Click here to purchase tickets to the Obama Presidential Center opening June 19.
Tickets for those 12 and above are $30 and children 3-11 are $23. Children 2 and under are free and Illinois residents are $26 for 12 and above and $15 for 3-11.
Posted in Education, Entertainment, Organizations, Politics, Unions | Leave a Comment »
Rendering of the proposed Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights. | Provided by Manica Architecture
By Fran Spielman | Chicago Sun*Times
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday mounted the legislative equivalent of a goal-line stand against the Bears’ quest for the property tax break needed to pave the way for a domed stadium in Arlington Heights.
Johnson questioned why any lawmaker from Chicago would even think about providing a massive tax break for a professional sports team valued at nearly $9 billion, while ignoring the need for what he calls progressive revenue to increase school funding and help working people struggling to make ends meet.
“If we’re asking anyone to tighten the belt, we should look at whose belt is exploding — and that’s the ultra-rich. As their bellies get fat and our people are starving, this is not the time to balance the budget off the backs of working people,” the mayor said at his weekly news conference.
“The type of tax structure that they would set up for large corporations and billionaires without a clear pathway to provide certainty as well as equity for everyday working people, I believe that’s a mismatch there. And quite frankly, the infrastructure they’re even discussing in the suburbs — those infrastructure needs have been present on the lakefront for a very long time.”
Hours before joining fellow Chicago-area mayors in Springfield, where he has had little success, Johnson made it clear that he would use whatever political muscle he has to block the so-called megaprojects bill now before the Illinois Senate after clearing the Illinois House on April 22.
Though Chicago is no longer part of the conversation to build a domed stadium needed to keep the Bears in Illinois and stave off a move to Northwest Indiana, Johnson is still holding out hope to keep the Bears in the city.
Article continues here.
Posted in Chicago Sun*Times, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb Bunny, Look For The Union Label, New Normal?, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions | Leave a Comment »
South Barrington will launch a new electronic emergency alert system June 1.
Called Everbridge, the free service will let residents know about severe weather, public safety matters, road closures and more via phone, text, email and a mobile app. Alerts are customizable based on user preferences.
To learn more and to register, visit southbarrington.org/emergency-notification-system.
Posted in Accidents, Community Alerts, South Barrington, Traffic | Leave a Comment »
Support BHS Horticulture and FFA students by participating in their Spring and Mother’s Day plant sale after school on Wednesday, May 6th!
They will be selling a variety of petunias and geraniums in hanging baskets that make great decor and gifts! Find them in front of BHS near the Main Street parking lot.
Posted in Barrington High School, Going green | Leave a Comment »
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 Reports
- Board Committee Reports: Finance Committee, Facilities Committee, Policy Committee, Legislative Committee, Equity Committee, Health Insurance Committee, Referendum Construction Steering Committee, Safety & Security Committee
- Revised Personnel Report
- Minutes
- Consideration to Approve Paper Contract
- Consideration to Approve Second Reading of Board Polic(ies)
- Consideration to Approve the Reciprocal Reporting Agreement with the Sheriff of Lake County
- Social Media Awareness and Digital Citizenship Update
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Related: “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”
Posted in Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Data Center, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Immigration, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Look For The Union Label, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | Leave a Comment »
With Gov. J.B. Pritzker stepping further onto the national stage and priming for politics outside of Illinois, let’s not forget his scandalous past.
By Lilly Rossi | Illinois Policy Institute
J.B. Pritzker’s bid for a third term as governor doesn’t seem to be the only race he has his eye on.
Pritzker, who’s up for re-election Nov. 3, is on tour building a national profile and says a bid for the White House hasn’t been “ruled out.”
While he mulls that, don’t forget the trail of scandals Pritzker has left across Illinois:
- Hiding millions of dollars in trusts in the Bahamas.
- Cited on federal wiretaps with a politician convicted of corruption.
- Removed toilets in his mansion for a $331,000 tax break. (He ended up paying the money.)
- Scrubbed internet of photo with someone accused of murder.
- Blurred the lines when giving out political contracts.
- Hypocrisy during the COVID no-travel order.
- Skirted rules to appoint brother-in-law to a political position.
Pritzker also has prioritized traveling to build his personal brand over concerning himself with his constituents in Illinois.
Here are details:
Hiding millions of dollars in trusts in the Bahamas.
While Pritzker has consistently pledged to raise taxes on the rich in Illinois, he has exempted himself.
When he was challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner for governor in 2018, the Chicago Tribune connected Pritzker to trusts in the Bahamas that were avoiding taxes. Reporting then indicated Pritzker may have avoided millions of dollars in taxes from 2008 to 2018.
At the same time, Pritzker has levied at least 57 tax and fee hikes on Illinoisans since taking office, punishing Illinois with the highest tax burden in the nation.
Article continues here.
Posted in Commodius Maximus, Deception, Elections, Ethics, Illinois Policy Institute, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Taxes | Leave a Comment »
File Photo – Six Flags Great America | Photo: Jeremy Thompson / Flickr (Creative Commons)
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
A new policy has been implemented requiring children under the age of 16 to be accompanied by an adult at all times at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee to maintain a “safe” environment.
A chaperone policy was quietly put into place last month at Six Flags Great America, as well as Hurricane Harbor Chicago.
All guests 15 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is age 21 or older for entry into the theme park or water park.
The youth guests must be accompanied by the parent or guardian for the entire duration of their visit after entering.
The policy will be enforced daily beginning at park opening. A valid government‑issued photo identification with date of birth is required for all chaperones at the time of entry.
One chaperone may accompany no more than 10 guests ages 15 or younger.
Any guest 15 years old or younger found inside the park without a chaperone will be “immediately subject to removal from the park.”
Article continues here.
Posted in Lake & McHenry County Scanner, Public Safety | Leave a Comment »
Submitted by Stillman Nature Center
Try something different this Mother’s Day: see the birds of prey at Stillman Nature Center. Meet the great horned, barn, barred and screech owls, plus a peregrine falcon and red-shouldered and broad-winged hawks, and the star of the show: a snowy owl.
Stillman will bring the birds out so they can be seen up close. Children will have a chance to dissect owl pellets. Drop by anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 10. The price is $20 per car, cash only. Stillman Nature Center is at 33 W. Penny Road, South Barrington.
Posted in Education, Entertainment, South Barrington, Stillman Nature Center, Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »
(Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald)
By Daily Herald Editorial Board
There was a lot of hand wringing and brow mopping last week over whether or how the state Senate should sign on to somewhat problematic legislation the House has approved to try to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois.
Gov. JB Pritzker offered the politically non-committal “(The goal) is what’s good for the taxpayers. Second is, we want the Bears to stay in Illinois.”
Des Plaines Democratic Sen. Laura Murphy, the assistant majority party leader, added, “There’s lots of work to be done. We’re going to take our time and analyze everything that’s in the bill. We have one chance to get this right.”
And there was more in that vein, from both chambers and both parties, all of it fine insofar as things go. But it was a House Republican whose remarks provided the most acute assessment of the situation facing the Senate — and for that matter, the whole state.
In an interview with our Marni Pyke, Barrington Hills state Rep. Martin McLaughlin observed, “Without politicians fumbling this deal locally, then in the city of Chicago, and now in Springfield for the past three years, the Chicago Bears stadium project would be roughly 80% complete by now at one-third of the price today. We would be looking at a stadium opening probably next fall. The broader $8 billion regional development would be at least halfway complete.”
The details of McLaughlin’s optimistic predictions may be argued, but his fundamental premise cannot. Lawmakers have dithered on this deal for far too long out of an inability to find a political position that accommodates both criticism of providing development assistance to a multi-billion-dollar business and enabling a transformative project that can reap millions of dollars for the state and the Chicago region.
Editorial continues here.
Posted in Daily Herald, Elections, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, Unions | Leave a Comment »
Discover the health benefits of nature through forest therapy, guided nature walks, yoga, music, art and more.
10 am to 12 pm: Forest Therapy Walk (Registration Required)
Experience a restorative Forest Therapy Walk with Navraaz Basati of Wandering Paths. Call 847-381-6592 to register.
12 pm to 3 pm: Wellness in the Woods Expo
Enjoy guided and self-guided art, music, and nature activities for all ages. Explore guided nature walks, and connect with local organizations offering resources and giveaways.
Find further info here.
Posted in Crabtree Nature Center, FPDCC, Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »
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