A press release from the the Crystal Lake Police Department: CLPD National Night Out event TONIGHT at Three Oaks Recreational Area from 5p-8p!!! FREE!! National Night Out is a nationwide event providing an opportunity for the community and local law … Continue reading
Category Archives: Three Oaks Recreational Area
This year McHenry County Clerk Mary McClellan has made it easy to find what Tax Increment Financing Districts are extracting from our pocketbooks. Since my tax bill is composed of most of the tax districts into which Crystal Lakers pay, … Continue reading
At the Crystal Lake Expo on Saturday, I talked with Crystal Lake Park District Executive Director Jason Herbster. Earlier, I reported that he told me that the tax bill for the park district would be up 4% this spring. Today, … Continue reading
Because horse riding had just been banned at the old Lake Defiance, now Moraine Hills, it occurred to me that it could go in a Gravel Gertie State Park. Snow mobilers weren’t having trouble finding places to ride, but they … Continue reading
During the first month of publishing McHenry County Blog in 2005, I wrote the following about what could be done with the gravel pits in Algonquin Township. Since then, of course, Crystal Lake has used higher sales taxes and a … Continue reading
McHenry County Blog was started in reaction to the City of Crystal Lake’s announcement that it would be creating a Tax Increment Financing District to finance development of the Vulcan Gravel Pit. With the subsequent recession, that plan went askew … Continue reading
This comment just popped up under an article entitled, “Looking for the Bald Eagle Around Crystal Lake.” “Saw a bald eagle Nov 2, 2013 by the Crystal Lake recreation lake area. “We were driving west on Rakow Rd. about 1/2 … Continue reading
A press release from the Crystal Lake Police Department: 2013 Crystal Lake National Night Out On Tuesday August 6th 2013, the Crystal Lake Police Department will be hosting National Night Out, a nationwide event providing an opportunity for the community … Continue reading
Since McHenry County Blog was started in reaction to the Crystal Lake City Council’s putting Route 14 next to the Vulcan gravel pit in a Tax Increment Financing District, perhaps you will excuse me for returning to the subject once … Continue reading
A 2007 Cub Scout meeting caused me to miss Springfield politician-developer Bill Cellini’s appearance before the Crystal Lake City Council the day it awarded the contract for the development of the Vulcan Lakes TIF District. It wasn’t until a Northwest … Continue reading
One of the several deputies fired by McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren has brain cancer. Unfortunately, his firing, coming after he was deposed in Zane Seipler’s Federal wrongful termination suit, came when he apparently needed health coverage. His daughter tells … Continue reading
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the City of Crystal Lake has revealed that Vulcan Lakes broke even in Mary and June. Revenues were $32,223, while operating expenses totaled $30,268. This does not include repayment of the money … Continue reading
The petitions for re-election are being circulated for Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and Council members Cathy Ferguson, Ellen Brady Mueller and Brett Hopkins. And, just in time for the campaign, there is an election kick-off party that required the … Continue reading
The Crystal Lake restaurant that the recession does not seem to be hurting as much as others is planning to switch sides of Route 14. Colonial Cafe, which serves my very favorite salad, the citrus tango one with corn bread … Continue reading
It was October, 2005, when the Vulcan Lakes TIF proposal by the city council spurred me to start McHenry County Blog. I knew–and knew that most others didn’t–that every dollar that gets poured into a Tax Increment Financing District’s project … Continue reading
In a meeting of Crystal Lake governmental bodies about the Vulcan Lakes/Route 14 Tax Increment Financing district, which the city council will vote upon next Tuesday at 7:30, its consultant revealed that $115 million is expected to be generated. And, … Continue reading
As predicted below on November 6th, the Northwest Herald is trying to come to the rescue of Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley and the city council. The Vulcan Lakes Tax Increment Financing district certainly must be important to someone(s) important. Maybe a … Continue reading
Content of the leaflet being distributed by Jim Young: Citizens Against TIFS, Jim Young, Chairman Mayor Shepley/Council Plan TIF Tax Hike The Crystal Lake City Council is planning to divert money from our school, park & college districts to benefit … Continue reading
Crystal Lake’s Jim Thompson, Chairman of Citizens Against TIFs, leafleted much of the Coventry subdivision today. The man is indefatigable. Under his supervision, thousands of leaflets explaining how the Crystal Lake City Council’s passage of two Tax Increment Financing districts … Continue reading
With both Crystal Lake school districts and the park district opposing the Vulcan Lakes/Route 14 TIF, the Crystal Lake City Council approved a pre-meeting agreement to postpone the vote until December 6th. With the seven council members were unanimous in … Continue reading