We visit 6 area high schools on first day of practice
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013
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Ethics Commission under review Blogger who filed complaint faces potential fine; handling of hearing questioned By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – Last month’s hearing before the McHenry County Ethics Commission is prompting a County Board committee to examine the commission and the
ordinance that empowers it. Members of the Management Services Committee expressed concerns Monday about how the Ethics Commission handled a July 25 hearing of a complaint alleging that Undersheriff Andrew Zinke – who is running in
2014 for his boss’s job – campaigned on taxpayer time and resources. The Ethics Commission, after an hourlong meeting in which commissioners appeared to struggle with how to proceed, ruled 4-0 against a motion to find that suffi-
cient evidence existed that an email from Zinke constituted a prohibited political activity. The complaint, filed by Lakewood blogger Cal Skinner, was the first hearing for the commission, which
See REVIEW, page A6
What’s next The Ethics Commission is meeting Aug. 29 to address a counter complaint filed by Zinke alleging that blogger Cal Skinner’s ethics complaint against him was frivolous. County ordinance levies a fine of up to $5,000 for a complaint ruled frivolous. The meeting starts at 3 p.m. at the county Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.
Students seek best route to college degree
CL South stadium work can continue Restraining order denied by judge By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com
Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com
Taylor Berge graduated a year early from Hope College in May, earning her Bachelor of Science in psychology and finishing two courses shy of a second degree in communicative disorders. This fall, she will begin working toward a Master of Science at Elmhurst College. She is seen here at her home in Johnsburg.
By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com Taylor Berge didn’t walk into college planning to graduate early. But going through her four-year plan with her guidance counselor, the Johnsburg High School grad realized it was a possibility. “I looked at it as I can spread everything out and take four years of school and pay for all of that and have a short-term summer job, which barely gets you everything, or I can cram it all into one and I’ll have the loans, but once I get my
High cost has some looking to finish in less than four years By EMILY K. COLEMAN | ecoleman@shawmedia.com actual job, it will be a lot easier to pay it off quicker,” Berge said. “I just prioritized that way instead.” While the decision means the 21-year-old is missing out on what would have been her senior year – she plans on visiting her friends
often – it also means she can start graduate school at Elmhurst College a year sooner to get her master’s degree in psychology. She graduated from Hope College, a small liberal arts school in Holland, Mich., in May with a de-
gree in psychology and two classes shy of a degree in communicative disorders. Despite rising concerns over tuition costs, Berge’s path isn’t typical. According to a 2011 report by the nonprofit Complete College, 37.4 percent of Illinois students who enroll in a four-year college will finish in four years or less. An additional 9 percent takes five years. Calling colleges “four-year programs” is very “misleading,”
WOODSTOCK – A judge on Wednesday denied a temporary restraining order against Crystal Lake High School District 155, allowing the district to continue work on a bleacher expansion project at Crystal Lake South High School. Judge Thomas Meyer told attorney Michael Burney – who represents three Crystal Lake residents, including McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, in the Leslie Scherlawsuit – that merhorn with roughly 95 Regional supercent of the perintendent project complete, there was no irreparable harm a restraining order would prevent because the structure already is expanded closer to property lines. He said that while he sympathizes with residents who could experience a larger nuisance, the expanded capacity and closer bleachers could cause neighbors on football game days, it does not meet the standard of irreparable harm. “If the remedy is having it torn down, I don’t know how the [restraining order] makes any difference at this point,” Meyer said. “Not saying I wouldn’t dislike it, I just don’t see the irreparable harm.”
See COLLEGE, page A6 See CL SOUTH, page A6
LOCALLY SPEAKING
JOHNSBURG
VILLAGE BOARD TARGETS CRIME Rental property owners could find themselves in trouble if their properties become the site of multiple crimes. The Johnsburg Village Board will consider the addition to Johnsburg’s nuisance code as well as a few other ordinance changes at its meeting Thursday evening. For more, see page B1.
H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
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