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Nove mbe r 25 , 2014 • $1 . 0 0
HIGH EXPECTATIONS Jacobs brings back talented team with wealth of experience / C1
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NWHerald.com
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN McHENRY COUNTY
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Plows rev up for winter
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Fire’s origin in hay storage Still no cause established in CL barn blaze By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com
Photos by H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
A Crystal Lake Public Works Department plow maneuvers through traffic Monday on Pingree Road just north of Route 14. Last year’s snow and infamous polar vortex prompted the public works department to load up on more salt, Director Victor Ramirez said last week. The department over the next week or so is expecting a delivery of 4,000 tons of salt to keep its roads clear.
Take to McHenry County streets to tackle first real snowfall of season By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com It’s just snow. Yes, we got a lot of it last year along with frigid cold, but in the end it’s still only flakes of frozen water. Contrary to the hysterics of some 10 p.m. news anchors, it isn’t white death. Unless, of course, you live in Buffalo, which we don’t. The National Weather Service expected Monday’s snowfall to total 2 to 5 inches in McHenry County, following the usual formula of totals increasing northward – a pittance compared to the 7 feet that recently socked parts of western New York. County, municipal and town-
ship trucks hit the roads late Monday morning as the snow started falling, laying down salt while temperatures were still warm to keep snow from sticking. “Right now, we’re laying down a bit of salt to make a brine so we don’t get a situation where we get any snowpack or icing,” Woodstock Public Works Director Paul Ruscko said. Monday’s snow was actually the third cold-weather event this year for the McHenry County Division of Transportation, Maintenance Superintendent Ed Markison said. Their trucks began hitting their 19
See WINTER, page A6
Crews work to clear a minor crash Monday at the intersection of Caroline Street and Crystal Lake Avenue in Crystal Lake. Some area roads became snow-covered and slippery, as crews worked to clear the highways.
Inside: Winter weather not expected to stand in Thanksgiving travelers’ way. PAGE A3
Voice your opinion: How many minutes did Monday’s snow add to your evening commute? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
CRYSTAL LAKE – The barn fire suspected of killing up to 32 horses Saturday is believed to have originated in the hay storage area on the second floor, the Crystal Lake fire chief said. The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue District responded Saturday night to a fire at Valley View Acres, 5116 Mount Thabor Road, where a stable housing as many as 37 horses had gone up in flames. Less than a handful of the horses were rescued, but as many as 32 are believed to have died in the overnight blaze. As of Monday afternoon, there still was not an established cause, Crystal Lake Fire Chief Paul DeRaedt said. However, investigators believe the fire originated from the south side of the second floor, where hay was being stored. “As of 6 p.m. we turned the property back to the homeowners,” DeRaedt said. “We met with the state fire marshal’s office to pour over everything we’ve gathered, and as far as origin, we feel it started in the hay storage.” DeRaedt said they know there was electricity and heat going into the barn, but have not yet determined the exact ignition source. “We’re still not sure as to a cause but will continue to work with the family, and we expect to work with insurance investigators,” he said. “We may never fully discover the cause of the fire.” The Crystal Lake firefighters were assisted by nearly 30 other area departments.
See FIRE, page A6
Grand jury does not indict Ferguson cop in 18-year-old’s death By JIM SALTER and DAVID A. LIEB The Associated Press FERGUSON, Mo. – A grand jury declined Monday to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown, the unarmed, black 18-year-old whose fatal shooting sparked weeks of sometimes-violent protests and inflamed deep racial tensions between many African-Americans and police. Moments after the announcement by St. Louis County’s top prosecutor, crowds began pouring into Ferguson streets to protest the decision. Some taunted police, broke windows and vandalized cars. Within a few
hours, several buildings were ablaze, and frequent gunfire was heard. Officers used tear gas to try to disperse some of the gatherings. Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch said the jury of nine whites and three blacks met on 25 separate days, hearing more than 70 hours of tesBob timony from McCulloch about 60 witnesses, including three medical examiners and experts on blood, toxicology and firearms. “They are the only people that have heard and examined
every witness and every piece of evidence,” he said, adding that the jurors “poured their hearts and soul into this process.” As McCulloch read his statement, Michael Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, was sitting atop a vehicle listening to a broadcast of the announcement. When she heard the decision, she burst into tears and began screaming before being whisked away by supporters. The crowd with her erupted in anger, converging on the barricade where police in riot gear were standing. They pushed down the barricade and began pelting police with objects, including a bullhorn. Officers stood their ground.
At least nine votes would have been required to indict Wilson. The grand jury met in secret, a standard practice for such proceedings. Speaking for nearly 45 minutes, a defensive McCulloch repeatedly cited what he said were inconsistencies and erroneous accounts from witnesses. When asked by a reporter whether any of the accounts amount to perjury, he said, “I think they truly believe that’s what they saw, but they didn’t.” The prosecutor also was critical of the media, saying AP photo “the most significant chal- Lesley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown (wearing sunglasslenge” for his office was a es) reacts as she listens to the announcement of the grand jury de“24-hour news cycle and an cision Monday in Ferguson, Mo. A grand jury will not indict Ferguson
See FERGUSON, page A6
police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Brown, the unarmed, black 18-year-old whose fatal shooting sparked sometimes violent protests.
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Model railroads therapy for McHenry boy with Asperger syndrome / A3
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