Hot rod mama - BLNDEZ 2

Danica Patrick, here's a message for you. Move over. You've got competition.

There is a woman driver in Woodstock who needs to get the message that U.S. 14 is not the fast track to NASCAR fame.

Last Thursday, about 7:35AM, I was on the way to MCC for a seminar. I must have missed the starter with the checkered flag near Culver's, but the driver of a red Pontiac with Illinois license "BLNDEZ 2" saw him and put the pedal to the metal.

She stomped on the accelerator, passed a car on the right, switched lanes to the inside lane, flew past the next car in the right lane, and raced up behind me at the lane drop just east of Culver's. If there had been room, she would have squeezed past me but I had the lane. She demonstrated her displeasure by closing in on the back of my fast and coming up very, very close. Like, "Hey, buddy. Out of the way!"

Now the "lady" (actually, no lady at all) was more than mildly irritated to find herself in a no-passing zone and behind a driver who was, of all the outrageous things, observing the 55MPH speed limit, and then observing the lower, but posted, 50MPH speed limit. And all the way to MCC. A few times I thought she might disregard the no-passing zone and blow right by me.

She was so close several times that I could read her front license plate in my rearview mirror and, for these tired old eyes, that's close.

I've seen her before on U.S. 14 in the morning. Somewhere in my notes, I've got her license plate from at least one of those previous encounters of the third kind.

The next time? That will be Strike Three. Then I will contact the appropriate law enforcement agency and invite her to explain to a traffic court judge just what her hurry was. And it won't be 1:1; I'll arrange for at least one other witness.

Anybody know her?

Thanking a Vet

When I was in North Carolina earlier this month and having lunch with former Crystal Lake Mayor George Wells, we headed out to lunch at one of the favorite haunts in Hendersonville, a hot dog stand that is popular with tourists and locals that serves over 1,500 hot dogs every day.

George and I were walking toward the building and stopped to greet two couples on motorcycles. George noticed that one woman was wearing a t-shirt that identified her son's military service and spoke with her. When George mentioned that he had been a USAF fighter pilot, this woman immediately extended her hand to George and sincerely thanked him for his military service.

George's USAF experience was quite a number of years ago, but this woman's thanks were heartfelt. No doubt that her son benefits today from air support, as did troops years ago when George was flying.

And, so, I add my thanks, too. "Thank you for your service, George."

Do students have rights?

Last week a mother asked me whether students have rights at school.

It seems that her 16-year-old son was told at high school (in McHenry County) that he had no rights. Hello? Is that school in some part of McHenry County that is not in the United States?

Of course, students have rights. A school administrator or teacher might only get away with telling a student that he has no rights if that school employee is bigger, more influential, more assertive, scarier - and a big bully.

Students often complain of being bullied at school. And not just by other students, but also by teachers and administrators. Students know better, but they have a hard time asserting themselves because they are at a huge disadvantage. They can be given extra homework, sent to the principal's office, ordered to detention, or find themselves handcuffed by the school resource officer (police officer).

They learn pretty quickly not to question and not to object - aloud. But all this does is cause them to stifle their objections until they burst forth, usually at some inappropriate time.

Having said this, it is important for students to learn how to object; i.e., how to do so with respect, with courtesy and in an appropriate manner and tone. And at the right time. If the principal is yelling at you to "Shut up", little will be gained by not doing so.

So, temporarily, just shut up and wait for him (or her) to run out of steam. Pick the right time to continue the discussion. It might be necessary (or wise) to postpone re-engagement. Go in the next day to make an appointment to continue the conversation.

My stepson came home from school one day and told me about a poster he had seen at school. It read, "Stand up for what you believe, even if you are standing alone." He added, "...except at school, where you will get in trouble."

It shouldn't be that way!

Information Wanted - animal neutering program

A County resident asked me if I knew of a feral cat "trap, neuter and release" program.

She had already contacted McHenry County Animal Control and had been told it did not operate such a program. There are 12 new kittens near her property now.

Does anyone know of such a program or any agency or non-profit that could help?

Keeping contemporaneous records

Is there any police officer or deputy in McHenry County who is not now keeping his own set of personal notes about his employment?

It seems to me that every officer ought to be keeping a personal log of what happens on duty, including report numbers, names, dates, times, license plate numbers, fellow officer and supervisor names and directions, orders, "suggestions", warnings, etc.

And keep that log under lock and key. Maybe even out of your residence and in a safe deposit box or at your lawyer's office. If you keep it in your computer, create a complicated password. And keep a secure back-up off-site.

If you get ordered not to investigate a crime or suspected crime, then you might be well-advised to keep very detailed records. CYA, don't you know? And if your department's legal adviser tells you to do, or not do, something, be sure to write that down.

Look in the mirror and ask yourself, "Is that order right?" and "Is it legal?" If it's not, then you can probably look forward to a serious problem in your department. And you might start looking for another job where you'll be a lot happier and a lot more secure in your long-term employment.

District 200 - Open Meetings Act violation?

Could the Woodstock District 200 School Board be violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act?

The "Meetings Agendas and Minutes" webpage of the school district indicates that the next meeting of the school board will be September 22, 2009, at 7:00PM. All well and good. The public is informed and advised in advance of this meeting. It will be held at the Clay PDC (Professional Development Center). The address for Clay Academy is 112 Grove Street, Woodstock.

OK, so what's the problem?

The problem is that the school board will actually meet at 5:30PM. When you click through to the Agenda for the September 22 meeting, you learn that the school board will meet at 5:30PM for a closed (or executive) session.

The school board must convene first in the open (requiring notice to the public), before it can go into executive session. By convening earlier than the announced 7:00PM starting time announced on the first webpage, does it automatically violate the Illinois Open Meetings Act?

It apparently does not intend to vote in public on any matter discussed in the executive session, either at the end of the executive session or during any portion of the meeting convened at 7:00PM, because no item is on the Agenda. Without that Agenda item, is the Board prevented from taking action on any disciplinary or personnel (or other) issue discussed in private?

I will guess that the Board has decided to meet earlier than 7:00PM in order not to waste the public's time while it discusses certain matters in private, which it has the right to do. But, by scheduling the starting time earlier on the Agenda than it does elsewhere, it could appear to some that it intends to do this without the public's awareness.

A better Agenda schedule would inform the public that the Board will convene at 5:30PM for a (closed) executive session and that, after that session, action, if any, will only be taken after the start of the 7:00PM session. Doing it this way assures the Board, and the public, that no unintentional Open Meetings Act violation will occur.

Official Misconduct?

You never know where you might find help these days.

In an Associated Press article reporter Don Babwin wrote about four Chicago cops who pled guilty on Friday, September 18, to a variety of charges, including "official misconduct." That charge was not a departmental charge of the Chicago Police Department; it was a crime!

Of course, this caused me to wonder to what extent Official Misconduct could be involved, if a law enforcement officer intentionally and slowly pulled into an angular parking place next to a driver in the outlying part of a commercial parking lot, for no good or valid reason whatsoever, parked there for 30 seconds and glared at the other driver, and then backed out and drove away.

On the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission website I found a case involving an Illinois attorney who engaged in the alleged unlicensed practice of law in Iowa. Two of the charges against him were: "...6. engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; and 7) engaging in conduct which tends to defeat the administration of justice or to bring the courts or the legal profession into disrepute."

This caused me to wonder whether there might a similar law regarding law enforcement personnel. Do you suppose there is an Illinois law that requires law enforcement personnel not to engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice and not to engage in conduct which tends to defeat the administration of justice or that brings the law enforcement profession into disrepute?