McHenry County Blog

A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department:

Crystal Lake – Alcohol Compliance Enforcement Conducted

On Thursday April 25, 2013 Crystal Lake Police and Illinois State Police conducted an Alcohol Compliance Enforcement (ACE) checks on establishments that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages within the City limits.

During this A.C.E. detail, eight undercover officers and four underage minors visited twenty-four various liquor establishments, packaged sale stores and restaurant / bars, with a goal of finding them all to be in compliance.

Four of the selected businesses conducted unlawful sales of alcoholic beverages to the minors during the operation. The businesses found in violation were;

• Teddy’s Liquors 11 E. Northwest Hwy.
• Fresh Market 6000 Northwest Hwy.
• Dominick’s Finer Foods 5340 Northwest Hwy.
• 7- Eleven 19 Berkshire Drive.

The remaining twenty businesses found to be in compliance were:

• 

  The CVS Pharmacy on Randall Road passed the Crystal Lake Police Department’s test.

  Aldi’s 320 S. Virginia

• Cardinal Liquor 305 Virginia Street
• Convenient Food Mart 201 E. Virginia
• Walgreen’s Pharmacy 151 W. Northwest Hwy.
• K-Mart 6000 Northwest Hwy.
• Walgreen’s Pharmacy 315 N. Route 31
• CL Food & Liquors 540 E. Terra Cotta Ave.
• 7-Eleven 60 W. Terra Cotta Ave.
• Oak Street Food & Liquor 256 N. Oak Street
• Citgo 7615 S. Route 176,
• Cost Plus 6000 Northwest Hwy.
• Jewel/Osco 6140 Northwest Hwy.
• Shell (Open-Pantry) 4811 Northwest Hwy.
• Gas Depot/Marathon 4410 Northwest Hwy.
• CVS Pharmacy 1305 Randall Road
• General Store 1309 North Ave.
• Wal-mart 1205 S. Route 31
• LaRosita 131 N. Main Street
• London Pub & Grill 394 W. Virginia St.
• the Williams Street Public House 83 Williams Street

With accidents as the leading cause of death among adolescent Americans, coupled with alcohol as the leading causative factor, the Crystal Lake Police Department strives to develop a partnership with local merchants to help them achieve the goal of zero sales to minors.

These Alcohol Compliance Enforcement checks are done randomly several times throughout the year with the assistance of the Illinois State Police.

Huntley is  in mourning the death of 19-year old Jennifer Kearns.

She was thrown from a car on the way to Donley’s Banquet Hall south of Union last night.

Kearns was not wearing a seat belt.

Neither were any of the other recently-graduated high school students.

All I could think of was how this could have been prevented by Huntley adults.

Remember that rash of teen car crash deaths during the nineties?

Well, Crystal Lake Police’s Community Service Officer Sean McGrath and community volunteers took notice and did something about it.

This the car in which former Crystal Lake Pontiac owner Sam Oginni's daughter survived. It is unknown whether the new owner of Crystal Lake Buick-GMC will continue Oginni's annual car donation to Operation Click.

They created an organization designed to use incentives to convince high schoolers to buckle their seat belts.

It’s now called “Operation Click.”

It works like this.

Teens are asked to sign a contract which includes seat belt use.

Several times a year, police check seat belt use.

If students at a high school reach the 90% seat belt compliance level, one of the teen contract signers get a chance to win a car.

Above the 95% level and two students get a chance at getting transportation.

In more prosperous times, it was a new car, but a good used car is certainly enough incentive.

Is someone in Huntley or Marengo willing to donate such a car to help make it less likely that someone in the current generation of Huntley or Marengo High School students don’t end up being killed in a car crash next year?

I’m told the kids can really get into it.

That’s because besides the “grand” prize, there are little rewards for good behavior.

One Crystal Lake teen who was being driven to school by his mother was stopped by the police.

She couldn’t figure out what she was doing wrong.

Her son was overjoyed as the police officer approached the car.

Here are the results of Operation Click during the early years of the program.

‘Mom, I’m going to get something,” was the gist of his comment.

And, because he was wearing his seat belt he was given a $5 coupon to McDonald’s or The Freeze or some other fast food restaurant supporting Operation Click.

AAA is the major sponsor of Operation Click, which makes me believe that the organization will go nationwide.

School who participate get $2,000, just as in a competing program sponsored by another insurance company.

The difference is that Operation Click comes with performance measures.

Here are the results for District 155 last year. Two students from each school got a shot at winning a car.

Peer pressure and the incentives drive seat belt use up.

I remember the reaction of House Republican Leader Tom Cross when the horrendous crash occurred in Kendall County.  He did what legislators do.

He introduced a bill.

Oh, that he had encouraged Yorkville and Oswego High School parents to start an Operation Click chapter.

That would have attacked the problem in a way where progress could be measured.

No high school in Kendall County belongs to Operation Click.

All of the participating schools were above the 95% compliance level in 2011.

Every participating school had over 95% seat belt compliance in 2011.

Can Huntley or Marengo High School parents and community members believe that is the case in their towns?

Sean McGrath explaining the program on ABC.

How about those living in other non-participating areas?

You can see the progress over the years by clicking here.

You can read more about the program in these articles:

• 4-22-11 Peyton Freund, McHenry East Student, Wins Operation Click Car
• 4-21-11 Operation Click Scores AAA as National Sponsor, Poised for Exponential Growth
• 4-21-11 Cary-Grove’s Roxanne Neubaum Wins Operation Click Car
• 4-21-11 Harvard High School’s Abby Heck Wins Operation Click Car
• 9-5-8 Operation Click Spark Plug Sean McGrath Wins International Award for Preventing Teen Car Crashes

Cary-Grove student Roxanne Neubaum won the car from Sam Oginni’s Crystal Lake Buick GMC

Roxanne Neubaum picks a key to try in the car donated by Crystal Lake Buick GMC. Treasurer Kathie Gossett can be seen to the right.

Oginni had the Pontiac dealership in Crystal Lake before General Motors pulled the plug on that line.

Roxanne Neubaum turns the key and the car starts.

He has provided a car for each of Operation Click‘s years.

A smiling Roxanne Neubaum gets out of the car donated by Sam Oginni, who looks on at the joy he has brought to the teen.

Two Cary-Grove students were competing against two each from the three Crystal Lake high schools in District 155: Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South and Prairie Ridge.

Star105's Stew Cohen interviews winner Roxanne Neubaum. Sponsors of Operation Click get special treatment by his radio station.

Afterward members of the media got comments.

Information about the Harvard High School winner can be found here.

The story about the McHenry East High School winner can be found here.

The story about the AAA sponsorship is here.

From the Crystal Lake Police Department:

Crystal Lake Traffic Crashes March 1st , 2011

On Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 at 5:33 PM, Crystal Lake Police and Fire Rescue Departments responded to the 1100 block of North Shore Drive, Crystal Lake for a reported traffic crash. Upon arrival emergency crews determined the crash involved a single vehicle and a utility pole.

The driver of the vehicle; Kristina P. Bevill (16) of 1141 North Shore Drive, was evaluated by paramedics, reporting no injury. Bevill had been traveling eastbound on North Shore Drive when the 2002 Ford Explorer she operated left the roadway on the south shoulder, colliding with the pole.

As the pole had been severed at the base, and live power lines remained attached, the roadway was closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until crews from Com Ed deemed the scene safe.

Kristina Bevill was cited for Improper lane Usage, and was released on the scene. The roadway was reopened at 9:57 PM.

Crystal Lake Traffic Crashes March 2nd , 2011

On Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 at 8:21 AM, emergency crews responded to US Rt. 14 at Lucas Road for a reported traffic crash.

Upon arrival personnel determined this was two vehicle crash, with no injuries were reported.

Police officers on the scene determined that a 2005 Ford Focus, operated by Amy Frankel (18) of 5505 Avalon Lane, Lake in the Hills had been stopped, northbound Lucas Road, and attempted to cross Rt. 14 to enter the McHenry County College.

An eastbound 2003 Nissan Maxima, operated by Aristo Espino (55) of 113 Staffordshire Drive, Poplar Grove, IL collided with Frankel’s vehicle, resulting in extensive damage.

Amy Frankel was cited for Failure to Yield Right-of-Way at an Intersection, and released at the scene.

Police personnel remained on the scene until the involved vehicles were towed.

Traffic was restricted to a single lane periodically during this process. The roadway was reopened at 8:58 AM.

A teenager with an enlightened view of a high schooler's typical attitude.

This wonderful tee shirt was found in the Orlando Airport line for the buses to Disney World.

I’m right

97% of the time.

Who cares about

the other

4%?

There are two messages on this rust decorated vehicle.

The one on top says,

The one below reads,

There are two messages on this rust decorated vehicle.

The one on top says,

The one below reads,