November Coffee with the (Deputy) Chief

November's Coffee with the Chief, a monthly program of the Woodstock Police Department, will be hosted Deputy Police Chief John Neuzil. Chief Lowen is scheduled to be off for vacation.

The November program is a rescheduling of a recent program that was devoted entirely to resident complaints about the handling of a call after a woman stepped out her back door and found a man crouched next to her house holding a gun.

The November program will feature Cindy Bock and Marsha Boncosky from Senior Services Associates. They will discuss elder abuse and describe protective services available to seniors in McHenry County.

When? Monday, November 10.
Time? 7:00-8:30PM
Where? Woodstock Police Department, 656 Lake Ave.

Plan Ahead - Nov. 10, 7:00PM

No, it's not a late Election Night party. It's the continued public hearing on the Landmark status for Grace Hall.

The Historic Preservation Commission will meet on Monday, November 10, at 7:00PM in the City Council chambers to hear Caryl Roskie Lemanski's petition for local landmark status for Grace Hall, currently used as the administrative offices of Woodstock Christian Life Services.

If you would like to understand better how government works (or is supposed to work), if you just have an interest in a grand old building, or if you just like a good fight, be there.

Some may considerable the issue dead in the water, since the City Council approved the WCLS project, including the demolition of Grace Hall (but with a seven-month stay of execution). Others are not willing to write it off, just because the City Council said, "Count to seven (months) before you tear it down."

Put it on your calendar now. Call your friends. Forward this to others by clicking on the little envelope below the article. Go and look at Grace Hall. Walk around it. Learn about it.

See you at the hearing.

Results of CCW Referenda

Fourteen counties in Illinois had a non-binding CCW referendum on the ballot yesterday (November 4, 2008). The question on the ballots was generally worded like: "Shall the General Assembly enact legislation to permit the carrying of concealed firearms?"

Here are the results from those 14 counties: (sorted by percentage approving the issue)

Franklin - Yes 71%
Saline - Yes 71%
Union - Yes 67%
Greene - Yes 63%
Jefferson - Yes 63%
Jasper - Yes 61%
Crawford - Yes 59%
Effingham - Yes 58%
Woodford - Yes 55%
Ogle - Yes 53%
Winnebago - No 51%
LaSalle - No 53%
McDonough - No 55%
Kendall - No 56%

Source: Illinois State Rifle Association website www.isra.org

Obama's Senate Successor

The Associated Press reminds us in an article today that Gov. Blagojevich will have the privilege of making the appointment to replace President-elect Barack Obama and fill the seat to be vacated by Obama in the U.S. Senate.

What the reporter didn't mention is whether Blagojevich could appoint himself to that seat. If he does, that is surely the only way he'll ever get to the U.S. Senate.

The reporter did write that the "governor could tap virtually anyone ..."

If Rod appoints himself, maybe he'll do it only "virtually", where his "virtual" finger could not reach the voting button.

Would he appoint himself?
Could he appoint himself?
Should he appoint himself?

The governor said Wednesday, according to the AP, "I've never had more friends than I have today. And when I make the final decision, I won't have nearly as (sic) many as I have now."

Can you just imagine the uproar if he appointed himself? Would this be enough to bring about reform to take such a power away from a governor?

ISRA Press Release - Concealed Carry

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 5 /-- The following was released on November 5, 2008 by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

Every day, hundreds of Illinois citizens are raped, robbed, murdered, bullied and brutalized by lawless criminals who, thanks to Illinois' ineffective justice system, roam our streets with near impunity. This unfortunate situation is made all the worse by the fact that the Illinois General Assembly refuses to allow law-abiding citizens to carry defensive firearms. In fact, under current Illinois law, citizens who use a defensive firearm to protect self and family from violent crime could spend more time in jail than the thug that attacked them.

The good people of Illinois are sick and tired of having to make the daily choice between becoming a victim of violent crime, or becoming a felon for exercising preparedness. On November 4th, voters in 14 Illinois counties went to the polls to vote on referenda advising the general assembly to pass a concealed carry law. When the votes were counted, 10 of 14 counties had voted in favor of allowing law-abiding citizens to carry defensive firearms.

"The message is clear," commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson. "Illinoisans are weary of living in one of only two states that deny citizens the right to protect themselves and family with the most effective means available - the defensive firearm. We've all heard over and over again this morning that Americans have voted for change. Well, yesterday's referenda votes were all about change as well. It's time for the General Assembly to abandon its mistrust of average citizens and allow them to provide for their own defense."

"The lack of a concealed carry law in Illinois is not for lack of trying," continued Pearson. "Year in and year out, the ISRA and its supporters in the General Assembly have introduced bills to authorize concealed carry. And, year in and year out, House Speaker Michael Madigan has seen to it that those bills never get out of committee. Denying the General Assembly the opportunity to debate the issue does a great disservice to the citizens of Illinois."

"When the next legislative session convenes, yet another concealed carry bill will be introduced," said Pearson. "Hopefully, the success of this week's referenda will prod the Speaker to allow this issue to get the attention it deserves. No government should force citizens to choose between a hospital room and a prison cell."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Founded in 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

"Hello, my friend"

To the person who greeted me yesterday with these words at the polling place.

Many thanks for saying Hello and for the information you provided to me. I share your outrage at the favoritism that was granted and agree with you that it should not have occurred and that it should never occur in the future.

You are not alone. There are others who believe that things need to be cleaned up, and we are going to clean them up.

Only when the law is administered fairly, evenly, impartially, without prejudice or bias or favoritism, whether on the street or in the courtroom, will all citizens know that justice prevails in McHenry County.

The laws are for everyone. I've long believed that the police ought to be first to obey the laws, not last.

On Being an Election Judge

Yesterday I served as one of six election judges at a polling place in Crystal Lake. I had signed up late for this, after seeing an ad in the Woodstock Independent, and I really had no idea what was involved. I figured that there might be shifts of 4-6-8 hours and that would be it.

Ha-ha.

Once I had agreed to serve, I learned that I'd have to arrive at 5AM. I knew that polls opened at 6AM and closed at 7PM, but I hadn't known that the judges were expected to be there throughout the entire time. And then stay to work and officiate until the ballots were safely enroute to the township office. So, yes; there were shifts. Long ones!

My day stretched from arising at 3:45AM until I arrived home at 9:00PM. But it was worth it!

We were busy from 6:00-6:50AM and then pretty even throughout much of the day. There was no noon-time rush, and there was no last-minute rush at all. That was a real surprise. Very few voters came after 5:00PM, and almost none between 6:15-7:00PM. The last voter of the day hurried to complete her ballot and made errors on two of them. Then she began to leave, being more than a little frustrated. However, judges encouraged her to stay and to fill out yet one more ballot. In her rush, she was over-voting for one office, and the machine kept rejecting her ballot. No one rushed her, and she did get her ballot correctly prepared and cast.

Will I serve again? Yes.