Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Economy’ Category

Things to do Aug. 7-13: McHenry County Fair, Smoke & Irons Music Fest, Warrenville Summer Daze and more

Posted in Economy, Topics Of Interest on August 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald

Friday, Aug. 7

McHenry County Fair: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7-8, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at the McHenry County Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock. Nearly 100 acres of animals, food, music and entertainment. Single day $10/$5; $30 season pass. mchenrycountyfair.com/tickets.

Lake Zurich Farmers Market: 3-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Henry J. Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Fresh produce, baked goods, sauces, spices, honey, cheese, eggs, meats and more. With live music, pop-up events, kids’ activities and more. Free. lakezurich.org/366/Farmers-Market.

Jamboree Days: 4:30-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Carpenter Park, 275 Maple Ave., Carpentersville. Live music, local food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities. Music lineup: Friday: Scuba-Kin at 4:30 p.m., Mike Wheeler Band at 5:30 p.m., The Outfit at 7:30 p.m., and Buckcherry at 9 p.m.; and Saturday: Sparks Fly: The Taylor Swift Experience at 2 p.m., Lewzinit (rock and pop with a twist of blues) at 4:30 p.m., The Buckinghams at 6:30 p.m., and The Ides of March featuring Jim Peterik at 8 p.m.

Smoke & Irons Music Fest: 4-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Apple Orchard Community Park, 620 W. Stearns Road, Bartlett. Live music, food trucks, beer tasting, craft show, bags tournament and more. Music lineup: Friday: Eli Howard & The Greater Good at 4 p.m., The Filthy Heathens at 5:30 p.m., Sam Morrow at 7 p.m. and Rob Leines at 9 p.m.; and Saturday: Evan Stock Band at 1 p.m., Matt Keen at 2:30 p.m., Andy Thomas at 4 p.m., Jive Mother Mary at 5:30 p.m., Ben Chapman at 7 p.m. and The Band Feel at 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit Ignite the Courage, a nonprofit charity created and run by Bartlett firefighters. Admission for 21 and older is $10; free for 20 and younger. ignitethecourage.org/musicfest

Robbie Fulks will appear with Griffin William Sherry Friday, Aug. 7, at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. | Raue Center for the Arts

Robbie Fulks & Griffin William Sherry Showcase: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. American roots music. $22.40-$36. rauecenter.org

Windy City Comedy Fest: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 7-9, at various locations in Chicago. Shows, clinics with industry professionals, and networking events for comedians and fans. Scheduled performers include Shane Torres, Em Brown, Bob Keen, Joey Reilly and more. Tickets vary. windycitycomedyfest.com.

Saturday, Aug. 8

Dundee Depot Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at The Depot, 319 N. River St., East Dundee. Vintage finds, handmade goods, bakery goods and locally crafted products. Free. eastdundee.net

Fox Lake Cardboard Boat Race: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 8, at Lakefront Park, 71 Nippersink Blvd., Fox Lake. Build a cardboard boat to race against others. Prizes for fastest, fastest sinking and best design. $15 boat registration only, $30 registration and kit. foxlake.org.

Uncaged in the Zoo: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Lords Park Zoo, off Grand Boulevard, Elgin. See live animals up close with Incredible Bats! Animals Around The World. Free. elginil.gov.

AREA 22 Arts, Crafts & Oddities Fair: 1-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, on Riverside Drive in downtown Elgin. Presented by Side Street Studio Arts, this outdoor art fair showcases fine art, handmade goods and eclectic “oddities” from regional artists, live art and sculpture demonstrations, music and entertainment, and food and drink vendors. Family-friendly and pet-friendly. Free admission and parking. Rain or shine. sidestreetstudioarts.org/area22.

Irish Fest: 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum, 110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights. Dance performances by the Hogan Irish Dancers, bagpiping, live music with Galway Gals and The Messengers, food and beverages for purchase, a Wee Ones Fun Zone and more. Free. ahpd.org/event/irish-fest.

Navy Pier Summer Fireworks: 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. Fireworks set to music. Free. navypier.org/summer-fireworks.

Sunday, Aug. 9

Crystal Lake Farmers Market+ At The Dole: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, on the front lawn of the Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, beverages, food trucks and more. farmersmarketatthedole.org.

Hoffman Estates Maker’s Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, in the parking lot of Vistex, off Barrington Road and Route 72, Hoffman Estates. Local vendors selling home decor, jewelry, blankets, clothes and more. Rain or shine. facebook.com/thebloomingdalemakersmarket.

See cultural performances during the International Festival in Wheeling’s Heritage Park Performance Pavilion Sunday, Aug. 9. | Rick West/Daily Herald

International Festival: 1-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Heritage Park Performance Pavilion, 201 Community Blvd., Wheeling. Live performances, activities and ethnic foods. Meet local organizations that support diverse populations. Free. wheelinginternationalfestival.com.

Monday, Aug. 10

Motor Monday Cruise Night: 5 p.m. to dusk Monday, Aug. 10, at The Depot, 319 N. River St., East Dundee. Cars and trucks of various makes and models. In partnership with the Midwest Racing Preservation Association. Free. eastdundee.net.

Tuesday, Aug. 11

Adventures in the Zoo: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Lords Park Zoo, 207 Grand Blvd., Elgin. Program theme is Extirpated Illinois. Free. elginil.gov.

Wednesday, Aug. 12

Celebrate Highwood’s Garlic Fest offers an array of garlic delicacies Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Everts Park in Highwood. | Celebrate Highwood

Garlic Fest: 4:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Everts Park, 111 North Ave., Highwood. Live music, family-friendly activities, and sweet and savory garlic creations, including garlic-infused chocolate, cookies, ice cream, cupcakes, cocktails, pastas, sandwiches, sauces, spreads and more. Free. celebratehighwood.org/garlic-fest.

Highwood Evening Gourmet Market: 4:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Everts Park, 111 North Ave., Highwood. Over 60 vendors and A Tribute to Old Blue Eyes performs from 6-9 p.m. Free. celebratehighwood.org.

Wine Down Wednesdays: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Depot, 319 N. River St., East Dundee. Live music by Billy Elton, drinks and food. Free. eastdundee.net.

Wickstrom Lincoln Concert Series: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington. Mike & Joe will perform. Free. shopthearb.com.

Thursday, Aug. 13

69th annual Sycamore Steam Show & Threshing Bee: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 13-16, at the Taylor Marshall Farm, 27707 Lukens Road, off Plank Road, Sycamore. Hosted by the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club. All of the engines whistle at noon. Parade at 1:30 p.m. daily. See steam engines, gas engines, antique car display, World War II display, lawn and garden tractor display, windmills, and demos on threshing/baling, corn shelling and flour mills. Also, fresh produce, flea market, FFA zoo, live music and Fay’s BBQ. $10, $5 for seniors on Thursday, and free for kids younger than 12. sycamoresteamshow.com.

Barrington Thursday Night Out: 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the BMO Lot, 210 W. Station St., Barrington. Local vendors, classic cars, live music, family activities and more. Free. barrington-il.gov/events/thursday-night-out

Taylor Street Little Italy Festa: 5-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 13-14, on Taylor Street between Ashland Avenue and Throop Street, Chicago. Celebration of local Italian culture with food, stages of continuous family entertainment, merchandise from Italy and colorful cultural attractions. Free. arcadalive.com.

Long Grove Music in the Park: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, in Covered Bridge Park, 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Rachel Faul will perform. Free. longgrove.org.

Summer Concerts at Phil’s Beach: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Phil’s Beach, 328 N. Main St., Wauconda. Better With Bacon will perform. Free. waucondaparks.com.

Sounds of Summer Concert Series: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Harmony Park, 7 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Motown Nation will perform. Free. vah.com/explore/sounds_of_summer_concerts.php.

Summer Sounds on the Green Concert Series: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Village Green, 5510 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. Second Hand News will perform. Food and beverages for sale. Free. hoffmanestatesarts.com/summer-concert-series

Ongoing

Bristol Renaissance Faire: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day through Sept. 7 at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, 12550 120th Ave., Kenosha, Wisconsin. 16th-century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music, characters and more. $48, $45 for 62 and older and military with ID, $23 for kids 5-12, and free for kids 4 and younger. renfair.com/bristol.

Morton Arboretum walking play: 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Aug. 16, starting at Thornhill Shelter at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” runs approximately 90 minutes and includes a 1.5-mile walk, with no intermission. Suitable for all ages, with some crass humor and romantic situations. $27 for 18 and older, $17 for kids 2-17. mortonarb.org/explore/activities/events/walking-plays.

Find much more here.

Read Full Post »

Illinois’ first-in-U.S. crypto transaction tax applies even to losing trades

Posted in BOHICA, Economy, Elections, Fat Bastard, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Taxes, The Chicago Way, The New Normal? on July 16, 2026| 1 Comment »

The tax also risks being challenged in court.

By Adam Gorcyca | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois’ new tax on digital asset transactions risks hurting trading volume and market liquidity, making the state unfriendly for the industry and prompting legal battles.

The fiscal 2027 state budget, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed in June, puts a 0.2% tax on the value of transactions in assets such as NFTs, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, starting Jan. 1. Such transactions include exchanges, transfers or custodial services.

It’s the first such tax in the country. Affected businesses include crypto exchanges, trades, wallet and custody providers holding customer assets and firms transmitting digital assets between accounts. The law applies to any digital asset broker with a place of business in Illinois and to any brokers that gross $100,000 or more in annual digital asset receipts with Illinois residents.

Compliance will require brokers to collect and retain customers’ personal online transaction history, account information, mailing address, IP address and other data to indicate Illinois is the customer’s place of primary use.

Because the tax targets transactions rather than profits, brokers must collect it even when a trade loses money or when assets are transferred between accounts. For gains, the new tax will be an addition to Illinois’ current 4.95% individual income tax, which applies to capital gains.

Lawmakers expect the tax to generate $60 million a year.

Read more here.

Read Full Post »

Illinois’ per-pupil spending 7th-highest in U.S., but outcomes shaky

Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Education Association, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, Springfield, Topics Of Interest, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on July 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Spending was $25,000 per student in 2022-23, almost $5,000 above the national average.

By Jessica Rehberg | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois spends more per public school student than nearly every other state.

During the 2022-23 school year, the state spent $25,000 per student, adjusted to 2024 dollars, according to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics. That’s almost $5,000 more than the U.S. average of $20,039 per student. The figure includes local and state money.

Illinois’ spending ranked seventh-highest in the nation and highest in the Midwest. Despite that, the state has struggled to show strong academic outcomes.

In the 2024-25 school year, only about half of Illinois public school students in grades 3 to 8 and in 11th grade met state reading proficiency standards. In math, just 39% were proficient.

The poor results were much more pronounced in some groups. Low-income students scored 16 to 19 percentage points below the statewide average in both reading and math.

Among Black students, 32% of those in grades 3 to 8 and 26% of 11th-graders were proficient in reading, while 14% to 15% met proficiency standards in math.

For Hispanic students, 39% to 41% were proficient in reading and 24% to 25% proficient in math across grades 3-8 and 11th grade.

These figures come after the Illinois State Board of Education lowered its proficiency benchmarks in 2025 and made student performance appear stronger on paper.

Report continues here.

Editorial note: States spending the same of more than Illinois are New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey.

Read Full Post »

Village Board of Trustees meet Tuesday

Posted in Aunt Blabby, BACOG, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Board of Health, Building Department, Clown Car, Conflict of interest, Data Center, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, ePacket Agendas, Ethics, Finance Committee, Folds of Honor, Fox River Valley Hunt, FRVPC, Insurance Committee, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Lennie, Massbach Hounds, Minutes, One Barrington Hills, Organizations, Plan Commission, Plum Farm development, Police Pension Board, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Resident Spotlights, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Roads & Bridges Committee, The Land We Love Run, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Tree Preservation Ordinance, Unions, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village President, Village Treasurer, Yabba Dabba Doo, Zoning Board on May 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

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

  • [Vote] Board of Health Appointment:
    Frank Konicek – Chairman, one-year term
  • [Vote] Riding Club Commission Appointments:
    Elaine Ramesh – Chairman & Member, each a one-year term
    Mary Beth Holsteen – Member, one-year term
    Susan Helenowski – Member, one-year term
    Vicki Kelly – Member, one-year term
  • [Vote] Plan Commission Appointments:
    Matthew Vondra – Chairman, one-year term & Member, 3-year term
    Christopher Geier – Member, three-year term
    Brent Burval – New Nominee* for Member, three-year term
  • [Vote] Zoning Board of Appeals Appointments:
    Gina Koertner – Member, five-year term
    John Gigerich – Member, five-year term
  • [Vote] Police Pension Board Trustees Appointments:
    Christopher Krzysko, Two-year term
    George Panos, Two-year term
  • Register Now: Land We Love Run 5K/10K Celebrating America250 on June 28, 2026

A copy of their agenda, including info on listening to the meeting, can be viewed and downloaded here.

*No bio provided

Read Full Post »

Lawsuit: D300 secretly gender transitioned student; Seeks to nix IL gender ‘guidance,’ too

Posted in 300, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Legal Newsline, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, School Districts, Springfield, Unions on May 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Photo: Ezekiel See / Unsplash

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal Newsline

A mother from Chicago’s far northwest suburbs has lodged a lawsuit against her child’s public school district, accusing Community Unit School District 300 of allegedly attempting to secretly transition her child’s gender and of blocking the parent’s attempt to learn more about what was happening and be involved, even when the student struggled with suicidal thoughts and required hospitalization for mental health purposes.

However, the class action lawsuit also seeks to more broadly overturn policies at the district and potentially throughout Illinois, which the mother and her lawyer claim trample parents’ constitutional rights.

On May 10, attorney Ajay Gupta, of Naperville, filed suit in Chicago federal court against District 300.

Based in the village of Algonquin, District 300 ranks as the sixth largest public school district in Illinois, has a student population of more than 20,000 students from communities within a 118 square mile radius in Chicago’s northwest suburbs mostly in Kane County, near the McHenry County line.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a named plaintiff, identified in the complaint only as S.K. According to the complaint, she is the mother of a student at one of the district’s three high schools. District 300 high schools include Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, and Hampshire High School in Hampshire.

The complaint does not identify which high school the student attended.

According to the complaint, staff at the student’s school allegedly began in 2022 using “alternate name and pronouns” for S.K.’s child, identified in the complaint only as T.K.

The complaint asserts the student at that time “experienced declining mental health and difficulty completing schoolwork.”

Report continues here.

Read Full Post »

Convicted former Illinois Speaker gives Pritzker advice (from prison)

Posted in Economy, Education, Fat Bastard, Politics, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on May 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Rich Hein, Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file

Quick Hits | The Center Square

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan – from federal prison over corruption charges – penned an op-ed this week calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to accept the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program.

The program, which Pritzker has been reluctant to opt the state into, would allow people to deduct up to $1,700 from their federal taxes if they donate to a qualifying K-12 scholarship granting program.

Republicans in Springfield also called on Pritzker to opt in this week.

Both Madigan and the Republicans argued the governor is putting politics over the needs of citizens.

Find more news here.

Read Full Post »

Editorial: A cautionary tale from UK local elections as Brits move to the extremes

Posted in Chicago Tribune, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Elections, New Normal?, OP/Ed, Politics on May 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

People walk past a polling station sign during the United Kingdom’s 2026 local elections in London on May 7, 2026. (Kin Cheung/AP)

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

Britain held its local elections Thursday, and one headline was the ascendency of Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform party over the traditional Conservatives. But the day hardly brought succor for the Labour Party; the traditional party of the left lost ground in key constituencies to the Green Party, historically a marginal entity in the United Kingdom but now the party of choice among 18-to-24-year-old voters.

Even Labour’s first minister of Wales, Baroness Morgan of Ely, lost her seat.

Beleaguered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, was just about hanging on. To many minds, he is a dead man walking, soon to be abandoned by his Labour Party.

What is the takeaway? The results certainly look dismal for moderates of any persuasion; the Reform and Green supporters hate each other with a passion. They’re also a vote of no confidence in the legacy parties.

And they’re further evidence of how Britain, not unlike the U.S., is now deeply divided between the affluent, educated urbanites who embrace progressive ideals and government spending — in Chicago we’d call them lakefront liberals — and the population living in rural areas and hollowed-out factory towns who feel abandoned by the elite establishment, many of whom abhor Britain’s porous borders and lament what they see as an immigration-driven collapse of both social services and a traditional British life.

Age came into play, too. Despite a popular leader in Kemi Badenoch, the traditional Conservative Party increasingly is seen as a gerontocracy appealing only to the aged. Labour has some of the same problems, having lost a hefty chunk of its traditional working-class supporters. All of the energy is at their flanks.

Editorial continues here.

Read Full Post »

IRS: Illinois led nation in rate of income loss in 2023

Posted in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb and Dumber, Economy, FUBAR, Illinois Policy Institute, Mad Cows, New Normal?, Pension Funding, Politics, Taxes on April 23, 2026| 1 Comment »

By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois lost a larger share of income from outmigration than any other state in 2023, according to IRS data.

Federal tax returns show that Illinois lost a net of nearly 56,000 residents and more than $6 billion in income in 2023, the latest data available. When adjusting for total income per state, Illinois’ losses to net outmigration are the worst in the country — more than $11 for every $1,000 previously earned in the state.

While California ($13 billion) and New York ($10.6 billion) lost more income from outmigration, Illinois lost the largest share of a state total.

Meanwhile, South Carolina and Florida, two of the top three states adding the most total income from people moving in, also added the most as a share of their total income.

Part of why Illinois sees so much wealth flight is that high-income Illinoisans are leaving at twice the rate of other groups. People in all income brackets are moving out of the state, but those earning more than $200,000 a year have been leaving the fastest.

Article continues here.

Read Full Post »

Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Daily Herald, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb and Dumber, Dumb Bunny, Economy, Education, Elections, Ethics, FUBAR, Goat Rodeo, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cows, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Topics Of Interest, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on February 28, 2026| 3 Comments »

Erin Chan Ding, left, and Maria Peterson are Democratic candidates for the Illinois House 52nd District seat in the 2026 primary election.

By Steve Zalusky  | Daily Herald

The Barrington Area Democratic Organization condemned attack mailers from Erin Chan Ding’s campaign for the Democratic nod in the Illinois House 52nd District primary.

The mailers altered opponent Maria Peterson’s image, placing her head on another person’s body. They also included the phrase, “When Maria Peterson runs, MAGA wins,” along with a list of her past election losses.

“These tactics do not reflect the values of our organization or the spirit of Democratic leadership in our community,” organization officials stated in a press release.

Chan Ding and Peterson are competing to challenge incumbent Republican Martin McLaughlin in the fall election. Peterson narrowly lost to McLaughlin by 47 votes in 2024 and lost by 385 votes to Republican Dan McConchie in 2022.

Peterson called the mailers “Chicago-style politics” that don’t “fit very well out here.”

Chan Ding countered, claiming Peterson distributed an attack ad first in January that “went after my character.” Chan Ding is a Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board member who was criticized by colleagues after an investigation determined she had violated district policies by using school resources, property and social media for prohibited political campaign activities.

Article continues here.

Related: “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “District 220 Public Hearing December 16th re: ‘proposal to sell bonds of the District in an amount not to exceed $5,400,000’,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “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”

Read Full Post »

NFL’s Chicago Bears May Bolt to Pro-Growth Indiana

Posted in Economy, Elections, Entertainment, Girlie man, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, The Washington Free Beacon, Topics Of Interest, Unions, Wall Street Journal on February 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

J.B. Pritzker (Scott Olson/Getty Images), Chicago Bears play the Carolina Panthers (via Wikimedia Commons)

By Ira Stoll | Washington Free Beacon

The latest business to pick up and leave the high-tax, high-regulation, high-crime nightmare of Illinois may be its iconic professional football franchise.

The governor of Indiana, Mike Braun, announced Thursday morning that a “framework” had been reached for a final deal that would move the Chicago Bears about 20 miles south from Soldier Field to Hammond, Ind.

“Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears,” Braun said. “The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers. We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”

A statement from the Bears said in part, “We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe.”

Braun, Huston, and Mishler are all Republicans. The governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, is a Democrat and aspiring 2028 presidential candidate, and Democrats also control both houses of the State Legislature in Springfield. The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, is a tax-raising leftist who was elected in 2023 over the more moderate Paul Vallas.

So many businesses and people have left the Prairie State that the Illinois Policy Institute, a center-right research group, calls it the “Illinois Exodus.” “One of the major factors pushing businesses away from the state is Illinois’ unfriendly tax climate,” the institute said in a 2025 analysis. Companies that have moved headquarters out of the state in recent years include Citadel, which moved to the Free State of Florida along with its founder and CEO Ken Griffin; Boeing, which moved to Virginia; and Caterpillar, which moved to Texas. When Griffin left in 2022, he told the Wall Street Journal that crime in Chicago was part of the reason: “I’ve had multiple colleagues mugged at gunpoint. I’ve had a colleague stabbed on the way to work. Countless issues of burglary. I mean, that’s a really difficult backdrop with which to draw talent to your city from.”

Article continues here.

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »