The Barrington Hills Police Department would like you to be aware the temporary closure of Route 62 has concluded and all lanes of traffic are now open. Thank you again for your cooperation.
Archive for September, 2023
Route 62 Now Open
Posted in VBHPD, Village Government on September 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Route 62 – Temporary Closure
Posted in Community Alerts, VBHPD on September 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Police Department would like to advise you that Route 62 will be temporarily closed between Old Sutton Road and Longmeadow Parkway due to a serious traffic crash investigation. Please avoid this area until further notice. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Group intends Gotion lawsuit
Posted in Commodius Maximus, Deception, Ethics, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield on September 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
A horse on Lori Brock’s farm jumps in the air while wearing a shirt that says ‘I say neigh to Gotion.’ Photo: Lori Brock | Contributed photo
A Michigan nonprofit organization intends to sue a Chinese company that is planning to build a battery plant in Illinois.
The Mecosta Environmental and Security Alliance is hoping to stop the construction of a proposed electric vehicle battery plant by Gotion, Incorporated near Big Rapids, Michigan. With the help of millions of dollars in state and federal tax credits, Gotion plans to build a similar plant in Manteno, Illinois.
Related: “Emerging scandal: Why are we giving $8 billion to Chinese company with CCP ties to build a $2 billion IL battery factory?,” “Federal taxpayers will fund billions more than actual cost of Illinois battery plant to be owned by Chinese company with alleged CCP ties,” “Hefty Illinois tax incentive package helps lure Chinese EV battery plant”
Spotted lanternfly found for first time in Illinois
Posted in FPDCC, Topics Of Interest on September 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
An invasive spotted lanternfly Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture© Provided by CBS Chicago
The spotted lanternfly is a striking creature – with an array of black polka dots on its wings and a pair of strips of bright red on its underwings.
But the spotted lanternfly is also an invasive species, and if you see one, officials want you to stomp it with your shoe.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture on Tuesday confirmed the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma deliculata) has appeared for the first time in Illinois – though the department did not specify exactly where the spotting was.
State, federal, and local officials visited the site near the area where the insects were reported and found a moderately-populated area of spotted lanternflies on Monday of last week, the department said.
The department emphasized that the spotted lanternfly is not dangerous to the health or safety of humans or animals.
But it is still no friend of ours. And again, you’re supposed to stomp it with your shoe.
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive plant hopper, native to China. It was first spotted in southeast Pennsylvania in September 2014, went on to spread throughout the East Coast.
In New Jersey, spotted lanternflies have invaded Jersey Shore beaches. They have also been swarming in New York City since 2020.
In Westchester County just north of New York City, the Parks Department has taken to using a vacuum that looks like the proton pack from “Ghostbusters” to suck the swarms of spotted lanternflies off trees.
More here.
Forest Preserves of Cook County September 2023 Newsletter
Posted in FPDCC, Property Taxes, Topics Of Interest on September 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
As summer winds down, late-blooming prairie wildflowers—including blazing star and goldenrod—provide a striking display throughout the Forest Preserves, marking the end of the season with vibrant golds and purples. | Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) and Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Photo by: Michelle Wendling
In this issue:
- New and Improved Crabtree Nature Center Now Open
- Celebrate National Public Lands Day with a Party for the Preserves
- 2023 Photo Contest Winners Announced
- Latest News: Hispanic Heritage Month Paddling Celebration, See How Chicago Botanic Garden Shines, Conservation Cup Raises Funds for Restoration and Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
- Upcoming Events, and
- New Volunteer Opportunities
Read more here.
After public outcry, South Barrington Park District might scrap plan to sell land to religious group
Posted in Barrington United Methodist Church, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), South Barrington, Topics Of Interest on September 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
By Russell Lissau – Daily Herald
After a public outcry, the South Barrington Park District board on Wednesday will consider scrapping a controversial plan to sell undeveloped land to a religious organization.
A motion to cancel the pending $1.7 million sales contract for a 34-acre site near Bartlett Road and Route 59 is on the agenda for the evening’s board meeting. The would-be buyer is Maywood-based Fourth Avenue Gospel Building Inc., a nonprofit operation that, according to one of its websites, is owned and operated by a local congregation of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
Park District Executive Director Jay Morgan said he doesn’t know if a majority of the five-member board will vote to stop the sale, which has been publicly opposed by dozens of local residents. At least two commissioners wanted the issue on the agenda, he said.
“I think they wanted to put it on there so the residents don’t feel like we’re not listening to what they’re saying,” Morgan said.
Commissioners couldn’t be reached Tuesday.
The meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. at South Barrington’s Community Center, 3 Tennis Club Lane. It will follow a mostly closed-door meeting set to begin at 6:30 p.m., during which the board will discuss pending litigation stemming from its plan to sell the land.
Park district voters in November approved holding an auction to unload the property, which sometimes is called “Area N.” Fourth Avenue Gospel Building was the lone bidder.
More here.
Related: “Attorneys for South Barrington Park District, church tell judge they want to complete land sale,” “Opponents of the South Barrington Park District land sale to Plymouth Brother Christian Church protest outside meeting, confront commissioners,” “Proposed sale of South Barrington Park District land to church is headed to court,” “Why the South Barrington Park District has halted land sale to church, (Part 2),” “Why South Barrington Park District has halted land sale to church,” “South Barrington Park District proposed property sale updates include request for support,” “Hearing on controversial church plan canceled in South Barrington, but opponents still have their say,” “Why some South Barrington residents oppose plan for new church, school,” “Nearby South Barrington Park District property sale concerns neighbors”
Some see Illinois’ dwindling population hurting public pensions
Posted in Pension Funding, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on September 26, 2023| 1 Comment »
Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills |BlueRoomStream
Illinois has seen an exodus of residents over the past several years. Some say the outmigration is contributing to the state’s growing pension problems.
Illinois currently spends about $10 billion a year on public pensions, and the state’s five systems have an unfunded liability of at least $140 billion. Some Illinois legislators are pushing for more funding for pensions while others have raised concerns of having Tier 2 employees hired after 2011 with fewer promised benefits paying more to support those employees in Tier 1 with more generous benefits.
A recent report from the American Legislative Exchange Council found each man, woman and child in Illinois is on the hook for about $37,000 to pay off public employee pensions, the second highest amount of all states after Alaska.
U.S. Census data shows nationwide, the median household income was $74,755 in 2022, down around 1% from the year before when adjusting for inflation. Illinois is one of 17 states to see its average inflation-adjusted household income decrease in 2022.
Other data from the U.S. Census on state-to-state migration released earlier this year shows that Illinois gained 4,000 residents from nine other states. But about 150,000 left for other states. That means 146,000 Illinoisans on net left in 2021.
Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, said the state pension systems suffer when people leave the state.
“We are having a smaller and smaller number of employees supporting the top, and that demographic structure itself is a big problem,” McLaughlin told The Center Square. “That’s not changing because the only way to change that is to grow Illinois’ population, grow Illinois businesses, grow Illinois employees, so they can support those at the top.”
Read more here.
FTC Sues Amazon, Alleging Illegal Online-Marketplace Monopoly
Posted in Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Topics Of Interest on September 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states on Tuesday sued Amazon, alleging the online retailer illegally wields monopoly power that keeps prices artificially high, locks sellers into its platform and harms its rivals.
The FTC’s lawsuit, filed in Seattle federal court, marks a milestone in the Biden administration’s aggressive approach to enforcing antitrust laws and has been anticipated for months. The agency’s chair, Lina Khan, is a longtime critic of Amazon who wrote in the Yale Law Journal in 2017 that earlier generations of competition cops and courts abandoned the law’s concerns over conglomerates such as Amazon.
The FTC and states alleged that Amazon violated antitrust laws by using anti-discounting measures that punished merchants for offering lower prices elsewhere. The government also said sellers on Amazon were compelled to use its logistics service if they want their goods to appear in Amazon Prime, the subscription program whose perks include faster shipping times, the FTC said.
The FTC said sellers feel they must use Amazon’s services such as advertising to be successful on the platform. Between being paid for its logistics program, advertising and other services, “Amazon now takes one of every $2 that a seller makes,” Khan said at a briefing with the media Tuesday.
“The lawsuit filed by the FTC today is wrong on the facts and the law, and we look forward to making that case in court,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s general counsel and head of public policy. “The practices the FTC is challenging have helped to spur competition and innovation across the retail industry, and have produced greater selection, lower prices, and faster delivery speeds for Amazon customers and greater opportunity for the many businesses that sell in Amazon’s store.”
More here.
Cook County announces $3M for free solar panel installations
Posted in Cook, County, Going green, Property Taxes on September 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Under Cook County’s Sun and Save program, solar panel installation is free for eligible homeowners. | Associated Press file photo
Cook County announced $3 million in funding Monday for its no-cost residential Sun and Save program, which installs free solar systems for income-qualified homeowners.
“The largest barrier residents face when choosing whether or not they can afford to install solar is the upfront costs,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a news release. “By making solar installation completely free for eligible residents, we are lowering the barriers to entry and allowing more residents to take advantage of the benefits solar energy has to offer.”
The Cook County Sun and Save program is available to households that meet the following requirements:
- Single-family and small multi-family residences of four units or less within Cook County.
- The homeowner must live inside the home. For small multifamily homes of four units or less, the property owner must live in one of the units and is required to be the primary applicant for the program.
- The household income must be 80% to 120% of the area median income. That income range differs based on household size. For instance, the range for a house of four is $88,250 to $132,360. An area median income chart — as well as information on how to apply — can be found at tinyurl.com/SunAndSave.
- If a household income is less than 80% of the area median, it does not qualify for Sun and Save. Rather, it would potentially qualify for Illinois Solar For All, which is a similar statewide program that offers free residential solar installations.
Read more here.
Group says Illinois parents should know sex ed opt-out rights
Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Deception, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions on September 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
As the new school year is well underway, a parent’s rights advocacy group is urging Illinois families to know what their options are concerning sex education being taught in some schools.
The vast majority of Illinois school districts are not opting into controversial sexual education curricula, according to Awake Illinois. But the districts with the largest student populations are.
In 2021, Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law aligning the state’s public schools with the National Sex Education Standards, saying the measure will modernize the subject with age-appropriate content for grades K-12.
Among the standards for grades K-2 are defining gender expression, different kinds of families and types of sexual abuse. Grade 3-5 goes into anatomy, gender identity and sexual orientation. Grades 6-8 will learn about different types of sex, different types of sexual exploitation and trafficking. Grade 9-10 will learn about the history of “reproductive justice.” Grades 11-12 will learn about power and privilege within sexual relationships.
“Modernizing our sex education standards will help keep our children safe and ensure important lessons like consent and internet safety are taught in classrooms,” Pritzker said in a statement announcing his signature.
The law was praised by sex education advocates.
“As a sex educator who has personally been targeted by misinformed critics for providing those necessary tools, I understand the urgent need to expand access to sex education that is medically accurate, LGBTQ+ affirming, culturally inclusive, and age-appropriate,” Justine Ang Fonte, an intersectional sex educator, said in 2021.
Opponents said the law goes too far.
Awake Illinois found through the Freedom of Information Act that of 758 school districts surveyed by the Illinois State Board of Education, 206 have opted in during the last school year. Awake Illinois founder Shannon Adcock said parent advocacy is working.
Read more here.
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