Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 10 – Unsuccessful County Clerk Try, County Airport Fight, Wife’s Death

When Vernon Kays retired from being County Clerk, Dad ran for the office against Vernon’s Chief Deputy Rosemary Azzaro. Rosemary won, even winning at least one Crystal Lake Coventry precinct in which she knocked on doors. Dad didn’t do any … Continue reading

Biography of Cal L Skinner – Part 9 – Responsible Republicans’ Slate, County Board Reapportionment

Prior to the 1972 elections, the United States Supreme Court ruled that legislative bodies like the McHenry County Board and city councils had to be apportioned on a one-man, one-vote basis. The county board divided the county into three districts, … 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 5 – Switching Parties, Moving to Salt Lake City, Middletown and Crystal Lake

Earlier segments of this biography of my father can be found below on McHenry County Blog. In 1952, my youngest sister Ellen was born. That was also the year Dad switched his registration from the Democratic Party to the Republican … 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

Biography of Calvin L. Skinner – Part 2 – College, Marriage, First Jobs

The first part of my father’s multi-part biography ran yesterday. Today, Father’s Day, we’ll Dad graduated debt free from college in three and a half years. Somehow I have gotten the impression that he was something of a lady’s man. … Continue reading

Biography of Calvin L Skinner – Part 1 – Second Son, School Years

Father’s Day is tomorrow and it seems appropriate to jot down some thoughts about my Dad. The story got out of hand, so I’ll cut it up and run some each day until I reach the end. Calvin LeRoy Skinner … Continue reading

A Daughter’s Birthday Memories of her Dad, Calvin L. Skinner (Sr.)

I got a request for a biography of my father and worked on it well into two nights. It isn’t finished yet, but my younger sister Jan, a special ed teacher near Baltimore, has come up with some memories that … Continue reading

Calculating One’s Cost-Benefit Ratio on the Doomsday Budget

When Rod Blagojevich and the Democrats took total control of state government, Blagojevich claimed the deficit was $5 billion. That was after the election. I figured that was over a two-year period. He raised all kinds of fees, virtually asking … Continue reading

Message of the Day – A License Plate

One of the things I accomplished while separated from the internet was scheduling our vacation. This year, with my son being the age I was when we moved to Salt Lake City from Easton, Maryland, I thought it might be … Continue reading

Former Northwest Herald Reporter Crosses Over…

“To the Dark Side,” I’m sure many reporters would suggest, but going into politics is an honored career path for British reporters. I figure going from being a reporter to public relations qualifies as much as going to “the Dark … Continue reading

Campaigning for Assessor 31 Years Ago

I happened across the following letter to the Crystal Lake Herald that was published February 9, 1977, prior to the Algonquin Township primary election that pitted appointed incumbent Ed Traub against Forrest Hare’s former top assistant Bob Kunz. I thought … Continue reading

Campaigning for Assessor 31 Years Ago

I happened across the following letter to the Crystal Lake Herald that was published February 9, 1977, prior to the Algonquin Township primary election that pitted appointed incumbent Ed Traub against Forrest Hare’s former top assistant Bob Kunz. I thought … Continue reading

Home Schoolers Bat Fifty-Fifty

Richmond-Burton High School says home schoolers can participate in athletics and clubs, according to a Northwest Herald article by Kathy Gresey. But, Carpentersville School District 300, which has a home school Dad on its board, turned thumbs down on the … Continue reading

Home Schoolers Bat Fifty-Fifty

Richmond-Burton High School says home schoolers can participate in athletics and clubs, according to a Northwest Herald article by Kathy Gresey. But, Carpentersville School District 300, which has a home school Dad on its board, turned thumbs down on the … Continue reading