Storylines to watch in second half of baseball season
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* FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2013
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Red Raiders’ win has team in Summer State Final 8
Fundraiser to aid Autism Speaks Jessica Murphy (left) and Ian Murphy
Resident found guilty of sex crimes McHenry man charged with three counts of predatory sexual assault and sexual abuse By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – To many residents in Jack Leo Smith’s McHenry neighborhood, his home was a retreat for children to escape a parent’s watchful eye. For years, his open-door policy brought neighbors – young and old –
through his doors. But inside the 2811 Myang Ave. home, prosecutors said another story unfolded – one that was much more sinister. It was there, in a back room, that three female victims said Smith, now 75, performed sex acts on them, or had them reciprocate. It’s where they said he showed
Jack Leo Smith, 75, was found guilty of three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The incidents happened more than a decade ago. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 4. them pornographic films and magazines, and explained sex acts to the young girls. Where they posed for nude
photographs. Where he talked about starting a neighborhood teen sex club.
Assistant State’s Attorney Sharyl Eisenstein on Thursday called it a “house of horrors” during closing arguments in Smith’s stipulated bench trial before McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather. “The defendant had ulterior motives in wanting young girls to come visit his home,”
Eisenstein said. Smith was found guilty of all the charges against him, including three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, for the incidents that happened more than a decade ago.
See ABUSE, page A7
Motor City resorts to bankruptcy
AMERICA TAKING LESS TIME OFF
FORGOING VACATION
Detroit becomes biggest U.S. city in history to file By COREY WILLIAMS and ED WHITE The Associated Press
Photo from sxc.hu; illustration by Julie Beaulieu
By SHAWN SHINNEMAN
Voice your opinion
sshinneman@shawmedia.com Experts and HR folks agree: In a slumping economy, there’s no better way to relieve some stress than to get away from the job for a few days. Which is why most are concerned that the opposite trend seems to have emerged. “During the economic crisis, it feels like more and more of us are taking on more work,” said Julie Stich, director of research for the International Foundation
Do you get paid for unused vacation time? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
of Employee Benefit Plans. “[Employers] may not be taking on as many employees ... and it’s hard to get away.” For that and other reasons, recent surveys have shown Americans are letting vacation days go to waste. Almost half of
– jbeaulieu@shawmedia.com
employed Americans didn’t use all the vacation days available to them in 2011, according to a survey by Kelton Research that was commissioned by Radisson. An increased workload is just one reason Americans give for letting vacation days go unused. In a 2011 Expedia survey, participants selected “can’t afford” as the top reasoning for why they didn’t use all their vacation time. “Don’t schedule far enough in advance” and “can get paid for
DETROIT – Once the very symbol of American industrial might, Detroit became the biggest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy Thursday, its finances ravaged and its neighborhoods hollowed out by a long, slow decline in population and auto manufacturing. The filing, which had been feared for months, put the city on an uncertain course that could mean laying off municipal employees, selling off assets, raising fees and scaling back basic services such as trash collection and snow plowing, which already have been slashed. “Only one feasible path offers a way out,” Gov. Rick Snyder said in a letter approving the move. Kevyn Orr, a bankruptcy expert hired by the state in March to stop Detroit’s fiscal free-fall, made the filing in federal bankruptcy court under Chapter 9, the bankruptcy system for cities and counties. Orr said Detroit would continue paying its bills and employees. But, said Michael Sweet, a bankruptcy attorney in Fox-Rothschild’s San Francisco office, “They don’t have to
Kevyn Orr, a bankruptcy expert hired by the state of Michigan in March to stop the state’s fiscal free-fall, made filings in federal bankruptcy court under Chapter 9. “Despite Mr. Orr’s best efforts, he has been unable to reach a restructuring plan with the city creditors,” Gov. Rick Snyder wrote. “[Bankruptcy protection was] the only feasable path to a stable and solid Detroit.”
See VACATION, page A7 See BANKRUPTCY, page A7
LOCALLY SPEAKING
McHENRY COUNTY
ELECTRIC BILLBOARD DEBATE GOES ON McHenry County Board has requested a second extension of its ongoing moratorium on electronic billboards. The county staff was directed to draft a resolution to extend the moratorium for another nine months. The previous moratorium is set to expire mid-September For more, see page B1.
Noah Currier Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
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MARENGO: Former Marine raises more than $49K to expand military clothing store he opened in 2011. LOCAL, B1
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