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County OKs interchange money Board votes to reimburse Marengo for proposal’s startup design costs By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Board voted to reimburse Marengo for preliminary engineering for a full Interstate 90 and Route 23 interchange, over the objections of a minority questioning the
need. Board members voted Tuesday evening, 15-7, to pay $289,608 in motor fuel tax funds toward startup design costs for the proposed interchange south of town. The interchange could cost at least $60 million if it goes forward. Member Michael Rein,
R-Woodstock, was among those who questioned whether a full interchange would be the economic engine that supporters have hyped. And with a new governor attempting deep budget cuts to address the state’s budget crisis, he said, the county does not have a guarantee that either the Illi-
nois Toll Highway Authority or the Illinois Department of Transportation will be able to cover their share of the costs. “With Gov. [Bruce] Rauner cutting back a lot of things right now, we don’t know who’s going to be participating,” Rein said. But supporters, like mem-
ber Ken Koehler, R-Crystal Lake, called the project one that would help the local economy, pointing to the recently completed full interchange at I-90 and Route 47 in Huntley. “This is one of those projects that is very forward-thinking, and about the future of McHenry County,” Koehler
See INTERCHANGE, page A5
Schock resigns amid scrutiny
Need spring break ideas?
Questions mount over his spending
Activities for kids abound in county
By ERICA WERNER The Associated Press
By JOAN OLIVER editorial@nwherald.com
N
ot every family can head to a sunnier clime for spring break or even find a way to get out of Dodge for a few days. So how can area parents who are planning to “staycation” during the upcoming break avoid the dreaded “b” word – boredom? We’ve got a few ideas for the coming week, when area schools will be closed. With a little creativity, you probably can come up with a few of your own, too. Several spring break camps offer organized fun throughout the week. Sage YMCA of Metro Chicago, 701 Manor Road, Crystal Lake, is hosting a camp for kindergartners through eighth-graders that starts Monday and features different themes each day, including Western day and Hawaiian day. Daily activities include swimming and games. Families don’t have to be members of the YMCA to participate, and they don’t have to attend every day, Executive Director Robyn Ostrem said. Drop-off can be as early as 6:30 a.m. and pickup can be as late as 6:30 p.m., she said. Campers should pack a lunch or they can buy one from the center’s Tropical Smoothie Café. Parents are asked to register by 9 a.m. Friday. The cost is $40 a day for members and $55 for nonmembers. The full week is $180 for members and $210 for nonmembers. The YMCA also plans an Egg-stravaganza Family Night on Friday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. It is open to all area families and features an underwater egg hunt. The cost is $5 a child and includes a snack. To learn more, visit www. ymcachicago.org/sage. The Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department also offers a spring break camp at
said. While supporters pointed to the Route 47 interchange as a success story to justify building one at Route 23, opponents point to the interchange with Route 20 which lies in between, which skeptics allege
Photos by Michelle LaVigne for Shaw Media
Eight-year-old Alicia Hurley of Johnsburg concentrates as she builds a structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks March 11 in Johnsburg during the Johnsburg Library Science Club program for kids in grades 2 to 4. This week, the club is learning how earthquakes work. LEFT: Arabella Shedbalkar (from left), 10, Skye Schoen, 10, and Emily Kasheimer, 10, work on building a marshmallow structure while James Renlund helps his 8-year-old sons, Lars and Hans, with their structure.
Voice your opinion Are you leaving town for Spring Break? Vote online at NWHerald. com.
See ACTIVITIES, page A5
WASHINGTON – Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock abruptly resigned Tuesday following a monthlong cascade of revelations about his business deals and lavish spending on everything from overseas travel to office decor in the style of “Downton Abbey.” “I do this with a heavy heart,” Schock said in a statement. He said he had given the people of his Peoria-area district his all since his election in 2008, “but the constant questions over the last six weeks Aaron Schock have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself.” Schock, 33, a young, media-savvy Republican, had drawn attention for his physical fitness and fundraising prowess. But more recently he has come under scrutiny for extravagant spending, payments to donors for flights on private jets and improperly categorized expenses. The questions raised have included Associated Press investigations of his real estate transactions, air travel and Instagram use. On Monday, the AP confirmed that the Office of Congressional Ethics had reached out to Schock’s associates as it apparently began an investigation. In a statement, House Speaker John Boehner said: “With this decision, Rep. Schock has put the best interests of his constituents and the House first. I appreciate Aaron’s years of service, and I wish him well in the future.” Schock did not inform any House leaders before making his decision, and the announcement took Republicans by surprise. Although the questions around his
See SCHOCK, page A5
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