Defenders 40

The McHenry County Defenders was formed forty years ago, the press release below reminds folks. I joined that first year. This past year it has been re-named the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. It was a spin-off of the Fox … Continue reading

Pat Quinn Cuts Seniors’ Circuit Breaker Property Tax Relief Program in Half

That’s what Pat Quinn’s Department of Aging put in the Circuit Breaker forms being mailed out to seniors and the disabled. That’s what I learned in Sunday’s article by Daniel T. Zanoza of Republicans For Fair Media. Here’s the announcement … Continue reading

A Letter to Alexandra from Great-Grandmother Addie Watling-Skinner

My niece Sarah, now in an artist’s residency in Priarietown, Massachusetts, sent me a letter she found from my grandmother Addie Watling-Skinner last month. Amazingly enough, the letter was addressed to my daughter Alexandra, 28 years old today. You can … Continue reading

Paula Yensen, Second Incumbent McHenry County Board Member, Files ALAW Conflict of Interest Form

First there was District 5’s Republican Virginia Peschke filling out the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest form. Now her District 2 colleague Democrat Paula Yensen has done so, too. Neither had to do so anymore than … Continue reading

8th District Watch – Former Joe Walsh Staffer Sues Candidate

“Been there, seen that” was my reaction when I read former campaign manager Kieth Liscio’s press release about suing his former employer, 8th District GOP candidate Joe Walsh. Back in 1982 when I unsuccessfully ran for Congress against incumbent U.S. … Continue reading

The Night the Lights Went Out While Jason Plummer Was Speaking

Last night at Crystal Lake’s 1776 restaurant will be a night that Jason Plummer, an aggressive Downstate candidate for lieutenant governor, will remember forever. How do I know? Because I’ve been on the same route he took twice, once in … Continue reading

Manzullo Calls for Open Hearings on Health Care Reform Reconciliation

When on house of a legislative body like Congress passes one version of a bill and the other passes a different version, a conference committee is set up. When W. Robert Blair was Illinois House Speaker from during my first … Continue reading

Ratcheting Up the Criticism in the Sheriff’s Race

McHenry County Sheriff candidate Zane Seipler is levying the same charge against his opponent Keith Nygren that Nygren’s candidate for State’s Attorney Dan Regna made against Lou Bianchi: Using his office for political gain Here are the details from the … Continue reading

Donna Kurtz Holds Fund Raiser

In one of the first county board fund raisers of the year, McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz gathered supporters at The Cottage at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Brink Street Thursday night. Kurtz is running to … Continue reading

The Teacher Sex/Physical Abuse Roll Call Nobody Every Used in a Political Campaign

Eight years after bringing too many boxes home my legislative office, I was doing some throwing away this past month. I found a roll call on an amendment I offered on June 7, 1994. It was my second year of … Continue reading

The McHenry County Board’s Gambling Debate – Part 2

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog published a little of the unfocused situation surrounding the county board’s debate on gambling, as well as the roll call showing who was up for election this time around. Today, I’m going to tell you what … Continue reading

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 7 – Running for County Auditor, Precinct Committeeman, Calling the Meeting that Led to McHenry County College

In 1963, my mother and I attended the Illinois Crime Commission’s summer hearings held in the old county board room at what is now Woodstock City Hall. It was twice the size of the current Woodstock City Council Chambers. Crime … Continue reading

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 4 – Sewer Grates, Miles River Yacht Club, Slot Machines, Chesapeake Bay Bridge

This is the fourth in a serialization of my father’s biography. Previous parts can be found below on McHenry County Blog. One of Dad’s inspirations for running for office involved an unresponsive city government. Plunk, plunk, plunk. I can hear … Continue reading

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 3 – First House, Elected President of the Easton, Maryland, Town Council

Previous parts of this biography can be found below on McHenry County Blog. The night I was born, June 11, 1942, my father and his Methodist minister friend Charles (Charlie) Jarvis, who baptized all three kids and, having moved to … Continue reading

Sun-Times Endorses Ken Arnold “Because Brains Should Matter;” Melissa Bean Also Endorsed

This past week 8th congressional district Congresswoman Melissa Bean got endorsed in her Democratic Party primary over peace candidate challenger Randi Scheurer. In the Republican Party primary, benefits consultant Ken Arnold got the nod over his two opponents, Steve Greenberg … Continue reading

Sun-Times Endorses Ken Arnold “Because Brains Should Matter;” Melissa Bean Also Endorsed

This past week 8th congressional district Congresswoman Melissa Bean got endorsed in her Democratic Party primary over peace candidate challenger Randi Scheurer. In the Republican Party primary, benefits consultant Ken Arnold got the nod over his two opponents, Steve Greenberg … Continue reading

Message of the Day – A Sign

Since I have an article about the McHenry County Treasurer’s office below, today is as good a one as any to post this sign. It’s a political sign that helped me (barely) win the 1966 Republican June primary election for … Continue reading