When former Sheriff Keith Nygren refused to release his report exonerating his Undersheriff Andy Zinke in his dealings with an executive of Rita Corporation, First Electric Newspaper Publisher Pete Gonigam took him to court. Gonigam had an Illinois Attorney General’s … Continue reading
Where was the Chicago Sun-Times in the 1970’s when I introduced a bill to require that all not-for-profit corporations which obtained a majority of its funding from government be subject to the Freedom of Information Act? The bill garnered a … Continue reading
As I pointed out earlier, First Electric Newspaper’s Pete Gonigam’s article of Judge Thomas Meyer’s ruling in his Freedom of Information Suit against Keith Nygren’s Sheriff’s Office is a must read. Gonigam is in line for a $5,000 check from … Continue reading
The First Electric Newspaper’s Editor, Pete Gonigam, got half a loaf in response to this Freedom of Information request and suit yesterday. Gonigam sought a report prepared by Donald Leist about an “investigation clearing former Undersheriff Andy Zinke of violating … Continue reading
From State Senator Pam Althoff: In response to recent e-mails and phone calls I have received regarding my yes vote on House Bill 3796, I would like to explain why this legislation, will in fact, increase access to public records … Continue reading
When the neighbor across the way from the castle in Fox River Grove got irritated by people parking on the street, she turned to a neighbor from Boone County’s Candlewick Lake subdivision for help. The neighbor jotted down the license … Continue reading
McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer conducted an audit of the grant to the Nunda Township Road Commissioner for Senior Bus Service. Since County government was responsible for awarding the money, it seems appropriate that the Auditor should see if it … Continue reading
Over the years there have been reports of private cars having their oil changed and being repaired by McHenry County Sheriff’s Department personnel with the use of taxpayer-funded supplies. The name of a member of the County Board even came … Continue reading
There have been reports that vehicle appearing not to be owned by McHenry County have been filling their tanks at the Sheriff’s Department filling station. I decided to ask if there were any policy concerning fill-ups: “Under the FOIA, I … Continue reading
That was my takeaway from the hearing in Judge Thomas Meyer’s courtroom today. To put it in terms contained in the law book and an Illinois Supreme Court ruling, the lawyer for the Sheriff’s Department is the State’s Attorney. The … Continue reading
Judge Thomas Meyer ruled Friday morning that McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and his legal affairs officer Don Leist will have an appointed attorney to represent them in The First Electric Newspaper‘s suit to make public an over 100-page investigatory … Continue reading
As you might imagine, when I learned that McHenry County College software vendor Ellucian had sent Social Security numbers and other personal information to three junior colleges which MCC refused to identify (but you can discover here), I thought you … Continue reading
A while ago, I filed a Freedom of Information request with McHenry County College with regard to the security breach by software vendor Ellucian. Among other things, I asked for documents that would tell how many student and employee records … Continue reading
Ten days ago, I filed a Freedom of Information request with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department asking the following question: “Under the FOIA I request all documents that authorize Andy Zinke to use his official email for campaign purposes.” The … Continue reading
First Electric Newspaper Editor Pete Gonigam filed a Freedom of Information request with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department seeking documents about the investigation of Undersheriff Andy Zinke’s telling someone whose firm was getting a delivery which was apparently subject of … Continue reading
Our family went to Galena mid-week and, besides seeing skiers on Spring Break for the first time at Chestnut Ridge, I found a press release from the Public Access Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. It was in The … Continue reading
The Village of Johnsburg posted a press release attacking Mary Haney and her husband for the cost of replying to Freedom of Information requests. It showed up a day after Haney, running for Village President against incumbent Ed Hettermann, delivered … Continue reading
For about a month I have been trying to obtain two years of legal expenses in a user-friend format for the McHenry County Mental Health Board (often called the “708 Board” because of the number of its authorization section in … Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago on January 24th, I asked for the last two year’s legal expenses for the 708 Mental Health Board. I asked that this information be provided by email, specifically writing, “Thanks for fulfilling this request via … Continue reading
This past spring I asked various municipalities to provide emailed lists of their employees who made over $75,000 in salary and fringe benefits. Many complied with the names and compensation information. The City of Crystal Lake sent the information, but … Continue reading
