Article on Candidates’ Forum Gets Suppression Treatment on NW Herald Web Site

One of the more prolific commenters on McHenry County Blog is “Earth Mother.”

Today, she posted the following:

You gotta love that Northwest Herald. They had new article in yesterday’s paper about the MCC Forum.

Nygren makes a stupid comment (that they would not print).

The biggest problem the Sheriff’s Dept faces is TRAFFIC, according to Keith Nygren. Mahon got it right by answering, heroin.

Lots of negative comments yesterday and time left on the article.

Today, I challenge you to find the article.

Not even listed on “More Local Headlines” by date.

It must be great running for office and having your own personal news paper.

As Earth Mother points out the article can still be found, if you search for it.

And comments (43 so far) can still be made.

But, the title “Candidates find common ground at MCC forum” cannot be found on the list of yesterday’s articles.

When I went to the dentist’s office yesterday to get my teeth cleaned, I told the dental hygienist that Nygren said that “traffic” was his number one priority.

She laughed.

Such reactions are probably why the “What’s your top priority, if elected Sheriff?” answers didn’t make the NWH article.

And negative comments about Nygren’s answer may be the reason the article has virtually disappeared.

One of the substantive comments defending Sheriff Keith Nygren’s priority below my article on the meeting is worth sharing more broadly.

“Earth Father” wrote,

The greater threat to our citizens are DUI and traffic accidents. Traffic fatalities in 2006 = 23 2007 = 24 2008 = 18 2009 = 8.

Thankfully, Sheriff Nygren recognized the disturbing traffic fatality rate and aggresively pursued traffic safety in partnership with municipal police agencies. [This press release from the Sheriff’s Office is referenced.]

I looked up the heroin statistics in “Heroin Use in McHenry County Skyrockets,” the article I ran July 7th, so people could compare the two problems:

“In just three years, heroin deaths in McHenry County increased by 150 percent, from 6 heroin overdoses in 2006 to 15 in 2009.”

Traffic deaths are down, but heroin deaths are up.

If you were running for Sheriff, what would be your biggest priority?

Another candidates’ forum for the office of Sheriff (and County Clerk) will be held on October 25 at the McHenry County College’s Conference Center.  It will be sponsored by the League of Women Voters.  Perhaps someone will ask the priority question again.


Comments

Article on Candidates’ Forum Gets Suppression Treatment on NW Herald Web Site — 22 Comments

  1. Cal, I have never said that illegal drug trafficking and heroin are not important.

    But consider this, how many of these pirsons dying from overdoses obtained their heroin in Chicago vs. McHenry County?

    How many were children or teenagers?

    Mahon calls for education in schiools….the Shefirr has two grade schools in his jurisdiction.

    While a crime, heroin use is primarily a mental health issue.

    Heroin trafficking is what must be targeted.

    What has SHeriff Nygren done?

    He has joined the US DEA regional task force to fight illegal drug trafficking.

    What more powerful tool to attack heroin traffick8ing than the federal DEA?

  2. While heroin overdose deaths are tragic, ultimately that person brought it upon themself without risking other lives.

    Traffic collisions indiscrimately kill far more innocent persons, men, women and children, many through no fault of their own.

    Cal, what are you more likely to be killed by 1) a heroin addict or 2) a reckless or drunk driver?

    As you know, the vast majority of citizens would pick #2 as the greatest threat to their personal safety. Particularly considering the disturbing traffic fatality/serious injury data over the past 10 years.

  3. The Northwest Herald article can be found by searching on its site for “MCC Forum”, but not by Nygren or Philpott; didn’t try a search for Mahon.

  4. Sorry, earth father, heroin use is not a mental health issue. It’s a crime. There must be many heroin users who are not mental health services consumers.

    Why anyone would use heroin or cocaine or crack is beyond me! They must just be stupid to try it even once. But sometimes just one time is enough to hook the gullible or unwitting. And that’s what the dealers are counting on.

  5. The question, Cal, was what was the top law enforcement ISSUE in McHenry County.

    Empirically that issue is TRAFFIC.

    There was no comparison of relative importance in the question asked by the moderator, simply a question begging a straight answer and Nygren answered swiftly and competently.

    Mahon made up the issue of heroin abuse rather than answering the question asked.

    A favorite reaction of politicians rather than actual operators.

    The Sheriff is also not at liberty to simply pick pet projects within the realm of law enforcement.

    If any leader in any arena is competent at all they will recognize where they need to foster relationships and create more efficient channels to improve how they do business.

    Mr. Nygren, to date, has done so very well by fostering relationships with outside agencies so his enforcement opportunities do not end when the crime crosses outside the county line.

    Although the death of your friend’s child was deeply tragic and this hole may never heal in his heart over the loss, the duty of any human being with a heart to serve others is to address all the hurting souls, establish priorities to do so and not cherry pick one issue to address.

    Mahon doesn’t understand this, isn’t qualified to make this happen even if he did, has an established record of actually damaging law enforcement relationships, has attacked a woman and her daughter openly and incontrovertibly and has no appreciation for the breadth of the job he aspires to hold.

    Sheriff Nygren is qualified, visionary and has proven himself capable.

    I’ll debate the difference between a man who attacks women and children against a man who owns property in multiple states all day.

  6. Drug USERS are a mental health issue because they are preyed upon by dealers and those of us with experience in this area see the USER as a VICTIM of crime and not a CRIMINAL. Those drugs are awful and deeply addictive. The children who get hooked(the vast majority are younger when they experiment) do so out of complete ignorance much of the time. Then their addiction drives them to compromise everything they know to be good and right and true. The criminal activity is a byproduct of the addiction.

    The DEALER,however, is a CRIMINAL with no moral compass or value judgment and should be dealt with extremely harshly. THAT is the difference. Please stop talking Gus. Everywhere you go you wear your heart on your sleeve(admirable) and your ignorance in your mouth(not so much). Sometimes a fool can appear wise if they keep their mouth shut.

  7. EF & Priest you have to be two of the coldest people I have ever had contact with. You think heroin isn’t a problem you couldn’t be more wrong, and well, we are all a little dumber for having read your comments on the subject. Heroine is an opiod. Opioid’s are the hardest addictions to overcome. That’s why so many people are getting to pain killers like oxicodone and vicidon because they are synthetic opioids.

    No one drives from McHenry for an hour and a half to Chicago to pick up their drugs for the day.

    They are purchased in McHenry County.

    They most likely come out of Rockford,IL or Madison WI.

    They are sold in the schools by nice young men and women, whom you would never suspect.

    The quality of the heroine coming into this country is far superior to what we saw in the 60’s and 70’s.

    The heroine we are getting from Afghanistan is so pure that people using it can snort it, they no longer have to “shoot” it.

    This is why the big surge in heroine use has occurred in the last 10 years. Since we went to war in Afghanistan.

    Education is vital in stopping our children from giving into peer pressure and trying it once.

    Because with opiodes, as with many other drugs, addiction can occur very quickly.

    Drug and alcohol education works, it’s been proven. And the financial burden of drug addiction on the US economy blows the doors of the Obamacare you are all worried about.

    The emotional drain and burden from someone addicted to drugs is beyond comprehension unless you have been through it.

    The family suffering reaches beyond mom, dad, brother and sister it can affect the entire extended family.

    And this affect can linger for years after the addicted person is either clean, dead, insane, or incarcerated.

    Because those are the only options to someone addicted to drugs.

    And yes the sheriff also has a responsibility to protect citizens from drunken drivers, but that wasn’t what said he talked about traffic CONGESTION problems.

    The sheriff in no way shape or form will be involved in the planning, logistics or implementation of any traffic congestion solutions.

    That’s done by the state, and local governments, in conjunction with private urban planning organizations.

    Face the fact that your super hero boss said the most stupid thing imaginable regarding the BIGGEST problem in McHenry County.

    EF I’m sure there is a word or two or even a sentence you disagree with and will go off on some tangent about it just to try and continue to deflect the criticism of your hero.

    But at least find some room in that cold, dead heart of yours for some compassion for those who are affected by this huge problem that affects the entire country.

    And I’ll try and stop laughing when I think of the guy next to me at the forum who leaned of and said “ he didn’t really just say that did he”.

    As far as nygren’s fight against drugs it’s been a joke.

    This whole outside agency is bulls**it.

    He has thee officers and a supervisor in his big drug unit.

    The officers on the street can’t do anything when drugs are involved unless they contact someone from the drug unit, I imagine this is so they can protect their interests.

    There total drug confiscation total about $40,000.00.

    The price of a two year old Escalade.

    When was the last time you saw a drug dealer driving a two year old anything.

    Please keep talking about his drug fighting it is an abomination.

    He won’t work with the Northern Illinois Drug Task Force because he cant control it.

    Please he is a joke when it comes to drugs and he showed his true colors Monday Night.

  8. Did you actually READ the comments Mr. McKenna?

    ANY of them?

    ANYWHERE in McHenry County Blog?

    Or do you just read the first word in the first sentence and then write a knee jerk reaction? Please take a moment, breathe deep and READ the comments before pointing fingers and ignorantly spouting off.

    I would enjoy a good discourse but this doesn’t even come close to responding to the issues or even the comments you point to as your target.

    I also haven’t seen you serving ANYWHERE I serve the people and families who are hurting over drug use and its effects.

    I don’t see you in the streets fighting gangs where they live, literally.

    I don’t see you walking door to door talking to people about their most private pains and how these may be ameliorated through both physical and spiritual triage.

    The next time you question my INTENT I won’t be so kind to you.

    Keep to the issues in your illiterate rants and try to stay on task.

    Otherwise you may be in danger of being seen as idiotic.

  9. Priest I’m sorry you missed my point, next time i’ll speller slower.

    Look at your comment you say “Empirically that issue is TRAFFIC”

    I cut and pasted this from your comment.

    The sheriff will not be involved with the actual logistics in reducing TRAFFIC.

    I have been more involved with families of drug users and the drug users themselves then you will ever know.

    I don’t know where to start, “I’ll debate the difference between a man who attacks women and children against a man who owns property in multiple states all day”.

    Your implication that somehow Mike attacked a woman or child is quite sophomoric, it’s comments like this that don’t leave any question of your intent.

    It’s simply to disgrace Mike while exulting your boss nygren.

    And you try to accomplish this by writing long dissertations and using Sunday words.

  10. I’m so sorry Mr. McKenna. I am obviously not your speed.

    You win.

    I’m deeply thankful to you for “spellering slower”.

    Traffic isn’t a law enforcement issue, you are an expert in drug addiction and its treatment, the words I use are obviously too proper to be anything but wrong, the Illinois Appellate Court deciding the comments and actions Mr. Mahon took against a woman and her daughter were NOT sexual harassment but too violent to be classified so narrowly are too explicit to be listened to and somehow I cannot possibly hold the opinion a man who does the job of Sheriff adequately is somehow better than a monster with no qualifications means I must work for Mr. Nygren.

    You are obviously better than me in all things and I acquiesce to your magnificence.

    Idiot….

  11. So to sum up the Mahon crowd thinks that articles are too difficult to search for and comment on the Northwest Herald website even though they are proud that they have been posting critical comments on the article in question…

    And the whole attack line that just because you relate that one issue will take up more of the Sheriffs departments resources than another means you don’t think there are any other problems in the world and are dismissing all other issues completely is just plain childish.

    By the Mahon crowds reaction would it be fair that because Mahon said “heroin” that means he believes that Driving under the influence is not a problem at all?

    That is just silly.

    Then again Mahon seems to have made his press release about his DUI and suspended license seemingly disappear from his website so perhaps he does not feel the decision to Drive while impaired and under the influence is much of an issue.

  12. Just – let it go. How many times did Nygren drive out of a restaurant drunk and weaving?.

    No one would give him a ticket.

    If pulled over, someone took him home.

    No surprise there.

    Stop that self- righteous garbage trying to defend him.

    Too many people know about him.

    He never hid it much because he was the ‘KIng” and no one could touch him.

    Well, the castle is about to implode.

    Had a great day on the train yesterday overhearing people behind me talk about all the “just” comments and how he keeps pounding the same tiresome drum.

  13. Pat. Did you read my posts?

    Yes, illegal drug trafficking and heroin are a serious problem. Yes, illegal drug trafficking and heroin are a serious problem Yes, illegal drug trafficking and heroin are a serious problem. Do you get it? Drug trafficking and heroin are a serious problem . Sheriff Nygren is addressing that problem as part of the DEA regional trask force and with his narcotics unit.

    Now, Pat, do you feel at greater risk from a heroin ovedose or being killed by an unsafe driver? If you have a wife and children, do you personally feel at greater risk from them overdosing on heroin or being killed by an unsafe driver? Please answer the questions.

    Most McHenry County residents fear unsafe drivers causing death or serious injury with a 3000 pound missile known as an automobile. That does not diminish the seriousness of illegal drug trafficking and heroin. But, it does make traffic safety the greatest law enforcement priority.

  14. So earth mother you also feel that Driving under the influence is a offense we all should just let go? I for one would be against any candidate for Sheriff with an actual DUI and suspended license history.

    The Mahon teams odd defense of “get over it” and implying somehow that everyone does it is just a bit insulting to all the victims and families of victims of drunk drivers.

    I along with most taxpayers would be more concerned of the dangers of being victimized by an irresponsible drunk driver than the odd concern that somehow I might now be able to control if I overdose on Heroin? Just plain strange….

  15. Almost makes you wonder if Earth Mother and the rest of the Mahon crowd sit around making fun of the whole Mothers Against Drunk Driving crowd for their insistence of pounding the same tiresome drum.

    A Sheriff’s candidate like Mahon whose supporters feel that Drunk Driving is an simple annoyance or acceptable behavior for a Law Enforcement officer comes off just a bit scary.

  16. Compromising personal value sets for the sake of personal revenge or partisanship is just one small part of what is broken in our republic.

    The Sheriff’s race is indicative of how fractured the entire system is across our country.

  17. EM convicts people with nothing but her own mind (if you’d like to call it that). I can’t wait to hear what she comes up with next! Her desperation is showing. Wing nuts unite!!

  18. EM…Thanks for the chuckle.

    I post 10 to 15 times on local blogs in the past few months and you claim I am now the talk of commuter trains.

    I think you put a little to much importance on our little bit of entertainment here.

  19. I thought it was pretty funny.

    I was not mentioned.

    Should I feel slighted?

    I think one lady was a waitress at a place Nygren frequented.

    She did not have good things to say!!!

    She had a problem with your promotion of the sheriff.

  20. Earth mother I am proud of your comments about nygren.

    It’s about time someone tells it like it is. There are way to many people that have been drinking the nygren kool-aid

    It’s a good thing to here people finally coming around. It won’t be long until we have a new sheriff in town.

    I’m proud to call you momma. ( just kidding, she’s really not my mother. Although I would proudly except her)

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