I’ll be at the McHenry County College Board meeting, but some might be more interested in the first meeting of the new Grafton Township Board.
It’s agenda is below:
Grafton Township Agenda for Mary 23, 2013.
Lundahl Middle School
The following email was sent to Lundahl parents:
Dear Lundahl Families,
About 11:10am this morning the Fire Dept was called to Lundahl and the building was evacuated due to a faulty motor.
The Fire Dept thoroughly checked the building and students returned to their respective classes
at 11:40am.
Zachary Fardon
Zachary Fardon, one of whose claims to fame was his prosecution and conviction of former Governor George Ryan, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to replace Patrick Fitzgerald as U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois.
He is a partner with Latham & Watkins now.
Listed on the law firm’s web site is the following:
Zach Fardon chairs Latham’s Litigation Department in Chicago.
Mr. Fardon’s practice focuses on internal investigations, government investigations, white collar defense and complex business litigation.
He is a trial lawyer who has tried numerous cases, both as a federal prosecutor and a defense lawyer, including cases involving charges of financial fraud, tax crimes, money laundering, corruption, racketeering and conspiracy.
He has also briefed and argued appeals before the federal circuit courts.
Mr. Fardon routinely handles high-profile and sensitive matters for his clients.
He has extensive experience helping clients navigate legal investigations and litigation that also require crisis management and media expertise.
Mr. Fardon has conducted numerous internal investigations for private and public companies and has defended companies and individuals in connection with Justice Department and regulatory investigations. Prior to joining Latham, Mr. Fardon served for nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor.
During his tenure with the Department of Justice, Mr. Fardon tried several high-profile cases, including the historic corruption trial against former Illinois Governor George Ryan.
Mr. Fardon also served as First Assistant US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville, where he supervised approximately 30 Assistant US Attorneys in all federal criminal and civil matters.
As a prosecutor, he received numerous awards, including multiple DOJ awards for superior performance, the Chicago Crime Commission Star of Distinction Award, the Frank J. McGarr Award for Excellence in Service to the United States and the Cook County Crime Fighters Excellence in Law Enforcement Award. Mr. Fardon is recognized by Chambers USA 2012 as a leading white-collar and government investigations lawyer.
In addition, Mr. Fardon is recognized by Benchmark Litigation 2013 as a “Star” among White Collar litigators. Mr. Fardon teaches Trial Advocacy at Northwestern Law School. He is active on multiple boards, including: Chairman of the Board, Legal Aid Society; Member of the Board, A Better Chicago; and Member of the Board, Metropolitan Family Services.
A press release from Lennie Jarratt, a prominent Lake County Tea Party activist who ran unsuccessfully for a Republican State Senate nomination last year:
Since the IRS scandal broke it is clear that the government knows no bounds in how it can politically go after it’s opponents. Given my recent experience with the bank account for my Political PAC being closed, I have to wonder if the government is also using banks to go after Conservatives.
Lennie Jarratt
I started a non-partisan group in March of 2012, For Our Children’s Future. It’s mission is as follows:
In February 2013, I started a Political Action Committee to help fulfill our mission and opened a bank account. Our bank account was closed without notification at the end of April. I only found out it had been closed when a check I had donated to a candidate could not be cashed. You can view the timeline below for more detailed information on the closing.
Some of the additional information that was requested by my bank was the following:
At the time, I thought this was strange for a bank to be asking me for this information.
Especially since I had provided them my D-1 Statement of Organization at account opening.
Neither I, nor anyone else I have told about this has ever heard of a bank requesting this type of information.
Specifically the Fed already has access to all checks in/out of a bank account.
Also, the donations/expenditures are always on the State Board of Elections for all to see.
When the IRS targeting conservative scandals broke, I started questioning more about whether the government is using banks to now target conservatives as well.
It appears they very well may be.
What a chilling thought for every citizen to know that the IRS is targeting individuals who utiliize the first amendment to disagree with the President or big government.
Now the possibility is the government is also using banks as well to stifle our first amendment rights.
This should send every American citizen and politicians who believe in freedom scrambling to put on end to these intimidation tactics.
If these can be used against conservatives, it will eventually be used against anyone whose political views differ from those in power.
Timeline:
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And the bank in question?
TCF Bank, the one located at lots of Jewel supermarkets.
A press release from the Algqonuin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District:
At 12:00 pm on May 23, 2013, the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded to a request for emergency medical service to Algonquin Lakes School 1401 Compton Drive, Algonquin, for report of a child with a hip injury.
Upon arrival at 12:03 pm emergency personnel encountered two students reported to be involved in an Inflatable Bounce House Accident.
While treating the two injured students, fire department personnel worked with school district office and medical staff to verify the presence of any other injured students.
Crews determined that a total of seventeen students would need to be evaluated.
The Incident Commander as a precaution requested an ambulance mutual aid box alarm which brought in an additional five ambulances from area departments.
Eventually a total of six students were transported to Sherman and Good Shepherd Hospitals. The remaining students were released to their parents.
All of the injuries involved were minor in nature.
The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District received assistance from Huntley, Crystal Lake, Barrington, and Fox River Grove.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
CHICAGO – A former Lake County man was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for cheating at least 20 victims of approximately $1.6 million in an investment fraud scheme.
The defendant, WILLIAM BLOCK, promised investors substantial profits, in some cases up to 300 percent returns over just six months, and instead used the money to finance a lavish lifestyle.
Block, 54, formerly of Lake Forest, who has been in custody since he was arrested in November 2008, was sentenced to 75 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.
Block was also ordered to forfeit approximately $1.6 million, as well as to pay restitution totaling approximately $1.9 million, which also includes the proceeds of a separate $300,000 bank fraud.
Block did not admit guilt but was found guilty by Judge Leienweber earlier this month after conceding that the government could provide him guilty.
The government’s proof established that between May 2002 and November 2008, Block operated an investment fraud scheme in which he falsely told at least 20 individual investors that if they gave him money, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, he could pay fees and costs to recover certain monies to which he was entitled and the investor would reap a financial reward.
As a result, Block fraudulently obtained about $1.6 million from his victims.
In fact, Block’s representations were bogus, and he converted the victims’ funds for a variety of personal and living expenses, including
As relevant conduct at sentencing, the government also established that Block engaged in a separate bank fraud scheme in 2007, by using a $300,000 check that he knew had ‘bounced,’ and then using at least $190,000 of the proceeds to obtain an official check from AmCore Bank.
He used the proceeds from that official check for a variety of personal expenses, including
Gary Shapiro
The sentence was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaarina Salovaara and Jessica Romero.
The case falls under the umbrella of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit: www.StopFraud.go.
It was the discovery of more marijuana growing in the Hebron area in a press release issued by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department that reminded me of the August 2008 and August 2009 discoveries of three pot fields, some of which were reported to be located on McHenry County Conservation District property.
I filed the following Freedom of Information request:
Now that there is no active investigation about the marijuana found growing on McHenry County Conservation District land, I request documents, photos, etc., relating to the marijuana on MCCD land referred to in the following articles:August 4, 2008:
August 14, 2009:
Thanks for your cooperation in fulfilling this request.
I just received the following reply:
Dear Mr. Skinner:
Based on the information that you have provided we are unable to locate the documents you are requesting.
The Freedom of Information Act establishes clear guidelines for receiving documents from government offices. It does not mandate that we research articles on websites outside of our control in an attempt to determine what document you are requesting.
We would like to extend to you another opportunity to clarify your request. Please provide adequate information that would clearly describe the document. Names, Dates, Locations and any other information that you may have available to you that would best describe the documents that you are requesting would be helpful.
Sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
My reply follows:
From your request, perhaps I should conclude that there were so many fields of marijuana found on McHenry County Conservation District property during the beginning of August, 2008, or the end of July, 2008, that you cannot figure out what I am requesting when I referred you to my article of August 4, 2008:
The approximate location of one field of marijuana found in August of 2008 near Vanderkarr Road and Kemman Road.
While I consider that absurd, I have now provided you with a period in which to search for the requested documents.
The approximate locations, one of which was shown on a map at the top of the article was “on its [MCCD's] land southeast of Hebron off Vandder Karr [Vanderkarr] Road near Kemman Road, as well as the Friday discovery of a second field on its land southwest of Hebron.”
One of the locations included the arrest of “Miguel Talavera-Lopez of Battle Creek, Michigan,” which is information contained in the article.
Please provide all documents concerning the two discoveries, including the photo of Miguel Talavera-Lopez.
With regard to the second part of the request, referred to in my article of August 14, 2009:
the information is contained in a press release from your office, which I am sure will be among the documents provided me. It was issued on the Thursday of the week during which Aug. 14, 2009, falls.
I will reprint the press release, which was contained in my article below. Surely your office can figure out what documents to provide me which relate to your own press release.
Cannabis Grow Operation Discovered Near Woodstock
Sheriff Keith Nygren announced the eradication of approximately two thousand five hundred cannabis plants at an outdoor cannabis grow operation located near northeast unincorporated Woodstock, Illinois. Members of the McHenry County Conservation Police discovered the outdoor cannabis grow operation and campsite during a recent joint investigation.
On August 12, 2009 members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit, McHenry County Conservation Police, Illinois State Conservation Police and the DEA (Rockford Division) eradicated a cannabis field less than 2 acres in size. The field showed indications that it had been recently tended to and was in preparation of being harvested.
The estimated street value of the eradicated cannabis plants is 2.5 million dollars. The cannabis plants averaged from 5’ to 10’ in height. No suspects were arrested in conjunction with this outdoor cannabis grow.
This is the first such eradication to take place since 2008 in McHenry County. Evidence recovered from the scene is being evaluated for comparison to previous fields that were eradicated last year.
Any person with information about this crime or any others is encouraged to contact the McHenry County Sheriff’s Narcotics Division 1-815-338-2144 or CRIMESTOPPERS at 1-800-762-STOP. (1-800-762-7867).
Mickey Schuch, President of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association sent out this email last night:
Earlier today we spoke with Rep. Brandon Phelps and NRA Lobbyist Todd Vandermyde.
They called to let us know about Senate Bill 2193.
These guys have worked long and hard to get this done and Senate bill 2193 looks to be about as close as we are going to get for now.
They called just before the bill was filed.
It is not a perfect piece of legislation but it does cover some of the big issues.
We cannot expect a grand slam our first time at bat.
We may need to take this, get on base and then work through some of the sticking points in the courts.
Here is what it does have that we like.
There are plenty of items we do not like.
So here it is.
We are in the 11th hour.
I’ll post a link to the contents of the bill at the bottom.
I read it…….all 149 pages.
There is plenty I personally don’t like, but I also don’t like taxes, vehicle registration and Monday mornings.
Sometimes we have to compromise and this is one of those times. One thing is for sure this bill is better than New York’s and many other states.
They very well may vote on this before weeks end, lets keep our fingers crossed.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/98/SB/09800SB2193ham001.htm
Remember we have a class on May 30th.
We will be delving into the legal side of armed defense.
It is going to be a great couple of hours.
Bring a friend and a note book. Come early as we expect a big turnout.
Listen, Learn, Implement and LIVE!
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Gus Philpott, who has been following the issue closely, has this take on the bill.
And I would observe that charging $150 will surely cut out a lot of people who most need guns to defend themselves.
Cathy Ferguson
As more sources of news show up in McHenry County, it might be interesting for folks to compare coverage of public events.
Take last Tuesday’s McHenry County Board meeting for example.
McHenry County Blog, the Northwest Herald’s Keven Craver, The First Electric Newspaper’s Pete Gonigan and Andrew Gasser’s Blog concentrated on Chairwoman Tina Hill’s controversial nomination of Cathy Ferguson to the 708 Board and her dropping of an attempt to replace Sandy Salgado with Bob Martens on Donna Kurtz’ Public Health and Human Services Committee:
Sandy Salgado
Woodstock Advocate’s Gus Philpott concentrated on the Ferguson nomination:
Republican Precinct Committeeman and Algonquin Township Trustee Larry Emery, on the other hand, posted his notes. They give a more complete version of what happened than any of the other sources.
So for this particular meeting, you can compare six viewpoints (and make no mistake that what a writer includes in his or her articles demonstrates at minimum what the writer thought was most important about a meeting or event).
Well, of course, we live in a nanny state.
And, if I gave it some thought I probably could come up with some examples of Governor Pat Quinn’s showing he is in step with the concept of thinking government is better able
As one who has driven across the state twice while running for State Comptroller on the Republican ticket in 1982 and Governor on the Libertarian ticket in 2002, I can tell you that hardly anyone drives the current 65 miles per hour speed limit.
Just last weekend, we drove to Springfield for the Old Capitol Art Fair and observed the same on Interstates 39 and 55.
So now State Senator Jim Oberwies’ bill to raise the speed limit to 70 MPH has passed and the Chicago Tribune rightly puts the story on its front page.
On its jump page, the Tribune asks,
The Chicago Tribune asks whether Illinois is ready for a 70 mile per hour speed limit.
The real question is will Governor Quinn, who flies over Interstate highways most of the time, be able to relate to the common folk who have to drive.
Then, again, maybe it won’t matter anymore than Quinn’s veto of the Com Ed/Ameren rate hike bill…which both houses of the Illinois General Assembly overrode this week.
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See House and Senate roll calls here.
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