Prairie Ridge grad Michael Heesch at home with Cougars
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2013
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The only daily newspaper published in McHenry Co.
Sports, C1
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STELLA’S PLACE • BUSINESS, E1
Tomato salad gets a makeover Planit Taste, D1
Gaming focus of planned county cafes
Metra rep seeks full disclosure
NEW CONCEALED-CARRY LAW IN ILLINOIS
Boon for gun ranges? A selection of handguns are displayed Saturday at G.A.T. Guns in East Dundee.
Schaffer wants list of costs related to ex-CEO’s buyout By KEVIN P. CRAVER
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
kcraver@shawmedia.com
Local facility owners anticipate concealed-carry economic boost By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com The owners of area gun ranges say Illinois’ new concealed-carry law will mean an economic boost for their establishments. The law, which passed last week with an override of Gov. Pat Quinn’s amendatory veto, requires 16 hours of instruction and live-fire training. To Thomas Dorsch, operations director for On Target Range and Tactical Training Center in Crystal Lake, more people will be buying firearms and pursuing the training to obtain the permit. On Target has 24 shooting lanes, 12 each for pistols and rifles. “Economically, across the board, it will be a shot in the arm as far as folks
not only needing training, but needing a gun, needing accessories and needing practice,” Dorsch said. Greg Tropino, owner and president of G.A.T. Guns in East Dundee, agrees. His store, which he boasts is the nation’s largest at almost 60,000 square feet, just opened an expansion with 40 new shooting lanes, bringing his total to 64. Tropino said most states require only a four-hour course to obtain a concealed-carry permit. Although the Illinois State Police have yet to develop the guidelines for what the course must include, the law sets down a live-fire qualification with 30 rounds.
The concealed-carry law n Illinois residents with a valid FOID card can apply for a five-year concealed-carry permit for a $150, nonrefundable fee. The fee is $300 for nonresidents. n Permit holders must complete a 16-hour training course, the longest of any state. The course is only 8 hours for honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces. n A three-hour refresher course is required for renewal. n Concealed carry is banned on mass transit, schools and college campuses, government buildings, courthouses, parks, stadiums, hospitals and street festivals. n Concealed carry is allowed in restaurants and other businesses that serve alcohol only if alcohol makes up less than half of total sales. It is illegal to carry a concealed weapon while intoxicated. n Businesses have the right to ban concealed weapons on their premises by posting signs. n Concealed weapons can be secured in a locked vehicle.
Source: House Bill 183
See SALES, page A8
McHenry County’s representative on the Metra Board is asking its president for a full accounting of expenses relating to the severance package approved for former CEO Alex Clifford. Jack Schaffer in a letter released Tuesday asked Chairman Brad O’Halloran to compile a “full and honest” list of costs on top of the controversial payout that by itself could top $718,000. Schaffer asked for a list including but not limited to internal and external legal costs, public relations consultants and staff time and cost. The letter asks O’Halloran to get numbers dating to the start of his chairmanship in November, and to have them ready in time for the Metra Board’s next meeting Aug. 16. “I believe the Board has been kept in the dark on these costs for too long and that the Board and the public have a right to know this information. Please do not run up any additional legal fees trying to figure out a way NOT to give me this information. The taxpayers have waited long enough for this information and the Metra Board has a right to this information,” Schaffer wrote. Schaffer, who voted “hell no” to Clifford’s severance last month, was the only member of the Metra Board who voted against it. His request of O’Halloran comes a day before the Regional Transportation Authority, which has financial oversight of Metra, is
Alex Clifford Former Metra CEO
Jack Schaffer McHenry County’s representative on the Metra Board
Inside OPINION: An outside probe of Metra would be welcome. PAGE A9
See METRA, page A7
Madigan’s decision creates ripples among Dem candidates By SOPHIA TAREEN The Associated Press CHICAGO – Illinois politicians who’d rested their 2014 campaign decisions on Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s plans began taking stock Tuesday, a day after the Chicago Democrat revealed she will stay out of the governor’s race and seek re-election in-
stead. Madigan sent waves through political circles with her surprise announcement to seek a fourth term, shaping up a Democratic primary matchup between Gov. Pat Quinn and former White House chief of staff Bill Daley, and leaving the plans of at least three other prominent leaders – Lt. Gov. Sheila Si-
Lisa Madigan
Pat Quinn
mon, state Sen. Kwame Raoul and Republican House Leader Tom Cross – in question.
LOCALLY SPEAKING
Dakota Siwula Jeff Krage – For Shaw Media
Quinn said Tuesday his approach to next year simply will be to do his job, his first public comBill Daley ments about Madigan’s exit. But he also used the chance to hint at his likely campaign themes by portraying himself
as a man of the people and spelling out the differences between himself and Daley, who has formed an exploratory committee. “I’m not going to be a champion of millionaires, everybody knows that. I fight hard for folks who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have political action committees, who aren’t in high places,” he told
ALGONQUIN
McHENRY COUNTY
SUBDIVISION ROAD PROJECT APPROVED
LOCAL FOOD CO-OP IN PLANNING STAGES
Village Board members Tuesday approved a $2.29 million contract with Copenhaver Construction Co. to perform a street improvement project in the Highlands subdivision. The project will include road reconstruction, street lighting work, sidewalk work and drainage improvements. Work is expected to begin next month. For more, see page B1.
Community members are trying to create a community member-owned grocery store in McHenry County to open in May 2015. A study for the food co-op will start early next year. Interested potential members and their demographics will determine the storefront’s location, size and community programs within the store. For more, see page B1.
CRYSTAL LAKE: CL South loses slugfest against Batavia in summer baseball tournament. Sports, C1
reporters before making a little quip. “I’m quite a bit different from Bill Daley. He has a better tailor than I do.” A day earlier, Daley’s campaign spokesman, Pete Giangreco, said Madigan’s decision will give Illinois voters a clear choice between “a proven leader who gets things
See ELECTION, page A7
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