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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
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Recent Posts

  • Laws Taking Effect Today Including Banishment of Words “Male and Female,” “Mother and Father” July 1, 2025
  • Lefties Worried about Social Security…Again July 1, 2025
  • McLaughlin Toasts Priztker’s Third Term Ambition July 1, 2025
  • McLaughlin List New Taxes, Plus Tax Hikes Pritzker Signed June 30, 2025
  • Gas Taxes Set to Rise July1st June 30, 2025
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Crystal Lake Park Board to Tour Healthbridge Friday, 9 AM, Public Invited

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 13, 2025

From the Crystal Lake Park District Special Meeting agenda for June 13th: A Friend of McHenry County Blog noticed this, observing, “Looks like they are actually serious about buying the old Healthbridge Facility – they are taking a tour! “The Park District […]

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Woodstock’s Kelco Industries Gets $100,000 from State

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 11, 2025

From the JB Pritzker Administration: Governor Pritzker Awards $1.3 Million to 29 Manufacturing Companies Through Made in Illinois Grant Program Grant program supports small and mid-size manufacturers across the state PEORIA – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity […]

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Sentencing Day Coming for Mike Madigan

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 11, 2025

From The Center Square: Ex-Speaker Madigan’s net worth stricken, GOP leader questions use of campaign funds By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square  (The Center Square) – As former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s sentencing date approaches, a federal judge ruled to strike […]

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Twelve Years for Lake in the Hills Child Pornster

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 11, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: ANTHONY JACQUEZ SENTENCED TO TWELVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR SOLICITATION AND DISSEMINATION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on June 10, 2025, Anthony Jacquez, 35, of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, was […]

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7-11 Tired of Non-Customer Hanging Around

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 11, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police:

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Tim Beck’s Response to John Collins’ Rebuttal to Terri Greeno’s Opinion Piece

Cal SkinnerJune 11, 2025June 1, 2025

First, let’s link to what started it all–Democratic Party Board member John Collins’ rebuttal to Tim Beck’s comments on McHenry County NOW’s “We Resist” demonstration on Randall Road in Algonquin: Republican County Board member Terri Greeno replied: Now, McHenry CPA Tim Beck […]

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Barn Fire North of Route 176 near Woodstock

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 10, 2025

From the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District: Fire Destroys Woodworking Barn in Rural Woodstock On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 11:32 a.m., the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District was dispatched to the 4100 block of Dean Street in unincorporated Woodstock for a reported structure fire. While […]

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Feds Convict Gunrunner

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 10, 2025

From the U.S. Attorney: FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS MAN OF TRAFFICKING MULTIPLE RIFLES IN CHICAGO   CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a man of trafficking six rifles, including AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, and a handgun in Chicago. CEDRIC CURTIS, 32, of Chicago, sold […]

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Solicitor of Nude Child Photos Sentenced to Seven Years

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 10, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: DONALD J. PETERS SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON FOLLOWED BY FOUR YEARS OF SEX OFFENDER PROBATION FOR SOLICITATION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on June 6, 2025, Donald J. Peters, […]

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DeWitte Announces Local Office Hours

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025May 19, 2025

One can talk to State Senator Don DeWitte’s staff locally at these times and locations:

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Crystal Lake Bureaucracy Responsive

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 9, 2025

You may remember the Friend of McHenry County Blog who almost hit a bicyclist at the corner of East Crystal Lake Avenue and Main Street where the new apartment building is. Well, the problem has been fixed. Here is the thanks from […]

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Crystal Lake City Council Approves an Additional Potential $23 Million Subsidy to Water’s Edge Developer

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 9, 2025

Crystal Lake watchdog Donald Kountz expressed his opposition to enacting a new one percentage point sales tax on Water’s Edge. He had previously submitted an eviscerating critique on Tesla & Associates’ report justifying imposition of the tax, which you can read in […]

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UPDATE: Midnight Harvard Barn Fires Kills Six Horses COVERED BY CHICAGO TV

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 10, 2025

From the Harvard Fire Protection District: Six Horses Lost in Overnight Harvard Barn Fire On Sunday, June 9, 2025, at 11:58 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District was dispatched to the 19100 block of Crowley Road in unincorporated Harvard for a reported […]

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Municipal Endorsements by Democrats Compared with Victory Claims

Cal SkinnerJune 10, 2025June 9, 2025

McHenry County Democrats posted names of the candidates it supported in the April 1st elections. From the pre-election article which listed all the candidates the party endorsed, I knew there were a lot more candidates which were endorsed. The lists I published […]

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Milk Day Parade Politics

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 10, 2025

From a Friend of McHenry County Blog comes these photos of the Republican and Democratic Party entries in Harvard’s Milk Day Parade: Charlie Kim, seeking to run for Congress against Bill Foster was in the parade. Kirk Donald, who has announced his […]

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Dirt Bike and Pickup Collide Next to Huntley Fire Station

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 9, 2025

From the Huntley Police Department: Electric Off-Road Dirt Bike vs. Vehicle Collision Investigation Huntley, IL – On Sunday, June 8, 2025, at approximately 1:12 a.m., Huntley Police Officers responded to a serious collision at the intersection of Haligus and Reed Roads involving […]

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It’s the End of the World as NPR Knows It

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 9, 2025

The headline from NPR: It could be the end of public media as we know it.

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State Rep. Jeff Keicher Running for Re-Election

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 9, 2025

From State Rep. Jeff Keicher: State Representative Jeff Keicher Announces Re-Election Campaign “I’m Ready to Keep Fighting for our Future” Sycamore, IL – Republican State Representative Jeff Keicher announced today that he .is running for re-election in Illinois’ 70th House District. (The […]

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Dems Crow about Local Victories

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 7, 2025

Found on the McHenry County Democratic Party website: We’re winners! Thank you for voting! We just had our municipal elections around the state, and we are proud and excited about the incredible, record-breaking, history-making night. McHenry County Dems have plenty of good […]

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$39.4 Million Reallocated for Woodstock Route 47 Upgrade

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 9, 2025

The Illinois Department of Transportation has been reappropriated $39,434,195 for the widening of Route 47 through Woodstock. Highway improvements take so, so long.

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McHenry County Diversity Page Encounters Disagreement about Bill Foster Republican Opponent Jeff Walter

Cal SkinnerJune 9, 2025June 9, 2025

From a Friend of McHenry County Blog: One-Sided Misinformation Campaign Targets Elburn Leader’s Congressional Run Jeff Walter ELBURN, IL – Sunday, June 08, 2025, a local political announcement has triggered a one-sided wave of misinformation on the McHenry County Diversity Project’s Facebook […]

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 8, 2025

From Illinois Policy cartoonist Eric Allie:

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Legislation to Encourage Purchase of U.S.-made Drones for Police and Fire Introduced

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 6, 2025

From Congressman Darin LaHood: LaHood Joins Colleagues in Reintroducing Legislation to Support First Responders and End Reliance on CCP Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) joined Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (MI-02), and […]

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House Members Summarize, Reflect on Budget

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 6, 2025

From State Rep. Dan Ugaste: Democrats Pass $55.2 Billion Budget Another year, another budget, and another near-record-breaking spending increase. Just before midnight on the last day of the legislative session, Illinois House Democrats passed the FY26 budget that will cost taxpayers more than $55.2 […]

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86-Year Old Attorney Sentenced to Seven Years; Feds Seek Twelve Years for 83-Year Old Mike Madigan

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 6, 2025

This case was heard in Chicago, although the attorney in question is from California. It might be of interest because some have characterized the request twelve year sentence for 83-year old Mike Madigan a “death sentence.“ California Attorney Guilty of Federal Contempt […]

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Budget Transparency Compared: Federal v. State

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 6, 2025

From Wirepoints: Illinois’ New Budget: Hypocrisy and Deceit Are Now Grotesque in the General Assembly By: Mark Glennon* Sometimes you can only wonder how distant the planet is on which our most of our lawmakers live. How can they say things so […]

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More Evidence That Data Centers Could Result in Higher Residential and Business Electricity Costs

Cal SkinnerJune 8, 2025June 6, 2025

From The Center Square: Nuclear power making headlines in IL as lawmakers don’t lift moratorium (The Center Square) – Illinois generates more electricity from nuclear power than any other state in the country, but some say it isn’t enough to meet the state’s […]

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House Republicans Comment on U.S. Attorney’s Request for a 12.5-Year Sentence for Mike Madigan

Cal SkinnerJune 7, 2025June 6, 2025

From State Rep. Dan Ugaste: Federal Prosecutors Seek 12.5-Year Sentence for Madigan The federal government is seeking a prison sentence of 12.5 years and a fine of $1.5 million for former Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, who was convicted on corruption charges […]

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Republicans Bemoan Firing of Senior Citizens Committee Chair after Dems Take Control of Elgin Township

Cal SkinnerJune 7, 2025June 6, 2025

This should be put in the “elections have consequences” file: Kane GOP Condemns Partisan Ousting of Senior Services Chair by Elgin TownshipSupervisor ST. CHARLES, IL – The Kane County Republican Central Committee strongly condemns the recent partisan action taken by newly elected […]

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Round Lake Bank Robber Convicted

Cal SkinnerJune 7, 2025June 6, 2025

From the U.S. Attorney: Federal Jury Convicts Man of Robbing Bank in Lake County, Ill. CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of robbing a bank in Lake County, Ill. FRANCISCO MARTINEZ entered a First Midwest Bank branch […]

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Recent Comments

  • Northwest Herald Pours Gasoline on Crystal Lake Park District’s Newly-Elected Majority as New Board President Shares His Phone Number - McHenry County Blog on DEI Supporters Keep Up Pressure on Crystal Lake Park Board, Conflict of Interest Charged for New Attorney, Pitch Made for Purchasing HealthBridge, Lake Advisory Committee Discussed
  • Pastor Corey Brooks Declines $200,000 in Legislative Pork for Project H.O.O.D. - McHenry County Blog on Florida and Illinois Black Leaders Trade Places
  • Liberals Demonstrate in Front of McHenry Library - McHenry County Blog on Dems Promote McHenry “Save Our Libraries” Demonstration
  • DEI Supporters Keep Up Pressure on Crystal Lake Park Board, Conflict of Interest Charged for New Attorney, Pitch Made for Purchasing HealthBridge - McHenry County Blog on Crystal Lake DEI Policy
  • John Collins Replies to Tim Beck’s Column - McHenry County Blog on Tim Beck’s Response to John Collins’ Rebuttal to Terri Greeno’s Opinion Piece
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