Honoring Dick Locher

The Sunday before, the Tribune syndicated Dick Tracy comic strip’s current creators Joe Staton and Mike Curtis honored Dick Locher for his time as chief cartoonist. Locher has retired and been honored with a statue of Dick Tracy in his … Continue reading

Lakewood Considering Referendum to Allow Bulk Purchase of Electricty

Lakewood Village President Erin Smith sent out the following letter to her constituents in the fall village newsletter. FROM THE PRESIDENT As we bid a fond farewell to summer, it’s appropriate to review what was accomplished during the past three … Continue reading

Roland Burris Remembers McHenry County

While his senior colleague United States Senate Dick Durbin ignored McHenry County in his requests for appropriations’ earmarks, Roland Burris did not. Here’s what Burris requested: $500,000 for McHenry County, Illinois Drinking Water Quality Initiative McHenry County, Illinois McHenry County … Continue reading

Mike Tryon Announces Member Initiatives

Congressmen call it “earmarks.” Illinois legislators call it “member initiatives.” If it’s in someone else’s part of the country or state, people commonly call it “pork.” Whatever you call it, here is what Crystal Lake State Rep. Mike Tryon got … Continue reading

Congressional Pork – Melissa Bean and Don Manzullo; $300,000 for Turning Point

sshjIt doesn’t seem that long ago that I was writing about Washington Pork. In fact, it was last March. Let’s look at what the two congressional representatives from McHenry County are requesting in the Commerce, Justice and Science budget. (Hat … Continue reading

Melissa Bean Earmark Requests

It’s long, but I thought you might be interested in what 8th District Democrat is asking be included in next year’s congressional budget. I have included the whole district so that you can get an idea of how McHenry County … Continue reading

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 4

Again thanks to Taxpayers for Common Sense, McHenry County Blog can give you an idea what pork in this year’s congressional budget looks like. We continue in alphabetical order. Today we are reaching the middle of the alphabetical. We cover … Continue reading

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 3

Taxpayers for Common Sense made it relatively painless to find the projects that Illinois congressmen claimed credit for in this year’s budget. We have looked at Melissa Bean’s, Jerry Costello’s, Danny Davis’ and Dick Durbin’s previously. Today we see ex-Chicago … Continue reading

Dick Durbin’s Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 2

Here’s the bacon that United States Senator Dick Durbin brought him in this year’s budget from the Health and Human Services and Labor budgets. I found it with the help of Citizens for Common Sense, which, amazingly enough, has an … Continue reading

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 1

And the pork barrels keep rolling out of Congress. Today, we look at the money tucked away in the Health and Human Services and Labor Department Budget. The date has not been provided by Congress itself in a format which … Continue reading

The Illinois Congressional Pork Report

Taxpayers for Common Sense have totaled up the congressional earmarks in the budget bill being voted on this week. I was reminded of that when I read an editorial cartoon sent to me by my Joplin, Missouri, brother-in-law. It was … Continue reading

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 3

In our look at pork found in the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development part of this year’s budget, we have gotten through the letter “D” in the Illinois congressional delegation. The congress critters don’t make it easy. There is … Continue reading

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 2 – Dick Durbin’s

Today we look at money that our second ranking United States Senator Dick Durbin earmarked in this year’s budget. Citizens for Common Sense posted copies of the original documents. The ones for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development can be … Continue reading

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 1

There are pages and pages of Illinois congressional earmarks in this year’s Transportation and Housing and Urban Development budgets. These were found because Taxpayers for Common Sense scanned the pork pages and posted them on its web site. Unfortunately, it … Continue reading

Illinois Earmarks for Interior, Environment Bills

Pork in the Forestry Service and pork in the EPA is found in today’s report. Most is contained in the Environmental Protection Agency part of the budget. Again, McHenry County gets nothing, but 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo inserts $500,000 … Continue reading

Pork Where You Might Expect It – in the Agriculture Budget

Below are the Illinois congressional earmarks in the Department of Agriculture budget. Again, one of the major sponsors, Peoria’s Ray LaHood is no longer in Congress. Ag $188,000 Durbin – Natural Resources Conservation Service, Illinois River Water Conservation, Illinois Department … Continue reading