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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

  • Enterprise Accomplishments Dertailed August 30, 2025
  • McLaughlin Schedules Property Tax Appeal Workshop August 30, 2025
  • Rabid Bat Found in Cary Bedroom August 29, 2025
  • Grooming Arrest in Woodstock August 29, 2025
  • Storm Damage Teams Coming Started Wednesday August 29, 2025
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Some McHenry County Townships Get $50,000 for Roads

Cal SkinnerJune 1, 2025June 9, 2025

The only McHenry County Township with a Democratic Party State legislator is Algonquin. That legislator is State Rep. Sue Ness. Some municipalities received earmarked money in the recent state budget Money was allocated for townships, but not for AlonquinTownship. Here is what […]

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Marty McLaughlin Comments on “Another Year, Another Near Record-Breaking Democrat Budget”

Cal SkinnerJune 1, 2025June 1, 2025

From State Rep. Marty McLaughjlin: Rep. McLaughlin: Another Year, Another Near Record-Breaking Democrat Budget Springfield…With just one day for review, Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly tonight forced through a $55.2 billion state budget, a near spending record. State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Lake Barrington) […]

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Joe Sosnowski Reacts to Budget: “Tax, Spend, Tax, Spend, Repeat”

Cal SkinnerJune 1, 2025June 1, 2025

From State Rep. Joe Sosnowski: Rep. Sosnowski statement on FY26 Budget SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) issued the following statement upon passage of the FY26 state budget by the Illinois House of Representatives on Saturday: “Illinois citizens cannot afford […]

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Jeff Keicher Comments on Record Budget, Cites $1 Billion in Tax Hikes

Cal SkinnerJune 1, 2025June 1, 2025

From State Rep. Jeff Keicher: Rep. Keicher Responds to Passage of FY26 Illinois Budget SPRINGFIELD – Following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Illinois budget, a $55.2 billion budget that increases state spending by $2 billion more than last year and […]

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Southern Illinois State Rep. IDs Waste in Dems $55 Billion Spending

Cal SkinnerJune 1, 2025June 1, 2025

From State Rep. Adam Niemerg: Rep. Adam Niemerg: Bloated budget rammed through with little debate Dieterich, IL – The Illinois House approved a $55 billion record spending plan at the last minute with little opportunity for debate. The $55 billion bloated spending plan […]

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Former State Rep. Allen Skillicorn Arrested for Hit and Run in Arizona

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025June 1, 2025

From the Fountain Hills Times Independent newspaper in Arizona: From AZCentral.com: “Tempe police confirmed that Skillicorn was involved in a hit-and-run near East University Drive and South Perry Lane around 5 p.m. on March 4, but no further details were released. Police […]

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California Man Charged with Defrauding Chicago Suburbanite

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 30, 2025

From the U.S. Attorney: Investment Advisor Charged With Defrauding Client CHICAGO — An investment advisor has been charged in federal court with defrauding a suburban Chicago client out of approximately $500,000. JORDAN ROMAN, 47, of Rancho Park, Calif., is charged with wire […]

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Lake in the Hills Police Report 46 Citations over Memorial Day Enhanced Enforcement

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 30, 2025

From the Lake in the Hills Police: The Lake in the Hills Police Department reminds drivers: Buckle up and drive sober Lake in the Hills, IL – The Lake in the Hills Police Department announced today it issued 46 citations during the […]

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The Leftward Bias of Colleges and Universities

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 31, 2025

From Woodstock’s Richard Rostron, “The Response”: Diplomas tainted by radical bias in higher education Across America, now is the time when college and university students, along with their families and loved ones, gather to commemorate the accomplishment of those who have completed […]

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Dems Adding $7,000 to Salary in Last Minute Budget

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 31, 2025

From The Center square: IL Democrats propose $55B budget with $7K legislator pay hike, tax increase (The Center Square) – Illinois legislators will get another pay raise with the $55.2 billion 3,300 page budget that was filed late Friday, barely a day before the […]

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AARP Praises State Senator Don DeWitte for Sponsorship of Old Folks Driver’s License Revision

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 27, 2025

From State Senator Don DeWitte: Discriminatory Driving Bill Clears Senate; Heads to Governor Legislation I originally sponsored last year that ends a discriminatory driving test requirement for older Illinois drivers passed with unanimous support in the Senate on Thursday. With the passage […]

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Illinois Ranks 48th in New Tax Population & Study

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 30, 2025

.From The Center Square: Fed up taxpayers ditch CA, IL and NY, while FL, TX continue to grow (The Center Square) – Florida and Texas have gained the most by interstate migration, while California, Illinois, and New York have lost the most, according […]

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Crystal Lake Pride Parade Saturday

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 26, 2025

From the McHenry County Democratic Party: Crystal Lake Pride Walk & Social It’s the second annual Downtown Crystal Lake Pride Walk & Social, and we McHenry Democrats are going to be marching in it, and it’s going to be big, so for sure do not […]

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A Splendid Analysis of the Refusal of Democrats to Allow Illinois Legislators Sufficient Time to Consider Budget Bills

Cal SkinnerMay 31, 2025May 24, 2025

From the Illinois Policy Institute comes this analysis of the inability of Springfield legislators to thoughtfully consider appropriations bills: Lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly must read fast when they get final state budgets, because thousands of pages are dropped on them […]

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Feds Want Madigan Sentenced to 12 1/2 Years

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From the Chicago Tribune: “Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan “steeped in corruption,” federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan’s conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges.” […]

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Defenders Continue Support of Mass Transit Tax Invreases

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County: McHenry Mass Transportation Alert: ENDS TOMORROW Transit in Northeastern Illinois is facing a funding crisis starting next year due to Federal COVID relief funding running out in 2026, as well as the general underinvestment on […]

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UPDATE: Uber/Lyft and Real Estate Transfer Taxes Proposed to Bail Out CTA + TAX I MISSED

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

I played legislative analyst today by typing the word “tax” into the search engine for(House Amendment 1 to SB2811. Here are the proposals I found: In addition, I think the bill proposes to grab the share of the RTA sales tax that […]

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Wilcox/DeWitte Seek Petition Signatures against Dem RTA Tax Hikes

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From State Senators Don DeWitte and Craig Wilcox: Click here to sign my petition to help stop the Chicago takeover of public transit. I want to give you a quick but important update on a bill moving through Springfield that is disastrous […]

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History of the Real Memorial Day – Today

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 28, 2025

From State Rep. Dan Ugasta: Memorial Day’s roots in Illinois  The family tradition of Memorial Day had its start with the custom of gathering in places of eternal rest to pay tribute to our kinfolk, especially those who have fought in America’s […]

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Dems’ Mass Transit Real Estate Transfer Tax Would Pull $13 Million Out of McHenry County

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 29, 2025

McHenry County Clerk and Recorder estimates that a $3 per thousand real estate transfer tax would raise about $13 million from McHenry County residents. But, hey, a lot of it would come people smart enough to be moving out of Illinois. The […]

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McHenry County Transportation Budget Will Take $15 Million Hit under Dems CTA Bailout Bill

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 29, 2025

$13 million will be extracted from buyers and sellers of real estate in McHenry County if the Democrats pass their mass transit funding bill. In addition, $15 million from the last CTA bailout legislation through a quarter of one percent sales tax […]

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Channel 5 Covers Wonder Lake Slaughterhouse Zoning Hearing

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 29, 2025

The folks opposing the approval for a slaughterhouse next to the Greenwood Cemetery should be given credit for luring WMAQ-TV to the hearing. The story can be found here.

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Carolyn Campbell Holding $45 Fundraiser June 2nd

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 26, 2025

From McHenry County Democrats: Friends of Carolyn Campbell Campaign Kickoff WHEN:  Monday, June 2nd, 2025 – 6:30 to 8:30 pmWHERE:  Duke’s Alehouse, 110 North Main Street, Crystal Lake (upstairs room, sorry no elevator) Only $45 – get your tickets on ActBlue Visit Carolyn on the Web and on […]

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Tribune Supports Universal RTA Fares 51 Years after RTA Referendum Proponents Promised It

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

I’m doubting that anyone working on the editorial side of the Chicago Tribune was around around for the Regional Transportation Authority referendum debate in the spring of 1974. That is the only explanation I can think of for the following paragraph in […]

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Newly-Appointed State Senator Darby Hills Wins Photo on Chicago Tribune Front Page

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

The newest State Senator, Darby Hills, was featured in a front page photo in the Chicago Tribune today. Having never been elected, this recognition can’t hurt.

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Lack of FOID Card Arrest in Marengo

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From the Marengo Police: At approximately 8:19 PM on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at W. Grant Highway, the Marengo Police Department arrested Joseph V. Ranzino, 64, of W. Grant Highway, Marengo, for the following alleged offense(s); Possession of a Firearm with a […]

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McHenry County Man Convicted of Three Boone County Murders

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From WIRF-TV: BELVIDERE, Ill. (WIFR) – After deliberating for a little over two hours, a jury finds the suspect in a 2021 triple homicide guilty on all counts. Alize Smith, 27, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths […]

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McHenry Woman Arrested in 2003 Wisconsin Cold Case Murder

Cal SkinnerMay 30, 2025May 30, 2025

From the Kenosha County Sheriff: Arrests made in 2003 cold case murder investigation The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two suspects in the September 2003 cold case murder investigation involving victim David A. Vanderzee of the Town of Randall, Kenosha County, […]

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UPDATE: Former Crystal Lake City Clerk Nick Kachiroubas’ Sentencing DELAYED UNTIL JULY 11th

Cal SkinnerMay 29, 2025May 29, 2025

Former Crystal Lake City Clerk and university professor Nick Kachiroubas is to be sentenced tomorrow morning at the Courthouse. UPDATE:

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Republicans, Public in the Dark on State Budget Again

Cal SkinnerMay 29, 2025May 29, 2025

From State Rep. Marty McLaughlin: Rep. McLaughlin Slams Billion-Dollar Energy Giveaway  as Budget Deadline Nears Springfield…With less than 60 hours remaining before the state budget deadline, State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R–Lake Barrington) is calling out Governor Pritzker and legislative Democrats for continuing […]

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