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WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2013
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The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
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Woodstock printer soon to close About 130 employees will be out of work after D.B. Hess ceases operation By SHAWN SHINNEMAN sshinneman@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – About 130 people will be out of jobs late this week when D.B. Hess ceases operation. The printer of commercial and educational materials has informed the city and the McHenry County Workforce Network of the layoffs, effec-
tive after the facility’s final day on Friday, Workforce Network Director Julie Courtney said. BTPO Hess Holdings Inc., the Ohio-based parent company of the Woodstock printer, filed for bankruptcy in late May. The company announced at the same time it was planning a sale to Bang Printing in Brainerd, Minn.
Lawsuit filed over legislative pay freeze
It’s unclear whether those plans have moved forward. “They were looking for a buyer,” Woodstock City Manager Roscoe Stelford said. “I don’t know if they ever got the buyer.” A representative from Hess Holdings didn’t return calls Tuesday. A representative from Bang Printing said the company wasn’t commenting
on the situation. Hess Holdings didn’t touch on plans for the Woodstock branch, at 1530 McConnell Road, on May 22 when it announced plans for the sale via its website. In its bankruptcy filing, the company – also known as Hess Print Solutions – listed assets of as much as $50,000 and debt as much as $100
million, according to an early-June report by Bloomberg. Representatives from the McHenry County Workforce Network, Department of Employment Security and Department of Economic Opportunity began meeting Tuesday with the laid-off workforce. Courtney said she was not aware of any employees who had been offered jobs at exist-
McHENRY COUNTY FAIR BEGINS WEDNESDAY
The ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO – Leaders of the Illinois House and Senate sued Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday over what they called a “purely political and unconstitutional” move to block lawmaker paychecks because of inaction on the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis. Less than 48 hours before the first affected payday, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton filed the 12-page comGov. Pat plaint with the Quinn Circuit Court of Cook County. “This matter is of fundamental constitutional importance, as Gov. Quinn’s action threatens the independence of each branch of government,” Cullerton and Madigan said in a joint news release. “The Illinois Constitution protects the salaries of members of the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive branch.” Earlier this month, Quinn cut $13.8 million for legislators’ paychecks in the state budget through his veto power. He had threatened consequences if lawmakers failed to act promptly on addressing the pension problem. When members of a bipartisan pension panel blew past another deadline the Chicago Democrat had set, he cut their salaries. Base pay for lawmakers is $67,836, though many earn more through stipends from
ing Bang Printing operations in Minnesota or California. Started in 1899, Bang Printing offers printing, binding and fulfillment services. It acquired two printing operations in Valencia, Calif., and Commerce, Calif., in 2008 and 2010, respectively, according to the company’s website.
See PRINTER, page A4
Ethics hearing under scrutiny By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
Jane Dahm (right) and Judy Porter organize the antiques area of Building D at the McHenry County Fairgrounds on Tuesday. Dahm’s family has been involved with the McHenry County Fair since the 1920s and now she contributes to the fair at the antique show. Dahm’s family will be recognized with the dedication of a new beef barn named in memory of her late husband, George.
A legacy memorialized New building on fairgrounds bears Dahm family name By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com
W
OODSTOCK – For decades, McHenry County Fair-goers have been nearly guaranteed to see three things: livestock, antiques and someone from Jane Dahm’s family. With roots in the fair going back to the 1920s, the 82-year-old and her family have been as synonymous with the five-day fest as the 4-H competitions they helped organize throughout the years. That’s why the newest building on the fairgrounds will be named the George
Voice your opinion What is your favorite part of the McHenry County Fair? Vote at NWHerald.com.
Inside View a full schedule of McHenry County Fair events. PAGE A5 Dahm Memorial Beef Barn in honor of her husband, who died in 2005. The 2013 McHenry County Fair begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday at the fairgrounds, located
at the corner of Route 47 and Country Club Road, Woodstock. Dahm said she and her husband had saved money to donate to the fair to build a small beef barn, but outside donations led to the construction of a large, state-of-the-art barn that will be used for 4-H livestock competitions. She said the dedication ceremony planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday is a priceless gesture to her family, who first became involved with the fair in the 1920s when her father served as secretary.
See DAHM, page A5
Criticism of how the McHenry County Ethics Commission handled its first-ever hearing is prompting some County Board members to call for a review of its guidelines. The commission dismissed Thursday a complaint from Lakewood blogger Cal Skinner alleging that an email from Undersheriff Andrew Zinke, who is running for his retiring Michael boss’s job, con- Walkup, stituted illegal R-Crystal campaigning on Lake, said taxpayer time he plans to and resources. But commission ask for a m e m b e r s a p - review of peared during the McHenry the open-session County Ethics portion to be Commission struggling with meeting. how to proceed, and supporters on both sides alleged the uncertainty compromised their ability to get a fair hearing. County Board member Michael Walkup, R-Crystal Lake, said he intends to ask the Management Services Committee next month about pursuing a review in the wake of what he called an “amateurish performance” by the commission. He said he has no issue with the commission’s final decision, except for the way in which it was reached. Walkup, an attorney, said
See PAY FREEZE, page A5
See ETHICS, page A4
LOCALLY SPEAKING
Mike Krebs – mkrebs@shawmedia.com
WOODSTOCK
CRYSTAL LAKE
MAN GETS 7 YEARS FOR WOMAN’S DEATH
C L GRAPHICS USING CROSS-MEDIA TOOLS
Alysha Thurow-Gitzinger, 19, was attending culinary school in Chicago and set for a mission trip to Haiti when a drunken-driving crash killed her. Hugo C. Dells III, 43, of Darien, Wis., pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for the 2012 crash that killed the Woodstock woman. For more, see page B1.
C L Graphics, 134 S. Virginia Road, Suite A, Crystal Lake, has launched Print Plus, a cross-media marketing tool. Company President Rick Schildgen said Print Plus uses various applications to develop creative and interactive promotions for clients across a variety of media formats. C L Graphics has been in business for 32 years. For more, see page E1.
LAKEWOOD: GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner meets area business leaders. Local, B1
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