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July 2, 2015 • $ 1.00
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From Lakeside Fest to fireworks, find out where to celebrate this July 4 / Inside
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Impasse leaves agencies in limbo McHenry County nonprofits could feel pain in protracted Ill. budget fight By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com Pioneer Center for Human Services, like most Illinois social service agencies, has become used to late or shorted state reimbursement payments. But with Illinois officially operating without a complete budget as of midnight Wednesday, McHenry County’s largest social service agency, like other entities reliant on state
funding, are in something of an uncharted territory. Almost three-fourths of McHenry-based Pioneer Center’s $20 million annual budget to serve those with mental and developmental disabilities comes from the state, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Kurth said. If the budget battle gets drawn out for weeks or longer, the agency and others like it will start to feel it. “This is a really weird situation. … I’ve been here 16 years
and this is the least information we’ve ever had going into a fiscal year,” Kurth said. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner last month vetoed all but the education portion of the $36 b i l l i o n 2 0 1 6 Bruce Rauner budget passed by the Democratic-dominated General Assembly – the spend-
ing plan is unbalanced by between $3 billion and $4 billion. Rauner, who points out the Illinois Constitution has a balanced-budget mandate, wants to link Democratic wants and Leslie Geissler needs to reMunger forms he ran on last year to help fix a state in economic
crisis. Illinois’ $110-billion unfunded public pension liability is the worst in the nation, Illinois has the lowest credit rating of all 50 states, and the state is habitually behind in paying its bills. Democratic lawmakers were working Wednesday to pass a $2.3 billion, one-month temporary budget to keep certain “essential” services funded, but Rauner said he will veto any stopgap budget. He used his veto pen early
Wednesday morning to nix state lawmakers’ 2-percent raises included in the budget – Illinois lawmakers’ salaries vary between $68,000 and $95,000, depending on responsibilities, not counting per diem and mileage expenses. Without either a temporary or permanent budget in place, Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger has said most payments handled by
See BUDGET, page A5
U.S. and Cuba to reopen embassies
McHENRY COUNTY YOUTH AIM TO BOOST LOW BLOOD DONATIONS THIS SUMMER
By JULIE PACE The Associated Press
H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Woodstock North High School seniors Annie Bartlett (left) and Tania Guarneros are organizing a second blood drive in partnership with Heartland Blood Centers by hosting Facebook parties, creating and doing a sign-up table at the farmers market Saturday to try and reach other demographics.
‘Biggest life-saving event’ Students set up large-scale drive for July 24 By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – As the summer slump for blood donations is upon us, a group of conscientious students have banded together for what is shaping up to be the largest student-run blood drive in the area. Event organizers have gone as far as to call it “the biggest life-saving event of the summer.” Students from 17 high schools in McHenry and Lake counties, along with McHenry County College, are joining forces for a large-scale blood drive later this month. It’s part of efforts made by Heartland Blood Centers to counter a drop in donations during summer. Year round, Heartland Blood Centers has one goal in mind: 600 units. It needs to collect 600 units of blood each day to supply 63 hos-
If you go Q WHAT: Student-run blood drive Q WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 24 Q WHERE: Church of Holy Apostles, 5211 Bull Valley Road, McHenry Q INFORMATION: Call Carrie Futchko at 815-271-2910.
Voice your opinion When is the last time you donated blood? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
pitals in Chicago and Northern Illinois. That’s a lofty goal at any time of year, but coupled with summer vacations and a host of donors often distracted by the weather, it can be next to impossible. Other than those who are middle age and
older, the next biggest demographic for blood donations is those in high school and college, said Heartland’s Director of Donor Recruitment Amy Smith. Heartland further reports that of the 65 percent who are eligible to donate blood, only 5 percent actually do, making student donors more important. “Summer has a severe impact on blood donations,” Smith said. “When students go on break for the summer – with 25 percent of our blood donations coming from college and high school students – it impacts our ability to collect.” When school is in session, the blood center has “a captive audience,” Smith said. “During the school year, we go to them. Now we’re asking them to come to us. It’s much harder.”
See DONATIONS, page A5
See EMBASSIES, page A5
About the blood drive Participating schools in July 24 blood drive Q Alden-Hebron High School Q Barrington High School Q Cary-Grove High School Q Crystal Lake Central High School Q Crystal Lake South High School Q Faith Lutheran High School Q Harry D. Jacobs High School Q Harvard High School Q Johnsburg High School Q Lake Zurich High School Q Marian Central Catholic High School Q McHenry County College Q McHenry East Campus Q McHenry West Campus Q Prairie Ridge High School Q Richmond-Burton High School Q Wauconda High School Q Woodstock High School Q Woodstock North High School
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‘Positive mindset’
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Jacobs’ Coakley, McHenry’s Ogden and Huntley’s Gordus win at RedTail / C1
Coroner case ‘convoluted’ as attorneys sort out legal representation / A3
Village could replace special tax district with new one / A3
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WASHINGTON – After more than a half-century of hostility, the United States and Cuba declared Wednesday they will reopen embassies in each other’s capitals this month, marking a historic full restoration of diplomatic relations between the Cold War foes. For President Barack Obama, the opening of the U.S. Embassy in the heart of Havana is one of the most tangible demonstrations of his long-standing pledge to engage directly with U.S. adversaries. Heralding the embassy agreement, Obama declared: “This is what change looks like.” Cuban TV broadcast Obama’s statement live, underscoring the new spirit. In a letter to Obama, Cuban President Raul Castro praised the embassy announcement as a way to “develop respectful relations and cooperation between our peoples and governments.” Despite the historic step, the U.S. and Cuba are still grappling with deep divisions and mistrust. The U.S. is particularly concerned about Cuba’s reputed human rights violations. Cuba is demanding an end to the U.S. economic embargo, the return of the U.S.
AP photo
Anti-Castro activist Osvaldo Hernandez shouts anti-Obama slogans as he protests in the Little Havana area of Miami the announcement Wednesday that the U.S. and Cuba will reopen their embassies in Washington, D.C., and Havana.
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