Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Clown Car’ Category

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

Read Full Post »

The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

Related to 5.4 & 10.1:Zoning Board delivers third strike to Little Ducky Farm,” “Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing (AGAIN) tonight,” “News to us…,” “Village Board of Trustees meets tonight,” “’Agricultural Experience’ application meets a similar fate as ‘Agritourism’ did in August,” “Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing tonight,” “Village Board votes down ‘Agritourism as a Special Use’,” “August Board of Trustees meeting recording released,” “Sitting ducks,” “Special Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled Tuesday

Read Full Post »

Darby Hills

By Russell Lissau | Daily Herald

Hoping to resolve an intraparty legal challenge, a group of suburban Republican leaders on Friday announced they are reopening applications for the vacant 26th Senate District seat.

The maneuver halts Barrington Hills Trustee Darby Hills’ appointment to the post, which was held by Republican Dan McConchie until his Feb. 2 resignation.

Hills and the other three original applicants will be considered for the seat and won’t have to reapply, said Lake County Republican Party Chair Keith Brin, who leads the legislative committee overseeing the appointment process. 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.

Read more here.

Related: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

Read Full Post »

How things work? Darby Hills is listed as a “Public Precinct Committeeperson” in the 84th Precinct of ELA TOWNSHIP* as of 2/18/25 at 5:09:59PM. Problem is she does not live in Ela Township.

The backroom maneuvering to install the unqualified Darby Hills as a State Senator has only gotten uglier. Hills allegedly put her name in following recruitment by Dan McConchie, Keith Brin, and John Curran, and another attempt will be made by this threesome to ensure she secures the title of State Senator.

Curran, Brin, and McConchie first attempted to install Joe Salvi in the seat through a backroom deal, but when that failed, they turned to Hills. Now, they are hoping to push her through without public scrutiny.

The Barrington Hills Observer has learned that a second nominating meeting will take place tomorrow at 1 PM at the Palatine Township Republican offices, across the street from Rand Road (Route 12) and Quentin Road. This meeting has not been properly noticed to the public, likely by design—to minimize pushbacks.

Not since Helene Walsh have we seen such Republican incompetence. It is astonishing that Senate GOP Leader John Curran and his team have chosen to back Hills over three highly qualified Republican candidates:

  • Chris Borawski – A longtime conservative leader.
  • Tosi Ufodike – A resolute Republican candidate.
  • Martin McLaughlin – A three-term State Representative (Republican) and former Mayor.

Hills’ lack of Republican credentials is just one of many concerns. Just days ago, she appointed as a Precinct Committeeperson in Ela Township* (not her own neighborhood). This was clearly a last-minute move to create the illusion of Republican involvement.

Can anyone seriously imagine Darby Hills walking door-to-door in Lake Zurich or Palatine, promoting other Republican candidates? The very job of a Precinct Committeeperson?

Why is this happening? Money! Hills has promised to self-fund her campaign, and the Senate Republican leadership is weak and desperate for cash.

The real question is: How far will local Republican leaders go to pretend Darby Hills is a legitimate legislator?

Source

Related: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

Read Full Post »

By Cal Skinner | McHenry County Blog

The filing of a suit in McHenry County questioning whether Dan McConchie has Republican credentials has apparent spooked GOP biggies.

(Click on filing to enlarge)

Notice of 2/21 Meeting for 26th Legislative District Committee

19 February, 2025

HONORABLE KEITH BRIN
REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN FOR LAKE COUNTY
February 18, 2025

To:
Hon. Jeff Thorsen, McHenry County Chairman
Hon. Andro Lerario, Kane County Chairman
Hon. Aaron Del Mar, Palatine Township Chairman
Hon. Peter Kopsaftis, Barrington County Chairman

Dear Chairmen:

I thank you for coming together on February 14, 2025 to organize the 26th Legislative District Committee (“the Committee”), in accordance with 10 ILCS 5/8-5, and to engage in the process of filling the vacancy in office of State Senator for the 26th Legislative District (“the Office”) following the resignation of State Senator Dan McConchie.

It has been brought to my attention that the Committee would be best served to meet again in order to ensure that there can be no question as to whether the process we followed properly empowered the Committee to act to fill the vacancy in this Office.

Read more here.

Related: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

Read Full Post »

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker invoked a fairy tale about magic beans and a giant during his annual state of the state and budget address. Too bad he forgot to take an ax to the giant, record-setting budget he has grown by $16.7 billion since taking office. | AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File

By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute

Gov. J.B. Pritzker used his annual State of the State address Feb. 19 to deride those who dare disagree with his policies as “professional bellyachers” pushing “magic bean fixes” to the state’s problems.

Lost on him was the irony that his fiscal year 2026 budget proposal set another spending record at $55.2 billion that depends on its own set of magic beans, as have his past record-setting budgets.

Magic-bean budgeting

The most consequential information presented by Pritzker was within his proposed FY 2026 budget, which did not receive enough attention during his State of the State remarks. Pritzker’s proposed budget increases state spending to an all-time high of $55.2 billion – an increase of $2 billion from last years’ $53.2 billion spending plan.

If enacted, the state’s annual budget will have ballooned by $16.7 billion compared to 2019 levels.

Prior to the address, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget was projecting a $3 billion budget deficit as recently as last November. These projections estimated upcoming FY 2026 revenues would slightly decrease compared to 2025 levels, as Illinois’ economy was expected to slow compared to recent trends. The most recent Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability – a body of the state legislature that tracks revenues – was also reporting mixed revenue performance that seemed to confirm these projections. As of January, General Funds revenues had come in flat on a year-to-date basis when comparing FY 2024 and FY 2025 total resources.

However, Pritzker’s proposed budget is now relying on upward revisions in expected revenues to fund most of his proposed spending increases. The budget proposal now claims the state is expecting revenues to increase by more than $1.5 billion compared to current year revenues. That’s a large increase compared to the revenue reports from earlier this year and projections the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget made just three months ago. If these revenue projections do not materialize, taxpayers may be on the hook for future tax increases that the governor promised to avoid, cuts to state spending or some combination of the two.

Read more here.

Read Full Post »

Darby Hills | Village of Barrington Hills photo

By Bill Dwyer for Chronicle Media

The petals seem to have already wilted on newly appointed GOP 26th State Senate hopeful Darby Hills’ Valentine’s Day roses.

Hills, the Barrington Hills village trustee who on Feb. 14 was selected to replace Dan McConchie after his Feb. 2 resignation, has still not been sworn in as of Feb. 19. A lawsuit filed Feb. 18 in McHenry County Circuit Court argues her appointment was illegal under Illinois law.

The lawsuit, filed by southern Illinois attorney Thomas DeVore, with Algonquin resident Brittany Colatorti as plaintiff, names the Republican legislative committee for the 26th Senate District and Hills as defendants. It seeks a declaratory judgment voiding Hills’ selection.

In a nutshell, DeVore and Colatorti argue that, Hills has not shown herself to be an actual Republican, as required by law, and that the committee that selected her did not legally exist and did not inform the public of its intentions as legally required.

DeVore and Colatorti argued that the law exists to protect Republicans “from having their party infiltrated by a pseudo-Republican,” and that Hills “has never engaged in any behavior which would have put the public on notice that she is a Republican.

Hills was selected from a four-person field that also included current 52nd District State Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills, Ela Township Trustee Tosi Ufodike of Hawthorn Woods; and Long Grove Trustee Chris Borawski.

The selection committee, which interviewed candidates at the Palatine Township Republican Organization offices Feb. 14, included Lake County GOP Chair Keith Brin, McHenry County GOP Chair Jeff Thorsen; Kane County GOP Chair Andro Lerario; Palatine Township Supervisor Andy-John Kalkounos; and Barrington Township GOP Chair Peter Kopsaftis.

Read more here.

Related: 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

Read Full Post »

Our Zoning Board of Appeals will be holding public hearing this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

Public Hearing 

Text Amendment to Section 5-2-1 Definitions of the Zoning Ordinance to Amend the Definition of Agriculture, filed by Chris Yamamoto
Text Amendment _Agriculture-Posted.pdf
NWDH Cert of Pub-Text Amend Ag Definition.pd

Public Meeting

[Vote] Text Amendment to Section 5-2-1 Definitions of the Zoning Ordinance to Amend the Definition of Agriculture

A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.

Related:News to us…,” “Village Board of Trustees meets tonight,” “’Agricultural Experience’ application meets a similar fate as ‘Agritourism’ did in August,”  Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing tonight,” “Village Board votes down ‘Agritourism as a Special Use’,” “August Board of Trustees meeting recording released,” “Sitting ducks,” “Special Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled Tuesday

Read Full Post »

Darby Hills

BARRINGTON HILLS, IL – Darby Hills, 49, a dedicated advocate for children and families, has been selected as the new State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District.

A trustee on the Barrington Hills Village Board and founder of Barrington Children’s Charity, Hills has spent years fighting for children in need, ensuring they have the support and resources to thrive.

“I am honored to serve as the next State Senator for the 26th District.

“This isn’t just about policy for me—it’s personal.

“I know firsthand the impact a little support can have on a child’s future, and I’m eager to bring that perspective to Springfield,” said Hills.

“Whether it’s fighting for families, keeping taxes low, or ensuring government remains accountable, I will work every day to make a real difference.

“This community has given me so much, and I’m committed to being a strong voice for it in Springfield.”

Through Barrington Children’s Charity, Hills has led an all-volunteer effort that provides meals to 525 children each week across Barrington-area school districts.

Her passion for helping those less fortunate stems from her own experience growing up in a low-income household with a single mother, receiving the same kind of hand-up she now works to give others.

As a trustee on the Barrington Hills Village Board, Hills has been a strong advocate for keeping taxes low, responsible budgeting, and accountable government.

She has worked to rein in wasteful spending, protect taxpayers, and ensure local government serves residents efficiently.

Her leadership reflects a commitment to good governance—principles she will continue to champion in Springfield.

She will also fight to create a pro-business environment that supports local job creators and strengthens Illinois’ economy.

A former Cook County prosecutor and an attorney by trade, Hills has built a career rooted in service.

In addition to her legal and charitable work, she is a wife and mother of three, bringing both professional expertise and personal experience to the issues affecting families.

“Darby’s dedication to children and families, along with her experience as a prosecutor and local leader, make her an invaluable addition to our team,” said Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove).

“She brings a deeply personal perspective to the fight for Illinois’ most vulnerable children—one that will drive real change in Springfield.

“I look forward to working alongside her as she advocates for pro-growth policies to lift up Illinois families and businesses.”

From the Illinois Senate Republican Victory Fund

Editorial note: This is NO JOKE, but it’s understandable if some are laughing. You CANNOT make this (stuff) up!

Read Full Post »

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Club of Barrington Hills will hold their monthly meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 7:00 PM. Some topics on their agenda include:

  • Plum Farms proposal
  • Riding Center Advisory Committee Report
  • Administrator Report

A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »