McHenry County Blog

There’s a “Women for McSweeney” rally being held Saturday in Crystal Lake at D’Andreas Banquets at 10.

On the Host Committee are

• Mary Alger
• Geri Davis
• Jean Marie Kapp
• Rebecca Kress
• Cara Kretz
• Rebecca Lee
• Lu Ann LeFew
• Anne Majewski
• Lou Ann Majewski
• Anna May Miller
• Irene Napier
• Linda Post
• Lucy Prouty
• Bonnie Quirke
• Kathy Salvi
• Sue Sedar
• Joyce Story
• Nina Stephenson
• Phyllis Walters
• Barbara Wheeler
• Monica Young

State Senator Pam Althoff, State Rep. JoAnne Osmund and Kane County Board Chairman and unopposed State Senate candidate Karen McConnaughay will speak.
McSweeney is running against Dee Beaubien (Ind.-Madigan).

McHenry County Board member Donna Kurtz, seeking re-election for the first time after running first in her initial attempt in 2010, held a fund raiser Wednesday at Park Place, the old American Legion Home in Crystal Lake.
Some people got into the baseball theme.

Early in the event, which started at 5:30, State Rep. and McHenry County Republican Party Chairman stopped by and dropped off a check, Kurtz said while introducing elected officials and candidates in attendance.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and his allies seemed to gather in one main floor room, while Lou Bianchi and his friends were in the other.

Nygren’s choice to succeed himself in 2014, Andy Zinke, was nowhere to be seen, but both opponents Bill Prim and Jim Harrison were meeting and greeting folks.

There was some cross-pollination with Zane and Rose Seipler and Eileen Marhoefer sitting in a corner booth within site of the Nygren table.

Dr. Anne Majewski chatted with McHenry County Sheriff’s candidate Bill Prim before the speeches began.

In introducing the event’s keynote speaker, McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, Kurtz told of Bianchi’s going “with his gut as to what was right to change the way things are done.

“When he did that, down upon him came a brick wall,” she continued, referring to the two indictments by Special Prosecutors that were so weak that Bianchi’s attorney did not even have to put on any evidence before the Judge found him not guilty.

“But he stuck to his dreams,” Kurtz concluded as Bianchi climbed the stairs to a roomful of applause.

Bianchi pointed out that “Donna is our client” as a member of the McHenry County Board, as are all elected officials.

“Our lawyers enjoy working with her,” he continued.

“She does a fine job representing her constituents [and is] one of the hardest working members on the board.”

Bianchi said Kurtz tries to understand all the issues before voting on resolution.

And she “speaks her mind.”

Kurtz was also praised for asking questions that need to be asked.

She was characterized as “an independent thinker.”

Kurtz then took the microphone.

She praised Cardelli for his “courage” in voting against the Algonquin Township officials pay raise.

She praise Jane and Bill Franz for giving of themselves to Crystal Lake for over 40 years.

She praised Pat Owens and The Advantage Group, often known by its acronym TAG.  They have done substance abuse for twenty-five year Kurtz pointed out.

“Over 1,000 people treated each year…25,000 lives changed for the better,” the County Board member explained.

Speaking of her public service, Kurtz said that you “have to have in our heart goodness and honesty.

“Everything I do has to be about you.

“It can’t be about me.

“Pursue our dreams and they will come true,” she concluded to rousing applause.

The law about campaign finance disclosure has an interesting quirk.

Campaign donations do not have to be reported until they are “deposited.”

So, if you hold a fundraiser on the last day of the reporting period, as McHenry County Sheriff aspirant Andy Zinke did on June 30th, you don’t have to report how much you raised until early October.

And, Zinke didn’t.

There are two strategies in reporting campaign finances.

One can be like State Rep. Jack Franks in that July a year year before the 2010 gubernatorial primary election.

You can show lots of money in an attempt to make others take your ambitions seriously.

That strategy didn’t work, at least in part, because about 90% of the $1.3 million Franks reported was from family and friends.

Zinke has taken what might be called the “keep ‘em guessing” approach.

One might guess that results from a lack of serious funding.

At least so far.

Or maybe he wants a $100,000 number before he makes his finances public.

If so, he would have until the end of September to solicit the money.

Reporting $4,735 at the end of June, Zinke surely is not close to that amount now.

Indeed, from April 1st through June 30th, only $240 in contributions were reported, all $150 or under.

Of course, if Zinke has no opponent, he would need no money.

That happened GOP Coroner candidate Dr. Anne Majewski.

And with a Northwest Herald giving him prominent coverage, which does not have to be reported as a contribution in-kind, maybe Zinke doesn’t need a lot of money to win the 2012 Republican primary election.

Zinke’s D-2 follows for your perusal.

One would have thought with a fundraiser widely promoted–even though it was free for precinct committeemen and assorted others whose presence would be beneficial–that some would have paid enough in advance for the money have been deposited.

No big contribution either. They have to be reported fairly quickly.

For the second Thursday night in a row, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria was the site of a Republican event.  More sales tax revenue for my revenue-starved Village of Lakewood was one of my thoughts.

Last week, it was for State Senate candidate Karen McConnaughay to meet local Republicans.

This week, it was McHenry County Board member Donna Kurtz’ fund raiser.

Marvelous deep dish pizza, of course.

Good thing I skipped lunch.

There was a more than a touch of class in the classical guitarist who entertained the crowd.  His name is  David Daoui (815-337-8707).

Politics, of course enveloped the room.

Allies from political wars past sometimes sat together.

Others were seating by the luck of the draw, meeting new people.

Donna’s mother, former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz, was helping do the essential funding raising tasks while her daughter was making the rounds.

Lakewood Village President Erin Smith brought her husband and parents, who raise her on Gate 14 in Lakewood. Former Village Trustee Black Hobson and his wife were also in attendance.

The McHenry County Courthouse anyway.

None of the four countywide offices in McHenry County have a Democratic candidate.  While it is possible for candidates to pop up after the primary on March 20, 2012, it seems unlikely.

So, the following people will in all likelihood hold the title before their names after the December 2012 swearing in date:

• McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi
• McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters
• McHenry County Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe
• McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew
• McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer and
• newcomer McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski

And, if all the Democrats who have filed for the McHenry County Board were able to win next fall, the GOP would still hold a 14-10 margin.

Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church began the day for those attending the first McHenry County Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

Boulder Ridge Country Club was the next destination.

Down Randall Road to Miller Road the cars drove.

The place was packed.

Over 500 people by one estimate.

After the welcome by event chairman Fred Wickham and a prayer by Msgr. Daniel Hermes, breakfast was served.

A prayer for our country’s leaders, out nation and families was offered by Jeff Ladd, Jr.

There were politicians courting votes.

Both Congressman Randy Hultgren and Joe Walsh were in attendance.

The two are Pro-Life.

The sanctity of human life was one of the topics of the main speaker, Raymond Cardinal Burke.

Another was birth control.

The Cardinal spoke at length.

The Cardinal’s biography identifies him as “one of the foremost authorities on Roman Catholic cannon law.

“Raymond Cardinal Burke leads with an unwavering passion for the integrity of Catholic doctrine embodied in the words of Jesus Christ,” it continues.

The Cardinal was born in 1948 in Richland Center, Wisconsin.

Ordained by Pope Paul VI in 1975 in Rome, one of his first assignments was teaching religion at Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

After studying canon law at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he became the first American to hold the position of Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Catholic Church’s supreme court.

He now serves Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, to which post he was appointed in 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.

McHenry County’s local prelate, Rockford-based Bishop Thomas Doran, helped celebrate the Mass and gave a talk at the breakfast.

Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org, also spoke to the group. It’s a lay movement of committed Catholics who “are passionate about living our the truths proclaimed by Christ and His Church in the modern world.”

Issues promoted include

• the dignity of the human person from conception until natural death
• the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman
• religious freedom for all people

But, back to political figures in McHenry County.

Candidate for Coroner Anne Majewski was in an exuberant mode.

I saw a photo of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

From the program, I see that County Board member Nick Provenzano played a role.

So did County Board candidate Mary Alger.

County Board member Barbara Wheeler, who is running for State Representative, was caught posing with Patriots United Brian Kelly and Judge Michael Chmiel.

You see Jean Bianchi with Rosemary and Bob Blazier in the photo below, so I assume State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi was also present.

Below is a list of the members of the Board of Directors of the prayer breakfast.

Today, I thought it might be interesting to look at what countywide officials have in their campaign funds. This is the first year the public has not had to wait until January. The new quarterly reporting law took effect on January 1, 2011, so this is the first October snapshot of summer-fall fundraising.

Let’s look at the McHenry County officials up for election first:

• Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe – $580
• Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters – $19,341
• State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi – $93,723
• Coroner candidate Anne Majewski – No report

Campaign disclosure reports do not have to be filed until either $3,000 is raised or spent.

Port Edward has pleasant memories for me all the way back to visiting the Algonquin Jaycees back in the late 1960′s.

Then it was only a small corner bar at Harrison and Route 62.

Algonquin Founders Days luncheons, fund raisers, Mother’s Day Breakfasts.

Always good food.

A gift shop to keep your wife and children out of by buying another glass of wine.

Urinals below portholes.

A host without peer–Ed Wolowiec.

Monday night the McHenry County Republican Central Committee held a fundraiser that about 100 people attended.

I was astounded that some candidates were not there. Maybe they don’t know that majority parties have to maintain an infrastructure that minority parties can ignore. Things like rent, phones, utilities, salary.

Not that candidates weren’t present.

Plenty, like Recorder of Deed Phyllis Walters brought petitions.

Barb Wheeler was doing the same and worked two streets in my precinct for signatures this afternoon with Blake Hobson.

Congressman Randy Hultgren’s employee Nick Provenzano was circulating, as was Congressman Joe Walsh’s wife Helena and new staffer Andrew Nelms, who is from Genoa.

I mentioned that State Rep. candidate Barb Wheeler was courting votes.  So were two candidates from the 52nd District Mark Beaubien used to represent.

Appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney was there with his wife Elizabeth.

So was former 8th Congressional District candidate David McSweeney, now running against Gaffney.

There are three candidates running for the empty 33rd District State Senate seat.  The only one to show up was Kane County Board member Karen McConnaughay.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren was making the rounds.

He was introducing his chosen successor, Undersheriff Andy Zinke, although Zinke was doing that well enough by himself before Nygren arrived.

So was McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.  I did not see the Sheriff and the State’s Attorney conversing.

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was busy gathering petition signatures.

Candidate for McHenry County Coroner Dr. Anne Majewski was courting support at Port Edward, too.

There were a good number of McHenry County Board members and a  couple of township officials.

The County Board members were spread throughout the room. No open meetings violations for these folks.

Some, like District 1′s Anna May Miller and her husband, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner, I didn’t get photos of. Anyone who feels aggrieved can not their attendance in the comment section.

A press release from Dr. Anne Majewski:

Dr. Anne Majewski Candidate for McHenry County Coroner

Dr. Anne L Majewski has announced her intent to run for McHenry County Coroner.

A lifelong resident of McHenry County, Dr. Majewski is a licensed physician in the State of Illinois since 1984.

She practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

Her medical expertise, compassion and communications skills enabled her to attract an extensive patient base and, within a year, became a full partner in a very busy medical practice.

Currently, she is a private medical consultant.

She also provides medical advocacy services on a pro bono basis.

Dr. Anne Majewski

“I believe that a Coroner’s Office consisting of a physician and a well-trained investigative staff, who perform their duties with a caring and humanitarian approach, would best serve our county.

“I will work closely with

• law enforcement agencies,
• the State’s Attorneys Office,
• consulting medical examiners and experts,
• private physicians, and
• funeral directors

throughout the county to ensure that the highest quality of service is rendered.

“My medical training, analytical skills, practice experience, and continuing medical education will enable me to be an excellent Coroner.”

“As a physician, I have had to share very sad news with patients and their families.

“I would approach my duties as Coroner with the same care and compassion to which my former patients, fellow medical and hospital staff and community could attest.

“As an elected official, it is my duty to effectively manage taxpayer dollars. I will review the half million dollar budget, as well as all operating procedures and investigatory costs, to determine where we can save money while at the same time maintain the highest quality medical and statutory standards.”

“It is also my duty to help bring awareness to the community.

“In view of the number of suicides in our county over the recent past, I want to work with

• mental health agencies,
• schools and
• community groups

to help identify trends and risk factors, and to assist in education and prevention.

“I also plan to work closely with nursing homes and hospice organizations to ensure prompt and thorough reporting.”

This is the second part of the Mike Tryon Fish Boil story.  Part 1 is here.

Mike Tryon gave a short talk at his third Huntley Fish Boil.

Then, he introduced the elected officials.

After he was finished with the introductions, he turned the microphone over to 14th District Congressman Randy Hultgren.

Illinois Democrats put all of McHenry County into the 14th District, except for Algonquin Township, the county’s largest.

Hultgren took the stage, so to speak, and excoriated Washington Democrats.

Perhaps indicative of a turf battle to come in the March 2012 Republican primary election, Helene Walsh, wife of 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh was also in attendance.

Besides Provenzano, I spotted two other candidates for the McHenry County Board–Jim Schlader of District 3 and Shawn Green of District 6.

There were also non-partisan elected officials on hand.

I don’t know the players as well as I used to, but I did spot Fox River Grove Village President Robert Nunamaker and his wife.

None of Fox River Grove will be in Tryon’s new district.

In addition, long-time Huntley School District 158 Board member Mike Skala was at the Fish Boil.

I recognized two township officials besides County Board candidate Schlader, but I image there were more.

McHenry Township Trustee Kathy Kuchta, who is also Vice Chairman of the McHenry County Republican Central Committee was present. S

So was Nunda Township Trustee Lee Jennings.

As I mentioned previously, Dr. Anne Majewski was campaigning for the McHenry County Coroner vacancy that Marlene Lantz’s retirement makes possible.

There was also Barrington Township Committeeman Gene Dawson, also the Republican State Central Committeeman for the 8th Congressional District, in attendance.

Finally, you know how I like messages, most of which I find on tee shirts.

One of the servers was wearing a Hastert congressional tee shirt. I didn’t think to ask her if it was from two years ago (when Hultgren beat Denny Hastert’s son Ethan) or from when the father represented Coral Township, where the young women lives and knew that it had been in Hastert’s original district.