Residents, shake your heads

I dare you to read today's Northwest Herald story about the deposition of McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi and understand what's really going on. Don't speed-read it; slow down. Take it one sentence at a time. You might even start a flowchart or other outline.

At the outset, let me state that I like Lou Bianchi. I like Donna Kelly. And I like Zane Seipler and Blake Horwitz.

Sheriff Nygren? That's another story. Until he pulled that dumb stunt in the Jewel-Osco parking lot (and, as I later learned, lied and told people that I had been following him around that day). If he told the Woodstock Police that lie, then he made a false report to police. I was at a conference at MCC all day.

I didn't particularly dislike him up to that point. I didn't like many of the things he had done, but my dislike didn't move to a personal level until his stupid act that afternoon in the parking lot. I later learned that something very significant in another case may have happened to set him off shortly before he pulled up alongside me in the parking lot.

Back to the recent deposition. Bianchi has been unwilling to take on a role in which he might have to investigate and prosecute Nygren. A blind man could see that the State's Attorney can't prosecute the Sheriff, who is his client. It's clear-cut. If a sheriff is believed to have committed crimes, then a special prosecutor is needed.

A book could be written just from the Northwest Herald reporter story today. First of all, look where the editors put it. Section B. Not even on the front page! This petition (Case 10MR000011) for a prosecutor is almost two years old. Stalling tactics would have bankrupted many petitioners, causing them to abandon their cases. But Seipler and Horowitz have hung in there, fighting against the bottomless pit of County dollars.

I know that I need to read the deposition itself and not rely on the Northwest Herald article. Why is that? For example, the article reads, "Instead, (in the deposition) Bianchi said he made the decision not to investigate the sheriff in order to save money through in-house handling of cases involving Nygren's office, rather than hiring private attorneys."

If that's what he really said, it doesn't make any sense at all. Were these words carefully crafted (as attorneys are trained to do), so that a whole sentence could be uttered and be meaningless? I've read that sentence several times. It didn't make any more sense the last time than it did the first time!

Then Bianchi is quoted as saying "I don't want to jeopardize our (the State's Attorney's Office (SAO)) successful representation of the Sheriff ..."

Does that mean that, if the SAO investigated the Sheriff and found wrong-doing (and then had to prosecute the Sheriff), many old cases would be at risk for review and possibly new/different decisions?

For example, what if, during an investigation, it turned out that Nygren wasn't even eligible to hold office and then the case would be that McHenry County had had no elected Sheriff for years? Would every defense attorney run to a judge and ask for convictions of his clients to be vacated, because deputies had had no duly-appointed supervisor (sheriff) and therefore couldn't arrest or otherwise act?

Finally (for this article), look at this carefully-crafted statement, as quoted in the paper today, "We don't have any specific written policy or unwritten that says in this case we're not going to [investigate the sheriff]."

Why was "unwritten" placed after policy, rather than before it? And look at the words "in this case". Every planned word coming out of a lawyer's mouth is important. The choice of words is important. The order of the wording is important.

What will happen on December 22 at 10:00AM in Judge Meyer's courtroom? Let's hope he puts a stop to this nonsense and grants Seipler's request for a Special Prosecutor.

And then what will happen? Will Nygren resign, head south to Cape Coral and hope this all blows over if he is no longer Sheriff?

Avoid Big Bend N.P.

Starting this summer you'll want to avoid Big Bend National Park. This park, southeast of El Paso (a good distance, too) will be home to the first unmanned U.S./Mexico border crossing.

How will it work? A person wishing to enter the U.S. will step into a little room, scan his papers, take part in a video communication with a U.S. Border Patrol agent about 100 miles away, and enter the U.S. And along with his contraband, as described by Tom Tancredo, who represented Colorado for ten years in the U.S. House of Representatives, was a candidate for U.S. President in 2008 and a candidate for Governor of Colorado in 2010.

The following paragraph is from his Team America PAC:

"This new crossing will be in Big Bend National Park and kiosks would replace customs officers. Crossers will go into a kiosk, scan their documents, and have a nice conversation with a customs officer no less than 100 miles away. The officer won't see what the crosser looks like (read dark Middle Eastern features), what's under his coat (a few fast & furious U.S. semi-automatics), or what is in the back seat of his car (seven tons of cocaine). But when the crosser leaves the kiosk he will be in the U.S. legally!"

 Take plenty of firepower if go camping at Big Bend National Park.

Can you believe this nonsense???

Knee-jerk reaction by NTSB

Does anyone else think big government needs to take a hike?

The National Transportation Safety Board has probably done some good over the years. This doesn't mean that the public should let them run roughshod over them.

Tuesday's recommendation to ban all driver use of cellphones, even hands-free ones, deserves bitter condemnation.

The NTSB was apparently influenced by a 19-year-old driver who was involved in a collision near Gray Summit, Mo. last year after sending/receiving 11 text messages in 11 minutes. I wonder if it considered the Illinois fatal crash involving a trooper traveling 126MPH while phoning and texting.

There are plenty of penalties for stupid driving and distracted driving. I certainly see many driving violations by drivers on the phone, but a total ban on cell phone by drivers is wrong.

But a reason not to ban cell phone usage by drivers is not to allow Realtors to do business or any other businessperson to operate a rolling office. If a Realtor is rocketing down the highway, on a 3-way call trying to close a deal or book a showing, reading her Day-Timer and listings, juggling paper and pencil and steering wheel, checking her hair and make-up, eating her Big Mac, drinking coffee, speeding, tailgating, missing red lights, not signaling turns, etc. give her a ticket for the violations.

When you are behind the wheel, the first and most important duty is to drive the car safely and within traffic laws.

What's next? Can't listen to the radio in your car? Can't talk with passengers? Can't even allow passengers to talk among themselves? Can't take your eyes off the road to read street signs?

Sheriff Nygren sued AGAIN

Answer to "A Simple Question", asked last week in this blog.

Sheriff Keith Nygren, Undersheriff Andy Zinke, Cmdr. John L. Miller, Bryan Krause, Sgt. Steven Schmitt, Lt. Ken Nielson, and the County of McHenry are the named Defendants in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Rockford by former Deputy Scott Milliman.

Milliman was a deputy in good standing at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, until he gave a deposition in November in the lawsuit for Zane Seipler against Sheriff Nygren et al. in his wrongful termination lawsuit, also in the same court. Have you ever been deposed? The person giving the deposition is sworn in; i.e., he is expected to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So, if that truth is "x" and if you are asked a question about "x", then you tell the truth.

The Northwest Herald carried a story late today about the lawsuit, but it didn't provide all the allegations made by Milliman in the lawsuit. Cal Skinner is writing an article and will publish a copy of the lawsuit. See www.mchenrycountyblog.com and the article for a link to the copy of the filing.

In that deposition Milliman gave a sworn statement pertaining to excessive force being used by deputies; retaliation against Milliman and others for reporting unlawful conduct by other deputies; allegations that Nygren was directly involved in ticket-fixing; that Nygren accepted bribes intended to influence his actions as Sheriff; Nygren's "involvement in a scheme to fraudulently procure SBA loans for individuals and share in the proceeds of the loans knowing that the loans were going to default"; Milliman's cooperation with the FBI about corruption in McHenry County; racial profiling by deputies; and general corruption within the Sheriff's Office.

I say that it's too bad that our county's daily newspaper didn't give readers the whole story.

Milliman was placed on administrative leave in November and on December 23, 2010, Miller stripped Milliman of his badge and Department ID.

Milliman was ordered by the sheriff to undergo psychological testing, and then MCSD's Cmdr. Miller is alleged to have contacted the psychologist to provide false, negative information about Milliman to influence the outcome of the testing. I didn't see this in the Northwest Herald article, either!

The lawsuit alleges that Nygren and Miller provided the psychologist with a copy of his November deposition in the Seipler lawsuit.

Milliman's lawsuit contains several Counts -
I. - Freedom of Speech
II. - Freedom of Association
III. - Civil Conspiracy - State Law Claim
IV. - 745 ILCS 10.9-102 State Law Claim

Trial by jury has been requested. Milliman is represented by Thomas C. Crooks, Esq., of Chicago. The Federal Case Number is 3:11-cv-50361, which also was omitted from the Northwest Herald article.

Eldest Bentley son in attack mode

Beth Bentley, 41 at the time she went missing in May 2010, has three sons. The eldest, Jeremy Velmont, seems to dislike inquiry into his mother's being missing for more than 18 months, and there is a post under his name on a Facebook page titled "Missing Beth Bentley" with the following words.

Of course, he could come right to the Woodstock Advocate and post here, but he chooses to post where others read it and forward some of his messages to me. I don't waste any time on that Facebook page. Here's his latest:

"Jeremy Velmont

Guess the message wasnt recieved because yet again, the ignorant are questioning me. I gave the PI every detail possible and yes Gus, that means everything because I am her son and I know and saw everything first hand. I will not list every detail of this info because it does not need to be publically shared. And again, yes Gus he talked to people of relevance, which are no importance to you. When you are shown up and made to look like a moron, just accept which you are instead of asking more meaningless questions. "

1. To what message is he referring?

2. Who does he mean by "the ignorant"?

3. Who is questioning him?

4  He gave the P.I. "every possible detail"? 

a. Did he tell the P.I. why his mother's car was parked in Jenn's garage?

b. Did he tell the P.I. how many miles were put on the rental car and the route to Mt. Vernon and back, if the rental car was even driven to southern Illinois?

c. Did he tell the P.I. if he slept in his mother's office on any nights after she disappeared?

d. Did he tell the P.I. about any times when Jenn was Beth's alibi?

e. Did he identify anyone (everyone?) who might have wanted Beth to disappear?

While he may have informed the P.I. (who was the mystery P.I.?) of that about which he actually knew, how could he inform the P.I. about everything else - those things he did not know "everything" (or, perhaps, anything) about?

Others and I are trying to uncover any information that will lead to finding Beth, if she is alive, and finding out what happened to her, if she is not. Maybe that's a team he might think about joining, not fighting.

It's never too late to start from scratch and create a written flowchart/time-line of Beth's movements and the movements of everyone in her circle of acquaintances, co-workers, family and friends. It's never too late; it just gets harder, the longer the delay.

UU Church farewell concert, Dec. 18

Woodstock Unitarian Universalist Choir Offers a Farewell Holiday Concert

Woodstock—The Adult Choir of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Woodstock will offer a special Farewell Holiday Concert and New Home Benefit at the church, 221 Dean Street on Sunday, December 18 at 7 PM.

The holiday concerts by the Choir have long been a tradition at the church, but have usually been held as part of a Sunday morning service during the season.  “There is a very special reason for this evening concert,” Music Director Thomas Steffens said, “We have been at our present location on Dean Street since 1907. Now after 104 years, we are leaving one great home for another. In January, we will move to our new location on Bull Valley Road, in McHenry.”

The choir wanted to present an evening performance as a gesture of gratitude from the congregation to its long time home town.

The 28 voices in the choir will present   holiday music from the Christian, Jewish and African traditions, as well many seasonal secular favorites. Members of the choir will be featured as soloists and in small ensembles and accompanied by guest musicians  trumpeter Terry Guynes and percussionist Brenton Bartelt.  Choir members Ken Johnson will play guitar and Beth Hoover-Gavriel perform on English horn

Steffens composed two original songs on the program, “Let Us Sing Noel” and “Which is My Christmas”, the latter with former congregation minister the Rev. Dan Larsen.  Many of the other selections are presented in original arrangements.

Soloists will include Carrie MacDonald, Ken Johnson, and Ron Relic.  An a capella male quartet including Steffens, Johnson, Paul Krieg, and George Kazlusky will sing a song in Hebrew.

Admission is free, but there will be a free will offering with proceeds to support expenses for the church in its upcoming move to McHenry. 

Childcare will be available for infants and toddlers.  Parking is available in the municipal lot across Dean Street and on the street.  Come early to secure a seat.

A reception in the basement Helen Wright Room will follow the concert.

For more information contact the church at 815 338-0731 or visit http://joomla.uucofwoodstock.org/ .

*So, you're a cop. What do you make?"

A reader sent this along today - - - 

Have you ever had someone come up to you and say this:

"Oh you're a cop? That's cool. I wanted to do that when I was a kid. What do you make?"

Written by some talented cop somewhere, here is an answer that I thought I would share.

WHAT DO I MAKE??

I make it possible to keep back the chaos every day.

I make 5 minutes seem like a lifetime when I am fighting a suspect while waiting for back up.

I make going to work for your family's safety a duty that I will die for.

I make myself work holidays, nights, during hurricanes, riots, terrorist attacks and other disasters...... a standard day while you complain about your 9-5 in your air conditioned office.

I make the fact that I may not get to eat, or get a break or cannot use the restroom when I need to, part of my job.

I make running towards the gunfire and bad guys, so that you remain safe, an automatic reaction.

I make getting shot at, stabbed, spit on, punched and kicked at work, an expected part of my day.

I make working for people, who most often dislike me, swear at me, and complain about everything I do or do not do.

I make working 12 hour shifts until 6 AM, my day at the office, so you and your family can sleep safely, a way of life. 


Today I might make the ultimate sacrifice to save your life.

I make a difference, WHAT DO YOU MAKE?


During this Christmas season, I give thanks to all my fellow law enforcement officers regardless of their rank, title, department, or agency for the job you do, or have done in these ever increasingly difficult times.