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Metra suspends UPNW service July 19 for track work near Des Plaines

July 18, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

“Metra will suspend all train service on the UP Northwest Line on Sunday, July 19 due to construction by CN at a crossing in Des Plaines.

The CN will be replacing the diamonds (the sections of track where two rail lines intersect) at the Deval interlocking, a crossing with Union Pacific tracks about half a mile north of Metra’s Des Plaines Station. During the outage, all three tracks used by the UP Northwest Line will be out of service, and no Metra service will operate on the line.

The last outbound UP Northwest Line train will be the 12:30 a.m. departure from Chicago early Sunday, July 19. The last inbound to Chicago will depart Harvard at 9:35 p.m. Saturday night, July 18. Metra expects service to be fully restored in time for the Monday morning rush on July 20, although passengers may experience slight delays passing through the construction zone due to temporary speed restrictions.

During the outage, customers are advised to seek alternate transportation including Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line; CTA Blue Line service at Jefferson Park and Irving Park stations; Pace Pulse Dempster service at Des Plaines station providing connections to CTA Yellow and Purple Line service; and CTA and Pace local bus service at Cumberland, Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Edison Park, Norwood Park, Jefferson Park, Irving Park, and Clybourn stations.”

Para versión en español, haga clic aquí

Posted in METRA, Traffic, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Bell House Books Celebrates grand opening with ribbon cutting ceremony in Barrington

July 18, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Submitted by the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce

The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Bell House Books with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held recently in celebration of the bookstore’s opening. Located at 200 Applebee St., Suite 117, in the Barrington Ice House Mall, the new independent bookstore brings a thoughtfully curated and community-centered literary experience to the area.

Bell House Books is a woman-owned, independent bookstore dedicated to bringing the joy of reading to the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. The store offers books for readers of all ages and creates a welcoming environment for both lifelong book lovers and those just beginning their reading journey.

The grand opening marks an exciting addition to Barrington’s downtown, with Bell House Books designed to serve as more than a retail space. The bookstore aims to foster connection and creativity by providing a place where the community can gather, explore new stories and share a love of literature.

In addition to its curated selection, Bell House Books plans to host community-focused events and experiences, encouraging engagement through storytelling, conversation and discovery. The store’s mission emphasizes the power of books to bring people together and build meaningful connections.

Montana Bellagamba, a mother of two, recently returned to her hometown of Barrington with her husband, Thomas. She believes that community helps shape who we are, and opening Bell House Books is incredibly meaningful to them. What began as a pop-up bookshop has grown into a permanent space where readers can gather, explore and connect.

“We started Bell House Books because we knew that there was a need in this community,” Montana said. “We were both raised here and really wanted to make a special space for this community that really helped shape us.”

For more information about Bell House Books, including store hours and upcoming events, visit their website at bellhousebooks.com or stop by the store.

Posted in Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, Education, Entertainment | Leave a Comment »

Barrington Hills Estate Sale This Weekend

July 17, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

July 18 & 19 – 9 AM to 4 PM
109 Remington Dr.
Barrington Hills, IL 60010

“HOUSE IS IN BARRINGTON HILLS LOCATED OFF BATEMAN RD, CLOSE TO THE INTERSECTION OF ALGONQUIN. WE WILL BE CHAUFFEURING PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.

Schimmel Grand Piano Sports memorabilia Signed Baseballs Game Bats 1980 Miracle on Ice signed by all the members & coach with cert Tom Brady sign superbowl poster Rosenthal Cups created for Versace Rosenthal Sunburst china Villeroy china Stanley water bottles Kitchenware All clad cookware Stanley water bottles – new Cutco knives Home decor Kate Spade purses – new Women’s clothes & shoes Men’s clothing & shoes Girls’ clothing & shoes Linens Toys Books Legos Stuffed animals Late VictorIan griffin leg dining table Sideboard Chairs Barstools Cabinets Twin Beds Children’s raised bed with…”

See listing here.

Posted in Estate Sale | Leave a Comment »

Editorial: Our neighbors are rethinking income taxes. How about it, Illinois?

July 17, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Lawmakers work in the Missouri House chamber on April 21, 2026, in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri is asking voters whether to gradually eliminate its income tax and shift more toward taxing consumption. (David A. Lieb/AP)

Missouri, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin all are thinking creatively about taxes

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

Illinoisans often assume high taxes are simply the unavoidable cost of living in the Land of Lincoln. But just across our borders, states are making some very different choices.

Missouri is asking voters whether to gradually eliminate its income tax and shift more toward taxing consumption. Indiana continues to emphasize fiscal restraint and has approved further tax reductions. Wisconsin used part of a multibillion-dollar surplus to enact income tax cuts and has continued debating additional relief. Iowa phased out its graduated individual income tax in favor of a flat rate of 3.8%.

Maybe you think Missouri is making a mistake or Iowa has gone too far. Maybe Wisconsin will reverse course. That’s not our point here. What stands out for us is that our Midwestern neighbors are at least practicing some creative taxation thinking.

Take what is going on in Missouri. On Aug. 4, voters get the chance to weigh in on whether Missouri should fundamentally rethink how it taxes its citizens; specifically whether the Show-Me State should gradually shift its tax burden away from income and toward consumption.

Ironically, Missouri currently has the very tax structure Illinois progressives have long sought: a graduated income tax. Even so, its top marginal income tax rate (4.7%) is lower than Illinois’ flat rate (4.95%).

Missouri’s average combined state and local sales tax rate also remains far below the rate in Illinois. Approval of the amendment could eventually narrow that gap, depending on how lawmakers implement the shift. Even then, Missouri would have a long way to go to match Chicago’s 10.25%.

Article continues here.

Related: “(Meanwhile) Income tax CUT on Missouri ballot; Illinois may see more outmigration”

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Chicago Tribune, Commodius Maximus, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, Fat Bastard, Girlie man, IDOT, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Tollway, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Transparency, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Toll and sales tax hikes: What Pritzker said vs. what Pritzker did

July 17, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The governor said Illinoisans wouldn’t be interested in a toll increase to keep the Bears. Then he signaled support for what would be the largest passenger toll hike in state history.

By Rich Witzel | Illinois Policy Institute

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in June that Indiana would have to raise tolls and sales taxes to get the Chicago Bears to move there.

Illinoisans wouldn’t want a deal like that, he said.

The irony: Pritzker had already signed legislation authorizing a Chicago-area sales tax increase for transit, and he later defended proposed toll increases that would include the largest passenger hike in state history.

Late last year the governor signed the Chicago-area mass transit bailout bill, which replaced the Regional Transportation Authority with the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and created new funding for CTA, Metra and Pace.

Part of that funding comes from a 0.25 percentage-point increase in the existing RTA sales tax.

The tax is in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. The RTA approved the increase last month, so as of Aug. 1 the higher, Pritzker-approved rates will be:

  • 1.25% on general merchandise in Cook County.
  • 1.50% on qualifying food, drugs and medical appliances in Cook County.
  • 1.0% sales tax on general merchandise and qualifying food, drugs and medical appliances in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will.

Report continues here.

Posted in Clown Car, Deception, Elections, Fat Bastard, IDOT, Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Tollway, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Wildfire smoke from Canada filling Chicagoland area, air quality alert issued advising people to limit outdoor time

July 16, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The Illinois EPA issued a Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day amid smoke from a large number of wildfires in Canada filling the northern Illinois area, causing unhealthy air quality. | Screengrab

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

Officials say wildfire smoke from Canada is filling the Chicagoland area and an air quality alert has been issued, with air quality levels over 300 in Lake County as people are being urged to limit outdoor time.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day for Thursday for the Chicago area, including Rockford.

The Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day is declared due to a forecast of unhealthy-red category particulates or ozone and is in effect until midnight Thursday.

Northern Illinois is on the edge of a thick plume of surface smoke moving in from the north and cleaner air to the south, the alert said.

“There is some uncertainty in how far south the smoke progresses and the duration of the poor air quality as this dividing line may meander in and out of Northern IL through Friday,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

The Illinois EPA issued a Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day amid smoke from a large number of wildfires in Canada filling the northern Illinois area, causing unhealthy air quality. | Screengrab

Those with air quality concerns or outdoor plans are encouraged to check current NowCast readings.

Everyone should reduce prolonged activities or heavy exertion outdoors on Thursday, the alert said.

Report continues here.

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

(Meanwhile) Income tax CUT on Missouri ballot; Illinois may see more outmigration

July 16, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The Missouri state flag flies alongside the U.S. flag and the St. Louis city flag. | Photo: Tom Bastin / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from Original

By Sean Reed | The Center Square

A ballot measure in front of Missouri voters next month could give some Illinois residents in the Metro East area a reason to move across the Mississippi River if it passes.

The measure, which will be present on ballots in the state’s primary election Aug. 4, proposes an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that could phase out income tax entirely.

Andrew Wilford, director of state policy at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, explained the ballot measure would allow the state legislature to eliminate income tax by raising other revenue sources, such as an increase to sales tax.

“They haven’t officially created the structure for that, but that would be the general idea,” Wilford said. “Currently, Missouri has a top tax rate of about 4.7%. A few years ago that was relatively low for the region, but a lot of the state’s neighbors have cut taxes pretty significantly in the intervening years.”

Bryce Hill, senior director of fiscal and economic analysis for the Illinois Policy Institute, noted there’s a larger trend, and Missouri is following other states in reducing, flattening or eliminating income taxes.

“Many states did that – started this process after the COVID-19 pandemic, when state tax revenues didn’t decline as much as anticipated and then subsequently grew very rapidly,” Hill said. “Illinois did not have that luxury. A lot of that excess revenue went to pay for previous debts.”

Article continues here.

Posted in Cost of Living, Fat Bastard, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, Unions | Leave a Comment »

Illinois’ first-in-U.S. crypto transaction tax applies even to losing trades

July 16, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The tax also risks being challenged in court.

By Adam Gorcyca | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois’ new tax on digital asset transactions risks hurting trading volume and market liquidity, making the state unfriendly for the industry and prompting legal battles.

The fiscal 2027 state budget, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed in June, puts a 0.2% tax on the value of transactions in assets such as NFTs, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, starting Jan. 1. Such transactions include exchanges, transfers or custodial services.

It’s the first such tax in the country. Affected businesses include crypto exchanges, trades, wallet and custody providers holding customer assets and firms transmitting digital assets between accounts. The law applies to any digital asset broker with a place of business in Illinois and to any brokers that gross $100,000 or more in annual digital asset receipts with Illinois residents.

Compliance will require brokers to collect and retain customers’ personal online transaction history, account information, mailing address, IP address and other data to indicate Illinois is the customer’s place of primary use.

Because the tax targets transactions rather than profits, brokers must collect it even when a trade loses money or when assets are transferred between accounts. For gains, the new tax will be an addition to Illinois’ current 4.95% individual income tax, which applies to capital gains.

Lawmakers expect the tax to generate $60 million a year.

Read more here.

Posted in BOHICA, Economy, Elections, Fat Bastard, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Taxes, The Chicago Way, The New Normal? | 1 Comment »

Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI

July 15, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

The Illinois State Board of Education has released a 409-page document offering guidance to schools and districts about the use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)

By Peter Hancock | Capitol News Illinois

The Illinois State Board of Education released new guidelines recently on how schools should and should not use artificial intelligence in K-12 education.

One of the most notable aspects of the AI guidelines, however, is that it was written with help from popular AI programs including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

Bill Curtin, Illinois policy director for the nonprofit advocacy group Teach Plus, one of the groups that pushed for the guidance, called that an example of how AI should be treated in academic fields.

“Upfront, they said, ‘We did use AI,’ and they were very clear and specific about how they used AI,” Curtin told Capitol News Illinois. “And that actually builds trust because these days you can look at almost anything that anyone writes and wonder if it’s AI. It’s much better when, upfront, you say: ‘We did use AI, and here’s where, and here’s where the human element is really still seen in this guidance.’”

Growing concerns over AI

The guidance was issued after the General Assembly passed legislation in 2025 requiring ISBE to develop guidelines on using AI in education. Senate Bill 1920 came amid growing concern about students using AI programs like ChatGPT to help them with research or even to write essays.

At the same time, teachers and administrators were also looking for guidance on constructive ways they could use AI for things like developing lesson plans or grading students’ work.

Report continues here.

Posted in AI, Capitol News Illinois, Education, School Districts | 2 Comments »

Wildfire smoke could bring hazy skies to Chicago this week: Here’s the timeline

July 15, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

By JD Rudd | FOX 32 Chicago

Large wildfires are currently burning across southern Canada. As a weak front moves through the area Wednesday night into Thursday, winds will turn to the northeast, opening the door for smoke and haze from those wildfires to move into the Chicago area.

The latest forecast guidance suggests the smoke could be especially thick across northern Illinois, including downtown Chicago.

If the smoke reaches the area, expect a hazy, smoky sky Thursday afternoon. The smoke could also keep temperatures a bit lower than they otherwise would be, though highs are still expected to reach the lower 90s.

View the report here.

Posted in Community Alerts | Leave a Comment »

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