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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
Email Cal Skinner

Recent Posts

  • Parkland Academy Problem December 18, 2025
  • McHenry County Taxpayers May Be on the Hook for $13 Million to Repay Home Equity Lost in Tax Sales December 18, 2025
  • Republican Congress Folks Ask Trump Not to Pardon Madigan December 18, 2025
  • Rep. Sue Ness Asks Constituents about Double-Dipping Elected Officials December 17, 2025
  • Feds Make Another Gun-Related Arrest December 17, 2025
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Crystal Lake, Huntley Woodstock Nursing Homes Fined, Statewide Link Included

Cal SkinnerDecember 19, 2024December 17, 2024

From the Illinois Department of Public health (All fines levied during the third quarter can be found here.) Huntley FACILITY NAME: Alden Estates Cts of HuntleyFACILITY ADDRESS: 12140 Regency ParkwayFACILITY CITY, STATE, ZIP: Huntley, IL 60142 DOCKET NUMBER: NH 24-S0583 LICENSEE INFO: Alden […]

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Deer Shot in McHenry County Down from a Year Ago

Cal SkinnerDecember 19, 2024December 18, 2024

From the Illinois Department of Natural Resources: More than 82,000 deer harvested during Illinois firearm deer season SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 82,496 deer during the seven-day 2024 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded Dec. 8. Comparatively, hunters […]

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Heavy Police Activity West of Crystal Lake’s West Grade School

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 18, 2024

From the Crystal Lake Police: Heavy police activity in Crystal Lake 7:23 PM – There is currently heavy police activity in the 100 block of Heather Drive in Crystal Lake. There is no public safety threat. Please avoid this area until further […]

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FBI Investigating ATM Robbery in Lake in the Hills While Being Serviced by Technician

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024

From the Lake in the Hills Police: No one injured during the Robbery of an ATM at Bank of America Lake in the Hills, IL – No one was injured on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 during the robbery of an ATM aBank […]

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Fox River Grove Announces Use for $600,000 State Grant for Lions Park

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 18, 2024

From the Villahe of Fox River Grove: Village of Fox River Grove Receives Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant for Developing Public Parks and Outdoor Recreational Space FOX RIVER GROVE – The Village of Fox River Grove is pleased to […]

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Antioch Man Serving as Charitable Housing Exec Indicted for Kickbacks, Bribery

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 18, 2024

From the US. Attorney: Suburban Chicago Man Charged With Embezzling Millions from Nonprofit Organization CHICAGO — The former Executive Director of a Chicago-area nonprofit organization has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars in cash and real […]

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Companies with More Than 15 Employees Will Soon Have to Make Salaries Public

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 16, 2024

From the Illinois Labor Department: Pay Transparency Law Takes Effect January 1 Law requires pay scale and benefit information in job postings SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is reminding job seekers and employers that, effective January 1, 2025, all job […]

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Second Time Is the Charm for Lakewood Police Tesla Purchase Request

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 18, 2024

By a vote of 6-0, the Lakewood Village Board approved the purchase of a Tesla for its Police Department last night. The first time around Chief Mike Roth was not successful. He presented a cost-benefit analysis that apparently was persuasive. When asked […]

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Not Dimming Headlights Results in Pot Citation

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 16, 2024

From the Cary Police:

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Illegals with Illinois Drivers’ Licenses

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 17, 2024

From State Rep. Dan Ugaste: More Than 155,000 Standard IDs and Driver’s Licenses Issued to Illinois Noncitizens in 5 Months Since Law Went Into Effect.   More than 155,000 standardized IDs and driver’s licenses for non-U.S. citizens have been issued in the five […]

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Pace Budget Analysis Shows Uber or Cab Service Would Be Cheaper

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 16, 2024

Former Lakewood village president Erin Smith recently gave a presentation to the County Board on how “2024 has been a transformative year for Pace. (Since she has been out of office going on eight years, one wonders why she is still in […]

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Rob Parrish Announces Candidacy for Nunda Township Road Commissioner, Outlines Shortcomings of Incumbent Opponent

Cal SkinnerDecember 18, 2024December 16, 2024

From Nunda Township Trustee Rob Parrish, who lost to Mike Lesperance eight years ago by three votes and has been bird-dogging him every since with the help of his brother, until-recently also a nuda Township Trustee.: I am pleased to announce my […]

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Extensive Analysis of Causalities in Hamas-Israeli War Confirms Media Bias

Cal SkinnerDecember 17, 2024December 17, 2024

I ventured into media coverage of deaths in the Hamas-Israeli war in an study by an organization called Fifty Global. MISLABELING ON THE BATTLEFIELD: How Mass Media Misrepresents Combatant Casualties as Civilian Deaths in Gaza Coverage The “findings suggest a significant imbalance […]

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Almost 13 Years for Developer Embezzling from Bank in Mayor Daley’s Neighborhood

Cal SkinnerDecember 17, 2024December 17, 2024

From the U.S. Attorney: Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Nearly 13 Years in Prison for Embezzling Millions From the Failed Washington Federal Bank in Chicago CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a real estate developer to nearly 13 years […]

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Looking at the Birthright Citizenship Debate

Cal SkinnerDecember 17, 2024December 17, 2024

A commentary by Amy Swearer published in The Daily Signal brought light on what I and many others considered settled law–that someone born in the United Stats is automatically a citizen of the United States. That is how such newborns are treated […]

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Fox River Grove and Woodstock Score Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in State Park Grants

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 16, 2024

From the Illinois Department of Naltural Resouirces: Pritzker Administration awards $55.2 million in grants for local park projects Grant funding will help 100 parks statewide develop recreational opportunities SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced […]

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Chinaman Laundering Money for Mexican Drug Cartel Gets 10 Years

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 16, 2024

From the U.S. Attorney:. Chinese National Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Laundering $62 Million in Drug Proceeds on Behalf of Mexican Traffickers CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a Chinese national to a decade in prison […]

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South Barrington Man Pleads Guilty to Not Paying Sales Tax on $104 Million

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 17, 2024

From the Illinois Department of Revenue: Illinois Department of Revenue Announces Guilty Plea and Conviction of South Barrington Man in Long-Term Sales Tax Investigation Case of His Pizza Places Record-Breaking $104 Million in Gross Receipts Underreported Chicago – The Illinois Department of Revenue […]

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From Now through January 2nd Local Police Have Federally-Financed Cars on Duty

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 16, 2024

It started two days ago and will continue until the day after New Year’s Day. Headlines used by various police departments include Drive High, Get a DUI and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and’ Drive merry, bright and sober this holiday […]

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71-Year Old Enbridge Pipeline That Appears to Run Through Western McHenry County Springs Leak in Wisconsin

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 15, 2024

From Epoch News: Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that the spill—estimated at around 1,650 barrels, or 70,000 gallons—was caused by a faulty connection on a pump transfer pipe within Enbridge Cambridge Station.

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Crystal Lake Grade School Agenda Item Opaque

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 16, 2024

Looking at the Board meeting agenda for the Crystal Lake Grade School today I found an item whcih I can’t understnad: The following description of a Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 agenda item is insufficient to determine what is being considered; […]

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Riley Township Candidates

Cal SkinnerDecember 16, 2024December 15, 2024

Below are the people running unopposed for Riley Township Office: All are elected incumbents except Yvonne Daniels, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in November.

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Feds Indict Four Ski Mask-Wearing Men on Gun and Robbery Charges

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024

From the U.S. Attorney: Federal Indictment Charges Four Men With Robbery and Firearm Offenses in Connection with Heist of Electronics Equipment in Chicago CHICAGO — Four men have been indicted on federal robbery and firearm charges for allegedly participating in a heist […]

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Where’s Johnny Carson When We Need Him?

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 15, 2024

From Richard Rostron: Late-Night hosts Stewart, Colbert and Kimmel, and a Trump victory, prove we need another Johnny Carson The Response A Website called Ranker allows people to vote on the best or greatest movies, actors, musical artists, songs and more. I […]

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Not So Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 15, 2024

From the Illinois Institute’s Eric Allie:

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Ethics, Smethics

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 15, 2024

The Chicago Tribune eviscerates the ethics entities set up by Chicago and Illinois politicians to make citizens think they are doing something to clean up the endemic corruption in Chicago and state politics. Here are some snippets from the Sunday article:

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Incumbents Running Unopposed in Hartland Township

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 15, 2024

Hartland Township officials are all running for re-election in April. And, they have no opposition. They are There is no candidate for Assessor. That function is contracted out.

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Trump Puts Year-Round Daylight v. Standard Time Fight on Horizon

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 15, 2024

As the sun sets at about 5:30, incoming President Donald Trump floats the idea that the Republican Party favors year-round standard time. I was bemoaning the impending lost of the all year daylight savings time when Florida Senator Marco Rubio becomes Secretary […]

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Hebron Township Has Trustee Write-in Possibility

Cal SkinnerDecember 15, 2024December 13, 2024

Those involved in the game of politics know how hard it is to find people to run for office. Consider that only one Democrat has filed for township office as a Democrat (Mary Mahady as a candidate for re-election McHenry Township Assessor). […]

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Lake in the Hills Grade Schooler Has Mental Health Crisis

Cal SkinnerDecember 14, 2024December 13, 2024

From the Lake in the Hills Police:

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Recent Comments

  • U.S. Treasury Secretary Calls Out Illinois for Refusing to Stop Taxing Tips - McHenry County Blog on Senate Republicans Seek to Mirror Federal End to Tax on Tips
  • A Democratic Party Governor Favoring School Choice Financed by Private Donations - McHenry County Blog on County Board Proposing Referendum to Put Pressure on Pritzker to Opt Into Federal School Choice Plan
  • Correction: Riley Grade School District Announces 103% Tax Increase - McHenry County Blog on Riley Grade School District Cutting Taxes by 46%, a One-Year Cut to Spend Down Excessive Balance, Back Up the Next Year
  • Democrats Trying to Out-Left-Flank Each Other in 9th Congressional District Which Covers All of Algonquin Township - McHenry County Blog on Rocio Cleveland Gains More Free Publicity in Quest to Win GOP Nomination in Jan Schakowsky’s 9th Congressional District
  • Schools and Socialism - McHenry County Blog on Woodstock School Report Card
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