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McHenry County Blog

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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

  • Republican Gubernatorial Forum for the Privileged Few September 6, 2025
  • Leftover Fireworks Results in Citation on Labor Day Weekend September 6, 2025
  • Bernie and Betty Bailey Names Grand Marshals at Lake in the Hills Labor Day Parade September 6, 2025
  • Tourism Up in McHenry County September 6, 2025
  • Shooting at a Car and Drug Convictions Earn Man on Probation 13.5 Years in Prison September 5, 2025
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Land Conservancy and McHenry County College Holding Community Supported Agriculture Fair Saturday, Feb. 8th

Cal SkinnerFebruary 6, 2025February 6, 2025

From The Land Conservancy: The Land Conservancy and MCC’s Center for Agrarian Learning Host a Free CSA Fair Feb. 8 The family-friendly event is an opportunity to meet local farmers Woodstock, IL – The Land Conservancy of McHenry County and McHenry County College’s […]

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Lara Trump, Speaker at McHenry County GOPAC Event, Selected by FOX to Host Saturday Night Show

Cal SkinnerFebruary 6, 2025February 12, 2025

McHenry County GOPAC’s speaker at its February 21, 2025, fundraiser is not merely the daugther-in-law of President Donald Trump. Now she is also a host of a Saturday Night Show on Fox News. McHenry County GOPAC and Citizens to Elect Joe Tirio […]

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Cary Grade School District Sends Immigrant Protection Letter in Searchable Format Showing It’s Never Too Late for A School Superintendent to Learn Something New

Cal SkinnerFebruary 6, 2025February 5, 2025

The Cary District 26 Grade School Superintendent sent a letter to parents concerning creating its schools as “Safe Places.” The format was pdf, as you can see here. One can read the content from an image of the letter, but if one […]

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Nunda Township GOP Candidate Forum Cancelled after Incumbent Declines to Attend

Cal SkinnerFebruary 6, 2025February 5, 2025

From candidate Mike Shorten, running for Nunda Township Supervisor: Mike Shorten Calls Out Opponent Leda Drain for Refusing to Commit to Candidate Forum Crystal Lake, IL – Mike Shorten, candidate for Nunda Township Supervisor, today called out incumbent Supervisor Leda Drain for refusing […]

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Huntley Amazon Warehouse Hires Employees Who Don’t Speak English

Cal SkinnerFebruary 6, 2025February 4, 2025

Boy does this remind me of complaints I received as State Representative from Clausen Pickles in Woodstock. I was told the company would not hire people who could not speak Spanish. Now comes the revelation that Amazon is hiring people who do […]

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Marengo Traffic Stop Yields Gun, Fireworks, Alcohol Charges for 19-Year Old Wisconsin Man

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 9, 2025

From the Marengo Police Department: At approximately 1:15 AM on Sunday, February 9, 2025, in the 900 block of E. Grant Hwy, Marengo, the Marengo Police Department arrested Brayden Matthes, 19, of Wildwood Dr, Muskego, WI, for thefollowing alleged offenses; Brayden Matthes […]

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Non-Parental Relatives Caring for Children to Receive Same State Benefits as Foster Parents

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 5, 2025

From the Pritzker Administration: Gov. Pritzker Signs the Kinship in Demand (“KIND”) Act HB4781 expands support for relative caregivers SPRINGFIELD-  Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 4781, the Kinship in Demand (“KIND”) Act, into law, allowing the Illinois Department of Children […]

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Oakwood Hills Police Chief Invites Residents to Meeting Friday, Feb. 7th

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025January 29, 2025

From Oakwood Hills Police Chief Danny Rains: Mark your calendars. On FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM there will be a community meeting at the Village Hall in the community room. Topics to be discussed will be: *NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM *CRIME PREVENTION *OPEN FORUM Hope […]

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Island Lake Drunk Driver Who Killed Motorcyclist Pleads Guilty, Sentencing Pending

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 5, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: STEVEN FOULK PLEADS GUILTY TO AGGRAVATED DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announces that on February 4, 2025, Steven Foulk, of Island Lake, IL, pled guilty to one count of Aggravated Driving […]

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County Offers Paperless Permit Application

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 4, 2025

From McHenry County: McHenry County Government Launches New Online Permitting Portal WOODSTOCK, Ill. – McHenry County’s Planning & Development Department has launched its first-ever application portal for building, zoning, and stormwater permits and payments. The new permitting portal, located on the county’s […]

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McHenry County Republicans Announce Darin Bailey as Lincoln Day Speaker on April 5th

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 6, 2025

From the McHenry County Republican Party: Ticket prices are

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Mike Shorten Continues Internet Campaign against Nunda Township Supervisor Leda Drain

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 5, 2025

From Mike Shorten on Facebook: Mike “Shorty” Shorten For Nunda Township Supervisor dsroopSnetu161taJMi3i4nr0574 19ca1053A97 :14u 51auah7myfc8t   ·  I’m asking for your vote so that I can clean up Nunda Township government. Incumbant Supervisor Leda Drain, since getting into office four years ago, has hired an immediate […]

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Crystal Laker Critiques Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 4, 2025

From Randy Moan of Crystal Lake, first published in the Northwest Herald and re-published here with the author’s permission: Disappointment in censures against Algonquin Township supervisor I’m writing to express my disappointment and concern regarding the eight censures issued against the Algonquin […]

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Jake Justen Running Write-In Campaign for Crystal Lake City Council

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025January 31, 2025

Found on the McHenry County Clerk;s website: City of Crystal Lake, Council Member Vote for 3

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Lou Ness Running as Write-In Candidate for Woodstock City Council

Cal SkinnerFebruary 5, 2025February 1, 2025

Former McHenry County Board member Lou Ness, beaten by Republican Paul Thomas last fall, had thrown her hat in the ring for Woodstock City Council. She apparently didn’t decide to run until after filing by petition was over, so she had to […]

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Rockford 19-Year Old Man Gets Twenty Years for Home Invasion after Guilty Plea

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025February 4, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: JAMES D. MERCER SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR HOME INVASION On January 30, 2025, James D. Mercer, 19, from Rockford was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for […]

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Arrest for Fighting in Woodstock

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025January 31, 2025

From the Woodstock Police:

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Sosnowski Takes on Teeny-Tiny Township Governments

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025February 4, 2025

State Rep. Joe Sosnowski, who represents western McHenry County and points west to Rockford, has introduced a bill that will make Wonder Lake’s Bob Anderson a happy man. He has introduced HB 2515, the summary of which appears below: Amends the Township […]

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Nunda Township Road Commissioner Mike Lesperance Issues Press Release on Charges from Opponent Ron Parish

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025February 4, 2025

From Nunda Township Road Commissioner Mike Lesperance: The Parrish Brothers’ Attempted Political Smear Campaign Fails Miserably, Wasting Taxpayer Resources Nunda Township, IL – The fraudulent and illegal attempts by Rob Parrish and his allies to weaponize local government offices against Nunda Township […]

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County Administrator Peter Austin Set for Contract Extension into 2029, Salary Up $39,000 to $250,000

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025January 31, 2025

In addition to increasing County Administrator Peter Austin’s salary from $211,000 to $250,000 per year, the contract proposes the following fringe benefits are continued: The current severance section providing for four month’s salary is to be eliminated.

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Ness Proposes Legislation to Allowed Those Unrelated to Live Together, Overriding Local Zoning Ordinances

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025February 4, 2025

Rep. Suzanne Ness has introduced House Bill 1843. It would prevent municipalirties from banning roommates that are not related. Here’s the bill’s synopsis: Amends the Zoning Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Removes a provision giving the corporate authorities in each municipality […]

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McHenry Surgery Mistake Makes NBC News

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025February 4, 2025

From WMQ-TV: Doctor left surgical sponge inside patient following surgery at McHenry Hospital: Lawsuit A surgeon performing a second procedure found and removed a surgical sponge from the initial surgery, according to the court complaint. The Chicago law firm said the surgeon, […]

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County Planning to Use Mainly Federal Money to Buy Nearby Office Building

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025January 31, 2025

The appraised value of 400 Russell Court is $1.03 million. Currently, portions of the building are rented for specialty courts. $990,000 of ARPA funding will be used, along with $40,000 of local money.

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Two Write-In Candidates for Harvard Offices

Cal SkinnerFebruary 4, 2025January 31, 2025

Last Friday was the last day on which people wanting to run write-in campaigns could file statements to that effect. Below are those seeking this route to public office, plus whom they are challenging, if there is an opponent; City of Harvard, […]

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Fourteen Years on Drug, Child Endangerment, Firearm Charges for McHenry Man

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 3, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: KENNETH PRICE SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announces that Kenneth Price, 32, of McHenry, was sentenced to fourteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by the […]

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Challenger Richard Tado Takes on Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk on YouTube

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 3, 2025

Found on YouTube:

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Tax Foundation Ranks Illinois 7th in State and Local Tax Burden

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 9, 2025

From the Tax Foundation, pulled out by a Friend of McHenry County Blog:

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Taking Down Pritzker’s Bragging about School Success

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 3, 2025

From Wirepoints comes this takedown of Governor JB Pritzker’s bragging about how well education is doing in Illinolis: By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner We’ve been asked by many readers for the real truth about Illinois’ K-12 reading and math results.  Some […]

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Reick Reprises Animal Farm

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 3, 2025

From State Rep. Steve Reick: The Welch Rule, or Why We Can’t Get Good Legislation Passed You may have read about the kerfuffle that arose during Lame Duck about the demise of hemp legislation that was being run through the General Assembly. Despite being […]

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Woodstock Willie Makes Front Page of Chicago Tribune, TV, Even Pittsburgh Paper

Cal SkinnerFebruary 3, 2025February 3, 2025

The nine month old groundhog christened “Woodstock Willie” for the day made bill news in the Chicago media market. Not only did Woodstock score Page One in the Tribune, but Chicago’s television stations picked up the story. This is the kind of […]

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Recent Comments

  • Odds of Catalina Lauf Wheatley Winning Bryan Donalds’ Congressional Seat Get Lower - McHenry County Blog on Catalina Lauf (Wheatley) Gearing Up To Run for Congress in Southwest Florida?
  • Pritzker’s Juvenile Detention Centers Send Press Release to Deflect from Sex Abuse Suits - McHenry County Blog on Rape and Other Sexual Abuse Charged in Illinois’ Juvenile Facilities
  • The Venezuelan Solution to Illegals in the United States - McHenry County Blog on Cutting Off the Head of the Syrian Snake Is Bringing People Home; Could Trump Attack Venezuelan Illegal Alien Problem by Getting Rid of Nicolás Maduro?
  • Crystal Lake Park District’s Nondisclosure Agreement Concerning Due Diligence with Northwestern Medical Concerning HealthBridge - McHenry County Blog on Park District Emails Concerning Healthbridge
  • Northwest Herald Features Rally in Support of Crystal Lake Park District Which Had No Mention of the Push to Buy HealthBridge - McHenry County Blog on Counterpoint to John Collins’ Argument That the Crystal Lake Park District Should Buy HealthBridge
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