Will gruden make list of bears coach candidates?
sports, c1
SuNday, JaNuary 6, 2013
www.NwHerald.com
Woodstock 62, johnsburg 52
$1.50
guardian angel
Blue Streaks take Marengo program helps FVC Fox opener sports, c1 ailing animals Planit style, inside
The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
MCC claims need for expansion Health, wellness learning facility is much in demand, leaders say By CHeLSea McdougaLL
cmcdougall@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – McHenry County College officials are making the case for expanding health and wellness programs with a multimillion dollar building, a plan some have criticized as wasteful. The college is in the beginning
stages of a feasibility study that will determine whether a planned $42 million building expansion is possible. Preliminary plans call for a 120,000-square-foot building for health sciences and wellness classrooms, labs, a health clinic and a fitness center. “No matter what anybody says, there is no space for us to put those labs,” McHenry County
College President Vicky Smith said. An expansion would allow the college to grow programs in respiratory and physical therapy, and health information technology – programs that have been put on hold for lack of space. To maintain accreditation, health programs require dedicated classrooms. For example, only
nursing lab classes can be held in that space. When the college began its occupational therapy assistant program, it revamped existing classroom space to make room for a laboratory used only for those classes. “If these were business courses or English courses, they could
note to readers This article is part one of a two-day series that will explore McHenry County College’s proposed expansion plan. PaRt tWo: How to pay for any expansion at the college has been an item of contention for local taxpayers. The Northwest Herald will explore financial implications of the health sciences facility at McHenry County College in Monday’s edition.
See eXPanSion, page a3
couple among Pendulum swing Woodstock gay Illinoisans waiting for gay marriage? for legal right to wed
Talks on Ill. pension crisis end; no deal Lawmakers: Agreement still possible before session ends By SaRa BuRnett
The Associated Press
Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
deb glaubke and gale Harris reminisce over a scrapbook of the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, gay and Bi equal Rights and Liberation that they attended. glaubke, 69, and Harris, 73, have been together for 26 years and were joined in a civil union this past summer. By SaRaH SutSCHek
ssutschek@shawmedia.com
A
fter more than 20 years in a committed relationship with each other, Gale Harris and Deb Glaubke want to get married, but they can’t. Harris, 73, and Glaubke, 69, of Woodstock, are gay. “When you look around and see that 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce – and
we’ve been together for longer – then it shows that we are a stable family unit,” Glaubke said. An Illinois Senate committee voted, 8-5, late Thursday in favor of a bill that would allow gay marriage. But with key supporters absent, Senate Democrats delayed a full floor vote. Senate lawmakers are unlikely to return to Springfield before the session ends Wednes-
day, when new lawmakers will be sworn in and a new legislative session starts. Sen. Heather Steans, the bill’s sponsor, said it was a matter of “when, not if” the measure will pass. She said people across Illinois and state lawmakers are changing their minds every day and supporting gay marriage.
See MaRRiage, page a8
Your opinion Should lawmakers approve same-sex marriages in Illinois? Vote online at nWHerald.com.
related Gay marriage a tough sell in Illinois, despite highlevel support. Page a3
CHICAGO – Despite setting aside a major sticking point, Gov. Pat Quinn and legislative leaders failed to agree Saturday on the outlines of a deal that might begin to solve Illinois’ massive pension crisis, the worst of any state in the country. Coming out of the meeting, which lasted less than two hours, leaders from both parties said they better understood one another’s positions but that there still were many obstacles to producing a proposal to take to lawmakers before the end of the current General Assembly on Wednesday. “I’m just anxious to pass a bill,” said Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has agreed to drop for now his proposal to shift pension costs for public school teachers from the state to local districts, an idea that has been a major point of disagreement in negotiations. “I think that we ought to find a bill that we can all agree upon and pass that bill. Unfortunately there are still differences among the participants.” Madigan said he believes a deal is possible before Wednesday, and he and Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said talks would continue until the end of the session.
What’s left Among the remaining obstacles in negotiations are differences over cost-of-living adjustments for employees and retirees, asking workers to pay more, which approach the courts could consider constitutional and whether to include provisions to help Chicago with its pension crisis.
deadline The General Assembly wraps up its lame-duck session Wednesday. Gov. Pat Quinn has said he wants a deal before then.
See PenSionS, page a8
locallY sPeaking
harvard
LoCaL gRad ReCountS aid WoRk Ashleigh Brickley, 29, leads a community relations team of the first-year Federal Emergency Management Agency Corps program. Brickley, a Harvard High School graduate, recently was sent to the East Coast with her team to help communities there recover from the destruction of superstorm Sandy. For more, see page b1.
Charlie Marsh, 11 Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
high
loW
31 20
complete forecast on a10
carY: Anglers beat weather to enjoy first Frosty Fishing Fair at The Hollows in Cary. Local&Region, B1
Where to find it Advice Business Classified Planit Style
Planit 10 D1-6 F1-4 Inside
Vol. 28, Issue 6 Local&Region B1-6 Lottery A2 Movies Planit 11 Obituaries B3-5
Opinion A9 Puzzles Planit 8-9, F3 Sports C1-10 TV grid F3
read•y [red-ee]:
completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use.
“Ready” when you need us. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
ALTHOFF INDUSTRIES (815) 455-7000
Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical
Lic # 055-001101