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McHenry County Blog

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About

Cal Skinner

This is a journal of news and opinion designed to bring to light matters of public interest and to encourage public participation in the governmental process. Emphasis will be on McHenry County, but Illinois state news will be covered. Articles and photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without explicit written permission.

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About Cal Skinner

About Cal Skinner
Email Cal Skinner

Recent Posts

  • Imagine Not Having to Wait 14 Days After the Election to Find Out Who Wins January 15, 2026
  • Algonquin Township Reverses Denial of Recording of Board Meeting January 15, 2026
  • Raja Romping in Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate January 15, 2026
  • ICE Agent Who Shot Renee Good Suffered from Internal Bleeding from Being Hit by Her Car January 15, 2026
  • Lake County State’s Attorney Doesn’t Know It Is a State Office January 15, 2026
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Imagine Not Having to Wait 14 Days After the Election to Find Out Who Wins

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Congressman Mike Bost is challenging current Illinois election law that allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received as long as fourteen days after the election. His suit was dissed until the U.S. Supreme Court overruled lower courts. I’m […]

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Algonquin Township Reverses Denial of Recording of Board Meeting

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Attached to an email from Algonquin Township Freedom of Information Officer Pam Gavers is the recording of the meeting previously denied. It seems someone figured out that withholding the recording was a No-No, resulting in the following paragraph from Gavers: “Your request […]

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Raja Romping in Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

From U.S. Democratic Primary candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi: Raja Holds Commanding, Expanding Lead in Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi continues to dominate the field in the Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate, moving above 40 percent in a recent survey […]

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ICE Agent Who Shot Renee Good Suffered from Internal Bleeding from Being Hit by Her Car

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

The plot thickens as more is learned about the killing of Renee Good. ABC Channel 7 reports ICE agent who shot Renee Good suffered internal bleeding, officials say “The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot Renee Good in the alleged car-ramming […]

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Lake County State’s Attorney Doesn’t Know It Is a State Office

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 14, 2026

McHenry County Blog has covering the Lakemoor hemp case. The latest action took place in a Lake County courtroom. Lake Co State’s Attorney’s Office Does not know it is a State Office On Monday, in an analogous Hemp case addressing the same […]

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Lots of Criminal Damage to Vehicles in Huntley Last Week

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 14, 2026

From the Huntley Police:

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$200,000 Woodstock Garage Fire, Lithium-ion Batteries Involved

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District: Detached Garage Fire on Clay Street On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 10:58 a.m., the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to the 1300 block of Clay Street in Woodstock for reports of a structure fire. The first arriving […]

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9th District Democratic Party Congressional Hopeful Mike Simmons Gains Endorsement

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From Illinois Politico: State Sen. Mike Simmons has been endorsed by the Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee in his Democratic primary bid for the 9th Congressional District. = = = = = I wonder if it comes with money.

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Federal Government Drops Financial Support of McHenry County Drug Court, 20% of Cost

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From the McHenry County Circuit Court: 22nd Circuit Addresses Unexpected Termination of Federal Drug Court Funding WOODSTOCK, IL – The 22nd Judicial Circuit Court has been notified that federal funding provided through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for […]

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19 Years for 2005 Murderer Who Fled to Mexico

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From the State’s Attorney: MCHENRY COUNTY’S MOST WANTED MAN FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS SENTENCED FOR 2005 MURDER McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on January 14, 2026, Roberto Valdez-Calixto, 50, previously of Harvard, Illinois, was sentenced to nineteen years […]

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Coroner Reveals Name of Woman 78-Year Old Woman Killed in Fox Lake Car Crash

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From tne Coroner: McHenry County Coroner, Dr. Michael Rein, announced that his office was contacted on January 9, 2026, by Northwestern Medical McHenry to investigate the death of Linda Thompson, age 78 of Fox Lake, Illinois. The decedent was involved in a […]

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Nurse in Trouble for Distributing Fake Weight Loss Drug

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From the U.S. Attorney: CHICAGO NURSE CHARGED WITH DISTRIBUTING COUNTERFEIT OZEMPIC CHICAGO — A registered nurse has been charged in federal court in Chicago with distributing counterfeit Ozempic. SHARON CHRISTINE SACKMAN distributed the counterfeit drugs to three individuals in Chicago in 2023, […]

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Americans for Prosperity Praise Rep. Jeff Keicher, TIF Reform Efforts Cited

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From State Rep. Jeff Keicher: Rep. Keicher Recognized as Champion for Taxpayers SYCAMORE – State Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore), the Illinois House Republican Conference Chairman, has been named a 2025 Prairie State Policy Champion by Americans for Prosperity–Illinois (AFP-IL). Keicher, a long-time advocate for reforming the […]

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Algonquin and McHenry Land $600,000 Apiece for Parks

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From JB Pritzker: Pritzker Administration awards $36 million in grants for local park projects SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced $36 million in grant funding was awarded to 67 local park projects throughout Illinois […]

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On and Off Again 9th District Democrat Bruce Leon Now Out, Endorsing Phil Andrew

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

Found in the Chicago Tribune: Illinois 9th Congressional District candidate Bruce Leon drops out, backs ex-FBI agent Phil Andrew That pretty much says it all.

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Lake in the Hills Man Gets Three Years for Domestic Battery Strangling in Plea Deal

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

From the State’s Attorney: DANIEL SWIDERSKI SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC BATTERY CHARGE McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announces that on January 13, 2026, Daniel Swiderski, 31, of Lake in the Hills, […]

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Scanning Inmate Mail Approved

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 12, 2026

From State Senator Don DeWitte: JCAR Accepts Safety Protocols for Department of Corrections Mail Processes I serve on the state’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), and on Friday JCAR accepted permanent rules for the handling of inmate mail at our Illinois […]

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Left Bemoans Conservatives Monopolization of Urging Increasing the Birthrate

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 13, 2026

To put it bluntly, it appears Conservatives are outbreeding Liberals. And NPR thinks that is such a problem it presented a very long piece on “the Right” has captured the subject of the need to increase the birthrate. Here’s the headline: As […]

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Tax Cap Will Allow 2.7% Property Tax Levy Hike in 2027

Cal SkinnerJanuary 14, 2026January 13, 2026

That’s the inflation rate for 2026 upon which acceptable increases the next (fall/early winter) real estate tax levies will be based. Here’s the relevant paragraph from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased […]

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Lake Killarney Ice Fishermen in Trouble

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

From the Cary Fire Protection District: Ice Rescue Incident at Lake Killarney On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 4:38 p.m., the Cary Fire Protection District was dispatched to the 6200 block of Londonderry Drive in unincorporated Cary for reports of people calling […]

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The Property Tax Sale Problem That Could Cost McHenry County Taxpayers $13 Million

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

The $13 million comes from a Pacific Legal Foundation analysis of equity lost by tax delinquent homeowners whose taxes were paid by what are called “tax buyers.” An article written last December quantifies the exposure: The Illinois Policy Institute has this article […]

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It’s Public Radio Broadcasting Day

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

With NPR off the Federal public dole, a history of Public Radio is embedded in an article by that name. The article explaining the day states, “While we don’t know the exact origin of this day, we know it was founded to […]

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Algonquin Township Refuses to Provide Recording of Last Meeting

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

On behalf of McHenry County Blog, I filed a Freedom of Information request for a recording of the last meeting of Algonquin Township. The request was denied. The denial email from FOIA Officer Pam Gavers is below: Pamela Gavers Thu, Jan 8, […]

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Daniel Biss Runs TV Ad in Quest for 9th District Democratic Party Congressional Nomination

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

From YouTube: Note the “Endorsed by Jan Schakowsky” message at the end of the ad.

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9th District Democratic Party Hopeful Laura Fine Runs Second TV Ad

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

Found on YouTube:

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Senator Darby Hills Calls for Budget Transparency

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 13, 2026

From The Center Square: GOP senator wants budget transparency; Dems describe open process By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square (The Center Square) –  As Illinois state senators return to Springfield, Democrats and Republicans disagree over the level of transparency in the state’s […]

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State Legislative Pork in McHenry County

Cal SkinnerJanuary 13, 2026January 10, 2026

McHenry County pork (earmarks, if one wishes to be non-transparent) has been ferreted out by the Illinois Policy Institute. Not just for McHenry County, but statewide. I’m pretty sure I dug this information shortly aft the budget passed, but there’s nothing wrong […]

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Grifter Employed by Medical Center Indicted

Cal SkinnerJanuary 12, 2026January 12, 2026

From the U.S. Attorney: FORMER OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR SUBURBAN CHICAGO MEDICAL CENTER INDICTED IN ALLEGED $900,000 FRAUD SCHEME CHICAGO — A former operations manager for a suburban Chicago medical center has been indicted in connection with an alleged $900,000 fraud scheme. From […]

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Small “ICE Out” Demonstration on Route 14 – Photos

Cal SkinnerJanuary 12, 2026January 12, 2026

Route 14 in Crystal Lake was the site of a 200-300 person demonstration against ICE Saturday afternoon. The Northwest Herald reported 600-700 people showed up at the “Ice Out” demonstration in McHenry.ATION You can see from the photos below that organizers of […]

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Two Views on the Democrats Energy Law

Cal SkinnerJanuary 12, 2026January 12, 2026

From Senate Democrats: CHICAGO – Taking both affordability and sustainability into account, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus led a landmark law that is projected to save Illinois households more than $13 billion in energy costs over the next two decades. “As Illinois […]

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Recent Comments

  • Lake County State’s Attorney Doesn’t Know It Is a State Office - McHenry County Blog on Possible Reasons the State’s Attorney Dropped the Lakemoor Hemp Case
  • The Property Tax Sale Problem That Could Cost McHenry County Taxpayers $13 Million - McHenry County Blog on McHenry County Taxpayers May Be on the Hook for $13 Million to Repay Home Equity Lost in Tax Sales
  • Cost Per Student in Crystal Lake High School District - McHenry County Blog on Test Scores, Costs for McHenry County School Districts, Link to All Illinois Districts
  • Leon Back In 9th District Democratic Party Primary - McHenry County Blog on Bruce Leon “Pauses” Campaign for 9th District Democratic Party Congressional Nomination
  • A Look at the County’s Legislative Agenda - McHenry County Blog on Taking Responsibility for Tax Money Received Is Good Government
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