INSIDE TODAY’S PL@Y
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FOR ‘STAND UP GUYS’
1U31U13
10 • Woodstock celebrates 20 years THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND
MAKE IT POP WE REVIEW NEW MUSIC FROM TEGAN AND SARA, THE DROPKICK MURPHYS AND THE JOY FORMIDABLE
HIGH ON THE
HOG
of ‘Groundhog Day’ film fame • ‘Company’ is on stage at Raue • ★★1⁄2 for ‘Stand Up Guys’
WOODSTOCK CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF ‘GROUNDHOG DAY’
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2013
WWW.NWHERALD.COM
The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
75 CENTS
WILD 3, BLACKHAWKS 2
'CODE RED'
Hawks handed first loss of year Sports, C1
C-G students describe lockdown drill Local, B1
Bill would tighten certain bonds They are repaid with revenue from projects they finance By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
Legislation filed this week in Springfield could make it harder for McHenry County College to fund its proposed expansion. Sponsored by state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills,
and co-sponsored by state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, HB983 would make it more difficult for taxing bodies to issue alternate revenue bonds to pay for projects. Alternate revenue bonds typically are issued by taxing districts to pay for projects with the
understanding that the money is backed by an identified revenue stream tied to the project. For example, a municipality could issue alternate revenue bonds for a water treatment plant and use revenue from water bills to repay the bond. However, if the projections
don’t add up, taxpayers are on the hook to repay the loan, which could mean an increase in property taxes. Alternate revenue bonds were used to subsidize Lakewood’s RedTail Golf Course. When it
See BONDS, page A4
At a glance The bill, HB983, is co-sponsored by state Reps. David McSweeney (left), R-Barrington Hills, and Jack Franks (right), D-Marengo. It would lower the number of signatures needed for a referendum on alternate revenue bonds and would require revenue from projects financed with such bonds to cover 150 percent of the debt. Read the full text of the bill at www.ilga.gov.
Students let in on secrets to life success
Driving down crashes Agencies hope to use more detailed data to pinpoint traffic trouble spots in county
Former football recruiter for Notre Dame addresses juniors at Woodstock High By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
The intersection of Charles and Raffel roads in Woodstock is set to be improved in 2014 to handle increased traffic from the new high school. By EMILY K. COLEMAN • ecoleman@shawmedia.com
T
he road system in McHenry County is maintained by a hodgepodge of municipalities, townships, the county and the state. And the system for tracking accidents across the county is equally piecemeal. Enforcement agencies send accident data to the state, but the state doesn’t track accident locations. There are 17 townships and 30 municipalities in McHenry County – and that doesn’t count park districts and school districts, many of which maintain their own roads. Each of these has its own safety and maintenance plans. “Everybody in some way,
McHenry County traffic deaths by year
shape or form is looking at safety,” said Wally Dittrich, the design manager for the county’s division of transportation. “All those groups have different amounts of resources, especially when you look at townships. They don’t have engineering departments. Even most of your municipalities don’t have engineering departments.” The village of Spring Grove tried electronic accident reporting, but is back to doing it by hand because money from the state dried up, Police Chief Tom Sanders said.
3
2013
24
2012
14
2011 2010
15
2009
15 18
2008
0
5
10
15
20
25
Source: Illinois Department of Transportation
See CRASHES, page A4
WOODSTOCK – Bob Chmiel’s speech wasn’t about football, but he couldn’t help but sneak in a few references to the sport that’s been his passion. “You’re being observed every day,” he told a Woodstock High School auditorium filled with juniors Wednesday afternoon. “Never take a play off.” Chmiel, director of football operations for the National Collegiate Scouting Association, delivered the first speech of a new monthly series aimed at broadening high school students’ definition of success. Weaving in examples from his days as a recruiter for the University of Notre Dame, Chmiel spoke for about 30 minutes on keys to a successful life – regardless of the road a student chooses. The school’s new Expect Excellence program will bring in a handful of speakers from a range of professions to get students to think outside a linear path to success. English teacher Art Vallicelli, who was on the committee that developed the program, said its intention is to get students to “understand that it doesn’t have to be that four-year degree, graduate school and you’ll finally make six figures.”
See SUCCESS, page A4
LOCALLY SPEAKING
HUNTLEY
D-158 TEACHER CLEARED OF STEALING Huntley special-education teacher and cheerleading coach Kimberlee L. Hoffman, 43, was charged with theft, a misdemeanor. After a bench trial, McHenry County Judge Charles P. Weech found her not guilty of stealing a student’s cellphone and iPod that were left in a bathroom stall at Huntley High School. For more, see page B1.
Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
HIGH
LOW
12 -2 Complete forecast on A6
McHENRY: CL South girls come back to beat McHenry in a 51-46 FVC Valley Division win. Sports, C1 Vol. 28, Issue 31
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C6 D1-6 C8 F3-10
Comics C7 Local&Region B1-6 Lottery A2 Obituaries B4-5
Opinion Puzzles Real Estate Sports
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“This is the most important one: You had better possess great character. Character is who you are when you’re alone in the dark.” Bob Chmiel Director of football operations for the National Collegiate Scouting Association