McHenry County Blog

McHenry County Blog is the only local source reporting on the number of illegal aliens being picked up in McHenry County.

In November, the number of such undocumented aliens with criminal backgrounds was 32, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

This is part of the Homeland Security Department’s Secure Communities program.

McHenry County Blog continues to be the only local publication that thinks the Department of Homeland Security’s Secure Communities program is worth watching.

This month, the program Sheriff Keith Nygren joined in April, saw 38 illegal aliens with criminal records detained.

That’s lower than any other month since the program began.

Previous articles:

• Nygren to Join Sheriffs Arresting Illegals
• McHenry County Sheriff’s Department Identifies and Detains 116 Illegal Aliens April thru June
• Nygren Locks Up 42 Criminal Illegals in July
• 41 More Illegal Aliens with Criminal Backgrounds Picked Up in McHenry County

Considering people in most counties voted Republican, I guess it’s not much of a surprise that the National Sheriffs’ Association passed a resolution in favor of ridding their jurisdictions of illegal aliens who are criminals.

The end of June, at which time McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren was about to complete his department’s third month in the program, the following resolution in favor of the ICE Secure Communities program, was passed in San Diego.

During April, May and June, Nygren process 116 criminal illegal aliens through the McHenry County Jail.

NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE) CRIMINAL ALIEN ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS

WHEREAS, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has implemented Secure Communities and 287(g) Delegation of Authority among the portfolio of enforcement programs to accurately and efficiently identify and remove criminal aliens from the United States;

WHEREAS, sheriffs generally serve as chief law enforcement officers sworn to uphold public safety with integrity and protect its communities, resulting in the support of prioritizing high risk criminal alien enforcement;

WHEREAS, Secure Communities, through improved technology, continual data analysis, and timely information sharing with a broad range of law enforcement agency partners, helps protect communities across the country at no cost to the sheriff’s office;

WHEREAS, Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 287(g), authorizes state and local law enforcement agencies (LEA) to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement in their jurisdictions through technical equipment and personnel, comprehensive federal immigration law training, and on-the-job technical instruction, under ICE supervision;

WHEREAS, Secure Communities and 287(g) programs complement each other by utilizing biometric and biographic data to detect criminal aliens to ensure both an ICE officer presence and technological advances are used in tandem, supplementing each other;

WHEREAS, both programs are considered force multipliers toward a common law enforcement goal of identifying, detaining, and removing high-risk criminals for the safety of communities across the country;

WHEREAS, while these programs promote and enhance information sharing among federal, state and local law enforcement to quickly and accurately identify criminal aliens, ICE retains the responsibility of enforcing U.S. immigration laws and taking appropriate action;

WHEREAS, both Secure Communities and 287(g) promote consistency ensuring that state and local law enforcement partners have access to pertinent DHS records that are critical to the safety of, and enforcement of laws that protect the citizens we are sworn to serve; National Sheriffs’ Association 2010 Resolutions

WHEREAS, both Secure Communities and 287(g) programs are committed to upholding civil rights and civil liberties and have safeguards in place to protect against racial or ethnic profiling;

NOW, BE IT RESOLVED, the National Sheriffs’ Association supports ICE’s programs to effectively and accurately identify and remove criminal aliens from the U.S.;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Sheriffs’ Association reaffirms its support for ICE’s collaboration with federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement to help protect our communities and nation.

Adopted at a Meeting of the General Membership in Anaheim, CA on June 29, 2010.

I have such mixed emotions on this issue.

On the one hand, I have seen the hope in the eyes of a late 20-something mother leading her children with husband bringing up the rear to a meeting in the First Methodist Church of Crystal Lake which I am sure she thought was about learning how to become an American citizen.

I have heard from McHenry County’s chief jailer how Chinese women buy their way to O’Hare Airport, where they and men who have arrived with the help of Chinese gangs, get taken into custody and bused to ICE detention floor of the McHenry County Jail.

I don’t know how the Chinese women get out our jail, but he told me when they do they basically become sex slaves to pay off their debts, while the men work in Chinese restaurants. (You may remember the Chinese connection to the massage parlor arrests in Crystal Lake and Hampshire, which may or may not be of any relevance.)

On the other hand, I have heard the anger in the voices of children whose parents and grandparents had to enter the country through Ellis Island.

Talk about intensity!

When we visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island this summer, I was amazed at the variety of languages. Maybe 50% were not speaking English.

The draw of freedom and opportunity in the United States clearly is alive, even vibrant.

We took a tour of the main building on Ellis Island. The big room on the second floor of the building where people who passed the “six second medical exam” coming up the steps was empty.

No wire cages where prospective residents waited to be called to the front of the room to stand before “inspectors” who would decide whether they could proceed with the immigration process or be sent back to their ship for deportation.

I tried to put myself in the place of those in later years who sat on benches (the cages having been removed at the repeated requests of reformers) for their names to be called.

How afraid of rejection people must have been.

But nothing above has brought me to this article.

It’s political consultants replying to questions from the National Journal about the impact of the Obama Administration’s court suit in Arizona.

Here’s the question:

On balance, do you think the Justice Department’s legal challenge to Arizona’s immigration law helps or hurts your party in the midterm elections?

103 Democratic Party consultants split

Helps 42%
Hurts 49%

Republicans?

Helps 94%
Hurts 4%

The comments (no identities attached) were interesting.

A Democrat who thinks it will help says,

• “Will further cement Latinos to the Democratic Party — those opposed would most likely not vote Democratic anyhow.”

A couple who side with the majority of Democratic Party consultants comment,

• “Good long term for Obama in 2012; horrible for those running in 2010.”
• “The Democrats need to spend August talking about the economy and jobs; instead, now we have a month of talking about immigration.”

Republican comments:

• “The DOJ lawsuit helps Republicans in the midterms, but it no doubt is hurtful long term. The longer Republicans stand behind a plan of ‘border security first,’ the further we move away from Hispanics.”
• “The problem is what it means in the future. If Hispanics lock in for Democrats in the same percentages as African-Americans have done, Republicans could become the Whigs at the national level in the next decade.”
• “Lawyers, from D.C., suing voters, on behalf of illegal immigrants — you can’t write this stuff [any better].”
• “What Democrat in their right mind wants to debate illegal immigration in the last 90 days before November?”

Here’s who answered the National Journal’s questions:

National Journal Insiders

Democratic Political Insiders

Jill Alper, John Anzalone, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Matt Bennett, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bosh, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Deb Callahan, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Guy Cecil, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Larry Cohen, Jerry Crawford, Stephanie Cutter, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Howard Dean, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Pat Dujakovich, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Eric Eve, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Don Fowler, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Lisa Kountoupes, Kam Kuwata, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bill Lynch, Bob Maloney, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Terry McAuliffe, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O’Donnell, Scott Parven, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Jack Quinn, Larry Rasky, Bruce Reed, Mame Reiley, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, John Ryan, Michael Sargeant, Wendy Sherman, Terry Shumaker, Sean Sinclair, Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Greg Speed, Darry Sragow, Ken Strasma, Sarah Swisher, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Rick Wiener, Bridgette Williams, James Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, Jon Youngdahl, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders

Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Al Cardenas, Danny Carroll, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Rob Collins, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Charlie Crist, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Tom Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Steve Duprey, Debi Durham, Sara Fagen, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Mindy Finn, Mindy Fletcher, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, David Girard-diCarlo, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Barry Jackson, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bruce Keough, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris Lacivita, Jim Lake, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Connie Partoyan, Dana Perino, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Tom Reynolds, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Lezlee Westine, Tom Wilson, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, and Fred Wszolek.

Local thoughts tomorrow.

The Daily Herald was stiffed by Sheriff Keith Nygren when he revealed his intention to re-start his Mexican Sister City program exclusively in the Northwest Herald on Sunday.

Comments under the article were not what a neutral observer would consider favorable.

Not with the chaos caused by the Mexican drug gangs, which is forcing honest businessmen and their families to flee the county seeking political asylum.

Now Daily Herald courthouse reporter Chuck Keeshan has written an article combining the incumbent’s announcement and his Democratic and Green Party opponents’ reactions. Democrat Mike Mahon, you may remember, sent out a press release giving Keeshan the hook he needed.

As you might imagine, it is more balanced than the Northwest Herald’s main story on Sunday.

And, it starts with the obvious problem with going to Mexico, the one that cause the suspension of the program two years ago:

“As drug-related violence soared to unprecedented levels…”

Of course, the violence is much, much worse now.

The comments under the Daily Herald article are comparable to those in the NW Herald. One bitingly suggests Sheriff Nygren take his officers to Elgin.

The article notes that taxpayers have not paid for transportation and expenses for deputies who have gone to Zacatecas for up to 30 days.

Mahon pointed out that taxpayers do pick up the tab for salaries.

And, stating the obvious, Mahon says,

“I believe there is a political angle. He’s going after the Mexican vote on this.”

Nygren’s response:

“Absolutely not. It has nothing to do with currying favor with anyone.”

Green Party candidate Gus Philpott had this reaction:

“This is the wrong time to re-kindle this program.

“There is little to be learned in Mexico about its culture that cannot be learned right here in McHenry County.

“Effective, efficient training can be conducted right here in McHenry County. Deputies and corrections officers should learn Spanish, as should many civilians. Being mono-lingual in the U.S. is insanity personified. All drivers in the U.S. need to learn and obey U.S. driving laws.

“Nygren is a cop; he should not be dealing with the governor of a state of a foreign country.”

Previously I have written of this.

In neither the Northwest nor the Daily Herald article is any mention that Nygren has joined the Homeland Security Department’s Secure Communities program.  He joined in April.  In the first three months, the Sheriff’s Department detained 116 illegal aliens who fit the Secure Communities’ profile “to identify and remove criminal aliens from the United States.”

The Northwest Herald continued its love affair (“Nygren re-election propaganda” is the way one article commenter describes NW Herald coverage) with McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren Monday by featuring his regeneration of the sister cities program with Mexico’s Zacatecas.

That’s just as the FBI is featuring

“Corruption, Drugs, Gangs, and More”

The NW Herald article says exchange trips have been canceled for the last two years because of “potential violence.”

It also quotes businessman Jose Rivera.

Wasn’t there a recent NW Herald article about him that was not referenced in the Nygren piece?

Not mentioned in the article is how Nygren has joined the Secure Communities program of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program.  Under it he agrees to detain illegals who are criminals.

Since this is a reversal of previous policy, I’d think the two local Heralds might consider it news.

And I wonder why this State Department “Travel Warning” didn’t make the story.

Just noticed that Dave Bachmann, who has considerably more experience in Mexico than Sheriff Nygren, strongly advises parents not to allow any children who are band members to accompany Nygren on his Sister Cities trip.

One final thought.

Remember the movie, “Wag, the Dog”?

It was about a president who started a foreign war to improve his popularity.

Why would anyone want to put a structure taller than the Sears Tower in Crystal Lake?

One that could broadcast TV and FM radio when most people probably receive their television signals over a cable.

And pay $1.67 million an acre when McHenry County College just paid $67,000 an acre.

That’s almost 25 times market value.

How will BMB Communications Management make money from making it possible for people in fringe areas like McHenry County, where Chicago and Rockford TV and FM signals die out, to get a decent signal?

Don’t most of us use cable to get TV shows?

Maybe cell phone companies will use the tower to avoid local zoning fights like the one in Ken Bird Park. Not many lines of sight where a 1,500 foot tower couldn’t reach.

You will have to admit that an obvious answer as to why a Crystal Lake site was selected does not occur.

When I read that people could see fifty miles from the observation deck of the Sears Tower, the little wheels in my brain started whirring.

Crystal Lake is fifty miles from Chicago.

If signals can reach Crystal Lake from a broadcast tower that is lower than the one proposed on McHenry County College property, they can certainly reach Chicago from here.

And Milwaukee.

And Rockford.

And probably Madison.

Remember after 9-11 when the just-north-of-Madison, Fort Douglas Wisconsin National Guard unit (the 128th Air Control Squadron) set up a mobile air control system in Union?

Perhaps it was backing up perhaps the Elgin FAA facility.

Why not a more permanent back-up for the TV and FM radio stations broadcasting within range of a 1,500 foot tall tower?

If terrorists manage to take out broadcast towers in Chicago or Milwaukee, couldn’t a Crystal Lake tower replace them?

So, the next question is whether federal money is somehow being funneled into this project from the Department of Homeland Security.

If so, it might help explain the enormous price offered for the MCC property.

And, it might help sell the project.

= = = = = =
Since I don’t have any idea what the 1,500-foot radio tower will look like, thanks to Crystal Lake blogger Heck of a Guy Allan Showalter, you see the Eiffel Tower near the current Star 105 radio aerials.

The broadcast tower will be 41% higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is 125 meters square. If my calculations are correct, that translates to 1,345.5 square feet or a structure that is about 36-36 feet on each side. Obviously a structure without “guyed” wires would cover more space.

The Crystal Lake FM aerial is an approximation to scale in both photo-shopped pictures. You can see the aerial in Chicago to the left of the Eiffel Tower.

The proposed broadcast tower will be three times the height on the radio antenna.

Why would anyone want to put a structure taller than the Sears Tower in Crystal Lake?

One that could broadcast TV and FM radio when most people probably receive their television signals over a cable.

And pay $1.67 million an acre when McHenry County College just paid $67,000 an acre.

That’s almost 25 times market value.

How will BMB Communications Management make money from making it possible for people in fringe areas like McHenry County, where Chicago and Rockford TV and FM signals die out, to get a decent signal?

Don’t most of us use cable to get TV shows?

Maybe cell phone companies will use the tower to avoid local zoning fights like the one in Ken Bird Park. Not many lines of sight where a 1,500 foot tower couldn’t reach.

You will have to admit that an obvious answer as to why a Crystal Lake site was selected does not occur.

When I read that people could see fifty miles from the observation deck of the Sears Tower, the little wheels in my brain started whirring.

Crystal Lake is fifty miles from Chicago.

If signals can reach Crystal Lake from a broadcast tower that is lower than the one proposed on McHenry County College property, they can certainly reach Chicago from here.

And Milwaukee.

And Rockford.

And probably Madison.

Remember after 9-11 when the just-north-of-Madison, Fort Douglas Wisconsin National Guard unit (the 128th Air Control Squadron) set up a mobile air control system in Union?

Perhaps it was backing up perhaps the Elgin FAA facility.

Why not a more permanent back-up for the TV and FM radio stations broadcasting within range of a 1,500 foot tall tower?

If terrorists manage to take out broadcast towers in Chicago or Milwaukee, couldn’t a Crystal Lake tower replace them?

So, the next question is whether federal money is somehow being funneled into this project from the Department of Homeland Security.

If so, it might help explain the enormous price offered for the MCC property.

And, it might help sell the project.

= = = = = =
Since I don’t have any idea what the 1,500-foot radio tower will look like, thanks to Crystal Lake blogger Heck of a Guy Allan Showalter, you see the Eiffel Tower near the current Star 105 radio aerials.

The broadcast tower will be 41% higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is 125 meters square. If my calculations are correct, that translates to 1,345.5 square feet or a structure that is about 36-36 feet on each side. Obviously a structure without “guyed” wires would cover more space.

The Crystal Lake FM aerial is an approximation to scale in both photo-shopped pictures. You can see the aerial in Chicago to the left of the Eiffel Tower.

The proposed broadcast tower will be three times the height on the radio antenna.

Mayo Underwood runs a certified organic, heirloom seed, plant and supply firm called Underwood Gardens. It’s located east of Woodstock, Illinois.

After 15 years old in business, Underwood has run afoul of the Homeland Security Department.

She was giving a talk in Fairbury (near Bloomington) to a group of organic farmers about two weeks ago. They had expected her to bring down cases of concentrated liquid plant food made from wild Canadian salmon heads.

They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when she told them that the shipment had been held up in Customs in Detroit “as a threat to homeland security.”

That’s strange because she received a half a pallet load of the stinky stuff, called Salmon Plant Food, in April.

No problem then.

“Something changed between April and June,” when she made another order, Underwood said.

The Canadian manufacturing company, Envirem, submitted every piece of documentation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested “immediately.”

“OK, we’ve done everything they requested. Now, we have to wait for the USDA to approve,” the firm’s President Colin Murray told Underwood.

She contacted State Senator Pam Althoff and her assistant, county board member Tina Hill, suggested contacting Congresswoman Melissa Bean.

Underwood did that July 5th.

A letter dated July 9th came back from Bean’s office asking “to allow 30 to 60 days for a response.”

“I called and my caseworker is Susan Giannone, who said that’s the standard and there’s nothing more they can do.

“Then on my answering machine I had a response from them saying it takes 60-90 days to get a response,” she continued.

“So, I called back, 30 to 60, 60 to 90, asking which was correct and saying these are farmers waiting for it now and this doesn’t help and I would have to tell the farmers what Melissa Bean’s office was telling me.”

D“At that, she said, ‘I’ll get back to you.’”

“Ten minutes later she called back and said, ‘You might have an answer in ten days.’

“And, Monday will be ten days.

“In the meanwhile, I contacted Dick Durbin, Don Manzullo and Barack Obama. I only did those Wednesday and Thursday and haven’t heard back yet.

“I’ll take help from anybody.”

The embargoed product “is one of the major weapons in an organic farmers arsenal,” Underwood said. “It not only boosts plant health and production, it also deters pests—deer, rabbit and cucumber beetles. Most mammals do not like the smell.”

= = = = =
The photographs were supplied by Underwood. The heirloom flowers grown by Underwood include, from top to bottom, Amaranth Joseph’s Coat, Bee Balm Close and Dwarf Bees Close. A number of the “farmers are growers for the Chicago restaurateur Rick Bayless. They supply him with organic heirloom tomatoes and unusual edibles like the amaranth and bean flowers below, lily buds, etc.,” Underwood says.

Mayo Underwood runs a certified organic, heirloom seed, plant and supply firm called Underwood Gardens. It’s located east of Woodstock, Illinois.

After 15 years old in business, Underwood has run afoul of the Homeland Security Department.

She was giving a talk in Fairbury (near Bloomington) to a group of organic farmers about two weeks ago. They had expected her to bring down cases of concentrated liquid plant food made from wild Canadian salmon heads.

They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when she told them that the shipment had been held up in Customs in Detroit “as a threat to homeland security.”

That’s strange because she received a half a pallet load of the stinky stuff, called Salmon Plant Food, in April.

No problem then.

“Something changed between April and June,” when she made another order, Underwood said.

The Canadian manufacturing company, Envirem, submitted every piece of documentation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested “immediately.”

“OK, we’ve done everything they requested. Now, we have to wait for the USDA to approve,” the firm’s President Colin Murray told Underwood.

She contacted State Senator Pam Althoff and her assistant, county board member Tina Hill, suggested contacting Congresswoman Melissa Bean.

Underwood did that July 5th.

A letter dated July 9th came back from Bean’s office asking “to allow 30 to 60 days for a response.”

“I called and my caseworker is Susan Giannone, who said that’s the standard and there’s nothing more they can do.

“Then on my answering machine I had a response from them saying it takes 60-90 days to get a response,” she continued.

“So, I called back, 30 to 60, 60 to 90, asking which was correct and saying these are farmers waiting for it now and this doesn’t help and I would have to tell the farmers what Melissa Bean’s office was telling me.”

D“At that, she said, ‘I’ll get back to you.’”

“Ten minutes later she called back and said, ‘You might have an answer in ten days.’

“And, Monday will be ten days.

“In the meanwhile, I contacted Dick Durbin, Don Manzullo and Barack Obama. I only did those Wednesday and Thursday and haven’t heard back yet.

“I’ll take help from anybody.”

The embargoed product “is one of the major weapons in an organic farmers arsenal,” Underwood said. “It not only boosts plant health and production, it also deters pests—deer, rabbit and cucumber beetles. Most mammals do not like the smell.”

= = = = =
The photographs were supplied by Underwood. The heirloom flowers grown by Underwood include, from top to bottom, Amaranth Joseph’s Coat, Bee Balm Close and Dwarf Bees Close. A number of the “farmers are growers for the Chicago restaurateur Rick Bayless. They supply him with organic heirloom tomatoes and unusual edibles like the amaranth and bean flowers below, lily buds, etc.,” Underwood says.