Grandparents’ Visitation Rights Increases under Althoff Law

A press release from State Senator Pam Althoff: New law expands grandparent DCFS visitation rights Springfield, IL… The rights of grandparents and great-grandparents to visit children under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) are expanded … Continue reading

Wonder Lake Jr. High School Teacher Arrested

A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff: McHenry Man Arrested on Disorderly Conduct Charges Detectives from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office served criminal warrants on June 24, 2016, on Scott Smessaert of McHenry, Illinois, for Disorderly Conduct. On May … Continue reading

Pimp Faces Four Years

The following press release has been received from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. The conviction is this case occurred in January. JOSUE GOMEZ SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR JUVENILE PIMPING Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, … Continue reading

Child Protection Quality to be Tracked in County

The following press release has been received from McHenry County government: McHenry County Selected as Child Protection Data Courts Project Pilot Site WOODSTOCK, IL – McHenry County has been selected by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC), as … Continue reading

DCFS Fails to Prevent Crystal Lake Teen Death

My fellow Crystal Lake Kiwanians probably did not understand why I was so intense in my questioning of McHenry County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Executive Director Kelly Pokharel. One of my emotional hot buttons got pushed. It started in 1979, … Continue reading