groomsman on the right seems to be having the most fun. (All the photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.)

And this was not the only time there was laughter.

It was sunset on a perfect day that followed one of heavy rain before all the pictures were taken—including one of the wedding party all jumping.

Then, the party began in an adjacent picnic shelter.

I got a shot of Jeff and Catherine walking off into the sunset.

The meal and decorations were Chinese.

There were lanterns around the pavilion.

You could see the moon rising over the lake.

If you wonder if the bride was hungry, take a look at what she piled on her plate.

“Catherine could always make me laugh,” father of the bride John Morrison recalled while making his toast. “ I hope Jeff can make her laugh.”

There were two best men and two best women.

The best men recounted the pleasure in watching the two grow in the their Christian faith while attending the University of Illinois at Springfield. Both were described as “selfless,” although Black apparently threw some pretty good parties.

The second maid of honor to speak said she was glad that Cat had found a man to cook and clear for her, a talent she was not know for. I promised to send her a shot of Catherine with her astonished mouth wide open.

But you know it has to be online for others to see, as well, right?

Why should the laughter end with the wedding?

After all, Cat said she wished she (maybe she meant "we") could get married every two years so they could gather all of her family and friends together again.

The groom and bride both talked a little, but couldn’t agree on where they met.

Oh, they knew it was while ringing bells for the Salvation Army, but when Jeff mentioned a store in Springfield, Cat immediately corrected him.

At some point, I got a picture of the groom's parents greeting the newly married couple at the dinner table.

I didn’t give the sage advice that Alan Macdonald, husband of State Senator Virginia Macdonald gave me on his 50th wedding anniversary, but I shall now.

After telling him that marriage had not (to that point in my life) been a strong suit, I asked how one stayed married to the same woman for 50 years.

“It was tough at first, Cal,” he said. “But, after I learned to say, ‘Yes, dear,’ it got a lot easier.”

Since Jeff readily agreed with Cat’s memory, I think he may not need my admonition.

Cat had to throw the bouquet, what, three times.

She must not have practiced much.

Jeff didn't do much better with the garter.

While taking it off, the "Where no man has gone before" Star Trek tape was played.

Another big laugh ensued.

Meanwhile the kids were enjoying a "professional juggler," my son informed me. He even got Brain Pankey's card and insists that we find him the next time we go to Springfield. (Just to remind me, the number is 217-529-3623 and his hangs out at 3216 S. 4th Street.)

Then, there was that first dance.

If you can't see the love in both of their eyes, click on the picture to enlarge it.

And Catherine’s dance with her father.

Then, the music became more boisterous.

My 10-year old didn’t need a partner to display his steps…all self-taught, as far as I go.

He got up on the concrete top of the dividing wall of shelter after he finished making me queasy at using the plastic chair backs and seats.

Eventually, the recent college grads and, perhaps, some still in college, invited him to dance in the middle of their circle.

Needless to say, the recognition by the adults thrilled him.

Park rules required shutting down the party at 10, so all got to bed—or at least on the road—at an early hour.

The couple is now off camping at some undisclosed (at least to me) location.

Presumably someone else took the presents to their new home in Springfield.

The groom is from Casey and the bride from Cary, Illinois.

Labels: Angela Morrison, Cat Morrison, Catherine Morrison, Jeff Black, John Morrison, Wedding, Wedding Kiss

McHenry County Clerk Katherine Schultz has issued the 2007-2008 County Yearbook.

You can find this at the link above or you can get a paper copy by calling the County Clerk’s Office at 815-344-4242.

Anyone interested in local government or McHenry County politics should have a copy.

It includes political information like the name of Republican and Democratic Party precinct committeemen. It has names of all the elected officials in the county, including school board, cities and villages, townships and all the other special tax districts.

This is an indispensable reference work.

Labels: Katherine Schultz, McHenry County Clerk, McHenry County Yearbook

Daily Herald Chris Bailey decided to write about House bill 1744 on the Sunday before last.

The bill deals with illegal aliens.

This is boring, but struggle through it. Here’s part of the bill drafting agency’s summary of the bill:

Provides that employers are prohibited from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the Basic Pilot program, as authorized by federal law, until the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases are able to make a determination on 99% of the tentative nonconfirmation notices issued to employers within 3 days, unless otherwise required by federal law.

You have read my frustration with McHenry County College’s taking 14 days to provide documents that are readily available, ones that have been provided electronically to MCC board members.

Bailey uses the Freedom of Information slowness of government to illustrate how impossible it is for any rational person to think the federal bureaucracy can cough up information in three days.

She points out that requiring 99% accuracy is a deliberate attempt by Illinois Democrats to make certain that no employer ever has to check to see if a new hire is an illegal alien.

“…it’s the sort of Catch-22 making legal citizens angry at their dysfunctional leaders,” she writes.

“Michael Noland, Ruth Munson and Jack Franks voted ‘yes.’ Chris Lauzen, Mike Tryon, Tim Schmitz and Patricia Reid Lindner voted ‘no,’” Bailey reports.

That covers her circulation area in Kane County and southern McHenry County, except for State Senators Pam Althoff and Bill Peterson and State Rep. Mark Beaubien.

Althoff did not vote. Peterson and Beaubien voted “yes.”

Labels: Bill Peterson, Chris Bailey, illegal aliens, Jack Franks, Mark Beaubien, Mike Tryon, Pam Althoff, Rod Blagojevich

Before Crystal Lake’s City fathers and mothers decided to go into the entertainment business on Vulcan Lake using Tax Increment Financing money, it blew a marvelous opportunity on Pingree Road.

I’m talking about the old Crystal Lake Outdoor Theater property.

Can you imagine the Vulcan Lake views from upper stories of apartments or condos there?

Instead, low-rise townhouses have been constructed.

An earlier city council decided to turn empty property south of Three Oaks Road into an industrial complex.

That’s fine for the non-lake front property, but how can the highest and best use for land with a view of water be industrial?

Prior to that zoning, I thought it would make a great location for a restaurant overlooking Vulcan Lake. Maybe only the second floor seats could see the lake, but the possibility existed.

And, why not high rises with most of the upper stories being able to see water?

Now a factory building right across Pingree from the lake is empty.

You can see pictures of several views of it in this article.

It’s the building next to the small park.

Can city officials come up with a re-use for this property that might make some use of Vulcan Lake’s proximity?

= = = = =
The view of Vulcan Lake is from Pingree Road.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Outdoor Theater, Lake Front Property, Pingree Road, Vulcan Lakes

I guess I didn’t notice the front of this tee shirt when I took what was on back.

It wasn’t until I had walked around that I figured out that the couple sitting at the front table in the big tent at State Senator Chris Lauzen’s Porky Picnic had on identical tee shirts.

On the front was this message:

There is a wooden cross with an American flag flying behind it.

And Mike Evans left his name tag on.

He is not afraid to proclaim his belief in Jesus Christ.

I presume the wearer of the duplicate tee shirt I featured last week is his wife

Labels: Chris Lauzen, Jesus, Message of the Day, Tee Shirt

I admire the creativity of “Heck of a Guy” Crystal Lake blogger Allan Showalter.

He looked at the Cary gravel pits new web site www.CaryIllinois.org and wrote another story--Directions to CaryIllinois.org--about it.

I looked at the Interstate directional signs on top of his story.

Had the Fox Valley Expressway, which would have been known at the Fox Valley Tollway, been built there might have been exit signs to Cary.

Showalter’s suggestions?

Under “ROAD DIVIDERS” appears,The word “Quarry” appears to be the new name for Cary.

A second sign for “LAST EXIT”


But it doesn’t end there.

Showalter has turned the masthead of the new web site into a massive billboard.

It features the town’s purported slogan,


Another billboard features a young woman dancing with an I-Pod in her ear.


are the biggest letters.

Below is

This is typical of Showalter’s sense of humor.

I encourage you to read the entire article.

And visit CaryIllinois.org. They have periodic news updates like Mayor Steve Loamal winning the noodling contest.

Last Sunday I posted this article about the new web site.

Labels: Allan Showalter, Cary, Gravel Pit, Heck of a Guy, Signs

If you don’t think there are stories everywhere, read this one.

I’m standing by the Protect Marriage Illinois petition-gathering table at State Senator Chris Lauzen’s Porky Picnic when a man walks up with a hat I have never seen before.

It is obviously a military cap.

It says,


It has a dragon in the middle.

I asked what it stood for.

Bob Moga told me the sad story of his older brother, who was serving in the Asiatic Fleet when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

There were 48 ships in the fleet.

The Japanese tracked them all down and sank them.

His brother, Rome Mogo, was on the flag ship, the U.S.S. Houston.

It was sunk in the Battle of the Java Sea.

Bob’s bother was one of the sailors who perished.

Those who survived went to the River Kwai. You remember the movie about the bridge.

I asked if he had served in World War II.

Bob told me he served in the Korean War.

He showed me his brother’s faded black and white photograph, still in his wallet after all those years.

He told me his son looked like his brother and showed me a wedding picture.

He said his parents never got over the lose of their son. They either are in their 90’s or lived to their 90’s. I’m unclear on that.

Labels: Battle of the Java Sea, Bob Moga, Message of the Day, Rome Moga, U.S.S. Houston

It appears that those planning to demonstrate are going to demonstrate even though the Illinois Minuteman Project seminar at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn has been cancelled.

The Daily Herald reports that the McHenry County Peace Group will meet at McCormick Park in under the water tower on Route 14 and hold a demonstraton anyway.

So will a group called Midwest Minutemen, which says it is unrelated to the Illinois Minuteman Project.

Demonstration and counterdemonstration will start at 1 PM Saturday afternoon.

No word if anyone will be billed by the Crystal Lake Police for excercising their free speech in a city park.

Labels: Illinois Minuteman Project, McHenry County Peace Group, Midwest Minutemen

After working at the Crystal Lake Gala one Friday night until nearly midnight, the lake was calm and I took a picture of the reflections of the lights from the it at Lakewood’s Gate 3. I used the tripod my wife gave me for Christmas.

Friday night a wek ago we were out on the lake.

No tripod.

As we went past the Main Beach House, I took this picture.

Considering it was dusk, it turned out pretty well.

Below is a picture I took from our boat of lights on the North Shore.

No tripod, but the lake was calm.

Next time we go out I'll take the tripod and see if the shakiness was just my hand or whether it was the boat slightly rocking.

Labels: Crystal Lake,