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McHenry projects move forward Council OKs agreements for recreation center, wastewater plant By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com McHENRY – Two big-ticket projects moved ahead Monday evening despite concerns the city might not be getting the best price. In a 4-2 vote, the McHenry City Council approved two agreements valued at $1.4
million with the city’s engineering firm, HR Green, for the design of a consolidated wastewater treatment plant. The council also voted, 5-1, authorizing agreements with FGM Architects and HR Green for the design and engineering of an 18,000- to 20,000-square-foot recreation center on city-owned land
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west of the McHenry Municipal Center. The proposed recreation center would include a fitness center, multipurpose rooms, dance and aerobics rooms, office space and a baby-sitting center, Deputy City Administrator Bill Hobson said. The contracts are worth just under a collective
$500,000, according to council documents. None of the contracts include all the construction services, and final approval of either project requires a council vote. “These two big projects are something we’ve been after for 10 years,” Alderman Robert Peterson said. “What
we’re doing tonight is like amazing, I think.” Andy Glab was the sole alderman to vote against both items. He was joined by Alderman Victor Santi in rejecting the wastewater plant contracts. Alderman Jeff Schaefer was absent from Monday’s meeting. While Glab and Santi said
they had no concerns with HR Green’s work, they suggested the city go out for additional proposals for these big-ticket projects. “The point I’m making more than anything is, maybe they’re right, but how do we know?” Glab said. “What’s
See PROJECTS, page A4
HISPANIC ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVING AT AREA SCHOOLS
CLOSING THE GAP
By KERRY LESTER The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – An influential government watchdog group says Illinois should keep its temporary income tax increase in place for a year longer than initially promised and begin taxing retirement income to dig the state out of a massive budget hole – a solution that’s both being praised for its even-handed approach and digested with a strong dose of skepticism over its prospects in an election year. The Chicago-based Civic Federation says its five-year plan would allow the state to pay off its $5.4 billion backlog of unpaid bills and avoid budget cuts precipitated by a drop in revenue.
See BUDGET, page A4
OSHA looks into incident at ski park “There’s a lot of things that could have contributed to this [incident].” Rhonda Burke Spokeswoman for OSHA
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
Jacobs students listen Feb. 25 as teacher Megan Placko (not shown) teaches her lesson. The percentages of Latino students taking advanced placement courses and succeeding on AP exams are at 10-year highs.
By JOSEPH BUSTOS jbustos@shawmedia.com ALGONQUIN – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into an incident at Raging Buffalo Snowboard and Ski Park that led to a 17-year-old boy being airlifted to the hospital. OSHA spokeswoman Rhonda Burke said Monday the agency’s Chicago office would be looking into the incident, but she would not get into the specifics of the situation. A 17-year-old employee at Raging Buffalo had to be
See OSHA, page A4
By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com Officials at Woodstock North High School kept getting the same questions from their Hispanic families about basic services, like financial aid and college entrance exams, designed to help students prepare for their future.
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They may have finally found an answer this school year. Principal Brian McAdow and his staff started the “Future Latino Leaders” program, a group of high-achieving Hispanic students that receive extra support with Advanced Placement testing, college preparation and other career
services like resume writing. “It’s something we crafted for our school,” McAdow said. “There are many students who come from first- and secondgeneration immigrants, and they don’t know all the benefits of the services offered because it’s not something that comes from the culture they are coming from.”
The new program was a direct response to Hispanic students’ low participation in rigorous AP and honors classes, McAdow said. With a 35 percent Hispanic population, the school’s specialized program should help close the achievement gap
See ACHIEVEMENT, page A4
The idea of closing the gap for blacks and Hispanics is not a new one. It’s more validating than anything, that the work we are doing here is not being done in isolation.” – Ben Churchill, District 300’s assistant superintendent for high school
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Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
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Four candidates shared their views of two county positions at a McHenry County League of Women Voters forum. Mary McClellan and Nick Provenzano are running for county clerk, and Glenda Miller and Jeffrey Thorsen are running for county treasurer in the GOP primary. For more, see
After nine months of negotiations that nearly resulted in a strike, the School District 156 Board on Monday approved a proposed two-year teachers contract on a 5-0 vote. The details of the contract also were presented to members of the teachers union Monday, but voting will continue through Wednesday. For
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