McHenry County Blog

A young man from Algonquin named Joe Stefani is getting a minor league baseball team off the ground without having to build a new stadium.

It will be located in Rockford and play in the park district stadium where the current Frontier League team started out. That team moved from the south side location to north of Rockford, where a better stadium was built by the Rockford River Hawk. It was privately financed, but its owners are asking local tax districts to waive their bills.

Stefani’s team investors believe there is enough of a market on the south side of Rockford to make minor league baseball a profitable enterprise.

Stefani was elected to the Algonquin Library Board last spring and is unopposed for Republican precinct committeeman in Algonquin Township’s Precinct 6.

His press release follows:

NEW MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM TO CALL MARINELLI FIELD HOME IN 2010

ROCKFORD, IL November 4, 2009 – After nearly 22 months of preparation, a group of investors led by Joe Stefani that includes former Rockford IceHogs owner Craig Drecktrah, officially announced this afternoon that the City of Rockford will once again be home to a baseball franchise.

The team, which will be a summer collegiate wood bat expansion franchise, will call historic Marinelli Field home starting Memorial Day Weekend 2010, which will kick off a 27-game home schedule for the 2010 season.

“I’m very proud to announce that historic Marinelli Field will host baseball again starting next Memorial Day Weekend,” said Majority Owner and President Joe Stefani.

“After a long 22-month period of hard work from the Rockford Park District to my staff, we think that we have a formula not just for a great baseball team, but for a truly affordable entertainment option for Rockford and surrounding communities.  We wanted to present a product to the Rockford area that was right the first time.”

In an unprecedented move, the new baseball team announced the lowest ticket prices for any sports franchise in the Rockford area.  Single game tickets will start at a staggering $4 a ticket and season tickets will only be $79 per seat for any season ticket (excluding VIP seats) until December 31, 2009.

In addition, the team will be holding two special theme days during the 2010 season that deal with tickets.  Every Tuesday night game will be dubbed “$2 Ticket Tuesday” where all tickets at Marinelli Field are only $2.

Every Monday night will be “Unemployment Night” where fans that are unemployed can receive a free ticket by showing a valid ID and documentation showing that they are currently unemployed.

The new baseball team will be part of the new Great Plains Baseball League, which is a new a summer collegiate wood bat league with teams based in the Midwest.  Summer collegiate wood bat teams have been a breading ground for future Major League Baseball players for years.

Looking at tonight’s World Series Game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies you will find former summer collegiate players including Ryan Howard and Chase Utley of the Phillies as well as Nick Swisher and Manager Joe Girardi of the New York Yankees.

“We are excited to have Rockford’s Great Plains Baseball League expansion team call Marinelli Field home. In addition to the 27-games played at the ballpark, Marinelli will continue to be available for local adult baseball leagues and special events, similar to how the facility is currently being utilized today,” said Deputy Director of Operations Ron Butler.

Before Memorial Day Weekend the team’s home stadium, Marinelli Field, will get some anticipated improvements at the team’s expense.  In addition to cosmetic upgrades like painting and such, the playing surface at Marinelli Field will get some much needed attention in addition to three separate party areas at the stadium that includes two party decks that fit 20 & 40 people respectfully as well as a 75-person area along the third base line.

The Rockford expansion team of the Great Plains Baseball League begins play at the historic 2,422 seat Marinelli Field Memorial Day Weekend 2010, which is located next to the Rock River.

Currently the team is running a special promotion on season tickets where all season tickets are only $79 (excluding VIP seats) until December 31, 2009.  Information on season tickets, group tickets and corporate sponsorships can be obtained by calling the front office at (815) 549-7487 or by visiting the team’s web site at www.RockfordsNewTeam.com.

The team is also conducting a name the team competition.  To submit your name for the team, please visit the team’s web site at www.RockfordsNewTeam.com.

Here are the citizens who have through Friday identified themselves as willing to serve the Republican Party.

There are folks who have not filed for Republican precinct committeeman who will on Monday (I shall, for instance, file in Algonquin Township precinct 7).  But any precinct listed below which has no name should be considered fair game for anyone who wants to be on the ground floor of the Republican Party in McHenry County.

Any precinct for which there is not candidate can have a person appointed by the person elected Republican Party Chairman.  State Rep. Mike Tryon currently holds that post.

Precinct committeemen petitions can be found by clicking here.  You need to fill out and file this statement of candidacy, as well.  Both must be filed by 4:30 Monday afternoon in the McHenry County Clerk’s office.

PRECINCT and CANDIDATES who have filed so far are listed below:
RILEY – KATHLEEN J MEYER
MARENGO 1
MARENGO 2 – CHESTER L MAZURKIEWICZ
MARENGO 3 – MARY LOU ZIERER
MARENGO 4
DUNHAM
CHEMUNG 1 – GLENDA L MILLER
CHEMUNG 2, 3, 4 + 5
ALDEN
HARTLAND 1 – DIANE EVERTSEN
HARTLAND 2
SENECA 1 – * ERSEL C SCHUSTER and R MARK GUMMERSON
SENECA 2
CORAL 1 – * PAMELA K PALMER
CORAL 2
CORAL 3 – SHAWN GREEN
GRAFTON 1 – MICHAEL SKALA
GRAFTON 2, 3, 4. 5
GRAFTON 6 – HARRIET FORD and BLAKE HOBSON
GRAFTON 7 – FREDRICK W WICKHAM
GRAFTON 8, 9
GRAFTON 10- LLOYD EVERBARD
GRAFTON11, 12
GRAFTON 13 – EUGENE T (GENE) GOEGLEIN
GRAFTON 14
GRAFTON 15 – DANIEL P RYAN
GRAFTON 16, 17. 18
GRAFTON 19 – SAMUEL F PAGLINI
GRAFTON 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
GRAFTON 26 -  LINDA MOORE
GRAFTON 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
DORR 1, 2 3, 4, 5, 6,
DORR 7 – TINA R HILL
DORR 8, 9, 10
DORR 11 – JOHN P JUNG JR
DORR 12, 13, 14
GREENWOOD 1, 2 3, 4, 5
GREENWOOD 6 – BRIAN SAGER
GREENWOOD 7 – MONICA S YOUNG
HEBRON 1
HEBRON 2 – RUTH ANZINGER
RICHMOND 1 – AUDIE BEESON
RICHMOND 2
RICHMOND 3 – TAMARA A VALENTINE‐GARZA
RICHMOND 4
BURTON 1, 2, 3
MCHENRY 1 – RICHARD E MACK
MCHENRY 2 – GERALDINE “GERI” DAVIS
MCHENRY 3, 4
MCHENRY 5 – KATHY DUDDLESTON
MCHENRY 6, 7
MCHENRY 8 – BOB ANDERSON
MCHENRY 9
MCHENRY 10 – MARSHA A NELSON
MCHENRY 11 – PAMELA J ALTHOFF
MCHENRY 12
MCHENRY 13 – NEAL A SCHEPLER
MCHENRY 14 – JOYCE R STORY
MCHENRY 15 – STEVEN J ROONEY
MCHENRY 16 – GREGORY L FOREMAN
MCHENRY 17, 18, 19
MCHENRY 20 – JOHN O’NEILL
MCHENRY 21, 22, 23
MCHENRY 24 – LEWIS F MATUSZEWICH
MCHENRY 25
MCHENRY 26 – ANDREW “ANDY” GLAB
MCHENRY 27 – ROBERT M KOEHL
MCHENRY 28. 29
MCHENRY 30 – THOMAS QUAMME
MCHENRY 31
MCHENRY 32 – SANDRA FAY SALGADO
MCHENRY 33 – JOHN D HAMMERAND
MCHENRY 34 – KATHLEEN KUCHTA
MCHENRY 35 – BRENDAN MURPHY
NUNDA 1
NUNDA 2 – ROBERT L BORCHERT
NUNDA 3, 4
NUNDA 5 – HOWARD PARTH
NUNDA 6
NUNDA 7 – KELVIN LEE JENNINGS
NUNDA 8 – KATHY CORWIN
NUNDA 9 – BERNARD V NARUSIS
NUNDA 10
NUNDA 11 – MARK DANIEL
NUNDA 12
NUNDA 13 – JAMES BECKER
NUNDA 14 – PATRICK COLLINS
NUNDA 15 – JOSEPH GOTTEMOLLER
NUNDA 16 – JAMES SCHLADER
NUNDA 17
NUNDA 18 – DAVID R GERVAIS
NUNDA 19 – WILLIAM DOUGLAS MANN and JON HEIDEMAN -
NUNDA 20
NUNDA 21 – BRENT A SMITH
NUNDA 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
NUNDA 29 – BARBARA WHEELER
ALGONQUIN 1
ALGONQUIN 2 – KENNETH D KOEHLER
ALGONQUIN 3 – MICHAEL E. “MICKEY” BARNAS
ALGONQUIN 4
ALGONQUIN 5 – CHARLES A LUTZOW, JR
ALGONQUIN 6 – JOSEPH STEFANI
ALGONQUIN 7, 8
ALGONQUIN 9 – DAN SHEA
ALGONQUIN 10
ALGONQUIN 11 – DOUGLAS S BLASINSKI
ALGONQUIN 12, 13,
ALGONQUIN 14 – ANDREW KIVARI
ALGONQUIN 15
ALGONQUIN 16 – LOU ANNE MAJEWSKI
ALGONQUIN 17
ALGONQUIN 18 -JEROME C MAJEWSKI
ALGONQUIN 19 – JOSEPH STECKER
ALGONQUIN 20
ALGONQUIN 21 – MARK GUERRA
ALGONQUIN 22 – LOWELL A CUTSFORTH
ALGONQUIN 23, 24
ALGONQUIN 25 – THOMAS P MCDERMOTT
ALGONQUIN 26
ALGONQUIN 27 – ELAINE MULLIGAN
ALGONQUIN 28, 29
ALGONQUIN 30 – MARC J MUNARETTO
ALGONQUIN 31, 32
ALGONQUIN 33- SHANNON (SEAN) MURPHY
ALGONQUIN 34
ALGONQUIN 35 – KAY STANISH and DAVID K LING
ALGONQUIN 36 – MICHAEL W TRYON
ALGONQUIN 37 – JACOB JUSTEN
ALGONQUIN 38, 39
ALGONQUIN 40 – MALLORY A ROSENCRANS
ALGONQUIN 41, 42, 43
ALGONQUIN 44 – PATRICK COLCERNIAN
ALGONQUIN 45
ALGONQUIN 46 – KATHLEEN “KATHY” R DeRAEDT
ALGONQUIN 47 – REBECCA M LEE
ALGONQUIN 48
ALGONQUIN 49 – DEMETRIOS TSLIMIGRAS
ALGONQUIN 50 – LINDA (LYN) ORPHAL
ALGONQUIN 51
ALGONQUIN 52 – ROBERT LEE
ALGONQUIN 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68

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The plea for precinct committeemen was found on the web site of the Western Kane County Republican Organization. Compare it to the one maintained by the McHenry County Republican Central Committee.

State Senator Pam Althoff (R-McHenry) is holding a fund raiser Thursday, Sept. 24th, at the McHenry Country Club.

The Champagne Reception will feature hot and cold hors d’œuvre and “a bountiful dessert table,” according to the flyer you see above.

Republican precinct committeemen get a discount of sorts from the regular $50 ticket.

If they bring a friend, they only have to shell out $60.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi only charged GOP committeemen $15 for an Italian dinner at the Turnberry Country Club.

Yesterday, I gave a hint of what interested Crystal Laker Nancy Scalero, who died in August. I found evidence of her Kitchen Militia in the minutes of April 18, 2000, McHenry County Board meeting.

At a September gathering we had, many proclaimed her the “Captain” of the Kitchen Militia.

She was also a Republican Precinct Committeeman in McHenry County.

Her 26-year old daughter Mary spoke for her father Richard and younger brother Alex.

What follows are what I got from her notes. It will be much less elegant than Mary’s talk, but I am working from her outline.

Mary told how she had joined Toastmasters a few months ago to learn how to make speeches, but “I haven’t yet made a single speech. This is my first speech, my most difficult.

“Papa, Alex and I put together the photo boards sorting through pile after pile of photos, but just couldn’t find enough to capture every moment.

“We could fill thousands and thousands of boards with pictures and memories from a lifetime, but it will would not be enough. There’s no way to capture it all:

• The memories
• Her smile
• Her laugh
• Her jokes

“How can I explain in a few minutes everything Mom meant to me?

“Squeeze thousands of memories into just a few lines?

“So, I’ve picked some favorite memories to share.

“She was so caring.

“Me, I was a handful. I played hide-n-seek when shopping.

“I ran off to hide, giggling.

“Mom was terrified.

“She bought bungee things (to attach to me).

“I figured out how to remove them.

“She bought a roller coaster type harness to retrofit the stroller.

“Other people would make mean comments, that she was a bad parent…(but it didn’t stop her from seeing to me safety).

“We laughed so hard when retelling that story.

“She did what she had to keep us safe, despite all the awful comments and stares.

“I talked to Alex when he was a baby in the crib and she listened through the baby monitor. Once I tried to pick him up out of the crib.

“She got so choked up as she explained how fast she ran to stop me from hurting myself or Alex.

“She was always there to keep us from getting hurt.

The third installment of the Nancy Scalero story will appear tomorrow.

Yesterday, I gave a hint of what interested Crystal Laker Nancy Scalero, who died in August. I found evidence of her Kitchen Militia in the minutes of April 18, 2000, McHenry County Board meeting.

At a September gathering we had, many proclaimed her the “Captain” of the Kitchen Militia.

She was also a Republican Precinct Committeeman in McHenry County.

Her 26-year old daughter Mary spoke for her father Richard and younger brother Alex.

What follows are what I got from her notes. It will be much less elegant than Mary’s talk, but I am working from her outline.

Mary told how she had joined Toastmasters a few months ago to learn how to make speeches, but “I haven’t yet made a single speech. This is my first speech, my most difficult.

“Papa, Alex and I put together the photo boards sorting through pile after pile of photos, but just couldn’t find enough to capture every moment.

“We could fill thousands and thousands of boards with pictures and memories from a lifetime, but it will would not be enough. There’s no way to capture it all:

• The memories
• Her smile
• Her laugh
• Her jokes

“How can I explain in a few minutes everything Mom meant to me?

“Squeeze thousands of memories into just a few lines?

“So, I’ve picked some favorite memories to share.

“She was so caring.

“Me, I was a handful. I played hide-n-seek when shopping.

“I ran off to hide, giggling.

“Mom was terrified.

“She bought bungee things (to attach to me).

“I figured out how to remove them.

“She bought a roller coaster type harness to retrofit the stroller.

“Other people would make mean comments, that she was a bad parent…(but it didn’t stop her from seeing to me safety).

“We laughed so hard when retelling that story.

“She did what she had to keep us safe, despite all the awful comments and stares.

“I talked to Alex when he was a baby in the crib and she listened through the baby monitor. Once I tried to pick him up out of the crib.

“She got so choked up as she explained how fast she ran to stop me from hurting myself or Alex.

“She was always there to keep us from getting hurt.

The third installment of the Nancy Scalero story will appear tomorrow.

Bill LeFew has just sent another signal that he plans to retire as McHenry County Republican Central Committee chairman.

He didn’t file for re-election for precinct committeeman in Chemung Township Precinct 1. Glenda Miller did.

She could withdraw and LeFew could run as a write-in, but, barring that, LeFew would not have standing to remain as chairman of McHenry County Republicans.

No one who is not an elected precinct committee can serve as chairman of the central committee—at least that was the law the last time I looked.

Bill LeFew has just sent another signal that he plans to retire as McHenry County Republican Central Committee chairman.

He didn’t file for re-election for precinct committeeman in Chemung Township Precinct 1. Glenda Miller did.

She could withdraw and LeFew could run as a write-in, but, barring that, LeFew would not have standing to remain as chairman of McHenry County Republicans.

No one who is not an elected precinct committee can serve as chairman of the central committee—at least that was the law the last time I looked.

If you are not satisfied with the way the Republican Party is operating in Illinois and McHenry County, you can do something about it.

You can run for precinct committeeman.

Petitions can be filed for Republican precinct committeeman from Monday, October 29th, through Monday, November 5th. You need to get a minimum of 10 “good” signatures. I would recommend your obtaining 20 signatures just to make sure you have 10 good ones.

There is a major fight brewing over control of the local party and the state party is pretty much dead, so this just might be the time to get involved. The county’s precinct committeemen decide who the next Republican County Chairman will be.

Click below to get a petition and a detailed explanation of how to run:

If you are not satisfied with the way the Republican Party is operating in Illinois and McHenry County, you can do something about it.

You can run for precinct committeeman.

Petitions can be filed for Republican precinct committeeman from Monday, October 29th, through Monday, November 5th. You need to get a minimum of 10 “good” signatures. I would recommend your obtaining 20 signatures just to make sure you have 10 good ones.

There is a major fight brewing over control of the local party and the state party is pretty much dead, so this just might be the time to get involved. The county’s precinct committeemen decide who the next Republican County Chairman will be.

Click below to get a petition and a detailed explanation of how to run:

McHenry County Blog doesn’t usually dip into foreign policy, but it came up at the Minuteman meeting at McHenry County College last Friday night.

A man named Rick, who said he was in construction spoke during the question period after Allen County, Ohio, Sheriff Daniel Beck had finished his prepared remarks.

“It’s extremely personal to me.

“I attempted to do business I Mexico. I refused to pay off anybody.”

He pointed to the May Day march last year when Mexicans waive the Mexican flag and their handlers told them not to that in the second march, rather to wave American flags.

“I feel our kindness has (allowed us to be) taken advantage of.

“They are taught (in Mexico) that the Americans stole their land.”

He said they were not just minimum wage workers.

“They are earning $54 an hour as a union electrician.

“I know because my brother has 5 illegals working for him…

“I just don’t trust the people because they come from a lawless country.”

He told of going back to finish up business affairs.

“I got pulled over last week and it cost me $200.”

“I got pulled over in a foreign country and it cost me $300,” another person in the audience yelled out.

“I was in Wisconsin.”

That brought knowing laughter.

Rick continued with a tale of Saul Herandez, the third most popular rock star in Mexico, a man he considered his friend.

Herandez was playing at the Chicago House of Blues last Thanksgiving week and spoke to the audience in Spanish. Not speaking the language, Rick asked Herandez’ Dutch wife what he was saying.

“Oh, he’s just telling people you don’t need papers to work here,” she replied. “Keep up the fight. You didn’t cross the border. The border crossed us. This is your land.”

“I must have had dinner with them about 100 times.

He also told of what the President of the Cancun Restaurant Association, a man with whom he had had coffee 100 times, told him the last time he was in Mexico.

“We don’t need you anymore. Yes, we’re going to try to take your country from you.”

A man on the other side of the auditorium said, “I have a friend who works as an intelligence office for ICE. (He told me) they want to flood the Southwestern United States and vote them into Mexico (when they get amnesty).”

Another audience member asked, “Do you agree with that gentleman that they are trying to take over our country?”

“If they ever get amnesty, they’ll own the Southeastern United States.”

A women who said she grew up in Pilson and taught in Cicero “where there are a lot of illegals” indicated she “thinks it is hopeless.”

Beck suggested starting “at the local level. Don’t start at the big level.”

He told of being interviewed on WLS and WYLL Friday.

“I suspect there are a million more like you.”

= = = = =
I would add that right now people can file for Republican precinct committeemen. Get a minimum of ten “good” signatures from your neighbors and you can get on the February 5th ballot for precinct committeeman. I would suggest getting 20 signatures, because some people don’t want to be embarrassed by telling you they are not really registered voters. Notarized petitions have to be at the building north of the courthouse in the county clerk’s office by 4:30.

Here’s what you have to do: