Beth Bentley gone 205 weeks - goodbye, Beth

Beth Bentley has been missing for 205 weeks, ever since the week-end trip with Jenn Wyatt to Mt. Vernon, Ill. on May 20-23, 2010 (assuming there ever was such a trip).

What might assure anyone that such a trip really happened? Perhaps corroborating statements from three people who ought to know, for sure. That would be Jenn Wyatt, Ryan Ridge and Nathan Ridge. Ryan and Nathan were supposedly at the house outside Mt. Vernon to which Jenn and Beth drove late on the night on May 20, 2010.

But there are probably 25 or more other people who could provide investigators with information and tips. Maybe they did... maybe not.

In a month Beth will be gone four years. I had hoped that weekly articles would result in useful information to locate Beth.

The Woodstock (Ill.) Police Department apparently remains the lead investigating agency, even though it is more than 300 miles from the location where they believe Beth vanished. Many think that the Jefferson County (Ill.) Sheriff's Office should have investigated her disappearance.

Goodbye, Woodstock; hello, South Carolina

The drive to Columbia, S.C. on Tuesday and Wednesday was great. Just imagine Life packed into about 20 Banker's boxes and jammed into a Toyota Highlander. Trimming and discarding junk that I have carried around for more than ten years was very freeing!

Yes, I've moved from Woodstock, from McHenry County, from Illinois...  When I've told people here about that stupid requirement in the concealed-carry application that an applicant must give up all his rights to confidentiality and privacy under ALL Federal and State laws, they say, "WHAT?"

What a joke! The legislators really put one over on the People of Illinois, and the NRA and the Illinois State Rifle Association rolled over and gave in, after huffing and puffing early in the Spring of 2013 about how they had the votes to block a "bad bill". They didn't. They lied. And they have done little to correct the error.

How easy is it to get a concealed-carry license in South Carolina? A first reading reveals that the applicant must have the intent to become a permanent resident. Apparently, you don't even have to be a resident. There are five training requirements: 1, 2, 3, 4 OR 5. One of them is a DD-214. So, for me, no training required (they think that being in the Air Force in 1959 is enough. Not too smart, but for me it works. And $50.

AND I don't have to give up all my rights to confidentiality and privacy. Thank you, South Carolina.

Good luck to all my friends in McHenry County. Somehow, I think you are going to need it.

There is a very important election coming up in November. Get involved! Don't sit on the sidelines. Your future, and that of your children and grandchildren, is at stake. Examine carefully what the candidates are saying. Meet them. Ask questions. Get answers. Straight answers. Then follow up and make sure you got the right answers and that you understand exactly where the candidate stands.

Thanks to each reader and to all who contributed comments, suggestions, information, tips. Best wishes.

Friendly Southern customer service

This afternoon I stopped at a small ACE Hardware in eastern Columbia, South Carolina. As I drove into the parking lot about 5:15PM, an ACE employee was leaving and watched me park. Then he came back into the store and offered to serve me, even though there were other employees who could have helped me.

His daily schedule was over at 5:00PM, but he stayed to cut four new keys for me. He was helpful and friendly. When I thanked him for his exceptional service, he explained that they believe that customer service is what sets them apart from other stores.

He has earned my permanent business. If you are in the vicinity of Columbia, be sure to drop by Falcon ACE Hardware at 2085 N. Beltline Blvd. Be sure to ask for Spence, and you'll be sure to receive excellent customer service.

Seipler's ethics complaint against Zinke

If you want to get really sick of McHenry County, read Cal Skinner's good article about the Ethics Commission hearing into Zane Seipler's ethics complaint against Andy Zinke.

Two of the five Commissioners, Cherie Rickert and John White, didn't even show up.

Chairman Thomas Spencer "struggled" with whether it was right for Zinke to have his campaign literature on display in his official government-supported office.

What in the world is wrong with Spencer? Can't understand the job of chairman of the ethics commission? Can't even understand ethics?

Somebody asked a lawyer once time if he had trouble making decisions. He answered, "Yes and no." Is that Spencer's problem?

The County Board should remove Rickert, White and Spencer.

Cal tried to take a picture of Zinke at the hearing. At least, Zinke had his middle finger under control (sort of) for this picture. Does he think he is too important to be photographed?

Photo credit: McHenry County Blog

Here's Cal's take on Spencer's inability to conclude that campaign literature on display in a candidate's government office : "What a stunning disconnect from reality!"

Cal did get a picture of Nygren in McHenry County on April 17. He was at Zinke's ethics hearing. Did Nygren charge the County for that time or did he take a personal day for that?

Sen. Harry Reid vs. Bundy

I'd like to write what I really think of Sen. Harry Reid and his comment that the Cliven Bundy supporters are "domestic terrorists". If I did, I'd probably incur that wrath of the N.S.A. and the F.B.I. and the U.S. Marshals.

Bundy has been using the land for 100 years, but Reid & Son apparently want a Chinese solar plant in the desert scrub, not cattle.

Who are the real terrorists in this deal?

Jail numbers (and income) falling

Here's what the Sheriff and Undersheriff are NOT talking about. Heck, does McHenry County even still have a Sheriff?

Numbers of Federal prisoners and detainees may be falling.

Is it true that the U.S. Marshal's office removed its last eight prisoners from the McHenry County Jail yesterday?

And that the money-making $95/day deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is thawing - to the point that there are now fewer than 100 ICE detainees locked up in McHenry County?

You can imagine that the noses of the Feds are out-of-joint after reading that Richard Vanecko paid only $16.00/day for his behind-the-bars "celebrity vacation" that Judge McIntyre ordered.

Wasn't Zinke saying something about upping the ante for the Feds to $115/day? Yeah, sure. $115 x 0? That's not too hard to calculate.

The big question now is what will Zinke, Sedlock and Firman do with all the "special" teams and the high ratio of supervisors in the Jail? What would a responsible management do?

Will they maintain the status quo and leave the message for the new sheriff, when he takes office on December 1?

New short-form 1040

If you put off doing your Federal taxes until today, you may want to use the new short form.

Line 1 How much did you earn in 2013?

Line 2 Send it in.