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Archive for the ‘Topics Of Interest’ Category

Illinois loses young people at more than 3 times the U.S. rate

Posted in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Illinois Policy Institute, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, School Districts, Springfield on July 8, 2026| 1 Comment »

The number of state residents under 20 fell 6.8% from 2020 to 2025.

By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute

A sharp decline in young people in Illinois and other newly released age data should concern state leaders and spur work on solutions.

From 2020 to 2025, Illinois’ population of residents under 20 fell by 6.8%, more than three times faster than the national average of 2%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The number of state residents under 20 fell by over 36,000 last year and nearly 214,000 since 2020.

Meanwhile, the population of older Illinoisans saw a large increase in that time. The number of those 60 and older rose by more than 46,387 last year and more than 240,000 since 2020.

Both nationally and in Illinois the number of residents in their 50s declined as the large Baby Boomer generation has aged. The population of those 60 and over increased by 11% nationally and 8.2% in Illinois from 2020 to 2025.

Other younger age groups also are growing far faster across the nation than in Illinois. From 2020 to 2025:

  • The population of those in their 20s grew by 4.3% nationally but only 1% in Illinois.
  • The number of 30-somethings grew by 4.7% in the U.S. but a mere 0.5% in Illinois.
  • The population in their 40s grew by 5.5% nationally but only 1.2% in Illinois.

The state’s median age has increased to 39.7, slightly above the national median of 39.4.

While the population changes by age trends in the U.S. and Illinois are similar in directionality, the state is seeing more substantial shifts in its age profile. These differences are likely due to outmigration trends in Illinois, as a net number of retirees and younger families are moving out of the state. Thus while Illinois’ median age might closely track the national figure today, the state’s population changes are much more concerning than what the nation as a whole is experiencing.

Report continues here.

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Pritzker Embraces Democratic Socialists of America as Part of Democrats’ Recipe to Win – Wirepoints

Posted in Clown Car, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Guest Essay, Immigration, Land Disconnection, Land Use, Lipstick On A Pig, Look For The Union Label, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, Snowflake Effect, Taxes, The New Normal?, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions, Village Code, Wirepoints on July 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By: Mark Glennon* | Wirepoints

Gov. JB Pritzker left no doubt about where he stands in the growing schism within the Democratic party about its surge toward the radical left. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked him directly on June 30 if it’s good that Democratic primary voters recently chose Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates over more moderate Democratic incumbents.

Pritzker answered that as long as they are talking about affordability and oppose Trump, “those are the people who are winning” and embracing progressive/in Democratic Socialist candidates is “the recipe for winning in 2026 and beyond.” Here’s the clip:

Many key Democrats are revolting against the growing elements of socialism in their party.  As the left-leaning Guardian put it:

Over the last few days, prominent party figures have moved away from unifying under a “blue no matter who” banner to push for a more formal break with their left flank, and said the moment may have arrived for Democrats to confront their more socialist wing.

No less than veteran Democratic political advisor James Carvill recently said “it’s time for Democrats to talk the S-word: schism,” He added that some DSA-aligned candidates “have no place in the Democratic party” and, of the broader coalition: “I’m not in that fucking political party.”

Other prominent Democrats speaking up against the party’s growing leftism include Jaime Harrison, the former chair of the Democratic national committee, former New York governor David Paterson and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. And the left-leaning Atlantic wrote that, while the DSA is “anything but Democratic,” its clever subversion of the Democratic Party will be difficult to stop.

In case you don’t already know – and you should – here’s some of what the DSA supports:

  • Abolishing ICE, demilitarizing the border, ending all deportations, granting immediate amnesty to all immigrants regardless of status and guaranteeing access to jobs, labor rights and social services
  • Abolishing the Senate, expanding the House, voting rights for noncitizens and people with criminal convictions, statehood to the District of Columbia, replace the two‑party system with proportional representation,  limit the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, and replace the Electoral College with a national popular vote
  • Medicare for All with no health care premiums, co‑pays or deductibles, including reproductive and gender‑affirming care
  • Tuition‑free public higher education, eliminating out‑of‑pocket costs for room and board, and canceling all student loan debt
  • Universal rent control, guaranteed legal representation for tenants, and major public investment in social housing
  • Free universal childcare and pre‑K, expansive paid family leave, a 32‑hour workweek with no loss in pay or benefits
  • Higher rates on the wealthiest earners, for‑profit corporations, large inheritances and private colleges and universities, as well as a wealth tax on the ultra‑rich
  • A Green New Deal to end fossil fuels, guarantees for displaced workers and public ownership of major transportation, energy infrastructure and natural resources
  • Ending mandatory minimums and cash bail, demilitarizing police departments and treating drug addiction as a public health issue

For the sake of the nation, we can only hope that, on this, America agrees with James Carville: “I’m not in that f-ing party.”

*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints. 

Source

Editorial note: Maria Peterson (pictured below with JB Pritzker) appears to have made a profession for years running for offices with the financial backing of JB Pritzker, among others. In 2022 she ran unsuccessfully for Illinois State Senate and in 2024 she lost her bid for Illinois House 52nd District Representative.

Maria Peterson and JB Pritzker | Courtesy Maria Peterson’s Facebook page

Currently she is feverishly campaigning again for 52nd District Representative, and there is absolutely no doubt if successful, she will back all of JB Pritzker’s initiatives and likely those of the Democratic Socialists of America.  This includes Pritzker’s stalled “BUILD Initiative” which would strip property rights from residents and place all zoning controls in the hands of Springfield politicians and unions.

Please don’t consider this as our being negative, as some might. Instead, think of it for what it is – fact.

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DOJ announces more than 175 charges, 300 fugitive arrests in Chicago area crime sweep

Posted in Chicago Sun*Times, Cook, County, Crime, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb Bunny, Elections, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Preckwinkle's Rules of Order, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Public Safety, Taxes, Unions on July 5, 2026| 1 Comment »

Flanked by federal law enforcement officials, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros speaks during a news conference at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Thursday, where he discussed the results of Operation New Dawn. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Editorial note: It is worth noting the coincidentally just one day before the crime sweep was reported, “Chicago police boss Larry Snelling announces retirement: ‘He’s leaving big shoes to fill’.”

By  Kade Heather | Chicago Sun*Times

Justice Department officials on Thursday announced the arrests of 300 fugitives as well as sweeping prosecutions against more than 175 people accused of violent crimes — all part of a massive federal law enforcement collaboration over the past two months.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros called the effort, which he created, “Operation New Dawn.”

“A new dawn of crime fighting is underway in Chicago,” Boutros, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, said alongside other federal law enforcement leaders at a news conference Thursday at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. He said the announcement was timed to coincide with the country’s 250th anniversary July 4.

The size of the joint effort was “an experiment,” Boutros said — and something that “had not been done before here in Chicago” and which “worked very, very well.”

In all, charges were filed against 179 people in 140 new cases, while 305 fugitives were arrested and 24 children who had been kidnapped or lost were returned home.

“Eleven federal agencies worked arm-in-arm as one cohesive, unified group to arrest dangerous criminals responsible for some of the most serious offenses,” Boutros said.

The 60-day operation was focused on the Chicago area and the Northern District of Illinois. It included partnerships between 11 federal agencies, among them the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigations; the Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Marshals Service; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Report continues here.

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Barrington Hills Police Announce Fireworks Permit Issued (Again)

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Barrington High School, Community Alerts, Entertainment, Equestrian Commission, Lighting Ordinance, Politics, Public Safety, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, VBHPD on July 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“The Barrington Hills Police Department would like to inform you that a Permit for a professional Fireworks Display has been issued for July 4th starting at 9:30pm at Barrington High School. Please remember that it is illegal to use or explode unpermitted fireworks. Please celebrate this Holiday safely. Thank you Thank you, Village of Barrington Hills.”

Sent via email a second time 24 hours after the first. Apparently they are trying to avoid as many complaints as they can.

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Bicentennial Flashback – “Barrington’s 4th bursts forth”

Posted in Barrington Area Library, Barrington Courier-Review, Barrington High School, Nostalgia, The Greatest Generation, Topics Of Interest on July 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Barrington Courier-Review | July 15, 1976 Edition

“As the temperature began to soar up to a high of 100 degrees and the sun beat down upon the pavement residents of barrington began to line the streets in anticipation of the biggest 4th of July parade the village had ever seen.

Seats in the shade were a premium and most of the spectators had to brave the searing sun to watch the marchers in their trek through the streets.

The parade led off with a color guard from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Red, white and blue predominated as the many floats wound their way down Main St. and up Hough Ave.

Photo by Barry Jarvinen

Photo by Barry Jarvinen

Local precision marching units and drum and bugle corps provided the music along with the Barrington High School Band for the hundreds of boy and girl scouts in colonial costumes.

Floats depicted scenes of the Revolutionary War and our frontier past brought smiles to the faces of the younger spectators in between the times they were scrambling for candy and prizes tossed to them.

The thermometer reached 100 degrees Saturday during the Barrington Bicentennial parade, one of several events which signaled the conclusion to the 8-day celebration. And while the marchers trudged along with cool thoughts in their minds, these dogs stationed themselves next to a bucket full of water, refreshing themselves at their leisure. | Photo by Barry Jarvinen

Area fire departments sent their engines to fill the air with the sounds of wailing sirens and the antique automobiles tried mightily to answer back with their bulb horns.”

Editorial note: The Barrington Area Library maintains archives of the Barrington Courier-Review.

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The Declaration of Independence, and a question for all of us

Posted in Illinois Policy Institute, OP/Ed, Politics, The Greatest Generation on July 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

The document reflects a sacrifice that its 56 signers chose to make.

By Matt Paprocki | Illinois Policy Institute President and CEO

Unexpectedly, I heard myself say, “I would sign that document. I hope you’ll join me.”

A few months ago, I was with my family in Washington, D.C., standing in a dark room in the National Archives, looking at the Declaration of Independence.

I told my kids about the sacrifice that each of those men, and their families, made when they signed that document.

My then 8-year-old daughter, Fiona, asked me,

“Dad, would you have signed that document?”

“Of course I would,” I thought. Every American would, because we know how this movie ends.

For those 56 signers, the question wasn’t easy. They were standing up against the most powerful army in the world — for an experiment in self-government.

Declaring independence was risky. They were risking their fortunes. They were risking their honor. They were risking their lives. And they were putting their families at risk as well.

As I looked down at the names on the Declaration, I realized these were more than just signatures from 250 years ago. The signers were husbands and fathers. They were business owners and farmers.

They were us.

Looking at the document, I realized the Declaration of Independence isn’t just a historical document. Every generation is asked the same question the signers were asked 250 years ago.

Would we sign the document?

Commentary continues here.

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Barrington July 4th Events

Posted in Barrington High School, Entertainment, Fundraisers, Politics, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, Signal Hill NSDAR, Unions on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Barrington All-Star Brass Quintet – 8:30 AM

Enjoy the bright and bold sounds of the Barrington All-Star Brass Quintet as they perform live on the porch of Barrington’s White House. This all-star Barrington ensemble will deliver classic American standards and patriotic favorites before the Independence Day parade.

*Note: In the case of inclement weather, the performance will be moved inside to the 3rd floor ballroom.

Special thanks to the Signal Hill NSDAR for sponsoring this free event.

Register for this free event here.

The Barrington 4th of July Parade – 10:00 AM

Barrington is home to so many wonderful businesses, neighborhoods, charitable organizations, churches, sports teams, riding clubs, dancers and musicians. Bring your chairs and gather your friends and family for this year’s parade as we celebrate America250 and all things Barrington down Main Street!

Lions Club Brat Tent – 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Wool St Parking Lot

A beloved community staple, the Barrington Lions Club Fourth of July Brat Tent Festival returns to the Wool Street parking lot. The event promises food, beverages and entertainment for all ages, including dedicated children’s activities.

Information can be found on their Facebook Page.

Celebrate America’s 250th with the Barrington History Museum

Join the Barrington History Museum for its special A250 programs.

  • July 4, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. — Post-Parade Ice Cream Social
  • July 4, 2–3 p.m. — Lincoln: A Living Portrait
  • July 4, 3:30–5 p.m. — Hidden Messages in Spirituals on the Underground Railroad

More information on these events can be found on the Village’s A250 page. More information about the museum can be found here.

4th of July Fireworks – 9:30 PM

The Barrington Community Fireworks display begins at 9:30 p.m. from Barrington High School and can be seen from many locations around town.  More information here.

Please note that parking at Barrington High School (616 N. Main St.) will be more limited this year due to the school’s major auditorium construction project.

  • Please use the Barrington High School parking lots accessible from Hart Road.
  • Additional parking is available on surrounding streets. Please observe all posted parking regulations, restrictions, and no-parking zones.
  • If you are walking to or from the fireworks viewing area, use designated crosswalks where available, remain alert to vehicle traffic, and exercise extra caution, especially after dark.
  • Fireworks can be loud and stressful for pets. For their safety and comfort, consider leaving pets at home, securely indoors, rather than bringing them to the event.

Thank you for helping keep our community safe, and we hope you enjoy the fireworks celebration!

Weather Advisories

Please stay tuned to the Village’s social media pages and the website for the latest event information. In the event of cancellations due to inclement weather, information will be shared with the public on these communication channels.

Info posted from a Village of Barrington email.

 

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Barrington Hills Police Announce Fireworks Permit Issued

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Barrington High School, Community Alerts, Entertainment, Equestrian Commission, Lighting Ordinance, Politics, Public Safety, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“The Barrington Hills Police Department would like to inform you that a Permit for a professional Fireworks Display has been issued for July 4th starting at 9:30pm at Barrington High School. Please remember that it is illegal to use or explode unpermitted fireworks. Please celebrate this Holiday safely. Thank you Thank you, Village of Barrington Hills.”

Sent via email.

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Proposed 185-Acre Data Center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical Cancelled as Firm Bows Out

Posted in AI, BACOG, Cook, County, Data Center, EJ&E/Canadian National, FPDCC, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, News Media, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Unions on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy Construction Review

By Joel Mairura | Construction Review

The proposed 185-acre data center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical has been cancelled as the firm bows out. The firm has withdrawn its request to rezone land for the controversial data center project in Illinois. Its scope entailed being constructed at the edge of the village of Hoffman Estates’ municipal boundaries. Moreover, it would have bordered the nearby areas of South Barrington and Barrington Hills.

However, it raised serious questions about how the neighboring towns, which have no official say in decision making, are impacted by such projects (?). “After several weeks of conversations with the Village and residents, we’ve decided the right step is to withdraw the current rezoning request,” Karis Critical spokesman Patrick Skarr said.

“We heard the feedback clearly, including the call for a more specific plan before any rezoning. We’ll take the time to get that right. Should we bring a proposal forward in the future, the Village and the community will have the details they need to evaluate it fully and on its merits.” Residents have always been against the project as shown by a recent public hearing where they showed up in numbers. Despite bowing out, other data centers across the US are still advancing such as “Project Marvel” in Bessemer which QTS has been identified as its developer.

The proposed 185-acre data center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical has been cancelled as the firm bows out. | Courtesy Construction Review

Factors Leading to Opposition of Proposed Data Center in Hoffman Estates

One of the major factors that led to opposition of the proposed data center in Hoffman Estate was transparency concerns. When the Plan Commission held its meeting, discussion was limited to the issue of rezoning the site from traditional neighborhood and commercial mixed-use districts to a manufacturing district. Moreover, residents were told there were no specific site plans for a data center project.

Other residents had concerns about the impacts of a large-scale data center on traffic, noise and light pollution and air quality. Hoffman Estates has two other data centers under construction. However, they are in areas already zoned for manufacturing that residents said are more appropriate than the residential area near forest preserves.

“Nobody here is saying, ‘Don’t do a data center,’ everyone’s saying, ‘Don’t do it here,’” Barrington Hills resident Karen Trzaska said. A public records request seeking communication from village stuff about the project also revealed much. It noted that the project had been in discussion as early as 18 months ago, raising more concerns on the project’s transparency.

Article continues here.

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Barrington History Museum hosts patriotic programs for America’s 250th

Posted in Entertainment, Topics Of Interest on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Barrington History Museum, 212 W. Main St., is continuing its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with expanded program offerings.

On Friday, July 3, Chris Vallillo will present “The Music of Stephen Foster” on the museum grounds from 2 to 3 p.m.

It will be followed from 3:30 to 5 p.m. with Connie Martin, historian, speaker, noted educator and performer, will present “Pre-Civil War Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad.” Connie will share the stories behind her family quilts passed down through generations. The presentation will be in the Creet Building on the grounds of the museum.

On Saturday, July 4, enjoy an ice cream social from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the museum grounds after the Barrington 250th Independence Day Parade.

Steve Duchrow will present Carl Sandburg’s “Lincoln: A Living Portrait” from 2 to 3 p.m. on the museum grounds. Steve is an experienced historian, actor, and storyteller. His presentations bring both Carl Sandburg and Abraham Lincoln to life as he paints you into the scenes of our great history. Steve will be joined by musician Roger Hintzsche.

From 3:30 to 5 p.m., Connie Martin will present “Hidden Messages in Negro Spirituals on the Underground Railroad” in the Creet Building on the museum grounds.

From 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 5, join the grand finale to a patriotic week of celebration as Chris Vallillo takes us on a musical journey through “Songs of Democracy: Our 250th Tribute to American Independence and Freedom.”

For information, visit barringtonhistorymuseum.com.

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