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Rape charges tossed in case Elgin man’s accuser fails to show for court By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Steve Ahlgrim of Woodstock sets up signs Monday while helping set up a polling place at the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock.
IN VOTER’S HANDS NOW NORTHWEST HERALD
T
hey aren’t career politicians. Most are volunteers and likely none will be talk radio or cable news fodder. But a few hundred local people, dozens of whom are in more than 40 contested races, are seeking voter support to lead on village boards, city councils, school boards and other local bodies, including fire and library districts. Unlike a presidential election, well under 20 percent of registered voters are expected to show up at the polls. Yet if elected, the work these candidates will do or not do will have significant effect on the lives of people in their respective communities, from providing education, to road maintenance and attracting businesses, as well as setting the tab for your local property tax bills.
Voice your opinion: Did you vote today? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
Al Grossmann of Crystal Lake sets up tables at the fairgrounds ahead of Tuesday’s election.
n WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Still don’t have enough information to vote? You can find information about contested local races and the candidates in these races at NWHerald.com/ election.
n WHERE AND WHEN DO I VOTE? Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. You can find your polling information via McHenry County clerk’s website.
n HOW WILL I KNOW WHO WINS? We’ll be updating stories and tweeting results live on NWHerald. com. Check in after polls close, and we’ll keep you updated.
WOODSTOCK – An uncooperative accuser meant dropped charges for a man once accused of serious sex crimes. Timothy E. Levis was to stand trial Monday on allegations that he raped a 25-yearold woman at a Woodstock motel. Instead, the charges were dropped when the woman failed to appear in court even though she was issued a subpoena. Late last week, investigators from the State’s Attorney’s Office made Timothy contact with t h e w o m a n E. Levis after previously telling the judge they were unable to locate her. She was supposed to appear on Monday morning, but was a no-show. By the afternoon’s court call, prosecutors moved to dismiss all charges against Levis. Levis’ defense attorney John Casey has said that Levis maintained his innocence. The case against Levis was plagued almost from the beginning. First, he was deemed mentally unfit for trial, and prosecutors were in the unusual position of arguing against his restoration to mental fitness, as Levis remained in custody at Chester Mental Health Center. Then, evidence from a rape kit did not contain Levis’ DNA, but that of another man. And lastly, Gibbons said he was unable to locate Levis’ accuser until late last week. Levis – who was out on bond – appeared calm in court Monday, even though he is known for courtroom outbursts in the past. Prosecutors have said that while in custody of the McHenry County Jail, Levis harassed female corrections officers, asking them for oral sex. He has pending misdemeanor charges in Winnebago County. McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather presided over the case.
Illinois mulls expanded disease list for marijuana program By CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press CHICAGO – Illinois residents have petitioned the state to add more than 20 medical conditions to the medical marijuana program, including anxiety, migraines, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Petitioners identifying themselves as veterans of Vietnam and Iraq asked PTSD be included, making emotional pleas for help, according to 269 pages of petitions obtained by The Associated Press through the state’s Freedom of Information Act. The state blacked out the names of petitioners before releasing the
documents to protect patients’ privacy. “I am a Vietnam Vet and can only imagine how things would have been,” wrote one petitioner for PTSD. “While visiting in Colorado I had the benefit of trying cannabis in candy form ... and I felt wonderful. No thoughts of violence, self-deprecation, or
hopelessness. My life would be different today.” Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states and the District of Columbia. California allows doctors to recommend it for a broad range of conditions, including arthritis, migraines and “any other illness for which marijuana provides relief,” according to
the language of the 1996 ballot initiative that made the state the first to allow medical marijuana. Illinois law lists dozens of diseases, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS, that can qualify a patient for use with a doctor’s recommendation and a state ID card, but it is more restrictive than in
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other states. The marijuana industry wants a broader list to create a bigger market in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Public Health must approve any additions to the list. An advisory board made up of patients, nurses, doctors and a
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