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Illinois is automatically mailing 66,000 people checks for unclaimed money. Are you one of them?

Posted in Community Alerts, Press Release, Springfield on September 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Unclaimed

Check your mailbox: More than 60,000 people in Illinois are in line to automatically receive checks for as much as $5,000 in unclaimed property. Are you one of them?

Illinois’ Unclaimed Property Program, or I-Cash — one of several ways Illinois residents can find unclaimed money owed to them — previously required that residents file a claim in order to collect any outstanding funds. However, new enhancements to the program allowed the state to mail a check out with no claim needed, a recent release from State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs said.

According to the release, checks worth up to $5,000 will automatically be mailed to more than 66,000 people who are owed money but have not claimed it. Prior to the changes, the automatic payment cap was $2,000.

The enhancement, part of the state’s “Money Match” program, crossmatches state data with the treasurer’s unclaimed property database, the release said.

“When a matching name and mailing address is identified and confirmed, the unclaimed property owner will receive a letter from the Treasurer’s Office that describes the amount and source of the money,” the release continued.

After an additionally security step is completed, Frerichs’ office will then issue a check to the owner, the release said.

“All they have have to do is watch for the mail,” the release added.

More here.

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West Dundee resident wins film contest prize

Posted in Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Board of Health, Cook, County, FPDCC, Going green, Horizon Farm, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Kane, Land Use, Longmeadow Parkway, Politics, Press Release, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Road construction, South Barrington, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions, Village President, Well Water Quality, Western Bypass on August 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Sarah Glees of West Dundee

Sarah Glees of West Dundee wins a $500 scholarship from the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest for her film “The Long-Lived Effects of the Long Meadow Parkway.” Funds for the scholarship were provided by the Environmental Law and Policy Center. (Courtesy of One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest)

By Lisa Files
One Earth Film Festival

West Dundee resident Sarah Glees will be awarded an Environmental Action Award in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest for her film “The Long-Lived Effects of the Long Meadow Parkway.”

The award consists of a $500 scholarship from the Environmental Law and Policy Center. Glees plans to use the funds to help pay for Elmhurst University, where she is a senior.

The Long Meadow Parkway (under construction) has a four-lane Fox River bridge crossing, which is meant to alleviate traffic in Kane County, Illinois.

Glees begins her 7-minute film “The Long-Lived Effects of the Long Meadow Parkway” with an interview with Parkway opponent Sue Harney, a Dundee Township Trustee and former Dundee Township Supervisor from 2000-17.

Harney explains that trucking companies wanted the Parkway to serve logistics hubs where items are stored or manufactured and then trucked out. Her main concern is contamination of the Fox River from heavy metals such as arsenic and chromium released from tires, hydraulic fluid, gas leaks, and the fine particulate matter from exhaust.

“It’s so long-lived and so very fine that when it gets into the water and the river, the fish have the same problem we do,” Harney said “It gets into their bodies and their gills. It’s like a slow poison.”

Glees suggests possible solutions such as electric trucks, which have no emissions, and permeable pavement, which reduces runoff and the cost of water treatment. She writes in her contest submission: “It means so much to share this story and hopefully evoke change.”

Since its inception in 2013, the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest has grown from a local, Oak Park, Illinois, project to a highly competitive international competition garnering 403 submissions.

Countries such as Brazil, Australia and Mexico and states such as California, Georgia and Indiana will be represented among this year’s winners at the Global Awards Celebration at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, in person at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., in Chicago, or online virtually anywhere in the world.

“The Long-Lived Effects of the Long Meadow Parkway” will premiere at this special event. Free tickets are available at tinyurl.com/yfc23awards.

“The secret ingredient to our success is youth. They have opinions, ideas and viewpoints about the climate emergency,” said contest Founding Director Sue Crothers. “It’s hard for people to deny what’s happening when they’re living through extreme floods, fires, and tornadoes. And the younger generations have something to say about the mess our generation has made.”

The Young Filmmakers Contest asks students from age 8 to 25 to create a 3- to 8-minute environmental film that inspires change or action. Animated or stop-motion films can be a minimum of 45 seconds long.

The deadline each year is June 25, which gives individuals and school groups the entire academic year to submit their film projects.

The call for entries for 2024 will open soon on Film Freeway at filmfreeway.com/OneEarthYoungFilmmakersContest.

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McLaughlin’s Co-Sponsored Access to Affordable Insulin Act

Posted in Politics, Press Release, Resident Spotlights, Springfield on August 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

McLaughlin-Web

LAKE BARRINGTON… State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) from the 52ND House District is happy to see House Bill 2189, Access to Affordable Insulin Act, signed into law this week.

Rep. McLaughlin said, “I signed on as a co-sponsor to the Access to Affordable Insulin Act because there is a need to protect our most vulnerable citizens, especially our children. This law provides a discount program allowing at-risk diabetics to purchase insulin for just $35 a month.”

“There are many studies pointing to the vast number of our citizens struggling to afford insulin, so this law will certainly help families across the state,” said McLaughlin. “Participants of this program will receive a card from the state explaining how pharmacies will apply the discount.”

“This program will be administered by the Department of Insurance and help our at-risk citizens with the purchase of their insulin at a reduced, post-rebate price. This law will be a good step forward toward reducing the financial strain on families grappling with diabetes.”

Rep. McLaughlin said, “With all the self-created financial burdens placed on our citizens across the state from our fiscally irresponsible Democrat counterparts, I am happy to join this bi-partisan effort to offer affordable options to our citizens that rely on this medication every day.”

“The program will now take effect on July 1, 2025, and I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to bring further, meaningful relief to the great people of Illinois,” concluded McLaughlin.

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McLaughlin Calls Foul on Democrats’ Partisan Social Experiment with Public Safety

Posted in Deception, Politics, Press Release, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Public Safety, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, Topics Of Interest, Unions on July 19, 2023| 1 Comment »

Fat Boy SAFETY

Flanked by lawmakers and supporters, Gov. JB Pritzker picks up the nearly 800-page criminal justice reform bill after signing it into law during a ceremony at Chicago State University on the South Side on Feb. 22, 2021. | Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

LAKE BARRINGTON… State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) from the 52ND House District released the following statement after reading the Illinois Supreme Court opinion reversing the circuit court’s decision that now upholds the “no cash bail” provision of the SAFE-T Act.

Rep. McLaughlin said, “I am not surprised the Illinois Supreme Court just eliminated protections for the general population. Are we safer now with this decision?

“Thanks to this progressive Democrat policy and Democrat judges, of course we are not. A partisan politically drawn map has doubled down on poorly made public policy, and our jails will now release many violent criminal defendants awaiting trial.

“I wonder if these defendants who are released will head over to the local library or perhaps the neighborhood church?  Maybe we will see them out volunteering at hospitals or youth groups?

“We all know the answers. These career criminals will most likely be back out in the community, posing danger to you and your family.

“Despite the Safe-T act being current law and having been amended three different times since it was passed in January 2021, it has done nothing to reduce violent crime affecting neighborhoods across our state.

“The Constitution of the United States will find this law, and many of the other laws recklessly passed by this Democratic majority, unconstitutional. Until then, we as individuals must be responsible and protect and defend our own families.”

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Standard and Poor’s Pension Spotlight on Illinois is Bad News For Taxpay

Posted in Politics, Press Release, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on July 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Pension Health Status-page-001

LAKE BARRINGTON… State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) from the 52ND House District released the following statement after reviewing the recent pension analysis put out by Standard and Poor’s this week.

Rep. McLaughlin said, “How come you haven’t heard about this report? Maybe because the Governor’s office, traditional media, and social media search engines don’t want you to know about it.

“Dare I say it is an inconvenient truth for the narrative coming from the majority party and governor in Illinois? They continue to say everything in Illinois is just peachy.

“As a 30 year professional in the pension investment arena, I know we have a problem here.  I always say the first step to fixing a complex problem is to start by acknowledging the problem. How about we just start there?

“As reported in the S & P Analysis posted on June 26, 2023, the report said, ‘… contributions are still short of an amount we consider indicates funding progress.’ I have attached the report link here: See Pension Spotlight PDF.

“Even after the flowery fiscal forecasts from the Illinois House, Senate, and Governor’s office, the Standard and Poor’s analysts are not being fooled by the constant political talking points.

“This is exactly why Illinois currently holds the worst credit rating in the nation and shares the bottom of the list with New Jersey as the only two states in the nation with a credit rating below A. There is plenty of rhetoric from my colleagues blasting southern states as out-of-touch bastions, but it appears our fellow representatives from across the aisle should be looking in the mirror at our poor fiscal malfeasance.

“It is not hard to see where we stand across the nation. Talk about an orange menace when looking at the fiscal map below.

“We would still be in the red instead of the orange category without the onetime Federal Covid funding and the unexpected inflationary tax receipts. Democrats in Illinois are not being honest with themselves and, worst of all, to the great people of the state.

“Furthermore, this report shows a 2.2% funding increase that will become necessary over the many years to come, just to get Illinois back on track to the top of the 6-7% annual return expectations.

“One out of every five dollars from our state’s current $50 billion budget is being spent on pension costs. We need to change the trajectory now to allow Illinois to be competitive with surrounding states.

“Please join me in calling on all legislators to admit the problem and address the problem – sooner rather than later. I again, will say that I am here ready and willing to work with any legislator on fundamental solutions to fix this out-of-control pension epidemic.”

Read “Pension Spotlight: Illinois” here.

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Barrington Hills Police Department Pursues Sustainable Solutions for Used Radios

Posted in Ethics, Press Release, VBHPD on June 22, 2023| 1 Comment »

Chief of Police Joseph Colditz

Barrington Hills Chief of Police Joseph Colditz

22 Jun, 2023, 13:35 ET

BARRINGTON HILLS, Ill., June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Barrington Hills Police Department is an accredited law enforcement agency serving the community of Barrington Hills, Illinois. Recently, the agency upgraded its two-way radio system to enhance the reliability and interoperability of its wireless communications. It then needed a vendor to collect the decommissioned radio equipment.

The agency sought a communications partner that could provide fair market value of its radios via an environmentally responsible process. It chose New York-based Radiowell to meet these objectives.

Radiowell provided market value for the equipment and pledged to plant one tree for every radio removed from service; the trees are planted in America’s National Forests. “Sustainable solutions are a major outcome that we seek when working with innovative partners” explained Chief of Police Joseph Colditz of the Barrington Hills Police Department , “and this decision promotes our department’s dedication to environmental stewardship.”

Radiowell, America’s largest wholesaler of used two-way radios, will dispose of Barrington Hills’s equipment via a three-prong strategy. First, functional equipment will be resold to Radiowell’s partnering radio dealers. Second, equipment will be donated to support public safety and non-profit associations. And third, unusable equipment will be recycled via an environmentally responsible process.

The Barrington Hills Police Department is supportive of innovative ways to dispose of old radio equipment. Most government agencies send their equipment to electronic waste companies that charge them significant handling fees. Additionally, waste companies often lack the technical competency to decommission radios and fail to properly recycle the thousands of components in each radio.

Radiowell spokesperson Andrew Park explains, “Thousands of commercial-grade two-way radios end up in landfills every year. Others are sent to electronic waste companies which lack the technical competence to wipe those that are still active, which can warrant concern for government-owned equipment. We provide an alternative, environmentally sustainable solution to these concerns.”

Radiowell specializes in radio equipment and is the nation’s leader in used-radio asset disposition. Its dealer network offers top value for used equipment, and the company is the only two-way land mobile company with a sustainability objective tied to its business results. This objective helps preserve ecosystems and reduces the global carbon footprint.

Government agencies seeking value-maximizing and sustainable solutions for surplus radios should complete the Sell Used Radios form on Radiowell’s site.

SOURCE

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Architectural Digest’s Most Beautiful Home in Illinois, Featured on FOX TV’s Empire, to Be Auctioned by Elite Auctions

Posted in Press Release, Real Estate, Topics Of Interest on June 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Auction

PRESS RELEASE  JUN 21, 2023 09:00 EDT

BARRINGTON HILLS, Ill., June 21, 2023 (Newswire.com) – Elite Auctions, in collaboration with top-producing Illinois real estate agent Michael LaFido, is proud to announce the auction of a magnificent Illinois mansion, recently named by Architectural Digest as the most beautiful home for sale in Illinois and featured on FOX TV’s hit show Empire as the Lyons Den. Listed for sale by renowned Illinois luxury real estate agent Michael LaFido of the Luxe Group, this luxurious residence at 45 Lakeview Lane, Barrington Hills, IL, boasts unparalleled elegance and sophistication.

Built in 2008, the 20,000-square-foot mansion features 5 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a marble-floored foyer with a sweeping staircase, a formal dining room with coffered ceiling and French doors leading to the patio, and a formal living room with a fireplace and French doors opening to the rear patio that overlooks both lakes. The gourmet kitchen and adjoining breakfast room, walnut-paneled library with coffered ceiling and fireplace, recreation room with modern bar, and safe room ensure lavish living and entertaining spaces.

The property’s additional features include an elevator, mudroom, 6-car garage, porte-cochere, rear stone patio, and a swimming pool with spa. A walking path surrounding the home and a multi-purpose outbuilding on the grounds further enhance the estate’s appeal.

The auction, without reserve, will take place on site at the property on July 15, 2023, at 11 AM local time. Remote bidding is available by request. Elite Auctions, a premier luxury real estate auction company, will conduct the auction. Interested parties are invited to visit eliteauctions.com or call 844-94-ELITE for more information.

Private previews by appointment begin on Saturday, June 24, 2023. To schedule an appointment, please call 844-94-ELITE. Media outlets are encouraged to make an appointment for exclusive access.

Real estate agents and brokers may register their clients and receive a 2% broker cooperation fee. Broker registration is required. Please note that this property is subject to offers and sale prior to auction. Auction terms & conditions are available for download at EliteAuctions.com.

Don’t miss the opportunity to own this Architectural Digest-acclaimed masterpiece and iconic Empire show location, listed by Michael LaFido and the Luxe Group, in the heart of Barrington Hills, Illinois.

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The Democratic Party of Illinois Celebrates Success of Unprecedented Municipal Race Program

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Commodius Maximus, Deception, Elections, Politics, Press Release, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, School Districts, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on April 8, 2023| 1 Comment »

Color-Logo_Horizontal-copy

Contact: press@ildems.com

Chicago, IL – After a resounding number of local election wins, the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) is celebrating its success in preventing extremists from being elected to numerous school and library board seats across the state.

While results are yet to be certified, 73 of the 101 extremists that DPI identified and opposed lost their races, and of the 117 candidates recommended by DPI, 84 were elected.

In several districts including Oswego CUSD 308, Lyons Township High School District 204, Hononegah High School District 207, and McLean County School District 5 each of the extreme candidates that DPI exposed were unsuccessful.

Additionally, DPI targeted 42 Awake IL endorsed candidates, and 37 of them lost, a clear indication that Illinoisans disavowed their hateful rhetoric and dangerous platform.

“Last night, Illinoisans rejected the regressive vision of extremist candidates across the state, and once again showed that they believe in continuing to move our state forward. With so much on the line, DPI was proud to step in to push back against political agendas that posed a threat to our fundamental values,” DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez said. “I look forward to the ways in which these newly elected board members will work to make Illinois a safe and just place for all our children to grow up.”

“Illinoisans continue to reaffirm their commitment to a forward-looking state, and DPI is  proud to have played a part in making that vision a reality. While we’re pleased by the outcomes of yesterday’s elections, our work isn’t done. This is just the beginning for DPI as we build a state party that functions as a resource and a support system for Democrats every year, in every corner of Illinois,” said DPI Executive Director Ben Hardin. “We knew this work wouldn’t be easy, especially given the organized movement from the far-right to disguise their true agenda, but we’re grateful that voters saw through the falsehoods and turned out to support credible community advocates. Our values were on the line in these races, and I’m proud that Illinoisans once again voted for fairness, equity, and inclusion in our state.”

The Democratic Party of Illinois launched an innovative program to prevent extremists from taking over school and library boards in response to dark money and candidate support from far-right organizations. DPI opposed candidates backed by known far-right organizations as well as those who have embraced values and policies that contradict those of the Party including censoring or banning books, blocking full spectrum sex education, teaching revisionist history and ignoring public health. Throughout this unprecedented program, DPI reached hundreds of thousands of individuals and households in Illinois via digital and mail communications as well as on the ground organizing support, keeping over 70 extremists out of school and library board seats. The positive impacts of this support were made clear by the results of yesterday’s elections.

This initiative was brought forth as part of the new party building directive under the leadership of Chair Hernandez to provide year round support to Democrats through grassroots organizing and continuous voter engagement.

Source

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220’s Altshuler & Collister-Lazarri blocked Facebook members and deleted their comments throughout campaign 

Posted in 220, Barrington Area Library, Barrington Education Association, Big Brother, Board of Education, BOHICA, Contests, District 220 referendum, Elections, Ethics, FUBAR, His Master's Voice, Mad Cow, Politics, Press Release, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Public Safety, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, The New Normal, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on April 2, 2023| 5 Comments »

Barry bitch

Barry Altshuler had his best “Resting Bitch Face” on display yesterday as he picketed with the other ‘Progressive’ candidates in downtown Barrington yesterday.  Altshuler and Collister-Lazzari have continuously blocked from their Facebook campaign pages any person who asked tough questions about their record.

Yesterday, prior to the Progressive Picket, Altshuler deleted dozens of comments from the one post left on his page with comments that disagree with or question his actions in his 4 years in office.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Altshuler and Collister-Lazzari since they’ve been on the District 220 Board of Education, it is they have no tolerance for differing views. Their opinions are always unwavering, no matter what experts in their fields opine, and that’s just wrong…

BA Permiss

Related: “Choose wisely at the polls,” “Two term District 220 Board of Education member Angela Wilcox endorses Katey Baldassano, Leonard Munson, and Matt Sheriff for 220 Board,” “Endorsements: Munson, Baldassano and Sheriff for CUSD 220 Board of Education,” “District 220 Board of Education candidates Katey Baldassono, Leonard Munson and Matt Sheriff share their vision,” “Parents at top-rated school expose pornographic books in IL school library (DISCRETION ADVISED),” “The District 220 Policy Committee has a lot on their plate tomorrow,” “Who’s minding Leah and Barry’s campaign finances,” “What 220 voters need to know continued, including our recommendations,” “What 220 voters need to know,” “220 Parents call BS!”

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How exactly is misinformation to be defined?

Posted in Barrington Area Library, Elections, Politics, Press Release, Property Taxes on March 28, 2023| 5 Comments »

AO

Anne Ordway – Elected Barrington Area Library Board Member

“Dear Editor,

I’m hearing Book Banning is a topic of conversation in the upcoming April  4, 2023 elections for the Barrington School & Library Boards.  In my time on the library board, no parent or patron has approached the Barrington Area library to ban a book.  Parents with concerns about books in schools view a public library different than a school library.

I ran for the Barrington Area Library Board in 2021 and won a seat on that board.  I ran because I am a frequent user of the library and closing it to the public for an extended period of time piqued my interest in library leadership.  We have current Library board members who want to do something about misinformation.  How exactly is misinformation to be defined?  Labeling what one doesn’t want to hear as misinformation is censorship and has no place in a public library.  At no time would we want a librarian to claim something is full of misinformation and then deny a book to a patron, or refuse to order a book for the library.

To assure The Barrington Area Library stays relevant, open, and with materials to offend everyone, I recommend voting for Chase Heidner, Kristin Cunningham, and Kelly Dittmann for the Barrington Area Library Board Trustee positions.

Thank you,

Anne Ordway – Elected Barrington Area Library Board Member”

Source

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