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To contact us Click HERE For a good look at the sign that may have caused the sign battle in October in District One, take a look at this article on First Electric Newspaper.
It seems that when the property owner made a deal with the owner of the signpost and billboard out front at 1075 W. Algonquin Rd. (just east of Pyott Rd.), in Algonquin, the fine print in the contract precluded him from allowing any political sign of an opponent.
Frankly, I'm wondering about the legality and ethics of such a contract provision if, indeed, it is part of the contract. When the sign post and platform were erected, did the sign company really know that, at some time in the future, political advertising might be sold on the sign, such as Bob Bless' ad shown in the photograph?
Cannot a person continue to possess his First Amendment rights, or can they be signed away in a contract?
That is the property where Nick Chirikos got permission to place his signs. That's the property where Steve the Enforcer chose to take issue with Nick's sign. And where Steve was arrested. And then un-arrested.
5 Kasım 2012 Pazartesi
Judge Meyer denies special prosecutor
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To contact us Click HERE Judge Meyer this morning denied Sgt. John Koziol's Petition for a special prosecutor to investigate Undersheriff Andy Zinke.
Judge Meyer explained, as he did in Zane Seipler's case, that the investigation should fall to the McHenry County State's Attorney, unless he is sick, absent or unable to attend. "Attend" means to take care of business, as in not having a conflict of interest.
The State's Attorney's Office has apparently had some contact with the Appellate Special Prosecutor's office, although the details did not come out in great detail.
Sgt. Koziol's attorney expressed concerns about the potential for a conflict-of-interest, since the State's Attorney represents the sheriff and the sheriff's department, but his concerns were not persuasive enough for Judge Meyer to grant the request made in the Petition.
The problems identified in the Petition are significant and should receive legal attention. Will they?
Sheriff Keith Nygren was in the courtroom today. At one point an attorney stopped to talk with him, creating a distraction in the courtroom, at least for those seated nearby. Rather than stepping outside the courtroom for their conversation, they just showed bad manners and kept talking.
Nygren's EEO officer, Don Leist, also was in the courtroom and claimed the privilege of sitting in the jury seating area, even though he is not an attorney with an interest in the case. He walked in and out of the courtroom several times and also stopped at the lawyers' tables for conversation.
It's unclear to me why Leist is even in the courtroom, when he would seem to have no interest in the case at all. As the EEO officer, his duties are defined by the sheriff. Leist is not the sheriff's attorney, although he seems to have a hard time leaving his attorney hat on the shelf in his closet at home. If he doesn't have any work to do, perhaps the sheriff ought to consider eliminating the position and saving the $100,000 expense at the sheriff's department.
Judge Meyer explained, as he did in Zane Seipler's case, that the investigation should fall to the McHenry County State's Attorney, unless he is sick, absent or unable to attend. "Attend" means to take care of business, as in not having a conflict of interest.
The State's Attorney's Office has apparently had some contact with the Appellate Special Prosecutor's office, although the details did not come out in great detail.
Sgt. Koziol's attorney expressed concerns about the potential for a conflict-of-interest, since the State's Attorney represents the sheriff and the sheriff's department, but his concerns were not persuasive enough for Judge Meyer to grant the request made in the Petition.
The problems identified in the Petition are significant and should receive legal attention. Will they?
Sheriff Keith Nygren was in the courtroom today. At one point an attorney stopped to talk with him, creating a distraction in the courtroom, at least for those seated nearby. Rather than stepping outside the courtroom for their conversation, they just showed bad manners and kept talking.
Nygren's EEO officer, Don Leist, also was in the courtroom and claimed the privilege of sitting in the jury seating area, even though he is not an attorney with an interest in the case. He walked in and out of the courtroom several times and also stopped at the lawyers' tables for conversation.
It's unclear to me why Leist is even in the courtroom, when he would seem to have no interest in the case at all. As the EEO officer, his duties are defined by the sheriff. Leist is not the sheriff's attorney, although he seems to have a hard time leaving his attorney hat on the shelf in his closet at home. If he doesn't have any work to do, perhaps the sheriff ought to consider eliminating the position and saving the $100,000 expense at the sheriff's department.
$175,900 to manage 5 employees
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To contact us Click HERE More on the guv's Illinois Sports Facilities Authority and its new executive director. If you've got a strong stomach, read the whole article in the Chicago Tribune.
You'll want to heap your praises on her background and qualifications. Kelly Kraft has a nice smile and a pleasing appearance, was a TV reporter for about ten years (how many, really?), and entered State government in 2009 (same year she filed a personal bankruptcy with more than $100,000 in debts).
The requirements for the job? "... prior exposure to construction, contracts, human resources, supervisory functions, strategic planning, and debt financings."
Serving as Gov. Quinn's mouthpiece trumped those requirements.
What will she earn to manage her staff of five? $175,900. That's plus benefits, of course. Add, say, 30%?
Please pass the barf bag.
You'll want to heap your praises on her background and qualifications. Kelly Kraft has a nice smile and a pleasing appearance, was a TV reporter for about ten years (how many, really?), and entered State government in 2009 (same year she filed a personal bankruptcy with more than $100,000 in debts).
The requirements for the job? "... prior exposure to construction, contracts, human resources, supervisory functions, strategic planning, and debt financings."
Serving as Gov. Quinn's mouthpiece trumped those requirements.
What will she earn to manage her staff of five? $175,900. That's plus benefits, of course. Add, say, 30%?
Please pass the barf bag.
Customer service - you rate it
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To contact us Click HERE Yesterday my stepson had his car towed into a Woodstock dealership for a new electronic ignition key. DeCraene's did a great job of picking up the car and delivering it safely to the dealership.
The dealership even did a good job of cutting and encoding the computerized key yesterday, instead of by their originally-promised service date of today. The battery was dead (for some unknown reason), and they charged it.
When he picked the car up at 5:30PM, the car was parked out front and the battery was dead. He went in for help and a service technician came out with the portable jumper battery and started the car. He was ready to close the hood and head back in, when I commented that, since the battery was dead there in their driveway, the car probably wasn't going to start after the engine was turned off.
Did he care? Could he have cared less? There was no offer to determine why the battery was dead. There was no concern about whether the battery might be dead the next time an attempt was made to start the engine.
Plus there was a little "attitude" on his part that they had just been told to cut a new key.
I know where I won't be buying a new car, the next time I'm shopping...
The dealership even did a good job of cutting and encoding the computerized key yesterday, instead of by their originally-promised service date of today. The battery was dead (for some unknown reason), and they charged it.
When he picked the car up at 5:30PM, the car was parked out front and the battery was dead. He went in for help and a service technician came out with the portable jumper battery and started the car. He was ready to close the hood and head back in, when I commented that, since the battery was dead there in their driveway, the car probably wasn't going to start after the engine was turned off.
Did he care? Could he have cared less? There was no offer to determine why the battery was dead. There was no concern about whether the battery might be dead the next time an attempt was made to start the engine.
Plus there was a little "attitude" on his part that they had just been told to cut a new key.
I know where I won't be buying a new car, the next time I'm shopping...
MCSD Reports - Ethnicity
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To contact us Click HERE Over the past few years a fair amount of attention has been focused on the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, after a deputy began complaining about racial profiling. In fact, he got fired because he had complained about racial profiling.
How do I know that? The Sheriff's attorney said so in Federal Court.
How might a person's ethnicity be reported on a McHenry County Sheriff's Department report now?
Should reporting be done in a manner that would allow the reporting to be used for compiling records? Of course, past questions about "race" and "ethnicity" come to mind. A person might be black or white or something other color. An issue was raised about whether Mexican or Hispanic was a race. Even on the 2010 U. S. Census, as I recall, Hispanic was not to be considered a "race".
Now, what is "Non-Hispanic" in response on the report form for Ethnicity? If a suspect in custody is "Non-Hispanic", what is his ethnicity? Obviously, not Hispanic. But what is it? Is "Non-Hispanic" the only other choice?
Steve, subject of this week's series of articles about a "non-arrest", is "Non-Hispanic".
How do I know that? The Sheriff's attorney said so in Federal Court.
How might a person's ethnicity be reported on a McHenry County Sheriff's Department report now?
Should reporting be done in a manner that would allow the reporting to be used for compiling records? Of course, past questions about "race" and "ethnicity" come to mind. A person might be black or white or something other color. An issue was raised about whether Mexican or Hispanic was a race. Even on the 2010 U. S. Census, as I recall, Hispanic was not to be considered a "race".
Now, what is "Non-Hispanic" in response on the report form for Ethnicity? If a suspect in custody is "Non-Hispanic", what is his ethnicity? Obviously, not Hispanic. But what is it? Is "Non-Hispanic" the only other choice?
Steve, subject of this week's series of articles about a "non-arrest", is "Non-Hispanic".
4 Kasım 2012 Pazar
Mark's Duck House - Falls Church, VA
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To contact us Click HERE Ah dim sum. I don't get to have it often because the bf doesn't like small dishes...pshhh! Well that's what friends are for! One of my friends took me to Mark's Duck House - her favorite spot for Sunday dim sum. The restaurant has been around for over 20 years serving Hong Kong-style cuisine. As their name suggests, they are known for their Peking Duck. However, we didn't get a chance to try it.
Located in a shopping center, there is plenty of free parking, but it can get crowded.
This place is smaller than other restaurants that offer dim sum, so it was PACKED! We took a number when we got through the crowd waiting by the door.
They offered many of the same dishes I'm used to seeing as well as some different items. Sorry guys, but I don't have prices for any of these items because they were in Chinese. All dishes are between $2.50 - $7.50 though.
1. Pan-Fried Chives Dumpling - Out of all the dumplings, this was my favorite.
2. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling (Shiu Mai)
3. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling
4. Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gao)
5. Fried Taro Dumpling - One of my favorite dishes when I have dim sum.
6. Shrimp Noodle Crepe - Best noodle crepe I've tried.
7. Lemongrass and Ginger Oyster - Oyster by itself was the size of my palm.
8. Stuffed Crab Claw - I broke my chopstick trying to cut this. It was massive!
Service was very fast with the carts, they constantly filled our water glasses, replaced my broken chopstick and reminded me that I forgot my leftovers. I thought they were great! Food was on point. Now I just need more dim sum buddies!
6184 Arlington Blvd
Falls Church, VA 22044
(703) 532-2125
marksduckhouse.com
Located in a shopping center, there is plenty of free parking, but it can get crowded.
This place is smaller than other restaurants that offer dim sum, so it was PACKED! We took a number when we got through the crowd waiting by the door.
They offered many of the same dishes I'm used to seeing as well as some different items. Sorry guys, but I don't have prices for any of these items because they were in Chinese. All dishes are between $2.50 - $7.50 though.
1. Pan-Fried Chives Dumpling - Out of all the dumplings, this was my favorite.
2. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling (Shiu Mai)
3. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling
4. Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gao)
5. Fried Taro Dumpling - One of my favorite dishes when I have dim sum.
6. Shrimp Noodle Crepe - Best noodle crepe I've tried.
7. Lemongrass and Ginger Oyster - Oyster by itself was the size of my palm.
8. Stuffed Crab Claw - I broke my chopstick trying to cut this. It was massive!
Service was very fast with the carts, they constantly filled our water glasses, replaced my broken chopstick and reminded me that I forgot my leftovers. I thought they were great! Food was on point. Now I just need more dim sum buddies!6184 Arlington Blvd
Falls Church, VA 22044
(703) 532-2125
marksduckhouse.com
42. The Unofficial St. Patrick's day in Champaign Urbana
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If you have been anywhere near the campustown on certain Fridays in March, and come up with a huge throng of greenish looking leprechauns, don't start pinching yourself to see if you are dreaming or not. You have just stumbled into the "Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day" in Chambana.
Here is what UofI wiki has to say about it:
Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day, or commonly known as Unofficial, is a local event on the Urbana-Champaign campus, which aims to replace the celebration of the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday with excessive drinking of alcohol.
Champaign bar owner Scott Cochrane created the event to increase business because the week of spring break on the academic calendar usually includes Saint Patrick's Day, which leads students to celebrate away from the campus.
The event is celebrated usually the weekend before the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday. Bars might open as early as 7 a.m., and students wear T-shirts with slogans such as "Drink 'til you're Irish" or "Irish I were drunk." One T-shirt slogan read: "Tap the keg, forget the class... it's Unofficial, so fill my glass!"
Things are not really as rosey as the above note suggests. On this day, you'll find a lot of underage drinkers, passed out here and there, or coming to class drunk. The police (Champaign, Urbana, County, and of course UofI ones) have a field day ... and nab a lot of underage drinkers.
However, things can often get deadly ... a few years ago, a UofI alumnus died when the motor bike she was riding crashed into a pole on Wright street between Green and Springfield. So, be careful when you are driving through campustown , better avoid going through the area altogether.
There is of course, the "official" Saint Patrick's day, but the drinking frenzy is much less on that one.
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