McHenry County Blog

When my son and I got to Cary we discovered people who had been at the Crystal Lake demonstration, 550 strong according to Libertarian Party Chair Dave Brady of Wonder Lake.

This was the third McHenry County TEA Party I visited April 15th. The second was on Route 62 in Algonquin.

We parked at Kelli’s Cuckoo’s Nest across from the Metra station. She offered free pizza to protesters. (All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.)

When I recognized some protest signs and asked what had happened in Crystal Lake, I was told that the Crystal Lake Police closed down the demonstration at one.

Apparently, Crystal Lake requires a permit and an insurance policy if more than 50 people are going to demonstrate and organizer Jim Thompson said his demonstration would be from noon to one.

So, a number of people just drove down the road to Cary.

There Cary Coffee Shop proprietor John Bobrytzke didn’t contact city government.

His location, across Main Street from the train station, didn’t attract many demonstrators. That was because people figured out that more motorists could see their signs from Route 14.

But Bobrytzke is the reason the demonstrators were there.

He stepped out in front and the rest of us followed him to bring the message to homebound commuters in Cary.

And, it’s a superb location for a protest, because not only motorists, but those taking the train could see their signs.

I’m sure the Metra engineers were not blowing their horns because of the signs, but, then again, I don’t ever remember hearing a train horn blast in Cary before.

Again, big trucks blowing their air horns brought a thrill to my body. Above you see a Crystal Lake-based W. Smith Cartage gasoline truck “blowing”around the corner past the old village hall.

Sometimes when the trucks and cars were not blowing their horns enough for one sign carrier, she pulled out a tiny air horn to make some noise.

Not that it was silent for long stretches.

This man was the chief horn honking cheer leader. He was so persistent.

And, when the folks on the street couldn’t get a honk, there were people like this lady with open windows giving the sign holders a “thumbs up.”

How far did people come?

This man, a sign shop owner from West Frankfort, IL, came up to Palatine to help out a buddy and they both came up to Cary for the demonstration.

I found an anti-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin sign in Cary.

Every once in a while another horn-blaring semi would breeze through town. Here’s one from Custom Companies.

As in Crystal Lake, a police presence was evident. In Cary, they weren’t in cars. They were standing in full view of the demonstrators. Pretty easy duty.

“Term Limits” were the answer to one man.

Another man had the simple message of

A bit longer, but quite understandable message was

Her friend’s says

One of the woman who drove down from the Crystal Lake event was pro-life leader Irene Napier. Her sign said,

Next to her on the Southeast corner of the intersection I saw the above.

There was one of the few non-homemade signs nearby.

A family of four was on the north side of the street. Two flag wavers and two sign carriers.

They could see this scene across the street if they looked. I like the sign held by the little girl saying,

A longer view of that side of the street showed this.

It was crowded in front of the little park with a pond next to the old Cary Village Hall.

There were two misplaced Obama supporters standing on the traffic island next to the railroad crossing. They were electricians whom I suppose were not working on tax payment day.

Cary’s Kelli’s Cuckoo’s Nest across Route 14 from the train station has an offer you might find hard to resist.

Turning the TEA Party movement into a business promotion, owner Kelli is offering free pizza from 4-6 this afternoon.

Her establishment is conveniently located across the tracks from John Babrytzke’s coffee shop—the Cary Coffee Station-which previously announced a TEA Party from 3-6. (Click to enlarge.)

There are two earlier opportunities to show one’s displeasure of taxes on this April 15th federal and state income tax day deadline:

At noon at the Home State Bank corner of Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake, people will meet for a demonstration. Suggested parking is a longish walk from the old Walmart parking lot. Alternatively, one might park in front of Toys R Us.

At noon at 101 S Harrison St–1 block from Rt 31 & Rt 62 intersection at Cornish Park by the Fox River–under the clock tower across from Port Edward’s Restaurant. Parking is available on on South Harrison across from park.

Here’s the Cuckoo’s Nest email:

Please come and join us in standing up against over taxation at all levels of government.

This is a grass roots tax protest organized against unbridled big government gross expansion.

The main TEA Party web site is here.

Feel free to bring posters & signs.

We will have $1 Draughts all day and night and Free Pizza 4-6pm.

(Also, Cary-based John Bobrytzke is holding a TEA Party at his coffee shop from 3-6 on April 15th. It is located at 7 W. Main Street, south of the tracks right across from the train station. We will walk over there with our signs.)

Sign Ideas….

“Free thinkers for a free market”

“Spare us Your ‘Change’”

“Bailouts, Stimulus, and Pork. Oh My!”

“Party Like it’s 1773”

“The Answer to 2009 is 1776”

“Don’t Stimulate: Liberate”

“Paying My Mortgage, and Yours Too”

“Don’t Tread on Me”

“Keep Your Bailout; I’ll Keep My Freedom”

Love you all!

Kelli

More sign ideas can be found here.

The following press release was received from Kelli’s Cuckoo’s Nest in Cary:

Meat Raffle to Benefit Turning Point

Kelli’s Cuckoo’s Nest in Cary will host a Meat Raffle to benefit Turning Point on Saturday, March 28th, from 2-5 PM.

They will be donating 10% of the register plus the proceeds from the raffle.
Kelli’s Cuckoo’s Nest is at 100 Crystal St. (Route 14) in Cary, right across the highway from the train station.

Turning Point is a domestic violence agency with a mission to confront violence against women and children in McHenry County, Illinois.