McHenry County Blog

It’s too bad that it takes so long to post photos.  I still haven’t finished the Marengo Settlers Day Parade from a couple of weeks ago.

When we stopped looking at what entries offered on that beautiful day in Marengo, the first of the county officials and candidates had passed.   The last entry we saw was the Harvard Milk Day Court.

The bowling ball runs toward the pin.

Before the county board members/candidates after Mary McCann came by, there was a fascinating demonstration that took me a bit of time to figure out.

The bowling ball hits the pin.

When I finally did, with the help of the sign on the side of a truck that said, “GloBowl Fun Center,” it turned out to be a y0uth pretending to be a bowling ball throwing himself against a larger person dressed up as a bowling pin and knocking him down.

The bowling ball knocks over the pin.

I found the physical humor fun to watch.  (You can guess I liked the Three Stooges, right?)

Martial arts schools must recruit at parades. Here we see Hidden Path Arts students demonstrating skills.

Obviously, I enjoy the simple pleasures.

The Red Hat Sassy Lassies tossed beads in Marengo.

The Red Hat Sassy Lassies were next.  They were riding on hay bales tossing beads to parade spectators.

McHenry County Board members Diane Evertsen and Ersel Schuster shared a pickup truck. The big umbrella strikes me as a really good idea.

And, then, there were two more McHenry County Board candidates–Diane Evertsen and Ersel Schuster.

Ersel Schuster was on my side of the street, while Diane Evertsen was on the other.

Both were riding in the back of a pickup truck.  I didn’t notice it at the time, but a web site called District 6 Online was being advertised.  It seems to be dedicated to an interface between the two County Board members and their constituents.

Diane Evertsen supporters wearing tee shirts walked behind the pickup.

Next came Crystal Lake High School Prairie Ridge High School band.

Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge High School Band turned the corner smartly.

I saw a man taking a video of the performance. Afterward I asked him why there were so many bands in Marengo. I learned that there was band contest at Marengo High School. That’s what drew the bands, which certainly made the parade quite enjoyable.

Sitting on hay bales just like the Red Hat Sassy Ladies were members of Marengo High Schools Future Farmers of America club.

The Future Farmers of America float was next.

The members of FFA were wearing tee shirts with this message: "Farming. It's tough.It's dirty. It's tiresome. Today's Hard Work, Tomorrow's Success

The next tractor-pulled hay wagon was sponsored by the Marengo Society for Historical Preservation’s float promoted its web site–MarengoHistory.org

The theme of the float of the Marengo Society for Historical Preservation was a celebration of the fall harvest.

Ronald McDonald came atop a big clown’s shoe after the Historical Society.

Clearly the most famous character waving at people was Ronald McDonald. But could he win election in McHenry County?

Next was the Marengo School of Dance.

Marengo School of Dance students paraded.

Just as martial arts academies, its students strutted their stuff.

The shade played havoc with some of my parade photos, this one about the Otis Sports Center included.

There was a hay wagon next promoting the Otis Sports Center.  I admit to being ignorant about it.

More tomorrow.

Micheal Stanard has a campaign card ready for next year’s District 6 McHenry County Board race.

You see it below:

He promises

• Less government intrusion
• Insisting on integrity
• Being open, honest & forthcoming
• Being well informed
• Independent critical thinking
• Insisting on frugal financial policies
• Having practical business experience
• Being creative and resourceful
• Respect for statesmanship
• Willingness to do work

Click to enlarge.

Standard offers background information, including that his family grew up in public housing in LaSalle, Illinois.  The Northern Illinois University graduate in Fine Arts follows:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Marketing / Advertising / Design

Following graduation from Northern Illinois
University in 1971, Michael became a member of
Container Corporation of America’s Design and
Market Research Laboratory. Subsequently
worked as design manager for the Alberto – Culver
Company, followed by executive design positions
with industry leading consulting firms in Chicago
and Lousiville, Kentucky.

Michael Stanard, Inc. was formed in 1978,
conducting business in Evanston, Illinois for 21
years before relocating to McHenry County in 1999
where the firm began doing business as One Zero
Charlie, Marketing, Advertising & Design.

Aviation

• Managing partner, Galt Airport 1999 – 2005.
• Marketing Communication / Public Relations council to Chicago Executive Airport

Concert & Event Promotion

Producer / promoter of The Woodstock Opera
House Tribute Series and the two-day 2009 40th
Anniversary Woodstock Tribute Festival, as well as
numerous large scale air shows and outdoor music
concerts, featuring national acts such as Iron
Butterfly, Canned Heat, Blue Oyster Cult, Rare
Earth and others.

Government / Community Involvement

• Served as President, Village of Greenwood, Illinois
• Chester Gould / Dick Tracy Museum / Board Member
• Served as President, Friends of the Opera House
• Advisory Board Member, Northern Illinois University College of Visual & Performing Arts
• Retired board member, Evanston Chamber of Commerce

DISTINCTIONS

• Designer of the world-famous Louisville Slugger trademark
• Society of Typographic Arts, Fellow
• Traveled extensively throughout Europe, South American and Japan
• Widely published in trade journals and reference books
• Juried numerous advertising award competitions through the country
• Created the McHenry County Convention & Visitors Bureau trademark & website
• Instrument rated, multi-engine pilot
• Producer / designer of Lionel Trains trademark renovation program
• Served as adjunct professor, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Designer of the new McHenry County Conservation trademark

Incumbent Randy Donley of Union has announced he is not running again.

No reason to believe the other three incumbents,

• Mary McCann
• Diane Evertsen
• Ersel Schuster

are not running for re-election, however.

In addition former Huntley School Board President Shawn Green has announced his intentions to run, as has Greenwood Township GOP Precinct Committeeman (yes, that’s the title in the State Statutes) Rachel Smith.  She has a Wonder Lake address.

Here’s what Republican County Board candidate Diane Evertsen mailed out just before the election.

It’s a yellow post card, almost goldenrod, it appears to me.

Arriving at the end of the campaign season, this post card was well timed.

Evertsen provides her web site address and says,

Commonsence, conservative solutions…

for a better future in McHenry County

Here’s the message side:

Black and yellow, the colors I liked to use on literature and campaign signs.

If it’s important to you

• Smaller government
• Lower taxes
• Preservation of our agricultural land and open spaces
• Protecting our water resources
• Real representation of the voters

It’s important to me!

Evertsen has been campaigning hard. Besides having knocked on about 6,000 doors as of early October, Evertsen has held meet and greets at local restaurants, even one bowling alley.

A rob-call was made on behalf of Democrat Dennis Palys criticizing her activities with the Midwest Minutemen, which she notes is a free standing organization.

The calls came from: 815-788-9540 with the name M. Bisset. Michael Bisset is the Chairman of the McHenry County Democratic Party.

Here’s what was said:

“What is County Board candidate Diane Evertsen hiding from you now. Has she told you she’s married to a Township Supervisor? Are you concerned about politicians double dipping in the public coffers? Diane calls for smaller government as long as it’s all in the family. How can she objectively represent you? What else is Diane hiding from you? Has she told you about her presidency in a radical vigilante group? Check her out, make an informed decision. There are better choices for the County Board. Paid for by citizens for Dennis Palys.”

What wasn’t said is that Palys’ daughter Jessica is an “Organizer at The Center for Faith & Community Health Transformation,” according to this web page. She has also be an

• Organizer at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• Federal Issues Organizer at Citizen Action/Illinois
• Faith Community Organizer at Campaign for Better Health Care

Placard that some immigrant rights' advocates carried to the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock.

While working as an Organizer for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights from February 2010 — June 2010 (5 months), she

• Mobilized the NW Suburbs to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2010
• Added 9 buses to our Washington Trip, created the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition
• Organized a suburban May Day March and
• Organized a 54-mile Pilgrimage from Chicago to the McHenry County Jail

The marchers crossed North Shore Drive on Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

The younger Palys also was a scheduler for Melissa Bean in 2004 and helped recruit candidates for the radical pro-abortion Personal PAC in 2007.  Palys father is endorsed by Personal PAC for the county board.

The start of the daughter’s employment career is described like this on the web page:

In-District Staff

State Rep Jack Franks

(Government Agency; 1-10 employees; Political Organization industry)

September 1999 — November 2002 (3 years 3 months)

I have to admit that I didn’t know legislative staffers were in the “political organization industry.  If I had to characterize my legislative assistants’ work, I would say they were in the “helping people” line of work.

In response to an email request about Evertsen’s involvement with Minutemen Midwest (this request was initiated by the Carlos Acosta letter to the editor two weeks ago in the NWH), Evertsen wrote the response below:

Diane Evertsen

I know your standard answer as to why do candidates use border line slander during campaigns is that ‘it works.’

We will not slander other candidates but we do request you publish this on your blog.

We will not participate in the Chicago style politics that it appears the McHenry County Democrats want to bring into McHenry County.

Your prior post on your blog about Franks’ operatives wasting the time of John O’Neill is another classic example of Chicago style politics.

Diane can always be reached at 815-943-3298 if anyone needs further clarification.

Other than that we will let the voters decide who can best SERVE the voters in District 6 on the McHenry County Board.

I am, and have been for the past several years, the President of Minutemen Midwest. Unfortunately, there are those who write Letters to the Editor who are either misinformed or prefer to bastardize the truth for their own purposes.

What letter writers have failed to acknowledge is that there is, in fact, a huge diference between “immigrants” and “illegal aliens”.

Immigrants who have come to our country legally by respecting our processes and abiding by the laws are certainly welcome to be here and assimilate into our culture, becoming Americans.

Those who wish to sneak across our borders or remain as Visa overstays in violation of our immigration laws should be removed back to their country of origin.

The purpose of the organization is to educate the public on immigration issues regarding our borders and ports of entry in order to retain American sovereity, and to keep the election process of our country secure from fraud.

You may also wish to know that Minutemen Midwest is a free-standing organization and not a ‘franchise’ or ‘affiliate’ of any other Minuteman organization.

From the Personal PAC endorsement, we can conclude that Dennis Palys and Diane Evertsen are on opposite sides of the abortion issue.

From the robo-call and Evertsen’s involvement in the immigration issue, we can assume they differ on that issue as well.

Considering the Palys daughter’s extended employment with State Rep. Jack Franks and Franks attempt (successful to some extent) to take over some rural township governments, my guess is that the father’s campaign is Franks’ attempt to get a voice on the McHenry County Board.

Incumbent Republican Mary McCann is Evertsen’s running mate.

Heavy hitters were out in support of McHenry County Board member jim Kennedy (second from right). From left to right are former Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Ouimet, current party Chairman Mike Bisset. To his left is former District 3 County Board candidate Mary Margaret Maule.

Today, after the rain stopped, I found four Democrats walking a precinct in Lake in the Hills.

With the Huntley water tower in the background, McHenry County Board member Jim Kennedy gains "a plus" by ringing this woman's door bell.

One of them was McHenry County Board member Jim Kennedy, who is up for re-election in District 5. He is running against fellow incumbent Tina Hill and John Jung, who was defeated by Paula Yensen two years ago, as well as Green candidate Frank Wedig.

The four were passing out literature for Congressional candidate George Gaulrapp and Lisa Madigan as well. At least that was the literature in the plastic bag I was given.

On both sides of Kennedy’s literature, the words “An Independent Voice” is prominent.

Here’s the text:

An Independent Voice

for McHenry County Board

Common sense and respect for working families will ensure government serves everyone fairly.

I make decision based on what’s right, not what’s popular or politically safe.

• I continue to support transparency in local government.  The public deserves to know how we make decisions.
• I have fought against county budget increases, and will continue to vote against tax hikes.
• I will work to give businesses in McHenry County a fair chance to win county contracts.
• I support the comprehensive 2030 land use plan.

The format is similar to that of Lori McConville’s. I invite you to compare the content.

Here’s the side where the address will be found when it is delivered to people’s mailboxes in the next nine days:

Click to enlarge.

You see the posed shot of the four campaigners at the top of the story. Do you like it better than the informal one below?

From left to right are Jim Kennedy, Mike Bisset, Mary Margaret Maule and Patrick Ouimet.

Two previously unopposed pairs of Republican Party McHenry County Board candidates now have Democratic Party challengers for the fall.

Ken Koehler

Donna Kurtz

In District 2, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz emerged from a heated February 2nd primary. No Democrats filed for office prior to the primary.

Now Mark Booras, 1637 Penny Lane in Crystal Lake, has filed petitions in the Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills district after being slated by the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee. Both Koehler and Kurtz live in Crystal Lake, as well.

Diane Evertsen

Mary McCann

In the county’s most rural district, Dennis Palys has gathered enough signatures to make it on the ballot to challenge GOP primary winners Mary McCann and Diane Evertsen. He lves at 2803 E. Lake Shore Drive in Wonder Lake. McCann lives west of Woodstock and Evertsen lives northwest of Woodstock.

in 2008, two new Democrats were elected to the McHenry County Board.  Paula Yensen of Lake in the Hills and Cathy Bergan Schmidt of Crystal Lake.  Both beat men.

Based on more than forty years of watching politics in the area, it is my belief that woman have about a five percentage point advantage over male opponents at the polls.

In what is looking like a Republican year that does not bode well for the two men who have just decided to joust.  Only one candidate of the four Republicans being attacked is male, County Board Chairman Koehler.

Barring some very well publicized scandal, I don’t look for the Democrats to pick up seats this year.

On the west side of Wonder Lake in Greenwood Township is Highland Shores, where my in-laws live.

My mother-in-law is quite good at saving politic messages for me.

I hadn’t been up in a while, so my reporting on this hand out by McHenry County Democrats is a bit late.

It arrived on my in-laws’ door knob a couple of week ago.

It features 8 ½ by 6 inches pieces for McHenry County State’s Attorney candidate Tom Cynor and McHenry County Auditor candidate Kerry Julian, plus the same size piece from the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee. The latter has web sites for all the candidates who have them.

There is also a smaller card for McHenry County board candidate Robert Ludwig. I believe he is the one who didn’t have a sense of humor about my pointing out that the Emerald Ash Borer leaves a “D”-shaped hole in trees it is attacking.

This is the second time that Democrats have been out working in County Board District 6. In late June, they worked the Sun City portion in Huntley.

I guess they don’t believe that their county board candidates’ having gotten fewer primary election votes that the victorious Democratic Party candidates means they’re not going to win in November.

I wonder if any Republicans in District 6 are going door-to-door.

If you receive a little baggy from McHenry County Democrats, please drop me an email.

On the west side of Wonder Lake in Greenwood Township is Highland Shores, where my in-laws live.

My mother-in-law is quite good at saving politic messages for me.

I hadn’t been up in a while, so my reporting on this hand out by McHenry County Democrats is a bit late.

It arrived on my in-laws’ door knob a couple of week ago.

It features 8 ½ by 6 inches pieces for McHenry County State’s Attorney candidate Tom Cynor and McHenry County Auditor candidate Kerry Julian, plus the same size piece from the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee. The latter has web sites for all the candidates who have them.

There is also a smaller card for McHenry County board candidate Robert Ludwig. I believe he is the one who didn’t have a sense of humor about my pointing out that the Emerald Ash Borer leaves a “D”-shaped hole in trees it is attacking.

This is the second time that Democrats have been out working in County Board District 6. In late June, they worked the Sun City portion in Huntley.

I guess they don’t believe that their county board candidates’ having gotten fewer primary election votes that the victorious Democratic Party candidates means they’re not going to win in November.

I wonder if any Republicans in District 6 are going door-to-door.

If you receive a little baggy from McHenry County Democrats, please drop me an email.

The McHenry County Democratic Party held a local primary election and people actually came.

Live votes (as opposed to absentee and early votes) in the precincts totaled 7,468 for the three Democratic Party candidates.

Republicans, on the other hand, cast 9,472 votes or almost 56% of those cast in the county board primary elections.

So, it could be concluded that Republican strength in this part of McHenry County is much stronger than it is countywide, where the Democrats captured 51.5% of the ballots cast for president.

Winners in the Democratic Party primary election were Bob Ludwig and Darryl Frank, in that order.

Andrew Georgi came in third, 708 live votes behind Frank.

= = = = =
As luck would have it, I got pictures of Bob Ludwig and Andrew Georgi at the January 16th McHenry County Democratic Central Committee meeting. Unfortunately, the third candidate, Darryl Frank, was not there. The picture is of Bob Ludwig.

First, a disclaimer.

When I did an election night story on the Huntley School Board elections, I did not realize that absentee and early voting had not been included in the results when I wrote.

That oversight led me to report that Aileen Seedorf and Linda Moore had won seats on the District 158 board.

It turns out that those unknown votes knocked Moore down to first runner-up, slightly behind defeated Board President Mike Skala.

It certainly looks as if first place winner Randy Donley has secured a Republican spot on the ballot in District 6, the most rural one in McHenry County. He’s way ahead.

And it looks as if Ersel Schuster, who now serves as Seneca Township Supervisor, will have one, too, because she is in second place, 307 votes ahead of Woodstock’s John Jones.

If the live voting results hold up, Schuster will be poised to return to the McHenry County Board seat she has held two non-consecutive terms before.

You can bet the Establishment Republicans will not be looking forward to that return.

Schuster can be counted on to ask tough questions.

And, guess what?

Linda Moore played a role in Schuster’s victory.

She ran unopposed for Republican precinct committeeman in the newly carved out Sun City precinct and, apparently, worked most of Del Webb for Schuster.

The McHenry County Democratic Party held a local primary election and people actually came.

Live votes (as opposed to absentee and early votes) in the precincts totaled 7,468 for the three Democratic Party candidates.

Republicans, on the other hand, cast 9,472 votes or almost 56% of those cast in the county board primary elections.

So, it could be concluded that Republican strength in this part of McHenry County is much stronger than it is countywide, where the Democrats captured 51.5% of the ballots cast for president.

Winners in the Democratic Party primary election were Bob Ludwig and Darryl Frank, in that order.

Andrew Georgi came in third, 708 live votes behind Frank.

= = = = =
As luck would have it, I got pictures of Bob Ludwig and Andrew Georgi at the January 16th McHenry County Democratic Central Committee meeting. Unfortunately, the third candidate, Darryl Frank, was not there. The picture is of Bob Ludwig.