McHenry County Blog

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerrilla warfare.)

The first one,

has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th.

The main web site of the opponents is

The second video, “Beautiful Cary” is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.

So How Are the Cary Gravel Pit Opponents Videos Doing

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

The first one,
“Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?”
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6546217386573707509
has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th. http://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2007/07/cary-gravel-pit-video-wins-snarky.html

The main web site of the opponents is “Stop the Quarry in Cary.” http://noquarry.blogspot.com/

The second video, “Beautiful Cary” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3261632258347602099 is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.

They have certainly got more 378 views that my YouTube posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and developer Bill Cellini talking about condemnation at the Wal-Mart shopping center have gotten.

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerrilla warfare.)

The first one,

has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th.

The main web site of the opponents is

The second video, “Beautiful Cary” is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.

So How Are the Cary Gravel Pit Opponents Videos Doing

Yesterday, I wrote an article on the Cary gravel pit opponents’ new web site.

They have picked up the name www.caryillinois.org.

How about that?

It sounds like the official web site for Cary, Illinois, doesn’t it?

It’s not.

It is skillful ridicule of the Cary politicians who want to put a gravel pit on the second side of Fox Trails subdivision.

Today, I thought I’d look at how the two videos that the group has produced. (Actually, it’s Bruce David Janu who deserves the credit for this wonderful citizen guerilla warfare.)

The first one,
“Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?”
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6546217386573707509
has been seen by 865 viewers. It gives the ownership of Meyer Material, the used-to-be local company in a most gripping manner. It was 789 when I last checked in on July 25th. http://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2007/07/cary-gravel-pit-video-wins-snarky.html

The main web site of the opponents is “Stop the Quarry in Cary.” http://noquarry.blogspot.com/

The second video, “Beautiful Cary” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3261632258347602099 is more into ridicule than information and it succeeds so well. 608 have viewed it so far, even though it is over 7 minutes long. It was 515 on July 25th.

I love the dust angle part.

They have certainly got more 378 views that my YouTube posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and developer Bill Cellini talking about condemnation at the Wal-Mart shopping center have gotten.

“One Heck of a Guy” blogger Allan Showalter has done it again.

Applying his advanced sense of humor to the efforts by Cary Village President Steve Lamal (who calls himself “Mayor”…did you know village presidents got a law passed allowing them to call themselves “Mayor?” Thanks to a municipal attorney for cluing me in.) and village trustees to approve a gravel pit west of the Fox Trails subdivision to match the one south of the development, approved by the Village of Algonquin has resulted in an article longer than this run-on sentence.

(I blame my convoluted sentences on having taken German.)

In any event, Showalter thoroughly examines the Cary gravel pit opponents’ “chamber of commerce” video and decides it’s worthy of

He observes,

“While it’s painful to admit, I’m unable to camouflage the fact that this post falls into the do-good and community-oriented classifications.”

And

“Oddly, the residents of Cary, particularly those with homes near the company- picked site – an area zoned for residential use only – are not unanimously in favor of the proposal. Some, in fact, are perversely opposed to a mine operating across the street.”

You should really watch the videos, prepared by Cary’s Bruce Janu:

the 4 minute and 12 second one about the threat, viewed 789 times and

the 7 minute and 34 seconds one “chamber of commerce” one, viewed 515 times.

= = = = =
The montages are from the “chamber of commerce” video by way of “One Heck of A Guy” blog. They can be enlarged by clicking on them.

“One Heck of a Guy” blogger Allan Showalter has done it again.

Applying his advanced sense of humor to the efforts by Cary Village President Steve Lamal (who calls himself “Mayor”…did you know village presidents got a law passed allowing them to call themselves “Mayor?” Thanks to a municipal attorney for cluing me in.) and village trustees to approve a gravel pit west of the Fox Trails subdivision to match the one south of the development, approved by the Village of Algonquin has resulted in an article longer than this run-on sentence.

(I blame my convoluted sentences on having taken German.)

In any event, Showalter thoroughly examines the Cary gravel pit opponents’ “chamber of commerce” video and decides it’s worthy of

He observes,

“While it’s painful to admit, I’m unable to camouflage the fact that this post falls into the do-good and community-oriented classifications.”

And

“Oddly, the residents of Cary, particularly those with homes near the company- picked site – an area zoned for residential use only – are not unanimously in favor of the proposal. Some, in fact, are perversely opposed to a mine operating across the street.”

You should really watch the videos, prepared by Cary’s Bruce Janu:

the 4 minute and 12 second one about the threat, viewed 789 times and

the 7 minute and 34 seconds one “chamber of commerce” one, viewed 515 times.

= = = = =
The montages are from the “chamber of commerce” video by way of “One Heck of A Guy” blog. They can be enlarged by clicking on them.

474 for the newest video that starts like a typical chamber of commerce promotion and then turns bitingly satirical. If you don’t want to watch the video, but want a flavor, I hope you can get it here.

The original video, which points out the Swiss ownership of Meyer Material, among other things, has been viewed by 777 people. My article on it can be found here.

The little girl is seen making “dust angels” in the second video. I’m listening to the audio as I type this and it has me chuckling again.

474 for the newest video that starts like a typical chamber of commerce promotion and then turns bitingly satirical. If you don’t want to watch the video, but want a flavor, I hope you can get it here.

The original video, which points out the Swiss ownership of Meyer Material, among other things, has been viewed by 777 people. My article on it can be found here.

The little girl is seen making “dust angels” in the second video. I’m listening to the audio as I type this and it has me chuckling again.

The Cary Gravel Pit opponents have come up with another video, “Welcome to Cary.”

It’s to the right on top of the blog, “Stop the Quarry in Cary”, as of Tuesday when this was written.

The video looks like a Chamber of Commerce production until it gets to the line,

“And Cary also has beautiful gravel pits.”

This is a video that Cary developers and others wanting to attract people to Cary should do everything they can to get removed from the internet.

It’s a “hit ‘em in the pocketbook” video. It reminds me of the 2000 Saturday picket signs telling people driving on Algonquin Road near some model homes that high power lines were going to go behind the homes they were looking at. I’m pretty sure the developer joined their cause.

If it stays on the internet, it will be out there greeting those thinking of moving to Cary.

I doubt many people who look at it would give Cary a second thought.

Not only is the Meyer Material pit shown, but so are gravel trucks.

Next there is a hilarious series of interviews of people who say they have moved to Cary because of the gravel pits.

A father relates why his family moved to Cary:

“We moved to Cary because it was the best place to raise our kids. It has a small town atmosphere and great schools..but, most of all, it has gravel pits.”

A little tyke in one of those little red and yellow cars wearing a mask can be seen on the sidewalk.

“I love gravel pits,” the little boy says.

“We’re so happy we moved to Cary so we could enjoy the gravel pits,” the wife of an older couple says. “It’s one of the reasons we came here. We heard how beautiful they were.”

“Yeah, we like the schools and the parks,” another man says, “but what really brought us here to Cary, honestly–the gravel pits. They are gorgeous. I just can’t imagine Cary without them. And you know what, I heard at one time Cary didn’t allow gravel pits. Can you believe it? A town without gravel pits?” He then greets a neighbor wearing a mask.

“Really, it’s the gravel pits that give Cary a sense of community. I don’t know where we’d be without them.”

‘I love drawing in the dust,” another little boy tells his mother, who points out that crayons are expensive, while dust is free.

“I just love making dust angels…all year long,” another little girl explains.

“I love this pit. It’s just like my own personal Grand Canyon,” the final man adds before he has a coughing fit. “It’s the reason I moved here,” he says before urging others to Cary.

Here’s the concluding description of the Village of Cary:

A small, dusty, loud community in suburban Chicago. A Main Street Gravel Pit USA Community.

And the next line is too funny:

Cary is owned and operated by Meyer Material Company,

which is owned and operated by Aggregate Industries,

which is owned and operated by Holcim, Ltd.

After that is read comes a cough and then two more, plus a little girl saying, “I like gravel pits,” before she coughs.

The original video, which I have praised as the best zoning opposition video I have ever seen, has been viewed 557 times. Click on “See the Movie” near the top right of the screen. The first video is the second on Google’s list of videos.

I wonder when the Daily Herald, the Northwest Herald or the Chicago Tribune will notice the videos. They certainly are an innovation in McHenry County politics.

The group has has also been doing its homework on the pollution violations of Meyer Materials Swiss-based owner, Holcim, Ltd.. Take a look at EPA Violations by owners of Meyer Material Co.

There is also an estimate of the Cary subdivisions that will be affected by the doubling the size of Meyer Materials’ gravel pit.

The next meeting will be Thursday night at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake. I’d be there, but there is a McHenry Marlins swim meet. If anyone wants to take and email me some photos, I’ll be happy to put them up on McHenry County Blog.

All the images come from the second video, except the Google video search for “Cary, Illinois.” All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

The Cary Gravel Pit opponents have come up with another video, “Welcome to Cary.”

It’s to the right on top of the blog, “Stop the Quarry in Cary”, as of Tuesday when this was written.

The video looks like a Chamber of Commerce production until it gets to the line,

“And Cary also has beautiful gravel pits.”

This is a video that Cary developers and others wanting to attract people to Cary should do everything they can to get removed from the internet.

It’s a “hit ‘em in the pocketbook” video. It reminds me of the 2000 Saturday picket signs telling people driving on Algonquin Road near some model homes that high power lines were going to go behind the homes they were looking at. I’m pretty sure the developer joined their cause.

If it stays on the internet, it will be out there greeting those thinking of moving to Cary.

I doubt many people who look at it would give Cary a second thought.

Not only is the Meyer Material pit shown, but so are gravel trucks.

Next there is a hilarious series of interviews of people who say they have moved to Cary because of the gravel pits.

A father relates why his family moved to Cary:

“We moved to Cary because it was the best place to raise our kids. It has a small town atmosphere and great schools..but, most of all, it has gravel pits.”

A little tyke in one of those little red and yellow cars wearing a mask can be seen on the sidewalk.

“I love gravel pits,” the little boy says.

“We’re so happy we moved to Cary so we could enjoy the gravel pits,” the wife of an older couple says. “It’s one of the reasons we came here. We heard how beautiful they were.”

“Yeah, we like the schools and the parks,” another man says, “but what really brought us here to Cary, honestly–the gravel pits. They are gorgeous. I just can’t imagine Cary without them. And you know what, I heard at one time Cary didn’t allow gravel pits. Can you believe it? A town without gravel pits?” He then greets a neighbor wearing a mask.

“Really, it’s the gravel pits that give Cary a sense of community. I don’t know where we’d be without them.”

‘I love drawing in the dust,” another little boy tells his mother, who points out that crayons are expensive, while dust is free.

“I just love making dust angels…all year long,” another little girl explains.

“I love this pit. It’s just like my own personal Grand Canyon,” the final man adds before he has a coughing fit. “It’s the reason I moved here,” he says before urging others to Cary.

Here’s the concluding description of the Village of Cary:

A small, dusty, loud community in suburban Chicago. A Main Street Gravel Pit USA Community.

And the next line is too funny:

Cary is owned and operated by Meyer Material Company,

which is owned and operated by Aggregate Industries,

which is owned and operated by Holcim, Ltd.

After that is read comes a cough and then two more, plus a little girl saying, “I like gravel pits,” before she coughs.

The original video, which I have praised as the best zoning opposition video I have ever seen, has been viewed 557 times. Click on “See the Movie” near the top right of the screen. The first video is the second on Google’s list of videos.

I wonder when the Daily Herald, the Northwest Herald or the Chicago Tribune will notice the videos. They certainly are an innovation in McHenry County politics.

The group has has also been doing its homework on the pollution violations of Meyer Materials Swiss-based owner, Holcim, Ltd.. Take a look at EPA Violations by owners of Meyer Material Co.

There is also an estimate of the Cary subdivisions that will be affected by the doubling the size of Meyer Materials’ gravel pit.

The next meeting will be Thursday night at 7:30 at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake. I’d be there, but there is a McHenry Marlins swim meet. If anyone wants to take and email me some photos, I’ll be happy to put them up on McHenry County Blog.

All the images come from the second video, except the Google video search for “Cary, Illinois.” All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Enter into the land of internet communication on a local zoning issue by clicking on

“Stop the Quarry in Cary.”

The latest entry was June 7th, five days ago.

It is entitled,

NIMBY….not quite

and has two hostile comments from those who think Cary should take the $250,000 per year from Meyer Material.

Earlier, on June 2nd, a posting includes a documentary link:

Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?

This is a first class production, which I believe will become the template for future McHenry County zoning fights. Anyone interested in local political issues needs to see what can be done on the internet.

(When I wrote this article at 4 PM Monday afternoon, 128 people had viewed the mini-documentary. In contrast, McHenry County Blog’s posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s comments on how condemnation would not be used [ha-ha] on YouTube, posted January 17th, has been viewed 335 times.)

It includes information on the danger of dust, even dust particles too small to see, other places a gravel pit might be approved in Cary, plus information about the date of the next Cary Village Board meeting.

May 26th, this was published:

The GRAVEL PIT–What it Means for Cary

In the comment section, it is revealed that Meyer Material is now owned by a Swiss firm, Holcim Ltd. Marengo’s Paveloc Industries is under the same ownership.

A commenter named James says he thinks the village is leaning against zoning the pit. That would be a switch from earlier indications.

The same day, the group posted a leaflet that opponents could download:

OUR FIRST FLYER–DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

May 25th, the web site was launched:

Cary Election’s Over – We’re Going to Dig a Gravel Pit Behind Your Home

More Recent Cary Action on Meyer Materials Proposed Grave Pit

Cary Gravel Pit Deal Seems to Have Been Cut

Enter into the land of internet communication on a local zoning issue by clicking on

“Stop the Quarry in Cary.”

The latest entry was June 7th, five days ago.

It is entitled,

NIMBY….not quite

and has two hostile comments from those who think Cary should take the $250,000 per year from Meyer Material.

Earlier, on June 2nd, a posting includes a documentary link:

Cary, Illinois: A Gravel Pit Community?

This is a first class production, which I believe will become the template for future McHenry County zoning fights. Anyone interested in local political issues needs to see what can be done on the internet.

(When I wrote this article at 4 PM Monday afternoon, 128 people had viewed the mini-documentary. In contrast, McHenry County Blog’s posting of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s comments on how condemnation would not be used [ha-ha] on YouTube, posted January 17th, has been viewed 335 times.)

It includes information on the danger of dust, even dust particles too small to see, other places a gravel pit might be approved in Cary, plus information about the date of the next Cary Village Board meeting.

May 26th, this was published:

The GRAVEL PIT–What it Means for Cary

In the comment section, it is revealed that Meyer Material is now owned by a Swiss firm, Holcim Ltd. Marengo’s Paveloc Industries is under the same ownership.

A commenter named James says he thinks the village is leaning against zoning the pit. That would be a switch from earlier indications.

The same day, the group posted a leaflet that opponents could download:

OUR FIRST FLYER–DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

May 25th, the web site was launched:

Cary Election’s Over – We’re Going to Dig a Gravel Pit Behind Your Home

More Recent Cary Action on Meyer Materials Proposed Grave Pit

Cary Gravel Pit Deal Seems to Have Been Cut