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About

Cal Skinner

This is a journal of news and opinion designed to bring to light matters of public interest and to encourage public participation in the governmental process. Emphasis will be on McHenry County, but Illinois state news will be covered. Articles and photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without explicit written permission.

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About Cal Skinner

About Cal Skinner
Email Cal Skinner

Recent Posts

  • Governor Includes McHenry County in Disaster Proclamation September 15, 2025
  • UPDATE: Crystal Lake Grade School Board Considering Censuring Colleague LEA GROVER TONIGHT September 15, 2025
  • After Threatening Another with a Gun Man Flees through Corn Field, Leaving Motorcycle and Gun Behind September 15, 2025
  • Charlie Kirk Supporters Demonstrate Outside District 300 Headquarters Calling Out Bosrd President Nancy Zettler September 15, 2025
  • Pharmacy Techs Steal and Sell 56,000 Opioid Pills, Techs to Jail, Pharmacy Pays Fed $250,000 September 15, 2025
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Illinois Environmental Council Puts Negative Spin on Increased Real Estate Bill Deduction

Cal SkinnerJuly 15, 2025July 14, 2025

The Illinois Environmental Council has posted an analysis of the big bill just signed into law by President Trump. You can read it here. I can’t find anything positive. Since my tax bill is over the past $10,000 limit, I consider raising […]

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Wilcox in Cary Tonight

Cal SkinnerJuly 15, 2025June 30, 2025

From State Senator Craig Wilcox:

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Time to Think about Getting Involved in Politics

Cal SkinnerJuly 15, 2025July 13, 2025

Reprinted with permission from Illinois Family Action: What is a Precinct Committeeman? Written by Doug Ibendahl A Republican Precinct Committeeman represents the GOP voters of his or her precinct at the County Republican Party level. [Democrats changed the title to “Precinct Committeeperson.”] […]

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Opportunity to Get Up Close and Personal with State Senator Craig Wilcox

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025May 12, 2025

The place is in Cary and the time is tomorrow: July 15: Conversations Untapped, Spirit Water Brewery, Distillery, and Taproom, 3300 Three Oaks Road, Cary, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

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Pritzker Sends Search and Rescue Team to Texas

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 14, 2025

From JB Pritzker: Illinois Sends Search and Rescue Team to Texas Springfield—An Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team from Illinois is headed to Texas overnight to assist with operations after deadly flooding this week. This group of 39 rescuers from fire departments, […]

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Lakewood Considering Joining Class Action Suit against Forever Chemical Manufacturers

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 11, 2025

From the Lakewood Village Board agenda package for Jully 15th: Consideration for Approving an Agreement for Legal Services Related toAFFF PFAS Litigation GKW & W, along with Mike Stag of Stag Liuzza, has been engaged by municipalities in Illinois to represent them […]

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25 Years for 2021 Marengo Circle K Armed Robbery

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 14, 2025

From The State’s Attorney: ANTONIO PEDROTE SENTENCED TO TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR ARMED ROBBERY WITH A FIREARM McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on July 11, 2025, Antonio Pedrote, 30, of Berwyn, Illinois, was […]

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Pot + Alcohol Mixture for Arrest

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 14, 2025

From the Cary Police:

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Another First Ranking for Which Illinois Taxpayers Won’t Rejoice

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 12, 2025

From the Illinois Policy Institute: Illinoisans paid the highest state and local taxes for wireless cell phone services in the nation in 2024 – $136 per family more than the average. An increase in Illinois’ telecommunication tax July 1 just made them […]

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Rich Miller Challenges Pritzker to Improve Poor Administration of Food Stamp (SNAP) Benefits

Cal SkinnerJuly 14, 2025July 12, 2025

The reason? The lower the fraud rate, the lower the share a state government has to pick up. From Rich Miller’s Sunday Chicago Sun-Times column: Won’t be easy, but Illinois has a chance to mitigate SNAP cuts Gov. JB Pritzker frequently touts […]

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Lake in the Hills Reports July 4th Enhanced Enforcement Results

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 13, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police: The Lake in the Hills Police Department releases Fourth of July enforcement statistics Lake in the Hills, IL – The Lake in the Hills Police Department issued a total of 75 citations, including .arrests, during […]

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Tribune Quotes Marengo Methodist Church Food Bank Spokesman in Article about Democratic Party Forum

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 13, 2025

John Arient is quotes in a Sunday Chicago Tribune article entitled, “Leaders slam fed SNAP changes at Geneva event.” Run by the local Methodist Church, Stone Soup spokesman John Arient is quoted. I take part in the 1:30 Friday food distribution at […]

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 13, 2025

From the Illinois Policy Institute cartoonist Eric Allie:

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Route 12 Railroad Crossing Closed All Week

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 11, 2025

From the McHenry County Department of Transportation: Wisconsin and Southern to Perform a Temporary Closure of Wilmot Road for Railroad Crossing Work WOODSTOCK, Ill. – The McHenry County Division of Transportation announces that Wisconsin and Southern Railroad will be performing a temporary […]

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One Crystal Lake Car Dealer Prepared for Tariffs on Japan

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 12, 2025

M’Lady Nissan has had scores of vehicles parked in the vast parking lot in front of Ace Hardware in Crystal Lake. I’m wondering if the dealership had to pay upfront or had a special financial arrangement with Nissan.

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Transport Van Crash on Route 31 in McHenry Sends Nine to Hospitals, One by Copter

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 13, 2025

From the McHenry Fire Protection District: Vehicle Accident On Saturday, July 12th, at approximately 7:20 p.m., the McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD) was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with reported entrapment at the intersection of Prime Parkway and Illinois Route 31 […]

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Local Duck Hunting Blind Lottery Coming Up

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025June 6, 2025

From the Department of Natural Resources: Illinois waterfowl blind drawings sites and schedule released for 2025 season SPRINGFIELD – Waterfowl hunters should mark their calendars for upcoming waterfowl blind drawings at several public hunting areas in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources […]

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An Unexpected Tee Shirt at Crystal Lake’s Independence Day Parade

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 10, 2025

Presumably worn by a man whose ancestors were Tories. Perhaps a visitor from Canada.

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Volkswagen Settlement Finances Four Electric Buses for Huntley School District

Cal SkinnerJuly 13, 2025July 12, 2025

From the JB Pritzker Administration: Gov. Pritzker Announces Funding for 46 New All-Electric School Buses ​ CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) to announced seven grant awards totaling more than $13 million for 46 new […]

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Gun Charges Lodged against Marengo 19-Year Old

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 11, 2025

From the Marengo Police:

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Seven More Years for Threatening Probation Officer

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 10, 2025

From the U.S Attorney: FEDERAL INMATE SENTENCED TO ADDITIONAL SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON FOR THREATENING U.S. PROBATION OFFICER IN CHICAGO CHICAGO — A federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional seven years in prison for threatening a U.S. Probation officer in […]

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Lakewood Announces Surplus Equipment

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 11, 2025

From the most recent agenda of the Lakewood Village Board packet:

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“Criminal Defacement” Graffiti on Lake in the Hills Street

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 11, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police comes this image at Lakewood Rd / S Annandale Dr:

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Woodstock Continues Crackdown on Transients

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 7, 2025

From the Woodstock Police: Date Occurred: 6/30/2025, Location: S. EASTWOOD DR. & LAKE AVE. Name: HEADLEY, KENNETH E., Address: TRANSIENT, Sex: M Race: W Age: 46 Charges: Disposition: ARRESTED, CITED & RELEASED ON NTA

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Stories You Won’t Read in McHenry County Newspapers

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 9, 2025

From Lee County Florida:

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Hebron Lutheran Church May Have Been Hit by Lightning

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 12, 2025

Found ABC Channel 7: “Don Gritmacker, church council president, said lightning may have potentially hit the church. “We have a possible lightning strike on the steeple. We don’t know that for sure. It has not been confirmed. The structure is sound.”

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44 Years in Road Rage Case Started with Throwing a Water Bottle

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 12, 2025

From the State’s Attorney:  SENTENCED TO 44 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR THE OFFENSE OF ATTEMPT FIRST DEGREE MURDER AFTER BENCH TRIAL McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese announces that on July 9, 2025, Juan A. Colon, 29, of Waukegan, […]

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Democrats in Crystal Lake Independence Day Parade

Cal SkinnerJuly 12, 2025July 10, 2025

It was raining by the time the contingent representing the McHenry County Democratic Party made it down the hill on Dole Avenue Sunday afternoon. But before the parade began I ran into Evanston Mayor and former State Senator Dan Biss looking for […]

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Horse Falls on Man Near Harvard

Cal SkinnerJuly 11, 2025July 11, 2025

From the Harvard Fire Protection District: Traumatic Injury Incident – Busse Road On Friday, July 11, 2025, at 1:45 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District responded to the 500 block of Busse Road for a reported traumatic injury. While en route, crews […]

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Lightning May Have Struck McHenry Home

Cal SkinnerJuly 11, 2025July 11, 2025

From the McHenry Fire Protection District: Waterford Road Fire On Thursday, July 10th, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD) was dispatched to an inside smoke investigation in the 6900 block of Waterford Drive in McHenry. Fire crews […]

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Recent Comments

  • Charlie Kirk Supporters Demonstrate Outside District 300 Headquarters Calling Out Bosrd President Nancy Zettler - McHenry County Blog on D300 School Board President Nancy Zettler Writes Charlie Kirk Assassination Was “Karma”
  • Four-Minute Meeting Results in Lakewood’s Annexing 27 Acres West of Town - McHenry County Blog on Westward Ho for Lakewood
  • Senators Aiming at Russian Kidnapping of Ukranian Children - McHenry County Blog on UPDTE: Russian Kidnapping of Ukrainian Children Echo of Communists’ Abduction of Children during the Greek Civil War after World War II, MORE DETAILS
  • How Block Club Chicago Downplayed ICE Arrests of Criminals SAFE-T Act Let Out of Jail - McHenry County Blog on ICE Announces Illinois “Operation Midway Blitz,” Lists Alien Criminals Not Turned Over from Cook County Jail
  • Real Estate Taxes Due Wednesday - McHenry County Blog on New Count on Real Estate Taxes Exceeding $10,000
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