The first political entry was Undersheriff Andy Zinke driving a Sheriff’s Department vehicle. Note the sign with his name and title on the door.
Andy Zinke in the Lake in the Hills Parade.
Steve Harlfinger
I say “political” because I never saw him in a parade before he announced he was running for McHenry County Sheriff in 2014 with Sheriff Keith Nygren’s full endorsement.
Maybe I wrote too soon.
I see that a truck carrying Lake in the Hills officials came before Zinke.
Since they are elected officials, their photos certainly belong in this article.
In the cab was Village Trustee Steve Harlfinger.
I recognize him because he comes to Grafton Township Board meetings in support of the Township Trustees.
Other village officials and family members were in the back of the yellow truck. Please help me identify them.
Lake in the Hills Board Village Trustees are Ray Bogdanowski (festival shirt), Paul Mulcahy (glasses), are seen in the truck. Denise Barretos is out of camera range. Note the flying candy.
Trustee Bob Huckins is on the left. Paul Mulcahy is standing next to him?
And while he’s not a politician, Lake in the Hill’s first Police Chief Irv Floress (can you remember the early 1960’s?) and his wife Lois were the Parade’s Grand Marshalls.
Lois and Lake in the Hills first Police Chief Irv Floress. I got this wave when I yelled, “Hey, Irv!”
The last time I talked to Floress he was living in a lake community south of Rockford.
As you can see from the hands over the kids’ ears, the Northern Illinois Fire Museum engines had their sirens blaring.
There were a couple of fire engines from the Northern Illinois Fire Museum.
The message from the Lake in the Hills Historical Society was that its members and the community has saved the Ford School.
While it’s non-political the truck with the message that the Lake in the Hills Historical Society had saved Ford School had been saved was neat enough to merit a photo.
A group of supporters for State Senator Dan Duffy’s re-election was the first massive show of support for any candidate. Duffy is the one in the yellow working the crowd on the other side of the street.
The Dan Duffy for State Senate contingent came next.
State Senator Dan Duffy was shaking hands of crowd members.
Duffy’s volunteers were handing out plastic hands that, when shook, made a noise and looked as if they were clapping.
The novelty items that Dan Duffy was giving away can be seen here, not to mention a couple of Lake in the Hills’ parade volunteers.
I asked one volunteer to hold up what she was passing out.
Now for something completely different. Here’s Miss Lake in the Hills Smaantha Bolet, sp0nsored by Black Diamond.
One of the next entries was Miss Lake in the Hills in a Black Diamond convertible.
Kids were scrambling for candy.
Next came the Democrats.
Democratic Party District 5 McHenry County Board member Paula Yensen waves at the camera. Her husband, McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Mike Bissett. Debbie Chirikos rides shotgun.
And, as the sign on the side of the cars says, besides incumbent District 5 Democrat Paula Yensen, there was another County Board candidate, Nick Chirikos, who is running in District 1.
Nick Chirikos was walking with the Democratic Party convertible.
I turned around and found another Democrat. Looking at the photos, I note that the word “Democrat” does not appear on the signs.
Intermission time.
Students of a dance school showed their stuff at the Lake in the Hills Parade.
Next came a dance school whose name I didn’t catch, but it had high steppers, as you can see.
A violin school called “Four Strings Attached” played the Star Spangled Banner. People stood up.
Immediately thereafter was a group playing the Star Spangled Banner on violins. What a treat?
This was what the street looked like after the violin players.
I thought that was the end of the parade and got ready to leave.
The Donna Kurtz car stopped near where I was standing and children gathered near the driver’s side seeking candy.
It turns out the pokey entry belonged to District 2 McHenry County Board member Donna Kurtz. Gone was the husband-powered Kurtzmobile. A spiffy red car was the replacement.
Donna Kurtz was handing out candy and working the adults in the crowd.
Entertainment was provided by a band and singers from Living Waters Church.
Living Waters Lutheran Church on Miller Road in Crystal Lake was singing a contemporary Christian song we often sing at the First United Methodist Church in Crystal Lake at the 11 o’clock service.
Walking with them was a clown named Caasi.
Caasi tried to throw popcorn in kids’ mouths. He missed the time I watched. He wore a pin that said, “I’m the body of Christ. I’m a funny bone.”
A car and people handing out candy for State Rep. Mike Tryon were the next political entry.
State Rep. Mike Tryon apparently took the day off, but volunteers still handed out candy and made his name visible.
Close behind was a black pickup truck with signs for District 5 GOP County Board members John Jung and Tina Hill, plus District 1 County Board member Anna Miller.
District 1 County Board member Anna Miller waves. District 5 County Board member Tina Hill sat beside her.
Must be something about Lutherans, because right behind came another Lutheran Church entry.
Crosspoint Lutheran Church of Lakewood led with a banner, but had music, too.
This time it was Crosspoint Lutheran Church of Lakewood near Lou Malnati’s.
More coming.
WOW, does that patch on his shirt say CORRECTIONS, Hehehe.
Just sayin.
It’s going to be a LONG campaign Andrew.
Go getem Jim H.
Jim remember the words SPIN MASTER.
In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny…..”What a maroon!”
I believe the posture of the man standing in the Iowa T-Shirt sums how Zinke’s chances of winning an election, or even garnering attention are.
With lights flashing, the parade viewer never even looks at Zinke and his vehicle.
“Picture tells the story, don’t it?”
Ohh…those evil local community parades.
First they dare throw out candy and then they wave to the kids..Keep up the good fight, guys. 😉
Cal – the other officials in the truck are Ray Bogdanowski (festival shirt), Paul Mulcahy (glasses), Denise Barreto (sunglasses).
All village trustees.
Fred Mullard was driving as he is the Director of Public Works.
I rode “shotgun” do to recent foot/ankle surgery.
Very nice of the politicians to let common folks in the parade.
There was a lot more, of course, but this is a political blog.
Notice the GOP drive foreign cars and the Democrats drive AMERICAN cars.
LCTruth, Mchenry County Democratic Chairman Mike Bissett is driving a Mitsubishi….see the steering wheel emblem?
Click up on Bissetts car to enlarge, you will see it.
Funny how when his wife, Paula Yensen was running her original campaign in 2008, for her seat on the county board, she had the NW Herald come to her home for a photo op so she could show off her Toyota Prius, just to show how ‘green’ she is.
So, Democrat leader Bissett and wife BOTH, driving FOREIGN cars…
We aren’t all stupid LCTruth
Now, that there is just plain old fact!
SpottedZebra,
Sorry to dilute whatever point you were trying to make, but I own a 14-year-old Ford Contour made in Missouri.
Ford is an American brand, last I checked, but they do make cars in at least 7 European countries, too. Contours were made in both Missouri and Mexico.
I was driving an American-made Eclipse in the parade (built at the factory in Normal, Illinois).
It was a rental, and with rentals, you know you sometimes get your second or third choice.
Sadly, the Mustang convertible we rented for the last parade was not available.
So which is more “foreign”: a Ford built in Mexico or a Mitsu built in Illinois?
SpottedZebra…..and GM Ford and Chrysler are WHAT?
7 of 10 GM cars are made out of the USA.
Chrysler is owned by FIAT.
Ford is the only majority US auto maker.
ABC’ news speciual made in America series stated that the Auto with the MOST USA manufactured parts and assembly was TOYOTA.
GM was behind Honda, VW.
That Tahoe Zinke is driving used to be made in Janesville, now Canada.
Check the door plate and many GM cars are made by OPEL others such as the Aveo are made in Korea.
Mike, I do not care what cars you drive, my comment was joking speaking to the comment made by LCTruth.
You did not mention your wife’s Toyota as I recall was advertised back in 2008?
Fact is who really cares…… We need jobs and a government to support the total and complete restructuring of our nations infrastructure.
To show how silly the comment was by LCTruth, I will add the following.
Mike Bissett is a brilliant political mind and a reasonable man. I also believe Paula Yensen to be a very good person who truly cares about her community.
Again, my comment about the cars were stated as a joke because of the obviousness of the emblem on the steering wheel.
PS. Is the Mitsubishi plant in Bloomington still open? And yes I agree, many of the US cars are assembled in Canada.
Manufacturing and Assembly are Zebra’s of different spots!
Vote Yensen, you won’t be disappointed….Mr Bissett, why don’t you seek a countywide office yourself? You are certainly qualified.
What recourse is there when the Undersheriff operates a County squad car with a political sticker on it? Maybe 31 days off without pay, after a Merit Commission hearing? Maybe a reduction in pay? Maybe a demotion? Or will this stunt get him “promoted”? I guess one would have to complain to Zinke’s superior; that would be Nygren. But where is he? On a 360-day vacation?
BTW Mistubishi is a “UAW” plant
I own a Jeep, is that ok?
Mike,
Remember these words: you are an idiot.
It’s negative people like you who make the rest of us SICK.
The world is filled with too many negative people like you.
Harrison is a lot of talk and nothing of substance.
He’s the typical wanna be without the right credentials.
Go Away Harrison!
We don’t need another man like you in our local government.
You have little experience for the job and absolutely NO INTEGRITY.