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McHenry County Blog

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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

  • Johnsburg House Fire Contained in Ten Minutes June 25, 2025
  • Coroner Reveals Names of Those Killed in Recent Crashes, Shooting & Drowning June 25, 2025
  • Pastor Corey Brooks Declines $200,000 in Legislative Pork for Project H.O.O.D. June 25, 2025
  • Social Security Fraudster Indicted June 25, 2025
  • Fire Chiefs Address Public on Recent Accidents June 25, 2025
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Another Mailing Asking Voters to Call Sue Ness about Cost of Pension Increases

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

A Friend of McHenry County Blog shares this post card from the Americans for Prosperity:

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Rest of Algonquin Township Officials Sworn In

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

From a Friend of McHenry County Blog: Newly-elected and previously sworn in Algonquin Township Clerk Millie Medendorp told those not previously inducted into office to raise their hands and repeat after her. The Republican Primary Election results can be seen in the […]

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10+ Years on Federal Gun Charge in Connection with Drug Dealing

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

From the U.S. Attorney: Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Multiple Firearms While Trafficking Fentanyl in Chicago Suburbs CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than a decade in prison for possessing multiple […]

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With Two Weeks Left in Legislation Session, Sosnowski Gives Take on the Budget

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

From State Rep. Joe Sosnowski: Budget Talk April 2025 State of Illinois tax revenues paid to the Department of Revenue (IDOR) came in healthily, with a year-over-year monthly increase of $765 million. However, all of this increase could be attributed to personal […]

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Possible Taxes You Might Want to Ask Your Local Democrat to Oppose

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

And, as far as McHenry County goes, the only local legislative Democrat is State Rep. Sue Ness. Being considered for a first-time sales tax are the following services, according to the Illinois Policy Institute: Here are just a few of the services […]

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Poor Loser Randy Funks Out for the Fifth Time

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

Ever since newcomer Richard Tado cleaned Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy “My Way or the Highway” Funk’s clock in the February Republican Party Primary Election, he has been missing in action. Funk has not been seen at three Algonquin Township Board meetings since […]

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No New Face for Conservation District Board, John Henning Being Appointed to a Second Run

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 16, 2025

Former McHenry County Conservation District Board member John Henning will be approved to serve a second time. Members are term-limited and must sit out some time before being re-appointed. A summary of Henning’s application and those of others who applied follow:

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Opportunity Closing for Disposal of Household Wastes in Crystal Lake

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

From State Senator Don DeWitte: Only a Few Spots Left for Household Hazardous Waste Collection in Crystal Lake As a reminder, on June 7, 2025, Illinois residents can safely dispose of household hazardous waste at Prairie Ridge High School, 6000 Dvorak Drive, […]

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Connie Cain Flips Parties, Running for Kane County Treasurer as Democrat after Being Fired by GOP Treasurer Chris Lauzen

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

If there were ever an example of personal animosity at work in politics, it just went on public display in Kane County. Chris Lauzen, who served twenty years in the Illinois Senate, three terms as Kane County Board Chairman and now serves […]

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Nunda Township Officials Sworn into Office

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 17, 2025

From a Friend of McHenry County Blog: Nunda Township Officials and Trustees Begin New Terms with Swearing-In Ceremonies Crystal Lake, IL – Nunda Township’s new leadership team, Highway Commissioner Rob Parrish, Township Clerk Kyle Bussenger, and Township Supervisor Mike Shorten, were sworn in on […]

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Judge David Gervais Swears in Two Newly-Elected Algonquin Township Officials

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

On April 25th, McHenry County Circuit Judge David Gervais swore in re-elected Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Danijela Sandberg and Millie Medendorp, outgoing Township Trustee who was just elected Township Clerk.

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Vehicles Crash at Rt. 176 and Coral Road

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 19, 2025

From the Marengo Fire/Rescue Districts: Multiple Injuries Reported in Two-Vehicle Crash On Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 6:35 p.m., the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts and the Union Fire Protection District responded to a reported crash with injuries at the intersection of […]

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Salary of Public Health Director Being Set Monday

Cal SkinnerMay 19, 2025May 16, 2025

Here are the salary details for Melissa Adamson: The Public Health Administrator shall receive an initial annual base salary of $169,919.90 for FiscalYear (FY) 2024-2025. For each successive fiscal year, the Public Health Administrator’s basesalary shall be increased by 3.0% or McHenry […]

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Another Fight at Marlowe Middle School

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 16, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police:

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What’s in the Homeschooling Regulation Bill

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 17, 2025

From Illinois Policy: Tens of thousands of homeschool and private school families and other Illinoisans have filed opposition to House Bill 2827 – dubbed the ‘Homeschool Act.’ The bill is stalled on the House floor and poised for defeat. The “Homeschool Act” […]

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 18, 2025

From Illinois Policy Institute cartoonist Eric Allie:

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Tribune Headline Writer Makes Mistake

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 18, 2025

Here is a Chicago Tribune obituary for Steve Culliton, who was Chief of Staff for Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, against whom I ran for the GOP nomination for Governor in 2002. The headline writer apparently mixes George Ryan with Jim Ryan.

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Federal Employees Hired before 2013 Pay 0.8% for Their Pension

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 16, 2025

One of the increases of revenue proposed by House Republicans is to increase the amount Federal employees pay into their pension system. From Fedsmith.com comes the following: “The standard contribution rate to FERS for federal employees hired before 2013 is 0.8%. “For […]

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Is This the Year that Democrats Will Start Taxing Services?

Cal SkinnerMay 18, 2025May 16, 2025

That’s a possibility, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. You can bet, however, that legal services will not be taxed. Here’s the Illinois Institute Policy Institute that deserves serious attention: by Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey Illinois lawmakers are looking to collect $2.7 billion statewide by expanding […]

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Thefts from Lake in the Hills Lowe’s

Cal SkinnerMay 17, 2025May 16, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police:

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Huntley’s Move to Shut Down Trump Store on Route 47 Making Regional News

Cal SkinnerMay 17, 2025May 16, 2025

It’s because of violations of zoning restrictions that Huntley says it is acting to shut down the Trump store in town. The owners think it’s something else. The Tribune noticed: That probably led to this NBC-TV story:

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Reminding Me of My Lakewood Pet Peeve

Cal SkinnerMay 17, 2025May 15, 2025

The original part of Lakewood is an Oak-Hickory forest. Cows used to graze among the trees. As homes were built, people burned their leaves. Driving down Lake Avenue in the fall, visibility could be less than 200 feet. And don’t even think […]

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$500,000 Judgement for Sending Campaign Postcard Found False–“Reckless Regard of the Truth”

Cal SkinnerMay 17, 2025May 17, 2025

The Nebraska Examiner ran a story about a court case in which one faction of the state Republican Party financed a mailing against a candidate from another faction. From the article: “The jury awarded candidate Janet Palmtag of Nebraska City $500,000 in […]

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A Stupidity of the Chicago School System I Missed

Cal SkinnerMay 17, 2025May 16, 2025

I just glance at the self-imposed incompetency of those running Chicago Public Schools. The inability to convey education to students is a horrible disgrace. The only way to understand the system has become blatantly obvious since the Chicago Teachers Union elected Brandon […]

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Winds Take Down Electric Lines

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

From Alex Vucha: As Public Information Officer for several area fire districts, I’m providing the following combined summary of storm-related activity for the Woodstock, Marengo, Harvard, and Cary Fire Districts. Between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, firefighters across these […]

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Homeland Security Calls Out “Fake News” in Press Releases

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

The headline in a prelease from the Department of Homeland Security caught my attention: FAKE NEWS FRIDAY: DHS Torches Latest Media Hoax The first sentence sums up the criticism: “The Daily Mail published yet another false story Thursday, claiming Secretary Kristi Noem ‘backed’ a reality television […]

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Sunday Stop Sign Running Results in Crash on Route 47 South of Hebron

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

Three-Vehicle Crash near Hebron Multiple people were injured following a crash near Hebron, on Sunday, May 11. On Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 6:55 a.m., the McHenry County Sheriff’s Offic, Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District, Wonder Lake FireProtection District, Harvard […]

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Robin Kelly Has Jonathan Jackson, Jr., Back Off from Reported Endorsement for U.S. Senate

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

Reported earlier this week was eighteen Black members of Congress endorsing Congresswoman and former Illinois State Democratic Party Chairwoman Robin Kelly for the U.S. Senate: Today, however, the Chicago Tribune has the news that adjacent districts Congressman Jonathan Jackson, while on Kelly’s […]

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GOP Precinct Committeeperson & Candidate Training in Rockford May 31st

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

From the State Republican Party:

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Census Reports McHenry County Growth Tips, Plus Population Gains and Losses for All Municipalities

Cal SkinnerMay 16, 2025May 16, 2025

The United States Census has released population changes from 2020-2024. McHenry County, after being the faster growing county for four decades a couple of decades ago, grew 1.8% in the four years since 2020 or 5,670 people. The growth tips in McHenry […]

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Recent Comments

  • 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
  • Walworth Woman Found Shot Northwest of Woodstock Identified - McHenry County Blog on Woman Found Shot Northwest of Woodstock Near Route 14 & Hughes Road
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