Marengo Area Residences Visited By Burglars

A series of residential burglaries have occurred in the unincorporated Marengo area and are being investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. The perpetrators chose daytime hours during weekdays to commit the crimes. Evidence located at the scenes indicates the use of forcible entry to the residences and removing high value items such as jewelry and electronics.

The areas involved include: 200 block of Oleson Road on August 8; 22000 block of Pringle Drive also on August 8; and 20400 block of Coral Road on August 17. All of these indicate by their similarities that they may have been committed by the same offender.

Other burglaries in the area occurred on August 26 in the area of St. Andrews Drive, of unincorporated Marengo. A laptop was the only item believed to have been taken from one of the residences.

Sheriff Keith Nygren reminds residents to lock their homes and vehicles when they are away and report any suspicious activity o the police. Additional information on burglary prevention can be found at the National Crime Prevention Council’s website

Sheriff Nygren requests that anyone with information regarding this investigation contact either the McHenry County Crimestoppers Tip Line at 1-800-762-Stop (7867), The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (815) 338-2144, or the tip line email address; TipLine@co.mchenry.il.us. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the offender(s). Crimestoppers does not use caller ID.

Words of Wisdom

"Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most  monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason and the mind becomes a wreck."

 --Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Smith, 1822

Irene On The Rampage

Irene is causing a lot of havoc. This report shows just how bad it is.

Hurricane Irene caused extraordinary disruption Friday as it zeroed in for a catastrophic run up the Eastern Seaboard. More than 2 million people were ordered to move to safer places, and New York announced plans to shut down its entire network of subways for the first time because of a natural disaster

Three Days Left For Reduced Fee Well Water Testing

There’s still time to get reduced fee water testing before the end of August.  McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) encourages well water users to get their water sampled for coliform bacteria and nitrate for $18 in honor of Safe Drinking Water Month.

Testing your well regularly is the only way to determine whether well water is safe to drink as many contaminants are colorless and odorless.  Water from a public or municipal water system is regularly tested for contaminants regulated by Federal and state standards.

Bacteria and chemicals can get into well water and contaminate it in different ways. Some bacteria and chemicals occur naturally.  Contaminants such as nitrate can come from animal waste, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff, or decaying plants.  High levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause illness in young children and pregnant women.  Coliform bacteria are microbes found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, in soil, on plants, and in surface water.

For a nominal charge, MCDH will also sample private wells for nuisance chemicals resulting in water hardness, iron, discoloration and odor.  Sampling kits can be picked up at MCDH in Woodstock or at one of eight drop-off centers.  Samples can be dropped off for testing on Tuesday mornings between 9:00am and 12:00pm at the following centers.

• Algonquin Townships Office, 3702 Route 14, Crystal Lake, (847) 639-2329
• Dorr Township Office, 140 Newell Street, Woodstock  (815) 338-0125
• McHenry Township Office, 3703 Richmond Road, McHenry  (815) 385-5605
• Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road, Crystal Lake (815) 459-4011
• City of Marengo, City Hall, 134 E. Prairie Street, Marengo  (815) 568-7112
• City of Harvard, Police Department, 201 W Front Street, Harvard (815) 943-4431
• Richmond Township Office, 7812 South Route 31, Richmond (815) 678-0077
• Grafton Township Office, 10109 Vine Street, Huntley (847) 669-3328

For more information, contact MCDH’s Environmental Health Division at 815-334-4585 or visit www.mcdh.info

New E-Scams And Warnings

FBI Issues Hurricane Email Scam Warning
Obtained from The Federal Bureau of Investigation

In light of Hurricane Irene, the public is reminded to beware of fraudulent emails and websites purporting to conduct charitable relief efforts. To learn more about avoiding online fraud, please see "Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes"

Tips On Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes

Recently several natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, have devastated lives and property. In the wake of these events that have caused emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help these victims, frequently through monetary donations.

These disasters prompt individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause. Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
• Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes,  visit.

If you believe you have been a victim of a charity related scheme, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov  

1You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the  Internet Crime Complaint Center.

1 National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) was originally established by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to relief fraud.

Award of Excellence For MCC Instructors

McHenry County College president Vicky Smith presents an award medallion to MCC English instructor Katherine Midday, who was recently recognized with an Award of Excellence at the 2011 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development International Conference in Austin, Texas.

Midday, of Ingleside, teaches a women’s literature course, both levels of articulated Composition classes and a Learning Communities class. As chair of Interdisciplinary Studies, she has expanded the College’s learning  program, which allows students to explore two subjects at once that are co-taught by two instructors during the same class period. She also serves as founder and faculty advisor for the Cheshire Cheese Society, a book discussion club; and is president of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges.

Other awardees not pictures are: Don Curfman of McHenry, accounting instructor and Ted Erski of Grayslake, earth science instructor.