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Data Center group concerned over pause

February 19, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Photo: İsmail Enes Ayhan / Unsplash

By Jim Talamont | The Center Square

The Data Center Coalition says Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed two-year pause on new data center tax credits could further discourage investment at a time when the industry is facing “significant regulatory challenges and uncertainty in Illinois.”

The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition issued a statement saying it welcomed the governor’s proposal to pause the data center tax credit.

More Quick Hit articles here.

Related: “110 Acre AI data center campus pitched to Village Board”

Posted in AI, Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »

Pritzker to propose statewide zoning laws to spur homebuilding, limit local control

February 18, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Capitol News Illinois file photo by Andrew Adams

By Brenden Moore | Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker will propose a statewide zoning law in his State of the State address on Wednesday, drastically limiting the authority local governments have to control what types of housing structures can be built on land that’s zoned residential.

Pritzker’s office says the measure will call for relaxed restrictions on the development of multi-unit housing, allowing homeowners to build “granny flats” and cutting other forms of red tape that have slowed homebuilding in recent years.

He’s also asking lawmakers to approve $250 million in capital funding for infrastructure grants aimed at knocking out “below ground costs” at sites eyed for residential development, programs to build out “middle” housing and down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.

Middle housing describes multi-unit buildings that fall between single-family homes and larger apartment complexes. They take various forms, such as two-flats, townhomes, fourplexes and courtyard buildings.

A study published last year by the University of Illinois found that the state is about 142,000 units of housing short and would need to build 227,000 over the next five years to keep up with demand. That equals about 45,000 new homes a year — nearly double the five-year average of about 19,000 built annually between 2019 and 2024.

As a result, home prices have spiked 37% over five years while active home listings decreased 64%. At the same time, new construction permits are down 13%.

Pritzker’s plan, dubbed Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD, comes as Democrats in Springfield turn their focus this election year to affordability.

Article continues here.

Posted in Capitol News Illinois, Commodius Maximus, Land Use, Politics, Preckwinkle's Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Unions, Zoning Board | 1 Comment »

Jesse Jackson, Activist Who Threatened To Castrate Barack Obama, Dead at 84

February 18, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Andrew Stiles | Washington Free Beacon

Only death could silence Jesse Jackson. The relentlessly self-promoting culture warrior—who famously threatened to castrate Barack Obama during the 2008 election—finally fell quiet on Tuesday. He was 13 months older than Joe Biden.

Jackson parlayed his brief proximity to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. into a semi-notable career as an omnipresent activist, political candidate, and opportunist. He never achieved success at the ballot box—failing twice to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988—but ultimately prevailed on the battlefield of ideas. Four decades later, Jackson’s brand of race-obsessed, Israel-hating grievance politics has entrenched itself as the Democratic Party’s prevailing orthodoxy.

Possessed of a messianic narcissism that alienated friends and foes alike, Jackson pioneered the art of hanging around the podium at press conferences and getting himself on camera in moments of national controversy. He stopped running for office in 1988, but never stopped sounding off. As Marion Barry, the former mayor of Washington, D.C., once said: “Jesse don’t want to run nothing but his mouth.” Truer words have never been spoken by a disgraced crackhead—with the possible exception of Hunter Biden’s eloquent condemnation of the Pod Save America bros.

Running his mouth routinely got Jackson into trouble—but also generated headlines—in a way most modern Democrats would appreciate. After meeting with Palestinian terror boss Yasser Arafat in 1979, he described support for Israel as a “poisonous weed that is choking Judaism.” Shortly after launching his first presidential campaign, Jackson used the derogatory term “Hymietown” to describe New York City’s Jewish population. In 1991, he helped his perennial frenemy, the formerly obese Rev. Al Sharpton, inflame tensions during the Crown Heights riot—the worst outburst of anti-Semitic violence in modern American history.

Getty Images

Jackson was eager to take credit for Barack Obama’s success in the 2008 Democratic primary, but also struggled to contain his raging jealousy. One month after Hillary Clinton conceded the race, Jackson inevitably disgraced himself when a live microphone caught him lashing out at Obama for “talking down” to black people. “I want to cut his nuts off,” Jackson said between takes during one of his many television appearances throughout the campaign. In a post mourning Jackson’s death, President Donald Trump praised the iconic activist for his thankless effort to elect “Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand.”

Article continues here.

Posted in Politics | Leave a Comment »

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Appropriation Ordinance of the Village of Barrington Hills

February 18, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Public Notice is hereby given that at 6:30 PM, on Monday, February 23, 2026, a public hearing will be held by the President and Board of Trustees for the Village of Barrington Hills, Illinois (located in Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry Counties) in the MacArthur Room at Barrington Hills Village Hall, 112 Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, Illinois for the purpose of considering the proposed Appropriation Ordinance of the Village of Barrington Hills for the Fiscal Year Commencing January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2026.

A copy of the proposed Appropriation Ordinance is available in the Clerk’s office by appointment. All interested parties are invited to attend and will be given an opportunity to submit oral or written comment at that time. Emailed/mailed written comments should be directed to the Village Clerk and received by 5:00 PM, February 23, 2026.

Village Clerk
Village of Barrington Hills
112 Algonquin Road
Barrington Hills, IL 60010
clerk@vbhil.gov

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, Pension Funding, Property Taxes, Public Hearing, Roads & Bridges Committee, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions, Village Board, Village Government | Leave a Comment »

Happy Lunar New Year, year of the fire horse!

February 17, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

In the Chinese zodiac 2026 is the Year of the Horse | © Illustration/Jennifer Borresen

By Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK/MSN

Happy Lunar New Year!

Today, Tuesday, Feb. 17, marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, sometimes called Chinese New Year.

This is the year of the horse and follows the year of the snake.

Here’s what you should know.

When is Lunar New Year 2026?

The Lunar New Year begins Feb. 17, 2026.

When will 2026 Lunar New Year end?

The Lunar New Year starting Tuesday, Feb. 17, will end Feb. 5, 2027, according to chinesenewyear.net.

Is Chinese New Year same as Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year is a general term used to include all celebrations marking the new year according to a lunar calendar, according to China Highlights.

More than a dozen countries celebrate the new year at this time, including Vietnam — where the holiday is called Vietnamese New Year or Tet — and Korea — here the holiday is called Korean New Year or Seollal.

While the dates usually fall on the same day, cultural celebrations are unique in each country, according to alibaba.com.

In China, the Lunar New Year is called Spring Festival or Chinese New Year and is the most important holiday in China, according to the Smithsonian Institution.

Lunar New Year starts the Spring Festival season, which ends 15 days later on the evening of the Lantern Festival.

Why are Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year celebrated on different dates every year?

The Chinese New Year is almost always celebrated on the second new moon following the winter solstice.

The winter solstice was on Dec. 21, 2025.

Article continues here.

Posted in Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »

District 220 Board of Education meets tonight

February 17, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:

  • FOIA Report
  • FOIA Report
  • Consideration to Approve Declaration of Property Surplus and Authorize its Sale or Disposal
  • Consideration to Approve the Public Release of the October 31, 2025, Uniform Grievance Procedure Investigation Report and Findings

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live-streamed on the district YouTube channel.

Related: “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “District 220 Public Hearing December 16th re: ‘proposal to sell bonds of the District in an amount not to exceed $5,400,000’,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,”  “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”

Posted in 220, Agendas, AI, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions, Video Recordings, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | Leave a Comment »

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Posted in Community Alerts | Leave a Comment »

2025 in review: The year in Scott Stantis cartoons

December 31, 2025 by Barrington Hills Observer

Scott Stantis editorial cartoon for May 11, 2025, on Pope Leo XIV. | Scott Stantis/For the Chicago Tribune

By Scott Stantis | Chicago Tribune

From the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term to the end of Illinois’ Michael Madigan era, 2025 gave our editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis an abundance of material. Here is a look back at a number of his best and most humorous illustrations from this year.

Jan. 19: Joe Biden, the president who did not know when to leave the stage

Scott Stantis editorial cartoon for Jan. 19, 2025, on Joe Biden’s legacy. | Scott Stantis/For the Chicago Tribune

Feb. 5: The joy of reading and the Illinois crisis stealing it away

Scott Stantis editorial cartoon for Feb. 5, 2025, on Illinois student reading scores. | Scott Stantis/For the Chicago Tribune

Feb. 13: Michael Madigan, convicted felon

Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis on the Feb. 14, 2025, verdict that found Michael Madigan, once the most powerful politician in the state, guilty of bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges. | Scott Stantis/for the Chicago Tribune

View more (classics) here.

Posted in Chicago Tribune, OP/Ed, Politics, Scott Stantis | Leave a Comment »

Illinois state spending balloons as state economy stagnates

December 31, 2025 by Barrington Hills Observer

At least 49 tax hikes under Gov. J.B. Pritzker have driven state spending to record highs, even as Illinois’ economic growth has lagged the U.S.

By Ravi Mishra | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois lawmakers frequently boast about economic growth and development, yet Illinois has posted one of the slowest gross domestic product growth rates in the nation while the budget has soared.

Illinois’ budget doesn’t reflect economic reality

Illinois’ budget has grown at an alarming rate during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s tenure. While government spending is a component of GDP, rapid increases in public spending can crowd out private economic activity. Higher taxes used to finance this public spending can hurt consumption and private investment, a dynamic that seems to be playing out in Illinois.

Since 2018, Illinois’ economy has grown just 7.4% – among the slowest of any state. In that same time, the state budget has grown over 36%, nearly five times faster than the economy. The U.S. economy has grown 18%, 2.5 times faster than Illinois’.

If not the economy, what has driven the state’s budget surge?

Pritzker’s administration has enacted at least 49 tax hikes since 2019. Some of the most egregious examples include:

  • Doubling state gas taxes and tying annual increases to inflation thereafter, creating a $3.3 billion surplus in the state’s road fund.
  • Halting the repeal of the franchise tax, which had been agreed to in 2019.
  • Capping the retailers’ discounts – the portion of sales taxes retailers were allowed to keep as reimbursement for collecting the taxes – effectively raising sales taxes on brick-and-mortar businesses.

Not only have these hikes hit taxpayers and employers but have also weighed down Illinois’ economic performance. Illinois already has had among the highest corporate tax rates in the country, but recent changes have only made the system more complex and burdensome. The tax environment has led to the state losing businesses, and combined with high overall burden, has contributed to years of population decline.

Read more here.

Posted in BOHICA, Clown Car, Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Fat Bastard, Fat Man Walking, Girlie man, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Organizations, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Here Comes The Fun! Winter Break at BALibrary

December 30, 2025 by Barrington Hills Observer

Snow Ball 2026!
Friday, Jan 2, 6 to 8 PM
All ages w/caregiver
You’re invited to Snow Ball – a cozy evening of music and activities for the whole family! Wear your comfiest sweater or PJs, or your festive holiday flair, and enjoy a flurry of fun, including nostalgic retro music from the Saddle Shoe Sisters, an airbrush face painter, story time, crafts, snacks, and an exciting finale! See all the details on our Events Calendar – drop ins are welcome, or register for a reminder.

WINTER READING
NOW – FEB 28, 2026
For kids, teens, and adults

What is Winter Reading? It’s a fun program for all ages that rewards you for doing what you already love: reading! Read and complete other fun winter activities to earn badges, prizes, and a coupon for a free bundtlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes! 

Sign up and get started today

Family Winter Read: Willow’s Woods: Sam Squirrel by Suzanne Selfors
Cozy up with this year’s Family Winter Read, an illustrated chapter book with a winter adventure! Learn more and place a hold. Read it and earn the Family Winter Read badge.

More here.

Posted in Barrington Area Library, Education | Leave a Comment »

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