Lake and McHenry County Scanner Firefighters from around Lake and McHenry counties continued to battle a large brush fire that sparked in Island Lake Sunday evening Multiple 9-1-1 calls came in at about 5:35 p.m Sunday and scanner reports were that people could see heavy smoke and fire at Route 176 and Bassler Drive Command immediately requested a Mutual Aid Box Alarm (MABAS) for additional resources to the scene The cause of the blaze and whether there are any injuries are unknown at this time Fire department increased the MABAS call to a second alarm bringing in additional resources like All-Terrain Vehicles and Wildland Technicians and Long Grove are reported to have been called to the scene There are no evacuations in place at this time as well as photos on the Lake and McHenry County Facebook page show the massive fire spreading with flames high across open land in the area People on the Lake & McHenry Scanner Facebook page said the plume of smoke could be seen as far away as Crystal Lake Officials from the Wauconda Fire Protection District were not able to respond regarding the incident at 7:30 p.m This is a developing story at Lake & McHenry County Scanner People are urged to continue to check back repeatedly for updates No part of this website may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission from Lake and McHenry County Scanner To keep you informed about the latest news across Lake and McHenry counties as it happens Ray Bogdanowski of Lake in the Hills and Wayne Jett of McHenry spoke to the Women's Council of Realtors Elgin/McHenry Area Network on Thursday Richmond won’t be affected much when Illinois stops charging a 1% grocery sales tax as there are not really grocery stores in town Municipalities have until October to decide whether they will continue the 1% tax on groceries when the state grocery tax stops Jan The state would continue to collect the tax and send it back to the towns based on grocery sales within their borders Richmond likely will not enact the tax locally but she noted Thursday that other towns with large grocery stores will miss out on “millions of dollars” they now rely on for “regular old operational expenses” if they do not vote to charge that tax locally The local leaders touched on the grocery tax as well as housing developments in each community “I know the municipalities are getting a bad rap for instituting these taxes to recoup those dollars so for them to get rid of it was no big deal,” Wardanian said “For it to be missing from budgets on these small villages and cities The funds never went into state coffers – they went directly to the communities where the groceries were purchased and the dollars spent the grocery tax amounts to $2 million a year state-imposed mandates such as replacing lead water pipes and “$2 million goes a long way to help us out.” Crystal Lake’s City Council will vote on the tax and “we are going to keep the grocery tax unless the City Council decides against it the grocery tax brings in about $1 million annually “It is not that easy” to just cut $1 million from the budget particularly as McHenry is saving up for its portion of the Route 31 widening costs “Taking $1 million out of the budget is unrealistic,” Jett said All four municipality leaders also talked about housing in their communities Richmond is looking for townhomes and senior-friendly residences The larger community leaders said that although there are single-family projects in the works The housing market in Crystal Lake isn’t just hot “it is white hot,” with houses going for over the asking price his council is getting pushback about the number of apartments going up “but that is where the market is,” he said Water’s Edge, currently under construction along Route 14 already has 20 units filled and 20 already committed to renters even though they are unfinished “We haven’t had a new residential development in 20 years,” Village President Ray Bogdanowski said two developers have come to the village “with sketch plans,” and a third is expected soon His village also is looking at its 1½ miles along Route 47 for future development “We are imagining that as mixed use,” including retail and pedestrian paths connecting to existing trails Commercial development needs residential development to succeed “and we keep that in mind,” Bogdanowski said McHenry also has seen a rise in rental housing including the 540-unit Fox Meadow Apartments on Route 31 on the south end of town and plans for 180 units by Redwood on the far northeast side McHenry also has had a recent proposal for apartments at the long-empty First Midwest Bank at 3510 W Builder Lennar also has pitched almost 600 homes on 304 acres at Bull Valley and Curran roads. That is expected to come back to the City Council in the next few months, Jett said. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Local news published daily covering McHenry County A fire at the Vanderstappen Farm in Hebron caused over $250,000 in damage early Tuesday morning The Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District and several other fire departments were called to a report of a barn fire at the Vanderstappen Dairy Farm The fire eventually went up to five-alarms A 42-year-old Fox Lake man was flown to the hospital after a small plane crashed in McHenry County Saturday morning Emergency crews were called to Galt Airport 5112 Greenwood Road in unincorporated Greenwood Saturday for a report of a small plane that crashed The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said that the pilot A 26-year-old Woodstock man died early Tuesday morning after he crashed his car into a light pole igniting a fire and leaving him trapped inside The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and Woodstock Police Department were called at 3 a.m Tuesday to Route 14 and Lake Street for a car that struck a light pole A McHenry man who was armed with “numerous firearms” was taken into custody early Sunday morning following an hours long standoff with SWAT and police officers of the 1000 block of North Front Street in McHenry was taken into custody at his residence following a domestic disturbance which turned into a […] was arrested after police said that he engaged in “sexual conduct” with an underage girl and solicited her on social media of the 900 block of Sheffield Drive in Crystal Lake was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and two […] A woman was flown to a trauma center by a medical helicopter following a three-vehicle crash Wednesday in Wonder Lake The McHenry Township Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office was called at 4:24 p.m to a report of a vehicle crash with injuries on Route 120 west of East Wonder Lake Road in […] (Shutterstock/CoinDesk) What to know: Patrick McHenry the retired congressman who led the charge on crypto legislation in the previous session and is now a senior advisor at a16z said the industry has an opportunity to get good law under the current makeup of Congress and should seize it.McHenry sees a battle brewing between stablecoin giants Tether and Circle on the final outcome of the law that will govern U.S the chief of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the previous administration cautioned that the regulatory agencies take quite a while to write and implement rules even after Congress acts.Two recent shepherds of U.S crypto oversight — Republican former lawmaker Patrick McHenry and Democrat former Commodity Futures Trading Commission chief Rostin Behnam — shared a view that there's a tremendous amount of work still to do on U.S crypto legislation but that now is the moment to do it STORY CONTINUES BELOWDon't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newslettersSign me upBy signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy."And I think you should take it," he said arguing that solid law will act as a better future defense than regulatory stopgaps that aren't associated with congressional action "Let's ward against bad regulators taking these seats that could try to kill digital innovation." Last year, McHenry backed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) which has become the foundation for this year's congressional effort on crypto's market structure predicted a "wicked hot summer for legislating." McHenry also had a direct hand in last year's stablecoin legislation that's returned with new versions in the House and Senate Though they're mostly aligned with each other he said a "major brewing battle" is shaping up between U.S stablecoin issuer Circle (USDC) and the global leader Both want to be in business after Congress passes a law "and they're both working actively on Capitol Hill to make their point of view heard." He said he expects a "reasonable landing spot" will be found in a U.S regime for Tether that allows it to deal with U.S "You shouldn't blow up an international product that desires to be dollar-denominated; I don't think that's a rational outcome," he argued though the matter may take more months of negotiating among lawmakers The debates over the meat of highly technical policies will eventually transition from "science to art" as lawmakers do what they can to convert ideas into law As Behnam noted: "You can't stop the industry from doing what it's doing whether it's trading the tokens or developing protocols and whatnot and that's been going on for years." He was never able to get on the same page with former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler to initiate crypto policies and he offered a reality check for those now waiting for laws from a cooperative Congress: They'll also have to be implemented by the regulators "It's going to take a while," he said starting with the market structure legislation that may still be several months away "But then it kicks over to the harder part where you're going to have the market regulators and the bank regulators writing rules Read More: U.S. CFTC Chief Benham's Last Words to Crypto: Protect the Investors BALTIMORE — A Baltimore school is celebrating back-to-back wins in the city's attendance challenge James McHenry Elementary/Middle School received the mayor's attendance challenge award on Friday after reducing chronic absenteeism by 22% in the 3rd quarter They reduced absenteeism by 25% in their quarter two win it makes students want to show up in each and every day when we bring positivity and energy it makes students want to come to school," said Denita Plain principal of James McHenry Elementary/Middle School The school uses monthly incentives to encourage students to show up every day The sheriff in McHenry County says they are actively investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl who was last seen in Chicago on Tuesday The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday they are actively investigating the disappearance of 16-year-old Julissa G Flores was last seen in the vicinity of 2449 West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago around 12 p.m Sheriff’s officials said Flores is described as a female with long brown hair 5-foot-1 in height and weighing approximately 145 pounds The girl has a nose piercing and a lip ring “Your assistance in ensuring Julissa’s safe return is greatly appreciated,” the sheriff’s office said Officials did not say what town in McHenry County Flores is from Anyone with information regarding Flores’ whereabouts is asked to contact the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office at 815-338-2144 ExpandRoute 47 in Huntley would be closed for an unknown period of time early Saturday evening (Photo provided by the Huntley Fire Protection District) Four people were taken to the hospital after a crash Saturday near Huntley shut down Route 47 for several hours [ UPDATE: Pingree Grove woman, 2-year-old boy among those injured in Huntley-area crash ] The Huntley Fire Protection District was called to the intersection of Route 47 and Foster Road at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday; crews found a five-vehicle accident with damages ranging from moderate to heavy, according to a department news release. One person was taken to Northwestern Huntley Hospital “where patient care was transferred to Life Net helicopter by paramedics for transport to Condell Hospital due to assessed injuries,” according to the release. Another was taken to the Northwestern Huntley emergency room, and two others were taken to Sherman Hospital with minor injuries, according to the release. Six people “were released by paramedics into their own care,” according to the release. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office warned motorists that Route 47 in Huntley would be closed for an unknown period of time early Saturday evening. According to an alert from the office at 5:52 p.m., the road was closed from Foster to Ballard roads until further notice because of a motor vehicle accident. Drivers were asked to avoid the area. The sheriff’s office had a follow-up post at 10:29 that the road was open. The sheriff’s office is investigating the crash, according to the release. as he celebrates Cohn (right) scoring the game-winning run during a Fox Valley Conference baseball game against Crystal Lake Central on Friday McHENRY – McHenry doesn’t need Jeffry Schwab to pitch Not with Louisville commit and potential MLB draft pick Brandon Shannon anchoring the staff Not with fellow 90-mph fireballer Kaden Wasniewski another varsity veteran who will pitch for McHenry County College who’s shown this season he can stymie Fox Valley Conference hitters Crystal Lake Central had just scored five runs in the fourth inning to surprise the FVC leaders. “I pitch when they need me,” said Schwab, a junior whose speed and ability to handle the bat and play the infield and outfield have been more noticeable for the Warriors this season. Schwab’s three perfect innings in relief of starting pitcher Readdy was just what McHenry needed. That and an elusive pitch. Carver Cohn raced home on a fastball to the backstop with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, giving McHenry a 6-5 win and Schwab the victory. McHenry’s Conner McLean (right) celebrates scoring the game tying run with teammate Donovan Christman during a Fox Valley Conference baseball game against Crystal Lake Central on Friday, May 2, 2025, at McHenry High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver ) “We had the opportunity to win the game, and that’s a very good baseball team over there,” said coach Cal Aldridge, whose Tigers (9-13-1, 3-9) led 5-1 after four innings. “So you give them chances to win the game, and they’re going to do it. We just got to finish some games up. We’ll be OK. We’re not far.” Kyle Maness was at the plate when Tigers reliever Carter Kelley threw a pitch that eluded catcher Boedi Newsom, giving McHenry (20-2-1, 11-1) the walk-off victory and its fourth straight season of 20 wins. The Warriors now have 15 20-win campaigns under coach Brian Rockweiler. “These guys stay pretty even keel all game, every game,” Rockweiler said of his players. “It seems like we start slow, a lot, but to their credit they don’t let those things affect them and keep going.” Central’s five-run fourth featured Konner Altergott’s two-run double, a two-RBI single by James Dreher (2 for 4) and Kelley’s sacrifice fly. Schwab, who started the game in right field, took the mound to start the fifth. He retired the side in order in each of his three innings, striking out four. Crystal Lake Central second baseman Ethan Wolf fields the ball during a Fox Valley Conference baseball game against McHenry on Friday, May 2, 2025, at McHenry High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver ) “He did a good job,” Rockweiler said. “He’s gotten only a couple of innings all year so far, but we put him in there, and he competed.” Schwab guesses he had pitched about four innings all season. “I threw a lot last year for the guys,” said Schwab, a returning varsity player. “This year I haven’t gotten much of a chance, but I pitch when I can. I do what I can.” He showed Friday the Warriors can count on him when he takes the ball. “I love pitching,” Schwab said with wide eyes. “I just love playing ball, man. I’ve been playing it since I was a kid. I love this sport.” Central starting pitcher Danny Adams threw shutout ball for four innings, striking out three, before allowing back-to-back singles to Nathan Niedhardt and Schwab to start the McHenry fifth. Adams, a sophomore righty who was promoted to the varsity about a month ago, walked Wasniewski two outs later and left leading 5-3. Landon Clement’s ground out (his second RBI of the game) and a double steal executed by Schwab and Wasniewski had pulled the Warriors within two. “I thought he was great,” Aldridge said of Adams. “He competed. You could tell he wasn’t his full self today. But it was awesome to see him go out there and still do what he did to a really, really good baseball team.” Crystal Lake Central's Danny Adams throws a pitch during a Fox Valley Conference baseball game against McHenry on Friday, May 2, 2025, at McHenry High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver ) Conner McLean greeted reliever Connor Gibour with an RBI double off the top of the fence in center field. Maness’ run-scoring single tied the score. The switch-hitting Cohn, who singled off Adams batting left-handed in third, led off the McHenry seventh with a base hit batting right-handed against the lefty Kelley. Walks to Wasniewski and McLean loaded the bases, before Maness (2 for 3) stepped into the box and darted out of the way as Cohn sped across the plate. Crystal Lake Central's James Dreher slides into \third base in front of the throw to McHenry’s Kaden Wasniewski during a Fox Valley Conference baseball game on Friday, May 2, 2025, at McHenry High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver ) “We can’t seem to find it the first few innings,” Schwab said. “But we just trust each other and know we’ll get the job done.” ExpandMcHenry County authorities announced on May 1 (Photo provided by McHenry County Sheriff's Office) The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that it is “actively investigating the disappearance” of 16-year-old Julissa G Authorities said she was last seen about noon Tuesday near 2449 W. Lawrence Ave. in Chicago, which is in the Ravenswood neighborhood on the North Side. She was described as being 5-foot-1 and about 145 pounds with long brown hair, brown eyes, a nose piercing and a lip ring. She was last seen wearing gray joggers and a sweatshirt and was carrying a gray backpack. The notice didn’t specify the teen’s connection to McHenry County, but officials said the public’s help “in ensuring Julissa’s safe return is greatly appreciated.” Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 815-338-2144 or any other law enforcement agency. the owner of Hello Darling Books and Beyond – AKA Tina Bree 105.5 FM radio personality – inside her tiny shop on Friday The shops open for the 2025 season on May 2 Tenants got their keys April 17 to start setting up their McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes for the 2025 season Amy and David Lukasavage were putting together display shelves for the brownies cookies and cakes they’ll be selling at Oh My Ganache admitting they were a little bit behind their neighbors in getting the store set up The couple met in culinary school a decade ago and are now seeing if they can make a baked sweets shop their future “It is something we have both wanted to do for a while,” David Lukasavage said [ McHenry shops add First Friday evening hours, aiming to attract people dining downtown ] Tina and Justin Lawrence have been setting up a romance book bookstore since they got the keys Since they were told in December that her idea for Hello Darling Books & Beyond was selected for one of the shops they’ve had to build a business from scratch – including ordering books who is perhaps better known as Tina Bree from her longtime on-air presence at WZSR Star 105.5-FM radio and in the last couple of months have built a business.” The ribbon-cutting for the shops is set for 9:30 a.m the stores are expected to remain open Fridays Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas weekend Some stores may offer more hours throughout the week but are not required to It is the third season for the tiny shops, a retail incubator created via a partnership among the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, the city of McHenry and McHenry High School District 156 It will be the second season that Kate and Lori McConville have operated Marvin’s Toy Store at the shops. The mom-and-daughter combo also owns Marvin’s Toys in downtown Crystal Lake “We will bring a little different variety in this year items that are specific to McHenry,” Kate McConville said she discovered customers were looking for smaller items they could walk around with birthday gifts they could take with them to a party and a lot of impulse buying “There were a lot of kids walking around” who wanted toys in the $10 to $20 range which is different from what they see in downtown Crystal Lake Last season, The Pieceful Project also was across the sidewalk. The Lego, puzzle and game store, owned by Jessica Stetson, now has locations in Cary and on Green Street in McHenry Marvin’s plans to carry games at its tiny shop Mike Harris runs The Olive Tap in Crystal Lake, but he wanted to try opening another shop in McHenry. The store features specialty oils and vinegars and other gourmet food. Having a McHenry location, even for just one season, is both a marketing effort and a test to see if there is a desire for a second store. Rick Stiles, the owner of Big Bear Sunglasses, works on setting up his tiny shop on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes. The shops open for the 2025 season on May 2. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver ) “I don’t ... believe people in McHenry know about us in Crystal Lake,” Harris said. “I don’t know if I have a desire to open a full second facility, but I won’t rule it out.” He’s a little nervous about the new store’s small size and how full it may get, but he said that could be a plus if it means he’s able to explain products to multiple customers at once. Either way, “it is going to be fun,” Harris said. ExpandHuntley's Layla Olson pitches during their game against McHenry on Wednesday at Huntley High School (Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local/Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local) HUNTLEY – Layla Olson and twin sister Adalyn were added to Huntley‘s varsity softball roster late last season as freshmen to get a closer look at what might await them in future years the twins find themselves in the thick of the Red Raiders’ race for a fifth straight Fox Valley Conference title Backed by homers from Ajai Bonner and Lyla Ginczycki in a five-run fourth inning, sophomore Layla Olson tossed a shutout Wednesday in a 6-0 win against McHenry. Girls Softball McHenry vs. Huntley Huntley catcher Madison Rozanski and pitcher Layla Olson high five each other during their game against McHenry on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at Huntley High School. (Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local/Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local) It was Olson’s second victory during a five-game winning streak for the Raiders (13-8, 8-2 FVC), who entered the spring with a 69-3 record against their FVC opponents from 2021-24. Last year’s look at the Raiders has made this year’s transition for Olson much more enjoyable. “Everybody out there is always supporting me no matter how I do, even if I do bad sometimes,” said Olson, who struck out two, walked none and allowed five hits (all singles) against McHenry. “They help me out and I get more confidence in my ability to throw. My infield has been backing me up a ton, and I love how everyone cheers me on from the bench.” Huntley’s pitching has been led by their ace, senior Gretchen Huber, who threw a complete game of her own with 14 strikeouts against Crystal Lake Central on Tuesday in a key 3-1 win. Central beat Huntley 3-0 in their first meeting of the season April 8. On Wednesday, Olson needed only 74 pitches (51 for strikes) to navigate a McHenry lineup that has recent wins against FVC leader Prairie Ridge and Hampshire. “Obviously, Gretchen gets most of our innings, but Layla is going to be a huge part of this, too,” Huntley coach Mark Petryniec said. “Every time she’s come out, she’s given us a strong outing. Getting ahead in the count, that’s what’s made her successful for us. Getting ahead and letting the defense do their work behind her.” Girls Softball McHenry vs. Huntley Huntley's Aubrina Adamik throws to first base after getting the out on McHenry's Elyse Fullington at second during their game Wednesday at Huntley High School. (Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local/Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local) The Raiders’ defense came up with some nifty plays in support of Olson, including an unassisted 6-3 double play by shortstop Aubrina Adamik after the Warriors (9-13, 5-6) had back-to-back singles to start the second inning. The Raiders turned a double play in the third after a Warriors base runner rounded too far past second, Ginczycki had an unassisted double play at first base after catching a liner in the sixth, and catcher Madison Rozanski threw out a runner at second base after a leadoff single in the seventh. McHenry starting pitcher Natalie Bender collected two of her team’s five singles against Olson, while the Warriors junior took the loss in a six-inning effort. McHenry coach Mikaela Mitsch said she’d like to see more fight from her young team. “Talk. We’ve got to get better at communicating with each other,” Mitsch said. “We’re a young team. We only have two seniors on the field, and they only played last year together. I think the personality of our team is, ‘We’re here to play softball.’ We want to win, but I don’t think we know what to do together to get to that moment. We’ve seen sparks of it. ... We’re there for each other in games like this, but we need that extra push.” Five of the first six Huntley batters recorded multihit games. Adamik and Isabella Boskey both had three hits and an RBI, while Sadie Svendsen, Ginczycki (two RBIs) and Katelyn Bayness (RBI) each had two hits. Bonner hit her third home run of the season to start the fourth, and Ginczycki hit her fourth, a two-run shot in the same inning. Ginczycki also beat out an infield hit in the sixth, showing she’s not just all power. “I’ve gotten a litter faster over the years,” Ginczycki said with a laugh. “It was a little bit of a shock that I beat it out.” Ginczycki has found a comfortable spot in the middle of the Raiders’ lineup as one of their top run producers. She hopes to continue Huntley’s fun ride in the FVC. “Yesterday against [Crystal Lake] Central was a huge win for us, and it really got our momentum going,” Ginczycki said. “It would be a really cool to win conference again. All these games are so important. You can’t lose any of them.” Girls Softball McHenry vs. Huntley McHenry's Elyse Fullington misses the tag as Huntley's Lana Hobday slides into second base during their game on Wednesday at Huntley High School. (Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local/Ryan Rayburn for Shaw Local) ExpandSome downtown McHenry shops will participate in a First Friday promotion where they stay open later the first Friday of the month One of the best sales day that Julie Skaggs has ever had came on a Friday night when she was supposed to be closed “I was at the shop on a Friday night teaching a class because people saw the lights on” and walked over to her store either before of after dinner across the street at Jexal’s Pizza That experience gave Skaggs, who runs the Mad Soyentist Candle Company inside Shop 3430 at 3430 Elm St. in downtown McHenry an idea: McHenry shops could plan a First Friday event Starting May 2 and through at least December retail storefronts could stay open until 8 p.m giving people out in downtown McHenry more time to check out the stores that are there Skaggs took a day off her day job to walk the downtown area First Fridays are a common occurrence around the country with some devoted to arts events and plays The time frame – that participating shops stay open until 8 p.m on the first Friday of the month – is somewhat arbitrary Skaggs said she liked the rhyme of “shop late ‘til 8.” it was a hard sell to get older business owners to stay open until 8 p.m She has created a First Fridays - McHenry Facebook page to keep shoppers updated on which stores are participating and which may come in later. Laura Taubery, at Wild Hunny Boutique, 1213 Riverside Drive, said she plans to participate, as are both of Carol Chrisman’s shops: Black Orchid Boutique at 1237 N. Green St. and The Trend Cellar at 1326 Riverside Drive. “Not everybody does a 9-to-5 and are out later to catch dinner or just be out around and walking, enjoying the amenities that McHenry has to offer,” Taubery said. “If you close too early, they don’t see what the community has to offer.” Small retail needs the traffic, too, Chrisman said. “If they are out having food and drinks, they should stop and patronize someone local,” she said. “Support those little shops.” ExpandA speed limit sign in shown in a file photo Several McHenry County roads soon could see speed-limit reductions, although a County Board committee recommended against a majority of the proposed changes. The county’s transportation committee took up the proposals on four stretches of road Wednesday morning: The Pyott Road proposal, which would lower the speed limit from 50 to 45 mph, was before the committee last year. It didn’t get enough votes then and didn’t pass Wednesday. But since last year’s committee vote, the county has changed the rules, so that now even recommendations against speed-limit changes from the transportation committee still will go to the full County Board for consideration. As for Blivin Street, County Board member Carl Kamienski said he talked to the Spring Grove police chief about the proposal, which would lower the speed limit from 35 to 30 mph. “He has no clue why we spent money for this study,” Kamienski said, referring to a speed study that was conducted. He said the chief didn’t recommend a lower speed limit. Scott Hennings, the county’s assistant director of transportation, said the speed studies are done by staff, not an outside contractor. County Board member Brian Sager was the only yes vote on all four speed-limit reductions. He asked the staff to explain the rationale for each. “We look to staff to make those recommendations,” Sager said. But for McConnell Road – the only proposal to get the thumbs-up, although in a modified form – the committee opted for a smaller speed-limit reduction than proposed, recommending the limit be lowered from 55 to 50 mph rather than the proposed 45 mph. On Spring Grove Road, the proposal is to lower the limit from 55 to 50 mph. Kamienski said he talked to the local police chiefs on that one, too. “They’re like, this [stretch of road] is quiet,” Kamienski said. He added the chiefs suggested a different safety improvement would be to install an LED stop signs at Ringwood and Johnsburg roads. Hennings said the Spring Grove Road corridor contains the Spring Grove and Miller roads intersection, and there was a public meeting later Wednesday about a safety project there. He said there had been five public meetings about roadwork or transportation projects in the past three weeks, and the largest concern people expressed was traffic speed. Hennings also said there was more support for automated speed enforcement than he thought there might be. The county conducted four other speed studies, but no changes to the speed limit came from them, according to county documents. All four speed-limit proposals will go to the County Board for final consideration. ExpandOver 200 people rallied in support of Veterans Affairs during a protest April 27 Over 200 people gathered outside the McHenry Veterans Affairs Clinic with signs and flags Sunday afternoon to protest against potential nationwide staff cuts to the U.S included speakers like former McHenry County Board member Lou Ness and Kat Abughazaleh a political newcomer who’s running for Congress in Illinois’ 9th District long held by Democrat Rep [ More photos: Veterans rally against VA job cuts  ] Sunday’s rally was to shed light on potential cutting of 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs a number that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins has called “a goal.” But he has also said the administration is “never going to put in jeopardy patient health care or the disability benefits getting to the people who need them the veterans who have earned them,” according to published reports But some at Sunday’s rally said workforce cuts will only hurt veterans who also represent a sizable percentage of the VA’s workforce Marine veteran and Johnsburg resident Larry McQueeney said he attended the rally to send the message that nothing needs to be cut from veterans’ assistance the VA needs more employees to keep up with the high demand Clay Erickson, an Air Force veteran from Waukegan spoke about his concerns about recent policies of President Donald Trump’s administration from widespread tariff proposals to the VA cuts “I volunteer at the VA medical center in North Chicago and I see firsthand just how important our medical coverage is for veterans and we cannot afford to lose any staff Crystal Lake resident Walter Moist IV, who recently lost in the election for District 155 school board, spearheaded the event with support and sponsorship from Illinois Veterans for Change a group that supports Democratic veteran candidates We Just Got Here” from a World War I quote made by a Marine officer in the trenches of France Moist picked up his son from the parking lot a Crystal Lake restaurant on March 26 and that violated an order of protection against him that forbids him from going on the premises of the restaurant while the person who took out the order is there “This isn’t about me,” Moist said of the rally Moist said he hopes the rally raises awareness for local Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, especially as the Woodstock VFW Post 5040 is looking for a new home after it closed its bar in 2023 It is working with the Woodstock Marine Corps League and American Legion to form an American Veterans Alliance group that would serve McHenry County veterans and their families Moist said he put on the protest to “raise a ruckus” and raise awareness of the veterans on the area in hopes that elected officials will pay more attention to McHenry County “I’m sick of McHenry County being fly-over country,” he said Abughazaleh said she hears many voters in McHenry County say they don’t feel heard “This is a representative democracy,” she said “Everyone deserves to be represented and our leaders aren’t doing that lost reelection to the county board last year and ran unsuccessfully this month as a write-in campaign for Woodstock City Council She urged people to resist Trump’s policies with “hope and light and optimism.” “But I promise you it doesn’t matter because I am a veteran that I would defend the constitution of this country against enemies foreign and domestic.” More protests criticizing the president are expected to happen in the future. A nationwide protest on May 1 already has over 900 rallies planned, including Palatine and DeKalb, according to the May Day Strong website. McHenry County National Organization for Women also has a “United We Resist” rally planned for June 8 in Woodstock. ExpandRolling Thunder donates Chair of Honor to McHenry County Sheriff's Office (Photo Provided by McHenry County Sheriff's Office) In 2013, remains of U.S. Army Cpl. Donald Victor MacLean, who died while serving in Korea, were returned to his family in McHenry County 63 years after being listed as missing in action MacLean’s is just one story of about 80,000 U.S servicemen and women listed as suspected prisoners of war or missing in action from previous conflict They are the reason why one group of motorcycle-riding veterans donate honorary chairs to communities across the country as daily reminders of those who haven’t yet come home Army veteran and retired chairman of Rolling Thunder‘s Illinois Chapter 2 and members of the Rolling Thunder group are seen April 24 during the dedication of the chair in honor of POW and MIA service members which is on display at the McHenry County courthouse During a ceremony held outside the courthouse speakers noted the significance of the chair remaining “perpetually empty to help people remember that there is still a space for them,” according to a sheriff’s news release adding the chair “is a symbol of the loss of life and the unfinished stories of those who never returned home.” “We are deeply honored to receive the POW/MIA Chair of Honor from Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapter 2,” Sheriff Robb Tadelman said “This powerful symbol serves as a lasting reminder of the brave men and women who have yet to return home We are grateful for Rolling Thunder‘s dedication to ensuring that their sacrifice is never forgotten.” POW/MIA Chairs of Honor can be found in public spaces serving as symbols of Rolling Thunder‘s mission and the nation’s promise to “never forget,” the organization said a recent tally put the number of Illinois MIAs at 5,041: 259 from World War I 394 from the Korean War and 103 from Vietnam His chapter has assisted in returning 25 MIAs home in the northern Illinois area he was “unidentifiable.” His remains were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii according to information from Rolling Thunder MacLean’s remains were exhumed and DNA testing revealed his identity More than 100 people attended MacLean’s funeral where he was buried with full military honors and family members present the ceremony brought a sense of closure to the family and pride to his Veteran brothers and sisters,” according to information from Rolling Thunder MacLean was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and several other medals Members of the Rolling Thunder group install a donated Chair of Honor to at the McHenry County courthouse to honor POW and MIA military service members Kirkpatrick said he and members from Rolling Thunder were among those who accompanied MacLean’s processional He recalled as they drove past a middle school and children stood outside as they passed “The MIA story is much larger than our little area and when we look at the 80,000 missing servicemen and women the number of families affected becomes very large,” Kirkpatrick said ExpandFILE - The McHenry County Department of Health runs an emergency medicine distribution drill at Woodstock North High School in 2020 The federal government has rescinded a $600,000 grant the McHenry County health department had received The McHenry County Department of Health has lost a federal grant that helped track and respond to respiratory illness outbreaks. The department’s $600,000 respiratory surveillance and outbreak response grant was cut off when President Donald Trump’s administration moved to terminate certain federal health funding as part of his government streamlining efforts. Statewide, the federal government pulled back grants that had already been awarded totaling $125 million in funding for the state and 97 local public health departments for prevention and control of emerging diseases, according to a March 27 news release from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The impact of the cuts on McHenry County includes the funding to monitor and respond to respiratory illnesses. That grant was supposed to run from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, but the department was notified at the end of March of its termination, according to documents received by the Northwest Herald under a Freedom of Information Act request. The McHenry County Department of Health had received an alert from the State of Illinois Rapid Electronic Notification emergency response alert system on March 26 about the funding cuts. Melissa Adamson, the health department’s public health administrator, emailed an IDPH regional health officer and asked if the state was sending details about which specific grants would be affected by the broader cuts. The McHenry County Department of Health's office is photographed in June 2019 in Woodstock. (Matthew Apgar) In an email dated March 28 notifying the health department of the funding cuts, IDPH officials said the respiratory surveillance grant was affected, and the agency wasn’t certain of the full impact of the cuts on public health operations. “IDPH has requested guidance from [Health and Human Services] on reimbursement for work completed prior to the notice of termination. We are also working with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to determine whether it is possible for IDPH to challenge this action by the Trump Administration,“ according to the email. “At this time,” according tothe email, “due to the uncertainty of the future availability of these federal grant funds, we are alerting you that federal funding and related service reductions are likely. We do not know what the full impact to your agency is currently and are working as quickly as possible to mitigate the impact of this decision. We know this presents great uncertainty; we are trying to be as transparent as possible even as we try to navigate these unprecedented times.” The health department got $150,000 upfront from the grant, which did not create any positions. Three general fund jobs were offset by the grant at 50%, according to those documents. The grant covered surveillance, investigation, control and reporting respiratory illness outbreaks, but the health department still will have to undertake such work regardless of the grant. Funds also helped with “onsite infection prevention education in high-risk congregate settings,” according to those documents. It also gave support for educating the public on preventing respiratory illness. The health department still will help long-term care facilities with outbreak management, whether or not the grant is there, officials have indicated. The department had expenses of about $106,700 covered by the grant in July through December 2024 and about $60,000 of estimated covered expenses in January through March 2025. There is projected $113,637 in expenses for April through November, according to the FOIA documents. One of the documents outlines a plan for revenue loss for the coming months, but details were redacted. The department hasn’t gotten any information about when, how or how much it would have to pay back money from the federal grant that’s already been used. After the county health department was notified by the IDPH of the grant’s termination, Adamson forwarded the to several staff members telling them there will be a meeting in the coming week. Leslie Schott, who works as a communicable disease coordinator for the department, wrote back saying: “This is very unfortunate, but we will put a pause on all projects associated with this grant at this time.” Health officials said Thursday that a bat was found in a house in McHenry County and tested positive for rabies the first rabid bat discovery in the county this year The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) said Thursday that a bat was found inside a home in Ringwood Animal control collected the bat and it was submitted for testing The testing showed the bat was positive for rabies which is the first rabid bat of the 2025 season in the county MCDH said it was confirmed that the residents were not exposed to the bat so rabies post-exposure prophylaxis “The MCDH is therefore sharing this for educational purposes and to remind residents what steps to take if they encounter a bat,” the department said MCDH said that rabies in Illinois is primarily contracted from bats It is typically not contagious from person to person The rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact with saliva or brain and nervous system tissue from an infected animal Rabies can be fatal in humans if left untreated The MCDH recommends that residents who find a bat in their home contain it in a room by closing the door and sealing any gaps at the base with a towel a bucket should be placed over the bat to contain it The MCDH Animal Control should be notified by calling 815-459-6222 to arrange for the bat’s collection and potential testing following an exposure risk assessment by the health department’s Communicable Disease Program Health officials said that it is important that the animal is alive or recently deceased with the head intact for reliable rabies testing Those who are exposed to a rabid animal will need to be administered PEP a four-series treatment that includes immunoglobulins and vaccine Many types of bats have small teeth which may leave marks that disappear quickly Bats become more active during the warmer months windows and vents should have screens and be securely framed Chimneys should be capped and gaps around utility lines should be plugged feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter Director of MCDH’s Veterinary Public Health Division recommends that residents avoid direct contact with bats and take steps to bat-proof their homes “The best way to prevent exposure is to avoid handling wild animals “Since bats can enter through very small gaps sealing cracks and replacing damaged or loose screens can help keep them out of your home,” Howell added The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday the death of a corrections officer which is the third officer to die in the span of two months The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that it was with “great sadness” to announce the death of Corrections Officer Greg Rolewski Rolewski died on Saturday following a series of health issues “He will be remembered as a devoted and loving family man and a true friend to everyone he met,” the sheriff’s office said Rolewski was a passionate sports fan who loved cheering for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago White Sox Rolewski served the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for 19 years as a corrections officer “We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife and all who knew and loved him,” the sheriff’s office said Rolewski was the third McHenry County corrections officer to die in the span of approximately two months the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced the death of Corrections Officer Frank DeVivo DeVivo died at his home on March 12 after a “courageous battle” with glioblastoma “Frank will be remembered as a devoted husband and a supportive coworker who cherished his Italian heritage he was a remarkable friend to everyone he encountered,” the sheriff’s office said He had 22 years of public service experience serving 15 years at the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and seven years at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer the sheriff’s office announced the death of Corrections Officer James Udesen “always serving with a smile,” officials said Udesen died on February 17 following a battle with cancer He was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma brain cancer in spring 2024 “Jimmy will be remembered as a devoted husband who left a positive impact in his community We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and all those that knew and loved him,” the sheriff’s office said A driver was uninjured after a semi-truck hauling a dump trailer rolled over while dumping its load at the McHenry Township Road District in Johnsburg Wednesday morning The McHenry Township Fire Protection District and Johnsburg Police Department responded around 8:05 a.m McHenry Township Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Dave Harwood said the McHenry Township Road District was receiving a shipment of road salt A semi-truck was dumping the contents of its trailer for the delivery when the truck and trailer both rolled over The driver was inside the cab of the truck when the incident occurred He was able to self-extricate before the fire department arrived and was uninjured Harwood said it is unknown what caused the truck to tip over It is unclear if the load shifted or if there was a mechanical failure Fire crews arrived and found diesel spilling out of the saddle tank of the truck The tank holds approximately 200 gallons of fuel and approximately 50 gallons spilled The fuel spill was contained and the diesel did not enter any water or drains The incident occurred in the parking lot of the township office and traffic was not impacted Harwood said fire crews remained at the scene for four hours while crews pumped the fuel tanks and uprighted the truck and trailer Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) is joining BGR Group’s advisory board landing him another big role in Washington The former House Financial Services Committee chair and leadership ally will help guide the lobbying shop’s legislative strategy “This keeps one toe in the workings of Washington and I wanted to still have that practical touch point of what’s happening with the administration and our legislative branch,” McHenry said BGR lobbies for major financial services clients including BlackRock The move will also reunite McHenry with his former staff director McHenry’s new role at BGR comes as businesses navigate major economic turmoil amid new tariffs and recession fears. The GOP is also working to overhaul taxes via reconciliation and advance crypto legislation Washington has never mattered so much to the market and to the real economy,” McHenry said “The president has a great economic team and long term we’ll see their strategic vision take hold and take shape.” - Laura Weiss The DoorDash effect: $107B in economic impact In 2024, DoorDash powered $107B in economic activity through sales for local businesses, from restaurants to grocers to florists. Dashers earned $16.7B, delivering 4 hours per week on average. Local delivery drives real economic impact. Explore the report. ExpandFILE – People enter and leave the the McHenry County Election Center ahead of the last election in Woodstock Voters in McHenry County this election determined who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries. Tuesday marked the last day mail-in ballots had to arrive at county clerk’s offices and still be counted. Provisional ballots also had to be addressed by that time. Totals will be finalized next week after they are canvassed. We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Heather Dawn McHenry created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories You can reach us 24/7/365 at (309) 543-2244 The coroner’s office has released the identity of a man who died after he was found unresponsive following a crash into a fire hydrant and a tree in Waukegan The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 6:03 a.m Monday to the 2700 block of West Florida Avenue in Waukegan for a report of a vehicle crash Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said officers arrived and found a low-speed crash that resulted in minor damage A car had struck a fire hydrant and then hit a tree The driver was found unresponsive and paramedics transported him to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan He was pronounced dead at the hospital and the Lake County Coroner’s Office was notified Chastain said the crash appears to be the result of some type of medical episode and there were no obvious signs of trauma on the driver Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said the driver was identified as Salomon Rogel-Rodriguez Witnesses reported Rogel-Rodriguez pulled over nearby prior to the crash and then began driving again before crashing Newton said Rogel-Rodriguez did not have injuries from the crash and it appears he suffered from serious underlying heart problems ExpandPet owners in McHenry County who have companion animals due for their rabies vaccines can now register for upcoming low-cost rabies vaccination and microchip clinics offered by the McHenry County Animal Control (Graphic provided by McHenry County Department of Health) A bat that tested positive for rabies was found inside a home in Ringwood, the first rabid bat in the county in 2025, according to a Thursday news release from the McHenry County Department of Health. The health department said the bat was collected by the Veterinary Public Health division and sent for testing. No humans were exposed to the bat, so rabies post-exposure prophylaxis wasn’t recommended. Bats are more active during warmer months, according to the release. Bats that are active in the day, found in an “unusual location” like homes or unable to fly are potentially rabid, according to the release. The health department said “bite and scratch exposures” from bats can be small and go unnoticed. Children should also be “educated” to avoid wild animals, according to the release. “The best way to prevent exposure is to avoid handling wild animals, especially bats,” Maryellen Howell, the animal control director, said in the release. “Since bats can enter through very small gaps, sealing cracks and replacing damaged or loose screens can help keep them out of your home.” The health department gave tips to avoid exposure: People who find a bat in the home, encounter it or were in the same room as the bat while sleeping should keep the animal in an enclosed room and close the door and seal gaps at the base with a towel. If the bat is in a “main living area” and people or pets might have been exposed, people should place an upside down bucket over it to contain it. Residents should immediately call animal control at 815-459-6222 to arrange for the bat’s collection “and potential testing following an exposure risk assessment by the MCDH’s Communicable Disease Program,” according to the release. Bats have to be in good condition, such as with the head intact, and be either alive or recently dead, according to the release. For questions or concerns about rabies exposure, call the Communicable Disease Program at 815-334-4500. and the Warriors benefitted in their Fox Valley Conference win over the Rockets Shannon didn’t allow a hit and faced two over the minimum while striking out 12 He got help at the plate from Kaden Wisniewski who doubled Karson Stiefer homered and drove in three and Maddon McKim also homered and accounted for two RBIs as the Wolves took down the Trojans in the FVC Crystal Lake South 1 (5 inn.): At Crystal Lake Connor Gibour homered and drove in three runs and Carter Kelley had a four-hit day as the Tigers rolled in an FVC game Kelly allowed just five hits while striking out six for Central Dundee-Crown 5 (5 inn.): At Carpentersville the Golden Eagles broke the game open with a seven-run fifth inning to take the FVC contest Andrew Deegan had three hits and drove in four and Ryan Tucker homered and accounted for three RBIs for Jacobs Kyle Pierce hit a two-run home run for D-C the Skyhawks used the long ball to win the Kishwaukee River Conference game Deegan Turner and Jack Thompson all went deep for Johnsburg Trevor Cote had a pair of hits for Woodstock accounting for five RBIs as the Indians rolled in the KRC Drew Litchfield and Quinn Lechner also homered for Marengo Parker Neff drove in three as the Thunder fell in the KRC Owen Neuzil had a pair of hits and drove in a pair as the Hurricanes fell to the Warriors in the Chicagoland Christian Conference Colin Kowalsky and Jaxson Christiansen had a pair of hits each for Marian Kendal Rogers and Natalie Bender had three hits each as the Warriors took the FVC contest from the Whip-Purs Bria Riebel doubled three times for Hampshire Isabelle Reed allowed just one hit and struck out 14 as the Rockets shut out the Trojans in the FVC Allie Botkin and Kelsey Covey had RBIs for Central Crystal Lake South 5 (6 inn.): At Carpentersville Faith Dierwechter had four hits and drove in three and Kate Graham had a four-RBI day as the Chargers cruised in an FVC game against the Gators Riley Barda tripled twice as part of a four-hit day for South Kendra Carroll doubled twice and drove in three and Reese Vrba hit a three-run home run as the Wolves cruised in the FVC Parker Frey added three hits for Prairie Ridge Kara Knop allowed only one hit and struck out 10 to lead the Hornets to the nonconference win Olivia Toscano had the only hit of the afternoon for the Giants Teagan Vanderstappen struck out seven in three innings Owen Miller and Matt Zurawski all won their singles matches in straight sets as the Warriors rolled past the Panthers Nick Marchant and Brayden Gardon didn’t lose a game in winning at No 1 team of Brett Neuhart and Stewart Reuter the Trojans won their 10th match of the season with the win over the Rams C-G swept the doubles matches with Ryan Dixon and Lincoln Karlovsky winning at No Faisal Zuberi won the triple and long jumps as Hampshire won eight events on its way to the win in the FVC Jackie Clark won the 800 and helped the team of Jackson Hopkins Reed Mihelich and Amana Omele win the 4x800 relay the Wolves won six events on the way to the FVC meet win Thomas Henry the 800 and Jessie Kautz the 100 for Prairie Ridge Austin Stevenson won the 1,600 and Prince Barnes the discus for Jacobs Zachary Hultgren took the shot put for Burlington Central and Rylan Schmidt won the pole vault and Leon Metcalf the long jump for D-C the Red Raiders won the tri-meet by taking six events Tommy Nitz won the 400 and Andrew Raistrick the 800 for Huntley Logan Abrams won the shot put and discus for C-G Jayden Linderman and James Butler won the high jump and long jump respectively a dominant performance by the Wolves included eight event wins Ava Merklin the 200 and Genevieve Torgerson the 400 for Prairie Ridge Maria Kakish won the 100 and 300 hurdles for Central Lily Brooks won the 1,600 and Sedona Semradek the discus for South Kassidy Papa won the 100 and the pole vault as Hampshire cruised to the FVC win Carly Uehlein won the discus and took second in the shot for Jacobs the Red Raiders looked very much the part of a team ready to contend at the Class 3A state meet next month Huntley won nine events headlined by a win from Dominique Johnson in the long jump and Emma Garofalo in the pole vault LaRaiya Cunningham-Duncan took the triple jump and Cailen O’Brien won the high jump for Burlington Central Maddie Seyller netted a hat trick and assisted on three other goals as the Rockets rolled in the KRC Nicole Mendlik added a goal and an assist for R-B the Wolves were blanked in a nonconference loss to the Blue Thunder the Warriors fell to the Bulldogs in a nonconference match the Red Devils edged out the Red Raiders in a nonconference match Anna Starr and Addie Belcher each scored five times as the Tigers cruised past the Knights the Red Raiders picked up their 11th win by defeating Minooka in a nonconference contest Shaw Local News NetworkShaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois Utah’s work in the transfer portal paid off again Monday with the addition of another guard This time, a commitment came from Western Kentucky’s Don McHenry — as reported by national outlets The Athletic and On3 and later confirmed by McHenry himself on social media NEWS: Western Kentucky transfer guard Don McHenry has committed to Utah, his agent Larry Hall of HOF Sports Group told @On3sports. The 6-2 senior averaged 17.0 points per game this season. Scored 18 on Michigan in December. All-CUSA Tournament MVP and was two-time All-League.… pic.twitter.com/dUMfZcsOH5 McHenry is a 6-foot-2 guard who hails from Milwaukee He will have one year of eligibility remaining after a college career that started with one season at Hawaii-Hilo at the Division II level then a year at Indian Hills Community College (JUCO) followed by the past two seasons at Western Kentucky McHenry has led the Hilltoppers in scoring each of the past two seasons He averaged 15.1 points per game while shooting 46.1% from the field in the 2023-24 season before averaging a career-best 17.0 points per game on 39.5% shooting in the 2024-25 campaign McHenry’s shooting percentages dropped this past season and that included shooting 31.1% from 3 after shooting 36.2% from long range the year before The high-scoring guard also averaged 3.3 rebounds 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season for Western Kentucky McHenry had 13 games with 20 or more points during the 2024-25 season including a season-high 30 against Kennesaw State One of his most impressive games of the year came against Michigan when he scored 18 points on 6 of 16 shooting while adding four rebounds two steals and an assist against the Big Ten opponent McHenry earned all-conference honors both years he was at Western Kentucky taking Conference USA first-team honors in 2023-24 before being named to the league’s second team this past year Utah now has 10 players committed to play next season in Alex Jensen’s first year as head coach leaving a possible five scholarship spots to fill McHenry is the latest to join what is becoming an impressive amount of talent and athleticism along the wing at Utah Forward Keanu Dawes is the team’s lone player returning who played any minutes last year. He initially entered the transfer portal before withdrawing days later Dawes averaged 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds as a sophomore during the 2024-25 season took on a larger role late in the year and is expected to be a big part of Utah’s plans next season as a junior Redshirt freshman forward Ibi Traore also returns after missing all of last season due to injury The Utes will also be adding guard Alvin Jackson III and Kendyl Sanders as part of their 2025 recruiting class NEWS: Western Kentucky transfer guard Don McHenry has committed to Utah, his agent Larry Hall of HOF Sports Group told @On3sports. The 6-2 senior averaged 17.0 points per game this season. Scored 18 on Michigan in December. All-CUSA Tournament MVP and was two-time All-League.… pic.twitter.com/dUMfZcsOH5 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application leaving behind cherished memories and a profound impact on all who knew him “Kate” Getek McHenry and the late “Joe” McHenry who died in 2016 PA and played Youth Club soccer and baseball Dan was the oldest of Joe and Kate’s three children and the Penn State Great Valley MBA program He was an avid reader and had a passion for learning achieving certifications in Lean Six Sigma and Project Management For the past 12 years he was a Quality Systems Specialist employed with Boeing in the Helicopter division.  Dan professed to be obsessed with music his whole life cassettes/CDs or his own collection started in middle school In eighth grade when he got his first electric guitar and lessons a budding rock star was born Dan was a member of multiple rock and emo groups from El Capitan Grandy and the Mouth Breathers playing the Bass guitar Performing at various venues like the Trocadero Dan and his bandmates always put on an entertaining show Like his father he wanted to participate in his children’s introduction to sports and was a volunteer coach for their baseball softball and soccer teams with Marple Township Little League Dan was a loving and devoted husband to Jacqueline M Dan was a thoughtful son-in-law to his father and mother-in-law who welcomed him into their family with open arms and hearts Dan is also survived by his many loving nieces Tessa He will be dearly missed by his many aunts Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance of Daniel at his Viewing 6:00 to 8:00 PM at The Donohue Funeral Home A Funeral Mass celebrating his life will take place Tuesday morning In lieu of flowers, contributions would be greatly appreciated toward the Dan McHenry Memorial Fund - https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-mchenry  Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors News: Former House Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) is joining the legendary Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz as a senior adviser is one of the most active venture capital firms in Silicon Valley with $45 billion under management Andreessen has been outspoken about his support for President Donald Trump a super PAC that has spent on behalf of both Republicans and Democrats who was in Congress for 20 years and served a notable stint as speaker pro tempore of the House will help a16z with its politics and assist its portfolio companies with navigating the regulatory landscape in D.C Big day for crypto: The Senate’s first subcommittee on digital asset policy convenes today We got a sneak peek at the opening remarks from the panel’s top Democrat Sen whose election bid was backed by the crypto super PAC network Fairshake will say crypto “presents both extraordinary opportunities and significant challenges.” Gallego will also stress the need for “robust oversight,” including a call to make sure crypto is “not used to circumvent existing laws on money laundering Gallego also wants to focus on “encouraging innovation that is productive and useful to everyday Americans The growth of things like ‘meme coins’ on everything from Trump to DOGE to Peanut the Squirrel are about flashy headlines and trending on social media not about helping traditionally un- and under-banked communities gain access to the financial system.”  - Jake Sherman, Brendan Pedersen We deliver! 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Subscribe to Adweek newsletters Cheryl McHenry has announced her retirement from Dayton, Ohio CBS affiliate WHIO The station said she has reported on every important Miami Valley story to happen in the last four decades Two of McHenry’s personal highlights were traveling from Wright Patterson Airforce Base with the 445th Airlift Wing on a 12,000-mile mission to Afghanistan and to Los Angeles to report on the Cincinnati Bengals 2022 Super Bowl appearance “Cheryl is part of the fabric of WHIO-TV and the Miami Valley,” said Joe Cowan “Her generous spirit is reflected daily in our newsroom and in the community she serves We look forward to celebrating her decades of dedication to WHIO-TV and our community as she prepares for her well-earned retirement.” The station has named Gabrielle Enright as McHenry’s successor “It’s very comforting to leave our viewers in the best of hands and they work hard every day to cover the news and issues that affect the people of our community,” McHenry said She does not consider any kind of work beneath her She always gamely pitches in to help in any way she can to give our viewers the very best content She often stops to shoot video because it’s on her way to work She has more than earned her anchor spot.” Enright will join co-anchor James Brown for News Center 7′s 90-minute newscast on weekdays beginning at 5 and again at 11 pm “We are so fortunate to have the level of talented journalists that we have here at WHIO,” said Darren Moore VP and general manager of WHIO-TV and WHIO Radio “Cheryl McHenry helped lay the journalistic foundation upon which News Center 7 was built She is the consummate professional and beloved in our community Gabrielle Enright will carry on the tradition of excellence and high standard expected by our viewers in the Miami Valley.” Adweek is the leading source of news and insight serving the brand marketing ecosystem even as an undertone of worry washed over some volunteers and supporters On Feb. 14, the Trump administration eliminated 1,000 NPS jobs in what it calls efforts to cut government spending and shrink the federal workforce whose son plays drums in the Fort McHenry Guard Fife and Drum Corps said the park service firings are deeply upsetting The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. but they’ve made it partisan,” Wes Forsythe said It tarnishes all of us and makes something political that was established as an apolitical entity.” On top of the 1,000 workers, more than 700 NPS employees took a deferred resignation — adding up to 9% of the workforce “gone very suddenly,” said Ed Stierli Mid-Atlantic regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association an especially heartbreaking move because many of the workers had finally landed their dream job Six of those people worked at Fort McHenry The crowds at national parks will only grow as they approach their busy season especially Maryland parks and historic sites where people from around the world visit to learn America’s story “Many of these parks have 20% fewer staff than they did 10 or 15 years ago with a 9% staff reduction across the board that’s like pouring gasoline on an already existing problem,” he said In response to questions from The Banner about how the staff cuts would affect services at the park an NPS spokesperson said it is “hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible who said he has volunteered at the fort for a decade he said he was proud to celebrate the park’s anniversary and hopes “we’re able to continue celebrating.” said the firings were sad and disrespectful Other fort visitors thought the government was finally doing what it should: cutting down on spending A couple — one sporting a Make America Great Again cap — said they love the national parks and want them to stay just as they are They felt OK with cuts to the park service as long as the spending was not necessary should be spent on preventing forest fires and taking care of veterans But, as people inside the fort explored living history exhibits, a peaceful protest began just inside the entrance to the park, one of many efforts across the country including Joshua Tree National Park and Yosemite in California Thirty or so people stood in a line holding posters that said “Save our parks Fire Musk!” and “Keep your DOGE on a leash,” in reference to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency Cars honked and drivers cheered as they drove into the park Protest organizer Madelyn de Manincor was one of the six rangers who was terminated from the park two weeks ago She was 10 months into her 12-month probationary period and had been a federal employee for six years prior “I was a name on some spreadsheet somewhere the work that I had been doing was not looked into,” said de Manincor who worked as a visual information specialist “It was just an arbitrary slash and burn.” After two years of applying to other parks she landed the job she was most passionate about Some other fort staffers who lost their jobs were part of the maintenance team who fixed things like the Sea Wall Trail or the brick walkway so it was more accessible for visitors The cuts are a devastating blow to an already understaffed park which had 35 to 40 people working among the fort and the three other NPS sites in the area I need to stop saying ‘we,’” she said with a nervous laugh general counsel for the National Federation of Federal Employees who has filed three lawsuits to try to get federal workers their jobs back She said they’re hitting as many courts as possible to increase the chances they will win Many of the workers lived in government housing She also works as an attorney with the union that represents the 3,400 Forest Service workers and rangers at Yellowstone who were among the first to receive layoffs Piacsek stood with the protesters holding Smokey Bear which had an upside-down American flag in his paw the flag shows she is trying to take hold and show resistance to what has happened to the federal government Abby Zimmardi abby.zimmardi@thebaltimorebanner.com Abby Zimmardi is a reporter covering Howard County for The Baltimore Banner Zimmardi earned her master’s degree from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2022 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies Click here to view our Terms of Sale.\n \n Click here to learn more about supporting local journalism.\n Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com Larson (Photo Provided by McHenry County Sheriff's Office) A McHenry man threatened to “shoot up” the McHenry County courthouse and “eat” the face off the judge presiding over his child custody case Jonathon T. Larson, 25, is charged with threatening injury or damage to a juror, family member or witness, a Class 2 felony, as well as intimidation and communication with a witness, the judge said at Larson’s initial court appearance Friday. An outside judge, DeKalb County‘s Philip G was brought in by Zoom to preside over the hearing Montgomery will continue to handle the case a special prosecutor who also appeared over Zoom McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Miller read threatening text messages that prosecutors allege Larson sent to the mother of his child regarding child support Miller argued that Larson is dangerous and should be detained pretrial The texts read in court by the prosecutor included the statements: “If you could stop pressuring me tho cuz I’m like 99% of the way to just saying [expletive] everything and going into the courthouse and killing everyone I’m so dead serious I prolly should be in jail My hatred for the justice system is beginning to conquer me They shouldn’t have let me out of the psych ward.” Authorities said that at the time he sent these texts he owed the woman child support; she attached the messages to a motion filed in the courthouse seeking full custody of their child and a clerk saw the messages and reported them Larson texted that the money he has to give her “controls” him and “every thought I have and the pressure is gonna end my life soon.” He said there is a demon inside of him that “won’t leave me alone.” authorities allege that Larson made threats aimed specifically at Judge Robert Zalud who is married to McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese and is presiding over the custody case Larson allegedly called the judge vulgar names and wrote in a text: “I’m gonna find that [expletive] and burn him alive Just give me five minutes in a room alone with him ‘I didn’t know we had that much blood inside.' .. he was on pretrial release for a pending traffic accident in which he is accused of leaving the scene and violating an order of protection filed by another family member Pretrial release in those two cases was revoked Friday In 2019, Larson was charged with aggravated battery of a police officer, criminal damage to government property, resisting officers and threatening a public official, court documents show. He was accused of threatening to kill a Woodstock police officer and blow up the Woodstock Police Department He also threatened to kill a sergeant and the sergeant’s children That case was dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea in a 2020 case in which he was accused of spitting in a police officer’s face and saying he was infected with COVID-19 he entered a plea of aggravated battery to a police officer two years of probation and six months of conditional discharge He was required to get a mental health evaluation submit to screenings and report to court services according to the sentencing order and Miller prosecutors filed a petition to revoke his probation alleging that he failed to get the evaluation within the ordered 45 days of sentencing and he failed to follow recommended treatments He failed to report to court services for drug and alcohol screens he tested positive for marijuana and alcohol on multiple occasions according to the petition to revoke his release Miller detailed the current charges and Larson’s criminal history saying Larson is “a danger to the mother of his child Judge Zalud and everybody who works in the McHenry County courthouse.” Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger argued for Larson’s release with conditions The attorney said Larson’s charges do “not meet the level of forceable felony.” Giesinger said the threatening texts were not sent to Zalud or any one individual access to one and took no steps to get one He also does not have a firearm owner’s identification card and has taken no steps toward acting on any of his threats this was a rant over something that happened,” Giesinger said He also said that on Feb. 19, Larson was taken to a mental health facility in Waukegan, from which he was transferred Thursday to the McHenry County jail. He has been given medication and has a follow-up appointment in Woodstock. He could be released to his mother’s house, where there is no access to guns, Giesinger said. “He is working, doing his best to pay child support and support his [child],” Giesinger said, telling the judge to take the texts “in the context of someone venting.” Montgomery, however, referred to Larson’s past violations and texts threatening violence, which he admitted he sent, showing his “hatred for the judicial system.” “Electronic monitoring won’t work, and the court finds he would not abide by conditions,” Montgomery said. “No condition can mitigate a real and present threat.” By Forrest NelsonPublished: Feb 2025 at 4:24 PM CSTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMCHENRY COUNTY (WIFR) - The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday one of its own died after a battle with cancer 17 after 21 years of service with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office A community fundraiser was recently held in his honor after he was diagnosed last year with an aggressive form of brain cancer the sheriff’s office says he died after a “courageous battle.” It also said Udesen was a “devoted husband friend and Corrections Officer who brought laughter to all.” He coached the Huntley Blue baseball team and was a Grafton Township Precinct Committeeperson Sharing condolences and support for Udesen’s loved ones departments from around the area shared the post including Kane County ExpandMcHenry Third Ward Alderman Frank McClatchey receives a plaque from Mayor Wayne Jett on Monday Jett notes McClatchey was first elected in 1983 At McHenry’s City Council meeting last week Alderman Frank McClatchey voted no on the last motion of the night That symbolic vote was on the motion to adjourn the last official meeting where he’d be in the dais representing McHenry’s 3rd Ward both he and Alderman Victor “Vic” Santi were awarded plaques by Mayor Wayne Jett It also was Santi’s last meeting representing Ward 1 McHenry First Ward Alderman Victor "Vic" Santi noting Santi's 20 years on the McHenry Council McClatchey has served 16 years on the McHenry Council He was first elected in 1983 and served two terms he ran for City Clerk in 1991 but did not win and then was reelected in 2021 for a four year term He was defeated on April 1 by Stephen Doherty “I will never say never” on whether he’d consider another run in the future “You don’t know what is going to come around the corner That project also kept Santi on the board for 20 years. “I wanted to get the riverwalk completed and we got it done” because of McHenry residents, city staff and the elected officials, Santi said. He thanked the other elected officials on Monday, as well as city staff. “You were able to guide me on many issues and you educated me through the process and the procedures. You made me understand,” Santi told staff. He also thanked voters for sending him back to the Council. “You put me here for 20 years and I appreciate all of the comments and the issues that you have brought up. I am just proud to be a public servant.” Santi decided not to seek reelection this year. Bobbi Baehne beat Mark Seaquist in the April 1 election to win the seat. The new council is set for swearing in at the May 5 meeting. ExpandMcHenry Township Fire Protection District's Station 1 A McHenry home was deemed uninhabitable as electricity and gas were cut off following a fire early Tuesday morning. No one was reported injured in the blaze, which was put out in about 10 minutes, according to a news release from the McHenry Township Fire Protection District. The fire district was called for a reported structure fire about 3:10 a.m. on the 4800 block of West Bonner Drive. Crews arriving on scene found smoke visible from the rear of a single-story home, according to the release. All residents had evacuated, but a search was conducted as water was put on the rear of the house. No damage estimate was provided, and the American Red Cross was aiding the displaced residents. The fire district is investigating the fire’s cause, according to the release.