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CUSD 220 Board of Education meets Thursday

Posted in 220, Agendas, Animal Welfare, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Clown Car, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Mad Cows, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, Transparency, Unions, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on July 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

CUSD 220 Board President Sandra Ficke-Bradford, Vice President Barry Altshuler and member Leah Collister-Lazzari.

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

  • FOIA Reports
  • Personnel Report
  • Salem United Methodist Church Parking Agreement
  • Consideration to Approve Declaring Property Surplus and Authorizing its Sale or Disposal
  • Consideration to Approve Written Decision Regarding Uniform Grievance Procedure Complaint Concerning Barry Altshuler
  • Consideration to Approve Written Decision Regarding Uniform Grievance Procedure Complaint Concerning Sandra Bradford
  • Consideration to Approve Written Decision Regarding Uniform Grievance Procedure Complaint Concerning Leah Collister-Lazzari
  • Consideration to Approve the Public Release of the July 17, 2026, Uniform Grievance Procedure Investigation Report and Findings
  • First Reading of Board Policy, 2:260 Uniform Grievance Procedure

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

Related: “CUSD 220 Board delivers second (slappier) slap on the wrist to member Erin Chan Ding,” “CUSD 220 Board of Education public comments we applaud,” “Special District 220 Board of Education meeting Monday,” “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” and “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’”

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PAWS CHICAGO BREAKS GROUND ON “RESCUE RANCH,” A TRANSFORMATIVE NEW HAVEN FOR HOMELESS PETS IN CHICAGO’S NORTHWEST SUBURBS

Posted in Animal Welfare, PAWS Chicago, Press Release on July 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

20-Acre Hawthorn Woods Facility Will Expand Lifesaving Efforts for Large Dogs, Cats, and Spay/Neuter Services Across Chicagoland

July 20, 2026 (HAWTHORN WOODS, Ill.) – PAWS Chicago, the Midwest’s largest No Kill animal welfare organization, celebrated a major milestone on Sunday, July 19, breaking ground on the PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch, a transformative 20-acre state-of-the-art facility that will expand its lifesaving work for homeless and at-risk pets throughout Chicagoland.

Set to open in 2027, the PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch will become a first-of-its-kind destination focused on the rescue, rehabilitation, enrichment, and adoption of large dogs and cats, the animals most at risk of euthanasia throughout the region. The facility will also include the Forsythe Veterinary Medical Center, a high-volume spay/neuter clinic, that will expand access to affordable and free spay/neuter services based on financial need while helping prevent pet overpopulation.

Community leaders, supporters, donors, volunteers, and animal advocates gathered to commemorate the groundbreaking and celebrate the next chapter in PAWS Chicago’s nearly three-decade mission to build a No Kill Chicagoland.

“The PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch represents the future of animal welfare,” said Paula Fasseas, Founder and Executive Chair of PAWS Chicago. “Every aspect of this campus has been thoughtfully designed around what animals need to heal, thrive, and ultimately find loving homes. By creating more space, expanding access to adopters, and investing in prevention through spay/neuter services and education, we will save more lives for generations to come.”

Once an equestrian center, the property is being transformed into a best-in-class animal welfare facility that blends nearly three decades of PAWS Chicago’s lifesaving experience with the latest advances in animal behavior science and shelter medicine. Surrounded by rolling hills, walking trails, and a scenic pond, the PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch will provide a peaceful environment where animals can decompress and thrive while awaiting adoption.

“When PAWS Chicago began in 1997 more than 42,000 animals in Chicago were being euthanized. Today, that number has been reduced by nearly 90%,” added Fasseas. “While adoption is critical for lifesaving, it is spay/neuter that prevents pet overpopulation at its source, and the Rescue Ranch will have a robust surgery center equipped to perform hundreds of spay/neuter surgeries during large Spay Days — and help train the next generation of spay/neuter surgeons.”

The PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch will:

  • Provide individualized care for up to 80 dogs plus litters of puppies in spacious accommodations featuring private outdoor patios for fresh air and relaxation while they await adoption.
  • Provide individualized care for up to 80 cats plus litters kittens through daily enrichment, socialization, and a dedicated Kitten Room, Senior Room, Feline Sun Room and cat café.
  • Connect large dogs with more suburban adopters, where yards and fewer housing restrictions can help larger breeds thrive.
  • Open a high-volume Spay/Neuter Clinic that will expand access to affordable spay/neuter services, reduce pet overpopulation, and support veterinary training.

Beyond serving homeless pets, the PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch will be a destination for adoption, volunteerism, education, and community engagement. Visitors will also be welcomed by rescued farm animals, including a horned cow, llamas, miniature donkeys, goats, and pigs.

Construction is now underway. Learn more at pawschicago.org/RescueRanch.

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‘We’re all pretty proud’: Equine Guardians taking care of displaced Palatine Stables horses

Posted in Animal Welfare, Daily Herald, SOUL Harbour Ranch, Topics Of Interest on July 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Relocated Palatine Stables horses are settled in at a Wauconda farm. | Steve Zalusky/szalusky@dailyherald.com

By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald

Behind a weathered, split-rail fence skirting a solitary gravel driveway, Cadence Gehrke reaches into a clear bag and feeds carrots to a gray Appaloosa mare.

It’s feeding time for Tinker Bell and her cream-colored leopard-spotted Appaloosa gelding companion Fuzzy at Birch Hill Farm in Wauconda.

The farm, with its peaceful pasture teeming with tall grass and wildflowers, is where the two horses are spending their twilight years.

They were among the roughly two dozen school horses and ponies displaced following the controversial closing of the Palatine Stables in late 2024. Now they are among 17 under the care of the nonprofit group Gehrke started, Equine Guardians.

Fuzzy, left, and Tinker Bell share a tender moment at Birch Hill Farm in Wauconda. Steve | Zalusky/szalusky@dailyherald.com

The organization, which is run by former instructors, boarders and longtime riders, has an online fundraising site. Several horses are listed on the website, equineguardians.org.

Equine Guardians is also holding a reunion and fundraiser from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at SOUL Harbour Ranch in Barrington. Proceeds will go toward the horses’ care.

Article continues here.

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As state lawmakers stall on data center rules, Illinois cities and counties step in to fill the void

Posted in AI, Animal Welfare, BACOG, Chicago Tribune, Data Center, Deception, Education, EJ&E/Canadian National, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Plum Farm development, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, Sears, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Unions on June 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Construction underway at the new Compass Datacenters 197-acre site in Hoffman Estates on June 23, 2026. Compass is constructing five hyperscale data centers on the former Sears Headquarters campus. | Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

“People are upset with the lack of transparency around these projects. They feel like backdoor deals are being made before the public is ever aware they’re happening.”

By Jack O’Connor | Chicago Tribune

In lieu of statewide regulations, a growing number of Illinois cities and counties are telling data centers to come back later or adhere to new regulations.

In Aurora, what began as a 180-day moratorium ended with city officials bringing the regulatory hammer down on data centers after many community members complained about excessive noise, utility bills and environmental concerns stemming from the city’s existing facilities.

Nine months removed from the September moratorium, Aurora’s data centers are having to play by new rules. Restrictions on where facilities can be built and updates to zoning rules to give the city approval power over new developments. Strict noise emission, water efficiency and energy efficiency standards for new data centers. Mandatory annual reporting of energy use, water use, noise levels and the storage of biometric data for all data centers, including those already built.

“My administration is about putting people and planet first, so it’s making sure that the lights always get turned on for residents of Aurora, instead of seeing the power stripped away for data centers,” Aurora Mayor John Laesch said. “It’s good news that other municipalities and counties are taking action on this.”

So far, at least six counties and nine cities in Illinois have approved data center moratoriums or regulations. Since May, Bloomington, Normal, Effingham, Bourbonnais, Carbondale, Logan County and Lake County have implemented data center moratoriums ranging from a six-month ban to a whole year. McLean County took a stronger approach in June, requiring existing data centers to document their electrical consumption and mandating data center proposals to identify potential impacts on local infrastructure, emergency services and utilities.

Much of the blowback against data centers stems from concerns about the facilities’ energy and water use amid rising utility costs.

Without regulations in place, advocates and local officials worry data centers will strain the electrical grid and deplete Lake Michigan and rural well water faster than rain, runoff and groundwater can replenish them. Data centers already account for 5.4% of Illinois’ electrical consumption and that demand is expected to balloon by 133% by 2030, according to the U.S. arm of the International Energy Agency. At the same time, electric costs for ComEd customers in June have jumped 12%, while prices for Ameren customers downstate rose by nearly 30%, according to the Citizens Utility Board, a utility consumer watchdog group.

Report continues here.

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2 mini ponies, multiple chickens die after fire engulfs and destroys barn near Wauconda

Posted in Animal Welfare, Lake & McHenry County Scanner on June 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Numerous fire department respond to the 27000 block of West May Street in unincorporated Wauconda after a fire destroyed a barn and left multiple animals dead Friday afternoon. | Photo: Joe Shuman/J. Shuman Photography (2026)

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

Two miniature ponies and multiple chickens died after a fire fully engulfed and destroyed a barn, causing $150,000 in damage, near Wauconda Friday afternoon.

The Wauconda Fire District responded around 2:15 p.m. Friday to the 27000 block of West May Street in unincorporated Wauconda for a report of a structure fire.

Wauconda Fire District Battalion Chief Adam Schlick said fire crews responding spotted a large column of smoke from Route 176.

Numerous fire department respond to the 27000 block of West May Street in unincorporated Wauconda after a fire destroyed a barn and left multiple animals dead Friday afternoon. | Photo: Joe Shuman/J. Shuman Photography (2026)

Firefighters arrived and found heavy flames coming from a barn located approximately 400 feet from the roadway.

The barn was only 15 feet away from a nearby residence, placing it at risk, Schlick said.

Fire crews quickly deployed hose lines and were able to get water on the fire in less than three minutes from arrival.

Numerous fire department respond to the 27000 block of West May Street in unincorporated Wauconda after a fire destroyed a barn and left multiple animals dead Friday afternoon. | Photo provided

The fire occurred in an area that does not have fire hydrants and firefighters established a rural water supply using water tenders.

Report continues here.

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CBS features McGraw coyote research

Posted in Animal Welfare, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Topics Of Interest on June 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The McGraw Report | Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation

CBS highlighted Dr. Stanley Gehrt, head of McGraw’s wildlife research department, and his work with coyotes on the May 24 nationwide broadcast of “Sunday Morning.” Dr. Gehrt, who also is a professor of wildlife ecology at The Ohio State University, has led the Urban Coyote Research Project under McGraw’s aegis for more than 25 years.

“Back in the late 1990s, the concept of a coyote living in an urban setting was basically unheard of,” Dr. Gehrt told the interviewer. “Yet they started appearing in suburban sites around Chicago, and people became concerned or scared.”

Dr. Gehrt’s research has won international recognition for himself and McGraw. It has been described in innumerable research papers, mainstream news outlets, and has helped to launch the careers of many scientists who began their graduate work at McGraw.

In addition, Dr. Gehrt and McGraw Executive Vice President Kerry Luft teamed up to write the 2024 book “Coyotes Among Us,” a distillation of his research for the general public.

“Stan is known as the world’s leading coyote expert for good reason,” Luft said. “Less well known is the fact that he has been a pioneer in technology, including the use of GPS technology to better track coyotes and stable isotope analysis to help understand their diets.

“His research is a source of great pride to the Foundation, and he has become a great friend to many people here at McGraw, including me.”

For the general public, Dr. Gehrt’s message is that coyotes should not automatically be considered dangerous.

“If you’re walking your dog and encounter a coyote, don’t run away,” he told CBS. “If you have a small dog, pick it up and walk away. If you have a large dog, stand still and shout at it, and it should leave.”

With coyotes becoming a common part of the urban landscape, Dr. Gehrt added, “A certain amount of tolerance is necessary.”

As he and Luft wrote in their book, the coyote is an enormously adaptive creature that has survived and thrived even as other predators are wiped out. And they are endlessly fascinating – how else could Dr. Gehrt study them for the better part of three decades and still have plenty of questions worth investigating?

See the video here:

Visit the Urban Coyote Research Project website here:

Copies of Dr. Gehrt’s book “Coyotes Among Us” are available for purchase at Pond Cottage and through numerous online retailers.

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Special Equestrian Commission (Riding Club) meeting tonight

Posted in Agendas, Animal Welfare, Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Bicyclists, Big Red, Commercial Horse Boarding, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), E-bikes, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, Horizon Farm, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Simple Minds, Unions, Village Director of Administration, Well Water Quality on June 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Equestrian Commission/Riding Club will be meeting this evening at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

  • RECOGNITION OF EMILY MCHUGH, FIRST EQUESTRIAN COMMISSION CHAIR
  • HORSE/LARGE ANIMAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN – DISCUSSION
  • JULY 4 AMERICA250 CELEBRATION: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ROLE OF HORSES IN THE FOUNDING OF OUR NATION*
  • REGISTER NOW: LAND WE LOVE RUN AMERICA250 5K/10K OR 2-MILE WALK ON JUNE 28, 2026

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.

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Barrington Hills Park District (Riding Cult) meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Commercial Horse Boarding, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Financial Statements, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Massbach Hounds, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions on May 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult 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:

  • Approval of the April 2026 Park Board Meeting Minutes (Not provided)
  • Treasurer’s Report Review, Approval of the April 2026 Park District Financials (Not Provided)
  • Advisory Committee Report (Not Provided)

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

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Lake County family files lawsuit against well-known dog food company, alleges it caused their beloved dog’s death

Posted in Animal Welfare, Lake & McHenry County Scanner, Topics Of Interest on April 21, 2026| 1 Comment »

A 10-year-old Goldendoodle, named Maya, died and a Lake Forest family blames Blue Buffalo’s dog food with leading to her death. They have since filed a class action lawsuit in federal court. | Provided Photos

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

A Lake County family has filed a class action lawsuit against Blue Buffalo Company alleging that their dog died from a serious heart disease linked to grain-free dog food that the company sold.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by The G Law Group, along with co-counsel Florek Law, on behalf of plaintiffs Ryan Walsh and Diana Walsh, of Lake Forest.

The suit alleges Blue Buffalo’s grain-free products have repeatedly been linked in scientific studies and FDA investigations to diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and other adverse cardiac conditions in dogs.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively, often leading to heart failure and death.

The lawsuit complaint references multiple complaints to the FDA regarding the link, as well as research showing that grain-free diets, such as those containing peas, can interfere with taurine absorption.

Taurine is an amino acid that is essential for myocardial health. The plaintiffs’ attorneys say research shows that dogs’ heart function improved after switching from grain-free to grain-inclusive diets and receiving taurine supplementation.

The lawsuit said Blue Buffalo continued to market its products as “the healthiest food possible” made with “the finest natural ingredients” despite thousands of FDA complaints and research linking grain-free dog food to DCM.

Article continues here.

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Barrington Hills Park District (Riding Cult) meets tonight

Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, BCFPD, Bicyclists, Big Red, BraveHearts, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Don't Change Barrington Hills, Ethics, Financial Statements, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Mad Cows, Massbach Hounds, Open Meetings Act, Overhead, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, Simple Minds, SOS Party, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality, Your Barrington Hills on April 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult 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:

  • Advisory Committee Report
  • Emergency Stabling at the Riding Center
  • Payment Alternatives to Cash/Checks (Ozempic)
  • Administrator’s Report
  • Closed Session for Employee Matters & Contracts/Agreements

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

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