Two More Defrauders of Minority-Women Business Set-Aside Program Sentenced

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: OWNER OF DEFUNCT AZTECA SUPPLY CO. AND HER HUSBAND SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON IN CONNECTION WITH MINORITY CONTRACT FRAUD CHICAGO — The owner of a defunct Chicago company once certified as a … Continue reading

Crystal Lake Businessman Asks Metra to Probe Ridgefield Station

Jim Roden, owner of the Framery in Ridgefield has sent the following letter to Metra Chairwoman  Carole Dovis. A copy was sent to the railroad commuter agency’s Inspector General Hillard Heintze. Metra Board Chairman, Carole R. Doris 547 W. Jackson … Continue reading

Looking for a Place to Put a Belvidere Amtrak Station

Yesterday I drove a friend to Belvidere for medical treatment. I had about an hour to wait, so I went exploring in the city I represented in the Illinois House of Representatives for eight years in the 1970’s. Since I … Continue reading

County Poll Seeks Input on Transportation

Previously McHenry County Blog has looked at the questions on the Healthy Communities 8,000 household survey concerning Parks & Recreation and Citizen Desires for More Services Today we look at the transportation questions: TRANSPORTATION 37-39. If you were to choose … Continue reading

Metra’s Executive Director Phil Pagano of Crystal Lake Under Investigation for Possible Unauthorized $56,000 Payment

That’s what Crain’s Chicago Business is reporting online. Phil Pagano lives in Covered Bridge Trails, which is located north of Hillside Road in rural Crystal Lake. At a salary of $269,625, I can’t imagine any public official/servant living in McHenry … Continue reading

Metra Ridgefield Station Chugs Along, But Planning and Zoning Commissioners Want Traffic Improvements, Too

The Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission gave preliminary approval to Metra’s proposed Ridgefield Train Station, but conditioned it on making multi-million dollar road improvements recommended by city engineering firm Patrick Engineering. The improvements, most overdue, according to Patrick engineers … Continue reading

Making Public Real Estate Commission when Tax Districts Are Involved

Yesterday, I commented on the Northwest Herald’s recommendation that the McHenry County Board move forward on enacting some form of the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s proposed conflict of interest ordinance. I disagreed with the NW Herald editorial writers’ … Continue reading

What Happened to the County Board Candidates Who Did Not Fill Out ALAW’s Conflict of Interest Forms

There were only seven McHenry County Board candidates who did not complete the ethics questionnaire proposed by the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water. Leading up the list is District 2’s representative and McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, who … Continue reading