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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

  • Ten Minutes to Put Put Out Chapel Hill Road Fire March 24, 2026
  • Bailey Weighs In on Loyola Student’s Death at Hands of Illegal Alien March 24, 2026
  • State Senator’s Constituents Don’t Favor Any Subsidy for Chicago Bears March 24, 2026
  • Republican Senators Want to Go “Back to the Future” March 24, 2026
  • Counterfeit Bill Passed in Lake in the Hills, Guess How Big March 24, 2026
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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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Pickup Truck Hits Home in Algonquin

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 23, 2025

From the Algonquin Police: Personal Injury Accident Compton and Mahogany Drive Algonquin, Illinois – October 22, 2025 – At approximately 5:07 p.m., Algonquin Police Officers, along with personnel from the Algonquin–Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, responded to a report of […]

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Who Has Raised How Much in Bill Foster’s Congressional District

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 22, 2025

Here are the results of campaign finance reporting for the third quarter of 2025: Candidate financial totals Incumbent  Candidate Party Total receipts Total disbursements Cash on hand Source reports FOSTER, G. WILLIAM (BILL) DEMOCRATIC PARTY $1,018,741.38 $519,426.13 $2,049,879.91 Coverage ending: 09/30/2025View all […]

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Johnsburg’s Kirk Donald Pleads with County Board Not to Hike Taxes

Cal SkinnerOctober 23, 2025October 22, 2025

Below is a YouTube presentation of Kirk Donald’s comments to the McHenry County Board on Tuesday night. I was posted by John Pletz. The McHenry County Board voted on Tuesday night to put on public view a tax levy that is 13% […]

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Talk about Unsafe Blacktop Sealing Afternoon of Oct. 24th Features Cook County Commissioner Maggie Trevor

Cal SkinnerOctober 22, 2025June 18, 2025

From the Defenders of McHenry County: Keeping Children Safe from Toxic Pavement Sealants A BMP* Talk & Tour of 2025 will be held on October 24th from 1-3 pm at the Crystal Lake School District 47 CORE Building, 300 Commerce Dr, Crystal Lake. […]

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Biss Leading Kat in Race to Replace Jan Schakowski

Cal SkinnerOctober 22, 2025October 22, 2025

From the Evanston Roundtable comes these poll results for the 9th Congressional District Democratic Party Primary: The weighted text message poll of 917 likely Democratic voters was conducted from Oct. 14 to Oct. 16 by MDW Communications, a Florida-based political advertising firm that ran […]

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18-Year Old Skateboarder Hit by Vehicle That Didn’t Stop, Driver Arrested

Cal SkinnerOctober 22, 2025October 23, 2025

From the Sheriff: Sheriff’s Office Investigates Hit-and-Run Crash near Huntley An 18-year-old Marengo man was seriously injured after he was struck by a vehicle in the 14900 block of Harmony Road, west of Briar Hill Road near Huntley. On Saturday, October 18, […]

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County Issues Press Release on Proposed Tax Levy & Budget (with Related Articles)

Cal SkinnerOctober 22, 2025October 22, 2025

From McHenry County: County Submits Balanced FY2026 Budget for Review WOODSTOCK, Ill. – The McHenry County Board has submitted a balanced 2026 budget for public review. The $288.8 million budget and the $73.8 million tax levy were put on 30-day review at […]

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Rollover Vehicle Burns, Threatening Nearby McHenry Home

Cal SkinnerOctober 22, 2025October 22, 2025

From the McHenry Township Fire Protection District: At approximately 2:20 a.m. today, the McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD) responded to a report of a vehicle that had crashed and rolled over, with a person trapped, in the 900 Block of Center […]

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Recent Comments

  • Voters Favor Accepting Federal Scholarship Money in All Referendums - McHenry County Blog on 56% Approve Referendum Seeking Opinion on Illinois’ Participation in Federal Scholarship Program
  • Northwest Headline on County Board Results Better Now - McHenry County Blog on With 100% of Precincts in McHenry County Board District 7 & 8, Challengers Jeff Schwartz and Marty Mohr Defeat Brian Sager & Larry Smith
  • Steve Willson, Asserting the Cost of Low Income Housing Is Too High, Replies to John Collins Critique of Willson’s Analysis - McHenry County Blog on John Collins Replies to Steve Willson’s Reply to Collins’ Reply to Willson’s Piece on the High Cost of Low Income Housing
  • Contested McHenry Township GOP Precinct Committeeperson Contest Results - McHenry County Blog on In the Two Hot GOP Committeeperson Contests Early & Absentee Ballots Show Interesting Results
  • John Collins Replies to Steve Willson’s Reply to Collins’ Reply to Willson’s Piece on the High Cost of Low Income Housing - McHenry County Blog on Point, Counterpoint: Wilson Replies to Collins’ Critique of His Analysis of the High Cost of McHenry Affordable Income Housing
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