NWH-7-23-2013

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There’s a new player in town for Bears football coverage. Visit HubArkush.com. INSIDE: Hub Arkush lays out the best- and worst-case scenarios for the upcoming Bears season. Sports, C1

TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2013

WWW.NWHERALD.COM

75 CENTS

Report: McHenry County home sales up 44 percent from June 2012

Business, B4

Huntley hospital designs unveiled Centegra hopes to break ground in October on 128-bed facility By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com HUNTLEY – Eyeing an October groundbreaking, Centegra Health System officials unveiled Monday the first detailed designs of the

five-story, 128-bed Huntley hospital that represents one of the largest developments for the booming village. Around 10 Centegra executives and consultants who have been planning the $233 million project all year showed the Huntley Plan Com-

Ex-federal prosecutor withdraws from probe

mission the preliminary designs that would put the hospital in the center of Centegra’s Huntley health campus, located between Reed and Algonquin roads and bordered by Haligus Road to the west. Commissioners and residents

alike peppered Centegra officials with questions about the increased traffic, noise, maintenance and landscaping that will come once the new hospital opens in 2016, shortly before

News sent to your phone Text NWHHUNTLEY to 74574 to sign up for HUNTLEY news text alerts from the Northwest Herald. Message and data rates apply.

See HOSPITAL, page A4

COUNTY HOME TO THREE COMMUNITY BANDS

Metra will search for Collins’ replacement By DON BABWIN The Associated Press CHICAGO – A former federal prosecutor has backed out of a job investigating allegations that one of the state’s most powerful politicians and others pressured Metra staff in hiring and contract decisions, the commuter rail agency said Monday. In a news release, Metra said it would search for someone else after Patrick Collins, a former assistant U.S. attorney, informed the agency he wanted to withdraw from consideration for the job, which he previously agreed to take. The Metra board canceled a Monday meeting during which it was expected to approve Collins’ hiring. Collins, who led a team of prosecutors that won a 2006 conviction of former Gov. George Ryan in a corruption case, cited a potential conflict of interest at the law firm where he is a partner. Metra said in the release that it is “fully committed to moving the organization forward and restoring public confidence” and would move quickly to find a replacement. “I remain committed to interviewing other lawyers with outstanding reputations and investigative skills, and to once again ask the board for its approval,” Metra board Chairman Brad O’Halloran said in the release. An initial investigation by the law firm, Perkins Coie, found there were no potential problems with his involvement in the case, but Collins said a subsequent one revealed “conflict issues” that made it impossible for him to take the job. He declined to elaborate. Collins did not immediately return a call for comment Monday from The Associated Press. His office said he was unavailable.

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

Marty Magnini conducts the Crystal Lake Community Band during its concert recently at Indian Oaks Park in Marengo. The current Crystal Lake band was established in 1984 as an affiliate of the Crystal Lake Park District. The band was founded by a small group of amateur musicians seeking an outlet for their love of music.

‘We love playing

City bands made up of performers from all walks of life

music’

By EMILY K. COLEMAN • ecoleman@shawmedia.com

Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com

John Cummings unpacks his trombone before he performs with the McHenry City Band. Cummings spent four years as a Navy musician, training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center north of Chicago and was assigned to a few different ships.

ON THE NET: View more photos of area bands at NWHerald.com.

Each year the Crystal Lake Community Band tries to line up the battle scene in the iconic Russian piece “Overture 1812” to coincide with the Fourth of July fireworks. “This year we nailed it – pretty much,” alto saxphone player Jeff Martin said. “Some years we’ve played it start to finish and no fireworks yet.” There are three community bands in McHenry County: the 80-member band in Crystal Lake, a smaller concert band in Woodstock and a 16-piece jazz band with a vocalist in McHenry. The McHenry County College band also draws from the community, and Sun City in Huntley has a band mostly made up of its residents.

See MUSIC, page A4

See PROBE, page A4

LOCALLY SPEAKING James Keehan

Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com

DISTRICT 46

PREP BASEBALL

PRESIDENT: SCHOOL BOARD TO DO BETTER

HUNTLEY ELIMINATED FROM STATE FINAL

The District 46 school board plans to issue clearer agendas and go through more training, the board’s president said. Board President Margaret Ponga, who took office after the April election, apologized for any Open Meetings Act violations that may have occurred, adding that if any were made, she didn’t think it was intentional. For more, see page B1.

The Red Raiders relied on their pitcher’s arms and fielders to keep opponents from scoring while their bats provided explosive offense to advance them through the Phil Lawler Summer Classic. But the bats fell silent in a 3-1 loss against Libertyville and once again in a 5-4, 11-inning loss to Glenbrook North, ending their summer season. For more, see page C1.

CRYSTAL LAKE: Retired aviation doctor builds, hands out wooden toys to area children. Local&Region, B1

WEATHER HIGH

LOW

78 54 Complete forecast on A6

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

D2 B4-5 B6 D4-10 D3 B1-3

Lottery Obituaries Opinion Planit Style Puzzles Sports

Vol. 28, Issue 204

A2 B3 A5 D1-2 D4 C1-6


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