McHenry County Blog

On September 20, 2022, McHenry County Blog revealed that top officials of McHenry County College had undergone training for

• expanding diversity,
• equity,
• belongingness, and
• inclusion

and found it desirable for all faculty and every other employee to be subjected to the same 8-hour indoctrination.

Petitions to run for the college board are now available at the college.

Below is the outline of the presentation to be made to MCC faculty on November 29, 2022 . by Systemic Education Equity, LLC.:

Understanding Implicit Bias: Part 1 and Part 2

• Increase awareness surrounding bias
• Engage in structural conversation about implicit bias
• Cultivate deeper insight into the complexities of bias
• Examine theperpetuation of specific biases in society

Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, one of former State Representative and McHJenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks’ most faithful campaign contributors has decided not to run for re-election.

Here are the Burke contributions I could find:

• 2/25/4 – $300
• 2/24/5 – $200
• 7/24/6 – $250
• 6/24/8 – $500
• 12/12/8 – $500
• 3/11/9 – $250
• 6/23/9 – $250
• 2/24/12 – $300
• 8/3/12 – $250
• 6/21/13 – $250
• 2/19/15 – $250
• 7/20/15 – $250
• 2016 – $5,000

Burke won re-election in 2019, even though he had been indicted on Federal crimes.

That four years later no trial has been held is evidence that the justice system moves slowly.

Prior to the indictment, Franks sent invitations to his fundraisers with Burke’s name on the front page.

Burke was also featured on invitation in other years, some of which can fe found below:

• 2012
• 2013
• 2014
• 2015
• 2016

In 2019, Burke’s name was not on Franks’ invitation.

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

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.

In March of 2010, Illinois held a Primary Election.

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

BILL BRADY	REPUBLICAN	155,527	20.26%
KIRK W. DILLARD	REPUBLICAN	155,334	20.24%
ANDY McKENNA	REPUBLICAN	148,054	19.29%
JIM RYAN	REPUBLICAN	130,785	17.04%
ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKI	REPUBLICAN	111,030	14.47%
DAN PROFT	REPUBLICAN	59,335	7.73%
ROBERT J. “BOB” SCHILLERSTROM	REPUBLICAN	7,420	< .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.

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.

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

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.’”

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.

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.

When cartoonistTim Rickard, who draws and writes “Brewster Rocker: Space Guy!”, ran a cartoon on inflation, I wondered if he was making a political comment on our hyper-inflation.

Today, there is no doubt:

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.

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.

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.”