Census shows McHenry County growing VMiV. 7 - ri.AINDKAI.f-.lt - WH>NKSI>AY. OCTOBER I. IM iy»t, just by Joanne Springman ' While Illinois has lost population in .recent years, McHenry County 'has been growing, according to census figures. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that between 1975 and 1980, Illinois lost 1,096,726 4 people through out-migration" while gaining j 642,389 through "in- migration," for a net loss of 453,337 people. . Steve Aradas, lirector of the IcHenry County Planning * (department, .reported that . between 1970 and .,1980 the county population jumped from 111,555 to 147,897, an increase of 36,000 people, or '32.6 percent ^ "McHenry County is the second fastest growing county in the state of Illinois, next to DuPage county," Aradas said. But population projections for McHenry County I r o m t h e ; .Northeastern Illinois Planning \ commission have been revised downward for the year 2000. Based on factors like employment, age, fertility. ?nortality ana £ migration rates, t>ast projections placed the county , population in the year 2000 at 234,000 people. Chuck Metallitz, NIPC senior planning anal] - said research began on a new i'forecast cycle and so far, the new population projections for the county range from 218,576 to 206,555 people. Metallitz said the , main reason for the revision is the - projection for net « population gains. i 1 e " i n - migration" to the county is expected t o c o n t i n u e exceeding "out- migration," the ratio of the net gain is expected to decrease. GOP Club membership doubles T h e n e w l y J ..reor I Mcher jlicans held a member , drive last weekei at the McHenry- Nunda picnic. Tom Hughes r e p o r t s t h a t membership has '• doubled in the last * month and because of a donation the * group has applied * for a charter. T h e n e x t . scheduled meeting , will be Oct. 12 at 7 . p.m. in the Nunda (Township hall. The guest speaker will e Sen. Jack -Schaffer. i Anyone interested ; in the Young Republicans can call 459-8185 for additional * information. MCCD meeting planned L" The next regular ' meeting of the * board of trustees of « t h e M c H e n r y County ' Conservation * District will take place Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. in the district * office at 6512 Harts »< Road, Ringwood. inry County 'Young Republ For example, Metallitz said, the net gain from 1970 to 1980 was 26,900 people. The net gain for the 1980s is projected to range from 23,500 to 2M00 people and from 17,500 to 10,800 people for the 1990s. Metallitz said research began because of newly available 1980 census data, and more study is needed before f i g u r e s a n d projections will be complete. On balance in the state, it appears more people are moving out than moving in, although Illinois is the fifth most populous state, with about five percent of the nation's pnfwlaHnn Migration patterns for the state show that about one-third of out of°¥llinois Vare moving into the "Sun Belt" states of California, Florida, Texas and Arizona. But Aradas said population increases, particularly in the west, could be a problem in the future because of the drain on water supplies. Population changes are of particular concern because of their potential impact on t h e s t a t e ' s economy, according Jp a report from Sen. Jack Schaffer (R., Cary). Schaffer reported that in the budget message. Gov. James Thompson said the state has lost "8,000 highly- skilled, high-paid people" in tne last 10 years, while saining "400,000 low-educated, low- skilled and low or no-paid ^Fffgeneral^^™ News Fox Ridge meeting on' burglaries low-paid people." Residents of the Fox Ridge area of McHenry are urged to attend a meeting in the city hall Thursday, Oct. 6, pertaining to the growing number of burglaries and thefts in that section of the city. Chief of Police George Pasenelli will address the group at 7:30 p.m. Aldermen Datz and Busae, who resides in the Fox Ridge area, also will be present. It is the intention of the residents to set in motion the preliminary foundation for establishing a Neighborhood Watch program. {(if h?L r ui i MOO ft Si r I © i > II \h I I