McHenry County Blog

Based on narcotics being left in the house after his mother died, Dave Bachmann, Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County Coroner. came up with the idea that deputy coroners could pick up unused pills after people passed away. (Some are outright illegal to possess after a patient’s death.)

He floated this idea on McHenry County Blog last September.

Since then, the Fox Rive Grove Police have started the practice and the Chicago Tribune had an article by Ray Hood on the idea last Thursday.

The headline:

To avoid water contamination, officials hold medicine-collection drives
Flushing old pills no longer considered safe

“On Saturday, Cook County will hold its first medicine collection drive in the south suburb of Midlothian, joining Will, Kendall and other counties in the Chicago region in providing a safe way for residents to toss out their old prescription drugs,” the story said.

Continuing,

“Chicago officials reacted swiftly in April after testing performed for the Chicago Tribune showed trace amounts of many common household medicines in the water supply, which serves 7 million people in the city and suburbs.”

The Illinois EPA is encouraging such efforts.

Labels: Dave Bachmann, Drugs, McHenry County Coroner

When he first announced Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County Coroner announced that he planned to start gathering left over drugs from people who died at home, especially those in Hospice care who had been using heavy narcotics. He wanted to make sure they did not end up in the illicit trade.

Now, the story about the Fox River Grove Police collected unneeded drugs to protect the ground water supply has spurred Bachmann to issue the following press release.

CORONER CANDIDATE
BACKS SAFE RX DISPOSAL

HEBRON—David Bahmann, Democratic candidate for McHenry County Coroner, applauds the Fox River Grove Police Department’s efforts to collect unused medications. Now he would like to expand the effort county-wide and have the Coroner’s office play a key role in collecting prescriptions left by the deceased.

“Safe disposal of medication has been number one on my platform from the beginning of the campaign,” Bachmann said. “A systematic program would legally protect care givers, Hospice nurses and others from liability should the drugs fall into the wrong hands. It would also preserve the water supply by preventing drugs from being flushed for disposal.”

“When my mother passed away under Hospice care, I noted that there was no oversight of the prescriptions she left behind,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann proposes that the Coroner’s office advise police departments at the time of death of death so that they can visit the home and retrieve narcotics. The police would also have a document in which the final care giver can sign off on medications

“Often at the time of death there are medications such as Vicodine, Oxycontin, Morphine and Fntynol left on the bedroom dresser or nightstand with no oversight,” Bachmann asserted. “I promise to enact this prescription drug retrieval and disposal program on day one of my administration of the Coroner’s office.”

Bachmann also urged state lawmakers to enact legislation to make the program a regular part of the duties of county coroners and local police authorities.

Labels: Dave Bachmann, Drugs, Fox River Grove

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog revealed that former funeral director Dave Bachmann intends to challenge incumbent Republican County Coroner Marlene Lantz for her office.

In another email, he outlined a bit of personal history:

“I moved to Crystal Lake back in 1969 with my mother and father 2 sisters and 1 brother. My father was CFO of Black Dot Group, which was also the owner of Graftec Press, so my family name is well known.

“I was the pitcher and hit 2 home runs in the 1976 Babe Ruth City series, Teledyn Big Beam, my team won.

“I built Bachmann Funeral home in 1987 against all odds. Here is an old news story...

“It’s important in that, of all the Dems in power, I am the person with the most amount of time in the county... that I am aware of to date.

“Just a few facts. I was past President of CL Kiwanis from 1989-1990, was instrumental in helping Hospice for Northern Illinois in that I gave seminars on the funeral industry at my facility, this helped the volunteers learn what to do to help McHenry county families when a death occurred at home..By the way, this is ONE of my BIG platforms to which I will run upon.”

Bachmann also outline his goals for the office:

“Today, the coroner’s office does NOT send any law enforcement officer to a home of a cancer patient when Hospice is in charge of the patient. What about oversight on all the left over Narcotics??? There is NO protection for the Hospice Nurse that PROVE she disposed of the left over Narcotic Medications...thus, they are open to be accused of taking drugs with no back up. I know, my mother died, one year ago tonight, with TONS of narcotics in her bedroom.

NO OVERSIGHT AT ALL...

I plan to close that loophole and send a deputy or myself to home deaths, even when expected, for one specific purpose, to confiscate the narcotics and dispose of them in a way that is proved and backed up... Trust but Verify.

“These drugs are now in today's world, in the hands of kids selling at our schools..

“Also, spend time educating our foreign guests on what to do in case of death. My wife is from Mexico, and we plan to personally help these people do things in a legal fashion with full translation in order to protect our laws and to help these people protect themselves by knowing our laws and abiding by them.

“Finally, I plan to PERSONALLY, ‘Lift the Veil’ from the office. Get out and go to our schools, and give seminars an classes to our kids on the Reality of Death.

“Life is NOT a Play Station Game... Dead is Forever... You can’t re-boot your life as is done on your home computer games.

“These are the 3 main issues to which I stand on.

“Here are some old pics that show my ties for many years to this county. I currently reside in Hebron.”

Labels: Babe Ruth League, Black Dot, Crystal Lake Kiwanis, Dave Bachmann, Drugs, Graftec Press, McHenry County Coroner

According to statistics from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, McHenry County has by far the highest drug arrest record rate for blacks.

The arrest rate, measured on a per 1,000 people basis, shows the following:

• McHenry County - 63
• Chicago - 39
• Kane - 17
• Lake - 9.5
• Suburban Cook - 9
• DuPage - 6.6
• Will - 6

What caught my eye was the graphic in the Chicago Tribune Sunday. The article by Darnell Little is the one on top of the front page.

While the black arrest rate in McHenry County is 63 per 1,000 residents, the rate for whites is 2.5

And check out this paragraph:

“In Illinois, studies show that more than 70 percent of the state's illicit drug users are white, while 14 percent are black. But 65 percent of arrests for drug offenses are of African-Americans. And 66 percent of inmates in Illinois prisons for drug offenses are black, and Illinois' incarceration rate of blacks for drug possession is the highest in the country.”

Another fact-filled sentence you might find of interest:

”...a 2003 study by the University of Illinois at Chicago's Survey Research Laboratory found that rates of illicit drug use in Illinois were in fact essentially equal across racial groups. Nationally, similar results were found by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.”

Anyone have any idea how McHenry County’s drug arrest rate for blacks could be so much higher than anywhere else?

Labels: Blacks, Drug Arrests, Drugs, McHenry County

This past week, Huntley School District 158 announced that its ACT scores increased 4.4%--from 20.5 to 21.4.

That’s good news for a district that has seen declining [oops, I should have used the word "stagnant"--thanks to an alert reader for pointing this out and another for posting the exact] ACT scores and didn’t even know that fact until it was pointed out by school board member Larry Snow at a September board meeting. That’s what Northwest Herald reporter Tom Musik heard last Thursday in Huntley.

And School District 300’s strategic plan survey data brought bad news.

84% of high schoolers and grads don’t think their high schools were drug free, according to Elgin Courier-News reporter Rebecca O'Halloran’s story.

I wonder if the other 16% were oblivious.

Labels: ACT Scores, District 300, Drugs, Huntley School District 158