McHenry County Blog

The Spring Hill Mall Santa from years past.

Last week, I explained what happened at Federal Magistrate Michael Mahoney’s court room when three McHenry County deputies tried to get out of answering questions in former Deputy Zane Seipler’s wrongful termination court case.

As background Keith Nygren attorney James Sotos characterized the relationship between Seipler and the three his attorney Blake Horwitz sought successfully to depose:

“They hate each other.”

Since this is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season, I thought it might be appropriate today to share Magistrate Mahoney ‘s sense of humor with you:

“I can’t wait to see the Secret Santas in the Sheriff’s Department.”

From the time Spring Hill Mall was suggested, it was obvious that a four-lane road would be needed on all sides.

Of course, the reason Sears’ Homart division picked the area west of Route 31 between Route 72 and Huntley Road was it thought it could get away with paying for upgrading those roads.

Oh, it fronted the money, but local governments lusted so for the sales tax receipts that West Dundee and, I believe, Carpentersville agreed to reimburse Sears for the minimal road improvements out of those sales taxes over the first ten years it was open.

Now, the intersection of Huntley Road and Randall Road is one of the most dangerous in the Chicago area.

And Huntley Road is one of the worst in my driving range.

Going west from Route 31, it is four lanes until it gets past the entrance to Spring Hill Mall.

Maybe it goes a bit farther, probably financed by the strip mall there.

As one goes farther west, there are turn lanes at another strip mall. The main lanes are wildly confusing.

Now, I see some widening is coming west of Sleepy Hollow Road.

When one gets to the school, turn lanes appear again.

There are probably other short improvements before on hits the four-lanes just east of Randall Road.

Maybe the intersection is so dangerous because people are so frustrated by their journey from Route 31.

From the time Spring Hill Mall was suggested, it was obvious that a four-lane road would be needed on all sides.

Of course, the reason Sears’ Homart division picked the area west of Route 31 between Route 72 and Huntley Road was it thought it could get away with paying for upgrading those roads.

Oh, it fronted the money, but local governments lusted so for the sales tax receipts that West Dundee and, I believe, Carpentersville agreed to reimburse Sears for the minimal road improvements out of those sales taxes over the first ten years it was open.

Now, the intersection of Huntley Road and Randall Road is one of the most dangerous in the Chicago area.

And Huntley Road is one of the worst in my driving range.

Going west from Route 31, it is four lanes until it gets past the entrance to Spring Hill Mall.

Maybe it goes a bit farther, probably financed by the strip mall there.

As one goes farther west, there are turn lanes at another strip mall. The main lanes are wildly confusing.

Now, I see some widening is coming west of Sleepy Hollow Road.

When one gets to the school, turn lanes appear again.

There are probably other short improvements before on hits the four-lanes just east of Randall Road.

Maybe the intersection is so dangerous because people are so frustrated by their journey from Route 31.