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Have a blast: Celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, festivals and more in the suburbs

Posted in Elections, Entertainment, Politics on June 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Members of the Rolling Meadows High School marching band fly their flags during the Frontier Days Fourth of July Parade in Arlington Heights. | Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, 2024

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

As the Fourth of July approaches, so do themed events throughout the suburbs, including festivals, parades, fireworks displays, walks and runs, concerts and more. Here’s where and when you can celebrate.

Saturday, June 27

Carpentersville Independence Day Parade: 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at Carpenter Park, 275 Maple Ave., Carpentersville. Annual parade starts at South Lincoln Avenue and Main Street, continues east on Main, south on Washington Avenue to Spring Street, east on Spring to Carpenter Park. cville.org.

Stars ‘N Stripes Fest: 4-10 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Cary-Grove Park, Three Oaks Road and North First Street, Cary. Food trucks, beer and hard seltzer sales, kids’ inflatables and activities and music from Hello Weekend. Fireworks at dusk. Free admission; parking is $20 per vehicle at the park, Cary-Grove High School, or Sunburst Bay. Swimming at Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center costs $10 for Sunburst Bay members and $15 for nonmembers. carypark.com.

Dundee Township fireworks: 6-10 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Meadowdale Park, Besinger Drive and Maple Avenue, Carpentersville. Entertainment, food vendors and visit with community partners from 6-9 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Fireworks may begin 30 minutes earlier or later, depending on weather conditions. Rain date: June 28. dtpd.org.

Sunday, June 28

Freedom Car Show: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 28, in the Metra parking lot, between Onieda and Bartlett avenues, in downtown Bartlett. Trophies will be awarded for Best of Show, Top 10 and People’s Choice; trophy presentations at 3 p.m. Free for spectators. Hosted by 120Live Bartlett. Register: hanover-township.org.

Wednesday, July 1

Frontier Days Festival: 5-11 p.m. Wednesday, July 1; 5 p.m. to midnight Thursday, July 2; noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, July 3-4; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at Recreation Park, 500 E. Miner St., Arlington Heights. Carnival, Fourth of July parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, entertainment, food, soccer 3v3, Stampede Run/Walk, marketplace, family activities and more. Drone show featuring 400 drones at 9:35 p.m. Thursday. Main stage lineup: 7th heaven at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press at 7:30 p.m. Thursday; Soul Asylum at 8 p.m. Friday; Yachtley Crew at 8 p.m. Saturday; and American English at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Frontier Stage lineup: Uncle Sam at 5:30 p.m. and Exit 147 at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday; Backdated at 5:45 p.m. and Blackberry Jam at 9:30 p.m. Thursday; FaceNTime at 4 p.m., The PriSSillas at 6 p.m. and ARRA at 9:30 p.m. Friday; The Murley Rock Band at 4 p.m., TRIADD at 6 p.m. and Pino Farina Band at 9:30 p.m. Saturday; and Line Dancing with Boot Scootin’ Judy at 5 p.m. Sunday. Free. frontierdays.org.

Northwest Fourth-Fest: 5-11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 1-2; noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. Carnival midway, kids’ zone, food and live entertainment Friday and Saturday; fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Friday; parade at 9 a.m. Saturday and more. Music includes Hello Weekend at 5:30 p.m. and 7th heaven at 8:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, and David’s House at 5:30 p.m. and Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press at 8:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday. Free. northwestfourthfest.com.

Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s Patriotic Brass: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, at the Robert G. Soule Amphitheater at Citizens Park, 511 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington. For America’s 250th birthday, the concert highlights the ESO’s brass and percussion sections with a program of patriotic and popular favorites. Bring a picnic basket and lawn chairs. Free. elginsymphony.org.

Thursday, July 2

Carnival patrons ride the Disk-O during the Bartlett Fourth of July Festival. | Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, 2024

Bartlett Fourth of July Fest: 3-11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 2-3; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 4; and 3-9 p.m. Sunday, July 5, in Apple Orchard Park, southwest corner of Stearns and Bartlett Road, Bartlett. The carnival will be open to those with disabilities from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 2; registration required. Four nights of live music: Thursday: Anthem from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and 7th heaven from 9-11 p.m.; Friday: Mellencougar from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Julian Jumpin’ Perez from 8-11 p.m.; Saturday: Smokin’ Gunz from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Icons of Country from 8-11 p.m.; and Sunday: Modern Day Romeos from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and Hairbanger’s Ball from 7-9 p.m. Skydivers at 7 p.m. Friday. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Parade at 1 p.m. Sunday. bartlett4thofjuly.com.

Lakeside Festival: 3-11 p.m. Thursday, July 2, and noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at The Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. 14 bands over four days on two outdoor stages, food, carnival rides, beer garden, superhero characters, kids’ decorated bike parade, kids’ ice-cream social, cornhole tournament and more. Fireworks at dusk Sunday. Music lineup: Thursday: Dangerous Joes at 3 and 7 p.m., Tennessee Whiskey at 5 p.m., and Thunderstruck at 8:30 p.m.; Friday: Southbound at 1 p.m., Petty Kings at 4 p.m., Pino Farina Band at 6 p.m., and Hi Infidelity at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: Judson Brown at 1 p.m., All American Throwbacks at 5 p.m., The Jolly Ringwalds at 7 p.m., and Modern Day Romeos at 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday: Yacht Rock-Ettes at noon, Crystal Lake Strikers at 2:30 p.m., Disco Circus at 3:30 p.m., Jonny Lyons & The Pride at 5:30 p.m., and Icons of Country at 6:45 p.m. Gate admission: $10 for 13 and older; $5 for 65 and older; and free for kids younger than 12 and active military with ID. Note: cashless payment. thedole.org/the-fest.

Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest: 5-11 p.m. Thursday, July 2; noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at Palatine Community Park, 250 E. Wood St., Palatine. Fireworks at dusk July 3, live bands, food vendors, parade July 4, carnival, fest expo July 4-5 and more. Free. hometown-fest.com.

Rockin’ in the USA Fourth of July Weekend Festival: 7-10 p.m. Thursday, July 2; 6-10 p.m. Friday, July 3; and 2-10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park entertainment district, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Live music from tribute bands, including Listen to the Music, Boy Band Night, Super Diamond, Garth Guy, Toby Keith Made in America and Hillbilly Rockstarz. Also, festive competitions, including a patriotic costume contest and burrito-, apple pie- and hot dog-eating contests. A special appearance by the Honor Guard on July 4. Free. parkwaybankpark.com.

Sleepy Hollow Fourth of July fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Sabatino Park, Thorobred Lane, Sleepy Hollow. Parking opens at 7 p.m.; $20 per car donation. If rained out, fireworks will move to Sunday, July 5. Free. sleepyhollowil.org.

Friday, July 3

Wauconda Community Fireworks: 6 p.m. Friday, July 3, at Cook Park, 600 N. Main St., Wauconda. Hosted by the village and Wauconda Park District. Music and concessions starting at 6 p.m. and fireworks at dusk over Bangs Lake. Rain date: July 5. Free. wauconda-il.gov.

Hometown Fest Fireworks: Dusk Friday, July 3, at Community Park, 262 E. Palatine Road, Palatine. Free. palatinejaycees.org/hometown-fest.

Saturday, July 4

Barrington All-Star Brass Quintet: 8:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4, at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main St., Barrington. The ensemble will perform classic American standards and patriotic music on the porch before the Independence Day parade. Free. BarringtonsWhiteHouse.com/events.

Barrington Fourth of July Parade: 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4, on Main Street in Barrington. Steps off at Barrington High School. Free. barrington-il.gov.

Barrington Fourth of July Fireworks: 9:30-10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Barrington High School, 616 W. Main St., Barrington. Free. barrington-il.gov.

America 250 celebration: 4-7 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at The Depot, 319 N. River St., East Dundee. Family-friendly fun, food, live music, community activities, and a hometown Pie Baking Competition, Kids Coloring Contest, balloon twisting, face painting, fireworks and more. Free. eastdundee.net.

Sleepy Hollow Fourth of July festival: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Sabatino Park, Thorobred Lane, Sleepy Hollow. One-mile fun run at 8 a.m. Fishing derby from 9-11 a.m. at Lake Sharon. Car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a $15 exhibitor donation for Illinois Special Olympics. Food and drinks from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bill Ritchie Memorial Parade at 11:30 a.m. Fest rain date: July 5. Fireworks are at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, with $20 per car donation. Rain date: July 5. sleepyhollowil.org.

Allison Smith of Elgin and her dog Dolan participate in last year’s Elgin pet parade, which took place just before the Fourth of July parade in Elgin. | Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com, 2025

Elgin Fourth of July Parade: 9 a.m. Saturday, July 4. The route runs on Douglas Avenue, from Slade Avenue to city hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin. Third annual Pet Parade at 9 a.m. starting at the NENA Butterfly Garden at Douglas Avenue and Ann Street, and continues along the parade route to Douglas and Highland. Register at elginil.gov.

Frontier Days Fourth of July Parade: 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4. Steps off from Dunton and Oakton streets, Arlington Heights. Parade travels south on Dunton to Miner and then east to Recreation Park, 500 E. Miner St. Theme: “Celebrating 50 years — Frontier Days Festival.” Kids 4-12, accompanied by an adult, can check in at Olive and Highland streets for the decorated bike parade at 10 a.m. No Big Wheels. Free. FrontierDays.org.

Hawthorn Woods Fourth of July Parade: 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4, on Lagoon Drive, Hawthorn Woods, and continues to the village hall. Followed by a flag-raising ceremony. Free. vhw.org/524/Parade.

Lake Zurich Independence Day Celebration: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Food, live music, fireworks and more. Includes Taste of Summer food trucks, Giant Bubble Show at 3 p.m., performance by Kelly Daniels at 7:15 p.m., and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Free admission, $5 BYOB wristbands available. lakezurich.org.

Hometown Fest Parade: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4, in Palatine. The parade proceeds south on Cedar Street to Slade Street, east on Slade to Brockway, north on Brockway to Wood Street and east on Wood to Community Park. Free. palatinejaycees.org/hometown-fest.

Elgin’s Fourth of July Concert and Fireworks: 5-10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin. Live music, food trucks and drinks, family-friendly games, a buttermaking activity, and a pie-eating contest sponsored by Herb’s Bakery at 7:30 p.m. Band lineup: Petty Betty from 5-6 p.m., Journey From the Heart from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Jump, America’s Van Halen Experience from 8-9:20 p.m.; VIP Lounge Area for $25 for age 12 or older; free for 11 or under with paid adult. Fireworks around 9:20 p.m. elginil.gov.

Buffalo Grove Fourth of July Fireworks & Celebration: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Willow Stream Park, 651 Old Checker Road, Buffalo Grove. The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band will perform. Fireworks show at around 9 p.m. Free. vbg.org.

Bartlett 4th of July Fireworks: 9:30-11 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Stearns and Bartlett roads, Bartlett. Free. bartlett4thofjuly.com.

Sunday, July 5

Crystal Lake Independence Day Parade: 1 p.m. Sunday, July 5, starting at 100 W. Woodstock St. and continuing down Dole Avenue to the Lakeside Festival grounds. Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Sponsored by the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, the city of Crystal Lake and the Crystal Lake Lions Club. clchamber.com.

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Pritzker Adds $800 Million a Year in New Taxes to Already High-Tax Illinois

Posted in BOHICA, Commodius Maximus, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fat Bastard, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, The Washington Free Beacon, Unions on June 21, 2026| 1 Comment »

Digital advertising, social media, crypto, prediction markets are targeted by governor |
Governor J.B. Pritzker, Democrat of Illinois, is seen in a photo provided by his office.

By Ira Stoll | The Washington Free Beacon

The governor of Illinois, Democrat J.B. Pritzker, the billionaire Hyatt hotel heir who is a possible 2028 presidential candidate, is facing sharp criticism after signing into law a state budget that adds $800 million a year in new taxes to a state already in the worst third of the 50 states when it comes to imposing tax burdens.

Unleash Prosperity, a pro-growth, free-market-oriented group, called Pritzker “a man who never met a tax increase he didn’t embrace.” He’s more frugal when it comes to his own money. Pritzker had five toilets ripped out of a second mansion in what Cook County described as a fraudulent scheme to save $330,000 in property taxes.

The Illinois Policy Institute had urged Pritzker to veto the advertising tax on the grounds that “its revenue isn’t needed and it’s sure to be legally challenged.” “It’s another ‘Pritzker Two-Step’ budget: increase spending, then raise taxes and sweep dedicated revenues from other funds to fill another big budget gap. This is why Illinois residents pay the highest combined state and local tax rate in the country,” wrote Paul Vallas, a senior fellow at the Institute. “Pritzker has presided over at least 63 tax and fee increases.”

A senior fellow at the Tax Foundation, Jared Walczak, warns that, “the new tax opens the state up to costly litigation it has a very good chance of losing … the whole thing looks like something dashed off with very little thought.” The social media tax “is $6 per user per year, denominated as $0.50 per user per month for large social media platforms, and lesser amounts per user for smaller platforms,” he writes. “Illinois plans to impose a complicated, legally fraught new tax based on a few pages of confused, contradictory, and almost laughably incomplete legislative text embedded in the new budget.”

An editorial in the Washington Post is headlined “Pritzker’s social-media-tax belly flop.” Said the Post, “He’s preparing to run for president in 2028 and apparently believes that antagonizing successful businesses will play well with the liberal base. But voters tend to notice incompetence.” It notes that the digital ad tax “is designed to extract huge sums from Google, Meta and Amazon, whose executive chairman Jeff Bezos owns The Post.”

The Post concluded, “Ultimately, the biggest losers might be the people who actually use social media. Rather than just swallow the tax, companies may need to consider charging for subscriptions, erecting tiered paywalls and raising the rates for advertising. That will disadvantage small businesses who depend on social media to get out the word about their products. It might even mean some smaller platforms cease operations in Illinois.”

Report continues here.

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‘Wrong project, wrong place’: Critics push back on rezoning plan for potential Hoffman Estates data center

Posted in AI, Cook, County, Daily Herald, Data Center, Elections, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Plum Farm development, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Spring Creek Watershed, Springfield, Taxes on June 16, 2026| 1 Comment »

By Eric Peterson | Daily Herald

Hoffman Estates village board members Monday heard from critics of the proposed rezoning of the 186-acre Plum Farms property for a possible data center campus.

Although the issue wasn’t on the agenda, the board allowed half an hour for public comment.

Earlier this month, the village’s plan commission voted 4-2 against landowner Karis Critical of Florida’s request to rezone the site at Higgins Road and Route 59 to permit manufacturing. This classification could allow for a data center.

In January, Karis Critical’s proposal for a data center in Naperville was rejected by the city council there.

Monday’s opponents to the Hoffman Estates rezoning request included state representatives and candidates as well as the village presidents of neighboring South Barrington and Barrington Hills.

Critics from Hoffman Estates, South Barrington and Barrington Hills Monday voiced their opposition to rezoning of the 186-acre Plum Farms property at the northwest corner of routes 59 and 72 in Hoffman Estates that could allow a data campus there. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, 2019

Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills spoke to infrastructure pressures like increased water and electricity demand, pointing out that even Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker had recently paused the state’s economic incentive for data centers.

“If you’ve opened up an electrical bill lately, you know increased electricity demand is one of the problems with AI centers,” McLaughlin said. “Unfortunately, this has not been planned for well by Springfield politicians. And now, with potential AI center draw, it’s a double-whammy for utility payers and I cannot support this.”

Article continues here.

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District 220 Board of Education meets tonight

Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Politics, School Districts, Snowflake Effect, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on June 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:

  • FOIA Reports
  • Revised Personnel Report
  • Finance Reports
  • Consideration to Approve the Board of Education authorize the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services to approve contracts for the procurement of natural gas and electricity and to elect and designate the price terms of such contracts. The price terms of such contracts shall not exceed forty-three and ninety-three hundredths cents ($0.4193) per therm for natural gas and eight and nine hundred eighty-seven thousandths cents ($0.08987) per kilowatt hour for electricity, for periods not to exceed thirty-six (36) months.
  • Consideration to Approve Notice to Remedy
  • Consideration to Approve Action Regarding Employment Status of Educational Support Personnel Employee
  • Consideration to Approve Amended Board of Education Regular Meeting Schedule

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live streamed on the district YouTube channel.

Related: “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”

 

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Presidential poll numbers show Pritzker at 2%

Posted in Commodius Maximus, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fat Bastard, Look For The Union Label, Pension Funding, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, The Center Square on June 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Photo: BlueRoomStream / Screenshot

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

A new public opinion poll says Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker remains low on the list of voters’ preferred choices in the 2028 Democratic Party primary election for president.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, a nonpartisan public opinion polling firm, from June 1-4, 2026 and surveyed registered voters nationally.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris finished first with 27% of the vote among 1,013 Democrats who responded. 17% said they were not sure.

Next was California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 14%, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 11% and New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 8%.

Pritzker and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear both came in at 2%.

Report continues here.

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What’s next for Pritzker’s stalled housing plan?

Posted in Commodius Maximus, Daily Herald, Elections, Ethics, Land Use, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Privacy, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Traffic, Unions, Village Code, Zoning Board on June 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Wood trusses are moved into place on townhomes being built in Pingree Grove last month. A series of proposals backed by Gov. JB Pritzker to encourage more multifamily housing failed to move through the state legislature before its spring session ended. | Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

By Russell Lissau | Daily Herald

A plan to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois wasn’t the only high-profile legislative proposal not to cross the goal line before the General Assembly’s spring session concluded last weekend.

Neither did Gov. JB Pritzker’s controversial measures encouraging more multifamily housing construction by mandating less-stringent zoning rules.

Named Building Up Illinois Developments, or BUILD, the proposal was introduced by the governor in February to resolve a housing shortage in the state. It consisted of multiple bills in the state House and Senate and was promoted by Pritzker in the months that followed.

But as the clock ticked down in Springfield, the plan fizzled. No votes were taken on any of the primary BUILD components; in fact, they weren’t even assigned to committees for debate.

“The fact that this proposal did not even make it through committee speaks volumes about how little support it had, even among Democrats,” said Republican state Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills, an outspoken BUILD critic.

In a news conference after the General Assembly adjourned, Pritzker said he’ll continue to fight for BUILD. He noted the new state budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars for housing initiatives.

Article continues here.

Related: “Gov. JB Pritzker’s multiunit housing (BUILD Act/Plan) plans for Illinois stall in Springfield’s spring session,” “Why McHenry County officials could ask voters for home rule powers,” “South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie provides an update of Pritzker’s proposed BUILD Act,” “Village of Barrington President shares perspectives on Pritzker’s BUILD plans,” “(Ignoring public opinion) Pritzker says of BUILD Plan for homes would not cost taxpayers,” “Gov. JB Pritzker’s ambitious housing plan for Illinois: More four-flats, looser rules,” “Pritzker to propose statewide zoning laws to spur homebuilding, limit local control,” “McLaughlin’s press conference video recording regarding Pritzker’s proposed municipal zoning powers grab posted,” “‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential It’s just zoning”

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Gov. JB Pritzker’s multiunit housing (BUILD Act/Plan) plans for Illinois stall in Springfield’s spring session

Posted in BACOG, Chicago Tribune, Commodius Maximus, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Immigration, Land Use, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, School Districts, Springfield, Unions, Village Code on June 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By Olivia Olander | Chicago Tribune

Illinois will not broadly allow multiunit housing on single-family residential lots, at least for now, after a package of housing ideas championed by Gov. JB Pritzker failed to pass during the General Assembly’s spring session.

Faced with concerns about usurping local control of zoning issues related to housing, the governor’s office and its allies this weekend punted on the plans, which were among the governor’s most ambitious policy proposals this year, after they couldn’t round up the necessary support among lawmakers.

“I’m going to continue to fight for it, because we need more housing in the state,” Pritzker said at a post-session news conference in his ceremonial Capitol office Monday. He noted that some of his biggest legislative goals have taken longer than a year to come to fruition, including his school cellphone ban, which the General Assembly passed over the weekend.

Still, deferring negotiations over increasing so-called middle housing across the state to a later date is a mark against the governor’s record in Springfield this election-year spring session — one that will likely be remembered most vividly for the legislature’s inability to pass a Bears stadium deal.

Despite the housing package being presented in a year when Democrats have sought to prove they’re the party of affordability ahead of the November midterm elections, Pritzker indicated he didn’t see its failure as a political liability. The plan showed voters his priorities, he suggested, even if they couldn’t be enacted.

“Are you kidding me? I think — the question is, do you want to elect somebody who’s actually for building more housing, or somebody who doesn’t have any plan at all?” Pritzker said when asked about the politics of the housing issue.

The governor is up for reelection to a third term this fall, in a race against former state lawmaker Darren Bailey, the long-shot Republican candidate. On social media Sunday, Bailey railed against Pritzker’s so-called BUILD Illinois plan as a “full-scale assault on Illinois suburbs.”

Article continues here.

Related: “Why McHenry County officials could ask voters for home rule powers,” “South Barrington Mayor Paula McCombie provides an update of Pritzker’s proposed BUILD Act,” “Village of Barrington President shares perspectives on Pritzker’s BUILD plans,” “(Ignoring public opinion) Pritzker says of BUILD Plan for homes would not cost taxpayers,” “Gov. JB Pritzker’s ambitious housing plan for Illinois: More four-flats, looser rules,” “Pritzker to propose statewide zoning laws to spur homebuilding, limit local control,” “McLaughlin’s press conference video recording regarding Pritzker’s proposed municipal zoning powers grab posted,” “‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential It’s just zoning”

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Illinois lawmakers give raises to diversity commissioners they criticized

Posted in 220, 300, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on June 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Alexandria Wilson, executive director of the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion, was grilled by lawmakers during a budget hearing, April 15, 2026. | Photo: Jared Strong / The Center Square

By Jared Strong | The Center Square

State lawmakers failed to reform the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion this legislative session despite bipartisan criticism of its performance and calls to disband it.

Moreover, the seven highly paid commissioners who lead it are getting raises along with numerous other executive branch appointees, and their requested $5.6 million budget was approved.

The budget allocation and pay increases were included in the early Monday morning votes to ratify a new, $55.9 billion state budget.

And they belie the considerable critiques that lawmakers aired during public budget hearings in recent months. House lawmakers initially said they intended to summon the commission’s staff for a third hearing to continue their questions, but that didn’t happen.

Lawmakers have seized on The Center Square’s investigation of the commission to question their salaries of about $150,000, given that they are allowed to work side jobs for extra pay and have overseen a sizable decline in the number of businesses owned by racial minorities, women and people with disabilities that are certified by the state.

Certified businesses are preferred for state contracts. The primary goal of the commission — which was created in 2022 — is to increase the amount of state contract money that is awarded to the businesses.

State Rep. Brad Halbrook, a Shelbyville Republican, said it was wrong to approve more money for the commissioners without further review. He is among those who want to eliminate the commission.

“Lawmakers were asked to fund an agency without receiving the additional scrutiny and answers that many members believed were necessary,” he told The Center Square. “In a state facing significant fiscal challenges, that is not how responsible budgeting should work.”

No Republicans voted to approve the new budget.

Report continues here.

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District 220 Board of Education meets tonight

Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Look For The Union Label, Organizations, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, Snowflake Effect, Transparency, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on June 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:

  • FOIA Reports
  • Revised Personnel Report
  • Student Disciplinary Committee Report
  • Hazardous Crossing Resolution
  • List of Authorized Depositories
  • Post-Issuance Tax Compliance Report
  • Renew Treasurer’s Bond
  • Consideration to Approve Summer Break 2027 BHS Choir Trip to Italy, Slovenia, and Austria
  • Consideration to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Barrington
  • Consideration to Approve Transform 220 Bid
  • Consideration to Approve Modification of Project Work Order #12 to the Pepper Construction Company Master Agreement
  • Communications Department Update

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live streamed on the district YouTube channel.

Related: “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”

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Barrington Area Council of Governments meets tonight

Posted in AI, BACOG, Data Center, Elections, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Meeting Minutes, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Well Water Quality on May 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) is scheduled to meet this evening beginning at 6:00 PM at the Lake Barrington Village Hall, 23860 Old Barrington Road. Their meetings will include:

  • 6:00 PM – Finance
  • 6:40 PM – Nominations
  • 7:00 PM – Executive Board

Meeting agendas are not posted by BACOG, nor are minutes, but their website does state, “Copies of approved minutes for BACOG committee and executive board meetings are available upon request. Please submit requests by email to bacog@bacog.org.

Related: “(Plum Farms) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 3”

 

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