This morning I played photographer’s assistant on Pleasant Valley Road. I held up the remote controlled flash. Antonio Olivo is doing a story on things immigration, including the financing of the Lakewood SportsPlex complex with EB-5 “buy a visa” program … Continue reading
Ken Santowski’s best paragraph in his report to constituents below is the last one. I’m putting it up top because it is so good: Fell free to rant, yell or simply come by for a drink. I am thinking about … Continue reading
The headline of this TribLocal article about Libertyville’s sportsplex caught my eye. Some might be interested in the story, including the relationship of its new $96,000 a year manager Connie Kowal to Village Clerk Sally Kowal. The article points out … Continue reading
Finance Committee Chairman Marc Munaretto began the debate over whether to provide the developers of the McHenry County SportsPlex three more months to round up people to loan them money. Mary McCann took up the cause of those living off … Continue reading
I did not receive this letter to Lakewood residents until this morning and, then, it did not come from village hall, but from Village Trustee Ken Santowski. It accompanied his report to constituents on village affairs and can be found … Continue reading
Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski has made it a practice to send emails about his take on village affairs. His latest missive follows: Friends Neighbors and fellow residents, Unfortunately the August 10th board meeting was canceled. We only had the … Continue reading
Below is the emailed letter that Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski sent concerning Tuesday’s meeting which resulted in the approval of annexation of additional property to the village, plus economic incentives to the McHenry County SportsPlex. The SportsPlex is probably … Continue reading
The Lakewood village board unanimously approved economic incentive and annexation ordinances that allow the $40 million, 165 acre McHenry County SportsPlex to proceed. The result is three happy guys, Lou Tenor, EnRico Heirman and Jack Porter, plus a plethora of … Continue reading
You will remember that when we arrived home from our East Coast trip, I discovered a flyer opposed to the Lakewood SportsPlex. A second one turned up Sunday headlined, NO TO THE LAKEWOOD SPORTSPLEX Here’s its content: DID YOU KNOW? … Continue reading
The unveiling of the the McHenry County SportsPlex details will start at Lakewood’s Red Tail Golf Course Club House at six Tuesday night. Before the night is over, I’d give odds the deal, complete with so far unrevealed “development incentives,” … Continue reading
The Lakewood Village Board used to have a 4-3 balance. Village President Erin Smith headed the ruling coalition. The minority consisted of Dorothy and John Pfeuffer (elected in separate years) and Ken Santowski. They lost every contested vote I observed, … Continue reading
You will remember that details about the McHenry County SportsPlex have been dribbling out a little bit at a time. Some residents have been upset enough to distribute a broadside, which I publishes here. (We found it after coming back … Continue reading
The summer letter from Lakewood Village President Erin Smith has arrived and I share it at the bottom of this article. Missing from this second newsletter since the possibility of a SportsPlex near the intersection of Routes 47 and 176 … Continue reading
Owners of a couple of hundred acres of land are asking to be annexed to the Village of Lakewood on Tuesday. The annexation is connected with the SportsPlex, which McHenry County’s Board has allocated millions of dollars in loan authority … Continue reading
The Village of Lakewood asked permission to annex 540 acres running up to Dean Street Road and Route 176, where mail boxes have a Woodstock address. They got permission to proceed from McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael Caldwell. The … Continue reading
A big annexation of property is being sought by the Village of Lakewood in Circuit Court. Of the voters living in the 540 acres, twelve favor the action; one, largest property owner Alan R. Swanson, does not. The 540 acres … Continue reading
Pete Gonigam’s First Electric Newspaper reported it first, but he didn’t have the map you see below. What you see in orange is the new area within McHenry County designated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development as … Continue reading
