NWH-8-15-2014

Page 1

FRIDAY

August 15, 2014 • $1.00

PREPARED TO WIN Prairie Ridge freshman Valerie Tarazi already bringing state qualifying times to table / C1

HIGH

LOW

76 60 Complete forecast on page A10

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Power plant plan under scrutiny State pols want village investigated By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – State Rep. David McSweeney and state Sen. Dan Duffy have submitted a letter asking the Illinois Attorney General to immediately investigate Oakwood Hills and make leaders reopen Village Hall to the public and resume business. McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, said with no evidence of threats, it is “outrageous” that taxpayers have been denied services for more than a week and have not had access to their

local leaders to ask questions about the power plant proposal that has caused unrest. He said if there are threats, those who made them need to be prosecuted immediately, but the village cannot shut down in the meantime. “The taxpayers are still paying, but the village is not performing services,” McSweeney said. “Village officials need to stop hiding behind host agreements and not being transparent. Village officials, and especially

See TAXPAYERS, page A7

Environmental Defenders detail concerns By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com

David McSweeney

Dan Duffy

CRYSTAL LAKE – The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County reiterated concerns about the proposed power plant in Oakwood Hills on Thursday and called for the inclusion of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. During its bimonthly meeting, members discussed concerns including potential air pollution emissions, water usage and the need for an independent regional assessment of how the project would affect the larger surrounding areas from CMAP.

Nancy Williamson, of the Silver and Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition, has researched the emission numbers power plant developers have estimated the facility would produce and said she was concerned it would weaken the county’s air quality. McHenry County is one of 11 in Illinois with “non-attainment status,” meaning the county exceeds particulate matter levels set by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Developers said the 430-megawatt, natural gas plant would produce 25 tons per year of particulate matter, 40 tons per year of

See DEFENDERS, page A7

Police images fuel outrage in St. Louis

Prayers for immigrants

Criticism, questions result from continued violence By SHARON COHEN and ALAN SCHER ZAGIER The Associated Press

Photos by Sarah Nader- snader@shawmedia.com

A prayer vigil was held Aug. 8 at the Broadview Immigration Detention Center. Immigrants are brought to the center as the last stop before being deported back to their native country. Numerous denominations meet every Friday morning to pray for the families and immigrants.

Group provides pastoral care to detainees facing deportation By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com She’s warm and affable, and speaks in slow, soft, measured tones. But when you listen to her describe the battle to provide pastoral care to immigrant detainees inside the McHenry County Jail, you know Sister JoAnn Persch is one nun you don’t want to mess with. Sweet as an angel but tough as nails.

When local county, jail and immigration officials in 2007 told Sisters Persch and Pat Murphy they weren’t allowed access to the jail to provide pastoral care to the immigrant population, the nuns became the face of Illinois’ Access to Religious Ministry legislation. The law allowed them inside the jail, and what Sister Persch described as access to detainees not granted at other detention centers in the country.

SPORTS

“Pat and I have a motto that we do all of this peacefully, respectfully, but we never take no for an answer. That’s how we got where we are,” Persch said. “We never take no for an answer because these men and women deserve this, and if we don’t speak up for them, who’s going to do it?” McHenry County has a 10-year-old contract with Immigration and Customs

See IMMIGRANTS, page A7

Sister Marilyn Medinger of Chicago holds a rosary while attending a prayer vigil Aug. 8, outside the Broadview Immigration Detention Center.

LOCAL

WHERE IT’S AT

Firm sues Illinois Tollway

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President of Specialty Contractors Inc. objects to inclusion on ‘super scofflaw’ list / A3 STATE

FERGUSON, Mo. – The images were reminiscent of a war zone: Helmeted officers pointing weapons from armored trucks, flash grenades lighting the night sky and tear gas exploding in crowded streets. The ugly clashes between police and protesters in this St. Louis suburb fueled a torrent of criticism and raised questions about whether the officers’ tactics were inflaming the same violence they aimed to suppress after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an un- More inside armed black teenager. More on the The repeated scenes of police officers wear- Missouri police ing military-style cam- shooting, page ouflage and gas masks B3. and training their rifles on unarmed civilians – some holding their hands up – looked to critics more like an Army trying to quell a revolution than a police department trying to keep the peace in a small suburb. “It’s clear what is going on in Ferguson is a complete, hyper-exaggerated, hysterical response on the part of law enforcement,” said Thomas Nolan, a former Boston police officer and criminal justice professor at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. “It’s clear that there is no one in charge and no one to corral the officers ... and restrain them from engaging in an unprecedented show of brutal force against civilians. It’s horrifying and shameful and a disgrace.” On Thursday, Gov. Jay Nixon

Winning is no accident. Celebrating

Years

Herb Franks

Arkush: Help not on the way

Congratulations to our friend and partner Herb Franks on his 50 year achievement.

Rauner revs up GOP at fair Governor candidate rides into state fairgrounds on a Harley to rally with supporters / B2

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The Bears win a preseason game against Jacksonville, but few players have staked claim to roster spots / C1

See ST. LOUIS, page A7


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