Words Of Wisdom

"It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth -- and listen to the song of that syren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty?"

 --Patrick Henry

Update On Walkup Road Project

South section:
Paving of the intersection of IL 176 and Walkup will continue into next week. 

This will be followed by grading of the areas behind the curb, installation of sidewalks where possible, and landscaping of the ground.  Walkup Road (Railroad Tracks to IL Route 176) is scheduled to REOPEN on Friday, September 21st. 

Staging of the traffic on IL 176 will move to the new pavement soon so work can start on the north side of the road. 

Please be alert and watch for information on the website and the message boards in the work zone. 

Work continues on the new retaining wall along Veteran Acres park.   The contractor is prepping the area to the north of the wall and will soon start placing the stone base in preparation for asphalt along Walkup.
 North section:
Storm sewer installations are nearing completion for this stage.  The contractor has graded the north end and is anticipated to start placing the stone base next week.  This will be followed closely with the installation of the curb and then asphalt will be installed.

As always, please drive alertly through the work zones, watch for workers, and remember cell phone use is prohibited.

Words Of Wisdom

"Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction."

 --John Witherspoon

Stage Show Trip With MCC

Join McHenry County College’s (MCC) Trips and Tours Program on a fun-filled day to see “I Love Lucy© Live On Stage” in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Visitors will leave the MCC parking lot at 9:15 a.m. and return at 7 p.m. This brand new hit musical stage show is adapted from the longest-running and most beloved television program in history, starring Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel: America’s favorite foursome in Chicago for the very first time.  Imagine stepping back in time and into the Desilu Playhouse soundstage. It’s 1952 and you are a member of the studio audience awaiting the filming of two hilarious and oh so familiar “I Love Lucy” episodes.

A charming host will entertain and enlighten visitors to the behind-the-scenes filming process, the 1950’s hi-fidelity technology, and this brand new thing called ‘television.’

The episodes begin and you will witness, firsthand, the side-splitting antics of that crazy redhead in the Ricardo’s New York apartment and rouse to the Cuban sounds of “The Ricky Ricardo Orchestra” at the famed Tropicana Nightclub. In between scenes, the Crystaltone Singers will perform live advertising jingles of the show’s newest sponsors in perfect 50’s style harmony. Can you say ‘Brylcreem?

The college is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake. Cost of this day trip is $65.  Lunch is on your own before the matinee. Seats are limited, so be sure to register early. 

To register, use course ID: NST S10 031 and call the MCC Registration Office at (815) 455-8588 or for more information about any MCC trip, contact Claudia Terrones at (815) 455-8782.

Choices--Arrest For Prior Crimes Or The River

Sheriff Keith Nygren announced that on September 5, 2012 at 6:41 P.M. members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office along with officers from Johnsburg Police Department and McHenry Police Department attempted to serve a warrant at 1904 N. Orchard Beach Road, McHenry Illinois


Sheriff’s Deputies received information that a wanted subject, Seth A. Stittgen, was at this residence. Stittgen was wanted on several warrants from Walworth County (WI), Lake County, and Fox Lake, Illinois. Stittgen has an extensive criminal history.


Members of the three departments arrived at the residence and observed  Stittgen running from the backyard of the residence towards the Fox River. He jumped in the river in attempt to get away from police. Deputies observed Stittgen trying to swim across the river.
A nearby citizen assisted law enforcement and offered their boat. This allowed deputies to get Stittgen safely out of the water and take him into custody.
McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded to the scene and evaluated Stittgen. who did not seek further medical assistance. He was transported to McHenry County Correctional Facility. Stittgen was additionally charged for Resisting a Peace Officer.

Government At Work

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 –

8:15 a.m. – McHenry County Board Public Health and Human Services Committee –

Meeting in the County Board Conference Room, McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

The committee is to be presented information by Dave Warner on ProAct Prescription Discount Card Program

Also a presentation is scheduled by the McHenry County Health Department.

An interview is to take place of Elna Hamilton, for appointment to the McHenry County Housing Authority...

Also to be considered is the adoption of Senior Services Grant Funding allocations for Program Year 2013.

Crystal Lake Park District Brochures Available

Crystal Lake residents, residing in the 60012 and 60014 zip codes, should have the Fall 2012 Crystal Lake Park District program brochure which was put in the mail beginning the week of August 13.

Please call the Crystal Lake Park District at (815) 459-0680, ext. 212, if you are a Crystal Lake resident and do not receive a Park District brochure in the mail. 

The brochures are also available at:

The District Administrative Office, One East Crystal Lake Avenue

Grand Oaks Recreation Center, 1401 West  Route 176

Crystal Lake Public Library

Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce. 

The fall brochure is also be available as an interactive PDF online at www.crystallakeparks.org.

Registration for park district residents and non-residents are being accepted at the Park District Administrative Office located at One East Crystal Lake Avenue, Crystal Lake, during regular business hours, by mail, by fax, or online at www.crystallakeparks,org

Words Of Wisdom

"The first and governing maxim in the interpretation of a statute is to discover the meaning of those who made it."

--James Wilson, Of the Study of Law in the United States, 1790

Truck Or Treat Planned By Crystal Lake Park District

The Crystal Lake Park District is offering businesses and organizations interested in setting up a truck or equipment display for the planned District Truck or Treat event scheduled for Saturday, October 13, 10 a.m. to noon. The location is the Crystal Lake Main Beach.

The event is free and open to children and their families. Children dressed in Halloween costume will have an opportunity to trick or treat for candy and prizes from truck to truck at the event. This is also an opportunity to take pictures of all those Halloween costumes and displays as well as enjoy a morning of free family fun.

The Park District, in order to make this event a success is asking for help from local businesses and organizations who have vehicles to display.

Vehicles on display may include (but are not limited to) large trucks, tractors or any other type of vehicle or piece of equipment suitable for display. It is a plus if the vehicle or equipment is available for the children to sit in, but that is not a requirement of the display.

All vehicles/equipment need to be at Main Beach for set-up between 8:30-9:00 am on Saturday, October 13. There is no fee to participate, but businesses will need to bring their own candy or prizes to hand out.

 Any businesses or organizations interested in setting up a truck or equipment display should contact Connie Cooke at (815) 459-0680, ext. 213 or via email at ccooke@crystallakeparks.org.

Government At Work

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 –

8:30 a.m. – McHenry County Board Planning & Development Committee –

Meeting in the County Board Conference Room, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

The Committee is to view a presentation regarding an Analysis of Impediments Study.

New business matters include:

Ordinance establishing a Temporary Moratorium for Off-Premise Commercial Advertising Signs for The Preserve at Twin Creeks Subdivision Extension Request

Resolution approving the analysis of impediments to Fair Housing Choice Study

Appointment to the Housing Commission of Robert Kociecki

Discussion of potential Equestrian Regulations

The Committee is also to consider Off Premise Commercial Advertising Sign Moratorium. An opinion regarding this has been requested from the State’s Attorney.

A moratorium regarding these signs has been adopted by Crystal Lake City Council and the Village of Lakewood. Also the Village Board of Algonquin Committee of the Whole has forwarded a similar resolution to the Village Board for adoption at its September 4 meeting.

The County is being requested to adopt a moratorium on all new or pending permits for billboards until the county new Unified Development Ordinance is adopted.

The Planning and Development Committee is also to consider approval of an Ordinance amending a part of the McHenry County Subdivision Ordinance, reducing the amount of security for a subdivision from 150% of the engineers estimate of cost to 125% of the estimated cost. It was found, through research of surrounding counties, the sum charged by McHenry County was too restrictive.

3:00 p.m. – McHenry County Housing Commission Legislative Committee –

Meeting is cancelled.

7:00 p.m. – Crystal Lake Public Library Finance Committee –

Meeting in the Library Directors Office.

The Committee will consider candidates for a fundraising consultant in connecting with the ongoing plans for a new library building.

WALKUP ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Beginning at 7:00 am Thursday there will be no access to IL Route 176 from 1^st, 2^nd , or 3^rd Streets due to asphalt roadway paving. 

This will continue until approximately 9/21/2012.

Words Of Wisdom

"[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few."

--John Adams, An Essay on Man's Lust for Power, 1763

Words Of Wisdom

"He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good disposition."

--Thomas Jefferson (1785

Celebrate Algonquin Athlete's 2012 London Olympics Record

Evan Jager represented the USA Track and Field Olympic Team in the 3000 meter Steeplechase in the 2012 London Olympics, placing 6th in the world.  As many Olympians train for years for their respective events, Evan is the current American record holder after running in this event only seven times.

While at Jacobs, Evan accumulated numerous IHSA State titles, including the 4x800 Meter Relay, 1600m, 3200m, and took home the individual Cross Country State Championship as well.

A celebration on Wednesday, September 5 at 3:30 p.m. will take place in front of the Thirsty Whale, 1700 South Randall Road, Algonquin. This celebration will include speeches from: Superintendent Bregy, Jacobs Head Cross Country Coach Kevin Christian, Jacobs Head Boys Track Coach Jason Borhart, and from Evan himself.  Also in attendance will be the Jacobs Pep Band, Cheerleaders, Dance Team, and many other student groups.

Algonquin Commons is very proud to recognize Evan for representing our country and our local community.  We look forward to celebrating his achievements this Wednesday at Algonquin Commons.”

A meet and greet will follow with Evan.  Fans can get autographs and take pictures with our local Olympian.   Additionally, the now famous “Making Steeple Cool” t-shirts will be on sale as well.

Jacobs High School and the Algonquin Commons are extremely excited about this community event and are looking forward to a great turnout.

If you have any questions, please contact Jacobs High School Athletic Director, Dan Vosnos, at  dan.vosnos@d300.org.

Watch President Obama Give Acceptance Speech

Neighbors in Trout Valley are throwing a party on Thursday, September 6th.

It's the night that President Obama will give his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. If you were thinking of tuning in, then head on over to the watch party in Trout Valley -- because the energy that night will be something else. No one should be at home alone for this one.

What: Convention watch party in Trout Valley

Where: 106 Trout Valley Road
Trout Valley, IL 60013

When: Thursday, September 6th
6:00 pm

When the President accepts the nomination, thousands of people across the country will be watching and cheering, at volunteer-organized parties a lot like the one in Trout Valley. You'll be in the perfect spot to catch every word the President says -- and when you feel inspired to clap, you'll be surrounded by others who are clapping, too.

There's going to be a lot more to the party than just watching the big speech -- including a livestream with special guests that will give you a look behind the scenes. There will be snacks and good conversations. You'll get to catch up with the people you already know who are a part of this organization, and you'll meet some new ones, too.

There's going to be lots of organizing to come in these last 66 days, but Thursday is going to be a chance to celebrate before we get much deeper into all of that. So I hope you can be there.

Let your neighbors know if you'll join them this Thursday:
http://my.barackobama.com/2012-Convention-Watch-Parties

It should be a whole lot of fun.

Labor Day

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.

In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons. NCAA teams usually play their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day. The Southern 500 NASCAR auto race was held that day from 1950 to 1983 in Darlington, South Carolina. At Indianapolis, the National Hot Rod Association holds their finals to the U.S. Nationals drag race.

In the U.S. most school districts that started summer vacation in early to mid-June will resume school near this day (while schools that had summer begin near Memorial Day will have already been in session for about 3 weeks.)

The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement.

Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.

Pattern of celebration

The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday.

Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties.

Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years.

Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school, although school starting times now vary.

Photography Classes At MCC

Learn how to operate a camera beyond the “auto” setting and with your new skills, capture the national bird in its habitat with two separate photography classes offered by McHenry County College.

The first class, F-Stops and Shutter Speeds, is offered from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 in Room D154. Students will learn what the different settings and letters mean and create the effects and results they want. Cost is $59. Use course ID: NPH S11 009 when registering.

In the Eagle Safari class, students will view and photograph eagles on the Mississippi River from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. 

Bundle up and celebrate the New Year with some great shots of our national bird.  This safari departs from Rock Valley College in Rockford. Transportation from Rock Valley College is provided. 

Location details will be provided the week of the safari.  A longer lens camera (at least a 200mm lens) is recommended for this class.  Cost is $89.  Use course ID: NPH S12 001 when registering.

 

To register for either class, call the MCC Registration Office at (815) 455-8588.  For more information, call Tracy Berry at (815) 455-8758 or Dori Smith at (815) 455-8559.

Words Of Wisdom

"[T]he right to freedom being the gift of God Almighty, it is not in the power of Man to alienate this gift, and voluntarily become a slave."

--John Adams

A Few Trillion Dollars Among Friends?

The first ever GAO (Government Accountability Office) audit of the Federal Reserve was carried out in the past few months due to the Ron Paul, Alan Grayson Amendment to the Dodd-Frank bill, which passed last year

Jim DeMint, a Republican Senator, and Bernie Sanders, an independent Senator, led the charge for a Federal Reserve audit in the Senate, but watered down the original language of the house bill(HR1207), so that a complete audit would not be carried out.

Ben Bernanke. Alan Greenspan, and various other bankers vehemently opposed the audit and lied to Congress about the effects an audit would have on markets.

Nevertheless, the results of the first audit in the Federal Reserve’s nearly 100 year history were posted on Senator Sander’s webpage earlier this morning.

What was revealed in the audit was startling:

$16,000,000,000,000.00 had been secretly given out to US banks and corporations and foreign banks everywhere from France to Scotland.

From the period between December 2007 and June 2010, the Federal Reserve had secretly bailed out many of the world’s banks, corporations, and governments. The Federal Reserve likes to refer to these secret bailouts as an all-inclusive loan program, but virtually none of the money has been returned and it was loaned out at 0% interest.

Why the Federal Reserve had never been public about this or even informed the United States Congress about the $16 trillion dollar bailout is obvious – the American public would have been outraged to find out that the Federal Reserve bailed out foreign banks while Americans were struggling to find jobs.

To place $16 trillion into perspective, remember that GDP of the United States is only $14.12 trillion. The entire national debt of the United States government spanning its 200+ year history is “only” $14.5 trillion.

The budget that is being debated so heavily in Congress and the Senate is “only” $3.5 trillion. Take all of the outrage and debate over the $1.5 trillion deficit into consideration, and swallow this Red pill: There was no debate about whether $16,000,000,000,000 would be given to failing banks and failing corporations around the world.

In late 2008, the TARP Bailout bill was passed and loans of $800 billion were given to failing banks and companies. That was a blatant lie considering the fact that Goldman Sachs alone received 814 billion dollars.

As is turns out, the Federal Reserve donated $2.5 trillion to Citigroup, while Morgan Stanley received $2.04 trillion. The Royal Bank of Scotland and Deutsche Bank, a German bank, split about a trillion and numerous other banks received hefty chunks of the $16 trillion.

This is a clear case of socialism for the rich and rugged, you’re-on-your-own individualism for everyone else.“- Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

When you have conservative Republican stalwarts like Jim DeMint(R-SC) and Ron Paul(R-TX) as well as self identified Democratic socialists like Bernie Sanders all fighting against the Federal Reserve, you know that it is no longer an issue of Right versus Left.

When you have every single member of the Republican Party in Congress and progressive Congressmen like Dennis Kucinich sponsoring a bill to audit the Federal Reserve, you realize that the Federal Reserve is an entity onto itself, which has no oversight and no accountability.

Americans should be swelled with anger and outrage at the abysmal state of affairs when an unelected group of bankers can create money out of thin air and give it out to megabanks and supercorporations like Halloween candy.

If the Federal Reserve and the bankers who control it believe that they can continue to devalue the savings of Americans and continue to destroy the US economy, they will have to face the realization that their trillion dollar printing presses will eventually plunder the world economy.

The list of institutions that received the most money from the Federal Reserve can be found on page 131of the GAO Audit and are as follows..

Citigroup: $2.5 trillion ($2,500,000,000,000)
Morgan Stanley: $2.04 trillion ($2,040,000,000,000)
Merrill Lynch: $1.949 trillion ($1,949,000,000,000)
Bank of America: $1.344 trillion ($1,344,000,000,000)
Barclays PLC (United Kingdom): $868 billion ($868,000,000,000)
Bear Sterns: $853 billion ($853,000,000,000)
Goldman Sachs: $814 billion ($814,000,000,000)
Royal Bank of Scotland (UK): $541 billion ($541,000,000,000)
JP Morgan Chase: $391 billion ($391,000,000,000)
Deutsche Bank (Germany): $354 billion ($354,000,000,000)
UBS (Switzerland): $287 billion ($287,000,000,000)
Credit Suisse (Switzerland): $262 billion ($262,000,000,000)
Lehman Brothers: $183 billion ($183,000,000,000)
Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom): $181 billion ($181,000,000,000)
BNP Paribas (France): $175 billion ($175,000,000,000)
and many many more including banks in Belgium of all places

View the 266-page GAO audit of the Federal Reserve (July 21st, 2011

This “happy” news was gleaned from

Words Of Wisdom

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that ... he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country."

--Samuel Adams