My piece about the strange vote counting in McHenry County in my 1996 Republican Primary Election brought forth the following memory from one of the people who was watching the 1998 centralized vote counting for State Representative in the race … Continue reading
Category Archives: Al Jourdan
The McHenry Township Republican Central Committee elections resulted in both factions getting a seat at the table. Erik Sivertsen was elected Chairman. My guess is that he was found acceptable to the Jourdan faction because of his opposition to the … Continue reading
The McHenry County Township Republican Party, under new leadership after the last two elections, is running a slate of non-incumbents against incumbents who were mainly appointed to their positions. The first part of the contest was a GOP caucus (instead … Continue reading
Yesterday, I paid my respects to former McHenry County Republican County Chairman Al Jourdan, Jr. As the line was slowing moving toward the casket, I mentioned that I hoped he wasn’t wearing a tie–something I don’t remember seeing on him … Continue reading
Here are the details: A visitation will be held Thursday, March 2, 2017, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Justen Funeral Home & Crematory, 3700 Charles J. Miller Road, McHenry. Visitation will resume at 10 a.m. Friday prior … Continue reading
Long-time Republican Party political leader Al Jourdan died on Saturday. Jourdan was elected McHenry County Republican Party Chairman in 1968, following Ted Wickham. Two years later, after Richard Ogilvie had been elected Governor, he asked Republican Precinct Committeemen if they … Continue reading
Of course, the 2014 Republican Party Convention showed that a significant shift in power had occurred when Sandra Salgado was selected over outgoing Chairman Mike Tryon’s choice–Mark Daniel. But, those in control during the Al Jourdan legacy years still were … Continue reading
Metra found 780 note cards in a box that had information about who asked for jobs through whom from about 1980 on. I’ve taken a look at about 40% of them, concentrating on McHenry County connections. I think it’s safe to … Continue reading
There have been rumblings that the originally McHenry Township-based coalition nurtured by long-time McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Al Jourdan (who first won that post in 1968) is under severe challenge. One could tell by looking at all the new … Continue reading
The First Electric Newspaper is the first to report the names of the ten people who have applied to replace Al Jourdan on the Regional Transportation Board. You can find their names here. McHenry County Board Chairwoman Tina Hill will … Continue reading
A press release from the McHenry Count Board announces a search for a replacement for Al Jourdan on the RTA Board: The McHenry County Board is accepting applications from individuals interested in appointment to the REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD. A … Continue reading
It took Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown to point it out, but there are some high regional stakes in the fight over who controls mass transportation in the metropolitan area. The same fight occurred in 1974 and in the early … Continue reading
Back when Jack Schaffer was State Senator and I was State Rep., we once had a conversation about patronage. Both of us agreed that we were pleased to let McHenry County Republican County Chairman Al Jourdan handle that aspect of … Continue reading
The pretty secret jockeying to be Chairman of the McHenry County Board for the next two years will culminate tomorrow morning in Woodstock. After the 9 0.clock swearing in, three, perhaps four, perhaps more people will have their names entered … Continue reading
Just in case there was any doubt, “Fellow Republicans” received a letter from Mike Tryon William “Bill” LeFew Jack Schaffer Al Jourdan informing them that are supporting David McSweeney, the GOP winner of the 52nd District State Rep. race this … Continue reading
Saturday afternoon, McHenry Township Republicans gathered at the McHenry Moose for a pig roast and to hear candidates make their pitches. McHenry County Blog prevailed upon attendee Becky Kress to share her photos. McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler, who … Continue reading
Kevin Craver of the Northwest Herald wrote a story Tuesday about McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler’s unwillingness to ask for the resignation of former State Senator Jack Schaffer from the Metra Board. The first indication I could find of … Continue reading
I’ve written previously of State Rep. Jack Franks’ personal motivation for going after Metra and RTA board members, but let me remind readers that Metra Board member Jack Schaffer owns Liberty Outdoor, the company that puts up small billboards favored … Continue reading
Marengo Democrat Jack Franks has gotten publicity for his third “Let’s get rid of the pensions” bill. First he went after the RTA, Metra, Pace and the CTA. No salaries, not pension, no health care benefits. No one seems to … Continue reading
Thursday in the Chicago Tribune, Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks lashed out at McHenry County Republicans who had the audacity to put up an opponent, John O’Neill, in last fall’s election. The comments were in a story covering a … Continue reading