Healing Arts Fair - Sat. in Elgin

This Saturday come and hang out at the Wisdom Rising Healing Arts Fair from 9AM-5PM (or whatever portion of that time you can make it). It will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin, located at 39W830 Highland Avenue, Elgin, Ill. This is south of I-90 and between IL 47 and Randall Road.

You can see many more details (and a map and directions) at www.uucewisdomrising.com/, but here's a sample of what you'll find there:

Yoga, Taoist Tai Chi and a Gong Bath. Learn about Nutrition, Massage Therapy, Reiki, Ayurveda, Reflexology, Body Mind Spirit Alignment, Edgar Cayce - the Father of Holistic Medicine, Hypnotherapy, Change Your Thinking/Change Your Life, and Beyond Belief: The Art and Practice of the Sacred Guide in the UU Tradition.

Be sure to meet Life Coach and Speaker Alesa Burbach.

Cost? $5.00

For a second $5 bill you can enjoy a nutritious lunch.

Make a reservation right away via the link above, so they can save a lunch for you.

Wow! and Double Wow! OMA/FOIA Workshop

Tonight's meeting at MCC on the topics of the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act was G-R-E-A-T.

McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi opened the meeting and welcomed the newly elected and appointed officials (and me, although not by name...). Then Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Rein took over and led the group through her PowerPoint presentation about the Open Meetings Act. Hand-outs included that presentation, so it was possible to follow the slides and listen without the distraction of constant note-taking.

In separate articles to follow, I'll hit on some of the points she covered. They definitely apply right here in Woodstock and, I'm sure, throughout the County (and State).

After a short break, Assistant Attorney General Amanda Lundeen led the group through the Freedom of Information Act and the changes being proposed to AG Lisa Madigan's office.

A major change being proposed in State law is what will happen after a FOIA Request is denied by a public body and after denial of an appeal at that governmental level. Rather than having to trot off to Circuit Court, a further appeal (or complaint) could be filed with the Public Access Counselor.

As I understood Mrs. Lundeen, there is now an office of a Public Access Counselor in the Attorney General's office, but this office exists at the pleasure of the sitting AG. Lisa Madigan likes this arrangement, but there is no guarantee that such an office would exist, if a new AG were elected and replaced her. Pending legislation would make such a position permanent.

I believe this is what I heard. Later I found HB0831 but read that it was tabled in March by its sponsor. There may be a similar bill, but with a different number, that is still alive in the House.

My one regret about tonight's workshop? I'm sorry there was not one representative from every Board and Commission in Woodstock there. And from such boards/commissions of every public body in McHenry County. Members of these boards and commissions need to know the rules, so that they can follow them and can avoid violating them (two different issues). Mayor Sager was there. Where was everyone else?

My thanks to Jamie and Amanda for a great program tonight and to Lou Bianchi for offering it.

Men: Beware of this scam!

A friend in southern Colorado sent me this e-mail warning...

"A 'heads up' for those men who may be regular Home Depot customers. This one caught me by surprise.

"Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be quite traumatic. Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you or your friends.

"Here's how the scam works:

"Two seriously good-looking 20-21 year-old girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping into the trunk.. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts.

"It is impossible not to look.

"When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say 'No' and instead ask you for a ride to McDonald's.

"You agree and they get into the back seat. On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet.

"I had my wallet stolen February 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 25th, 27th & 28th. Also March 1st & 4th, twice on the 8th, 16th, four times on the 23rd, 26th & 30th, three times last Monday and very likely again this upcoming weekend.

"So tell your friends to be careful.

"P.S. Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2.99 each - I found cheaper ones for $1.99 at Target and bought them out. Also, you never will get to eat at McDonalds. I've already lost 11 pounds just running back and forth to Home Depot."

May Traffic Initiative

The May Traffic Enforcement Initiative of the Woodstock Police Department has been published on the City's Police webpages. Buckle up, folks. But, of course, you are already buckled up!

Police will target "occupant restraint violations" with equal emphasis on drivers, passengers and children.

May 18th (this Monday) will kick off the nationwide "Click It or Ticket" campaign.

I am not a proponent of the Primary Seatbelt Law. I do not believe that cops should stop you and ticket you if they see you are not buckled up. Having said that, I do not start my car without buckling my seatbelt. I don't even turn my car around in my driveway without buckling up. A seatbelt saved my life when I was about 18. So I believe in seatbelt use.

I just do not believe that it should be a primary enforcement law.

The Fatal Five of the Illinois State Police are:
1. DUI
2. Speeding
3. Seat belts
4. Tailgating
5. Improper Lane Usage

There is just one huge problem with Number 3. I suspect there are very few, if any, fatal accidents caused by seatbelts or not having them buckled. Now, if a seatbelt comes "unclicked" and flies up and hits you between the eyes, causing you to lose control of your car and crash and kill someone else or yourself, that's a Cause of an fatal accident.

It's the other four that cause fatal accidents. And that's where the enforcement should be - on those dangerous moving violations.

Is it smart to drive unbuckled? Is it dumb not to buckle up? Is it dumb. stupid, reckless for a soccer mom not to buckle her kids into the proper child safety seats in her SUV? You bet!

So maybe I'll agree with ticketing the mom who doesn't buckle up her defenseless kids. But to ticket her or a juvenile or an adult passenger?

The police have better things to do with a $30,000 squad car and all the extra money sucked up from Federal grants.

According to the Woodstock PD press release, "Illinois seat belt compliance is at an all-time high of 90.5%. It is the State's goal to increase the rate to 93% in 2009 thereby reducing death and injury to to motor vehicle crashes."

Well, they could increase it to 100% by just putting a cop in every person's car or may just at every corner. Maybe this can be the last year for such a campaign and a better use of time and money next year.

Accused is related to WPD officer

Over the past few days a number of people have asked me whether one of the accused young men from last Thursday's fight at Emricson Park has a relative on the Woodstock Police Department.

Steven A. Vasquez-Gomez, 17, was arrested earlier this week and charged with three felonies for being involved in a fight at Emricson Park last Thursday night. Also charged was Michael P. Dunn, Jr., 17.

Vasquez-Gomez's uncle is Ofc. Louis Vasquez, a Woodstock Police Department employee for the past 27 years.

And that's all there is to it.

In a small town it's not unlikely that a relative of a police officer might run afoul of the law. There is no reason to suspect anything about anything here.

I was in court recently when Louie identified himself as a patrol officer for 27 years with the Woodstock P.D.

In addition to being a patrol officer, Louie has been involved with labor relations at the police department, representing all of the sworn officers on the team of 5-6 officers that regularly has had to "engage" with management, as they tried to secure improved working conditions, better pay and better benefits.

So, the answer to the question is, "Yes, one of the kids is related to a Woodstock officer." And I think that's all there is to it.

Viking Dodge Update

If you have a car on order, a deposit sitting there on a new car, parts pre-paid and on order, or a car in the service bay at Viking Dodge, you'll want to make prompt arrangements to get squared away before it closes.

Viking Dodge is on the kill list as a "Chicago-area dealership set to close" published today in Crain's ChicagoBusiness. See the entire article at www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=34042

This won't come as a surprise to anyone who has been driving by Viking during that past two-three months. Sales lot inventory has been dwindling and, if they even stay open until June 9, I'll be surprised. I wonder what that $41,000 Dodge pick-up will go for on June 10. $41,000 for a pick-up truck???

The Crystal Lake Park District is trying to buy the property for about twice what it's worth - "worth" being the Fair Cash Value of $3,339,624 shown in the McHenry County 2007 property tax records. Does anyone around here think property values have increased in the last two years?

Perhaps the Park District ought to be sitting back, waiting for a better deal, instead of being so anxious to spend $6,290,000 of taxpayer money. What's the rush? Isn't it obligated, as stewards of the public trough, to buy at the best price? By that, I mean the best buying price, not the best selling price for the current owner of the property.

Swine flu - worldwide

From the World Health Organization:

"As of 06:00 GMT, 14 May 2009, 33 countries have officially reported 6497 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

"Mexico has reported 2446 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 60 deaths. The United States has reported 3352 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 389 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death."

The CDC website reports at 11:00AM that there are 4,298 confirmed cases in the U.S., with 620 of those in Illinois. The difference in numbers is at least partially due to different reporting times.

Based on a U.S. population of 306,427,204, this is nothing; right? But keep in mind; these are only "confirmed" cases. How many cases are walking around - unconfirmed?

Continue to use the recommended precautions.