Posted in BACT, Entertainment, Organizations, Resident Spotlights on September 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Please join us this Sunday at Valley View Farm for a lovely afternoon of live music, raffles, lawn games and more! This is our main fundraiser of the year directly supporting our mission to preserve the incredible natural spaces across the Barrington area for current and future generations.
1-5 PM September 24th, Valley View Farm, 260 Otis Road, Barrington Hills. Purchase general admission tickets here. Purchase raffle tickets here:.
Posted in Entertainment, Fundraisers on September 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »
2023 Art In the Barn 48th Annual Fine Art Show ~ Saturday & Sunday, September 23rd & 24th
Friday, Sept. 22
Long Grove Apple Fest: Noon to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept 22; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. The 32nd annual fest features apple delicacies, from apple wine to apple tempura, and family activities, a carnival and more. Music from Mr. Blotto at 9 p.m. Friday; 7th heaven at 9 p.m. Saturday; and Made in America at 4 p.m. Sunday. $5; free for kids 11 and younger. longgrove.org/festivals/apple-fest.
Oktoberfest/Family Fall Fest: Oktoberfest: 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22-23; Family Fest: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Emerson Street and Busse Avenue, Mount Prospect. Authentic German food, spirits and music. Family Fest includes pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treat candy line, activities, food and music. Special Needs Hour from noon to 1 p.m. Parking available in the Village Hall Parking Garage at 50 S. Emerson St. Free. mpdowntown.com/oktoberfest-info.
Island Lake Oktoberfest: 5-11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at Water Tower Park, 429 W. State Road, Island Lake. German food, beer, pie-eating contest and games. Music from Phenix at 7 p.m. Friday; Dachshund Derby at 3 p.m. and The Bratwurst Brothers at 7 p.m. Saturday; and DJ Sunday. $5 admission includes one drink. villageofislandlake.com/events.
Get dressed up in dirndls and lederhosens for the Libertyville Oktoberfest Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22-23, at Mickey Finn’s Brewery. – Courtesy of MainStreet Libertyville
Libertyville Oktoberfest: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22; family-friendly hours 2-4 p.m. and regular hours are 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, in the back lot at Mickey Finn’s Brewery, 345 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Beer, food and play Bavarian sports like Hammerschlagen or Masskrugstemmen. Music from Alpine Thunder at 7 p.m. Friday; The Phenix Band at 2 p.m. and The Oom-Pasters Polka and Variety Band at 6 p.m. Saturday. 21 or older. $25 includes a plastic stein and one beer ticket; VIP tickets for $50 include two beer tickets, a commemorative ceramic stein and a tour of Mickey Finn’s Brewery. eventbrite.com.
Saturday, Sept. 23
Art in the Barn: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24, on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, 450 W. Route 22, Barrington. More than 150 artists exhibiting works in acrylics, ceramics, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oils, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolors, wood and more. Plus, entertainment, food and more. Admission $5; free for kids 11 and younger. artinthebarn-barrington.com.
Pepper Park Fest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, in Pepper Park, North Pepper Road, Lake Barrington. Live music, kids’ activities, food, vendor booths, Barnfest, Touch a Fire Truck and more. Free. barringtonchamber.com.
Step It Up for Clearbrook: 8 a.m. registration Saturday, Sept. 23, at Cronin Park, 399 S. Highland Ave., Arlington Heights. Kids’ Dash at 8:20 a.m.; 5K at 8:30 a.m.; one-mile walk/run at 8:40 a.m. Music, games, food and activities for all ages. $10 kids dash, $25 fun run, $35 chip-timed 5K. step.clearbrook.org.
Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Saturday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Pedal tractors, pumpkins and fall treats for sale, and on weekends, hayrides for $3.50 and animal shows. $5 for residents, $5.50 for nonresidents; free for kids 1 and younger and U.S. military with ID. dtpd.org/randall-oaks-zoo.
Bull Valley Oktoberfest & Classic Car Show: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Stickney House/Bull Valley Village Hall, 1904 Cherry Valley Road, Bull Valley. Music from the German folk band Die Musikmeisters at noon, a DJ from 2-4 p.m., food trucks, craft beer, kids’ games, local crafters and community groups. $5, free for kids 12 and younger. livingwiththelandinbullvalley.com.
Tractor-drawn wagon rides: 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 23 and 30, and Sunday, Sept. 24, at Danada Equestrian Center, 3S507 Naperville Road, Wheaton. Go on a 30-minute ride while learning about the forest preserve’s heritage and natural areas. Rides at 1, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m. Tickets are first-come, first-served. Kids younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult. $5 ages 5 and older; free for kids younger than 5. No registration. dupageforest.org.
Bluff City Cemetery Walk: 3 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, and 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd., Elgin. Elgin History Museum’s 36th annual event. $20. Register at elginhistory.org/2023-cemetery-walk/.
“Anne of Green Gables” Walking Play: 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. The play, based on L.M. Montgomery’s classic novel, begins at the Thornhill Shelter on the west side. $15-$25. Tickets at mortonarb.org.
Elgin Short Film Festival: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. 15th annual film festival features cinematic shorts (20 minutes or less) from filmmakers from around the world. There will be a red carpet reception featuring filmmaker interviews and entertainment, followed by the film screenings. Streaming option available. $10. cityofelgin.org/1828/Elgin-Short-Film-Festival.
Pint of Music Concerts: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove. Held outdoors on the Biergarten Main Stage if weather permits or indoors. L&M will perform. Free. BuffaloCreekBrewing.com.
Hector Anchondo: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Raue Center For the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. The award-winning blues guitarist performs. $25-$35. rauecenter.org.
Sunday, Sept. 24
Pioneer Day at Stacy’s Tavern Museum: 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Glen Ellyn History Center, 800 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn. Pioneer activities. $8 for adults, $6 for members; $4/$3 for kids. gehs.org.
Streamwood Oktoberfest: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at Hoosier Grove Barn, 700 W. Irving Park Road, Streamwood. More than 30 brewers will be offering biers, ciders and meads, plus food and live music. Tickets are $45 through Sept. 23 and $50 at the gate. Designated Driver tickets $10. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Streamwood Park District Scholarship Program. streamwoodparks.org/oktoberfest.
Thursday, Sept. 28
Plaza Concert Series: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Wheeling Town Center, 351 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling. Industrial Drive will perform. Free. thewheelingtowncenter.com/events.
Find more here.
Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Countryside Elementary School, District 220 referendum, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions, Video Recordings, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 21, 2023| 2 Comments »
“At the Sept. 19 Board meeting, the Board heard a presentation about implementing full-day kindergarten in Barrington 220. Full-day kindergarten would extend core instruction (math, science, literacy, etc.) throughout the school day, and allow teachers time to encompass the whole child in exploration and personalized learning, as well as social-emotional development.
Currently, Barrington 220 offers a half-day option, however, the majority of students are enrolled in a fee-based Kindergarten Enrichment Program that runs a full day. One might assume that since the district currently accommodates the full-day Kindergarten Enrichment Program, it could easily accommodate full-day kindergarten. However, there are many factors to consider prior to implementing full-day kindergarten. For instance, over the past decade, there has been an enrollment increase each year of 40 to 60 students between kindergarten and first grade. Anecdotal evidence is that many of these students are attending private full-day programs, which leads to the assumption that a full-day program in the district will result in an increase in kindergarten enrollment. This would require an increase in staffing, as well as classroom space.
The district is currently reviewing options to renovate two or three classrooms at BHS to house a kindergarten lab program, or build classroom additions at elementary schools.
A final recommendation will be presented to the Board in October. Click here to listen to the Board presentation.”
Posted in BACOG, FPDCC, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Plan Commission, Real Estate, South Barrington, Spring Creek Watershed, Topics Of Interest, Village Director of Administration, Well Water Quality, Zoning Board on September 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Excerpt from FEMA Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel 0178 in Hoffman Estates | Courtesy of Illlinois State Water Survey on behalf of FEMA
Submitted by Shelly Fuller
Updates to portions of Cook County’s and Kane County’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are nearly complete.
The new maps will provide both counties with up-to-date flood risk information and tools that can be used to enhance local mitigation plans and help officials and residents make better decisions about reducing flood risks and purchasing flood insurance.
Areas of revision are within the Poplar Creek and Spring Creek watersheds and include portions of: Barrington Hills, Cook County (unincorporated areas), Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, Kane County (unincorporated areas) and South Elgin.
The mapping project is part of a nationwide effort led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to increase local knowledge of flood risks and support actions to address and reduce those risks.
The work has been led by FEMA Region V, in partnership with local community officials and the Illinois State Water Survey.
Before the new Flood Insurance Rate Map is finalized, a 90-day appeal period will give residents and business owners a chance to provide additional technical data or non-technical comments for FEMA’s consideration.
FEMA encourages residents and business owners to review the proposed map changes, learn about local flood risks and potential flood insurance requirements, and share any concerns or questions.
If members of the affected communities notice incorrect information that does not involve changing the flood hazard-related information-such as a missing or misspelled road name or an incorrect corporate boundary-a written correction, or “comment,” can be submitted.
If members of the communities have concerns about certain areas of the map and have technical and scientific information-such as detailed hydraulic or hydrologic data-that can be used to improve the maps, they may file an appeal during the 90-day appeal period. All comments and appeals must be submitted through the local officials. Because submitting an appeal requires some time and effort, we encourage property owners and renters to review the updated flood maps now.
If you are interested in submitting an appeal, we highly recommend that you first discuss it with your local officials so they can provide guidance on the process. For more details about this process, visit www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/BFE_Status/bfe_main.asp.
Read more here.
Posted in Crabtree Nature Center, Entertainment, FPDCC on September 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Visitors of all ages can enjoy nature exploration, dancing, stewardship and more at the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Party for the Preserves events on Sept. 23.
Submitted by Forest Preserves of Cook County
The annual Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Party for the Preserves on Saturday, Sept. 23, checks a lot of boxes: it kicks off fall forest fun events that run through November, marks two historic anniversaries, and — most importantly — offers a full day of fun, from a bilingual bird walk at 8:30 a.m. to a Funkadesi concert followed by s’mores and night walks 12 hours later.
“As the seasons turn, there’s even more to see and do in the Forest Preserves, and that deserves a party,” says Forest Preserves General Superintendent Arnold Randall.
“This year we are also marking the 30th anniversary of National Public Lands Day and the 60th anniversary of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. We have a lot to celebrate.”
Six events — all free and open to the public — will be held as part of this year’s Party for the Preserves:
Additional details on all six events are online at fpdcc.com/events/category/party or at each preserve’s web pages. Fall events through the end of November are available in the Fall 2023 Guide.
Posted in Crime, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield on September 20, 2023| 1 Comment »
Esmeralda Aguilar, 24, is charged with four felony counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer but released thanks to a new state law abolishing cash bail. (Chicago Police Department)
A woman accused of attacking four Chicago police officers has been released from custody after a new state law went into effect abolishing cash bail.
Esmeralda Aguilar, 24, a resident of the Chicago suburb of Cicero, is charged with four counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer over the incident that allegedly occurred over the weekend.
Aguilar was arrested moments after the alleged attack in the downtown area. However, she was released Monday, the same day the Pretrial Fairness Act, which is part of the SAFE-T Act, went into effect.
“Reports that on the very first day of no cash bail, a violent offender arrested for attacking four Chicago Police Officers, sending two of them to the hospital, was immediately released because the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office didn’t even bother to file a motion to seek detaining the accused are problematic,” Illinois state Sen. John Curran, said in a statement to FOX Chicago.
“This highlights the misplaced priorities of Illinois’ criminal justice system when the prosecutor prioritizes the freedom of a violent offender over the safety of those police officers dedicated to protecting and serving our communities,” Curran added.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office told Fox News Digital it could not comment on Aguilar’s case. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Chicago Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Read more here.
Related: “There is no longer cash bail in Illinois. What happens now?”
Posted in Agenda, Clown Car, Cuba Rd Bridge, Cuba Township Road District, Deception, Ethics, Mad Cows, One Barrington Hills, Politics, Property Taxes, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Traffic, Transparency, WTF on September 20, 2023| 1 Comment »
This Summer the entire length of Oak Knoll Road was resurfaced due to Trustee Laura Eckstrom’s objection to the appearance of a perfectly sound patching job (which ironically was performed to EXTEND the life of the roadway). It is worth reminding taxpayers Eckstrom happens to LIVE on Oak Knoll Road.
The Village Roads & Bridges Committee meets this afternoon for the first time in five months at 4 PM. The topics on the agenda are:
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.
Posted in Pension Funding, Politics, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Unions on September 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills | Greg Bishop – The Center Square
(The Center Square) – A member of the Illinois House Personnel and Pensions Committee is suggesting lawmakers may need to look at other options if they hope to solve the state’s pension crisis.
Illinois currently spends more than $10 billion a year on public pensions, and the state’s five systems have an unfunded liability of at least $140 billion.
House Bill 4098, which has been the center of conversation during the House Personnel and Pensions Committee hearings over the past few months, would allow the Illinois Treasurer and Comptroller to transfer $500 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Unfunded Liability Reduction Fund each fiscal year. Those funds would then be used to make payments into the state’s pension systems.
The committee’s chair, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, said this is the right way to fix the pension crisis.
“This is the first time ever we have had a bill that discusses Tier 2 to this depth,” Kifowit told The Center Square in July. “This truly is momentum going in the right direction.”
Tier 2 pensions are for state employees hired after 2011. Stakeholders say the fewer benefits compared to Tier 1 are problematic and could run afoul of Social Security rules.
New to the House committee, state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, believes HB4098 goes after the taxpayers instead of addressing the unfunded liabilities.
“Twenty-eight percent of our budget now goes to pensions when most states are at 8%,” McLaughlin told The Center Square. “What is our solution? Move Tier 2 to Tier 1 and give them even more. So our solution is to go after the taxpayers’ wallet.”
Private pensions restructured their pensions years ago, an approach McLaughlin said legislators should consider but won’t.
“They restructured their pensions 10 or 15 years ago. They restructured them because they knew they were going to make sure they were going to get paid is to keep underlying business solvent,” McLaughlin said. “The public pension plans have never, and they will not allow that negotiation to take place. Their job [pension fund stakeholders] is to make sure we can stay solvent, and the only way they believe they can solve it is to constantly tax us. That is a recipe for disaster, which is why everyone is leaving the state.”
Read more here.
Posted in Barrington High School, Nostalgia on September 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington High School Homecoming is Saturday, September 23rd. Some of the scheduled events are as follows:
Wednesday, Sept. 20
Friday, Sept. 22
Saturday, Sept. 22 (Day)
Saturday, Sept. 22 (Evening)
The 2023 Reunion Chairs webpage can be found here, and the Barrington High School Alumni Facebook page is here.
Editorial note: We took the liberty of signing Leah Collister-Lazzari and Barry Altshuler up for the Dodgeball Tournament. It should be a good sport (Two men enter, one man leaves).
Posted in Public Safety, Springfield, Taxes on September 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans who own weapons that can no longer be purchased or sold in the state under its new assault weapons ban will soon be able to register those weapons so they can legally keep them.
The law, officially known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, bans the sale and possession of firearms defined as “assault weapons” as well as assault weapon attachments, .50 caliber rifles, .50 caliber cartridges and high-capacity magazines.
However, the law provides an exception for Illinoisans who already owned such items before it went into effect. Those people are required to submit an endorsement affidavit through their Firearm Owner’s Identification Card account before Jan. 1, 2024.
The Illinois State Police filed emergency rules with the secretary of state on Monday to implement that portion of the assault weapons ban beginning next month.
State agencies have authority to issue emergency rules in certain circumstances. Those rules can only remain in place for up to 150 days, after which they must be replaced by permanent rules or repealed. Permanent rules are subject to a public comment period and review by the legislative Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
ISP will begin accepting affidavits online starting Oct. 1. Affidavits must be submitted online through a FOID Card account, which can be accessed through ISP’s Firearms Services Bureau website or by going directly to www.ispfsb.com/Public/Login.aspx.
More here.
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