MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2013
WWW.NWHERALD.COM
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BEARS FOOTBALL EXTRA • BEARS 31, VIKINGS 30 The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
WET AND WILD WIN LEAVES BEARS 2-0 Musick: Bennett scores when it counts • Arkush: Good time to be the Bears
Tim Jennings
Sports, B1
Coroner: Man died from stabbing Police deem Woodstock resident’s death suspicious By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – A 34-yearold Woodstock man died of multiple stab wounds, according to the McHenry County Coroner’s office, in an inci-
dent that police have deemed to be “suspicious.” The coroner identified the victim as Mark A. Medina of Woodstock. Preliminary findings from an autopsy conducted Sunday afternoon revealed that Medina died of multiple
E-filing now available in local court
stab and incised wounds to his chest and upper body, the coroner said in a news release. Toxicology results on Medina are pending, the coroner said. Woodstock police were dispatched at 4:37 p.m. Saturday to the 1900 block of Sheila Street in reference to a nonresponsive man, according to a news release sent Sunday morning from the police department.
News to your phone Text the keyword NWHWOODSTOCK to 74574 to sign up for WOODSTOCK news text alerts from the Northwest Herald. Message and data rates apply. Arriving officers found a man who was deceased. Woodstock police said in the release that the circumstances surrounding Medina’s
death were “deemed to be suspicious.” No danger to the public is believed to exist, authorities said. Woodstock police did not respond to calls for comment Sunday. Residents along Sheila Street described Sunday a heavy police presence around the home where Medina was found near the intersection of Central Parkway Road and Julie Street. But neighbors
said that the neighborhood seemed normal before police arrived, with no one acting suspicious. Woodstock police and the coroner continue to investigate the incident with the help of the Major Investigation Assistance Team, a specialized major crimes unit made of investigators from numerous McHenry County police departments and the Illinois State Police.
Ongoing litigation doesn’t slow Algonquin Commons
By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
“It makes the court system much more efficient in the long run ... and ultimately it will save the taxpayers money as it simplifies our workload.” Kathy Keefe Circuit clerk said about the new e-filing system
Voice your opinion Have you ever checked for court records or documents online? Vote online at NWHerald. com.
WOODSTOCK – In a victory for the legal community, the McHenry County Courthouse now offers electronic filing for legal documents in civil cases, making it the sixth county in Illinois to do so. Electronic filing allows attorneys or pro-se litigants, or those who represent themselves, to file legal documents over the Internet, rather than in person or through the mail. Particularly pleased with the development were outof-county attorneys, or “runners” on their behalf, who in the past would have to make a trip to the courthouse in Woodstock just to file their legal documents – oftentimes to be met with long lines. “It certainly is a benefit to be able to sit at your desk and not send somebody running over to the courthouse,” said John Donahue, an attorney from the Chicago law firm Rosenthal, Murphey, Coblentz and Donahue. Donahue represents the village of Fox River Grove, among other municipalities. But perhaps no one was more delighted with the new system than Circuit Clerk Kathy Keefe. “It makes the court system much more efficient in the long run,” she said. “More efficient for the court, more efficient for the users of the court, and ultimately it will save the taxpayers money as it simplifies our workload.” E-filing will streamline the process in the Circuit Clerk’s Office when accepting filings, entering the data, and storing the court documents. The McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Office files and scans
Photos by H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Damien Savorgino and Kailee Moore, both of Elgin, enjoy the fall weather Friday while shopping at Algonquin Commons. U.S. Bank National Association filed a nearly $110 million foreclosure suit in Kane County Circuit Court on Dec. 28 against Inland Real Estate Corp.’s Algonquin Commons. The foreclosure hasn’t stopped new businesses from opening in the shopping center. BELOW: Gourmet Kernel owner Judy Reyes will be celebrating the store’s second anniversary Sept. 28 at Algonquin Commons. By LAWERENCE SYNETT lsynett@shawmedia.com ALGONQUIN – Ongoing litigation as part of a foreclosure lawsuit against the owners of the Algonquin Commons hasn’t stopped the shopping center from attracting new businesses. Local and midsize businesses have filled vacancies left by larger national chains, pushing the occupancy rate on the property located in the Randall Road Corridor to more than 95 percent. “It’s just different now and adds a lot of ambiance to the shopping
center by having local businesses alongside brand-name stores,” said Russell Farnum, community development director in Algonquin. “It’s a great opportunity for local businesses to get a location in a regional shopping mecca, which they normally wouldn’t be able to get.” Oak Brook-based Inland Real Estate Corp. stopped making mortgage payments on the nearly 600,000-square-foot property in the summer of 2012, according to court records. U.S. Bank National Association
See LITIGATION, page A7
See E-FILING, page A7
LOOKING FORWARD
SATURDAY
VEREEN TO PERFORM AT RAUE CENTER
Emergencies Seen Same Day! Open T, W, Th Until 8 p.m./Fri. & Sat.
Ben Vereen will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Vereen is an actor, singer and all-around entertainer with a storied and legendary career. Tickets start at $53. Tickets and information: 815-356-9212 or www.rauecenter.org.
Jake Gyllenhaal
FRIDAY: ‘Prisoners,’ starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, opens in theaters.
Hugh Jackman Warner Bros.
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