NWH-11-6-2013

Page 1

Effective Prairie Ridge football defense overshadowed

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013

WWW.NWHERALD.COM

The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.

75 CENTS

‘THANKSGIVUKKAH’ • PLANIT TASTE, D1

MUSICK COLUMN • SPORTS, C1

Meeting of holidays opens new culinary opportunities

Bears prove it’s a game of inches

O

Sports, C1

Matt Forte

‘Fight’ is key for RTA member

ILLINOIS GAY MARRIAGE MEASURE

‘I DO,’ DECLARE STATE LAWMAKERS

Schaffer says gaining Metra traction tough By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com

AP photo

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, argues for gay marriage legislation Tuesday while on the House floor during veto session in Springfield. Gov. Pat Quinn (top left) looks on. Illinois is set to become the 15th state and largest in the heartland to allow same-sex couples to marry. State senators approved technical changes Tuesday to a measure legalizing gay weddings, shortly after a historic favorable vote in the state House.

House passes legislation allowing same-sex marriages by one vote By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com

and STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com with wire reports By one vote, the Illinois House on Tuesday made the state the 15th to allow same-sex marriage. The House voted, 61-54, with two voting present, to approve Senate Bill 10, which will allow same-sex marriages effective June 1. The bill’s sponsor, openly gay Rep. Greg Harris, pushed the effective date back to lower the vote threshold to 60 votes rather than the 71 needed in veto session for bills that take effect immediately.

Voice your opinion Do you agree with the Illinois House decision to allow gay marriage? Vote online at NWHerald.com.

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, was the only McHenry County legislator to support the bill. Republican Reps. Mike Tryon, Barbara Wheeler, David McSweeney and Tim Schmitz voted no. All three of the county’s senators – Republicans Pam Althoff, Dan Duffy and Karen McConnaughay – voted no when it passed the Senate on Valentine’s Day.

Duffy and McConnaughay voted no again when the amended bill returned to the Senate later Tuesday for concurrence, where it passed on a 32-21 vote. Althoff didn’t cast a vote. The bill now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn, who has long supported same-sex marriage and has pledged to sign it into law. Franks in his floor speech called on lawmakers to pass the bill. “No one should need to bring a copy of a contract to a hospital when their partner is sick because of a distinction we choose to

See I DO, page A9

HOW THEY VOTED: How those who represent McHenry County voted Tuesday on allowing gay marriage in Illinois.

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo VOTED YES

State Rep. David McSweeney, RBarrington Hills VOTED NO

State Rep. Tim Schmitz, R-Batavia VOTED NO

State Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake VOTED NO

State Rep. Barbara Wheeler, R-Crystal Lake VOTED NO

State Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry DIDN’T VOTE

State Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Lake Barrington VOTED NO

State Sen. Karen McConnaughay R-St. Charles VOTED NO

WOODSTOCK – Metra Board representative Jack Schaffer’s routine presentation to the McHenry County Board of Metra’s annual budget Tuesday was anything but. But then again, not much at Metra and the Regional Transportation Authority over the past year has been routine. Schaffer touched briefly on the 2014 budget – $935.9 million with no fare increases or service cuts – then used the forum offered to him as a chance to impart some passing wis- Jack d o m b e f o r e h i s Schaffer term expires next year. First and foremost was the County Board’s impending vote to replace Al Jourdan as its voting Al Jourdan member on the Regional Transportation Authority Board: “Don’t send a cream puff.” “They will walk all over him or her. Send someone who knows how to fight,” Schaffer warned. Schaffer, a former state senator and county Republican Party chairman, was appointed to the Metra Board in 2006. His term expires June 30, and he will not seek reappointment. Metra this year found itself embroiled in its second leadership scandal in four years, both of which resulted in resignations of board members and calls for reform of the four Chicago-area mass-transit boards. Former Executive Director Phil Pagano killed himself by stepping in front of a train near his rural Crystal Lake home in 2010, hours before the board was set to fire him for improperly collecting at least $475,000 in unused vacation time. He borrowed so much against his executive compensation package that he died owing Metra at least $127,000. The director brought in to clean up the agency, Alex Clifford, was let go by the board earlier this year, with Schaffer casting the sole opposing vote. A confidentiality agreement over his severance didn’t survive

See RTA, page A9

LOCALLY SPEAKING

Marian Central’s Frankie Taylor Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

WOODSTOCK

CRYSTAL LAKE

ARGUMENTS OUTLINED IN 2012 ARSON CASE

BUSINESSES PUSH FOR VIDEO GAMING

Lawyers outlined arguments and questioned witnesses Tuesday in the case of a man charged with torching the wrong house after a drug deal went bad. Prosecutors argued that in August 2012, Joseph O. Ziegler, 24, set fire to a GMC Envoy in the driveway of a Pistakee Highlands home, which spread to another vehicle and engulfed a home. For more, see page B1.

The Crystal Lake City Council reaffirmed its stance against video gambling despite pleas from business owners. Representatives from establishments such as The Cottage, Fire Bar and Grill and Georgio’s Pizza asked council members to consider allowing video gaming because nearly every other surrounding area has allowed it. For more, see page B1.

McHENRY COUNTY: Crystal Lake South, Marian Central reach volleyball sectional finals. Sports, C1

WEATHER HIGH

LOW

53 31 Complete forecast on A10

Where to find it Advice Business Buzz Classified Comics Local&Region

D5 E1-2 D6 E3-12 D4 B1-8

Lottery Obituaries Opinion Planit Taste Puzzles Sports

Vol. 28, Issue 310

A2 B7-8 A8 D1-5 E9 C1-8


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NWH-11-6-2013 by Shaw Media - Issuu