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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

  • Couple Found Dead in Car on Crystal Lake’s Coventry Lane November 4, 2025
  • Richmond Seeking 8% More in Real Estate Taxes November 4, 2025
  • McHenry County Board Finance Chairman Mike Skala Not Running for Re-Election November 4, 2025
  • Algonquin GOP Chairman Calls for Taxpayers to Urge County Board Members Not to Increase Their Real Estate Tax Levy November 4, 2025
  • Crystal Lake Lions Donate $1,500 to Refuge for Women November 4, 2025
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Letter of Intent to Crystal Lake Park District Says City May Share Cost of HealthBridge

Cal SkinnerAugust 14, 2025August 12, 2025

Another Freedom of Information request yielded a Letter of Intent which had something I found of interest. I guess I should not be surprised, but it says that the Park District would use HealthBridge as “a community center.” “Intended Use: Community/Recreational Center” […]

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Diving into Crystal Lake Park Board Texts about HealthBridge: “The HealthBridge Opportunity is Dead – the Real Estate Guy Has Given Up His Option”

Cal SkinnerAugust 14, 2025August 12, 2025

My Freedom of Information request to the Crystal Lake Park Board requested emails and texts. The article with a chronological listing of the emails may be found in the article below: Texts follow:

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Chances of Dems’ Eking Out Another Congressional Seat in Illinois Slim

Cal SkinnerAugust 14, 2025August 13, 2025

Long-time legislative reporter Dave McKenney, now with WBEZ after leaving the Sun-Times, reports on Governor JB Pritzker’s threat to further gerrymander Illinois congressional districts. There are only three Republican districts in shrinking Illinois. Mike Bost and Mary Miller are far Downstate that […]

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Former Republican Party Chairman Running for U.S. Senate

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 13, 2025

From the campaign of Don Tracy: Don Tracy, Community Leader from Central Illinois, to Run for US Senate to Defend the American Dream “The sky-high cost-of-living in Illinois has made the American Dream seem out of reach for many everyday Illinoisans. I […]

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Northwest Herald Features Rally in Support of Crystal Lake Park District Which Had No Mention of the Push to Buy HealthBridge

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 13, 2025

Signs supporting the reinstatement of DEI, the other home of Park Board President Fred Tiesenga, lake access, plus the cost-benefit aspect of the new President’s fall publication letter were on display. Tiesenga’s proposed letter got three paragraphs in the Northwest Herald story, […]

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Potential Crystal Lake Park District Financing of HealthBridge Purchase

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 12, 2025

A minority of the Crystal Lake Park Board seem to want to buy the old Centegra, now Northwestern Medical fitness center and pools. They, being urged on by Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblian, envision is as a community center and new District […]

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Pritzker Cornered on “Meet the Press”

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 11, 2025

Sunday’s “Meet the Press”: KRISTEN WELKER: Well, look. Sticking on your state’s map, every major group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives your state an “F.” Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, even says your map, and I’m going to […]

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Lake in the Hills Another Place Enhanced Enforcement Begins on Friday

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 12, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police: The Lake in the Hills Police Department joins statewide Labor Day traffic safety effort Enforcement focused on impaired, distracted and unsafe driving Lake in the Hills, IL – The Lake in the Hills Police Department […]

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A Bull Valley Environmentally Sensitive Subdivision on Display Friday

Cal SkinnerAugust 13, 2025August 11, 2025

From the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County: August 15 Talk and Tour:  Successful Natural Areas Management for Homeowners Associations Woodstock, IL – August 11, 2025 – The afternoon of Friday, August 15 is an opportunity for homeowners to learn how a Homeowners Association […]

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More Enhanced Police Enforcement Around Labor Day Begins August 15th

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 11, 2025

Labor Day isn’t even on my agenda, but the Crystal Lake Police Department is today the first of a number of local agencies to announce its participation in a Federally-funded highway safety prorgam”: The Crystal Lake Police Department joins statewide Labor Day […]

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16 Years for Drug Induced Homicide, Two Harvard Residents Heroin Overdosed

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 12, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: RAYNARDO O. GONZALEZ SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR TWO COUNTS OF DRUG INDUCED HOMICIDE McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese announces that on August 11, 2025, Raynardo O. Gonzalez, 54, of Chicago, […]

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Associated Press Runs Article Laying “Partial” Blame for Increased Electric Bills on Data Centers

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 12, 2025

From the article: It’s not as if I have not been harping on this subject for a long time. You can read the Associated Press story here.

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DeKalb’s NPR Shows Bias That Led to Congressional Defunding

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 12, 2025

Looking at articles about McHenry County this morning, I noticed a Northern Public Radio story about a candidacy announcement of a Democrat running against Republican Jeff Keicher: So, I clicked on the article and found this headline: With the repeated claims of […]

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Two Crashes Challenge Capacity of Marengo Rescue Personnel

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 12, 2025

From the Marengo Fire/Rescue Districts: Crews Respond to Rollover and Second Crash Minutes Apart .On August 11, 2025, at 4:11 p.m., the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts and Union Fire Protection District responded to the intersection of Route 176 and North Union […]

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Now Up to Two Members of the Crystal Lake City Council Who Seem To Want Abandoned HealthBridge To Be Owned by the Pubic

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 12, 2025

In my really long article yesterday, a newly-elected member of the Crystal Lake City Council reveals that she wants public ownership of HealthBridge. Maybe I infer too much from this email from Councilwoman Natasha Teetsov. But, if I don’t that would make […]

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How Will James Paterson Write about Trump’s Taking over the Washington, D.C., Police Department?

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 11, 2025

As I was listening to President Donald Trump’s press conference yesterday on how he was taking control of the police department in Washington, D.C., my thoughts went to James Paterson now former D.C. policeman Alex Cross. How will he work this hero […]

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Who Drew Illinois’ Gerrymandered Map?

Cal SkinnerAugust 12, 2025August 11, 2025

Here’s an enjoyable peice by a Friend of McHenry County Blog: Reward for whistleblowers who find crayons You hear a few pundits and politicians pointing out that when Governor JB Pritzker referred to “kindergarteners with crayons” he was talking about the state […]

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Park District Emails Concerning Healthbridge

Cal SkinnerAugust 11, 2025August 11, 2025

Late last week, I filed a Freedom of Information request with the Crystal Lake Park District asking for emails and texts concerning the purchase of Healthbridge. This was shortly after the City of Crystal Lake failed to provide similarly requested information. Mighty […]

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Another Crooked Democrat Off to Jail

Cal SkinnerAugust 11, 2025August 11, 2025

Found in the Chicago Tribune: Here’s how the Chicago Tribune summarizes the Federal charges: “For years, federal prosecutors say, he used his positions to create a fiefdom of graft, shaking down business owners who needed liquor licenses, forcing a developer to install […]

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Wall Street Journal on Illinois’ Gerrymandering

Cal SkinnerAugust 11, 2025August 10, 2025

Found on Jeanne Ives Sunday email. The Wall Street Journal opined about Pritzker’s hypocrisy in numerous articles, below is a snapshot of their August 5th editorial on the topic.

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Another Pot Arrest

Cal SkinnerAugust 11, 2025August 8, 2025

From the Woodstock Police:

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Illinois Lt. Gov. Julia Stratton Falls for “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” Lies

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 10, 2025

From Legal Insurrection: Illinois Lt. Governor Tweets That Michael Brown Was “Murdered” In fact, Brown was shot when he sucker punched a cop and tried to grab his service weapon. Yet 11 years after Brown’s shooting, the lie persists and is spread […]

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Lightning May Have Caused Huntley Fire

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 10, 2025

From the Huntley Fire Protection District: Fire on Madison Way On August 9, 2025, at 5:13 p.m., the Huntley Fire Protection District responded to the 11000 block of Madison Way in Huntley for a reported residential structure fire. Firefighters arrived within three […]

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Owner of Northwest Herald Gets $150,000 State Subsidy

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 10, 2025

Found in an article from Capitol News Illinois. Subsidies given to local media in Illinois include The money is in tax credit certificate, whatever that is.

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 10, 2025

From the Illinois Policy Institute’s cartoonist Erik Allie:

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Pritzker Threatens Gerrymandering on Top of Gerrymandering

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 10, 2025

Both the Wall Street Journal and the National Review wrote articles on the Texas Democratic Party legislators flying to Illinois. Both featured the hypocrisy of Governor JB Pritzker Looking at the 2022-30 congressional map above, one can see why Pritzker is vulnerable […]

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Transient Arrested after Resisting Officer

Cal SkinnerAugust 10, 2025August 8, 2025

From the Woodstock Police:

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No “Stay Out of Jail” Card for Mike Madigan

Cal SkinnerAugust 9, 2025August 9, 2025

Former House Speaker and convicted felon Mike Madigan asked to be allowed to continue caring for his ailing wife during the appeal of his over seven-year sentence in a Federal prison. Judge John Blakey said, “No.” In a forty-four page opinion he ruled […]

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A Splendid Takedown of Pritzker’s Criticism of Texas Republicans’ Gerrymandering Effort

Cal SkinnerAugust 9, 2025August 9, 2025

An article in the Washington Free Bulletin marvelously pans Governor JB Pritzker’s efforts to demonize Texas Republicans’ efforts to minimize Texas congressional Democrats influence in Washington. The article prints mas of the two congressional districts, which clearly show they are not compact […]

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Reick’s Critique of School Mental Health Screenings Makes Fox News

Cal SkinnerAugust 9, 2025August 9, 2025

State Rep. Steve Reick previously criticizes the Democrat’s bill, now signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, which has schools screening kids mental health starting in grade three. Now, Fox News has picked up criticisms of the legislation and Reick’s prediction of […]

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Recent Comments

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  • Precinct Committeeperson Filings Show Democrats Vastly Outnumbering Republicans - McHenry County Blog on Does the McHenry County Republican Party Have a Death Wish?
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