Citizen Complaints Lead to Arrest of McHenry Drug Dealer

A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff Department: McHenry Man Arrested on Drug Charges The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force (which includes Task Force Officers from Lake in the Hills PD, McHenry City PD and Woodstock PD) … Continue reading

The Algonquin Township Street Sweeper That Ended Up in Island Lake

Another article from Illinois Leaks about former Algonquin Township Road Commissioner’s sale of a street sweeper to the Village of Island Lake. It is reprinted with permission. Algonquin Township – Can’t “sweep” this one under the rug – 25,000 miles? … Continue reading

Quick-Take Condemnation Bill Passes for Randall Road & Island Lake Intersection, plus Kane County Intersection

Below is the summary provided legislators of Senate Bill 1518, a bill sponsored by McHenry County legislators State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Barb Wheeler. [The duplicative language has been removed, but may be seen at the link above.] … Continue reading

Motorcyclist Side Swipes Another, Neither with Helmets, One to Condell Hospital with “Life-Threatening Injuries”

A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department: Sheriff’s Office Investigates Serious Injury Motorcycle Crash September 12, 2016 A 45-year-old male was transported from the scene Sunday with life-threatening injuries following a two motorcycle side-swipe crash in unincorporated Nunda Township. Preliminary … Continue reading

McHenry County Taxpayers Owe Over $130 Million for Underfunded Police and Fire Pensions…as of Two Years Ago

Commenter Mark has laid out all of the municipal police and fire pension fund money owed by McHenry County taxpayers. Let’s review police and fire pension funding status in McHenry County. Remember, Jack Franks says he has a plan to … Continue reading

Traffic Ticket Discrimination Against Out-of-Towners Everywhere, But Crystal Lake and

The Chicago Tribune released results of a study of traffic ticket data that shows whether police departments discriminate in favor of their own residents. In the towns studied in McHenry County Crystal Lake and Harvard stood out as being even-handed. … Continue reading

Tax Takes for Cities and Villages

Below is what cities and villages in McHenry County did to property taxpayers last year and what can be expected this year: City or village INCR / DECR INCR / DECR 2015 – 2014 2014 – 2013 IN TOTAL TAX … Continue reading

Effective Tax Rates in McHenry County

The only way to compare property tax burdens is to divide one’s property tax bill by the value of one’s home. That’s what the Chicago Tribune did in November of 2015. The effective tax rates found for McHenry County towns … Continue reading

County Postponing the Condemnation Vote

The McHenry County Board has a vote coming up that conservationists are watching. It is whether to condemn sensitive property just north of Island Lake in order to construct a roundabout. The vote was supposed to have happened already, but … Continue reading

Comparing City & Village Tax Takes

Yesterday, we took a look at what school districts requested to be collected last year and this year. Today we’ll look at municipalities. A number of McHenry County municipalities overlap into adjacent counties. If you see “McH only,” that is … Continue reading

Candidates for McHenry County Cities and Villages

I’ve finally pinned down all who are running for municipal office in cities and villages having all or part of their boundaries within McHenry County. The names have been listed in ballot order.  That makes little difference unless there are … Continue reading

Filings for Municipal Office

Here’s my best effort to find out who filed for village and city offices in McHenry County’s thirty municipalities. Most who didn’t file last week probably waited until late Monday afternoon. Why? Best place on the ballot is first.  With … Continue reading

Crystal Lake’s Hikes Taxes Almost 10%–More Than Any Other City or Village

Municipal elections were last spring.  The next ones are not until next spring. Perhaps that explains why the City of Crystal Lake decided to hike taxes so much this year–a non-election year. There will go up 9.8%. McHenry, on the … Continue reading

Concealed Carry Instructors in McHenry County

The Illinois State Police has the following McHenry County residents listed as approved concealed carry instructors: Name City Phone Email Trost, Paul Huntley (847)287-8411 paultrost@gmail.com Jones, Michael Hebron (815)759-1900 mjones@mc.net Jonak, Johann Cary (512)644-7023 Johann@Windycitytactical.com Danielowski, Ronald Island Lake (847)452-0951 … Continue reading

What’s Happening to Home Prices in McHenry County?

The Chicago Tribune has created an interactive map that shows how much home prices have changed in the last year and in the last five years, as well as the average home price. In the last week or so, I … Continue reading

Naperville Bathroom Dedication Brings Back Memories of Island Lake’s “Royal Flush”

How appropriate that Naperville should dedicate a new bathroom by flushing a toilet! The ceremony brought back the most innovative dedication ceremony I can remember. It was in the 1970’s and took place in Island Lake. A new sanitary district, … Continue reading