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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

  • Ted Dabrowski’s First and Second TV Ad During Bears Game January 18, 2026
  • Farmhouse Living Room Fire in Harvard January 18, 2026
  • 19-Year Old Arrested for Attempt to Meet 13-16-Year Old Youth for Sex January 18, 2026
  • Sunday Funnies January 18, 2026
  • Mandatory Mental Health Screening in Schools (Passed in Illinois) Found to Make No Difference January 18, 2026
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Jessica Breugelmans Files Petitions to Replace Retiring Don DeWitte

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 27, 2025

From Jessica Breugelmans Files Nominating Petitions in Run for Illinois 33rd District GENEVA, IL – Jessica Breugelmans (R-Geneva), a philanthropist, educator, and unapologetic voice for parents and taxpayers, officially filed her nominating petitions on Monday for Illinois’ 33rd Senate District. She submitted […]

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Candidates Line Up to File Petitions

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 27, 2025

A Friend of McHenry County Blog was at the County Clerk’s Office before 8 AM and saw these folks he recognized: Tonight, after the County Clerk posts all who have filed today, there will be an update.

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Last Week of the Veto Session Appropriately Just Before Halloween

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 27, 2025

From State Senator Craig Wilcox: Lawmakers Return to Springfield for Final Three Days of Veto Session As you may have heard, Chicago-area transit agencies have released updated 2026 budgets showing that while the region’s “fiscal cliff” has been delayed, the need for […]

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Refuge for Women Holds Successful Fundraiser, Hears “Victory” Testimony

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 27, 2025

Refuge for Woman has a facility in Crystal Lake. Thursday the organization held a fundraiser. “Thursday’s Victory Gala was a success filled with many blessings! We’re grateful for the 150+ people who joined us to raise critical funds for the survivors healing in our […]

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Darby Hills Warns of Democrats’ Attempt to Increase Taxes to Bail Out CTA

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 27, 2025

From State Senator Darby Hills: Working Families Could Face $1.5 Billion Tax Hike in Second Week of Veto As the General Assembly returns to Springfield for the second week of the fall veto session, Democrats in Springfield are pushing a plan that […]

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Advice for the Northwest Herald

Cal SkinnerOctober 27, 2025October 26, 2025

A letter to the Editor of the Northwest Herald, reprinted with permission of sender Steve Willson: Focus should be on taxes On Monday, the McHenry County Board posted its proposed tax levy with a 13.2% increase. The top story in the Northwest […]

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerOctober 26, 2025October 27, 2025

From Eric Allie, Illinois Policy Institute cartoonist;

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Taxpayers Urged to Contact County Board Members in Opposition to 13% Tax Levy Hike Placed on Review

Cal SkinnerOctober 26, 2025October 27, 2025

From We the People, McHenry County: ACT NOW! Contact McHenry County Board Reject FY26 Tax Levy and HONOR the Mental Health Property Tax Relief You Promised!  ACTIONS #1. Read more and Sign the Petition, https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-proposed-property-tax-hike-in-mchenry-county  #2. ACT NOW, Email (emails below) letter […]

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Lakewood About to Ban Parking of Boats in One’s Yard

Cal SkinnerOctober 26, 2025October 24, 2025

In the ordinance on next Tuesday’s agenda, the Lakewood Village Board proposes to ban the parking of trailers in one’s year for more than three 48-hour periods per year. That pretty much rules out storing one’s boat over the winter. Have to […]

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Meeting in Cary Monday Night to Discuss 13% McHenry County Board Levy Hike Proposal

Cal SkinnerOctober 26, 2025October 25, 2025

From the We the People Leadership Team: 10/27/25 McHenry County 2026 Proposed Budget Discussion Community Discussion: Shaping McHenry County’s 2026 Budget Learn, Engage, and Make a Difference!  Event Description Join fellow McHenry County residents for an open, interactive discussion on the newly […]

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Bruce Johnson Presents Plan to Avoid McHenry County’s Having a 13% Budget Hike

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 29, 2025

Leder of We the People, McHenry County and Chairman of the Algonquin Township Republican Party Bruce Johnson spoke at last Tuesday’s meeting of the McHenry County Board in opposition Below is Johnson’s plan:

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CL Police Find Pot in Motor Vehicles

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 24, 2025

From the Crystal Lake Police:

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A Topic You Won’t See in McHenry County Newspapers

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 23, 2025

You can find cleanliness information on the McHenry County Health Department website, but it’s too hard to access information that Lee County, Florida, makes available.

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Problems at Two Lake in the Hills Schools

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 22, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police:

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Mega-Project Tax Freeze Bill Will Shift Taxes to Homeowners & Smaller Businesses

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 25, 2025

From The Center Square: Critics warn Illinois’ ‘megaproject’ tax breaks shift costs to taxpayers By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – A Springfield proposal grants major tax breaks to “megaprojects,” which critics warn could leave homeowners and small […]

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GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful Pauses His Campaign

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 25, 2025

From a Friend of McHenry County Blog: Gubernatorial hopeful James Mendrick pauses politics I was at an event that Sheriff James Mendrick was at on October 24 and he says he is pausing politics until after the funeral of Darren Bailey’s son, daughter-in-law, […]

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Darin LaHood Draws Lots of Congressional Democratic Party Hopefuls, But None Have Raised Much Money

Cal SkinnerOctober 25, 2025October 23, 2025

Reports are that Springfield Democrats intend to carve a district in which Republican incumbent Darin LaHood could be successfully challenged. None of the aspiring Democrats, however, seem to be able to raise much money. Candidate financial totals Incumbent  Candidate Party Total receipts […]

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Island Lake Man Gets Eight Years for Child Porn

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: LAWRENCE M. ROOT SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on October 23, 2025, Lawrence M. Root, 51, of Island Lake, Illinois, was […]

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Mother and Son from Arizona Sentenced for Fentanyl Crimes

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: MOTHER, SON SENTENCED TO A COMBINED THIRTY YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR DELIVERY AND POSSESSION OF FENTANYL McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that Gloria Gastelum, 55, and her son German Vargas, 34, […]

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State’s Attorney Keeps a Child Porn Man in Jail

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: COURT GRANTS STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE’S PETITION TO DETAIN MAN WHO DISTRIBUTED CHILD PORNOGRAPHY McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese announced today that the Honorable Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the State’s motion to deny pretrial release for Alexander Grant, […]

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Singo Event in Cary Tonight at Cary’s Galati’s

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 25, 2025

Musical Bingo. Who would have thought? Crystal Lake Kiwanis member Jack Heisler passed away recently. He was active in the Bethany Lutheran Church’s Scouting program. In honor of his service the upcoming October 24th Singo event’s proceeds will go to that church’s […]

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Biss Wears Mask at ICE Demonstration

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 23, 2025

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss wore a mask when he confronted ICE officers. It can’t be because he wanted to hide his identity. If that were the goal, he would not have sent out this photo in Thursday’s daily email.

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Does the McHenry County Republican Party Have a Death Wish?

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

Last year the McHenry County Republican Party supported imposition of a quarter of a cent sales tax with the promise that the $11.8 million levied for the Mental Health Board would disappear. McHenry County Republican Headquarters, spring of 2014. The levy was […]

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Bruce Johnson Proposes County Efficiency Task Force Committee for McHenry County To Avoid 13% Tax Levy Hike

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

Also opposing the imposition of the so-called “lookback budget” ar the McHenry County Board meeting was Trout Valley’s Bruce Johnson. Johnson is the Algonquin Township Republican Party Chairman and the leader of We the People, McHenry County. Here is what he said:

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Child Porn Arrest in Huntley

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025

From the Huntley Police: Child Pornography Arrest The Huntley Police Department announces the arrest of Alexander Grant (45 years old) of Ramsdell Street, Huntley, IL, for 13 counts of Child Pornography. In July 2025, the Batavia Police Department provided the Huntley Police […]

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Randi Freese Holds Fundraiser

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 29, 2025

At Crystal Creek Farm, a venue I had not previously visited close to Burton’s Bridge, McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese held a fundraiser two weeks ago. It was a double-dipper for many as McHenry County GOPAC was holding a petition party […]

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Fundraising Results in Democrat’s Bradley Schneider’s 10th Congressional District

Cal SkinnerOctober 24, 2025October 22, 2025

Incumber Member of Congress Bill Schneider has drawn a Democratic Party primary opponent, but Morgan Coghill hasn’t raised much money. Candidate financial totals Incumbent  Candidate Party Total receipts Total disbursements Cash on hand Source reports SCHNEIDER, BRADLEY S. DEMOCRATIC PARTY $1,587,464.88 $1,048,676.96 […]

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State’s Attorney Managers to Keep Man Accused of Burning Car in Jail

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 24, 2025

From the State’s Attorney: COURT GRANTS STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE’S PETITION TO DETAIN MAN ACCUSED OF INTENTIONALLY SETTING FIRE TO CAR IN HARVARD McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese announced today that the Honorable Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the State’s motion to deny […]

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Jill Zwick, R.I.P.

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 23, 2025

Former State Rep. Jill Zwick has passed away. When I decided to run against Bob McClory in 1980, Jill and Dick Klemm were the Republicans who won in the three-member district. Jill came in well ahead of Klemm in the Republican primary. […]

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Darren and Cindy Bailey’s Son’s Family Dies in Helicopter Crash

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 23, 2025

From Darren Bailey: Louisville, IL — The Darren Bailey/Aaron Del Mar campaign is issuing the following statement following the horrific death of Zach Bailey, his wife and two of his three children in a helicopter accident in Montana. Statement from the Darren […]

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Recent Comments

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  • The Property Tax Sale Problem That Could Cost McHenry County Taxpayers $13 Million - McHenry County Blog on McHenry County Taxpayers May Be on the Hook for $13 Million to Repay Home Equity Lost in Tax Sales
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