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In today’s Pl@y
WAIT IT OUT Blackhawks enjoy brief rest while preparing for next opponent
Sports, C1
Groups move amendments ahead Lawsuit already filed to stop citizen referendums from appearing on November ballot By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com Two public petitions to amend the Illinois Constitution to limit the power and incumbency of the General Assembly are being filed to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. A political action committee chaired by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner filed a petition Wednesday for an amendment to impose term limits on General Assembly members and make other changes to the body. Another group
will deliver its signatures Thursday afternoon for an amendment to take the power to redraw legislative district maps after each U.S. Census from state lawmakers. Both groups say they have more than enough signatures to ensure their proposed amendments get on the ballot and survive challenges by legislative foot soldiers. Rauner’s group, Term Limits and Reform, filed more than 590,000 signatures with the Illinois State Board of Elections, almost twice the number needed. Yes For Independent Maps, which will
file the redistricting amendment, says it has more than 500,000 signatures. But they also have to survive a court challenge. The general counsel for the Democratic Party of Illinois, which is chaired by powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, has already filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court to keep both questions from appearing on the ballot. The Illinois Supreme Court threw a term limits amendment off the ballot 20 years ago. “All these reforms, especially
term limits, will go a long way toward changing the insider culture of Springfield and send a message that power belongs in the hands of the people, not the career politicians and special interests,” Rauner said in a statement. The proposed amendment limits House and Senate members to serving no more than eight years. It also restructures the General Assembly by lowering the number of Senate districts from 59 to 41. Each district
See CONSTITUTION, page A5
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On the Web You can visit the websites of the two groups leading the citizen referendums to amend the Illinois Constitution at www.termlimitsandreform.com and www.independentmaps.org.
Nurse accused of stealing identities
DEMAND FOR ADJUNCT PROFESSORS INCREASES
Allegedly victimized couple she cared for By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
Peter Ponzio, president of the adjunct faculty association, is handed a rough draft by Jensen McGowan during a English Composition II class Thursday in Crystal Lake.
Uncertainty in academia As role expands, adjuncts struggle to make ends meet By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – A master’s degree or doctorate does not guarantee health benefits or earnings any greater than a $20-something thousand annual salary in the world of academia. As community colleges and universities deal with tighter budgets,
adjunct professors have taken on a greater role at institutions across the country, giving colleges a cheaper alternative to tenured professors. The trend is no different at McHenry County College, where adjunct faculty make up between 60 to 70 percent of those teaching classes. But as demand for adjunct instructors increases, the ability for those filling the roles
LOCALLY SPEAKING
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
to make ends meet has become more difficult. Adjunct professors can work no more than 29 credit hours per year at the college to keep them under the 30-credit-hour limit that would make them a full-time employee and require the college to offer health insurance.
See ADJUNCT, page A5
By the numbers
60 to 70 percentage of faculty teaching at MCC classified as adjunct
20 estimated percentage of college faculty classified as adjunct in 1970
$12K to $18K average yearly salary for adjunct professors at MCC
CRYSTAL LAKE
CRYSTAL LAKE
VIOLENCE OVERSEAS FELT IN COMMUNITY
PITCHERS DUEL ENDS IN 1-0 CL CENTRAL WIN
Emotions were stirred in Crystal Lake about the death of a suburban father and his son. Gary Gabel, a 1975 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School, traveled from his home in Arlington Heights to Kabul, Afghanistan, last week to visit his son, John Gabel, who ran a small clinic in the wartorn capital. For more, see page B1.
Crystal Lake Central starting pitcher Megan Mahaffy and Crystal Lake South pitcher Hailee Massie kept the game close, but Crystal Lake Central was able to score the game’s only run on an error in the top of the fourth inning for a 1-0 victory in a Fox Valley Conference crossover game at Crystal Lake South. For more, see page C1.
CRYSTAL LAKE: Former Olympic race walker Debbi Sullivan visits CL South Elementary. Local, B1
LAKE IN THE HILLS – A home health care nurse was charged with fraudulently opening electronic accounts in the names of an elderly McHenry County couple she cared for and threatening them. Sarah R. Hulbert, 31, of Lake in the Hills, was charged with three Sarah R. counts of aggravat- Hulbert, 31, ed identity theft, a of Lake in Class 1 felony; two the Hills was counts of harass- charged with ment of witnesses, fraudua Class 2 felony; lently opening t h r e e c o u n t s o f electronic forgery, a Class 3 accounts in felony; two counts the names of intimidation, a of an elderly Class 3 felony; and couple she computer fraud, a cared for. Class 4 felony, according to a news release. She was arrested Tuesday and taken to McHenry County Jail. Her bond is set at $75,000. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office began investigating
See ABUSE, page A5
Signs of elder abuse The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office recommends that family and friends should look for signs of financial elder abuse, including unfamiliar signatures on checks and other documents, changes in banks, large or unexplained withdrawals and a lack of bank statements.
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