Lynch breaks own record; Huskies now 12-0
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013
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The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
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LAWMAKERS TOLD TO BE IN CAPITOL
AWAITING WORD ON PENSION PLAN
Attempted escape nets prison time Man pleads guilty, gets 6 years By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
“
[Michael Madigan] indicated there was continued progress.” Steve Brown Spokesman for Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan
“ AP file photo
Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, listens Nov. 7 to lawmakers trying to call for a vote on gun legislation while on the House floor during a veto session in Springfield. The chief of staff for Madigan has told representatives to be at the Capitol on Tuesday to address Illinois’ pension crisis.
Local pols anticipate vote soon, but details yet to be ironed out By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com with wire reports Area lawmakers are anxiously awaiting the details on a potential plan to address the state’s $100 billion pension crisis still being ironed out by Illinois’ four legislative leaders. Both state Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry, and state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, are anticipating a vote on a pension deal when they return to Springfield next week. But rank-and-file members in the legislature still
don’t know the specifics of a pension reform package, as the state’s legislative leaders continue to hammer out the details in meetings this week. “The likelihood of a vote is very great,” Althoff said. “There is a substantial will to pass a pension reform bill. The issue remains what it is going to look like. The specific details still need to be worked out.” The chief of staff for House Speaker Michael Madigan has told representatives to be at the Capitol on Tuesday. Senate President John Cullerton
also has told senators to be prepared to meet next week, though he has not yet called his members back – an indication that he has not yet signed off on a pension deal. Illinois has the worst funded public pension system of any state, largely because lawmakers either skipped or shorted payments. Pension reform has been a priority with the Legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn for nearly two years, but the effort so far has failed to pass both chambers.
The likelihood of a vote is very great. There is a substantial will to pass a pension reform bill. The issue remains what it is going to look like. The specific details still need to be worked out.”
WOODSTOCK – A foiled escape attempt from a McHenry County courtroom ended in a prison sentence for the would-be absconder. Dylan E. Draut of Fox River Grove pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary and attempted escape. He was sentenced to a total of six years in prison under a plea agreement accepted by Judge Sharon Prather. Draut was given four years on the burglary charge and two years for attempted escape. The escape sentence will be served consecutively following the burglary sentence. On an otherwise quiet Monday in July, Draut surprised everyone in Prather’s third floor courtroom with his brazen escape attempt. Shortly after being arraigned for charges stemming from a June burglary, the 39-year-old sprinted from the courtroom past sheriff’s office corrections officers, attorneys and courtroom spectators.
See ESCAPE, page A8
Prisoners acted as double agents
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There is no higher priority than adopting pension reform, but I want to know what’s in the bill.” State Rep. David McSweeney R-Barrington Hills
See PENSION, page A8
At a glance
The ASSOCIATED PRESS
State Sen. Pam Althoff R-McHenry
Dylan E. Draut of Fox River Grove pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary and attempted escape. He was sentenced to a total of six years in prison under a plea agreement accepted by Judge Sharon Prather. Draut was given four years on the burglary charge and two years for attempted escape.
WASHINGTON – In the early years after 9/11, the CIA turned some Guantanamo Bay prisoners into double agents, then sent them home to help the U.S. kill terrorists, current and former U.S. officials said. The CIA promised the prisoners freedom, safety for their families and millions of dollars from the agency’s secret accounts. It was a risky gamble. Officials knew there was a chance that some prisoners might quickly spurn their deal and kill Americans. For the CIA, that was an acceptable risk in a dangerous business. For the American public, which was never told, the program was one of the many secret trade-offs the government made on its behalf.
Some of the Guantanamo prisoners helped the CIA find and kill many top al-Qaida operatives, current and former U.S. officials said. The U.S. government says it has confirmed that about 16 percent of former Guantanamo Bay detainees rejoined the fight against America.
See AGENTS, page A8
LOCALLY SPEAKING Cary-Grove’s Tyler Szydlo (left)
CRYSTAL LAKE
McHENRY COUNTY
30-PLUS STORAGE UNITS BURGLARIZED
PREPARING FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
More than 30 storage units were broken into at a Crystal Lake storage facility last week, leaving at least one unit vandalized and another burglarized. In the early morning hours of Nov. 20, 34 units were broken into at Space Management, located at 6905 Cog Circle in Crystal Lake.
With all of the hype surrounding Black Friday sales at national chains and big box retailers, small business owners are hoping growing awareness about Small Business Saturday will translate into more customers and more sales during the critical holiday shopping season. For more,
For more, see page B1.
see page E1.
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