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Pritzker denies traveling on Epstein’s plane after Bill Clinton’s since-recanted testimony

March 3, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

By Ben Szalinski | Capitol News Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker denied a since-recanted comment by former President Bill Clinton that Clinton thought the pair may have traveled together on a plane owned by convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

His denial was in response to a 90-second video clip of Clinton’s closed-door deposition before the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that began circulating online Monday night.

“No, I have never, had never met Jeffrey Epstein,” Pritzker said Tuesday. “I was never on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane. I was never on any plane with Jeffrey Epstein or with Ghislaine Maxwell. Never met her.”

Pritzker added he had never heard of Epstein until about 2019 when Epstein was indicted for child sex trafficking in the early 2000s.

Clinton’s testimony

In his deposition, the ex-president was asked to recall who he brought on more than two dozen flights he took on Epstein’s plane. He said it was often people who worked with him, for his foundation, including staffers and Secret Service agents, but also the governor of Illinois and his wife.

“On occasion, I had people who had volunteered to help us and wanted to see what we were doing,” Clinton said. “For example, I think it was on one of these trips — I think — that I had my first trip for a man who is now the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, and his wife. They gave me — they helped me get started.”

Article continues here.

Posted in Capitol News Illinois, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Politics | Leave a Comment »

Total Lunar Eclipse Set to Thrill Chicagoans Tuesday Morning. Here’s the Timing

March 3, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Different phases of a lunar eclipse. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon can appear blood red. (joningall / iStock)

By Patty Wetli | WTTW

Here’s the timing on the morning of March 3 (all times are Central time zone):

— 2:44 a.m., the moon enters the the outer part of Earth’s shadow, called the penumbra. The effect during this phase is a subtle dimming.

— 3:50 a.m., the partial eclipse begins as the moon enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. It will look like bigger and bigger bites are being taken out of the moon.

— 5:04 a.m., totality begins, with the entire moon now in the umbra. The moon often appears red or orange during totality, earning the nickname “blood moon.”

— 6:02 a.m., totality ends and the process begins reversing as the moon gradually emerges first from the umbra and then the penumbra.

Full article here.

Posted in Topics Of Interest | 1 Comment »

7 things to know about Illinois data centers

March 2, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The state’s data center boom is reshaping energy, water use and taxes. Here’s what residents should know about the costs, jobs and incentives involved.

By Brennan Park | Illinois Policy Institute

Data centers are expanding across Illinois amid the tech industry’s rising demand for cloud computing. Supporters say the facilities bring investment and jobs, while critics worry about rising energy costs, environmental effects and tax incentives.

Illinois lawmakers are considering passing more stringent regulations on the growth and operation of data centers, with bills recently introduced in the House and Senate. These bills would require “hyperscale” data centers to expand renewable energy and “strengthen equity, transparency, and labor standards in clean energy initiatives,” among other new rules.

Here’s what every Illinoisan should know about the data center boom and tradeoffs the state makes to be a part of it.

1: Illinois is already a major data center hub, with the growth accelerating

Illinois boasts the fourth-highest number of data centers in the country, at 244 sites. That’s because the state provides much of what data center developers need: energy, environment and space.

These facilities need large amounts of reliable, clean electricity. They also require a cool, stable climate and ready access to water to prevent overheating. Illinois’ weather, rivers and proximity to Lake Michigan provide those conditions.

Flat land and industrial sites also make it easier and cheaper to build large-scale facilities. Illinois has a lot of both.

Most of the current development is concentrated in Chicago and its suburbs, with new projects from companies such as STACK Infrastructure, Prime Data Centers and Prologis.

Aurora is home to Prologis Project Steel, with 24 completed data center buildings, and Project Cardinal, with 14. Southern and central Illinois are also proving attractive. CyrusOne is slated to host a 600-megawatt data center campus in Springfield, one of the largest proposed in the state.

Article continues here.

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

Posted in AI, Ethics, Hoffman Estates, Illinois Policy Institute, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Disconnection, Land Use, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency | Leave a Comment »

District 220 Board of Education meets Tuesday

March 2, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

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

  • FOIA Reports
  • Personnel Report
  • Consideration to Approve a Resolution Authorizing the Honorable Dismissal of Group 1 Probationary Certified Staff Due to Reduction in Force
  • Consideration to Approve 2026-27 School Fees
  • Lake County School Facilities Tax

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

Related: “Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers,” “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, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Clown Car, Cost of Living, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | Leave a Comment »

Editorial: When 20% of Illinois voters decide primary elections, democracy cowers

March 2, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Antinisha Sturgeon, right, helps her grandfather, Ben Walker, vote during the Illinois primary election on March 19, 2024, at Marshall High School in Chicago. (Vincent Alban/Chicago Tribune)

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

In many Illinois districts, the primary effectively decides the general election. So what’s likely to happen at the ballot box, knowing that more people show up to vote for president than governor in Illinois, and fewer people vote in primaries than general elections?

As we pored over the numbers for previous off-cycle primaries, we were alarmed to see that over the past four gubernatorial cycles (2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022), roughly 1 in 5 registered voters here decided the outcome.

In raw numbers, here’s how it looks: Illinois had 8,107,797 registered voters in 2022, and only 1,757,872 — less than 22% — of them voted in the primary.

The stump speech that voters — or would-be voters — get about this time of year entails platitudes about exercising rights, not sitting on the sidelines, using your voice and so on. These are fine sentiments, and we have no wish to undermine them. One of the things that makes America, America, is free and fair elections and the protections to back them up. We can vote without fear of intimidation or suppression, and if that’s ever not the case, there are many institutions, including the Tribune, that would demand justice.

So stipulated. But we’d also like to acknowledge other problems keeping folks on the sidelines.

Low turnout reflects badly upon the electorate, yes, but it also reflects poorly on the system itself. In our view, Illinois primaries are effectively decided by a small minority because too many districts are engineered to be safe, too many races go uncontested and too few voters feel their vote matters. When a district is drawn to heavily favor one party, the general election becomes a formality, and the real contest shifts to a low-turnout primary.

Too often, many voters are deprived of meaningful choice at the ballot.

Editorial continues here.

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

Investigation underway after human skeletal remains found in wooded area of forest preserve in Barrington

March 1, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Police and the medical examiner are working to identify human remains found by a visitor in a wooded area of Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve along East Dundee Road in Barrington on February 14. | Photo: Google Street View

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

Police are investigating after a visitor found human skeletal remains in a wooded area at Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve in Barrington, officials said.

The Cook County Forest Preserves Police Department responded around 2:25 p.m. on February 14 to Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve in Barrington.

The main entrance to the forest preserve is located on East Dundee Road between Barrington Road and Ela Road.

A visitor of the forest preserve reported finding possible human skeletal remains, according to Forest Preserves of Cook County Communications Manager Stacina Stagner.

Police responded and confirmed the human skeletal remains were in a wooded area at Baker’s Lake, Stagner said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office was notified and responded to the scene to take possession of the remains.

Article continues here.

Posted in Lake & McHenry County Scanner | Leave a Comment »

Crabtree Nature Center Summer hours start this morning

March 1, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Posted in Cook, County, Crabtree Nature Center, FPDCC, Property Taxes | Leave a Comment »

Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers

February 28, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Erin Chan Ding, left, and Maria Peterson are Democratic candidates for the Illinois House 52nd District seat in the 2026 primary election.

By Steve Zalusky  | Daily Herald

The Barrington Area Democratic Organization condemned attack mailers from Erin Chan Ding’s campaign for the Democratic nod in the Illinois House 52nd District primary.

The mailers altered opponent Maria Peterson’s image, placing her head on another person’s body. They also included the phrase, “When Maria Peterson runs, MAGA wins,” along with a list of her past election losses.

“These tactics do not reflect the values of our organization or the spirit of Democratic leadership in our community,” organization officials stated in a press release.

Chan Ding and Peterson are competing to challenge incumbent Republican Martin McLaughlin in the fall election. Peterson narrowly lost to McLaughlin by 47 votes in 2024 and lost by 385 votes to Republican Dan McConchie in 2022.

Peterson called the mailers “Chicago-style politics” that don’t “fit very well out here.”

Chan Ding countered, claiming Peterson distributed an attack ad first in January that “went after my character.” Chan Ding is a Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board member who was criticized by colleagues after an investigation determined she had violated district policies by using school resources, property and social media for prohibited political campaign activities.

Article continues here.

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, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Daily Herald, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb and Dumber, Dumb Bunny, Economy, Education, Elections, Ethics, FUBAR, Goat Rodeo, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cows, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Topics Of Interest, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | 3 Comments »

McLaughlin’s press conference video recording regarding Pritzker’s proposed municipal zoning powers grab posted

February 27, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Screenshot via Facebook

“Rep. McLaughlin Hosts Press Conference with Northwest Suburban Mayors – February 26, 2026

Thank you to Mayors, Paula McCombie, Debby Sosine, Eleanor Sweet McDonnell, Dominick DiMaggio, Brian Cecola, and Richard Hayes”

The roughly sixteen minute recording can be found here.

Related: “‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential zoning”

 

Posted in BACOG, Commodius Maximus, Elections, FUBAR, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lennie, Plan Commission, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Privacy, Public Safety, Real Estate, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Village Code, Zoning Board | 1 Comment »

‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential zoning

February 26, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills spoke out against Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control of residential zoning rules Thursday during a news conference in South Barrington. Flanking him are Algonquin Village President Debby Sosine, left, and South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie. | Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

By Russell Lissau | Daily herald

Saying it will increase public safety and infrastructure costs and change the aesthetics of their communities, leaders of several Northwest suburbs gathered Thursday to oppose Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to reduce local officials’ ability to control residential construction.

The proposed changes, which Pritzker unveiled during his recent State of the State address, address minimum lot sizes, residential density rules, parking requirements, inspections and other aspects of residential construction. They could increase development of apartments, condominiums, two-flats and other types of multifamily housing.

They also could allow homeowners to build additional, free-standing residential buildings on lots designed for single-family homes. Pritzker dubbed the plan Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD.

During a news conference Thursday, South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie urged legislators to reject Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed zoning reforms. Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin listens. | Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

In a news conference at her community’s village hall, South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie urged state legislators to reject the package of bills that comprise Pritzker’s plan, some of which already have been introduced. Zoning regulations exist to support property owners, McCombie said, and these proposed changes would “strip away that local control.”

The minimum residential lot in nearby Barrington Hills — an upscale community where many residents keep horses on their properties — is five acres, and the land is full of riding trails. Forcing the village board to allow smaller lots or multifamily housing “will destroy our town,” Village President Brian Cecola said (Wow! He actually showed up!).

Article continues here.

Related: “McLaughlin and Local Mayors to Discuss Pritzker’s Zoning Proposals Coming to Local Government Thursday”

Posted in BACOG, Commodius Maximus, Daily Herald, Dinky, Land Use, Lennie, Plan Commission, Politics, Press Release, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, South Barrington, Springfield, Zoning Board | 1 Comment »

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