This Is National Influenza Vaccination Week

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) recognizes National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 5-11) as an important opportunity to encourage residents to get their annual flu shot.  The national campaign will focus each day on a specific audience starting with the general public, then families, chronically ill persons, employees, older adults (65+) and young adults (19-24).  Getting vaccinated is the single best way for people to protect not only themselves against flu, but their loved ones as well.

Fran Stanwood, MCDH Director of Nursing, states, “Vaccination of high risk persons, such as seniors, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and asthma, is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. Since children younger than 6 months are too young to be vaccinated, people who care for or live with them should also be vaccinated.”  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone over 6 months of age should receive the flu shot. Other ways to reduce the spread of flu include:

Practice good hygiene to avoid flu germs The vaccine prevents most but not all cases of flu so it is still important to avoid infection. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a 60% alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. 

If you or a loved one gets the flu. Don't spread it to others. People infected with flu may be able to infect others from one day before feeling symptoms to about 5-7 days after getting sick. If you become ill with influenza symptoms, stay home and avoid contact with other people except to seek medical care. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Call 815-334-4500 for information on influenza or MCDH’s walk-in flu clinics (Woodstock, Crystal Lake) or online at http://www.mcdh.info/.  

Continuing and Professional Education Classes At MCC

McHenry County College’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education is offering a wide variety of non-credit, online courses that start every month. The next class session begins Dec. 8 and runs for six weeks.

Highly interactive courses are available in numerous subjects, including accounting, business, computer applications, design and composition, health care and medical, language and arts, law and legal, personal development, teaching and education, technology, and writing and publishing.

Partnered with Ed2Go, this online format includes expert instructors, many of whom are nationally known authors.

The following courses are accepting registration:

·       Creating Web Pages: Features the basics of HTML so you can design, create, and post your very own site on the Web. Cost: $105.

·       The Craft of Magazine Writing: provides the skills you need to get published. Cost: $105.

·       Certificate in Gerontology: Students can earn a certificate proving they have the skills required to meet the health care needs of a rapidly aging population. Cost: $205. (40 contact hours)

·       Explore a Career in Medical Coding: Provides instruction on CPT manual and the ICD-9-CM to find medical codes for any disease, condition, treatment, or surgical procedure. Cost: $105.

·       Medical Terminology: Prepares students for a career in the health services industry by learning medical terminology in a memorable and enjoyable fashion. Cost: $105.

·       Intro to Photoshop CS4: Teaches students how to use Adobe Photoshop CS4 to edit images, process photos, and create original graphics. Cost: $105.

·       Speed Spanish: Learn six easy recipes to glue Spanish words together into sentences, and you'll be engaging in conversational Spanish quickly. Cost: $105.

To view a complete list of these online course offerings through MCC, check the web at: www.ed2go.com/mchenrycc or contact Dee Comella at (815) 479-7591 or email her at dcomella@mchenry.edu.

McHenry County Board Chairman Remains The Same

McHenry County Board members chose a Chairman Monday morning during the organizational meeting of the Board. Ken Koehler, District 2, was re-elected to another term as chairman. He has served in this capacity since first being elected to the position by board members in December 2004 and being re-elected every two years since.

There was a contest for the seat offered by the nomination of Marc Munaretto, District 1. Following discussion regarding the candidates, the nominating process and some of its considerations, the vote for Koehler won out 15 to 8 over Munaretto.

During discussion by Board members regarding the two nominees for Board Chair, remarks were heard concerning term limits for the position, however, nothing was proposed at this time to make a change in the current rules which does not include term limits.

John Jung, of District 5 was elected as Vice Chair of the Board. He previously served as vice-chair before he was unseated from the Board by Democratic candidate Paula Yensen in 2008. Jung unseated another Democratic Board member, Jim Kennedy, in the November 2010 election.  

Other housekeeping matters accomplished by the Board included the reseating of Board members who chose to move to a different seat and the appointment of members to a Committee on Committees, to set up committee appointments for the new term.

Presentation- "Housing and The Economy -- Creating Jobs and Revenue"

The McHenry County Housing Commission is offering a Community Education event entitled “Housing McHenry County – Reality… Challenge… and Opportunity”.

The event is taking place tomorrow, --Tuesday, December 7, 2010 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm

McHenry County Administration Building

667 Ware Road

Woodstock IL, 60098

The keynote will be nationally recognized housing professional Dr. Elliot Eisenburg presenting “Housing and the Economy – Creating Jobs and Revenue”.

Dr. Eisenburg is Senior Economist for the National Home Builders Association (NAHB) in Washington, D.C. He has been featured in Business Week, Forbes Fortune, most national and local newspapers and in many other publications. The first event in an educational series, the forum will elevate community awareness centering around housing issues in McHenry County.

Monday Meetings for High School District 155 Committees and Board

The Curriculum, Staff Development and Student Services Committee of High School District 155 Board will meet Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. in the Center for Education, One South Virginia Street, Crystal Lake. The agenda for the meeting includes Grading Committee Update, New Courses Update and Technology Update, all presented by staff members in charge of the respective updates.

The entire Board of District 155 will meet at 7:00 p.m. in the same location for a meeting regarding collective negotiating matters between the School District and its employees or their representatives. This will be in executive session as permitted by the Closed Meetings Act.

Crystal Lake Ad Hoc Clean Air Counts Advisory Committee Meets Monday Evening

A full agenda faces the Crystal Lake Ad Hoc Clean Air Counts Advisory Committee when it meets Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 100 West Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake.

Several City Updates are scheduled for presentation including the Crystal Lake Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Master Plan, Safe Routes to School, and Rain Barrels.

Clean Air Counts Participation Status is on the agenda for a report as well as a proposal for hosting and promoting a Bike with Your Neighbors Event.

Under Implement/Promote Fleet Management and Commuter Choice Measures, a category of no-idling signs at local schools is listed for consideration.

Also a number of programs for promotion include RecycleBank, Chamber of Commerce/Business Involvement; and Recycling Update.

New McHenry County Board Forms Monday Morning

McHenry County Board meets Monday morning beginning at 9:00 in the County Board Room of the Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. This is the first meeting of the "new" board, that is, the board is reorganizing since the most recent election.

Most of the considerations by the Board have to do with organizing the new Board including the nomination and voting for a chairman and vice-chairman. Once that is determined the oath of office is administered to the new officers.

Temporary committee appointments will be made, however, a committee of committees will be appointed to determine the committee memberships for the next ten years. Additionally, the reseating of the members is also scheduled to take place. Any other necessary business may also be handled.