NWH-6-26-2013

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Hub Arkush to cover Bears football for Shaw Media

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

WWW.NWHERALD.COM

The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.

Sports, C1

75 CENTS

LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT • BUSINESS, E1

KITCHEN CREATIONS • PLANIT TASTE, D1

Mega Trampoline opens Crystal Lake fun zone

Make your own ice cream with favorite flavors, mix-ins

Ex-Metra CEO’s deal scrutinized

CELEBRATING BLACKHAWKS’ STANLEY CUP WIN

Franks: Severance is an abuse of taxpayer dollars By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com

Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com

World War ll veteran George Marek, 90, of Fox Lake is seen at his daughter’s home Tuesday. Marek is a lifelong Blackhawks fan and was honored on the ice during the national anthem at Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Memories to last a lifetime Fox Lake veteran enjoys spotlight By JEFF ARNOLD jarnold@shawmedia.com George Marek hasn’t had the easiest year. Between a couple of strokes and an ongoing battle with bladder cancer, the 90-year-old World War II veteran from Fox Lake has had a difficult go of it. Through all of his health-related difficulties, though, Marek has managed to maintain his lifelong love affair with the Blackhawks, who captured their second Stanley Cup championship in four years with a dramatic, come-from-behind Game 6 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday night. As much jubilation that came with that win – secured by goals from Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland 17 seconds apart – the Hawks’ 3-1 Game 5 victory at the United Center on Saturday night will be the one Marek never forgets. Marek – who served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 – was honored by the Hawks as one of three service veterans to join the team’s anthem singer, Jim Cornelison, on the ice for Cornelison’s stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

See VETERAN, page A5

State Rep. Jack Franks has joined the growing chorus of Illinois lawmakers who argue that taxpayers should not foot the hefty severance package recently awarded to Metra’s former chief executive officer. Metra’s board accepted Alex Clifford’s resignation Friday and approved $442,000 in severance. It also agreed to pay Clifford’s legal fees, moving expenses and health insurance costs, which could push the buyout to more than $750,000. Franks, D-Marengo, said the extra costs in Clifford’s severance is an abuse of taxpayer dollars from a public transit board with a history of accountability issues. “I only care about the taxpayers being abused, and Metra has allowed the taxpay-

State Rep. Jack Franks argues that taxpayers should not be paying the hefty severance package given to Metra’s former chief executive officer.

ers to be abused numerous times,” Franks said. “I don’t think the taxpayers should be subsidizing their incompetence.” Franks and David Harris, R-Arlington Heights, released a joint statement Tuesday calling on Metra not to pass along to taxpayers the extra costs of the buyout beyond Clifford’s contracted salary of about $252,000. Metra Chairman Brad O’Halloran said last week that Clifford was departing

See METRA, page A5

Brady launches his 3rd bid for governor By KERRY LESTER

Bill Brady, a Republican state senator, plans to announce his third run for governor Wednesday.

The Associated Press Mike Krebs – mkrebs@shawmedia.com

Dawn Owens shops for Blackhawks shirts for her family at the Sports Authority in Crystal Lake.

Stanley Cup gear flies off shelves By JIM DALLKE jdallke@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – At 6 a.m., roughly 30 people were in the parking lot outside the Sports Authority in Crystal Lake, waiting to be the first to get their hands on Chicago Blackhawks championship gear. Actually, they weren’t the first. The Sports Authority – located at 6000 Northwest Highway – had championship merchandise before

the Blackhawks even took the ice for Game 6. The store had the items locked up in the back and stayed open until midnight Monday, selling hats and shirts to fans who couldn’t wait until the morning to own a piece of 2013 Stanley Cup history. The run to the Stanley Cup has been a huge boost for area businesses, with Blackhawks merchandise

See GEAR, page A5

Read more in sports: Musick: We sure are glad to see Stanley again. PAGE C1

LOCALLY SPEAKING Nelle Youel

CRYSTAL LAKE

HARVARD

MCC SEEKS THE OK TO BUY 20 ACRES

CITY WILL REPLACE PART OF SEWER LINE

McHenry County College officials hope to hear that a pending 20-acre, $1 million land purchase has been approved during Thursday’s board meeting. The proposed purchase would give the college 20 acres of rural land at 9010 Northwest Highway that is adjacent to and just northwest of the existing campus.

The city has taken the first step toward fixing 1,700 feet of sewer line prone to backups in recent years. Officials agreed Tuesday to use about $115,000 in leftover capital improvement funds to replace the most problematic section of the line – a 330-foot stretch along Route 14 from South Park Avenue to Admiral Drive. For more, see page B1.

For more, see page B1.

Photo provided

BLOOMINGTON – Bill Brady, a Republican state senator who lost to Gov. Pat Quinn by the narrowest of margins in 2010, is formally launching another bid for governor. The Bloomington native plans to announce his third try for the office on Wednesday, saying he believes that name recognition and better familiarity with his conservative stands gives him a better shot at success this time around. “The familiarity we established gives us a strong position and maybe the only position to build on in the general election,” Bill Brady told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “You see other bigger states like Florida with [former Gov.] Jeb Bush and Gov. Bobby Jindal in Louisiana; they

CRYSTAL LAKE: Ex-CL Central tennis player wins again to advance to U.S. Open national qualifier. Sports, C2

didn’t win until the second time.” Brady will formally make his gubernatorial campaign announcement with a statewide tour by plane beginning with an appearance in Chicago. He will continue on to stops in Springfield and Marion before ending at a family restaurant in his hometown. He joins a quickly growing GOP field. Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford of Chenoa and Chicago businessman Bruce Rauner have already announced bids in the March 2014 primary.

See BRADY, page A5

WEATHER HIGH

LOW

86 68 Complete forecast on A8

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Lottery Obituaries Opinion Planit Taste Puzzles Sports

Vol. 28, Issue 177

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