Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Barrington High School, Board of Education, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Please take 3 minutes to hear some perspectives from a Barrington resident regarding CUSD 220 schools by clicking here. It reflects some of what we share early this morning in our post, “Literacy epidemic hits Illinois as fewer than 1 in 3 students read well.”
Thank you.
Posted in Chicago Tribune, Guest Essay, Politics, Springfield on March 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Former Gov. Jim Edgar speaks during the Illinois GOP delegation breakfast at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida, before the start of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 27, 2012. | Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune
By John T. Shaw | Posted in the Chicago Tribune
When Jim Edgar first ran for governor of Illinois, he faced a dilemma that has haunted and hounded politicians since the dawn of time. Should he do the easy but wrong thing or the hard but right thing? History shows that far more leaders have opted for the former than the latter.
Specifically, Edgar was in a tough gubernatorial campaign in 1990 with popular Democratic Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan. A central issue was whether a temporary income tax surcharge that had been approved several years earlier should be extended. Nearly everyone in state government was counting on the revenues generated by the tax extension, but not everyone was willing to say so publicly. Another timeless story.
Hartigan played it safe and opposed the tax extension. Edgar took a risk and told the truth that the revenues were necessary for the services that the public wanted, especially education. “I don’t want the people of Illinois to be surprised by anything I do after the election, and they won’t be,” Edgar told voters several months before they cast their ballots.
Not all of his political advisers supported his decision or at least his public declaration. However, the voters of Illinois appreciated his honesty and elected him by a narrow margin that fall. Four years later, Edgar was reelected in a landslide, carrying 101 of the state’s 102 counties, including Cook County.
Edgar’s courage and candor on the tax issue exemplifies statesmanship.
As did his approach to governing. Edgar was conservative in the most honorable sense of that word and philosophy. He was committed to conserving and preserving — to stewardship. Prudence is a neglected feature of statesmanship. Edgar believed in limited but effective government. He pushed tough spending cuts but also boosted funds for early childhood programs, other preventive programs and education. Frugal and tight-fisted, he was sometimes referred to as “Governor No.” It should be noted that he inherited a large budget deficit and left his successor with a sizable surplus. Sometimes, statesmanship means saying no.
Popular and respected, Edgar decided to retire after eight years as governor. He became a senior fellow at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois (IGPA) and has devoted much of his time to teaching and mentoring.
Most notably, he created the Edgar Fellows program at IGPA. Every August, he brings 40 young leaders in local and state government, business and labor to a conference center in Champaign for a week to study government, delve into public policy issues and learn from the reflections of veteran leaders.
In its 13th year, there are now more than 400 Edgar Fellows alumni who live across Illinois and work in all sectors. Edgar hopes these fellows from various backgrounds and political beliefs will work together to help solve many of the challenges facing the state.
Edgar’s focus on the future is also evident in his work with my institute on the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award.
The annual award celebrates exceptional leadership in Illinois by a state and local government official. It goes to a statesperson who has demonstrated unusual vision, courage, compassion, civility, effectiveness and bipartisanship. Each award recipient to date has offered a special tribute to Edgar for his inspiration and example.
Now in its fifth year, the award generates nominations of accomplished and inspiring mayors, city council members, county commissioners, constitutional officers, members of the General Assembly and others. It is a tangible indicator that statesmanship is still alive and well and is often occurring in quiet ways, away from the headlines.
Edgar’s legacy of courage, candor and stewardship deserves our gratitude. Principled statesmanship, he has demonstrated, can solve problems, command public respect and build a better future.
John T. Shaw is director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Shaw’s columns, exclusive to the Tribune, appear the last Monday of each month. His most recent book is “The Education of a Statesman: How Global Leaders Can Repair a Fractured World.”
Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Girlie man, Illinois State Board of Elections, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The District 220 Board of Education meets for the 3rd time this month this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Normally the Board meets only twice a month and on Tuesdays.
Items on their agenda include:
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live-streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Illinois Policy Institute, Organizations, Property Taxes, School Districts, Topics Of Interest, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Student literacy is in trouble nationally. Illinois is one of 41 states where just 1 in 3 or fewer of its fourth-graders met reading standards in 2024.
By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute
Fewer than one-third of Illinois fourth-grade students met or exceeded reading proficiency standards on a recent national assessment, part of a nationwide literacy crisis in which students are already behind in fourth grade.
Students failed to meet or exceed reading standards in most states in 2024. Illinois joined 40 other states and Washington, D.C., in which 1 in 3, or fewer, fourth-grade students met or exceeded reading standards.
Research has pinpointed third grade as a critical reading milestone because students need to have learned to read by then or they will not be able to absorb curricula during the remainder of their school years. If they cannot read, social studies, math and other subjects become incomprehensible and their futures bleak.
But there’s hope: Many states, including Illinois, have passed laws aimed at aligning reading instruction with evidence-based practices to improve the literacy and academic achievement of students. Still, Illinois could and should do more.
Every two years, fourth- and eighth-grade students across the nation take the National Assessment of Educational Progress. According to the Nation’s Report Card, it is “the only assessment that allows comparison of results from one state with another, or with results for the rest of the nation.”
On the most recent national exam in 2024, Illinois ranked 29th in the U.S. for the percentage of fourth graders at or above proficiency in reading – down from 17th in 2022. It went from being in the top half of states to the bottom half in just two years.
The national percentage of students meeting or exceeding reading standards was just 31%, with 26 states seeing proficiency above that level. But Illinois didn’t even meet that low bar, missing the national average by one-tenth of a point. But four other Midwestern states were above that level: Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Leading the nation was Massachusetts, where 40.4% of fourth graders were at or above proficiency in reading. Following were New Jersey with 38.3% and Utah at 36.3%.
At the bottom: New Mexico with 20.3%, followed by Alaska at 21.7% and Oklahoma at 22.7%.
Read more here.
Posted in Going green, Topics Of Interest on March 30, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The silvery, fluffy hairs of pussy willow buds insulate the flowers inside against cold in early spring. | Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum
By Beth Botts | Published in the Chicago Tribune
In early spring, bits of fluff appear along the branches of some willow shrubs, silvery gray and as soft to the touch as a kitten’s paw. They may seem furry, but these are actually the flower buds of pussy willow (Salix discolor).
The hairs are insulation, protecting the flowers inside the buds against cold weather until they bloom in late March or early April.
“Pussy willow is a large shrub or small tree that can be part of a home landscape if you have a site with plenty of space, full sun and moist soil,” said Spencer Campbell, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “Children love it.” Pussy willows can be seen in the Children’s Garden and the Willow Collection at the Arboretum.
By early April, the bunches of silvery hairs, called catkins, will become tiny yellow flowers. Rich in pollen and nectar, these blooms are an early-season feast for many kinds of pollinating insects, including several kinds of native bees. The shrubs also host the larvae of 18 kinds of butterflies and moths, including eastern tiger swallowtail and mourning cloak butterflies.
If you’d like to try growing pussy willow in your yard, check the tag to make sure you have chosen the native plant, Salix discolor. Several other non-native willow species have similar buds and are sometimes called pussy willow, but they don’t provide the same support for native insects, and some of them are invasive.
Most importantly, be sure to get a male plant. “There are male and female plants, and only male pussy willows develop the pretty, silvery catkins,” Campbell said.
Be aware that pussy willow has some requirements. “It’s not a small shrub,” Campbell said. “It can grow to 25 feet tall and wide.” When it’s not blooming, a pussy willow is unspectacular, but it is big enough to be a good privacy screen.
The size can be controlled somewhat by pruning. Regular pruning in winter to open up the plant and remove the oldest stems will also result in larger catkins.
A full-sun site with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily is essential. “The branches need lots of sunlight to develop catkins,” Campbell said. Avoid planting a pussy willow near sewer pipes, since its fast-growing roots will seek out moisture.
Pussy willow is a wetland plant and cannot tolerate drought. “The good news is that it doesn’t need well-drained soil, as long as there is plenty of organic matter,” he said. It might be a good choice for a low spot that always seems to be wet, or as the anchor and focal point of a rain garden.
When you prune a pussy willow in winter, you can enjoy the branches and buds indoors. Make a fresh cut at the base of each stem and immediately place it in water. Keep the branches in a cool place for a few weeks. When the buds open to show the silvery fur, you can preserve them at that stage by removing the branches from water so they dry out and do not go on to bloom.
Like many fast-growing trees and shrubs, pussy willows are relatively short-lived. “The willow is likely to live 20 to 25 years, long enough for the children to enjoy it,” Campbell said. “And in that time, it will feed a lot of bees and butterflies.”
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.
Posted in Cook, County, Elections, OP/Ed, Politics, Property Taxes on March 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Below are our endorsements for Barrington Township Supervisor, Clerk and Trustees. They are Peter Kopsaftis for Supervisor, Daniel P. Fitzgerald for Clerk and Tim O’Donnell, Helen Edwards, Jackie Kapcheck and Crystal DiDomenico for Trustees.
Background on each of these candidates, as well as that of Mike Gentile who is running unopposed for Assessor, can be found here.
Posted in Accidents, Traffic on March 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The sheriff’s office shuts down Route 59 near Golfview Drive in North Barrington after a two-vehicle head-on crash sent three people to the hospital, including one person who had life-threatening injuries, Thursday afternoon. | Photo: Nick Rusin
By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner
A woman was critically injured and a man was seriously injured after a head-on crash left a vehicle severely damaged and two victims trapped on Route 59 in North Barrington.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department responded around 11:15 a.m. Thursday to the area of Route 59 and Golfview Drive in North Barrington for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Matthew Harmon said the two-vehicle crash occurred south of Golfview Drive on Route 59.
The sheriff’s office shuts down Route 59 near Golfview Drive in North Barrington after a two-vehicle head-on crash sent three people to the hospital, including one person who had life-threatening injuries, Thursday afternoon. | Photo: Nick Rusin
A preliminary investigation showed that a Ford van was traveling northbound on Route 59 when it crossed the center line for unknown reasons.
The Ford, driven by a 23-year-old Round Lake Heights man, collided head-on with a southbound Subaru SUV, Harmon said.
Lake Zurich Fire/Rescue Chief David Pilgard said the two occupants of the Subaru were trapped in the wreckage. The driver of the Ford was not trapped.
The sheriff’s office shuts down Route 59 near Golfview Drive in North Barrington after a two-vehicle head-on crash sent three people to the hospital, including one person who had life-threatening injuries, Thursday afternoon. | Photo: Nick Rusin
Pilgard said that additional resources were called to the scene due to the complexity of the incident, including the extensive damage and victims trapped.
Read more here.
Posted in Entertainment on March 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The Chicago Tattoo Arts Convention returns Friday through Sunday, March 28-30, to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. | AP
By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald
Friday, March 28
Chicago Tattoo Arts Convention: 2-11 p.m. Friday, March 28; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 29; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. Tattoo artists, vendors, seminars and more. $25 per day, $50 for three days, free for kids younger than 12. villainarts.com.
Samuel J. Comroe: 7 and 9:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 28-29, and 6 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at the Chicago Improv, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. Stand-up comedy. $22. improv.com/chicago.
The Boy Band Project: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, at ECC’s Blizzard Theater, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Music of NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, One Direction, 98 Degrees, New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Jonas Brothers and more. $42. eccartscenter.org.
Deconstructing Dark Side of the Moon: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock. Musicologist Scott Freiman celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic album. $35. woodstockoperahouse.com.
Michael Cavanaugh — The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, in the Mainstage Theatre at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Cavanaugh re-creates hit songs including “Piano Man,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “My Life,” “Rocket Man” and more. $20-$40. jlcenter.clcillinois.edu.
The Miracles featuring Sydney Justin: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, at the Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. The Motown hitmakers founded by Motown legend Smokey Robinson. $30-$50. hemmens.org.
The Northern Illinois University Steelband performs Friday, March 28, at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles. | Courtesy of Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University Steelband: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles. The band, under director Liam Teague, returns with a multigenre concert to welcome spring. $5-$20. norrisculturalarts.com
Saturday, March 29
SnkrFest: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg. One of the largest sneaker conventions in the world, where sneaker enthusiasts buy, sell and trade sneakers and streetwear. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. snkrfest.net.
“Composers, Hearts, and Legends”: 3 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the Community Church of Rolling Meadows, 2720 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows. The Northwest Concert Band’s Spring Concert features “The Music of the Night” from “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Music-Makers” by Alfred Reed, and music from “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Clarinet soloist Howard Green plays the Rondo from the Clarinet Concerto by Moz. $10; free for kids 18 and younger. northwestconcertband.org.
Self-taught improvisational cellist and TikTok sensation Drew Wiegman will perform Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30, at the College of Lake County’s James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake. | Courtesy of Jon Daboub
Drew Wiegman: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 29, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 30, in the Mainstage Theatre at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Cellist and TikTok sensation Drew Wiegman is entirely self-taught, playing only by ear. $20-$40. jlcenter.clcillinois.edu.
The Chicago Experience, A Tribute to Rock with Horns: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Chicago tribute band. For ticket prices, visit metropolisarts.com.
TAIKOPROJECT: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Blend of traditional taiko and innovative aesthetics with percussive power, dynamic music and graceful choreography. $45-$55. prairiecenter.org.
Sunday, March 30
Celebrate Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Orrin Evans’ 50th birthday with a solo piano concert, followed by cake and champagne.
Orrin Evans: A 50th Birthday Jazz Piano Celebration: 3 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington. Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Orrin Evans celebrates his 50th birthday with a solo piano concert, followed by cake and champagne. $45, free for students 18 and younger with a paid adult ticket. barringtonswhitehouse.com.
Celebrating Chopin: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., Des Plaines. Pianist Matt Peterson performs music by Frédéric Chopin. Free. Registration required at dppl.org.
Creole Stomp: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Led by Creole fiddler and accordionist Dennis Stroughmatt, Creole Stomp performs contemporary blues, swamp pop, and traditional Cajun and zydeco dance tunes. $35-$39. metropolisarts.com.
Senior Follies: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Talent show featuring local seniors. $7. prairiecenter.org.
Great Elgin Pipe Organ Tour: 4 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at First Presbyterian Church, 240 Standish St., Elgin. Freewill offering. fcc-elgin.org/organ-tour/.
Monday, March 31
“Courtesy of Fred Moss” by Fred Moss is part of the “Art of the Parks: Paintings of the National Parks,” a solo exhibition by Moss featuring paintings inspired by America’s National Parks that opens Monday, March 31, at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg. | Courtesy of Fred Moss
“Art of the Parks: Paintings of the National Parks”: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with select evening and weekend hours, March 31 through May 2, at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. A solo exhibition by artist Fred Moss with over 25 oil paintings inspired by the scenic beauty, historic landscapes and iconic locations within America’s National Parks. prairiecenter.org.
Tuesday, April 1
Tonight at the Improv: 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at the Chicago Improv, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. Comics Abi Sanchez, Ken Garr, Chelsea Hood, Katie Meiners and Brooks Sullivan will perform. $22. improv.com/chicago.
Wednesday, April 2
Kylie Minogue’s “Tension Tour”: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. Pop. Tickets start at $59.50. rosemont.com/allstate.
Thursday, April 3
“Hey There: The Music of Rosemary Clooney”: 1 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Actress Kaity Paschetto portrays Rosemary Clooney with a backing trio. $35-$39. metropolisarts.com.
See a Juggler! Be a Juggler!: 1 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. A high-energy, fast-paced comedy juggling and variety show for all ages. After the show, there will be an interactive, hands-on workshop. Free. gailborden.info.
Daryl Hall: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Singer-songwriter Daryl Hall with special guest Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze. $80-$149. geneseetheatre.com.
Find more here.
Posted in Cook, County, Property Taxes on March 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Typical property tax bill increased 78% on a Cook County residence since 2007. Median property values only rose 7.3%. That leaves residents paying $2,558 more a year in property taxes while their biggest investment fails to keep up with inflation.
By Patrick Andriesen | Illinois Policy Institute
The typical Cook County condominium or single-family homeowner paid 78% more in property taxes in 2024 than they spent in 2007, despite median property values only rising 7.3%.
The median property tax bill paid by the owner of a single-family home or condominium in Cook County grew to $5,821 last year – an increase of $2,558 since 2007, the oldest data available.
The median property values for the 1.17 million single-family homes and condominiums examined in Cook County only rose from $224,000 to $240,000, according to data from the Cook County Assessor’s Office.
An Illinois Policy Institute analysis tracked all single-family and condominium properties in Cook County during 2006 and 2023 with market values between $25,000 and $2.5 million. Property tax bills are issued one year and paid the following year, so 2023 bills were paid in 2024.
The data shows 65 cents of every property tax dollar paid in Cook County last year went to fund public schools and community colleges. That translates to $3,797 per property compared to $2,089 paid for schools in 2007.
The second-largest expenditure was the municipal fund, which consumed 20 cents of every property tax dollar in 2024. The remaining money went to fund Cook County governments and miscellaneous expenses.
Read more here.
Posted in Signal Hill NSDAR on March 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Signal Hill Chapter, NSDAR, invites the community and all Veterans to an observance of “National Vietnam War Veterans Day” on Saturday March 29, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery, 610 Dundee Ave., Barrington, Illinois.
The observance is intended to unite Americans in thanking and honoring Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. Following a brief ceremony, attendees will be invited to place flags on the fifty-one Vietnam War Veterans interred at Evergreen.
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