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McHenry County News DISPLAY ADVERTISING & CLASSIFIEDS: 815-654-4850 • CIRCULATION: 815-654-4854 • E-MAIL: McHenryNews@RVPublishing.com
VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 5
11512 N. 2nd ST. • MACHESNEY PARK, IL 61115
Conservation District to host 2018 Conservation Congress McHenry County Conservation District announces the 2018 McHenry County Conservation Congress – Sustaining the Dream - Stewarding the Places We Love, Feb. 10, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McHenry County College, 8900 US Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake. Building upon the momentum of the inaugural 2016 event, the Second McHenry County Conservation Congress calls together over 125 delegates who represent multiple fields and disciplines from throughout McHenry County including recreation, health and wellness, historical preservation, agriculture, business, service clubs, transportation, education and conservation. “This Conservation Congress will provide constituents and the larger community, a formal process to advocate for actions that can be taken by the Conservation District to protect and conserve natural resources and provide compatible education and recreational opportunities on public lands in McHenry County,” stated Conservation District Board President Steve Barrett. “We are looking ahead to shape McHenry County’s future as it relates to conservation by engaging the community in developing a shared vision for valuing our economy, protecting our groundwater and cultivating and active and healthy community.” The day’s presentations will be kicked off by the following keynote speakers, followed by delegate roundtable discussions: The Value of Nature - Ecosystem $ervices; by Brian Daly, Associate/Local Planning, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Funding the Dream – The Value Proposition; by Kevin Roth, PhD, Vice President of Research, National Recreation and Park Association Water – Keeping It On the Land and Out of Your Basement; by Jason F. Thomason, Associate Hydrologist and Section Head, Illinois State Geological Survey and Daniel Abrams, Illinois State Geological Survey Geotourism: Outdoor Recreation as an Economic Driver; by Liz Ogilvie, Chief Marketing Officer, American Sportfishing Association (ASA) & Keep America Fishing and Member of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Conservation Congress 2018 is an event not to be missed. The public is invited to hear the congressional conversations and discussions first-hand on the important environmental issues facing McHenry County and our vision for moving forward. The day will be both informational and inspirational. Space is limited and will be available first come, first served. Register online at MCCDistrict.org. For more information: bit.ly/MCCD-CC2018. “By enjoying and stewarding the wide open spaces and places we love, we invest in our own well-being and that of a healthy community and economy,” said Elizabeth Kessler, Executive Director, McHenry County Conservation District. “It is important that we do everything in our capabilities to not only protect these treasured landscapes, but provide opportunities for the public to gain an understanding and appreciation for how intertwined our lives are with the natural community. Actions taken today will have far-reaching effects on what McHenry County will look like in the future.”
Suburban man sentenced to 10 years for manufacturing synthetic cannabinoids A south suburban man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for manufacturing synthetic cannabinoids into a smokeable drug known as K2, or “spice.” Khalid Hamdan, 51, of Justice, mixed the synthetic cannabinoids with leaves and other substances to create the drug. Hamdan then sold wholesale quantities of the drug to customers under various brand names, including “Diablo,” “Bomb Marley,” “Joker,” and “7H Hydro.” U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah on Tuesday sentenced Hamdan to ten years in prison. It is the highest sentence to date in the Northern District of Illinois for manufacturing a synthetic cannabinoid. The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert Bell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Bridgeview Police Department initiated the investigation with the DEA. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit also assisted with the investigation. “Synthetic cannabinoids are often falsely marketed as the ‘legal,’ equiv-
alent alternative to marijuana, but the effects are much stronger, more adverse, and less predictable than marijuana,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly M. Greening and Matthew Schneider argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant was a large-scale drug trafficker who manufactured and sold kilograms and kilograms of these drugs to customers across Illinois, Indiana and other states.” A jury last year convicted Hamdan on one count of conspiracy to manufacture the synthetic cannabinoid XLR 11, and two counts of possessing XLR 11 with the intent to distribute. Evidence at trial showed that Hamdan used storage units in Bridgeview and Chicago Ridge to manufacture and store the XLR 11 chemical and the finished K2 product. A law enforcement search of the Chicago Ridge storage unit in 2014 revealed tools and products for manufacturing the drugs, including the raw XLR 11 powder, cans of acetone, bottles of flavoring, boxes of untreated damiana tea leaves, and boxes for packaging. Once manufactured, the drug was sold to consumers in baggies with professionally printed, animated designer labels.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
Forensic study
WOODSTOCK PD PHOTOS McHenry County News
Woodstock’s Police Explorers met last weekand learned about forensics, including how to dust for fingerprints. They did a great job and had a blast.