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.
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 »

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:
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 »
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 »
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 »