CL NATIVE MAKES CAROUSEL HORSES FOR SANTA’S VILLAGE ALSO INSIDE
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THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 • NWHERALD.COM • 75 CENTS HEAT 115, BULLS 78 The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
Joakim Noah
Bulls lose composure in Game 2 Sports, C1
Small businesses topic of local seminars Business, D1
CL man charged with mail fraud ‘Secret shopper’ scheme allegedly swindled at least $10,000 from victims By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – A Crystal Lake man faces federal charges for mail fraud after
allegedly sending out more than $1 million in counterfeit money orders as part of a “secret shopper” scheme. Michael S. Mackay, 46, faces two counts of mail fraud for
Extent of flood damage clearer
his role in the scheme, which started in September 2011 and lasted through at least May 16, 2012, according to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office.
Mackay received at least $10,000 from victims, the release said. Under the scheme, people were asked to participate in a secret program to evaluate
their experiences with local businesses. For their participation, victims of the scheme were given counterfeit money orders ranging from $900 to
By SARA BURNETT The Associated Press
By KEVIN P. CRAVER
Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Teacher Joe Soss walks around the classroom to help students with their work during a U.S. history class taught under the new blended learning system, engineered by Huntley High School and the school board. In a blended learning course, students are required to come to class only twice a week and much of the work is done online.
Not quite on their own Blended learning gives Huntley High students level of independence By MEAGAN FLYNN • editorial@shawmedia.com
HUNTLEY – When John Burkey was in high school 30 years ago, he thought the traditional method of having a teacher write on a chalkboard and students copy down information was flawed. “That’s part of the reason I got into education, because I did think there were better ways we could do things,” said Burkey, superintendent for Huntley District 158. Burkey and Anne Pasco have spent the past two years developing a new way to educate the district’s high school students. Called blended learning, it combines independent online assignments with traditional classroom instruction and testing.
This school year, about 500 of the 2,393 students at Huntley High School are enrolled in 10 blended classes, said Pasco, the blended learning/educational technology department chairwoman at Huntley High School. The program will be expanded to 19 classes next year, and an estimated 1,300 students have requested a blended learning class. Burkey and Pasco said blended learning may be the best way to teach students born into a digital age – and they’re open to revisions as to how the program functions. “We are innovators, and we are creating this as we go,” Pasco said.
See INDEPENDENCE, page A6
See DAMAGE, page A6
LOCALLY SPEAKING
CRYSTAL LAKE
PLAN WOULD EXPAND BIKE ROUTES Crystal Lake bikers are on track for a series of new routes that would add 6 to 7 miles of new lanes to a bikeway corridor that could be built this fall. The proposal includes five new bike paths, including two routes that would connect riders from downtown to Sternes Woods and the Dole Avenue bike lanes.
Johnsburg’s Anna Fox (left) and Harvard’s Leslie Solis
For more, see page B1.
Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com
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LOW
70 47 Complete forecast on A8
See FRAUD, page A6
Pension plan will go to full Senate
NONTRADITIONAL LEARNING
kcraver@shawmedia.com The floodwaters may be receding, but with it, emergency officials are getting a better idea of the damage April’s rains did. More than 800 homes were affected by last month’s flooding, McHenry County Emergency Management Agency Director David Christensen told the McHenry County Board. But only about a quarter of them meet federal criteria for reimbursement should the president declare McHenry County a disaster area. “Unfortunately, when the water leaves, we, the government, find out just what the water did,” Christensen told board members Tuesday. More than 200 homes in McHenry County sustained minor damage, according to preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency assessments compiled based on mailing addresses. Fifty-six of those homes have McHenry mailing addresses, while the second-most, Port Barrington, had 45. No homes met the criteria for major damage or worse. An assessment by FEMA, which partners with state and local response agencies, is an important early step in seeking federal assistance. Gov. Pat Quinn has declared a total of 48 counties
$2,000. They were asked to deposit them at their financial institutions and then go to their nearest Western Union
HARVARD: Johnsburg soccer rolls to regional final in win over Harvard. Sports, C1
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Vol. 28, Issue 129 Comics C7 Local&Region B1-6 Lottery A2 Obituaries B5
Opinion Planit Play Puzzles Sports
A7 Inside F9 C1-5
SPRINGFIELD – A Senate committee approved a unionbacked approach for dealing with Illinois’ pension crisis Wednesday, saying it gives the state its best chance at surviving an inevitable court challenge and getting out of its nearly $100 billion mess. The Senate Executive Committee voted, 10-5, to send the proposal to the full Senate. It could get a floor vote as early as Thursday. T h e m e a - Senate Presis u r e , s p o n - dent John sored by Sen- Cullerton ate President John Cullerton, was drafted in collaboration with some of the state’s largest public-employee unions. Michael Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, called it a “fair, responsible and constitutional solution” that will bring much-needed stability to the system. Cullerton said it is “very significant” that some of the largest unions have agreed not to sue if the bill is passed
See PENSION, page A6
Read more The Senate Executive Committee endorsed the medical marijuana bill, 10-5, Wednesday. The measure now moves to the Senate floor. PAGE A3