3 AREA WRESTLERS WIN STATE TITLES MORE WRESTLING TEXT TO GO HERE AND HERE AND HERE PAGE C1 PLUS Prairie Ridge Wolves finish second at IHSA Girls Gymnastics State Meet PAGE C1
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013
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Suburban life poverty County does not escape trend of struggling residents
Candidate: Arm guards in schools County sheriff hopeful sparks debate with plan By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – One candidate for McHenry County sheriff wants to put armed guards in all schools, although the plan has its detractors. Jim Harrison outlines his plan, called “Shield Our Students,” on his election website. Harrison wants every school, including private ones, staffed by an armed officer each school day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program calls for pooling all state-certified law enforcement officers in the county, current and retired, and compiling a list of those interested in working part-time during off-duty hours.
See GUARDS, page A8
Jim Harrison, who is running for McHenry County sheriff, wants every school staffed by an armed officer each school day. Harrison said funding could come from school districts, municipalities and the county.
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Linda Zeka of Harvard picks up groceries Tuesday at the Harvard Food Pantry. In 2007, individuals throughout McHenry County living below the poverty line stood at 5.7 percent, an annual U.S. Census survey of areas with 65,000-plus population found. That percentage in 2011 swelled to 9.2 percent, totaling 28,226 residents. BELOW: Vicenta Fuentes of Harvard picks up groceries at the Harvard pantry. By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com
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early 10,300 more McHenry County residents now live in poverty than four years ago, a “creeping poverty” trend that many local and statewide experts say is widespread among the Chicago suburbs. The economic downturn, escalating costs of living, sluggish wages and job loss have pounded many living and working in Chicago’s more affluent collar counties, including McHenry, Lake, DuPage, Kane and Will. According to the Social IMPACT Research Center – a division of the Heartland Alliance that releases an annual statewide report on poverty – living below the poverty line is defined by an income of $11,484 for an individual; $14,657 for a family of two; $17,916 for a family of three; and $23,021 for a fam-
ily of four. In 2007, individuals throughout McHenry County living below the poverty line stood at 5.7 percent, an annual U.S. Census survey of areas with 65,000-plus population found. That percentage in 2011 swelled to 9.2 percent, totaling 28,226 residents. “There is a crisis here. People can’t afford to live where they are living,” said Jerry Monica, Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County’s executive director. “There is a creeping poverty that exists. It’s the lousy economy. It is hurting us.” Monica has seen more low-income families apply for the group’s homeownership program. The number of families seeking assistance from Habitat’s critical homerepair program is nearing triple digits for the first time in three years, he said.
Manufacturing, medical at top for Illinois jobs By DAVID MERCER The Associated Press
Residents below poverty line McHenry County’s poverty rate has jumped since 2007.
28,226 residents 2011 – Rate at 9.2 percent
17,943 residents 2007 – Rate at 5.7 percent
Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey one-year estimates
See POVERTY, page A9
CHAMPAIGN – Illinois’ widening medical industry and its old standby, manufacturing, may be the best places to look for a job this year, although some of the positions will require increasing levels of education and training and many won’t pay what they might have just a few years ago, experts said. Overall, 17 percent of Illinois employers plan to add staff during the first quarter of this year, up 3 percent from a year earlier, according to a survey from the staffing firm ManPower Group. About 71 percent plan to keep staffing levels the same.
See JOBS, page A8
LOCALLY SPEAKING
Illinois’ manufacturing job base grew 2.4 percent, from 579,900 jobs in December 2011 to 594,100 last month. “Manufacturing in Illinois is going to always be relatively strong,” said Tom Gimbel, CEO of LaSalle Network, a Chicagobased firm.
LAKE IN THE HILLS
ROUTES 31, 47 TARGET OF INCENTIVES Hoping to spark economic development, the village is offering incentives to encourage retail development along Routes 31 and 47. The Village Board last week approved a sales-tax sharing program and fee-reduction program for those corridors. For more, see page B1.
Dana Ferguson and her son, Aidan, 11
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
HIGH
At a glance
LOW
31 27 Complete forecast on A12
McHENRY: Local family becomes 23rd recipient of new home through Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County. Local, B1 Vol. 28, Issue 46
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