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Archive for December, 2020

Northwest suburban mayors look back on 2020

Posted in Property Taxes, Roads & Bridges Committee, VBHPD, Village Board on December 31, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Not much seemed business as usual in 2020, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our annual tradition of reaching out to Northwest suburban mayors and village presidents to ask them what their community accomplished in the year gone by and something they hope to accomplish in the year ahead. Today, we share the accomplishments of a challenging 2020. On Friday, we’ll share the mayors’ hopes for 2021.

Barrington Hills

Barrington Hills Village President Martin McLaughlin

We are pleased to announce to our residents that we will now have lowered our levy for the seventh year in a row, operating government as efficiently as possible. The village has improved our road resurfacing and drainage programs as well as achieving CALEA accreditation, the highest standard possible for our law enforcement.

Read the full Daily Herald wrap-up including Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Lake Barrington and South Barrington among others here.

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New year brings just 3 new laws in Illinois

Posted in Politics, Springfield, Taxes on December 31, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Only three new laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021, because the Legislature’s sessions were nearly wiped out by the pandemic.

When a new year begins in Illinois, there typically are dozens if not hundreds of new laws going into effect.

Not this year. Like so many other things in 2020, the legislative spring session was stunted by COVID-19. Once the global pandemic reached Illinois in March, the General Assembly would meet for only four more days — wrapping up the odd session during masked and socially distanced gatherings at the Capitol and Bank of Springfield Center. The fall veto session was scrapped altogether.

As a result, only three new laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021. Here’s a look at them as well as the next increase in the minimum wage that will be applied Friday:

  • Insulin costs cap
  • Use of DNA in missing person cases, and
  • Keeping victims’ addresses confidential

Read the explanation of each in the Chicago Sun*Times here.

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2020 year in review – the most read stories

Posted in 2020 Elections, 220, Board of Education, Deception, District 220 referendum, Ethics, FUBAR, His Master's Voice, Land Use, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Saint Anne Parish School, School Districts, Springfield, The New Normal, Video Recordings, Village Attorney, Village Code, Zoning Board on December 31, 2020| 3 Comments »

The Observer takes a look back at another year gone by, as we present the most frequently read news stories and editorials in 2020. Click on any title to read and revisit stories from this past year.

Racism allegations follow as plan to move 25 kids into Barrington Hills home stalls

Although the leader of an organization helping disadvantaged minority youths contends race is a factor in his delayed plan to move into a Barrington Hills home with 25 children of color, village officials say the zoning code is the only issue.

This June 30 article received 11 comments, and 12 Facebook shares.

Time to stop giving 220’s Harris passes

A week ago today hundreds of parents and students in Barrington Area Unit District 220 gathered at a rally in Citizens Park to ask the district to allow in-person schooling to resume. Some spoke while others displayed signs such as, “Open our schools for in-person learning,” or “Face 2 Face learning is essential” (see “‘I am asking for a choice’: Barrington 220 parents, students rally for in-person learning” and “Hundreds turn out for Barrington rally calling for end to remote learning, restart of student sports”).

No one commented on this September 21 editorial, but a record 86 people shared it on Facebook.

220 won’t consider COVID-19 testing at this time (as opposed to New Trier, thus our response

Wednesday District 220 emailed the following notice to the community:

“Over the past couple of weeks, the district has been looking at the possibility of using COVID-19 testing as one additional component of several virus mitigation efforts. At the Dec. 1 Board meeting, the Board decided it would not consider using COVID-19 testing at this time due to high costs and the fact that it would not be a full proof [sic] measure in preventing the spread of the virus.  Click here to watch the Board’s full discussion about COVID-19 testing.“

New Trier Township High School District 203 did not hesitate at all when in October they announced, “…they will pay up to $1.3 million to conduct COVID-19 saliva screenings for students and staff.” As a result of their proactive measures, some students are back in classroom today, December 4.

There were 2 comments on this December 2 editorial, and 3 shares on Facebook.

Homicide investigation on Old Sutton Rd just south of Otis Rd, Barrington Hills

Barrington Hills police and firefighter/paramedics from Barrington -Countryside FPD responded about 3:34 a.m. Saturday March 7, 2020 to a report that multiple people were shot at or near a home in the block of 300 Old Sutton Road. Police and firefighter/paramedics received a report that there were multiple gunshot victims. At least two victim were transported to a local hospital. At least one victim was possibly dead at the scene.

We got one comment to this March 7 story, but 35 shares on Facebook.

Fact checking

On Monday night, CBS Chicago reported a story that included audio and text stating the following:

“Over 20 acres of tree-lined property nestled in affluent Barrington Hills feature tennis courts and a sprawling home purchased by Terrance Wallace, the InZone Project founder.” (InZone Project Founder Says He’s Been Hit With Red Tape In Efforts To Bring Black And Brown Boys From Chicago To Live In Barrington Hills Mansion.)

There is no recorded public record of a recent sale of the property on 541 Merri Oaks Road. Public records do indicate that the property is currently owned by a Trust and has been under the ownership of the Trust or related parties since 2002.

There were no comments or shares on this July 1 article..

NEW! Solitude Ranch w/Indoor Pool, Event Friendly! $599 per night

Sneak away from the big city for a peaceful stay at ‘Solitude Ranch,’ a vacation rental in Barrington! This ranch is one-of-a-kind, offering 3,567 square feet of space complete with 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, an upscale kitchen, sunken den, wall-to-wall windows, and even an indoor pool!

There were 3 comments made about this March 7 ad, but no shares

Barrington District 220 reverses course, switches to online classes only

Reversing course on its plan to let parents choose between in-person and online classes, Barrington Area Unit School District 220 announced Wednesday that it would offer only remote learning when school opens next month.

There was one Facebook share, and 9 comments to this July 29 article (most of which objected to our choice of graphic used).

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Saluting notable local residents who died in 2020

Posted in Fundraisers, Resident Spotlights on December 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

We said goodbye to several notable suburban residents in 2020. They left indelible marks on their communities through impressive accomplishments and dedicated public service. The list includes local officials and community, religious and business leaders.

Jasper Sanfilippo

Jasper Sanfilippo built his family’s nut business into a publicly traded company that last year had $876 million in sales. However, it is his passion for musical instruments, and helping nonprofits raise millions of dollars that helped shape his legacy. – Courtesy of Sanfilippo family

Jan. 28: He built his family’s nut business into a publicly traded company that last year had $876 million in sales, but it was his passion for musical instruments, particularly mechanical music machines, that helped shape his legacy. He was 88.

Sanfilippo’s Barrington Hills house grew to include additions to showcase his vast collection. He and his wife, Marian, helped nonprofit groups raise millions of dollars through welcoming them to host their fundraisers at the estate.

His son, Jeffrey Sanfilippo, who succeeded him as CEO of John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc. in 2006, dates his father’s interest in vintage music machines to a family vacation to Knott’s Berry Farm in California in the mid-1970s.

Jasper Sanfilippo built an addition to display his collection of automated musical instruments, including music boxes, phonographs, coin-operated pianos and violin machines. It grew to include dance organs and calliopes, and a world class theater organ.

He built an organ room and later a carousel building and helped local charities host banquets to raise money.

The couple established a family foundation in 2007 to help preserve the collection and manage the charity events.

Read the expanded list from the Daily Herald here.

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Barrington community honors veterans

Posted in Guest Essay on December 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The Signal Hill, NSDAR chapter of Barrington, sponsored the event at Evergreen Cemetery, where nearly 700 wreaths were placed.

“There is a saying: ‘Many hands make light work.’ On December 19th, 2020, at a few minutes before noon, people from various walks of life started to gather along the sidewalk adjacent to Evergreen Cemetery in Barrington, IL. Veterans groups, scout troops, work colleagues, family and friends, and individuals queued at one of two entrances, awaiting their turns to have registrations verified, and to be directed to a specific area of the cemetery, to participate in a wreath placement on identified veterans graves, honoring their service.

In 2020, Saturday, December 19th was National Wreaths Across America Day, where individuals from all over the country planned to gather in local cemeteries to honor those veterans who have been interred over the years. The Signal Hill, NSDAR chapter of Barrington, sponsored the event at Evergreen Cemetery, where nearly 700 wreaths were placed throughout the expanse of the cemetery grounds. All of the graves were honored with a live balsam wreath in under an hour. Sincere thanks to all who placed wreaths, volunteered to work the event, sponsored the purchase of wreaths, and special thanks to the Barrington PD for traffic control.

Response to the event was so enthusiastic that pre-registration had to be closed at the beginning of December. Throughout the summer, the project logisitics, spearheaded by Signal Hill member Deborah Edlund, underwent many reviews and changes, as the group tried to anticipate likely Covid-19 restrictions, recruit civic groups and individuals for the role of wreath placement, and raise funds to sponsor the purchase of the wreaths being placed. Throughout the year, Ms. Edlund and her team walked the cemetery grounds, adding names to a list to be verified as veterans eligible for the honor, using public records and genealogy sites to complete the task.

The Signal Hill Chapter began this partnership with Wreaths Across America in December of 2019, when about 350 graves had been identified. Having verified additional names and grave locations, it is the group’s hope to continue partnering with WAA for years to come, with the assistance of local Barrington citizens. For more information about Wreaths Across America, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/ILEGCA.

The Signal Hill, NSDAR Chapter, was founded in 1972, and is a volunteer women’s service organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Since its founding in 1890 over one million women have joined both nationally and around the world. The local Barrington Chapter raises funds throughout the year and distributes them to 501 (c) (3) organizations whose missions support that of NSDAR: historic preservation, education, patriotism, and conservation. Membership in NSDAR is open to any woman age 18 and over who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. For more information: https://signalhilldar.com.”

Photos courtesy Signal Hill, NSDAR

Related: Signal Hill, NSDAR to honor Evergreen Cemetery veterans

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Financial carnage will be legacy of government’s management

Posted in OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Resident Spotlights on December 27, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Tom Roeser

Closing of businesses in Illinois is controversial.

I operate a manufacturing business with 500 employees. We are designated as an “essential” business and have never been required to close.

Our experience with the virus is illustrative of how a business can remain safely open. We have had only one case where an employee contracted the virus at our workplace. Our procedures have kept our employees safe and kept their families solvent.

We have a strict policy for systematic employees to call in rather than come in. Those that can work from home (about 25) are equipped to.

Doors are propped open to reduce contact opportunities and extra cleaning is in place. Hand washing, masks and social distancing work.

If employees feel ill while at work, we send them to get tested. If positive, we send the entire production line home for 14-day quarantine.

There are many other “essential” businesses with a similar safety record. It is irresponsible for our government to discriminate against some businesses, churches or other public spaces, requiring them to close.

Governments could have gone to those open businesses to experience which easily-implemented safety measures have kept them safely open.

Fear of the virus has allowed our government to hide from making decisions. Does the science tell us that schools should close? Is there data that shows that restaurants are mass spreaders? Does one really think that a 5,000-square-foot church can only accommodate 50 parishioners?

The vaccines will put this virus behind us, but the judgment of our elected leaders will remain and the carnage of businesses and family finances will be their legacy.

• Tom Roeser, of Barrington Hills, is president of OTTO Engineering in Carpentersville.

Source

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Condoleezza Rice keynote speaker for Barrington event open to all via Zoom

Posted in Resident Spotlights on December 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Barrington’s Town-Warming event will have its most prominent keynote speaker to date, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a Zoom event with more affordable ticket prices than usual.

The theme of the Jan. 23 event will be “What Now? Looking Ahead to the Post-Pandemic World.” Another keynote speaker will be William M. Daley, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

The event typically sells out quickly and is held at Barrington’s White House, where capacity is limited to about 200 people including the upstairs ballroom and a livestream on the first floor, village spokeswoman Patty Dowd Schmitz said.

Tickets normally are $150 per person, but they will be $75 per household this year because multiple people can watch on one screen, she said.

The event is presented by Barrington’s cultural commission and is made possible by Motorola CEO Greg Brown and his wife, Anna, who sponsor the keynote speakers, and Northern Trust, the presenting sponsor.

The Browns are Barrington Hills residents. Greg Brown was a panel speaker in 2018, then became actively involved in securing and sponsoring keynote speakers by leveraging his personal relationships, Dowd Schmitz said.

Read more here. To purchase tickets to the January 23rd event, click here.

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Illinois sees worst population decline since World War II

Posted in Commodius Maximus, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Taxes on December 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Even subtracting COVID-19 deaths, Illinois still suffered its largest population drop in modern history in the first year of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s fiscal policies, including 20 new tax and fee hikes, as well as his pandemic response.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Illinois recorded a seventh straight year of population loss, but the drop was historic – 79,487 residents from July 2019 to July 2020, the most since World War II and the second largest of any state in raw numbers or percentage of population.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau Dec. 22 shows only New York lost a greater number or share of residents during the year.

The data marks the seventh consecutive year Illinois has experienced population decline, the longest streak in state history. That streak is the second-longest in the nation, behind only West Virginia, which has battled population decline for eight consecutive years. Meanwhile, Connecticut is the only other state to experience seven consecutive years of population decline. However, Illinois holds the distinct title of suffering the most consecutive years of worsening population decline, being the only state where population loss has accelerated each year for the past seven years.

Read more here.

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Holiday wishes from The Observer

Posted in OP/Ed on December 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our readers and wish you all a very

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Merry Christmas!

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Sounds Like Christmas

Posted in Uncategorized on December 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT RISKO

In Barrington Hills this Christmas Eve, you’d be able to find outside—rain or snow—Pastor Todd Berge at the barbeque grilling steaks for his family’s dinner. Pastor Berge comes from a family of six children and his wife, Jeanne, is one of four siblings; together they have continued the Christmas traditions started by their own families and created more as the years have gone by.

With four children of their own now, and one grandchild, the days leading up to the holiday are full of treasured traditions. Despite busy schedules all around, after Thanksgiving Jeanne finds a time for family to join in the Christmas tree decorating while singing Christmas carols. And just like many families, their ornaments are full of memories of holidays past. The Berge’s have a tradition of bringing home an ornament from each of their travels, “We have ornaments from Israel, Africa, Disney World— it’s a retelling of our marriage as we put them on the tree,” says Berge. Berge’s mother would always “put an orange in the tree of our stocking,” says Berge, a tradition that he and Jeanne continue.

On Christmas Eve the family join together to attend Church, celebrate the holiday over dinner, and open large presents, with Jeanne gifting pajamas to any family opting to stay overnight. At times, the family gathering can reach 50 people with everyone singing and playing games, like trivia, as a jovial, festive atmosphere pervades throughout the house.

Read more of the Quintessential Barrington article here.

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