McHenry County Blog

This booth for the Christian Science Church was at the McHenry County Fair the first week of this month. There are Christian Science Churches in Crystal Lake, McHenry and Woodstock.

I think it was one of three or four that had a religious theme interspersed among the other attractions.

Both photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Carnival, Christian Science Church, McHenry County Fair.Skinner's Carnival, Message of the Day

Labor Day is the traditional beginning of political campaigns and Robert Abboud, the Democratic Party candidate for 16th congressional district United States Representative Don Manzullo's is taking the opportunity to blast his GOP opponent for things he said in a Thursday Rockford television debate.

Here it is:

Abboud: Let Me Educate You Mr. Manzullo

Abboud Demands Manzullo Answer for his Own Record on Trade, Off-Shoring Jobs, Tax Breaks for Companies Operating Overseas

ROCKFORD – Bob Abboud, Democratic challenger in Illinois 16^th Congressional district, called on his Republican opponent to own up to his clear record of supporting the off-shoring of American jobs, favored nation trading status with China and tax breaks for companies who move their operations overseas, after being accused of misrepresenting facts and needing ‘to be educated’ on facts related to Rep. Manzullo’s record on these critical issues.

During the live debate on WIFR-23 in Rockford, Manzullo repeatedly told Abboud he ‘needed to be educated’ on the incumbent’s record. Abboud wasted no time in calling into question Manzullo’s own grasp of the facts.

“Either my opponent has been in office so long he can’t remember, or he is afraid to own up to the damaging policies he has supported,” Abboud said. “I have the facts, and apparently I must educate Mr. Manzullo. Since he took office in 1992 he has had a clear record of supporting unfair trade with China and corporations who avoid taxation and ship jobs overseas.”

Manzullo, despite claiming the title of ‘Mr. Manufacturing’, has voted repeatedly for tax breaks and trade policies that favor overseas companies and the off shoring of American jobs. Over the past 16 years Don Manzullo has been one of the chief architects of policies that have resulted in the 11 percent unemployment rate in Rockford, the decline in family household incomes and the loss of thousands of jobs in the 16^th District. During his term Manzullo voted for the following:

• The Singapore Trade Agreement which directly led to the loss of 100 Rockford jobs at Hamilton Sundstrand

• Voted 7 times for most favored nation trading status and improved trading status for China

• Voted against restricting nuclear sales to China

• Voted to support international loans for China

• Voted for foreign companies to receive Homeland Security contracts

• Voted against preventing American companies from laying off more U.S. workers than foreign workers

• Voted to give overseas companies federal contracts

• Voted for $12.8 billion in corporate tax breaks, allowing multinational companies with extensive offshore operations to fully use foreign tax credits to offset their tax liability.

“For 16 years Mr. Manzullo has depended upon people looking the other way and his extraordinary talent for duplicity” said Michael Carroll, Communications Director for the Abboud campaign. “He says he wants to support manufacturing and he will give you a long list of tiny accomplishments that he believes proves his support of working families. But the second we turn our backs, Mr. Manzullo is voting to ship our jobs overseas and giving companies that do it a tax break. Enough is enough – the families struggling to make ends meet in our community deserve better, they deserve the truth.”

With documented unemployment in the Rockford drifting further and further into double digits, Abboud says the 16^th District communities can no longer afford to suffer Don Manzullo’s broken promises and failed leadership.

“Our community needs a Congressman who understands how critical manufacturing is, a congressman who has run a business and created jobs,” Abboud said. “My opponent has never run a business and it’s clear he doesn’t understand how important manufacturing is to this district. If we want new jobs then we can’t suffer any more of Don Manzullo’s empty rhetoric and do nothing policies.”

To read Abboud’s economic platform and plan to bring jobs back to the 16^th District, visit www.robertabboud.com.

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On top you see the three candidates for the 16th congressional seat. From left to right are Green Party candidate Scott Summers, Democratic Party candidate Robert Abboud and Republican Party incumbent and candidate for re-election Don Manzullo. I do not know the names of the WIRF-23 folks asking the questions.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Don Manzullo, Robert Abboud, WIRF, WIRF-23

When I was sitting at the Huntley School Board meeting the Thursday before last, the board went into secret session twice.

Teachers were sitting in the audience with visible picket signs.

Both times board member Mike Skala left with his fellow board members.

Of course, I don't know what was discussed, but, odds are that the teacher negotiations were among the topics.

At McHenry County Board meetings, President George Lowe has been insistent that Centegra employee Frances Glosson leave the room for the entire period when payment of vouchers are considered.

He won't allow the agenda item to be considered until she is in the hall.

Mike Skala, whose wife is a teacher at Huntley High School, left with the rest of the board both times its members left the board room.

I know he has recused himself from voting on the contract.

That is certainly appropriate.

I don't know if the board discussed the teachers' contract negotiations when its members left the room that Thursday.

But, it sure seems likely.

That night I didn't know if Skala was in the same room with his fellow board members when and if the board discussed the contract.

But, Friday, I asked Superintendent John Burkey and was told that Skala did attend the first part of one of the meetings. Skala made a comment and then left the room where the board was meeting.

Although Skala was not in the room when contract discussions were being held, no one in Thursday's audience could have figured it out.

Burkey said that Skala could have participated in the teacher salary negotiations this year, as he did last time around, but decided not to.

While it may not be legally a conflict of interest to do so, it would be difficult to explain how a board member married to a Huntley teacher would not have a real conflict of interest.

If Skala wants people who don't read McHenry County Blog to think otherwise, it would seem to me he should stay in the board room when his colleagues leave to discuss contract negotiations.

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The top photo shows some of the audience at the August 21, 2008, Huntley School Board meeting. The bottom one shows School Board President Shawn Green and school board member Mike Skala returning from the secret meeting before the open meeting began that Thursday night.

Labels: Frances Glosson, Huntley School District 158, McHenry County College, Mike Skala

My friend and former legislative assistant Pete Castillo attended the Veterans Awareness Rally at the Daley Center on Friday.

Having waited in vain for a 79-year old veteran, Castillo caught a later train than he planned.

By the time he walked to the Daley Center, the rally was just starting.

“The Obama people dominated the event. Obama...sent a personal messenger.

“The man is Vietnam Veteran. He had all of the right words for the predominantly Democrat crowd.

“My DC marching buddies were glad to see me. That is what I like the most about veterans.

“We had a minuscule turn-out.

“We listened to several very exciting speakers.

“Lt. Governor Pat Quinn was one of them. He spoke of the Defenders of the Faith and Righteousness from the Book of Isaiah. I am sure that Gene Simes gave then a copy of the Defenders of the Faith Prayer which I sent to Congress in 2006.

“Cook County Commissioner, Tony Peraica was another very powerful speaker.

“I mentioned Peraica because he is one of the men who extended me his assistance to rally the veterans of McHenry County back in June 2005.

“Some of the people who marched with us were from the Rainbow Coalition and Jesse Jackson. This a very interesting group of veterans. Some are Repos and some are Demos. I am sure that we have Independents in the crowd.

“The speakers made it very clear that we are targeting both McCain and Obama Camps to deliver the goods on Full Mandatory Funding For Veterans Health Care should either one of them get elected president.

“One of the highlights of the Veterans Awareness Rally:

the the Willie Nelson Public Service Announcements (PSA)'s.

“Pastor King from the Methodist Church in Chicago blessed the event.

“He was awesome!

“His prayer accurately captured the importance and the significance of the event as God would have him to. Some pastors haven't got the intestinal fortitude, the moxy, and the godly spiritual revelation to deliver on God's Promises. Pastor King was a genuine man of God!

“I was blessed with the message, but deeply saddened by the lackadaisical way that Americans treat the military veterans of the Armed Forces of the United states of America.



“As I sat in my chair representing McHenry County Veterans and listened to Pastor King speak as well as the rest of the walking wounded, I vividly recalled those days back in 1968 when I came home to an America who hated me and my fellow soldiers. It is still troubling to remember that as we were flying into O'Hare Field that we were ordered to take-off our military Dress Greens.

“I was so proud to be coming home to my family. That chilling message from the commander on board the plane forever changed my perception of America. Some of the folks who kept looking at me as I walked to Daley Plaza reflected that 'unwelcome attitude' to me.
 
“God in His infinite mercy had me saluted by 3-different young men as I traveled in my American Legion uniform to Chicago.

“The first one was as I was boarding the train at the Crystal Lake Depot. I was about three steps away from the stairs on the train when a tall young man disembarked and snapped me a crisp salute. I barely had time to whip up my hand and return his salute. Boy! what a grand way to begin an adventure.

“When I arrived at Daley Plaza I was a bit hot and I decided to sit in the benches at the edge of the plaza to sip some cold water. I wasn't there for more than  a couple of minutes, when a young soldier came up and saluted me and smiled at me. Then he extended me his hand and shook my hand as he told me that he was proud me; and thankful for my service to America. I just about burst-out in tears.

“When I was getting-off of the train in CL another young man came up to me and saluted me. He had a big bright smile on his face and his eyes gleamed with pride. He was a son of God.”

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As you might imagine, that's Crystal Lake's Pete Castillo in the head shot on top. If you click to enlarge the photo beneath, you can find him with other leaders of the Million Veteran March on Washington a couple of years ago.

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After I posted this Castillo sent me the following:

"We need to highlight at least a couple of very important men without which none of these events could possibly have occurred. One of them is Gene Simes and the other one is Jere Beery.

"I also believe John Monahan and his daughter...name? I will search for it.

"OFFE would like to recognize and thank the following people and organizations for their help and support on this project; Veteran’s Strike Force, Marvin Gardner, Kim Driscol, Creola Alfalileh - Veterans for Unification, John Borg - Coalition of Veterans Organizations, Bruce Parry - American Airlines Veteran’s Representative Fred Gajewski."

Labels: Crystal Lake American Legion, Gene Simes, Jere Berry, Pete Castillo, Tony Peraica, Veteran's Strike Force, Veterans Awareness Rally, Veterans for Unification

Democratic Party candidates for McHenry County State's Attorney, Tom and Auditor will be holding a fund raiser at Stage Left, 125 Van Buren Street in Woodstock from 7:30-9:30 on Tuesday, September 23rd.

No word as to the cost.

Draw your own conclusions about the location's name.

Personally, I had my fund raisers at Crystal Lake's 1776, whose first menu, lest you think its owner Andy Andresky does not have a sense of humor, charged Republicans more for steak than Democrats.

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Tom Cynor is on the left; Kerry Julian on the right.

Labels: 1776, Andy Andresky, Kerry Julian, McHenry County Auditor, McHenry County Democrats, McHenry County State's Attorney, Stage Left Cafe, Thomas Cynor

I thought about titling this “Truth in Licensing.”


is the what the plate says.

When I was bringing my son to Crystal Lake's South Elementary School last Monday to drop off supplies, greet the new teacher and meet classmates, I was fortunate enough to find a close parking spot behind this Ford Explorer.

Usually, I post only the license plates that catch my attention, but this plate's message works best when you see the vehicle it licenses.

Can't say the owner doesn't have a sense of humor.

Click to enlarge the picture.

No, I'll just show you a close-up here:

Labels: Ecology, License Plate, Message of the Day

Both Barack Obama and John McCain's choice for vice president, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin live in corrupt states.

Sarah did something about the corruption in her State of Alaska.

She fought it.

If Barack Obama did anything about corruption in Illinois, someone please remind me what it was.

Oh, I know that now-convicted felon Tony Rezko was one of his major fund raisers when he ran for the Illinois Senate.

And, I know the same Rezko helped the Obamas buy land next to his big house in the Kenwood neighborhood that is now being turned into an armed camp to protect the Democratic Party's presidential candidate.

But, what did Obama do to fight corruption in Illinois?

....

....

....

I'm waiting.

Fill me in.

I can't wait for the Sarah Palin press conference in Chicago pointing out that she has fought corruption in Alaska, while Barack Obama has tolerated it in Illinois.

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In the photo of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is her husband Todd and son Trigg. Here is the previous article I wrote about her:

Labels: Barack Obama, Corruption, Sarah Palin, Sin of Omission

Crystal Lake's John Coonen jotted down his thoughts about Democratic Party Barack Obama's acceptance speech and shared them with me. I asked if I could publish them and he gave permission:

"First impression of Barrack's speech -

"85,000 gushing fans and Hollywood celeb's, including Oprah (with her diamond-studded sunglasses which sickeningly spelled out the word O-B-A-M-A on the sides) gathered 'round the Romanesque Coliseum, set on an historic day and place to help us somehow associate M.L.K. and J.F.K. with B.O. ...his 85,000 adoring fans and millions of TV viewers were all lied to within the first line of his speech when Barrack Obama accepted the nomination uttering the words:

"'...with humility...I accept...'

"Really Barrack? Humility? First sentence, first line, you choose the word 'humility?'

"I brought out a couple buckets for people watching with me because we 'bout tossed our cookies, and the speech hadn't even started yet.

"I was honestly hoping for a speech like the one I remember he delivered in Springfield, in sub-zero temperature.

"That was a phenomenal speech - not that I'd ever vote for the guy (I'm pro-life, and he's extremely pro-abortion), but it was a great speech he delivered in Springfield.

"I suppose after months of campaigning, and chummin' up with the Clintons, Bidens and Durbins, it's not Washington that rubs off, it's a distorted perspective of reality that sinks in.

"But - those 85,000 fans ate it up.

"I suppose I should stop being amazed that millions of Americans are drinking the kool-aid the party's serving up en masse, but the death of amazement and outrage leads to loss of hope.

"Too bad complaining about the hubris and set architecture won't change the fact that conservatives have got an uphill battle ahead. The only solution is getting conservatives out to vote on November 4th, or this country's in deep.

"-John Coonen "

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The photo of John Coonen was taken at the Pro-Life Victory Committee's Pig Roast at Resurrection Center.

If a Barack Obama supporter would like to present a counterpoint, email it to McHenry County Blog.

Labels: Barack Obama, Democratic National Convention, John Coonen

It appears the Prairie Grove teachers haven't gotten the same memo from the Illinois Education Association that Huntley District 158 teachers received.

Northwest Herald reporter Kelly Mahoney writes that the Grade School District 46 teachers got “a total salary compensation increase of 3.25 percent in the first year, 3.42 percent in the second year and the third-year increases will align with the tax cap.”

The tax cap is the consumer price index.

The article says the last three year contract had 5.6%, 5.4% and 5.3% increases, which, of course, were way above the increase in the cost of living.

The Huntley School Board is offering $5.4% in the first year, then the CPI, plus 0.65% for the last tow years.

That offer has been rejected by the Huntley Education Association.

District 46's board is the one who called out the police when I took photographs through its library's Venetian blinds and laughed too loud, leading to Allan Showalter of Heck of a Guy blog in Crystal Lake to call the police to evict me from the school building.

All imagess may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: Allan Showalter, Huntley Education Association, Huntley School District 158, Prairie Grove, Prairie Grove District 46

We're lounging away last Wednesday on a beautiful day in Crystal Lake and these two woman come paddling their kayaks between us a the North Shore.

One seemed more advanced than the other, but when we asked if we could take their pictures, the one I thought was the learner skillfully turned her kayak around for this shot.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Kayak, Message of the Day

I'm confused.

I thought the McHenry County Democratic Party moved its annual Jefferson Day Dinner last spring from Crystal Lake's Holiday Inn to Sun City's Prairie Lodge to protest the Holiday Inn's not having workers who belonged to a labor union.

It just occurred to me that last night McHenry County Democrats gathered at the same Holiday Inn to watch U.S. Senator Barack Obama accept his party's nomination for president.

But, I'm confused.

Why was it unacceptable to hold the Thomas Jefferson Day Dinner at the Holiday Inn this past spring, but it is OK to hold the Barack Obama nomination blow-out there a couple of months later?

One holdout from the McHenry County Dem party is Dave Bachmann, candidate for McHenry County Coroner.

Bachmann provided this statement to McHenry County Blog:

“Strong 'Core Beliefs' are not beliefs that you stand on from time to time based on a 'Political Wind' or for photo or press opportunities.

“The facts that caused the McHenry County Democratic party to pull out of its plans for its annual Jefferson Dinner Party Fundraiser to be held at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn are still in play today.

“It is 'unconscionable' to me that Kathy Bergan Schmidt, the McHenry County Democratic Party Chair, has shifted her position, so soon and so easily, by supporting this Historic Event being held at a facility she just months ago chastised for its lack of supporting a Democratic cause.

"She allowed the official McHenry County Democratic web sight as access for publication of this incredible, historic national event. The same web sight, just four short months ago, she utilized to publicize her distaste for the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn venue.

"This election is about Integrity and standing firm on core beliefs that the American workers should be supported unconditionally." Bachmann stated.”Rather than sacrifice my core beliefs and values towards our hard working American men and women, I will not attend this event.”

I confirmed that the Holiday Inn is still a non-union employer.

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Any image can be enlarged by clicking on it.

Labels: Barack Obama, Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, Dave Bachmann, Jefferson Day Dinner, Kathy Bergan Schmidt, McHenry County Democrats

Huntley teachers didn't think 5.43% in the first year and the Cost of Living, plus 0.65% in the next three years was not good enough.

I wonder if they would have settled for what AFSCME, the state workers' union is presenting it its members:


That 15.2% is what reporter Doug Finke of Springfield's State Journal-Register is saying is in the AFSCME deal. “When compounded, (the) total (is) 16.3 percent over the four-year term of the contract,” but the raise does not kick in until January 1st.

The article continues,

“Workers will get two raises totaling 4 percent in calendar 2009, two raises totaling 4 percent in 2010, two raises totaling 6 percent in 2011 and a raise of 1.25 percent on Jan. 1, 2012.”

The memo the Springfield paper obtained brags that the net increase is greater than in the last four-year contract.

It was reported somewhere that Governor Rod Blagojevich's negotiators were pushing to get union members to pay for part of their pension or convert it to something like a 401(k). That did not happen.

The proposal also calls for $6 monthly insurance premium increases during the first two years and a $50 deductible for prescription drugs.

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The photo of the Illinois State Capitol was taken from the south. It shows the side on which the Illinois House of Representatives meets.

Labels: Huntley Education Association, Huntley School District 158

Hillary Clinton delegate State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) has provided little reports from the convention floor each day for Pioneer Press.

You can find them here.

Some of what Franks wrote the first day follows:

“I got to speak to Dan Rather and did national television for C-SPAN and CBS. I've also been doing radio for WLS and others.,,

“Meetings with the Illinois delegation today and Hillary and Bill later tonight.”

The second day:

“What was real cool, remember seeing my dad on the stage in Chicago during the convention in 1968. My boys saw my wife and I on TV. I thought that was pretty cool -- that is something they'll remember that for the rest of their lives...

“Did interviews with BBC, ABC, CBS and C-Span as well as Radio One out of France yesterday. Did one in Portuguese, talking to a guy from Brazil.”

Here's a bit from the third day:

“I ran into David Wilhelm, who is one of Barack's campagin managers. We had a nice discussion and he asked me to go to Ohio on behalf of Obama, which I agreed to do, which I thought was exciting.

"As we were walking out, I noticed Frank Biden and I recognized him only because he was on stage when his brother gave his speech. We got to meet the whole family. My wife took a bunch of photos because there was a little boy, who was maybe two, on stage with the family. The family didn't have a camera so we're going to send all the pictures to them.

"The evening was topped off by the Illinois Delegation having a party at the hotel.”

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The top photo is of State Rep. Jack Franks speaking at a hearing on Governor Rod Blagojevich's budget. The one at the bottom is of the Biden family while the Democratic Party Vice Presidential candidate was accepting his party's nomination.

Labels: Denver, Jack Franks, Pioneer Press

Just in case you missed the big “hug-in” out in Denver, here are pictures of two Democrats who have not gotten along well, well, hugging:

Then, House Speaker Mike Madigan and Governor Rod Blagojevich shook hands.

They were smiling.

What do you make of that?

Labels: Hug, Message of the Day, Mike Madigan, Rod Blagojevich

I know.

I know.

If my son finds out I used that word, I owe a 25-cent fine.

I've just read in Springfield's State Journal-Register that Governor Rod Blagojevich has decided to close the Frank Lloyd Wright Dana Thomas House in Springfield.

I can't find the photos that I took. Must have been before the digital camera.

Governor Jim Thompson managed to find $1 million in the middle of the 1981 recession to buy the Dana Thomas House.

He helped raise $704,000 to buy a lamp designed for the house, but sold off before the state paid the $1 million for the house and furnishings, of which there were many.

Tell me how Thompson could find the money to buy the house and Blagojevich can't find the money to allow the public to see its investment from the inside?

Only 41,045 visitors in 2007, but Blagojevich's people say it will be open for “special events.”

Republican State Rep. Ted Meyer, with whom I served in the 1970's, had as his crusade the keeping of state parks open without charge to the public. I can still hear the Chicago Republican saying,


Meyer was the guiding force for restoration of Fort Massac in Southern Illinois. Meyer died in 2004.

I don't think it is appropriate to call public officials names, but a good number are coming to my mind as I contemplate this really stupid decision.

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The photos of the Dana Thomas House come from its web site.

The customized warning sign comes from the web site Image Chief.

Labels: Dana Thomas House, Image Chief, Rod Blagojevich, Ted Meyer, Warning Sign

It's a big night for politics.

Barack Obama will deliver his acceptance speech.

And, the three candidates seeking to represent Illinois' 16th congressional district will appear tonight at 6 on Rockford's Channel 23, CBS affiliate WIFR-TV.

Only those in the western portions of McHenry County can probably receive WIRF's signal over the air, but the 6-6:30 PM broadcast program will be streamed live over the internet starting at 6 PM. You can link to the TV station here.

There is a video player at the top middle of the screen where you can click and see the debate.

You can send your questions ahead of time here.

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Pictures of the three candidates are above. On top is Democrat Robert Abboud. To the left is Green Party candidate Scott Summers. Incumbent Republican Don Manzullo is to the right below Abboud.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Don Manzullo, Robert Abboud, Rockford, Scott Summers, WIFR-TV

McHenry County Democrats have issued the following press release about the big party tonight at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake:


Crystal Lake—McHenry County Democrats will gather tonight at watch parties to celebrate with the 70,000 people at Denver’s INVESCO Field as Barack Obama accepts the nomination for President of the United States.

Many of the county’s leading Democrats including Illinois General Assembly, county wide, and County Board candidates will be at the Crystal Party Bar at the Holiday Inn Crystal Lake, 800 South Three Oaks Road. The party will open up at 7:30. The celebration is sponsored by Northwest Suburbs for Obama.

The same grass roots organization will team up with the Melissa Bean for Congress campaign to host another party at Dock’s Bar and Grill, 113 E. Liberty St. (Rt. 176) in Wauconda.

Becky Deignan will hold a house party at her Cary home, at 10 Boxwood Lane.

The three parties are among thousands nationwide organized on the Obama for President campaign’s unique inter-active social networking web site my.barack.obama.com. People can log on, enter a local zip code, find parties in their area and register to attend for free.

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And to explain the graphic, Heck of a Guy blogger Allan Showalter has suggested the McHenry County Board adopt Dick Tracy as the center of its county seal. The two photos above were found in his story,


I agree, because it is distinction and would provide instant differentiation from all other county seals.

And, can you think of anything that epitomizes McHenry County?

If I could, I'd put it on the masthead of McHenry County Blog.

The county could even turn county offices into tourist traps by selling copies of the county seal that were different (that is, authentic) from those merchandised by local stores.

In a fit of inspiration after Barack Obama showcased his personal campaign seal, Showalter thought maybe Obama might try out his suggestion as well.

Perhaps a well-connected McHenry County Democrat could get through to him.

Labels: Barack Obama, Becky Deignan, Crystal Lake Holiday Inn, Dock's Bar and Grill, Obama Watch

I have speculated that State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) might run for governor against Rod Blagojevich.

But, then, Barack Obama's people decided to give the spotlight to Obama's acceptable candidates to oppose Rod Blagojevich for governor—Lisa Madigan, Dan Hynes and Alex Giannoulias, Jack Franks got left out.

But so did Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.

Maybe Franks was left out because he was a candidate pledged to Hillary Clinton, but, more likely, because Franks was only a state representative.

Franks' father, after all, hosted a rally for Obama when he ran for United States Senator.

So, where does that leave Franks?

With the Democratic Party incumbents for attorney general, comptroller and treasurer featured and Bill Daley making the rounds asking people to remain neutral until January, it looks as if Franks will be relegated to a lesser office.

Franks will probably step up to run for either attorney general or state comptroller, either of which would fit his resume.

Labels: Alex Giannoulias, Barack Obama, Dan Hynes, Jack Franks, lias, Lisa Madigan, Pat Quinn, Rod Blagojevich

My nose for news was OK last night on my way home from the American Community Bank NFIB meeting between Congressman Don Manzullo and small business folks, but I didn't stop to take a picture.

At the stop sign at the top of the hill on East Crystal Lake Avenue, a small van had its lights blinking.

There was a policeman who walked around to the drivers' side.

As I was driving around the vehicle, a woman got out of it.

There was street work being done. The City of Crystal Lake is spending oodles of Tax Increment Financing property tax money taken from our schools, park district, county, county college, etc., to bury the electric and other lines along East Crystal Lake Avenue.

(For those who do not understand the TIF process, local tax districts like schools just raise their tax rates enough to make up for the revenue lost in TIF districts. If you are in a tax district in which the TIF lies—like McHenry County--your real estate taxes go up to make up for the revenue lost to the TIF district, which the city officials spend to subsidize developers in the TIF or make marginal improvements like burying utility lines.)

The money was just burning a hole in the city council member's pockets.

For some reason the song, “Girls Just Gotta Have Fun,” comes to mind, but it's the theme of the song, not the gender in the title that brings it to my frontal lobes. Three of the four “Yes” votes came from men, Mayor Aaron Shepley, who lives in the neighborhood, included.

Ralph Dawson joined Jeff Thorsen in voting against the expenditures. Cathy Ferguson wasn't present at the meeting.

But, back to the story.

It was pretty obvious the woman drover had some serious problem.

Today I went Downtown for a haircut after dropping my son off for his first half day of school and decided to walk down and see what I could find.

As you can see from the picture, there was a hole, which, almost certainly, was covered with a steel plate.

I talked to the supervisor, who told me he had never seen anything like it.

He speculated that someone had come up to the stop sign and put on the brakes, skidding on the steel plate and pulling it away from the hole.

Now that I think about it, it could just have easily been my old Cadillac whose wheel plunged into the uncovered hole as dusk was turning into night.

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The top and bottom picture is of the hole being contemplated by city contractors yesterday morning.

You can see the old flower shop in the background from which we ran my 1996 primary campaign for state representative after McHenry County Republican County Chairman Al Jourdan put Cary county board member John Brehmer up to challenge me.

The middle photo shows East Crystal Lake Avenue between Williams Street and Walkup Avenue after utility wires have been buried. Beautiful isn't it? But the power lines in the foreground detract from the view. Maybe they will be next to be buried.

My last legislative office in 1980-81, in a room not being used by my father's Barley and Malt Institute, is the corner building at the intersection of South Williams and E. Crystal Lake Avenue...for you trivia buffs.

Labels: Downtown TIF, East Crystal Lake Avenue, Tax Increment Financing District, TIF

I've never been to a Lake in the Hills parade in the new part of town. I attended one on the east side of Randall Road on the old Crystal Lake Road, but that was quite a while ago.

Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee Chairman Karla Dobbeck sent out this email:

Hi,

Topic of the day - LAKE IN THE HILLS PARADE THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 - WALKERS NEEDED!!

Please come out and support John McCain for President and walk along side our elephant in the Lake in the Hills Parade.

The parade will kick-off at 10am, at the corner of Grafton Farm Road & Miller Road, travel East down Miller Road for 1-mile and conclude at the corner of Albrecht Road & Miller Road.

Lots of fun and GOP camaraderie so come and enjoy!

Karla

Click to enlarge the map.

Labels: Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee, Karla Dobbeck

Crain's Chicago Business reported on the “foul mood” of 8th Congressional District U.S. Representative Melissa Bean:

“Rep. Melissa Bean was in a foul mood as she arrived in Denver Sunday for the Democratic National Convention.

"The west suburban Democrat was grumbling about having to return home this week for a hearing on Canadian National Railway’s proposal to buy the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railway, then return to Denver Thursday to hear Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech.“

McHenry County Blog found a report on Bean's penchant for partying in February in an article in The Hill.

It was a story about a Democratic Party retreat at the Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, Vriginia.

Here, let me let The Hill reporter tell the rest of the story:

Democrats said they had no time to relax during their two-and-a-half day retreat.

Friday night wasn’t work time, though, the “Under the Dome” column reported.

Lawmakers threw back a few drinks and danced late into the night.

By the end of the evening, most members and staff went to bed, leaving the 30-something working group of Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), Hilda Solis (Calif.), Tim Ryan (Ohio), Melissa Bean (Ill.) (OK, they look 30-something!) dancing the night away. Reps. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.) and James McGovern (Mass.) were out there, too.

Girls just want to have fun, don't you know.

And attending a hearing inconeniently scheduled by that Republican-controlled Surface Transportation Board where 3,000 constituents are expected is cutting into the Democratic National Convention with all of its great parties.

Beating challenger Steve Greenberg is apparently more important that partying in Denver.

Bean should consider herself fortunate. Consider that former Alderman Arenda Troutman probably doesn't feel like dancing the night away now that she has pleaded guilty to those Chicago zoning “no-no's.”

And Troutman never did have the huge congressional salary that Bean enjoys.

Labels: 8th Congressional District, Arenda Troutman, Barrington, EJ and E, Melissa Bean, Steve Greenberg

I found this bumper sticker in front of Border's Book Store.

It matched the red car on whose bumper it was stuck.

It says,

Labels: Bumper Sticker, Message of the Day, Ralph Nader

Chicago crooks have apparently gone international by way of the Illinois National Guard.

A Major Christopher P. West with hometown listed as Chicago has been arrested Monday in Chicago for bribery and conspiracy.

He and co-defendant Air Force Tech. Sgt. Patrick W. Boyd are charged with taking $90,000 to award contracts at Bagram Airfield.

While he was head of base operations, he is charged with “arranging the award of...three DOD contracts worth more than $1 million...(in exchange for)

• $30,000...for the award of a contract to supply BAF with bunkers and barriers, cement structures used for force protection and perimeter walls...and
• $30,000 in return for a second asphalt paving contract and
• $30,000 in return for the award of a contract to provide asphalt paving services."

“We will aggressively prosecute individuals and companies who line their own pockets by corrupting the bidding process for base procurement in Afghanistan,” said Thomas O. Barnett, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department’s Antitrust Division. “These contracts were meant to protect U.S. soldiers serving their country, and we will not tolerate corruption that deprives the troops of the benefits of competitively-sourced goods and services.”

Illinois Major Brad Leighton, newly arrived from New Hampshire, confirmed that West was in the National Guard, based in Crestwood with the 108^th Brigade Troops Battalion. It is a logistics unit, he said.

“We are aware he was detained but at this point I can't confirm or disclose any other details,” Leighton said.

To read the whole press release, click here.

Labels: Abdul Qudoos Bahkshi, Afghanistan, Bagram Airfield, Bribery, Chrisoher P. West, Illinois National Guard, John Ramin, Noor Alam, Pat Boyd, Tahir Ramin

WBBM-Radio has posted a mock-up of a new front page for the Chicago Tribune.

I don't know if you have noticed, but the Tribune has been running more feature stories, articles with human interest angles.

Less hard news.

It's looking more and more like the revised a couple of years ago Chicago Sun-Times.

Fold the picture in half to see what it would look like on the news stand or in a box. Think it would compete with Sun-Times' front pages?

Although I have only seen the Red Eye give away paper the Tribune publishes for people who aren't really interested in hard news, its editor has been named head woman at the Tribune.

Portents of things to come, it seems.

The Tribune told WBBM it is a “work in progress.”

You can also see today's front pages of the two Chicago newspapers. The one from the Sun-Times came from its web site. In the version delivered, the photo of Hillary Clinton on TV is no where near as good. I could not find a copy of the front page of the Tribune on its web site.

WBBM gives the photo credit for the mock-up to Joe Strupp, Editor and Publisher, so I shall, too. Click to enlarge.

Meanwhile, Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Joe Mariotti resigned, according to the Chicago Tribune, saying,

"...sports journalism had become 'entirely a Web site business. There were not many newspapers there.' He added that most of the journalists covering the Games were 'there writing for Web sites.'"

Labels: Chicago Tribune, Front Page, Radical Makeover

16th district United States Representative Don Manzullo came to Crystal Lake's American Community Bank to speak with members of the National Federation of Independent Business Tuesday night.

The main topics of conversation were taxes and paying for health care.

“We're set for a barrage of tax increases,” Manzullo explained. “If you have a tax cut, the cuts expire in ten years. If you have a tax hike, it never expires.

“If you allow the tax cuts to expire, then you end up with a large tax increase,” the congressman explained.

“If the tax cuts expire, it would means the average family would pay $2-4,000,” he continued. “The child tax credit would be rolled back from $1,000 to $500.”

He talked of the cuts the Republican Congress had passed and President Bill Clinton signed, including the college savings accounts, the Roth IRA and the accelerated depreciation for business and ending the marriage penalty.

After two members of Congress got married and discovered they owed $35,000 more in taxes, “they became great advocates of tax relief,” Manzullo related.

The Republican explained that Senator John McCain voted against the tax cut package that Bush signed because it was not offset by spending cuts.

McCain has said he does not favor allowing those tax cuts to expire because that would be a tax hike.

Several people spoke of the deficiencies of a single payer government run health care system.

Manzullo told of a friend of one his staffers who went to Montreal, discovered a bladder infection after business hours on Friday and could not get treatment until Monday because it was not an emergency. To this day, she has related medical problems.

Manzullo explained that the health insurance he has as a member of congress is Blue Cross/Blue Shield. No dental insurance and chiropractic care just added this year.

"We pay $400 a month."

When his wife Freda had cancer, it cost the family $10,000 in out of pocket expenses.

He favors allowing each American to write their own policies.

If they wanted coverage for just catastrophic illness, their premiums would be much lower than for those with first dollar coverage.

There was much more, of course, but it's the first day of school on Wednesday and I'm the one taking our son to school.

Manzullo is being challenged by Barrington Hills Village President Robert Abboud on the Democratic Party ticket and McHenry County College Board member Scott Summers, a member of the Green Party.

= = = = =
In the top photograph, U.S. Congressman Don Manzullo can be seen talking to Chris Dahm of Woodstoc's Dahm Trucking and Lou Gajdzik of Stoxen Farms in Harvard. Below, Manzullo is seen talking to the NFIB members and prospective members. Pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: American Community Bank, Chirs Dahm, Dahm Trucking, Don Manzullo, Lou Gajdzik, National Federation of Independent Business, NFIB, Stoxen Farms

Springfield Sun-Times Bureau Chief Dave McKenney knows his Illinois crooks.

And their connections.

Know what jumped to his mind when he heard that our Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama selected fellow Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware)?

Joe Cari.

The guy who fingered Governor Rod Blagojevich as “Official A.”

Here's what McKenny writes:

“On the day Cari's name first surfaced in the federal probe of the state Teachers Retirement System, the former finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee and for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was to have hosted a Biden fund-raiser in Chicago. Cari was a no-show to the July 25, 2005, event.”

It's not bad enough that Chicago Democratic Party crook Tony Rezko was one of Barack Obama's biggest fund raiser when he first ran for state senator.

Now there's a connection to the Democrats' vice presidential candidate.

What might the Republicans do with this connection?

Well, they could follow the example of Democratic Party gubernatorial primary candidate State Treasurer Phil Angelides. (This is one link you should read. The TV ad template already exits.)

And irony of ironies, under McKenney's article is a column by a good buddy of Cari, Carol Marin. She still hasn't apologized for having sung his praises two days before Cari was indicted for Rezko-related corruption.

One final observation.

Have you figured out that neither of the Democratic Party candidates have ANY managerial experience other than their office staffs? (Yes, I'll admit that GOP candidate John McCain has that same shortcoming.)

Labels: Carol Marin, Dave McKenney, Joe Biden, Joe Cari, Phil Angelides, Tony Rezko

An inquiring friend of and researcher for McHenry County Blog has been comparing dog taxes among area counties.
Here's what started this story:

“I noticed McHenry County's dog tag fee scale chart at our vets office but I didn't see Kane's,” he wrote.

“Curious, I asked why Kane's tag fee scale wasn't on the desk.

'Because it's a flat fee.'

"It appears the surrounding counties charge a flat fee and senior citizens don't have to pay tag fees in Kane and DuPage County. If dogs get their shots in McHenry County, the upfront tag fee is five times more if pet owners decide not to "fix and chip" them. You may know more about this but are stray dogs a problem in McHenry County? I thought you may find this to be an interesting local story.”

He found McHenry County's quite different from those of Kane, DuPage and Cook Counties.

Kane County charges $10 a year for a rabies tag, $25 for three years. The web site says, “Senior citizens (65 and older) do not pay for original tags given with shot. There's a $1 charge if you need a replacement tag.

DuPage County also charges $10 a year, but does not offer a break for a three-year tag. $4 for a replacement tag.

Cook County charges only $6 a year. (Don't anyone tell Cook County Board President Todd Stroeger that his county is lower than the suburban ones.) $18 for a three-year tag.

All three are pretty straight forward.

By comparison, McHenry County's fee structure looks like a PERT chart.