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June 23, 2014 • $ 1. 0 0
OH SO CLOSE Cristiano Ronaldo helps Portugal earn 2-2 draw against U.S. / B1 NWHerald.com
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN McHENRY COUNTY
Longer parking limit OK’d
POPULATION ESTIMATES McHenry County was the only collar county to see a population decrease, based on a recent Census report that measured population trends from 2012 to 2013.
By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com McHENRY – With the Riverwalk to enjoy, a new microbrewery to relax at and more boutiques and shops to explore, two hours was just not enough time for parking. That’s the argument 37 members of the Downtown Business Association presented to the McHenry City Council last week in their petition to change the time limit for downtown parking to four hours. The change was approved in a 6-0 vote. Alderwoman Geri Condon was absent. Downtown parking is restricted between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday on sections of Elm Street, Green Street, Main Street, Pearl Street, Riverside Drive and Waukegan Road. “There’s more things to do downtown with the Riverwalk down there, and some businesses have relocated there,” Deputy City Administrator Bill Hobson said. “The movie theater has reopened, and there are more restaurants. We’re trying to encourage people to come and stay.” The parking change is the result of increased partnerships between the Downtown Business Association, the city of McHenry, the McHenry Riverwalk Foundation and the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce,
KANE COUNTY
2012
2013
521,306
307,409
523,643
Change from 2012-’13 = +.4%
Change from 2012-’13 = –.1%
LAKE COUNTY
COOK COUNTY
Owner of Blooms and Rooms Design Studio in McHenry 2013
2013 2012 said the association’s president, Joyce Miller-Konstantinow, who owns Blooms and Rooms Design Studio. Business owners were getting complaints from customers who wanted to spend more time exploring the downtown, walking the Riverwalk and eating at a restaurant, said Carol Chrisman, the association’s co-vice president and the owner of Black Orchid Boutique. The goal of the downtown association is to facilitate communication among businesses and with the city and other organizations, Miller-Konstantinow said. It’s also upped its efforts aimed at encouraging visitors and raising awareness of what the downtown has to offer. “We have a lot of the unique, distinctive shops that you can find in small towns,” she said. To meet that end, the association has established a Facebook page, which will post
2012
5,227,992
5,240,700
701,219
Change from 2012-’13 = +.2%
703,019
Change from 2012-’13 = +.3%
DuPAGE COUNTY
WILL COUNTY
2013
2013
2012
2012
927,418
681,590
932,126
682,829
Change from 2012-’13 = +.2%
Change from 2012-’13 = +.5%
Source: United States Census Bureau • Graphic: R. Scott Helmchen - shelmchen@shawmedia.com
ANNUAL ESTIMATES OF THE 2013 POPULATION ESTIMATES COMMUNITY Algonquin Carpentersville Cary Crystal Lake Fox River Grove Harvard Huntley Johnsburg Lake in the Hills Lakemoor McHenry Marengo Woodstock
See PARKING, page A8
CENSUS 30,046 37,691 18,271 40,743 4,854 9,447 24,291 6,337 28,965 6,017 26,992 7,648 24,770
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On the Web
By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO
Joyce MillerKonstantinow
Complete forecast on page A10
Facebook.com/NWHerald
sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com
307,729
82 67
U.S. Census reports that other collar counties gain
2013
2012
“We have a lot of the unique, distinctive shops that you can find in small towns.”
LOW
Population loss in county a ‘blip’
McHENRY COUNTY
McHenry adds 2 hours to downtown district
HIGH
ESTIMATES BASE
2012 ESTIMATE
2013 ESTIMATE
30,049 37,691 18,269 40,739 4,791 9,435 24,292 6,337 28,971 6,015 26,994 7,648 24,771
29,968 38,128 18,118 40,423 4,743 9,324 24,789 6,327 29,071 6,023 26,795 7,576 25,046
30,467 38,241 18,025 40,388 4,717 9,260 25,267 6,303 28,939 6,007 26,676 7,530 25,146
Estimates based on the April 1, 2010, Census • Source: United States Census Bureau
State lawmakers and local officials aren’t panicking over a recent Census report that shows McHenry County losing residents and neighboring counties gaining them. Labeled as a blip and even inaccurate, the findings that pegged McHenry County’s population loss at 0.43 percent – 1,351 total residents – from the 2010 official Census count should alert the county’s stakeholders to issues that residents have long grumbled about, local and state policymakers said. An aging county population looking at retirement, coupled with persistently high property taxes, living costs and inadequate transportation options, State Rep. could explain why Mike Tryon McHenry County is seeing people head over the border to Wisconsin or collar counties, such as Lake, Kane and DuPage. “We enjoyed unprecedented growth in the ’80s and ’90s. We were able to grow in a matter that was very positive, with wellplanned communities and grade schools,” said state Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake. “We are now dealing with competition that other communities have dealt with, not just from neighboring states, but neighboring counties.” The U.S. Census late last month released its annual population estimates that measured population shifts from 2012 to 2013. In that span, McHenry County saw a 0.1 percent population decrease, while DuPage and Kane counties led the Chicago area with 0.5 and 0.4 percent growth, respectively. Lake County, meanwhile, ex-
To learn how McHenry County compares to the other collar counties, visit NWHerald.com. perienced 0.3 percent growth. Illinois’ most populous county, Cook County, and Will County both grew at 0.2 percent. Dating back to the 2010 Census count, McHenry County was the only county in the Chicago area to see a population decrease greater than 450 residents. Calling the estimates a “blip” worth monitoring, Tryon and state Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry, said McHenry Coun ty communities should coordinate the tools individual towns use to State Rep. draw and retain Pam Althoff businesses. The state’s discouraging business climate, they said, also could be drawing people to jobs out of state, while long commutes from the county could be forcing residents to move closer to their work in Chicago. “The house is not on fire, yet,” Althoff said. “I think that many communities in McHenry County are aware of this anomaly and doing everything they can to be proactive.” Breaking out the Census’ county estimates, only Huntley and Algonquin saw growth larger than 1 percent from 2012 to 2013, with Huntley leading at a 1.9 percent increase. Larger cities such as Crystal Lake and McHenry have seen continual population decreases since the 2010 official count, causing
See POPULATION, page A8
State lottery contractor likely $20 million short on profits By CHACOUR KOOP The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ private lottery contract has never reached the lofty sales promises it used to win a bid four years ago and is expected to fall more than $200 million short of what it owes the state when the budget year ends June 30. But Northstar Lottery Group says it’s been hamstrung by
Voice your opinion How much money do you spend each month on lottery tickets? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
state officials, with whom they have an already frosty relationship and accuse of throwing up road blocks – from canceling games it wanted to launch to
SPORTS
prohibiting the sponsorship of Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival in 2013 because of headliner R.Kelly. Regardless, Northstar’s 10year contract with the state details that falling short of its goals by 10 percent two years in a row is grounds for ending the partnership, no questions asked. It missed targets by almost 20 percent last year, and is on track to do the same this
year. A top lawmaker has said he’s disappointed because a massive construction program was supposed to be funded with money Northstar claimed it could deliver. The lottery giant’s contract has been under scrutiny from the start. A report released by Illinois Auditor General Bill
WHERE IT’S AT
Ill. voters to ponder wage hike
Advice ............................B8 Classified...................C1-10 Comics............................B7 Local News.................A2-4 Lottery............................A2
LOCAL
John Cullerton, State Senate president
See LOTTERY, page A8
STATE
Will voice their opinion under a ballot measure Gov. Pat Quinn signed Sunday / A3
“As the numbers increasingly show that Northstar is unable to live up to its commitments, I would encourage the governor to hold the firm accountable and take whatever steps are necessary.”
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Oakwood Hills resident Chris Rodriguez wins Illinois Triathlon Championship in Crystal Lake / B1
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