McHenry County Blog

Two issues were considered for the second time at Tuesday night’s:

• slot machines at bars and restaurants in unincorporated McHenry County
• electronic billboards outside of municipalities

Also called video poker machines, the electronic devices will be allowed after a 15-9 vote.

The argument that the unincorporated bars were playing on an uneven playing field seemed to carry the day over arguments that gambling can lead to addiction that can destroy lives.

In 2009 the McHenry County Board voted 13-10-1 to prohibit the devices.

At that time rules had not been promulgated and no municipality had voted to allow them.

As Ken Koehler, maker of Tuesday’s motion put it, “It probably made sense to send a message to the rest of the County.  Now twenty [cities and villages] have [approved video gaming."

Names of the fifteen who voted in favor follow:

• Michele Aavang
• Nick Chirokos
• Sue Drafkorn
• Joe Gottemoller
• Jim Heisler
• Tina Hill
• John Jung
• Ken Koehler
• Bob Martens
• Mary McCann
• Mary McClellan
• Anna May Miller
• Robert Nowak
• Sandy Salgado
• Mike Skala

Those voting “No” were

• Yvonne Barnes


Bethany Lutheran Church Pastor Carrie Smith, not speaking for her church, told of how gambling had devastated her brother’s life.

• Diane Evertsen
• John Hammerand
• Donna Kurtz
• Nick Provenzano
• Carolyn Schofield
• Ersel Schuster
• Mike Walkup
• Paula Yensen

The second issue was prompted by villages not wanting electronic billboard near their municipalities.

A moratorium enacted at their request was about to expire and, according to one village’s representative, “the word on the street” was that lobbying to let the moratorium run out was heavy.

Appearing were those wishing to keep the ban on electronic billboards in unincorporated areas.

Algonquin Village President John Schmitt. He pointed out that the issue was so important to him that he was missing only is fifth meeting in twenty years of having served on his Board.

Catherine Peterson, Lakewood’s Village Manager, also weighed in asking for a continuance of the billboards’ prohibition through the summer months until the new zoning ordinance could be approved.

Also present was Lake in the Hills’ Community Development Director Dan Olson.

Despite the apprehension of village officials, the County Board approved the requested extension by voice vote. I heard no dissension.

A press release from Crystal Lake’s Bethany Lutheran Church:

Bethany Lutheran Church hosts free concert of inspiring music, Sunday Jan. 20 to mark 10th anniversary of Church’s custom-built pipe organ

Bethany Lutheran Church is hosting two rare and free events on Jan. 20th:

1. An inspiring organ recital at 4 pm. Performed by nationally acclaimed musician Craig Cramer
2. A mini-workshop before the concert, at 3 pm. led by Cramer and the organ’s original builder to discuss the wonders of Bethany’s organ (which has a national reputation for excellence)

World-renown musician Craig Cramer performs at 4 pm, following organ workshop for all ages at 3 pm led by Cramer and organ builder Halbert Gober

Bethany Lutheran Church http://www.BethanyLC.com, invites music lovers of all ages to a performance of inspiring, beautiful music, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at 4 pm. when the Bethany Arts Series presents a recital by esteemed Organ Professor Craig Cramer of the University of Notre Dame.

Cramer, who also serves at the University’s Artist in Residence, is a nationally acclaimed artist and Doctor of Musical Arts, with degrees from Westminster Choir College and Eastman School of Music, two of the world’s leading music schools.

At 3 pm. Sunday, music lovers of all ages are invited to a rare pre-concert workshop where Professor Cramer will be joined by the organ’s original builder, Halbert Gober, to discuss the wonders of the Bethany Lutheran Church organ. Gober curates more than 26 organs at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College, Ohio, one of the nation’s leading music colleges.

Professor Cramer returns 10 years after his first concert, when Bethany Lutheran celebrated the installation of the Agnes Carlson Memorial Pipe Organ. The Carlson family gift enabled the purchase of the pipe organ, which was dedicated in 2002.

“Our beautiful custom-built pipe organ is one of the best-kept secrets of McHenry County, and we want to share this treasure with music lovers throughout the entire Chicago area,” said Bethany Lutheran Pastor Carrie Smith.

“Our community respects our high-caliber of musical artistry that celebrates God’s gifts, and is an extension of worship,” Smith added.

Professor Cramer will perform music that showcases the superb quality of the church’s pipe organ in its musical splendor. The Bethany Arts Series endeavors to nurture and foster community outreach to the glory of God.

Over the years, the staff and parishioners of Bethany Lutheran have lovingly nicknamed the organ “Agnes” in honor of the late Agnes Carlson.

This beautiful organ has also received national acclaim, appearing on the cover of “Pipe Organs of Chicago, Vol. II.” In the words of organ expert David Schrader, who first performed on Bethany’s organ, “the sounds this organ can make under the hands of a good performer are remarkable.”

All performances of the Bethany Arts Series are free; a free-will offering will be collected.

Bethany Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and we are based in Crystal Lake, Illinois. We are a community of faith, committed to gathering people together for renewal and service. We serve others in the name of Christ, both locally and globally, and are known as the “Downtown Church with a World View!” For more information, please visit http://www.bethanlylc.com and LIKE us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BethanyLutheranCL.

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Oberlin College, by the way, has a liberal arts school, too.  I graduated from it in 1964.