The story was about the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office investigating the Prairie Grove School Board.

Supposedly, out of public view, the board approved an extension to Superintendent Mary Fasbender’s contract, not to expire until June, 2008. It could cost Prairie Grove taxpayers $450,000.

That’s a “Wow!” for such a tiny district, wouldn’t you say?

This is the district that just decided to fire well-liked technology teacher Tom Bieschke just before he would have achieved tenure.

Anyway, Nick Swedberg wrote the State’s Attorney’s Office

planned to review the minutes for possible violation of the Open Meetings Act.

I hope the State’s Attorney’s Office asks for the tape of the meeting as well.

Wouldn’t it be a hoot, if they were magically wiped clean like the 17 minutes of Watergate discussion disappeared during President Richard Nixon’s term?

But, that couldn’t happen in Prairie Grove, could it?

The headline above about yours truly appears on the back page of the NW Herald’s community section.

Besides the charges that I was taking pictures and laughing loudly at the totally out-of-control behavior and shouting of board member Karen Bowman, a nice lady, I suppose, when she is not behind closed doors very loudly chastising fellow board member Charlotte Kremer, Swedberg confirms that they thought I was “heckling” the board. (You can read my articles, complete with pictures here and here.)

And, get this:

they were concerned that Skinner might photograph documents that they wanted kept secret.

Now, I know they have a lot to hide.

Look at this picture of Bowman, taken through the type of glass that is reinforced with what looks like chicken fence wire.

How could anyone in their right mind suggest that words on a piece of paper could be photographed through such a barrier?

Especially from the middle of and on the other side of the hall.

I guess they were worried about the minutes of the secret meeting that Kremer got admonished not to read at the public meeting. They were typed on purple paper, yet. Pretty hard to even see black print on purple paper.

The article points out that there I received no warning before administrator Michael Tanner was sent on the mission to summon the Prairie Grove police.

Sounds pretty much like the bum’s rush that District 300 parent and citizen watchdog Stan Gladbach got after he objected to District 300 officials refusing to provide him information on a disk, instead of on paper, for which he would have to pay more.

I am sure that Swedberg will have fertile ground to plow in Prairie Grove this spring.

I’d just suggest not being a camera and not laugh while standing outside one of the school board’s top secret, hush, hush meetings.

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That really crisp picture is of Karen Bowman. This in no way shows her at her worst.