From McHenry County: County Administrator Peter Austin Announces Retirement WOODSTOCK, Ill. – After 20 years of service, County Administrator Peter Austin has announced his intention to retire, effective Jan. 2, 2026. During Austin’s two decades as Administrator, McHenry County achieved a top […]
From the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District: On August 8, 2025, at 7:51 a.m., the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to the 200 block of S. Queen Anne Road after several callers reported heavy black smoke in the area, possibly from a building on fire. […]
From the Woodstock Police: Date Occurred: 7/17/2025 & 12/4/2023Arrest Date (if different from date of incident): Same. Location: N. SHARON DR.Name: GERST, SEAN R., Sex: M Race: W Age: 39Address: N. SHARON DR.Charge: CHILD PORN / POSSESS PHOTO / VICTIM < 13 […]
From the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County:
Narrative On 07-29-2025 at approximately 1540hrs, I heard McHenry County sheriff’s dispatch center broadcast an evolving incident occurring along Hickory Nut Grove Rd near the Lyons Prairie-Marsh conservation area. In summary, an adult, male subject operating the described vehicle had reportedly attempted […]
Wednesday, Crystal Lake’s Freedom of Information Officer Nick Hammonds wrote that my request for documents from the last year concerning HealthBridge–being pushed for purchase by the Crystal Lake Park District by Mayor Haig Haleblian–was too broad and requested I meet with him […]
From the Huntley Police: National Night Out on the Huntley Square The Huntley Police Department hosted its 2025 National Night Out on the downtown Square from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The evening featured various activities, including the big patch reveal, drone […]
From State Rep. Dan Ugaste: Reps. Weber, La Ha, and Reick Demand Accountability Following Repeated DCFS Failures At a press conference this week, State Representatives Tom Weber, Nicole La Ha, and Steve Reick called for urgent reforms to the Illinois Department of Children and Family […]
From the McHenry Police: MCHENRY POLICE ARREST ADULT MALE IN CONNECTION WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION John Birk, Chief of Police of the McHenry Police Department, announced today the arrest of a male subject in connection with a criminal investigation involving the possession […]
Nine o’clock is the time set for sentencing of former Crystal Lake City Clerk Nick Kachiroubas for sex crimes. The crimes? Possessing images of children being sexually abused, a Class 2 felony, and grooming. He was a Student Trustee for McHenry County […]
Democrats and Republicans brought fruition to the idea of ending taxes on groceries by Marengo’s Philip Panko. Panko mightily disturbed Democrats by advancing the idea. Non-Home Rule municipalities screamed about the lost revenue from state government. The result was the Democrats voting […]
On the first day of the McHenry County Fair, I was surprised to see a tent for the Illinois Policy Institute. I went back to the Fair on Saturday and found different staffers at the tent. The day was somewhat cooler, but […]
From Unleash Prosperity There Simply Are Not Enough New Jobs in Illinois Illinois’ stagnant job growth, rising taxes, and cultural divisions took center stage as Dan Proft welcomed Ted to discuss the state’s economic challenges. “We don’t create jobs in Illinois,” Ted […]
Crystal Lake Park District Director Jason Herbster signaled that the Park District is no longer interested in purchasing Northwestern Medical’s HealthBridge. I may be wrong, but this signal may have originated in the secret Executive Session of the Park Board after its […]
From the Huntley Police: Huntley Police Unveil New Patch Huntley, IL – On August 5, 2025, during the Huntley Police Department’s National Night Out celebration, Chief Linda Hooten proudly revealed the department’s new police patch—a project nearly nine months in the making. […]
From the Lake in the Hills Polilce: Lake in the Hills Police Department releases speed enforcement numbers Lake in the Hills, IL – On July 23rd the Lake in the Hills Police Department conducted a focused traffic safety campaign, reminding motorists to […]
From the Cary Police:
From the Lake in the Hills Police:
At the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce mixer at Terri Greeno’s ExpressPro retirement party, she said she would send me her re-election release. Then, where the action was next to the back parking lot, incumber Joe Gottemoeller was seen with a blank […]
From the campaign of State Rep. Marty McLaughlin: State Representative Martin McLaughlin Announces Re-Election Campaign for the 52nd District Barrington, IL – State Representative Martin McLaughlin announced today that he will seek re-election to continue serving the people of Illinois’ 52nd District. […]
Don Doherty, pharmacist, was one of the first people I visited when I was running for McHenry County Treasurer in 1966. His drug store was on Green Street. My father served with him on the McHenry County Board. I can only imagine […]
Found in the Chicago Tribune today is the photo below of Texas Democratic Party legislators stepping off a bus in DuPage County: It used to be that illegals were bused from Texas to Illinois, including to the Fox River Grove, Woodstock and […]
From the Strange bedfellows file comes these two endorsements by United States Senator Elizabeth Warren:
From Congressman Darin LaHood: LaHood Launches Re-Election Bid to Continue Delivering for IL-16 Amid calls for a statewide run, LaHood reaffirms focus on current district, citing his work on tax, trade, and national security committees as critical in fighting for middle-class families […]
Here is the gerrymandered congressional map in Illinois: Illinois Family Action has a takedown on the Governor’s proposal. Part is below: …this is the same party that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion—yet, it has deliberately sidelined Republican representation to less than 18% of the congressional […]
From State Senator Don DeWitte: “My next event is a Traveling Office Hours event. Please note that I do not typically attend these, but I do stop by if my schedule permits. I will not be at this week’s event due to […]
In the section of the Marengo newsletter written by Finance Director Megan Lopez, she outlines the results of passage of the March referendum: 1% Non Municipal Home Rule Sales Tax On March 19, 2024, the residents of Marengo voted in favor of […]
A couple of weeks ago retired super-lawyer Richard Porter spoke to the the McHenry County Republican Party Executive Committee in Crystal Lake. Today he announced he would not be a candidate:
From the Harvard Fire Protection District: Alden Road Crash Involving Truck and Camper Trailer On August 4, 2025, at 4:29 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District responded to the intersection of Alden Road and State Line Road in unincorporated Harvard for a […]
I remember how the social engineers who put together the original RTA proposal declared war on cars by included a five percent tax on gasoline and authority for parking lot taxes. Both were repealed as hostility to the Regional Authority’s taxes deterred […]