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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
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Recent Posts

  • Marengo Man with Bad Vehicle Lights Cited for Pot and Cocaine, Female Passenger Cited for Cocaine January 20, 2026
  • Democratic Party $50,000 Not the Only Available Money January 20, 2026
  • McLaughlin Critiques Dems’ Energy Law January 19, 2026
  • Democrat Rolls Out Tax Sale Solution January 19, 2026
  • McHenry Riverside Businesses Burn January 19, 2026
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Marengo Man with Bad Vehicle Lights Cited for Pot and Cocaine, Female Passenger Cited for Cocaine

Cal SkinnerJanuary 20, 2026January 20, 2026

From Marengo Police:

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Democratic Party $50,000 Not the Only Available Money

Cal SkinnerJanuary 20, 2026January 20, 2026

Yesterday we took a look at the financial situation of the McHenry County Democratic Party. There’s another money pot controlled by Democratic Party women. The Political Action Committee called “McHenry County Democratic Women had $29,642.97 as of the beginning of 2026. The […]

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McLaughlin Critiques Dems’ Energy Law

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 19, 2026

From State Rep. Marty McLaughlin: Here’s what this new expensive law means for Illinois families and businesses: This is another top-down experiment from Springfield that ignores warnings of energy shortfalls while driving up bills for hardworking Illinoisans. It prioritizes green mandates over […]

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Democrat Rolls Out Tax Sale Solution

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 19, 2026

From Senate Democrats: Preston outlines measure to overhaul state’s tax sale system, stop predatory speculation SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston held a press conference last Tuesday to outline his Property Justice and Community Recovery Act – long-term structural reform to stop wealth […]

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McHenry Riverside Businesses Burn

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 19, 2026

It appears urban renewal is possible due to a devastating fire of two buildings on Riverside Drive From the McHenry Fire Protection District: On January 18, 2026, at approximately 12:07 p.m., the McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD)was dispatched to a reported […]

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Dems Have $50,000 in the Bank

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 17, 2026

According to the campaign finance report filled with the Illinois State Board of Elections, the McHenry County Democratic Party had $50,093.97 available at the end of the year. Most of the $7,332.16 in campaign contributions came in amounts less that $150. The […]

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Illinois Budget Has Risen Five Times Our Economic Growth

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 19, 2026

From State Senator Chris Balkema: Illinois Budget has Grown 5x Faster than the Economy I am working hard to make Illinois a more welcoming place for both small businesses and large employers, because a strong private sector is essential to a strong state. […]

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Governor Jim Edgar’s Pension Timebomb

Cal SkinnerJanuary 19, 2026January 17, 2026

It was 1995 when Appropriation Committee Spokesmen were called to the Governor’s office for a brief on the state employee pay raise bill. We were told that in return for a freeze on salaries for one year, their pensions would be increased. […]

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Ted Dabrowski’s First and Second TV Ad During Bears Game

Cal SkinnerJanuary 18, 2026January 19, 2026

From the campaign of Ted Dabrowski:

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Farmhouse Living Room Fire in Harvard

Cal SkinnerJanuary 18, 2026January 18, 2026

From the Harvard Fire Protection District: On January 17, 2026, at 7:29 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District responded to the 10900 block of White Oaks Road in unincorporated Harvard for a reported residential structure fire. While en route, additional information was received […]

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19-Year Old Arrested for Attempt to Meet 13-16-Year Old Youth for Sex

Cal SkinnerJanuary 18, 2026January 17, 2026

From the Marengo Police: January 17, 2026 At approximately 12:05 PM on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at Deer Lane, Sleepy Hollow, the Marengo Police Department arrested Javier Q. Nevarez-Lott, 19, of Deer Lane, Sleepy Hollow, IL, for the following alleged offense(s); Javier […]

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Sunday Funnies

Cal SkinnerJanuary 18, 2026January 18, 2026

From Eric Allie, Illinois Policy Institute cartoonist:

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Mandatory Mental Health Screening in Schools (Passed in Illinois) Found to Make No Difference

Cal SkinnerJanuary 18, 2026January 17, 2026

From the Manhattan Institute : Executive Summary Mental health screening in public schools has grown in recent years. As of 2021, nearly one-third of American schools reported that their district mandated student screening.[1] While widespread implementation has occurred somewhat inconspicuously, empirical evidence […]

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Kat TV Ad

Cal SkinnerJanuary 17, 2026January 17, 2026

This is Kat second television ad: I can’t find the first one on YouTube, but here is a link that might work if you watch it to the end (about 1:40):

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UPDATE: Referendums on School Choice Scholarships on One-Third of Illinois Counties’ Ballots WITH MAP

Cal SkinnerJanuary 17, 2026January 17, 2026

From Illinois Policy comes information on referendums, such as the one in McHenry County, across the state: Voters get say on Illinois students benefitting from scholarships Voters in 32 counties get to say whether they think the state should let public and […]

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Republican Gubernatorial Debate in Tazewell County

Cal SkinnerJanuary 17, 2026January 17, 2026

AllI can provide for you is a link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b_mAUkXUVQEZipq0qzfD5XqHVDeVVety/view?ts=696a6dfb A transcript is provided at the same link on the righthand side.

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The Illinois Death Spiral Started in the 1970’s

Cal SkinnerJanuary 17, 2026January 17, 2026

Rebecca Madigan takes a comprehensive look at the self-inflicted problems that Democrats have caused. While her analysis is quite comprehensive, Gov Jim Thompson’s demographer gave the same signal in his report on the 1980 Census. The Governor’s office would not let it […]

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Man Killed Walking on Route 120 in McHenry Identified

Cal SkinnerJanuary 16, 2026

From the Coroner: McHenry County Coroner, Dr. Michael Rein, announced that his office was contacted on January 15, 2026, by Northwestern Medical McHenry to investigate the death of Ronald Wills of McHenry. Mr. Wills was a pedestrian and was apparently struck by […]

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Pot Found in Cary Stop

Cal SkinnerJanuary 16, 2026January 16, 2026

From the Cary Police Department:

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Seniors with Household Income Less Than $75,000 Can Have Their Assessments Frozen

Cal SkinnerJanuary 16, 2026January 16, 2026

From McHenry County: New State Law Increases Eligibility for Senior WOODSTOCK, Ill. – McHenry County is encouraging more seniors to apply for the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption in the wake of a new state law that will increase eligibility over […]

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Just in Case You’re Interested in the 9th District Democratic Party Congressional Race

Cal SkinnerJanuary 16, 2026January 16, 2026

Tell how unimportant the Democratic vote in Algonquin Township is, consider this forum which was held in Chicago–as far south in the 9th District as McHenry County is west. Our home is on the very western edge of District 9. Evanston Now […]

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Trump Looks a Lot Like Biden in Dealing with Uprising in Iran

Cal SkinnerJanuary 16, 2026January 16, 2026

I write to express disappointment with the President’s reaction to the uprising in Iran. I remember President Biden had words to say about the last revolt. But he did nothing to assist. Perhaps he concluded there was nothing he could do that […]

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Carjacker, Captured after Chase Including Helicopter, Gets 17 Years

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

From the U.S. Attorney: MAN WHO COMMITTED TWO CHICAGO CARJACKINGS SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON  CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for participating in two violent carjackings in Chicago. EDMUND SINGLETON and two […]

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Feds Backtrack on Eliminating Drug Court Subsidy

Cal SkinnerJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

From the McHenry County Circuit Court: SAMHSA Rescinds Termination of Federal Drug Court Funding for 22nd Judicial Circuit WOODSTOCK, IL – The 22nd Judicial Circuit has received official notification from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) rescinding its prior […]

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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:

Posts pagination

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Recent Comments

  • Democratic Party $50,000 Not the Only Available - McHenry County Blog on Dems Have $50,000 in the Bank
  • 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
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