Drinking water is something that many people take for granted. In most small and large towns in the US, people consider the water they drink safe. If it happens not to be safe, they assume that whoever is in charge will inform them so that they can then boil their water or obtain it from other sources. Can we trust those in office responsible for our health and safety to inform us of this in Marengo? Or will they simply sweep the problem under the rug, as they had with the police matters and other things that have come up over the years?
Recently the EPA tested 20 Marengo homes and has found that the lead in the water is 9 parts per billion higher than it is supposed to be. What does the City say about this little problem? Do those in charge of the situation warn people that this might be a problem? Do they even consider it to be a problem themselves? Nope. Apparently, they think that the problem is caused by lead in the pipes of the homes and that there's nothing to worry about for people. It's just lead pipes. Never mind that 20 homes have been tested by the EPA and, seeing that it was a random sample, they could not all possibly have old lead pipes. In fact, there are quite a few newly built houses in Marengo and many of the other ones, which are not new, were built after the 1940's, when lead was no longer used. So, it seems irresponsible for people who should be watching out for our welfare and taking care of this situation to simply dismiss the EPA's concern and not even explore the issue any further.
Why is this issue with the water of such concern?
This is one of the findings of the EPA concerning Marengo's water supply and well situation: "The system's source water is highly susceptible to Volatile Organic Chemical (VOC) and Synthetic Organic Chemical (SOC), based on the detection of VOCs in one of the wells and an inventory of existing land use within the well recharge area. VOCs and SOCs are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production. Possible sources include gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems."
The wells in Marengo, in other words, are located near industrial sources and factories, as anyone who has passed the well on Prospect Rd. can see. Because of this, chemicals tend to get into the drinking water in town. As you see, VOCs, Synthetic and Organic chemicals, have already been found before in the town's water supply. These are things like petroleum, lead, various bacteria like e-coli, etc. Now, the water has been tested yet again, and the EPA finds much higher levels of lead. So, I have to ask: what is being done about this? Why, we are told it is safe! Of course, why wouldn't it be?
Cupola House:
Now, the Cupola House is by far one of Marengo's more interesting landmarks. It has a fascinating history. Christopher Sponable was one of the first settlers of Marengo. He owned the land that the Cupola House was built on. Charles Hibbard bought the land from Sponable and built the house on it in 1846. He also owned the first hardware store in Marengo, the firm of Hibbard, Spenser, and Bartlett. Spenser, as you may recall, is Calvin Spenser, the founder of our town. So, its interesting to note that Charles Hibbard was a business partner of Calvin Spenser. Calvin Spenser himself has a lot of mystery and suspicion surrounding him, including what part he may have played in the early settlement of the town, the many people who died that first winter, and various fires that have ravaged the town during the first two years. As many of you may recall, the first school burned down, then the next school that was built, as well as other such occurrences, including the first college that was constructed and opened.
The ownership of the house, has, of course, changed over the years. During the Civil War, the Cupola House was used as a safe house for slaves escaping from the South. When the light in the top window was lit, it meant that it was safe to stop there (I suppose when the light was not lit, it meant that the earlier equivalent of Mayor Lockhart might catch whoever was housing slaves and get them in lots of trouble). There are also supposed to be underground passages running beneath the house, for slaves to escape through. This is very interesting, to see where those passages might go to, as in the 1970's, the basement of a house located 3 houses down was dug up and human bones were found. However, I must say that I never saw any passages at all that might lead from the basement of the house.
The most curious part of this is what became of this house. It's been standing empty since 1956, when Jane Stanford's niece, Mary Stanford Muzzy, inherited it. She has never lived in the house, but left it just the way it was and moved to California. Therefore, the house has since been standing empty and is in disrepair. It appears to be of no use to her, yet she does not sell it or donate it to the City. In return for various complaints about the house, its been painted an ugly white and the trees surrounding it have been chopped down. No one seems to understand why, other than that I have heard that it is some sort of revenge by the niece for something her aunt did.
Our Best and Worst for Marengo and surroundings 2005
Best Restaurant: The best restaurant that I've discovered this year in Marengo is the State Street Pub. I am sure everyone knows where it is, but for those who don't, its on State Street and has no sign, just a storefront with pool tables inside. There is also a restaurant section, which has the best Nachos I have ever found in any restaurant yet. They are loaded with cheese and gound beef, and are ten times more than a reasonable person can be expected to eat. They also have great sandwiches and patty melts and the prices are very reasonable.
Best Hotdogs: Hotdogs made at home and oven baked fries. Same as before. I have not found a hot dog stand where they are better than at home in Marengo. If you want to venure further, into Crystal Lake, though, you will find Mister A's on Rt.14, which has not so bad hot dogs and great chili fries.
Best Movie: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Best Movie Rental Place: Video Town. They are friendly and have many suggestions to offer you if you can't make up your mind which movie you would like to watch. And you can keep the movies for several days straight.
Best Fast Food: I don't know. I think I'll still say it's the McDonalds in town. I like their coffee and they have a toy with every kids meal. Fast food isn't tasty or healthy at any rate, no matter how much you can try to pretend otherwise. If you are going to eat it, a McDonalds probably beats most other places. At least you know what to expect.
Best Book: Barbara Ehrenreich's "Bait and Switch" and "Nickel and Dimed". This is a new author which I've discovered and who explores the injustices and moral problems in our culture. She explores by going undercover what it takes to make it in both low income jobs and middle class job searching. Very interesting reading.
Best Event: The Groundhog Day celebration in Woodstock. Each year on February 2nd the whole town celebrates the long forgotten movie with Bill Murray that was made there in 1984. You can gather around the square and watch the groundhog, whose name is Woodstock Willie, forecast the weather. Then you can take a free tour of all the houses and restaurants that were used in the movie or you can watch Groundhog Day for free at the theater. There's even an actor or two from the movie itself who walks around and greets people all day!
Best Magazine: I'd say this year, the best magazine I've found appears to be "Cooks", which shows you how to achieve perfection in various recipes in each issue.
Best World News Event: I haven't seen too many events to be that pleased about. There's still the war on Iraq, the President has been secretely spying on different organizations, many jobs are outsouced overseas, there was a hurricane that destroyed a city. The best news I can think of is that Camp Algonquin opened its doors to hurricane Katrina survivors and gave them a temporary home. Best Area Library: Rockford Library. They are extremely large, the staff is friendly, and there's an interesting used book store that faces the street. Also, bins are set up throughout the library where used books can be bought for a quarter each, even hardbacks. The only downside is that parking is only found across the street, which entails many street crossings and dodging of cars, as well as being out in the cold.
Best Entertainment: I guess it must be snowmobiling this year!
Best Grocery Store: The Super Walmart in Belvidere. They are large and inexpensive.
Best Hiking: I think it will always be The Ridge, since it is part of an actual forest.
Best Antiques: I don't go antiquing. But, from people who do, The Woodstock Antique Mall, hasa huge selection and some of the best prices.
Best Winery: Prairie State in Genoa. Try their Kishwaukee Special Edition. It's very good.
Best Whiskey: Knob Creek. It's authentic and very good.
Best Park: Emricson Park, in Woodstock. They have a pond, various playgrounds, a tobogganing hill and even an ice rink.
Best Deli: Even with Wayne's Market open, I still like the lunchmeat from Wisteds the best. They are fresh and inexpensive.
Best Church: I won't even go there. Whichever one I choose, someone in town will rip my head off.
Best Newspaper: The Rockford Star. That doesn't mean I don't like the Northwest Herald. I do. They have a good letters section, interesting editorials, and a fun entertainment page. But look at all the coupons and sale ads you get in the Star every Sunday! The Herald can't beat that.
Best Mall: Spring Hill. You can come there early in the morning, to walk around and get a fresh coffee, before the stores are all open and all the crowds arrive.
Best Neighborhood: Okay, we're talking Marengo here. I'd say West Washington and West Prairie streets. They have enormous, historical homes. Just walking through there is a trip back in time to the late 1880's and early 1900's.
Most Mysterious: The Cupola House. Didn't you see how they repainted it and boarded up all the windows just so they wouldn't have to sell it? Who has seen the inside of that place after 1939 anyway? What do they have to hide? Best Local Attraction: Downtown Rockford. It's a little, sort of like being downtown Chicago. Except its easy to get to and easy to park. But there's a combination of thrift stores, tall buildings, the river, and little interesting cafes and stores. Worth exploring.
Best Coffee: This year, its Flatlanders. Very good coffee, friendly people, peace and quiet to enjoy your coffee and read one of the free food magazines lying around, and even various syrups and coffee drinks to try.
Best Service: Flatlanders.
Most Scenic Drive: Kishwaukee Valley Road, from Deerpass Road.
I figured that if you are going to find out about the best things in our area, you might as well also know about the worst. I happen to like our area, so this list is quiet a bit smaller.
Worst Restaurant: The Sunset Café in Walworth Wisconsin. The food is terrible.
Worst Hotdogs: Camphouse Grill. The prices are high and the food is to greasy.
Worst Movie: Shark Boy and Lava Girl 3D. Nothing worse.
Worst Fast Food: How about Taco Bell. The food is greasy, spicy, fatty, you name it. There are no kids' toys with any meals. There are no decent desserts. On top of that, it always gives me a stomach ache the next day.
Worst World News Event: I don't even know where to start. President Bush taking actions to take away our freedoms, the war in Iraq still going on, Hurrican Katrina and our government's actions.
Worst Library: Yes, there is such a thing. Try the Harvard Library if you don't believe me.
Worst Entertainment: Cutting off a Grinch's head during the Christmas holidays.
Worst Park: The one in Union that's right between two busy roads. There's a tiny police station in the back of it on one side, houses across one of the streets, and absolutely no room for the kids to play.
Worst Deli: Woodman's, in Lake in the Hills. All the meats are pre-cut and put out into the open. The work are is filthy and the meats and cheeses are pre-sliced very thickly.
Worst Town Event: Why, its the doings of the MPD! Of course. Need I say more?
Worst Local Attraction: Dinorex. Anywhere you go, there's crowds of people waiting to run you down, the rides are boring and overpriced, the food terrible, and its not hardly worth it to play a video game for 50 to 75 cents a try, only for your child to win a prize hardly worth a quarter. I think a place like that shows kids that its more important to consume things and buy things rather than to think and enjoy life.
Worst Coffee: Try any IHOP. They serve it in a little pot on your table and it's never fresh or even warm. For second worst, try Bakers Square. Worst Scenic Drive: Bunker Hill Road. In the winter, it's salty, bumpy, and downright dangerous.
Gift House on Grant:
Here is an interesting store that opened recently on Rt.20, West of Rt.23. It's called Gifts on Grant. At first glance, it looks just like any other trinket and gift store, such as the one inside Brandts. You know the kind I mean. Little statues, frames with hearts, cards, jokes, things of that nature. But this store is actually very different. It has as much in common with your ordinary gift store as a cow does with a Chevy Suburban.
Inside this one is actual art that has been crafted locally. Some of the artists whose works are inside are Norwegian Rosemaling, Tim Linden's paintings of scenes that are found on the way from Marengo to Rockford, and Tim Piffner's pottery. All local. All original. There are also soups, soaps, various interesting items, such as chess sets and a huge oriental elephant, as well as candles and even rum flavored peanuts (I tasted a few, they were very good, you could really taste the liquor). Among these is the art that is for sale. It isn't the cheap, crafty type of work usually found at craft fairs and garage sales. These are works that are by real artists whose work can be found in various McHenry County art galleries. They are not cheap, but affordable, and well worth the price.
The most interesting part of this store, though, is the back room. The artist Tim Piffner will be teaching pottery classes there, once it is all set up. I think it is pretty fascinating that Marengo will have an actual local artist teach classes right here in town. Very unique and unusual. I don't think there's a store that's quite like this one in the whole town.
Here's something to think about this New Year's Day. It is a good example of how people in our country think. Viagra had a New Years campaign advertising their product. I guess people object to that. Why? Well, it encourages unprotected sex! Isn't that something? An advertisement for a product for older men to use is considered offensive, just in case some older man might see the ad and, unable to think for himself, go to his doctor in order to get Viagra, just so he can have unprotected sex on New Years' Eve. It sort of reminds me of an email I got from someone on the message board, complaining that we were promoting vandalism in town because we did not advise someone who had their holiday decorations slashed to go to the police. Our culture in this country seems to be heading toward much too overprotectiveness. It is almost as if we are admitting that people no longer think for themselves and that government therefore needs to think for us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is something yet more interesting......... We think we live in a nation where people believe in freedom. Yet, when people in our country see or hear of something controversial, they want to put an end to it and stomp those freedoms into the ground. Look at the all the laws we have enacted that curtail our freedom to live life as we see fit. We have seat belt laws forcing us to wear seat belts, even though if we don't, it won't hurt anyone other than oursleves. We have laws preventing gay couples from marrying, even though that's none of our business. We got laws preventing sales and distribution of pornography, drugs, etc. Supposedly the laws are enacted to protect us. But who do they really protect, since both pornography and drugs are still out there? They just infringe on our rights to use those items at our discretion. After all, we are all born with a brain in our head. Surely, we should have a right to decide if things that aren't good for us, yet do no one else any harm, are something we should partake of!
What is interesting about this is that people in our country think that we have the most freedom and he least restrictive laws and ways of thinking. How true is this? Consider Sweden, for instance. Young people in their country have developed a new trend. Wearing openly anti-Christian jeans. What would the pastors, ministers and right wing Republicans say in our country, if this were to happen here? I imagine they would not only condemn the trend, but attempt to enact laws that would prevent either manufacturing of such jeans or the selling of them in stores. Sure, it would seem like no one's rights are infirnged on, since it wouldn't be illegal to buy them. But if such laws are enacted, they would just no longer be available. Even if no laws are enacted, the political "incorrectness" of such jeans and the outrage by the church leaders and the Right, would be sure to effect the maufacture and sales of such jeans. But, the results would be the same. They would no longer be available to consumers and a little of our freedom would then be lost.
What was the response to this in Sweden? The Director of the largest church in Sweden, the Lutheran Church, was qouted saying this: "It is abundantly clear that this designer wants to create public opinion against the Christian faith,...but I believe that the way to deal with this is to start a discussion about what religion means." Now, I ask, isn't this kind of attitude something that religious leaders and others in this country have a lot to learn from?
COMMUNITY OF HATE
Like the rest of you, I have read and seen the photos of the desecration of the statues of the Fraternite of Notre Dame monastery. I also wonder whether it was a teenager or an adult who did such a terrible deed. It seems that the racial slurs written and the way the face of the statue was ruined indicated a silly prank. On the other hand, the monastery has encountered quite a bit of resistence from the nearby community of Fieldstone. Could it have been an adult who did this? No one, including the police, seems to have a clue. However, I personally consider that the monastery is right. This act is a direct result of the resistance the monastery has encountered from the people in their community. Filedstone is a subdivision outside of Marengo. It is fairly isolated and contains large, expensive houses, most in the $300,000 range. It is a pricey, exclusive community, at least compared to how most other people live in Marengo. The houses are larger, with more land, than even those that are located in Doral Ridge. The Fraternite of Notre Dame monastery wanted to buy the property on Harmony Hills Rd. and Church road in order to build a convent, a church, a retreat house, a bakery, a print shop, and a cemetary. In and of itself, this was an excellent location for a monastery. It is private, isolated, and out in the country next to other farms. The nuns who would live in this place would not have been a threat to anybody. In fact, having them there would add a lot culturally to the community. How many people know of an actual monastery that they could visit? It would make good sense that they would be welcomed with interest and excitement. After all, it would provide a chance to see something that is rarely seen in the modern world, that has mostly disappeared. A chance to learn about an another religion, or even the same religion for those who are Catholic. A chance to teach children who might live in the subdivision of Fieldstone something of history and culture.
Is this how the people of Fieldstone viewed this monastery? Did they make them feel welcome? Not at all. Bob Wojcik, who lives in the nearby subdivision of Raven Hills, and Rob and Laurie Cisneros, decided to put together a petition to have the monastery banned from buying the land. They apparently cared little about the cultural or educational values the monastery might represent. His main worry was money. See, the monastery would be taking land away from something like a shopping mall or yet more cookie cutter expensive houses. THOSE would pay taxes. The monastery would not. In their petition he mentions how many houses the monastery wants to put up, how much traffic this will cause, that they won't be paying any taxes, and that they are are some sort of cult or sect, and not a real religion at all! Now, to say that these claims are ridiculous and just meant to rile people up for this selfish and inconsiderate cause, shouldn't even be worth saying. How big is a few houses, a cemetary, and a bakery? Would they really get into anyone's way. I remember it being mentioned that trucks would come in and out of the monastery, causing great traffic increases. Trucks!? For a small bakery and a print shop run by a few nuns? What would be in the trucks, boxes of flour and yeast? Its a ridiculous notion to even suggest that. Unless they meant that the trucks would be bringing dirt or caskets into the cemetary? Or paper for the print shop?
Is the monastery a sect? Of course not! They may not have full Vatican approval and be seperate, but that is the case for most Catholic monasteries. They are as Catholic as many people living in Marengo. They do God's work. Here is their website:
It gets worse. Rob and Laurie Cisneros wrote letters to various members of the community, asking them to write to others, go door to door in order to gather support against this monastery. No one thought how hurtful their actions are, what cultural opportunities the monastery represents, even if it does not make any money for the community, or how this might effect the adults and teenagers in this community, how children and teens would hear this monastery discussed in a derogatory manner in their homes and that this might later translate into some sort of action. Why, what these people have done represent a strong political action. Something I myself have tried and failed in my attempts to gather support for the Gaughans. No one wants to correct things that are wrong in this community. But they will take active stands and get off their behinds to take actions against a peaceful monastery for the sake of money and taxes. This is a shame to our community as a whole.
Just to end this, here are some of the names of those actively involved in trying to keep the monastery from building. They are therefore at least partly morally responsible for both the desecration and for these nuns feeling safer in a ghetto in Chicago (Central Ave.) then in a rural community of Marengo:
Bob Hill ; Bob Burckle ; Bob Wojcik ; Dan Hammortree ; David Plencner ; Dian Cenar ; Donna/Dennis Bell ; Fred Becker ; George Kostels ; George Mazurek ; Irv/Marianne Schirmer ; Jack Cusimalo ; Joe Miceli ; John/Judy Link ; Joyce Kawa ; Judean Becker ; Kelly Haeflinger ; Lea Damisch ; Malaker, Don (IL14) ; Mary Hanner ; Noreen Shambo ; Peggy Dyar ; Ray Barajas ; Ray McMullen ; Richard Bell ; Robert Musial ; Robert Witt ; Scott/Malisa Vanderwest ; Valerie Vandell
A Personal Agenda
I am continually surprised at the way many people think. Here are some interesting attitudes that I have noticed aimed at a variety of town issues: "Every issue has both sides to it. The truth is always in the middle. Both sides cannot both be right or both wrong" - This seems to be a thought process that serves people well when looking at subjects such as history, sociology, philosophy, and other such disciplines. When you think deeply about those subjects and consider many points of view, then the truth indeed comes out to be somewhere in the middle and no one seems wrong or right. There's a real problem with that, though. Such thinking is great when one is in college, but not so great when it comes to issues of right and wrong. When somebody is treated unfairly, the truth is not 'somewhere in the middle'. Think of Nazi Germany. This is like saying neither the Jews nor the Germans were right. It was wrong of the Germans to exterminate the Jews, but it was also wrong of the Jews to annoy the Germans and cause them to do it. A person who thinks that way only thinks intellectually. They are not willing to take a stand and show enough courage to fight what is wrong in our town and beyond.
"Everyone thinks the same way I think. Therefore I am right." - I've noticed this attitude in some of the replies I have recieved concerning the monastery article. "Most people in Marengo" are against the monastery, therefore whoever it is thinks their attitude toward the monastery is right since other people share it. In other words, if everyone says that something is right, then it is! There's no reason to think for yourself, we only need to look at what others around us think in order to judge what is right and wrong. If everyone thinks something is so, why then it must be that way!
"Something is true because its always been this way." Well, I guess so. There's always been the sky, and the town and the trees. So, its true that they do exist. And...there's always been poverty, and crime, and unfairness. There's always been things going on that are truly wrong. It's always been this way. Does that mean we have to accept them and not do anything to work to change them?
"Those in authority are almost always right because they are the ones in authority, and if they got this way somehow then they must automatically know what the right thing to do is. Therefore we must trust them." This is great when those in authority truly know what they are doing and look out for our welfare and well being. It is okay when they sort of know what they are doing and, while not caring for our well being, at least follow the law. But what about times when those in authority blatantly break the law. Does that mean they are still right, just because of whatever jobs they have or office they hold?
"I vote Republican (or Democrat) because I agree with this or that in their point of view. Therefore I will support my party of choice no matter what actions they choose to undertake." Many people do not think past what political party they support. If those Republicans are against abortion and you are against abortion, then its also alright whatever war they support, what they do with jobs overseas, and whatever a Republican President does. After all, he says he stands for the family, so whatever else is done by him or his party is something that we must agree with too. Just because one thing is true about something, whether its a political party or anything else, it doesn't mean that everything else you assume about that is true as well.
"God will take care of the evil in the world. Therefore we need not worry." -Of course, God is capable of taking care of all people and situations. However, I myself have noticed that HE doesn't always choose to do so. So, we cannot assume that just because something is wrong or unfair, that we don't have to worry about it, since God will make everything right and punish the offenders in some other lifetime. We need to have the courage to take actions to right these types of situations ourselves.
"We must watch out for our own family. Anything that doesn't have to do with ourselves or our own families has nothing to do with us and is not of our concern." Yes, we must indeed watch out for ourselves and our own family. But if we ignore others who might need our help or support, we are being very selfish. Yes, your family is important, but Marengo is made up of many, many people who ignore the situations of others and refuse to even so much as sympathize or offer any help, simply because it has nothing to do with themselves and their own. We no longer watch out for anyone other than ourselves. And think of the message that this passes on to your own children. They see their parents being concerned only with their own immediate family, therefore they learn to be selfish themselves.
"The town of Marengo is friendly. It's the people who live there who make it unfriendly." - I'm not even going to comment on this one!
Cupola House Revisited
By Museumlover
It was interesting to read about the Cupola House in the last issue. I wanted to correct some things and add more detail to the story. One important item is that the house has not been vacant since 1956, but since 1980. The house was built By Charles Hibbard, mentioned. He married Jane Marie Osborne and they had six children, all born during the Civil War. Mr. Hibbard moved into the house in 1847. The house is an exact replica of Hibbard's childhood home, with 14 rooms, built at a cost of about $16,000. The upstairs has six bedrooms, a long hall, back staircase and a bath. The first floor has two back bedrooms, believed to have been used for servant's quarters. Hibbard was an abolitionist and the Hibbard house was long been called a stop on the Underground Railway. The house was actually built with an underground room located in the yard with a secret entrance near the front porch. Charles Hibbard died in Lawson, MO, in 1872.
The next owner was Joseph Dietz. He and his wife owned the home from 1874 until 1896. Dietz came to Marengo from New York and married Caroline Sponable, the first white child to be born in Seneca Township, and the daughter of William Sponsable. Joseph ran a machine shop in Marengo.
Following that a family named Hale owned the house from 1896 until 1950. Miss Jane Stanford purchased the house in 1950 and owned it until 1955. She was the daughter of George and Sara Stanford. Jane taught in the Marengo schools for ten years and 12 in the Woodstock area. She became well known as an educator, and was a charter member of the Marengo Women's Club in 1895.
Miss Stanford's niece, Mary Stanford Muzzy and her husband Francis owned the home from 1956 until 1980. Mary was the daughter of Charles Stanford, Jane's brother, and they purchased the house from her aunt's estate. Francis Muzzy was also an educator. Francis and Mary Muzzy ran a "rooming" house for a number of years. Many teachers boarded there when first coming to Marengo. The name, Cupola House, was painted on the front steps. One of the teachers who roomed there was Miss Betty Maitland, a now deceased former Marengo High School teacher. I spoke with Betty many times about the house and what it looked like when she roomed there.
In 1968 Francis muzzy was mowing and working in the front lawn. The ground cased in beneath him, opening up into a sandstone tunnel leading away from his house. According to Gloria Urch, a lecturer at the University of Chicago, and author of "Contributors to the Case," an underground railroad guide, the house was part of the fabled Underground Railroad. Urch said the Cupola House was part of a section that ran from Elgin through McHenry County and into Wisconsin.
After Mr. Muzzy died, Mrs. Muzzy lived on in the house, leaving it to her Granddaughter who lived in California. The granddaughter's name escapes me, but her mother is Mary S. Muzzy Neal. An auto killed the granddaughter and her mother, as next of kin, got her estate. Mrs. Neal had some sort of an estrangement with her parents and according to some reports, vowed to let the house fall down as revenge on her parents who loved the house so much. Interestingly enough, there is another Muzzy daughter living in Woodstock who is absolutely unable to do anything as the house had fallen into her sister's hands.
True to her word, she did let it go ruin. Over the years the house has been broken into, vandalized and otherwise become an eyesore. Many groups and individuals tried to purchase the house over the years. Mrs. Neal either refused or totally ignored all offers. At one time the Marengo Park District attempted to buy the house to turn it into a community center.
It wasn't until the city considered condemning the house that any response came from the California Neals. Another daughter, Mary Neal Swift of Palmdale, CA, said she would like to someday retire to the house and operate a bed and breakfast.
Some token repairs were made to the house on the exterior columns in 2003 and 2004 and the property was eventually painted.
NOTE: The information in this story came from a variety of sources including local interviews, The Kane County Chronicle, Northshore Magazine, "Contributors to the Cause," and the city or Marengo history. Also interesting to note that so many people involved with the Cupola House were prominent enough to have their names on Marengo streets.
Thank you for your great contribution
Marengo Gazette
Flesh Eating Bacteria
Here is something scary for all of us to think about. A person wakes up in the morning with an angry red rash across his chest. It's red and painful to the touch. He goes to see his doctor, who then gives him antibiotics. They don't help. The rash spreads across his shoulder. He also has a high fever and chills now. He goes back to the doctor, who sends him to the hospital now. At the hospital, they decide to do a biopsy of the effected area. It comes back as necrotizing fasciitis.
What IS that? A bacteria normally found in the atmosphere, strappochocus. But in recent years it has mutated and now does some very scary things. Take a look at what would normally happen to the guy described above. His doctors put him under and wheel him into surgery. When they open him up they find most of his muscle underneath the skin completely dead, literally eaten away by the bacteria. The doctors remove most of his muscles from his chest, shoulder, as well as amputate his arm. None of the tissues in these is any longer alive. After they are done, the man goes into shock and dies. The chances of dying from necrotizing fasciitis is 70%, even with all the heroic measures performed. Pretty scary? It gets worse. Most people who get this infection pick it up from small, unknown sources. A blister, a small cut chopping vegetables, chaffed skin, a shaving cut. It can be around anywhere and everywhere. In many cases, the people with the disease do not even know WHERE they got it from and there's no point of entry.
Middle Class Job Hunt
Most people go to college and work on a degree in order to get a good job. They don't want to be stuck working in factories, retail stores, and fast food stands. So, it goes to reason that if one attends college and then has years of job experience in their field, if they are laid off or the company downsizes, they will still be able to get a well paying job. This was indeed the case before. It is no longer true. Most jobs out there for professionals in the white collar, business field are no longer there. It seems that they are, but with many companies who have downsized or outsourced, it is just no longer the case. People who used to make over $50,000 a year a stuck taking jobs in Home Depot or Best Buy. The unemployment rates in this country do not reflect this change simply because these people are still employed. Just not in the fields that they were before! What happens if a white collar professional loses their job? Well, the first thing they are told is that they "need to network". They are told to send out resumes everywhere in their field, maybe hire a professional to do their resume for them, and go to "networking events." The problem with this is it simply doesn't work. People send out resumes, attend all the events they can find, hire people to re-do their resume, and months later, all their savings gone, find that they still do not have jobs. They then take a menial job in retail or some other such field. It is unlikely that at this point they will be able to ever re-aquire a well paying, white collar job ever again. Why is this so? There's a pervasive view in our current culture that if a person lost their job it is their own fault. It's not the economy's fault, the company's fault, or the government's fault. It is THEIR fault. And that if they want to obtain a job, its fully up to them and no one else. This is what is presented to people a networking events and through various books and job trainers. In fact, very little networking takes place in those events, the majority of time being taken up with these types of presentations. While on the surface this seems inspiring to think this way, it works against the job seekers. Simply because its NOT all their fault and a lot of times there is nothing they can do at all to get an another job because they are simply not available. The longer one is out of a job the bigger the gap in one's resume. In present times employers do not hire those with a gap in their resume. If you did not spend every day of your life making money for someone else, you no longer count in our economy. So, what happens is that at this point the only way to right the situation is through changing the way the economy is or passing some new laws. To think the problem lies with in yourself only instead of outside oneself will not bring about change or help people get jobs within their field.
Jack's Legacy
Lately, I get a lot of interesting emails. One of the ones I recieved last week wanted to know if Jack Genot was the Jack who ran the Marengo Message Board. The answer is no, he does not. That is an indisputable fact. However, this got me thinking about Jack Genot in general. What is his legacy to those of us in Marengo and beyond?
1. Veterans can now have people look at them with suspicion and wonder if their own, real war records and memories are just make believe. There's not a person in Marengo who is a real veteran and fought in a real war who will be able to go to a bar and boast about his accomplishments and important events in his life without people wondering if he's full of hot air.
2. Purple Heart License plates. How meaningful are they if anyone can lie, forge paperwork, and obtain them? Because of our own Jack Genot, this law will change. Since we now see we cannot trust people not to lie about their war records.
3. School children who heard Genot speak. They now know not to trust decorated members of their own community. They know that adults and people in authority will go and lie to them in order to make themselves seem important.
4. City Council. People will not take a City Council seriously if it consists of liers and those who forge government documents. Do you want these people making important town decisions, if one of them would lie at a drop of a hat in order to make himself seem important? They apparently refuse to make any sort of decision to even so much as sign a Resolution that Genot be dismissed.
5. Newspapers and online Gazettes. They are always on a lookout for a good story and a few years back, the story of a local war hero sure sounded exciting. To both the NW Herald and the Gazette. Unfortunately, neither checked out this fake war hero's story thoroughly because he was such a pillar of the community. A lesson for all reporters and editors, big and small.
6. History Books. How many of the heros of our history are really heros? How many of their accomplishments are make belief? Seeing what Genot did makes one wonder...
7. Redemption. Many people have come home from failed careers, thrown out of the army, dismissed from college, and whatever else. How many of them made up false stores to cover their failures? No. Many, many people like Genot face up to what they did that was wrong and eventually pick themselves up on their feet. Genot did not do that. Seeing what he did can serve as an example to countless young people who failed but want to make their lives better. Instead, they can just lie about it and make something up!
8. Thoughts. Let's face it. We can all be completely disgusted by what Genot has done. But it is hard not to feel bad for a man who, in order to hide his abysmal war record, has decided to make up a fake one. We can be completely disgusted with the man, but we can also pity him as well. After all, he is old, sick, and has been in and out of the hospital. Something, some sort of shame for the real person he is, compelled him to alter his war record 33 years ago. We might not understand him, but a person who has a need to do this, deserves our pity.
Truth Comes Out
Several weeks ago, we wrote an article entitled "The Community of Hate", which discussed how the nearby communities of Fieldstone and other subdivisions attempted to keep the Fraternite of Notre Dame monastery from building and made them feel unwelcome. At the end of the article a list of names was listed of those who signed a petition that was meant to keep the monastery out. It goes without saying that a petition like that would only encourage hate against the monastery.
But it didn't stop there. After our article was published, we got quite a few emails from the people who signed a petition. Some were interesting and polite. Others were truly outrageous. All told us that we had no right to post people's name up simply because they signed a petition. Apparently, it did not occur to them that the petition was a public document, and that signing it means that you took a political action. Which those who write newspapers have every right to discuss. I am rather amazed that those who signed the document thought it was something private and nobody's business but their own. In other words, they can keep people out of their neighborhood, and take action against them building, but do not want this known or discussed.
Those who wrote to us also tried to convince us that they were right in signing the petition and keeping an "industrial complex" (a church and a bakery) from going up and ruining their neighborhood. That they needed the tax money that this building was supposedly taking away from them (of course, the other churches in the neighborhood that were built apparently don't count toward lost tax revenue). A thought went through my head, though. If these people truly believed that what they did was right, then why not stand up for their beliefs? Why mind that your name is listed in an article telling everyone in town just what you did? It seems to me that those who emailed us were ashamed of themselves, otherwise they would not be so adament that we remove their names from the internet. I don't think they would want their friends and neighbors to read the Marengo Gazette and see just what they have done.
Finally, we have exchanged many emails with the Beckers. This was a truly interesting experience. We were threatened by them with a lawsuit, told that they felt sorry for us because WE are the ones full of hate, accused of stealing emails and documents, and insisted that we give up our identities to them, since apparently we know theirs. Judean Becker, in particular, was interesting to talk to, as she used foul language, making these emails impossible to re-print in the Gazette. She also brought up an interesting point. She insisted that tax money was needed for the Riley school district, and that this was why she was against the monastery building. The teachers at Riley made too much money, she insisted, and the school must fire all the elderly teachers in order to hire new ones at a lower pay! Now, I am always interested in reading other people's opinions, whether I agree with them or not. But I could not help but note that it just might be this anger at the school district that has brought about such hate against the monastery! In any event, my attempt to elicit further information about the school district in order to maybe explore the issue further and come up with an interesting article in the future, was met with further threats, foul language, and demands to devulge my identity.
Now, I ask, what does this say about these people? For one, they are willing to fight. That can be good. But they don't fight the right things. Instead of trying to make a better community by fighting for better schools, more funding from the government, and a different way for schools to obtain funding, they take it out on a group of nuns who want to move into their community. For another, they obviously think little of what kind of effect their actions might have on others. Also, on the consequences of those actions - like this article. Last, they seem to have lost basic human consideration and respect, resorting to foul language, demands, and threats. If this is how they treat their fellow human beings, it tells me a lot about who they really are.
The Police Situation
An interesting event occurred this week. Officer Kelly Given of our wonderful Marengo Police Department was found to have been suspended. Why? She was believed to have illegally obtained police reports. Of course, we all know what police reports are referred to here. Remember that article in the NW Herald, where Nichole Surber's story supposedly did not coincide with that of the arresting officer? Of course, the arresting officer might not have HIS story coincide with that of Nichole Surber, but no one seems to look at it from that perspective. But, anyways, where did that information come from? From...a...police report that was supposed to have been kept confidential because Nichole Surber was a minor at the time and those are supposed to stay sealed. It seems obvious now that the reason Given was suspended was because she was more than likely the one who gave the report to Josh Stotinger to write about.
Now, this brings to mind the whole issue with the Marengo Police Department. Here, you have Crawford resign with severance pay so he would keep quiet about the goings on within the department, as well as his actions, which make the department and those who run the town look pretty bad. Now, we got the town supposedly getting rid of the police dog and, more recently, suspending Given.
What I see from all this is that it is not the kids who were arrested whose honesty we should be questioning, but those who run the police department and the town. Why have they hired and permitted these two officers and others like them to be hired in the first place? Remember, Crawford had a past lawsuit against him for excessive force in Waukegan. And, after they hired them, and there were false police reports written, arrests that were made using excessive force, as well as people seriously injured, why have they done nothing to take care of the situation? Now, instead of being open about this, what do they do? They quietly, without anyone knowing about it, suspend an officer, have an another resign with severance pay. They don't want to admit that something is really wrong, that those who run the police department are at fault, that something must be done about this and to do the right thing and come out in the open with it.
Mef's
By: Museumlover
A couple of years ago Marengoans were eagerly awaiting the opening of Mef?s restaurant on Highway 20 West of town. Located in the building which was a long time Chinese restaurant, Mef?s offered a new place to have dinner and a drink in a pleasant atmosphere. Mef has remodeled and now there is a place to have dinner, a drink, play pool, and get into the spirit of fun with karaoke. Great food is still the mainstay of Mef?s.After spending over $500,000.00 in interior and exterior remodeling, the restaurant opened with great success. The inside was one large area with snoking and non-smoking seating, a full service bar and a great menu. The crowds flocked in to enjoy the steaks, chicken, sandwiches, side dishes and desserts. The menu was varied and the food and service was great.Mef said to me at that time that he was more interested in having a great restaurant instead of a bar. The bar business was to provide those who wanted drinks with dinner, an opportunity to have beer, alchohol and wine. The restaurant went along well and the communities of Belvidere and Marengo supported Mef?s. At one time Mef had operated the popular Steamplant restaurant in Belvidere.But, eventually, business slowed down and Mef decided to change some things, so the restaurant was closed for nearly three weeks, reopening this month with a new look and amenities. The entire bar area is now enclosed, separated completely from the dining area. A pool table and juke box have been added. Karaoke takes place on Saturday nights.The food is still great and so is the service, but the menu could use a definite update. I have been going to Mef?s since the day he opened, and the menu has not changed except for evening specials. Mef and his family is from Albania and maybe some ethnic dishes could be added. I really like fried chicken, but can?t get it at Mef?s. The baked sweet potatoes are very good, although big enough to feed a family. The real hit for me is the oatmeal walnut pie. The pies are made locally by a wonderful baker. All of the pies are very good, fresh and served in generous cuts.The specialty sandwich wraps are very tasty, as are the special "meal" salads. The smoked prime rib I had last week was very flavorful and the cut was huge. Mef has soupls each day that are made on the premise. Once I casually mentioned that the onion chunks in the French onion soup were too big. The next time I had the soup, the onion was more finely chopped. The whole catfish at the Friday fish fry is a big favorite with me as well.Mef?s s essentially a family business. His wife Fay often helps out and his daughters, son and son-in-law are often working in the restaurant. Mef always comes out to the dining room to talk to his customers, making everyone feel welcome.The restaurant has discontinued, for the time being, the Sunday brunch. Instead the restaurant opens at 7 am for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Other days the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner with the bar open the same hours.I hearily recommend Mef?s for lunch, dinner or a great week end breakfast. The breakfast menu has everything! The waffles and Swedish pancakes are fantastic. Check out Mef?s for a change of pace. I hope the community supports Mef?s as it has been a nice additional to the other restaurants in the Marengo area.
Wind Farm Scam
Here's an interesting story. Wind farming. Anyone ever heard of it? A person contacted me this week with a desire that we look into wind farming. This person bought stock in a company called US Wind Farming. He purchased 500,000 shares at 2 cents a share. Sounds like a good deal? It could be. The problem was that the person running the company and talking to the press about his company, which of course then wrote articles about it, was a liar. He had previously pleaded guilty to several counts of securities fraud and had to pay the public 6 million dollars in restitution. By the time the person writing to me found out about it, though, it was too late. He had already lost the money he had put in.
On further examining the documents this person sent me, I found out that what US Wind Farming was doing was called a "hype and dump scheme". The person who ran the company, William L. Telander, from April 2004 through March 2005, issued tens of millions of unregistered shares to people he got to act for him as investors. These fake investors then started selling wind farming shares to the public, without registering them first. They would then keep part of the proceeds to themselves and a huge portion would go to Telander.
Besides this being a very scary way for a person to lose money he or she planned to invest, a question comes to mind on what this Wind Farming corporation really is. What are they? A new form of energy? A way to save the environment?
Wind Farming, the corporation, formed by merging with a company called Applied Research Corporation, also owned by Teleander. It supposedly earns money by selling energy to utility companies. Teleander minimized the amount of shares of the company available to the public by selling them off to financial institutions run by him and those who were in the scheme with him. Then unregistered shares were made available to the public. After this was done, Teleander issued a press release stating that his wind farm company expected to generate over $800,000 in net revenue. However, in looking this over, the company could not possibly make this much money in a year, because it was not selling enough energy to anyone at all that would result in this money being brought it. In other words? It was a fake company. It did not sell its energy, it simply did not exist. It was there for the sole purpose to make money for the investors. The way Teleander and his cronies fooled the public with press releases, getting people interested in wind farming as an alternative form of energy when in reality they were not even doing hardly an business in selling a safe form of energy at all, is truly shameful.
