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Monday, March 25, 2013
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County one of Illinois’ healthiest Report ranks McHenry County 17th with high marks in health behaviors By JIM DALLKE jdallke@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – The fact that McHenry County is among the healthiest counties in Illinois doesn’t surprise Patrick McNulty. He’s the public health admin-
istrator for the McHenry County Health Department and has seen many residents make early health evaluation and early prevention a priority, such as by taking part in programs offered by the department. “We have a very well-educated population in McHenry
Ill. gun bill could crowd prisons more
County,” McNulty said. McHenry County is the 17th healthiest county in Illinois, according to a report that used a variety of health factors to evaluate counties across the United States. The County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, conducted by
the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, gave McHenry County high marks in its “health behaviors” and “social and economic factors” categories, citing low levels of premature death, low levels of children in poverty, and a high percentage of high
school graduates compared with the 101 other counties in Illinois. “McHenry County looks like it’s doing pretty well,” said Angela Russell, an associate
See HEALTHY, page A7
Voice your opinion Do you think the county is doing enough to promote healthy lifestyles among residents? Vote online at NWHerald.com.
Empowering POSSIBILITIES
Penalties would stiffen in proposed measure At a glance The sentencing council – created to advise lawmakers about the impact of how they choose to punish crimes – reported that if the law had been in effect the past three years, it would have cost $400 million in added prison expenditures.
By JOHN O’CONNOR The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – Chicago officials, stung by bloody episodes of violence, are seeking new legislation that would make it tougher on those packing guns. But their proposal to require more prison time for possessing illegal weapons is running into opposition based on concerns about prison overcrowding, costs and gun rights. Experts say it could push thousands more convicts into a packed and financially pressed prison system, costing $100 million more per year. A prison-policy group says it’s largely a Cook County problem that officials there are asking the rest of the state to shoulder. And gun-rights advocates fear it’s a way for Chicago to discourage lawful gun possession in the city. The measure, which won overwhelming support from a House committee days ago and awaits floor action, would stiffen penalties for several categories of unlawful use of weapons, including by felons or street-gang members. It would make probation less likely, in many cases imposing minimum prison sentences of three years behind bars, and require that offenders serve at least 85 percent of their sentences. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Laurie Dayon, executive director of Girls on the Run Northwest Illinois, sits for a portrait Thursday in her Crystal Lake office. Girls on the Run helps promote a positive body image for girls in a 10-week program that ends with a 5K race. By CHELSEA McDOUGALL
I
cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
t’s been a long and bumpy road to women’s equality. Some might argue there’s still a long way to go. This Women’s History Month, the Northwest Herald wants to celebrate the women and organizations who’ve paved the way to make that road a little smoother, trailblazers who continue to show women and girls that anything is possible.
A pioneer for women’s suffrage
When one thinks of the women’s suffrage movement in Illinois, several female fig-
Women’s History Month offers chance to honor those who made a difference ures likely pop into mind – Jane Addams or, for the historically inclined, Grace Wilbur Trout or Ida B. Wells-Barnett. What about Elizabeth Shurtleff? Who? Elizabeth Shurtleff of Marengo was once an active Illinois suffragist. Her husband, Judge Edward D. Shurtleff, a rising political star, was
elected to the Illinois General Assembly and later became Speaker of the House. Elizabeth Shurtleff’s influence on her husband’s views is well-documented. The couple often invited state suffrage leaders to speak to women’s groups at their home. It was Elizabeth who persuaded her husband to support the growing women’s suffrage move-
ment – despite his sympathies with the Anti-Saloon League, who believed strongly that use and sale of alcohol should be contained if not eliminated, and a group known for its opposition to women’s suffrage. Edward Shurtleff later championed a bill that would make Illinois the first state east of the Mississippi River to grant women the right to vote in presidential elections. Illinois also was one of the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Wilbur Trout once said that she was “especially grateful
See EMPOWER, page A7
See GUNS, page A7
LOOKING FORWARD
SATURDAY
OPERA HOUSE TO HOST ANDERSON Award-winning fingerstyle and harp guitarist Muriel Anderson will perform at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. Special guest will be Howard Levy. Tickets, at $25, are available at 815-338-5300 or www.woodstockoperahouse.com.
THURSDAY: Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson star in “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”
Channing Tatum (left) and Dwayne Johnson in “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” Paramount Pictures
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36 27 Complete forecast on A10
The week’s happenings in news, sports and more. Page 2A Vol. 28, Issue 82
Where to find it Advice B10 Classified C1-10 Comics B9
Local&Region A3 Lottery A2 Obituaries A4
Opinion A9 Puzzles C7, C10 Sports B1-7
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