The Barrington Hills Observer

The Barrington Hills Observer News and Commentary for Barrington Hills Residents Since 2009

By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute Just over half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level...
10/31/2025

By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute Just over half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level and 39% were proficient in math on 2025 state assessments, according to newly released data from the Illinois State Board of Education. That’s after the state artificially inflated the number of students meeting standards by lowering the scores needed to be considered “proficient” in reading and math in 2025....

By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute Just over half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level and 39% were proficient in math on 2025 state assessments, according to newl…

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald Friday, Oct. 31 McHenry Stade’s Farm Market: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Friday, Oct....
10/31/2025

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald Friday, Oct. 31 McHenry Stade’s Farm Market: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Friday, Oct. 31, at 3709 Miller Road, McHenry. Free. stadesfarmandmarket.com. Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, 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....

https://barringtonhillsobserver.com/2025/10/31/things-to-do-oct-31-to-nov-6-halloween-and-sneaker-events-the-312-comedy-festival-and-more/

By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald Friday, Oct. 31 McHenry Stade’s Farm Market: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Friday, Oct. 31, at 3709 Miller Road, McHenry. Free. stadesfarmandmarket.com. Randall Oak…

By Dylan Sharkey | Illinois Policy Institute Illinois House Democrats introduced a $1.5 billion transit funding plan wit...
10/30/2025

By Dylan Sharkey | Illinois Policy Institute Illinois House Democrats introduced a $1.5 billion transit funding plan with a wealth tax on hypothetical income that doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. Taxes on streaming services and ticketed events are also a part of the plan. A 4.95% tax on unrealized capital gains for individuals with more than $1 billion in assets....

By Dylan Sharkey | Illinois Policy Institute Illinois House Democrats introduced a $1.5 billion transit funding plan with a wealth tax on hypothetical income that doesn’t exist anywhere in the worl…

Posted to the Village website: “Trustee Marsha McClary On Monday, October 27, 2025, resident Marsha McClary was sworn in...
10/29/2025

Posted to the Village website: “Trustee Marsha McClary On Monday, October 27, 2025, resident Marsha McClary was sworn in as Village Trustee, filling the unexpired term of Trustee Darby Hills, whose resignation created a vacancy in the Office of Village Trustee. Marsha McClary grew up locally, attending St. Anne’s School and Barrington High School, and has lived in Barrington Hills with her family for the past ten years....

Posted to the Village website: “Trustee Marsha McClary On Monday, October 27, 2025, resident Marsha McClary was sworn in as Village Trustee, filling the unexpired term of Trustee Darby Hills, whose…

By Tess Kenny | Chicago Tribune Holding signs that read, “Do better be better” and “Resist,” about 100 people protested ...
10/29/2025

By Tess Kenny | Chicago Tribune Holding signs that read, “Do better be better” and “Resist,” about 100 people protested outside Palatine police headquarters Tuesday, a day after one of the department’s officers aided a federal enforcement action, a move that has raised questions over whether the officer acted in accordance with state law and prompted local backlash. “I had thought that in Illinois, police are not supposed to help (U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement),” longtime Palatine resident Linda Sabor said as she stood alongside fellow demonstrators and her husband....

By Tess Kenny | Chicago Tribune Holding signs that read, “Do better be better” and “Resist,” about 100 people protested outside Palatine police headquarters Tuesday, a day after one of the departme…

By LyLena Estabine | Illinois Policy Institute A new safety ranking from WalletHub paints a stark picture for Chicago. O...
10/29/2025

By LyLena Estabine | Illinois Policy Institute A new safety ranking from WalletHub paints a stark picture for Chicago. Out of 182 U.S. cities, Chicago ranks 161st in overall safety. For comparison, New York City ranks 117th. Los Angeles ranks 156th. Phoenix ranks 136th. This poor ranking comes amid growing concerns about violent crime and transit safety. Despite repeated assurances from ...

By LyLena Estabine | Illinois Policy Institute A new safety ranking from WalletHub paints a stark picture for Chicago. Out of 182 U.S. cities, Chicago ranks 161st in overall safety. For comparison,…

The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) Executive Board is scheduled to meet at 7 PM at the Tower Lakes Villa...
10/28/2025

The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) Executive Board is scheduled to meet at 7 PM at the Tower Lakes Village Hall, 400 N IL Route 59. Meeting agendas are posted by BACOG, but their website does state, “Copies of approved minutes for BACOG committee and executive board meetings are available upon request. Please submit requests by email to [email protected].

The Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) Executive Board is scheduled to meet at 7 PM at the Tower Lakes Village Hall, 400 N IL Route 59. Meeting agendas are posted by BACOG, but their we…

At their October 21st meeting, the CUSD 220 Board of Education received the, “Enrollment Status 30-Day,” report for the ...
10/27/2025

At their October 21st meeting, the CUSD 220 Board of Education received the, “Enrollment Status 30-Day,” report for the 2025-2026 school year. The report shows 7,953 students are currently enrolled. This marks the 3rd year enrollment has declined, and 355 fewer students have been enrolled since 2020. A copy of the report can be found here.

At their October 21st meeting, the CUSD 220 Board of Education received the, “Enrollment Status 30-Day,” report for the 2025-2026 school year. The report shows 7,953 students are currently enrolled…

By Kellie Walenciak | Posted in the Chicago Tribune My father had a simple ritual. At 6 a.m., he would read the New York...
10/26/2025

By Kellie Walenciak | Posted in the Chicago Tribune My father had a simple ritual. At 6 a.m., he would read the New York Post and Daily News cover to cover. At 6 p.m., he tuned into the evening news — an hour of straightforward reporting, not commentary. He formed his own opinions, and then he moved on. The news didn’t dominate company picnics or poker nights with the neighbors....

By Kellie Walenciak | Posted in the Chicago Tribune My father had a simple ritual. At 6 a.m., he would read the New York Post and Daily News cover to cover. At 6 p.m., he tuned into the evening new…

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and trusted leader in adoption and foster care innovation, will host two h...
10/25/2025

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and trusted leader in adoption and foster care innovation, will host two holiday initiatives to benefit children in foster care and those awaiting across Illinois. Already a statewide leader in adoption reform, Let It Be Us continues to enhance the visibility, accessibility, and support systems surrounding the adoption process. As part of its mission, the organization utilizes and manages the Illinois Adoption Listing Service and The Heart Gallery of Illinois, providing caseworkers and prospective families with an interactive, user-friendly platform highlighting children and teens awaiting permanent, loving families....

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and trusted leader in adoption and foster care innovation, will host two holiday initiatives to benefit children in foster care and those awaiting acro…

By Noah Finley | National Federation of Independent Business Even as lawmakers reconvene in Springfield for the fall vet...
10/24/2025

By Noah Finley | National Federation of Independent Business Even as lawmakers reconvene in Springfield for the fall veto session, special interest groups continue to press for higher taxes on everyday services – such as haircuts, tax filings, and vehicle repairs – to fund their pet programs. Last week, a memo circulating around the capitol included a potential $2.7 billion statewide service tax, euphemistically dubbed as “Sales Tax Modernization.”...

By Noah Finley | National Federation of Independent Business Even as lawmakers reconvene in Springfield for the fall veto session, special interest groups continue to press for higher taxes on ever…

By Luke Zurawski | Daily herald Friday, Oct. 24 Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns: 6-10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct...
10/24/2025

By Luke Zurawski | Daily herald Friday, Oct. 24 Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns: 6-10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 24-26, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. See hand-carved, LED-lit jack-o’-lanterns staged along a festive paved pathway where visitors will encounter characters and can watch live pumpkin carving. $22-$27 for adults, $15-$18 for kids 3-12, and free for kids younger than 3. ...

By Luke Zurawski | Daily herald Friday, Oct. 24 Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns: 6-10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 24-26, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. See han…

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