The Equestrian Commission/Riding Club will be meeting this evening at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.
Posted in Agendas, Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, BraveHearts, Commercial Horse Boarding, County, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, Goat Rodeo, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Massbach Hounds, McHenry, Open Meetings Act, Organizations, Overhead, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, The Other Half, Unions, Well Water Quality | Leave a Comment »
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) on Feb. 26. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Editorial Board | The Washington Post
It takes a long time to kill a city, and the bigger the city, the longer it takes. But Chicago’s “public servants” have done a fine job speeding up the process.
The Windy City was forced this week to put off a planned sale of $292 million in tax-exempt municipal bonds, part of an $800 million debt-service package. Authorities blamed volatility caused by the Iran war, but other bonds were priced without incident.
The truth is it’s never a good time to float the kind of debt Chicago wants. The city seeks to structure bonds to make no payments at all — not even interest — for the first couple years. That obviously raises the overall cost of borrowing.
The city has played this same old game for decades. Keep public-sector unions happy by punting obligations onto future taxpayers. Cover the snowballing costs with more borrowing and short-term fixes, such as the city’s 2008 decision to sell off 75 years worth of parking meter revenue for a one-time, $1.15 billion payment.
Pension payments and debt service now consume almost 40 percent of the city’s operating budget. Seven of the country’s 10 worst-funded pensions are in Chicago. The best of those, the Chicago TranChicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) on Feb. 26. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)sit pension, has roughly half the assets needed to pay promised benefits. Those in the worst condition, covering police and firefighters, are now less than 20 percent funded because of a “sweetener” rammed through the state legislature last year.
Last month, two ratings agencies downgraded the city’s debt. The school district’s bonds are already rated as junk. The city council’s laudable rebellion in the fall against the feckless budget proposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), a former organizer for the teachers union, was a hopeful sign, but the modest tweaks they forced him to accept in December won’t change the fiscal trajectory.
Article continues here.
Posted in Cook, County, Look For The Union Label, Pension Funding, Politics, Taxes, Unions, Washington Post, Who Cuts Your Hair? | Leave a Comment »
Joyce and David McArdle were recognized for their restoration of the Louis B. Fredrick House with the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy Spirit Award
Fredrick House south view
Story By Lisa Stamos | Quintessential Barrington
Images By Linda M. Barrett Photography
Barrington Hills is home to one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s final privately-owned home commissions before his death in April 1959, and likely the only site there he visited in person. Affluent interior designer Louis B. Fredrick owned a 10-acre property west of the Village of Barrington for which Wright was hired. There was tension, as Fredrick rejected the first two house designs by Wright. Then America’s foremost architect was dropped, another architect hired, and then Wright was brought back to design and build the house, named after its first owner.
Wright’s organic approach to architectural design shifted to Usonian after his Prairie style and Japanese influences. Usonian principles feature integration into the land, use of natural materials, strong horizontal lines, and long bands of windows to capture changing light. His genius was the ability to study geological contours, vegetation, light, wind, and other elements and perfectly place the building so that it appears to grow from the site, rather than sit upon it.
The Fredrick House completion in 1957 is synonymous with the formation of the Village of Barrington Hills, which happened the same year. Both efforts recognize the importance of preserving natural settings and a reverence for the outdoors. Forward-thinking residents forming the 29-sq. mile Village of Barrington Hills incorporated with zoning that preserved open space and offered room for their equestrian and outdoor sporting lifestyles as the post-war rush to develop suburbs was underway.
A Heart for Preservation
Joyce and David McArdle met one summer while he was painting walls at his father’s Pheasant Run Resort. David grew up watching his father Edward’s vision prosper as the iconic destination in their hometown of St. Charles, Illinois. Joyce was a young teenager visiting the resort from Northwest Chicago. The rest is a family history of envisioning, developing, and preserving properties—both commercial, residential, and of note, Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses.
While dating, the couple often visited Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park and River Forest. Once married and ready to start a family, they learned that the 1901 Frank (F.B.) Henderson House was for sale in Elmhurst. Both being attorneys working for their property development firm, the two got to work restoring the home while there, from 1988 to 1994.
“In 1994, we commissioned E. Fay Jones to design and build a home for us. [Jones was a Wright protégé.] Since Fay did not design too many homes, we flew out to meet him in Arkansas. He was intrigued by the fact that we wanted to design and build a home with him after we lived in a Wright home. The home in Barrington Hills took two years to build, and we lived there for 20 years,” David said. Daughters Abigail and Amelia were raised there. The equestrian lifestyle influence evolved to developing Old Barrington Estates and successful equestrian professions for both women, who spend time in Wellington, Florida.
Posted in Quintessential Barrington, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights | Leave a Comment »
A driver was cited after an SUV and a box truck collided, sending one vehicle into a railroad crossing gate along the Metra Union Pacific Northwest line at Main Street and Cook Street in Barrington Monday afternoon. | Photo: Omar El Plebe
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
A driver was cited after crashing into a truck and then colliding into a railroad crossing gate, causing Metra train traffic to be temporarily halted, in Barrington, police said.
The Barrington Police Department responded around 12 p.m. Monday to the intersection of Main Street and Cook Street in Barrington for a vehicle crash.
Officers arrived and found a two-vehicle crash in the intersection, with one car into a railroad crossing gate.
A driver was cited after an SUV and a box truck collided, sending one vehicle into a railroad crossing gate along the Metra Union Pacific Northwest line at Main Street and Cook Street in Barrington Monday afternoon. | Photo: Omar El Plebe
The Metra Police Department was notified and also responded to the scene due to the train equipment being involved.
The incident happened just northwest of the Barrington Metra station along the Union Pacific Northwest line.
Barrington Deputy Police Chief Lori Allsteadt said the crash involved a BMW X5 SUV and a Freightliner M2 truck.
A driver was cited after an SUV and a box truck collided, sending one vehicle into a railroad crossing gate along the Metra Union Pacific Northwest line at Main Street and Cook Street in Barrington Monday afternoon. | Photo: Omar El Plebe
An investigation showed the BMW was traveling southbound on Cook Street attempting to cross Main Street to continue south.
The Freightliner, driven by a 39-year-old Chicago man, was traveling eastbound on Main Street from Hough Street when it collided with the BMW, Allsteadt said.
The BMW, driven by a 65-year-old Chicago man, then continued after the impact and struck the railroad gate pole.
A driver was cited after an SUV and a box truck collided, sending one vehicle into a railroad crossing gate along the Metra Union Pacific Northwest line at Main Street and Cook Street in Barrington Monday afternoon. | Photo: Omar El Plebe
Article continues here.
Posted in Lake & McHenry County Scanner, METRA | Leave a Comment »
Photo provided by Kathy Thalji.
A monarch butterfly dips low over a patch of purple coneflowers. A goldfinch clings to a seedhead in late fall. Beneath the surface, roots stretch deep into the soil, catching rain before it rushes into storm drains. These could be descriptions of land in the Forest Preserves. But they also can be about one of the more than 150 backyards, schoolyards or community gardens in Cook County that have been certified through the Forest Preserves’ Conservation@Home program.
Launched in Cook County in 2016 in partnership with University of Illinois Extension, the program offers residents, schools and businesses a roadmap for turning everyday landscapes into critical habitat. A yard, a parkway or a planter box all have an impact.
“We were looking for ways to connect and engage with more people. Home and community gardeners have real potential to create habitats our native species need to thrive. And participants can see and understand the importance of their home as part of a larger ecosystem,” says Jacqui Ulrich, director of Conservation & Experiential Programming.
Native plants are the foundation. “When you have native plants in your yard, these plants have already adapted to our climate conditions and soil,” says Lorrie Ward, a naturalist at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center. That means fewer chemicals are needed and less watering once the plants are established. With deeper roots, often several inches longer than common ornamentals, native plants help absorb rainwater and reduce runoff into sewer systems.
Just as important, native plants feed wildlife, providing pollen, nectar and seeds that support butterflies, moths, bees and birds. “When you include plants like purple coneflower in your garden, you’re going to start seeing butterflies in the spring and summer, as well as American goldfinches in the fall. You’re providing them food throughout the seasons,” Ward says.
Collectively, these gardens create corridors. They form small but meaningful microhabitats that enable animals to move through neighborhoods, stopping to rest, forage or nest on their way to larger natural areas. In heavily urban locales like Cook County, that patchwork matters.
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to turn your yard, school garden, or business landscape into a thriving habitat, Conservation@Home makes it simple to begin with a few straightforward steps. First, explore the program criteria and application online. You can find guidance for residential, school and community sites on the University of Illinois-Extension Conservation@Home page.
From there, fill out the application for your property type. For homes, it asks basic information about your landscape and what native plants or conservation features you’ve already added.
Once your application is submitted, staff review it and offer resources if your yard isn’t quite ready yet. If it looks good, you’ll be invited to schedule a property evaluation with a trained Master Gardener or Master Naturalist who evaluate sites, offer consultations and help with garden design. They’ll look for key elements like native flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees, efforts to manage invasive species, water conservation practices like rain gardens or barrels, and wildlife-friendly features.
Importantly, native does not mean unruly. The program’s checklist includes maintenance standards, so gardens remain intentional and cared for. Participants do not have to give up favorite tulips or peonies. Native species can be blended with beloved ornamentals. The goal is progress, not perfection. If your yard meets the criteria, you’ll earn a Conservtion@Home certification and sign you can proudly display.
Native plant sales each spring, offered in partnership with West Cook Wild Ones, make it easier to get started, with curated kits for sunny yards, shady corners and even parkways. The 2026 online sale is scheduled for March 15 through May 15. And if the $50 certification fee is a barrier, don’t hesitate to take advantage of free workshops and design resources offered by the program and partners. For those unsure where to begin, Ulrich offers simple advice: “Start small,” she says. Ward adds, “Pay attention to how much sun and moisture your space receives. Choose one native plant you love and build from there.”
Conservation@Home is a program of The Conservation Foundation and coordinated in partnership with University of Illinois Extension. Conservation@Home is available in the Barrington area through a partnership with the Barrington Area Conservation Trust.
Posted in BACT, FPDCC, Going green, Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »
Illinois’s governor has given at least $5 million to a group backing his lieutenant governor and upsetting the Congressional Black Caucus. | Eileen T. Meslar / Chicago Tribune/Zuma Press
By John McCormick | Wall Street Journal
CHICAGO—Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s deep financial involvement in his state’s U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday has angered potential allies for his possible 2028 presidential bid.
The billionaire is helping finance a multimillion-dollar barrage of ads to boost Juliana Stratton, his lieutenant governor, in a race that is also testing Pritzker’s political clout in a state where he has leveraged his wealth to dominate the Democratic Party.
The contest has turned sharply negative in its closing weeks, while revealing divisions within the party over how progressive the Democratic brand should be. It has also become a debate about the influence of outside money.
Pritzker’s involvement has especially angered the Congressional Black Caucus, an influential party group backing one of its own, Rep. Robin Kelly (D., Ill.). Both Stratton and Kelly are Black.
“His behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us,” Rep. Yvette Clarke (D., N.Y.), the CBC’s leader, said in a statement also critical of the governor for trying to “tip the scales” in a primary.
Black voter support is critical in Democratic presidential primaries. Clarke declined an interview, while Pritzker recently told reporters he has a proven record of supporting nonwhite candidates.
“I would like a Black woman to represent us in the United States Senate. I just want the best person. She happens to be a Black woman,” he said. “I stand with communities of color across the state and with candidates who are running for public office.”
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, taking a selfie, has stressed her progressive leanings. | Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images
Article continues here.
Posted in Clown Car, ComEd Four, Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fat Bastard, Illinois State Board of Elections, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, Wall Street Journal | Leave a Comment »
Police and the medical examiner return to Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve along East Dundee Road in Barrington on February 27 to conduct a secondary search after human remains were found by a visitor in a wooded area of the forest preserve on February 14. | Photos: Nick Rusin
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
Officials say investigators have recovered more human skeletal remains just under two weeks after a visitor found remains in a wooded area at Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve in Barrington.
The Cook County Forest Preserves Police Department responded around 2:25 p.m. on February 14 to Baker’s Lake Nature Preserve in Barrington.
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.
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. Additional remains were found on February 27 during a second search. | Photo: Google Street View
Stagner said in an update on Wednesday that the Forest Preserves Police coordinated and led a second search at the site on February 27 in relation to the same case to locate any possible additional skeletal remains.
The February 27 search was to expand the search area to account for the possibility that environmental factors, such as weather or wildlife, could have caused relocation of any remains.
Additional remains were located and turned over to the medical examiner’s office.
Article continues here.
Posted in FPDCC, Lake & McHenry County Scanner | Leave a Comment »
There was no mention of the data center discussions which began in October in President Cecola’s quarterly Village Newsletter distributed last week. So much for transparency.
Last week we published a series of editorials to enlighten residents on the, “110 Acre AI data center campus pitched to Village Board.” We referenced Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) records we obtained, and several people have asked if they might obtain a copy.
Those records we were provided, edited only to eliminate redundancy such as multiple copies of the “Data Center Overview,” can be found here.
Related: “Do you trust our Board of Trustees? We don’t. But you decide for yourself once we have finished. (Part 3),” “Do you trust our Board of Trustees? We don’t. But you decide for yourself once we have finished. (Part 2),” “Do you trust our Board of Trustees? We don’t. But you decide for yourself once we have finished. (Part 1),” “7 things to know about Illinois data centers,” “Data Center group concerned over pause,” “110 Acre AI data center campus pitched to Village Board”
Posted in Agendas, AI, Audio Recordings, Clown Car, Data Center, Deception, Dumb and Dumber, Ethics, FOIA, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Disconnection, Minutes, Newsletter, OMA, One Barrington Hills, OP/Ed, Open Meetings Act, Plan Commission, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Simple Minds, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transcripts, Transparency, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Government, Village President, Zoning Board | Leave a Comment »
ShamROCK the Fox kicks off Friday
Friday, March 13
ShamROCK the Fox: 5-11 p.m. Friday, March 13; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 14; and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at Miller Point Park, 1202 N. Riverside Drive, McHenry. Heated festival tent with live music, food trucks and family activities. Fox River dyeing at 10 a.m. Saturday, the ShamROCK the Fox Parade at noon Saturday, and a fireworks finale at 7 p.m. Sunday. Music lineup: on Friday, Members Only (1980s tribute) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Rumor Hazit from 9-11 p.m.; on Saturday, The Messengers from 12:30-2:30 p.m., The Abby Kay Band from 3:15-5:15 p.m., Southbound from 6-8 p.m. and Beyond the Blonde from 9-11 p.m.; and on Sunday, Jess Irish Piano Bar from noon to 2 p.m. and Fast Times from 5-7 p.m. Free. naturallymchenrycounty.com.
Saturday, March 14
Buffalo Creek Brewing in Long Grove goes green for its annual St. Paddy’s Shindig Saturday, March 14. There will be green beer flowing all day, with the party kicking off at 9 a.m. with authentic Full Irish Bunnies (a Pullman loaf filled with bangers, bacon, mushrooms and English beans and topped with an egg). Irish folk dancing from McNulty’s School of Irish Dance and live music from New Vintage Irish Strings will keep you entertained.
Breakfast with the Bunny: 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Cary Park District Community Center, 255 Briargate Road, Cary. Family-friendly pancake breakfast and Easter egg coloring. Bring a camera. $29 for residents and $44 for nonresidents; free for kids younger than 1. carypark.com.
St. Patrick’s Party: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at The Quarry Cable Park & Grille, 5517 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake. Sixth annual family-friendly celebration features Irish festivities including a minimarket, fire pits and cornhole. Traditional Irish bagpiper from 11:30 a.m. to noon; live music from Jimmy Marquis from noon to 1:15 p.m. and 1:45-3:30 p.m.; and the Rebecca McCarthy School of Dance Irish Dancers from 1:15-1:45 p.m. $5. thequarrycablepark.com.
Join in the shenanigans at the 14th annual Durty Nellie’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Saturday, March 14, in Palatine. It begins with a traditional Irish breakfast from 8:30-10:30 a.m., followed at 11 a.m. by the annual Durty St. Pat’s Parade, which steps off at Wood and Oak Streets and ends at Durty Nellie’s. The after party will kick off at noon featuring traditional Irish fare, music, dancing and more.
St. Patrick’s Celebration at The Dole: 2-11 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at The Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Family-friendly festivities including appearances by a leprechaun, traditional bagpipers and Irish dance troupes from 2-5 p.m.; live music from The Lilies of the Midwest from 2-3:30 p.m.; acoustic performance by Brett Gaertner from 4-6 p.m.; The King of Mars from 6:30-8:30 p.m.; and a 21+ After Party in Lou’s Lounge featuring DJ Dave of Entertainment Media from 8:30-11 p.m. Open to all ages until 7 p.m.; 21 and older after 7 p.m. Food and beverages for purchase. Free, but reserve tickets in advance. thedole.org.
“An Irish Heartbeat — A Tribute to Van Morrison”: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Soundtrack for a Generation presents a 10-piece band led by singer and harpist Derrick Procell. The show covers Van Morrison’s career, from soul and jazz to Celtic folk. Tickets start at $53. rauecenter.org.
The Hampton Social is starting St. Patrick’s Day weekend with daytime drink specials until 5 p.m. Saturday, March 14. Specials include half off well drinks, $6 Stella Artois and Michelob Ultra and $10 Jameson shots. They have suburban locations in South Barrington, Burr Ridge and Skokie.
Tuesday, March 17
The Greggory in South Barrington will be serving up Irish flavors Tuesday, March 17, adding Guinness stew and a hearty corned beef sandwich to the mix, in addition to the signature corned beef bites from the bar bites menu. They’ll also be pouring green beer, Irish coffee, Guinness cans and Bushmills Irish whiskey flights. A local bagpiper will perform Irish tunes starting at 6 p.m.
Posted in Entertainment | Leave a Comment »
Quote of Erin Chan Ding from League of Women Voters debate with Maria Peterson on February 14, 2026:
“Data Centers right now are obviously a huge issue, an electric issue, no pun intended, and we’ve heard communities speak out against their implementation because of some of the environmental costs. At the same time… you know, we are— our public, our children, they are already hooked on AI and artificial intelligence.
Data centers are going to be built, and if they’re not going to be built in Illinois, they’re going to be built in other states… Data Centers … are a huge water suck, but this problem has begun to be addressed through the use of gray water.
Data Centers provide huge property tax relief, potentially. So, I think we need to consider that as well… I’ve been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, which includes ironworkers and operating engineers, and these are hundreds of thousands of jobs…” ~ Erin Chan Ding
How many Data Centers is Erin Chan Ding proposing to build in our community if she thinks they would be providing “hundreds of thousands of jobs” for AFL – CIO workers?
Why is Erin Chan Ding willing to sell out our community for the “potential” for property tax relief when it is apparent that Pritzker, who Chan Ding is banking on getting campaign donations from, initiatives provide sales and use tax exemptions for Data Centers for up to 20 years?
How will she protect our aquifers? And why is she willing to destroy our tranquil environment for political gain?
We’ll pass on voting for Chan Ding and suggest you do the same!
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, BACOG, Board of Education, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, League of Women Voters, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | 1 Comment »
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