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Archive for the ‘Fools and their money’ Category

Illinois TOPS NATION for public sector union political spending

Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Area Library, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, BOHICA, Cook, County, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fools and their money, Illinois Federation of Teachers, League of Women Voters, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Preckwinkle's Rules of Order, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Road construction, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on December 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Scott Stantis / For the Chicago Tribune

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor

Commonwealth Foundation Labor and Policy Senior Director David Osborne says Chicago’s growing reputation as the place where public sector unions flex plenty of political muscle is more than well deserved.

Osborne points to a new Commonwealth Foundation report highlighting how public sector unions across Illinois spent nearly $30 million on state races over the 2023-24 election cycle, or far more than what union officials in any other state dedicated to such causes.

At $5.5 million, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson tops the State Government Union Pac Money List of those most benefiting from government employment unions support. In addition to Johnson, at least six other state lawmakers land on the list’s Top 20, lead by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, at No. 2 and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, at No. 4.

“In the state of Illinois, political spending is bigger than in any other state,” Osborne told The Center Square. “Unions seem very focused on who gets elected to be the mayor of Chicago and governor of the state. What you’ve got really is a downward spiral in Illinois where the kinds of unions that have gotten so powerful have really done it at the expense of taxpayers and then they’re pouring more money into getting the right kind of people elected for them.”

With researchers adding that almost 96% of all donations for Illinois-level candidates went to Democrats, Osborne said it’s past time someone address the imbalance.

“Public sector unions, they’re not often talked about as the cause of problems,” he said. “We often look to high taxes, bigger government, economic policies, but really what’s driving states and cities to enact policies that are harmful to individuals, that raise taxes, that grow the size of government beyond its purpose are public sector unions.

Read more here.

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Barrington Hills Park District (Riding Club) meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Big Red, BraveHearts, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Don't Change Barrington Hills, Ethics, Fools and their money, Fox River Valley Hunt, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cows, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, SOS Party, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Your Barrington Hills on December 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Club of Barrington Hills will hold their monthly meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 6:00 PM. Some topics on their agenda include:

  • Treasurer’s Report Review & Approval of the November 2025 Park District Financials
  • Riding Center Advisory Committee Report
  • In-District & Out-of-District Rental Agreements & Rates
  • Review of Cooperative Agreements
  • Facility Rentals (Carriage Club Rental)

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

Note: “Requests for a qualified interpreter require at least five working days advance notice.”

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The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Barrington High School, Board of Education, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Fools and their money, Guest Essay, Illinois Federation of Teachers, OP/Ed, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Unions on December 5, 2025| 1 Comment »

I attended the Barrington 220 Board of Education meeting (Tuesday), arriving shortly after six o’clock. I expected what most engaged residents expect: the chance to be heard. Instead, I watched a familiar story unfold, one that extends far beyond the night’s agenda item and deep into the culture that now defines our district.

Residents spoke passionately about their neighborhoods, some living there for three decades or more, describing the consequences the proposed Hager Ave. parking expansion would bring to safety, congestion, character, and precedent. They offered facts, first-hand observations, alternative solutions, and historical context.

And yet, rather than engaging with the substance, district leadership defaulted to performance: head-nods, polished reassurances, carefully crafted anecdotes including the now-infamous story of a parent who bought a second home in 1999 to secure a parking spot for their child. It was more than tone-deaf; it was revealing.

As community members spoke from lived experience, Superintendent Winkelman responded with scripted confidence, as if the concerns in front of him were theoretical or uninformed. It was an extraordinary display of disconnect, one that didn’t seem to register, even as residents grew visibly upset at being spoken at instead of spoken with.

But here’s the truth:

The parking lot is not the real issue.
The levy is not the real issue.
The real issue is leadership culture.

And this culture is showing itself everywhere.

A Pattern of Selective Listening and Selective Accountability

This past year alone, I and many other residents have tried to raise concerns- not political, not personal, but about professionalism, ethics, safety, and financial responsibility.

✔ When a teacher made dismissive comments about parents in front of students
The administration reframed it as a “Back-to-School Night misunderstanding,” defended the teacher, and never addressed the core issue:
students heard an adult ridicule parent concerns.
No acknowledgment. No ownership.

✔ When a Board member launched a partisan legislative campaign while still serving on the Board
Policies 2:80-E and 2:105 were bent to their narrowest possible interpretation.
The district even used taxpayer-funded legal counsel to review campaign-related conflicts — despite policies prohibiting such use of public resources.
Again, no accountability. Only justification.

✔ When a police incident caused confusion and fear before school
Parents were left in the dark. Staff did not know whether classes were even proceeding.
My written request for communication improvements and safety prioritization received no response at all.
Across situations big and small, the message has been the same:
the district hears what’s convenient and ignores what isn’t. 

Meanwhile, the Financial Picture Raises Even More Concerns

A comprehensive review of FOIA-obtained documents — leases, contracts, amendments, utility agreements, activity fund reports — shows systemic problems in stewardship:

✔ Millions in lease-financing at 5–8% interest
Even while the district held over $100 million in reserves.
Apple leases alone contain more than $340,000 in hidden interest.
Canon, HP, Toshiba, and bus leases add far more.

✔ Architectural & engineering spending exceeding contract caps by over $2 million
Build 220 fees now exceed 9% of construction value despite a contractual limit of 7.4%.
Much of the excess came from avoidable redesigns, duplicated work, and over-scoped civil engineering packages.

✔ Electricity & natural-gas procurement without competitive bidding
Dynegy and Symmetry contracts cost $500k–$900k more than market alternatives.
No evidence of competitive evaluation exists.

✔ Student Activity Fund red flags
Thirty months of reconciliations show:

  • identical manual adjustments,
  • unusually large journal entries (up to $72,800),
  • volatile disbursements,
  • zero variances for 30 straight months — mathematically improbable without plug entries.

These are not isolated incidents.
This is a systemic pattern of weak controls and limited oversight. 

Yet the district continues asking the community for more money.

When residents raise safety issues — silence.
When residents raise ethics issues — deflection.
When residents raise spending issues — no corrective action or acknowledgment.
When residents raise neighborhood concerns — they are told stories from 1999.
But when the district wants more taxes?
Suddenly conversation becomes urgent.
This dynamic speaks for itself. 

A Community Willing to Invest — But Only in Leadership That Invests in Us

Barrington residents value education.
We value our schools.
We value our teachers.
But investment requires trust — and trust must be earned through humility, responsiveness, transparency, and accountability.
Right now, the district is asking for more money while:

  • avoiding difficult conversations,
  • dismissing legitimate community concerns,
  • overlooking internal issues,
  • and falling short of its own values.

Barrington 220 speaks often about transparency, collaboration, and respect.
It’s time for those principles to move from slogans into practice. 

The Community Showed Up. Now It’s the District’s Turn.

The public comment at the recent meeting showed a community that is informed, engaged, and deeply invested in the future of its schools.
That level of passion deserves more than nods, reassurances, and pre-scripted narrative management.
It deserves reciprocal honesty.
It deserves accountability.
It deserves leadership that listens.

Before asking for another tax levy, Barrington 220 must commit to:

  • full financial transparency,
  • competitive and responsible procurement,
  • ethical consistency,
  • genuine respect for parent and student voices,
  • and authentic partnership.

A levy may or may not be necessary.
But trust is not optional — and right now, trust is what needs rebuilding most.

Sam Mehic
South Barrington

Related: “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,”  “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”

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CUSD 220 proposing 7.32 percent tax levy increase

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Fools and their money, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Hearing, Real Estate, School Districts, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)?, WTF on November 3, 2025| 4 Comments »

“I. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase  for Barrington Community Unit School District Number 220, Lake, Cook, Kane, and McHenry Counties, Illinois, for 2025 will be held on December 2, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Barrington CUSD 220’s Administrative enter, 515 West Main Street, Barrington, Illinois 60010.

Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Sarah Lager, Asst. Superintendent of Business Services/CSBO, 515 West Main Street, Barrington, IL 60010, (847) 381-6300.

II. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $156,153,482.

The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2025 are $163,300,000.  This represents a 4.58 percent increase over the previous year.

III. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building commission leases for 2024 were $9,000,073.

The estimated property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2025 are $13,948,798. This represents a 54.99 percent increase from the previous year.

IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $165,153,554. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2025 are $177,248,798. This represents a 7.32 percent increase over the previous year.”

Source

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Chicago’s Union Boss Gets a Promotion | Wall Street Journal

Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Education Association, Clown Car, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Fools and their money, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions, Wall Street Journal, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Stacy Davis Gates | Nam Y. Huh Nam/Associated Press

Stacy Davis Gates will bring her educational failures to Springfield.

By The Editorial Board | Wall Street Journal

Talk about failing up. Stacy Davis Gates, the Chicago Teachers Union president who has presided over the educational failures of Chicago public schools, has been elected to lead the Illinois Federation of Teachers. Here we have in a single event the problem that is ruining Illinois.

From her new perch, Ms. Davis Gates will be the voice of more than 100,000 Illinois teachers, faculty and others at the statewide union. Downstate parents wondering what’s ahead are warned: It won’t be higher test scores. Less than a third of Chicago eighth grade students are proficient in reading and math. For that, she gets a promotion.

Students and parents don’t get to vote in union elections, alas. But union teachers do and they care most about money and dodging accountability for student failure. Ms. Davis Gates has delivered on both counts. In 2024 she told a Chicago radio station that academic testing “at best is junk science rooted in white supremacy” and “you can’t test black children with an instrument that was born to prove their inferiority.”

Yes, grading is racist, so stop using tests to judge students—and heaven forbid don’t hold teachers accountable. By the way, Ms. Davis Gates sends her own son to a private school.

Read more here.

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Things to do Oct. 10-16: Raptor Sunday, Oddities Night, A Conversation with Kamala Harris and more

Posted in Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Entertainment, Fools and their money, Immigration, Politics on October 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Walk a path lined with hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns during Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns Wednesdays through Sundays through Oct. 26 at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. | Courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

Friday, Oct. 10

Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns: 6-10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12, 15-19 and 22-26, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. See hand-carved, LED-lit jack-o’-lanterns, characters and live pumpkin carving along a festive paved pathway. $22-$27 for adults, $15-$18 for kids 3-12, and free for kids younger than 3. chicagobotanic.org/halloween.

Glass Pumpkin Patch: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12, at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Shop one-of-a-kind glass creations and watch glassblowing demonstrations by artists every 30 minutes from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Flameworking demonstrations will be held at 12:15, 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Rain or shine. Presale viewing from 10-11 a.m. Friday. Included with arboretum admission. Tickets: mortonarb.org

See handcrafted scarecrows Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12, during St. Charles’ Scarecrow Fest. | Daily Herald file photo

Scarecrow Fest: Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, in downtown St. Charles. 40th annual fest features over 110 handcrafted scarecrows on display around town for visitors to view and vote on their favorites. Family Zone with live entertainment in Lincoln Park. Activity Zone with photo ops, Scarecrow-to-Go and family activities on Riverside Avenue. Autumn on the Fox Arts & Crafts Show at Pottawatomie Park. Free. scarecrowfest.com.

Downtown Elgin Market: 3-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, on South Riverside Drive, Elgin. Farmers, makers, live music, Sip N’ Shop and kids’ activities. Dog-friendly. LINK Matching program. Free. downtownelgin.com/market.

Oktoberfest: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at Bridges Beer Garden, 1400 Poplar Creek Drive, Hoffman Estates. German dancers, live music, and food and beverages for purchase. Free. heparks.org.

Autumn Hayrides: 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11, at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. Ticket includes a 30-minute tractor-drawn wagon ride and the supplies to make s’mores over an open fire. Kids 15 and younger must be accompanied by a paid adult. $16. Register: stcparks.org/events.

Hayrides at Hoffman Park: 6, 6:45 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and 5:15, 6, 6:45 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the dog park at Hoffman Park, West Main Street, Cary. Hayride and campfire under the stars. $10. Register: carypark.com

Spooky Scavenger Hunt: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at Heritage Farm at Spring Valley, 201 S. Plum Grove Road, Schaumburg. Family scavenger hunt around the farm. Free. parkfun.com/event/spooky-scavenger-hunt

Oddities Night: 7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum, 110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights. A Victorian Halloween gathering with drinks, bites, oddities, a tarot card reader, a magician and more. 21-and-older event. $40, $30 for Arlington Heights Historical Society members. ahpd.org.

Saturday, Oct. 11

Collect-A-Con: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Donald E. Stephenson Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. Trading card, anime and pop culture convention. Tickets start at $49.29 for Saturday, $44.04 for Sunday, $65.04 for both days, and free for kids 7 and younger. collectaconusa.com/chicago-2.

The Illinois Orchid Society Fall Show & Sale comes to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. | Daily Herald file photo

Illinois Orchid Society Fall Show & Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, at the Chicago Botanic Garden Burnstein Hall, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Featuring artistically arranged tabletop displays from the rarest of species to cultivated hybrids. Orchid plants for sale, as well as repotting services. Photographers’ Hour from 9-10 a.m. Sunday. $17.95-$23.95. chicagobotanic.org

Autumn Harvest: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at North School Park, 307 N. Evergreen Ave., Arlington Heights. Crafts, games, hayrides, a scarecrow-building contest, live music, entertainment and more. Food for purchase, including Garibaldi’s Pizza, Kori’s Koop and AJz Kettlecorn. Free. ahpd.org.

DIY Scarecrow Day: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, behind Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 342 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Reserve a time to build a custom scarecrow using a variety of clothing and accessories. Register in advance. $10 per scarecrow. longgrove.org/festival/october-days.

A Conversation with Kamala Harris: 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Former Vice President Kamala Harris tells the story of her presidential campaign. Tickets start at $115. auditoriumtheatre.org

“Farewell, Mr. Poe”: 4-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, starting at Morton Arboretum’s Thornhill Shelter, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. In the last four days of his life, Edgar Allan Poe drifted in and out of consciousness before he died. Where did his mind wander? Find out for yourself, as the paths wind through Poe’s life and poetry, until he confronts his earthly departure. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Bring water, portable chairs or blankets for seating, and bug spray. $17-$27. Register: mortonarb.org

Take a ride on the Ghost Story Train Saturdays, Oct. 11, 18 and 25, at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin. | Daily Herald File Photo, 2023

Ghost Story Train: 5, 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 11, 18 and 25, at the Fox River Trolley Museum, off Route 31, South Elgin. Ride a spooky trolley to the haunted forest preserve for family-friendly frights, including stories around the campfire with treats from Margie’s Girls’ Kitchen. A ghostly musician will lead campfire songs. Costumes welcome. $20. Register at foxtrolley.org/Ghost-Story-Train.

School of Haunt — Haunted House: 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at School of Rock, 105 N. Maple Ave., Elmhurst. Themed rooms, scare actors and a night of fright for ages 13 and older. Hosted by School of Rock Elmhurst. Free. schoolofrock.com.

“Disenchanted!”: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, in Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. A musical that gives a new spin to Disney princess classics. Contains adult language and themes and is not appropriate for kids. $50. eccartscenter.org

Elgin Symphony season opener: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Conductor Chad Goodman leads the ESO guest pianist Orion Weiss and the symphony in Carlos Simon’s “Motherboxx Connection,” H. Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 “Romantic” and Gershwin’s Concerto in F. $20-$68; $10 for students. elginsymphony.org

Jeremy Kahn Quartet: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at Baker Community Center, 101 S. Second St., St. Charles. Chicago-based jazz pianist Jeremy Kahn returns to “Saturday Night Lights” with a quartet featuring vocalist Petra Van Nuis in her St. Charles debut. $30. norrisculturalarts.com

Sunday, Oct. 12

Buffalo Grove Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, in Mike Rylko Park, 951 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. Meat, cheese, bakery, coffee, knife sharpening and more from 42 vendors, with weekly entertainment, a kids’ craft tent and Business of the Week vendors and nonprofits. Free. vbg.org/165/Farmers-Market.

Walneck’s Motorcycle Swap Meet: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at McHenry County Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock. New and used motorcycle parts of all types and brands, leathers, sewing, jewelry, toys and more. Rain or shine. $10 for ages 15 and older. walneckswap.com.

Crystal Lake Farmers Market+ At The Dole: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, on the front lawn of the Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Live music, kids’ activities, beverages, food trucks and more. Free. farmersmarketatthedole.org.

Pumpkin Splash: 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at The Club, 5050 Sedge Blvd., Hoffman Estates. Swim in the pumpkin patch pool to find a pumpkin. Includes pumpkin decorations and a treat for kids. $10-$12. heparks.org.

See owls, hawks and other birds of prey at Raptor Sunday at Stillman Nature Center in South Barrington. | Courtesy of Stillman Nature Center

Raptor Sunday: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Stillman Nature Center, 33 W. Penny Road, South Barrington. Meet the snowy, great horned, barred, barn and screech owls, along with a peregrine falcon, turkey vulture, broad-winged and red-shouldered hawks. $20 per car. stillmannc.org.

Tuesday, Oct. 14

“Hey There: The Music of Rosemary Clooney”: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Kaity Paschetto, backed by a trio, breathes new life into classics like “Mambo Italiano,” “Hey There,” “Tenderly” and “Come On-a My House.” $35. eccartscenter.org

All You Need Is Jazz: 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Gail Borden Public Library Meadows Community Rooms AB, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Favorite Beatles tunes reimagined by a Chicago-area jazz trio on piano, drums and electric bass. Free. Register: gailborden.info

Wednesday, Oct. 15

Midweek Matinee: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St., Woodstock. See “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971). $8. woodstockoperahouse.com.

Rosaway, consisting of flutist and vocalist Rachel Ombredane and drummer Stéphane “SteF” Avellaneda, will perform Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. | Courtesy of the Raue Center for the Arts

Rosaway: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Paris-based disco-jazz duo. Tickets start at $19. rauecenter.org.

Ongoing

Goebbert’s Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 30 at Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center, 40 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington. Animals, corn stalk mazes, wagon rides, pig races, fall food, produce and more. Some attractions are only available on the weekends. $19 weekdays; $23 in advance online and $26 at the door on weekends; free for kids 2 and younger. Extra fees for animal rides ($8) and gem mining ($10-$25). goebbertspumpkinfarm.com/fall-festival.

Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Nov. 2 at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Pedal tractors, pumpkins and fall treats for sale, and on weekends, hayrides for $3 and animal shows at 1:30 p.m. $6; free for kids 1 and younger and U.S. military with ID. dtpd.org/fall-festival.

Alex Ross — Heroes & Villains: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays and Wednesdays and 2-8 p.m. Thursdays, through Feb. 16, 2026, at the Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, 1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville. A larger-than-life presentation of the work of legendary comic book artist Alex Ross featuring heroes and villains from the Marvel and DC universes. Museum admission $3-$10, exhibit tickets $5-$10, free for kids 3 and younger. LCFPD.org/planyourvisit.

Boo at the Zoo: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 31 at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s family-friendly Halloween celebration with not-so-scary thrills, festive decorations and more. On weekends, there’s trick-or-treating, a magician and other activities. Included with zoo admission. brookfieldzoo.org/BooAtTheZoo.

Happy Times Pumpkinfest at Didier Farms: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except Tuesdays, through Sunday, Oct. 26, at Didier Farms, 16678 Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Amusement rides, shows, fall merchandise, pumpkin sales, fall treats and more. Free entry; fees for rides and attractions. happytimespumpkinfest.com

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest: 5-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays, through Nov. 1, at Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Drive, Gurnee. Thrills by day and frights by night with haunted houses, scare zones, spine-chilling shows and rides. Plus, kids’ Boo Fest and Oktoberfest. Tickets start at $45. sixflags.com/greatamerica/events.

Richardson Adventure Farm: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 9 p.m. Sundays, and 3-9 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct. 26, at Richardson Farm, 909 English Prairie Road, Spring Grove. Corn maze, pumpkin patch, observation tower, zip line, zorbing, pig races and more. $24, $20 for kids 3-12, and free for kids 2 and younger; $30/$24 Saturdays and Sundays. richardsonadventurefarm.com.

Jack O’Lantern World: Time slots start around 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays through Nov. 1 at Paulus Park, 215 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, and The Forge, 227 Heritage Quarries Drive, Lemont. See and explore thousands of pumpkins arranged in displays and more, plus a pumpkin patch, 30-foot inflatables, food trucks, a beer garden, mini golf and more. Tickets range from $17.99-$27.99. thejackolanternworld.com.

Visitors enter “Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience” in Ingleside during a sneak preview Thursday. | John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

“Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience”: Various times through Nov. 2 (except Oct. 14, 20-21 and 27-28), at the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Camp Duncan, 32405 N. U.S. Hwy. 12, Ingleside. Lights transform the landscape into a magical outdoor trail featuring creatures from the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” films. A themed village at the end of the trail will offer food and drink (Butterbeer) and a gift shop. Tickets start at $31 for kids 3-12, $46 for adults. HPForbiddenForestExperience.com.

Find more here.

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(Reminder) One of the country’s most distinctive car collections goes on sale in Chicago

Posted in Fools and their money, Topics Of Interest on September 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

A 1949 Triumph 2000 Roadster on display at Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum, 3117 N. Knox Ave. in Chicago, on Sept. 10, 2025. The entire collection of vehicles amassed by Larry Klairmont will be auctioned off. | Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune

By Nina Metz | Chicago Tribune

Though it’s not unusual to pursue hobbies or accumulate collections, personal wealth means those preoccupations can manifest in more eye-popping ways. Take cars, for instance. Before his death in 2021, Highland Park real estate business magnet Larry Klairmont spent the final two decades of his life amassing a fascinating array of more than 600 historical and unusual vehicles, and put them on display in a museum on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The building’s contents stood as an expression of one man’s eclectic tastes.

That comes to an end this weekend. The museum has closed and the entire Klairmont collection — which in recent years was winnowed down to 284 cars — will be sold by Mecum Auctions. The public can take one last look at the collection Friday (with a $20 entrance fee), then the auction takes place Saturday and Sunday and is strictly for bidders.

Selling off everything is apparently not unusual among auto collectors. It costs money to maintain facilities where cars are housed, and surviving family members may not be as engrossed in the pursuit as their departed loved one. And so, the cars are released back into the world to be collected by new enthusiasts with enough financial firepower to offer a winning bid.

We’re at an interesting inflection point for driving culture. The promise of convenience and practicality remains, while many people want to see more investment in public transit and safer bike lanes — a reduced reliance on cars, in other words — for safety and environmental reasons. The introduction of electric cars, which require different skills (and technology) to repair, has signaled yet another shift. Down the line, fewer amateur mechanics may be able to spend their weekends tinkering with a junker and bringing it back to its former glory.

Read more here.

Related: “Northwest side garage full of hidden-gem classic, muscle cars to go on auction block”

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Northwest side garage full of hidden-gem classic, muscle cars to go on auction block

Posted in Fools and their money, Topics Of Interest on August 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum, 3117 N. Knox Ave., will close next month, and its collection of nearly 300 cars and road art go on the auction block Sept. 19-21. | Mecum Auctions

By  Kade Heather | Chicago Sun*Times

In 1967, Larry Klairmont bought his first keepsake car, a 1951 Rolls-Royce.

By 1974, he had added a few more cars to his stock, including a 1946 Lincoln Mark II and a pair of other Lincolns from 1957 and 1965.

Years later, “he was buying cars by the dozens,” said his son, Alfred Klairmont.

At its peak, the collection totaled nearly 600 cars.

And they weren’t just ordinary cars.

They include a gold-leaf plated 1920 Pierce Arrow; a custom blue and silver 1983 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur decked out in 1 million Swarovski crystals; and a futuristic, remote-control prototype 1956 Golden Sahara II with one-of-a-kind glowing tires. He even owned a replica Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine and a 1960 “Munsters” Coffinmobile.

Cars came and went, and Klairmont stored them all for decades, hidden in a half-mile long industrial building in Belmont Cragin, which became the Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum. For years, the museum was private, but in 2019, Klairmont opened it to the public.

The museum has remained open since Larry Klairmont died in 2021 at age 94, but it will close next month and his collection of cars and memorabilia will be sold off.

Bidders can purchase any of the 275 vehicles and more than 1,000 pieces of road art and automobilia during the Sept. 19-21 no-reserve auction overseen by Mecum Auctions at the Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum, 3117 N. Knox Ave. An auction preview will be held Sept. 13-14.

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Barrington could borrow $3 million to fund downtown makeover

Posted in Daily Herald, Fools and their money, Politics, Real Estate on July 16, 2025| 2 Comments »

Proposed streetscape enhancements in downtown Barrington would include improvements at the intersection of Cook and Station streets. | Courtesy of Barrington/Kimley-Horn

By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald

Barrington officials presented a proposal this week to borrow $3 million to pay for downtown streetscape improvements set to begin this year.

Village Manager Scott Anderson shared a plan with the village board Monday that would involve issuing general obligation bonds to be paid over 15 years. Principle and interest would be paid using home rule sales tax revenues.

Slated for a makeover includes the area around Cook and Station streets, which will be enhanced with planters, seat walls and pavers.

The village also is considering hiring Leopardo Construction as a construction manager rather than going to bid.

Director of Development Services Jennifer Tennant said Leopardo would fine tune the final design, seek subcontractors to find the best prices, and coordinate with village businesses. The company would work within a maximum price and share cost savings with the village.

Village trustees had questions about the bond issue and construction manager plan.

“It feels like a long time for debt that maybe we don’t need,” Trustee Kate Duncan said. “We are supposed to be allocating this money from home rule sales taxes to projects exactly like this. I’m not interested in overburdening myself or my neighbors with increased taxes.”

Read more here.

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