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Naturalists, botanists and restoration volunteers spotlight Grigsby Prairie in Barrington Hills

July 22, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Far right, leading a tour group is volunteer and CFC board member Jim Vanderpoel of Arlington Heights on July 20, 2026 at the restored tallgrass Grigsby Prairie in Barrington Hills, managed by the volunteer group (CFC) Citizens for Conservation of Barrington. | Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press

By Karie Angell Luc | For the Chicago Tribune

As environmentalists from around the world convened at the Aspen Ideas: Climate event in Chicago from July 20 to July 22, the conversation about conservation moved to Barrington Hills on July 20.

There, local and national conservationists toured the 44-acre Grigsby Prairie in Barrington Hills, managed by the volunteer group (CFC) Citizens for Conservation of Barrington.

Describing Indian Hemp, a native white flowering plant to a tour group, is volunteer and CFC board member Jim Vanderpoel of Arlington Heights on July 20, 2026 at the restored tallgrass Grigsby Prairie in Barrington Hills, managed by the volunteer group (CFC) Citizens for Conservation of Barrington. | Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press

CFC is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that restores and maintains more than 732 acres across 14 separate nearby locations, according to https://citizensforconservation.org.

“CFC first started with response to a lot of land development that was happening in the seventies, so they came to be in 1971,” said Abigail Derby Lewis of Glenview, CFC executive director.

Grigsby Prairie is “the oldest prairie restoration that CFC has and one of the oldest in the State of Illinois,” Derby Lewis said. “It is incredible.

“Every plant you see, every animal you see, all of the habitat there, that is the result of people putting in the time and the energy and the love to that land over decades,” Derby Lewis said.

CFC volunteer Wendy Paulson of Barrington Hills said of Grigsby Prairie (a prairie which was lost), “That’s an example of hope.”

The walk of the tallgrass prairie included tour leader and CFC board member Jim Vanderpoel of Arlington Heights, Dwayne Estes of Dickson, Tennessee, co-founder and executive director of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) of Clarksville, Tennessee, and a professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

SGI is building a movement,” according to https://www.segrasslands.org.

Right, leading a tour group is volunteer and CFC board member Jim Vanderpoel of Arlington Heights on July 20, 2026 at the restored tallgrass Grigsby Prairie in Barrington Hills, managed by the volunteer group (CFC) Citizens for Conservation of Barrington. | Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press

Also interpreting Grigsby Prairie on the tour were Derby Lewis, Paulson, plus author and renowned forest preserves site steward Stephen Packard of Northbrook.

Many experts identify prairie grasslands as the most threatened ecosystem in eastern North America, with scattered acres, islands and pockets around the United States unattended to and basically forgotten.

Article and photos  continue here.

Posted in Chicago Tribune, Citizens for Conservation, Going green, Land Use, Privacy, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, Topics Of Interest | Leave a Comment »

Illinois lawmaker salaries rise 34% faster than their constituents’ paychecks under Pritzker

July 22, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers have increased lawmaker pay while approving budgets that raised taxes on Illinoisans.

By Shaw Carlson | Illinois Policy Institute

Lawmakers’ pay has grown much faster than the average Illinois salary during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s time in office.

Since 2019, the base salary for members of the General Assembly has risen 44.9%, to $98,304 in 2026.

In the same period, the average Illinois salary rose 33.7%, to about $79,779.

That base salary for lawmakers is set to rise to six figures under the newly enacted fiscal 2027 budget and doesn’t include the additional compensation they get for leadership positions and per diems for items such as lodging.

Pritzker signed the record-high $55.9 billion budget that included more than $800 million in business tax increases and rise to lawmakers.

While lawmaker compensation climbs, voters’ priorities are tossed aside

Illinoisans have made clear what they want state leaders to address.

A recent poll found high taxes were the top concern among Illinois voters, with 52.8% choosing it as one of the biggest issues facing the state. The economy ranked second, with about 41% naming it a top one or two issue out of seven.

Report continues here.

Posted in Commodius Maximus, Ethics, Fools and their money, Illinois Policy Institute, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Snowflake Effect, Springfield, Taxes, Transparency | Leave a Comment »

Man charged with terrorism threats after ‘alarming’ threats toward Vernon Hills High School, South Barrington church

July 22, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Ryan Kang, 26, of Vernon Hills, (inset) is accused of making an array of threats toward people and institutions, including Vernon Hills High School, and was arrested over the weekend. | Background Photo: VHHS; Inset: Provided

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

A man is facing terroristic threats charges after authorities say he made numerous “alarming” threats of bombing and shooting, including toward Vernon Hills High School and a church in South Barrington.

Ryan Kang, 26, of Vernon Hills, was charged with two counts of terrorism by false threat, a Class 1 felony.

The Vernon Hills Police Department began an investigation into Kang after multiple people, including his own family, made reports to the police regarding threatening posts.

Vernon Hills Deputy Police Chief Shannon Holubetz said there was a series of concerning social media posts that were perceived as threatening certain institutions and people.

The threats included references to school shootings, bombings and acts of interpersonal violence.

The threats were made to Vernon Hills High School, Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington and multiple out-of-state residents, Holubetz said.

Report continues here.

Posted in Lake & McHenry County Scanner, South Barrington | Leave a Comment »

CUSD 220 Board of Education meets Thursday

July 21, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

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’”

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)? | Leave a Comment »

‘Surreal’: Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place attracts tourists worldwide

July 21, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Not long after sunset, visitors will find thousands of stars popping out of the heavens in the Galaxy Loop of the Dark Forest Trail in the Middle Park Forest Preserve. | Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Julia Levy

The legislature in recent years has taken steps to limit light pollution

By Julia Levy and Medill Illinois News Bureau | Capitol News Illinois

When the sun is out at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Champaign County, visitors will find themselves surrounded by 1,700 acres of scattered ponds for fishing, a labyrinth of trails for exploring and picnic tables among the groves.

But when dusk arrives and the moon rises, that’s when visitors are surrounded by stars, and it’s time to look up.

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve is Illinois’ first and only International Dark Sky Place. To achieve such a certification from DarkSky International, a site must have a visual-band zenith luminance of 21.2 magnitudes per square arcsecond. In simple terms, this means that the Milky Way must be visible almost every clear night.

A winding road at sunset into a field of tall grasses will soon be greeted with the light of thousands of stars. | Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Julia Levy

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve outshines those requirements. Some of the deepest night sky objects can be seen on the preserve’s Dark Sky Trail, with a half-mile “Galaxy Loop” in the middle of an open field.

In recent years, the state has taken action aimed at addressing light pollution. Beginning in 2025, the state’s Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act began prohibiting outdoor lighting purchased with state funds from exceeding certain brightness thresholds. The General Assembly sent another bill to Gov. JB Pritzker this year on the subject as well.

“I took the dark skies for granted because I lived on a rural farm,” Matt Kuntz, lifelong Illinois resident and site superintendent of the preserve, said in an interview. “In 2018, I realized we needed to take up the effort to make this location (a dark sky park), and that’s when it all started.”

Site Superintendent Matt Kuntz partnered with experts and enthusiasts across Illinois to delegate the Middle Park Forest Preserve as an International Dark Sky Park. | Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Julia Levy

Kuntz, alongside his staff and astronomers throughout the state, undertook the effort to receive such a designation and were successful that year.

It’s what came next that surprised Kuntz.

Article continues here.

Related: “‘I want people to care about the night’ (Our lessons learned follow),” “Chicago stargazers find more light pollution and wildfires are obscuring the skies: ‘It’s like going deaf if you like music’,” “Citizens for Conservation says, ‘Punch Your Lights Out!!!’,” “Vandalism to the home of former Lighting Ordinance opponent,” “The IAA battle: Why it was over before it began,” “Barrington Hills readies for final round of lighting debate,” “End of Barrington Hills light debate coming Monday?,” “No lighting decision in Barrington Hills this year,” “Big changes for Barrington Hills lighting law,” “Barrington Hills still debating limits on outdoor lighting,” “Resident files petition in protest of Dark Sky proposal,” “‘Dark Sky’ proposal sent to Village Board,” “Barrington Hills moves outdoor light law on, with provision,” “Barrington Hills stuck on lighting rules’ timing,” “Decision on Barrington Hills ‘Dark Sky’ ordinance deferred again,” “‘Dark sky’ proposal refined,” “Residents turned off by ‘dark sky’ proposal,” “Everything Is Deluminated – WSJ,” “Barrington Hills residents slam proposed lighting ordinance,” “Sizable crowd complains about proposed ordinance,” “Barrington Hills dark skies debate,” “‘Dark Skies’ via ordinance can be controversial,” “Law not necessary to keep sky dark – DH,” “Three Hundreds attend Dark Sky meeting in Barrington Hills,” and “Barrington Hills wants to turn out the lights and see the night sky”

Posted in Capitol News Illinois, Commodius Maximus, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield | Leave a Comment »

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

July 21, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

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.

Posted in Animal Welfare, PAWS Chicago, Press Release | Leave a Comment »

𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐉𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐄-𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐒

July 20, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Image courtesy M.A. Rothman

By M.A. Rothman via Facebook

A federal judge just told a teenage girl and her father that under Title IX, she has no right to a bathroom or locker room free of biological boys.

𝐔.𝐒. 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧, nominated by President Obama in 2010 to the Northern District of Illinois, dismissed the lawsuit brought by a student identified only as F.F. and her father, James Ellard Fisher, against 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟑𝟔𝟓𝐔 in suburban Chicago.*

The family argued the district violated Title IX and the Constitution’s equal protection clause by letting biological male students into girls-only bathrooms and locker rooms. Coleman disagreed, ruling that Illinois law lets schools allow transgender students to use the facilities of their choice, and that federal civil rights law only requires facilities be “𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦” across the sexes, not sex-separated.

Read Rothman’s full post here.

*Valley View Community Unit School District 365U (VVSD) is a large public school district in Will County, Illinois, serving most of Bolingbrook and Romeoville, plus portions of Plainfield, Lockport, and Downers Grove – Wikipedia.

Posted in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Facebook, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, WTF | 1 Comment »

Falling birth rates could worsen Illinois’ declining public school enrollment


July 20, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Illinois public schools are teaching fewer students compared to a decade ago, yet taxpayers continue funding a system built for more students.

By Rich Witzel | Illinois Policy Institute

Falling birth rates suggest that Illinois’ declining public school enrollment will continue, a reality that should inform decisions of education policymakers.

The National Center for Education Statistics projected in early 2024 that Illinois public school enrollment would fall to 1.8 million students by 2030, but the number had already dropped to almost that low for the 2024-25 school year, according to state data.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major factor in the decline in, but enrollment had already been falling for years. Year-over-year enrollment in Illinois increased only two times over the past 15 school years.

This is not just an Illinois problem. Nationally, public schools are serving 1.2 million fewer students in 2022-23 than before the pandemic, and enrollment is projected to fall by another 2.4 million students by 2031.

A shrinking student population

Falling birth rates factor in. Illinois recorded just under 125,000 births in 2023, a 31% decline from 2007 and one of the steepest drops in the country.

Birth data previews of future enrollment trends. Less births today mean fewer elementary and high school students in the years ahead. The drop in births is occurring among outmigration and families choosing other education options, further contributing to the state’s enrollment decline.

Report continues here.

Posted in 220, 300, Cost of Living, Education, Illinois Policy Institute, Immigration, Property Taxes, School Districts, What the Ficke (Bradford)? | Leave a Comment »

Illinois may bring early warning of toll costs ahead of proposed rate hike

July 19, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

A roadside sign reads “Welcome to Illinois, The Land of Lincoln,” next to highway signs for Chicago and Indianapolis. | Photo: Sarah Roderick-Fitch / The Center Square

By Sean Reed | The Center Square

While Illinois contemplates raising prices on tollways across the state, one state lawmaker wants increased transparency for drivers.

State Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, announced he plans to introduce the “Truth in Toll Transparency Act,” which he said will give drivers on Illinois tollways a more advanced warning of the cost to enter a toll.

He told The Center Square he wanted to bring the measure forward because drivers often aren’t made aware of the actual cost of a toll until it’s too late to turn around.

“You will see a sign that says ‘toll ahead’ or ‘paid toll,’ but it does not define what the cost of that toll is going to be on the majority of tollways,” McLaughlin said. “If you’re going to continue to charge us for the tolls, the least you should expect would be to get an exact exact dollar amount before you enter a toll point, and that’s not happening today.”

McLaughlin said the proposed law may come at a small cost to update and place new signage near tollways, but he said that cost would come alongside the tollway already needing to update signs if it approves a rate hike.

McLaughlin noted he doesn’t feel proposed toll increases, which are set to be voted on by Illinois Tollway officials in the coming months, are necessary right now. The increase would be 45 cents per toll for IPASS users and a 30% rate hike for commercial IPASS users.

“To me this is just another opportunity to demand transparency from those in Illinois that have a spending addiction, but have a transparency problem and if you’re going to hit up me and my neighbors for these numbers, let us know in advance before we enter into the toll,” McLaughlin said.

Report continues here.

Posted in Fat Bastard, Illinois Tollway, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, The Chicago Way | Leave a Comment »

Temporary Public Parking Lot Closures at Barrington Metra Station

July 19, 2026 by Barrington Hills Observer

Temporary Public Parking Lot Closures Begin Sunday Night at Barrington Metra Station

Please be advised that contractors will be conducting routine maintenance to restripe four Village-owned parking lots in the Barrington Metra Station beginning Monday, July 20. The impacted parking lots and schedule are indicated on the maps below. Work is anticipated to take place Monday, July 20, through Wednesday, July 22, weather permitting. Closures will rotate, and on-site signage will indicate which lot(s) will be closed each day, while the others remain open for parking. The first non-primary parking lot shown in blue will close at midnight on Sunday evening (July 19). Lots will reopen each day as soon as the work is complete.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as this work is completed!

Source

Posted in METRA, Traffic | Leave a Comment »

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