A sign you'll never see in Woodstock

These signs are all over South Carolina. And nobody has to look over his shoulder to see if the cops are watching.

This one is a large temporary stand in a large Walmart parking lot. Imagine that!

I get the feeling that South Carolina residents celebrate the 4th of July in a big way!

Who said this?

".. and for the International Order that we have worked for generations to build. Ordinary
men and women are too small-minded to govern their own affairs. That order and progress can only come when individuals surrender their right to an all-powerful sovereign."

a. Benito Mussolini?
b. Vladimir Lenin?
c. Joseph Stalin?
d. Adolf Hitler?
e. Napoleon Bonaparte?
f. Barack Obama?

Answer: f

On May 23, 2014, in U.S. taxpayer-funded junket to Brussels, Belgium.Don't believe it? Check it out on YouTube.

And how about this?

“Some even believe we (the Rockefeller family) are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure – one world, if you will. If that’s the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.” - David Rockefeller (1915- ), Memoirs, page 405' published in 2002.

Harrison files for Sheriff

It looks like Cal Skinner scooped McHenry County with the announcement that Jim Harrison filed petitions for McHenry County Sheriff on the last day of the filing period, Monday, June 23.

The story and a good photo of Jim are on McHenry County Blog. I heard about the filing on Monday, and I was awaiting a press release and photo.

How many naysayers were there who said that Jim wasn't really running for Sheriff or that he'd never get the required minimum number of signatures on petitions? Jim needed over 6,000 signatures, and Cal wrote that Jim turned in over 9,000, which means a good cushion for any challenge.

In the General Election for Sheriff in 2010, a Republican candidate had to have about 550 petition signatures. A Democratic candidate had to have about 350. As a Green Party candidate, I had to have 19.

Think Illinois politics (and politicians) aren't interested in trying to keep Independents off the ballot? Jim Harrison had to collect over 6,000. And he did it!!

Will Bill Prim challenge the signatures and hope to bounce Jim from the ballot? Or, since there is a 50% cushion, will he just meet Jim for a series of debates around the County to give voters the information they need to make their informed choice?

There are already 48 replies to Cal's article. Read them, if you are interested or curious. I'm not.

Good luck to Jim and Bill. May the best man win!

Only MARV? Now MRAP

Be sure to read Kevin Craver's long article in today's Northwest Herald about the acquisition of the MRAP by the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.

MRAP? Mine Resistant Assault Protection vehicle. Just what McHenry County needs! NOT!!!

Zinke says it cost less than $2,000 to acquire it. Anybody believe that? What did it cost to send 5-6-7 deputies to Texas to get the thing back to McHenry County?

Now the real costs begin. Remodeling, painting, provisioning, training.

I guess this is Zinke's last hurrah....  or can he find a way to top that between now and November 30?

And don't forget to read the part about Spring Grove's own MRAP.

Citizens Beware... Are the police gearing up to come for you?

Do deputies feel threatened by CC licensees?

How will McHenry County sheriff's Department deputies handle the public, as the number of concealed carry licenses issued in Illinois starts to increase?

When they make a traffic stop, will they know from the computer response that a driver might be carrying (legally)?

While the deputy might "assume" that the driver is carrying, if there is a computer code that pops up, the best he can know is that the Owner of the vehicle is the licensed carrier. What he can't tell as he stops the vehicle is whether the Owner is the driver.

At the Sheriff's Department there are what are known as General Orders. These are the "Rules of the Road" for deputies in the conduct of their duties.

So, let's say that a deputy stops a driver and asks for the driver's license. Will the deputy ask every driver if he has a concealed carry license and if he is armed?

Will a prudent and law-abiding driver with a concealed carry license offer his CC license and inform the officer that he lawfully has a concealed weapon?

Will that instantly cause a deputy to feel in danger? Read this General Order.

Through MCSO General Order #2.0.00-IV-A the Department gives the deputy a right to frisk a person, under specific circumstances.

Does this cause you, the law-abiding citizen, a degree of concern and worry?

"A. General Provisions.

"1. Pursuant to Illinois Compiled Statutes, 725 ILCS 5/108-1.01, a deputy may frisk an individual for weapons, if the deputy has stopped a person for temporary questioning and reasonably suspects that the deputy or another is in danger of attack. (CALEA 1.2.4.b)

1. The authority to search for and seize weapons is for the limited purpose of allowing a deputy to protect him or her and others from attack.
   
2. If the deputy discovers a weapon, he or she may take it until the completion of the questioning, at which time he or she shall take the appropriate lawful action, which may include, but not be limited to either returning the weapon, if lawfully possessed, or arresting the person so questioned.
   
3. The authority is clearly not for the purpose of searching for and seizing evidence, although during the course of a frisk, evidence may, on occasion be discovered and become the basis for an arrest.
   
4. The deputy must be able to articulate some reason for suspecting that he or she or another is in danger. This may include reliance upon the training, education, and experience of the deputy, in addition to the situation encountered."

Has Nygren abandoned the Office of Sheriff?

When an elected official is seldom (or never) in his office, can that mean that he has abandoned the office?

Can an elected official just take off and leave an employee in charge? And who is in charge when that employee leaves town?

Must the elected official - the person elected by voters to run the office - designate the person to be in charge when the assigned employee is out-of-town or otherwise not available? Just so that you don't get confused here, I'm referring to Sheriff Keith Nygren (elected) and Undersheriff Andy Zinke ("assigned employee".

The current rumor is that Nygren has taken up permanent residence in Florida. And I hear that employees of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department are not supposed to be asking, "Where's the boss?"

What makes a person a "resident"?

Intent to become a resident is one factor.
Getting a driver's license is another factor.
Registering to vote in another state is another factor.
Not maintaining a legitimate residence in the County where he was elected, is another factor.
Just renting a place for a bed in the County might not be enough to avoid losing the residency required to continue to hold the office.

Who should investigate whether Nygren has abandoned the office?

The County Clerk?
The County Board?
The State's Attorney?
The Illinois Attorney General?
The FBI?

And where is the MCSD vehicle assigned to the Sheriff? If the mileage records for the past four years were requested by FOIA, what pattern would those records reveal?

Here, Dakota. Here, doggie...

Help a Crystal Lake family find their lost dog. I received this e-mail today from them.

"This is out of the area your blog covers, but we heard you're a kind-hearted animal lover who might be willing to help us spread the word.

"Dakota, a senior female bulldog/pitbull mix, escaped from her handler on Monday afternoon near the Randall Rd Animal Hospital on Claremont Dr. in Crystal Lake.

"She'd just been rescued from Chicago Animal Care & Control, and is badly in need of vet care for her eyes.

"Unfortunately, in spite of being an old lady she is pretty fast on her feet.  She was last spotted near the Animal Hospital Monday evening.  We'd be so grateful if you could help us get out the word about her - we're seeking more sightings so we have a better idea where to look for her.

"I know this isn't the purpose of your blog, but we're hoping you'll find a soft spot in your heart for this senior gal.  (She was turned over to Chicago Animal Control by her family, who'd had her for 12+ years.  She doesn't deserve for her life to end by getting hit by a car, or being lost somewhere alone.)

"We're stressing that people DON'T chase her, but call to report where they saw her.  She was terrified at CACC and on the ride to Crystal Lake.  Being in an area she's never been to before has likely left her confused and scared; she's most likely to turn and run - very doubtful that she'd walk up to someone.

"If you have any questions, need actual pictures, or anything else please don't hesitate to email back.  Thank You in advance for any help you're willing to offer.

"(There's also a Facebook post on Lost Dogs Illinois page, dated 6/2/14 if you're willing to share that too - we're grateful for all assistance)"

I wasn't able to re-post the flier from this family, but you can view the dog, a 12-year-old, brown-and-white pit mix (rescue) named Dakota here. Or you can go to www.petamberalert.com and search in ZIP Code 60014 to find Dakota. If you see Dakota, look on the PetAmberAlert website for the way to contact the owner.