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Archive for February, 2025

Darby Hills Sworn In to Represent Illinois’ 26th Senate District

Posted in Animal Welfare, Appointments, Barrington Education Association, BOHICA, Clown Car, Deception, Dinky, Ethics, FOIA, FUBAR, Goat Rodeo, Look For The Union Label, Massbach Hounds, New Normal?, Politics, Press Release, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, The Chicago Way, Transparency, Unions, Village Government, Wikipedia on February 28, 2025| 2 Comments »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28th, 2025

BARRINGTON HILLS, IL – Darby Hills has officially been sworn in as the new State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District, bringing a lifelong commitment to public service and advocacy for children and families to the Illinois Senate. A dedicated community leader, Hills has served as a trustee on the Barrington Hills Village Board and is the founder of Barrington Children’s Charity, which provides meals to hundreds of children each week.

“I am honored to officially represent the 26th District in the Illinois Senate, and my mission is clear— fighting for the families who make this community strong. We must support parents, create opportunities for kids to succeed, and ensure government works for the people, not against them,” said Hills. “I will fight to cut taxes, hold government accountable and advance policies that grow our economy. I will bring the voices of families to Springfield and work every day to build a better future for the next generation.”

Hills’ commitment to public service is deeply personal. Raised in a working-class household by a single mother, she understands the challenges families face and has dedicated her career to making a difference. Through Barrington Children’s Charity, she has helped ensure that 525 children receive meals each week in Barrington-area schools. As a Barrington Hills trustee, she has fought to keep taxes low, rein in wasteful spending, and hold government accountable.

A former Cook County prosecutor and attorney, Hills brings both legal expertise and real-world experience to the Senate. She is also a wife and mother of three, giving her a firsthand perspective on the issues that matter most to families.

As she begins her service in the Illinois Senate, Hills is focused on providing relief for taxpayers, ensuring government is transparent and accountable, and promoting policies that strengthen the economy. She is committed to supporting families, expanding opportunities for children, and making sure the voices of her constituents are heard in Springfield.

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Source

Related: “Darby Hills chosen — again — to succeed Dan McConchie in state Senate,” “’The Fix’ is in?,” “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District”

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Darby Hills chosen — again — to succeed Dan McConchie in state Senate

Posted in Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Clown Car, Daily Herald, Deception, Dinky, FUBAR, Horse Boarding, Politics, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, SNAFU, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions, Village Board, Village Government on February 28, 2025| 6 Comments »

By Russell Lissau | Daily Herald

For the second time in a month, Barrington Hills Trustee Darby Hills on Friday was named the new state senator for the 26th District.

Republican Party leaders representing various parts of the district chose Hills to succeed Republican Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods, who resigned Feb. 2.

The same GOP group first selected Hills for the job Feb. 14 from a field of four applicants, but the appointment was challenged in court by an Algonquin woman who claimed that meeting wasn’t properly advertised to the public.

More here.

Related: “’The Fix’ is in?,” “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District”

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1 PM 26th Senate District Committee vote available via Zoom

Posted in Appointments, Deception, FUBAR, Goat Rodeo, Illinois State Board of Elections, Perjury, Politics, Springfield on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The 26th Senate District Committee will meet at 1:00 PM today, February 28th, 2025, to appoint a replacement for Dan McConchie. The meeting location is 765 North Quentin Road in Palatine, and is open to the public and via Zoom:

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88391007467?pwd=EaBCQkvZljCqzlBd6A5lwZaFn0X32o.1

Meeting ID: 883 9100 7467 Passcode: 045947

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“The Fix” is in?

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Contests, Daily Herald, Deception, Dinky, Ethics, Illinois State Board of Elections, New Normal?, OP/Ed, Politics, Resident Spotlights, Village Board, Village Government, Wikipedia, WTF on February 28, 2025| 1 Comment »

According to Wikipedia, “This page was last edited on 23 February 2025, at 00:16 (UTC).”

A week ago today, the Daily Herald reported, “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat.”

Their report went on to state:

“Any additional applicants will be interviewed privately before a public vote is taken at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at the Palatine Township Republican Organization headquarters, 765 N. Quentin Road, Palatine.”

Apparently, no one bothered to inform Mrs. Hills, since her Wikipedia page (found here) states she is a, “Member of the Illinois Senate from the 26th district,” and that she “Assumed Office February 15, 2025.”  According Wikipedia, “This page was last edited on 23 February 2025, at 00:16 (UTC).”

A PDF copy of Hills’ page, provided by Wikipedia, can be viewed and downloaded for your convenience here.

So is “The Fix” in? You decide…

Related: “Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat,” “26th Legislative District Committee meeting cancelled,” “State Senator seat at any price?,” ”26th Legislative District Committee meeting tomorrow,” “Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie,” “Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight,” “Lawsuit challenges legality of GOP appointment to 26th State Senate seat,” “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District”

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Things to do Feb. 28 to March 6: Chicago Golf Show, Northern Illinois Boat Show and more

Posted in Entertainment on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Northern Illinois Boat Show runs through Sunday, March 2, at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake. | Daily Herald file photo

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

Friday, Feb. 28

Northern Illinois Boat Show: Noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 1; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Over 200 new and used boats from more than 50 manufacturers, and over 20 exhibitors, as well as boat trailers, parts and accessories. $9, $7 for seniors and veterans, free for kids younger than 12. illinoisboatshow.com.

James “Murr” Murray: 6 and 9:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1, at Zanies Comedy Night Club, 5437 Park Place, Rosemont. Comedian known as one of the “The Impractical Jokers” and for appearing on “The Misery Index.” $40-$140. rosemont.zanies.com.

Roots of Royalty Sneaker Ball: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Wear your finest attire and favorite sneakers for a night of music, food, dancing and community celebrating Black excellence. $30; $15 for ECC students, $10 for kids, free for kids 12 and younger. elgin.edu.

Chicago Golf Show: Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. Golf equipment and apparel, free putting and full-swing lessons from IPGA pros, interactive and educational sessions with special guests and more. $8 Friday and $13 Saturday or Sunday for ages 16 and older; $4 for kids 12-15; and free for kids 11 and younger. chicagogolfshow.com.

Disney’s “Frozen Jr.”: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Based on the hit movie and presented by HOTT (Helping Others Through Theater) Productions NFP. $20-$22. heparks.org/theater.

The Murder Mystery Co’s Dinner Theater Show: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Palm Court Restaurant, 1912 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. A humorous and interactive murder mystery and a three-course meal. $79. murdermysteryco.com.

The Sofa Kings for Gerry’s Cafe Benefit Concert: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Nellie’s Gastropub & ConcertHub, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. Concert featuring rock covers benefiting Gerry’s Cafe, the nonprofit coffee shop staffed by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. $40. gerryscafe.org.

“Disney’s Mary Poppins — A Staged Concert”: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1, and Thursday through Saturday, March 6-8, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. A musical adventure based on the Disney movie. $24-$45. metropolisarts.com.

ECC Musical Theatre’s “Next to Normal”: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at SecondSpace, Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. An unflinching look at a suburban family struggling with the effects of mental illness. $20-$22. eccartscenter.org.

Megalodon will compete at Monster Jam Friday through Sunday, Feb. 28 through March 2, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. | Courtesy of The Motion Agency

Monster Jam: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Head-to-head battles of speed and skill with Grave Digger, Megalodon, El Toro Loco and more, plus Freestyle Motocross exhibitions. Tickets start at $30. rosemont.com/allstate.

Spies Of The World: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Grateful Dead tribute. $35-$45. Rauecenter.org.

Saturday, March 1

“Glengarry Glen Ross”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through March 9, at The Barrington Theater, 540 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington. Immersive production of David Mamet’s play about the ruthless world of real estate sales presented by Parker Players Theater Co. $30-$35.88. parkerplayerstheater.org.

Maple Sugaring Days: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2, at Creek Bend Nature Center, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. Explore the art, science and folklore of the “sugar bush.” Learn how to identify and tap a maple tree, try drilling and setting a tap, and simmer sap over an open fire. Free admission; food, drink and syrup will be for sale. kaneforest.com.

Medley of Melodies: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at First United Methodist Church, 232 S. York St., Elmhurst. An evening of Broadway, opera, classical and folk songs performed by Elmhurst Choral Union members in solo and group performances. Reception to follow. Freewill donations will go to support ECU. elmhurstchoralunion.org.

The Supertramp Tribute: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. An homage to the progressive rock band. $40-$49. Rauecenter.org.

Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Vitaly’s signature illusions include bringing pictures and drawings to life and erasing people from their own driver’s licenses. $40-$50. prairiecenter.org.

Violinist Stella Chen will perform with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Sunday, March 2, at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. | Courtesy of Elgin Symphony Orchestra

Violinist Stella Chen performs with Elgin Symphony Orchestra: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Elgin Symphony Orchestra welcomes violinist Stella Chen performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. The program also features Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5. Tickets start at $20, $10 for students. elginsymphony.org.

Sunday, March 2

Golden Girls Drag Brunch: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at Chicago Improv, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. A drag tribute to the Golden Girls. $25-$40. improv.com/chicago.

Palatine Concert Band Winter Concert: 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. The Palatine Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Frederick Lowe. $3-$10. cuttinghall.org.

Tuesday, March 4

Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are In A Play”: 10 a.m. and noon Tuesday through Friday, March 4-7, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. A musical experience inspired by Mo Willems’ award-winning children’s books. $14. metropolisarts.com.

Thursday, March 6

“Ireland is Calling You Home”: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District, 109 S. State St., Hampshire. A mix of old Irish and Irish American ballads and up-tempo, semi-contemporary music with guitarist and singer Ian Gould with fiddler and singer Lukas Jaeger. Includes a slideshow and commentary. ellajohnsonlibrary.org.

Find more here.

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Village updates Zoning services fee schedule

Posted in Aunt Blabby, FUBAR, Going green, Home Occupation Ordinance, Land Use, Plan Commission, Public Hearing, Real Estate, Roads & Bridges Committee, SNAFU, Transparency, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Code, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village President, Zoning Board on February 27, 2025| 7 Comments »

Resident will now be assessed the actual costs of Zoning Board services rendered to fulfill their requests.

Monday evening the Village Board of Trustees approved updated fee schedules for, “Zoning Matters,” and overweight vehicles.

We applaud this move, especially considering it was revealed that at some point the Village ceased charging fees beyond only the standard application fees for Zoning Board services such as (and especially) attorney’s fees. While we believe our Village should not be operating for profit, it definitely should not be operating at a loss providing legal, consulting and other services at nearly no charges until now.

A partial section of the newly updated fees reads:

“Zoning Fee Schedule*

  • Appeal $1,000
  • Text Amendment, $1,500
  • Variation $1,000
  • Map Amendment-Any District-Permitted Uses Only $1,500
  • Special Uses $1,500.

*Additional Expense: The fee includes the initial review by staff and the village attorney, public notice (if applicable, 1 time), and Zoning Board Meeting (1 meeting); additional fees may be charged at the discretion of staff in the event an application is extensive, requires additional reviews beyond those stated or the application submitted in incomplete and requires multiple reviews.

Additionally, the Zoning Board of Appeals and/or the Village Board may utilize the services of professional consultants for research, investigation, and professional opinion, for assistance in arriving at recommendations or decisions.

The applicant whose request to the Zoning Board of Appeals or Village Board requires the use of such professional services shall reimburse the Village the reasonable cost it incurred for the services rendered by its consultants, within fourteen (14) days of transmission of the invoice by the Village or prior to the next meeting, whichever is sooner. The consultants shall bill for their services at the same hourly rate that they normally charge municipal clients. The Village consultants shall include but not be limited to the persons who provide the Village with advice in the fields of engineering, law, planning, traffic, design, and finance.”

The ordinance can be found here.

Editorial note: This Ordinance was approved by a vote of 4-2 with the Village President abstaining. When the meeting recordings are released, they will reveal one trustee who participated remotely was nearly hysterical apparently because she did not believe she had adequate time to conduct her usual “analysis paralysis” on the subject (always with little or no benefit) before voting.

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Audit finds many were improperly enrolled in state health care program for noncitizens, while costs were vastly underestimated

Posted in Chicago Tribune, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Fat Bastard, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes on February 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Gov. JB Pritzker provides an update on the new migrant arrivals, during a news conference in Chicago, Sept. 14, 2022. | Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune

By Jeremy Gorner and Dan Petrella  | Chicago Tribune

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration vastly underestimated the cost and attraction of a pair of controversial programs that provide state-funded health insurance for immigrants who are not citizens, according to an audit report released Wednesday.

The programs have cost the state more than $1.6 billion since the initiative began in late 2020 and also have been plagued by improper enrollments and a failure to move some recipients who were eligible into Medicaid, the traditional health insurance program for the poor that is jointly funded by the federal government, according to the report from Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office.

While widely supported by the Latino caucus in Springfield and other progressive lawmakers, the programs have been a source of tension among the Democrats who control the legislature and briefly derailed budget negotiations two years ago before legislators reached a compromise that gave Pritzker broad latitude to rein in costs.

The audit’s release comes a week after the governor proposed eliminating funding beginning July 1 for the program that insures people younger than 65, a move his administration estimates would save $330 million and help erase a state budget deficit for the coming year it once estimated at more than $3 billion.

The cost overruns were particularly pronounced in the program meant for recipients ages 42 to 64, with the actual expenditure of $485 million through the three years ending June 30, 2023, the period covered by the audit, coming in at nearly four times the initially estimated cost of $126 million, according to the report. During the same period, the actual cost of the program for those 65 and older was $412 million, nearly double the original projection of $224 million.

At a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday to announce another round of medical debt relief for Illinois residents, Pritzker did not answer directly when asked why the estimates his administration used for the programs were so far off. Instead, he said some individuals were at times kept on the programs’ rolls for a period before the state determined they were no longer eligible, either because of a change in immigration or employment status or some other factor.

Read more here.

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Forest Preserves of Cook County February 2025 Newsletter

Posted in Chicago Botanic Garden, Crabtree Nature Center, FPDCC, Horizon Farm on February 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Visitors to grasslands might sight a short-eared owl during the daytime — unlike other native owl species in the Forest Preserves—while they hunt prey such as mice and voles. | Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), Photo by: Phillip Stosberg

In this issue:

  • We Are Here for You
  • Forest Preserves Achieves American Humane Certified™ Distinction for Animal Care, Welfare and Wellbeing
  • Survival in the Forest Preserves: How Wildlife Takes on the Winter Elements
  • Segregation in the Forest Preserves: A History Lesson
  • Representation on the Slopes: Sagawau Celebrates Black Skiers
  • Latest News: Help Make the Trails Safer for Everyone with Cook County’s Safety Action Plan; Applications Open for Youth Outdoor Ambassador Program; Chicago Botanic Garden’s Annual Orchid Show Open Through March 23; The Forest Preserve Foundation Helps Sustain the Forest Preserves We Love
  • Upcoming Events
  • Volunteer Opportunities: Group Litter Cleanups

Read more here.

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A Rare Alignment of 7 Planets Is Taking Place in The Sky Friday

Posted in Lighting Ordinance, Topics Of Interest on February 26, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Artist’s impression of a planetary alignment event, not to scale. | buradaki/Getty Images

ByMichelle Starr | ScienceAlert

A very rare treat is about to grace Earth’s night skies.

On the evening of 28 February 2025, all seven of the other planets in the Solar System will appear in the night sky at the same time, with Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars all lining up in a neat row – a magnificent sky feast for the eyes known as a great planetary alignment.

It’s not uncommon for a few planets to be on the same side of the Sun at the same time, but it’s less common for most, or even all of the planets to align like this.

Any number of planets from three to eight constitutes an alignment. Five or six planets assembling is known as a large alignment, with five-planet alignments significantly more frequent than six.

Seven-planet great alignments are, of course, the rarest of all.

An illustration of the upcoming February planetary alignment as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. | Star Walk

These alignments aren’t the neat planetary queues you see in diagrams and illustrations of the Solar System. That’s not a thing that actually happens in the real Universe, sadly.

Yet the planets do appear to arrange themselves along an imaginary line.

This occurs because the planets of the Solar System all orbit the Sun on a flat plane called the ecliptic. Some of the planets have orbits tilted slightly above or below this plane, but they’re all more or less on the same level like grooves on a record thanks to the way stars like our Sun form.

Read more here.

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WATCH: Illinois State Board of Education not complying with Trump’s DEI orders

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Ethics, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, The Center Square, Topics Of Interest, Unions on February 26, 2025| 1 Comment »


Illinois legislators discuss education funding with officials from the Illinois State Board of Education, including an increased request for tax funds and the possible impacts of Trump administration policies on federal tax funds. | BlueRoomStream

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

As officials with the Illinois State Board of Education propose their budget request, they say they are not complying with President Donald Trump’s order to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

Despite the total number of students in Illinois going down over several years, ISBE is asking for more tax dollars. State Superintendent of Schools Tony Sanders told a House committee Tuesday that the $11.4 billion request is an increase of nearly half a billion dollars from the current fiscal year and helps with three main goals.

“One, to ensure that each student increases in their knowledge, skills and opportunities each year; two, to equip all schools with the necessary resources to provide safe, healthy and welcoming learning environments; and three, to prepare, support and celebrate our educators,” Sanders said.

The increased spending request includes mandated spending for things like buses that local districts are largely responsible for. There’s also more money for early childhood education programs, teacher vacancy grants and even continued funding for so-called “affinity groups.”

The budget request also takes into account funding for meal programs, including during summer months.

Read more and view the video here.

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