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Court fees target of lawsuit Alleges millions improperly charged without due process By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Eighth-graders Abby Konozsi, 13, Hannah Mohan, 13, and Andie Voss, 13, compare class schedules Wednesday during the first day of school at Westfield Community School in Algonquin.
Students head back to school District 300 teachers ready to further integrate Common Core By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com ALGONQUIN – Math has always been fun for 9-year-old Olivia Reynolds, a fourth-grader in District 300. “I don’t know why, but I just like it,” Reynolds said Wednesday, minutes before the first day of class began at Westfield Community School. District 300 students were among the first in the area to return to school, and Principal Bill Doran said the year as a whole will largely concentrate on further implementation of the Common Core State Standards – especially in regard to Reynolds’ favorite subject. “Common Core has been unfolding the last couple of years,” he said. “The district has spent a great deal of time this past year developing a curriculum for Common Core in the area of math.” That means the math curriculum will incorporate more hands-on work and more cooperative learning in groups, said fourth-grade teacher Donna Sarich. “The other idea is to reduce the amount of concepts and learn them more in-depth, which is fantastic because then you can do more creative things and really build that understanding,” Sarich said loudly, talking
See COURT, page A5 Eighth-grader Jack Theil, 13, organizes his locker Wednesday during the first day of school at Westfield Community School in Algonquin. over the buzz of students showing one another shiny new school supplies. As a new year begins, first-year instructors such as Hanah Dillon step into their own classrooms for the first time. Having learned about Common Core throughout college, Dillon said she was well-prepared for this year’s
curriculum developments, some of which may be modified as a teacher of special-needs kindergartners. “We do still follow Common Core,” Dillon said. “Our kids might just need some accommodations and modifications made so they can succeed.”
See SCHOOL, page A5
WHEN OTHER DISTRICTS START Thursday Woodstock District 200
Monday McHenry Elementary District 15 Alden-Hebron District 19 Marengo H.S. District 154 McHenry H.S. District 156
Marengo-Union Elementary District 165
Evergreen Academy
Wednesday Tuesday Johnsburg District 12 Riley District 18 Harrison Elementary District 36 Special Ed. District (SEDOM)
SPORTS
Nippersink Elementary District 2 Fox River Grove District 3 Prairie Grove District 46 Richmond-Burton H.S. District 157 Huntley/Algonquin District 158
Aug. 25 Cary Elementary District 26 Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 Crystal Lake/Cary H.S. District 155
Sept. 2 Harvard District 50
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Basketball in the Park founder leaves behind lasting legacy within community / A3 STATE
Marian grad back after injury Green Bay Packers’ offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga wants to stay healthy after a torn ACL sidelined him last season / C1
Anyone who’s ever been in McHenry County court for a traffic offense knows there are two pipers to pay: the fine and the court fees. The judge hands down the fine, plus whatever fees the circuit clerk will charge. And when you walk to the clerk’s office to pay the fees, they oftentimes add up to more than what the judge ordered you to pay for breaking the law. A class-action lawsuit, however, alleges that the process used by the county’s 22nd Judicial Circuit is unconstitutional and that defendants over the years have been improperly charged millions of dollars. The suit filed Wednesday in federal court in Rockford claims that fees imposed by the circuit clerk’s office after cases are adjudicated are, in fact, added fines, which violates defendants’ constitutional right to due process and governments’ constitutional prohibition against ex post facto addition of penalties. And because they are fines, the total paid often illegally exceeds the maximum financial penalty allowed under state law, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit lists four plaintiffs represented by three attorneys, and names Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe as the defendant in her capacity holding the office. Court fines and fees are set by state statute, not by Keefe or the court’s judges. “There are a whole bunch of [fees]
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“In McHenry County, you walk out of court with an order that says, pay $50 plus court costs, but the problem is that the only person who can order fines is the judge. People are leaving court and getting additional fines.” Matt Haiduk Attorney for one of the plaintiffs
Habitat for Humanity house has tools stolen By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com McHENRY – The garage of a nearly completed Habitat for Humanity house was broken into sometime this past week and about $3,500 worth of power tools and compressors were stolen, police said. A family was set to move in at the end of August but that date will likely have to be pushed back a week or so, Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County Executive Director Jerry Monica said. Purchasing new tools and waiting
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Democrats emphasize unity Party candidates discuss strategy for fall elections at annual gathering at state fair / B2
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