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Surveillance company Flock moves to increase oversight after police misuse

August 14, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

A Flock Safety camera mounted to a light pole on Aug. 3 in Beverly Hills, Calif. | Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

By Kevin Collier | NBC News

Flock Safety, the police tech company that tracks Americans’ vehicle movements through a line of cameras, announced Thursday that it would implement several new safeguards to its products.

The changes that Flock outlined include shrinking the period for how long it holds people’s movement data by default, going from one month to one week, the company said in a news release. In cases where an officer wants to hold data longer, they will be prompted to enter a case number.

To address potential police abuse of Flock’s data on people, the company also plans to fully deploy a system it began testing earlier this year, called Audit Assistance, that will lock out a user whose searches display “abnormal activity,” the release said.

A spokesperson told NBC News that the changes are meant to help address privacy concerns and to stem officer abuse of the cameras, which have prompted some cities to cancel their Flock contracts amid a national wave of vandalism against them. But the American Civil Liberties Union, a long-standing Flock critic, downplayed the new changes as minor.

“My biggest concern was and will continue to be that they are a mass surveillance company that collects billions and billions of license plate scans every month on people who have done nothing wrong,” said Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel at the ACLU.

Flock makes a range of high-tech surveillance products but is best known for its nationwide fleet of automated license plate readers, pole-mounted cameras that log cars as they pass popular roads and intersections, creating a massive database of each car’s movement, license plate number, make and model, and time of travel.

While the system has been championed by many police forces, privacy concerns have grown. Law enforcement offices that contract with Flock do not need a warrant to access travel information and can opt to share their data with local law enforcement offices, statewide or nationwide, creating a database of Americans’ real-time movements accessible to a range of police officers that spans much of the country.

Report continues here.

Related: “Flock boss admits surveillance firm took too long to act over police abuse,” “Despite ‘New’ Updates, Flock’s Creepy Cameras Remain Major Civil Liberties Threat – ACLU,” “Public pushback to Flock cameras spark variety of government responses,” “Hundreds of police departments use camera company accused of breaking state law,” “Editorial: Do those multiplying license plate readers mean Big Brother is watching?,” “Privacy concerns raised over proliferation of license plate cameras”

Posted in AI, Big Brother, Ethics, NBC News, Police Reports, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Barrington Hills Court Side Barn & Collectibles Sale – 209 Spring Creek Rd

August 13, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

209 Spring Creek
Barrington, IL 60010

Aug 14 – 9AM to 4PM
Aug 15 – 9AM to 3PM

Barrington Hills home, amazing barn , tennis court…. Home filled with collections from far and near

  • Chinoiserie
  • Antique Ching Dynasty, Elmwood kitchen
  • Asian hand carved double headed elephant
  • The Beatles anniversary edition six disc Blu-ray NIB unopened
  • Korean lacquer wood dish
  • Wooden frog guiro rasp
  • Antique Chinese Rice measuring bucket
  • Asian Modern Art
  • Six Panel Elmwood Carved Screen, C.1885 – Fujian Provice, China. Each Panel 26″x108″ High
  • Nyamwezi Couple -Iron Stick People Wall Art and much, much more.

Read the complete listing here.

Posted in Estate Sale | Leave a Comment »

Things to do Aug. 14-20: Little Bear Ribfest, Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days and more

August 13, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

Friday, Aug. 14

69th annual Sycamore Steam Show & Threshing Bee: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14-16, at the Taylor Marshall Farm, 27707 Lukens Road, off Plank Road, Sycamore. Hosted by the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club. All of the engines whistle at noon. Parade at 1:30 p.m. daily. See steam engines, gas engines, antique car display, World War II display, lawn and garden tractor display, windmills, and demos on threshing/baling, corn shelling and flour mills. Also, fresh produce, flea market, FFA zoo, live music and Fay’s BBQ. $10, free for kids younger than 12. sycamoresteamshow.com.

48th Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Sponsored by the Midwest Bonsai Society, one of the largest regional shows in the nation featuring over 80 world-class trees from across the Midwest and beyond. Thirty vendors selling trees, tools, pots, stands, scrolls, soil/fertilizers, etc. Workshops, demonstrations, bonsai tour, tree raffle and society gear available. Included in general admission. midwestbonsai.org.

Cary Children’s Entertainment: Noon Friday, Aug. 14, at Lions Park Rotary Bandshell, 1200 Silver Lake Road, Cary. Wendy and DB will perform. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Free. carypark.com

The International Gem & Jewelry Show: Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, 1551 Thoreau Drive North, Schaumburg. Vendors of gems, jewelry, jewelry making equipment, precious metals, imports and more. Children under 9 not permitted. $6 online, $8 at the door. intergem.com

Lake Zurich Farmers Market: 3-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at Henry J. Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Fresh produce, baked goods, sauces, spices, honey, cheese, eggs, meats and more. With live music, pop-up events, kids’ activities and more. Free. lakezurich.org/366/Farmers-Market.

Kurt Russell is one of the scheduled celebrity guests at Fan Expo Chicago, Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14-16, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. (Scott A Garfitt/AP)

Fan Expo Chicago: 4-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. Comic and pop culture convention featuring celebrity guests, cosplay, comics, gaming, anime, events, vendors and more. Scheduled guests include Kurt Russell, Mel Gibson, Jared Padalecki, Elijah Wood, Karl Urban, Mr. T, John Carpenter, Miranda Otto and more. Tickets start at $41 per day, $89 for three days. fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago

West Dundee French Market: 4-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at The Pump House, 98 Oregon Ave., West Dundee. Fresh produce, honey, greens, soaps, breads, cheeses, flowers, artwork, wearables and more. wdundee.org.

The Little Bear Ribfest in Vernon Hills offers ribs and live music Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14-15, in the Century Park Arboretum. (John Starks/Daily Herald)

Little Bear Ribfest: 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14-15, in the Century Park Arboretum, 1001 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills. Local rib vendors, beer, wine and bourbon-tasting. Music lineup: Friday: Kickin’ It with Carol Line Dancing at 5 p.m., McKenzie O’Brien Band at 7 p.m. and Vegas McGraw at 9 p.m.; Saturday: A Patch of Blues at 5 p.m.; Stefan Hillesheim at 7 p.m.; and The Grady Experience at 9 p.m. $6, free for kids 5 and younger; $75 VIP experience includes all-you-can-eat rib buffet from 6-9 p.m. Saturday (must be purchased in advance). vhparkdistrict.org/little-bear-ribfest.

FRIDAYS ROCK! & Roll in Meadows: 6-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, in Kimball Hill Park, 3286 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows. Performances include No Limit Sound at 6 p.m. and Motown Nation at 8 p.m. Free. cityrm.org

Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days runs Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14-16, on State Street in downtown Hampshire. (Paul Valade/Daily Herald)

Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days: 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, Aug. 14; 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Aug. 15; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, on State Street in downtown Hampshire. Nightly entertainment, carnival, beer garden, food vendors, craft show and more. Touch-A-Truck from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, parade at noon along State Street, free corn roast starting at 1 p.m. and ice cream-eating contest at 3 p.m. Kids’ activities throughout the weekend. Music lineup: Friday: Hillbilly Rockstarz at 6:30 p.m. and Semple at 9:30 p.m.; Saturday: Trending Time at 1:30 p.m., Back Country Roads at 5:30 p.m. and Modern Day Romeos after the 9:15 p.m. fireworks; and Sunday: Whiskey Romance Band at 1:30 p.m. Free. hcccd.com.

Carpentersville Movies in the Park: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at Carpenter Park, 275 Maple Ave., Carpentersville. A rotating lineup of local food vendors and a movie starting at dusk. Free popcorn, snow cones and cotton candy from the Carpentersville Clergy Commission. Free. cville.org. cville.org/calendar.aspx.

Saturday, Aug. 15

Dundee Depot Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at The Depot, 319 N. River St., East Dundee. Vintage finds, handmade goods, bakery goods and locally crafted products. Free. eastdundee.net

Shakespeare on the Grass: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the downtown gazebo, 201-261 S. Walnut St., Itasca. Overshadowed Theatrical Productions in partnership with the village of Itasca presents Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Food trucks on site. Free with registration: overshadowed.org.

Printer’s Row Art Fest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16, at Necessary & Sufficient Coffee — Printers Row, 728 S. Dearborn St., Chicago. 95 juried artists from across the country. Free. amdurproductions.com/printers-row-art-fest-new.

Wine and Art Walk: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16, along Meadow Lake Trail at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Juried art show features photography, woodturning, jewelry, painting, ceramics, fused glass, fiber arts, and more artworks created by about 70 artists in the Midwest and beyond. Included with Arboretum general admission. mortonarb.org.

BACC Family Fest: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, in Citizens Park, 511 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington. Kids’ activities, giveaways, magic show, music, food, entertainment and more. Free. barringtonchamber.com.

“I Saw It at Lords Park Zoo — Animals From the Zoo’s Early Years”: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Lords Park Zoo, 325 Hiawatha Drive, Elgin. Lords Park Zoo, opened in 1895, was once home to bears, snakes and even a lion. Visit the modern Tefft Farm Zoo and make crafts to remember past zoo residents. Elgin Area Historical Society program for kids 3-8. elginil.gov

Morton Arboretum walking play: 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16, starting at Thornhill Shelter at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” runs approximately 90 minutes and includes a 1.5-mile walk, with no intermission. Suitable for all ages, with some crass humor and romantic situations. $27 for 18 and older, $17 for kids 2-17. mortonarb.org

Celebrate the career of Olivia Newton-John with “Always Olivia” with Annie Aiello Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Raue Center For The Arts in Crystal Lake. (Raue Center For The Arts)

Always Olivia: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Raue Center For The Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Olivia Newton-John tribute starring Annie Aiello featuring opening act Jack Aiello. $31.50-$65. rauecenter.org

Summer Breeze Concert Series: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. 16 Candles will perform. Free. parkfun.com.

Sunday, Aug. 16

Crystal Lake Farmers Market+ At The Dole: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, on the front lawn of the Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, beverages, food trucks and more. farmersmarketatthedole.org.

Honey Fest: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at Heritage Farm at Spring Valley, 201 S. Plum Grove Road, Schaumburg. Honey tastings, historic demonstrations, interactive displays and bee-inspired crafts. Honey-themed treats, beeswax crafts and beverages for purchase. Free. parkfun.com.

Monarch Fair: 12:30-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Main Beach Pavilion, 300 Lakeshore Drive, Crystal Lake. Learn about monarchs, with butterfly and pollinator plants information, a monarch art show, science and art activities, and information from 16 exhibitors and more. A Community Band Showcase at 1 p.m. Free. hackmatacknwr.org

Elgin’s Shakespeare in the Park: 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Lords Park picnic shelter, 100 Oakwood Blvd., and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Wing Park band shell, 1010 Wing St., Elgin. Goodly Creatures Theatre’s annual production features the comedy “As You Like It.” Bring chairs, blankets and snacks. Rain dates: 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at Wing Park. Free. goodlycreatures.com.

Monday, Aug. 17

Plein Air St. Charles: Monday to Sunday, Aug. 17-23. St. Charles Arts Council’s weeklong event welcomes 55 artists from across the U.S. who will set up outside, all around town, to paint picturesque scenes of St. Charles. There also will be activities for the public to participate in, including a plein air demonstration, a “Quick Paint” competition, Mindful Creativity for area children, and a Writers Event. Free. stcharlesil.gov.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Wauconda Cruise Nights: 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Route 176 and West Mill Street, Wauconda. Cars on display and family-friendly activities. Free. waucondacruisenight.com.

Wednesday, Aug. 19

Arbor Evenings: 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Live music on Frost Hill. Opens at 5:15 p.m. The Throwbacks will perform. Cocktails, wine, beer, water and other beverages, along with food truck options, will be available for purchase. $15 for 13 and older; $5 for kids 4-12, and free for kids 3 and younger. Tickets: mortonarb.org.

Car Fun on 21: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, on Church and Cook streets, Libertyville. Classic car show featuring cars, trucks and motorcycles 25 years and older, music and food. Free. mainstreetlibertyville.org.

Bensenville Music in the Park: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at Village Hall Lawn, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville. The Boy Band Night will perform. Classic car cruise night begins at 6 p.m. weekly at Green and Center streets. Free. bensenville.il.us.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Barrington Thursday Night Out: 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at the BMO Lot, 210 W. Station St., Barrington. Local vendors, classic cars, live music, family activities and more. Free. barrington-il.gov/events/thursday-night-out

Geneva Classic Car Show: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, around the historic Kane County Courthouse, off Fourth and James streets, Geneva. Music, food, and vote for your favorite make and model. To display your vehicle, arrive after 4:30 p.m. and find a spot in the lot behind the courthouse. Free. genevachamber.com/events/classic-car-show.

Thursday Nights Live: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at Wheeling Town Center, 351 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling. Free concerts in the plaza with food and beverage options from local restaurants. Funk Tonic will perform. Free. thewheelingtowncenter.com/events.

Sounds of Summer Concert Series: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, at Harmony Park, 7 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. The Disco Circus will perform. Free. vah.com/explore/sounds_of_summer_concerts.php.

Summer Sounds on the Green Concert Series: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, Heartache Tonight will perform. Food and beverages for sale. Free. hoffmanestatesarts.com/summer-concert-series

Ongoing

Dinos! at Brookfield Zoo Chicago: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 25 at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. See 35 life-sized dinosaurs and more. $20.95-$29.95 and free for kids 2 and younger. brookfieldzoo.org/events

Bristol Renaissance Faire: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day through Sept. 7 at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, 12550 120th Ave., Kenosha, Wisconsin. 16th-century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music, characters and more. $48, $45 for 62 and older and military with ID, $23 for kids 5-12, and free for kids 4 and younger. renfair.com/bristol.

Find much more here.

Posted in Education, Entertainment | Leave a Comment »

Reminder: Route 59 in North Barrington scheduled to close today

August 13, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

“Route 59 from Cuba Road to Route 22 in North Barrington will be closed to traffic for more than a month beginning Thursday, Aug. 13, through Sept. 15.

The closure is necessary to replace the large box culvert under the highway and is part of the $2.17 million GHO Stormwater Drainage Project, designed to address 20 years of flooding in the area. The detour route is Route 59 to Cuba Road to Ela Road to Route 12 to Route 22.

Motorists should allow extra travel time. Visit northbarrington.org for more information about the stormwater drainage project.”

Source

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Daily Herald, IDOT, Lake, Road construction, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Flock camera map: How many are in your neighborhood?

August 12, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

A Flock Safety camera is shown mounted to a light pole on August 03, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

By Spencer Gustafson, Alix Martichoux | WGN9 News

Flock Safety, a surveillance equipment company, says it partners with more than 5,000 law enforcement agency partners across 6,000 communities. Is your city one of them (answered here)?

The Flock cameras are solar-powered license plate readers that collect data as they record. Agencies that partner with Flock can then search the database for license plate numbers, car make and models, or identifying features like bumper stickers.

Proponents argue the cameras help law enforcement solve crimes, but critics say they data could be misused to track anyone, even those not accused of crimes, with little oversight.

“They’re just collecting data as an active surveillance system, and every car that passes through, the data is collected from that car license plate, using AI. They make a vehicle fingerprint of the car that includes distinguishing features, make, model, color, bumper stickers, roof racks, all these different things,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs in an interview with NewsNation.

“And then it’s retained for sometimes 30 days or more and then in a searchable database, which really turns the whole concept of a license plate reader on its head in that they’re not looking for one specific vehicle or specific vehicles. They’re just pulling everything in.”

Founder Garrett Langley said his surveillance equipment manufacturing company started out of frustration with crime rates in his home city of Atlanta.

“Crime felt too easy to get away with,” Langley said during a TED talk in April. “It didn’t make sense that you could steal someone’s car … or you could kill someone and have a 50 percent chance of getting away with it. … So I did what engineers do. I built a license plate-reading camera.”

How can I check the location of Flock cameras?

According to Flock, nearly 100,000 cameras are in place across more than 6,000 communities in 49 states. The company, however, doesn’t have a detailed list of camera locations publicly available.

That’s where DeFlock comes in. The organization says it wants to raise awareness about automatic license plate readers and “the threats it poses to personal privacy and civil liberties.”

DeFlock maintains a crowd-sourced map showing the alleged location of Flock cameras around the U.S. “Camera locations come from volunteers and the OpenStreetMap community, not a private company or government agency,” DeFlock says. Nexstar could not independently verify the camera locations.

You can zoom into the map below (ACTUALLY, to open the map below in a new tab, click here) to explore the reported locations of cameras in your neighborhood, according to DeFlock’s crowdsourced data.

The map includes cameras made by other tech companies, not just Flock.

Report continues along with video and survey here.

Related: “What are Flock cameras and where are they in the Chicago area? What to know”

Posted in AI, Big Brother, Data Center, Privacy, Public Safety, Transparency, WGN9 | Leave a Comment »

Barrington Hills Park District (Riding Cult) meets tonight

August 12, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult of Barrington Hills will hold their monthly meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 6:00 PM. Some topics on their agenda include:

  • Donation by Jenny Drecol Kalaway Cup to replace the BHPD bleachers
  • Conservation Gathering with Trail Ride, Oct. 24

A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.

Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Countryside Elementary School, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, Transparency, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Juliana Stratton Takes Chinese Communist Cash While Denouncing Dark Money

August 11, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

By: Mark Glennon* | Wirepoints

Juliana Stratton, Illinois’s lieutenant governor and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, spent this campaign season lecturing voters on campaign finance reform and keeping dark money out of politics. “I’ll work tirelessly to end the corrupting influence of special interest money in [politics],” she has said, and “I think that we have to end dark money. I think that is really infecting all campaigns at this point.” That message has been central to her political identity.

But that hasn’t stopped her from cashing checks from a man who has been repeatedly honored by his company as an “Outstanding [Chinese] Communist Party Member” and credibly described as an influence peddler for China.

The hypocrisy is brazen, but so is Stratton’s indifference to what are called Chinese “subnational incursions” – Chinese influence or operations inserted directly into American government –the battle against which has been a top federal priority under both the Biden and Trump Administrations. Questions of legality loom as well or, if they don’t, holes in our campaign donation laws are apparent and the spirit of the law is being shattered.

The man is China-born Pin Ni, who has been living in America for some 30 years. Among the positions he holds is president of Wanxiang America and chairman of Karma Automotive, both U.S. subsidiaries of Wanxiang Group, a China-based conglomerate. During the current campaign cycle, Ni has given $52,000 to Stratton’s campaign. Ni has been a prolific political contributor across America, primarily to Democrats but not exclusively.

Those central facts about Ni and how he operates were described in a Washington Free Beacon column last week and multiple earlier articles about other political contributions that have appeared in Newsweek and the Washington Examiner, among others. Here is what they reported:

Based on the facts alleged in those articles, Ni’s CCP allegiance is neither trivial nor a fringe theory. Wanxiang’s own corporate materials from last year state that Ni is a CCP member, and the company has named him an “Outstanding Communist Party Member” fifteen separate times. We can find no indication that he has resigned from the party.

Lu Weiding, who now runs Wanxiang and is Ni’s brother-in-law, has said flatly: “Everyone here is a Communist Party member…. Wanxiang’s hallmark is to promote cadres from among its members and recruit party members from among its cadres.” Xi Jinping himself praised Wanxiang’s founder for a company that “always actively does what our Party committees and governments at all levels advocate.”

CCP members are personally obligated to advance the party and its agenda. Among those obligations, as stated in the party’s constitution, are to be “ready to make any personal sacrifices,” put “the interests of the Party and the people above everything else,” execute the Party’s decisions” and “accept any job and actively fulfill any task assigned them by the Party.”

Is there some quid pro quo attached to Ni’s giving? Decide for yourself based on experience.

According to the Washington Examiner, Ni gave Mikie Sherrill’s (D-NJ) gubernatorial race $60,000 and her political action committee another $5,800. Sherrill refused to vote on the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, a bill to cut the flow of lethal, Chinese-manufactured drugs. She also voted against the DETERRENT Act, a bill to curb the CCP’s influence over America’s higher education.

Article continues here.

*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.

 

Posted in Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, Illinois State Board of Elections, Taxes, Wirepoints | Leave a Comment »

Village Adjudication Hearing(s) today

August 11, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The monthly Village Adjudication Hearing(s) is scheduled for today at 11 AM in the MacArthur Board Room.

Posted in Adjudication Hearing, Village Attorney, Village Code, Village Government | Leave a Comment »

What are Flock cameras and where are they in the Chicago area? What to know

August 10, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Flock camera/Shutterstock

By Alex Dvorak | NBC 5 Chicago

If you’ve heard about Flock cameras lately, you’re not alone.

The controversial technology has been at the center of debate in recent years, with some touting the technology and others questioning what it means for privacy.

The cameras have been the target of criticism from Illinois officials, but they remain present around numerous suburbs.

Here’s what to know:

What are Flock cameras?

Flock cameras are license plate readers operated by Flock Safety, the nation’s largest automated license plate reader system.

“Flock is designed to help authorized users find relevant evidence for investigations without compromising safety and compliance,” the company’s website states.

What is the debate over Flock?

Advocates of the system said it was designed to aid law enforcement by capturing vehicles on camera and using those images to help with investigations.

“We build technology that helps law enforcement, businesses, schools, and communities find relevant information, respond faster, and make better-informed decisions,” Flock’s website states.

But while the systems are touted as a tool for good, some question the privacy concerns surrounding such technology.

“Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are a powerful surveillance tool increasingly being purchased and deployed across many communities and on expressways across Illinois. It is clear that for-profit manufacturers and operators of these cameras systems are aggressively marketing them to law enforcement and elected officials as a means of reducing violent crime,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois said in a statement earlier this year. “While some observers question the claim of reducing crime, there is little doubt that these cameras systems require careful attention to address privacy concerns. But many communities are deploying these systems without appropriate privacy policies or practices for protecting personal information.”

Those concerns came to a head last year when Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the camera company allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to access reader data in violation of state law.

Report continues here.

Posted in AI, Big Brother, News Media, Privacy, Public Safety, Transparency | Leave a Comment »

83% of online commenters oppose proposed toll hikes

August 10, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The Illinois Tollway board could vote as soon as next week on a proposal that would include the largest passenger toll increase in state history.

By Ethan Soifer | Illinois Policy Institute

Public commenters online overwhelmingly oppose the Illinois Tollway’s proposed rate hikes.

Of the nearly 9,000 online responses received from July 12 to 24, approximately 7,500 opposed the proposal, 1,000 supported it, and 500 were neutral. The Illinois Policy Institute obtained the results via a Freedom of Information Act request.

The public comment period has closed, but you can still let the board and Gov. J.B. Pritzker know you oppose the hike here.

 

The tollway board could vote as soon as next week on the largest passenger toll hike in Illinois history. The plan would increase fees by 57% for passengers, costing a commuter who passes through two tolls a day for 50 weeks $225 more in 2027.

Commercial vehicles would pay 30% more in toll fees, which could increase the price of consumer goods transported through Northern Illinois.

Starting in 2029, automatic inflation-linked increases would be imposed every two years without additional board votes.

Report continues here.

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Commodius Maximus, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Fat Bastard, IDOT, Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Tollway, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions | Leave a Comment »

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