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Oc to ber 23 , 2015 • $ 1 .0 0 *
MARQUEE MATCHUP
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Prairie Ridge defeats Cary-Grove in Fox Valley Conference Fox Division crossover / C1 NWHerald.com
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GOP recommends board candidate County leaders push for Thorsen to fill vacancy; board to hear interviews Thursday By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – McHenry County Republican leadership advanced their candidate to fill a vacancy on the County Board, but it’s up to board members to decide whether to accept their recommendation, as the board chairman called for another round of interviews. Five District 2 residents
have tossed their hat in the ring to be considered for the vacancy. After meeting with Republican officials this week, Jeff Thorsen was recommended, GOP Chairwoman Sandra Salgado said. The decision ultimately is up to the County Board, which will have the opportunity to question the candidates at scheduled interviews set to begin at 1 p.m. Thursday. The interviews will be open
to the public and will be at the Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. “I’m not opposing the Republican Party,” County Board Chairm a n J o s e p h Jeff Thorsen Gottemoller said Thursday. “But I do think the public needs to hear these interviews.”
MCC trustees hear tax levy plan
Other hopefuls include Cameron Hubbard, Kent Krautstrunk, Thomas McDermott and John Reinert. Thorsen is no stranger to local politics. He currently is seated on the Crystal Lake City Council and would have to resign from that board if he’s appointed. Thorsen also unsuccessfully ran for county treasurer in 2014. When reached Thursday, he said he was “honored” and
added he already had been circulating nominating petitions to run in the March primary election for a County Board seat. The board opening came after the resignation of longtime County Board member Ken Koehler, who was appointed last month to serve on the Metra Board. State law forbids Metra Board appointees from holding an elected office. Whoever is selected to fill
Koehler’s term must run in the next primary election. Koehler’s replacement, like him, must be a Republican and live in District 2, which covers northwestern Algonquin and far northeastern Grafton townships and includes parts of Crystal Lake, Lakewood and Lake in the Hills. At the earliest, Gottemoller hopes to name a replacement at the Nov. 3 County Board meeting.
NEW TECHNOLOGY AIDS STAYING ACCOUNTABLE FOR WORKOUT PLANS
Administration recommends 1.4 percent increase By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – The McHenry County College Board of Trustees heard a recommendation Wednesday to increase the tax levy by about 1.4 percent, which would include the anticipation of new property growth. Trustees weighed in during the regular board meeting, but did not give Chief Financial Officer Bob Tenuta official direction. President Vicky Smith said that likely will come at next month’s Committee of the Whole meeting. “The administration recommended setting the levy to take advantage of the 0.8 percent [Consumer Price Index] and new growth,” Smith said. Tenuta said for a home with a market value of $250,000, the increase would add an estimated $0.98 a month, or $11.79 a year, on property tax bills, assuming there’s no change in equalized assessed value. Tenuta estimated the college would be asking for a total of about $28.36 million. Under this suggestion, there would be a collective $390,000 increase, factoring in new property growth. During his presentation, Tenuta said the college’s operating revenue stream has remained fairly flat the past five years, which is a factor that has played into the college’s downward-trending financial
Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com
Gabriel Williams of the Huntley Fire Department uses a dumbbell to work his triceps Oct. 6 at the station in Huntley. Firefighters have been issued department-subsidized Fitbits to help track exercise and sleep patterns.
Firefighters track fitness with Fitbits Experts say devices popular, but effectiveness differs with commitment By CAITLIN SWIECA cswieca@shawmedia.com
H
untley Fire Chief Ken Caudle always is looking for ways to motivate his firefighters to stay in shape – after all, heart attacks are the No. 1 cause of death in the profession. In September, the department launched its latest initiative: Fitbit
On the Web Do you use new technology to monitor your fitness? Vote online at NWHerald. com.
activity trackers. After Caudle procured funding to subsidize the devices, 65 of Huntley’s 85 firefighters began wearing them day and
night to track their steps, heart rate and sleep quality. “I thought it was something different,” Caudle said, “and sometimes when it’s different and it’s techno-gadgety, it’s more fun, and I can get close to 100 percent buy-in.” It took less than two weeks for Caudle to see a spike in workout room attendance, and the firefighters immediately began challenging each other to see who could accu-
mulate more steps. The chief is happy to see the increased exercise, but he also was looking forward to seeing the heart rate and sleep-tracking data from the devices. The department wants to look into how firefighters’ bodies are affected by alarms that come in the middle of the night. When a call
See FITNESS, page A7
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McHenry County joblessness rate reaches 4.2 percent in September; Ill. at 5.1 percent / A8 NATION
Bleacher debate continues Attorney representing Crystal Lake South neighboring property owners says clients, D-155 may not reach agreement / A3
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