Operating A Boat Under Influence of Alcohol Has Same Results As For Automobile

Operating a Watercraft under the influence of Alcohol can have the same results as operating a motor vehicle under the same conditions.

Ricky McGuire, 55, of Wonder Lake, was sentenced to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for that offence, according to a report from McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi. McGuire faced a possible sentence of probation or three to fourteen years in prison and was found guilty on September 17 following a five-day trial. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before finding the defendant guilty.

Trial testimony revealed that the defendant had a blood alcohol level of .179 when his boat collided with another watercraft on Wonder Lake in the early morning hours of July 6, 2008.  As a result of that collision, 21 year old Nicole Jurgens was killed.

The case was investigated by Officer Rich Reidel of the Illinois Conservation Police and prosecution was handled by McHenry County Assistant State's Attorneys Michael Combs and Patrick Kenneally.

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours For Crystal Lake Public Library

The Crystal Lake Public Library is preparing for Thanksgiving holiday. The Library will be closed from 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 24 and will be closed Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26. The Library will re-open to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday November 27.

Celebrate and Find More About GIS - November 16

November 17 is International GIS Day.

McHenry County will celebrate the day on November 16 with an open house prior to the McHenry County Board meeting in Conference Rooms A and B of the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

This open house will showcase how the County GIS is used to:

• Improve public safety
• Reduce staff time
• Manage resources more efficiently
• Improve decision making
• Provide better information to the public 

Stop by and meet County staff and interact with the technology. There will be representatives from Administration, Assessments, Division of Transportation, Emergency Management, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Health, Planning and Development and the Sheriff’s Department. You can also learn more about the County GIS activities at For more information about McHenry County GIS Day,call 815-334-4496 or email gis@co.mchenry.il.us.

Cardiovascular Screening Offered November20

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is offering a cardiovascular screening on Saturday, November 20, from 7:30am-11:30am, at its Crystal Lake office, 100 N. Virginia Street.  The screening requires a 12-hour fast and includes total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, blood pressure, cardiovascular education, body mass analysis and heart age assessment.  Appointments are necessary.  The cost is $35.00.   

Five people die every hour from heart disease and stroke, the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death, respectively, in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.  They are also the major causes of disability.  Age, gender and family history are risk factors beyond our control.  But what we can change is high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking (including second-hand smoke), diabetes, obesity, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use and poor nutrition.  The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

Call MCDH at 815-334-4536 to schedule an appointment.

A Good Time Coming To The Raue Center Friday and Saturday

This Friday and Saturday Raue Center will host two of Blues music’s finest performers for its Annual Blues Weekend. Friday, November 12 at 8:00 pm, Nick Moss & The Flip Tops will blow away the intimate Lucy’s Café stage for a night of gritty, down-home Chicago Blues. Following on Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 pm, Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues will take the main stage with a fusion of classical and blues music so unique, you’ll have to ask, “Is it blues or is it classical?”

Friday Night 

Fresh off the release of their newest album, Privileged, Nick Moss and The Flip Tops will bring the house down at Lucy’s Café: A Night of Music, November 12 at 8:00 pm. Long before Nick forged his own direction, he spent time learning with some of Chicago’s finest musicians including Jimmy Dawkins, Willie “Big Eye” Smith and Jimmy Rogers. These experiences allowed Nick to launch his own band, The Flip Tops, and also his own record label, Blue Bella Records, in the late ’90s. Their first album, First Offense, was the start of something special. The next three album releases received numerous awards, nominations and accolades including Play It ‘Til Tomorrow named to “Decades Best Blues: 25 Great Albums That Defined the Past 10 Years” in Blues Revue Magazine 2010. Relentless touring and multiple strong studio releases have helped Nick Moss and The Flips Top build a substantial, devoted and raucous audience.

Privileged, is the eighth album for the band and takes advantage of Nick’s willingness to push the band to grow, explore and expand. Moss has written some of the finest songs of his career, and by stretching beyond the traditional blues idiom, he has expanded his sound without losing his identity. This is a band, and album, not to be missed.

Saturday Night

Following on Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 pm, Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues will take the main stage with a fusion of classical and blues music so unique, you’ll have to ask, “Is it blues or is it classical?” Siegel has played with all the blues greats since Chicago is considered the blues center of the world. He is also the Siegel of the Siegel-Schwal Band.

Blues is not a sad form of music. Siegel explains on his website, "The rhythms in the old blues tradition stretch and shrink and vacillate to follow any mood or phrasing."

That's what is coming to Crystal Lake this coming weekend. .

Blues may be a somewhat misleading description of the music and as Siegel explains "The the rhythm of this music particularly swept me away when I was experiementing with it at home. I would always get caught up in a particularly hypnotic rhythm called the shuffle which is similar to a heart beat. I would play this over and over and over with little or no apparent variation and I would close my eyes and just start laughing. It made me feel so good that I could have burst open."

Chicago Blues Comes To Raue Center This Weekend

This Friday and Saturday Raue Center will host two of Blues music’s finest performers for its Annual Blues Weekend. Friday, November 12 at 8:00 pm, Nick Moss & The Flip Tops will blow away the intimate Lucy’s Café stage for a night of gritty, down-home Chicago Blues.

Fresh off the release of their newest album, Privileged, Nick Moss and The Flip Tops will bring the house down at Lucy’s Café: A Night of Music, November 12 at 8:00 pm. Long before Nick forged his own direction, he spent time learning with some of Chicago’s finest musicians including Jimmy Dawkins, Willie “Big Eye” Smith and Jimmy Rogers. These experiences allowed Nick to launch his own band, The Flip Tops, and also his own record label, Blue Bella Records, in the late ’90s. Their first album, First Offense, was the start of something special. The next three album releases received numerous awards, nominations and accolades including Play It ‘Til Tomorrow named to “Decades Best Blues: 25 Great Albums That Defined the Past 10 Years” in Blues Revue Magazine 2010. Relentless touring and multiple strong studio releases have helped Nick Moss and The Flips Top build a substantial, devoted and raucous audience.

Privileged, is the eighth album for the band and takes advantage of Nick’s willingness to push the band to grow, explore and expand. Moss has written some of the finest songs of his career, and by stretching beyond the traditional blues idiom, he has expanded his sound without losing his identity. This is a band, and album, not to be missed.

Following on Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 pm, Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues will take the main stage with a fusion of classical and blues music so unique, you’ll have to ask, “Is it blues or is it classical?”

Emotion Training Freedom This Saturday

Release Stress, Fears, Anger, Grief and MORE!  Join us on November13th from noon to 2:30 for .Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Applied Kinesiology/muscle testing (AK).

Tom Masbaum, BS, EFT-ADV will be our facilitator. To find out more about Tom, go to    

This workshop training is for everyone who seeks a state of well being and enhanced health. EFT is a very popular "tapping" technique that is used world wide by both health care professionals and lay people. Please reserve with  debcaruso@yahoo.com using the Subject line: UUCE EFT. 

The session is held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin located 3 miles west of Randall on Highland Avenue,. - UUCE Suggested donation $20.

Crystal Lake Public Library Finance Committee Meeting

A meeting of the Finance Committee of the Crystal Lake Public Library Board of Trustees is scheduled to be held Monday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Director's Office at the Crystal Lake Public Library.

Social Security Holds Hearing on Compassionate Allowances

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today hosted at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the agency’s sixth public hearing on Compassionate Allowances.  Commissioner Astrue joined Susan B. Shurin, Acting Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and other Social Security officials in listening to testimony from some of the leading experts on cardiovascular disease and multiple organ transplants regarding possible methods of identifying and implementing Compassionate Allowances for both adults and children.

“Compassionate Allowances and the Quick Disability Determination process are making a real difference for disabled Americans by ensuring those with devastating disabilities receive their benefit decisions quickly and accurately,” Commissioner Astrue said.  “This fiscal year, about 150,000 people will benefit from these fast-track disability processes.  With this hearing, we continue to look at broader categories of conditions to determine if a subset or certain diagnosis might clearly meet our disability standards and qualify as a Compassionate Allowance.”

Social Security implemented Compassionate Allowances in October 2008 to expedite the processing of disability claims for applicants with medical conditions so severe that their conditions by definition meet Social Security's standards.  There currently are 88 specific diseases and conditions that qualify as a Compassionate Allowance. 

To learn more and to view a web cast of today’s hearing, go to

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America,” said Commissioner Astrue.  “More than 95,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant and nearly 4,000 are added to the waiting list each month.  Today’s hearing will help us move one step closer to ensuring quick and accurate disability decisions for those with the most severe conditions.”

IDNR Snowmobile Safety Certification Course

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Snowmobile Safety Certification Course is being offered by the McHenry County Sheriff's Offices on Saturday, November 13 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The course will take place at the McHenry County Government Center in the Sheriff's Office – Training Division. The location is 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock.

The course is open to children 12 years of age and older and for those who do not have a valid driver's license. The certificate obtained through this course is needed for those who do not have a valid driver's license in order to legally operate a snowmobile in the State of Illinois.

Those who possess a valid driver's license may also attend to expand their knowledge of snowmobile safety.

The IDNR Snowmobile Safety Certification Course cover maintenance and repair of snowmobiles, proper and safe operation, history of snowmobiling, first aid, protection of the environment, and the state laws. Persons completing the minimum eight hours of instruction and successfully completing the final examination will receive a State of Illinois Certificate of Competency and a graduate patch.

The course will take place at the McHenry County Government Center in the Sheriff's Office – Training Division. Pre-registration is requested with Cathy Hardt at 815-334-4739 or edhardt@co.mchenry.il.us . Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. For further information on snowmobile safety courses, go to IDNR's website

MCC Music Faculty Recital and Other Upcoming Concerts

The Second Sunday Concert Series at McHenry County College continues at 3:00 p.m. November 14 with a MCC music faculty recital featuring organ works, original compositions, jazz tunes and euphonium music. The concert will take place in Room B257 at MCC, 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake. The Room is located on the second floor of Building B, the Conference Center. Entrance is available from Route 14 at the stop light entrance to MCC.

Featured faculty performers will include Phyllis Lange-Connelly, organ; Paige Lush, Ph.D., euphonium; Michael Bazan, Chris Ray and Tara Singer, jazz; and Russ Henning and Roger Reupert, trumpets.  The program will also include original music by MCC music instructor Michael Hillstrom, including a harp solo, performed by MCC student Suzanne Koeppen of Huntley.

Other Concerts

The college will also present the MCC Jazz Concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17 featuring the MCC Jazz Combo and MCC Jazz Ensemble, also in the MCC Conference Center.

The following Second Sunday and other MCC concerts are free and at 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted:

Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. -  MCC Jazz Concert

Sunday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m. - MCC Concert Band and Chorus

Sunday, December 5 at 6:00  p.m.  -  MCC Student Recital

Sunday, December 12 at 4:00  p.m. - Handel’s “Messiah” at the Raue Center, 26 N. Williams Street, Crystal Lake, featuring the MCC Choir and Voices in Harmony. For ticket information, contact the Raue Center at (815) 356-9212.

The concerts are open to the public. A reception follows each Sunday concert. For more information, contact Michael Hillstrom at (815) 479-7814.

Tomorrow--A Day To Honor American Veterans Of All Wars

Thursday is Armistice Day, now called Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars.

On this day precisely at 11 a.m. at Arlington National Cemetery the Veteran's Day ceremony will begin with a wreath laid at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The ceremony will continue inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans' organizations and remarks from dignitaries. This special ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

Why precisely 11 a.m. and on November 11? World War 1 fighting ceased when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. World War 1 was know at the time as "The Great War" and regarded as the war to end all wars.

Armistice Day was commemorated to honor those who died during the war and to be a day dedicated to the cause of world peace. In 1954 the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars. Veteran's Day is celebrated Nov. 11 no matter what day of the week it falls on.

McHenry County Statement of Economic Interests On Way To County Board For Approval

A McHenry County Statement of Economic Interests is on its way to becoming law. The Management Services Committee approved the proposed ordinance and it is to be presented to the full County Board for approval at the November 16 meeting.

The Ordinance has been in process for many months and as the Purpose and Intent states, "The provisions of this ordinance are to continue to ensure confidence to the residents of McHenry County . . . . in their elected and appointed public officials by creating an addendum to the Illinois Statement of Economic Interests which will provide for a more transparent government."

As explained, the ordinance is not intended to replace the provisions of the current state required "Disclosure of Economic Interests." Instead it is in addition to that which is already in place, but will require more information than is requested on the State form already in place. A completed form will be required of all candidates for public office in McHenry County and completed forms are to be filed with the County Clerk, as is the case with the state form.  

Interviews Of Doctors For Membership On McHenry County Board of Health

The Public Health and Human Services Committee of the McHenry County Board will meet Wednesday morning at 8:15 a.m. in the Conference Room of the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

Several doctors are to be interviewed to fill a vacancy on the Board of Health, and acceptance of a $5,457 grant is to be approved. This funding is to conduct a Child Passenger Seat Education/Distribution Program.

The Liquor and License Committee will met at 9:30 a.m. in the same locations to consider raffle pernut and special liquor license request.

Daily Walk-in Flu Vaccinations Offered By McHenry County Health Department

Beginning Monday, November 15, McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) will offer daily walk-in flu vaccinations for adults and children aged 9 and over at its Woodstock (2200 N Seminary Avenue, Annex A and B) and Crystal Lake offices (100 N Virginia St) from 8:30am-4pm.  No appointments are needed.  The cost is $30.  Medicaid and Medicare Part B accepted. 

Don’t put off getting your flu shot as it takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to build antibodies for full protection – just in time for Thanksgiving with friends and family.  Remember, getting a flu shot protects not only yourself but everyone around you – young children, the elderly and co-workers.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the vaccine for anyone over 6 months of age.

Flu is a serious and contagious illness.  Get your flu shot now so you don’t get sick and miss out on holiday festivities.  To reduce the spread of influenza, it is important to cover your cough, wash your hands and stay home if you’re sick.   

For more information, visit http://www.mcdh.info/ or call 815-334-4510.

High School District 155 Board Committees Meet Wednesday

Two committees of High School District 155 Board of Education will meet Wednesday, November 10 in the Center for Education, One South Virginia Road, Crystal Lake. The Building and Grounds Committee will meet at 5:45 p.m. to consider the 2009-2010 Capital Improvement Report along with reviewing energy savings.

The Finance Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. to consider a tentative levy for 2010, along with the investment policy and the Transportation Joint Authority Audit review.

Celebrate GIS Day

November 17 is International GIS Day.

McHenry County will celebrate the day on November 16 with an open house prior to the McHenry County Board meeting in Conference Rooms A and B of the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

This open house scheduled from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. will showcase how the County GIS is used to:

• Improve public safety
• Reduce staff time
• Manage resources more efficiently
• Improve decision making
• Provide better information to the public 

Stop by and meet County staff and interact with the technology. There will be representatives from Administration, Assessments, Division of Transportation, Emergency Management, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Health, Planning and Development and the Sheriff’s Department. You can also learn more about the County GIS activities at

For more information about McHenry County GIS Day,call 815-334-4496 or email gis@co.mchenry.il.us.

MCC Trustee Kurtz Resigns From MCC Board To Serve As McHenry County Board Member

President Vicky Smith                                              November 5, 2010

McHenry County College

8900 US Hwy 14

Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012-2738

Dr. Smith,

On November 2, 2010 I was elected to the McHenry County Board.  I will be sworn in as a member of that body on December 6, 2010.   As you know, two years remain on my six year term as a McHenry County College board member.  In light of this situation I requested an opinion from the State’s Attorney to address any legal considerations this may have caused.

I have been informed that Illinois law will not permit me to serve in both of these elected positions at the same time.  Following a discussion with our College Board attorney, I further understand that under the Community College Act, any MCC trustee position that becomes vacant more than four months before the April election must be placed on the April 2011 ballot even if the original term was to run through the April 2011 election.  In addition, during the time prior to the seating of a newly elected board member any vacancy must be filled within 60 days with a temporary appointment. 

In order to ensure that the community has sufficient time to respond and fill this vacancy permanently with a qualified and capable individual, through election rather than appointment, I am, with a certain amount of regret, resigning from the McHenry County College Board of Trustees, effective immediately.  It is my hope that this will facilitate the electoral process and an orderly transition for the College.

In closing, I am proud of the contributions MCC has made to our community since 2005 when I first joined the board.  I have greatly enjoyed and been honored to serve my constituents as a College Board Trustee and I look forward to the new challenges that await me as a County Board Member.  I wish you and the MCC Board of Trustees much success in continuing to meet the needs of our community and our students in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Donna Kurtz

 

MCC Board Comments On Trustee Kurtz Moving To McHenry County Board

 “The College will truly miss Trustee Kurtz,” said MCC president, Vicky Smith. “She has certainly been committed to MCC and its programs, as well as brought a distinct perspective to many business and technology issues the College has faced.”

Kurtz served as a trustee on MCC’s Board since her election in April 2005. In addition to her over five years of service as a trustee, she also served the Board through numerous support roles, including lead trustee on the Technology Committee, Board chair in 2006, chair of the Finance Committee July-October 2007, MCC MAP Project (community engagement) committee member in 2009, and most recently, chair of the 2010 Policy Committee.

According to Board chair, Mary Miller, Kurtz has been a valued trustee. “I really enjoyed working with Donna, and I look forward to working with her in the future on topics that relate to the county. She has always had the interest of the taxpayer at heart, and I have no doubt she will continue to focus on our community as she begins her new role.”

As Kurtz begins her work on the County Board, she will remain focused on what matters to her most – the local citizen and local business. A new MCC trustee will soon be appointed to replace Kurtz until the April 2011 MCC Trustee Election.

Information Sessions At MCC Regarding Medical Careers

McHenry County College (MCC) will host an information session, in cooperation with MRxI Corporation, about careers as a Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomist and Veterinary Assistant from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16 in room B168-169 at the college, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake.

The session will be presented by MRxI Corporation, a health care education company. An MRxI representative will speak to potential students about careers in these industries and give details about program requirements, state licensing, class curriculum and expectations. In addition, instructors from the various programs will be available at the information session as follows: 

•  Phlebotomy program, 3-5 p.m.
• Veterinary Assistant program, 4-6 p.m.
• Pharmacy Tech Program, 3-6 p.m.  

This is a free event and is open to the public. For more information, contact Ruth Kormanak at McHenry County College at (815) 479-7879 or rkormana@mchenry.edu.

Some Tuesday Governing Body Meetings

Tuesday, November 9

– 8:30 a.m.

Management Services Committee of McHenry County Board

Meeting in the Conference Room of the County Administration Building.

An interesting resolution to be considered is the acceptance of $16,854.38 Energy Rebate as the result of an electrical savings program for parking lot lights retrofit to LED lighting. The rebate is to be used to develop a low maintenance native plant garden in the Secured Courtyard of the Government Center.

A McHenry County Statement of Economic Interests Addendum Ordinance is included in the agenda for approval. If approved by the Committee and subsequently by the full County Board, completion of this economic interests form would be required by county employees and candidates for elected office in addition to the forms required by other governing bodies.

Other matters for discussion include an apprenticeship and training program in the Purchasing Department and further discussion on the audio streaming of county board meetings.

Finance and Audit Committee
--9:30 a.m.

Rakow Road between Ackman Road and Illinois Route 31, Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills, is in the process of being improved. The Transpiration Committee of the McHenry County Board selected Bollinger, Lach and Associates to provide construction management and inspection services for the proposed project..

Bollinger and Lach was retained to provide a startup constructability plan review, utility coordination and advance public information coordination services. They are now to provide further engineering services for an amount of $3,485,722.96.

Funding for this project is coming from the RTA Sales Tax Fund. The engineering services agreement is to be handled by the Finance and Audit Committee of the County Board on Tuesday.

 

--2:00 p.m.

Building and Grounds Committee of the Crystal Lake Park District

Preliminary building plans for the West Beach renovation project are to be reviewed by the committee. Also the Woodscreek Park improvement plan is to be reviewed.

--7:00 p.m.

Lakewood Village Board

Meeting in the RedTail Golf Club, 7900 RedTail Drive, Lakewood.

A request is to be considered for the approval of the Issuance of Bonds by the Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority to Finance a Commercial Project Located in the Village.

A number of items are listed for discussion and one includes approval. That is the resolution stating the estimated Tax Levy for 2010.

Discussion items include the replacement or repair of the spillway splash pad floor for the concrete spillway and discussion regarding Route 47 utilities.

Hiring Essentials Series Available at MCC's Shah Center

The McHenry County College Shah Center staff is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of employees by giving them the training they need to become compassionate leaders and service professionals.

Registrations are being accepted for the Development Dimensions International (DDI) Hiring Essentials Series. This series includes two DDI modules:

Essential Interviewing Skills and Strong Start. Participants may choose to attend an individual class or enroll in both classes in the series, which is available at a discounted rate.

The following classes are accepting registration:

Monday, Nov. 15 (continues Nov. 17)

8 a.m. to noon: Essential Interviewing Skills -- Teaches participants competency-based interviewing. This course covers the implications of a poor hiring decision, how to gather and evaluate the applicant's past behavior related to the job's competencies, how to conduct interviews and how to avoid legally inappropriate questioning. Cost is $298. Register for this individual course by using course ID: NTL S25 002.

Monday, Nov. 22

 8 a.m. to noon: Strong Start -- Helps equip leaders with a process to help new hires become productive quickly, enhance a new hire's engagement, and increase his or her desire to stay with the organization. Cost is $155. Register for this individual course using course ID: NTL S58 002. 

Interested participants can take advantage of a 15 percent discount by registering for the two-class series for a cost of $385, using course ID: NTL S59 003 to register.

Strip-search Machines At Airports Not Always Appreciated

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle commented this past week on the Transportation Security Administration's use of strip-search machines at airports.

Hinkle says, "The TSA should end the strip-search machine program immediately." We've reached a point where our government has no qualms about humiliating us.

"Everyone who cares about civil liberties should be outraged that the Obama administration has shown no respect for travelers' privacy or their right to be free from unreasonable searches. The fact that I want to travel on an airplane does not make me a threat, and it does not allow anyone to conduct a warrantless search under my clothing. The Obama administration apparently agrees with the neoconservative philosophy that there are no limits on government power in the areas of security and terrorism.

"Terrorists win when they provoke our government into overreacting. Apparently they have manipulated our government into chipping away at our rights and privacy. We should not let them get away with it."

American Pilots Association president Dave Bates recently spoke out against the strip-search machines, expressing concern about the possibly harmful radiation they emit.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) recently filed the opening brief in its lawsuit against the program. EPIC says that the machines violate the federal Privacy Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act, the Administrative Procedures Act, and the Fourth Amendment. EPIC's president called the program "unlawful, invasive, and ineffective."

Hinkle continued, "We can ignore the government's assurances that images will not be stored. Regardless of policy, some security personnel will want to store the images, and they will find ways to do it. This is already reported to have happened in Florida, where U.S. Marshalls stored thousands of images from a courthouse scanner.

"Many airlines are probably relieved to have the federal government assume responsibility for security. But it's the airlines that ought to be responsible, and they should bear the liability for what happens on their flights. Rather than have a one-size-fits-all approach imposed by the government, passengers and airlines should be free to work together to determine what methods and levels of security fit their needs best.

"We encourage Americans to call their newly-elected members of Congress and tell them that they don't want this expensive, worthless, intrusive, unconstitutional program."

The LP is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace.

Overtime And County Wages Face Committee Considerations Monday

The Human Resources Committee of the McHenry County Board is expected to have some tough discussions at a Monday morning meeting. Two topics are scheduled for continuing discussion: overtime use and Fiscal Year 2011 employee wages.

The concern as expressed at previous Committee meetings is that the balanced budget as previously worked out does not provide for all the wage expenditures the County is facing for the following year. There is no control over the expenditures for union positions. It should be noted that not all employees are union affiliated, even within departments.

During a prior discussion it was noted that the annual benefit cost for each full-time employee is $14,000.

The Committee meeting begins at 8:15 a.m. in the County Board Conference Room of the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

Expanded Rail Service For Northern Illinois

"One key priority for me as I return to Springfield is to work toward securing a Huntley Amtrak stop as part of the Chicago-Dubuque (Iowa) route which is currently under development." That was the statement recently made by State Representative Mike Tryon, R-64.

He adds, "Research tells us that an estimated 100,000 plus residents from Huntley and other McHenry County communities could benefit from

this route. An Amtrak stop in Huntley would improve the viability of the entire route and would ensure the route's success for years to come."

Construction of this line is scheduled to begin in late 2012 and it would run from Chicago to Dubuque, with stops in Bensenville, Belvidere, Rockford (two stops), Freeport and Galena. Tryon is of the opinion that Huntley is a prime location for an additional

spot, and because the Village of Huntley is prepared to pay for the construction of the station in Huntley, he believes the stop will be given serious consideration by the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Public & Intermodal Transportation.

Upon the announcement by Amtrak that McHenry is likely to have a stop on a new service line from Chicago to Dubuque, Iowa, the Village of Huntley has actively sought the station. With this, they have committed to an investment of $6 million for the construction of a full interchange at Illinois Route 47 and Interstate 90, $5.8 million to widen Illinois Route 47, and the construction of the station itelf.