Spring Grove Police Car Rammed by Stolen Pickup Truck Driver, Who Fled Across Lake County

Posted on by November 28, 2022
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From the Spring Grove Police Department:

Spring Grove Police search for suspect after pursuits results in driver ramming patrol car

On Saturday November 26 th at 12:30 am Spring Grove Police attempted to affect a traffic stop on a stolen 2005 Ford F350 pickup truck.

Officers originally attempted to stop the vehicle and its driver on State Park Road in Spring Grove after the vehicle was located.

The driver failed to yield to the Officers and subsequently struck a Spring Grove patrol vehicle while attempting to flee.

The driver and vehicle led the Police on a chase that ended in Waukegan.

The driver fled on foot after his vehicle was rendered inoperable and is still at large.

Spring Grove Police are asking for the assistance of the public with the identification, information and apprehension of the driver.

Please feel free to contact the Spring Grove Police Department at 815-675-2596 if you have information on this.

Anonymous tips can be sent by going to www.springgrovepd.com/take-action

McHenry County Supporting Spelling Bee

Posted on by November 28, 2022
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From McHenry County7:

Regional Office of Education Participating in 2033 Scripps National Spelling Bee

WOODSTOCK, Ill. – The McHenry County Regional Office of Education will be sending the winner of this spring’s McHenry County Spelling Bee to the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The county spelling bee, held at McHenry County College, will take place Wednesday, March 22, and the champion of the local competition will represent McHenry County in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which takes place in National Harbor, Md., from May 28 to June 2.

Regional Superintendent Diana Hartmann said she hopes every McHenry County elementary and middle school enrolls in the competition and holds spelling bees to send their winners to the county competition for the chance to compete nationally for the $50,000 grand prize.

“The Scripps spelling bee for almost a century has inspired a love of learning in children, and has helped cultivate life skills, such as public speaking, time management, and confidence, that last a lifetime and help children become successful adults,” Hartmann said.

“The McHenry County Regional Office of Education has served as an official Scripps National Spelling Bee regional partner for many years, and looks to continue this honored tradition.”

Elementary and middle schools have until Dec. 31 to enroll in the competition, and can do so by visiting www.spellingbee.com/enrollment.

Upon enrolling and paying the entry fee, schools will have access to study lists, rules, and other learning materials.

The Regional Office of Education is seeking local sponsors to help cover the cost of the spelling bee and sending the winner to the national competition – interested parties can contact Hartmann at 815-334-4055, or at DKHartmann@mchenrycountyil.gov

Feds Prosecute Freeport Woman on Gun Charge

Posted on by November 28, 2022
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From the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

FREEPORT WOMAN GUILTY OF “STRAW PURCHASING” FIREARMS ON BEHALF OF CONVICTED FELON

ROCKFORD — A Freeport, Ill., woman admitted in federal court today that she “straw purchased” multiple firearms for a convicted felon whom she knew could not legally purchase the guns.

FELICYA KNOX, 31, pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms.

Knox faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.

Sentencing is set for May 10, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard in Rockford.

Knox admitted in a plea agreement that on multiple dates she knowingly made false and fictitious written statements to a firearms dealer in connection with the acquisition of the firearms.

She then transferred those guns to a known felon whom Knox knew could not legally purchase or possess them.

The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey L. Matthews, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office and the Freeport Police Department assisted in the
investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.

Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force. As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.

Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

UPDATE: Cary Monday Politics Turns to Local School Boards as They Tax to the Max

Posted on by November 28, 2022
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From Bruce Johnson of We the People of McHenry County:

School Board Forum with School Board Veterans, Current School Board Member and Current School Board Candidates

  1. Attend and learn about being a School Board Member.
  2. Come and learn about how you can help support School Board Candidates.
  3. Please bring anyone that might be considering running and help them get their questions answered. School Board Candidates are Needed to Represent our Schools and our Values.

We Hope to See You There!

Monday, November 28, 2022
6 PM

RSVP

800 Feinberg Ct, Cary

Galati’s, 800 Feinberg Court, Cary.

EVERY school district I have looked at is planning to raise taxes the maximum amont allowed by the Tax Cap law.

Comparing Accomplishments of Two Who Lost the 2010 GOP Primary for Governor – Andrzejewski and Proft

Posted on by November 28, 2022
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In March of 2010, Illinois held a Primary Election.

In the Republican gubernatorial contest, the results were as follows:

BILL BRADYREPUBLICAN155,52720.26%
KIRK W. DILLARDREPUBLICAN155,33420.24%
ANDY McKENNAREPUBLICAN148,05419.29%
JIM RYANREPUBLICAN130,78517.04%
ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKIREPUBLICAN111,03014.47%
DAN PROFTREPUBLICAN59,3357.73%
ROBERT J. “BOB” SCHILLERSTROMREPUBLICAN7,420< .01%

Of the seven, three are still in the public arena.

Kirk Dillard, who placed second, is Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, a relatively low-profile position.

In fifth place was Adam Andrzejewski.

Adam Andrzejewski spoke to the Huntley Area Tea Party in 2014..

He went on to found Open the Books, an organization dedicated to allowing the public to see how government spends out money.

What an impact that organization has made.

Just take a look at the following almost three-minute compilation of TV references to findings of Open the Books and appearances of Andrzejewski:

The subject matters are not mentioned, but they range from revealing royalty payments to NIH scientists to salaries of 120 million public employees, including Andrew Fauci (the highest paid Federal employee) and Algonquin Township‘s.

Other highlights of the reaearch follow:

  • How Fauci Profited During Pandemic – Net Worth Soared To $12.6 Million – Up $5 Million (2019-2021)
  • IRS Purchased $21.6 Million In Guns, Ammunition, and Military-Style Equipment Since 2006
  • Fauci’s Royalties And The $325 Million Royalty Payment Stream Hidden By NIH — Secret Third-Party Royalties Enriched the Agency, its Leaders, and 2,405 of its Scientists 
  • Cracked Open California’s State Checkbook For The First Time In History – 201,000 Vendors Received $87 Billion In State Payments
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom Pay-To-Play? Newsom Reaped $10.6 Million In Campaign Cash From 979 State Vendors Who Pocketed $6.2 Billion
  • Why Illinois Is In Trouble —132,188 Public Employees With $100,000+ Paychecks Earned $17 Billion Last Year!
  • The Government’s War on Transparency — published in The Wall Street Journal
  • $1.4 Billion Forgiven PPP Loans Paid To Wealthiest Law & Accounting Firms Across America — our elites gamed the system for personal gain
  • The Los Alamos Club… In China — 162 former scientists at our Los Alamos National Lab now work for the People’s Republic of China
  • Top-Paid LA Lifeguards Earned Up To $510,283 In 2021 — 98 lifeguards made more than $200,000 and 20 made more than $300,000!

Andrzejewski has really advanced American democracy.

Receiving about half as many votes as Andrzejewski was Dan Proft.

He leveraged his political consulting business to becoming a commentator on politics at various radio and television stations, now appearing on WIND on its morning show.

He convinced Lake Forest billionaire Richard Uihlein to finance expensive campaigns in the Illinois legislative and state arenas, including Darren Bailey’s campaign for Governor.

Dan Proft appeared with Allen Skillicorn at a 2015 June forum in Huntley.

The only race in which his efforts have borne fruit, to the best of my knowledge, was that of State Rep. Allen Skillicorn.

Elon Musk Says He Voted for Biden, But Now Favors DeSantis

Posted on by November 27, 2022
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From Epoch Times“

Musk Reveals Whether He’d Vote for DeSantis or Trump in 2024

“…Musk, who took over Twitter at the end of October and vowed to allow greater freedom of expression on the platform, then said he had “reluctantly” voted for President Joe Biden over Trump in 2020.

“’My preference for the 2024 presidency is someone sensible and centrist. I had hoped that would the case for the Biden administration, but have been disappointed so far,’ Musk continued.

“Asked pointedly by a Twitter user whether he would support Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024, Musk replied simply, ‘Yes.’”

Methodist Church Spiraling Down

Posted on by November 22, 2022
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The denominaton to which the churches I have attended since childhood belonged is breaking apart.

Membership and contributions are going down the drain.

Progressives contol conferences in the United States, where membership is pummeling as individual traditionlists leave their churches and traditional churches disaffiliate from the international United Methodist Church.

The growth tip is Africa, where Methodist know how to evangelize.

This week there was a story in the UM News reports a 38% budget cut has been recommended.

“1,314 churches have been approved for disaffiliation by annual conferences, with 1,131 of those approvals coming this year.”

There are about 30,000 congregations in the U.S.

The First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake.

What will happen locally is unknown.

80-Acre Wildfire in McHenry Township

Posted on by November 26, 2022
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From the McHenry Township fired Protection District:

On November 26, 2022, at 11:33 am, the McHenry Township Fire Protection District (MTFPD) was dispatched to a brush fire in the 3800 block of Buchanan Road.

3800 block of Buchanan Road, McHenry Township

MTFPD crews arrived within seven minutes to find approximately one acre of cornfield burning in
the rear of a residence.

Due to the wind and dry conditions, the fire escalated quickly.

MTFPD requested resources through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) for wildland equipment and manpower.

Multiple departments responded with brush trucks, ATVs, tenders, and technicians to contain the fire.

Approximately 80 acres of wildland burned, and the fire was brought under control by 3:00 pm.

The MTFPD received assistance from the following departments, either on scene or covering MTFPD stations. Barrington-Countryside FPD, Beach Park FD, Cary FPD, Countryside FPD, Crystal Lake FD, Fox Lake FPD, Gurnee FD, Hebron-Alden-Greenwood FPD, Lake Zurich FD, Libertyville FD, Long Grove FPD, Marengo FPD, Newport FPD, Spring Grove FPD, Wauconda FPD, and Wonder Lake FPD.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries. No structures or buildings were involved.

Consumer Price Index Up 7.7% over Last Year

Posted on by November 26, 2022
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From the Federal government:

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – OCTOBER 2022

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4 percent in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, the same increase as in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. 

Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 7.7 percent before seasonal
adjustment.

The index for shelter contributed over half of the monthly all items increase, with the indexes for gasoline and food also increasing. The energy index increased 1.8 percent over the month as the gasoline index and the electricity index rose, but the natural gas index decreased. The food index increased 0.6 percent over the month with the food at home index rising 0.4 percent.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in October, after rising 0.6 percent in September. The indexes for shelter, motor vehicle insurance, recreation, new vehicles, and personal care were among those that increased over the month. Indexes which declined in October included the used cars and trucks, medical care, apparel, and airline fares indexes.

The all items index increased 7.7 percent for the 12 months ending October, this was the smallest 12-month increase since the period ending January 2022. The all items less food and energy index rose 6.3 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index increased 17.6 percent for the 12 months ending October, and the food index increased 10.9 percent over the last year; all of these increases were smaller than for the period ending September.

Pilot Dies in Plane Crash Near Wonder Lake’s Galt Airport

Posted on by November 26, 2022
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McHenry County made the nightly Friday news in a way people would wish it had not.

WGN-TV headline.

From the Sheriff’s Department:

On Friday, November 25 at approximately 5:15 p.m., McHenry County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a single airplane crash involving a model EA-300LC, near Galt Airport in Wonder Lake. The pilot and sole occupant was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

McHenry County Sheriff’s Office contacted the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue the investigation. More information regarding the crash will be available tomorrow. 

Evidence of the Loss of Jim Tobin

Posted on by November 21, 2022
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Just under a year ago, Tax Fighter Jim Tobin died.

One of his pet peaves was Home Rule.

When municipalities under 25,000 people (the constitutional threshold for automatic Home Rule status) held referendums seeking such status, which would give them unlimited taxing authority, he would partner with local opponents.

The piece that helped defeat Home Rule in Itasca.

Tobin wold produce flyers liks the one above which would be distributed with Home Rule opponents.

With Tobin no longer with us, take a look at the results of referendums to retain Home Rule taxing status in cities whose population dipped below 25,000:

Clean sweep: Home rule wins across Illinois – Kankakee Daily Journal

  • Kankakee and
  • Freeport

were two of seven Illinois municipalities forced to place home rule referendums on the Nov. 8 ballot because of reported population drops. Others were

  • Carbondale,
  • Harvey,
  • Melrose Park,
  • Collinsville and
  • East St. Louis.

All survived, with margins of victory ranging from 53% to 47% in Harvey, to an 80% to 20% split in Melrose Park.

= = = = =

My hometown of Lakewood tried to obtain Home Rule status through a referendum.

We defeated the referendum.

County Awards Money for Seniors

Posted on by November 22, 2022
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These grants were awarded by the McHenry County Board at its November meeting:

PROJECTS:

  • McHenry Township-Senior Express for $20,000 with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Richmond Township-Senior Transportation Program for $20,000 with quarterly
    reimbursements;
  • Village of Hebron-Senior Bus for $6,000 with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Harvard Community Senior Center-Core Services/Senior Center for $50,000 with
    quarterly reimbursements;
  • Lake County Center for Independent Living-McHenry Co. Senior Independent Living
    Services for $30,000 with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Senior Services Associates-Community Senior Services and Resources for $100,000
    with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Catholic Charities Archdiocese-McHenry Co. Senior Nutrition Services for $125,000 with
    quarterly reimbursements;
  • Harvard Community Senior Center-McHenry Co. PEARLS Depression in the Elderly for
    $10,000 with monthly reimbursements;
  • Home of the Sparrow-Supportive Services for Seniors Facing Homelessness and
    Housing Insecurity for $50,000 with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Independence Health and Therapy-Adult Day Health for $250,000 with monthly
    reimbursements;
  • Independence Health and Therapy-Memory Care for $250,829.74 with monthly
    reimbursements;
  • McHenry County Housing Authority-Senior Dental Program for $40,600 with quarterly
    reimbursements;
    Pioneer Center for Human Services-Senior Residential Program for $90,000 with
    quarterly reimbursements;
  • Pioneer Center for Human Services-SOAR for $100,000 with quarterly reimbursements;
    Prairie State Legal Services-McHenry Co. Senior Citizens Legal Services for $70,875
    with quarterly reimbursements;
  • Senior Care Volunteer Network-Senior Connections for $172,000 with quarterly
    reimbursements;
  • Senior Services Associates-Comprehensive Senior Services for $200,000 with quarterly
    reimbursements;
  • Senior Services Associates-Hoarding Clean-up for $35,000 with quarterly
    reimbursements;
  • Veterans Path to Hope-Senior Veteran Support Program for $30,000 with monthly
    reimbursements

TOTAL: $ 1,650,304.74

This is financed by property taxes authorized by passage of a referendum on April 1, 2003, establishing a tax not to exceed .025% of assessed valuation for the purpose of funding social services and transportation for McHenry County senior citizens.

Cary Grade School District 26 Goes for Maximum Property Tax Hike

Posted on by November 25, 2022
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From a Friend of McHenry County Blog:

Former School Board President Scott Coffey observes,

“My recollection is they are taking the 5% max plus any new construction on the operating levy. The debt service levy is declining by a couple of hundred thousand dollars. The net effect to a tax payer is that they’ll see somewhere around a 3.9-4.0% increase overall from D-26

“The following year (taxes collected in 2024) will see a similar impact as the debt service levy drops again offset by what will probably will be another 5% max operating levy.

“The debt service levy completely disappears for the levy collected in 2025 as all the bonds will be paid off. D-26 taxpayers will see a net decline in property taxes even with another 5% max operating levy because the amount of the disappearing debt levy is so large.”