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Oak leaves on a lawn. (RJ Carlson/Chicago Botanic Garden)

By Tim Johnson | For the Chicago Tribune

My village has banners up that say “leave the leaves,” and I’m wondering if this refers to leaving leaves in the garden for the winter. Will it be okay if I leave leaves in my garden beds at home? I would love to save time raking up leaves from my garden.

— Cara Coyne, Glencoe

I always look for shortcuts to maintaining my home garden, and using a mulching mower to grind up leaves on my lawn and leaving leaves in garden beds is a significant time-saver. It’s also good for the environment. I like a more natural look to my garden, which luckily is easier to maintain.

My garden has several large oak trees, so there are lots of leaves to contend with. Leaves are now falling and starting to pile up. The normal fall routine for many gardeners is to remove all the leaves from the garden and either bag them up or pile them at the curb for transportation to a landscape waste facility to turn them into compost. Personally, I’ve left leaves in my garden beds at home for over 35 years with good results; it saves lots of time for cleanup, saves fuel for blowers, and supports pollinators and wildlife. This also saves money and time, since I don’t purchase much for my garden beds. The only exception is for fall plantings, which I mulch to help the plants get through the first winter.

Fall leaves create a natural mulch, which helps suppress weeds and improves the soil with organic matter as the leaves decompose. I also don’t cut back perennials in fall; I wait until spring. The perennial foliage and fallen leaves in the beds create a natural look with lots of winter interest, and they provide a habitat for insects and wildlife. We all need to do more to support pollinators, and one way is to leave perennial foliage up for the winter and leaves in beds year-round. Just cut your perennials back late in spring to 6 to 8 inches above the ground for maximum benefit for insects. I have a large hosta planting under an oak tree that I don’t even cut back in spring — I just let the hostas grow up from the old foliage from the previous year.

Because of the mature oak trees in my garden, the leaves pile up too deeply here and there in the borders or get blown into deep piles, so I do need to take those piles down a bit to avoid smothering perennials, groundcovers, and bulbs. You can pile excess leaves in a corner to decompose and create compost to use for future soil improvement. Removing leaves from the edges of your garden beds will give you a clean boundary between the lawn and garden beds, adding some order to the garden’s appearance. You don’t need to grind leaves up to use them as mulch — just let them fall and blow into the beds naturally. The leaves I pile up in the corner of the yard break down over the course of the summer, and every couple of years I can harvest some leaf compost from under the pile.

You can use a mulching mower for the lawn to mulch the leaves and grass clippings, which saves time and returns nutrients back to the lawn. I prefer the look of some leaves left on the lawn in fall versus a clean look, so I lowered my mower cutting height to about 2 inches. My robotic mower doesn’t work well with falling leaves, which is why I use my mulching mower to grind them up. Change the direction of mowing each time you mow. You should be able to easily see the blades of grass after you’re finished mowing for the season. A thick layer of leaves that covers the grass will probably smother the lawn if you leave it through winter, and a medium to dense layer of leaves can damage any areas of lawn that were seeded earlier this fall and are just being established. You’ll need to carefully rake or blow some of the leaves off the new grass if the ground is too soft to push a mower over. If the mower leaves ruts as you go, that’s how you’ll know not to mow the area.

For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden. 

Joel A. Koskinen (Photo Provided by McHenry County Sheriff’s Office)

By Amanda Marrazzo | Shaw Local

A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to making YouTube videos in which he threatened to shoot a McHenry County judge, as well as Barrington Hills police officers.

Joel Koskinen, 36, who lives in the Barrington Hills area, pleaded guilty to counts in two separate cases of threatening a public official, Class 3 felonies, according to a judgment order filed in McHenry County court.

In one case, he was accused of creating a YouTube video in June in which he threatened to shoot the judge in the face. At the time, Koskinen was on pretrial release in a case from June 2025 in which he was accused of threatening to shoot and kill Barrington Hills police officers, records show.

In each case, he was sentenced to 18 months of felony probation, during which time he is ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment and follow all recommendations. He is to refrain from alcohol, marijuana and all other narcotics not prescribed by a doctor, according to the judgment orders.

Report continues here.

A sunny day at Passion for Polo

By Tricia Despres | Country Magazine
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WIDIA VITI

At their Barrington Hills equestrian property, the Lueders family has built a life around family, friendship, and a shared passion for polo.

Jan-Dirk Lueders on Tilla, Nino Obregon, Stefanie Lueders, Anthony Garcia, Leon Schwencke holding Azafata

It’s a rainy morning, but Frauke Lueders can still see the beauty of the day.

“We are all healthy and that’s the most important thing,” Lueders says from her Barrington Hills home, where she has lived with husband Jan-Dirk Lueders for more than 20 years.

Certainly, it’s a lovely place to live a lovely life––a life the couple has enjoyed since moving to the area with their two horses and two dogs.

“My husband and I grew up in Germany with horses and with competition, but never polo,” explains Lueders, who had already established herself as an accomplished equestrian before moving to the States. “Friends invited us over the years to the Kalaway Cup in September, a fundraiser for the riding club and polo club in Barrington Hills. And then we really got sucked in.”

Eventually, that newfound love of polo found a home of its own at Cauthorn Farm, the couple’s nearby 42-acre equestrian property.

“In 2013, we did the spring polo school in Barrington Hills and we liked it,” remembers Lueders, who joined the Riding Club of Barrington Hills with her husband in 2007 before attending Barrington Hills Polo Club’s polo school in 2013. “That’s how it all started.”

Today, both Lueders and her husband play polo, along with their 25-year-old daughter Stefanie and 15-year-old daughter Emma as part of their aptly named Passion for Polo team and facility. And while their son much prefers playing soccer to polo, the sport allows the family plenty of opportunities to enjoy time together.

Article continues here.

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor

Illinois is facing a federal deadline to change its school mental health screening policies after the Trump administration raised concerns about parental consent and student privacy, prompting a Lake County Moms for Liberty leader to urge parents to opt their children out of the screenings.

Marsha McClary, chair of the Lake County chapter of Moms for Liberty, said Illinois’ opt-out approach does not adequately protect parents’ rights, arguing schools should obtain explicit written permission before asking students personal questions about their mental health.

“Opt-outs can be missed and on multiple levels, whether the parent doesn’t see the ability to opt out or their communication isn’t clear,” McClary told The Center Square.

The U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice are challenging Illinois State Board of Education guidance that allows parents to decline student mental health screenings rather than requiring written parental consent before participation.

In an Oct. 30 announcement, the Department of Education gave ISBE until Nov. 13 to revise its guidance, warning that failure to comply could lead to enforcement action, including the potential loss of federal funding.

Federal officials argue the state’s approach could violate the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, which requires prior written parental consent before minors participate in certain surveys or evaluations involving sensitive subjects, including mental or psychological problems.

The department also raised concerns about Illinois guidance making it optional for schools to include screening results in students’ official education records, arguing that could prevent parents from accessing information about their children’s well-being.

Report continues here.

Image credit: Paul Bergen/Redferns

Saturday, Nov. 7, 9-11 a.m.
Barrington High School
Upper Parking Lot of the Field of Dreams Complex

“Have fun smashing your pumpkins for composting at the Village of Barrington’s Pumpkin Smash event being held tomorrow at Barrington High School’s upper parking lot of the Field of Dreams complex, adjacent to Hart Road. This free event is open to the public and is held in partnership with the Barrington Environmental Advisory Committee, Barrington 220 and SCARCE.

Barrington Public Works Fleet Foreman Matt Heller has generously donated his 1,115-pound pumpkin, which recently took fourth place in a pumpkin-growing contest. The pumpkin will meet its smashing fate at the event for all to see!”

(Please click on image to enlarge)

Property Information

  • For Sale: Subject To Offer
  • Property Type:  Industrial
  • Lot Size: 150 Acre
  • Date Updated: Nov 3, 2026

Description

-Price Subject to Offer -New 150 acre data center site available. -Abundant Electricity adjacent to property, but no hard commitment from Com-Ed. Handshake agreement that there will be plenty of power available because these lines will be powering another Data Center about 3 miles away. -Com-Ed is requesting a $1m fee to do the feasibility study. -Huge Com-Ed transmission corridor with 138kV and 345 kV lines (Yada, yada, yada…)

Full listing found here.

What follows is a conversation the hosts had with Marty McLoughlin Wednesday morning after the election results were announced:

“Jeanne/Amy: Tell us what’s on your heart and what happened.

Marty: Well, listen, last cycle, 60,000 ballots were pulled in the 52nd District, and we had about 44,000 pulled this time. So, I think it’s pretty obvious that people were not inspired to go to the polls, particularly the independents.

I mean, let’s be frank, we didn’t exactly have the top of the ticket. We’re getting people excited, you know, for Darren Bailey, uh, the second run. And, you know, people like me that, uh, you know, kind of need the turnout, uh, definitely impacted the race that I was in.

Jeanne/Amy: You won last time by 47 votes. Last night you lost by 5,000 votes. And you’re, you’re talking about some nefarious things that were going on outside of, uh, polling places. Do you think that played a part?

Marty: No, no. Yeah, yeah, it was nuts. It was crazy. People were being accosted in the— it’s, you know, the— that’s— it’s not an excuse. I— here’s the good news, ladies. In about 14 months, we get to go out and start the process all over again. In 2 years, decide. Um, that’s what I love about this country.

Every 2 years, you get to decide the direction of our community. So for everyone that’s so devastated, I just like to remind them they’re 14 months away from going out and getting petition signatures to go at this again. That’s what I love about this country is that you get a constant opportunity to provide the direction of how your school boards go, how your park districts, how the state legislature.

I will say this, and you guys know me, we have not done a great job as whatever Republicans are anymore, because I always have a hard time figuring that one out. We should be messaging. We want to return to reasonable. We want to make crime illegal again. We want to make our taxes— tax dollars go further. And we don’t do that in a concise fashion so that nobody knows what we stand for anymore across the state.

If I were to ask, you know, how does Kevin Schmidt message in St. Louis or Joe Sosnowski in Rockford or myself, we’re all independent agents out there. And that sounds great until you’re running against people who are angry because there’s an ‘R’ in front of your name and they don’t really, they don’t really wanna know a whole lot more about you. And I’ve, from a messaging capacity, that’s been one of my big things for years. Let’s get 2 or 3 things that we all message.

So, when there’s an ‘R’ in front of your name, you go, oh, those are the people who brought low taxes. Those are the people that wanna be reasonable. And we don’t do that. And I think it’s a missed opportunity.

So, I congratulate my opponent. I’m looking forward to the higher taxes, the high-density housing, and the BUILD Act. And you get what you vote for. So this will be interesting. I’m sure she has plenty of ideas that’ll solve the state’s problem.

Amy/Jeanne: Yeah, and with super, super, super majorities now, they’re going to get it good and hard. And Maria Peterson will get to, you know, pretend like she’s not really in favor of those policies because they have so many extra votes too, with real true Marxists in Chicago that have been their long term. So, she’ll be safe from some of those terrible votes, and then she can play like, I didn’t vote for that. Again, this is what they do all the time, and this is why Marty, you’re a huge loss, in my opinion, to the caucus. You were reasonable.

Marty: And, um, you know, Amy’s really upset. 300 pounds. Amy thought I was 300 pounds. Are you talking weight-wise, or what are we talking about here? You know?

Amy/Jeanne: Well, you’re gonna run again in 2028, so that’s good news. That’s something positive.

Marty: Who, me? Well, listen, you know what, it’s only government. You know, I can do this in my sleep. Uh, if people want to, um, you know, get involved, I help people get elected all the time, Jeanne. I, I think there’s opportunities that are coming up in the spring, there’s opportunities next summer.

The only way we win this is by getting people, good people, to do this for the right reasons. I’m super proud of the way I did this for 6 years, the way I was mayor for 8. Wouldn’t change a thing. And, you know, the people in the District, it’s been a pleasure serving them.”

BreakthroughIdeas.com

Nov. 6 & 7 – 10AM to 3PM
Nov. 8 – 10AM to 4PM

5 AUTUMN TRAIL
Barrington, IL 60010

“HEAVY TRAFFIC ON ROUTE 62. LESS THAN 1 MILE BEFORE/AFTER RTE 25. CASH OR CHECKS MADE OUT TO CASH. NO CREDIT CARDS OR ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS. WE ARE OPEN TO PRE-SALES. BRING HELP TO LOAD LARGE ITEMS.”

Full listing here.

Over the past month, crews have coordinated the following work:

  • Railroad bridge construction.Crews substantially completed the north bridge abutment (the structural element at each end of a bridge) and have poured the concrete for the center bridge pier. Following curing time and removal of formwork from these two areas, sheeting and excavation work for the south bridge abutment will begin later this month.
  • Storm sewer installation.Crews installed a substantial section of storm sewer along Route 14 between Hough Street and Shorely Wood Properties, which will convey stormwater from the bottom of the underpass to the Illinois Department of Transportation storm sewer pump station to keep the roadway dry in inclement weather.
  • Continued work on the storm sewer pump station.With building work largely complete, crews continue with electrical and HVAC work to support the facility.
  • Route 59 culvert construction, a storm sewer that will carry the relocated Flint Creek beneath the roadway.Crews completed the western half of the Route 59 culvert. The culvert has been backfilled to prepare for installation of curb and roadway base material next week, followed by paving and striping work in mid-November. Once this work is complete, the contractor will coordinate a change to the traffic pattern, shifting traffic onto the west side of Hough Street and closing the east side, which will allow for the second half of the culvert to be constructed this winter.
  • Initiated access drive work at Shorely Wood. Crews began demolition and grading work to support a new Shorely Wood entrance drive location. Permanent paving work will be coordinated within Shorely Wood over the next few weeks. Traffic will shift to the new access location following this final paving work and the installation of a temporary drive extension to the temporary Route 14 roadway. This traffic shift is currently anticipated to take place before Thanksgiving.

Alerts will be shared ahead of any changes to traffic patterns, along with revised traffic pattern visuals.

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the dedicated project website us14underpass.com or watch for email notifications.

 

By Chris Gerke | Daily Herald

Communities across the suburbs will observe Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with ceremonies and concerts. Here are some of the events planned in the suburbs in honor of the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Thursday, Nov. 5

Elgin During World War II: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at Gail Borden Public Library’s Meadows Community Rooms ABC, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Using period photos and newspaper clippings, historian Jerry Turnquist looks at how Elgin citizens and businesses were actively involved in the war effort. Register: gailborden.info.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Veterans Day Breakfast and Memorial Unveiling: 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at York Community High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, Elmhurst. After years of planning and fundraising, the school’s Military History Club is unveiling The Memorial to the Fallen, a tribute honoring York graduates who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the nation. The memorial will be accompanied by a dedicated website highlighting the lives and legacies of these individuals, including their time at York and their military service. The morning will begin with a brief memorial unveiling ceremony at 8:30 a.m. outside Baker Auditorium, followed by the breakfast in the school cafeteria. It is free for veterans, their families and friends. Use the main entrance. Parking may be limited. Reserved spaces near the main entrance will be available for veterans and their guests. The club thanks American Legion Post T.H.B. 187 and Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce for their support in making this project possible. elmhurst205.org

Sunday, Nov. 8

Veterans Day tribute: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Grafelman Park, 112 N. Fifth St., West Dundee. Hosted by Dundee Township Lions Club, the patriotic programs honor military service members. It will include displays of American flags by True Patriots Care, World War I and II re-enactments, emergency vehicle exhibitions, and performances by the Dundee Scottish Pipe Band and Echo Taps. Local historian Philip A. Aleo will speak at 12:30 p.m. about the day’s significance and the importance of honoring veterans and the American flag. The Lions will be offering free vision and hearing screenings for all ages from 1-4 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St. dundeelions.org.

Dinner for Veterans: 2-4 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 310 E. Main St., East Dundee. Veterans and their family and friends are invited to a free dinner with Italian beef sandwiches, chicken fingers, mostaccioli, salad and green bean casserole catered by Karas Restaurant Group, with homemade desserts. To-go meals can be picked up at 3 or 3:30 p.m. Reserve a spot at 847-428-4477 or eventbrite.com.

“The Dragon From Chicago: An American Reporter in Nazi Germany”: 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington. Historian Pamela Toler uncovers the life of trailblazing Chicago Tribune Berlin bureau chief Sigrid Schultz, who reported and warned about the rise of Hitler and the Nazi regime. Presented in partnership with the Barrington Cultural Commission and the Barrington Writers Workshop. $28.52 or free for 18 and younger with a paid adult. Register: barringtonswhitehouse.com.

Monday, Nov. 9

Field of Honor: Nov. 9-13 at Jewett Park, 836 Jewett Park Drive, Deerfield. A panorama of 500 U.S. flags will be displayed with the theme “Honoring Our Veterans.” Hosted by the village of Deerfield. Proceeds benefit Midwest Veterans Closet and Lake County Honor Flight. healingfield.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Mount Prospect Veterans Day ceremony: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the RecPlex, 420 Dempster St., Mount Prospect. Join VFW Post 1337 and American Legion Post 525 to commemorate veterans. Keynote speaker will be Elizabeth Soto, Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Cook County. In addition to the annual ceremony, the veterans will be making school visits to educate children on patriotism. vfw1337.com.

South Elgin Veterans Day ceremony: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Public Safety Center, 50 N. Water St., South Elgin. southelgin.com.

Hoffman Estates Veterans Day ceremony: 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Veterans Memorial site at the Hoffman Estates Police Department, 411 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates. Light refreshments will be served at the police department after the ceremony. Free. hoffmanestates.org

Schaumburg Veterans Day Ceremony: 10:45 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Gateway Park, Roselle and Schaumburg roads, Schaumburg. Schaumburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2202 hosts the annual ceremony to honor military veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Schaumburg police and fire departments will perform the honor guard while flanked by the Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 Rifle Squad. villageofschaumburg.com.

Dan Honea of the Barrington Fire Department Honor Guard carries the American flag during the posting of the colors at the 2025 Barrington Veterans Day ceremony. | Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald

Barrington Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Memorial, Park Avenue and Cook Street, Barrington. Join local veterans and dignitaries to honor Veterans Day. Refreshments will be served. Free. barrington-il.gov.

Carpentersville’s Veterans Day Ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Carpenter Park, 275 Maple Ave., Carpentersville. cville.org

Des Plaines Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St., Des Plaines. Hosted by the Des Plaines American Legion Post 36 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 311. Light refreshments will be served after. facebook.com/DesPlainesAmericanLegionPost36.

Richard Hamilton salutes as the national anthem is sung during the 2025 Veterans Day ceremony in Elgin. | Rick West/Daily Herald

Elgin Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Centre of Elgin’s Heritage Ballroom, 100 Symphony Way, Elgin. The city and American Legion Post 57 honor our nation’s veterans. Seating will be provided. Parking is available in the parking deck on the southwest corner of Symphony Way and Grove Avenue. elginil.gov.

Palatine American Legion Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. After the ceremony, a light lunch will be served. alpost690.us.

Streamwood Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Veterans Memorial, 301 E. Irving Park Road, Streamwood. Honor the men and women who have served in times of peace and war. The event will feature a performance by the Celebration Brass Quintet. streamwood.org.

Children from an after-school program made cards for veterans that were displayed during the 2023 Buffalo Grove Veterans Day ceremony. | Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald

Buffalo Grove Veterans Day Celebration: 12:15-2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. Free Culver’s lunch from 12:15-1 p.m. then the Saddle Shoe Sisters will pay tribute to veterans with classics such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “My Country ’Tis of Thee,” “America the Beautiful” and other patriotic favorites. Presented in partnership with the Indian Trails Public Library and Vernon Area Public Library. Free; registration required. bgparks.org/veterans-day-celebration. For questions, contact Elizabeth Quinzio at 847-850-2196 or elizabeth@bgparks.org.

Thanks for the Memories A USO Tribute: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Elgin Community College Blizzard Theater, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. A USO-style celebration by six vocalists and a five-piece band honoring the entertainers who performed for the troops during wartime. $35. tickets.eccartscenter.org

Hanover Park Veterans Day observance: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Village Board Room 214, 2121 W. Lake St., Hanover Park. The Hanover Park Veterans Committee hosts an event to salute and honor veterans. Free. hanoverparkillinois.org.

Sunday, Nov. 15

“World War II Radio Hour”: 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, in the St. Charles Public Library’s Carnegie Room, 1 S. Sixth Ave., St. Charles. Featuring Matt and Cynthia Gruel and a special guest performer bringing the spirit of the 1940s to life. Free. scpld.org.

Rockin’ for Heroes: A Veterans Day Tribute Featuring 7th heaven & Friends: 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at Joe’s Live Rosemont, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont. A Veterans Day tribute featuring performances by 7th heaven, Tony Ocean and The Main Event Band. Special tribute performance by The Bombshell Beauties and Military Brass. Proceeds benefit Friends of Fisher House of Illinois. $34.72-$89.72. joesliverosemont.com

Find many more ceremonies here.