Friday's one-night stand at the Raue Center in Crystal Lake was top-notch. The actors in Bye Bye Birdie were terrific and carried their high-energy performance from the opening curtain to the final bow; well, the only bow. Whatever happened to curtain calls?
Why the two thumbs down?
One thumb for the long audio advertisement for an out-of-area car dealership that was played over the theater sound system just before the play started. I can turn off TV ads, and I can talk through ads at the movies. When I am sitting with two $59 tickets in my pocket, I do not want to be subjected to advertising in a live theater!
The second thumb down was when the announcer asked for a round of applause for two commercial sponsors for the 2 1/2-hour play. Same reasoning!
Admittedly, a troupe has high expenses to come to a town for one night. That's what ticket prices pay for. The Raue's website says that ticket sales account for only 70 percent of the Center’s needs. The remaining 30 percent comes from private support. And the advertising revenues? The Raue has already hit its 100% of needs.
Raue Center management should re-think its policy about commercialism directed at a captive audience that has already paid top dollar for tickets.
And let's hope that such tactics don't invade the Woodstock Opera House. Or have they already done so?
What can you do? Email or telephone the Raue Center and let the Director and the Board of Trustees for this non-profit organization know what you think and how in-theater advertising will affect your decision to attend performances at the Raue Center.
Email your opinion to the Director and Board of Trustees at info@rauecenter.org
Call the Director at 815.356.9212
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Supervisor takes marbles, goes home
Be sure to read the article on Page 1C of this morning's Northwest Herald about the Supervisor in Seneca Township (where???) who lost her bid for re-election and quit without notice on Tuesday night, leaving the important Supervisor post unfilled until her successor takes office next month.
Ersel Schuster was Supervisor from 1992 until Tuesday night - quite a long run, wouldn't you say? What does a Township Supervisor earn? $50,000? $70,000? More? Inspection of the Township's website at www.senecatownship.com/ reveals that, in addition to a Supervisor, there are also four Trustees, a Highway Commissioner, an Assessor, and a Clerk. What does a staff like that cost taxpayers, and what do taxpayers really get for their money?
Schuster is also a Board member of the McHenry County Board, having been elected to a four-year term just last November. Will her decision to quit with one month remaining in her elected term affect her at the next election for her County Board seat? Only time will tell, but I’m betting that voters won’t forget it.
Schuster was one of the double-dipping elected officials in the sights of activist Bob Anderson of Wonder Lake. How many other officials in McHenry County hold more than one paid, elected position or, for that matter, hold more than one taxpayer-funded position, whether elected, appointed or hired?
Assuming that she served with pride for 17 years, why wouldn't she sit through one more meeting with dignity and serve out her sentence (errr, term)?
Ersel Schuster was Supervisor from 1992 until Tuesday night - quite a long run, wouldn't you say? What does a Township Supervisor earn? $50,000? $70,000? More? Inspection of the Township's website at www.senecatownship.com/ reveals that, in addition to a Supervisor, there are also four Trustees, a Highway Commissioner, an Assessor, and a Clerk. What does a staff like that cost taxpayers, and what do taxpayers really get for their money?
Schuster is also a Board member of the McHenry County Board, having been elected to a four-year term just last November. Will her decision to quit with one month remaining in her elected term affect her at the next election for her County Board seat? Only time will tell, but I’m betting that voters won’t forget it.
Schuster was one of the double-dipping elected officials in the sights of activist Bob Anderson of Wonder Lake. How many other officials in McHenry County hold more than one paid, elected position or, for that matter, hold more than one taxpayer-funded position, whether elected, appointed or hired?
Assuming that she served with pride for 17 years, why wouldn't she sit through one more meeting with dignity and serve out her sentence (errr, term)?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Street running by H.S. Track teams
A reader sent this today and reminded me that I too have seen high school track students running the streets with total disregard for motorists. Here’s what this reader had to say:
“As a rules of the road expert, I am sure you might agree with one of my peeves. Around the spring time of every year that i have lived in Woodstock (19 years now), the high school track teams have complete disregard for those rules. Every time I have seen them out running thru the city, they are on the wrong side of the street, and out in the roadway. Not an occasional haphazard chance when taking a shortcut maybe, but every single time! If it was as simple as the kids being unsupervised on their cross-country treks, it would still be irksome. I can give in on not running on the sidewalk where they do exist, but to run with your back to traffic and not obey stop signs, is not only wrong, but dangerous. One of the first road rules for pedestrians, Ride with, walk against, really should be taught before sending the kids out for run thru the city. thanks for reading my peeve.”
Recently I saw runners on Jefferson just east of the Square, running toward South Street. I don’t know which school they were from, but it would certainly be a good idea for track coaches to monitor the running routes and insist on safe running.
Many thanks to this reader for sharing his opinion!
“As a rules of the road expert, I am sure you might agree with one of my peeves. Around the spring time of every year that i have lived in Woodstock (19 years now), the high school track teams have complete disregard for those rules. Every time I have seen them out running thru the city, they are on the wrong side of the street, and out in the roadway. Not an occasional haphazard chance when taking a shortcut maybe, but every single time! If it was as simple as the kids being unsupervised on their cross-country treks, it would still be irksome. I can give in on not running on the sidewalk where they do exist, but to run with your back to traffic and not obey stop signs, is not only wrong, but dangerous. One of the first road rules for pedestrians, Ride with, walk against, really should be taught before sending the kids out for run thru the city. thanks for reading my peeve.”
Recently I saw runners on Jefferson just east of the Square, running toward South Street. I don’t know which school they were from, but it would certainly be a good idea for track coaches to monitor the running routes and insist on safe running.
Many thanks to this reader for sharing his opinion!
Reckless school bus driver
This morning I was driving in Algonquin and saw a school bus driver who rivaled the woman who had a busload of unruly kids and decided to teach them a lesson by jamming on the brakes.
The driver of the bus this morning put the health and safety of his passengers at similar risk when he tailgated me at 30MPH and at 40MPH on eastbound IL 62 from IL 31. The speed limit across the Fox River is 30MPH. A couple of blocks up the hill the speed limit changes to 40MPH.
The driver of Bus No. 142 (Algonquin School District 300) was so close to the back of my car that I could count the rivets in the front fender (but I didn't). How about inches behind me at 30MPH and again at 40MPH? I guess he thought he could make me speed up and exceed the posted speed limit, but he'll get a chance to think that over.
His supervisor had my report of his reckless driving by the time he got the kids to school, and I expect to hear tomorrow about the little conference they had with the driver today. Actually, they ought to fire him. If I could have found an Algonquin police officer, I would have him ticketed and replaced, even if it would have made the kids late to school.
The driver of the bus this morning put the health and safety of his passengers at similar risk when he tailgated me at 30MPH and at 40MPH on eastbound IL 62 from IL 31. The speed limit across the Fox River is 30MPH. A couple of blocks up the hill the speed limit changes to 40MPH.
The driver of Bus No. 142 (Algonquin School District 300) was so close to the back of my car that I could count the rivets in the front fender (but I didn't). How about inches behind me at 30MPH and again at 40MPH? I guess he thought he could make me speed up and exceed the posted speed limit, but he'll get a chance to think that over.
His supervisor had my report of his reckless driving by the time he got the kids to school, and I expect to hear tomorrow about the little conference they had with the driver today. Actually, they ought to fire him. If I could have found an Algonquin police officer, I would have him ticketed and replaced, even if it would have made the kids late to school.
What good are lawyers?
Or, what are lawyers good for?
I remember a day in Colorado when an insurance prospect told me that he was going to ask his lawyer whether he ought to buy the life insurance that I was recommending to him.
What a dumb thing to ask a lawyer about, and that's exactly what I told him. And I told him that, if his lawyer told him not to buy it or to buy a different type of policy, he should get his lawyer's "advice" in writing and on the lawyer's stationery. And pay him for it.
Why? Because that would put the lawyer "in the life insurance business", if his advice turned out to be no good.
If his lawyer would not put his advice in writing on his letterhead, then it was only his opinion, and he shouldn't pay for that.
I'm not allowed to practice law because I don't have a law degree, have not passed the bar exam and am not admitted to the practice of law in any state. Likewise, a lawyer who has not studied life insurance products, companies and plans in-depth and who is not licensed to sell life insurance should not be giving advice on life insurance needs.
If you seek advice from your lawyer, don't ask him or her whether or not you should do something; for example, rob a bank. Why would anyone want to rob a bank? That's where the money is!
The right question to ask your lawyer is, what are the consequences of robbing a bank and getting caught?
Which brings me to this point...
Why isn't the Woodstock Board of Fire and Police Commissioners ("Board") convening to discuss what to do about Judge McIntyre's decision in the Sgt. Steve Gorski matter? Over a year ago the Board directed the City to pay Gorski all his back pay. Not a penny has been paid.
Who at the City is withholding the direction to pay? The HR Director? The City Manager?
The Board is a public body. It cannot make decisions in private. So it must meet to decide what to do next? Why is it failing to do so? Protocol of law tells the Board to follow a proper procedure as directed and guided by the legal council for the Board.
In this case the Board had to get a law firm from Naperville to defend itself against the very city that appointed it - the City of Woodstock! The Board cannot make any decisions about either requesting or following advice from its (outside) law firm without meeting to discuss the matter and then to hearing a motion and conducting a vote in open meeting on what to do. Anything else very likely constitutes a violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Judge McIntyre ruled on March 24 that the case was to go back to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. That day the Board should have scheduled a meeting. What's the delay?
I remember a day in Colorado when an insurance prospect told me that he was going to ask his lawyer whether he ought to buy the life insurance that I was recommending to him.
What a dumb thing to ask a lawyer about, and that's exactly what I told him. And I told him that, if his lawyer told him not to buy it or to buy a different type of policy, he should get his lawyer's "advice" in writing and on the lawyer's stationery. And pay him for it.
Why? Because that would put the lawyer "in the life insurance business", if his advice turned out to be no good.
If his lawyer would not put his advice in writing on his letterhead, then it was only his opinion, and he shouldn't pay for that.
I'm not allowed to practice law because I don't have a law degree, have not passed the bar exam and am not admitted to the practice of law in any state. Likewise, a lawyer who has not studied life insurance products, companies and plans in-depth and who is not licensed to sell life insurance should not be giving advice on life insurance needs.
If you seek advice from your lawyer, don't ask him or her whether or not you should do something; for example, rob a bank. Why would anyone want to rob a bank? That's where the money is!
The right question to ask your lawyer is, what are the consequences of robbing a bank and getting caught?
Which brings me to this point...
Why isn't the Woodstock Board of Fire and Police Commissioners ("Board") convening to discuss what to do about Judge McIntyre's decision in the Sgt. Steve Gorski matter? Over a year ago the Board directed the City to pay Gorski all his back pay. Not a penny has been paid.
Who at the City is withholding the direction to pay? The HR Director? The City Manager?
The Board is a public body. It cannot make decisions in private. So it must meet to decide what to do next? Why is it failing to do so? Protocol of law tells the Board to follow a proper procedure as directed and guided by the legal council for the Board.
In this case the Board had to get a law firm from Naperville to defend itself against the very city that appointed it - the City of Woodstock! The Board cannot make any decisions about either requesting or following advice from its (outside) law firm without meeting to discuss the matter and then to hearing a motion and conducting a vote in open meeting on what to do. Anything else very likely constitutes a violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Judge McIntyre ruled on March 24 that the case was to go back to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. That day the Board should have scheduled a meeting. What's the delay?
Great movie and lessons
Last night I watched the 2005 movie, Knights of the South Bronx, starring Ted Danson and Keke Palmer. If you care about kids and believe in them, this is a must-see movie.
Danson portrays the type of teacher so desperately needed in our schools today. Teachers who care and show it. We have a lot of teachers who "say" they care. OK, I'm going to ruffle some teachers by challenging them to "show" that they care.
How many teachers have ever gone to a student's home to see the conditions in which he lives? Maybe then they'd understand why the student comes to school in a bad mood or dirty or hungry.
When a teacher asks, "How's everything at home?" and hears, "Uhhh, okay" and never follows up. he or she will not have a clue about what goes on at home.
I've had more than one school administrator tell me that their responsibility stops at the curb in front of the school building. Well, that's not so. They have the obligation to understand everything that affects the student's ability to learn, and sometimes they are just going to have to leave the comfortable confines of the school building and go on a little field trip to a student's home.
Danson portrays the type of teacher so desperately needed in our schools today. Teachers who care and show it. We have a lot of teachers who "say" they care. OK, I'm going to ruffle some teachers by challenging them to "show" that they care.
How many teachers have ever gone to a student's home to see the conditions in which he lives? Maybe then they'd understand why the student comes to school in a bad mood or dirty or hungry.
When a teacher asks, "How's everything at home?" and hears, "Uhhh, okay" and never follows up. he or she will not have a clue about what goes on at home.
I've had more than one school administrator tell me that their responsibility stops at the curb in front of the school building. Well, that's not so. They have the obligation to understand everything that affects the student's ability to learn, and sometimes they are just going to have to leave the comfortable confines of the school building and go on a little field trip to a student's home.
O’Doherty court ruling due Monday
Last Monday Woodstock Police Officer Jim O’Doherty, his attorney, and attorneys David W. McArdle and special prosecutor John Kelly, on behalf of the City of Woodstock, were in McHenry County Court for a hearing on what I believe was a Temporary Restraining Order that was filed by O’Doherty’s attorney. That TRO may be a challenge to the police department’s efforts to have charges against O’Doherty heard by the Woodstock Board of Fire and Police Commissioners ("Board"), rather than through the arbitration process of the labor contract between Woodstock Police officers and the City.
O’Doherty was suspended by the Board on March 2, after Chief Lowen brought charges following O’Doherty’s having been ticketed in Wisconsin on three traffic charges on February 26. On March 12 the Board changed the suspension to “without pay.” No hearing has yet been held.
The case was in Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s court last Monday, but the City requested a change of judge. O’Doherty’s lawyer requested that the case not be delayed, and the case was transferred to Judge Michael W. Feetterer.
The Board had met on March 2 and again on March 12, although O’Doherty was not informed of either meeting. On March 12 a Commissioner of the Board said that the Board was “tentatively” planning to hold a hearing on March 23. That hearing was never scheduled.
Should the Board have held a hearing promptly and given O’Doherty an opportunity to defend himself before making any decision on discipline?
An April 6 Board meeting was canceled on April 3, possibly due to an alert that a TRO would be filed on Monday, April 6. I understand that some consideration was being given by the Board to holding a hearing on April 21, but Judge Feetterer reportedly indicated that the Board will not meet on April 21. Judge Feetterer is to rule on O’Doherty’s Matter on April 20 at 9:00AM.
When the City cuts off an employee’s pay and threatens his health insurance without ever holding a hearing, it seems to me that it has acted wrongfully. The bigger question is, how can the City move forward at all, before the Wisconsin charges are settled? What will happen if Wisconsin charges against O’Doherty are dismissed or if he is found Not Guilty? Will he have a clean slate here then?
O’Doherty’s next court date in Wisconsin is April 24, and that is for an “adjourned initial appearance.” A very interesting aspect of the Wisconsin charges is that there was no bond required on any of the three charges.
O’Doherty was suspended by the Board on March 2, after Chief Lowen brought charges following O’Doherty’s having been ticketed in Wisconsin on three traffic charges on February 26. On March 12 the Board changed the suspension to “without pay.” No hearing has yet been held.
The case was in Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s court last Monday, but the City requested a change of judge. O’Doherty’s lawyer requested that the case not be delayed, and the case was transferred to Judge Michael W. Feetterer.
The Board had met on March 2 and again on March 12, although O’Doherty was not informed of either meeting. On March 12 a Commissioner of the Board said that the Board was “tentatively” planning to hold a hearing on March 23. That hearing was never scheduled.
Should the Board have held a hearing promptly and given O’Doherty an opportunity to defend himself before making any decision on discipline?
An April 6 Board meeting was canceled on April 3, possibly due to an alert that a TRO would be filed on Monday, April 6. I understand that some consideration was being given by the Board to holding a hearing on April 21, but Judge Feetterer reportedly indicated that the Board will not meet on April 21. Judge Feetterer is to rule on O’Doherty’s Matter on April 20 at 9:00AM.
When the City cuts off an employee’s pay and threatens his health insurance without ever holding a hearing, it seems to me that it has acted wrongfully. The bigger question is, how can the City move forward at all, before the Wisconsin charges are settled? What will happen if Wisconsin charges against O’Doherty are dismissed or if he is found Not Guilty? Will he have a clean slate here then?
O’Doherty’s next court date in Wisconsin is April 24, and that is for an “adjourned initial appearance.” A very interesting aspect of the Wisconsin charges is that there was no bond required on any of the three charges.
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