IT’S YOUR WRITE
Ward S. Arnold
Glenview
Kenneally for state’s attorney
To the Editor: In 2009, my dad was killed by a drunk driver. My dad was 77 when he died. At that time, he still was working, driving a semi truck. He was hit while on the job after he pulled his truck over to the side of the road in Marengo to change a windshield wiper. I miss my Dad and the love and laughter he gave us. Patrick Kenneally was the prosecutor on the case. Patrick is a very competent man who always made sure we as a family understood what was happening with my Dad’s case. He made sure my family got the justice we deserved. I will be voting for Patrick on March 15. He is the best man for state’s attorney. Denise Pattison Belvidere
Take control of Motorola plant
To the Editor: Ideas have come, and ideas have gone. Yet the question remains the same as it was in 2003, when Motorola closed its plant in Harvard: What’s next? In anticipation of better times, investors in succession seem to have kept the campus suitably maintained. However, over the course of the past 18 months or so, that apparently has changed.
Scott K. Summers
Harvard
Rial Bates a true patriot
To the Editor: I am writing this letter to tell you about a family of patriots – the Rials. The Rials entered this country during the 1760s from Scotland, with both David and Isaac Rial serving in the New Jersey militia during the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, John Rial served the Union. He fought at Gettysburg, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg and later lost his leg at the battle of Cold Harbor. William Rial served during World War I and World War II, earning a commission as a lieutenant. Jim Rial served on the Lake Champlain aircraft carrier during WWII. When the call came, Jim Rial Jr. served for more than 30 years with the CIA. The Rials through generations have proven their love for this country through sacrifice and service. Now my mother, Kay Rial Bates, a descendant of this Rial clan, feels the call to serve. I urge you to vote for her a true patriot for McHenry County. James Bates
Overland Park, Kansas
25 HOW TO SOUND OFF We welcome original letters on public issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, home address and day and evening telephone numbers. We limit letters to 250 words and one published letter every 30 days. Election-related letters are limited to 150 words. The deadline to submit an election-related letter is 5 p.m.
Kenneally has moral fortitude
To the Editor: I would like to write an endorsement for Patrick Kenneally as state’s attorney. In 2007, he was an assistant state’s attorney who prosecuted the DUI boating death of my daughter on Wonder Lake. He not only successfully got a conviction of a defiant defendant, but also was a tremendously compassionate assistant to our family while showing extreme professionalism in his prosecution, securing a 10-year sentence. If he is elected, I’m sure he will serve the people with the same tenacity and moral fortitude as he showed our family. John Jurgens
Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Regna’s leadership
To the Editor: As a police officer, I worked with Dan Regna on numerous criminal cases for my department. Dan was one of the finest prosecutors I have worked with. Dan always was helpful in preparing the cases. Dan always took the time to read and analyze the case. He would tell you whether your case was weak or strong and make suggestions on how to improve your investigation. Dan is a friend to law enforcement and the residents in McHenry County and the state of Illinois. Dan also has compassion for the victims of crimes and their families. Dan is committed to fair enforcement of the law for all citizens. The McHenry County state’s attorney’s office can be the model by which all others will be judged under Dan Regna’s leadership. Terry Baldowsky
Tomahawk, Wisconsin
Voting blindly to retain
To the Editor: Your representatives who caused Illinois to have the worst credit rating in the country, retain. Your representatives who voted on
March 9. All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity at the sole discretion of the editor. Submit letters by: • Email: letters@nwherald.com • Mail: Northwest Herald “It’s Your Write” Box 250 Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250
yearly pension increases of at least 3 percent to themselves and hundreds of thousands of state retirees when Social Security and retired military personnel received no cost-of-living adjustment increase in 2016 and the average yearly COLA increase for those millions of people from 2009 to 2016 is 1.21 percent, retain. Your representatives who put Illinois in the position to be the 48th worst-run state in America, retain. Your representatives who will support legislation to have the rest of us pay for their handouts of our money by increasing our income, sales and property taxes, retain. Yeah, go ahead, dear voters, and blindly continue to put in the same old politicians some of you gripe about right back into office. Glenn Majka Cary
Vote for Rickert
To the Editor: On March 15, the people of Illinois again will be given the opportunity to vote and choose our leaders. This is a right we all should exercise. Two seats are up for grabs in the race for McHenry County Board in District 3. It is time for change and a fresh perspective. For those reasons and many more, we would encourage the community to vote for Cherie Rickert. Cherie is an incredibly dedicated resident of McHenry County. She’s made her home here and raised her kids here. She has served the community as a nurse, as a school administrator and as a volunteer. Her love for McHenry County and her desire to make things better for everyone makes her the perfect candidate for County Board. Cherie is hard-working, compassionate, diligent and open-minded. Vote for Cherie Rickert on March 15. Dave and Jeannine Anderson and family
McHenry
• Wednesday, March 2, 2016
To the Editor: Integrity and legal ability are important attributes for the office of state’s attorney. The state’s attorney is invested with broad discretion when assessing not only the many criminal cases prosecuted by the office, but also the legal merits of the county’s position in sometimes complicated and far-reaching civil issues. As a retired circuit judge, on the bench for almost 21 years, I had the opportunity to observe Dan Regna during his time as an assistant state’s attorney. He always was prepared and represented the state and county in a professional and highly competent manner. His legal arguments were consistently sound and fair. He now has accumulated additional civil experience, which only can enhance his abilities. The people of McHenry County would be well-served by electing Dan Regna as state’s attorney.
Property taxes of $331,154.94 went unpaid. Landscaping ceased. According to the 2014 tax bill, the facility, which cost tens of millions of dollars to construct, now has a fair market value of $7,703,370. We should stop waiting and hoping. The time has come for the city of Harvard (in conjunction, perhaps, with the county) to exercise its powers of eminent domain and take control of the campus. A team of advocates – the McHenry County Economic Development Commission, the state, the county and the city of Harvard – then could retain experts to market the property smartly and aggressively across the nation and throughout the world. How wonderful it would be if the facility could be returned to its highest and best use: a plant employing thousands. Would public monies be required? Not if a company purchases it outright. Similarly, prospective developers working on a build-to-suit basis could include the price of the property in their bids. We must take our economic future into our own hands and not leave it to chance. We the taxpayers helped to build the Motorola plant. We the taxpayers now should direct its destiny.
OPINIONS | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com
Regna for state’s attorney